2020 AUDI A8 tow

4N0012721BD
Trailer towing

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 energy
usage, performance, and wear. It also requires
higher concentration from the driver.

Z\ WARNING
Do not transport any people in a trailer due to
the risk of fatal injury.
Technical requirements
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.
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 > @.
CG) 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
Towing capacity
Your vehicle can only be operated with class 1 or
class 2 trailers.
Load distribution
Poor cargo load and distribution can negatively
impact vehicle handling. Load the trailer based
on the following criteria as much as possible:
— Store objects in the vehicle luggage compart-
ment, if possible. The vehicle should always
carry the heaviest possible load and the trailer
should have the lightest possible load.
— Distribute the load in the trailer so that the
heavy objects are as close to the axle as possi-
ble.
— Secure objects so that they do not slide.
— Utilize the maximum permitted tongue weight
if possible.
Tires
Set the tire pressure on your vehicle for a “full
load”; see the tire pressure sticker > page 299. If
necessary, also adjust the tire pressure on the
trailer according to the manufacturer's specifica-
tions.
The trailer and the vehicle should be equipped
with winter tires when driving in winter tempera-
tures.
Outside mirrors
If you cannot see the traffic behind the trailer
with the standard exterior mirrors, then you
must attach additional exterior mirrors. Adjust
them so you have a sufficient visibility behind
you.
Exterior lighting
Follow the legal regulations for lighting on your
trailer that are applicable in the country where
151
>

Trailer towing

you are operating the vehicle. Contact an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty for more information.
Before you start driving, check all lighting equip-
ment on the trailer while it is hitched to the vehi-
cle.
The headlight range control automatically ad-
justs the light range of the headlights.
Safety chains
Make sure the safety chains are correctly applied
when pulling a trailer. The chains should hang
enough so that the trailer can drive around
curves. However, they must not touch the
ground.
Air suspension
Applies to: vehicles with air suspension
The Audi drive select* comfort mode > page 128
must be selected before you adjust the tongue
weight on the trailer and hitch the trailer >@,
=> page 130.
Likewise, the vehicle cannot be raised manually
using the Raise function > page 130.
For vehicles with a retrofitted trailer hitch, you
must switch on the air suspension trailer mode
manually.
Applies to: MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Settings & Service > Air suspension:
trailer.
Switch it off again when you are no longer towing
a trailer.
When using carrier systems that are mounted di-
rectly on the trailer hitch ball head, you can also
switch trailer mode off manually.
If you must drive on roads that are in poor condi-
tion, you can raise the vehicle again after hitching
the trailer or after adjusting the tongue weight
=> page 130.
Vehicle levels below the values set in the comfort
level will no longer be available, even if you are
lowering the vehicle manually.
152

Z\ WARNING
— Never turn off trailer mode while driving
when a trailer is hitched, because then the
restrictions for controlling the vehicle level
will be turned off.
— Driving with a trailer on unpaved roads when
the vehicle is raised may change the vehicle
handling. Adapt your speed.
— Note that the vehicle will lower automatical-
ly at certain speeds if you have lifted the ve-
hicle manually.
() Note
— Applies to: vehicles with air suspension: Se-
lect the Audi drive select* comfort mode.
Otherwise, the tongue load specified for
your vehicle will no longer be applicable.
— Attachments retrofitted on the vehicle may
cause damage, especially on the trailer
hitch ball head. In cases of damage, have
the function checked by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
G) Tips
— Block the wheels with chocks when parking
on inclines if the trailer is loaded.
— Having the vehicle inspected between the
inspection intervals is recommended if you
tow a trailer frequently.

— Avoid driving with a trailer during the vehi-
cle break-in period.
Driving with a trailer
Driving with a trailer requires extra caution.
Speed
Adhere to the legal speed limits. Follow the legal
regulations that are applicable in the country
where you are operating the vehicle.
As the speed increases, the driving stability of
the trailer decreases. Therefore you should not
exceed the maximum legal speed limit when
there are unfavorable road, weather, and/or wind
conditions. This especially applies when driving
downhill.

4N0012721BD
Trailer towing

Hill
When you start driving uphill or downhill, trailers
may tilt or sway sooner than when driving ona
level surface. If small swaying movements have
already occurred, you can stabilize the trailer by
firmly braking immediately. Never attempt to
“straighten out” the trailer by accelerating.
Conventional drive system: Downshift before
driving on hills to utilize the engine braking ef-
fect SA.
Plug-in hybrid drive: reduce the speed and use
the
recuperation braking effect > page 118 to re-
lieve the brakes > A\.
Brakes
When using a trailer with overrun brakes, first
brake gently then quickly. This reduces the risk of
jerking while braking if the trailer wheels lock up.
Engine coolant temperature
Pay attention specifically to the coolant tempera-
ture display when there are high outside temper-
atures, and when driving on long inclines
=> page 14. Shift to a higher gear in a timely man-
ner.

ZA\ WARNING
Constant braking causes the brakes to over-
heat and can substantially reduce braking per-
formance, increase braking distance, or cause
complete failure of the brake system.

153

Driver assistance

Driver assistance
Cruise control system
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
The cruise control system assists the driver in
maintaining a constant speed above approxi-
mately 15 mph (20 km/h). The system maintains
the desired speed by braking and accelerating.

ZA WARNING
— Always pay attention to the traffic around
your vehicle when the cruise control system
is in operation. As the driver, you are always
responsible for controlling your vehicle
speed and the distance between your vehicle
and
other vehicles.
— For safety reasons, cruise control should not
be used in the city, in stop-and-go traffic, on
winding roads, and when road conditions are
poor (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain,
and conditions that could lead to hydroplan-
ing), because this increases the risk of an ac-
cident.
— Switch the cruise control off temporarily
when driving in turning lanes, highway exits,
or in construction zones.
—To reduce the risk of an accident, you should
only resume the stored speed if it is suitable
for the current traffic conditions.


C) Note
— Conventional drive system: Before driving
downhill a long distance on a steep hill, de-
crease your speed and select a lower gear.
This makes use of the engine braking effect
and reduces the load placed on the brakes.
— Plug-in hybrid drive: Before driving downhill
a long distance on a steep hill, decrease
your speed and use the braking effect of re-
cuperation > page 118. This reduces the
load on the brakes.
@ Tips
The brake lights turn on when the brakes are
applied automatically.
166
Switching the system on
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system

BFV-0220



Fig. 123 Lever: switching on the cruise control system
Requirement: The ignition must be switched on.
> To switch the system on, pull the lever toward
you to position @.
The Ga or 8) indicator light and the corre-
sponding message will appear in the instrument
cluster.

A WARNING
If the brakes are malfunctioning (for example,
overheating) while the cruise control system
is switched on, it may shut off automatically.
Preselecting or activating a cruise control
speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system

When the vehicle is stationary, you can preselect
the cruise control speed or activate the speed
while driving.
Requirement: the system must be switched on.
> To preselect a cruise control speed when the ve-
hicle is stationary, tap the lever toward @)/C)
=> page 166, fig. 123.
> To activate the cruise control speed, pull the
lever
toward position @ while driving, or
> To set the current driving speed as the cruise
control speed, press the button @) on the lever.
The active cruise control speed is indicated with
the Gs or kl indicator light in the instrument
cluster.
An additional indicator appears in the head-up
display*.

4N0012721BD
Driver assistance

Changing the cruise control speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
> To increase or decrease the cruise control speed
in small increments, tap the lever up to the
first level toward @)/C) > page 166, fig. 123.
> To increase or decrease the cruise control speed
in larger increments, tap the lever up to the
second level toward ()/C).
> To increase or decrease the cruise control speed
continuously, tap and hold the lever at the first
or second level toward @)/G).
Overriding or deactivating the cruise
control speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
You can override or deactivate the cruise control
system. When you deactivate the system, your
cruise control speed will be stored and you can
resume that speed.
Requirement: the system must be switched on
and activated.
Overriding
> To temporarily override the cruise control
speed, press the accelerator pedal.
> Once you release the accelerator pedal, the sys-
tem will adjust back to the stored cruise control
speed.
If you override the cruise control system for a
long period of time, the cruise control system
will be deactivated. The ICRUISE| or 88) indicator
light will be displayed and the cruise control
speed will be saved.
Deactivating
> To deactivate the cruise control speed, press
the lever toward (2) (not locked into place)
=> page 166, fig. 123.
> Press the brake pedal.

ZA WARNING
Resting your foot on the accelerator pedal
could override the cruise control. This will pre-
vent braking interventions by the system.

Seem Leal
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
When you switch the system off completely, the
cruise control speed will be deleted.
Requirement: the system must be switched on.
> To switch the system off, press the lever toward
@ (locked into place) > page 166, fig. 123, or
> Switch the ignition off.
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
Gk / 3) Speed control system: currently un-
available. See owner's manual
If the indicator light turns on and this message
appears, the cruise control system has been deac-
tivated. There is a temporary malfunction, for ex-
ample the brakes are overheating. Switch the
cruise control system on again later.
Efficiency assist
Applies to: vehicles with efficiency assist
Efficiency assist can assist the driver with predic-
tive information in order to reduce fuel consump-
tion. Depending on vehicle equipment, the sys-
tem may access data from the navigation system,
the camera behind the windshield, and the radar
sensors.
When you remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal, efficiency assist controls downhill mode
with recuperation, depending on the situation.
Adjusting the efficiency assist
You can adjust efficiency assist functions individ-
ually. The settings depend on the vehicle equip-
ment.
— Predictive messages > page 168.
— Predictive control > page 169.
— Accelerator pedal feedback > page 115.
— Interactive accelerator > page 115.
167

4N0012721BD
Driver assistance



ZA\ WARNING
Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 154.

Using adaptive cruise assist
Applies to: vehicles with adaptive cruise assist


RAZ-0096

Fig. 129 Lever: using adaptive cruise assist


2
z
5
©

B4M-0232

Fig. 130 Operating lever: changing the speed
Switching on
> To switch on the adaptive cruise assist, pull the
lever up to position @ until it engages.
Storing the speed and activating regulation
If you have switched the system on, you can set
the current speed as the “regulated speed” and
activate regulation:

> Press the SET button (2). The set speed is indi-
cated with a marking in the speedometer (@)
=> page 172, fig. 127 and shown in the instru-
ment cluster > A\.
> To store the speed when stationary, the brake
pedal must also be pressed.
You can set any speed between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and the maximum possible speed
range @).
Pausing cruise control
The control can be stopped at any time:
> While driving or when the vehicle is stationary:
press the lever away from you in the direction
of the arrow. Or
> while driving: Press the brake pedal.
The A indicator light turns off.
Resuming regulation
The previously set speed can be resumed at any
time after a pause.
> To resume cruise control while driving, pull the
lever
toward you in the direction of the arrow.
> To resume cruise control when stationary, pull
the lever toward you in the direction of the ar-
row while pressing the brake pedal.
Changing the speed
> To increase or decrease the set speed in smaller
increments, briefly tap the lever toward @) or
© to the first level.
> To increase or decrease the set speed in larger
increments, briefly tap the lever toward @) or
© to the second level.
> To increase or decrease the set speed quickly,
hold the lever toward () or ©) until the mark-
ing in the speedometer @) > page 172, fig. 127
has reached the desired speed.
Preselecting a speed
You can also preselect the set speed when adap-
tive cruise assist is not active by moving the lever
in the desired direction toward () or C). Activate
the previously selected speed by pulling the lever
toward you in the direction of the arrow.
Switching off
If you do not want to use the adaptive cruise as-
sist for a longer period of time, you can switch it
off.
> To switch off the adaptive cruise assist, push
the lever away from you to position © until it
engages.
The indicator light and the set speed will turn on. >
173

4N0012721BD
Driver assistance

— The driver's hands are not on the steering
wheel
Steering intervention request
If no steering activity is detected or the steering
power is not sufficient, the driver steering inter-
vention request will alert the driver using audio
and visual signals. Take over the steering and
keep your hands on the steering wheel so that
you will be ready to steer at any time. The system
will become inactive after a short time and will
only be active again later.
If the driver does not take over steering, adaptive
cruise assist will be canceled. If the vehicle is
equipped with emergency assist and it is ready to
function, it will be activated > page 190.

ZA WARNING
Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 154.

@ Tips
— Always keep your hands on the steering
wheel. The driver is always responsible for
adhering to the regulations applicable in
the country where the vehicle is being oper-
ated.
— It is recommended to only switch on lane
guidance on well-constructed roads.
— Certain settings are stored automatically in
the active personal profile.
—The & fig. 131 button switches lane guid-
ance availability and the lane departure
warning on or off simultaneously, if lane
guidance is preset in the adaptive cruise as-
sist settings.
Setting the distance
Applies to: vehicles with adaptive cruise assist

B4M-0234



Fig. 132 Operating lever: setting the distance
If you adjust the speed, you must also change the
time gap to the vehicle driving ahead. The higher
the speed, the greater the distance that is need-
ed.
> Tap the rocker switch to display the distance
that is currently set.
> To increase or decrease the distance in incre-
ments, tap the switch again toward G) or ().
The newly-set distance will be shown briefly, for
example with the indicator light. In the Driv-
er assistance display, a graphic display is shown
instead of the indicator lights > page 172,
fig. 128. The display matches the functions of
the indicator lights.
When approaching a vehicle driving ahead, the
adaptive cruise assist brakes to the set speed and
then maintains the set distance. If the vehicle
driving ahead accelerates, then the adaptive
cruise assist will also accelerate up to the speed
that you have set.
The following distances can be set:
175

Driver assistance


Meaning

The time between is approximately 1
second. This setting corresponds to a
distance of approximately 92 feet (28
m) when traveling at 62 mph (100
km/h).
The time between is approximately 1.3
seconds. This setting corresponds toa
distance of approximately 118 feet (36
m) when traveling at 62 mph (100
km/h).
My
The time between is approximately 1.8
seconds. This setting meets the general
recommendation of “half the speed
shown on the speedometer”. This cor-
responds to a distance of approximate-
ly 164 feet (SO m) when traveling at
62 mph (100 km/h).
The time between is approximately 2.4
seconds. This setting corresponds to a
distance of approximately 219 feet
(67 m) when traveling at 62 mph (100
km/h).
iN)
The time between is approximately 3.6
seconds. This setting corresponds to a
distance of approximately 328 feet
(100 m) when traveling at 62 mph (100
km/h).
D


ZA\ WARNING
Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 154.

G) Tips
— When setting the distance, the driver is re-
sponsible for adhering to any applicable le-
gal regulations.
— Depending on the selected driving program
and distance, driving behavior when acceler-
ating may vary from moderate to sporty
= page 178, Adjusting the adaptive cruise
assist.
— The distances provided are specified values.
Depending on the driving situation and how
the vehicle ahead is driving, the actual dis-
176
tance may be more or less than these target
distances.
Overriding control
Applies to: vehicles with adaptive cruise assist

[RAZ-0096|


Fig. 133 Lever: overriding the control
Requirement: the adaptive cruise assist must be
switched on.
Overriding control
You can completely override the control, for ex-
ample when passing or if you would like to accel-
erate more quickly.
> To accelerate manually, pull the lever toward
you in the direction of the arrow and hold it
there, or press the accelerator pedal.
> To resume the usual cruise control, release the
lever or remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
When you are in the Driver assistance display,
the message Overridden will appear.

ZA\ WARNING
— Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 154.
— Resting your foot on the accelerator pedal
could override the cruise control. Braking in-
terventions and corrective actions by the
system may not occur.