2016 AUDI Q5 ESP

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,...., Operating conditions and dr iving habits
The brakes on today 's au tomobiles a re still s ub­
ject to wea r, depend ing la rgely on ope rating con­
ditions and driving habits¢.&. . On vehicles that
ar e e ither driv en most ly in stop-and -go city traf­
f ic or are driven ha rd, the brake pads should be
checked by your authorized Aud i dealer more of­
ten than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte­
n ance boo klet .
Failure to have your brake pads
inspected can resu lt in reduced brake perform­
ance.
On steep slopes, you should use the braking ef­
fect of the eng ine . This way, you prevent unnec ­
essary wear on the brake system . If you must use
your b rakes , do not ho ld the brakes down con tin­
uously. Pump t he b rakes at intervals.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depend ing on the
speed , braking force and outs ide cond itions such
as tempe rature and humidity .
Effect of water and road sa lt
In certain situations, for example a fter driving
t hrough water, in heavy ra in , after overnight con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the
b rake rotors and b rake pads . T he brakes must be
d ried first w ith a few careful b rake applica tions.
At highe r speeds and with the windsh ie ld w ipers
turned on, the bra ke pads press aga inst the brake
rotors for a short amount of time . Thi s occ urs at
r egular intervals wit hout the d river noticing and
p rovides for be tter br ak e response time u nder
wet conditions.
The eff ectiv eness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehi cle is dr iven on a salt-covered road
and the brakes are not used. L ikewise, you clean
off acc umu la ted salt coat ing from b rake discs
and pads with a few ca utious applications of the
b rake ¢.&. .
Corrosion
There may be a tende ncy for d irt to b uild up on
the brake pads an d cor ros io n t o fo rm on the discs
if the ca r is not driven regular ly or only fo r sho rt
trips with little use of the brakes .
Intelligent Technology
If
the brakes are not used frequent ly, or i f co rro­
sio n has formed on the discs , it is advisable to
clean off the pads and discs by braking firmly a
few times from a moderately high speed ¢ .&, .
Faults in the brake system
If you shou ld notice a sudden inc rease in brake
peda l travel, t hen one of t he two brake circ uits
may have fai led ¢
&..
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions ca n occur i n the b rake system if the
br ak e fluid level is too low . T he brake f lu id leve l
is moni tored elect ronically .
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the press ure that
yo u generate with the b rake peda l.
It only oper­
ates while the eng ine is r unning or w it h t he igni­
tio n sw itched on (hybr id drive*) ¢.&, .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be chec ked by visual in ­
spect io n of t he condition of the brake pads
t hr ough the openings in the wheel.
If necessary,
t h e wheel may be removed fo r th is i nspe ction
¢ page 259, Replacing wheels .
.&_ WARNING
--
-New brake pads don't have the bes t stop ­
p ing power an d m ust be " broken-in" d uring
the initial 250 miles (400 km). You can compensate for this by pressing the brake
pedal more firmly. This also applies later
when new pads are insta lled.
- You sho uld perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning t he brake system
only if road condit io n s pe rmit . O ther road
users m ust not be put at r is k - you may
cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep g rade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gea r or l ower dr iv ing ra nge. Do not r ide the
b rakes or hold the ped al down too long or
too often. This co uld cause t he b rakes to ge t
hot and dimi nish braking eff ic ien cy .
- Do no t "ride the br akes" by res ting you r foot
on the pedal when you do no t intend to ...,
193

Intelligent Technology
electrical energy is not being used than is being
generated and ensures an optimal state of
charge for the battery.
(D Tips
- But even energy management cannot neg­ ate the limits of physics . Consider that the
power and life of a battery are limited.
- If starting ability is threatened, the indica­
tor light (•) appears
r=:; page 33.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining start ­
ing capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the cold time of
year. Abundant electrical energy is required, but only a little is generated. It is also critical if the
engine is not running and electrical components
are turned on. In this instance energy is being
consumed but none is being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you will no­
tice energy management actively regulating the
distribution of energy .
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks, electrical components are
gradually cut back or switched off. This reduces
energy consumption and maintains starting ca­ pability over a longer period. Some of the con­
venience functions may not operate, such as the interior lights or the power seat adjustment . The
convenience functions will be available again
when you switch on the ignition and start the en­
gine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the
engine turned off or use other MMI" functions,
the battery is being discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy
consumption, a message appears in the radio or MMI* display . The message indicates that the
system will be switched off automat ical ly in a
196
moment. If you wish to continue using the func­
tions, you have to start the engine .
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when the
vehicle is being driven, the battery can become
discharged. This happens mostly when little en­
ergy is being generated and a great deal con­
sumed and the battery's state of charge is not
optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equilibri­
um, consumers which require especially large
amounts of energy are temporarily cut back or
switched off. Heating systems in particular re­
quire a great deal of energy. If you notice, for ex­
ample, that the heated seats* or the heated rear
window are not heating, they have been tempo ­
rarily cut back or switched off . These systems will
be available again as soon as the energy balance
has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly . This is normal and not a
cause for concern. By increasing engine idle
speed the additional energy required is generat­
ed and the battery is charged.

Driving and th e en vironm ent
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust mani­
fold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or heat sh ields . During dr iv ing, the substance
used for undercoating could overheat and
cause a fire .
{U) Note
-Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already seriously degrade
the performance of the catalytic co nverter .
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
c:>page224 .
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty . The engine could mis­
fire. Unburned fuel could also get into the
exhaust system and this could cause the
catalytic converte r to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ignition while the vehicle
. . 1s moving.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un ­
der these cond itions, as otherwise fuel can
r each the catalytic converte r. This could re­
su lt in overheating of the converter, requir­
i ng its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis ­
s ion Control System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the service recommen­
dations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet .
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as im­
proper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the em ission control system
and could lead to damage.
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Control System is op­
erat ing properly, the exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some op­
erat ing states . This depends on the su lfur
content of the fuel be ing used. Using a differ­
ent brand of fue l may he lp, or filling the tank
with lead-free super grade gasoline.
198
Diesel particulate filter
Applies to vehicles: with diesel engine
The diese l particulate filter filters near ly all of
the soot particles out of th e exhaust. The filter
cleans itself automat ically under normal d riving
conditions. If the filter cannot clean itself (for ex­
ample, because you are only driving shor t distan­
ces), the filter becomes clogged with soot and
the
II symbol for the diesel part iculate filter il­
luminates
c:> page 34 .
&_ WARNING
-Do not park your vehicle over flammable
materials such as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the diesel particu­
late filter could start a fire.
-
- Do not apply an underbody protectant in the
exhaust system area or a fire could start.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that low­
lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do no t bottom out and ge t damaged.
This is espec ially true for vehicles with low-s lung
chassis (sports chassis)* and fully loaded
vehicles.
Economical and environ­
mentally-friendly driving
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the
economy of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and
noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear
on your engine, brakes and tires largely depend
on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cu t your fuel

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..... ..... consumption by 10-15 percent . This section w ill
give you some tips on how you can he lp the envi­
ronment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
T he consumpt ion estimates as published by
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre ­
spond to your act ual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehicle
load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating .
.. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating . If you anticipate what is going to happen
next, you will need to brake less and, thus, accel ­
erate less . Let the vehicle coast whenever possi­
b le -for example when you see that the next traf­
fic light is red .
Avoid full throttle
Driving a t moderate speeds saves fuel and im­
proves your mileage .
.. Try and keep well be low your car's max imum
speed.
Accelerating gent ly reduces f uel consumption,
engine wear, and does not disturb the environ­
ment.
F ue l cons umption, exha ust emissions and engine
noise increase d isproportionately at high speeds.
If yo u drive at approximately three quarters of
top speed, fuel consumpt ion w ill be reduced by
one ha lf. Never drive faster than the posted
speed limit and weather conditions perm it .
Driving and the envir onment
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel .
.. Shut the eng ine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
.. Do not warm up t he vehicle by lett ing the en-
gine run at idle .
The idling phase is automatically reduced for
vehicles with the Start-Stop-System*. It is effi­ c ient to sw itch off the engine in veh icles without
the Start-Stop-System* when stopped at ra ilroad
c ross ings and long red lights . T urning the engine
off fo r just 30-40 seconds saves mo re fue l th an is
bur ned by s tarti ng the eng ine again .
It takes a long time for the eng ine to warm up
fully when it is ru nning at id le. However, wea r
and noxious emissions are especially high w hen
t h e engine is war ming up. So yo u should dr ive
aw ay as soon as you star t the eng ine and avoid
runn ing at high rpms w hile the engine is sti ll
warming up .
(D Note
Do not leave eng ine idling unatt ended after
start ing. If wa rning lights sho uld come on to
i ndicate impro per operation, they would go
u nheeded. Extended idling also prod uces
heat, which could result in overheating or
other damage to the vehicle o r othe r proper­
ty .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot
of fuel .
.. Have your vehicle serviced at regular interva ls.
By hav ing your vehicle regular ly serv ice d by an
authorized Aud i dea ler helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically . T he cond ition o f
yo ur vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability
to hold its value , it also affects
fuel consump­
tion .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
T he amou nt o f oil used is related to engine load
and speed. .,,.
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,...., Offroad driving Driving under difficult
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.
~
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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.
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..... ..... Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility . Read and follow the instruc­
tions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
- Us ing clean ing and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
- Always store clean ing and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the r isk of po i­
soning .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not dispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the ve­
h icle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
i ncrease the damag ing effect .
Before washing, r inse off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of wate r and a
microfiber cloth.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once road sa lt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your ve hicles w ith a pressure
washer, always follow the ope ra ting inst ructions
p rovided w ith the pressure washe r. This is espe­
cially important in regard to the pressure and
spraying distance. Do not aim the spray directly
Ca re and cleaning
at seals on side w indows, doo rs, the hood, the
lu ggage compartment lid or the sunroof* or at
t ires, rubber hoses, insulating material, sensors *
or camera lenses*. Keep a distance of at least 16 inches (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rota ry nozzles or high pressure noz ­
zles .
T he wate r temperatu re must not be above 140 °F
(60 °() .
Automat ic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing .
Make s ure that the windows and roof * are closed
and the windsh ield wipers are off. Follow instruc­
t ions from the car wash operator, especially if
there are accessories attached to your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes.
Washing by hand
Clean the ve hicle starting from the top and work­
ing down using a soft sponge or cleaning br ush .
U se solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing, first
remove d ust and large particles from your vehi­
cle. Insects, grease spots and f ingerprints are
best removed w ith a special cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth . To
avo id damag ing the pa int surface, do not use too
much pressure .
Rinse the vehicle thorough ly with water. Then
clean using a neutra l shampoo and a soft mic ro­
fiber cloth.
Rinse the ve hicl e thorough ly agai n an d let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a sham my.
IIIJ,,
207