AUDI A4 2017 Owners Manual

Parking lock emergency release
The parking lock must be released using the
emergency release before towing the vehicle .
Fig. 86 Front cup holder: removing the cover
Fig. 87 Front cup holder : parking lock eme rge ncy release
~ 0
~ a, ID
The eme rgency re lease is located in the fron t cup
ho lde r under a cover
Releasing the parking lock using the
em ergency r ele ase
.. To prevent the vehicle from rolling unintention­
ally, set the parking brake<®>
c::>page 81 or
press the brake peda l.
.. Remove the rubber mat.
.. There is one slit open ing on the cover . Use the
screwdriver (from vehicle tool kit) to pry the
cove r off at the opening
c::> fig . 86 .
.. Inse rt the socket wrench (from the vehicle tool
k it) into the opening .
.,. Push and turn t he so cket w rench 90° until it
locks into place
c::> fig. 87 .
.. Leave the socket wrench inserted .
Resetting the parking lock
~ .. Pull the socket wrench out ve rtically c::> 0.
;:::: .. Reinsert the cover and rubber mat . ...... N ..... 0 0
~ co
Drivi ng
When the parking lock emergency release is
used, the
mJ indicator light and the N selector
l ever posit ion turn on in the instrument cluster .
The message
Da nger of rolli ng away ! P not po s­
sible. Please apply park ing bra ke
also appears.
A WARNING
-- Only activate the emergency release while
on a level surface or a slight slope.
- If you release the park ing lock us ing the
emergency release, secu re your vehicle with
the park ing b rake or the brake pedal if the
pa rking brake is not wo rking . T he veh icle
c a n roll away if it is not se cure d and cause a
crash.
(D Note
Do not tur n the socket wrench back when re­
setting the parking lock or else there is a risk
of damage.
89

Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­my and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on the
ve hicle, it also ca lls for more concentration from
the dr iver.
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross tra iler weight. The hitch must be suitab le
for your veh icle and tra iler and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
locat ion . Use on ly a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ba ll mount . Always che ck with the t rail ­
er hitch man ufac tur er to make s ure t hat you are
using the co rrect hi tc h.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system. No mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and b rake systems .
Fr om t ime to t ime, che ck that all hitch mo unti ng
bol ts rem ain securely f aste ned.
W hen you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra ile r hitc h ba ll mount . This prevents the hit ch
from caus ing damage s hou ld your veh icle be
s truck from be hind ¢
,&..
Trailer brakes
If you r trailer is equipped with a brak ing system,
check to be su re that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
90
The t rai ler hydraulic bra ke system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
bra ke system ¢&. .
Safety chains
Always use s afety chains be tween you r vehi cle
and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Traile r lights must meet all regula tions . B e s ure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
r ec t wir ing, swi tches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see t he traffic behind you us­
i ng t he regular outs ide mirrors, then yo u
must in­
stall ex tended mirrors . It is impo rtant that you
al ways have clear vision to the rear.
.&_ WARNING
Afte r remov ing the tra ile r hi tc h, do not s tore
it i n y our vehicle. In case o f su dden brak ing,
the hitch could fly fo rward and injure you or
your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A tra iler f or yo ur vehicle is lim ite d to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the t rai le r i s he ld se curely in
pla ce to p reve nt i t from shi fting forwar d, bac k­
ward or si deways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ¢ &.
in Driver messages on page 91.
Engine cooling system
Towi ng a tra iler makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load . Make sure tha t
the coo ling system has enoug h fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire p ressure listed under "Full
load" on the t ire press ure label. The t ire pressure
1111-

label is located on the driver's side B-pillar. In­
f late trai ler tires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' specifications.
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check to
make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the tra iler to the hitch on the vehicle.
L eave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners. When you install safety chains, make
sure they wi ll not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains shou ld cross under the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
Driver messages
Driving with a trailer requires extra caution .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results
in a high ly unstable dist ribution of weight . If this
cannot be avo ided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and cont rol.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while
keeping th e trailer as light as possib le under the
circumstances . Whenever possib le, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow vehicle whi le observing tong ue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to contro l the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
<( conditions are unfavorable -particularly when a,
;::; going downhill. ,....
N .... 0 0
3 a,
Trailer towing
Reduce vehicle speed immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the eng ine
braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
T he coolant temperature gauge~ page 11 must
be obse rved carefully. The coolant temperature
can increase if you drive on long inclines in a low
gear at high engine speeds . Reduce your speed
immediately if the LEDs in the top part of the dis­
play turn on.
For more information about indicator lights, re­
fer to.
~ page 31 .
A WARNING
= -
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer towing
information
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
trailer because of the addit ional weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how careful­
ly you load your trailer and operate you r rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, pract ice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic . Keep pract ic ing until you have be­
come complete ly familiar w ith the way your vehi­
cle-trailer combination behaves and responds.
91

Trailer towing
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a trailer generally requires steer­
ing action oppos ite to that when backing up your
veh icle w ithout a trailer .
Maintain a g reater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. You w ill need more
room to stop. To compensate for the tra iler, you
will need a larger than normal turn ing radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accel ­
erate as fast as you norma lly would because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for
your tra iler before chang ing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts , sharp turns or rapid lane
changes .
@ Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break -in per i­
od of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require
more frequent maintenance d ue to the ex ­
tra load
~ page 363.
Parking on a slope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only o~er doing the following:
When parking:
.. Apply t he foo t brake .
.. Have someone place chocks under both t he ve­
hicle and the tra ile r whee ls .
.. With chocks in p lace, slowly release t he brakes
u ntil the whee l chocks absorb the load .
.. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.. Apply the parking brake .
.. Move the selector lever to P .
When restarting after pa rking:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Start the engine .
.. Move the selector lever to D/S .
.. Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks .
.. Stop and have someone retrieve t he wheel
chocks .
92

Assist Electronic speed limiter
Your vehicle may be factory equipped with t ires
that are rated for a maximum speed of 130 mph (210 km/h). This is less than the maximum speed
of your vehicle. To reduce the risk of sudden tire
failure and loss of control if the vehicle is operat­
ed at excessive speeds, your vehicle also has an
electronic speed limiter . The electronic speed
limiter prevents your vehicle from going faster
than the t ire speed rating. For mo re information
¢page 317.
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehicle
road speed s ignals, the Malfunction Indicator
L amp (M IL)
¢..ij will illuminate. If this occurs,
contact the nearest autho rized Audi dealer for
assistance.
_& WARNING
Always observe the posted speed limits and
adjust you r speed to suit prevailing road, traf­
fic and weather condit ions. Never drive your
vehicle faster than the max imum speed rating
of the tires installed.
Speed warning system
Introduction
Applies to: vehicles with speed warning system
The speed warning system helps you to stay un­
der a specified maximum speed. -
The
speed warning system warns you if you are
exceeding the maximum speed that you have
stored . You will hear a warning tone when yo ur
speed exceeds the sto red va lue by approximate ly
3 mp h (3 km/h). The indi cator light also tur ns on
in the instrument cluster display
Eel (USA mod­
e ls)/
Hll (Canada mode ls) as well as the message
Manually set speed limit XXX mph (km /h ) ex­
c eeded .
The ind icator light [01 / (OJ turns off
when the speed decreases below the stored max­
imum speed.
Sett ing a threshold is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when you reach a certain
maximum speed. Situations where you may want
A ss ist
to do so include driving in a co untry with a gener­
al speed limit or if there is a specified maximum
speed for winte r tires.
(D Tips
Regardless of t he speed warning system, you
s h ou ld always monitor your speed using the
speedometer and make s ure yo u are fo llow ing
the lega l speed limit.
Setting the warning threshold
Appl ies to : vehicles with speed warni ng system
You can set, change and delete the warning
threshold in the Infotainment system.
.,. Sele ct in the Infotai nment system: I MENU ! but­
ton
> Vehicle > left control b utton > Driver as­
sistance
> Speed warning > Manu al.
You can set a ny thresho ld between 20 mp h
(30 km/h) and lS0 mph (240 km/h) . Settings
can eac h be adjusted in increments of 5 mph (10
km/h).
Cruise control system
Switching on
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive at a constant speed starting at 15 mph (20kmlh).
0
f
~
0
Fig. 88 Operating lever: cru ise control system
.,. To switch t he system on, pull the lever into po­
sition
(D ¢ fig. 88.
.,. Drive at the speed to be maintained.
.,. To store the speed, press the button @.
93

Ass is t
The stored speed and the [ij;ji j~i4 (USA models)/
Ill (Canada mode ls) indicator light appear in the
instrument cluster disp lay . An add itiona l indica­
tor appears in the Head -up display*.
The speed is maintained by modifying engine power or through an active brake intervention.
A WARNING
- Always pay attention to the traffic around
you when the cruise control system is in op­
eration. You are always responsible for your
speed and the distance between your vehi­
cle and other veh icles .
- For safety reasons, cruise control should not
be used in the city, in stop-and-go traffic, on
winding roads and when road condit ions are
poo r (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and
hydroplaning), because t his increases the
risk of an accident.
- Switch the cruise cont rol off temporar ily
when d riving i n turn ing lanes, h ighway exits
or in construction zones .
- Please note tha t unconsciously "resting"
yo ur foot on the accelerator pedal prevents
the cruise control from braking. This is be ­
cause pressing the acce lerato r pedal ove r­
rides the cruise contro l system.
- If a brake system ma lf u nction such as over ­
heating occurs when the cruise control sys­
tem is sw itched on, the braking function in
the system may be sw itched off. The rest of
the cruise control system functions remain
active as long as the
[ij;(l)~i4 (USA models) I
i:I (Canada models) indicator light is on.
(D Note
Before driving a long d istance on a steep
downward hill, decrease your speed and se­
lect a lower driving gea r. This makes use of
the engine b raking effect and relieves the
brakes.
(0 Tips
The b rake lights turn on when the brakes are
app lied automatically .
94
· Changing the speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
.,. To increase/decrease the speed in 1 mph (1
km/h) incremen ts, briefly
tap the lever toward
0 10 c::> page 93, fig . 88 to the first level.
.. To increase/decrease the speed in
S mph (10
km/h) increments, briefly tap the lever toward
0 10 to the second leve l.
.. To increase or decrease the speed qu ickly,
hold
the lever toward 0 10 to the first or second
level unt il the desired speed is reached .
Overriding the speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
You can press the acce lerator pedal down to in­
c rease yo ur speed, for example if you want to
pass someone. The speed yo u sto red earl ie r w ill
r esume as soon as yo u release the acceler ator
pedal.
Howeve r, if yo u are exceedi ng the stored speed
by a considerable amount fo r a long time, the
c ruise contro l system will temporarily switch off.
The m:iJm (U SA mode ls) ! Ill (Canada models) in­
dicator light in the instrument cl uster turns off
and the stored speed is retained.
Preselecting a speed
App lies to: vehicles wit h cruise control system
You can pre -select your desired speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
.,. Switch o n the ignition.
.. Pull the lever into pos ition
(I) c::> page 93,
fig. 88 .
.. To increase or decrease the speed, tap the lever
in the
0 10 direction.
This function makes it possible, for example, to
save the speed you want before driving on the highway. Once on the expressway, act ivate the
cruise contro l by pull ing the lever into posit ion
(I) .

<( a, .... N ,....
N .... 0 0
3 a,
Switching off
Appl ies to: ve hicles with cr uise control system
Temporary deactivation
.. Press t he b rake peda l, o r
.. Press t he leve r in d irection @(not loc ked into
pla ce)
c:> page 93 , fig. 88.
Switching off completely
.. Press the lever into position @(clicked into
place) , or
.. Switch the ign ition off .
The speed you sto red w ill be mai nta ined if the
cru ise control has been switched off temporarily .
To res ume the store d speed, releas e the b rake
pedal and pu ll the leve r into position @.
Sw itchi ng the ign ition off will erase the stored
speed .
A WARNING
You should only resume the stored speed if it
is not too high for exis ting traffic co nd itions,
ot herwise you can in crease the risk of an acci­
dent.
Predictive efficiency
assist
Description
A ppl ies to: ve hicles with pre dictive eff iciency assis t
General information
The predictive eff ici ency assist helps the driver to
d rive with an ticipation and therefore helps to
save fue l. The sy stem a ccesses p redic tive trip da­
t a (in cluding speed lim its, in cli ne s a nd the radius
of cur ves) from the n avigat ion sys tem* . Informa ­
tion from the camera-based traff ic sign recogn i­
tion* is also app lied to recognize traffic signs
c:> page24.
The mess ages disp layed depend on the navi ga­
tion data * being up-to-date and the co rrect iden ­
tification by the traffic sign recognition *.
When adaptive cruise contro l* is sw itche d off,
the predi ctive efficiency ass ist only p rovides not i­
fications without controlled intervent ions . When
Assist
adaptive cruise cont ro l* is sw itched on, the sys ­
tem responds to upcom ing situations a utomat i­
ca lly.
Vehicles with adaptive cruise control*
Refer to pred ictive contro l c:> page 10 2.
Indicator in the instrument cluster display
Pred ictive messages appear in the inst rument
cluster d isp lay to show the dr ive r the a pprop ria te
t im e to coast when a sit uat io n ahead requ ires
yo u t o d rive at a lower speed.
The messages are o nly show n if the cruise co ntro l
system* o r adaptive cruise cont rol* is sw itched
off .
An additional indicator appears i n the Head-up
display* .
Symbol Meaning
Remove your foot from the acceler-
~
ator pedal to s low down because
there is a situa tion ahead that re-
quires a lower speed.
Keep yo ur foot on the accelerator
~
peda l because the situation requir-
ing a lower speed has not been
reached yet .
If you see
Driver ass ist in the instrument cluster
display, the following symbo ls wi ll indicate which
s ituation the system is cu rren tly reacti ng to .
Symbol Meaning
MPH
USA models:
Speed limit
km/h
Canada models:
S peed limit
_JiL
, : r
Intersect ion
01
Traffic c ircle
If there a re mul tiple s ituations, then these si tua-
t ions w ill appea r in order in the display. .,.
95

Ass is t
A WARNING
Pay att ention to traffic a nd the area ar ound
yo ur vehicle wh en th e effici ency assist is
switched on . The dr iver is always respon sible
for correctly assess ing the traffic situation .
@ Tips
- The wording of the message may vary de­
pending on the driving mode set in dr ive se­
l ect*
r::::> page 121 and the current selector
l eve r pos ition . No messages a re displayed
whe n in the S selector leve r pos ition or in
d ynami c mode.
- When a route is planned using the naviga­
tion system*, then the message fee d is
b ased on this rou te. W ithout rou te g uid­
ance, the system uses an assumed ro ute for
the message feed.
- T here will not be a message for every si tua­
tion ahead, for examp le if there is not
eno ugh distance remaining to react to the
situation.
- No messages are displayed when at s peeds
under 20 mph (30 km/h) .
Settings in the Infotainment system
A ppl ies to: ve hicles w ith predi ctive e fficiency assist
.. In the Infotainment system, select: I MENU I
button > Vehicle > left contro l button > Driver
assist
> Effi ciency assist .
Predictive messages are shown when this f unc­
tion is sw itched on.
{D) Tips
No p redictive messages are shown on veh icles
w ithout a navigation system.
96
Audi adaptive cruise
control
Description
App lies to : vehicles wi th Audi adap tive c ru ise con trol
Fi g. 89 Detect io n range
The adaptive cru ise cont rol system is a comb ina­
tion of speed and dis tance regu lation.
It ass ists
t h e d river by bo th regu lating the speed and
maintain ing a d is ta nce to the vehicle driv ing
ahead, within the limits of the system. If the sys ­
tem detects a vehicle d riving ahead, the adaptive
cruise contro l can brake and accelerate yo ur vehi­
cle. T his makes driving more comfo rtable both
o n long st retches of hig hway and in stop-and-go
traffic .
What can adaptive cruise control do?
The adaptive cru ise control system uses video, ra­
dar, ultrasound and navigat ion data . Vehicles
driv ing ahead can be recognized up to 650 feet
(200 m) away .
Pred ictive functions offer the drive r additional
comfort and contr ibute to the reduct ion in fuel
consumption a nd CO2 em issions
r::::> page 102.
On open roads with no traffic, it functions like a
cruise contro l system. The stored speed is main ­
ta ined . When approaching a vehicle d riving
ahead, the adaptive cruise contro l system auto­
matically brakes to match that vehicle's speed
and then maintains the set dis tance. As soon as
the system do es not detect a vehicle dr iv ing
ahea d, adaptive cruise cont rol accelerates up to
t h e s to red spee d.
In stop-a nd-go traffic, adap tive cruise control can
brake until the veh icle is sta tionary a nd then can .,.

also start driving again automatically under cer­
tain conditions
c!;> page 100.
In traffic jams or slow-moving traffic, congestion
assist can assist the driver¢
page 104 .
Which functions can be controlled?
When you switch adaptive cruise control on, you
can set the current speed as the "control speed "
c!;> page 98, Switching on/off.
When driving, you can stop cruise control
c!;> page 100 or change the speed ¢ page 99 at
any time .
You can also set the dist ance to the vehicle d riv­
ing ahead and set the driving mode of the adap ­
tive cruise control¢
page 101 .
General information
Appl ies to: ve hicles with Audi adaptive cruise co ntro l
Fig. 90 Fro nt o f th e ve hicle : sensor s and video c amer a
The areas wi th the radar and ul trasonic senso rs
and the video camera¢
fig. 90 must not be cov­
ered by stickers, deposits or any other objects ,
because this can interfere with the adaptive
cruise control function. For information on clean­ ing, refer to¢
page 337. The same applies for
any modifications made in the front area .
In some driving situations , the adaptive cruise
control function is restricted:
- Vehicle s can only be detected when they are
within the sensor detection zones
¢ page 96,
fig . 89 .
-The system has a limited ability to detect
vehicles that are a short distance ahead, off to
the side of your vehicle or moving into your lane .
Assist
-Objects that are difficult to detect such as mo­
torcycles, v ehicles with high ground clearance
or an overhanging load are detected late or not
detected at all.
- When driving through curv es
c!;> pag e 98.
- When the vehicle is stationary ¢ page 98.
A WARNING
Always pay attention to the traffic around you
when adaptive cruise control is switched on .
As the driver, you are still responsible for your
own speed and the distance to other vehicles.
The adaptive cruise control is used to assist
you . The driver must always take action to
avoid a collision . The driver is always responsi­
ble for braking at the correct time .
- For safety reasons, do not use adaptive
cruise control when the road surface is in poor condition and/or in bad weather condi ­
tions (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and
hydroplaning). Using the system under
these conditions increases the risk of an ac­ cident.
- Switch adaptive cruise control off tempora­ rily when driving in turning lanes, on ex­
pressway exits (except if predictive control
is switched on) or in construction zones.
This prevents the vehicle from accelerating
to the stored speed when in these situa ­
tions .
- The adaptive cruise control system will not
brake by itself if you put your foot on the ac ­
celerator pedal. Doing so can override the
speed and distance regulation.
- When approaching stationary obstacles
such as stopped traffic, adaptive cruise con­
trol will respond with limited function .
-Adaptive cruise control does not respond to
people, animals, or crossing or oncoming
objects.
- The function of the radar sensors can be af­
fected by reflective objects such as guard
rails, the entrance to a tunnel, heavy rain or
ice.
~
97

Assist
(D Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper , whee l housing and
underbody. This can impair the adaptive
cruise control. Have an authorized Audi dea ler
or authorized Audi Service Fac ility check their
function .
In curves
Applies to: vehicles with Audi adaptive cruise control
Fig . 9 1 Exa mple: drivin g in to a curve
When driving into a curve<=> fig. 91 and ou t of a
curve, the adaptive cruise control may react to a
veh icle in the neighboring lane and apply the
brakes . You can prevent that by pressing the ac­
celerator pedal b rief ly.
Stationary vehicles
Applies to : vehicles with Aud i adaptive cruise contro l
Fig. 92 Example: vehicl e chang ing lane s and sta tiona ry ve ­
hi cle
Adaptive cruise control can react to a limited ex­
tent to stationary vehicles
c:> fig . 92, as long as
you are driving slow er than SO km/h and the sys­
tem classifies as possible passing maneuver as
low . For example, if a vehicle that was already
detected @turns or changes lanes, the adaptive
98
cruise contro l reacts to the stationary vehicle
ahead of it@ .
Switching on/off
Applies to: vehicles with Audi adaptive cruise control
Fig. 93 Operating lever : sw itc hin g on and off
Fig. 94 Inst rument cluster : adap tive cr uise cont rol
You can set any speed between 20 and 9S mph
(30 and lSO km/h).
Indicator lights and messages in the instrument
cluster display inform you about the cu rrent sit­
uation and setting .
An add itional indicator appears in the Head-up
display *.
Switching adaptive cruise control on
.. Pull the lever toward you into position (D
c=> fig. 93. ACC: standby appears in the display.
Saving the speed and activating regulation
.. To store the current speed, press the ISE TI but­
ton
c:> fig . 93 . The stored speed is shown in the
speedometer in the LED line@ and appears
briefly in the status line
@ c:> fig. 94.
.. To activate the regulation while sta tionary, also
press the brake pedal. .,.