2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET light

Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor ­
tation.
If yo u plan to tow a t rai ler, p lease rem emb er that the add itiona l load
wi ll affect durab ility, economy and performance.
T railer tow ing not on ly p laces mo re s tress on the vehicle, it a lso calls
for more concentrat ion from the driver.
For this reason, a lways follow the ope rating and dr iv ing instr uctions
prov ided and use common sense .
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weig ht.
Th e hitch mus t be suitable for yo ur vehicle a nd tra ile r and mus t be
mounted secure ly on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound l oca­
t ion. Use only a trailer hitch wi th a remov ab le b all m ount. Alw ays
check w ith the tra iler hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using t he cor re ct hi tch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The h itch must be installed in such a way t hat it does not interfere
w ith the impa ct-absorbing b umper system. No mod ifi cat ions sho uld
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems. From time to
ti me, chec k tha t all hitc h mou ntin g bol ts rem ain secure ly f aste n ed.
When you a re not tow ing a tra iler, remove the tra iler hitch ba ll
mount. This prevents the hitc h from caus ing damage should yo ur
vehicle be struck from behind=> &.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is eq
uipped with a braking system, check to be s ure that
i t confo rm s to all regula tions.
The tra iler hydraulic brake system must not be directly connected to
the vehicle's hydraulic brake system=>& .
Safety chains
Alw ays use safety chains be twee n your vehicle and the trai ler.
Trailer lights
Tr ailer l ights m ust meet all reg ulat io ns. Be su re to check with your
author ized Audi deale r for correct wir ing, switches, and re lays.
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see the traffic behind you us ing the regular
outside m irro rs, then you
must install extended m irro rs. It is impor­
tant that yo u
always have clear vision to the rear.
& WARNING
• If a trailer has electrical b rake s please note that these brakes
are not activated by the factory-fitted control unit -ri sk of acci­
dent!
• After removing the trailer hitch , do not store it in your vehicle.
In case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly fo rward and injure
you or your passengers. •
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer we ight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2 trailer . .,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in pla ce to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or s ideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer => & in "Driving instruc­
tions" on
page 256.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harde r. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additional load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the label located either on the
dr iver's side B-pillar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications.
Lights
The headl ight settings should be checked w ith the trailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit
turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to p revent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Driving instruct!ons
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other veh icles .
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results in a highly unstable
distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low
speeds only to avo id the r isk of losing steer ing control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. Th is means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissible,
wh ile keeping the trailer as light as possible under the c ircumstances.
Whenever possible, trans fer some cargo to the luggage compart ­
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
Th e higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icularly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately i f 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
t railers are lowe r than for regular veh icles.
Always apply brakes early. When dr iv ing downh ill, sh ift in to a lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge~ page 8 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 conditione r.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
star ts flashing
-t- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat bu ild-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. u
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
------------
Your vehicle handles differently when tow ing a tra iler because of the
additiona l weight and different weight distribution. Safety, perfor ­
mance and economy will greatly depend on how carefu lly you load
your trailer and operate your rig .
Before you actua lly tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep pract icing until you have
become completely familiar with the way your vehicle-t railer combi­
nation behaves and responds.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Backing up
is d iff icult and requ ires practice . Backing up with a trailer
generally requires steering action opposite to 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 fo r the
trailer, you will need a larger than norma l 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 you r
trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes .
[I) Tips
• Do not tow a trai ler during the break-in per iod of your vehicle.
• If you tow a tra iler, your Audi may requi re more frequent mainte­
nance due to the extra toad~
page 343. •
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 place chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels.
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake .
- Move the se lector lever to
P.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserves vehicl 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 cha se.
Regu lar and correct care w ill contribute to mai nta in ing t he bea uty
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 h as a var iety of dedicated vehicle-care
products
and can advise w hich ones to use for clea ning the exterior
a n d inter io r of your ve hicle.
W het her you use products recommended by Aud i or other comme r­
cia lly 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 (continued )
• Do not clean the under sides of chassi s, fenders , wheel covers,
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 243, "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 ing. How oft en thi s is requ ired depen ds on :
• How m uch the vehicle is used
• Whe re the ve hicle is parke d (gar age, in the o pen un der tr ees, etc.)
• The seasona l and weather conditions
• Environ mental influences
T he longer bird droppings , insects , tree resin, road and industria l
gr ime, t ar, soo t, road sa lt and o ther ma ter ia ls remain on t he veh icle
body, the more lasti ng their destructive effects w ill be. H igh temper­
atu res cause d by ex pos ure to intense s unlight int ensify the co rrosive
effect, part icu larly when humid ity is high as we ll.
~

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& WARNING (conti nu ed )
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 260 .
0 Note
• N ever try to remove dirt, mud o r d ust if the su rface of the vehicle
is dry . Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this could scratch your
veh icle's pai nt or windows.
• Never was h your car in bright sunlight . D rops of water act as
magni fyi ng lenses and may damage your pa int.
• When you was h yo ur c ar in the winter: i f you rinse your vehicle wit h
a hose, be care ful not to a im the stream of wate r d irectly at locks, or
at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges des igned to remove insects, or any kitchen
s co ur ing sponges or s imilar pro ducts. They can damage your paint
fin ish ,
• You shou ld remove debris (s uch as inse cts) from the he adlight
lenses on a regu lar bas is, for example when refuelling yo ur vehicle .
• N ever use a d ry cl oth o r sponge to clean t he he adlig hts . Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent scratches. It is best to use soapy
wate r.
~ For the sake of the environment
In the in terest o f th e envi ronme nt, the ve hicl e should o nly be washed
in special wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Clea ning the ex teri or of y our c ar with a high- pre ssu re
po wer washer is safe as long as y ou obser ve a fe w sim ple
rul es.
- Before using the powe r washer, make su re you have read
a nd unders tood the WARN IN GS=>
& in "General info r­
ma tio n" on
page 260.
- Alw ays fo llow t he operat ing i nst ructions fo r the powe r
washer.
- Make sure t hat the jet o n the spray hose produces a "fa n
shaped sp ray".
- Do
not ho ld t he spr ay no zz le too close t o sof t ma terials .
Never use a power wa sher to cl ean the powe r to p itself.
When cleaning the vehicle with a powe r washe r
always follow the
operat ing inst ruct ions . T his app lies part icu larly to the
operating
pres sure
and the spraying distance. M ain tain a suff ic ient distance to
soft mater ia ls s uch as rubbe r hoses an d so und/v ibration deaden ing
m ater ials (pa rt icula rly on t he un derside o f th e e ng ine hood). Do not
use a jet which sprays water in a
direct stream or one that has a
rotating j et.
Water temperature s hou ld not exceed 140
°F (60 °().
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays water in a direct stream.
This could cause invisible damage to the tires and weaken them ,
even if the spray is from a relatively long distance and for a short
time . Damaged and weakened tires can fail and cause accident s
and personal injury . .,_

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0 Note
• Never use a power washer to clean the power top itself.
• To avoid damaging your vehicle, always make sure that there is
suff icient distance between the spray head and soft mater ials l ike
rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound -deadening materials. Never
aim the spray head at the same po int for a long time. This also applies
to cleaning headlights and painted bumpers. Remember: the closer
the nozzle is to the surface of the mater ial, the greater the stress on
the material. •
Power top care
The power top requires special care.
Keeping your top looking great and mak ing certain that it lasts a long
time depend to a great extent on proper use and care. Remove bird
droppings as soon as possible, since the corrosive chemicals in them
wi ll cause the rubber impregnation in your top to swell and possibly
allow the fabric to leak.
With
normal soiling, all you need to do is clear the top with a soft
brush and clear water. Always brush in the direction of the fabric from
front to rear.
If the top is
very dirty and has spotted areas clean it with a br ush
using a convert ible top cleaner . Always brush in the direction of the
fabric from front to rear. Rinse with plenty of clear water, and allow
the top to air -dry .
Chamois are not sui tab le for drying the top .
Never use gasoline, spot remover, benzene, paint thinner or solvents
to remove spots. We recommend that you only use cleaners espe­
cially formulated for use on convertib le tops, and that you follow the
produce use directions carefully . Authorized Audi deals can provide
detailed information.
Safety first
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information on
:=> page 260.
0 Note
Never use a high-pressure power washer to clean the power top. •
Applies to ve hicles : w it h w ind deflecto r
Wind deflector
Clear the wind deflector with wate r or, if it is heavily soiled, a chemi ­
ca lly neutra l cleaning solution.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information on
:=>page 260. •
Waxing
Wax protects the vehicle's paint.
-Use a man ually applied car wax occasionally to protect the
paint .
A good wax coating protects the veh icle paint to a large extent
agains t the environmental factors listed under =>
page 260,
"Washing " and even against slight scratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your paint as soon as one week after your vehicle has been delivered.
Even if you regularly use a
waxing process in automatic car washes,
we recommend that you manually apply a coat of wax to give the .,_
Vehicle care Technical data

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Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry painted
surfaces. W ax res idue o n the chamois can impair vision t hrough the
w indows .
& WARNING
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 260 .
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent
materials. They can increa se glare under poor vi sibility condition s
such as wetness, darkness, o r when the sun is low on the horizon.
In addition, they can cause the wind shield wipers to chatter .
0 Note
• Never use warm or hot water to rem ove snow and ice from
w indows and mirrors . This cou ld cause the glass to crack.
• T o preven t dam age to the wi re s of t he rear defogge r, d o not p lace
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the w ires .
• T o help p revent dirt from scr atching the w indow, always scr ape in
a forward direction - pushing t he scraper away from yo u - never back
and fort h.
• Water leaking from the ins ide of the rear windows may damage
sen siti ve e lectr ica l components loc ated ei ther unde r the rea r parce l
shelf or in the rear trunk area. Always ens ure that water never leaks
t hrough the body section o f th e veh icle. Yo u can do th is by usin g
waterproof protection over the vehicle 's electrical components (e.g.,
w hen installing w indow t int ing).
• Damage or ma lfunct ion of elect rical components due to water
damage or any other outs ide infl uen ce is not cove red by t he Aud i New
Vehicle Limited Warranty. See your Warranty
& M aintenance booklet
for addit io nal detai ls about your wa rranty. •
Weatherstrips
Complete car c are include s the weatherstrips as well .
- Apply a suitable rubb er condit ioner to t he weatherst rips
from ti me to ti me.
T o be able se al prope rly, the weathe rst rips a round the hood, doors,
rear lid, etc. must remain pliable . Spray the weatherstr ips w ith sili­
c one or coa t them wi th ta lcum powder o r gly cerin to reta in the flex i­
bility of the rubber and to protect them against freezing in the
w inte r.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 260 .
[I) Tips
Keep silicone sprays off the w indshield to avo id wiper smear in rain. •
Cast (light} alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
- Wash the whe els with a sp ong e or h ose b rush every o th er
w ee k.
- For deep cleaning afterwa rds, use only a ded icate d
acid­
free cast alloy wheel c leaner.
- Rub a coat of
liquid wax onto t he rims every three mo nth .
Be sure to reach and treat all parts o f the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels, some
special care is necessary. In addi tion t o ro ad dirt and sal t, br ake dust
is a lso corrosive. If left on for too long, brake dust can cause pitting . ..,_

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Use on ly spec ia l acid-free cleane rs form ulated for a lloy rims . Safe
pro duc ts a re availa ble at your auth oriz e d Audi dealer. Neve r leave the
cleaner on t he rims longer than specified on t he label. If not rins ed
off promptly, the acid containe d in some cleaners can attack t he
t hreads on the wheel bo lts .
N ever use abrasiv e or metal polish ing cleaning agents .
If the protec­
ti ve coatin g has bee n ch ipp ed, e.g . by kick ed up road dirt, to uch it up
as soon as possible.
& WARNING
• Moisture and ice on brakes may affect braking efficiency
~ page 243, "General information ". Test the brake s carefully
each time you wash the vehicle.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260. •
Body cavity sealing
The bod y cavi ty sealing does not ne ed to be checked.
All body cav ities which cou ld be affected by corrosion have been thor­
oughly pro tected at the factory .
T hi s sealing does not require any inspection or add itiona l treatment .
If any wax shou ld see p ou t of the cavity w hen the ambi ent te mper a­
tu re is high, it can be removed with a plastic scraper and a suitable
s o lve nt.
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous.
• Benzine is flammable and toxic . If you use benzine fo r
removing the wax, keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away . Never dump benzine on the ground , into open streams or
down sewage drains.
Safety first
& WARNING (cont inued )
• Be sure to observe all safety and environmental regulations.
Follow all instructions on the container .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260. •
Chassis
Have t he und erc oat ing checke d for dama ge fr om tim e to
t ime.
The lower body shell of you r Aud i is also thoroug hly protected against
c o rrosion.
Any damage to t he un dercoat ing caused by road haza rds s ho ul d be
repa ired promptly .
& WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong places can cause a fire.
• Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold, exhau st pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. While driv ing, the substance used for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260 . •
E x haust tail pipes
Road s alt and o ther corrosive m ater ials w ill damage the ma terial i n
the exha ust ta il pipes if they are not cleaned reg ularly. Do not clean
t he t ail pipe s with w heel cleaner, pai nt polish , chr ome polish o r oth er
abras ive cleaners . Clean the ta il pipes w ith car care produc ts that are
s u itable fo r st ainless stee l.
~
Vehicle care Technical data