flat tire AUDI Q7 2009 Owner´s Manual

Driver information display
In addition, all the values in the single -trip or the total -trip memory
can be deleted simultaneously.
[ i ] Tips
All stored values will be lost if the vehicle battery is disconnected. •
MMI settings
Basic settings for the trip computer can be made in the
MM/.
Fig. 25 MMI display :
Trip computer
Setting values to zero
-Press the I CAR I function button.
- Select
Instrument cluster.
-Select Trip computer 1 or Trip computer 2.
-Select Reset to delete all the values in the memory
~ fig. 25.
Displaying and hiding driver information
-Press the I CAR I function button.
- Select
Instrument cluster.
- Selec t Trip computer 1 or Trip computer 2.
-Select, for example, Fuel range On to turn on the display
or
Off to turn the display off.
All values in the single-trip or the total-trip memory can be reset to
zero simu ltaneously in the MMI. In addition you can determine what
driving information from the trip computer shou ld be shown in the
instrument cluster display . If one of the pieces of driver information
is turned
off, that driver in formation will not be shown in the display.
The information will continue to be calculated by the trip computer
and can be turned back
on at any time. •
Tire pressure monitoring system
General notes l )
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
monthly when co ld and inflated to the inflation pressure recom­
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres­
sure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly
under-inf lated . Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu­
minates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under -inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte ­
nance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire .,_

pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure tellta le .
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indi­ cator to indicate when the system is not operating properly . The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low t ire pressure
telltale . When the system detects a ma lfunction, the telltale wil l
fl ash for approximately one minu te and then remain continuously
illuminated . T his sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the ma lfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be ab le to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
veh icle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or whee ls on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
a lternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly .•
Introduction
The tire pressure monitoring system monitors air pressure
in all four road wheels while the vehicle is moving.
As soon as the tire pressure mon itoring system senses a s ignificant
loss of air pressure in one or severa l tires, text messages and yellow
symbo ls appear in the instrument cluster display to a lert the driver .
T he ~ warning light in the instrument cluster comes on when the
t ire is significant ly underinflated ;;:,
page 20.
The warning light ' also illuminates in the case of a system
malfunction.
Be aware that tire pressure is also dependent on the temperature of
the tire. For every 18 °F (10 °Cl increase in tire temperature, tire pres ­
sure increases by about 1 .5 psi (0 .1 bar). The tire warms up while the
vehic le is moving and tire pressure rises. So you should adjust tire
Controls and equip­
ment
Dr ive r informat ion di spl ay
pressure only when they are cold, when the temperature of the tires
is roughly the same as the ambien t air temperature .
In order to keep the tire pressure monitoring system properly cali ­
brated, tire pressure on all four tires should be checked at regular
intervals, adjusted if necessary and saved in the proper setting
(recommended pressure) ;;:,
page 45.
The tire pressure is shown on the tire pressure label. On USA vehi­
cles, the tire pressure labe l is located on the driver's side 8-pi llar . On
Canada vehicles, the tire pressure labe l is located eithe r on the
driver's side 8 -p illar or inside the fuel fi ller flap. The tire pressure
label lists the recommended cold tire inflation p ressu res for the
vehic le at its maximum capacity weight and the tires that were on
your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For recommended tire
pressures for normal load conditions, please see chapter
;;:, page 351.
& WARNING
• When the tire pre ssure monitoring sy stem warning light i s lit ,
one o r mor e of your tires i s signifi ca ntl y under -infl ated . You should
stop and che ck your tire s as soon as possible , and inflate th em to
th e prop er pre ssure a s indicated on the v ehicle' s tir e pr ess ure
l a bel ;;:,
pa ge 351. Driving on a signifi cant ly under-infl ated tire
ca use s the tire to overhe at and can lead t o tire f ailure. Und er-infla ­
tio n a lso is likely to imp air th e vehicle' s handling and stoppi ng
ability .
• Do not adju st tire pre ssure whe n tire temp erature is exc essiv e.
Thi s could le ad to serious tire damage and even cause the ti re to
burst , with the additi onal d ange r of an acc ident .
Driving with under -inflated tires reduces fue l efficiency and tire
tread life.
I • •

Driver inf ormati on displ ay
[ i ] Tip s
• Each tire should be checked monthly when cold and set to the
recommended inf lation pressure as spec ified on the tire pressure
table ~
page 351 .
• The tire pressure monitoring system he lps the driver to keep an
eye on t ire pressures . But the driver stil l has the responsibility for
maintaining the correct tire pressure .
• Tire pressure must only be adjusted when the tempera ture of the
tires is about the same as ambient air temperature .
• When tires are replaced , the sensors and valves should no t be
detached or exchanged. Only the valve core needs to be rep laced
and , if necessary , the valve and the wheel electronics replaced .
• If you should put different wheels and tires on your vehicle (e.g.
winter wheels and tires) , you must be certain that the wheels and
tires are compatible with the tire pressure monitoring system.
Otherwise the system will regis ter a ma lfunction and a fault
message will be displayed . For more information, contact your
authorized Audi dea ler.
• Adjust the tire pressure and store the pressure in the tire pres ­
sure monitoring system to the load you are carrying~
page 351.
• For Declaration of Compliance to United Sta tes FCC and Industry
Canada regulations~
page 404 . •
Significant loss of air pressure ft)
The yellow symbol appears in the event of a significant
loss of air pressure .
Fig . 26 Disp lay: ye llow
s y mbo l w ith m essage
If the warni ng l ight in the i nstrument cluster comes on
and t hen the ' ) symbol appears in the display ~ fig. 26,
pressure in a t least one t ire is too low.
Stop driv ing as soo n as possible without endangering
yourself and other drivers o n the road .
- Inspect all tires.
- Change the tire if necessary~
page 373.
The' warning ligh t in the instrument cluster comes on when the
tire is significantly underinflated .
In addition, the tir e symbol
a message
~ fig. 26. app
ears in the display tog ether with
After a few seconds, the message disappears again . If you would
like to show the message again, press the [ CH ECK] button. _.,,

[ i ] Tip s
• In the case of an intentional loss of air pressure, for example,
when re -adjusting tire pressure, this has to be stored again after ­
wards:::::,
page 45 .
• Tire pressure must only be adjusted when the temperature of the
tires is about the same as ambient air temperature.
• The ye llow symbol disappears, when the tire pressure is
corrected and the new pressure is stored in the system=:>
page 45.
• After changing a wheel you have to adjust the tire pressures on
all whee ls . In addition, you must then initialize the new tire pres­
sures in the tire pressure monitoring system=:>
page 46. •
Storing tire pressures
Correct storage of specified pressure is the basic require­
ment for reliable tire pressure monitoring.
Fig. 27 Car: Tire pres ­
s u re moni to rin g
sys tem
In o rder for the tire pressure mo nitoring system to operate
appropriately, you have to re -save the specified pressures in
the MMI wheneve r you adjust tire press ures, for example
when the load condition o f your vehic le changes. Proceed
as follows:
Controls and equip ­
ment
Dr ive r informat ion di spl ay
C orr ec ting tir e pr essur e
Check the pressure in the tires.
- Adjust air pressure according to the tire pressure label or the pressures listed in this manual~
page 351 .
Saving tir e pr essures
Turn o n the ignition .
Press the
I CAR] function button.
- Select
Systems in the CAR menu.
- Select
Tire pre ssure monitoring .
-Select Store curr . tir e press ures~ fig . 27.
All pressure warning indicators in the display wi ll be canceled.
Following each intentional change in specified pressures, tire pres­
sures must be resaved.
After the pressures are saved, the tire pressure monitoring system measures the current tire pressures and saves them as the new
specified pressures.
[ i ] Tip s
• The tire pressure is shown on the tire pressure label. On USA
vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver 's side B ­
pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either on
the driver's side B -pillar or inside the fuel filler f lap . T he tire pressure
label l ists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures for the
vehic le at its maximum capacity weight and the tires that were on
your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For recommended tire pressures for normal load conditions, please see chapter
=:>
page 351. ._
I • •

1111 ...... _A_ d_ a --=- p_t_ i_v _e_ A_ ir_ S_u_ s__,_ p_e_ n_ s_io _ n _____________________________________________ _
Adaptive Air Suspension
Air suspension and damping
Applies to vehicles: with Adaptive A ir Suspens ion
Description
Air suspension and damping can be regulated as desired
by driver, and they adapt automatically to the driving situ­
ation at the time.
Adaptive Air Suspension is an electronica lly contro lled springing
and damping system. This chassis system makes it easier on the
driver by adapting to the particular situation through imperceptible
control processes.
The
Adaptive Air Suspension component regulates ground clear ­
ance depending on vehic le speed and driver inpu t. It functions inde­
pendently from the load condition. Accelerating to a speed above a
predetermined limit will make the vehic le lower itself . On the other
hand, driving more slowly results in the vehicle raising again at
specific speeds.
The
damping component provides individual control of the
damping forces. For example, with damping characteristics set to
provide greater comfort, damping is set somewhat harder for a brief
period only as required, for example, when going around a curve or
when braking.
Settings
Adaptive Air Suspension prov ides the driver with the opportunity to
set the chassis characteristics a lso to their individual preference.
With the driving modes
comfort, automatic and dynamic the driver
has three chassis settings available, ranging from comfort to sporty.
The
offroad mode can be selected for driving on poor qua lity
stretches of road. In addition, lift provides a fifth mode, which can
be selected when exceptionally high ground clearance is needed
=> page 207, "Chassis controls". The modes are set in
MMI:::::,
page 208.
& WARNING
The height of the parked vehicle can change due to temperature
fluctuations or changes in load.
0 Note
• Whenever you park your vehicle, always make sure there is
adequate clearance above and below the vehic le. The height of the
parked vehicle can change as the result of temperature fluctuations,
changes in load condition and changes in the driving mode (ground
clearance!.
• If the vehicle is being transported (e.g. by tow truck, train, ship,
etc.), mount the tie -down chains/cables over the running surface
(circumference) of the tires . Never secure the veh icle by the axle, the
suspension struts or the front or rear towline eye. For technical
reasons, the pressure in the suspension struts may change during
the transport, which could result in the vehic le no longer being
secured properly.
• If you are going to tow a trailer with a trailer hitch that was
not
installed according to factory specifications, you must activate the
trailer operation mode manually:::::,
page 211.
[ i ] Tips
• Before you can raise your vehic le using the vehicle jack (for
example, when changing a flat tire) or a vehicle lift, you must acti­
vate the jacking mode:::::,
page 210.
• On some models, the vehicle can reach its maximum speed only
in the
automatic and dynamic modes. •

llffl..__A_ d_ a--=- p_t _iv _ e_ A_ i_ r _ S_ u_ s....; p=--- e_n_ s_ io_ n _____________________________________________ _
Fig . 227 D isp lay:
Ad apti ve Air Suspen ­
s io n
Repeated, brief tapping of the [R ESET] button on the windshield
wiper lever allows you to select whether information concerning the
trip computer, digital tachometer , navigation* or "Adaptive Air
Suspension" is to appear in the instrument c lu ste r disp lay.
Disp lay of the Adapt ive Air Suspension is automatic when the
off road or lift mode is sel ected, or when the v ehicle is automatically
lowered in lif t mode .
Raising and low ering
If arrow G) is solid red=> page 209, fig. 226 or white => fig. 227, the
vehic le is raised .
If ar row
0 is solid red or white, the vehicle is lowered .
The respective arrow stays on unti l the leve l change is complete.
The time required for a leve l change can vary, depend ing on the
current driv ing cond it ions .
Displ aying the vehicle level
The current vehicle level is shown with segments filled out in the
segment display@. If only the bottom segment is filled out, the
veh ic le is at highway level. If al l segments are filled out, the vehicle
is at high level 2 and has the grea test amount of ground c learance
possible .
Whi le the veh icle is being raised or lowered, the target level is indi ­
cated by an arrow© nex t to the co rresponding segment . The arrow
d isappears again when the vehic le is at the targe t level. •
Applies to vehi cle s: wi th A daptive Air S uspens ion
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire
T his mode must be activated before raising the vehicle
with a jack or on a vehicle lift.
Fig . 228 MMI Di splay:
A ctivat e jacking mod e
Switching jacking mode on and off
Press the (CAR ) funct ion b utton. The main me nu
Adaptive Air Suspension appears.
Press the (SETUP ) funct ion b utton. The main menu
Adaptive Air Suspension appea rs ~ fig . 228.
- Tur n the control k nob to
Vehicle jack mode and select on
or off as req uired.
The vehicle jack mode must be activated before changing a wheel
so that the au tomatic control processes for the air suspens ion do
not make lifting with the vehic le jack m ore diff icult .
The check lamp in the instrument c luster display illum inates in
vehic le jack mode.
[ i ] Tip s
The vehicl e jack mode is sw itched off automa tically at sp eeds above
9 mph ( 15 km/h). •

-L~A:::..:,: ir:....: b:!..::: a~g L.:: s:1y :...:s::..: t~ e:.: m:...:...:.. ________________________________________________ _
& WARN ING (continued )
cellular telephones and CB radios , et c.) must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training and spec ial equipment
ne cessary .
• For any work on the airbag system , we strongly recommend
that you see your author ized Audi dealer or qual ified workshop .
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body.
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter ­
ference :
- Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seatba cks that have not been spe cific ally approved by
Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags inflate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the side airbag module must always be repaired immedi­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer .
• The airbag system can be activated only once. Afte r an airbag
has inflated , it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the te chnical information , training
and spe cial equipment necessary.
• The airbag sy stem can be deployed only once. After an airbag
has been deployed , it must be repla ced with new repla cement
parts designed and approved especially for your Audi model
version . Replacement of complete airbag systems or airbag
components must be performed by qualified workshops only .
Make sure that any airbag service action is entered in your Audi
Warranty
& Maintenan ce booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .
• For safety reasons in severe accidents , the alternator and
starter are separated from the vehicle battery with a pyrotechni c
c ircuit interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechni c circuit interrupter must only be
performed by a qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
& WAR NING (continued )
-If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is s crapped , all appli­
cable safety precautions must be followed.
ffi For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretensioners might be c lassified
as Pe rchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca .gov/hazardouswaste/perc hlo ra te . When t he veh icle or
parts of the restraint system inc luding airbag mod ules and safety
be lts wi th pre tensio ners are sc rapp ed, all ap plicab le laws a nd regu ­
l ations must be observed . Your authorized Audi dealer is fam iliar
wit h these requir ements an d we re co mmen d t hat yo u have your
dea ler perform this service for you. •
Other things that can affect Advanced Airbag
performance
Changing the veh ic le 's su spension system can change the way that
th e Advanced Air bag Syste m performs in a c rash. Fo r example,
using tire-rim combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the
v eh ic le, c hang ing the stif fness of th e suspe nsio n, in cl ud in g the
springs, suspension struts, shoc k absorbers etc . can change the
fo rces that a re m eas ure d b y the air bag senso rs and se nt to the elec ­
tronic control unit. Some suspension changes can, for example,
increa se the fo rce level s measured by the sen so rs and ma ke the
a irbag syste m dep loy in crash es in which it wou ld not dep loy if the
changes ha d not been made . Othe r kinds of change s may red uce
t he fo rce lev els measu red by the se nso rs a nd preve nt the airba g
from deploying when it should.
T he sens ors i n th e safe ty bel t buc kle for th e driver a nd fr ont
passenger seat tell the electronic control modu le if the safety belt is
l a tc h ed or not. I f th e safe ty belt is being used, the fron t airbag wi ll
deploy at a slight ly h igher rate of vehic le dece leration than if the
sa fe ty be lt is n ot b ein g use d. Therefore, i n a partic ular c ollisi on, it i s -.,

possible that an airbag will not deploy at a seating position where
the safety belt is being used but will inflate at the position where the
safety belt is not being used . It is important that nothing interfere
with the safety belt buckles so that the sensors can send the correct
information about safety belt use to the electronic control unit .
& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including use of unapproved
tire -rim combinations can change Advanced Airbag performance
and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
• Never install suspension components that do not have the
same performance characteristics as the components originally
installed on your vehicle.
• Never use tire-rim combinations that have not been approved
by Audi.
& WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center
console can cause the sensors in the buckle to send the wrong
information to the electronic control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety
belt buckles and that they are not obstructed.
Undeployed airbag modu les and pretensioners might be classified
as Perchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc .ca.gov/ha zardouswaste/perchlorat e. When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system including airbag modules and safety
belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regu­
lations must be observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar
with these requiremen ts and we recommend that you have your
dealer perform this service for you.•
Safety first
Side airbags
Description of side airbags Airbag
system
The airbag system
can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig . 254 Side airbag
location in the driver's
sea t
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
~ fig. 254 and the rear backrest * facing the doors . They are identi ­
fied by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and external side i mpact sensors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• two rear side airbags (as an ordered
option)
• the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.
The airbag system is mon itored e lectronica lly to make certain that
it is functioning prop erly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni ­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few
seconds (se lf diagnostics) .
The side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help
to reduce the risk of injury to the driver's , front and rea r*
passenger's upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a
s ide collision . The airbag dep loys on ly in side impacts and only
when the vehicle acceleration registered by the control unit is high
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

llffl!I Trailer towing
------=---------------------------------
& W ARN ING (continued )
• The Gros s Vehicle Weight Rating for your Audi 07 vehicle ,
found on the safety compliance l abel on the driver's side B -pillar ,
must never be ex ceeded under any cir cumstances . E xceeding the
Gross Vehi cle Weight Rating of your vehicle is likely to damage
your vehicle , and such damage w ill not be covered by your Limited
New Vehicle Warranty. Exceeding the Gro ss Vehicle Weight Rating
will also change the performan ce and handling characteristics of
your vehicle , which could cause a crash resulting in serious injury
or death .
• The Gros s Vehicle Weight Rating for your Audi 0 7 would be
e xc eeded if your veh icle is simultaneously equipped with
Panoramic sliding sunroof ; third -row seating ; trailer towing equip ­
ment (factory or dealer -installed) , and running boards (dealer ­
installedl. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY ALL SUCH ITEMS BE
INSTALLED ON THE SAME VEHICLE .
a
Operating instructions
---------~--~-------
MAX 6.9"
MAX 175mm
Trailer towing weights
Fi g. 2 76 P erm itted ball
po sition of the trailer
hitch
With a factory-installed trai ler hitch, the maximum permissible
trai ler weight is 6,615 lbs (3,000 kg). The maximum permissible
unbraked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kgl. With an
aftermarket
tr ailer h itch , the maxi mum pe rm iss ib le tra iler weigh t is 5,51 2 lb s (2,500
kg). These specifications apply when driv ing on roads having
an in cli ne of less t han 12% .
Permissible tongue load
Fo r best v ehicle ha ndling under th es e changed con ditio ns, a dju st
the trai ler load so that the tongue load is at the maximum allowable
or s lightly lower. Y ou ca n ge t an ap proxi mati on of the tong ue load
with a bathroom sca le or you can measure the load at a trucking
company or weig hing s tati on.
Wtih a
factory -installed trailer hi tch, the max imum perm issib le load
on the ball hitch may not exceed 66 2 lbs (300 kg) . With an
after­
market
t ra iler hitc h, the max imum pe rmi ssible loa d on the ball h itch
may not exceed 55 1 lbs (250 kg). It is recommended to use the
m aximum p ermi ssi ble l oad.
Trailer load distribution B e sure the load in the trai ler is he ld securel y in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer=> & in "D riving ins truc­
tions" on page 307.
Ball mount
T he trai ler hitch may only be used with suitab le ball mount and ball
=> fig. 276 . In sta llati on of t he hitch ball must be ca rr ie d o ut i n a ccor ­
dance with the manufacturer's instructions. At the height dimen­
s io n of 1 .5 in (38 .5 mm) a tole ran ce o f+/- 0 .5 in (12 .7 mm) is pe rmis ­
sib le.
Engine cooling system
T owing a trai ler makes the engine work harder. It is important that
th e c ooli ng system 's per forman ce is u p to the a ddi tiona l loa d. Ma ke
sure that the coo ling s ystem has enough f luid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehic le to the cold tire
p re ssure l is ted unde r "Full load" on th e tire press ure l abe l. On USA
vehic les, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side 8 -

pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either on
t he driver's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel fil ler flap. Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifications.
L ight s
The head light settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off . Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Sa fety c hain s
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle . Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you insta ll safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving .
The chains should cross under the tra iler tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
0 Note
If you are going to tow a traile r, you must activate the trailer opera ­
tion mode =>
page 211, "Towing a trailer" .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the fo llow ing:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car i tse lf is not
loaded .
- Be especia lly careful when passing other vehicles .
- Observe speed l imits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
Always apply brakes early .
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weigh t dis tr ibution
Towing a loaded trailer wi th an empty car results in a highly
unstable dis tribution 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 permis ­
sib le, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances . Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher th e speed, the more difficu lt it becomes for the driver to
control the rig . Do not drive at t he maximum pe rmissible speed.
Reduce your speed even more
if load, weather or wind conditions
a re unfavorable -particularly when going downhil l.
Reduce vehicle speed
i mmedi ate ly if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not tr y to s top the swaying by accelerating .
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trailers are lower than for regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coo lant t emperatu re
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 13 must be obse rved care ­
ful ly. If the need le moves close to the upper end of the sca le , reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts f lashing
- f- , pul l off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes t o prevent heat build -up.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data