2012 AUDI A7 brakes

82 Adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Setting the speed and activating
regulation
.. To set the current speed, press the I SET !
button ¢ fig. 85. The set speed is shown in
the tachometer @and in the display
¢
fig . 86. You must also press the brake
pedal when the vehicle is stopped.
Switching adaptive cruise control off
.. Push the lever away from you into position
@ until it clicks into p lace. The message
ACC off appears.
Indicator lamps and messages in the instru­
ment cluster display inform you about the cur­
rent system status and settings.
@ Indicator lights
II -adaptive cruise control is switched on. No
vehicles are detected up ahead. The stored
speed is ma intained.
I -A moving vehicle is detected up ahead.
The adaptive cruise control system regulates
the speed and distance to the moving vehicle
ahead and acce lerates/brakes automat ically.
fij-adaptive cruise control is switched on. A
moving vehicle up ahead was detected. Your
vehicle remains stopped and will not start driving automatically.
I-When a utomat ic brak ing is not able to
keep enough distance to a previously detected
moving vehicle up ahead, you must take con­
trol and brake¢
page 83, Prompt for driver
intervention.
© Display
If adaptive cruise control is not shown in the
display, you can call it up with the multifunc ­
tion steering wheel buttons¢
page 22.
Based on the symbo ls in the display, you can
determine if the system is main taining a dis­
tance to the vehicle ahead and what that dis­
tance is .
No vehicle -No vehi cle ahead was detected.
White vehicle -A vehicle ahead was detected.
Red vehicle -Prompt for the driver to take ac­
tion ¢
page 83 .
Both arrows on the scale © indicate the dis ­
tance to the vehicle ahead. No arrow appears
when the vehicle is on an open road and the re
is no object ahead. If an object is detected
ahead, the arrow moves on the scale.
T he green zone on the scale shows the stored
distance . For information on changing the
stored distance ¢
page 84. If the distance
selected is too close or may soon become too
close, the arrows move into the red zone on
the scale.
A WARNING
Improper use of the adaptive cruise con­
trol can cause collisions, other accidents
and serious personal injur ies.
- Pressing the
!SET ! button when driv ing at
speeds below
20 mph (30 km/h), w ill au­
tomatically accelerate the vehicle to
20
mph (30 km/h), which is the minim um
speed that can be set.
(D Tips
-If you switch the ignit ion or the adaptive
cruise contro l off, the set speed is e rased
from the system memory.
- You cannot switch the Electron ic Stabili­
zation Program (ESP) to the SPORT mode
when adaptive cruise control is sw itched
on.
Driving in stop-and-go traffic
Applies to vehicles: with adaptive cruise control
The adaptive cruise control system also as­ sists you in stop-and-go traffic. If a previous
detected vehicle ahead stops, your vehicle will
brake to a stop, within the limits of the sys­
tem.
.. To resume driving with adaptive cruise con­
trol, tap the acce lerator pedal or
.. Pull the lever toward you into position @
¢ page 81, fig. 85. .,.

84 Adaptive cruise control and braking guard
@ reaches the desired speed ¢ page 81,
fig. 86.
Setting the distance and driving
program
App lies to vehicles: with adaptive cruise control
Fig. 89 Opera ting lever: set ting the distance
The distance at which the adaptive cruise con­
trol fo llows a vehicle in front is determined by
time intervals. A time interval to a vehicle in
front is established and maintained. This pro­
duces a speed-dependent interval. The higher
the speed, the greater the safety interval in
yards (meters)
i::> ,& .
Setting the distance
• Tap the switch to disp lay the current set dis­
tance
i::> fig. 89.
• To increase or reduce the distance by incre­
ments , tap the switch again to the left or
right . The distance between the two vehicles
wi ll change in the instrument cluster dis­
play.
Setting the driving program
• Select in the MMI:
!CAR I function button>
Car Systems control button > Driver assist>
adaptive cruise control
> Driving program .
Setting the distance
When approaching a moving vehicle up ahead,
the adaptive cruise control system automati­
cally brakes to match that object's speed and
then maintains the stored distance. When this
happens , the actual d istance may briefly be
less than the stored distance.
If the vehicle
ahead accele rates, adaptive cruise control will
also accelerate up to the stored speed. T
he higher the speed, the g reate r the distance
in yards (meters)
i::> .& . Th e Distance 3 setting
is recommended.
T he distances provided are specified va lues .
Depending on the driving situation and the
how the vehicle ahead is driving, the actua l
distance may be more or less than these tar­
get distances .
c::::,_c::::, ___ Distance 1: This setting corre-
sponds to a distance of 92 feet/28 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
t ime interval of 1 second.
c::::, __ c::::, __ Distance 2: This setting corre­
sponds to a distance of 118 feet/36 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
time interval of 1.3 seconds.
c::::, ___ c::::,_ Distance 3: This setting corre-
sponds to a distance of 164 feet/SO meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
t ime interval of 1.8 seconds.
c::::, ____ c::::, Distance 4: This setting corre-
sponds to a distance of 210 feet/64 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
t ime interval of 2.3 seconds.
Setting the driving program
You can select Dynamic , Standard or Comfort
driving programs. Depending on the selected
driving program and distance, driving behav ­
ior when accelerating wi ll vary from dynamic
to comfortab le.
A WARNING
Following other vehicles too closely in­
creases the risk of collis ions and ser ious
personal injury .
- Sett ing short distances to the traffic
ahead reduces the time and distance
availab le to bring your vehicle to a safe
stop and makes it even more necessary
to pay close attention to traffic .
-
-Always obey applicable traffic laws, use
good judgment, and select a safe follow­
ing distance for the traffic, road and
weather conditions.

Adaptive cruise control and braking guard 85
@ Tips
- Distance 3
is set automatically each time
you switch the ignition on.
- Your standard settings are automatically
stored and assigned to the remote con­
trol key being used.
Audi braking guard
Descript ion
Applies to vehicles: with adaptive cruise contro l
Fig. 90 Instrument cluster: approach warning
Audi braking guard uses radar sensors and a
video camera. It is active at speeds above
about 6.2 mph (10 km/h) and also works
within system limits when adaptive c ruise
control is switched off.
On vehicles w ith adaptive cru ise control and
Audi side assist (Aud i pre sense plus), system
functions also engage when a collision is im­
minent
c::> page 182.
What can Audi braking guard do?
When detected in time, the system can assess
situations when a vehicle ahead brakes sud­
denly or if your own veh icle is traveling at a
h igh speed and approaching a veh icle up
ahead that is moving more slowly . Audi brak­
in g guard does not react if it cannot detect
the situation.
The system advises you of various s ituations:
- The
distance warning is given if you are too
close to the vehicle ahead for a long time. If
the vehicle ahead brakes sharply, you will not be able to avoid a coll is ion . The ind icator
light
I in the disp lay comes on. Take imme- diate action to avoid
the collision and in­
crease the distance to the vehicle up ahead.
- The
approach warning is given when a de­
tected vehicle up ahead in your lane is mov­
ing much more slowly that you are or if it
brakes sharp ly. When this warning is given,
it may only be possible to avoid a collision
by swerving or braking sharply. The indicator
light
I and the symbol in the display will
warn you about the danger
c::> fig . 90 . You
w il l also hear an acoustic signal.
If you do not react fast enough or do not react
at all to the situation, Audi braking guard w ill
intervene by braking and the message
braking
guard intervention
will appear.
- If a collision is imminent, the system will
first provide an
acute warning by braking
sharply.
- If you do not react to the acute warning, Au­
di braking guard will brake w ith increased
force in severa l stages to reduce the speed
in a poss ible collis ion. On veh icles with
adaptive cruise control and Audi side assist
(Audi pre sense plus), the system can brake
with increasing force up to maximum dece l­
eration shortly before a sensed collision
c::>page 182.
-If the Audi braking guard senses that you
are not brak ing hard enough when a colli­
sion is imminent, it can increase the braking
force.
Audi braking guard takes the driver's reaction
time into consideration in order to provide
timely warnings. The system reaction time de­
creases automatically in some situations, for
example when it detects acce lerator pedal use
or steering input . The Audi braking guard in­
tervent ion stops in certa in situations, for ex­
amp le if you press the accelerato r pedal to
pass the vehicle moving ahead of you in your
lane .
Which functions can be controlled?
You can switch Audi braking guard and the
distance/approach warning on or
off i n the
MM I ¢ page 86, Settings in the MMI.

86 Adapti ve crui se co ntrol a nd bra king guard
& WARNING
The Audi braking guard is an assist system
and cannot prevent a collision by itself.
The driver must always intervene . The driv­
er is always responsible for braking at the
correct time.
- Always pay close attention to traffic, even when the Audi braking guard is
switched on. Be ready to intervene and
be ready to take comp lete control when­
ever necessary. Always keep the safe and
legal distance between your vehicle and
vehicles up ahead.
- Audi braking guard works within limits
and w ill not respond outs ide the system
limits, for examp le when approaching a
stopped vehicle or stationary obstacle
(end of a traffic jam or vehicle that has
broken down in traffic).
- Always remember that the radar sensor
for the Audi braking guard works only
within defined detection and range limits
that may prevent the proper detection of
other vehicles.
- The radar sensor's function and range
can be reduced by rain, snow and heavy
spray. moving vehicles up ahead may not
be promptly detected or may not be de­
tected at all.
- Reflective surfaces includ ing crash barr i­
ers or tunnel entrances may impair the
function of the radar sensor .
(D Tips
Lack of attention can cause coll is ions, oth­
er accidents and ser ious personal injuries.
- You can stop the Audi braking guard in- tervention w ith increas ing braking force
by applying the brakes yourself or by ac­
celerat ing rapidly .
- Audi braking guard error messages
.:> page 86.
Settings in the MMI
Applies to vehicles: wit h adaptive cruise contro l
., Sele ct: I CAR I function button > Car system s
contro l button > Driv er a ssis t> Audi brak ­
in g gu ard .
S ys tem -
Switch Audi braking guard On and
Off. When you switch the ignit io n on, the
message
Audi brakin g gu ard off appears in
the instr ument cluster disp lay if the system is
switched off.
Earl y wa rnin g -The distan ce and approach
warnings in the d isplay can be switched
On /
Off .
(D Tips
-Yo ur settings are automatically stored
and assigned to the remote contro l key
being used at the times the settings are
made.
- If you switch the ESP to sport mode, A u­
di braking guard switches off a utomati ­
cally¢
page 186.
Messages
Applies to vehicles: wi th adaptive c ruise control
ACC unav ailable
ACC and braking guard: unavailabl e
The system cannot detect moving vehicles up
ahead co rrectly and is sw itched off . The sen­
sors have been displaced or a re not working
properly. The Audi pre sense functions may a l­
so be affected.
ACC: unava ilable at this time. No sensor vi­
sion
A CC and b raking gu ide: un available at this
time . No sensor vision
This message appears if the sensor view is ob­
structed, for examp le by leaves, snow, heavy
spray or d irt. Clean the sensors¢
page 79,
fig. 81.
ACC: un availabl e at this time. Incline too
steep

"creep" forward or backward. When
stopped, keep the brake pedal fully de­
pressed and use the park ing brake if
necessary to keep the veh icle from roll­
ing.
- If the selector lever is unintentionally
moved into N wh ile you are driving, take
your foot off the accele rator pedal and
wait for the engine to return to idle speed before selecting a d riving position.
- Never shift into R or P when the vehicle is in motion.
- Never get out of the driver's seat when
the engine is running.
- If you must get out of the vehicle, move
the se lector lever securely into the P po­
sit ion and apply the par king brake firm ly.
- If the engine must remain running , never
have any driv ing position engaged when
chec king under the hood. Make sure the
selector lever has securely engaged and is locked in P with the parking bra ke
firmly set ¢
page 210, Engine compart ­
ment .
Otherw ise, any increase in engine
speed may set the vehicle in mot ion,
even with the parki ng brake applied.
Selector lever positions
Applies to vehicles: with tiptronic
This section describes the selector lever posi ­
tions and driving ranges.
F ig . 1 10 D isplay in th e inst rument cluste r: selec to r
lever position
The selector lever position engaged appears
next to the selector lever as well as in the i n­
strument cluster display.
Automatic Tra nsmi ssi on 10 3
P-Park
In this se lector lever posi tion the transm is­
s ion is mechanica lly locked. Engage
P only
when the vehicle is
completely stopped ¢ &
in Driving the automatic transmission on
page 102.
To shift in or out of posit ion P , you mus t first
press and ho ld the brake pedal and then press
the re lease button in the selector lever hand le
whi le moving the selector lever to or from
P.
You can shift out of this position only with the
ignition on.
You must release the parking lock man ua lly
before towing the vehicle
c:> page 107.
R -Reverse
Se lect R o nl y when the vehi cle is at a full s top
and the engine is running at idle speed ¢ A in
Driving the automatic transmission on
page 102.
Be fore you move the se lector lever to R , press
both the button in the hand le of th e selector
lever
and the brake pedal at the same ti me .
When the igni tion is on, the backup lights illu­
minate when the selec tor lever is moved into
R.
N -Neutral
The transm iss ion is in neut ral in this pos ition .
S hi ft to th is position for standing with the
brakes a pplied
¢ page 104.
When the vehicle is stat ionary or at speeds
below 3 mph (5 km/h), yo u must always apply
the foo tbrake before and w hile mov ing the
lever o ut of
N .
D/S - Normal posit ion for driving forward
In the D/S pos ition, the transmission can be
operated either in the no rmal D mode o r in
the S spo rt mode . To select the S spo rt mode,
pull the selector lever bac k br iefly . Pul ling the
lever b ack again will se lect the norma l D
mode. The inst rument cl uster display shows
the selected driving mode.
II>

ESP includes and/or works together with the
anti-lock brake system (ABS) , brake assist sys ­
tem, anti -slip regulation (ASR) , e lectronic dif­
ferential lock ( EDL) and e lectronic interax le
d ifferential lock* . ESP is swi tched on all the
time. In certain situat ions when you need less
traction , you can switch off ASR by pressing
the button
[ru <::;> page 186, fig . 161 . Be sure
to switch ASR on again when you no longer
n eed less t raction.
Anti-lock br aking s ystem (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up
when braking . The veh icle can still be steered
even during hard braking . Apply steady pres­
sure to the brake pedal. Do not pump the ped ­
a l. A puls ing in the bra ke peda l indicates that
the system is he lping you to brake the vehicle.
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease brak ing
d istance.
It increases braking power when the
d river p resses the brake pedal quic kly in emer­
gency situations. You must press and ho ld the
b rake peda l until the situation is over. In vehi­
cles with adaptive cruise control*, the brake
assist system is more sensitive if the distance
detected to the vehicle ahead is too small.
Anti -slip regulati on (ASR )
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the force to
the road conditions. This makes it easier to
start, accelerate and drive up hills .
Electronic differential lock (EDL )
The ED L brakes wheels that are spinn ing and
transfers the drive power to the other drive
wheel or whee ls if the vehicle is equipped with
all-whee l drive* . This function is available up
to about 75 mph (120 km/h).
I n extreme cases, ED L automat ica lly switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked whee l
from overheating . EDL will switch on again au ­
tomatically when conditions have returned to
normal.
Int ellig ent technolog y 185
Electronic intera xle differ ential l ock */
s el ecti ve w heel torque cont rol *
The electronic interaxle differential lock (front
whee l drive) or the se lective whee l torque
control (all-wheel dr ive) operates when dr iv­
ing through curves . The front wheel on the in­
s ide of the curve or both wheels on the inside
of the curve are braked selectively as needed .
T his min imizes sliding in the front wheels and
allows for more p recise d riving through
curves . T he applicable system may no t acti­
vate when driv ing in wet or snowy conditions.
A WARNING
-
- ESP , ABS, ASR, EDL and the e lectronic in­
teraxle diffe rential lock function* cannot
overcome the laws of physics. This is es­
pecially important on slippery or wet
roads . If the systems begin acting to sta­
bilize your veh icle, you shou ld immedi­
ately change you r speed to match the
road and traffic cond itions. Do not let
the increased safety provided by these
systems tempt you to take risks. Do ing
so will increase the risk o f a loss of vehi ­
cle control, collision and serious persona l
inju ries.
-A lways adapt your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions . The risk of los ­
ing control of the vehicle increases when
driving too fast, espec ially through
curves and on slippery or wet roads, and
when dr iv ing too close to vehicles up
ahead . ESP, ABS, the brake ass ist system,
EDL, ASR and the e lectronic interax le dif­
fe rential lock fu nction* cannot prevent
coll is ions .
- Always accelerate with spec ial care on
even, smooth su rfaces such as those that
are wet or covered with ice and snow.
The drive wheels can spin even with these assistance systems that cannot al­
ways he lp to red uce the risk of loss of ve -
hicle control. .,.
•
•

Manual mode
-Manua l dep loyment: Tapping b riefly on the
switch
¢ fig. 162 dep loys the rear spoiler.
- Manua l retraction: A t speeds up to abo ut
10 mph (20 km/h), ret ract the rear spoiler
by pressing and holding the switch
¢ fig. 162 . At speeds between 10 mph (20
km/h) and 80 mph (130 km/h), retract the
rear spoiler by tapping on the switch
¢ fig. 162.
Ind icat or light s
1,1 /. Rea r spo ile r: sys tem malfunct ion!
The rear spoiler may not have extended due to
a ma lf u nction. This could change the vehicle 's
driving characteristics at high speeds . Do not
exceed 85 mph (140 km/h). Drive to your au­
thorized Audi dealer immed iate ly to have the
malfunction corrected. The co lor of the indica­
tor light depends on the ve hicle speed.
A WARNING
Dr iv ing at higher speeds w ithout the rear
spoiler dep loyed can impair handling char ­
acteristics, making the veh icle harde r to
cont ro l.
- Always make sure that the spoiler is de­
ployed when driving at speeds over
85 mph (1 40 km/h). If the rear spoiler
warning/ind icator light in the i nstr u­
ment cluster comes on, the rear spoiler
may not have dep loyed .
- Never drive at speeds higher than
85 mph (140 km/h) if the spoiler is not
deployed. Have the spoi ler inspected as
soon as possib le by an authorized A udi
dealer or qualif ied workshop.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf­
fic laws.
A WARNING
Improper operation of the rear spoiler can
cause crushing injuries.
- Always make sure that nobody, espec ially
children, is in the way when the rear
spoiler is deployed or retracted.
Int ellig ent technolog y 187
@ Note
-Never push the vehicle or apply force to
the rear spoiler -it could be damaged.
- Only operate the rear spoiler manua lly
w hen the rear lid is closed . Otherwise,
damage cou ld occur.
(D Tips
C lean the spoiler compa rtment every 2 to
3 months. The spoiler compartment must
a lways be free of ice, snow, leaves or other
debris.
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Ope rating condition s and dri ving h abit s
The brakes on today's automobiles are still
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing condit ions and driving habits ¢.&, . On ve­
hicles that are either dr iven mostly in stop­
and-go c ity traff ic or are dr iven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dea ler more often th an specified in
the
Warran ty & Maintenan ce boo klet. Failure
to have yo ur brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you sho uld use the braking
effect o f the engine . This way, you prevent un ­
necessary wear on the b rake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down cont inuous ly. Pump the brakes at inter­
vals.
Mo istur e or road salt
U nder certain conditions, for example, when
driving through water or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in
freez ing cond itions ice) on the brake pads. A
few carefu l brake applications should dry off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered
Ill-
•
•

188 Intelligent technology
road and the brakes are not used. Here too,
you should clean
off accumulated salt coating
from brake discs and pads with a few careful applications of the brake
i:> ,&. .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
only for short trips with little use of the
brakes .
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor­
rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean
off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed
i:> .&. .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, then one of the two brake
circuits may have failed
i:> ,&. .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid
level is monitored electronically.
Brake booster
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
sure which is created only when the engine is
running
c> .&. .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this in­
spection
c> page 254, Changing a wheel.
,8. WARNING
-You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the brakes or hold the pedal down too
long or too often . This could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake. This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating
conditions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the
brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums. Carefully apply brakes
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings will be cleaned
off after a few care­
ful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency.
Clean
off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­
ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut
off.
- If the brake booster is not working, for
example when towing your vehicle, or because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance .