2010 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET ECU

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

Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in pla ce to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or s ideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer => & in "Driving instruc­
tions" on
page 256.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harde r. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additional load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the label located either on the
dr iver's side B-pillar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications.
Lights
The headl ight settings should be checked w ith the trailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit
turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to p revent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Driving instruct!ons
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other veh icles .
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results in a highly unstable
distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low
speeds only to avo id the r isk of losing steer ing control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. Th is means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissible,
wh ile keeping the trailer as light as possible under the c ircumstances.
Whenever possible, trans fer some cargo to the luggage compart ­
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
Th e higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icularly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately i f the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating. _,

-Checking and filling
-------=------=---------------------------------------------------
Closing the engine hood
-Pull the hood down until the pressure from the struts is
reduced.
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place . Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fail to engage=> &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of
injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
=> & .
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood :
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake.
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to "P" (Park).
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm. The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary:
-Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine is
running or being started, never touch: -Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running: -First, fully apply the parking brake, move selector lever of
automatic transmission to "P" (Park). ..,

___________________________________________ C_ h _ e_c _k _ i_n -=g ~ a_n _ d_ f_i _ll _i _ n -=g =--- ......J•
Adding engine oil
'e::1.
Fig . 222 En gin e
c om par tm ent: Oil filler
cap lo catio n
Before you c hec k a nythi ng in th e eng ine co mpart ment ,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
the e ngi ne compar tmen t" on
page 280.
- Unscr ew the cap~ to the eng in e oil fillin g ho le
=> fig. 222 .
- Care fu lly top of f wi th th e ap pro priate oil i n 0.5 liter doses.
- Screw the cap back o n the fil ling hole a nd close t he eng ine
hood .
- Check t he oi l leve l agai n after two minu tes=>
page 28 4.
- To p off the oil aga in , if nece ssary.
& WARNING
• While topping off, the oil must not come in contact with hot
engine parts -fire hazard!
• The oil filler cap must be properly secured to prevent oil from
being sprayed on the hot engine and exhaust system when the
engine is running -fire hazard!
• If your skin ha s come in contact with the eng ine oil , you must
s ubsequently cleanse it thoroughly .
Vehicle OP-eration
0 Note
• Chec k the oil leve l using t he radio o r the MMI*. If the message
Please reduce oil level appears, contact yo ur authorize d Au di dea ler
or o ther qual ifie d wo rks hop to have ex cess oil ex trac ted if nece ss ar y.
• Audi does not recommend the use of oil additives. They may
damage the engine and adver se ly affect your New Vehicle
Warranty.
<£' For the sake of the environment
• Under no circumstances can the o il come in contact with the
sewage netwo rk o r the soil.
• Observe and fo llow legal reg ulations when dis pos ing of empty oi l
conta iners .•
Changing the eng ine oil
We recommen d th at have your oil chan ged by an autho­
rized Audi dealer or a qualifi ed service stat ion .
Before you check anything in the e ng ine compartment, always read
and heed all WARNINGS~
& in "Wo rking in the eng ine com pa rt ­
me nt" o n
pag e 280.
The eng ine oil must be changed according to the intervals specified in
your Warran ty
& M ain tena nce book let. This is very import ant beca use
the lubricating propert ies of oil d iminish grad ually dur ing norma l
vehicle use .
U nder som e circumstances the eng ine oil s hou ld be chang ed mo re
frequently. C hange o il more often if you drive most ly short dista nces ,
operate the vehicle in dusty a reas o r under p redom inan tly s top-and­
g o traffic conditions, or have your ve hicle where temperatures remain
below freezing for e xtended per iods. .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service Technical data

-~_T_ i_ re _ s_ a_n _ d_ w_ h _e_ e_ ls _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (conti nu ed )
• If the tire i s not flat and you do not ha ve to change a wheel
immediately, drive at reduced speed to the nearest service station
to check the tire pressure and add air as required.
0 Note
Driv ing without valve stem caps can cause damage to the tire valves.
T o preven t this, a lways make sure that fac tory ins talle d valve stem
caps on all wheels are securely mo unted on the valve.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Under inflated t ires will also increase the fuel consumption .•
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amo unt of load or weig ht that any vehicle and
any t ire ca n carry. A veh icle th at is overlo ade d w ill n ot handle well and
is more difficult to stop . Overload ing can not on ly lead to loss of
vehicle co ntro l, bu t can also d amage important pa rts of the vehi cle
and can lead to sudden t ire failure, including a b lowo ut and sudden
deflation that can ca use the vehicle to c rash.
Yo ur safety and t hat of your passengers also depends o n mak ing s ure
that load limits are not e xceeded. Vehicle load incl udes eve rybody
and everyth ing in and on the ve hicle. These load limits are tech nically
refer red to as the veh icle's
Gross Vehicle We ight Rating ("GVWR").
T he "GVWR" includes t he weight of the basic vehi cle, all factory
installed accessories, a fu ll tank of fue l, o il, coo la nt and other fluids
plus maxim um load . The maxim um load includes the number of
passenge rs that the vehi cle is intended to car ry ("seating capacity ")
w ith an ass umed we ight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each pa ssenger at a
designat ed seating position and the tota l w eight of any l uggage in
the vehicle. If you tow a trai le r, the weight o f the t railer hitch and the tongue weight of the
loaded tra ile r must be included as part of the
veh icle lo ad .
T he
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR ") is the max imum load t hat
can be a pplied at each of the ve hicle's two axles .
Th e Gross Vehicle Weight Rat ing and the Gro ss Axle Weight Ra ting
are listed on the safety compliance s ticker label located on the
dr iver 's s ide B-pillar. Audi h as 4 seat ing pos it ions, 2 in t he fro nt and
2 in the rear for total seating capacity of 4 . Each seating pos it io n has
a seat belt =>
page 19 0, "Safety belts" .
Th e fa ct t hat there is an upper lim it to your veh icle 's Gross Vehicle
We ight Rating means that the total weight of whatever is being
c arrie d in t he ve hicle (incl uding t he weight o f a trail er hi tch and the
tongue weig ht of the loaded tra iler) is limited . The more passengers
in the veh icle or p assenge rs who are he avier than the st anda rd
we ights assumed mean that less we ight can be carried as luggage.
Th e tire pressure labe l o n yo ur Audi a lso lists the max imum combine d
we ight of alt of the o ccupants and l uggage or o ther cargo that the
vehicle ca n carry . For t he locat ion of the label=>
page 300, fig. 22 7.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or
other accident, serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was de signed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
risk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe di stan ce.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been o verloaded can fail suddenly ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation, causing loss of control
and a crash .
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
i ncluding the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a .,_

Tires and wheels -______________________ Effll
be fitted ove r th e wheel bo lts . These a re available from a uthorized
Au di d eal er s.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehicle or installing them
incorrectly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
• Snow chains are available in different sizes . Always make sure
to follow the instructions provided by the snow chain manufac­
turer.
• When driving with snow chains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains.
• Always observe local regulations.
0 Note
• Remove snow chains befor e driving on roads not covered w it h
snow to avoid dama gin g tir es and wearing t he snow chai ns dow n
unnece ssaril y.
• Snow chains, which come into direct contact with t he wheel rim,
can scratch o r damag e it. Ther efore, ma ke sure th at th e snow cha ins
are suitably covered. C hec k the pos it io n of the snow cha ins afte r
dr iv in g a few yar ds and correct if ne ce ssa ry . Fo llo w the i nstructions
from t he snow chain ma nufact urer w hen doing so.
[ i ] Tips
W here snow c hains are mandatory on certain roads, this no rmally
a lso a ppl ies to vehicl es wi th a ll w hee l dr ive . •
Safety first
Wheel bolts
Whe el bolts must alway s be tight en ed to th e corre ct
to rqu e.
T he design of wheel bolts is matche d to the fac to ry installed rims. If
differe nt rims ar e fitte d, the cor rec t wheel bolts with the r ight length
and co rrectly s haped bolt hea ds must be used. Th is ensures that
w heel s are fitted s ecur ely and that t he brak e sys te m fun ction s
correctly .
I n certai n circumstances, yo u may not use wheel bolts from a
different veh icle -even if it is th e sam e mode l~
page 345.
& WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel bolts can become
loose causing loss of control, a collision and serious personal
injury .
• Always keep the wheel bolts and the thread s in the wheel hubs
clean so the wheel bolts can turn easily and be properly tightened.
• Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and the threads in the wheel
hubs. They can become loose while driving if greased or oiled, even
if tightened to the specified torque.
• Only use wheel bolts that belong to the rim being installed.
• Never use different wheels bolts on your vehicle.
• Always maintain the correct tightening torque for the wheel
bolts to reduce the risk of a wheel loss. If the tightening torque of
the wheel bolts is too low , they can loosen and come out when the
vehicle is moving. If the tightening torque is too high, the wheel bolts and threads can be damaged and the wheel can become
loose .
0 Note
The sp eci fied tor qu e for th e wheel bolts i s 90 ft lb ( 120 Nm) wi th a
tole rance of ± 7,4 ft lb( ± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bo lts diagonally. .,_
Vehicle care Technical data

What do I do now? -__________________________________ ____;;...:....;_;..:....:....:....; _____ --J
& WARNING
• Neve r use the s crew dri ver hex head to tighten whe el bolt s,
s in ce the bolt s cannot attain the nece ssary tightening torqu e if
you us e th e hex head, potentially causing an a ccident.
• The factory-supplied jack i s intended only for your vehicle
model. Under no circumstances should it be used to lift heavy
vehicle s or othe r lo ad s; y ou ri sk injuring your self.
• Never start the engine when the vehicle is raised, which could
c au se an accident.
• Support the vehicle securely with appropriate stands if wo rk is
to be performed underneath the v ehicle; otherwi se, there is a
potential risk for inju ry. •
Space-saving spare tire (compact
spare tire)
The sp are tire/wheel is l ocated in the luggage compart ­
ment under the cargo floor cove r. It is intended for short­
term use only .
Fig. 2 36 Sp are t ire
Removing the spare tire
-Lift the cargo floor by the plastic hand le => fig. 236 .
Vehicle OP-eration
-Hook t he hand le in to the lugg age compartm ent weath er
st rip.
- Turn t he large screw => fig. 236 co unter-clockwise.
- Take ou t the spare tire.
- Unhook the cargo floor before closing the rear lid.
Securing the replaced tire
- Place the whee l with tire in the s pare wh eel well and
secur e th e wheel with th e lar ge scr ew.
- U nhook the cargo floor be fore closing the rear lid.
Using the spare tire (compact spare tire)
Th e comp act spare tire is only inte nded for emerge ncies un til you can
reach a repa ir shop . Rep lace it as quickly as possib le with a standard
wheel and tire.
Th ere are some restrictions on the use of the compact spare t ire. Th e
compac t spar e tire has been designed specifically for your typ e of
veh icle . It must no t be swa pped with a compa ct sp are tire from
anothe r type of vehicle.
Snow chains
Fo r technical reasons, the use of snow chains on the compact spare
tir e is
not permitted .
If you do have to dr ive with snow chains and a front tire fails, mount
t he sp a re wheel wi th tire ins tead of a rear tire. I nst all the s now chains
on the rear t ire and use it to replace the defective front tire .
& WARNING
• Never use the spare tire if it is damaged or if it is worn down to
the tread wear indicators .
• If the spare tire is more than 6 years old , use it only in an emer-
gency and with extreme caution and careful driving .
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service iTechnical data

lffl!I.___W __ h_a_ t_ d_ o_ I_ d_ o_ n_ o_w_ ? _____________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• The spare tire is intended only for temporary and short-term
use. It should be replaced as soon as possible with the normal
wheel and tire.
• After mounting the compact spare tire, the tire pressure must
be checked as soon as possible. The tire pressure of the compact
spare tire must be 4.2 bar; otherwise, you risk having an accident.
• Do not drive faster than SO mph (80 km/h). You risk having an
accident.
• Avoid full-throttle acceleration, heavy braking, and fast
cornering. You risk having an accident.
• Never drive using more than one spare wheel and tire. You risk
having an accident.
• Normal summer or winter tires must not be mounted on the
compact spare wheel rim.
• For technical reasons, the use of tire chains on the spare tire is
not permitted.
If it is necessary to drive with tire chains, the spare
wheel must be mounted on the front axle in the event of a flat in a rear tire. The newly available front wheel must then be installed
in place of the rear wheel with the flat tire. Installing the tire
chain before mounting the wheel and tire is recommended.
• Loose items in the passenger compartment can cause serious
personal injury during hard braking or in an accident.
- Never store the inflatable spare tire or jack and tools in the passenger compartment.
- Always store all jacking equipment, tools, and the inflatable
spare tire in the luggage compartment.
- Tighten the knurled retaining screw for the inflatable spare
tire securely. •
Changing a wheel
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own and your
passenger's safety when changing a wheel.
-After you experience a tire failure, pull the car well away
from moving traffic and try to reach level ground before
you stop :::> & .
- All passengers should leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail):::>& .
- Engage the parking brake to prevent your vehicle from
rolling unintentionally:::> &.
- Move selector lever to position P :::> & .
- If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle.
- Take the jack:::>
page 318 and the spare tire :::> page 319
out of the luggage compartment.
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if
you do not follow these safety precautions:
• If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off the road. Turn
off the engine, turn the emergency flashers on and use other
warning devices to alert other motorists.
• Make sure that passengers wait in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the road and traffic.
• To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possibly
slipping off the jack, always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed with the
folding chocks or other objects. When one front wheel is lifted off
~