2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET ABS

Intelligent t echnology
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Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The elec tronic differen tial lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
G en era l not es
The electronic differentia l lock (EDL) helps the ca r to sta rt moving,
accelerate and climb a gradient on surfaces provid ing poor or almost
no grip . W ithout ED L, this would be d iff icu lt, if not impossible.
How the sy stem works
The EDL operates automatically. It mo nitors the rota tional speed of
wheels with the help of the ABS sensors=>
page 245. If a not iceab le
slip is detected at the wheels (e.g. on slippery g round on one side),
the spinn ing wheels are braked and power is transferred to the other
wheels . This is done up to a speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h).
No ises from the brake system signal that wheel sp in is being
controlled.
Driv ing off
When d riving off, always be s ure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface with
less grip, apply
plenty of throttle until the car starts to move.
O verheating of bra kes
To prevent the disc b rake of the bra ked wheel from ove rhea ting if
subjected to excessive loads on this wheel, the EDL cuts out tempo­
ra rily. The vehicle remains operat io nal and be haves in the same way
as a veh icle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has coo led down, EDL switches on again auto ­
matically.
Electronic limited slip differential
In vehicles w ith front wheel drive *, an e lectron ic lim ited slip d ifferen­
tial engages when driving on curves . The brakes are applied spec ifi­
cally to the front wheel that is on the inside of the curve. T his m ini­
m izes sliding on the front wheels and enables precise and neutral dr
iv ing t hrouge curves. The electronic lim ited slip differentia l does
no t engage whe n driving in we t cond it io ns or snow.
& WARNING
• Wh en acc elerating on slipp ery s urface s, such a s on ice or snow,
always be careful when depre ssing the accele rator pedal. Even
with the EDL and the electroni c limited slip differential working,
the dr ive wh eels can spin and reduce you r ability to control your
c ar . -Ri sk of cra sh!
• The increased safet y afforded b y EDL and the electronic l imited
slip differ ential d oes not mean th at you can take safety risks .
Alw ay s adapt your d riving st yle to the road c onditions and traffi c
si tuation.
[ i ] Tips
If a fa ult occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not funct ioning. This is
ind icated by the ABS warn ing light=>
page 15 . •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is a ccelerating.
General notes
T he Anti-Slip Regu lation System (ASR) is in tegrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP) . When the veh icle starts up and acceler­
a tes, the wheels are preven ted from sp inning by adjust ing the engine
power to match the amount of grip ava ilable from the road surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatica lly, i.e. without the driver's intervent ion.
With the a id o f the ABS sensors=>
page 245, ASR moni tors the speed
of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, engine torque is
reduced automatically unti l the tires find enough grip to lock onto
the road s urface. The system is active across the entire speed range . .,

Intelligent technology
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The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR w ill also be out of action.
Activating
The ESP is automatically activated when the engine is started and it
performs a self-test. You can activate a deactivated ASR if required by
pressing the=>
page 240, fig. 213 button. When it is activated, the
message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display .
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if required by pressing the button (for less
than 3 seconds) =>
page 240, fig. 213. With the ASR deactivated , the
ESP check light comes on, see=>
page 14 . The message ASR off
appears in the display as well. The ASR can be deactivated at any
speed .
The ASR should normally be activated a ll the time. Only in certain
exceptional situations when some slip is desirable does it make sense
to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck .
When the abnormal situation is over, you should activate the ASR again.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[I] Tips
To ensu re that the ASR works properly, all four whee ls must be fitted
with ident ical t ires. Any differences in rolling radius of the t ires can
cause the system to reduce eng ine power when this is not desired.
See also=>
page 307, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Safety first
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending la rgely on ope rating conditions and driving habits=>& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic or
are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your authorized
Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte­
nance booklet.
Failure to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you should use the braking effect of the engine. This
way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you must
use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously. Pump the
brakes at intervals.
Noises may occur when brak ing depending on the speed, braking
force and outside cond itions such as temperatu re and humid ity.
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 31 mph (50 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in
regula r interva ls so as to improve reaction time when braking on wet
surfaces. You, the driver, will not not ice anything.
Under certain condit ions, for example, when driving through water or
very heavy rai n, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking effect
can be reduced due to moisture (or in free zing conditions ice) on the
bra ke pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off the brake
pads or remove any ice coatings.
Th e effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is
dr iven on a salt-covered road and the brakes are not used. H ere too,
you should clean off accumu lated salt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few careful applications of the brake=>&,.
Vehicle care Technical data

Intelligent technology
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Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS}
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up under braking.
The ABS contributes effectively to vehicle control since it prevents the
w heels from
locking whe n the brakes are applied . This means t hat t he
vehicle rema ins steerable and is less likely to skid.
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake. Ju st hold the brake
pedal down .
However, do not expect the ABS to shorten braking distance under all
circu mstances. When d riving on gr ave l o r on new ly falle n snow o n top
of icy s urfaces, braking distance may be even longer, therefore, under
t he se c ir cu mstances, i t is especially importa nt that you dr ive slowly
and with great care.
How the ABS system works
An a utomat ic check is made when a speed of about 12 mph (20 km/h)
is reached. When this happens, a pumping noise can be heard.
If an individ ual w heel beg ins to rotate too slow ly in relat ion to vehicle
speed and tends to lock, t he ABS automat ic al ly reduces brake pres­
sure to prevent t hat wheel from locking .
Thi s automatic adjustment process w ill cause a
slight vibrat ion of
t he bra ke ped al and some noises to aler t you th at vehicle s peed mus t
be adapted to existing road and traff ic conditions.
& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective , always remember that braking
capability i s limited by tire traction . Always adjust your driving
speed acco rding to the road and traffic condition s. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risk s.
T he ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
(I] Tips
•
If ABS is no t fun ct io ni ng prope rly, a wa rning light will come on .
See =>
page 15.
• If a fault occurs in the A BS, the EDL is also not functioning . This is
indicated by t he ABS warn ing light .•
Brake assist
Brake assist is designed to achieve the optimum braking
effect.
Bra ke ass ist helps to i ncrease the effe ctive br aking power and thus to
achieve a shorte r stopping distance . If the d river presses the brake
peda l very quickly, brake assist automatically boosts the bra king
force to the max imum level, up to the po int whe re the anti-lock b rake
function (ABS) intervenes to stop t he wheels from locki ng . You
should then keep the br ake peda l pressed unti l the veh icle has braked
to the required speed . Brake ass ist switches itself off as soon as you
re le ase the br ake pedal.
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast , especially in corners or on a slippery road , or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too clo sely. Increased ri sk of an
accident cannot be compensated for even by brake assist , so
alway s maintain a safe speed .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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

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

-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d___. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Your authorized Audi dealer can provide cleaning products that have
been tested and approved for your vehicle.•
Care of interior
App lies to ve hicles : w ith MM I
MMI display
-Clean the MMI display with a soft clean cloth and an LCD
cleaner .
The MMI display can be cleaned with a professionally available "LCD
cleaner" . The cloth should be slightly dampened w ith the cleaning
fluid to clean the display.
0 Note
To avoid scratch ing the MMI display, you should never clean it dry. •
Appli es to ve hicles : with MM I
MMI control console
-First clean the MMI control console with a brush to
remove dust from the housing.
- Then wipe the MMI control console with a clean, soft,
slightly damp cloth.
T he MM I control console should be cleaned with a brush first so that
no dirt is trapped between the buttons and the housing. We recom­
mend g iv ing the MM I control console a final wipe with a cloth moist­
ened with water and dish washing detergent .
0 Note
To prevent damage, make su re that no fluid ever gets into the MMI
control console. •
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
aluminum su rfaces . Chrome care p roducts and alkaline cleane rs will
attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=:>page 260. •
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabric coverings (e .g . seats, door tr im panels, etc.) should
be cleaned at regular intervals with a vacuum cleaner . This removes
surface dirt particles which could become embedded in the fabric
through use. Steam cleaners should not be used, because the steam
tends to push the d irt deeper in to the fabric and lock it there.
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge or a lint-free
microfiber cloth to the clean fabric. Brushes should on ly be used for
carpets and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces could be harmed
by brushes.
Normal surface stains can be cleaned using a commercially available
foam cleaner. Spread the foam on the surface of the fabric with a soft
sponge and work it in gently. Do not saturate the fabric. Then pat the
foam dry using absorbent, dry cloths (e.g. m icrofiber cloth) and
vacuum it after it has dried complete ly. _.,

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e.g. cof fee, fruit juice, etc .) can be
tr eat ed wi th a mild detergen t sol ution. Apply the d etergent solut ion
wit h a sponge. In the case of stubbo rn sta ins, a detergent paste can
be applied dire ct ly to th e stai n an d wo rked into the fabric. Afte r­
wards, use copious amounts o f clean water to remove the remaining
dete rgent . App ly the water w ith a damp cloth o r sponge and pat the
fabric d ry with an absorbent, dry cloth.
St ains from choco late or makeup shoul d have dete rge nt p ast e
rubbed in to them. Afterwards, remove the soap w ith wate r (damp
sponge).
Alco hol can be used to tre at st ains from grease, o il, lipst ic k or a ba ll­
point pen . M elted g rease o r dye must be patted o ff using absorbent
m ateri al. It ma y be nece ssary to ret re at th e ar eas with dete rgen t
paste and water.
I n t he case of general soiling of the upholstery and cover m ater ial, we
recommend hiring a specialist t hat has the eq uipment to clean the
seat covers and other fa bric surfaces by shampooing and spray
extract ion .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~page 260 .
[I) Tips
Open Velcro fastene rs on yo ur clothing can dama ge the seat cover .
Please make sure t hat Velc ro fasteners are closed. •
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear wate r to clean t hese
areas . For persistent dirt use an Au di app roved
solvent-free plastic
cleaner /protectant .
Safety first
& WARNING
Solvents can change the properties of some plastics and make it
harder for the airbag to deploy.
• Never clean the instrument panel or the surface of airbag
modules with cleaning products that contain solvent s.
• Products containing solvents will make the surface of this part
porous .
• Serious injuries can result if plastic parts come loose when the
airbag is deployed.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260 .
0 Note
Cleaning age nts co nta ini ng solvents w ill a ttack t he m ate rial a nd can
change the way it behaves .•
App lies to vehicles : w ith natural leathe r
Natural Leather
Audi m akes grea t e fforts to maintain the prop erties,
na tur al look and f eel of in terior leath er.
General
We offe r many different types of leathe r on our ve hicles. Most are
differe nt types of n appa lea ther, which ha s a smoo th s urface an d
comes in various colo rs.
Th e intensity o f the colo r de termines t he visual cha ra cte ris tics and
appearance . If the su rface of t he leather has a typ ica l natura l look,
then t he leathe r is a nap pa leather that has bee n left in a relat ive ly
na tura l co ndit ion . This leathe r offers part icu larly good comfort an d
breat hes wel l. Fine veins, closed gra ins, insect b ites, sk in fo lds, and
sub tle variat ions in co lor remai n visible. Th ese cha ract eristics d emon-
st rate t hat the mater ial is nat ural. ..,
Vehicle care Technical data

Cleaning and protection -
---------------=---------=----
Cleaning spots
- Remove fresh water-based spots (such as coffee, tea,
juices, blood) with a n abso rbe nt cloth or paper towe l.
- Remove fresh
grease or oil-based spots (such as butter,
mayonnaise, chocolate) w ith an absorbent cloth or paper
towel, or use the cleaner from t he leat her care kit if the
spot has not yet penet rated into the s urface of the
leather.
- Use an oil/grease dissolv ing spray, if
oil/grease spots
have dried on .
-Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpo int pe n, fe lt marker,
fingernai l polish , water -based pa int , shoe polish, etc .)
with a spot remover speci fica lly formu lated for leat her .
Leather care
- Ev ery half ye ar us e an a pproved leath er car e product
(avai lab le fro m yo ur authori zed Audi d eale r) to ca re for
the le ather .
- A pply the produc t very spa rin gly .
- Wipe it o ff with a da mp cloth.
If you have any quest ions about cleaning and car ing for the leather in
yo ur vehi cle, it i s be st t o co ntac t you r author ized Aud i dealer, who w ill
be glad to help you and tell you about our fu ll range of leather care
prod ucts, s uch as:
• Leather cleaning and ca re k it
• Creams to ca re for colored leat her
• Spot removers for ballpoint pens, s hoe polish, etc.
• O il/gre ase di sso lv in g sp ray
• N ew and upcoming prod ucts.
Safety first
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:=> page 260 .
0 Note
• Never use chemical so lvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine), waxes,
shoe po lish or similar products on the leather surfaces in your Audi.
• T o avo id da mage, have st ubbor n sta in s removed by a co mmerci al
clean ing specialist .•
A pp lies to v ehicle s: w it h Alcan ta ra upho lst ery
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Removing dust and dirt
- Moiste n a c loth, squ eez e out e xce ss wat er and wipe down
th e sea t surfaces .
Removing stains
-Mo iste n a clo th with luk ewarm wa ter or wi th dilut ed ethyl
(rubbing) alcohol.
- Dab at the stai n. Sta rt a t the outside and wor k in wards.
- Once the sta in is no lo nger vis ible , use a soft dry clot h or
t iss ue to soak up t he m oisture .
Do not use leather cleaning products on A lcantara .
Yo u m ay use a suit ab le sh am poo for removing dus t and d irt.
Dust and gr it in the pores and seams ca n scratch a nd damage the
s u rface . If the car is left s tanding in the s un fo r long periods, the
Alcanta ra sho uld b e prot ected aga inst direct su nlight to preve nt it
from fading. Slight co lor var iat ions will deve lop in no rma l use and are
not a n ind icatio n of material deterioration .
~
Vehicle care Technical data