ECU AUDI A8 2018 Owners Manual

Table of contents
Other settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
H eadphon es . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
M edia drives/connect ions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Enterta inment systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Video playback information . . . . . . . . . . . 203
T roubleshoot ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
System settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Sett ing the time and date . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Ad justi ng the sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Ad justi ng the system vo lume ... .... .. .
Othe r settings .. ............. .. .. .. . 206
206
Safety .. .. .. .. ... .. ..... ... .. .. .. . 208
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
B asics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 8
Cor rect passenger seating positions . . . . . 209
D river's and front passenge r's footwell . . 212
Peda l area. ........ .. ..... ... .. .. ... 213
Storing cargo correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Report ing Safety Defects....... .... .. . 215
Audi pre sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Preventative passenger protection . . . . . . 217
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 19
Gene ral information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
W hy use safety belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Important information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
F ront a irbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 1
M on itor ing t he Advanced Airbag System . 237
Knee ai rbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 1
Side air bags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 3
Side c urtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 9
I mportant info rmation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 9
Chi ld safety seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Securing chi ld safety seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
LATCH system (Lower anchorages and
tethers for children) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Add it io nal information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
4
Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . 2 68
Checking and Filling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Emissions control systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
E ngine o il . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Cooli ng system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
B rake fl uid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Bat tery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Windsh ie ld washer sys tem . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Service in terva l display 281
Wheels .... .. .. .. .. ............. .. 28 3
Whee ls and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
T ire Pressure Monitoring System (AB , 58) 300
Tire P ressure Monitor ing System (58
pl us) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Care and cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Genera l information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Car washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Cleaning and care info rmation . . . . . . . . . 307
Plac ing your vehicle out of serv ice . . . . . . 311
Do It Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Emergency assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Genera l information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
E qu ipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Repla cing wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Spa re tir es . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 2
El ec trica l fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
B ul bs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 26
Emergency situations . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Gener al . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 7
Start ing by p ushi ng o r tow ing . . . . . . . . . . 3 27
Starting with jumper cab les . . . . . . . . . . . 327
U sing the jump start cable . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Towing with a tow truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Raising the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Technical data and a ccessories . . 333
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Vehicle specificat ions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Notes abo ut technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . 333

lL t:0 ....
"' ......
"' .... 0 0 :c ' The settings in the Infotainment system deter­mine if the entire vehicle or only one of the doors
is unlocked when unlocking the vehicle
c:> page 32.
_&. WARNING
Read and heed all WARNINGS c:> .& in Descrip­
tion on page 2 7.
@ Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for a long peri­
od of time, note the following:
-The proximity sensor switches off after a
few days to save energy. You then have to
pull once on the door handle to unlock the
vehicle and a second t ime to open it.
-The energy management system gradually
turns off unnecessary convenience functions
to prevent the vehicle battery from draining
and to mainta in the vehicle's ab ility to start
fo r as long as possib le. You may not be able
to unlock your vehicle us ing the convenience
key.
- Fo r an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada reg ulations, see
c:> page 339 .
Central locking switch
Fig. 25 Dr iver 's door: centra l lock ing sw itc h
Op eni ng and clos ing
Fig. 26 Rear doors: central lock ing switch
"To lock the vehicle, press the ffi button c:> fig . 25
or c:> fig. 26, c:> &_ .
.. To unlock the vehicle, press the crl button .
When locking the veh icle with the central lock ing
switch, the following app lies:
-Opening the door and the luggage compart­
ment lid from the
outside is not poss ible (for
secur ity reaso ns, such as when stopped at a
light).
- The LED in the central locking sw itch turns on
when all doors are closed and locked.
- Front doors: you can open the doors individual­ ly from the inside by pulling the door handle .
- Rear doors: to unlock the doors, pull on the
door ha ndle
one time . To open the doors, pull
on the door handle
again .
- In the event of a crash with a irbag deployment,
the doors unlock a utomat ically to allow access
to the vehicle.
_&. WARNING
- The central locking switch a lso works when
the ign ition is switched off and automatica l­
ly locks the entire vehicle when the
ffi but ­
ton is pressed.
- The cent ral locking switch is inope ra tive
when the vehicle is locked from the outside.
- Locked doors ma ke it more diffic ult for
emergency workers to get into the vehicle,
which puts lives at r isk. Do not leave anyone
behind in the vehicle, especially c hildren .
(D Tips
Your vehicle locks automatically when it
reaches a speed of 9 mph (15 km/h) (Auto
Lock)
c:> page 27 . You can unlock the vehicle
31

lL t:0 ....
"' ......
"' .... 0 0 :c ' The following buttons are deactivated when the
va let parking function is switched on :
-1""'1 button in the driver's door
-I ""' I button on the remote control key
- Handle in the rear lid
When the valet parking function is switched on,
the message
Valet parking activated appears in
the instrument cluster display when you switch
the ignition on.
Garage door opener (Homelink)
Description
Ap plies to: vehicl es with garage door opener (Homeli nk)
Fig. 42 Garage door opene r: examples o f usage for differ­
ent systems
W ith the garage door opener (Homel ink), you
can activate systems such as the garage doors,
security systems or house lights from ins ide your
vehicle. Three buttons are integrated in the head­
liner that can be programmed to up to three re­
mote controls.
To be able to operate systems using the garage
door opener, the buttons in the headliner must
first be programmed .
A WARNING
When operating or programming the garage
door opener, make sure that no people or ob­
jects are in the area immediately surrounding
the equipment. People can be injured or prop­ erty can be damaged if struck when closing.
Opening and closing
(D Tips
-For security reasons, we recommend that
you clear the programmed buttons before selling the vehicle.
- For add itiona l information about Homelink,
visit www.homelink.com.
- For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulations, see
¢page 339.
Programming buttons
App lies to: vehicles with garage door opener (Home link)
Fig. 43 Headliner: controls
You can program both fixed code and rolling code
systems using this procedure.
Programming/reprogramming buttons
.. Switch the ignit ion on.
.. Press and hold the button in the headliner that
you would like to program for at least 10 sec­
onds. Or
.. Select: ! CAR ! function button> Car systems
control button > Vehicle settings > Garage
door opener > Program garage door opener.
.. Follow the instr uctions in the Infotainment sys-
tem.
Deleting button programming
The programmed buttons cannot be deleted indi­
vidually. They must be deleted all at once. Repro­
gram the buttons if necessary .
.. Select: the ICAR !function button> Car systems
control button > Vehicle settings > Garage
door opener > Clear program settings
> Yes.
41

lL t:0 ....
"' ......
"' .... 0 0 :c ' 12 volt sockets
Applies to: veh icles with sockets
Fig . 70 Side compartment in luggag e compartment: 12
volt socket•
Fig. 71 Example of a rear center console: 12 volt socket
The 12-volt sockets can be used for electrical ac­
cessories. The power consumption at the outlet
must not exceed 120 watts.
There is an additional 12 volt socket in the center
console
¢page 63, fig . 75.
_&, WARNING
The sockets and the electrical accessories con­
nected to them only funct ion when the igni­
tion is switched on. Incorrect usage can lead
to ser ious injuries or burns. To reduce the risk
of injuries, never leave children unattended i n
the vehicle with the vehicle key.
(D Note
- Never connect any accessories that provide
power (such as solar panels or battery
charger for the vehicle battery) to the ciga­
rette lighter. They can damage the vehicle
electrical system .
- To reduce the risk of damage to the sockets,
on ly use plugs that fit correct ly .
Seats and storage
115 volt socket
Applies to: vehicles with 115 volt socket
T he 115 volt socket can be used when the igni­
tion is switched on
¢ .&. . When you push the con­
nector all the way into the socket, the child safe­
ty mechanism re leases and current flows through
the socket.
Connectable devices
Electrica l devices can be connected to the 115
volt socket in the vehicle. The device connected
to the socket must not use more than 150 watts
of power (300 watts peak power). Check the
power usage of the connected device on the type
label.
LED on the socket
-The socket is ready for use when the LED is
green.
- There is a malfunction if the LED is blinking red.
The socket will switch off automatically due to
overcurrent or overheating. The socket will
switch on again automatically after a cool­
down period. Any devices that are connected
and sw itched on w ill act ivate aga in automati­
cally¢ .&.
_&, WARNING
- The sockets and the electrical accessories
connec ted to them only f unction when the
ignit ion is switched on. Incorrect usage can
lead to serious injuries o r burns. To reduce
the risk of injuries, never leave children un­
attended in the vehicle with the vehicle key.
- If devices or connectors that are heavy (for
example a power supply unit) are attached
d ire ctly to the socket, the holder can be­
come damaged, wh ich increases the risk of
injury.
-To reduce the risk of fatal injury, store all
connected devices securely when driving so
that they do not
move around inside the ve­
h icle when braking or if involved a crash.
- To reduce the risk of fatal injury, do not spill
any fluids on the socket. Should any mo is-
ture enter the socket, make sure that it has
~
61

Seats and storage
Tie-downs and luggage compartment net
The luggage compartment net* prevents smaller
objects from sliding out of place .
Fig . 79 Luggage compartment: location of the t ie-dow ns
Fig . 80 Luggage co mpartment : ca rgo net stretc hed out
• To secure the luggage compartment net*, fold
the tie-down retainer
upward ¢ fig. 79.
• Attach the hooks for the luggage compartment
net* into the
tie-downs ¢ fig. 80.
Pass-through with ski
bag
Preparing the pass-through
Applies to: vehicles with pass-through and ski bag
Long objects, such as skis, can be transported in
the bag.
Fig. 81 Rear bench seat: removing th e protect ive cove r
66
Fig. 82 Rear center armrest : app ly in g the protective cover
• Fold down the rear center arm rest and the cov­
er behind i t.
• To remove the protective cover, press the but­
ton¢
fig. 81.
• To protect the front area of the center armrest,
position the cover as shown in the image
¢ fig. 82 and press down on its suction cups.
• Push the packed bag* through the opening
from the luggage compartment. The zipper
must face toward the rear .
.,. Secure the bag ¢ page 66.
Securing the ski bag
Applies to: vehicles with pass-through and ski bag
Fig. 83 Luggage compartme nt: secur ing the bag*
Fig . 84 Rear bench se at: secur ing the bag

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' There are two straps with hooks@ on the sides
of the bag*
r=:> fig. 83. There is a lso a securing
strap ® r=:> fig.
84 on the bag.
.,. To secu re the bag in the l uggage compartment,
engage the hooks into the rear tie -downs
r=:> fig. 83.
.. Tighten the strap on the bag to prevent the ob­
jects in the bag from sliding around
r=;, fig. 84.
A WARNING
- The bag is only intended for transport ing
sk is and other light objects. To reduce the
risk of serious in juries, never transport
heavy o r sharp objects in the bag.
- After loading, the bag must be secured with
the strap.
- Make sure that all objects that you are
transport ing in the pass-through are secure.
T hey co uld slide a round and inc rease the
r isk of injur y w hen braking or dur ing an acc i­
dent .
0) Tips
-Only fold the bag up if it is dry .
- When transport ing skis or snowboards,
t ighten the secur ing strap between the
b indings .
- Lay skis in the bag w ith the po ints facing
forwa rd and snowboards and sk i pole po ints
fac ing the rear.
Refrigerator
Introduction
A ppl ies to: ve hicles w ith re fri ge rato r
-
Clean the refrigerator before the first use r=;, table
on page 308.
You can on ly switch the refrigerator on, if :
- the temperature in the luggage compa rtme nt
is less t han 131 ° F (5 5 °C). If the refr igerator is
switched on, it will automatica lly switch off if
the temperature in the luggage compartment exceeds 131 ° F (55 °(). If the temperature
goes back below 131 ° F (55 °(), the refr igera­
tor will automatically switch on again.
Seat s and sto rag e
-The charge level of the vehicle battery is suffi ­
cient. The refrigerator is automatica lly switch­
ed off if the e lectr ica l system vo ltage falls be­
low the spec ified min imum value. Th is prevents
the vehicle battery from discharging. The re­
frigerator automatically switches back on if the
electrical system voltage increases aga in, for
examp le after starting the vehicle .
When the cooling function is working opt imally,
the cooling funct ion reaches 43° F (+6 °() and
the freez ing funct ion reaches 21 ° F (-6 °() . The
cooling temperature in the refrigerator also de­
pends on the luggage compartment tempe ra­
tu re . When the temperatu re in t he luggage com ­
partment is hig h, there may on ly be a limited
cooling effect.
A WARNING
= -
To avoid any injury risks to the passengers
caused by the refrigerator, the following safe­
ty precautions must be followed:
- The maximum load capacity for the freezer
is 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg).
- Never overload the refrigerator. There
is a
risk of injury in the event of a co llision or
sudden braking.
- The refrigerator cover must always be
closed and locked whi le driving. The refr ig­
erator contents could enter the vehicle inte­
rior dur ing a coll is ion or sudden brak ing ma­
neuver, wh ich increases the r isk of injury.
- Never store flammable fluids, gas contain­
ers and similar objects in the refrigerator
due to the r isk of an explos ion . This also ap­
plies to goods and products that can emit
volat ile or flammab le gases.
- At temperatu res of 32° F (0 °C) and lower
frozen liquid inside glass containe rs ca n
cause t he containe rs to b urst.
@ Note
,
- T he ve ntilation openings for the refrigerator
are at the rear panel tr im panel in the lug­
gage compa rtme nt and must not be cov­
ered.
67

Drivin g
During emergency braking, your vehicle will
brake sim ilar to heavy brak ing. ESC and the
associated components (ABS, ASR, EDL)
cannot overcome the laws of physics . In cor­
ners and when road or weather cond it ions
are bad, a full b rake applicat ion ca n cause
the vehicle to skid o r the rear end to swerve,
wh ic h increases the r is k of an accident.
- If the powe r supply fa ils, you cannot set the
par king b rake if it is re leased. In th is case,
par k the vehicle on level ground and secure
it by placing the selector lever in the P posi­
tion . See an authorized Audi dea ler or a u­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance .
- Always take the vehicle key with you when
leaving your vehicle, even fo r a short period
of time . This applies particular ly w hen ch il­
dren rema in in the vehicle. Otherwise ch il­
dren could start the engine, release the
park ing brake or operate electrical eq uip­
ment such as powe r windows, which in­
c reases the risk of an acc ident.
- No one sho uld rema in in the vehicle when it
is locked - especially ch ild ren. Locked doo rs
make it mo re diff icu lt fo r eme rgency wor k­
ers to get into the vehicle, which puts lives
at r is k .
0) Tips
When stopping at a traffic s ignal or stopping
in c ity traffic, you can set the parking b rake
manually. The vehicle does no t have to be
he ld w it h t he br ake peda l. The parking b rake
elim ina tes the tendency to creep when a se ­
lecto r lever position is engaged . As soon as
you p ress t he accelerator pedal, the parking
brake releases automat ica lly and your vehicle
starts to move
c::, page 82.
(D Tips
- Occasiona l noises when the parking brake is
set and re leased a re normal and a re not a
cause for concer n.
- The park ing bra ke goes thro ugh a se lf-test
cycle at regular intervals when the ve hicle is
stopped. Any noises associated w ith this a re
normal.
82
- If there is a powe r fail ure, the par king b rake
wi ll not set if it is released, and it wi ll not
re lease if it is
set ~.&. . See an a uth orized
Audi dealer or author ized Audi Se rvice Fa­
cility for assistance.
Starting to drive
Various convenience and safety f unct ions may be
available when the vehicle begins dr iving, de­
pendi ng on vehicle equipment .
Starting on hills with th e pa rking brake set
Requirement: the driver's door must be closed
and the driver's safety belt must be fastened.
.,. To sta rt driving comfortably when on a h ill, set
the parking brake and begin driving as usu a l.
The braking force of the parking brake does not
release automatically unt il the whee ls build up
enoug h driving force.
Starting on hills with hill hold assist
Hill hold assis t makes it easier to start on hills.
Requireme nt: the d rive r's doo r must be closed
and t he engine must be runn ing.
.,. To activate h ill hold assist, press and hold the
brake pedal for several seco nds . The vehicle
m ust be in an uphill d irect io n of t ravel.
After re leas ing the brake pedal, the brak ing pow­
er is maintained for a brief moment
c::, &. to pre ­
vent the veh icle from rolli ng back w hen starting.
Du ring this t ime, you can easily begin to move
yo ur vehicle.
_8. WARNING
Applies to: vehicles with hill hold assist
-If you do not beg in d riving immed iate ly or
the engine stalls after releasing the bra ke
pedal, your veh icle may beg in to roll back­
ward. Press the brake pedal or set the park­
ing brake immedia tely.
- The inte lligent technology of hill ho ld assist
cannot ove rcome the limitat ions imposed by
natural p hys ica l laws. The increased comfort
offe red by hill ho ld assist should not cause
you to t ake safety r is ks.

Driving
-The park ing lock can no longer be engaged.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility immed iately to have
the malfunction corrected.
rm Transmission malfunction: Stop vehicle and
shift to park.
Do not continue driving. Select the P selec tor lev­
er position and contact an authorized Audi dea ler
or authorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
Parking lock emergency release
The parking lock must be released using the
emergency release before towing the vehicle.
®
Fig. 99 Drive r's side footwe ll: releasin g t he parking lock
u sin g th e emergency release
Fig . 100 Dr iver's s ide footwell: resett ing the park ing lock
The emergency re lease is located under the floor
mat on the driver 's side. You operate the emer­
gency release from the driver's seat.
Releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release
.,. To prevent the vehicle from rolling unintention­
ally, set the parking brake(®)
¢ page 81 or
press the brake pedal.
88
.,. Th ere are two slits on the cover. Position the
screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit in one of
the s lits on the cover and pry the cover off.
.,. Pull the band ® in the direction of the arrow
until the release lever locks in place
¢ fig. 99 .
.,. Fold the upper sect ion of the release lever
down into th e recess.
Resetting the parking lock
.,. Press the button @ and the release lever at the
same time. You can now push the lever back in­
to its original posit ion. Make sure the lever
locks in
place ¢ fig. 100 .
.,. Install the cover .
When the parking lock emergency release is
used, the
rm indicator light and the N selector
lever posit ion turn on in the instrument cluster.
The message
Vehicle may roll! Cannot shift to P.
Please apply parking brake
also appears .
.&, WARNING
-
If you release the parking lock using the
emergency release, secure your vehicle with
the pa rking brake or the brake pedal if the
parking brake is not working. The vehicle can
ro ll away if it is not secured and cause a crash.

lL t:0 ....
'"" ......
'"" .... 0 0 :c ' 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, econo­ my and performance.
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must ac­
tivate the trailer operation mode
c:> page 89, Operating instructions.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount. Always check with the trail­
er 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 -absorbing
bumper system . No modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
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 vehicle be
struck from behind
£:=? .&, .
Trailer towing
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure
to check with your Audi dealer for correct wiring,
switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outside mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors . It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear .
.,&. WARNING
-After 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 instruction s
Fig. 101 MMI display: towing mode o n
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
89

Trailer towing
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
p la ce to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways .
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer~&.
in Driving instructions on page 91.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder . It
is important that the coo ling system's perform­
ance is up to t he additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has eno ugh fluid .
Tire pressure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the tires of your
veh icle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load " on the label
~ page 293. Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tir e ma nufactu rers' specifica­
tions.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly .
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are proper ly 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 cha ins, make
sure they w ill 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 adjust ing the
tongue we ight. The vehicle must be in
auto or
comfort driving mode and not ra ised
~ page 111, ~0 .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info­
tainment, select:
ICARI function butto n> Lower
control button.
90
If you must drive under poor road conditions, you
can raise the ve hicle
after coupling the trailer or
after adjust ing the tongue we ight ~ page 113.
@ Note
-Changes in temperature or load can aff ect
the height of the vehicle .
-Always select auto or comfort mode. Other­
wise, the tong ue load specified for your ve­
hicle will no longer be applicab le .
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 hig hly unstable distribution of we ight. If th is
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid t he risk of losing steering contro l.
A "balanced" rig is eas ier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle s hould be loaded
to
the extent possible and permissib le, w hil e
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow veh icle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficu lt 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 cond it ions are unfavorable - particularly whe n
go ing down hill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of sway ing.
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.
A lways 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.
ll-