AUDI A8 2015 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2015, Model line: A8, Model: AUDI A8 2015Pages: 312, PDF Size: 79.18 MB
Page 231 of 312

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-Always disconnect  the  battery. 
- Never  smoke  or work  near  heaters  or  open  flames.  Fluids  in the  engine  com
partment  could  start  a fire. 
- Keep an  approved  fire  extinguisher  im
mediately  available. 
- To  avoid  electrical  shock  and  personal  in
jury  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  to  "P"  (Park). 
- Always use  extreme  caution  to  prevent 
clothing,  jewelry, or long  hair  from  get
ting  caught  in the  radiator  fan,  V-belts 
or  other  moving  parts,  or from  contact ing  hot  parts.  Tie back  hair  before 
starting,  and  do  not  wear  clothing  that 
will hang  or  droop  into  the  engine. 
- Minimize  exposure to  emission  and 
chemical  ha zards c:::> & . 
A WARNING 
California  Proposition  65  Warning: 
- Engine  exhaust,  some  of  its constituents, 
and  certain  vehicle  components  contain 
or  emit  chemicals  known  to  the  State  of 
California  to  cause  cancer  and  birth  de
fects  and  reproductive  harm.  In  addition , 
certain  fluids  contained  in vehicles  and 
certain  products  of  component  wear  con
tain  or  emit  chemicals  known  to  the 
State  of California  to cause  cancer  and 
birth  defects  or  other  reproductive  harm . 
Checking  and  filling  229 
-Battery  posts,  terminals  and  related ac
cessories  contain  lead  and  lead  com
pounds,  chemicals  known  to  the  State  of 
California  to  cause  cancer  and  reproduc
tive  harms.  Wash  hands  after  handling. 
(D Note 
When  adding  fluids,  always  make  sure  that 
they  are  poured  into  the  proper  container 
or  filler  opening,  otherwise  serious  dam
age  to  vehicle  systems  will occur. 
(® For the  sake of  the  environment 
To detect  leaks  in time,  inspect the  vehicle 
floor  pan  from  underneath  regularly . If 
you  see  spots  from  oil or  other  vehicle  flu ids,  have  your  vehicle  inspected by an  au
thorized  Audi  dealer. 
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  en
gage 
c:::> ,A . 
A WARNING 
-
A hood  that  is  not  completely  latched 
could  fly up  and  block your  view  while  driv 
ing . 
- When  you  close  the  engine  hood,  check  it 
to  make  sure  the  safety  catch  has  proper ly engaged.  The hood  should  be flush 
with  the  surrounding  vehicle  body  parts. 
- If you  notice  while  driving  that  the  hood 
is not  secured  properly , stop  at  once  and 
close  it.  • 
•  
Page 232 of 312

230  Checking  and  filling 
Engine  compartment 
Engine compartment  overview 
These are the  most  important  items  that you  can check. 
Fig.  199  Typical  layo ut for  co nta iners a nd eng ine o il filler  cap 
Fig. 200  Layo ut of  th e  rese rvo ir, engine  o il filling  o penin g and o il  dipstick  for  the W 12 eng ine  
Page 233 of 312

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(!) Windshield/headlight  washer 
t  . 
(~ ) con  ainer  ,..., .. .... ... .. ..  .  244 
@ Jump  start  point( -) with  hex 
h ead screw  ............... ..  242,  281 
® Jump  start  point( +) under  a cov-
er  . ..... .. ... .. ..... ... .. .  242,  281 
@  Engine oil  filler  cap(~) . .  . .  .  234 
® Brake fl uid  reservo ir ((0))  . .  . .  . 239 
® Coolant  expansion  tank (-L)  . .  . 237 
0 O il dipstick  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .  .  234 
The engine  oil  filler  neck (item @)  may be  lo
cated  in  a different  area depend ing on  the  ver
sion  of  the  eng ine . 
A WARNING 
Before yo u check anything  in the  engine 
compartment,  always read and heed all 
WARN INGS 
Q .&. in Working  in the  engine 
c ompartment  on page  228. 
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 
powerp lant  that  was b uilt  to  exacting  specifi 
cations . This engine  needs the  right  kind  of 
engine  o il that  meets  specificat ions regarding 
q ua lity  and viscos ity  so that  it  can run 
smoothly  and  reliably . Choos ing the  right  oil 
and changing  oil  within  the  time  and  mileage 
in terva ls pr inted  in your  veh icle's War ranty 
& 
M aintenance  book let  matters  a  lot  more  to
day than  i t did yea rs ago . Audi  has developed 
a  special  quality  s tanda rd fo r engine  oil  th at 
will  he lp assure that  your  veh icle's  eng ine will 
get  the  lubrication  it  needs for  prope r opera 
tion . 
M odern  eng ine  lubrica tion  has  taken a qu an
tum  leap  in the  last few  years . Many synthetic 
oils  ava ilable  today  provide  better  engine  lu
brication  that  can outlast  traditional  petrole
um-based  o ils, making  them  a smart  choice 
for  use throughout  the  life  of  your  A udi. 
Checkin g and  fillin g 231 
Whether  you  use synthetic  o r petro le um
based engine  oil,  the  oil  that  you  use m ust 
conform  to  Aud i's oi l quality  standard 
VW  502  00  (vehicles with  gasoline  engine)  or 
VW 507  00  (vehicles  w it h  diesel eng ine) to 
help  keep your  veh icle's  engine  ru nning 
smoot hly and  he lp prevent  the  format io n  of 
harmful  deposits,  sometimes  ca lled "s ludge, " 
t h at  over  time  can lead to  expensive  repairs. 
At  the  time  of  printing,  engine  oils  ava ilab le i n 
t h e U.S . and Canada that  meet  the  exac ting 
specifications  of  Audi  oil  standard  VW  502  00 
(ve hicl es w ith  gasoline  engine)  o r VW  50 7 00 
(ve hicl es w ith  diese l engi ne) are synthet ic en 
gine  oi ls. Th is does not  mean,  howeve r,  that 
every synthetic  engine  oil  will  meet  A udi oi l 
standard  VW  502  00  (vehicles with  gasoline 
engine)  or VW 507  00  (vehicles with  d iesel 
engine).  So always  be sure that  you  use an ap
proved o il. 
To he lp prevent  the  formation  of  harmfu l de
pos its  use on ly oil  with  the  following  specifi
cations  pr inted  on  the  o il conta iner: 
- Audi  oil standard  VW  502  00  (gasoline en
gine ) 
- Audi  oil  standard  VW  507  00  (diesel en-
gine ) 
Oil containe r labels  may car ry  the spe cifica
tion  sing ly or  in  combination  wi th other  desig
nations  and oil  quality  s tanda rds . 
Viscosity 
Engine o ils are graded  accord ing to  their  vis
cosity . The proper  viscos ity  grade  oil  fo r your 
engine  depends  o n climactic  or  seasona l con
ditions  where  you d rive. You ca n use o il wit h a 
vis cosity  gr ade of  SA E SW40  across all  tem 
pera ture ranges for  norma l driv ing con ditions. 
Howeve r,  if  engine  oil  v iscos ity  grade  SA E 
SW40  is  not  available,  you  can a lso  use v iscos
i ty  grade  SA E SW -30  or  SA E OW -40  as long  as 
i t  meets  Aud i oil  q ua lity  standard  VW  502  00 
(ve hicles w ith  gasoline  engine)  o r VW 5 07 00 
(ve hicles w ith  diese l engine)  specifications. 
Be cause eng ine o il that mee ts the  Audi  o il 
standard  may no t be availab le everywhere 
• 
•  
Page 234 of 312

232  Check ing  and  filling 
when  you  need it,  we  strongly  recommend 
that  you always carry with  you an extra  quart  (liter)  of  o il that  expressly  conforms  to  the 
VW 502  00  (vehicles with  gasoline  engine)  or 
VW 507  00  (veh icles with  diesel  engine)  spec
ification,  in  case you  have to  top  off  the  oil 
while  o n the  road . 
Applies to  veh icles  w ith  g asol ine  eng ine on
l y: 
Only  if  the  level  of  the  oil  is at  or  below  the 
minimum  mark  on the  oil  dipstick  - and  no oil 
that  expressly  conforms  to  Aud i oil  standard 
VW  502  00  specif ications  is avai lab le - may 
you top  off  with  a high  quality  eng ine oil,  pref
e rably  synthetic -based, that  meets  ACEA A3 
or  AP I SM specifications,  but  even then,  only 
in viscosity  grades SAE SW-40,  SAE SW-30,  or 
SAE OW-40.  However, during  the  entire  time  between  oi l change  interva ls, never top  off 
with  more  than  a total  of  0.5  qt/liter  eng ine 
oil  that  does not  conform  to  Audi  oil  specifica
tion  VW  502  00 . 
Applies to  veh icles  with  diesel  engine  onl y: 
Only  if  the  level  of  the  oil  is at  or  below  the 
minimum  mark  on the  oil  dipstick  - and  no oil 
that  expressly  conforms  to  Aud i oil  standard 
VW  507  00  specifications  is available  - may 
you top  off  with  a high  quality  eng ine oil,  that 
meets  AC EA C3 or  A PI CF specifications,  but 
even then,  only  in v iscosity grades  SAE 
SW-40,  SAE SW-30,  or SAE OW-40 . However, 
during  the  entire  time  between  oil  change  in
tervals,  never top  off  with  more  than  a tota l 
of  0.5  qt/ liter  engine  oil  that  does not  con
form  to  Audi  oil  specif ication  VW  507  00. 
F or  more  information  about  engine  oil  that 
has been approved  for  yo ur vehicle,  please 
contact  either  your  authorized  Audi  dea ler or 
Aud i Customer  Relations  at  1 (800)  822-2834 
or  visit  our  web  site  at  www.audiusa.com  or 
www.audicanada.ca . Here you will  a lso find  a 
current  list  of  oils  (manufacturers,  b rand 
names etc.)  that  conform  to  Audi  o il standard 
VW  502  00  (vehicles  wi th gasoline  engine)  or 
VW 507  00  (veh icles w ith  diese l engine) . 
Changing  th e engine  oil 
The eng ine oi l and oil  fi lter  m ust  be changed 
according  to  the  mileage  (kilometers)  and 
t ime intervals  specified  in your  veh icle's War 
ranty 
& Maintenance  booklet.  Do not  exceed 
these  interva ls  - harmful  deposits  from  old 
engine  oil  ca n reduce engine  performance  and 
can lead to  expensive e ngine  repa irs. 
Changi ng the  oil  at  the  recommended  inter
vals  is so very  important  because the  lubricat
ing  propert ies of  oil  decrease gradually  during 
normal  veh icle  use . If  you are  not  sure when 
you  have your  oil  changed,  ask your  author ized Audi  Serv ice Adv isor. 
Under  some  circumstances  the  engine  oil 
should  even be changed  more  frequent ly . 
Change oil  more  often  if  you drive  most ly 
sho rt  distances,  operate  the  ve hicl e in  dusty 
areas o r most ly unde r stop-and-go  traff ic  con
ditions,  or when  you  use your  vehi cle where 
temperatures  stay  be low  freezing  point  for 
long  pe riods . 
Detergent  addi tives  in the  oil  will  make fresh 
o il  look  dark  after  the  engine  has been run
ning  for  a short  time.  This is normal  and  is not 
a reason to  change the  oil  more  often  t han 
recommended. 
Damage  or  malfunction s du e to  l ack  of 
maintenance 
It  is essentia l th at you c hange yo ur oil  at  the 
recommended  intervals  using  on ly eng ine oil 
t h at  complies  with  Audi  oil  standa rd 
VW  502  00  (veh icles with  gasoline  engine)  or 
VW 507  00  (vehicles  wit h diese l engine).  Your 
Limited  New Veh icle Warranty  does not  cover 
damage  or  malfunctions  due to  fail ure to  fo l
low  recommended  maintenance  and  use re
quirements  as set forth  in the  Audi  Owner's 
Manual  and Warranty 
& Mai ntenance  booklet. 
Your dealer  w ill have to  deny wa rranty  cover
age unless you  present  to  the  dealer  proof  in 
t h e form  o f Service or  Repair Orders  that  all 
scheduled  maintenance  was performed  in a 
timely  manner.  
Page 235 of 312

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Engine  oil  consumption 
The e ngine  in your  vehicle  dep ends on an ade 
quate  amount  of  oil  to  lubricate  and  cool  all 
of  its  m oving parts . 
In order  to  provide effective  l ubrication  and 
cooling of  internal  engine  components,  all in
ternal  combustion  eng ines  consume  a certain 
amo unt  of o il. O il cons umption  varies from 
engine  to  eng ine and  may c hange  significant ly 
over the  li fe o f the  eng ine . T yp ica lly, eng ines 
with a specified  break -in per io d  (see 
¢ 
page  205) cons ume  more  oi l during  the 
b reak-in  period  than  they  consume  after  oil 
consumption  has  stabilized. 
Unde r norma l conditions,  the  ra te of oil con 
sumption  depends  on the  quality and  viscosity 
of the  oi l, the  RPM (revo lutions  per  minute)  at 
which the  eng ine  is operated,  the  ambient 
temperature  and  road  condit ions.  Further  fac
tors  are t he amount  of oil d ilution from  wate r 
condensation  or fuel  residue  and  the ox ida 
t ion  level of the  o il. As any engine  is subject  to 
wear  as  mileage  bu ilds  up, the  o il consump
tion  may  in crease  over t ime  un til re p la cement 
of worn  componen ts may become  necessa ry. 
W ith  all these  var iabl es com ing  in to play, no 
standa rd  rate  of o il cons umption  can  be es
t a blishe d or  specifie d. T he re  is no a lterna tive 
t o  regular  and freq uen t ch ecking of the  oi l lev
e l, see 
Note . 
If the  ye llow eng ine o il level war ning symbol 
in t he  ins trumen t clus te r 
II light s up, yo u 
should  che ck t he  o il level as  soon  as  possible 
¢ 
page  233 or ¢ page  23 4. Top off t he oil at 
your ea rliest  convenience ¢ 
page  234. 
A WARNING 
Before yo u check anything  in the  engine 
compartment,  always read  and  heed  all 
WAR NINGS 
¢ .&. in Working  in  the  engine 
compartment  on page  228. 
Dr iving with  an  insufficient  oi l level is like
ly to  ca use  seve re damage  to  the  eng ine. 
-
Checkin g and  fillin g 
(D Tips 
- The oil  pressure  warning  display.  is 
not  an indicator  of  the  oil  level.  Do not 
rely on  it.  Instead,  check the  oil  level  in 
your engine  at  regular intervals,  pref
erably each  time  you  refuel,  and  always 
before  going  on  a long  trip . 
-If you have the  impressi on yo ur engi ne 
cons umes  excess ive amounts  of  oil, we 
recommend  that  you consult  your Aud i 
dea le r to  have the  cause  of your concer n 
properly  diagno sed . K eep  in mi nd th at 
t he a ccu rate  meas urement  o f oil con 
sumption  requi res  g reat  care  and  may 
take  some t ime . Your  Audi dea le r h as  i n
struct io ns about  how to  measure  oil con
sumption  acc urate ly. 
Checking  the  engine  oil  level 
App lies  to  vehicles : wit h oil  level  indicator 
Fig.  201 D isp lay: o il leve l indicator 
.,.  Par k yo ur  vehicle o n a level su rface. 
.,.  Shu t the  eng ine off when  it  is warm. 
.,.  Switch on ly  the  ignition  back on. 
.,.  Wa it app roximately two  minutes . 
.,.  Select: 
!CAR ! functio n button > Car systems 
cont ro l button > Servicing & checks > Oil 
level. 
.,.  Check t he oil level i n the  display ¢ fig.  201. 
Add eng ine  o il if the  bar  of the  oil  leve l ind i
cato r is nea r "m in"¢ 
page  234 . 
Depending o n the  way the  vehicle is dr iven 
and the  ope rat ing cond it ions,  o il cons umption 
can  be up to  1/2  quart  per  600  miles  (0 .5  liter 
per  1,000  km). Consumption  may b e hig he r 
within  the  first  3, 000  miles  (5 ,0 00  km).  ..,,. 
233 
• 
•  
Page 236 of 312

234  Checking  and  filling 
@ Tips 
The  oi l level  i ndicator  in the  MMI Display  is 
only  an  in format ion  d isp lay . 
If the  oil  leve l 
is  low,  a  minim um  o il warning  appears  in 
the  instrument  cluster.  Add oi l 
c::> page  234. If  the  hood has  bee n ope ned, 
the  c urrent  oil  level  is shown  in the  instru
men t cluster  t he  nex t time  the  ig nition  is 
s w itche d on . 
Checking  the  engine  oil  level 
Appl ies to vehicles:  with  oil dipstick 
Fig . 202 Oi l di pstick:  ma rk ing  field s 
Before  you  check  any thing  in the  engine  com
pa rtment, 
always  read  an  heed  all  WARN
INGS c::> page  2 28 . 
Determining  the  oil  level 
..  Park your  vehicle  on  a  level  surface  . 
..  Let the  engine  run  in idle  briefly  while  it  is at 
operating  tempe ratu re and  then  shut  the 
engi ne  off. 
..  Wait  approxima tely two  min utes . 
..  Remove  the  oil d ipst ic k. W ipe  off  t he oil dip
st ick with  a cle an clot h  an d inse rt  it  all the 
w ay in ag ain . 
..  Remove  the  d ipstick  again  and  then  rea d  the 
o il  level 
c::> fig.  202 . Add  engine  oi l if neces
sary 
c::> page  234. 
Oil level  in the G) area 
..  Do no t add  any  oi l. 
Oil level  in the @area 
.. You may  add  oil.  After  adding  oi l, the  leve l 
sho uld  be  in  the @ area . 
Oil level  in the @ area 
.. Yo u mu st  ad d oil.  A fter  a dding  oi l, the  level 
should  be  in the 
0 area . 
D epend ing  on  the  way  the vehi cle  is dr iven 
and  the  ope ra tin g con dit ions,  oi l consu mption 
ca n be  up  to  1/2  qu art  pe r 600  miles  (0.5  liter 
per  1,00 0  km). Cons umption  may  be  h ig he r 
within  the  first  3,000  miles  (5,000  km) . Be 
ca use  of  this,  the  engine  oil  leve l must  be 
c h ecked  regu la rly. It  wo uld  be  best  to  check 
each  time  you  refue l your  veh icle  and  before 
lo ng  d rives. 
Adding  engine  oil "l::r. 
Fig. 2 03 Engin e  compartm en t: cove r on  th e e ng in e  o il 
f ill e r  neck 
Befo re you  c heck a nyth ing  in the  engin e com
partment , 
always  read  and  heed  all  WARN
INGS c::> .&. in Wo rking  in  the  engine  compart 
men t on page  22 8. 
"' Shut  the eng ine off . 
"' Un screw  the  cap 
't=;,1 to  the  eng ine oil  filling 
hole 
c::> fig.  203, c::> page  230  . 
.. Ca refully  top  off  with  0 .5  qu arts  ( 0.5 liters) 
of  t he appropriate  oil 
c::> page  231 . 
"' Check t he oi l level  aga in after  two  m in utes 
c::> page  233,  Checking the  engine  oil  level or 
c::> page  234,  Checking the  engine  oil  level. 
..  Top off  the  o il aga in,  if necessary. 
"' Sc rew  the  cap  back  on  the  filling  hole . 
_&, WARNING 
--W hile  topping  off,  th e oil m ust  n ot  com e 
i n c onta ct  w ith  hot  e ngine  parts  - fi re 
haza rd!  ..,.  
Page 237 of 312

.... N .... N 
0 J: 
'SI: .... \!) 1.1'1 
.... 1.1'1 ,...., 
-The  oil filler  cap must  be properly se
cured to  prevent  oil from  being sprayed 
on the  hot  engine  and  exhaust  system 
when  the  engine  is running  - fire hazard! 
-If your skin has come  in contact  with the 
engine  oil, you must  subsequently 
cleanse  it thoroughly . 
@ Note 
-Check the  oil level. If the  message 
Please  reduce  oil  level appears,  contact 
your authorized  Audi dealer  or other  qualified  workshop  to  have excess  oil ex 
tracted  if necessary . 
-Audi does  not  recommend  the  use  of  oil 
additives.  They may  damage  the  engine 
and  adversely  affect  your  New  Vehicle 
Warranty. 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
-Under no circumstances  can the  oil come 
in  contact  with  the  sewage  network  or 
the  soil. 
- Observe and  follow  legal  regulations 
when  disposing  of empty  oil containers. 
Changing the  engine  oil 
We recommend  that  have your  oil changed  by 
an authorized  Audi dealer or a qualified  serv
ice station . 
Before you check anything  in the  engine  com 
partment, 
always  read  and  heed  all WARN
INGS 
~ .&. in Working  in the  engine  compart
ment  on page  228. 
T he engine  oil must  be changed  according  to 
the  intervals  specified  in your Warranty 
& 
Maintenance  booklet . This  is very  important 
because  the  lubricating  properties  of oil di
minish gradually  during  normal vehicle use. 
Under some  circumstances  the  engine  oil 
should  be changed  more frequently . Change 
oil more often  if you drive mostly  short  dis
tances , operate  the vehicle  in dusty  areas  or 
under  predominantly  stop-and-go  traffic  con
ditions , or  have your vehicle where  tempera-
Checking  and  filling  235 
tu  res  remain  below freezing  for extended  pe
riods. 
Detergent  additives  in the  oil will make fresh 
oil look dark after  the  engine  has  been  run ning for  a short  time.  This is normal  and  is not 
a reason  to  change  the  oil more  often  than 
recommended. 
Because of the  problem  of proper  disposal, 
along  with the  special tools  and  necessary  ex
pertise  requir ed, we strongly  recommend  that 
you have your oil changed  by an authorized 
Audi dealer or a qualified  service station. 
If you  choose  to  change  your oil  yourself, 
please  note  the  following  important  informa
tion: 
_& 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  en-
gine 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  run
ning 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 children. 
- Continuous  contact  with  used  engine  oil 
is harmful  to  your skin. Always protect 
your skin by washing  oil 
off thoroughly 
with  soap  and water. 
(D Note 
Never  mix oil additives  with your engine 
oil. These additives  can  damage your en
gine and  adversely affect  your Audi  Limit
ed  New  Vehicle Warranty . 
• 
•  
Page 238 of 312

236  Check ing  and  filling 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
- Before  changing  your  oil , first  make  sure 
you  know  where  you  can  properly  dispose 
of  the  used  oil. 
- Always  dispose  of  used  engine  oil  proper
l y.  Do not  dump  it  on  garden  soi l, wood
ed  areas,  into  open  streams  or  down 
sewage  dra ins. 
- Recycle  used  engine  oil by taking  it  to  a 
used  engine  oil collection  facility  in your 
area,  or  contact  a service  station . 
Engine  cooling  system 
Coolant 
The engine  coolant  performs  two  functions:  it 
keeps  the  engine  from  overheating  and  it pro tects  the  engine  from  freezing  in the  winter. 
The  cooling  system  is sea led  and  generally  re
qu ires  little  attention . 
The  cooling  system  has  been  filled  at  the  fac 
tory  with  a  pe rmanent  coolant  which  does  not 
need  to  be  c hanged.  The  coolant  consists  of  a 
mixture  of  spec ia lly conditioned  water  and  the 
manufacturer 's  glycol-based  coo lant  add i-
tive  G l3  antifreeze  with  ant icorrosion  addi 
tives  (50%  for  USA models ; 60%  for  Canadian 
mod els).  This  mixture  both  assures  the  nec es
sary  frost  protection  and  protects  metal  com ponents  in the  engine's  cooling  sys tem  from 
corrosion  and  scaling . It  a lso  raises  the  boil
ing  point  of  the  coolant . 
Do not  red uce  the  concentration  of  the  coo l
ant  in the  summer  by adding  plain  water. 
The 
proportion  of  coolant  add it ive  mu st  be at 
l e a st  50 % but  not  more than  60 % 
to  main
tain  antifreeze  protection  and  cooling  efficien
cy . If  the  coolant  frost  prote ct ion  is too  low, 
the  coo lant  cou ld freeze  and  damage  the  veh i
cle  hea ting  and  eng ine  cooling  system. 
For yea r-round  d riving,  antifreeze  is added  at 
the  fac to ry for  temperatures  down  to: 
-- 31°F( -35°C)USA 
- -40  °F (  -40  °C) Canada.  If 
you  must  add  coolant,  use  a  mixture  o f wa 
ter  and  coolant  additive . Mixing the  coo lant 
additive  with  distilled  water  is  recommended. 
A WARNING 
-
Before  you  c heck  anything  in the  engine 
compartment,  always  read  and  heed  a ll 
WAR NINGS 
c::, & in Working  in the  engine 
compartment  on page  228. 
(D Note 
- Before  winter  sets  in,  have  the  coo lant 
checked  to  see  if the  coolant  additive  in 
your  vehicle  is sufficient  to  meet  the  cli mate  conditions . This  is  especia lly impor
tant  if you  live  in a  reg ion  where  the  win
ter  is ex treme ly cold.  If ne cessa ry, i n
crease  the  pr opo rtion  of  coo lant  add itive 
t o  60%. 
- Whe n adding  coolant  additive  to  yo ur 
c ooling  sys tem,  remembe r: 
- We  recommend  using  on ly coolant  ad 
d itive  Gl2++  or  Gl3  for  your  vehicle . 
This coolant additive is availab le at au
thor ized  Audi  dealers . Other  types  of 
ant ifreeze  can  s ignificant ly reduce  cor
rosion  protection.  The  resulti ng  cor ro
sion  can  ca use  a loss  o f coolan t  and  se
rio us engine  damage. 
- Do not  add  any  type  of  rad iator  leak  seal
a nt  to  yo ur vehicle 's  engine  coolant. 
Add ing  radiator  repai r fl ui d  may  adverse 
ly affect  the  function  and  performance  of 
your  cooling  system  and  co uld  resu lt  in 
damage  not  covered  by yo ur New Vehicle 
Limited  Warranty. 
- 
Page 239 of 312

,...., 
N ,...., 
N 
0 J: 
'SI: ,...., \!) ..,., 
,...., ..,., ,...., 
Checking  the  engine  coolant  level 
The engine  coolant  level  can be checked  with 
a quick glance . 
Fig.  204 Eng ine  compartme nt:  cover o n the  coolant 
expansion tank 
Before  you  check anything  in the  engine  com
partment, 
a lway s read and  he ed all WARN 
INGS ¢ & in Working  in the  engine  compart
ment  on page  228. 
Park your  vehicle  on  a  level  surface. 
~ Switch  off  the ignition. 
~ Read  the  engine coolant  leve l from  the  cool
ant  expansion  tank¢ 
fig. 204, ¢ page  230. 
With  a cold  engine,  the  coolant level should 
be  between  the  "min" and "max"  markings. 
When  the  engine  is warm,  the  level  may  be  sl ightly  above  the  ''max" marking. 
The  location  of  the  coolant  expansion  tank 
can  be  seen in the  engine  compartment  illus
tration  ¢ 
page  230 . 
To obtain  an  accurate reading,  the  engine 
must  be  switched  off. 
The  expansio n tank  in your  vehicle  is  equipped 
with  an  electric  coolant  level  sensor. 
When  t he  coo lant  level  is too  low,  the  warning 
light  in the  Auto-Check  System¢ 
page  15 will 
illuminate  unti l yo u add  coolant  and  the level 
has  been  restored to  normal.  Even thoug h 
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  coolant loss,  the  cool-
Checkin g and  fillin g 237 
ing  system  shou ld  be  inspected  immediately 
by your  authorized  Audi  dealer . It  is not 
eno ugh  merely  to  add  coo lant . 
In  a 
s ealed system,  losses  can  occu r on ly if 
the  boiling  point  of the  coo lant  is exceeded  as 
a  resu lt  of  overheating. 
A WARNING 
The  cooling  system  is  under  pressure  and 
can  get  very  hot.  Red uce  the  risk of  scald
ing  from  hot  coolant  by follow ing  these 
steps. 
- Turn  off  the engine  and  allow  it  to  cool 
down. 
- Protect  your  face,  hands  and  arms  from 
escaping  flu id  a nd  steam  by cover ing  the 
cap  with  a  la rge,  th ick rag. 
- Turn the  cap  slowly  and  very  carefully  in 
a  counter-clockwise  d irect ion  while  ap
p lyi ng  lig ht,  dow nward  pressure  on  the 
top  of  the  cap. 
- To avo id  being  burned,  do  not  sp ill anti
freeze  o r coolan t on  the  exhaust  system 
or  ho t engine  parts.  Und er certa in cond i
tions,  the  ethylene  gly co l in engine  coo l
an t can  catch  fire. 
(D Note 
Do not  add  any  type  of  radiator  leak  sea l
ant  to  your  veh icle's  engine  coo lant.  Add
i ng  radia to r  repa ir flui d  may  adverse ly af
fe ct  the  fun ct io n and  perfor man ce  o f you r 
coo ling  system  and  could  result  in  damage 
not  cove red  by your  New Vehicle  Limi ted 
War ranty. 
Adding  coolant 
Be very careful  when adding  engine  coolant . 
Before you  che ck a nyt hing  in the  eng ine  com
partmen t, 
alway s re ad  and  he ed alt WARN
INGS ¢ & in  Working  in the  engine  compart
ment  on page  228. 
~ Requirement:  There  must  be  a  residua l 
a mo unt  of  coolan t  in the  expansion  ta nk 
¢(D. 
~Tu rnoff  the engine  .  • 
•  
Page 240 of 312

238  Check ing  and  filling 
•  Let the  engine  coo l down . 
•  Place  a thick  rag  over  the  coolant  expansion 
tank 
¢ page  237,  fig . 204 and care full y 
twist  the  cap  counter-clockwise¢ _&.. 
•  Add  coolant  mixed  in the  correct  ratio 
¢ 
page  236,  Coolant up  to  the  MAX mark
i ng. 
•  Make sure  that  the  fluid  level  rema ins  sta-
ble.  Add  more  coolant  if  necessary. 
•  Twist  the  cap  on  again 
tightly. 
Replacement  engine  coolant  must  conform  to 
exact  specifications  ¢ 
page  236,  Coolant. 
We  recommend  using  only  coolant  additive 
G12++,  G13  or  in  an  emergency  G12+ . Do  not 
use  a  different  additive . In  an  emergency  use 
p la in water  unt il you  can  get  the  correct  add i
tive  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  co ld  antifreeze 
and  cold  water  only  when  the  engine  is  co ld. 
Always use 
new eng ine  coolant  when  refilling . 
Do not  fi ll coolant  above  the  "MAX" mark.  Ex
cess  coolant  will  be  forced  out  through  the  pressure  relief  valve  in the  cap  when  the  en
g ine  becomes  hot . 
A WARNING 
- T he  coo ling  system  is under  p ressure  and 
can  get  very  hot.  Reduce  the  risk  of 
scalding  from  ho t coolant  by following 
these  steps. 
-Turn  off  the  eng ine  and  a llow  it to  cool 
down. 
- Protect  your  face,  hands  and  arms  from  escaping  flu id  and  steam  by cover ing 
the  cap  with  a  large,  thick  rag. 
- T urn  the  cap  slowly  and  very  carefully 
in a  counter-clockwise  d irect ion  while 
apply ing  light,  downward  pressure  on 
the  top  of the  cap. 
- To avo id  being  burned,  do  not  sp ill an
tifreeze  or  coolant  on  the  exhaust  sys
tem  or  hot  engine  parts . Under  certa in  cond
it ions,  the  ethylene  g lycol  in en
gine  coolant  can  catch  fire. 
- Antifreeze  is  poisonous . A lways  store  an
tifreeze  in  its  origina l container  and  well 
out  of  the  reach  of  children. 
- If  you  dra in the  coo lant,  it  must  be 
caught  and  safely  stored  in a  proper  con
tainer  clearly  marked  "po ison". 
@ Note 
- Do not  add  coolant  if the  expansion  tank 
is empty.  Air co uld  enter  the  cooling  sys
tem  and  damage  the  engine.  If  this  is 
the  case,  do  not  cont inue  driving.  Seek 
professional  assistance . 
- Coo lant  pollutes  the  environment  and 
cou ld  cause  an  engine  f ire.  Excess  cool
ant  will  be forced  out  through  the  pres
sure  relief  valve  in the  cap  when  the  en
gine  becomes  hot. 
- If,  in  an  eme rgency,  only  wate r can  be 
added,  the  co rrect  ratio  between  water 
and  antifreeze  ¢ 
page  236 must  be  re
stored as soon  as possible. 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
D rained  coolant  should  not  be  reused . Al
ways  d ispose  of  used  coolant  while  observ
i ng  all  envi ro nmental  regula tions. 
Radiator fan 
The radiator fan  switches  on automatically  by 
itself 
The  rad iator  fan  is  driven  by the  e ngine  via the 
V-belt.  The viscous  clutch  regulates  the  speed  of the  fan  acco rding  to  the  temperatu re  of the 
coolant. 
An auxiliary  electric  radiato r fan*  sw itches  on 
and  off  depending  on  coolant  temperature 
and  ot her  vehicle  ope rat ing  condit io ns. 
After  you  switch  the  eng ine  off,  the  aux iliary 
fan  can  continue  running  for  up  to  10  m inutes 
- even  w ith  the  ignition  off . 
It can  even  switch 
o n  aga in  later  by  itself¢.& , if 
1111>