2017 AUDI Q3 tow

Driving
Under certain circumstances, (such as driving in
the mountains or towing a trailer), it may be use­
ful to switch temporarily to the manual shift pro­ gram in order to manually adapt the gear to the
driving conditions
c::> page 71.
On inclines, activate the parking brake first and
then move the selector lever to the P position
c::> page 65. This prevents the locking mechanism
from being loaded too heavily and will make it
easier to move the selector lever out of the P po ­
sition .
_& WARNING
-The vehicle can also roll when the engine is
stopped.
- Unintended vehicle movement can cause se­
rious injury.
- Never leave your vehicle with the engine
running while in gear. If you must leave
your vehicle when the engine is running, ac­
tivate the parking brake and move the selec­
tor lever to P.
- Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To pre­
vent the vehicle from "creeping", you must
keep your foot on the brake when the en­
gine is running and the selector lever is in D/
Sor R or "tiptronic" mode is selected.
- Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing the selector lever position while
the vehicle is stationary and the engine is running .
- Never shift into R or P while driving.
- Before driving down a steep slope, reduce
your speed and shift into a lower gear with
"tiptron ic".
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake
pedal too often or too long when driving
down a hill. Constant braking causes the
brakes to overheat and substantially re­
duces braking performance, increases brak­
ing distance or causes complete failure of
the brake system.
- To prevent the vehicle from rolling back
when stopping on inclines, always hold it in
place with the brake pedal or parking brake.
70
- Never hold the vehicle on an incline with a
slipping clutch. The clutch opens automati­
cally when it becomes too hot from the
overload. An indicator lamp . illuminates
and a driver message appears
c::> page 72
when the clutch is overloaded.
- If the engine must remain running, never
have any driving position engaged when
checking under the hood. Make sure these­
lector lever has securely engaged and is
locked in P with the parking brake set
c::> page 159. Otherwise, any increase in en­
gine speed may set the vehicle in motion,
even with the parking brake applied.
(D Note
- When stopping on an incline, do not try to
hold the vehicle in place by pressing the ac­
celerator pedal while a driving gear is se­
lected. This can cause the automatic trans­
mission to overheat and can damage it. Set
the parking brake or press the brake pedal
to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
- Allowing the vehicle to roll when th@ engine
is stopped while the selector lever is in the
N position will damage the automatic trans ­
mission, because it is not lubricated under
those circumstances
c::> page 211, Towing
with a tow truck.
- The transmission can overheat and be dam­
aged under certain driving and traffic condi­
tions such as frequent starts, creeping for a
long time, or stop-and-go traffic. If the.
indicator light turns on, stop the vehicle at
the next opportunity and let the transmis­
sion cool down
c::> page 72.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control system assists the driver
when driving down hills.
Hill descent control is activated when the selec­
tor lever is in the D or S position and you press
the brake pedal. The transmission automatically
selects a gear that is suitable for the hill. Hill de­
scent control tries to maintain the speed ach- ieved at the time of braking, within physical and ..,.

Driving Emergency mode
Applies to: ve hicles w ith a utomat ic t ransm iss io ns
In the event of a system malfunction, there is an
emergency program.
If all of the selector lever positions are highligh t­
ed with a light background in the instrument
cluster display, there is a system malfunction and
the S tronic transmission is running in the emer­
gency program. The vehicle can still be driven in
emergency mode, but only with reduced speed
and not in all gears. In some cases, the vehicle
cannot drive in reverse.
@) Note
If the transmission runs in emergency mode,
drive to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
Transmission malfunction
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith a uto mat ic t ra n smi ssio ns
• Transmission overheating! Please stop vehi­
cle!
The transmission is too hot and can become dam­
aged. Stop and let the transmission cool with the
engine running (at idle) in the P selector lever po­
sition. Then the indicator light and the message
tur n off, drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected. If the indicator light
and the driver message do not turn off, do not
continue driving . See an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facil ity for assistance.
72
Selector lever emergency release
App lies to : vehicles wi th automatic transm issions
If the vehicle's power supply fails, the selector
lever can be released in an emergency .
Fig. 77 Selector leve r: remov ing the cove r
Fig. 78 Selector leve r: emerge ncy release
To maneuver or tow the vehicle, the emergency
release must be used to move the selector lever
from the P position.
Using the emergency release can be complicated .
We r ecommend contacting an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as­
sistance, if necessary .
A maintenance tool from the vehicle tool kit
must be used to release ¢
page 197.
Preparations
.,. To prevent your vehicle from rolling uninten­
tionally , set the parking brake(®) or press the
brake pedal ¢
LD,. .
.,. Insert the flat side of the maintenance tool
sideways in the slot near the shift cover and pry
off the shift cover¢
fig. 77 .
.. Pull the frame and the cover upward. You can
fold the cover up over the shifter knob . ..,_

Trailer towing
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, econo­my and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on the
ve hicle, it also ca lls for more concentration from
the dr iver.
F or 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 tra iler weight. The hitch must be suitab le
for your veh icle and tra iler and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
locat ion . Use on ly a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ba ll mount . Always che ck with the t rail ­
er hitch man ufac tur er to make s ure t hat you are
using the co rrect hi tc h.
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 mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and b rake systems .
Fr om t ime to t ime, che ck that all hitch mo unti ng
bol ts rem ain securely f aste ned.
W hen you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra ile r hitc h ba ll mount . This prevents the hit ch
from caus ing damage s hou ld your veh icle be
s truck from be hind ¢
,&..
Trailer brakes
If you r trailer is equipped with a brak ing system,
check to be su re that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
74
The t rai ler hydraulic bra ke system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
bra ke system ¢&. .
Safety chains
Always use s afety chains be tween you r vehi cle
and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Traile r lights must meet all regula tions . B e s ure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
r ec t wir ing, swi tches, an d relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see t he traffic behind you us­
i ng t he regular outs ide mirrors, then yo u
must in­
stall ex tended mirro rs . It is impo rtant that you
al ways have clear vision to the rear.
.&_ WARNING
- If a tra ile r has e lectr ical brake s ple ase no te
t h at these b ra kes are not activated by the
factory -fit ted contro l unit -risk of accident!
- After removing the traile r h itch, d o no t
s t o re it in your vehicle. In case of sud den
braking, the hitch co uld fly forwar d and in ­
jure you or yo ur passenge rs.
- Never install a "we igh t distribu tin g" or
"loa d eq ualizing" trailer hitch on your veh i­
cle . The vehicle was not designed fo r these
kinds o f trailer hitches. The hitch attach­
ment can fail, ca us ing the tra ile r to tear
loose from the vehicle .
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
veh icle, found on the safety compliance la­
be l on the driver's s ide B-pillar, must never
be exceeded under any circ umstances . Ex­
ceed ing the Gross Vehicle We ight Rat ing of
your veh icle is likely to damage yo ur vehicle,
a nd such d amage will no t be covered by
your Limi ted New Vehicle W arra nty . Exceed­
ing the Gross Ve hicl e We ight Rating will al ­
so change the pe rformance and han dling
characte ristics o f yo ur vehicle, which could
cause a crash result ing in se rious injury or
death.

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Operating instructions
6" r-2
~·~
1/2"
1·1/2"
ill
Fig. 79 Perm itted ball pos itio n of th e t rail er hitch
Trailer towing weights
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible trailer weight is
2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) . The maximum permissible
unbraked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg) .
These specifications apply when driving on roads having an incline of less than 12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these changed
conditions, adjust the trailer load so that the
tongue load is at the maximum allowable or
slightly lower. You can get an approximation of
the tongue load with a bathroom scale or you can
measure the load at a trucking company or
weighing station.
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible load on the ball
hitch may not exceed 220 lbs (100 kg) .
It is rec­
ommended to use the maximum permissible
load.
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 76 .
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suitable ball mount and ball¢
fig. 79. Installation of the
hitch ball must be carried out in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions .
Trailer towing
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.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load" on the tire pressure label
¢page 181. In­
flate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' 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 sure trailer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer 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 will not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains should 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
ond consideration.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results
in a highly 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 easier 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 observing tongue load require-
ments and vehicle loading considerations. .,.
75

Trailer towing
Sp eed
The higher the speed, the more d ifficult it be­
comes for the driver to contro l the rig. Do not
dr ive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, w eather or wind
conditions are unfavorable -particularly when
going downhill.
Red uce vehicle speed
immediatel y if the trai le r
shows the s lightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swayin g by ac cele rating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for reg ular
ve hicles.
A lways apply b rakes early . When dr iving down­
hi ll, shi ft into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes a lone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperatu re gauge ¢ page 8 must
be observed ca refully . If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im ­
mediately and/or turn off the air conditioner .
I f t he coolan t temperature warn ing light i n the
instr ument cluster s tarts flashing ., pull off
the road, stop and let the engine
idle for about
two minutes to prevent heat bu ild-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 .
Trailer towing
information
Important to know
Your veh icle hand les different ly when tow ing a
tra iler because of the additional weight and dif ­
fe rent weight d istr ibut ion . Safety, performance
and economy w ill great ly depend on how careful­
ly you load you r trailer and operate your rig .
76
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic . Keep pract icing unt il yo u h ave be ­
come comp lete ly familiar w ith the way your vehi­
cle-tra iler combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up w ith a trailer generally req uires steer ­
i ng 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 wou ld because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow p lenty of room for
your trailer before changing lanes again.
Avo id 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 trai ler, your Audi may requi re
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
¢ page 218.
' Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
.,. App ly the foot bra ke .
.,. Have someone place cho cks under bot h the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels .
.,. With choc ks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load.
.,. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.,. App ly the parking brake .
.,. Move the selector lever to P .
When restarting after parking :
.,. App ly the foot brake .
.,. Start the eng ine .
.,. Move the se lector lever to D/S.

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~ Release the parking brake and slow ly pull out
and away from the whee l chocks.
~ Stop and have someone retrieve t he whee l
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the a utomat­
ic transm ission to P before applying the park­
ing brake and before block ing the wheels, you
may have to use more force later to move the
lever out of the P position .
Trailer towing
77

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@ Tips
The cruise control system cannot maintain
the speed cons istently if you are driving on
steep hills. The vehicle weight ca uses the
speed to increase. Due to th is, shift into a
lower gear in t ime or apply the brakes .
Changing speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
~ To inc rease or decrease the speed in incre­
me nts, push the lever towa rd
0 10 ~ page 78,
fig. 80.
~ T o inc rease o r decrease the speed quickly , hold
the leve r in the
0 10 direction until the de­
si red speed is displayed .
Overriding the cruise control system
Applies to: veh icles with cru ise control system
You can a lso press the accelerator pedal down to
increase your speed, for example if you want to
pass someone. The speed you set earlier w ill re­
sume as soon as you release the accelerator ped ­
al.
However, if you are exceeding the stored speed
by a cons iderable amount for a long time, the
cru ise control system will temporar ily switch off .
The
M;ll)~i~ (USA models) 1 B (Canada models) in­
d icator light in the instrument cluster turns off
and the sto red speed is maintai ned.
Preselecting the speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
You can pre-select your desired speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
~ Switch the ign ition on .
~ Pull the lever into position (D c:> page 78,
fig . 80 .
~ To inc rease o r decrease the speed, push the lev-
er toward
0 10 .
~ To store the speed disp layed, release the lever .
This f unct io n ma kes it possib le, for examp le, to
save the speed yo u wan t before dr iving on the
hi ghway. Once on the h ighway, ac tiva te the
cru ise control by pu lling the lever toward
(D .
Switching off
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
Temporary deactivation
~ Press the brake pedal, or
Assist
~ Press the lever into position @ (not clicked into
p lace)
c:> page 78, fig. 80, o r
~ Dr ive fo r longer t han five minutes at mo re than
6 mph ( 10 km/h) above the sto red speed .
Switching off completely
~ Press the lever into position @(clicked into
place), o r
~ Switch the ignit ion off.
The speed you stored will be maintained if the
c ruise contro l has been switched off temporarily .
T o resume the stored speed, re lease the bra ke
pedal and pull the lever into pos ition
(D .
Switching the ignition off w ill erase the stored
speed .
,&. WARNING
You should only resume the s to red speed if it
i s no t too high fo r exis ting t raffic conditions.
Otherw ise you can inc rease the risk of an acci ­
dent .
79

Assist
Audi side assist
Description
Applies to: vehicles w ith Aud i side ass ist
F ig. 81 Sensor detection range
Fig. 82 Display on the exterior mirror
Side assist helps you monitor your blind spot and
traffic behind your vehicle. Within the limits of
the system, it warns you about vehicles that are
coming closer or that are traveling with you with­
i n sensor range
(D ¢ fig. 81: if a lane change is
classified as critical, the display@in the exter io r
mirror
¢fig. 82 turns on.
The display in the left exter ior mirror provides as­
sistance when mak ing a lane change to the left,
while the disp lay in the right exterior mirror pro­
vides assistance when making a lane cha nge to
the right .
Information stage
As long as you do not activate the turn signal,
side assist
informs you abou t veh icles tha t are
detected and classified as critical. The disp lay in
the mi rror turns on, but is dim .
The display remains dim in the in formation stage
so that your view toward the front is not distur ­
bed.
80 Warning stage
If you
activate the turn signal, side assist warns
you about vehicles that are detected and classi­
fied as critica l. The display in the respective mir­
ror blinks brightly.
If this happens, check traffic
by g lancing in the exterior mirrors and over your
shou lder ¢.&
in General information on
page 81.
{!) Tips
- You can adjust the brightness on of the dis·
play on the rearview mirror¢
page 82.
- Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trailer located in ¢
page 81.
General information
Applies to : vehicles wi th A udi side ass ist
®
®
©
Fig. 83 Dr iving situa tions
Fig. 84 Rea r of the vehicle: pos it io n of the sensors