2011 AUDI Q7 technical data

Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information Your Audi was design ed primarily for passenger transpor ­
tation .
If you plan to tow a t rai ler, p lease rem emb er that the add itiona l load
wi ll affect durab ility, economy and performance.
T railer tow ing not on ly p laces mo re s tress on the vehicle, it a lso calls
for more concentrat ion from the driver.
For this reason, a lways follow the ope rating and dr iv ing instr uctions
prov ided and use common sense .
(D Note
If you are going to tow a t ra iler , you must ac tivate the tra ile r ope ra­
tion mode ::::;,
page 182, "Towing a trailer". •
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a we igh t-car rying hit ch confo rm ing to the g ross tra ile r weig ht.
The hitch must be suitable for your vehicle and tra iler and must be
mou nted secure ly o n th e veh icle's chassis a t a
te chnically sound loca­
tion. Use only a trailer hitch with a removab le ba ll mount. Always
check w ith the tra iler h itch manufacturer to ma ke sure tha t you are
using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be i nstalled in such a way t hat i t does not interfe re
w ith the impact-absorbing bumper system. No mod ificat ions should
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
be made to the vehicle exhaust and b
rake systems. From time to
time, check that all hitc h mounting bo lts rema in securely fastened.
Whe n you are no t towing a trai ler, remove the trailer hi tch ba ll
mount. This prevents the hitch from caus ing damage should your
vehicle be s truck from behind::::;,& .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer i s eq uipped w ith a b raking system, che ck to be s ure that
it conforms to all regulat ions.
T he tra iler hyd raulic brake system must not be directly connected to
the vehi cle's hydraul ic brake system ::::;, & .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains betwee n your vehicle and t he tra iler .
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulat ions. Be sure to check w ith your
au thor ized A udi deale r for co rrect wi ring, switc hes, and re lays.
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see the traff ic beh ind you us ing t he regular
outside m irro rs, then you
must install extended mirro rs. It is impor­
t an t th at yo u
always have cle ar vision to the re a r.
& WARNING
• If a trailer has electrical brakes please note that these brakes
are not activated by the factory-fitted control unit -ri sk of acci ·
dent!
• Afte r removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle .
In case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure
you or your passengers .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

pressure label is located o n the dr iver's side B-pillar. Inflate trailer
t ires to tra ile r and t ire ma nufacturers' spec ifications.
Lights
T he headl ight settings shou ld be chec ked with the tr ailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are wo rking properly.
Safety chains
Be sure tra ile r safety cha ins are p roperly connected from the t rai ler
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to perm it
tu rning corners . When you install sa fe ty ch ains, ma ke sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trai ler tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the h itch .
0 Note
If you are goi ng to tow a trai ler , you must activate the trai ler opera­
tion mode =>
page 182, "Towing a trailer". •
Driving instructior,s
Driving with a trailer always requires e xtra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possib le handling of ve hicle a nd trailer ,
please note the following :
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especia lly careful when pass ing other vehicles .
- Observe speed limi ts.
- Do not drive at the maximum pe rmissible speed.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
- Always apply brakes early.
- Mo
nitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distri but ion
T owing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly unstable
distribution of we ight . If t his 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 veh icle shou ld be loaded to the extent poss ible and permissib le,
wh ile keeping the tra ile r as lig ht as poss ible unde r the ci rc u mstances.
Whe never possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage compart ­
me nt o f the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more d ifficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not dr ive at the maxim um permiss ible speed .
Reduce your speed eve n more if load, weather or w ind conditions are
unfavorable -particular ly when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immed iately if the tra ile r shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not tr y to stop the s wayi ng by a ccele rating .
Observe speed lim its. In some areas, speeds for veh icles towing
trailers are lowe r than for regular veh icles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving downhi ll, shift into a lower
gear to use the engine brak ing effect to slow t he ve hicle . Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperatur e
The coo lant temperature gauge=> page 10 must be observed care­
fu lly. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the sca le, reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
If the coo lant temperature warning light in the instrument clus ter
starts flash ing
- F- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two m inutes to prevent hea t buil d-up.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the P
position. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Under certain circumstances, weekly washing may be necessary .
Under o ther conditions, a mont hly w ashi ng and waxi ng may be
adequate.
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle s hou ld be tho roughly
washed, p refe rably in a profess ional car was h.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 278. •
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any mod ern auto­
matic car wash.
T he vehi cle p aint is so dura ble tha t the vehicle c an norm ally be
washed without problems in an automatic car wash . H owever, the
effect on t he pa int depends to a la rge ex ten t on t he desig n of the
facility, the filter ing of the was h water, t he type of wash and care
material, etc . If t he pa int has a dull appearance after going through
t he ca r wash or is sc ratched, bring this to the attention of the ope r­
ator immediately . If necessary, use a different car wash .
Be fore goi ng th ro ugh a car wash, be s ure to take the usual precau­
tions such as clos ing the windows and the Panoramic s lid in g su nroof.
Fa cto ry inst alled a ntennas must no t be removed .
If you have installed addit ional accessories on the vehicle -such as
spoilers, roof rack, etc . - it is best to ask the car wash ope rator if these
sho uld be removed.
& WARNING
Please take note of the following points before going through an
automatic car wa sh with your vehicle , so that you can avoid
damage to your veh icle.
Safety first
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Compare the tra ck of your vehicle with the d istance between
the guide rails of the facility -there is a risk of damage to the
wheels and tires.
• Compare the height and width of your vehicle with the height
and width of the tunnel at the facility.
• Fold the exterior mirrors flat -there is a risk of damaging the
e xterior mirrors . Power folding e xterior mirrors* must not be
folded in or out by hand. Use the power function!
• Do not allow the wiper blade to fall onto the wind shield after
the vehicle is dr ied · there is a risk of damag ing the paint on the
hood .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 278. •
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed wh en washing a vehicl e by hand.
- Before you start washing , ma ke sure you have read and
u nders tood the WARNIN GS =>
& in "General informa­
t io n" o n page
278.
- Fir s t soak all dried dir t until it is soft, the n rinse it off.
- As yo u clean yo ur vehic le, start w ith th e roof and work you r
way do wn to the bottom, us ing a sponge , a sponge g love
or a clean bru sh .
- Rin se the sp ong e or t he s po nge glo ve o ften, flushing it
cl ean each t im e.
- U se spe cia l car shampoo only for ve ry pe rsiste nt dirt .
- Rinse the car thoroug hly with wate r.
- U se a ch amo is leat her to gently w ipe t he ex ter ior d ry . •
Vehicle care Technical data

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0 Note
To avo id damaging your vehicle, a lways make sure that there i s suffi­
cient distance between the spray head and soft materia ls like r ubber
hoses, plastic part s and sound-de adening mate ria ls. Never aim the
spray head at the same point for a long time . This a lso applies to
cleaning headl ights and painted bumpers. Remembe r: the closer t he
nozzle is to the surface of the mater ia l, the greater the stress on the
mate rial. •
Wa xing
Wax protects the vehicle's paint.
- U se a manua lly applied car wax occas ionally to pro tect t he
pa int.
A good wax coat ing protects the vehicle paint to a la rge extent
agai nst the env ironmen ta l fa ctors liste d un der~
page 2 78,
"Washing" and even against slight scratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect yo ur paint as soon as one wee k
after your ve hicle has been delivered .
Even if you regula rly use a
wa xing process in automatic car washes,
we recomme nd that you m anually apply a co at of wax to give the
paint extra protection, part icularly if water no longer beads on t he
cl ean pa int .
Protec t plast ic body parts with car wax in t he same way as the vehicle
body .
Dur ing warm wea ther de ad insec ts te nd t o collec t on t he fron t
bumper and on the forward area of the hood. They a re much easier to
remove from p aint th at is waxed
often.
Safety first
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:=> page 278 .
0 Note
Do not use car wax on
• matte o r anodized metal trim
• rub ber or rubbe r-like trim .•
Polishing
P olishing restores the gloss to the paint.
P olis h your ve hicl e only if t he pa int has lost its shine and the gloss
cannot be brought back with wax.
If the polish used does not contain preservative compounds, the
paint must be waxed afterwards=> page 281, "Wax ing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:=> page 278 .
0 Note
Do not trea t matte a nodize d meta l trim, p lastic o r ru bber p arts wi th
polish or wax . •
Trim strips
fv1 etal tri m needs s pec ial care .
For env ironmental reasons, Aud i fabr icates the brig ht trim strips and
trim p ieces from pure chrom ium -free a lum inum. ._
Vehicle care Technical data

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Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road film and carwash
wax buildup.
- Remove snow from windows using a brush.
- Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from windows and
mirrors.
- Remove other residue on the w indows with a spray-on
glass cleaner .
- Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of cloth or
kitchen paper towel.
T he best way to remove snow from w indows and mirrors is to use a
brush. Use a non-abrasive plastic ice s craper - be tter st ill, a spray
deicer -to remove ice from windows and mirrors.
Th e w indows must not be cleaned with insect remover or wax since
these can interfere with the function of the w indshield wiper blades
(chatte r) .
Oil, grease, or silicone residue can be removed with glass cleaner or
s ili cone remover. Howeve r, wax residue requires the use of a specially
formulated solvent . Please contact your author ized Aud i dealer for
advice on safe products for wax remova l.
W indows shou ld also be cleaned on the inside at regu lar i nte rvals.
Never dry windows w ith the same chamo is that you use to dry painted
surfaces. Wax res idue on the chamois ca n impa ir v is ion t hrough the
windows .
& WARNING
• Alw ays read and h eed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 278 .
Safety first
& WARNING (continu ed)
• The windshield must not b e tre ated with w ater-repellent
m aterial s. They c an increa se g lare und er poor visibilit y condit ions
s uch as w etnes s, dar kne ss, or when the sun i s low on the ho rizon .
In addition, they can cau se the wind shi eld wip ers to chatter.
0 Note
• Never use warm o r hot wate r to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors . This could cause the glass to crack.
• To prevent damage to the w ires of the rear defogger, do not place
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the wires.
• T o help prevent dirt from scratching the w indow, always scrape in
a forward direction - pushing the scraper away from you - never back
and forth .•
Weatherstrips
Complete car care includes the weatherstrips as well .
-Apply a suitable rubber conditioner to the weatherstrips
from time to t ime .
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear l id, etc. must remain pliable . Spray the weatherstrips with sili­
cone or coat t hem with talc um powder or g lycerine to retain the flex­
ibility of the rubber and to p ro tect them agai nst free zing in the
winter .
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other inform ation
~ page 278 .
Vehicle care Technical data

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& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Do not apply additional underco ating or rustproofing on or
near th e exhaust manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. While driv ing, the substance us ed for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:::>page 278. •
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and other co rrosive materials w ill damage the mate rial in
t he exhaus t tai l pipes if they a re not cleaned regula rly. Do no t clean
t he ta il pipes wi th whee l cleaner, pain t po lish , chrome polish o r ot her
abras ive cleaners. C lean the ta il pipes w it h car care products that are
suitable for sta in less stee l.
Your authori zed Audi dealer can provide clean ing products that have
bee n teste d an d a pproved for your ve hicle.•
Care of interior
MMI display
- Clean th e MM I dis pla y w ith a so ft clean clot h and an LCD
cleane r.
T he MM I display ca n be cleaned with a professiona lly available "LCD
cl eaner". The cloth sho uld be sligh tly dampened with the cleaning
fluid to clean t he d isp lay.
0 Note
T o avoid scra tch ing the MMI display, you should never clean it dry .•
Safety first
MMI control console
- First clean t he MMI co ntrol console w it h a bru sh to
r e mov e dust from th e h ousin g.
- Then wi pe the MMI co ntrol co nsole w ith a clea n, soft,
slightly da mp c loth .
The MMI control conso le sho uld be clea ned with a brush first so that
no dirt is trapped betwee n the buttons and the ho usin g. We re com ­
mend g iv ing t he M MI co ntro l co nsole a final w ipe wi th a cloth mo ist­
ened w ith wate r and dish washing detergent .
0 Note
To prevent damage, make s ure that no fluid ever gets into the MMI
contr ol console. •
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remov e spo ts and deposits from
al uminum surfaces . Chrome care pro ducts and al ka line cleaners w ill
a tta ck al umi num su rfaces and c an damage them ove r time .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 278. •
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabr ic coverings (e.g . seats , d oor trim p anels, et c.) s hou ld
be cleaned at regular interva ls with a vacuu m cleaner . T hi s removes
s u rface di rt part icles which co uld become embedded in the fabr ic _,,,
Vehicle care Technical data

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A ppli es to veh icles : with n atural leathe r
Natural leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the properties,
na tural look and feel of interior leather .
General
We offer many different types of leather on our vehicles . Most are
different types of nappa leather, which has a smooth s urface and
comes in various colors.
Th e intensity of the color determines the visual cha racter istics and
appearance .
If the surface of the leat her has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has been left in a relatively
natura l condition. This leathe r offers pa rticu la rly good comfo rt and
breathes wel l. Fine veins, closed gra ins, insect b ites, sk in fo lds, and
s u btl e var iations in co lor remai n visible . These c harac ter istics demon ­
strate that the mater ial is natural.
N atural nappa leather is not covered by a color fin ish . It is the refore
more sensitive to soiling and wea r, which is something you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors might prove to be partic ­
ular ly hard on the leather .
By contrast, leather types that are covered by a colored fin ish layer
are more dur able. This h as a pos it ive e ffect on t he leather 's resist ance
to wear and so iling in daily use . On the other hand, the typical charac­
t eris tics of na tura l leather are ba rely o r not app aren t. H oweve r, this
does not mean that the leather itself is of inferior quality.
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of leather that Audi uses
and the ir un ique properties (such as sensitivi ty to oils, gre ase, soiling,
etc.), you will need to be somewhat careful with these leathe rs, a nd
a ce rtain type of care is req uired. For example, dark clo thing mate ­
r ials can discolor leather seats (especially if such clothing is damp and
was not dyed cor rect ly). Dust and dirt particles in pores, folds, and
seams can have a n ab rasive effect and ca n damage the leathe r
surface as well as weaken seams.
Safety first
The leather should be cleaned regularly as needed . After having been
used for a rela tively long time, yo ur leat her seats w ill acq uire a rich
aged fi nish. This is a characteristic of natural leather and a s ign of
true quality .
I n orde r to maintain the va lue of this nat ural p rodu ct over t he life of
your vehicle, you should fo llow the recommendations be low:
0 Note
• To keep your leather from b leach ing out, do not allow it to be
exposed to b right s unl igh t fo r long pe riod s of time. If yo u have to
leave t he veh icle parked outside for long periods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sunlight.
• Sharp objects on cloth ing, such as zippers, rivets or sharp pieces
on belts can le ave pe rm an ent sc ratches o r scrape mar ks on the
surface of the leather.
[I] Tips
• After each t ime you clean the leather and at regular intervals, use
a leathe r preservat ive creme that con tains UV -bloc ke rs and that
works into the leather. This creme will nourish and mo istur ize the
leather, helping it to b reathe and s tay supp le . It also he lps to build up
a p rotect ive coa ting on the surface .
• C lean the leather every 2 -3 months, a nd clean any areas that get
soiled .
• Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc . as soon as poss ible.
• P reserve t he colo r of t he lea ther as needed by us ing a specia l
co lored leather care creme to touch up areas of uneven color. •
Vehicle care Technical data