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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
Wheels
Determining correct load
limit
Use the example below to calcu
late the total weight of the pas
sengers and luggage or other
things that you plan to transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overload ed .
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1 . Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCU PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle 's placard
(tire inflation pre ssure label)
c:::> page 176, fig. 146.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3 . Subtra ct the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or " XXX"
pounds shown on the sticker
c:::> page 176 , fig. 146 .
4. The re sulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For ex
ample, if the
"XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
180
be five 150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lb s.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lb s.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely ex
ceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calculat
ed in Step 4 .
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your ve
hicle. Con sult this manual to
determine how this reduces
the available cargo and lug gage load capacity of your vehi
cle .
~check the tire sidewall
(c:::> page 167, fig. 144) to deter
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
· Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
W heel bolts mus t be clean and loose n/tighten
eas ily.
Rims
R ims with a bo lted r im ring * or with bo lted wheel
covers" co nsist of mult ip le p ieces . T h ese compo-
n ents were bolted togethe r usin g s pec ial bolts ..,.
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Emergency situations
General
This chapter is intended for trained emergency
crews and working personnel who have the nec
essary tools and equipment to perform these
operations.
Starting by pushing or
towing
CD Note
Vehicles with an automatic transmission
cannot be started by pushing or towing.
Starting with jumper
cables
If necessary, the engine can be started by con
necting it to the battery of another vehicle.
If the engine should fail to start because of a dis
charged or weak battery, the battery can be con
nected to the battery of
another vehicle, using a
pair of jumper cables to start the engine.
Jumper cables
Use only jumper cables of sufficiently large cross
section
to carry the starter current safely. Refer
to the manufacturer's specifications.
Use only jumper cables with
insulated terminal
clamps which are distinctly marked:
plus(+) cable in most cases colored red
minus(·) cable
in most cases colored black.
A WARNING
Batteries contain electricity, acid, and gas.
Any of these can cause very serious or fatal in
jury. Follow the instructions below for safe
handling of your vehicle's battery.
-Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning
over the battery whenever possible.
-A dead battery can freeze at temperatures
around 32 °F (0 °C). If the vehicle battery is
frozen, you must thaw it before connecting
the jump start cables. If you do not, this in-
Emergency situations
creases the risk of an explosion and chemi
cal burns. After jump starting the vehicle,
drive to an authorized Audi dealer or author
ized Audi Service Facility immediately to
have the vehicle battery checked.
- Do not allow battery acid to contact eyes or
skin . Flush any contacted area with water
immediately.
- Improper use of a booster battery to start a
vehicle may cause an explosion .
- Vehicle batteries generate explosive gases.
Keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away from batteries.
- Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a
low acid level in the battery .
- The voltage of the booster battery must also
have a 12-Volt rating. The capacity (Ah) of
the booster battery should not be lower
than that of the discharged battery. Use of
batteries of different voltage or substantial
ly different "Ah" rating may cause an explo
sion and personal injury.
- Never charge a frozen battery. Gas trapped
in the ice may cause an explosion.
- Never charge or use a battery that has been
frozen . The battery case may have be weak
ened.
- Use of batteries of different voltage or sub
stantially different capacity (Ah) rating may
cause an explosion and injury. The capacity (Ah) of the booster battery should not be
lower than that of the discharged battery.
- Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
qpage 155.
CD Note
-Applying a higher voltage booster battery
will cause expensive damage to sensitive electronic components, such as control
units, relays, radio, etc.
- There must be no electrical contact between
the vehicles as otherwise current could al
ready start to flow as soon as the positive
(+) terminals are connected.
203