_L_T ..:..:r.::a :.: n~ s:.:.m .:.:.:. i.:::s :.::S :.:i.::O :.:n..:.... _____________________________________________________ _
converter of conventional automatic transmissions and allow the
vehicle to accelerate without a noticeable break in the power flow.
With the aid of
tiptronic, the gears can optionally be shifted manu
ally => page 103. •
Applies to vehicles: wit h S tronic®
Selector lever positions
All the selector lever positions are explained in this
section.
Fig. 85 Display:
Selector lever posi
tions
The selector lever position is shown in the instrument cluster
display by highlighting the appropriate symbol.
P -Park lock
In this position the gears are mechanically locked.
The park lock must only be engaged with the vehicle
stationary
=>& .
To engage P and to remove the lever from this position, you must
depress the release button (button in the selector lever handle)
and
simultaneously you must step on the brake pedal.
R -reverse
In this position, reverse is engaged. Reverse gear must only be engaged with the vehicle
stationary and
the engine running at idle speed=>& .
To engage R, you have to depress the release button
and simulta
neously step on the brake pedal. In the R position, the back -up lights
illuminate with the ignition on.
N -Neutral
The transmission is in neutral in this position .
D -Normal position for driving forward
In this position, the forward gears are automatically shifted up and
down, depending on engine load and vehicle speed.
To engage S from N, the brake pedal must be depressed at speeds
below 5 km/h or when the vehicle is stationary=>& .
In certain circumstances (driving in the mountains for example) it
can be beneficial to switch temporarily to the manual shift program
=>
page 103 in order to adjust the gear ratios to driving conditions
manually .
S -Sport setting
Th e S setting should be selected for sporting driving . The power
reserves of the engine can be fully exploited through later upshifts.
To engage S from N, the brake pedal must be depressed at speeds
below 5 km/h or when the vehicle is stationary =>& .
& WARNING
• Never place the selector lever in the R or P position while the
vehicle is moving -risk of an accident!
• With the engine running, it is necessary to hold the vehicle with
the foot brake in all selector lever positions (except P and Nl,
because even at idle speed the transfer of power is never
completely interrupted -the vehicle "creeps".
If the vehicle is
stationary and the transmission is engaged, the engine should
never be speeded up unintentionally (e.g. manually from under the _.,
_______________________________________________________ T_ r _a_ n_s_ m __ is_ s_ io_ n _ __. _
& WA RN ING !continue d)
hood). Other wise the vehi cle will immediately start to move -
s ometime s even if the p arking brake is firmly applied -ris k of an
a ccident !
• Before you or other per sons open the hood and work on a
running e ngine , the sel ector le ver must be moved to P and the
parking brake applied firmly -ris k of an a cc iden t! Follow the
wa rning sti ck ers
~ pag e 209, "Engine compa rt me nt".
[ i ] Tips
If you have inadvertently shifting into N while the vehic le is moving ,
you shou ld remove y our foo t from the acce lerator and wait unti l the
engine speed has dropped to idle before shifting back to Dor S . •
Ap plies to ve hicles : with S tro ni c®
Selector lever lock
The selector lever lock prevents a gear from being
engaged accidentally and unin tentionally setting the
vehicle in motion.
F ig . 8 6 Sel ector l ever
l oc ks
The selector lever lock is released as fo llows:
- Switch the ign ition on .
Contro ls and eq uip
ment
St ep on t he br ake pedal and simu ltan eously hold down
the rel ease button.
Autom ati c sele ctor le ver lo ck 6ll
The selector lever is locked in the P and N positions when the igni
tion is on. To move the lever fr om these pos itions the driver mus t
depress the brake pedal. As a reminder to the driver, the fol lowing
warning appears in the ins trument cluster display when the selector
is in P and N:
APPLY BRAKE WHEN ENGAGING GEAR WITH VEHICLE
S TATIONAR Y
In addition, the symbol «s> for the automatic selector lever lock i llu
minates in the shif t gate .
The selector lever lock is effective only when the vehic le is
stationary and at speeds below 5 km/h . At higher speeds, the lock in
the N position is automatically sw itched o ff .
The selector lever is not locked when rapid shifts are made through
the N posi tion (e .g. from R to DI. This allows you to "rock" the vehicle
if it becomes stuck . If the lever is in the N position for more than
1 second with the brake pedal not depressed, the selector lock
engages automatically.
Release button
The release button in the selector lever handle prevents accidental shifts into certain selector lever positions . When you press the
re lease button, the selector lever lock is cancelled. In the i llustra
tion , the positions in which the release button has to be pressed are
h ighlighted in co lor~ fig. 86 .
Ignition key removal lock
The ignition key can only be remove after the ignition is switched off
if the selector lever is in P . As long as the ignition key is removed, the
selector lever is locked in P. •
Vehicle care I I irechnical data
_______________________________________________________ T_ r _a_ n_s_ m __ is_s_ io_ n_--JIIIII
& W ARNING !continued )
• If you have to bring your vehi cle to a stop while on an incline ,
keep the foot bra ke depressed all the way down so that the vehicle
does not start to roll backward . You should never hold the vehicle
using the clutch pedal if you are going to be stopped on an incline.
If you do, the clutch will start to slip when it overheats caused by
the constant overload. This is dangerous because if the vehicle starts to roll backward , you could cause an accident. If the clutch
should start to slip , you will feel the vehicle "jerk" and the selector
lever display will start blinking .
• Before driving down a steep slope , reduce your speed and shift
into a lower gear w ith utiptroni c".
• Do not ride the brakes or apply the brake pedal too often or too
long . Constant braking causes the brakes to overheat and
substantially reduces braking performance , increases braking
distance or causes complete failure of the brake system . •
Appl ies to vehicles: with S tronic transmission and Hill Descent Assist
Hill Descent Assist
Hill Des cent A ssist help s the driv er w hen d riving d own
i n clin es.
Hill Desc ent Ass ist is activated by pressin g the brake wh ile
descending when the selector lever is in
D/S . The S tronic transmis
sio n autom aticall y shi fts d ow n to a gear su ita ble for th e incl ine. H ill
D escent Assist attempts to maintain the current vehicle speed when
th e bra king occurs, as far as physi cal a nd tec hnic al lim its a llow. It
may be necessary to adjust the speed usin g the brakes.
H ill Desce nt As sis t switches off when the inc line level s out or when
the gas pedal is pressed.
O n vehicles with cruise control*=> page 96, Hill Descent Assist is
a lso a ctivat ed when the sp eed is s et.
Con tro ls and eq uip
ment
& WARNING
Hill Descent Assist cannot overcome physical limitations , so it
may not be possible to maintain a constant vehicle speed under all
circumstances . Always be ready to apply the brakes . •
App lies to vehicles: with S t ronic®
tiptronic operation
T ip tron ic allo ws t he drive r to shi ft ge ars manu ally.
Vehicle care I I
Fig . 88 Center
c on sole : Manua l
shifting (t iptronic )
Fig. 89 Disp lay:
Manual shifting
(tiptronic )
irechnical data
• ..__T_ ra_ n_s_ m_ i_ s _s_ i_ o _n ___________________________________________________ _
Switching to manual
-Push the selector lever to the right from D. As the trans
mission has switched,
6 5 4 3 2 1 appears in the display,
with the gear that is engaged highlighted.
Upshifting
Tap the selector lever forward (in the tiptronic setting)
=> page 103, fig. 88 G).
Downshifting
- Tap the selector lever backward (in the tiptronic setting)
o.
Switching to manual can be carried out with the vehic le stationary
as well as moving .
When accelerating, the transmission shifts into the next gear in gears 1 , 2, 3, 4 and 5 shortly before the maximum permissible
engine speed is reached.
If you have selected a lower gear than the current one , the transmis
sion will only shift down when the engine cannot be overspeeded.
If kick -down is actuated, the transmission shifts into a lower gear
independently of speed and engine rpm .•
Ap plies to vehicles: w ith S tronic ® and wi th Tipt ro nic co ntrols o n the st eer in g w hee l
Steering wheel with Tiptronic ® controls
The selector paddles allow the driver to keep both hands
on the steering wheel when shifting gears.
Shifting up
Fig. 90 Sport steering
wheel with selec tor
paddles
- Pull the right paddle, marked 0=> fig. 90 briefly towards
you.
Shifting down
- Pull the left paddle, marked O => fig. 90 briefly towards
you.
The selector padd les on the steering wheel are activated when the
selector lever on the center console is in
D, S, or in the manual posi
tion (Tiptronic mode) .
You can also shift g ears in the Tiptronic mode using the selector
lever on the center console.
[ i ] Tips
With the gear selector lever in ei ther "D" or "S" the transmission will
switch back to the automa tic mode if you do not use the paddles
within approx . 30 seconds. •
____________________________________________________ T_ r_a _n _ s_ m __ is_s_ i _o _ n __ llll
Ap plies to vehicles : wit h S tro ni c®
Kick -dovvn feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum acceleration.
If you depress the accelerator pedal fully beyond the full-throttle
position, the transmission automatically downshifts one gear,
depending on vehicle speed and engine rpm. The upshift into the
next higher gear takes place as soon as the maximum specified
engine speed is reached.
& WARNING
Please note that the drive wheels can spin if the kick-down is used
on a smooth slippery road -risk of skidding! •
Applies to vehicles : withs t ro ni c®
Launch Control Program
The Launch Control Program permits maximum accelera
tion .
In order to use Launch Control, the ASR (Anti-Slip Regula
tion) must be disabled. When ASR is disabled, the ESP
warning/indicator light 9 in the instrument cluster illumi
nates . So that Launch Control can be used, the engine must
be at operating temperature and the steering wheel must
not be turned .
- With the engine running, briefly press the ESP button.
The message "ASR off" appears in the instrument cluster
d isplay.
- Shift the gear lever to "S" or the tiptronic® position.
- Step on the brake pedal with your left foot and keep the
brake pedal fully depressed for at least one second.
Controls and equip
ment
- With your right foot, step on the accelerator to the wide
open throttle position or Kickdown. The engine speed
settles at about 3,200 rpm.
- Take your left foot off the brake.
The S tronic® in your vehicle is electronically controlled. A special
Launch Control Program provides the best acceleration from a
standing start .
& WARNING
• Always adapt your driving to the traffic flow.
• Only use Launch Control when road and traffic conditions allow
it and other drivers will not be endangered or annoyed by your
driving and the acceleration of the vehicle.
• Make sure that ESP remains enabled. With the ESP disabled,
the vehicle could brake away, particularly on a slick and slippery road -risk of skidding!
• Once acceleration is finished, switch ASR on again by briefly
pushing the ESP button. •
Applies to vehicles: with S tronic®
Back-up program
In the event of a system malfunction, there is an back-up
program.
In the event of system malfunctions, the automatic transmission
switches to the fail- safe mode. This is signalled by one segment or
all the segments in the display illuminating or going out .
Th e effect of a system malfunction can be one of the following:
• The program shifts only into certain gears.
• Reverse gear can no longer be engaged.
I • •
___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
as defin ed i n th e el ectron ic contro l u n it=> page 147 , "PASSE NGER
AI R BAG OFF lig ht".
A lwa ys rem em ber, a c hild safet y se at or infant carr ier installe d on
the front seat may be str uck and k nocked o ut of po sition by t he
rap id ly in fla ting passe nger's air bag in a fron tal colli sion . The airb ag
cou ld great ly re duce the effectivene ss of the ch ild restrain t and
e ve n seri ous ly injure the chi ld dur ing in flatio n.
For th is reason, and beca use the bac k seat is the safest plac e for
chi ldren -wh en prop erly rest rained acc ording to th eir age and size
- we strong ly recommend that ch ildren a lways sit in the bac k se at
=> p age 157, "Ch ild Safe ty ".
& WARNING
A child in a rearward -facing child safety seat installed on the front
passenger seat will be ser iously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates - even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest , door or roof .
• Always install rear -facing child safety seats on the rear seat .
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on ,
immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer .
• Forward-facing child safety seats installed on the front
passenger's seat may interfere with the deployment of the airbag
and cause serious personal injury to the child .
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must install a forward-facing
child restraint on the front passenger's seat:
& WARNING (continued)
• Always make sure the forward-facing seat has been designed
and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag .
• Never put the forward-facing child restraint up against or very
near the instrument panel.
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the
airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child
restraint. The backrest must be adjusted to an upright position .
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury , make sure that the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light will be displayed whenever a child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition is switched
on.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not stay on , perform
the checks described=>
page 146, "Monitoring the Advanced
Airbag System" .
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer immedi
ately .
• Always carefully follow instructions from child restraint manu
facturers when installing child restraints .
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must install a forward or
rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat :
___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
the weight-sensing mat to measure more weight than is actual ly on
th e seat .
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light still does not come on and does
not stay on continuous ly (when the ignition is switched on),
• t ake the c hild res traint off t he front passe ng er seat a nd ins tall it
properly at one of the rear seat pos it ions. Have the a irbag system
insp ect ed by y our A udi deal er immedia tely .
• move the chi ld to a rear seat position and make sure that the
c h ild is pro pe rly restrai ned in a c hild restraint that is app ropriat e for
its size and age.
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l igh t sho uld NOT come on when the
ignition is on and an adult is sitt ing in a proper seating position on
the front passenge r seat . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
comes on a nd s tays o n or fl ashes for about 5 seco nds whi le d riving,
under these ci rcumstances, make sure that:
• the adult on the fron t pass enger sea t is pro perly s eate d on the
cent er of the seat cushion with his or her back up against the back
rest and the backrest is not reclined => page 116, "Proper occ upant
seating positions",
• t he ad ult is not ta king w eig ht o ff the sea t by hol ding o n to the
passenger assist hand le above the front passenger door or
su ppo rting their w eigh t on the arm res t,
• the safety be lt is being proper ly worn and that there is not a lot
o f sla c k in the sa fe ty b elt web bin g,
• accessory seat covers or cushions or other things that may cause
an incorrect read ing o r impression on t he w eight -s e nsi ng m at
under the upho lstery of the seat have been removed from the front
pass enger seat,
• a safety be lt extender has not been left in the safety be lt latc h for
th e fro nt passenger sea t.
In addition to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight in the center of the
instrument pane l, the mes sage
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF o r
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON will br iefly appear in the instrument cluster display. This is to inform the driver of the curren
t front passenger
air bag status .•
Important safety instructions on monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System
& WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning properly cannot provide
supplemental protect ion in a frontal crash.
• If the airbag indicator light comes on , it means that there may
be something wrong with the Advanced Airbag System . It is
possible that the airbag will inflate when it is not supposed to, or
will not inflate when it should .
• Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your Audi
dealer .
& WARNING
If the front airbag inflates , a child without a child restraint, in a
rear ward-facing child safety seat or
in a forward-facing child
restraint that has not been properly installed will be seriously
injured and can be killed .
• Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
System , make certain that all children , espec ially 12 years and
younger, always ride on the back seat properly restrained for their
age and size .
• Always install forward or rear -facing child safety seats on the
rear seat -even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• If you must install a rearward -facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat be cause of exceptional cir cumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG O FF light does not appear and stay on ,
immediately install the rear -facing child safety seat in a rear
~
Activating
The ESP is automatically activated when the engine is started and it
performs a self-test. You can activate a deactivated ASR if required
by pressing the=>
page 182, fig. 130 button. When it is activated,
the message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display. Vehicles
with front -wheel drive a deactivated ASR automatically re -activates
itself at a speed of 40 mph (70 km/h).
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if required by pressing the button (for
less than 3 seconds)=>
page 182, fig. 130. With the ASR deactivated,
the ESP check light comes on, see=>
page 17. The message ASR off
appears in the display as well. On vehicles with front -wheel drive:
deactivation is possible only up to 30 mph (50 km/h) for safety
reasons. Vehicles with all -wheel drive : the ASR can be deactivated
at any speed.
The ASR should normally be activated all the time. Only in certain exceptional situations when some slip is desirable does it make
sense to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck.
When the abnormal situation is over, you should activate the ASR
again.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i J Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires. Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
Intelligent technology
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also ::::>
page 246, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling and enhances
driver control.
Fig. 131 Switch for
rear spoiler
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts. Spoiler operation can be set
for automatic or manual operation .
Automatic mode (normal operation)
• Automatic deployment : At a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h),
the rear spoiler deploys automatically.
• Automatic retraction: When speed drops below about 50 mph
(80 km/h), the rear spoiler retracts automatically.
Manual mode
• Manual deployment: Tapping briefly on the switch ::::> fig. 131
deploys the rear spoiler .
• Manual retraction: At speeds up to about 10 mph (20 km/h),
retract the rear spoiler by pressing and holding the switch
::::> fig. 131. At speeds between 10 mph (20 km/h) and 75 mph (120
km/h), retract the rear spoiler by tapping on the switch=> fig. 131 .
Vehicle care I I irechnical data