brakes AUDI S4 CABRIOLET 2009 Owner's Manual

___ C_ le_ a _ n_i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d __ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry
painted surfaces. Wa x resi due on the cha mois can impair vision
through the windows .
& WARNING
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent mate­
rials. They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions such
a s wetne ss, darkness , or when the sun is low o n the horizon . In
addition , they can cause the wind shield wipers to chatter .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informat ion
~ page 2 30.
0 Note
• Never use war m or hot wa ter to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors. Th is could cause the glass to crack.
• To prevent damage to the w ires of the rear defogger, do not p lace
any adhesive stic kers on the inside of the rear window over the
wires.
• To he lp prevent dirt from sc ratching the w indow, a lways scrape
in a forward direction -pushing t he scraper away from you -nev er
back and forth. •
Weatherstrips
Complete c ar ca re includes the wea the rs trips as well .
- App ly a s uitable rubber co ndit ioner to the weat herstr ips
f rom t ime to t ime.
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear lid , etc. must remain pliable . Spray the weatherstrips with si li­
co ne or coat them w ith ta lcum powder or glycer ine to retain the
flexibility of the rubber and to protect them against free zing in the
winter .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the infor mation
~ page 2 30 .
[ i ] Tips
K eep si lico ne s prays off the windsh ield to avo id wiper smear in
rain .•
Ap plies to vehic les : w it h s teel whee ls te.g. if ref itt ed with winte r tiresl
Steel wheels
The wheels also have to be cle aned.
Always include the hub caps and wheel rims when
washing yo ur vehicle to remove roa d dirt, sal t sprays and
brake dust.
I f necessary, use a commercial wheel cleaner to remove accumu ­
la ted brake dust.
The wheel rims a re eas ier to kee p clean i f they are regular ly coated
with liquid wax .
Paint scratches sh ou ld be touc hed u p as so on as possible to p reven t
corrosion~
page 235, "Touch -up paint".
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on brakes may affect br aking efficiency -
~ page 215, "General information ". Test the brakes carefully after
ea ch vehicle wa sh .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page230. •

_____________________________________________ C_ h_ e _ c_k _in ---= g'--- a_n _d_ f_il _li _n __.,g==----•
•
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side~
page 252 .
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U .S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian models :
(CD) ) wi ll come on
~ page 23 and ~ page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor ­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop
and the cause corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the brake
warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized Audi
dea ler
immediately .•
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air . If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid wil l also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federa l Motor Vehic le Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho ­
rized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know -how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
& WARNING (continued)
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid.
Observe these precautions :
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification
J 1703 and
conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make sure you are using
the correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake fluid is also
indicated on the brake fluid reservoir .
- The brake fluid must be new . Heavy use of the brakes can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety . This could result in an accident.
0 Note
Brake fluid wil l damage the paint of your vehicle .
ci> For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom­
mend 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 it is
advisab le however to check the fluid level at regular intervals
through the transparent battery housing. Also check the fluid level
each time you charge the battery . After charging the battery
~ page 265, you shou ld likewise check the battery acid level. ...
Vehic le care

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _ ...... lJII
•
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fue l, oi l, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire . Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side ­
wa ll.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR ")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure. You may not find this information on al l tires
because it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at the maximum permissible infla­
tion pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of :
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity we ight, and
(d) Product ion options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflat ion pressure to which a tire may be
inflated. Also called "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewalls of
an inflated tire, including elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated para lle l cords .
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2 .3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not previously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
heavy duty batter y, and special trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Recommended inflation pressure
see::;, page 268, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Ve hic le care

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load normal load
ment in full load
full load
liter ) c
ondit ion (up to
condition c
ondition (up
condition
2 occupants ) to 2 occupants)
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
6 -cylinder 215 /55 R16 93H All Season 35 240
38 260
30 2
10
38 260
3.2
235/45 R17 94H All Season 35 2
4 0
38 260 30 2
10
38 260
235/45 R17 94V High Performance 30 2 10 3 3 230 30 2 10 33 230
235 /40 R18 95V XL High Performance 41 280 46 320 41 280 4 6 320
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as x i, EXTRA LOAD , or RF on the tire sidewa ll.
The correct tire pressure for the
spare wheel is located on a label
either on the dr iver's side B-pilla r or i nside the fuel filler flap.
Because technical changes may be made to vehicle equipment
dur ing the mode l year, a lways co mpare the tire size designatio n on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle .
Make sure t hat the tire s ize informa tion o n the vehi cle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . This is especially impor ­
t a nt if th e ve hicle belo ngs to someone else or you bough t the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ ­
ously owned vehicle.
Re member, your safety and that of your passeng ers a ls o depends
on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
inc lude s every body and everyt hin g i n and o n the vehic le . These load
limits are techn ically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehic le
Weight Ra tin g ("GVWR") . The Gross Axle Weig ht Ra ting ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the veh icle's two
ax les . The Gross Vehic le W eight Rating and the Gross Ax le Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located
either on the driver's s ide 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel fi ller
fl ap. T he ti re pressure labe l on your Aud i lists the max imum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo that the vehicle can car
ry. Fo r the l ocat io n of the tire pressure la bel
=> page 271, fig. 207.
LJ}. WARNING
Overload ing a vehicle can cause loss of vehi cle cont rol , a crash or
other ac cident , serious per sonal injury , and even death .
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle wa s designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
risk of a loss of vehicle control .
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehi cle within a safe dist ance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
cau sing lo ss of control and a crash .
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer h itch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehi cle 's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating . .,,_
Vehic le care

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
and is more difficult to stop. Overloading can not only lead to loss
of vehic le contro l, but can also damage important parts of the
vehic le and can lead to sudden tire failure, including a blowout and
sudden deflation that can cause the vehicle to crash .
Your safety and that of your passengers also depends on making sure that load limits are not exceeded . Vehicle load includes every ­
body and everything in and on the veh icle . These load lim its are
technically referred to as the vehicle's
G ross Vehicle Weight R ating
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic vehic le, all factory
installed accessories, a ful l tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
p lus maximum load. The maximum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is intended to carry ("seating capacity")
with an assumed we ight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each passenger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any luggage in
t he vehicle. If you tow a trai ler, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trai ler must be included as part of the
vehic le load .
T he
G ros s Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the maximum load that
can be applied at each of the vehicle's two axles .
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rat ing and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compliance sticker labe l located either on
the d river's side B -pillar o r on t he inside of the f ue l fi ller flap. Yo ur
Audi has 4 seating positions, 2 in the front and 2 in the rear for total
seating capaci ty of 4. Each seating posi tion has a safety belt
=>
page 159, "Safety be lts" .
T he fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating means that the total weight of whatever is being carried in the vehicle (including the weight of a trailer hitch and the
tongue weigh t of the loaded trailer) is lim ite d. The more passengers
in the vehicle or passengers who are heavier than the standard
weights assumed mean that less weight can be carried as luggage.
The tire pressure labe l on your Audi also lists the maximum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or othe r cargo that the vehicle can carry
. For the location of the label=>
page 271,
f ig. 207 .
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cau se lo ss of vehicle control , a cra sh or
other a ccident , seriou s personal injury , and even de ath .
• Carrying more weight th an your vehi cle w as designed to ca rry
will prevent the vehi cle from handling properly and in cre ase the
ri sk of the lo ss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a veh icle th at ha s been overloaded ma y not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance .
• Tire s on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly,
i ncluding a blowout and sudden defla tion , cau sin g los s of control
and a crash .
• Alwa ys make sure that the tot al l oad be ing tran sported -
including the weight of a trai ler hit ch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not m ake the vehicle heavie r than the
v ehicle 's Gro ss Vehicle Weight Rat ing .•
Determining correct load limit
U se th e exa mple below to calculat e the
total weight of the passengers and luggage or other things that you plan to
tran sport so that you can make sure that
your vehi cle will n ot be ov erlo ad ed.
~

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
toring system* would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or
warn you if it is necessa ry.
• T he battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
r ecommend us ing facto ry insta lled va lve stem caps. Ask you r autho ­
rized Audi dealer to replace lost va lve stem caps.
T he installation of rep lacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
t he tire sidewall may cause mal functi on of the tir e pressure mo ni­
toring system , and is not recommended (cord material information
in mo lded o n th e ti re sid ewa ll) .
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system * indicator after
r eplacing one or mo re ti res on your veh ic le . I f the ti re p ress ure
m onito ring syste m* ind icator flashes, or is o n, your s ystem is not
wo rking properly . Your replacement t ire might be incompatible with
yo ur tir e pressure mon ito ring system* , o r so me compo nen t of th e
tire p ressure monitoring system * may be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and I or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use t ires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fa il suddenly,
espe cially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speed s.
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire f ailure and loss of vehicle control.
& W ARNING (continued )
• All four wheels mu st be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driv ing
with different tires redu ces vehicle h andling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle - for e xample with winter tire s - only u se the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
the ir rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build-up, sudden tire failure ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control .
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For te chnical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicle s -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked. Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tire s may only be used on vehicle s that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a cha ssis designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
s ystem that indicate s a loss of tire pressure . Incorre ct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
autho rized Audi dealer or t ire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires .
If run flat tires are used , they mu st
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted. .,

Alph ab eti ca l ind ex -
-------------=----
AUTO
Climate controls .. ...... ..... .... . 112
Switching on .... .... .... .... .... 112
When should I use AUTO? ....... .. 112
Auto Safety Hotl ine .. ..... ... ... .... . 155
Auto-Check Control .. ... ... .... ... .. .. 28
Automat ic air recirculation ........... 114
Automatic belt retractor .... ...... .... 163
Automatic car wash
See Washing .. .... .... ... ...... .. 231
Automatic headlight con trol ....... .... 77
Automatic rollover protection system . . 156
Automatic Shift Lock (ASLl ....... 128, 135
Automatic transm ission
6 -spe ed automatic transmission .... 126
Automatic Shi ft Lock (ASLl .... . 128, 135
Driving ........ ..... ....... ..... 126
Dynamic shif t prog ram ... .... .... . 129
Fail-safe mode ... ...... ........ .. 13 1
Ignition key safety lock ... ... ... .. . 119
Kick-down ... .... .... .... ... .... . 129
Manual sh ift program . ... .... .... . 130
multitronic® ... ... ... .... ... ..... 131
Se lector lever ..... .... ...... . 127, 133
Shift but tons . ... .... .... .... 131, 137
Steering wheel with tiptronic® . 131,137
Average speed ... ... ... ... .. ...... ... 37
Avoid damaging the v ehicle .. ... .... . 22 1
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
B
Battery .
.... .... ...... .... ... .. 261, 264
Charging ...... .. ... ..... .. .. .... 265
Checking battery acid level . .... .... 264
Important warnings when working on the batte ry . .......... .... ... .. ... . 263
Low vol tage symbo l .. ....... .... ... 34
Replacing the battery . ...... .. .... 262
Winter opera tion ... .. ...... ...... 261
Working on the battery .......... .. 263
B efore driving ... ..... .. ...... ...... 146
Blended gasoline ... ... .. .. .. .... .... 244
Body cavity sealing .. .. .. ...... .... .. 237
Boos ter seats .... .... .... .... .... ... 198
How do I properly instal l a booster seat in
my vehicle? . .......... ...... ... 198
Sa fety instructions . .... .... .... ... 198
Brake f luid
Changing the brake fluid .......... 261
Checking the brake fluid leve l .. .... 260
Reservoir . ... .... .... ....... .... . 260
What is the correct brake fluid level? 260
What shou ld I do if the brake fluid warning
light comes on? . ..... ... .... .... 260
Brake system .. ...... .... .... .... ... 260
An ti- lo ck brake system (ABS) ... .... . 20
Brake ass istant . .... .. .... .... ... . 217
Brake booster .... .... .... .... .... 216
Brake flu id .... ... .... .... .... .... 260
Brake f luid specifications for refi ll and
rep lacement . ... ..... ... .... .... 261
Brake pads ...... .... .... .... .... 220
Genera l informa tion ....... .. .... . 215 How does the moisture or road salt affect
the brakes? ....... ... .... .... ... 215
Ma lfunction ... .. .... .... .... .. .. . 30
Warning/indicator lights .. .. .... .... 23
Worn brake pads symbol . ..... .. .. . 33
B reak -in period ...... .... .... .... ... 219
B rake pads ... .... .... .. . .... .... 220
Tires ..... .... .... .... ... .... .. .. 219
Bu lbs ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ...... . 302
C
California Proposition 65 Warning . .... 251
Battery specific ..... ...... .... .... 264
Capacities Eng ine oil .... .... .... ... .... .... 31 4
Fuel tank ..... ...... .. ...... .... . 314
Windshield washer fluid ... .... .... 314
Car care ... .. .... ... .... .... .... .. .. 230
Interior ... .... .... .... ... .... .... 238
Plastic and v inyl .... ... .... .... ... 234
Weatherstr ips . .... .... .... ...... . 236
Care of exterior ..... .... .... .... .. .. 230
Cargo area
See Loading the luggage compartment .
153
Catalytic converter .. ...... ...... .... 220
Centigrade Switching between Centig rade and
Fahrenheit ...... .... .. .. ... .. .. 11 3
Certification . ............ ...... .... . 320
Changing a flat tire ....... ... .... .. .. 293
Chan ging a wheel .... .... ... .... .... 293
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data