The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system. If the Anti -Lock Brake System (ABS) ma lfunc
tions, the ESP wil l also shut down .
How the system works
The Anti -Lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Differential Lock (EDU
and the Anti -Slip Regulation System (ASR) are integrated in the elec
tronic stabilization program. In addition to the data provided by
th ese functions, the ESP control unit requires additional measure
ment data provided by high performance sensors . The rotational
speed of the vehicle about its vertica l axis, vehicle acceleration in
the fore-and-aft and lateral directions , the brake pressure, and the
steering angle are all measured.
The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
the aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is continua lly
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example, when the vehicle starts hydrop laning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate whee l to correct
the prob lem.
The vehicle is then stabi lized by the forces acting on the whee l
during braking. If the vehicle is
oversteering (the vehicle turns too
sharply and the rear wheels slide toward th e ou tside of a curve), the
brakes are main ly app lied on the wheel that is on the outside of the
curve . In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering (the vehicle does
not turn sharply enough and pushes out of a curve), the brakes are
applied as needed on the wheel that is on the inside of the curve or
additional ly on the other wheels. An acoustic signal indicates when
ESP brake app lication cuts in=>&.
T he system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system =>
page 238. If the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP will be out of action as well.
Activating
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatica lly be activated
and will perform a se lf-test. As soon as the test is comp leted, the
system is in norma l operating mode.
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
You
can activate a deactivated ESP or deactivated ESP/ASR if
required by pressing the::::>
page 234, fig. 215 ::::> page 234, fig. 214
button . When they are activated, the message
ESP /ASR on appears
briefly in the display .
Deactivating
The ESP should normally be activated al l the time. If necessary, you
can deactivate Anti -Slip Regu lation (ASR) or the Electronic Stabiliza
tion Program (ESP) by pressing the button=>
page 234, fig. 215.
• Deactivating ASR: Tap the button . In certain exceptional situa
tions (e .g. driving with tire chains), the Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR)
can be deactivated =>
page 236. The message ASR off appears in the
display as we ll.
• Deact ivating ESP/ASR Press the button for more than 3 seconds.
With the ESP/ASR deactivated, the indicator light comes on, see
=>
page 13. The message ESP switched off appears in the disp lay as
we ll.
& WARNING
The Electronic Stabilization Program is nevertheless subject to the
laws of physics . It is particularly important to pay attention to this
fact on wet and slippery roads. It is therefore important that you
always adapt your driving to the condition of the road and traffic
conditions. Do not allow the increased safety provided by the Elec
tronic Stabilization Program system to lull you into accepting
additional safety risks. •
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
---------
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
General notes
The electronic differential lock (EDU helps the car to start moving,
acc elerate and c limb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
ll}JI Intelligent technology
---""'------------ ....::....:...:~---------------------------
almost no grip. Without EDL, this would be difficult, if not impos
sible.
How the system works
The EDL operates automatically. It monitors the rotational speed of
wheels with the help of the ABS sensors=:,
page 238 . If a noticeable
slip is detected at the wheels (e.g. on slippery ground on one side),
the spinning wheels are braked and power is transferred to the
other wheels. This is done up to a speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h).
Noises from the brake system signal that wheel spin is being
controlled.
Driving off
When driving off, always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface
with less grip, apply
plenty of throttle until the car starts to move.
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads on this wheel, the EDL cuts out tempo rarily. The vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way
as a vehicle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto
matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can spin and reduce your ability to control your car. Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning . This is
indicated by the ABS warning light=:,
page 15. •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP) . When the vehicle starts up and acceler
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the
engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatically , i.e. without the driver's intervention .
With the aid of the ABS sensors=:,
page 238, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, engine torque
is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to lock onto
the road surface. The system is active across the entire speed range.
The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR will 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 234, fig. 215 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 234, fig. 215. With the ASR deactivated,
the ESP check light comes on, see=:,
page 13. The message ASR off ._
ll}Jl __ ln_t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfu ncti ons can occ ur in th e brake system if the bra ke flu id leve l is
too low. The brake fluid leve l is monitored e lectronically.
Brake lining wear status Bra ke lining wear may be checked by visual inspection of the condi
t ion of the brake pa ds through the o pen in g s in t he wheel. If neces
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection=>
page 312,
" C hanging a whee l" .
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuver s for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road cond itions permit . Other
road u sers must not be put at risk -you may cause an accident !
• Before des cending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brake s or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
c ause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to overheat, p rem ature wear and in creased stopping distance .
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
passing through water , driv ing in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter ,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off afte r a few careful b rake appli cations .
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt -covered roads
without using your brakes can also affe ct braking effic ien cy. Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
spoiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstru cted .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effe ctive
ness of the entire brake system .
& WARNING (continued )
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance . Avoid driv ing the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qu alified workshop. •
Brake booster
The bra ke boos ter adds e xtra bra king pow er.
Th e brake boost er wo rks wit h vacuum p ressu re wh ich is created
only when the engine is running=>& .
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working , for e xample when towing
your vehicle, or because the brake booster has somehow been damaged , the brake pedal must be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance . •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS}
A BS p revents t he wheels from lockin g up unde r braking.
The ABS co ntrib utes effectively to ve hic le c ont ro l since it preven ts
the whee ls from locking when the bra kes are app lied. Th is means
that the vehicle remains stee rable and is less l ikely to skid .
With ABS you do not need to
pump the brake. Just hold the brake
pedal down .
Ho wever , do not e xpect the AB S to sho rten braking d istance under
all circumstances. When driving o n grave l or on newly fallen snow
o n t op of icy su rfaces, b raking distance may be even lo nger, there
f ore, unde r these circumsta nces, it is especially impo rtan t th at you
drive slow ly and with great ca re. ._
How the ABS system works
An au tomatic check is made when a speed of about 12 mph (20
km/h) is reached. When this happens, a pumping no ise can be
heard .
I f an individua l wheel begins to ro tate too s low ly in relation to
vehic le speed and tends to lock, the ABS automatical ly reduces
b rake pressure t o preven t tha t whee l from locking.
This automatic adjustment process wil l cause a
slight vibration of
t he brake peda l and some noises to ale rt you tha t veh ic le sp eed
must be adapted to existing road and traffic conditions.
in. WARNING
Although the ABS is very effe ctive , always remember that braking
c apability is limited by tire traction. Always adjust your driving
speed a ccording to the road and traffi c conditions. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risks.
The ABS c annot overcome the laws of physics .
[ i J Tips
• I f ABS is not functioning properly, a warning l ight wil l come on .
See
~ page 15.
• I f a fau lt occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not funct ioning. This
is indicated by the ABS warning light .
Brake assist
Brake assist is designed to achieve the optimum brakin g
effect.
B rake a ssist hel ps to in crease the eff ective b raking powe r an d t hus
to achieve a shorter stopping distance. If the driver presses the
br ake pe dal ve ry q uickl y, br ake a ss is t auto matically boo sts t he
braking force to the maximum lev el, up to the point where the anti
lock b ra ke function (ABS) intervenes to stop the wheels from
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
locking
. You shou ld then keep the brake pedal pressed until the
ve hic le has braked to the required spee d. Brake assist swi tches itse lf
off as soon as you release the brake pedal.
in. WARNING
Please remember that the accident r isk always increases if you
drive too fast , espe cially in corners or on a slippery road , or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too closely. Increa sed risk of an
accident cannot be compensated for even by brake as sist , so
always maintain a safe speed .•
Servotronic® -advanced power
steering system
The pow er st eer in g systems uses th e po we r of t he
run nin g eng ine to a llow prec ise s tee ring with lit tle eff ort.
The advanced S ervotronic ® power steering system senses the road
s p eed and electr onically a djusts power assis tance t o provide
comfortab le and safe steering response exactly matched to the
ve hicle speed .
Power steering wi ll n ot work if the eng ine is off. As a result, the
steering whee l wil l be hard to turn.
Th e power s teering flu id leve l is check ed during the sc hed uled
maintenance services .
0 Note
If there is an electronic ma lfunction, servotronic wi ll still function
like a conventi onal power s teer ing sys te m , pr ovi ding a constan t
steering support force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed. This is mo st noticeable when tu rning t he steering whee l at
low speeds {for examp le when parking), -more effort wi ll be
r equired than usual.
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
-Traile r t ow ing
----- -=---------------------------------
Tr a ii er 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. •
Technical requirements
Traile r hit ch
Use a weight -carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weight.
The hitch must be suitab le for your vehicle and tra iler and must be
mounted secure ly on the vehicle's chassis 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.
D o not u se a b umper hit ch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it does not interfere
w ith the impact-absorbing bumper system . No modifications
should be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems . From
time to time, check that all hitch mount ing bolts remain securely
fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the trailer hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage should your
vehic le be struck from behind =:> & .
Tra iler br akes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system, check to be sure
that it conforms to al l regu lations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be directly connected to
the vehicle's hydraulic brake system=:>& .
Safet y cha ins
Always use safety chai ns between y our vehicle and the trailer .
Traile r lights
Trai ler lights mus t meet all regulations. Be su re to check with your
authori zed Audi dealer for correct wiring, switches, and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you using the regu lar
outside mirrors, then you
must instal l extended m irrors. It is impor
tant that you
always have to the rear .
& WARNING
• If a trailer ha s el ectri cal brake s please note that the se brak es
are n ot act iva ted by the fa ctory -fitted control unit · ri sk of acc i
dent !
• After remo ving the tr ailer hit ch , d o n ot store it in yo ur vehi cle.
In ca se of sudden b raking , th e hitch could fly forw ard and injure
you or your p assengers . •
Operating instructions
M ax imum tr aile r w eight
A trai ler for your vehicle is limited to a typica l class 1 or class 2
trai ler.
___ T_ r _a_ il_e _r_ t_ o_ vv_ in__... g,_ __________________________________________________ _
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trailers are lower than for regular vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes a lone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 8 must be observed care
ful ly . If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing
-F- , pul l off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build-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 . •
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
----------------
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and different weight distribution. Safety,
performance and economy will great ly depend on how careful ly you
load your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actual ly tow your trailer, pract ice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing unti l you
have become completely familiar with the way your vehicle -trailer
combination behaves and responds . Backing
up is difficult and requires practice . Backing up with a
t rai ler genera lly 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 for
the trai ler, you wi ll 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, al low plenty of room for your
trai ler before changing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
[ i ] Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break -in period of your vehicle.
• If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent mainte
nance due to the extra load=>
page 339. •
Parking on a s•ope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only ofter doing the following:
When parking:
Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and
the trailer wheels.
With chocks in place, slow ly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.
___ C_ le_ a _ n_i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d __ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Normal surface stains can be cleaned using a commercially avail
able foam cleaner . Spread the foam on the surface of the fabric with
a soft sponge and work it in gent ly . Do not saturate the fabric . Then
pat the foam dry us ing absorbent, dry cloths (e.g . microfiber c loth)
and vacuum it after it has dried completely .
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e .g . coffee, fruit juice, etc.) can be
treated wi th a mild detergent so luti on. Apply the detergent so lution
with a sponge . In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can
be applied di rectly to the stain and worked into the fabric . After
wards , use copious amounts of clean water to remove the
remaining detergent. App ly the water with a damp cloth or sponge
and pat the fabric dry with an absorbent, dry c lo th.
Stains from chocolate or makeup should have detergent paste
rubbed into them . Afterwards, remove the soap with water (damp
sponge) .
A lcohol can be used to treat stains from grease, oil, lipstick or a ball
point pen. Melted grease or dye must be patted o ff usi ng absorbent
material. It may be necessary to retreat the areas with detergent
paste and water .
In the case of genera l soiling of the upho lstery and cover material ,
we recommend hiring a specialist that has the equipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabric surfaces by shampooing and spray e xtrac tion .
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 252 .
[ i ] Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can damage the seat cover.
Please make sure that Velc ro fasteners a re c losed. •
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a c lean cloth moistened in c lear water to clean these
areas. For persistent dir t use an Audi approved
solvent-free plas tic
cleaner/protectant.
& WARNING
Solvents can change the propertie s of some plastics and make it
harder fo r the airbag to deploy .
• Never clean the in strument panel or the surface of a irbag
module s with cleaning product s that contain sol vent s.
• Product s containing solvents will make the s urface of this part
porou s.
• Serious injuries can re sult if plastic parts come loo se when the
ai rbag i s deployed .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other info rm ation
~ page 252.
0 Note
Cleaning agents containing so lvents wil l attack the material and can
change the way it behaves .•
Ap plie s to vehicles : with natu ra l l eath er
Natural leather
Aud i makes great eff orts to maintain the properties,
n at ural look and feel of interior leather.
General
We offer many different types of leat her on our vehicles . M ost are
different types of nappa leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in va rious colors . _,,,
___ C_ le_ a _ n_i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d __ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Mor e stubborn dirt
- More stubborn dirt can be removed using a cloth satu
rated with a mild soap solution (2 tablespoons m ild
liquid soap) .
- Never allow the soap solut ion to saturate the leathe r, and
make certain that no water soaks into the seams.
- Wipe off the soap solu tion with a soft , dry clot h.
Cleaning spots
- Remove fresh water-ba sed spots (su ch as coffee, tea,
juices, b lo od) with an a bsorbent c loth or paper towel.
- Remove fresh
grease or oil-ba sed spots (such as butter,
mayonnaise, chocolate) with an absorbent cloth or paper
towel, or use the cleaner from the leather care kit if t he
s pot has not yet pene trate d in to the surface of the
l eather.
- Use an oil/g rease d issolv ing spray, if
oil /grease spots
have dried on.
- Remove specific kinds of spo ts (ballpoint pen, fe lt
marker, fingernai l po lish, water -based paint, shoe polish,
etc.) with a spot remover specifically formu lated for
leather.
Leather care
- Every hal f year us e an approve d leather car e product
(available from your authorized Audi deale r) to care for
the leather .
- App ly the pr odu ct very sparingly .
Wipe it off wit h a damp cloth.
If you have any questions about c leaning and ca ring for the leather
in yo ur vehicle, it is best to co ntac t your authorized Audi dea ler, who
wi ll be glad to he lp you and tell you about our ful l range of lea ther
ca re products, such as:
• L eather clean ing and care kit
• Creams to care for co lo red leather
• Spot removers for ba llpoint pens , shoe polish , etc .
• Oil/grease d isso lving spray
• N ew and upcoming products.
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 252 .
0 Note
• Never use chemical so lvents (e .g . ligh ter fluid , turpentine) ,
waxes, shoe polish or simi lar products on the leather surfaces in
your Audi .
• T o avoid damage, have stubborn stains rem oved by a co mmer
cia l cleaning specialis t.•
Applies to ve hicles: w ith A lcan tara ® upho ls tery
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Removing dust and dirt
- Mois te n a clot h, squeeze out excess water and w ipe down
t h e seat surfaces.
Removing stains
- Mois ten a clo th wit h lukewarm water or wi th diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcohol.