
Intelligent Technology
Intelligent Technology Electronic stabilization
control (ESC)
Description
Elect ronic stabili zation control ( ESC) suppo rts
driver safety. It red uces the risk of slipping and
improves dr iving stabi lity. ESC detects crit ica l sit
uations such as the vehicle overstee ring and un
dersteeri ng or the w heels are sp inning. The vehi
cle is stabilized by app lying the brakes or reduc
i n g e ngine torque . When the ESC engages, the
liJ indicato r light bli nks in t he instr ument clus
t er.
The fo llow ing systems are in tegrated in the ESC:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS p reve nts the whee ls from lock ing whe n brak
ing. The vehicle can st ill be steered even d uring
hard brak ing. Apply steady press ure to the bra ke
pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A puls ing in t he
b rake pedal indicates that the system is act ing to
s tabili ze the vehicle .
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease brak ing dis
tance . It inc reases brak ing power when the d river
presses the brake pedal q uick ly in eme rgency sit
uations . You must press and hold t he b rake pedal
until the dangerous si tuatio n is ove r.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR red uces eng ine power when the d rive wheels
begin sp inning a nd adapts the force to the road
conditions . This makes it easie r to start, acceler
ate and dr ive u p hill s.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
E DL applies the brakes to a wheel that sta rts
spi nning and t ransfe rs the d rive power to the
other driving wheels. This f unction is not availa
b le at higher speeds.
In extreme cases, EDL automatically sw itches off
to keep the brake on the b raked wheel from over
heati ng. The vehicle is st ill work ing correctly. EDL
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will swi tc h on again automatically when condi
tions have retu rned to normal.
Power steering
The ESC can also support veh icle stab ility
t hr ough stee rin g.
Selective wheel torque control
Se lective wheel to rque con trol is used when d riv
i ng on curves . The front whee l on the ins ide of
t h e curve or bo th whee ls on the i nside of th e
cu rve are braked se lective ly as needed. This al
l ows mo re pre cise dr iving in curves .
_&. WARNING
-The E SC and i ts in teg ra ted systems cannot
overcome the lim its imposed by natura l
phys ica l laws. This is es pec ially important
on s lippery or wet roa ds.
If the systems be
gin acting to stabilize yo ur vehicle, you
should immediately a lter your speed to
match the road and traffic conditions. Do
no t le t the inc reased safety p rovi ded tempt
you into taking risks. This could increase
y o ur r is k of a c oll is ion.
- Please note the r is k of a coll is ion increases
w hen dr iv in g fast, especially t hrough curves
a nd on sl ippery or wet r oads, and w hen dr iv
ing to o cl ose to obje cts ahead. T he ES C and
it s i ntegrated systems cannot a lways pre
vent co llisions
-there is st ill a risk of acci
dents!
- Press the accelerator peda l caref ully when
accelerating on even, slippery sur faces such
as ice and snow. The drive wheels can spin
even when these control systems a re instal
led and this can affect driving stability and
increase the risk of a collision.
(0 Tips
- The ABS and ASR only funct ion correctly
when a ll four wheels have a sim ila r wear
co nditio n. D iffere nt tire sizes can lead to a
red uction in engin e power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de
sc ribed are working .

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N .... 0 ,....
Vl co
Intelligent Technology
Switching on and off
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine.
Fig . 9 4 Upper center console, fJ. OFF b utton
The ESC is designed to function in levels . Depend
ing on the level selected, the ESC stabilization funct
ion is limited or switched off. The amount of
stab ilizat ion control will differ depending on the
level.
T he following examples are unusua l situations
where it may make sense to switch sport mode
o n in order to allow the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Dr iving with snow chains
Sport mode on ESC/ASR off Sport mode off or ESC/ASR
on
Behavio r
The ESC and ASR stabiliza- The stabilization funct ion is The full stabilization func-
tion funct ions are limited not availab le
¢ & . ESC and tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢ &. ASR are switched off. availab le aga in.
Operating Press the i.i, OFFI but ton Press and hold the 1-~ OFFI Press the j.i, OFFI but ton
briefly. button longer than 3 sec- aga in .
onds .
Indicator II turns on. Iii and 14-'ll•)H* tu rn on. II turns off or II and
light s 14-'ll•IH * tu rn off.
Messages Stab
ilization control (ESC ): Stab ilization con trol (ESC ): Stab ilization control
sport . Warning! Reduced off. Wa rning! Reduced sta -(ESC): on
stability
A WARNING
You shou ld only swit ch sport mode on or
switch ESC/ ASR off if your driving abilities
an d roa d conditions permi t.
bility
- T he stabilization func tion is limited w hen
sport mode is sw itched on. The driving
whee ls co uld spi n and the vehicle cou ld
swerve, espec ially on s lick or s lippery roa d
surfaces.
- There is no vehicle stabilization when ESC/
ASR are switched off.
(D Tips
- When t he cr uise control system is sw itched
on, ES C/ ASR cannot be sw itched off or sport
mode cannot be sw itche d on. -
Ma lfunctions in the rear spoiler or the A udi
magnetic ride may make it impossible to
switch t he ESC/ ASR off or to switch sport
mode on .
Brakes
New brake pads
New brake pads do not achieve their full braking
effect d uring the first 250 mi (400 km) . They
must be "broken in" first . Howeve r, you can com
pensate fo r th e slig htly reduced b raking force by
pressing fi rm ly on t he b rake ped al. Avo id heavy
bra king d uring the brea k-i n pe riod .
.,.
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Intelligent Technology
Wear
Brake pad wear depends largely on the way the
vehicle is driven and on operating conditions.
This is especially true if you are driving frequently
in the city and on curves or with a sporty driving
style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, braking force and outside conditions such
as temperature and humidity.
Wet conditions or road salt
I n certain situations, for example after dr iving
through water, in heavy ra in or after washing
your car, the braking effect may be reduced due
to moisture or ice on the brake rotors and brake
pads . The brakes must be "dried" first with a few
careful brake applications.
At higher speeds and with the windshie ld wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake
rotors for a short amount of time . This action,
which is not felt by the driver, happens at regular
intervals and ensures a better reaction time for
the brakes in wet weather .
The braking effect can also be reduced if you are
driving on sa lted roads and you do not apply the
brakes for long periods of time. The layer of salt
on the brake rotors and pads must be worn off
first when the brakes are applied.
Corrosion
Leaving the vehicle parked for long periods of
time, low mi leage and avoiding heavy braking
can contribute to corrosion on the brake rotors
and to dirty brake pads.
If you usually avoid heavy braking or if there is
corrosion present, occasional heavy braking at
h igh speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and
pads¢ &.
Brake system malfunction
If you notice that the brake pedal travel has sud
denly increased, then a brake circuit in the dual
circuit brake system may have malfunctioned. Drive to an authorized Aud i dea ler or authorized
Aud i Serv ice Facility immediately to have the
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problem corrected. On the way there, drive with
reduced speed and keep in mind that you will
need a longer distance to stop and you will need
to press the brake pedal harder.
Low brake fluid level
When the brake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
t h e brake system may occur . The brake fluid leve l
is electronically monitored .
Brake booster
The brake booster amplifies the pressure you ap
ply to the brake pedal.
& WARNING
- New brake pads do not achieve their full
braking effect during the first 250 mi
-
(400 km). They must be "broken in" first .
However, you can compensate for the
slightly reduced braking force by pressing
firm ly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy brak
ing during the break-in period.
- On ly app ly the brakes for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system when road and
traffic conditions permit. You must not en
danger other road users . This increases the
r is k of an accident.
- On steep slopes, reduce the speed and se
lect a lower gea r or lower selector leve r po
sition. Drive as lit tl e as possible while press
ing the brake pedal and avo id putting yo ur
left foot on the brake pedal while driv ing .
This could ca use the brakes to overheat and
impair the efficiency of th e brakes.
- Do not let the brakes "grind" by always
keeping your foot on the brake pedal. This
can cause the brakes to overheat, increase
wear and increase braking distance unneces
sarily.
- Certain weather and operating conditions such as driving through water, dr iv in g in
heavy rain or driv ing after wash ing your ve
h icle can impair the effectiveness of the
brakes. In the winter, ice may build up on
the brake pads, rotors and drums. Check
these compon ents by braking carefully. Ap
plying the brakes carefully several times
dries the brakes and removes ice build-up.

Cl 00 .-< N r-N .-< 0 r-Vl 00
-The efficiency of the brakes can also be im
paired by driving for long stretches on roads
covered with salt without using the brakes .
You can remove salt deposits from the
brake rotors and pads by carefully applying
the brakes severa l t imes .
- If the front spoiler is damaged or you install
another spoiler, make sure the front wheel
brakes are vent ilated proper ly . Otherwise,
the b rake system could overheat, w hich re
duces the ir effectiveness.
- Failure of a brake c ircuit impa irs b raking
perfo rman ce , which increases brak ing dis
tan ce. Avoid d riving the vehicle and have it
towed it to the nearest authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility .
- Never let the vehicle roll while t he engine is
stopped because this increases the risk of an
accident.
- If the brake booster is not working, you will
have to press much harder on the brake
peda l to compensate for the lack of the
booster.
@ Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
pedal light ly when braking is not actually
necessary. This causes the brakes to over
heat and increases braking d istance and
causes wear.
- Before driving downhi ll a long distance on a
steep h ill, decrease your speed and select a
lower gear. This makes use of the engine
braking effect and relieves the brakes . If
you need to brake additionally, brake in in
tervals and not conti nuous ly .
0) Tips
- If the brake booster is not working, you
must press the brake pedal with much more
fo rce t han normal.
- If you retrofit your vehicle with a front spoil
er, whee l covers o r similar items, make sure
t h at the a ir flow to the front whee ls is not
i nte rru pted. Ot herw ise the brake system
ca n become too ho t.
In tellig ent T echn olo gy
Electromechanical
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver 's steering movements .
Power steering adap ts elec troni cally based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator li ghts and me ssages
• Stee ring: m alfun ction! Ple ase stop vehicle
If this indica to r li ght tur ns on and stays on and
this message appears, the powe r steering may
have failed.
Stop the veh icle in a safe location as soon as pos
s ible. Do
n o t cont inue d riving. See an autho rized
Audi dealer or authorized A udi Service Facility for
assistance .
(;r,ij Ste ering : malfun cti on! You may con tinu e
dri vin g
If the indicator l ight turns on, the steering wheel
may be more d ifficult to move or more sensit ive
t h an usual. The steer ing whee l may also be at an
angle when d riving stra ight.
Drive slowly to an authorized Aud i dealer or au
thorized Aud i Serv ice Facility to have the mal
funct ion corrected.
(D Tips
If the . or (;r,ij ind icator light only stays on
fo r a short t ime, yo u may continue d riving.
All wheel drive (quattro)
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are powered.
Gener al informat ion
In all wheel dr ive, the dr iving power is divided be
tween all four wheels . This happens automatical
ly depending on your dr iv ing behavior as well as
t h e cur rent road condit ions. A lso
see ~ page 86,
Electronic stabilization control (ESC).
The all wheel dr ive concept is des igned for high
engine power . You r vehicle is except ionally pow
erfu l and has excellent driv ing cha racter istics
bot h unde r normal d riving conditions and o n
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Intelligent Technology
is recorded in such a case may include vehicle
speed, driving direction, the load on the brakes
and head restraints and performance in the event
of an accident or other change in status. The
stored data can on ly be read or downloaded with
special devices .
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Wheel s
0 US DOT number (TIN) and
manufacture date
T he manufacture date is listed on
the tire sidewall (it may only ap
pear on the inner side of the tire) :
DOT ... 2217 ...
means, for example, that the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of
the year 2017.
@ Audi Original Tires
Audi Original equipment tires
with the designation
"AO" have
been specially matched to your
Audi. When used correctly, these
tires meet the highest standards
for safety and handling. An au
thorized Audi dealer or author
ized Audi Service Facility will be
able to provide you with more in
formation.
® Mud and snow capability
"M/5" or "M+S" indicates the tire
has properties ma king it suitable
to drive in mud or snow.
& indi
cates a winter t ire .
@) Compos ition of the tire cord
and materials
T he number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay
ers in the tire . In general: the
more layers, the more weight a
246
tire can carry. Tire manufacturers
must also specify the materials
used in the tire . These include
steel , nylon, po lyester and other
materials .
@ Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the max i
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry.
@ Uniform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
tr action and temper ature
resistance
Treadwear, traction and tempera
ture
ranges ~ page 260.
@ Running direction
@Maximum permitted
inflation pressure
This 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 comb ined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto matic transmission, power steer -
ing, power brakes, power
..

Wheel s
Load rating (code )
means the maximum load that a
tire is ra ted to carry for a given in
flation pressure. You may not find
this info rmatio n on all tires be
cause it is not required by law .
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at
the maximum permissible infla
tion pressure for that tire .
Maximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Ma ximum (permissible )
inflation pressure
means the maximum cold infla
tion pressure to which a tire may be inflated . A lso called "maxi
mum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs (68 kg) times the
number of occupants seated in
the vehicle up to the total seating
capacity of your vehicle.
248
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 distance be
tween the exteriors of the side
walls of an inflated tire, inc lud ing
elevations due to labeling, deco rations, or protective bands or
ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular production options weighing over 5 lbs
(2 .3 kg) in excess of those stand
ard items which they replace, not
previously considered in curb
weight or accessory weight, in cluding heavy duty brakes, ride
levelers, roof rack, heavy duty
battery, and special trim.
Radial ply ti re
means a pneumatic tire in which
the ply cords that extend to the
...

0 co .... N ,.... N .... 0 ,....
"' co
passengers that the vehicle is in
tended to carry ("seating capaci
ty") with an assumed weight of
150 lbs. (68 kg) for each passen
ger at a designated seating posi
tion and the total weight of any luggage in the vehicle.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle's two axles.
The fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi
cle Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle is limited.
The more passengers in the vehi
cle or passengers who are heavier
than the standard weights as sumed mean that less weight can
be carried as luggage.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli
ance sticker label located on the
driver's side B-pillar.
A WARNING
-
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per
sonal injury, and even death .
Wheels
-Carrying more weight than
your vehicle was designed to
carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and
increase the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that
has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has
been overloaded can fail sud
denly, including a blowout and
sudden deflation, causing loss
of control and a crash.
-A lways make sure that the to
tal load being transported
does not make the vehicle
heavier than the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
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.
~
257