
60 Seats and stor age
Front passenger's seat
Always move the front passenger seat into
the rearmost position .
To avoid contact with the airbag while it is de
p loying, do not sit any closer to the instru
ment panel tha n necessary and always wear
the three-point safety belt provided ad justed
correctly . We recommend that you adjust the
passenger's seat i n the follow ing ma nner:
• Bring the back rest up to an (a lmost) upr ight
pos it ion.
Do not r ide w ith the seat reclined .
• The idea l position fo r the head restra int is
with the upper edge of the rest ra in t l eve l
with the top o f your head
¢ page 62. You
sho uld
not lower the top o f the restra int be
l ow the level of your eyes .
• Place your feet on the floor in front of the
passenger's seat .
Adjusting front seats
manually
Adjustment controls
Applies to vehicles: with manual seat adjustment
Various controls on the manual seats provide
a wide range for individual adjustments.
Fig . 67 Adj ust ment contro ls : locat ions o n dr ive r's seat
CD Mov ing the seat forward or backward
@ Ad justing the lumbar support
® Adjusting the seat height
© Adjusting the seatback angle
Some of the contro ls are fitted on certa in
models only or they are optional equip
ment.
Adjusting the manual seats
Applies to vehicles: with manual seat adjustment
Position, angle and shape of the manual
seats can be adjusted to provide safe and
comfortable seating .
Reed and heed all WARNINGS¢.&. before
you adjust your seat.
Moving the front seats forward or
backward
• Lift the leve r CD¢ page 60 , fig. 67 and slide
the seat to the desired position .
• Release the lever and then move the seat
fu rther until you fee l and hea r it engage.
Adjusting the seat height
• Pull the lever ® up and pump it to raise the
seat.
• Push the lever down and pump it to lower
the seat .
Adjusting the seatback angle
• Lean forward to take your weight off the
seatback.
• Turn the hand wheel © in the d irection you
want the seatback to tilt.
,&. WARNING ,--
- Never adjust the drive r's or front pas
senger's seat whi le the vehicle is moving.
If you do th is w hile the veh icle is moving,
you will be out of posi tion. A lways ad just
the dr iver's or front passenger's seat
when the vehicle is not moving.
- Be ca reful when adjustin g the seat
height . Check to see that no one is in the
way, or ser ious injury cou ld result!
- To reduce the risk of injury in the case of
sudden b raking o r accident, front pas
sengers must never r ide in a moving ve
h icle with the seatback reclined. Safety
be lts and the airbag system only offer
maximum protection when the seatback
is upr ight and the safety belts are prop
erly positioned on the body. The more
the sea tba ck is reclined, the gre ater the
risk of person al injury from a n incorrect

7 2 On the road
On the road
Steering
Adjusting the steering wheel column
The steering wheel position can be continu
ously adjusted in height and distance .
Fig. 80 Lever under the steer ing colu mn
~ Push the lever Q fig. 80 -Arrow- ¢&_ .
~ Move the steer ing whee l to the desired posi
tion.
~ Push the lever against the steering column
until it locks.
There must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) be
tween your chest and the center of the steer ing wheel. If you cannot sit more than 10 in
ches (25 cm) from the steering wheel, see if
adaptive equipment is available to help you
reach the pedals and increase the distance
from the steering wheel.
For detai led informat ion on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
Q page 61.
A WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjust
ment and improper seating position can
cause serious personal injury .
- Adjust the steering wheel column only
when the veh icle is not moving to pre
vent loss of veh icle control.
-
- Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel
so that there is a min imum of 10 inches
(25 cm) between your chest and the
steering wheel¢
page 92, fig . 99. If
you can not maintain this min imum dis
tance, the airbag system cannot protect
you properly.
- If physical limitations prevent you from
sitt ing 10 inches (25 cm) or more from
the steering wheel, check with your au
thorized Audi dealer to see if adaptive equ ipment is ava ilable .
- If the steer ing wheel is aligned with your
face, the supplemental dr iver's airbag
cannot provide as much protection in an
accident. Always make sure that the
steer ing whee l is aligned with your
chest.
- Always hold the steering wheel w ith your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o' clock posi
tions to reduce the risk of persona l injury
if the driver's airbag dep loys .
- Never ho ld the steering wheel at the 12
o'clock position or with your hands inside
the steering wheel rim or on the steering
wheel hub . Holding the steering wheel
the wrong way can cause serious injuries
to the hands, arms and head if the driv
er's airbag deploys.
Ignition lock and ignition switch
Ignition lock
The ignition key starts or stops the engine.
F ig . 81 Ign it ion lock pos it ions
Igniti on off @
In position Q fig. 81 @ both the ignition and
engine are off, and the steering is locked .
T o
lo ck th e steering after yo u have removed
the ignition key, turn the steering whee l in ei
ther direction unti l you hear it lock into place .
You should a lways lock the steering whenever
II>

you leave your vehicle. This makes a vehicle
theft even more difficult ¢ .&. .
Ign ition key safety lock
Afte r switch ing off the ignition, the ig nit ion
key ca n only be removed from the ig nition
l ock when the se lector lever is in the "P"
(Park) position . After you have removed the
key, the selector lever is locked and cannot be
moved.
Ign ition on (D
If it is diffic ult to turn the key afte r you have
inse rted it into the ignition lock, turn the
steering whee l back and forth. This will take
the load
off the steering lock mechanism and
you will be able to turn the key freely and start the engine.
Starting th e engine @
In this position the engine starts . While the
engine is starting, the power supply to the headlights and other e lectrica l consumers is
temporari ly interrupted to conserve battery
power. After the engine has started, release
the key and it will return to posit io n
(D .
Before the starter can be operated again the
key must be turned back to position @. The
non-repeat lock prevents you from damaging
the starter when the engine is runn ing .
A WARNING
-Never remove the key from the ign ition
lock whi le the vehicle is mov ing . The
steering wheel will lock causing loss of
co ntrol.
- If you have to leave your veh icle - even
for just a m inute - a lways remove t he ig
ni tion key and take it with you. This is es
pecially important if you are going to
leave ch ildren behind in the vehicle. The
children co uld start the engine or use
other vehicle controls. Unsupervised use
of vehicle controls (for example, power
windows) can cause serious personal in
jur ies .
-
On th e ro ad 73
(D Tips
If the vehicle battery has been disconnect
ed and then reconnected, then yo u must
l eave the key in posit ion
(D for about 5
seconds before you can start the engine.
Starting and stopping
the engine
' Starting the engine
The engine can only be started with an origi
nal Audi key .
.,. Se t the par king brake.
.,. Move the selector lever in P or
N q .&_ .
.,. Turn the ignition key to position @
~ page 72, fig. Bl -do not depress the gas
peda l when starting the engine!
.,. Let go of the key as soon as the engine
starts .
A cold engine may at first be loud after it has
been started. This is due to the hydraulic
valves bu ild ing up the oil pressure. Th is nor
mal and no need for concern .
If the engine does not start immediately, stop
trying after 10 seconds and then try to restart
the engine about 30 seconds later.
A WARNING
-Never start or let the eng ine run in a con-
fined o r enclosed area . Exhaust fumes
from the engine co ntain carbon monoxide,
a colorless and odo rless gas. Ca rbon mon
oxide can be f atal if inhaled.
- Never leave the engine id ling unattend
ed. An una ttended veh icle w ith a runn ing
engine poses a danger o f personal injury
or theft .
(D Note
-Avo id high engine speeds, fast accelera
tion or heavy engine loads while the en
gine is still cold. This could damage the
engine.
- The e ngine cannot be started by pushing
or towing the vehicle . .,..

(D Note
On ly after the vehi cle has come to com
plete stop, should you f irm ly set the park
ing brake and either move the selector lev
er into "P".
Parking
P ar kin g
"' Stop the vehicle using the brake pedal.
"' Set the parking brake firmly .
"' Switch
off the eng ine .
"' Move the se lector lever into the P pos ition
i=> & .
"'When on incl ines or declines, turn the steer
ing wheel so that the vehicle w ill roll into
the curb if it begins to move .
A WARNING
This is how you can reduce the risk of in
jury when leaving your veh icle.
- Never park the vehicle where it can come
in contact with dry grass, spilled f uel or
any other flammable mater ials.
- Never allow anyone -especially small
children -to remain in the vehicle when
it is locked . Locked doors make it more
difficult for rescuers to access the pas
senger compartment in the event of an
eme rgency. Danger to life!
- Never leave ch ild ren unsupervised in the
vehicle . Children co uld re lease the park
ing brake. The vehicle co uld start to roll
away and cause an accident.
- No matter what the season is, the tem
perature in a par ked vehicle can reach
dange ro us levels.
Starting on hills
App lies to vehicles : wit h hill hold assist
Hill hold ass ist makes it easier to start on
hill s.
-
The system is act ivated when the brake pedal
i s depressed for a few second s.
On the ro ad 75
After releasing the brake pedal, the b rake
power is held for a
brief moment to p revent
the ve hicle from rolling back when starting . At
th is time, you can easi ly beg in to move your
vehicle.
A WARNING
- If you did not begin moving immed iate ly
after releasing the brake pedal, under
certain ci rc u mstances, the vehicle would
beg in to rol l backwa rd. Dep ress the
bra ke peda l immedi ate ly o r engage the
hand brake .
- Should the e ngine sta ll, dep ress the
brake peda l immedi ate ly or engage the
hand brake .
- I n order to prevent the vehicle from roll
i n g back unintentionally when s tarting in
stop -and -go traffic, keep the brake pedal
depressed for a few seconds before driv
ing off.
(D Tips
You can find o ut if yo ur vehicle is eq uipped
with "Hill hold assist" at an authorized
A udi dealership.
Speed warning system
Overv iew
The speed warning system helps you to keep
your driving speed below a set speed limit.
The speed warning system warns the driver if
he exceeds a previous ly stored max imum
speed . A warning tone will sound as soon as
the ve hicle speed exceeds the set speed by
about 3 mph (3 km/h). At the same time, a
warning symbo l appea rs in the disp lay.
The speed warning system has two warning
thre sholds that function independently of
each other and that have somewhat different
purposes:
Speed warning 1
You can use speed warning 1 to set the maxi mum speed while you are driving . This setting
will remai n in effect until yo u tur n
off the .,..

If you have selected a lower gear than the cur
rent one, the transmission will only shift down
when the engine cannot be overspeeded .
If kick-down is actuated, the transmission
shifts into a lower gear independent ly of
speed and engine rpm .
Steering wheel with Tiptronic controls
The selector paddles allow the driver to keep
both hands on the steering wheel when shift
ing gears.
Fig. 94 Sport stee ring wheel with selecto r paddles
Shifting up
.,. Pull the right paddle, marked 0 ¢ fig. 94
briefly towards you .
Shifting down
.. Pull the left paddle, marked 0 ¢ fig. 94
briefly towards you.
The selector paddles on the steering wheel
are activated when the selector lever on the
center console is in D, Sor in the manual posi
tion (Tiptronic mode).
You can also shift gears in the Tiptronic mode
using the selector lever on the center console.
@ Tips
With the gear selector lever in either Dor
S the transmission will switch back to the
automatic mode if you do not use the pad
dles within approx . 30 seconds.
Transmission 85
Kick -down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac
celeration .
If you depress the accelerator pedal fully be
yond the full-throttle position, the transmis
sion automatically downshifts one gear, de
pending on vehicle speed and engine rpm. The
upshift into the next higher gear takes place
as soon as the maximum specified engine
speed is reached.
_&. WARNING
Please note that the drive wheels can spin
if the kick-down is used on a smooth slip
pery road -risk of sk idding!
Launch Control Program
The Launch Control Program permits maxi
mum acceleration.
In order to use Launch Control, the ASR (Anti
Slip Regulation) must be disabled. When ASR
is disabled, the ESC warning/indicator light
I) in the instrument cluster illuminates. So
that Launch Control can be used, the engine must be at operating temperature and the
steering wheel must not be turned .
.. With the engine running, briefly press the
ESC button . The message "Stabilization pro
gram off" or "Sport control Warning! Re
stricted stability" in the driver information
system display.
.. Shift the gear lever to "S" or the tiptron ic
position .
.. Step on the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep the brake pedal fully depressed for
at least one second .
.. With your right foot, step on the accelerator
to the wide-open throttle position or Kick
down. The engine speed settles at about
3,200 rpm.
.. Take your left foot off the brake.

92 Driving Safel y
• Fasten your safety be lt and wear it properly .
Also instruct your passengers to fasten their
safety belts proper ly ¢
page 100.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver's ability to concentrate on the rood
without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the
vehicle and all of its occupants. If your ability
to drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and you also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road ¢
.&,.
Therefore:
• Do not let yourself be distracted by passen
gers or by using a cellular telephone.
• NEVER drive when your dr iving ability is im
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol, drugs, etc.) .
• Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense.
• ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions.
• Take frequent breaks on long trips . Do not
drive for more than two hours at a stretch .
• Do NOT drive when you are tired , under
pressure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING ,.
Impai red driving safety increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death when
ever a vehicle is being used.
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 99 The correct distance between driver and steer
ing whee l
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
f o llow ing position:
• Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi
ly push the pedals all the way to the floo r
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
q &_.
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position so that your back
comes in full contact with it when you drive.
• Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be
tween the steering wheel and your breast bone¢
fig. 99 . If not possible, see your au
thorized Audi dealersh ip about adaptive
equ ipment.
• Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face.
• Grasp the top of the steering whee l with
your elbow(s) slightly bent.
• Adjust the he ad restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head . If that is not possible, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this pos ition as possib le.
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 103.

~ Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle at all
times.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
c:> page 60.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it deploys. To help
reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between your breast
bone and the steering wheel.
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and
the lower part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the
outside of the steering wheel rim with
your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of per
sonal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with your hands at
other positions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Hold
ing the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands,
arms and head if the driver's airbag in
flates
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supple
mental driver's airbag to protect you in a
collision .
- Always sit in an upright position and nev
er lean against or place any part of your
body too close to the area where the air
bags are located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
seats and head restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are prop
erly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle
is moving. Your seat may move unexpect-
Driving Safely 93
ed ly and you could lose control of the ve
hicle .
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in
jury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper seating posi
tion .
- Children must always ride in child seats
c:> page 129 . Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front passenger seat
c:> page 108.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position
is important for safe, relaxed driving .
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom
mend that you adjust the seat for the front
passenger to the following position :
~ Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position and your back comes
in full contact with it whenever the vehicle is
moving.
~ Adjust the head restraint so that the upper
edge is as even w ith the top of your head as
possible but not lower than eye level and so
that it is as close to the back of your head as
possible
c:> page 94.
~ Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of
the front passenger seat .
~ Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
c:> page 103.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see
c:> page 59 .
A WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted,
out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured or killed by the air
bag as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of
serious personal injury:
•
•

Why safety belts?
Frontal collisions and the law of physics
Frontal crashes create very strong forces for
people riding in vehicles .
Fig. 102 Unbelted occupants in a ve hicle heading for a
wall
Fig. 103 The vehicle c ras hes into the wall.
The physical principles are simple. Both the
vehicle and the passengers possess energy
which varies with vehicle speed and body
weight . Engineers call this energy "kinetic en
ergy ."
The higher the speed of the vehicle and the greater the vehicle 's weight, the more energy
that has to be "absorbed" in the crash .
Vehicle speed is the most significant factor . If
the speed doubles from 15 to 30 mph (25 to
50 km/h) , the energy increases 4 times!
Because the occupants in this vehicle are not
using safety belts
r::;, fig. 102, they will keep
moving at the same speed the vehicle was
moving just before the crash, until something
stops them -here, the wall
c:> fig . 103 .
The same principles apply to people sitting in
a vehicle that is involved in a frontal collision .
Even at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50
km/h), the forces acting on the body can
Safety belts 101
reach one ton (2,000 lbs, or 1,000 kg) or
more. At higher speeds, these forces are even
greater.
People who do not use safety belts are also
not attached to their vehicle. In a frontal colli
sion they will also keep moving forward at the
speed their vehicle was travelling just before
the crash. Of course, the laws of physics don't
just apply to frontal collisions, they determine what happens in all kinds of accidents and col
lisions .
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop
themselves from flying forward and being in
jured or killed. Always wear your safety belts!
Fig. 104 A driver not wear ing a safety belt is v io len tly
thrown forward
Unbelted occupants are not able to resist the
tremendous forces of impact by holding tight
or bracing themselves . Without the benefit of
safety restraint systems, the unrestrained oc cupant will slam violently into the steering
wheel, instrument panel, windshield, or what
ever else is in the way r::;, fig . 104 . This impact
with the vehicle interior has all the energy
they had just before the crash.
Never rely on airbags alone for protection .
Even when they deploy , airbags provide only
additional protection . Airbags are not sup
posed to deploy in all kinds of accidents. Al
though your Audi is equipped with airbags, all
vehicle occupants, including the driver, must
wear safety belts correctly in order to mini
mize the risk of severe injury or death in a
crash.