
a:,
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-Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
accelerating on smooth, slippery surfaces
such as ice and snow. The drive wheels can
spin even when these control systems are
installed and this can affect driving stability
and increase the risk of a collision.
(D Tips
- The ABS and ASR only function correctly
when all four wheels have a similar wear
Switching on/off
Intelligent Technology
condition. Different tire sizes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de
scribed are working .
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine .
Fig. 99 Center console: OFF~ button
The following examples are unusual situations
where it may make sense to switch offroad mode
on to allow the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving on rough terrain when much of the car's
weight is lifted off the wheels (axle articula
tion)
- Dr iving downh ill wh ile braking on loose ground
The ESC is designed to function in levels. Depend
ing on the level selected , the ESC stabilization
function is limited or switched off. The amount of
stabilization control will differ depending on the
level. For your safety, switch the offroad mode off in
advance.
ESC
levels
Offroad mode on ESC/ASRoff Offroad mode off or
ESC/ASRon
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza- The stabilization function is The full stabilization func-
tion functions are limited not available
~ A. ESC and tion of the ESC and ASR is
q_,& _ ASR are switched off. avai lable again.
Operation Press the 00 button briefly. Press and hold the 00 button Press the 00 button again.
l onger than three seconds.
Indicator II turns on. II and lf'tii•Ui turn on. ltl turns off or II and
lights lfilf•l~i turn off.
Messages Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization
control (ESC): Stabilization control (ESC):
Offroad Warning! Reduced Off Warning! Reduced
sta-
On
stability bility
93

Intelligent Technology
_&. WARNING
You should only switch offroad mode on or
switch ESC/ ASR off if your driving abilities
and the traff ic conditions perm it. There is a
r isk of slid ing.
- The stabilization function is limited when
offroad mode is switched on. The driving
wheels co uld spin and the vehicle could
swerve , especially on slick or slippery road
surfaces.
- T here is no vehicle stab ilizat ion when ESC/
ASR are switched off .
Hill descent assist
Applies to: vehicles with hill hold assist
Hill descent assist makes it possible to drive
down a hill at a constant speed.
Fig . 100 Center console: hill descent assist button
.,. To switch the hill descent assist on, press the
~ button in the center console c:> fig. 100. The
LED in the button turns on.
.,. Press the button again to switch it off. The LED
in the button turns off.
Hill descent assist brakes all four wheels auto
matically in order to limit speed when driving ei
ther forward or reverse on hills with a grade up to
approx imately 50%.
When hill descent assist is on, the speed your ve hicle was traveling when it entered the hill is
maintained. It is only possible to switch on the
assist when driving slower than 37 mph (60 km/
h). The assist occurs br iefly after start ing to drive
up to approximately 19 mph (30 km/h). The driv
er can increase or decrease the vehicle speed
94
within these limits by pressing the accelerator or
brake peda l.
However, there must be enough tract ion. Hill de
scent assist
cannot function as expec ted, if fo r
example the hill is icy or if the surface is loose
c:>,& .
Active assistance at a specific speed up to about
19 mph (30 km/h) is shown in the instrument
cluster through a blinking indicator light •. The
indicator light shines continuously when in the
ready mode.
The system does not work at speeds between 19
and 37 mph (30 and 60 km/h). The system is
then in ready-mode . This is indicated by the LED
i n the button turning on. The system automat i
ca lly switched off when you drive faster than 37
mph (60 km/h) . The LED will also turn off in this
scenario.
Hill descent assist is automatically activated un
der the following conditions:
- the LED in the button turns on,
- the vehicle speed is lower than 19 mph (30 km/
h),
- the incline angle is at least around 10%.
_&. WARNING
-Always adapt your speed to the weather,
road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
increased safety provided tempt you into
taking risks, because this increases the risk
of an accident .
-
-The hill descent ass ist system cannot over
come the laws of physics. Your driving style
must always be adapted to the current road
and traffic conditions.
- Hill descent ass ist may not be ab le to hold
your vehicle at a constant speed under all
conditions while dr iv ing on a hill (for exam
ple if ground u nder the vehicle is loose).
Brakes
New brake pads
New brake pads do not achieve their full braking
effect during the first 250 mi (400 km). They
must be "broken in" first. However, you can ..,.

00
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00
compensate for the slightly reduced bra king
force by pressing firmly on the brake peda l. Avoid
heavy braking during the break -in period .
Operating condit ion s and dr iving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles a re sti ll s ub
ject to wear, depend ing largely on ope rating con
ditions and driving habits¢& . On vehicles that
are either driven most ly in stop-and -go city traf
fic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by your authorized Aud i dealer more of
ten than specified in the
Warran ty & Mainte
n anc e boo kle t .
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 brakes, do not hold the b rakes down cont in
uously. P ump t he b rakes at intervals.
Operating no ise
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 or road salt
In certain situations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, after overnight con
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by mo isture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads . The brakes must be
"dr ied" fi rst w it h a few careful brake applica
tions .
At highe r speeds and with the windsh ield w ipers
turned on, the brake pads press aga inst the brake
rotors for a short amount of time. This action,
which is not felt by the d river, happens a t regular
i nte rvals and ens ures a better reaction time fo r
the brakes in wet weather.
The bra king effect can also be redu ced if you are
d riving on salted roads and you do not apply t he
b ra kes fo r long pe riods of time. The layer of sa lt
on the brake rotors and brake pads m ust be worn
off first when the b rakes are applied¢& .
Intellig ent Technology
Corrosion
Leaving t he vehicle pa rked fo r lo ng periods of
t ime, low mileage and avoiding heavy braking
can contrib ute to corrosion on the brake rotors
and to dirty brake pads .
If you usua lly avoid heavy bra king or if there is
corrosion present, occasiona l heavy braking at
high speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and pads¢& .
Brake system malfunction
if you no tice that the b rake peda l t ravel has sud
denly
gotten larger, then a b rake c ircuit may have
f ailed ¢ & .
Low brake fluid level
When the brake fluid level is low, malfu nctions in
the b rake system may occur. The b rake fl uid level
is e lec tron ically moni tored.
Brake booster
The brake booster amplifies the pressure you ap
ply to the brake pedal.
It only works when the en
gine is running~ &.
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in
spect ion of the condition of the brake pads
t h rough the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this i nspection
¢ page 198, Replacing wheels .
,&. WARNING
-New brake pads don't have the bes t stop
ping power and m ust be "broken-in" during
the initial 250 mi (400 km) . You
can com
pensate for this by pressing the brake pedal
more firmly . This a lso applies later when
new pads are installed.
- You shou ld perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system
only if road condit ions permit. Other road
users must not be put at r isk - you may
cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed a nd sh ift transmission into a lower
95

Intelligent Technology
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or
too often. This could cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to
brake. This may cause the brakes to over
heat, premature wear and increased stop
ping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating condi
tions such as passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the vehicle ,
the effectiveness of the brakes can be re
duced . In winter, ice can accumulate on the
brake pads, linings, discs and drums . Care
fully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings will be cleaned off after a
few careful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency .
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications .
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you in
stall a different spoiler, be sure the air flow
to the front brakes is not obstructed. Other
wise the brake system could overheat reduc
ing the effectiveness of the entire brake sys
tem.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair the
braking capability resulting in an increased
stopping distance. Avoid driving the vehicle
and have it towed to the nearest authorized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, the
brake pedal must be pressed considerably
harder to make up for the lack of booster
assistance.
96
Electromechanical
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements .
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator lights and messages
• Steering fault! Do not drive vehicle!
If this indicator light turns on and stays on and
this message appears, the power steering may
have failed.
Do
not continue driving . See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as
sistance.
If the indicator light turns on, the steering wheel
may be more difficult to move or more sensitive
than usual. The steering wheel may also be at an
angle when driving straight.
Drive slowly to an authorized Audi dealer or au
thorized Audi Service Facility to have the mal
function corrected .
(;r, lj Steering lock: System fault! Please contact
dealer.
There is a malfunction in the electronic steering
lock.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
Have the system malfunction corrected as
soon as possible by an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility, as this in
creases the risk of an accident .
{!) Tips
If the . or 'T j indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue driving.
-

Intelligent Technology
Depending on the vehicle battery charge level,
electrical equipment is switched off one item af
ter the other to prevent the vehicle battery from
draining and to maintain the starting ability.
Dynamic energy manag ement
W hile driving, dynamic energy management d is
trib utes the appropriate amount of energy to the
e lectrical equipment. It controls the battery
charge level so that the amount of energy is not
greater than the amount be ing generated in or
der to mainta in a n optima l vehicle battery charge
level.
(D Tips
- Ene rgy management cannot ove rcome the
l aws of physics . Note that the charge level
and length of the vehicle battery life a re
l imi ted.
- When the starting ability is endangered, the
(•) indicator light turns on
~ page 13 .
What you should know
Maintaining the starting ability is the highest
priority.
A lot of stress is placed on the vehicle battery
when dr iv ing short d ista nces, dur ing c ity dr iving,
and at cold times of the year . A lot of energy is
used but little is ge nerated.
It is a lso critical
when the engine is not runn ing but e lectr ica l
eq uipment is switc hed o n. In this case, energy is
used bu t none is ge ne ra te d.
In s ituations like this, energy manageme nt will
actively regu late the d istribution of ene rgy .
Long periods without use
I f yo u do not drive your vehicle for seve ral days or
weeks, electrical equipment is gradually scaled
back or switched off . This red uces energy use and
ensu res the veh icle w ill be able to star t afte r long
pe riods of time . Some convenience functions ,
such as inte rior lighting or powe r seat adjust
men t, may not be available unde r certa in ci rcum
s tances. These co nvenience functions will be
ava ilab le again once you switch the ign ition on
and start the engine .
98
With the engine switched off
The vehicle b attery wi ll dr ain if you use Info tain
ment func tions such as lis teni ng to the radio
while the engine is switched off.
The veh icle's abili ty to s ta rt may be impa ired by
the e nergy use, a message will appe ar i n t he I n
fota inment system display.
The message indicates that the system wi ll
swi tch off autom atically soon .
If you would lik e
to co ntin ue usi ng the func tio ns , you mus t start
t h e engine.
With the engine running
Althoug h electrica l energy is gene rated w hile
driv ing, the veh icle ba tte ry can dra in. This can
happe n if li tt le ene rgy i s generate d but much is
u sed, and the ch arge level of the vehi cle b attery
i s not optimal.
To resto re t he ba lan ce of energy, co mponents
t h at req uire large amo unts of energy a re tempo
ra rily sc aled b ack or sw itche d off. Heat ing sys
tems in partic ular re quire a great deal of energy .
If you notice, for example, that the seat heating*
or r ear window defogger is not work ing, then it
has been tempora rily reduced or switched off.
These systems are avai lab le aga in as soon as t he
energy supply has bee n restored .
In ad dition, yo u may notice that the idle speed
has slightly increased. That is normal and no
cause for concern. By increasing the idling speed,
the addit ional required energy will be ge nerated
and the veh icle battery w ill be charged .
Notice about data
recorded by the Event
Data Recorder and
vehicle control modules
Event Data Recorder
This vehicle is equ ipped w ith an Event Data Re
corder ( EDR) . The mai n purpose of an EDR is to
r ecord, in certain cras h or near crash -li ke situa
tions, such as an airbag deployme nt o r hi tt ing a
r oad obsta cle, da ta that w ill ass ist in understand
i ng how a vehi cle's systems pe rforme d. Th e EDR
Ill-

Driving sa fe ty
Driving safety
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instruct ions and warn ings that you need to
read and observe for your own safety, the safety
of your passengers and others. We have summar ized here what you need to know about safety
be lts, a irbags, child restra ints as well as child
safety. Your safety is for us
priority number 1 . Al
ways observe t he i nfo rmation and wa rn ings in
this section - for your own safety as well as tha t
of yo ur passengers.
The information i n this section applies to all
model ve rsions of your vehicle . Some of the fea
tures descr ibed in t his sec tions may be s tanda rd
eq uipment on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others . If yo u are not sure, ask
your author ized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in
structions and heed the WARNINGS in th is
Manual.
It is in your interest and in the in
te rest of your passengers.
-
- Always keep t he comp lete Owner's Litera
ture in your A udi when you lend or se ll your
vehicle so that this important information
will always be available to the d river and
passenge rs.
- Always keep the Owner 's literature handy so
that you can find it easily if you have ques
t ions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant re
straint system and work together to help reduce
the risk of injury in a wide variety of occident si t
uations.
Your safety and the safety of yo ur passenge rs
should not be left to chan ce. Advan ces in tech
nology have made a var iety of features av ail ab le
to help reduce t he risk of injury in an accident .
100
The following is a list of just a few of the sa fety
features in your Audi :
- sophis tic ated safety be lts fo r dr ive r and all pas-
senge r seat ing pos itions,
- belt fo rce limi ters for the front seats,
- be lt pretensione rs fo r the seats,
- belt height adjustment for the front seats,
- head restraints for each seating position,
- front airbags,
- side airbags in the front seats,
- side curtain airbags with eject io n m it igat io n
features,
- special LA TC H anchorages for ch ild rest rai nts,
- adj ustab le steer ing col umn.
These ind iv idual safety features, can work to
gether as a system to he lp protect you and your
passengers in a wide range of acc idents. These
features cannot wo rk as a system if they are not
a lways cor rec tly ad justed and cor rect ly used.
Safety i s everybody' s responsibil ity!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job! Vehicle and occupant
safety always depends on the informed and care
ful driver .
For your safety and the safety of your passen
gers,
before driving always:
.,. Make sure that a ll lights and signals are operat
ing correctly .
.,. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct .
.,. Make sure that a ll w indows are clean and afford
good vis ibility to the outs ide .
.,. Secure all luggage and othe r items ca refully
~ page 105, ~page 47 .
.,. Ma ke sure that noth ing ca n interfere wi th the
pedals.
.,. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for yo ur height.
.,. Instruct passenge rs to adjust the head re
straints according to their he ight.
.,. Make sure to use the rig ht child restraint cor
rectly to protect children
r=> page 13 7, Child
safety . ..,.

a:,
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.. Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same
¢page 44, Front
seats .
.. Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Al
so instruct your passengers to fasten their safe
ty belts properly
¢page 109.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle, the driver as well as the driver's abili
ty to concentrate on the road without being dis
tracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the ve
h icle and all of its occupants . If your ability to
drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody in the
veh icle increase and you also become a hazard to
everyone else on the road ¢_& .T herefo re:
.. Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers
or by using a cellular telephone.
.. NEVER dr ive when your dr iv ing ability is im
paired (by medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
.. Observe a ll traff ic laws, rules of the road and
speed limits and plain common sense.
.. ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and
weather conditions.
.. Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive
for more than two hours at a stretch.
.. Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pres
sure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING
Impai red dr iv ing safety increases the risk of
ser ious personal inju ry and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
Dr iving safety
Correct passenger
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
F ig. 101 Cor rect seating position
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of in
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the driver's seat to the following pos ition:
.. Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily
push the pedals all the way to the floor while
keep ing your knee(s) slightly bent¢_& .
.,. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position so that your back comes in
full contac t wi th it when you dr ive.
.. Adj ust the steer ing wheel so that there is a d is
tance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the steering whee l and your breast bone¢
fig. 101.
If not possible, see your author ized A udi dealer
about adaptive equipment.
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering
wheel and airbag cover points at your chest and
not at your face .
.,. Grasp the top of the steering wheel with your
elbow(s) slightly bent .
.. Ad just the head res tra int so the upper edge is
as even as possib le w ith the top of yo ur head.
If
that is no t possib le, try to adjust the head re
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible .
.. Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 112.
.. Always keep both feet i n the footwell so that
you are in control of the veh icle at all t imes .
101

00
00
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Safety belts
General information
Always wear safety belts!
Wearing safety belts correctly saves lives!
This chapter explains why safety belts are neces
sary, how they work and how to adjust and wear
them correctly.
.. Read all the information that follows and heed
all of the instructions and WARNINGS.
A WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them im
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death.
- Safety belts are the single most effective
means available to reduce the risk of serious
injury and death in automobile accidents.
For your protection and that of your passen
gers, always correctly wear safety belts
when the vehicle is moving.
- Pregnant women, injured, o r physically im
paired persons must also use safety belts.
Like all vehicle occupants, they are more
likely to be seriously injured if they do not
wear safety belts. The best way to protect a
fetus is to protect the mother -throughout
the entire pregnancy.
Number of seats
Your Audi has a total of five seating positions:
two in the front and three in the rear. Each seat ing position has a safety belt.
A WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them im
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death.
- Never strap more than one person, includ
ing small children, into any belt.
It is espe
cially dangerous to place a safety belt over a
child sitting on your lap.
- Never let mo re people ride in the vehicle
than there are safety belts available.
Safety belts
-Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is
properly restrained with a separate safety
belt or child restraint.
Safety belt warning light
Your vehicle has a warning system for the driver
and front seat passenger to remind you about the importance of buckling-up.
Fi g. 104 Safety belt warn ing light in the instrument clus ·
te r -en larged
Before driving off, always:
.. Fasten your safety belt and make sure you are
wearing it properly.
.,. Make sure that your passengers also buckle up
and properly wear their safety belts.
.,. Protect your children with a child restraint sys
tem appropr iate for the size and age of the chil
dren .
The warning light . in the instrument cluster
lights up when the ignit ion is switched on as a re
minder to fasten the safety belts . In addition,
you w ill hear a warn ing tone for a certain period
of time.
Fasten your safety belt now and make sure that
your passengers also properly put on their safe
ty belts.
A WARNING
- Safety belts are the single most effective
means available to red uce the risk of serious
injury and death in automobile accidents.
For your protection and that of your passen
gers, always correctly wear safety belts
when the vehicle is moving.
109