2015 AUDI Q3 traction control

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@ Tips
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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 153
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 the 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 brake system (ABS), brake ass ist sys­
tem, ant i-slip regu lation (ASR), electron ic dif­
ferential lock (EDL), electron ic interaxle d iffe r­
ential lock*/se lective wheel torque co ntrol*
and hill descent assist. ESC is swit ched on a ll
the time. In ce rtain sit uat io ns when yo u need
less traction, you can sw itch off ASR by press­
ing the b utton
[fil ¢ page 155, fig. 13 7. Be
s u re to switch ASR on again when you no lon­
ger need less traction .
Anti-lock braking system (ABS )
ABS prevents the whee ls from locki ng up
when b raking. 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 a ssis t sy ste m
The brake ass ist system can decrease 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. .,,.
•
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with all-wheel drive¢ page 211, Snow
chains .
Replacing wheels /tire s
Vehicles w ith all-wheel drive mus t always
h ave tires o f the same size. Also avoid t ires
with different tread depths. For details see
page
c::> page 206, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels.
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traf­
fic condit ions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
- Although the all-wheel dr ive is very ef­
fective, always remember that braking capacity is limited by t ire traction . You
should therefore not dr ive at excess ive
speeds on icy or slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to
dr ive too fast because the front wheels
c ou ld beg in to s lide on top of the water
(aquaplaning). If this sho uld oc cur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in­ crease in engine speed as with a front­
wheel drive vehicle. A lways drive at
speeds which are suited to the road con ­
ditions -risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting
the engine .
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system
is not driven for a long period of time , the bat­
tery is discharged by idling cu rrent consumers
(e.g. immobilizer). In ce rtain c ircumstances it
can result in there being insufficient energy
M avai lab le to start the engine . N
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Intelligent energy management in your veh i­
cle handles the d istribution of elec trical ener­
gy . Starting abi lity is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
Intellig ent technolog y 159
Basica lly, energy management consists of
b att ery diag nosis , id lin g cur rent man age­
ment
and dyn amic en ergy m anag ement.
Batte ry diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines
the state of the battery . Sensors determine
battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature . This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the batte ry .
Idlin g current manag ement
Id ling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is standing.
With the ig nition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical compo­ nents. Data from battery diagnosis is cons id­
ered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge ,
individual consumers are gradually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of the batte ry
and thus maintain starting capability .
Dynamic energy manag ement
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic en­
ergy management distributes the energy gen ­
erated according to the needs of the individ u­
al components . It regulates consumption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
than is being generated and ensures an opti­
mal state of charge for the battery .
(D Tips
-But even energy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
limited.
- If start ing ability is threatened, the indi­
cator light (•) ;ippears
c::> page 15.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability .
The battery is severe ly taxed in short-distance
driving , in ci ty traff ic and during the cold time
of year . Abundant electrical energy is .,.
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196 Tire s and wheel s
-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
yo u are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden t ire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when driving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
(D Note
- Please note that summer and winter
tires are designed for the cond itions that
a re typ ica l in those seasons. Aud i recom-
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means t he comb ined we ight (in excess of
those sta ndard items wh ich may be rep lace d)
of automa tic transmission, power s teering ,
power brakes, power wi ndows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that thes e
items are availab le as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether ins talled or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the ratio o f the height to the width of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in ­
d icate a low sidewall for improved steer ing re ­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means t he pa rt of the tire that is made of
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the rim .
Bead separat ion
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire. mends using winter tires during the w
in ­
ter months. Low temperatures signifi­
cantly decrease the elastic ity o f summe r
tires, which affects traction and braking ability . If summer tires are used in very
co ld temperatures, cracks ca n form o n
the tread bars, resu lting in permanent
tire damage that can cause lo ud driving
noise and unbalanced tires. Aud i is no t
responsib le for this type of d amage .
- Burn ished , polished or chromed rims
must not be used in winter road condi ­
tions. The s urface of the rims does not
have s uff ic ient corrosion protection for
this and could be permanently damaged
by road sa lt o r similar substances .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the t ire p ress ure recommended by the
vehicle m anufacture r fo r a tire o f a des ign ated
s ize that has not been d riven for more than a
coup le of miles (ki lometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire p ress ure
is measured or adjusted .
Curb weight
means the we ight of a motor ve hicl e w ith
standard equipment including the maximum
capac ity of fuel, oi l, and coolant, air condi­
tion ing and additional weig ht o f optiona l
equipment.
E x tra load tire
means a t ire design to operate at higher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor ­
responding standa rd tire . Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "x l" , "E X TRA LOAD", or
"RF" on the sidewall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR ")
means the load-carrying capa city of a s ingle
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in-
terfaces.
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206 Tires and whe els
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of con­
trol, a crash and serious persona l injury!
- Never drive a vehicle when the tread on
any tire is worn down to the wear indica­
tors .
- Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do
not grip well on wet roads and increase
yo ur risk of "hydroplan ing" and loss of
control.
- Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage, such as grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from t ires.
- Tires age even if they are not be ing used
and can fail suddenly , especially at high
speeds . T ir es that are more t han 6 years
o ld can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used ti res on yo ur vehicle if
yo u are not sure of their "previous histo ­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in .
Fig. 156 Tir e specificat ion codes on t he s idew all o f a
t ire
No. De scription
@ Nom inal width of tire in millimeters
® Ra tio of height to width (aspect ratio)
© Radial
® Rim diameter code
® L oad index and sp eed rating
(J) U.S. DOT tire identifi cation number
® Audi Original tire
® Sever snow cond itions
@ Tire ply compos ition and materials
used
@ Maximum load r ating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature
grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure
T he t ires and rims are essential parts of the
vehicle 's design . The tires and rims approved
by Audi are spec ially matched to the charac­
te ris tics of the vehicle and can ma ke a major .,..

208 Tires and wheels
S up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)1l
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)ll
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)ll
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)
1
l
Your veh icle is normally factory equipped with
tires, which possess excellent driving charac­
teristics and give yo ur Audi opt imum d riving
comfort . An electronic speed limiter
c::> page 27 will normally prevent your vehicle
from going faster than the tire speed rating
¢ &. .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
and tire manufacture date
This is the tire's "serial number". It begins
with the letters "DOT" and indicates that the
tire meets all federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it
was manufactured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year of manufacture.
For example, the numbers 2214 mean that
the tire was produced in the 22nd wee k of
2014. The other numbers are mar keting co­
des that may or may not be used by the tire
manufacturer . This information is used to con­
tact consumers if a tire defect requires a re­
call.
Audi Original tire
Tires with the identification "AO" or "RO" have
been specia lly matched with your Audi . We
recommend using only these tires because
they meet the highest standards regard ing
safety and driving character istics when used
correctly. Your authorized Audi dealer will
gladly provide you with more information.
Tire ply composit ion and materials used
The number of plies indicates the number of
l ayers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire. In
ll For tir es w it h a m ax im um spee d ca pabil ity ove r
1 4 9 mp h (2 40 k m/h) , tire man ufact urers somet imes
u se the lette rs "ZR. "
genera l, the greater the number of plies, the
more weight a tire can support. Tire manufac­
turers also must indicate the materials in the
t ir e, which include steel, nylon, po lyester, and
others.
Maximum Load Rating
This number ind icates the maximum load in
kilograms and pounds that can be carried by
the tire.
Tire quality grading for treadwear,
traction , and temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades
c::> page 209.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
Th is number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that should ever be put in the tire
u nder normal driving conditions.
.&, WARNING ~ -
-Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/
or wheels or improper tire and wheel
comb inat ions can lead to loss of control,
coll is ion and serious personal injury.
-Always use t ires, rims and whee l bolts
that meet the specifications of original
factory- installed tires or other combina­
tions that have been specifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manufacturer.
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fail suddenly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergen cy
and then with special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used tires on your vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire fa ilure
and loss of vehicle control.

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-All four wheels must be fitted with radia l
t ires of the same type, size (roll ing cir­
cumference) and the same tread pattern .
Driv ing with different tires reduces veh i­
cle handling and can lead to a loss of
control.
- If the spare tire is not the same as the
t ir es that are mounted on the veh icle -
for example with winte r tires -o nl y use
the spare tire for a short period of time and dr ive wi th extra care. Refit the nor­
ma l road whee l as soon as safely possi ­
ble.
- Never drive faster than the maxim um
speed for which the tires on your vehicle
are rated because tires that are driven
faster than their rated speed can fail
sudden ly.
- Overloading tires cause heat build- up,
sudden tire failure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation and loss of control.
- Temperature grades app ly to tires that
are properly inflated and not over or un­
der inflated .
- For technical reasons it is not a lways
poss ible to use wheels from other
vehicles -in some cases not even wheels
from the same vehicle model.
- If you install wheel tr im discs on the ve­
hicle wheels, make sure that the air flow
to the brakes is not blocked. Reduced air­
flow to the brakes can them to overheat,
increasing stopping distances and ca us­
ing a collision.
- Run flat t ires may on ly be used on
vehicles that we re equ ipped w ith them
at the facto ry. The vehicle must have a
chassis des igned for run flat t ires and a
facto ry-installed tire p ress ure monito r­
ing system* that indicates a loss of tire
pressure. Incorrect use of run flat tires
can lead to vehicle damage or accidents.
Check with an authorized Audi dea ler or
t ire spec ia list to see if your vehicle can be
equipped with run flat tires .
If run flat
t ir es a re used, they must be insta lled on
all four wheels. M ixing tire types is not
permitted.
Tire s an d wheel s 209
@ Note
-For technical reasons, it is not generally
possible to use the wheel rims from oth­
er veh icles. Th is can hold tr ue for wheels
of the same vehicle type.
- If the spare tire is d ifferent from the
tires that you have mounted on your ve­
hicle (for example winter tires or wide
profi le tires), then use the spare tire for a
short per iod of time only and drive w ith
extra care. Replace the flat tire w ith the
tire matching the othe rs on your vehicle
as soon as possib le.
- Never d rive without the valve stem cap .
T he va lves co uld get d amaged.
(® For the sake of the environment
D ispose of o ld tires in accordance with the
l ocal requirements.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wea r
- Traction AA A B C
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable
o n the t ire s ide wall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width
c:> page 206,
fig. 156 .
For e xample : Tread wear 200 , Traction AA,
Temperature A.
All passenger car t ires must conform to Feder­
al Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades .
Tread w ear
T he tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under contro lled conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded 1S0 wo uld wear
one and one ha lf (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
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210 Tire s and wheel s
The relat ive performance of tires depends
upon the actua l conditions of their use, how ­
ever, and may depart sign ificantly from the
norm due to va riat ions in dr iving habits, serv­
ice practices and differences in road character­
istics and climate.
Tr action
The traction grades , from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. Those g rades represent the
tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled cond itions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance ¢.&, .
Temperature
The tempera ture grades are A (the h ighest),
B, and
C, represen ting the tire's resistance to
the generat ion of heat and its abi lity to dissi ­
pate heat when tested under controlled cond i­
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden ti re fa il ur e~ .&, .
The grade
C corresponds to a level of perform ­
ance which all passenger ca r tires must meet
u nder the Federa l Motor Veh icle Safety Stand­
a rd No.
1 09. Grades Band A represent higher
l eve ls of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law .
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering , hydroplan ing or peak traction
character istics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is es­
tablished for a t ire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded . Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, eithe r
-
separately or in combination, can ca use
heat bui ldup and possib le tire failure .
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice. At temperatures below 45 °F ( 7 °C) we recommend changing to winter
tires.
In some heavy snow areas , local governments
may require true winter or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread . These tires should
only be used in pairs and be installed on all
four wheels . Make sure you purchase snow
tires that are the same s ize and construction
type as the othe r tires on your vehicle .
Your vehicle is equipped with all wheel drive,
th is will improve traction during winter driv ­
i ng, even with the standa rd t ires. However, we
strong ly recommend that you always equip all
four wheels on you r vehicle wi th cor rectly fit­
ted win ter tires o r all -season tires, when win­
te r road cond itions are expected . This also im­
proves the vehicle's braking performance and
reduces stopping distances.
Summe r tires provide less grip on i ce and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on all four whee ls .
Ask your author ized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop for permitted
winter tir e siz es. Use
on ly rad ial winter t ires .
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of
O .15 7 inch
(4 mm).
Only drive w ith w inter t ires under winter con ­
ditions. Summer t ires handle better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °() .
If you have a flat ti re, see notes on spare
whee l¢
page 206 .
Please always remember that winter tires may
have a lower speed rating than the tires origi-
nally installed on your vehicle at the time it .,.