2018 AUDI Q3 ECU

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Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your vehicle is primarily intended for transport­ ing people and luggage . However, if you drive
with a trailer , follow the technical requirements,
the operation and driving tips, and the legal reg­
ulations.
Driving with a trailer affects the vehicle's fuel
consumption, performance and wear.
It also re­
quires higher concentration from the driver.
A WARNING
Do not transport any people in a trailer due to
the risk of fatal injury.
Technical requirements
Certain requirements must be met when towing
a trailer.
Trailer hitch
Only use a trailer hitch with a removable ball hitch mount and ball hitch. The trailer hitch must
be permitted for the vehicle , the trailer and the
permitted total weight of the trailer being
pulled. Above all, it must be securely and safely
attached to the vehicle trailer.
Never mount a trailer hitch on the bumper. The
trailer hitch must be mounted in a way that does
not impair the function of the bumper. Do not
make any changes to the exhaust system and the
brake system.
Check regularly if the trailer hitch is securely mounted. Always follow the instructions given by
the trailer hitch manufacturer.
Trailer brakes
If the trailer has its own brake system, then fol­
low the manufacturer specifications. However,
the brake system on the trailer must never be
connected to the vehicle brake system.
Trailer towing
Engine cooling system
Driving with a trailer means a higher load on the
engine and the cooling system. The cooling sys­
tem must be designed for additional load and
contain enough coolant
c::> (D .
A WARNING
-
-Never mount a "weight-distributing" or
"load-balancing" trailer coupler as the trail­
er hitch . The vehicle was not designed for
these types of trailer hitches . The trailer
hitch can malfunction and the trailer can
break off from the vehicle.
- If the trailer is equipped with electronic
brakes, these brakes cannot be activated by
a factory-installed control system, which in­
creases the risk of an accident.
- To reduce the risk of injury, always remove
the ball hitch mount if no trailer is mount­
ed.
(D Note
Longer inclines cannot be driven without a
suitable cooling system, especially if the out­
side temperatures are high. otherwise, this
increases the risk of engine damage.
' Operating instructions
Several things must be noted when towing a
trailer.
Towing capacity
The permitted towing capacity for trailers with­
out brakes is 1,650 lbs (750 kg).
The permitted towing capacity for trailers with brakes is 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) .
These values apply to roads with up to 12% in­
cline.
Tongue weight
The maximum permitted tongue weight of the
trailer drawbar on the trailer hitch ball head may
not be exceeded. ..,.
73

Trailer towing
If the tongue we ight is too low, this affects the
trai ler's handling. For driving safety, we recom­
mend to always utilize the maximum permitted
tongue we ight, but not exceed it. Yo u can reach
it, for example, by d istributing the cargo in the
tra iler cor rectly .
You can determ ine the tongue we ight, for exam­
p le, with a bathroom scale or a public weigh sta­
tion .
The permitted tongue weight for your vehicle is 220 lbs (100 kg) .
Load distribution
Poor cargo load and dist ribution can negatively
impact veh icle ha ndling. To have the lowest im­
pact as possib le, load the trai ler according to
these criteria :
- Store objec ts p refe rab ly in t he ve hicle lugg age
compartment . The vehicle shou ld always carry
the heaviest possible load and the trai ler
sho uld have the lightest possible load .
- Distribute the load in the tra iler so that the
heavy objects are as close to the axle as possi­
ble .
- Secure objects from sliding out of p lace.
- Utilize the max imum perm itted tongue we ight
i f poss ib le .
Tires Set the tire pressure on your vehicle for a "full load"; see the t ire pressu re sticker
r=:;, page 176 .
If necessa ry, also adjust t he tire p ressure on the
tr ail er according to the manufactu rer's re com­
mendation.
W inte r ti res s hou ld be mounted on the ve hicle
a nd on the trailer dur ing wi nte r temperatures.
Outside mirrors
If you cannot see the traff ic be hind the tra iler
with the standard exterior mirrors, then you must attach addit ional exte rior m irrors. Adjust
them so you have a s ufficient visibility behind
you .
Exterior lighting
Follow the legal regulat ions regarding the light ­
i n g eq uipment on your trailer. Contact an author-
74
ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service Facili ­
ty for more information .
Befo re st arting to dr ive , check all lighting eq uip­
ment on the hitched trailer.
The head light range cont rol ad justs automat ica l­
l y to the light range of the headlights .
Safety chains Make sure the safety chains are correct ly applied
whe n pu lling a trailer . The cha ins should hang
enough so that the trailer can drive around
curves. Howeve r, they must not touch the
ground.
(D Tips
- Use chocks when park ing on inclines if the
t railer is loaded .
- We recommend also having the vehicle in­ spected between the inspection intervals if
you a re towing a trailer frequently.
- Avoid driv ing with a tra iler dur ing the veh i­
cle b reak-in per iod.
Driving with a trailer
Driving with a trailer requires extra caution .
Speed
Adhere to the legal speed limits. Fo llow the legal
regu lations specific to the country.
As the speed increases, the dr iving stab ility o f
the trai ler decreases . Therefore you should not
exceed the maximum lega l speed limit when
there are unfavorable road, weather and/or wind
cond it ions. T his especially applies when driving
downh ill.
You m ust always reduce your speed as soon as
you notice even the slightest swinging motion of
the tra iler . Never try to "stra ighten out" the trai l­
er by acce lerating.
The weight d istribution is very poor if the vehicle
i s empty and the trai ler is loaded. However if you
must drive under these circumstances, then dr ive
especially slowly . ..,.

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Driving safety
Basics
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
The individual safety features of your vehicle can
work together as a system to help protect you
and your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
T hese features cannot work as a system if they
are not always correctly adjusted and correctly
used.
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need to
read and observe for your own safety, the safety
of your passengers and others . We have summar­
ized here what you need to know about safety
belts, airbags, child restraints as well as child
safety. Your safety is for us
priority number 1. Al­
ways observe the information and warnings in
this section -for your own safety as well as that
of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle. Some of the fea­
tures descr ibed in this sections may be standard
equipment on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others. If you are not sure, ask
your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
structions and heed the WARNINGS in this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the in­
terest of your passengers .
-
-Always keep the complete Owner's Litera­
ture in your Audi when you lend or sell your
vehicle so that this important information
will always be available to the driver and
passengers.
- Always keep the Owner's literature handy so
that you can find it easily if you have ques­
tions.
Driving safety
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant
safety always depends on the informed and care­
ful driver .
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
.. Make sure that all lights and signals are operat­
ing correctly.
.. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct .
.. Make sure that all windows are clean and afford
good visibility to the outside .
.,. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
¢ page 102, ¢page 45.
.,. Make sure that nothing can interfere with the
pedals.
.. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height.
.. Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to their height.
.. Make sure to use the right child restraint cor­
rectly to protect children
¢ page 134, Child
safety.
.,. Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same¢
page 42, Front
seats.
.. Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Al­
so instruct your passengers to fasten their safe­
ty belts properly ¢
page 106 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle , the driver as well as the driver's abili­
ty to concentrate on the road without being dis­
tracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the ve­
hicle and all of its occupants. If your ability to
drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody in the
vehicle increase and you also become a hazard to
everyone else on the road
¢ _&. . Therefore:
.. Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers
or by using a cellular telephone .
.. NEVER drive when your driving ability is im­
paired (by med ications, alcohol, drugs, etc .) .
.. Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and
speed limits and plain common sense . .,.
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- Before driving, always adjust the front seats
and head restraints properly and make sure
that all passengers are properly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is
moving. Your seat may move unexpectedly
and you could lose control of the vehicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt
and improper seating position .
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats ¢
page 134 . Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a chi ld safety seat on the
front passenger seat¢
page 114.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is
important for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the seat for the front passenger
to the following position:
• Adjust the ang le of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position and your back comes in full
contact with it whenever the vehicle is moving.
• Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge is
as even as possible with the top of your head. If
that is not possible, try to adjust the head re­ straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible ¢
page 43.
• Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the
front passenger seat .
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢ page 109.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see¢
page 42 .
A WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out
of pos ition or too close to the airbag can be
ser iously injured or killed by the airbag as it
unfolds . To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
Driving safety
- Passengers must always sit in an upright po­
sition and never lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located .
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of posi­
tion or too close to the airbag can be seri­ ously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front pas­
senger's breastbone and the instrument panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat.
- Before driving, always adjust the front pas­
senger seat and head restraint properly.
- Always keep your feet on the floor in front
of the seat . Never rest them on the seat, in­
strument panel, out of the window, etc. The
airbag system and safety belt will not be
able to protect you properly and can even in­
crease the risk of injury in a crash.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt
and improper seating position.
- Chi ldren must always ride in child safety
seats ¢
page 134. Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat¢
page 114.
Proper seating positions for passengers in
rear seats
Rear seat passengers must sit uprigh t wi th both
feet on the floor consistent with their physical
size and be properly restrained whenever the ve­
hicle is in use .
To reduce the risk of injury caused by an incorrect
seating position in the event of a sudden braking
maneuver or an accident, your passengers on the
rear bench seat must always observe the follow­
ing :
• Make sure that the seatback is securely latched
in the upright position¢
page 47. .,.
99

Driving safety
• If there is a passenger on the rear center seat ­
ing position, slide the center head restraint up ­
ward at least to the next notch ¢
page 44.
• Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of
the rear seat .
• Fasten and wear safety belts properly
¢ page 109.
• Make sure that children are always properly re­
strained in a child restraint that is appropriate
for their size and age¢
page 134.
A WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on the
rear seat can be seriously injured in a crash.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat.
- Safety belts only offer maximum protection
when the seatback is securely latched in the
upright position and the safety belts are
properly positioned on the body. By not sit­
ting upright, a rear seat passenger increases
the risk of personal injury from improperly positioned safety belts!
- Always adjust the head restraint properly so
that it can give maximum protection.
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an impor­
tant part of your vehicle's occupant restraint sys­
tem and can help to reduce the risk of injuries in
accident situations .
Fig. 99 Head restraint: vie wed from the front
The head restraints must be correctly adjusted to
achieve the best protection.
100
• Adjust the head restraints so the upper edge is
as even as possible with the top of your head. If
that is not possible, try to adjust the head re­
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible
¢ fig. 99.
• If there is a passenger on the rear center seat ­
ing position, slide the center head restraint up­
ward at least to the next notch .
Adjusting head restraints¢
page 43.
A WARNING
All seats are equipped with head restraints.
Driving w ithout head restraints or w ith head
restraints that are not properly adjusted in­
creases the r isk of serious or fatal neck injury
dramatica lly . To help reduce the risk of injury:
- Always drive with the head restraints in
place and properly adjusted.
- Every person in the vehicle must have a
properly adjusted head restraint.
-Always make sure each person in the vehicle
properly adjusts their head restraint. Adjust
the head restraints so the upper edge is as even as possible with the top of your head.
If that is not possible, try to adjust the head
restraint so that it is as close to this position
as possible.
- Never attempt to adjust head restraint
while driving. If you have driven off and
must adjust the driver headrest for any rea­
son, first stop the vehicle safely before at­
tempting to adjust the head restraint.
- Children must always be properly restrained
in a child restraint that is appropriate for
their age and size
¢page 134.
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only reduce
the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are properly
seated.
Improper seating positions can cause serious in­
jury or death . Safety belts can only work when
they are properly positioned on the body. Im­
proper seating positions reduce the effectiveness
of safety belts and will even increase the risk of injury and death by moving the safety belt to .,..

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critical areas of the body . Improper seating posi­
tions also increase the risk of serious injury and
death when an airbag deploys and strikes an oc­
cupant who is not in the proper seating position.
A driver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle
occupants and especially for children . Therefore:
~ Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seating position when the vehicle is being used
c> &, .
The following bulletins list only some sample po­
sitions that will increase the risk of serious injury
and death. Our hope is that these examples will
make you more aware of seating positions that
are dangerous .
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is moving:
-never stand up in the vehicle
- never stand on the seats
- never kneel on the seats
- never ride with the seatback reclined
- never lie down on the seats
- never lean up against the instrument panel
- never sit on the edge of the seat
- never sit sideways
- never lean out the window
- never put your feet out the window
- never put your feet on the instrument panel
- never rest your feet on the seat cush ion or back
of the seat
- never ride in the footwell
- never ride in the cargo area
A WARNING
Improper seating positions increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death whenever
a vehicle is being used.
-Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
stay in a proper seat ing pos ition and are
properly restrained whenever the vehicle is
being used.
Driving safety
Pedal area
Pedals
T he pedals must always be free to move and
must never be interfered with by a floor mat or
any other object.
Make sure that all pedals move freely without in­
terference and that nothing prevents them from
returning to their original positions .
Only use floor mats that leave the pedal area free
and can be secured with floor mat fasteners .
If a brake circuit fails, increased brake pedal trav­
el is required to bring the vehicle to a full stop.
A WARNING
--Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss
of vehicle control and increase the risk of seri­
ous injury.
- Never place any objects in the driver's foot­
well. An object could get into the pedal area
and interfere with pedal function. In case of
sudden braking or an accident, you would
not be able to brake or acce lerate!
-Always make sure that nothing can fall or
move into the driver's footwell.
Floor mats on the driver side
Always use floor mats that can be securely at­ tached to the floor mat fasteners and do not in ­
terfere with the free movement of the pedals.
~ Make sure that the floor mats are properly se­
cured and cannot move and interfere with the pedals
c> &, .
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area un­
obstructed and that are firmly secured so that
they cannot slip out of position . You can obtain
suitable floor mats from your author ized Audi
dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi .
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached
to these fasteners . Properly securing the floor
101

Driving safety
mats will prevent them from sliding into posi­
tions that could interfere with the pedals or im­
pair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
A WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a
loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of
serious personal injury.
- Always make sure that floor mats are prop­
erly secured.
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings in the vehicle that cannot be
properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the ped­ als or the ability to control the vehicle.
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings on top of already installed
floor mats. Addit ional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal
area and interfere with the pedals.
- Always properly reinstall and secure floor
mats that have been taken out for cleaning.
- Always make sure that objects cannot fall
into the driver footwell while the veh icle is
moving. Objects can become trapped under
the brake pedal and accelerator pedal caus­
ing a loss of vehicle control.
Storing cargo correctly
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be properly
stowed and secured in the luggage compart­
ment.
Fig. 100 Safe load pos itio nin g: place heavy objects as low
and as far forward as possible.
102
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Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift suddenly, changing vehicle handling charac­
teristics. Loose items can also increase the risk of
serious personal injury in a sudden vehicle ma­
neuver or in a collision.
.,. Distribute the load evenly in the luggag e com­
partment.
.,. Always place and properly secure heavy items in
the luggage compartment as low and as far for­
ward as possible
¢fig . 100 .
.,. Secure luggage using the t ie-downs provided
¢ page 47.
.,. Make sure that the rear seatback is securely
latched in place.
A WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other 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 secure objects in the luggage com­
partment using the tie-down eyelets and
suitable straps.
A WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehi­
cle handles. To help reduce the risk of a loss
of control leading to serious personal injury:
-Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a change in the center of
gravity can also cause changes in vehicle
handling:
- Always distribute the load as evenly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in the
luggage compartment as possible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating specified
on the safety compliance sticker on the left
door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight
standards can cause the vehicle to slide and
handle differently.
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- Please observe information on safe driving
~page 97.
A WARNING
To help prevent poisonous 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 drive with the rear lid
open, observe the following notes to reduce
the risk of poisoning:
- Close all w indows,
- Close the Panoramic sliding sunroof*,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument pan-
el,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed .
A WARNING
-
Always make sure that the doors, all win­
dows, the Panoramic sliding sunroof* and the
rear lid are securely closed and locked to re­
duce the risk of injury when the vehicle is not
being used.
- After closing the rear lid, a lways make sure
that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your vehicle unattended espe­
cially with the rear lid left open. A chi ld
could crawl into the vehicle through the lug­
gage compartment and close the rear lid be­
coming trapped and unable to get out. Be­
ing trapped in a vehicle can lead to serious
personal injury.
- Never let children play in or around the vehi­
cle .
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must al­
ways be properly restrained in one of the ve­
hicle's seating positions.
(D Tips
- Air circulation helps to reduce window fog­
ging. Stale air escapes to the outside
through vents in the trim panel. Be sure to
keep these slots free and open.
Driving safety
-The tire pressure must co rrespond to the
load. The tire pressure is shown on the tire
pressure label. The tire pressure label is lo­
cated on the driver's side B-pillar . The tire
pressure label lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the vehicle at its
maximum capac ity weight and the tires that
were on your vehicle at the time it was man­ ufactured. For recommended tire pressures
for normal load conditions, p lease see chap­
ter ~
page 176.
' 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
~ page 102, Loading the luggage compartment.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even
smaller items that are loose in the veh icle w ill
become heavy m issiles that can cause serious in­
jury. Items in the vehicle possess energy which
vary w ith vehicle speed and the weight of the
item. Vehicle speed is the most significant 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. This means that the weight
of the item would sudden ly be about
200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imagine the injuries
that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flying freely through
the passenger compartment could cause in a col­
lision like th is.
A WARNING
-Weak, damaged or improper straps used to
secure items to tie-downs can fail dur ing hard
braking or in a collision and cause serious per­
sona l injury.
- Always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help prevent
items from shifting or flying forward as dan­
gerous missiles .
- When the rear seat backrest is folded down,
always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
103