2015 AUDI Q5 ESP

Smart Technolog y
Operating c ondit ion s and drivin g hab it s
The brakes on today 's automobi les are st ill sub­
ject to wear, depending largely on operating con­ ditions and driving habits¢.&. . On vehicles that
are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traf­
f ic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by your authori zed Audi dealer more of­
ten than specified in the
Wa rra nty & Mainte­
n an ce boo kle t .
Fa ilure to have your brake pads
inspected can result in reduced brake perform­
ance.
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing ef­
fect of the eng ine . Th is way, you prevent unnec ­
essary wear on the brake system. If you must use
your brakes, do not ho ld the brakes down contin­
uously. Pump the brakes at inte rva ls.
Operat ing no ise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, brak ing force and outside conditions such
as temperature and humid ity .
Effect of w ate r an d r oad sal t
In certain situations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy rain, after overn ight con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by mo isture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads . The brakes must be
d ried first with a few carefu l brake applications.
At h igher speeds and with the w indshield wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake rotors for a short amount of t ime . This occurs at
regular intervals without the d river noticing and
p rov ides for better brake response t ime unde r
wet conditions .
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is dr iven on a salt-covered road
a nd the brakes are not used . L ikew ise, you clean
off accumulated sa lt coating from brake discs
and pads with a few cautious applications of the brake ¢.&. .
Corros ion
There may be a tendency for dirt to bui ld up on
the brake pads and corros ion to fo rm on the discs
if the car is not driven regularly or on ly for short
trips with litt le use of the brakes.
194
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corro­
sion has formed on the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and d iscs by braking firmly a
few times from a moderate ly high speed¢.&. .
Fault s in the brak e system
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in bra ke
pedal travel, then one of the two brake circuits
may have failed
¢ .&. .
Lo w b rake fluid l evel
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the
brake flu id leve l is too low. The brake fl uid level is
monitored electronica lly.
Brake boos ter
The brake booster increases the pressure that you
generate w ith the brake pedal. It on ly operates
whi le the engine is runn ing o r with the ig nit ion
switched on (hybrid drive*)
¢ ,& .
Brake lining we ar status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in ­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the open ings in the wheel. If necessary ,
the wheel may be removed for this inspec tion
¢ page 260, Replacing wheels .
& WARNING -
- New brake pads don't have the best stop­
ping power and m ust be "broken-in" during
the initial 250 miles (400 km) . You can com­
pensate for this by pressing the brake pedal
more f irm ly. This also applies later when
new pads are installed.
- You should perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system
only if road conditions permit. Other road
users must not be put at r isk -you may
cause an accident!
- Before descend ing a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gea r or lower dr iving range. Do not ride the
bra kes or ho ld the peda l down too long or
too often . This could cause the bra kes to get
hot and diminish braking efficiency.
- Do not "ride the brakes" by rest ing your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to
~

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electrical energy is not being used than is being
generated and ensures an optimal state of
charge for the battery.
(D Tips
- But even energy management cannot neg­
ate the limits of physics. Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
- If starting ability is threatened, the indica­
tor light (•] appears ~
page 33.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining start­
ing capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the co ld time of
year. Abundant electrical energy is required, but
only a little is generated. It is also critical if the
engine is not running and electrical components
are turned on. In this instance energy is being
consumed but none is being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you wi ll no­
tice energy management actively regulating the
d istribution of energy.
Vehicl e stands fo r an e xte nded p eriod
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks , e lectrica l components are
gradually cut back or switched off . This reduces
energy consumption and maintains starting ca ­
pability over a longer period . Some of the con­
ve nience funct ions may not operate, such as the
interior lights or the power seat adjustment. The
conven ience functions wi ll be available again
when you switch on the ignit io n and start the en­
g ine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the
engine turned off or use other MMI* functions ,
the battery is being d ischarged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy
consumption, a message appears in the radio or MMI* display . The message indicates that the
system w ill be switched off automatically in a
Smart T echno log y
moment . If you wish to continue using the func­
tions, you have to start the engine.
With the engin e running
Although electrical energy is generated when the
vehicle is be ing driven, the battery can become
discharged . This happens mostly when litt le en ­
ergy is being generated and a great dea l con ­
s u med and the batte ry's state of charge is not
opt imal.
T o bring the energy ba lance back into equilibri­
u m, consumers which require especially large
amounts of ene rgy are temporarily cut back or
switched off. Heating systems in particu lar re ­
quire a great deal of energy. If you notice, for ex­
amp le, that the heated seats* or the heated rear
window are not heating, they have been tempo ­
rar ily cut back or switched off . These systems w il l
be available again as soon as the energy ba lance
has been restored.
You w ill also notice that engi ne idle speed has
been increased slightly . T h is is normal and not a
cause for concern. By increasing eng ine idle
speed the additional energy requi red is generated
and the battery is ch arged .
197

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-Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust man i­
fold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or heat shields. During driving, the substance
used for undercoating could overheat and
cause a fire.
Q) Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with lead­
ed
fuel will already seriously degrade the
performance of the catalytic converter .
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢page 225.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty . The engine could misfire.
Unburned fuel could also get into the ex­
haust system and this could cause the cata­
l ytic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ignit ion while the veh icle
i s mov ing .
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un­
der these cond it ions, as otherwise fuel can
reach the catalyt ic converte r. This cou ld re­
su lt in overheating of the converter, requir­
i ng its replacement.
- To assure efficient operat ion of the Emission
Control System:
- Have your veh icle maintained properly and
in accordance with the service recommen­
dations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet.
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as im­
proper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the em ission control system
and could lead to damage.
@) For the sake of the environment
Even when the Em ission Control System is op­
erating properly, the exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some op­
erating states. This depends on the sulfu r
content of the fuel being used. Using a differ­
ent brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank
wit h lead-free super grade gasoline.
Dri ving and th e en vir onm ent
Diesel particulate filter
Applies to veh icles: w ith diesel en gine
The diese l particu late filter filters nearly all of
the soot particles out of the exhaust. The filter
cleans itself automatica lly under norma l driving
conditions. If the filter cannot clean itself (for ex­
ample, because you are only driving short distan­
ces), the filter becomes clogged with soot and
the
II symbol for the diese l particulate filter il­
luminates
¢ page 34 .
_&. WARNING
-Do not park your veh icle over flammab le
materia ls such as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the diesel particu­
late filter could start a fire .
-
-Do not app ly an underbody protectant in the
exhaust system area or a fire cou ld start.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that low­
lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung
chassis (sports chassis)* and fully loaded
vehicles.
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.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and wear
on your engine, brakes and tires largely depend
on three factors:
- your pe rsonal d riving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitat ions
If you ant icipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your fuel
199

Driving and th e environment
consumption by 10-15 percent. This section will
give you some tips on how you can help the envi­ ronment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
and Transport Canada may not correspond to
your actual consumption on the road, wh ich
w ill vary depend ing 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
erate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possi­
ble -for example when you see that the next traf­
fic light is red .
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and im­
proves your mileage.
"' Try and keep well be low your car's max imum
speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consumption,
engine wear, and does not disturb the environ ­
ment.
Fue l consumption, exhaust emissions and engine
noise increase disproportionately at high speeds.
If you drive at approximately three quarters of
top speed, fuel consumpt ion w ill be reduced by
one half. Never dr ive faster than the posted
speed lim it and weather conditions permit .
200
· Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel .
"'Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
"' Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the en-
gine run at idle .
The idling phase is automatically reduced for
vehicles with the Start-Stop-System*. It is effi­ c ient to sw itch off the eng ine in vehicles w ithout
the Start-Stop-System* when stopped at railroad
crossings and long red lights. Turn ing the engine
off for just 30-40 seconds saves more fuel than is
burned by start ing the eng ine again.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fully when it is runn ing at id le . However, wear
and noxious emissions are especia lly high when
the engine is warming up. So you sho uld drive
away as soon as you start the eng ine and avoid
running at high rpms whi le the engine is s till
warming up.
Q) Note
Do not leave engine id ling unattended after
starting. If warning lights should come on to
indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces
heat, which could result in overheating or oth­
er damage to the veh icle or other property.
· Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot
of fuel.
"' Have your vehicle serviced at regu lar intervals.
By having your veh icle reg ularly serv iced by an
authorized Aud i dea le r helps to ensure that i t
runs proper ly and economica lly. The condition of
your vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability
to hold its value, it also affects
fuel consump ­
t ion .
Chec k your oil ea ch t ime y ou fill your tank.
The amount of o il used is re lated to engine load
and speed. .,.

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 .
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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

Trailer mode
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car res ults
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight. If this
cannot be avoided , drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering contro l.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow vehicle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permiss ible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weathe r or wind
conditions are unfavorable - particularly when
going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the s lightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
veh icles towing trailers are lower than for regular
ve hicles .
A lways app ly brakes ear ly. When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
brak ing effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge c::> page 10 must
be observed carefully.
If the need le moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im­
mediately and/or turn off the a ir condit ioner.
If the coo lant temperature warning light in the
instr ument cluster starts flashing •• pu ll off
the road, stop and let the engine
idle for about
two minutes to prevent heat build-up.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater r isk in an acc i-
206
-
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 handles differently when towing a
trai ler because of the additiona l weight and dif­
ferent we ight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how careful ­
l y you load your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actua lly tow your trai ler, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic . Keep practicing until you have be ­
come comp lete ly familiar with the way your vehi­
cle-trailer comb inat ion behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Back­
ing up with a trai ler generally requires steering
action opposite to that when backing up your ve­
hicle without a tra iler.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. Yo u will need more
room to stop. To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turn ing radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accel­
erate as fast as you norma lly wou ld because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for
your tra iler before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts , sharp t urns or rapid lane
changes.
@ Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may requi re
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
c::> page 281.

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 such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road sa lt remain on the ve­
hicle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect .
Before washing, rinse off heavy deposits with
plenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth .
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once
road salt stops being used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icles with a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instructions
p rovided with the pressure washer. This is espe­
cially important in regard to the pressure and
spraying distance. Do not aim the spray direct ly
at seals on side windows, doors, the hood, the
208
rear lid or the sunroof* or at tires, rubber hoses,
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
washer.
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 windows 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 products.
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 product using a microfiber cloth . To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutra l shampoo and a soft micro­
fiber cloth .
Rinse the vehicl e thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a shammy.
A WARNING
-
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and fo llow the instruct ions from the car