tow AUDI Q5 2017 Owner's Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2017, Model line: Q5, Model: AUDI Q5 2017Pages: 296, PDF Size: 74.43 MB
Page 135 of 296

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For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
¢ page 61.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously inÂ
jured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help reÂ
duce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone
and the steering wheel.
- Always hold the steer ing wheel on the outÂ
side of the steering wheel rim with your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posiÂ
tions to help reduce the r isk of persona l inÂ
jury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steer ing whee l at the
12 o'clock position or w ith your hands at
other pos it ions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding
the steering wheel the wrong way can cause
serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the driver's airbag deploys.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supplemenÂ
tal driver's airbag to protect you in a colli sion.
- Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or place any part of your body
too close to the area where the airbags are
located .
- Before driving, always adjust the front seats
and head restraints properly and make sure
that all passengers are properly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is
moving . Your seat may move unexpectedly
and you could lose control of the vehicle .
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
t il ted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt
and improper seating position.
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats¢
page 168. Spec ial precaut ions apÂ
ply when installing a ch ild safety seat on the
front passenger seat
c:::;, page 148.
Driving safety
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is
important for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of inÂ
jury in the event of an acc ident, we recommend
that you adjust the seat for the front passenger
to the follow ing position:
"' Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position and your back comes in full
contact with it whenever the vehicle is moving.
"' Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge is
as even as possible with the top of your head. If
that is not possible, try to adjust the head reÂ
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible
¢ page 134.
"' Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the
front passenger seat.
"' Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
c:::;, page 143.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see
c:::;, page 60.
A WARNING
--
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out
of position or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured or killed by the airbag as it
unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
- Passengers must always s it in an upright poÂ
sition and never lean against or place any
part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of posiÂ
tion or too close to the airbag can be seriÂ
ously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front pasÂ
senger's breastbone and the instrument
panel.
- E ach passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat .
- Before driving, always adjust the front pasÂ
senger seat and head restraint properly.
133
Page 138 of 296

Driving safety
-Never place any objects in the driver's footÂ
well. An object could get into the pedal area
and interfere with pedal function. In case of
sudden braking or an accident, you would not be able to brake or accelerate!
- Always make sure that nothing can fall or
move into the driver's footwell.
Floor mats on the driver side
Always use floor mots that con be securely at tached to the floor mot fasteners and do not inÂ
terfere with the free movement of the pedals.
• Make sure that the floor mats are properly seÂ
cured and cannot move and interfere with the
pedals
c> _& .
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area un Â
obstructed and that are firmly secured so that
they cannot slip out of position. You can obtain
suitable floor mats from your authorized Audi
dealer .
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached
to these fasteners. Properly securing the floor mats will prevent them from sliding into posiÂ
tions that could interfere with the pedals or im pair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
A WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a
loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of
serious personal injury.
- Always make sure that floor mats are propÂ
erly secured.
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings in the vehicle that cannot be
properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the pedÂ
als or the ability to control the vehicle.
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings on top of already installed
floor mats. Additional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the peda l
area and interfere with the pedals .
- Always properly reinstall and secure floor
mats that have been taken out for cleaning .
136
-Always make sure that objects cannot fall
into the driver footwell while the vehicle is
moving. Objects can become trapped under
the brake pedal and accelerator pedal causÂ
ing a loss of vehicle control.
Storing cargo correctly
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be properly stowed and secured in the luggage comportÂ
ment.
Fig. 152 Safe load positioning : place heavy ob jects as low
and as far forward as poss ib le.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift suddenly, changing vehicle handling characÂ
teristics. Loose items can also increase the risk of
serious personal injury in a sudden vehicle maÂ
neuver or in a collision .
• Distribute the load evenly in the luggage comÂ
partment.
• Always place and properly secure heavy items in
the luggage compartment as low and as far forÂ
ward as possible
c>fig. 152.
• Secure luggage using the tie-downs provided
c> poge 67.
• Make sure that the rear seatback is securely
latched in place.
A WARNING
Improperly sto red luggage or other items can
fly through the vehicle caus ing serious perÂ
sona l injury in the event of hard braking or an
accident. To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
Page 147 of 296

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from the strong bones to more vulnerable,
soft tissue and cause serious injury.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
9 page 142.
Pregnant women must also be correctly
restrained
The best way to protect the fetus is to make sure
that expectant mothers always wear safety belts
correctly -throughout the pregnancy .
Fig. 161 Safety belt position during pregnancy
To provide maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on the wearÂ
e r's body
c::> page 144.
• Adjust the front seat and head restraint corÂ
rectly
c::> page 60, General information .
• Make sure the seatback of the rear seat bench
is in an upright position and securely latched in
place before using the belt.
• Pull the safety belt evenly across the chest so
that it sits as low as possible on the pelvis and
there is no pressure on the abdomen
c::>fig . 161, c::> .&_ .
• Inse rt the tong ue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely
c::>page 143, fig . 159.
• Pull on the belt to make sure that it is securely
latched in th e buckle.
& WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause
ser ious personal injury in an accident.
- Expectant mothers must always wear the
lap portion of the safety belt as low as posÂ
sible across the pelvis and below the roundÂ
ing of the abdomen .
Safety belts
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
c::> A in FastenÂ
ing safety belts on page 144.
Unfastening safety belts
Unbuckle the safety belt with the red release
button only o~er the vehicle has stopped.
Fig. 162 Releasing the tongue from the buckle
.,. Push the red release button on the buckle
c::> fig. 162 . The belt tongue will spring out of
the buckle
c::> ,&..
• Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you
guide the belt tongue to its stowed position.
& WARNING
Never unfasten safety belt while the vehicle is
moving. Doing so will increase your risk of beÂ
ing injured or killed.
Adjusting safety belt height
With the aid of the safety belt height adjustÂ
ment, the three point safety belt strap routing
can be fitted to the shoulder area, according to
body size .
Fig. 163 Safety belt height adjustment for the front seats
... 0 0
0
6 ... a,
-loop-around fittings Ill>
145
Page 158 of 296

Airbag syste m
damaged, preventing them and the airbag
system from working properly.
- Never place seat covers or rep lacement upÂ
holstery that have not been specifically apÂ
proved by Audi on the front seats .
- Seat covers can prevent the Advanced AirÂ
bag System from recognizing child reÂ
straints or occupants on the front passenger
seat and prevent the side a irbag in the seat
backrest from deploying properly.
- Never use cush ions, pillows, blankets or
similar items on the front passenger seat.
The add it ional padding will prevent the
weight-sens ing mat in the seat from acc uÂ
rately reg istering the ch ild restraint or perÂ
son on the seat and prevent the Advanced
Airbag System from funct ioning properly.
- If you must use a child rest raint on the front
passenge r seat and the child restraint manÂ
ufacturer 's instructions require the use of a
towel, foam cushion or something else to properly position the ch ild restraint, make
certain that the
PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever the
child restraint is installed on the front pasÂ
senger seat.
- If the
PASSEN GER AIR B AG OFF light does
not come on and stay on, immed iately inÂ
stall child restraint in a rear seating position and have the airbag system inspected by
yo ur autho rized Aud i deale r.
How the Advanced Airbag System
components work together
The front Advanced Airbag System and the side
airbags supplement the protection offered by the
front three-po int safety belts with pretensioners
and load limiters and the adjustable head reÂ
stra ints to help reduce the r isk of injury in a wide
range of accident and crash situations. Be sure to read the important informa tion about safety and
heed the WARN INGS in t his chapter.
Deployment of the Advanced Airbag System and
the act ivat ion of the safety belt pretensioners deÂ
pend on the deceleration measu red by the crash
sensors and regis tered by the electronic control
unit. Crash severity depends on speed and decel-
156 eration as well as the mass and stiffness of the
vehicle or object involved in the crash
.
On the passenger side, regard less of safety be lt
u se, the airbag will be turned off if the weight on
the passenger seat is less than the amount proÂ
grammed in the electronic control unit . The front
airbag on the passenger side will also be turned
off if one of the child safety seats that has been certified under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 208 has been recogn ized on the seat .
The
PASSENGER A IR BAG OFF lig ht comes o n
and stays on to te ll you when the front Advanced
Airbag on the passenger side has been turned off
q page 149, Child restraints on the front seatÂ
some important things to know.
A WARNING
To reduce the ris k of injury when an airbag in Â
f lates, always wea r safety belts properly.
- If you are un restrained, leaning forward, sit Â
ting sideways or out of position i n any way,
your risk of injury is much higher.
- You will a lso receive serious injuries and
could even be killed if you are up against the
airbag or too close to it when it inflates -
even with an Advanced Airbag
q page 148.
More important things to know about front
airbags
Fig . 166 Inflated front a irbags
Safety be lts are important to help keep front
seat occupants in the proper seated position so
that airbags can unfold properly and prov ide sup-
plemental protection in a fronta l collision . ..,.
Page 182 of 296

Child safet y
-Make sure that the PAS SENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
- If the
PASS ENGER AIR BAG O FF light does
not come on and stay on, immediately inÂ
stall the rear-fac ing ch ild safety seat in a
rear seat ing position and have the airbag
system inspected by your Aud i dea le r.
Activating the convertible locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure a
child restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufacturer's
instructions when installing a child restraint in
your veh icle. To activate the convertible locking
retractor:
.. Place the child restraint on a seat, preferab ly
on the rear seat.
.,. Slow ly pull the belt
all the wa y out .
.,. Route it around o r th rough the ch ild restraint
belt path
¢ _& .
.. Push the child safety seat down with your full
weight to get the safety be lt really tight.
.,. Inse rt the bel t tongue into the buckle fo r that
seating position.
.. Guide the safety belt back into the retractor unÂ
ti l the belt lies flat and snug on the child safety
seat.
.,. You should hear a "clicking" no ise as the belt
winds back into the inertia reel. Test the conÂ
vertible locking retractor by pulli ng on the belt .
You should no longer be able to pull the belt
out of the retractor. The conve rtible locking reÂ
tractor is now act ivated .
.,. Make s ure that the red release b utton is fac ing
away from the child restraint so that it can be
u nbuck led quick ly.
.. Pu ll on the be lt to make sure the safety belt is
properly tight and fastened so that the seat
cannot move forward or sideways more than
one inch (2 .5 cm).
A WARNING
Us ing the wrong child restra int or an impropÂ
erly installed ch ild rest raint can cause ser ious
personal in ju ry o r dea th in a cr ash.
180
- Always make sure that the safety be lt reÂ
tractor is locked when installing a ch ild
safety seat. An unlocked safety be lt retracÂ
tor cannot hold the chi ld safety sea t in place
during normal driving or in a c rash.
- Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in
place even if a ch ild is not sitt ing in it. A
loose child safety seat can fly a round dur ing
a sudden stop or in a c rash.
- Always make sure the seat back rest to which
the child res traint is installed is in an upÂ
right position and securely latched into
place and canno t fold forw ard . Othe rw ise,
the sea tba ck wit h the child safe ty seat atÂ
tached to it could fly forwa rd in the event o f
an accident o r othe r emergency situation.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenÂ
eve r us ing a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used
¢page 168. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat
¢ page 149, Child
restraints on the front seat -some imporÂ
tant things to know .
· Deactivating the convertible locking
retractor
The convertible locking retractor for child reÂ
straints will be deactivated automatically when
the bel t is wound all the way back into the reÂ
tra ctor .
.,. Press the red button on the safety belt buckle.
The belt tongue will pop out of the buc kle.
.,. Guide the safety be lt all the way back into i ts
s towed pos it io n .
A lways let the safe ty be lt retract completely into
i ts stowed pos it io n. T he safety be lt ca n now be
u sed as an ord inary safety bel t w ithout t he con Â
ver tib le locking ret ractor fo r chil d rest raints .
If the conve rtible locking retractor should be acÂ
tivated inadverte ntly, the safety belt must be un Â
fastened and guided comp lete ly back i nto its
stowe d position to deac tiva te th is fe ature. If the
convertible locking retractor is no t deactivated,
the safety be lt will gradually become tighter and
u ncomfortab le to wear.
Page 193 of 296

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-Before descending a steep grade , reduce
speed and shift transm iss ion into a lower
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or
too often . This could cause the brakes to get
hot and d iminish brak ing efficiency .
- Do not "r ide the brakes" by resting your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to
bra ke. This may cause the bra kes to overÂ
heat , premat ure wea r and increased stopÂ
ping distance.
- Under certa in climat ic and operating condiÂ
tions su ch as p assing thro ugh w ater, dr iving
in heavy ra in or after washing the vehicle,
the ef fectiveness of the brakes can be reÂ
duced. In winter, ice can acc umulate on the
brake pads, linings, discs and drums . CareÂ
fully apply b rakes for a test. Brakes wi ll dry
and ice coatings wi ll be cleaned off after a
few careful brake applications .
- Driv ing for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
bra kes can also affect bra king efficiency .
Clean off accumulated sa lt coating from
bra ke discs and pads with a few caref ul
bra ke appl ic a tion s.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if yo u inÂ
sta ll a differen t spoi le r, be sure the air flow
to the front br akes is not o bstru cte d. O the rÂ
wise the br ake system could over heat reducÂ
ing the e ffec tiveness of the entire brake sys Â
tem.
- Failure of one brake circuit will imp air the
brak ing capability resulting in an increased
stopping distance . Avoid driving the vehicle
and have it towed to the nearest a uthorized
Audi dealer or qualif ied workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine shut off .
- If the brake booster is not wor king, the
brake pedal m ust be pressed considerably
harder to make up for the lack of booster
assistance .
Intelligent Technology
Electromechanical power
assist, Dynamic steering
The electromechanical power assist helps the
driver when steering .
Power steering adap ts elec tronically based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator lights and message s
• Steering defecti ve! Do not drive vehicle!
If this indi ca to r li ght tur ns on and st ays on and
t hi s message appea rs, the powe r steering may
have failed.
Stop t he vehi cle in a safe location as soon as posÂ
s ible. Do
not cont inue drivi ng. See yo ur author Â
ized Audi dea ler or o ther qualif ied repa ir facility
for assistance .
l;rij Dynamic steering : Sy stem fault! You can
continue driving
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appea rs , the steer ing may be more diffic ult to
move o r more sensitive than usu a l. Th e steering
m ay also be at an angle when dr iving st raig ht.
D rive slowly to your a uthorized Aud i dea le r or
qualified wo rksh op to have t he malfunct io n corÂ
rec ted .
'Iij Dynamic steering: Initializing
Aud i drive select* : if the indicato r light blinks and
the driver message appears, the dynamic steerÂ
ing* is re init ia liz ed . After sta rting the engine , the
steering wheel will move slig htly . Re -initializa Â
t io n m ight be necessary if the steer ing whee l was
moved hard to t he left and r ight wh ile the veh icle
was not mov ing. The display turns off if the initiÂ
aliza tion was successful.
(D Tips
- If the . or l~ij indicato r light only stays on
for a shor t time, you m ay cont inue drivi ng.
- The dynam ic stee ring* sta bility systems
r=;, page 186 are no t ava ilable in the event of
a system mal func tio n.
- For add itiona l information on dy namic
steering*
r=;, page 122 .
191
Page 196 of 296

Driving and th e en vironm ent
Driving and the
environment
Breaking in
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the first 600 miles (1 ,000 kilometer s):
.,. Do not use full throttle .
.,. Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1 ,000 to 1 ,500
kilometers ):
.,. Speeds ca n gradually be increased to the maxiÂ
mum perm iss ib le road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in pe riod
.,. Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it
is cold. This applies whether the transmission is
in N (Neutral) or in gear .
After the break- in period
.,. Do not exceed maximum engine speed under
any circumstances.
.,. Upshift into the next higher gear
before reachÂ
ing t he red area at the end of the tachometer
sca le
¢page 8.
During the first few hours of driving, the eng ine's
internal friction is higher than later whe n all the
mov ing parts have been broken in. How well this
break- in process is done depends to a consideraÂ
b le exte nt on the way the vehicle is d rive n during
the firs t 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
{[) Note
Extremely high eng ine speeds a re au tomatiÂ
cally reduced . However, these rpm lim its are
progr ammed for an e ng ine well run -in, not a
new engine.
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not dr ive with u nne cessarily high eng ine
spee ds -upshi fting ea rly saves fuel, reduces
noise and protec ts the enviro nment .
194
· New tires
If your veh icle is runni ng on new tires, d rive very
c ar efu lly fo r the fi rs t 350 miles (500 kilometers)
a fter fi tting.
_& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippe ry and must a lso
be "broken-in". Be sure to remember this durÂ
ing the first 350 m iles (500 kilometers) .
Brake gent ly. Avoid following closely behind
other ve hicles or ot her situations that might
require sudden, hard braking.
Catalytic converter
App lies to : vehicles wi th gaso line e ngi ne
-
It is very important that your emission control
system (catalytic converter) is functioning propÂ
erly to ensure that your vehicle is running in an
environmen tally sound manner .
.,. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 209,
Gasoline .
.,. Never r un the tank down all the w ay to emp ty.
.,. Never put too much mo to r o il in yo ur engi ne
¢ page 221, Adding engine oil 9::r..
.,. Never try to push- or tow-start your vehicle .
The cata lyt ic converter is an efficie nt "clea n-up"
device b uilt into the exhaus t sys tem o f the ve hiÂ
cle . Th e catalytic converter b urns many of the
po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are re Â
l eased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of un le ad ed fuel is critically im Â
portan t fo r the life o f the cataly tic converte r and
proper functio ning of the engine .
A WARNING
The temperature o f the exhaust system is
h igh, both when driv ing and after stopp ing
the eng ine.
-
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This could resu lt in burns.
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in a reas
where the hot exhaust system may come in
contact with dry grass, b rush, fuel sp ill or
other mate rial which can cause a fire.
Page 200 of 296

Offroad dri ving
Offroad driving
Driving under difficult
conditions and off-road
General information
The operation of the Electronic Stabilization ConÂ
trol (ESC) is expanded for operation away from
paved roads. In situations where slip or a differÂ
ential locking function is required, the offroad mode can be activated
<=> page 186. Your Audi alÂ
so has permanent all-wheel drive in addition .
However, your Audi is not a pure offroad vehicle.
It was not built for driving under extreme condiÂ
tions, e.g. for trips that are in the nature of an
expedition .
Drive only on roads and offroad sections which
match the design of your vehicle and your abiliÂ
ties as a driver. Never take risks!
Befo re driving offroad
-Check the eng ine oil level, tire pressure, coo lÂ
ant level, and the fluid leve l in the windshield
washer reservoir.
- Stow luggage items and other objects in the
lu ggage compartment, and secure them
against sliding around.
After driving offroad
-After trips offroad, remove any twigs and other
foreign objects from the grill, the underbody
and the wheels. Pay specia l attention to foreign
objects (stones) which have become lodged in
the tire tread.
- Clean the body and the vehicle underside, and
inspect the vehicle for possible damage.
- Clean dirty windows, headlamp lenses, rear
lights, and license plates.
- Perform a brake check (particularly after travelÂ
ling through water) .
A WARNING
- Drive especially attentive ly and plan ahead
in difficult road conditions and when offÂ
road. Excessive speed or incorrect maneuÂ
vers can cause in juries and damage to the
vehicle.
198
- Always adapt your speed and driving style to
road, offroad, traffic, and weather condiÂ
tions. Drive especially slowly offroad when
your view is restricted.
- Please be aware that in offroad mode, parÂ
ticularly on a smooth and slippery road, the
wheels may have an increased tendency to
spin and the vehicle may break away - danÂ
ger of skidding!
- Stability is limited in the offroad mode.
® For the sake of the environment
Avoid damage to the environment and reÂ
spect nature.
(D Tips
Only drive where it is permitted and stay on
marked roads and paths.
Explanation of some technical terms
The following data refer to ideal conditions. De pending on vehicle load and ground conditions
and the env ironment, the numbers may vary. It is
the driver's responsibility to decide whether aveÂ
hicle can overcome a specific s ituation
<=> .&. .
Gradient angle
The number of meters in alt itude gained over a
distance of 109.4 yards or 100 meters (grade)
are given as a percentage or degrees . InformaÂ
tion about the gradient the vehicle can cl imb unÂ
der its own power (depends in part on the road
surface and eng ine power). Maximum permitted
grade: 31
°
Ground clearance
The distance between the road surface and the lowest point of the vehicle underbody. Ground
clearance 7.9 in (200 mm)
.&, WARNING
Exceeding the stated maximum figures can
result in severe injuries or vehicle damage.
- All the information was gathered on level,
firm and non-slippery road surfaces, and un-
-
der dry weather conditions. ..,
Page 202 of 296

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, econoÂmy 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 reÂ
movable ba ll mount . Always che ck with the t rail Â
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 regulaÂ
tions .
200
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 corÂ
r ec t wir ing, swi tches, an d relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see t he traffic behind you usÂ
i ng t he regular outs ide mirrors, then yo u
must inÂ
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 Â
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 iÂ
cle . The vehicle was not designed fo r these
kinds o f trailer hitches. The hitch attachÂ
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 laÂ
be l on the driver's s ide B-pillar, must never
be exceeded under any circ umstances . ExÂ
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 . ExceedÂ
ing the Gross Ve hicl e We ight Rating will al Â
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.
Page 203 of 296

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Operating instructions
6" r-2
~·~
1/2"
1·1/2"
ill
Fig. 188 Permi tted ba ll pos it io n of the trailer h itch
Trailer towing weights
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible trailer weight is
4,400 lbs (2,000 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 440 lbs (200 kg) .
It is recÂ
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, backÂ
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 202.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suitable ball mount and ball¢
fig. 188 . 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 performÂ
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 label¢
page 240. Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specificaÂ
tions.
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 connectÂ
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle .
Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turnÂ
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
and 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. .,.
201