Trailer Towing; Driving With A Trailer - Audi A3 2011 Owner's Manual

Trailer towing
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Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor -
tation .
If you plan to tow a t railer, please remember that the additional load
w ill affect durability, economy and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly places mo re st ress on the vehicle, it also calls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reasons, always fo llow the operating and driving instr uctions
prov ided and use common sense . •
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a we ight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trai ler weight .
The hitch mus t be suit a ble for your veh icle and t railer and mus t be
mounted securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically sound loca-
t ion. Use on ly a tra ile r hitch w ith removable ba ll moun t . Always check
w ith the trailer hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are using
t he correc t hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way t hat it does not interfere
w ith th e impact -ab sorb ing bumper system. No mod ifications s hould
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems . From t ime to
t ime, che ck t hat all hitch m ou nt ing bolts rema in securely faste ned.
W hen you are no t tow ing a trai ler, remove t he trailer hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage should your
veh icle be st ruck from behind=> & .
Tire pressure
When towing a tra iler, inflate the tires of you r vehicle to the cold tire
pressu re listed under "Full load"on t he st icke r o n the right doo rjamb.
Inflate trailer t ires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifications .
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with the tra iler attached
befo re d riving off. Have the headlights adju ste d as necess a ry so t ha t
you can see the road ahead but not blind oncoming t raffic.
Check to make sure bot h vehicle and t railer lights a re wor king prop-
er ly.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer ma kes t he engin e work harder. It is important t hat
t he cooling sys t em' s per formance stands up to the add ition al stra in.
Make sure that the cooling syst em has enough fluid .
Trailer brakes
If your trai ler is equipped with a braking system, check to be su re that
it confo rms to all regula t ions .
The t ra ile r hydrau lic brake system must not be directly con nected to
the vehicle's hydraulic brake system.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are proper ly connected from the t rai ler
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lac k in t he chai ns to permit
t urning corners. When you insta ll safety chains, ma ke s ure t hey will
not d rag on t he road when you a re d riving .
The chai ns should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
drop ping in case of separat io n from t he hitch.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulat ions. Be su re to chec k w ith your
author ized Audi dealer for correct wiring, switches and relays. _.