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
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
___ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
• Be aware of the different than usual steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly.
• Have the problem checked and set right by an Audi dealer as
soon as possible.
[ i] Tips
• When the engine is running, never hold the steering wheel
turned all the way to the right or to the left for longer than 15
seconds. The power steering pump will overheat the hydraulic fluid
if you keep holding the steering wheel turned all the way. This is
likely to damage the power steering system.
• If the power steering system should fail en tirely, or if the engine
is not running (for example, while being towed), you will still be able
to steer the vehicle . However,
considerably more effort will be
required to do so.
• If the power steering system should have a leak, or is not func
tioning properly, contact your authorized Audi dealer immediately.
• The power steering system requires a specially formulated
hydraulic fluid. The power steering reservoir is the one located
farthest to the rear on the left side of the engine compartment
=>
page 272. The correct fluid level in the reservoir is important for
proper functioning of the power steering .•
Driving with your quattro®
With all wheel drive, all four wheels are driven.
General information
With all wheel drive, power is distributed to all four wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road conditions at the time. See also=>
page 235, "Electronic differ
ential lock (EDU".
The all wheel drive concept is designed for high engine power. Your
vehicle is exceptionally powerful and has excellent driving charac -teristics both under normal driving conditions and on snow and ice.
Always read and
follow safety precautions =>& .
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with all wheel drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for improved
driveability and braking : these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also => page 304, "Winter tires".
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with all wheel drive =>
page 305, "Snow
chains".
Replacing vvheels/tires
Vehicles with all wheel drive must always have tires of the same
si ze . Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see
page =>
page 299, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to=>
page 244.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by all wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the all wheel drive is very effective, always remember
that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You should there
fore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (aqua
planing). If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
~
___ 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.
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
may be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR"l
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Tire pr essure
Inco rrect tire pressure causes prematu re wear and can cau se
sudden tire blow-out. For this reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a month
~ page 293 .
Driving style
Dr iv ing fa st around curves, heavy acceleration and hard brak ing
increase tire wear.
Rotating tire s for more even wear
For all four t ires on your vehic le to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rea r tires are rotat ed acc ord ing to the
tire manufacturer 's suggested tire rotation intervals. Please
remembe r the f ollo wi ng :
• Tire rotat ion i nterva ls m ay d iffer from the vehic le serv ice inte r
vals outl ined in your Maintenance and Warranty Book let.
• The longer one tire is used in one location on the vehicle, t he
more it wears at certain points; the refo re, we recommend that you
f ollow the tire manu facturer's sug ges ted t ire rotat ion i nte rvals.
• Vehicles with fro nt-w hee l dr ive e xper ience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to all -wheel drive (quattro®l .
• Please rotate tires as sh ow n~
page 297, fig. 232 .
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
~ pag e 318 .
Wheel balancing
T he w heels o n new v ehic les are balanced. However, various s itua
tions during everyday driving can cause them to become unba l
anc ed, resu lti ng in vib rati ons yo u ca n usually feel thro ugh t he
steer ing whee l.
U nba la nce d w heels must be re ba lance d to avoid excessive wea r on
steering, suspension and tires. A whee l must a lso be reba lanced
when a new tire is installed.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect w hee l al ig nm ent ca n cause e xcess ive ti re wea r, impa iring
t h e s afety of th e veh ic le. If t ires show excessive wear, have the
w hee l a lig nme nt checke d by a n autho rize d Aud i deale r or qualifie d
wo rkshop.
All wheel drive
Vehic les with quattro® must always have tires of the same size,
co nstruct ion an d tread ty pe. For deta ils see ~
page 240.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of control , a crash and serious
personal injury !
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators.
• Worn tires are a safety hazard , they do not grip well on wet
roads and in crease your risk of "hydroplaning " and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage , such as
grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds .
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history. " Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control . •
llffl __ A_l.:,. p _h_ a_ b_e _t _ic _ a_l _in _ d_e _x ____________________________________________ _
A Additives Side airbags ....... .... .... ...... 207
Engine oil 275 Side curtain airbags ....... .... ... 210
A/C mode ...... ...... .... ....... 95, 102 Adjusting Weight-sensing mat ..... .. .... ... 214
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Adaptive cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Changing speed .. .... .... .... ... 121
Driver information .... .... ....... 124
Driver intervention prompt ..... ... 128
Driving in traffic .. .... .... ..... .. 119
Driving program .... .. ...... ..... 129
Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Open road ..... .. .... .... ...... . 119
Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Request for driver to assume control 119
Save speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Setting distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Setting time interval .. .. .. .... .... 123
Settings .......... .... .......... 129
Special driving situations . ....... . 130
Status messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Switching on and off .. ... .... .... 120
System limits .. .... ...... ........ 130
Temporarily turning off .. ... ...... 122
Warning/indicator lights .......... 125
Adaptive dampers .. ...... .... .... .. 144
Adaptive light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Adding Engine coolant ... .... .... ....... 279
Engine oil ....................... 275
Windshield washer fluid .... .. .... 286
Additiona l accessories ............... 341 Steering column manually
......... 107 When
must the system be inspected? ...
Adjusting front seats .......... .... ... 69 199
Airbag All wheel drive
................ .... .. 240
Warning/indicator lights ... .... .... 14 Alloy wheels .
..... .. ........ .... ... 258
Airbag system .... ..... ... .... .. 188, 208 All-wheel drive
Advanced Airbag System .......... 192 Winter
tires 304
Advanced Airbag System components .. A
lternator
195 Malfunction
.. .. .. .... .... .... .... 29
Care .................. .... .... .. 202
Anti-freeze
Child restraints .................. 215
See Engine coolant system ...... .. 277
Children .. .... ...... ..... .... ... 214
Anti-glare inside day-night mirror . ..... 64
Components (front airbags) .. ... ... 195
Danger of fitting a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Disposal ... .. .... ...... .... ... .. 202 Anti
-lock brake system
How the ABS system works ... .. ... 238
Warning/indicator lights ... .. .... .. . 15
Anti-Slip Regulation System !ASR)
Front airbags .. ... ........... 192, 193 h k
How t e system wor s
How do the front airbags work? . . . . 197 236
How many airbags does my vehicle have? 195
How the Advanced Airbag System compo
nents work together . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Important safety instructions on the knee airbag system .... .... .... .... .. 206
Important things to know ... .... .. 188
Indicator light ... .. ........ ...... 199
Knee airbags .. ........... .... ... 204
Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light ... .. 200
Repairs ..... .. ... ... .. .... ...... 202
Safety instructions ............... 201 Anti-theft systems
Electronic immobilizer ............. 41
Ashtray ...... .... .... ............... 87
ASR How the Anti-Slip Regu lation System
works ... ........ .... ... .... ... 236
Asterisk What does it mean when something is
marked with an asterisk? ........... 5
Audi braking guard .................. 132
Error messages .. ...... ...... .... 134
Settings ........................ 133
______________________________________________ A_ l_,_ p _h_ a_ b_e _t_ic _ a _ l _in _ d_e _ x __ _
Status messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Switching on and off .. .... ...... .. 133
Audi drive se lect .. ...... .... ........ 144
Adaptive dampers .. ...... .... .... 144
Description ... ... .... .... ...... .. 144
Dynamic st eering .. ....... ...... .. 144
Se tting th e driving mode . ...... ... 145
Audi Service Repair Manuals and Literature
339
Auto Lock .......... ................. 42
Auto Safety Hotline ... ... ... .... .... . 177
Auto-Ch eck Contro l .... ... .. .... .... .. 27
Automatic belt retractor .......... .... 183
Automatic car wash
See Washing .. .... .... ... .... .... 253
Automatic climate control A/C mod e ..... .. .... .... ...... ... 95
Au tomatic climate control plus ....... .. 96
A/C mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
See also Deluxe automatic climate control
plus ...... .. ..... ... ..... .. ..... 96
Automatic c limate control system ...... 90
See also Deluxe automatic climate
control ... .. .... .... ..... ...... . 90
Automatic driving light control ..... .. .. 53
Automatic Shift Lock (ASU .. ..... .... 150
Automatic transmission ...... ...... .. 147
6-speed automatic transmission . ... 147
Automatic Shift Lock (ASU ... . ..... 150
Driving .. .. .. ...... .......... ... 148
Dynamic shift program . ...... ... .. 151
Emergency release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Fail -safe mode . ...... .... .. . ..... 153
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
Kick-down
.... ..... .. ..... .. . .... 151
Manual shif t program . ...... ...... 152
Selector lever ...... ........ .... .. 149
Shift buttons . ...... .... ... .. ... . 153
Steering wheel with tiptronic ....... 153
Automatic wip e/wash system ...... ... . 61
Average speed ........... .... .... .... 23
Avoid damaging the vehicle ........... 244
B
Battery . .... .... ...... ....... .... .. 281
Battery location inside the luggage
compartment .. . .. .. .... .... .... 282
Charging ............. .... ... .... 284
Important warnings when working on the
battery ..... .. .. .... .... .... ... 282
Jump starting ............. ... .... 326
Low ... .. .... .. . .. ... ....... .... 241
Replacing the battery ......... .... 285
State of charge . .............. .... 241
W inter operat ion . .... .... .... .... 281
Working on th e battery ...... .... .. 282
Battery voltage ..... ....... .... .... .. 35
Before driving ... ..... .. ... ... .. .... 169
Blended gasoline ... . .. ... ....... .... 265
Body cavity sealing ...... ...... ... .. . 258
Boost er seats .... .... .... ...... ... .. 221
Brake assist ..... .... .... .... .... ... 239
Brake booster .... .. .. ... ..... .. . .... 238
Brake fluid Changing the brake fluid .. .... .... 281
Checking the brake fluid level .. .... 280 Reservoir
.. .... .. .. ... .... .... ... 280
What is the correct brake fluid level? 280
What should I do if the brake fluid warning
light comes on? ..... .... .... .. . . 280
Brake system .... ... .... .... .... .... 280
Anti-lock brake system ............. 15
Brake fluid . ........... .... ....... 280
Brake fluid specifications for refill and
replacement . .... .... .... ...... . 281
Brake light defec tive ... ...... ... .. . 35
Brake pads ..... .. ...... ....... .. 244
Electromechanical parking brake .... 112
General information ...... .... ... . 237
How does moisture or road salt affect the
brak es? . ...... .. ...... .... .... . 237
Malfunc tion ... .. .. .. .... .... ..... 29
Warning/indicator lights .... ...... .. 16
Worn brake pads symbol .. ... .... .. 34
Braking guard
See Audi braking guard .... .... ... . 132
Break -in period ...... .... .. .. .... ... 243
Brake pads ... .... .... ........... 244
Tires ... ..................... .. .. 243
Bulbs .... .... ... ... ... .. ...... .... . 324
C
California Proposition 65 Warning ... .. 272
Battery specific ... .... .... .... ... . 283
Capaciti es .. ... .... .... .... .... ..... 337
Car care ... . .... .. .. .... .... .... .. . . 252
Inter ior .... ... .... .... ...... ..... 259
P lastic and vinyl ....... ......... .. 256
Weatherstrips ... .. .... .. . .... ... . 257
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data