If the ABS fai ls, the ABS warning/indicator light, ,., (USA
m odels)/ (Canada mode ls) flashes toge ther wit h the b rake system
warning/ind icator light=> &.
(USA models): If the warning light
BRAKE and the warning light
i llum inate toge ther, i mmediately co ntact your authorized Aud i
dea ler or qua lified workshop to have al l brake pads inspected
=>
page 34.
When the light comes on, an audible warning signal is also given .
& WARNING
• USA models : If the BRAKE warning light and the r,i:r warning
light come on together , the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking. Rear wheel lock -up can cause loss of veh icle control
and an ac cident. Have your vehicle repaired immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer o r a qualified workshop . Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications .
• Canada models : If the brake warning light ((D) and the ABS
warning light come on together, the rear wheels could lock up
first unde r hard braking . Rear wheel lock -up can cause lo ss of
vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired imme
diately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop .
Drive slowly and avoid sudden , hard brake applications.
• If the brake warning /indi cator light does not go out after a few
second s and the parking brake released, or lights up while you are
driving , the flu id level in the brake flu id reser voir is too low . If you
believe that it is safe to do so , proceed immediately at low speed
to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility and have the brake system inspected.
• Always keep in mind that after several brake applications , you
will need greater pressure on the brake pedal to stop your vehi cle .
Do not rely on strained brakes to respond with ma ximum stopping
power in critical situations . You must allow for increased braking
distances . The extra di stance used up by fading brakes could lead
to an ac cident. •
Controls and equip
ment
Instruments and warning /indi cator lights
I • •
When a yellow warning symbol appears, one warning tone sounds.
A driver message appears as well to explain the malfunc tion in more
detail. The driver warning goes out after about 5 seconds, but it can
be brought up at any time by pressing the
!SE T) button again.
Check the function disp layed as soon as possible . The ye llow
symbol will not go out again until the reason for the malfunction has
been corrected.
If several priority 2 malfunctions are present, the symbols appear in
succession and remain for about 2 seconds .
Controls and equip
ment
Dynamic steering*
Worn brake pads
Battery voltage
II Defective light bulb*
Check engine oil level
Engine oil sensor malfunction
Low fuel level
Windshield washer fluid
level low
Convenience key*
Key not in vehicle
Light/rain sensor* defective
Dynamic headlight range
control defective =>
page 33
=> page 34
=>
page 35
=> page 35
-
=> page 36
or => page 36
=> page36
=> page 35
=> page 35
=> page 34
=> page 34
=> page 36
Dr ive r informat ion di spl ay
II Battery in remote control key => page 39
-
Electromechanical => page 115
parking brake
-Engine speed limitation* => page 36
adaptive light * defective => page 36
Ignition lock malfunction => page 36
Adaptive dampers* => page 36
"Windshield wiper defective => page 37
-
Significant loss of air pres -=> page 307
sure*
Tire pressure monitoring syste
=> page 307
m* (malfunction)
[ i ] Tip s
The speed warnings warning threshold 1 '") and warning threshold
2 :,. are also yel low symbo ls in some models. The warning is always
shown as a small symbol in the upper area of the display
=> page 26. •
Applies t o veh ic les: w ith Audi dri ve sele ct
Dynamic steering
D yn a m ic s te er ing : Syste m malfun cti on
This driver message and the symbol appear when a system
malfunction occurs during travel. You can continue to drive care
fully at a reduced speed to a qualified workshop. Steering can be .,_
I • •
Driver information display
more difficult or sensitive than usual. The steering wheel can also
be at an angle when driving straight.
Dynamic steering: initialization
If this driver message appears and the indicator light is flashing
on the instrument panel, dynamic steering is being reinitialized.
Once you start the engine after this is finished, the steering wheel
wi ll be easy to move. Re-initialization might be necessary if the
steering whee l was moved hard to the left and right while the
vehicle was not moving. The display goes out as soon as initializa
tion is complete .
& WARNING
Have the dynamic steering system malfunction repaired as soon
as possible by an authorized Audi dealer or any qualified work
shop -risk of accident!
[ i ] Tips
The dynamic steering stability systems are not available in the event
of a system malfunction. •
Applies to vehi cles: wit h conven ienc e key
Key not in vehicle
Key not in vehicle
This reminder appears along with the symbol if the master key is
removed from the vehicle with the engine running. It is intended to
remind you (e .g. when changing drivers) not to continue the journey
without the master key.
If the master key is no longer in the vehicle, you cannot switch off
the ignition after stopping the engine and you also cannot start the
engine again . You also cannot lock the vehicle from the outside .•
Ap plies to vehi cles : w it h li ght/ ra in sensor
Light /rain sensor defective C../1
...i-Automatic headlights /automatic wipers defective
If the symbo l il luminates, the light sensor has failed . For safety
reasons the low beams are turned on permanently with the switch
in
AUTO . However, you can continue to turn the lights on and off
using the light switch. In the case of a defect in the rain sensor, the
windshie ld wiper lever functions are still available. Have the
light/rain sensor checked as soon as possible by an authorized Audi
dea ler. •
Worn brake pads
Brake pads!
If the warning light illuminates, immediately contact your autho
rized Audi dealer or qualified workshop to have all brake pads
inspected . On USA models the warning light 't comes on together
with the warning light
BRAKE . Both sets of brake pads on an axle must
a lways be replaced at the same time .
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal
injury.
• If the warning light and the warning lig ht
BRAKE1
l with the
message Brake pads! comes on in the instrument cluster display ,
immediately contact your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if
necessary .•
1 1 BRAK£ : USA models only
•
appears in the display as well. The ASR can be deactivated at any
speed.
The ASR should normally be activated all the time . Only in certain
exceptional situations when some s lip is desirable does it make
sense to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck.
When the abnormal situation is over, you should activate the ASR
again.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i ] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, al l four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires. Any differences in rol ling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also :::::>
page 299, "New tires and rep lacing tires and wheels" .•
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending large ly on operating conditions and driving habits:::::>& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic
or are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your autho-
Intelligent technology
rized Audi dealer more often than specified in the Warranty & Main
tenance booklet.
Fai lure to have your brake pads inspected can
resu lt in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the braking effect of the engine.
This way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuous ly.
Pump the brakes at intervals.
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 31 mph (50 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in
regular intervals so as to improve reaction time when braking on
wet surfaces. You , the driver, wil l not notice anything.
Under certain conditions, for example, when driving th rough water
or very heavy rain , or even after washing your vehicle , the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice)
on the brake pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings .
The ef fectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is
driven on a salt -covered road and the brakes are not used . Here too ,
you should clean off accumulated sa lt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few carefu l applications of the brake:::::>&.
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not drive n regularly or
only for short trips with litt le use of the brakes .
I f the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firm ly a few times from a moderately high speed:::::>& .
Faults in the brake system
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in brake pedal travel, then
one of the two brake circuits may have failed:::::>&. ..,
I t •
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. ._
___ D_ r_ iv_ i_ n-' g"'""'- a_ n_d_ e_ n _ v_i_r _ o _n_ m_ e_ n_t _____________________________________________ _
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a full braking
effect during the first 250 miles (400 kilometers) after they
are installed .
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" before they have optimal
grab =>& .
During the break -in period, you shou ld avoid putting severe loads
on the brakes . Severe loads include, for examp le, sudden hard
braking, in particular at very high speeds or, for example, on moun
tain passes .
& WARNING
New brake pad s don' t have the b est sto ppin g powe r and mu st b e
" brok en-in " during the initi al 100 to 15 0 mile s (150 t o 200 kil ome
t e rs) of n orm al cit y dri ving . You can co mpen sa te for thi s by
p re ss ing the brak e ped al mor e firmly . Th is also app lies la ter whe n
n ew pad s are in sta lled.
:J
Avoid damaging the vehicle
------------
When you are driving on poor roads , or over curbs, steep ramps ,
etc., make certain that low -lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low -slung chassis (sports
chassis) * and fully loaded vehic les.
Driving through water on roads
Note the fo llowing to avoid vehicle damage when driving through
water , for example on flooded roads: • T
he water must not be any higher than the bottom of the vehicle
body .
• Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
& WARNING
Aft er d riv in g throu gh water, m ud, s lus h, et c., the br akes ma y be
s low t o take eff ect beca use of w et br ake r otor s and p ad s. Dr y the
br ak es fir s t by br aking caref ully to r estor e th e full br aking effe ct.
0 Note
Vehicle components such as the engine, transmission, suspension
or e lectrica l system can be severe ly damaged by driving through
water .
[ i ] Tip s
• Check the depth of the water before d riving th rough it .
• Do not stop the vehic le, drive in reverse or switch the engine off
wh en driving through wat er.
• Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may create waves that
raise the water level and make it too deep for your vehicle to drive
through safely.
• Avoid driving through salt water because it can cause
corrosion. •
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission control system
(catalytic converter) is functioning properly to ensure that
your vehicle is running in an environmentally s ound
manner.
- Always use lead -free gasoline ~ page 265, "F uel supply" . .,_
_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c_k _in ~ g_ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ~g __ _
•
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto
m atic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level fal ls
considerably below the "MIN" mark , the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian models:
{(j))) will come on=> page 16 and => page 29. Do not continue to
operate the vehic le. The complete brake system should be thor
oughly checked by an author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop
and the cause corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the brak e
warning/ind ica tor light will illuminate. Contact an authorized Audi
dea ler
immediatel y.
[ i J Tip s
The brake fluid reservoir is located underneath the cover. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air . If th e water content in the
brake fluid is too h igh, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boi ling point of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance .
Therefore , the brake fluid must be changed
ev ery tw o ye ars. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federa l Motor Veh ic le Stan
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
T he brake fluid res ervoir can b e difficul t to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho
rized
Audi de ale r. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know -how to do this fo r you .
& WARNING
• Brake f luid i s poi sonou s. It mu st b e stored on ly in the clo sed
o riginal cont aine r out of the r eac h of childr en!
& WARN ING (c ontinued )
• Brake f ailur e can re sult fr om old or inappropriate bra ke fluid .
Ob se rve these p recauti ons:
- Use on ly brake fl uid that meet s SAE specification
J 17 03 and
c on fo rm s to Feder al Mot or Vehicle Sta ndard 11 6. Always c heck
with your authorized Audi de ale r to m ake sur e you are u sing
th e c orre ct b rake flu id . T he cor re ct t ype of br ake fluid is als o
indi cated on the brake fluid r eservoir.
- The br ake f luid mu st be ne w. H eavy u se of the b rake s can
c au se a vapor lock if the brake fluid i s left in the system to o
long. Thi s c an seriou sly affe ct the effi ciency of the brake s as
well as your safety . This could re sult in an a ccid ent .
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle .
ffi For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special too ls required and the necessary expertise, we recom
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dea ler .•
Battery
General information
Under normal operat ing conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With
high outside temperatures or long
daily drives we recommend that you have the electrolyte level
checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop. The
e lectrolyte level should a lso be checked each time the battery is
charged
=> page 284 . ~
Vehicle care I t •
______________________________________________ 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