oil level AUDI S6 2012 Owners Manual

12 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
-Never open the engine hood if you see or
hear steam, or if you see engine coolant
dripping from the engine compartment.
You could burn yourself . Let the engine
cool off first so that you cannot hear or
see any steam or engine coolant .
@ Note
-Mounting additional lights or accessories
i n front of the a ir inlets reduces the cool­
i ng effect of the rad iator . At h igh outside
temperatures or high eng ine load, the
engine could overheat.
- The front spo iler has been designed to
proper ly distribute the cooling air when
t h e ve hicle is moving.
If the spoiler is
dam aged, th is co uld red uce the cooling
effect and the engine co uld then over­
heat . Ask your authorized Audi dea ler for
assistance .
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM
(revolutions per minutes).
If engine RP M drops be low 1,500, yo u should
downshift to the next lower gear. The red a rea
at the end of the sca le indicates maximum
perm iss ib le engine RPM after the break-in pe­
riod. Before reaching this area, move these­
lector lever to position "D/S (Drive)" or ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
(D Note
The tachometer needle should on ly br iefly
be in the red zone: you could damage your
engine! The beginn ing of the red zone var­
ies depending on the engine .
@ For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early saves fuel and reduces en­
gine noise.
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge only works when the ignition is
on .
If the fuel level d rops below 2 . 6 ga llons (10 liters), the bottom LED turns red and the
indicator
light~ turns on ¢
page 21. The
bottom LED blinks red when the fuel level is
very low.
T he possible range based on the current fuel
level is shown in tab@¢
page 23, fig . 4 .
(D Note
Never run the tank completely dry. An ir ­
r egular supply of f uel can cause engine
misfiring and fuel could enter the ex ha ust
system . The catalytic converter could then
overheat and be damaged.
Warning/indicator Lights
Description
The ind icator lights in the instrument cluster
blink or turn on. They indicate funct ions or
malfunctions ¢,& .
Messages may appear with some indicato r
lights. A warning signal will sound at the
same t ime. The indicator lights and messages
in the center of the displays may be rep laced
by other d isplays . To show them again, select
the tab for ind icator lights and messages us­
i ng the multifunction steering wheel
¢
page 23. If t here are several malfunc­
t ions, you can display them one at a time us­
ing the thumbwheel.
Some indicato rs lights in the d isplay can turn
on in severa l co lors.
A WARNING
- F ailure to heed w arning l igh ts and other
important vehicle in forma tion may res ult
in ser io us personal inj ury or vehicle dam­
age .
- Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move the vehicle a safe d istance off the
road, stop the engine, and turn on the
emergency flasher¢
page 42.
-The engine compartment of any motor
veh icle is a potentially hazardous area.
Before you chec k anything in the engine

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 13
compartment, stop the engine and let it
cool down. Always exercise extreme cau­
t ion when working under the hood
<=> page 214, Engine compartment
@ Tips
Ma lf u nctions or faults wi ll be identified ei­
ther with a red symbo l (pr iority 1 -Dan­
ger!) or with a yellow symbol (pr iority 2 -
Warn ing).
Overview
Some ind icator lights turn on briefly to check
the function of that system when you switch
the ignition on. These systems are ma rked
with an./ in the fo llow ing tab les. If one of
these indicator lights does not turn on, there is a malfunction in that system.
Red indicator lights
Red symbols indicate a prio rity malfunction -
D anger!
- Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
-Turn off the engine.
- Check the ma lf u nctioning system . Contact
your authorized Audi dea ler or a qualified
workshop for assistance.
USA mode ls:
Brake ma lf u nction./
c::>page 14
Canada models:
Brake malfunction./
c::>page 14
- USA models:
----
Electromechanical parking brake
<=> page 16
Canada models:
Electromechanical parking brake
<=>page 16
Engine cooling system
<=>page 16
Engine oil pressure
<=>page 17
I
Engine oil level
Q page 18
Battery
Qpage 17
Safe ty belt
Q page 17
Electromechanical steering ./
<=>page 193
Electronic steering column lock
Qpage 18
Engine start system
Qpage 18
Speed wa rning system
Qpage 76
Adaptive cruise control./
Qpage 80
---Pedestrian warn ing
Qpage97
Yellow indicator lights
Ye llow symbo ls indicate a priority 2 malfunc ­
tion - Warning!
I
USA models: Safety systems
Q page 18 •
m
Canada models : Safety systems
Qpage 18
Ji]
Ele ctronic Sta bilizat ion Prog ram
( E SP)./
Q page 19
I
Electronic Stabilization Program
(ESP) ./
Qpage 19
rm
USA models:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
defective ./
c::> page 19
--
E
Canada models:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
defective ./
<=>page 19
l
I

14 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
ll
Worn brake pads
¢ page20
•
Electromechanical parking brake
¢page 73
g
Tire pressure monitoring system
./
¢page253
11111 Tire pressure monitoring system
¢page253
rm
Electronic power control./
¢page20
g
Malfunction indicator Lamp (MIL)
./
¢page20
•
Engine speed limitation
¢page 21
•
Engine oil level
¢page 18
•
Engine o il sensor
¢ page 21
•
Battery
¢page 17
~
Tank system
¢page 21
•
Windshield washer fluid level
¢page 21
m
Windshie ld wipers
¢ page 21
--
I!
Remote control key
¢page 70
I
Remote contro l key
¢ page 72
!!
Battery in remote control key
¢page 31
I:~
Defective light bulb warning
¢ page 21
I a
Rear fog light(s)
¢page 21 Headlight range control
¢
page22
adaptive light *
¢page22
-
Light-/rain sensor faulty
¢page22
Transmission
- multitronic ®
¢ page 106
-tiptronic ® ¢page 111
Electronic steering column lock
¢page 18
Engine start system
<=>page 18
Electromechanical steering./
¢page 193
Other indicator lights
11!1 1!11 Turn signals
m 111 <=>page22
~ USA model s: Cruise control "
~ <=> page 76
ra
I
I
•
Canada mod els: Cruise control*
<=> page 76
Adaptive cruise control *
<=>page 80
Adaptive cru ise cont ro l*
¢ page80
Adaptive cruise control *
¢page80
H igh beam
¢page43
BRAKE /( (f) ) Brake system
The light i lluminates when the ignition is
switched on . It goes o ut after the engine has
been started. This indicates that the brake
warning light is functioning properly .
If the brake warn ing light does not light up
when the engine is cranking , there may be a
Ill-

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 17
Follow the warning stickers¢ page 214,
Engine compartment.
@ Note
Do not continue driving if the . symbol
illuminates. There is a malfunction in the
engine cooling system -you co uld damage
your eng ine.
D Battery
This warning/indicator light detects a mal ­
function in the generator or in the vehicle's
electrical system.
The . warning/indicator light illuminates
when you switch on the ignition and must go
out after the engine has started.
• Alternator fault: Battery is not being
charged
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the
generator or vehicle e lectrica l system.
Drive to you r authorized Audi dealer or quali­
fied workshop immediately. Because the vehi­
cle battery is discharging, turn off all unnec­
essary electrical equipment such as the radio .
Seek professional assistance if the battery
charge leve l is too low.
(•i Low battery charge : battery will be
charged while driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there may be limited star ting
ability.
I f this message turns off after a litt le wh ile,
the battery charged enough wh ile driving.
If the message does not turn off, have your
author ized Audi dealer or qualif ied workshop
correct the malfunction.
~ Safety belts
This warning/indicator light reminds you to
put on your safety belt.
The . warning/indicator light illuminates
when the ignition is switched on to remind
the driver and any front passenger to put on
the safety belt. Additionally, an acoustic warn­
ing (gong) wi ll also sound.
For more Information¢
page 133, i Safety
belt warning light.
~ Engine oil pressure malfunction
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol
requires immediate service or repair . Driving
with a low-oil-pressure indication is likely to
inflict severe damage to the engine .
• Switch off engine and check oil level
If the indicator light turns on the message ap­
pears, the oil pressure is too low.
"" Pull off the road .
... Stop the vehicle.
... Tur n off the engine .
"" Check the engine oil level¢ page 225.
"" If the eng ine oil level is too low, add eng ine
oil ¢
page 225. Make sure that the oil pres­
sure warning symbol. appears no longer
in the display before you start dr iv ing again .
"" If the engine oil level is correct and the indi ­
cator light still turns on, turn the engine off
and do not continue driving. Seek professio­
na l assistance .
(D Tips
-The engine oil pressure symbol. is
not an indicator for a low engine oil lev­
el. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the
oil level in your engine at regular inter­
vals, preferably each time you refuel ,
and always before going on a long trip.
- The yellow oil level warning indication
II requires oil refill or workshop serv­
ice without delay. Do not wait until the
red oil pressure warning . starts to
flash before you respond to the low oil ..,

18 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
level warning 11!1. By then, your engine
may already have suffered serious dam·
age .
~ Engine oil level
• WARNING: Please add oil immediately
When the symbo l an d the driver message ap­
pear, the oil has to be replenished r ight now
co page 222.
If th e indica tor light and the message appear,
a d d engine oil immed iate ly
co page 225.
Ill Add oil, max . x qt (l). You may continue
driving
W hen the symbol and the dr ive r message ap­
pear, add t he amo unt of o il appearing in the
d is pl ay a t the next opport unit y
co page 222 .
~- Steering column lock
• Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
If t he indicator light tu rns on and t he mes­
sage a ppears, t he re is an ele ct ro nic steer ing
col um n lo ck ma lf u nction. You c annot sw itch
the ign ition on.
D o
not tow your vehicle because i t ca nnot be
s teered. Seek professional ass istance.
1!!11 Steering lock : system fault . Please con­
tact dealer
If the indicator light t urns on and t he mes­
sage appears , th ere is an elect ronic steer ing
column lock ma lfunction .
Drive to yo ur autho rized Aud i dea le r i mmedi­
ately to have the mal function corrected.
A WARNING
Your vehicle must not be towed in the
event of a malfunct io n in the electron ic
s te eri ng colum n loc k because i t cannot b e
s teer ed du e to t he locked s teering . If it is
to wed w ith the s tee ring lo cked, there is
t he ri sk of an accide nt.
© -Engine start system
• Engine start system fault. Please con­
tact dealer
If th e indicato r ligh t turns on and the mes ­
sage app ears, do
not switch the ig nitio n off
be cause you may no t be a ble to sw itch i t on
ag ain .
D rive to your authorized A udi dealer i mmed i­
ate ly to have th e ma lfu nction corr ected .
II! Engine start system fault. Please con ­
tact dealer
If the indicato r light turns on and the mes ­
sage appears, there is a malfunct ion in the en­
gine sta rt system.
Drive to your authorized A udi dealer immedi ­
ate ly to have the ma lfunction corrected.
~ii !i: Safety systems
The fl (USA models)/ E,i (Canada models) in­
dicator light mo nitors the sa fety systems e.g.
airbags , pretensione rs and illuminates fo r a
f e w s econds each time you switch the ign it io n
o n .
If the
fl (USA models)/ E,i (Canada mode ls)
i ndicato r light does not go o ut, or if it illum i­
na tes whil e you are driving, o r if it s tarts to
blink, then there is a malfu nctio n so mewhe re
i n t he sys te m .
If the light does no t illumina te
whe n you swi tch the ig nitio n on, this also
mea ns there is a mal funct ion .
A WARNING ~
If yo u have a ma lf un ction in t he safety sy s-
tems , contact you r authorized Audi dea le r
i mmediately. Othe rwise the safety sys­
tems may not work pr operly in an acc i­
dent.

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 21
!?i Engine speed limitation
A ppl ies to vehicles: wit h en gin e s pee d l im itat ion
(II Engine speed maximum XXXX RPM
The engine speed is automatically limited to
the speed displayed in the driver information
system. This protects the engine from over­ heating.
The engine speed limitation deactivates once
the engine is no longer in the critical tempera­
ture range and you have released the accelera­
tor pedal once.
If the engine speed limitation was activated by an engine control malfunction, the indica­
tor light~ also turns on. Make sure that the
speed does not go above the speed displayed.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
~ . Engine oil level
II Add oil, max. x qt (l). You may continue
driving
When the symbol Ill and driver message ap­
pear, add the amount of oil appearing in the
display at the next opportunity ¢
page 225.
~ .... Engine oil sensor
II Oil level! Sensor defective
If the symbol illuminates, contact your au­
thorized Audi dealer and have the oil sensor inspected. Until you have this done, check the
oil level each time you refuel just to be on the
safe side¢
page 225.
Bil Fuel level indicator
Ii Please refuel
If the indicator light turns on for the first
time and the message appears, there are
about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the
tank . Time to refuel
¢ page 216.
Ii Tank system malfunction! Contact dealer
If the indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the
tank system.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
C> Windshield washer fluid level
II Please refill washer fluid
If the symbol illuminates, add windshield
washer fluid to the washer system/headlight
washer system* ¢
page 234.
~ Windshield wipers
rlJ Windshield wiper defective
There is a malfunction with the windshield
wipers.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
~/0$ Defective light bulb warning
f'a-If the indicator light turns on, a bulb has
failed. The message indicates the location of
the bulb.
IJ-if a rear fog lamp has failed, the indicator
light turns on to indicate the location on the
vehicle.
Vehicle lights: malfunction
If the message appears, there is a malfunc ­
tion in the headlights or light switch .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
- Light bulbs are pressurized and could ex­
plode while they are being changed caus­
ing serious personal injury.
- Work with due care when handling the
high-voltage section of gas discharge
(xenon) lights. Failure to do so could re­
sult in death or serious injury.

192 Intelligent technology
freezing conditions ice) on the brake pads. A
few careful brake applications should dry off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered
road and the brakes are not used . Here too
,
you should clean off accumulated salt coating
from brake discs and pads with a few careful
applications of the brake
Q & .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
only for short trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor­
rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and discs by braking
f irmly a few times from a moderately high
speed
Q & .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, then one of the two brake
circuits may have failed
Q & .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid
level is monitored electronically.
Brake booster
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
sure which is created only when the engine is
running
Q & .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this in­
spection
Q page 258, Changing a wheel.
WARNING
- You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too
long or too often . This could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency.
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake. This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating
conditions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums. Carefully apply brakes
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings will be cleaned off after a few care­
ful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency.
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­
ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, for
example when towing your vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
~

Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission con­trol system (catalytic converter) is function­
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run­
ning in an environmentally sound manner .
.. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 215,
Fuel supply.
.,. Never run the tank down all the way to
empty.
.,. Never put too much motor oil in your en-
gine
¢ page 225, Adding engine oil~-
.,. Never try to push- or tow-start your veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an eff icient "clean­
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle . The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be ­
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
importa nt for the life of the cata lytic convert­
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
-
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material which can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields. During driving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢ page 225.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis­
fire . U nburned fuel could a lso get i nto
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 197
the exhaust system and this cou ld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat .
- Do not swi tch off the ignit ion while the
vehicle is mov ing.
- Do not continue to ope rate your veh icle
unde r these conditions, as othe rwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
co uld result in overheating o f the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis ­
sion Control System:
- H ave your vehicle maintained prope rly
and in accordance w ith the se rv ice rec­
ommendat ions in you r Warranty &
M aintenance boo klet.
- L ack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehi cle w il l impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage .
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control System is
operat ing properly, the exha ust gas can
have a sul fur -li ke exhaust gas smell under
some operating states . This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fue l may help,
or filling the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are drivi ng on poo r roads, or over
c ur bs, s teep ramps, etc., ma ke certai n that
low -lying parts s uch as spoilers and exhaust
system pa rts do not bottom o ut and get dam­
aged.
T h is is espec ially true for veh icles w ith low­
s lung chassis (spor ts chassis)* and fully load­
ed vehicles. •
•

Modern eng ine lubrication has taken a quan ­
tum leap in the last few years . Many synt hetic
oils ava ilable today provide better engine lu­
brication that can ou tlast traditional petrole­
um-based o ils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your Audi .
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum­ based engine oil, the oil that you use must
conform to Audi's oil quality standard
VW 502 00 to help keep your veh icle 's engine
running smoothly and help prevent the for­
mat ion of harmfu l deposits, sometimes called
"s ludge," that ove r time can lead to expensive
r epairs .
At the t ime of pri nting , engine o ils available in
the U .S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oi l standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, h owever, that every syn thetic engine oil w ill
meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00. So a lways
be sure that you use an approved oi l.
To help preve nt the format ion of harmful de­
posits use only oi l with the fo llow ing spec ifi­
cations printed on the oil container :
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
O il conta iner labels may carry the specif ica ­
tion s ingly or in comb inat ion w ith other des ig­
nations and oil qua lity standards .
Viscosity
Engine oi ls are graded according to their vis­
cosity. The proper v iscosity grade oi l for your
engine depends on cl imactic or seasonal con­
d itions where you dr ive. You can use oil with a
viscosity grade of SA E 5W40 across all tem ­
pe rature ranges for normal d riving conditions .
However, if eng ine oi l viscosity grade SA E
5W40 is not avai lab le, you can also use viscos­
ity grade SAE 5W -30 or SA E OW-40 as long as
it meets Audi o il quality standard VW 502 00
specifications .
Because engine oil that meets the A udi oil
standard may not be available everywhere
when you need it, we s trongly recomme nd
that you always carry with you a n ext ra quart
Checkin g and fillin g 223
(li ter) of oil that exp ress ly con forms to the
VW S02 00 specification , in case you have to
top
off the o il while on the road.
Only if the level of the o il is at or be low the
minimum mark -and no oi l that expressly
confo rms to Audi oil standard VW 502 00
spec ifications is available -may you top
off
with a h igh quality engine o il, prefe rab ly syn ­
thet ic-based, that meets ACEA A3 or API SM
spec ifications, but even then, only in v iscosity
grades SAE 5W-40 , SA E 5W-30, o r SAE
OW- 40 . However, dur ing the entire time be­
tween o il cha nge inte rva ls, never top
off with
more than a tota l of 0. 5 q t/liter engine o il
that does not con form to A udi oil spe cification
VW S02 00.
Fo r more information abo ut eng ine oi l tha t
has been approved for your veh icle, ple ase
contac t eit h er yo ur autho rized Aud i dea le r or
Audi C ustomer Re lations at 1 (800) 822 -2834
or visit our web site at www .a u diusa.com or
www.aud icanada .ca. Here you w ill also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names e tc.) tha t conform to Audi oil s tandard
vw 502 00.
Changing the engine oil
T he eng ine oi l and o il f ilt er m ust be changed
according to the mileage (ki lometers) and
time intervals specified i n your ve hicle's War ­
ranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed
these interva ls - harmful deposits from old
engine oil can reduce engine performance and
can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changi ng the oil at the recommended inter­
vals is so very important beca use the l ubricat­
ing propert ies of oil decrease gradually during
norma l veh icle use . If you a re not sure when
yo u have your o il cha nged, ask your author­
ized Audi Se rv ice Adv isor.
Under some circumstances the engine oil
shou ld eve n be changed more frequent ly .
Change oil more often if you dr ive most ly
sho rt distances, operat e the ve hicle in dusty
areas o r most ly under stop-and -go traff ic con-
di tions, o r when you use your vehi cle where .,..
•
•

224 Check ing and filling
temperatures stay below freezing point for
long periods.
Detergent add it ives in the o il w il l make fresh
oil look dark after the eng ine has been run­
ning for a short time . This is norma l and is not
a reason to change the oi l more often than
recommended.
D am age or m alfunc tions du e to lack of
m ainten ance
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended in tervals using only engine o il
that complies with Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00. You r Limited New Vehicle War­
ranty does not cover damage or malfunctions
due to fail ure to fo llow recommended mainte­
nance and use requ irements as set forth in
the Audi Owner's Manual and Warranty &
Maintenance book let . Your dealer will have to
deny warranty coverage unless you present to
the dea ler proof in the form of Service or Re­
pa ir Orders that all scheduled ma intenance
was performed in a t imely manner.
Eng ine 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, a ll in­
ternal comb ustion eng ines consume a certa in
amount of oil. O il consumption varies from
engine to engine and may change significantly
over the life of the engine. Typica lly, engines
with a specif ied break-in period (see
¢
page 196) consume more oil during the
break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Under norma l conditions, the rate of oil con­
sumpt ion depends on the quality and viscosity
of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per m inute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient
temperature and road condit ions . Further fac­
tors are the amount of oil d ilution from water
condensat ion or fuel residue and the ox ida­
tion level of the oi l. As any engine is subject to wear as mi
leage builds up, the oil consump­
tion may increase over time until replacement of worn components may become necessary.
With a ll these variab les coming into play, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be es­
tablished or specified. There is no alternative
to regu lar and frequent check ing of the o il lev ­
el, see Note.
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbo l
in the instrument cluster
II! lights up, you
shou ld check the oil leve l as soon as possib le
¢
page 225. Top off the oil at your earliest
convenience
¢ page 225.
A WARNING '"---
Before you check anythi ng in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS¢
A in Working in the engine
compartment on page 220.
(D Note
Driving w ith an insufficient o il level is like­
ly to cause severe damage to the engine .
(D Tips
-The oil pressu re warn ing display. is
not an indic ator of the oil le vel. Do not
r el y on it . In ste ad, ch eck the oil lev el in
y our engin e at r eg ular inter vals , pref ­
erably ea ch time you r efu el, and alwa ys
before going on a long trip .
- If you have t he impression yo ur engine
cons umes ex cessive amoun ts of o il, we
recommend that you consu lt your Aud i
dea ler to have the cause of your concern
properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that
the accurate meas urement of oi l con­
sumption requ ires great care and may
take some t ime. Your Audi dea ler has in­
structions about how to measure oil con­
sumption accurately.
-