2015 AUDI A5 Driver

Smart Technology
The following situations are exceptions where it
may be usefu l to switch on sport mode to allow
the wheels to spin : -
Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driv ing in deep snow or on loose ground
- Dr iv ing with snow chains
Sport mode on ESC/ASR off Sport mode off or
ESC /ASRon
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza- The stabilization funct ion is The full stabilization func-
tion fu nct ions are limited not
available¢ ,&.. ESC and
tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢ ,&. .
ASR are switched
off. available again.
Operation Press the I!> OF F! button Press and hold the I!> OF FI Press the I!> OF F! button
briefly . button longer than 3 sec-again.
onds .
Indicator II turns on. JI and lf'lii•li~ turn on. II turns off or II and
lights lf'lii•l~~ turn off.
Driver mes- Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization control
sages Sport. Warning! Re stricted off. Warning! Restricted (ESC):
On
stability stability
It is only possible to turn off the ASR up to 30
mph (SO km/h) for veh icles wi th front whee l
drive . At about
45 mph (70 km/h) it automatica l­
ly turns on again. It is possible to turn
off the
ASR at any speed for vehicles with all whee l
drive.
A WARNING
-
You should only sw itch sport mode on or
switch ESC/ASR
off if your driving ab ilities and
road condit io ns perm it .
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is switched on. The dr iv ing
wheels could spin and the veh icle cou ld
swerve, especially on slick or slippery road
surfaces.
- There is no vehicle stabilization when ESC/
ASR are switched
off.
(D Tips
ESC/ASR cannot be switched off or sport
mode cannot be switched on when cruise con­
trol or adaptive cru ise control* is sw itched on .
172
Braking
What affects broking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the first 250 miles (400 km), new brake
pads do not possess their full braking effect, they
have to be "broken in" first¢,&. . You can com­
pensate for this slightly reduced braking power
by pushing harder on the brake pedal. Avoid
heavy braking loads during the break-in period.
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still sub­
ject to wear, depending largely on operating con­
ditions and driving habits~,&. . On vehicles that
are either driven most ly in stop-and -go city traf­
fic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by your authorized Audi dealer more of­
ten than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte­
nance booklet .
Failure to have your brake pads
i nspected can result in reduced brake perform­
ance .
On steep slopes, you should use the braking ef­
fect of the engine . This way, you prevent unnec­
essary wear on the brake system. If you must use
your brakes, do not hold the brakes down contin­
uously. Pump the brakes at intervals.

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 226, 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 Technolog y
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads w ith a few carefu l
brake applications .
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you in­
stall a d ifferent spoiler, be sure the air flow
to the front brakes is not obstructed. Other­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc ­
ing the effectiveness of the entire brake sys­
tem.
- Failure of one brake c ircuit will impair the
braking capab ility result ing in an increased
stopp ing distance. Avoid driving the veh icle
and have it towed to the nearest autho rized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle ro ll to a stop with the
engine shut off .
- If the brake booster is not work ing, the
brake pedal must be pressed considerably
harder to make up for the lack of booste r as­
sistance .
Electro-mechanical
power assist, dynamic
steering
The electro-mechanical power assist helps the
driver when steering.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator lights and me ssages
• Stee ring defe cti ve! D o not dr ive vehicle!
If this indicator light tu rns on and stays on and
this message appears, the power steering may
have fai led .
Do
not contin ue driving. See yo ur authorized
Aud i dealer o r a qua lified repair facility for assis­
tance.
l ;r- ij Dynami c steering : S ys te m fault! You can
c on tinu e dr iving
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, the steer ing may be more difficult to
move or mo re sensitive than us ual. The steer ing
wheel may also be at an ang le when dr iv ing
straight.
174
Drive slowly to your authorized Audi dea ler or
qualified workshop to have the ma lf u nction cor­
rected.
' -r, ij Dynamic ste ering: i nitializing
If this driver message appears and the indicator
li ght is flashing on the i nstrume nt pane l, dynam­
i c steer ing* is being rein it ia lized . After sta rting
the engine, the steer ing whee l w ill move sligh tly.
Re-initialization might be necessary if the steer ­
ing whee l was moved hard to th e left and right
whi le the vehicle was not moving . The display
goe s out as soon as initiali zation is comp lete.
A WARNING
,-
H ave the dynamic steering* system malfunc-
tion repaired as soon as possible by an author ­
ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop - r isk
of accid ent!
@ Tips
- If the . or 'T fl indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may cont inue driving.
- The dynamic steering* stab ility system s are
not availab le in the event of a system mal­
function .
- For add itional information on dynamic
steering*, refer to<=> page 102 .
Driving with your quattro
Applies to vehicles : wit h all -w hee l drive
With all-wheel drive , all four wheels are driven .
General information
With a ll-wheel drive, power is distrib uted to a ll
fo ur wheels . This happens automatica lly depend­
i ng on your driving style and the road conditions
at the t ime . See also <=> page 1 70 .
A center d ifferential distributes the driving power
variab ly to the front and rear ax le. It works to­
gether w ith select ive whee l torque control , which
activates when drivi ng throug h curves
¢ page 171 . W ith the sport diffe rential*, power
distribution to the rear wheels is var iable and can
be ad justed with d rive select ¢ page 102 .
1111-

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Trailer mode Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a tra iler, p lease remember that
the additiona l load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance .
T railer towing not on ly places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentrat ion from
the driver .
F or this reason, a lways fo llow the operating and
d riving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the veh icle 's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use on ly a tra iler hitc h with a re­
movable ba ll mou nt. Always chec k w ith the t ra il­
e r hitch m anu fac tur er to make sure that you a re
using the co rrec t hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not in terfere with the impact-absorbi ng
bumper system. No mod ificat ions should b e
mad e to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
Fr om time to t ime, c hec k t hat a ll h itch mou nti ng
bo lts remain sec urely fastened .
When you are no t tow ing a trailer,
remove the
trai ler hitch ball mount . Th is prevents the hitc h
fr om caus ing damage should you r vehicle be
s truck from behind¢,&. .
Trailer brakes
If yo ur tra iler is equipped w it h a braking system,
check to be s ure that it conforms to all regu la­
tions.
Trailer mode
T he trailer hyd raulic brake system must not be di ­
rect ly connected to the ve hicle's hydraulic b rake
system ¢.&. .
Safety chains
Alw ays use s afety ch ains be tween your ve hicle
and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Tra ile r li ghts must meet all regulations. Be sure
to check w it h your author ized Audi deal er for cor­
r e ct w iring, sw itches, and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
i ng the regular o uts ide mirrors, then you
must in ­
sta ll extended mirrors .
It is importa nt that you
always have clea r vision to the rea r.
_&. WARNING
- I f a trai ler has elec trical brake s please note
th at these b ra kes are not acti va ted by the
factory -fitted contro l unit -ris k of acci dent!
- After removing the t railer hi tch, do n ot store
it in your vehicle . In case o f su dden braking,
the hi tch could fly forward and injure you or
your passe ngers.
Operating instructions
Maximum traile r weight
A trai ler for you r vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
B e sure the load in the t ra iler i s held secure ly in
pla ce to prevent it from sh ifting forw ard , back ­
war d or sideways .
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer¢.&.
in Driving in struc tion s on page 182.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder . It
is important that the cooling system's pe rform­
ance is up to the additional load . Ma ke s ure that
t h e coo ling system has enoug h fluid.
IIJJ,
181

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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fill up at busy gas stations where the seasonal
adjustment is more likely to be made in time.
(D Note
- Fuels containing a high pe rcentage of etha­
no l such as ESQ and E85 may only be used in
vehicles with f lexible fuel engines. Using
high ethanol fuel in veh icles not equ ipped
with flexible fuel engines can cause severe
engine damage.
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these re­ quirements may cause corrosion and dam­
age to plastic and rubber components in the
fuel system.
- Do not use fuels that fail to meet the spec i­
fied criter ia in this chapter .
- If you are unable to determine whether or
not a particular fuel blend meets the speci­
fications, ask your service station or its fuel
supplier .
- Do not use fuel for wh ich the contents can­
not be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance prob­
lems resulting from the use of fuels differ­
ent from those spec ified are not the respon­
s ibility of Audi and are not covered under
the New Vehicle o r the Emission Cont ro l
System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fue l economy o r
driveability and pe rformance problems due
to the use of one of these f uel b lends, we
r ecommend that yo u switch to unb lended
fuel.
Ethanol fuel (Bio-ethanol)
Applies to vehicles: with flexible fuel engine
You can recognize vehicles with a flexible fuel
engine by looking at the label on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
Vehicles w ith f lexible fuel engines may be operat­
ed with bio-ethanol fuels such as E85 (85% e tha ­
nol and 15% gasoline) or with unleaded gasoline
(91 AKI/ROZ 95) . The vehicle may also be operat­
ed with a m ixt ure of these fuels.
Fu el and R efu elin g
Your f uel consumption wi ll increase when using
bio-ethano l fue ls due to the lower amount of en­
ergy contained per unit vo lume in ethano l.
Warming up the fle xible fuel engine in low
t e mperatu res
Due to the chemical composition of b io-ethanol,
a certain amount of fue l ends up in the engine oil
when driving short distances in
very low temper­
atures. This fuel evaporates again when the en­
gine is warmed up .
II Please w arm up eng ine .
If the driver message appears in the instrument
cluster disp lay, drive with a warm engine to re ­
duce the oil leve l.
(D Note
-Never fill with methano l or with a h igher
percentage of b io-ethanol than 85% (E85).
A highe r percentage of bio-ethanol in the
fue l can cause damage to the engine or to
the fuel system.
- If you use on ly E85, it is recommended to
fill the fue l tank complete ly w ith unleaded
premium grade gasoline every 5,000 miles.
- If you experience starting, rough id le or hes­
itat ion driveab ility problems, fill the fuel
tank complete ly w ith unleaded premium
grade gasoline and drive it normally unt il
the gaso line is used. See your author ized
Audi dea ler if the problem pe rsists.
- Inform your author ized Audi dealer that you
are operating or have operated the vehicle
w ith E85.
- Read and follow the information and t ips
about gasoli ne
c::> page 186 .
(D Tips
It may take longer to start the engine when
the outs ide temperature is
very cold. If possi­
ble, use winte rized fue l if tempe ratu res are
below free zin g.
187

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Checking and Filling Hood
Releasing and opening the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehi­
cle.
Fig. 159 Driver's side footwell: e ng in e hood release lever
Fig. 160 Releas e lev er un der t he e ngin e hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that
the windshield wipers are flat against the wind­
shield . Otherwise, they could damage the paint
on the hood.
.. With the driver's door open, pu ll the lever un­
der the instrument panel in the direction of the
arrow
c::> fig . 159.
.. Ra ise the hood slightly c::> &.
.. Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
c::> fig . 160. This releases the catch .
.. Open the hood.
A WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
- To reduce the r isk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compa rt­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be
Checking and Filling
seen or heard before carefully opening the
hood .
Closing the engine hood
.. Pull the hood down until the pressure from the
struts is reduced.
"' Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do
not try to push it shut;
it may fa il to engage
c::> &. -
A WARNING
A hood that is not comp letely latched could
fly up and block your view while driving.
- When you close the engine hood, check it to
make sure the safety catch has properly en­
gaged . The hood should be flush with the
surrounding vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while driv ing that the hood is
not secured properly, stop at once and close
it.
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the
engine compartment.
-
Whenever you must perform any work in the
engine compartment, for example checking and
filling different fluids , there i s a risk of injury ,
burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury
always observe the following WARNINGS . The
engine compartment of any vehicle is a hazard­
ous area
c:> .&. .
A WARNING
-
To help avoid injury, before you check any-
thing under the hood:
- Turn off the engine.
- Remove the ignition key .
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of automatic transmis-
sion to "P" (Park); put manua l transmission
in Neutral.
-Always let the engine cool down. Hot com­
ponents wi ll burn skin on contact .
191

Tire pressure
Fig. 170 Driver 's side B -pillar : tire pres­
sure label
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TR IIZI. 00lO TW.PMSIUl'll '""' ONiNSIC)N$ ,...._0UntlUSAN1011
-KPA. . PSI
Fig. 171 Tire pressure label
The correct tire pressure for tires
mounted in the factory and for
the spare tire* is indicated on a la­
bel. The labe l is located on the 8-
pillar
¢fig. 170, ¢fig. 171.
Use the tire pressure specified for
a normal vehicle load when the
vehicle is partially loaded
¢page 216. If driving the vehicle
when fully loaded, you must in­ crease the tire pressure to the
maximum specified pressure¢
A-
Checking/correcting tire
pressure
Wheels
.. Check the tire pressure at least
once per month and also check it before every long drive .
.. Always check the tire pressure
when the tires are
cold. Do not
reduce the pressure if it increas­
es when the tires are warm.
.. Check the label¢
fig. 171 for
the correct tire pressure based on vehicle load.
..Correct the tire pressure if nec­
essary .
.. Vehicles with Tire Pressure Moni­
tor ing System*: store the modi­
fied tire pressure in the Infotain­
ment system ¢
page 224.
.. Check the pressure in the emer­
gency tire* /spare t ire*. Always
ma intain the maximum temper­
ature that is specified for the
tire.
A WARNING
-
Always adapt the tire pressure
to your driving style and vehicle load.
-Overloading can lead to loss of vehicle control and increase
the risk of an accident. Read
and follow the important
safety precautions in
215