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-
