92 On the road
Starting/stopping the engine
Applies to vehicles: with Start-Stop-Syste m
Fig. 102 Instrument cluste r: Eng ine switched off (stop
phase)
.. Slow the vehicle to a stop using the brake
and keep pressing the brake pedal. The en
gine w ill switch off. The
[IJ indic ator light
appears in the instrument cluster display
and - also appears in the trip com
puter .
.. When you take your foot off the brake ped
al, the engine restarts. The indicator light
turns off .
Additional information
The engine will switch off in the P, 0/5 and N
positions as well as in manual mode. In the P
position, the engine will also remain off if you
take your foot off the brake pedal. The engine
starts again when you select another selector
lever position and take your foot off the brake
pedal.
If you select the R position during a Stop phase, the eng ine will start aga in .
Shift from 0/5 to P qu ickly to prevent the en
g ine from starting unintentionally when shift
ing through R.
You can determine for yourself if the engine
will stop or not by reduc ing or increasing the
amount of force you use to press the brake
pedal. For example, if you only lightly press
on the brake pedal in stop-and and-go traffic
or when tu rning, the eng ine will not switch off
when the vehicle is stationary. As soon as you
press the brake down harder, the engine will
switch off.
(D Tips
-Press the brake pedal during a stop
phase to keep the vehicle from rolling.
- When you stop and the start-stop-sys
tem turns the engine off, the ignition re
mains on. Make sure that the ignition is
switched off before exiting the vehicle.
- The ignition will turn off if you press the
!START ENGINE STOPI * button during a
stop phase.
- The image in the display is slightly differ
ent in some models.
General information
Applies to vehicles: with Start-Stop-System
The standard Start-Stop-mode can be cancel
led for different system-related reasons.
Fig. 103 Instrument cluster: Engi ne-Stop tempora rily
unavailable
Engine will not switch off
Before each stop phase, the system checks if
certain conditions have been met. For exam
ple , the eng ine will
not be switched off in the
following sit uations:
- The engine has not reached the minimum
required temperature for Start-Stop -mode.
- The interior temperature selected by the A/C
system has not been reached.
- The outside temperature is extremely high/
low.
- The windsh ield is being defrosted
~page 81.
-The parking system* is switched on .
- The battery charge level is too low .
- The steering wheel is sharply turned or
there is a steering movement.
126 Automatic transmission
8_ WARNING
-Unintended vehicle movement can cause
serious injury .
- Never leave your vehicle with the engine
running while in gear. If you must leave
your vehicle when the engine is running,
activate the parking brake and move the
selector lever to P.
- Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To
prevent the vehicle from "creeping", you
must keep your foot on the brake when
the engine is running and the selector lever is in D/S or R or "tiptronic" mode is
selected.
- Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing the selector lever position
while the vehicle is stationary and the
engine is running.
- Never shift into
R or P while driving.
- Before driving down a steep slope, re-
duce your speed and shift into a lower
gear with "tiptronic".
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake
pedal too often or too long when driving
down a hill. Constant braking causes the
brakes to overheat and substantially re
duces braking performance, increases
braking distance or causes complete fail
ure of the brake system .
- To preven t the vehicle from rolling back
when stopping on inclines, always hold it
in place with the brake pedal or parking
brake.
- Never hold the vehicle on an incline with
a slipping clutch . The clutch opens auto
matically when it becomes too hot from
the overload. An indicator lamp
[O] illu
minates and a driver message appears
Q page 128when the clutch is overload
ed.
- If the engine must remain running, never
have any driving position engaged when
checking under the hood. Make sure the
selector lever has securely engaged and
is locked in P with the parking brake set
Q page 226, Engine compartment . 0th-erwise, any increase in engine speed may
set the vehicle in motion, even with the
parking brake applied.
(D Note
- When stopping on an incline , do not try
to hold the vehicle in place by pressing
the accelerator pedal while a driving gear is selected. This can cause the transmis
sion to overheat and can damage it. Acti
vate the parking brake or press the brake
pedal to prevent the vehicle from rolling .
- Allowing the vehicle to roll when the en
gine is stopped and the selector lever is
in N will damage the transmission be
cause it is not lubricated under those cir
cumstances.
@ Tips
For safety reasons, the parking brake is re
leased automatically only when the driv
er's safety belt is engaged in the buckle.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control system assists the
driver when driving down declines.
Hill descent control is activated when these
lector lever is in D /S and you press the brake
pedal. The transmission automatically selects
a gear that is suitable for the incline. Hill de
scent control tries to maintain the speed ach
ieved at the time of braking, within physical
and technical limitations. If may still be nec
essary to adjust the speed with the brakes .
Hill descent control switches off once the de
cline levels out or you press the accelerator
pedal.
When the speed is set in the cruise control
system
q page 95, hill descent control is also
activated.
A WARNING
-
Hill descent control cannot overcome
physical limitations, so it may not be able
to maintain a constant speed under all
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 ..,.
•
•
208 Driving and environment
would go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which could result in over heating or other damage to the vehicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel .
• Have your vehicle serviced at regular inter-
vals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authorized Audi dealer helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically. The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and
ability to hold its value, it also affects
fuel
consumption.
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certain mileage has been driven .
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumption .
This also applies to fuel consumption and en
gine output .
{Q) Note
-Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main
tenance booklet. Lack of proper mainte
nance as well as improper use of the ve
hicle will impair the function of the
emission control system and could lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System and
other important vehicle compo
nents.
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips.
• Try to avoid driving short distances with a
cold engine.
The engine and catalytic converter have to
reach their optimal
operating temperature to
reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid-size
car only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 miles
per gallon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a
half a mile , fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/100 km). After about
2.5 miles (4 km),
the engine is at its proper operating tempera
ture and fuel economy has reached a normal level. So you can see that you should avoid
short trips whenever possible .
T he
outside temperature is also critical in this
regard. Your car consumes more fuel in the
winter than in the summer .
Driving off road
Driving in difficult road
conditions and offroad
General information
The operation of the E lectronic Stabilization
Control (ESC) is expanded fo r operation away
from paved roads. In situations where slip or a
differential lock ing funct ion is required, the
ESC offroad mode can be act ivated
c> page 197 . Your Audi also has permanent
all-wheel drive in addition .
However, your Aud i is not a pure offroad ve hi
cle . It was not built for driving under extreme
conditions, e .g . for trips that are in the nature
of an expedition .
D riv e only on roads and offro ad sections
which match the des ign of your vehicle and
your abil it ie s as a driver . Ne ver take ri sks!
Before dri ving offroad
- Check the engine oi l level, tire pressure,
coolant leve l, and the fluid level in the w ind
shield washer reservo ir.
- Stow luggage items and other objects in the
lu ggage compartment, and secure them
against slid ing around .
After driv ing offroad
- After trips offroad, remove any twigs and other foreign objects from the grill, the un
derbody and the wheels. Pay specia l atten
t ion to fore ign objects (stones) which have
become lodged in the tire tread.
- Clean the body and the vehicle unders ide,
and inspect the veh icle for possible damage.
- Clean dirty windows, headlamp lenses, rear
lights, and license plates.
- Perform a brake check (particu larly after
trave lling through water) .
A WARNING
- Drive especially attentive ly and plan
ahead in difficult road conditions and
w hen offroad . Excess ive speed or incor-
-
Driving off road 209
rect maneuvers can cause injuries and
damage to the vehicle.
- Always adapt your speed and driving
style to road, offroad, traff ic, and weath
er conditions. Drive especially slowly off
road when your v iew is restricted.
- Please be aware that in ESC offroad
mode, particularly on a smooth and slip
pery road, the wheels may have an in
creased tendency to spin and the vehicle
may break away - danger of skidding!
- Stability is limited in the ESC offroad mode.
@) For the sake of the environment
Avoid damage to the environment and re
spect nature .
(D Tips
Only drive where it is permitted and stay
on marked roads and paths.
Explanation of some technical terms
The following data refer to ideal cond itions .
Depend ing on veh icle load and ground condi
tions and the environment, the numbers may
vary. It is the d rive r's responsibi lity to decide
whethe r a veh icle can overcome a specific s it
u at ion
c::> .&. .
Gradient angle
The number of meters in alt itude ga ined over
a d istance of 109 .4 yards or 100 meters
(grade) a re given as a pe rcentage o r degrees .
Info rmation abou t the gr ad ient the veh icle
can climb under i ts own power (depends in
part on the road surface and engine power).
Max imum permitted grade : 3 1
°
Late ral angle (slope of vehicle )
Ind icates the angle up to which the vehicle
can be d riven diagona lly or across the fall line
on a slope wi tho ut the vehicle tipping over
sideways (depends o n center of gravity) . Maxi-
mum permitted lateral angle: 25 ° .,.
•
•
(D Note
-Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical
system can be severely damaged by driv
ing through water.
- Always switch
off the Start-Stop-System*
when driving through water¢
page 93.
@ Tips
-Check the depth of the water before driv
ing through it.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine
off when driving
through water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid driving through salt water because
it can cause corrosion.
Driving off road 211
•
•
Operating instructions
6"
~ ~
I 1,2 ..
-{ }
l::_
-
2
Fig. 190 Permit ted ball position of the trailer hitch
Trailer towing weights
With a factory-installed or an aftermarket
trailer hitch, the maximum permissible trailer
weight is 4,400 lbs (2,000 kg). The maximum permissible unbraked trailer weight is 1,650
lbs (750 kg) . These specifications apply when
driving on roads having an incline of less than
12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these
changed conditions, adjust the trailer load so
that the tongue load is at the maximum al
lowable or slightly lower . You can get an ap
proximation of the tongue load with a bath
room scale or you can measure the load at a
trucking company or weighing station.
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket
trailer hitch, the maximum permissible load
on the ball hitch may not exceed 440 lbs
(200 kg).
It is recommended to use the maxi
mum permissible load.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢.&. in Driving instructions on page 214.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suita
ble ball mount and ball¢
fig. 190. Installa
tion of the hitch ball must be carried out in ac-
Trailer towing 213
cordance with the manufacturer's instruc
tions.
Engine cooling system
Towing 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 trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the tire pressure label. The tire
pressure label is located on the driver's side B
pillar. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire
manufacturers' specifications.
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check
to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve
hicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to per
mit turning corners. When you install safety
chains, make sure they will not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the following :
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car it
self is not loaded .
.,. Be especially careful when passing other
vehicles.
.,. Observe speed limits.
•
•