steering AUDI A4 CABRIOLET 2009 User Guide

• .___O_ n_ t_h _e _ r_o _a_ d __________________________________________________ _
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 119, fig. 136
- 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 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 304, "Starting with jumper cables"
• ~ page 306, "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.
0 Note
• Avoid high engine speeds, fast acceleration or heavy engine
loads while the engine is still cold. This could damage the engine.
• The engine cannot be started by pushing or towing the vehicle.
~ For the sake of the environment
To avoid unnecessary engine wear and to reduce exhaust emis­
sions, do not let your vehicle stand and warm up. Be ready to drive
off immediately after starting your vehicle. Maintain moderate
speed until the engine is completely warm. Remember, the engine
performs best at operating temperature.•
Stopping the engine
- Turn the ignition key to position (D => page 119, fig. 136.
& WARNING
• Never turn off the engine until the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
• The brake booster and servotronic only work when the engine
is running . With the ignition turned off, you have to apply more
force when steering or braking. Since you cannot steer and stop
normally, this can lead to accidents and serious injuries.
• The radiator fan can continue to run for up to 10 minutes even
after you have turned off the engine and removed the ignition key.
The radiator fan can also turn on again if the engine coolant heats
up because of intense sunlight or heat build-up
in the engine
compartment. _,.

• .___O_ n_ t_ h _e _ ro_ a_d __________________________________________________ _
Storing a sp eed
You must set and then store a vehicle speed using the
cruise control.
Fig . 138 Cruise control
switches
- Accelerate until you reach the driving speed you want to
store.
Pull lever @ towards the steering wheel
G) => fig. 138 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. 138.
Release the lever to store the new speed.
Decelerate (slower)
-Lower lever@ toward O => fig. 138.
- Release the lever to store the new speed.
You can also increase the vehicle speed by depressing the acceler­
ator pedal. The vehicle speed will increase as long as you keep the
accelerator pedal depressed. When you let up on the accelerator
pedal, the vehicle speed will automatically return the to previously
stored vehicle speed in the cruise control.
If the actual vehicle speed exceeds the stored vehicle speed in the
cruise control for longer than five minutes and by more than 6 mph
(10 km/h), the cruise control will automatically erase the stored
vehicle speed and you will have to reset the cruise control again.
Tapping the lever lightly @
By lightly tapping the lever@toward G) ~ fig. 138, you can
increase vehicle speed by approximately 1 mph (2 km/h).
By lightly tapping the lever @toward
O ~ fig. 138, you can
decrease vehicle speed by approximately 1 mph (2 km/hl. •
Switching the system off t emporarily
Either of the following actions will temporarily deactivate
the cruise control:
- pressing the brake pedal, or
- pressing the clutch pedal (on manual transmission
models), or
moving the lever@ up in direction
@ (not engaging)
=>fig .138.
When you temporarily deactivate the cruise control for a brief
period, the previously stored vehicle speed remains in the memory. -.,

On the road -
----------------
To resume the previously stored vehicle speed, re lease the brake (or
clutch) pedal, or you pull lever © toward the steering whee l
G).
If no veh ic le speed was stored when you switched off the system
temporarily, you must reset a new vehicle speed : Acce lerate to the
des ired speed and press button @ (SET) =>
page 124, fig. 138.
& WARNING
Do not use the cruise control if the stored vehi cle speed i s faster
than exi sting traffic condition s permit . •
Switching off the cruise control system
While driving
- Move lever © into pos ition @ until it engages
=> page 124, fi g. 138 .
When the vehicle is at a standstill
- Sw itch off the ignit ion. •
Controls and equip ­
ment

Transmi ssio n -_______________ ___,
[ i J Tip s
• When you shi ft into the next lower gear, the transmission wi ll
downshi ft only when there is no poss ibi lity of over -rew ing the
engine.
• When the kick -down com es on, the transmission will shift down
to a lower gear, depending on vehicle and engine speeds .
• The tiptronic® is inoperative when the transmission is in the fail ­
sa fe mode .•
A pplies to vehicles : wit h 6-s pee d aut om ati c tra nsm is si on
Steering wheel with tiptronic ®
The shift buttons on the steering wheel allow the driver to
shift gears manually.
F ig . 14 4 Steer ing
w heel: Shi ft button s
-To downshif t, touch the button on the left Q .
To upshift, touch the button on the right G) .
The shift buttons are activated when the selector lever is in D, Sor
in the manual shift program (tiptronic).
Of course, you can continue to use the manual shift program with
the selector lever on the center console .•
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
A pp lies to vehicles: w ith 6-speed automat ic tra nsmission
Fail -safe mode
If tiptronic® suffers a malfunction, the fail-safe mode
maintains minimum drive ability .
In the event of particular system malfunct ions, the automatic trans­
m ission switches to th e fail -saf e mode. This is signalled by all the
seg ments in the display illuminating or going out .
You can continue to move the selec tor lever to all positions . The
manual shift program (tiptronic) is switched off in the fail -safe
mode .
In selector lever posi tions D and Sand in the manual shift program,
the transmission remains in 3rd gear if 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear was engaged previous ly. The transmission remains in 5th g ear, if 4th , 5th
or 6 th gear was engaged previous ly .
The next time you drive off o r start the engine , 3rd gear is engaged .
You can continu e to use reverse gear . But the electron ic lockout for
reverse gear is turned off.
0 Note
If the transmission sw itches to fail -sa fe mo de, you should take the
vehicle to an authori zed Audi dea le rship as soon as possib le to have
the condition corrected .•
multitronic ®
Applies t o vehic les: w it h mu lt itr on ic® Co nti nuous ly V aria ble Trans mission (CVT )
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with a electron ically controlled continu ­
ously variable transmission (mult itronic ®l. Inside the multitronic ®
system, the gear ratios are not shifted in finite steps as in a conven ­
tional automatic transm ission, but rath er
contin uousl y. As a result, ...
~ehicle care Technical data

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Swi tching to m anual shift pro gra m
- With the selector lever in D, push lever to the right. The
display will show7
6 5 4 3 21 as soon as the selector lever
is switched over. The gear you select wi ll also be h igh­
lighted in the display:::::,
page 136, fig. 149 .
To up shift
Push the selecto r lever forward to the plus position
:::::, page 136, fig. 148 G) .
To d ownshift
- Pu sh the lever to the mi nus positio n Q.
When accelerating, the transmission wi II a utomatica I ly shift into the
next higher gear before the engine reaches the maximum RPM .
When accelerating, if you apply a light throttle, the tiptronic® wil l
automatically shift into the next higher gear to save fuel. If you app ly
a heavy throttle, the transmission will stay in gear engaged until
near maximum RPM are reached, or until the driver manually shifts
into a higher gear .
If you take your foot off the accelerator peda l when driving down a
steep incline, the tiptronic ® wi ll downshift from the selected gear
into the next lower gear based on road speed and engine RPM . The
automatic downshifting is interrupted as soon as you apply throttle
again .
[ i ] Tips
• When you shift into the next lower gear, the engine will down ­
shift only when there is no possibility of over-revving.
• When the kick -down comes on, the transmission wi ll sh ift down
to a lower gear depending on vehicle and engine speeds.
• The tiptronic® is inoperative when the transmission is in the fai l­
safe mode .•
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Ap plies to vehicles : w it h mu ltit ron ic® Co nti nuou sly V ariable Transmi ssion ( CVT)
Steering vvheel vvith t iptronic ®
The shift buttons on the steering wheel allow the driver to
shift gears manually.
F ig. 15 0 Stee ring
w he el: S hift b utto ns
To downshift, touch the button on the left Q .
To upshift , touch the button on the r ight G) .
The shif t buttons are activated when the selector lever is in D, S or
in the manual shift program (tiptronic).
Of course, you can continue to use the manual shift program with
the selector lever on the center console. •
Applies to vehicles : wi th mu lt itro nic® Co nti nuously Var iab le Tra nsmis sion (CVT)
Fail -safe mode
If the multitronic® suffers a malfunction the fail-safe
mode maintains minimum driveability.
In the event of particular system malfunctions, the automatic trans ­
mission switches to the fai l-safe mode. This is signal led by all the
segments in the display illuminating or going out . _,,,
~ehicle care irechnical data

___ D_ ri_v _i_n ..;;:g::;,._ S_ a_ f _e__, ly'-- -------------------------------------------------
Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information, tips, instructions and
warnings that you need to read and observe for your own safety, the
safety of your passengers and others. We have summarized here
what you need to know about safety belts, the active rollover protec­
tion system, airbags, child restraints as well as child safety. Your
safety is for us priority number 1 . Always observe the information
and warnings in this section -for your own safety as well as for that
of your passengers .
The information in this section applies to all model versions of your
vehicle. Some of the features described in this sections may be
standard equipment on some models, or may be optional equip­
ment on others. If you are not sure, ask your authorized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
• Always make sure that you follow the instructions and heed
the WARNINGS in this Manual. It is in your interest and in the
interest of your passengers.
• Always keep the complete Owner's Literature in your Audi
when you lend or sell your vehicle so that this important informa ­
tion will always be available to the driver and passengers.
• Always keep the Owner's literature handy so that you can find
it easily if you have questions .•
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant restraint
system and work together to help reduce the risk of injury
in a wide variety of accident situations.
Your safety and the safety of your passengers should not be left to
chance. Advances in technology have made a variety of features
available to help reduce the risk of injury in an accident. The
following is a listing of just a few of the safety features in your Audi:
• sophisticated safety belts for driver and all passenger seating
positions,
• safety belt pre-tensioners for the outboard seating positions,
• front airbags,
• knee airbags for the front seats,
• side airbags in the front seats,
• LATCH anchorages for child restraints,
• head restraints for each seating position,
• adjustable steering column.
These individual safety features can work together as a system to
help protect you and your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if they are not always prop­ erly adjusted and properly used!
Safety is everybody's responsibility! •
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: ..,

___ D_ r_ i_v _in -= g'- S _ a_f _e _ly.:,._ ______________________________________________ _
Proper occupant seating positi·ons
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important for safe,
relaxed driving.
Fig. 154 The correct
distance between
driver and steering
wheel
Fig . 155 Correct head
restraint position for
driver
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the
event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust the
driver's seat to the following position:
- Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily push the
pedals all the way to the floor while keeping your knee(s)
slightly bent=:>& . - Adjust the angle of the seatback so that
it is in an upright
position so that your back comes in full contact with it
when you drive.
- Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a distance of at
least 10 inches (25 cm) between the steering wheel and
your breast bone=:> fig. 154. If not possible, see your
authorized Audi dealership about adaptive equipment.
- Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering wheel and
airbag cover points at your chest and not at your face.
- Grasp the top of the steering wheel with your elbow(s)
slightly bent.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as
even with the top of your head as possible but no lower
than eye level and so that it is as close to the back of your
head as possible =:> fig. 155.
- Fasten and wear safety belts correctly=:>
page 163.
- Always keep both feet in the footwell so that you are in
control of the vehicle at all times.
For detailed information on how to adjust the driver's seat, see
=> page 93 and :::::, page 96 .
& WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured by an airbag as it deploys. To help reduce
the risk of serious personal injury:
• Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that
there are at least 10 inches
125 cm) between your breastbone and
the steering wheel. ...

__________________________________________________ D _r_iv _ in_ g=- S_ a_f _e _l..:.. Y _ ....... 911
& WARNING (continued)
• Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that
there are at least 4 inches 110 cm) between the knees and the
lower part of the instrument panel.
• 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
• Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the
ability of the supplemental driver's airbag to protect you in a colli­
sion .
• Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or
place any part of your body too close to the area where the airbags
are located.
• Before driving, always adjust the front seats and head
restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are properly
restrained.
• Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat
may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle.
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury
due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child seats
=> page 190. Special
precautions apply when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
=> page 168. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the
event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust the
seat for the front passenger to the following pos ition:
- Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible.
There must be a minimum of 10 inches (25 cm) between
the breastbone and the instrument panel =>
&.
- Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in an upright
position and your back comes in full contact with it
whenever the vehicle is moving.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as
even with the top of your head as possible but not lower
than eye level and so that it is as close to the back of your
head as possible =>
page 151.
-Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the front
passenger seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts correctly=>
page 163.
For detailed information on how to adjust the front passenger's
seat, see => page 92.
LJ}. WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too
close to the airbag can be seriously injured or killed by the airbag
as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury :
jll,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Because the passengers of this vehicle are not using safety belts
~ page 160, fig. 162, they will keep moving at the same speed the
vehicle was moving just before the crash, until something stops
them -here, the wall
~ page 160, fig. 163.
The same principles apply to people sitting in a vehicle that is involved in a frontal collision. Even at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph
(30 to 50 km/h), the forces acting on the body can reach one ton
(2,000 lbs, or 1,000 kg) or more. At greater speeds, these forces are
even higher.
People who do not use safety belts are also not attached to their
vehicle. In a frontal collision they will also keep moving forward at
the speed their vehicle was travelling just before the crash. Of course, the laws of physics don't just apply to frontal collisions, they
determine what happens in all kinds of accidents and collisions. •
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop themselves
from flying forward and being injured or killed. Always
wear your safety belts!
Safety first
Fig . 164 A driver not
wearing a safety belt is
violently thrown
forward
Safety belts
Fig. 165 A rear
passenger not wearing
a safety belt will fly
forward and strike the
driver
Unbelted occupants are not able to resist the tremendous forces of
impact by holding tight or bracing themselves. Without the benefit
of safety restraint systems, the unrestrained occupant will slam
violently into the steering wheel, instrument panel, windshield, or
whatever else is in the way~ fig. 164 . This impact with the vehicle
interior has all the energy they had just before the crash.
Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even when they deploy,
airbags provide only additional protection. Airbags are not
supposed to deploy in all kinds of accidents. Although your Audi is
equipped with airbags, all vehicle occupants, including the driver,
must wear safety belts correctly in order to minimize the risk of
severe injury or death in a crash.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and that your
safety belts are always there to offer protection in those accidents
in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have
already deployed. Unbelted occupants can also be thrown out of the
vehicle where even more severe or fatal injuries can occur.
It is also important for the rear passengers to wear safety belts
correctly . Unbelted passengers in the rear seats endanger not only
themselves but also the driver and other passengers~ fig. 165. In a
frontal collision they will be thrown forward violently, where they can hit and injure the driver and/or front seat passenger. •
~ehicle care Technical data

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Airbag system
Important things to know
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For airbags to
do their job, occupants must always properly wear their
safety belts and be in a proper seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving off, a lways:
- Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel properly
=>
page 148,
- Adjust the front passenger's seat properly => page 93,
- Wear safety belts properly=> page 162,
- Always properly use the proper child restraint to protect
children=>
page 190 .
In a collision airbags must inflate within the blink of an eye and with
considerable force . Th e suppl emental airbags can caus e injuries if
the driver or the front seat passenger are not seated proper ly . There ­
fore in order to help the airbag to do its job, it is impor tant, both as
a driver and as a passenger to sit properly at all times.
By keeping room between your body and the steering wheel and the
front of the passenger compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
completely and prov ide supplementa l protection in certain frontal
collisions ~
page 148, "Proper occupant seating positions" . For
details on the operation of the seat adjustment controls~
page 93
and ~ page 96.
It's especially important that chi ldren are proper ly restrained
~ page 190.
There is a lot that the driver and the passengers can and must do to
help the individual safety features installed in your Audi work
together as a system.
Proper seating posi tion is important so that the front airbag on the
driver side can do its job. If you have a physical impairment or
condition that prevents you from sitting properly on the driver seat
with the safety belt properly fastened and reaching the pedals, or if
you have concerns with regard to the function or operation of the
Advanced Airbag System, please contact your authorized Audi
dea ler or qua lif ied workshop, or call Audi Customer CARE at 1-800 -
822 -2834 for possible modifications to your vehicle .
When the airbag system deploys, a gas generator wi ll fill the
airbags, break open the padded covers, and inflate between the
steering wheel and the driver and between the instrument panel
and the front passenger. The airbags will deflate immediately after
deployment so that the front occupants can see through the wind ­
shield again without interruption .
All of this takes p lace in the blink of an eye, so fast that many people
don't even rea lize that the airbags have dep loyed. The airbags also
inflate with a great deal of force and nothing should be in their way
when they deploy . Front airbags in combination with properly worn
safety bel ts slow down and limit the occupant's forward movement.
Together they help to prevent the driver and front seat passenger
from hitting parts of the inside the vehicle while reducing the forces acting on the occupant during the crash . In this way they help to
reduce the risk of injury to the head and upper body in the crash .
Airbags do not protect the arms or the lower parts of the body.
Both front airbags w ill not in flate in al l frontal collisions . The trig ­
gering of the airbag system depends on the vehic le deceleration
rate caused by the collision and registered by the electronic contro l
unit. If this rate is below the reference value programmed into the
control unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even though the car
may be badly damaged as a result of the collision . Vehicle damage, .,