2000 AUDI ALLROAD page 57

VE
HICLE OPERATION------------------------
The external conditions
in which you drive also affect your fuel con­
sumption.
The following conditions increase fuel con­
sumption:
• Heavy traffic, especially in large cities
with many traffic lights.
• Stop-and-go driving, especially short dis­
tances so that the engine never warms up
as it should.
• Driving in heavy, slow moving traffic in
low gear so that the engine speed is rela­
tively high when compared to the distance
driven.
� Plan your trips ahaad of time. Or­
� ganizs your trips to include sev­
sral errands and to avoid heavy traf­
fi c.
Of course, there are some conditions that
will affect fuel consumption that you can't
control.
For example, fuel consumption increases in
the winter or under difficult conditions (bad
roads, towing a trailer, etc.).
19 6 The
technical requirements
for optimum fuel consumption and eco­
nomy were ''built" intoyourvehicle. Special
attention was paid to the environment. To
reta in and make use of these characteris­
tics, please note the following points:
riJ Use only unleaded gasoline.
Leaded gasoline causes damage to the cat­
alytic converter and other components of
the emission system.
t:Gh Have your vehicle serviced by an
� Audi Dealar at the specified in­
tervals -see page 228 and your
Main tenance booklet.
Having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
Audi Dealer helps ensure that it runs prop­
erly and economical ly, that it does not dis­
turb the environment, and that it has a long
service life. t:Gh
Check
your tire pressure once a
W month.
Low tire pressure increases fuel consump­
tion and tire wear, and impair s vehicle han­
dling.
�W ARNING
Underinflation and overloading of
tires can lead to tire failure. Sud­
den failur e on the road could cause
a serious or fata l accident. See
page 253 for inflation informa­
tion.
� Do not carry unnecessary items
in the luggage compartment.
Particularly in city traffic where you must
often accelerate, weight influences fuel
consumption.

----------------------VEHICLE
OPERATION
,:lib Remove
supplementary roof
� rack components when not In
use.
At high road speeds, the increased air �e­
sistance caused by the cross bars also In­
creases fuel consumption.
,:lib Switch oH any electrical equip­
� ment when no longer needed.
The more electricity you consume, the
higher the fuel consumption.
,:lib Check your vehicle 's fuel co?­'l!�Sr sumption regularly. Keep a writ­
ten record or use the trip odometer .
Check your fuel consumption ea?h time you
refu el. By doing this, you can d1scov �r a �y
inc onsistencies which could result 1n In­
creased fuel consumption and have these
checked before other problems appear. •
Check your oil each time you fill
your tank
The amount of oil used is related to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a cer­
tain mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000
miles (5 000 kilome tres) before you can
properly assess oil consumption.
This also applies to fuel consumption and
engine output.
• The published ENVIRONME NTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and
Tr ansport Canada consumption esti­
mates may not correspond to your
actual consumption on the road.
which will vary depending upon ve­
hicle load and speed. road and
weather conditions. trip length. etc. The
catalytic converter is an efficient
"clean-up" device built into the exhaust
system of the vehicle. The catalyttc convert­
er burns many of the pollutants in the ex­
haust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is
critically important fo.r the life of
the catalytic converter and proper
functioning of the engine - see
page 225.
The catalytic converter will be per­
manently damaged by:
• Exc eeding the correct engine oil
level - see page 236;
• Driving until the fuel tank be­
comes completely empty. The en­
gine could misfire. Unburned fuel
could also get into the exhaust sys­
tem and this could cause the catalyt­
ic converter to overheat;
197

VE
HICL E OPER ATION ------------------------
• Tu rning off the ignition while the
vehicle is movin g-sea page 115 -or
• Other unusual operating condi­
tions.
Do not continue to operate your ve­
hicle under these conditions, as
otherwise fuel can reach the catalyt­
ic converter. This could result in
overheating of the converter, requir­
ing its replacement.
To assure eHiciant operation of the
Emission Control System:
• Have your vehicle maintained
properly and in accordance with the
service recommendations in your
Maintenance booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance as well
as improper usa of the vehicle will
impair the function of the emission
control system and could lead to
damage.
19 8 Cl
Do not alter or remove any com­
ponent of the Emission Control Sys­
ta.m unless approved by the
manufacturer.
• Do not alter or remove any device,
such as heat shields, switches, igni­
tion wires, valves, which are de­
signed to protect your vehicle 's
Emission Control System and other
important vehicle components.
Nota
Do not leave engine idling unat­
tended after starting. If warning
lights should come on to indicate
improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also pro­
duces heat, which could result in
overheat ing or other damage to the
vehicle or other property. �W
ARNING
• Parking
Do not park or operate the vehicle
in areas where the hot exhaust sys­
tem may coma in contact with dry
grass, brush, fuel spill or other ma­
terial which can causa a fire.
• Undercoating
Do not apply additional undercoat­
ing or rustproofing on or near the
exhaust manifold, exhaust pipes,
cata lytic converter or heat shields.
During driving, the substance
used for undercoating could over­
heat and causa a fire.

VE
HICL E OPER ATION
Driving on slopes
• If you find that you cannot climb a grade,
never try to turn. Back down the hill in re­
verse gear. If you don't. the vehicle may
tip or roll over!
• To reduce the danger of rolling the ve­
hicle, drive the vehicle as close as possible
to the "fall line" (direction of maximum
slope) -not at an angle to the fall line.
If it feels like the vehicle is about to
roll over when you are trav eling at
an angle to the fall line, turn into the
fall line immediately.
• Never park your vehicle on extreme
uphill or down hill slopes.
Deep snow
• You should promptly install wheels
equipped with winter or all-season tires
when you expect winter road conditions -
see page 260.
• Install snow chains before attempting to
drive through deep, unplowed snow - see
page 261.
200 Driving
through water
• Always make certain that the ride level
system is in the highest level before cross­
ing streams and similar water obstacles.
• You should always determine how deep
the water is before you drive through it.
• When crossing through water, travel only
at a walking speed. If possible, do not
stop and do not shut off the engine.
• Avo id driving through salt water
(beaches, for example).
After you have traveled through wa­
ter, mud or slush, your brakes may
be slow to respond due to wet brake
rotors and pads. To get back the full
braking effectiveness, apply the
brakes cautiously to dry them out­
The brakes must be dry before you
can get full brake performance. Sand,
quicksand and similar unsta­
ble soils
Cross sandy or other unstable terrain briskly
and, if possible, do not stop.

VE
HICL E OPER ATION------------------------
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS)
The ABS contributes effectively to vehicle
control since it prevents the wheels from
locking when the brakes are applied. This
means that the vehicle remains steerable
and is less likely to skid.
Nota
Yo u don't have to "pump" the brake.
Just hold the brake pedal down.
However, do not expect that the ABS short­
ens braking distance under all circum­
stances. When driving on gravel or on newly
fallen snow on top of icy surfaces, braking
distance may be even longer , therefore, un­
der these circumstances, it is especially im­
portant that you drive slowly and with great
care.
202 How the
ABS system works
An automatic check is made when a speed
of about 4 mph (6 km/h) is reached.
When this happens a pumping noise can be
heard.
If an individual wheel begins to rotate too
slowly in relation to vehicle speed and tends
to lock, the ABS automatically reduces
brake pressure to prevent that wheel from
locking.
This automatic adjustment process
will cause a slight vibration of the
brake pedal and soma noises to alert
you that vehicle speed must be
adapted to existing road and traffic
conditions. Enhanced
ABS function {Offroad­
Mode)
To improve braking on loose terrain (for ex­
ample: gravel, scree, mud, slush, snow),
turn off the ESP (see page 205), which will
switch the ABS to a special mode designed
for off-road requirements.
In this mode, the ABS control system is
changed to allow a "wedge" of loose rock
or soil to form in the front of the wheels.
This improves braking performance.
The ESP indicator light in the instrument
cluster will come on when you have
switched to this special ABS mode (see
page 124).
This special ABS mode will remain active up
to about 40 mph (60 km/h). ABS operation
is not affected at speeds over 40 mph
(60 km/h).
To turn his special ABS mode off, press the
ESP button (To activate ESP, see page 152).
The ABS off-road mode will also be deacti­
vated when vou turn off the engine.

�W
ARNING
Although the ABS is very effec­
tive, always remember that brak­
ing capability is lim ited by tire
tracti on.
Always adjust your driving speed
accor ding to the road and traffic
conditions. Do not let the extra
safety afforded by the ABS tempt
you into taking extra risks. The
ABS cannot overcome the laws of
physics.
If ABS is not functioning properly, a warning
light will come on. See page 125 for addi­
tional details. Conditions
affecting
braking efficiency
Moisture or road salt
�W ARNING
• Under certain climatic and oper­
ating conditions such as passing
through water, 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, lin­
ings, discs and drums. Cautiously
apply brakes for a test. Brakes will
dry and ice coatings will be
cleaned off after a few cautious
brake applications. VE
HICLE OPERATION
� WARNING continued
• Driving for an extended period
of time on salt-covered roads with­
out using your brakes can also af­
fect braking efficiency. Clean off
accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few
cautious brake applications.
Overhea ting the brakes
�W ARNIN G
• Do not "ride the brakes" by rest­
ing 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.
Always heed all WAR NINGS
on next page.
203

VE
HICL E OPERA TION-----------------------
'4 WARN ING continued
• Before descending a steep
grade, reduce speed and shift
transmission into a lower gear or
lower driving position. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down
too long or too often. This could
cause the brakes to get hot and di­
minish braking efficiency.
• If you damage the front spoiler,
or if you install a different spoiler,
be sure the air flow to the front
brakes is not obstructed. Other­
wise the brake system could over­
heat reducing the effective ness of
the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will
impair the braking capability re­
sulting in an increased stopping
distance.
Avoid driving the vehicle and have
it towed to the nearest Audi Dealer
or qualified workshop.
204 Electronic differential lock
(EDL)
The EDL operates in conjunction with the
ABS. The EDL acts automatically, i.e. with­
out the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS sensors, this sy­
stem monitors the speed of the driven
wheels up to about 50 mph, 80 km/h .
Within the speed range at which this sy­
stem operates, if the wheels spin (e.g. on
slippery surfaces) they are braked in a con­
trolled manner , and more of the engine's
power is directed to whiche ver wheels
achieve greater traction.
Please note:
• When driving off, always be sure to keep
road conditions in mind as you accelerate.
If a drive wheel spins because it's on a slip­
perier surface, gradually increase the pres­
sure on the accelerator pedal until the car
starts to move. •
When accelerating on slippery surfaces,
such as on ice or snow, always be careful
when depressing the accelerator pedal.
Even with the EDL working, the drive
wheels can spin and reduce your ability to
control your car.
• To prevent the disc brake of the braked
wheel from overheating, if subjected to ex­
cessive loads the EDL cuts out temporarily.
The vehicle remains operational and be­
haves in the same way as a vehicle without
EDL
If a fault occurs in the ABS the EDL is also
not functioning. This is ind icated by the ABS
warning light-see page 125.
ftl WARNING
The increased safety afforded by
EDL does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt
your driving style to the road con­
ditions and traffic situation.

Electronic
Stability Program (ESP)
The Electronic Stability Program helps to
control the vehicle in critical maneuvers like
curves.
When the vehicle starts up and accelerates,
the wheels are prevented from spinning by
adjusting the engine power to conform to all
road conditions. This improves vehicle sta­
bil ity.
The system operates across the entire
speed range in combination with the ABS
syst em. If the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP will also shut
down.
When you turn on the engine, the ESP will
automatically be activated and will perform
a self-test. The
system can be activated or deactivated
by press ing the button.
The warning light comes on when the sys­
tem is switch ed off. See page 124.
If you deactivate the ESP, a special ABS
mode designed mainly for all-road condi­
tions will be activated - see page 202.
It may be advantageous to turn off the sys­
tem in certain special cases when wheel
slippage is desired such as:
- when driving on difficult terrain VE
HICL E OPER ATION
- when driving in deep snow or on a loose
surface
- when trying to "rock" out the vehicle
when it has become stuck.
After this, you should switch the system
back on.
The ABS and EDS are still functioning even
if the ESP is switched off.
205