2018 AUDI A5 COUPE ABS

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, econo­
my 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 .
104
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 and 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 mirrors . It is impo rtant that you
al ways have clear vision to the rear.
.&_ WARNING
Afte r remov ing the tra ile r hi tc h, do not s tore
it i n y our vehicle. In case o f su dden brak ing,
the hitch could fly fo rward and injure you or
your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A tra iler f or yo ur vehicle is lim ite d to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the t rai le r i s he ld se curely in
pla ce to p reve nt i t from shi fting forwar d, bac k­
ward or si deways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ¢ &.
in Driver messages on page 105.
Engine cooling system
Towi ng a tra iler makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load . Make sure tha t
the coo ling system has enoug h flu id.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the tire p ressure listed under "Full
load" on the label
c> page 351. Inflate trailer

Trailer towing
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a trailer generally requires steer­
ing action oppos ite to that when backing up your
veh icle w ithout a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. You w ill need more
room to stop. To compensate for the tra iler, you
will need a larger than normal turn ing radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accel ­
erate as fast as you norma lly would because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for
your tra iler before chang ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes .
@ Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break -in per i­
od of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require
more frequent maintenance d ue to the ex­
tra load
~ page 389.
Parking on a slope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only
o~er doing the following:
When parking:
.,. Apply t he foo t brake .
.,. Have someone place chocks under both t he ve­
hicle and the tra ile r whee ls .
.. With chocks in p lace, slowly release t he brakes
u ntil the whee l chocks absorb the load .
.. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.. Apply the parking brake .
.. Move the selector lever to P (automat ic trans­
mission) respectively select first gear (manual
transm iss ion).
When restarting after parking:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Start the engine .
.. Applies to: vehicles with automatic transmis­
sion: Move the selector lever to D/S .
.,. Release the parking brake a nd slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
106
.. Stop and have someone retrieve the whee l
chocks.

Intelligent Technology Electronic stabilization
control (ESC)
Description
Ele ctronic stabilization control (ESC) supports
driver safety . It reduces the risk of slipping and
improves d riving stability. ESC detects critica l sit ­
uations such as when the vehicle is oversteering
and understeering or the wheels are spinn ing.
T he vehicle is stabilized by applying the brakes or
reducing eng ine torq ue. When the ESC engages,
the
J;,j ind icator light blinks in the instrument
cluste r.
T he follow ing systems are integrated in the ESC:
Ant i-loc k bra king s ystem (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 .
Br ake a ssist s ystem
The brake assist system can decrease braking dis­
tance. It increases brak ing power when the driver
presses the brake pedal quickly in emergency sit­
uations . You must press and hold the brake pedal
unti l the dangerous sit uat io n is ove r. In veh icles
with adaptive cr uise contro l*, the bra ke assist
system is more sensitive if t he d istance detec ted
to the veh icle dr iv ing ahead is too small.
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR )
ASR red uces eng ine power when the drive wheels
begin spinning and adapts the force to the road
conditions . This makes it easie r to sta rt, acceler­
ate and dr ive up hill s.
Electronic differenti al lock (EDL )
EDL applies the brakes to a wheel that starts
spi nning and t ransfers t he drive powe r to the
;;§ other driving wheels. This f unct ion is not availa-....
~ b lea t higher speeds.
N .... 0 \0
3 Intellig ent Technology
In extreme cases , ED L automat ica lly switches off
to keep the brake o n the braked wheel from over­
heating. The veh icle is still working correct ly. ED L
will switch on again automatically when condi­
tions have returned to normal.
Ste ering recommendation
The ESC he lps to stabilize the vehicle by changing
the steering torque.
In veh icles wi th dynamic steer ing*, ESC also
helps to stab ilize the steer ing in crit ica l sit ua ­
tions.
Selective wheel torque control
Se lective w heel to rque con trol is used w hen d riv­
i ng on curves. Bra king is targeted towa rd t he
whee ls on the inside of the cu rve as needed. This
allows mo re precise driving in curves .
Automatic post -collision braking system
The "automat ic post-collision braking system "
can help to reduce the risk of sliding and of addi­
tiona l co llisions after an acciden t. If the a irbag
contro l
module detects a co llision, the veh icle is
braked by the ESC.
T he veh icle does not bra ke automatically if:
- the dr iver presses the acce lerator pedal, or
- the ESC, the brake system or the veh icle elect ri-
cal system are not functioning.
A WARNING
=
- The ESC and its integrated systems cannot
overcome the lim its imposed by natural
phys ica l laws. This is especially important
on slippery or wet roads. If the systems be­
gin acting to s tabilize yo ur 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 note the ris k of a collis ion increases
when dr iv ing fast, especially through curves
and on slippery or wet roads, and when dr iv-
ing too close to objects ahead . The ESC and
~
151

Intelligent Technology
its integra ted systems cannot always pre­
vent collisions
-there is still a risk of acci­
dents!
- Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
acce lerating on smooth, slippery surfaces
such as ice and snow. The dr ive wheels can
spin even when these control systems are
Switching on and off
installed and this can affect dr iv ing stab ility
and increase the risk of a collision.
@ Tips
- The ABS and ASR only funct ion correctly
when a ll four wheels have a simi lar wear
condition . Different tire sizes can lead to a
red uction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working.
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine.
Fig . 159 Cente r co nso le w it h button ~Of'
fun ct io n of the ESC is lim ited or switc hed off. The
amount of s tabilization contro l w ill differ de­
pending on the leve l.
The following examp les are unusua l situat ions
whe re it may make se nse to sw itch sport mode
on in order to allow the wheels to sp in:
- Roc king the veh icle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iving in deep snow or on loose g round
- Dr iving with snow chains
The ESC is des igned to function in levels . Depend­
i n g on the level that is selected, the stabilization For you
r safety, switch the sport mode
off in ad­
vance.
ESC levels
Sport mode on ESC/ASRoff Sport mode off or
ESC /ASRon
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza- The stabilization funct ion is The f ull s tabilization func-
t ion funct ions are lim ited not availab le
¢ .&. . ESC and tion of the ESC and ASR is
c;> .&. . ASR are switc hed off. ava ilab le aga in.
Operation Press the 11' OFF I button Press and hold the !1' O FFI Press the 11' OFFI button
briefly. button longer than 3 sec- aga in.
onds.
Indicator II turns on. fl and 14'tl•)H turn on . II turns off or II and
lights lf'tl•)H turn off .
Message s Stabilization control (ESC ): Stabilization control (ESC ): Stabilization control
sport . Warning! Restricted off . Warning! Restricted (ESC) : on
s tability stability
152

Audi music interface
Connect your mobile devices to the Audi music
interface in order to operate them through the
MMI and charge the battery.
Fig. 218 Connectin g mob ile dev ices
The Audi music interface is located under the
armrest in the center
console @<=:> page 8, fig. 2.
-Connecting a mobile device using a USB
adapter: connect the applicable USB adapter@
c::> fig. 218 to the port on the Audi music inter­
face @and then connect the adapter to the
mobile device
(D (such as an iPhone).
- Charging a mobile device using a USB adapter :
when you connect a mobile device to the Audi
music interface @ using the applicable USB
adapte r@
c::> fig . 218, the battery will auto­
matically charge .
-Disconnecting a mobile device from the Audi
music interface :
remove the USB adapter @
c::>fig . 218from the Audi music interface .
-Disconnecting mobile devices with an Apple
Dock connector:
remove the Apple Dock con­
nector from the Apple device with the release
tabs pressed
i n @ c::> page 236, fig . 217 .
The med ia are started and operated through the
mobile device or the MMI, depending on the de ­
vice being used
<=:> page 239 .
Connecting two mobile devices : if two mobi le
devices (for example iPhone and smartphone) are
connected at the same time, then both devices
can be used as playback sources .
You can connect mobile devices using the analog
AUX port.
-Connecting a mobile device to the AUX input:
connect the cable ® c::> fig. 218 to the AUX in-
Media
put@ on the Audi music interface and then to
the mobile device @ (such as an MP3 player or
smartphone).
-Disconnecting a mobile device from the AUX
input :
remove the cable@c::> fig. 218 from the
AUX
input @c::>fig. 218.
-Operation: select and confirm the External au­
dio player
source @c::> page 239, fig. 219. The
media are started and operated through the
mobile
device @<=:> fig. 218.
A WARNING
-Driving requires your complete and undivided
attention . As the driver, you have complete
responsibility for safety in traffic. Never oper­
ate mobile devices while driving, because this
i nc reases the risk of an accident.
(D Note
-Remove the connector from the Audi music
interface carefully so it is not damaged.
-Use a USB extens ion cable to connect devi­
ces that have an integrated USB connector
(such as a USB stick) to prevent damage to
your USB device and the Audi music inter­
face .
- Extremely high or low temperatures that
can occur inside vehi cles can damage mobile
devices and/or impair their performance.
Never leave mobi le dev ices in the vehicle in
extreme ly high or low temperat ures.
@ Tips
- When you switch the ignition off, the USB
ports are still supplied with power until the
energy management intervenes.
- Do not use an additional adapter or USB ex­
tension cable to connect mobile devices to
the Audi music interface that already have a
cable or that must be connected with a USB
adapter
( c::> page 236). They may impair the
functionality.
-You can purchase the AUX connector cable
from an authorized Audi dealer or at spe­
cialty stores .
237

Driving sa fe ty
Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift s udden ly, changing vehicle handling charac­
ter istics . Loose items can also increase the risk of
serious personal in jury in a sudden vehicle
ma­
neuver or in a coll is ion.
.,. Distribute the load evenly in the luggage com­
partment .
.,. Always place and properly secure heavy items in
the luggage compartment as low and as far for­
ward as possible
c> fig . 230 .
.,. Secure luggage us ing the tie-downs provided
¢ page 79 .
.,. Make su re that the rea r seatbac k is securely
latched in place .
A WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or othe r items can
fly through the vehicle causing serious per­
sonal injury in the event of hard braking or an
accident . To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury :
- Always put objects, for example, luggage or
other heavy items in the luggage compart­
ment.
- Always sec ure objects in the luggage com­
partment using the tie-down eyelets and
s u itable straps.
A WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehi­
cle handles . To he lp reduce the r isk of a loss
of contro l leading to serious pe rsonal i njury:
- Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a change i n the center of
grav ity can also cause changes in vehicle
hand ling:
- Always distr ibute the load as even ly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in the
luggage compartment as poss ible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
o r the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating specified
on the safety compliance sticker on the
front end of the driver's door. Exceeding permissible weight standards can cause the
vehicle to s lide and handle diffe rently .
264
-Please observe info rmation on safe driving
¢page 258 .
A WARNING
To he lp prevent po isonous exhaust gas from
being drawn into the vehicle, always keep the
rear lid closed while driving.
- Never transport objects larger than those
fitting completely into the luggage area be­
cause the rear lid cannot be fully closed .
- If you absolutely must dr ive with the rear lid
open, observe the following notes to reduce
the risk of poisoning :
- C lose all windows,
- Close the s unroof*,
- Close the power top*,
- Open all a ir outlets in the instrument pan -
el,
- Switch off the air reci rculat ion,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
A WARNING
-
Always make sure that the doors, all win­
dows, the sunroof*, the power top * and the
rear lid are securely closed and locked to re­
duce the risk of in jury when the veh icle is not
being used.
-After clos ing the rear lid, always make sure
that it is properly closed and locked .
- Never leave your veh icle unattended espe ­
cially wi th the rear lid left ope n. A child
could crawl into th e vehicle th rough the lug­
gage compa rtment and close the rea r lid be­
comi ng trapped and u nable to ge t out. Be­
ing trapped in a vehicle can lead to ser ious
pe rsonal inj ury.
- Never let c hild ren p lay in o r around the vehi­
cle.
- Never let passenge rs ride in the luggage
comp artment. Vehicle occu pants mus t
al­
ways be proper ly restrained in one of the ve ­
hicle's seat ing pos itions.
(D Tips
- Air circu lation helps t o reduce w indow fog­
ging . Stale air escapes to the o uts ide

_& WARNING
-Safety belts are the single most effective
means availa ble to r educe the ris k of ser ious
injury and death in automobile accidents .
For your protection and that of your passen­
gers, always correctly wea r safety be lts
when the veh icle is moving .
- Failure to pay attention to the warn ing light
that comes on could lead to persona l injury.
Why use safety belts?
Frontal collisions and the law of physics
Frontal crashes create very strong forces for peo­
ple riding in vehicles.
Fig. 2 34 Unbelted occupants in a veh icle head ing for a wall
Fig. 23 5 The veh icle crashes into the wa ll
The physical principles are simple . Both the vehi­
cle and the passengers possess e nergy which va r­
ies w ith veh icle speed and body weigh t. Engi­
n eers ca ll this energy "ki ne tic e nergy."
The highe r the speed of the vehicle and the
g reater the vehicle 's we ight, the more energy
~ that has to be "absorbed " in the crash. ~ N ...... N ~ 0
'° ~ co
Safet y bel ts
Vehicle speed is the most significant factor . If
the speed doubles from 15 to 30 mph (25 to 50
km/h), the energy increases 4 times!
Because the passenge rs of this vehicle a re not us­
ing sa fety belts
¢ fig . 234, they will keep moving
at the same speed the vehicle was moving just
before the crash, until someth ing stops them -
here, the wall
c:.-fig. 235.
T he same p rinciples apply to people sitting in a
vehicle that is invo lved in a fronta l co llision. Even
at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h),
the forces acting on the body can reach one ton (2,000 lbs . or 1,000 kg) or more. At greater
speeds, these forces are even higher .
People who do not use safety belts are a lso not
attached to the ir vehicle. In a frontal collis ion
they will also keep moving forward at the speed
their vehicle was travelling just before the crash .
Of course, the laws of physics don' t just apply to
frontal collisions, they determine what happens in all kinds of accide nts and co llisions.
269

Safe ty belts
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop
themselves from flying forward and being in ­
jured or killed. Always wear your safety bel ts!
F ig. 236 A dr iver not wear ing a safety belt is v iolently
thrown forwa rd
Fig. 237 A rear passenger not wearing a safety belt will fly
fo rward and strike t he d river
Unbe lted occupants are not able to resist the tre­
mendous fo rces of impact by holding t igh t or
b racing themselves. Wi tho ut the benefit of safe­
ty restraint systems, the unrestrained occupant
will slam violently into the steering whee l, in ­
strument panel, windsh ield, or whatever else is
in the way ¢
fig. 236. This impact with the veh i­
cle interior has all the energy they had just be­
fore the crash .
Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even
when they deploy, airbags provide only additional
protection. Airbags are not supposed to dep loy in
all k inds of accidents . A lthough your Audi is
equ ipped w ith airbags, all vehicle occupants, in­
cluding the dr iver, must wear safety belts cor­
rectly in o rder to minimize the risk of severe in­
jury or deat h in a cr ash.
270
Remember too, that a irbags w ill dep loy only
once and that your safety be lts are always there
to offer protection in those acc idents in which
airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have already deployed. Unbe lted occupants can
also be thrown out of the vehicle where even
more severe or fata l injuries can occur.
It is also important for the rear passengers to
wear safety be lts correctly. Unbelted passengers
in the rear seats endanger not only themselves
but also the driver and other passengers
¢ fig. 237 . In a fronta l col lision they will be
th rown forward v io lently, whe re they can hit and
i njure the dr iver and/or front seat passenger.
Safety belts protect
People think it's possible to use the hands to
brace the body in a minor collision. It's simply
not true!
Fi g. 238 Driver is co rrectly rest rained in a sudden b rak ing
ma ne uver
Safety be lts used p roperly can make a big differ­
ence. Safety belts he lp to keep passengers in
their seats, gradually reduce energy levels ap­
plied to the body i n an accident, and help prevent
the u ncontrolled movement that can cause ser i­
ous injuries . In addition, safety belts reduce the
dange r of be ing th rown ou t of the vehi cle.
Safety belts attach passenge rs to the car and give
them t he benefit of be ing slowed down more
gently or "soft ly" th ro ugh the
"give" in the safety
belts, crush zones and other safety fea tures engi­
neered into today's vehicles. By " absorbing" the
k inetic energy over a longe r per iod of t ime, the
safety belts make the fo rces on the body more
"tolerab le" and less likely to cause injury.
IJ>