
Intelligent technology
--------------------------------------------------' "---.L==--
The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR w ill also be out of action.
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 240, fig. 214 button. When it is activated, the
message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display .
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if required by pressing the button (for less
than 3 seconds) =>
page 240, fig. 214. With the ASR deactivated , the
ESP check light comes on, see=>
page 14 . The message ASR off
appears in the display as well. The ASR can be deactivated at any
speed .
The ASR should normally be activated a ll 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] Tips
To ensu re that the ASR works properly, all four whee ls must be fitted
with ident ical t ires. Any differences in rolling radius of the t ires can
cause the system to reduce eng ine power when this is not desired.
See also=>
page 307, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Safety first
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending la rgely on ope rating conditions and driving habits=>& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic or
are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your authorized
Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte
nance booklet.
Failure to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you should use the braking effect of the engine. This
way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you must
use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously. Pump the
brakes at intervals.
Noises may occur when brak ing depending on the speed, braking
force and outside cond itions such as temperatu re and humid ity.
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 31 mph (50 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in
regula r interva ls so as to improve reaction time when braking on wet
surfaces. You, the driver, will not not ice anything.
Under certain condit ions, for example, when driving through water or
very heavy rai n, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking effect
can be reduced due to moisture (or in free zing conditions ice) on the
bra ke pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off the brake
pads or remove any ice coatings.
Th e effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is
dr iven on a salt-covered road and the brakes are not used. H ere too,
you should clean off accumu lated salt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few careful applications of the brake=>&,.
Vehicle care Technical data

Intelligent technology
--------------------------------------------------' '----'----
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS}
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up under braking.
The ABS contributes effectively to vehicle control since it prevents the
w heels from
locking whe n the brakes are applied . This means t hat t he
vehicle rema ins steerable and is less likely to skid.
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake. Ju st hold the brake
pedal down .
However, do not expect the ABS to shorten braking distance under all
circu mstances. When d riving on gr ave l o r on new ly falle n snow o n top
of icy s urfaces, braking distance may be even longer, therefore, under
t he se c ir cu mstances, i t is especially importa nt that you dr ive slowly
and with great care.
How the ABS system works
An a utomat ic check is made when a speed of about 12 mph (20 km/h)
is reached. When this happens, a pumping noise can be heard.
If an individ ual w heel beg ins to rotate too slow ly in relat ion to vehicle
speed and tends to lock, t he ABS automat ic al ly reduces brake pres
sure to prevent t hat wheel from locking .
Thi s automatic adjustment process w ill cause a
slight vibrat ion of
t he bra ke ped al and some noises to aler t you th at vehicle s peed mus t
be adapted to existing road and traff ic conditions.
& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective , always remember that braking
capability i s limited by tire traction . Always adjust your driving
speed acco rding to the road and traffic condition s. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risk s.
T he ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics .
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
(I] Tips
•
If ABS is no t fun ct io ni ng prope rly, a wa rning light will come on .
See =>
page 16.
• If a fault occurs in the A BS, the EDL is also not functioning . This is
indicated by t he ABS warn ing light .•
Brake assist
Brake assist is designed to achieve the optimum braking
effect.
Bra ke ass ist helps to i ncrease the effe ctive br aking power and thus to
achieve a shorte r stopping distance . If the d river presses the brake
peda l very quickly, brake assist automatically boosts the bra king
force to the max imum level, up to the po int whe re the anti-lock b rake
function (ABS) intervenes to stop t he wheels from locki ng . You
should then keep the br ake peda l pressed unti l the ve hicle has braked
to the required speed . Brake ass ist switches itself off as soon as you
re le ase the br ake pedal.
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast , especially in corners or on a slippery road , or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too clo sely. Increased ri sk of an
accident cannot be compensated for even by brake assist , so
alway s maintain a safe speed. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor
tation.
If yo u plan to tow a t rai ler, p lease rem emb er that the add itiona l load
wi ll affect durab ility, economy and performance.
T railer tow ing not on ly p laces mo re s tress on the vehicle, it a lso calls
for more concentrat ion from the driver.
For this reason, a lways follow the ope rating and dr iv ing instr uctions
prov ided and use common sense .
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weig ht.
Th e hitch mus t be suitable for yo ur vehicle a nd tra ile r and mus t be
mounted secure ly on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound l oca
t ion. Use only a trailer hitch wi th a remov ab le b all m ount. Alw ays
check w ith the tra iler hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using t he cor re ct hi tch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The h itch must be installed in such a way t hat it does not interfere
w ith the impa ct-absorbing b umper system. No mod ifi cat ions sho uld
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems. From time to
ti me, chec k tha t all hitc h mou ntin g bol ts rem ain secure ly f aste n ed.
When you a re not tow ing a tra iler, remove the tra iler hitch ba ll
mount. This prevents the hitc h from caus ing damage should yo ur
vehicle be struck from behind=> &.
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is eq
uipped with a braking system, check to be s ure that
i t confo rm s to all regula tions.
The tra iler hydraulic brake system must not be directly connected to
the vehicle's hydraulic brake system=>& .
Safety chains
Alw ays use safety chains be twee n your vehicle and the trai ler.
Trailer lights
Tr ailer l ights m ust meet all reg ulat io ns. Be su re to check with your
author ized Audi deale r for correct wir ing, switches, and re lays.
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see the traffic behind you us ing the regular
outside m irro rs, then you
must install extended m irro rs. It is impor
tant that yo u
always have clear vision to the rear.
& WARNING
• If a trailer has electrical b rake s please note that these brakes
are not activated by the factory-fitted control unit -ri sk of acci
dent!
• After removing the trailer hitch , do not store it in your vehicle.
In case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly fo rward and injure
you or your passengers. •
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer we ight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2 trailer . .,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
t railers are lowe r than for regular veh icles.
Always apply brakes early. When dr iv ing downh ill, sh ift in to a lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge~ page 8 must be observed care
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditione r.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
star ts flashing
-t- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat bu ild-up.
& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk in an accident. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided by Audi. u
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
------------
Your vehicle handles differently when tow ing a tra iler because of the
additiona l weight and different weight distribution. Safety, perfor
mance and economy will greatly depend on how carefu lly you load
your trailer and operate your rig .
Before you actua lly tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep pract icing until you have
become completely familiar with the way your vehicle-t railer combi
nation behaves and responds.
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Backing up
is d iff icult and requ ires practice . Backing up with a trailer
generally requires steering action opposite to that when backing up
your vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in front
of you. You will need more room to stop . To compensate fo r the
trailer, you will need a larger than norma l turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you
normally would because of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for you r
trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes .
[I) Tips
• Do not tow a trai ler during the break-in per iod of your vehicle.
• If you tow a tra iler, your Audi may requi re more frequent mainte
nance due to the extra toad~
page 343. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone place chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels.
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake .
- Move the se lector lever to
P.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

lffll,.___C_ le_ a_n_ i _n_ g=- a_ n_d__, p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_ o _ n ___________________________________________ _
Your authorized Audi dealer can provide cleaning products that have
been tested and approved for your vehicle.•
Care of interior
MMI display
- Clean the MMI display with a soft clean cloth and an LCD
cleaner.
The MMI display can be cleaned with a professionally available "LCD
cleaner". The cloth shou ld be slightly dampened with the cleaning
fluid to clean the d isplay.
0 Note
T o avoid scratch ing the MMI display, you should never clean it dry.•
MMI control console
-First clean the MMI control console with a brush to
remove dust from the housing.
- Then wipe the MMI control console with a clean, soft,
slightly damp cloth.
The MM I control console should be cleaned with a brush fi rst so that
no dirt is trapped between the buttons and the housing. We recom
mend g iv ing the MMI control console a final wipe with a cloth moist
ened with water and dish washing detergent.
0 Note
To prevent damage, make sure that no fluid ever gets into the MMI
control console. •
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
alumi num surfaces. Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners will
attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=:>page 260. •
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabric coverings (e .g . seats, door tr im panels, etc.) should
be cleaned at regular intervals with a vacuum cleaner . This removes
surface dirt particles wh ich could become embedded in the fabric
through use. Steam cleaners should not be used, because the steam
tends to push the d irt deeper into the fabric and lock it there.
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge or a lint-free
microfiber cloth to the clean fabric. Brushes should only be used for
carpets and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces could be harmed
by brushes.
Normal surface stains can be cleaned using a commercially available
foam cleaner . Spread the foam on the surface of the fabric with a soft
sponge and work it in gently. Do not saturate the fabric. Then pat the
foam dry using absorbent, dry cloths (e .g. m icrofiber cloth) and
vacuum it after it has dr ied completely.
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e.g. coffee, fru it juice, etc.) can be
treated with a mild detergent solut ion. Apply the detergent solution
with a sponge. In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can
be applied d irectly to the stain and worked into the fabric. After
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to remove the remaining _..,

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
detergent . Apply the water with a damp cloth or sponge and pat the
fabric dry with an absorbent, dry cloth.
Stains from chocolate or makeup should have detergent paste
rubbed into them. Afterwards, remove the soap with water (damp
sponge).
Alcohol can be used to treat stains from grease, oil, lipstick or a ball
point pen . Melted grease or dye must be patted off using absorbent
material. It may be necessary to retreat the areas with detergent
paste and water.
I n the case of general soiling of the upholstery and cover mater ial, we
recommend hiring a specialist that has the equipment to clean the
seat covers and other fabric surfaces by shampooing and spray
extraction.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=>page 260.
[ i ] Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can damage the seat cover.
Please make sure that Velcro fasteners are closed. •
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear water to clean these
areas. For persistent dirt use an Aud i approved
solvent-free plastic
cleaner/protectant.
& WARNING
Solvents can change the properties of some plastics and make it
harder for the airbag to deploy .
Safety first
& WARNING (continued)
• Never clean the instrument panel or the surface of airbag
modules with cleaning products that contain solvents.
• Products containing solvents will make the surface of this part
porous.
• Serious injuries can result if plastic parts come loose when the
a irba g is deployed.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 260.
0 Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents will attack the material and can
change the way it behaves .•
Applies to vehicles: w ith na tur al leather
Natural leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the properties,
natural look and feel of interior leather.
General
We offe r many different types of leathe r on our veh icles. Most are
different types of nappa leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colors.
Th e intensity of the colo r determines the visual cha racteristics and
appearance. If the surface of the leather has a typica l natural look,
then the leather is a nap pa leather that has been left in a relatively
natural condition. This leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. Fine veins, closed grains, insect bites, skin folds, and
subtle variations in color remain visible. These characteristics demon
strate that the mater ial is natu ral.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a color finish. It is therefore
more sensitive to soiling and wear, which is something you need to ..,_
Vehicle care Technical data

Cleaning and protection -
---------------=---------=----
Cleaning spots
- Remove fresh water-based spots (such as coffee, tea,
juices, blood) with a n abso rbe nt cloth or paper towe l.
- Remove fresh
grease or oil-based spots (such as butter,
mayonnaise, chocolate) w ith an absorbent cloth or paper
towel, or use the cleaner from t he leat her care kit if the
spot has not yet penet rated into the s urface of the
leather.
- Use an oil/grease dissolv ing spray, if
oil/grease spots
have dried on .
-Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpo int pe n, fe lt marker,
fingernai l polish , water -based pa int , shoe polish, etc .)
with a spot remover speci fica lly formu lated for leat her .
Leather care
- Ev ery half ye ar us e an a pproved leath er car e product
(avai lab le fro m yo ur authori zed Audi d eale r) to ca re for
the le ather .
- A pply the produc t very spa rin gly .
- Wipe it o ff with a da mp cloth.
If you have any quest ions about cleaning and car ing for the leather in
yo ur vehi cle, it i s be st t o co ntac t you r author ized Aud i dealer, who w ill
be glad to help you and tell you about our fu ll range of leather care
prod ucts, s uch as:
• Leather cleaning and ca re k it
• Creams to ca re for colored leat her
• Spot removers for ballpoint pens, s hoe polish, etc.
• O il/gre ase di sso lv in g sp ray
• N ew and upcoming prod ucts.
Safety first
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:=> page 260 .
0 Note
• Never use chemical so lvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine), waxes,
shoe po lish or similar products on the leather surfaces in your Audi.
• T o avo id da mage, have st ubbor n sta in s removed by a co mmerci al
clean ing specialist .•
A pp lies to v ehicle s: w it h Alcan ta ra upho lst ery
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Removing dust and dirt
- Moiste n a c loth, squ eez e out e xce ss wat er and wipe down
th e sea t surfaces .
Removing stains
-Mo iste n a clo th with luk ewarm wa ter or wi th dilut ed ethyl
(rubbing) alcohol.
- Dab at the stai n. Sta rt a t the outside and wor k in wards.
- Once the sta in is no lo nger vis ible , use a soft dry clot h or
t iss ue to soak up t he m oisture .
Do not use leather cleaning products on A lcantara .
Yo u m ay use a suit ab le sh am poo for removing dus t and d irt.
Dust and gr it in the pores and seams ca n scratch a nd damage the
s u rface . If the car is left s tanding in the s un fo r long periods, the
Alcanta ra sho uld b e prot ected aga inst direct su nlight to preve nt it
from fading. Slight co lor var iat ions will deve lop in no rma l use and are
not a n ind icatio n of material deterioration .
~
Vehicle care Technical data

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c_k _in --= g'-- a_n _ d_ f_ i_ll _i_n __ g ____ _
& WARNING (co ntinued )
-The brake fluid mu st be new. Heavy use of the brake s can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid i s left in the sy stem too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety . This could result in an accident.
0 Note
B rake fluid will damage the pain t of your ve hicle.
c£> For the sake of the environment
Because of the p rob lem of proper d isposal of b rake fl uid as we ll as
the spec ia l too ls requ ired and the necessary expert ise , we recom
mend th at yo u have the brake fl uid ch anged by your authori ze d Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating cond itions, t he battery in your Audi does not
need any maintenance. W ith
high o uts ide temperatures or long daily
dr ives we recomme nd that yo u have the electro lyte level ch ecked by
an a utho rized Audi dealer o r q ua lified workshop. The e lectrolyte leve l
sho uld also be che cked ea ch t ime the battery i s ch arge d=>
page 293 .
Have t he battery checked when yo u take you r vehicle in for serv ice .
You a re well a dvised to rep lace a batte ry that is o lde r than 5 years.
With certa in ty pes of a irbag deployment, the ba tte ry is disconnected
from the vehicle e lectr ica l system for safety reasons=>
& in "Repair,
c are and disposal of the air bags " on
page 214.
Safety first
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle f unctions ( power w indow reg ulators, for examp le) are
lost if the batte ry termina ls a re disconnected . These funct ions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals are connected again . To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle electr ica l system when absolute ly necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If yo u do not drive your ve hicle over a period of severa l days o r wee ks,
elect rical compo nents are g radually cut bac k or swi tched off. This
re du ces ene rgy consumption and maintains start ing capability over a
longer period=>
page 2 47.
Take into consideration that when you unlock your vehicle, some
c onvenie nce func tions, such as the master key remote func tion o r
power seat adjustme nt, may not be avai lable. The convenience func
tions will be available again w he n you t urn on the ign it ion and sta rt
the engine .
Winter operation
During the winter months , battery capacity tends to decrease as
t empe ra tu res drop . This is beca use more power is a lso cons umed
wh ile starting, and the headlights, rear w indow defogger , etc ., are
used more o ften .
Avoid unne cessa ry powe r consum ption, part icu larly in city traffic o r
when traveling only short distances. Let your authori zed Audi dealer
che ck t he capa city of the vehicle b atte ry befo re w inte r sets in
=>
page 293 . A well charged battery will not only prevent start ing
pro blems when t he we ather is co ld, bu t w ill also last l onge r.
[ i ] Tips
If yo ur vehicl e is lef t standi ng fo r seve ral weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the veh icle battery should be removed and stored
whe re it will no t free ze . This will preven t it from being dam aged and
having to be replaced .•
Vehicle care Technical data