AUDI A4 AVANT 2008 Owners Manual

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-Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of cloth or
kitchen paper towel.
The best way to remove snow from windows and mirrors is to use a
brush.
Use a non -abrasive
plastic ice scraper -better still, a spray deicer -
to remove
ice from windows and mirrors.
Residues of oil, grease or silicon e can be removed with
glass
cleaner
or silicone remover. However, remains of wax do require the
use of a specially formulated solvent. Please contact your Audi
dealer for advice on safe products for wax removal.
Windows should also be cleaned on the inside at regular intervals.
Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry
painted surfaces. Wax residue on the chamois can impair vision
through the windows .
& WARNING
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent mate­
rials. They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions such
as wetness, darkness, or when the sun is low on the horizon. In
addition, they can cause the windshield wipers to chatter.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254.
0 Note
• Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors. This could cause the glass to crack!
• To prevent damage to the wires of the rear defogger, do not place
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the
wires.
• To help prevent dirt from scratching the window, always scrape
in a forward direction -pushing the scraper away from you -never
back and forth .•
Weatherstrips
Complete car care includes the weatherstrips as well.
-Apply a suitable rubber conditioner to the weatherstrips
from time to time.
To be able seal properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear lid, etc . must remain pliable. Spray the weatherstrips with sili­
cone or coat them with talcum powder or glycerine to retain the
flexibility of the rubber and to protect them against freezing in the
winter.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254.
[ i ] Tips
Keep silicone sprays off the windshield to avoid wiper smear in
rain. •
Applies to veh ic les : with steel whee ls (e .g . if ref itted w ith wint er t ires )
Steel wheels
The wheels also have to be cleaned.
-Always include the hub caps and wheel rims when
washing your vehicle to remove road dirt, salt sprays and
brake dust.
If necessary, use a commercial wheel cleaner to remove accumu ­
lated brake dust.
The wheel rims are easier to keep clean if they are regularly coated
with liquid wax .
.,_
Vehicle care

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Paint scratches should be touched up as soon as possible to prevent
corrosion=> page 258, "Touch-up pain t" .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on brake s may affect braking effic iency -
=> page 239, "General inform ation ". Test th e brakes care full y after
each vehicle wa sh.
• Always read a nd heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254. •
A pplies to veh icl es : w ith Cas t alloy whee ls
Cast (light) alloy wheels
C ast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
-Wash the wheels with a spo nge or hose brush every
o th er week .
-For deep cleaning afte rwards, use only a dedicated acid ­
free cast a lloy whee l c leane r.
-Rub a coat of liquid wa x onto the r ims every three
months . Be sure to reach and t reat a ll pa rts of the r im .
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels,
some special care is necessary. I n addit ion to road d irt and salt,
brake dust is also corrosive . If left on for too long, brake dust can
cause pitting.
Use on ly specia l
acid-free cleaners formu lated for a lloy rims . Safe
products are availab le at your Audi dealer. Never leave the cleaner
on the rims longer than spec ified on the label. If not rinsed off
promptly, the acid contained in some cleaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bo lts. Never use abrasive or metal po
lishing cleaning agents . If the protec ­
t ive coat ing has been chipped, e.g . by kicked up road d irt, touch i t
up as soon as possib le .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on bra kes m ay affect braking efficien cy
=> page 2 39 , "General information ". Test the brake s carefully each
time you wash the vehicle .
• Alwa ys read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 254 . •
Body cavity sealing
The body c avity se aling does n ot need to be c hecke d.
All body cavities which could be affected by corrosion have been
given thor ough protecti on a t the fac tory.
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treat­ ment . If any wax should seep ou t of the cav ity w hen the a mbie n t
temperature is high, it can be removed with a p last ic scraper and a
suitable solvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous .
• Ben zine i s flammable and to xic. If you use benzine for removing
the wax, keep sparks , flame and lighted cigarettes away . Never
dump benz ine on the ground , into open streams or do wn sewage
dr ains .
• Be sure to ob serve all safet y and env ironmental r egulat ions .
Follow all instru ctions on the container.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254 . •

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Chassis
Have the undercoating checke d for dam age from time to
ti m e.
The lower body shell of your Audi is a lso thoroughly protected
against corros ion.
Any damage to the undercoating caused by road hazards shou ld be
repa ired promptly.
& WARNING
Too mu ch undercoating in the wrong place s can cause a fire.
• Do not apply additional undercoating or ru stproofing on or
near the e xhau st manifold , ex haust pipe s, cata lyti c con verter or
heat sh ields . While driving , the sub stance used for underco ating
could overheat and cau se a fire.
• Alw ays read and heed all WARNINGS and other informat ion
=> pa ge 254 . •
Care of interior
Aluminum trim
Use on ly neutral-pH products to remove spots and depos its from
a lum inum surfaces. Chrome care products and alka line cleaners
wi ll attack aluminum s urfaces and ca n damage them over t ime.
& WARNING
Alway s re ad and heed all WARNING S and the inform ation
=> pag e 254. •
Ap plies to veh ic les: with Fab rics an d fabric cove rings
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics a nd fabr ic coverings (e .g. seats, doo r tr im panels, etc .)
shou ld be c leaned at regular intervals with a vacuum cleaner. This
re moves surface d irt part ic les which could become embedded in
the fabric through use . Steam cleaners shou ld not be used, because
the steam tends to push the dirt deeper into the fab ric a nd lock it
there .
Norm al cleaning
Genera lly, we recommend using a soft sponge or a lint -free
m icrof iber c lo th to the clean fabric . Brushes should on ly be used for
carpets and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces could be harmed
by brushes.
Norma l sur face stains ca n be cleaned us ing a commercially ava il­
able foam cleaner. Spread the foam on the surface of the fabric with
a soft sponge and work it in ge ntly . Do not saturate t he fabr ic. Then
pat the foam dry us ing absorbent, dry cloths (e .g . microfiber cloth)
a n d vacuum i t after it has dr ied comple tely.
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fru it ju ice, etc.l can be
treated with a mild detergent solution. Apply the detergent so lution
with a sponge . In the case of stubborn stains, a de tergen t paste can
be applied direct ly to the stain and worked into the fabric . After ­
wards, use c opious a mounts of c lean water to rem ove the
remaining detergent . Apply the water with a damp cloth or sponge
a n d pat the fabric dry with an absorbe nt, dry c loth .
Stains from choco late or makeup should have detergent paste (e .g.
ox -ga ll soap) rubbed into them. Afterwards, remove the soap with
water (damp sponge).
A lcoho l can be used to treat stains from grease, oi l, lipstick or a ba ll­
point pen . Melted grease or dye must be patted off us ing abs orbent
material. It may be necessary to retreat the areas with detergent
paste and water . .,,,
Vehicle care

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In the case of genera l soiling of the upho lstery and cover material,
we recom mend hiring a spec ialis t that has the equ ipment to c lean
the seat covers and other fabric surfaces by shampooing and spray
extraction .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254.
[ i] Tip s
Open Ve lcro fasteners on your clothing can damage the seat cover .
Please make sure that Ve lcro fas te n ers are c losed. •
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always us e a c lean cloth mo istened in clear wa ter to c lean thes e
areas . For persistent dirt use an Audi approved
solvent -free plastic
cleane r/p rotec tant.
& WARNING
Solvents can change the propertie s of some pla stics and make it
harder for the airbag to deplo y.
• Never clean the instrument panel or the surface of Airbag
modules with cle aning produ cts th at contain solvents .
• Produ cts c ontaining sol vent s will make the surf ace of thi s part
porous.
• Serious injur ies can re sult if pla stic p art s come l oose when the
airbag is deployed .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the info rm ation
~ page 254 .
0 Note
Cleaning agents conta ining solvents wil l attac k the mater ial and can
change the way it behaves .•
Ap plies to vehic les: w it h n atu ral lea ther
Natural leather
Audi makes grea t efforts t o main tain the pro perties,
n at ural look and feel of in terior le ather.
Gener al
We offer many d ifferent types of leather on our vehic les. Most are
different types o f nappa leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various co lors.
T he in tensity of the color determi nes the vis ual c h aracteristics and
appearance . If the surface of the leather has a typical natura l look ,
t hen t he leat her is a nap pa lea ther that has been left in a re lati vely
natural condition. Th is leather offers part icu lar ly good comfort and
breathes wel l. Fine veins, closed grains, insect bites, skin folds, and
subt le variations in color remain visible. These characteristics
demonstrate that the material is genuinely natural.
Na tura l nappa leather is n ot covered by a color fi nish . It is there fore
more sensitive to soiling a wear, which is something you need to
co nsider if chi ldren, a nimals or other factors m igh t prove to be
particularly hard on the leather.
By contrast, leather types that are covered by a colored finish layer
are more durable. Th is has a posit ive effect on the leather's resis­
tance to wear and soiling in daily use. On the other hand, the typical
character istics o f natura l leather are barely or not appare nt.
However, this does not mean that the leather itself is of inferior
qual ity.
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of t he types o f leather tha t Audi
uses and their unique properties (such as sensit ivity to oi ls, grease, .,_

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soiling, etc.I, you will need to be somewhat careful with these
leathers, and a certain type of care is required. For example, dark
clothing materials can discolor leather seats (especially if such
clothing is damp and was not dyed correctly). 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 shou ld be c leaned regularly as needed. After having
been used for a relatively long time, your leather seats will acquire
a rich aged finish . This is a characteristic of natural leather and a
sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural product over the life of
your vehic le , you should fo llow the recommendations below:
0 Note
• To keep your leather from bleaching out, do not allow 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 direct exposure to sunlight.
• Sharp objects on c lothing, such as zippers, rivets or sharp pieces
on belts can leave permanent scratches or scrape marks on the
surface of the leather.
[ i ] Tips
• After each time you clean the leather and at regu lar intervals, use
a leather preservative creme that contains UV -blockers and that
works into the leather. This creme wil l nourish and moisturize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay supple . It also helps to build
up a protective coating on the surface .
• Clean the leather every 2 -3 months, and clean any areas that get
soiled.
• Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc . as soon as possible.
• Preserve the color of the leather as needed by using a special
colored leather care creme to touch up areas of uneven color .•
• I I • • I
Ap plies to veh ic les : wi th n atural leat her
Cleaning and caring for leather upholstery
and trim
Natural leather requires special care and attention.
Normal cleaning
-Clean soiled areas with a slightly moistened cotton or
woolen cloth.
More stubborn dirt
-More stubborn dirt can be removed using a cloth satu­
rated with a mild soap solution (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 solution with a soft, dry cloth .
Cleaning spots
-Remove fresh water-based spots (such as coffee, tea,
juices, blood) with an absorbent cloth or paper towel.
-Remove fresh grease or oil-based spots (such as butter,
mayonnaise, chocolate) 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 spots
have dried on.
-Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint pen, felt
marker, fingernail polish, water-based paint, shoe polish,
etc.) with a spot remover specifically formulated for
leather. _.,
Vehicle care

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Leather care
- Every half year use an approved leather care product
(available from your Audi dealer) to care for the leather.
- Apply the product very sparingly .
- Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any questions about cleaning and caring for the leather
in your vehicle, it is best to contact your authorized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our full range of leather
care products, such as:
• Leather cleaning and care kit
• Cremes to care for colored leather
• Spot removers for ballpoint pens, shoe polish, etc.
• Oil/grease dissolving spray
• New and upcoming products.
_& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254.
0 Note
• Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine),
waxes, shoe polish or similar products on the leather surfaces in
your Audi.
• To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commer­
cial cleaning specialist. •
Applies to vehi cles : wi th A lcanta ra up hols te ry
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Removing dust and dirt
- Moisten a cloth,
squeeze out excess water and wipe down
the seat surfaces.
Removing stains
- Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or with diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcohol.
- Dab at the stain. Start at the outside and work inwards.
- Once the stain is no longer visible, use a soft dry cloth or
tissue to soak up the moisture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Alcantara.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can scratch and damage the
surface. If the car is left standing in the sun for long periods, the
leather should be protected against direct sunlight to prevent it
from fading. Slight color variations will develop in normal use and
are not an indication of material deterioration .
0 Note
• Never use chemical solvents (e .g . lighter fluid, turpentine) ,
waxes, shoe polish or similar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
• To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commer­
cial cleaning specialist.
• Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or similarly abrasive cleaning
aids. •

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Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work reliably when
needed.
- Keep belts clean.
- For cleaning, use a mild soap and water solution. Let
belts dry thoroughly and away from direct sunlight.
- Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to retract before
they are completely dry.
- Check the condition of your safety belts
regularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract properly.
& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
• Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean that
you and your passengers would not be adequately protected in an
accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation. Never
remove belts from the vehicle to clean them.
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents, bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
• When cleaning your safety belts, inspect them for damage. If
you discover damage, see your Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254. •
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the engine compart­
ment.
Always switch off the ignition before cleaning the engine => &.
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel 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 protection
The engine compartment and transmission have been corrosion­
protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatment is very important, particularly in the
winter. If the vehicle is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel should be thor ­
oughly cleaned at the end of winter and retreated to prevent salt
damage. At the same time, the underside of the vehicle should be
washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any time with grease
removing solutions
21 , or if you have the engine washed , the anti­
corrosion treatment is almost always removed as well. It is therefore
essential to have a long-lasting corrosion protection reapplied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the engine compart ­
ment.
& WARNING
Be aware: the engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a
potentially hazardous area.
• Before working in the engine compartment, be sure to read the
information
=> page 265 . .,,_
21 Use only the corr ect cleaning solutions. Never use gasoline or diesel fuel.
Vehicle care

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&, WARNING (continued)
• Before reaching into the front plenum panel, always remove the
ignition key. Otherwise, the windshield wiper system could unin ­
tentionally be switched on , possibly causing personal injury from
the moving wiper linkage .
• Never reach into the area around or touch the radiator fan. The
auxiliary fan is temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly
- even when the ignition is off.
• Do not wash, wax or dry the engine with the engine running .
Moving or hot parts could injure you .
• Do not clean the underside of the chassis , fenders , wheel
covers, or other hard to reach parts without protecting your hands
and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 254. •

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Using the right fuel helps keep the environment clean and
prevents engine damage.
F u el re comm end ati on
The fuel recommended for your vehic le is unle ad ed pr em ium grade
gaso line . See
a lso => page 343, "Data". Audi recommends using TOP
TIER Detergent Gaso line with a minimum octane rating of 91 AKI (95
RON). For more informat ion on TOP TIER Detergent Gaso line, p lease
go to the official website (www .toptiergas .com) .
The recommended gasoline octane rating for your engine can also be found on a label located on the ins ide of the fuel fi ller flap. This
rating may be specified as A KI o r RON .
Your vehicle may also be operated us ing u nleaded regular gasoline
with a minimum octane rating of 87 AKl/91 RO N. However, using 87
A Kl/9 1 RON octane fuel w ill sl ight ly reduce engine performance.
U se unleaded gasoline only. Unleaded gaso line is avai lable
throughout the USA, Canada, and in most European countries. We
recommend that you do not take your vehicle to areas or countr ies
where un leaded gasoline may not be available .
For more informati on on refueling yo ur vehicle,
see => page 268 .
Octan e ra ting
Octane rating indicates a gaso line's abil ity to res ist engine
damaging
" k nock" caused by premature ign ition and detonation.
Therefore, buying t he correct grade of gasoline is very i mpo rtant to
help prevent possible engine damage and a loss of engine perfor ­
mance.
Fu el supply and fillin g your fu el tank
Gasol ine most common ly used in the Un ited States and Canada has
the fo llowing octane ratings that can usua lly be found on the filler
pump :
• Premium Grade : 91 - 96 AKI
• Regu lar Grade: 87 -90 AKI
Explanation of t he abbrev iat ions:
AKI = Anti Knock Index= (R +Ml/2 = (RO N+MON)/2
RO N= R esearc h Octane Num ber
MON = M otor Octane Number .
0 Note
• Do n ot use any fue l with octane ratings l ower than 87 AKI o r 91
RO N otherwise expensive engine damage wi ll occur.
• Do
not use leaded gasoline! The use of leaded gaso line wi ll
severe ly damage your vehic le's catalytic converter and its abi lity to
co ntr ol exhaus t em issions. •
Blended gasoline
Use of ga soline containing alcohol or MTBE (m ethyl
tert iary but yl ether )
You may use unleaded gaso line blended with alcohol or MTBE
(commonly referred to as oxygenates) if the blended mixture meets
the fo llow ing criteria:
Blend of ga soline meth anol (wood alcohol or methyl alc ohol)
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher .
• Blend must contain no more than 3% methanol.
• Blend must contain more than 2% co-solvents.
Vehicle care

Fue l su pply and fillin g yo ur fu el tank
Ble nd of g aso line and ethanol (grain alco hol or ethyl alco ho l!
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
• Blend must not contain more than 10% ethanol.
Blend of ga solin e and MTBE
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
• Blend must contain not more than 15% MTBE.
Sea sonall y adj usted ga soline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform especia lly we ll for
winter or summer drivi ng . Dur ing seasona l change -over, we suggest
that you fil l up at busy gas stations where the seasonal adjustment
is more likely to be made in time .
0 Note
• Methanol fuels which do not meet these requirements may
cause corrosion and damage to plastic and rubber components in
the fue l 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 particu lar fuel
b lend meets the specifications, ask your service station or its fuel
supplier.
• Do not use fuel for w hich the contents ca nnot be identified.
• Fue l system damage and performance problems resulting from
t he use of fuels different fro m those specified are no t the responsi ­
bility of Audi and are not covered under the New Vehicle or the
Em ission Control System Warranties .
• If you experience a loss of fue l economy or driveabi lity and
performa nce problems due to the use of o ne of these fuel blends,
we recommend that you switch to unblended fuel. •
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufacturers is carbon
depos it build-up caused by the type of gasoline you use.
A lthough gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another,
they have certain things in common. All gaso line grades contain
substances that can cause deposits to co llect on vital engine parts,
such as fue l injectors and intake valves. A lthough most gaso line
brands include additives to keep engine and fue l systems clean,
they are not equal ly effective .
Audi reco mmends using TOP TIER De tergen t Gasoline. For more
information on TOP T IER Detergent Gasoline, please go to the offi ­
cia l website (www.toptie rgas .com).
After an extended period of using inadequate fuels, built-up carbon
deposits can rob your engine of peak performance .
(D Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel qua lity is not covered by
the Aud i New Veh ic le Limited Warranty. •
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fue l fi ller neck is located o n the r ight rear side pane l be hin d the
fuel filler flap.
I f the power locking system shou ld fail, you can stil l open the flap
manual ly - for detai led instructions
see=> page 271 .
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your vehicle in Techni cal Dat a
=> page 343. ~