
will have a greater negative influence on
the vehicle's aerodynamics, center of
gravity and overall handling. Always
drive slowly, avo id sudden braking and
maneuvers when transporting cargo on
the roof of your vehicle.
- Never exceed the maximum permissible
load carrying capacity of the roof of your
vehicle, the pe rmissib le axle weights and
the permiss ible total weight of your veh i
cle¢
page 261, Weights.
@) For the sake of the environment
As a result of the increased w ind resist
ance created by a roof rack, your vehicle is
using fue l unnecessarily. So remove the
roof rack after using it.
Luggage compartment
General information
_& WARNING
Read and follow the important safety p re
cautions
on<> page 125, Stowing lug
gage.
Enlarging the luggage compartment
A pp lies to vehicles: with fold ing rear seatback
The backrests can be folded forward sepa
rately or together using the two release lev
ers.
0
Fig. 64 Luggage compartment : release lever
Sea ts a nd s to rage 63
Fig . 65 Backrest: release lever, securing knob and latc h
Release lever in lug gage co mpartment
.. Pull the release lever¢ fig. 64 in the direc
tion of the arrow to fold the backrest for
ward .
Relea se h andle on th e backrest
.. Pull the release lever@¢ fig. 65 in the di
rection of the arrow to fold the backrest for
ward.
Fold ing th e back res t b ack into th e up right
p osition
.. Fold the backrest back up again until it
latches and the red marking@ is no longer
visible ¢.&_ .
You can lock the backrest when it is latched in
place using the mechanical key
c> page 34 ©
¢ fig. 65 . This prevents any access to the lug
gage compartment from the vehicle interior.
You can only enlarge the luggage compart
ment if the backrest is not locked.
_& WARNING
-
-The backrest must always be securely
latched so that the safety belt of the cen
ter seating position can work properly to
he lp protec t the occupant.
- The backrest must be securely latched in
position so that no items contained in
the l uggage compa rtment can slide for
ward upon sudden braking.
- Always check whether the latch is fully
engaged by pull ing the seatback for
ward.

64 Seats and storage
-Never allow safety belts to become dam
aged by being caught in door or seat
hardware.
- Torn or frayed safety belts can tear and
damaged belt hardware can break in a
crash. Inspect the belts periodically.
Belts showing damage to webbing, bind
ings, b uckles, or retractors must be re
placed.
(D Note
- If you move the front seat back when the
rear seat backrest is folded forward, you
could damage the head restraints on the
r ear seat .
- Slide the belt guide on the outside safety
belt all the way up before folding the
ba ckr est back fo rward. Make su re the
seat belt is no t pinched o r damaged
when the rear seat backrest if folded back . Other objects sho uld be removed
from the rear seat bench to protect the
seatback from damage .
Tie-downs and cargo net
Applies to vehicles: with cargo net
The cargo net prevents small objects from
sliding.
F ig. 66 Luggage compa rtment: ca rgo net st retched
ou t
Fig. 67 Luggage compa rtm ent : cargo net at the top of
t he lu ggage compar tmen t
Net str etch ed out
.. To se cu re objects with the cargo net, hang
the front hooks on the ne t in the tie-downs
first and then hang the rear hooks
c:> fig. 66 .
Net at the top of the luggage
c ompartment
.. Hang t he hooks on the ca rgo net in the tie
downs on the floor at the rear of the lug
gage compartment
c:> fig . 67.
.. Fold down the hooks at the upper area of
the luggage compartment down, pull the
net up and hang the eyelets on the net on
the hooks .
You can also use the hooks
c:> fig. 67 to hang
bags and other objects. If nothing is hung on
the hooks, they will fold back in by them
selves.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the vehi
cle w ill turn into heavy miss iles that can cause
serious injury . Items in the vehicle pick up ki
netic energy wh ich var ies with the vehicle and
the weight of the item. Vehicle speed is the
most sign ifi can t factor .
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a
10-lb (5 kg) object a re about
20 times the
normal weight of the item. This means that
the weight of the item would sudden ly be the
equivalent of about 200 lbs (90 kg). One can
easily imagine the injuries that an item of that
weight flying freely through the passenger compartment can cause in a collision at a
speed considered relatively low .

66 Seat s a nd s tor ag e
8_ WARNING
-
- The ski sack is intended only for the
transportation of skis and other light ob
jects . To reduce the risk of serious per
sonal injury, never transport heavy or
pointed objects in the ski sack.
- When brak ing rapidly or during an acci
dent, the load could be displaced and
ca use injury to occupants.
- Sharp edges on the load must be covered
for protect ion. Always fasten the belt
t ightly around the sack and its contents
¢ fig. 70.
-For safety reasons, do not transport
more than two pairs of skis in the ski
sack .
- You must sec ure the ski sac k with the
st rap after loading.
- Make su re that all objects you are t rans
porting in the pass-through are secured.
Otherwise they cou ld slide around during
sudden braking maneuvers and cause in
jur ies.
(D Tips
- Never stow the sk i sack away when it is
still wet or damp (for examp le, snow
melting from skis). Allow it to dry com
plete ly before stowing it away.
- When transporting skis or snowboards, tighten the securing strap between the bindings.
- Position skis in the ski sack wit h the
pointed ends facing the front and ski
po les with the pointed ends facing the
rear.
- You can lock or un lock the pass-through
u sing the mechanical key. This prevents
any access to the luggage compartment
from the vehicle interior .
Parcel shelf
The parcel shelf behind the rear seatback can
be used to car ry light items of cloth ing .
8_ WARNING
No heavy or hard objects should be p laced
on the parcel shelf. They are a hazard to
the veh icle occupants during s udden brak
i ng . The is a risk of injury .
(D Note
Please make sure that the heating w ires
for the rear window defogger are not dam
age by abrasive objects .
(D Tips
To ensure problem-free ven tilation , the
vent ilation slots between the rear window
and the pa rcel she lf must not be covered .

78 On the road
Startin g and automati cally r ele a s ing the
p ark ing b rake
.. When you start to drive as usua l, the park
ing brake is automatically re leased and your
vehicle begins to move.
When stopping at a traffic signa l or stopping
in city traffic on vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the park ing brake can be ap
plied. The vehicle does not have to be held
with the footbrake. The park ing brake elimi
nates the tendency to creep with a drive range
engaged . As soon as you dr ive off as usual,
the park ing brake is released automatically
and the veh icle starts to move .
Starting on sl opes
When starting on incline s, the start ing ass ist
prevents the vehicle from unintentionally roll
ing back. The braking force of the parking
b rake is not released until sufficient dr iving
fo rce has been bu ilt up at the whee ls.
(D Tips
For safety reasons, the park ing brake is re
leased automatically only when the dr iv
er 's sa fety belt is engaged in the bu ck le.
Starting off with a trailer
To prevent rolling back unintentionally on an
incline, do the following:
.. Keep the switch@¢ page 76, fig. 78 pulled
and depress the acce le rator . The park ing
brake stays applied and prevents the vehicle
from roll ing backward.
.. You can release the switch @once you are
sure that yo u are developing enough driving
force at the wheels by depressing the accel
erator.
Depending on the weight o f the rig (vehicle
and trai ler) and the severity of the incline, you
may roll backwards as you start . Yo u can pre
vent roll ing backwards by holding the parking
brake switch @pulled out and accelerating -
just as you would when starting on a hill with a conventional hand brake . Emergency braking
In the event that the conventional brake sys
tem fails or locks .
.. In an emergency, pull the switch @
¢
page 76, fig. 78 and continue to pull it to
slow your vehicle down with the parking brake .
.. As soon as you re lease the switch @ or ac-
celerate, t he b ra ki ng pro cess stops.
If you pull the switch @and hold it above a
speed of about 5 mph (8 km/h), the emergen
cy bra king funct ion is initiated . Th e ve hicl e is
braked at all fou r whee ls by activating the hy
draulic brake sys tem. The brake performance
is similar to making an emergency stop¢,& .
In order not to a ct ivate the eme rgency brak
ing by mis take, an audib le warning tone (buz
zer) so unds when the switch @is pulled. As
soon as the switch @ is released, or the acce l
erator pedal is depressed, emergency braking
stops.
A WARNING ,-
Emergency braking should only be used in
an emergency, when the normal foot brake has fa iled or the brake pedal is obstructed .
Using the par king brake to pe rform eme r
gency b raking will s low your veh icle down
as if you had made a full brake application.
The laws of phys ics cannot be suspended
even with ESC and its associated compo
nents (ABS, ASR, EDS) . In corners and
when road or weathe r cond itions are bad,
a full brake application can ca use the vehi
cle to sk id or the rear end to break away
risking an accident.
Speed warning system
Overview
The speed warning system helps you to keep
your driving speed below a set speed limit.
T he speed warn ing system warns if the driver
exceeds a previously sto red max imum speed .
A warning tone w ill sound as soon as the
Ill-

~ Press and hold the release button in these
lector lever handle, se lect the desired se lec
tor lever position such as D/S and re lease
the button.
~ Wait br iefly until the transmission has shift
ed (you will feel a slight movement).
~ Remove your foot from the brake pedal and
acce lerate.
Stopp ing temporaril y
~ Keep the vehicle stationary us ing the brak
ing pedal, for example at traffic lights.
~ Do not press the accelerator pedal when do
i ng this.
~ To p revent the veh icle from rolling when you
sta rt driving, set the pa rking brake whe n
stopp ing on steep inclines ¢
&-
~ The parking brake will re lease automatically
and the vehicle will start moving once yo u
press the accelerator peda l.
Stopping /pa rking
If the selecto r lever is not in the P position
when yo u ope n the dr iver's door, the vehicle
could ro ll. The message
Transmis sion: Car
m ay ro ll! Shift to pa rk!
appears.
~ Press and ho ld the brake pedal unt il the ve-
hicle has come to a comple te stop.
~ Apply the parking brake ¢ page 77, Parking.
~ Select the P selector lever position c::, & -
Stopping on an incline
~ Always press t he b rake pedal to hold the ve
hicle i n place and preven t it from " rolling
back" ¢
& -Do not try to prevent the vehi
cle from "rolling back" when a gear is en
gaged by increasing the engine speed ¢(D .
Starting on an incline
~ Activate the par kin g b rake.
~ Wi th the driving gea r se lected, press the ac
ce lerato r pedal ca re fully . The parking brake
will release a utomatically i f yo ur seat belt is
fastened.
Under certain circumstances, s uch as driv ing
in the mountains, it may be useful to switch
temporari ly to the manua l shift program in or-
Tran sm iss ion 85
der to ad just the gears to the driv ing cond i
tions by hand
c::, page 86.
On s lopes, activ ate the parki ng b rake first and
then move the selec to r l ever to the P posi tion.
T his prevents too much st ress from being
placed on the locking mechanism .
A WARNING
-The vehicle can also roll when the engine
is stopped.
- Unintended vehicle movement can cause
serio us injury.
- Never leave your vehicle with the engine
ru nning while in gear. If yo u must leave
your veh icle when the engine is running,
activate the parking brake and move the
selector lever to P.
- Power is still transm itted to the wheels
when the engine is runn ing at idle. To
prevent the vehicle from "creeping", you
must keep your foot on the brake when
the eng ine is ru nning and the se lector
leve r is in D/S o r R or "t ipt ron ic" mode is
selec ted .
-Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing t he se lector lever posi tion
while the veh icle is s ta tionary and the
engine is running .
- Never sh ift into R o r P wh ile d rivi ng.
- Before driving dow n a steep slope, re-
duce your speed and shift into a lowe r
gear wi th "tiptronic".
- Do not ride the bra kes o r press the bra ke
pe dal too ofte n or too long whe n driving
down a hi ll. Constant braking causes the
brakes to over heat and substantially re
duces braking performance, increases
brak ing distance or causes complete fa il
ure of t he brake system.
- To prevent the vehicle from ro lling back
when stopp ing o n inclines, always ho ld 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 mat ically when it becomes too hot from
the overload. An indicato r lamp
mJ

86 Transmis sion
illuminates and a driver message ap
pears
¢ page 88 when the clutch is
overloaded.
- 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
¢ page 206. Otherwise, any increase in
engine speed may set the vehicle in mo
tion, even with the park ing brake ap
plied.
(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 park ing brake is re
leased automatically only when the driv
er's safety belt is engaged in the buckle.
Hill descent control
Applies to vehicles: with S tronic/tiptronic
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 transmi ssion 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. It may st ill be nec
essary to adjust the speed with the brakes. Hill descent contro
l switches off once the de
cline levels out or you press the accelerator
pedal.
On vehicles with the cruise control system*
¢ page 80, hill descent control is also activat
ed when the speed is set.
A WARNING
--
Hill descent control cannot overcome
physical limitations, so it may not be able
to maintain a constant speed under all
conditions. Always be ready to apply the brakes .
Manual shift program
Applies to vehicles: with S tronic/tiptron ic
Using the manual shift program you can
manually select gears.
Fig. 86 Center console: shift ing the gears manually
Fig. 87 Steering whee l: Shift butto ns~
Gear selection with selector lever
L'> N ... "!
"' m a,
N
--N ,;,
gi
The tiptronic mode can be selected either with
the vehicle stationary or on the move.
.,. Push the selector lever to the right from 0/
S. An M appears in the instrument cluster
display as soon as the transmission has
shifted .

Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need
to read and observe for your own safety, the
safety of your passengers and others . We have
summarized here what you need to know
about safety belts, airbags, child restraints as
well as child safety. Your safety is for us
priori
ty number 1.
Always observe the information
and warnings in this section - for your own
safety as well as that of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle . Some of the
features described in this sections may be
standard equipment on some models, or may
be optional equipment on others. If you are
not sure, ask your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in
structions and heed the WARNINGS in
this Manual. It is in your interest and in
the interest of your passengers.
- Always keep the complete Owner's Liter
ature in your Audi when you lend or sell
your vehicle so that this important infor
mation will always be available to the
driver and passengers.
- Always keep the Owner's literature handy
so that you can find it easily if you have
questions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint system and work together to help
reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations .
Your safety and the safety of your passengers
should not be left to chance. Advances in
technology have made a variety of features
available to help reduce the risk of injury in an
Driving Safely 119
accident. The following is a list of just a few of
the safety features in your Audi :
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all
passenger seating positions,
- belt force limiters for the front seats,
- belt pretensioners for the seats,
- head restraints for each seating position,
- front airbags,
- side airbags in the front seats,
- side curtain airbags ,
- special LATCH anchorages for child re-
straints,
- adjustable steering column.
These individual safety features, can work to
gether as a system to help protect you and
your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if
they are not always correctly adjusted and cor
rectly used.
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occu
pant safety always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passen
gers,
before driving always:
"'Make sure that all lights and signals are op
erating correctly .
"' Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
"'Make sure that all windows are clean and af
ford good visibility to the outside.
"'Secure all luggage and other items carefully
qpage59.
"'Make sure that nothing can interfere with
the pedals.
"'Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height .
"'Instruct rear seat passengers to adjust the
head restraints according to their height.
"' Make sure to use the right child restraint
correctly to protect children
q page 161,
and~~fy. ~
•
•

120 Driving Safel y
• Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
yo ur passengers do the same¢
page 53,
Seats and storage.
• Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly.
Also instruct your passenge rs to fasten their
safety belts properly¢
page 129 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver's ability to concentrate on the road
without being distracted .
The driver is responsible for the safety of the
vehicle and all of its occupants . If your ability
to drive is impa ired, safety r isks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and you also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road
9 .&,.
Therefore:
• Do not let yourself be distracted by passen
gers or by us ing a cellular telephone.
• NEV ER dr ive when your dr iv in g ability is im
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
• Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense.
• ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions .
• Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not
drive for more than two hours at a stretch.
> Do NOT drive when you are t ired, under
pressure or when you are stressed .
A WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death when
ever a veh icle is being used.
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 119 Correc t seat ing posit ion
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
following position:
• Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
¢.&_ .
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upr ight position so that your back
comes in full contact with it when you drive.
• Adj ust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be
tween the steering wheel and your breast
bone ¢
fig. 119. If not possible, see your au
thorized Audi dealer about adaptive equip ment.
• Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face .
• Grasp the top of the steer ing wheel with
your elbow(s) slightly bent.
• Applies to veh icles w ith adjustab le head re
straints: Adjust the head restraint so the up
per edge is as even as possible with the top
of your head. If that is not possible, try to
adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to this posit ion as possible.
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 132.