2015 AUDI Q5 tow

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from the strong bones to more vulnerable,
soft tissue and cause serious injury.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
i::> page 146 .
Pregnant women must also be correctly
restrained
The best way to protect the fetus is to make sure
that expectant mothers always wear safety belts
correctly -throughout the pregnancy .
Fig. 162 Safety belt position during preg nancy
To provide maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correct ly on the wear­
er's body
i::> page 148.
• Adjust the front seat and head restraint correct­
ly
c:> page 63, General information .
• Make sure the seatback of the rear seat bench is
in an upright position and secure ly latched in
place before using the be lt.
• Hold the belt by the tongue and pull it evenly
across the chest and pelvis
c:> fig . 162, c:> &_ .
• Insert the tongue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely
i=:>page 147 , fig . 160 .
•Pullon the belt to make sure that it is securely
latched in the buckle.
_& WARNING ,..__
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause
serious personal injury in an accident.
- Expectant mothers must always wear the
lap portion of the safety belt as low as pos ­
sible across the pelvis and below the round­
ing of the abdomen.
Safety belts
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
c:> & in Fasten­
ing safety belts on page 148 .
Unfastening safety belts
Unbuckle the safety belt with the red release
button only a~er the vehicle has stopped.
Fig. 163 Releas ing the tongue from the buck le
.,. Push the red release button on the buckle
i=:> fig. 163. The belt tongue will spring out of
the buckle
i::> &_.
• Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you
guide the belt tongue to its stowed position.
_& WARNING
Never unfasten safety belt while the vehicle is
moving . Do ing so will increase your risk of be­
i ng injured or killed.
Adjusting safety belt height
With the aid of the safety belt height adjust­
ment, the three point safety belt strap routing
can be fitted to the shoulder area, according to
body size .
Fig. 164 Safety belt height adjustmen t fo r the front seats
... 0 0
0
6 ... a,
- loop-around fittings ..,.
149

Airbag system
restraints or occupants on the front passen­
ger seat and prevent the side airbag in the
seat backrest from deploying properly.
- Never use cushions, pillows, blankets or
similar items on the front passenger seat.
The additional padding will prevent the
weight-sensing mat in the seat from accu­ rately registering the child restraint or per­
son on the seat and prevent the Advanced
Airbag System from functioning properly.
- If you must use a child restraint on the front
passenger seat and the child restraint man­
ufacturer's instructions require the use of a
towel, foam cushion or something else to
properly position the child restraint, make
certain that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever the
child restraint is installed on the front pas­
senger seat.
- If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not come on and stay on, immediately in­
stall child restraint in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by
your authorized Audi dealer.
How the Advanced Airbag System
components work together
The front Advanced Airbag System and the side
airbags supplement the protection offered by the
front three-point safety belts with pretensioners and load limiters and the adjustable head re­
straints to help reduce the risk of injury in a wide
range of accident and crash situations. Be sure to
read the important information about safety and
heed the WARNINGS in this chapter.
Deployment of the Advanced Airbag System and
the activation of the safety belt pretensioners de­
pend on the deceleration measured by the crash
sensors and registered by the electronic control
unit . Crash severity depends on speed and decel­
eration as well as the mass and stiffness of the
vehicle or object involved in the crash.
On the passenger side, regardless of safety belt
use, the airbag will be turned off if the weight on
the passenger seat is less than the amount pro­
grammed in the electronic control unit . The front
160
airbag on the passenger side will also be turned
off if one of the child safety seats that has been
certified under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 208 has been recognized on the seat.
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on to tell you when the front Advanced
Airbag on the passenger side has been turned off
¢ page 153, Child restraints on the front seat ­
some important things to know .
.&_ WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag in­
flates, always wear safety belts properly.
- If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sit­
ting sideways or out of position in any way,
your risk of injury is much higher.
- You
will also receive serious injuries and
could even be killed if you are up against the
airbag or too close to it when it inflates -
even with an Advanced Airbag
r::!;> page 152.
More important things to know about front
airbags
Fig. 167 Inflated front airbags
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Safety belts are important to help keep front seat
occupants in the proper seated position so that
airbags can unfold properly and provide supple­
mental protection in a frontal collision.
The front airbags are designed to provide addi­
tiona l protection for the chest and face of the
driver and the front seat passenger when:
- safety belts are worn properly,
- the seats have been positioned so that the oc-
cupant is properly seated as far as possible
from the airbag, .,._

Child safet y
-Always make sure the seat backrest to which
the chi ld restraint is installed is in an up­
right position and secure ly latched into
place and cannot fold forward. Otherw ise,
the seatback with the ch ild safety seat at­
tached to it co uld fly forward in the event of
an accident or other emergency sit uat ion.
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS when­
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used ¢
page 172. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat¢
page 153, Child
restraints on the front seat -some impor­
tant things to know.
Deactivating the convertible locking
retractor
The convertible locking retractor for child re­
straints will be deactivated automatically when
the belt is wound all the way back into the re­
tractor .
~ Press the red button on the safety be lt buck le.
Th@ belt tongue will pop out of the buckle.
~ Guide the safety belt all the way back into its
stowed position .
A lways let the safety belt retract complete ly into
its stowed position . The safety belt can now be
used as an ordinary safety be lt without the con­
vertible locking retractor for child restra ints .
If the convert ible locking retractor should be ac­
tivated inadvertently, the safety belt must be un­
fastened and guided completely back into its
stowed position to deact ivate this feature .
If the
convert ible locking retractor is not deactivated,
the safety belt wi ll gradua lly become t ighter and
uncomfo rtable to wear.
_& WARNING
Imprope rly installed child safety seats in­
crease the risk of serious persona l injury and
death in a collision .
-
-Never unfasten the sa fety belt to deac tivate
the convertible locking retractor for child re­
straints while the vehicle is moving. You
184
wou ld not be restrained and could be seri­
ously inj ured in an accident.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS when­
ever us ing a child restrained in a vehicle is
be ing used
¢page 172. Special precaut ions
apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat
r=> page 153, Child
restraints on the front seat -some impor­
tant things to know.
LATCH system (Lower
anchorages and tethers
for children)
' Child Restraint System anchors and how
are they related to child safety
To provide a simpler and more practicable way to
attach the ch ild restraint on the vehicle seat, Fed­
eral regulat ions require spec ial lower anchorages
i n vehicles and devices on new child restraints to
attach to the vehicle anchorages.
The combination of the tether anchorages and
the lower anchorages is now generally called the
LATCH system for " Lower Anchorages and
Tethers for C hildren ."
Forward-facing chi ld restraints manufactured af­
ter September 1, 1999, are required by U.S. fed­ eral regulat ions to comp ly w ith new ch ild head
movement performance requirements . These
new performance requirements make a tether
necessary on most new child seats .
Installing a ch ild restraint that requires a top
tether without one can seriously impair the per­
formance of the ch ild restra int and its ability to
protect the ch ild in a collision . Install ing a chi ld
r est raint that requi res a top tether w it h out t he
top tether m ay be a v io la tion of state law.
Child rest raint manufacturers offer LATCH lower
anchorages on the ir chi ld seats with hook-on or
push-o n connectors attached to adjustable
straps.
In add ition to the LATCH lower anchorages, these
c hi ld restra int systems usually requ ire the use of
tethe r straps to he lp keep the ch ild restrai nt
firmly i n place. .,.

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brake. This may cause the brakes to over­
heat, premature wear and increased stop­
ping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating condi­
tions such as passing through wate r, driving
in heavy rain o r after washing the vehicle,
the effectiveness of the brakes can be re­ duced. In w inter, ice can accumulate on the
brake pads, linings, discs and drums . Care­
fully apply b rakes for a test. B rakes wi ll dry
and ice coatings wi ll be cleaned off after a
f ew caref ul bra ke applications .
- Dr iv ing for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads w ithout using you r
brakes can also affect braking efficiency .
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads w ith a few caref ul
brake applicat ions.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you in­
stall a different spoi ler, be sure the air flow
to the front brakes is not obstructed. Other­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc­ ing the effectiveness of the ent ire brake sys­
tem .
- Failure of one brake c ircuit will impair the
braking capab ility result ing in an increased
stopp ing distance. Avoid driv ing the veh icle
and have it towed to the nearest authori zed
Audi dealer or qu alified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop w ith the
eng ine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not work ing, the
brake pedal must be pressed conside rably
harder to make up fo r the lack of booste r as­
sist ance.
Electromechanical power
assist, Dynamic steering
The electromechanical power assist helps the
driver when steering.
Power stee ring adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Indicator light s and mess age s
• Stee ring def ective! Do not drive vehicle!
Smart T echno log y
If this indicato r light turns on and stays on and
t h is message appears, the power steering may
have failed.
Stop the vehi cle in a sa fe location as soo n as pos­
s ible . Do
not cont inue driving . See yo ur author­
ized Audi dea ler or other qualified repair facility
for assistance .
'Iij Dynamic steering: Sy stem fault! You c an
continue dri ving
If the indicato r light turns on and the message
appea rs, the stee ring may be more d ifficult to
move o r more sensit ive th an usua l. The steering
may also be at an angle when driving straight .
Drive slowly to you r authorized Audi dea le r o r
qualified wo rkshop to have the ma lf u nct ion co r­
re cted.
,~n D ynamic steering: Initializing
Audi drive select*: if the indicator light blinks and
the driver message appears, the dynamic steer­
i ng* is reinitialized. After starting the engine, the
stee ring wheel will move slightly . Re-in itia liza­
t ion m ight be necessa ry if the stee ring wheel was
moved h ard to the left and r ight while the veh icle
was not moving. The disp lay t urns off if the ini ti­
alization was success ful.
(D Tips
- If the . or
(~fl indica tor light only stays on
for a sho rt time, you may cont inue driving.
- T he dynamic s teering* stab ility systems
<:!> page 191 are no t available in the event of
a system mal func tion .
- For add ition al information on dynamic
steer ing*
<:!> page 120.
Driving with your quattro
With all -wheel drive, all four wheels are driven.
General information
With a ll-wheel d rive, power is distr ibuted to a ll
fo ur wheels. This happens automati ca lly depend­
i ng on your d riving s tyle and the road condi tions
a t t he t ime . See a lso <:!>
page 191. .,.
195

Driving and the environment
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 maximum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers ):
.,. Speeds can gradually be increased to the maxi­
mum perm issib le 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.
.,. Upshift into the next higher gear
before reach­
ing the red area at the end of the tachometer
scale
¢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 cons idera­
b le extent on the way the vehicle is driven dur ing
the first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
{[) Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automati­
cally reduced. However, these rpm limits are
prog rammed fo r an engine well run-in, not a
new engine.
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high engine
speeds -upshifting early saves fuel, reduces
noise and protects the environment.
198
· New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive very
ca refully for the first 350 m iles (500 k ilometers)
after fitting.
_& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must a lso
be "broken-in" . Be sure to remember this dur­
ing the first 350 m iles (500 k ilometers).
Brake gently. Avoid following closely behind
other vehicles or other situations that might
require sudden, hard brak ing.
Catalytic converter
App lies to vehicles : wit h gasoli ne e ngi ne
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 213,
Gasoline .
.,. Never run the tank down all the way to empty.
.,. Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 22 5, Adding engine oil 9::r..
.,. Never try to push- or tow-start your vehicle .
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean-up"
device b uilt into the exhaust system of the vehi­
cle. The cata lytic converter burns many of the
po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are re­
l eased into the atmosphere.
-
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is c ritica lly im­
portant for the life of the catalytic converter and
proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
The temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driv ing and after stopping
the eng ine.
-
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This could result in burns.
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas
where the hot exhaust system may come in
contact with dry grass, brush, fuel spill or
other material which can cause a fire.

Offroad driving
Off road driving
Driving under difficult
conditions and off-road
General information
The opera tion of the E lectronic Stabilization Con­
trol (ESC) is expanded for operation away from paved roads. In situat ions where s lip or a differ­
ential locking function is required, the offroad mode can be activated
<=> page 191. Your Aud i al­
so has permanent a ll-wheel drive in addition .
However, your Audi is not a pure offroad veh icle.
It was not bu ilt for driving under extreme condi­
tions, e.g. for trips that are in the nature of an ex­
pedit io n.
Dri ve o nly on roads and offro ad sections which
match the des ign of you r vehicle and your abil i­
ties as a dr iver. Neve r take r isks!
B efo re driving offroad
- Check the eng ine oil level, tire p ressure, cool­
ant leve l, and the fluid level i n the windshield
washer reservo ir.
- Stow luggage items and other objects in the
lu ggage compartment, and sec ure them
against slid ing aro und.
After dri ving off road
- After trips offroad, remove any twigs and othe r
f oreign objects from the grill, the unde rbody
and the wheels . Pay special attention to foreign
objects (stones) which have become lodged in
the tire tread.
- Clean the body and the vehicle unders ide, and
inspect the vehicle for poss ible damage.
- Clean dirty windows, headlamp lenses, rear
lights, and license p lates.
- Perform a brake check (particularly after t ravel ­
li ng through water).
A WARNING
- Drive especia lly attentive ly and plan ahead
in diffic ult road cond itions and w hen
off­
road. Excessive speed or incorrect mane u­
vers can cause in ju ries and damage to the
vehicle.
202
- Always adapt your speed and driving sty le to
road, off road, traffic, and weather cond i­
tions. Dr ive espec ially slowly offroad w hen
your view is restricted.
- Please be aware that in offroad mode, par­
ticularly on a smooth and slippery road, the
wheels may have an increased tendency to
spin and the vehicle may break away -dan­
ge r of skidding!
- Stability is limited in the offroad mode .
® For the sake of the environment
Avoid damage to the environment and respect
nature.
(D Tips
Only drive where it is permitte d and stay on
marked roads and paths .
Explanation of some technical terms
The following data refer to ideal cond itions. De­
pend ing on veh icle load a nd gro und cond itions
and the env ironment, the numbe rs may vary.
It is
the d river 's responsibility to decide whethe r ave­
h icle can overcome a specific s ituation
<=> .&, .
Gradient angle
The number of meters in alt itude ga ined over a
distance of 109 .4 yards or 100 meters (grade)
are given as a pe rcentage o r degrees . Info rma­
tion about the gradient the ve hicle can climb un­
der i ts own power (depends in part on the road
s ur fa ce and eng ine power). M axim um permi tted
grade: 31°
Ground clearance
The distanc e between the road s urface and the
l owest poi nt of the veh icle underbody . G round
cl ear ance 7.9 in ( 20 0 mm)
A WARNING
Exceed ing the s tated max imum figur es c an
res ult in seve re injuries or vehicle damage .
- All the info rm ation w as g athered on level,
-
fi rm and non -slip pery road s urfaces, and un-
de r dry weather conditions .
llll>

Trailer mode
Trailer mode
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a trai ler, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­ my and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from the driver .
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Tr aile r h itch
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 only a trai ler hitch w ith a re­
movable bal l mount . Always check with the tra il­
er h itch man ufacturer to make sure that you are
using the co rrect hitch.
D o not u se a bump er hit ch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system. No mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From time to time, check that all hitch mounting
bolts remain securely fastened .
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer h itch ball mount. This prevents the hitch
from causing damage should your vehicle be struck from behind ¢ .&, .
Trailer bra kes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions.
204
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be di­
rect ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic brake
system ¢.&, .
Safet y ch ain s
Always use safety chains betwee n your veh icle
and the trai ler .
Tr aile r lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
rect w iring, sw itches, and relays .
Mirro rs
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outside mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors .
It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
&, WARNING
-If a trailer has electrical brakes p lease note
that these brakes are not activated by the
factory -fitted contro l unit -risk of accident!
- After removing the t railer hitch, do not store
it in your vehicle . In case of sudden braking,
the hitch could fly forward and injure you or
your passengers.
- Never install a "weight distributing" or "load equalizing" trailer hitch on your vehi­
cle. The vehicle was not designed for these
kinds of tra iler hitches. The hitch attach­
ment can fail, causing the tra iler to tear
loose from the veh icle.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your ve­
hicle, found on the safety compliance label
on the driver's side B-p illar, must never be
exceeded under any circumstances . Exceed­
ing the Gross Vehicle We ight Rating of your
veh icle is likely to damage your vehicle, and
such damage will not be covered by your Limited New Vehicle Warranty. Exceeding
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating will also
change the performance and handling char­
acteristics of your vehicle, wh ich could cause
a crash resulting in serious injury or death .

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Operating instructions
6"
~
a
2
. 1/2"
'
-{ I} 1-1/2"
-
Fig. 189 Pe rmi tted ba ll pos it ion of the trailer hitc h
Trailer towing weights
With a factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible trailer weight is
4,400 lbs (2,000 kg) . T he maximum permissible
unbraked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg) .
These specifications apply when dr iv ing on roads
having an inclin e of less than 12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these changed
conditions, adjust the traile r load so that the
tongue load is at the maximum allowable or
slightly lower. You can get an approximat ion of
the tongue load w ith a bathroom scale or you can
measure the load at a trucking company or
weighing station.
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible load on the ball
hitch may not exceed 440 lbs (200 kg). It is rec­
ommended to use the maximum permissible
l oad.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the tra iler is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways .
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer c::> .&.
in Driving instructions on page 206.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suitable
ball mount and ball
c::> fig. 189 . Installation of
the hitch ball must be carr ied out in accordance
with the manufacturer's instructions .
Trailer mode
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder . It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load . Make s ure that
the cooling system has enough fluid .
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your ve­
hicle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Full
load" on the tire pressure label. The tire pressure
label is located on the driver's side B·pillar. In·
flate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight settings sho uld be checked with
the trai ler attached before driving off. Check to
make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure 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 w ill 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.
Driving instructions
Driving with o trailer always requires extra core
and consideration .
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the fo llowing :
.. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itse lf
is not loaded.
.. Be especially careful when passing other
vehicles .
.. Observe speed lim its .
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early .
.. Mon itor the temperature gauge .
205