check engine AUDI TT ROADSTER 2015 Owner's Manual

148 Intelligent technology
To bring the energy balance back into equili­brium, consumers which require especia lly
l arge amo unts of energy are temporari ly c ut
back or switched off. Heating systems in par­
ticular requ ire a great dea l of energy. If you
n otice, for example, that the heated seats * or
the heated rea r window a re not heating, they
have been temporar ily cut back o r switched
off. These sys tems will be ava ilable again as
soon as the energy ba lance has bee n restored.
You will also not ice that engine idle speed has
been inc reased slightly. This is no rma l and not
a cause fo r concern . By increas ing engine idle
spee d the add itiona l ene rgy required is gener ­
ated and the ba ttery is charged .
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If battery power drops into the range where it
can limit the ability of the engine to start, th is
i s shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
(•) Low battery charge : battery will be
cha rged while dri ving
This notification reminds you that the starti ng
capability of the engine may be limited. As
soon as you start driving aga in, the battery
will be recharged and the notification will go
out .
Driv er notificat ion appears and goes out
again
If t his driver notification appears after the ig­
ni tion is turned on or while driv ing and it goes
out again after a while, the battery has been
adequately rec harged.
Driver notification appears and does not
go out again
If t his driver notification appears after the ig­
n ition is turn ed on or while driv ing and does
n ot go ou t aga in, t he battery's s tate of charge
is not i n the opt imal range. St arting ability is
restricte d. Have the bat tery checked as soon
as possible by a n authorized Audi dealer or
q ua lified workshop.

150 Driving and en vironm ent
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 especially true for vehicles with low­
slung chassis (sports chassis) and fully loaded
vehicles .
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- T he water must not be any highe r tha n the
bottom of the vehi cle body.
- Do no t drive faster than wa lking speed.
_& WARNING
After d riving through water, m ud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because o f wet brake ro tors and pads . Dry
the brakes fi rst by braking carefully to re­
store the full braking effect.
(]) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspension or electrical sys ­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
- Check the depth o f the water before driv ­
ing through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, dr ive in reverse
or switch the engine
off when driving
through water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may c reate waves that raise the water
l evel and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid driving thro ugh salt water because
it can ca use corrosion.
-
Catalytic converter
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¢ page 160,
Fuel supply .
.. Never run the tank down all the way to emp­
ty.
.. Never put too much moto r o il in yo ur eng ine
¢ page 169, Adding engine oil ~-
.. Never try to push- or tow-st art you r vehicle.
The catalytic co nverter is an efficient "clean­
u p" dev ice built into the exhaust system of
t h e vehi cle. The cata lytic conve rter bu rns
many of the pollutan ts in the exha ust gas be ­
f ore they are re leased into the atmosphere.
T he exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
impor tant for the life of the catalyt ic convert­
er and prope r funct ion ing of the engi ne.
A WARNING
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exha ust system may
come in contact with dry g rass, brush,
fue l spill or other material wh ich can
cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additiona l undercoating or
r u stproofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat sh ields. Dur ing driv ing, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
(D Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already ser iously de-
grade the performance of the catalytic
converte r.
- Do not exceed the correct engi ne oil level
¢page 169.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty . The engine co uld mis-
fire. Unburned fuel could also get into ..,.

152 Driving and en vironm ent
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage .
"'Try and keep well below your car 's maximum
speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment. F ue l consumption, exhaust emissions and en ­
gine no ise increase disproportionately at high
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by one half. Never dr ive faster
than the posted speed limit and weather con­
d itions permit .
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
"'Shut the engine off when you are not driv ing
the vehicle .
"'Do not warm up the veh icle by letting the
engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut
off the e ngine in traff ic
jams, when waiting for trains to pass at ra il­
road crossings , or at traff ic lights that have
l ong wa its on red. Turning the engine
off fo r
just
30-40 seconds saves more fue l than is
burned s tarting the eng ine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle . Howeve r, wear
and nox ious em issions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high RPMs while the engine
is sti ll warming up.
([) Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af ­
ter starting . If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wou ld go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which cou ld result in over- heating or other damage to the vehicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
"' Have your ve hicle serviced at reg ular in ter -
vals.
By having your veh icle regu la rly serviced by an
Audi dealer he lps to ensure that it runs p rop­
erly and economically. The condition of your
vehicle not only affects its sa fety and ability to
hold its val ue, it also affects
fuel con sum p­
tion .
Check your oil e ach time you fill your t ank .
The amount of o il used is related to engine
load and speed .
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometres) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l cons umption and en­
gine output.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained proper ly
and in accordance with the service rec ­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet. Lack of proper ma inte­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
em iss ion contro l system and cou ld lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control Sys tem unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alte r or remove any device, such
a s hea t sh ie lds, switches, ig nition w ires,
valves, which are designed to protec t
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other impo rtant vehicle compo­
nents .

164 Checking and filling
Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig. 126 Driver' s side footwe ll: e ngin e hood release
lever
.. Open the driver's door .
.. Pull the release lever on the left under the
instrument panel
c> fig . 126 in the direction
of the arrow .
The hood pops up slight ly under spring pres­
sure.
Opening the engine hood
Fig . 127 Re lease lever under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure
that the windshie ld wipers are flat against the
windshie ld. Otherwise, they cou ld damage the
pain t on the hood.
.. Lift the hood slight ly
c> .&, .
.. Pull up on the release under the hood
c> fig . 12 7. This releases the catch .
.. Open the hood all the way.
A WARNING
-Hot engine coolant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coo lant escaping from the eng ine
compartment . Wait unt il no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fu lly opening the hood.
Closing the engine hood
.. Pull the hood down until the pressure from
the struts is reduced .
.. Let the hood
drop down and latch in p lace.
Do not try to push it shut; it may fail to en­
gage
c> .&, .
A WARNING
--
A hood that is not completely latched
could fly up and b lock your view while dr iv­
i ng.
- When you close the engine hood, check it
to make sure the safety catch has proper­
ly engaged . The hood should be flush
with the surrounding vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while dr iv ing that the hood
is not secured properly, stop at once and
close it .
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment!
Whene ve r y ou must pe rform any wo rk in th e
eng ine compartment, for e xample chec king
and filling the diff ere nt fluids, ther e is a risk
of injury , burn s and accident s. To prevent
p ers onal injury alwa ys obs erv e the follo win g
WARNING S. Th e engin e c ompartm ent of an y
v e hicl e is a hazardou s area!
c> .&.
A WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check any­
thing under the hood:
- Sw itch off the engine .
- Remove the ignition key.

-Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever to "P" (Park).
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wa it until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili­
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool­
ant system is pressurized and hot cool­
ant could spray out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
- Do not remove the engine cover under
any circumstances . This increases the
risk of burns.
- If work on the fuel system or the electri­
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery .
- Never smoke or work near heaters or
open flames. Fluids in the engine com­
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im­
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in­
jury while the engine is running or being
started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
Checking and filling 165
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever to "P" (Park) .
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact­
ing hot parts . Tie back hair before
starting, and wear no clothing that will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards~&. .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
Q) Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam­
age to vehicle systems will occur .
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly . If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu­ ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au­
thorized Audi dealer. •
•

166 Checking and filling
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check .
•
Fig. 128 Typ ica l layout for containers and eng ine oil filler cap
CD Coolant expansion tank (-L) .. .
'2' E . 'l d. . k \61 ngIne 0 1 1pst1c .......... .
@ Engine oil filler cap ('1:::r.) .. .. .
@ Brake fluid reservoir((();) .. .. .
® Jump start points(+) under a
cover, (-) bolt head .... ... .. .
® Windshield/headlight washer
t . (
;;p, ) con ainer ,-!,, •••.•••.•.•••.
172
169
169
174
217
179
The pos ition of the engine o il dipstick and the
engine o il fi lling hole
r::> fig. 128 (items @and
@) can differ depending on the engine de­
sign .
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARN INGS
c::> .& in Working in the engine
compartment on page 164.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine in your Audi needs the right kind
of oil.
T he eng ine in your Aud i is a soph ist icated
powerplant that was built to exact ing spec ifi­
cat ions . T his engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding
quality and viscosity so that it can run
smooth ly and reliably . Choosing the right o il
and changing oil within the time and mileage
i ntervals printed in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet matters a lot more to­
day tha n it did years ago. Audi has developed
a spec ia l quality standard for engine oil that
will help assure that you r vehicle's engine w ill
get the lubr ication it needs fo r proper opera­
t ion.
Modern engine lubr ication has taken a quan­
tum leap in the last few years. Many synthet ic
1J.

oils available today provide better engine lu­
brication that can outlast traditional petrole­
um-based oils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum­based engine oil, the oil that you use must
conform to Audi's oil quality standard
VW 502 00 to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help prevent the for­
mation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
" sludge," that over time can lead to expensive
repairs .
At the time of printing, engine oils available in the U .S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils . This does not mean,
however, that every synthetic engine oil will
meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00 . So always
be sure that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful de­ posits use only oil with the following specifi­
cations printed on the oil container :
Audi oil standard VW S02 00
Oil container labels may carry the specifica­
tion singly or in combination with other desig­
nations and oil quality standards .
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their vis­
cosity . The proper viscosity grade oil for your
engine depends on climactic or seasonal con­
ditions where you drive. You can use oil with a
viscosity grade of SA E SW40 across all tem­
perature ranges for normal driving conditions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE
SW40 is not available, you can also use viscos­
ity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as
it meets Audi oil quali ty standard VW 502 00
specifications .
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil
standard may not be available everywhere
when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that expressly conforms to the
Checking and filling 167
VW 502 00 specification, in case you have to
top
off the oil while on the road.
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick - and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 502 00 specifications is available - may
you top
off with a high quality engine oil, pref­
erably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3
or API SM specifications, but even then, only
in viscosity grades SA E SW-40, SA E 5W -30, or
SAE OW-40. However, during the entire time
between oil change intervals, never top
off
with more than a total of 0.5 qt/liter engine
oil that does not conform to Audi oil specifica­
tion VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oil that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact either your autho rized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834
or visit our web site at www.audiusa .com or
www.audicanada.ca . Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names etc.) that conform to Audi oil standard
vw 502 00.
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed
according to the mileage (kilometers) and
time intervals specified in your vehicle's War­
ranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed
these intervals -harmful deposits from old
engine oil can reduce engine performance and
can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changing the oil at the recommended inter­
vals is so very important because the lubricat­
ing properties of oil decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when
you have your oil changed, ask your author ­
ized Audi Serv ice Adv isor.
Under some circumstances the engine oil
should even be changed more frequently. Change oil more often if you drive mostly
short distances, operate the vehicle in dusty
areas or mostly under stop-and-go traffic con­
ditions, or when you use your vehicle where
temperatures stay below freezing point for
long periods.
•
•

168 Checking and filling
Detergent additives in the o il will make fresh
oil look dark after the engine has been run­
n ing for a short time . This is norma l and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than recommended.
D am ag e o r m alfun ction s due to lack of
m ainten ance
It is essent ial that yo u change your oil at the
recommended intervals using only engine oil
that complies with Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 . Your Lim ited New Vehicle War­
ranty does not cover damage or malfunctions
due to failure to follow recommended mainte­
nance and use requ irements as set forth in
the Audi Owner's Manual and Warranty
&
M aintenance book let . Your dea ler will have to
deny warranty coverage un less you p resen t to
the dea ler proof in the form of Servi ce or Re­
pa ir Orde rs that all schedu led maintenance
was performed in a timely manner.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all
of its moving ports.
I n o rder to prov ide effective lubr ication and
cooling of internal engine components, a ll in­
ternal comb ustion engines consume a certain
amount of oil. Oi l consumption varies from
engine to engine and may change significantly
over the life of the eng ine . Typically, eng ines
with a specif ied break-in per iod (see
c::> page 149) consume more oil during the
break-in per iod than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil con­
sumpt io n depends on the quality and viscosity
of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per m inute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient
temperature and road cond it io ns. Furthe r fac­
tors are the amo unt of o il d ilution from wate r
condensation or fuel residue and the ox ida­
tion level of the oi l. As any engine is subject to
wear as mileage bui lds up, the oil consump­
tion may increase over t ime until replacement
of worn components may become necessary. Wi
th a ll these variab les coming into p lay, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be es­
tab lished or spec ified. There is no alte rnative
to regular and frequent check ing of the o il lev­
el, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbo l
in the instr ument cluster
1\1 lights up, you
sho uld check the oil leve l as soon as possib le
with the oil dipstick c::> page 169. Top off the
o il at your earliest conven ience
c::> page 169 .
A WARNING
-Before you chec k anything in the eng ine
compartment, a lways read and heed a ll
WAR NINGS
c::> .& in Working in the engine
comportment on page 164.
CI) Note
D riving with an insufficient o il level is like­
l y to cause sever e damage to the engine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warn ing display. is
not an indicator of the oil level. Do not
rely on it . Instead, check the oil level in
your engine at r egular intervals, pr ef­
erably ea ch time you refuel, and alway s
before going on a long trip.
- If you have the impression yo ur engine
cons umes excessive amoun ts of oil, we
recommend that you consult your Aud i
dea ler to have the cause of your concern
properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that
the accurate meas urement of o il con­
sumption requires great care and may
take some t ime . Your Audi dea ler has in­
st ruct ions about how to measure oil con­
sumption acc urately.

Checking the engine oil level
Fig . 12 9 Illust rat ion of principle 1: Ma rkers on o il dip ­
st ick
F ig . 13 0 Illust rat io n of principle 2: Markers o n oil dip·
st ic k
Before you check anything in the engi ne com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN ­
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 164.
Determining oil level
• Park your vehicle on a level surface.
• While at operati ng state temperature, brief­
l y let the eng ine run at id le and then shut it
off .
• Wait approx. two minutes.
• Pullout the oil dipstick. Wipe off the oil d ip­
stick with a clean cloth, and slide it back in
as far as it wi ll go.
• Pu ll it bac k out and read off the oil level
¢ fig. 1 29 or ¢ fig. 130 . Top off the engine
oi l, if app licable ¢
page 169.
Oil level within range~
• Do not add o il.
Oil level with in range @
• You can add oil. Afterwards, the o il level
shou ld be w ith in range @.
Checking and filling 169
Oil level within range 0
• Yo u must add oil. Af terwards, the oil leve l
should be wi thin range @.
T he oil leve l needs to be checked at regu lar in­
terva ls. The best t ime s to do th is are w henev­
er yo u ref uel and p rior to long trips.
Depend ing on the way the vehicle is dr iven
and the ope rat ing cond it ions, oi l consumption
c a n be up to 1/ 2 quart per 6 00 miles (0. 5 lite r
per 1,000 km) . Cons umption m ay be highe r
wi thin the first 3,000 miles (5,000 km) .
Adding engine oil ci::,,.
0 N ;.
>< (D m
Fig . 131 Engine compa rtment: cover on the engi ne oil
filler neck
Before you check anyth ing in the engine com­
partment,
alw ays read and heed all WARN­
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 164.
• Shut the eng ine off.
• Unscrew the cap
"f:7. to the engine o il filling
hole
¢ page 166, fig . 128.
• Carefully top off with 0 .5 quarts (0 .5 liters)
of the appropr iate oil
¢ page 166.
• Check the oil level aga in aft er two minutes
¢ page 169, Che cking the engine oil level.
• Top off the oil again, if necess ary.
• Sc rew the cap back on the filling hole and
slide the oil dips tick in as far as it wi ll go.
..&_ WARNING
-W hile topping off, the o il m ust not come
in contact with hot e ngine parts -fire
hazard ! .,.

170 Checking and filling
-The oil filler cap must be properly se­
cured to prevent oil from being sprayed
on the hot engine and exhaust system
when the engine is running -fire hazard!
- If your skin has come in contact with the
engine oil, you must subsequently
cleanse it thoroughly .
(D Note
-The oil level must not be above range G)
-danger of converter or engine damage!
Contact an authorized Audi dealer to
draw off oil, if necessary.
-Audi does not recommend the use of oil
additives. They may damage the engine
and adversely affect your New Vehicle
Warranty.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Under no circumstances can the oil come
in contact with the sewage network or
the soil.
- Observe and follow legal regulations
when disposing of empty oil containers.
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by
an authorized Audi dealer or a qualified serv ­
ice station .
Before you check any thing in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS ~ .& in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 164 .
The engine oil mus t be changed according to
the intervals specified in your Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet. This is very important
because the lubricating properties of oil di­
minish gradually during normal vehicle use .
Under some circumstances the engine oil
should be changed more frequently . Change
oil more often if you drive mostly short dis­
tances , operate the vehicle in dusty areas or
under predominantly stop-and-go traffic con­
ditions , or have your vehicle where tempera- tu
res remain below freezing for extended pe­
riods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh
oil look dark after the engine has been run­
ning for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than
recommended.
Because of the problem of proper disposal,
along with the special tools and necessary ex­
pertise required, we strongly recommend that
you have your oil changed by an authorized
Audi dealer or a qualified service station.
If you choose to change your oil yourself ,
please note the following important informa­
tion:
A WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury if you
must change the engine oil in your vehicle
yourself:
- Wear eye protection.
- To reduce the risk of burns from hot en-
gine oil, let the engine cool down to the
touch.
- When removing the oil drain plug with
your fingers, stay as far away as possible.
Always keep your forearm parallel to the ground to help prevent hot oil from run­
ning down your arm.
- Drain the oil into a container designed
for this purpose, one large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in
your engine .
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out
of the reach of children.
- Continuous contact with used engine oil
is harmful to your skin. Always protect
your skin by washing oil off thoroughly
with soap and water.
(D Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine
oil. These additives can damage your en­
gine and adversely affect your Audi Limit­
ed New Vehicle Warranty.