2013 AUDI Q5 brakes

Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers for 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 retr ieval 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.
Although 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 examp le, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during norma l 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 we ll 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 Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
The Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) rein­
forces driver safety. It reduces the risk of slip ­
ping and improves driving stability. ESC de­
tects critical s ituations such as the vehicle
Intelligent technology 197
oversteering and understeering or the whee ls
spinning . The vehicle is stabilized by applying
the brakes or reducing eng ine torque . Once
the ESC is active, the indicator light
G1 blinks
in the instrument cluster.
ESC includes the anti-lock brake system (ABS),
brake assist system, anti-slip regulation
(ASR), electronic differential lock (EDL), dy­
namic steering*, hill descent assist and selec­
tive wheel torque control.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS prevents the whee ls from locking up
when braking . The vehicle can still be steered
even during hard braking. App ly steady pres­
sure to the brake pedal. Do not pump the ped­
al. A pulsing in the brake pedal indicates that
the system is helping you to brake the vehicle .
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease braking
distance. It increases braking power when the
driver presses the brake pedal quickly in emer­
gency situations . You must press and hold the
brake pedal until the situation is over . In
vehicles with adaptive cruise control*, the
brake assist system is more sensitive if the
distance detected to the vehicle ahead is too
small.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels beg in to sp in and adapts the force to
the road conditions. This makes it easier to
start, accelerate and drive up hill s.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the drive power to the othe r whee ls .
T his function is available up to about 78 mph
(125 km/h) .
In extreme cases, EDL automatically switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked wheel
from overheat ing. EDL will switch on again au­
tomatically when conditions have returned to
normal.
•
•

work are reduced to such a degree , that the
vehicle wheels could start to spin. The stab i­
liz ing effects start to work later which results
in lim ited vehicle stability.
The ESC Offroad mode should then be used
under the fo llowing situat ions:
- rock ing the veh icle when it is stuck
- driv ing in deep snow or on loose ground
- dr iv ing on uneven roads w ith the wheel
heavily loaded (axle limitation)
- driv ing with snow chains
- driv ing downh ill wh ile braking on loose
ground
F or your safety, switch off the ESC offroad
mode in advance .
Switching on th e ESC Offroad mode
Press the I~ O FF I bu tton ¢ fig. 186 or
¢ fig . 187 . The indicator light fl illuminates
and
Stabil iz ation cont rol (ESC ): Off road.
W arning! Re stri cted stability
appears in the
driver information system display .
Switching off the ESC Offroad mode
Press 1-~ O FF I button again to switch the ESC
back on. The indicator light
fl goes out and
Stabilization control (ESC ): On appears in
the driver information system display.
A WARNING
- You should switch on the ESC Offroad
mode only when you are driving offroad
o r when driving w ith snow chains .
- Please note that the driving wheels can
spin and the vehicle can swerve when
ESC Offroad mode is switched on .
- Driv ing stability is reduced in the ESC
Offroad mode .
-
Intelligent technolog y 199
Hill descent assist
The hill descent assist makes it possible to
drive down an incline at a constant speed .
Fig . 1 88 Top of t he center conso le : h ill desce nt ass ist
button
F ig . 1 89 Disp lay: h ill des cent ass ist
.. Press the [el button in the center conso le
¢ fig. 188 or on the shift gate . The button
w ill illuminate .
.. Press the button again to sw itch it off . The
diode in the button wi ll go out .
Hill descent assist brakes all four wheels auto­
matically in order to limit speed when driving
either forwa rd or reverse on h il ls with a grade
up to approximate ly 50% .
When the hill descent assist is on, the current
driv ing speed, when your veh icle entered the
i ncl ine is maintained .
It is only possible to
switch on the ass ist when driving slower tha n
37 mp h (60 km/h). The assist wo rks between
approximately 2 and 19 mp h (4 and 30 km/
h). The driver can inc rease or dec rease the ve­
hicle speed within these limits by dep ressing
the accelerator or brake pedal In add ition, ve­
hicle steerability is increased due to the brak­
i ng distribution when driving in reverse .
The re m ust be however s ufficient ground ad ­
hesion. The h ill descent assist can
not do its "'"

200 Intelligent technology
job if the incline is icy or if the incline ground
is loose ¢&. .
The system does not work at speeds between
19 and 37 mph (30 and 60 km/h) . Th e system
is then in the ready-mode. The diode in the
button will come on. The system automatical­
l y switched off when you drive faster than 3 7
mph (60 km/h). The diode will go out in this
case.
Active control at a specific speed up to approx­
imately 19 mph (30 km/h) w ill appear in the
instrument cluster disp lay ¢
fig. 189. Two
dashes" •• " will appear in the ready mode.
Hill descent assist is automatica lly activated
under the fo llow ing cond itions:
- the diode in the button illuminates,
- vehicle speed is be low approximately
19 mph (30 km/h)
- the inclin e is 10%.
.&_ WARNING
-Always adapt your speed to the weather,
road and traffic conditions. Do not let
the increased safety provided tempt you
into taking risks.
- T he hill descent assist system cannot
overcome the laws of physics. Your driv­
ing sty le m ust always be adapted to the
c u rrent road and traffic conditions.
- The hill descent assist may not be able to
hold your vehicle at a constant speed un­
der all cond it ions wh ile driving on an in­
cl ine (for example if ground under the
vehicle is loose) .
Brake system
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobi les are sti ll
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing conditions and dr iv ing habits ¢&. . On
vehicles that are e ither driven mostly in stop­
and -go city traffic or are driven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dealer more often than specified in
the
Warranty & Maintenance booklet . Failure to have you
r brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes , you should use the braking
effect of 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.
Noises may occur when braking depending on
the speed, braking force and outside condi­
t ions such as temperature and humidity .
Moisture or road salt
Under certain conditions, for example, when
driv ing 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.
When you are driving at higher speeds with
the windshie ld wipers on, the brake pads will
briefly touch the brake discs in regu lar inter­
vals so as to improve reaction time when brak­
ing on wet surfaces . You, the driver, will not
notice 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 accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads w ith a few careful
applications of the brake ¢.& .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corros ion to form on
the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
o n Ly for short trips with little use of the
brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor ­
r os ion has formed on the d iscs, it is adv isable
to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed¢ ,&. .,..

Fa u lts in th e brake sy stem
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake peda l travel, then one of the two brake
circuits may have failed~.&. .
Low brak e flu id level
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fl uid leve l is too low . T he b rake fluid
l eve l is monito red electronically .
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure that
you generate w ith the brake pedal.
It only op­
e rates while the eng ine is running or with the
i gnit ion sw itched on (hybr id dr ive*) ~.&, .
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in ­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the whee l. If neces­
sa ry, the wheel may be removed for this in­
spection
~ page 2 74, Changing a wheel.
.&_ WARNING
=
- You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of clean ing the brake
system on ly if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an acc ident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmiss ion into a lower
gear or lower driving range . Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could cause the
brakes to get hot and dimin ish b raking
efficiency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake . Th is may cause the b rakes to
overheat, premat ure wear and increased
stopping distance .
- Under certain climat ic and operating
condit ions such as passing through wa­
ter , driving in heavy rain or after wash ing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums . Carefully apply brakes
Int ellig ent technolog y 201
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings w ill be cleaned off after a few care­
ful brake applicat ions.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency.
Clean off accumulated 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 air
f low to the front brakes is not obst ruct­
ed. Otherw ise the brake system could
overhea t reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system .
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance . Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est a uthori zed Audi dea ler or qualified
workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off .
- If the brake booster is not working, for
examp le when towing your vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance .
Electromechanical
power assist, Dynamic
steering
The electromechanical power assist helps the
driver when s teering.
Power ste ering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Indicator lights an d m ess age s
• Steeri ng defe ctive ! D o n ot dr ive vehi cle!
If this indicator light turns on and stays on
and this message appears, the power steer ing
may have failed .
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as poss ible . Do
no t continue driving . See your ..,.
•
•

Driving and
environment
The first 1
1000
miles
(11500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1 ,500 km) .
For the first 600 mile s (1,000
kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle.
.,. Do not d rive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1 ,000 to
1,500 kilometers ):
.. Speeds ca n gradually be increased to the
maximum perm iss ible road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in period
.. Do not rev the eng ine up to h igh speeds
when it is cold. Th is applies whether the
transmission is in N (Neutral) or in gear.
After the break- in peri od
.. Do not exceed maximum eng ine speed un­
der any circumstances.
.. Upshift into the next higher gear
before
reaching the red area at the end of the tach­
ometer scale
c.> page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the en ­
g ine's internal friction is higher than later
when all the moving parts have been broken
in . How well this break -in process is done de ­
pends to a considerable extent on the way the
vehicle is driven du ring the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 k ilome ters).
(D Note
Extremely h igh engine speeds are auto­
mat ica lly reduc ed. However , th ese rpm
lim its are programmed for a n engine well
r u n- in, not a new engine.
Driving and environment 205
@) For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high en­
g ine speeds -upshifting ear ly saves f uel,
reduces noise and protects the environ­
ment.
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive
very carefully for the first 350 miles (500 ki lo­
meters) after fitting.
.&, WARNING
N ew tires tend to be sl ippery and mus t al­
so be "b roken -in" . Be sure to remember
this dur ing the f irst 350 m iles (500 kilo­
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llowing
closely behind other vehicles or other sit­
uations that m ight require sudden, hard
b raking .
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a
full brak ing effect dur ing the first 250 m iles
(400 ki lomete rs) afte r they are installed.
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" be­
fore they have optima l grab
c.> .&. .
During the brea k-in period, yo u should avo id
putting severe loads on the brakes. Severe
l oads include , for example, sudden hard brak­
i ng, in particular at very h igh speeds or, for
example, on mounta in passes .
.&, WARNING
New b rake pads don 't have the best stop­
p ing power and must be "broken-i n" dur­
ing the initi al 100 to 150 miles (150 to
2 00 kilometers) o f no rma l ci ty driving . You
can compensate for this by pressing the b rake peda l more fi rm ly . This also applies
later when new pads are installed.
•
•

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 .
Fue l economy, environmental impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your persona l driving style
- opera ting conditions
- technical limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumption by 10-15 percent . This sec­
tion will give you some t ips on how you can
he lp the environment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumpt io n estimates as published
by ENVIRONMEN TAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Ca nada may not corre­
spond to your act ual consumption on the
road, wh ich will vary 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 acce lerating and braking .
Vehicles use the most fue l when they are ac ­
celerating . If you anticipate what is go ing to
h appen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast
whenever poss ible -for example when you see
that the next traffic light is red.
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 207
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage .
" Try and keep well below your car 's maxi-
mum speed .
Acce lerat ing gently reduces fue l consump­
tion, eng ine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and en­
gine noise increase disproportionately at h igh
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption w ill
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed l imit and weather con­
ditions perm it.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel .
" Shut the eng ine off when you are not driv­
ing the vehicle .
" Do not warm up the ve hicle by letting the
eng ine run at id le.
The idling phase is automatically reduced for
vehicles with the Start -Stop-System* . It is ef ­
ficient to switch off the engine in vehicles
without the Sta rt-Stop-System * when stopped
at rai lroad cross ings and long red lig hts . T urn­
ing the engine off for jus t 30-40 seconds
saves more fuel than is b urned by s tarting the
engine again.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
f ully when i t is runn ing a t id le. However, wea r
and noxious emissions are especia lly high
when the engi ne is warming up. So you shou ld
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avo id running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter start ing . If warning lights sho uld come
on to indicate improper operation, they ..,.
•
•

210 Driving off road
Breakover angle
Indicates the angle up to which the veh icle
can drive over a ramp at low speed without
the underside of the vehicle hitting the edge
of the ramp. Maximum permitted breakover
angle: 17°
Approach/departure angle
Transition from the horizontal pla ne to a g ra­
dient or from a grade back to level ground. In­
dicates the angle up to which the vehicle can
drive onto or off a slope at low speed without
striking the bumper or the underbody. Maxi­
mum permitted approach/departure angle :
25° (front), 20° (rear)
Ground clearance
The distance between the road surface and
the lowest point of the vehicle underbody.
Ground clearance 7.9 in (200 mm)
A WARNING
Exceeding the stated maximum figures
-
can result in severe injuries or vehicle dam­
age.
- All the information was gathered on lev­
el, firm and non-slippery road surfaces,
and under dry weather conditions.
- Ideal conditions do not prevail offroad.
Never utilize the maximum readings to
their fullest, always leave a safety re­ serve.
Driving tips
On poor road and offroad, there is always on ­
ly one motto: Plan ahead and drive slowly!
Please observe the following when dr iving
away from paved roads:
• Drive only on roads and offroad sections
wh ich match the design of your vehicle and
your abilities as a dr iver. Never take risks!
• Drive slowly and plan ahead!
• Take into consideration the
ground clear­
ance
of your vehicle.
• Activate the
ESC off road mode ~ page 19 7
as needed. •
Use the
hill descent assist¢ page 199
when driving down steep sections on hi lls .
Unpaved roads and offroad
Drive slowly on unfamiliar roads and unknown
offroad sections, and look o ut for unexpected
obstacles (e.g . potholes, ro cks, tree stumps,
etc.).
To prevent the vehicle from bottoming and
avo id damage to the underbody, you should
drive straig ht across severe bumps in the
ground with only one side o f the ve hicle so
that only two of yo ur whee ls cross the bumps.
Drive briskly through sandy or marshy offroad
sections and do not stop , if at all possible.
Driving through water
Note the follow ing to avoid veh icle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than walk ing speed .
Driving on a slope
If you ever find yourse lf not able to climb a
s lope, do not try to turn around, drive back
down in
reverse. Otherwise, you run the r isk
of tipp ing over.
If the vehicle threatens to tip over when
driving across a slope, you must immediate­
ly steer downhill in the direction of the
slope.
Do not park your vehicle on steep s lopes or
grades.
T o red uce the risk of tipping over, drive on
s lopes in the direction of the downward slope
(fall line) -
not crosswise.
A WARNING
-~
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc ., the brakes may be s low to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re-
store the full braking effect. .,..

212 Trailertowing
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 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
T ra ile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
ble for your vehicle and trailer and mu st be
mounted securely on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
h itch with a removable ball mount. A lways
check with the trai ler h itch manufact urer to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do n ot use a bumper hi tch.
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 t ime to time, check that all hitch
mounting bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer h itch ball mount. This prevents the
h itch from causing damage should your veh i­
cle be struck from behind
¢ A .
Traile r brak es
If your tra iler is equipped w ith a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to a ll
regulat ions . The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
direct ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system
~ A .
Saf ety ch ain s
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the trai le r.
Trail er light s
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct wiring, sw itches, and relays.
Mirror s
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 clea r vis io n to the rear.
,8. WARNING
- I f a trai ler has electrical brakes p lease
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.
- Never install a "weight distributing" or
"load equalizing" trailer hitch on your ve­
h icle. The vehicle was not designed for
these kinds of trailer h itches. The h itch
attachment can fail, caus ing the trailer
to tear loose from the veh icle.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
veh icle, found on the safety compliance
label on the driver's s ide B-pillar, must
never be exceeded under any c ircumstan­
ces. Exceeding the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating of yo ur vehicle is likely to damage
your vehicle, and such damage will not
be covered by yo ur Limited New Ve hicle
Warranty . Exceeding the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating will a lso change the per­
formance and handling characteristics of
your veh icle, wh ich could cause a crash
resulting in serious injury or death.
-