2015 AUDI A5 ESP

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 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

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.
-

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 244 .
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-
~ hide and the trailer wheels . ..,.,
N ..,., ,....,
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.
.. Place an automatic transmission* in P, respec­
tively a manual transmission in first or reverse
gear .
When restarting after parking:
.. App ly the foot brake.
.. Start the engine.
.. Move the selector lever to D/S, respectively a
manual transmission in first gear .
.. Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
.. Stop and have someone retr ieve the wheel
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automat­
ic transmission* to P before applying the
parking brak e and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use more force later to move
the lever 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 aim the spray directly
at seals on side windows, doors, the hood, the
rear lid or the sunroof* or at tires, rubber hoses,
184 insulating
material, sensors* or camera lenses*.
Keep a distance of at least 16 inches (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washe r.
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 w indows and roof* are closed
and the windshie ld wipers are off. Follow instruc­
tions from the car wash operator, especially if
there are accessories attached to your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes.
Washing by hand
Clean the veh icle starting from the top and work­
i ng down using a soft sponge or cleaning b rush .
Use solvent-free cleaning p roducts.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing, first
remove dust and large particles from your vehi­
cle. Insects, grease spots and fingerprints are
best removed with a special cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply the p roduct using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the ve hicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutra l shampoo and a soft micro­
fiber cloth .
Rinse the veh icle thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a shammy.
A WARNING
-On ly wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acc i­
dents.
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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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When activating the central locking, the fuel fi ll­
er flap is automatically un locked or locked . Re­
fue l the vehicle with the ignit ion turned
off.
Tak ing th e fu el cap off
.,. Turn off the ignit ion.
.,. Press the left side o f the fue l filler flap to open
it
r=;, fig . 155 -arrow -.
.,. Unscrew fuel cap counter-clockwise and hang it
on the fue l filler flap
c> fig. 156.
R efuellin g proc edu re
.,. Inse rt the fue l nozz le from the gasol ine p ump
into the fuel filler neck as far as it will go .
.,. Se lect a medium refuelling rate so that the
nozzle switches off automatica lly when the
tank is full.
P utting the fuel cap back on
.,. After fi lling your tank, tw ist the fuel cap clock-
wise as far as it wi ll go.
.,. Close the fuel filler flap .
To avo id f uel spi lling or evaporating from the fue l
tank always close fuel cap properly and com ­
p letely.
A WARNING
Improper refueling or handling of fue l can
cause fire, exp losion and severe burns.
-
- Fuel is highly flammable and can cause se­
vere burns and other injuries.
- Failure to shut the engine off whi le refuel­
ing and/or to insert the pump nozzle fu lly
into the fuel filler neck could cause fue l to
spray out of f iller neck or to overflow. Fuel
spray and overflow ing fuel can cause a fire.
- Never use a cellular telephone wh ile refuel­
ing. The electromagnetic radiation can
cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors and
cause a fire.
- Never get back into your vehicle while refu­
eling. If in exceptional c ircumstances you
must get back in your vehicle while refuel­
ing, make certain that you close the door
and touch meta l to discharge static e lectric­
ity before touching the filler nozzle again.
Fu el and R efu elin g
Static electricity can cause sparks that can
ignite fuel vapors released during refue ling.
- Never smoke or have an open f lame any­
where in or near your vehicle when refueling or filling a portable fuel conta iner .
- For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you do not travel with a portable f uel
container in your veh icle. The container, full
or empty may leak and cou ld cause a fire,
especially in a crash .
- If, under exceptional c ircumstances, you
must transport a portab le fuel container,
please observe the following:
- Never fill a portable fuel container while it
is anywhere in or on the vehicle (for exam­
ple, in the l uggage compartment, or on
the trunk). Static e lectric ity can build up
while filling and can ignite fuel vapors
caus ing a fire .
-Always place a portab le fue l conta iner on
the ground before fill ing .
- Always keep the filler nozzle completely
inside the portable container before and
during f il li ng.
- If filling a portab le container made of
metal, the f iller nozzle must always be in
contact with the container. This will help prevent static electricity from d ischarging
and cause a fi re.
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or lug­
gage compartment. Fuel vapors are highly
flammable.
- Always observe local and state/provincial
laws regarding the use, storage and trans­
po rtation of fue l conta iners.
- Make certain the fuel conta iner meets in­
dustry standards (ANSI/ AS TM F852 -86).
(D Note
If any fuel has sp illed onto the car, it should
be removed immediately to prevent damage
to the pa int.
@) For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correct ly operated nozzle
switches off automat ically for the first time,
189

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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