2011 AUDI Q7 suspension

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While the vehicle is being raised or lowered, the target level is indi­
cated by an arrow © next to the corresponding segment. The arrow
disappears again when the vehicle is at the target level.
Limitations to MMI settings
Please note that not every driving mode can be selected in every
dr iving s ituation . For example , it is not poss ible 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 veh icle's doors are
closed.
If one doo r is open, all driving modes whose level setting is
below the current vehicle level appear greyed out in the MMI Display.
If a door is opened whi le the vehicle is being lowered , the lowering
process is interrupted until all doo rs are closed again.
I f the system is temporarily unavailable due to, for instance, an
empty compressed air tank, the driving modes that cannot be set
appear
greyed out in the MMI Display . As soon as the system is avail ­
able aga in, the driv ing modes can once more be selected in the
display .
(I] Tips
• For additional information on the driving modes=> page 179,
"Chassis controls".
• When the compressed air tank is empty , the compressor can be
switched on by starting the engine. The Adaptive Air Suspension is
once again available, after waiting a few minutes.
• T o prevent overload, the system switches off temporarily if
severa l adjustments are made in a row. The Adaptive A ir Suspens ion
is once again available, afte r waiting a few minutes. •
Contro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Applies to vehicles : w ith Adapt ive A ir Sus pens ion
Appearance in the instrument cluster
display
You can view the current vehicle level in the instrument
cluster display.
Fig. 180 Display:
Adaptive Air Suspen­ sion
Fig. 181 Display:
Adaptive Air Suspen­
s ion
Repeated, br ief tapping of the [ RESET] button on the windshield
wiper lever allows you to selec t whether information concerning the
trip computer, digita l tachometer, navigation* or "Adaptive Air
Suspension " is to appear in the instrument cluster display .
Display of the Adaptive Air Suspension is automatic when the offroad
or lift mode is se lected, or when the vehicle is automat ically lowered
in lift mode.
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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Raising and l owering
If a rrow (Dis solid red=> page 181, fig. 180 or white => page 181,
fig. 181, the veh icle is raised .
If arrow
0 is solid red or white, the vehicle is lowered .
T he respective arrow stays on until the level change is complete . The
time required for a level change can vary, depending on the current
dr iving cond it ions .
Displ aying the vehicle le vel
The current vehicle leve l is show n wit h segments fi lled ou t in the
segment display@. If only the bottom segment is filled out, the
vehicle is at highway leve l. If all segments a re filled o ut, the vehicle is
at high level 2 and has the greatest amount of ground clearance
possible.
W hile the vehicle is being ra ised or lowe red, t he target leve l is ind i­
cated by an arrow © next to the correspond ing segment. The arrow
disappe ars aga in whe n the vehicle is a t the target level. •
Applies to veh icles: w ith Ad ap tiv e A ir Suspens ion
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire
This mod e must be activated in the MMI bef ore raising
the vehicle with a jack or on a vehicle
li~ .
-Select: Fu nction button [CAR)> function butto n [SETUP ]
> Jacking mode .
The veh icle jack mode must be activated before c hanging a whee l so
that the automatic contro l processes for t he air s uspensio n do not
make lifting w ith the vehicle jack more difficult.
The check lamp in the instr ument cluster display illuminates in
vehicle jac k mode.
W Tips
Th e veh icle ja ck mode is switc hed off automat ica lly at speeds above 9
mph (15 km/h). •
Appli es to veh icles : with tow ing h itc h and Adaptive Air Sus pen sion
Towing a trailer
Automatic lowering is not desirable when towing a
trailer.
- Selec t: Fu nct ion button [CARI > fun ction but ton [S ETUP I
> Towing mode .
As long as towing mode is activated, a ve hicl e w ith a t railer appears
in the
adaptive air suspension main menu.
Level Adjustment when towing a trailer
• Before h itching up the trailer and befo re adjust ing the tongue
we igh t at the trailer, the automatic or com fort mode mu st be
selected so that the vehicle can be at normal leve l=>
page 180, "MMI
se ttings" .
• If dr iv ing in dynamic mode is desired, this mode
must be selected
befo re hitc hing up the tra iler and before adjus ting the tongue
we ight. However, note that yo ur vehicle is lowered and ground clear­
ance is reduced.
• If you have to drive under diff icu lt road conditions, you can select
offroad or li ft mode, aft er hitching up the trai le r or after adjust ing
the tongue weight .
• If the vehicle is at
normal level, an d you se lec t offro ad mode wh ile
traveling at speeds higher than 22 mph (35 km/h), the vehicle will
no t b e raised. O ffroad mode will a ppear as t he active mode in the
MMI D isplay.
• If the veh icle is in o ffro ad mode at
high level 1, it automatic a lly
lowers to
normal level when the vehicle is traveling at speeds
exceeding approximate ly 31 mph ( SO km/h). The vehicle is automat -...

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ically raised to high level 1 again when the traveling speed falls below
approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) .
Restrictions when operating with a trailer
When operating with a trailer, the lift mode can only be selected up
to about 12 mph (20 km/h). Lift mode is automatically canceled
agai n 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
trailer towing mode is activated, the dynamic mode cannot be acti­
vated .
If the vehicle is in dynam ic mode before towing operation is acti­
vated, it can be driven in this mode. If the suspension is switched
from th is mode to another mode, dynamic mode cannot be re­
selected.
[I) Tips
• For vehicles with a factory installed towing hitch or a trai ler hitch
that was installed later according to factory specifications, the
system recognizes "Trailer towing mode" and activates this specia l
mode automat ically , as soon as the electr ical connection on the
trailer socket is connected. The mode ceases automatically when the
electrical connection to the trailer socket is disconnected.
• If the trai ler towing mode has been activated, the vehicle will not
drop to the low o r highway level. •
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
A
pp lies to vehicles : w ith Adapt ive Air Sus pens ion
Cargo mode
The rear of the vehicle can be lowered to make it easier to
load .
Fig. 182 Luggage
compartment detail:
Cargo mode switch
Activating cargo mode in the MMI
-Select: Function button [CARI> function button [SETUP)
> Lower for loading.
Using switch for activating cargo mode
- Close all vehicle doors.
- Open the trunk lid.
- Press the lower part of the switch ®~ fig. 182. The rear
of the vehicle is lowered.
- Press the upper part of the switch
(D. The rear of the
veh icle is raised again.
In cargo mode, the rear axle is lowered by 2.2 inches (55 mm),
compa red to the normal level.
While the vehicle is in cargo mode, the segments do not appear as
filled in the segment d isplay. .,,
Vehicle care Technical data

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& WA RNING (conti nued)
ment, cellular telephones and CB radios, etc. ) must be performed
by a qualified technician who h as the training and special equip ­
ment necessary .
• For any work on the airbag system, we strongly recommend
that you see your authorized Audi dealer or qualified wo rkshop.
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body .
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without
interference :
- Never in stall seat cover s or replacement upholstery over the
front seatbacks that have not been specifically approved by
Audi.
- Never use addit ional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags inflate.
- Damage to the or iginal seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the side airbag module mu st always be repaired immedi­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer.
• The airbag sy stem can be activated only once . After an airbag
has inflated, it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the techni cal information, training
and special equipment necessary.
• The airbag sy stem can be deployed only once . After an airbag
has been deployed, it must be replaced w ith new replacement
parts designed and approved e specially for your Audi model
version. Replacement of complete airbag systems or a irbag
c omponents must be performed by qualified workshops onl y.
Make sure that any airbag service action is entered in you r Audi
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .
• For safety reasons in severe accidents, the alternator and
starter are separated from the vehicle battery with a pyrotechnic
circuit interrupter.
-Work on the pyrotechnic circuit interrupter must only be
performed by a qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
& WARNING (c on tinued )
-If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is scrapped , all appli­
cable safety precautions must be followed.
c£' For the sake of the environment
Undep loyed a irbag mod ules and pretensione rs might be class ified as
Perch lorate Mate rial -special handling may apply, see
www.dt sc.ca.gov/ha zardou sw ast e/perc hlor ate. When the vehicle or
parts o f the restraint system including ai rbag modu les and sa fety
be lts with p rete nsioner s are sc rappe d, all app lic able laws and r egu la­
tions m ust be observed. Yo ur authorized Aud i dealer is familiar w ith
t hese requi reme nts and we recommend th at you have yo ur dealer
per form t his service for you .•
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Chang ing the vehicle's suspension system can change the way that
th e Adva nced Airbag System pe rforms i n a cr ash. Fo r examp le, us in g
t ire-rim combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the vehicle,
c hang ing the stiffn e ss o f th e suspension, incl uding t he sp rings,
suspension struts , shock absorbers etc. can change t he forces that
are meas ured by the a irbag sensors an d sent to the elect ronic contro l
unit . Some suspension c hanges can, fo r example, increase the force
levels meas ure d by the senso rs and make the airbag system deploy in
crashes in which i t would not deploy if the changes had not been
ma de. Other ki nds of changes may reduce the force levels meas ure d
by th e sensors a nd p rev ent the airbag from dep loying when it should.
T he sensors in the safety belt b uckle for the drive r and front
p assenge r se at tell the e lec tron ic co ntrol mo dule if the safety bel t i s
latched or not. If the safety belt is being used, the front a irbag w ill
dep loy at a sligh tly higher rate o f vehicle deceler ation t han if t he
sa fety belt is not be ing used . Therefo re, in a pa rt icu lar collis io n, it is
possible that an a irbag w ill not dep loy at a seating posi tion where the .,_

safety belt is being used but will inflate at the position where the
safety belt is not being used. It is impo rtant that nothing in terfere
with the safety belt buckles so that the sensors can send the correct information about safety belt use to the electronic control unit.
& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including use of unapproved
tire-rim combinations can change Advanced Airbag performance
and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
• Never install suspension components that do not have the
same performance characteristics as the components originally
installed on your vehicle.
• Never use tire-rim combinations that have not been approved
by Audi.
& WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center
console can cause the sensors in the buckle to send the wrong
information to the electronic control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety
belt buckles and that they are not obstructed .
W For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretensioners might be classified as
Perchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswas te/perchlorate . When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system including airbag modules and safety
belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regu la­
tions mus t be observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar w ith
these requirements and we recommend that you have your dealer
perform th is service for you .•
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 204 Side airbag
location in the driver's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
~ fig. 204 and the rear backrest* facing the doors . They are identi ­
fied by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and external side impact se nsors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• two rear side airbags (as an ordered
option)
• the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.
Th e airbag system is monitored elect ronically to make certain that it
is functioning properly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds
(self d iagnostics).
The side airbag system supp lements the safety belts and can he lp to
reduce the risk of injury to the dr iver 's, front and rear* passenger 's
upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision.
The airbag deploys on ly in s ide impacts and only when the vehicle
acceleration registered by the control unit is high enough. If this rate
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Driving off road
------------------------------------------------------'
vary. It is the driver's responsibility to decide whether a vehicle can
overcome a specific situation
=> &-
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 vehicl e can be driven diagonally
or across the fall line on a slope without the vehicle tipping over s ide­
ways (depends on center of gravity). Maximum permitted late ral
angle: 35°
Breakover angle
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can dr ive over a ramp at
low speed without the underside of the vehicle hitting the edge of the
ramp.
• Vehicles without air springs: maximum breakove r angle: 21, 1 °
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: maximum breakover
ang le: 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
drive onto or off a slope at low speed without striking the bumper or
the underbody.
• Vehicles without air springs: maximum approach/departure
ang le: 21.0° (front), 23.4° (rear)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: maximum
approach/departure angle at high level 2: (front) 23,5°, (rear) 25 .4°
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Ground clearance
Th
e 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*: maximum ground clear­
ance: 9.4 in (239.8 mm) at high leve l 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.
u
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:
- 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 256 as needed.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure cau se s prema ture we ar and c an cau se sudden
ti re blow-o ut. Fo r this reaso n, tir e press ure must be ch ecked at l eas t
once a mo nth ;:::,
page 324 .
Driving style
Driv in g fast aro und curves, heavy a cce le ra ti on and hard bra kin g
increase tire wea r.
Rotating tires for more even wear
Fo r all fou r tir es on your ve hicle to have the same service life, we
re co mm end th at t he fron t and rear tire s ar e rotat ed acco rd ing t o the
tire ma nufact urer's s uggested tire rotation intervals. Please
remem be r th e fo llow ing:
• Tir e ro tat io n in terv als ma y differ from t he ve hicle serv ice in terv als
out lined in your Warranty
& Maintenance bo oklet .
• Th e long er o ne tire is used i n one location on t he veh icle, t he mo re
it wears at certa in po ints; t herefore, we recommend t hat you follow
th e tir e m an ufac ture r's sugges ted tire r ota tion in te rv a ls .
• Vehicles w ith fro nt-w hee l dr ive experience mo re tread wea r on the
fron t w heels compared to all-whe el driv e (qua ttro ®).
• P leas e ro tate tires as sh own ;:::, fig. 244.
• Extra care m ust be ta ken when rotat ing direction-specific tires
=:, p age 3 48 .
Wheel balancing
The w heels on new ve hicl es a re bala nced. However, v ario us sit uatio ns
dur ing everyday driving can cause them to become unba lanced,
re su lt ing in vibra tions yo u can usually fee l throug h the stee rin g
w hee l.
Unbalanced whee ls mus t be rebalanced to avoid excessive wear on
s t eer ing, suspension and t ir e s. A wheel must also b e rebalanced
w hen a new tire is installed.
Safety first
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrec t wheel a lignment can c ause excessive t ire wear, im pair ing
t he sa fety o f the ve hicle . If t ires s how exc essive wear, hav e the wheel
alignment checked by an author ized A udi dealer o r qualifie d wo rk ­
shop.
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles with quattro ® must a lways have tires of the same s ize,
constr uctio n an d trea d type . For details see ;:::,
page 262.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of control, a crash and serious
personal injury!
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear ind icators .
• Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning" and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage, such as
grease, oil , gasoline and brake fluid away from tires.
• 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.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
eventhoughthedamagecannotbeseenthatcanleadtosudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control. •
Vehicle care Technical data

Tires and wheels -________________ fff'II
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and traffic condit ions.
Never let the good a cceleration of the winter tires and all-wheel
drive t empt you into tak ing e xtra ri sks. Always rememb er:
• When braking , an all-wheel drive vehicle handle s in the same
way as a front drive vehicl e.
• Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy and slippery road s,
even winter tires cannot help under black ice condit ions.
c£> For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather co ndit ions permit. They are qu ieter,
do not wea r as qu ickly and r educe fuel consumpt ion. •
Snow chains
Snow c hains m ay be fi tted on ly to the rear w heels, and only to cer tain
tire sizes . Ask your authorized Audi dea ler on wh ich tire sizes snow
c hains can be used .
Th e snow chains must have low-profile links and m ust not be thicker
than 0.53 inch ( 13 .S mm), including the lock .
Remove wheel ce nter covers and trim discs before put ting snow
chains on your vehicle~
0. For safety reasons cover caps must then
be fi tted over t he wheel bolts . T hese a re av ail able fro m auth o rized
Audi dealers.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehicle or installing them
in correctly can increa se the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
Safety first
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Snow chains are available in different sizes . Always make sure
to follow the instruction s provided by the snow chain manufac­
turer.
• When driving with snow cha ins never drive fa ster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains .
• Always observe local regulat ions.
0 Note
• Remove snow chains before driving on roads not covered wit h
snow to avoid damaging t ires and wear ing the snow chains down
unnecessar i Ly .
• Snow chains, whi ch come into direc t contac t wi th the w heel rim,
can scratch o r damage it. Therefore, make s ure that the snow chai ns
are sui tably covered. Chec k the pos ition of the snow chains after
dr iv ing a few yards and correct if necessary . Follow the instruct ions
from the snow chain ma nufact urer when do ing so.
• If the Adaptive Air Suspension* should malfunct io n, do not mount
or use snow chai ns because the ve hicle w ill be extreme ly low. If you
do d rive with snow chains on while the vehicle is at this level, the
snow c hains m ight severe ly damage the whee lhouse and other parts
of t he ve hicle .
[ i ] Tips
Whe re snow c ha in s are mandatory on ce rtain roads, t his norm ally
also app lies to vehicles with All Whee l Dr ive. •
Vehicle care Technical data