• .___O_ n_ t_h _e_ r_o _a_ d __________________________________________________ _
When stopping at a traffic signal or stopping in city traffic on vehi
cles with an automatic transmission, the parking brake can be
applied. The vehicle does not have to be held with the footbrake . The
parking brake eliminates the tendency to creep with a drive range
engaged . As soon as you drive off as usual , the parking brake is
released automatically and the vehicle starts to move.
Starting on slopes
When starting on inclines, the starting assist prevents the vehicle
from unintentionally rolling back . The braking force of the parking
brake is not released until sufficient driving force has been built up
at the wheels .
[ i] Tips
For safety reasons , the parking brake is released automatically only
when the driver's safety belt is engaged in the buckle .•
Starting off with a trailer
To prevent rolling back unintentionally on an incline, do
the following:
- Keep the switch pulled and depress the accelerator . The
parking brake stays applied and prevents the vehicle
from rolling backward.
- You can release the switch once you are sure that you are
developing enough driving force at the wheels by
depressing the accelerator.
Depending on the weight of the rig (vehicle and trailer) and the
severity of the incline, you may roll backwards as you start. You can
prevent rolling backwards by holding the parking brake switch
pulled out and accelerating -just as you would when starting on a
hill with a conventional hand brake. •
Emergency braking
In the event that the conventional brake system fails or
locks.
- In an emergency, pull the switch and continue to pull it to
slow your vehicle down with the parking brake.
- As soon as you release the switch or accelerate, the
braking process stops.
If you pull the switch and hold it above a sp eed of about 5 mph (8
km/h), the emergency braking function is initiated. The vehicle is
braked at all four wheels by activating the hydraulic brake system .
The brake performance is similar to making an emergency stop
=>& .
In order not to activate the emergency braking by mistake, an
audible warning tone (buzzer) sounds when the switch is pulled. As
soon as the switch is released, or the accelerator pedal is depressed,
emergency braking stops.
& WARNING
Emergency braking should only be used in an emergency, when
the normal foot brake has failed or the brake pedal is obstructed .
Using the parking brake to perform emergency braking will slow
your vehicle down as if you had made a full brake application. The
laws of physics cannot be suspended even with ESP and its asso
ciated components (ABS, ASR, EDS) .
In corners and when road or
weather conditions are bad, a full brake application can cause the
vehicle to skid or the rear end to break away -risking an
accident. •
•
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 •
___ 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_ 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 . •
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
•
prevent your vehicle from going faster than the tire speed rating
=>& .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN ) and tire
manufacture date
T his is the tire's "seria l number". It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets all federal 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, the numbers 2209 mean 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 manufac
turer. This information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Audi Original tire
Tires with the identification "AO" or "RO" have been specially
matched with your Audi. We recommend using only these tires
because they meet the highest standards regarding safety and
driving characteristics when used correctly. Your authorized Audi
dealer will gladly prov ide you with more information.
Tire ply composition and materials used
The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated
fabric in the tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the
more weight a tire can support . Tire manufacturers also must indi
cate the materia ls in the tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester,
and others.
Maximum Load Rating
This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
Tire qual ity grading for treadwear , traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades=> page 303.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
Replacing tires or rims on vehicles equipped with tire
pressure monitoring system*
The wheels on your vehicle are equipped with a sensor which
constantly monitors the air pressure inside the tire, and then trans
mits this information to the tire pressure monitoring system*. If you
are going to replace the wheel rims on your vehic le, make sure the
new rims also have these sensors. The sensors must be compatible
with the tire pressure monitoring system* on your vehic le.
If you instal l rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
which are not compatible, then the tire pressure monitoring
system* wil l not work properly. In this case, the tire pressure moni
toring system* would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or
warn you if it is necessary .
• The battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life .
• Always drive with the valve stem caps secure ly mounted. We
recommend using factory instal led valve stem caps. Ask your autho
rized Audi dea ler to replace lost valve stem caps.
The installation of replacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
the tire sidewall may cause malfunction of the tire pressure moni
toring system*, and is not recommended (cord material information
in molded on the tire sidewall).
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system* indicator after
replacing one or more tires on your vehic le. If the tire pressure
monitoring system* indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
working properly. Your replacement tire might be incompatible with
your tire pressure monitoring system*, or some component of the
t ire pressure monitoring system* may be damaged. .._
Vehicle care I t •
___ T_ ir_e_ s _ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unm atched t ires and / or wheels o r improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to lo ss of control , collision
and se rious per sonal injury .
• Always use tires , rim s and wheel bolts that meet the specifica
t ions of original f actory -installed tire s or other combinations that
have been spe cifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer .
• T ires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years old c an
only be used in an emergen cy and then with spec ial care and at
lower speeds .
• Never mount used tires on your vehi cle if you are not sure of
their "previou s history." Old used tires may have been damaged
e ven though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• All four wheels must be fitted w ith radial tires of the same type ,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driving
with different tires reduces veh icle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare t ire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle -for example with winter tires -only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with e xtra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the ma ximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build -up , sudden tire failure,
in cluding a blowout and sudden deflation and lo ss of control.
• Tempe rature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or under inflated .
• For technical reasons it i s not always po ssible to use wheel s
from other veh icles - in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model .
& WARNING (continued )
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked . Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision .
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the factory . The vehicle must have a cha ssis designed
for run flat tires and a fa ctory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system* that indicates a loss of tire pressure. Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or acc idents . Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equ ipped with run f lat tires . If run flat t ires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted.
0 Note
• For technical r eas ons, it is not gen erally possible t o us e the
whee l rims from other veh icles . ihis can ho ld true for whee ls of the
same veh ic le type.
• I f the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted
o n yo ur vehicl e (f or example wi nter tires or wide p rofile t ires), then
use the spare tire for a short period of time on ly and drive with extra
care . Rep lace the flat tire wi th the ti re m atchi ng t he o thers on you r
vehic le as soon as possib le.
• I f you should put diff ere nt w heels and tires o n your v ehicle (e. g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and
t ires are c ompatib le wi th the tire p ressu re monitoring system* .
Otherwise the system will register a malfunction and a fau lt
mes sage will be displayed . For more info rmation, contact your
author ized Aud i dea ler.
0 Note
• When insta lling new t ires, be care fu l not to damage the va lves o r
tire pressure mon itoring system* sensors. .,_
___ T_ ir_e_ s _ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s _________________________________________________ _
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on snow and
ice. At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C) we recommend
changing to winter tires .
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winter or "snow" tires, those with very deeply cut tread . These tires
should only be used in pairs and be installed on a ll four wheels.
Make sure you purchase snow tires that are the same size and
construction type as the other tires on your vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with all -whee l drive, this wi ll improve trac
tion during winter driving, even with the standard tires. However,
we strong ly recommend that you a lways equip all four whee ls on
your vehicle with correctly fitted winter tires or all-season tires,
when winter road conditions are expected. This also improves the
vehicle's braking performance and reduces stopp ing distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow.
Winter tires (snow ti res) must a lways be fitted on a ll four wheels.
Compatible tire pressure monitoring sensors must be installed on
a ll fou r winter tires for the tire pressure monitoring system* to func
tion proper ly=>
page 301.
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop for permitted
wint er tire size s. Use only radial winter tires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to a depth of 0.157 inch (4 mm).
Only drive with winter tires under winter conditions. Summer tires
handle better when there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
If you have a flat tire, see notes on spare wheel =>
page 299.
Please always remember that winter tires may have a lower speed
rat ing than the tires originally installed on your vehicle at the time
it was manufactured. Please see=>
page 300, "Speed rating (letter code)" for a listing of the speed
rating letter codes and the
maximum speed at which the tires can be driven .
T he speed rating letter code(=>
page 290) is on the side wall of the
tire =>
page 299.
& WARNING
Winter tire s hav e maximum speed l imit s that m ay be lower than
yo ur veh icle' s ma xim um speed . Al ways kno w the ma ximum speed
before driving off . Never drive fa ste r th an the speed permitted for
yo ur spe cifi c w inte r tir es. Thi s will cause dam age to the tire s
leading to an a ccident and seriou s personal injury to you and your
p as sengers.
& WARNING
Driving f aster th an the m aximum speed for whi ch t he winter tire s
on your v ehi cle w ere de sig ned can cau se tire failur e including a
blow out and sudden def lation , lo ss of con trol, c rashe s and se riou s
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tire s repl aced immedi
ately .
• Winter tires hav e maximum speed r ating that may be lower
than you r vehicle 's maxi mum speed .
• Never d riv e fa ster than the sp e ed for which the winter or other
tire s in sta lled on your vehicl e are r ated .
& WARNING
Always adju st your dri ving to the r oad and tr aff ic c ondit ions .
Ne ver let th e good acceleration of the winter tire s and all -wheel
dri ve t empt you into t aking extra risks. Alw ay s rem embe r:
• When br aking , an all -wheel driv e vehicl e handle s in the same
w ay as a fr ont drive vehi cle .
• Drive ca refull y and redu ce you r speed o n ic y and slipp ery road s,
e ven wint er tire s cannot h elp u nde r bla ck ice c onditi ons.
~