2009 AUDI Q7 traction control

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The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
t he aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is continua lly
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example, when the vehic le starts hydrop laning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate whee l to correct
the prob lem.
The vehicle is then stab ilized by the forces acting on the whee l
during braking. If the vehicle is
oversteering (rear tends to skid out
of the turn), the brakes are mainly app lied on the wheel that is on
the outside of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to sl ide out of the curve), the brakes are applied as
needed on the wheel that is on the inside of the curve or additionally
on the other wheels . An acoustic signal indicates when ESP brake
application cuts in
~ & .
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system
~ page 292 . If the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP will b e out of action as well.
Ac tiva tin g
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatically be activated
and wil l perform a se lf-tes t. As soon as the test is comp leted, the
system is in norma l operating mode.
Offro ad m ode
ESP should normally be operated in normal mode because this
ensures maximum vehicle stabil ity . If necessary, you can activate
the ESP offroad mode by pressing the button
~ page 288, fig. 275
to obtain maxi mum traction and braking abil ity when dr iving off
paved roads at low speeds . In ESP offroad mode , the ESP indicator
l ight ~
page 19 illuminates and the message E S P Offroad appears
briefly in the display.
The ESP offroad mode can be usefu l in the fo llowing exceptional
s ituat ions when slip or a high ly effective differential locking func ­
tion is desirable. Examples:
• when driv ing with t ire chains,
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground,
Inte llig ent tec hn olo gy
• when driving on uneven surfaces with the wheels severely
unloaded (articulation), and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck .
When the unusual situation is pas t, you should shift back to the
normal ESP operating mode by pushing the button again. The
message
ESP /A SR on then appears briefly in the display.
Hill d escent contr ol
The hil l descent control is swi tched on in ESP offroad mode . When
s lowly descending steep gradients on loose ground or when the
ax les are a rticulated, h ill descent control provides assistance by
automatically applying the brakes to keep vehicle speed constant.
The vehicle is also rendered easier to steer by se lective distribution
of braking force . Hi ll descent control intervenes when:
• the accelerator pedal is not pressed,
• the veh ic le is trave lling less than 12 mph (20 km/hl,
• a steep gradient is detected,
• whee l behavior indicates loose ground or conditions with poor
adhesion (e .g . also axle articulation).
Hi ll descent control operates both driving forward and in reverse.
Active hill descent contro l is deactivated by pressing the accelerator
pedal until the conditions for activat ion a lready listed are met again .
& WARNING
• The Elect roni c Sta bil izati on Progr am is ne ve rt hele ss subject to
th e law s of phy sics. It is particul arly important to pay attention to
t hi s fa ct on we t and slippery ro ads . It i s therefore i mpo rtant th at
yo u a lw ays adapt your dri vin g to the condition of the ro ad and
traffi c conditions . Do n ot allo w the in cre ased sa fety provided by
the Elect roni c Stabili zation Progr am system to lull you into
ac cepting additional safety r isks.
• Please be aw are th at in ESP offroad mo de, parti cularl y on a
s m ooth and slippery road , the wheel s m ay have an incr eased •
I t •

If an individual wheel begins to rotate too slowly in relation to
vehicle speed and tends to lock, the ABS automatically reduces
brake pressure to prevent that wheel from locking.
This automatic adjustment process will cause a
slight vibration of
the brake pedal and some noises to alert you that vehicle speed
must be adapted to existing road and traffic conditions .
_& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always remember that braking
capability is limited by tire traction. Always adjust your driving
speed according to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risks.
The ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics.
[ i] Tips
• If ABS is not functioning properly , a warning light will come on .
See
=> page 22.
• If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This
is indicated by the ABS warning light.•
Brake assistant
The brake assistant is designed to achieve the optimum
braking effect.
The brake assistant helps to increase the effective braking power
and thus to achieve
a shorter stopping distance . If the driver
presses the brake pedal very quickly , the brake assistant automati­
cally boosts the braking force to the maximum level, up to the point
where the anti-lock brake function (ABS) intervenes to stop the
wheels from locking. You should then keep th e brake pedal pressed
until the vehicle has braked to the required speed. The brake assis­
tant swi tches its elf off as soon as you release the brake pedal.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
Automatic full braking assist
This function allows full braking
in spite of high brake pedal forces
(e.g . when the brakes are severely stressed because the vehicle is
fully loaded) . The driver notices this function through a reduction of
pedal force and increased pedal travel. When the brake pedal is
released, full braking assist switches off again automatically.
If there is an ABS failure, the brake assistant and automatic full
braking assist ar e not available .
The brake assistant will not be operative if there is a malfunction in
the ABS.
_& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast, especially in corners or on a slippery road, or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too closely . Increased risk of an
accident cannot be compensated for even by the brake assistant,
so always maintain a safe speed. iJ
Servotronic® -advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise steering with little effort.
The advanced Servotronic ® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortable and safe steering response exactly matched to the
vehicle speed.
Power steering will not work if the engine is off. As a result, the
s teering whe el will be hard to turn.
The power steering fluid level is checked during the scheduled
maintenance services .
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Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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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
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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 •