four wheel drive AUDI A4 CABRIOLET 2009 Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2009, Model line: A4 CABRIOLET, Model: AUDI A4 CABRIOLET 2009Pages: 340, PDF Size: 77.32 MB
Page 43 of 340
Using the rocker switch, you can select the menus in the display or
change settings. A cursor appears on the left in front of the selected
values .
By pressing the [Reset] button, you activate the selection you made
or confir m the values you set.
Sel ecte d funct ions are identified with
a check mark or are carried out directly.
Meanings of the symbo ls in the display:
Selection bar Selected function
> Cursor
Check mark
D
Box
-
Meaning
Current Selection
Selected o r Function
active
Not selected
Triangle pointing up Previous page
Triangle pointing down
Next page
-
Tire pressure monitoring system
App lies to vehicles: with tire pressu re mon itoring system
General notes C.. ~
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
month ly when cold and inflated to the inflat ion pressure recom
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inf lation pressure label. ( If your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres
sure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
Controls and equip
ment
•
Driv er inf ormati on di spl ay
pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significant ly
under -inflated. Accord ingly, when the low tire pressure tel ltale illu
minates, you shou ld stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure . Driving on a significan tly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure . Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehic le's handling and stopping ability .
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte
nance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct t ire
pressure, even if under -inflation has not reached the leve l to trigger
il lumination of the TPMS low tire pressure te lltale .
Your veh ic le has a lso been equipped w ith a TPMS malfunction indi
cator to indicate when the system is not operating properly . The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire p ressure
telltale . When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale wil l
flash for approx imately one minute and then remain cont inuously
il luminated . This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start -ups as long as the malfu nction exists.
When the ma lfunction indicator is illuminated , the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons , including the
insta llation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning prope rly . A lways
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or whee ls on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
p roper ly .•
App lies to ve hic les : with tire pressu re mon ito ring system
Introduction
The tire pressure m onitoring system monit ors air pressure
in all four road wheels while t he vehicle is moving.
As soon as the tire pressure monitoring system senses a significant
loss of air pressure in one or seve ra l tires, text messages and yellow
~
Page 44 of 340
Driver information display
symbols appear in the instrument cluster display to alert the driver.
The warning light in the instrument cluster comes on when the
tire is significantly underinflated .
The warning light _, also lights up during a system failure.
When the wheel is turning, the system receives radio signals from
sensors located inside each tire .
A factory spare wheel is delivered with sensor. However, the spare
wheel is not checked by the tire pressure monitoring system. Such monitoring can only occur after the spare wheel has been installed
and initialized ~
page 45.
Be aware that tire pressure is also dependent on the temperature of
the tire. For every 18 °F (10 °C) increase in tire temperature, tire pres
sure increases by about 1.5 psi (0.1 bar). The tire warms up while the
vehicle is moving and tire pressure rises. So you should adjust tire
pressure only when they are
cold, when tire temperature is roughly
the same as ambient air temperature.
In order to keep the tire pressure monitoring system properly cali
brated, tire pressure on all four tires should be checked at regular
intervals, adjusted if necessary and saved in the proper setting
(recommended pressure)~
page 43.
The tire pressure is shown on the tire pressure label. On USA vehi
cles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side B-pillar. On
Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either on the
driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap. The tire pressure
label lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures for the
vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and the tires that were on
your vehicle at the time it was manufactured . For recommended tire
pressures for normal load conditions, please see chapter
~ page 277.
& WARNING
• When the tire pressure monitoring system warning light is lit,
one or more of your tires is significantly under -inflated. You should
stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
& WARNING (continued)
the proper pressure as indicated on the vehicle's tire pressure
label
~ page 271. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-infla
tion also is likely to impair the vehicle's handling and stopping ability .
• Do not adjust tire pressure when tire temperature is excessive.
This could lead to serious tire damage and even cause the tire to
burst, with the additional danger of an accident.
For the sake of the environment
Driving with under-inflated tires reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life.
[ i] Tips
• Each tire should be checked monthly when cold and set to the
recommended inflation pressure as specified on the tire pressure
table~
page 277 .
• The tire pressure monitoring system helps the driver to keep
track of the tire pressures . But the driver still has the responsibility
for maintaining the correct tire pressure.
• Tire pressure must only be adjusted when the temperature of the
tires is about the same as ambient air temperature.
• When tires are replaced, the sensors and valves must not be
detached or exchanged. Only the valve core needs to be replaced
and, if necessary, the valve and the wheel electronics replaced.
• If you should put different wheels and tires on your vehicle (e.g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and
tires are compatible with the tire pressure monitoring system.
Otherwise the system will register a malfunction and a fault
message will be displayed. For more information, contact your Audi
dealer. .,
Page 216 of 340
___ ln_ te_ ll..,,ig ..,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
Driving off
When driving off, always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface
with less grip, gradually increase the pressure on the accelerator
pedal until the car starts to move. The wheel less able to transfer
power spins.
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads, the EDL cuts out temporarily. The
vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way as a
vehicle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can spin and reduce your ability to control your car. -Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning light=>
page 20. •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP). When the vehicle starts up and acceler
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the
engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS sensors=>
page 276, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine
power is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to
lock onto the road surface. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
Th e ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR will also be out of action.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
S ee also =>
page 279, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Page 220 of 340
___ ln_ te_ ll..,,ig ..,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
• If the power steering system should fail entirely, or if the engine
is not running (for example, while being towed), you will still be able
to steer the vehicle . However, considerably more effort will be
required to do so.
• If the power steering system should have a leak, or is not func
tioning properly, contact your authorized Audi dealer immediately.
• The power steering system requires a specially formulated
hydraulic fluid. The power steering reservoir is the one located most
forward on the left side of the engine compartment=> page 251. The
correct fluid level in the reservoir is important for proper func
tioning of the power steering. •
Driving with your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
General information
With All Wheel Drive, power is distributed to all four wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road conditions at the time. See also=> page 213, "Electronic differ
ential lock (EDU".
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for improved
driveability and braking: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also => page 284, "Winter tires".
Snow chains
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with all -wheel drive => page 285, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size. Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see
page => page 279, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to=> page 221.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. 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 excessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
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! •
Page 272 of 340
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Rei nf orced tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher inf la
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
tires my be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the t ire beads are seated.
R im di am eter
means nomina l diameter o f the bead seat. If you change your wheel
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam
eter.
R im size des ig nati on
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating (le tter code )
means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time . The ratings range from 93 mph ( 150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)~
page 281. You may not find this informa
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law .
The speed rating letter code, where appl icable, is molded on the tire
sidewal l and indicates the maximum permissible road speeds~
&
in "Winter tires" on page 284 .
Tire pres su re m onitoring s yste m*
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and i lluminates a low tire pressure warning te ll
tale .
Trea d
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road .
Trea d se parati on
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass .
Treadw ear indi cato rs (TWI)
means the projections within the princ ipal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread. See
~ page 278, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more informatio n on
measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Q uality Gra ding
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (N HTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The U TQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire wil l last for a
prescribed number of miles or perform in a certain way. It simply
gives tire buyers additiona l information to combine wit h other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dea ler recommen
dations. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in
three areas: treadwear, traction and temperature resistance . The
UTQG information on the tires, molded into the sidewalls.
U.S . D OT T ir e Ident ifi ca tion Num ber (T IN )
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the le tters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federa l standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac
ture. For example,
D OT ... 2 209 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2009 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may o r may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll. -.,
Page 280 of 340
___ T_ i_ r_e _s_ a_ n_ d_ vv_ h_ e_ e _ ls _________________________________________________ _
Tire service life
The service life of tires depends on a lot of different things
including proper installation and balancing, correct tire
pressure and driving style .
(r------,')
l "------J)
Tread Wear Indicator ( TWll
ij
:c ., m
Fig. 209 Tire tre ad:
t read wear ind ica to rs
(TW IJ
Fig . 2 10 Rot ati ng tire s
for mo re even w ear
The orig inal tires on your vehic le have 1 /16 inch (1.6 mm) high "wear
indicators "~ fig. 209 running across the tread . Depending on the
make , there will be six to eight of them evenly p laced around the
tire . Marks on the tire sidewall (for example "TWI" or other symbo ls)
indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators . Worn tires must
be replaced. Dif ferent figures may apply in other countries~&.
Tire pre ssure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wear and can cause
sudden tire blow-out . For this reason , tire pressure mus t be checked
at least once a month~
page 274.
Driving style
Driving fast around curves, heavy acce leration and hard braking
increase tire wear .
Rotating t ires for more even wear
For all four tires on your vehicle to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rear tires are rota ted according to the
tire manufacturer's suggested tire rotation interva ls . Please
remember the following:
• Tire rotation interva ls may differ from the vehicle service inter
vals out lined in your Warran ty
& M aintenance Booklet .
• The longer one tire is used in one locat ion on the vehicle, the
more it wears at certain po ints; therefore, we recommend that you
follow the tire manufacturer 's suggested t ire rotation intervals .
• Vehicles with front -wheel drive experience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to al l-wheel drive (quattro®) .
• Please rotate tires as shown ~
page 278, fig. 210 .
• Extra care must b e taken wh en rotat ing dir ection -specific tires
~ page 298.
Wheel balan cing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various situa
tions during everyday dr iving can cause them to b ecome unbal
anced, resulti ng in vibra tions you can usually feel through the
ste ering whee l.
Unbalanced wheels must be rebalanced to avoid excessive wear on
steering , suspension and tires . A wheel must also be reba lanced
when a new tire is installed.
~
Page 284 of 340
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
toring system* would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or
warn you if it is necessa ry.
• T he battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
r ecommend us ing facto ry insta lled va lve stem caps. Ask you r autho
rized Audi dealer to replace lost va lve stem caps.
T he installation of rep lacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
t he tire sidewall may cause mal functi on of the tir e pressure mo ni
toring system , and is not recommended (cord material information
in mo lded o n th e ti re sid ewa ll) .
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system * indicator after
r eplacing one or mo re ti res on your veh ic le . I f the ti re p ress ure
m onito ring syste m* ind icator flashes, or is o n, your s ystem is not
wo rking properly . Your replacement t ire might be incompatible with
yo ur tir e pressure mon ito ring system* , o r so me compo nen t of th e
tire p ressure monitoring system * may be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and I or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use t ires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fa il suddenly,
espe cially 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
lower speed s.
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire f ailure and loss of vehicle control.
& W ARNING (continued )
• All four wheels mu st be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driv ing
with different tires redu ces vehicle h andling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle - for e xample with winter tire s - only u se the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
the ir rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build-up, sudden tire failure ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control .
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For te chnical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicle s -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked. Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tire s may only be used on vehicle s that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a cha ssis designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
s ystem that indicate s a loss of tire pressure . Incorre ct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
autho rized Audi dealer or t ire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires .
If run flat tires are used , they mu st
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted. .,
Page 286 of 340
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Safety Standard No. 109 . Grades Band A represent higher leve ls of
p er forma nce on th e laboratory test w hee l tha n the minim um
required by law .
& WARNING
The traction grade ass igned to this t ire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests , and does not include a cceleration ,
c ornering , hydroplaning or peak tra ction characterist ics .
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established fo r a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed , underinfla
tion, or exces sive loading , either separately or in combination , can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure . •
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve veh icle ha ndl ing on sno w and
ic e. A t tem peratures belo w 45 °F (7
°C ) w e rec omm end
c ha ng ing to wint er tir e s.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winte r or "snow" tire s, those wi th ve ry deeply cut tread. These tires
should only be used in pairs and be instal led on a ll four wheels .
M ake s ure you p urchase snow ti res that are the same size and
cons truct ion type as the o the r ti res on your v ehicle.
I f your vehic le is equipped with al l-wheel drive*, this will improve
t raction during w inter dr iving, even with the s tandard tires .
H owever, we strongly recommend that you a lways equ ip all four
whee ls on y our vehic le wi th correc tly fitted winte r tires or all-seas on
tires, when winter road conditions are expected. This also improves
th e ve hic le 's brak ing performance and red uces s to ppi ng d ista nce s.
Summer t ires p rov ide less gr ip o n ice and s now. Winter tires (snow tires) must a
lways be fitted on all four whee ls .
I f your veh icle is equipped with a ti re pre ssure monitoring system*,
compatible t ire pressure mon itoring sensors must be installed on
a ll four winte r tires for the system to function properly ~
page 281.
Ask your aut hori zed Audi dealer or quali fied wo rksho p for perm itte d
winter tire sizes . Use only radial winter tires.
Winter tires lose thei r effec tive nes s when the tread is wo rn down t o
a depth of 0.157 inch (4 mm).
On ly drive with winter tires unde r winter conditions. Summer tires
h andle be tter w hen th ere is no s now o r ice on t he roads a nd the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
I f you have a flat tire, see n otes on s pa re whee l~
page 279.
Please a lways remember that w inte r tires may h ave a lowe r speed
rating than the tires original ly instal led on yo ur vehic le at the time
i t was manu fac tured. Please see~
page 281, "Speed rating (letter
code)" for a listing of the speed rating letter codes and the
m ax imum speed at wh ic h th e tir es ca n be d riven .
The speed rating letter code(~
page 270) is on the side wa ll of the
ti re ~
page 279.
& WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits that may be lower than
your vehicle's maximum speed . Always know the maximum speed
before driving off . Never drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific winter tires . This will cause damage to the tires
leading to an accident and serious personal injury to you and your
pa ssengers.
& WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for whi ch the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation , los s of control , crashes and seriou s
~