2018 AUDI Q3 ESP

Driving
the vehicle and maintains a constant speed as a
result
r=> page 91 .
However, your Audi i s no t an offroad vehi cle.
Only dri ve in terrain th at i s s uit a ble for th e vehi­
cle and your dri ving abilit y. Ne ver tak e an y un­
ne ce ss ary risks!
After driving offroad
- After dr iving offroad, remove branches and
other debr is from the radiator gr ille, unde r­
body, and whee ls. Look espec ially for foreign
objects (such as stones) that may be stuck in
the tire tread.
- Clean the vehicle body and underbody and in ­
spect the vehicle for possib le damage.
- Clean the windows, headlights, tail lig hts and
the license plate if they are dirty.
- Perfo rm a brake test (especially after dr iv ing
through water).
A WARNING
- Be especia lly aware and attent ive when driv­
ing under difficult conditions. Vehicle dam­
age and injuries may occur when driv ing at
excessively high speeds or with incorrect
dr iv ing maneuvers .
- Always adjust your speed and driving style
to the roads, terra in , traffic and weather
condit ions. Drive espec ially slowly if there is
low v is ibility when offroad .
- Please note that the wheels can spin more
and the vehicle can swerve when i n ESC off ­
road mode, especially when the road is slip­
pery or has loose surface mate rial.
- Driving stability is reduced in the ESC Off­
road mode .
@ For the sake of the environment
Avoid harming the environment and show
consideration for nature.
(D Tips
On ly dr ive where it is a llowed and always stay
on the provided roads and paths.
66
Driving information
Applies to: vehicles with offroad mode
T here is only one right way to drive in difficult
conditions: slo wly and with caution!
Observe the following when driving on unpaved
roads :
.,. On ly driv e in terrain that is suitable for the ve­
hicle and your driving ability. Never take any
unnecessary risks!
.,. Dr ive slowly and caut iously!
.,. Pay attent ion to the
g round cl earan ce of your
veh icle . The clearance may va ry depending on
the load, ground compos ition and the environ­
ment. The g round clearance is reduced for spe­
cial suspension systems, such as sport s uspen­
sion. The dr iver is therefore responsible for de ­
ciding whether a vehicle can handle a specif ic
situation .
.,. Activate the
ESC offroad mode as needed
r=>page90 .
.,. Use the hill de sce nt ass ist when driving down
steep hills
r=> page 91 .
Difficult terrain
When driving in unfamiliar areas and offroad,
drive slowly and keep on the watch for unexpect­
ed obstacles (such as potholes, rocks, tree
stumps , etc .) .
T o prevent th e vehicl e from bottoming out and to
reduce the risk of underbody damage, you should
drive across uneven ground on only one side of
the veh icle so that only two of your wheels cross
the uneven area, instead of driving across the cente r of the uneven area with all four wheels .
Drive quickly through sandy or marshy off-ro ad
sections and do not stop, if at all possible.
Driving through wat er on road s
Also read the information found in r=> page 57.
Automatic transmission
Introduction
The automatic transmission is controlled elec­
troni cally. Upshifting a nd downshifting o ccu r au -
tomat ically . ..,.

0 co ......
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00
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 . ..,.

Ass is tance sy stems
Assistance systems
Speed warning system
Description
Applies to: veh icles 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
lGJ (USA
models)
I l•j (Canada mode ls) indicator light
and a message appear in the instrument cluster
d isp lay at the same time . ThP
lGl{t] indicator
light and the message turn off if the speed falls
back below the stored maximum speed .
Sett ing a threshold is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when yo u reach a certa in
maximum speed. Situations where you may want
to do so include driving in a country w ith a gener­
al speed limit or if there is a specified maximum
speed for winter tires.
Se tt ing the warning thresho ld
Select:
! CAR I function button> (Car) Sys tem s*
control button > Drive r assis t > Speed w arning .
@ Tips
Regardless of the speed warning system, you
should always monitor your speed using the
speedometer and make sure you are following
the legal speed limit.
76
Cruise control system
Switching on
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive a constant speed that is 30 km/h or higher .
0
f
®l
0
Fig. 78 Operat ing lever : cru ise co ntrol syste m
5:
"' 0 ± .. To switch the system on , pull the lever into po-
sition
(D ~ fig. 78.
.. Drive at the speed to be maintained.
.. To store the speed, press the button @.
The
(ij;\1)~1~ (USA mode ls)/ B (Canada models)
indicator light turns on in the instrument cluster .
8_ WARNING
-Always pay attention to the traffic around
you when the cruise contro l system is in op­
erat ion. You are always respons ible for your
speed and the distance between your veh i­
cle and other vehicles.
- For safety reasons, cruise control should not
be used in the city, in stop -and -go traff ic, on
w inding roads and when road conditions a re
poor (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rai n and
hyd roplaning), because this inc reases the
r is k of an accident.
- Switch the cruise control off temporarily
when dr iv ing in turning lanes, highway exits
or in constru ction zones.
- P lease note that "rest ing" your foot on the
accelerator pedal un intent iona lly can result
in ac celeration that overrides the c ruise con-
-
trol system . .,.

Ass is tance sy stems
Audi side assist
Description
Applies to: vehicles with Aud i side ass ist
F ig. 79 Sensor detection range
Fig. 80 D isplay o n th e exterio r mirror
Side assist helps you monitor your blind spot and
traffic behind your vehicle . Within the limits of
the system, it warns you about vehicles that are
coming closer or that are traveling with you with­
i n sensor range
(D ¢ fig. 79: if a lane change is
classified as critical, the display @in the exter io r
mirror ¢
fig. 80 turns on.
The display in the left exter ior mirror provides as­
sis tance whe n mak ing a lane change to the left,
while the disp lay in the right exterior mirror pro­
vides assistance when making a lane cha nge to
the right .
Information stage
As long as you do not activate the turn signal,
side assist
informs you abou t veh icles tha t are
detected and class ified as crit ical. The disp lay in
the mi rror turns on, but is dim .
The display remains dim in t he in fo rmat ion stage
so that your view toward the front is not distur ­
bed.
78
Warning stage
If you activate the turn signal, side assist warns
you about vehicles that are detected and classi­
fied as critica l. The d isp lay in the respective mir­
ror blinks bright ly.
If this happens, ch eck traffic
by g lancing in the exter ior mirrors and over your
shou lder
c:> .& in General information on
page
79.
{!) Tips
- You can adjust the brightness on of the dis·
play on the rea rview mirror
c:> page 80 .
-Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trailer located in ¢
page 79.
General information
Applies to : vehicles with Audi side ass ist
®
®
©
F ig. 81 D riving s it u ati ons
Fig. 82 Rea r of t he veh icle: po sit io n of the senso rs

0 co ......
"' ,....
"' ...... 0 0 :::,
00
Side assist functions at speeds above approxi­
mately 19 mph (30 km/h).
@ Vehicles that are approaching
I n certain cases, a vehicle will be classified as
cr itica l for a la ne change even if it is still some­
what far away . The faste r a vehicle approaches,
the sooner the display in the exterior mirror will
turn on.
@ Vehicles traveling with you
Veh icles traveling with you are indicated in the
exterior mirror if they are classified as critical for
a lane change. All vehicles detected by side assist
are indicated by the time they enter your "blind
spot", at the latest.
© Vehicles you are passing
If you slowly pass a vehicle that side assist has
detected (the difference in speed between the
vehicle and your vehicle is less than
9 mph (lS
km/h)), the display in the exterior mirror turns
on as soon as the vehicle enters your blind spot .
The
display will not tu rn on if you quick ly pass a
vehicle that side assist has detected (the differ­
ence in speed is greater than 9 mph (15 km/h)).
Functional limitations
The radar sensors are desig ned to detect the left
and right adjacent lanes when the road lanes are
the normal width . In some situations, the display
in the exterior mirror may turn on even though
there is no vehicle located in the area that is criti ­
cal for a lane change. For example:
- If the lanes are narrow or if your are driving on
the edge of your lane. If this is the case , the
system may have detected a vehicle in another
lane that is
not adjacent to your current lane.
- If you are driving through a curve . Side assist
may react to a vehicle that is one lane over
from the adjacent lane .
- If side assist reacts to other objects (such as
high or displaced guard rails).
- In poor weather conditions . The side assist
functions are limited.
Do not cover the radar sensors
c!:> fig. 82 with
stickers, deposits, bicycle whee ls or other ob-
Assistance systems
jects, because they will impair the function. Do
not use side assist when towing a trai ler. For in­
formation on cleaning, see
c!:> page 185.
A WARNING
=
- Always pay attention to traffic and to the
area around your vehicle. S ide assist cannot
replace a driver's attention. The driver alone
is always respons ible for lane changes and
similar dr iv ing maneuve rs .
- In some situations, the system may not
function or its function may be l imited. For
examp le:
- If vehicles are approaching or being left
behind very quickly. The disp lay may not
turn on in time.
- In poor weather conditions such as heavy
rain, snow or heavy mist.
- On very wide lanes, in tight curves, or if
there is a rise in the road surface. Vehicles i n the adjacent lane may not be detected
because they are outside of the sensor
range.
(D Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, wheel housing and
underbody. This can impair the system. Have
an authorized Audi dealer or author ized Audi
Service Facility check their funct ion .
(D Tips
- If the window glass in the dr iver's door or
front passenger's door has been tinted, the display in the exterior mirror may be incor­
rect .
- For an explanation on conform ity with the
FCC regulat ions in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulat ions, see
c!:> page 215.
-
79

a
co
...... N r---. N .-< 0 0 ::, co
Auto and Dynamic, using the r:l.l'e'i button in the
center console or by using the Infotainment sys­
tem . This allows you to switch between a sporty
and a comfortable driving mode, for examp le.
Description
Applies to: vehicles with Audi drive select
The following systems, among other things, are
influenced by drive select:
Engine and automatic transmission
Depending on the mode, the engine and auto­
matic transmission respond more quickly or in a
more balanced manner to accelerator pedal
movements. In the sporty dynamic mode, the
transmission shifts at higher speed ranges .
Suspension control*
The suspension control uses sensors to record in­
formation regarding steering movements, brak­ ing and accelerat ion operations by the driver, as
well as information about the road surface, dr iv­
ing speed, and load. With dr ive select, you can
adjust the suspension control to sporty (dynam­ ic), comfortable (comfort) or balanced (a uto).
Steering
The steering adapts in terms of steering assis­
tance . Indirect steering that moves easily as in
comfort mode is especially su ited to long dr ives
on a highway. In contrast, dynamic mode pro­
vides sporty, direct steering.
Cornering light*
The cornering light adapts to driving on curves.
The pivot ing action and the lighting also adapt to
the mode.
(D Tips
The S selector lever position automatically en­
gages if the dynamic mode is selected.
Assistance systems
Selecting the driving mode
Applies to: vehicles with Audi drive select
Fig. 84 Center console : dr ive select button
.,. To set the mode, press the ~:1;:e'i button repeat­
edly until the desired mode is d isplayed in the
instrument cluster. Or
.,. Select in the Infotainment system: ICARlfunc-
tion button
> Comfort , Auto or Dynamic .
You can change the driving mode when the vehi­
cle is stationary or while driving . If traff ic per­
mits, after changing modes, briefly take your
foot off the accelerator pedal so that the recently
selected mode is also activated for the engine.
Comfort -provides a comfort-or iented vehicle
setup and is suited fo r long drives on h ighways.
Automatic -provides an overall comfortable yet
dynamic driving feel and is suited for everyday
u se.
Dynam ic -gives the driver a sporty driving fee l
and is suited to a sporty driving style.
A WARNING
Pay attention to traffic when operating the
drive select to reduce the ris k of an accident.
81

Parking systems
Parking systems
General information
A ppl ies to: ve hicles w ith a rea r parking sys te m /pa rking sys ­
tem p lus/rearv iew camera
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma­
neuvering.
The
rear park ing system is an audible parking aid
that warns you of obstacles
behind the vehicle
¢ page 83.
The parking system plus assists you when park ­
ing by audibly and visually indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the veh icle
¢ page 83.
The rearview camera shows the area behind the
vehicle in the Infotainment system display . The
lines in the rearview camera image help you to
park or maneuver
¢ page 84.
_& WARNING
-Always look for traff ic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it directly
as well . The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attention. The driver is always
responsible when entering or leaving a park­
ing space and during similar maneuvers.
- Please note that some surfaces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system.
- Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
which people and objects cannot be detect­
ed. Be especially cautious of small children
and animals.
-
- Always pay attention to the area around the
vehicle -using the rearview mirror, too.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody . The park­
ing system may be impaired as a result.
Have an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility check their func­
t io n.
- Make sure the sensors are not obstructed by
stickers, deposits or other materia ls. If they
are, the sensor function could be impaired.
82
For additional information on cleaning, see
¢page 185.
(D Note
-Some objects are not detected or displayed
by the system under certain circumstances:
- objects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, vertical poles or fences
- objects above the sensors such as wall ex­
tensions
- objects with certain surfaces or structures
such as chain link fences or powder snow
- If you continue driving closer to a low ob­
ject, it may disappear from the sensor range. Note that you will no longer be
warned about th is obstacle.
@ Tips
- The system may provide a warning even
though there are no obstacles in the cover­
age area in some situations, such as:
- certain road surfaces or when there is tall
grass
- external ultrasonic sources such as from
cleaning vehicles
- in heavy rain, snow, or thick vehicle ex­
haust
- We recommend that you practice parking in
a traffic-free location or parking lot to be­
come familiar with the system . When doing
this, there should be good light and weath­
er conditions.
- The sensors must be kept clean and free of
snow and ice for the parking aid to operate .
For information on cleaning, see
¢page 185.
- You can change the volume and pitch of the
signals as well as the display¢
page 87.
-Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trailer located in
¢page 88.
- What appears in the infotainment display is
somewhat time-delayed.