Try turning it on while at a standstill before you release the brake.

 

Have used it on a small hill,just hit the button at the desired speed and it held it like a dream.

Rich

 

I expect the car would slow down that is the general idea.

You probably have to go into the mmi and set the speed or maybe it's via the cruise control. I can't give specifics as not got a Q5 to look at.....but it worked very like I described on my RRS. You set the speed you want it at or use the default speed that is probably about 10 or 12mph.

Set the speed and hit the button preferably before you start your decent is "safest" as it will apply the brakes in order to keep the car at the set speed.....if done on the slope you may look away whilst doing it and/or the braking may cause a slide on a slippy surface.

 

I thought the idea of hill descent was that it DIDN'T use brakes, simply didn't allow the engine to run away???

 

Which I do believe involves the brakes. I've used it on some very steep off road hills in forward and reverse......very useful tool. So steep all I could see was the sky on the way back up

 

If you do a search on the web for this you will find plenty of
advice.
Most common mistakes are

Hitting the button too late or when going too fast on a slippy surface.....wheels stop moving and car continues to slide lol!
Using it too often and inappropriately knackers the brake discs.

It's good to have 4x4 technology, but you need to learn how to use it in a safe environment with an instructor. It's only as good as your knowledge and skill level.

Last winter was funny watching all those folk speeding in the snow in 4x4s thinking they were somehow invinceable. And yet some still crashed or got stuck lol!

I would really encourage going to one of LRs Venture training sites and do a days course in one of their vehicles. Before you knacker your own!

 

Agreed. When I was taught to use this on my VW T'reg you had to come to the hill, stop, engage manual gears and then go down the hill.

I can only assume it is the same for the Q5

 

Ah, I was thinking it would be more like the venerable old landrover (after all there's no harm in copying 4wd off-road from the best) in that you simply put it into low ratio, nose over the lip in first and it trundles down at a walking pace or slower simply by virtue of the engine ticking over and gearing that doesn't allow the car to accelerate.

 

Probably more like a slow cruise control.

But it does work.

If the Q5 had low range it would be even better but then it would weigh more etc etc and probably doesn't need it. I think I used my low range on my RRS once in 4 years.

 

Worked it out at the weekend. You need to have the information display on the dash in the split screen mode (not as I originally had it showing a digital readout of the speedo).

This then gives you an icon showing a car going downhill and an MPH setting when you push the button. As you start to go down hill hit the button and then use the brake to set the speed and then take your foot off and let the car take over.

 

Can't you set it up stationary?

 

Please make sure your first test drive is on a dry road, not some big icy hill

Make sure you can see the correct dashboard setting (Split screen mode) not the electronic Speedo setting

Downhill Assist Control
In the Audi Q7, the function is activated by depress- ing the foot brake.
In the Audi Q5, the Downhill Assist Control can, for the first time, be activated by a separate switch. Unlike comparable systems of other manufacturers, the system in the Audi Q5 is not preset to a very low constant nominal speed. The control variable is the speed at which the vehicle is travelling on entering the gradient.

So to start:
1. Split screen mode
2. Drive slowly say 5 MPH over hill
3. Press button look at dashboard see car icon and speed (accelerate or brake to desired speed)
4. Take foot off and the Q5 will maintain the speed.

The system basically functions in the same way as the system in the Q7. Like in the Q7, the function of the EBD is modified when reversing by applying increased braking force to the rear axle. This is detected by the fact that reverse gear is engaged.
Downhill Assist Control is also active when no gear is engaged or the clutch is actuated.

Downhill Assist Control

The intervention range has been extended over the Audi Q7 and, in the case of the Audi Q5, is at speeds of between 9 kph and 30 kph. The function can be switch-operated at speeds of up to 60 kph. The function is automatically deactivated when a speed of 60 kph is exceeded.
When Downhill Assist Control is active and in Standby mode, this is indicated to the driver in the centre display at speeds of up to 30 kph. The LED in the switch lights up when the function is activated at speeds of up to 60 kph.

Details here: http://admin.audionl...3_Audi%20Q5.pdf