2009 AUDI Q7 ground clearance

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
• It comes on for approximately 15 seconds as a warning of
reduced ground clearance, if the dynamic mode is activated and if
the ignition is switched on~
page 207, "Chassis controls".
• If the warning/indicator light flashes in conjunction with the ;,
warning/indicator light, you should not drive the vehicle immedi­
ately in order to prevent damage to the underbody. The two
warning/indicator lights flashing together points to an extreme Low
level. A very
pronounced lowering of the vehicle (extreme Low level)
can result, for example, from a heavy load. As soon as the level has
returned to normal, the warning/indicator lights stop flashing, and
you can drive away.
0 Note
If the warning/indicator light flashes in conjunction with the
warning/indicator light, you should not drive the vehicle because
low-lying vehicle parts can bottom out as you drive over uneven
ground and be damaged as a result. •
High beam ~D
The ~D warning/indicator light illuminates when the high beams are
on or when you use the headlight flasher. For more information
about using the high beams, see~
page 77. •
Cruise control
CRUISE (USA models) /(7)'2 (Canada models)
The warning/indicator light illuminates when the cruise control is
activated. •
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
.. c_ (USA models)/ ~ (Canada models)
This warning/indicator light monitors the ABS and the
electronic differential lock (EDL).
The warning/indicator light will come on for a few seconds when the
ignition is switched on . The light will go out after an automatic
check sequence is completed.
There is a malfunction in the ABS when:
• The warning/indicator light does not illuminate when you switch
on the ignition .
• The warning/indicator light does not go out after a few seconds.
• Th e warning/indicator light illuminates while driving.
The brake system will still respond even without the assistance of
the ABS system. See your authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible to restore full braking performance.
For more information
regarding the ABS~
page 292.
The ABS warning light and the brake warning light come on
together. The ABS will not work and you will notice a change in
braking response and performance .
Malfunction in the brake system
If the brake warning light~ page 23and the ABS warning illuminate
together there may be a malfunction in the ABS, and there may also
be a malfunction in the brake system itself~& .
In the event of a
malfunction in the brake system the warning/indi ­
cator light
BRAKE (USA models)/ ((D) !Canada models) in the instrument
cluster flashes. By pressing the
!CHECK] button, you can bring up a
driver message which explains the malfunction in more detail.
Please note
~ page 32. .,.,

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Vehicles moving up ahead but offset in the lane cannot be detected
by ACC until they are in sensor range. •
Applies to vehicles: with Adaptive Cruise Control
Lane changes by other vehicles
0
F ig . 176 A ve hic le
c h anges la n es
Vehicles that cut into your lane a short distance in front of you
cannot be detected by ACC until they are in sensor range.•
Applies to vehicles: with Adaptive Cruise Control
Vehicles that are difficult to detect
~==========--;; !
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Fig . 177 T wo-wheel ed
ve hicle drivi ng a he ad
Some vehic les moving up ahead in your lane of travel are difficult to
detect, for example two -wheeled vehicles, vehicles with high
ground clearance, loads sticking out the back. Vehicles like this are
often detected late or in some si tuations not at all. •
Applies to veh ic les: with Adaptive Cruise Contro l
Stationary vehicles
i-----------------.. ~
;
Fig. 178 Turnin g and
sta tio na ry ve hic le
F ig. 179 S hee ring out
a nd stat ionary v ehicle
If a vehicle that has been detected by ACC exits the highway or
sheers out into the neighboring travel lane, and there is a stationary
vehic le ahead of that vehicle, ACC will not detect or react to that
stationary vehicle~ fig. 178 and~ fig. 179. •
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

1111 ...... _A_ d_ a --=- p_t_ i_v _e_ A_ ir_ S_u_ s__,_ p_e_ n_ s_io _ n _____________________________________________ _
Adaptive Air Suspension
Air suspension and damping
Applies to vehicles: with Adaptive A ir Suspens ion
Description
Air suspension and damping can be regulated as desired
by driver, and they adapt automatically to the driving situ­
ation at the time.
Adaptive Air Suspension is an electronica lly contro lled springing
and damping system. This chassis system makes it easier on the
driver by adapting to the particular situation through imperceptible
control processes.
The
Adaptive Air Suspension component regulates ground clear ­
ance depending on vehic le speed and driver inpu t. It functions inde­
pendently from the load condition. Accelerating to a speed above a
predetermined limit will make the vehic le lower itself . On the other
hand, driving more slowly results in the vehicle raising again at
specific speeds.
The
damping component provides individual control of the
damping forces. For example, with damping characteristics set to
provide greater comfort, damping is set somewhat harder for a brief
period only as required, for example, when going around a curve or
when braking.
Settings
Adaptive Air Suspension prov ides the driver with the opportunity to
set the chassis characteristics a lso to their individual preference.
With the driving modes
comfort, automatic and dynamic the driver
has three chassis settings available, ranging from comfort to sporty.
The
offroad mode can be selected for driving on poor qua lity
stretches of road. In addition, lift provides a fifth mode, which can
be selected when exceptionally high ground clearance is needed
=> page 207, "Chassis controls". The modes are set in
MMI:::::,
page 208.
& WARNING
The height of the parked vehicle can change due to temperature
fluctuations or changes in load.
0 Note
• Whenever you park your vehicle, always make sure there is
adequate clearance above and below the vehic le. The height of the
parked vehicle can change as the result of temperature fluctuations,
changes in load condition and changes in the driving mode (ground
clearance!.
• If the vehicle is being transported (e.g. by tow truck, train, ship,
etc.), mount the tie -down chains/cables over the running surface
(circumference) of the tires . Never secure the veh icle by the axle, the
suspension struts or the front or rear towline eye. For technical
reasons, the pressure in the suspension struts may change during
the transport, which could result in the vehic le no longer being
secured properly.
• If you are going to tow a trailer with a trailer hitch that was
not
installed according to factory specifications, you must activate the
trailer operation mode manually:::::,
page 211.
[ i ] Tips
• Before you can raise your vehic le using the vehicle jack (for
example, when changing a flat tire) or a vehicle lift, you must acti­
vate the jacking mode:::::,
page 210.
• On some models, the vehicle can reach its maximum speed only
in the
automatic and dynamic modes. •

____________________________________________ A_ d_a--' p=-- t_iv _e_ A_ ir_ S_u_ s-=- p_e _ n_ s _ io_ n __ lll
Ap plies to vehicl es: with Adap tive Air Su sp ension
Chassis controls
Fi ve differen t driving modes can be set by the driver.
The automatic contro l processes are speed -and time -dependent.
For example, it is not possible to raise the suspension to a high level
above certain speeds.
When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/hl is exceeded for more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered to
low level when
in com fort and automatic mode . Ground clearance is about 0 .6 inch
(15 mm) less, compared to the
normal level.
When a speed of about 100 mph (160 km/h) is exceeded for more
than 20 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered to
highway
/eve/when in automatic and dynamic mode. Ground clearance is
about 1.4 inches (35 mm) less, compared to the
normal level. Road
holding is optimized as a resu lt of the lower center of gravity, and
fue l consumpt ion is reduced as a result of reduced wind resistance .
Level adjustment
high level 2
normal level
highway level
Ground clearance
about 9 .4 inches (240 mml
a bout 8 inches (205 mm)
about 7 inches (180 mm)
about 6.5 inches ( 165 mml
a bou t 5.3 inches (135 mm)
The segment display
G) ~ page 208, fig. 225 in the MMI Display
~ page 208 or in the instrument cluster display~ page 209 shows
the current vehicle level.
a ut omati c
Select the automatic mode if you prefer a ba lanced, comfortable
suspension se tt ing. The damp ing characteristics are adjusted
accordingly.
Controls and equip ­
ment •
Aut omatic l ower ing :
When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h)
is exceeded for more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is automatica lly
lowered by about 0 .6 inch (15 mm) to the
low level, which is more
suitable for highway speeds . Road holding is opt im ized as a result
of the lower center of gravity and fuel consumption is reduced as a
result of reduced wind resistance. When a speed of about 100 mph
(160 km/h) is exceeded for more than 20 seconds, the vehicle is
automatically lowered by an additional 0 .8 inch (20 mm) to
highway
level.
• Automatic rai sing: When the vehicle is at highway level and the
speed fa lls be low about 80 mph (130 km/h) for more than 20
seconds, the vehic le is automatica lly raised to
low level. The vehicle
is automatically raised again to
normal level if the speed fa lls be low
about 44 mph (70 km/h) for a period of 2 minutes. The vehicle is
ra ised immediate ly when speed fa lls below about 22 mph (35 km/h).
dynamic
Select the dynamic mode if you prefer a sporty suspension sett ing.
I n this mode, the vehic le is lowered to
/ow level while it is sti ll
stationary and sporty damping characteristics are selected . The
warning light~ in the instrument cluster will come on for a few
seconds jus t to remi nd you of the reduced ground clearance .
I f you switch off the engine while the vehicle is in the dynamic mode
and then switch on the ignition once again, the~ warning light
wi ll also come on again for a few seconds as a reminder.
• Automatic lowering : When a speed of about 100 mph (160 km/h)
is exceeded for more than 20 seconds, the ve hicle is auto matica lly
lowered by 0.8 inch (20 mm) to
highway level.
• Automatic rai sing: The vehic le is automatically raised to low level
again, if the speed falls below about 80 mph (130 km/h) for a period
o f 20 secon ds. The ve hicle is ra ised i mmediately whe n speed falls
below about 22 mph (35 km/h). .,_
I • •

IIIII..__A_ d_ a--=- p_t _iv _ e_ A_ i _r_ S _ u_ s_ p ,.._ e_ n_ s _ io_ n _____________________________________________ _
comfort
Select the comfort mode if you desire a suspension setting with a
special emphasis on comfort . Damping characteristics with a clear
emphasis on comfort are selected in this mode .
• Automatic lowering: When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h)
is exceeded for more than 30 seconds , the vehicle is automatically
lowered by 0.6 inch (15 mm) to /ow level.
• Automatic raising: The vehicle is automatically raised to normal
level again, if the speed falls below about 44 mph (70 km/h) for a
period of 2 minutes . The vehicl e is raised immediately when speed
falls below about 22 mph (35 km/h).
offroad
Select the offroad mode when you have to travel over poor quality
sections of road (e.g . trails). In this mode, th e vehicle is rais ed to
high level 1, and damping characteristics for poor road stretches are
selected. When switching to offroad mode, th e Adaptive Air Suspen ­
sion indicator appears automatically in the instrument cluster
display => page 209 .
• Automatic lowering: When a speed of about 62 mph (100 km/h)
is exceeded , the vehicle is lowered by 1 inch (25 mm) to normal level.
• Automatic raising: The vehicle is ra ised to high level 1 again
when the speed falls below about 43 mph (70 km/h).
lift
Select the lift mode when exceptionally high ground clearance is
needed at a reduced speed. In this mode, the vehicle is raised to
high level 2 . When switching to lift mode, the Adaptive Air Suspen­
sion indicator appears automatically in the instrument cluster
display=> page 209.
The lift mode can be activated only a t spe eds b elow 12 mph (20
km/h). When a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h) is exceeded, the
system automatically leaves lift mode and the offroad mode is acti­
vated. The instrument cluster display automatically switches the
display to Adaptive Air Suspension to indicate reduced ground
clearance.
[ i] Tips
Please note that driving at high speeds on paved roads while in
offroad mode for extended periods of time leads to increased tire
wear. •
App lies to vehicles : with Adap tive Air Su spens io n
MMI settings
Driving modes ore adjusted in the MM/ and the current
vehicle level is displayed.
Fig. 224 MMI basic
Display : Settings
Fig . 225 MMI Display :
Settings
The ignition must be switched on to set the driving modes . .,,,

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- Press the I CARI f unction button . The main menu
Adaptive Air Su spe nsion appears~
page 208, fig. 224 or
~ page 208, fig . 225 .
Select the desired mode by rotating and pressing the
control knob .
Rai sing and l owerin g
If arrow
G) is white :::::, page 208, fig. 225, the vehicle is raised.
If arrow @ is
white, the vehicle is lowered .
The respective arrow stays on until the !eve.I change is complete.
The time used for a level change can vary, depending on the current
driving conditions.
Di sp la yin g th e ve hicle l eve l
The current vehicle level is shown with segments filled out in the
segment display@. If only the bottom segment is filled out, the
vehicle is at highway level. If all segments are filled out, the vehicle
is at high level 2 and has the greatest amount of ground clearance
poss ible.
While the vehic le is being raised or lowered, the target level is indi­
cated by an arrow © next to the corresponding segmen t. The arrow
disappears again when the vehic le is at the target level.
Limita tion s to MMI setting s
Please note that not every driving mode can be selected in every
driving si tuation. For example, it is not possib le to switch to "lift"
mode at speeds above 12 mph (20 km/h). This mode is then shown
greyed out in the MMI Display.
The vehicle can on ly be lowered when all of the vehicle's doors are
closed. If one door is open, a ll driving modes whose level setting is
below the current vehicle leve l appear greyed out in the MMI
Display. If a door is opened while the vehicle is being lowered, the
lowering process is interrupted until all doors are closed again .
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
I f the system is temporarily unavailable due to, for instance, an
empty compressed air tank, the driving modes that cannot be se t
appear
greyed out in the MM I Display. As soon as the system is avai l­
able again, the driving modes can once more be selected in the
display.
[ i ] Tips
• For additiona l information on the driving modes:::::, page 207,
"Chassis controls".
• When the compressed air tank is empty, the compressor can be
sw itched on by starting the engine. The Adaptive Air Suspension is
once again availab le, after waiting a few minutes. •
Applies to veh icles: with Adapt ive A ir Suspens ion
Appearance in the instrument cluster display
You can view the current vehicle level in the instrument
cluster display.
Fig . 2 26 D ispla y:
A dap tive Air Sus pen-
s ion
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___________________________________________ ___:A~d~ a~p~t~iv~ e=-.:A~ir~ S~u~ s ~p~ e~n~ s~io~n ~_ffllll
Applies to vehicles : w it h towi ng h itch and Adapt ive Air Su spens io n
Towing a trailer
Automatic lowering is not desirable when towing a trailer.
Fig . 22 9 MMI D isplay:
T rai le r t ow ing mode
Swi tching th e trail er towing mode on and off
Press the (CARI function button. The main menu
Adaptive Air Su spension appears .
-Press the (SETUP I funct ion button. The menu Adaptiv e
Air Susp ension
appears~ fig. 229.
- Select
Trailer towing mod e on or off as req uired .
As long as towing mode is activated, a vehicle with a trailer appears
in the
Ad apti ve Air Sus pension main menu.
Le ve l Ad jus tm ent w hen t owing a tra ile r
• Before hitching up the trai ler a nd before adjusting the tongue
weight at the trai ler, the automatic or comfort mode
mu st be
selected so that the vehicle can be at normal level
=> page 208 ,
"MMI settings".
• If driving in dynamic mode is desired, this mode
mus t be
selected before hitching up the trailer and before adjusting the
tongue weight . However , note that your vehicle is lowered and
ground clearance is reduced.
Controls and equip ­
ment
• If you have to drive under difficult road conditions, you can
se lect offroad or lift mode, af ter hitching up the trai ler or after
adjusting the tongue weigh t.
• If the vehic le is at
normal level, and you select offroad mode
while trave ling a t speeds higher than 22 mph (35 km /h) , t he vehicle
wi ll not be raised . Offroad mode wi ll appear as the active mode in
the MMI Display .
• If the vehic le is in offroad mode at
high level 1 , it automatically
lowers to
normal level when the vehicle is trave ling a t speeds
exceeding approxima tely 31 mph (50 km/h). The vehicle is automat ­
ica lly raised to
high level 1 again when the t raveling speed falls
below approximate ly 25 mph (40 km/h).
R es tric tions when ope ra ti ng w ith a tra iler
When opera ting with a trailer, the lift mode can on ly be se lected up
to about 12 mph (20 km/h). Lift mode is au tomatica lly canceled
again when a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h) is exceeded .
If the vehicle is in automatic, comfort, offroad or lift mode before
the trai ler towing mode is act iv a te d , the dynamic mod e cannot b e
activated.
If the vehicle is in dynamic mode before tow ing operation is acti­
vated, it can be driven in this mode. If the suspension is switched
from this mode to another mode , dynamic mode canno t be re­
selected .
[ i ] Tips
• For vehicles with a factory installed towing hitch or a trailer hitch
that was installed later acco rding to factory specificat ions , the
system recognizes "Trailer towing mode" and activates this special
mode automatically, as soon as the electrica l connection on the
trai le r sock et is connected. The mode c eases au tomat ica lly wh en
the electrical connection to the trailer socket is disconnected.
• I f the trailer tow ing mode has been activated, the vehicle w ill not
drop to the low or highway level. •
I • •

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