2016 AUDI Q5 towing

Trailer mod e
Operating instructions
6"
~ 2

. 1/2 "
.(. '-I} 1-1/2"
-
F ig. 189 Pe rmi tted ball posit io n of the traile r hi tch
Tr aile r to wing weights
With a f ac tor y-inst all ed or an a ft er ma rket trailer
h itch, the maximum permissib le trailer weight is
4,400 lbs (2,000 kg) . The maximum perm iss ible
unb raked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg) .
These spec ificat ions apply when dr iv ing on roads
hav ing an incl ine of less tha n 12%.
Perm is sible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these changed
conditions, adjust the trailer load so that the
tongue load is at the maxim um allowable or
slightly lower. You can get an approx imation of
the tongue load w ith a bathroom scale or you can
measure the load at a tr ucking company or
weighing station.
W ith a
fa ctor y-installed or an aftermarket trailer
h itch, t he maximum permissib le load on the ball
h itch may not exceed 440 lbs (200 kg).
It is rec­
ommended to use the maximum permissible
load.
Trailer load di stribution
B e su re the load in the trailer is held securely in
p lace to prevent it from s hift ing fo rwa rd, back ­
ward or sideways.
Nev er allo w a p assenge r to ride in a trail er c::> A
in Driving instructions on page 205.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used w ith suitable
ball mount and ball
c::> fig. 189 . Installat ion of
the hitch ball must be carr ied out in accordance
w ith the manufacturer 's inst ruct ions.
204
Engine cooling system
Towing a tra ile r makes t he 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 .
Tire pressure
When towing a t railer, inflate the ti res of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Full
l oad" on the tire press ure label. The tire pressure
l abel is located on the driver 's side B-pillar . In­
flate tra iler tires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' specifications.
Lights
The head light settings shou ld be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check to
make s ure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure tra ile r safety cha ins a re properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle.
Leave enough slack in the chains to permit tu rn­
i ng corners . When you install safety chains, make
s u re they will not drag on the road when you are
driv ing.
The chains should cross under the trai ler 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 veh icle
and t railer, p lease note the following:
.., Do not tow a loaded trai ler when your car itself
is not loaded.
.., Be especially care ful when passing other
vehicles .
.., Observe speed limits.
.., Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.., Always app ly brakes early.
.., Monitor the temperature gauge.

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,...., Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer 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 control.
A "balanced" rig is eas ier 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 observ ing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerat ions.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to contro l the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permiss ible speed . Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
conditions are unfavorable - part icularly when
going downhill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the tra iler
shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed lim its . In some areas, speeds for
veh icles towing trai lers are lower than for regular
veh icles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving down­
h ill , shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the veh icle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge r=;, page 10 must
be observed carefully . If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im­ mediately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
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 minutes to prevent heat build-up.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci-
-
Trailer mode
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wear ing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
t railer because o f the additional weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution. Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how carefu l­
ly you load your trai ler and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
tu rning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic. Keep practicing until you have be­
come comp lete ly familiar w ith the way your vehi ­
cle-tra iler combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficu lt and requires practice.
Backing up with a t railer generally requires steer­
ing action opposite to that when backing up your
vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you . You will need more
room to stop. To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accel­
erate as fast as you normally would because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow p lenty of room for
your trailer before c hanging lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your veh icle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may requ ire
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
r=;, page 280.
205

Wheels
Determining correct load
limit
Use the example below to calcu­
late the total weight of the pas­
sengers and luggage or other
things that you plan to transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overload­ ed .
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1 . Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCU­ PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle 's placard
(tire inflation pre ssure label)
c:::> page 244, fig. 206.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3 . Subtra ct the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or " XXX"
pounds shown on the sticker
c:::> page 244 , fig. 206 .
4. The re sulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For ex­
ample, if the
"XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
248
be five 150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lb s.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lb s.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely ex­
ceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calculat ­
ed in Step 4 .
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your ve­
hicle. Con sult this manual to
determine how this reduces
the available cargo and lug­ gage load capacity of your vehi­
cle .
~check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 234, fig. 204) to deter­
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
· Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
W heel bolts mus t be clean and loose n/tighten
eas ily.
Rims
R ims with a bo lted r im ring * or with bo lted wheel
covers" co nsist of mult ip le p ieces . T h ese compo-
n ents were bolted togethe r usin g s pec ial bolts ..,.

Emerg ency assis ta nce
Emergency assistance
Vehicle jack, vehicle tool kit and collapsible spare
tire
Onboard tool kit and vehicle jack
The vehicle tools and vehicle jock* ore stored in
the luggage comportment under the floor cover.
Fig. 209 Luggage compartment: on board tool kit and vehi­
cle jack
The vehicle jack* is stored under the onboard tool
kit ¢ fig. 209.
Hybr id d rive*: the storage location of the on­
board tool kit varies ¢ page 104.
The onboard tool k it includes:
- Hook for removing wheel covers*
- Plastic hook to
remove wheel bolt covers*
-Alignment pin for changing wheels
- Wheel bolt wrench
- Folding chocks
- Screwdriver with revers ible blade
- Socket (removable Torx socket)*
- 10 x 13 open ended wrench (for disconnecting
the battery cables)
- Towing eye
A WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack* can cause
ser ious personal injuries.
- Never use the jack* supplied with your Aud i
on another vehicle, particularly on a heavier
one. The jack* is only su itable for use on the
vehicle it came w ith.
254 -
Using a bumper jack to raise the vehicle will
damage the bumper system. The jack may
slip, caus ing injury.
- Never support your vehicle on cinder blocks,
bricks or other objects. These may not be
able to support the load and could cause in­
jury when they fail.
- Never start or run the engine while the vehi­
cle is supported by the jack* .
- If you must work under the vehicle, always
use safety stands specifically designed for
this purpose .
- Never use the hexagonal socket in the han­
dle of the screwdr iver to loosen or tighten
the wheel bolts .
- Always make sure the inflatable spare tire*
and
even a flat tire are secu red in place and
not loose, otherwise they could fly forward,
causing personal inj ury to passenge rs in the
vehi cle in an a cc ident or sudden maneuve r.
@ Tips
The vehicle jack in your vehicle is mainte­
nance-free.
Folding chocks
The folding chocks ore port of the on board tool
kit .
---
Fig . 210 Open ing fo lding chocks
To use the chocks, you fi rst have to raise the sup­
port plate
¢ fig. 210 (D and then insert the lock­
ing plate with the two "tabs" into the elongated
holes in the base plate
@ c> &.. .,,_

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..... I.Cl U"I
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_& WARNING
-The chock cannot fulfil its function and may
lose its stability if the "tabs" on the support
plate a re not inserted correctly into the
elongated holes in the base plate. If th is
happens, the vehicle may sta rt to move
wh ile a wheel is being changed.
- Never use the fold ing chocks if they are
damaged or if they have not been assem­
bled co rrectly.
Removing bass box
Appl ies to vehicles : wit h bass box
Before the inflatable spare tire* can be token
out, the bass box must be removed.
Fig . 21 1 Spare w heel well: Bass box
Removing ba ss box
"Lift up the cargo floor using the hand le .
" Squeeze the locking tabs
c:> fig . 211 (D of the
connector.
" Disconnect the connector @and place the lead
to one s ide.
"T urn the large screw counter -clockwise .
" Carefully remove t he bass box .
Installing bas s bo x
"Carefully place the bass box in the whee l. The
inscription "FRONT" on the bass box must face
forward.
" Reconnect the co nnector that was removed.
" Secu re the bass box w ith the la rge screw .
" Fold the cargo floo r bac k down.
Em ergen cy a ssis tanc e
Inflatable spare tire
Applies to vehicles: w ith inflatable spare tire
The inflatable spare tire expands to its full diam­
eter when it is inflated .
Fig. 212 In flatable spare tire wit h comp ressor
Removing inflatabl e spare tire
"Lift up the cargo floo r us ing the handle.
" Remove the dirt tray .
" Turn the large screw <=:>
fig. 212 counter -clock-
w ise .
" Remove the bass box as required<=:>
page 255.
"Take out the inflatab le spare tire.
" Always store the vehicle too l kit, the jack* and
the replaced tire in the luggage compartment
<=:> page 139.
Stowing the inflatable spare t ire
.. Release the air by unscrewing the valve stem.
" Screw the valve stem back in afterwards.
" Wa it a few hours before plac ing the wheel in
the spare wheel well<=:>,& .
" Insta ll the bass box as required <=:>
page 255 .
" Secure the whee l w ith the la rge sc rew.
" Place t he d irt tray back in .
" Fold t he c argo floor back down .
After using the inflatable spare wheel
The inflatable spare tire can be re-used as long as
it is not damaged and is not worn down to the
tread wea r indicators
c:> .&, .
When you let the a ir out of the inf latab le spare
t ir e, it does not assume its folded shape again for
severa l hours . Unt il then, it cannot be placed
back i n the spare wheel well and stowed securely.
IJI>
255

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,...., (D Note
Special care is required if you are repairing
the tire on a steep incline.
@ Tips
- Do not operate the compressor for more
than 12 minutes continuously, otherwise it
can overheat. Once the compressor has
cooled, you can continue to use it.
- If sealant has spi lled out, let it dry and then
you can remove it by peeling it away like a
foil.
- Remember to obtain a new bott le of sealant
from your authorized Audi dealer after re­
pair ing a tire. After this, the functionality of
the tire repair set is restored .
- Obey all laws.
Replacing wheels
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions 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 traff ic and try to reach
level ground before you stop¢_& .
.. All passengers sho uld
leave the car and move
to a safe location (fo r instance, behind the
guardrai l) ¢ .&_ .
.. Engage the
par king b rake to prevent yo ur vehi ­
cle from roll ing unintentionally ¢&_ .
.. Move
selecto r le ver to po sitio n P ¢ &_ .
"" If you are towing a trailer: unh itch the trailer
from your veh icle.
"" Block the diagonally opposite wheel with the
folding chocks o r other objects .
""T ake the
jac k* and the inflatable spa re tir e*
out of the luggage compartment ¢ page 254 .
A WARNING
You or your passengers cou ld be inj ured while
changing 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
Em ergenc y ass is tanc e
emergency flashers on and use other wa rn­
ing dev ices to alert other motorists.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traff ic.
- To help prevent the veh icle from moving
suddenly and possib ly slipping off the jack*,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel be­ i n g changed with the fold ing c hocks or oth­
er objects . When one front whee l is lifted
off the ground, placing the Automatic
Transmission in P (Park) w ill
not prevent the
veh icle from moving.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
gro und is leve l and firm.
If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack*.
- Always s tore the vehicle too l kit, the jack*
and the replaced tire in the lugg age com­
partment
¢ page 139.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below s tep-by -step and in exactly that
order.
1. Remove the de corative wheel cover* . For
more detai ls see also¢
page 260, Decaro-
tive wheel covers
o r¢ page 260, Wheels
with wheel bolt cops .
2. Loosen the w
heel bolt s ¢ page 260.
3 . Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack* and align the jack* below that point
¢ page 261.
4. Li ft the car with the jack*¢ page 261 .
s. Remove the wheel with th e flat tire and then
insta ll the
inflatable spar e tir e *
¢ page 262.
6. Tighte n all whee l bolts lightly.
7 .
Lo wer the vehicle wi th the jack *.
8 . Use the whee
l bolt wrench and
firml y tighten
all wheel bo lts ¢
page 260 .
9. Replace the decorat ive wheel co ver* .
259
...

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 engin e 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 large cross
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
270
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 220.
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
connected to the vehicle's electrical system. .,..

Emergency situations
-When connecting jumper cables, make sure
that they cannot get caught in any moving
parts in the engine compartment.
- Do not bend over the batteries -danger of
chemical burns!
- 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 220.
(D Note
Improper hook-up of jumper cables can ruin
the generator .
- Always connect POSITIVE(+) to POSITIVE
(+), and NEGATIVE(-) to NEGATIVE(-)
ground post of the battery manager control
unit.
- Check that all screw p lugs on the battery
cells are screwed in firmly. If not, tighten
plugs prior to connect ing clamp on negative
battery terminal.
- Please note that the procedure for connect ­
i ng a jumper cable as described above ap­
plies specifically to the case of your vehicle
being jump started . When you are giving a
ju mp start to another vehicle , do
not con­
nect the negative (-) cable to the negative
(-) terminal on the discharged batte ry @
c> fig. 228. 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 hints
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.
272
-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 .
- 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
i:>pag e 272 and i:> page 273.
A WARNING
A vehicle 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. 229 Front bumper : remov ing the cover cap

Fig. 230 Front bumper: s crew ing in t he towing loop
The towing loop fits into the threaded hole locat­
ed on the right side o f the front bumper and cov­
ered by a cover when not in use.
.,. Remove the towing loop from the vehicle tool­
kit
c> page 254 .
.,. Carefully remove the cove r c> fig. 229.
.,. Screw the towing loop tightly into the threaded
hole as far as it will go
c> fig. 230. Ill>