AUDI S4 2013 Owners Manual

-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢page 202.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and other corros ive materia ls will
damage the mater ial in the exhaust tail pipes
if they are not cleaned regularly . Do not clean
the ta il p ipes with wheel cleaner, paint pol ish,
chrome po lish or other abrasive cleaners.
C lea n the ta il p ipes wi th car ca re p rod ucts
that are s uitabl e for s tain less stee l.
Your authorized Audi dealer can provide clean­ i n g p roducts t hat have been tested and ap­
p roved fo r you r vehi cle.
Care of interior
Infotainment components
The Radio/MMI* display may be cleaned with
a soft cloth and commerc ially-avai lab le "LCD
cleane r" . The cloth should be coated l ightly
wh en the clean ing solution when cleani ng the
d isp lay.
The
MMI* contro ls must be cleaned first with
a br ush so that dirt does not e nte r the un it o r
ente r betwee n th e bu ttons and the hous ing.
Then w ip ing t he con tro ls w ith a cloth damp­
e ned wi th dish de tergent and water is recom ­
mended .
(D Note
- To avoid sc ratch ing the disp lay, yo u
s ho ul d neve r clea n it dry.
- To prevent damage, ma ke s ure fl uids do
n ot en ter the co ntrols.
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots
and deposits from alum inum surfaces.
C hrome ca re products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum in um s urfaces and can dam­
age them over time.
Cleaning and protec tion 209
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢page 202.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabr ics and fabric cover ings (e.g. seats, door
trim pa ne ls, etc.) shou ld be cleaned at regular
i n tervals w it h a vac uum cleaner. This removes
s ur face di rt particles which cou ld become em­
bedded in the fabri c throug h use. Ste am
cleaners sho uld not be used, beca use the
steam tends to p ush the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there .
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
o r a lint -free microfibe r clo th to the clean fab­
ric. Br ushes shou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces
could be harmed by br ushes.
Norma l su rface s tains c an be cleaned using a
commerc ially availab le foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the s urface of t he fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not satu­
rate the fabric. T hen pat the foam dry us ing
absorbe nt, dry cloths (e.g. m icrofiber cloth)
and vacuum it after it has dried completely.
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fr uit
juice, etc.) can be treated with a mild deter­
gent solution. Apply the detergent sol ution
with a spo nge. In the case of stubborn stains,
a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked into the fabric. After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to
remove the rem aining de terge nt. Apply the
w at er wit h a d am p clot h or sponge a nd pat
the fabric dry with an abso rbent, dry clot h.
Stains from choco late or makeup should have
de terge nt pa ste rubbed i nto them. After­
w ards, remove the soa p with wa te r (damp
sponge).
Alcohol can be used to treat stains from grease, o il, lipstic k or a ballpoin t pen. Melted .,.
•
•

210 Cleaning and protec tio n
grease or dye must be patted off using ab ­
sorbent materia l. It may be necessary to re­
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa­
te r.
I n the case of general soi ling of the uphols ­
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specialist that has the equ ipment to clean
the seat cove rs and other fabric surfaces by
shampooing and spray ex traction.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
~ page 202.
(D Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas. For pers istent dirt
use an Audi approved
s ol ve nt-fr ee plastic
cleane r/protectant.
A WARNING
So lvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to dep loy.
- Never clean the instr ument pane l or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents wi ll make
the surface of th is part porous.
- Serious injuries can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed .
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other information ~
page 202.
0 Note
Cleaning agents con taining solvents will
at tac k the mater ial and can change the
way it behaves .
Natural leather
Applies to vehicles: wit h natural leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather .
General
We offer many d ifferent types of leather on
our vehicles. Most are d ifferent types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colors .
The intensity of the co lo r determines the visu­
al characterist ics and appearance . If the sur­
face of the leather has a typ ica l natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has
been left in a relat ive ly natura l condit ion. This
leather offe rs particularly good comfort and
breathes we ll. Fine veins, closed grai ns, insect
bites, skin fo lds, and s ubt le va ria tions in color
remain visible . These characteristics demon­
strate that the material is natura l.
Natura l na ppa le ather is not covered by a co l­
o r finish. It is therefore mo re sensit ive to soil­
ing and wea r, which is something you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors
might prove to be part icu larly hard on the
leather.
By contrast, leather types that are covered by
a colo red finish layer are more durable . This
has a positive effect on the leather's resist­
ance to wear and soiling in dai ly use. On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu­
ral leather are barely or not apparent . Howev ­
er, th is does not mean that the leathe r itself
is of infe rior quality .
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leather that Aud i uses and their unique prop­
erties (such as sens it ivity to oils, grease, soil ­
i ng, etc.), you will need to be somewhat ca re­
ful with these leathers, and a ce rtain type of
ca re is req uired. For example, dark clo thing
ma ter ials can disco lor le athe r seats (especia l­
ly if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correct ly). Dust and dirt particles in pores ,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect ..,..

and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams .
The leather sho uld be cleaned reg ularly as
needed. After having been used for a re latively
l ong time, your leather seats will acquire a
rich aged finish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ura l leather and a sign of true quality .
I n o rder to maintain the va lue of th is natura l
p roduct over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendations below :
(D Note
-To keep yo ur leather from bleach ing out,
do not a llow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the vehicle parked outside
for long periods, cover the leather to
protect it from d irect exposure to sun­
light.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on be lts can
leave permanent scratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather .
- After each time you clean the leather and
at regular inte rva ls, use a leather preser­
vat ive cream that conta ins UV-blockers
and that works into the leather. This
c ream will nourish and moistur ize the
l eather, helping i t to brea the and stay
supple .
It also helps to b uild up a protec­
tive coating on the s urface .
- Clean the leather every 2 -3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh mar ks made by ba llpoint
pens, ink, lipstick, shoe polish, e tc. as
soon as possib le .
- Preserve the colo r of the leather as need­
ed by using a special colored leather care
cream to touch up areas of uneven co lor.
Cleaning and protec tion 21 1
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles : with natural lea ther
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention .
Normal clean ing
.. Clean soiled areas with a slightly moistened
cotton or woolen cloth .
More stubborn dirt
.. More st ubborn dirt can be removed using a
cloth saturated with a mild soap solut ion (2
tablespoons mild liquid soap).
.. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather, and make certain that no water soaks into the seams.
.,. Wipe off the soap so lution with a soft, dry
cloth.
Cleaning spots
.. Remove fresh wat er-bas ed spots (such as
coffee, tea, juices, blood) with an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.. Remove fresh
grea se or oil-ba sed spot s
(such as bu tte r, mayonnaise, chocola te) with
an absorbent cloth or paper towel, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface
of the leather.
.. Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if
oil/
grease spot s ha ve dried on.
.. Remove specific k inds of spots (ballpoint
pen, felt marker, fingerna il polish, water­
based pa int, shoe po lish, etc.) with a spot
remover specifically fo rmu lated for leather.
Leather care
.. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized
Aud i dealer) to care for the leather.
.,. App ly the product very spar ingly.
.. Wipe it off with a damp clot h.
If you have any questions about clean ing and
caring for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact you r authorized Audi dea ler, who
will be g lad to help you and tell you abo ut o ur
f ull range of leather care products, such as : .,..
•
•

212 Cleaning and protec tio n
- Leather cleaning and care kit
- Creams to care for colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpo int pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc .
- Oil/grease dissolving spray
- New and upcoming products.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
~ page 202.
{[) Note
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe pol ish or
s imilar products on the leather surfaces
i n your Audi.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stai ns
removed by a commerc ial cleaning spe­
cia list.
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Appl ies to vehicles: with Alcantara ® upho lste ry
Removing dust and dirt
"" Moisten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat s urfaces .
Removing stains
"" Moisten a clot h w ith lukewarm water or
with diluted
ethyl (rubb ing) alcohol.
"" Dab at the stain. Start at the o utside and
wor k inwards.
"" Once t he stain is no longer v isib le , use a
soft dry cloth or t issue to soak up the mois ­
ture .
Do not use leather cleaning produc ts on Al ­
cantara ®.
You may use a suitable shampoo fo r removing
dust and dir t.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface .
If the car is
l eft stand ing in the sun fo r long pe riods, the
A lcantara ® sho uld be p rotected against direct
sun light to prevent it from fad ing. Slight color
variations will develop in normal use and are
not an indication of material deterioration.
(D Note
- Never use chemica l so lvents (e.g. lighte r
fluid, tu rpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
sim ilar products on A lcantara® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubbo rn stains
removed by a commercial clean ing spe­
cialist.
- Do not use b rushes, stiff sponges or sim­
ilar ly abrasive cleaning a ids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia­
bly when needed.
"" Keep belts clean .
"" For cleaning, use a mild soap a nd water so l­
ution. Let belts dry thorough ly and away
from d irect sunlight .
"" Do not allow inertia ree l safety belts to re­
tract before they are completely dry.
"" Check the condition of your safety be lts
reg­
ularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly.
A WARNING
D amaged safety belts can break in a crash .
- Anyth ing that might damage your safety
be lts could mea n that you and your pas­
sengers would not be adequate ly pro­
tec ted in a n accident.
- Safety belt pe rformance depends on co r­
rect insta llation. Neve r remove be lts
from the veh icle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical clean ing agents,
b leach or dyes. They have corrosive prop­
erties which wea ken the webb ing.
- When clean ing you r safety belts, inspect
them for damage. If you discover dam­
a ge, see yo ur authori zed A udi dealer.
- Always read a nd heed a ll WAR NINGS and
other info rmation
~ page 202.

Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
Al ways s witch off the ign ition befor e clean ­
ing the eng in e c:>
& .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum pane l in front
of the windshield under the engine hood. This
prevents the water drain holes from becoming
blocked, and it prevents debris from entering
the vehicle interior through the heating and
ventilation ducts .
Corrosion protecti on
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatment is very impor ­
tant, particular ly in the winter . If the vehicle
is frequent ly driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
should be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent sa lt damage.
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle
should be washed as we ll.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease removing solut ions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed , the anti-corro­
sion treatment is a lmost always removed as
well.
It is therefore essential to have a long­
lasting co rrosion protection reapp lied to a ll
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment.
A WARNING
Be aware: The engine compa rtment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before working in the engine compart­
ment, be s ure to read the in format ion
c:> page 219.
- Before reaching into the front plenum
pane l, always remove the ignition key.
l ) Use o nly the co rr ect cle anin g s olu tion s. Neve r use ga s­
o line or d ie sel fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion 213
Otherwise, the windshield wiper system
could un intentionally be sw itched on,
possibly caus ing personal injury from the
mov ing wiper linkage .
- Never reach into the area around or
touch the rad iator fan. The aux iliary fan
is temperature controlled and can sw itch
on suddenly - even when the ignition is
off.
- Do not wash, wax or dry the eng ine with
the engine running . Moving or hot parts
could injure you.
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other ha rd
to reach pa rts without protect ing your
hands and arms . You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
o ther info rmation
c:> page 20 2.
•
•

214 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Fuel supply and filling
your fuel tank
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Using the righ t fuel helps keep the environ­
ment cle an and preven ts engine dam age .
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recomme nded for you r vehicle is un­
lead ed premium
g rade gasoline . See a lso
r::;, pag e 277, Data . Audi recommends usi ng
T OP TIER D eterge nt Gaso line wi th a mini mu m
octa ne ra tin g of 9 1 AKI (95 RON). For more
in fo rmation on TO P TI ER De tergent Gaso line,
p lease go to the officia l webs ite (www.toptier ­
gas.com).
Th e re commended g asoline oct ane r ating for
your engine can a lso be fo und on a label loca t­
e d on the ins ide of the fue l filler flap . This rat ­
ing may be specified as A KI or RO N.
Your veh icle m ay also be oper ated using un­
l ea ded regular g asoline with a min imum o c­
tane rating of 87 AKI/91 R ON. However, using
87 AKI/91 RON octa ne f ue l w ill slightly re ­
d uce eng ine perfo rmance.
Use unleaded gasoline only. Unleaded g aso­
line is availab le th rou gho ut the USA, Canada ,
and in most E uropean countries . We recom­
mend that you do not ta ke yo ur vehicle t o
areas or countries where unleaded gasoline
may not be ava ilable.
F or mo re in format io n on refue ling your ve hi­
cle, seer::;,
page 216.
Octane rating
Octa ne r ating in dicates a gaso line's abili ty to
res ist engine damagin g "knoc k" ca used by
p remature ign ition and detonation. Therefore,
buy ing the correct grade of gaso line is very
important to help prevent possible engine
damage and a loss of engine performance.
Gasoline most commonly used in the Unite d
States a nd Canada has the following octane r
at ings t hat can usu a lly be found on the fi ller
pump:
- Pre mium G ra de: 91 -9 6 A KI
- Regular Grade : 87 -90 AKI
Explanation of the abbreviations:
AKI = Anti K nock Index= (R+M) /2 = (RO N
+ MON)/2
R ON= Resea rch Octane Numb er
MON = Motor Octane Num ber .
(D Note
-Do not use a ny f ue l w it h octane rat ings
lower tha n 87 A KI or 9 1 RO N othe rwise
expensiv e engine damage w ill occur.
- Do
not use leaded gasoline . The use of
lead ed gasoline w ill severely damage
yo ur v ehicl e's catalytic co nve rter a nd its
ability to co ntrol exha ust e mission s.
Blended gasoline
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or
MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unleaded g asoline blende d with
alcohol o r MTBE (commonly re ferred to as
oxygenates) if the blende d mixture meets t he
f o llow ing criteria:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
- Anti -kno ck index mus t be 87 A KI or higher.
- Blend must contain no mor e than 3% me th-
anol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co-sol-
ve nts .
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol
or ethyl alcohol)
- Anti -knoc k index must be 87 AKI or higher .
- Blend must not conta in mo re than 10%
ethanol.
- Ve hicl es w ith flexible f uel engine: blend
m ust not contain more t han 85% etha no l.
Blend of gasoline and MTBE .,.

-Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must contain not more than 15%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
especially well for winter or summer driving. During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stat ions where the sea­
sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time.
(D Note
- Fuels containing a high percentage of
ethanol such as ESO and E85 may only
be used in veh icles with flex ible fuel en­
gines. Using high ethano l fuel in vehicles
not equipped with flexib le fue l engines
can cause severe engine damage .
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these
requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo­
nents in the fuel system.
- Do not use fuels that fail to meet the
specified criteria in this chapter.
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or
its fuel supplier.
- Do not use fuel for which the contents
cannot be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the respons ibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Veh icle or the
Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy
or driveability and performance prob­
l ems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 215
Ethanol fuel (Bio-ethanol)
Applies to veh icles: w it h flex ible fue l en gin e
You can recognize vehicles with a flexible fuel
engine by looking at the label on the inside of
the fuel filler flap .
Vehicles with flexible fuel engines may be op­
erated with bio -ethanol fuels such as E85
(85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) or with un­
leaded gasoline (91 AKI/ROZ 95) . T he vehicle
may also be operated with a mixture of these
fuels.
Your fuel consumption will increase when us­
ing bio-ethanol fue ls due to the lower amount
of energy contained per unit volume in etha­
nol.
Warming up the flexible fuel engine in
low temperatures
Due to the chemical composition of b io-etha ­
nol, a certain amount of fuel ends up in the
engine oil when driving short distances in ve ry
low temperatures. This fuel evaporates again
when the engine is warmed up.
II Ple ase warm up engine.
If the driver message appears in the instru­
ment cluster disp lay, drive with a warm en­
gine to reduce the oil level.
(D Note
- Never fill with methanol or with a higher
percentage of b io-ethanol than 85%
(E85). A h igher percentage of bio-etha­
nol in the fuel can cause damage to the
engine or to the fue l system.
- If you use only E85, it is recommended
to fill the fue l tank complete ly w ith un­
leaded premium grade gaso line every
5,000 miles.
- If you experience starting, rough id le or
hesitation driveability problems, fill the
fuel tank comp letely with unleaded pre­
mium grade gasoline and dr ive it nor­
mally until the gasoline is used. See your
authorized Audi dealer if the problem
pers ists.
•
•

216 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
-Inform your authorized Audi dealer that
you are operating or have operated the
vehicle with E85.
- Read and follow the information and tips
about gasoline
¢ page 214.
@ Tips
I t may take longer to start the engine
when the outside temperature is very cold.
If possible, use winterized fuel if tempera­
tures are below freezing.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufac­
turers is carbon deposit build-up caused by
the type of gasoline you use.
Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another, they have certain
things in common. All gasoline grades contain
substances that can cause depos its to collect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline
b rands include additives to keep eng ine and
fuel systems clean, they are not equally effec­
tive.
Aud i recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. For more information on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www.toptiergas .com).
After an extended period of using inadequate
f u els, b uilt-up carbon deposits can rob your
engine of peak performance.
CJ) Note
-Damage or malfunct ion due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Audi New
Vehicle Limited Wa rranty.
- Do not add aftermarket fuel addit ive
products to your fuel tank .
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel filler flap. If the power
locking system should fai l, you
can still open the flap manua lly -for detailed
instructions see
¢page 218.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve­
hicle in
Technical Data ¢page 277 .
T he label on the inside of the fuel filler flap
te lls you the correct fuel for your veh icle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see ¢
page 214.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refuel­
ling vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fue l vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you
refuel your vehicle. In order to fi ll the tank
proper ly while protecting the environment,
please fo llow this refueling procedure careful­
ly.
A WARNING "'--
Under normal operating cond itions, never
carry addit ional fuel conta iners in your car .
Gas canisters and other conta iners used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such con­
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision . If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower,
snow b lower, etc., be very careful and al ­
ways observe loca l and state laws regard­
ing the use, transportation and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the con­
tai ner meets industry standards (ANSI/
ASTM F852 -86).
(D Note
Never drive your veh icle until the fuel tank
i s completely empty. The irregular supply
of fuel can cause misfiring. Gasoline could
enter the exhaust system and damage the
catalytic converter.

Refuelling
Fig. 178 Right rear vehicle sid e: Opening t he fuel filler
flap
Fig. 179 Fu el filler flap with attached fuel cap
When activating the central locking, the fuel
filler flap is automatically unlocked or locked.
Refuel the vehicle with the ignition turned
off.
Taking the fuel cap off
.. Turn off the ignition .
.. Press the left side of the fuel filler flap to
open it~
fig. 178 -arrow- .
.. Unscrew fuel cap counter-clockwise and
hang it on the fuel filler flap~
fig. 179.
Refuelling procedure
.. Insert the fuel nozzle from the gasoline
pump into the fuel filler neck as far as it will
go .
.. Select a medium refuelling rate so that the
nozzle switches off automatically when the
tank is full.
Putting the fuel cap back on
.. After filling your tank, twist the fuel cap
clockwise as far as it will go .
.. Close the fuel filler flap.
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 217
To avoid fuel spilling or evaporating from the
fuel tank always close fuel cap properly and
completely.
_& WARNING
Improper refueling or handling of fuel can
cause fire, explosion and severe burns.
- Fuel is highly flammable and can cause
severe burns and other injuries.
- Failure to shut the engine off while refu­
eling and/or to insert the pump nozzle
fully into the fuel filler neck could cause
fuel to spray out of filler neck or to over­
flow. Fuel spray and overflowing fuel can cause a fire .
- Never use a cellular telephone while re­
fueling. The electromagnetic radiation
can cause sparks that can ignite fuel va­
pors and cause a fire.
- Never get back into your vehicle while re­
fueling.
If in exceptional circumstances
you must get back in your vehicle while
refueling, make certain that you close
the door and touch metal to discharge static electricity before touching the fill­
er nozzle again. Static electricity can
cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors
released during refueling .
- Never smoke or have an open flame any­
where in or near your vehicle when refu­
eling or filling a portable fuel container .
- For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you do not travel with a portable
fuel container in your vehicle . The con­
tainer, full or empty may leak and could
cause a fire, especially in a crash.
- If, under exceptional circumstances, you must transport a portable fuel container,
please observe the following:
- Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is anywhere in or on the vehicle
(for example, in the luggage compart­
ment, or on the trunk). Static electrici­
ty can build up while filling and can ig­
nite fuel vapors causing a fire .
- Always place a portable fuel container
on the ground before filling.

218 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
-Always keep the filler nozzle complete­
ly inside the portable container before
and during filling.
- If filling a portable container made of
metal , the filler no zzle must always be
in contact with the container. Th is will
help prevent static electricity from dis ­
charging and cause a fire .
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or
luggage compartment. Fuel vapors are
highly flammable .
-Always observe local and state/provin ­
cial laws regarding the use, storage
and transportation of fuel containers.
- Make certain the fuel container meets
industry standards (ANSI/ ASTM
F 852-86).
(D Note
If any fuel has spilled onto the car, it
should be removed immediately to prevent
damage to the paint .
@ For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated nozzle
sw itches off automatically for the first
time, the tank is full . Do not try to add
more fuel because fuel may spill out. In
addition, the expansion space in the fuel
tank will be filled -causing the fue l to
overflow when it becomes warm and pol ­
lute the environment.
@ Tips
-Running yo ur engine while refuelling
may cause vapors to escape or even
cause fue l to spill out of the tank . This
would then shut off the fuel nozzle be­
fore the tank is full.
- Do not refuel your vehicle with the igni­
tion turned on. The fuel gauge may oth­
erwise not indicate the correct fuel level
after refuelling .
- The fuel filler flap of your vehicle is not locked when you lock the vehicle from
the inside .
Unlocking the fuel filler flap by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the
power locking system should fail.
Fig. 180 Sed an Lugga ge com pa rtment: op ening the
side trim
Fig. 181 Lug gag e compart men t: Em erge ncy opening
of fuel filler fla p
The emergency opening mechanism is located
behind the right side trim panel in the lug­
gage compartment .
Opening the side trim
"' Sedan: Insert a tool such as a screwdriver
c:> page 256 or the emergency key into the
right side of the upper gap~
fig. 180 .
"' Sedan: Pry upward to release the trim .
.,.. allroad : Open the right side trim panel.
Fuel filler door emergency release
"' Loosen the strap from its bracket and pull
on it
c:> fig . 181 . You can now open the fuel
fi ller f lap as usual
c:> page 217.