
200 Intelligent technology
There must be however sufficient ground ad
hesion . The hill descent assist can
not do its
job if the incl ine 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). The system
is then in the ready-mode. The diode in the
button will come on . The system automatical
ly switched
off when you drive faster than 37
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 display ¢
fig. 188. Two
dashes' '-- " w ill appear in the ready mode.
Hill descent assist is automatica lly act ivated
under the following cond itions:
- the diode in the button illuminates,
- vehicle speed is be low approximate ly
19 mph (30 km/h)
- the incline is 10%.
A WARNING
-Always adapt your speed to the weather,
road and traffic conditions . Do not let
the increased safety provided tempt you
into taking r isks.
- The hill descent assist system cannot
overcome the laws of physics. Your driv
ing style must always be adapted to the
current road and traffic conditions.
- The hill descent assist may not be able to
hold your vehicle at a constant speed un
der all condit 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 automobiles are st ill
subject to wear, depending largely on operat
ing conditions and dr iv ing habits ¢& . On
veh icles that are e ither driven mostly in stop
and-go city traffic o r 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 your 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 brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down cont inuously. Pump the brakes at inter
vals .
Noises may occur when braking depending on
the speed, braking force and outside condi
tions such as temperature and humidity.
Moisture or road salt
Under certain conditions, for example, when
driving through water or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in
freezing cond itions 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 windshield wipers on, the brake pads will
briefly touch the brake discs in regular 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 b rakes are not used. Here too,
you should clean
off accumulated sa lt coating
from brake discs and pads with a few careful
applications of the brake ¢& .
Corrosion
The re may be a tendency for dirt to build up
o n the brake pads and corrosion to form on
the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
only for short trips with littl e use of the
brakes.
If the brakes a re not used frequently, o r if cor
rosion has formed on the discs, it is adv isable
to clean
off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a modera tely high
speed ¢£ .
IJll-

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 syste m if
the brake fl uid leve l is too low. The b rake fluid
l eve l is monito red electronically.
Brake boost er
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 73, 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
stopp ing distance .
- Under certain climat ic and operating
c ondit 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 a lso affect braking efficiency.
Clean
off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few ca reful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you install a different spoiler, be sure the ai r
f low to the front brakes is not obst ruct
ed. Otherw ise the bra ke system could
overhea t reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system .
- Failure of one b rake circuit will impair
the braking capab ility result ing in an in
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near
est a uthorized Audi dea ler or q ualified
workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the eng ine shut off .
- If the b rake booster is not working, the
brake peda l must be pressed considera
bly harder to make up for the lack of
booster assistance.
Electromechanical
power assist, Dynamic
steering
The electromechonical power assist helps the
driver when steering.
Power s teer ing adap ts electronically based on
the ve hicle speed .
Indicator lights and messages
• Stee ring d efec tiv e! Do not d rive 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
not continue driving. See your
authorized Aud i dea ler or other qualified re-
pair facility fo r ass istance. ..,.
•
•

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 drive 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 can gradually be increased to the
maximum perm iss ible road or eng ine speed .
During and after br eak-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 max imum 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
ve hicl e 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, t hese 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 mountain 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
200 kilometers) o f no rma l ci ty driving . You
can compensate for this by pressing the b rake peda l more firm ly . This also applies
later when new pads are installed.
•
•

A WARNING ,~
- Do not park your vehicle over flammable
materials such as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the diesel par
t icu late filter could start a fire .
- Do not apply an underbody protectant in the exhaust system area or a fire could sta rt.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, o r over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make ce rtain that
l ow -lying parts such as spoi lers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get dam
aged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low
slung chassis (sports chassis)* and f ully load
ed vehicles.
Shutting down vehicle
I f you wou ld like your veh icle to remain inop
erative for a longer period of time, contact an
Audi or other specialized dealer. They can ad
vise you on necessary precautions e.g . corro
sion prevention, ma intenance and storage.
Pay attention to add itiona l information con
cerning the battery. Refer to
c::> page 242 .
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.
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and t ires largely
depend on th ree factors:
- you r persona l dr iving style
- operating conditions
- technica l lim itations
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 207
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, yo u can easily cut yo ur
fuel consumpt ion by 10 -15 percent. T his sec
tion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook.
Q) Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre
spond to your actual consumption on the road, which will vary depending upon vehi
cle load and speed, road and weather con
dit ions, t rip leng th, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac
celerating .
.,. Avo id u nnecessary accelerating and b rak ing.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac
ce le rat ing . If you ant icipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thu s, acce le rate less. Le t the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for examp le when you see
that the next t raff ic light is re d.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
.,. Try and keep well below your car 's maximum
speed.
Acce le rat ing gently reduces fue l cons ump
tion, eng ine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
Fuel consumpt ion, exhaust emiss ions and e n
gine noise inc rease disproport ionately at high
speeds . If you driv e at app rox imately th ree
quarte rs of top speed, fuel consumption w ill
be reduced by one ha lf. Never d rive fas ter
t han the pos ted speed limi t and weathe r con
ditions pe rmit.
•
•

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.
-
•
•

214 Trailer towing
Operating instructions
6"
i ~
I 1,2 ..
{ ~
~
,,
-
2
Fig. 189 Pe rmi tted ball posit ion of the tra iler h itch
T ra ile r tow ing weight s
With a factor y-insta lled or an afte rm arket
trailer h itch, the max imum permissib le trailer
weight is 4,400 lbs (2,000 kg). The maximum perm iss ible unbraked trailer weight is 1,650
lbs (750 kg). These spec ifications apply when
driving on roads hav ing an incl ine of less than
12%.
P erm is s ible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these
changed condit ions, adjust the trailer load so
that the tongue load is at the maximum al
l owable or slightly lower . You can get an ap
p rox imation of the tongue load w ith a bath
room scale or you can measure the load at a
tr ucking company or weighing sta tion.
W ith a
fact ory -in stall ed or an aftermarket
trailer h itch, the max imum pe rm issible load
on the ball hitch may not exceed 440 lbs (200 kg).
It is recommended to use the maxi
mum permissible load .
Trailer lo ad distribut ion
Be sure the load in the trai ler is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting fo rward,
backward or s ideways.
N eve r allow a p assenger to rid e in a trail er
¢ .&. in Driving instructions on page 215.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with su ita
ble ball mount and ball¢
fig. 189. Installa
tion of the hitch ball must be carr ied out in ac- cordance with the manufacturer's instruc
tions.
Eng ine cooling system
T owing a t railer 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 pressur e
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressu re listed under
" F u ll 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' spec ificat ions.
Lights
T he headlight settings shou ld be checked wi th
the trai ler 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 tra iler 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.
T he 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
core and consideration.
T o obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and t railer, please note the fo llowing :
.,. Do not tow a loaded t railer when you r ca r it
self is not loaded .
.. Be especially caref ul when passing ot her
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limits.