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
& WARNING (continued)
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road condi
tions -risk of crash. •
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution of electrical
energy and thus optimizes the availability of electrical
energy for starting the engine .
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is not driven for a
long period of time , the battery is discharged by idling current
consumers (e.g . immobilizer) . In certain circumstances it can result
in there being insufficient energy available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle handles the distribu
tion of electrical energy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
battery diagnosis, idling
current management
and dynamic energy management .
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the state of the battery.
Sensors determine battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current state of charge and the
power of the battery.
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy consumption while the
vehicle is standing . With the ignition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical components. Data from
battery diagnosis is considered.
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
Depending
on the battery's state of charge, individual consumers
are gradually turned off to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic energy management
distributes the energy generated according to the needs of the indi
vidual components. It regulates consumption, so that more elec
trical energy is not being used than is being generated and ensures
an optimal state of charge for the battery.
[ i] Tips
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits of
physics. Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
• If starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
~ page 242, "Driver notification in the instrument cluster
display". •
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining starting capa
bility.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance driving, in city traffic
and during the cold time of year. Abundant electrical energy is
required, but only a little is generated. It is also critical if the engine
is not running and electrical components are turned on. In this
instance energy is being consumed but none is being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you will notice energy manage
ment actively regulating the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or
weeks, electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability
over a longer period.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and afterwards
!\Jew engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
F o r th e fir st 600 mil es (1,000 kilomet ers):
Do not use full throttle.
- Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the top speed marked on
the speedometer.
- Avoid high engine speeds .
From 600 t o 1,000 mil es (1,000 t o 1,500
kil om eter s):
- Speeds can gradually be increased to t he maximum
permiss ible road or engine speed .
During and aft er br eak-in p eri od
- Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it is cold. This applies whether the transm ission is in N (Neutral) or
1n gear.
Aft er the br eak-in p eriod
- D o not exceed max imum e ngine speed unde r any
circumstances.
- Upshift into the next higher gear before reaching the red
area at the end of the tachome ter scale
~ page 8 .
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
During the first few hours of driving, the eng ine's internal friction is
higher than later when all the moving parts have been broken in.
How well this break -in process is done depends to a considerable
extent on the way the vehicle is driven during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 ki lometers).
0 Not e
Extreme ly high engine speeds are automatically reduced. However,
these rpm limits are programmed for an engine well run-in, not a
new engine .
~ For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high engine speeds -upshifting
early saves fuel, reduces noise and protects the environment .
New tires
If your v ehic le is running on new tires, drive very careful ly
for the first 350 mi les (500 k ilometers) after fitt ing .
& WARNING
New tir es tend to be slipp ery and mu st al so be "broken -in ". B e
su re to r ememb er thi s during th e fir st 350 m ile s ( 50 0 k ilome te rs).
Brak e gen tly. Av oid follow ing close ly behind other vehicl es or
o the r s ituati ons that mig ht requi re su dde n, har d b raking.•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
-Neve r run the tank down a ll the way to empty .
- Never put too much motor oil in your engine=>
page 275,
"Adding engine oil 'l:::r.".
-Never try to push- or tow-start your vehic le .
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean -up" device built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The cata lytic converter burns many
of the po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
The exclusive use of un leaded fuel is critica lly important for the life
of the catalytic converter and proper functioning of the engine .
& WARNING
• Do not par k or operat e the vehicle in areas w here the ho t
ex haust sys te m m ay come in conta ct w ith d ry grass, bru sh , fu el
s pill or other mater ial which can cause a fire.
• Do not ap ply ad diti ona l u nd erc o ati ng or ru stpro ofing on o r
n ea r th e ex haust m an ifold, exhau st pipe s, ca talytic convert er or
h eat s hield s. Dur ing drivin g, the sub sta nce use d for und ercoa ting
c ould o verh eat and cause a fir e.
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with le aded fue l wil l a lready
seriously degrade the performance of the catalytic converter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
~ page 275.
• Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes completely empty. The
engine could misf ire. Unburned fuel could also get into the exhaust
system and this could cause the catalytic converter to overheat.
• Do not turn off the ignit ion whi le the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions,
as otherwise fuel can reach the cata lytic converter. This could result
in overheating of the converter, requiring its rep lacement .
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
• To assure efficient operation of the Emission Control System:
- Have your vehic le maintained properly and i n accordance w ith
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet .
- Lack of proper maintenance as wel l as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the function of the em ission control system
and could lead to damage .
Even when the Emission Control System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some
operating states . This depends on the su lfur content of the fuel
bei ng used. Using a different brand of fue l may help, or fil ling the
tank with lead-free super grade gasoline .
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels .
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear on your engine,
brakes and tires largely depend on three factors:
• your persona l driving style
• operating conditions
• technica l limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you can easily cut your fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This
section wil l give you some tips on how you can help the environ-
ment and your pocketbook . ...
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
___ D_ r_ iv _i_ n-' g"'""'- a_ n_d_ e_ n _ v_i_r _ o _n_ m_ e_ n_t _____________________________________________ _
[ i ] Tip s
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre
spond to your actua l consumption on the road, which wi ll vary
depending upon vehic le load and speed, road and weather condi
tions, trip length, etc .•
Drive smoothly and keep a tookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating.
- Avoid unnecessary accelerating and brak ing.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating . If you antici
pate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possible -for
examp le when you see that the next traffic ligh t is red .
Avoid full thrott e
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
- Try and keep we ll below your car's maximum speed.
Acce lerating gently reduces fuel consumption, engine wear, and
does not disturb the environment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds. If you drive at approximate ly
three quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by
one half. Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather
conditions permit. •
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
- Shut the engine off when you are not driving the vehicle.
-Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the eng ine run at
idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic jams, when waiting
for trains to pass at rai lroad crossings, or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30-40 seconds
saves more fuel than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up fully when it is
running at idle. However, wear and noxious emissions are especially
high when the engine is warming up. So you should drive away as
soon as you start the engine and avoid running at high rpms while
the engine is sti ll warm ing up .
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting. If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would
go unheeded . Extended id ling a lso produces heat, which could
resu lt in overheating or other damage to the vehicle or other
property .•
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an authorized Audi
dea ler helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically. The
condition of your vehicle not only affects its safety and abi lity to
hold its value, it also affects
f ue l co nsu mpti on.
C hec k your o il e ach tim e y ou fill your ta nk.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed .
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest va lue after a certain mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 mi les (5,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oil consumption.
This also applies to fuel consumption and engine output.
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the function of the emission control system and
cou ld lead to damage.
• Do not alter or remove any component of the Emiss ion Contro l
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not alter or remove any device, such as hea t shields,
switches, ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Emission Control System and other important vehicle
components. •
Fewer short trips
~-----------------
Fu e I consumptio n will always be relat ively high on short
tri ps.
- Try to avo id driving s hor t distan ces wit h a cold engine.
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper
ating t emper ature
to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis
sions effective ly .
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid-size car only achieves a
fue l economy of 6 -8 miles per gallon (30 -40 1/100 km). After about a
half a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (201/100 kml. After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operating temperature
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
and fuel economy has reached a normal level. So you can see that
you sh ould avoid short trips whenever possib le .
The
o ut side t emper atu re is also critical in this regard. Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
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