change time AUDI A4 CABRIOLET 2009 User Guide

Warm and cold -------------------------------.J
Switching between Fahrenheit and
Centigrade
You can change the temperature display from °F (Fahren­
heit) to
°C (Centigrade) and vice versa.
- Press and hold[~] and press the p lus button on the
driver's s ide temperature switch =>
page 111, fig. 130. •
Air recirculation [ <8?)
The air recirculation prevents exhaust fumes or other
pollution from entering the vehicle.
Switching on th e air re cir culation
- Press[ ~]=> page 777,fig.130 =>&
Switching off the air recirculation
- Press~ again, or
- press (AUTO], or
press[ @].
In the air recirculation mode , the air in the passenger compar tment
is recircula ted to p revent exhaust fumes and other pollution from
entering the vehicle . We recommend that you use the manua l air
recircula tion under the following conditions :
• when driving through tunnels
• in a traffic jam .
& WARNING
Do not use this setting for extended period s of time . The windo ws
c o uld fog up since no fresh air ca n enter the veh icle . If th e
Controls and equip ­
ment
& WAR NING (c onti nued)
wind ows fog up, pre ss th e air r ecirculat ion butt on a gai n immed i­
atel y to s witch off the air re circula tion function or sel ect defro st. •
ECON [ECO N]
Using ECON helps save fuel
-Press [ECON] to switch on=> page 111 , fig. 130 .
- Press [ECON] o r pre ss [AUTO] to switch off.
In ECON mode the air condit ioner is shut off and heating and venti­
lation are automat ically controlled. "ECON" translates "Economy"
s ince driving with the air conditioning compressor
disengaged
improves your mileage noticeably.
When operating in ECO N mode make sure the temperature inside
the vehicle is not lower than the outside temperature. The air is
neither cooled nor dehumidified, so there is a risk that the windows
can fog up. •
Switching the air conditioning on and off [ OFF ]
Switching the air conditioning off
- Press [ OFF] to tu rn the air condit ioner off a nd block
o utside a ir from entering the vehicle .
Switching the air conditioning on
- Press [ OFF] aga in (indicator light comes on aga in), or
- Press [AUTO], or
- Press one of the following butto ns: [ {)' ], [@ ]or
I -0, ].

-L___:O~ n'.... t ~h~ e~r ~o~a ~ d:...._ _______________________________________________ _
-Swit ch off the e ngine an d rem ove the ignitio n key f rom
t h e ig nition loc k.
What else you should do when parking your vehicle on
an i ncline o r de clin e
Turn the s teering wheel so that if the vehic le sh ould start to ro ll, it
wi ll ro ll into the curb .
I f you are parking on a
decline (the fron t of your vehicle facing
downhil l), turn the front wheels to the right so that they point
toward the curb.
If you are par king on an incline (the font of your vehic le fac ing
uphill), turn the front whee ls to the lef t so that they point
away from
the curb .
Move the selector lever into the P position.
LJ}. WARNING
This is how you can redu ce the r isk of injury when leaving your
vehicle .
• Never par k the vehi cle where it c an come i n contact with dry
gra ss, spilled fuel or any other flammable materials .
• Never allow an yone -especi ally s mall ch ildren -to remain in the
vehicle when it i s locked . Locked doors make it more difficult for
res cuer s to acce ss the pas senger compartment in the e vent of a n
emergency _ Danger to life!
• Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle . Children
c ould release the parking brake or move the gear shift lever out of
gear . The vehi cle could st art to roll awa y and cau se an a ccident .
• No matter wha t the sea son i s, the temperature in a parked
vehi cle can reach d angerous levels . •
Acoustic park assist
A pplies to vehicles : with 4 -ch an nel a co ustic park ass is t
Rear acoustic park assist
The rear acoustic park assist warns you of obstacles or
objects behind your car.
How it works
The acoustic park assist warning system (4-channel acoustic park
assist) uses ultr asonic sensors to warn yo u when you are
backing
your vehicle close to an obstacle . The system 's 4 sensors are located
inside the rear bumper .
Acti va ting
The rear acoustic park assist is ac tivated whenever you shift into
Reverse . You will hear a warn ing tone when the system is on .
Reverse
With the car backing up in reverse gear, the col lision warning sound
sets in at the fol lowing
approximate d istances to obstacles :
straight aft 5ft(1.5m)
angling aft off vehicle corners 2 ft (0
.6 m)
As the dis tance shr inks, the time interva l between the audible tones
grows shorter.
The sound changes to a continuous tone as soon as the remaining distance to an obstacle closes to less than about 1 ft. (0 .3 ml. The
steady tone cautions you that you have backed up hazardously
close and you ris k co llision by backing up any further .
Malfunctions in the system
If a warning tone is audible for about five seconds when you turn on
the ignit ion, there is a malfunction in the system . Have the prob lem
corrected by your authorized Audi dea ler. _,.

___ A_ ir_b _ a_ g~ s_ y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________ _
& WARN IN G (c ontinu ed )
seating posit ion and ha ve the airb ag system inspected by your
Audi dealer .
• A t ight tether or other strap on a rearward-fa cing child restr aint
atta ched to the front pas senger se at can put too much pres sure
on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and reg ister more weight
than i s actually on the seat. The heavier weight registered can
make the system work as though an adult were on the seat and
deploy the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppre ssed causing
serious or even fatal injury to the child .
• If, in exc eptional cir cum stance s, you mu st in stall a forward ­
facing child restraint on the front passenger seat , always move the
seat into its rearmost po sition in the seat's fore and aft adjust ­
ment range , as far away from the airbag as possible . The ba ckrest
must be adjusted to an upright position. Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on .
& WARNING
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not go out when an
adult is sitting on the front passenger seat after taking the steps
described above, make sure the adult i s properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seating position s.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer before
transpo rting anyone on the front passenger seat .
[ i ] Tips
If the weight -sensing mat in the front passenger seat detects an
e m pty seat , the fron t airbag on the passenge r side will be tu rned
off, and PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF will stay on.•
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
P arts of the airbag system are installed at many different p laces on
your Au di. Insta lli ng, removing, se rvic ing or repa iring a par t in an
area of the vehicle can damage a part of an airbag system and
p revent that system from w orking properly in a c ollisi on.
There are some important things you have to know to make sure
that the effectiveness of the system will not be impai red and that
discarded componen ts do no t cause injury or po llute t he e nv iro n­
ment .
& WARNING
Improper care , servicing and repair procedures can increase the
risk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from
deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
• Never cover , obstruct , or change the steering wheel horn pad
or airbag cover or the instrument panel or modify them in any way .
• Never attach any objects su ch as cup holders or telephone
mountings to the surfa ces covering the airbag units .
• For cleaning the horn pad or instrument panel , use only a soft ,
dry cloth or one moistened with plain water. Solvents or cleaner s
c ould damage the airbag cover or change the st iffness or strength
of the material so that the airbag cannot deploy and protect prop­
erly .
• Never repair , adju st, or change any parts of the airbag sy stem .
• All work on the steering wheel , instrument panel, front seats or
electrical system (including the installation of audio equipment ,
cellular telephones and CB rad ios , etc .I must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training and special equipment
necessary .
• For any work on the airbag system, we strongly recommend
that you see your author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body .

Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
O pera tin g co ndition s and drivi ng h abit s
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending large ly on operating conditions and dr iving habits~
&­
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop -and -go city traffic
or are driven hard, the brake pads shou ld be checked by your autho­
rized Audi dealer more often than specified in the
W arr anty & Main ­
t e nanc e bo okle t.
Fai lure to have you r brake pads inspec ted ca n
resu lt in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the braking effect of the engine.
This way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuous ly.
Pump the brakes at intervals.
Moi sture or road salt
If you are driv ing faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) and the windshie ld
wipers are on, the brake pads wi ll briefly touch the brake discs in
regu lar intervals so as to improve reaction time when braking on
wet surfaces. You, the driver, wil l not notice anything.
Under ce rta in conditions, for example, when dr iving through water
or very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice)
on the brake pads. A few cautious brake applications should dry off
the b rake pads or remove any ice coatings .
At speeds
over80 km/h and with the windshie ld wiper turned on, the
brake pads are app lied briefly to the brake discs. This occurs at
regu lar interva ls wi thout the driver not icing and provides for better
brake response time under wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is driven on a sa lt-covered road and the brakes are not used. Likewise,
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Int
ellig ent tec hnol ogy
you clean off accumulated sa lt coating from brake discs and pads
with a few ca utious applications of the brake ~
&-
Cor rosi on
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
only f or sho rt trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firm ly a few times from a moderately high speed~
&-
Fa ults in the brake system
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in brake pedal trave l, then
one of the two brake circuits may have failed~
&-
Lo w brak e fluid l evel
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system i f the brake fluid level is
too low . The brake fluid level is monitored electronically .
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visua l inspection of the condi ­
tion o f the brake pads through the open ings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection
~ page 293,
"Whee l change".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuver s for the purpo se of
cl eani ng th e br ake sy stem onl y if ro ad condition s permit . Other
road u se rs mu st not be put a t ris k -you may cau se an accident!
• Before des cending a steep gr ade , reduce sp eed and sh ift tr ans ­
mi ssion into a lower gear or lower driving po sition . Do not ride the
brake s or hold the pedal d ow n too long or t oo often . This could
cau se the brake s to get hot and dimini sh brakin g efficien cy . _.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

•
Ble nd o f gas oline and eth ano l (gr ain al coh ol o r eth yl a lcoho l)
• Anti -knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
• Blend must not contain more than 10% ethanol.
Blend of gasoli ne a nd MTBE
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
• Blend must contain not more than 15% MTBE.
Seasonall y ad ju ste d ga solin e
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform especially well for
winter or summer driving . During 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 p lastic and rubber components in
the fuel 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
blend meets the specifications, ask your service station or its fuel
suppl ier.
• Do not use fuel for which the contents cannot be identified.
• Fuel system damage and performance problems resu lting from
the use of fuels different from those specified are not the responsi ­
bility of Audi and are not covered under the New Vehicle or the
Emission Control System Warran ties.
• If you experience a loss of fue l economy or driveability and
performance problems due to the use of one of these fue l b lends,
we recommend that you switch to unblended fuel.•
Fue l supply and fillin g yo ur fu el tank
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufacturers is carbon
deposit build-up caused by the type of gasoline you use.
Although gasoline grades d iffer from one manufacturer to another,
they have certain things in common. A ll gaso line grades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect on vita l engine parts,
such as fuel injectors and intake valves. Although most gaso line
brands inc lude additives to keep engine and fue l systems c lean,
they are not equally effective.
Audi recommends using TOP T IER Detergent Gasol ine. For more
information on TOP TIER Detergent Gaso line, please go to the offi­
cial website (www.toptiergas .coml.
After an extended period of using inadequate fue ls, carbon deposit
build -ups can rob your engine of peak performance.
(D Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel qua lity is not covered by
the Audi New Vehic le Limited Warranty .•
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel fi ller neck is located on the right rear side panel behind the
fue l filler f lap.
If the power locking system should fail, you can still open the flap
manually - for detailed instructions see~
page 248.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your vehicle in Tech nic al Dat a
~ page 314 . _,.
Ve hic le care

Checkin g a nd fillin g -
-----------------=-------"=--------
•
prevent the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
"sludge", that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oi ls available in the U.S . and Canada
that meet the exacting specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, however, that every
synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00. So
always be sure that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oil with
the fo llowing specifications pr inted on the oil container:
A ud i oil stan dard VW 50 2 0 0
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combi­
nation with other designations and oil quality standards.
V isc osi ty
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity . The proper
viscosity grade oil for your engine depends on climactic or seasona l
conditions where you drive. You can use oil with a viscosity grade of
SAE 5W40 across all temperature ranges for normal dr iving condi ­
tions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE 5W40 is not available, you
can a lso use viscosity grade SAE 5W-30 or SAE 0W-40 as long as it
meets Audi oil qua lity standard VW 502 00 specifications .
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil standard may not be
avai lable everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend
t hat you a lways carry with you an extra quart ( liter) of oil that
express ly conforms to the VW 502 00 specification, in case you have
t o top off the oil while on the road .
On ly if the level of the oil is at or be low the minimum mark on the
oi l dipstick -and no oil that express ly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 502 00 specifications is available -may you top off with a high
quality engine oil, preferably synthetic -based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA A5 or ACEA B5, API S L or ILSAC GF -3 specifications, but even
then, on ly in viscosity grades SAE 5W -40, SAE 5W -30, or SAE 0W -40.
However, during the ent ire time between oi l change intervals, never top off with more than a total of 0
.5 qt/ liter engine oi l that does not
conform to Audi oil specification VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oi l that has been approved for
your vehicle, p lease contact either your authorized Audi dea ler or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca. Here you will also find a current list of o ils (manufacture rs, brand names etc.) that confo rm
to Audi oil standard VW 502 00.
Changing th e engine oil
The engine oil and oil f ilter must be changed according to the
mi leage (ki lometers) and time intervals specified in your vehic le's
Warranty & Maintenance booklet. Do no t exceed these intervals -
harmfu l deposits from old engine oil can reduce engine perfor­
mance and can lead to expensive eng ine repa irs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the l ubricating properties of oi l decrease gradua lly during
norma l vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, as k your authorized Audi Service Advisor.
Under so me circumstances the engine oil should even be changed
more frequently . Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, opera te the vehicle in dusty areas or m ostly under stop­
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where
temperatures stay below freezing point for long periods .
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than recommended.
D amag e or malf unct ions due to la ck of maintenan ce
It is essential that you change your oi l at the recommended intervals
using on ly engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehic le Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to failure to fol low recommended
maintenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Wa rranty & Maintenance booklet. Your dea ler wi ll have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in _,.
Vehic le care

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ...:::g:;..._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in ....;g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a timely 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 provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
engine components , all internal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change significantly over the life of the engine. Typically,
engines with a specified break -in period (see~
page 219) consume
more oil during the break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on
the quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute)
at which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the oxidation level of the oil. As
any engine is subject to wear as mileage builds up , the oil consump­
tion may increase over time until replacement of worn components
may become necessary .
With all these variables coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified. There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note.
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbol in the instrument
cluster lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as
possible
with the oil dipstick~ page 254. Top off the oil at your
earliest convenience~
page 255.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
~ & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 250.
0 Note
Driving with an insufficient oil level is likely to cause severe damage
to the engine.
[ i] Tips
• The oil pressure warning display 't!::r. is not an indicator of the oil
level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your engine at
regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and always before
going on a long trip.
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oil, we recommend that you consult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed . Keep in mind
that the accurate measurement of oil consumption requires great
care and may take some time . Your Audi dealer has instructions
about how to measure oil consumption accurately. •
Checking the engine oil level
Fig. 198 Illustration of
principle 1: Markers on
oil dipstick ..,_

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ...:::g:;..._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in ....;g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
Before yo u check a nything in the e ngine compartmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~
& in "Working in
the eng ine compartment" on
page 250.
Unscrew the ca p~ to the e ngine oil filling hole
~ page 255, fig . 200 or~ page 255, fig. 20 1.
- Carefully top off wi th the appropriate o il in 0.5 liter doses.
- C heck the oil level aga in afte r two minutes ~
page 254.
-Top off t he oi l aga in, if necessary .
- Sc rew the ca p back on the fi lling h ole a nd s lide the o il
d ips tic k in as far as i t will go .
& WARNING
• While topping off , the oil must not come in contact with hot
eng ine part s -fi re hazard!
• The oil filler cap mu st be prope rly secured to prevent o il from
being spra yed on the hot engine and exhaust sy stem when the
engine i s runnin g -fire hazard!
• If your skin has come in conta ct with the engine oil , you mu st
s ub sequently clean se it thoroughly .
0 Note
• The oil level must not be above range@-danger of converter or
engine damage! Contact an authorized dealership to draw off oi l, if
necessary.
• Audi do es not recommend the use of oil additives . They may
d amage the engine and adver sely affe ct your New Vehicle Warr anty.
ffi For th e sake of the environment
• Under no circumstances can the oi l come in contact w ith t he
sewage network or the soil. •
Observe and follow legal regulations when disposing of empty
o il con tainers .•
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an autho­
rize d Audi de aler or a qualified service s tation.
Before you check any thi ng in the engine compartment, alway s read
and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "Working in the engine compart ­
ment" on
page 250.
The engine oil must be changed according to the intervals specified in you r War ranty
& Main tenance booklet . This is very important
because the lubricating properties of oil diminish gradually during
normal vehicle use .
Under some circumstances the engine oil shou ld be changed more
frequently . Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, opera te the ve hicle in dusty areas or under predom i­
nant ly stop -and -go traffic conditions, or have your vehicle where
t emperatures remai n below freezing fo r extended periods .
Detergent add it ives i n the oil wi ll make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time . This is norma l and is not
a reason to change the oi l more of ten than recommended.
Because of the problem of proper disposal, along with the special
t ools and necessa ry expert ise required, we strong ly recommend
that you have your oil changed by an authorized
Audi dealer or a
qual ified se rvice sta tion .
If you choo se to change your oil yourself , please note the follow ing
important information :
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury if you must change the engine
oil in your vehicle you rself:
• We ar eye protection . _.,

_____________________________________________ C_ h_ e _ c_k _in ---= g'--- a_n _d_ f_il _li _n __.,g==----•
•
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side~
page 252 .
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U .S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian models :
(CD) ) wi ll come on
~ page 23 and ~ page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor ­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop
and the cause corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the brake
warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized Audi
dea ler
immediately .•
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air . If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid wil l also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federa l Motor Vehic le Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho ­
rized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know -how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
& WARNING (continued)
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid.
Observe these precautions :
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification
J 1703 and
conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make sure you are using
the correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake fluid is also
indicated on the brake fluid reservoir .
- 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 wil l damage the paint of your vehicle .
ci> 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
advisab le 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 265, you shou ld likewise check the battery acid level. ...
Vehic le care

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ...,,g,:...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in ....;g=---------------------------------------------
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.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected . Th ese functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again. To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle electrical system when absolutely necessary for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you are going to let your vehicle stand for a long time and not
drive it, you should remember there are electrical components
which are still functioning and they will draw energy from the
battery and drain it, for example, the engine immobilizer. To prevent
this, you can either charge the battery occasionally to keep it in
good working condition or you can disconnect the negative cable
on the battery.
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 consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when traveling only short distances . Let your authorized Audi dea ler
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=>
page 265 . A we ll charged battery wil l not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
Replacing battery
The new battery must have the same capacity, voltage (12 volts),
amperage, construction and plug sea ling, as the origina l battery.
Specifications are listed on the battery housing. Batteries specially
developed by Audi fulfill the maintenance, output, and safety
requirements. When installing the battery, make sure the ignition and all electrical
consumers are switched off=>
0.
We recommend that you use maintenance -free or cyc le-resis­
tant/leak-proof
batteries according to the standards TL 825 06 (from
December 1997) and VW 7 50 73 (from August 2001).
Replacing the battery should be carried by a qualified workshop.
Please follow the instructions on the battery cover.
0 Note
• All work on the battery requires technical knowledge. Please
contact an Audi dealership or another authorized facility for ques­
tions about the battery -danger of acid burns and exp losion hazard!
• Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
• Battery holder and terminals always have to be secured correctly.
• Before all work on the battery follow the
warnings below=> & in
"Working on the battery" on
page 263.
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom­
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid and lead and must always be
disposed of properly in compliance with all environmental regula ­
tions . Disposing of vehicle batteries improperly is very dangerous to
the environment . Make sure that the removed battery cannot over ­
balance, otherwise sulfuric acid might escape!
[ 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.•