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Automatic transmission
tiptronic ® (6-speed automatic
transmission)
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with an e lectron ically contro lled automatic
transmission . Upshifting and downshifting takes place
outomoti
colly.
The transmission is also equipped with tiptronic®. It allows the driver
to shift gears
manually if desired ~ page 165. •
Driving the automatic transmission
Starting th e engine
- The selector lever must be in Nor P.
Starting off
- Press and hold the brake pedal.
Con tro ls a nd e quip
m en t
Fig . 159 Shift gate on
the ce nte r co nso le :
selec tor lever with
r elease b utto n
Vehicle OP-eration
-Press and hold the release button in the selector lever
handle and move the selector lever from
P or N to D and
release the button =:> & .
- Wait briefly until the transmission has shifted (you will
feel a slight movement).
- Remove your foot from the brake pedal and accelerate .
Rocking back and forth to become unstuc k
-Shift only between D and R when the vehicle is at a full
stop and the engine is running at idle speed.
Stopping
- Press and hold the brake pedal until the veh icle has come
to a complete stop .
Keep the brake pedal depressed so that the vehicle cannot
roll forward o r backward while it is idling =:> & .
- Once stopped,
do not depress the accelerator pedal to rev
up the engine=:> &.
Parking
-Press and hold the brake pedal unt il the veh icle has come
to a complete stop .
- Set the parking brake firmly =:>
page 130, "Parking".
- Press and hold the release button in the selecto r lever
handle, move the selector lever into
P and then let go of
the release button:::;,& . .,,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
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The selector lever must be in Nor P. If one of the driv ing positions is
eng aged a sa fety swi tch will p reven t the eng ine fr om being s tarted.
See also=>
page 125.
Before you move t he selecto r lever from t he P position, yo u m ust
a lw ay s a pply the brake ped al befo re a nd whi le de press ing the bu tton
in the handle of the selector lever.
& WARNING
• Unintended vehicle movement can cause serious injury.
- When the selector lever is in a driving position, the vehicle
may creep , even at idle speed. Therefore do not release the
parking brake or foot brake until you are ready to move,
because power is transmitted to the wheels as soon as a driving
position i s engaged .
- Do not accelerate while selecting a driv ing position . At this
time the engine must be at idle speed so that undue stre ss is
not placed on the clutches in the transmission .
- Remember: • even when stopped briefly with the automatic
transmission in "D", "S " or "R", engine power is being trans·
mitted to the wheels . Your vehicle could "creep " forward or
backward. When stopped, keep the brake pedal fully
depre ssed and use the parking brake if necessary to keep the
vehicle from roll ing .
• If the selector lever is unintentionally moved into N while you
are driving, take your foot off the accelerator pedal and wait for
the engine to return to idle speed before selecting a driving posi
tion .
• Never shift into "R" or "P " when the vehicle is in motion.
• Never get out of the d riv er 's seat when the engine is running.
• If you must get out of the vehicle, move the selector lever
securely into the P position and apply the parking brake firmly.
• If the engine must remain running, nev er have any driving
position engaged when checking under the hood. Make sure the
s e lector lever has securely engaged and is locked in "P " with the
& WARNING (co ntinued )
parking brake firmly set=> page 286, "Engine compartment".
Otherwise, any increa se in engine speed may set the vehicle in
motion, even with the parking brake applied. •
Selector Lever positions
Thi s sec tion describes the select or le ver p osit io ns and
driving ranges.
Fig. 160 Di spl ay in
th e in strument clu ster :
s elect or lever in posi·
t ion P
The instrument cluster display shows the current se lector lever posi
t ion.
P -Park
In th is selector lever posi tion t he transmission is mecha nically
loc ked. Engage P only when th e vehicle is
completely stopped=> &
in "Driving t he automatic transm ission" o n page 161.
To shift in or out of pos ition P, yo u must first press and hold the brake
pe dal
and then press t he release button in the selector leve r handle
w hil e moving the selec to r lever to or from P. Y ou ca n shi ft out of this
position on ly w it h the ignition o n.
R -Reverse
Th e transm ission will automatica lly select the lowest gear ratio when
you s hift into reverse . _,,
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Select R only when the vehicle is at a full stop and the eng ine is
running at id le speed ~
& in "Driving the automatic transmission"
on
page 161 .
Before you move the selector lever to R, press both the button in the
hand le of the selector lever
and the brake pedal at the same t ime.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illuminate when the
selector lever is moved into
R.
N -Neutral
The transmission is in neutral in this position . Shift to this position
for standing with the brakes applied~
page 163.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (S km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and wh ile moving the
lever out of
N .
D -Normal position for driving forward
Position D is for normal city and highway driving. It ranges from zero
to top speed and all gears shift automatically, depending on engine
load, driving speed and automatically selected shift programs.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (S km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and while moving the
lever to
D out of N.
In certa in circumstances it may be advantageous to temporarily
switch to the manual shift program to manua lly select gear ratios to
match specific driving conditions~
page 165.
S -Sport position
Select this position for sportier performance. In this position, the
transmission will not upshift as soon, allowing the vehicle to use the
increased power available at higher engine speeds to achieve livelier
acceleration.
When the vehicle is stat ionary or at speeds be low 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and while moving the
lever to
S out of N.
Con tro ls a nd e quip
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS~ & in "Driving the automatic
transmission" on
page 161.
0 Note
Coasting downh ill with the transmission in N and the engine not
running will result in damage to the automatic transmission and
possibly the cata lytic converter. •
Automatic Shift lock (ASL)
The Automatic Shi~ Lock safeguards you against acci
dentally shifting into a forward or the reverse gear and
causing the vehicle to move unintentionally.
Fig. 161 Shift gate:
selector lever lock posi
tions and interlock
button highlighted
The selector lever lock is released as follows:
- Turn the ignition on.
- Step on the brake pedal.
At the same time press and hold
the interlock button on the side of the gear selector knob
~ fig. 161 with your thumb until you have moved the
selector lever to the desired position . _..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
1111....__A_ u_ t_o _m_ a_ t_ic _ t_ r_ a_ n_s _m_ i _s_ s_ i_ o_ n ____________________________________________ _
Automatic selector lever lock
The selector lever is locked in the P and N positions when the ignition
is turned on . To move the lever from these positions the driver must
depress the brake pedal. As a reminder to the driver, the following
warning appears in the instrument cluster display when the selector
is in
P and N:
When stationary apply foot brake while selecting gear
A time delay element prevents the selector lever from locking when
it is moved through the
N position (going from R to D). The locking
element will lock the selector lever if the lever is left in N (Neutral) for
more than approximately 1 second, without the brake pedal being
pressed .
At speeds above about 3 mph (5 km/h) the Automatic Shift Lock is
automatically deactivated in the
N position.
Interlock button
The lock button on the selector lever prevents the lever from being
accidentally shifted into ce rtain positions. Pressing this button deac
tivates the selector lever lock. Depending on the direction of the
shift, the selector lever locks at different positions . The positions are
highlighted in the illustration ~
page 163, fig. 161.
Ignition key safety interlock
The key cannot be removed from the ignition unless the selector lever
is in the
P park position . When the ignition key is removed, the
selector lever will be locked in the
P position. •
Kick-down
The kick-down feature allows the vehicle to generate
maximum acceleration.
When you press the accelerator pedal beyond the resistance point
that is reached at full throttle, the transmission will select a lower
gear ratio based on vehicle speed and engine RPM. The engine RPM
will be controlled to produce maximum vehicle acceleration as long as you continue to press the accelerator pedal beyond this
resistance
point .
& WARNING
Be careful when using the kick-down feature on slippery roads.
Rapid acceleration may cause the vehicle to skid. •
Dynamic shift program (DSP)
The automatic transmission is electronically controlled.
The transmission is self adapting and will automatically select the
best shift program suited to the driving conditions and driving style.
The transmission will select one of the
economy programs when you
drive at a steady speed or a gradually changing speed without heavy
acceleration . This achieves optimum fuel efficiency, with early
upshifting and delayed downshifting.
The transmission will automatically select the
sporty shift programs
when you drive at higher speeds, or with heavy acceleration and
frequently changing speeds. Upshifts are delayed to make full use of
engine power . Downshifting takes place at higher engine speeds than
in the economy programs.
The selection of the most suitable shift program is a continuous ,
automatic process. The driver can also make the transmission switch
to a sporty program by
quickly pressing down the gas pedal.
This causes the transmission to shift down to a lower gear to achieve rapid acceleration, e .g. for quickly passing another vehicle. You do
not need to press the gas pedal into the kick -down range . After the
transmission has upshifted, the original program is selected
according to your driving style.
An additional shift program allows the automatic transmission to
select the proper gear for uphill and downhill gradients.
This keeps the transmission from shifting up and down unnecessarily
on hills. The transmission will shift down to a lower gear when the .,_
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driver presses the brake pedal on a downhill gradient . This makes use
of the braking effect of the engine without the need to shift down
manually .•
Manual shift program
Using the manual shift program you can manually select
gears.
Fig. 162 Center
console : shifting the
tiptronic ® manually
Fig . 163 Display:
manual shift program,
selec ted gear
Switching to manual shift program
-Push the selector lever to the right from D. As soon as the
transmission has switched over, the selected gear appears
in the display => fig . 163.
Con tro ls a nd e quip
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
To upshift
-Push the selector lever forward to the plus position 0
=> fig . 162.
To downshift
- Push the lever to the minus position Q.
When accelerating, the transm ission w ill automatically shift into
gears 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 before the engine reaches its maximum RPM .
I f you apply a light throttle when accelerating, tiptronic ® will auto
matically shift from 1st to 2nd gea r to save fuel. If you apply a heavy
throttle, the transmission will stay in 1st gear until near maximum
RPM is reached, or until the driver shifts into 2nd gear.
If you take your foot off the accelerator pedal when driv ing down a
st eep incline, tiptronic ® will downshift from the selected gear into
the next lower gear until it reaches 1st gear, based on road speed and
e ngine RPM. Automatic downsh ifting is interrupted as soon as you
apply the throttle again.
[ i ] Tips
• When you shift into the next lower gear, the transmission will
downshift on ly when there is no possibility of over-rewing the
engine.
• When the kick -down comes on, the transmission will shift down to
a lower gear, depending on vehicle and engine speeds.
• tiptronic ® is inoperative when the transmission is in the fail-safe
mode. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
llffl..__A_ u_ t_ o_ m_ a_ t _ ic_ t_r_a _ n_ s_m _ i_ s _s_ i_ o _ n _____________________________________________ _
Applie s to veh icles : wi th tip tron ic -s te eri ng whe el
Steering wheel with tiptronic ®
The shift buttons on the steering wheel allow the driver to
shift gears manually.
Fig. 164 Steering
wheel: Shift buttons
- To downshift, touch the button on the left Q.
- To upshift, touch the button on the right G).
The shift buttons a re activated when the selector lever is in D, Sor in
the manual shift program (t iptronic).
Of course, you can continue to use the manual shift program with the
selector lever on the center console. •
Automatic transmission malfunction I
In the event of a system malfunction, the automat ic transmission
switches to emergency operation mode .
., Gearbox malfunction: you can continue driving
You can continue to drive the vehicle. See an authorized Audi dealer
or other qualified workshop at the next opportunity .
Gearbox malfunction: you can continue driving (limited
functionality )
There is a serious system malfunction:
• The program shifts only into certain gears.
• The engine may stall.
• It is not poss ible to restart the engine if it has been switched off.
• Continuing to drive could result in subsequent damage .
0 Note
If the transmission switches to fail-safe mode, you should take the
vehicle to an authorized Audi dealership as soon as poss ible to have
the condition corrected. •
Emergency release for selector lever
If the vehicle's power supply fails, the selector lever can
be released in an emergency.
Fig. 165 Emergency
release for selector
lever
The emergency release is located under a rubber mat.
- Carefully lift the rubber mat with a screwdriver or some
thing similar => fig. 165.
- You now have access to a rocker switch . Using a screw
dr iver or similar object, press the rocker switch down and
hold it down. ._
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A pp lies to ve hicles : with A dap tive Air Su spen sion
Chassis controls
Five different driving modes can be set by the driver.
The automatic control processes are speed- and time-dependent. For
example, it is not possible to raise the suspension to a high level
above certain speeds.
When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h) is exceeded for more than
30 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered to
low level when in
comfort and automatic mode. Ground clearance is about 0.6 inch (15
mm) less, compared to the
normal level.
When a speed of about 100 mph (160 km/h) is exceeded for more
than 20 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered to
highway
level
when in automatic and dynamic mode . Ground clearance is
about 1.4 inches (35 mm) less, compared to the
normal level. Road
holding is optimized as a resu lt of the lower center of gravity, and fuel
consumption is reduced as a result of reduced wind resistance .
Level adjustment
high level 2
normal level
highway level
Ground clearance
about 9.4 inches (240 mm)
about 8 inches (205 mm)
about 7 inches (180 mm)
about 6.5 inches (165 mm)
about 5. 7 inches (145 mm)
The segment display @ in the MMI Display =>
page 178 or in the
instrument cluste r display =>
page 179 shows the current vehicle
level.
Automatic
Select the automatic mode if you prefer a balanced, comfortable
suspension setting. The damp ing characteristics are adjusted accord
ing ly .
Controls and equip
ment Safety first •
Automatic lowering: When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h)
is exceeded for more than 30 seconds, the veh icle is automatically
lowered by about 0 .6 inch (15 mm) to the
low level, which is more
suitable for highway speeds. Road holding is optimized as a result of
the lower center of gravity and fuel consumpt ion is reduced as a
result of reduced wind resistance . When a speed of about 100 mph
(160 km/h) is exceeded fo r more than 20 seconds, the vehicle is auto
matically lowered by an additional 0.8 inch (20 mm) to
highway level.
• Automatic raising: When the vehicle is at highway level and the
speed falls below about 80 mph (130 km/h) for more than 20
seconds, the vehicle is automat ically raised to
low level. The vehicle is
automatically raised again to
normal level if the speed falls below
about 44 mph (70 km/h) for a period of 2 minutes. The vehicle is
raised immediately when speed falls below about 22 mph (35 km/h).
Dynamic
Select the dynamic mode if you prefer a sporty suspension setting . In
this mode, the vehi cle is lowe red to
low level wh ile it is still stationary
and sporty damp ing characteristics a re selected . The warning light
c.:> in the instrument cluster wi ll come on for a few seconds just to
remind you of the reduced ground clearance.
If you switch off the engine whi le the vehicle is in the dynamic mode
and then switch on the ignition once again, the
c.:> warning light will
also come on again for a few seconds as a reminder .
• Automatic lowering : When a speed of about 100 mph (160 km/h)
is exceeded fo r more than 20 seconds, the vehicle is automatically
lowered by 0.8 inch (20 mm) to
highway level.
• Automatic raising: The vehicle is automatically raised to low level
again, if the speed falls below about 80 mph (1 30 km/h) for a per iod
of 20 seconds. The vehicle is raised immediately when speed falls
below about 22 mph (35 km/h).
Comfort
Select the comfort mode if you desire a suspension setting with a
special emphasis on comfort. Damping characteristics with a clear
emphasis on comfort are selected in this mode.
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Vehicle care Technical data
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While the vehicle is being raised or lowered, the target level is indi
cated by an arrow © next to the corresponding segment. The arrow
disappears again when the vehicle is at the target level.
Limitations to MMI settings
Please note that not every driving mode can be selected in every
dr iving s ituation . For example , it is not poss ible to switch to "lift"
mode at speeds above 12 mph (20 km/h) . This mode is then shown
greyed out in the MMI Display .
The vehicle can on ly be lowered when
all of the veh icle's doors are
closed.
If one doo r is open, all driving modes whose level setting is
below the current vehicle level appear greyed out in the MMI Display.
If a door is opened whi le the vehicle is being lowered , the lowering
process is interrupted until all doo rs are closed again.
I f the system is temporarily unavailable due to, for instance, an
empty compressed air tank, the driving modes that cannot be set
appear
greyed out in the MMI Display . As soon as the system is avail
able aga in, the driv ing modes can once more be selected in the
display .
(I] Tips
• For additional information on the driving modes=> page 177,
"Chassis controls".
• When the compressed air tank is empty , the compressor can be
switched on by starting the engine. The Adaptive Air Suspension is
once again available, after waiting a few minutes. •
Contro ls a nd e quip
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Applies to vehicles : w ith Adapt ive A ir Sus pens ion
Appearance in the instrument cluster
display
You can view the current vehicle level in the instrument
cluster display.
Fig. 177 Display:
Adaptive Air Suspen sion
Fig. 178 Display:
Adaptive Air Suspen
s ion
Repeated, br ief tapping of the [ RESET] button on the windshield
wiper lever allows you to selec t whether information concerning the
trip computer, digita l tachometer, navigation* or "Adaptive Air
Suspension " is to appear in the instrument cluster display .
Display of the Adaptive Air Suspension is automatic when the offroad
or lift mode is se lected, or when the vehicle is automat ically lowered
i n lift mode.
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Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data