check engine light AUDI A7 2017 Owner´s Manual

Other indicator lights
--------------
Tu rn signa ls
c:>page 19
USA models:
cruise control system
c:> pageBS
Canada models :
cruise con trol system
c:>page BS
Adaptive cruise control*
c:> page 91
Adaptive cruise control*
c:>page 91
Adaptive cr uise control *
c:>page 91
Active lane assist*
c:> page97
Start/S top system *
c:>page 71
Start/S top system*
c:>page 71
High beam assistant*
c:> page 41
High beams
c:> page41
BRAKE /(0) Brake system
If th is ind icator lig ht tu rns on, there is a ma lfunc­
tion in the brake system.
1111 ( USA models ) / . (Canada models ) Stop
vehicle and check brake fluid level.
St op the veh icle and che ck the bra ke f lu id leve l.
See an au tho riz e d Au di dea ler o r aut ho riz e d Aud i
Service Fac ility for assistance if necessa ry .
1111 (USA models ) /. (Canada models )
Brake s: malfunction! Please stop vehicle safely
If the ABS indica to r light ~ (U SA mode ls) /
~ ¢ej (Canada models), the ESC indica to r li ght Gl
~ an d the brake system in dicator light 1111 (USA
8 models) /. (Canada mode ls) all tur n on and
00 \.J ' Instruments and ind icator lights
t hi s message appears, then the ABS, ESC an d
bra king distribution a re ma lfunctioning
c:> ,&. .
Do no t continue dr iv ing . See a n author ized Audi
dealer or au thor ized A udi Se rvice Fa cility for as­
s istance
c:> &. .
1111 (USA models). (Canada models) Park ­
ing brake: System fault! See owner' s manual
- If the ind icator lig ht and the message appea r
when the vehicle is stationary or after switch­
ing the ignition on ,
check if yo u can re lease the
pa rk ing br ake. If you canno t relea se t he p ark­
ing b rake, see your au thor ized A udi de aler or
author ized A udi Se rvice Facility . If you can re ­
lease the parking brake and the message sti ll
appears, see an authorized Audi dea ler or au­
thorized A udi Service Fac ility immediately to
have the ma lfunction co rrected.
- If the ind icator light and message appear
while
driving ,
the hill start ass ist or emergency brak­
ing function may be ma lfunctioning. It may not
be possible to set the parki ng brake or release
it o nce it has been set. Do no t park yo ur vehicle
on hills , See an aut ho rized Audi dea le r or au­
t hor ized A udi Se rvi ce Fa ci lity for assistan ce.
Applies to: USA models
If the 1111 and EiJ tur n on a t the same time, the
bra ke pads are wo rn o ut
c:>page 17.
_& WARNING
-Read and fo llow the w arning s in
c:> page 199, W orking in the engine com­
partment
before o pening the hoo d and
checking the brake fluid level.
- If the b rake syst em i ndi cat or li ght does not
turn off or i t turns on wh ile driving, the
b rake fl uid level in the reservo ir is too low,
an d this increases the risk of an accident.
Stop the vehicle and do not contin ue d riv­
ing. See an autho rized Aud i deale r or au­
thor ized A udi Se rvice Facility for assistance.
- If the b rake system indicator light turns on
together with the ABS and ESC indicato r
lights, the ABS/ESC regu lating fu nction may
be malf unct ion ing . Funct io ns that stabilize
th e vehicle are no longe r av ailabl e. This
could c ause the vehicle to swerve, whi ch
13

Instruments and indicator lights
increases the risk that the vehicle will slide.
Do not continue driving. See an author ized
Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service Facili­
ty for assistance.
PARK/( ®) Electromechanical parking brake
If t he - (USA models) /. (Canada models)
indicator light tu rns on , the park ing brake was
set.
- (USA mod els) /. (Canada models) Cau­
tion : V ehi cle parked too st eep
If the indicato r light blinks and the message ap­
pears, there is not enough braking power to se­
cure the vehicle . The brakes have overhea ted . The
ve hicle could roll away even on a small incline.
- (U SA models) /. (Canada models) Press
b rake p edal to release parking brake
To release the parking brake, press the brake
pedal and press the~ button at the same time
or start driv ing with hill start ass ist
r=> page 75 .
rlJ Parking b rake!
There is a malfunction in the parking brake. Dr ive
to a n author ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi
Serv ice Faci lity immediately to have the malfunc­
tion correc ted.
(D Tips
For add it iona l information on the park ing
brake, see
r=> page 74.
...L Cooling system
• Switch off engine and check coolant lev el!
The coolant leve l is too low.
Do not cont inue driving and switch the engine
off. Check the coolant level
r=> page 206 .
-If the coolant level is too low, add coolant
r=> page 206. Only cont inue driving once the in­
dicator light turns off .
• Cool ant temperature too high! Plea se let en­
gine run with vehicle st ationa ry
14 Let the engine run at idle for a few minutes to
cool off, until the indicator lig
ht turns off .
- If the ind icator light does not tu rn off , do no t
cont inue driv ing the veh icle. See an authorized
Audi dea ler or a uthorized Audi Service Facility
for ass istance.
A WARNING
- Never open the hood if you can see or hear
steam or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. This increases the risk of burns . Wait until you no longer see o r hear
steam or coolant escaping .
- The engine compartment in any vehicle can
be a dange rous area . Stop the engine and
allow it to cool befo re working in the engine
compa rtment. Always follow the informa­
tion fo und in
r=> page 199, Working in the
engine compartment .
(D Note
Do not continue driving if the . indicato r
li ght t urns on -this inc reases the risk of en­
gine damage.
,(,. Front safety belt
The . indicator lig ht stays on until the dr iver's
and front passenger's safety belts are fastened.
Above a certain speed, there will a lso be a warn­
i ng tone.
(j) Tips
For additional information on safety belts,
see ¢
page 140 .
0 Alternator/vehicle battery
• Electrical s ystem: m alfunction! Battery is
not being charged
There is a ma lfunction in the a lternator or the ve­
hicle e lectrical system.
Drive to an au thorized A udi dealer or au thori zed
Audi Se rvice Fa cility immediate ly. Beca use the ve ­
hicle battery is discharging, turn off a ll unneces­
sary ele ctrical eq uipment such as the radio . Se e
your authori zed Audi dea ler or authori zed Audi
Ill>

Service Faci lity i f th e battery charge level is too
l ow .
(•) Low battery charge : Battery will be charged
while driving
The start ing ability may be impaired .
If th is message turns
off after a litt le while, the
ve hicle battery charged enough wh ile driving.
If the message does not turn
off, h ave an a uthor ­
ized A udi dealer o r autho rized Audi Serv ice Fac ili­
ty repa ir th e malfunct ion.
~ Engine stop while driving
• Engine stopped: No power steering and
brake support .
There is a malfunction in the eng ine or in the fuel
supp ly system.
M ore fo rce is needed to steer and brake the mov ­
ing ve hicle w hen t he engine is stoppe d. If the ve­
hi cle is rol ling, try to b ring it to a stop
off to the
side from moving traffic. See an aut ho rized Aud i
dealer or aut ho riz ed Aud i Serv ic e Faci lity fo r as­
sis tanc e.
A WARNING
-
If the e ng in e stops while d riving, yo u will
nee d to use more force to brak e the vehicle.
T hi s i ncrease s the r is k of an a ccid ent. Th ere
w ill still be power s teerin g if th e i gnit ion is
switched on w hil e the vehicle is rolling an d
there is sufficient battery c har ge. Othe rw ise,
you must use greate r force when steer ing.
~ Engine oil pressure
• Turn off engine and check oil level
Stop the eng ine and do not continue driving .
Chec k the engine oil leve l
Q page 204.
-If the engi ne oil leve l is to o low, add engine oil
Qpoge 204. O nl y con tinue driv ing once the in­
dicato r light turns
off.
co ~ - If the engi ne oil leve l is co rr ec t an d t he i ndic a-
~ to r lig ht st ill tur ns on, tur n the eng ine off and N
8 do not con tinue driving . See an auth o rized Aud i 00 \.J ' Instruments and ind icator lights
dea ler o r auth orized Audi Service Facili ty fo r as ­
sistance .
(D Tips
The oil pres sure w arnin g is no t an oil leve l in­
d ic ator. Always check the oil level regula rly.
't::r;. Engine oil level
• Please add oil immediately.
Add o il imme diate ly Qpoge 202.
Ill Add oil max. x qt (l). You may continue driv­
ing
Add t he d isplayed amount of oil immediately
Q page202.
~- Steering lock
• Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
There is a ma lfunction in the e lectron ic steering
l ock . You cannot tur n the ign ition on .
Do
not tow yo ur vehicle because it cannot be
stee red. See an a uthorized Audi dea ler or author­
ized Audi Service Facility for ass istance.
!II Steering lock : System fault Please contact
dealer
T he re is a m alfu n ct ion in the e le ctro nic st eering
l ock .
Dr ive to a n au thori zed A udi dealer or au tho riz ed
A udi Se rvice Faci lity i mmed iate ly to h ave the
m alfu nction correc te d .
A WARNING
-
Do not tow yo ur vehicle when there is a m al­
f u nction in t he electron ic steer ing lock - t his
i nc reases t he risk of an acc ident.
© -Engine start system
• Engine start system fault . Please contact
dealer
Do not switch the ignition off because you may
not be able to switch it on again . .,.
15

co
co
.... N
" N .... 0
00
\.J ' the vehicle are no longer available. This could cause the vehicle to swerve, which increases
the risk that the vehicle will slide. Drive care­
fully to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac ility and have the
ma lfunction corrected.
(D Tips
For additional information on ESC and ABS,
see
r:::> page 120 .
ii !i.' Safety systems
The II (USA models) / m (Canada models) indi­
cator l ight monitors the safety systems.
If the
II (USA models)/ m (Canada models) in­
d icator light turns on or blinks, there is a mal ­
function in a safety system such as the airbag or
be lt tensioner system .
Drive to an authori zed Audi dealer or authorized
Aud i Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunct ion corrected .
_& WARNING
Have the malfunct ion in the safety systems
inspected immediately . Otherwise, there is a
r isk that the systems may not activate during
a collision, which increases the risk of serious
injury or death.
{0 } Brake pads
EIJ Brake pads!
The brake pads are worn.
Drive to an authorized Aud i dealer or authorized
Aud i Service Facility immediately to have the
b rake pads checked.
Applies to: USA models
The EIJ ind icator light turns on together w ith the
11111 i ndicator light
EPC Engine control (gasoline engine)
If the 13:a indicator light turns on if there is a
malfunction in the engine control.
Instruments and indicator lights
Drive slowly to an authorized Audi dea ler or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility to have the engine
checked.
W Engine control (diesel engine)
The engine is preheating if the II indicator light
turns on when the ignition is switched on .
If the indicator light does not turn on or blinks
while driving, there is an engine control malfunc­
t ion.
Immediate ly drive s low ly to an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to have
the malfunction corrected.
C Malfunction indicator lamp (MIL)
The malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) is part of
the On Board Diagnostic system (OBD II) . The
¢4 c;ymbol turns on when the ignition is sw itched
on and turns off aga in once the engine is started
and running at a steady idle speed. This indicates
that the MIL is f unct ion ing correctly.
The indicator light turns on if there is a malfunc­
t ion in the engine electronics . See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac ility to
have the malfunction corrected. Fo r additional
information, seer:>
page 25.
The ind icator light can also turn on if the fuel fill­
er cap is not closed correctly
r:::>page 193.
_r~ Diesel particulate filter
Applies to: vehicles with diesel engine and diesel particulate
filter
II Particulate filter: System fault See owner's
manual
The diesel particulate filter requires regenera­
t ion . To support the filter 's self -clean ing func ­
t ion:
Drive for approximately 15 minutes at 37 mph
(60 km/h) or above in the S selector lever posi­
t ion . Keep the engine speed around 2,000 RPM .
The temperature increase that will result from
t hi s can burn off the soot in the fi lter. The indica­
tor light wi ll tu rn off when the cleaning has com-
pleted successfully. .,..
17

Instruments and indicator lights
If the i ndicator lig ht does not tu rn of f, drive im ­
mediately to an a utho rized Audi dea le r or author­
ized A ud i Service Fac ility to have the malfunction
corrected.
A WARNING
Always ada pt yo ur speed to the cu rrent
weathe r, road and t raffic conditi ons. You
should never disob ey traffic laws in orde r to
follow drivi ng r ecomme nda tions .
@ Tips
For add it iona l information on the diese l par­
tic ulate fi lter, se e
¢page 199.
!?'i Engine speed limitation
Applies to: vehicles with engine speed limitation
Ill Maximum engine speed: XXXX rpm
The engine speed is automatica lly lim ited to the
speed d isplayed in the instrument cluster. T his
p rotects the e ng ine from overheating .
The engine speed lim itation deactivates once the
engine is no longer in the critical temperature
range and you have released the acce le rato r ped­
al once .
I f the engine speed lim itation was activated by
an eng ine contro l ma lf u nction,
the @B indicator
light also t urn s on. Make su re that the speed
does not go above t he speed d is p layed . Drive to
a n author ized A udi dealer or au thor ized A udi
Serv ice Facili ty im medi ately to have t he m alfunc­
tion cor rec ted.
(D Tips
Applies to: Sand RS models
The e ngi ne sp eed is lim it e d whe n the eng ine
is cold -the full engine o utpu t is not av ail a­
ble. When the engine is at operating temper­
ature, the re d area in th e tachometer moves
to a highe r RPM ra nge.
_ ..., Engine oil sensor
• Oil level sensor: system fault!
18
The sensor to check the en gine o il level has
failed. Drive to an authorized A udi dealer or au­
t h orized Aud i Serv ice Facility immediately to have
the malfunct ion corrected.
f Engine warm -up request
n Please warm up engine
F u el has entered t he engine oil, eithe r from low
outside temperatures or frequent sho rt d rives.
D rive until the eng ine is wa rm so that the f uel in
the e ngine o il w ill evaporate . Avoid hig h eng ine
speeds, f ull accelerating a nd heavy engine loads
wh en doi ng this .
5) Tank system
Ii] Please refuel
If the indicato r light turns on for the first time
and t he message appea rs, the re are abou t 2.6
gallons ( 10 li ters) of f uel left in t he tank .
Ii] Fuel tank system malfunction! Please con­
tact dealer
There is a ma lf u nction in t he f uel tank system.
Dr ive to an au thor ized A udi d ealer or au thorize d
Audi Se rvice Facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction cor rected.
(D Tips
'
For add it ion al in format ion on ref ueli ng, see
¢ pag e 193 .
~ Washer fluid level
f"j i>lease add washer fluid
Fill the w ashe r flui d fo r th e win dsh ie ld was her
system and the he adlight washer sys tem* when
t h e ignit io n is switched off¢
page 209 .
• Windshield wipers
m Windshield wipe r: system fault!
There is a m alfu ncti on with the win dshi eld wip -
ers . ..,.

Driving
system can be severely damaged by dr iving
th ro ugh water.
- Always switch the Star t/Stop sys tem * off
when driving through wate r
r:';> page 71.
{D) Tips
-Dete rm ine the depth befo re driv ing th ro ugh
wa ter.
- Do not s to p the veh icle, dr ive in reverse or
swi tc h t he eng ine off when dr iv ing t hrough
wa ter.
- K eep in mind t hat on coming veh icles m ay
crea te waves t hat raise the wate r level an d
make it too deep for your ve hicle to drive
th ro ugh safely.
- Avo id driving through s alt wa ter, because
th is can ca use corros io n.
Economical and environmentally-friendly
driving
The amount of fue l cons umption, the env iron­
men tal impact and the wear to the engine,
b rakes and t ires dep ends mostly on your dr iv ing
style. W ith an anticipatory and economic driv ing
s tyle, f ue l consumption can be reduced by ap­
p roximate ly 10-15% . The following tips will help
you conserve the environment and your money at
the same time .
Anticipatory dr iving
A veh icle uses the mos t fu el when a cce le ra ting.
W hen you dr ive wi th ant icipat ion, you do not
need to brake as often and so you ac celerate less .
When possib le, let your ve hicle coast wit h a
gear
engaged ,
for example, when you notice that the
next traffic light is red. This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions a nd fuel con­
sumpt io n to ze ro (f uel shut-off dur ing decelera­
tion) .
Shift efficiently
An effective way to save fuel is to upshift earlier.
Staying in a gear too long uses fue l unnecessari­
ly .
Press down on the acce le rator peda l slowly and
avoid "k ick -down" .
66
Avoid full acceleration
You should rarely travel at the maxim um vehicle
speed. Hig h speeds cause a disproportionate ly
high increase in fue l cons umption, emissions and
traffic noise. Slowe r driving saves fue l.
Reduce idling time
The Start-S top system * helps to re du ce the idling
time automat ic all y. In ve hicles withou t the Star t­
Stop system *, i t is efficient to sw itch the engine
off when stopped at railroad crossings and long
red lights. Stopping the engine for 30-40 sec­
onds a lready saves more fue l than the amo unt of
extra fue l needed to restart the engine.
It takes a very long time in id le to warm the en­
gine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially high in the warm- up
phase . Therefore, you shou ld begin driving im­
med iate ly after starting the engi ne. Avoid high
RPMs wh ile doing this.
Have maintenance performed regul arly
By having maintenance pe rformed reg ula rly on
your vehicle, you can help to reduce fuel con­
sumption before you even start to drive. The
mainte nance condition of your vehicle not on ly
affects traffic safety and long- term value but al­
so im pacts
fuel consumption . A poorly main­
ta ined engine can lead to fuel consump tio n t hat
i s 1 0% hig he r th an no rm al.
Avoid short trips
The eng ine and exhaust clean ing system must
r each their op tima l
operating temperature to ef­
fect ively reduce consump tion a nd emissions.
A cold engine uses a d isproportionately high
amount of fuel. T he eng ine reaches operat ing
temperat ure and cons umption no rma lizes only
af ter approximate ly
2.5 miles (4 km).
Check the tire pressu re
To save fue l, make sure the t ires are always in­
flated to t he correct press ure
r=':>page 221. The
fuel consumpt ion can increase by 5% if the pres­
s ur e is only 0 .5 bar too low . Due to t he i ncreased
r oll ing resis tance, low tire p ressures w ill also
...

Driving
Stopping/starting the engine
Applies to: ve hicles w ith Start/Stop system
F ig. 78 Instrument cluster: eng ine sw itched off (stop
phase)
• Brake the ve hicle to a stop. The engine stops
shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop or if
the vehicle is stationary
l l. Keep your foot on
the brake pedal. The
[IJ indicator light appears
in the information line at the bottom of the in­
strument cluster display. The needle in the
tachometer also moves into the
RE ADV1> posi­
tion .
• The eng ine starts again when you take your
foot off the b rake pedal. The indicator light
turns off.
Add itional informat ion
The engine stops in the P, N and D selector lever
positions .
If you select the R position dur ing a stop phase,
the engine will start again.
Shift to P quick ly to prevent the engine from
starting unintent ionally when shifting through R.
You can determ ine fo r you rself if the engine will
stop or not by reducing or increasing the amo unt
of force you use to press the brake pedal. For ex­
ample, if you only lightly press on the brake ped­
al in stop-and-go traff ic or when turning, the en­
g ine will not switch off when the vehicle is sta­
tionary. As soon as you press the brake down
harder , the eng ine will switch off .
l) Market -specifi c
72
@ Tips
-Press the brake peda l during a Stop phase
to keep the vehicle from rolling.
- The ignition w ill turn off if you press the
I START ENGINE STOPI butto n du ring a stop
phase. The needle in the tachometer moves
into the
OFF position.
General information
App lies to: vehicles wit h Start/Stop syste m
The standard Start/Stop mode con be canceled
for various system-related reasons.
Engine do es not switch off
Before and dur ing each stop phase, the sys tem
checks if certain conditions have been met.
If the
rjJ indicator light appears in the instrument clus­
ter display, the eng ine will not be stopped, for
example in the following situat ions:
- The engine has not reached the minim um re­
quired temperature for Start/Stop mode.
- The interior temperature selected by the A/C
system has not been reached.
- The outside tempe ra tu re is extremely high/low.
- The windsh ield is being defrosted® .
- The parking system* is be switched on .
- The vehicle battery charge level is too low.
- The steering wheel is turned at a sharp angle or
is moving.
- After engaging the reverse gear.
- On sharp inclines.
Engine automatically restarts
The standard S tart/Stop mode w ill be canceled
d uring a stop p hase in the following si tuations.
The eng ine restarts without any action by the
driver.
- The vehicle ro lls, fo r example while on a slope .
- The inte rior tempe rature differs from the tem-
pe rat ure selected in the A/C system.
- The windsh ield is being defrosted® .
- The brake pedal is pressed several times in a
row .

Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­my and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on the
ve hicle, it also ca lls for more concentration from
the dr iver.
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
@ Note
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must ac­
tivate the tra ile r operation mode
¢ page 82, Operating instructions.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trai ler weight. The hitch must be suitab le
for your ve hicle and tra iler and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle 's chassis at a
technically
sound
locat ion . Use on ly a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ba ll mount . Always chec k w it h t he t rail ­
er hitch man ufactur er to make s ure t hat you a re
using the co rrect hi tc h.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch m ust be installed i n such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper sys tem . N o mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and b rake systems .
Fr om t ime to t ime, che ck t hat all hitch mo unti ng
bol ts rem ain securely faste ned.
W hen you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra ile r hitc h ba ll mount . This prevents the hitch
from ca using damage shou ld your veh icle be
s truck from behind¢ &..
82
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped wi th a bra king sys tem,
c h ec k t o be sure that it con forms to all regu la ­
tions.
The trailer hydrau lic br ake system mus t not be
directly connecte d to the vehicle's hydr auli c
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
a nd t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure
to check w ith your Aud i dea ler for correct wir ing,
switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you a re unab le to see the traffic behind you us­
i ng the regular outs ide mir rors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors. It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
A WARNING
Afte r remov ing the tra ile r hi tch, do not s to re
i t in yo ur vehicle. In cas e of sudden brak ing,
the hit ch could fly fo rwa rd and injure you or
your pas sengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A tra ile r f or yo ur vehicle is lim ite d to a typical
cla ss 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trai ler is held sec urely in
place to p revent it from shifting forward , back­
ward or si deways .
Never allow a pas senger to ride in a trailer ¢ &.
in Driving instructions on page 84.
Engine cooling system
Towing a tra ile r makes the engine wor k harder . It
i s impo rtant that the cooling system's perform­
ance is up to the additional load. Ma ke sure that
the cooling system has enoug h fluid.
IJJ,,,

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\.J ' Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load" on the label
¢page 221. Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions .
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners. When you install safety chains, make
sure they will not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
Adjusting the Audi drive select
Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface before
hitching up the trailer and before adjusting the
tongue weight. The vehicle must be in
auto or
comfort driving mode and not raised
¢page 105, ¢0 .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info­
tainment , select:
ICARI function button> Lower
control button.
If you must drive under poor road conditions , you
can raise the vehicle
after coupling the trailer or
after adjusting the tongue weight ¢page 107.
0 Note
-Changes in temperature or load can affect
the height of the vehicle.
- Always select
auto or comfort mode. Other­
wise, the tongue load specified for your ve­
hicle will no longer be applicable.
Trailer towing
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results
in a highly unstable distribution of weight. If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
circumstances . Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow vehicle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
conditions are unfavorable -particularly when
going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles.
Always apply brakes early . When driving down ­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Air suspension*
When driving with a trailer, activate the trailer
mode of the air suspension. Switch the air sus ­
pension trailer mode on when you are towing a
trailer. This will limit the regulation by the air
suspension while driving . Select in the MMI:
I CAR ! function button > (Car)* systems control
button
> Vehicle settings > Air susp.: towing >
On. 1J,,
83

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co
.... N
" N .... 0
00
\.J ' intervals and ensures a better reaction time fo r
the brakes in wet weather.
The braki ng effect can also be red uced if you are
driving on salted roads and you do not apply the b rakes for long periods of time . The layer of salt
on the brake rotors and pads must be worn off
f irst when the brakes are app lied.
Due to its surface, the ceramic bra ke rotor* ab­
sorbs moisture in certa in situations. There fore,
there will temporarily be less braking force than
when the brakes are dry . You can compensate for
this by pressing the brake pedal harder.
Cor rosion
L eaving the vehicle parked fo r long periods of
time, low mi leage and avoiding heavy braking
can contribute to corrosion on the brake rotors
and to dirty brake pads.
I f you usually avo id heavy braking or if there is
corrosion present , occasional heavy braking at
high speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and pads
q ,& .
Brak e system malfunct ion
if you notice that the brake pedal travel has sud­
denly increased, then a brake c ircui t in the dual­
circuit brake system may have malfunctioned. Drive to an authorized Audi dea ler or a uthorized
Aud i Service Facility immediately to have the
problem corrected. On the way there, drive with
reduced speed and keep in mind that you w ill
need a longer distance to stop and you w ill need
to p ress the b rake pedal harde r.
L ow brake fluid level
When the brake fl uid level is low, malfunct ions in
the brake system may occur . The brake f lu id level
is electronically monitored.
Br ak e boost er
The brake booster amplifies the pressure you ap­
p ly to the brake peda l. It only works when the en­
g ine is running.
A WARNING
- Only apply the brakes for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system whe n road and
-
Intellig ent Technology
traffic conditions permit. You must not en­
danger other road users. This increases the
risk of an accident.
- Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is
stopped because this increases the risk of an
accident.
- New brake pads do not ach ieve the ir full
braking effect during the first 250 m i
(400 km). They m ust be "broken in" first.
The break-in per iod ca n be cons iderably lon­
ge r fo r vehicles with ceram ic brake rotors* .
H owever, you can compensate fo r the
slightly reduced braking force by pressi ng
fi rm ly on the brake pedal. Avo id heavy b rak­
ing du ring the break -in pe riod.
- Ce rtain weathe r and ope rating condi tions
such as driving through water, dr iv ing in
heavy rain o r driv ing after was hing your ve­
hicle can impa ir the effect iveness of the
brakes. In the winter, ice may build up on
the brake pads, rotors and drums . Check
these components by braking carefully. Ap­
p lyi ng the brakes carefully several times
d ries the b rakes and removes ice build-up .
- The efficiency of the brakes can also be im­
pa ired by dr iv ing for long stretches on roads
covered with sa lt without using the bra kes .
You can remove salt deposits from the
b rake rotors and pads by carefully applying
t he brakes several times .
- I f the fron t spoiler is damaged o r yo u install
another spoi ler, make su re the front wheel
b rakes are ven tilated properly . Othe rw ise,
the brake system co uld overheat, which re­
duces their effectiveness .
- Fa ilure of a brake circuit impairs brak ing
pe rformance, which increases b raking dis­
tance. Avo id driving the vehicle and have it
towed it to the nearest a uthorized Audi
deale r or authorized Aud i Serv ice Facility.
- I f the brake booster is not working, yo u w ill
have to p ress much harder on the brake
pedal to compensate fo r the lack of the
booster.
Q) Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
peda l lightly when braking is not actually
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