oil level AUDI TT ROADSTER 2011 Owners Manual

Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 11
Digital clock with date display
Your vehicle is equipped with a quartz con­
trolled digital clock .
Fig. 4 In str um en t cl uster w ith th e dig ita l cloc k
To set the hour
.. Pull the knob (hou r d isplay flashes) and turn
it t o the left o r right.
To set the minutes
.. Pull the knob as many times as necessary
un til the mi nute display flash es.
.. Turn the knob to the left or right .
To set the date
.. Pull the knob as many times as necessary
until the day, month or year display flashes.
.. Turn the knob to the left or right .
To hide or d isplay the d ate
.. Pull the knob as many times as necessary
unti l the date display flashes.
.. Turn the knob to the left or right.
When the date disp lay stops blinking, this
means the time and date have been success­
fu lly stored.
W ith the ignition off, pushing or pulling the
Set/Check button
~ page 10, fig . 3 ® -de­
pending on the instr ument cluster config ura­
tion - can turn on the display field lighting for
a few seconds .
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coo lant gauge ~ page 10, fig . 3 @
only wor ks when the ign ition is on. To prevent
damage to your engi ne, please note t he fo l­
lo wing important points :
Engine cold
As long as the need le rem ains a t the left end
of the gauge, the engine s till has not reac hed
its operating temperat ure. Avoid high engine
speeds, heavy e ngine loads and heavy throt­
tle.
Normal temperature
When the engine has re ache d its ope rat ing
temperature, the need le w ill move into the
mid dle of t he gauge and rema in there .
If the
engine is working hard at high outside tem ­
peratures, the needle may turn fu rther to the
right. This is no cause for concern as long as
the . war ning light i n the inst rument cluster
does not illuminate .
When the. warning light starts to f lash,
th is can mean one of two things: either the
coolant
temperature is too high, o r the coo l­
ant
level is too low ~ page 31 .
A WARNING
--Always obs erv e the warn ing in
~ page 17 2, Engine compar tment be ­
fore opening the eng ine hoo d and check­
ing the eng ine coolan t leve l.
- N ever ope n the eng ine hood if you see or
hea r ste am, or if you see e ngine c oo la nt
dripping from t he en gine compar tment .
You could burn yourse lf . Let the engi ne
coo l off fi rst so that you can not hear or
see any steam or engine coo lant.
(D Note
- M ounting ad ditiona l lights or accessories
in front of the air inlets reduces the coo l­
ing effect of t he radiato r. At high o utside
tempe rat ures or h igh engine load, the
eng ine could overheat.
- The front spoiler has been designed to
properly d istribute the cooling a ir when
the vehicle is movi ng. If the spoiler is
damaged, this could reduce the coo ling
e ff ect a nd the eng ine could then ove r­
heat . As k yo ur au thori zed A udi deal er for
assis tan ce.

22 Driv e r in formation sy stem
Each display type in the Start menu contains a
submenu with additional options.
Set Clock
c;:,page23
Computer
c;:,page23
Acoust ic par k assist*
¢page83
Speed alarm (speed warning)
c;:,page27
Language (6 languages)
c:;>page23
Units (distance, fuel consump-
tion, temperature)
c;:,page23
Tire pressure monitoring
c;:,page 212
Lap timer *
c;:,page 25
Lighting*
c;:,page53
Wiper (service position)
c;:,page62
Window
¢page44
Doors (unlocking and locking
mode, for example Auto-lock)
c;:,page 37, c:;>page 37
Check Service
c;:,page24
Chassis number *
c;:, page 23 7
Engine oil temperature*
Registered keys
c:;>page35
Menu off All of the messages show n in ve-
hides without menu display a p-
pear on the display screen.
Navigating the menu
Use the rocker switch on the windshield wiper
lever and the
I Reset I button to operate the
menu and carry out inquiri es and selections.
~-- @
Fig. 1 3 Wiper lever: Controls for the men u display
Fi g. 14 Display: Start menu
I Reset I button @ and rocker switch @
c:;> fig. 13 functions:
To open the menu
.,. Press the I Reset I button @ until the me nu
d isp lay¢
fig. 14 appears
Selections and settings
.,. Press the rocker switch @to reach a menu
disp lay. The switch is operated the same as
the display (up/down) .
Entering and c onfirm ing
.,. Press the I Reset I button @.
Returning to the Start menu
.,. Press the I Reset I butto n longe r tha n 2 sec­
onds to return from any menu level to the
Start men u.
U sing the rocke r swi tch , you can se lec t the
me nus in the display or change set tings. A

If the engine control unit receives fau lty vehi ­
cle roadspeed signa ls , the Ma lfunction Indica­
tor Light (MIL)
Ill will illum inate . If th is oc­
curs, contact the nearest authori zed Audi
dealer for assistance.
S mod els
Your vehicle 's top speed is e lectronically limit­
ed to 155 mph (250 km/h).
If the engine control unit rece ives fa ulty vehi ­
cle roadspeed signa ls , the Ma lfunction Indica­
tor Lamp (MIU ¢• will i lluminate. If this oc­
curs, contact the nearest authorized Audi
dea ler for assistance.
A WARNING
-
Always observe the posted speed limits
and adjust your speed to suit prevailing
road, traff ic and weather conditions. Never
drive your vehicle faster than the maxi­
mum speed rating of the tires insta lled.
Warnings and symbols
Red symbols
A red symbol means DANGER
" Pull of the road and stop the veh icle .
"T urn off the engine.
" Check the ma lf u nction ing system. Contact
your autho rized Audi dea le r o r a qualified
workshop for assistance.
- USA models : Malfunction in the
brake system ¢
page 30
---·--
D
Canada models : Malfunction in the
brake system ¢
page 30
Engine coolant level too low/
engine coolant temperature too
high
r:1;> page 31
Engine oil pressure too low
¢page 31
Clutch is overheat ing
c:1;> page 92
Dr iver in formati on sys tem 29
When a red symbol appears, a warning tone
will sound
three times in succession . The sym­
bo l cont inues to flash unti l the malfunction
has been repaired. If there is
more than one
malfunc tion, the symbo ls appear one after
the other for about two seconds .
(D Tips
- The message for a malfunction can be
shown by pressing on the left knob.
- Dur ing route guidance on vehicles with a
navigation system, the warn ing symbol
is shown in the field above.
Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Ii
Low fuel leve l
¢page32
- -- Check engine oil level
151!1 ¢page 32
- Engine oil sensor malfunction
l:ill ¢ page 32
Worn brake pads
¢page32
USA models : Speed warning 1
c:1;> page 3 2
Canada models : Speed warning 1
¢page32
USA models: Speed warning 2
c:1;> page 3 3
Canada models: Speed warning 2
c:1;> page 33
Dynamic headlight range contro l*
defective
¢ page 33
-Engine speed limitation *
c:1;> page 33
Windshield washer fl ui d leve l low
c:1;> page 33

30 Driv e r in formation sy stem
Battery voltage too high or too low
¢page33
Defective light bu lb
Qpage 33
USA models: Defective brake light
Qpage33
Canada models: Defective brake
light
Q page 33
Light/rain sensor defective (automat­
ic headlights) * defective
Q page 3 4
Adaptive Light* defective
¢page34
Tire pressure monitoring system
¢page212
When a yellow symbol appears, a warning
tone will sound
once. Check the d isp layed
f u nction as soon as possib le. If
more than one
malfunction is detected, a ll symbols will ap­
pear one after the other for abou t two sec­
onds.
Driver information
In addition to th e warning/indicator lights
a nd the symbols in the inst rument cluster dis­
play, driver information is displayed.
F ig . 2 6 Section of instrument cluster: Set/Check b ut­
ton
Driver information appea rs in the disp lay
when a defec tive l ight bu lb is reported by the
defect ive light bulb warning¢
page 33,
when the brake p ads are wo rn and before you
engage a gear. In add
ition, driver information may appear
whe n a red symbo l flashes in the driver dis­
play .
To display Driver information
As an examp le, the . symbo l appears in the
display. If yo u now p ress the button¢
fig. 26,
the following driver message appears in the display:
Switch off engine and che ck oil level
The driver message in the display goes out af­
te r about 5 seconds. Yo u can display t he drive r
message aga in by briefly pres sing the button.
BRAKE /(©) Brake system
The indicator light flashes if the brake fluid
level is too low, if there is a malfunction in
t he ABS sys tem o r when the parking brake is
engaged.
If the - (USA models),1111 (Canada
model s) symbo l flashes in the d isplay w it h t he
par king brake rele ase d, there is a mal func tion
in the brake system. In ad dition to the sym­
bo l, one o f two messages appears in the dis ­
play :
STOP V ehicle and check brake fluid
ABS fault! See Owner's manual
.,. Pull off the road a nd stop the veh icle .
.,. Obtain profess iona l assistance.
USA models: if t here is a ma lf u nction in the
ABS system, the
mES warning/indicator light
illuminates along with the -system
malfu nction warning/ind icator light
Q .&. .
Canada models: if there is a mal function in
the ABS system, the
ti] warning/ indicator
light illum inates together with the . brake
system mal function warn ing/indicator light
Q .&_ .
Parking brake set
The parking brake war ning light -·
(Canada mode ls) illum inates when the park­
i ng brake is set. In addition, a warn ing tone
will sound after yo u have driven for longer

than 3 seconds and faster than 3 mph (5 km/
h).
A WARNING
-Always observe the warnings in
9 page 172, Engine compartment, be­
fore opening the engine hood and check­ ing the brake flu id .
- Driv ing with low brake fluid is a safety
hazard! Stop the car and get professional
assistance.
- If the brake system warn ing/ indicator
light illuminates together with the ABS
warning/ind icator light, t hen the ABS
system is malfunct ion ing . The rear
wheels co uld qu ickly lock up when yo u
apply the brakes. This could lead to loss
o f control and your vehi cle could slide!
Drive carefu lly to the nearest a uthorized
Audi dealer and have the ma lfunction
corrected.
_ L Engine cooling system
A malfunction in the engine cooling system
must be repaired as soon as possible .
When the . symbol in the d isp lay flashes,
then either the eng ine coolan t
temperature is
too high, or the coo lant
level is too low. In ad­
dition to the symbol, the fo llowing message
also appears in the display:
Swit ch off engine and check coolant level
"'Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
"'T urn off t he engine.
"' Check coolant leve l
9page 185.
"'Add coolant if ne cessary¢ page 186.
"' Contin ue driving only after the eng ine cool -
ant warn ing/indicato r light goes o ut.
"' Contact your authorized Audi dea ler for as-
s istance if necessary.
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be the cause of the malf unc­
tion .
If the generator wa rning/ind icator light
should also illuminate ¢
page 16, then the
fan belt may be damaged.
Dr iver in formati on sys tem 3 1
A WARNING
-If your vehicle should break down for
mechanical or other reasons, park at a
safe distance from moving traffic, tu rn
off the eng in e and tu rn on the haza rd
warn ing ligh ts ¢
page 56, Emergen cy
flasher ~-
-
-Never ope n the hood if you see o r hear
s team or coola nt es caping from the en ­
gi ne compartmen t -you ris k being sc ald ­
ed . Wait unt il yo u can no longer see o r
hea r steam o r coolant escap ing.
- T he engine compa rtment o f any vehicle
is a dangerous area. Be fore you perform
a ny work i n the engine compartment,
turn off the eng ine and allow it to cool.
Follow t he warn ing stickers
9 page 172,
Engine compartment .
(D Note
Do not continue driv ing if the . sym bol
ill uminates. There is a malfunction in the
engine cooling system -you could damage
your engine.
~ Engine oil pr essure
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol
requires immediate service or repair.
If the . symbo l appears in the disp lay and
flashes, the o il pressure is too low . In add ition
to the symbol, the following message a lso ap­
pears in the display:
Switch off engine and check oil le vel
"' Pull off the road an d stop the ve hicle.
"' Shu t the eng ine down.
"' Check the engine oil level¢
page 183 .
"'Contact your authorized Audi dealer for as-
sistance if necessary.
Engine oil level too low
I f the engine oil leve l is too low , top off oil to
the p roper level
¢ page 183. .,.

32 Driver information system
Engine oil level OK
If th e . symbol st arts flashin g ag ain eve n
though the engine oil leve l checks O K on the
dip stick,
do not start driving again and do
not let the engine run at idle .
Instead, con­
tact your author ized Audi dealer for assis­
tance.
@ 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 symbol.
starts to flash before you respond to
the low oil level warning
II . By then,
your engine may already have suffered
serious damage.
fl) Fuel supply too low
When the (i1 symbo l ill uminates, this means
there are about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of fue l
left i n the fuel tank . Time to ref uel!
r::;, page 17 5 .
If the symbol lights up, even when t he re is
ample fuel in the tank, and the text
Tank sys ­
tem malfunction! Please contact workshop
a ppears in the d isplay, there is a fault in the
sys tem. Contact a qualified wor ksh op to have
the fau lt rectified.
'l=:11 , Checking the engine oil level
II! Please add max . 1 qt of engine oil!
If th e II sy mbo l comes o n, add 1 quart( ! li­
ter) of o il at t he nex t oppor tunity
<::;,page 183.
1) - : USA mod els onl y
~ Checking the engine oil level
W hen the Ill symbol illum ina tes, check t he
engi ne oil leve l as soon as po ssibl e
r::;, page 183 . Top off t he oil at your ear liest
oppo rtunity
<::;, page 183 .
~.,., Engine oil sensor defective
If the II symbol illum inates, contact yo ur
autho rized Aud i dea le r and have the oil senso r
i nspected .
{0) Worn brake pads
&J Brake pads!
If the warning light i lluminates, immed iate ly
contact your a uthori zed Audi d ealer or quali­
fied works hop to have all b rake pads i nspect­
ed. On USA mode ls t he war ning ligh t
&J
comes on together w ith the warning light
1111 . Bot h set s of bra ke pads o n an ax le
mu st al ways be re place d at th e same time.
A WARNING
Driving w ith bad bra kes ca n ca use a colli­
sion and ser io us perso nal in jury.
- If th e warni ng light
&J an d th e warn ing
lig ht
11111> with t he mess age Brake
pads!
comes o n in the ins trum en t cluste r
d isp lay, immediate ly co ntact you r au­
th orized A udi dealer or qualif ied work­
shop to have all b rake pads checked or
re placed if nec essary.
0 /8 Speed warning 1
If the [i (USA models)l [i) (Canada mode ls)
symbol illum ina tes, this m ea ns you a re d riv­
i ng fas ter than t he set vehicle speed . S low
down!
r::;, page 26.
-

152 Intelligent technology
Corrosion
There may be a tendency fo r dirt to bu ild 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 .
I f the b rakes are not used frequen tly, or if cor ­
rosion has fo rmed on the discs, it is advisab le
to clean
off the pads and discs by b raking
firm ly a few times from a moderate ly high
speed
c> .& .
Fault s in the bra ke sy ste m
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake peda l travel, then one of the two brake
circu its may have failed¢.& .
Low brake fluid level
Malf unc tions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fl uid level is too low. The b rake fluid
l eve l is monitored electronica lly .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lin ing wea r may be c hecked by visual i n­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the whee l. If neces ­
sary, the whee l may be removed for this in­
spection ¢
page 222, What should I be
aware of when changing a tire?.
Brake power assist unit
The brake power assist un it increases the
p ress ure th at yo u genera te with the b rake
pedal. It works on ly when the engine is run­
ning.
& WARNING
- Yo u should perform braking maneuve rs
for the purpose of clean ing the brake
system on ly if road condit ions permit.
Other road users must not be put at r isk -
you may cause an acc ident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmiss io n into a lowe r
gear or lowe r driving position . Do not
ride the brak es or ho ld the pedal down
too long or too ofte n. This cou ld cause the brakes to get hot and dimin
ish b rak­
ing efficiency.
- Do not " ride the brakes" by rest ing you r
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 cl imatic and ope rat ing
conditions such as passing through wa­
ter, dr iv ing in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the
b rakes can be reduced . In wi nte r, ice can
a ccumu late on the br ake pads , lin ings,
d iscs and drums. Cautiously app ly bra kes
for a test . Brakes wi ll dry and ice coat ­
ings wi ll be cleaned
off after a few cau­
tious b rake app lications .
- Driving for an exten ded period of t ime on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can a lso affect bra king efficiency.
Clean
off accum ulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few cautious
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a diffe rent spoiler, be sure the a ir
f low to the front b rakes is not obs truc t­
ed. Otherwise the bra ke system could
overhea t redu cing t he effectiveness o f
the entire brake system.
- Fai lure of one b rake circuit will impa ir
the braking capa bility result ing in an in­
cre ase d stopping dist ance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near ­
est A udi dealer or qualified workshop .
- Never let the vehi cle roll to a s top with
the engine sh ut
off .
- If t he bra ke booste r is no t working, for
examp le when towing yo ur vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the bra ke peda l must be
pressed considerably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance .

158 Driving and en vi ro nm ent
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc ., make certain that
low-lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get dam­
aged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low­
slung chassis (sports chassis) and fully loaded
vehicles .
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- T he water must not be any highe r tha n the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not d rive faster than wa lking speed.
_& WARNING
After d riving through wate r, m ud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because o f wet brake rotors and pads . Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re­
store the full braking effect.
(]) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspension or electrical sys ­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
- Check the depth of the water before driv ­
ing through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine
off when driving
through water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid driving thro ugh salt water because
it can ca use corrosion.
-
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission con­
trol 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 17 4,
Fuel supply .
.. Never run the tank down all the way to emp­
ty.
.. Never put too much motor o il in your eng ine
r::;> page 183, Adding engine oil~-
.. Never try to p ush- or tow-sta rt your vehicle.
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean­
up" dev ice built into the exhaust system of
t h e vehicle. The cata lytic conve rter bu rns
many of the pollutants in the exha ust gas be ­
f ore they are re leased into the atmosphere.
T he exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
impor tant for the life of the catalyt ic convert­
er and prope r funct ion ing of the engine.
A WARNING
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exha ust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fue l spill or other material wh ich can
cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additiona l undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat sh ields. Dur ing driv ing, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
(D Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already ser iously de-
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter .
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢page 183.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty . The engine could mis-
fire. Unburned fuel could also get into ..,.

oils available today provide better engine lu­
brication that can outlast traditional petrole­
um-based oils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum­based engine oil, the oil that you use must
conform to Audi's oil quality standard
VW 502 00 to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help prevent the for­
mation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
" sludge," that over t ime can lead to expensive
repairs .
At the time of printing, engine oils available in the U .S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils . This does not mean,
however, that every synthetic engine oil will
meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00. So always
be sure that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful de­ posits use only oil with the following specifi­
cations printed on the oil container :
Audi oil standard VW S02 00
Oil container labels may carry the specifica­
tion singly or in combination with other desig­
nations and oil quality standards .
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their vis­
cosity . The proper viscosity grade oil for your
engine depends on climactic or seasonal con­
ditions where you drive. You can use oil with a
viscosity grade of SA E SW40 across all tem­
perature ranges for normal driving conditions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE
SW40 is not available, you can also use viscos­
ity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as
it meets Audi oil quali ty standard VW 502 00
specifications .
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil
standard may not be available everywhere
when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that expressly conforms to the
Checking and filling 181
VW 502 00 specification, in case you have to
top
off the oil while on the road.
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick - and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 502 00 specifications is available - may
you top
off with a high quality engine oil, pref­
erably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA AS or ACEA BS or AP! SL specifications,
but even then, only in viscosity grades SA E
SW-40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40 . However,
during the entire time between oil change in­
tervals , never top
off with more than a total
of 0 .5 qt/liter engine oil that does not con­
form to Audi oil specification VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oil that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact either your autho rized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834
or visit our web site at www.audiusa .com or
www.audicanada.ca . Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names etc.) that conform to Audi oil standard
vw 502 00.
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed
according to the mileage (kilometers) and
time intervals specified in your vehicle's War ­
ranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed
these intervals -harmful deposits from old
engine oil can reduce engine performance and
can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changing the oil at the recommended inter­
vals is so very important because the lubricat­
ing properties of oil decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use . If you are not sure when
you have your oil changed, ask your author ­
ized Audi Serv ice Adv isor .
Under some circumstances the engine oil
should even be changed more frequently. Change oil more often if you drive mostly
short distances, operate the vehicle in dusty
areas or mostly under stop-and-go traffic con­
ditions, or when you use your vehicle where
temperatures stay below freezing point for
long periods.
•
•

182 Checking and filling
Deterge nt additives in the o il wi ll make fresh
oil look dark after the engine has been run­
n ing for a short time . This is norma l and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than recommended.
D am ag e o r m alfun ction s due to lack of
m ainten ance
It is essent ial that yo u change your oil at the
recommended intervals using only engine oil
that complies with Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00. Yo ur Limited New Veh icle War­
ranty does not cover damage or malfunctions
due to failure to follow recommended mainte­
nance and use requ irements as set forth in
the Audi Owner's Manual and Warranty& Maintenance book let . Your dea ler will have to
deny warranty coverage un less you p resen t to
the dea ler proof in the form of Servi ce or Re­
pa ir Orde rs that all schedu led maintenance
was performed in a timely manner.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all
of its moving ports.
I n o rder to prov ide effective lubr ication and
cooling of internal engine components, a ll in­
ternal comb ustion engines consume a certain
amount of oil. Oi l consumption varies from
engine to engine and may change significantly
over the life of the eng ine . Typically, eng ines
with a specif ied break-in period (see
c::;, page 157) consume more oil during the
break-in per iod than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil con­
sumpt io n 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 cond it io ns. Furthe r fac­
tors are the amo unt of o il d ilution from wate r
condensation or fuel residue and the ox ida­
tion level of the oi l. As any engine is s ubject to
wear as mileage bui lds up, the oil consump­
tion may increase over t ime until replacement
of worn components may become necessary. Wi
th a ll these variab les coming into p lay, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be es­
tab lished or spec ified. There is no alte rnative
to regular and frequent check ing of the o il lev­
el, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbo l
in the instr ument cluster
m lights up, yo u
sho uld check the oil leve l as soon as possib le
with the oil dipstick c::;, page 183. Top off the
o il at your earliest conve nience
c::;, page 183 .
A WARNING
-Before you chec k anything in the engine
compartment, a lways read and heed a ll
WAR NIN GS
c::;, .& in Working in the engine
comportment on page 178.
CI) Note
D riving with an insufficient o il level is like­
l y to cause sever e damage to the engine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warn ing display. is
not an indicator of the oil level. Do not
re ly on it . Instead, check the oil level in
your engine at r egular interval s, pr ef­
erably e ach time you refu el, and always
before going on a long trip.
- If you have the impressio n yo ur engine
cons umes ex cessive amoun ts of oil, we
recommend that you consult your Aud i
dealer to have the cause of your concern
properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that
the accurate meas urement of o il con­
sumption requ ires great care and may
take some t ime . Your Audi dea ler has in­
struct ions about how to measure oil con­
sumption acc urately.