____________________________________________ A_ d_a_ p ,_ t_iv _ e_ A _ i_ r _ S_ u_s_, p __ e_n _ s_ i _o_ n __ ffllll
A pp lies to ve hicles : with A dap tive Air Su spen sion
Chassis controls
Five different driving modes can be set by the driver.
The automatic control 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/h) is exceeded for more than
30 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered to
low level when in
comfort 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
level
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 fuel
consumption 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 mm)
about 8 inches (205 mm)
about 7 inches (180 mm)
about 6.5 inches (165 mm)
about 5. 7 inches (145 mm)
The segment display @ in the MMI Display =>
page 178 or in the
instrument cluste r display =>
page 179 shows the current vehicle
level.
Automatic
Select the automatic mode if you prefer a balanced, comfortable
suspension setting. The damp ing characteristics are adjusted accord
ing ly .
Controls and equip
ment Safety first •
Automatic lowering: When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h)
is exceeded for more than 30 seconds, the veh icle is automatically
lowered by about 0 .6 inch (15 mm) to the
low level, which is more
suitable for highway speeds. Road holding is optimized as a result of
the lower center of gravity and fuel consumpt ion is reduced as a
result of reduced wind resistance . When a speed of about 100 mph
(160 km/h) is exceeded fo r more than 20 seconds, the vehicle is auto
matically lowered by an additional 0.8 inch (20 mm) to
highway level.
• Automatic raising: When the vehicle is at highway level and the
speed falls below about 80 mph (130 km/h) for more than 20
seconds, the vehicle is automat ically raised to
low level. The vehicle is
automatically raised again to
normal level if the speed falls below
about 44 mph (70 km/h) for a period of 2 minutes. The vehicle is
raised immediately when speed falls below about 22 mph (35 km/h).
Dynamic
Select the dynamic mode if you prefer a sporty suspension setting . In
this mode, the vehi cle is lowe red to
low level wh ile it is still stationary
and sporty damp ing characteristics a re selected . The warning light
c.:> in the instrument cluster wi ll come on for a few seconds just to
remind you of the reduced ground clearance.
If you switch off the engine whi le the vehicle is in the dynamic mode
and then switch on the ignition once again, the
c.:> warning light will
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 fo r more than 20 seconds, the vehicle is automatically
lowered by 0.8 inch (20 mm) to
highway level.
• Automatic raising: The vehicle is automatically raised to low level
again, if the speed falls below about 80 mph (1 30 km/h) for a per iod
of 20 seconds. The vehicle is raised immediately when speed falls
below about 22 mph (35 km/h).
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.
~
Vehicle care Technical data
• ....__D_ r_iv _i_ n_, g=-- S_ a _ f_e _,Ly _ ______________________________________________ _
in. WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items can fly through the
vehicle causing serious personal injury in the event of hard braking
or an accident. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
• Always put objects, for example, luggage or other heavy items
in the luggage compartment .
• Always secure objects in the luggage compartment using the
tie-down eyelets and suitable straps.
& WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehicle handles. To help
reduce the risk of a loss of control leading to serious personal
injury:
• Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a
change in the center of gravity can also cause changes in vehicle
handling:
-Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in the luggage compart-
ment as possible.
• Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating specified on the safety compliance sticker on the
left door jamb . Exceeding permissible weight standards can cause
the vehicle to slide and handle differently.
• Please observe information on safe driving
=> page 188 .
in. WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas from being drawn into the
vehicle, always keep the rear lid closed while driving.
• Never transport objects larger than those fitting completely
into the luggage area because the rear lid cannot be fully closed.
& WARNING (continued)
• If you absolutely must drive with the rear lid open , observe the
following notes to reduce the risk of poisoning:
-Close all windows,
- Close the Panoramic sliding sunroof*,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
in. WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all windows, the Panoramic
sliding sunroof* and the rear lid are securely closed and locked to
reduce the risk of injury when the vehicle is not being used .
• After closing the rear lid, always make sure that it is properly
closed and locked.
• Never leave your vehicle unattended especially with the rear lid
left open. A child could crawl into the vehicle through the luggage
compartment and close the rear lid becoming trapped and unable
to get out. Being trapped in a vehicle can lead to serious personal
injury.
• Never let children play in or around the vehicle.
• Never let passengers ride in the luggage compartment. Vehicle
occupants must always be properly restrained in one of the
vehicle's seating positions .
(I) Tips
• Air circulation helps to re du ce win dow fogging. Stale air escap es
to the outside th rough vents in the trim panel. Be sure to keep t hese
slots free and open.
• Th e tire pressure must correspond to the load . The tire pressure is
shown on the tir e pressure label. The tire pressure label is located on .,_
___ s_ a_ f_ e_ t_ y~ b_ e_ lt_s _____________________________________________ _
Audi dealer or qualified workshop is familiar wit h these reg ulatio ns
and will b e pl ea sed to pa ss on the inf ormatio n to you .
• Be sure to observe all safety, environmental an d other reg ulations
if the ve hicl e or ind iv idu al par ts of t he sy st em , p articular ly th e s afety
belt or a irbag , are to be d ispose d. We recommend you have your
a u thor ized Audi d eale r p erf orm t his s ervi ce for yo u.•
Service and disposal of safety belt
pretensioner
Th e s afe ty bel t preten sioner s are pa rt s of the safe ty bel ts on y our
Audi. Installing, remov ing, servic ing o r repa iring o f belt preten
s ioner s can damage the sa fe ty bel t s yste m an d pr eve nt it fr om
work ing correctly in a collision.
T he re are some important th ings you have to know to make s ure that
t he eff ective ness o f the sys tem w ill not be impa ired and that
discar ded components do not cause injury or poll ute the e nviron
men t.
& WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair procedures can increase the
risk of personal injury and death by preventing a safety belt
pretensioner from activating when needed or activating it unex
pectedly:
• The belt pretensioner system can be activated only once. If belt
pretensioners have been activated , the system must be replaced .
• Never repair, adjust, or change any parts of the safety belt
system.
• Safety belt systems including safety belt pretensioners cannot
be repaired . Special procedures are required for removal, in stalla
tion and disposal of this system.
• For any work on the safety belt system, we strongly recom
mend that you see your authorized Audi dealer or qualified tech-
& WARNING (co ntinued )
nician who has an Audi approved repair manual, training and
special equipment necessary.
Undep loyed airba g modul es and pr ete ns ione rs m ight be cl assified as
Perc hlorate Materia l -specia l handli ng may app ly, see
www.d tsc.ca.go v/h azar dous wast e/perchlor ate. When the vehicle or
parts of t he rest raint syst em includ ing a irbag mod ules safety belts
w it h pretensioners are sc rap ped, a ll ap plicable laws a nd regulations
must be o bserv ed . Yo ur author ized Aud i dealer is familiar with these
req uirements and we recomme nd that you have your dealer perfo rm
th is s ervic e fo r yo u.•
Trailer towing
"---------------------------------------------------
in. WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk in an a ccident . Never let an yone ride in y our car who i s
not prop erly wearing the re straints provided by Audi. •
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differe ntly when tow ing a tra iler because of the
additiona l weight and different we ight distribution. Safety, perfor
man ce and economy w ill greatly depend on how ca refu lly yo u load
your trailer and operate your rig.
Be fore you actua lly tow your tra ile r, prac tice turning, stopp ing and
back ing u p in a n area away from traffic. Keep pract ic in g until you have
become completely familiar with the way your vehicle -trailer combi
nation behaves and responds .
Backing up is diff icult and requ ires pract ice. Backing up w ith a trailer
gene rally requires s teer ing a ction opposi te to th at when ba cki ng up
your vehicle witho ut a trailer.
Maintain a greate r d istance between your ve hicl e and the one in front
of yo u. You will need more room to stop . T o compensate fo r the
trai ler, you will need a larger than normal turning radius .
W hen p assing, remember that you c annot acceler ate as fast as yo u
normally wou ld because of the added load. Make sure yo u have
enoug h room to pass. After passi ng, allow plen ty of room fo r yo ur
tra iler before changing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes .
[ i ] Tips
• Do not tow a trai ler d uring the brea k-in perio d of your vehicle. •
If you tow a tra iler, your Aud i may require more frequent mai nte
n an ce due to the ex tra load:::::>
page 366. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
av oided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
- Apply the foot brak e.
- Have someone p lac e chocks un der bo th the vehicle and t he
traile r w he els .
- With c hoc ks i n place, slowly release the brakes u ntil the
wheel c hoc ks absorb t he load.
- Turn the w hee ls towards t he curb .
- A pply the parking brake.
- M ove th e selector le v er to
P.
When restarting after parking:
- A pply the foot brake .
- Start the engine .
- Mov e th e s elector lever to
D .
- Release the par king brake a nd s low ly pull o ut and away
fro m the w heel chocks.
- Stop a nd have someone retr ieve the w heel chocks .
(I) Tips
If you move the se lector lever of the a utomat ic t ransmiss ion to P
befo re applying t he par king br ake an d befo re blo cking the w heels, II-
labeled ask the station operator what fuel is being dispensed befo re
fi lling up yo ur vehicle.
Service stations offering Diesel f uel are generally loca ted on truck
routes or major hig hways. Directo ries of Diese l fue l stations are
usually availab le at Diese l fuel stations.
Some states in t he USA require permits to purchase Diesel fuel. Check
w ith your State Mo tor Vehicle De partment.
Diesel fuel may not be available outs ide the USA and Canada. Be sure
to check before trave ling to othe r countries .
Winter operation
At t empe ratures below 20° F (- 7° C), Die sel fue l No . 2 l oses its flu idity
due to wax separation, wh ich may clog the fuel filter or tank fi lter and
keep the engine from running .
T o help t he filte r from be ing clogged by wax, the fue l fi lter in your
vehicle is automatically preheated. Preheat ing the fuel f ilter makes
operat io n of yo ur vehicle possib le with Die sel fuel No. 2 dow n to -
10° F (-24° C).
If you expect temperat ures below 5° F (-1S° C) ask yo ur fuel dealer
whether their Diesel fuel No . 2 is suffic iently w interized for the
prevailing and expected temperat ures.
If not winterized or insuff ic ie ntly w inte riz ed Diese l fuel has already
thickened to the extent that the engine w ill not start, warm the
vehicle up by leaving i t in a heated garage.
It is normal that the eng ine noise level (dieseling) is louder during the
warm-up period in winte r. It is also normal when whitish -blue smoke
comes out of t he tailpipe afte r start ing and du ring warm-up. The
amount of smoke depends on the outside temperature .
Do not let your Diesel engine idle unnecessa rily af ter a co ld start.
Dr iv ing off slow ly w ill shorten the warm-up per iod.
Safety first
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
& WARNING
• Never use "starting as sist flu ids ." Th ey may be potentially
explo sive or cause a "run-away " engine condition . Thi s could
re sult in s eriou s engine damage and per sonal injury .
• Never u se fuel line anti -freeze off ered fo r ga soline engine s.
0 Note
• Your D iesel eng ine has been spec ifically desig ned to ope rate on ly
on Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fue l. Therefore, never use home heating o il
or reg ular gasoline . The properties of these fuels may cause serious
damage to the fuel injection system and to t he engine . Using these
fue ls can cause expens ive eng ine repairs and will also adversely affect
your New Vehicle Lim ited Wa rranty.
• If Diese l fuel shou ld get on any rubber hose, it must be wiped off
immediately. Then wash the contaminated hose port ion w ith soap
and warm water . Do not allow Diesel fue l to remain on connecting
hoses. They may deve lop leaks and cause se rious damage. •
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The f ue l fi ller neck is located o n the rig ht rea r side panel behind t he
fue l filler flap.
If the power locking system shou ld fai l, you can st ill open the flap
ma nually- for deta iled instructions see:::::>
page 292.
You can find the fue l tank capacity of your veh icle in
Technical Data
:::::, page 3 63.
The label on the inside of t he fuel filler flap tells you the correct fuel
for your veh icle. For more informat ion about fuel specifications, see
:::::>
page 287 . _,,
Vehicle care Technical data
________________________________________________ G_e_ n_e_ r _a_ l_i_n _f_ o_ r_m _ a_t_ i_ o _ n __ _
The safety compliance sticker
is your assurance that yo ur new vehicle complies with all applicable
Fede ral Motor Veh icle Safe ty Standards which were i n effect at the
time the vehicle was manufact ured . Yo u can fi nd this sticker on the
left doo r jamb.
It shows the mont h and year of prod uct io n and the
vehicle identification number of your veh icle (perforation) as well as
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GV WR) and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR).
The high voltage warning label
is located o n the loc k carrier.
The spark ignition system complies with the
Canadian standard ICES-002. •
Weights
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for front and rear are listed on a sticker on the left
door jamb.
T he Gross Vehicle Weight Rating includes the weight of the basic
vehicle pl us f ull f uel tank, oil and coo la nt, plus max im um load, whi ch
includes passenger we ight (150 lbs/68 kg per des ignated seating
position) and luggage weight~& .
Gross Axle Weight Rating
The Gross Axle Weight Ra ting is the maximum lo ad that can be
applied at each axle of the vehicle~&.
Vehicle capacity weight
The vehicle capacity weight (max. load) is listed on the dr iver's side B
pillar.
Safety first
Roof weight
Th e maxim um permiss ib le roof weight is 220 lb (100 kg ). T he roof
we ight is made up of the weight of the roof rac k system and t he
we ight of the o bject being transported ~
page 101, "Loading the
roof rack" .
& WARNING
• The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your Audi Q7 vehicle,
found on the safety compliance label on the driver's side B-pillar,
must never be exceeded under any circumstances . Exceeding the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of your vehicle is likely to damage
your vehicle, and such damage will not be covered by your Limited
New Vehicle Warranty. E xceeding the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating will also change the performance and handling character
istics of your vehicle, which could cause a crash resulting in serious
injury or death.
• The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating fo r your Audi Q7 would be
exceeded if your vehicle is simultaneously equipped with
Panoramic sl iding sunroof; third -row seating ; trailer towing
equipment (factory or dealer-in stalled), and running boards
( dealer-installed). UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY ALL SUCH
ITEMS BE INSTALLED ON THE SAME VEHICLE.
• The actual Gross Axle Weight Rating at the front and rear a xles
s hould not exceed the permis sible weights , and their combination
must not exceed the Gross Vehicle We ight Rat ing.
• Exceeding permissible weight ratings can result in vehicle
damage, accidents and personal injury .
0 Note
• The vehicle capac ity we ight figures apply when the load is dist rib
u ted evenly i n the vehicle (p assenge rs and luggage). When trans
porting a heavy load i n the luggage compartment, carry the load as
ne ar to the rear ax le as possible so th at th e ve hicle's hand ling is not
impaired. -.,
Do-it,yourself service Technical data
_____________________________________________ C_o_ n_s _u_ m __ e_r _ I_ n_ f_o _r_ m_ a_ t_ i _o_ n __ __
reliab ility. For deta iled vehicle maintenance cons ult your Warra nty &
Main tenan ce bookle t.
Under difficult operating conditions, for example at extremely low
outside temperatures, in very dusty regions, when towing a trailer
very frequently, etc., some service wo rk shou ld be performed
between the intervals specified. This app lies particu larly to:
• oil changes, and
• cleaning or rep lacing the air fi lter.
<£> For the sake of the environment
By regular ly maintaining your vehicle, you help make sure that emis
sion standards are mainta ined, t hus mi nimizing adve rse e ffects o n
the environment. •
Important considerations for you and your
vehicle
T he increasing use of electronics, sophisticated fuel injection and
em ission cont rol systems, and t he generally increasing techni cal
complex ity of today's automobiles, have stead ily reduced the scope
of mai ntenan ce and repairs w hich can be ca rried out by ve hicle
owners.
Also , safety and environm ental concerns p lace very strict
limits on the nature of repairs and adjustments to engine and trans
mission parts wh ich an owner can perform.
Maintenance, adj ustments and repairs usua lly req uire specia l tools,
test ing devices and other eq uipment available to specially t rained
workshop personnel in order to assure proper performance, re li
ability and safety of the vehicle and its many systems.
Improper maintenance, adjustments and repairs can impair the oper
ation and reliabili ty of your ve hicle and even void you r vehicle
warranty. Therefore, p roof of servicing in accordance with the main
t enance schedu le may be a condit ion fo r uphold ing a possible
warranty cla im made w it h in the warranty period .
Safety first
Above all, operational safety can be adversely affected, creating
unnecessary r is ks for you and you r passe ngers.
If in doubt about a ny servic ing, have it done by your authorized Audi
dealer or any other properly eq uipped and qualified works hop. We
st rongly urge you to give you r a utho rized Aud i dealer the opportunity
to perform a ll scheduled maintenance and necessary repairs. Your
dealer has t he facilities, o rigina l part s and trained spe ciali sts to keep
your vehicle running properly.
Performing limit ed maint enance yourself
The following pages describe a lim ited number of procedures which
can be perfo rmed on your vehicle w it h ordi na ry tools, should t he need
ar ise and trained personnel be unava ilab le. Before performing any of
t hese p rocedures, always tho roughly read all of the applicable text
and carefu lly follow the instructions given. Always rigorous ly observe
t he
WARNINGS p rov ided .
Before you ch eck anyth ing in the eng ine compartment, alwa ys read
and heed all WARNINGS~
& and~ & in "Working in the engine
compartmen t" on
page 297.
& WARNING
• Seriou s pe rs onal injury may occ ur as a result of improperly
perform ed maintenan ce, adju stments or repair s.
• Always be extremely careful when work ing on the vehicle.
Alway s foll ow commonly acc epted safety practic es and general
c ommon sense . N ever ri sk per son al injury .
• Do not attempt any of the maint enance, che cks or repair s
de scrib ed on the following p ages if you are not fully familiar with
the se or ot her procedure s with re spect to the vehicle , or are uncer
tain how to proceed .
• Do not do any work without the prop er tool s and equipment .
Ha ve the ne cessary work done by your authorized Audi dealer or
an other properly equipped and qu alified workshop. _,.
Do-it,yourself service Technical data
___ C_ o_n_ s _ u_m_ e_ r_ I_ n_ f_o _r_ m_ a_ t_io _ n _____________________________________________ _
& WARNING (conti nu ed )
• The engine compartment of any motor veh icle is a potentially
hazardous area . Never reach into th e area around or touch the
radiator fa n. It is temperature controlled and can switch on
s uddenly -even when the engine is off and the ignition key has
been remo ved. The radiator fan switches on autom atically when
the coolant rea ches a certain temperature and will continue to run
until the coolant tempe rature drops.
• Always remove the ignition key before anyone gets under the
vehicle.
• Always support your vehicle with safety stands if it i s neces sary
to work unde rne ath the vehicle. The jac k supplied with the vehicle
is not adequate for thi s purpose and could collap se cau sing
serious personal injury.
• If you must work underneath the vehicle w ith the wheels on
the ground , always ma ke sure the vehicle is on level ground , th at
the whe els are alway s securely blocked and that the engine cannot
be started .
• Always make sure the transmi ssion selector l ever (automatic
tran smission) is in "P" (Park position ) and the par k brake is firmly
applied.
W For the sake of the environment
• Changing the engine settings will adversely affect e miss io n levels.
Th is is detrimenta l to the environment and increases fuel consump
ti on.
• Always observe enviro nmental regulations when disposing of old
eng ine o il, use d brake fl uid, dirt y engine coo lant, s pent ba tt er ies or
worn out t ires.
• Undep loyed a irbag modules and pretens ioners migh t be classified
as Perchlorate Mater ia l -spec ial handling may apply, see
www.dts c.ca .g ov/h azar douswas te/pe rchlo ra te . When the veh icle or
parts of the rest raint system including a irbag modu les sa fety belts
w ith pretens ioners are sc rapped, all applicable laws and regulat io ns must be observed
. Your authorized Aud i dealer is familiar with these
re qui remen ts and we recomme nd that you have your dealer perfo rm
this serv ice for you .•
Additional accessories,
modifications and parts
replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
A lway s con sul t an autho rized Audi dealer before
purchasi ng a ccess ories.
Your vehicle incorporates the latest safety design feat ures ens uring a
hig h stand ard of active and passive s afe ty.
T hi s safety co uld be compromised by no n-app roved changes to the
vehicle. Fo r this reason, if parts have to be replace d, p lease observe
the following points when installing addit ional accessories :
Approved Audi accessories and genuine Aud i parts are available from
a u thor ized Aud i deal ers.
T hese dea lers a lso have the necessary fac ilities, tools and tra ined
speci alists to inst all the parts and ac cessor ies p ro p er ly.
& WARNING
Using the wrong spar e parts or u sing non-approved ac ce ss ories
can cause damage to the vehicle and serious personal injury .
• Use only acces sories expressly approved by Audi and genuine
Audi spare parts
• The se parts and acces sorie s have been specially designed to be
used on your vehicle . _,.