2021 AUDI A4 steering

Sitting correctly and safely

> Move the head restraint upward all the way.
> Insert a suitable object, such as the extended
vehicle key or mechanical key, into the release
point @ on the inside or outside of the base.
> Press the button @) and pull the head restraint
out of the backrest.
Installing the headrests
> Fold the backrest forward slightly > page 85.
>» Slide the posts on the head restraint down into
the guides until the posts click into place.
> Press the button @) and slide the head restraint
all the way down. It should not be possible to
remove the head restraint from the backrest
without pressing the button.
Safety belts
Each seat is equipped with a three-point safety
belt. Safety belts that are worn correctly are the
most effective way to reduce the risk of serious or
fatal injuries in a collision. Therefore, wear your
safety belt correctly and make sure that all vehi-
cle passengers are also wearing their safety belts
correctly when the vehicle is moving.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an air-
bag system, every vehicle passenger must still al-
ways wear the appropriate safety belt. In addi-
tion to their normal protective function, safety
belts also hold vehicle occupants in the correct
seating position in the event of a collision so that
the airbags can deploy correctly and provide addi-
tional protection. Safety belts provide protection
during collisions when the airbags do not deploy
or if they have already deployed.

ZA WARNING
The risk of serious or fatal injury increases if
the safety belt is not fastened, if it is worn in-
correctly, or if it is damaged.
— All vehicle occupants, including the driver,
must fasten their safety belts correctly be-
fore every trip and must always keep their
safety belts fastened during the trip, regard-
less of whether the seat is equipped with an
airbag or not. This also applies to children

68


that are seated in a child safety seat that is
appropriate for their weight and age and
that is secured with a safety belt.
In the event of a collision, vehicle occupants
that are not wearing safety belts could be
propelled through the vehicle interior and
collide with vehicle components, such as the
steering wheel, instrument panel, wind-
shield, or doors. In some situations, vehicle
occupants could also be ejected from the ve-
hicle. Vehicle occupants in the rear seats
who do not wear safety belts not only en-
danger themselves, but also other people in
the vehicle.
Only one person may be fastened with a
safety belt at a time. Never secure more
than one person, including children, with a
single safety belt.
Never allow children or infants to ride on an-
other person's lap and be belted into the
safety belt with them.
Insert the belt buckle only in the belt latch
belonging to the corresponding seat, so that
the protective function is not impaired.
To ensure the maximum protective function
of the safety belts, all vehicle passengers
must sit in the correct seating position
=> page 63.
Check the condition of your vehicle’s safety
belts regularly > page 256. If you find dam-
age to the belt webbing, the belt connec-
tions, the retractor, or the buckle, have the
damaged safety belt replaced by an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
The safety belts must not be removed or
modified in any way. Do not attempt to re-
pair the safety belts yourself.
Safety belts that are strained during an acci-
dent must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty.

Sitting correctly and safely


of whether the seat is equipped with an air-
bag or not.
— Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, out of the window, or on the seat sur-
faces. To help ensure that the airbag system
can deploy correctly, never bend forward or
lean on the door or the side window. Other-
wise, serious and possibly fatal injuries can
occur if the airbags deploy.
— People, animals, or objects between the
passengers and the airbag system can inter-
fere with the correct deployment of the air-
bag or can be thrown through the vehicle in-
terior, increasing the risk of serious or fatal
injuries. Make sure that nothing is located
between the vehicle occupants and the air-
bag system. Do not secure or transport any
objects within the deployment zone of the
airbag systems, especially on the steering
wheel, on the instrument panel, on the
doors, on the windows, or in the footwell.
— Never put stickers on the airbag system cov-
ers or cover them with any objects.
— Only lightweight clothing should be hung
from the garment hooks in the vehicle. Do
not use clothes hangers to hang clothing.
The pockets of the clothing must not con-
tain any heavy, breakable, or sharp-edged
objects. This could impair the effectiveness
of the side curtain airbags.
— You must not use seat or protective covers
that are not specifically approved for use on
Audi seats with side airbags. Since the side
airbags deploy from the seat backrest, such
covers could impair the protective function
of the side airbags.
— Damage to the original seat covers in the
side airbag deployment area must always be
repaired by an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility.
— Airbag system components are installed at
various locations in your vehicle. Incorrect
work or repairs on the vehicle could damage
the airbag system components or impair
their functionality. This may prevent the air-
bags from deploying or cause them to de-
ploy incorrectly in the event of an accident,
which increases the risk of serious or fatal

72
injuries. Only have an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility make re-
pairs or modifications to a vehicle.
— The airbag system can only provide protec-
tion during one collision. If there is another
collision, the airbag system will not deploy
again. If the airbag system has deployed,
have it replaced immediately by an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
— Fine dust may appear if the airbags deploy.
This is completely normal and does not indi-
cate a fire in the vehicle. The fine dust can ir-
ritate the skin and mucous membranes in
the eyes and can cause difficulty breathing,
particularly for individuals who have or have
had asthma or other health issues that af-
fect breathing. Exit the vehicle or open the
windows or doors to get access to fresh air.
(i) Tips
If you are transporting children in the vehicle,
read the information and follow the safety
precautions > page 76.
Safety systems monitoring
The ka indicator light in the instrument cluster
monitors the safety systems such as the airbags
(including the control modules, sensor, and wir-
ing) and the belt tensioners. It turns on when you
switch the ignition on and turns off after several
seconds.


If the indicator light does not turn on when the
ignition is switched on, does not turn off after
several seconds, or turns on or flashes while driv-
ing, there may be a malfunction in one of the
safety systems. Drive to an authorized Audi deal-
er or authorized Audi Service Facility immediately
to have the malfunction corrected.

ZA WARNING
Have the malfunction in the safety systems in-
spected immediately. Otherwise, there is a
risk that the systems may not activate during
an accident, which increases the risk of seri-
ous or fatal injury.

Sitting correctly and safely

within milliseconds. Inflated airbags reduce the
movement of passengers wearing safety belts in
the direction of the impact and thus help to re-
duce the risk of injury. They can help to protect
the head, upper body, and lap, for example. How-
ever, there is the possibility that airbag deploy-
ment can cause injuries.
The airbag system only works when the ignition
is turned on.
If you or other vehicle passengers have physical
limitations that prevent sitting in a correct posi-
tion, modifications to the vehicle may be neces-
sary. For more information, contact an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty, or call Audi customer support at
1-800-822-2834.
@) Tips
The side curtain airbags in your vehicle have
ejection mitigation functions. This reduces
the risk of being ejected from the vehicle inte-
rior during an accident, especially in the event
of a vehicle rollover.
Advanced airbag system

Fig. 69 Headliner: indicator light to display the status of
the front passenger's airbag
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has
been certified to comply with the requirements
of the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (FMVSS) 208, as well as Canada Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 as applica-
ble at the time your vehicle was manufactured.
According to these requirements, the front Ad-
vanced Airbag System on the passenger’s side
has been certified for “suppression” for infants
approximately 12 months old and younger, and
74
for “low risk deployment” for children aged 3 to
6 years old (as defined in the standard).
The advanced airbag system will activate or deac-
tivate the front passenger's airbag based on the
occupancy of the seat. If a front airbag deploys
during an accident, the deployment force will
adapt to the passenger.
Components
The advanced airbag system consists of the fol-
lowing components:
— Front airbags in the steering wheel and in the
instrument panel on the front passenger's side:
these can protect the front passengers during
an accident
— Passenger occupant detection sensor in the
front passenger's seat: this detects if the front
passenger's seat is occupied (for example, by a
person or asmall child in a child safety seat)
— Seat position sensors on the front seats: these
determine the distance between the seat and
the steering wheel or instrument panel
— Sensors in the front seat belt latch: these de-
tect if the safety belts are fastened
— PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ; ON ® indi-
cator light in the headliner:this indicates if the
front passenger's airbag is activated or deacti-
vated
- ka indicator light in the instrument cluster:
this monitors the function of the Advanced Air-
bag System components to ensure they are
functioning correctly
How the components function together
The passenger occupant detection sensor in the
front passenger's seat detects if the front pas-
senger's seat is occupied. The passenger occu-
pant detection sensor measures the electrical ca-
pacity on the front passenger’s seat. The pas-
senger's airbag is activated or deactivated de-
pending on the electrical capacity that is meas-
ured.
The passenger's airbag is activated if:
— The electrical capacity is higher than the
threshold stored in the control module

8W1012721BC
Warm and cold

& Defrosting
The windshield and side windows are defrosted
or cleared of condensation as quickly as possible.
Align the outer air vents with the side windows.
The maximum amount of air flows mainly from
the vents below the windshield. Recirculation
mode switches off. The temperature should be
set at 72 °F (+22 °C) or higher. The temperature
is controlled automatically.
You can switch the defroster on or off using the
X& button. You can switch the function off by
pressing a knob (4).
@ Rear window defogger
The rear window defogger only operates when
the engine is running. It switches off automati-
cally after 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the
outside temperature.
To prevent the rear window defogger from
switching off automatically, press and hold the
® button for more than three seconds. This is
stored until the ignition is switched off.
Vents
You can open or close the center and rear vents in
the cockpit and the vents in the rear center con-
sole using the ridged thumbwheels. The levers
adjust the direction of the airflow from the vents.
Residual heat
You can activate the residual heat function when
the ignition is switched off by pressing the knob
@ (left side). The residual heat from the coolant
is used to heat the vehicle interior. The residual
heat function switches off automatically after
about 15 minutes.
Additional settings
Applies to: vehicles with 3-zone deluxe automatic climate
control system
You can adjust additional settings.
> Applies to MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Air conditioning.
Auto recirculation
When switched on, automatic recirculation con-
trols the recirculation mode automatically. You
must press the && button if fog forms on the win-
dows.
Steering wheel heating
Sica Lie mola
Applies to: vehicles with steering wheel heating
> Press the @ button on the multifunction steer-
ing wheel to switch the steering wheel heating
on and off.
Applies to: vehicles with steering wheel heating
@ Steering wheel heating: on / Steering wheel
heating: off
This message appears if you switched the steer-
ing wheel heating on or off by pressing the but-
ton on the multifunction steering wheel.
Steering wheel heating: malfunction! See own-
er's manual
If this message appears, there is a malfunction.
Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.
Fluids in the A/C system
Refrigerant in the A/C system
The sticker in the engine compartment provides
information about the type and amount of refrig-
erant used in the vehicle’s A/C system. The stick-
er is located in the front section of the engine
compartment or at the front or back of the hood.

Symbol
A
ss
at
Meaning

Warning: the A/C system must only
be serviced by qualified technicians.

Refrigerant type

Lubricant type >

93

8W1012721BC
Driving

Driving
Starting the vehicle
(eta
Applies to: vehicles with convenience key



Fig. 93 Center console: starting the engine
Requirement: the key must be in the vehicle.
Starting the engine
> Press and hold the brake pedal.
> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button. The


engine will start.
Equipment that uses a lot of electricity is switch-
ed off temporarily when you start the engine. If
the engine does not start immediately, the start-
ing procedure stops automatically after a short
time. If this is the case, repeat the starting pro-
cedure after approximately 30 seconds.
Stopping the engine
> Bring the vehicle to a full stop.
> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button. The


engine will switch off.
Applies to: vehicles with steering lock: The steer-
ing is locked when you turn off the engine and
open the driver's door. The steering lock helps
prevent vehicle theft. “P” must be engaged on
vehicles with an automatic transmission.
Stopping the engine in an emergency
If necessary in an emergency, the engine can also
be stopped while driving using the emergency off
function*.

> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button twice in
a row or press and hold it one time.

Switching on and off
If you would like to switch the ignition on or off
without starting the engine, follow these steps:

> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button without
pressing the brake pedal.

Switching the ignition off automatically
To prevent the vehicle battery from draining, the
ignition and possibly the exterior lighting may
switch off automatically.
Requirements:
— The Start/Stop system must have stopped the
engine.
— You must have left the vehicle for longer than
30 seconds.
— The ignition must be switched on.
Among other indicators, the system detects that
you have left the vehicle based on the following
factors:
— The driver's door has been opened.
— The driver's safety belt has been unbuckled.
— The brake pedal is not being pressed.
The ignition will also be switched off after 30 mi-
nutes or if you lock the vehicle from the outside.

Z\ WARNING
—To reduce the risk of asphyxiation, never al-
low the engine to run in confined spaces.
— Never turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. Switching it
off before the vehicle has stopped may im-
pair the function of the brake booster and
power steering. You would then need to use
more force to steer and brake the vehicle.
The fact that you cannot steer and brake as
usual may increase the risk of accidents and
serious injuries.
— Secure the vehicle against rolling before ex-
iting the vehicle > page 96.

CG) Note
— Avoid high engine speed, full throttle, and
heavy engine load if the engine has not
reached operating temperature yet. You
could damage the engine.
95

Driving

— If the engine has been under heavy load for
an extended period of time, heat builds up
in the engine compartment after the engine
is switched off and there is a risk of damag-
ing the engine. For this reason, let the en-
gine run at idle for approximately two mi-
nutes before shutting it off.
G) Tips
— Brief noises are normal when starting and
stopping the vehicle and are no cause for
concern.
— For up to 10 minutes after stopping the en-
gine, the radiator fan may turn on again au-
tomatically or it may continue to run, even if
the ignition is switched off.
— It may not be possible to start the vehicle in
extremely low temperatures.
— Power will be fully available once the engine
is at operating temperature.
Messages
= Engine start system: malfunction! Please
contact Service
There is a malfunction in the engine start system.
Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.
B Remote control key: key not detected. Is the
key
still in the vehicle?
The vehicle key was removed from the vehicle
while the engine is running. If the vehicle key is
no longer in the vehicle, you cannot switch the ig-
nition on or start the engine once you stop it. You
also cannot lock the vehicle from the outside.
Remote control key: hold back of key
against the designated area. See owner's man-
ual
The battery in the vehicle key may be drained or
there may be a malfunction. To start the vehicle,
you must also hold the vehicle key against the lo-
cation shown ?) > page 95, fig. 93.
If the malfunction remains, drive immediately to
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
96
Service Facility to have the malfunction correct-
ed.
When driving
Starting to drive, stopping, and parking
Starting from a stop
> Press and hold the brake pedal.
> Start the engine.
> Select a gear.
> Release the parking brake.
> Release the brake pedal. The vehicle may roll.
> Press the accelerator pedal to accelerate.
Securing the vehicle against rolling
Secure your vehicle to prevent it from rolling be-
fore exiting the vehicle.
> Set the parking brake.
> Select the “P” selector lever position.
> If parking on a steep road, turn the steering
wheel so that your vehicle will roll against the
curb in case it should start to move.
If one of these measures is not possible, for ex-
ample because there is no vehicle power, you
must secure your vehicle against rolling using ad-
ditional measures.
> Only park the vehicle on a level surface.
> Use suitable objects to block the front and rear
wheels.
Set the parking brake before selecting the “P” se-
lector lever position. This prevents too much
stress from being placed on the locking mecha-
nism when parking on a steep surface.

ZA WARNING
— Always set the parking brake when leaving
your vehicle, even if for a short period of
time. If the parking brake is not set, the ve-
hicle could roll away, increasing the risk of
an accident.
— Do not leave your vehicle unattended while
the engine is running, because this increases
the risk of an accident.
— If the parking brake is set, it can release au-
tomatically when the accelerator pedal is

pressed. To reduce the risk of an accident, >

8W1012721BC
Driving

Manual shifting


RAZ-0411


Fig. 95 Center console: shifting manually with the selector
lever



Fig. 96 Steering wheel: shift paddles*
You can shift the gears manually when in “D”
mode. The transmission must be in tiptronic
mode. You can shift into manual shifting mode
while the vehicle is stationary or while driving.
Shifting with the selector lever
> To switch to manual shifting mode, tilt the se-
lector lever toward the front passenger's side
=> fig. 95. “M” will be displayed in the instru-
ment cluster.
> Upshifting: push the selector lever forward @).
> Downshifting: push the selector lever toward
the rear ©).
> To switch back to automatic mode, tilt the se-
lector lever toward the driver's side.
Shifting with the shift paddles
Applies to: vehicles with shift paddles
> Upshifting: press the @) shift paddle 9 fig. 96.
> Downshifting: press the ©) shift paddle.
> To switch back to automatic mode, press and
hold the (4) shift paddle or push the selector
lever toward the rear.

If you stop using the shift paddles temporarily,
the transmission will switch back to automatic
mode. To keep shifting manually, tilt the selector
lever toward the front passenger's side.
iG) Tips
— The transmission only allows manual shift-
ing when the engine speed is within the per-
mitted range.
— The transmission automatically shifts up or
down before critical engine speed is
reached.
Accelerator pedal
You can accelerate the vehicle using the accelera-
tor pedal.
Maximum acceleration
If you press the accelerator pedal all the way
down, the motor’s full power will be used and
you will reach maximum acceleration, also called
“kick-down”.
JX WARNING
The driving wheels could spin and the vehicle
could swerve on slick or slippery road surfaces
when using kick-down, which increases the
risk of an accident.


99

Driving

ient and environmentally-friendly

9g
Your driving style greatly influences the amount
of fuel and energy consumed, the environmental
impact, and the wear on the engine, brakes, and
tires. Note the following information for efficient
and environmentally-conscious driving:
— Turn off electrical equipment that is not need-
ed, for example seat heating*.
— Anticipate upcoming traffic situations while
driving to avoid unnecessary acceleration and
braking.
— Avoid driving at high speeds.
— Avoid adding extra weight to the vehicle if pos-
sible, for example by not leaving roof racks or
bike racks installed when they are not needed.
— Make sure the tire pressure is correct.
— Have maintenance performed regularly on the
vehicle.
— Do not let the engine run while the vehicle
parked.
— Do not drive with winter tires during the summ-
er.
— Use the Start/Stop system.
— Utilize the engine braking effect.
— Avoid driving short distances when possible.
@® Tips
The amount of noise produced by the vehicle
can increase significantly when driving with a
sporty style. Show respect to others around
you and the environment with the way you op-
erate your vehicle, especially at night.
ME ey
Your vehicle is equipped with an intelligent ener-
gy management system for distributing electrici-
ty. This significantly improves the starting ability
and increases the vehicle battery life.
@) Tips
— If you drive short distances frequently, the
vehicle battery may not charge enough
while driving. As a result, convenience func-
tions for electrical equipment may be tem-
porarily unavailable.
102
— The vehicle battery will gradually drain if
the vehicle is not driven for long periods of
time, or if electrical equipment is used
when the engine is not running. To ensure
that the vehicle can still be started, the
electrical equipment will be limited or
switched off.
I Cr Te (1
B Drive system: malfunction! Safely stop vehi-
cle
There is a malfunction in the drive system. The
brake
booster and the power steering may stop
working. Stop the vehicle immediately or as soon
as possible and do not continue driving. Secure
the vehicle against rolling before exiting the vehi-
cle > page 96. Have the problem corrected by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
B Drive system: malfunction! Please contact
Service
There is a malfunction in the drive system. Drive
slowly to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility to have the malfunction cor-
rected.
Start/Stop system
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system
The Start/Stop system can help increase fuel
economy and reduce CO2 emissions.
In Start/Stop mode, the engine shuts off auto-
matically when stopped, for example at a traffic
light. If certain conditions are met, the engine
may stop before the vehicle has come to a com-
plete stop. If you press the accelerator pedal
when this happens, the engine will start and driv-
ing power will be transmitted.
The ignition and important assist systems such
as the brake booster will remain available during
the Stop phase. The engine will restart automati-
cally when needed.
The Start/Stop system is automatically activated
once the ignition is switched on.