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would also be permanently stretched around
the tether strap. This applies especially to
leather seats.
Using tether straps on rearward-facing
child restraints
Currently, few rear-facing child restraint systems
come with a tether . Please read and heed the
child restraint system manufacturer's instruc
tions carefully to determine how to properly in
stall the tether.
A WARNING
A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat
installed on the front passenger seat will be
seriously injured and can be killed if the front
airbag inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag
System.
- The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant carrier with great force and
will smash the child safety seat and child against the backrest, center armrest, or
door .
-A tight tether or other strap on a rearward
facing child restraint attached to the front
passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-mat in the seat and register a
heavier weight in the Advanced Airbag Sys
tem. The heavier weight registered can make the system work as though an adult
were on the seat and deploy the Advanced
Airbag when it must be suppressed causing serious or even fatal injury to the child.
- If you must install a rearward facing child
safety seat on the front passenger seat be
cause of exceptional circumstances and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not
come on and stay on, immediately install
the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system
inspected by your Audi dealer.
Child safety
Additional information
Sources of information about child
restraints and their use
There are a number of sources of additional in
formation about child restraint selection, instal
lation and use:
NHTSA advises that the best child safety seat is
the one that fits your child and fits in your vehi
cle, and that you will use correctly and consis
tently.
Try before you buy!
U.S National Highway Traffic Safety Administra
tion
Tel. : 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153)
http://www.nhtsa.gov
http:/ /www.safercar.gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
Tel. : (202) 662-0600
http://www.safekids .org
Safety BeltSafe U.S.A
Tel. : (800) 745-SAFE (English)
Tel. : (800) 747-SANO (Spanish)
http://www.carseat.org
Transport Canada Information Centre
Tel. : 1-800-333-0371 or call 1-613-998-8616 if
you are in the Ottawa area
http://www.tc.gc.ca/ eng/roadsafety/men u. htm
Audi Customer Relations
Tel.: (800) 822-2834
185
Intelligent Technology
Intelligent Technology
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
The Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) reinfor
ces driver safety . It reduces the risk of slipping
and improves driving stability. ESC detects crit i
cal s ituations such as the vehicle oversteering
and understeering or the wheels sp inning. The
veh icle is stab ilized by applying the brakes or re
ducing engine torque . Once t he ESC is active, the
indicator light
Ji) blinks in t he instrument clus
ter.
The fo llow ing systems are integrated in the ESC :
Ant i-loc k brake system (ABS)
ABS preve nts the wheels from locking up when
braking. The veh icle can still be steered even dur
ing hard brak ing. Apply steady pressure to the
brake pedal. Do not pump t he pedal. A pulsing in
the brake pedal indicates that the system is help
i n g you to brake the vehicle .
Br ake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease brak ing dis
tance . It increases braking power when the driver
presses the brake pedal quick ly in emergency sit
uations . You must press and hold the b rake pedal
until the situa tion is over. In vehicles w it h adap
tive c ruise contro l* , the brake assist system is
mo re sensit ive if the di stance de te cte d to the ve
h icle ahead is too small.
Anti -slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces eng ine power when the drive wheels
begin to spin and adapts t he force to the road
conditions . This makes it easie r to sta rt, acceler
ate and dr ive up h ills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL )
The EDL brakes w heels that a re spinning and
transfers the drive power to the other whee ls .
This f unction is not avai lab le at higher speeds.
In extreme cases, EDL automatically switches off
to help keep the brake on the braked wheel from
186
overheating . EDL will sw itch on again automati
ca lly when conditions have returned to normal.
Steering recommendation
The ESC he lps to s tabilize the vehicle by chang ing
t h e s teer ing torque.
On vehicles with dynam ic steeri ng*, ESC helps
stab ilize the steer ing in crit ica l sit uat io ns.
Selective wheel torque control
Se lective wheel torque cont rol is used when driv
i ng on curves. The front whee l on the inside of
the curve or both wheels on the inside of the cu rve are braked se lectively as needed. This al
l ows mo re precise dr iving in c urves . The applica
ble system may not ac tiv ate when d riving in wet
o r snowy cond it ions.
_&. WARNING
- The ESC and i ts in teg ra ted systems can not
overcome the laws of physics . This is espe
cially important on slippery or wet roads. If
the systems begin act ing to stab ilize your
veh icle, you should immediately change
your speed to match the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the increased safety
provided by t hese systems tempt yo u to
take risks. Doing so will i ncrease the r isk of
a loss of vehicle con trol, collisi on and se ri
ous person al injur ies.
- Always a dapt your speed to road, traffic and
weather condi tions. The risk of los ing c on
t rol of the vehicle in creases w hen driving
too fast, es pecially through curves and on
slippe ry or wet roads, and when driving too
close to ve hicles up ahead. The ESC and its
integ rated systems cannot always prevent
col lisions - there is still a risk of accidents!
- Always accelerate w ith special care on even,
smooth su rfaces s uch as those that are wet
or covered wit h ice and snow. The drive
wheels can spin even w it h these assistance
sys tems t hat cannot a lways help to reduce
t he risk of loss of vehicle co ntro l.
Intelligent Technology
Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the firs t 25 0 miles (400 km), new b rake
pads do not possess their full braking effect , they
have to be "broken i n" first ¢& .
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today 's automobiles a re sti ll sub
ject to wea r, depend ing la rgely on ope rating con
d itions and dr iv ing habits
c::> .&,. . On veh icles that
are either dr iven most ly in stop-and -go city traf
f ic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by your authorized Audi dea ler more of
ten than spec ified in the
Warr ant y & Ma inte
nance booklet .
Failure to have your brake pads
inspected can result in reduced brake perform
ance .
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the braking ef
fect of the eng ine. This way, you prevent unnec
essary wear on t he brake system . If you must use
your brakes , do not hold the brakes down cont in
uously . Pump the brakes at interva ls.
Oper ating noise
Noises may occur when braking depend ing on the
speed, braking force and outs ide cond itions such
as temperature and humidity .
Effect of wat er and road salt
In certain s ituations, 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 moisture or ice on the brake rotors and b rake pads . The brakes must be
dried first with a few careful b rake applications.
At higher speeds and with the windshie ld wipers
turned on, the brake pads press aga inst the brake
rotors for a short amount of t ime. Th is occurs at
regular intervals w ithout the driver noticing and
provides fo r bette r brake response time under
wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is dr iven on a salt-covered road
and the brakes a re not used . Likewise , you clean
off acc umu lated salt coat ing from brake d iscs
190
and pads with a few cautious app lications of the
bra ke
c::> & .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency fo r dirt to build up on
the b rake pads and corrosion to form on the discs
if the car is not dr iven regu la rly or only for short
trips wi th little use of the brakes .
If the bra kes are not used frequent ly, o r if cor ro
s io n has formed on the discs , it is advisable to
clean off the pads and discs by b rak ing firmly a
few times from a moderately high speed
c::> & .
Faults in the brake system
If you s hou ld notice a sudden increase in brake
pedal travel, then one of the two brake circu its
may have fai led ¢
_&.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the
brake fluid level is too low . The brake fluid level
i s monitored electronically.
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure that
you generate with the brake pedal. It only oper
ates wh ile the eng ine is r unning or w ith the igni
tion switched on (hybr id drive *) ¢ & .
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for t his inspection
¢page 255, Replacing wheels .
A WARNING
-New brake pads do n't have the best s top
ping power and m ust be "broken-in" du ring
the initial 250 miles (400 km) . You can
compensate 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 risk -you may
cause an accident!
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ignition switched off, it controls the energy sup
ply to the various electrical components . Data
from battery diagnosis is considered.
Depending on the battery 's state of charge, ind i
vid ual consumers are gradually turned off to pre
ve nt excessive discharge of the battery and thus
maintain starting capability.
Dynamic en ergy management
Wh ile the veh icle is being driven , dynamic energy
management dist ributes the energy ge nerated
according to the needs of the individua l compo
nents . It regulates consumption, so that more
e lectrical energy is not being used than is being
generated and ensures an optimal state of
charge for the battery.
- But even energy management cannot neg
ate the limits of physics. Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
- If starting ability is threatened, the indica
tor light (•] appears
¢ page 30 .
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining start
ing capability .
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the co ld time of
year. Abundant electrical energy is required, but only a little is generated . It is also crit ica l if the
engine is not runn ing and electrical components
are turned on . In this instance energy is being
consumed but none is being generated .
It is in precisely these situations that you will no
tice energy management actively regulat ing the
d istr ibution of energy .
Vehicle stands for an extended p eriod
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks, electrical components are
gradually cut back or sw itched off. This reduces
energy consumption and ma inta ins starting ca
pability over a longer pe riod . Some of the con
ve nience funct ions may not operate, suc h as the
inte rior ligh ts or the powe r seat adjustment. The
Intellig ent Technology
convenience functions will be availab le aga in
when you switch on the ignition and sta rt the en
gine.
With the engine turn ed off
If you listen to the rad io, for examp le, with the
engi ne turned off or use other
MM I* functions,
the battery is being discharged .
If s tarting capab ility is jeopardized due to energy
consumption, a message appears in the rad io or
MM I* disp lay. The message indica tes that the
system will be switched off automatically in a
moment . If you wish to continue using the func
t ions, you have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although e lectr ic al energy is generated when t he
vehicle is being driven, the batte ry can become
discharged. This happens mostly when litt le en
ergy is being generated and a great dea l con
sumed and the battery's state of charge is not
optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equilibr i
um, consumers whic h require especia lly large
amounts of energy are temporari ly cut back or
switched off. Heating systems in particular re
quire a great deal of energy. If you notice, for ex
ample, that the heated seats* or the heated rear
window a re not heati ng, they have bee n tempo
rarily cut bac k or switched off . T hese systems will
be available again as soon as the ene rgy balance
has been restored.
You w ill also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased s light ly. This is no rma l and not a
ca use for concern. By increas ing engine idle
speed the additional energy required is genera t
ed and the battery is charged.
193
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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. ..,
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.