2017 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET brakes

Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
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 shou ld your vehicle be
struck from beh ind ¢
,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
gi check to be sure that it conforms to all regula-......
~ tions . N ...... 0
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Trailer towing
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 w ith 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 tra iler has electr ical brakes please note
that these bra kes 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 sec ure ly 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 180.
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 cool ing system has enough fluid. .,..
179

Trailer towing
Tire pr essure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the tires of yo ur
veh icle to the tire pressure listed under " Fu ll
load" on the label ¢
page 217. Inflate trai ler
tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions.
Lights
The headlight settings should be chec ked with
the trailer attached before driving off . Check to
make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly.
Safety chains
Be s ure t railer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle .
L eave enough slack in the chains to permit turn ­
ing corners. When you install safety chains, make
sure they wi ll 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 .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car res ults
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avo ided, drive at very low speeds on ly
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easie r to operate and cont rol.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while keeping the trai ler as light as possib le under the
circumstances . Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow vehicle while observ ing tongue load requ ire­
ments and vehicle loading considerat ions .
Spe ed
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 w ind
180
conditions are unfavorab le -particularly when
going downhi ll.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediate ly if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of sway ing.
Do not try
to st op the swaying by accele rating.
Observe speed limits. In some a reas, speeds fo r
vehicles towing tra ilers are lower tha n for regular
vehicles.
A lways apply brakes ear ly . When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gea r to use the engine
braki ng effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone ca n cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 8 must
be observed carefully. If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im­
med iate ly and/or tu rn off the a ir cond itioner .
If the coolant temperatu re warning light . in
the instrument cluster starts flashing, p ull off
the road, stop and let the engine
idle for about
two minu tes to p revent heat build-up .
.&, WARNING
Anyone not properly res trained 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 wear ing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer towing
information
Important to know
-
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
trailer because of the addit iona l weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution. Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how careful­
ly you load your tra iler and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, pract ice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic. Keep pract icing u nti l you have be­
come completely fam iliar w ith the way your vehi-
cle-tra ile r combination behaves and respo nds . .,.

Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a trailer generally requires steer­
ing action oppos ite 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 wi ll need more
room to stop. To compensate for the tra iler, 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 plenty of room for
your trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
@ Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require
more frequent maintenance due to the ex ­
tra load
~ page 246.
Parking on a slope
Do not pork on o slope with o trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only ofter doing the following:
When parking:
" Apply the foot brake.
"Have someone place chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels.
" With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load.
" Turn the wheels towards the curb.
" Apply the parking brake.
" Move the selector lever to P .
When restarting after parking:
" Apply the foot brake.
" Start the engine .
" Move the selector lever to D/S.
" Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
a:,
~ " Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
~ chocks . N .... 0
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Trailer towing
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automat­
ic transmission to P before applying the park­
ing brake and before blocking the wheels, you
may have to use more force later to move the
lever out of the P posit ion .
181

Checking and Filling
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig. 175 Engine compartment: Cover on the brake fluid
r eservoir
Before you check anything in the engine compart­
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
¢ A in Working in the engine compartment on
page 193.
., Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid
reservoir
<=> fig . 175, ¢page 195, fig . 171 . The
brake fluid level must be between the
" MIN"
and "MAX " markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear
partition of the engine compartment on the left
side
¢ page 195.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time
due to the automatic adjustment of the brake
pads . This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably below
the ' 'MIN" mark, the brake warning/indicator
light (U .S. models:
1111 , Canadian models: 1111)
will come on¢ page 13 . Do not continue to oper­
ate the vehicle . The complete brake system
should be thoroughly checked by an authorized
Aud i dealer or qualified workshop and the cause
corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light w ill illuminate.
Contact an author ized Audi dealer
immediately.
(D} Tips
The brake fluid reservoir is located under­
neath the cover.
202
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced
technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the
water content in the brake fluid is too high, cor­
rosion in the brake system may result after ape­
riod of time . The boiling po int of the brake fluid
will a lso decrease considerably and decrease
braking performance.
Therefore , the brake fluid must be changed
every
two years .
Always use new brake fluid which con­
forms to Feder-al Motor Vehicle Standard "FMVSS
116 DOT 4 ".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach ,
therefore, we recommend that you have the
brake fluid changed by your author ized
Audi
dealer .
Your dealer has the correct tools, the
right brake fluid and the know-how to do this for
you.
A WARNING
- Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored
only in the closed original container out of
the reach of children!
- Brake fai lure can result from o ld or inappro­
priate brake fluid. Observe these precau­
tions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE speci­
fi cation
J 1703 and conforms to Federal
Motor Veh icle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake f luid .
The correct type of brake f luid is also indi­
cated on the brake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new . Heavy use of
the brakes can cause a vapor lock if the
brake fluid is left in the system too long .
This can seriously affect the efficiency of
the brakes as well as your safety. This
could result in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehi-
cle .
lilJJ,

"' "' .... N ,.._ N .... 0
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® Mud and snow capability
"M/5" or "M+S" indicates the tire
is suitable for driving on mud and
snow. £ indicates a winter tire.
@Composition of the tire cord
and materials
The number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay­
ers in the tire . In general: the
more layers, the more weight a
tire can carry. Tire manufacturers
must also specify the materials
used in the ti re . These inc lude
stee l, nylon, polyester and other
materials.
@ Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the maxi­
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry.
@ Un iform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance
Treadwear, traction and tempera ­
ture ranges
c:::> page 224.
@ Running direction
T he arrows indicate the running
direction of unidirectional tires.
You must always follow the speci­
fied running direction
c:::>page 233 .
~ Maximum permitted
inflation pressure
Wheels
T his number indicates the maxi­
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated under normal operat ­
ing condit ions .
Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto­ matic t ransmission, power steer ­
ing, power brakes, power win­
dows , powe r seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent tha t these
items are avai lab le as factory- in­
stalled equipment (whether in­
s t alled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the w idth of the tire in percent.
Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a
low sidewall for improved steer­
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement .
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinfo rced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim. ...
20 9

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Maximum (permissible )
inflat ion pressure
means the maximum cold infla­
tion pressure to wh ich a t ire may
be inflated . Also called "maxi ­
mum inflation pressure ."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs . (68 kilograms)
times the numbe r of occupants
seated in the veh icle up to the to­
tal seating capacity of your vehi­
c le .
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants
in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an
inflated new tire .
Overall width
means the linear dis ta n ce be­
tween the exteriors of the side ­
walls of an inflated tire, inc luding
e levations due to labeling, deco­
rations, or protect ive bands or
ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords .
Wheels
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not pre­
viously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight , including
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
heavy duty battery, and special
trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which
the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantia lly 90
degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Recommended inflation
pressure
see c:::> page 210, Cold tire infla­
tion pressure .
Reinforced tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in ­
fl ation pressures than the corre­
sponding standard tire. Rein­
forced tires may be iden tified as
"X L" "x l" "EXTRA LOA D" or "RF"
, , ,
on the sidewa ll. ..,
211

Wheels
passengers that the vehicle is in­
tended to carry ("seating capaci­
ty") with an assumed weight of 1 SO lbs. (68 kg) for each passen­
ger at a designated seating posi­
tion and the total weight of any
luggage in the vehicle. If you tow
a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the tongue weight of
the loaded trailer must be includ­
ed as part of the vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle's two axles.
The fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including
the weight of a trailer hitch and
the tongue weight of the loaded
trailer) is limited. The more pas­
sengers in the vehicle or passen­
gers who are heavier than the
standard weights assumed mean
that less weight can be carried as luggage.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker label located on the
220
driver's side B-pillar ¢ page 217,
fig. 180.
~ WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per­
sonal injury, and even death.
-Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and
increase the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance.
-Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail sud­
denly, including a blowout and
sudden deflation, causing loss
of control and a crash.
-Always make sure that the to­ tal load being transported -including the weight of a trail­
er hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer -
does not make the vehicle
heavier than the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

a:,
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Automatic transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Emergency mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Emergency release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Kick -down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Manua l shift program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Removal lock (ignition key) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Automatic wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Auto Safety Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Average speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Avoid damaging the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Battery location inside the luggage compart-
ment ..............................
203
Charge level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Energy management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Important warnings when working on the
battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
203
Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Replac ing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Work ing on the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Before driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Belt positioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Bio -ethanol (Fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Blended gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Blower (automatic climate control) . . . . . . . . 68
Booster seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Brake fluid
Changing the brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
202
Checking the brake fluid l evel . . . . . . . . . . 202
Brake system
Anti-lock brak ing system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
Brake fluid specifications for refill and re­
placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
202
Brake light defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Brake power assist unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Brakes. .. .. .. ............... .. ..... 170
Ceramic brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Electromechan ical parking brake . . . . . . . . 76
Warning/indicator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Worn brake pads symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Index
Braking
Brake assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
167
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
braking guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Break-in period
Brake pads .. .. .. .. ............. .. . .
Tires ..... .... .. .. ........ · · · · · · · · ·
Breaking in ... .. .. .. ............... . .
New tires
Bulbs
C
170
175
175
214
237
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . 194
Battery specific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Cargo area
refer to Luggage compartment ...... 63, 116
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Center armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
C en tral locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27
Central locking switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Convenience key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Remote control key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Ceramic brake rotors
New brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
170
Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Changing engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Checking
Engin e coolant level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
199
Child restraints
Danger of using child restraints in the front
seat.... .. .. .. .. .. ............. ....
131
Where can I get add itiona l information
about child restra ints and their use? . . . .
166
Child restraint system anchors . . . . . . . . . . 163
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Impo rtant safety instructions for using child
safety seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
153
Installing a c hild restraint using the LATCH
system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
165
251