brakes AUDI A4 SEDAN 2013 User Guide

98 Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard
confirmed by the video camera, an acute
collision warning.
- For safety reasons, do not use adaptive
cruise control when driving on roads with
many curves, when the road surface is in
poor condition and/or in bad weather
(such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and
hydroplaning). Using the system under
these conditions could result in a colli­
sion.
- Switch adaptive cruise control off tempo­
rarily when driving in turning lanes, on
expressway exits or in construction
zones. This prevents the vehicle from ac­
celerating to the set speed when in these
situations.
- The adaptive cruise control system will
not brake by itself if you put your foot on
the accelerator pedal. Doing so can over­
ride the speed and distance regulation.
- When approaching stationary objects
such as stopped traffic, adaptive cruise
control will not respond and braking
guard will have limited function.
- The adaptive cruise control system and
braking guard do not react to people, an­
imals, objects crossing the road or on­
coming objects .
- The function of the radar sensor can be
affected by reflective objects such as
guard rails, the entrance to a tunnel,
heavy rain or ice.
- Never follow a vehicle so closely that you cannot stop your vehicle safely. The
adaptive cruise control cannot slow or
brake the vehicle safely when you follow
another vehicle too closely . Always re­
member that the automatic braking
function cannot bring the vehicle to a sudden or emergency stop under these
conditions.
- To prevent unintended operation, always
switch ACC
off when it is not being used.
{[) Note
The sensor can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, wheel housing and
underbody. That could affect the adaptive cruise control system and braking guard.
Have your authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility check their
function.
, In curves
App lies to vehicles: wi th Audi ada ptive c ruise contro l
Fig. 97 Example: d riving i nto a curve
When driving into a curve ~ fig. 97 and out of
a curve, the adaptive cruise control may react
to a vehicle in the next lane and apply the
brakes. You can override or prevent the brak­
ing by pressing the accelerator pedal briefly.
Stationary objects
Applies to vehicles : wi th Audi adapt ive crui se contro l
Fig. 98 Example: object changing lanes a nd stat ionary
object
The adaptive cruise control system only reacts
to objects that are moving or that the system
has already detected as moving. For example,
if a vehicle @, which has already been detect­
ed by the adaptive cruise control, turns or
changes lanes and another stationary vehicle
@ is located in front of that vehicle, the sys­
tem will not react to the stationary vehicle.

100 Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Switching on and off
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise co ntrol
Fig. 100 Selec tor lever: switching o n/off
Fig. 101 Instrument clus te r: adap tive cru ise control
You can set any speed between 20 mph and
95 mph (30 and 150 km/h).
Indicator lamps and messages in the instru­
ment cluster display inform you about the cur­
r ent system status and settings.
Switching adaptive cruise control on
.. Pull the lever toward you into posit ion @
-:>fig . 100 . ACC standby appears in the in­
strument cluster d isplay .
Setting the speed and activating
regulation
.. To set the current speed , press the ISET !
button ¢ page 11 , fig. 4. The set speed is shown in the tachometer
@and is also
shown briefly in the display@r:::>fig.
101.
Switching adaptive cruise control off
.. Push the lever away from you into positio n
@ until it clicks into place. The message
ACC off appears.
@ Indicator lights
II-Adaptive cruise control is switched on. No
vehicles are detected up ahead. The stored
speed is maintained.
I -A moving vehicle is detected up ahead .
T he adaptive cru ise control system regulates
the speed and distance to the moving vehicle
ahead and accelerates/brakes automatically.
I -When automatic braking is not able to
keep e nough d istance to a prev iously detected
moving veh icle up ahead, you must take con­
trol and brake ~
page 103, Request for driver
intervention.
© Display
If adapt ive cru ise control is not shown in the
display, you can call it up w ith the
I RESET I
button ¢ page 24.
Based on the symbols in the display, you can
determine if the system is maintain ing a d is ­
tance to the vehicle ahead and what that dis­
tance is.
No vehicle -No vehicle ahead was de tected .
White vehicle -A vehicle ahead was detected .
Red vehicle -Prompt for the driver to take ac­
tion
~ page 103.
Both arrows on the scale© indicate the dis­
tance to the vehicle ahead. No arrow appears
when the vehicle is on an open road and there
is no object ahead. If an object is detected
ahead, the arrow moves on the scale .
T he green zone on the scale shows the stored
distance. For information on changing the
stored distance, refer to~
page 102 . If the
distance se lected is too close or may soon be ­
com e too close , the arrows move into the re d
z one on the sca le.

102 Audi adapti ve cruise control and br aking guard
Setting the distance
App lies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise control
Fig. 104 Selector lever: setting the distance
~ Tap the switch to display the current set dis­
tance¢
fig. 104.
~ To increase or reduce the distance by incre­
ments, tap the switch again to the left or
right. The distance between the two veh icles
will change in the instrument cluster d is­
play.
When approaching a moving vehicle up ahead,
the adaptive cru ise cont rol system brakes to
matc h that object's speed and then maintains
the stored d istance. If the veh icle ahead ac ­
celerates, adaptive cruise control will also ac ­
celerate up to the stored speed .
The highe r the speed, the greater the distance
in yards (meters)¢ ,&.. T he
Di stanc e 3 setting
is recommended .
The distances p rov ided are spec ified values.
Depending on the d riving situation and the
how the vehicle ahead is dr iving, the actual
distance may be more or less than these tar­
get distances .
The various symbols fo r the time increments
appear briefly in the in fo rmation line @
¢
page 100, fig. 101 when you change the
settings.
c::::::,_c::::::, ___ Dist ance 1: This setting co rre-
sponds to a distance of 92 feet/28 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
time interva l of 1 second.
c::::::, __ c::::::, __ Dista nce 2 : This sett ing corre­
sponds to a distance of 118 feet/36 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
time interva l of 1.3 seconds .
c::::::, ___ c::::::, _ Dista nce 3 : This setting corre-
sponds to a distance of 164 feet/SO meters
when traveling at 62 mph (1 00 km/h), or a
time interval of 1.8 seconds.
c::::::, ____ c::::::, Dist ance 4 : This setting corre-
sponds to a distance of 210 feet/64 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
t ime interval of 2.3 seconds.
A WARNING
Following other vehicles too closely in­
creases the risk of collis ions and ser ious
personal injury.
- Sett ing short distances to the traffic
ahead reduces the time and distance
availab le to bring your vehicle to a safe
stop and makes it even more necessary
to pay close attention to traffic.
-
- Always obey applicable t raffic laws, use
good judgment, and select a safe follow­
ing d istance for the t raff ic, road and
weather conditions .
0) Tips
-Distan ce 3 is set automatically each time
you switch the ignition on.
- Your standard settings are automatically
stored and ass igned to the remote con­
tro l key be ing used.
Setting the driving program
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise control
Depend ing on the selected driving program
and distance, driving behavior when accelerat­
ing will vary from dynamic to comfortable .
Setting the dri ving program for vehicles
without Aud i d riv e se le ct*
~ In the radio/MM!*, select : ICARlfunction
button
> Ad apti ve crui se cont rol > D rivi ng
p rog.
> comfort, sta nd ard or dyn amic . Or
~ Select: !CAR ! function button> C ar sys ­
tem s*
control button > Driver a ssist > Adap ­
ti ve c ruis e c ontr ol
> D rivi ng program * >
Comfort, Standard or Dynam ic .

Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard 103
Setting the driving mode for vehicles with
Audi drive select*
Refer to r=;,poge 112 .
(D Tips
Yo ur setti ngs a re automatically store d an d
assig ned to the remote contro l key be in g
used.
Request for driver intervention
A pp lies to vehicles: w ith Audi a daptive cruise control
Fig. 105 Inst rumen t cl uster: reques t fo r drive r in te r·
ve ntio n
In ce rtain si tuations, t he sys tem w ill prom pt
you to take actio n. This cou ld ha ppen, for ex­
ample, if braking by the adaptive cruise con ­
trol system is not enough to maintain enough
d istance to the vehicle ahead.
The inst rument cluste r will war n you about
the danger
r=;, fig. 105:
- A red ve hicle is pic tured in the d is pla y.
- The text
DISTANCE! appea rs in the s ta tus
b ar.
- T he r ed in dicator lig ht
I blinks .
- In add it ion, a warning tone sounds.
Audi braking guard
Description
App lies to vehicles: wi th Audi ada ptive c ruise con tro l
Fig. 106 In str um ent clus ter: approach warnin g
Audi braking guard uses a radar sensor . It also
funct ions wit hin the lim its of the system
whe n adapt ive cruise control is switched off.
What can Audi braking guard do?
When detected in time, the system can assess
situations when a veh icle ahead brakes s ud­
denly or if your own vehicle is traveling at a
high speed and approac hing a ve hicle up
ahead that is movi ng mo re sl ow ly. Audi brak­
ing guard does not react if it canno t detect
the si tua tion.
The system advis es yo u of various s ituations:
- The
distance wa rning is given if yo u are too
close to the vehicle ahead for a long time. If
the vehicle ahead bra kes sharply , yo u will
not be ab le to avoid a collision . The ind icator
light
I in the d isp lay comes o n.
- The
approach warning is given when a de­
tected vehicle up ahead i n your lane is mov­
ing m uch mo re sl owly than you are or if i t
brake s sh arp ly. W hen t his war ning is g iven,
it may on ly be poss ible to avoi d a co llision
by swe rving or b ra kin g sharp ly. The indic ator
light
I a nd indic ator in t he di spl ay w ill war n
you abo ut the d ange r¢
fig . 1 06. You will a l­
so hear an aco ustic s ignal.
If y o u do no t rea ct fas t eno ugh o r do not r eact
at all to the si tuat ion, A udi brak ing g uard w ill
i nt ervene by braking and the message
braking
guard intervention
w ill appea r. ~

104 Audi adapti ve cruise control and br aking guard
- If a co llision is imminent, the system will
first provide an
acute warning by bri efly and
sharp ly app ly ing the brakes .
- If you do not react to the ac ute warning ,
braking guard can brake within the limits of
the system. This reduces the veh icle speed
in the event of a collis ion.
- At speeds under 20 mph (30 km/h), the sys ­
tem can in it iate a complete deceleration
s hortly before a collision .
1>.
- If the Audi braking guard senses that you
are not braking hard enough when a colli­
sion is imminent, it can increase the braking
force .
Which functions can be contr oll ed ?
You can sw itch Audi braking g uard and the
distance/approach warning on or off in the ra­
d io or MMI Qpage 104, Set tings in the ra­
dio/MM!.
A WARNING
Lack of attention can cause col lisions, oth­
er accidents and serious persona l injuries.
The Audi b raking guard is an assist system
and cannot prevent a collis ion by itself.
The driver must always intervene. The dr iv­
er is always responsible for braking at the
correct time.
- Always pay close attention to traffic,
even when the Audi braking guard is
switched on. Be ready to intervene and
be ready to take comp lete control when­
ever necessary. Always keep the safe and
legal distance between your vehicle and
vehicles up ahead .
- Audi braking guard works within limits
and w ill not respond outs ide the system
limits, for examp le when approaching a
stopped vehicle or stationary obstacle
(end of a traff ic jam or veh icle that has
broken down in traffic).
- Always remember that the radar s ensor
for the A udi braking guard works only
within defined detect ion and range limits
l ) Th is is not available in some c oun tries .
that may prevent the proper detection of
other veh icles.
- The radar sensor's function and range
can be reduced by rain, snow and heavy
spray. Moving veh icles up ahead may not
be prompt ly detected or may not be de­
tected at all .
- Reflective surfaces including crash barri­
ers or tunne l entrances may impair the
function of the radar sensor .
(D Tips
- You can cancel the braking that is in it iat­
ed by the system by braking yourse lf, by
accelerating not iceably or by swerving .
- Audi braking guard error messages
Qpage 105.
- Keep in mind that brak ing guard can
brake unexpectedly. Always secure any
cargo or objects that you are transport­
ing to reduce the risk of damage or in­
jury .
Settings in the radio/MMI
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise control
., Sele ct: I CAR I func tion button > Car system s
contro l but ton > Driver a ssist> Audi brak ­
ing guard .
Or
., Select: !CAR ! function b utton > Aud i brak-
ing guard .
S ys tem -
Switch A udi braking guard On and
Off . When you switch the ignition on, the
message
Audi b raking guard off appears if
the system is switch ed off .
Ea rl y warnin g -The distance and approach
warnings in the display can be switched
O n/
Off .
(D Tips
-Yo ur settings are automatically stored
and assigned to the remote contro l key
being used at the times the settings are
made.

ESC includes and/or works together with the
anti-lock brake system (ABS), brake assist sys ­
tem, anti -slip regulation (ASR) , e lectronic dif­
ferential lock (EDL), dynamic steering* and electronic i nteraxle differential lock* /selective
wheel torque control* . ESC is switched on all
the t ime. I n certain s ituations when you need
less traction, you can switch
off ASR by press­
i ng the button~~
page 186, fig. 159 or
~ page 186, fig. 160. Be sure to sw itch ASR
on again when you no longer need less trac­
tion.
Anti-lock b ra king s ystem (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up
when braking. The vehicle can still be steered
even d uring hard brak ing . Apply ste ady p res­
sure to the brake pedal. Do not pump the ped­
a l. A pulsing in the brake peda l indicates t hat
the system is he lping you to brake the vehicle .
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease bra king
d istance. It increases braking power when the
d river presses the brake pedal quick ly in eme r­
gency situations . You must press and hold the
brake peda l until the situation is over. In
veh icles w ith adaptive cru ise contro l*, the
brake assist system is more sensit ive if the
d istance detected to the veh icle ahead is too
small.
Anti- slip regulati on (ASR)
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the force to
the road condit ions. This makes it eas ier to
start, accelerate and drive up hills.
Elect ronic diffe renti al lo ck (EDL )
The ED L brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the drive power to the other drive
wheel or wheels if the vehicle is equipped with
all-wheel drive*. This function is available up
to about 60 mph (100 km/h) .
In extreme cases, EDL automatica lly switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked whee l
from overheating. EDL w ill switch on again au-
Intellig ent technolog y 185
tomat ica lly when conditions have returned to
norma l.
Dynamic steering*
On vehicles with dynam ic steering*, ESC helps
stab il ize the s teer ing in crit ica l sit uat io ns.
Electronic interaxle differential lock* /
selective wheel torque control*
T he electronic i nteraxle differential lock (front
whee l dr ive) or the se lective whee l to rque
control (all-whee l dr ive) opera tes when dr iv­
ing thro ugh curves. The front wheel on the in­
side of the c urve or both whee ls on the inside
of the curve are braked selectively as needed .
This min imizes sliding in the front wheels and
allows for more precise driving through
cu rves . The applicable system may not acti­
vate when dr iv ing in wet or snowy conditions.
A WARNING
- ESC, ABS , ASR, EDL dynam ic steering*
a nd the elect ronic interaxle differential
loc k* /se lective wheel torque control*
function cannot overcome the laws of
physics. This is especially important on
slippery or wet roads . If the systems be­
gin acting to stabilize your vehicle, you
should immediately change yo ur speed
to match the road and traff ic conditions.
Do not let the increased safety provided
by these systems tempt you to take risks .
Doing so will increase the risk of a loss of
veh icle contro l, col lision and ser ious per­
sonal injuries.
- Always adapt your speed to road, traffi c
and wea ther conditions. The risk of los­
ing con tro l of the vehicle increases when
driving too fast, espec ially through
curves and on slippery or wet roads, and
when dr iv ing too close to vehicles up
ahead. ESC, ABS, the brake ass ist sys­
tem, ASR, EDL dynam ic steering* and the
electronic interaxle differentia l lock*/se­
lective whee l torque control* function
cannot prevent collisions.
•
•

Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the first 250 miles (400 km), new
brake pads do not possess their full braking
effect, they have to be "broken in" first¢& .
You can compensate for this slightly reduced braking power by pushing harder on the brake
pedal. Avoid heavy braking loads during the
break-in per iod.
Operating conditions and driv ing habits
The brakes on today's automobi les are sti ll
subject to wear, depending largely on operat ­
ing conditions and driving habits¢.&. . On
vehicles that are e ither driven mostly in stop­
and-go city traffic or are driven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dealer more often than specified in
the
Warranty & Maintenance booklet . Failure
to have your b rake pads inspected can result
in red uced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the brak ing
effect of the engine. This way, you p revent un­
necessary wear on the brake system.
If you
must use yo ur brakes, do not hold the brakes
down continuously. Pump the brakes at inter­
va ls.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on
the speed, braking force and outside condi­
tions such as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situat ions, for example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, after overnight
condensation or after washing your car, the
braking effect can be reduced by moisture or
ice on the brake roto rs and brake pads . The
brakes must be dried first with a few careful
brake applications .
A t hi gher speeds and with the windshield w ip­
ers turned on, the brake pads press against
the brake rotors for a short amount of time .
This occurs at regular intervals without the
Intelligent technology 187
driver noticing and provides for better brake
response time under wet conditions .
T he effectiveness of the brakes can be red uced
when the vehicle is driven on a sa lt-co vered
road and the b rakes are not used. Likewise,
you clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few cautious ap­
plications of the brake ¢ & .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
the discs if the car is not driven regu larly or
on ly for short trips with litt le use of the
brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor ­
rosion 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 should notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal trave l, then one of the two brake
c ircuits may have failed ¢.&. .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid
level is monitored electronica lly.
Brake booster
T he brake booster increases the pressure that
you generate with the brake peda l. It works
only when the engine is runn ing .¢ .&.
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed fo r this in­
spection ¢
page 252, Changing a wheel .
A 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
~
•
•

188 Intelligent technology
200 kilometers) of normal city driving.
You can compensate for this by pressing
the brake pedal more firmly. This also applies later when new pads are instal­
led .
- 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 acc ident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lowe r 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 c ircuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driv ing
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.
E!"4 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 .
ls!'fl Dynamic steering: initializing
If this driver message appears and the indica­
tor light is flashing on the instrument panel,
dynamic steering* is being reinitialized. Once
you start the engine after this is finished, the ..,..

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 th rough safely.
- Avoid dr iving through sa lt water because
i t can ca use corrosion.
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 an environmentally sound manner.
11-Always use lead-free gasoline q page 210,
Fuel supply .
"'" Never run the tank down a ll the way to
empty.
11-Never put too much motor oil in your en-
gine
q page 220, ~ Adding engine oil .
11-Never try to push -or tow-start your veh icle .
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean­ up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle . The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be­
fore they are released into the atmosphere .
Drivin g and en vironm ent 193
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
important for the life of the catalytic convert­
er and proper funct ion ing of the engine.
A WARNING
-
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other mate rial wh ich can
cause a fir e.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or rustp roof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
ve rter or heat shields. During driv ing, the
substance used for undercoating co uld
overheat and cause a fire.
(D Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fu el w il l already ser iously de­
gra de the performance of the catalytic
c onverte r.
- Do not ex ceed t he cor rect eng ine oil level
qpage 220.
- Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
comple tely empty. The engine co uld m is­
fire . Unburned fuel could also get in to
the exhaust system and th is co uld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat .
- Do not turn off the ignition while the ve ­
hicle is moving.
- Do not continue to ope rate your veh icle
unde r these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converte r. T his
cou ld result in overheating of the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis ­
sion Control System:
- H ave you r vehicle maintained prope rly
and in accorda nce w ith the serv ice rec­
ommendat ions in yo ur Warranty &
M ain tenance boo klet.
- L ack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehi cle w ill impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage . ..,. •
•

196 Trailer towing
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, p lease remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
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. Always
check with the trailer hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the correct
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 bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your vehi­
cle be struck from behind
¢ A.
Trailer brakes
If your tra iler is equipped with a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to a ll
regulations . The trailer
hydraulic brake system must not be
direct ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system
~ A.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trai le r.
Trailer lights
T railer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct wiring, sw itches, 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 vis io n to the rear.
,8. WARNING
- If a trailer has electrical brakes please
note that these brakes are not activated
by the factory-fitted control unit -risk of
accident!
- Afte r removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and
injure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
-
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 tra iler.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held secure ly
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ A in Driving instructions on page 197.
Engine cooling system
T owing 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 . .,..