lights AUDI Q3 2016 Owner's Guide

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- Driving on rough terrain when much of the car's weight is lifted off the wheels (axle articu la­
t ion)
- Driving downhill whi le brak ing on loose gro und
ESC levels
Intelligent Technology
For yo ur safe ty, switch off the ESC offroad mo de
in advance.
Offroad mode on ESC/ASRoff Offroad mode off or
ESC
/ASRon
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza -
The stabiliza tion f unction is The f
ull stabiliza tion fu nc-
tion functions are limited not available
Q .&. . ESC and
tion of the ESC and ASR is
~ &. ASR are switched off . available again.
Operation Press the IJJ button briefly. P ress and ho ld the IJJ but- Press the IJJ button aga in.
ton longer than th ree sec-
onds.
Indicato r fl turns on. fil and !;ill•)H turns on. II turns off or II and
lights !;ill•)H turn off .
Driver mes- Stab ilization control (ESC ): Stabil ization control (ESC): Stabilization control (ESC ):
sage s Offroad Warning! Reduced Off Warning! Reduced sta-
On
st ability
bility
A WARNING
You should only switch offroad mode on or
switch ESC/ASR off if your driving ab ilities
and the t raffic conditions perm it. Th ere is a
r is k of sli ding.
- The stabilization function is limited when
offroad mo de is switched on. Th e dr iving
w heels co uld spin and the vehicle cou ld
swe rve, e speci ally on s lick o r slip pery r oad
s u rfaces.
- T here is no veh icle s tabilizat ion whe n ESC/
ASR are swi tched off .
-
Hill descent assist
Applies to vehicles: with hill descent assist
The hill descent assist makes it possible to drive
down an incline at a constant speed .
Fig. 142 Ce nte r console: hill descent ass ist button
.. To switch on the hill descent assist, p ress the
~ butto n in the center co nsole Q fig. 142 . The
LED in the button turns on .
.. Press the button again to switch it off. The LED
in the button turns off .
Hill descent assist brakes all four wheels auto­
matically in order to limit speed when driving ei­
ther forward or reverse on hills with a grade up to
approximately 50%. ..,_
153

Intelligent Technology
Electromechanical
steering
The electromechanical steering sup ports the
driver's steering movements .
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator lights and mess ages
• Steering fault! Do not drive veh icle!
If thi s ind ic a tor light t urns o n and stays o n and
this message appears, the power steering may
have fa iled.
S top the veh icle in a safe lo cat io n as soo n as pos­
sib le. Do
not c on tinue driving. See an author ized
Aud i dea ler o r authorized Aud i Serv ice Facility fo r
assistance.
If the ind icator lig ht t urns on, the steer ing wheel
may be mo re diff icu lt to move o r more sensitive
than usual. The stee ring wheel may also be at a n
angle when dr iving straight .
Dr ive s low ly to your author ized A udi dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Se rvice Facility to have the ma l­
f u nction co rrected.
E£-ij St eering lock: System fault! Plea se contact
deal er.
There is a malfunction in the electronic steering
lock.
D rive to an a uthorized Audi dea le r or a uthorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunct ion corrected.
@ Tips
If the . or Erj indicato r light on ly stays on
for a short time, you may continue driv ing.
All wheel drive (quattro)
Applies to vehicles: with all wheel drive
In oil wheel drive, oil four wheels ore powered .
General information
In a ll w heel d rive, the d rivi ng power is divided be­
tween a ll four wheels . This happens au tomatical-
156
ly depending on yo ur driv ing behavior as we ll as
the cur rent road conditions . Refer to
Q page 151.
The all whee l dr ive concep t is designed fo r high
engine power. Yo ur vehicle is except ion ally pow­
erf ul and has excellent drivin g charac teristics
both un der normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice . Always read and follow safety pre ­
cautions
c:> .&, .
Winter tires
By using all whee l dr ive, your ve hicle has goo d
f orward motion wi th standard tires in w inte r con ­
ditions . However, in winte r we recommend using
winter or all-season tires on all four wheels, be­
cause this will improve the brak ing effect
c:> page 206, Winter tires .
Snow chains
If there are snow chain laws, snow chains m ust
also be used o n veh icles with all wheel drive
c:> page 206, Snow chains.
Replacing tires
Fo r vehicles with all wheel drive, on ly wheels with
t h e same ro lli ng circ umfe rence sho uld be used .
Avoid whee ls with different t read depths
Q page 198 , New tires or wheels .
A WARNING
-Also, in vehicles with all wheel drive, adapt
your driving sty le to the current road and
traffic conditions. Do not let t he increased
safety prov ided tempt you in to taking r isks,
because this inc reases t he risk of an acc i­
dent.
- The braking ab ility o f your vehicle is limited
t o th e trac tion of th e wh eels. I n this way, it
is no t differe nt from a two wheel drive vehi ­
cle. Do no t be tempte d to accelerate to a
hi gh speed when the ro ad is slip pery this in­
creases the risk of an accident .
- N ote tha t on wet s tree ts, the front wheels
can " hydrop lane" i f driv ing at spee ds tha t
are too high. Unlike front wheel drive
veh icles, t he engine does not
rev higher sud­
de nly when t he vehicle begins hydroplan ing.
For this reason, pay attention to the road

Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating .
11-Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­ ating . If you anticipate what is going to happen
next, you will need to brake less and, thus, accel­
erate less . Let the vehicle coast whenever possi­
ble - for example when you see that the next traf ­
f ic light is red .
Avoid full throttle
Driving a t modera te speeds saves fuel and im­
proves your mileage .
11-Try and keep well be low your car's max imum
speed.
Accelerating gent ly reduces fuel consumption,
engine wear, and does not disturb the environ ­
ment.
F ue l cons umption, exha ust emissions and engine
noise increase disproportionately at high speeds.
If you drive at approximately three quarters of
top speed, fuel consumpt ion will be reduced by
one half. Never drive faster than the posted
speed limit and weather conditions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling i t burns up fuel.
11-S hut the engine off w hen you are not driving
the vehicle.
11-Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the en-
gine ru n at idle .
It makes sense to shut off the eng ine in traffic
jams, when wa iting for trains to pass at rai lroad
crossings, or at traffic lights that have long waits
on red . Turn ing the eng ine off for just 30 -40 sec ­
onds saves more fue l than is bu rned starting the
engine agai n.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fu lly when it is runni ng at idle . However, wear
and noxious emiss ions are especially high when
the eng ine is wa rm ing up . So you should d rive
Driving and the envir onment
away as soon as you start the eng ine and avoid
running at high rpms w hil e the engine is sti ll
warming up .
(D Note
Do not leave eng ine idling una ttended after
starting. If wa rning lights shou ld come on to
i ndicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also prod uces
heat, which could result in overheating or
other damage to the vehicle or other proper ­
ty .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot
of fuel .
11-Have your vehicle serviced at regular interva ls.
By having your vehicle regular ly serv iced by an
authorized Audi dea ler helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically. The cond ition of
your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability
to hold its value, it also affects
fuel con sump­
tion .
Chec k your oil each t ime you fill your tank.
T he amount o f oi l used is related to engine load
and speed.
It is normal fo r the oil consump tion of a new en­
gine to reach its lowest value after a ce rtain m ile­
age has been dr iven.
You m ust dr ive your ve hicle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) befo re yo u can prope rly as­
sess oil consumpt io n.
T h is also app lies to fuel consumption and eng ine
output.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the se rvice recommenda­
tions i n your Warranty
& M aintenance book-
le t. La ck of prope r maintenan ce as we ll as
imp roper use of the ve hicle will im pair the
function of the em ission cont rol sys tem and
co uld lead to damage . .,.
161

Driving and th e en vironm ent
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap­ proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such as
heat shie lds, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Em ission Control System and other
i mportant vehicle components.
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high
on shor t trips.
... Try to avoid driving short distances with a cold
engine.
The engine and catalyt ic converter have to reach
their optimal
ope rating temperature to reduce
fue l cons umption and nox ious emissions effec­
tively .
J ust after starting, a co ld eng ine in a m id -s ize ca r
only achieves a f uel economy of 6-8 miles p er
ga llon (30 -40 l/100 km). After about a half a
mile ; fu e l economy cl imbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100
km). After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the engine is
at its prope r operating temperature and fuel
economy has reached a normal level. So you can
see that you sho uld avoid short t rips whenever
possible.
The
outsid e temperature is also critical in this re ­
gard . Your car consumes more fuel in the w in ter
than in the summe r.
Driving offroad
General information
When driving offroad, the f unctions for the elec­
tron ic stabili zation control (ESC) are expanded.
ESC offroad mode can be activated in dr iving sit­
uations in which a whee l lock o r a d ifferent ial
lock fu nction is needed
r=.> page 152.
However, your Audi is not an offroad vehicle.
Never drive the vehicl e in terra in which is not
suitabl e for the vehicle, or which exceeds your
driving skills. Never take any unnecessary ri sks!
162
After driving offroad
- After driving off road, remove branche s and
other deb ris from the rad iator g rille, under ­
body, and w heels . Look especially fo r objects
(stones) that have been caught in the tire
tread.
- Clean the body and the ve hicle unde rbody and
i nspect the ve hicle for possible damages.
- Clean off the dirty windows, headlights, tail
lights and t he license plate.
- Per form a brake test (especia lly after d riving
throug h water) .
A WARNING
-Be especially aware and attentive when d riv ­
ing under diff icu lt cond itions. Damages to
the vehicle and injur ies may occur when
driving at an excess ively high speed o r with
incor rect d riving maneuvers .
- Always ad just yo ur speed and handling to
the roads, terra in, traffic and weathe r con ­
d itions . D rive especially s low if offroad wi th
low visibility.
- Please note that t he wheels can sp in mo re
and the vehicle can swerve when in ESC off­
road mode , espe cially when the road is slip­
pe ry o r has loose surfa ce m aterial.
- Driv ing stability is reduce d in the ESC
Off­
road mode.
@ For the sake of the environment
Avo id harm ing t he env ironmen t and take na­
ture into co nsideration .
(D Tips
Only drive where it is allowed and always stay
on the provided roads and paths .
Driving information
There is only one right way to drive in difficult
conditions: slowly and with caution!
Observe the following when driving on unpaved
r oads :
Ill-

Trailer mod e
Trailer mode
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­my and performance.
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Tr aile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your veh icle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount . Always check w ith the t rail­
er hitch man ufact urer to make su re that you are
using the co rrect hitch .
Do not use a bump er hit ch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system. No mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From t ime to t ime, check that a ll hitch mount ing
bolts rema in securely fastened.
When you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra iler hitch ba ll mount . This prevents the hitch
from caus ing damage shou ld your veh icle be
s truck from be hind ¢
,&..
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
164
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system ¢&. .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between you r vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Traile r lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
r ec t wiring , switches, and relays.
M irrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outs ide mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors . It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
.&_ WARNING
- If a tra ile r has e lectr ica l brakes p lease no te
t hat these brakes are not activated by the
factory-fit ted contro l unit -risk of accident!
- After removing the trai ler hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch co uld fly forward and in ­
jure you or yo ur passengers.
- Never install a "we ight distribu ting" or
"load eq ualizing" trailer hitch on your vehi­
cle. The vehicle was not designed for these
kinds of trailer hitches. The hitch attach­ ment can fail, caus ing the tra iler to tear
loose from the vehicle.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
veh icle, found on the safety compliance la­
be l on the driver's s ide B-pillar, must never
be exceeded under any circumstances . Ex­
ceed ing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rat ing of
your veh icle is likely to damage yo ur vehicle,
and such damage will not be covered by
your Limited New Vehicle Warranty . Exceed­
ing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating will al ­
so change the performance and handling
characteristics of your vehicle, which could
cause a crash result ing in serious injury or
death.

Operating instructions
6" r-2
~·~
1/2"
1·1/2"
ill
Fig. 143 Permitted ball pos ition of the trailer hitch
Trailer towing weights
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissib le trailer weight is
2,200 lbs (1,000 kg). The maximum permiss ible
unbraked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg).
These specifications apply when dr iv ing on roads
h av ing an incl ine of less than 12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these changed
conditions, adjust the trailer load so that the
tongue load is at the maximum allowable or
slightly lower. You can get an approximation of
the tongue load w ith a bathroom scale o r you can
measure the load at a trucking company or
weighing station.
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hit ch, the maximum permissib le load on the ball
hitch may not exceed 220 lbs (100 kg).
It is rec­
ommended to use the maximum permissible
l oad.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
place to prevent it from s hiftin g forward, back­
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 166.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used w ith suitable
ball mount and ball¢
fig. 143. Installation of
the hitch ball must be carr ied out in accordance
with the manufacturer's instructions.
Trailer mode
Engine cooling system
To wing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance 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 th e cold tire pressure lis ted under "Full
load" on the tire pressure label. The tire pressu re
label is located on the driver's side B-pi llar . In­
flate trailer t ires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight settings shou ld be checked with
the trai ler attached before driving off. Check to
make s ure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle.
Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit turn ­
ing corners . When you install safety chains, make
sure they will not drag on the road when you are
driv ing.
The chains should cross under the trai ler tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with o trailer always requires extra core
and consideration .
To obtain the best possib le handling of vehicle
and trailer, p lease note the following:
.. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself
is not loaded.
.. Be especially care ful when passing other
vehicles .
.. Observe speed limits.
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissib le
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Mon itor the temperature gauge .
165

wash operator to reduce the risk of acc idents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash­
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings .
- After washing the vehicle, the brak ing effect
may be delayed due to mo isture on the
brake rotors or ice in the w inter . The brakes
must be dried first w ith a few careful brake
applica tions .
- If you wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash, yo u m ust fold the exterior m irrors i n
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
Power folding exte rior m irrors* must on ly
be fo lded in a nd out using the power folding
funct ion.
- To p revent paint damage, do not wash the
vehicle i n direct sunlight.
Ca re and cleaning
- To re duce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitchen
sponges or s imilar items .
- Matte finish painted veh icle components:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use po lishing agents or hard
wax.
- Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with matte
finish paint. The paint cou ld be damaged
when the stickers or magnets are re­
moved .
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facili ties s pec ia lly de­
s igned for that pu rpose. This will reduce the
r isk of dir ty wate r contam ina ted with o il from
en te ring the sewe r sys tem.
Cleaning and care information
W hen clea ning and ca ring for individua l vehicle
components, refer to the following tables. The
in fo rmation co ntai ned there is s imp ly recom ­
mend ations. For quest ions or for components that are
not listed, cons ult an autho rized Aud i
dealer or author ized A udi Se rvice Fac il ity. Also
f o llow the information fo und in ~ .&. -
Ext erior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper
Deposits ~ page 46, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
blades
H eadlights /
Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solutiona >
Tail light s
Sensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with solvent-free cleaning solution
Camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth w ith alcoho l-free cleaning solu-
tion
Snow/i ce H
and brus h/solven t-free de-icing spray
Whe els Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid
-free special clean ing solution
Exhaust tail Road salt Water, clean ing solution su itab le for stainless stee l, if nee -
pipes essary
Decorative parts/ Deposits M
ild soap so lution al, a cleaning so lution s uitable for stain-
Trim less stee l, if necessary
169
...

Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
T ex til es
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
art ifici al leat her, the surface
A lcan tara Water-based depos- Absorbent cloth and mild soap
solutional
its such as coffee,
tea, blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Apply a mild soap solution al, blot away the dissolved oil or
such as oil, make-up, dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
etc.
Special deposits such Special stain remover, b lot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, nail polish, la-afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary al
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natu ral le ath er Fresh stains Wool cloth with a mild soap solution al
Water-based depos-Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
its such as coffee, Dried sta ins: stain remover su itable for leathe r
tea, blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable for
such as oil, make-up, leather
etc . Dried stains : grease dissolving spray
Special deposits such Spot remover suitable for leather
as ink, nail polish, la-
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Ca re Regularrly apply cond itioning cream that p rotects from light
and penetrates into the ma ter ial. Use spec ially-colored con-
ditionirng cream, if necessary.
Carbon p art s Deposits clean the same way as plastic parts
a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 q uart (1 liter) of water
.8, WARNING
The windshield may not be trea ted with wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un ­
favorable cond itions such as wetness, dark­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare.
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
@ Note
- Headlight s/tail li ghts
- Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
- Whe els
-
- Never use a ny pa int polish or other abra­
sive materials .
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as sto ne ch ips or scratches must
be repaired immediately .
-Sen sor s/camera lenses
-Neve r use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens . This
could ca use the lens to crack .
- Neve r use ab rasive cleaning materials or
a lcohol to clean the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Door window s
-Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors w ith a plast ic scraper. To
171

Check ing and F illing
Audi oil quality standard
Gas olin e
VW 502 00 or
engi ne vw 50400
Using the proper engine oil is important for the
functionality and service life of the engine. Your
engine was factory-filled with a high-quality oil
which can usually be used throughout the entire
year .
Q) Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions due to failure
to follow recommended maintenance and use
requirements as set fo rth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Wa rranty
& Maintenance booklet.
- Use only a high qua lity eng ine oi l th at ex-
pressly complies with the Audi oil qua lity
stan dard specified for your vehi cle's engine.
Using any o ther oil can cause serious engine
damage .
- Do not mix any lubricants o r other addit ives
i nto the engine oil. Doing so can cause en­
gine damage.
(D Tips
I f you nee d to add oi l and there is none availa­
ble that meets the Audi o il qu ality st andard
your engine requires, you may ad d a total of
no more than 0 .5 quart/liter of a high-quality
"synthet ic"oil that meets the following speci­
fications.
- ACEA A3 o r API SM with a viscosity g rade of
SAE OW-30, SAE 5W-30 or SAE 5W-40.
- For more information about engine oi l that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact either your authorized Audi dea ler
or Audi Custome r Relat ions at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www .aud icanada .ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of
its moving parts .
In order to provide effective lubrication and cool­
ing of internal engine components, all internal
180
combust ion engines consume a certa in amo unt
of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to en­
gine and may change significantly over the life of
the engine. Typically, engines w ith a specified
break-in period (see
c:::;, page 159) consume more
o il dur ing the break-in per iod than they consume
af ter o il consumption has stab ilized .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil con­
sumption depends on the quality and viscos ity of
the oil, the RPM (revo lutions per m inute) at
wh ich the engine is operated, the amb ient tem­
perature and road condit ions. Further factors a re
the amount of o il di lution from wate r co ndensa­
tion or fue l resid ue an d the oxidation level of the
o il. As any engine is sub ject to wear as mileage
builds up, the oi l cons umption may increase over
time unt il replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With a ll these variab les coming into p lay, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be estab­
li shed or specified. The re is no alternative to reg­
u lar and frequent checking of the oi l level, see
Note.
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbo l Ell
in the instrument cluster lights up, you sho uld
check the oil level as soon as possible
c:::;, page 181. Top off the oil at your earliest con­
venience
c:::;,page 181.
A WARNING
Before you check anyth ing in the e ng ine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
I NGS
c:::;, .&. in Working in the engin e compart­
ment on page 177.
(D Note
Driving w ith an insuffic ient oil level is likely to
cause severe damage to the eng ine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warn ing d isplay. is not
an indicator of the oil level. Do not rely on
it. Instead, check the oil level in your en­
g ine at regular int ervals , pr eferably each
time you refuel, and alway s before going
on a long trip .

@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of
brake fluid as we ll as the special toots re­
quired and the necessary expertise, we rec­
ommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your authorized Audi dealer .
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery
in your Audi does not need any maintenance.
With
high outside temperatures or long daily
drives we recommend that you have the electro­
lyte level checked by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop. The electrolyte level should
also be checked each time the battery is charged
c> page 189.
Have the battery checked when you take your ve­
hicle in for serv ice. You are well advised to re­
place a battery t hat is older than 5 years.
With certain types of airbag deployment, the battery is disconnected from the vehicle electri­
cal system for safety reasons
c> & in Repair, care
and disposal of the airbags on page 125 .
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regula­
tors, for example) are lost if the battery termi­ nals are disconnected. These functions have to be
relearned after the battery terminals are con­
nected again. To prevent th is, the battery should
only be disconnected from the vehicle e lectr ica l
system when abso lutely necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks, electrical components are
gradually cut back or sw itched off. This reduces
energy consumption and maintains starting ca­
pability over a longer pe riod
c> page 157.
Some of the conven ience functions may not oper­
ate, such as the interior lights or the power seat
adjustment. The convenience functions will be
available again when you turn on the ignition and
start the engine.
Checking and Filling
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends
to decrease as temperatures drop . This is be­
cause more power is also consumed while start­
ing, and the headlights, rear window defogger,
etc., are used more often.
Avo id unnecessary power consumption, particu­
larly in city traffic or when traveling only short
distances . Let your authorized Audi dealer check
the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter
sets in
c> page 189. A well charged battery will
not only prevent starting problems when the
weather is cold, but will also last longer .
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the ve­
hicle battery should be removed and stored
where it w ill not freeze. This will prevent it
from be ing damaged and having to be re­
placed.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the engine compart­
ment . Before you check anything in the engine
compartment ,
read and heed all WARNINGS
c>,& ,
Always heed the safety warnings, when working
on the vehicle battery or the veh icle electrical
system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important
when working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYM·
BOLS and safety precautions when working on
the battery.
®
Always wear eye protection.
A
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Al-
ways wear gloves and eye protection .
187