wheel AUDI A5 CABRIOLET 2015 Owner's Manual

Airb ag syst em
Front airbags
Description of front airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to properly restrained front seat occu­
pants .
Fig. 147 Location of driver airbag : in steering whee l
Fig. 148 Location of front passenger's airbag: in the instru­
ment panel
Your vehicle is equ ipped with an "Advanced Air­
bag System" in compliance with Un ited States
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) 208 as applicab le at the time your veh i­
cle was manufactured. The safety belts for the
seats have "pretensioners" that help to take s lack
out of the belt system . The pretensioners are also
activated by the electronic control unit for the
airbag system .
The front safety belts a lso have load limiters to
help reduce the forces applied to the body in a
crash.
The airbag for the driver is in the steer ing wheel
hub ¢
fig. 147 and the airbag for the front pas ­
senger is in the instrument panel¢
fig. 148. The
general location of the airbags is marked "AIR­
BAG".
1 36
There is a lot you need to know about the airbags
in your vehicle . We urge you to read the detailed
i nformation about airbags, safety belts 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 extremely important
for your safety and the safety of your passengers, especially infants and small children .
,&_ WARNING -
Never rely on airbags alone for protection.
- Even when they deploy, airbags provide only supp lemental protection.
- Airbag work most effectively when used with properly worn safety belts .
- Therefore, always wear your safety be lts and
make sure that everybody in your vehicle is
properly restrained.
,&_ WARNING
A person on the front passenger seat, espe­
cially infants and small ch ild ren, will rece ive
serious i njuries and can even be killed by be­
ing too close to the airbag when it inf lates .
- Although the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is designed to turn off the front passenger airbag if an infant or a sma ll child
is on the front passenger seat, nobody can
absolutely guarantee that deployment un­
der these special condit ions is impossible in
all conceivable situations that may happen
during the useful life of your vehicle .
- The Advanced Airbag System can dep loy in
accordance with the "low risk" option under
the U .S. Federal Standard if a chi ld that is
heav ier than the typical one-year old child is
on the front passenger seat and the other
conditions for airbag deployment are met.
- Accident statistics have shown that ch ildren
are generally safer in the rear seat area than
in the front seating position .
- For their own safety, all children, especially
12 years and younger, sho uld a lways ride in
the back properly restrained for their age
and size .
-

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detail below . Because the front passenger seat
contains important parts of the Advanced Airbag
System, yo u must take care to prevent it from be­
ing damaged. Damage to the seat may prevent
the Advanced Airbag for the front passenger seat
from do ing its job in a crash .
The front Ad vanced Airb ag S ystem con sis ts
of the following :
-Crash sensors in the front of the veh icle that
measure veh icle acceleration/deceleration to
provide information to the Advanced Airbag
System about the severity of the crash .
- An electronic control unit, with integrated
crash sensors for front and side impacts . The
control unit "decides" whether to fire the front
airbags based on the information received from
the crash sensors . T he control un it also "de­
cides" whether the safety be lt pretensioners
sho uld be activated.
- An Advanced Airbag with gas generator and
control valve for the driver inside the steering
whee l hub.
- An Advanced Airbag with gas generator and
control valve inside the instrument panel for
t h e front passenger.
- A weig ht-sensing mat under the upholstery
padding of the front passenger seat cushion
that meas ures the tota l weight on the seat. The
information registered is sent cont in uous ly to
the e lectronic control unit to regulate dep loy­
ment of the front Advanced Airbag on the pas­
senger side.
- An airbag monitoring system and indicator
light in the instrument cluster
¢ page 142.
-A sensor in each front seat registers the dis­
tance between the respect ive seat and the
steering wheel or instrument panel. The infor­
mation registered is sent cont inuously to the
elect ron ic cont ro l unit to regulate deployment
of the front Advanced Airbags.
- T he
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on in the center of the i nstrument
pane l¢
page 142, fig . 150 and tells you when
the front Advanced Ai rbag on the passenger
side has been turned
off .
-A sensor below the safety belt la tch fo r the
front seat passenge r to measure the tension on
Airbag syste m
the sa fe ty belt. The tens ion on the safety be lt
and the weight registe red by the weight -sens­
ing mat help the control unit "decide" whether
the front a irbag for the front passenger seat
should be turned
off or not¢ page 133, Child
restraints on the front seat- some important things to know.
- A sensor in the safety belt latch for the driver
and for the front seat passenger that senses
whether that safety belt is latched or not and
transm its this informat ion to the elect ro nic
cont ro l unit.
A WARNING
D amage to the fron t passenger seat can pre­
vent the fron t air bag from working prope rly.
- Imp roper repai r or d isassembly of the front
passenger and driver sea t will prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from functioning properly .
- Repairs to the front passenge r seat must be
performed by qualified and p roperly trained
workshop personne l.
- Never remove the front passenger or driver seat from the vehicle .
- Never remove the upho lstery from the front
passenger seat.
- Never d isassemble o r remove par ts from the
seat or disconnect w ires from it.
- Never carry sh arp objects in yo ur po ckets or
p la ce them on t he seat.
If the weight-sens­
ing mat in the passenger seat is punctu red
it cannot work properly .
- Never carry things on yo ur lap or carry ob ­
jects on the passenger seat. S uch items can
increase the we ight registe red by the
weight-sensing mat and send the wrong in­
formation to the a irbag control unit.
- Never store items under the front passenger
seat . Parts of the Advanced Airbag System
under the passenger seat could be dam­
aged, p reventing them and the airbag sys­
tem from wo rking prope rly.
- Never p lace seat covers or rep lacement up­
holstery that have not been specifically ap­
p roved by Aud i on the front seats.
- Seat cove rs can prevent the Advanced Air­
bag Sys tem from recogniz ing child
1 39

Airb ag syst em
-Never place or attach accessories or other
objects (such as cupholders, telephone
brackets, large, heavy or bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the steer ing wheel, instru­
ment pane l, seat backrests or between
those areas and yourself. These obje cts
could cause injury in a crash, e specially
when the airbags inflate.
- Never recline the front passenger's seat to
transport objec ts . Items can also move into
t h e area of the side airbag or the front air ­
bag dur ing braking or in a sudden maneu·
ver. Objects near the airbags can become
projectiles and cause injury, part icularly
when the seat is reclined.
A WARNING
The f ine dust created when a irbags dep loy can
cause breathing problems for people with a
history of asthma or other breathing condi­
tions .
- To reduce the r isk of breathing problems,
those w ith asthma or other resp iratory con­
ditions should g et fr esh air r ight away by
get ting out of the vehicle o r opening w in ­
dows or door s.
- If you are in a col lision in w hich a irbags de­
p loy, wash your hand s and fa ce wi th mild
soap and water before eating.
- Be caref ul not to get the dus t into you r eyes,
or into any cuts or s cratches.
- If the residue should get into you r eyes,
flush them with water.
Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag System
Airbag monitoring indicator light
Two separa te indicators monitor the function of
the Advanced Airbag System: the airbag moni­
toring indicator light and the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light.
The Advanced Airbag System (including the elec· tronic control unit, sensor circuits and system
w iri ng) is monitored cont inuous ly to make sure
that it is funct ion ing properly whenever the ign i·
142
tion is on . Each time you t urn on the ignit ion, the
fl airbag monitoring indicator light wi ll come on
for a few seconds (self diagnostics).
The sy stem must be inspected when th e II
indicator light :
-does not come on when the ignition is sw itched
on,
- does not go out a few seconds after you have
switched on t he ignit ion, or
- comes on wh ile driving.
If an airbag system malfunction is detected, t he
i ndic ator light will fi rst s tart flashing to catch the
dr ive r's at ten tion and the n stay on con tinuou sly
to serve as a constant reminder to have the sys ­
tem inspected immediately .
If a malfu nction occurs that turns the front air ­
bag on the passenge r side off, the
PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF
light will come on and stay on
whenever the ignit ion is on .
A WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning prop­
erly cannot provide supp lemental protection
in a frontal crash.
- If the airbag ind icator light
c> page 19
comes when the vehicle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
author ized Audi dealer .
It is possible that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup·
posed to, or will not inflate when it should.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
Fig. 15 0 Section fro m t he in strument panel: PASSENGER
AIR BAG O FF ligh t
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light is loca ted in
the center of the inst rument panel
c> fig . 150. ..,.

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@ Tips
If the weight-sensing mat in the front passen­
ger seat detects an empty seat, the front air­
bag on the passenger side will be turned off,
and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF will stay on.
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the airbag system are installed at many
different places on your Audi. Installing, remov­ ing , servicing or repairing a part in an area of the
vehicle can damage a part of an airbag system and prevent that system from working properly in a collision.
There are some important things you have to know to make sure that the effectiveness of the
system will not be impaired and that discarded
components do not cause injury or pollute the
environment.
A WARNING
-
Improper care, servicing and repair proce­
dures can increase the risk of personal injury
and death by preventing an airbag from de­
ploying when needed or deploying an airbag
unexpectedly:
- Never cover, obstruct, or change the steer­
ing wheel horn pad or airbag cover or the in­
strument panel or modify them in any way .
- Never attach any objects such as cup holders
or telephone mountings to the surfaces cov­
ering the airbag units .
- For cleaning the horn pad or instrument panel, use only a soft, dry cloth or one mois­
tened with plain water. Solvents or cleaners could damage the airbag cover or change
the stiffness or strength of the material so
that the airbag cannot deploy and protect
properly.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts of
the airbag system.
- All work on the steering wheel, instrument
panel, front seats or electrical system (in­
cluding the installation of audio equipment,
cellular telephones and CB radios, etc.)
must be performed by a qualified technician
Airbag system
who has the training and special equipment
necessary.
- For any work on the airbag system, we
strongly recommend that you see your au­
thorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never modify the front bumper or parts of
the vehicle body.
- Always make sure that the side airbag can
inflate without interference:
- Never install seat covers or replacement
upholstery over the front seatbacks that
have not been specifically approved by
Audi .
- Never use additional seat cushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags in­
flate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or to
the seam in the area of the side airbag
module must always be repaired immedi­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer.
- The airbag system can be activated only
once. After an airbag has inflated, it must
be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the technical
information, training and special equipment
necessary.
- The airbag system can be deployed only
once . After an airbag has been deployed, it
must be replaced with new replacement
parts designed and approved especially for
your Audi model version. Replacement of complete airbag systems or airbag compo­nents must be performed by qualified work­
shops only. Make sure that any airbag serv­
ice action is entered in your Audi Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet under AIRBAG RE­
PLACEMENT RECORD.
- In accidents when an airbag is deployed, the
vehicle battery separates the alternator and
the starter from the vehicle electrical sys­ tem for safety reasons with a pyrotechnic
circuit interrupter .
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit interrupt­
er must only be performed by a qualified
dealer -risk of an accident!
- If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is
scrapped, all applicable safety precautions
must be followed.
145

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exceptional circumstances and the PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
light does not come on
and stay on, immediately install the rear­
ward-facing child safety seat in a rear seat­
ing position and have the airbag system in­
spected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer.
A WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must in­
stall 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 man­
ufacturer for use on a front seat with a pas­
senger front and side airbag.
- Always follow the manufacturer's instruc­
tions 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 air­
bag as possible before installing the child
restraint. The backrest must be adjusted to
an upright position.
- Always make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on all the
time whenever the ignition is switched on.
Always replace child restraints that were in­
stalled in a vehicle during a crash. Damage to
a child restraint that is not visible could cause
it to fail in another collision situation.
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with a front "Advanced
Airbag System" in compliance with United States
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)
208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was
manufactured.
The Advanced Airbag system in your vehicle has
been certified to meet the "low-risk" require­
ments for 3- and 6-year old children on the pas­
senger side and small adults on the driver side.
The low risk deployment criteria are intended to
Child safety
reduce the risk of injury through interaction with
the airbag that can occur, for example, by being
too close to the steering wheel and instrument
panel when the ai rbag inflates. In addition, the
system has been certified to comply with the "suppression" requirements of the Safety Stand ­
ard, to turn off the front airbag for infants up to
12 months who are restrained on the front pas­
senger seat in child restraints that are listed in
the Standard.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Ad­
vanced Airbag system, all children, especially
those 12 years and younger, should always ride in
the back seat properly restrained for their age
and size. The airbag on the passenger side makes
the front seat a potentially dangerous place for a
child to ride. The front seat is not the safest place
for a child in a forward-facing child safety seat. It
can be a
very dangerous place for an infant or a
larger child in a rearward-facing seat.
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle de­
tects the presence of an infant or child in a child
restraint on the front passenger seat using the
weight-sensing mat in the seat cushion and the sensor below the safety belt latch on the front
passenger seat that measures the tension on the
safety belt .
The weight-sensing mat measures total weight of
the child and the child safety seat and a child blanket on the front passenger seat. The weight
on the front passenger seat is related to the de­
sign of the child restraint and its "footprint", the
size and shape of the bottom of the child re ­
straint as it sits on the seat. The weight of a child
restraint and its "footprint" vary for different
kinds of child restraints and for the different
models of the same kind of child restraint offered
by child restraint manufacturers.
The weight ranges for the individual types, makes
and models of child restraints that the NHTSA
has specified in the Safety Standard together
with the weight ranges of typical infants and typ-
ical 1 year-old child have been stored in the ...,
153

Smart Technolog y
shared, ple ase see your contract with the
wireless telecommunications provider and the "About Aud i connect" tab in your vehicle's
MMI*:
I MENU ! button > Audi connect > About
Audi conne ct .
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of sk id­
d ing and loss of veh icle control.
It works only
when the engine is runn ing . ESC detects certain
d ifficult driving situations, including when the ve­
h icle is beginn ing to sp in (yaw) out of control and
he lps you to ge t the vehicle back u nder cont rol by
selectively braking the wheels, and/or reducing
engine power and providing steering assistance
to help hold the vehicle on the driver's intended
course. The indicator light
liJ in the instrument
cluster blinks when ESC is taking action to help
you control the veh icle.
ESC has limitations. It is important to remember
that ESC cannot overcome the laws of physics. It
will not always be able to help out under all con­
d itions you may come up against. For example,
ESC may not always be able to help you master
situations where there is a sudden change in the
coefficient of friction of the road surface. Whe n
there is a section of d ry road that is s uddenly cov ­
ered wi th wa ter, s lush or snow, ESC cannot per­
form the same way it wou ld on the d ry surface . If
the vehicle hydroplanes (rides on a cushion of wa ­
ter instead of the road surface), ESC wi ll not be
ab le to he lp you steer the veh icle because contact
with the pavement has been i nterrupted and the
ve hicle cannot be braked or steered. Dur ing fast
cornering, particula rly on w inding roads, ESC
cannot a lways deal as effect ively with d iff icu lt
d riving situat ions than at lower speeds. When
towing a trailer, ESC is not able to he lp yo u regain
con trol as it wou ld if yo u were not towing a trail­
er .
A lways adjust you r speed and dr iving style to
road, traffic and weather conditions. ESC cannot
override the vehicle's physical limi ts, increase the
170
available traction, or keep a vehicle on the road if
road departure is a result of driver inattention .
Instead, ESC improves the possibility of keeping
the ve hicle under control and on the road dur ing
extreme maneuvers by using the dr iver's steering
i nputs to help keep the vehicle going in the in­
tended direction. If you are traveling at a speed
that causes you to run off the road before ESC
can p rov ide any assistance, you may not expe ri­
ence the benefi ts of ESC.
ESC is switched o n all the time. In ce rtain s itua­
tions when you need less traction, you can switch
off ASR by p ress ing the button [!]¢
page 171,
fig. 164 or ¢page 171, fig. 165. Be s ure to
swi tch ASR on again when you no longe r need
l ess traction .
The following system s are integrated in the ESC:
Anti- lock braking s ystem (ABS )
ABS prevents the wheels from locki ng up when
braking. The vehicle ca n still be steered even dur­
i ng hard braki ng . Apply steady pressure to the
brake pedal. Do not pump t he pedal. A pu lsing in
t h e b ra ke peda l ind icates that the system is he lp­
i ng yo u to b ra ke the vehicle.
Brake assist system
The brake ass ist system can decrease brak ing dis ­
ta nce. It increases braking power when the d river
presses the bra ke peda l quickly in emergency sit­
u at ions. You must press and hold t he b ra ke peda l
u nt il t he s ituation is ove r. In vehicles with adap­
tive cru ise contro l*, the bra ke assist system is
more sensitive if the distance detected to the ve ­
hicle ahead is too sma ll.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR )
ASR reduces eng ine power when the d rive wheels
begin to spi n and adap ts the force to the ro ad
cond it ions . This makes it eas ie r to start, acce le r­
ate and drive up hills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL bra kes whee ls that a re spinn ing and
t ransfers the dr ive power to the othe r drive wheel
o r whee ls if the ve hicle is equippe d wi th a ll-wheel
drive*. T his function is not available at higher
speeds .

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In extreme cases, EDL a utomatica lly switches off
to help keep the brake on the braked whee l from
overheating. EDL w ill switch on again automati ­
cally when conditions have returned to normal.
Steering re commendat ion
The ESC helps to stabilize the ve hicle by chang ing
the steering torque.
I n vehicles with dynamic steeri ng*, ESC also
h e lps to stabilize the steering in critical s itua­
tions .
Electronic interaxle differential lock* /
sel ectiv e wheel torque control*
The electron ic in teraxle d iffe ren tial lock (front
wheel drive) or the selective wheel torq ue contro l
(all wheel drive) operates when driving through
curves. The front whee l on the ins ide of the cu rve
or both whee ls on the inside of the curve are
braked selectively as needed. Thi s allows more
precise driving in curves. The applicable system
may not activate when driving in wet or snowy
conditions .
_&, WARNING
- The ESC and its integrated systems cannot
overcome the laws of physics. This is espe­
ci al ly impo rtant on slippe ry or wet roads. If
the sys tems begin acting to stabilize your
Switching on/off
Smart Technology
veh icle, you shou ld immediately change
your speed to matc h the road and traffic
conditions. Do not let the increased safety
provided by these systems tempt you to
take risks . Do ing so will increase the risk of a
loss of vehicle control, collision and serious
personal injuries.
- Always adapt your speed to road, traffic and
weather conditions. The risk of losing con­
trol of the vehicle inc reases when dr iving
too fast, espec ially through curves and on
slippery or wet roads, and when dr iving too
close to vehicles up ahead . The ESC and its
integrated systems cannot a lways prevent
coll isions -there is sti ll a risk of accidents!
- Always accelerate with special care on even,
smooth su rfaces such as those that are wet
or covered with ice and snow. The drive
wheels can spin even with these assistance
systems that can not always help to reduce
the risk of loss of vehicle cont rol.
{!) Tips
-ABS and ASR only work correct ly when a ll
four wheels are equipped w ith ident ica l
tires. Different tire sizes can lead to a reduc­
tion in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working.
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine.
Fig. 16 4 Version A: lowe r ce nter console,~ OFF button
The ESC is designed to function in levels. Depend­
i ng on the level that is selected, the stabilization
function o f the ESC is limited or switched off . The
F ig. 165 Versio n B: uppe r ce nter console,~ OFF button
amount of s tabilization control will differ de­
pend ing on the level.
a, N N N ,.: CX) m
171

Smart Technology
The following situations are exceptions where it
may be usefu l to switch on sport mode to allow
the wheels to spin : -
Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driv ing in deep snow or on loose ground
- Dr iv ing with snow chains
Sport mode on ESC/ASR off Sport mode off or
ESC /ASRon
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza- The stabilization funct ion is The full stabilization func-
tion fu nct ions are limited not
available¢ ,&.. ESC and
tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢ ,&. .
ASR are switched
off. available again.
Operation Press the I!> OF F! button Press and hold the I!> OF FI Press the I!> OF F! button
briefly . button longer than 3 sec-again.
onds .
Indicator II turns on. JI and lf'lii•li~ turn on. II turns off or II and
lights lf'lii•l~~ turn off.
Driver mes- Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization control
sages Sport. Warning! Re stricted off. Warning! Restricted (ESC):
On
stability stability
It is only possible to turn off the ASR up to 30
mph (SO km/h) for veh icles wi th front whee l
drive . At about
45 mph (70 km/h) it automatica l­
ly turns on again. It is possible to turn
off the
ASR at any speed for vehicles with all whee l
drive.
A WARNING
-
You should only sw itch sport mode on or
switch ESC/ASR
off if your driving ab ilities and
road condit io ns perm it .
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is switched on. The dr iv ing
wheels could spin and the veh icle cou ld
swerve, especially on slick or slippery road
surfaces.
- There is no vehicle stabilization when ESC/
ASR are switched
off.
(D Tips
ESC/ASR cannot be switched off or sport
mode cannot be switched on when cruise con­
trol or adaptive cru ise control* is sw itched on .
172
Braking
What affects broking 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 com­
pensate for this slightly reduced braking power
by pushing harder on the brake pedal. Avoid
heavy braking loads during the break-in period.
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still sub­
ject to wear, depending largely on operating con­
ditions and driving habits~,&. . On vehicles that
are either driven most ly in stop-and -go city traf­
fic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by your authorized Audi dealer more of­
ten than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte­
nance booklet .
Failure to have your brake pads
i nspected can result in reduced brake perform­
ance .
On steep slopes, you should use the braking ef­
fect of the engine . This way, you prevent unnec­
essary wear on the brake system. If you must use
your brakes, do not hold the brakes down contin­
uously. Pump the brakes at intervals.

Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, braking force and outside conditions 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 overn ight con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
dried first with a few carefu l brake applications.
At higher speeds and with the w indshie ld w ipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake
rotors for a short amount of time. This occurs at
regular intervals without the driver noticing and
provides for better brake response time under
wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered road
and the brakes are not used. Likewise, you clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs
and pads with a few cautious applications of the
brake ¢.& .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on
the brake pads and corros ion to form on the discs
if the car is not driven regularly or only for short
tr ips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corro­
sion has formed on the discs, it is advisab le to
clean off the pads and discs by braking firmly a
few t imes 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 circuits
may have failed
c:> .& .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the
brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid leve l is
~ monitored e lectronically.
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Smart Technology
Brake booster
T he brake booster increases the pressure that you
generate w ith the brake pedal.
It works on ly
when the engine is running
.c:> .&
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spect ion of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
c:> page 230, Replacing wheels.
_8 WARNING "'---
-New brake pads don't have the best stop­
pin g power and must be "broken-in" during
the initial 250 miles (400 kilometers). You
can compensate for this by press ing the
brake pedal more firmly. This also applies
later when new pads are installed.
-
- You shou ld perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system
only if road conditions permit. Other road
users must not be put at r isk -you may
cause an acciden t!
- 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 over­
heat, premature wear and increased stop­
p in g distance.
- Under certain cl imatic and operat ing condi­
tions such as passing through water, dr iv ing
in heavy rain or after washing the vehicle,
the effectiveness of the brakes can be re­
duced. In winter, ice can accumulate on the
b rak e pads, linings, discs and drums. Care­
fully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry
and ice coatings will be cleaned off after a
few careful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt -covered roads wi thout using your
brakes can a lso affect braking efficiency .
173

Smart Technolog y
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads w ith a few carefu l
brake applications .
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you in­
stall a d ifferent spoiler, be sure the air flow
to the front brakes is not obstructed. Other­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc ­
ing the effectiveness of the entire brake sys­
tem.
- Failure of one brake c ircuit will impair the
braking capab ility result ing in an increased
stopp ing distance. Avoid driving the veh icle
and have it towed to the nearest autho rized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle ro ll to a stop with the
engine shut off .
- If the brake booster is not work ing, the
brake pedal must be pressed considerably
harder to make up for the lack of booste r as­
sistance .
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 me ssages
• Stee ring defe cti ve! D o not dr ive vehicle!
If this indicator light tu rns on and stays on and
this message appears, the power steering may
have fai led .
Do
not contin ue driving. See yo ur authorized
Aud i dealer o r a qua lified repair facility for assis­
tance.
l ;r- ij Dynami c steering : S ys te m fault! You can
c on tinu e dr iving
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, the steer ing may be more difficult to
move or mo re sensitive than us ual. The steer ing
wheel may also be at an ang le when dr iv ing
straight.
174
Drive slowly to your authorized Audi dea ler or
qualified workshop to have the ma lf u nction cor­
rected.
' -r, ij Dynamic ste ering: i nitializing
If this driver message appears and the indicator
li ght is flashing on the i nstrume nt pane l, dynam­
i c steer ing* is being rein it ia lized . After sta rting
the engine, the steer ing whee l w ill move sligh tly.
Re-initialization might be necessary if the steer ­
ing whee l was moved hard to th e left and right
whi le the vehicle was not moving . The display
goe s out as soon as initiali zation is comp lete.
A WARNING
,-
H ave the dynamic steering* system malfunc-
tion repaired as soon as possible by an author ­
ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop - r isk
of accid ent!
@ Tips
- If the . or 'T fl indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may cont inue driving.
- The dynamic steering* stab ility system s are
not availab le in the event of a system mal­
function .
- For add itional information on dynamic
steering*, refer to<=> page 103 .
Driving with your quattro
Applies to vehicles : wit h all -w hee l drive
With all-wheel drive , all four wheels are driven .
General information
With a ll-wheel drive, power is distrib uted to a ll
fo ur wheels . This happens automatica lly depend­
i ng on your driving style and the road conditions
at the t ime . See also <=> page 1 70 .
A center d ifferential distributes the driving power
variab ly to the front and rear ax le. It works to­
gether w ith select ive whee l torque control , which
activates when drivi ng throug h curves
¢ page 171 . W ith the sport diffe rential*, power
distribution to the rear wheels is var iable and can
be ad justed with d rive select ¢ page 103 .
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