brake fluid AUDI A5 CABRIOLET 2011 Owners Manual

• If the slope of the ground is too steep to park the ve hicle, the addi­
tional d rive message appears
Caution: Vehicle parked too steep .
• In the event of a parking brake malfunction, the ye llow symbol
appea rs in the ins trument cl uster d isp lay and the driver message
Parking brake malfunction! is displayed . Have the malfunction
repaire d as soon as possible by an au thori zed A udi dealer o r any o ther
qualified workshop .•
Brake system BRAKE (USA
models)
/ (CD) (Canada models)
The warning/indi cat or li ght flas hes if brake fluid le vel is
lo w, if there is an AB S syst em malf unctio n or a parki ng
brak e malfunction.
Th e light illum inates w he n th e ignition is turned on. It goes out after
the engine has been started . This indicates that the brake war ning
light is functioning properly.
If the brake warning light does not light up when the engine is
cranking , there may be a malfunct ion in the electr ical system. In
this ca se, contact an authorized Audi dealer.
If the brake system warning/ind icator light flashes, there is a brake
system malfunction. By press ing the [SET ] button, you can bring up a
dr iver message w hich expl ains the ma lfun ct io n in more deta il
:::>page 30.
If the A BS fails, t he A BS warn ing/ indi cato r light ....
s., (U SA
mode ls)/ (Canada mode ls) flashes together with the brake system
wa rning/indica tor ligh t==> & .
(USA models):
If the wa rning lig ht BRAKE and the warn ing l ight f'l ill u­
minate together, immediate ly contact your author ized Audi dealer or
qualif ied wo rkshop to have all bra ke pads inspected::::>
page 35.
When the light comes on, an audible warn ing signal is also given.
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Instruments and warning
/indicator lights
& WARNING
• USA models: If the BRAKE warning light and the I warning
light come on together, the rear wheel s could lock up first under
hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control
and an accident. Have your vehicle repai red immediately by you r
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop. Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
• Canada models : If the brake warning light ((j)) and the ABS
warning light
~ come on together , the rear wheels could lock up
first under hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of
vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired imme­
diately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop .
Drive slowly and avoid sudden , hard brake applications.
• If the brake warning /indicator light does not go out after a few
second s and the parking brake released , or lights up while you are
driving , the fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir i s too low. If you
believe that it is safe to do so , proceed immediately at low speed
to the neare st authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility
and have the brake system inspected .
• Always keep in mind that after several brake applications, you
will need greater pressure on the brake pedal to stop your vehicle.
Do not rely on strained brake s to re spond with maximum stopping
power in critical situations. You must allow fo r increased braking
di stan ce s. The extra distance used up by fading brakes could lead
to an accident. •
Vehicle care Technical data

Driver information display
If a component is malfunctioning or if the need for an urgent repair
h as been de te cte d, th is will appea r in th e instrument clus ter display.
You will also hear an a udible warning to ne. The displays are color
coded in either red or yellow depend ing on their level of priority.
A red symbo l mea ns
Danger , a yellow symbo l ind icates Warning . In
certain situations, information message for the driver appear in addi­
t ion to the red and yellow symbo ls.
T he Auto-Check Contro l w ill automatica lly perform a test each t ime
you switch on the ignition . With the selector lever in
P or N , the
following message appears in the d isplay:
When stationary apply footbrake while sele cting gear.
W hen you a se lec t a d iffe ren t gear ( for ex ample: R , D , etc .), t he
message w ill disappear a nd the Auto-Check function is d isplayed.
If t he re is a ma lfunction, then the malfunct ion message will appear
about
15 seco nds afte r you sta rt the veh icle . At the same t ime you
wi ll hear a warning tone. •
Driver information messages
Driver information messages are sho wn in th e instru­
ment cluster display in addition to symbols .
Fig. 22 I nstrumen t
clu ster: SET bu tton
For examp le , if the transmiss ion se lector lever is not in the P position
w hen the eng ine is tu rne d off, the following mess age appears :
Shift to P , otherwi se vehicle can roll away. Door s do not lock if
le ver is not in P.
Th e ig nit io n key can on ly be removed w ith t he sele cto r in this pos i­
tion . T hi s and other messages are brought up if a funct io n cannot be
c ar ried out.
Driver messages and red symbols
If a red symbo l appear s in the disp lay, a driver mess age is also
displayed automatically.
F or example, the symbo l for a prob lem w ith en gine oi l press ure
appears in the display . The message :
Switch off engine! Oil pressure too low
The d river mess age in the display goes out afte r abo ut 5 seconds. The
dr iver message can be displayed aga in by briefly pressing the
! SET ]
button ~ fig. 22 .
Driver messages and yellow symbols
If a yellow symbol appears in the di spla y, a drive r message is also
displayed automatically.
F or example, the symbo l.,,. appears in the dis play, i ndicating low
w indshield washer fl uid leve l. The following message also a ppears:
Please refill washer fluid
Th e dr iver mess age d isappears a fter a f ew seconds. The dr iver
message can be displayed again by briefly pressi ng the
(SET]
button .•

Driver information display
you have to stop immediately and turn off the engine. The coolant
pump is not working anymore--danger of damage to the engine! •
Brake system malfunction
A malfunction in the brake system must be repaired as
soon as possible.
If the warning/indicator light BRAKE (USA models)/ ((D)
(Canada models) in the instrument cluster flashes, there is a
brake system malfunction . A driver message appears as well
to explain the malfunction in more detail. The driver warning
goes out after about S seconds, but it can be brought up at
any time by pressing the
!SET] button again.
Stop the Vehicle and Check the Brake Fluid
- Stop the vehicle.
-Check the brake fluid level=>
page 289.
- Seek professional assistance if necessary .
Warning ! Fault in brake system. Contact
workshop
- Drive carefully to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or other qualified workshop and have the malfunction
corrected =>
&.
Parking brake Please get to a repair shop
- If this symbol appears when the vehicle is stationary or
after the ignition is turned on, check to see if the parking brake can be released. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer
or other qualified workshop as soon as possible and have
the malfunction corrected. If the parking brake cannot be
opened, then take it to an expert at an authorized Audi
dealer.
- If the symbol appears while you are driving, it is possible that the traction control or the emergency brake has malfunctioned. It is possible that the parking brake
cannot be applied. It is also possible that the parking
brake cannot be released after it has been applied. Drive
to an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified workshop
to have the malfunction corrected.
If the ABS system malfunctions, the ABS warning/indicator light illu­
minates together with the brake system malfunction warning/indi­
cator light~& .
& WARNING
• Always observe the warnings in~ page 2 72, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the hood and checking the brake fluid.
• Driving with low brake fluid is a safety hazard. Stop the car and
get professional assistance.
• USA models: If the BRAKE warning light and the i, warning
light come on together, the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control
and an accident . Have your vehicle repaired immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop. Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
• Canada models: If the brake warning light (CD) and the ABS
warning light come on together, the rear wheels could lock up .,_

warning goes out after about S seconds, but it can be brought up at any time by pressing the !SETI button again
Defective ignition switch Get it serviced!
-Do not turn the engine off.
- Drive immed iately to an authorized service facility to have
the malfunction corrected.
If there is a malfunction in the electron ic ignition lock, the ignition
cannot be turned off . Drive immediately to an authorized service
facility to have the cause of the malfunction corrected.
On vehicles w ith convenience key *, the e ng ine should not be switched
off using the start/stop button because the engine cannot be started
again after the ignit ion has been switched off.
[ i ] Tips
The symbol's appearance might be d ifferent in some models. •
Yellow symbols
Ayellow symbol means WARNING.
Fig. 24 Display:
Yellow warning
symbol
Yellow symbols indicate a priority 2 malfunction -Warning!
Con tro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Driver information display
When a yellow warning symbol appears, one warning tone sounds. A
dr iver message appears as well to expla in the malfunction in more
detail. The driver warn ing goes out after about 5 seconds, but it can
be brought up at any time by pressing the
! SET] button again.
Check the function displayed as soon as possible . The yellow symbol
will not go out again until the reason for the malfunction has been
corrected.
If several priority 2 malfunctions are present, the symbols appear in
succession and remain for about 2 seconds.
Dynamic steering*
~ page34
-Worn brake pads ~poge35
Battery voltage ~poge36
Defective light bulb* ~poge35
Check engine oil level => page 36 or
~page36
Engine oil sensor malfunction ~page36
-
Low fuel level =:>page 36
- -Windshield
washer fluid ~poge35
level low
Convenience key*
~poge34
Key not in vehicle
Light/rain sensor* defective
::::>poge35
--
Dynamic headlight range => page37
control defective ...
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Light/rain sensor defective ~c.,
Automatic headlights/automatic wipers defective
If the symbo l illumina tes, the ligh t senso r has fa iled. For s afe ty
reasons the low beams are turned on permanently with the sw itch in
AUTO . However, you can continue to t urn the lights on and off usi ng
the light sw itch . In the case of a defect in the ra in sensor, the wi nd­
shield wiper lever functions are still avai lab le . Have the light/rain
senso r chec ked as soo n as poss ible by an a utho riz ed Aud i dea le r.•
Worn brake pads u
Brake pads!
If the warn ing light illum inates, immediately contact your autho rized
Audi dea ler or qu alified wor kshop to h ave all b rake pad s in sp ecte d.
On USA mode ls the warn ing light comes on together w it h the
w ar ning light
BRAKE . Both se ts of b rake pads on an axle mus t always
be rep laced at the same time.
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal
injury .
• If the warning light J and the warning light BRAKE1> with the
message Brake pads! comes on in the instrument cluster di splay,
immediately contact your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if
necessary. •
ll BRAKE: USA mode ls on ly
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Driver information display
A
pp lies to veh icles : wit h defective ligh t bulb wa rning
Defective Light bulb warning t
Th e def ective light bul b warning monitors the function of
the li ght bulbs in the vehicle.
Th e defe ct ive light bulb war ning moni tor s the functio n of the lig ht
bulbs. If a de fective light bu lb is detected, or if a light bu lb has
bur ned out, a ye llow symbol appears as well as a n otifi cat io n that
shows w hich light bu lb is defective.
Defective bulb
~ If this symbol lights up, a t urn signa l (front or rear), a headlamp, a
br ak e light, t he b ack- up ligh t, a fog lamp o r a rear f og l am p has
fai led.
& WARNING
• Light bulbs are under pressure and can explode when bulbs are
replaced -risk of injury .
• With gas-discharge lamps* (xenon headlights ), the high­
voltage component must be handled appropriately . Doing other­
wise poses a risk of death!
[ i ] Tips
Have an a uth orized Audi dea ler o r other qualified workshop pe rform
t he rep lacemen t or t he repai r.•
Windshield washer fluid level too low >
< . .., Please refill washer fluid
If the symbo l illum inates, add windsh ield washer f luid to the washer
sy ste m a nd also to the he adlig ht w ashe r system* =>
page 295. •
Vehicle care Technical data

Intelligent technology
'-------------------------------------------------
Corrosion
T he re may be a te ndency fo r d irt to build u p on the bra ke pads and
co rrosion to form on the d iscs if the car is not dr iven reg ularly o r only
for short trips with litt le use of the bra kes .
If the brakes a re not used freq uen tly, or if co rrosion has formed o n
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
fir mly a few times from a mode rat ely h igh spee d~ & .
Faults in the brake system
If yo u sh ou ld noti ce a sudden increase in b rake peda l trave l, then one
of the two brake circu its may have failed~& .
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfunctions can occ ur in t he brake system if the brake fluid level is
t oo low. The bra ke f lu id level is moni tore d elec tron ically.
Brake lin ing wear status
Brake lin ing wear may be checked by v isua l inspect ion of the condi­
tion of the brake pads throu gh the open ings in the whee l.
If neces­
sary, the whe el may be removed fo r thi s insp ection~
page 320,
"Changing a w hee l".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit. Other
road users must not be put at risk - you may cau se an accident!
• Before descending a steep grade, reduce speed and shift trans­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake . This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance.
• Under certain climatic and operating condition s such as
passing through water , driving in heavy rain or after washing the
& WARNING (co ntinued )
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winter,
ice can ac cumulate on the brake pads, linings, dis cs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake appli cations.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without u sing your brakes can also affect braking efficiency . Clean
off accumulated salt coating from b rake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applic ations.
• If you damage the front spoiler, or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes i s not obstructed .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective­
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping di stance. Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop.
n
Brake booster
The b roke boost er odds extra broking po wer.
The bra ke boos ter wor ks wi th v acuum pressure whi ch is crea ted o nly
when the eng ine is ru nning~ &.
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working, for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged, the brake pedal mu st be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance. •

Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in pla ce to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or s ideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer => & in "Driving instruc­
tions" on
page 256.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harde r. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additional load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the label located either on the
dr iver's side B-pillar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications.
Lights
The headl ight settings should be checked w ith the trailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit
turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to p revent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Driving instruct!ons
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other veh icles .
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results in a highly unstable
distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low
speeds only to avo id the r isk of losing steer ing control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. Th is means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissible,
wh ile keeping the trailer as light as possible under the c ircumstances.
Whenever possible, trans fer some cargo to the luggage compart ­
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
Th e higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icularly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately i f the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating. _,

-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d___. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserves vehicl e val ue.
Any automobile is exposed to industria l fumes, co rrosive road salt,
e tc. A well ca red for Audi c an look lik e new many ye ars after pur cha se.
Regu lar and correct care w ill contribute to mai nta in ing t he bea uty
a nd valu e of your Au di.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition for substantiating a
warranty claim should corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Yo ur au thori zed Audi d eale r h as a var iety of dedicated vehicle-care
products
and can advise w hich ones to use for clea ning the exterior
a n d inter io r of your ve hicle.
W het her you use products recommended by Aud i or other comme r­
cia lly availab le cleaning agents , please make sure yo u appl y them
co rrectly .
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous . Keep them out of the reach
of children.
• Heed all caution labels .
• Always read directions on the container before using any
product. Follow the directions carefully.
• Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be
diluted .
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated areas.
• Do not use gasoline, kero sene , diesel fuel , nail polish remover
or other volatile fluids . They may be toxic, flammable or
hazardous in other ways. Do not wash, wax or dry the vehicle with
the ign ition on or the engine running .
& WARNING (continued )
• Do not clean the under sides of chassi s, fenders , wheel covers,
etc. without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut your­
self on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking efficiency
~ page 243, "General information ". Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle .
'£> For the sake of the environment
Select only envir onmenta lly fr iendly clea ning produc ts . Leftover
cleaning pro ducts sho uld not dis posed of i n the household waste .•
Care of exterior
Washing
F re quent w ashin g protec ts th e vehicle.
T he best protection aga inst env ironmental influences is frequent
w ashi ng and w ax ing. How oft en thi s is requ ired depen ds on :
• How m uch the vehicle is used
• Whe re the ve hicle is parke d (gar age, in the o pen un der tr ees, etc.)
• The seasona l and weather conditions
• Environ mental influences
T he longer bird droppings , insects , tree resin, road and industria l
gr ime, t ar, soo t, road sa lt and o ther ma ter ia ls remain on t he veh icle
body, the more lasti ng their destructive effects w ill be. H igh temper­
atu res cause d by ex pos ure to intense s unlight int ensify the co rrosive
effect, part icu larly when humid ity is high as we ll.
~

-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). ..,

_____________________________________________ C_h _ e_ c_ k_in --= g'-- a_n _d_ f_i _ll _i_n -=g ::;__ ____.1111
& 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 ( ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
@ Engine oil f iller c ap
('1::r. ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 4
© 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