Airbag system -----------------=~-
& WARNING (continued )
-Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seatbacks that ha ve not been specifically approved by
Audi .
- Never use additional seat cush ions that cover the areas
where the side airbags inflate.
- Damage to the or iginal seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the s ide airbag module must always be repaired immedi
ately by an authorized Audi dealer .
• The airbag system can be activated only once. After an airbag
has inflated , it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the technical information , training
and special equipment nece ssary .
• The airbag system can be deployed only once . After an airbag
has been deployed , it must be replaced with new replacement
parts designed and approved especially for your Audi model
version . Replacement of complete airbag systems or airbag
components must be performed by qualified workshops only .
Make sure that any airbag service action is entered in you r Audi
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .
• For safety reasons in severe accidents , the alternator and
starter are separated from the vehicle battery with a pyrotechnic
c ircuit interrupter .
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit interrupter must only be
performed by a qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
- If the vehi cle or the circuit interrupter is scrapped , all appli
cable safety precautions must be followed .
For the sake of the environment
Undepl oyed airbag m odu les a nd preten sioners m ig ht b e class if ied
as Perchlorate Material -specia l handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. When the vehicle or
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
parts of the restraint system inc
luding a irbag modules and safety
be lts with p re tensione rs are sc rapped, a ll a ppl icable laws an d regu
lations must be observed . Your authorized Audi dea ler is fami liar
wi th the se requi rements and we recomme nd that you have y our
dea ler perform this service for you. •
Other things that can affect Advanced Airbag
performance
Changing the veh ic le 's suspens ion s ystem can change th e way that
t he Adva nced Air bag Sys tem perfo rm s in a crash. F or e xam ple,
using tire -r im combinations not approv ed by Audi, lower ing the
ve hic le, c hangi ng th e st iffne ss of the su spen sion , inclu ding the
springs, suspension struts, shock absorbers e tc . can change the
forc es that are measu re d b y th e a irbag sens ors and sent to the elec
t ron ic control u nit. Some sus pensio n chan ges can , for examp le ,
inc rea se the f orce le v els mea sured by the senso rs and make the
a irb ag sys te m de plo y in cras hes in whi ch it wo uld not de p loy i f the
changes had not been made . Other kinds of changes may reduce
t he force le v e ls measured by t he se nso rs a nd preve nt t he a irba g
from deploying when it should .
T he se nsor s in th e safe ty bel t buckl e f or th e d river a nd front
passen ger seat te ll the e lectronic control module if the safety belt is
l a tc h e d or n ot. If t he safety belt i s being use d, th e fr ont ai rbag w ill
dep loy at a s lightly h ig her rate of v eh ic le dec elerat ion t han if the
safet y belt is not being used . Ther efore, in a partic ular collision, it is
poss ible that an airba g w ill not deplo y at a seati ng pos itio n wh ere
the safety be lt is be ing used but wi ll inflate at the position where the
sa fe ty be lt is no t being used . It i s im porta nt that n othi ng i nterfe re
with the safety belt b uckles so that the sensors can send the correct
i n fo rm ati on about sa fety belt use t o th e el ectronic con trol unit. _..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
-----------------------------------------~C::_! h~ i~ ld ~ S~a !_!f ~e _!;tY L _ffllll
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
- Lack of proper maintenance as wel l as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the func tion of the emission con tro l system
and could lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of th e envir onm ent
Even when the Emission Control System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a su lfur -like exhaust gas smell under some
operating states . This depends on the sulfur content of the fuel
being used. Using a different brand of fue l may help, or filling the
tank with lead-free super grade gasoline. •
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 spoi lers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung chassis (sports
chassis) * and fully loaded vehicles .
a
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear on your engine,
brakes and tires largely depend on three factors:
• your personal driving style
• operating cond itions
• technica l limitations
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you can easily cut your fuel consumption by 10 -15 percent . This
section wil l give you some tips on how you can help the environ
ment and your pocketbook.
[ i ] Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENV IRONMENTAL
PRO TEC TION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre
spond to your actua l consumption on the road, which wi ll vary
depending upon vehic le load and speed, road and weather condi
tions, trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they ore accelerating.
-Avoid unnecessary accelerat ing and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating . If you antici
pate what is going to happen next, you wi ll need to brake less and,
thus, acce lerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possib le - for
examp le when you see that the next traffic light is red. •
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
-Try and keep well below your car 's max imum speed.
Acce lerating gently reduces fue l consumption , engine wear, and
does not disturb the environment.
Fue l consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds . If you drive at approximate ly
three quarters of top speed, fuel consumption wil l be reduced by
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
___ T_ r _a_ il_e _r_ t_ o_ vv_ in__... g,_ __________________________________________________ _
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor
tation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that the additional load
wi ll affect durability, economy and performance.
Trai ler towing not on ly p laces more stress on the vehicle, it a lso ca lls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reason, always fol low the operating and driving instructions
provided and use common sense.
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must activate the trailer opera
tion mode =>
page 192, "Towing a Trailer".
Technical requirements
Tra iler hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weight .
The hitch must be suitable for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted secure ly on the ve hicle's chass is at a
technically sound
location. Use only a trailer hitch with a removable ball mount.
Always check with the trai ler hitch manufacturer to make sure that
you are using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bump er hit ch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way tha t it does not interfere
with the impact-absorbing bumper system. No modifications should be made to the vehic le exhaust and brake systems. From time to time, check that all hitch mounting bolts remain securely
fastened.
When you are no
t towing a trailer, remove the traile r hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage shou ld your
vehic le be struck from behind=>& .
Traile r br akes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system, check to be sure
that it conforms to al l regu lations .
The trai ler hydraulic brake system must no t be direct ly connected to
the vehicle's hydraulic brake system.
S afet y c hains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle and the trailer.
Trailer light s
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check with your
Audi dealer for correc t wiring, swi tches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traf fic behind you using the regu lar
outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is impor
tant that you
always have c lear vision to the rear.
& WARNING
After rem oving the tr aile r hitch , do not store it in your vehi cle. In
ca se of sudde n braking , the hit ch co uld fl y for ward and injure you
or your p asseng ers. a
-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_n ...:::g::;...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in -'g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 270. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side~ page 310.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models:
BRAKE , Canadian models:
«D> l will come on~ page 22 and~ page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized
Audi dealer
immediately. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Th erefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Stan
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho
rized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know-how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid .
Observe these precautions:
-Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification
J 1703 and
conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make sure you are using
the correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake fluid is also
indicated on the brake fluid reservoir .
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use of the brakes can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety . This could result in an accident .
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle.
~ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With high outside temperatures or long
daily drives we recommend that you have the electrolyte level .,_
Tires and wheels -________________ w-.
•
pressure label lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
If you wish to improve comfort when operating the vehicle at
normal load (up to 3 occupants), you can adjust tire pressures to
those specified for normal vehicle load. Before operating the vehicle
at maximum load , you must increase the tire pressures to those
specified for maximum vehicle load
=> &.
Bear in mind that the tire pressure monitoring system* can only
monitor the tire pressures you have stored. The system does not
recognize the load condition of your vehicle .
The effec tiveness of the tire pressure mon itoring system* will be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehicle at its maximum load=>&. See the
illustration=>
page 330, fig. 274 for the location of the label
either o n driver's side 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slight ly).
Note that the following tab le is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change. In the event of discrepancies, the t ire
pressure label (On USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on
the driver's side 8-pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label
is located either on the driver 's side 8-pillar or inside the fuel fil ler
flap) always takes precedence.
The table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi mode l covered by your Owner's Literature at the
vehicle's capacity weight and the tire sizes installed on the respec
tive models as original equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine
(displace
ment in
liter) Tire designation
Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
8-cylinder
4.2
8-cylinder
4 .2 L 255/45 R18 99H All Season
255/40 R19100V
XL All Season
255/40 R19
1 00Y XL High Performance
275/35 R20 102Y XL High Performance
255/45 R18 99H All Season
255/40 R19 100V XL All Season
255/40 R19 1 00Y XL High Performance
275/35 R20 102Y XL High Performance
normal load conditional
kPA
33 230
36 250
33 230
38 260 33 230
36 250
33 230
38 260
full load
condit ion
PSI
33 230
38 260
33 230
41 280
35 240
38 260
35 240
41 280
Vehicle care
normal load full load
conditional condition
kPA PSI kPA
30
210
33 230
33 230 36 250
30 210 33 230
35 240
44 300
30 210 33 230
33 230 36 250
30 210
33 230
35 240 44 300
I t •
________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lR
•
0
-
©
®
U.S. DOT ti re identification number
Sever snow conditions
Tire ply composition and materials used
Maximum load rating
Treadwear , traction and temperature grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pressure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the vehicle 's design. The
tires and rims approved by Audi are specially matched to the char
acteristics of the vehicle and can make a major contribution to good
road hold ing and safe handling when in good cond ition and prop
erly inflated =>& .
We recommend that a ll work on tires and wheels be performed by
an authorized Audi dealer. They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary special tools and spare parts as
well as the proper facilities for d isposing of the old tires.
Authorized Audi dea lers have the necessary info rmation about tech
nical requirements for insta lling or changing tires and rims.
R epl ac ing tires and wheels
Tires shou ld be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (for
examp le both front tires or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the information to the tire pressure moni
toring system*=>
page 340.
Always buy replacement radial tires that have the same specifica
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi. Rep lacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the
origina l equipment or approved optional t ires listed in the table
=>
page 330.
Audi -appr oved spec ification tires are spec ially matched to your
vehicle and its load limits, and can contribute to the important road- holding, driving characteristics, and safety of the vehicle
. The table
(=>
page 330) l ists specifications of the tires approved for the Audi
models covered by your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure labe l located either on driver's side 8 -pi llar or
inside the fuel fi ller flap(=>
page 330, fig. 275) lists the specifica
tions of the original equipment tires installed on your vehicle at the
ti me it was manufactured.
Federa l law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized infor
mation on the sidewa ll of all tires =>
page 338, fig . 278. This informa
t ion identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics, the
qua lity grade of the ti re and also provides a tire identification
number for safety standard certificat ion and in case of a recal l.
Tire specificat ions
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it easier to choose the
co rrect t ires . Radial tires have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewall, for example:
255 /45 R 18 99 H
This contains the following informat ion:
P Indicates the ti re is for passenger cars (where applicab le)
255 No minal tire width i n mm of the tire fro m sidewall edge to side -
wa ll edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire
45 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
18 Rim diameter code (in inches)
99 Load rating code
H Speed rating lette r code
XL (or "xi", "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF") indicates that the tire is a "Rein
forced" or an "Extra Load" ti re
M +S (o r "M/S") Indicates that the tire has some mud and snow capa
bility
The tires could a lso have the information of direct ion of rotation
=>
page 326.
Vehicle care I t •
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
•
• T he battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the va lve stem caps securely mounted. We
recommend using fac tory insta lled valve stem caps . Ask your autho
rized Audi dealer to replace lost valve stem caps .
T he 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 info rmation
i n molded on the t ire sidewa ll).
A lways check your tire pressure monitoring system * indicator after
replac ing one or more tires on you r veh ic le . If t he tir e pressure
monitoring system * indicator f lashes, or is on, your system is not
wo rking pr ope rly. Your re place ment tire might be i nco m patible wit h
your tire pr essure monitoring system *, or some component of the
t ir e pr ess ure moni toring system * m ay be da maged.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and / or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to los s of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Alway s use tires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica
tions of original fa ctory -installed tires or other combination s that
have been specifically approved by the vehi cle manufacturer .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
espe cially at high speeds . Tire s that a re more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lo wer speeds .
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tires may have been dam aged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
ti re failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type ,
size (rolling cir cumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driving
& W ARNING (continued )
with different tires redu ces vehicle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle -for example with winter tires -only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and dri ve with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon a s safely pos sible.
• Never drive faster than the ma ximum speed for which 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 , su dden tire failure ,
includ ing a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For te chni cal reasons it is not always po ssible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels , make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blo cked . Redu ced airflow to
the brake s can them to overheat , increa sing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle mu st have a cha ssi s designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
s ystem* that indicates a lo ss of tire pressure . Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accident s. Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run fl at tires . If run flat tires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mi xing tire types is not permitted.
0 Note
• Fo r techn ica l reaso ns, i t is no t genera lly p oss ibl e to use the
whee l rims from other vehicles . T his can hold true for wheels of the
sa me vehicle type. ..,.
Vehicle care
I t •