2017 AUDI Q5 warning light

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 .
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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.

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 .
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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 2 76.
' 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.

Care and cleaning
Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can also be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility. Read and follow the instruc­
tions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
-Using cleaning and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health .
- Always store cleaning and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the risk of poi­
soning .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably purchase environmentally-friend­
ly cleaning products.
- 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 hicle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect .
Before washing, rinse off heavy deposits with
plenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a microfiber cloth.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once road salt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icle w ith a pressure wash ­
er, always follow the operating instructions pro­
vided with the pressure washer. This is especially
important in regard to the pressure and spraying
distance. Do not aim the spray directly at the
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seals on the side windows, doors, lids or the sun­
roof* or at tires, rubber hoses, insulating materi­
al, 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 cone nozzles or high pressure nozzles.
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °().
Automatic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof* are closed
and the windshield wipers are off . Follow instruc­
tions 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 vehicle starting from the top and work­
ing down using a soft sponge or cleaning brush.
Use solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing, first
remove dust and large particles from your vehi­
cle. Insects, grease spots and fingerprints are
best removed with a special cleaner for matte
finish paint .
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft micro­
fiber cloth .
Rinse the veh icle thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a chamois .
A WARNING
-
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car

CD
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Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
T ex til es
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
art ifici al leat her, the surface
A lcan tara Water-based deposits Absorbent
cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
b lood, etc.
Oil -based deposits Apply a m ild soap solution
a), blot away the dissolved o il or
such as oil, make-up, dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
etc.
Special deposits such Special stain
remover, blot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, nail polish, la- afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary
a)
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natu ral le ath er Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mild soap solution a>
Water-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dried stains : stain
remover suitable fo r leather
b lood , etc.
Oi l-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain
remover suitable
such as oil, make-up, for leather
etc. Dried stains : grease dissolving spray
Special deposits such Spot remove r suitab le for leather
as ink, nai l polish, la-
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Care Regularly apply condit ion ing c ream that protects from
lig ht and penet rates into the material. Use specia lly-co l-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary .
Carbon part s Deposits clean the same way as plast ic parts
a) Mi ld soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 q uart (1 liter) of water
.8, WARNING
The windshield may not be trea ted with wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un ­
favorable cond itions such as wetness, dark­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare.
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
@ Note
- Headlight s/tail li ght s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
- Whe els
-
- Never use a ny pa int polish or other abra­
sive materials .
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as sto ne ch ips or scratches must
be repaired immediately .
-Sen sor s/camera l enses
- Neve r use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens . This
could cause the lens to crack .
- Neve r use ab rasive cleaning materials or
a lcohol to clean the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Door window s
-Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors w ith a plast ic scraper . To
207

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Filling AdBlue
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
Fig. 192 Right rear side of the vehicle : remov ing the AdBl­
ue cap
The Ad Blue tank opening is located nea r the die­
sel tank open ing. Add at least 1 gallon (3.8 lit­
e rs) of Ad Blue. This is the minimum amount re­
quired to ensure the system detects the refilling
and to start the engine. You can fill a maximum
of 6 gallons (23 liters) .
Requirement: the request to add Ad Blue must
appear in the instrument cluster display.
• Switch the ignition off.
• Open the tank fi ller door ¢
page 212.
• Turn the cap on the filler neck counter-clock­
wise using the whee l wrench from the vehicle
tool kit to remove it¢
fig . 192.
• Fill the Ad Blue using a bottle¢ page 215 or a
canister
c> page 216.
A WARNING
Ad Blue can irr itate the skin, eyes and resp ira­
tory system. If there is contact with the fluid,
flush immediately with plen ty of wate r. Con­
sult a physician if necessary.
CD Note
- Only use Ad Blue that conforms to the
standard ISO 22241-1. Do not mix any addi­
tives w ith the Ad Blue and do not d ilute it
with water.
- Do not add Ad B lue to the diesel tank or add
diesel fuel to the Ad Blue tank. Do not start
the engine under any circumstances if the
wrong fuel is filled in the tank. There is a
risk of damaging the fuel tank system and
Fue l an d Re fuelin g
the engine . See an authorized Audi dea ler or
authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance.
- Ad Blue attacks surfaces such as painted ve­
hicle components, p lastic and carpet. Re­
move the fluid as quickly as possible with a
damp cloth and plenty of cold water . If the
Ad Blue has already crystallized, use warm
water and a sponge. Ad Blue residue that is not removed w ill crystallize and can damage
the affected surface.
- Do not store refill bottles or canisters per­
manently in the vehicle . If the container
leaks, the escaping Ad Blue could damage
the vehicle interior.
- Do not al low Ad Blue to come into contact
w ith clothing.
If there is contact with the
fluid, flush immediately with plenty of wa­
ter.
© Tips
Fo llow the AdBl ue manufacturer's instruc­
tions for use and storage.
Refilling AdBlue with a bottle
Applies to: vehicles wit h selective catalytic reduction
• Remove the cap from the refill bott le ¢ A in
Filling AdBlue on page 215,
c> (D in Filling
AdBlue on page 215.
• Position the bottle on the filler tube and turn
the bottle clockwise until it stops turning.
• Press lightly against the bottom of the bottle
to empty it . Cont inue pressing the bottom of
the bottle until it is empty or until fluid stops
f low ing into the tank.
• Remove the bott le and seal the f iller neck
¢ page 216, Completing AdBlue refill .
CD Note
Only use refill bottles that are approved for
your vehicle. Using other systems can cause AdB lue to leak.
(0 Tips
- You can obtain refill bo ttles from an author­
ized Aud i dea le r or authorized Audi Serv ice
Facility.
215

Checking and Filling Hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehi­
cle .
Fig. 194 Drive r's side footwell: e ng ine hood re lease lever
"' Wi th the driver's door open, pu ll th e leve r un­
der the instrument panel in the direction of the
arrow ¢fig.194 .
The hood pops up s light ly unde r spri ng p ressure.
Opening the engine hood
Fi g. 19 5 Release lever under t he eng ine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure tha t
the w indshield wipe rs are fla t against the w ind­
shie ld. Otherwise, they could d amage t he paint
on the hood .
"' Pull up on the release under the hood
~fig . 195. Th is releases the cat ch.
"' Open the hood all the way¢&,, .
a,
~ ,&. WARNING
r--
~ Hot engine coo lant can burn you. 0 0
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Checking and Filling
- 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. Wa it until no steam or coolant can be
seen or hea rd before carefully ope ning t he
hood.
Closing the engine hood
"' Pull the hood down until the press ure from the
s truts is red uced.
"' Le t the hood
drop down and latch in p lace. Do
not try to push it shut ;
it may fail to engage
¢ &,, .
A WARNING
- -
A hood that is not completely latched co uld
f ly up and block your view while dr iv ing.
- When you close the engine hood, c heck it to
make sure the safety catch has prope rly en­
gaged . The hood should be flush with the
sur rounding vehicle body parts .
- If you notice while driv ing that the hood is
not secured prope rly , stop at once and close
it .
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the
engine compartment.
Whenever you must pe rfo rm any work in the
eng ine compa rtment , for e xample check ing and
fill ing diffe rent fluids, the re is a ris k of injury,
burns and acciden ts. To pre vent personal injur y
always ob serve the fo llowing WARNINGS . The
eng ine compartment of any vehicle is a hazard ­
ou s area
~ .&, .
A WARNING
To he lp avoid injury, befo re yo u check any­
t h ing u nder the hood:
- Tur n off the engine.
- Remove the ig nitio n key .
- Apply the parking brake.
-
- Move selector lever of automatic t ransm is-
sion to P (Park).
217

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Checking and Filling
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 196 Typical layout for containers and e ngin e oil fille r cap
(D Jump start po int(+) under a cover 227,267
@ Brake fluid reservoir (CO)) . . . . . . . 224
@ Engine oil filler cap(~) . . . . . . . 221
@ Coolant expansion tank (- L) . . . . . 223
® Jump start point( -) with hex head
screw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227, 267
@ Windshield/headlight washer con -
tainer
(W) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
The position of the engine oil filling hole
c:> fig. 196 (item@) can differ depending on the
engine design .
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed a ll WARN­
INGS
c:> &. in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 217.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
T he serv ice interval display in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an oi l change . We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by an authorized Audi Serv­
ice Advisor.
If you have to top off the oil between oil changes,
use the Audi oil quality standard specified in the
tab~ .
~
219

Check ing and F illing
Audi oil quality standard
Gas olin e
VW 502 00 or
engi ne vw 50400
Di esel vw 50 7 00
eng in e
Au di r ecomm ends
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Au di r ecommend s Longlif e high perf ormance
engi ne oil from A udi Genuine Part s
Using the proper engine oil is important for the
functionality and service life of the eng ine. Your
engine was factory-filled with a high-quality oil
which can usually be used throughout the entire
year.
{tD Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions due to failure
to follow recommended maintenance and use
requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
- Use only a high quality eng ine oil that ex-
pressly complies wi th the Audi oil quality
standard specified for your vehicle's engine.
Using any other oil can cause serious engine
damage.
- Do not mix any lub ricants or other additives
i nto the engine oil. Doing so can cause en­
g ine damage.
@ Tips
If you need to add oil and there is none availa­
ble tha t meets the Audi o il quality standard
your eng ine requi res, you may add a tota l of
no more than 0 .5 quart/li ter of a h igh-quality
"synthetic"oil that meets the fo llowing speci­
fications.
- Vehicles with gasoline eng ine: ACEA A3 or
API SM with a viscosity grade of SAE OW-30,
SAE 5W-30 or SAE 5W-40.
- Vehicles w it h diese l engine: ACEA C3 o r
API CF with a viscosity grade of SAE OW-30
or SAE 5W-30.
- For more information about engine oi l that
has been approved for your ve hicle, please
contact either your authorized Audi dea ler
220
or Audi Customer Relations at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.aud iusa .com or www .a udicanada .ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of
its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lub rication and cool ­
ing of internal engine components, all internal
combust ion engines consume a certa in amount
of oil. Oil consumption var ies from engine to en­
gine and may change significantly over the life of
the engine . Typically, engines w ith a specified
break-in period (see
c::;,page 194) consume more
o il dur ing the break-in per iod than they consume
after o il consumption has stabi lized .
Under normal cond itions, the rate of oil con­
sumption depends on t he quality and viscos ity of
the oil, the RPM (revolutions per m inute) at
wh ich the engine is operated, the ambient tem­
perature and road condit ions. Furthe r facto rs a re
t h e amount of o il d ilution from water condensa­
tion or fue l residue and the oxidation level of the
oi l. As any engine is subject to wear as mileage
builds up, the oil consumption may increase over
time unt il replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With a ll these variab les coming into p lay, no
standard rate of oi l consumption can be estab­
li shed or spec ified . There is no alternative to reg­
ular and frequent checking of the oi l level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbo l in
the instrument cluster
Ill lights up, you should
check the o il level as soon as possible
<=:> page 221 . Top off the o il at your earliest con­
venience
c::;, page 221 .
&. WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
I NGS
<=:> .&. in Wor king in the engine compart-
ment on page 217. ..,