
Driving and th e en vironm ent
Driving and the
environment
Breaking in
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the first 600 miles (1 ,000 kilometer s):
.,. Do not use full throttle .
.,. Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1 ,000 to 1 ,500
kilometers ):
.,. Speeds ca n gradually be increased to the maxi
mum perm iss ib le road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in pe riod
.,. Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it
is cold. This applies whether the transmission is
in N (Neutral) or in gear .
After the break- in period
.,. Do not exceed maximum engine speed under
any circumstances.
.,. Upshift into the next higher gear
before reach
ing t he red area at the end of the tachometer
sca le
¢page 8.
During the first few hours of driving, the eng ine's
internal friction is higher than later whe n all the
mov ing parts have been broken in. How well this
break- in process is done depends to a considera
b le exte nt on the way the vehicle is d rive n during
the firs t 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
{[) Note
Extremely high eng ine speeds a re au tomati
cally reduced . However, these rpm lim its are
progr ammed for an e ng ine well run -in, not a
new engine.
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not dr ive with u nne cessarily high eng ine
spee ds -upshi fting ea rly saves fuel, reduces
noise and protec ts the enviro nment .
194
· New tires
If your veh icle is runni ng on new tires, d rive very
c ar efu lly fo r the fi rs t 350 miles (500 kilometers)
a fter fi tting.
_& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippe ry and must a lso
be "broken-in". Be sure to remember this dur
ing the first 350 m iles (500 kilometers) .
Brake gent ly. Avoid following closely behind
other ve hicles or ot her situations that might
require sudden, hard braking.
Catalytic converter
App lies to : vehicles wi th gaso line e ngi ne
-
It is very important that your emission control
system (catalytic converter) is functioning prop
erly to ensure that your vehicle is running in an
environmen tally sound manner .
.,. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 209,
Gasoline .
.,. Never r un the tank down all the w ay to emp ty.
.,. Never put too much mo to r o il in yo ur engi ne
¢ page 221, Adding engine oil 9::r..
.,. Never try to push- or tow-start your vehicle .
The cata lyt ic converter is an efficie nt "clea n-up"
device b uilt into the exhaus t sys tem o f the ve hi
cle . Th e catalytic converter b urns many of the
po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are re
l eased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of un le ad ed fuel is critically im
portan t fo r the life o f the cataly tic converte r and
proper functio ning of the engine .
A WARNING
The temperature o f the exhaust system is
h igh, both when driv ing and after stopp ing
the eng ine.
-
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This could resu lt in burns.
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in a reas
where the hot exhaust system may come in
contact with dry grass, b rush, fuel sp ill or
other mate rial which can cause a fire.

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-Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust mani
fold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or heat shields. During dr iv ing, the substance
used for undercoating could overheat and
cause a fire.
Q) Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already ser iously degrade
t h e pe rformance of the catalytic converter .
- Do not exceed the correct eng ine o il level
c:> page 221.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
complete ly empty. The engine could mis
fire. Unburned fuel could also get into the
exhaust system and this cou ld cause the
catalytic conve rte r to overheat.
- Do not tur n off the ignition whi le the vehicle
i s mov ing.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un
der these cond it ions, as otherwise fuel can
r each the catalytic converte r. This cou ld re
su lt in ove rheating of the converte r, req uir
i ng its replacement.
- To assu re 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 co uld lead to damage.
@) For the sake of the environment
Even when the Em ission 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 lfu r
conten t of the fuel being used. Using a differ
ent brand of fue l may he lp, or filling the tan k
with lead -free s uper grade gasoline.
Driving and the envir onment
Diesel particulate filter
App lies to : veh icles w ith diesel en gine
The diese l particu late filter filters near ly all of
the soot particles out of the exhaust. The filter
cleans itself automatica lly under norma l driving
condit ions. If the filter cannot clean itself (for ex
amp le, because you are only driving short distan
ces), the filter becomes clogged with soot and
the m symbol for the d iesel part icu late filter il
luminates
c:> page 31 .
_&. WARNING
-Do not park your veh icle over flammab le
mate ria ls s uch as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the diesel particu
late filter cou ld start a fi re.
-
- Do not app ly an underbody pro te ctant in the
exhaust system area or a fire could sta rt .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that low
ly ing parts such as spo ilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged .
This is especially true for vehicles with low-s lung
chassis (sports chass is)* 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, env ironmental impact, and wear
o n your engine, brakes and tires large ly depend
on three factors :
- your pe rsonal d riving s tyle
- operat ing cond itions
- technical limitat ions
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your fuel
195

Driving and th e en vironm ent
consumption by 10-15 percent. This section will
give you some tips on how you can help the envi
ronment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumption estimates as published by
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depend ing 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 .
"'Avo id 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
ble -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 below your car 's maximum
speed .
Accelerating gent ly reduces fuel consumption,
engine wear, and does not disturb the environ
ment.
Fue l cons umption, exhaust emissions and engine
noise increase d isproportionately at high speeds .
If you drive at approximately three q uarters of
top speed, fuel consumpt ion w ill be reduced by
one half. Never drive faster than the posted
speed limit and weather conditions permit.
196
· Reducing unnecessary idling
E ven when your car is just idling it burns up fuel .
"'Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
"' Do not warm up the vehicle by letting 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 vehicles without
the Start-Stop-System* when stopped at ra ilroad
cross ings and long red lights. Turning the engine
off fo r just 30-40 seconds saves more fuel than is
bur ned by s tarting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is runn ing at id le . However, wea r
and noxious emissions are especially high when
the engine is warming up . So yo u should dr ive
away as soon as you sta rt the eng ine and avo id
running at hig h rpms whi le the engine is st ill
warming up .
Q) Note
Do not leave eng ine idling una ttended after
starting. If warning lights shou ld come on to
indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also prod uces
heat, which could result in overheating or
other damage to the vehicle or other proper
ty .
· Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot
of fuel .
"' Have your vehicle serviced at regular interva ls.
By having your vehicle regular ly serv iced by an
authorized Audi dea le r helps to ensure that it
r uns prope rly and economically . The condition of
your vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability
to hold its value, it also affects
fuel consump
t ion .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amou nt o f oi l used is related to engine load
and speed. ..,

Offroad dri ving
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 function is required, the offroad mode can be activated
<=> page 186. 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 trips 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!
Befo re driving offroad
-Check the eng ine oil level, tire pressure, coo l
ant level, and the fluid leve l in the windshield
washer reservoir.
- Stow luggage items and other objects in the
lu ggage compartment, and secure them
against sliding around.
After driving offroad
-After trips offroad, remove any twigs and other
foreign objects from the grill, the underbody
and the wheels. Pay specia l 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 attentive ly and plan ahead
in difficult road conditions and when off
road. Excessive speed or incorrect maneu
vers can cause in juries and damage to the
vehicle.
198
- 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 skidding!
- Stability is limited 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 env ironment, 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 alt itude gained over a
distance of 109.4 yards or 100 meters (grade)
are given as a percentage or degrees . Informa
tion about the gradient the vehicle can cl imb un
der its own power (depends in part on the road
surface 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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-Ideal conditions do not prevail offroad . Nev
er utilize the maximum readings to their
fullest, always leave a safety reserve.
Driving tips
On poor rood and offrood, there is always only
one motto: Plan ahead and drive slowly!
Please observe the following when driving away
from paved roads:
~ Drive only on roads and offroad sections wh ich
match the design of your veh icle and your abili
ties as a driver. Never take risks!
~ Drive slowly and plan ahead!
~ Take into consideration the ground clearance
of your veh icle.
~ Activate the off road mode q page 186 as need
ed .
~ Use the hill descent assist q page 188 when
driv ing down steep sections on h ills.
Unpaved road s and offroad
Drive s low ly on unfamiliar roads and unknown
offroad sections, and look out for unexpected ob
stacles (e .g . potholes, rocks, tree stumps, etc .).
T o prevent the vehicle from bottoming and avoid
damage to the underbody, you should drive
stra ight across severe bumps in the ground with
only one side of the vehicle so that only two of
your wheels cross the bumps .
Drive briskly through sandy or marshy offroad
sections and do not stop, if at all possible.
Driving through water
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage when
driving through water, for example on flooded
roads:
- Th e wate r must not be any higher than the bot-
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than walking speed.
Driving on a slope
If you ever find yourself not able to climb a slope,
do not try to turn around, drive back down in
re
verse.
Othe rw ise, you run the risk of tipping over.
Offroad driving
If the vehicle threatens to tip over when driving
across a slope, you must immediately steer
downhill in the direction of the slope.
Do not park your vehi cle on steep slopes or
grades .
T o reduce the risk of tipping over, drive on slopes
i n the direction of the downward slope (fall line) -
not crosswise .
& WARNING ~ -
After driving thro ugh water, mud, slush, etc.,
the brakes may be slow to take effect beca use
of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry the brakes
f ir st by braking carefu lly to restore the full
braking effect.
(D Note
-Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical sys
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water .
- Always switch off the Start-Stop-System*
when driving through water
Q page 90.
(D Tips
-Check the depth of the water before driving
through it.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or
switch the engine off when driving through
water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to drive
through safely.
-Avoid dr iv ing through salt water because it
can cause corros ion.
199

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 .
200
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. 188 Permi tted ba ll pos it io n of the trailer h itch
Trailer towing weights
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible trailer weight is
4,400 lbs (2,000 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 440 lbs (200 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 202.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suitable ball mount and ball¢
fig. 188 . 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 label¢
page 240. Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica
tions.
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
and 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. .,.
201

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 .
202
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.