For cleaning and care of individual components on the Audi A4, please refer to the tables below. These are recommendations only. If you have special questions or certain components are not listed, please ask your qualified workshop. Please also refer to the notes WARNING!.
(A) Component
(B) Situation
(C) Remedy
(B) Situation
(C) Remedy
| (A) |
(B) |
(C) |
|---|---|---|
| Wiper blades |
Dirt/deposits |
Link |
| Headlights/ rear lights |
Dirt/deposits |
Soft sponge with mild detergent1) |
| Sensors/camera lenses |
Dirt/deposits |
Sensors: soft cloth with solvent-free cleaning agent
Camera lenses: soft cloth with alcohol-free cleaning agent |
| Snow/ice |
Small brush/solvent-free de-icer spray | |
| Wheels |
Road salt |
Water |
| Brake dust |
Acid-free cleaning agent | |
| Tailpipes |
Road salt |
Water; suitable stainless steel cleaning product if necessary |
| Ornamental trim/
mouldings |
Dirt/deposits |
Mild detergent1); suitable stainless steel cleaning product if necessary |
| Carbon parts |
Dirt/deposits |
Same treatment as painted parts Link |
| Paintwork |
Paint damage |
Refer to the Audi A4 data sticker for the paint no. and touch up using a paint pen Link |
| Fuel overflow |
Rinse with water without delay | |
| Surface rust |
Surface rust remover, apply wax afterwards; contact your qualified workshop with any questions | |
| Corrosion |
Have it removed by your qualified workshop | |
| Water no longer pearls off clean paintwork |
Apply wax (at least twice a year) | |
| Paint has lost its shine, gloss cannot be restored by waxing |
Treat with a suitable polish; finish with wax coating if polish does not contain wax compounds | |
| Residues, e.g. insects, bird droppings, resinous tree sap, road salt |
Remove immediately using water and a micro-fibre cloth | |
| Fat-based stains, e.g. cosmetics or sun lotion |
Remove immediately using mild detergent1) and a soft cloth |
Table Cleaning the exterior
(A) Component
(B) Situation
(C) Remedy
(B) Situation
(C) Remedy
| (A) |
(B) |
(C) |
|---|---|---|
| Windows |
Dirt/deposits |
Glass cleaning agent, then wipe dry |
| Ornamental trim/ mouldings |
Dirt/deposits |
Mild detergent1) |
| Plastic parts |
Dirt/deposits |
Damp cloth |
| Heavier dirt/deposits |
Mild detergent1); solvent-free plastic cleaning agent if necessary | |
| Displays |
Dirt/deposits |
Soft cloth with LCD cleaner |
| Controls and displays |
Dirt/deposits |
Soft brush, then soft sponge with mild detergent1) |
| Seat belts |
Dirt/deposits |
Mild detergent1) (allow to dry before retracting) |
| Fabrics,
leatherette, Alcantara |
Surface dirt |
Vacuum cleaner |
| Water-based stains, e.g. coffee, tea, blood, etc. |
Absorbent cloth and mild detergent1) | |
| Fat-based stains, e.g. oil, make-up, etc. |
Apply mild detergent1), dab off dissolved grease or colour particles with absorbent cloth; if necessary treat with water | |
| Special dirt/stains, e.g. ballpoint pen, nail varnish, dispersion paint, shoe cream, etc. |
Special stain remover (dab off with absorbent fabric); if necessary treat with mild detergent1) | |
| Natural leather |
Fresh dirt/stains |
Cotton cloth with mild detergent1) |
| Water-based stains, e.g. coffee, tea, blood, etc. |
Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
Dried stains: suitable stain remover for leather | |
| Fat-based stains, e.g. oil, make-up, etc. |
Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and suitable stain remover for leather
Dried stains: grease removal spray | |
| Special dirt/stains, e.g. ballpoint pen, nail varnish, dispersion paint, shoe cream, etc. |
Stain remover suitable for leather | |
| Care of Audi A4 |
Regularly apply leather-care cream with ultra-violet protection and impregnating compound; if necessary use special colour leather cream | |
| Carbon parts |
Dirt/deposits |
Same treatment as plastic parts |
Table Cleaning the interior
Do not use water-repellent coatings on the windscreen. In bad visibility conditions such as light rain, low sun or when driving at night these coatings can cause increased dazzle, which is a serious safety hazard. Such coatings can also cause the wiper blades to judder.
Caution!
-
Headlights/rear lights
- Never clean the headlights/rear lights with a dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use cleaning agents containing alcohol. This could cause the glass to crack!
-
Wheels
- Do not use paint polish or other abrasive agents.
- If the protective paint coating on the wheel rim is scratched or damaged by stone chips etc., the damaged area should be touched up without delay.
-
Sensors/camera lenses
- Never remove snow and ice from the camera lens using warm or hot water - danger of cracks appearing on the lens.
- Never clean the camera lens with cleaning agents which are abrasive or contain alcohol – danger of scratches and cracks appearing.
-
Windows
- Remove snow and ice from windows and exterior mirrors with a plastic scraper only. To avoid scratches, the scraper should only be pushed in one direction and not moved to and fro.
- Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from windows and mirrors. This could cause the glass to crack!
- To avoid damaging the heating element, do not put stickers on the inner side of the rear window.
-
Ornamental trim/mouldings
- Do not use chrome cleaning agents.
-
Paintwork
- The Audi A4 must be free of dirt and dust before applying polish/wax – otherwise the paintwork may be damaged.
- Do not polish/wax the Audi A4 in direct sunlight – this can damage the paint!
- Do not attempt to polish out surface rust deposits – this can damage the paint!
- Remove cosmetics and sun lotion immediately – otherwise the paintwork may be damaged.
-
Displays
- Displays must not be cleaned with a dry cloth – this can scratch the display!
-
Control consoles
- Do not let any liquid get inside the control consoles – risk of damage!
-
Seat belts
- Do not remove the seat belts to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents, corrosive liquids, solvents or sharp instruments to clean the seat belts or their components – this can damage the belt webbing!
- If you find any damage to the belt webbing, the belt fittings, the belt retractor or the buckle, have the belt in question replaced by a qualified workshop.
-
Fabrics/leatherette/Alcantara
- Do not use leather care products, solvents, wax polish, shoe cream, stain removers, or any similar products on leatherette/Alcantara fabrics.
- To avoid damage, stubborn stains should be removed by a qualified workshop.
- Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard sponges or similar utensils.
- Do not use the seat heating* to dry the seats.
- Sharp-edged objects on clothing, such as zip fasteners, rivets or belts, can also damage the surface of the fabric.
- Please make sure you close any velcro fasteners, e.g. on your clothing, as these could otherwise damage the upholstery.
-
Natural leather
- Do not use solvents, wax polish, shoe cream, stain removers, or any similar products on leather fabrics.
- Sharp-edged objects on clothing, such as zip fasteners, rivets or belts, can also damage the surface of the fabric.
- Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard sponges or similar utensils.
- Do not use the seat heating* to dry the seats.
- Avoid exposing leather to direct sunlight for long periods, otherwise it may tend to lose some of its colour. If the car is left for a prolonged period in the bright sun, it is best to cover the leather.
Note
- It is much easier to remove dead insects if the car has been waxed recently.
- Regular waxing can help protect against surface rust.
1) Mild detergent: not more than two tablespoons of pH-neutral detergent to one litre of water