2011 AUDI A5 COUPE instrument cluster

Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 183 Side airbag
location in the driver's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
=>
page 209, fig. 183. They are identified by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and external side impact sensors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.
The airbag system is monitored electronically to make certain that it
is functioning properly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds
(self diagnostics) .
The side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury to the driver's and front passenger's upper
torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision. The
airbag deploys only in side impacts and only when the vehicle acceler­
ation registered by the control unit is high enough . If this rate is
below the reference value programmed into the control unit, the side
airbags will not be triggered, even though the car may be badly
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
damaged as a result of the collision. It is not possible to define an
airbag triggering range that will cover every possible angle of impact,
since the circumstances will vary considerably between one collision
and another. Important factors include, for example, the nature
(hard or soft) of the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc.
=> page 210, "Important safety instructions on the side
airbag system" .
Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work to help keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a side
collision so that the side airbags can provide protection.
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it is
part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle. Always
remember that the side airbag system can only help to protect you if
you are wearing your safety belt and wearing it properly. This is
another reason why you should always wear your safety belts, not just
because the law requires you to do so=>
page 181, "General notes".
It is important to remember that while the supplemental side airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
also be associated with deployed side airbags. Remember too, side
airbags will deploy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents -
your safety belts are always there to offer protection .
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage are
not necessarily an indication of over-sensitive or failed airbag activa­
tion. In some collisions, both front and side airbags may inflate.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and only in certain
kinds of collisions -your safety belts are always there to offer protec­
tion in those accidents in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or
when they have already deployed.
The side airbag system will not deploy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor is
too low
• in front-end collisions
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Intelligent technology
'-------------------------------------------------
vi dual components. It regulates consumption, so that more electrical
energy is not being used than is being generated and ensures an
optimal state of charge for the battery .
[I] Tips
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits of physics.
Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
• If starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
~ page 245, "Driver notification in the instrument cluster display" .•
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining starting capa ­
bility.
Th e battery is severe ly taxed in short-distance driving, in city traffic
and during the cold time of year. Abundant electrical energy is
required, but only a little is generated.
It is also critical if the engine
is not running and electrical components are turned on. In this
instance energy is being consumed but none is being generated.
It is in prec ise ly these sit uations that you will notice energy manage­
ment actively regulating the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or weeks,
electrical components are gradually cut back or sw itched off. This
reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability over a
longer period.
Take into consideration that when you unlock your vehicle, some
convenience functions, such as the remo te key or power seat adjust­
ment, may not be available. The convenience functions will be avail­
able again when you turn on the ignition and start the engine.
W ith the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the engine turned off or
use other MMI functions, the battery is being discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy consumption, the
following warning appears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will switch off in
3 minutes.
Th e warn ing indicates that the system will be turned off automati­
cally after 3 m inutes. If you wish to continue using the functions, you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrica l energy is generated when the vehicle is being
driven, the battery can become discharged. This happens most ly
when little energy is being generated and a great deal consumed and
the battery's state of charge is not optimal.
T o br ing the ene rgy balance back into equilibrium, consumers which
require especially large amounts of energy are temporarily cut back
or switched off. Heating systems in particular require a great deal of
energy .
If you notice, for example, that the heated seats* or the
heated rear window are not heating, they have been temporarily cut
back or switched off. These systems will be ava ilable again as soon as
the energy ba lance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has been increased
slightly. This is normal and not a cause for concern. By increasing
eng ine id le speed the additional energy required is generated and the
battery is charged. •

Intelligent technology
--------------------------------------------------' '----'----
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If battery power drops into the range where it can limit the ability of
the engine to start, this is shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
Lo w b attery charge : batt ery will be charged while driving
Th is notification rem inds you that the starting capability of the
engine may be limited . As soon as you start driving again, the batte ry
w ill be recharged and the notification w ill go out.
Dri ver notification appears and goes out again
If th is dr iver notification appears after the ignition is turned o n or
while driving a nd it goes out again afte r a w hile, the battery has been
adequate ly recharged.
Driver no tification appears and does not go out
again
If th is dr iver notifica tion appears afte r the ignition is turned o n or
while driving and does not go out again, the battery 's state of charge
is not in the optimal range . Starting ability is restricted. Have the
battery checked as soon as poss ible by an au thor ized Aud i dea le r o r
qualified workshop. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
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 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

-Checking and filling
-------=----- -=-----------------------------------------
For more information about engine oil that has been approved for
your veh icle, please contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa .com or www.audicanada.ca . Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand names etc.) that conform to
Audi oil standard VW 502 00 .
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed according to the mileage
(kilometers) and time intervals specified in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet . Do not exceed these intervals - harmful
deposits from o ld engine oil can reduce engine performance and can
lead to expensive engine repa irs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating properties of oil decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, ask your authorized Audi Service Adviso r.
Under some circumstances the engine o il should even be changed
more frequent ly. Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the veh icle in dusty areas or mostly under stop­
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper­
atures stay below freez ing po int for long periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time. This is normal and is not a
reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essentia l that you change yo ur oil at the recommended intervals
using only engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to fa ilure to follow recommended main­
tenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dealer will have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a timely manner. •
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
eng ine components, all inte rnal comb ustion eng ines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change sign ifican tly over the life of the engine. Typically,
engines with a specified break-in period (see~
page 246) consume
more oil dur ing the break- in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stab ilized.
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on the
quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the oxidation level of the oil. As any
eng ine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consumption
may increase over time until replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With all these variab les coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified . There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbol in the instrument
cluster lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as possible
~ page 279. Top off the oil at your earliest convenience~ page 279.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS ~
& in "Working in the engine
compartment" on page
275.

___________________________________________ C_ h _ e_c _k _ i_n -=g ~ a_n _ d_ f_i _ll _i _ n -=g =--- ......J•
0 Note
Dr iv ing with an insufficient oil level is likely to cause severe damage
to the engine .
[ i ] Tips
• The oil pressure warning display~ is not an indicator of the oil
level. Do not rely on it. Instead , check the oil level in your engine at
regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and always
before going on a long trip .
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oil, we recommend that you consult an authorized Audi
dealer to have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed. Keep in
m ind that the accurate measurement of o il consumption requires
great care and may take some time. An authorized Audi dealer has
instructions about how to measure oil consumption accurately .•
Checking the engine oil level
Fig. 206 MMI Display:
Oil leve l ind icator
Read oil level
-Park your vehicle so that it is horizontally level.
- Shut the engine off when it is at operating temperature.
Vehicle OP-eration
-Wait approx . two minutes.
- Select: Function button
[CAR]> Oil level.
- Read the oil level in the MMI* Display => fig. 206. Add
engine oil if the bar of the oil level indicator is near "Min"
=>
page 279
Depending on the way the vehicle is driven and the operating condi­
tions, oil consumpt ion can be up to a 1/2 quart per 600 mi les (0.5
liter per 1,000 km). Consumption may be higher within the first
3,000 miles (5,000 km) .
[ i ] Tips
Th e oil level indicator in the MMI* Display is on ly an information
display.
If the oi l level is too low, a m inimum o il warning appears in
the instrument cluster. Add oil=>
page 2 79. If the hood has been
opened, the current oil level is shown in the instrument cluster the
next time the ignition is switched on .•
Adding engine oil Fig. 207 Engine
com partment: Oil filler
cap location
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 275. .,,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
pressure for a trip -even one that you would not consider to be
" long. " See =>
page 299, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
important information.
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking and
adjusting inflation pressures. Check all of the tires and be sure not to
forget the spare tire. If the pressure in any tire is too high when the
tire is "cold ," let air out of the tire slowly with the edge of the tire
gauge and keep checking the pressure until you reach the pressure
that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
driving you plan to do .
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the cold tire and the pressure you need and add the air
that you need to reach the correct pressure for the vehicle load
(passengers and luggage) for the tires on your vehicle as listed on the
on your vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you plan to
do.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire
sidewall for any reason.
Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not the tir e manufacturer,
determines the correct tire pressure for the t ires on your veh icle.
It is important to check the tire pressure when the tires are cold.
• Read the required tire pressure from the tir e pressure label. On
USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side 8-
pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either on
the driver 's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel filler flap. The tire pressure
label lists the recommended cold t ire inflation pressures for the
vehicle at its maximum capac ity weight and the tires that were on
your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For recommended tire
p ressures for normal load cond it ions, please see chapter
==> page 295.
• Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockw ise to remove it from the
tire valve.
• Place the air pressure gauge on the valve. •
The tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when the
ti res are cold . Th e slightly raised pressures of warm tires must not be
reduced .
• Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying .
• Reinstall the valve stem cap on the valve .
When should I check the tire pressure?
The correct tire pressure is especially important at high speeds . The
pressure shou ld therefore be checked at least once a month and
always before starting a journey . Do not forget to check the tire pres ­
sure for the spare wheel.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjust the t ire pressure to the load you are carrying . After chang ing a
wheel
or replacing whee ls you have to adjust the tire pressures on all
wheels. In addition, you must then initialize the new tire pressures in
the tire pressure monitoring system*=>
page 310.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure, loss of control, collision, serious personal injury or even
death.
• When the warning symbol appears in the instrument
cluster, stop and inspect the tires .
• Incorrect tire pressure and/or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control.
• The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pressure values are located on
a sticker on the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap. .,_

Tires and wheels -_____________________ ,,...
Applie s to vehicl es: wi th t ir e pr essure mon itor ing syste m
Tire pressure indicator appears
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument cluster
informs you if the tire pressure is too low or if there is a
system malfunction.
F ig . 217 Displ ay:
un derinfl ation
wa rn ing
Fi g. 218 Disp la y:
S yst em m alf unction
Us ing the A BS sensors, the tire pressure monitor ing system com pa res
the tire tread circumference and vibrat ion characterist ics of the ind i­
vidual tires .
If the pressure decreases in one or more tires, this is indi-
cated in the instrument cluster with a warn ing symbol and a
message => fig . 217 . T he driver message in the display goes out after
5 seconds. T he driver message can be d isp layed again by p ressing the
[SETj button. If on ly one tire is affected, the display will indicate its
posi tion.
Vehicle OP-eration T
he tire pressure mon itor ing system must be reset via radio or MMI*
e ach t ime the press ures a re adjus ted (e.g . when switching between
partia l a nd full load pressure) or after chang ing or replacing a tire on
your vehicle =>
page 312. You ca n find the recommended tire pres ­
sures for your vehicle on the label on dr iver's side B-p illar
=> page 295.
Tir e tread ci rcumference and vibrat ion ch aracterist ics ca n change and
cause a tire pressure warn ing if:
• the tire pressure in one o r more tires is too low,
• the t ire has structura l damage,
• t he ti re pressure w as changed, wheels rotated or replaced bu t the
TP MS was not reset=>
page 312.
Warning symbols
• Loss of pressure in at least one tire => & . Check the tire or tires
and replace or repa ir if necessary . The ind icator light
I in the instru­
ment cl uster a lso illuminates =>
page 14. Check/correct the pres­
s u res of a ll four tires and reset TPMS via r adio or MM I*.
il (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire pressure! System
malfunction.
If appears after sw itching the ignition on o r while dr iv ing
=> page 311 , fig. 218 and the ind icator light (1 in the instrument
cl uster blinks for a pprox imately one minu te and then s tays on, there
is a system malfunction. See your author ized Audi dealer as soon as
poss ible.
& WARNING
• If the tire pressure indi cator appears in the instrument cluster
display, one or more of your tires is significantly under -inflated.
Reduce your speed immediately and avoid any hard steering or
braking maneuvers . Stop as soon as possible and check the tires
and their pre ssure s. Inflate the tire pre ssure to the proper pre s­
sur e as ind icated on the vehicle's tire pres sure label =>
page 295.
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to _,,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data