trailer AUDI A8 2014 User Guide

124 Parking systems
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 located above the rear
license plate bracket. Make sure that the lens
for the parking system¢
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 cleaning, refer
to
¢ page 216.
The rear view camera coverage area includes
(D ¢ 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
suspension" is faulty, if the vehicle is lifted or
if the
dynamic mode is activated¢ page 110.
A WARNING
-Always read and follow the applicable
warnings¢ .&.
in General information on
page 122.
- 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 completely
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. -
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
incline, or a downward slope.
- If driven toward protruding objects.
-If the vehicle is carrying too much load
in the rear.
{[) Note
-Always read and follow the applicable
warnings
c::> (D in General information on
page 122.
- 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.

Corner view (front/rear)
Applies to vehicles: with top view camera system and cor­
ner view (front/rear) mode
Fig. 1 42 Infotainment : corner view (front) mode
Fig. 1 43 Infota inment : co m er view (rear) mode
This v iew can ass ist you for examp le, when
you are exiting from an a rea with poor visib ili­
ty. The a rea at the front or rea r sides of the
ve hicles is displayed.
.. To see the corner view (front), select the ®
symbol with the control knob
~ fig . 142 .
.. To see the corner view (rear), se lect the ®
symbol wi th the con trol knob~
fig. 143.
Front
Applies to vehicles: with top view camera system and
front mode
Fig. 144 In fo ta inm ent: fr ont mode
P arking systems 129
This view assists you for example, in us ing the
full maneuvering range in front of the vehicle.
The area in front of the vehicle is d isplayed .
The vehicle surround ings are shown in the left
area of the display. You can sw itch between
optical display and camera image*
~ page 128 .
.. Select the © symbo l with the control knob.
The orange colored orientation line* de­ notes the expected d irect ion of travel. Stop
the vehicle at the latest whe n the red orien­
tat ion line* bo rders an object
c::> ..&, in Gener­
al information on page 127.
, Rear
Applies to vehicles: with top view camera system and rear
mode
Fig . 14 5 Infota inm ent: r ear mod e
This view assists you for example, in us ing the
full maneuvering range behind the vehicle .
The area be hind the vehicle is displayed . The
vehicle surroundings are shown in the left
area of the display. You can sw itch between
optical display and camera image*
<=> page 128 .
.. Select the @symbo l w ith the control knob.
You can choose between three different v iews
in th is mode .
.. To cross park, para llel park, or pos ition the
veh icle in front of a trailer, press the ® con­
trol button on the unit repeatedly unt il the
symbo l for the desired mode is selected.

vehicle or on the parking space line ¢ & in
General information on page 127,
¢@ in
General information on page 127 .
The blue
area represents an extension of the vehicle's
outline by approx imately 16
ft (5 m) to the
rear . The long side of the blue area should
be o n the curb. The enti re blue area must fit
into the parking space.
~ Wi th the veh icle stopped, turn t he steer ing
whee l to the r ight as far as it w ill go.
~ Back into the park ing space until the b lue
curve¢
page 126, fig . 137 touches the curb
¢ & in General information on page 127,
¢ @ in General information on page 127.
Stop the vehicle.
~ With the vehicle stopped, turn the steering
whee l to the left as far as it will go .
~ Continue to back into the pa rk ing space un­
t il the vehicle is par ked pa ra ll el to th e curb
¢ & in General information on page 12 7,
¢(i) in General information on page 127.
@ marks the rear bumper. Stop the veh icle,
at the latest, when the red orientation line
@ borders an object. Keep an eye on the
front of your vehicle wh ile doing this.
Parking n ext to obstacles
When the re is an obs ta cl e (such as a wall)
nex t to the pa rk ing space, choose a space with
more space on the sides. Position the long
side of the b lue area so that there is sufficient
space from the curb. The area must not be on
the curb. You w ill 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 c urve, and the blue curve
¢ page 126, fig. 137 must not touch the cu rb.
@ Tips
The left or right orientation li nes and sur­
faces w ill be displayed, depend ing o n the
turn signa l bei ng used.
P arking systems 131
Trailer view
App lies to vehicles: wit h top v iew camera system and
t railer hitch
This view assists you in positioning the vehicle
in front of a trailer.
Fi g. 150 Infotainment: rear mode
Requ irement: the trailer mode is selected
¢page 129.
~ Now yo u can position your veh icle in front of
the trailer ¢
& in General information on
page 127,
¢ (i) in General information on
page 127.
The orange colored orientation
line denotes the expected path towa rd the
trailer hitch . Use the blue lines to help you
es timate the distan ce to the trailer hitch.
Setting the mode
A pp lies to vehicles: wi th top v iew came ra sys te m
~ Select: !CAR ! func tion b utton> C ar system s
contro l butto n > Driver a ssis t > Parking aid
> Change to front /rear > Auto or Manual.
Auto -
This view beh ind the vehicle ( Rear
mode) is displayed au tomatica lly when you
shift into reverse. T his view in front of the ve ­
hicle
( Front mode) is displayed automatica lly
when you shift into the forward gears.
Manual -This view behind the vehicle (Rear
mode) is always displayed when you turn on
the system .

132 Parking systems
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 : ICAR !function button> Car systems
control button > Driver assist> Parking aid.
Display
On* -
optical display is shown for the parking
system plus, rear view camera image is shown
for parking system plus with rear view cam ­
era*.
Off -when the park ing system is switched off,
on ly audible signa ls 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
ing system is turned on, the volume of the au­
d io/v ideo source is lowered .
The newly adjusted value is briefly heard from
the signal generator .
(D Tips
-The warning tones can a lso be adjusted
directly from the visual display or the
rear view camera* image . S imply press
the
Settings cont rol button .
- Changed settings are activated when the
parking system is switched on again.
- The settings are automatically stored
and ass igned to the remote control key
that is in use .
Error messages
App lies to vehicles: with advanced park ing system with
rea r view camera/top v iew camera syste m
There is an error in the system if the LED in
the
P •1A b utton is blinking and you hear a con- t
in uous alarm for a few seconds after switch ­
ing on the parking system or when the park­
ing system is already activated. If the error is
not corrected before you switch off the ign i­
t ion, the LED in the
P' "A button will blink the
next t ime you sw itch on the parking system by
shifting into reverse .
If a sensor is faulty, 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 detection a rea
are shown . If a front sensor is fau lty, on ly ob­
stacles that are in the rear area are shown.
Peripheral cameras*
There is also a system error if:
- the
'(l.Q ,, symbol appears i n the display and
the corresponding display area is shown in
blue. The camera is not work ing in this area.
- all segments around the vehicles are red or
if no segments are displayed.
Drive to your authorized A udi dealer or au­
thorized repair facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected .
Trailer hitch
Applies to vehicles: with adva nced parking sys te m with
rear view camera/top view camera system
For vehicles us ing the trailer socket, the park­
ing system rear sensors do not turn on when
yo u shift into reverse gear or when you press
the
P 1JA button. This results in the following re­
strictions:
T he re is no distance warning for the rear. The
front sensors remain activated. The visua l dis­
play switches to the trailer towing mode . The
rear view camera image will not show the ori ­
entation lines and the blue surfaces.
(D Tips
Trailer hitches that are not installed at the
factory may ca use the parking system to
malfunction or they may restrict its func­
tion.

Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers for the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event. EDR's are sometimes called "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retr ieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDR's that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for examp le, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during norma l vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a very limited period of
time and stored when a system fault or other
condition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may relate to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as we ll as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of
skidding and loss of veh icle control. It works
only when the engine is running. ESC detects
Intelligent technology 199
certain difficult driving situations, including
when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw)
out of control and helps you to get the veh icle
back under control by se lectively braking the
wheels, and/or reducing engine power and
providing steering ass istance to help hold the
vehicle on the driver's intended course. The in­
dicator light
JjJ in the instrument cluster
blinks when ESC is taking action to help you
control the vehicle.
ESC has limitations .
It is important to remem­
ber that ESC cannot overcome the laws of
physics.
It will not always be able to help out
under all conditions you may come up against.
For example, ESC may not always be able to
help you master situations where there is a
sudden change in the coefficient of friction of
the road surface. When there is a section of dry road that is suddenly covered with water,
slush or snow, ESC cannot perform the same
way it would on the dry surface. If the vehicle
hydroplanes (rides on a cushion of water in­
stead of the road surface), ESC will not be
able to help you steer the vehicle because con­
tact with the pavement has been interrupted
and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered .
During fast cornering, particularly on winding
roads, ESC cannot always deal as effectively
with difficult driving situations than at lower
speeds. When towing a trailer, ESC is not able
to help you regain control as it would if you
were not tow ing a trailer.
A lways adjust your speed and driving style to
road, traffic and weather conditions. ESC can­
not override the vehicle's physical limits, in­
crease the available traction, or keep a vehicle
on the road if road departure is a result of
driver inattention. Instead, ESC improves the
poss ibility of keeping the vehicle under con­
trol and on the road dur ing extreme maneu­
vers by using the driver's steering inputs to
help keep the vehicle going in the intended di­
rection. If you are traveling at a speed that
causes you to run off the road before ESC can
provide any assistance, you may not experi­
ence the benefits of ESC.
•
•

212 Trailertowing
Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trai ler, please remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
i::> page 212, Operating instructions .
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­ ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the veh icle 's chassis at a
technically sound location . Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. A lways
check with the trai le r hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the cor rect
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system. No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems. From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer hitch ball mount. This prevents the
h itch from causing damage should your veh i­
cle be struck from behind~ &.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
direc tly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the tra iler.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check with your Audi dealer for correct
wiring, switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is important
that you
always have clear v is ion to the rear .
A WARNING ,~ -
After removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicl e. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in­
jure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Fig. 189 MMI display : tow ing mode on
Maximum traile r weight
A trai ler for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer. .,.

Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ .&. in Driving instructions on page 214.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard ­
er . It is important that the cooling system's
performance is up to the additional load .
Make sure that the cooling system has enough
fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the label located on the driver's
side B-pillar (visible when the door is open).
Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufac­
turers' specifications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer
lights are working properly.
Safety chains Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle . Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners . When you install safety
chains, make sure they will not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch .
Adjusting the Audi drive select Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface
be­
fore
hitching up the trailer and before adjust ­
ing the tongue weight. The vehicle must be in
auto or comfort driving mode and not raised
¢page 110, ~CD .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info ­
tainment, select:
ICARI function button> low­
er control button .
Trailer towing 213
If you must drive under poor road conditions,
you can raise the vehicle
after coupling the
trailer or
after adjusting the tongue weight
¢ page 112.
@ Note
- Changes in temperature or load can af­
fect the height of the vehicle.
- Always select auto or comfort mode.
Otherwise, the tongue load specified for
your vehicle will no longer be applicable.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the following:
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car it­
self is not loaded .
.,. Be especially careful when passing other
vehicles.
.,. Observe speed limits.
.,. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.,. Always apply brakes early .
.,. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the circumstances . Whenever possi­
ble , transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not .,.
•
•

214 Trailer towing
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind condit ions are unfavorable -part icu larly
when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immedi atel y if the trail ­
er shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not
tr y to stop th e sway ing by acceler ating .
Observe speed limi ts. In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing trailers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
A lways apply brakes early. When driv ing
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en­
gine braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of
the brakes a lone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant t emperature
The coolant temperature gauge ¢ page 10
must be observed carefully. The coolant tem­
perat ure can increase if you drive on long in ­
clines in a low gear at high engine speeds. Re­
duce your speed immediate ly if the L EDs in
the top part of the display turn on.
F or more in formation about indicator lights,
refer to. ¢
page 16.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing veh icle is at a much greater risk in an
accident . Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wear ing t he restra ints
provided by Aud i.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle hand les different ly when towing
-
a trailer because of the addit ional weight and
d ifferent weight distribution . Safety, perform­
ance and economy w ill greatly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopp ing and back ing up in an area
away from traffic . Keep practicing until you have become completely familiar with the way
your vehicle-trailer combination behaves and responds .
Backing up is diffi cult and requ ires practice .
Backing up with a trailer gene rally req uires
steering action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a tra iler.
Maintain a greater d ista nce between you r ve­
hicle and the one in front of you . You wi ll need
more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you w ill need a larger than normal
turning rad ius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac ­
ce lerate as fast as you norma lly would be­
ca use of the added load. Make sure yo u have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow
plenty of room for your trailer be fore chang­
ing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in
period of your vehicle .
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may re ­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the extra load ¢
page 292.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it can­
not b e avoided, do so only after doing th e fol­
lowing:
When par king:
.,. App ly the foot brake.
.,. Have someone p lace chocks under both the
vehicle and the tra iler wheels .
.,. With chocks in place, slowly release the
brakes unt il the wheel chocks absorb the
load .
.,. Turn the whee ls towards the curb .
.,. Apply the parking brake .
.,. Select the P se lector lever posit ion.
When re starting after parking:
.,. App ly the foot brake.

~ Start the engine.
~ Se lect the D selector lever position.
~ Re lease the park ing brake and slowly pull
out and away from the wheel chocks .
~ Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks.
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the auto­
matic transm ission to P before applying
the parking brake and before blocking the
wheels, you may have to use more force
later to move the lever out of the P posi­
tion .
Trailer towing 215
•
•

A WARNING ,~
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve­
hicle control, a crash or other accident, se ­
rious persona l injury, and even death .
- Carrying more weight than your vehicle
was designed to carry will prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in­ crease the risk of the loss of vehicle con­
trol.
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
vehicle within a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been overload­
ed can fail suddenly, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, causing loss of
control and a crash.
- Always make sure that the total load be­
ing transported -including the weight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehi­
cle heavier than the vehicle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating.
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to cal­
culate the total weight of the
passengers and luggage or oth­
er things that you plan to trans­
port so that you can make sure
that your vehicle will not be
overloaded.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OC­
CUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX
KG OR XXX LBS" on your ve­
hicle's placard (tire inflation
Tires and wheels 257
pressure label) ¢ page 252,
fig. 208.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and pas­
sengers from
"XXX" kilo­
grams or
"XXX" pounds
shown on the sticker
¢ page 252, fig. 208.
4. The resulting figure equals
the available amount of car­
go and luggage load capaci­
ty. For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs.
and there will be five 150
lbs. passengers in your vehi­
cle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load ca­
pacity is 650 lbs. (1400-7 50
(5
X 150) = 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your trail­
er will be transferred to your
i,,,.
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