engine AUDI Q3 2018 Owner's Guide

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Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your vehicle is primarily intended for transport­ ing people and luggage . However, if you drive
with a trailer , follow the technical requirements,
the operation and driving tips, and the legal reg­
ulations.
Driving with a trailer affects the vehicle's fuel
consumption, performance and wear.
It also re­
quires higher concentration from the driver.
A WARNING
Do not transport any people in a trailer due to
the risk of fatal injury.
Technical requirements
Certain requirements must be met when towing
a trailer.
Trailer hitch
Only use a trailer hitch with a removable ball hitch mount and ball hitch. The trailer hitch must
be permitted for the vehicle , the trailer and the
permitted total weight of the trailer being
pulled. Above all, it must be securely and safely
attached to the vehicle trailer.
Never mount a trailer hitch on the bumper. The
trailer hitch must be mounted in a way that does
not impair the function of the bumper. Do not
make any changes to the exhaust system and the
brake system.
Check regularly if the trailer hitch is securely mounted. Always follow the instructions given by
the trailer hitch manufacturer.
Trailer brakes
If the trailer has its own brake system, then fol­
low the manufacturer specifications. However,
the brake system on the trailer must never be
connected to the vehicle brake system.
Trailer towing
Engine cooling system
Driving with a trailer means a higher load on the
engine and the cooling system. The cooling sys­
tem must be designed for additional load and
contain enough coolant
c::> (D .
A WARNING
-
-Never mount a "weight-distributing" or
"load-balancing" trailer coupler as the trail­
er hitch . The vehicle was not designed for
these types of trailer hitches . The trailer
hitch can malfunction and the trailer can
break off from the vehicle.
- If the trailer is equipped with electronic
brakes, these brakes cannot be activated by
a factory-installed control system, which in­
creases the risk of an accident.
- To reduce the risk of injury, always remove
the ball hitch mount if no trailer is mount­
ed.
(D Note
Longer inclines cannot be driven without a
suitable cooling system, especially if the out­
side temperatures are high. otherwise, this
increases the risk of engine damage.
' Operating instructions
Several things must be noted when towing a
trailer.
Towing capacity
The permitted towing capacity for trailers with­
out brakes is 1,650 lbs (750 kg).
The permitted towing capacity for trailers with brakes is 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) .
These values apply to roads with up to 12% in­
cline.
Tongue weight
The maximum permitted tongue weight of the
trailer drawbar on the trailer hitch ball head may
not be exceeded. ..,.
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Bra kes
Brake i n a t imely man ner. Downsh ift before driv­
ing downhill so that the engine can assist wit h
braking
~ .&. .
When using a tra ile r with ove rru n b rakes, first
b ra ke gen tly the n qu ickly . T his red uces the risk of
je rking wh ile braking if the trailer wheels loc k up.
Engine coolant temperature
P ay a ttention specifica lly to the coolant tempera­
ture d isp lay when t here are high ou tside tempe r­
a tures, a nd when dr iv ing on long inclines
~ page 8. Shift to a highe r gear in a t imely m an­
n e r.
,&. WARNING -
Constant b raking causes the brakes to ove r­
heat and substant ia lly reduces b raking per­
formance, increases braking distance or caus­ es complete fa ilure of the brake system .
Trailer towing
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Auto and Dynamic, using the r:l.l'e'i button in the
center console or by using the Infotainment sys­
tem . This allows you to switch between a sporty
and a comfortable driving mode, for examp le.
Description
Applies to: vehicles with Audi drive select
The following systems, among other things, are
influenced by drive select:
Engine and automatic transmission
Depending on the mode, the engine and auto­
matic transmission respond more quickly or in a
more balanced manner to accelerator pedal
movements. In the sporty dynamic mode, the
transmission shifts at higher speed ranges .
Suspension control*
The suspension control uses sensors to record in­
formation regarding steering movements, brak­ ing and accelerat ion operations by the driver, as
well as information about the road surface, dr iv­
ing speed, and load. With dr ive select, you can
adjust the suspension control to sporty (dynam­ ic), comfortable (comfort) or balanced (a uto).
Steering
The steering adapts in terms of steering assis­
tance . Indirect steering that moves easily as in
comfort mode is especially su ited to long dr ives
on a highway. In contrast, dynamic mode pro­
vides sporty, direct steering.
Cornering light*
The cornering light adapts to driving on curves.
The pivot ing action and the lighting also adapt to
the mode.
(D Tips
The S selector lever position automatically en­
gages if the dynamic mode is selected.
Assistance systems
Selecting the driving mode
Applies to: vehicles with Audi drive select
Fig. 84 Center console : dr ive select button
.,. To set the mode, press the ~:1;:e'i button repeat­
edly until the desired mode is d isplayed in the
instrument cluster. Or
.,. Select in the Infotainment system: ICARlfunc-
tion button
> Comfort , Auto or Dynamic .
You can change the driving mode when the vehi­
cle is stationary or while driving . If traff ic per­
mits, after changing modes, briefly take your
foot off the accelerator pedal so that the recently
selected mode is also activated for the engine.
Comfort -provides a comfort-or iented vehicle
setup and is suited fo r long drives on h ighways.
Automatic -provides an overall comfortable yet
dynamic driving feel and is suited for everyday
u se.
Dynam ic -gives the driver a sporty driving fee l
and is suited to a sporty driving style.
A WARNING
Pay attention to traffic when operating the
drive select to reduce the ris k of an accident.
81

Intelligent Technology Electronic stabilization
control (ESC)
Description
Ele ctronic stabilization control (ESC) supports
driver safety . It reduces the risk of slipping and
improves d riving stability. ESC detects critica l sit ­
uations such as the vehicle oversteering and un­
dersteer ing or the wheels are spinning. The vehi­
cle is stabilized by apply ing the brakes or reduc ­
ing engine torque . When the ESC engages, the
G1 indicator light b links in the instrument clus­
ter.
T he follow ing systems are integrated in the ESC:
Ant i-loc k bra king s ystem (ABS)
ABS prevents the whee ls from locking when brak­
ing. The vehicle can still be steered even during
hard brak ing. Apply steady pressure to the brake
pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A pulsing in the
b rake pedal indicates that the system is act ing to
stabilize the vehicle .
Brak e a ssist s ystem
The brake assist system can decrease braking dis­
tance. It increases brak ing power when the driver
presses the brake pedal quickly in emergency sit­
uations . You must press and hold the brake pedal
unti l the dangerous sit uat io n is ove r.
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR )
ASR reduces eng ine power when the drive wheels
begin spinning and ad apts the force to the road
conditions . This makes it easier to start, acceler ­
ate and dr ive up hills .
Electronic differential lock (EDL )
The EDL applies the brakes to a whee l that starts
spinning and transfers the drive power to the
other driving wheel or wheels ( if the veh icle is
equ ipped w ith all wheel dr ive*) . This function is
n ot available at higher speeds .
0 ~ In extreme cases, EDL automatically switches off
~ to keep the brake on the braked wheel from over-N
8 heat ing . The vehicle is still work ing correctly . EDL 0
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Intellig ent Technology
will swi tch on again automatically when condi­
tions have returned to normal.
Steering recommendation
T he ESC he lps to s tabilize the vehicle by cha nging
t h e steer ing torque .
Selective wheel torque control
Se lective wheel torque control is used when driv­
i ng on curves . The front whee l on the ins ide of
t h e curve or both wheels on the i nside of the
c ur ve are braked se lectively as needed. This al­
lows mo re prec ise dr iving in c urves .
Automatic post -collision braking system
The "automat ic post -collis ion braking system"
can help to reduce the risk of sliding and of addi­
tiona l co llisions after an accident.
If the a irbag
contro l modu le detects a collision above a certa in
vehicle speed, the ve hicle is br ake d by the ESC.
The vehicle does not brake automatically if:
- the dr iver presses the acce lerator pedal, or
- the bra king fo rc e generated by the pressed
brake pedal is greater than the braking force
that would be in itiated by the system, or
- the ESC, the brake system or the veh icle electri­
cal system are not functioning.
A WARNING
- The ESC and its integrated systems cannot
overcome the lim its imposed by natura l
phys ica l laws. This is especially impo rtant
on slippery or wet roads. If the systems be­
gi n a cting to s tabilize yo ur vehicle, you
should immedi ately alter your speed to
match the road and traffic conditions. Do
not let the inc reased safety provided tempt
you into taking risks. This could increase
your r isk o f a collis ion.
- Please note the r isk of a coll is ion increases
when dr iv ing fast, especially t hrough curves
and on slippery or wet roads, and when dr iv­
ing too close to objects ahead. The ESC and
its integrated systems cannot always pre ­
vent co llisions - there is st ill a risk of acci­
dents!
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Intelligent Technology
-Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
accelerating on even, slippery surfaces such
as ice and snow. The drive wheels can spin
even when these control systems are instal­
led and this can affect driving stability and
increase the risk of a collision.
{D) Tips
-The ABS and ASR only function correctly
when all four wheels have a similar wear
Switching on/off
condition. Different tire sizes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working .
£SC turns on automatically when you start the engine .
Fig. 96 Center console : OFF~ button
The following examples are unusual situations
where it may make sense to switch offroad mode
on to allow the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driv ing on rough terrain when much of the car's
we ight is lifted off the wheels (axle artic ula­
tion)
- Dr iv ing downh ill wh ile braking on loose g round
The ESC is designed to function in levels. Depend­
ing on the level selected, the ESC stabilization
function is limited or switched off . The amount of
stabilization control wi ll differ depending on the
level. For your safety, sw
itch the offroad mode off in
advance.
ESC levels
Offroad mode on ESC/ASR off
Offroad mode off or
ESC/ASR on
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza-
The stabilization function is The
full stabilization func-
tion functions are limited not
available
¢ .&.. ESC and tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢ .&. . ASR are switched off. availab le again.
Operation Press the C; button briefly. Press and hold the C; button Press the C; button again.
longer than three seconds.
Indicator II turns on. II and lfil•U~ turn on. II turns off or II and
lights lfil•l~i turn off.
Messages Stabilization control (ESC):
Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization control (ESC):
offroad. Warning! Reduced Off
. Warning! Reduced sta-
On
stability bility
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Intelligent Technology
compensate for the slightly reduced brak ing
force by pressing firmly on the brake peda l. Avoid
heavy b raking during the break -in per iod .
Wear
Brake pad wear depends largely on the way the
veh icle is driven and on operat ing cond it ions.
This is especially t rue if you are driving frequently
in the city and on c urves or with a sporty driving
style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when br aking depend ing on the
speed, b raking force and outs ide cond itions such
as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water or road salt
I n ce rtain s ituations, fo r example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, afte r ove rnig ht con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effe ct can be red uced by moisture or ice on the
b rake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
"dr ied" first with a few careful brake applica ­
tions.
At highe r speeds and with the windshie ld wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake rotors for a short amount of time . This action,
which is not felt by the driver, happens at regular
intervals and ensures a better reaction time for
the brakes in wet weather.
The braking effect can also be reduced if you are
driving on salted roads and you do not apply the brakes for long periods of time. The laye r of salt
on the brake rotors and brake pads must be worn
off first when t he brakes a re applied ¢ ,& .
Corros ion
L eaving the vehicle par ked for long periods of
time, low mi leage and avo id ing heavy brak ing
can contribute to corrosion on the brake rotors
and to d irty b rake pads .
If you usually avoid heavy b raking or if there is
corros ion present, occasional heavy braking at
h igh speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and pads¢,&.
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Brake system malfunction
if you no tic e th at the b rake peda l t ravel has sud­
denly gotten larger, then a brake ci rc u it may have
failed ¢.&. .
Low brake fluid level
When the b rake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
t h e b rake system may occur. The b rake fl uid leve l
i s e lec tron ically moni to red.
Brake booster
The brake booster amplifies the pressure you ap­
ply to the brake pedal. It only works when the en­
gine is runni ng ¢ ,& .
.8, WARNING
-On ly app ly the bra kes for the p urpose o f
cleaning the brake sys tem w hen road and
t raffic conditions permi t. You mus t not en­
danger other roa d users . This increases the
risk of an accident.
-
- Never let the ve hicl e roll whi le the engine is
stopped because t his increases the risk of an
accident .
(D Note
- Never let the brakes "rub'' by pressing the
peda l lightly when braking is not actually
necessary . This causes t he b rakes to over ­
heat and increases braking distance and
causes wear.
- Be fore driving downhill a long d istance on a
steep hill, decrease your speed and select a lower gear. This makes use of the engine
brak ing effect and relieves the brakes . If
you need to bra ke add itiona lly, bra ke in in­
te rvals and not cont inuous ly.
(D Tips
- If the brake booster is not working, you
must press the b rake peda l with much more
forc e than normal.
- If you retrofit your veh icle with a front spo il­
er , wheel covers or sim ila r i tems, make su re
t h at the air flow to the fro nt wheels is not
inter rup ted. O therwise t he b rake system
c an be come too hot.

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Electromechanical
steering
The ele ctromechanical steering supports th e
driver's steering movements.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the veh icle speed .
Indicat or lights and me ssages
• Steering fault! Do not dr ive vehi cle!
If th is ind icator lig ht tu rns on and stays o n and
this message appears, the power steer ing may
have failed.
Do
not c ont in u e d riving. See an authorized Aud i
dea ler o r autho rized Aud i Serv ice Facility fo r as ­
sis tance.
If the indicator light turns on, the steering wheel may be more diff icult to move or more sensitive
than usual. The steering wheel may also be at an
angle when dr iving straight .
Drive s low ly to an author ized Audi dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Se rvice Fac ility to have the mal­
function co rrected.
kr-ij Steering lock: System fault ! Please contact
dealer.
There is a malfunction in the electronic steering
l ock.
Drive to an authorized Aud i dea ler o r aut horized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
-
Have the system malfunction corrected as
soon as possible by an author ized Audi dealer
or authorized Aud i Service Fac ility, as this in­
creases the risk of a n accident .
(D Tips
If the . or i1:.ij indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue dr iv ing.
Intellig ent Technology
All wheel drive (quattro)
Applies to: vehicles with all wheel drive
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are powered.
General information
In all whee l drive, the dr iving power is div ided be­
tween all fou r wheels . This happens automatical­
ly depending on yo ur driving behavior as we ll as
the cur rent road conditions . A lso see ¢
page 89 .
The all whee l dr ive concept is des igned for high
engine power. Yo ur vehicle is except iona lly pow­
erfu l and has excellent driving characteristics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre­ cautions
q .&, .
Winter ti res
By using all whee l drive, your veh icle has good
forward motion w ith standard tires in winter con­
ditions . However, using winter or all season tires
on
all four wheels in the winter is recommended,
because th is w ill improve the
braking effect.
Snow chains
If there a re snow chain laws, snow cha ins m ust
also be used on ve hicles with all wheel drive
¢ page 181, Snow chains .
Replacing tires
For vehicle s wi th a ll wheel d rive, o nly wheels wi th
the same roll ing ci rcumfe rence sho uld be used.
Avoid using tires with di fferen t tread depths
¢ page 173, New tires or wheels.
A WARNING
- Also, in vehicles with all whee l drive, adapt
your driving style to the current road and traffic cond itions. Do not let the increased
safety prov ided tempt you into taking r isks,
because this increases the risk of an acc i­
dent.
- The braking ab ility of your vehicle is limited
to the trac tion of the wheels. I n this way, it
is not different from a two w heel d rive vehi ­
cle. Do no t be tempte d to accelerate to a
h igh speed when the ro ad is s lippery, be -
cause t his increases t he risk of an acci den t. ...,
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Intelligent Technology
- Note that on wet streets, the front wheels
can "hyd roplane" if d riving at speeds that
are too high. Unlike front whee l drive
vehicles, the eng ine does not rev highe r sud­
denly when the vehicle begins hyd roplaning.
Fo r this reason, adap t your speed to the
road co nditio ns to reduce t he risk of an acc i­
dent.
Energy management
The starting ability is optimized
The energy management system manages the
electrical energy distribution and optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting the
engine.
When a ve hicle w ith a conventional e nergy sys­
tem is not driven for a long time, the vehicle bat ­
tery is dra ined by equipment (for example, the
immobilizer) . In certain circumstances, there
could may not be enough energy to start the en ­
gine .
Your veh icle is equipped with a n intelligent ene r­
gy management system for d istr ibut ing electric i­
ty . This s ignificantly improves the sta rting ability
a nd increases t he ve hicle battery life .
The energy management system Is made up of
battery diagnosis , idling current management ,
and dynamic energy management .
Battery diagnosis
The batte ry diagnos is determines the ve hicle bat­
tery charge level. The sensors dete rm ine the bat ­
tery voltage, the battery cur rent, and the battery
temperature. The c urrent charge level and the
pe rformance of the veh icle battery are deter ­
m ined based on th is .
Idling current management
The idling cu rrent management dec reases the
e n ergy used wh ile parked . With the eng ine
sw itched off, it manages the energy distribution
to the differe nt elect rical components. Data from
t he batte ry diagnos is is taken into account fo r
this.
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De pend ing on the vehicle batte ry c harge level,
e lectrica l eq uip ment is switched off one item af ­
te r the other to p revent t he vehicle battery from
dra ining and to ma inta in the starting ab ility.
Dynamic energy management
W hile driv ing , d ynam ic ene rgy man ageme nt di s­
tribu tes the ap propr iate amo unt of energy to t he
electrica l eq uip ment . It contro ls t he battery
c h arge level so that the amount o f energy is not
greater than the amount being generated in or ­
der to maintain an opt imal vehicle battery charge
l evel.
(D Tips
- Energy management cannot overcome the
laws of physics. Not e that the charge level
and length of the veh icl e bat tery life a re
limited .
- Wh en the sta rting ability is endangered, the
(•) indicator light t urns o n
c::> page 13.
What you should know
Maintaining the starting ability is the highest
priority .
A lot of st ress is placed on the veh icle battery
whe n driving short distances, d uring city d riving,
and at cold times of t he year. A lot of ene rgy is
u sed but li tt le is generated .
It is also critical
whe n the engi ne is no t ru nning but electrical
equipmen t is sw it c hed on . In t his ca se, energy is
u sed but none i s generate d.
In si tuati ons like t his, energy management w ill
ac tiv el y regulate the d is tr ibution of energy .
Long periods without use
If you do not drive yo ur vehicle for severa l days o r
wee ks, electrica l equ ipment is g radua lly sca led
bac k or sw itched off . Th is reduces energy use and
ensures the vehicle will be ab le to s tart a fter long
p er iods o f time . Some conven ience f unct ions,
s uch as in terior lig htin g, m ay not be available un ­
d er cert ain circu m sta nces. These c onve nien ce
f unct ions w ill be avail able ag ain once yo u sw itch
t h e ignit io n on and sta rt the eng ine. .,.

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With th e engin e switched off
The vehicle battery will d rain if yo u use I nfota in­
ment f unctions such as listening to the radio
while the engine is switched off .
The vehicle 's ability to start may be impaired by
the energy use, a message will appear in the In­
fotainment system disp lay .
The message ind icates that the system will
switch off au tomati cally soon. If you wou ld like
to continue using the funct ions, you must s tart
the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is gene rated whi le
d riving, the vehicle battery can drain. This can
h appen if l ittle energy is gene rated but much is
used, and the charge leve l of the veh icle ba ttery
is not optima l.
To restore the ba lance of energy, components
that requ ire large amo unts of energy are tempo­
r ar ily scaled bac k or switched off. Heating sys­
tems in part icular requi re a g reat deal of energy.
If
yo u notice, for example, that the seat heating*
or rear window defogger is not working, then it
has been temporarily reduced or switched off.
These systems are available again as soon as the
e nergy supply has been restored.
In addition, you may notice that the idle speed
has slightly increased. That is norma l and no
cause for concern. By increasing the idling speed,
the add itional required energy will be generated
and the vehicle battery will be cha rged.
Notice about data
recorded by the Event
Data Recorder and
vehicle control modules
Event Data Recorder
This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Re­
corder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like situa­
tions, such as an a irbag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understand­
in g how a veh icle's systems performed. The EDR
Intellig ent Technology
is des igned to record data related to vehicle dy ­
namics and safety systems for a short period of
t ime, typ ica lly 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this
vehicle is designed to record such data as:
- How various systems in your vehicle were oper ­
ating;
- W het her o r not the drive r and passenge r safety
be lts were buckled/fastened;
- How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
- How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understand­
i ng of the circumstances in wh ich crashes and in­
j u ries occur. NOT E: EDR da ta a re recorded by your
vehicle on ly if a non-trivial crash s ituation occurs;
no data are re co rded by the E DR under normal
driving conditions and no persona l data (e .g .,
name, gender, age, and crash location) are re­
corded. However, other parties, such as law en­
forcement, could comb ine the EDR data with the
type of personally identifying data rout inely ac­
quired during a crash investigation .
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equ ip­
ment is required, and access to the vehicle or the
EDR is needed. In addition to the ve hicle manu­
fact urer, other pa rt ies, such as law e nforcement,
that have the special eq uipment, can read the in­
fo rmat ion if they have access to the vehicle or the
ED R.
Some state laws restrict the retrieval o r down­
load ing of data sto red by ED Rs installed in a ve hi­
cle for the exp ress purpose of retriev ing data af­
te r an a ccident or cras h event without the ow n­
er's consent .
Audi will not access the EDR and/or sim ila r data
o r give it to others -
- unless the ve hicle owner (or lessee if the vehi­
cle has been leased) agrees; or
- upon the official request by the police; or
- upon the order of a court of law or a govern-
ment agency; or
- for the defense of a lawsuit thro ugh t he judicia l
discovery process.
- Audi may a lso use the data for research abo ut
veh icle operation and safety performance or .,,.
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Intelligent Technology
provide the data to a third party for research
purposes without identifying the specific vehi­
cle or information about the identity of its own­
er or lessee and only after the recorded vehicle
data has been accessed.
Vehicle control modules
Your vehicle is a lso equipped with a number of
e lectronic contro l mod ules for vario us vehicle
systems, s uch as engine management, emission
control, a irbags, and safety belts.
These e lectronic control mod ules reco rd data
du ring normal vehicle operation that may be
needed by trained technicians for diagnostic and
repair pu rposes. The recording capability of these
modules is limited to data (no sound is reco rd­
ed) . On ly a small amoun t of data is actually re­
corded over a very limited per iod of time, or stor­
ed when a system fau lt is detected by a control
mo dule. Some of the d ata sto red may re late to
ve hicl e spee d, di re ct ion, or brak ing, as well as re ­
s tra int system use and perfo rm an ce in the even t
of a crash. Stored data can also only be read and
downloaded with special equipment that is di ­
rectly connected to the veh icle.
(D Tips
Your vehicle may be equipped with Audi con­
nect . Your use of ce rtain Audi connect fea­
tures requires w ireless se rvices that are pro­
vided by a third party wire less te lecommuni­
cations p rovider. For detai ls regarding how in­
forma tion obtained th rough Audi connect is
collected, processed, t ransmitte d, used , and
shared, please see your contrac t with the
w ireless te lecommunic ations provider and the
"Abo ut Aud i connec t" tab in y our ve hicl e's
MM I:
!ME NUI button> Audi connect > About
Audi connec t.
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