2015 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET ESP

Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, braking force and outside conditions such
as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situat ions, for example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, after overn ight con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
dried first with a few carefu l brake applications.
At higher speeds and with the w indshie ld w ipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake
rotors for a short amount of time. This occurs at
regular intervals without the driver noticing and
provides for better brake response time under
wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered road
and the brakes are not used. Likewise, you clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs
and pads with a few cautious applications of the
brake ¢.& .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on
the brake pads and corros ion to form on the discs
if the car is not driven regularly or only for short
tr ips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corro­
sion has formed on the discs, it is advisab le to
clean off the pads and discs by braking firmly a
few t imes from a moderately high speed¢.&.
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake
pedal trave l, then one of the two brake circuits
may have failed
c:> .& .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the
brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid leve l is
~ monitored e lectronically.
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Smart Technology
Brake booster
T he brake booster increases the pressure that you
generate w ith the brake pedal.
It works on ly
when the engine is running
.c:> .&
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spect ion of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
c:> page 230, Replacing wheels.
_8 WARNING "'---
-New brake pads don't have the best stop­
pin g power and must be "broken-in" during
the initial 250 miles (400 kilometers). You
can compensate for this by press ing the
brake pedal more firmly. This also applies
later when new pads are installed.
-
- You shou ld perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system
only if road conditions permit. Other road
users must not be put at r isk -you may
cause an acciden t!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission 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 diminish braking efficiency.
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to
brake. This may cause the brakes to over­
heat, premature wear and increased stop­
p in g distance.
- Under certain cl imatic and operat ing condi­
tions such as passing through water, dr iv ing
in heavy rain or after washing the vehicle,
the effectiveness of the brakes can be re­
duced. In winter, ice can accumulate on the
b rak e pads, linings, discs and drums. Care­
fully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry
and ice coatings will be cleaned off after a
few careful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt -covered roads wi thout using your
brakes can a lso affect braking efficiency .
173

Smart Technology
according to the needs of the individual compo­
nents. It regulates consumption, so that more
electrical energy is not being used than is being
generated and ensures an opt imal state of
charge for the battery.
(D Tips
- But even energy management cannot neg­
ate the limits of physics. Consider that the
power and life of a battery are limited.
- If starting ability is threatened, the indica­ tor light (•) appears ¢
page 16.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining start­
ing capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the cold time of
year. Abundant electrica l energy is requ ired, but
only a little is generated. It is also critical if the
engine is not running and electrical components
are turned on. In th is instance energy is being
consumed but none is being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you will no­
tice energy management actively regulating the
d istr ibut ion of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks, e lectrical components are
gradually cut back or switched
off. This reduces
energy consumption and maintains starting ca­ pability over a longer period . Some of the con­
ven ience funct ions may not operate, such as the
interior lights or the powe r seat adjustment. The
conven ience functions w ill be available again
when yo u sw itch on the ignition and start the en­
gine.
With the engine turned off
I f you listen to the radio, for example, with the
engine turned
off or use other MMI functions,
the battery is being discha rged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy
consumption, a message appears in the MMI dis­
p la y. The message indicates that the system will
176
be switched off automatically in a moment . If
you wish to continue using the functions, you have to start the eng ine.
With the engine running
Althoug h elec trical energy is generated when the
vehicle is being driven, the battery can become
discharged . This happens mostly when litt le en ­
ergy is being generated and a great dea l con­
sumed and the battery's state of charge is not
optimal.
To bring the energy ba lance back into equilibri­
u m, consumers which require especially large
amounts of energy are temporar ily cut back or
switched
off. Heating systems in part icular re­
quire a great deal of energy. If you notice, for ex­
ample, that the heated seats* or the heated rear
window a re not heating, they have been tempo­
rarily cut back or switched
off. These systems w ill
be ava ilable again as soon as the energy ba lance
has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly . Thi s is normal and not a
cause for concern. By incr easing eng ine idle
speed the additional energy required is generated
and the battery is cha rged.

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Driving and the
environment
Breaking in
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the first 600 miles (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 maxi­
mum perm issible road or engine speed.
During and after break-in period
"'Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it
is cold. This applies whether the transmission is
in N (Neutral) or in gear .
After the break-in period
"'Do not exceed maximum engine speed under
any circumstances.
"'U pshift into the next higher gear
before reach­
ing the red area at the end of the tachometer
scale
c=> page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the engine's
internal friction is higher than later when all the
moving parts have been broken in. How well this
break-in process is done depends to a considera­
ble extent on the way the vehicle is driven during
the first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
(D Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automati­
cally reduced. However, these rpm limits are
p rog rammed for an engine wel l run- in, not a
new engine.
@) For the sake of the environment
Do not dr ive with unnecessarily high eng ine
speeds -upshifting early saves fuel, reduces
noise and protects the environment.
Driving and the environment
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive very
carefully for the fi rst 350 m iles (500 kilometers)
after fitting .
New tires tend to be slippery and must also
be "broken-in". Be sure to remember this dur­
ing the first
350 miles (500 kilometers).
Brake gently. Avoid following closely behind
other vehicles or other situations that might
require sudden, hard brak ing .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are d riving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., ma ke certain that low­
lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
T his is espec ially true for veh icles with low-s lung
chassis (sports chassis)* and fully loaded
vehicles.
Driving through water on
roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage when
driving through water, for example on f looded
roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the bot­
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than walking speed.
A WARNING
= -
After driving through water, mud, slush, etc.,
the brakes may be s low to take effect because
of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry the brakes
first by braking carefully to restore the full braking effect.
(D Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical system
can be severely damaged by driving through
water . ""
177

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on necessary precautions e.g. corrosion preven­
tion, maintenance and storage. Pay attention to
addit ional information concern ing the battery.
Refer to
c> page 204.
Economical and environ­
mentally-friendly driving
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the
economy of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and
noise levels.
Fu el economy, environmental impact , and wear
on your engine, brakes and tires largely depend
on three factors:
- your persona l dr iving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your fuel
consumption by 10-15 percen t. This sec tion will
give you some tips on how you can help the envi ­
ronment and your pocketbook .
(!) Tips
The consumpt ion estimates as published by
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
and Transport Canada may not correspond to
your actual consumption on the road, which
w ill vary depending upon vehicle load and
speed, road and weather conditions, trip
length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating.
" Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler ­
ating . If you anticipate what is going to happen
next, you will need to brake less and, thus, accel­
e rate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possi­
ble - for example when yo u see that the next traf­
fic light is red .
Driving and the environment
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and im­
proves your mileage .
"Try and keep well below your car's maximum
speed.
Acce lerat ing gently reduces fue l consumption,
engine wear, and does not disturb the environ­
ment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine
noise increase disproportionately at high speeds.
If you drive at approximate ly three quarters of
top speed, fuel consump tion will be reduced by
one half. Never drive faster than the posted
speed l imit and weather cond itions permit .
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is jus t idling it burns up fuel.
" Shut the eng ine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
" Do not warm up the vehicle by lett ing the en-
gine run at idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic
jams, when wa iting for tra ins to pass a t railroad
crossings, or at traffic lights that have long waits
on red . Turning the engine
off for just 30-40 sec ­
onds saves more fue l than is burned starting the
. . engine again.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle. However, wear
and noxious emissions are especially high when
the engine is warming up. So you should drive
away as soon as you sta rt the engine and avoid
running at high rpms wh ile the engine is st ill
warming up.
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unatt ended afte r
starting .
If warning lights should come on to
indicate improper operation, they would go
un heeded . Extended idling also produces
heat, which could result in overheating or oth­
er damage to the vehicle or other property.
179

Trailer mode
Tire pressure
When tow ing a trailer, inflate the tires of your ve­
hicle to the cold tire pressure listed under " Full
load" on the label located on the driver's side B ­
pillar (visible when the door is open). Inflate
trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers'
specifications.
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off . Check to
make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly.
Safety chains
Be su re trailer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle.
Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners. When you install safety chains, make
sure they will not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains shou ld cross under the trai ler tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trai ler, please note the following:
.. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself
is not loaded .
.. Be especia lly careful when passing other
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limits.
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car results
in a highly unstable distribution of weight. If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
182
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and contro l.
This means that the tow vehicle shou ld be loaded
to the extent possible and permissib le, wh ile
keep ing the trailer as light as possible under the
c ir cumstances. Whenever poss ible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow veh icle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle load ing considerat ions .
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. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or w ind
cond it ions are unfavorab le - particularly when
go ing downh ill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing tra ilers are lower than for regular
vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When dr iving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 10 must
be observed carefully. If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im­
med iately and/or turn off the air conditioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light . in
the instrument cluster starts flashing, pull off
the road, stop and let the engine
idle for about
two m inutes to prevent heat build-up .
&_ WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided
by Audi.
-

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Trailer mode notes
Important to know
Your vehicle hand les differently when tow ing a
trailer because of the additional weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution. Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how careful­
ly you load your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic. Keep practicing until you have be­
come completely familiar with the way your vehi­
cle-trailer combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Back­
ing up with a trailer generally requires steering
action opposite to that when backing up your ve­
hicle without a trailer .
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. You wi ll need more
room to stop. To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot acce l­
erate as fast as you normally would because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for
your trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your A udi may require
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
¢ page 248 .
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
.. Apply the foot brake.
.. Have someone place chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels.
Trailer mode
.. With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load.
.. Turn the whee ls towards the curb .
.. App ly the parking brake.
.. Move the selector lever to P.
When restarting after parking:
.. App ly the foot brake.
.. Start the engine.
.. Move the selector lever to D/S .
.. Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
.. Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automat­
ic transmission to P before applying the park­
in g brake and before blocking the wheels, you
may have to use more force later to move the
l ever out of the P position.
183

Care and cleaning
Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care he lps to maintain your vehi ­
cle's value.
It can also be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your authorized Audi dealer . Read and fol­
low the instructions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
-Using cleaning and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
- Always store cleaning and care products out of reach of children to reduce the risk of poi­
soning .
@ For the sake of the environment
-Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not dispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash .
Car washes
The longer that deposits remain on the vehicle,
the more the surface may be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect.
Before washing, rinse
off heavy deposits with
p lenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird dropp ings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth .
A ls o, wash the underside of your veh icle once
road salt stops be ing used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icles with a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instructions provided with the pressure washer. This is espe­
cially important in regard to the p ressure and
spray ing distance. Do not direct the stream of
water directly onto sea ls for the side windows,
doors, luggage compartment lid or hood or onto
184
the tires , rubber hoses, insulat ing material, the
power top, sensors* 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 °().
Automatic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and power top are
closed and the windshield wipers are off. Follow
instructions from the car wash operator, especial­
ly if there are accessories attached to your vehi­
cle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the veh icle starting from the top and work­
ing 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 vehi ­
c le. Insects, grease spots and fingerprints are
best removed with a specia l 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 micro­
fiber cloth .
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and le t it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a sham my.
A WARNING
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
-

Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
P ower top
Deposits Clean water, power top cleaning product, if necessary.
Clean with the grain of the fabric using a soft brush and al-
low to air dry.
Wind d efle ct or Deposits Water, mild soap solut
ion, if necessaryal
D ec orativ e parts / Deposits Mild soap solution al, a clean ing solution suitable for stain-
t rim less stee l, if necessary
Car bon p art s Deposits clean the same way as painted parts <=>page 184, Car
washes
P aint Paint damage Refer to the pa int number on the vehicle data label, repa ir
with touch up pa int <=>
page 245
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately
S urface rust Rust remover, then protect with hard wax; for quest ions,
refer to an authorized A udi dealer.
Corrosion Have it removed by an authorized Audi dealer.
Wate r no longer Protect w ith hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean paint
No sh ine even though Treat with suitab le polish; then apply pa int protectant if
pa int has been pro- the polish that was used does not contain any protectan t
tected/paint looks
poor
Deposits such as in- Dampen w ith water immediately and remove with a micro-
sects, bird dropp ings, fiber cloth
tree sap and road salt
Grease-based con-Remove immediate ly with a mild soap solution a) and a
taminants such as soft cloth
cosmetics or sunblock
al Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quar t (1 liter ) of water
Internal cle ani ng
Component Situation Solution
Window s
Deposits Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Dec orati ve part s/ Deposits Mild soap solutional
t rim
Pl as tic part s
Deposi ts Damp clo1th
Heavier deposits Mild soap solution al, detergent-free plastic cleaning solu-
tion, if necessary
Di spl ays Deposits Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
Controls Deposits Soft brush, then a soft cloth w ith a mi ld soap solutional
Safet y belt s Deposits Mild soap solution a>, allow to dry before letting them re -
tract
186