2009 AUDI Q7 suspension

-L~A:::..:,: ir:....: b:!..::: a~g L.:: s:1y :...:s::..: t~ e:.: m:...:...:.. ________________________________________________ _
& WARN ING (continued )
cellular telephones and CB radios , et c.) must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training and spec ial equipment
ne cessary .
• For any work on the airbag system , we strongly recommend
that you see your author ized Audi dealer or qual ified workshop .
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body.
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter ­
ference :
- Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seatba cks that have not been spe cific ally approved by
Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags inflate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the side airbag module must always be repaired immedi­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer .
• The airbag system can be activated only once. Afte r an airbag
has inflated , it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the te chnical information , training
and spe cial equipment necessary.
• The airbag sy stem can be deployed only once. After an airbag
has been deployed , it must be repla ced with new repla cement
parts designed and approved especially for your Audi model
version . Replacement of complete airbag systems or airbag
components must be performed by qualified workshops only .
Make sure that any airbag service action is entered in your Audi
Warranty
& Maintenan ce booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .
• For safety reasons in severe accidents , the alternator and
starter are separated from the vehicle battery with a pyrotechni c
c ircuit interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechni c circuit interrupter must only be
performed by a qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
& WAR NING (continued )
-If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is s crapped , all appli­
cable safety precautions must be followed.
ffi For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretensioners might be c lassified
as Pe rchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca .gov/hazardouswaste/perc hlo ra te . When t he veh icle or
parts of the restraint system inc luding airbag mod ules and safety
be lts wi th pre tensio ners are sc rapp ed, all ap plicab le laws a nd regu ­
l ations must be observed . Your authorized Audi dealer is fam iliar
wit h these requir ements an d we re co mmen d t hat yo u have your
dea ler perform this service for you. •
Other things that can affect Advanced Airbag
performance
Changing the veh ic le 's su spension system can change the way that
th e Advanced Air bag Syste m performs in a c rash. Fo r example,
using tire-rim combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the
v eh ic le, c hang ing the stif fness of th e suspe nsio n, in cl ud in g the
springs, suspension struts, shoc k absorbers etc . can change the
fo rces that a re m eas ure d b y the air bag senso rs and se nt to the elec ­
tronic control unit. Some suspension changes can, for example,
increa se the fo rce level s measured by the sen so rs and ma ke the
a irbag syste m dep loy in crash es in which it wou ld not dep loy if the
changes ha d not been made . Othe r kinds of change s may red uce
t he fo rce lev els measu red by the se nso rs a nd preve nt the airba g
from deploying when it should.
T he sens ors i n th e safe ty bel t buc kle for th e driver a nd fr ont
passenger seat tell the electronic control modu le if the safety belt is
l a tc h ed or not. I f th e safe ty belt is being used, the fron t airbag wi ll
deploy at a slight ly h igher rate of vehic le dece leration than if the
sa fe ty be lt is n ot b ein g use d. Therefore, i n a partic ular c ollisi on, it i s -.,

possible that an airbag will not deploy at a seating position where
the safety belt is being used but will inflate at the position where the
safety belt is not being used . It is important that nothing interfere
with the safety belt buckles so that the sensors can send the correct
information about safety belt use to the electronic control unit .
& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including use of unapproved
tire -rim combinations can change Advanced Airbag performance
and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
• Never install suspension components that do not have the
same performance characteristics as the components originally
installed on your vehicle.
• Never use tire-rim combinations that have not been approved
by Audi.
& WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center
console can cause the sensors in the buckle to send the wrong
information to the electronic control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety
belt buckles and that they are not obstructed.
Undeployed airbag modu les and pretensioners might be classified
as Perchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc .ca.gov/ha zardouswaste/perchlorat e. When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system including airbag modules and safety
belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regu­
lations must be observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar
with these requiremen ts and we recommend that you have your
dealer perform this service for you.•
Safety first
Side airbags
Description of side airbags Airbag
system
The airbag system
can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig . 254 Side airbag
location in the driver's
sea t
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
~ fig. 254 and the rear backrest * facing the doors . They are identi ­
fied by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and external side i mpact sensors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• two rear side airbags (as an ordered
option)
• the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.
The airbag system is mon itored e lectronica lly to make certain that
it is functioning prop erly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni ­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few
seconds (se lf diagnostics) .
The side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help
to reduce the risk of injury to the driver's , front and rea r*
passenger's upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a
s ide collision . The airbag dep loys on ly in side impacts and only
when the vehicle acceleration registered by the control unit is high
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

vary. It is the driver's responsibility to decide whether a vehicle can
overcome a specific situation
=> &.
Fording depth
Distance between the point touched by the tires (surface of ground)
and the engine air intake or induction system. Maximum fording
depth in standing water.
• Vehicles without air springs: 19.7 in (500 mm)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: 18.7 in (475 mm) at
normal level, 21.1 in (535 mm) at high level 2
Gradient angle
The number of meters in altitude gained over a distance of 109.4
yards or 100 meters (grade) are given as a percentage or degrees.
Information about the gradient the vehicle can climb under its own
power (depends in part on the road surface and engine power).
Maximum permitted grade: 31°
Lateral angle (slope of vehicle)
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can be driven diagonally
or across the fall line on a slope without the vehicle tipping over
sideways (depends on center of gravity) . Maximum permitted lateral
angle: 35°
Breakover angle
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can drive over a ramp at
low speed without the underside of the vehicle hitting the edge of
the ramp.
• Vehicles without air springs: maximum breakover angle: 21,1°
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: maximum breakover
angle: 19.1 ° (at normal level), 23.8° (at high level 2)
Approach/departure angle
Transition from the horizontal plane to a gradient or from a grade
back to level ground. Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Driving off road
drive onto or off a slope at low speed without striking the bumper
or
the underbody.
• Vehicles without air springs: maximum approach/departure
angle: 21.9° (front), 23.4° (rear)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: maximum
approach/departure angle at normal level 20° (front), 21.9° (rear).
Maximum approach/departure angle at high level 2 (front) 24°, (rear)
25.4°
Ground clearance
The distance between the road surface and the lowest point of the
vehicle underbody .
• Vehicles without air springs: Ground clearance 8.1 in (204.8 mm)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: minimum ground clear­
ance 7.1 in (179.8 mm) at normal level, maximum ground clearance
9.4 in (239.8 mm) at high level 2
& WARNING
Exceeding the stated maximum figures can result in severe inju­
ries or vehicle damage.
• All the information was gathered on level, firm and non-slip­
pery road surfaces, and under dry weather conditions.
• Ideal conditions do not prevail offroad. Never utilize the
maximum readings to their fullest, always leave a safety reserve. •
Driving tips
On poor road and off road, there is always only one motto:
Plan ahead and drive slowly!
Please observe the following when driving away from paved
roads:
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

lffll __ D_ r_ iv _i_ n-' g"'""'- o_ ff_ r_ o _ a_ d __________________________________________________ _
-Drive only on roads and offroad sections which match
the design of your vehicle and your abilities as a driver .
Never take risks!
Drive slowly and plan ahead!
Take into consideration the
ground clearance of your
vehicle.
- Activate the
ESP offroad mode=:> page 288 as needed.
- Use t he
hill descent control=:> page 289 when driving
down steep sections on hills.
Unpaved roads and offroad
Drive slowly on unfamiliar roads and unknown offroad sections, and
look out for unexpected obstac les (e.g . potholes, rocks, tree stumps,
etc.).
To prevent the vehicle from bottoming and avoid damage to the
underbody, you should drive straight across severe bumps in the
ground with on ly one side of the vehicle so that on ly two of your
whee ls cross the bumps .
Dr ive briskly through sandy or marshy offroad sections and do not
stop, if at all possible.
Driving through water
Your vehicle can drive through standing water if the ground is firm
enough . The
maximum fording depth is 19 .7 in or 500 mm (vehic les
without air springs) or 21.1 in or 535 mm (vehicles with adaptive air
suspension*, at high level 2).
Check the depth of the water before driving through water .
Cross water only at walking speed, do not stop and do not turn the
engine off .
If you drive fast through the water, you wi ll create a bow wave in
front of the vehic le. This bow wave can get into the engine air intake
and severe ly damage the engine. Avoid driving through salt water (corrosion)
.
Driving on a slope
If you ever find yourself not able to climb a slope, do not try to turn
around, drive back down in
reverse. Otherwise, you run the risk of
tipping over.
If the vehicle threatens to tip over when driving across a slope, you
must immediately steer downhill in the direction of the slope.
Do not park your vehicle on steep slopes or grades.
To reduce the risk of tipping over, drive on slopes in the direction of
the downward slope (fall line) -
not crosswise .
Driving on snow-covered ground
The standard tires fitted to your vehicle are not snow tires. So you
should mount wheels with snow tires in good time where winter
road conditions prevail. Before driving on unploughed stretches of
deep snow, install tire chains. For technical reasons, tire chains may
only be installed on the rear whee ls -never on the front wheels .
L1}. WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush, etc. the brakes may be
slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads . The
brakes must first be carefully dried by braking so that full braking
effect is restored. •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
make, there will be six to eight of them evenly placed around the
tire. Marks on the tire sidewall (for example "TWI" or other symbols)
indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators. Worn tires must
be replaced. Different figures may apply in other countries=>& .
Tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wear and can cause
sudden tire blow-out. For this reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a month =>
page 353.
Driving style
Driving fast around curves, heavy acceleration and hard braking
increase tire wear.
Rotating tires for more even wear
For all four tires on your vehicle to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rear tires are rotated according to the
tire manufacturer's suggested tire rotation intervals. Please
remember the following:
• Tire rotation intervals may differ from the vehicle service inter­
vals outlined in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
• The longer one tire is used in one location on the vehicle , the
more it wears at certain points; therefore, we recommend that you
follow the tire manufacturer's suggested tire rotation intervals .
• Vehicles with front-wheel drive experience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to all-wheel drive (quattro ®l.
• Please rotate tires as shown =>
page 357, fig. 294.
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction-specific tires
=>
page 379.
Wheel balancing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various situa­
tions during everyday driving can cause them to become unbal ­
anced, resulting in vibrations you can usually feel through the
steering wheel. Unbalanced
wheels must be rebalanced to avoid excessive wear on
steering, suspension and tires. A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tire is installed.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment can cause excessive tire wear , impairing
the safety of the vehicle. If tires show excessive wear, have the
wheel alignment checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop.
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles with quattro® must always have tires of the same size,
construction and tread type. For details see=>
page 294.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of control, a crash and serious
personal injury!
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators.
• Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning" and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage, such as
grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires .
• 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. •

lll'Jl,___W_ h_ a_ t_ d_o_ l_ d_ o _ n_ o_w _ ? ____________________________________________ _
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence described
below step-by-step and in exactly that order.
1. Activate the vehicle jack mode (only vehicles with Adap­
tive Air Suspension) ~
page 210.
2. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For more details
see also~
page 375, "Decorative wheel covers" or
~ page 375, "Wheels with wheel bolt caps".
3. Loosen the wheel bolts ~ page 376.
4. Locate the proper mounting point for the jack and align
the jack below that point~
page 376.
5. Lift the car with the jack~ page 376.
6. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then install the
inflatable spare tire =>
page 378.
7. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
8.
Lower the vehicle with the jack.
9. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten all wheel
bolts
~ page 376.
10. Replace the decorative wheel cover*.
11. Deactivate the vehicle jack mode (only vehicles with
Adaptive Air Suspension)=>
page 210.
& WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and information => & in
"Raising the vehicle" on
page 376 and => page 379. •
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the doing the
following.
- Store and secure the wheel you replaced in the spare
wheel well.
- Replace the tools and the jack in their proper location.
- As soon as possible, have the
tightening torques on all
wheel bolts checked with a torque wrench. The correct
tightening torque is 120 ft lb (160 Nm).
- Have t he flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
[ i] Tips
• I f you notice that the wheel bolts are corroded and difficult to
turn while changing a tire, they should be replaced before you check
the tightening torque .
• Drive at reduced speed until you have the tightening torques
checked .•

_____________________________________________ W_ h_ a_t _d_ o_l _ d_o _ n_o_ w_ ? _ __._
Fig. 30 5 Close- up:
prope r po sit io ning of
jack
- Posi tion the jack b elow the doo r sill u nder t he mounting
point
t ha t is clos est to the w hee l to be cha nged
==> p age 376, fi g. 30 4.
- Wind the jack up un der the liftin g p oint un til the c law is
d ir ect ly un der t he ver tical rib on th e ro cke r pane l==:> & .
- Align t he jack so the claw@ grip s the rib on th e rocke r
pane l and th e fl exible base plate @ is flat o n the gr oun d
==> page 3 77, fig. 30 5.
- Wind t he jack up furt her u ntil the flat ti re come s off the
g roun d==:> & .
The jack must be instal led only at the places indicated=> pa ge 376,
fi g. 30 4. T here is e xactl y on e loca tion for each w heel. The jack must
not be positioned at any oth er location =:>& .
A n
unstable surface under the jack can cause the vehic le to s lip off
the ja c k. Al ways pro vid e a firm base for the jack on t he grou nd. If
necessary place a sturd y board or s imilar sup port under the jack. On
hard , slippery surface s {such as tile s) us e a rub ber mat or s imi lar to
p revent the jack from slipping =:>& .
& WARNING
• You or your passengers could be injured wh ile changing a
wheel if you do not follow these safety precautions:
-Positioning the jack under the vehicle at any othe r place than
those indicated above may damage the vehicle or may result in personal injuries.
- A soft or unstable surface under the jack may cause the
vehicle to slip off the jack . Always provide a firm base for the
jack on the ground. If necessary, use a sturdy board under the
jack.
- On hard, slippery surface (such as tiles ) use a rubber mat or
similar to prevent the jack from slipping .
• To help prevent injury to yourself and your passengers:
-Do not raise the vehicle until you are sure the jack is securely
engaged.
- Passengers must not remain in the vehicle when it is jacked
up.
- Make sure that passengers wait
in a safe place away from
the vehicle and well away from the road and traffic.
- Make sure jack position is correct, adjust as necessary and
then continue to rai se the jack.
[ i ] Tips
B efore c hang in g the whee l, you must activate the jac king mode, so
that the au tomatic con trols for the Adaptive Air Suspension * do not
m ak e it mo re diff icu lt to lif t the v ehic le wi th t he jack =:>
page 210. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service irechnical data

lffll __ A_ l..:,. p _ h_ a_ b_e _t_ic_ a_l _in_ d_e_ x ____________________________________________ _
A
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Adaptive Air Suspension .... ... .. .... 206
Cargo mode in the MMI ....... .... 212
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Description ... ...... ............ 206
High level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Highway level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Instrument cluster display .. .... ... 209
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire . 210
Low level ... ... ... .... ..... .. ... 207
Normal level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Segment display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Setting the driving modes ......... 208
Trailer towing mode ... .... .... ... 211
Using sw itch for cargo mode .. .... 212
Warning/indicator lights . .......... 21
Adaptive Cruise Control .. .... ..... ... 152
Changing speed ................. 156
Driver information ............... 160
Driver intervention prompt ........ 164
Driving in traffic 154
Driving program .. .... .... .... ... 165
Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Open road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Request for driver to assume control 154
Save speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Setting distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Setting time interval .............. 158
Settings ........................ 165
Specia l driving situations ......... 165 Status
messages . ....... ... .. ... . 163
Switching on and off .. ........... 155
System limits .. .................. 165
Temporarily turning off ......... .. 157
warn ing/indicator lights ........... 161
Adaptive Light .... ...... ...... ... ... . 76
defective ......................... 37
Adding Engine coolant ... ....... .... .... . 339
Engine oil ... .. .. . ... ....... .... . 336
Windshield washer fluid ...... .... . 346
Additiona l accessories .......... .... . 403
Additives Engine oil ....................... 336
Adjusting Instrument cluster i llumination . .... . 17
Steering column electrically ....... 141
Steering column manually ......... 140
Adjusting front seats .... .... .... . ... . 92
Advanced Parking System with rear view
camera
Adjusting the chimes -option 1 . ... 201
Adjusting the chimes -option 2 .... 202
front and back with visual display and
rear -view camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
General information ......... ..... 191
Notes on distance information ... .. 200
Parking next to obstac les . . . . . . . . . . 199
Rear-view camera -parking mode 1 196
Rear -view camera -parking mode 2 . 198
Rear -view camera (Rear View) ... ... 194
Rear -view camera coverage area . . . . 195
Rear -view camera tips ............ 204 Special parking
situations ... .. .. .. 199
Switching the rear-view camera on and
off .... . ... .... .... ... .. .... ... 203
switching the visua l display on and off ..
203
System error message ............ 204
Towing hitch ...... .... ...... .... 201
Air conditioning
See Climate controls 123
Air distribution Climate controls ... ....... .... ... 127
Four -zone automatic comfort air
conditioning ................... 133
Air pol lutants fi lter
Climate controls ................. 123
Airbag Warning/indicator lights . ...... .... . 19
Airbag system .... .... .... ... ... 241, 258
Advanced Airbag System ...... .... 245
Advanced Airbag System components . ..
248
Care ........................ .... 255
Child restraints .................. 265
Children ... .... .... ... ...... ... . 264
Components (front airbags) . ....... 248
Danger of fitting a chi ld safety seat on the
front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Disposal ............. ....... .... 255
Front airbags .. ........ ...... 245, 246
How do the front airbags work? . ... 250
How many airbags does my vehicle have? 248
How the Advanced Airbag System compo -
nents work together . ........ .... 249