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tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica
tions.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working p roperly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connect
ed from the tra iler to the hitch on the vehicle.
Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turn
in g corners . When you install safety cha ins, ma ke
sure they w ill not drag on the road when yo u are
driving .
The chains shou ld cross under the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separat ion
from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results
in a highly unstable distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avo ided, 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
keep ing the tra iler as light as possib le under the
circumstances. Whenever possib le, t ransfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load require
ments and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
conditions are unfavorable
-particu larly when
going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the s lightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Tra iler towing
Observe speed limits. In some a reas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving down
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperature
T he coo lant tempe rature gauge ~ page 11 must
be observed carefully . The coolant temperature
can increase if you drive on long inclines in a low
gear at high engine speeds. Reduce your speed
immediately if the LEDs in the top part of the dis
play turn on.
For more information about indicator lights, re
fer
to . ~page 28.
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 Aud i.
Trailer towing
information
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
trailer because of the addit ional weight and dif
ferent weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy will g reatly depend on how careful
ly you load your trailer and operate yo ur rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, pract ice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic. Keep practic ing until you have be
come complete ly familiar w ith the way your vehi
cle-trailer combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a t railer genera lly requires steer
i ng action opposite to that when backing up your
vehicle without a tra iler.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. You will need more
.,,.
121

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Assistance systems Electronic speed limiter
Applies to: vehicles with electronic speed lim iter
Your vehicle may be factory equipped with tires
that are rated for a maximum speed of 130 mph
(210 km/h). This is less than the maximum speed
of your vehicle. To reduce the risk of sudden tire
failure and loss of control if the vehicle is operat
ed at excessive speeds, your vehicle also has an
electronic speed lim iter . The electronic speed
limiter prevents your vehicle from going faster
than the tir e speed rating. For more information
¢page 335.
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehicle
road speed s ignals, the Malfunction Indicator
L amp (MIL)
II! will illuminate . If this occurs,
contact the nearest authorized Audi dealer for
assistance .
& WARNING
Always observe the posted speed limits and
adjust your speed to suit prevailing road, traf
fic and weather conditions. Never drive your
vehicle faster than the max imum speed rat ing
of the tires installed.
Speed warning system
Applies to: vehicles with speed warning system
The speed warning system helps you to stay be
low a specified maximum speed that can be set,
changed or deleted in the Infotainment system .
The speed warning system warns you if you are
exceeding the maximum speed that you have set.
A warning tone will sound as soon as your speed
exceeds the stored value slightly . The
101 (USA
models) /
[01 (Canada mode ls) indicator light
and the corresponding message appear in the in
strument cluster display at the same time. The
[OJ (USA models)/ (•j (Canada models) indicato r
light and the message turn
off when the vehicle
speed drops below the stored maximum speed.
Setting a threshold is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when you reach a certain
maximum speed. Situations where you may want
to do so include driving in a country with a gener-
Assistance systems
al speed limit or if there is a specified maximum
speed for winter tires.
Setting the warning threshold
• Select in the Infotainment system: I MENU ! but
ton
> Vehicle > left control b utton > Driver as
sistance
> Speed warning > Manual.
(0 Tips
Regardless of the speed warning system, you
shou ld always monitor your speed using the
speedometer and make sure you are following
the lega l speed limit.
Cruise control system
Switching on
Applies to: vehicles wit h cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive at a constant speed starting at 15 mph (20kmlh) .
0
f
~
0
Fig. 127 Operat ing lever: cruise control system
i;:i N 0 > ... m
• To switch the system on, pull the lever into po-
sition
(D ¢fig . 127.
• Drive at the speed to be maintained.
.. To store the speed, press the button @.
T he
(ij;jl)~1i (USA mode ls)/ Bl (Canada models)
indicator light turns on in the instrument cluster.
T he speed is maintained by modifying engine
power or through an active brake intervention.
.i\, WARNING
-Always pay attention to the traffic around
-
you when the cruise control system is in op
eration. You are always responsible for your
..,
123

@ Tips
-You can cance l the automatic brake activa
tion w ith increasing bra king fo rce if you ap
ply the brakes y ourse lf or accelerate cons id
erab ly.
- In some sit uations, rea r cross-traffic assist
may warn yo u even if there is no cross traffic
i n a cr itical a rea , for examp le w hen back ing
i nto a parki ng space or ma neuver ing.
- The rea r cross-traffic ass ist also switches off
whe n you switch off the ESC.
- The rea r cross traffic assist switches on and
off thro ugh the pa rking aid
qpage 146.
- The system is not available when towin g a
trailer.
Messages
A ppl ies to: ve hicles with Audi side assist
If t he side assist switches off automatically, a
message appea rs in the ins trumen t clus ter dis
pl ay.
@j Aud i side assist: System fault!
The system can not guarantee that it wi ll detect
ve hicles co rrectly and it has switched off. The
sensors have been moved o r are faulty. Have t he
system checked by an authorized Audi dea ler or
author ized Audi Service Facility soon .
@j Audi side assist: currently unavailable. No
sensor vision
@j Audi side assist: currently unavailable. Sen
sor vision restricted due to surroundings . See
owner 's manual
The radar senso r vis io n i s im paire d. Do not cove r
the area i n front of t he senso rs with bike wheels,
stickers, dirt o r othe r objects. C lean the area in
fron t of t he senso rs, if necessary
q page 140,
fig. 147.
@j Audi side assist: currently unavailable
S ide assis t cann ot be swi tched o n at thi s time be
c a use t here is a mal func tion (fo r ex amp le, the
~ ba ttery ch arge level may be too low) .
....
~ @j Audi side assist: unavailable in towing mode
....
~ @j Audi side assist: unavailable in towing mode
00
Assistance systems
Sid e ass ist swi tches off automatically a fter a
s h ort time when a factory -insta lled tra ile r h itch
i s connected to the e lectrica l connecto r on the
t railer . T here is no gua rantee the system will
switch off when using a retrofitted trailer h itch.
Do not use side assist when tow ing a trailer .
Ill Rear parking aid : obstacle detection restrict
ed
T he rea r cross -tra ffic ass is t is not available. Ei
t h er th e ESC is sw itched off, or the rada r senso rs
may be cove red by a bike rack, st icke rs, leaves,
snow o r other objects. Switch the ESC on, or
clean the area in front of the senso rs if necessa ry
q page 140, fig . 147. If t his message continues
to be displayed , dr ive immed ia tely to a n author
iz ed Audi dea ler or author ized Audi S ervic e Facili
ty to ha ve the m alfunc tion re paire d.
Audi drive select
Introduction
Applies to : vehicles wit h Audi drive se lec t
Audi dr ive select makes it poss ible to experience
diffe rent types of vehicle settings in one vehicle.
T he dr iver can select from three modes,
Comfort ,
Auto
and Dynamic , using t he r:;~, bu tton in the
c en te r c onsole o r by usin g the Info ta in m ent sys
te m. T hi s a llow s yo u t o swi tch between a sporty
and a com fo rt ab le driv ing mode, fo r ex am ple. In
t h e
Individual* mode , the settin gs ca n be adjus t
ed to yo ur persona l preferences . T his makes it
p oss ible to com bine settings such as a spo rty en
gine setting with light steer ing.
Description
App lies to : vehicles wi th Audi drive se lect
The veh icle set up i n eac h mode depends on the
vehicle's features. However, the eng ine a nd
stee ring are always affec ted .
Engine and automatic transmission
Depend ing on the mode, the engine an d auto
matic transm ission* respond more q uickly o r in a
more ba la nced manner to acce lerato r pedal
movements . In the sporty dynam ic mode, th e
t ransm iss io n shifts at higher spe ed ranges .
..,.
143

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The systems you can adjust depend on the equip
ment and engine in yo ur vehicle. The following
table gives an overview of the character istics.
Systems Comfort
Engine /transmission
comforta ble
Steering comfortab le
Engine sound * subtle
Audi adaptive cruise control * comfortable
Suspension control * comfortable
Applies to: S models
quattro ba la nce d
a) Sub tle in th e se lector le ver pos it io n D an d s po rty in S.
(D Tips
You r Individual * mode setting s are automa ti
c a lly store d and as signed to the re mote con
t rol key be ing used .
Assistance systems
Auto Dynamic
balance d sporty
ba lanced sporty
subtle/sportyal sporty
ba lanced sporty
ba lanced sporty
ba lanced sporty
145

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Intelligent Technology Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
Electronic Stabilization Control ( ESC) supports
driver safety . It reduces the risk of slipping and
improves dr iving stability. ESC detects critica l sit
uations such as the vehicle oversteering and un
dersteer ing or the wheels are spinning. The vehi
cle is stabilized by apply ing the brakes or reduc
ing engine torque . When the ESC engages, the
G1 indicato r light b links in the instrume nt clus
ter.
The follow ing systems are integrated in the ESC:
Anti-loc k bra king system (ABS)
ABS prevents the whee ls from locking when brak
ing. The vehicle can still be steered even during
hard brak ing. Apply steady pressure to the brake
pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A pulsing in the
b rake pedal indicates that the system is act ing to
stabilize the vehicle .
Brake a ssist system
The brake assist system can decrease braking dis
tance. It increases brak ing power when the driver
presses the brake pedal quick ly in emergency sit
uations . You must press and hold the brake pedal
u nti l the dangerous sit uat io n is ove r. In veh icles
with adaptive cr uise contro l*, the bra ke assist
s ys tem is more sensitive if t he d istance detec ted
to the veh icle dr iv ing ahe ad is too small.
Anti -slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces eng ine power when the drive wheels
begin spinning and adapts the force to the road
conditions . This makes i t eas ie r to sta rt, acceler
ate and dr ive up hill s.
Electronic differential lock (EDL )
The EDL applies the brakes to a wheel that starts
spinning and transfers t he drive power to the
other driving wheel or wheels ( if the veh icle is
eq uipped w ith all whee l dr ive*) . T his function is
n o t available at higher speeds.
Intellig ent Technology
In extreme cases, ED L automat ica lly switches off
to keep the brake o n the braked whee l from over
heating. The veh icle is still working correct ly. EDL
will switch on again automatically when condi
t ions have returned to normal.
Ste ering recommendation
The ESC he lps to s tabilize the vehicle by changing
the steering torque.
Select ive wheel torque control
Se lective wheel to rque cont rol is used w hen driv
i ng on curves. The fron t whee l on the inside of
the curve or bo th wheels on the i nside of the
c u rve are braked se lective ly as needed . This al
l ows more precise driving in c urves.
Automatic post-collision braking system
T he "automat ic pos t-collision braking system"
c an help to reduce the risk of sliding an d of addi
tiona l co llisions a fter an acciden t. If the ai rbag
contro l modu le detects a co llision above a certain
vehicle speed, the veh icle is bra ked by the ESC.
T he vehicle does not bra ke autorn,;1tically if;
- t he dr ive r presses the acce le rator pedal, or
- the ESC, the brake system or the veh icle elect ri-
cal system are not functioning .
A WARNING
-The ESC and its integ rated systems cannot
overcome the lim its imposed by natura l
phys ic al laws. This is especially important
on sli ppery or wet roads . If the sy stems be
gin acting to stabilize your vehicle, you
should immediately alter your speed to
match the road and traffic conditions. Do
not let the inc reased safety provided tempt
you into taking risks. This could increase
your r isk of a coll is ion.
- Please n ote the r isk of a coll is ion increases
when dr iv ing fast, especially t hrough curves
a nd on slippery or wet roads, and when dr iv
ing too close to objects ahead. The ESC and
its integrated systems ca nnot always pre
vent collisions
-there is st ill a ris k of ac ci-
dents!
..,.
151

Intelligent Technology
- Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
acce le rating on even, slippery surfaces such
as ice and snow. The drive wheels can spin
even when these control systems are instal
led and th is can affect driving stability and
increase the risk of a co llision . condition
. Different tire sizes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de
scribed are working .
@ Tips
-The ABS and ASR only function correctly
when all four whee ls have a s imilar wear
Switching on/off
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine .
Fig . 1 59 Upper ce nter console: ESC butto n
function of the ESC is limited or switched off . The
amount of stabilization contro l will differ de
pending on the level.
The following examp les are unusua l situations
where it may make sense to switch sport mode
on in order to allow the wheels to sp in:
- Roc king the ve hicle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iv ing in deep snow o r o n loose g round
- Dr iv ing with snow chains
The ESC is des igned to fu nction in levels. Depend
i n g on the level tha t is sele cted , the stabilization
Sport mode on
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza-
tion f unctions are limited
¢ .&. .
Op eration Press the l.$ ,., I button brief-
Ly .
Ind icator II turns on.
lights
Me ssage s Stabilizati
on cont rol (ESC ):
s port . Warning! Re st ric ted
s tability
A WARNING
You should only switch sport mode on or
switch ESC/ ASR
off if your driving abilities
and road conditions permit.
152
ESC /ASR off Sport mode off or
ESC /ASRon
The stabiliza tion f unct ion is The f ull stabiliza tion f unc-
not availab le
¢ .&. . ESC and
tion of the ESC and ASR is
ASR are switched
off . avai lab le again .
Press and hold the
1 .$ .. , I but- Press the l.$ ,., I button again .
ton longer than three sec-
onds.
fl and 14il•U~ turn on. II turns off or II and
1 4il•U~ turn off.
Stabi lization control (ESC): S tabilization control
off. Warning! Re stricted (
ESC ): on
stability
-
- The stabi lization function is limited when
sport mode is switched on. The driving
wheels could spin and the vehicle could
swerve, especially on slick or slippery road
surfaces.

CXl CXl .... N ,.__
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-There is no vehicle stabilization when ESC/
ASR are switched off.
(D Tips
-ESC/ASR cannot be switched off or sport
mode cannot be switched on if the cruise
control system * or the adaptive cruise con
tro l* is sw itched on.
-Malfunctions in the Audi magnetic ride *
may make it imposs ible to switch the ESC/
ASR off or to switch sport mode on.
Brakes
New brak e pad s
New brake pads do not achieve their full braking
effect during the first 2S0 mi (400 km) . They
must be "broken in" f irst. However, you can com
pensate for the slightly reduced braking force by
pressing firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy
braking during the break-in per iod.
Wear
B rake pad
wear depends largely on the way the
veh icle is driven and on operat ing cond itions.
This is especially true if you are driving frequently
in the c ity and on curves or with a sporty driving
style.
Operat ing no ise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, braking force and outs ide cond itions such
as temperature and humidity .
Effect of wat er and road salt
In certain situations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy rain, after overnight con
densation or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the brake rotors and brake pads . The brakes must be
"dr ied" first w ith a few careful brake applica
tions .
At higher speeds and with the windsh ield wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake
rotors for a short amount of time. Th is action,
which is not felt by the d river , happens at regular
Intellig ent Technology
interva ls and ensures a better reaction time for
the brakes in wet weather.
T he brak ing effect ca n also be reduced if yo u are
driv ing on sal ted roads and yo u do not app ly the
brakes for long per iods o f time. The layer o f salt
on the brake rotors and pads must be worn off
first when the brakes are applied.
Corrosion
Leav ing the veh icle pa rked for long periods of
time, low mileage and avoiding heavy b raking
can contribute to corrosion on the brake roto rs
and to dirty brake pads .
If you usua lly avoid heavy bra king or if there is
corrosion present, occasiona l heavy brak ing at
high speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and
pads ¢,& .
Brake system malfunction
If you notice that the bra ke pedal travel has sud
denly inc re ased, then a br ake circuit in the dua l
c ircuit b rake system may have malfunctioned.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediate ly to have the
problem corrected. On the way there, drive with
reduced speed and keep in mind that you will
need a longer distance to stop and you will need
to press the brake pedal harder.
L o w bra ke fluid le ve l
When the brake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
the brake system may occur. The brake fluid level is electronically monitored.
Brake bo oster
The brake boos ter amplifies the p ressure you ap
ply to the brake pedal. It on ly operates whi le the
engine is running or when the ignition is switched
on (p lug-in hybrid dr ive*) .
A WARNING
-Only app ly the brakes for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system when road and
traffic cond itions permit. You must not en
danger other road users. This increases the
risk of an accident.
153

Intelligent Technology
- Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is
stopped beca use this increases the risk of an
acc ident.
@ Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
pedal light ly when bra king is not actually
necessary. This causes the brakes to over
h eat and inc reases bra king d istance and
causes wear .
- Befo re dr iv ing on a long stretch w ith steep
s lopes, red uce your speed a nd shift to the
next lower gear This makes use of t he en
g ine bra king effect a nd relieves the b rakes.
If you need to bra ke a dd it iona lly, bra ke in
in te rv a ls and no t conti nuou sly.
@ Tips
- If the brake booste r is no t wo rking , you
must pr ess the brake pedal wi th much more
f orc e th an norma l.
- If you re trofit you r vehicle with a front spoil
e r, whee l cove rs o r similar ite ms, m ake sure
that the air flow to the front wheels is not
i n te rrupt ed. Ot he rw ise the bra ke sys tem
ca n become too hot.
Electromechanical
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements.
Powe r steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Indicator lights and messages
• Do not dr ive vehicle: steering defective
If thi s in dicator light t urns o n and stays o n and
this message appears, t he power s teer ing may
h a ve fa iled.
Stop the veh icle in a safe locat io n as soon as pos
sib le. Do
not continue driving. See an author ized
Aud i deale r or auth o riz ed Au di Serv ice F acility fo r
assis tance.
l~ij Steering: malfunction! You can continue
driving
154 I
f the indica to r li gh t turns on, the s teering w hee l
may be more difficult to move or more sens itive
t h an usua l. The steer ing whee l may a lso be at an
angle when driving straight.
Drive slowly to an a uth o rized Audi dea ler or au
thorized Audi Serv ice Facility to have the mal
funct ion corrected .
(D Tips
If t h e . or £-y.ij in dicator light on ly s tays on
fo r a short time, yo u may continue driving.
All wheel drive (quattro)
App lies to : vehicles wi th all w heel drive
In oil wheel drive, oil four wheels ore powered .
General information
In all wheel drive, the dr iv ing power is divided be
tween all fou r whee ls . This happens autom atic al
l y depending on yo ur driv ing beh avior as we ll as
the cur rent road conditions . Also see
c:> page 151, Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC).
The all whee l drive concep t is designed for high
engine power. Yo ur vehicle is exce ptiona lly pow
erfu l and has excellent driving cha racteristics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. A lways read and follow safety pre
cautions
c:> .&. .
Winter t ires
By using all whee l drive, your veh icle has goo d
forward motion with standard tires in winter con
dit ions. However, using w inter or all season t ires
o n
all four wheels in the winter is recommended,
because th is w ill imp rove the
braking effect .
Snow chains
If there are s now chain laws, snow cha ins m ust
also be used on veh icles with all wheel drive
c:> page 342, Snow chains.
Replacing tires
Fo r vehicles wi th a ll w hee l drive, o nly wheels wi th
the same rol ling circ umfe rence sho uld be used .
Avoid using tires with different tread depths
c:> page 335, New tires or wheels. IJI>