warning lights AUDI A4 AVANT 2008 Owner's Guide

____________________________________________________ T_r_a _i_le _ r_t_ o _ w_ i
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Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check with your
authorized Audi dealer for correct wiring, switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you using the regular
outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is impor ­
tant that you
always have clear vision to the rear .
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure you
or your passengers. •
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer .
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to guard
against shifting, be it forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer~ & in "Driving instruc­
tions".
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the sticker on the right door­
jamb. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation Lights
The
headlight settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off. Adjust as necessary so that you can see the road
ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check proper working of vehicle and trailer lights .
Power Supply
The power supply to the trailer is disconnected when the ignition
key is removed.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle . Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer 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 trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ C_ le_a_ n_in ~ g_ a_n _ d_ p_ ro_ t_e _c _t _io _ n ___________________________________________ _
&, WARNING (continued )
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 254 .
0 Note
• Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of t he veh icle
is dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this cou ld scratch your
veh ic le's paint or w indows .
• N ever wash your car in bright sunlight . Drops of water act as
magnifying lenses and may damage your paint.
• When yo u wash your ca r in the winter : if you rinse you r ve hicle
with a hose, be carefu l not to aim the stream of water directly at
l ocks, or at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges designed to remove insects, or any kitchen
scouring spo nges or similar pr oducts. They can damage yo ur paint
finish .
• Never use a dry cloth or spo nge t o clean the head ligh ts . O nly use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent scratches . It is best to use soapy
water.
<£> For the sake of the environment
I n the interest of the environment, the vehic le shou ld on ly be
washed in specia l wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car w ith a high -p ressure
po wer w asher is s afe as l ong as you observe a few simple
rules .
-Before us ing the power washer, make s ure you have rea d
and unders tood the
WAR NINGS:=> & in "General infor­
mati on" o n
page 254.
-Always follow the operating instru ctio ns fo r th e p owe r
w ash er.
-Make sure t hat t he jet o n the spray hose pro duces a "fan
sha ped sp ray".
-Do not hold the spray nozzle too close to soft ma terials.
When cleaning the vehicle w ith a power washer always follow the
opera tin g instruc tions. Th is appl ies partic ula rly to the
operating
pre ssure
and t he spraying distance . Maintain a sufficient distance
t o so ft m ateria ls such as rubber hoses and sound/vib rat ion dead ­
ening materia ls (particularly on the underside of the engine hood).
D o no t use a jet w hich sprays wa ter in a
direct stream o r one tha t
has a
rotating j et .
Water temperature shou ld not exceed 140 °F (60
°CJ.
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays the water in a direct
s tream . This could cause invi sible damage to the tire s and weaken
them , even if the spray is from a relatively long distan ce and for a
s hort amount of time . Damaged and weakened tires c an f ail and
ca use ac cidents and personal injur y.
0 Note
To avoid damaging your vehic le, always make sure that there is
su fficient dis tance between the spray head and so ft m ater ia ls l ike
rubber hoses , plastic parts and sound -deadening materials . Never
a im the spray head a t the same p oint for a l ong time . This a lso
applies to cleaning head lights and painted bumpers . Remember:
t he c loser t he n ozzle is to the surface o f the mate rial, the greater the
stress on the material. •

Checkin g a nd fillin g --------------~~~-
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a t ime ly manner .•
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to prov ide effect ive lubrication and cool ing of in ternal
engine components, all internal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of o il. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change significantly over the life of the engine . Typically,
eng ines wi th a specified break -in period
(see ~ page 243) consume
more oil during the break -in period than they consume after oi l
consumption has stabi lized .
Under norma l condit ions, the rate of o il consumption depends on
the quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revo lutions per minute)
at whic h the engine is operated, t he amb ient te mperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensatio n or fuel residue and t he oxidation level of the o il. As
any engine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consump ­
t ion may increase over time until rep laceme nt of worn components
may become necessary .
With all these variables coming into play, no standard rate of oil consu mption can be estab lished or specified. T here is no a lternative
to regu lar and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yellow eng ine o il level warni ng symbol in the instrument
cluster ~ lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as
possible
with the oil dipstick ~ page 277 . Top off the o il at your
earl iest
convenience~ page 278.
& WARNING
Bef ore you che ck anything in the eng ine comp artment , alway s
read and heed all WARNINGS
~ & in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 27 3.
0 Note
Driving with an insuff ic ient oil level is l ikely to cause severe damage
to the engine.
[ i ] Tip s
• The oil pres sure warning displ ay "e:7: is n ot an indi cator of the oil
level . Do not rel y on it. Instead, check the oil level in your engine at
regular inter vals, preferably ea ch time you refuel , and al way s before
going on a long trip.
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oi l, we reco mmend that you consult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed . Keep in mind
that t he accurate measurement of oil consumptio n requ ires great
care and may take some time. Your Audi dealer has instructions
about how t o measure oil cons umpt ion accurately. •
Checking the engine oil level
Vehicle care
Fig. 2 07 Illu strati on of
prin ciple 1: M ark ers on
oil dip sti ck ...

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& WARNING (continued)
-The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use of the brakes can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety. This could result in an accident.
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle.
W For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With
high outside temperatures it is
advisable however to check the fluid level at regular intervals
through the transparent battery housing. Also check the fluid level
each time you charge the battery. After charging the battery
~ page 289, you should likewise check the battery acid level.
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
Preserving battery charge on a vehicle not operated
for a long time
Some components of the electrical equipment (for example, the
electronic immobilizer) will keep drawing a low current even when the car is
not running
. This will eventually drain the battery
completely if your vehicle is left sitting for a long period of time
without being driven . To prevent this, either charge the battery
occasionally or disconnect the battery negative (ground) cable.
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop . This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumpt ion, particularly in city traff ic or
when traveling only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dealer
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
~ page 289. A well charged battery will not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
[ i] Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. This will prevent it from being damaged and
having to be replaced. •
Location of the vehicle battery
The vehicle battery is located in the plenum chamber at the back of
the engine
compartment~ page 275.
The positive(+) battery terminal is protected by a plastic cover. This cover must be removed to access to the positive(+) terminal when
connecting jumper cables to start the engine .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
~ & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 273. •
Vehicle care

Checking and filling 111111
--------------------------------------------=-----=--------
& WARNING (continued )
battery to heat up very quickly , whi ch could le ad to damage or
explosion and personal injury .
• When a battery is charged , it produces hydrogen gas whi ch is
explosive and could cause personal injury .
• Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children .
• Before work is done on the electrical system , disconnect the
negative ground cable .
• Before performing any work on the electri cal system , switch off
the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment. The negative cable on the battery must be disconnected. If you are just
going to replace a light bulb , then it is enough to switch off the
lights.
• Before disconnecting the battery, switch off the anti -theft
alarm system! Otherwise you will set off the alarm .
• When disconnecting the battery , fir st di sconnect the negative
c able and then the positive cable .
• Before reconnecting the battery, make sure all electrical
consumers are switched off . Reconnect the positive cable first and
then the negative cable. Never interchange the cables -this could
start a fire!
• Never charge a frozen or a thawed -out battery . It could
explode! If a battery has frozen, then it must be replaced . A
discharged battery can freeze over at 32 °F (0 °Cl.
• Make sure the vent hose is always attached to the opening on
the side of the battery.
• Never use batteries which are damaged . There is the danger of
an explosion! Always replace a damaged battery.
in. WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning :
• I I • • I
& WARNING (continued )
• Battery posts , terminals and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds , chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems . Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
• Do not d isconnect th e ve hicle bat tery w hen t he ig ni tio n i s
switched on or when the engine is running , otherwise, you will
da mage e lec troni c c om pon ent s in the e lec trica l syste m.
• When working on the engine, protect t he battery housing from
u ltraviolet (UV) rays by not pa rking the ve hicle i n direct sun lig ht.
• If your vehicle is going to stand fo r a long period of time wit hout
being driven, pro tect the battery from "freezing", ot herwise it w ill
be damaged and wi ll then have to be replaced .•
Vehicle care

11111.___F_ u_ s_ e_s _ a_ n_d _ b_u_ l_ b _ s ______________________________________________ _
No.
37
38
39
40
41
43
44
Equipm ent
Pump for windshie ld and headlight washer *
system
Central elect ric, anti -theft a larm system, rear
lid/ tr u nk release
Rad io
Horn
Auxiliary hea tin g
Electronic Stab ilization P rogram (ESP)
Engine timing
Seat heating
Automatic circuit bre akers : Amps
30
15
20
25
30
25
15
35
T he electric power windows and the electr ic seat adjusters are
pro tected with circu it breakers which reset automatica lly after the
circuit overload has been corrected .
[ i ] Tip s
• Whenever replacing a fuse, always consult the sticker on the
inside of the fuse panel cover . It contains the most up -to -date info r­
mat ion regarding the fuse arrangement . If in doubt , ask your autho ­
rized Audi Service adv isor .
• Some of the equipment items listed are op tiona l o r only avail ­
able on certa in model configu rations .•
Bulbs
A pplies to vehicle s: wit h xenon he ad ligh ts
Replacing light bulbs
For your safety, we recommend that you have your autho ­
rized Audi dealer replace any bulbs for you.
I t is becoming increasing ly more and more difficult t o replace
vehic le light bulbs since in many cases, other parts of the car must
first be removed before yo u are able to get to the bu lb . T his applies
especia lly to the ligh t bu lbs in the front of your car which you can
only reach th rough the eng ine compartment.
Sheet metal and bulb ho lders can have sharp edges that can cause
s e rious cuts, and parts must be correctly taken apart and th en prop­
erly put back together to help prevent breakage of par ts and long
te rm damage from water that can enter housings that have not
been properly resealed .
For your safety , we recommend that you have your authorized Audi
dea ler replace any bulbs for you, since your dealer has the prope r
tools, the correct bulbs and the expertise .
Gas di sc harge l amp s (x enon l ight s)*:
Due to the h igh e lectrical voltage, have t he bu lbs replaced by a qual ­
ified technician . Head lights with xenon light are identified by the
high voltage sticker .
& WARNING
Changing xenon lamps without the ne cessary equipment c an
c au se seriou s per sonal injury .
• Bulb s are pres surized and can explode when being changed.
Potential ri sk of injur y!
• On vehicle s equipped with ga s di scharge bulb s (xenon ligh t)*
life -threaten ing injurie s can re sult from impr oper h andling of the
high -voltage portion s of su ch lamp s!
~

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& WARNING (continued)
• Only your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop
should change the bulbs in gas discharge lamps.
[ i] Tips
• If you sti ll pr efer to replace t he li ght bu lbs yourself, be aware t hat
the eng ine compartment is a hazardous area to work
in => page 265,
"En gine co mpa rtme nt"=> &.
• S ince t he A ud i elect rical system feeds a slig htly highe r vo ltage to
your h eadlights t han common, w e strongly recommend that you
replace low beam front bulbs on ly with Long life bulbs designed for
e xte nded d urab ility.•
Do -it -yourself service

________________________________________________ E=..:.; m:..:.:: e:.:.r.::g ~e::.:..: n:.:c :..y~ s:.: i:.:t .=u :.:a:. t:: i.=o :.:n..:.:: s~_J-
/b, WARNING (continued)
• Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all
WARNINGS~ page 265, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
• Applying a higher voltage booster battery will cause expensive
damage to sensitive electronic components, such as control units,
relays, radio, etc .
• There must be no electrical contact between the vehicles as
otherwise current could already start to flow as soon as the positive
( + ) terminals are connected.
[ i] Tips
• The discharged battery must be properly connected to the
vehicle's electrical system. •
Use of jumper cables
Make sure to connect the jumper cable clamps in exactly
the order described below!
Vehicle with discharged battery:
Fig. 234 Jump­
starting with the
battery of another
vehicle: A -discharged
vehicle battery, B -
booster battery
- Turn off lights and accessories, move lever of automatic
transmission to
N (Neutral) or P (Park) and set parking
brake.
Connect POSITIVE (+) to POSITIVE (+) (red)
1. Connect clamp of plus cable to positive( +) terminal (D
:::> fig. 234 of discharged vehicle battery @.
2. Connect clamp on opposite end of cable to positive(+)
terminal
@ of booster battery ®·
Connect NEGATIVE (-) to NEGATIVE (-) (black)
3. Connect clamp of minus cable (black) to negative (-)
terminal
0 of booster battery®·
Do-it-yourse lf service irechnical data

111'1_....::::A::.:l:.!: p :.:h..:.: a:::.:: b:.::e :.:t::i c::.::: a.:..l ..:.: in :..:.:: d:.:e :.:x::..... ___________________________________________ _
A
ABS (Anti- lock Brake System)
Warning/indicator lights ... .... .... 21
Accessories . .... .... .... .... .... ... 348
acoust ic park assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Adap tive light .. ... .... ... .. ...... ... 75
defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Adding Engine coo lant
282
Engine oi l ... ... .. .... .... ... .... 278
Windshield washer fluid .... .... .. 291
Additiona l accessories .. ...... ...... . 348
Additives Eng ine oi l .. ....... ....... ....... 278
Adjustable steering whee l column .. ... 134
Adjusting Instrument cluster il lumina tion ... .. . 15
Steering wheel co lumn . ...... .... 134
Advanced A irbag System . .... ... .... 191
Ch ildren ... ........... .... ... ... 211
Components ...... .... ... .... ... 194
Fr ont airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
How the c ompone nts wo rk togethe r 195
Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
PASSE NGER AIR BAG O FF light ..... 199
Weight -sensing mat ....... ... .... 211
Air conditioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
See also Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . 125
Air conditioning Switching on and off 128
A ir distribution
C limate controls . ...... ... .... ... 130 Air outlets
Adjusting the outlets for rapid defrosting/de fogging .. ...... .... 131
Cl imate con trols ...... .... .... ... 131
Air quality sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Air recirculation .. ... .... .... .... ... 128
Clima te controls .. .... ..... .. .... 129
When should I use the air recircu lation?
129
Airbag Warning/indicator lights .... ... .... 20
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 , 205
Car e ...... .... .... .... .... .... .. 201
Child restraints .... .... .... .... .. 212
Componen ts (front airbags) .... ... . 194
Danger of fitting a chi ld safety seat on the
front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Disposal .. ....... .... .... .... ... 201
Front airbags . .... ... .... .... .... 191
How do the front
ai rbags work? .... 196
How many airbags does my vehicle have? 194
I mportant things to know ....... .. 1 87
I ndicator light ... .. .... .... ... ... 198
Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Repairs ...... .... ... .... .... .... 201
Side airbags ... ...... .... ... .. ... 203
Side curtain airbags (SIDEGUARD) .. 207
When must the sys tem be inspec ted? ...
198
Alloy w heels . .... .... .... .... .... .. 260
All -wh ee l driv e 242
Winter tir es ..... .... .... ... .. ... 310 A
lternator
See Generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Aluminum al loy wheels . ...... .... ... 260
Ambient light ing . ....... .... ... .. .... 82
Anti-free ze
See Engine coolant system ........ 280
Anti -glare inside day -ni ght mi rro r .. ... . 90
An ti- lock B rake System (ABS)
How the ABS system works . ....... 240
Warning/indicator l ights ........... . 21
Anti -Slip R egulation Syst em (ASR)
How the sys tem works .... .... .... 238
An ti- theft systems
Anti -theft ala rm system .. ...... .... 64
Electronic immobilizer .. ... .... ... . 5 4
Tilt sensors . .... .... ... .... .... ... 65
Armrest Adjusting ...... .... ... .... ..... . 102
Storage bi n
Ashtray 1
02
Front . .... .... .... .... ... .... ... 119
Rear ...... .... .... .... ... .... ... 119
ASR Anti- Slip Regulation System .... ... 238
Asterisk What does it mean when something is marked with an asterisk? .. ... .... .. 6
Attachment hooks ... .... .... .... ... 112
Aud i Service Repa ir Manuals and Lite rature
346

Alph ab eti ca l ind ex -
-------------=----
AUTO
Climate controls ...... .... ...... .. 127
Switching on .................... 127
When should I use AUTO? ......... 127
Auto Safety Hotline ................. . 175
Auto-C heck Contro l ...... .... ... .... .. 28
Au toma tic transmission ...... .... .. 30
Manua l transmission .. ...... .... .. 29
Automa tic a ir recircu lation ........... 129
Automatic belt retractor .......... .... 181
Automat ic car was h
See Washing ...... .... ... .... .... 255
Automatic headlight control ........... 73
Automatic Sh ift Lock (ASU .. ..... 145, 152
Automatic transmission 6-speed automatic transmission 143, 144
Ign it ion key safety lock . ...... .... . 136
Shift but tons .. ...... .... .... 148, 155
Steering wheel wit h tiptronic® . 148,155
See also mu ltit ronic™ ... .. ...... .. 149
Automat ic trans mission (6 -speed)
Automat ic Shift Lock (ASU ... .. ... . 145
Driving .. .. .. .... .... ..... .. .... 1 43
Dynamic shift program ... .... .... . 146
Fa il- safe mode . ...... .... .... .... 149
Kic k-down ... .... .... .... ... .... . 146
Manual shift program (tiptronic®) .. 147
Average speed ....................... 41
Avoid damaging the vehicle .. ...... .. 245
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
B
Battery .....
.... .... .... .... ... 285, 288
Battery location ins ide the eng ine
compartment .. ...... .... .... ... 285
Charging . ............ ........... 289
Checking battery acid level . ........ 288
Connecting .... .. ..... .... .... ... 290
Disconnecting ............ .... ... 290
Important warnings when working on the
battery ... .. .... .... .... .... ... 286
Removing the battery ... .. .... .... 290
Replacing the battery ............. 29 1
Winter operation . ................ 285
Working on the battery ............ 286
Bat tery vo ltage .. ... ... .... .... .... .. 35
Before driving ...................... 167
Blended gasoline . .... ............... 267
Body cavity sealing ...... .... .... ... . 260
Booster seats .......... .... .... ..... 218
How do I properly instal l a booster seat in
my vehicle? ... .. .... .... .... ... 218
Safety inst ructions ... .. .... .... ... 218
Brake assista nt ..... .... .... .... .... 241
Brake booster .......... ...... .... ... 240
Brake f luid
Changing the brake flu id ...... .... 284
Check ing the brake fluid leve l ...... 284
Reservoi r .... .... .... ..... .. .... . 28 4
What is the correct brake f luid level? 284
What shou ld I do if
t he brake fluid warning
l igh t comes on? ... .. .... .... .... 284 Brake system
...... .... .... .... .. 31,284
Anti -lock Brake System (ABS) ........ 21
Brake fluid ....................... 284
Brake f lu id spec ificat ions for refi ll and
replacement ..... .... .... .... ... 28 4
Brake pads ...................... 244
Warning/indicator lights ...... ...... 23
Brakes ...... .... .... .... ... .... .... 239
Adverse cond itions affec ting bra ke
performance ...... .... .... ..... 239
Break -in period ....... ........ ...... 243
Brake pads ........... .... .... ... 244
Tires .. .... ....... .... ...... ..... 243
Bu lbs .. ...... .... .... ... .... .... ... 328
C
Ca lif o rnia Pr opo sit ion 65 War ning ... .. 274
Batte ry specific . ...... .... .... .... 287
Capacities .......................... 343
Car care . .... .... ........... .... .... 254
Interior .... ... .... .... .... .... ... 261
Plastic and vinyl .... ............. . 258
Weatherstrips .... ... .. ...... .... . 259
Ca re of exterior ..... .... .... .... .... 254
Care, service and disposal Safety belt tensioner .............. 186
Cargo area
See Loading the luggage compartment .
173
Cargo net .......................... 108
Catalytic converter ...... .... .... .... 24 4
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data