2016 AUDI A4 towing

Trailer mod e
Trailer mode
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
Trailer towing not only 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 hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your veh icle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount . Always check w ith the t rail­
er hitch man ufact urer to make su re that you are
using the co rrect hitch .
Do not use 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 t ime to t ime, check that a ll hitch mount ing
bolts rema in securely fastened.
When you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra iler hitch ba ll mount . This prevents the hitch
from caus ing damage shou ld your veh icle be
s truck from be hind ¢
,&..
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
190
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system ¢&. .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between you r vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Traile r lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
r ec t wiring , switches, and relays.
M irrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outs ide mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors . It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
.&_ WARNING
- If a tra ile r has e lectr ica l brakes p lease no te
t hat these brakes are not activated by the
factory-fit ted contro l unit -risk of accident!
'
- After removing the trai ler hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch co uld fly forward and in ­
jure you or yo ur passengers.
Operating instructions
Ma ximum traile r we ight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trai ler is held securely in
place to p revent i t from shifting forward, back ­
ward or sideways.
Nev er allow a pa ssen ger to rid e in a trailer ¢ &.
in Driving instructions on page 191.
Engine cooling system
Towing a tra iler makes the engine work harder . It
i s important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cool ing system has enoug h fluid.

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Tire pressure
When tow ing a tra ile r, infl ate the tires of yo ur
ve hicl e to the co ld tire press ure listed under "Fu ll
l oad" on the label located on the driver's side B­
pi llar (visib le when th e door is open). Inflate
tra ile r tir es to t railer and tire manufacture rs'
specifications.
Light s
The headlight settings should be checked wi th
the trai ler attached before driv ing
off . Check to
make sure both veh icle and trai ler lights are
wo rking prope rly .
Safety chains
Be s ure trai ler s afety chains are p ro p erly conne ct­
ed from the trailer to the hitc h on the vehicle .
L eave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners . When you install safety cha ins, make
sure they w ill not drag on the road when yo u are
driving.
The chains s hou ld cross under the t railer tongue
to p revent it from dropp ing in case of separat ion
from t he hitc h.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra core
and consideration.
To ob tain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the fo llowing :
.,. Do no t tow a lo ad ed t railer w hen yo ur car i tse lf
i s not lo ad ed.
.,. Be especia lly caref ul when passing ot he r
vehicles .
.,. Observe speed limits.
.,. Do not d rive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.,. Always apply brakes early .
.,. Moni to r th e temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
T owing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car res ults
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avo ided, drive at very low speeds o nly
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
Trailer mode
A "ba lanced" rig is easier to opera te and co ntrol.
This means that the tow vehicle sho uld be loaded
to the extent possib le and permissib le, w hile
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
cir cumstances . Wheneve r poss ib le, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow ve hicle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loa ding consi de rations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the mo re diff icult it be­
comes for the driver to control the r ig. Do not
drive at t he max imum permissib le speed. Reduce
you r sp eed even more if load, weathe r or wind
cond it ions are u nfavo rab le -pa rticularly when
go ing down hill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightes t sign of sway ing .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating .
Observe speed limits . In some a reas, speeds fo r
vehicles towing trailers are lower tha n for regular
vehicles .
Always apply bra kes early . When d riving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the e ngine
braki ng effect to slow the vehicle . Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overhea t and fa il.
Coolant temperature
The coo lant tempe rature gauge c:> page 10 m ust
be obse rved caref ully. If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im­
me diate ly and/or t urn
off th e a ir cond it io ne r .
If the coolant temperat ure warning light . in
t h e instr ument cluster starts flashing, pull
off
the road, stop and let the engine idle for about
two m inu tes to pre vent heat build -u p .
A WARNING ,.__ -
A nyone not prope rly restr ained in a moving
ve hicl e is at a m uch grea te r risk in an a cci ­
d ent. Never le t anyon e ride in your car w ho is
n o t pr ope rly we arin g th e res tra ints p ro vid ed
by Au di .
191

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Emergency assistance
Vehicle tool kit
The tools ore stored underneath the floor panel
in the luggage comportment.
Fig. 193 Sedan Luggage compartment: tool kit
Fig. 194 all road Luggage compartment: tool kit
When you need access to the veh icle tool kit or
jack*, you will need to take out the spare tire and
cover
c:::> page 237.
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, the too l
kit may also be located unde r the cargo floor cov­
e r@
c:::> fig. 194 behind the seat backrest.
The vehicle tool kit includes:
- Hook for removing wheel covers*
- Alignment pin for changing the wheel
- Screwdriver with reversible b lade
- Tool for changing l ight b ulbs
- Revers ible b it (reve rsible Torx bit for changing
l igh t bu lbs)
- Rod for jack
- Jack*
- Lug wrench
- Towing eye
Emergen cy a ssis tanc e
Some of the vehicle items listed above are pro­
vided on certain models on ly or are optional ex­
tras.
Be fore returning the jack* to its place, retract the
jack arm fully .
A WARNING
-Never use the screw driver hex head to
tighten wheel bolts, since the bolts cannot
attain the necessary tightening torque if you
use the hex head, potentially causing an ac­
cident.
- The factory-supplied jack is intended only
for your veh icle model. Under no circum­
stances should it be used to lift heavy
veh icles or othe r loads; you risk injuring
yourse lf.
- Never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised, which cou ld cause an accident.
- Support the vehicle securely with appropri­ ate stands if wo rk is to be pe rformed under­
neath the vehicle; otherwise, there is a po­
tential risk fo r injury.
(0 Tips
The vehicle jack* in your vehicle is mainte­
nance-free .
Space-saving spare tire
(compact spare tire)
App lies to vehicles: wi th space -saving spare tire
The spore tire/wheel is located in the luggage
comportment under the cargo floor cover. It is
intended for short-term use only.
Fig . 195 Spare tire
237

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.,. Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack* and
the replaced tire in the luggage compartment
e::> page 126 .
Stowing the inflatable spare tire
.,. Release the air by unscrewing the valve stem .
.,. Screw the valve stem back in afterwards.
.. Wait a few hours before placing the whee l in
the spare wheel well
e::> .&_.
.. Secure the wheel with the large screw.
.,. Fold the cargo floor back down.
After using the infl atabl e spare w hee l
The inflatable spare tire can be re-used as long as
it is not damaged and is not worn down to the
tread wear indicators~ .&..
When you le t the air out of the infla table spare
tire, it does not assume its folded shape again for
several hours. Until then, it cannot be placed
back in the spare wheel well and stowed securely .
A WARNING
-Never use the spare tire if it is damaged or if
it is worn down to the tread wear indicators.
- If the inflatable spare tire is more than 6
years old, use it on ly in an emergency and
with extreme caut ion and careful driving.
- The inflatab le spare tire is intended only for
temporary and short-term use. It shou ld be
replaced as soon as poss ible with the nor­
mal wheel and tire.
- The tire pressure value for the inflatable
spare tire is located on the driver's s ide B­
pillar
e::> page 227, fig. 190.
- Maximum perm iss ible speed is 50 mph
(80 km/h).
- Avoid full-throttle accelerat io n, heavy brak­
ing, and fast corneri ng.
- When the air is let out of the inflatable
spare wheel, it does not assume its folded
shape for several hours. Until then, it can­ not be placed back in the spare wheel well
and stowed secu rely .
- Never drive with more than one inflatable
spare tire .
- For technical reasons ., the use of tire chains
on the inf latab le spare tire is not perm itted.
Em ergen cy a ssis tanc e
If it is necessary to drive with tire chains,
the inflatable spare wheel must be mounted
on the rear a xle in the event of a flat in a
front tire. The newly available rear whee l
must then be installed in place of the front
wheel wi th the flat t ire. Installing the t ire
chai n befo re mounting the whee l and tire is
re comme nded.
- L oose items in the passenger compartment
can cause se rious personal injury during
ha rd br aking or i n an accident . Never store
the inflatable spare tire or jack * and too ls in
the passenge r compartment .
(D Note
- The inflatable spa re t ire has been deve loped
specifically fo r thi s ve hicle mode l.
It must
not be exchanged or used for other vehicle
mode ls. S imilar ly, inf latab le tires from oth­
er veh icle mode ls must not be used.
- Normal summer or w inte r tires must not be
installed on the inflatable t ire rim.
Inflating inflatable spare
tire
Applies to vehicles: wit h inflatable s pare tir e
Fig. 19 7 Luggage compartm ent: compressor
.. Remove the cover for the vehicle tools and re­
move the compressor . For some vehicle mod­
els, the compressor is located in a holder under
the spare tire.
.. Unscrew the valve stem from the spare tire.
.,. Screw the t ire filler hose from the compressor
fi rmly onto the valve of the spare tire .
.,. Insert the p lug from t he comp ressor into a
soc ket of the veh icle
e:> page 64 .
.,. Sw itch t he comp ressor on. .,,.
239

Emergency assistance
"'Let the compressor run until the va lue specified
on the tire pressure label is reach ed
¢ page 227, fig. 191 . Switch the compressor
off after running for 12 minutes at the mos t -
danger of overheating!
A WARNING
The compressor and the tire filler hose can become extremely hot while they are running
- danger of burns!
CD Note
Switch the compressor off after running for
12 minutes at the most -danger of overheat­
ing! Allow the compressor to cool down for a
few minutes before you use it again.
Replacing wheels
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precaut ions for your own
and your passenger's safety when changing a
wheel.
"' After you experience a tire failure, pull the car
well away from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before you stop ¢.&_ .
"' All passengers shou ld
leave the car and move
to a safe location (for instance, behind the
guardrail) ¢.&_ .
"' Engage the
parking brake to prevent your vehi­
cle from rolling unintentionally ¢&_ .
"' Sh ift into
1st gear on vehicles w ith manual
transmission, or move the
selector lever to the
P position
on vehicles with automatic transmis­
sion .
"' If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trailer
from your vehicle.
"' Take the
jack¢ page 237 and the spare tire
¢ page 238 out of the luggage compartment .
A WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured wh ile
chang ing a wheel if you do not follow these
safety precautions :
- If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance
off the road . Turn off the engine, turn the
240
emergency flashers on and use other warn­
ing devices to alert other motorists.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- To help prevent the vehicle from moving
suddenly and possibly slipping off the jack,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel be­ ing changed with the folding chocks or oth­
er objects . When one front whee l is lifted
off the ground, placing the Automat ic
T ransmission in "P" (Par k) w ill
not prevent
the vehicle from moving.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm . If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack.
- Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack*
and the replaced tire in the luggage com­
partment
¢ page 126.
CD Note
If you a re changing the wheel on a steep in­
cline, use a rock or similar object to block the
opposite wheel to prevent the vehicle from
moving.
(D Tips
Obey all laws.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly that
order .
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover* or the
wheel bolt caps* . For more details see also
¢ page 241, Decorative wheel covers or
¢ page 241, Wheels with wheel bolt cops.
2. Loosen the wheel bolts ¢page 242.
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack and align the jack below that point
¢ page 242.
4. Lift the car with the jack¢ page 242.
5. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then
install the
spare tire ¢page 243.
6. Tighten all whee l bolts lightly .

Emergency situations
Emergency situations
General
This chapter is intended for trained emergency crews and working personnel who have the nec­
essary tools and equipment to perform these
operations.
Starting by pushing or
towing
CD Note
Vehicles with an automatic transmission
cannot be started by pushing or towing.
Starting with jumper
cables
If necessary, the engine con be started by con­
necting it to the battery of another vehicle.
If the engine should fail to start because of a dis­
charged or weak battery, the battery can be con­
nected to the battery of
another vehicle, using a
pair of jumper cables to start the engine.
Jumper cables
Use only jumper cables of sufficiently largecross
section
to carry the starter current safely. Refer
to the manufacturer's specifications.
Use only jumper cables with
insulated terminal
clamps which are distinctly marked :
plus(+) cable in most cases colored red
minus(-) cable
in most cases colored black.
A WARNING
Batteries contain electricity, acid, and gas.
Any of these can cause very serious or fatal in­
jury. Follow the instructions below for
safe
handling of your vehicle's battery.
-Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning
over the battery whenever possible.
-A discharged battery can freeze at tempera­
tures just below 32 °F (0 °C). Before con­
necting a jumper cable, you must thaw the
250
frozen battery completely, otherwise it could explode.
- Do not allow battery acid to contact eyes or
skin. Flush any contacted area with water immediately.
- Improper use of a booster battery to start a
vehicle may cause an explosion.
- Vehicle batteries generate explosive gases.
Keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away from batteries.
- Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a
low acid level in the battery.
- The voltage of the booster battery must also
have a 12-Volt rating. The capacity (Ah) of
the booster battery should not be lower
than that of the discharged battery. Use of
batteries of different voltage or substantial­
ly different "Ah" rating may cause an explo­
sion and personal injury.
- Never charge a frozen battery. Gas trapped in the ice may cause an explosion.
- Never charge or use a battery that has been
frozen . The battery
case may have be weak­
ened .
- Use of batteries of different voltage or sub­
stantially different capacity (Ah) rating may
cause an explosion and injury. The capacity
(Ah) of the booster battery should not be
lower than that of the discharged battery.
- Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
~page 203.
CD Note
-Applying a higher voltage booster battery
will cause expensive damage to sensitive
electronic components, such as control
units, relays, radio, etc.
- There must be no electrical contact between
the vehicles as otherwise current could al­
ready start to flow as soon as the positive
(+) terminals are connected.
@ Tips
The discharged battery must be properly con-
nected to the vehicle's electrical system. .,..

Emergency situations
-The battery cell locking screws must be
tightened securely.
- Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
c:> page 203.
(D Note
Improper hook-up of jumper cables can ruin
the generator.
- A lways connect POSITIVE(+) to POSITIVE
(+), and NEGATIVE(-) to NEGATIVE(-)
ground post of the battery manager control
unit.
- Check that a ll screw plugs on the battery
cells are screwed in firmly. If not, tighten
plugs prior to connecting clamp on negative
battery terminal.
- Please note that the procedure for connect­
ing a jumper cable as described above ap­
plies specif ically to the case of your vehicle
being jump started. When you are giv ing a
jump start to another vehicle, do
not con­
nect the negative(-) cable to the negative
(-) terminal on the discharged battery @
c:> fig. 210. Instead, securely connect the
negative (-) cab le to either a solid metal
component that is firm ly bolted to the en ­
gine block or to the engine block itself. If
the battery that is being charged does not
vent to the outside , escap ing battery gas
could ignite and explode!
Towing with a tow truck
General hint s
Your Audi requires special handling for towing.
The following information is to be used by com­
mercial tow truck operators who know how to op­
erate the ir equipment safely.
-Never tow your Audi, towing will cause dam­
age to the engine and transmission.
- Never wrap the safety chains or winch cables
around the brake lines .
- To prevent unnecessary damage, your Audi
must be transported with a flat bed truck.
252
-To load the vehicle on to the flat bed, use the
towing loop found in the vehicle tools and at­
tach to the front or rear anchorage
c:> page 252 and c:> page 253.
A WARNING
A veh icle being towed is not safe for passen­
gers . Never allow anyone to ride in a vehicle
being towed, for any reason .
Front towing loop
Do not install the front towing loop until it is
needed .
Fig. 211 Front bumper: removing th e cover cap
Fig. 212 Front bumper: s crew ing in t he towing loop
The towing loop fits into the threaded hole locat­
ed on the right side of the front bumper and cov­
ered by a small cover when not in use .
.,. Remove the towing loop from the vehicle tool­
ki t
c:> page 23 7.
... Press the cover in by applying short strong
pressure to the bottom part to release it from
the bumper
c:> fig. 211.
... Screw the towing loop tightly into the threaded
hole as far as it will go
c:> fig. 212 and tighten it
with the wheel wrench. ..,.

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When it is no longer needed, unscrew the towing
loop and put it back into the vehicle toolkit. Be
sure to have the towing loop stored in the vehicle
at all times.
A WARNING
If the towing loop is not screwed in as far as it
w ill go, the thread can pull out when the vehi­
cle is towed -potential risk of an accident .
Rear towing loop
Do not install the rear towing loop until it is
needed.
Fig. 213 Rear bumper: cover
Fig. 214 Rear bumper: Screwing i n tow ing loop
ID
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On the right side of the rear bumper there is a
threaded hole for the towing loop. The threaded
hole is protected by a cover.
~ Remove the towing loop from the vehicle tool­
kit
r::!;> page 237.
~ Press the cover in by applying short strong
pressure to the bottom part to re lease it from
the bumper
¢fig. 213.
~ Screw the towing loop tightly into the threaded
hole as far as it will go
r::!;> fig. 214 and tighten it
with the wheel wrench .
Emergency situations
Unscrew the towing loop again after use and in­
stall the cover in the bumper. Install the cover in
the bumper. Return the towing loop to the tool­ kit. Be sure to have the towing loop stored in the
vehicle at all times.
A WARNING
-If the tow ing loop is not screwed in as far as it
will go, the thread can pull out when the vehi­
cle is towed -potential risk of an accident.
Loading the vehicle onto a flat bed truck
Fig. 215 Veh icle on flat bed truck
Front hook up
~ Align the vehicle with the centerline of the car
carrier ramp.
~ Attach the w inch hook to the front towline eye
previously installed.
Rear hook up
~ Align the vehicle with the centerline of the car
carrier ramp.
~ Attach the w inch hook to the rear towline eye
previously installed .
@ Tips
Check carefully to make sure the hook-up is
secure before moving the car up the flatbed
truck ramp.
253