2009 AUDI Q7 warning

Tires and wheels -_____________ .:.....::...=..____:__:_:_:_=-=----
•
& WARNING (continu ed )
• Incorrect tire pressure and /or under inflation can cause
in creased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect t ire pressures and /o r underinflat ion can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing lo ss of vehicle control .
• The driver is respon sible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pre ssure values are located on
a sticker on the driver 's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap .
• Only when all tires on the vehicle are filled to the correct pres ­
sure , the tire pressure monitoring sy stem can work correctly .
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage . Therefore it is essential that the driver observe
the specified tire pressure value s for the tires and the correct pres ­
sures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system.
• Always inflate tires to the re commended and correct tire pres ­
sure before driving off .
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot resulting in tread separation , sudden tire failure and loss
of control.
• Ex cessive speed and /overloading can cause heat build-up ,
s udden tire failure and lo ss of control .
• If the tire pres sure is too low or too high , the t ires will wear
prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well .
• If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel
immediately , drive at reduced speed to the nearest service station
to check the t ire pressure and add air as required.
0 Note
Dr iving wi thout valve stem caps ca n cause damage to t he tire
valves. To prevent this, always make sure that factory instal led va lve
stem caps o n all wheels are sec urely mou nted on the va lve .
c£> For the sake of the environment
Underi nflate d tir es w ill a lso inc rease the fue l consu mptio n.•
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are li m its to the a mou nt o f load or weig ht th at any ve hic le and
any tire can carry . A vehicle that is overloaded wil l not handle wel l
and is more diff icu lt to stop . Overload ing ca n no t only lead to loss
of vehic le control, but can also damage important parts of the
ve hicle a nd can lead to sud den tire failu re, i nclu di ng a bl owou t and
sudden deflat ion that can cause the vehic le to crash.
Your safety an d that of your passengers also depends on ma kin g
su re tha t load l imits are not exceeded . Vehicle load includes eve ry ­
body and everything in and on the vehic le. These load limits are
t echnica lly re ferred to as the ve hicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR"l.
The "GVWR" in clu de s th e we ig ht of t he basi c ve hicle, all fac tory
insta lled accessories, a ful l tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
plus m aximu m load. The maxi mum l oad inc lude s the n umber of
passen gers that the vehicle is intended to carry !"seating capacity")
with an assumed weight of 150 lbs (68 kg) fo r each passenger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any lugga ge in
the vehicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
to ngue we ig ht of th e loaded tra iler must b e included as par t of th e
vehic le load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the m aximum loa d th at
can be applied at each of the vehicle's two ax les. _,,,
Vehicle care I t •

-~_T_ ir_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h _e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
The Gross Veh icl e We ight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
ar e l isted on th e safe ty comp lia nce st icker labe l located ei ther on
the driver's side 8 -p illar or on the inside of the fue l filler flap. Your
Audi has 5 seating positi ons, 2 in the fron t and 3 in the rea r for total
seating capacity of 5 . On vehicles with s ix seats*, your ve hicle has
two front seats, two seats in the second row seating an d two sea ts
i n t he t hir d row seating. On ve hic les w ith seven seats*, your ve hicle
has two front seats, three seats in the second row seating and two
seats in the th ir d row sea tin g. Eac h seat ing pos it ion has a seat belt
=>
page 231, " S afety belts".
T he fact that there is a n upper l imit to your ve hicle's Gro ss Vehic le
Weight Rating means that the total we ight of whatever is bein g
carried in the vehic le ( including the we ig ht of a t rai le r h itc h a nd the
t on gue wei ght o f the load ed trai ler) is lim ited. The more passen ge rs
in the ve hicle o r passe nger s w ho are heavier t han the s tanda rd
we ights assumed mea n th at l ess wei ght ca n be ca rri ed as lu gg age .
Th e tire pressure labe l on your Audi also lists the maximum
co mbi ned we igh t of all o f th e occ upa nts a nd luggage o r othe r ca rgo
that the vehicle can carry. For the location of the label=>
page 351,
fig . 291 .
LJ}. WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control , a crash or
other accident , serious personal injury , and even death .
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handl ing properly and increase the
ri sk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation , causing loss of control
and a crash .
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
& WARNING (continued)
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating .•
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to calculate the
total weight of the passengers and
luggage or other things that you plan to
transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overloaded.
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 351, fig. 291.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
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-~_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. •

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
•
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) and tire
manufacture date
This is the tire's "serial number". It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac ­
ture . For example, the numbers 2208 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22th week of 2008. 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 363.
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 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 monitoring
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 system, or some component of 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 . .,.
Vehicle care
I t •

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ lllll
•
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tread wear
• Traction AA A B C
• Temperature A B C
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall
between tread shoulder and maximum section width=>
page 359,
fig. 295.
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, B and 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 .
Your vehicle is equipped with all -wheel drive, this will improve trac­
tion during winter driving, even with the standard tires. However,
we strongly recommend that you always equip all four wheels on .,_
Vehicle care I t •

_L_T~i~r~e~s'.....a~n~d~w~h~e~e::.l!.:s ~---------------------------------------------
your vehicle with correctly fitted winter tires or a ll- season tires,
w hen winter ro ad condit ions are e xpected. T his also i mproves the
vehic le 's brak ing performance and reduces stopp ing distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow .
Winter tires (s now ti res) mus t always be fitted on a ll four whe els .
Compatible tire pressure monitoring sensors must be installed on
all f our winte r tires fo r th e tir e pres su re m onitori ng sy stem to f unc ­
tion properly=>
page 367 .
Ask your authorize d Audi dealer or qualified worksho p for permitted
winter tire sizes. Use on ly rad ial winter t ires .
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to a depth of 0 .157 inc h (4 m m).
O nl y dr ive w ith w in ter tires unde r winter co nditio ns. Su mmer tires
handle bette r when there is no snow o r ice on the roads and the
t emp eratur e i s abo ve 45 °F (7 °C) .
If you have a f la t t ire, see not es on spar e wh eel=> page 359 .
Please a lways reme mber that winte r tir e s may have a l owe r speed
rat ing t han th e tire s orig inal ly in sta lled o n your v ehic le at t he ti me
it wa s manufactured . Please see=>
page 3 60, "S pee d rating (letter
co de) " f or a list ing o f the spe ed rating letter c odes and t he
maximum speed at which the ti res can be driven .
T h e sp eed rating lette r co de( ::::>
page 350) is on t he sid e w all of the
tire=>
page 3 59.
& WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits that may be lower than
your vehicle's maximum speed . Always know the maximum speed
before driving off . Never dr ive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific winter tires. This will cause damage to the tires
leading to an accident and serious personal injury to you and your
passengers .
& WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for whi ch the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation , loss of control , crashes and serious
personal injuries. Have worn or damaged tires replaced immedi­
ately.
• Winter tires have maximum speed rating that may be lower
than your vehicle's maximum speed .
• Never drive faster than the speed for which the winter or other
tires installed on your vehicle are rated.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and traffic conditions .
Never let the good acceleration of the winter tires and all -wheel
dr ive tempt you into taking extra risks . Always remember :
• When braking , an all -wheel drive vehicle handle s in the same
way as a front drive vehicle .
• Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy and slippery roads,
even winter tires cannot help under black ice conditions .
~ For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather conditions permit . They are
q uieter, d o not wear as qu ick ly and re duce fue l c on sumption .•
Snow chains
S now c hains may be fitted on ly to t he rear w hee ls, and only to
certain tire sizes. Ask your autho rized A udi dea ler on which tire
s izes sn ow cha ins ca n be used .
T he snow chains must hav e low -prof ile links and must not be thicker
th an 0 .53 in ch (13 .5 mm), inc lu d in g the loc k. .,_

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ _
•
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs before putting snow
chains on you r veh icle =>
(D. For sa fety reasons c ove r cap s m ust
then be fitted over the wheel bo lts . These are avai lable from autho ­
r ized Aud i deale rs.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehicle or in stalling them
incorrectly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
• Snow ch ains are available in different sizes . Always make sure
to follow the instructions provided by the snow chain manufac ­
turer .
• When driving with snow chains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains .
• Always observe local regulations .
0 Note
• Remove sn ow chai ns b efore d rivin g on roads not cove red w ith
snow to avoid damaging tires and wearing the snow chains down
u n n ecessa r i ly.
• Snow chains , which come into d irect contact with t he whee l rim,
ca n scratc h or da mage it. T herefore, ma ke sur e tha t th e snow chains
are suitably covered. Check the position of the snow chains after
dr ivin g a few yards and co rrect if necessa ry . Fo llo w t he instructio ns
from the snow cha in manufacturer when doing so.
• If th e Adapt ive A ir Sus pens io n* shou ld malfunction, do no t
mount or use snow chains because the vehic le wi ll be extremely
lo w. I f yo u do dr ive w ith snow c hai ns o n wh ile t he ve hicle i s a t thi s
level, the snow cha ins might severely damage the wheelhouse and
ot her parts o f the vehicle .
[ i ] Tips
W here snow cha ins are man datory o n certa in roads, t his no rmall y
a lso a pplie s to vehic les with A ll Wheel Drive .•
Wheel bolts
W heel bolt s must alw ays b e tightened t o th e c orr ect
tor que.
The de sign of wheel bo lts is matc hed to the fac to ry instal led rims. If
different rims are fitted, the correct wheel bo lts with the right length
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used . This ensures that
w hee ls are fitted securely and that t he b rake sys tem functions
co rrectly.
I n certain circums ta nces, you may not use w heel bo lts fr om a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model=>
page 403.
& WARNING
Improperly tightened or mainta ined wheel bolts can become loose
causing loss of control , a colli sion and serious per sonal injury .
• Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads in the wheel hubs
clean so the wheel bolts can turn easily and be properly tightened.
• Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and the threads in the wheel
hubs. They can become loose while d riving if greased or oiled ,
even if tightened to the specified torque.
• Only use wheel bolts that belong to the rim being installed .
• Never use different wheels bolts on your vehicle.
• Always maintain the correct t ightening torque for the wheel
bolts to reduce the risk of a wheel lo ss.
If the tightening torque of
the wheel bolts is too low, they can loosen and come out when the
vehicle is moving . If the tightening torque is too high, the wheel
bolts and th reads can be damaged and the wheel can become
loose .
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Vehicle care I t •

lllffll.___W_ h_ a_t _d_ o_ l _d _o_ n_ o_ vv_ ? ______________________________________________ _
What do I do now?
Jack, tools and inflatable spare tire
Jack and folding chocks
The jack and the folding chocks are located in the lug gage
comp artmen t under t he ca rgo floor co ver.
Vehicle jack
Fig . 296 Luggage
comp artment v ehi cle
jack and fold ing
c ho ck s.
Fig . 2 97 Opening
fold ing ch ocks
The jac k is located under the too l kit:::;, fig. 296 . B efore sto ring the
jack, ma ke su re it is wo und back down as fa r as it w il l go.
Folding chocks
Two unassembled fold ing chocks a re attached to the foam section
at the fron t w ith th e jack :::;, fig. 296 .
Release the two hook -and -loop fasteners, and remove the two
chocks . To use the chock s, you fi rst ha ve to raise the sup port pla te
:::;, fig. 297
G) and then insert the locking plate with the two "tabs"
into the e longated holes in the base plate@:::;,& .
& WARNING
• The chock cannot fulfil its fun ction and may lose its stability if
the "tabs " on the support plate are not inserted corre ctly into the
elongated holes in the base plate. If this happens , the vehicle may
sta rt to move while a wheel is being changed .
• Never u se the folding chocks if they are damaged or if they have
not been assembled co rre ctly .
& WARNING
Improper use of the vehi cle jack can cause serious pe rsonal inju­
rie s.
• Never use the jack supplied with your Audi on another vehicle,
particularly on a heavier one. The jack is only suitable for use on
the veh icle it came with .
• Using a bumper jack to raise the veh icle will damage the
bumper system . The jack may slip , caus ing 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 .
~