2014 AUDI Q5 warning

210 Driving o ff road
Driving off road
Driving in difficult road
conditions and offroad
General information
The operation of the E lectronic Stabilization
Control (ESC) is expanded for operation away
from paved roads. In situations where slip or a
d ifferential locking function is required, the
offroad mode can be activated
c::;, page 197.
Your Audi also has permanent all -wheel drive
in addit ion.
However, your Aud i is not a pure offroad vehi­
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 off road sections
which match the design of your vehicle and
your abil ities a s a driver . Never take ri sks!
Before driving offro ad
- Check the engine oi l level, tire press ure,
coolant leve l, and the fluid level in the w ind­
shield washer reservo ir.
- Stow luggage items and other objects in the
l uggage compartment, and secure them
against slid ing around .
After driving 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 ob jects (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 w indows, headlamp lenses, rear
li ghts, and license plates .
- Perform a brake check (part icu larly after
trave lling through water) .
A WARNING
- Drive especially attentively and plan
ahead in difficult road conditions and
w hen offroad . Excess ive speed or incor-
-
rect mane uvers can cause injuries and
damage to the vehicle.
- Always adapt your speed and driving
style to road, offroad, traff ic, and weath­
er cond itions. Drive especially slowly off­
road when your v iew is restricted.
- Please be aware that in offroad mode,
particularly on a smooth and slippery
road , the whee ls may have an increased
tendency to sp in and the vehicle may
b reak away- dange r of skiddi ng!
- Stability is limited in the offroad mode .
® For the sake of the environment
Avoid damage to the environment and re­
spect nature.
(D Tips
Only drive w here it is permitte d and stay
on marked roads and paths.
Explanation of some technical terms
The following data refer to ideal cond it ions .
Depend ing on veh icle load and ground condi­
t ions and the environment, the numbers may
vary. It is the d river 's responsib ility to d ecide
whethe r a ve hicl e can overcome a spe cific s it­
u ati on
c::;, ,&. .
Gradient angle
The number of meters in alt itude ga ined over
a di sta nce of 109 .4 yards or 100 mete rs
(grade) a re given as a pe rcentage o r degrees .
Info rmation abou t the gra dien t the veh icle
c an climb under i ts own power (depends in
part on t he road surfa ce and engine power).
Maximum pe rm itted gra de : 3 1
°
Lateral angle (slope of vehicle)
Ind icates the angle up to which the vehicle
can be d riven diagona lly or a cross the fall line
o n a s lope wi tho ut the vehicle tip ping over
s ideways (depends on center of gravity) . Maxi -
mum pe rmitted lateral angle: 25°
Ill-

Breakover angle
Indic ates t he angle up to whi ch the veh icle
can drive ove r a ramp at low speed w it h out
the unde rside of the veh icle hitting the e dge
of t he ramp. Maximum permitted breakover
angle: 17°
Approach /departure angle
Transi tion from the ho rizon tal p lane to a g ra­
d ient or from a grade back to level gro und. In ­
d icates the angle up to which the vehicle can
drive onto or off a s lope at low speed without
stri king 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 o f the veh icle unde rbody.
Ground clearance 7.9 in (200 mm)
A WARNING
Exceeding the stated maximum figures
-
can result in severe injuries or veh icle dam­
age.
- All the information was gathered on lev­
el, firm and non-slip pery road surfaces,
and unde r dry wea ther condi tions .
- Ideal conditions do not prevail offroad .
Never utilize the maximum rea dings to
their full est, always leave a safety re­
serve.
Driving tips
On poor road and offroad, there is always on ­
ly one motto: Plan ahead and driv e slowly!
Please observe the followi ng when dr iving
away from paved roads:
... Drive only on roads and off road sections
which match the design of your vehicle and
you r abilities as a drive r. Neve r take risks !
... Drive slowly and plan ahead!
... Take i nto cons ideration the
ground clear­
ance
of you r vehicle .
.,. Ac tivate the
offroad mode ~ page 197 as
neede d.
Driving off road 211
... Use the hill descent assist~ page 199 when
driving dow n steep sections on hills.
Unpaved roads and offroad
Drive slowly on unfamiliar roads and unknown
off ro ad sec tions, an d loo k out for unexpec ted
o bstacles (e.g . potholes, roc ks, tree s tumps,
etc.).
T o p reven t the vehicle from bo ttoming and
av oid da m age to t he underbody, yo u should
d rive s traig ht a cross severe bumps in the
gro und with only one side o f th e veh icle so
that only two of yo ur whee ls cross the bumps .
Drive br is kl y through sandy o r m arshy offro ad
sections and do not stop, if at all possible.
Driving through water
Note t he follow ing to avoid veh icle damage
whe n driving through water, for examp le on
f loo ded roa ds:
- The water must not be any higher t han the
bottom of the vehicle body .
- Do not dr ive faster tha n wal king speed .
Driving on a slope
If you ever find yourse lf not a ble to clim b a
s lope, do not t ry to tur n arou nd, drive back
down in
reverse . Otherwise, you r un the r is k
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 pa rk your vehicle on steep s lopes o r
grades.
T o re duce the risk of tipp ing ove r, d rive on
s lopes in the direct ion of the downward s lope
(fall line) -
not crosswise .
A WARNING
After driv ing through water, mud, slus h,
etc ., the brakes may be s low to take effect
beca use of wet brake rotors and pads. D ry
the brak es first by braking carefully t o re-
-
stor e the full braki ng eff ect. .,..
•
•

Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
T railer towing not only places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. Always
check with the trailer hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
T he 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 time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your vehi­
cle be struck from behind
¢ &. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations .
Trailer towing 213
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system
¢ &. .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations . Be
sure to check with your authorized Audi dealer
for correct wiring, switches, and relays.
Mirrors
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 clear vision to the rear .
.8, WARNING
- If a trailer has electrical brakes please
note that these brakes are not activated
by the factory-fitted control unit -risk of
accident!
- After 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
hicle. The vehicle was not designed for
these kinds of trailer hitches . The hitch
attachment can fail, causing the trailer
to tear loose from the vehicle .
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
vehicle, found on the safety compliance
label on the driver's side B-pillar, must
never be exceeded under any circumstan­
ces. Exceeding the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating of your vehicle is likely to damage
your vehicle, and such damage will not
be covered by your Limited New Vehicle
Warranty. Exceeding the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating will also change the per­
formance and handling characteristics of
your vehicle, which could cause a crash resulting in serious injury or death.
-
•
•

~ Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
~ Always apply brakes early.
~ Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded tra iler with an empty ca r re­
sults in a high ly unstable distribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low 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 permiss i­
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the circumstances. Whenever possi­
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com ­
partment of the tow vehicle wh ile observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -part icularly
when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds
for veh icles towing trailers are lower than for
regular vehicles.
Always apply brakes early . When driving
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en ­
g ine braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to ove rheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
T he coolant temperature gauge c:> page 10
must be observed carefully . If the needle
moves close to the upper end of the scale, re­
duce speed immed iate ly and/or turn off the
air cond itioner.
Trailertowin g 215
If the coolant temperature warning light in
the instr ument cluster starts flashing., pull
off the road, stop and let the engine
idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build -up.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident. Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
prov ided by Audi .
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
-
a trailer because of the additional weight and
different weight distr ibut ion. Safety, perform­
ance and economy will greatly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig.
Before you actually tow your tra iler, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become completely familiar w ith the way
your vehicle-tra ile r combination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a trailer generally requires
steering action opposite to that when backing
u p you r vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater d ista nce between your ve­
hicle and the one in front of you. You w ill need
more room to stop. To compensate fo r the
trailer, you w ill need a larger than normal
turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac­
celerate as fast as you normally would be­
cause of the added load. Make sure yo u have
enough room to pass. After passing, a llow
plenty of room for your trailer before chang­
ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts , sharp t urns or rapid lane
changes.
•
•

Vehicle care and clean ing
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your
vehicle 's value. It can also be a requirement
when submitting warranty claims for corro ­
sion damage and paint defects on the body .
The required cleaning and care products can
be obtained from your authorized Audi dealer
or a qualified workshop . Read and follow the
instructions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
-Us ing clean ing and care products incor­
rectly can be dangerous to your hea lth.
- Always store cleaning and care products
out of reach of children to reduce the risk
of poisoning.
@) For the sake of the environment
-Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and
care products with household trash .
Car washes
-
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the
vehicle, the more the surface can be dam­ aged. High temperatures such as those
caused by sunlight increase the corrosive ef­
fect.
Before washing, wet heavy deposits w ith plen­
ty of water.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once road salt stops be ing used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your vehicles with a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instruc­
tions provided w ith the pressure washer . Th is
is especially important in regard to the pres ­
sure and spraying distance. Do not aim the
spray directly at seals on side w indows, doors,
Vehicle care and cleaning 217
the hood, the rear lid or the sunroof* or at
tires, rubber hoses, insulating material, sen­ sors* or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of at
least 16 inches (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rotary nozzles or high pressure noz­
zles.
The water temperature must not be above
140 °F (60 °C) .
Automatic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof* are
closed and the windshield wipers are
off. Fol­
low instructions from the car wash operator,
especially if there are accessories attached to
your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the vehicle starting from the top and
working down using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush. Use solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and large particles from
your vehicle. Insects, grease spots and finger­ prints are best removed with a special cleaner
for matte finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use
too much pressure .
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft mi­
crof iber cloth.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it
air dry . Remove any water residue using a
shammy.
Stubborn deposits such as bi rd droppings or
tree sap are best removed with plenty of wa-
ter and a microfiber cloth.
Ill-
•
•

218 Vehicle care and cleaning
A WARNING
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition
is off and follow the instructions from
the car wash operator to reduce the risk
of accidents .
- To reduce the r isk of cuts, protect your­
self from sharp meta l components w hen
wash ing the unde rbody or the inside of
the whee l housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking ef­
fect may be de layed due to mo isture on
the b rake ro to rs or i ce in the winter. The
brakes must be dried first with a few
careful brake applications.
(!;) Note
- If you wash t he vehi cle in an automatic
ca r wash, yo u m ust fold the exterior m ir­
ro rs in to reduce the r is k of damage to
the mirrors. Power folding exte rior m ir ­
ro rs * must only be folded in and out us­
i ng the power folding function.
- Compare the track of your vehicle wit h
the distance between the gui de rails of
the facility - there is a risk of damage to
the wheels and t ires.
- Compare the height and width of your
vehicle with the he ight and width of the
tunnel at the fac ility. -
To p revent paint damage, do not wash
the vehicle in di rect sunlight.
- T o reduce the ris k of damage to the sur­
face, do not use insect removing spong­
es, kitchen sponges or similar items.
- M atte finish painted veh icle compo ­
nents:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the
surface, do not use polishi ng agents or
hard wax.
- Never use car wash cycles that apply protective wax.
It can destroy the
matte fi nish effect.
- Do not place any stickers o r magnet ic
signs on v ehicle parts painted w ith
ma tte fi nish paint. The paint cou ld be
damaged when the stickers o r mag nets
a re removed .
@ For the sake of the environment
O nly wash the ve hicl e in facili ties spe cially
d esi gned for that p urpose. This will red uce
the r is k of dirty wate r contam ina ted with
o il from entering the sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individua l vehi­
cle components, refer to the fo llowing tab les .
The information contained there is simp ly rec­
ommendat ions . For quest io ns or for compo- nents that are not listed, refer to an author­
ized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop. Also
fo llow the information found in <=> & .
Cleaning exterior Component Situation Solution
Wiper blad es Dirty <=> page 55, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Headlights/ Dirty Soft sponge with a mild soap so
lution al
tail lights
Sen sors / Dirty Sensors : soft clot h w it h a so lvent-free cleaning p roduct
camera l enses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol -free cleaning
so lution
Snow/ice Hand brush/so lvent -free de-icing spray

220 Vehicle care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
T ex tile s,
Stains adhering to Vacuum cleaner
Vin yl, the surface
Alcan ta ra Water -based stains Absorbent cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
O il-based stains Apply a mild soap solutiona>, blot away the d issolved oil
such as oil, make- or dye, treat afte rward w ith water, if necessary
up, etc.
Special stains such Special stain remover, b lot with absorbent material,
as ballpoint pen, treat afterward with mild soap solutiona>, if necessary
na il polish, latex
pa int, shoe po lish,
etc.
Natu ral leather Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mild soap solutiona>
Wate r-based stains Fresh s tains: absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dr ied stains: sta in remover sui table for leather
blood, etc.
Oi l-based stains Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and sta in remover suitable
such as oil, make- for leather
up, etc. dried stains: Oil cleaning spray
Special stains such Stain remover suitable for leather
as ballpo int pen,
na il polish, latex
pa int, shoe polish,
etc.
Care Regular
ly apply condit ion ing c ream that protec ts from
light a nd penetrates into the materia l. Use specially-col-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon part s Dirty Clean tlhe same way as plastic parts
a) Mi ld soap solut ion : maximum two tablespoons neut ra l soap in a lite r of wate r
& WARNING
The windshie ld may not be treated with
water -repe lling windshield coating agents .
Unfavorab le conditions such as wetness,
darkness, or low sun can result in in­
creased glare. W iper blade chatter is a lso
possible .
(V Note
-Headlights /tail lights
- Never clean headlights or tail lights
w it h a dry cloth or sponge. -
Do not us e any cleaning product that
contains alcohol, because they could
cause cracks to form.
-Wheels
- Never use any paint polish or other
abrasive mater ials.
- Damage to the protective layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratc hes
must be repa ired immediately.
- Sensor s/camera lenses
- Never use warm or hot water to re-
move snow or ice from the camera
le ns. Th is could cause th e lens to crack . ""

It is normal that the engine noise leve l (die­
seling) is louder during the warm-up period in
winter.
It i s also norma l when whitish-blue
smoke comes out of the tailpipe after starting
and during warm-up . The amount of smoke
depends on the outside temperature.
Do not let your Diese l engine id le unnecessari­
ly after a cold start. Driving off slowly will
shorten the warm-up period .
A WARNING
-Never use "starting assist fluids ." They
may be potent ially explosive or cause a
"run-away" engine condition. This cou ld
result in serious engine damage and per­
sonal injury.
- Never use fuel line anti-freeze offered for
gasoline engines .
(D Note
- Refueling with gasoline when your vehi­
cle has a d iesel engine can cause very se­
rious and expens ive engine and fuel sys­
tem damage that is not covered by any
A udi Limited Warranty.
- If you put any amount of incorrect fue l in
the fue l tank, do not start the engine un­
der any circumstances. Immediately con­
tact the nearest authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility for as­
sistance. These fuels contain substances
that can severely damage the fuel sys­
tem and the engine if the engine is start­
ed .
- Vehicles with diesel engines must never
be refueled or dr iven with gasoline, kero­
sene, heat ing o il, or other non-specified
fuels that have not been expressly ap­ proved for use with the diese l eng ine.
Other kinds of fuel can cause se rious
damage to the fue l system and the en­
gine that is not covered by any Audi Lim ­
ited Warranty.
- If Diesel fuel shou ld get on any rubber
hose, it must be wiped off immediate ly.
Then wash the contaminated hose por­
tion with soap and warm water. Do not
-
Fu el su ppl y and fi lling yo ur fu el t an k 225
allow Diesel fue l to remain on connect­
ing hoses . They may deve lop leaks and
cause serious damage .
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fue l filler neck is located on the right rear
s ide panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the power lock ing system should fa il, you
can still open the flap manually - for detailed
instruct ions see
¢ page 22 7.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve ­
hicle in
~ page 290 .
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap
tells you the correc t fuel for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see ~
page 222.
Your vehicle fue l tank has an on-board refuel­
ling vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from the
tank and pollut ing the environment wh ile you
refue l your vehicle . In order to fi ll the tank
properly while protecting the environmen t,
please fo llow this refueling p rocedure caref ul­
ly .
A WARNING
-
Under normal operating conditions, never
carry additional fue l containers in your car.
Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such con­
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision. If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower,
snow blower, etc., be very careful and al­
ways observe loca l and state laws regard­
ing the use, transportation and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the con ­
tainer meets industry standards (ANSI/
ASTM F852 - 86).
{[) Note
Never drive your veh icle until the fuel tank
is completely empty. The irregu lar supply
of fue l can cause misfiring. Gasoline cou ld
ll-
•
•