2015 AUDI A5 Owner´s Manual

M N
i? co ,...., \!) ..,.,
N ..,., ,....,
The all-wheel drive concept is designed for high
engine power . Your vehicle is exceptionally pow­
erful and has excellent driving character istics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre­
cautions <=>
,&.
Winter tire s
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with all­
wheel drive has an advantage, even with regular
tires. In winter road conditions it may be advisa­
ble to mount w inter tires (or all-season tires) for
improved driveability and braking: these tires
must be mounted on
all four wheels. See also
<=> page 220, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally also applies to vehicles with
all-wheel drive <=>
page 220, Snow chains.
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with all-wheel drive must a lways have
tires of the same size. Also avoid tires with differ­
ent tread depths. For details see page
<=>
page 212, New tires or wheels.
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clear­
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle. It is there­
fore best to avoid rough tracks and uneven ter­
rain as much as possible. Also refer to
<=>page 177.
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic
conditions. Do not let the extra safety afford­
ed by all-wheel drive tempt you into taking
extra risks.
- Although the all-wheel dr ive is very effec­
t ive, always remember that braking capacity
is limited by tire traction. You should there­
fore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or
slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to dr ive
too fast because the front wheels could be ­
gin to slide on top of the water (aquap lan­
ing). If this shou ld occur, you will have no
Smart Technology
warning from a sudden increase in engine
speed as with a front-wheel drive vehicle.
Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road conditions -risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution of
electrical energy and thus optimizes the availa­
bility of electrical energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is
not driven for a long pe riod of time, the battery
is discharged by idling current consumers (e.g.
i mmobil izer). In certain circumstances it can re­
su lt in there being insufficient energy available to
start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle
hand les the distribution of electrical energy.
Starting ability is markedly improved and the life
of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
bat­
tery diagnosis , idling current management
and
dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the
state of the battery . Sensors determine battery
vo lta ge, battery current and battery tempera­
tu re. This determines the current state of charge
and the power of the battery.
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy con­
sumption whi le the vehicle is standing. With the
ignition switched off, it contro ls the energy sup­
ply to the various electrical components. Data
from battery diagnosis is considered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge, indi­
vidual consumers are gradually turned off to pre­
vent excessive discharge of the battery and thus
maintain starting capability .
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic energy
management distr ibutes the energy generated ..,.
175

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.

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

Driving and th e environment
(D Tips
- Check the depth of the water before driving
through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, drive in reverse or
switch the engine
off when driving through
water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to dr ive
through safely.
- Avoid driving through sa lt water because it
can cause corrosion.
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission control
system (catalytic converter) is functioning prop­ erly to ensure that your vehicle is running in an
environmentally sound manner .
~ Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 186,
Fuel supply .
~ Never run the tank down a ll the way to empty .
~ Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 195, 9::?1 Adding engine oil .
~ Never try to push- or tow -start your veh icle.
The cata lytic conve rter is an eff icient "clean-up"
dev ice bu ilt into the exhaust system of the vehi­
cle. The cataly tic converter burns many of the
pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are re ­
leased into the atmosphere.
The ex clusive use of u nleaded fuel is critically im­
por tant for the life of the catalyt ic converte r and
p roper functioning o f the engine.
A WARNING ,..___ -
- The temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driving and after stopping
the engine.
- Never touch the exha ust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This could result in burns.
- Do not park o r operate the vehicle in areas
whe re the hot exhaust system may come in
contact with dry grass, brush, fue l spill or
other mater ial which can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exha ust man i-
178
fold, exha ust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. During driv ing, the substance
used for undercoat ing could overheat and
cause a f ire.
Cl) Note
- Be aware that just one tank fill ing with
le ad·
ed
fue l w ill already ser iously degrade the
performance of the catalytic converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢page 195.
-Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
completely empty. The engine co uld m isfire.
Unburned fuel could also get into the ex­
haust system and this could cause the cata­
lyt ic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn
off the ignition while the vehicle
is moving .
- Do not continue to operate your veh icle un­
der these conditions, as otherwise fuel can
reach the catalytic converter . This could re­
sult in overheating of the conve rter, requ ir­
ing its replacement.
- T o assure efficient operation of the Emission
Cont ro l System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and
in accordance with the se rvice recommen­
dations in yo ur Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet.
- Lack of proper maintenance as we ll as im­
proper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system
and could lead to damage.
(® For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion C ontrol System is op­
e rat ing proper ly, the exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas sme ll under some op­
erat ing states. This depends on the sulfur
content of the fuel being used. Us ing a d iffe r­
ent brand of fue l may he lp, or fi llin g the tank
wi th lead-free s uper grade gaso line.
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like you r vehicle to remai n inope ra­
tive for a longer period of time, con tact an Audi
o r other spec ia liz ed dealer. They can adv ise you .,.

M N
i? co ,...., \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 ,....,
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 200.
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

Driving and th e environment
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot
of fuel .
.,. Have your vehicle serviced at regula r intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authorized Audi dealer he lps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically. The condition of
your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to hold its value, it also affects
f uel c onsump­
tion .
C he ck you r oil e ach t ime you fill you r ta nk .
The amount of oil used is related to engine load
and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new en­
g ine to reach its lowes t va lue after a cer tain mile ­
age has been d riven .
You must d rive you r vehicle about 3,000 miles
(5 ,000 k ilometers) before you can properly as­
sess o il cons umption .
This a lso applies to fuel consumption and engine
output.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and
in accordance w ith the service recommenda­
tions in you r Warra nty
& M aintenance book­
l et . Lack of p roper m aintenance as well as
i mprope r use of the vehicle will impair the
funct ion of the emission control system and
could lead to damage.
- Do not a lter or remove any component of
the Emission Cont ro l System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not a lter o r remove any dev ice, such as
heat shie lds, switches, ignition wires,
va lves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Emiss ion Control System and other
i mportant veh icle components.
180
· Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high
on short trips .
.,. Try to avoid dr iv ing short distances with a cold
eng ine .
The eng ine and catalytic converter have to reach
their opt imal
oper atin g temperature to reduce
fuel consumpt ion and noxious emissions effec­
tively .
Just after starting, a co ld engine in a mid-s ize car
on ly achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 mi les per
gallon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a half a
mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100
km) . After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the eng ine is
at its proper operating temperature and fuel
economy has reached a norma l level. So you can
see that you should avo id short trips whenever
poss ible .
The
out side t emp eratur e is also cr itical in th is re­
gard. Your car consumes more fuel in the winter
than in the summer.

M N
i? co ,...., \!) ..,.,
N ..,., ,....,
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.
-