engine AUDI A7 2014 Workshop Manual
Page 200 of 306
198  Intelligent  technology 
@ Tips 
-ABS and ASR on ly work  correctly  when 
all  four  wheels  are equipped  w ith  identi
ca l tires. Different  tire  sizes can lead  to  a 
reduct ion in  engine  power. 
- You may hear  noises when  the  systems  described  are working. 
Switching  on  and  off 
- If  the  indicator  light DJ or til] (USA 
mode ls)/ [I] (Canada models)  appears, 
there  may be a malfunction 
¢ page  20 , 
¢page  19. 
ESC  turns  on automatically  when you  start  the  engine. 
Fig.  18 2 Cent er  co nsole, f). O FF bu tton 
ESC levels 
Sport  mode  on 
The following  situations  are exceptions  where 
it  may be usefu l to  switch  on sport  mode  to 
allow  the  wheels  to  sp in: 
- Rocking the  vehicle  to  free  i t when  i t  is st uck 
- Dr iving  in deep  snow or  on loose g round 
- Driving  with  snow chains 
Sport  mode  off 
Beha vio r 
The ESC a nd ASR stabilization  fun ct ions  The fu ll stabilization  function  o f the  ESC 
are  limited¢ .&,. 
Op eration Pr ess the 1.$ O FFI button . 
Indicato r I) turns  o n. 
lights 
Driv er mes- Stabiliza tion control  (ESC ): Sport. 
sage s  Warning!  R educed  stability 
,8. WARNING 
You should  only  switch  sport  mode  on if 
your  driving  abilities  and  road cond itions 
permit. 
- The stabilization  function  is limited 
when  sport  mode  is sw itched  on. The 
dr iv ing whee ls could  spin  and the  vehicle 
cou ld swe rve, especially  on slick  or  slip
pery  road surfaces . 
{D) Tips 
-Sport  mode cannot  be switched  on when 
adaptive  cruise control*  is switched  on. 
-
and ASR is availab le again . 
Press the 
1 .$ O FF I button  again. 
fl tu rns off. 
Stabilization  c ontrol  (ESC ): On 
- If  the  rear spo iler system  malf unct ions, 
s port  mode  may no t switch  on o r it  may 
sw it c h off  ag ain  autom atically.  
Page 202 of 306
200  Intelligent technology 
Braking 
General  information 
What  affects  braking  efficiency? 
Operating conditions  and  driving  habits 
The brakes on today's  automobi les are sti ll 
subject  to  wear,  depending largely  on  operat
ing  conditions  and driving  habits 
c:> ,&. On 
vehicles  that  are either  driven  mostly  in stop
and-go  city  traffic  or  are driven  hard,  the  brake pads should  be checked by your  author
ized  Audi  dealer  more  often  than  specified  in 
the 
Warranty & Maintenan ce booklet . Failure 
to  have  your  b rake pads inspected  can result 
in  red uced  brake  performance. 
On steep  slopes, you shou ld use the  brak ing 
effect  of  the  engine.  This way, you  prevent  un
necessary  wear on the  brake  system.  If you 
must  use yo ur brakes,  do  not  hold  the brakes 
down  continuously.  Pump the  brakes at  inter
va ls. 
Moisture  or road  salt 
Unde r certain  conditions,  for  example, when 
driving  through  water or very heavy rain,  or 
even  after  washing  your  vehicle,  the  braking 
effect  can be red uced  due  to  moisture  (or  in 
freezing  conditions  ice) on  the  brake pads. A 
few  careful  brake applications  should  dry  off  the  brake  pads or  remove any ice coatings. 
When  you are driving  at  higher  speeds with 
the  windshield  wipers  on,  the  brake  pads will 
briefly  touch  the  brake discs in  regular  inter
vals so as to  improve  reaction  t ime when  brak
ing on wet  surfaces.  You the  driver  will  not  no
tice  anything . 
The effectiveness  of  the  brakes can be  reduced 
when  the  vehicle  is dr iven on  a salt-covered 
road and the  brakes are  not used . Here too, 
you  should  clean  off  accumulated  salt  coat ing 
from  brake  discs and  pads with  a few  careful 
applications  of  the  brake 
c:> ,& . 
Corrosion 
There may be a tendency  for  dirt  to  build  up 
on the  brake  pads and corrosion  to  form  on  the 
discs  if  the  car  is not  driven  regu larly  or 
o n  Ly  for  short  trips  with  litt le use of  the 
brakes. 
If the  brakes are not  used frequently,  or  if cor
r osion  has  formed on the  discs,  it  is advisable 
to  clean  off  the  pads and  discs by braking 
firmly  a few  times  from  a moderately  h igh 
speed 
c:> .&. . 
Faults  in  the brake  system 
If you shou ld notice  a sudden increase  in 
brake  pedal travel,  then  one of  the  two  brake 
circuits  may have fai led 
c::> .&. . 
Low brake fluid  level 
Malfunctions  can occu r in the  brake system  if 
the  brake  fluid  level  is  too  low.  The  brake fluid 
l evel  is monitored  electronically. 
Brake booster 
The  brake booster  works  with  vacuum  pres
su re which  is created  only  when  the  eng ine is 
running 
c::> ,& . 
Brake lining  wear  status 
Brake lining  wear  may be checked by visual  in
spect ion  of  the  condition  of  the  brake  pads 
t hr ough  the open ings  in the  wheel.  If neces
sary,  the wheel  may be removed  for this in
spect ion 
c:> page 266, Changing  a wheel. 
.8_ WARNING 
-You  shou ld perform  braking  maneuvers 
for  the  purpose  of  cleaning  the  brake 
system  only  if road  conditions  permit. 
Other  road  users must  not  be put  at  risk  -
you  may cause an accident! 
- Before descending  a steep  grade, reduce 
speed and sh ift  transmission  into a lower 
gear  or  lower  driving  range.  Do  not ride 
the  brakes or  hold the pedal  down  too 
long  or too  often . This could  cause  the 
brakes to  get  hot and diminish  braking 
efficiency. 
- Do not  "ride the brakes"  by  resting your 
foot  on  the  pedal  when  you  do  not intend 
to  brake.  This may cause the  brakes to  
Page 203 of 306
overheat,  premature wear  and  increased 
stopp ing distance. 
- Under certain  climatic  and  operating 
conditions  such as  passing  through  wa
ter,  driving in heavy rain or after  wash ing 
the  vehicle, the  effect iveness  of the 
brakes  can be  reduced.  In winter,  ice can 
accumulate  on the  brake  pads,  linings, 
discs and  drums.  Carefully apply  brakes 
for  a test.  Brakes will dry and  ice coat ings will be cleaned  off after  a few ca re
f ul brake applications. 
- Driv ing for an  extended  period of time  on 
salt-covered  roads w ithout  using your 
brakes  can also  affect  braking  efficiency. 
Clean off accumulated  salt  coating  from 
brake discs  and  pads  w ith  a few caref ul 
brake applicat ions. 
- If you damage  the  front  spoiler,  or  if you 
install  a different  spoiler,  be sure  the  air 
flow to  the  front  brakes  is not  obstruct ed.  Otherwise  the  brake system  could 
overheat  reducing  the  effectiveness  of 
the  ent ire brake system. 
- Failure of one  brake  c ircuit will impair 
the  braking  capability  resulting  in an  in
c reased  stopp ing distance.  Avoid driv ing 
the  vehicle and  have it towed  to  the  near
est  Aud i dea ler o r q ualified workshop. 
- Never let  the  vehicle roll to  a stop  w ith 
the  engine  shu t off. 
- If the  brake  booster  is not  work ing, the 
brake  pedal  must  be pressed  conside ra
bly  harder  to  make up for  the  lac k of 
booster  assistance. 
Electro-mechanical 
power  assist 
The electro-mechanical  power  assist  helps 
the  driver  when steering. 
Powe r steering  adapts electronically based  on 
the  vehicle speed. 
Indicator  lights  and  message s 
• Steerin g defective!  Stop  th e vehicle 
Int ellig ent  technolog y 201 
If this  indicato r light  turns  on and  stays  on 
and  t his message  appears,  the  power steering 
may have failed. 
Do 
not con tinue dr iv ing . See your au thor ized 
Audi dealer  or other  qualified  repair  facility 
for  assistance . 
'I-Y Steering: System  malfun ction!  You may 
c ontinue  dri ving 
If the  indicato r light  turns  on and  the  mes
sage  appea rs, the  stee ring may be  more  diffi
c ult  to  move o r more  sens itive than  usual. 
Drive slowly to your authorized  Aud i dealer  or 
qualified workshop  to  have the  ma lfunction 
corre cted. 
0) Tips 
If the . or 1:z;lj indicator  light  on ly stays 
on for  a short  t ime,  yo u may continue  dr iv
i ng. 
Driving  with  your 
quattro 
App lies  to veh icl es: w ith  all-w hee l drive 
With  all-wheel  drive,  all  four  wheels  are driv
en. 
General information 
Wi th a ll W heel  Drive, power  is distributed  to 
all four  wheels . This happens  automatically 
depending  on your driving style  and  the  road 
conditions  at  the  time . See also 
~ page  196. 
With  the  sport  different ia l* ,  power distribu
tion  to  the  rear wheels  is variable  and  can be 
adjusted  with Audi dr ive select* 
~ page  102. 
Always  read and  follow safety  precautions 
~ .&. . 
Winter  tires 
When  dr iving in the  winter,  yo ur vehicle with 
all-wheel  drive has  an advantage,  even wit h 
regular  tires . In winter  road conditions  it  may 
be advisable  to  mount  winter  tires  (or all-sea
son  tires)  for  improved  driveability and  brak
ing: these  tires  must  be  moun ted o n 
all  four 
wh eel s. 
See  also~ page  258,  Winter  tires.  ..,. 
• 
•  
Page 204 of 306
202  Intellig ent  technol ogy 
Tire  chain s 
Where  t ire  cha ins  are  mandatory  on  certain 
roads,  this  normally  a lso  applies  to  vehicles 
with  a ll- wheel  drive 
c::> page  259,  Snow 
chains . 
Replacing wheels /t ir es 
Vehicles  with  all-whee l drive  must  a lways 
have  tires  of  the  same  size.  Also  avoid  t ires 
with  different  tread  depths.  For  details  see 
page 
c::> page  2 54,  New  tires  and  replacing 
tires  and  wheels. 
Off -Ro ad dri ving? 
Your Aud i does  not  have  enough  ground  clear
ance  to  be  used  as  an  off -road  veh icle. 
It is 
therefore  best  to  avoid  rough  tracks  and  un 
even  terrain  as  much  as  possible . Also  refer  to 
c::> page206. 
A WARNING 
Always  adjust  your  driving  to  road  and  traf
fic condit ions.  Do not  let  the  extra  safety 
afforded  by all-wheel  dr ive tempt  you  into 
taking  extra  r isks. 
- Although  the  all-wheel  dr ive  is very  ef
fective,  always  remember  that  braking  capacity  is limited  by t ire  traction . You 
should  the refore  not  dr ive at  excessive 
speeds  on  icy or  slippery  road  su rfaces. 
- On wet  road  surfaces,  be  careful  not  to 
dr ive too  fast  because  the  front  wheels 
cou ld  beg in to  s lide  on  top  of  the  w ater 
(aquaplaning) . 
If this  should  occ ur, you 
wi ll have  no warning  from  a sudden  in 
crease  in engine  speed  as  with  a front
wheel  drive  vehicle.  A lways  drive  at 
speeds  wh ich are  suited  to  the  road  con
ditions  -risk  of  crash. 
Energy  management 
Starting  ability  is optimized 
Energy management  controls  the  distribution 
of  electrical  energy  and  thus  optimizes  the 
availability  of  electrical  energy  for starting  the  engine. 
If  a vehicle  with  a  conventional  energy  system 
is  not  driven  for  a  long  per iod  of  t ime,  the  bat
tery  is discharged  by idling  current  consumers  (e .g.  immobilize r).  In  certa in circumstances  it 
can  resu lt  in the re  be ing  insufficient  energy 
available  to  start  the  engine. 
Intelligent  energy  management  in your  vehi
cl e  ha ndles  the  distribution  of  e lectr ica l ene r
gy . Start ing  ability  is ma rkedly  improved  and 
the  life  of  the  battery  is extended . 
Bas ica lly, energy  management  consists  of 
b att ery  diagn osis,  idlin g current  manage 
m ent 
and dynamic  en erg y manag em ent . 
Battery  di agnosis 
Battery  diagnosis  continuously  determines 
the  state  of  the  battery.  Sensors  determine 
battery  voltage,  battery  cu rrent  and  battery 
tempe rature.  This  determines  the  current 
state  o f charge  and  the  power  of  t he  battery . 
Idling  current  management 
Idling  current  management  reduces  energy 
consumption  while  the  vehicle  is standing . 
With  the  ig nition  sw itched 
off, it  controls  the 
energy  supply  to  the  various  electri ca l  compo 
nents.  Da ta from  ba ttery  diagnos is  is cons id 
ered. 
Depend ing  on  the  batte ry's  state  of  cha rge, 
individual  cons ume rs a re g radually  turned 
off 
to  prevent  excessive  discharge  of  the  battery 
and  th us  maintain  starting  capability. 
Dynamic energy  manag ement 
While  the  vehicle  is being  d riven,  dynamic  en
ergy  ma nagement  distr ibutes  the  energy  gen
era ted  a ccord ing  to  t he  needs  of  the  individ u-
al  components . 
It regula tes  consumption,  so 
t h at  more  electrical  energy  is  not  being  used  ..,.  
Page 205 of 306
than  is  being  generated  and  ensures  an  optimal  state  of  charge  for  the  battery. 
@ Tips 
- But  even  energy  management  cannot 
negate  the  limits  o f physics.  Consider 
that  the  power  and  life  of  a  battery  are 
limited. 
- If  starting  ab ility  is threatened,  the  indi
cator  light (•) appears ¢ 
page  17. 
What  you  should  know 
The highest  priority is given  to maintaining 
starting  capability. 
The  battery  is  severely  taxed  in short-dis tance 
driving,  in  city  traffic  and  d uring  the  co ld  time 
of  year . Abu ndant  e lectrica l energy  is re
q uired,  but  only  a  litt le  is generated . It  is  also 
cr itical  if the  engine  is  not  runn ing  and  electri
cal  components  are  turned  on.  In  th is  in
stance  energy  is being  consumed  but  none  is 
be ing  generated. 
It  is in  precisely  these  situations  that  you  w ill 
notice  energy  management  actively  regulat
i n g  the  distribution  of  energy. 
Vehicle  stand s for  an e xte nded  period 
If yo u do  not  drive  you r vehicle  over  a  period 
of  severa l days  or  weeks,  electrical  compo
nents  are  grad ually  cut  back  or  switched  off. 
This  reduces  energy  consumption  and  main tains  starting  capab ility  over  a  longer  per iod. 
Some  of  the  conven ience  functions  may  not 
operate,  such  as  the  inter ior  lights  o r the 
power  seat  adjustment.  The  conven ience 
f u nctions  will  be  ava ilable  again  whe n you 
switch  on  the  igni tion  and  start  the  engine. 
With  the  engine  turned  off 
If  you  lis ten  to  t he  radio,  for  example,  with 
the  eng ine  turned  off  or  use  othe r MM I fu nc
tions,  the  bat te ry  is being  discha rged . 
If  starting  capability  is jeopardized  due  to  en 
e rgy consumpt ion,  the  follow ing  warning  ap
pears  in the  MMI disp lay : 
Int ellig ent  technolog y 203 
Plea se start  the  engine  soon or the  sy stem 
will  be turned off . 
The  wa rni ng  ind ic ates  th at  the  sys tem  w ill be 
t u rned  o ff autom atically  a fter  3  minu tes.  If 
you  w ish  to  continue  using  the  funct ions,  yo u 
have  to  start  the  engine. 
With  the  engine  running 
Althoug h elec trical  energy  is  generated  when 
t h e  ve hicl e  is  being  driven,  t he  battery  can  be
come  d isc harged.  This  happe ns  mostly  when 
little  energy  is  being  generated  and  a  g reat 
deal  consumed  and  the  battery's  state  of 
charge  is  not  opt imal. 
T o b ring  the  energy  ba lance  back  in to  equili 
brium,  consumers  which  req uir e especially 
l a rge  amounts  of  energy  a re temporari ly cut 
back  or  sw itched  off.  Heat ing  systems  in  par
ticular  require  a great  deal  of  energy.  If you  notice,  for  example,  that  the  heated  seats*  or 
the  heated  rear  window  are  not  heating,  they 
have  been  temporarily  cut  back  or  switched 
off . These  systems  w ill be  availabl e again  as 
soon  as  the  ene rgy balance  has  been  restored. 
You w ill also  notice  that  engine  id le  speed  has 
been  increased  slightly . Thi s  is no rmal  and  not 
a  cause  for  concern.  By  inc reas ing  engi ne  id le 
speed  the  additional  e nergy  requi red  is  gene r
ated  and  the  b attery  is charged. 
• 
•  
Page 206 of 306
204  Driving  and  environment 
Driving  and 
environment 
The  first  1,000 miles 
(1,500  km)  and 
afterwards 
New  engine 
The engine  needs  to  be  run-in  during  the  first 
1,000  miles  (1,500  km). 
For the  fir st  600  miles  (1,000 
kilometers ): 
.,.  Do not  use full  throttle. 
...  Do not  d rive at  engine  speeds that  are more 
than  2/3  of  the  max imum  permitted  RPM. 
...  Avoid high  engine  speeds. 
From 600  to  1,000  mile s (1 ,000  to 
1,500  kilometers): 
...  Speeds can gradually be increased to  the 
max imum  pe rm iss ible  road or  eng ine speed . 
During  and after  break-in  period 
.,. Do not  rev the  eng ine  up  to  high speeds 
when  it  is cold.  Th is app lies whether  the 
transm ission is  in N (Neutra l) or  in  gear. 
After  the  break-in  period 
...  Do not  exceed  maximum  engine  speed  un
der any circumstances. 
.,.  Upshift  into  the  next  hig her  gear 
before 
reaching  the  red area at  the  end of  the  tach
ometer  scale 
c:> page  11. 
During  the  first  few  hours  of  driving,  the en
g ine's interna l friction  is higher  than later 
when  all  the  moving  parts  have been broken 
in . How well  this  break- in process is do ne de
pends to  a conside rable  extent  on th e way the 
ve hicl e is driven  during the  first  1,0 00  miles 
(1, 500  k ilome ters). 
0 Note 
E xtremely  high engi ne speeds are auto
mat ica lly reduced.  However,  these  rpm 
lim its  are progr amme d for  an  engine  well 
r u n- in,  not  a new engine . 
{® For the  sake of  the  environment 
Do not  drive with  unnecessarily  high  en
g ine speeds - upshifting  ear ly saves fuel, 
reduces no ise and  protects  the  environ
ment. 
,  New tires 
If  your  vehicle  is runni ng on new tires,  drive 
part icularly  caref ul for  the first  350  miles 
(500  kilomete rs) afte r fitt ing. 
A WARNING 
N ew  tires  tend  to be sl ippery  and  mus t  al
so be "b roken -in" . Be s ure to  remember 
this  dur ing the  fi rst  350  mi les ( 500  kilo 
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llow ing 
closely  behind  other  vehicles or  other  sit
uations  that  m ight  require  sudden,  hard 
braking  . 
New  brake pads 
Remember that  new brake pads do not  have a 
full  bra king effect  dur ing the  fi rst  250  m iles 
(400  kilomete rs) afte r they  a re  insta lled. 
New brake pads  have  to  be "burnished  in"  be
fo re t hey have optima l grab 
c:> A  . 
During  the  break- in period,  you should  avoid 
putting  severe loads on  the brakes. Severe 
l oads include,  for  example,  sudden hard  brak
i ng,  in particular  at  very  high speeds or, for 
example,  on  mounta in passes . 
A WARNING 
New b rake pa ds don't  have t he bes t stop
pi ng power  and mus t be  "broke n-in " dur
i ng the  in iti al  1 00  to  150  mi les (150  to 
20 0  k ilometers)  of  no rma l city  driving . You 
can compensate  for  this  by  pressing  the 
br ake peda l mo re f irm ly . This also  applies 
l ater  when  new  pads are installed.  
Page 207 of 306
Catalytic  converter 
Applies to  vehicles: with  gasoline  engine 
It  is very important  that  your  emission  con
trol  system  (catalytic  converter)  is function
ing properly  to ensure  that your  vehicle is run
ning  in  an  environmentally  sound  manner . 
... Always  use  lead-free  gasoline c::> page  218, 
Fuel  supply . 
... Never  run  the  tank  down  all the  way to  emp
ty  . 
...  Never  put  too  much  motor  oil  in your  engine 
c::> page  232,  Adding  engine  oil <t::r.. 
.,. Never  try  to  push-or tow-start  your  veh icle. 
The  catalytic  converter  is an  eff icient  "clean
up"  device  built  into  the  exhaust  system  of 
the  vehicle.  The catalytic  converter  burns 
many  of  the  pollutants  in the  exhaust  gas  be
fore  they  are  released  into  the  atmosphere. 
The  exclusive  use  of  unleaded  fuel  is cr it ically 
i mportant  for  the  life  of  the  cata lytic  convert
e r  and  proper  functioning  of the  engine. 
& WARNING ,~ 
T he  temperature  of  the  exhaust  system  is 
high,  both  when  driving  and  after  stopping 
the  engine . 
- Never  touch  the  exha ust  tail  pipes  once 
they  have  become  hot.  This  could  result 
in  burns. 
- Do not  park  or  operate  the  vehicle  in 
areas  where  the  hot  exhaust  system  may 
come  in contact  with  dry  grass,  brush, 
fuel  spill  or  other  material  which  can 
cause  a fire. 
- Do not  apply  additional  undercoating  or 
rustproofing  on  or  near  the  exhaust 
manifold,  exhaust  p ipes,  catalytic  con
verter  or  heat  shields . During  driving,  the 
substance  used  for  undercoating  cou ld 
overheat  and  cause  a fire. 
(D Note 
- Be aware  that  just  one  tank  f illing  with 
leaded fuel  will already  seriously  de-
grade  the  performance  of the  catalytic 
conve rter. 
Dri vin g and  en vironm ent  205 
-Do not  exceed  the  correct  engine  oil  level 
c::>page  232. 
-Do not  drive  until  the  fue l tank  becomes 
completely  empty.  The  engine  cou ld  mis
fire . Unburned  fuel  could  also  get  into 
the  exhaust  system  and  this  cou ld  cause 
the  catalytic  converter  to  overheat. 
- Do not  switch  off  the  ignition  while  the 
vehicle  is  mov ing . 
- Do not  continue  to  operate  your  veh icle 
under  these  conditions,  as  otherwise  fuel 
can  reach  the  catalyt ic converter.  Th is 
cou ld  result  i n overheating  of  the con
verter,  requir ing  its  replacement. 
- To assure  efficient  operation  of  the Emis
sion  Control  System: 
- Have you r vehicle  main tained  properly 
and  in accordance  w ith  the  se rv ice  rec
ommendations  in your  Warranty  &  Maintenance  book let. 
- Lack  of  proper  maintenance  as  we ll as 
improper  use  of t he vehicle  wi ll impair 
the  function  of  the  emission  cont ro l 
system  and  could  lead  to  damage. 
@) For the  sake of  the  env ironment 
Even when  the  Emission  Control  System  is 
ope rat ing  properly,  the  exhaust gas  can 
have  a  sulfur-like  exhaust  gas  smell  under 
some  operat ing  states.  This  depends  on 
the  sulfur  content  of  the  fuel  being  used . 
Using  a  different  brand  of fuel  may  help, 
or filling  the  tank  with  lead-free  s uper 
g rade  gasoline. 
Diesel  particulate  filter 
App lies to  vehicles: wit h diese l eng ine 
The  diesel  part iculate  filter  filters  nearly  all  of 
the  soot  pa rticles  out  of the  exhaust . T he  fil
te r clea ns itself  automat ica lly unde r no rma l 
driv ing  cond itions.  If the  filter  cannot  clean  it 
self  (for  example,  because  you  are  on ly driving 
sho rt  distances),  the  filter  becomes  clogged 
with  soot  and  the 
Ill symbo l for  the  diesel 
particulate  filter  i lluminates 
c::> page  22.  ..,_ 
• 
•  
Page 208 of 306
206  Driving  and  en vir onm ent 
8_ WARNING 
- Do not  park your  vehicle  over  flammable 
materials  such  as  grass  or leaves  because 
the  high  temperature  of the  diesel  par
t icu late  filter  could  start  a fire . 
- Do not  apply  an  underbody  protectant  in 
the  exhaust  system  area  or  a fire  could  start. 
Avoid  damaging  the vehicle 
When  you  are  driving  on  poor  roads,  or over 
curbs,  steep  ramps,  etc.,  make  certain  that 
low-lying  parts  such  as  spoilers  and  exhaust 
system  parts  do  not  bottom  out  and  get  dam
aged. 
This  is especia lly true  for vehicles  with  low
slung  chassis  (sports  chassis)*  and  fully  load
ed  vehicles. 
Driving  through  water 
on  roads 
Note  the  following  to  avoid  vehicle  damage 
when  dr iving  through  water,  for  example  on 
flooded  roads: 
- The water  must  not  be  any  higher  than  the  bottom  of the  vehicle  body. 
- Do not  drive  faster  than  wa lking  speed. 
8_ WARNING 
After  driving  through  water,  mud,  slush, 
etc.,  the  brakes  may  be  slow  to  take  effect 
because  of wet  brake  rotors  and  pads.  Dry 
the  brakes  f irst  by brak ing  carefully  to  re
sto re  the  full  braking  effect. 
(D Note 
- Vehicle  components  such  as  the  engine, 
transmission,  suspension  or  electrical 
system  can  be  severely  damaged  by driv
ing  through  water. 
- Always switch  off  the  Start-Stop-System 
when  driving  through  water~ 
page  81. 
-
(D Tips 
-Check the  depth  of the  water  before  d  riv
ing  through  it . 
- Do  not  stop  the  vehicle,  drive  in reverse 
or switch  the  engine  off when  driving 
through  water. 
- Keep  in mind  that  oncoming  vehicles 
may  create  waves  that  raise  the  water 
level  and  make  it too  deep  for  your  vehi
cle to  drive  through  safely. 
- Avoid driving  through  salt  water  because 
it  can  cause  corrosion. 
Shutting  down  vehicle 
If you  would  like your  vehicle  to  remain  inop
erative  for  a  longer period  of time,  contact  an 
Audi  or other  specialized  dealer.  They  can  ad
vise you  on  necessary  precautions  e .g.  corro 
sion  prevention,  maintenance  and  storage . 
Pay attention  to  additional  information con
cern ing  the  battery.  Refer  to 
~ page  238. 
Operate  your  vehicle 
economically  and 
minimize  pollution 
General 
Your personal  style  of  driving will determine 
the  economy  of your  vehicle,  as  well as  ex
haust  and  noise  levels. 
Fuel  economy,  env ironmental  impact,  and 
wear  on  your  eng ine , brakes  and  tires  largely 
depend  on  three  factors: 
- your  personal  driving  style 
- operating  conditions 
- technical  limitations 
If you  anticipate  what  you  need  to  do  next  and 
drive  economically,  you  can  easily  cut  your 
fuel  consumption  by 10-15  percent . This  sec
tion  will  give you  some  tips  on  how you  can 
help  the  environment  and  your  pocketbook.  
Page 209 of 306
@ Tips 
The consumption  estimates  as published by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport  Canada may not  corre
spond  to  your  actual  consumption  on the 
road,  wh ic h  will  vary depend ing  upon  vehi
cle  load  and speed,  road and weather  con
ditions,  tr ip  length,  etc. 
Drive smoothly  and  keep a  lookout 
ahead 
Vehicles  use  the  most  fuel  when  they  are ac
celerating. 
~ Avoid  unnecessary  accelerating  and braking. 
Vehicles use the  most  fuel  when  they  are ac
celerating . If  you  anticipate  what  is go ing to 
h appen  next,  you will  need to  b rake less and, 
thus,  accelerate  less. Let the  vehicle  coast 
wheneve r poss ible  -fo r example  when  you  see 
that  the  nex t tr affic  light  is red. 
Avoid full  throttle 
Driving at  moderate  speeds  saves  fuel  and 
improves  your  mileage. 
~ T ry and  keep well  below  your  car's  max imum 
speed. 
Accelerating  gent ly reduces fuel  consump
tion,  engine wear,  and does  not  dist urb the 
environment. 
Fuel consumption,  exhaust  emissions  and en
g ine no ise increase d ispropo rtionately  at  high 
speeds. If  you  dr ive at  approxima tely three 
q uarters  of  top  speed, fue l consumption  will 
be red uced  by one ha lf.  Never dr ive faste r 
than  the posted  speed  limit  and wea ther con
d itions  permit. 
Reducing unnecessary idling 
E ven  when your  car is just  idling it burns  up 
fuel. 
~ S hu t  the  engine  off  when  you a re not  dr iv ing 
t h e vehi cle. 
Dri vin g and  en vironm ent  207 
~ Do not  warm  up the  vehicle  by lett ing the 
engine  run  at  id le . 
T he id ling  phase  is au toma tic ally  red uced for 
vehicles  with  the  Start/S top  system . It  is eff i
cient  to  switch  off  the  engine  in vehicles with
out  the  Start-Stop-System  when  stopped  at 
railroad  crossings  and  long  red lights.  Turning 
the  engine  off  for  just  30-40  seconds saves  more  fuel  than  is burned  by start ing the  en-
.  . gme  again . 
It  takes  a long  t ime for  the  engine  to  warm  up 
fully  when  it  is run ning  at  id le.  However, wear 
and  noxious  emissions  are especia lly high 
when  the  eng ine  is warm ing  up. So you should 
dr ive away as soon as you start  the  engine  and 
avo id  running  at  high  rpms  whi le the  engine  is 
sti ll warming  up. 
(L} Note 
Do not  leave eng ine idling  unattended  af
ter  start ing. 
If wa rni ng  lights  sho uld  come 
o n t o indi cate  improper  ope rat ion, t hey 
wo uld  go unheeded.  Extended  idlin g also 
produces  heat,  wh ich could  res ult  in ove r
heating  or other  damage  to  the  veh icle  or 
other  p roperty . 
Regular  maintenance 
A badly  tuned  engine  unnecessarily  wastes  a 
lot  of  fuel. 
~ Have your  ve hicle servi ced at  reg ular i nter-
vals . 
By havi ng your  ve hicle regu la rly se rviced by an 
Audi  dealer  he lps  to ensu re  tha t  it  ru ns prop
erly  and economically . The condition  of  your 
vehicle  not  on ly affects  its  safety  and ability  to 
ho ld  its  va lue,  it  a lso affects 
fuel  consump
tion . 
Check  your oil  each  t ime  y ou fill  your  tank. 
The amou nt  of  o il used is re lated  to  engine 
l oad and speed. 
It  is normal  for  the  oil  consumption  of  a new 
engine  to  reac h its  lowest  value  after  a certa in 
mileage  has been d riven.  .,.. 
• 
•  
Page 210 of 306
208  Driving  and  environment 
You must  drive  your  vehicle  about  3,000  miles 
(5,000  kilometers)  before you can properly 
assess o il consumption. 
This also  applies  to  fuel  consumption  and  en
gine  output. 
0 Note 
- Have yo ur vehicle  maintained  properly 
and  in accordance with  the  service rec
ommendations  in your  Warranty 
& Main
tenance  booklet.  Lack  of  proper  mainte
nance as well  as  improper use of  the  ve
hicle  will  impair  the  funct ion  of  the 
emission  control  system  and could  lead 
to  damage . 
- Do not  alter  or  remove  any component  of 
the  Emi ssion  Control  System  unless ap
proved  by the  manufacturer . 
- Do not  alter  or  remove  any dev ice, such 
as heat  shields,  switches,  ignition  wires, 
valves, wh ich are designed  to  protect 
your  vehicle's  Emission Control System 
and  othe r important  veh icle compo
nents. 
Fewer  short trips 
Fuel consumption  will always  be  relatively 
high on short  trips . 
.. Try  to  avo id driving  short  d istances with  a 
co ld  engine . 
The engine  and ca talyt ic converter  have to 
reach their  optimal 
operating  temperature to 
reduce  fuel  consumption  and noxious  emis
sions  effect ively. 
Just  after  starting,  a cold  engine  in a mid-size 
car only  achieves a fuel  economy  of 6-8  miles 
per gallon  (30-40  l/100  km) . After  about  a 
half  a mile,  fuel economy  climbs  to  12  mpg 
(20  l/100  km).  After  abo ut 
2 .5 miles  (4 km), 
the  engine  is  at  its proper  ope rat ing tempera
ture  and fue l economy  has reached  a normal 
l eve l. So you  can see that  you  should  avoid 
short  trips  whenever  possible.  T
he 
outside  temperature is also critical  in this 
regard.  Your car consumes  more  fue l in the 
winter  than  in the  summer.