198 Intelligent technology
@ Tips
- ABS and ASR on ly work correctly when
all four wheels are equipped w ith identi
ca l tires. Different tire si zes can lead to a
reduct ion in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems described are working.
- If the indicato r light
DJ or 11:11 (USA
models) 1i] (Canada models) appears,
there may be a malfunctio n¢
page 20,
¢ page 19.
Switching on and off
ESC turns on au toma tic ally when you s tart
t he engine.
F ig . 18 1 Cen te r con sol e w it h ESC OF F but ton
Sw itching sport mode on
Press the I~ OF FI button c::> fig . 181 . The ac
tions taken by the ESC system to stabilize the
ve hicl e are lim ited. In vehicles with front
wheel drive, the anti -s li p reg ulation (ASR) is
lim ited . In vehicles with a ll-wheel drive, the
ASR is switched off. The
It) ESC ind icator light
turns on and the message
St abili zation co n
trol (ESC): Off Warning ! Reduced stabilit y
¢.&. appears in the driver informa tion system
d isplay.
The follow ing examples are unusua l situa
tions where it may make sense to switch sport
mode on in orde r to allow the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle back and forth when it is
stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving wi th s now cha ins
Switching sport mode off
Press the 1.$ O FF I button again. The I indica
tor light t urns off and the message
Stabiliza
tion control (ESC): On
appea rs in the dr iver
information system disp lay .
A WARNING
-
-Drive whee ls can sp in and you can lose
control of the vehicle more easi ly when
ASR and ESC are in sport mode, especial
ly when the road is slippe ry .
- Sw itch to sport mode only when your
driving skills, traffic and weather condi
tions permit .
@ Tips
- You cannot switch sport mode on when
adaptive cru ise contro l* is working .
-
- If the rear spoi ler system malfunct ions,
sport mode may not switc h on or it may
switch off agai n automatically .
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling
and enhances driver control.
Fig . 182 Center co n so le: Sw it c h for rea r s poile r
The rea r spoi le r deploys and retracts. Spoiler
operation can be se t fo r automat ic or ma nual
operation.
Automatic mode (normal operation)
- Au tomatic deployment : At a speed of about
8 0 mph (130 km/h), the rea r spo ile r deploys
au tomatically.
- Automati c retr act ion: When speed drops be
low abou t 50 mph (80 km/h), the rear spoil-
er retracts a utomat ica lly. ..,.
Manual mod e
-Manua l dep loyment: Tapping b riefly on the
switch
¢ fig. 182 dep loys the rear spoiler.
- Manua l retraction: A t speeds up to abo ut
10 mph (20 km/h) , ret ract the rear spoiler
by pressing and holding the switch
¢ fig. 182 . At speeds between 10 mph (20
km/h) and 80 mph (130 km/h), retract the
rear spoiler by tapping on the switch
¢ fig . 182.
In dicat or light s
rJ /. R ea r spoiler: system m alfun ct io n!
The rear spoiler may not have extended due to
a ma lf u nction. This could change the vehicle 's
driving characteristics at high speeds . Do not
exceed 85 mph (140 km/h). Drive to your au
thorized Audi dealer immed iate ly to have the
malfunction corrected. The co lor of the indica
tor light depends on the vehicle speed.
A WARNING
Dr iv ing at higher speeds w ithout the rear
spoiler dep loyed can impair handling char
acteristics, making the veh icle harde r to
cont ro l.
- Always make sure that the spoiler is de
ployed when driving at speeds over
85 mph (140 km/h). If the rear spoiler
warning/ind icator light in the i nstr u
ment cluster comes on, the rear spoiler
may not have dep loyed .
- Never drive at speeds higher than
85 mph (140 km/h) if the spoiler is not
deployed. Have the spoiler inspected as
soon as possible by an authorized A udi
dealer or qualif ied workshop.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf
fic laws.
A WARNING
Improper operation of the rear spoiler can
cause crushing injuries.
- Always make sure that nobody, especially
children, is in the way when the rear
spoiler is deployed or retracted.
Int ellig ent technolog y 199
@ Note
-Never push the vehicle or apply force to
the rear spoiler -it could be damaged.
- Only operate the rear spoiler manua lly
when the rear lid is closed . Otherwise,
damage cou ld occur.
(D Tips
C lean the spoiler compa rtment every 2 to
3 months. The spoiler compartment must
a lways be free of ice, snow, leaves or other
debris .
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating condition s and dri ving h abit s
The brakes on today's automobiles are still
subject to wear, depending largely on operat
ing condit ions and driving habits ¢.&, . On
vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop
and-go c ity traff ic or are dr iven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author
ized Audi dea ler more often th an specified in
the
Warran ty & Maintenan ce boo kle t. Failure
to have you r brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you sho uld use the braking
effect o f the engine . This way, you prevent un
necessary wear on the b rake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down cont inuous ly. Pump the brakes at inter
vals.
Mo istur e or road salt
U nder certain conditions , 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
free zing cond itions ice) on the brake pads. A
few carefu l brake applications should dry off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings .
When you are driving at higher speeds with
the windshield w ipers on, the brake pads will
Ill-
•
•
200 Intellig ent technol ogy
briefly touch the brake d iscs in regular inter
va ls so as to improve reaction time when brak
ing on wet surfaces. You the driver wi ll not no
tice anything.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered road and the brakes are not used . Here too,
you should clean off accumu lated salt coating
from brake discs and pads with a few careful
applicat ions of the brake¢,& .
Co rrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to bui ld 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 cor rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed <=>,& .
Fa ul ts in th e brak e sys te m
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, then one of the two brake
circu its may have failed¢,& .
Low b rak e flu id l evel
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fl uid level is too low. The brake fluid
level is monitored electronically .
Brake booster
The brake booster wor ks w ith vacuum pres
sure which is created only when the engine is running
c> ,& .
Brake lining wear st atu s
Brake lining wea r may be checked by visual in
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the whee l. If neces
sary, the wheel may be removed for this in
spection ¢ page 269, Changing a wheel .
_& WARNING
-You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit .
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may ca use an accident!
- Before descend ing a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear o r lower dr iving range. Do not ride
the br akes or ho ld the pedal down too
long o r too often . T his could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake. This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operat ing
conditions such as passing through wa
ter, dr iving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winte r, ice can
accumu late on the bra ke pads, lin ings,
d iscs and drums. Carefully app ly bra kes
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coa t
ings wi ll be cleaned off after a few care
fu l brake applicat ions.
- Driving for an extended period of t ime on
salt -covered roads without using your
brakes can a lso affect braking efficiency .
Clean off accum ulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the a ir
f low to the front brakes is not obstruct
ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effective ness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impa ir
the braking capab ility result ing in an in
creased stopping distance . Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near
est A udi dealer or qualified workshop .
- Never let the vehi cle roll to a s top with
the eng ine shut off.
202 Intellig ent technol ogy
8_ WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traf
fic condit ions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by all-wheel dr ive tempt you into
taking extra r isks.
-Although the all-wheel dr ive is very ef
fective, always remember that braking capacity is limited by ti re traction. You
should the refore not drive at excessive
speeds on icy or sl ippery road su rfaces.
- On wet road su rfaces, be careful not to
dr ive too fast because the front wheels
cou ld beg in to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning) . If this sho uld occur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in crease in engine speed as with a front
wheel drive vehicle. Always drive at
speeds wh ich are suited to the road con
ditions - risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting the engine.
I f a vehicle with a conven tional energy system
is not driven for a long period of time, the bat
tery is discharged by idling current cons umers
(e .g. immobilizer) . In ce rtain circumstances it
can result in there being insufficient energy
avai lab le to start the engine.
I ntelligent energy management in your veh i
cle handles the distribution of electrical ener
gy . Starting ab ility is marked ly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy managemen t consists o f
batter y di agno sis, idling current m an age
ment
and d ynamic ene rgy man agement.
B attery diagnosis
Battery d iagnosis continuously dete rmines
the state of the battery. Senso rs determ ine
battery vo ltage, battery cur rent and battery temperature
. This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling current manag ement
Idling cur rent management reduces energy
consumption while the vehi cle is standing.
With the ign ition switched off, it controls the
energy supp ly to the various electrical compo
nents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid
ered.
Depend ing on the battery's state of cha rge,
individual consumers are gradually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of the battery
and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic en ergy m anag em ent
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic en
ergy management distr ibutes the energy gen
erated according to the needs of the individ u
al components. It regulates consumption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
than is being generated and ensures an opti
mal state of charge for the battery.
(D 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, the indi
cator light(•] appears
c::> page 17.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severe ly taxed in short-distance
driv ing, in city traff ic and during the cold time
of year. Abundant electrical energy is re
quired, but on ly a little is generated . It is also
crit ical if the engi ne is not running and electri
ca l components are turned on . In this in
stance ene rgy is be ing consumed but none is
being genera ted.
It is in prec isely these s ituations that you will
notice ene rgy management active ly regu lat-
ing the d istribu tion of ene rgy.
1111>
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive you r vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo
nents are grad ually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main
tains starting capabi lity over a longer period.
Some of the convenience functions may not
operate, such as the inter ior lights or the
power seat adjustment . The conven ience
functions will be ava ilable again when you
switch on the ignit io n and start the engine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the engine turned off or use other MMI func
tions, the battery is being discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to en
ergy consumpt ion, the following warning ap
pears in the MMI display:
Please start the engine soon or the system
will be turned off.
The warning indicates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 minutes. If
you wish to continue using the functions, you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is genera ted when
the vehicle is being driven, the battery can be
come discharged. This happens mostly when
litt le energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is not optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equili
brium, consumers which require especially
large amounts of energy are temporarily cut
back or switched off. Heating systems in par
ticular requ ire 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 ilabl e 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 engine idle
Intelligent technology 203
speed the additional energy required is gener
ated and the battery is charged.
•
•
204 Driving and environment
Driving and
environment
The first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the fir st 600 miles (1,000
kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle.
... Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM.
... Avoid hig h engine speeds.
From 600 to 1,000 mile s (1 ,000 to
1,500 kilometers):
... Speeds can gradually be increased to the
max imum pe rm iss ible road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in per iod
.,. Do not rev the engine up to high speeds
when it is cold. Th is app lies whether the
transm ission is i n N (Neutra l) or in gear.
After the break-in period
... Do not exceed maximum engine speed un
der any circumstances.
.,. Upshift into the next hig her gear
before
reaching the red area at the end of the tach
ometer scale
c:> page 11.
During the first few hours of driving, the en
g ine's interna l friction is higher than later
when all the moving parts have been broken
in . How well this break- in p rocess is do ne de
pends to a conside rable extent on the way the
ve hicl e is driven d uring the first 1,0 00 miles
(1, 500 k ilome ters).
0 Note
E xtremely high engi ne speeds are auto
mat ica lly reduced. However, these rpm
lim its are progr amme d for an engine well
r u n- in, not a new engine .
{® For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high en
g ine speeds - upshifting ear ly saves fuel,
reduces no ise and protects the environ
ment.
, New tires
If your vehicle is runni ng on new tires, drive
part icularly caref ul for the first 350 miles
(500 kilomete rs) afte r fitt ing .
A WARNING
New tires tend to be sl ippery and mus t al
so be "broken -in" . Be s ure to remember
this dur ing the fi rst 350 mi les (500 kilo
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llow ing
closely behind other vehicles or other sit
uations that m ight require sudden, hard
braking .
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a
full bra king effect dur ing the fi rst 250 m iles
(400 kilomete rs) afte r they a re insta lled .
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" be
fo re t hey have optima l grab
c:> A .
During the break- in period, you should avoid
putting severe loads on the brakes. Severe
l oads include, for example, sudden hard brak
i ng, in particular at very high speeds or, for
example, on mounta in passes .
A WARNING
New b rake pa ds don't have t he bes t stop
pi ng power and mus t be "broke n-in " dur
i ng the in iti al 1 00 to 150 mi les (150 to
20 0 kilometers) of no rma l city driving . You
can compensate for this by pressing the
br ake peda l mo re f irm ly . This also applies
l ater when new pads are installed.
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission control system (catalytic converter) is function
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run
ning in an environmentally sound manner .
.. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 225,
Fuel supply.
.,. Never run the tank down all the way to
empty.
.,. Never put too much motor oil in your en-
gine
¢ page 235, Adding engine oil~-
.,. Never try to push- or tow-start your veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an eff icient "clean
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle . The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
importa nt for the life of the cata lytic convert
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
-
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material which can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con
verter or heat shields. During driving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already seriously de
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢ page 235.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis
fire . U nburned fuel could a lso get i nto
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 205
the exhaust system and this cou ld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat .
- Do not switch off the ignit ion while the
vehicle is mov ing.
- Do not continue to ope rate your veh icle
unde r these conditions, as othe rwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
co uld result in overheating of the con
verter, requir ing its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis
sion Control System:
- H ave your vehicle maintained prope rly
and in accordance w ith the se rv ice rec
ommendat ions in you r Warranty &
M aintenance boo klet.
- L ack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehi cle w il l impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage .
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control System is
operat ing properly, the exha ust gas can
have a sul fur -li ke exhaust gas smell under
some operating states . This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fue l may help,
or filling the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are drivi ng on poo r roads, or over
c ur bs, s teep ramps, etc., ma ke certai n that
low -lying parts s uch as spoilers and exhaust
system pa rts do not bottom o ut and get dam
aged.
T h is is espec ially true for veh icles w ith low
s lung chassis (spor ts chassis)* and fully load
ed vehicles. •
•
206 Driving and en vir onm ent
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving thro ugh water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The wate r must not be any higher than the
bottom of t he vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
A WARNING
After driving through wate r, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re
sto re the full braking effect.
@) Note
- Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or electr ical
system can be severely damaged by driv i ng th rough water.
- Always switc h off the Start-Stop-System
when driving through water~
page 80 .
(1) Tips
-Check the depth of the water before dr iv
i ng th rough it.
- Do not stop the ve hicle, dr ive in reverse
or switch the engine off whe n driving
t hr ough water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep fo r you r vehi
cl e to drive th rough safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex
haust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- oper ating conditions
- technical limitat ions
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive economica lly, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This sec
t ion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook.
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRON MEN TAL PROTEC TION AG ENCY
( EP A) and Transpo rt Canada may no t corre
spond to your actual consump tion on the
r oad, which will va ry depending upon vehi
cle load and speed, road and weather con
ditions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the mos t fu el when they are ac
ce le rat ing. If yo u ant icipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
t hu s, acce le rate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for examp le when you see
t h at the next traff ic light is red.