Trailer towing
"---------------------------------------------------
Speed
T he higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig. Do not dr ive at the max imum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icu larly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the tra iler shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for veh icles towing
trailers are lower than for regu lar vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driv ing dow nhill, shift in to a lower
gear to use the eng ine braking effect to slow the veh icle. Use of the
bra kes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
Th e coolant temperature gauge~ page 10 must be observed care
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing
_f_ , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two m inutes to prevent heat build-up.
& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk in an accident. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided by Audi.•
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
------------
Your vehicle handles differently when tow ing a trailer because of the
additiona l weight and different weight distribution. Safety, perfor- mance and economy will greatly depend on how carefully you load
your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turning, stopp ing and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing until you have
become completely familiar with the way your vehicle-t railer comb i
nation behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a trailer
generally requires steering action oppos ite to that when backing up
your vehicle without a trai ler.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in front
of you. You will need more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you will need a larger than normal turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you normally would because of the added load . Make sure you have
enoug h room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trai ler before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky sta rts, sharp tur ns or rapid lane changes.
W Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in per iod of your veh icle.
• If you tow a trai ler, your Audi may require more frequent mainte
nance due to the extra load
~ page 361. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
- Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels . ._
-~_T_ i_ re _ s_ a_n _ d_ w_ h _e_ e_ ls _________________________________________________ _
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given infla
tion pressure. You may not find this information on all tires because
it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating fo r a tir e at the maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressure to which a tire may be
inflated. Also called "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants seated
in the vehicle up to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distr ibution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewalls of
an inflated tire, including elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated paralle l cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weigh ing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not previously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy duty battery, and special trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Recommended inflation pressure
see=> page 307, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Reinforced tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher inflation
pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced t ires may
be identified as "XL ", "x l", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
wh ich the tire beads are seated .
Rim diameter
means nominal diameter of the bead seat . If you change your wheel
size, you w ill have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam
eter .
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nom inal distance between rim flanges.
Tires and wheels Ill
----------------
sure label lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures for the
vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were on your
vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
If you wish to improve comfort when operating the vehicle at
normal load (up to 3 occupants), you can adjust tire pressures to
those specified for normal vehicle load. Before operating the
vehicle at maximum load, you must increase the tire pressures to
those specified for maximum vehicle load~& .
Bear in mind that the tire pressure monitoring system* can only
mon itor the tire pressures you have stored . The system does not
recognize the load condition of your vehicle.
Th e effectiveness of the tire pressure monitoring system* will be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehicle at its maximum load~.&, . See the
illustration
~ page 310, fig. 2 52 for the locat ion of the label
either on dr iver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap (color of the
actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slightly) .
Note that the following tab le is accurate at the time of going to press
and is subject to change. In the event of discrepancies , the tire pres
sure label (On USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the
dr ive r's side B -pillar . On Canada veh icles, the tire pressure label is
located either on the dr iver's s ide B-pillar or inside the fue l f ill er flap)
always takes precedence.
The table below lists the recommended cold t ire inflation pressures
for the Audi model covered by your Owner's Literature at the vehicle's
capacity weight and the tire sizes insta lled on the respective models
as original equipment, or as a factory option .
Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load full load normal load
full load
ment in conditiona> condition conditiona> condition
liter)
PSI kPA PSI kPA
a -cylinder 255/45 Rla 99H All Season
33 230 36 250 30 210 35 240
4.2
255/40 Rl9 l0OV XL All Season 36 250 39 270 33 38 260
255/40 Rl9 l00Y XL High Performance 33 230 36 250 30 210 35 240
265/35 R20 99V XL High Performance 35 240 38 260 32 220 36 250
275/35 R20 102V XL High Performance 38 260 41 280 35 240 44 300
a-cylinder 255/45 Rla 99H All Season 33 230 36 30 210 35 240
4.2 L
255/40 Rl9 l00V XL All Season 36 250 39 270 33 230 38 260
255/40 R19 l00Y XL High Performance 33 230 36 250 30 35 240
275/35 R20 102V XL High Performance 38 260 41 280 35 240 44 300
Safety first Vehicle care Technical data
Ill Tires and wheels
-------------------
Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load
full load normal load
full load
ment in
liter) conditiona
> condition
conditiona> condition
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI
kPA
PSI kPA
12-cylinder
255/45 R18 99H All Season 36 250 39 270 32 220 35 240
6 .0
255/40 R19 lOOV XL All Season 41 280 44 300 36 250 39 270
255 /40 R19 lOOY XL High Performance 36 250 39 270 32 220 35 240
275/35 R20 102V XL High Performance 3 8 260 41
280 35 240 44 300
XL= reinforced or extra load tire . It may also appear as xl, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire sidewall.
a) norma l load cond iti on => page 310.
The correct tire pressure for the spare wheel is located on a label
ei ther on the driver 's s ide B- pillar o r inside the f uel fille r flap .
Beca use techn ica l changes may be made to vehicle equipment during
the model year, always compare the tire size designation o n the tire
pressure labe l on yo ur vehi cle w it h the tires on your ve hicle. Make
sure that the tire size information on the ve hicle labe l is the same as
t he s ize of the tires on the vehicle. This is especia lly im portant if the
vehicle belongs to someone e lse or you boug ht the vehicle w it h
different r ims/ tires or you bo ugh t the vehicle as a prev iously owne d
veh icle .
Remember, your safety and that of your passengers also depends on
ma king sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load includes
everybody and everything in an d on the vehicle . These load limits are
t echnically refer red to as the veh icle's G ross Ve hicle Weig ht Ra ting
("GVWR"). The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the max imum
load that ca n be applied at ea ch of the vehi cle's two axles. The G ross
Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Ax le Weight Rating are listed on
t he safety compliance sticke r label lo cated ei ther on the d river 's side
B-pil lar or o n the inside of the fuel filler flap. T he tire pressure label
on yo ur A udi lists the maximum comb ined weight o f all of the occu -pa
nts and luggage or other ca rgo that the ve hicle can carry . For the
loc atio n of t he tir e pressure label~
page 310, fig. 252.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or
other accident, serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carry ing more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling prope rly and increase the
ri sk of a lo ss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicl e within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that ha s been overloaded can fail suddenly
causing lo ss of control and a crash .
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
i ncluding the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle 's Gro ss Vehicle Weight Rating .
~
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
• The tire pr ess ure s sho uld o nly be c hecke d an d adjusted wh en the
t ire s ar e cold . Th e slightly rais ed pr ess ure s of war m tir es mu st not b e
r e d uced .
• Adjust th e tire p re ss ur e to t he load yo u a re ca rr yin g.
• Reinstall the valve stem cap on the valve.
When should I check the tire pressure?
The correct tire press ure is especia lly imp orta nt at high speeds . T he
pr essu re s hou ld t here fo re b e ch ec ked at least onc e a mo nth an d
always be fore sta rting a jo ur ney. Do not fo rget to check the tire pres
su re for th e s pare wheel~
page 33 4.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjus t the tire pr essur e to th e load yo u are carrying . A ft e r changi ng a
w heel
or replac ing w heels yo u have to adjust the ti re pressures on all
w heels. In addi tio n, yo u mu st then stor e the new tir e press ures in the
tire pressu re monitoring system*~
page 326.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure, los s of control, collision, serious personal injury or even
death.
• When the warning symbol appears in the instrument
cluster , stop and inspect the tires.
• Incorrect tire pressure and/or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control.
• The dr iver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pressure values are located on
a sticker on the driver 's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap .
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Only when all tires on the vehicle are filled to the correct pres
sure, the tire pressure monitoring* system can work correctly .
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents or
other damage. Therefore it is essential that the driver observe the
specified tire pressure values for the tires and the correct pres
sures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system*.
• Always inflate tires to the recommended and correct tire pres
sure before driving off .
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot resulting in tread separation, sudden tire failure and loss
of control.
• Excessive speed and/overloading can cause heat build-up,
sudden tire failure and loss of control.
• If the tire pressure is too low or too high, the tires will wear
prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well.
• If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel
immediately, drive at reduced speed to the nearest service station
to check the tire pressure and add ai r as required.
0 Note
Dr iv ing witho ut valve stem caps can caus e damage to the tire valves.
T o preven t this, alw ays m ake s ure th at facto ry installe d valv e st em
caps o n all whee ls a re securely mo unted o n the valve.
Under infla ted tires will a lso inc rease t he f uel cons umption .•
Tires and vehicle load limits
T here a re lim its to the amount of load or we ight that any veh icle a nd
a ny t ire c an car ry. A veh icle th at is overloade d wi ll not ha n dle we ll an d ...
___ T_ i_ r _e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
• Tire pressure must only be adjusted when the temperature of the
tires is about the same as ambient air temperature .
• When tires are replaced, the sensors and valves should not be
detached or exchanged . Only the valve core needs to be replaced and,
if necessary, the valve and the wheel electronics replaced .
• The tire pressure monitoring system on your Audi was calibrated
usiing tires with the "AO" or "RO" identification. We recommend
using these tires.
• If you should put different wheels and tires on your vehicle (e.g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and
tires are compatible with the tire pressure monitoring system. Other
wise the system will register a malfunction and a fault message will be displayed. For more information, contact your authorized Audi
dealer.
• Adjust the tire pressure and store the pressure in the tire pressure
monitoring system to the load you are carrying=:>
page 310.
• For Declaration of Compliance to United States FCC and Industry
Canada regulations =:>
page 364. •
Applies to veh icles: with Tire pressure monitoring system
Significant loss of air p ressure I
The yellow symbol appears in the event of a significant
loss of air pressure.
Fig. 257 Display:
yellow symbol with
message Fig.
258 Display:
yellow symbol without
message
If the warning light in the instrument cluster=> page 17
illuminates and then the symbol appears in the display
=:> fig. 257 or=> fig. 258, this means the tire pressure is too
low in one or several tires (including spare tire* with sensor).
- Stop driving as soon as possible without endangering
yourself or other drivers on the road.
- Inspect the tire or tires.
- Change the tire if necessary=>
page 335.
The"' warning light in the instrument cluster comes on when the tire
is significantly underinflated.
In addition, the tire symbol { appears in the display together with
the message
Please check tire pressure=:> fig. 25 7.
After a few seconds, the message disappears again=:> fig. 258 . If you
would like to show the message again, press the
I CHECK] button.
[ i] Tips
• In the case of an intentional loss of air pressure, for example,
when re-adjusting tire pressure, this has to be stored again after
wards:::::,
page 330.
• Current information about tire pressures and temperatures can be
scanned in MMI
=:> page 329. .,,.
-~_T_ i_ re _ s_ a_n _ d_ w_ h _e_ e_ ls _________________________________________________ _
• The tire pressure monitoring system helps the driver to keep an
eye on tire pressures. B ut the driver still has the responsibility for
maintaining the correct tire pressure .•
A pplie s to v ehi cle s: w ith Tire pre ssure moni toring syst em
Storing tire pressures
Correct storage of specified pressure is the basic require
ment for reliable tire pressure monitoring.
In order for the tire pressure monitoring system to operate
appropriately, you have to re-save the specified pressures
whenever you adjust tire pressure, for example when the load
condition of your vehicle changes . Proceed as follows:
Corr ecting tir e pr essure
- Check the pressure in the tires (including the spare t ire*) .
- Adjust air pressure as needed in accordance with t he infor -
mation on the label located e ither on the driver's side B
pillar (visible when the door is open), inside the fuel filler
flap and additionally in the manual.
Saving tire p ressures
- Turn on the ignition.
- Press the [
CAR] function button .
- Select
Systems in the CAR menu .
- Select
Tire pressure mon itoring .
-Select Sto re curr. tire pressure s~ page 329, fig . 259 .
All pressure warning indicators in the display will be canceled.
Following each intentional change in specified pressures, tire pres
sures must be resaved . After the
pressures are saved, the tire pressure monitoring system
measures the c urrent tire pressures and saves them as the new spec
ified pressures .
(I] Tips
• The tire pressure is shown on the tire pressure label. On USA vehi
cles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side B-pillar. On
Canada veh icles, the tire pressure label is located either on the
driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap . The tire pressure
label lists the recommended cold t ire inflation pressures for the
vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and the tires that were on
your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For recommended tire
pressures for normal load conditions, please see chapter
=> page 310.
• The tire pressure monitoring system helps the driver to keep an
eye on tire p ressures. But the driver still has the responsib ility for
maintaining the correct tire pressure .
• If your veh icle is eq uipped w ith a standard spare ti re*, it must be
inflated to the maximum pressure specified for the vehicle .•
A pp lies to vehicles: with T ire pressu re monitor ing system
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, the new tire must be initial
ized.
Turn on the ignit ion .
- Press the
I CAR I function but ton .
- Select
Systems in the CAR menu.
- Select
Tire pre ssure mon itoring .
-Select Initialize wheels~ page 329, fig. 259 .
Programming is necessary:
Tires and wheels Ill _______________ _____.
• Afte r the t ires have been rotated on the vehicle (includi ng use o f
the sp a re t i re*),
• If tires with new wheel sensors are used .
All pressure wa rning and system malfunction indicators in the display
will be canceled .
I f a wheel change has been made , it is necessary to complete the
Initializ e wheel s function .
The tire pressure monitor ing system is not available during the
prog ramming process and no p ressure and temperat ure val ues are
displayed on the MM I display .
After you have selected the function, th e new whe els are
programmed and the act ua l pressures are stored . Th is learn ing phase
can take up to 20 minutes d riving time .•
A pp lies to vehicles : w ith Tir e pressu re mon itor ing system
Malfunctions
A malfunction can have various causes.
Fig. 26 1 D ispl ay :
S ys tem malf uncti on
If the warning ligh t in the inst rument cl uste r flashes fo r approxi -
mately one minu te and then remain continuously illuminated and
additionally the => fig . 261 symbol appears in the d is p lay , the
tire pressure monito ring system is not available . This can have various
causes.
Vehicle OP-eration
• If the message appears at the end of the learning process, the
system c annot recognize the whee ls ins talled o n the veh icle . T his can
be because one or more wheels without a wheel sensor were
installed .
• A wheel sensor or other component may have failed .
• T he sy stem has detected more than S whee ls wi th whee l sensors
i n the ve hicle, for example when carry ing snow tires.
• A tire was changed but the
Init ialize wheel s function was not acti
vated =>
page 330.
• Audi rep lacemen t pa rts were no t used .
• If snow chai ns are be ing used, system function can be compro
mised due to the shielding properties of the chains .
• Th e tire press ure monitor in g sys tem may not be ava ilable because
of a radio malfunction.
• Transmitters wi th the same freq uen cy, s uch as radio headphones
in the vehicle or radio equipment, can cause a temporary disrupt io n
of the sys tem throug h ex cessive elect romag net ic fie lds.
• Eliminate the interference if possible/if you can and then re-start
t he
Initialize wheels f unc tion. If the wa rning light comes on again,
you should contact your authori zed Audi dealer immediately to have
the problem corrected .
• Do not use commercially ava ilab le tire sealants . Otherw ise, the
elect rical components of the tire pressure mon itor ing system w ill no
longer work proper ly and the sensor for the t ire pressure monitoring
system will have to be replaced by a qualified workshop. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data