lights AUDI A4 AVANT 2008 Owner's Guide

Wiper and washer system
r,··· ,
Windshield wiper ~
The windshield wipe r lever controls both the windshield
w ipers and the washer sys te m .
Fig. 8 6 Winds hiel d
w iper le ver
T he windshield wiper lever=> fig. 8 6 has t he following posi­
t ions:
One-touch w iping
- Move the le ve r to p osit ion G) , when you want to wipe t he
windshield
briefly.
Intermittent wiping "V1 (activating rain sensor )*
-Move the lever up to pos ition 0 -
- Move switch © up or down, to adjust the sensitivity of
the rain sensor or to adjust the intermitte nt interval.
Low wiper speed
- Mov e the l ever u p to pos ition G) .
Controls and equip ­
ment
Clear v ision
High wiper speed
- Move the lever up to position @ .
Automatic wiper /washer
- Pull the lever to pos ition ® (towar d the steering w heel)
and ho ld.
Re lease the lever . The washer stops an d the wipers keep
going f or a bout fou r seconds.
Turning off the wipers
- Move the lever back to posit ion @ .
The windshie ld wipers and washer on ly work when the ignition is
turned on .
The rain sensor* is only activated w ith the wiper lever set to position
G). When it starts to rain, the rain sensor will automa tically activate
the intermittent wiping mode .
To reduce the sensitivity of the sensor, move switch @down . To
inc rease the sensitivity, move the switch up. The higher you adjust
the sensitivity, the faster the sensor will react when it senses mois ­
ture on the windshield. The pauses between wiper turns depend not only on the sensitivity setting, but on the vehicle speed as well.
The rain sensor wiper interva ls depend on the sensitivity setting as
we ll as vehic le speed. During brief stops, wiper motion will adjust to
the amount of rain on the w indshield.
When the ignit ion is turned on, the washer jets are heated .
With the low beam headlights switched on, pull the wiper lever
towards you only
briefly to c lean the windshield. Ho lding the wiper
lever would also engage the headlight washer system* each time
you clean the windshield and would drain the washer fluid reservoir
prematurely.
.,
irechnical data

Intermittent wiping
- P ush the wiper lever forward towards the dashboard and
to the first posit ion
G) => page 86, fig. 87. The rear
wi ndow wiper will wipe t he wi ndow approx. every six
seco nds .
Automatic w iper /washer fun ction
- P ush the wiper lever forward to the second stop, position
@ , and hold it there for as long as you want t he rear
wiper/washer to operate.
- Release the lever again . th e wiper will keep run ning fo r
approx. four seconds.
Switching intermittent wiper a ction off
- Pull the lever all the way b ack to t he orig inal posit ion.
& WARNING
Wipe r blades are cruci al for safe dr iv ing! Only in good cond ition
a re the y able to clea r the windo ws properly to provide unre­
s tricted vi sibility . Worn or frayed wiper blades a re a safety hazard!
~ page 88 , "In stalling new wiper bl ades "
0 Note
In freezing or near freezing conditions:
• Always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the glass
before you turn the wiper on. Loosen a wiper blade which is frozen
in place before operating the wiper to prevent damage to the wiper
b lade or the wiper moto r.
• Do not use the wiper to clear a frosted window. Using the wipers
as a convenient ice scraper will destroy the wiper blades. •
Controls and equip­
ment
Clear v ision
Ap plies to vehicles : wi th h eadl igh t w as her sy ste m
Headlight washer system
The headlight w asher system cleans the headligh ts .
Fig . 88 Headlight
wa sher jet fully
e xte nded .
-Operate the windshield wiper/washer system wi th the
head lights switched
on=> page 85 , fig. 86 © b y hold ing
the lever for longer than one second .
The washer jets extend forward out of the fron t bumper driven by
water pressure to spray the front head lights with
water~ fig. 88 .
You should inspect the headlights regu lar ly (for example when refu ­
e ling) and c lean off any solid dirt or i nsects from the lenses .
To ensure the system works proper ly in winter , keep the washer jets
free of snow and remove any ice using a de -icing spray .•
irechnical data

Disabling auto dimming
- Press button © =>page 90, fig. 92 briefly, -the green
indicator light ® goes out .
Activat ing /reactivating auto dimming
- Press button © briefly, -the green indicator light ®
goes on.
Au toma tic dimming func tion
The automatic dimming function is activated every t ime the ignition
is turned on . The green indicator light is lit to indicate auto dimming
is active.
When dimming is activated, the inside mirror will darken
automati ­
cally
in respo nse to the amount of light striking the mirror (such as
headlights from rearward approaching vehicles) . Even in dimming
mode, the mirror surface turns b right when:
• the interior light is sw itched on
• reverse gear is engaged.
& WARNING
The glass of the ins ide rearview mirror i s layered and contain s an
ele ctrolyte to achie ve it s properties . Be aware of liquid ele ctrolyte
le aking from a broken mirror gla ss. This liquid can cau se irritation
to skin , eye s, and re spir atory sy stem . If you get ele ctrolyte in your
e yes or on your skin , immed iately rinse with plenty of water . If irri­
t a tion per sis ts, s eek medical attention .
0 Note
Liquid electrolyte leaked from a broken mirror glass wi ll damage any
p lastic surfaces it comes in contact with. Clean up spi lled electrolyte
immedia tely w ith c lear water and a sponge.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Clear v ision
[ i ] Tips
• If you switch off the automatic dimming function on the in side
mirror , automatic dim ming of the out side mirrors will l ikewise be
di sabled .
• Check to make sure there are no objects preventing light from
reaching the inside mirror.
• Do not attach any stickers to the windshield in front of the light
sensor, as this would interfere with both the automatic operation of
the headlights and the automatic dimming of the inside mirror.
• Be aware that au tomatic dimming of the inside mirror can on ly
operate properly if the rear window sun blind * is retracted .•
Outside mirrors
The outside mirrors are electrically adjusted (power
mirrors)
Fig . 93 Forwa rd
s ecti on of dri ver 's
ar mr est : pow er mirr or
co ntr ols
....
irechnical data

Clear vision
Adjusting th e outside mirrors
- Turn the adjus ting knob
to=> page 91, fig. 93 © (drive r's
side ou tside mirror)
to @ (front passenger's outside
m irror).
- Press the knob in the appropriate direction to move the
m irror surface so t hat you have a good view to the rear.
Folding both outside mirrors *
- Turn t he kn ob
to @ .
The mirror surfaces are heated whenever you sw itch on the rear
window defogger regardless of the outside temperature .
You are we ll- advised to fold the outside mirro rs in when maneu ­
vering in t ight spaces or when leaving the car parked close to other
vehic les.
A uto matic tilt -d own of passen ger side outsid e mirr or*
With the knob turned to posi tion ®=> page 91, fig. 93, the mirror on
the front passenger door will tilt downward s lightly when you move
the selector lever into
R ( R everse) . This feature provides a better
view of the curb when you are backing into a parking space.
T he mirror wil l go back to its original position when you shift out of
Reverse, or when y ou turn the control k nob back
to © or@ .
Memo ry setting for the outsid e mirrors *
On veh ic les w it h the memory function *, w hen you store a seat posi ­
tion in the memory, the position of the outside mirrors is a lso stored
in the
memory => page 100.
0 Note
• Curved mirror surfaces (co nvex o r spher ical*) i ncrease you r fie ld
of view . Remember that vehic les or other objects wil l appear smaller
and fa rther away than w he n seen in a fla t mi rro r. If yo u use t his mirror to estimate distances of following vehic
les when changing
lanes, you cou ld esti mate incorrec tly a nd cause an acc ident .
• I f the mirror housing is moved unintentional ly (for example,
while parking y our vehicle), t hen you must first fo ld the mirror e lec­
trically. Do not readjust the mirror housing manually . You cou ld
damage the m otor which controls t he m irror.
[ i ] Tips
If there shou ld be a malfunction in t he electrical syste m, you can
sti ll ad just the outside mirrors by pressing the edge of the mirror .•
Ap plies to vehicles : wit h au tomat ica lly a djus tin g outs ide mirro rs
Automatic dimming for the outside mirrors
The outside mirro rs d im at t he same t ime as the ins ide mirror. W hen
the ignition is switched on, the mirrors automatical ly dim
depending on the amount of flight striking the mir ro rs (such as
headlights shinin g into the veh ic le from the rear).
When you switch on the in terior light , or when you move the
selector lever into
R (Reverse), the d imm ing function stops and the
mirrors return to their original condition (not darkened).
[ i ] Tips
The automat ic dimming feature on the mirrors wil l not operate
pro per ly if the ligh t shining on the m irrors is blocked by other
objects .•

Seats and storage -
-----------------=------'
To close glove compartment
-Push the glove compartment lid upward until the lock
engages.
The light will illuminate when the parking/headlights are turned on
and the glove compartment is open.
In the glove compartment lid, you will find a place to store a pen and
a pad of paper .
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury in an accident or sudden stop,
always keep the glove compartment closed while driving. •
Storage compartment for small objects Ca
Fig. 133 Center
console: storage
compartment
To open the compartment, press the cover Cs => fig . 133.
- To close the compartment, push the drawer all the way in
until it clicks in place .•
Controls and equip ­
ment
Owner 's literature storage shelf
There's a special slot provided where you can store your
Owner 's Manual.
Fig. 134 Slot for
Owner 's literature
- Always store your Owner's literature in the compartment
provided for that purpose
=> fig. 134. •
irechnical data

On the road -
-----------------'
Power steering
Power steering makes it easier to steer the vehicle when
the engine is running.
If the engine is not running the power steering does not work and
you will find it more difficult to turn the steering wheel.
Whenever the steering wheel is turned all the way to the left or right
a lo t of stress is placed on the power steering pu mp. When this
happens you will hear a noise coming from the power steering
pump .
0 Note
Never hold the steering wheel turned all the way to the left or right
longer than 15 seconds when the en gine is running -damage to
the power steering system is likely! •
Controls and equip­
ment
Ignition lock and ignition switch
Ignition lock
T he ignition key starts or stops the engine .
0
Ignition off G)
Fig . 14 3 Ignition lock
pos it io ns
In position => fig. 143 G) both the ignition and engine are off, and
the steering is locked.
To
lo ck the stee ring after you have removed the ignition key, turn
the steering wheel in either direction un til you hear it lock in to
place. You shou ld always lock the steering whenever you leave your
vehicle. This makes a vehicle theft even more
difficult =>& .
Ign iti on on @
If it is d iff icult to turn the key after you have inserte d it into the igni ­
tion lock, turn the steering whee l back and forth . This will take the
load off the s teering lock mechanism and you will be able to turn the
key free ly and start the engine.
Starting the engine ©
In this position the engine starts. While the engine is starting, the
power supply to the headlights and other e lectrical consumers is
.,
Technical data

___ T_ r
_ a_ n_s _m_ i_s _s _i_o _n ___________________________________________________ _
Transmission
Manual transmission
Applies to vehicles: w ith 6 -speed manua l transmission
Gearshift lever
The clutch pedal must be depressed all the way before
you can start the engine .
Your Audi with manual transmission is equipped with an
interlock-feature .
-Depress the clutch pedal all the way.
- Start the engine with the gearshift lever in Neutral and
clutch pedal depressed.
0 Note
Always depress the clutch pedal fully when changing gears. Do not
hold the vehicle on a hi ll with the c lutch pedal partially depressed.
This may cause premature clutch wear or damage .
[ i ] Ti ps
• Resting your hand on the gearshift lever knob while driving will
cause premature wear in the transmission.
• The back -up lights go on when you shift into Reverse with the
ignition on .•
Applies to vehicles: with 6-speed manual transmission
Gearshift pattern (6-speed manual
transmission)
Fi g. 14 6 Gearshi ft
pa ttern: 6-speed
Drive in 6th gear for optimum fuel economy when cruising .
However, if more acceleration is required (when passing, for
example), shift down.
E n gag ing r everse gear (R )
- Move the shift lever all the way to the left past the spring
pressure point, press down, then push forward .
Especially after driving forward, stop the vehicle completely, shift
into
Neutral and rest the shift lever briefly in Neutral before shifting
into
Reverse. •

_______________________________________________________ T:...:.; ra::.:.. n:.:s:.: m
:..:.:.:.: is::::s::.:.: io::.:.. n:__JIIII
Select R only when the vehicle is at a full stop and the engine is
running at idle
speed.~ & in "Driving the 6 -speed automatic trans ­
mission" on
page 143.
Before you move the selector lever to R, press both, the button in the
handle of the selector lever
and the brake peda l at the same time.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights i lluminate when the
selector lever is moved into R.
N -Neutral
Shift to this position for standing with brakes applied ~ page 145.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while moving the
lever out of
N.
D -Normal driving position for forward
Position Dis for norma l city and highway driving. It ranges from zero
to top speed and all six gears automatically shift, depending on
engine load, driving speed and automatically selected shift
programs.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and whi le moving the
lever out of
N to D or S.
In certain circumstances it may be advantageous to temporarily
switch to the manual shift program to manually se lect gear ratios to
match specific driving
conditions~ page 147.
S -Sport position
Selec t this position for sportier performance. In this position, the
eng ine wi ll not upshift as soon, allowing the vehic le to use the
increased power avai lable at higher engine speeds to achieve live­
lier acceleration.
Before you move the selector lever from
D to S, press the button in
the handle of the selector lever.
Controls and equip ­
ment
LJ}. WARNING
• Always read and heed WARNINGS ~ & in "D riving the 6-speed
automatic transmission" on
page 143.
0 Note
Coasting downhill with the transmission in N and the engine not
operating will result in damage to the automatic transmission and
possibly the catalytic converter. •
Applie s to vehicles: wi th G·sp eed automatic tra nsm iss ion
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL )
Automatic selector lever lock prevents you from acciden ­
tally shifting into a forward gear or into reverse , thus
causing the vehicle to move unintentionally.
Fig. 149 Shift gate:
selector lever lock
positions and interlock
button highlighted
The selector lever lock is re lease d as follows:
-Turn on the ignition .
irechnical data

-
Transmission
----------------
Select R only when the vehicle is at a full stop and the engine is
running at idle
speed~ & in "Driving the multitronic™" on
page 750.
Before you move the selector lever to R, press both, the button in the
handle of the selector lever
and the brake pedal at the same time.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illuminate when the selector lever is moved into R.
N -Neutral
Shift to this position for standing with brakes applied ~ page 152.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while moving the
lever out of
N .
Do not use N for coasting downhill.
D -Normal driving position for forward
Depending on the load on the engine, vehicle speed and the
dynamic control program, the transmission will select the
optimal
gear ratio.
In certain circumstances it may be advantageous to temporarily
switch to the manual shift program to manually select gear ratios to
match specific driving
conditions ~ page 154.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while moving the
lever to
D out of N.
S -Sport position
Select this position for sportier performance. In this position, the
transmission will not upshift as soon, allowing the vehicle to use
the increased power available at higher engine speeds to achieve livelier acceleration.
Before you move the selector lever from
D to S, press the button in
the handle of the selector lever. When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and while moving the
lever to
S out of N.
& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS ~ & in "Driving the multitronic™"
on
page 150.
0 Note
Coasting downhill with the transmission in N and the engine not
operating will result in damage to the automatic transmission and
possibly the catalytic converter. •
Applies to vehi cles : wi th mu ltitroni c'" Continuous ly Variable Transm ission (CVT )
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL )
The Automatic Shift Lock safeguards you against acciden ­
tally shifting into a forward or the reverse gear and
causing the vehicle to move unintentionally.
~ M -w a, .,
Fig. 155 Shift gate:
selector lever lock
positions and interlock
button highlighted
..

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_ n..; g::;_ S_ a_ fe---' ly'-----"'
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant safety
always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving always:
- Make sure that all lights and signals are operat ing
correctly.
- Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
- Make sure that all windows are clean and afford good
visibility to the outside.
- Secure all luggage and other items
carefully=> page 122.
-Make sure that nothing can interfere with the pedals.
- Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors correctly for your height .
- Instruct passengers to adjust the head restraints
according to their height.
- Make sure to use the right child restraint correctly to
protect
children => page 210, "Child Safety".
- Sit properly in your seat and make sure that your passen ­
gers do the
same => page 95, "General recommenda­
tions".
- Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Also instruct
your passengers to fasten their safety belts properly
=> page 176. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of the
vehicle, the driver as well as the driver's ability to concen­
trate on the road without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the vehicle and all
of its occupants. If your ability to drive is impaired, safety
risks for everybody in the vehicle increase and you also
become a hazard to everyone else on the road
=>& .There ­
fore:
Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers or by
using a cellular telephone .
NEVER drive when your driving ability is impaired (by
medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
- Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and speed limits
and plain common sense .
- ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and weather
conditions.
- Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive for more
than two hours at a stretch.
- Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pressure or when
you are stressed .
& WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data