engaged, for example when you notice that the next traffic light is red . This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con
sumpt ion to zero (fuel shut-off dur ing decelera
tion) .
Shift efficiently
Upshifting earlier is an effective way to save fuel.
Staying in a gear too long uses fuel unnecessari
ly.
Applies to: vehicles with manual transmission
Shift as soon as possible from first to second
gear. S hifting to the next highest gear at approxi
mately 2,000 RPMs if poss ible is recommended.
Applies to: vehicles with automatic transmissions
Press down on the acce le rator peda l slowly and
avoid "kick -down".
Avoid full acceleration
You should rarely travel at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproportionately
high increase in fuel consumption, emissions and
traffic noise. Driving more slowly saves fuel.
Reduce idling time
The Start/Stop system* he lps to reduce the idling
time automatically. In vehicles without the Start/
Stop system*, it is efficient to switch the engine
off when stopped at railroad cross ings and long
r ed lights. Stopping the engine for 30-40 sec
onds already saves more fuel than the amount of
extra fuel needed to restart the eng ine.
It takes a very long time in idle to warm the en
g ine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially h igh in the wa rm-up
phase . Therefore, you should begi n driving im
mediately a fter starting the engine . Avoid high
RPMs while do ing this .
Have maintenance performed regularly
By having maintenance performed regu larly on
your veh icle, yo u ca n he lp to reduce f uel con-
<(
~ sumption before yo u even start to drive. The
N ~ maintenance condition of your vehicle not only
8 affects traffic safety and long-term value but a l
'° 3
so impacts fuel consumption . A poorly main
tained engine can lead to fuel consumption that is 10% higher than norma l.
Avoid short trips
The eng ine and exhaust cleaning system must
reach their optimal operat ing temperatu re to ef
f ectively reduce consumption and emissions.
A cold engine uses a disproportionately high
amount of fue l. The engine reaches operating
temperat ure and consumption normalizes on ly
after approximate ly 2.5 miles (4 km).
Check the tire pressure
To save fuel, make sure the tires are always in
flated to the correct press ure
~page 351. The
fuel consumption can increase by 5% if the pres
s u re is only 0.5 bar too low. Due to the increased
rolling resistance, low tire pressures wi ll also
l ead to greater tire wear and will affect driving
behavior.
Do not drive on winter tires year-round, as this
will consume up to 10% more fuel.
Eliminate unnecessary weight
S in ce eve ry po und of ext ra weight increases f uel
consumption, a quick inspection of the luggage
compartment may be worth it to avoid unneces
sary weight .
When not be ing used, a roof rack should be re
moved to decrease the wind resistance of the ve
hicle. This will save you approximately 12% fuel
at speeds from 62 -75 mph (100 - 120 km/h) .
Save energy
The eng ine drives the generator, which generates
electric ity; the fuel consumpt io n also incr eases
with the demand for electr icity. The refore, switch
electrical eq uipment off when you no longer
need it . Examples of equipment that uses a lo t of
energy are air blowers at a high setting, the rear
window defogger and seat heating* .
@ Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after
starting. If warning lights shou ld come on to
indicate improper operation, they would go
87
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
.,. Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and
speed limits and plain common sense .
.. ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and
weather conditions.
.. Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive
for more than two hours at a stretch.
.. Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pres
sure or when you are st ressed.
& WARNING
Impai red dr iv ing safe ty inc reases the risk of
ser ious personal inju ry and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
Correct passenger
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
F ig . 2 28 Correct seating posit ion
F or your own safety and to reduce the risk of in
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the driver's seat to the following position:
.. Adjust the dr iver's seat so that you can easily
push the pedals all the way to the floor while
keeping your knee(s) slight ly
bent ¢&_ .
.. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position so that your back comes in
full contact w ith it when you drive .
.,. Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a dis
tance of at least 10 in ches (25 cm) between the
steering wheel and you r breast
bone ¢ fig. 228.
If not possib le, see your aut horized Aud i dea le r
about adaptive eq uipment .
Driving safety
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering
wheel and airbag cover points at your chest and
not at yo ur face .
.. Grasp the top of the steering wheel with your
elbow(s) slightly bent .
.,. Applies to: adjustable head restraints: Adjust
the head restraint so the upper edge is as even as poss ible with the top of your head. If that is
not possib le, try to adjust the head rest raint so
t ha t it is as close to this pos ition as poss ible .
.. Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 272.
.. Always keep both feet in the footwell so that
you are in contro l of the veh icle at a ll times.
F or detailed information on how to adj ust the
drive r's seat, see
¢page 71 .
A WARNING
-
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in
jured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help re d uce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always ad just the driver's seat and the
steer ing whee l so that there are at least
10 inc hes (25 cm) between you r breastbone
and the steering wheel.
- Always ad just the driver's seat and the
steer ing wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees a nd the
lowe r part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering w heel on the out
s ide of the steering wheel r im with yo ur
hands at the 9 o 'clock and 3 o'clo ck posi
tions to help reduce the risk of personal in
jury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the stee ring wheel at the
12 o' clock position o r wi th yo ur hands at
other positions i nside the steer ing whee l
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding
the steering wheel the wrong way can cause
serio us injuries to the hands, arms and head
if the dr iver's airbag dep loys.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supplemen
tal driver's airbag to protect you in a coll i·
.,
sion. ..,
259
through vents in the trim panel. Be sure to keep these slots free and open .
- The t ire pressure must correspond to the
l oad . The tire pressure labe l lists the recom
mended cold tire inflation pressures for the
vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and
the tires that were on your vehicle at the
time it was manufactured. For recommend
ed tire pressures for normal load condi
tions, please see chapter
q page 3 52.
Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with four
tie-downs to secure luggage and other items .
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo properly
q page 263, Loading the luggage compartment.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even
smaller items that are loose in the vehicle will
become heavy missiles that can cause serious in
jury . Items in the vehicle possess energy which
vary with vehicle speed and the weight of the
item . Veh icle speed is the most s ignificant factor .
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed of
30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a 10-lb
(4.5 kg) object are about 20 times the normal
weight of the item . Th is means that the weight
of the item wo uld suddenly be abo ut
200 lbs . (90 kg). You can imagine the injuries
that a 200 lbs . (90 kg) item fly ing free ly through
the passenger compartment could cause in a col
lision l ike this .
A WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used to
secure items to tie-downs can fail d uring hard
brak ing or in a collision and cause serious per
sonal injury.
- Always use su itab le mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help prevent
items from shift ing or fly ing fo rwa rd as dan
gerous missiles.
- When the rear seat backrest is folded down, always use su itab le mount ing straps and
prope rly secure items to t he tie-downs in
the luggage compartmen t to help p reve nt
-
Dr iving safety
items from flying forward as dangerous
miss iles into the passenger compartment .
- Never attach a chi ld safety seat tether strap
to a tie-down.
Active rollover protection system
Function
Applies to: veh icles w ith power top
The rollover protection system protects vehicle
occupants in the event of a rollover .
Fig. 231 Rear seats : rollbar deployment range
Fig. 232 Rear seats : deployed rollbar
The active rollover protection system consists of:
- two rollbars
- t he safe ty belts with bel t tensione rs
- the wi ndshield frame
- the rollover senso rs
The active rollover protection system provides additional safety in the event of a rollover. With
i n milliseconds, sensors deploy two rollbars lo
cated behind the head restra ints in the rear seats
¢ fig . 232. 11iJJ,
265
Wheels
Wheels and Tires
General information
.,.Check your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts, cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob
jects from the tire tread.
.,. If driving over curbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap
proach the curb at an angle.
.,.Have faulty tires or rims re
placed immediately.
"'Protect your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
.,.Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running
direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled.
"'Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry location
with as little exposure to light as
possible.
(D Note
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical in those seasons. Audi recom
mends using winter tires dur
ing the winter months. Low
temperatures significantly de crease the elasticity of summ
er tires, which affects traction
Wheels
and braking ability. If summer
tires are used in very cold
temperatures, cracks can form
on the tread bars, resulting in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or
chromed rims must not be
used in winter driving condi
tions. The surface of the rims
does not have sufficient corro
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam aged by road salt or similar
substances.
Tire designations
Fig. 282 T ir e designations on the side -
wall Ill>
341
® Mud and snow capability
"M/5" or "M+S" indicates the tire
is suitable for driving on mud and
snow. £ indicates a winter tire.
@Composition of the tire cord
and materials
The number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay
ers in the tire . In general: the
more layers, the more weight a
tire can carry. Tire manufacturers must also specify the materials
used in the ti re . These inc lude
stee l, nylon, polyester and other
materials.
@ Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the maxi
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry.
@ Un iform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance
Treadwear, traction and tempera
ture
ranges¢ page 359.
@ Running direction
T he arrows indicate the running
direction of unidirectional tires.
You must always follow the speci
fied running direction
¢page 374.
~ Maximum permitted
inflation pressure
Wheels
T his number indicates the maxi
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated under normal operat
ing condit ions .
Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto matic t ransmission, power steer
ing, power brakes, power win
dows , powe r seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent tha t these
items are avai lab le as factory- in
stalled equipment (whether in
s t alled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the w idth of the tire in percent.
Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a
low sidewall for improved steer
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement .
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinfo rced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim.
...
3 4 3
Wheel s
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the bead .
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the t ire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recom
mended by the vehicle manufac
turer for a tire of a designated
size that has not been driven for more than a couple of miles (kilo
meters) at low speeds in the
three hour period before the tire
pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor ve
hicle with standard equipment in
cluding the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
E x tra load tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in
flation pressures than the corre sponding standard tire . Extra load
tires may be identified as
"XL",
"xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on
the sidewal l.
344
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR ")
means the load-carrying capacity
of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(" GVWR ")
means the maximum total loaded
weight of the vehicle .
Groove
means the space between two ad
jacent tread ribs .
Load rating (code )
means the maximum load that a
tire is rated to carry for a given in
flation pressure. You may not find
this information on all tires be
cause it is not required by law.
Ma ximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at
the maximum permissible infla tion pressure for that tire.
Ma ximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of :
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options we ight
Maximum (permissible )
inflat ion pressure
means the maximum cold infla
tion pressure to wh ich a t ire may
be inflated . Also called "maxi
mum inflation pressure ."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs . (68 kilograms)
times the numbe r of occupants
seated in the veh icle up to the to
tal seating capacity of your vehi
c le .
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants
in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an
inflated new tire .
Overall width
means the linear dis ta n ce be
tween the exteriors of the side
walls of an inflated tire, inc luding
e levations due to labeling, deco
rations, or protect ive bands or
ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords .
Wheels
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not pre
viously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, including
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
roof rack , heavy d uty ba tte ry , and
special trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which
the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantia lly 90
degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Recommended inflation
pressure
see ¢ page 34 4, Cold tire infla
tion pressure .
Reinforced tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in
fl at ion pressures than the corre
sponding standard tire. Rein
forced tires may be identified as
"X L", "x l", "EXTRA LOA D", or "RF"
on the s idewa ll.
..,
3 45