AUDI RS5 CABRIOLET 2013 Owners Manual

Cleaning and protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value.
Any automobile is exposed to industrial
fumes , corrosive road salt, etc. A well cared
for Audi can look like new many years after
purchase . Regu lar and correct care w ill con­
tr ibute to maintaining the beauty and value of
your Aud i.
F u rth ermor e, good c are may be a conditi on
for subs tantiati ng a w arrant y claim sho uld
c orrosion d amag e or paint d efects oc cur.
Your authorized Audi dealer has a variety of
dedic ated veh icle-car e products and can ad ­
vise which ones to use for cleaning the exter i­
or and interior of your vehicle.
Whether you use products recommended by
Aud i or other commercially available clean ing
agents, please make sure you apply them cor­
rectly .
A WARNING
-Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep
them out of the reach of children.
- Heed all caut ion labels.
- Always read directions on the container
before using any product. Follow the di­
rect ions carefu lly.
- Most chemical cleaners are concentrated
and have to be diluted .
- Use spot removing fluids only in well
ventilated areas.
- Do not use gasoline, kerosene, d iesel
fuel, nail polish remover or other volatile
fluids. They may be toxic, flammab le or
haza rdous in other ways. Do not wash,
wax or dry the vehicle with the ign it ion
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, e tc. w ithout pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may c u t yourself on sharp -edged metal parts .
Cleaning and protec tion 189
- Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing effic iency¢
page 178. Test the
brakes carefully each time you wash the
veh icle.
@) For the sake of the environment
Select on ly environmentally friend ly clean­
i ng products . Leftover cleaning products
should not d isposed of in the household
waste.
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent washing protects the vehicle .
The best protection against environmental i n­
fluences is
frequent washing and waxing . How
often t his is required depends on:
- How much the veh icle is used
- Where the veh icle is parked (garage, in the
open under trees, etc.)
- The seasonal and weather conditions
- Environmental infl uences
T he longer b ird droppings, insects, tree resin,
road and indus tria l gr ime, ta r, soot, road salt
and other materials remain on the vehicle
body, the more lasting their destructive ef­
fects wi ll be . High temperatures caused by ex­
posure to intense sun light intens ify the corro­
s ive effect, particularly when humid ity is high
as well.
Under certain circumstances,
weekl y washing
may be necessary. Under other cond itions, a
monthly washing and waxing may be ade­
quate .
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle
should be thoroughly washed, preferab ly in a
professional car wash .
Vehicles with matte finish paint¢
page 192 .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information¢
page 189.
•
•

190 Cleaning and protection
Automatic car wash
Th e ve hicl e can be washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so du rable that t he ve hicle
can normally be washed without problems in
an automatic car wash . However, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sig n of the facility, the filte ring of the wash
wate r, the type of wash and care mater ia l, etc.
If th e p aint ha s a dull appearance afte r go ing
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi­
ately.
If necessary, use a different car wash.
Th e power top does no t require special pre ­
cautions be fore passing through a car wash.
However , the car mu st not be treated with
hot wa x after the wash cycle!
The wax could
adversely affect the power top and even dam­
age the fabric ove r a period of time.
The power top does not have to be washed ev­
e ry time you use a car wash . The power top
can be spared if the car wash facility is equ ip­
ped with manually adjustable roof brushes or
rollers.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precaut ions such as clos ing the
windows . Remove antenna if applicable.
I f yo u have installed additional accessories on
the vehicle - such as spoilers, etc. - it is best to
ask the car wash operator i f these should be
removed.
On ly use car washes where the vehi cle re ­
mains stationary and the cleaning equipment
moves around the vehicle wh ile washing and
drying. It is not recommended to use car
washes where the vehicle is moved forward on
a conveyer.
A WARNING
- Always read and heed all WAR NIN GS and
ot he r i nforma tio n
¢ page 189.
(D Note
- Before wash ing the ve hicle in an auto­
matic ca r wash, please make su re to re­
tract the exter ior mir rors to prevent
them from be ing damaged .
- Compare the w idth of yo ur vehicle with
the width of the tunne l at the facility.
- Compa re the track of yo ur vehicle with
the distance between the g uide rails of
the facility -there is a risk of damage to
the whee ls and tires.
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi­
cle by hand.
.,. Before yo u start washing, ma ke s ure you
have read a nd understood the WARNINGS
¢ .&, .
.,. First soak all dried d irt unt il it is soft, then
r inse it off .
.,. As you clean yo ur vehicle, start w ith t he roof
and wo rk your way down to t he bo ttom, us­
ing a sponge, a s ponge g love or a clean
br ush .
.,. Rinse the s ponge o r th e sponge g love o ften,
flushi ng it clean eac h time .
.,. Use spec ia l car shampoo only for very persis ­
tent dirt .
.,. Rinse the car t ho roughly with water.
.,. Use a chamo is leather to gently wipe the ex-
t er ior d ry .
U se a separate sponge for cleaning the
whee ls, door s ills and othe r regions exposed
to road dirt . In this way, yo u w ill not scratch
t h e pa int w ith coarse pa rticles imb edded in
t h e sponge the next time you wash t he ca r.
A WARNING
- W ash your vehicl e only when the ign ition
is swi tched o ff to re duce the r isk o f a
crash .
- Always re ad and heed a ll WA RNIN GS and
o ther in fo rm ation
¢ page 1 89 .

(D Note
-Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the vehicle is dry. Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, since this
could scratch your vehicle's pa int or w in­
dows .
- Never wash your car in bright sunlight.
Drops of water act as magnifying lenses
and may damage your paint.
- When you wash your car in the w inter: if
you r inse your vehicle w ith a hose, be
careful not to aim the stream of water
direct ly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings - they can free ze shut.
- Never use sponges des igned to remove
i nsects, or any kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products. They can damage
you r paint finish.
- Never use a dry cloth o r sponge to clean
the headligh ts. On ly use we t cloths or
sponges to prevent scratches.
It i s best
to use soapy wate r.
- You sho uld remove debris (su ch as in­
sects) from the head ligh t lenses on a
r egular basis, for example when refuel ­
ing your vehicle . Never use a dry cloth or
sponge to clean the head lights. Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent
scratches.
It is best to use soapy water.
@ For the sake of the environment
On ly wash the vehicle in facilit ies specially
designed for that purpose. Th is w ill reduce
the risk of d irty water contaminated with
oil from entering the sewer system. In
some areas, wash ing vehicles outs ide of
these facilit ies is prohib ited.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high ­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple rules .
~ Before us ing the powe r washe r, make sure
yo u have re ad an d u nderstood the WARN-
Cleaning and protec tion 19 1
INGS ¢ A in General information on
page 189 .
~ Always follow the operating instr uctions for
the power washer.
~ Make sure that the jet on the spray hose pro­
duces a "fan shaped sp ray" .
~ Do not hold the sp ray nozzle too close to
soft mater ials .
Never use a pow er washer to clean the power
top itself.
Keep a distance from soft materia ls s uch as
rubber hoses or insulating material as well as
sensors and camera lenses.
When cleaning the vehicle with a power was h­
er
always follow the operating instructions .
This applies part icu larly to the operating pres­
sure and the spraying d istance. Do not point
the spray d irectly at the seals around the s ide
windows, around the doo rs, on the rea r lid or
o n the powe r top. Likewise, do not po int it di­
re ct ly at tires, rubbe r hoses, insulat io n ma te ­
ria l or senso rs
¢ page 193. Hold the spray
nozzle at leas t 1.3 ft (0. 4 m) away from the
vehicle.
Do no t use a high-p ressu re power was her to
remove snow and i ce .
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a d irect
stream o r one that has a rotat ing jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F (60
°() .
A WARNING
Neve r wash t ires with a jet t hat sprays wa­
ter in a direct stream . Thi s could cause in­
v isi ble d amage to the t ire s and weaken
them, even if the spr ay is from a re lative ly
l ong dis tance and for a sho rt time. Dam­
aged and weakened tires can fail and cause
accidents and personal in jury.
([) Note
- Never use a power washer to clean the
powe r top itse lf .
•
•

192 Cleaning and protection
-To a void damaging yo ur vehicle, always
make sure that there is sufficient dis­
tance between the spray head and soft
mater ials like rubber hoses, p lastic parts
and sound-deaden ing mater ials as well
as sensors and camera lenses . Never aim
the spray head at t he same po int for a
l ong time. This also app lies to cleaning
headlights and painted bumpers . Re­
member: the cl oser the nozzle is to the
su rface o f the materia l, the greater the
stress on the mate rial.
Caring for vehicles with matte finish
paint
Ap plies to vehicles: with matte finish pa int
Vehicles with matte finish point require spe­
cial core due to the characteristics of the
poin t.
Washing by hand
To avoid damag ing the pa int when wash ing,
f irst remove dust and large particles from
your ve hicle . Insects, g rease spots and finger­
prints are best removed with a special cleaner
for matte finish paint .
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use
too m uch pressure.
R inse the vehicle t ho roughly with wa ter. Clean
the vehicle sta rting at the top and working to­
ward the bottom using a
neutral shampoo
and a soft mi crofiber cloth . Stop frequently to
rinse t he cloth thoroughly.
C lean the w heels and sill panels last. Use a
clean
s ponge on these areas .
R in se the veh icle tho roughly aga in and let i t
a ir dry . If there are any wa ter spots, t hey ca n
be removed using a
leather cloth.
C lean again with t he special cleaner for matte
fini sh paint
if ne cessa ry.
Removing stubborn dirt
Bird dropping s or tree sap
are best removed
with plenty of water a nd a m icrofiber cloth. You should
rinse off
ga soline re sidue immed i­
ate ly wit h plenty of water.
A WARNING
-
- Wash your vehicle only when the ign ition
is switched off to reduce the risk of a
crash.
-Always read and heed a ll WAR NINGS and
other information
c';> page 189.
(D Note
- Do not treat veh icle parts pa inted with
matte finish paint using polishing mate­
r ia ls or hard wax . These p roducts could
cause damage to the appearance or s ur­
face that cannot be repaired.
- Never use protective wax . It can destroy
the matte f inish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with
matte finish paint . The paint could be
damaged w hen the stickers or magnets
are removed.
'
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash
the vehicle in d irect sunlight.
- To prevent damage to the pa int surface,
do not use insect remova l sponges ,
rough k itchen spo nges or sim ila r items.
- You should remove deb ris (such as i n­
sects) from the headlight lenses o n a
regu lar basis, for example w he n r efuel­
ing your vehicle . Only clea n the head­
ligh ts u sing a wet cloth or sponge, neve r
a dry one. Clean ing wi th so apy wate r is
recommended .
{D Tips
For more inform ation on special clea ning
p rodu cts designed fo r m att e fin ish pain t,
see your Aud i deale r.
Power top care
The power top requires special care.
K eep ing you r top looking great and mak ing
c e rtain that it lasts a long time depend to a
great ex ten t on prope r use an d ca re. Remove .,.

bird d ropp ings as soon as possib le, since the
corrosive chemica ls in them wi ll cause the
rubber impregnat ion in your top to swell and
possibly allow the fabric to leak.
With
normal soiling , all yo u need to do is
clear the top with a soft brush and clear wa­
ter . Always brush in the direction of the fabric
from front to rear.
If the top is
very dirty and has spotted areas
clean it with a brush using a convertible top
cleaner . Always brush in the direction of the
fabric from front to rea r. Rinse w ith plenty of
clear water, and allow the top to air-dry .
Chamo is are not suitable for drying the top .
Never use gasoline, spot remover, benze ne,
pa int thinner or so lvents to remove spo ts. We
recommend that you only use cleaners espe ­
cially formu lated for use on convertible tops ,
and that you follow the produce use di rections
caref ully. Authori zed A udi deals can p rovide
deta iled information.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information on ¢
page 189.
Never use a high-pressure power washer to
clean the power top.
Wind deflector
App lies to vehicles: with wind deflector
Clear the wind deflector with water or, if it is
heav ily soiled, a chemically neutra l cleaning
solut io n.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
t he information on
¢page 189.
Sensors and camera lenses
-Remove snow wi th a hand brush and remove
ice with a de-icing spray that does not con­
ta in solvents .
Cleaning and protec tion 193
- Clean the sensors (adap tive c ruise control *,
parking system *) with a cleaning so lution
that does not contain so lvents and a soft
cloth.
@ Note
- If you wash your vehicle with a press ure
washer,
- make sure there is enough d istance to
sensors in the rear bumper.
- do not clean the camera lenses and the area a round them with the p ress ure
washer.
- N ever use warm o r hot wate r to remove
snow or ice from the came ra lens . This
c ou ld cause t he lens to crack.
- N ever clean the camera lens with abra­
sive products .
Waxing and Polishing
Waxing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint
to a la rge ex ten t agains t the envi ronmental
f a ctors lis ted under ¢
page 189, Washing and
even against s light scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect yo ur
paint as soon as one wee k afte r you r vehicle
has been delivered.
Even if you regularly use a
wa xing process in
a utomat ic car washes, we recommend that
yo u manually a pply a coat o f wax to g ive the
pain t ex tra protection, par ticu larly if water no
longer beads on t he clean paint.
P rotect plast ic body parts w ith car wax in the
same w ay as the veh icle body .
During warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the fo r­
ward a rea of the hood. They are much easier
to remove from pa int that is waxed
often .
Polishing
Polish your vehicle only if the paint has lost its
shine and the gloss cannot be brought back
with wax . ..., •
•

194 Cleaning and protection
If the polish used does not contain preserva ­
tive compounds, the paint must be waxed af­
terwards .
_& WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
r::;, page 189.
([) Note
Do not use car wax on
- matte or anod ized metal trim
- r ubbe r o r r ubbe r-like tr im.
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special core.
For environmenta l reasons, Audi fabricates
the br ight tr im strips and t rim pieces from
pu re chromium-free a luminum.
Dirt and marks on the trim str ips should be
removed with a
pH-balanced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleaner). Author ized
Aud i dealers carry clean ing products which
have been tested for use on your ve hicle and
a re not harm ful to the env ironment.
To avo id corros ion on the exterior tr im str ips,
only a pH-balanced solut ion should be used
fo r the w indshield washe r.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WA RNI NGS and
other inform ation
r::;, page 189.
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special core.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and ligh t surface dir t. For other soil, use
a lukewarm all-purpose clea ning solution or a
mild saddle soap for viny l trim. Remove wate r
spots and tr aces o f so ap wit h a cl ean, damp
cloth or sponge . Use a clean, soft clot h to rub
d ry .
Grease, tar or o il stains can be removed w ith a
cle an cloth or sponge so aked w it h a ll-p urp ose cl
eaner or with a so lvent designed espec ia lly
to clean vinyl.
Oc cas ional ly app ly a colo rless v inyl or le athe r
preserva tive to re tain the m ater ia l's lus ter
and pliability.
A WARNING
'
A lways read and heed all WAR NIN GS a nd
other info rmation
r::;, page 189.
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral -pH products to remove spots
and deposits from a luminum surfaces.
Chrome care products and a lkaline cleaners
will attack a luminum surfaces and can dam­
age them over t ime.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WAR NIN GS and
o ther info rmat ion
r::;, page 189.
Touch-up paint
Minor point damages should be touched up
immediately.
"' Use eit her a touch-up paint stick or spray
pa int to cover m ino r scratches and nicks.
Your a uthorized Audi dea ler has touch-up
paint fo r minor scratches and stone chips.
Scratches should be touched up soon after
they occ ur to prevent corrosion.
If a spot starts to rust, however, a s imple
touch-up job will not be enough. T he affected
su rface must be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti- rust p rime r before the painted
finish can be restored.
The number for the orig inal veh icle pai nt can
be fo und o n the vehicle identification label
r:::;, page 261.
A WARNING ~
Always read a nd heed all WARNI NGS and
other informatio n
r::;, page 189.

Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road
film and car wash wax buildup.
• Remove snow from windows using a brush.
• Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from
windows and mirrors.
• Remove other residue on the windows with
a spray-on glass cleaner .
• Wipe the windows dry w ith a clean p iece of
cloth or kitchen paper towel.
The best way to remove snow from windows
and mirrors is to use a brush. Use a non -abra­
sive
p la stic ic e scrap er -better still, a spray
de icer - to remove
ic e from windows and mir­
r ors.
T he windows must not be cleaned with insect
remover or wax s ince these can interfere with
the function of the w indshield wiper blades
(chatter).
O il, grease, or silicone residue can be removed
w ith
glass cleaner or silicon e re mover. H ow­
ever, wax residue requ ires the use of a special­
l y form ulated solvent. P lease contact your au­
thor ized Audi dealer for adv ice on safe prod­
ucts for wax removal.
W indows shou ld a lso be cleaned on the inside
at regular i nterva ls.
Never dry w indows with the same chamois
that you use to dry painted surfaces . Wax resi­
due on the chamois can impair vision through
the windows.
.8, WARNING
- Alw ays re ad and heed all WARN INGS and
other information
~ page 189.
- The windshie ld m ust not be treated with
water-repe llent m aterials. They can i n­
crease glare under poor visib ility condi ­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or whe n
the sun is low on the horizon . In addi­
t ion, they can cause the windshield wip­
ers to chatter.
Cleaning and protec tion
@ Note
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from w indows and mirrors .
Th is could cause the glass to crack.
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
st ickers on the ins ide of the rear w indow
over the wires.
- To help prevent dirt from scratching the window, always scrape in a forward di­
rection - pushing the scraper away from
you - never back and forth.
- Water leak ing from the inside of the rear
w indows may damage sens itive electrical
compone nts located either under the
rear parcel shelf or in the rear trunk area.
Always ensure tha t water never lea ks
t hro ugh the body section of the vehicle.
Yo u can do th is by using waterproof pro ­
tection over the vehicle's electrical com­
ponents (e.g . when install ing window
tinting) .
- Damage or malfunction of electrical
components due to water damage or any
other o utside infl uence is not covered by
the Audi New Veh icle Limited Warranty.
See your Warranty
& Maintenance book ­
let for addit ional details about your war­
ranty.
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
• Wash the wheels with a sponge or hose
brush every other week.
• For deep clean ing afterwards, use on ly a
ded icated
acid-fr ee cast alloy wheel cleaner .
• Rub a coat of
liquid wa x onto the rims every
three month. Be su re to reach and treat all
pa rts of the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels, some special care is neces­
sary. In addi tion to road dirt and salt, brake
dust is also co rrosive . If left on fo r too long,
brake dust can cause pitting.
IJI>
195
•
•

196 Cleaning and protection
Use only special acid -free cleaners form ulated
for a lloy rims. Safe products are available at
your author ized Audi dealer . Never leave the
cleaner on the rims longer than specified on
the label.
If no t rinsed off promptly, the acid
contained in some cleaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bolts .
Never use abras ive or metal polishing clean ­
ing agents. If the protective coating has been
chipped, e .g . by k icked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as poss ible.
A WARNING
- Moist ure and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency ~
page 178. Test the
br ake s ca refully each time you wash the
vehicle.
- Always read and heed all WARNI NGS and
other informa tion ~
page 189.
Body cavity sealing
-
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked.
A ll body cavities wh ich could be affected by
corrosion have been thoroughly protected at
the facto ry.
T his sea ling does not require any inspection or
addit io nal treatment. If any wax should seep
out of the cav ity when the ambient tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed w it h a plastic
scrape r and a su itab le so lven t.
A WARNING
So lvents can be dange rous.
- B enzine is flammable and t oxic.
If you
use benzine for removing the w ax, keep
spar ks, flame and lighted cigaret tes
away. Never dump benzine on t he
ground, into open streams or down sew­
age drains.
- Be sure to observe all safety and env iron­
menta l regulations . Follow all instruc­
t ions on the container.
- Always read and heed all WAR NIN GS and
other information
¢ page 189. Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Aud i is also thor­
oughly protected against cor ros io n.
Any damage to the unde rcoating ca used by
road ha zards should be repaired prompt ly.
A WARNING ....__
Too much undercoating in the wrong p la­
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additional undercoating or
r u stp roof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
ver ter or heat shields. While driving, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overhea t and cause a fire.
- Always read and heed all WAR NINGS and
o ther info rmation ¢
page 189.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and o ther co rrosive materials w ill
damage the mate ria l in the e xhaus t ta il pipes
i f they are not cleaned regular ly . Do not clean
the tail pipes with w hee l cleaner, pa int polish,
c h rome polish or other ab rasive cleane rs .
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
t h at are suitable for sta inless steel.
Your a uthorized Audi dea ler can prov ide clean ­
ing products that have been tested and ap­
proved for your vehicle .
Care of interior
Infotainment components
The Rad io/MM !* disp lay may be cleaned w ith
a soft cloth and comme rcially-ava ilable "LCD
cl eaner". The clot h should be coated lightly
whe n the cleaning solution w hen clea ning t he
display.
T he M MI* con trols m ust be clean ed first wi th
a b rush so tha t dirt does not en ter the uni t or
enter between the buttons an d the housing.
The n wiping the controls with a cloth ..,.

dampened with dish detergent and water is recommended.
(D Note
- To avoid sc ratch ing the disp lay, yo u
shou ld never clean it dry.
- To preven t damage, ma ke s ure fl uids do
not enter the controls .
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots
and depos its from alum inum s urfaces.
C hrome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum inum surfaces and can dam­
age them over time .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ~
page 189.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fab rics and fabr ic coveri ngs (e.g . seats, doo r
tr im panels, etc.) should be cleaned at reg ula r
i nte rva ls wi th a vac uum cleaner . Thi s removes
sur face dirt particles which could become em­
bedded in the fabr ic through use . Steam
cleane rs shou ld not be used, because the
steam tends to push the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there.
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
or a lint-free microfiber cloth to the clean fab­ ric. Brushes should on ly be used for carpets
and floor mats, s ince other fabric surfaces
could be harmed by brushes.
Normal surface sta ins can be cleaned using a
commercia lly available foam cleaner. Spread
the foam on the surface of the fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not sat u­
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam d ry using
absorbent, dry cloths (e .g . microfibe r cloth)
and vacuum it afte r it has dr ied comp lete ly .
Cleaning and protec tion 197
Cleaning sta ins
Stains caused by bever ages (e.g . coffee, fr uit
ju ice, etc.) can be treated with a mild deter ­
gent solution. Apply the detergent so lution
with a sponge. In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked into the fabric . After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to
remove the rema ining deterge nt. Apply the
water wit h a damp cloth or sponge and pat
t h e fabric dry with an abso rbent, dry clot h.
Stai ns from choco late or makeup should have
detergent paste rubbed i nto them . After ­
wards, remove the soap w ith water (damp
sponge).
A lcohol can be used to treat stai ns from
grease, o il, lipstick or a ballpoint pen . M elted
grease or dye must be patted off using ab­
sorbent mater ial. It may be necessa ry to re ­
t reat the areas with de tergent pas te and wa­
te r.
In the case of gene ral soiling of the uphols­
tery a nd cover material, we recommend hir ing
a speci alist t hat h as the eq uipment to clean
t h e se at cove rs and othe r fabr ic surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
~ page 189.
(D Tips
Open Ve lcro fas teners on yo ur clothing can
damage the seat cover . Please make sure
that Ve lcro fasteners are closed .
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas. For persistent d irt
use a n Aud i approved
solvent-free p lastic
clea ner/protectant .
•
•

198 Cleaning and protection
8_ WARNING
Solvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to deploy.
-
-Never clean the instrument panel or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents will make
the surface of this part porous.
- Serious injuries can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 189.
(D Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents will
attack the material and can change the
way it behaves.
Natural leather
App lies to vehicles: with natura l leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather.
General
We offer many different types of leather on
our vehicles. Most are different types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colors.
The intensity of the color determines the visu­ al characteristics and appearance. If the sur­
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has
been left in a relatively natural condition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. Fine veins, closed grains, insect
bites, skin folds , and subtle variations in color
remain visible. These characteristics demon­
strate that the material is natural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col­
or finish.
It is therefore more sensitive to soil­
ing and wear, which is something you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors
might prove to be particularly hard on the
leather. By contrast, leather types that are covered by
a colored finish layer are more durable.
This
has a positive effect on the leather's resist­
ance to wear and soiling in daily use. On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu­
ral leather are barely or not apparent . Howev ­
er, this does not mean that the leather itself
is of inferior quality .
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leather that Audi uses and their unique prop­
erties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, soil­
ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care­
ful with these leathers, and a certain type of care is required . For example , dark clothing
materials can discolor leather seats (especial­
ly if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correctly). Dust and dirt particles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect
and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams.
The leather should be cleaned regularly as
needed. After having been used for a relatively
long time, your leather seats will acquire a
rich aged finish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ural leather and a sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural
product over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendations below:
(D Note
- To keep your leather from bleaching out,
do not allow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the vehicle parked outside
for long periods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sun­
light.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent scratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather.
(D Tips
-After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leather
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