tow AUDI Q5 2015 Owner's Guide

Trailer mode
Trailer mode
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a trai ler, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­ my and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from the driver .
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Tr aile r h itch
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 veh icle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use only a trai ler hitch w ith a re­
movable bal l mount . Always check with the tra il­
er h itch man ufacturer to make sure that you are
using the co rrect hitch.
D o not u se a bump er hit ch.
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 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 h itch ball mount. This prevents the hitch
from causing damage should your vehicle be struck from behind ¢ .&, .
Trailer bra kes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions.
204
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be di­
rect ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic brake
system ¢.&, .
Safet y ch ain s
Always use safety chains betwee n your veh icle
and the trai ler .
Tr aile r lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
rect w iring, sw itches, and relays .
Mirro rs
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
-If a trailer has electrical brakes p lease note
that these brakes are not activated by the
factory -fitted contro l unit -risk of accident!
- After removing the t railer hitch, do not store
it in your vehicle . In case of sudden braking,
the hitch could fly forward and injure you or
your passengers.
- Never install a "weight distributing" or "load equalizing" trailer hitch on your vehi­
cle. The vehicle was not designed for these
kinds of tra iler hitches. The hitch attach­
ment can fail, causing the tra iler to tear
loose from the veh icle.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your ve­
hicle, found on the safety compliance label
on the driver's side B-p illar, must never be
exceeded under any circumstances . Exceed­
ing the Gross Vehicle We ight Rating of your
veh icle is likely to damage your vehicle, and
such damage will not be covered by your Limited New Vehicle Warranty. Exceeding
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating will also
change the performance and handling char­
acteristics of your vehicle, wh ich could cause
a crash resulting in serious injury or death .

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Operating instructions
6"
~
a
2
. 1/2"
'
-{ I} 1-1/2"
-
Fig. 189 Pe rmi tted ba ll pos it ion of the trailer hitc h
Trailer towing weights
With a factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible trailer weight is
4,400 lbs (2,000 kg) . T he maximum permissible
unbraked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg) .
These specifications apply when dr iv ing on roads
having an inclin e of less than 12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these changed
conditions, adjust the traile r load so that the
tongue load is at the maximum allowable or
slightly lower. You can get an approximat ion of
the tongue load w ith 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 440 lbs (200 kg). It is rec­
ommended to use the maximum permissible
l oad.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the tra iler is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways .
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer c::> .&.
in Driving instructions on page 206.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suitable
ball mount and ball
c::> fig. 189 . Installation of
the hitch ball must be carr ied out in accordance
with the manufacturer's instructions .
Trailer mode
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 s ure that
the cooling system has enough fluid .
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your ve­
hicle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Full
load" on the tire pressure label. The tire pressure
label is located on the driver's side B·pillar. In·
flate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight settings sho uld be checked with
the trai ler 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 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.
Driving instructions
Driving with o trailer always requires extra core
and consideration .
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the fo llowing :
.. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itse lf
is not loaded.
.. Be especially careful when passing other
vehicles .
.. Observe speed lim its .
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early .
.. Mon itor the temperature gauge .
205

Trailer mode
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car res ults
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight. If this
cannot be avoided , drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering contro l.
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 permiss ible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weathe r or wind
conditions are unfavorable - particularly when
going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the s lightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
veh icles towing trailers are lower than for regular
ve hicles .
A lways app ly brakes ear ly. When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
brak ing effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge c::> page 10 must
be observed carefully.
If the need le moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im­
mediately and/or turn off the a ir condit ioner.
If the coo lant temperature warning light in the
instr ument cluster starts flashing •• pu ll off
the road, stop and let the engine
idle for about
two minutes to prevent heat build-up.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater r isk in an acc i-
206
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dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided
by Audi.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
trai ler because of the additiona l weight and dif­
ferent we ight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how careful ­
l y you load your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actua lly tow your trai ler, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic . Keep practicing until you have be ­
come comp lete ly familiar with the way your vehi­
cle-trailer comb inat ion behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Back­
ing up with a trai ler generally requires steering
action opposite to that when backing up your ve­
hicle without a tra iler.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. Yo u will need more
room to stop. To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turn ing radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accel­
erate as fast as you norma lly wou ld because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for
your tra iler before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts , sharp t urns or rapid lane
changes.
@ Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may requi re
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
c::> page 281.

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Parking on a slope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only ofter doing the following:
When parking:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Have someone place chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels .
.. With chocks in p lace, slowly re lease the brakes
unt il the w heel chocks absorb the load .
.. Turn the wheels towa rds the curb .
.. Apply the pa rking bra ke .
.. Move the selec tor lever to P .
When restarting after parking:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Start the eng ine .
.. Move the se lecto r lever to 0/5 .
.,. Re lease the par king b rake a nd slow ly pull ou t
and away from the whee l cho cks .
.. Stop and have someone re trieve the w heel
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the a utomat­
ic transmission to P before applying the par k­
ing brake and before blocking the wheels, you
may have to use more force later to move the
lever out of the P position .
Trailer mode
207

Wheels
passengers that the vehicle is in­
tended to carry ("seating capaci­
ty") with an assumed weight of 150 lbs. (68 kg) for each passen­
ger at a designated seating posi­
tion and the total weight of any
luggage in the vehicle. If you tow
a trailer, the weight of the trailer
hitch and the tongue weight of
the loaded trailer must be includ­
ed as part of the vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle's two axles.
The fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including
the weight of a trailer hitch and
the tongue weight of the loaded
trailer) is limited. The more pas­
sengers in the vehicle or passen­
gers who are heavier than the
standard weights assumed mean
that less weight can be carried as
luggage.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker label located on the
248
driver's side B-pillar ~ page 245,
fig. 206.
~ WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per­
sonal injury, and even death.
-Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and in­
crease the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that
has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance.
-Tires on a vehicle that has
been overloaded can fail sud­
denly, including a blowout and
sudden deflation, causing loss
of control and a crash.
-A lways make sure that the to­
tal load being transported -
including the weight of a trail­
er hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer -
does not make the vehicle
heavier than the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

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Determining correct load
limit
Use the example below to calcu­
late the total weight of the pas­
sengers and luggage or other
things that you plan to transport
so that you can ma ke sure that
your vehicle will not be overload­ ed .
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1 . Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCU­ PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehi cle's pla card
(tire inflation pressure label)
¢ page 245 , fig. 206.
2 . Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3 . Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX " kilograms or "XXX"
pound s shown on the sticker
¢ page 245 , fig. 206 .
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For ex­
ample, if the
" XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
Wheels
be five 1 SO lb s. passenger s in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capa city is 650 lb s.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lb s.)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle .
That weight may not safely e x­
c eed the available cargo and
luggage load capa city cal culat­
ed in Step 4 .
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehi­
cle. Con sult thi s manual to d e­
termine how this redu ce s the
available cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle .
.,.Check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 235 , fig. 204) to deter­
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
W heel bolts mus t be clean and loose n/tighten
easily .
Rims
Rims with a bo lted r im ring* or with bo lt ed wheel
cove rs* cons ist of multi ple p ieces . These compo­
nents were bolted together using specia l bolts
and a spec ia l procedu re . You must not repa ir or
disassemb le th em
i::> Li::,. . ..,.
249

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Emergency assistance
Vehicle jack, vehicle tool kit and collapsible spare
tire
Onboard tool kit and vehicle jack
The vehicle tools ond vehicle jack* are stored in
the luggage compartment under the floor cover.
Fig. 209 Luggage compartme nt: on board tool kit and vehi·
cle jack
The vehicle jack* is stored under the on board tool
ki t¢ fig.
209.
Hybrid drive*: the storage location of the on­
board too l kit varies ¢
page 105.
The on board tool kit includes:
- Hook for removing wheel covers*
- Plastic hook to remove wheel bolt covers*
- Alignment p in for cha nging wheels
- Wheel bolt wrench
- Folding chocks
- Screwdriver w ith reversible blade
- Socket (removable Torx socket)*
- 10 x 13 open ended wrench (for disconnecting
the battery cables)
- Towing eye
Befo re storing the jack*, make sure it is wound
back down as far as it will go.
A WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack* can cause
ser ious personal injuries.
- Never use the jack* supplied with your Audi
on another vehicle, particularly on a heav ier
-
Emergen cy assistance
one. The jack * is only suitable for use on the
veh icle it came with.
- Using a bumper jack to raise the vehicle will
damage the bumper system. The jack may
slip, causing injury.
- Never support your vehicle on c inder b locks,
bricks or other objects. These may not be
able to support the load and could cause in·
jury when they fa il.
- Never start or run the engine while the vehi­
cle is supported by the jack*.
- If you must work under the vehicle, always
use safety stands specifically designed for
this purpose.
- Never use the hexagonal socket in the han­
dle of the screwdriver to loosen or tighten
the wheel bolts.
- Always make sure the inflatable spare tire*
and even a flat tire are secured in place and
not loose, otherwise they could fly forward,
causing personal injury to passengers in the
veh icle in an acc ident or sudden maneuver.
(D Tips
Some of the on board items listed above are
provided on certain models only or are option­
al extras.
Folding chocks
The folding chocks are part of the on board tool
kit.
--.. ,..
Fig. 210 Open ing foldi ng chock s
To use the chocks, you first have to rais e the sup ·
port plate r::!,>
fig. 210 (!) and then i nsert the lock­
ing plate with the two "tabs" into the e longated
holes in the base pl ate@¢
A. .,.
255

Emergency assistance
_& WARNING
- The chock cannot fulfil its funct io n and may
lose its stability if the "tabs" on the support
plate are not inserted correctly into the
elongated holes in the base plate. If th is
happens, the vehicle may start to
move
wh ile a wheel is being changed .
- Never use the folding chocks if they are
damaged o r if they have not been assem­
bled correct ly.
Removing bass box
Applies to veh icles: w ith bass box
Before the inflatable spare tire* can be taken
ou t, the bass box must be removed.
F ig . 211 Spare whee l well: Ba ss box
Removing bass box
" Lift up the cargo floor using the hand le .
" Squ eeze the lock ing tabs
q fig. 211 (D of the
con nector.
" Disconne ct the connector @and place the lead
to one side .
"T urn the large screw co unter -clockwise.
" Carefu lly remove the bass box.
Installing bass box
" Carefully place the b ass box in t he wheel. The
inscription " FRON T" on the bass box mus t face
forward .
" Reconnect the connector that was removed .
" Secure the bass box with the large screw.
" Fo ld the cargo floor back down.
256
Inflatable spare tire
Applies to vehicles: with inflatable spare tire
The inflatable spare tire expands to its full diam­
eter when it is inflated .
Fig. 212 In flatable spa re tir e with compressor
Removing inflatable spare tire
" Lift up the cargo floo r using t he h andle .
" Remove the dirt tray .
" Tu rn the large screw
q fig . 212 co unter -clock-
w ise .
" Remove the bass box as required
q page 256 .
"Take out the inflatable spare tire.
" Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack* and
the replaced t ire in the luggage c ompa rtment
q page 140.
Stowing the inflatable spare tire
" Release the air by unscrewing the valve stem.
" Screw the
valve stem back in afterwards.
" Wait a few hours befo re p lacing the wheel in
the spare wheel well
9 & .
"Insta ll the bass box as required qpage 256.
" Sec ure t he wheel with the large screw .
" Place the dirt tray back in.
" Fold the cargo floo r ba ck down .
After using the inflatable spare wheel
The inflatab le spare tire can be re-used as lo ng as
i t is not damaged and is not worn down to the
tread wear indicators
q &, .
When you let the a ir out of the inf latab le spare
t ir e, it does not assume its folded shape aga in for
several hours. Until then, it ca nnot be placed
back in the spare wheel we ll and stowed se cu rely . .,.

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_& WARNING
-Never use the spare tire if it is damaged or if
it is worn down to the tread wear ind icators .
-If the inflatable spare tire is more than 6
years old, use it only in an emergency and
with extreme caution and careful dr iving .
- The inflatable spare tire is intended only for
temporary and short -term use . It should be
replaced as soon as possib le w ith the nor­
mal wheel and tire .
- The tire pressure value for the inflatable
spare t ire is Located on the driver's side
B­
pillar ¢ page 245, fig. 207 .
-Maximum pe rm issible speed is 50 mph
(80 km/h) .
-Avoid full -throttle acce lerat ion, heavy brak ­
ing, and fast cornering .
- When the air is let out of the inflatable
spare wheel, it does not assume its folded
shape for severa l hours . Until then, it cannot
be placed back in the spare whee l well and
stowed secu rely.
- Never drive with more than one inflatable
spare t ire.
- For technical reasons, the use of tire chains
on the inf latab le spare tire is not permitted.
If it is necessary to dr ive with tire chains,
the inflatable spare whee l must be moun ted
on the front axle in the event of a flat in a rear tire. The new ly available front wheel
must then be i nstalled in place of the rear
w heel with the flat tire. Insta lling the t ire
chain before mounting the wheel and tire is
recommended .
- Loose items in the passenger compartment
can cause ser ious personal injury during
hard braking or in an accident. Never store
the inflatable spare tire or jack* and too ls in
the passenger compa rtment.
CD Note
- The inf latable spare tire has been developed
spec ifically for this vehicle model.
It must
not be exchanged or used for other veh icle
models. Simi la rly , inflatable tires from oth­
er vehicle model s must not be used.
Em erg en cy ass is tan ce
- Norma l summer or w inter t ires m ust not be
installed on the inflatable tire rim .
Inflating inflatable spare tire
Applies to vehicles: w it h in flatable spa re tire
F ig . 2 13 Lu ggage compa rtm en t l eft s ide: co mpre sso r
.,. Remove the left tr im pane l in t he luggage com­
pa rtment.
.. Open the Velc ro strap and remove the compres­
sor
<=> fig. 213.
.. Unscrew the valve stem from the spare tire.
.. Screw the tire filler hose from the compressor
firmly onto the valve of the spare tire .
.,. Insert the plug from the comp ressor into a
socket of the vehicle
<=> page 77 .
.. Switch the comp resso r o n.
.,. Let the compressor r un unt il the va lue specified
on the tire pressure labe l is reached
c::> page 245, fig . 207 . Switch the compressor
off after running for 12 minutes at th e most -
danger of overheating!
_& WARNING
-
The compressor and the tire f iller hose can
become extremely hot while t hey are running
- danger of bu rns!
CD Note
Switch the compressor off after running for
12 minutes at the most -danger of overheat­
i ng ! Allow the compressor to cool down for a
few m inutes before you use it agai n.
-
257

Emerg enc y ass is tance
CJ) Note
Special care is required if you are repairing the
tire on a steep incline.
@ Tips
- Do not operate the compressor for more
than 12 minutes continuously, otherwise it
can overheat . Once the compressor has
cooled, you can continue to use it.
- If sealant has spi lled out, let it dry and then
you can remove it by peeling it away like a
foil.
- Remember to obtain a new bottle of sea lant
from yo ur authorized Aud i dea ler after re­
pairing a tire. After this, the functionality of
the tire repa ir set is restored.
- Obey all laws.
Replacing wheels
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own
and your passenger's safety when changing a
wheel.
.. After you experience a tire fa ilure, pull the car
well away from moving traffic and try to reach
l eve l ground before you stop¢_& .
.. All passengers sho uld
le ave t he car and move
to a safe location (for instance, behind the
guardrail)¢ _&.
.. Engage the
parking br ake to prevent your vehi­
cle from rolling unintentionally¢_& .
.. Move
select or lever to pos itio n P ¢ &_ .
.. If you are tow ing a trailer: unhitch the trailer
from your vehicle .
.. Block the diagonally opposite wheel with the
folding chocks or other objects.
.. Take the
jack * and the in flat abl e s par e tir e*
out of the luggage compartment¢ page 255.
A WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while
changing a wheel if you do not follow these
safety precautions:
- If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance
off the road. Turn off the engine, t urn the
260
emergency flashers on and use other warn­
ing dev ices to alert other motor ists.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- To help prevent the vehicle from moving
suddenly and possibly slipping off the jack*,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel be­
ing changed with the folding chocks or oth­
er objects. When one front wheel is lifted
off the ground, placing the Automatic Tra ns­
m iss ion in P (Pa rk) w ill
not prevent the veh i­
cle from moving.
- Before you change a whee l, be sure the
ground is level and firm.
If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack *.
- Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack*
and the replaced tire in the luggage com­
pa rtment
¢ page 140.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly that
order .
1. Remove the d eco rativ e wheel cover*. For
more details see also¢
page 261, Decora ­
tive wheel covers
or ¢ page 261, Wheels
with wheel bolt caps .
2. Loosen the wheel bolts¢ page 261 .
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack* and align the jack* be low that point
¢ page 262.
4. Lift the car with the jack*¢ page 262 .
5 . Remove the
wheel with th e flat tire and then
install the
inflatable spa re ti re*
¢ page 263.
6. Tig hte n a ll whee l bolts ligh tly .
7 .
Lo we r the vehicle with the jack* .
8 . Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firml y tighten
all wheel bolts ¢
page 261.
9. Replace the decorative wheel co ve r* . ...