2015 AUDI A8 trailer

120 Parking system s
Parking systems
General information
A ppl ies to vehicles: with parkin g system plus/rear view
camera/peripheral cameras
Depending on your vehicle's equ ipment, vari­
ous parking a ids wi ll help yo u when pa rk ing
and maneuve ring.
The
parking sy stem plu s with rear view cam­
era
ass ists you when park ing by aud ibly and
visua lly indicating objec ts detected
in front of
and behind the vehicle. The rear view came ra
shows the area behind the vehicle in the Info ­
tainment display . This display assists yo u
when you are cross or paralle l pa rking
co page 121.
The pe ripheral camera s assist yo u with pa rk­
ing and maneuvering . You are aided by various
cameras depending on the vehicle equipment
leve l
co page 124. In add it ion, you are assist­
ed by the functions from the sensors
co page 121, Sensors, co page 123, Visual
display.
A WARNING
- Always look fo r traff ic and check the area
around you r vehicle by looking at it di­
rect ly as we ll. The parking sys tem canno t
rep lace t he drive r's a ttent ion. The dr iver
is a lways respons ible for safety during
parking and for all other maneuvers.
- Please note tha t some sur faces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system .
- Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
wh ich peop le and objects cannot be de­
tected . Be especially cautious of children
and animals.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or damage to the radiato r grille, bumpe r,
wheel housing and the underbody. The park ing systems may become impaired
as a result. Have your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop check their
f unction.
- Make sure the sensors are not covered by
stickers, deposits or any othe r obstruc­
t ions as it may impair the senso r func- tion. Fo
r informat ion on cleaning, refe r
to
co page 214.
@ Note
- Some objects are not detected by the
system under certain ci rcumstances:
- Objects such as barrie r chains, trailer
draw bars, vertical poles or fe nces
- Objects above the sensors such as wall
extensions
- Objects w ith specific surfaces or struc­
tures such as chain link fences or pow­
de r snow.
- If you conti nue driving closer to a low- ly­
ing object, it may disappea r from the
sensor range. Note that you w ill no lon­
ger be warned about this obstacle.
0) Tips
- The system may provide a warning even
tho ugh there are no obstacles in the cov­
erage a rea in some situations, such as:
- certain road su rfaces or for long grass .
- ex terna l ult raso nic sources e.g. from
cleaning vehi cles.
- h eavy ra in, s now or thick ve hicle ex ­
ha ust.
- We recommend tha t yo u pr actice park­
ing in a t raff ic-free locat ion or par king
lot to become familiar w it h the system.
Whe n doi ng this, the re should be good
light and weathe r cond itions.
- Yo u can change the vol ume and pitch of
the s ignals as we ll as the disp lay
co page 130.
-Please refer to the instr uctions for tow­
ing a t railer
co page 130.
-W hat appea rs in the infotainment dis ­
play is somewhat time-delayed.

122 Parking systems
If the distance to an obstacle remains con­
stant, the volume of the distance warning
gradually drops after about four seconds (this
does not apply in the continuous tone range).
Rear view camera
The rear view camera is located above the rear
license plate bracket. Make sure that the lens
for the parking system
c:> fig. 132 is not cov­
ered by deposits or any other obstructions be­
cause this can affect the function of the park­
ing system. For information on clean ing, refer
to
c:> page 214.
The rear view camera coverage area includes
(D ¢fig . 131. Only this area is shown in the
Infotainment display. Objects that are outside
of this area @are not displayed.
The accuracy of the orientation lines and the
blue surfaces is reduced if the adaptive air
suspens ion* is faulty, if the vehicle is lifted or
if the
dynamic mode is activated c;, page 108.
A WARNING
-Always read and follow the applicable
warnings
c:> &. in General information on
page 120.
- If the position and the installation angle
of the rear view camera was changed, for
example, after a collision, do not contin­
ue to use the system for safety reasons.
Have it checked by your authorized Audi
dealership or authorized repair facility.
- Only use the rear view camera to assist
you if it shows a good, clear picture. For example, the image may be affected by
the sun shining into the lens, dirt on the
lens or if there is a system fault.
- Use the rear view camera only if the lug­
gage compartment lid is completely
closed. Make sure any objects you may
have mounted on the luggage compart­
ment lid do not block the rear view cam­
era.
- The camera lens enlarges and distorts
the field of vision . The object appears
both altered and inaccurate on the
screen. -
In certain situations, people or objects in
the display appear closer or further
away:
- objects that do not touch the ground,
such as the bumper of a parked vehicle,
a trailer hitch or the rear of a truck. Do
not use the help lines in this case.
- If driven from a level surface onto an
incline , or a downward slope.
- If driven toward protruding objects.
-If the vehicle is carrying too much load
in the rear.
(D Note
-Always read and follow the applicable
warnings
c:> 0 in General information on
page 120.
- The orange colored orientation lines in
the Infotainment display show the vehi­ cle path depending on the steering
wheel angle. The front of the vehicle
front swings out more than the rear of
the vehicle. Maintain plenty of distance
so that your outside mirror or a corner of
your vehicle does not collide with any ob­
stacles.
Switching on/off
Applies to vehicles : with parking system pl us with rear
v iew camera
Fig . 133 Center console: Parking system sw itch
Switching on
.,. Shift into reverse or
.,. press the
PwA button in the center console
c:> fig. 133 . A short confirmation tone
sounds and the LED in the button turns on. .,..

General information on page 125. The blue
area represents an extension of the vehicle's
outline by approx imately 16 ft (5 m) to the
rear. The long side of the blue area should
be on the curb. The entire blue area must fit
into the parking space .
• With the veh icle stopped, turn the steer ing
whee l to the right as far as it w ill go .
• Back into the park ing space unti l the b lue
c u rve¢
page 124, fig. 137 touches the curb
¢ &. in General information on page 125,
¢ (Din General information on page 125 .
Stop the vehicle.
• With the vehicle stopped, turn the steer ing
wheel to the left as far as it will go .
• Contin ue to back into the park ing space un­
ti l the vehicle is parked paralle l to the curb
¢ ,& in General information on page 125,
¢(j) in General information on page 125.
@ marks the rear bumper . Stop the veh icle,
at the latest, when the red or ientation line
© borders an object. Keep an eye on the
front of your vehicle wh ile doing this .
Parking n ext to obstacles
When the re is an obstacle (such as a wall)
next to the pa rking space, choose a space w ith
mo re space on the sides. Position the long
side of the blue a rea so that there is sufficient
space from the obstacle. The area must not be
on the obstacle. You will also need to start
turning the steer ing whee l much earlier .
There should be a sufficient amount of space
between the obstacle and the b lue curve, and
the blue curve¢
page 124, fig . 137 must not
touch the obs tacle .
@ Tips
The left or right orientation lines and sur­
faces will be displayed, depend ing on the
t ur n sig na l bei ng used.
P arking sys tems 129
Trailer view
App lies to vehicles: wit h top v iew camera system and
t railer hitch
This view assists you in positioning the vehicle
in front of a trailer.
F ig. 150 Infota inment: rear mode
Requ irement: the trailer mode is selected
¢ page 127.
• Now yo u can position your veh icle in front of
the trailer ¢,&
in General information on
page 125,
¢ (j) in General information on
page 125.
The orange colored orientation
line denotes the expected path towa rd the
trailer hitch . Use the blue lines to help you
es timate the distan ce to the trailer hitch .
Setting the mode
Applies to vehicles: wi th top v iew came ra sys te m
• Select: !CAR ! func tion b utton> C ar syst em s
cont ro l button > Driver a ssis t > Parking aid
> Change to front /rear > Auto or Manual.
Auto -
This view beh ind the vehicle ( Rear
mode) is displayed au tomatica lly when you
shift into reverse. T his view in front of the ve ­
hicle
( Front mode) is displayed automatica lly
when you shift into the forward gears.
Manual -This view behind the vehicle (Rear
mode) is always displayed when you turn on
the system .

130 Parking systems
Adjusting the display and the warning tones
App lies to vehicles: with par king system p lus w it h rear
view came ra/ top view came ra system
The display and warning tones can be adjust­
ed in the Infotainment.
.. Se lect : ICAR !funct io n button> Car sy stem s
control button > Driver assist > Parking aid .
Display
On* -
rear view came ra image is s hown fo r
pa rking system pl us with rear view camera *.
Off -when the park ing system is switched on,
on ly audib le signa ls are given.
Warning tones
Front volume -
Volume fo r the fro nt area
Rear volume -Volume for the rear area
Front frequency -Frequen cy for the front area
Rear frequency -Frequency for the rear area
Music volume while parking -When the park­
ing system is turned on, the volume of the au­
d io/v ideo source is lowered .
The new ly adjusted value is briefly heard from
the signa l generator.
@ Tips
- The wa rning tones can a lso be adjusted
directly from the visual display or the
camera image. Simply p ress the
Settings
control b utt on .
- Changed settings are activated when the parking system is switched on aga in.
- The settings a re automatically stored
and ass igned to the remote control key
that is in use.
Error messages
App lies to vehicles: with pa rk in g system p lus wit h rear
view ca mera/ top view ca mera system
There is an error in the system if the LED in
the
P •1! b utton is bli nki ng and you hear a con­
tinuous alarm for a few seconds afte r switch­
ing on the parking system or when the park -ing system
is already activa ted . If the error is
not co rrected before you switc h off the igni­
t ion, the LED in the
P, g! button wi ll blink the
next t ime yo u sw itch on t he parking system by
shifting into reverse.
If a sensor is fa ulty, the !:l4 symbol will appear
i n front of/behind the vehicle in the Infota in­
ment display . If a rear sensor is faulty, only
obstacles t hat are in the front detection area
are shown . If a front senso r is fau lty, o nly ob ­
stacles that are in the rear area are show n.
Peripheral camera s*
There is also a system error if:
- t he
°C8l" symbol appears in the display and
t he corresponding display area is shown in
b lue. The camera is not working in this area.
- all segments aro und the vehi cles are red or
if no segments are displayed.
Dr ive to your au thori zed A udi dealer or au­
tho rized repa ir facili ty imme diately to h ave
the mal func tion correcte d.
Trailer hitch
Applies to vehicles: wi th parking system pl us with rea r
v iew camera/top v iew camera system
For vehicles us ing the trailer socket, the park­
ing system rear sensors do not tu rn on wh en
yo u shift i nto reverse gea r or whe n you press
the
P' #! bu tton. This res ults in the following re­
strictions:
T he re is no distance warn ing fo r th e rea r. T he
fron t sensors remain ac tivated. The visua l dis­
play sw itches to the trailer towing mode. The
r ear view camera image will no t show the or i­
entatio n lines and the blue surfaces.
(D Tips
Tr ail e r hit ch es th at ar e not in sta lled a t the
fa ctory may ca use the par king system to
malfunction or they may restr ict its func ­
tion .

,....,
N ,....,
N
0 J:
'SI: ,...., \!) ..,.,
,...., ..,., ,....,
@ Tips
Your vehicle may be equipped with Audi
connect. Your use of certain Aud i connect
features req uires wireless serv ices that are
provided by a third party wireless telecom­
municat ions provider. For details regard­
ing how information obtained through
Aud i connect is collected, processed,
transmitted, used, and shared, please see
your contra ct w ith the wire less telecom ­
municat ions provider and the "About A udi
connect" tab in your vehicle's MMI:
!MENU !
button > Audi connect > About Audi con·
nect .
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of
skidd ing and loss of veh icle control. It works
only when the eng ine is running. ESC detects
certain difficult driv ing s ituations, including
when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw)
out of cont ro l and helps you to get the vehicle
back under control by select ively brak ing the
wheels, and/or red ucing engine powe r and
p roviding steering assistance to help hold the
ve hicle on the driver's intended course . The in­
dicator light
m in the instrument cluster
blinks when ESC is taking action to help you
control the vehicle.
ESC has limitations.
It is important to remem­
ber that ESC cannot overcome the laws of
phys ics. It will not a lways be able to help out
under all conditions you may come up against.
For example, ESC may not always be able to
h elp you master situat ions where there is a
sudden change in the coefficient of fr iction of
the road surface. When there is a sect io n of
d ry road that is s udden ly cove red with water,
slush o r snow, ESC canno t perform the same
way it would on the dry su rface.
If the vehicle
hydroplanes (rides on a c ush ion of wate r in­
stead of the road surface), ESC wi ll not be
ab le to he lp you steer the veh icle because con-
Int ellig ent technolog y 197
tact with the pavement has been interrupted
and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered .
D uring fast corner ing, particular ly on wind ing
roads, ESC cannot always deal as effectively
with difficult dr iv ing s ituations than at lower
speeds. When towing a trailer, ESC is not able
to help you regain control as it would if you
were not tow ing a trailer.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffic and weather conditions . ESC can­
not override the vehicle's physical lim its, in­
crease the availab le tract ion, or keep a veh icle
o n the road if road departu re is a result of
driver ina ttent io n. Instead , ESC imp roves the
poss ibility of keep ing t he vehicle under con­
trol and on the road during extreme maneu­
vers by using the driver's steering i nputs to
help keep the vehicle go ing in the intended di­
rect ion. If you are traveling at a speed that
causes you to run off the road before ESC can
provide any assistance, you may not experi­
ence the benefits of ESC.
ESC includes and/or works together with the
anti-lock braking system
(ABS), brake assist
system, anti -slip regulation (ASR), electronic
differential lock (EDL), dynam ic steer ing* and
selective wheel torque contro l. ESC is switch­
ed on all the time. In cer tain situations when
yo u need less traction, yo u can switch off ASR
by press ing the b utton above ~
page 199,
fig. 188 the se lector lever. Be sure to switch
ASR on again when you no longer need less
traction.
Anti -lock braking system (ABS )
ABS prevents the whee ls from loc king up
when b rak ing. The vehicle can st ill be stee red
even during hard braking . App ly steady pres­
su re to the brake peda l. Do not pump the ped­
al. A pulsing in the brake pedal indicates that
the system is helping you to brake the vehicle.
Brake assi st sy stem
T he brake ass ist system can dec rease braking
distance . It increases braking power when the
driver presses the brake peda l quickly in emer­
gency s ituations. You must press and hold the
brake pedal unti l the situation is over. In
I),
•
•

210 Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trai ler, please remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
i::> page 210, Operating instructions .
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­ ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the veh icle 's chassis at a
technically sound location . Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. A lways
check with the trai le r hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the cor rect
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system. No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems. From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer hitch ball mount. This prevents the
h itch from causing damage should your veh i­
cle be struck from behind~ &.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
direc tly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the tra iler.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check with your Audi dealer for correct
wiring, switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is important
that you
always have clear v is ion to the rear .
A WARNING ,~ -
After removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicl e. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in­
jure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Fig. 189 MMI display : tow ing mode on
Maximum traile r weight
A trai ler for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer. .,.

.... N .... N
0 J:
'SI: .... \!) 1.1'1
.... 1.1'1 ,....,
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ .&. in Driving instructions on page 212.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard ­
er . It is important that the cooling system's
performance is up to the additional load .
Make sure that the cooling system has enough
fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle 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 manufac­
turers' specifications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer
lights are working properly.
Safety chains Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle . Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners . When you install safety
chains, make sure they will not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch .
Adjusting the Audi drive select Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface
be­
fore
hitching up the trailer and before adjust ­
ing the tongue weight. The vehicle must be in
auto or comfort driving mode and not raised
¢page 108, ~CD .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info ­
tainment, select:
ICARI function button> low­
er control button .
Trailer towing 211
If you must drive under poor road conditions,
you can raise the vehicle
after coupling the
trailer or
after adjusting the tongue weight
¢ page 110.
@ Note
- Changes in temperature or load can af­
fect the height of the vehicle.
- Always select auto or comfort mode.
Otherwise, the tongue load specified for
your vehicle will no longer be applicable.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the following:
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car it­
self is not loaded .
.,. Be especially 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 trailer with an empty car re­
sults 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.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the circumstances . Whenever possi­
ble , transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not .,.
•
•

212 Trailertowing
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind condit ions are unfavorable -part icu larly
when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immedi atel y if the trail ­
er shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not
tr y to stop th e sway ing by acceler ating .
Observe speed limi ts. In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing trailers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
A lways apply brakes early. When driv ing
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en­
gine braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of
the brakes a lone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant t emperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 10
must be observed carefully. The coolant tem­
perat ure can increase if you drive on long in ­
clines in a low gear at high engine speeds. Re­
duce your speed immediate ly if the L EDs in
the top part of the display turn on.
F or more in formation about indicator lights,
referto .¢page
15 .
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing veh icle is at a much greater risk in an
accident . Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wear ing the restra ints
provided by Aud i.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle hand les different ly when towing
-
a trailer because of the addit ional weight and
d ifferent weight distribution . Safety, perform­
ance and economy w ill greatly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your ng.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopp ing and back ing up in an area
away from traffic . Keep practicing until you have become completely familiar with the way
your vehicle-trailer combination behaves and responds .
Backing up is diffi cult and requ ires practice .
Backing up with a trailer gene rally req uires
steering action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a tra iler.
Maintain a greater d ista nce between you r ve­
hicle and the one in front of you . You wi ll need
more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you w ill need a larger than normal
turning rad ius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac ­
ce lerate as fast as you norma lly would be­
ca use of the added load. Make sure yo u have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow
plenty of room for your trailer be fore chang­
ing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in
period of your vehicle .
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may re ­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the extra load¢
page 290.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it can­
not b e avoided, do so only after doing th e fol­
lowing:
When par king:
.,. App ly the foot brake.
.,. Have someone p lace chocks under both the
vehicle and the tra iler wheels .
.,. With chocks in place, slowly release the
brakes unt il the wheel chocks absorb the
load .
.,. Turn the whee ls towards the curb .
.,. Apply the parking brake .
.,. Select the P se lector lever posit ion.
When re starting after parking:
.,. App ly the foot brake.