engine coolant AUDI A4 2013 Owners Manual

10 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Instruments and warning/indicator Lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster and controls
The instrument cluster is your central source of information.
Fig. 3 Ove rv iew of the instrument cluster
CD Coolant temperature gauge .. .
@ Tachometer ........... .. .. .
@ Warning/indicator lights .. .. .
© ISETlbutton .... .... .. .... . .
® Display
- Driver information system .. .
- Time and date d isplay .. .. .. .
- Odometer .......... ... .. .
@ Reset button for trip odometer
(z) Speedometer
@ Fuel gauge . .... ..... .. .. .. .
(D Tips
10
11
13
11
24
12
12
12
12
- When switching the ignition on, the nee­
dles in the instrument cluster swing up­
ward briefly.
- The illumination for the instrument clus­
ter lights up whenever you switch on the
i gnition with the
vehicle headlights off .
As the daylight fades, the instrument
cluster illumination likewise dims auto­
matically a nd will go out completely
when the outside light is
very low. This
feature is meant to remind you to switch
on the headlights when outside light
conditions become poor .
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coolant gauge q page 10, fig. 3 CD
only works when the ignition is on. To prevent
damage to your engine, please note the fol ­
lowing important points:
Engine cold
If the needle is at or close to the bottom of
the gauge, the engine has not yet reached its
operating temperature. Avoid high engine
speeds, heavy engine loads, and heavy throt ­
tle app lications.
Normal temperature
When the engine has reached its operating
temperature, the needle will
move to the mid­
dle of the gauge and remain there . If the en­
gine is working hard at high outs ide tempera­
tures, the needle may
move higher on the
gauge. This is not a cause for concern as long
as the . warning light in the instrument
cluster display does not illuminate. If the.
warning light in the instrument cluster dis­
play flashes, this can mean one of two things:
either the coolant
temperature is too high, or
the coolant
level is too low q page 18 Ill-

Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 11
,&_ WARNING
- Always observe the warning in
¢ page 213, Engine compartment, be­
fore opening the hood and checking the
engine coolant level.
- Never open the engine hood if you see or
hear steam, or if you see engine coolant
dripping from the engine compartment.
You could burn yourself . Let the engine
cool off first so that you cannot hear or
see any steam or engine coolant .
(D Note
-Mounting additional lights or accessories
in front of the air inlets reduces the cool­
i ng effect of the radiator . At h igh outside
temperatures or high engine load, the
engine could overheat.
- The front spo iler has been designed to
properly distribute the cooling air when
the veh icle is moving. If the spoiler is
damaged, this could reduce the cooling
effect and the engine could then over­
heat. Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
assistance.
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engin e RPM
(r evolutions per minutes).
If engine RPM d rops be low 1,500 , you should
downshift to the next lower gear. The red area
at the end of the scale indicates maximum
permissible engine RPM after the break-in pe­
riod . Before reaching this a rea, move these­
lector lever to position D/S or ease your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
(D Note
The tachometer needle@¢ page 10,
fig . 3
shou ld only briefly be in the red
zone: you could damage your engine! The
beg inning of the red zone varies depend­
ing on the engine.
@) For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early saves fuel and reduces en­
gine noise.
~ button
You can perform different functions with this
button.
Fig. 4 SET button in th e in strument cl uste r
The !SET ! button performs the following func­
tions :
Switching on time, date, temperature
display , and odometer
The display appears for approximately 30 sec­
onds when you press the
!S ET I button ¢ fig. 4
with the ignition off.
Starting the Auto-Check sequence
The Auto-Check system constantly monitors
certain individual functions and components
of the vehicle when the ignition is turned on
and when the vehicle is moving .
With the ignition turned on, you can start the "Auto-Check sequence" by pressing the
! S ET !
button . You can perform an Auto-Check se­
quence when the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is turned on or when the veh icle is
moving slower than 3 mph (5 km/h).
In addition, the number of keys init ialised for
your vehicle is disp layed .
L2 3/3 means that
three keys have been initialised. This feature
enables used car buyers to ma ke sure they
have received all of the keys.
If you are given only two keys, for instance,
you should take the vehicle and the existing
keys to an Audi dea ler to have the missing key
II>-

18 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
...L Engine cooling system
A malfunction in the engine cooling system
must be repaired as soon as possible .
• Turn off engine and chec k coolant le vel
If the indicator light t urns on and the mes ­
sage appears, the coo lant temperature is too
high or the coo lant level is too low.
> Pu ll off the road.
> Stop the vehicle .
> Turn off the engine.
> Check coolant level c:> page 226.
> Add coolant if necessary c:> page 22 7 .
> Continue driving only after the eng ine cool­
ant warn ing/ indicator light goes out .
> Contact your authorized Audi dealer for as-
s istance if necessary .
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be the cause of the malfunc­
tion .
• Coolan t tempe rature! Let engine run w ith
v eh icl e s tationary
If the indicator light turns on and the mes ­
sage appears in trailer mode*, let the engine
run at idle for a few m inutes to cool down.
A WARNING
- If your veh icle should break down for
mechanical or other reasons, park at a
safe distance from moving traffic, turn
off the engine and turn on the hazard
wa rning lights ¢
page 49, Emergency
flashers.
-
- Never open the hood if you see or hea r
steam or coolant escap ing from the en­
gine compartment - you risk being scald ­
ed. Wait until you can no longer see or
hear steam or coo lant escaping .
- The engine compartment of any vehicle
is a dangerous area. Before you perform
any work in the engine compartment,
turn of the eng ine and allow it to cool.
Follow the warning stickers¢
page 213,
Engine compartment .
(D Note
Do not continue driving if the . symbol
ill um inates . There is a malfunction in the
engine cooling system -you could damage
your engine.
@ -Steering column lock
• Stee ring d efec tive ! Do not dri ve vehicle!
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is an electronic steering
column lock malfunct ion. You cannot switch
the ignit ion on .
Do
not tow yo ur vehicle because it cannot be
steered . Seek professional assista nee.
l!J:I Steering lock : Cont act de ale r!
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is an e lectronic stee ring
co lumn lock malfunct ion .
Drive to your authori zed A udi dealer immedi­
ately to have the ma lfunction corrected .
A WARNING
-
Your vehicle must not be towed in the
event of a malfunction in the elect ronic
steering co lumn lock beca use it cannot be
steered due to the loc ked steering . If it is
towed with the steering locked, there is
the r isk of an accident.
© -Ignition lock
• Ignit ion lo ck defecti ve . Contact dealer!
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, do
n ot switch the ignit ion off
because you may not be ab le to sw itch it on
again.
Drive to your authorized A udi dealer immedi ­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
On vehicles with convenience key*, the engine
shou ld not be switched
off using the
I S TAR T ENGINE ST OPI button beca use the en­
gine cannot be started again after the ignition
has been switched
off. ..,.

76 Warm and cold
Warm and cold Climate controls
Description
The climate control system warms, cools and
adds humidity to the air in the vehicle interior.
It is the most effect ive when the windows and
sunroof are closed . If there is a build-up of
heat inside the vehicle, ventilation can help to
speed up the cooling process.
I n all heating mode functions except
defrost,
the blower on ly switches to a higher speed
once the engine coolant has reached a certain
temperature.
Condensat ion from the cooling system can
drip and form a puddle of water under the ve­
hicle. This is normal and does not mean there
is a leak.
Pollutant filter
The pollutant filter removes pollutants s uch
as dust and pollen from the air.
The air pollutants filter must be changed at
the intervals spec ified in you r Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet, so that the air condi­
tioner can properly work.
If you drive your vehicle in an area with h igh
a ir po llution, the fi lter may need to be
changed more frequent ly than specified in
your Aud i Wa rranty
& Ma intenance booklet. If
in doubt, ask your authorized Audi Service Ad ­
visor for advice .
Key coded settings
The climate control settings are automat ically
stored and assigned to the remote control key
that is in use.
A WARNING
Reduced visibility is dangerous and can
cause accidents.
-
- For safe driving it is very important that
all windows be free of ice, snow and con­
densation.
- Comp letely familiarize yourself with the
proper use and function of the heating
and ventilation system and especially how to defog and defrost the windows.
- Never use the windshield wiper/washer
system in freez ing weather unt il you
have warmed the windshield first, using
the heating and ventilation system. The
washer solution may freeze on the wind­ shie ld and reduce visib ility.
(D Note
- If you suspect that the air conditioner
has been damaged, switch the system
off to avoid further damage and have it
inspected by a qualified dealership.
- Repairs to the Audi air conditioner re­
quire special technical know ledge and
special tools. Contact an authorized Aud i
dea ler fo r assistance.
@ For the sake of the environment
By reducing the amount of fuel you use,
you also reduce the amount of pollutants
emitted into the air.
(D Tips
-Keep the air intake s lots (in fro nt of the
w indshield) free from ice, snow and de ­
bris in order to maintain the proper func­
tion of the climate control system.
- T he energy management system may
switch the seat heating* or rear window
defroster off temporarily . These systems
are available again as soon as the energy
balance has been restored.
- Air escapes through vents under the rear
window. When placing items of clothing
on the luggage compartment cover, en­
sure that the openings are not covered.

82 On the road
Starting the vehicle with the emergency
key
Applies to vehicles: with ig ni tion lock
You can use the emergency key as an ignition
key in on emergency.
Fig. 95 G love compar tment: Adapter for emergency
key
Fig. 96 Insert emergency key into the adapter
.. Take the adapter for the emergency key out
of the glove compartment
c!> fig. 95 .
.. Push the emergency key c::> fig . 96 fully into
the adapter . Make sure that the Audi rings
are facing up.
.. Press the emergency key in the adapter
down until it latches audibly.
.. Insert the adapter with the emergency key
forward into the ignition switch. The engine
can now be started as usual.
Stopping the engine
App lies to vehicles: with ig n ition lock
.. Bring the vehicle to a full stop.
.. Automatic transmission: Move the selector
lever to the P or N position .
.. Press on the ignition key. The engine is
turned off.
.. You can now
remove the key.
Steering lock
The steering locks when you remove the igni­
tion key. The locked steering helps prevent
ve­
hicle theft.
Emergency off
If it is necessary in unusual circumstances, the
engine can be switched off while the vehicle is
moving. The engine will be switched off if you
press on the key for an extended period.
A WARNING ~
- Never turn off the engine before the ve­
hicle has come to a complete stop. The
full function of the brake booster and the power steering is not guaranteed. You
must use more force to turn or brake if
necessary. Because you cannot steer and
brake as you usually would, this could lead to crashes and serious injuries.
- For safety reasons, you should always
park your vehicle with the selector lever
in P. Otherwise, the vehicle could inad­
vertently roll away.
- The radiator fan can continue to run for
up to 10 minutes
even after you have
turned off the engine and removed the
ignition key. The radiator fan can also
turn on again if the engine coolant heats
up because of intense sunlight or heat
build-up in the engine compartment.
- Always take the key with you whenever
you leave your vehicle. Otherwise, the
engine could be started or electrical
equipment such as the power windows
could be operated. This can lead to seri­
ous injury.
- Never leave children or persons requiring
assistance unattended in the vehicle . The
doors can be locked using the remote
transmitter, preventing people from es­ caping from the vehicle on their own in
the event of an emergency. Depending
on the time of year, people inside the
ve­
hicle can be exposed to very high or very
low temperatures .

200 Trailer towing
Tire pressure
When towing a trai le r, inflate the tir es of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the label located on the driver 's
side B-pillar (visible when the door is open).
Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufac ­
turers' specifications.
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before dr iving off. Check
to make sure both vehicle and tra iler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safe ty cha ins are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave eno ugh slack in the chains to per ­
mit turning corners. When you install safety
cha ins, make sure they w ill not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains shou ld cross under the trai ler
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trai ler, p lease note the following:
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car it ­
self is not loaded .
.,. Be especia lly careful when passing other
vehicles .
.,. Observe speed limits .
.,. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.,. Always apply brakes early.
.,. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight . If this cannot be avo ided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control. A "ba
lanced'' rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, while keep ing the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the c ircumstances. Whenever poss i­
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com ­
partment of the tow veh icle while obse rving
tongue load requ irements and vehicle load ing
considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more d iff icu lt it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -pa rticularly
whe n going downhill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest s ign of sway ing.
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds
for vehicles tow ing trailers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downh ill, shift into a lower gear to use the en ­
gine braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge c> page 10
must be observed carefully . If the needle
moves close to the upper end of the scale, re­
duce speed immediately and/or turn off the
air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light •
in the in strument cluster starts flashing, pull
off the road, stop and let the engine
idle for
abo ut two minutes to prevent heat build-up .
_& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
in g vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident. Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not p roperly wea ring the restraints
provided by Audi.
-

Checking and filling Engine hood
Releasing and opening the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig . 182 Dr iver's side footwell: eng ine hood release
lever
... ~ - ---
F ig . 183 Re lease lever un der the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure
that the windshield w ipers are flat against the
windshield. Otherwise, they could damage the
paint on the hood.
.. Pull the release lever on the left under the
instrument panel in the direction of the ar­
row
Q fig. 182.
.. Raise the hood slightly QA
.. Press the rocker switch under the hood up­
ward
c::> fig . 183 . This re leases the catch .
.,. Open the hood.
& WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you.
- To redu ce the r isk of being burned, never
open the hood if yo u see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wait until no steam or Checkin
g and fillin g 219
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully 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 place.
Do not try to push it shut; it may fail to en­
gage
c::> .&, .
_&. WARNING
-
A hood that is not comple tely latched
could fly up and b lock your view while dr iv­
ing.
- When you close the engine hood, chec k it
to make sure the safety catch has p ro pe r­
ly engaged . The hood sho uld be flush
with the surrounding vehicle body parts .
-If you notice while driv ing that the hood
is not secured prope rly, stop at once and
close it.
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine compartment .
Whenever yo u mu st p erform an y w or k in th e
eng in e compa rtment, for example checking
and filling differ ent fluid s, there i s a ri sk of
injury , burns and accidents. To prevent per­
sonal injury always obser ve the following
WARNINGS . The eng ine compa rtment of any
v ehicle is a hazardous are a
QA .
_&. WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check any­
thing under the hood:
- Turn off the engine.
- Remove the ignition key.
- Apply the parking brake .
- Move selector lever of automatic trans -
mission to "P" (Park); p ut manual trans­
miss ion in Neutral.
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components w ill burn skin on contact .

220 Checking and filling
-To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment . Wait 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:
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever of automatic trans- mission to
"P" (Park); put manual
transmission in Neutral.
- 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 do not wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine .
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards
~ /1. .
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.
(D 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.

Checking and fillin g 221
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 184 Typical layout for containers and engine oil filler cap
(D Eng ine oi l filler cap ( @ Jump start point(+) under a cov-
er .. .. ... ....... ........ .. 232, 270
@ Brake fl uid reservo ir
((0)) . . . . . 228
@ Coolant expansion tank (J-) . . . 227
® Jump start point(-) with hex
head screw ..... .......... .. 232, 270
® Windshie ld/headlight* washer
container
(0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
The pos ition of the engine o il fi lling hole
¢ fig . 184 (item @) can differ depending on
the engine design.
A WARNING
-
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS¢ &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 219.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the
right kind of oil .
The eng ine in your Audi is a sophisticated
power p lant that was bu ilt to exacting specifi­
cations . This eng ine needs the right k ind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding
quality and viscosity so that it can run
smooth ly and reliab ly. Choosing the rig ht o il
and changi ng oil within the t ime and mileage
i n tervals printed in you r vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet matters a lot more to ­
day than it did years ago . Audi has developed
a specia l quality standard for engine oil that
will help assure that your vehicle's engine w ill
get the lubr ication it needs for proper opera-
tion. .,..

226 Check ing and filling
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro ­
tects the engine from freezing in the winter .
The cooling system is sealed and generally re­
quires little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the fac­
tory with a permanent coolant which does not need to be changed. The coolant consists of a
mixture of water and the manufacturer's gly ­
col-basedcoolant additive G 13 antifreeze with
anticorrosion add itives (SO% for USA mode ls;
60% for Canadian models). This mixture both
assures the necessary frost protection and protects metal components in the engine's
cooling system from corrosion and scaling. It
a lso raises the boiling point of the coolant .
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo l­
ant in the summer by adding plain water .
The
p ro po rti on of c ool ant add it iv e mu st b e at
lea st 50 % but not mo re th an 60%
to main­
tain antifree ze protection and cooling efficien­
cy. If the coolant frost protect ion is too low,
the coolant could freeze and damage the veh i­
cle heating and eng ine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- -31° F(-3S°C)USA
- - 40 ° F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
_& WARNING
Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
¢ &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 219.
(]) Note
-
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coo lant additive in
your vehicle is s uffic ient to meet the cli­
mate cond it ions . Th is is especially impor­
tant if you live in a region where the w in­
ter is extremely cold . If necessary, in- crease the p
roportion of coo lant additive
to 60%.
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system, remember:
- We recommend us ing on ly coolant ad­
d itive G12++ or G13 for your veh icle .
This coolant additive is availab le at au­
thor ized Audi dealers. Other types of
ant ifreeze can s ignificantly reduce cor­
rosion pro tection. The resulting cor ro­
sion can cause a loss o f coolant and se ­
rious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of rad iator leak seal­
ant to yo ur vehicle's engine coolant .
Adding radiator repair fl uid may adverse ­
ly affect the function and performance of
your cooling system and cou ld resu lt in
damage not covered by your New Veh icle
Limited Warranty.
' Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance.
F ig. 187 En gin e compa rtm en t: Cover o n the coo la n t
expans io n ta nk
-"' -"' >< .,
"'
.. Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment,
alwa ys read and heed all
W ARNINGS ¢ .&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 219 .
.,. Park your vehicle o n a level surface .
.,. Tu rn off the ignition .
.. Read t he engine coolant level from the
coo la nt expansion tank ¢
fig. 187 ,
r=:> page 221, fig . 184 . With a cold engine,
the coolant leve l should be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings . When the en­
gine is warm, the level may be slightly above
the "MAX" marking.
IJII,