steering AUDI A5 CABRIOLET 2010 Owner's Guide

Ill Airbag system
----=------------------------------
& WARN ING (con tin ue d)
• Imp rope r installati on of child re straint s can reduc e their effec­
ti veness or ev en prevent them from providing any protection .
• An improperl y installed child restr aint can interfere with the
airbag a s it deploy s and seriou sly injure or e ven kill the child -even
with an Ad vanced Airbag System .
• Always c are fully follow the manu facturer 's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or car rier .
• Nev er place additional items on the seat that can increase the
total weight regi stered b y the weight-sensing mat and can cause
injury in a crash. •
Front airbags
Description of front airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained front seat occupants.
Fig. 197 L ocati on of
dri ver airb ag : in
stee ring wh eel
Fig. 1 98 Locati on of
fr ont pas se n ger's
a ir ba g: in the instru·
m ent pa nel
Your vehicle is equ ipped with an "Advanced A irbag System" in compli­
ance with United States Federal Moto r Veh icle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time you r veh icle was ma nufac­
t u red . The system senses the position of the fro nt seats and controls
front a irbag inflation w ith a valve, depending on the d istanc e
between the respective seat and the steer ing wheel or instrument
pa ne l. The safety be lts fo r the seats have "pretens ioners" that help to
take slack o ut of the belt system. The pretensioners are also activated
by the e lec tron ic control u nit for the airbag system.
The front safety be lts also have load limiters to help red uce the forces
applied to the body in a crash .
T he a irbag for the driver is in the steering whee l hub~ fig. 197 and
the airbag for the front passenger is in the instrument panel
~ fig. 198 . The gene ral loca tion of the air bags is mar ked "AIRBAG".
T here is a lot you need to know about the a irbags in your vehicle . We
urge you to read the detai led information about airbags, safety be lts
and child safety in this and the other chapters that make up the
owner's literature. Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS -they are
extreme ly important fo r your safety and the safety of your passe n­
gers, especially infants and small children.
& WARNING
Never rely on airba gs alone fo r protection.

situations. Be sure to read the important information about safety
and heed the WARNINGS in this chapter.
Deployment of the Advanced A irbag System and the activation of the
safety belt pretensioners depend on the deceleration measured by
the crash sensors and registered by the electron ic control unit. T he
amount of inflation of the front airbags can a lso be adapted to the
front seat position, depending on the distance between the respec­
tive front seat and the steering wheel or instrument panel as regis­
tered by sensors in the seats. Crash severity depends on speed and
deceleration as well as the mass and stiffness of the vehicle or object
involved in the crash .
On the passenger side, regardless of safety belt use, the air bag w ill
be turned off if the weight on the passenger seat is less than the
amount programm ed in the electronic control unit . The front airbag
on the passenger side will also be turned off if one of the chi ld safety
seats that has been certified under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 208 has been recognized on the seat. The
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on to tell you when the front
Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has been turned off
=> page 202, "Child rest raints on the front seat -some important
things to know".
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates, always wear
safety belts properly.
• If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting sideways or
out of position in any way, your risk of injury is much higher .
• You will also receive serious injuries and could even be killed if
you are up against the airbag or too close to it when it inflates •
even with an Advanced Airbag
=> page 200. •
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
More important things to know about front
airbags
Fig. 199 Inflated
front airbags
Safety belts are important to help keep front seat occupants in the
proper seated position so that airbags can unfold properly and
prov ide supplemental protection in a frontal collision.
Th e front airbags are designed to provide additiona l protection for
the chest and face of the driver and the front seat passenger when:
• safety belts are worn properly,
• the seats have been positioned so that the occupant is properly
seated as far as possible from the airbag ,
• and the head restraints have been properly adjusted .
Because airbags inflate in the blink of an eye with great force, things
you have on your lap o r have placed on the seat could become
dangerous projectiles, and be pushed into you if the airbag inflates.
When an airbag deploys, fine dust is released. This is normal and is
not caused by a fire in the vehicle. This dust is made up mostly of a
powder used to lubricate the airbags as they deploy .
It could irritate
skin.
It is important to remember that while the supplemental airbag
system is desig ned to reduce the likelihood of serious injur ies, other
injuries, for example swell ing, bruising and m inor abrasions, can also
happen when airbags inflate. Airbags do not protect the arms or the •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

-L___:_A~ i r'....: b~ a ::::: gL:: s~y -=s ::..:t :.:e :..: m..:..:.. ______________________________________________ _
lower parts of the body. Front airbags only supplement the three
point s afety be lts i n some fro ntal c ollisions in which t he vehicle de ce l­
eratio n is h igh enough to dep loy the a irbags.
Front airbags will not deploy:
• if the ignition is sw itched off when a cras h occu rs,
• in s ide collisions,
• in rea r-end collisions,
• in rollovers,
• when the cras h deceleration me asured by the ai rbag syste m is less
than t he m in imum threshold needed for airbag dep loyment as regis­
t ere d by the e lectro nic cont rol unit.
The front passenger airbag will also not deploy:
• when the fron t pa sse nger sea t is not o ccupied,
• when the we ight on the front passenge r seat as sense d by the
Advanced Airbag Sys tem in dicates t hat the front airbag on the
passenger side has to be turned off by t he e lectron ic control un it (the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and st ay s on).
& WARNING
Sitt ing in the wrong posit ion can increa se the risk of serious injury
in crashes .
• To reduce the risk of injury when the airbags inflate , the driver
and passengers must always sit in an upright position , must not
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the ar ea
where the airbags are located.
• Occupants who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the
airbag can be ser iously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye=>
page 202.
& WARNING
A child in a rearward-facing ch ild safety seat installed on the front
pa ssenger seat will be seriou sly injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag System.
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center armrest , door or roof.
• Always install rear-f acing child safety seats on the rear seat.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front p assenger seat because of e xceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on,
i mmediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
Objects between you and the airb ag wilt increase the risk of injury
in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by
being pushed into you as the airbag inflates.
• N ever hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle
is in use.
• Never tran sport items on or in the area of the front passenger
seat . Object s could move into the area of the front airbag s during
brak ing or other sudden maneuver and become dangerous projec­
tiles that can cause serious personal injury if the airbags inflate.
• Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as
cupholders , telephone bra ckets , large, heavy o r bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked "AIRBAG " on the steering
wheel, instrument panel , seat backrests or between those areas
and yourself . The se obj ect s could cause injury in a crash , especially
when the airbags inflate .
• Never recl ine the front passenger's seat to transport objects.
Items can also move into the area of the side airbag or the front ..,

........ _A_ i_rb _ a_,g,:;._ s_, y'- s_ t_e _m ________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (conti nued)
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer .
• A tight tether or othe r strap on a rearward-facing child
restraint attached to the front passenger seat can put too much
pressure on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and register more
weight than i s actually on the seat. The heav ier weight registered
can make the system work as though an adult were on the seat
and deploy the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed
causing serious or even fatal injury to the child .
• If, in ex ceptional circumstances, you must install a forward·
facing child restraint on the front passenger seat, always move
the seat into i ts rearmo st po sition in the seat's fore and aft adjust ·
ment range, as far away from the airbag as possible . The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position. Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
& WARNING
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light do es not go out when an
adult is sitting on the front passenger seat after taking the steps
de scribed above, make sure the adult i s properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seating positions.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer before transporting anyone on the front passenger seat.
[ i ] Tips
If the we ight-sens ing mat in the front passenger seat detects an
empty seat, the front a irbag on the passenger side w ill be t urne d off,
and PASS ENGER AIR BAG OFF will stay on.•
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the a irbag system a re installed at many different p laces on
your Audi. Inst all in g, remov ing, servic ing or repa iring a part in an
area of the ve hicle can damage a part of an airbag system and preve nt
t ha t system from working pro perl y in a coll is ion.
T here are some important thi ngs you have to know to make sure that
the effectiveness of the system will not be impa ired an d that
discarded components do no t cause injury or poll ute the enviro n­
ment .
& WARNING
Improper care , servicing and repair procedures can increase the
risk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from
deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
• Never cover, obstruct , or change the steering wheel horn pad or
airbag cover or the instrument panel or modify them in any way.
• Never attach any objects such as cupholders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag unit s.
• For cleaning the horn pad or instrument panel, use only a soft,
dry cloth or one moistened with plain water. Solvent s or cleaners
could damage the airbag cover or change the stiffness or strength
of the material so that the airbag cannot deploy and protect prop·
erly .
• Never repair, adjust, or change any part s of the airbag system .
• All work on the steering wheel, instrument panel , front seats
or electrical sy stem (including the installation of audio equip·
ment , cellular telephones and CB radios, etc .) must be performed
by a qualified technician who ha s the training and special equip ·
ment necessary .
• For any work on the airbag system, we strongly re commend
that you see your autho rized Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body.
liJ,,

Ill Airbag system
---=---=----------------
& WARNING
Changing th e vehicle 's su sp en sion including use of unappro ved
tire -rim c ombination s can change Advan ced Airbag performan ce
and increas e the risk of serious personal injury in a cra sh .
• Never install suspension component s that do not have the
same performance characteristics as the components or iginally
installed on your veh icle.
• Never u se tir e-rim combinations that have not been approved
b y Audi.
& WARNING
Item s stored b etween the safety belt buckl e and the center
console can cause the sensors in the buckle to send the wrong
information to the ele ctroni c control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from w orking properl y.
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety
belt buckles and that they a re not obstru cted .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modu les and pretensioners might be class ified as
Perch lorate Mate rial -special handling may app ly, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/pe rchlorate . When the vehicle or
p arts of t he rest raint sys tem including a irbag mod ules safe ty belts
w ith pretens ioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regulat ions
must be observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar with these
requ irements and we recommend that you have your dealer perform
this se rvice for yo u.•
Knee airbags
Applies to veh icles: w it h Knee a irbags
Description of knee airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained front seat occupants.
....
! 00 m
Fig. 201 D riv er's kn ee
a ir ba g
The knee airbag for the driver is located in the instrume nt panel
unde rneath the steering whee l:::> fig. 201, the knee airbag for the
passenge r is at about the same he ight in the instrument panel under­
neath the g love compartment .
Th e knee airbag offers addit ional protec tion to the dr ive r's and
passenger's knees and upper and lower thigh areas as a supplement
t o the sa fety bel ts.
If the front a irbags dep loy, the knee airbags a lso deploy i n frontal
co llisions above a certain severity=>
page 209, "More importan t
things to know about front airbags" .
Besides the ir normal safety function, safety be lts work to help keep
t he drive r o r front passenger in po sit ion in c ase o f a frontal collision
so that the a irbags can provide protection .
Th e airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt . Rather, it is
part of the overall occ upant restra int system in your veh icle . Always
remember t hat the airbag system can on ly help to protect you if you
~

........ _A_ ir_ b_ a-=g ,__ s,,.,y _s _t _e_ m _______________________________________________ _
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags also deploy in frontal
collisions above a certain severity.
When the system is deployed, the a irbags start to fill with a prope l­
lant gas , and inflate between the lower part of the instrument panel
and the driver and the lower part of the instrument panel and the
front passenger =>
page 209, fig. 199.
Altho ugh they are not a soft pillow, they can cushion the impact and
in this way they can help to reduce the risk of injury to the lower
extremities.
All this takes place instantaneously, so fast that many people don't
even realize that the airbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate
w ith a great deal of force and it is important fo r occupant safety that
nothing should be in their way when they deploy.
Fully inflated airbags in combination with properly worn safety belts
slow down and limit the occupant's forward movement and help to
red uce the risk.•
Applies to ve hicle s: wit h Knee ai rbag s
Important safety instructions on the knee
airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Always wear
safety belts correctly and ride in a proper seating posi­
tion.
Th ere is a lot that yo u and your passengers must know and do to help
the safety belts and a irbags to prov ide supp lemental protection.
& WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious injury. Wearing safety
belts incorrectly and improper seating positions increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being
used.
& WARNING (continued)
• The airbag system cannot protect you properly if you are seated
too close to any of the airbag locations. When adjusting their seat
positions, it is important that both the driver and the front
passenger keep their upper bodies and knees at the following
minimum safe distances:
- 10 inches (25 cm) between the chest and the steering
wheel/instrument panel.
- 4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the lower part of
the instrument panel.
• The risk of personal injury increases if you lean forward or to
the side, or if the seat is improperly positioned and you are not
wearing your safety belt. The risk increases even more should the
airbag deploy.
• Always make sure that the knee airbag can inflate without
interference. Objects between yourself and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by interfering with the way the
airbag deploys or by being pushed into you as the airbag deploys.
- No persons (children) or animals should ride in the footwell
in front of the passenger seat. If the airbag deploys, this can
result in serious or fatal injuries.
- No objects of any kind should be carried in the footwell area
in front of the driver's or passenger's seat. Bulky objects (shop­
ping bags, for example) can hamper or prevent proper deploy­
ment of the airbag. Small objects can be thrown through the
vehicle if the airbag deploys and injure you or your passengers.
• Make sure there are no cracks, deep scratches or other damage
in the area of the instrument panel where the knee airbags are
located.
• If children are incorrectly seated, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an accident =>
page 222, "Child Safety". •

__________________________________________ ___:C~ h~il ~d ~ S~a ~f ~e ~t ¥_Y __ _
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• Always install rearward-facing child safety seat s on the rear
seat .
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat in e xceptional circumstance s and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and sta y on,
immediately install the rearward-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected immedi ·
ately by your authorized Audi dealer .
_& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must install a forward-facing
child restraint on the front passenger' s seat:
• Always make sure the forward -facing seat has been designed
and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions provided with
the child safety seat or carrier.
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range , as far away from the
airbag as po ssible before in stalling the child restraint. The back­
rest must be adjusted to an upright position.
• Alway s make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
comes on and stays on all the time whenever the ign ition is
switched on .•
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped wi th a fron t "Adva nced Airbag Syste m" in
compliance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) 20 8 as app licable at t he time your ve hicle w as m anufa c­
tured.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
T
he Advanced A irbag system in your veh icle has been ce rtified to
meet the "low-r isk" re quiremen ts fo r 3-and 6-ye ar old c hildre n on
t he passenger side and small ad ults o n the dr ive r side . The low r isk
deployme nt c riteria are intende d to reduce the risk of injury t hrough
in teraction with the airbag that can occ ur, for example, by being too
close to the steering w heel and i nstr ument panel when the ai rbag
inflates . In addi tion, the system has bee n certified to comp ly with the
"suppression" requirements of the Safety Sta ndard, to turn
off the
fr ont ai rbag for infan ts up to 12 month s w ho are rest rai ned on the
front passenger seat in child restraints t hat are listed in the Stan­
d ard .
Even thoug h your veh icle is eq uipped with an Advanced Airbag
system, a ll child ren, es pecially those 12 years and yo unger, should
always ride in the back seat pro perly r estra ined for the ir age and s ize.
T he airbag on the passenger si de makes the fro nt seat a potentially
dange rous place fo r a child to ride. The front seat is not the s afest
place for a c hild in a forward-facing c hild safety seat. It can be a very
dange rous place for a n infant or a larger ch ild in a rearward-fa cing
seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
Th e Advance d Airbag System i n your vehicle detects the p resence o f
an in fant o r chil d in a c hild rest raint o n the front passenger seat using
the weight-sens ing mat in the seat cushion and the sensor be low the
safety belt latc h on t he fro nt passeng er seat that meas ures t he
tension on the sa fety belt.
Th e weigh t-sens ing m at me asures to tal weight of the ch il d and t he
child saf ety seat a nd a child blanket on the front passenge r seat . T he
we ight on t he front passenger seat is re lated to t he desi gn of the
child res traint and i ts "foot print", the size and shape of the bo ttom
of the chi ld restraint as it sits on the seat . The weight of a child
restra int a nd its " foo tprint" va ry for diffe re nt k inds of child res tra ints
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intelligent technology
--------------------------------------------------' "---.L==--
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system. If the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) malfunc­
tions, the ESP will also shut down.
How the system works
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)
and the Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) are integ rated in the elec­
tronic stabilization program . In addition to the data provided by
these functions, the ESP control unit requires additional measure­
ment data provided by high performance sensors . The rotational
speed of the vehicle about its vertical axis, vehicle acceleration in the
fore-and-aft and lateral directions, the brake pressure, and the
steering angle are all measured .
Th e direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
the aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is con tinually
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example, when the vehicle starts hydroplaning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate whee l to correct
the problem.
The vehicle is then stabilized by the forces acting on the whee l during
brak ing.
If the vehicle is oversteering (the vehicle turns too sharply
and the rear wheels slide toward the outside of a curve), the brakes
are mainly applied on the wheel that is on the outside of the curve. In
the case of a vehicle that is
understeering (the vehicle does not turn
sharply enough and pushes out of a curve), the brakes are applied as
needed on the wheel that is on the inside of the curve or additionally
on the other wheels. An acoustic signal indicates when ESP brake
application cuts in=> &.
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system =>
page 245. If the Anti- Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP will be out of action as well.
Activating
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatically be activated and
w ill perform a self-test. As soon as the test is comp leted, the system
is in normal operating mode.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
You can activate a
deactivated ESP or deactivated ESP/ ASR if required
by pressing the =>
page 240, fig. 214 => page 240, fig. 213 button.
When they are activated, the message
ESP/ ASR on appears briefly
in the display.
Deactivating
The ESP should normally be activated all the time. If necessary, you
can deactivate Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) or the Electron ic Stabiliza ­
tion Program (ESP) by press ing the button =>
page 240, fig. 214 .
• Deactivating ASR: Tap the button . In certain exceptional s itua­
t ions (e.g. driving with tire chains), the Anti-Slip Regu lation (ASR) can
be deact ivated =>
page 242. The message ASR off appears in the
display as we ll.
• Deactivating ESP/ASR Press the button for more than 3 seconds .
With the ESP/ASR deactivated, the ESP check light comes on, see
=>
page 14. The message ESP switched off appea rs in the display as
well.
& WARNING
The Electronic Stabilization Program is nevertheless subject to the
laws of physics. It is particularly important to pay attention to
this fact on wet and slippery roads. It is therefore important that
you always adapt your driving to the condition of the road and
traffic conditions . Do not allow the increased safety provided by
the Electronic Stabilization Program system to lull you into
accepting additional safety risks.
u
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intelligent t echnology
'-----------------------------------------------
Servotronic® - advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise steering with little effort .
The advanced Servotronic® power steering system senses the road
speed and ele ct ronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortable and safe steering response exactly matched to the
veh icle speed.
Power steering will not work if the engine is off. As a resu lt, the
steeri ng wheel will be hard to turn.
T he power steeri ng fluid level is checked du ring the sched uled main ­
tenance services .
0 Note
If there is an electronic malfunction, servotronic will still function
like a conventional power s teer ing system, provid ing a cons tant
steering support force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed. This is most noticeable when t urning the s teer ing wheel at low
speeds (for example when park ing), -more effort will be required
than us ua l.
• Be aware of the d ifferent than usual steering response and adjust
your stee ring force accord ingly .
• Have the prob lem checked and set right by an Audi dealer as soon
as possib le.
[ i ] Tips
• When the e ngine is running, neve r hold the stee ring whee l turned
all the way to the right or to the left for longer than 15 seconds. The
powe r steering pump wi ll overheat the hydra ulic fluid if yo u keep
holding the steering wheel turned all the way . This is likely to damage
t he power s teer ing system . •
If the power steering system s hou ld fa il entirely, or if the engine
is no t ru nning (fo r examp le, while be ing towed), you will st ill be able
to steer the vehicle. However,
considerably more effort will be
req uired to do so .
• If the power steering system should have a leak, or is not func­
tioning prope rly, con tact your au thor ized A udi dealer immedia tely.
• The power steer ing system requires a specia lly formulated
hyd raulic fluid. The power steer ing rese rvoir is the one loc ated
farthest to the rear on the left s ide of the eng ine compartme nt
=>
page 281. The correct fluid leve l in the reservo ir is im port an t fo r
proper functioning of the power steeri ng .•
Applies to veh icles: with A ll Whee l D rive
Driving with your quattro ®
With all wheel drive, all four wheels are driven.
CieneraL information
Wi th all wheel drive, power is d istribu ted to all fou r whee ls. This
happens automatically depending on your dr iv ing style and the road
condi tions a t the t ime. See also=>
page 242, "Ele ct ronic differen tial
lock (EDL)".
W inter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with a ll whee l dr ive has an
adv anta ge, eve n w it h regula r tir es. In w inte r road co nditio ns i t may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for improved
dr iveabili ty and b raking: t hese tires m ust be moun ted on all four
wheels . See also=> page 311, "Winter t ires".
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certa in roads, th is normally also
app lies to veh icles with a ll w heel d rive =>
page 312, "Snow chains". ~

Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
t railers are lowe r than for regular veh icles.
Always apply brakes early. When dr iv ing downh ill, sh ift in to a lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge~ page 8 must be observed care­
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditione r.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
star ts flashing
-t- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat bu ild-up.
& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk in an accident. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided by Audi. u
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
------------
Your vehicle handles differently when tow ing a tra iler because of the
additiona l weight and different weight distribution. Safety, perfor ­
mance and economy will greatly depend on how carefu lly you load
your trailer and operate your rig .
Before you actua lly tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep pract icing until you have
become completely familiar with the way your vehicle-t railer combi­
nation behaves and responds.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Backing up
is d iff icult and requ ires practice . Backing up with a trailer
generally requires steering action opposite to that when backing up
your vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in front
of you. You will need more room to stop . To compensate fo r the
trailer, you will need a larger than norma l turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you
normally would because of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for you r
trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes .
[I) Tips
• Do not tow a trai ler during the break-in per iod of your vehicle.
• If you tow a tra iler, your Audi may requi re more frequent mainte­
nance due to the extra toad~
page 343. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone place chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels.
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake .
- Move the se lector lever to
P.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data