2012 AUDI A5 COUPE warning light

218 Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, p lease remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. Always
check with the trailer hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system . No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems . From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your vehi­
cle be struck from behind
¢ A.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations . The trailer
hydraulic brake system must not be
direct ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system
~ A.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trai le r.
Trailer lights
T railer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct wiring, switches, and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors . It is important
that you
always have clear vis ion to the rear.
,8. WARNING
- If a trailer has electrical brakes please
note that these brakes are not activated
by the factory-fitted control unit -risk of
accident!
- Afte r removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and
injure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
-
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 tra iler.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held secure ly
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ A in Driving instructions on page 219.
Engine cooling system
T owing a trailer makes the engine work hard ­
er. 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 tra ile r, inflate the t ires of your
vehi cle to the co ld tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the label located either on the
driver's side B-pillar (visible when the doo r is
open) or inside the f uel f iller flap. Inf late
trailer tires to trailer and tire manufact urers'
specifications .
Lights
The headlight settings should be chec ked w ith
the t railer attached before dr iv ing off. Check
to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be s ure trai le r sa fety chains are p roperly con ­
nected from the t railer to the hitch on the ve­
h icle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to per ­
mit turn ing corners . When you install safety
chains, make su re they w ill not drag on the
road when you are driving.
T he chains shou ld cross under the trai ler
tongue to prevent it from droppi ng in case of
separat io n from the hitch .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration.
To obtain the best poss ible handling of vehicle
and trai ler, p lease note the following:
.,. Do no t tow a loa ded tra iler whe n your car i t­
self is no t loaded .
.,. Be especia lly careful when passing other ve ­
hicles.
.,. Observe speed limits.
.,. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.,. Always apply brakes early .
.,. Monito r the t em perature gauge.
Weight distribution
Tow ing a loaded trai ler with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight . If this ca nnot be avo ided, drive at very
Trailer towin g 219
low speeds on ly to avo id t he ris k of losing
steering cont ro l.
A "b alanced " rig i s ea sier to op erat e and con­
tr ol. T his means t hat t he tow vehi cle should
be loaded to the extent possible and permissi ­
ble, while keep ing the trai ler as light as possi­
ble under the c ircu mstances . Whenever poss i­
ble, transfer some ca rgo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while obse rvi ng
tongue load requirements and vehicle load ing
cons idera tions .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more d iff icu lt it be­
comes for the driver to contro l the rig. Do not
drive at the maxim um permissib le speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather o r
wind conditions are unfavo rable -pa rticula rly
whe n going downhill .
Red uce ve hicle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slig htest s ign of sway ing .
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating .
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds
for vehicles tow ing tra ile rs are lowe r than for
regular ve hicles .
A lways apply brakes early. When driving
down hill, shift into a lowe r gear to use the en­
gine braking effect to s low the vehicle. Use of
the b rakes alone ca n cause them to overhea t
and fail.
Coo lant temperature
The coo lant temperat ure ga uge ¢ page 10
must be observed carefu lly. If the need le
m oves cl ose to t he upper end of t he scale, re­
duce speed immediately and/or turn off t he
a ir condi tioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light .
in the instrument cluster starts flashing, pull
off the road , stop and let the engine
i dle for
abo ut two minutes to prevent heat build-up .
A WARNING
Anyone no t properly restra ined in a mov­
in g ve hicle i s at a much gre ater r isk in an
a cci dent . N ever le t anyone rid e in yo ur car
-
•
•

Cleaning and protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value.
Any automobile is exposed to industrial
fumes , corrosive road salt, etc. A well cared
for Audi can look like new many years after purchase . Regu lar and correct care w ill con­
tr ibute to maintaining the beauty and value of
your Aud i.
F u rth ermor e, good c are may be a conditi on
for subs tantiati ng a w arrant y claim sho uld
c orrosion d amag e or paint d efects oc cur.
Your authorized Audi dealer has a variety of
dedic ated veh icle-car e products and can ad ­
vise which ones to use for cleaning the exter i­
or and interior of your vehicle.
Whether you use products recommended by
Aud i or other commercially available clean ing
agents, please make sure you apply them cor­
rectly .
.&, WARNING
-Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep
them out of the reach of children.
- Heed all caut ion labels.
- Always read directions on the container
before using any product. Follow the di­
rect ions carefu lly.
- Most chemical cleaners are concentrated
and have to be diluted .
- Use spot removing fluids only in well
ventilated areas.
- Do not use gasoline, kerosene, d iesel
fuel, nail polish remover or other volatile
fluids. They may be toxic, flammab le or
haza rdous in other ways. Do not wash,
wax or dry the vehicle with the ign it ion
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, e tc. w ithout pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may c u t yourself on sharp -edged metal parts .
Cleaning and protec tion 221
- Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing effic iency¢
page 207, General
information.
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle.
@) For the sake of the environment
Select on ly environmentally friend ly clean­
i ng products . Leftover cleaning products
should not d isposed of in the household
waste.
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent washing protects the vehicle .
The best protection against environmental i n­
fluences is
frequent washing and waxing . How
often t his is required depends on:
- How much the veh icle is used
- Where the veh icle is parked (garage, in the
open under trees, etc.)
- The seasonal and weather conditions
- Environmental infl uences
T he longer b ird droppings, insects, tree resin,
road and indus tria l gr ime, ta r, soot, road salt
and other materials remain on the vehicle body, the more lasting their destructive ef­
fects wi ll be . High temperatures caused by ex­
posure to intense sun light intens ify the corro­
s ive effect, particularly when humid ity is high
as well.
Under certain circumstances,
weekl y washing
may be necessary. Under other cond itions, a
monthly washing and waxing may be ade­
quate .
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle
should be thoroughly washed, preferab ly in a
professional car wash .
.&, WARNING ,_
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 221.
•
•

222 Cleaning and protection
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash.
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle
can normally be washed without problems in
an automatic car wash. However, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sign of the facility, the filtering of the wash
water, the type of wash and care material, etc. If the paint has a dull appearance after going
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi­
ately. If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing the
windows and the roof. Factory installed an­
tennas must not be removed.
If you have installed additional accessories on
the vehicle - such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c;, page 221.
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi­cle by hand.
., Before you start washing, make sure you
have read and understood the WARNINGS
r:::;, A in General information on page 221.
., First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then
rinse it off.
., As you clean your vehicle, start with the
roof and work your way down to the bottom,
using a sponge, a sponge glove or a clean
brush.
., Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often,
flushing it clean each time.
., Use special car shampoo only for very per­
sistent dirt.
., Rinse the car thoroughly with water .
., Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the ex­
terior dry. Use
a separate sponge for cleaning the
wheels, door sills and other regions exposed
to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch
the paint with coarse particles imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the car.
A WARNING
---Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts without protecting your
hands and arms. You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c;, page 221.
0 Note
- Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the vehicle is dry. Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, since this
could scratch your vehicle's paint or win­
dows.
- Never wash your car in bright sunlight.
Drops of water act as magnifying lenses
and may damage your paint.
-When you wash your car in the winter: if
you rinse your vehicle with a hose, be
careful not to aim the stream of water
directly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings - they can freeze shut.
- Never use sponges designed to remove
insects, or any kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products. They can damage
your paint finish .
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis, for example when refuel­
ing your vehicle. Never use a dry cloth or
sponge to clean the headlights. Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent
scratches. It is best to use soapy water.
@ For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the ve­
hicle should only be washed in special
wash bays .

Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple rules.
~ Before using the powe r washer, make sure
you have read a nd u nderstood the WARN­
INGS¢ &.
in General information on
page 221.
~ Always fo llow the operating instructions for
the power washer .
~ Make sure that the jet on the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped spray" .
~ Do not hold the spray nozzle too close to
soft materia ls.
When clean ing the veh icle w ith a power wash­
er
always follow the operating instructions.
This applies particularly to the
operating
pressure
and the s praying distanc e. Maintain
a sufficient d istance to soft materials such as
r ubber hoses and sound/vib rat ion deadening
materia ls (par ticu larly on the underside of the
engine hood) . Do not use a jet which sprays
water in a direct st ream or one t hat has a ro­
tat ing
jet.
Wa ter tempe ratu re shou ld no t excee d 140 ° F
(60 °().
& WARNING
Never wash tires w ith a jet that s prays wa ­
ter in a direct stream . This cou ld cause in­
visib le damage to the tires and weaken
them, even if the spray is from a relatively
long distance a nd for a short time . Dam­
aged a nd weakened t ires can fai l and cause
accidents and persona l injury .
(D Note
To avo id damag ing your vehicle, always
make sure that there is sufficient distance
between t he spray head a nd soft mate rials
like rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound­
deadening mate rials. Never a im the spray
head at t he sa me po in t for a long ti me.
This also applies to clea ning he ad lig hts
and p ainted bumpe rs . Remember: the
Cleaning and protec tion 223
closer the no zzle is to the surface of the
mater ia l, the greater the stress on t he ma­
terial.
Waxing and Polishing
Wa xing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint
to a large extent against the environmental
factors listed under¢
page 221, Washing and
even against s light scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your
paint as soon as one wee k after your vehicle
has been delivered.
Even if you regular ly use a
wa xing process in
automat ic car washes, we recommend that
you manually apply a coat of wax to g ive the
paint extra protection, part icularly if water no
longer beads on t he clean paint .
Protect plastic body parts with car wax in the
same way as the veh icle body.
D uring warm wea ther dead insects tend to
collect on t he front bumper an d on the fo r­
ward area of the hood. They are much easier
to remove from pa int that is waxed
often.
Polishing
Polish your vehicle only if the paint has lost its
shine and the gloss cannot be broug ht back
with wax .
If the po lish used does not co ntain preserva­
t ive compoun ds, the pain t must be waxed a f­
te rwards.
& WARNING
A lways read and heed all WAR NIN GS and
other information ¢
page 221.
(D Note
Do not use ca r wax on
- matte o r anodized met al trim
- ru bber or ru bber- like trim.
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•

224 Cleaning and protection
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care.
For environmenta l reasons, Audi fabricates
the bright tr im strips and trim pieces from
pure chromium-free aluminum.
Dirt and marks on the trim strips should be
removed with a
pH -b ala nced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleaner). Authori zed Au­
d i dealers carry clean ing products wh ich have
been tested for use on your veh icle and are
not harmful to the env ironment .
To avoid corros ion on the exterior trim strips,
only a pH-balanced solution should be used
for the w indshield washer .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
c:> page 221.
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care .
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light surface dirt. For other soil, use
a lukewarm all-purpose clean ing solution or a
mild saddle soap for vinyl trim. Remove water
spots and traces of soap w ith a clean, damp
clot h or sponge. Use a clean, soft clot h to rub
d ry.
Grease, tar or oil stains can be removed with a
clean cloth or sponge soaked w ith all-purpose
cleane r or with a solvent designed especially
to clean viny l.
Occasionally apply a colorless vi nyl or leather
preservat ive to reta in the material 's luste r
and p liability.
A WARNING
Alw ays read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c:> page 2 21.
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots
and deposits from aluminum s urfaces. Chrome care products and a
lkaline cleaners
will attack a luminum surfaces and can dam­
age them over t ime.
A WARNING "--
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c:> page 221.
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up
immediately.
... Use either a touch-up paint stick or spray
paint to cover m inor scratches and nicks .
Your a uthorized Audi dea ler has touch- up
paint for minor scratches and stone chips.
Scratches sho uld be to uched up soon after
they occ ur to prevent corrosion.
If a spot starts to rus t, however, a s imple
touch -up job will not be eno ugh. The affected
s u rface m ust be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti-rust prime r before the painted
finish can be restored.
T he number for the original veh icle paint can
be fo und on the vehicle identification label
c=> poge 290 .
I
'
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c:> page 221.
Windows
Clear vision to oil sides.
C lean all w indows regularly to remove road
film and car wash wax buildup.
.,. Remove snow from w indows us ing a b rush .
... Use a plastic ice s craper to remove i ce from
w indows and m irrors.
... Remove ot her residue on the windows with
a spray-on g lass cleaner .
... Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of
cloth or kitchen paper towel.

The best way to remove snow from windows
and mirrors is to use a brush. Use a non-abra­
sive
plastic ice scraper -better still, a spray
deicer -to remove
ice from windows and mir­
rors.
The windows must not be cleaned with insect
remover or wax sin ce these can interfere with
the function of the windshield wiper blades
(chatter).
Oil, grease, or silicone residue can be removed
with
glass cleaner or silicone remover. How­
ever, wax residue require s the use of a special­
ly formulated solvent. Please contact your au­
thor ized Audi dealer for advice on safe prod­
ucts for wax removal.
Windows should also be cleaned on the inside
at regular intervals.
Never dry windows with the same chamois
that you use to dry painted surfaces. Wax resi­
due on the chamois can impair vision through
the windows.
A WARNING
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
r::.> page 221.
- The windshield must not be treated with
water-repellent materials. They can in­
crease glare under poor visibility condi­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the horizon. In addi­
tion, they can cause the windshield wip­
ers to chatter.
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors.
This could cause the glass to crack.
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
stickers on the inside of the rear window
over the wires.
- To help prevent dirt from scratching the
window, always scrape in a forward di­
rection -pushing the scraper away from
you -never back and forth.
Cleaning and protection 225
-Water leaking from the inside of the rear
windows may damage sensitive electrical components located either under the
rear parcel shelf or in the rear trunk area.
Always ensure that water never leaks
through the body section of the vehicle.
You can do this by using waterproof pro­ tection over the vehicle's electrical com­
ponents (e.g. when installing window
tinting) .
- Damage or malfunction of electrical
components due to water damage or any
other outside influence is not covered by
the Audi New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
See your Warranty
& Maintenance book­
let for additional details about your war­
ranty.
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
.,. Wash the wheels with a sponge or hose
brush every other
week .
.,. For deep cleaning afterwards, use only a
dedicated
acid-free cast alloy wheel cleaner.
.,. Rub a coat of
liquid wax onto the rims every
three month. Be sure to reach and treat all
parts of the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the
cast alloy wheels, some special care is neces­
sary. In addition to road dirt and salt, brake
dust is also corrosive . If left on for too long,
brake dust can cause pitting.
Use only special
acid-free cleaners formulated
for alloy rims. Safe products are available at
your authorized Audi dealer. Never leave the
cleaner on the rims longer than specified on
the label. If not rinsed
off promptly, the acid
contained in some cleaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bolts.
Never use abrasive or metal polishing clean­
ing agents. If the protective coating has been
chipped, e.g. by kicked up road dirt, touch it up as soon as possible . .,..
•
•

226 Cleaning and protec tio n
8_ WARNING
- Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency¢
page 207, General
information.
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the veh icle .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
-
other information ¢ page 221.
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked .
All body cavities wh ich could be affected by
corrosion have been thoroughly protected at
the factory.
This sea ling does not require any inspection or
additional treatment. If any wax should seep
out of the cav ity when the ambient tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed w it h a plastic
scraper and a suitable solvent.
8_ WARNING , ~
Solvents can be dangerous .
- Benzine is flammable and toxic . If you
use benzine for removing the wax, keep
spar ks, flame and lighted c igarettes
away. Never dump benzine on t he
ground, into ope n streams or down sew­
age drains.
- Be sure to observe all safety and env iro n­
me ntal regulations. Follow all instruc­
t ions on the con tainer .
- Always read and hee d all WARN INGS and
other information
¢ page 221 .
Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Audi is also thor­
ough ly protected against corrosion .
Any damage to the undercoating caused by road hazards shou ld be repa ired promptly .
8_ WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong p la­
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additional undercoating or
rustp roofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
ver ter or heat shields. While driv ing, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other info rmation ¢
page 221.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and o ther co rrosive materials w ill
damage the material in the e xhaus t tail pipes
i f they a re not cleaned regular ly . Do not clean
the tail pipes with w hee l cleaner, paint polish,
chrome polish or other abras ive cleaners .
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
that are suitable for sta inless steel.
Your a uthorized Audi dea ler can provide clean­
ing products that have been tested and ap­
proved for your vehicle .
Care of interior
MMI display
Applies to vehicles: with MMI
.,.. Clean the MM I d isplay with a soft clean
cloth and an LC D cleaner .
T he M MI display can be cleaned wit h a profes­
s io nally available " LCD cleane r". The cloth
sho uld be slightly dampened with the clean­
ing fluid to clean the disp lay.
(J) Note
To avoid sc ratching the M MI disp lay, yo u
shou ld neve r clean it dry.
MMI control console
Appl ies to vehicles: wit h MMI
.,.. First clean the MMI contro l conso le w ith a
brush to remove dust from the housing . .,..