angle of impact, s inc e the ci rcumstanc es w ill vary considerably
bet ween one collisi on and another. Important factors include, for
example, the na ture (hard or soft) of the impacting object, the ang le
of impact, vehicle speed, etc.~
page 267, "How side curtain ai rbags
work".
Aside from their norma l safety function, safety be lts work to help
keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a col li
sion so tha t the side curtain airbags can provide protection .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it
is part of the overa ll occupant restraint system in your vehicle .
Always remembe r that the airbag sy stem can only help to protect
you if you are wea ring your safety belt and wearing it proper ly. This
is another reason why you should a lways wear your safety belts, not
just because the law requires you to do so~
page 231, "General
notes".
I t is important to remember tha t while the side curtain airbag
system is designed to help reduce the likelihood of serious injuries,
other in jur ies, for examp le, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions
can a lso be associated with these airbags upon dep loyment.
Remember too, these airbags will dep loy only once and only in
certa in kinds o f accidents -your safety belts are always there to
offer protection.
T he side curtain airbag s ystem basi cally consists of :
• T he electronic control module and external side impac t sensors
• T he side curtain airbags above the front and rear side windows
• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
T he airbag system is monitored electronically to make certain i t is
functioning prope rly at a ll times. Each time you turn on the ignition,
the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds
(self diagnos tics).
The side curtain airbag is not a cti vated :
• if the ignition is tur ned off
Safety first
Airb ag sy ste m
• in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor
is too low
• in front -end collisions
• in rear -end co llisions.
& WARNING
• Safety belt s and the airbag sy stem will only p rov ide protect ion
when o ccupants are in the proper seating po sition
=> page 92 ,
"General recommendation s".
• If the airbag indicator light come s on when the vehicle i s being
used , ha ve the system inspected immediatel y by your aut horized
Audi dealer . The side curtain airbag may not work properly even
when the vehicle acceleration in a side colli sion i s high enoug h to
act ivate the a irbag. •
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain air bags can work together with side airbags
to help reduce the risk of head and upper torso injuries for
occ upants who are pro perly res trained.
F ig . 2 57 Illus trat ion of
p rinc iple : In fl ate d side
c urt ain a irb ag s on the
left side
The side cu rta in airbags inflate between the occupant and the
windows on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision
~ fig. 257. tt
Vehicle care I I irechnical data
-------------------------------------------~C::._! h~ i~ ld ~ S~ a~ f~e :_!t tY ~--
restraints and for the different models of the same kind of child
restraint offered by child restraint manufacturers.
The weight ranges for the individual types, makes and models of
child restraints that the NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard
together with the weight ranges of typ ical infants and typical 1 year
old child have been stored in the control unit of the Advanced
Airbag System. When a child restraint is being used on the front
passenger seat with a typical 1 year -old child, the Advanced Airbag
System compares the weight measured by the weight sensing mat
with the information stored in the electronic control unit.
The electronic control unit also registers the tension on the front
passenger safety belt. The tension on the safety belt for the front
passenger seat will be different for an adult who is properly using
the safety belt as compared to the tension on the belt when it is
used to attach a child restraint to the seat. The sensor below the
latch for the safety belt for the front seat passenger measures the
tension on the belt . The input from this sensor is then used with the
weight to "decide" , whether there is a child restraint with a typical 1
year-old child on the front passenger seat and whether or not the airbag must be turned off.•
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regardless of the child restraint that you use, make sure that it has
been certified to meet United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards and has been certified by its manufacturer for use with
an airbag. Always be sure that the chi ld restraint is properly
installed at one of the rear seating positions. If in exceptiona l
circumstances you must use it on the front passenger seat, carefully
read all of the information on child safety and Advanced Airbags
and heed a ll of the applicable WARNINGS. Make certain that the
child restraint is correctly recognized by the weight -sensing mat
inside the front passenger seat, that the front passenger airbag is
turned off and that the airbag status is always correctly signaled by
th e
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light .
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Many
types and models of child restraints have been available over
the years, new mode ls are introduced regularly incorporating new
and improved designs and older mode ls are taken out of produc
tion. Child restraints are not standardized . Child restraints of the
same type typically have different weights and sizes and different
'footprints,' the size and shape of the bottom of the chi ld restraint
that sits on the seat, when they are installed on a vehicle sea t. These
differences make it virtual ly impossible to certify comp liance with
the requirements for advanced airbags with each and every child
restraint that has ever been sold in the past or will be sold over the
course of the usefu l life of your vehic le.
For this reason, the United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has pub lished a list of specific type, makes and
models of child restraints that must be used to certify compliance
of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the suppression
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. These
child restraints are:
A. Car beds, manufactured on or after September 1,
2004:
• Cosco Dream Ride 02-719
B. Rear facing child restraint systems, manufactured
on or after September 1, 2004:
(When the restraint system comes equipped with a removable base,
compliance has to be certified with or without the base) .
• Britax Handle with Care 191
• Century Assura 4553
• Century Smart Fit 4543
• Cosco Arriva 02727
• Evenflo Discovery Adjust Right 212
• Evenflo First Choice 204
• Graco lnfant8457
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
llffl __ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
Intelligent technology
Notice about data recorded by
vehicle control modu les
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR),
installed by some manufacturers for the express purpose of
capturing data for retrieval after an accident or crash event . EDR's
are sometimes called "crash recorders" .
Some state laws restrict the retrieva l or downloading of data stored
by EDR's that were insta lled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash event without the owner's
consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an EDR, it is equipped
with a number of electronic control modules for various vehicle systems such as, for example, engine function, emission control, as
well as for the airbags and safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record vehicle-related data during norma l vehicle operation for diagnost ic and repair purposes .
The recording capacity of the electronic control modules is limited
to data (no sound is recorded) and only a small amount of data is
actually recorded over a very limited period of time and stored when
a system fault or other condition is sensed by a control unit. Some
of the data then stored may relate to vehicle speed, direction, braking as well as restraint system use and performance in the
event of a crash or other condition . Stored data can only be read and
down loaded with special equipment .•
Electron ic Stabilizat ion Program (ESP)
General =nformation
The ESP improves the vehicle stability.
Fi g. 2 75 C ente r
co nso le w it h ES P
swi tch
ESP is designed to he lp you maintain vehic le control in situations
where the car approaches the limits of "grip", especia lly when
accelerating and cornering. ESP reduces the risk of skidding and
improves stabil ity under all road conditions .
T he system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system. If the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) malfunc
tions, the ESP wil l also shut down .
How th e sys te m w ork s
The Anti -Lock Brake System (ABS) , Electronic Differential Lock (EDU
and the Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) are integrated in the e lec
tronic stabi lization program . In addition to the data provided by
these functions, the ESP control unit requires additional measure ment data provided by high performance sensors . The rotational
speed of the vehic le about its vertical axis, vehicle acce leration in
the fore-and-aft and lateral directions, the brake pressure and the steering angle are al l measured .
--~ln~ t ~e~ ll~ig ;t e~ n~t ...:t~ e::_: c::,: h '..!.'..: n~o ~ l.!::o
3g
:t; yL __________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
tendency to spin and the vehicle may break away -danger of skid
ding!
• Stability is limited in the ESP offroad mode. •
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
General notes
The electronic differential lock (EDU helps the car to start moving,
accelerate and climb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or
almost no grip . Without EDL, this would be difficult, if not impos
sible.
How the system works
The EDL operates automatically. It monitors the rotational speed of
wheels with the help of the ABS sensors=> page 292. If a noticeable
slip is detected at the wheels (e.g. on slippery ground on one side),
the spinning wheels are braked and power is transferred to the
other wheels. This is done up to a speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h).
Noises from the brake system signal that wheel spin is being
controlled.
Driving off
When driving off, always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface
with less grip, apply plenty of throttle until the car starts to move.
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads on this wheel, the EDL cuts out tempo
rarily. The vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way
as a vehicle without EDL. As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto
matically.
& WARNING
• 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. Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning light=> page 22. •
Anti-Slip Regulat ion System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti -Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP) . When the vehicle starts up and acceler
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the
engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS sensors=> page 292, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, engine torque
is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to lock onto
the road surface. The system is active across the entire speed range . ..,
& WARNING (continued)
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (aqua
planing) . If this should occur , you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front -wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road condi
tions -risk of crash. •
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution of electrical
energy and thus optimizes the availability of electrical
energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is not driven for a
long period of time, the battery is discharged by idling current
consumers (e.g. immobilizer). In certain circumstances it can result
in there being insufficient energy available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle handles the distribu
tion of electrical energy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically , energy management consists of
battery diagnosis, idling
current management
and dynamic energy management .
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the state of the battery.
Sensors determine battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current state of charge and the
power of the battery.
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
Idling current management
Idling
current management reduces energy consumption while the
vehicle is standing. With the ignition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical components. Data from
battery diagnosis is considered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge, individual consumers
are gradually turned off to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic energy management
distributes the energy generated according to the needs of the indi
vidual components. It regulates consumption, so that more elec
trical energy is not being used than is being generated and ensures
an optimal state of charge for the battery.
[ i] Tips
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits of
physics. Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
• I f starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
~ page 296, "Driver notification in the instrument cluster
display". •
What you should know
-----------------
The highest priority is given to maintaining starting capa-
bility.
Th e battery is severely taxed in short -distance driving, in city traffic
and during the cold time of year. Abundant electrical energy is
required, but only a litt le is generated. It is also critical if the engine
is not running and electrical components are turned on. In this
instance energy is being consumed but none is being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you will notice energy manage
ment actively regulating the distribution of energy.
•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
___________________________________________ C_ h_e _c_ k_ i_n _g _ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n _g __ lR
•
- Read the engine coolant level in the open coolant expan
sion tank :::::>
page 338, fig. 287. With a cold engine, the
coolant level should be between the "min" and "max"
markings. When the engine is warm, the level may be
slightly above the "max" marking.
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the
engine compartment illustration~
page 332.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric
coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto
Check System~
page 33will blink until you add coolant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time .
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system . In the event
of coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immedi
ately by your authorized Audi dealer . It is not enough merely to add
coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating.
& WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot. Reduce
the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these steps.
• Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
• Protect your face, hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
& WARNING (continued)
• Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light, downward pressure on the top of
the cap .
• To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on the
exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain conditions, the
ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's engine
coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the func
tion and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS:::::> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 331.
- Turn off the engine.
Let the engine cool down.
Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
=:> page 338, fig. 287 and carefully twist the cap counter
clockwise :::::>& .
Add coolant.
- Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
~ page 337, "Coolant". Even in an emergency, if coolant additive .,,
Vehicle care I t •
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
•
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) and tire
manufacture date
This is the tire's "serial number". It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac
ture . For example, the numbers 2208 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22th week of 2008. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or may not be used by the tire manufac
turer. This information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Tire ply composition and materials used
The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated
fabric in the tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the
more weight a tire can support. Tire manufacturers also must indi
cate the materials in the tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester,
and others.
Maximum Load Rating
This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
Tire quality grading for treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades~ page 363.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
Replacing tires or rims on vehicles equipped with tire
pressure monitoring system
The wheels on your vehicle are equipped with a sensor which
constantly monitors the air pressure inside the tire, and then trans
mits this information to the tire pressure monitoring system. If you
are going to replace the wheel rims on your vehicle, make sure the new rims also have these sensors
. The sensors must be compatible
with the tire pressure monitoring system on your vehicle.
If you install rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
which are not compatible, then the tire pressure monitoring system
will not work properly. In this case, the tire pressure monitoring
system would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or warn you
if it is necessary.
• The battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
recommend using factory installed valve stem caps. Ask your autho
rized Audi dealer to replace lost valve stem caps .
The installation of replacement tires with steel cord body plies in
the tire sidewall may cause malfunction of the tire pressure moni
toring system, and is not recommended (cord material information
in molded on the tire sidewall).
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system indicator after replacing one or more tires on your vehicle. If the tire pressure
monitoring system indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
working properly. Your replacement tire might be incompatible with
your tire pressure monitoring system, or some component of the
tire pressure monitoring system may be damaged.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/ or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control, collision and serious personal injury.
• Always use tires, rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds . .,.
Vehicle care
I t •
_L_T~ i~ r ~e ~s '..... a ~ n~d ~ w~ h~e~ e::. l !.:s ~ ---------------------------------------------
& WARN ING (continued )
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "pre vious history. " Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that c an lead to sudden
tire f ailure and los s of vehicle control .
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
s ize (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driv ing
with different tires reduces veh icle handling and can lead to a loss
of cont rol.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle • for e xample with winter tires · only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel a s soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for whi ch the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build -up , sudden tire failure,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and lo ss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated.
• Fo r te chni cal reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehi cle model .
• If you install wheel trim di scs on the vehicle wheels , make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blo cked . Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision .
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicle s that were equipped
with them at the factory . The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
system that indi cates a loss of t ire pres sure . In corre ct u se of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accident s. Check with an
authorized Aud i dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
& WAR NING (continued )
be equipped with run flat tires . If run flat tires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted .
0 Note
• For tec hnical reas ons, it is not gen erally poss ible to use t he
whee l rims from other vehicles . T his can ho ld true for whee ls of the
sa me v ehicle type.
• I f the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted
o n yo ur vehicle ( for example wi nter tires or wide pro file tires), then
use the spare tire for a short period of time on ly and drive with extra
ca re. Replac e th e fl at t ire wi th the tire m atchi ng t he othe rs on you r
vehic le as soon as possib le .
• I f you should put different w heels and tires o n yo ur ve hic le (e. g.
winter wheels and t ires), you must be certain that the wheels and
t ires a re c omp atible with the tire pressure moni tor in g sys tem.
O therwise the system will register a malfunction and a fau lt
m es sage w ill be displayed . For more info rmation, c ontac t yo ur
authorized Audi dea ler.
0 Note
• When insta lling new tires, b e care fu l not to damage the va lv e s or
t ire p ressu re mon itoring syste m sensors .
• N ever drive without the valve stem cap . The va lves could get
damaged.
• I f the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
r e pl ace d at t he same time .
'£> For the sake of the environment
Dispose o f old tires i n acco rdance wit h the local re qu ire ment s.•