AUDI A5 COUPE 2011 Owners Manual
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pressing the=> page 236, fig. 198 button. When it is activated, the
message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display.
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if req uired by press ing the button (for less
than 3 seconds) =>
page 236, fig. 198. With the ASR deactivated, the
ESP check light comes on, see=>
page 15. The message ASR off
appears in the display as well. The ASR can be deactivated at any
speed.
The ASR should normally be activated all the time . Only in certain
exceptional situations when some slip is desirable does it make sense
to deactivate the ASR. Examp les:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck .
When the abnormal situation is over, you sho uld activate the ASR
again.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
(I) Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four whee ls must be fitted
with ident ical tir es . Any differences in rolling radius of the tir es can
cause the system to reduce eng ine power when this is not desired .
See also =>
page 303, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Braking
General information
What
affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending la rgely on ope rating conditions and driving habits=>& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic or
are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your authorized
Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte
nance booklet.
Failure to have your b rake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you should use the braking effect of the engine. This
way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you must
use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously. Pump the
brakes at intervals.
Noises may occur when b rak ing depending on the speed, braking
force and outside cond itions such as temperatu re and humid ity.
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 31 mph (50 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in
regula r interva ls so as to improve reaction time when braking on wet
surfaces. You, the driver, will not not ice anything.
Under certain condit ions, for example, when driving through water or
very heavy rai n, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking effect
can be reduced due to moisture (o r in free zing conditions ice) on the
bra ke pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off the brake
pads or remove any ice coatings.
Th e effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is
dr iven on a salt-covered road and the brakes are not used. H ere too,
you should clean off accumu lated salt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few careful applications of the brake=>&,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
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Corrosion
T he re may be a te ndency fo r d irt to build u p on the bra ke pads and
co rrosion to form on the d iscs if the car is not dr iven reg ularly o r only
for short trips with litt le use of the bra kes .
If the brakes a re not used freq uen tly, or if co rrosion has formed o n
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
fir mly a few times from a mode rat ely h igh spee d~ & .
Faults in the brake system
If yo u sh ou ld noti ce a sudden increase in b rake peda l trave l, then one
of the two brake circu its may have failed~& .
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfunctions can occ ur in t he brake system if the brake fluid level is
t oo low. The bra ke f lu id level is moni tore d elec tron ically.
Brake lin ing wear status
Brake lin ing wear may be checked by v isua l inspect ion of the condi
tion of the brake pads throu gh the open ings in the whee l.
If neces
sary, the whe el may be removed fo r thi s insp ection~
page 3 16,
"Changing a w hee l".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit. Other
road users must not be put at risk - you may cau se an accident!
• Before descending a steep grade, reduce speed and shift trans
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake . This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance.
• Under certain climatic and operating condition s such as
passing through water , driving in heavy rain or after washing the
& WARNING (co ntinued )
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winter,
ice can ac cumulate on the brake pads, linings, dis cs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake appli cations.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without u sing your brakes can also affect braking efficiency . Clean
off accumulated salt coating from b rake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applic ations.
• If you damage the front spoiler, or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes i s not obstructed .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping di stance. Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop.
n
Brake booster
The b roke boost er odds extra broking po wer.
The bra ke boos ter wor ks wi th v acuum pressure whi ch is crea ted o nly
when the eng ine is ru nning~ &.
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working, for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged, the brake pedal mu st be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance. •
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Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS}
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up under braking.
The ABS contributes effectively to vehicle control since it prevents the
w heels from
locking whe n the brakes are applied . This means t hat t he
vehicle rema ins steerable and is less likely to skid.
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake. Ju st hold the brake
pedal down .
However, do not expect the ABS to shorten braking distance under all
circu mstances. When d riving on gr ave l o r on new ly falle n snow o n top
of icy s urfaces, braking distance may be even longer, therefore, under
t he se c ir cu mstances, i t is especially importa nt that you dr ive slowly
and with great care.
How the ABS system works
An a utomat ic check is made when a speed of about 12 mph (20 km/h)
is reached. When this happens, a pumping noise can be heard.
If an individ ual w heel beg ins to rotate too slow ly in relat ion to vehicle
speed and tends to lock, t he ABS automat ic al ly reduces brake pres
sure to prevent t hat wheel from locking .
Thi s automatic adjustment process w ill cause a
slight vibrat ion of
t he bra ke ped al and some noises to aler t you th at vehicle s peed mus t
be adapted to existing road and traff ic conditions.
& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective , always remember that braking
capability i s limited by tire traction . Always adjust your driving
speed acco rding to the road and traffic condition s. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risk s.
T he ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics .
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
(I] Tips
•
If ABS is no t fun ct io ni ng prope rly, a wa rning light will come on .
See
=> page 17.
• If a fault occurs in the A BS, the EDL is also not functioning . This is
indicated by t he ABS warn ing light .•
Brake assist
Brake assist is designed to achieve the optimum braking
effect.
Bra ke ass ist helps to i ncrease the effe ctive br aking power and thus to
achieve a shorte r stopping distance . If the d river presses the brake
peda l very quickly, brake assist automatically boosts the bra king
force to the max imum level, up to the po int whe re the anti-lock b rake
function (ABS) intervenes to stop t he wheels from locki ng . You
should then keep the br ake peda l pressed unti l the veh icle has braked
to the required speed . Brake ass ist switches itself off as soon as you
re le ase the br ake pedal.
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast , especially in corners or on a slippery road , or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too clo sely. Increased ri sk of an
accident cannot be compensated for even by brake assist , so
alway s maintain a safe speed .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
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Servotronic® - advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise steering with little effort .
The advanced Servotronic® power steering system senses the road
speed and ele ct ronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortable and safe steering response exactly matched to the
veh icle speed .
Power steering will not work if the engine is off . As a resu lt, the
steeri ng wheel will be hard to turn.
T he power steeri ng fluid level is checked du ring the sched uled main
tenance services .
0 Note
If there is an electronic malfunction, servotronic will still function
like a conventional power s teer ing system, provid ing a cons tant
steering support force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed. This is most noticeable when t urning the s teer ing wheel at low
speeds (for example when park ing) , - more effor t will be required
than us ua l.
• Be aware of the d ifferent than usual steering response and adjust
your stee ring force accord ingly .
• Have the prob lem checked and set r ight by an Audi dealer as soon
as possib le.
[ i ] Tips
• When the e ngine is running, neve r hold the stee ring whee l turned
all the way to the rig ht or to the left for longer than 15 seconds. The
powe r steering pump wi ll overheat the hydra ulic fluid if yo u keep
holding the steering wheel turned all the way . This is likely to damage
t he power s teer ing system . •
If the power steering system s hou ld fa il entirely, or if the engine
is no t ru nning (fo r examp le, while be ing towed), you will st ill be able
to steer the vehicle. However,
considerably more effort will be
req uired to do so .
• If the power steering system should have a leak, or is not func
tioning prope rly, con tact your au thor ized A udi dealer immedia tely.
• The power steer ing system requires a specia lly formulated
hyd raulic fluid. The power steer ing rese rvoir is the one loc ated
farthest to the rear on the left s ide of the eng ine compartme nt
=>
page 2 76 . T he correct fluid leve l in the reservo ir is im port an t fo r
proper functioning of the power steeri ng .•
Dr"ving with your quattro®
With all wheel drive, all four wheels ore driven.
General information
With all wheel d rive, power is d istributed to all four wheels. This
h appens a utomatically depending on your dr iv ing style and t he road
conditions at the time . See also =>
page 238, "Electronic different ial
loc k (ED L)".
T he all whee l dr ive concept is designed for high engine power . Your
veh icle is except ionally powe rf ul and has excellent driving character
istics both under normal driving condit ions and on snow and ice .
Always read an d fo llow safety precautions =>& .
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with a ll whee l drive has an
adva ntage, even w ith regular t ires . In winter road cond it io ns it may
be advisable to mount winte r tires (or all-seaso n tires) for improved
dr iveability a nd b rak ing: t hese tires mus t be mounted on
all four
wheels . See also => page 307, "Winter ti res" .
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certa in roa ds, this norma lly a lso
applies to veh icles with a ll w heel drive =>
page 308, "Snow chains" . Iii-
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Repl acing wheel s/tires
Vehicles wi th all wheel drive must a lways have tires of t he same size.
Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see page
=> page 303, "New tires and rep lacing tires and wheels".
Off -Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road veh icle . It is therefore best to avo id ro ugh tracks and uneven
terrain as m uch as possible . Also refer to=>
page 247.
& WARNING
Alway s adju st your driving to road and traffi c conditi ons. Do not
let the ex tra safety afforded by all wheel dr ive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the all wheel dri ve is ve ry effecti ve, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not dri ve at ex cessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces .
• On wet road surfaces , be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheel s could begin to slide on top of the water (aqua
planing ). If th is should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road cond i
tions -ris k of crash.
n
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
E
nergy management contr ols th e distributi on of elec
tri cal energy and thus optimizes the availabili ty of elec
tri cal energ y for star ting the engin e.
If a vehicle with a conventiona l energy system is not dr iven for a long
per io d of time, t he battery is di sch arged by idling cur rent consume rs
(e .g. immob il izer) . In certain c ircumstances it can result in there
being insuffic ien t energy av a ilab le to start t he eng ine .
Inte lligent energy management in your ve hicle hand les the d istribu
tion of e lectrical energy . Starting ability is ma rkedly improved and
the l if e of the battery is extended.
Bas ically, energy management consists of
battery d iagnos is, idling
current management
a nd dynamic energy management .
Battery diagnosis
Battery d iagnosis con tinuously dete rmines the st ate o f the batte ry.
Sensors determ ine battery vo ltage, battery current and battery
t empe ra ture. This de termine s the cur rent sta te of cha rge and the
power of the battery.
Idling current management
I d ling current management reduces energy consumption wh ile the
vehicle is s tanding. W ith t he igni tion swi tched off, it con trols the
energy supply to the var io us electrical components. Data from
b att ery diag nosis is considered .
Depend ing on the battery 's state of charge, individual consumers a re
gradually t urned off to p revent excessive discha rge of the battery and
thus main tain start ing capab ility.
Dynamic energy management
Whi le the vehicle is being dr iven , dynamic energy management
dis tributes the energy generated a cco rding to the needs o f th e in di-
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
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vi dual components. It regulates consumption, so that more electrical
energy is not being used than is being generated and ensures an
optimal state of charge for the battery .
[I] Tips
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits of physics.
Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
• If starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
~ page 245, "Driver notification in the instrument cluster display" .•
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining starting capa
bility.
Th e battery is severe ly taxed in short-distance driving, in city traffic
and during the cold time of year. Abundant electrical energy is
required, but only a little is generated.
It is also critical if the engine
is not running and electrical components are turned on. In this
instance energy is being consumed but none is being generated.
It is in prec ise ly these sit uations that you will notice energy manage
ment actively regulating the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or weeks,
electrical components are gradually cut back or sw itched off. This
reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability over a
longer period.
Take into consideration that when you unlock your vehicle, some
convenience functions, such as the remo te key or power seat adjust
ment, may not be available. The convenience functions will be avail
able again when you turn on the ignition and start the engine.
W ith the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the engine turned off or
use other MMI functions, the battery is being discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy consumption, the
following warning appears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will switch off in
3 minutes.
Th e warn ing indicates that the system will be turned off automati
cally after 3 m inutes. If you wish to continue using the functions, you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrica l energy is generated when the vehicle is being
driven, the battery can become discharged. This happens most ly
when little energy is being generated and a great deal consumed and
the battery's state of charge is not optimal.
T o br ing the ene rgy balance back into equilibrium, consumers which
require especially large amounts of energy are temporarily cut back
or switched off. Heating systems in particular require a great deal of
energy .
If you notice, for example, that the heated seats* or the
heated rear window are not heating, they have been temporarily cut
back or switched off. These systems will be ava ilable again as soon as
the energy ba lance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has been increased
slightly. This is normal and not a cause for concern. By increasing
eng ine id le speed the additional energy required is generated and the
battery is charged. •
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Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If battery power drops into the range where it can limit the ability of
the engine to start, this is shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
Lo w b attery charge : batt ery will be charged while driving
Th is notification rem inds you that the starting capability of the
engine may be limited . As soon as you start driving again, the batte ry
w ill be recharged and the notification w ill go out.
Dri ver notification appears and goes out again
If th is dr iver notification appears after the ignition is turned o n or
while driving a nd it goes out again afte r a w hile, the battery has been
adequate ly recharged.
Driver no tification appears and does not go out
again
If th is dr iver notifica tion appears afte r the ignition is turned o n or
while driving and does not go out again, the battery 's state of charge
is not in the optimal range . Starting ability is restricted. Have the
battery checked as soon as poss ible by an au thor ized Aud i dea le r o r
qualified workshop. •
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 248 of 362
Driving and environment
Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km)
and afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km) .
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers):
-Do not use full throttle .
- Do not drive at engine speeds that are more than 2/3 of
t h e m axim um permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
-Speeds can gradually be inc reased to t he max imu m
per miss ib le road or engine speed.
During and after break-in period
- Do no t rev the engi ne up to high s peeds when it is cold.
This app lies w hether the t ra nsm ission is i n N (Ne utral) or
1n g ear.
After the break-in period
- Do not exceed max imum engi ne speed under any circum
sta nces.
- Ups hift into t he nex t higher gear
before reach ing t he red
area at t he end of the tachometer scale~
page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the engine's interna l fr iction is
hig her th an later w hen all t he mov ing pa rts have been broke n in . How we
ll th is brea k-in process is done depe nds to a considerable ext ent on
the way the veh icle is driven dur ing the first 1,000 m iles (1,500 ki lo
mete rs).
0 Note
E xtremely high engine speeds are au tom atic ally reduced. However,
these rpm limits are prog rammed fo r a n engine well run-in, not a new
eng ine.
~ For the sake of the environment
Do no t dr ive w it h u nne cessa rily h igh eng ine speeds - u pshift ing early
saves fuel, reduces noise and protects the environment. •
New tires
If you r ve hi cle is runni ng on new tires, d riv eve ryca refu llyf or
th e fi rst 350 miles (50 0 kilo m ete rs) aft er fitting .
& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must also be "broken -in ". Be
sure to remember th is during the first 350 miles (500 kilome
ters ). Brake gently. Avoid following closely behind other vehicle s
or other situat ions that might require sudden , hard braking. u
New brake pads
Remember t hat new brake pa ds d o not hav e a f ull braki ng
eff ect d uring t he fir st 2 50 miles (4 00 ki lomet ers) afte r they
ar e installed.
II-
Page 249 of 362
____________________________________________ D_ r_ i_ v _i_,ng and environment
New brake pads have to be "b urn ished in" before they have opt imal
grab ~& -
Dur ing the break-in period, you sho uld avoid putti ng severe loads on
the brakes. Severe loads include, for example, sud den ha rd brak ing,
i n part icula r a t very high s peed s or, for e xam ple, on moun tain passes.
& WARNING
New brake pads don't have the best stopping power and must be
" broken-in " during the initial 100 to 150 miles (150 to 200 kilo
meters ) of normal city driving . You can compensate for this by
p ressing the brake pedal more firmly . This also applies later when
new pad s are installed .•
Avoid damaging the vehicle
Whe n yo u are d riving on poor ro ad s, or ove r curbs, steep r amps, etc.,
ma ke ce rtain that low -lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
p arts do not bo ttom out and ge t damage d.
Th is is espec ia lly true for veh icles with low-slung chass is (sports
chassis)* and fully loaded vehicles .
a
Driving through water on roads
Note the fo llowing to avoid vehicle damage w hen drivi ng thro ugh
water, fo r examp le on flooded roa ds:
• The wate r must not be any h igher than the bottom of the vehicle
b ody .
• Do not dr ive faster tha n walk ing spee d.
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
After driving through water, mud
, slush, etc ., the brakes may be
slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry the
brakes first by braking carefully to restore the full braking effect .
0 Note
Vehicle components such as the engin e, tra nsmission, sus pension or
elect rical system can be severe ly damaged by driv in g thro ugh water .
[ i ] Tips
• Check the depth of t he wate r before driving throug h it.
• Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or switch the e ng ine off
w hen driving throug h wate r.
• Keep in m ind that o ncoming vehicles may c reate waves that raise
t he water leve l and make it too deep fo r yo ur vehicle to d rive throug h
safely.
• Avo id drivi ng t hroug h sa lt w at er bec ause it can cause cor rosio n.
Catalytic converter
It is very imp ortant that your emission contr ol syst em
(ca ta lytic convert er) is functioning pro p erly to ensur e
t h at your vehic le is runnin g in an environment ally s oun d
man ner .
- Always use lead -f re e gasoli ne~ p age 269 , "Fuel sup ply" .
- Never r un th e t ank down a ll the way to em pt y.
- Neve r pu t too muc h mo to r oil i n y our eng ine ~
page 279,
"Add ing eng ine oil
'l!:r." .
- Never try to p ush- or tow-start your veh icle.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 250 of 362
Driving and environment
The catalytic converter is an effic ient ''clean-up" dev ice built into the
ex hau st system of the ve hicle. The c ata ly tic converter bu rns many of
the pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
T he exclusive use of unleaded fuel is c rit ical ly import ant for the life of
the cata lytic converter and proper funct ioning of the eng ine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
e xhaust system may come in contact with dry grass, brush, fuel
spill or other material which can cause a fi re.
• Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproofing on or
near the e xhaust man ifold , exhaust pipes , catalytic converte r or
heat shields . During driving, the substance used for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
• Be aware that j ust one tank filling with leaded fuel will already
seriously degrade the performance of the ca talytic conve rter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil level =>
page 279.
• Do not dr ive until the fuel tan k becomes complete ly empty . The
engine could misfire . Unburned fuel cou ld also get into the exha ust
system and th is cou ld cause the catalyt ic converter to overheat .
• Do not tu rn o ff the igni tion while t he vehi cle is moving.
• Do not contin ue to operate your vehicle under these conditions, as
otherwi se fuel c an reac h the c atal ytic conve rter. This co uld res ult in
overheat ing of the converter, requir ing its replacement.
• T o ass ure eff icient ope ra ti on of the Emiss ion Cont rol System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the se rvice recommendations in your Wa rranty
& M aintenance
booklet. -
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the
veh icle w ill impair the f unc tion of the emiss io n con trol sys te m an d
co uld lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control System is operating p roperly, the
exhaust gas can have a s ulfur -like exhaust gas smell under some
operat ing states . This depends on the sulfur content of the fu el being
used. Using a different brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank with
lead -free supe r grade gasoline. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of d riving will det ermine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise le vels.
Fuel eco nomy, e nvir onmenta l impa ct, and wea r o n your eng ine ,
brakes and tires large ly depend on three factors:
• your persona l driving style
• operat ing cond itions
• t echni cal lim itat io ns
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you c an easily cut yo ur fuel consum ptio n by 10- 15 pe rcen t. T his
sect io n w ill give you some tips on how you can he lp the env ironment
and your pocket book.
[ i ] Tips
Th e consumption estimates as pub lished by ENV IRONMENTAL
PROTECTIO N AG ENCY ( EPA) and Transport Ca nada may not co rre
spond to your act ua l cons umption on the road, which will vary