AUDI A5 CABRIOLET 2010 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2010, Model line: A5 CABRIOLET, Model: AUDI A5 CABRIOLET 2010Pages: 364, PDF Size: 86.51 MB
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Checking  and  filling 
Engine  hood 
Releasing  the  engine  hood 
The engine  hood  is released  from  inside  the  vehicle. 
- Open  the  driver's  door. 
Fig.  218  Driver's  side 
footwell : engine  hood 
release  lever 
- Pull  the  release  lever on  the  left under  the  instrument 
panel ::::, fig . 218  in the  direction  of  the  arrow. 
The hood  pops  up slightly  under  spring  pressure. • 
Vehicle OP-eration 
Opening  the  engine  hood 
Fig. 219  Release lever 
under the  engine hood 
Before opening  the  engine  hood, make  sure  that  the  wind
shield  wipers  are  flat  against  the  windshield.  Otherwise,  they 
could  damage  the paint  on  the  hood. 
Pull  up  on  the release  under  the  hood::::, fig.  219 . This 
releases  the  catch. 
- Open  the  hood  all  the  way::::,& . 
& WARNING 
Hot engine  coolant  can burn you. 
• To reduce the  risk of  being  burned,  never open  the  hood  if you 
see  or hear steam  or coolant  escaping  from  the  engine  compart
ment.  Wait until  no steam  or  coolant can be seen  or heard before 
carefully  opening  the  hood. • 
Vehicle  care Do-it-yourselt  service  iTechnical data  
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-Checking  and  filling 
-------=------=---------------------------------------------------
Closing  the  engine  hood 
-Pull  the  hood  down  until  the  pressure  from the struts  is 
reduced. 
- Let  the  hood 
drop  down and  latch  in  place . Do not  try  to 
push  it shut; 
it may  fail to engage=> &. 
& WARNING 
A hood  that  is not  completely  latched  could  fly  up  and  block  your 
view while  driving. 
•  When  you  close  the  engine  hood,  check  it to  make  sure  the 
safety  catch  has  properly  engaged.  The hood  should  be flush  with 
the  surrounding  vehicle  body  parts. 
•  If you  notice  while  driving  that  the  hood  is not  secured  prop
erly,  stop  at  once  and  close  it. • 
Working  in  the  engine  compartment 
Be especially careful  whenever  you work in the  engine 
compartment. 
Whenever  you  must  perform  any work  in the  engine  compartment, 
for  example  checking and  filling  different  fluids,  there  is a  risk  of 
injury,  burns  and  accidents.  To prevent  personal  injury  always 
observe  the  following  WARNINGS. The engine  compartment of any 
vehicle  is a hazardous  area 
=> & . 
& WARNING 
To help  avoid  injury,  before  you  check  anything  under  the  hood : 
•  Turn  off  the  engine. 
•  Remove the  ignition  key. 
•  Apply the  parking  brake. 
& WARNING  (continued) 
•  Move selector  lever  of automatic  transmission  to  "P" (Park). 
•  Always  let  the  engine  cool  down.  Hot  components  will  burn 
skin  on  contact. 
•  To reduce  the  risk  of  being  burned,  never  open  the  hood  if you 
see  or hear  steam  or coolant  escaping  from  the  engine  compart
ment.  Wait  until  no  steam  or coolant  can  be seen  or heard  before 
carefully  opening  the  hood. 
•  Keep children  away  from  the  engine  compartment. 
•  Never  spill fluids  on  hot  engine  components.  They can  cause  a 
fire. 
•  Never touch  the  radiator  fan.  The auxiliary  electric  fan  is 
temperature  controlled  and  can  switch  on  suddenly. 
•  Never  open  the  coolant  reservoir  cap  when  the  engine  is still 
warm.  The coolant  system  is pressurized  and  hot  coolant  could 
spray  out. 
•  Protect  your  face,  hands  and  arm  from  steam  or  hot  engine 
coolant  by placing  a thick  rag  over the  cap when  you  open  the 
coolant  reservoir. 
•  If work  on  the  fuel  system  or the  electrical  system  is necessary: 
-Always disconnect  the  battery. 
- Never smoke  or work  near  heaters  or  open  flames.  Fluids  in 
the  engine  compartment  could  start a fire. 
- Keep an  approved  fire  extinguisher  immediately  available. 
•  To avoid electrical  shock  and  personal  injury while  the  engine  is 
running  or  being  started,  never  touch:  -Ignition  cables 
- Other  components  of the  high  voltage  electronic  ignition  system. 
•  If you  must  perform  a check  or  repair  with  the  engine  running:  -First,  fully  apply  the  parking  brake,  move  selector  lever  of 
automatic  transmission  to  "P" (Park).  ..,  
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& WARNING  (co ntinued ) 
-Alway s use  extreme  caution  to  prevent  clothing , jewelry , or 
long  hair  from  getting  caught  in the  radiator  fan,  V-belts  or 
other  moving  parts,  or from  contacting  hot  parts.  Tie back  hair 
before  start ing , and  do  not  wear  clothing  that  will  hang  or 
d roop  into  the  engine. 
•  Minimize  expo sure  to  emis sion  and  chemical  hazards~& . 
& WARNING 
California  Proposition  65  Warning: 
•  Engine  exhaust,  some  of  it s constituents,  and  certain  vehicle 
components  contain  or emit  chemicals  known  to  the  State  of Cali 
fornia  to  cause  can cer and  birth  defects  and  reproductive  harm . In 
addition,  certain  fluids  contained  in vehicles  and  ce rtain  products 
of component  wear  contain  or emit  chemicals  known  to  the  State 
of California  to  cause  cancer  and  birth  defects  or othe r reproduc
tive  harm. 
•  Battery  posts,  terminals  and  related  accessories  contain  lead 
and  lead  compounds,  chemicals  known  to  the  State  of California 
to  cause  cancer  and  reproductive  harms . Wash  hands  after 
handling. 
0 Note 
When  adding  fluids , a lways make sure that  they  are poured  into  the 
proper  co nta iner o r filler  opening,  otherwise  serio us damage to 
vehicle  systems will  occur. 
<£> For the sake of  the  environment 
To detect  leaks in time,  inspect the vehicle floor  pan from  underneath 
reg ula rly . If  yo u see spot s from  o il or  o ther vehicle  fluid s,  have your 
vehicle  inspected  by an authorized  Aud i dea ler. • 
Vehicle  OP-eration 
Engine  compartment 
These  are  the  most  i mportan t it ems  that  you  can  check. 
Fig . 220  Typ ical  layout  for  c ontainer s and  engine  oil  filler  cap 
(D Jump start  point( +) under  a cover  ........ .. .. .. .. . 293,  334 
@ Brake  fluid  reservo ir (  )  .  . .  . . . .  . .  . . . .  . . .  . . . .  . . .  .  290 
@  Engine oil  f iller c ap 
('1::r. ) .  . . .  . . .  . . .  .  .  .  .  .  . .  .  .  .  .  . .  . 285 
© Coolant  ex pansion ta nk (-L )  .  . . .  .  . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . 28 7 
© Jump start  point( -) w ith  he x head screw  ..... ... .. . 293 , 33 4 
© Winds hield/head light  washer  container (0 )  . . .  . .  . .  . 295 
(j) Power steering  reservoir  . .  . . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . .  . .  . .  246 
Th e posi tion of  the  eng ine o il filling  hole ~  fig.  220  (i tem @) can 
differ  depending  on the  eng ine des ign .  ..,. 
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service  iTechnical data  
Page 284 of 364

lffl) __ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_il _l_in _ g _________________________________________  _ 
in. WARNING 
Before you check anything  in the  engine  compartment,  always 
read and  heed all WARNINGS~ 
& in "Working  in the  engine 
compartment"  on 
page 280.  • 
Engine  oil 
Engine  oil  specifications 
The engine  oil used  in your  Audi needs  the  right  kind  of oil. 
The engine  in your  Audi  is a  sophisticated  power plant  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  reliably.  Choosing  the  right  oil  and  changing  oil 
within  the  time and  mileage  intervals  printed  in your  vehicle 's 
Warranty 
& Maintenance  booklet matters  a lot  more  today  than  it did 
years  ago.  Audi  has developed  a special  quality  standard  for engine  oil 
that  will help  assure  that  your  vehicle 's engine  will 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  lubri
cation  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  oil  quality  standard  VW 502  00  to 
help  keep  your  vehicle's  engine  running  smoothly  and  help  prevent 
the  formation  of  harmful  deposits , sometimes  called  "sludge",  that 
over  time  can  lead to  expensive  repairs. 
At  the  time of  printing,  engine  oils  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  following  specifications  printed on  the  oil  container: 
Audi  oil standard  VW  502  00 
Oil container  labels  may  carry  the  specification  singly  or  in combina
tion  with  other  designations  and  oil  quality  standards. 
Viscosity 
Engine  oils  are  graded  according  to  their  viscosity.  The  proper 
viscosity  grade  oil  for your  engine  depends on  climactic  or  seasonal 
conditions  where  you  drive.  You can  use  oil  with  a viscosity  grade  of 
SAE 5W40  across  all  temperature ranges  for  normal  driving  condi
tions. 
However,  if engine  oil  viscosity  grade  SAE 5W40  is  not  available,  you 
can  also  use  viscosity  grade  SAE 5W -30  or  SAE OW -40  as  long  as  it 
meets  Audi  oil  quality  standard  VW  502 00  specifications. 
Because  engine  oil that  meets  the  Audi  oil  standard  may  not  be  avail
able  everywhere  when  you  need  it, we  strongly  recommend  that  you 
always  carry  with  you  an  extra  quart  (liter)  of  oil  that expressly 
conforms  to  the  VW 502  00  specification,  in case  you  have  to  top  off 
the  oil  while  on  the  road. 
Only  if  the level  of  the  oil  is at  or  below  the  minimum  mark  - and  no 
oil that  expressly  conforms  to  Audi  oil standard  VW  502 00  specifica
tions  is available  - may you top off  with  a high  quality  engine  oil,  pref
erably  synthetic-based,  that  meets  ACEA A3,  ACEA AS or  ACEA BS or 
API SL specifications,  but even  then,  only  in viscosity  grades  SAE 5W-
40,  SAE SW-30,  or  SAE OW-40 . However,  during  the  entire  time 
between  oil  change  intervals,  never top  off  with  more  than a total  of 
0.5  qt/liter  engine  oil  that  does  not  conform  to  Audi  oil specification 
vw 502  00. 
For  more  information  about  engine  oil  that  has  been  approved  for 
your  vehicle,  please  contact  either  your  authorized  Audi  dealer  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 oils  (manufacturers,  brand  names  etc.)  that  conform  to 
Audi  oil  standard  VW 502  00.  ._  
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Changing  the  engine  oil 
The engine  oil and  oil filter  must  be  changed  according  to  the  mileage 
(kilometers)  and  time  intervals specified  in your  vehicle's  Warranty 
& 
Maintenance  booklet.  Do not  exceed  these  intervals  -harmful 
deposits  from  old  engine  oil  can  reduce engine performance  and  can 
lead  to  expensive  engine  repairs. 
Changing  the  oil  at  the  recommended intervals  is so  very  important 
because  the  lubricating properties  of  oil  decrease  gradually  during 
normal  vehicle  use.  If you  are  not  sure  when  you  have  your  oil 
changed,  ask  your  authorized  Audi  Service  Advisor . 
Under  some  circumstances  the  engine  oil  should  even be  changed 
more  frequently.  Change  oil  more  often  if you  drive  mostly  short 
distances,  operate  the  vehicle  in dusty  areas  or  mostly  under  stop
and-go  traffic conditions,  or when  you  use your  vehicle  where  temper
atures  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. 
Damage  or malfunctions  due to  lack of  maintenance 
It  is essential  that  you  change  your  oil  at  the  recommended  intervals 
using  only  engine  oil that  complies  with  Audi  oil  standard 
VW 
502  00 . Your  Limited  New  Vehicle  Warranty  does  not  cover 
damage  or  malfunctions  due  to  failure  to  follow  recommended  main
tenance  and use  requirements  as  set  forth in the  Audi  Owner's 
Manual  and  Warranty 
& Maintenance  booklet.  Your  dealer  will  have 
to  deny  warranty  coverage  unless  you  present  to  the  dealer  proof  in 
the  form  of  Service  or  Repair  Orders  that  all  scheduled  maintenance 
was  performed  in  a  timely manner. • 
Safety  first 
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 250)  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  consumption 
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 
~ page 284. Top off the  oil  at  your  earliest  convenience~ page 285. 
& WARNING 
Before you check anything  in the  engine  compartment,  always 
read and  heed all  WARNINGS~ 
& in "Working  in the  engine 
compartment"  on  page 
280. 
Vehicle care  Technical data  
Page 286 of 364

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0 Note 
Driv ing  with  an  i nsufficient  o il level  is  likely  to cause  severe  damage 
to  the  engine . 
[I) Tips 
• The oil  pressure  warning  display 'e:r. is not  an  ind icator  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  eng ine  consumes  excessive 
amo unts  of  o il, we  re commen d  that  yo u cons ult  an  aut ho riz ed  Aud i 
dealer  to  have  the  cause  of  your  concern  properly  diagnosed . Keep  in 
m ind th at  the  accurate  measure ment  o f oil  consumption  re quires 
great  care  and  may  take  some  time.  An author ized  Audi  dealer  has 
ins truc tions  about  how  to  meas ure  o il consumption  acc ura tely .• 
Checking  the  engine  oil  level 
Fig . 22 1 MMI  D isplay : 
Oil level indi cat or 
Read  oil  level 
- Select : Funct ion  button  (C AR]> Oil level. 
- Park you r veh icle so that  it  is horizont ally level.  -
Shut  t he engine  off  whe n it  is at  o perating  temp eratu re. 
- W hile at  operat ing state  te mperatu re,  br ie fl y  let  the 
eng in e r un  at  id le and  then  shut  it  o ff. 
- W ait  approx.  two  m inutes. 
- Read the  oi l leve l in t he  MM I Di splay=>  fig. 221. A dd 
eng ine  o il if the  bar  of the  oi l leve l indicato r is nea r "m in" 
=> page28 5 
The oil  leve l needs  to  be  c hecke d at  regular  interva ls.  The  best  times 
t o do  this  a re whe neve r you  refuel  and  prior  to  long  tr ips. 
Depend ing  on  the  way  the  vehicle  is drive n and  the  operating  condi
ti ons,  oil  consumpt io n  can  be  up to  a  1/ 2 quart  pe r 6 00  m iles  (0 .5 
liter  per  1000  km).  Consumption  may  be  higher  w ithin  the  first  3000 
mi les  (50 00  km). 
(I) Tips 
The oil  leve l ind icator  in  the  MM I Display  is only  an  in forma tion 
display . If  the  o il level  is  too  low,  a  m inimum  oi l warning  appea rs  in 
the  inst rument  cl uster . Ad d oil ~ 
page 285 . If  the  hood  has  been 
opened,  the  c urrent  oil  leve l is shown  in the  ins trument  cluste r th e 
next  time  the  ignition  is  sw itched  on .•  
Page 287 of 364

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Adding  engine  oil 
'e::1. 
Fig . 222  En gin e 
c om par tm ent: Oil filler 
cap  lo catio n 
Before  you  c hec k a nythi ng in th e eng ine  co mpart ment , 
always read and  heed all  WARNINGS=> & in  "Working  in 
the  e ngi ne  compar tmen t" on 
page 280. 
- Unscr ew  the  cap~  to  the eng in e  oil  fillin g  ho le 
=>  fig.  222 . 
- Care fu lly  top  of f wi th  th e  ap pro priate  oil  i n 0.5  liter  doses. 
- Screw the  cap  back  o n the fil ling  hole  a nd close  t he  eng ine 
hood . 
- Check  t he  oi l leve l agai n after  two  minu tes=> 
page 28 4. 
- To p off  the  oil aga in ,  if  nece ssary. 
& WARNING 
•  While  topping  off,  the  oil  must  not  come  in contact  with  hot 
engine  parts  -fire  hazard! 
•  The oil  filler  cap  must  be  properly  secured  to  prevent  oil  from 
being  sprayed  on  the  hot  engine  and  exhaust  system  when  the 
engine  is  running  -fire  hazard! 
•  If your skin  ha s come  in contact  with  the  eng ine  oil , you  must 
s ubsequently  cleanse  it thoroughly . 
Vehicle OP-eration 
0 Note 
• Chec k the  oil  leve l using  t he  radio  o r the  MMI*. If the  message 
Please  reduce  oil  level appears,  contact  yo ur authorize d Au di dea ler 
or  o ther  qual ifie d wo rks hop  to  have  ex cess  oil ex trac ted  if  nece ss ar y. 
•  Audi does  not  recommend  the  use  of  oil  additives.  They may 
damage  the  engine  and  adver se ly affect  your  New Vehicle 
Warranty. 
<£' For the  sake of the  environment 
•  Under  no  circumstances  can the  o il come  in contact  with  the 
sewage  netwo rk o r the  soil. 
•  Observe  and  fo llow  legal  reg ulations  when  dis pos ing  of  empty  oi l 
conta iners .• 
Changing  the  eng ine  oil 
We recommen d th at have your  oil chan ged by  an autho
rized  Audi dealer  or  a qualifi ed service stat ion . 
Before  you  check  anything  in the  e ng ine  compartment, always  read 
and  heed  all  WARNINGS~ 
& in "Wo rking  in the  eng ine  com pa rt 
me nt"  o n 
pag e 280. 
The eng ine oil must  be changed  according  to  the  intervals  specified  in 
your  Warran ty 
& M ain tena nce book let.  This is very  import ant  beca use 
the  lubricating  propert ies  of  oil d iminish  grad ually  dur ing  norma l 
vehicle  use . 
U nder  som e circumstances  the  eng ine  oil  s hou ld  be  chang ed  mo re 
frequently.  C hange  o il more  often  if you  drive  most ly short  dista nces , 
operate  the  vehicle  in dusty  a reas  o r under  p redom inan tly s top-and
g o  traffic  conditions,  or  have your  ve hicle where  temperatures  remain 
below  freezing  for  e xtended  per iods.  ., 
Vehicle  care Do-it-yourselt  service  Technical data  
Page 288 of 364

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Det ergent  add it ives  in  the  o il w ill  make  fres h oil  look  dark  a fter  the 
e n g in e has  bee n ru nning  for  a  s hort time.  This  is  n orma l and  is  not  a 
reason  to  cha nge  the  oil  mo re often  t ha n  recomme nded . 
Beca use  of  the  prob lem  of  proper  disposal,  a long  w it h  the  s pec ia l 
t o ols  and  n ecessa ry e xper tise  req uire d, we  stro ng ly  recom men d  th at 
you  have  your  o il changed  by an  a utho rize d 
Audi  dealer or  a qualified 
s erv ice  stat ion. 
If  you choose to  change your  oil yourself , please  note  the  following 
im portant  info rmat io n: 
& WARNING 
To reduce the  risk of personal  injury  if you must  change the  engine 
oil  in your vehicle yourself: 
•  Wear  eye protection . 
•  To  reduce the  risk of  burns from  hot  engine  oil,  let  the  engine 
cool down  to  the  touch . 
•  When  removing  the  oil  drain  plug  with  your fingers , stay as far 
away as possible. Always  keep your forearm  parallel  to  the  ground 
to  help  prevent  hot  oil  from  running  down  your  arm. 
•  Drain  the  oil  into  a container  designed for  this  purpose,  one 
large  enough  to  hold  at  least  the  total  amount  of  oil  in your 
engine . 
•  Engine oil  is poisonous . Keep it  well  out  of  the  reach of  chil
dren. 
•  Continuous  contact  with  used engine  oil  is harmful  to  your 
skin.  Always  protect  your  skin  by washing  oil  off  thoroughly  with 
soap and water . 
0 Note 
Never  m ix o il additives  w ith your  eng ine  o il. The se a ddi tives  c an 
damage  your  engine  and  adverse ly affect  your  Audi  Limi ted  New 
V ehicle  Warranty . 
W For the  sake of  the  environment 
•  Before  changi ng yo ur oil, fir st ma ke  s ure you  know w here you  c an 
pro perly  dis pose  of  the  used  oi l. 
•  Always  dispose  of  used  eng ine  o il prope rly . Do no t dump  it  on 
garden  soi l, wooded  areas,  into  ope n streams  o r down  sewa ge  dr ains. 
•  Recycle used  engin e oil  by taking  it  to a  used  eng ine  oi l collect ion 
facility  in your  area,  or  contact  a  serv ice  station .• 
Engine  cooling  system 
Coolant 
The engin e coolan t p erforms  two  fun ctions: it  ke ep s  t he 
en gine  from  overheati ng and  i t protects  the  engine  fr om 
fr eez in g  in th e winte r. 
Th e cooling  system  is sea le d  and  genera lly  requ ires  lit tle  at tention. 
Th e  cooling  system  has  been  f illed  at  th e factory  w it h  a  p erm anent 
coo lant  which  does  not  need  to  be  changed.  T he coolant  cons ists  o f a 
mix tur e  of  wa ter  a nd the  manufacturer's  gly co l-basedcoolan t addi 
tive 
Gl2+ + antifreeze  with  anticorros ion  addit ives  (50%  for  USA 
m odels;  60 % fo r C an ad ian  models).  This  mixture  both as su re s th e 
necessary  frost  protect ion  and  protects  meta l components  in the 
eng ine's coolin g sy stem  fr om  co rrosion  and  scaling . 
It als o  ra ises  the 
boiling  point  of  th e coolant. 
Do not  re duce  the  concentration  of  the  coo lant  in the  summer  by 
add ing  p la in wate r. 
The proportion  of  coolant  additive  must  be at 
least  50 % but  not  more than  60% 
to  mai ntain  antifreeze  protection 
an d co olin g efficiency . If  the  co ola nt  frost  p ro te ct ion  i s to o  low , the 
coo lant  co uld freeze  and  damage  the  veh icle  heating  and  engine 
cooling  system. 
For year -round  drivi ng,  antifreeze  is added  at  t he factory  for  tempe r-
atures  down  to:  .,,  
Page 289 of 364

___________________________________________ C_ h _ e_c _k _ i_n -=g ~ a_n _ d_ f_i _ll _i _ n -=g =---......J"' 
•  -31°F(-35°C)USA 
•  -40°F  ( - 40°()  Canada . 
You can  mix the  Gl2+ + coolant  additive  with  other  additives  (G12+  or 
G12).  Always  check with  your  authorized  Aud i dealer. 
& WARNING 
Before  you check anything  in the engine  compartment,  always 
read  and heed  all WARNINGS => 
& in "Work ing in the  engine 
compartment"  on 
page 280. 
0 Note 
•  Before  winter  sets  in, have  the  coolant  checked  to  see if th e 
coolant  additive  in your  vehicle  is sufficient  to  meet the  climate 
conditions . This  is especially  important  if you  live  in a  region  where 
the  winter  is extremely  cold . 
If necessary, increase the  proportion  of 
coola nt  additive  to 60% . 
•  When  adding  coolant  additive  to  your  cooling  system,  remember: 
- We  recommend  using  only  coolant  additive  Gl2++  (check the 
label)  for  your  vehicle . This  coolant  additive  is available  at  autho
r iz ed  Audi  dealers. Other  types  of  antifreeze can  significantly 
reduce  corrosion  protection . The  resulting  corrosion  can  cause 
a 
loss  of  coolant  and  serious  engine  damage. 
•  Do  not  add  any  type  of  radiator  leak  sealant  to  your  vehicle's 
eng ine coolant . Adding  radiator  repair  fluid  may adversely  affect the 
function  and  performance  of  your  cooling  system  and  could  result  in 
damage  not covered  by yo ur New  Vehicle  Limited  Warranty .• 
Vehicle  OP-eration 
Checking  the  engine  coolant  level 
The engine  coolant  level  can  be  checked with  a quick 
glance. 
Fig. 223  Engine 
compartment:  Coolant 
expansion tank 
Before  you  check  anything  in  the engine  compartment, 
always  read and heed all  WARNINGS ~ & in  "Working  in 
the  engine  compartment"  on 
page 280 . 
-Turn  off  the  ignition. 
- Let  the  engine  cool  down . 
- Place  a  thick  rag  over the coolant  expansion  tank 
~ fi~ . 223  a nd carefully twist  the  cap  counter-clockwise 
~& -
- Read  the  engine  coolant  level  in the  open  coolant  expan
sion  tank~  fig. 223 . With  a  cold  engine,  the coolant  level 
should  be  between  the  "min" and "max"  markings.  When 
the  engine  is warm, the level  may  be  slightly  above  the 
"max"  marking . 
The location  of  the  coolant expansion  tank  can  be  seen  in  the engine 
compartment  illustration=> 
page 281. 
To obtain  an  accurate  reading,  the  engine  must be switched  off. ~ 
Vehicle  care  Do-it-yourselt service  iTechnical data  
Page 290 of 364

-~_C_ h_e _c_ k_ i_ n ....: g:::e._ a_ n _ d_ f_il _l _in _ g =- --------------------------------------------
The  expansion  tank  in your vehicle  is equipped  with  an electric  coolant 
level  sensor. 
When  the  coolant  level  is  too low,  the warn ing light  in the Auto-Check 
System ~ 
page 29  will blink until  you  add  coolant  and  the  level has 
been  restored  to normal.  Even though  there  is an  electric  coolant 
level  sensor,  we  still  recommend  you  check  the  coolant  level from 
time  to  time. 
Coolant  loss 
Coolant  loss  may indicate  a leak in the  cooling  system. In  the  event  of 
coo lant  loss,  the cooling  system  should  be  inspected  immed iate ly by 
your  authorized  Audi  dealer . 
It is not  enough  merely  to  add  coolant. 
In  a 
sealed system,  losses  can  occur  only  if the  boiling  point  of  the 
coolant  is exceeded  as  a result of  overheating. 
& WARNING 
The  cooling  system  is under pressure  and  can get  very hot.  Reduce 
the  risk of  scalding  from hot coolant  by following  these  steps. 
•  Turn  off the  engine  and  allow it to  cool  down. 
•  Protect  your face,  hands  and arms from escaping  fluid  and 
steam  by covering  the  cap with a  large,  thick  rag. 
•  Turn the  cap  slowly and very carefully  in a counter-clockwise 
direction  while  applying  light,  downward  pressure  on  the  top  of 
the  cap. 
•  To avoid  being  burned,  do  not  spill antifreeze  or coolant  on the 
exhaust  system  or hot  engine  parts.  Under  certain  conditions, the 
ethylene  glycol  in engine coolant  can catch  fire. 
0 Note 
Do not  add  any  type  of  radiator  leak  sealant  to  your  vehicle's  engine 
coo lant.  Adding  radiator  repair  fluid  may  adverse ly affect  the  func
tion  and  performance  of  your  cooling  system  and  could  result  in 
damage  not  covered  by your  New Vehicle  Limited  Warranty.• 
Adding  coolant 
Be very careful  when  adding  engine  coolant. 
Before you  check anything  in the  engine  compartment, 
always  read and heed  all WARNINGS::::::> & in "Working in 
the  engine  compartment"  on 
page 280. 
-Turn  off the  engine . 
- Let  the  engine  cool  down. 
- Place a thick  rag  over the coolant  expansion  tank 
=> page 287, fig.  223  and carefully turn  the  cap  counter
clockwise  ::::, 
&. 
- Add  coolant . 
- Twist the  cap  on again 
tightly. 
Replacement  engine coolant must conform to exact specifications 
~ page 286, "Coolant".  Even  in an  emergency,  if  coolant  additive 
G12 ++,  G12+ or G12 is not available,  do not use  a different  additive. 
Use  plain  water  instead  until  you  can  get  the  correct  additive  and  can 
restore  the  correct  ratio.  This  should be  done  as soon  as  possible . 
If you  have  lost  a considerable  amount  of  coolant,  then  you  should 
add  cold  antifreeze  and  cold water  only  when  the  engine  is cold. 
Always  use 
new engine coolant  when  refilling. 
Do not  fill  coolant  above  the  ''MAX" mark. Excess  coolant  will  be 
forced  out  through  the  press ure  re lief  va lve  in  the cap  when  the 
eng ine  becomes  hot . 
& WARNING 
• The  cooling  system  is under  pressure  and  can get very  hot. 
Reduce the  risk  of  scalding from  hot  coolant  by following  these 
steps. 
-Turn off  the  engine  and allow  it to  cool  down.  _.,