tow AUDI Q3 2017 Owner´s Manual

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.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross tra iler weight. The hitch must be suitab le
for your veh icle 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 che ck with the t rail ­
er hitch man ufac tur er to make s ure t hat you are
using the co rrect hi tc h.
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 mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and b rake systems .
Fr om t ime to t ime, che ck that all hitch mo unti ng
bol ts rem ain securely f aste ned.
W hen you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra ile r hitc h ba ll mount . This prevents the hit ch
from caus ing damage s hou ld your veh icle be
s truck from be hind ¢
,&..
Trailer brakes
If you r trailer is equipped with a brak ing system,
check to be su re that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
74
The t rai ler hydraulic bra ke system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
bra ke system ¢&. .
Safety chains
Always use s afety chains be tween you r vehi cle
and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Traile r lights must meet all regula tions . B e s ure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
r ec t wir ing, swi tches, an d relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see t he traffic behind you us­
i ng t he regular outs ide mirrors, then yo u
must in­
stall ex tended mirro rs . It is impo rtant that you
al ways have clear vision to the rear.
.&_ WARNING
- If a tra ile r has e lectr ical brake s ple ase no te
t h at these b ra kes are not activated by the
factory -fit ted contro l unit -risk of accident!
- After removing the traile r h itch, d o no t
s t o re it in your vehicle. In case of sud den
braking, the hitch co uld fly forwar d and in ­
jure you or yo ur passenge rs.
- Never install a "we igh t distribu tin g" or
"loa d eq ualizing" trailer hitch on your veh i­
cle . The vehicle was not designed fo r these
kinds o f trailer hitches. The hitch attach­
ment can fail, ca us ing the tra ile r to tear
loose from the vehicle .
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
veh icle, found on the safety compliance la­
be l on the driver's s ide B-pillar, must never
be exceeded under any circ umstances . Ex­
ceed ing the Gross Vehicle We ight Rat ing of
your veh icle is likely to damage yo ur vehicle,
a nd such d amage will no t be covered by
your Limi ted New Vehicle W arra nty . Exceed­
ing the Gross Ve hicl e We ight Rating will al ­
so change the pe rformance and han dling
characte ristics o f yo ur vehicle, which could
cause a crash result ing in se rious injury or
death.

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Operating instructions
6" r-2
~·~
1/2"
1·1/2"
ill
Fig. 79 Perm itted ball pos itio n of th e t rail er hitch
Trailer towing weights
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible trailer weight is
2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) . The maximum permissible
unbraked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg) .
These specifications apply when driving on roads having an incline of less than 12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these changed
conditions, adjust the trailer load so that the
tongue load is at the maximum allowable or
slightly lower. You can get an approximation of
the tongue load with a bathroom scale or you can
measure the load at a trucking company or
weighing station.
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible load on the ball
hitch may not exceed 220 lbs (100 kg) .
It is rec­
ommended to use the maximum permissible
load.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 76 .
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suitable ball mount and ball¢
fig. 79. Installation of the
hitch ball must be carried out in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions .
Trailer towing
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load" on the tire pressure label
¢page 181. In­
flate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' specifications.
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. 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.
· Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
ond 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. .,.
75

Trailer towing
Sp eed
The higher the speed, the more d ifficult it be­
comes for the driver to contro l the rig. Do not
dr ive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, w eather or wind
conditions are unfavorable -particularly when
going downhill.
Red uce vehicle speed
immediatel y if the trai le r
shows the s lightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swayin g by ac cele rating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for reg ular
ve hicles.
A lways apply b rakes early . When dr iving down­
hi ll, shi ft into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes a lone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperatu re gauge ¢ page 8 must
be observed ca refully . If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im ­
mediately and/or turn off the air conditioner .
I f t he coolan t temperature warn ing light i n the
instr ument cluster s tarts flashing ., pull off
the road, stop and let the engine
idle for about
two minutes to prevent heat bu ild-up .
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
dent . Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided
by Audi .
Trailer towing
information
Important to know
Your veh icle hand les different ly when tow ing a
tra iler because of the additional weight and dif ­
fe rent weight d istr ibut ion . Safety, performance
and economy w ill great ly depend on how careful­
ly you load you r trailer and operate your rig .
76
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic . Keep pract icing unt il yo u h ave be ­
come comp lete ly familiar w ith the way your vehi­
cle-tra iler combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up w ith a trailer generally req uires steer ­
i ng action opposite to that when backing up your
vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you . You will need more
room to stop. To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accel­ erate as fast as you normally wou ld because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow p lenty of room for
your trailer before changing lanes again.
Avo id jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your veh icle.
- If you tow a trai ler, your Audi may requi re
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
¢ page 218.
' Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
.,. App ly the foot bra ke .
.,. Have someone place cho cks under bot h the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels .
.,. With choc ks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load.
.,. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.,. App ly the parking brake .
.,. Move the selector lever to P .
When restarting after parking :
.,. App ly the foot brake .
.,. Start the eng ine .
.,. Move the se lector lever to D/S.

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~ Release the parking brake and slow ly pull out
and away from the whee l chocks.
~ Stop and have someone retrieve t he whee l
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the a utomat­
ic transm ission to P before applying the park­
ing brake and before block ing the wheels, you
may have to use more force later to move the
lever out of the P position .
Trailer towing
77

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@ Tips
The cruise control system cannot maintain
the speed cons istently if you are driving on
steep hills. The vehicle weight ca uses the
speed to increase. Due to th is, shift into a
lower gear in t ime or apply the brakes .
Changing speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
~ To inc rease or decrease the speed in incre­
me nts, push the lever towa rd
0 10 ~ page 78,
fig. 80.
~ T o inc rease o r decrease the speed quickly , hold
the leve r in the
0 10 direction until the de­
si red speed is displayed .
Overriding the cruise control system
Applies to: veh icles with cru ise control system
You can a lso press the accelerator pedal down to
increase your speed, for example if you want to
pass someone. The speed you set earlier w ill re­
sume as soon as you release the accelerator ped ­
al.
However, if you are exceeding the stored speed
by a cons iderable amount for a long time, the
cru ise control system will temporar ily switch off .
The
M;ll)~i~ (USA models) 1 B (Canada models) in­
d icator light in the instrument cluster turns off
and the sto red speed is maintai ned.
Preselecting the speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
You can pre-select your desired speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
~ Switch the ign ition on .
~ Pull the lever into position (D c:> page 78,
fig . 80 .
~ To inc rease o r decrease the speed, push the lev-
er toward
0 10 .
~ To store the speed disp layed, release the lever .
This f unct io n ma kes it possib le, for examp le, to
save the speed yo u wan t before dr iving on the
hi ghway. Once on the h ighway, ac tiva te the
cru ise control by pu lling the lever toward
(D .
Switching off
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
Temporary deactivation
~ Press the brake pedal, or
Assist
~ Press the lever into position @ (not clicked into
p lace)
c:> page 78, fig. 80, o r
~ Dr ive fo r longer t han five minutes at mo re than
6 mph ( 10 km/h) above the sto red speed .
Switching off completely
~ Press the lever into position @(clicked into
place), o r
~ Switch the ignit ion off.
The speed you stored will be maintained if the
c ruise contro l has been switched off temporarily .
T o resume the stored speed, re lease the bra ke
pedal and pull the lever into pos ition
(D .
Switching the ignition off w ill erase the stored
speed .
,&. WARNING
You should only resume the s to red speed if it
i s no t too high fo r exis ting t raffic conditions.
Otherw ise you can inc rease the risk of an acci ­
dent .
79

Assist
Audi side assist
Description
Applies to: vehicles w ith Aud i side ass ist
F ig. 81 Sensor detection range
Fig. 82 Display on the exterior mirror
Side assist helps you monitor your blind spot and
traffic behind your vehicle. Within the limits of
the system, it warns you about vehicles that are
coming closer or that are traveling with you with­
i n sensor range
(D ¢ fig. 81: if a lane change is
classified as critical, the display@in the exter io r
mirror
¢fig. 82 turns on.
The display in the left exter ior mirror provides as­
sistance when mak ing a lane change to the left,
while the disp lay in the right exterior mirror pro­
vides assistance when making a lane cha nge to
the right .
Information stage
As long as you do not activate the turn signal,
side assist
informs you abou t veh icles tha t are
detected and classified as critical. The disp lay in
the mi rror turns on, but is dim .
The display remains dim in the in formation stage
so that your view toward the front is not distur ­
bed.
80 Warning stage
If you
activate the turn signal, side assist warns
you about vehicles that are detected and classi­
fied as critica l. The display in the respective mir­
ror blinks brightly.
If this happens, check traffic
by g lancing in the exterior mirrors and over your
shou lder ¢.&
in General information on
page 81.
{!) Tips
- You can adjust the brightness on of the dis·
play on the rearview mirror¢
page 82.
- Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trailer located in ¢
page 81.
General information
Applies to : vehicles wi th A udi side ass ist
®
®
©
Fig. 83 Dr iving situa tions
Fig. 84 Rea r of the vehicle: pos it io n of the sensors

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Side assist functions at speeds above approxi­
mately 19 mph (30 km/h).
@ Vehicles that are approaching
In certain cases, a vehicle will be classified as
critical for a lane change even if it is still some­
what far away. The faster a vehicle approaches,
the sooner the display in the exterior mirror will
turn on.
@ Vehicles traveling with you
Vehicles traveling with you are indicated in the
exterior mirror if they are classified as critical for
a lane change. All vehicles detected by side assist
are indicated by the time they enter your "blind
spot", at the latest.
© Vehicles you are passing
If
you slowly pass a vehicle that side assist has
detected (the difference in speed between the
vehicle and your vehicle is less than
9 mph (lS
km/h)), the display in the exterior mirror turns
on as soon as the vehicle enters your blind spot.
The
display will not turn on if you quickly pass a
vehicle that side assist has detected (the differ­
ence in speed is greater than 9 mph (15 km/h)).
Functional limitations
The radar sensors are designed to detect the left
and right adjacent lanes when the road lanes are
the normal width . In some situations, the display
in the exterior mirror may turn on even though
there is no vehicle located in the area that is criti­
cal for a lane change. For example:
-If the lanes are narrow or if your are driving on
the edge of your lane. If this is the case , the
system may have detected a vehicle in another
lane that is
not adjacent to your current lane.
-If you are driving through a curve. Side assist
may react to a vehicle that is one lane over
from the adjacent lane .
- If side assist reacts to other objects (such as
high or displaced guard rails).
- In poor weather conditions. The side assist
functions are limited.
Do not cover the radar sensors
c!:> fig. 84 with
stickers, deposits, bicycle wheels or other ob-
Assist
jects, because they will impair the function. Do
not use side assist when towing a trailer. For in­
formation on cleaning, see
c!:>page 191.
A WARNING
-- Always pay attention to traffic and to the
area around your vehicle. Side assist cannot replace a driver's attention. The driver alone
is always responsible for lane changes and
similar driving maneuvers .
- Improper reliance on the side assist system can cause collisions and serious personal in­
jury:
- Never rely only on side assist when chang­
ing lanes.
- Always check rear view mirrors to make
sure that it is safe to change lanes.
- Side assist cannot detect all vehicles under
all conditions- danger of accident!
- Please note that side assist indicates there
are approaching vehicles, or vehicles in your
blind spot, only after your vehicle has
reached a driving speed of at least 19 mph
(30 km/h).
- In certain situations, the system may not
function or its function may be limited. For
example:
- if vehicles are approaching or being left
behind very quickly. The display may not
turn on in time.
- in poor weather conditions such as heavy
rain, snow or heavy mist.
- on very wide lanes, in tight curves or if
there is a rise in the road surface. Vehicles
in the adjacent lane may not be detected
because they are outside of the sensor
range.
(I) Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, wheel housing and
underbody. This can impair the system. Have
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility check their function.
-
81

Ass is t
@ Tips
- If the window g lass in the driver's door or
front passenger's door has been tinted, the
display in the exterior mirror may be incor­ rect.
- For an explanation on conformity with the FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regu lations, see
¢ page 221.
Switching on and off
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith Aud i side ass ist
F ig. 85 Drive r's door : side assist b utto n
.... 0
I
.. Press the button to switch the system on and
off ¢
A in General information on page 81 .
The LED in the button turns on when side assist
is sw itched on .
Adjusting the display brightness
Applies to: ve hicles w ith Aud i side ass ist
The display brightness can be adjusted in the In­
fotainment system .
.. Se lect : the ICARI function button> (Ca r) Sys ­
t e m s*
control button > Dr ive r assi st> Audi
sid e assi st.
The display brightness adjusts automatically to
the brightness of the surroundings, both in the
information and in the warning stage . In very
dark or very bright surroundings, the automat ic
adjustment will set the disp lay to the min imum
or maximum level. In such cases, you may notice
no change when adjust ing the b rightness, o r the
cha nge may only be no ticeable once the s ur­
roundings change .
82
Adjust the brightness to a level where the display
in the information stage will not disrupt your
view ahead . If you change the br ightness, the dis­
play in the exterior mirror w ill br iefly show the
brightness level in the information stage . The
brightness of the warning stage is linked to the
br ight ness in the information stage and is adjust­
ed along with the information stage .
(D Tips
-Side ass ist is not act ive while you are mak­
ing the adjustment .
- Your settings are automat ically stored and
assigned to the remote control key be ing
used .
Messages
Applies to : vehicles wi th Audi side ass ist
If side assist sw itches off by itse lf, the L ED in the
b utton t urns off and a message will appea r in the
i nstrument cluster display:
Audi s ide assi st: Unavailable. S ensor view
The radar sensor vision is impaired . Do not cover
the area in front of the sensors with bike whee ls,
stickers, dirt or other objects. Clean the a rea in
front of the sensors, if necessary¢
page 80,
fig . 84.
Audi side assist: Unavailable
Side assist cannot be switched on at this time be­
ca use there is a ma lfunction (for example, the
battery c ha rge level may be too low).
Audi side assist: System f ault!
The system cannot guarantee that it will detect
vehicles correctly and it has sw itched off . The
sensors have been moved or are faulty . Have the
system checked by an autho rized Aud i dealer o r
aut ho rized Aud i Serv ice Facility soon.
Audi s ide assist: Unavailable when towing
Side assist switches off automatically when a fac­
tory- installed trailer h itch is connected to the
electr ical connec tor on the t railer . There is no
guarantee the system will switc h off when using
a ret rofi tted trailer hitch . Do not use side assist
whe n towi ng a traile r.

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Parking systems
General information
Applies to: ve hicles with a rea r parking sys te m /pa rking sys­
tem plus/rearv iew camera
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, va rious
pa rking aids wi ll help you when parki ng and ma­
ne uveri ng.
The
r e ar parki ng sy stem is an a udible parking a id
that warns you of obstacles
behind t he vehicle
¢ page 85.
The parking sy stem plus ass ists you when park ­
i ng by aud ibly and v isually indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the veh icle
¢ page 86.
The re ar view camer a shows the area beh ind the
ve hicle in the Infotainment system d isplay . This
d isp lay assists you when you are cross or parallel
pa rking . Th e pa rking system pl us functions are
a lso available
¢ page 87.
A WARNING ,~ -
- Always look for traff ic and check the area
around your veh icle by looking at it directly
as well . The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attent ion. The driver is always
responsible when enter ing or leav ing a pa rk­
ing space and dur ing similar maneuvers.
- Please note that some surfaces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system .
- Senso rs and cameras have blind spots in
wh ich peop le and objects cannot be detect­
ed . Be especia lly caut ious of small children
and animals .
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator gr ille, bumper,
wheel housing and the unde rbody . The park­
ing system may be impa ired as a result .
H ave an author ized Audi dealer or au thor­
ized Audi Serv ice Facili ty check their func ­
t io n.
- Make s ure the senso rs a re not o bstruc ted by
st ickers, deposits o r othe r ma ter ial s. If they
are, the senso r funct ion could be impa ired.
F or additiona l information on cleaning, see
¢ page 191 .
Parking system s
(D Note
- Some objects are not detected or displayed
by the system under certain circumstances:
- Objects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, vertical poles o r fe nces
- Objects above the sensors such as wall ex ­
tensions
- Objects w ith certai n surfaces or structures
such as c ha in li nk fe nces or powder snow
- If you conti nue driving closer to a low ob­
ject , it may disappear from the sensor
range . Note that you will no longer be
wa rned about t his obstacle.
(D Tips
- The system may p rovide a warning even
tho ugh the re are no obstacles in the cover­
age area in some situa tions, such as:
- certain road s urfaces or when there is tall
g rass.
- externa l ultrasonic sources such as from
clean ing vehicles .
- in heavy rain, snow, o r th ick vehicle ex ­
ha ust.
- We recommen d that you practice par king in
a traff ic -free loca tion or pa rking lot to be ­
come fam iliar with the system . When doing
this, there shou ld be good light and weath­
er conditions .
- You can change the vol ume and pitch of the
signa ls as well as the display ¢
page 90.
- Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trai ler located in
¢ page 91.
-What appea rs in the infotainment display is
somewhat time- delayed.
Rear parking system
Description
Applies to : vehicles wit h rear parking system
The rear parking system is an audible parking
aid .
There is a sen sor in the rea r bumper cover. If
these detect an obstacle, audible s ignals warn
you .
85

Parking systems
-If the position and the installation angle of
the rearview camera was changed, for ex­
ample after a collision, do not continue to
use the system for safety reasons . Have it
checked by an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility.
- Only use the rearview camera to assist you if
it shows a good, clear picture. For example,
the image may be affected by the sun shin­
ing into the lens, dirt on the lens, or if there
is a malfunction.
- Use the rearview camera only if the luggage
compartment lid is completely closed. Make
sure any objects you may have mounted on
the luggag e compartment lid do not block
the rearview camera.
- The camera lens enlarges and distorts the
field of vision. The object appears both al­
tered and inaccurate on the screen.
- In certain situations, people or objects in the display appear closer or farther away:
- For objects that do not touch the ground,
such as the bumper of a parked vehicle, a
trailer hitch or the rear of a truck . Do not
use the orientation lines in this case.
- If driven from a level surface onto an in­
cline, or a downward slope.
- If driven toward protruding objects .
- If the vehicle is carrying too much load in
the rear .
Q) Note
-Always read and follow the applicable warn­
ings
¢ (I) in General information on
page 85.
- The orange-colored orientation lines in the
Infotainment display show the vehicle path
based on the steering wheel angle . The
front of the vehicle swings out more than
the rear of the vehicle. Maintain plenty of
distance so that an exterior mirror or a cor­
ner of the vehicle does not collide with any
obstacles.
88
· Sw itching on /off
Applies to: vehicles with parking system plus with rearview
camera
Switching on
.. Shift into reverse, or
.. Press the
PwA button in the center console
¢ page 86, fig. 89. A short confirmation tone
sounds and the LED in the button turns on .
Switching between the rearview camera and
optical display
.. Press the Car graphic control button ®
c:> page 89, fig. 95 to see the optical display .
.,. Press the
Rearview control button to see the
rearview camera image.
Switching off
.. Drive faster than 6 mph (10 km/h), or
.,. Press the
PwA button, or
.. Switch the ignition off.
(D Tips
The visual display in the left part of the dis­
play should help you detect the critical vehicle
areas .