2009 AUDI Q7 check engine

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Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or
weeks, electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability
over a longer period.
Take into consideration that when you unlock your vehicle, some
convenience functions, such as the remote key or power seat
adjustment, may not be available. The convenience functions will be
available again when you turn on the ignition and start the engine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the engine turned off or
use other MMI functions, the battery is being discharged.
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy consumption, the
following warning appears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will switch off in
3 minutes.
The warning indicates that the system will be turned off automati­
cally after 3 minutes. If you wish to continue using the functions,
you have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when the vehicle is being
driven, the battery can become discharged. This happens mostly
when little energy is being generated and a great deal consumed and the battery's state of charge is not optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equilibrium, consumers
which require especially large amounts of energy are temporarily
cut back or switched off. Heating systems in particular require a
great deal of energy. If you notice, for example, that the heated
seats* or the heated rear window are not heating, they have been
temporarily cut back or switched off. These systems will be available
again as soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has been increased
slightly. This is normal and not a cause for concern. By increasing engine idle speed the additional energy required is generated and
the battery is charged. •
Driver notification in the instrument cluster
display
If battery power drops into the range where it can limit the ability of
the engine to start, this is shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
C Low battery charge: battery will be charged while driving
This notification reminds you that the starting capability of the
engine may be limited. As soon as you start driving again, the
battery will be recharged and the notification will go out.
Driver notification appears and goes out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
while driving and it goes out again after a while, the battery has
been adequately recharged.
Driver notification appears and does not go out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
while driving and does not go out again, the battery's state of
charge is not in the optimal range. Starting ability is restricted. Have
the battery checked as soon as possible by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop. •

llffl!I Driving off road __ _...,______;, _____________________________ _
Driving off road
Driving in difficult road conditions
and offroad
General information
The operat ion o f the Elect ronic Stab ilizat ion Prog ram ( ESP) is
e x panded for operation away from paved roads . In situations where
s lip o r a di fferential lockin g function is required, the ESP o ffroad
mode can be activated~
page 288. Hill descent contro l is also avai l­
able in the ESP off road m ode, w hich a utomat ical ly bra kes t he
vehicle and thereby keeps speed constant when different whee l
speeds are de tected whe n descend ing a hill ~
page 289 . You r Audi
a lso has permanent all -wheel drive in add ition .
Howeve r, your Audi is not a pure offroad vehicle . It was n ot bu ilt fo r
dr ivin g und er ex tre me cond itions, e.g . for tr ips t hat ar e in t he n atu re
of an expedition.
Drive only on roads and offroad sections which match the design of
your vehicle and your abilitie s as a driver . Never take r isks!
Before driving offr oad
• Check the engine oil level, tire pressure, coolant level, and the
fl uid level in t he windshie ld wash er r eservo ir.
• Stow luggage items and other objects in the luggage compart ­
ment, and secure the m aga inst sl iding around .
After driving offroad • After trips offroad, remove any twigs and other forei gn ob jects
from the gri ll, the underbody and the whee ls. Pay special attention
t o foreig n objects (stones) which have become lodged in t he tire
tread.
• Clean the body and the vehicle underside, and inspect the
veh ic le for possible damage. •
Clean dirty windows, headlamp lenses, rea r lights, and license
plates.
• Perform a bra ke check (particularly af ter travel ling through
wa ter).
& WARNING
• Drive especially attentively and plan ahead in difficult road
c onditions and when offroad . Excessive speed or in correct maneu ­
vers can cause injuries and damage to the vehicle.
• Alway s adapt your speed and d riv ing style to road , offroad,
traffic, and weather conditions. Drive especially slowly offroad
when your v iew is restri cted .
• Please be aware that in ESP offroad mode , particularly on a
smooth and slippery road , the wheels may have an in creased
tendency to spin and the vehicle may break away -danger of skid ­
ding !
• Stability is limited in the ESP offroad mode.
Avo id dam age to the envir onme nt an d respect na ture .
[ i ] Tips
On ly dr ive where it is perm itted and s tay on marked roads a nd
paths.
Explanation of some technical terms
T he fol lowing data refer to idea l conditions. Depending on vehic le
lo ad and g round cond itions and the environ ment, t he num ber s may ...

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-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. •

pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either on
t he driver's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel fil ler flap. Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifications.
L ight s
The head light settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off . Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Sa fety c hain s
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle . Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you insta ll safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving .
The chains should cross under the tra iler tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
0 Note
If you are going to tow a traile r, you must activate the trailer opera ­
tion mode =>
page 211, "Towing a trailer" .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the fo llow ing:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car i tse lf is not
loaded .
- Be especia lly careful when passing other vehicles .
- Observe speed l imits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
Always apply brakes early .
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weigh t dis tr ibution
Towing a loaded trailer wi th an empty car results in a highly
unstable dis tribution of weight . If this cannot be avoided , drive at
very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permis ­
sib le, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances . Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher th e speed, the more difficu lt it becomes for the driver to
control the rig . Do not drive at t he maximum pe rmissible speed.
Reduce your speed even more
if load, weather or wind conditions
a re unfavorable -particularly when going downhil l.
Reduce vehicle speed
i mmedi ate ly if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not tr y to s top the swaying by accelerating .
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trailers are lower than for regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coo lant t emperatu re
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 13 must be obse rved care ­
ful ly. If the need le moves close to the upper end of the sca le , reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts f lashing
- f- , pul l off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes t o prevent heat build -up.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
-Open the driver's door.
Fig . 281 Driver's side
footwell: engine hood
release lever
-Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel
=> fig. 281 in the direction of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly under spring pressure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 282 Release lever
under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that the wind­
shield wipers are flat against the windshield. Otherwise,
they could damage the paint on the hood.
Lift the hood slightly =>&, .
- Pull up on the release under the hood => fig. 282. This
releases the catch.
- Open the hood all the way.
The hood is kept in the open position by two gas struts.
& WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood. •

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•
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the struts is
reduced .
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fail to engage => &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
~ & .
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood :
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake .
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever to "P" (Park).
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment .
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm . The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary :
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames . Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine
is running or being started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running: -First, fully apply the parking brake, move selector lever to "P"
(Park). .,
Vehicle care
I t •

-Checking and filling PW---=---------------
& WARNING (continued )
-Always u se extreme caution to prevent cloth ing , jewelry, or
long hair from getting caught in the radiator fan , V-belt s or
other moving parts , or from contacting hot parts . Tie back hair
before starting , and do not wear clothing that will hang or
droop into the engine .
• Minimize exposure to emis sion and chemical hazards
::::> & .
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 W arn ing :
• Engine exhaust , some of its constituents , and certain vehicle
c omponents cont ain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and reproductive harm. In addition , certain fluids contained in vehi cles and certa in products
of component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and birth defect s or other reprodu c­
tive harm.
• Battery posts , terminals and related ac cessories conta in lead
and lead compounds , chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms. Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
When adding f luids, always make sure that they are poured into the
proper container or filler ope ning, otherwise serious damage to
vehic le systems wi ll occur.
ci> For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle floor pan from under ­
n eath regu larly. If you see spots fro m oil o r o th e r v eh icle flu ids, hav e
your vehicle inspected by an author ized Audi dea ler. •
Engine compartment
These are th e m ost im porta nt items th at you can ch ec k.
Fig. 283 Typical layout for containe rs, engine oi l d ipstick and engine oil filler
cap
0 W indsh ield/headligh t was her conta iner ( 9 ) . . . . . . . . 346
0 Coolant e xpansion tank (- L l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
G) Engin e oil fi ller cap ("l::r.) . . . . • . . . . . . • • • • . . . • . . • . . 336
© Engine oil d ips tick (orange) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
© Brake fluid reservo ir ( ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
© Pow er steer ing r eser voir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 93
0 Jump sta rt connector( +) u nder a cover,( -) w ith hex
head screw .... ... ..... .... ... .... ... ..... .... . 344 , 387
The positi on of t he e ngin e oil fi lling hole and t he engine oil dipstick
=> fig . 283 (position G) and ©l can vary according to the type of
eng ine. .,_

Checkin g and fillin g -
-----------------=---------
•
& WARNING
Befo re you c heck anythin g in th e engine comp artme nt, a lways
r e ad and heed all WARNING S
~ & in "Workin g in the en gine
co mp art m ent " o n page 331 . •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of
oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated powerplant that was built
to exacting specifications. This engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding quality and viscosity
so that it can run smoothly and reliably . Choos ing the right oil and
changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your
vehic le's Warranty
& Maintenance booklet matters a lot more today
than it did years ago. Audi has developed a special quality standard for engine oil that will help assure that your vehicle's engine will get
t he lubr ication it needs for proper operation .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years . Many synthetic oi ls availab le today provide better engine
lubrication that can outlast traditional petroleum-based oils,
making them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum -based engine oi l, the oi l
that you use must conform to Audi's oi l quality standard VW 502 00
t o help keep your vehic le's engine running smoo th ly and help
prevent the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
"s ludge," that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oi ls avai lable in the U.S. and Canada
that meet the exacting specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils . This does not mean, however, that every synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00
. So
a lways be sure tha t you use an approved o il.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oil with
the fo llowing specifications printed on the oil container:
Audi oil standard VW 50 2 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combi ­
nation with other designa tions and oil quality standards .
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity. The proper
viscosity grade oi l for your engine depends on c limactic or seasona l
conditions where you drive. You can use oil with a viscosity grade of
SAE 5W40 across all temperature ranges for normal driving condi ­
tions .
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE 5W40 is not available, you
can a lso use viscos ity grade SAE 5W-30 or SAE 0W -40 as long as it
meets Audi oil qua lity standard VW 502 00 specifications .
Because engine o il that meets the Audi o il standard may not be
avai lable everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you a lways carry with you an extra quart (l iter) of oil that
express ly conforms to the VW 502 00 specification, in case you have
to top off the oil while on the road .
Only if the level of the o il is at or be low the minimum mark on the
oi l dipstick - and no oil that expressly conforms to Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 specifica tions is avai lable -may you top off wit h a high
quality engine oi l, preferably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA A5 or ACEA 85, AP I SL or ILSAC GF -3 spec ifications, but even
then, only in viscosity grades SAE 5W-40 , SAE 5W -30, or SAE 0W -40 .
However, during the enti re time between oi l cha nge interva ls, never
top off with more than a total of 0.5 qt/ liter engine oi l that does not
conform to Audi oil specification VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oi l that has bee n approved for
your vehicle, p lease contact either your authorized Audi dea ler or
Audi C ustomer Relations at 1 (800) 822 -2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca . Here you will a lso find a .._
Vehicle care I t •