Intelligent Technology
The fo llowing s ituations are exceptions where it
may be useful to switch on sport mod e to a llow
the wheels to sp in : -
Rock ing the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iv ing in deep snow or o n loose g ro und
- Dr iving with snow chains
Sport mode on ESC/ASR off Sport mode off or
ESC/ASRon
Beha vior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza- The stabilization funct ion is The f ull stabilization fun c-
t ion f un ct ions are lim ited not availab
le ¢ ,&. . ESC and
tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢ .&. .
ASR are switched off. ava ilab le aga in.
Op era tion Press the I 1> OFF I button Press and hold the !1> O FFI Press the I,, OFF I button
briefly . button longer than 3 sec- again.
onds .
In dicato r II turns on.
• and lf'lii•li~ turn on . II turns off or II and
light s lf'lii•l~~ turn off.
Driv er m es- Stabilization contr ol (E S C): Stabilization control (ESC ): Stabilization control
s age s Sport. Warning! Restri cted off . Warning ! Re stri cted (ESC
): On
s t a bilit y stabilit y
It is only possible to t urn off the ASR up to 30
mph (SO km/h) fo r vehicles w ith front wheel
d rive. At about 45 mph (70 km/h) it automatical
ly tu rns on again. It is possible to turn off the
ASR at any speed for vehicles w ith all whee l
drive .
A WARNING
You should only switch sport mode on or
switch ESC/ASR off if your driving abilities
and road conditions permit .
-
-The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is sw itched on . The driving
wheels co uld spi n and the vehicle could
swerve , espec ia lly on s lick o r slippery road
s ur faces.
- The re is no vehicle stab ilizat ion when ESC/
ASR a re switched off.
(D Tips
ESC/ASR cannot be sw itched off or sport
mode cannot be switched on when cruise co n
t rol or adaptive cruise control* is switched on .
172
Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
D ur ing the first 250 miles (400 km) , new brake
pads do not possess their full b raking effe ct, they
have to be "b roken in" first ¢,&. . You can com
pensa te for th is slightly reduced b raking power
by p ushing harder on the brake pedal. Avo id
heavy braking loads dur ing the break-in period .
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobi les are s till sub
je ct to wear, depending large ly on operating con
dit ions and driving habits ¢.&. . On vehi cles that
a re either driven mostly i n stop-and-go city traf
fic or are drive n hard, the b rake pads sho uld be
checked by your authorized A udi dealer more of
ten than specified in the
Wa rrant y & Mainte
nance book let .
Failure to have your brake pads
i nspected can result in reduced brake perform
ance .
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing ef
fect of the engine . Th is way, you prevent unnec
essary wear on the brake system . If you must use
your brakes, do not ho ld the bra kes down contin
u ously. P ump the bra kes at inte rvals.
.... N
0 I-co ....
Noises may occur when braking depend ing on the
speed, braking force and outside conditions such
as temperature and humidity.
Eff ect of wat er and road salt
In ce rtain situations, for example after dr iving
through water, in heavy ra in, afte r ove rnig ht con
densat io n or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
dried first with a few careful brake applications .
At highe r speeds and with the windsh ie ld wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake rotors for a short amount of time . This occurs at
regular intervals without the driver noticing and
provides for better brake response time under
wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered road and the brakes are not used . Likewise, you clean
off accumu lated salt coating from brake discs
and pads with a few cautious applications of the
brake ~,&. .
Cor ro sion
There may be a tendency for dirt to b uild up on
the brake pads and corros ion to form on the discs
if the car is not driven regularly or only for short
tr ips with little use of the brakes .
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corro
sion has formed on the discs, it is adv isable to
clean off the pads and discs by braking firmly a
few t imes from a moderately high speed
c:> ,&. .
Fa ults in the brake sy stem
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake
pedal travel, then one of the two brake circuits
may have failed
c:> ,&. .
Low brak e fluid level
M alfunct ions can occur in the brake system if the
b rake fluid leve l is too low . The brake fluid level
is monitored e lectronically .
Intelligent Technology
Brake booster
The brake boos ter increases the press ure that
you generate with the brake peda l.
It works only
when the eng ine is running
. c:> .&.
Brake lining wear status
B rake lining wea r may be chec ked by visua l in
spe ct ion of the condi tion of the brake pads
t hr ough the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
c:> page 2 26, Replacing wheels .
_8 WARNING "'---
-New brake pads don't have the best stop
ping power and m ust be "broken-in" during
the initial 250 miles (400 kilometers). You can compensate for this by p ressing the
brake pedal more firmly . This also app lies
later when new pads are installed.
-
- You shou ld pe rform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system
only i f road condit ions pe rmit . Other road
users m ust not be put at r is k -you may
cause an ac ciden t!
- Before descending a s teep g rade , reduce
speed and sh ift tr ansmi ssion into a lower
gear or lower dr iving range. Do not r ide the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or
too often. This co uld cause the brakes to get
hot and dimin ish braking eff ic iency.
- Do not "ride the bra kes" by resting your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to over
heat, premature wear and increased stop
ping distance.
- Unde r ce rtain climatic and operating condi
tions such as passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after wash ing the veh icle,
the effectiveness o f the brakes ca n be re
duced. In winter, ice can accumu late on the
brake pads, lin ings , d is c s and dr ums . Care
fu lly apply br akes for a test. Brakes will dry
and ice coatings will be cleaned off after a
few careful bra ke applications .
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt -covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking eff iciency .
173
Intelligent Technology
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few caref ul
brake app lications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if yo u in
stall a d ifferent spoiler, 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 entire b rake sys
tem.
- Failure of one brake c ircuit will impair the
bra king capability res ult in g in an increased
stopp ing distance. Avoid driving the vehicle
and h ave i t towe d to the ne arest author ized
Audi dealer or quali fied workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a s to p wi th the
eng ine shut off.
- I f the bra ke booste r is not wor kin g, the
bra ke pe dal m ust be presse d considerably
harder to make up for the lac k of b oos ter
assistance .
Electro-mechanical
power assist, dynamic
steering
The electro-mechanical power assist helps the
driver when steering.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator lights and mess ages
• Steering defective! Do not dri ve vehicle!
If thi s ind icator light tu rns on and stays o n and
this message appears, t he power steering may
have fa iled.
D o
not conti nue d riving. See yo ur autho riz ed
Aud i dea ler o r a q ua lified repair facility fo r assis
tance.
l;r-ij Dynamic steering : Sy stem fault! You can
c ontinue driving
If t he i ndicator lig ht t urns on and the message
appears, the steering may be more difficult to
move or mo re sens it ive than usual. The steer ing
wheel may also be a t an an gle when dr iv ing
s tra ight .
174
Drive slowly to your a uth orized Audi dea ler or
qualified workshop to have the malfunction cor
r ected.
'I-ij Dynamic steering: initializing
If this d rive r message appea rs and t he in dicator
li ght is flashing on the instr ume nt pa nel, dynam
ic steer ing * is being re ini tiali zed. After s tarting
the e ngine, t he s teer ing whee l w ill move sligh tly.
Re -initializa tion might be necessary if the steer
ing whee l was moved hard to the left and right
whi le the vehicle was not moving . T he d isp lay
goes out as soon as initiali zation is comp lete.
A WARNING
-
H ave the dynamic steering* system malfunc-
tion repaired as soon as poss ible by an au
thor ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop -
risk of acc ident!
@ Tips
- If the . or 'I-ij indicator light only stays on
for a sho rt time, you may cont inue driving.
- The dynamic steerin g* stab ility systems a re
not ava ilable in the event of a system mal
function .
- For add itiona l information on dynamic
steeri ng*, refer to
<=> page 102.
Driving with your
quattro
Applies to vehicles: with all-whee l dr ive
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driven.
General informat ion
With a ll-w heel d rive, power is distri buted to a ll
fo ur wheels. This happens automat ica lly depend
i ng on your d riving style a nd the roa d conditions
at the t ime . See also
c> page 170.
A center d ifferen tial d istr ibu tes the dr iving powe r
variab ly to the front and rear ax le.
It works to
gether w it h select ive whee l torque contro l, w hich
ac tiv ates w hen d rivi ng thro ugh curves
<=> page 171. With the spo rt different ial *, power
distribution to the rear wheels is variable and can
be adjusted with drive select<::>
page 102. .,.
.... N
0 Ico ....
engine power. Your vehicle is exceptionally pow
erful and has excellent driving characterist ics
both under normal dr iving condit ions and on
snow and ice. Always read and fo llow safety pre
cautions <=>
,&.
Winter t ire s
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with a ll
wheel drive has an advantage, even with regular
tires. In winter road conditions it may be adv isa
ble to mount w inter tires (or all-season tires) for
i mproved driveab ility and brak ing : these tires
must be mounted on
all four wheels . See also
<=> page 220, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally also applies to vehicles w it h
all -wheel drive <=>
page 220, Snow chains.
Replacing wheels /tires
Vehicles with all-whee l dr ive must always have
tires of the same size. A lso avoid tires with differ
ent tread depths. For details see page
<=>
page 212, New tires or wheels.
Off-Road dri ving ?
Your Aud i does not have enough ground clear
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle.
It is there
fore best to avoid rough tracks and uneven ter rain as much as possible . Also refer to
<=> page 177 .
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and t raff ic
conditions. Do not let the extra safety affo rd
ed by all-wheel drive temp t yo u into ta king
extra risks.
- Although the all-whee l drive is very effec
t ive, a lways remember th at br akin g capac ity
is limited by tire traction. Yo u should t here
f ore not drive at excess ive speeds on icy or
slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be caref ul no t to drive
too fast because the front wheels co uld be
gin to slide on top of the water (aq uaplan
ing). If this shou ld occur, you wi ll have no
Intellig ent Technology
warn ing from a s udden increase in engine
speed as w ith a front-wheel drive vehicle.
Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road conditions - risk of crash .
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution of
elec trical energy and thus optimizes the availa
bility of ele ctrical energy for star ting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventiona l energy system is
not dr iven fo r a long pe riod of time, the batte ry is
discharged by id ling curre nt cons umers (e.g. im
mobili ze r). In cer tain circumstances i t can res ult
in the re being insuffi cien t energy ava ilable to
start the engine .
Intellige nt energy manageme nt in yo ur vehicle
hand les the distri bu tion of elec trical energy.
Start ing ability is markedly improved and the life
of the battery is extended .
B as ic all y, energy managemen t cons ists of
bat
tery diagn osis , idling current man agement
a nd
d ynamic energy man agement.
Battery diagnosis
Battery d iagnosis con tinuously dete rmines the
state of the bat tery. Sensors de termine battery
vo ltage, b attery curren t and batte ry tempera
tu re. This de termines t he current state of charge
and the power of the battery .
Idling current management
Idling cur rent management reduces ene rgy con
s u mption wh ile the vehicle is standi ng. With the
ignition swi tched off , it co ntrols the energy sup
ply to the vario us elec trical components . Data
from battery diagnosis is considered .
Depend ing on the ba tte ry's s ta te of charge, indi
v idual consumers are g radually turned off to pre
ven t excess ive d ischarge of the battery and thus
maintain starting capab il ity.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynam ic ene rgy
manageme nt dis trib utes the energy generated ""'
175
.... N
0 Ico ....
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 kilometer s):
"' Do not use full throttle .
"' Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than
2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1 ,000 to 1 ,500
kilometers):
"' Speeds can gradually be increased to the maxi
mum pe rm issib le road or engine speed .
During and after break-in pe riod
"' 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 c ircumstances.
"'U pshift into the next higher gear
before reach
ing the red area at the end of the tachometer
sca le
c=>page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the eng ine's
internal friction is higher than later when all the
mov ing parts have been broken in . How well this
b reak-in process is done depends to a considera
b le exte nt on the way the veh icle is d rive n during
t he first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
(D Note
Extremely high eng ine speeds a re au toma ti
cally reduced. However, these rpm limits are
programme d for a n engine well run-in, not a
new engine.
@) For the sake of the environment
D o not dr ive with u nnecessari ly high eng in e
spee ds -ups hifting ea rly saves fuel, reduces
noise and pro tec ts the envi ronme nt.
Driving and the envir onment
New tires
If your vehicle is runn ing on new tires, d rive very
car efu lly fo r the firs t 35 0 miles (500 kilometers)
a ft er fit ting.
New tires tend to be slippe ry and must a lso
be "bro ken-in". Be sure to remembe r th is dur
i ng the fi rst 350 m iles (500 kilometers).
Brake gent ly. Avoid following closely behind
other vehicles or other s ituations that m ight
r equire sudden, hard b raking.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When yo u are dr iv ing o n poor roa ds, or over
cur bs, stee p ramps, e tc., ma ke cert ain that low
ly ing parts s uch a s spo ile rs a nd exh aust sy stem
parts do no t bottom o ut and get dama ged.
T his is espec ially true for ve hicles with low-s lung
c h ass is (sports c hass is) * and fully loaded
vehicles.
Driving through water on
roads
Note t he following to avoi d ve hicle damage w hen
driv ing through water, for examp le on flooded
roads:
- The water must not be any hig her t han the bot
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not dr ive faste r than walk ing speed.
A WARNING
= -
Afte r driv ing th ro ugh water, m ud, slush, etc .,
the brakes may be slow to take effect beca use
of wet brake rotors and pa ds. Dry the brakes
f irst by braking carefully to restore the full
b raking effect.
(D Note
Ve hicle compone nts such as the engine,
transmission, suspension o r electrica l system
can be severely damaged by driving throug h
water.
177
Driving and th e en vironm ent
(D Tips
- Check the depth of the water before driving
through it .
- Do not stop the veh icle, drive in reverse or
switch the engine
off when driving through
water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your veh icle to drive
through safely.
- Avoid driving through salt water because it
can cause corrosion.
Catalytic converter
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 186,
Fuel supply .
~ Never run the tank down a ll the way to empty .
~ Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 195, 9::?1 Adding engine oil .
~ Never try to push- or tow-start you r vehicle.
The cata lytic converter is an efficient "clean-up"
dev ice bu ilt into the exha ust system of the vehi
cle. The cata lytic conve rter burns many of the
pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are re
leased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fue l is critica lly im
portant for the life of the catalytic conve rter and
p roper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING ,..____ -
- The temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driving and after stopping
the engine.
- Never touch the exha ust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This could result in burns.
- Do not park or ope rate t he vehicle in areas
where the hot exha ust system may come in
contact with dry grass, br ush, fue l spill or
other mater ial which can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust mani-
178
fold, exha ust pipes, cata lytic conve rter or
heat shields. D uring driving, the substance
used for undercoat ing could overheat and
cause a f ire.
Cl) Note
- Be aware that just one tank f illing wit h
leaded fu e l w ill already seriously degrade
the performance of the catalytic converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil leve l
¢page 195.
-Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
completely empty. The engine could mis
fire. Unbu rned fue l cou ld also get into the
exhaust system and this could cause the
catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ign ition while the vehicle
is moving .
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un
der these conditions, as otherw ise fuel can
reac h the catalytic converter. T his could re
sult in overheat ing of the converter, requir
ing its replacement.
- T o ass ure eff icient operat ion of the Emis
sion Contro l System:
- Have you r vehicle maintained properly and
i n accordance wit h the service recommen
dations in your Warranty
& Ma intenance
booklet.
- Lack of proper ma intenance as well as im
p roper use of the veh icle will impa ir the
function of the emission control system
and could lead to damage.
(® For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control System is op
erating properly, t he exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some op
erating states. Th is depends on the sulfur
content of the fuel being used. Us ing a d iffer
ent brand of fuel may help, or fi lli ng the tank
wi th lead-free super g rade gasoline.
Shutting down vehicle
If you wo uld like yo ur vehicle to remain inopera
tive for a longer pe riod of time, con tact an Audi
o r other spec ia liz ed dealer. They can adv ise you ..,.
.... N
0 Ico ....
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.
T railer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
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 vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re
movable ball mount . Always check with the trail
er hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system . No modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From time to time, check that all hitch mounting
bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer,
remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount . This prevents the hitch
from causing damage should your vehicle be
struck from beh ind ¢
,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula
tions .
Trailer mode
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system ¢.&. .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
T ra iler lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check with your author ized Audi dealer for cor
rect wiring, switches, and relays.
Mirrors
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.
,8. WARNING
-If a trailer has electrical brakes please note
that these brakes are not activated by the
factory-fitted control unit -risk of accident!
- After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in
jure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
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 trailer is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 182.
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 sure that
the cooling system has enough fluid. .,..
181
Trailer mode
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of you r
veh icle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Fu ll
load" on the label located on the driver's side B
pillar (visib le when the door is open) . Inflate
trai ler tires to trailer and tire manufacturers'
specifications.
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check to
make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly .
Safety chains
Be sur e trailer safety chains are properly connect
ed from the trai ler 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 shou ld cross under the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
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 itself
is not load ed .
.. Be especia lly carefu l when passing other
vehicles .
.. Observe speed limits.
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car resu lts
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight. If this
cannot be avo ided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
182
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle shou ld be loaded
to the extent possible and permissib le, wh ile
keeping the trailer as light as poss ible under the
c ir cumstances . Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow veh icle while observing tongue load require
ments and vehicle load ing considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be
comes for the driver to control the r ig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
cond it ion s are unfavorab le -particularly when
go ing downh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of sway ing .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing tra ilers are lower than for regular
vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving down
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant tempe rature
The coolant temperature gauge c::> page 10 must
be observed carefully.
If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im
med iately and/or turn off the a ir cond itioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light . in
the instrument cluster starts flashing, pull off
the road, stop and let the engine
idle for about
two m inutes to prevent heat build-up .
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided
by Audi.
-