AUDI RS5 CABRIOLET 2013 Owners Manual

You can compensate for th is sligh tly re duced
brak ing power by push ing harder on the brake
pedal. Avoid heavy braking loads d uring the
break-in per iod.
Operating condit ion s and d riv ing hab it s
The brakes on today's automobi les are st ill
subject to wear, depend ing largely on operat ­
ing 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 author­
i zed Audi dealer more often than specified i n
the
Warranty & Maint enan ce booklet . Failure
to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced b rake performance.
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing
effect of the engine . Th is way, you prevent un­
necessary wea r on the brake system. If you
must use you r brakes, do not hold the brakes
down continuously. P ump the b rakes a t inter ­
va ls.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on
the speed, braki ng force and outside condi­
tions such a s tempe ratu re a nd h umidity .
Due to the nature of the materials used i n ce ­
ramic brake rotors*, nois es may become more
apparent at low speeds.
Effect of w ater and ro ad s alt
In certain situat ions, for example after driving
through water, i n heavy ra in, after over night
condensation or after washing your car, the
b rak ing effect can be reduced by moistu re or
i ce on the bra ke roto rs and b rake pads . The
b ra kes must be dried fi rs t w it h a few caref ul
b ra ke app lications.
At h igher speeds and with the w indshield w ip­
e rs turned on, the brake pads p ress against
the brake rotors for a short amount of time.
This occurs a t reg ular in tervals wi tho ut the
d river noticing and provides for better brake
response time un der wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehi cle is dr iven o n a salt -cove re d
Int ellig ent technolog y 179
road and the b ra kes are no t used. Likewise ,
you clean off acc umulated salt coating from
brake d iscs and pads with a few cautio us ap ­
plications of the brake
9 ,&. .
Due to the ir sur face character istics, ceramic
brake rotors* absorb moisture i n such condi­
tions. T his can cause a tempo rary reduction in
braking force compared to dry brakes. Yo u can
compensate for this by pressing the brake
pedal harder .
Corrosio n
There may be a tendency for dirt to b uild up
on the brake pads and corros ion to form on
the d iscs if the car is not driven regularly or
o nly for short trips w ith litt le use of the
brakes .
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor­
ros ion has formed on the discs, i t is adv isable
to clean off the pads a nd d iscs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed
9 &. .
Fault s in the brake sy stem
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, then one of the two b rake
c ircui ts may have failed ¢&. .
Lo w brake fluid lev el
Malfunctions can occ ur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid
level is monitored electronica lly.
Brake booster
T he br ake booster inc reases the pressure tha t
yo u gene rate with t he brake peda l. It works
o nl y when t he engine is running .¢
&
Brake lining wear status
B ra ke lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spe ction o f the condition of the bra ke pads
th rough the open ings in the wheel. If neces ­
sary, the wheel may be removed for t his in ­
spection ¢
page 245, Changing a wheel.
•
•

180 Intelligent technology
8_ WARNING
-New brake pads don't have the best stop­
ping power and must be "broken -in" dur ­
ing the initial 100 to 150 miles (150 to
200 kilometers) of normal city driving .
The break-in period can be considerably
longer for vehicles with ceramic brake ro­
tors*. You can compensate for this by pressing the brake pedal more firmly.
This also applies later when new pads are
installed.
- 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 cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission 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
conditions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the
brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums . Carefully apply brakes
for a test . Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings will be cleaned
off after a few care­
ful 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 careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct- ed
. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est authorized 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, for
example when towing your vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance.
Electro-mechanical
power assist, dynamic
steering
The electro-mechanical 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!
If this indicator light turns on and stays on
and this message appears, the power steering
may have failed.
Do
not continue driving . See your authorized
Audi dealer or other qualified repair facility
for assistance .
''!'Y Dynamic steering: System fault! You can
continue driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the steering may be more diffi­
cult to
move or more sensitive than usual. The
steering wheel may also be at an angle when
driving straight .
Drive slowly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected. .,..

';'ij Dynamic stee ring : initi alizing
If th is driver message appears and the ind ica­
tor light is flash ing on the inst rument pane l,
dynamic steering* is be ing reinitialized. Once
you start the engine after this is finished, the
steering whee l wi ll be easy to move. Re-initi­
alization m ight be necessary if the steering
wheel was moved hard to the left and r ight
while the veh icle was not moving. The display
goes out as soon as initialization is complete .
A WARNING
Have the dynamic steering* system mal­
function repaired as soon as poss ible by an
authori zed Audi dealer or any qualified
workshop -risk of accident!
@ Tips
- If the . or 1~ ij indicator light only stays
on for a short t ime, you may continue
driving.
- The dynamic steering* stability systems
are not available in the event of a system
malfunction.
- For additional informat ion on dynamic
stee ring*, refer to
c::> page 104.
Driving with your
quattro ®
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv­
en.
G ene ral inform ation
W ith all -whee l dr ive, power is distributed to
all fo ur wheels. This happens automatica lly
depending on your driving sty le and the road
conditions at the time . See also
c::> page 176.
A center diffe rent ial distr ibutes the dr iv ing
power variably to the front and rear axle.
It
works together with se lective wheel torque
control, which activates when driving through
curves
c::> page 177. W ith the sport d ifferen ­
tial*, power distribution to the rear wheels is
variable and can be adjusted with drive select
<=:> page 104 .
Intellig ent technolog y 181
The all -whee l drive concept is designed for
high engine power. Your vehicle is exception­
ally powerfu l and has excellent driving charac­
teristics both under normal driv ing cond itions
and on snow and ice. Always read and follow
safety precaut ions
c::> ,&. .
Winter t ires
When driving in the winter, yo ur vehicle with
a ll-wheel drive has an advantage, even w ith
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea­
son tires) for improved driveability and brak ­
ing: these tires must be mounted on
a ll fou r
wheels. See also c::> page 23 7, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally also applies to veh icles
with all -wheel drive
c::> page 238, Snow
chains .
Replacing whee ls / tires
Vehicles with a ll-wheel drive must always
have tires of the same s ize. Also avoid tires
with different tread depths. For deta ils see
page
~ page 233, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels .
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clear­
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle. It is
therefore best to avoid rough tracks and un ­
even terrain as much as possible . Also refer to
~ page 184.
A WARNING
Always ad just your dr iv ing to road and t raf­
fi c condi tions. Do no t let the extra safety
afforded by all-wheel drive temp t you into
taking extra risks.
- Al tho ugh t he all-wheel drive is very ef­
fective, always remember that braking capacity is lim ited by tire traction . You
should therefore not d rive at excessive
speeds on icy or slippery road surfaces.
•
•

182 Intelligent technology
-On wet road surfaces , be careful not to
dr ive too fast because the front wheels
cou ld beg in to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning). If this should occur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in­
c rease in engine speed as with a front­
wheel drive vehicle. A lways d rive at
s peeds w hich a re suited to the road con­
di tions -ris k of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimi zes the
availabili ty of elec trical energy for s tarting
t he engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system
is not driven for a long period of time, the bat­
te ry is d ischarged by idling current consumers
(e.g . immobilizer) . In certain ci rcumstances it
can result i n there bei ng ins ufficient ene rgy
ava ilab le to start th e engi ne .
Intell igen t energy management in y our veh i­
cle hand les the d istribution of electrical ener­
gy. Starting ab ility is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
Basically, energy management consists of
battery diagnos is , idling current manage­
ment
and dynamic en ergy management .
Battery diagnosis
Battery d iagnosis continuously determ ines
the state of the battery. Sensors determ ine
battery vo ltage, ba tte ry current and battery
temperature . This dete rm ines the current
state of charge and the powe r of the battery.
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is stand ing.
W ith the igni tion switched off, it cont ro ls the
energy s upply to the va rious e lectr ica l compo ­
n ents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid­
e red. D
epend ing on the ba tte ry's state o f cha rge ,
indivi dual cons umers a re g radually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of t he battery
and th us maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehi cle is being d riven, dynami c en ­
ergy management distr ibutes the energy gen ­
erated accord ing to t he needs of the indivi du­
al components . It regulates consumption, so
t h at more electrical energy is not being used
t h an is be ing generated and ensures an opti­
mal state of charge fo r the battery .
(D Tips
-But even ene rgy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
t ha t the powe r and life of a battery are
limited.
- If start ing ability is t hreatened , the indi­
cator light(•) appears ~
page 17.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severe ly taxed in short-d istance
driv ing, in city traff ic and during the cold time
of yea r. Ab undant electrical e nergy is re­
quired, but on ly a little is generated . It is also
c rit ical if th e engi ne is no t ru nning and e lectri­
ca l c ompone nts are t urned on . In this in ­
sta nce ene rgy is be ing consumed but none i s
being gene ra ted .
It is in prec isely these s ituations that you will
not ice ene rgy management a ct ive ly reg ulat­
in g t he di stribu tion of ene rgy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of seve ral days or weeks , e lectr ica l compo­
n ents a re g radually cut bac k or sw itched off.
T h is reduces energy consump tion and ma in­
ta in s start ing c apabili ty over a longer pe riod .
Some of the convenience func tions may not
opera te, such as t he interio r lights or the
power seat adjustme nt. The convenience
ll-

functions will be available again when you
switch on the ignition and start the engine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the eng ine turned off or use othe r MM I fu nc­
tions, the battery is being discha rged.
I f starting capability is jeopardized due to en­
e rgy consumpt ion, the fo llow ing warning ap­
pears in the MMI disp lay :
Plea se start the eng ine soon or th e sys tem
w ill b e turn ed off .
The warning ind icates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 m inutes . If
you wish to cont inue us ing the functions , you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is be ing driven, the battery can be­
come discharged . Th is happens mostly when
little energy is be ing generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is no t optimal.
To br ing the energy balance back into equili ­
b rium, consumers which require especially
l arge amounts of energy are tempo rarily cut
back or swit ched off. Heating systems in par­
ticular requ ire a g reat dea l o f energy. If you
notice, fo r example, that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they have been temporari ly cut back or switched
off. These systems will be ava ilab le again as
soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You will a lso notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly . This is norma l and not
a cause for concern . By increasing engine idle
speed the add itiona l energy required is gener­
ated and the battery is charged.
Int ellig ent technolog y 183
•
•

184 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 fir st 600 miles (1,000
kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle.
... Do not d rive 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 kilomete rs):
.,. Speeds can gradually be increased to the
max imum pe rm iss ible road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in per iod
... Do not rev the eng ine up to high speeds
when it is cold. Th is app lies whether the
transmission is in N (Neutra l) or in gear.
After the break- in period
... Do not exceed max imum engine speed un­
der any circumstances .
... Upshift into the next higher gear before
reaching the red area at the end of the tach­
ometer scale¢ page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the en­
g ine's inter na l friction is higher than later
when all the moving parts have been broken
i n. How well this break- in process is done de­
pends to a conside rable extent on the way the
ve hicl e is driven du ring the first 1,000 miles
(1, 500 kilome ters).
(D Note
E xtremely high engi ne speeds are auto­
mat ica lly r educed. However, t hese rpm
lim its are programme d for a n engine well
r u n- in, not a new eng ine.
{® For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high en­
g ine speeds - upshifting ear ly saves fuel,
reduces no ise and protects the environ­
ment.
, New tires
If your vehicle is runni ng on new tires, drive
very carefully for the first 350 miles (500 kilo­ meters) after fitting.
_& WARNING
N ew tires tend to be slip pery a nd mus t al­
so be "b roken -in" . Be s ure to remembe r
this dur ing the fi rst 350 mi les (500 kilo ­
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llow ing
closely behind other vehicles or other sit­
uations that m ight require sudden, hard
braking.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you a re d rivi ng on poo r roads, or over
cu rbs, ste ep ramps, etc., ma ke certai n that
low- ly ing parts s uch as spoile rs and ex ha ust
s ystem parts do not bot tom o ut and get dam ­
aged.
T his is espec ially true for veh icles with low­
s lu ng chassis (s por ts chassis)* and fully load­
ed vehicles.
Driving through water
on roads
Note th e following to avoid ve hicle damage
whe n driving through water, for examp le on
flooded roads:
- The wa ter must not be any hig he r th an the
bottom of the vehicle body .
- Do not dr ive faste r than walk ing speed.

A 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 re­
store the full brak ing effect.
([) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspension or electrical sys­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through wate r.
@ Tips
- Check the depth of the water before dr iv­
i ng through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, dr ive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
th rough water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for you r vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Warming up and
cooling down
By carefully warming up and cooling down
your vehicle, you can he lp ensure that it is not
overstressed unnecessarily during sporty driv­ ing.
When warming up, the vehicle is driven at a maximum engine speed of 6000 RPM in order
to raise the engine oil temperature to a mini­ mum of 140 °F (60 °C) . The tires also only
reach their full road holding capability once
they have warmed up .
The cooling fan can continue to run in your ve­ h icle after the engine is switched off. Howev­
er, driving the vehicle to cool it down is part ic­
ularly important . Du ring sporty driving, the
engine and brakes, the exha ust system, and
the transm ission all become ext remely hot.
Before you park the vehicle, you shou ld drive
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 185
it for a few miles/kilometers at light load in
the low rpm range to allow it to cool down.
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission con­
trol system (catalytic converter) is function­
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run­
ning in on environmentally sound manner.
"" Always use lead-free gasoline c> page 202,
Fuel supply.
"" Never run the tank down all the way to emp­
ty.
"" Never put too much motor o il in your engine
<=> page 212, ~ Adding engine oil .
""Never try to push- or tow-sta rt you r vehicle.
The catalyt ic converter is an efficient "clean­
up" device bui lt into the exhaust system of
the ve hicl e. The cata lytic conve rter bu rns
many of t he pollutants in the exha ust gas be­
fo re t hey are re leased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fue l is critically
important for the life of the catalyt ic convert­
er and proper funct ion ing of the engine.
A WARNING ~
- The temperature of the exhaust system
is high, both when driving and after stop ­
ping the engine.
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once they have become hot . This could result
in burns .
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot exha ust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material wh ich can
cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields . Dur ing driving, the
substanc e used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire. •
•

186 Driving and en vironm ent
-Be aware that just one tank fi lling with
le a ded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil leve l
qpage 212.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis­
fire. Unburned fuel could also get into
the exhaust system and this could cause
t h e catalyt ic converte r to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ignition while the ve­
hicle is moving.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle
under these conditions, as otherw ise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
could result in overheat ing of the co n­
ve rter, req uiring its repla ceme nt.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­
s ion Control System:
- Have your veh icle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec ­
ommendations in your Warranty
&
Ma intenance booklet.
- Lack o f proper maintenance as well as
improper use of the vehicle will impa ir
the funct ion of the emission control
system and cou ld lead to damage.
@) For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Control System is
operati ng properly, the exhaust gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operating sta tes. This depends on
t he s ulfur content of the fue l being used .
Using a differe nt brand of fuel may help,
or filling the t ank w it h lead-free super
grade gaso line .
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex ­
haust and noise levels.
F uel economy, environmenta l impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving s tyle
- oper ating conditions
- technical limitat ions
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive economica lly, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This sec­
t ion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your po cketbook.
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRON MENTAL PROTEC TION AG ENCY
( EP A) and Transpo rt Canada may no t corre­
s pon d to your actual consump tion on the
r oad, which will va ry depending upon vehi ­
cle load and speed, road and weather con ­
dit ions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they ore ac­
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and brak ing.
Vehicles use the mos t fu el when they are ac­
ce le rat ing. If yo u ant icipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
t hu s, acce le rate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for examp le when you see
t h at the next traff ic light is red.

Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
""Try and keep well below your car's maximum
speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
Fu el consumption, exhaust emissions and en ­
g ine noise increase disproportionately at high
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed limit and weather con­
ditions permit .
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
""Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
"" Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut
off the engine in traff ic
jams, when waiting for trains to pass at ra il­
road crossings, or at traffic lights that have
l ong wa its on red. Turning the engine
off for
just
30-40 seconds saves more fue l than is
burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle. However, wear
and noxious emissions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter starting . If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
would go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which cou ld result in over-
Driving and environment 187
'
heating or othe r damage to the vehicle or
other property.
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
""H ave your veh icle serviced at regular inter-
vals.
By having your vehicle regu larly serviced by an
au thorized Aud i dea ler helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economic all y. The condition
of your veh icle not on ly affects its safety and
ability to hold its va lue, it a lso affects
fuel
consumption .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of o il used is related to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certain
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l consumption and en­
gine output.
(U) Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet. Lack of proper mainte­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
emission control system and could lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other important vehicle compo­
nents .
•
•

188 Driving and en vironm ent
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips .
.,. Try to avo id driving short distances with a
cold eng ine.
The engine and catalyt ic converter have to
reach their optimal
operat ing tempe ratu re to
reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis­
sions effect ively .
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid-size
car only achieves a f uel economy of 6-8 miles
per gallon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a
half a m ile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/100 km) . After about
2 .5 m iles (4 km),
the eng ine is at its proper operat ing tempera­
ture and fue l economy has reached a no rma l
l eve l. So you can see that you sho uld avoid
short tr ips wheneve r possib le .
The
o ut sid e temp era ture is also critical in this
r egard. Your car consumes more fuel in the
winter than in the summer.