power steering AUDI A4 AVANT 2008 Owners Manual

Safety belts .................. .
Safety belt tensioner ..... ... .. .
Airbag system ........ .... .. .. .
Important th ings to know .. .... .
Front airbags .. ... .. ... ...... . .
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System ... ..... .... ..... .. ... .
Side airbags .... ... ...... ..... .
Side curtain airbags (SIDEGUARD™l
Child Safety .. ... ... ..... ... ... .
Important things to know .... .. .
Child safety seats ........ ... .. .
Insta lling a ch ild safety seat .... .
Addit ional Information .... ..... .
Lower anchorages and tether for
chi ldren (LA TCH) .......... ... .. .
t
181
185
187
187
191
198
203 207
210
210
215
220
223
225 Avoid damag
ing the vehicle .....
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution ......... .
Trailer towing .......... ... .. .. .
Driv ing w it h a trailer ... .... .... .
Trai ler towing t ips ....... ...... .
Vehicle care ........ ... ... .
C lean ing and protection ...... .
Genera l information ........... .
Care of exterior ....... .. .. .. ... .
Care of interior ................ .
Fuel supply and filling your fuel
tank ........ .... .. ... .... ...... .
245
245
248
248
250
253
254
254
254
261
267
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Vehicle operation . . . . . . . . 235 Checking and filling . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Intelligent technology ... ...... .
Notice about data recorded by
veh icle contro l modules ....... .
Electronic Stabilization Program
(ESP) ......................... .
Braking .. ... ... ... ... ... .. ... .
Servotronic®
-advanced power
steering system . ......... .. ... . 236
236
236
239
241
Driv ing w ith your quattro® . . . . . . 242
Driving and environment . . . . . . 243
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 kml and
afterwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Cata lytic conver ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Engine
hood ......... ......... .
Engine compartmen t .... ... ... .
Engine oil ... ...... ... ....... .. .
Engine cooling system .. .... ... .
Brake fluid . ............... .... .
Ba ttery ...... .......... .... ... .
Windshield/headlight washer
con ta iner .. ........ ... ........ .
Tires and whee ls ..... ......... .
Tires .......... ...... .. .. ..... . 272
2 74
275
280
284
285
291
293
293
Tabl e of cont ents
Do-it-yourself service . . . 3 15
What do I do now? . ......... ... 316
Jack, tools and spare wheel . . . . . . 316
W hee l change ............... ... 318
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Fuses ........ ......... ..... .... 326
Bu lbs .............. ... ... ... ... 328
Eme rgency sit uations . . . . . . . . . . 330
Genera l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Starting by pushing or towing . . . . 330
Starting with jumper cables . . . . . . 330
Use of jumper cables . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Emergency tow ing with comme rcial
tow truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Lif ting the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Technical data
General in for matio n
339
340
E xplanat ion of technical data . . . . 340
Vehicle identification . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . 341
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
irechnical data

Instruments and controls
General illustration
G) Power window switches ........................ .
0 Door handle
G) Power locking switch .......................... .
© Adjuster control fo r outside mirrors ...... .... .... .
© Light switch .. ...... .... ... .... .... .... .... ... .
© Air o utlets ........ ... .. .... .... ... .... .... .... .
0 Turn s igna l and high beam .. .... .... ......... .. .
© Instrument c luster .. ... .... .... .... ... .. .... ... .
G) Switches for
- Windshield wiper/washer . ...... .... .... ... ... .
- Trip computer ...... .... .... ... .... .... .... . .
@ Steering lock/ignition/starter switch (in the steering
@
@
@
@
@
@
@
@
@
@
@
whee l column) . ...... ... .... .... .... ... .... ... .
Electron ic Stab ilization Prog ram (ESP) switc h ...... .
Emergency flasher ....... .... .... .... .... .... .. .
Storage compartment for sma ll objects
Sound System
G love compartment ( lockab le) ... .. .... .... .... .. .
Front passenger's airbag .... .... .... .... ..... .. .
Cl imate controls .. ..... .... .... ...... .... ... .. .
Rear window defogger switc h .... .... .... .... ... .
Switch for seat heating ......................... .
Ashtray .. ....... .... ............. ...... .... .. .
Gear shift lever or selector lever (automatic transmis ­
s ion)
- Manual transmission .. ...... ....... ...... ... .
- 6-speed automa tic transm ission .. ...... .... ... .
I .
.
® -mu t1tronic ................................ .
65
59
91
72
131
80
12
85
38
135
236 79
123
122
191
126
131
132
119
142
1 4 3
14 9
Controls and equip ­
ment • I I • • I
Instrum ents and controls
Cupho lder
Park ing brake lever ............................ .
Electrical socket ............................... .
Storage compartment
Memory buttons (driver's seat) .. ...... .... ... ... .
Re lease lever for t he e ngine hood ...... .... ... ... .
Data Link Connector fo r On Board D iagnostic (OBD Ill
Cruise control .... .... .... .... ....... .... .... .. .
Steering wheel with:
- Horn
D. ' . b - nversa1r ag . ................ .... ......... .
@ Adjustab le steering co lumn .. ...... .... .... .... . .
@ Recessed she lf for vehic le literature .............. .
118
137
121
100
272 27
140
191
134
123 •

___ O_ n_ t
_ h_ e_ ro_ a_d __________________________________________________ _
On the road
Steering
Adjusting the steering wheel column
The height and reach of the steering wheel can be
adjusted.
Fig . 142 Lever under
the steering column
First, adjust the driver's seat correctly.
- Push the
lever => fig. 142 -Arrow- =>& .
Move the steering wheel to the desired position.
- Push the lever against the steering column unt il it locks.
There must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone
and the center of the steering wheel. If you cannot sit more than 10
inches (25 cm) from the steering wheel,
we recommend that you
investigate whether adaptive equipment is available to help you
reach the pedals and increase your seating distance from the
steering wheel. For detailed information on how to adjust the driver's seat, see
=> page 97, "Power seat adjustment"
.
& WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjustment and improper seating
position can cause serious personal injury .
• Adjust the steering wheel column only when the vehicle is not
moving to prevent loss of vehicle control.
• Always make sure that the adjustment lever is securely pushed
up so that the position of the steering wheel cannot be changed
unintentionally when the vehicle is moving.
• Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel so that there is a
minimum of 10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone and the
steering
wheel ~ page 168, fig. 162. If you cannot maintain this
minimum distance the airbag system cannot protect you properly.
• If physical limitations prevent you from sitting 10 inches (25
cm) or more from the steering wheel, check with your authorized
Audi dealer to see if adaptive equipment is available.
• Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the
ability of the supplemental driver's airbag to protect you in an
accident. Always make sure that the steering wheel is pointed
towards your chest .
• Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering
wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions
to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
• Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with
your hands at other positions inside the steering wheel rim or on
the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the
driver's airbag inflates.
•

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

___ o_ n_ t_h _e _ r_o _a_ d __________________________________________________ _
temporarily interrupted to conserve battery power. After the engine
has started, release the key and it will return to position
0-
Before the starter can be operated again the key must be turned
back to position
G) . The non-repeat lock prevents you from
damaging the starter when the engine is running.
_& WARNING
• Never remove the key from the ignition lock while the vehicle is
moving. The steering wheel will lock causing loss of control.
• If you have to leave your vehicle-even for just a minute- always
remove the ignition key and take it with you. This is especially
important if you are going to leave children behind in the vehicle.
The children could start the engine or use other vehicle controls.
Unsupervised use of vehicle controls (for example, power
windows) can cause serious personal injuries.
[ i] Tips
If the vehicle battery has been disconnected and then reconnected,
then you must leave the key in position
0 for about 5 seconds
before you can start the engine. •
Ignition key safety lock
The ignition key can only be removed when the selector
lever is in the
"P" (Park) position.
After switching off the ignition, the ignition key can only be
removed from the ignition lock when the selector lever is in the
"P"
(Park) position. After you have removed the key, the selector lever is
locked and cannot be moved. •
Starting and stopping the engine
Starting the engine
The engine can only be started with your original Audi
key.
-Set the parking brake.
-Move the selector lever to the neutral position (automatic
transmission: selector lever in P or N)
=> & .
-On vehicles with manual transmission, fully depress the
clutch pedal.
-Turn the ignition key to position 0 => page 135, fig. 143
- do not depress the gas pedal when starting the engine!
-Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts.
A cold engine may at first be loud after it has been started. This is
due to the hydraulic valves building up the oil pressure . This is
normal and no need for concern.
If the engine does not start immediately, stop trying after 10
seconds and then try to restart the engine about 30 seconds later.
What to do if the engine does not start
• ~ page 330
• ~ page 332, "Emergency towing with commercial tow truck"
_& WARNING
Never start or let the engine run in a confined or enclosed area.
Exhaust fumes from the engine contain carbon monoxide, a color­
less and odorless gas. Carbon monoxide can be fatal if inhaled.
• Never leave the engine idling unattended. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine poses a danger of personal injury or
theft.
~

___ O_ n_ t_h _e_ r_o _ a_ d ____________________________________________________ _
Cruise control
General information
The cruise control system allows you to maintain a
constant speed.
The cruise control system allows you to maintain and constant
driving speed when driving faster than 18 mph (30 km/h) -to the
extent this is possible with the given engine power and braking
characteristics. This allow you to take your foot off the "gas" and
rest it, especially on long trips .
The indicator light CRUISE (USA)/
•l'l (CDNl in the instrument cluster
illuminates when the system is on .
& WARNING
• To help keep the vehicle under control, do not use the cruise
control system when driving on winding or slippery roads (as
caused by heavy rain or loose gravel on the road surface), or in
heavy or varying traffic.
• Only use the cruise control when traffic, road and weather
co nd itions allow you to drive at a steady speed.
[ i] Tips
The cruise control cannot maintain a constant speed when driving
downhill. The vehicle will accelerate under its own weight. Down­
shift to a lower gear or use the brakes to slow down .•
Storing a speed
You must set and then store a vehicle speed using the
cruise control.
Fig. 145 Cruise control
switches
- Accelerate until you reach the driving speed you want to
store.
- Pull
lever © towards the steering wheel G) => fig. 145 to
switch the system on.
- Press button
@.
After you release button @, the current vehicle speed is stored and
maintained .•
Changing a stored speed
You can change a stored speed.
Accelerate (faster)
-Lift lever © toward 0 => fig. 145 .
- Release the lever to store the new speed.

____________________________________________ ln_t_ e_ l_ li _,..g "- e_ n
_ t_t_e _c_ h_ n_o _l_o _....g ,_,y'-----'IJIII
& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always remember that braking
capability is limited by tire traction. Always adjust your driving
speed according to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risks.
The ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics.
[ i] Tips
• If ABS is not functioning properly, a warning light will come on.
See~ page 21.
• If a fault occurs in the ABS , the EDL is also not functioning. This
is indicated by the ABS warning light. •
Brake assistant
The brake assistant is designed to achieve the optimum
braking effect.
The brake assistant helps to increase the effective braking power
and thus to achieve a shorter stopping distance . If the driver
presses the brake pedal very quickly, the brake assistant automati ­
cally boosts the braking force to the maximum level, up to the point
where the anti-lock brake function (ABS) intervenes to stop the
wheels from locking. You should then keep the brake pedal pressed
until the vehicle has braked to the required speed. The brake assis ­
tant switches itself off as soon as you release the brake pedal.
The brake assistant will not be operative if there is a malfunction in
the ABS.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast, especially in corners or on a slippery road, or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too closely. An increased accident
risk cannot be compensated even by the brake assistant, so
always maintain a safe speed. •
Servotronic® -advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise steering with little effort. Your Audi is equipped with the electronically controlled
Servotronic® advanced power steering system. It adjusts
the degree of steering assistance to the roadspeed.
The advanced Servotronic ® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortable and safe steering response exactly matched to the
vehicle speed .
Power steering will not work if the engine is off. As a result, the
steering wheel will be hard to turn.
The power steering fluid level is checked during the scheduled
maintenance services.
0 Note
If there is an electronic malfunction, servotronic will still function
like a conventional power steering system, providing a constant
steering support force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed . This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
low speeds (for example when parking), -more effort will be
required than usual.
.,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

llffll.___l_n _t _e _ll _ig =- e_n _ t_ te_ c_h _n_ o_ lo-'g'"'-=- y ___________________________________________ _
• Be aware of the different than usua l steering response and
adjus t you r steer ing forc e acc ordin gly.
• Have the prob lem checked and set right by an Audi dea ler as
s o on as poss ible.
[ i] Tips
• When t he engi ne is running, never ho ld t he steer ing w heel
turned all the way to the right or to the left for longer than 15
seco nds. Th e powe r steering p ump w ill ove rhea t th e hydra ulic flu id
if you keep holding the steer ing whee l turned a ll the way . T his is
l ike ly to d amage t he powe r stee ring sys tem.
• I f the power steering system should fail entirely, or if the engine
i s not r unning ( for e xa mpl e, while being t owed), you will still be able
to steer the vehicle . However,
considerably more effort wil l be
r e q uired to do s o.
• I f the power steering system should have a lea k, or is not func ­
t ioning pr operly, co nt ac t yo ur auth orize d Audi deale r immedia tely.
• T he power steering system requires a specia lly formu lated
h ydraulic fluid. T he power s teeri ng reserv oir is th e one loca ted m ost
forward on the left side of the engine
compartment=> page 265,
"Engine co mpartme nt". The c orrect f luid level in the reservoir is
important for proper functioning of the power steering .•
Ap plies to veh icl es : w ith A ll Whee l Dr ive
Driving with your quattro®
Wit h All Whe el Dr ive, all fo ur w heel s are d riven .
Gen eral information
With All W heel Dr ive, powe r is d istributed to all four w hee ls . T hi s
happens automatica lly depending on your dr iving style and the
r oa d c ondit ions at th e time. See
also => page 237, "Elec tronic diff er­
entia l lock (E DU" .
Winter tires
When driv ing in th e win te r, yo ur ve hicle with All Wheel Drive ha s an
advantage, even with regular t ires. In winter road conditions it may
b e advi sable to m ount win ter tires ( or all -s easo n tires) for impr oved
driveabi lit y and braking : th ese tires mus t be moun ted on
all four
wheels .
See also => page 31 0, "Winter tires".
Snow chains
Whe re snow cha ins a re ma ndato ry on certai n roa ds, th is norma lly
a lso app lies to veh ic les with a ll-wheel
dr ive=> page 311, "Snow
chain s".
Replacing wheels /tires
Ve hicles wit h All Wheel D rive mu st always have t ires of the sa me
size . A lso avo id tires with different tread depths . For details see
page
=> page 305 .
Off-Road dri ving?
Yo ur Au di d oes not have e nough gr ound clea ra nce to be use d as an
off -road vehic le . It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
u neven te rr ain as much as poss ible . Also refe r
to => page 2 45.
& WARNING
Alway s adjust your driving to road and traffic condition s. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by the all -wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks .
• Although the quattro ®all-wheel drive is very effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at e xcessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces , be careful not to drive too fast be cause
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (hydro ­
planing ). If this should occur , you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front -wheel drive
vehicle . Always drive at speeds which are adjusted to the road
conditions - risk of crash! •

Checking and filling -
------------ ----=---a::;;._...a
©
©
(i)
Coolant expansion tank ( ... L) ...... ... .. ..... .. ... .
Windshield/headlight washer container
( 0 ) ...... . .
Power steering reservoir (green cap)
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 273. •
Applies to vehicles: with 6 -cy lin d er engine
3.2 liter , 6-cylinder engine (255 hp)
281
291
241
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig . 206 Engine compartment: 3 .2 liter , 6-cylinder
CD
0
©
Battery .. ............... ... .. ...... .... ...... .
Brake fluid reservoir (
... ) . .. ... ... .... .... ...... .
Coo lant expansion tank
(J _)
285
284
281
©
©
©
(i)
Engine oil filler cap ( Engine oil dipstick (orange) .. .... ..... ... .... ... .
Windshield/headlight washer container
( O ) ... .... .
Power steering reservoir (green cap)
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 273. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
278
277
291
241
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of
oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated powerplant that was built
to exacting specifications . This engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding quality and viscosity
so that it can run smoothly and re liably . Choosing the right oil and
changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your
vehicle's Maintenance
& Warranty booklet matters a lot more today
than it did years ago. Audi has developed a special quality standard
f or engine oil that wil l help assure that your vehicle's engine wi ll get
the lubrication it needs for proper operation .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years. Many synthetic oils available today provide better engine
lubrication that can outlast traditional petroleum-based oils,
making them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi .
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum -based engine oil, the oil
that you use must conform to Audi's oi l quality standard VW 502 00
to help keep your vehicle 's engine running smoothly and help
.,_
Ve hic le care Technical data

___ T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n
_ d_ w_ h_ e_ e_ls _________________________________________________ _
&, WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
&, WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage.
•
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted .
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF" on the side ­
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire-ground interfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.