2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET brake
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Intelligent technology
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Corrosion
T he re may be a te ndency fo r d irt to build u p on the bra ke pads and
co rrosion to form on the d iscs if the car is not dr iven reg ularly o r only
for short trips with litt le use of the bra kes .
If the brakes a re not used freq uen tly, or if co rrosion has formed o n
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
fir mly a few times from a mode rat ely h igh spee d~ & .
Faults in the brake system
If yo u sh ou ld noti ce a sudden increase in b rake peda l trave l, then one
of the two brake circu its may have failed~& .
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfunctions can occ ur in t he brake system if the brake fluid level is
t oo low. The bra ke f lu id level is moni tore d elec tron ically.
Brake lin ing wear status
Brake lin ing wear may be checked by v isua l inspect ion of the condi
tion of the brake pads throu gh the open ings in the whee l.
If neces
sary, the whe el may be removed fo r thi s insp ection~
page 320,
"Changing a w hee l".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit. Other
road users must not be put at risk - you may cau se an accident!
• Before descending a steep grade, reduce speed and shift trans
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake . This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance.
• Under certain climatic and operating condition s such as
passing through water , driving in heavy rain or after washing the
& WARNING (co ntinued )
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winter,
ice can ac cumulate on the brake pads, linings, dis cs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake appli cations.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without u sing your brakes can also affect braking efficiency . Clean
off accumulated salt coating from b rake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applic ations.
• If you damage the front spoiler, or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes i s not obstructed .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping di stance. Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop.
n
Brake booster
The b roke boost er odds extra broking po wer.
The bra ke boos ter wor ks wi th v acuum pressure whi ch is crea ted o nly
when the eng ine is ru nning~ &.
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working, for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged, the brake pedal mu st be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance. •
Page 247 of 364
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
Page 252 of 364
Driving and environment
Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km)
and afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km) .
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers):
Do not use full throttle .
- Do not drive at engine speeds that are more than 2/3 of
t h e m aximimum permitted RP M.
- Avoi d high engine speeds .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
- Spe eds can
gradually be inc reased to th e maximu m
permissib le road o r engin e sp ee d.
During and after break-in period
- Do not rev the engine up to high speeds w hen it is cold.
This applies whet her th e tra nsmission is i n N (N eutral) or
1n gear .
After the break-in period - Do not exceed max imum e ngi ne spee d und er any circu m
s ta nces .
- Upshi ft i nto the next hi gher g ear
befor e reachi ng the red
ar ea at t he end o f th e t achometer scale =>
pag e 8.
Dur ing the first f ew ho urs of d riving, the engine 's interna l frictio n is
higher than later when a ll the mov ing pa rts have been b ro ken in . How
we ll thi s brea k-in p roce ss is do ne depe nds to a considerable exte nt on
the way the veh icle is driven dur ing the first 1,000 m iles ( 1,500 ki lo
me te rs).
0 Note
E xtremely high engine s peeds a re au tom atic ally re duced . H owever,
these rpm limits are program med fo r a n engine we ll run-in, not a new
eng ine .
For the sake of the environment
Do not drive w it h u nnecessari ly h igh eng ine speeds -upsh ifting early
saves fuel, reduces noise and protec ts the env ironment .•
New tires
If y our v ehic le is ru nni ng on new t ires, d rive very ca refu lly for
the firs t 350 miles ( 500 kilome ters) afte r fitt ing .
& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must also be "broken-in ". Be
sure to remember this during the first 350 miles (500 kilome
ters ). Brake gently. Avoid following closely behind other vehicle s
or other situations that might require sudden, hard brak ing. •
Page 253 of 364
Driving and environment
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New brake pads
- -
Remem ber th at new brake pads do not have a full braking
e ffe ct du ring the first 250 mi les (400 ki lo mete rs) afte r they
are in sta lle d .
N ew br ake pads have to be " burnishe d in" before they have op tim al
grab~ &-
Dur ing the break-in period, you sho uld avoid putting severe loads on
the brakes . Severe loads include, for example, sudden ha rd bra king,
in part icu lar at very high s peeds o r, for example, on mountain passes .
& WARNING
New brake pads don't have the best stopping power and must be
" broken-in " during the in itial 100 to 150 miles (150 to 200 kilo
meters) of normal city driving. You can compensate for this by
pressing the brake pedal mor e firmly . This also applies later when
new pads are installed. n
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When yo u are driving on poor roads, or over c urbs, steep ramps, etc.,
ma ke ce rtain that low-lying pa rts su ch as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged .
This is es peciall y tr ue for veh icle s wi th low-slung chass is (sports
chassis)" and fully loaded vehicles. •
Driving through water on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage w hen drivi ng through
water, fo r examp le on floode d roa ds:
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
•
The wate r must not be any higher than the bottom of the vehicle
body .
• Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
& WARNING
After driving through water , mud , slush , etc ., the brakes may be
slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads . Dry the
brakes first by braking carefully to resto re the full braking effect.
0 Note
Vehicle components such as the engine, transmiss ion, suspension or
ele ct ric al sy stem can be severe ly d amaged by driv ing thro ugh wa ter.
[ i ] Tips
• C heck the de pth o f th e wate r before driving thr oug h it.
• Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or switch the engine off
w he n dr iving throug h wate r.
• Keep in m ind that oncoming vehicles may c reate waves t hat raise
t he water leve l and make it too deep fo r yo ur vehicle t o drive thr oug h
safely.
• Avoid drivi ng through sal t wa ter because it can cause corros io n.
Catalytic converter
It is very important th at your emission control s ystem
( c a ta lytic co n verter) is functionin g proper ly to e nsure
th at y our ve hicl e is ru nn in g in an en vir onm entally sound
m ann er.
- Alwa ys use lead- free g asoline=> p ag e 274, "Fuel sup ply".
- Never ru n the tan k down a ll the way to empty . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 255 of 364
Driving and environm ent
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[I) Tip s
The consumption estimates as published by ENV IRONMEN TA L
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre
spond to your actual consumption on the road, wh ich w ill vary
depending upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather conditions ,
trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly :1nd 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 a re accelerating. If you antici
pate what is going 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 l ight 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 disturb the environment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds . If you drive at approx imately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by one half.
Never dr ive faster t han the posted speed limit and weather condi
tions permit. •
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
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 veh icle by letting the engine run at
idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic jams, when wa iting for
trains to pass at railroad crossings, or at traffic lights that have long
wa its on red . Turn ing the engine off for just 30-40 seco nds saves
mor e fuel than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long t ime for the engine to wa rm up fully when it is run ning
at idle. However, wear and noxious emissions are espec ia lly high
when the eng ine is wa rming up. So you should dr ive away as soon as
you start the engine and avoid running at hig h rpms while the engine
is still warm ing 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 othe r property.
Regular mai n _t_ e_ n_a_ n_ c_e ___________ _
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
-Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals .
By having you r vehicle regularly serviced by an authorized Audi dealer
helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically . The condit ion
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to ho ld its val ue,
it also affects
fu el con sumpt ion.
C hec k your oil ea ch tim e you fill you r ta nk .
"1>
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 257 of 364
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
Page 258 of 364
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. _,
Page 259 of 364
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