-Child Safety P';W _______________ _
& WARNING (continued )
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-mat in the seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. The heavier weight registered can make
the system work as though an adult were on the seat and deploy
the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppres sed causing serious
or even fatal injury to the child .
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional c ircumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the rearward-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer . •
Additional Information
Sources of information about child restraints
and their use
T here are a number of sources of additional information about child
r es train t s elec tion, i nsta lla tio n a nd use:
NH TSA adv ises tha t the b est c hild sa fety s eat is the one that fits
yo ur chi ld and fits in your ve hicle, and that you wil l use correctly and
co nsiste ntly .
T ry before you buy!
U.S National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Te l.: 1 -888 -327- 4236 ( TTY : 1-8 00 -4 24 -9 153)
w ww .nht sa.gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
T el.: (202) 662 -0600
www .safe kids. org
Safety BeltSafe U .S .A
Tel. : (800) 745 -SAFE (Eng lish)
T el. : (800) 7 47-SANO (Spanish)
w w w.carseat .org
Transport Canada Information Centre
T e l.: 1 (800) 333 -0371 or ca ll 1 (61 3) 998 -86 16 if yo u ar e in t he O ttawa
area
www .tc.gc .ca/r oadsafe ty
Audi Customer CARE
Tel.: (800l 82 2-2834 a
-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.
Trailer load d is trib ut ion
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or sideways.
Ne ver allo w a passen ger to rid e i n a tr ailer => & in "Driving instruc
tions" on
page 249.
En gin e c ool ing syst em
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It is important that
the cooling system 's performance is up to the additiona l load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough flu id.
Ti re press ure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the labe l located either on the
driver's side B-pillar (visible when the door is open} or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' spec
ifications.
Ligh ts
The headlight settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off . Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly .
Safe ty c hain s
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack 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.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of veh icle and trailer,
please note t he following :
Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded .
- Be especia lly careful when passing other vehicles .
Observe speed l imits .
Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
Always apply brakes early.
Monitor the temperature gauge.
W eight distrib utio n
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a h ighly
unstable distribution of weight . If this cannot be avoided, drive at
very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
t he tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permis
sible, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum
stances . Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considerations.
S pee d
The higher the speed, the more difficu lt it becomes for the d river to
control the rig. Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions
are unfavorable -particularly when going downhill .
Reduce vehicle speed
i mmed iatel y if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying .
Do not try to st op the swa ying b y accelerating.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
___ 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_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lll
•
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particularly considering the comparative ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all- important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regu lar ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts , slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowouts .
Avoiding dama ge
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slow ly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls includ ing grease, oil, gasoline and brake
f luid off the tires.
I nspec t the tires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blis ters, etc.l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota
tion . This ensu res you to be ab le to mount them correctly when you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
St ore t ires in a vertical posit ion if they a re not mounted on rims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in~&.
The tread dep th of new tires may va ry, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
Hidden d ama ge
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusua l vibration or the vehicle pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immed iately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire ction al tir es
A unidirectio nal tire can be iden tif ied by arrows on the s idewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must follow
the specified direction of ro tation . This is necessary so that these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more information
~ page 318.
in. WARNING
Ne w tire s or tire s that are old , worn or damaged cann ot pro vide
m aximum cont rol and braking ability.
• New tires tend to b e slippery and mu st also be broken-in . To
redu ce the ri sk of lo sin g control , a colli sion and seriou s per sonal
inj uries , dri ve wi th spe cia l c are for t he first 350 m iles ( 560 km l.
• Driving with worn or damaged t ire s can lead to lo ss of co ntrol ,
s udd en tire failure , in clu ding a blowout a nd sudden deflation , .,,_
Vehicle care
I t •
-~_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_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lR
•
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
L oad ra ting (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure. You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax im um l oad ra tin g
means the load rating for a tire at the maximum permissib le infla
tion pressure for that tire.
Ma ximum l oaded v ehi cle weigh t
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehic le capacity weight, and
(ct) Production options weight
M ax im um (p er mi ssibl e) infl ati on pr essur e
means the maximum cold inflation pressure to wh ich a tire may be
inflated. Also ca lled "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occ upa nt wei ght
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the to tal seating capacity of your vehicle.
O ccupant di stributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer di am eter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
O ve rall wi dth
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an inflated tire, includ ing elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Pl y
means a layer of rubber -coated para lle l cords.
P rodu ction opt io ns wei ght
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs . (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
i t ems wh ich they replace, not previously considered in curb weigh t
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy duty battery, and specia l trim .
Radi al p ly tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Reco mm ended infl ati on pr essu re
see => page 288, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Rein force d tir e
means a tire des ign to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires may be identi fied as "XL", "x i", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
R im
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
wh ich the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di amet er
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam
eter .
Rim siz e de sig nation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim wid th
means nominal distance between rim flanges.
Vehicle care I t •
_L_T~ ir~e :..:s~ a~n~ d~ w~ h ~e~e~ l~ s '.,_ ______________________________________________ _
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating
extended periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)=>
page 300. You may not find this informa
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire sidewa ll and indicates the maximum perm issible road speeds=>
&
in "Winter tires" on page 304.
Tire pressure monitoring system*
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle 's tires
are under inflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning te ll
tale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pu lling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principa l grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
=>
page 297, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on
measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Adm inistration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rati ng and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles (kilometers) or perform in a certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers additional informat ion to combine with
other considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recom-mendations. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufac
t urers in three areas: treadwear, traction, and temperature resis
tance . The UTQG information on the tires, molded into the
sidewalls.
U .S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN }
This is the tire's "seria l number". It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets al l federa l standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2209 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22nd week of 2009 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may or may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle's tota l seating capacity as listed on the label
located either on the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by distrib
uting to each axle its share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by distrib
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table
below =>
page 291) and dividing by two. _..