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____________________________________________ D_ r_ i_ v _i_,ng and environment
New brake pads have to be "b urn ished in" before they have opt imal
grab ~& -
Dur ing the break-in period, you sho uld avoid putti ng severe loads on
the brakes. Severe loads include, for example, sud den ha rd brak ing,
i n part icula r a t very high s peed s or, for e xam ple, on moun tain passes.
& WARNING
New brake pads don't have the best stopping power and must be
" broken-in " during the initial 100 to 150 miles (150 to 200 kilo
meters ) of normal city driving . You can compensate for this by
p ressing the brake pedal more firmly . This also applies later when
new pad s are installed .•
Avoid damaging the vehicle
Whe n yo u are d riving on poor ro ad s, or ove r curbs, steep r amps, etc.,
ma ke ce rtain that low -lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
p arts do not bo ttom out and ge t damage d.
Th is is espec ia lly true for veh icles with low-slung chass is (sports
chassis)* and fully loaded vehicles .
a
Driving through water on roads
Note the fo llowing to avoid vehicle damage w hen drivi ng thro ugh
water, fo r examp le on flooded roa ds:
• The wate r must not be any h igher than the bottom of the vehicle
b ody .
• Do not dr ive faster tha n walk ing spee d.
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& 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 restore the full braking effect .
0 Note
Vehicle components such as the engin e, tra nsmission, sus pension or
elect rical system can be severe ly damaged by driv in g thro ugh water .
[ i ] Tips
• Check the depth of t he wate r before driving throug h it.
• Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or switch the e ng ine off
w hen driving throug h wate r.
• Keep in m ind that o ncoming vehicles may c reate waves that raise
t he water leve l and make it too deep fo r yo ur vehicle to d rive throug h
safely.
• Avo id drivi ng t hroug h sa lt w at er bec ause it can cause cor rosio n.
Catalytic converter
It is very imp ortant that your emission contr ol syst em
(ca ta lytic convert er) is functioning pro p erly to ensur e
t h at your vehic le is runnin g in an environment ally s oun d
man ner .
- Always use lead -f re e gasoli ne~ p age 269 , "Fuel sup ply" .
- Never r un th e t ank down a ll the way to em pt y.
- Neve r pu t too muc h mo to r oil i n y our eng ine ~
page 279,
"Add ing eng ine oil
'l!:r." .
- Never try to p ush- or tow-start your veh icle.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
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Driving and environment
The catalytic converter is an effic ient ''clean-up" dev ice built into the
ex hau st system of the ve hicle. The c ata ly tic converter bu rns many of
the pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
T he exclusive use of unleaded fuel is c rit ical ly import ant for the life of
the cata lytic converter and proper funct ioning of the eng ine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
e xhaust system may come in contact with dry grass, brush, fuel
spill or other material which can cause a fi re.
• Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproofing on or
near the e xhaust man ifold , exhaust pipes , catalytic converte r or
heat shields . During driving, the substance used for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
• Be aware that j ust one tank filling with leaded fuel will already
seriously degrade the performance of the ca talytic conve rter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil level =>
page 279.
• Do not dr ive until the fuel tan k becomes complete ly empty . The
engine could misfire . Unburned fuel cou ld also get into the exha ust
system and th is cou ld cause the catalyt ic converter to overheat .
• Do not tu rn o ff the igni tion while t he vehi cle is moving.
• Do not contin ue to operate your vehicle under these conditions, as
otherwi se fuel c an reac h the c atal ytic conve rter. This co uld res ult in
overheat ing of the converter, requir ing its replacement.
• T o ass ure eff icient ope ra ti on of the Emiss ion Cont rol System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the se rvice recommendations in your Wa rranty
& M aintenance
booklet. -
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the
veh icle w ill impair the f unc tion of the emiss io n con trol sys te m an d
co uld lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control System is operating p roperly, the
exhaust gas can have a s ulfur -like exhaust gas smell under some
operat ing states . This depends on the sulfur content of the fu el being
used. Using a different brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank with
lead -free supe r grade gasoline. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of d riving will det ermine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise le vels.
Fuel eco nomy, e nvir onmenta l impa ct, and wea r o n your eng ine ,
brakes and tires large ly depend on three factors:
• your persona l driving style
• operat ing cond itions
• t echni cal lim itat io ns
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you c an easily cut yo ur fuel consum ptio n by 10- 15 pe rcen t. T his
sect io n w ill give you some tips on how you can he lp the env ironment
and your pocket book.
[ i ] Tips
Th e consumption estimates as pub lished by ENV IRONMENTAL
PROTECTIO N AG ENCY ( EPA) and Transport Ca nada may not co rre
spond to your act ua l cons umption on the road, which will vary
Page 251 of 362

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
depending upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly 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 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 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 disturb the environment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and eng ine 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 permit. •
Reducin~ unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
-Shut the engine off when you are not driving the vehic le .
- Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the engine run at
idle.
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation 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
waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds saves
more fuel than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up fully when it is running
at idle. However, wear and noxious emissions are especia lly high
when the eng ine is warming up. So you should dr ive away as soon as
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 vehic le 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 condit ion
of your vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability to hold its val ue,
it also affects fuel consumption.
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
Th e 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 mileage has been driven.
You must dr ive your veh icle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oi l consumption .
Thi s also applies to fuel consumption and eng ine output.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 252 of 362

Driving and environment
0 Note
• Have your vehicle mainta ined properly and in accordance w ith the
service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the vehicle w ill
impair the function of the emission control system and could lead to
damage.
• 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 shields, switches,
ignition w ires, va lves, which are designed to protect your vehicle 's
Emission Control System and other important vehicle components .•
Fewer short trips
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 engine in a mid-size car only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 miles per ga llon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a half
a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100 km). After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operating temperature
and fuel economy has reached a normal level. So you can see that you
sho uld avoid short trips whenever poss ible.
The
outside temperature is also cr it ical in this regard . Your car
consumes more fue l in the winter than in the summer.
Page 253 of 362

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 . .,.
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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 252.
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 255 of 362

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 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 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, stopp ing 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 steer ing 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 340. •
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 .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 256 of 362
Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
- Place an automatic transmission* in P, respectively a
manual transmission in first or reverse gear.
When restarting after parking:
- Apply the foot brake.
- Start the engine.
- Move the selector lever to
D, respectively a manual trans-
mission in first gear.
- Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away
from the wheel chocks.
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel chocks.
00 Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmission* to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the P
position. •