Driving and environment
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" before they have optimal
grab ~& .
Dur ing the break-in period, you should avoid putting severe loads on
the bra kes. Severe loads incl ude, for example, sudden hard braking,
in part icu lar at very high speeds or, for examp le, on mountain passes .
& WARNING
Until they develop th e ma ximum "bite " for b est stopp ing pow er,
the surfaces on new brake pads require some "breaking-in" during
the in itial 100 to 150 mile s (150 to 200 kilometers ) of normal
city dr iving. You can compensate for this by p ress ing the brake
pedal more firml y. Thi s applies whenever n ew pads are in stalled .•
Driving through water on roads
---
N ote the following to avoid vehicle damage when driving through
water, fo r example on flooded roads:
• Th e wate r mus t not be any higher th an the bottom of the ve hicl e
body.
• Do not dr ive faster t han wal king speed.
& WARNING
After driving through water, mud , slush, etc ., th e brak es may be
slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads . Dry the
brakes first by braking carefully to restore the full braking effect .
0 Note
Vehicle components such as the engine, transmission, suspension or
electrical system can be severely damaged by driving thro ugh water.
W Tips
• Check t he dept h of the wa ter before dr iv in g thro ugh it.
• Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or sw itch the engine off
when driving through wate r.
• Keep in m ind t hat on coming vehicles may cre ate w aves t hat raise
the water level and make it too deep for your vehicle to drive thro ugh
safe ly.
• Avoid dr iv in g through sa lt water because it can cause corros ion. •
Catalytic converter
It is very important that y our emiss ion con trol system
(ca talyti c converte r) is func tioning pr operly to ensure
that your vehicle is running i n an environm entally sou nd
manner.
- Always use lead-fre e gasoline => page 219, "Fu el supply".
- Never run the ta nk down a ll the way to empty .
- Never p ut too much mo tor o il in your engine=>
pag e 232,
"Adding engine oil~" -
- Neve r try to pu sh- or tow-start you r vehicle.
T he catalytic converter is an efficient "clean- up" device b uilt into the
exhaust system of the veh icle. The cata lytic converter b urns many of
t he poll uta nts in the e xhaust g as before they are released in to the
atmosphe re.
Th e ex clusive use o f unleaded fuel is c ritic ally impor tant for the life of
the cata lytic converte r and proper f unction ing of the engi ne. ..,
_____________________________________________ D _r_ i_v _i_,ng and environment
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
exhaust sy stem may come in conta ct with dry gra ss, bru sh, fuel
s pill or oth er mater ial wh ich can caus e a fire .
• Do not apply additional under co ating or ru stproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold, exhaust p ipes, catalytic converter or
heat shield s. During driving, the sub stance u sed for undercoating
c ould overheat and cause a fire .
0 Note
• Be aware that j ust one tank fi lling w it h le aded fuel w ill already
seriously degra de the performance of the catalyt ic converter .
• Do not exceed the correct engine o il leve l~
page 23 2.
• Do not dr ive until t he f uel tank be comes comp lete ly empty. The
eng ine could misfire . Unburned fue l cou ld also get into the exhaust
sys tem and t his co uld cause t he ca talyt ic conver ter to ove rhe at.
• Do not t urn off the ignition while the vehicle is moving .
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions, as
otherwise fuel can reach the cata lytic converter. This cou ld resu lt in
over heat ing of the converter, req uir ing its rep lacemen t.
• T o ass ure efficient operation of the Emission Contro l System :
- Have your ve hicle maintai ned properly and in accordance with
t he se rvi ce recommenda tions in your Warran ty
& M ain tenance
book let .
- Lack o f prope r mai ntena nce as well as improper use of the
vehicle w ill impa ir the f unct io n of the emission control system and
co uld lead to damage .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Contro l System is operating p roperly, the
exhaust gas ca n have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some
ope rating states. This depends on the s ulfur content o f the fue l being
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
used
. Using a differe nt brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank with
lead-free supe r grade g asoline .•
A pp lies to ve hicle s: with d ie se l pa rtic ul at e f ilte r
Diesel particu ate filter
The diese l particulate filte r filters nearly all of the soot part icles out
of the exhaust. The filte r cleans itself a utomat ically under normal
dr iv ing cond itions . If the fi lter cannot clea n itself (for example,
because you are only driving short distances), the filter becomes
clogged w it h soot and the symbol fo r the diese l particulate fi lter
ill uminates ~
page 34.
& WARNING
• Do not park your vehicle over flammable materials such as
grass or leaves because the high temperature of the diesel partic
ulate filter could start a fire .
• Do not apply an underbody prot ectant in the exhaust system
area or a fire could start.
[I) Tips
• When the diesel partic ulate f ilter becomes sat urated, the engine
speed increases to approx ima tely 1 ,S00 rpm w hile the vehicle is in
motion to initiate t he cleanin g of the diesel particulate fi lter auto
matically w it h out the wa rning lamp ligh ting up. If the war ning lamp
st ill appears, you sho uld drive to a qualified workshop. •
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or ove r curbs, steep ramps, etc .,
m ake ce rta in t hat low-ly ing pa rt s such as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Driving and environment
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung chassis (sports
chassis) and fully loaded vehicles. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, env ironmental impact, and wear on your eng ine,
brakes and tires largely depend on three factors:
• your personal driving style
• operat ing conditions
• technical lim itations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economically,
you can easily cut your fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent. This
sect ion wi ll g ive you some tips on how you can help the environment
and your pocketbook.
[I) Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not co rre
spond to your actual consumption on the road, which will vary
depending upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothl} and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating.
Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking .
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating. If you antici
pate what is go ing to happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possible - for example when you see that the next traffic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
- Try and keep well below your car's maximum speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consumption, engine wear, and does
not d isturb the env ironment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by one half.
Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather condi
tions perm it. •
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
- Shut the engine off when you are not driving the vehicle .
- Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic jams, when waiting for
trains to pass at railroad crossings, or at traffic lights that have long
wa its on red. Turn ing the eng ine off for just 30-40 seconds saves
more fuel than is burned starting the engine again.
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up fully when it is running
at idle. However, wear and noxious emissions are espec ially high
when the engine is warming up . So you shou ld drive away as soon as .,_
Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
you start the engine and avoid running at high RPMs while the engine
is still warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting. If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which could result in
overheat ing or other damage to the vehicle or other property.•
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an authorized Audi dealer
helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically. The condition
of your vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability to hold its value,
it also affects
fuel consumption .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value after a certain mi leage has been driven.
You must drive you r vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oil consumption.
Thi s also applies to fuel consumption and engine output.
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the
service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the vehicle will
impa ir the function of the emission control system and could lead to
damage.
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
•
Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Control
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not a lter or remove any device, such as heat shie lds, switches,
ignition w ires, va lves, which are designed to protect your vehicle 's
Emission Control System and other important vehicle components.
Fewer short tr ips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips.
- Try to avoid driving short distances with a cold engine.
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper
ating temperature
to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis
sions effectively .
• Just after starting, a cold eng ine in a mid-size car burns the fuel at
a poor rate of 6-8 miles per gallon (30-40 l/l00km). Half a mile down
the road, the mileage improves to 12 MPG (20 l/100 km). It will take
the engine no less than
two and a half miles (4 km) of driving to
warm up to its proper operat ing temperature and operate at an
economic mileage . This explains why taking the car for sho rt trips is a
rather wasteful convenience .
• Th e
outside temperature is also critical in this regard . Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Trailer towing
"---------------------------------------------------
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor
tation .
If you p lan to tow a t railer, p lease remember that the additional load
w ill affect durability, economy and performance.
Tr ailer towing not on ly p laces mo re s tress on the vehicle, it also calls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reasons, a lways fo llow the operating and driv ing instr uctions
prov ided and use common sense .•
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a we ight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trai ler weight .
Th e h itch mus t be suit able for your veh icle and t railer and mus t be
mounted securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound l oca
t ion. Use on ly a tra ile r hi tch w ith removable b all moun t. Alw ays check
w ith the trailer hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are using
t he correc t hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way t hat it does not interfere
w ith the impact -ab sorb ing bumper system. No mod ifi cations s houl d
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems . From t ime to
t ime, che ck t hat all hitch mou nting bolts rema in securely faste ned.
W hen you are no t tow ing a trai ler, remove the trailer hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from ca using damage should your
veh icle be s truck from behind=>&.
Tire pressure
When towing a tra iler, inflate the tires of you r vehicle to the cold tire
pressu re listed under "Full lo ad"on t he st ick er o n the r ight doo rjamb.
I n flate trailer t ires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifications .
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with the tra iler attached
befo re d riving o ff. Have the headlights adjusted as necess ary s o that
you can see the road ahead but not b lind oncoming t raffic.
Check to make s ure bo th vehicle and t railer lights a re wor king prop
er ly.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer ma kes t he engin e work harder. It is important t hat
t he cooling sys tem' s per formance stands up to the add ition al stra in.
M ake sure that the coo ling sys tem has eno ugh fluid .
Trailer brakes
If your trai ler is equipped with a braking system, check to be su re that
it confo rms to all regula tions .
Th e tra ile r hydrau lic brake system must not be directly con nected to
the vehicle's hydraulic b rake system.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are p roper ly connected from the t rai ler
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lac k in t he chai ns to permit
t u rni ng corners. When you insta ll safety chains, ma ke s ure t hey will
not d rag on t he road when yo u are d riving .
The chai ns should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
drop ping in ca se of separat io n from t he hitch.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulat ions. Be su re to chec k w ith your
author ized A udi dealer for correct wiring, switches and relays. _.
Trailer towingL _____________________________________________ _
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig. Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce your speed even more under unfavorable load, weather or
wind conditions -particularly when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying .
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas speeds for vehicles towing
trailers are lower than for regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early . When driving downhill, shift into lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow down the vehicle. Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge~ page 9 must be observed care
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or switch off the air conditioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing
-t-, pull off the road , stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes 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 towing a trailer because of the
additional weight and weight distribution. Safety, performance and
economy will greatly depend on how carefully you load your trailer
and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing until you have
completely become familiar with the way your vehicle-trailer combi
nation behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a trailer
generally requires steering action opposite of that when backing up
your vehicle without a trailer.
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
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
[I] Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in period of your vehicle .
• If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent mainte
nance due to the extra load~
page 299. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park with a trailer on a slope. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone place chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels.
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until wheel
blocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Place an automatic transmission in
P, respectively a
manual transmission in first or reverse gear.
When restarting after parking:
- Start the engine .
- Shift transmission into gear .
- Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away from the wheel blocks .
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel blocks.
[I] Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmiss ion to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use more force later to move the leve r out of the
P
position. •
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
___ C_ le_ a_n_ i _n_ g=- a_ n_d__, p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_ o _ n ___________________________________________ _
Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserv es ve hicl e val ue.
Any automobile is exposed to industria l fumes, co rrosive road salt,
e tc. A well ca red for Audi c an look lik e new many ye ars after pur chase.
Regu lar and correct care w ill contribute to mai nta in ing t he beauty
a nd valu e of your Au di.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition for substantiating a
warranty claim should corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Yo ur au thori zed Audi d eale r ha s a var iety of dedicated vehicle- care
products
and can advise w hich ones to use for clea ning the exterior
an d inter io r of your ve hicle.
W het her you use products recommended by Aud i or other comme r
cially availab le cleaning agents , please make sure yo u appl y them
co rrectly .
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous . Keep them out of the reach
of children.
• Heed all caution labels .
• Always read directions on the container before using any
product. Follow the directions carefully.
• Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be
diluted .
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated areas.
• Do not use gasoline, kero sene , diesel fuel , nail polish remover
or other volatile fluids . They may be toxic, flammable or
hazardous in other ways. Do not wash, wax or dry the vehicle with
the ign ition on or the engine running .
& WARNING (conti nued )
• Do not clean the under sides of chassi s, fenders , wheel cover s,
etc. without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut your
self on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking efficiency
~ page 191, "General information ". Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle .
'£> For the sake of the environment
Select only envir onmenta lly fr iendly clea ning produc ts . Leftover
cleaning pro ducts sho uld not dis posed of i n the household waste .•
Care of exterior
Washing
F re quent w ashin g protec ts th e vehicle.
T he best protection aga inst env ironmental influences is frequent
w ashi ng and w ax in g.
How often th is is required depends on:
• How much the vehicle is used
• Where the veh icle is parked (garage, in the open unde r trees, etc .)
• Th e season al and wea ther conditions
• Environmental influences
Th e longer bird droppings, insects, tree resin, road and indus tria l
gr ime, ta r, soot, road sa lt and ot he r materials remain on the veh icle
body, t he mo re lasting their destructive effects wi ll be. .,.