AUDI Q5 2016 Owners Manual
Page 191 of 300
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Intelligent  Technology Notice  about  data 
recorded  by  the  Event 
Data  Recorder  and 
vehicle  control  modules 
E ve nt  Dat a  Record er 
This  vehicle  is equipped  wi th an  Event  Data  Re
corder  (EDR) . The  main  purpose  of  an  EDR is to 
record,  in certain  crash  or  near  crash-like  situa
tions,  such  as  an  a irbag  deployment  or  hitting  a 
road  obstacle,  data  that  will  assist  in  understand
ing  how  a vehicle's  systems  performed.  The  EDR 
is designed  to  record  data  related  to  vehicle  dy
namics  and  safety  systems  for  a short  period  of 
time,  typically  30  seconds  or  less.  The  EDR in this 
ve hicle  is  designed  to  reco rd  such  data  as: 
- How various  systems  in your  vehicle  were  oper
at ing; 
- Whether  or  not  the  driver  and  passenger  safety 
belts  were  buckled/fastened; 
- How far  (if at  all)  the  dr iver  was  depressing  the 
accelerator  and/or  brake  pedal;  and, 
- How fast  the  vehicle  was  traveling. 
These  data  can  he lp provide  a  better  understand
ing  of  the  c ircumstances  in which  crashes  and  in 
juries  occur.  NOTE: EDR data  are  recorded  by your 
veh icle  only  if a  non-trivia l crash  situation  occurs; 
no  data  are  recorded  by the  EDR under  normal 
driving  conditions  and  no  personal  data  (e .g ., 
name,  gender,  age,  and  crash  location)  are  re
corded . H owever,  other  parties,  such  as  law  en
forcement,  cou ld  combine  the  EDR data  w ith  the 
type  of  personally  identifying  data  routine ly ac
quired  during  a crash  investigation. 
To  read  data  recorded  by an  EDR, specia l equip
ment  is  req uired,  a nd  access  to  the  ve hicle  or  the 
E DR is  needed.  In  add it ion  to  the  vehicle  manu
facturer,  other  parties,  such  as  law  enforcement, 
that  have  the  specia l equipment,  can  read  the  in
formation  if they  have  access  to  the  vehicle  or  the  EDR . 
Some  state  laws  restrict  the  retr ieval  or  down 
l oading  of  data  stored  by  ED Rs insta lled  in a vehi
cle  for  the  express  purpose  of  retrieving  data  af-
Intellig ent  Technology 
ter  an  accident  or  crash  event  without  the  own
er 's consent. 
Audi  will  not  ac cess  the  EDR and/or  sim ilar data 
o r  give  it  to others  -
- unless  the  vehicle  owne r (or  lessee  if the  vehi
cle  has  been  leased)  agrees;  o r 
- upon  the  official  request  by the  police;  or 
- upon  the  order  of  a  court  of  law  or  a  govern-
ment  agency;  or 
- for  the  defense  of  a  lawsuit  through  the  jud ic ial 
discovery  process. 
- Aud i may  a lso  use  the  data  for  research  about 
veh icle  operation  and  safety  performance  or 
prov ide  the  data  to  a third  party  for  research 
purposes  without  identify ing  the  specific  veh i
cle  or  info rmat io n  about  the  ident ity  of  its  own
er  or  lessee  and  only  afte r the  reco rded  veh icle 
data  has  been  accessed. 
Vehicle  control  modules 
Your  vehicle  is  also  equ ipped  w ith  a  number  of 
electronic  control  modules  for  va rious  vehicle 
systems,  such  as  engine  management,  emiss io n 
contro l,  airbags , and  s afety  be lts . 
These  electronic  control  modules  record  data  dur ing  norma l vehicle  operation  that  may  be 
needed  by trained  tech nicians  for  diagnost ic and 
r epa ir purposes.  The  re cording  capab il ity  of  these 
modules  is  lim ited  to  data  (no  sound  is record
ed).  Only a  sma ll amount  of  data  is actua lly re
corded  over  a very  limited  period  of  time,  or  stor
ed  when  a  system  fault  is  detected  by a  control 
module . Some  of  the  data  stored  may  relate  to 
vehicle  speed,  direction,  or  braking,  as  well  as  re
straint  system  use  and  performance  in the  event 
of  a  crash . Stored  data  can  also  on ly be  read  a nd 
down loaded  w ith  specia l equipment  that  is d i
rectly  connected  to  the  vehicle. 
(D Tips 
Your  vehicle  may  be  equipped  w ith  Aud i con
nect.  Your  use  of  certain  Aud i connect  fea
tures  requi res  wire less  serv ices  that  are  pro
v ided  by a  third  party  wireless  telecomm uni
cations  provi der.  For  de tails  regarding  how  in
formation  obtained  through  Aud i connect  is 
collected,  processed,  transmitted,  used,  and  ..,. 
189  
Page 192 of 300
Intelligent  Technology 
shared,  please  see  your  contract  with  the 
wireless  te lecommunications  provider  and  the 
"About  Aud i connect"  tab  in your  vehicle's 
MMI*: 
I MENU ! button > Audi connect > About 
Audi connect . 
Electronic  Stabilization 
Control  (ESC) 
Description 
The  Electroni c Stab ili z at ion  Control  (ESC) re infor
ces  driver  safety.  It  reduces  the  r isk  of  slipping 
and  improves  driving  stability.  ESC detects  crit i
cal  s ituations  suc h as  the  vehicle  overstee ring 
and  understeering  o r the  wheels  sp inning.  The 
ve hicl e  is stab ilized  by applying  the  b rakes  o r re
ducing  e ngine  torque . Once  t he  ESC  is  acti ve , the 
i n dicator  light 
m bli nks  in the  instrument  cl us
ter. 
The  fo llow ing  sys tems  a re  integrated  in  the  ESC: 
Anti-lock  b rake  system  (ABS) 
ABS preve nts  the  wheels  from  lock ing  up  when 
b raking . The  veh icle  can  sti ll be  steered  even  dur 
i n g  ha rd  brak ing . Apply  steady  press ure to  the 
b rake  pedal.  Do no t pump  t he  pedal.  A pulsing  in 
the  brake  pedal  indicates  tha t the  system  i s  help 
i n g you  to  br ake the  vehicle . 
Brake assist  system 
The  brake  assist  system  can  decrease  brak ing  dis 
tance . It  increases  brak ing  power  when  the  d river 
p resses  the  brake  pedal  q uic kl y in  eme rgency  si t
uations . You m ust  press  and  hold  t he  b rake  pedal 
until  the  situa tion  is over.  In vehi cles  w it h  ad ap
tive  cruise  contro l* ,  the  brake  assist  system  is 
mo re  sensit ive  if the  distance  detected  to  the  ve 
h icle  ahead  is too  small. 
Anti -slip  regulation  (ASR) 
A SR re duces  eng ine  power  when  the  drive w heels 
begin  to  spin  and  adapts  the  force  to  the  roa d 
conditions.  This  makes  it  easie r to  sta rt,  acceler 
ate  and  drive  up  hi lls. 
190 
Electronic  differential  lock (EDL) 
The  EDL brakes  wheels  that  are  spi nning  and 
transfers  the  drive  power  to  the  other  w heels . 
This  function  is not  ava ilable  at  higher  speeds. 
I n ext reme  cases , ED L automat ica lly swi tches  off 
to  help  keep  the  b rake  on  the  bra ke d  whee l from 
overheating . EDL will  sw itch  on  again  automa ti
ca lly w hen  conditions  have  returned  to  normal. 
Steering  recommendation 
The  ESC he lps  to  stabilize  the  vehicle  by cha ng ing 
t h e s teer ing  torque . 
On vehicles  with  dynam ic steering*,  ESC helps 
stab il ize  the  steer ing  in crit ica l sit uat ions . 
Selective  wheel  torque  control 
Selective  wheel  torque  cont rol  is used  when  d riv
i ng  o n curves.  The  front  whee l on  the  inside  of 
the  curve  or  both  wheels  on  the  i nside  of  the 
curve  are  braked  selectively  as  needed . Th is  al
l ows  mo re  prec ise  driving  in  c urves . The  applica
ble  sys tem  may  not  a ctivate  w hen  d riv in g in  we t 
o r  snowy  cond it ions. 
_8. WARNING 
- The  ESC and  i ts  integ ra ted  systems  cannot 
overcome  the  laws  of  physics . This  is espe 
cially  important  on  slippery  or  wet  roads.  If 
the  systems  begin  act ing  to  stab ilize  your 
veh icle,  you  should  immediately  change 
your  speed  to  matc h the  road  and  traffic 
conditions.  Do no t let  the  increased  safe ty 
provided  by t hese  systems  tempt  yo u to 
t ake  risks.  Doing  so  will  i ncreas e th e risk  of 
a  loss  of  vehicle  con trol,  collisi on and  se ri
ou s person al injur ies . 
- Always  a dap t your  spee d  to  road , traffic  and 
weather  condi tions.  The  risk  of  los ing  con 
t rol  of  the  vehicle  in cr eases  w hen  driving 
t oo  f ast,  es pecially  throu gh curves  and  on 
slippe ry or  wet  roads,  and  when  driving  too 
close  to  ve hicles  up  ahea d. The  ESC and  its 
integ rated  systems  cannot  always  prevent 
col lisions  - there  is  still  a  risk  of  accidents! 
- Always  accelerate  w ith  special  ca re  on  even, 
smooth  surfaces  s uch  as  those  that  are  wet 
o r covered  with  ice  and  snow.  The  drive  .,..  
Page 193 of 300
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wheels  can spin even with  these  ass istance 
systems  that  cannot  always  he lp to  reduce 
the  risk of  loss of  vehicle  control. 
@ Tips 
-ABS  and AS R on ly work  correctly  when  a ll 
fo ur  whee ls are e quipped w ith  ide ntical 
Switching  on /off 
Intelligent  Technology 
tires.  Diff eren t tire  s izes can lead to  a red uc
tion  i n engine  po wer . 
- You may  hear noises when t he sy stems  de
scribe d are workin g. 
- Whe n in sta lling  a facto ry-s up plied  roo f  ra ck 
system  o n the roof  r ailing , the  ESC wi ll 
adapt  itself  to  a different  center  of  gravity . 
ESC turns  on automatically  when you  start  the  engine. 
Fig . 18 5 Versio n A: Lowe r cente r conso le,~  OFF b utto n 
The  follow ing s ituations  are except ions where  it 
may  be usef ul to sw itch  on offroad  mode to  allow 
the  wheels  to  spi n: 
- Rocking  the vehicle to  free  it  when  it  is stuck 
- Driv ing  in deep snow or  on loose ground 
Offroad  mode on 
~ Q:)01_1 _ --.!'3.- -ft.<l!l- -.<2-- --
Fig. 18 6 Version  B: Uppe r center  console,~  OFF button 
- Driving  with  snow  chains 
- Dr iving  down hill  wh ile  braking  on  loose ground 
- Dr iving  on ro ugh te rra in when  m uch of  the  car's 
weight  is lifted  off  the  wheels  (axle articula
tion) 
Offroad  mode  off 
Behavio r 
The ESC and AS R stabilization  f unctions  Th
e fu ll sta bilization  f unction  of  the  ESC 
a re limited 
c:> &. . 
Operation Press  the 1.$ OFF I button. 
Indicator II turns  on. 
lights 
Driver  mes- Stabilization 
control  (ESC): Offroad. 
sages  Wa rning!  Restricted stability 
A WARNING 
- You  should  only  sw itch  o ffroad  mode o n if 
yo ur dr iv ing abilit ies a nd  road cond it io ns 
permit. 
- The stabilization  function  is limited  when  offroa d mode  is switched  on. The dr iv ing 
wheels  co uld  spi n and th e vehicle  cou ld 
swerve,  es pec ially  on s lick o r sli ppery roa d 
s ur fac es.  and ASR 
is avai lab le again. 
P ress t he 
1.$ OFFI button  aga in. 
II turns  off. 
Stabilization  control  (ESC ): On 
(D Tips 
Offro ad mode ca nno t be  switche d on whe n 
adaptive  c ruise co ntro l*  is switched  on. 
191  
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Intelligent  Technology 
Hill  descent assist 
The hill descent  assist  makes  it possible  to  drive 
down  an incline  at  a constant  speed . 
~~,·~ ('l)ofF ___ P..1 --- fl~ IIL..~ 
---
Fig.  187 Top  of  the  center  conso le:  hill  descent  assist  but
ton 
Fig.  188 Display:  hill descent  assist 
..  Press  the~  button  in the  center  console 
¢ fig . 187 or  on the  shift  gate . The  button  will 
illuminate . 
"  Press the  button  again  to  switch  it off. The di-
ode  in the  button  will  go  out . 
Hill  descent  ass ist  brakes all  four  wheels auto
matically  in order to  limit  speed  when driving  ei
ther  forwa rd o r reverse  on  hills  with  a grad e up to 
approximately  50%. 
When  the  hill descent  assist  is on, the  current 
driving  speed, when  your  vehicle  entered  the  in
cline  is maintained. 
It is only  possible  to  switch 
on the  assist  when  driving  slower  than 37  mph 
(60  km/h).  The assist works  between  app roxi 
mately  2 and  19 mph  (4 and 30  km/h) . The driver 
can increase or  decrease the  vehicle  speed within 
these  limits  by  depressing the  accelerator  or 
brake  pedal  In  addition,  vehicle  steerability  is in
creased due to  the  braking  distribution  when 
driving  in  reverse . 
192 
There  must  be however  sufficient  ground  adhe
sion . The  hill descent  assist  can 
not do  its  job if 
the  incline  is  icy or  if  the  incl ine  ground  is loose 
¢ &. 
The system  does not work  at  speeds  between  19 
and  37 mph  (30  and  60  km/h). The system  is 
then  in the  ready-mode.  The diode  in  the  button 
will  come  on . The system  automatically  sw itched 
off  when  you drive  faster  than  37  mph  (60  km/  h) . The diode  will  go  out  in this  case . 
Active  control  at  a specific  speed  up to  approxi 
mately  19  mph  (30  km/h)  will  appear  in the  in
strument  cluster  display 
c:> fig.  188 . Two dashes 
"  ••  " w ill  appear  in the  ready mode . 
Hill  descent  assist is automatically  activated  un
der the  following  conditions: 
- the  diode  in the  button  illuminates, 
- veh icle speed  is below  approximately  19 mph 
(30  km/h) 
- the  incline  is 10%. 
& WARNING 
-Always adapt  your speed to  the  weather, 
road  and traffic  cond itions.  Do not  let  the 
increased safety  provided tempt  you  into 
taking  risks. 
-
-The  hill  descent  assist  system  cannot  over
come  the  laws of  phys ics. Your  driving  style 
must  always be adapted  to the  current  road 
and traffic  conditions. 
- The  hill  descent  assist  may not  be ab le to 
hold  your  vehicle  at  a constant  speed  under 
all  cond itions  wh ile driving  on an  incline  (for 
example  if  ground  under  the  vehicle is 
loose). 
Braking 
What  affects  braking efficiency? 
New  brake  pads 
Du ring  the  first  2 50  miles  (400  km),  new brake 
pads do not  possess their  full  braking  effect,  they 
have to  be "broken  in" first 
c:> &.  ..,_  
Page 195 of 300
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Operating conditions  and  dr iving  habits 
The  brakes  on  today 's au tomobiles  a re  still  s ub
ject  to  wea r,  depend ing  la rgely  on  ope rating  con
ditions  and  driving  habits¢.&. . On vehicles  that 
ar e  e ither driv en  most ly in  stop-and -go  city  traf
f ic or  are  driven  ha rd,  the  brake  pads  should  be 
checked  by your  authorized  Aud i dealer  more  of
ten  than  specified  in  the 
Warranty & Mainte
n ance boo klet . 
Failure  to  have  your  brake  pads 
inspected  can  resu lt  in  reduced  brake  perform
ance. 
On steep  slopes,  you  should  use  the  braking  ef
fect  of  the  eng ine . This way,  you  prevent  unnec 
essary  wear  on  the  brake  system . If  you  must  use 
your  b rakes , do  not  ho ld the  brakes  down  con tin
uously.  Pump  t he  b rakes  at  intervals. 
Operating  noise 
Noises  may  occur  when  braking  depend ing  on  the 
speed , braking  force  and  outs ide  cond itions  such 
as  tempe rature  and  humidity . 
Effect  of  water  and  road  sa lt 
In  certain situations,  for example a fter  driving 
t hrough  water,  in  heavy  ra in , after  overnight  con
densat ion  or  after  washing  your  car,  the  braking 
effect  can  be  reduced  by moisture  or  ice on  the 
b rake  rotors  and  b rake  pads . T he  brakes  must  be 
d ried  first  w ith  a few  careful  b rake  applica tions. 
At highe r speeds  and  with  the  windsh ie ld w ipers 
turned  on,  the  bra ke  pads  press  aga inst  the  brake 
rotors  for  a  short  amount  of  time . Thi s occ urs at 
r egular  intervals  wit hout  the  d river  noticing  and 
p rovides  for  be tter  br ak e  response  time  u nder 
wet  conditions. 
The  eff ectiv eness  of  the  brakes  can  be  reduced 
when  the  vehi cle is  dr iven  on  a  salt-covered  road 
and  the  brakes  are  not  used.  L ikewise,  you  clean 
off  acc umu la ted  salt  coat ing  from  b rake  discs 
and  pads  with  a  few  ca utious  applications  of  the 
b rake ¢.&. . 
Corrosion 
There  may  be  a  tende ncy for  d irt  to  b uild  up  on 
the  brake  pads  an d cor ros io n t o fo rm  on  the  discs 
if the  ca r is  not  driven  regular ly or  only  fo r sho rt 
trips  with  little  use  of  the  brakes . 
Intelligent  Technology 
If 
the  brakes  are  not  used  frequent ly,  or  i f co rro
sio n has  formed  on  the  discs , it  is advisable  to 
clean  off  the  pads  and  discs  by braking  firmly  a 
few  times  from  a  moderately  high  speed  ¢ .&, . 
Faults  in the  brake  system 
If you  shou ld  notice  a sudden inc rease  in  brake 
peda l travel,  t hen  one  of  t he two  brake  circ uits 
may  have  fai led  ¢ 
&.. 
Low brake fluid  level 
Malfunctions  ca n occur  i n the  b rake  system  if the 
br ak e fluid  level  is  too  low . T he  brake  f lu id  leve l 
is moni tored  elect ronically . 
Brake booster 
The  brake  booster  increases  the  press ure  that 
yo u generate  with  the  b rake  peda l. 
It only  oper
ates  while  the  eng ine  is  r unning  or  w it h t he  igni
tio n sw itched  on  (hybr id  drive*) ¢.&, . 
Brake  lining  wear  status 
Brake  lining  wear  may  be  chec ked  by visual  in 
spect io n  of  t he condition  of  the  brake  pads 
t hr ough  the  openings  in the  wheel. 
If necessary, 
t h e wheel  may  be  removed  fo r th is  i nspe ction 
¢ page  259,  Replacing  wheels . 
.&_ WARNING 
--
-New brake  pads  don't  have  the  bes t stop 
p ing  power  an d m ust  be  " broken-in"  d uring 
the  initial  250  miles  (400  km).  You can  compensate  for  this  by pressing  the  brake 
pedal  more  firmly.  This also  applies  later 
when  new  pads  are  insta lled. 
- You sho uld  perform  braking  maneuvers  for 
the  purpose  of  cleaning  t he  brake  system 
only  if  road  condit io n s pe rmit . O ther  road 
users  m ust  not  be  put  at  r is k  - you  may 
cause  an  accident! 
- Before  descending  a steep  g rade,  reduce 
speed  and  sh ift  transmission  into  a  lower 
gea r or l ower  dr iv ing  ra nge.  Do  not  r ide  the 
b rakes  or  hold  the  ped al down  too  long  or 
too  often.  This  co uld  cause  t he  b rakes  to  ge t 
hot  and  dimi nish  braking  eff ic ien cy . 
- Do no t "ride  the  br akes"  by res ting you r foot 
on  the  pedal  when  you  do  no t  intend  to  ..., 
193  
Page 196 of 300
Intelligent Technology 
brake.  This  may  cause  the  brakes  to  over
heat,  premature  wear  and  increased stop
ping  distance. 
- Under  certain  climatic  and  operating  condi
tions  such  as  passing  through  water,  driving 
in  heavy  rain  or  after  washing  the  vehicle, 
the  effectiveness  of  the  brakes  can  be  re duced . In  winter,  ice can  accumulate  on  the 
brake  pads,  linings,  discs  and  drums.  Care
fully  apply  brakes  for  a test.  Brakes will  dry 
and  ice  coatings  will  be cleaned  off after  a 
few  careful  brake applications. 
- Driving  for  an  extended  period of time  on 
salt-covered  roads  without  using  your 
brakes  can also  affect  braking  efficiency. 
Clean  off  accumulated  salt  coating  from 
brake  discs  and  pads  with  a  few  carefu l 
brake  app lications . 
-If you  damage  the  front  spoiler,  or  if you  in
stall  a different  spoiler,  be  sure  the  air flow 
to  the  front  brakes  is  not  obstructed.  Other
wise  the  brake  system  could  overheat  reduc ing  the  effectiveness  of  the  entire  brake  sys
tem . 
- Failure  of  one  brake  circuit  will  impair  the 
braking  capability  resulting  in an  increased 
stopping  distance.  Avoid driving  the  vehicle  and  have  it  towed  to  the  nearest  author ized 
Audi  dealer  or qualified  workshop. 
- Never  let the  vehicle  roll to  a  stop  with  the 
engine  shut  off. 
- If the  brake  booster  is  not  working,  the 
brake  pedal  must  be  pressed  considerably 
harder  to make  up  for  the lack  of  booster 
assista  nee. 
Electromechanical  power 
assist,  Dynamic  steering 
The  electromechanical  power  assist  helps  the 
driver  when  steering. 
Power  steering  adapts electronically based  on 
the  vehicle  speed. 
Indicator  lights and messages 
•  Steering  defective!  Do not  drive vehicle! 
194  If 
this  indicator  light  turns  on  and  stays  on  and 
this  message  appears,  the  power  steering  may 
have  failed. 
Stop  the  vehicle  in  a safe  location as  soon  as  pos
sible.  Do 
not continue  driving . See  your  author
ized  Audi  dealer  or  other  qualified  repair facility 
for  ass istance . 
'-r, ij Dynamic  steering:  System  fault! You can 
continue  driving 
If  the indicator  l ight  turns  on  and  the  message 
appears,  the  steering may be  more  difficult  to 
move  or  more  sensitive  than  usual.  The steering 
may  also  be  at  an  angle  when  driving  straight. 
Drive slowly  to  your  authorized Audi  dealer  or 
qualified  workshop  to  have  the  malfunct ion  cor
rected. 
1 :r- ij Dynamic  steering:  Initializing 
Audi  drive  select* : if the  indicator  light  blinks  and 
the  driver  message  appears,  the  dynamic  steer i ng*  is reinitial ized.  After  start ing  the  engine,  the 
steering  wheel  will  move  slightly . Re-initial iza
tion  might  be necessary  if the  steering  wheel  was 
moved  hard  to  the  left  and  right  while  the  vehicle 
was  not  moving.  The  display turns  off  if  the initi
alization  was  successful. 
(D Tips 
- If  the . or 1:r- ij in dicato r light  only  stays  on 
for  a  short  time, you  may  continue  driving. 
- T he  dynamic  steering*  stab ility  systems 
¢ page  190 are  not  available  in the  event  of 
a  system  malfunction. 
- For  additional  information  on  dynamic 
steering* 
¢page  119. 
Driving  with  your 
quattro 
With  all-wheel  drive,  all  four  wheels  are driven . 
General information 
With  all-wheel  drive,  power  is distributed  to  all 
four  wheels.  This happens  automatically  depend
ing  on your  driving  style  and  the  road  conditions 
at  the  time.  See  also 
c> page  190.  ..,.  
Page 197 of 300
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A cen ter  differentia l distrib utes  the  driving  power 
variab ly to  the  front  and  rear  axle. 
It works  to
gether  with  selective  wheel  torque  control,  which 
ac tivates  when  driving  through  curves 
¢page  190. 
The  all-wheel  drive  concept  is designed  for  high 
engine  power.  Your ve hicle  is  exceptionally  pow
erful  and  has  excellent  driving  characterist ics 
both  under  norma l dr iving  condit ions  and  on 
snow  and  ice.  Always  read  and  follow  safety  pre 
cautions ¢.&. . 
Winter  tires 
When  driving  in the  w inter,  your  vehicle  with  a ll
wheel  drive  has  an  advantage,  even  with  regular 
tires.  In  winter  road  conditions  it  may  be  adv isa
b le  to  mount  w inter  t ires  (or  all-season  tires)  for 
i mproved  driveab ility  and  brak ing : these  tires 
must  be  mounted  on 
all four wheel s. See  a lso 
¢ page  249,  Winter  tires. 
Tire  chains 
Where  tire  chains  are  manda tory  on  certain 
roads, this  normally  also applies  to  vehicles w ith 
a ll-wheel  drive¢ page  249 , Snow  chains. 
Replacing  wheel s/tires 
Veh icles  with  all -whee l dr ive  must  always  have 
tires  of  the  same  s ize.  A lso  avo id tires  with  differ
ent  tread  depths . For detai ls see  page 
¢ page  241,  New tires  or wheels. 
A WARNING 
Always  adjust  you r driving  to  road  and  t raff ic 
conditions.  Do not  let  the  extra  safety  affo rd
ed  by  all-wheel  drive  te mpt  you into  tak ing 
extra  risks. 
- Alt hough  the  all-whee l dr ive  is very  effec
t ive,  always  remember  th at  br akin g  ca pac ity 
is  limited  by tire  traction.  Yo u should  t here
fore  not  d rive at  excess ive  speeds  on  icy or 
slippery  road  surfaces. 
- On wet  road  surfaces,  be  caref ul not  to  drive 
too  fast  because  the  front  wheels  co uld  be
gin  to  slide  on  top  of  the  water  (a quaplan
ing).  If  this  shou ld  occu r, you  w ill have  no 
warning  from  a  sudden  increase  in  eng ine 
speed  as  with  a front -whee l dr ive vehicle. 
Intellig ent  Technology 
Always  d rive at  speeds  which  are  suited  to 
the  road  conditions  -risk  of  c rash. 
Energy  management 
Starting  ability  is optimized 
E nergy management  controls  the  distribution  of 
electrical  energy  and  thus  optimizes  the  availa
bility of  electrical  energy for starting  the  engine . 
If  a vehicle  with  a conventional energy  system  is 
not  dr iven  fo r a  long  pe riod  of  time,  the  ba ttery  is 
discharged  by  id ling  curre nt  cons umers  (e.g.  im
mobili ze r).  In  ce rtain  circumstances  i t can  resu lt 
i n t he re  being  insuffi cient  energy  av ailabl e to 
st ar t the  eng ine. 
Intellige nt  ene rgy  manageme nt  in yo ur vehicle 
hand les  the  d ist ribution  of  electrical  e nergy. 
St art ing  abil ity  is m arkedly  improved  and  the  life 
of  the  ba ttery  is ex tende d. 
Bas ica lly,  energy  management  co nsists  of 
bat
tery  diagnosis , idling current management 
and 
dynami c energy management . 
Battery  diagnosis 
Battery  d iagnosis  continuously  determ ines  the 
state  of  the  battery . Sensors  de termine  battery 
vo ltage,  battery  curren t and  batte ry tempera
tu re . This  determines  t he cur rent  state  of  c harge 
and  the  power  of  t he  ba ttery. 
Idling  current  management 
Idli ng  cur rent  management  reduces  energy  con 
s u mption  wh ile  the  vehicle  is  standing . With  the 
ignition  switched  off , it  contro ls  the  energy  sup
ply to  the  vario us elec trical  componen ts.  Data 
fr om  b attery  diagnosis  is  co nsidere d. 
Depend ing  on  the  ba tte ry's  s ta te of  charge,  indi
v idual  consumers  are  gradually  turned  off  to  pre
ven t ex cess ive  disc ha rge  of  t he  battery  and  thus 
m ain ta in  starting  c ap abili ty. 
Dynamic  energy  management 
While  the  vehicle  is being  driven,  dynam ic e nergy 
manageme nt  dis trib utes  the  energy  generated 
according  to  the  needs  of  the  ind ividual  compo-
nents. 
It regula tes  consu mption,  so  that  more  ..,. 
195  
Page 198 of 300
Intelligent Technology 
electrical  energy  is not  being  used  than  is being 
generated  and  ensures  an  optimal  state  of 
charge  for  the  battery. 
(D Tips 
- But even  energy  management  cannot  neg ate  the  limits of  physics . Consider  that  the 
power  and  life of a  battery  are  limited. 
- If starting  ability  is threatened,  the  indica
tor  light (•) appears 
r=:; page  33. 
What  you  should  know 
The highest  priority  is given  to maintaining  start 
ing capability. 
The battery  is severely  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 precisely  these  situations  that  you will no
tice  energy  management  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  switched  off.  This reduces 
energy  consumption  and  maintains  starting  ca pability  over a longer  period.  Some  of the  con
venience  functions  may  not  operate,  such  as  the  interior  lights  or  the  power  seat  adjustment . The 
convenience  functions  will be available  again 
when  you  switch on the  ignition  and  start  the en
gine. 
With  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,  a message  appears  in the  radio  or  MMI* display . The message  indicates  that the 
system  will be  switched  off automat ical ly in a 
196 
moment.  If you wish  to continue  using the  func
tions,  you  have to  start  the  engine . 
With  the  engine  running 
Although  electrical  energy  is generated  when  the 
vehicle  is being  driven,  the  battery  can become 
discharged.  This happens  mostly  when  little  en
ergy is  being generated  and  a great  deal  con
sumed  and  the  battery's  state  of  charge  is not 
optimal. 
To  bring  the  energy  balance  back into  equilibri
um,  consumers  which  require  especially  large 
amounts  of  energy  are  temporarily  cut  back or 
switched  off.  Heating  systems  in particular  re
quire  a great  deal  of  energy.  If you notice,  for  ex
ample,  that  the  heated  seats*  or the  heated  rear 
window  are  not  heating,  they  have  been  tempo 
rarily  cut back  or  switched  off . These  systems  will 
be available  again  as  soon  as  the  energy  balance 
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  engine  idle 
speed  the  additional  energy  required  is  generat
ed and  the  battery  is charged.  
Page 199 of 300
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Driving  and  the 
environment 
Breaking  in 
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  kilometer s): 
"' Do  not  use full  throttle . 
"' Do  not  drive  at  engine  speeds that  are more 
than  2/3  of  the  max imum  permitted  RPM . 
From  600  to  1,000  miles  (1 ,000  to  1 ,500 
kilometers): 
"' Speeds  can gradually be increased to  the  maxi
mum  pe rm issib le road or  engine  speed . 
During and  after  break-in  pe riod 
"'  Do not  rev the  engine  up to  high  speeds when  it 
is cold.  This applies  whether  the  transmission  is 
in  N (Neutral)  or  in gear . 
After  the  break-in  period 
"'Do  not  exceed maximum  engine  speed under 
any c ircumstances. 
"'U pshift  into  the  next  higher  gear 
before reach
ing the  red area at  the  end of  the  tachometer 
sca le 
c=>page  10. 
During  the  first  few  hours  of  driving,  the  eng ine's 
internal  friction  is higher  than  later  when  all  the 
mov ing  parts  have been broken  in . How well  this 
b reak-in  process  is done  depends  to  a considera
b le exte nt  on the  way the  veh icle  is d rive n during 
t he first  1,000  miles  (1,500  kilometers). 
(D Note 
Extremely  high  eng ine s peeds a re au toma ti
cally  reduced.  However,  t hese  rpm  limits  are 
programme d for  a n engine  well  run-i n, not  a 
n ew engine. 
@) For the  sake of the  environment 
D o not  dr ive with  u nnecessari ly high  eng in e 
spee ds  -up sh ifting  ea rly saves  fuel,  reduces 
n oise and pr otects  the  envi ronme nt. 
Driving  and  the  envir onment 
New tires 
If your  vehicle  is runn ing on  new tires,  d rive very 
car efu lly fo r the firs t 35 0 miles  (500  kilometers) 
a ft er fit ting. 
WARNING 
New tires  tend  to  be slippe ry and  must  a lso 
be "bro ken-in".  Be sure to  remembe r th is dur
i ng the  fi rst  350  m iles (500  kilometers). 
Brake gent ly. Avoid  following  closely  behind 
other  vehicles  or  other  s ituations  that  m ight 
r equire  sudden,  hard  b raking. 
Catalytic  converter 
Applies  to  vehicles:  wit h gasoli ne e ngi ne 
It  is very important  that  your  emission  control 
system  (catalytic  converter)  is functioning  prop
erly  to  ensure  that  your  vehicle  is running  in an 
environmen tally sound  manner. 
"'  Always use lead-free  gasoli ne c> page  212, 
Gasoline . 
"' Never  run t he  tank down  all  the  way  to empty. 
"'N ever  put  too  much  mo to r  oil  in yo ur eng ine 
c=> page  2 24,  Adding  engine  oil 'l:::r. . 
"' Never try  to  push- or tow-start  your  veh icle. 
T he  cat alyt ic  co nverter  is an efficie nt  "cle an-up" 
device built  into  the  exhau st sys tem o f the  ve hi
cl e. T he catalyt ic converte r burns many  of  the 
po llutants  in the  exhaust  gas before  they  are  re 
l eased  into  the  atmosphere. 
T he ex clusive use of  u nleaded  fuel  is  critic ally  im 
por tant  fo r the  life  o f the  catalytic  converte r and 
prope r fu nct ion ing  of  the  engine. 
A WARNING 
= 
The temperat ure o f the  exhaust  system  is 
hi gh,  both  when  driv ing and after  stopping 
the  eng ine. 
-
- Never touch  the  exhaus t tail  pipes once they 
have become  hot.  This cou ld res ult  in  burns. 
- Do not  park  or  operate  the  vehicle  in a reas 
where  the  hot  exhaust  system  may come  in 
contact  w ith  dry g rass,  brush, fuel  sp ill  o r 
other  mate rial  wh ich can ca use a fire. 
197  
Page 200 of 300
Driving  and  th e en vironm ent 
- Do  not  apply  additional  undercoating  or 
rustproofing  on  or  near  the  exhaust  mani
fold,  exhaust  pipes,  catalytic  converter  or  heat  sh ields . During  dr iv ing,  the  substance 
used  for  undercoating  could  overheat  and 
cause  a fire . 
{U) Note 
-Be aware  that  just  one  tank  filling  with 
leaded fuel  will already  seriously  degrade 
the  performance  of the  catalytic  co nverter . 
- Do not  exceed  the  correct  engine  oil  level 
c:>page224 . 
-Do not  drive  until  the  fuel  tank  becomes 
completely  empty . The  engine  could  mis
fire.  Unburned  fuel  could  also  get  into  the 
exhaust  system  and  this  could  cause  the 
catalytic  converte r to  overheat. 
- Do not  turn  off  the  ignition  while  the  vehicle 
. . 1s  moving. 
- Do not  continue  to  operate  your  vehicle  un 
der  these  cond itions,  as  otherwise  fuel  can 
r each  the  catalytic  converte r.  This  could  re
su lt  in overheating  of the  converter,  requir
i ng  its  replacement . 
- To  assure  efficient  operation  of  the  Emis 
s ion  Control  System: 
- Have your  vehicle  maintained  properly  and  in  accordance  with  the  service  recommen
dations  in your  Warranty 
& Maintenance 
booklet . 
- Lack of  proper  maintenance  as  well  as  im
proper  use  of  the  vehicle  will  impair  the 
function  of  the  em ission  control  system 
and  could  lead  to  damage. 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
Even when  the  Emission  Control  System  is op
erat ing  properly,  the  exhaust  gas  can  have  a 
sulfur-like  exhaust  gas  smell  under  some  op
erat ing  states . This  depends  on  the  su lfur 
content  of the  fuel  be ing  used.  Using  a  differ
ent  brand  of fue l may  he lp,  or filling  the  tank 
with  lead-free  super  grade  gasoline. 
198 
Diesel  particulate  filter 
Applies  to vehicles:  with  diesel  engine 
The  diese l particulate  filter  filters  near ly all  of 
the  soot  particles  out  of th e exhaust.  The filter 
cleans  itself  automat ically  under  normal  d riving 
conditions.  If  the  filter  cannot  clean  itself  (for  ex
ample,  because  you  are  only  driving  shor t distan
ces),  the  filter  becomes  clogged  with  soot  and 
the 
II symbol  for  the  diesel  part iculate  filter  il
luminates 
c:> page  34 . 
&_ WARNING 
-Do not  park  your  vehicle  over  flammable 
materials  such  as grass  or  leaves  because 
the  high  temperature  of the diesel  particu
late  filter  could  start  a fire. 
-
- Do not  apply  an  underbody  protectant  in the 
exhaust  system  area  or  a fire  could  start. 
Avoid  damaging  the 
vehicle 
When  you  are  driving  on  poor  roads,  or  over 
curbs,  steep  ramps,  etc.,  make  certain  that  low
lying  parts  such  as  spoilers  and  exhaust  system 
parts  do  no t bottom  out  and  ge t damaged. 
This  is espec ially  true  for  vehicles  with  low-s lung 
chassis  (sports  chassis)*  and  fully  loaded 
vehicles. 
Economical  and  environ
mentally-friendly  driving 
General 
Your personal  style  of  driving will determine  the 
economy  of your  vehicle,  as  well  as exhaust  and 
noise  levels. 
Fuel  economy,  environmental  impact,  and  wear 
on  your  engine,  brakes  and  tires largely depend 
on  three  factors: 
- your  personal  driving style 
- operating  conditions 
- technical  limitations 
If  you  anticipate  what  you  need  to  do  next  and 
drive  economically,  you  can  easily  cu t your  fuel