Intelligent technology
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The ASR should normally be activated all the time . Only in certain
except ional 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 s ituation 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 ensure that the ASR works properly, all four whee ls must be fitted
with ident ical tires . Any differences in rolling radius of the tir es can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also=>
page 307, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automob iles are still subject to wear ,
depending largely on operating 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
Aud i dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte-
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation nance booklet.
Failure to have your brake pads
inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing 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 it ions such as temperature and humidity.
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in
regular intervals so as to improve reaction t ime when braking on wet
surfaces. You, the driver, will not notice anything.
Under certain cond it ions, for example , when driving through water or
very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking effect
can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice) on the
brake pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off the brake
pads or remove any ice coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is driven on a sa lt-covered road and the brakes are not used. Here too,
you should clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few careful applications of the brake=>& .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not dr iven regularly or only
for short trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
fi rm ly a few times from a moderately high speed=>& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake pedal travel, then one
of the two brake circuits may have failed=>& . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Intelligent technology!_ _______________________________________ _
Low brake fluid l evel
Ma lf u nctions can occ ur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is
too low . T he brake flu id level is monitored e lec tron ically .
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visua l inspection of the condi
t ion of t he brake pads through the open ings in the whee l. If neces
sary, the wheel may be removed fo r thi s inspection~
page 320,
"Changing a whee l".
& WARNING
• You should p erform braking maneuvers for the purpo se of
cleaning the brake system only if road condit ions permit. Other
road u sers must not be put at risk - you may cau se an accident!
• Befo re descending a steep grade, reduce speed and sh ift t rans
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often. Th is could
cause the brake s to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the b rakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. Thi s may cau se 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
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brake s can be reduced. In winter ,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings, discs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brake s will dry and ice coating s
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without using your brakes can also affect brak ing efficiency. Clean
off accumulated salt co ating from brake disc s and pads with a few
careful brake applications.
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you in stall a different
spoiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obst ructed.
Otherwi se the brake system could overheat reducing the effective
ness of the entire brake system .
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increa sed stopping di stance. Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop. •
Brake booster
The brake booster adds extra brakin g po wer.
Th e bra ke booster wor ks with vacuu m pressure which is created on ly
when the eng ine is running ~& .
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working , for e xample when towing
y our vehicle , or be cause the brake booster has somehow been
damaged , the brake pedal must be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of boo ster assistance. •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS)
AB S prevents the wh eels from locking up under braking .
The ABS co ntrib utes effe ctive ly to ve hicl e con tro l s in ce i t preven ts t he
wheels from
locking when the brakes are applied . This means that the
vehicle remains steerable and is less likely to s kid.
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake. Just hold the brake
pedal down.
However, do not expect t he A BS to sho rten b raking di stan ce u nder all
circumstances. W hen driving on grave l or on newly fa llen snow on top
of icy s urfaces, braking distance may be even longer, therefore, under .,_