2013 AUDI A8 trailer

Parking systems
General information
App lies to vehicles: with park in g system plus/rear view
camera/peripheral cameras
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, vari­
ous parking aids will help you when parking
and maneuvering.
The
advanced parking system with rear view
camera
ass ists you when parking by audibly
and v isua lly indicating objects detected
in
front of
and behind the vehicle . The rear view
camera shows the area behind the vehicle in
the Infotainment display. This display assists
you when you are cross or para llel parking
c:;,page 122.
The peripheral cameras assist you with park­
ing and maneuvering. You are aided by various
cameras depending on the vehicle equipment level ¢
page 126. In addition, you are assist­
ed by the functions from the sensors
c:;, page 122, Sensors, c:;, page 124 , Visual
display .
A WARNING
-Always look fo r traff ic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it di­
rect ly as well. The parking system cannot
replace the driver's attention. The driver
is a lways respons ible for safety during
parking and for all other maneuvers.
- Please note that some sur faces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system .
- Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
which peop le and objects cannot be de­
tected. Be especially cautious of children
and animals.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts
or damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody. The
parking systems may become impaired
as a result. Have your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop check their
function.
- Make sure the sensors are not covered by
stickers, deposits or any other obstruc­
t ions as it may impair the sensor func-
Parking systems 121
tion. For information on cleaning, refer
to
c:;, page 218.
(D Note
-Some objects are not detected by the
system under certain circumstances:
- Objects such as barr ier chains, trailer
draw bars, vertical poles or fences
- Objects above the sensors such as wall
extensions
- Objects w ith specific surfaces or struc­
tures such as chain link fences or pow­
der snow .
- If you continue driving closer to a low-ly­
ing object, it may disappear from the
sensor range. Note that you w ill no lon­
ger be warned about this obstacle .
(D Tips
- The system may provide a warning even
though there are no obstacles in the cov­
erage area in some situations, such as:
- certain road surfaces or for long grass.
- externa l ult rason ic so urces e.g. from
cleaning vehicles.
- heavy rain, snow or thick vehicle ex ­
haust.
- We recommend that you practice park­
ing in a traffic-free location or parking
lot to become familiar w ith the system.
When doing this, there should be good
light and weather cond itions.
- You can change the volume and pitch of
the signals as we ll as the disp lay
c:;, page 131.
-Please refer to the instructions for tow­
ing a trailer
c:;, page 131.
- What appears in the infotainment dis­
play is somewhat time-delayed.

If the distance to an obstacle remains con­
stant, the volume of the distance warning
gradually drops after about four seconds (this
does not apply in the continuous tone range).
Rear view camera
The rear view camera is locat ed above the rear
license plate bracket. Make sure that the lens
for the parking system
r::;, fig. 131 is not cov­
ered by deposits or any other obstructions be­
cause this can affect the function of the park­
ing system. For information on clean ing, refer
to
c;, page 218.
The rear view camera coverage area includes
(Dr::;, fig. 130. Only this area is shown in the
Infotainment display. Objects that are outside
of this area @are not displayed.
The accuracy of the orientation lines and the
blue surfaces is reduced if the adaptive air
suspens ion* is faulty, if the veh icle is lifted or
if the
dynamic mode is activated r::;, page 109.
A WARNING
-Always read and follow the applicable
warnings
r::;, &. in General information on
page 121.
- If the position and the installation angle
of the rear view camera was changed, for
example, after a collision, do not contin­
ue to use the system for safety reasons.
Have it checked by your authorized Audi
dealership or authorized repair facility.
- Only use the rear view camera to assist
you if it shows a good, clear picture. For
example, the image may be affected by
the sun shining into the lens, dirt on the
lens or if there is a system fault.
- Use the rear view camera only if the lug­
gage compartment lid is comp letely
closed. Make sure any objects you may
have mounted on the luggage compart­
ment lid do not block the rear view cam­
era .
- The camera lens enlarges and distorts the field of vision. The object appears both altered and inaccurate on the
screen.
Parking systems 123
-In certain situations, people or objects in
the display appear closer or further
away:
- objects that do not touch the ground,
such as the bumper of a parked vehicle,
a trailer hitch or the rear of a truck. Do
not use the help lines in this case.
- If driven from a level surface onto an
inclin e, or a downward slope.
-If driven toward protruding objects.
- If the vehicle is carrying too much load
in the rear.
(D Note
-Always read and follow the applicable
warnings
r::;, (D in General information on
page 121.
- The orange colored orientation lines in
the Infotainment display show the vehi­ cle path depending on the steering
wheel angle. The front of the vehicle
front swings out more than the rear of
the vehicle. Maintain plenty of distance
so that your outside mirror or a corner of
your vehicle does not collide with any ob­ stacles.

128 Parking systems
Corner view (front/rear)
Applies to vehicles: with top view camera system and cor ­
ner view (front/rear) mode
Fig-142 Infotainment : corner v iew (front) mode
Fig. 143 Infota inment: corner v iew (rear) mode
This v iew can ass ist you for example, when
you are exiting from an a rea with poor v isib ili­
ty . The a rea at the front or rea r sides of the
vehi cles is d isplayed .
"' To see the corner view (front), select the @
symbol with the control knob
<=.> fig . 142 .
"' To see the corner view (rea r), se lect the ®
symbol wi th t he contro l knob
r=.> fig . 143.
Front
Appl ies to vehicles : with top view camera system and
front mode
F ig . 144 In fota inm ent: fr ont mo de
This view assists you for example, in using the
full maneuvering range in front of the vehicle.
The area in front of the vehicle is d isplayed .
The veh icle surroundings are shown in the left
area of the disp lay . You ca n sw itch between
optical display and camera image*
r=.> page 12 7 .
.. Select the © symbo l with the control knob .
The orange colored orientation line* de­ notes the expected direction of travel. Stop
the vehicle at the latest whe n the red orie n­
tation line* bo rders an object~&.
in Gener­
al information on page 126.
Rear
Applies to vehicles : w ith top view camera system and rear
mode
F ig . 14 5 Infota inm ent : re ar mode
Th is view assis ts you for example, in us ing the
full maneuvering range behind the vehicle .
T he area be hind t he vehicle is displayed. The
vehicle surroundings are shown in the left
area of the display. You can sw itch between
optical display and camera image*
¢ page 127 .
.. Select the @symbo l w ith the control knob _
You can c hoose between three d ifferent views
in th is mode .
.. To cross park, para llel park, o r position the
veh icle in front of a trailer, press the ® con ­
trol button on the unit repeatedly unt il the
symbol for the desired mode is selected.

130 Park in g s ystems
vehicle or on the parking space line ¢ A in
General information on page 126, ¢(Din
General information on page 126 .
The blue
area represents an extension of the vehicle's
outline by approximately 16 ft (5 m) to the
rear . The long side of the blue area should
be o n the curb. The e ntire blue area must fit
into the parking space.
,. With the veh icle stopped, turn the steer ing
wheel to the right as far as it w ill go .
.. Back into the par king space until the b lue
curve
¢ page 125, fig . 137touches the curb
¢ A in General information on page 126,
q(D in General information on page 126.
Stop the vehicle.
,. With the vehicle stopped, turn the steering
wheel to the left as far as it will go .
,. Continue to back into the parking space un­
t il the vehicle is pa rked pa ralle l to the curb
9 A in General information on page 126,
q(j) in General information on page 126.
@ marks the rear bumper. Stop the ve hicle,
at the latest, when the red orientation line
@ borders an object. Keep an eye on the
front of your vehicle wh ile doing this.
P arking ne xt to obstacles
When there is an obs tacle (such as a wall)
next to the parking space, choose a space with
more space on the sides. Position the long
side of the blue area so that there is sufficient
space from the curb. The area must not be on
the curb. You will also need to start turning
the steering wheel much earlier . There should
be a suffic ient amount of space between the
curb and the b lue curve, and the blue curve
¢ page 125, fig. 137 must not touch the cu rb.
(D Tips
The left or r ight orientation lin es and sur­
faces will be displayed, depend ing on the
turn signa l being used.
Trailer view
Applies to vehicles: with top view came ra system and
tra iler hitch
This view assists you in positioning the vehicle
in front of a trailer.
Fig . 1 50 Infotainme nt: rear mode
Requirement: the trailer mode is selected
¢ page 128.
.. Now you can posit ion your veh icle in front
of the trai ler
c> A in General information
on page 126, ¢(Din General information
on page 126.
The orange co lored orienta­
tion line denotes the expected path toward
the t railer hitch . Use the b lue lines to help
you estima te the distance to the tra iler
h itch .
Setting the mode
Applies to vehicles: with top view camera system
,. Select: I CAR I func tion button > C ar sy stem s
contro l butto n > Driver a ssist > Parking aid
> Change to front /rear > Auto or Manual.
Auto -
This v iew behind the veh icle ( Rea r
mode) is displayed au toma tica lly when you
shift into reverse. This view in front of the ve­
hicle
( F ront mode) is displayed automatically
whe n you sh ift into the forward gears.
Manual -This view behind the vehicle (Rear
mode) is always displayed when you turn on
the system.

Adjusting the display and the warning tones
App lies to vehicles: with advanced park ing system wit h
rea r view camera/top v iew camera syste m
The display and warning tones can be adjust­
ed in the Infotainment.
~ Se lect: ICARI f u nct io n button > Car systems
control button > Driver assist > Parking aid .
Display
On * -
opti cal d isplay is shown for the parking
sys tem plus, rea r view came ra image is shown
for parking system plus with rear view cam ­
e ra *.
Off -when t he par king system is sw itched off,
on ly audib le sign als are given.
Warning tones
Front volume -
Volume for the fro nt area
Rear volume -Volume for the rear area
Front frequency -Frequency for the front area
Rear frequency -Frequency for the rear area
Music volume while parking -When the park­
in g system is turned on, the vol ume of t he au­
d io/v ideo source is lower ed.
The new ly adjusted value is briefly heard from
the signa l generator.
@ Tips
- The warning tones ca n also be adjusted
direct ly from the visual display or the
rear view camera* image. S imply press
the
Settings cont ro l but to n.
- Changed settings are activated when the
parking system is switched on aga in.
- The settings are automatically stored
and ass igned to the remote control key
that is in use .
Error messages
Applies to vehicles: with a dvanced park ing system wit h
r ea r view camera/top v iew camera syste m
There is an error in t he system if the LED in
the
?# A button is blinking and you hear a con-
Parking systems 131
tin uous alarm fo r a few seconds after switch ­
ing on the par king system or when the park­
ing system is already activated. If the error is
not corrected before you switc h off the ign i­
tion, the LED in the
P,1 1.A button will blink the
next t ime you sw itch on the parking system by
shifting i nto reverse .
If a sensor is fa ulty, the!¾ symbol will appear
in front of/behind the vehicle in the Infota in­
ment display . If a rear sensor is faulty, only
obstacles that are in the front detec tion a rea
a re shown . If a front sensor is fau lty, on ly ob­
s tacles t hat are in the rear area are shown.
Peripheral cameras*
There is also a system error if:
- the
'(gl ,, symbol appears i n the display and
the corresponding d isp lay area is shown in
blue. The camera is not work ing in this area.
- all segments aro und the vehicles are red or
if no segments are displayed.
D rive to your authorized A udi dealer or au ­
thorized repair facility immed iate ly to have
the malfunction correcte d.
Trailer hitch
Applies to vehicles: wi th adva nced parking syste m with
rear view ca mera/top view ca mera system
Fo r vehicles using the trailer so cket, the pa rk­
i ng sys tem rear sensors do not tu rn on when
you shift i nto reverse gea r or when you press
the
P,#~ button . This res ults in the following re ­
strictions:
T he re is no dist ance warn ing fo r th e rea r. T he
fron t sensors remain act ivated. The visua l dis­
play switches to the t railer towing mode . The
rear view camera image will not show the or i­
entat ion lines and the bl ue surfaces.
(D Tips
Trai ler h itches that are not insta lled at the
factory may ca use the park ing system to
malfunction or they may restr ict its func­
tion.

198 Intellige nt tec hno logy
Intelligent technology
Notice about data
recorded by veh ic le
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers fo r the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event . EDR's are sometimes called "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retrieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDR's that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
A lthough your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for example, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during normal vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a very limited period of
time and stored when a system fault or other
condition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may relate to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as well as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only
be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Electronic Stab ilization
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of
skidding and loss of vehicle control. It works
only when the engine is running. ESC detects certain difficult driving situations, including
when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw)
out of control and helps you to get the vehicle back under control by selectively braking the
wheels, and/or reducing engine power and
providing steering assistance to help hold the
vehicle on the driver's intended course. The in­
dicator light
G) in the instrument cluster
blinks when ESC is taking action to help you
control the vehicle.
ESC has limitations.
It is important to remem­
ber that ESC cannot overcome the laws of
physics. It will not always be able to help out
under a ll cond itions you may come up against.
For example, ESC may not always be able to
help you master situations where there is a
sudden change in the coefficient of friction of
the road surface. When there is a section of
dry road that is suddenly covered with water,
slush or snow, ESC cannot perform the same
way it would on the dry surface . If the vehicle
hydroplanes (rides on a cushion of water in­
stead of the road surface), ESC will not be
able to help you steer the vehicle because con­
tact with the pavement has been interrupted
and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered.
During fast cornering, particularly on winding
roads, ESC cannot always deal as effectively
with difficult driving situations than at lower
speeds. When towing a trailer, ESC is not able
to help you regain control as it would if you
were not towing a trailer.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffic; and weather conditions. ESC can­
not override the vehicle's physical limits, in­
crease the available traction, or keep a vehicle
on the road if road departure is a result of
driver inattent ion. Instead, ESC improves the
possibility of keeping the vehicle under con­
trol and on the road during extreme maneu­
vers by using the driver's steering inputs to
help keep the vehicle going in the intended di­
rection . If you are traveling at a speed that
causes you to run off the road before ESC can
provide any assistance, you may not experi­
ence the benefits of ESC.

Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trai ler, p lease remember
that the addit ional load will affect durab ility,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
F or this reason, a lways fo llow the operating
and d riving instr uctions provided and use
common sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must
activate the trailer operat ion mode
~ page 211, Operating instructions.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitc h co nforming to the
gross trailer we ight. The hitch must be suita­
b le for your veh icle and trailer and must be
mounted secure ly on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location . Use only a trailer
hi tch wit h a removab le ball moun t. A lways
check with t he trail er hitch ma nufactur er to
make sure tha t you are using the corre ct
hi tch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitc h must be installed in such a way that
i t does not interfere with the impac t-absorb­
i ng bumpe r sys tem. No mod ifica tio ns should
be made to the vehicle exh aust a nd brake sys­
tems . From time to time, check that a ll hitch
mo unt ing bolts remain securely fastened.
W hen you are not towing a trail er, remove the
traile r hitch ball mount. Th is prevents the
hi tch from causing damage sho uld your ve hi­
cle be str uck from behind ¢& .
Trailer towin g 211
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equippe d wi th a br akin g sys ­
tem, check to be s ure that i t conforms to all
r egulations .
T he trailer hy draul ic brak e sys tem mus t not be
direc tly connec ted to the vehi cle' s h ydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Trai ler lights must meet all regu lations. Be
su re to check with your Audi dealer for cor rect
wir ing, swi tches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
us ing the reg ular o utside mirrors, then you
must insta ll extended mirrors. It is imp ortant
that you
always have clea r v is ion to the rear.
A WARNING ...__ -
Afte r removing the trailer hitch, do not
stor e it i n yo ur v ehicl e. In cas e o f sudden
b ra king, the hitch co uld fly forwar d and in­
ju re you or your p ass en ger s.
Operating instructions
Fi g. 189 MM I dis pl ay: tow ing mode on
Ma ximum trailer weight
A trai ler fo r you r vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 tra iler.
ll>

212 Trailertowing
Trail er load dis tr ibut ion
Be sure the load in the trai ler is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
N eve r all ow a p assenger to rid e in a trailer
~.&. in Driving instructions on page 213.
Engine cooling sy stem
Towing a tra iler makes the eng ine work hard­
er . It is important that the cooling system's
performance is up to the addit ional load .
Make sure that the cooling system has eno ugh
flu id.
Tir e pressure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the t ires of your
vehicle to the co ld tire pressure listed under
" Full load " on the label loca ted o n the dr iver's
side B-pillar (v is ible when the door is open).
I nflate trailer tires to tra iler and tire manufac­
turers' specifications.
Lights
Check to make sure both veh icle and trailer
l ights are wor king p roperly.
Safe ty chain s
Be sure tra iler safety cha ins are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve ­
h icle . Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners . When you install safety
cha ins, make su re they w ill not drag on the
road when yo u are driving.
The chains shou ld cross under the tra iler
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separat ion from the hitch .
Adjusting the Audi drive select
Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface be­
for e
hitching up the tra iler and b efor e adjust ­
ing the tongue weight . The vehicle must be i n
auto or comfort driving mode and not raised
~ page 109, ~CD .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered . In Info ­
tainment, select:
I CARI function button > Low­
e r
control button . If you must drive under poor road conditions,
you can raise the vehicle
afte r coupling the
trailer or
a fter adjust ing the tongue we ight
~ page 111.
(D Note
-Changes in temperature or load can af­
fect the height of the vehicle .
- Always select auto or comfort mode .
Otherw ise, the tongue load specified for
your vehicle will no longer be applicable.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core and consideration.
T o obtain the best possible hand ling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the fo llowing:
.. Do not tow a loaded t railer when you r ca r it­
self is not loaded .
.. Be especially carefu l when passing other
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limits.
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.. Always apply brakes early .
.. Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight di stribut ion
T owing a loaded trailer with an empty car re ­
su lts in a highly unstable d istribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
l ow speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should
be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble , while keep ing the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the ci rcumstances. Whenever poss i­
ble , transfer some ca rgo to the luggage com ­
partment of the tow vehicle while obse rv ing
tong ue load requi rements and vehicle load ing
considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more d ifficu lt it be­
comes fo r the driver to cont rol the rig. Do not
1111>