traction control AUDI RS7 SPORTBACK 2014 Owners Manual

Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers for the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event. EDR's are sometimes called "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retr ieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDR's that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for examp le, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during norma l vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a very limited period of
time and stored when a system fault or other
condition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may relate to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as we ll as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of
skidding and loss of veh icle control. It works
only when the engine is running. ESC detects
Intelligent technology 189
certain difficult driving situations, including
when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw)
out of control and helps you to get the veh icle
back under control by se lectively braking the
wheels, and/or reducing engine power and
providing steering ass istance to help hold the
vehicle on the driver's intended course. The in­
dicator light
JjJ in the instrument cluster
blinks when ESC is taking action to help you
control the vehicle.
ESC has limitations .
It is important to remem­
ber that ESC cannot overcome the laws of
physics.
It will not always be able to help out
under all conditions you may come up against.
For example, ESC may not always be able to
help you master situations where there is a
sudden change in the coefficient of friction of
the road surface. When there is a section of dry road that is suddenly covered with water,
slush or snow, ESC cannot perform the same
way it would on the dry surface. If the vehicle
hydroplanes (rides on a cushion of water in­
stead of the road surface), ESC will not be
able to help you steer the vehicle because con­
tact with the pavement has been interrupted
and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered .
During fast cornering, particularly on winding
roads, ESC cannot always deal as effectively
with difficult driving situations than at lower
speeds.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to
road, traffic and weather conditions. ESC can­
not override the vehicle's physical limits, in­
crease the available traction, or keep a vehicle
on the road if road departure is a result of
driver inattention. Instead, ESC improves the
poss ibility of keeping the vehicle under con­
trol and on the road dur ing extreme maneu­
vers by usin g the driver 's steering inputs to
help keep the vehicle going in the intended di­
rection. If you are traveling at a speed that
causes you to run off the road before ESC can
provide any assistance, you may not experi­
ence the benefits of ESC.
ESC includes and/or works together with the
anti- lock brake system (ABS), brake assist sys -
tem, anti-slip regu lation (ASR), electronic
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190 Intelligent technology
differential lock (EDL), dynamic steering* and
selective whee l torque control. ESC is switch­
ed on all the t ime. In certa in situations when
you need less traction, you can switch off ASR
by pressing the button
[ill c> page 191,
fig. 180. Be sure to switch ASR on again when
you no longe r need less traction .
Anti-loc k br ak ing system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up
when braking. The vehicle can still be steered
even during hard brak ing. Apply steady pres­
sure to the brake pedal. Do not pump the ped­
al. A puls ing in the brake pedal ind icates that
the system is he lp ing you to b rake the vehicle.
B rake as sist sys tem
The brake assist system can decrease braking
d istance. It increases braking power when the
driver presses the brake pedal quick ly in emer ­
gency situations. You must p ress and hold the
b rake pedal until the situation is over. I n
vehicles w ith adaptive cru ise cont rol*, the
b rake assist system is more sens it ive if the
d istance detected to the vehicle ahead is too
smal l.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engi ne power when the d rive
wheels begin to spin and ad apts the fo rce to
the road condit ions. This makes i t easier to
start, accelerate and drive up hills .
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the d rive powe r to the other d rive
wheel o r whee ls if the vehi cle is equipped wi th
a ll-w hee l drive* . This function is available up
to about 75 mph (120 km/h).
I n extreme cases, ED L automat ica lly swit ches
off to help keep the brake o n the braked whee l
from overheating . EDL wi ll switch on again au­
tomatically when conditions have returned to
norma l.
Dynamic steering*
On vehi cles w ith dy namic stee ring*, ESC helps
stabilize the steering i n critical s ituations.
Selective wheel torque control
T he sele ctive whee l torq ue con trol ope rates
when driving through c urves . The front whee l
on the inside of th e curve o r both wheels on
the inside of the curve are braked selectively
as needed. This minimizes sliding in the front
whee ls and allows for more precise driving
t hr ough curves. The appl icable system may
not act ivate when dr iv ing in wet or snowy con­
ditions .
,&. WARNING
-ESC, ABS, ASR, EDL, dy namic steeri ng*
and the select ive wheel torq ue con trol
c a nnot ove rcome the laws of physics.
T his is especially important on slippery
or wet roads.
If the systems begin acting
to stabilize your veh icle, yo u should im­
mediately change your speed to match
the road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the increased safety provided by
these systems tempt you to take r isks.
Doing so will increase the risk of a loss of
veh icle cont ro l, collision and ser ious per­
sonal injur ies.
- Always adapt your speed to road, traffic
and wea ther conditions. The risk of los­
ing con trol of t he vehicle increases when
d riving too fast, espec ially through
curves and on slippery or wet roads, and
when dr iving too close to vehicles up
ahead. ESC, ABS, the brake assist sys­
tem, ASR, EDL, dynam ic steering* and
the selective wheel torque contro l can­
not prevent collisions .
- Always accelerate with special care on
even, smooth su rfaces such as those that
are wet or covered with ice and snow .
The drive wheels can spin eve n w ith
these assistan ce systems that cannot al­
ways he lp to re duce the risk of loss of ve ­
h icle control.
(D Tips
- ABS and ASR o nly wo rk correctly when
all four wheels are equipped with identi­
cal tires. D iffe ren t tire si zes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
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192 Intelligent technology
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling
and enhances driver control.
Fig. 181 Center console: Switch for rear spo iler
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts. Spoiler
operation can be set for automatic or manual
operat ion.
Automatic mode (normal operation)
-Automatic deployment: At a speed of about
80 mph (130 km/h), the rear spoiler deploys
automatically.
- Automatic retraction: When speed drops be­
low about SO mph (80 km/h), the rear spoil­
er retracts automatically.
Manual mode
- Manual deployment: Tapping briefly on the
switch
c:> fig. 181 deploys the rear spoiler .
- Manual retraction: At speeds up to about
10 mph (20 km/h), retract the rear spoiler
by pressing and holding the switch
c:> fig. 181 . At speeds between 10 mph (20
km/h) and 80 mph (130 km/h), retract the
rear spoiler by tapping on the switch
<=?fig. 181.
Indicator lights
I§!/. Rear spoiler: system malfunction!
The rear spoiler may not have extended due to
a malfunction. This could change the vehicle's
driving characteristics at high speeds. Do not
exceed 85 mph (140 km/h). Drive to your au­
thorized Audi dealer immed iately to have the
malfunction corrected . The co lor of the indica­
tor light depends on the veh icle speed.
A WARNING
-Driving at higher speeds without the rear
spoiler deployed can impair handling char­
acteristics, making the vehicle harder to
control.
-Always make sure that the spo iler is de­
p loyed when driving at speeds over
85 mph (140 km/h) . If the rear spoiler
warn ing/ indicator light in the instru­
ment cluster comes on, the rear spoiler
may not have deployed.
- Never drive at speeds higher than
85 mph (140 km/h) if the spoiler is not
deployed. Have the spoiler inspected as
soon as possible by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf­
fic laws.
A WARNING
Improper operation of the rear spoi ler can
cause crushing injuries.
- Always make sure that nobody, especially
children, is in the way when the rear
spoiler is deployed or retracted.
(D Note
- Never push the vehicle or apply force to
the rear spoiler -it could be damaged.
- Only operate the rear spoiler manua lly
when the rear lid is closed . Otherwise,
damage could occur.
(I} Tips
Clean the spoiler compartment every 2 to
3 months. The spoiler compartment must
always be free of ice, snow, leaves or other
debris.

Driving with your
quattro
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv­
en .
General information
With all-wheel drive, power is distributed to
all four wheels . This happens automatically
depending on your driving style and the road
conditions at the time . See also
t::;> page 189.
A center differential distributes the driving
power variably to the front and rear axle. It
works together with selective wheel torque
control, which activates when driving through
curves
t::;> page 190 . With the sport d ifferen­
tial*, power distribution to the rear wheels is
va riable and can be adjusted with drive select
¢page 96.
The all-wheel drive concept is designed for
hi gh engine power. Your vehicle is exception­
ally powerful and has exce llent dr iv ing charac­
teristics both under normal driving conditions
and on snow and
ice. Always read and follow
safety precautions
t::;> .& .
Winter tires
When driving in the w inter, your ve hicle with
all-wheel drive has an advantage, even with
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea­
son t ires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels. See also ¢ page 243, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally a lso applies to vehicles
with a ll-wheel drive¢
page 244, Snow
chains.
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles w ith all-wheel drive must always
have tires of the same size. Also avoid tires
with different tread depths. For details see
page
t::;> page 239, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels .
Intelligent technology 195
Off•Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough g round clear­
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle.
It is
therefore best to avoid rough tracks and un ­
even terrain as much as possible. Also refer to
¢page 199.
A WARNING
Always adjust your dr iv ing to road and traf­
fic conditions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
- Although the all-wheel drive is very ef­ fective, always remember that braking
capacity is lim ited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive
speeds on icy or slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to
drive too fast because the front wheels
could begin to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning) . If this should occur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in­
crease in engine speed as with a front­
wheel drive veh icle. Always drive at
speeds which are su ited to the road con­
ditions - risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting
the engine .
If a vehicle with a conventiona l energy system
is not driven for a long period of tim e, the bat­
tery is discharged by idling current consumers
(e.g . immobilizer). In certain circumstances it
can resu lt in there being insufficient energy
available to start the eng ine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle handles the distribution of e lectrica l ene r­
gy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
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manufacturers also must indicate the materi­
als in the tire, which include steel, nylon, pol­
yester, and others.
M ax imum Load R atin g
This numbe r indicates the maximum load in
kilograms and pounds that can be carried by
the tire.
Tire qualit y gra ding for treadw ear,
t ract ion , and temp erature r esistanc e
Tread wear , traction and temperature g rades
¢ page 242.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressur e
This number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that sho uld ever be put in the ti re
under normal driving conditions.
_& WARNING ,...__._
- Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/
or whee ls or improper tire and whee l
combinations can lead to loss of contro l,
co llision and serious persona l injury.
- Always use tires, rims and wheel bo lts
that meet the specifications of original
factory-installed tires or other combina­ t ions that have been spec ifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manufacturer.
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fail suddenly, especially at high
speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at lower
speeds .
- Never mount used tires on your vehicle if
you are not su re of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used ti res may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to s udden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- All four wheels must be fitted with radia l
tires of the same type, size (rolling cir­ c u mference) and the same tread pattern.
Driving with different tires red uces veh i­
cle handling and can lead to a loss of
control.
Tire s an d wheel s 241
-If the replacement tire is not the same as
the t ires that are mounted on the veh icle
- for example with winter tires - only use
the replacement tire for a short per iod of
time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road whee l as soon as safely pos­
sible.
- Never drive faster than the max imum
speed for which the tires on you r vehicle
a re rated because tires that are dr iven
faster than thei r rated speed ca n fa il
suddenly .
- Ove rloading tires ca use heat build-up,
sudden tire fa ilure, including a blowou t
and sudden deflation and loss of cont ro l.
- Temperature grades apply to ti res that
are properly inflated and not over or un ­
derinf lated .
- F or technical reasons it is not always
possible to use whee ls from other
vehicles -in some cases not even whee ls
from the same veh icle mode l.
- If you install wheel trim discs on the ve ­
hicle wheels, make sure that the air flow
to the brakes is not b locked. Reduced air­
flow to the brakes can them to overheat, increas ing stopping d istances and caus­
ing a co llision.
- Run flat tires may only be used on
veh icles that were equipped with them
at the factory . The veh icle must have a
chassis designed for run flat tires . Incor­
rect use of ru n flat ti res can lead to vehi­
cle damage or accide nts. Che ck with an
author ized Audi dealer or tire spe cialist
to see if your vehicle can be eq uipped
with run flat tires . If run flat tires are
used, they must be installed on all four
wheels. Mixing tire types is not permit­
ted.
@ Note
- For technical reasons, it is not generally
possible to use the wheel rims from oth­
er veh icles. Th is can hold tr ue for wheels
of the same vehicle type. .,..
•
•

24 2 T ire s and wheel s
-If a replacement tire is different from
the tires that you have mounted on your
vehicle (for example winter tires or wide profile tires), then use the replacement
tire for a short period of time only and
drive w ith extra care. Replace the flat tire
with the tire matching the others on your
vehicle as soon as poss ible.
- Never dr ive without the valve stem cap .
The valves could get damaged.
@ For the sake of the environment
Dispose of old t ires in accordance with the
local requ irements.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- Traction AA A BC
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire side wa ll between tread shou lder
and max imum section width
¢ page 239,
fig. 199.
For example: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA,
Temperature A.
All passenge r car tires must confo rm to Feder ­
a l Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades .
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
u nder cont rolled conditions on a spec ified
government test course .
For example, a t ire graded 1S0 wou ld wear
one and one half (11/ 2) t imes as well on the
gove rnment course as a tire graded 100.
The relat ive perfo rmance of t ires depends
upon the a ctua l conditions of their use, how ­
ever, and may depart sign ifican tly from the
n orm due to var iat ions in dr iving habits, serv­
ice practices and differences in road cha racte r­
istics and climate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. Those grades represent the
ti re's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under contro lled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of aspha lt
and concrete. A t ire marked C may have poor
traction performance ¢.&,. .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ab ility to dissi­
pate heat when tested under controlled condi­
t ions on a specif ied indoo r laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained h igh temperature can cause the
mater ial of the tire to degenerate and reduce
t ire life, and excessive temperature ca n lead
to sudden tire failure
~ .&,. .
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform ­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand­
ard No. 109 . Grades Band A represent h igher
levels of performance on the laborato ry test
whee l than the minimum requ ired by law.
_& WARNING
The t raction grade assigned to t his tire is
based on s traight-ahead braking trac tion
tests, and does not include accelerat ion,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak t raction
cha racte rist i cs.
A WARNING "--
The temperature grade for this tire is es-
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excess ive speed, un­
derinflation, or excess ive load ing, either
separately or in combinat ion, can cause
heat bui ldup and possib le tire failure.
-