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Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating condi tions and d riv ing hab it s
The brakes on today's automobi les are sti ll
subject to wear, depending largely on operat
ing conditions and driving habits
c:> A . On
vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop
and-go city traffic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your author
i zed Audi dealer more often than specified in
the
Warr ant y & Maint enan ce bookle t. Failure
to have your b rake pads inspected can res ult
i n red uced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing
effect of the engine. This way, you prevent un
necessa ry wea r on the brake system.
If you
must use yo ur brakes, do not ho ld the brakes
down continuously. Pump the brakes at inter
va ls.
Moistu re or road salt
Unde r ce rtain conditions, for example, when
driving through wate r or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced d ue to moisture (or in
freezing conditions ice) on the brake pads . A
few careful brake app lications should dry
off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
When you are driving at higher speeds with
the windshield wipers on, the brake pads will
briefly touch the brake discs in regular inter
vals so as to improve reaction t ime when brak
ing on wet surfaces . You the driver w ill not no
tice anything .
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered
road and the brakes are not used . Here too,
you should clean
off accumulated salt coat ing
from b rake discs and pads with a few careful
applications of the brake
c:> ,&. .
t5 Cor ro sion
'SI: ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
Int ellig ent technolog y 191
the d iscs if the car is not driven regu larly or
only for short trips with litt le use of the
brakes.
If the brakes a re not used frequently, o r if cor
rosion has formed on the discs, it is adv isable
to clean
off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed
c:> ,&. .
Fault s in the brak e syste m
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal trave l, then one of the two brake
circuits may have fai led ¢
A.
Low brake fluid lev el
Malfunctions can occu r in the bra ke system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake flu id
level is monitored elect ronica lly.
Brake booster
The brake booster works with vacuum pres
su re which is created only whe n the engine is
runn ing ¢,&. .
Brake lining we ar s tatus
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 neces
sary, the wheel may be removed fo r thi s in
spection ¢
page 263, Changing a wheel.
_& WARNING
-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 risk -
you may ca use an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear or lower dr iving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . Th is could cause the
brakes 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 b rake. This may cause the brakes to
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M N
0:: <.J 'SI: ,...., \!) er, ,...., er, ,....,
Setup ..... .. .... .. .... ... .. .. .... 72
synchronizing ... .. .... ... .. .. .. .... 71
Automatic S hift Lock (ASL) .. .. .. .. .. . 104
Automatic transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL) . .. .. .. .. . 104
Dnvmg .. ..... ........... ... ... .. 105
Emergency mode .............. .... 107
E mergency release ........ .. .. .. .. . 108
Kick-dow n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
M anual sh ift program ..... .. .. .. .. . 10 7
Selec to r l ever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Automatic wipe rs ....... ...... .... ... 48
Auto Safety Hotline ........ .. .. .. .. . 128
Aver age consumption ....... .. .. .. .. .. 24
Average speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Avoid damaging the vehicle . ... .. .. ... 197
B
B ag hoo ks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 7
Battery . .. ... ...... ............. .. 22 1
C ha rging . ............ ...... .... .. 223
I mportant war nings ...... .. .. .. .. . 22 1
J um p starti ng ............ .... .. .. . 273
L ocat ion . .. ............. .. .. .. .. . 22 1
l ow ..... .. .. .. .. .. .... ... .. .. ... 193
Replacing the batte ry .. ... .. .. .. .. . 224
State of charge . ... .... ... .. .. .... . 193
W inter operation ......... .. .. .. .. . 221
Working on the battery .... .. .. .. .. . 221
B efore dr iving . ..... .... ... .. .. .. ... 120
Blended gasoline .... ...... .. .. .. .. . 206
Blower (automatic climate control) .. .. .. 71
B oost displ ay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Booster seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 4
Boost pressure indicator . ... .. .. .. .. .. 28
B rake flu id
C hanging the brake fl uid ... .. .. .. .. . 220
Che ckin g the br ake fl uid level . .. .. .. . 220
What is the cor rect brake flu id leve l? .. 220
What should I do if the bra ke fl uid warn-
ing light comes on? .... ... .. .. .. .. . 220
B ra ke system
Anti -lo ck bra king sys tem ... .. .. .. .. .. 18
B rake ass ist system .... ... .. .. .. .. . 18 7
Brake booster ... .. .... ... .. .. .. ... 191
Bra ke fl uid ... .... .... ... .. .. .. ... 220
Inde x 287
Brake fluid specifications fo r refill and re -
placement . ... .... . ... ...... ... .. 220
B rake pads . ... .. .. . .. ... .... ... .. 196
E lectromechanica l parking brake ... .. . 77
Flu id reservo ir . .. .... ............. 220
How does moistu re or road salt affect the
brakes? ... .. .. .. .. . .. .... .... .. .. 191
Warning/ind icator lights ........... .. 14
Wor n bra ke pads symbo l ........ .... . 19
braking guard Settings ........ .. ..... ........... 88
B raking guard ..... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. . 81
Messages ... .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. . 88
B reak-in per iod .. .. .. .. ........... .. 196
Br ake pads .. .. .. ................. 196
T ires ... .. .. .. .... . ... ...... ... .. 196
Bulbs .. ... ... .. .... .......... ..... 272
C
Californ ia Proposition 6S Warn ing . .. .. 212
Battery spec ific .................. . 222
Capacities . ... .. .... . ... ...... ... .. 280
Engine o il ... .. .. ................. 213
Carbo n parts
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203, 204
Car carrier Transpo rting your vehicle ........... 277
Care ......... .. .. ................. 201
Cargo area .. .. .. .. ............... .. 126
Cargo ne t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cen te r armres t
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Cent ral lock ing .. .. .. . .. .... .... .. .. . 33
E mergency locking .. .............. .. 37
Certif ication . ... .. .. .. ... ..... ... .. 285
Changi ng a wheel .. ............. .... 263
Changi ng engine oil ................. 216
Checking Engine coolant level .. .. ..... ... .. .. 217
Tire pressure . .. ...... ............. 237
C hild rest rain ts
Danger of using child restrain ts in the
fr ont seat ... .. .... . ... ...... ... .. 141
Where can I get additional informat ion
about child restraints and the ir use? .. 183
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