fuel AUDI A4 AVANT 2008 Owner's Guide

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_ r_o _ n_ m_ e_ n_ t _______________________________________________ _
one half. Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather
conditions permit. •
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
- Shut the engine off when you are not driving the vehicle .
- Do not warm up the vehic le by letting the engine run at
id le .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traff ic jams, when waiting
for tra ins to pass at rai lroad crossings , or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds
saves more fue l than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up fu lly when it is
running at idle. However, wear and noxious emiss ions are espec ially
high when the engine is warming up . So you should drive away as
soon as you sta rt the engine and avoid running at high rpms w hile
the engine is sti ll warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting . If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would
go unheeded. Extended id ling also produces heat, which could
resu lt in overheating or other damage to the vehic le or other
property .•
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- Have your ve hicle serviced at regular intervals .
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an Audi dealer helps to
ensure that it runs properly and economical ly . The cond ition of your
vehic le not only affects its safety and abi lity to hold its value, it also
affects
fuel consumpt ion .
Check your oil ea ch time you fill your t ank .
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
I t is norma l for the oi l consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value after a certain mi leage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly assess oil consumption .
This also applies to fue l consump tion and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
t he service recom mendat io n s in your Maintenance
& Wa rranty
booklet. Lack of proper ma intenance as well as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impai r the function of the emission cont rol system and
cou ld lead to damage.
• Do no t alte r or remove any component of the Emission Contro l
System unless approved by the manufacturer .
• Do not alte r or remove any dev ice, such as heat shields,
switches, ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protec t your
vehic le's Emission Control System and other important veh ic le
components .•
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will alw ays be rel atively high on short
t r ips.
- Try to avo id driving short dis ta n ces wi th a cold engine. ~

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The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper ­
at ing te mpera tur e to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis ­
sions effective ly .
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid -size car only achieves a
f ue l economy of 6-8 miles per ga llon (30-401/100 km). After about a
half a mile, fue l economy climbs to 12 mpg (201/100 km). After about
2.5 m iles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operat ing temperature
and fuel economy has reached a normal level. So you can see that
you should avo id short tr ips whenever poss ib le .
The outsi de te mp eratur e is also critical in this regard . Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preser ves vehicle value.
Any automob ile is exposed to industria l fumes, corrosive road salt,
muddy dog feet, etc. A well cared for Audi can look like new many
yea rs a fter purc hase. Regu lar a nd co rrec t care wil l co ntribu te to
maintaining the beauty and value of your Audi.
Furthermore , good care may be a condition for substantiating a
warranty claim should corrosion damage or paint defe cts occur .
Your authorized Audi dea ler has a variety of dedi cated vehicle-care
product s
and can advise yo u wh ic h ones to use for c lea nin g t he
e xterior and interior of your vehic le.
W hethe r you use p roducts reco mm end ed b y Audi o r other c omm er­
cia lly avai lab le cleaning agents , please make very sure you apply
t hem correct ly .
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep them out of the rea ch
of children .
• Heed all caution label s.
• Always read directions on the container before using any
produ ct. Follo w the se dire ction s carefully.
• Most chemical cleaners are con centrates and have to be
diluted .
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated areas .
• Do not use gasoline , kerosene , diesel fuel, nail polish remover
or other volatile fluids. They may be toxic , flammable or hazardous
in other ways. Do not wash , wax or dry the vehicle with the igni ­
tion on or the engine running.
& W ARNIN G (continued )
• Do not clean the undersides of chassis , fenders , wheel cover s,
etc . without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself
on sharp -edged metal parts .
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking efficiency
=> page 239 , "General information ". Test the brakes carefully each
time you wash the vehicle.
Se lect only env ironmen tal ly fr iend ly c leaning pr oducts. Le ft o ver
cleaning products should not disposed of in the household waste. •
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent wash in g pro te ct s the vehi cle.
Th e bes t protect ion aga inst enviro nmental in fl uences is frequent
washing and waxing .
Ho w o ften t his is required depends on:
• How much t he vehicle is used
• Where the vehic le is pa rked (garage, i n the ope n under t rees,
etc.)
• The seaso nal and wea the r cond itions
• Environmental influences
T he lo n ger bir d dropp ings, i nsec ts, tree resin, road and ind ust ria l
grime, tar, soot, road salt and other materials remain on the vehicle
b ody, the m ore lasti ng the ir des tru cti ve effects will be . .,.

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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

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. ~

The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap tells you the correct fuel
for your vehicle . F o r m ore information abou t fuel specif ications, see
=> page 267 .
Your vehicle fue l tank has an on -board refuelling vapor recovery
system. Th is feature helps to prevent fuel vapors from escapin g
from the tank and polluting the environment wh ile you refue l your
veh ic le . I n order to fi ll the ta nk properly whi le protect ing the envi­
ronment, please follow this refueling procedure care fully .
& WARNING
Under normal operating conditions , never carry additional fuel
container s in your car. Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport fuel can be dangerous . Such conta iners , 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 blower , etc. , be very c areful
and always ob serve local and state law s regarding the u se , trans ­
port ation and storage of su ch fuel containers . Make certain the
container meets industry standards (ANSI/ASTM F852 -86 1.
0 Note
Never drive you r ve hicle unti l the fue l tank is comp le tely dry . The
irregular supply of fuel can cause misfiring . Gasoline cou ld enter
into the exha ust system and damage the catalytic c onverter. •
Fuel supply and fill ing your fuel tank
Refuelling
The fuel filler fl ap is unl ocked f rom a button in the dri ver's
door.
Fig . 2 00 Driv er's door :
Unl ocking fuel filler
flap
Fig . 201 Fu el c ap
hooked on the opened
fu el
fill er flap
When add ing fuel, the ign ition and an y cellular p hones in
t h e vehicle must be sw itched
off. .,.
Ve hic le care irechnical data

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Taking the fuel cap off
- To open the fuel filler flap, pull the button~ page 269,
fig. 200.
- Unscrew fuel filler cap counter-clockwise and hang it on the fuel filler flap.
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 filler cap clockwise
until you hear a definite click.
- Close the fuel filler flap.
To avoid fuel spilling or evaporating from the fuel tank always close
fuel filler cap properly and completely. An improperly closed fuel
filler cap may also cause the MIL lamp => page 27to come on.
& 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 refueling and/or to insert
the pump nozzle fully into the car's filler neck could cause fuel
overflow and fuel spray. Fuel spray and overflowing fuel are
dangerous because they can cause fire or serious injury.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never use a cellular telephone while refueling. The electromag­
netic radiation can cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors and
cause a fire .
• Never get back into your vehicle while refueling. If in excep­
tional circumstances you must get back in your vehicle while refu­
eling, make certain that you close the door and touch metal to
discharge static electricity before touching the filler nozzle again .
Static electricity can cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors
released during refueling .
• Never smoke or have an open flame anywhere in or near your
vehicle when refueling 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 container, 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 compartment, or on
the trunk). Static electricity can build up while filling and can
ignite fuel vapors causing a fire.
- Always place a portable fuel container on the ground before
filling.
- Always keep the filler nozzle completely inside the portable container before and during filling.
- If filling a portable container made of metal, the filler nozzle must always be in contact with the container. This will help
prevent static electricity from discharging and cause a fire.
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or luggage compartment .
Fuel vapors are highly flammable.
- Always observe local and state/provincial laws regarding the
use, storage and transportation of fuel containers
~

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank ------------ -=--=---=-----:::,.......c._ _ __,
/b, WARNING (continued)
-Make certain the fuel container meets industry standards
(ANSI / ASTM F852-861.
0 Note
If any fuel has spilled onto the car, it should be removed immedi­
ately to prevent damage to the paint.
ffi For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated no zzle switches off automatically
for the first time, the tank is full. Do not try to add more fuel because
fu el may spill out . In addition, the expansion space in the fuel tank
will be filled
-causing the fuel to overflow when it becomes warm
and pollute the environment.
[ i] Tips
• Running your engine while refuelling may cause vapors to
escape or even fuel to spill out of the tank. This would then shut off
the fuel nozzle before the tank is full.
• Do not refuel your vehicle with the ignition switched on. The fuel
gauge may o therwise not indicate the correc t fuel level after
refuelling. •
Unlocking the fuel filler f lap by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the power
locking system should fail.
Fig . 202 Inside the
luggage compartment:
Opening the fuel filler
flap by hand
If the power locking system should fail, you can still open
the flap manually:
- Open the rear lid.
- Open the round cover in the side trim panel on the right
side.
- Pull the actuator in the direction of arrow to release the
fuel filler flap
=> fig. 202.
- Open the fuel filler flap. •
Vehic le care irechnical data

Checking and filling -
-----------------------------==--------=--
& WARNING (continued)
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
•
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the strut is
reduced.
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push
it shut; it may fail to engage =:>& .
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of
injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS . The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
=> & .
• I I • • I
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood:
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key .
• Apply the parking brake.
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to
"P" (Park);
put manual transmission in Neutral.
• 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 compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm . The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant 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 .
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary: -Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire .
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine
is running or being started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
.,_
Vehicle care