Driving 126The cruise control system allows you to drive at a constant speed of
30 km/h or higher.
A constant speed is maintained by adjusting the engine power or
braking the vehicle accordingly (while in cruise mode).
The cruise control system is set using the control lever ⇒page 125,
fig. 138. The indicator lamp lights up while the system is operating
⇒fig. 139.
The cruise control system is automatically deactivated immediately
when you press the brake pedal.
On vehicles with a manual gearbox, the cruise control system will be
deactivated if the clutch is pressed for a long time.
WARNING
•
Always direct your full attention to the road, even when you are
using the cruise control system. It is always you who is respon-
sible for determining your speed and for keeping a safe distance
to the other vehicles on the road.
•
For safety reasons, the cruise control system must not be used
in city traffic, stop-go traffic, roads with a lot of bends or in diffi-
cult driving conditions (such as ice, fog, loose grit or gravel, heavy
rain, aquaplaning) - this could cause an accident!
•
When you take a turn-off, drive along a motorway exit lane or
pass through roadwork sections, please temporarily switch off the
cruise control system.
•
Please make sure you do not unintentionally rest your foot on
the accelerator - this will override the cruise control system which,
as a result, will not brake the vehicle.Caution
On vehicles with a manual gearbox: do not move the gear lever into
neutral without depressing the clutch when the cruise control
system is active. Otherwise the engine could rev up and be
damaged.
Note
•
On vehicles with a manual gearbox, the set speed cannot be
reached if the currently selected gear is too high or too low. Change
down to a lower gear when the engine no longer runs “smoothly” or
change up a gear to avoid overrevving the engine.
•
The brake lights come on when the system brakes the vehicle.
Cruise mode
Fig. 139 Indicator
lamp for the cruise
control system - lights
up when the system is
operating.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 140 Symbol and
speed display while in
cruise mode (perma-
nent display)
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Driving129
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data joined the motorway you can then activate the cruise control system
as if you were resuming the function ⇒page 128, “Resuming cruise
control”.
Pre-selection after starting the engine
After starting the engine there is no cruising speed stored in the
system. The current speed is stored when you briefly push lever
up towards (if the speed is above 30 km/h). If the speed is lower,
30 km/h is stored.
Switching off the cruise control systemWhile driving
– Press the lever to position (click stop engaged)
⇒page 125, fig. 138.
When the vehicle is stationary
– Switch off the ignition.The stored speed will be deleted when the ignition is switched off.
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Automatic gearbox 130Automatic gearboxmultitronic
®
Applies to vehicles: with multitronic®IntroductionThe vehicle is equipped with an electronically controlled continu-
ously variable transmission (multitronic
®). Unlike conventional
automatics, the gear ratios are not shifted in fixed steps but contin-
uously variable. This gives smoother transmission and makes for
better fuel economy.
The gearbox selects the gear ratio and shifts up or down automati-
cally according to the gear change programmes stored in the
control unit ⇒page 133, “Dynamic gear control program (DCP)”.
The gearbox also has the tiptronic manual shift feature. This system
allows the driver to select gears manually if required ⇒page 134.
Please note that on vehicles with a multitronic gearbox, torque is
transmitted via a multi-plate clutch, and not via a torque converter
as on conventional automatics. This means that the car will not
“creep” as much as conventional automatics when the engine is
idling if you stop temporarily with the selector lever in position D, S
or R.
Applies to vehicles: with multitronic®General notes on using multitronic
®
The transmission ratio is varied continuously.Driving away from a standstill
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Press and hold the interlock button (the button in the
selector lever handle), move the selector lever to the
desired position, for instance D, and release the interlock
button.
– Wait for the gearbox to engage the gear (a slight move-
ment can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator ⇒.
Stopping briefly
– Apply the foot brake to hold the vehicle when stationary
(for instance at traffic lights).
Fig. 144 Detail of the
centre console:
Selector lever with
interlock button
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Automatic gearbox131
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
– To prevent the vehicle from rolling away, apply the
parking brake before moving off on steep gradients
⇒.
– As soon as you accelerate as normal, the parking brake
will automatically be released and the vehicle will start
moving.
Pa rking the c ar
– Press and hold the brake pedal ⇒.
– Apply the parking brake.
– Press and hold the interlock button, move the selector
lever to P and release the interlock button.Your vehicle is equipped with the hill hold assist function which
makes it easier to drive away on a slope. The system is activated
when you press and hold the brake pedal for a few seconds. When
you release the brake pedal the braking force will be maintained for
a moment in order to prevent the vehicle rolling back when you drive
away.
The engine c an only be started when the selector lever is at P or N.
On level ground it is sufficient to move the selector lever to P. On a
gradient the parking brake should be applied first and the selector
lever should be moved to P. This reduces the load on the locking
mechanism and makes it easier to move the selector lever out of
position P.
WARNING
•
Do not press the accelerator while selecting a gear with the
vehicle stationary and the engine running, as this could cause an
accident.
•
Please note that some power will still be transmitted when you
stop temporarily with the selector lever in position D, S or R. For this reason, to avoid risking an accident, apply the footbrake firmly
when stopping to prevent the vehicle rolling away.
•
Never move the selector lever to R or P when driving, as this
could cause an accident.
Applies to vehicles: with multitronic®Selector lever positions
This section covers all the selector lever positions.The current selector lever position is shown in the instrument
cluster display.
P - Parking lock
This locks the driving wheels mechanically. The parking lock must
only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary ⇒.
The interlock button (the button in the selector lever handle) must
be pressed in and the brake pedal must be depressed before
moving the selector lever either in or out of position P. The lever can
only be moved out of position P when the ignition is on.
R - Reverse gear
When reverse gear is engaged the gearbox automatically selects the
lowest gear ratio.
Fig. 145 Display:
Selector lever posi-
tions
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Automatic gearbox 132Reverse gear must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary
and the engine is idling ⇒.
To move the selector lever to position R, press in the interlock
button and at the same time press the brake pedal. Depending on
the model, one or two reversing lights will come on in selector lever
position R (when ignition is switched on).
N - Neutral
In this position the gearbox is in neutral ⇒.
D - Drive (forwards)
In this position the gearbox automatically selects the best gear
ratio. This depends on the engine load, the road speed and the
dynamic gear control program (DCP).
Press the brake pedal when moving the selector lever from N to D if
the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 5 km/h ⇒.
In some situations (such as on mountain roads or when towing a
trailer or caravan) it can be advantageous to switch temporarily to
tiptronic mode ⇒page 134, so that the gear ratios can be selected
manually to suit the driving conditions.
S - Sport position
Select this position if you wish to take full advantage of the car's
performance. This setting makes use of the engine's maximum
power output. When accelerating the gear shifts will be noticeable.
Press the brake pedal when moving the selector lever from N to S if
the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 5 km/h ⇒.
WARNING
•
Never move the selector lever to R or P when driving, as this
could cause an accident.
•
In selector position D or S the vehicle must always be held with
the foot brake when the engine is running. This is because an auto-
matic gearbox still transmits power even at idling speed, and the vehicle tends to “creep”. The throttle must on no account be
opened inadvertently (for instance by hand from the engine
compartment) when a gear is engaged with the vehicle stationary.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving immediately (in some
cases even if the parking brake is engaged) and possibly cause an
accident.
•
To avoid accidents, apply the parking brake and put the
selector lever in position P before opening the bonnet and working
on the vehicle with the engine running. Please observe the impor-
tant safety warnings ⇒page 231, “Working on components in the
engine compartment”.
Applies to vehicles: with multitronic®Selector lever lock
The selector lever lock prevents gears from being
engaged inadvertently, so that the vehicle is not set in
motion unintentionally.The selector lever lock is released as follows:
– Switch on the ignition.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 146 Selector lever
lock functions
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Automatic gearbox133
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
– Press the brake pedal and at the same time press in the
interlock button.Automatic selector lever lock
The selector lever is locked in the P and N positions when the igni-
tion is on. The brake pedal must be depressed before the lever can
be moved out of either of these positions. The following message
appears in the instrument display as a reminder for the driver when
the selector lever is in position P or N:
WHEN STATIONARY APPLY FOOTBRAKE WHILE SELECTING GEAR.
The selector lever lock only works if the vehicle is stationary or
driving at speeds up to 5 km/h. At higher speeds the selector lever
lock in the N position is disengaged automatically.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the selector lever is moved
quickly through position N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This
makes it possible, for instance, to “rock” the vehicle backwards and
forwards if it is stuck in snow or mud. The selector lever lock
engages automatically if the brake pedal is not depressed and the
lever is in position N for more than about a second.
Interlock button
The interlock button on the selector lever handle prevents the driver
from inadvertently engaging particular gears. Press the button in to
disengage the selector lever lock. The illustration shows the selector
lever positions in which the button has to be pressed, highlighted in
colour ⇒page 132, fig. 146.
Safety interlock for ignition key
The key can only be withdrawn with the ignition switched off and
the selector lever in position P. When the ignition key is removed,
the selector lever is locked in position P.
Applies to vehicles: with multitronic®Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature is designed to give maximum
acceleration.When the accelerator pedal is pressed right down past the point of
resistance at full throttle, the gearbox will select a lower gear,
depending on road speed and engine speed. While you keep the
accelerator depressed the engine speed is automatically controlled
to give your vehicle maximum acceleration.
WARNING
Please note that if the road surface is slippery or wet, the kick-
down feature could cause the driving wheels to spin, which could
result in skidding.Applies to vehicles: with multitronic®Dynamic gear control program (DCP)
The multitronic
® gearbox is controlled electronically.
The vehicle is equipped with an electronically controlled gearbox.
The gear ratios are selected automatically according to preset gear-
shift programmes.
When you drive at moderate speeds the gearbox will select the most
economical shift programme. It will then change up early and delay
the downshifts to give better fuel economy.
If you drive at higher speeds with heavy acceleration, if you open the
throttle quickly, or if you use the kick-down or the car's maximum
speed, the gearbox will automatically select the more “sporty” shift
programmes.
The gearbox is self-adapting, and continuously selects the most
suitable shift programme. At the same time, the driver can also
make the gearbox switch to a more "sporty" programme by pressing
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Automatic gearbox 134the accelerator quickly. Depending on road speed, this makes the
gearbox shift down early into a lower gear ratio for more rapid accel-
eration (for instance to pass another vehicle), without having to
press the accelerator all the way down into the kick-down position.
After the gearbox has shifted back up it returns to the original
programme, depending on your style of driving.
The gearbox continuously adapts the gear ratios on uphill gradi-
ents. If the brake pedal is pressed on a downhill gradient the
gearbox automatically shifts to a lower gear ratio. This increases the
engine braking effect.Applies to vehicles: with multitronic®Manual gear selection (tiptronic mode)
With the manual shift programme (tiptronic) the driver
can manually select seven pre-programmed gears.
Switching over to the manual programme
– From position D, push the selector lever to the right. As
soon as the automatic gearbox has changed over to this
programme, the display will show the selected gear.
Shifting up a gear
– Briefly push the selector lever forwards (in the tiptronic
gate) ⇒fig. 147 .
Shifting down a gear
– Briefly pull the selector lever backwards (in the tiptronic
gate) .With the tiptronic system the driver can manually choose between
7 different pre-programmed gears. The manual programme can be
selected either when stationary or while driving (by moving the
lever out of position D).
When accelerating, the gearbox automatically shifts up into the next
gear shortly before the maximum engine speed is reached.
If you select a gear which is lower than the gear shown in the instru-
ment display ⇒fig. 148, the gearbox will only shift down when
there is no longer a risk of overrevving the engine.
Fig. 147 Centre
console: Manual gear
selection (tiptronic
mode)
Fig. 148 Display:
Manual gear selection
(tiptronic mode)
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Automatic gearbox135
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data When the vehicle slows down (for instance when braking), the
gearbox automatically shifts down into the next gear when the
minimum engine speed is reached.
Changing down to a lower gear increases the engine braking effect
on downhill gradients.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right down past the point of
resistance at full throttle, the gearbox will select a lower gear,
depending on road speed and engine speed.
Applies to vehicles: with multitronic®Back-up programme
A back-up system is in place should a fault occur in the
control system.The automatic gearbox switches to the back-up programme if a fault
should occur in the control system. This is indicated by all segments
of the display panel either lighting up together or going out
completely.
It is still possible to move the selector lever to all positions. The
manual shift programme (tiptronic) is not available when the back-
up programme is active.
It will still be possible to use reverse gear in the normal way.
However, the electronic lock for reverse gear will be switched off.
Caution
Should the gearbox ever switch into the back-up programme, you
should take the vehicle to an Audi dealer or qualified workshop as
soon as possible.
Applies to vehicles: Tiptronic controls on steering wheelSteering wheel with tiptronic controls
The paddle levers on the steering wheel enable the driver
to manually select seven pre-programmed ratios (gears).– Briefly pull the left-hand paddle lever to change down
to a lower gear.
– Briefly pull the right-hand paddle lever to change up
to a higher gear.The paddle levers are activated when the selector lever is in position
D or S, or the position for the manual shift programme (tiptronic).
The manual shift programme can, of course, still be operated using
the selector lever in the centre console.
Fig. 149 Steering
wheel: tiptronic
switchesA…A+
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