tow AUDI Q5 2016 Owner's Guide

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,...., Trailer mode 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.
T railer 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.
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
bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer,
remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount . This prevents the hitch
from causing damage should your vehicle be
struck from beh ind ¢
,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
Trailer mode
The 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
T ra iler lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check with your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
rect 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.
,8. WARNING
-If a trailer has electrical brakes please note
that these brakes are not activated by the
factory-fitted control unit -risk of accident!
- After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in­
jure 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 trailer hitches . The hitch attach­
ment can fail, causing the trailer to tear
loose from the vehicle.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
vehicle, found on the safety compliance la­ bel on the driver's side B-pillar, must never
be exceeded under any circumstances. Ex­
ceeding the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of
your vehicle is likely to damage your vehicle,
and such damage will not be covered by
your Limited New Vehicle Warranty. Exceed­
ing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating will al­
so change the performance and handling
characteristics of your vehicle, which could
cause a crash resulting in serious injury or
death.
203

Trailer mod e
Operating instructions
6"
~ 2

. 1/2 "
.(. '-I} 1-1/2"
-
F ig. 189 Pe rmi tted ball posit io n of the traile r hi tch
Tr aile r to wing weights
With a f ac tor y-inst all ed or an a ft er ma rket trailer
h itch, the maximum permissib le trailer weight is
4,400 lbs (2,000 kg) . The maximum perm iss ible
unb raked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg) .
These spec ificat ions apply when dr iv ing on roads
hav ing an incl ine of less tha n 12%.
Perm is sible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these changed
conditions, adjust the trailer load so that the
tongue load is at the maxim um allowable or
slightly lower. You can get an approx imation of
the tongue load w ith a bathroom scale or you can
measure the load at a tr ucking company or
weighing station.
W ith a
fa ctor y-installed or an aftermarket trailer
h itch, t he maximum permissib le load on the ball
h itch may not exceed 440 lbs (200 kg).
It is rec­
ommended to use the maximum permissible
load.
Trailer load di stribution
B e su re the load in the trailer is held securely in
p lace to prevent it from s hift ing fo rwa rd, back ­
ward or sideways.
Nev er allo w a p assenge r to ride in a trail er c::> A
in Driving instructions on page 205.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used w ith suitable
ball mount and ball
c::> fig. 189 . Installat ion of
the hitch ball must be carr ied out in accordance
w ith the manufacturer 's inst ruct ions.
204
Engine cooling system
Towing a tra ile r makes t he 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 t railer, inflate the ti res of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Full
l oad" on the tire press ure label. The tire pressure
l abel is located on the driver 's side B-pillar . In­
flate tra iler tires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' specifications.
Lights
The head light settings shou ld be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check to
make s ure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure tra ile r safety cha ins a re properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle.
Leave enough slack in the chains to permit tu rn­
i ng corners . When you install safety chains, make
s u re they will not drag on the road when you are
driv ing.
The chains should cross under the trai ler tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of veh icle
and t railer, p lease note the following:
.., Do not tow a loaded trai ler when your car itself
is not loaded.
.., Be especially care ful when passing other
vehicles .
.., Observe speed limits.
.., Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.., Always app ly brakes early.
.., Monitor the temperature gauge.

,....,
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,...., Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer 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 control.
A "balanced" rig is eas ier 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 observ ing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerat ions.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to contro l the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permiss ible speed . Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
conditions are unfavorable - part icularly when
going downhill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the tra iler
shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed lim its . In some areas, speeds for
veh icles towing trai lers are lower than for regular
veh icles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving down­
h ill , shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the veh icle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge r=;, page 10 must
be observed carefully . If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im­ mediately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the
instrument cluster starts flashing., pull 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 risk in an acci-
-
Trailer mode
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wear ing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
t railer because o f the additional weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution. Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how carefu l­
ly you load your trai ler and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
tu rning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic. Keep practicing until you have be­
come comp lete ly familiar w ith the way your vehi ­
cle-tra iler combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficu lt and requires practice.
Backing up with a t railer generally requires steer­
ing 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 would because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow p lenty of room for
your trailer before c hanging lanes again.
Avoid 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 trailer, your Audi may requ ire
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
r=;, page 280.
205

Trailer mod e
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:
.,. Apply the foot brake .
.,. Have someone place chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels .
.,. With chocks in p lace, slowly release the brakes
unt il the wheel chocks absorb the load .
.,. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.,. Apply the pa rking brake .
.,. Move the selector lever to P .
When resta rting after parking:
.,. Apply the foot brake .
.,. Start the engine .
.,. Move the selector leve r to 0/5 .
.,. Release t he pa rking brake and slow ly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
"' Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks.
(D Tips
If you move the se lector lever of the automat­
ic transmission to P before applying the park ­
ing brake and before blocking the wheels, you may have to use more force later to move the
lever out of the P position .
206

Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Te xtil es
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
a rt ifici al le ather , the surface
Alcant ara Water-based deposits Absorben
t cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
O il-based deposits Apply a m ild soap solution a), blot away the dissolved oil or
such as oil, make-up, dye with an absorbent towel and, if necessary, treat after-
etc. ward wit h water.
Special deposits such Special stain remover, b lot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, na il polish, la- afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary a)
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natural leather Fresh stains Wool cloth with a mild soap so
lutiona)
Water-based deposits Fresh sta ins : absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dried sta ins: stain remover suitable fo r leather
blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
such as oil, make-up, for leather
etc. Dried sta ins : grease dissolv ing spray
Special deposits such Spot remover suitab le for leather
as ink, nai l polish, la -
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Ca re Regularly apply cond ition ing cream that protects from
light and penet rates into the materia l. Use specia lly-co l-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon parts Deposits clean the same way as plastic parts
a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quart (l liter) of water
_& WARNING
The windshie ld may not be trea ted with wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un­
favorable conditions s uch as wetness, dark­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare .
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
(D Note
- Headlights/tail light s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
- Wheels
210
-
- Never use any paint polish or other abra­
sive materials.
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratches must
be repaired immediately.
- Sensors /camera lenses
- Neve r use wa rm or ho t wa ter to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens . This
could cause the lens to crack .
- N eve r use ab rasive cleaning materials or
a lcohol to clea n the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Doo r window s
-Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plast ic scraper. To

plus maximum load. The maxi­
mum load includes the number of
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 A xle Weight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be appl ied at each of the
vehicle's two axles.
The fact that there is an upper
limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi ­
c le Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including
the weight of a tra iler 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 We ight Rating
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
Wheels
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker label located on the
driver's side B -pillar
¢ page 244,
fig . 206.
_& WAR NING
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per­
sonal in jury, and even death.
-Carrying more weight than
your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and increase 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.
-Always 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 .
247

Wheels
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 make 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 vehicle 's placard
(tire inflation pre ssure label)
c:::> page 244, fig. 206.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3 . Subtra ct the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or " XXX"
pounds shown on the sticker
c:::> page 244 , fig. 206 .
4. The re sulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For ex­
ample, if the
"XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
248
be five 150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity 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 ex­
ceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calculat ­
ed in Step 4 .
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your ve­
hicle. Con sult this manual to
determine how this reduces
the available cargo and lug­ gage load capacity of your vehi­
cle .
~check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 234, 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
eas ily.
Rims
R ims with a bo lted r im ring * or with bo lted wheel
covers" co nsist of mult ip le p ieces . T h ese compo-
n ents were bolted togethe r usin g s pec ial bolts ..,.

Emerg ency assis ta nce
Emergency assistance
Vehicle jack, vehicle tool kit and collapsible spare
tire
Onboard tool kit and vehicle jack
The vehicle tools and vehicle jock* ore stored in
the luggage comportment under the floor cover.
Fig. 209 Luggage compartment: on board tool kit and vehi­
cle jack
The vehicle jack* is stored under the onboard tool
kit ¢ fig. 209.
Hybr id d rive*: the storage location of the on­
board tool kit varies ¢ page 104.
The onboard tool k it includes:
- Hook for removing wheel covers*
- Plastic hook to
remove wheel bolt covers*
-Alignment pin for changing wheels
- Wheel bolt wrench
- Folding chocks
- Screwdriver with revers ible blade
- Socket (removable Torx socket)*
- 10 x 13 open ended wrench (for disconnecting
the battery cables)
- Towing eye
A WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack* can cause
ser ious personal injuries.
- Never use the jack* supplied with your Aud i
on another vehicle, particularly on a heavier
one. The jack* is only su itable for use on the
vehicle it came w ith.
254 -
Using a bumper jack to raise the vehicle will
damage the bumper system. The jack may
slip, caus ing injury.
- Never support your vehicle on cinder blocks,
bricks or other objects. These may not be
able to support the load and could cause in­
jury when they fail.
- 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 screwdr iver to loosen or tighten
the wheel bolts .
- Always make sure the inflatable spare tire*
and
even a flat tire are secu red in place and
not loose, otherwise they could fly forward,
causing personal inj ury to passenge rs in the
vehi cle in an a cc ident or sudden maneuve r.
@ Tips
The vehicle jack in your vehicle is mainte­
nance-free.
Folding chocks
The folding chocks ore port of the on board tool
kit .
---
Fig . 210 Open ing fo lding chocks
To use the chocks, you fi rst have to raise the sup­
port plate
¢ fig. 210 (D and then insert the lock­
ing plate with the two "tabs" into the elongated
holes in the base plate
@ c> &.. .,,_

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..... I.Cl U"I
..... I.Cl .....
_& WARNING
-The chock cannot fulfil its function and may
lose its stability if the "tabs" on the support
plate a re not inserted correctly into the
elongated holes in the base plate. If th is
happens, the vehicle may sta rt to move
wh ile a wheel is being changed.
- Never use the fold ing chocks if they are
damaged or if they have not been assem­
bled co rrectly.
Removing bass box
Appl ies to vehicles : wit h bass box
Before the inflatable spare tire* can be token
out, the bass box must be removed.
Fig . 21 1 Spare w heel well: Bass box
Removing ba ss box
"Lift up the cargo floor using the hand le .
" Squeeze the locking tabs
c:> fig . 211 (D of the
connector.
" Disconnect the connector @and place the lead
to one s ide.
"T urn the large screw counter -clockwise .
" Carefully remove t he bass box .
Installing bas s bo x
"Carefully place the bass box in the whee l. The
inscription "FRONT" on the bass box must face
forward.
" Reconnect the co nnector that was removed.
" Secu re the bass box w ith the la rge screw .
" Fold the cargo floo r bac k down.
Em ergen cy a ssis tanc e
Inflatable spare tire
Applies to vehicles: w ith inflatable spare tire
The inflatable spare tire expands to its full diam­
eter when it is inflated .
Fig. 212 In flatable spare tire wit h comp ressor
Removing inflatabl e spare tire
"Lift up the cargo floo r us ing the handle.
" Remove the dirt tray .
" Turn the large screw <=:>
fig. 212 counter -clock-
w ise .
" Remove the bass box as required<=:>
page 255.
"Take out the inflatab le spare tire.
" Always store the vehicle too l kit, the jack* and
the replaced tire in the luggage compartment
<=:> page 139.
Stowing the inflatable spare t ire
.. Release the air by unscrewing the valve stem.
" Screw the valve stem back in afterwards.
" Wa it a few hours before plac ing the wheel in
the spare wheel well<=:>,& .
" Insta ll the bass box as required <=:>
page 255 .
" Secure the whee l w ith the la rge sc rew.
" Place t he d irt tray back in .
" Fold t he c argo floor back down .
After using the inflatable spare wheel
The inflatable spare tire can be re-used as long as
it is not damaged and is not worn down to the
tread wea r indicators
c:> .&, .
When you let the a ir out of the inf latab le spare
t ir e, it does not assume its folded shape again for
severa l hours . Unt il then, it cannot be placed
back i n the spare wheel well and stowed securely.
IJI>
255

Emerg ency assis ta nce
_& WARNING
- Never use the spare tire if it is damaged or if
it is worn down to the tread wear indicators .
- If the inflatable spare tire is more than 6
years old, use it only in an emergency and
with extreme caut ion and careful driving.
- The inflatable spare tire is intended only for
temporary and short-term use . It should be
replaced as soon as poss ible with the nor­
mal wheel and tire.
- The tire pressure value for the inflatable
spare tire is located on the driver's s ide B­
pillar
~ page 244, fig. 207.
- Max imum permissible speed is SO mph
(80 km/h).
- Avoid full-throttle accelerat ion, heavy brak­
ing, and fast cornering.
- When the air is let out of the inflatable
spare wheel, it does not ass ume its folded
shape for several hours . Until then, it can­
not be placed back in the spare wheel well
and stowed sec urely .
- Never dr ive with more than one inflatable
spare tire.
- For technical reasons, the use of tire chains
on the inflatab le spare tire is not perm itted.
If it is necessa ry to drive w ith tire chains,
the in flatable spare wheel m ust be mounted
on the front ax le in the event of a flat in a
rear tire. The newly avai lab le front wheel
must then be installed in place of the rear
wheel w ith the flat tire. Installing the tire
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 t ire or jac k* and tools in
the passenger compartment.
0 Note
- The inflatable spare tire has been developed
spec ifically for this vehicle model. It must
not be exchanged or used for other vehicle
models. Similarly, inflatable tires from oth­
er vehicle models mus t no t be used.
256
- Norma l summer or winte r tires must not be
installed on the inflatable tire rim .
Inflating inflatable spare tire
Applies to vehicles: with inflatable spare tire
F ig . 213 Luggage compart men t left s ide : comp ressor
.,. Remove the left tr im pane l in the luggage com­
partment.
.. Open the Velcro strap and remove the compres­
sor
r=;, 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 t ire.
.,. Insert the plug from the comp ressor into a
socket of the veh icle
~ page 77 .
.,. Switch the comp ressor on.
.,. Let the compressor run unt il the value spec ified
on the tire p ressure label is reached
r=:> page 244, fig. 207. Switch the compressor
off after r unning for 12 minutes at the most -
danger of overheating!
A WARNING
The compressor and the tire filler hose can become extremely hot whi le they are running
- danger of burns!
(D 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 minutes before you use it aga in .
-