check engine AUDI TT ROADSTER 2008 Owner's Guide

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•
0 Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil. These additives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Audi Limited New
Vehicle Warranty .
W For the sake of th e environm ent
• Before changing your oi l, first make sure you know where you
can properly dispose of the used oil.
• Always dispose of used engine oil properly. Do not dump it on
garden soil, wooded areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains .
• Recycle used engine oi l by taking it to a used engine oil collec ­
tion fac ility in your area, or contact a service station. •
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it keeps the
engine from overheating and it protects the engine from
freez ing in the winter.
The coo ling system is sealed and generally requires little attention.
T he coo ling system has been filled at the factory with a permanent
coolant which does not need to be cha nged . The coolant consists of
a mixture of water and the manufacturer's glycol-basedcoolant
addit ive G 12 + antifreeze with an ticorrosi on addit ives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian models). This mixture both assures the
necessary frost protection and protects metal components in the
engine's cooling system from corrosion and scaling . It a lso raises
the boiling point of the coo lant .
Do not reduce t he concentration of the coolant in the summer by
adding plain water.
The prop ort ion of coolant additi ve mu st be at le
as t 50 % but not more th an 60 %
to maintain antifreeze protection
and co oling effic iency . If the coo lant fros t protect ion is too low, the
coolant could freeze and damage the vehic le heating and engine
coo ling system.
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at the factory for temper ­
atures down to:
• - 31 °F ( - 35 °C) USA
• -40 °F ( -40 °C) Canada.
You can mix the G12 + coo lant additive with other additives (f or
examp le G11 or G12l. Always check with your authorized Audi
dea ler .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , alway s
read and heed all WARNIN GS
=:> & in "Working i n the engine
c ompartment " on
page 220.
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions . This is especia lly important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold. If necessary, increase the proport ion o f
coo lant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your coo ling system,
remember :
- We recommend using only coolant additive G12+ (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is avai lable at autho ­
rized Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protection. The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage.
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sea lant to your vehicle's
engine coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adverse ly affect the _.,
Vehicle care I t •

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function and performance of your cooling system and could result
in damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limi ted Warranty .•
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
g lance .
Fig. 154 Engin e
co mpartment : coo lan t
e xpansio n tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "Working in
the engi ne compa rtment" on
page 2 20.
- Switch t he ignition off.
- Rea d the coo lan t leve l at th e co ola nt e xpansion tank
=> fig . 154. Wit h a c old engine , it must be a b ove the
"min" mark . With a hot engine, it can be a little a bove t he
indicated range .
The location of the coo lant expansion tank can be seen in the
engine compartment i llustration.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off .
The expans io n tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric
coo lant level sensor . When the coolant leve
l is too low , the warning light in the Auto­
Check System ~
page 32will blink un til you add coolant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coo lant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time .
Coolant los s
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system . In the event
of coo lant loss, the cooling system should be inspec ted i mmedi ­
a tely by your authorized Audi dealer . It is no t enough mere ly to add
coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boi ling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sea lant to your vehicle's engine
coo lant. A dding ra diator repair fluid may adversely affec t the func ­
tion and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not cove red by your New Veh icle Limi ted War ranty. •
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding en gine coolant.
Before you c heck anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "Working in
the eng ine compa rtment" on
page 220 .
-Turn off the engine.
- Let the engine coo l dow n.
- Place a t hick rag
over th e coola nt expansio n tank
=> fig . 154 and carefully twist the cap cou nter -c lockwise
=> & .
- Add coolant .

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& WARNING (continued)
• The auxiliary electric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running.
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drops. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick glance.
Fig. 155 Engine
compartment: brake
fluid reservoir
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 220.
- Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
~ fig. 155. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located behind the rear partition of the
engine compartment on the left side~
page 221 .
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:
ill) will come on~ page 20 and~ page 32. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle . The complete brake system should be thor­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized
Audi dealer
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 will als o
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle 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!
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid.
Observe these precautions : .,,_

Checkin g and fillin g ---------------~-!':WIii
•
& WARN ING (co ntinued)
- Use only br ake flu id th at m eet s SAE spec ificati on J 1703 and
c onf orms to F ed eral Motor Vehi cle St and ard 11 6. Always ch ec k
w ith your a uthori zed A ud i de aler to m ake sure you are u sin g
the corre ct brake fluid . Th e co rrect typ e of br ake fluid i s also
indic ate d on the br ake fluid res ervo ir .
- The br ake fluid mu st be ne w. Heavy u se of the br ake s c an
c au se a vapor lo ck if the brake fluid i s left in the s yste m too
long. Thi s ca n seriou sly affe ct the eff iciency of the brake s as
w ell as your safety . This could resu lt in an a ccident .
0 Note
Brake fluid wi ll damage the paint of your vehicle.
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
t he special too ls required and the necessary expertise, we recom­
mend that you have the brake f luid changed by your authorized Audi
dea ler .•
Battery
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with a specia l battery, an AGM battery. This
battery is located in the luggage compartment and must be
replaced with an origina l equipment battery. Under normal oper ­
ating conditions, the battery is
maintenan ce-free .
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service.
You a re we ll advised to replace a battery that is olde r th an 5 years .
Disc onn ectin g th e batt ery t erm inal s
Some vehic le functions (power window regulators, for e xample) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected. These functions have
to be relearned after the batte ry term inals are connected again. To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle electrical system when abso lutely necessary for repairs.
V ehi cle s not dri ven for long period s
If you are going to le t your vehicle stand for a long t ime a nd not
drive it, you should remember there are electrica l components
which are still functioning and they will draw energy from the
battery and drain it, for examp le, the engine immob ilizer. To prevent
this, you can either charge the battery occasionally to keep it in
good working condition or you can d isconnect the negative cab le
on the battery.
W inter op era ti on
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is a lso consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
used more often .
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when trave ling on ly shor t distances . Let your au thorized Audi dea ler
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=>
page 235 . A well charged battery will not on ly prevent start ing
p rob lems when the weather is cold , but wi ll a lso last longer .
Replacing battery
The new battery must h ave the same capacity, voltage (12 volts},
amperage, construction and p lug sea ling, as the origina l battery.
Specifications are l isted on the battery hous ing. Batteries specially
developed by Audi fulfill the ma intenance, output, and safety
requirements.
When installing the battery, make sure the ignition and all electrical consumers are switched off=>
0. .,_
Vehicle care I t •

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& WARNING (continued)
• Make sure the vent hose is always attached to the opening on
the side of the battery.
• Never use batteries which are damaged. Danger of explosion!
Always replace a damaged battery .
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning :
• Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems. Wash hands after
handling .
0 Note
• Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when the ignition is
switched on or when the engine is running, otherwise, you will
damage electronic components in the electrical system.
• When working on the engine, protect the battery housing from
ultraviolet (UV) rays by not parking the vehic le in direct sunlight.
• If your vehicle is going to stand for a long period of time without
being driven , protect the battery from "freezing", otherwise it will
be damaged and will then have to be replaced. •
Checking the battery acid level on magic eye
batteries*
The battery acid level in the battery can be checked
through the clear inspection window.
I
Fig. 157 Luggage
compartment : Battery
with magic eye.
On top of the battery, there is a round "window". This
window (magic eye) changes color as the battery charge
and acid level change.
- Read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working on the
battery" on
page 232
- Read the acid level from the window on the battery
=> fig. 157.
Air bubbles in the window can cause an inaccurate reading. Care ­
fully tap on the side of the window.
• If the window is
green, the battery acid level is correct.
• If the window has
no color or is bright yellow, the battery acid
level is too low. Have the battery tested by your authorized Audi
dealer or a qualified workshop.
• If the window is
black , then the battery is insufficiently charged.
Recharge the battery as soon as possible =>
page 235. ...

Checking and filling -
------------- --------=----" =---------
0 Note
Do not overfill the battery, otherwise battery acid will overflow
through the vent opening. This can damage the paint and cause
corrosion. •
Checking the battery acid level on
conventional batteries *
The acid level of a conventional battery can be checked
visually.
Fig. 158 Battery : Elec­
trolyte level
-Check the electrolyte level on the front of the battery. The
level should be between the "MIN" and "MAX" markings.
If the electrolyte level is below the "MIN" level, have an authorized
workshop fill the battery cell with
distilled water.•
Charging of battery
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery.
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS below => & and
=> & in "Working on the battery" on
page 232.
- Switch off the ignition and all electrical consumers. - Make sure
the area is well ventilated when you charge
the battery.
- Connect charger cables.
ALWAYS connect charger cables
POSITIVE
(v to POSITIVE (v ; NEGATIVE Q to NEGATIVE
o.
- Switch on the charger.
- Make sure the charging rate is not over 6 amps.
- Turn off the charger=>&.
- Disconnect the charger cables.
- Connect both battery cables to the battery if necessary -
first plus, then minus.
It is not necessary to remove the battery from th e engine compart­
ment, and it is also not necessary to disconnect the cables.
Normally, a battery should be charged at no more than 10 percent
of its rated capacity .
For example, a charging current of 4.5 amps would be used on a
battery rated at 45 Ah. Rated capacity of the battery in your vehicle
is listed on the battery housing.
The battery caps should
not be opened when charging a battery.
& WARNING
Charging a battery can be dangerous.
• Never charge a frozen battery. It may explode because of gas
trapped in the ice . Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first.
• Do not reuse batteries which were frozen. The battery housing
may have cracked and weakened when the battery froze .
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated area. Keep away from
open flame or electrical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas gener-
ated by the battery is explosive. .,_
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

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& WARNING (continued)
• To reduce the danger of explosion, never connect or disconnect
charger cables while the charger is operating.
• Fast charging a battery is dangerous and should only be
attempted by a competent technician with the proper equipment.
• Battery acid that may spill during charging should be washed
off with a solution of warm water and baking soda to neutralize
the acid.
0 Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine. This will
seriously damage sensitive electronic components , such as control
units, relays, radio, etc., as well as the battery charger.
[ i ] Tips
The vehicle battery must not be charged with a standard small
charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter or outlet .•
Windshield /headlight washer
container
Using plain water is not adequate for filling the wind­
shield washer system and the headlight washer system*.
Fig . 159 Fender, left:
Windshield washer
fluid reservoir
The washer fluid container is marked with the symbol e.;. on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working
in the engine compartment" on
page 220.
-Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer fluid. You can fill
the container to the top.
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container .
You can find the reservoir capacity in the table in~ page 291.
Use winterized windshield washer solvent during the cold season
even though the vehicle is equipped with heated washer jets. It
helps to keep your windshield clean and prevents the fluid from
freezing in the winter.
Follow the directions on the container for the correct amount to be
used.
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& WARNING !continued)
• Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~ page 212, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
• Applying a higher voltage booster battery will cause expensive
damage to sensitive electronic components, such as control units,
relays, radio, etc .
• There must be no electrical contact between the vehicles as
otherwise current could already start to flow as soon as the positive
(+) terminals are connected.
[ i) Tips
The discharged battery must be properly connected to the vehicle's
electrical system. •
Use of jumper cables
Make sure to connect the jumper cable clamps in exactly
the order described below!
Fig. 182 For jump
starting or charging
the battery, there is a
jump start connection
on the left side of the
engine compartment . Fig. 183 Jump
start
using the battery in
another vehicle: A -
Discharge, B-Female
socket
On vehicles with the 6-cylinder engine, instead of the
battery, on the left side of the engine compartment there is
a
Jump start connection=:> fig. 182. For jump starting, open
the cover on the positive terminal.
Preparatory measures
1. Do not jump start a frozen battery! Replace such a
battery!
2. Otherwise apply the hand brake and shift into idle gear if
your vehicle has manual transmission, and put the
selector lever into P position if your vehicle has auto ­
matic transmission.
3. For both vehicles switch off all consumers and the igni­
tion.
Connecting/disconnecting the jumper cable.
4. Connect one end of the red jumper cable to the positive
terminal
G) =:> fig. 183 in the external starting point@ of
your vehicle .
5. Connect the other end of the red jumper cable to the
positive terminal
® of the booster battery®·
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service irechnical data

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6. Connect one end of the black jumper cable to the nega­
tive term inal
0 of t he booster bat tery @.
7. Connect the other end of the balck jumper cable to the negative terminal (bolt head)
G) in the external starting
point @ of your ve hic le.
8. Route the jumper cables so tha t they cannot catch in any
rotating parts in the engine compartment.
Starting the engin e
9. Start the engine of the vehicle providing assistance and
allow it to run at id le.
10 . Now start t he engine o f the ve hicle wit h the disc harged
battery, wa it for two to three minutes until t he engine
"runs" smoothly.
11 . If the engi ne does not start : Stop tryi ng after 10 seconds
and t hen try ag ain after abo ut 30 secon ds.
12. In the vehicle that has received start assistance, turn on
the heate r blower and the rear window heating to elimi­
nate any voltage pea ks when disconnecting. Driving
lights must be switched off!
1 3. Disconnect the cable while the engine is running exactly
in
reverse order to that described in=> page 279,
"Connecting/d isconnecting the jumper cable .". When
doing so, make sure t hat the cable cannot contact
rotating engine parts.
14 . Close the cover on the pos itive terminal.
The battery is vented to the outside to prevent gases from entering
the vehic le interior. Make sure that the jumper clamps are well
connected with their
metal parts in full contact with the battery
termina ls .
& WARNING
To a vo id se riou s pe rso nal in jur y a nd d am age t o the vehi cle, heed
all wa rnings and in stru ction s of th e jumper cable manuf acturer. If
i n doubt , call for r oad ser vic e.
• Jumper c able s mu st be long enough so that the vehicle s do not
t o uch .
• When connecting jumper cable s, make sur e th at they cannot
g et ca ught in any mo ving p arts in the eng ine comp artment .
• Bef ore you che ck anyth ing in the engin e comp artment , alway s
r ea d and heed all WARNING S=:,
page 21 2, "Engine c omp artment ".
0 Note
Improper hook -up of jumper cables can ruin the generator .
• Always connect POS ITIVE ( +l to POSITIVE(+), and NEGAT IVE( -) to
NEGAT IVE( -) ground post of the battery manager control unit .
• Check that al l screw plugs on the battery cells are screwed in
firm ly . I f not, tighten plugs prior to connecting clamp on negative
battery terminal.
• Please note that the procedure for connect ing a jumper cable as
described above applies specifical ly to the case of your vehicle
being jump started. When you are giving a jump start to another
vehicle, do
not connect the negative(-) cable to the negative 1- l
terminal on the discharged battery@. Instead, securely connect
the negative( -) cable to either a sol id metal component that is
firm ly bolted to the engine block or to the engine block itself . If the
battery that is being charged does not vent to the outside, escaping
battery gas could ignite and explode! •

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& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of serious injury and vehicle damage .
- Always lift the vehicle only at the special workshop hoist and
floor jack lift points illustrated
~ page 283, fig. 188 and
~ page 283, fig. 189.
- Failure to lift the vehicle at these points could cause the
vehicle to tilt or fall from a lift if there is a change in vehicle
weight distribution and balance. This might happen, for
example, when heavy components such as the engine block or
transmission are removed.
• When removing heavy components like these, anchor vehicle
to hoist or add corresponding weights to maintain the center of
gravity. Otherwise, the vehicle might tilt or slip off the hoist,
causing serious personal injury.
0 Note
• Be aware of the following points before lifting the vehicle:
- The vehicle should never be lifted or jacked up from under­
neath the engine oil pan, the transmission housing, the front or
rear axle or the body side members . This could lead to serious
damage.
- To avoid damage to the underbody or chassis frame, a rubber
pad must be inserted between the floor jack and the lift points.
- Before driving over a workshop hoist, check that the vehicle
weight does not exceed the permissible lifting capacity of the hoist .
- Before driving over a workshop hoist, ensure that there is sufficient clearance between the hoist and low parts of the
vehicle. •