towing AUDI S3 2009 User Guide

Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check with your
authorized Audi dealer for correct wiring, switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you using the regular
outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is impor­
tant that you
always have clear vision to the rear .
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure you
or your passengers .
.1
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to guard
against shifting, be it forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer:::::, & in "Driving instruc­
tions".
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the sticker on the right door­
jamb. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Trailer towing
Lights
The
headlight settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off. Adjust as necessary so that you can see the road
ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check proper working of vehicle and trailer lights.
Safety chains
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 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.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
Observe speed limits.
Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
Monitor the temperature gauge.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Weig ht dis tributi on
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car resu lts in a high ly
unstable distribution of weight . If this cannot be avoided drive at
very low speeds on ly to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "ba lanced" 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 trai ler as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances. Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig . Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
Reduce your speed even more under unfavorable load, weather or
wind conditions -particularly when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
imm ed ia tely if the trailer shows the sl ightest
sign of swaying. Do not try to s top the s wayi ng by a ccelerating .
Observe speed limits . In some areas speeds for vehicles towing
trai lers are lower than for regular vehicles.
Always app ly brakes early. When driving downhill, shift into lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow down the vehicle. Use
of the brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
C oo la nt tempe ra tu re
The coolant temperature gauge ~ page 9 must be observed care ­
ful ly. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or switch off the air condit ioner.
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 .
& WARNING
An yone not p rope rly res train ed in a mo ving vehi cle is a t a mu ch
gre ater risk in a n accident. Neve r let an yone ride in your car who
is not p rop erly we ari ng th e res tra int s pro vide d b y Aud i.
c
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles different ly when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy w ill great ly depend on how carefu lly you load your
trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow you r trailer, practice turn ing, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing unti l you
have complete ly become familiar with the way your vehicle -trailer
combination behaves and responds .
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a
trailer genera lly requires steering ac tion opposite of 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.
T o compensate for the trailer, you wi ll need a larger than normal
turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you n ormal ly wou ld because of the added load . Make su re you have
enough room to pass. After passing, al low plenty of room for your
trailer before changing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns o r rapid lane changes.

[ i] Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in period of your vehicle.
• If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent mainte ­
nance due to the extra load=>
page 304. •
Parking on a slope
-----------------
Do not park with a trailer on a slope. 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 vehicle and the trailer wheels .
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until
wheel blocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Place an automatic transmission in
P, respectively a
manual transmission in first or reverse gear.
When restarting after parking:
- Start the engine.
- Shift transmission into gear.
- Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away from the wheel blocks.
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel blocks.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Trailer towing
[
i] Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmission to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the
P
position .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE COMBINED
WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle's placard (tire infla­
tion pressure label)=>
page 247, fig. 180.
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo­
grams or
"XXX" pounds shown on the
sticker=>
page 247, fig. 180.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will
be five
150 lbs. passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.
( 1400- 750 (5 x 150) = 650 I bs.)
Tires and wheels 111111
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step
4.
6.
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the avail­
able cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
- Check the tire sidewall (=>
page 255,
fig. 184) to determine the designated
load rating for a specific tire. •
Vehicle care I • •

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What do I do now?
Jack, tools and spare wheel
Jack and tools
The tools and jack are stored underneath the floor panel
in the luggage compartment.
Raise the floor panel with the loop.
Fig. 188 Floor panel
hung on the bottom of
the luggage compart­
ment cover
Fig . 189 Vehicle tool
kit and jack
- Hang the loop on the underside of the luggage compart­
ment cover ~ fig. 188.
Remove the tool kit or the jack.
The onboard tool kit includes:
• Hook for removing wheel covers*
• Plasti c hook to remove wheel bolt covers
• Wheel bolt wrench
• Alignment pin for changing wheels
• Screwdriver with reversible blade
• Towing eye
Before storing the jack, make sure it is wound back down as far as it
will go.
After use, the jack and tools must be put back in place underneath
the floor panel in the luggage compartment.
Note: some of the on-board items listed above are provided on
certain models only or are optional extras.
& WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack can cause serious personal inju­
ries.
• Using a bumper jack to raise the vehicle will damage the
bumper system. The jack may slip, causing injury.
• Never support your vehicle on cinder blocks, bricks or other
objects. These may not be able to support the load and could
cause injury when they fail.
• Never start or run the engine while the vehicle is supported by
the jack.
• If you must work under the vehicle, always use safety stands
specifically designed for this purpose.
• Never try and use the hexagonal socket
in the handle of the
screwdriver to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.

What do I do now? -__________________ __;__:....:....:..:: __ _
•
-All passengers should leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail)~& .
- Apply the
parking brake firmly ~& .
- Move
selector lever to position Pon an automatic trans-
miss ion; put manual transmission in
first gear ~& .
-If you are towing a trailer : unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle.
- Take the
tool and the spare tire~ page 270 out of the
luggage compartment.
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if
you do not follow these safety precautions:
• If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off the road. Turn off
the engine, turn the emergency flasher on and use other warning
devices to alert other motorists.
• Make sure that passengers wait
in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the roadway and traffic.
• To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possibly
slipping off the jack, always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed. When one
front wheel is lifted off the ground, placing the automatic trans­
mission in "P" (Park), or engaging a gear in a manual transmission
will
not prevent the vehicle from moving.
• Before you change a wheel, be sure the ground is level and firm.
If necessary, use a sturdy board under the jack.
• After installing the spare wheel, make sure that you remount
the flat tire/wheel in its storage area properly and tighten the
knurled retaining screw securely. •
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence described
below step-by-step and exactly in that order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For more details
see also
~ page 274, "Decorative wheel covers" or
~ page 275, "Wheels with cap-covered wheel bolts".
2. Loosen the
wheel bolts ~ page 276.
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the jack and align the jack below that point~
page 276.
4. Lift the car with the jack~ page 276.
5. Take the flat wheel off and then put the spare on
~ page 278.
6. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly .
7.
Lower the vehicle with the jack .
8. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten all wheel
bolts
~ page 276.
9. Put the decorative wheel cover* back on.
& WARNING
Always read and head all WARNINGS and information ::} & in
"Raising the vehicle" on
page 276 and ~ page 279. •
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the following
actions.
- Store and secure the replaced wheel in the spare wheel
well. .,._
Do-it-yourself service

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•
Emergency situations
General
This chapter is intended for trained emergency crews and working
pe rsonnel who have the necessary tools and equ ipment to perform
these operations. •
Starting by pushing or towing
(D Note
Vehicles with an automatic transmis sion cannot be started by
push ing or towing . •
Starting with jumper cables
Ju mpe r cabl e: Note the man ufa ct ure r's in for matio n.
If the battery is discharged, another veh icle can provide starting
assistance. For this you require a jumper cable. Both batteries must
h ave t he same vo ltage (V) and a s im ilar capacity (Ah).
Jumper cables
Use
only jumper cables of sufficiently large cross section to safely
car ry the starter current . Refer to the manufactu rer's specifications.
Use only j um per ca bles with
isolated term in al cl am ps and pr operly
marked for distinction :
plus
(+) cable in mo st c ases c olored red
minus( -) cable i n most cas es co lor ed black .
& WARNING
Batteries contain electricity, acid , and gas. Any of the se can cause
very ser ious or fatal injury . Follow the instructions below for safe
handling of your vehicle 's battery .
• Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning over the battery
whenever possible .
• A discharged battery can already freeze at temperatures just
below 32 °F (0 °C l. Never attempt to provide starting assistance on
a frozen or thawed out battery- Danger of explosion and chemical
burns! Replace a battery if it has been frozen.
• Do not allow battery acid to contact eyes or skin. Flush any
contacted area with water immediately .
• Improper use of a booster battery to start a vehicle may cause
an explosion .
• Vehicle batteries generate explosive gases . Keep sparks, flame
and lighted cigarettes away from batteries .
• Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a low acid level in the
battery .
• The voltage of the booster battery must also have a 12 -Volt
rating . The capacity (Ah ) of the booster battery should not be
lower than that of the discharged battery . Use of batteries of
different voltage or substantially different "Ah " rating may cause
an explosion and personal injury .
• Never charge a frozen battery . Gas trapped in the ice may cause
an explosion.
• Never charge or use a battery that has been frozen . The battery
case may have be weakened .
• Use of batter ies of different voltage or substantially different
capacity (Ah) rating may cau se an e xplosion and inju ry . The
c apacity (Ah ) of the booster battery should not be lower than that
of the discharged battery. .,.
Do-it -yourself service

-L~E=m~e::,r~g~e~n~c::.y!'....:s~i:,.::t~u=.,::a:=.:t:!i.:::o:.:.n.:.:s~ ---------------------------------------------
15. Turn the hea ter blowe r and th e rear wind ow heat er off
aga in.
The battery is ve nted to the outs ide to preve nt gases from e nter ing
the veh icle interior.
M ake sure tha t th e jum per c lamps are well co nnected w ith their
metal parts in full contact with the battery terminals .
& WARNING
To avoid serious personal injury and damage to the vehicle , heed
all warnings and instructions of the jumper cable manufacturer. If
in doubt , call for road service .
• Jumper cables must be long enough so that the vehicles do not
tou ch .
• When connecting jumper cables , make sure that they cannot
get caught in any moving parts in the engine compa rtment .
• Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS=>
page 217, "Engine compartment ".
0 Note
Improperly connected jumper cab les can damage or destroy the
ge nerator.
• Always connec t POSI TIVE (+) to P OSITIV E(+), and NEGATIVE (-l to
N EGA TIVE( -) te rmi nal.
• Chec k th at a ll screw plugs o n the ba ttery cel ls are screwe d in
fi rm ly. If not, t ighten plu gs prio r to connect ing cla mp on neg ative
batte ry te rmina l.
• Please note that the procedure for connecting a jumper cab le as
de scribed abo ve applies specifical ly to the case of y our vehicle
being ju mp s tarted. W hen you ar e giving a jump start to anoth er
vehic le, do
not connect the mi nus( -) ca ble to the m inus( -) te rmina l
on the disc ha rged battery ©=>
page 28 9, fi g. 203. Ins tead, secu re ly
connect the minus( -) cable to either a massive metal component that is firm
ly bolted to the engine b lock or to the engine block itself.
I f t he b att ery t hat is bei ng c harge d does not vent t o th e ou ts id e,
escap ing battery gas cou ld ignite and explode !
[ i ] Tips
In the Aud i A3 with the 6 -cy linder engine, the battery is located
b el ow the luggage c ompartmen t fl oor, pro tec ted by a me ta l sh rou d.
Access requ ires pro fess io na l skill and special tools. •
Emergency towing with commercial
tow truck
General hints
You r Audi req uir es s pec ial ha ndl ing fo r t owin g.
T he fo llo wi ng infor matio n is to b e used by com merc ial tow t ru ck
operators who know how to operate the ir equ ipment safe ly.
• Never tow your Audi , towing will cause damage to the engine
and transmission .
• Never wrap the safety chains or winch cables around the brake
lines .
• To prevent unnecessary damage, your Audi must be transported
with a car carrier (flat bed truck) .
• To load the vehicle on to the flat bed , use the towing loop found
in the vehicle tools and attach to the front or rear anchorage
=> p ag e 293 and => page 293.
& WARNING
A vehicle being towed is not safe for passengers. Never allow
anyone to ride in a vehicle being towed , for any reason . •

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Front towing loop
Do not install the front towing loop until it is needed.
Fig. 206 Front
bumper: removing the
cover cap
Fig . 207 Front
bumper: screwing in
the towing loop
The towing loop fits into the threaded hole located on the
right side of the front bumper and covered by a small cover
when not in use. Note that the towing loop has a
left-hand
thread!
- Remove the towing loop from the vehicle toolkit
=>
page 270.
- Press on the bottom edge of the cover cap to disengage
and take it out of the bumper. The cap remains
connected to the bumper=> fig. 206. - Insert the
towing loop into the threaded hole => fig. 207
and turn it all the way in until it is seated securely, then
tighten it with the wheel bolt wrench.
When it is no longer needed, unscrew the towing loop and put it
back into the on-board toolkit. Make sure to have the towing loop
stored in the vehicle at all times.
& WARNING
If the towing loop is not screwed in as far as it will go, the thread
can pull out when the vehicle is towed -potential risk of an
accident. •
Rear towing loop
Do not install the rear towing loop until it is needed.
Vehicle care
~ N
-ci. co co
Fig. 208 Rear bumper :
cover ...
Do-it-yourself service irechnical data

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Fig. 209 Rear bumper:
towing loop inserted
On the right side of the rear bumper there is a threaded hole
for the towing loop. The threaded hole is behind a cover.
Note that the towing loop has a left-hand thread!
Remove the towing loop from the vehicle toolkit
~ page 270.
Place the screwdriver against the upper edge of the
cover and carefully pry it out~
page 293, fig. 208.
- Insert the towing loop into the threaded hole~ fig. 209
and turn it all the way in until it is seated securely, then
tighten it with the wheel bolt wrench.
When it is no longer needed, unscrew the towing loop and put it
back into the vehicle toolkit. Be sure to have the towing loop stored in the vehicle at all times.
& WARNING
If you do not screw the towing loop completely, it could come out
of the threaded hole while the vehicle is being towed causing
damage to the vehicle and possible serious personal injury. •
Loading the vehicle onto a flat bed truck
Front
hook up
N
"' :? 0:. .,
"'
Fig. 210 Vehicle on flat
bed truck
-Align the vehicle with the centerline of the car carrier
ramp.
- Attach the winch hook to the front towline eye
~ page 293, fig. 207 previously installed.
Rear hook up
-Align the vehicle with the centerline of the car carrier
ramp.
- Attach the winch hook to the rear towline eye~ fig. 209
previously installed.
[ i] Tips
Check carefully to make sure the hook -up is secure before moving
the car up the flatbed truck ramp. •