
,....,
N
co
er::
co
,....,
conditions and off-road
General information
The operation of the Electronic Stabilization Con
trol (ESC) is expanded for operation away from paved roads. In situations where slip or a differ
ential locking fun ction is required , the offroad
mode can be activated ¢
page 190. Your Audi al
so has permanent all-wheel drive in addition .
However, your Audi is not a pure offroad vehicle.
It was not built for driving under extreme condi
tions, e.g. for tr ips that are in the nature of an
expedition .
Drive only on roads and offroad sections which
match the design of your vehicle and your abili
ties as a driver. Never take risks!
Before driving offroad
-Check the engine oi l level, tire pressure, coo l
ant level, and the fluid level in the windshield
washer reservo ir.
- Stow luggage items and other objects in the
luggage compartment, and secure them
against sliding around.
After driving offroad
-After trips offroad, remove any twigs and other
foreign objects from the gri ll, the underbody
and the wheels. Pay special attention to foreign
objects (stones) which have become lodged in
the tire tread.
- Clean the body and the vehicle underside, and
inspect the vehicle for possible damage.
- Clean dirty windows, headlamp lenses, rear
lights, and license plates.
- Perform a brake check (particularly after travel
ling through water).
A WARNING
-Drive especially attentively and plan ahead
in difficult road condit ions and when off
road. Excessive speed or incorrect maneu
vers can cause injuries and damage to the
vehicle .
Offroad driving
-Always adapt your speed and driving style to
road, offroad, traffic, and weather condi
tions. Drive especially slowly offroad when
your view is restricted.
- Please be aware that in offroad mode, par
ticularly on a smooth and slippery road, the
wheels may have an increased tendency to spin and the vehicle may break away - dan
ger of skidd ing!
- Stability is lim ited in the offroad mode .
@) For the sake of the environment
Avoid damage to the environment and re
spect nature.
(D Tips
Only drive where it is permitted and stay on
marked roads and paths.
Explanation of some technical terms
The following data refer to ideal conditions. De
pending on vehicle load and ground conditions
and the environment, the numbers may vary. It is
the driver's responsibility to decide whether ave
hicle can overcome a specific s ituation
¢ ,&. .
Gradient angle
The number of meters in altitude gained over a
distance of 109.4 yards or 100 meters (grade)
are given as a percentage or degrees. Informa
t ion about the gradient the vehicle can cl imb un
der its own power (depends in part on the road
s ur face and eng ine power). Maximum permitted
grade: 31
°
Ground clearance
The distance between the road surface and the
lowest point of the vehicle underbody. Ground
clearance 7.9 in (200 mm)
_& WARNING
-
Exceeding the stated maximum figures can
result in severe injuries or vehicle damage.
- All the information was gathered on level,
firm and non-slippery road surfaces, and un-
der dry weather conditions.
~
201

,....,
N
co
er::
co
,....,
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.
- Never install a "weight distributing" or
"load equalizing" trailer hitch on your vehi
cle. The vehicle was not designed for these
kinds of trailer hitches . The hitch attach
ment can fail, causing the trailer to tear
loose from the vehicle.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
vehicle, found on the safety compliance la bel on the driver's side B-pillar, must never
be exceeded under any circumstances. Ex
ceeding the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of
your vehicle is likely to damage your vehicle,
and such damage will not be covered by
your Limited New Vehicle Warranty. Exceed
ing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating will al
so change the performance and handling
characteristics of your vehicle, which could
cause a crash resulting in serious injury or
death.
203

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.

,....,
N
co
er::
co
,....,
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

Care and cleaning
& WARNING
-Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci dents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself from sha rp metal components when wash
ing the underbody or the inside of t he wheel
hous ings.
- After was hing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to mo isture on the
bra ke rotors o r ice i n the winte r. The bra kes
mus t be d ried first w ith a few care ful brake
applications .
@ Note
-If you wash the ve hicle in an automa tic car
wash, you m ust fold the exte rior m irrors i n
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
Power folding exterior m irrors * must on ly
be fo lded in and out using the power folding
funct ion.
- To reduce the risk of damage to the rims
and tires, compare the width between the
whee ls on your ve hicle w ith the distance be
tween the gu ide rails in the car wash. -
To red uce the risk of damage, compare the
heig ht and width of your vehicle with the
heig ht and w idth of the inside of the car
wash.
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
- To reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, k itchen
sponges or s imilar items.
- Matte finish painted vehicle components:
- To reduce the r isk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polish ing agents or hard
wax.
- Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic signs on vehicle parts pain ted with matte
finish paint. The paint could be damaged
when the stickers or magne ts are re
moved.
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the veh icle in facilities spe cially de
signed for that pu rpose. This will reduce the
r isk of dirty wate r contamina ted with o il from
entering the sewer system .
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individua l vehicle
components, refer to the following tables. The information conta ined there is s imply recom
mendations . Fo r quest ions or for components that are not
listed, consult an authorized Aud i
dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac ility. Also
fo llow the information found in c::> & .
Ex ter io r cleaning
Component S ituation Solution
Wind shield wiper
Deposits c::> page 58, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
blades
Headlights /
Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution a)
Tail lights
Sen sor s/
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with solvent-free cleaning sol utio n
camera len ses Camera lenses: soft cloth w ith alcoho l-free cleaning so lu-
tion
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent -free de -icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
208

Checking and Filling
Checking and Filling Hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehi
cle .
Fig. 195 Driver's side footwell : eng ine hood release lever
.. With the driver's door open, pull the lever un
der the instrument panel in the direction of the
arrow ¢
fig. 195.
The hood pops up slightly under spring pressure.
Opening the engine hood
CJ
Fig. 196 Release lever under t he e ngi ne hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that
the windshield wipers are flat against the w ind
shield. Otherwise, they could damage the paint
on the hood.
.,. Pull up on the release under the hood
¢
fig . 196. This releases the catch.
.,. Open the hood all the way ¢.&_ .
,& WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you.
220
-To reduce the r isk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam or
coo lant escaping from the engine compart
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be
seen or heard before carefully opening the
hood .
Closing the engine hood
.,. Pull the hood down until the pressu re from the
struts is reduced .
.. Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do
not try to push it shut;
it may fail to engage
~A -
A WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could
fly up and block your view while driving.
- When you close the engine hood, check it to
make sure the safety catch has properly en
gaged . The hood should be flush with the
surrounding vehicle body parts .
- If you notice while driv ing that the hood is
not secured properly, stop at once and close
it .
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the
engine compar tment.
-
Whenever you must perform any work in the
engine compartment , for example checking and
filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury,
burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury
always observe the following WARNINGS. The
engine compartment of any vehicle is a hazard
ous area ¢.&, .
A WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check any
thing und er the hood:
- Turn off the engine.
- Remove the ign ition key .
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of automatic transm is-
sion to P (Park).
-

Checking and Filling
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 197 Typical layout for con tainers and eng ine oil filler cap
® Eng ine oil filler cap ("1::7':) ........ 224
© Coolant expansion tank (- L) ..... 226
® Jump start point(-) with hex head
screw
. .. .. .... .............. 231,271
® Windshield/headlight washer con-
tainer
(Q) ................... 233
The position of the engine oil filling hole
¢ fig. 197 (item @) can differ depending on the
engine design .
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com
partment, always read and heed all WARN
INGS ¢.&.
in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 220.
222
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
~ r--0 d::
"' t0
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci
fications.
The serv ice interval display in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an oi l chang e. We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by an authorized Audi Serv
i ce Advisor.
If you have to top off the oil between oil changes,
us e the Audi oil quality standard specified in the
ta ble.
~

Checking and Filling
-To avoid bein g burned, do not spill anti
f reeze or coolant on the exhaust system or
hot engine parts. Under certain condi
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool ant can catch fire.
- Antifreeze is poisonous . Always store anti
freeze in its original container and well out
of the reach of children .
- If you dra in the coolant, it must be ca ught
and safely stored in a proper conta iner
clearly marked "poison".
(D Note
- Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty . Air cou ld enter the cooling system
and damage the eng ine .
If this is the case,
do not continue dr iving . Seek professional
ass istance.
- Coolant pollutes the e nvironment a nd could
cause an eng ine fire. Excess coolant will be
fo rced o ut through the pressu re relief valve
i n the cap when the eng ine be comes hot .
- If, in an emergency, o nly wate r can be add
ed, the co rrect ratio between water and an
tifree ze ~
page 226 mus t be resto red as
soon as possib le .
@) For the sake of the environment
Drained cool ant sho uld not be reused. Always
dispose of used coo lant w hile obse rving all
environmenta l regulatio ns.
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by it
self.
The radiator fan is dr iven by the eng ine v ia the V
be lt . The visco us cl utch regula tes the speed of
the fan acco rding to the tempera ture of t he cool
ant.
An aux iliary ele ct ric radiator fan* swit ches on and
off depending on coolant tempera tu re and o ther
ve hicl e operat ing cond itions .
After you switch the engine off , the auxiliary fan
can cont inue runn ing fo r up to 10 minutes - even
228
with the ignition off . It can even switch o n aga in
l ater by itself~.&. , if
- the tempera ture of the engine coolant rises d ue
to the hea t build- up from the engine in the en
gine compartment, or
- the engine compa rtme nt heats up bec ause the
veh icle is parked in intense s unlight.
A WARNING
- To reduce the r isk of personal injury never
touch the radiator fan.
- The a uxiliary e lectric fan is temperat ure
controlled and can switch on suddenly even
when the engine is not runn ing .
-
-The a uxiliary radiator fan switches on a uto
mat ically when the eng ine coolant reaches a
certain temperature and will continue to r un
until the coo lant temperature drops.
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The broke fluid level con be checked with o quick
glance .
Fig. 20 1 En g in e com par tmen t: cov er on t he br ak e fluid
r e servo ir
N
N
-N
"' CIO a,
Befo re you check anything in the engine compart
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
~ .&, in Working in the engine comportment on
page 220 .
.,. Read the brake fluid level from the bra ke f luid
rese rvoir ~
fig. 201, <> page 222, fig . 197. The
brake fl uid leve l must be between the "M IN"
and "MAX " mark ings .