2011 AUDI A5 COUPE brake

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 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. _,

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

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. •

-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d___. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
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 239, "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.
~

-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d___. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
- For deep cleaning afterwards, use only a ded icated acid­
free cast alloy wheel cleaner .
- Rub a coat of
liquid wax onto the rims every three mont h.
B e s ure to re ach a nd tre at all part s o f the rim .
To preserve the d ecorative ap pea ra nce of the cast alloy whe els, so me
special care is necessary. In a ddition to roa d dirt and sa lt, brake dust
is a lso co rrosiv e. If left on fo r too long, b rake dus t can ca u se p itting .
Use only spec ial
acid-free cleaners formulated for a lloy rims. Safe
pro duct s ar e availa ble at your author iz ed Audi de aler. Neve r leave the
cleaner on the rims longer than spec ified on t he labe l. If not rins ed
off promptly, the acid con tain ed in some cleaners can att ack t he
t hr eads o n the wheel bolts .
N ever us e abrasiv e or metal po lish ing cleaning a gents.
If the protec ­
t ive co ating has b een ch ipped, e.g. by kick ed up ro ad dir t, to uch it up
as soon as possible.
& WARNING
• Moisture and ice on brakes may affect braking efficiency
=> page 239, "General information" . Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 256. •
Body cavity sealing
Th e bo dy cavi ty sealing d oes n ot need to be ch ecked.
All body cav it ies which co uld be affecte d by co rrosion have been tho r­
oughly protected at t he factory .
T hi s sea ling does not require any inspection or additiona l treatment.
If any wax s hould seep ou t of the cavi ty when the amb ient temp era­
ture is high , it can be removed w it h a plastic sc raper and a suitable
so lvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous.
• Benzine is flammable and toxic . If you use benzine for
removing the wax, keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away . Never dump benzine on the ground, into open streams or
down sewage drains.
• 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 256. •
Chassis
Have th e undercoating c hecke d f or da mage fr om time t o
tim e.
Th e lower body she ll of your A udi is a lso thoro ug hl y protec ted against
co rrosion.
Any damage to the undercoating caused by road haza rds sho uld be
re paire d pr omp tly.
& WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong places can caus e a fire.
• Do not apply additional undercoating or ru stproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. While driving , the substance used for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=:>page 256 . •

Checking and filling Ill
-------------~--
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the struts is
reduced.
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fail to engage=:> &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area=>& .
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood:
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake.
Safety first
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to "P" (Park);
put manual transmission in Neutral.
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm. The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary:
-Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine is
running or being started, never touch:
-Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition
system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running: ..,
Vehicle care Technical data

lffll __ C_h_ e_c _k _i_n -=g :a,__ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ l _li _n _,g;._ __________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued )
-First, fully apply the parking brake , move selector lever of
automatic transmission to "P" (Park); put manual transmi s­
sion in Neutral.
- Alway s use extreme caution to prevent clothing, jewelry , or
long hair from getting caught in the radiator fan , V-belts or
other moving part s, or from contacting hot parts. Tie back hair
before starting , and do not wear clothing that will hang or
droop into the engine .
• Minimize expo sure to em is sion and chemical hazards=>& .
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
• Engine exhaust , some of its constituents, and certain vehicle
c omponents contain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and reproductive harm. In
addition , certain fluid s contained in vehicle s and certain products
of component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproduc­
tive harm.
• Battery posts, terminals and related acces sories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms. Wash hand s after
handling .
0 Note
When adding fluids, a lways make sure that they are poured into the
proper container or filler opening, otherwise serious damage to
veh icle systems w ill occur.
<£' For the sake of the environment
T o de tect leaks in time, inspect the veh icle floo r pa n from u nder neat h
regu larly. If you see spots from oil or other vehicle fluids, have your
vehicle inspe cted by an au thor ized Aud i dea le r.•
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
These are the most important i tems that y ou can chec k.
Fig. 205 Typ ical layout f or contain ers and engine o il filler cap
(D Jump start poi nt( +) unde r a cover . .... ..... .. .... 288, 3 29
@ Brak e fluid reservo ir ( ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
® Engine oil fill er cap(~) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
© Coolant e xpansion tank (- L ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
® Jump start point( -) with hex head screw ........... 288,329.,.