
If you have selected a lower gear than the cur
rent one, the transmission w ill only shift down
when the engine cannot be overspeeded .
If kick-down is actuated, the transmission
shifts into a lower gear independent ly of
speed and engine rpm .
Steering wheel with Tiptronic ® controls
The selector paddl es allow the driver to keep
both hands on the steering wheel when shift
ing gears.
Fig. 101 Sport steer ing wheel w ith selector paddle s
Shifting up
.. Pull the right paddle, marked 0 ¢ fig. 101
briefly towards you .
Shifting down
.. Pull the left paddle, marked 0 ¢fig. 101
briefly towards you.
The selector paddles on the steering wheel
are activated when the selector lever on the
center console is in
D , S, or in the manual po
sition (Tiptronic mode) .
You can also shift gears in the Tiptronic mode
using the selector lever on the center console.
@ Tips
With the gear selector lever in either "D"
or "S" the transmission will switch back to
the automatic mode if you do not use the
paddles within approx. 30 seconds.
Transmission 91
Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac
celeration .
If you depress the accelerator pedal fully be
yond the full-throttle position, the transmis
s ion automatically downshifts one gear, de
pending on vehicle speed and engine rpm. The
upshift into the next higher gear takes place
as soon as the maximum specified engine
speed is reached.
_&. WARNING
Please note that the drive wheels can spin
if the kick-down is used on a smooth slip
pery road -risk of sk idding!
Launch Control Program
The Launch Control Program permits maxi
mum acceleration.
In order to use Launch Control, the ASR (Anti
Slip Regulation) must be disabled. When ASR
is disabled, the ESP warning/indicator light
I
in the instrument cluster illuminates. So that
Launch Control can be used, the engine must
be at operating temperature and the steering
wheel must not be turned .
.. With the engine running, briefly press the
ESP button. The message "ESP off" appears
in the instrument cluster display.
.. Shift the gear lever to "S" or the tiptronic ®
position.
.. Step on the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep the brake pedal fully depressed for
at least one second.
.. W ith your right foot, step on the accelerator
to the wide-open throttle position or Kick
down. The engine speed settles at about
3,200 rpm.
.. Take your left foot off the brake.
&_ WARNING
-
-Always adapt your driving to the traffic
flow.

92 Transmission
-Only use Launch Control when road and
traffic conditions allow it and other driv
ers will not be endangered or annoyed by
your driving and the acceleration of the
vehicle.
- Make sure that ESP remains enabled.
With the ESP disabled, the vehicle could
brake away, particularly on a slick and
slippery road -risk of skidding!
- Once acceleration is finished, switch ASR
on again by briefly pushing the ESP but
ton.
Back -up program
In the event of a system malfunction, there is
an back-up program .
In the event of system malfunction, the auto
matic transmission switches to the fail-safe
mode . All of the selector lever position dis
plays for the automatic transmission are high
lighted with a light background in the instru
ment cluster display . In some cases you can
not use reverse gear any more.
If the transmission switches to fail-safe
mode, you should take the vehicle to an au
thorized Audi dealership as soon as possible
to have the condition corrected.
Clutch is overheating
• Clutch is overheating! Please stop vehi
cle!
If the symbols are illuminated, the clutch is
overheating and could be damaged if you con
tinue to drive . Stop the vehicle and allow the
transmission to cool with the selector lever in
the
P position while the engine runs at idle. If
the warning does not turn off, do not continue
driving. See your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified repair facility for assistance. Other
wise serious transmission damage could re
sult. Once the indicator light has turned off,
drive to your authorized Audi dealer or quali
fied repair facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
Selector lever emergency release
If the vehicle 's power supply fails, the selec
tor lever can be released in an emergency.
-
-
-
-
-
-
---Fig. 102 Selector lever: Removing t he selector lever
boot
Fig. 103 Selector lever: Using the e merge ncy release
to move o ut of the Park pos it ion
The emergency release mechanism is located
in the right front area under the selector lever
shift gate. Using the emergency release can
be complicated. We recommend contacting
your authorized Audi dealer for assistance, if necessary .
Removing the selector lever boot
.. Activate the parking brake.
.. Carefully pry the selector lever boot out of
the trim @ using a small screwdriver .
.. Pull both sides of the selector lever boot up-
ward in the direction of the arrow @.
.. Fold the selector lever boot upward.
Selector lever emergency release
.. Press the release lever down and hold it in
place
~ fig . 103 .
.. Press the release button in the selector lever
© and move the lever into the N position. Iii>

~ Clip the selector lever boot back into the
shift gate after using the emergency re
lease .
I f the vehicle m ust be pushed or towed due to
a power failure (for example, the battery is
discharged), the selector lever must first be
moved to the N position using the emergency
re lease mechanism.
A WARNING
Only move the selector lever out of the P
position when the parking brake is activat
ed. Otherw ise, the vehicle could sta rt to
move unintentiona lly when the selector
lever is moved out of the P position.
Tran sm iss ion 93

94 Homelin k®
Homelink ®
Universal remote
control
General information
The Homelink ® feature can learn up to three
radio frequency codes for most current trans
mitters used for operating garage doors, es tate gates, home or outdoor lighting sys
tems , and other devices.
You must first program the Homelink ® trans
mitter before you can use the system
¢ page 95, Programming the HomeLink ®
transmitter.
In order to program the Home Link ® transmit
ter for devices utilizing rolling code, a second person on a ladder who can safely reach the
garage door opener motor is recommended.
It is also necessary to locate the "learn" but
ton on your garage door opener motor . Refer
to the operating instructions for the opener,
as the location and color of this button may
vary by manufacturer .
You can still use the original remote control
for the device at any time.
A WARNING -
- Never use the Homelink® transmitter
with any garage door opener that does
have not the safety stop and reverse fea
ture as requ ired by federal safety stand
ards. This includes any garage door open
er mode l manufactured before April 1,
1982.
- A garage door opener which cannot de
tect an object, signaling the door to stop
and reverse does not meet current feder
al safety standards. Using a garage door
opener without these features increases
risk of serious injury or death.
- For safety reasons never release the
parking brake or start the engine while
anyone is standing in front of the vehicle .
- A garage door or an estate gate may
sometimes be set in motion when the Homelink
® remote control is being pro
grammed. If the device is repeatedly ac
tivated, this can overstrain motor and
damage its electrical components -an
overheated motor is a fire hazard!
- To avoid possible injuries or property
damage, please always make absolutely
certain that no persons or objects are lo
cated in the range of motion of any
equ ipment being operated.
0) Tips
- If you would like more information on
Homelink®, where to purchase the
Homelink ® compatible products, or
would like to purchase the Homelink ®
Home Lighting Package, please call toll
free: 1-800-355-3515.
- For Declaration of Comp liance to United
States FCC and Industry Canada regula
tions ¢
page 244.

98 Driving Safel y
Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need
to read and observe for your own safety, the
safety of your passengers and others . We have
summarized here what you need to know
about safety belts, a irbags, ch ild restra ints as
well as child safety. Your safety is for us
priori
ty number 1.
Always observe the info rmat ion
and warn ings in th is sect ion -fo r yo ur own
safety as well as for that of your passengers.
The information in this se ction app lies to all
model ve rsions of your veh icle . Some of the
feat ures desc ribed in this sec tions may be
standa rd equipment on some models, or may
be optional equipment on others . If you are
not sure, ask your authorized Aud i dealer.
A WARNING
- Make certain that you follow the instruc
t ions and heed the WARNINGS in this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the
interest of your passengers .
- Always keep the complete Owner's Liter
ature in your Audi when you lend or sell
yo ur vehicle so that this important info r
mation will a lways be ava ilable to the
dr iver and passenge rs.
- Always keep the Owner's literature handy
so that you can find i t eas ily if yo u have
ques tions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint system and work together to help
reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations.
Your safety and the safety of your passenge rs
should not be left to chance. Advances in
technology have made a varie ty o f fea tures
avai la bl e to he lp re duce the risk of injury in an accident
. The following is a lis ting o f just a
few of the safety features in your Audi:
- sophis tic ated s afety be lts fo r drive r and a ll
passenger sea ting pos it ions,
- safety belt pre-tensione rs,
- fro nt airbags,
- knee airbags for the front seats,
- side airbags in the front seats,
- LATCH anchorages for child restraints,
- ad justab le steering column .
T hese ind iv idual safety features can wor k to
ge ther as a sys tem to he lp p rotec t you and
you r passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot wo rk as a system if
they are not always p roper ly adjusted and
properly used!
Safet y is everybody's re sponsibilit y!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occu
pant safety always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For yo ur safe ty and the safety of you r passen
gers,
befor e driving alwa ys:
"' Make s ure that all lights and signa ls are op
erati ng correctly .
"' Ma ke su re t hat the t ire p ressu re is co rrec t.
"' Mak e su re that all windows are clean and a f
ford good vis ibility to the outs ide.
"' Sec ure all luggage and other items caref ully
I:!) page 7 3.
"'Make sure that nothing can interfere with
the pedals.
"' Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height .
"' Inst ruct passe ngers to adjust the head re
st raints accord ing to the ir height .
"' Ma ke sur e to use the r igh t chi ld restraint
correc tly to protect c hild ren
¢ page 136,
Child Safety .
"'Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same
I:!) page 66,
General recommendations. .,_

.. Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly.
Also instruct your passengers to fasten the ir
safety belts proper ly ¢
page 107 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver's ability to concentrate on the road
without being distrac ted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the
veh icle and a ll of its occupants . If your ability
to drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and you also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road ¢
,&..
Therefore:
.,. Do not let yourself be distracted by passen
gers or by us ing a cellular telephone .
.. NEVER dr ive when your driv ing ability is im
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol, drugs, etc.) .
.. Observe all traffic laws, ru les of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense .
.. ALWAYS adj ust yo ur speed to road, traff ic
and weather condit ions .
.. Take frequent breaks on long trips . Do not
drive for more than two hours at a stretch .
.. Do NOT drive when you are tired , under
pressure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death when
ever a veh icle is being used .
Drivin g Sa fely 99
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig . 107 The correct d istance betwee n drive r an d
stee ring wheel
Fig . 1 08 Co rrec t head rest raint pos it ion fo r dr ive r
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
fol low ing position:
.,. Adjust the driver 's seat so that you can easi
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
<=> ,& .
.. Adjust the angle of the seatbac k so that it is
in an upright position so that your back
comes in full contact with it when yo u drive .
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be
tween the steering wheel and your breast
bone
c:> fig . 107 . If not possible, see your au
thorized Audi dealersh ip about adaptive
equ ipment .
.. Adjust t he steer ing wheel so that the steer
ing wheel and a irbag cover poi nts at your
chest and not at your face .

100 Driving Safely
• Grasp the top of the steering wheel with
your elbow(s) slightly bent.
• Adjust the head restraint so that the upper
edge is as even with the top of your head as
possible but no lower than eye level and so
that it is as close to the back of your head as
possible
t::;> fig. 108 .
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
t::;> page 110.
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle at all
times.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
¢page 67 .
.&_ WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it deploys. To help
reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between your breast
bone and the steering wheel.
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and
the lower part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the
outside of the steering wheel rim with
your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of per
sonal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with your hands at
other positions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Hold
ing the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands,
arms and head if the driver's airbag in
flates
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supple
mental driver's airbag to protect you in a
collision.
- Always sit in an upright position and nev
er lean against or place any part of your body too close to the area where the air
bags are located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
seats and head restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are prop
erly restrained .
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle
is moving. Your seat may move unexpect
ed Ly and you could lose control of the ve
hicle .
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in
jury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper seating posi
tion .
- Children must always ride in child seats
t::;> page 136. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
t::;> page 115.
Proper seat ing position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position
is important for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom
mend that you adjust the seat for the front
passenger to the following position :
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position and your back comes
in full contact with it whenever the vehicle is
moving.
• Adjust the head restraint so that the upper
edge is as even with the top of your head as possible but not lower than eye level and so
that it is as close to the back of your head as
possible
¢ page 101.
• Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of
the front passenger seat.
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
t::;> page 110.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see
¢ page 66.

A WARNING 1-=
Front seat passengers who are unbelted,
out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured or killed by the air
bag as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of
serious personal injury:
- Passengers must always sit in an upright
position and never lean against or place
any part of their body too close to the
area where the airbags are located.
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of po
sition or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured by an airbag as it un
folds with great force in the blink of an
eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front
passenger's breastbone and the instru
ment panel.
- Always make sure that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the front pas
senger's knees and the lower part of the
instrument panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of their own and properly fasten and
wear the safety belt belonging to that
seat .
- Before driving, always adjust the front
passenger seat and head restraint prop
erly .
- Always keep your feet on the floor in
front of the seat . Never rest them on the
seat, instrument panel, out of the win
dow, etc. The airbag system and safety
belt will not be able to protect you prop
erly and can even increase the risk of in
jury in a crash.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in
jury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper seating posi
tion.
- Children must always ride in child seats
c> page 136. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
c> page 115.
Driving Safely 101
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an im
portant part of your vehicle's occupant re straint system and can help to reduce the risk
of injuries in accident situations .
Fig. 109 Corre ctl y adju sted head restra int vi ewe d fro m
the side
The head restraints must be correctly adjust
ed to achieve the best protection.
.. Adjust the head restraint so that the upper
edge of the restraint is level with the top of
your head, but no lower than eye level and
so it is as close to the back of your head as
possible
c> fig . 109.
Adjusting head restraints c> page 70 .
A WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with
head restraints that are not properly ad
justed increases the risk of serious or fatal
neck injuriy dramatically . To help reduce
the risk of injury:
- Always drive with the head restraints in
place and properly adjusted.
- Every person in the vehicle must have a
properly adjusted head restraint.
- Always make sure each person in the ve
hicle properly adjusts their head re
straint. Each head restraint must be ad
justed according to occupants' size so that the upper edge is as even with the
top of the person's head, but no lower
than eye level and so it is as close to the
back of to the head as possible.
- Never attempt to adjust head restraint
while driving. If you have driven off and
•
•