safety belt is being used but will inflate at the position where the
safety belt is not being used. It is impo rtant that nothing in terfere
with the safety belt buckles so that the sensors can send the correct information about safety belt use to the electronic control unit.
& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including use of unapproved
tire-rim combinations can change Advanced Airbag performance
and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
• Never install suspension components that do not have the
same performance characteristics as the components originally
installed on your vehicle.
• Never use tire-rim combinations that have not been approved
by Audi.
& WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center
console can cause the sensors in the buckle to send the wrong
information to the electronic control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety
belt buckles and that they are not obstructed .
W For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretensioners might be classified as
Perchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswas te/perchlorate . When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system including airbag modules and safety
belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regu la
tions mus t be observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar w ith
these requirements and we recommend that you have your dealer
perform th is service for you .•
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 202 Side airbag
location in the driver's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
~ fig. 202 and the rear backrest* facing the doors . They are identi
fied by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and external side impact se nsors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• two rear side airbags (as an ordered
option)
• the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.
Th e airbag system is monitored elect ronically to make certain that it
is functioning properly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds
(self d iagnostics).
The side airbag system supp lements the safety belts and can he lp to
reduce the risk of injury to the dr iver 's, front and rear* passenger 's
upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision.
The airbag deploys on ly in s ide impacts and only when the vehicle
acceleration registered by the control unit is high enough. If this rate
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
Aside from their norma l safety function, safety be lts work to he lp
kee p th e dr iver or fron t p asse n ger in posi tion in t he even t of a c olli
sion so that the side cu rtain a irbags can provide protection.
T he a irbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt . Rathe r, it is
par t of the ove rall o ccu pan t res traint syste m in your vehicle . A lw ay s
remember t hat the airba g system can on ly help to protect you if you
a re we ari ng your safety bel t and wearing it prop erly. Thi s is ano ther
reaso n why you s hou ld always wea r your safety be lts, not just because
th e law requi re s you to do so=>
page 199, "G ene ral not es".
It is i mpo rtant to re m ember that while the s ide curta in airbag system
is des igned to help re duce the likelih ood of serious injuries, ot her
i n jur ies, fo r exa mple, sw elling, br uising, a nd m inor ab rasions can
also be assoc iated wit h these airbags upo n dep loyment . Remembe r
t o o , these a irbags w ill d eploy only on ce an d on ly in ce rt ain kinds of
acc idents -yo ur safety belts are always there to offer protection.
The side curtain airbag system basically consists of:
• Th e electronic co ntro l mo dule an d external side impact sensors
• The side c urtai n airbags above the fro nt an d rea r side windows
• Th e airba g indic ator ligh t in the ins trumen t panel
Th e a irbag system is monitored elec tron ically to make certai n it i s
functioning prope rly at a ll times . Each time yo u turn on the ignition,
t h e airbag sys tem indicator ligh t w ill com e on for a few seconds (s elf
diagnostics) .
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
• if the ignition is tu rned off
• in side co llisions when the accelerati on measured by the sens or is
t o o low
• in fro nt-e nd coll isio ns
• in re ar -end co llisions.
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position =>
page 83,
"General recommendations ".
• If the airbag indicator light comes on when the vehicle is being
used, have the system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer. The side curtain airbag may not work properly even
when the vehicle acceleration in a side collision is high enough to activate the airbag.~
How side curtain airbags work
Side cu rtain ai rbags c an wo rk to gethe r w it h sid e airba gs
to h elp r ed uce the risk of h ead and upp er tors o inju rie s f or
o cc u pan ts who are pr operly restr ained.
Fig . 205 Illu str ation
of principle: Inflated
side curt ain airbag s on
the left side
Th e side curtain airbags in flate between the oc cupan t and t he
w indows on the side of the vehicle t hat is struck in a sid e co llision
=> fig. 205.
Wh en the sys tem is tr igg ered, the side curta in airbag is filled w ith
pro pell ant gas and breaks th rough a seam above the front and rear
s ide w indow s iden tifi ed b y the AIRBAG label. In or der to help pro vid e
this additional protection, the side c urta in airbag must inflate with in
th e bl ink of an eye at very hi gh speed and wi th gre at force. The side ._
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
_________________________________________ I_ n_ t_ e_ ll_,igent technology ,__E~-
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 continually
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example, when the vehicle starts hydroplaning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate whee l to correct
the problem.
The vehicle is then stabi lized by the forces acting on the whee l during
braking. If the vehicle is
oversteering (rear tends to skid out of the
turn), the brakes are main ly applied on the wheel that is on the
outs ide of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to slide out of the curve), the brakes are applied as needed
on the wheel that is on the inside of the curve or additionally on the
other wheels. An acoustic s ignal indicates when ESP brake application
cuts in=> &.
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system ~
page 256 . If the Anti -Lock Brake System
(ABS) ma lfunctions, the ESP wi ll be out of action as well.
Activating
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatically be activated and
will perform a self-test. As soon as the test is comp leted, the system
is in normal operating mode .
Offroad mode
ESP should normally be operated in normal mode because this
ensures maximum vehicle stability. If necessary, you can activate the
ESP offroad mode by pressing the button=>
page 252, fig. 220 to
obtain maximum traction and braking ability when driving off paved
roads at low speeds. In ESP offroad mode, the ESP indicator light
=> page 16 illuminates and the message ESP Offroad Caution!
Limited driving stability
appears briefly in the disp lay.
The ESP offroad mode can be useful in the following exceptiona l situ
ations when slip or a highly effe ctive different ial loc king funct ion is
desirable. Examples:
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
•
when driving w ith tire chains,
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground,
• when driving on uneven surfaces with the wheels severely
unloaded (articulation), and
• when rocking the vehicle loose a fter it has become stuck.
When the unusual situation is past, you should sh ift back to the
normal ESP operating mode by pushing the button again. The
message
ESP/ ASR on then appears briefly in the display.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control is switched on in ESP offroad mode. When
slowly descending steep gradients on loose ground or when the axles
are art iculated, hill descent control provides assistance by automati
cally applying the brakes to keep vehicle speed constant. The vehicle
is also rende red easier to steer by select ive distribution of braking
force. Hill descent control intervenes when:
• the accelerator pedal is not pressed,
• the vehicle is travelling less than 12 mph (20 km/h),
• a steep gradient is detected,
• wheel behavior indicates loose ground or conditions with poor
adhesion (e.g. also axle articulat ion).
Hill descent control operates both dr iving forward and in reverse.
Active hi ll descent control is deactivated by pressing the accelerator
pedal until the conditions for activation already listed are met aga in .
& 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 Electronic Stabilization Program system to lull you into
accepting additional safety risks. ..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
___ C_ h_e _c_ k_ i_ n _ g_ a_ n _ d_ f_il _l _in ____ g ___________________________________________ _
Applies to vehicles with diesel engine only : Only if the level of t he
oil is a t or be low the m inimum m ark o n the o il d ipstick -and no o il
that express ly conforms to A udi o il standard VW 507 00 spec ifica
tions is available -may you top off with a high q ua lity engine oil , that
meets ACEA C3 o r API CF spec ifications, but even then, on ly in
viscosity gra des SAE 5W- 40, SAE SW -30, or SAE OW -40 . However,
dur ing t he e ntire time between o il change i nte rvals, neve r top off
w ith more than a tota l of 0.5 qt/liter engine oil that does not
c onfor m to Audi o il specification VW 5 07 00.
For more information about eng ine oi l th at has been approved for
your vehicle, please con tact either your au thorized A udi dea le r or
Aud i Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822 -2834 or vis it our web site at
www.aud iusa .com or www .aud icanada.ca . He re yo u w ill also find a
cu rrent list of oils (manufactu rers, brand names e tc.) that co nform to
Audi oil standard VW 502 00 (vehicles with gaso line e ngine) or VW
507 00 (vehicles w it h die sel eng ine).
Changing the engine oil
The eng ine oil and oil fi lter mus t be changed according to the mileage
(kilome ters) and t ime intervals specified i n your vehicle 's Warranty &
Ma intenance booklet . Do not exceed these interva ls - harmful
deposi ts from o ld engi ne oil can reduce engine pe rfo rmance and ca n
lead to expensive engine repa irs.
C hangi ng the oil at the recommende d interva ls is so very imp ortant
because the lubricating properties of o il decrease gradually during
normal ve hicl e use. If yo u ar e not sure w hen you have yo ur oil
changed, ask your author ized Audi Service Adv isor .
Under some circumstances the eng ine o il should even be changed
more fr eq uent ly. Chang e oil mor e of ten if you d rive mostly short
distances, operate the veh icle in d usty areas or mostly under stop
and -go t raff ic condi tion s, or when you use yo ur vehicle where tempe r
atures stay be low free zing po int for long periods.
De tergen t ad dit ives in the o il wi ll m ake fres h oil look dark a fter the
eng ine has bee n ru nning for a short t ime . This is normal and is not a
reason to ch ang e the oil mo re of ten t han re commended.
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essentia l that you change your o il at the recommended intervals
using only en gine oil th at com plies wi th A udi o il st and ard VW 502 0 0
(vehicles w ith gasoline eng ine) o r VW 507 00 (vehicles with d iesel
eng ine) . Your Limited New Vehicle Wa rranty does not cover damage
or ma lfunct ions due to fa ilure to follow recomm ended maintena nce
and use requirements as set forth in t he Au di Owner's Man ua l and
W arranty
& M aintenance boo klet. Y ou r deale r will have to deny
wa rranty coverage unless yo u present to the dealer proof i n th e form
of Se rvice o r Rep air O rders tha t al l sche dul ed main tena nce was
performed in a time ly ma nner. •
Engine oil consumption
To provide effective lubr ication a nd cooling for interna l eng ine parts,
a ll in ter na l c omb ustion e ngines use some oil. Oil cons umption v aries
from engine to engine and may change over the life of the eng ine .
E ngines te nd to use m ore oi l dur ing the b re a k-i n period t han t hey do
after ward, when oil consumption has stab ilized. Depending on t he
way the vehicle is driven and the operatin g cond itions, oi l cons ump
tion ca n be up to a 1 quart per 1,200 miles
(I lite r per 2,000 km) .
Consumptio n may be higher withi n th e first 3,000 m iles (5, 000 km) .
Under nor mal co ndi tions, the rate o f oi l consu mptio n depe nds o n oil
quality as well as viscosity, engine speed ( rpm), o utside tempe rature,
roa d condi tion s, the amou nt of o il d ilution caused by co nde nsed
water or fu el residue, and oxidation of the oil. O il cons umption may
increase wi th en gine we ar ove r time, un til repl aceme nt of worn
eng ine pa rts may become necessa ry.
Because of all these var ia bles, there is no standa rd o r "norma l" rate
of oil consumption .
We urge you to check the engine oil level at
regular intervals, preferably every time you fill the fuel tank, and
always before a long trip .
The oil pressure warning light
~ is not an indicator of low eng ine
oil level. If the warning light does not go out after starting, or
flashes while driving (above 1500 rpm), a buzzer will sound . It
indicates that the oil pressure is too low. Stop the engine immedi- _.,,
-Tires and wheels
5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.
Check the tire sidewall(=>
page 3267
fig. 243) to determine the designated
load rating for a specific tire .•
Tire service life
The service life of tires depends on a lot of different
things including proper installation and balancing,
correct tire pressure and driving style.
~------------~
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)
Fig. 241 Tire tread:
tread wear indicators
(TWI)
Fig. 242 Rotating
tires for more even
wear
Th e original tires on your vehicle have 1/16 inch (1. 6 mm) high "wear
ind icators"~ fig. 241 ru nning across the tread . Depend ing on the
make, there will be six to eight of them even ly placed around the tire.
Marks on the tire sidewall (for example "TWI" or other symbols) indi
cate the positions of the tread wear indicators. Worn tires must be
replaced. Different figures may apply in other countries ~& . ._,.
Alphabetical index -________________ fWI
Alternator Auto-Check Control ..... .. .. .... ...... 27 Replacing the battery .. .... .. .. .. . 312
Malfunction ............. ........ . 29 Automatic belt retractor ............. 203 State of charge
.................. 259
Ambience lighting Lighting profiles ................. . 71
Anti -freeze
See Engine coolant system ......... 304
Anti-glare inside day-night mirror ... 77, 78
Anti -lock brake system
How the ABS system works ......... 256
Warning/indicator lights ... .. .... .. 19
Anti-S lip Regulation System (ASR)
How the system works ... .... .. .. . 254
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft alarm system ........ .. .. 55
Electronic immobilizer ............. 43
Approach/departure angle ............ 266
Ashtray . ............. .. .. .. .. .... . 103
ASR How the Anti-Slip Regulation System works . ..... ... ... .. .. ......... 254
Asterisk What does it mean when something is
marked with an asterisk? ........... 6
Audi braking guard .................. 149
Error messages ............... ... 151
Settings ................ ..... ... 15 1
Status messages ................. 151
Switching on and off .............. 151
Audi Service Repair Manuals and Literature
366
AU TO mode
AC climate contro ls ...... .... .. .. . 112
Auto Safety Hotline .... ... ... ....... 197
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
Automatic car wash
See Washing
.................... 275
Automatic mode Four-zone automatic comfort air
conditioning ........... ...... .. 117
Automatic Sh ift Lock (ASL) ............ 163
Automatic transmission
6-speed automatic transmiss ion .. .. 161
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL) ......... 163
Driving ......................... 161
Dynamic shift program ............ 164
Emergency release for selector lever . 166
Fail-safe mode ................ ... 166
Ignition key safety lock .... ... .. .. . 125
Kick-down . ...... .. .. .. .. ....... 164
Manual shift program .. .. .. .. .. .. . 165
Selector lever ............ ........ 162
Shift buttons .................... 166
Steering wheel with tiptronic ® .... .. 166
Average speed ....................... 3 7
Avoid damaging the vehicle ........... 263
B
Bass box ... .. .. ................. .. 337
Battery . .. .. .. .. .. ........ ......... 308
Battery location .. ... ............. 309
Charging ................ .. ... ... 311
Important warnings when working on the battery . .. .... ....... ..... .. ... 309
Jump start ing ................. ... 352
Low . .. .... .. .. .... ... ...... .... 259 Voltage
............. .... ... ...... 33
Winter operation ............... .. 308
Work ing on the battery ............ 309
Before driving .. .... .. ...... ....... . 189
Blended gasoline . .. .. ...... ....... . 287
Body cavity sealing .................. 280
Booster seats .................... .. 239
Brake ass istant . .. .... .............. 257
Brake booster ..................... . 256
Brake fluid Changing the brake fluid ........... 308
Checking the brake fluid level ....... 307
Reservoir ...................... . 307
What is the correct brake fluid level? . 307
What should I do if the brake fl uid wa rning
light comes on? ... .. .. .. ........ 307
Brake light
Defective .... .................... 24
Brake system ..... .......... ...... .. 307
Anti -lock brake system ............. 19
Brake fluid .. ...... ...... ....... . 307
Brake fluid specificat ions for refill and
replacement ................. .. 308
Brake pads .. .. ................ .. 262
General information ............ .. 255
How does moisture or road salt affect the
brakes? . ...................... 255
Malfunction ........ ...... ...... .. 29
Parking b rake .................... 129
Warning/indicator lights ..... .. .. .. 20
Worn brake pads symbol ........... 34
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Alphabetical index -________________ fWI
Plastic and vinyl .............. ... . 278
Plast ic parts ........... .......... 282
Safety belts ..................... 285
Trim strips ...................... 277
trim strips ... ...... .. ... ........ 278
Cleaning and protection .............. 274
Climate control ........ ........ .. .. . 109
Synchroniz ing ... .. .......... .... 110
Warm and co ld .............. .... 109
Climate controls
Air conditioner on/off .......... .. .
112
Air distr ibution .................. 113
Air outlets ........ ... .. .. .. ..... 114
Air outlets (rear) ........ .... .. .. . 115
Air recirculation .............. ... . 113
AUTO (standard setting) ... ... ..... 112
Basic settings ............. .. ..... 118
Controls ..................... .. . 110
Defrosting/defogging ... .......... 113
Description ............. .. ....... 109
Energy management .............. 109
Fan .. .. ... ....... .. ... .. .. .. .. . 112
Front seat ventilat ion ... .......... 119
Heated seats, front ............ .. . 119
Key coded setting ................ 109
Recirculation mode (automatic) ..... 118
Recommended settings ... ... .. .. . 109
Residual heat ...... ... .. .. .. ..... 111
Setting the temperature ... ... .. .. . 112
Supplementary heater .......... ... 119
Synchronization .................. 118
Turning on and off ................ 111
Using climate control economically .. 115
Clock .................... .......... 11
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
Closing
Panoramic sliding sunroof ..........
60
Coat hooks .. .................... ... 107
Cold tire inflation pressure ... ......... 318
Compass mirror ..................... 81
Compliance ........................ 369
Consumer Information ... .. .. .. . 197, 366
Contacting NH TSA .................. 197
Convenience key ....... ....... .. .. .. . 53
Dr iver messages ................. 129
Locking vehicle .. ............. .... . 54
START button ................. ... 127
Starting engine .. .. . .. ........... 127
STOP button ..................... 128
Switching engine off ... .. ..... .... 128
Switching on ignition ........ .. ... 127
Unlocking vehicle .................. 54
Convertible child safety seats ....... ..
23 7
Convertible locking retractor
Activating .......... .. .. .........
243
Deactivating ..................... 244
Using to secure a chi ld safety seat .. 241,
243
Coolant system .................. ... 304
Cooling box in glove compartment ... .. 106
Cooling System
Expansion tank ..... .. .. .........
305
Cornering light ...................... 68
Cruise control
Changing speed ..... .. .. .. .. .....
132
Presetting your speed ............. 133
Switching off .................... 133
Switching on . ........... ........ 132
Warning/indicator lights ... .. .. .. .. 19
See also Adaptive Cruise Control .... 134
Cruising range ... .... ................ 37
(upholder ............... .. 93, 102, 103
D
Damp ing
See Adapt ive A ir Suspens ion ........ 176
Data ........ .... ... ... ... ...... ... 363
Data recorder .. .. .... ............ .. 252
Date display .... .................... 11
Daytime running lights . . . . . . . . . . . . 65, 66
Declaration of compl iance
Adaptive Cru ise Control ............
369
Audi side assist ................ .. 369
Cell phone package ............... 369
Convenience key ................ . 369
Electronic immobilizer .... ........ 369
Homelink ® universal remote control . 369
Remote control key .. .. .. .. .. . ... . 369
def
What does this mean when it appears in the trip odometer display? .........
12
Defective light bulb warning ........... 24
Defrosting/defogging the windows .. .. . 113
Defrosting/defogging windows ........ 114
Determining correct load limit ....... .. 323
Diesel fuel ...... ........... ... .. .. . 288
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . 35, 263
Digital clock ......... ............... 11
Digital compass ..................... 81
Digital speedometer .................. 24
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
___________________________________________ A_ l::.. p _h _a_ b_ e_t _ic _a_ l_ in_ d _ e_x __ _
Installing the upper tether strap on the
anchorage .....................
250
Instrument cluster illumination ........ 13
Instruments and controls .............. 10
General illustration . ........... .. ... 9
Interior lights Front .............. ...... .. .. .. .. 70
Rear .................. .... ...... 70
Intermittent wiping Rain sensor . ............. .. .. .. ..
72
J
Jack .............................. 336
Jumper cables ...................... 353
Jump-starting ...................... 352
K
Key ...... ...... .... .. .. .. .... .. .. .. 40
Battery replacement .. .. .... ....... 42
Coded settings ............ ...... . 109
Convenience opening and closing of
windows ......... .. ... ... ... ... 58
Emergency key ................ .. ..
40
Key replacement .................. 40
Master key ......... .. .. .. .. .... .. 40
Valet key .................... .... 40
Key coded settings
Climate controls .................
109
Keyless entry remote contro l ... .. .... .. 41
Kick-down
tip tronic ® ... ................... .
164
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
L
LATCH
............ ... ... .......... 244
Description ......................
245
Guidance fixtures for lower anchorages . .
246
Installing a child restraint ......... 248
Location ...................... .. 245
Mounting and relea 1sing the anchorage
hook ........................ .. 248
Lateral angle ........... .... ........ 266
Leather ...... .. .. ...... .. ... ...... 283
Cleaning ..... ........... ........ 284
Level adjustment
See Adaptive Air Suspension ........ 176
Lifting jack .. .................. ... .. 342
Lift ing vehicle ...................... 357
Light
Exterior lighting in the mirror housing . 68
leaving home .................. .. . 68
See also Ambience lighting ......... . 71
Light sensor defective ................ 33
Lighting
See Ambience lighting ............. 71
Lighting in the mirror housing .......... 68
L ights .......................... ... . 65
Coming home ........ ...... ... ...
66
Daytime running lights ... .. ... ..... 66
Emergency flashers ............. .. . 68
Exterior lights ....................
66
Front fog lights . ...... ............ 67
Headlights ....... ................ 65
High beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65, 69 High beam warning/indicator
light ...
19
Leaving home ..................... 66
Rear fog lights ........... ... ...... 67
Side marker lights .......... .. ... .. 65
Turn signals .............. .... .. .. 69
Xenon headlights . .. .......... ..... 65
Loading the lugg age compartment .....
195
Loading the roof rack ................ 101
Locking
Power locking switch ........... .. ..
47
Rear lid/trunk lid ... .. .. ........... 49
Remote control key .... .... .. .. .. .. 45
Using the key ..................... 46
Lower universal anchorage bars (Canada) .. .
244
Lower universal anchorages (Canada) .. . 244
Luggage Stowing ........................
195
Luggage compartment ................ 94
Cargo net ........................ 96
Expanding .. ...... ...............
94
Retractable cover .. .. .. ........... 96
Ski sack .................. ...... .. 99
See also Loading the luggage
compartment ..................
195
luggage compartment
Tie-down rings . .................. .
95
M
Maintenance ....................... 366
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) ...
17 , 26
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data