AUDI A5 COUPE 2012 Owners Manual

This automatic adjustment process will cause
a
slight vib ra tion of the brake pedal and some
noises to alert you that vehicle speed must be
adapted to existing road and traffic condi­
tions.
A WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always
remember that braking capability is limit­
ed by t ire traction . A lways adjust your dr iv­
ing speed according to the road and t raff ic
conditions. Do not let the extra sa fety af­
forded by the ABS tempt you into taking
extra risks. The ABS cannot overcome the
laws of physics .
(D Tips
-If ABS is not functioning properly, a
warning light will come on . See
~ page 16.
-If a fault occu rs in the ABS, the EDL is al­
so not functioning . This is indicated by
the ABS warning light .
Brake assist
Brake assist is designed to achieve the opti­
mum broking effect.
Brake assist helps to increase the effective
brak ing power and thus to achieve a shorter
stopping distance. If the driver presses the
brake peda l very quick ly, brake assist auto­
mat ica lly boosts the braking force to the max­
imum level, up to the point where the anti­
lock brake function (ABS) intervenes to stop
the wheels from locking . You should then
keep the brake pedal pressed u ntil the vehicle
has braked to the required speed . Brake ass ist
sw itches itself off as soon as you release the
b rake peda l.
A WARNING
Please remembe r that the accident r is k al­
ways increases if yo u drive too fast, espe ­
cially in corners or on a s lippery road, or if
you fo llow the vehicle ahead of you too
close ly. Increased risk of an accident can-
Int ellig ent technolog y 209
not be compensated for even by brake as­
sist, so always maintain a safe speed.
S .
®
ervotron1c
-
advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of
the running engine to allow precise steering
with little effort.
T he advanced Servotronic ® power steer ing
system senses the road speed and elect ron i­
ca lly adjusts power assistance to provide com­
fortab le and safe ste ering response exact ly
matched to the vehicle speed .
Power steering will not work i f the engine is
off. As a result, the stee ring wheel will be hard
to turn .
T he power steering fluid level is checked d ur­
ing the schedu led maintenance services .
(D Note
If there is an e lectronic malfunction, ser ­
votronic
will s till function like a conven­
tiona l power steering system, providing a
constant steering support force that is no
l onger proportionate to the vehicle speed.
This is most noticeable when turning the
steering wheel at low speeds (for example
when parking), -more effort w ill be re­
q uired than usual.
- Be aware of the different than usual
steering response and adjust your steer ­
ing force acco rdingly .
- Have the problem checked and set right
by an Audi dealer as soon as possible.
(D Tips
-Whe n the engine is running, never hold
the steering w heel turned all the way to
the rig ht or to the left for longer t han 15
seconds. The powe r steering pump will
overheat the hydraulic fluid if you keep
holding the stee ring wheel turned all the
way. This is likely to damage the power
steering system .
IJI>
•
•

210 Intellig ent technol ogy
- If the power steer ing system should fail
entirely, or if the engine is not running (for example, while being towed), you
will still be ab le to steer the vehicle.
However,
considerably more effort w ill
be required to do so .
- If the power steer ing system should
have a leak, or is not functioning proper­
ly, contact your authorized Aud i dealer
i mmediately.
- The power steering system requires a
spec ially formulated hydraulic flu id . T he
power steer ing reservoir is the one locat­
ed farthest to the rear on the left side of
the engine compartment~
page 239.
The correct flu id leve l in the reservo ir is
important for proper functioning o f the
power steering.
Driving with your
quattro ®
With all wheel drive, all four wheels are driv­
en.
Gener al inform ation
W ith all wheel dr ive, power is distr ibuted to
all four wheels . This happens automatically
depending on your dr iving style and the road
conditions at the t ime . See also ~
page 205,
Electronic differential lock (EDL) .
The all wheel drive concept is designed for
h igh engine power . Your vehicle is exception­
ally powerful and has excellent dr iving charac­
ter istics both under normal driving conditions
and on snow and ice . Always read and follow
safety precautions
~ ,&. .
Winter tires
When driving in the w inter, your vehicle w ith
all wheel drive has an advantage, even with regular t ires. In winter road conditions it may
be adv isable to mount winter t ires (o r all-sea ­
son t ires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing : these tires must be mounted on all four
wheel s. See also
q page 267, Winter tires .
Tir e chain s
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain roads, this norma lly also app lies to vehicles
with all wheel drive~
page 268, Snow
chains.
Replacing wheels /tires
Vehicles with a ll wheel d rive must always have
ti res of the same s ize. A lso avo id tires w ith
different t read dep ths . For detai ls see page
~ page 263, New tires and replacing tires
and wheels .
Off-Road dr iv ing?
Your Audi does not have enough g round clea r­
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle .
It is
therefore best to avoid rough tracks and un ­
even terrain as much as possib le . Also refer to
9 page 214.
A WARNING
-
Always adjust your dr iv ing to road and traf-
f ic conditions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by all whee l drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
- Although the all whee l drive is very effec­
tive, always remember that braking ca­ pacity is limited by tire tract ion. You
should t herefore not d rive at excessive
speeds on icy or slippe ry road s urfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to
drive too fast because the front whee ls
co uld begin to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning) . If th is should occur, you
wi ll have no warning from a s udden in ­
crease in engine speed as w it h a front­
wheel drive veh icle. Always drive at
speeds which are su ited to the road con­
ditions -risk of crash.

Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting the engine .
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system
is not driven for a long period of time , the bat­
tery is discharged by idling current consumers
(e.g. immobilizer). In ce rtain c ircumstances it
can result in there being insuff icient ene rgy
avai lab le to start the engine .
Intell igent energy management in your vehi­
cle hand les the d istribution of electrical ener­
gy. Starting ab il ity is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
batt ery di ag nosis, idlin g current man ag e­
m ent
and dyn ami c en ergy manage ment .
Batter y diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines
the state of the battery . Sensors determ ine
battery vo ltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determ ines the current
state of charge and the powe r of the battery.
Idling curr ent man agement
Idling current management reduces ene rgy
consumption while the vehicle is stand ing .
W ith the ignition switched off, it cont ro ls the
energy supply to the va rious electr ical compo ­
nents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid­
ered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge,
i nd ividua l consumers are gradual ly t urned off
to prevent excess ive d ischarge of the bat tery
and thus maintain starting capability .
Dynam ic en ergy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic en­
e rgy management dist ributes the energy gen­
e rated according to the needs of the individu­
a l components.
It reg ulates cons umption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
Int ellig ent technolog y 211
than is being generated and ensures an opti ­
mal state of charge for the battery.
(0 Tips
- But even energy management canno t
negate the limits of physics . Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
limited .
- If starting ability is threatened, you are
informed by a warning
r:!) page 212,
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severe ly taxed in short -distance
driving, in city traffic and during the cold time
of year. Abundant electrical energy is re­ quired, but only a little is generated .
It is also
critical if the engine is not running and electri­
cal components are turned on . In this in­
stance energy is be ing consumed but none is
being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you will
notice energy management actively regulat ­
ing the d istribution of energy .
Vehicle stands for an e xtended peri od
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, e lectr ical compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and ma in ­
ta ins start ing capability over a longer period .
Some of the convenience functions may not
operate, such as the interior lights or the power seat adjustment . The convenience
funct ions w ill be available again when you
tu rn o n the ign ition and start the engine.
With the eng ine tu rned off
If you listen to the radio, for examp le, w ith
the engine turned off or use other MMI func -
tions, the battery is be ing discharged.
IJJ,-
•
•

212 Intelligent technology
If starting capability is jeopardized due to en­
ergy consumption, the following warning ap­
pears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will
switch off in 3 minutes.
The warning ind icates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 minutes. If
you wish to continue using the functions, you
have to start the engine .
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is be ing driven, the battery can be­
come discharged . Thi s happens mostly when
little ene rgy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state o f
charge is not optima l.
To bring the energy balance back into equili­
brium, consumers which require especially
l arge amounts of energy are temporarily cut
back or switched off. Heating systems in par­
ticular require a great dea l of energy. If you
notice, for example, that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they
have been temporar ily cut back or switched
off. These systems will be ava ilable again as
soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly. This is normal and not
a cause for concern . By increas ing engine idle
speed the add itiona l energy required is gener­
ated and the battery is charged.
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If battery power drops into the range where it
can limit the ability of the engine to start, this is shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
(•i Low battery charge : battery will be
charged while driving
This notif ication reminds you that the starting
capability of the engine may be limited. As
soon as you start driving again, the battery will
be recharged and the notification will go
out.
Driver notification appears and goes out
again
If this driver notification appears after the ig ­
nition is turned on or whi le driving and it goes
out again after a while, the battery has been
adequately recharged.
Driver notification appears and does not
go out again
If this driver notification appears after the ig­
nition is turned on or whi le driving and does
not go out again, the battery's state of charge
is not in the optimal range. Starting ability is
restricted . Have the battery checked as soon
as possible by an authorized Aud i dea ler or
qualified wo rkshop.

Driving and
environment
The first 1
1000
miles
(11500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1 ,500 km) .
For the fir st 600 mile s (1,000
kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle.
.,. Do not d rive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1 ,000 to
1,500 kilometers ):
.. Speeds ca n gradually be increased to the
maximum perm iss ible road or eng ine speed .
During and after br eak-in period
.. Do not rev the eng ine up to h igh speeds
when it is cold. Th is applies whether the
transmission is in N (Neutral) or in gear.
After the break- in peri od
.. Do not exceed maximum eng ine speed un­
der any circumstances.
.. Upshift into the next higher gear
before
reaching the red area at the end of the tach­
ometer scale
c.> page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the en­
g ine's internal friction is higher than later
when all the moving parts have been broken
in . How well this break -in process is done de ­
pends to a considerable extent on the way the
vehicle is driven du ring the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 kilome ters).
(D Note
Extremely h igh engine speeds are auto­
mat ica lly reduc ed. However, t hese rpm
lim its are programmed for a n engine well
r u n- in, not a new engine.
Driving and environment 213
@) For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high en­
g ine speeds -upshifting ear ly saves f uel,
reduces noise and protects the environ­
ment.
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive
very carefully for the first 350 miles (500 ki lo­
meters) after fitting.
.&, WARNING
N ew tires tend to be sl ippery and mus t al­
so be "b roken -in" . Be sure to remember
this dur ing the f irst 350 m iles (500 kilo­
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llowing
closely behind other vehicles or other sit­
uations that m ight require sudden, hard
b raking .
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a
full brak ing effect dur ing the first 250 m iles
(400 ki lomete rs) afte r they are installed.
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" be­
fore they have optima l grab
c.> .&. .
During the brea k-in period, yo u should avo id
putting severe loads on the brakes. Severe
l oads include , for example, sudden hard brak­
i ng, in particular at very h igh speeds or, for
example, on mountain passes .
.&, WARNING
New b rake pads don 't have the best stop­
p ing power and must be "broken-i n" dur­
ing the initi al 100 to 150 miles (150 to
200 kilometers) o f no rma l ci ty driving . You
can compensate for this by pressing the b rake peda l more firm ly . This also applies
later when new pads are installed.
•
•

214 Driving and en vironm ent
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc ., make certain that
low-lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get dam­
aged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low­
slung chassis (sports chassis) * and fully load­
ed veh icles .
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- T he water must not be any higher tha n the
bottom o f the vehicle body.
- Do not d rive faster than wa lking speed.
_& WARNING
After d riving through water, m ud, slush,
et c., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because o f wet brake ro tors and pads . Dry
the brakes fi rst by braking carefully to re­
store the full braking effect.
(]) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspension or electrical sys ­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
- Check the depth o f the water before driv ­
ing through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, dr ive in reverse
or switch the engine
off when driving
through water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid driving thro ugh salt water because
it 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.
.,. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 232,
Fuel supply .
.,. Never run the tank down all the way to
empty .
.,. Never put too much motor o il in your en-
gine ¢
page 242, ~ Adding engine oil .
.,. Never try to push- or tow-sta rt you r vehicle.
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean­
u p" dev ice built into the exhaust system of
the vehi cle. The cata lytic conve rter bu rns
many of the pollu tan ts in the exha ust gas be­
f o re they are re leased into the atmosphere.
T he exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
important for the life of the catalyt ic convert­
er and prope r fu nct ion ing of the engine.
A WARNING
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot ex haust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fue l spill or other material wh ich can
cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additiona l undercoating or
r u stproofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat sh ields. Dur ing driv ing, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
(D Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already ser iously de-
grade the performance of the catalytic
converte r.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢page 242.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty . The engine co uld mis-
fire. Unburned fuel could also get into ..,.

the exhaust system and this could cause
the catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ignition while the ve ­
hicle is moving .
- Do not continue to operate yo ur vehicle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the cata lytic converter. This
could result in overheating of the con­
verter, requ iring its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­
sion Control System:
- Have your veh icle ma inta ined properly
and in acco rdance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
&
Ma intenance booklet.
- Lac k of proper maintenance as well as
improper use of the vehicle will impa ir
t he funct ion of the emission control
system and cou ld lead to damage.
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Contro l System is
operating p roperly, the exhaust gas can
have a s ulfu r- like exhaust gas smell under
some operating states. This depends on
the s ulfur content of the fue l being used.
Using a different brand of fuel may help,
or filling the tank w ith lead-free super
grade gasoline .
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels .
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and t ires largely
depend on three factors :
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical lim itations
I f you anticipate what you need to do nex t and
d rive economically, you can eas ily cut your
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 215
fuel consumption by 10 -15 percent. Th is sec ­
tion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook .
(D Tips
The cons umption estimates as published
by ENVIRONME NTAL PROTEC TION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the road, which will vary depending upon vehi­
cle load and speed, road and weather con­
dit ions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
.. Avo id unnecessary accelerating and brak ing .
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
ce lerat ing . If you ant icipate what is going to
happe n next, you will need to brake less and,
t hu s, accele rate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for examp le when you see
that the next t raff ic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
.. Try and keep well below your car's maxi -
mum speed .
Accelerat ing gently reduces fuel consump­
tion, eng ine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
Fuel consumpt ion, exhaust emiss ions and en­
gine noise increase disproportionately at high
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarte rs of top speed, fuel consumption w ill
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
t h an the posted speed limit and weathe r con­
ditions perm it.
•
•

216 Driving and environment
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
.,. Shut the engine off when you are not driv­
ing the vehicle.
.,. Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic
jams, when waiting for trains to pass at rail ­
road crossings, or at traff ic lights that have
l ong wa its on red. Turning the engine off for
just 30-40 seconds saves more fue l than is
burned starting the eng ine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle. However , wear
and noxious emissions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up .
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter starting . If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wou ld go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which cou ld result in over­
heating or other damage to the vehicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel .
... Have your vehicle serviced at regular inter-
vals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authorized Audi dealer helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically . The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and
ability to hold its value, it also affects
fuel
consumption .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oi l used is re lated to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l consumption and en­
gine output.
(D Note
- Have your veh icle ma inta ined properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet . Lack of proper mainte­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
emission contro l system and cou ld lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System and other important vehicle compo­
nents.
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips .
.,. Try to avoid driv ing short distances with a
cold engine .
The engine and cata lytic converter have to
reach their optimal
operating temperature to
reduce fuel consumpt ion and noxious emis­
s ions effectively .
Just after starting, a co ld engine in a mid-size
car only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 mi les
per gallon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a
half a mile, fuel economy cl imbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/100 km) . After about
2 .5 miles (4 km), ll>

the engine is a t its proper ope rat ing tempera ­
ture and fue l economy has reached a no rma l
l eve l. So y ou can see that you sho uld avoid
short trips whenever poss ib le.
The
outside temperature is a lso critica l in this
regard. Yo ur car cons umes more fuel in the
winter than in t he summer .
Driving and environment 217
•
•

218 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 trailer, 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 trailer is equipped with a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
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, switches, 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 ion 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 219.
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 . .,..