tow AUDI A8 2013 Owner's Manual

116 Automatic Transmission
Selector lever lock
The selector lever lock prevents you from se­
l ecting a position unintentionally, causing the
vehicle to roll. When engaging some selector lever positions, you must press the button on
the selector lever<=>
fig. 123 and/or press the
brake pedal.
You must press the brake pedal to engage a
selector lever position when the engine is run­
n ing while the vehicle is stationary. The ar­
rows¢
fig. 124 indicate when you need to
press the button on the selector lever.
The selector lever does not lock if you shift
from D to R within one second . This allows
you to "rock" the vehicle to free it when it is
stuck.
P - Park
The whee ls are locked in this position. Only
shift into park when the vehicle is stationary
¢ & .To engage the P selector lever position,
press the button on the selector lever and
shift into the P position.
You can only shift out of park when the eng ine
is running and you are pressing the brake ped­
al. Press the button on the selector lever to
release the park ing lock and select the des ired
selector lever posit ion.
P engages automatically when you switch the
engine off while D, Sor R is engaged or in
manual mode.
If you switch the engine off when N is engag ­
ed, the transmission remains in N for approxi­
mately 30 minutes and then Pis engaged.
You must use the emergency release proce­
dure to release the parking lock before towing
the vehicle
¢ page 120.
R - Reverse
The reverse gear is engaged in this position.
Only select reverse when the vehicle is sta ­
tionary and the engine is running at idle speed
¢ & .To engage the R se lector lever position,
press the button on the selector lever, press the
brake pedal and move the selector lever
into the R position.
T he back-up lights turn on when you select
the R selector lever position while the engine
is running .
N -Neutral
The transmission is in idle in this position. To
engage the N selector lever position , press
the button on the selector lever and shift int o
the N position.
If you switch the engine off when N is engag­
ed, the transmission remains in N for approxi­
mately 30 min utes and then Pis engaged.
You cannot select the N position when the ig­
nition is switched off . When driving through
an automat ic car was h, first select the N posi­
tion and then switch the engine off
¢page 216.
The vehicle cannot be locked when the selec­
tor leve r is in the
N position.
D/S - Position for driving forward
In the D/S pos ition, the transmission can be
operated either in the normal mode Dor in
the sport mode S. You can only select the S se­
lector lever position when Dis engaged. Move
the selecto r lever back to engage the S selec­
tor lever position. To select the D selector lev­
er position again when S is engaged, move the
selector lever back¢& . To shift from
N to D
when traveling at speeds below 1 mph (2km/
h), press the brake pedal and select the D se­
lector lever position ¢
&.
In the normal mode D, the transmission auto­
matically selects the suitable gear ratio.
It de­
pends on engine load, vehicle speed and driv­
ing style.
Select the
sport mode S for sporty driving.
T he vehicle makes full use of the engine's
power. Shift ing may become noticeab le when
acce lerat ing.
The S selector lever position engages auto­
matically when yo u select the dynamic mode
in Audi drive select.
...

& WARNING
-Never engage R or P wh ile driving. It
cou ld cause a crash .
-
-Power is sti ll transmitted to the whee ls
when the engine is running at idle. To prevent the vehicle from "creeping", you
must keep your foot on the brake in all
selector lever positions except P and N
when the engine is running. Do not inad­
vertent ly press the accelerator pedal
when the veh icle is stationary . Otherwise
the vehicle will start to move immediate­ ly. This cou ld happen even if the parking
brake is activated.
- Before opening the hood, select the P se­
lector lever position and set the par king
brake. This reduces the risk of a crash. A l­
ways read and follow the applicable
warnings
¢page 226, Engine comport­
ment.
- Never get out of the driver's seat when
the engine is running.
- If you must get out of the vehicle, move
the se lector lever securely into the P po­
sit ion and apply the park ing brake .
@ Tips
-If you un intentionally shift into the N se­
l ector lever position while dr iving, take
your foot off the accelerator pedal and
wait for the engine to slow down until it is idling before you shift into Dor S.
Driving tips
The gears shift outomoticolly .
Starting from a stop
"' Press and ho ld the brake pedal.
.,. Start the eng ine
q page 83.
"' Press the button on the se lector lever and
select the D, S or R selector lever position
¢ page 115.
"' Wait a moment until the transmission
shifts. You w ill not ice a slight movement
when the gear engages .
"' Re lease the brake pedal and press the accel ­
erato r peda l¢ _& .
Aut omat ic Tr ans missio n 11 7
Stopping temporarily
"' Press the b rake pedal to stop the veh icle,
for examp le at a traffic light . Do not press
the acce lerator pedal when doing this .
"' To prevent the vehicle from rolling when
you start driving, set the parking brake
when stopp ing on large inclines¢_& .
"' The parking brake will release automat ically
and the vehicle will start mov ing once you
press the acce lerator pedal.
Parking
If the selector lever is not in the P position
when you open the driver's door, the veh icle
could roll. The message
Transmission: Car
may roll! Shift to park !
appears.
"' Press and hold the brake pedal¢ _& .
"' Set the park ing brake.
"' To engage the P se lector lever position,
press the button on the selector lever and
shift into the P posit ion ¢
page 115 .
Under certa in conditions such as dr iv ing in the
mountains or when towing a trailer, it may be
helpful to switch to manual mode temporarily
to shift
manually to adapt to the dr iving con­
ditions
¢ page 118.
On slopes, activate the parki ng brake first and
then move the selecto r leve r to the P position .
T his prevents too much st ress from be ing
placed on the locking mechanism.
& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS ¢ .&. in Se­
lecting o selector lever position on
page 117.
- The vehicle can also roll when the engine
is stopped.
- Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing the selec tor lever position
while the vehicle is stationary and the engine is running . This could result in a
crash.
- Never engage R or P while driving . It
could cause a crash.
- Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To ..,.

120 Automatic Transmission
Parking lock emergency release
The parking lock must be released using the
emergency release before towing the vehicle .
@
Fig. 126 Dr iver's side footwell: releasing t he park ing
lock us ing t he emergency release
Fig. 127 Drive r's s ide footwe ll: resetting th e pa rking
l ock
The emergency release is located under the
floor mat on the driver's side. You operate the
emergency re lease from the dr iver's seat.
Releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release
• To prevent the vehicle from rolling uninten­
tionally, set the park ing brake© ¢
page 85
or press the brake peda l.
.. There are two slits on the cover. Position
the screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit in
one of the s lits on the cover and pry the cov­
er off.
• Pull the band@ in the direction of the ar­
row until the release lever locks in place
¢ fig . 126.
• Fold the uppe r section of the release lever
down into the recess.
Resetting the parking lock
• Press the button @ and the release lever at
the same time . You can now push the lever back into its original pos
ition . Make sure the
lever locks in place
¢fig. 127.
.. Install the cover .
T he indicator light
[O] and the N position indi­
cator in the instrument cluster turn on when
the parking lock is released using the emer­
gency release . The message
Risk of rolling! P
not possible . Please set the park ing brake
a l­
so appears.
A WARNING
If you release the park ing lock using the
emergency release, secure your vehicle
with the pa rking brake or the brake pedal
i f the parking brake is not working. The ve­
hicle can roll away if it is not secured and
cause a crash.

Parking systems
General information
App lies to vehicles: with park in g system plus/rear view
camera/peripheral cameras
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, vari­
ous parking aids will help you when parking
and maneuvering.
The
advanced parking system with rear view
camera
ass ists you when parking by audibly
and v isua lly indicating objects detected
in
front of
and behind the vehicle . The rear view
camera shows the area behind the vehicle in
the Infotainment display. This display assists
you when you are cross or para llel parking
c:;,page 122.
The peripheral cameras assist you with park­
ing and maneuvering. You are aided by various
cameras depending on the vehicle equipment level ¢
page 126. In addition, you are assist­
ed by the functions from the sensors
c:;, page 122, Sensors, c:;, page 124 , Visual
display .
A WARNING
-Always look fo r traff ic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it di­
rect ly as well. The parking system cannot
replace the driver's attention. The driver
is a lways respons ible for safety during
parking and for all other maneuvers.
- Please note that some sur faces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system .
- Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
which peop le and objects cannot be de­
tected. Be especially cautious of children
and animals.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts
or damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody. The
parking systems may become impaired
as a result. Have your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop check their
function.
- Make sure the sensors are not covered by
stickers, deposits or any other obstruc­
t ions as it may impair the sensor func-
Parking systems 121
tion. For information on cleaning, refer
to
c:;, page 218.
(D Note
-Some objects are not detected by the
system under certain circumstances:
- Objects such as barr ier chains, trailer
draw bars, vertical poles or fences
- Objects above the sensors such as wall
extensions
- Objects w ith specific surfaces or struc­
tures such as chain link fences or pow­
der snow .
- If you continue driving closer to a low-ly­
ing object, it may disappear from the
sensor range. Note that you w ill no lon­
ger be warned about this obstacle .
(D Tips
- The system may provide a warning even
though there are no obstacles in the cov­
erage area in some situations, such as:
- certain road surfaces or for long grass.
- externa l ult rason ic so urces e.g. from
cleaning vehicles.
- heavy rain, snow or thick vehicle ex ­
haust.
- We recommend that you practice park­
ing in a traffic-free location or parking
lot to become familiar w ith the system.
When doing this, there should be good
light and weather cond itions.
- You can change the volume and pitch of
the signals as we ll as the disp lay
c:;, page 131.
-Please refer to the instructions for tow­
ing a trailer
c:;, page 131.
- What appears in the infotainment dis­
play is somewhat time-delayed.

If the distance to an obstacle remains con­
stant, the volume of the distance warning
gradually drops after about four seconds (this
does not apply in the continuous tone range).
Rear view camera
The rear view camera is locat ed above the rear
license plate bracket. Make sure that the lens
for the parking system
r::;, fig. 131 is not cov­
ered by deposits or any other obstructions be­
cause this can affect the function of the park­
ing system. For information on clean ing, refer
to
c;, page 218.
The rear view camera coverage area includes
(Dr::;, fig. 130. Only this area is shown in the
Infotainment display. Objects that are outside
of this area @are not displayed.
The accuracy of the orientation lines and the
blue surfaces is reduced if the adaptive air
suspens ion* is faulty, if the veh icle is lifted or
if the
dynamic mode is activated r::;, page 109.
A WARNING
-Always read and follow the applicable
warnings
r::;, &. in General information on
page 121.
- If the position and the installation angle
of the rear view camera was changed, for
example, after a collision, do not contin­
ue to use the system for safety reasons.
Have it checked by your authorized Audi
dealership or authorized repair facility.
- Only use the rear view camera to assist
you if it shows a good, clear picture. For
example, the image may be affected by
the sun shining into the lens, dirt on the
lens or if there is a system fault.
- Use the rear view camera only if the lug­
gage compartment lid is comp letely
closed. Make sure any objects you may
have mounted on the luggage compart­
ment lid do not block the rear view cam­
era .
- The camera lens enlarges and distorts the field of vision. The object appears both altered and inaccurate on the
screen.
Parking systems 123
-In certain situations, people or objects in
the display appear closer or further
away:
- objects that do not touch the ground,
such as the bumper of a parked vehicle,
a trailer hitch or the rear of a truck. Do
not use the help lines in this case.
- If driven from a level surface onto an
inclin e, or a downward slope.
-If driven toward protruding objects.
- If the vehicle is carrying too much load
in the rear.
(D Note
-Always read and follow the applicable
warnings
r::;, (D in General information on
page 121.
- The orange colored orientation lines in
the Infotainment display show the vehi­ cle path depending on the steering
wheel angle. The front of the vehicle
front swings out more than the rear of
the vehicle. Maintain plenty of distance
so that your outside mirror or a corner of
your vehicle does not collide with any ob­ stacles.

130 Park in g s ystems
vehicle or on the parking space line ¢ A in
General information on page 126, ¢(Din
General information on page 126 .
The blue
area represents an extension of the vehicle's
outline by approximately 16 ft (5 m) to the
rear . The long side of the blue area should
be o n the curb. The e ntire blue area must fit
into the parking space.
,. With the veh icle stopped, turn the steer ing
wheel to the right as far as it w ill go .
.. Back into the par king space until the b lue
curve
¢ page 125, fig . 137touches the curb
¢ A in General information on page 126,
q(D in General information on page 126.
Stop the vehicle.
,. With the vehicle stopped, turn the steering
wheel to the left as far as it will go .
,. Continue to back into the parking space un­
t il the vehicle is pa rked pa ralle l to the curb
9 A in General information on page 126,
q(j) in General information on page 126.
@ marks the rear bumper. Stop the ve hicle,
at the latest, when the red orientation line
@ borders an object. Keep an eye on the
front of your vehicle wh ile doing this.
P arking ne xt to obstacles
When there is an obs tacle (such as a wall)
next to the parking space, choose a space with
more space on the sides. Position the long
side of the blue area so that there is sufficient
space from the curb. The area must not be on
the curb. You will also need to start turning
the steering wheel much earlier . There should
be a suffic ient amount of space between the
curb and the b lue curve, and the blue curve
¢ page 125, fig. 137 must not touch the cu rb.
(D Tips
The left or r ight orientation lin es and sur­
faces will be displayed, depend ing on the
turn signa l being used.
Trailer view
Applies to vehicles: with top view came ra system and
tra iler hitch
This view assists you in positioning the vehicle
in front of a trailer.
Fig . 1 50 Infotainme nt: rear mode
Requirement: the trailer mode is selected
¢ page 128.
.. Now you can posit ion your veh icle in front
of the trai ler
c> A in General information
on page 126, ¢(Din General information
on page 126.
The orange co lored orienta­
tion line denotes the expected path toward
the t railer hitch . Use the b lue lines to help
you estima te the distance to the tra iler
h itch .
Setting the mode
Applies to vehicles: with top view camera system
,. Select: I CAR I func tion button > C ar sy stem s
contro l butto n > Driver a ssist > Parking aid
> Change to front /rear > Auto or Manual.
Auto -
This v iew behind the veh icle ( Rea r
mode) is displayed au toma tica lly when you
shift into reverse. This view in front of the ve­
hicle
( F ront mode) is displayed automatically
whe n you sh ift into the forward gears.
Manual -This view behind the vehicle (Rear
mode) is always displayed when you turn on
the system.

Adjusting the display and the warning tones
App lies to vehicles: with advanced park ing system wit h
rea r view camera/top v iew camera syste m
The display and warning tones can be adjust­
ed in the Infotainment.
~ Se lect: ICARI f u nct io n button > Car systems
control button > Driver assist > Parking aid .
Display
On * -
opti cal d isplay is shown for the parking
sys tem plus, rea r view came ra image is shown
for parking system plus with rear view cam ­
e ra *.
Off -when t he par king system is sw itched off,
on ly audib le sign als are given.
Warning tones
Front volume -
Volume for the fro nt area
Rear volume -Volume for the rear area
Front frequency -Frequency for the front area
Rear frequency -Frequency for the rear area
Music volume while parking -When the park­
in g system is turned on, the vol ume of t he au­
d io/v ideo source is lower ed.
The new ly adjusted value is briefly heard from
the signa l generator.
@ Tips
- The warning tones ca n also be adjusted
direct ly from the visual display or the
rear view camera* image. S imply press
the
Settings cont ro l but to n.
- Changed settings are activated when the
parking system is switched on aga in.
- The settings are automatically stored
and ass igned to the remote control key
that is in use .
Error messages
Applies to vehicles: with a dvanced park ing system wit h
r ea r view camera/top v iew camera syste m
There is an error in t he system if the LED in
the
?# A button is blinking and you hear a con-
Parking systems 131
tin uous alarm fo r a few seconds after switch ­
ing on the par king system or when the park­
ing system is already activated. If the error is
not corrected before you switc h off the ign i­
tion, the LED in the
P,1 1.A button will blink the
next t ime you sw itch on the parking system by
shifting i nto reverse .
If a sensor is fa ulty, the!¾ symbol will appear
in front of/behind the vehicle in the Infota in­
ment display . If a rear sensor is faulty, only
obstacles that are in the front detec tion a rea
a re shown . If a front sensor is fau lty, on ly ob­
s tacles t hat are in the rear area are shown.
Peripheral cameras*
There is also a system error if:
- the
'(gl ,, symbol appears i n the display and
the corresponding d isp lay area is shown in
blue. The camera is not work ing in this area.
- all segments aro und the vehicles are red or
if no segments are displayed.
D rive to your authorized A udi dealer or au ­
thorized repair facility immed iate ly to have
the malfunction correcte d.
Trailer hitch
Applies to vehicles: wi th adva nced parking syste m with
rear view ca mera/top view ca mera system
Fo r vehicles using the trailer so cket, the pa rk­
i ng sys tem rear sensors do not tu rn on when
you shift i nto reverse gea r or when you press
the
P,#~ button . This res ults in the following re ­
strictions:
T he re is no dist ance warn ing fo r th e rea r. T he
fron t sensors remain act ivated. The visua l dis­
play switches to the t railer towing mode . The
rear view camera image will not show the or i­
entat ion lines and the bl ue surfaces.
(D Tips
Trai ler h itches that are not insta lled at the
factory may ca use the park ing system to
malfunction or they may restr ict its func­
tion.

136 Driving Safely
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle at all
times.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
¢ page 58.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help
reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between your breast­
bone and the steering wheel.
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and
the lower part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the
outside of the steering wheel rim with
your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of per­
sonal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with your hands at
other positions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Hold­
ing the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands,
arms and head if the driver's airbag in­
flates.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supple­
mental driver's airbag to protect you in a
collision.
- Always sit in an upright position and nev­
er lean against or place any part of your
body too close to the area where the air­
bags are located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
seats and head restraints properly and
make sure that all passengers are prop­
erly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle
is moving. Your seat may move unexpect- edly and you could lose control of the ve­
hicle .
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in­
jury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper seating posi ­
tion .
- Children must always ride in child seats
¢
page 176. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front passenger seat¢
page 152.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position
is important for safe, relaxed driving .
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the seat for the front
passenger to the following position :
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position and your back comes in full contact with it whenever the vehicle is
moving.
• Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possibl e, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible¢
page 138.
• Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of
the front passenger seat .
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 147.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see ¢
page 5 7.
A WARNING
-
Front seat passengers who are unbelted,
out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured or killed by the air­
bag as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of
serious personal injury:

140 Driving Safely
Floor mats on the driver side
Always use floor mats that can be securely attached to the floor mat fasteners and do
not interfere with the free movement of the
pedals.
~ Make sure that the floor mats are properly
secured and cannot move and interfere with
the pedals ~,&. .
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so
that they cannot slip out of position . You can
obtain suitable floor mats from your author­
ized Audi Dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be at­
tached to these fasteners. Properly securing
the floor mats will prevent them from sliding into positions that could interfere with the
pedals or impair safe operation of your vehicle
in other ways .
_& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result
in a loss of vehicle control and increase the
risk of serious personal injury.
- Always make sure that floor mats are
properly secured.
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings in the vehicle that cannot
be properly secured in place to prevent
them from slipping and interfering with
the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings on top of already instal­
led floor mats. Additional floor mats and
other coverings will reduce the size of
the pedal area and interfere with the
pedals .
- Always properly reinstall and secure floor
mats that have been taken out for clean­
ing .
-Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driverfootwell while the ve­
hicle is moving. Objects can become trapped
under the brake pedal and accel­
erator pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be prop· erly stowed and secured in the luggage com·
partment.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift suddenly, changing vehicle handling
characteristics. Loose items can also increase
the risk of serious personal injury in a sudden
vehicle maneuver or in a collision.
~ Distribute the load evenly in the luggage
compartment.
~ Always place and properly secure heavy
items in the luggage compartment as far
forward as possible.
~ Secure luggage items using the tie-downs
provided
~ page 69, Luggage comport·
ment.
A WARNING ,_
Improperly stored luggage or other items
can fly through the vehicle causing serious
personal injury in the event of hard brak­
ing or an accident. To help reduce the risk
of serious personal injury:
- Always put objects, for example, luggage
or other heavy items in the luggage com­
partment.
- Always secure objects in the luggage
compartment using the tie-down hooks
and suitable straps.
A WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your ve­
hicle handles. To help reduce the risk of a
loss of control leading to serious personal
injury:
- Always keep in mind when transporting
heavy objects, that a change in the cen­
ter of gravity can also cause changes in
vehicle handling:

should alwaysfitsnugly¢fig.162. Pull
on the belt to tighten if necessary.
- A loose-fitting safety belt can cause seri­
ous injuries by shifting its position on
your body from the strong bones to more vulnerable, soft tissue and cause serious
injury .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
¢page 147.
Pregnant women must also be correctly
restrained
The best way to protect the fetus is to make
sure that expectant mothers always wear
safety belts correctly -throughout the preg­
nancy.
Fig. 163 Safety belt pos it io n during p regnancy
To provide maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on the
wearer's body
c> page 148.
.,. Adjust the front seat and head restraint cor­
rectly ¢
page 5 7, General recommenda­
tions.
.,. Hold the belt by the tongue and pull it
evenly across the chest and pelvis
¢ fig . 163, ¢ &_ .
.,. Insert the tongue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely
¢ page 147, fig. 161.
.,. Pull on the belt to make sure that it is se­
curely latched in the buckle.
Safety belts 149
A WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can
cause serious personal injury in an acc i­
dent.
- Expectant mothers must always wear the
lap portion of the safety belt as low as
possible across the pelvis and below the
round ing of the abdomen.
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information¢
& in Fas­
tening safety belts on page 148.
Unfastening safety belts
Unbuckle the safety belt with the red release
button only a~er the vehicle has stopped .
Fig. 164 Releas ing the tong ue fro m the buckle
.,. Push the red release button on the buckle
o:::> fig. 164. The belt tongue will spring out
of the buckle
¢ .&_ .
0 .... N 9 I ;&
.,. Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you
guide the belt tongue to its stowed position .
A WARNING
=
Never unfasten safety belt while the vehi-
cle is moving . Doing so will increase your
risk of being injured or killed.
Adjusting safety belt height
You can adjust the height of the driver's and
front passenger 's safety belts.
The safety belt height adjustors for the front
seats can be used to adjust the height of the
shoulder portion of the safety belt so that it is
positioned correctly . .,,..