switched on all the time. In certain situations
when you need less traction, you can switch
off ESC by pressing the button
lru . Be sure to
switch ESC on again when you no longer need
less traction.
Anti -loc k brak ing s ystem (ABS )
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up
when braking . The vehicle can still be steered
even during hard braking. Apply steady pres
sure to the brake pedal. Do not pump the ped
al. A puls ing in the brake pedal indicates that
the system is helping you to brake the vehicle.
B rake ass is t system
The brake assist system can decrease braking
d istance. 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 .
Anti-slip regulati on (ASR )
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the force to
the road condit ions. This makes it easier to
start, accelerate and drive up hills.
Elect ronic diff erential lock (EDL )
The EDL brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the drive power to the other drive
wheel or whee ls if the vehicle is equipped with
all-wheel drive*. This function is available up
to about 60 mph (100 km/h).
In extreme cases, EDL automat ica lly switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked wheel
from overheating. EDL w ill switch on again au
tomatically when conditions have returned to normal.
..&, WARNING
- ESC, ABS, ASR and EDL cannot ove rcome
t he laws of physics. This is espec ia lly im
portant on slippery or wet roads.
If the
systems begin act ing to stab ilize your ve
hicle, you should immediately change
yo ur speed to match the road and traffic
condit ions. Do not let the increased safe
ty provided by these systems tempt you
Intelligen t technolog y 151
to take risks. Doing so will increase the
risk of a loss of vehicle control, co llision
and serious personal injuries.
- Always adapt your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions. The risk of los
ing control of the vehicle increases when
driving too fast, espec ially through
curves and on slippery or wet roads, and
when driving too close to vehicles up ahead. ESC, ABS, the brake assist sys
tem, EDL and ASR cannot preven t coll i
sions.
- Always ac celera te with spe cial care on
even, smooth s urfaces su ch as those th at
are wet or covered with ice and snow.
The drive wheels can spin even with these assistance systems that cannot al
ways he lp to reduce the risk of loss of ve
hicle control.
@ Tips
- ABS and ASR only work correct ly when
all four whee ls are equipped with identi
cal tires. D ifferent tire sizes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems described are working.
-If the ind icator lightD] orE (USA
models)/ [iJ (Canada models) appears,
there may be a malfunction¢ page 18,
¢page 17.
TT/TTS: Switching on/off
Applies to vehicles: TT Coupe and TTS Coupe
ESC turns on automatically when you start
the engine.
Fi g. 126 Cente r console: ESC OFF button
Rear spoiler
Applies to vehicles: with retractable rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling
and enhances driver control.
Fig. 128 Switc h for rear spo iler
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts . Spo iler
operation can be set for automatic or manua l
operation.
Automatic m ode (no rmal operat ion )
-Automatic deployment: At a speed of about
75 mph (120 km/h), the rear spoiler deploys
automatically.
-Automat ic retraction: When speed drops be
low about SO mph (80 km/h), the rear spo il
er retracts automatically .
Manu al mode
- Manual deployment: Tapping briefly on the
switch
c:> fig. 128 dep loys the rear spo iler .
- Manual retraction: At speeds up to about 10 mph (20 km/h), retract the rear spoiler
by pressing and holding the switch
c:> fig . 128 . At speeds between 10 mph (20
km/h) and 75 mph (120 km/h) , retract the
rear spoiler by tapping on the switch
c:>fig . 128.
_& WARNING
Dr iv ing at higher speeds w ithout the rear
spoiler dep loyed can impair hand ling cha r
acteristics, making the vehicle harder to
contro 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 instru-
Intelligen t technolog y 153
ment cluster comes on, the rear spoiler
may not have deployed .
- 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 Audi
deale r o r qualified workshop .
- Always obey speed limits and other traf
fic laws.
_& 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 .
(D Note
Never push the vehicle or apply force to
the rear spoi ler -it cou ld be damaged.
{!) Tips
C lean the spoiler compartment every 2 to
3 months. The spoiler compartment must
a lways be free of ice, snow, leaves or other
debr is .
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Ope rating cond itions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles a re still
subject to wear, depe nd ing largely on operat
ing condit ions and driving hab its
c:> .&,. . On
vehicles that are either driven most ly in stop
and-go city t raff ic or are dr iven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by yo ur au thor
ized Audi dealer more often than specified in
the
Warr anty & Maintenance booklet. Failure
to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you should use the braking
effect of the engine. T his way, you prevent un
necessary wear on the brake system . If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes .,.
156 Intellig ent technol ogy
Snow cha in s
Where t ire cha ins are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally a lso applies to vehicles
with a ll-wheel drive ¢
page 212, Snow
chains .
Replacing wheels /t ir es
Vehicles with all-wheel drive must a lways
have tires of the same size. Also avoid t ires
with different tread depths. For details see
page ~
page 207, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels.
Off -Ro ad dri ving?
Your Aud i does not have enough ground clear
ance to be used as an off -road veh icle.
It is
therefore best to avoid rough tracks and un
even terrain as much as possible . Also refer to
¢ page 160.
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traf
fic conditions. 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 t ire traction . You
should the refore not dr ive at excessive
speeds on icy or slippery road su rfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to
dr ive too fast because the front wheels
cou ld beg in to s lide on top of the wa ter
(aquaplaning) .
If this should occ ur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in
crease in engine speed as with a front
wheel drive vehicle. A lways 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.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system
is not driven for a long per iod of t ime, the bat
tery is discharged by idling current consumers (e .g. immobilize r). In certa in circumstances it
can resu lt in the re be ing insufficient energy
available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehi
cl e handles the distribution of e lectr ica l ene r
gy . Start ing ability is ma rkedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
Bas ica lly, energy management consists of
b att ery diag nosis, idlin g curre nt manage
m ent
and dynamic en erg y manag em ent .
Battery di agnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines
the state of the battery. Sensors determine
battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current state o f charge and the power of the battery .
Idling current managem ent
Idling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is standing .
With the ig nition sw itched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electri ca l compo
nents. Da ta from ba ttery diagnos is is cons id
ered.
Depend ing on the batte ry's state of cha rge,
individual cons ume rs a re g radually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of the battery
and th us maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energ y manag ement
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic en
ergy ma nagement distr ibutes the energy gen
era ted accord ing to t he needs of the individ u-
al components .
It regula tes consumption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used ..,.
A WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of con
trol, a crash and serious personal injury !
- Never drive a vehicle when the tread on
any tire is worn down to the wear indica
tors.
- Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do
not grip well on wet roads and increase
your risk of "hydroplaning " and loss of
control.
- Always keep chemicals that can cause
tire damage, such as grease, oil, gasoline
and brake fluid away from t ires.
- Tires age even if they are not be ing used
and can fail suddenly, especially at high
speeds . Tir es that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used tires on your vehicle if
you are not sure of their" previous histo
ry ." Old used tires may have been dam
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
Tires and wheels 207
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in .
Fig. 146 Tir e specifica tion codes on t he s idew all o f a
t ire
No. Description
CD Passenger car tire (where applicable)
@ Nominal width of tire in mill imeters
® Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
© Radial
® Rim diameter code
® Load index and speed rating
(f) U.S. DOT tire identification number
® Audi Original tire
® Sever snow conditions
@ Tire ply composition and materials used
@ Maximum toad rating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature
grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the
vehicle's design . The tires and rims approved
by Audi are spec ially matched to the charac
teristics of the vehicle and can make a major
contribution to good road holding and safe .,.
•
210 Tire s and wheel s
Driving with different tires reduces vehi
cle handling and can lead to a loss of
co ntrol.
- If the spare tire is not the same as the
t ires that are mounted on the veh icle -
for example with winter tires - on ly use
the spare tire for a short period of time
and dr ive with extra ca re. Refit the nor
ma l road whee l as soon as safely possi
ble.
- Never drive faste r than the maximum
speed for which the tires o n your veh icle
are ra ted because ti res th at are driven
faster than their rated speed can fail
sudden ly .
- Over loading t ires c ause heat b uild- up,
sudden tire failure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation and loss of control.
- T emperature grades app ly to tires t hat
are properly inflated and not over o r un
derinflated.
- F or technical reasons it is not a lways
possible to use wheels from other
vehicles -in some cases not even w heels
from the same vehicle model.
- If you insta ll wheel trim discs on t he ve
hicle whee ls, make sure that the air f low
to the brakes is not blocked. Reduced air
flow to the brakes can them to overheat, increasing stopping distances and caus
ing a collision.
- Run flat t ires may on ly be used on
vehicles that were equ ipped w it h them
at the facto ry. The vehicle must have a
chassis des igned for run f lat t ires and a
fac to ry-installed t ire p ress ure moni to r
ing system that ind ic a tes a loss of tire
pressure. Incorrect use of run flat tires
can lead to vehicle damage or accidents .
Check with an a uth orized Audi dea ler or
t i re spec ialist to see i f your vehicle can be
equipped with run flat tires. If r un flat
t ires a re used, they must be installed on
all four wheels . M ixing tire types is not
permitted . (D Note
-For technical reasons, it is not generally
poss ible to use the w heel rims from oth
er ve hicles. T his can hold tr ue for wheels
of the same vehicle type.
- If the spare tire is diffe rent from the
tires that you have mounted on your ve
hicle (for example winter tires or wide
profi le tires), then use the spare tire for a
short period of time only and drive w ith
extra care. Replace the flat tire w it h the
ti re mat ching the othe rs on your vehicle
as soon as possi ble.
- N ever d rive without the valve stem cap.
T he v alves co ul d get damaged.
@ For the sake of the environment
Dis pose of o ld tires in accordance w ith the
l ocal requirements.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- Tra ction AA A B (
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicab le
o n the tire s ide wall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width
¢ page 207,
fig. 146.
For example: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA,
Temperature A.
All passenger car ti res must conform to Feder
al Safety Req uirements in add ition to these
grades .
Tread wear
The tread wear g rade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
u nder contro lled conditions o n a specified
government test course.
F o r example, a tire gra ded 150 wo uld wear
one and one ha lf (11/2) times as well on the
government course as a ti re graded 100.
The relative perform a nee of ti res depends
upon the actua l conditions of their use, how
ever, and may depart sign ificantly from the
norm due to var iat ions in dr iving habits, serv
ice practices and differences in road character
istics and climate .
Trac tion
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. Those grades represent the
tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled cond itions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance ¢,&. .
Temp erature
The temperature grades are A (the h ighest),
B, and
C, representing the t ire's resistance to
the generat ion of heat and its ability to dissi
pate heat when tested under controlled condi
tions on a specified i ndoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden ti re fa ilu re ¢ ,&. .
The grade
C corresponds to a level of perform
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
u nder the Federa l Moto r Veh icle Safety Stand
ard No.
109. G rades Band A represent h igher
l eve ls of perfo rmance on the laboratory tes t
wheel than the minimum required by law .
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on stra ight-ahead b raking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplan ing or peak traction
character istics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is es
tablished for a t ire that is p roperly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, un
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
-
Tire s an d wheel s 211
separately or in combinat ion, can ca use
heat bui ldup and possible tire failure.
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice. At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C) we recommend changing to winter
tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments
may require true winter or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread. These tires should
o nly be used in pairs and be installed on all
four wheels . Make sure you purchase snow
t ires that are the same size and construction
type as the other tires on your vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped w ith all-whee l
drive*, th is w ill improve traction during winter
driv ing, even with the standa rd tires. Howev
er, we strongly recommend that you always
equip all fou r wheels o n your veh icle w ith cor
rect ly fitted winter tires o r all-season t ires,
when winter road condit ions are expe cted .
T his also improves the veh icle's braking per
formance and reduces stopping distances.
Summe r tires provide less grip on ice and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted
o n all fo ur wheels .
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop for permitted
winter tire siz es. Use
only rad ial w inter t ires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .157 inch
(4 mm) .
Only drive w ith w inter t ires under w inter con
dit ions. Summer t ires handle better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °() .
If you have a flat tire, see notes on spare
whee l
¢page 207.
Please a lways remember that winter tires may
have a lower speed rating than the tires origi -
nally installed on your vehicle at the time it .,.
•
•