traction control AUDI TT COUPE 2009 Owners Manual

Activating
The ESP is automatically activated when the engine is started and it
performs a self-test. You can activate a deactivated ASR if required
by pressing the=>
page 182, fig. 130 button. When it is activated,
the message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display. Vehicles
with front -wheel drive a deactivated ASR automatically re -activates
itself at a speed of 40 mph (70 km/h).
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if required by pressing the button (for
less than 3 seconds)=>
page 182, fig. 130. With the ASR deactivated,
the ESP check light comes on, see=>
page 17. The message ASR off
appears in the display as well. On vehicles with front -wheel drive:
deactivation is possible only up to 30 mph (50 km/h) for safety
reasons. Vehicles with all -wheel drive : the ASR can be deactivated
at any speed.
The ASR should normally be activated all the time. Only in certain exceptional situations when some slip is desirable does it make
sense to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck.
When the abnormal situation is over, you should activate the ASR
again.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i J Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires. Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
Intelligent technology
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also ::::>
page 246, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling and enhances
driver control.
Fig. 131 Switch for
rear spoiler
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts. Spoiler operation can be set
for automatic or manual operation .
Automatic mode (normal operation)
• Automatic deployment : At a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h),
the rear spoiler deploys automatically.
• Automatic retraction: When speed drops below about 50 mph
(80 km/h), the rear spoiler retracts automatically.
Manual mode
• Manual deployment: Tapping briefly on the switch ::::> fig. 131
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
::::> fig. 131. At speeds between 10 mph (20 km/h) and 75 mph (120
km/h), retract the rear spoiler by tapping on the switch=> fig. 131 .
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

• Be aware of the different than usual steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly.
• Have the problem checked and set right by an authorized Audi
dealer as soon as possible.
• If a steering malfunction occurs, this is signaled with the or.
~ indicator lights and a warning tone, see.
[ i] Tips
• If the power steering system should fail, or if the engine is not
running (for example, while being towed} , you will still be able to
steer the vehicle. However, more effort will be required to do so.
• If the power steering system is not functioning properly, contact
your authorized Audi dealer immediately.
Ap plies to vehicles : w ith A ll Wheel Drive
0 iving w i h your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
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=> page
184, "Electronic differ ­
ential lock (EDU".
Winter tires
When driving in the winter , your vehicle 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-season tires} for improved
driveability and braking : these tires must be mounted on all four
wheels. See also=> page 250, "Winter tires".
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
Snow
chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with All Wheel Drive=> page 251, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size. Also avoid tires with different tread depths . For details see
page => page 246, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to=> page 192.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic 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 effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited 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 (aqua­ planing}.
If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle . Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road condi­
tions. -risk of crash. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
ture. For example, the numbers 2209 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22th week of 2009. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or may not be used by the tire manufac­
turer. This information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Tire ply composition and materials used
The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated
fabric in the tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the
more weight a tire can support. Tire manufacturers also must indi­
cate the materials in the tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester,
and others .
Maximum Load Rating
This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
Tire quality grading for treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades => page 249.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
Replacing tires or rims on vehicles equipped with tire
pressure monitoring system*
The wheels on your vehicle are equipped with a sensor which
constantly monitors the air pressure inside the tire, and then trans­
mits this information to the tire pressure monitoring system *. If you
are going to replace the wheel rims on your vehicle, make sure the
new rims also have these sensors . The sensors must be compatible
with the tire pressure monitoring system * on your vehicle.
If the sensors are to be installed on different rims , the seal, washer ,
and valve cap for each sensor must be replaced.
If you install rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
which are not compatible, then the tire pressure monitoring system* will not work properly.
In this case, the tire pressure moni­
toring system * would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or
warn you if it is necessary .
• The battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
recommend using factory installed valve stem caps. Ask your autho­
rized Audi dealer to replace lost valve stem caps.
The installation of replacement tires with steel cord body plies in
the tire sidewall may cause malfunction of the tire pressure moni­
toring system*, and is not recommended (cord material information
in molded on the tire sidewall) .
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system* indicator after
replacing one or more tires on your vehicle. If the tire pressure
monitoring system* indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
working properly. Your replacement tire might be incompatible with
your tire pressure monitoring sys tem* , or some component o f the
tire pressure monitoring system* may be damaged.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/ or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control, collision
and serious personal injury.
• Always use tires, rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved 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 sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control. .,_

________________________________________________ T.:......... ir--=e :....:s:......: a--=n..:.. d.::..:..... w..:....:.... h :....:..:e:....:e:..: 1-=s :...__IJlll
•
& W ARNING (continu ed )
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tire s of the same type ,
s ize (rolling cir cumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driv ing
with different t ires redu ces vehicle h andling and can lead to a loss
of contro l.
• If the spare tire is not the same a s the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle -for e xample with winter tires -only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and dr ive with extra c are . Refit the
norm al road wheel as soon as safely possible .
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build-up , sudden tire failure ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to t ires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For te chnical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels , make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blo cked . Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , in creasing stopp ing distances
and causing a collision .
• Run flat tires may only be u sed on vehicle s that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a chassis de signed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
system* that indicates a loss of tire pressure. In correct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check w ith an
autho riz ed Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires . If run flat tires are used, they must
be installed on all four wheel s. Mixing tire types is not permitted .
0 Note
• For techn ica l reaso ns, it is not genera lly poss ib le to use t he
whee l rims from other vehicles. This can hold true fo r wheels of the
same vehicle type .
• I f the s pare t ire is d ifferent from the tires that you have mounted
on your vehicle ( fo r example win te r ti res or wide p rofile tires), then
use the spa re tire for a short period of time on ly and drive with extra
care. Replace t he flat tir e w ith the tire matching the others o n your
vehic le as soon as possib le.
• If you s hould put different whee ls a nd tires on your ve hic le (e.g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the whee ls and
t ires are co mpa tibl e w ith the tire pressure mon itor in g syste m*.
Otherwise the system w ill reg ister a malfunction and a fault
m essage w ill be d isplayed . For more info rma tion, co ntact your Aud i
dea ler.
0 Note
• When installing new tires, be careful not to damage the va lves or
tire p ressu re m on itoring system senso rs* .
• N ever drive without the valve stem cap. The valves could get
da mage d.
• I f the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
r eplaced at the same time.
ci> For the sake of the environment
Dis p ose o f old tir es in acco rdance with the local requ ireme nts .•
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tread wear
• Traction AA A B C
• Temperature A B C
Vehicle care
I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall
between tread shoulder and maximum section width
=> page 246,
fig. 152.
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA, Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal Safety Require­
ments 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 under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course .
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one half (1 1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100 .
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual condi ­
tions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ ­
ences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, Band C .
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire 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 ability to dissi ­
pate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure=>& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
& WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure. •
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on snow and
ice. At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C) we recommend
changing to winter tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winter or "snow" tires, those with very deeply cut tread. These tires
should only be used in pairs and be installed on all four wheels.
Make sure you purchase snow tires that are the same size and
construction type as the other tires on your vehicle.
I f your vehicle is equipped with all-wheel drive *, this will improv e
traction during winter driving, even with the standard tires.
However, we strongly recommend that you always equip all four
wheels on your vehicle with correctly fitted winter tires or all-season
tires, when winter road conditions are expected. This also improves
the vehicle's braking performance and reduces stopping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow.