2012 AUDI A7 warning

200 Cleaning and protection
Cleaning and protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value .
Any automobile is exposed to industr ial
fumes, corrosive road salt, etc. A well cared
for Audi can look like new many years after
p ur chase . Reg ular and correct care w ill con­
tr ibute to maintain ing the beauty and valu e of
your Aud i.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition
for substantiating a warranty claim should
corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Your auth orized Audi dealer has a variety of
dedicated vehicle-care products and can ad ­
v ise wh ich ones to use for cleaning the ext eri­
or a nd inte rior o f you r vehi cle.
Whether you use products recommended by
Aud i or other commercially ava ilable clean ing
agen ts, pleas e make sure you apply t hem cor­
r ectly .
A WARNING
-Cleani ng agen ts m ay be poi sonous. Kee p
them o ut of t he rea ch of childre n.
- H eed a ll ca ution labels.
- Always read directions on th e co ntai ner
b efore using a ny produc t. Follow the di­
rec tions caref ully.
- Most chemical cleaners a re concentrat ed
and have to be diluted.
- Use spot removing flui ds only i n well
ventila ted areas.
- Do not use gasoline, ke rosene, d iesel
fuel, nail pol is h remov er or ot her volati le
fluid s. T hey may be to xic, flammab le or
h azar dou s in other w ays. D o not was h,
w ax or dry the vehicle wi th the ig nit ion
on or the eng ine running .
- D o not cl ean t he under sides of ch assis,
f en ders, wheel cove rs , etc. without pro­
tectin g your hands and a rms. You may
c u t yourself on s harp-ed ged metal parts . -
Moisture and ice on b rakes may impair
brak ing eff ic iency
c::> page 187 , General
information.
Test the brakes ca refully
each time you wash t he vehicle .
@ For the sake of the environment
Select on ly environ mentally frien dly clean ­
i ng products. Leftover cleaning pr oducts
s hou ld not d isposed of in the househo ld
waste .
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent washing protec ts the vehicle .
The best p rotection against environmen tal i n­
fluences is
frequent wash ing and waxing . H ow
often t his is requ ire d d epends o n:
- How much t he ve hicle is used
- W he re the veh icle is parked (garage, i n the
open under trees, etc .)
- The seasona l and weather conditions
- Environmental infl uences
T he longer b ird d roppings, inse cts, tree res in,
r oad and indus trial grime, t ar, soo t, ro ad salt
and other mater ials remain on the veh icle
body, the more lasting their destr uctive ef­
f ects w ill be . Hig h temperatures ca used by ex ­
pos ure to intense su nlight i ntens ify the c orro­
s ive effect, particular ly when hum id ity is high
as wel l.
U nder certa in circumstances,
weekly washing
may be necessary. Unde r other cond itions, a
monthly washing and waxing may be ade­
quate .
After the winter, the unders ide of the vehicle
sho uld be thoroughly washed, preferab ly in a
professional ca r wash.
A WARNING
-A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other info rma tion
c::> page 20 0.

Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle
can normally be washed without problems in
an automatic car wash. However, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sig n of the fac ility, the filte ring of the wash
water, the type of wash and care mater ial , etc.
If the paint has a dull appearance afte r go ing
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi­
ately. If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a ca r wash, be s ure to
take the usual precautions such as closing the
windows and power roof. Factory installed an­
tennas must not be removed.
If you have installed additional accessories on
the vehicle -such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car was h operator if these
should be removed .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 200.
(D Note
- Fo ld the exterior mirro rs -flat there is a
r isk of damaging the exterio r mirrors .
Power folding exterior mirrors must not
be fo lded in or out by hand. Use the pow­
er function!
- Compare the track of your vehicle w ith
the d istance between the guide ra ils of
the facility- there is a risk of damage to
the wheels and tires .
- Compare the width of your vehicle wit h
the width of the tu nnel at the fac ility .
Cleaning and protec tion 20 1
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi­
cle by hand .
.,. Before you start washing, make sure you
have read and u nderstood the WARNINGS
¢ .&. in General information on page 200 .
.,. First soak all dried d irt unt il it is soft, then
r inse it off.
.,. As you clean your vehicle , start w it h the
roof and wor k your way down to the bottom,
using a sponge, a sponge g love or a clean
brush.
.,. Rinse the sponge or the sponge g love often,
flushing it clean each time.
.,. Use specia l car shampoo only for
very per­
sistent d irt .
.,. Rinse the car thoroughly with water .
.,. Use a chamo is leather to gent ly w ipe the ex-
ter ior d ry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
whee ls, door sills and other regions exposed
to road dirt . In this way, you w ill not scratch
the pa int w it h coarse par ticles imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the ca r.
& WARNING ~ -
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers , or other ha rd
to reach parts witho ut protecting yo ur
hands and arms . You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 200.
(D Note
- Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the su rface of the ve hicle is dry . Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, s ince this
cou ld scratch your vehicle's paint or win ­
dows.
- Never wash your car in bright s unlight.
Drops of water act as magn ifying lenses
and may damage your paint .
- When you wash your car in the winter: if you rinse your vehicle with a hose, be careful not to aim the stream of water •
•

202 Cleaning and protec tio n
directly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings -they can freeze shut.
- Never use sponges designed to remove insects, or any kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products . They can damage
your paint finish.
- Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean
the headlights . Only use wet cloths or
sponges to prevent scratches. It is best
to use soapy water.
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headl ight lenses on a
regular basis, for example when refuel­
i ng your vehicle. Never clean the head­
li ghts w ith a dry cloth or sponge. Use a
wet cloth or sponge.
It is best to use
soapy wa ter.
@ For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the envi ronment, the ve­
hicle sho uld only be washed i n special
was h bays.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you
observe a few simple rules.
.. Befo re using the power washer , make sure
yo u have read and understood the WARN­
INGS¢
A in General information on
page 200.
.. Always fo llow the operating instructions for
the power washer .
.. Make sure that the jet o n the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped spray" .
.. Do
not hold the spray nozzle too close to
soft materia ls .
When cleaning the veh icle with a power wash­
er
always follow the operating instructions .
This applies particularly to the
op erating
pr essure
a nd the s pray ing di stance . Keep a
d ista nce from soft materials such as rubber
hoses o r insulat ing ma ter ial as well as sensors
and camera lenses . Do not use a jet which sprays water in a
d
ir ect
stream
or one t hat has a rotating jet .
Water temper ature sho uld not ex ceed 140 °F
(60 °().
A WARNING ~ -
Neve r wash tires with a jet that sprays wa­
ter i n a direct stream. This could cause in ­
vis ib le damage to the t ires and weaken
them, even if the spray is from a re lative ly
l ong distance and for a short time. Dam­
aged and weakened tires can fail and cause
accidents and personal inj ury.
'
([) Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, a lways
make sure that there is suffic ient d istance
between the spray head and soft materia ls
like rubber hoses, plast ic pa rts and sound­
deaden ing mater ials as w ell as sensors
and camera lenses. Neve r aim t he sp ray
head at the same point for a long time.
This also applies to cleaning headligh ts
and painted bumpers. Remembe r: the
closer the nozzle is to the surface of the
materia l, the greater the stress on the ma ­
terial.
Sensors and camera lenses
- Remove snow with a hand br ush and remove
ice with a de- ic ing spray that does not con­
tain so lvents .
- Clea n the sensors (adaptive cruise control*,
pa rk ing system*) w ith a cleaning so lution
that does not contain so lvents and a soft
cloth .
- The camera lens or the area in front of the
came ra le ns is no rmally cleaned by the
w indshie ld w ipers o r he adlig ht wipers (night
vision system *).
If the lens or the area is ex­
ceptionally di rty, clean the area wit h glass
cleaner and a soft, dry cloth .
(D Note
-If you was h your veh icle with a pres sure
washer,

-make s ure there is enough distance to
sensors in the front and rear bumper,
- do not clean the camera lenses and the
area around them with the pressure
washer.
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens. This
could cause the lens to crack .
- Never clean the camera lens with abra ­
s ive prod ucts .
Waxing and Polishing
Wa xing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint
to a large extent against the environmental
factors listed under¢
page 200, Washing and
even against slig ht scratches.
You can use a liq uid ca r wax to protect your
paint as soon as one week after your vehicle
has been delivered.
Even if you regularly use a
wax ing process in
automatic ca r washes, we recommend that
you manua lly app ly a coat of wax to give the
pa int extra protection, particularly if water no
longer beads o n the clean paint.
Protect p lastic body pa rts with car wax in the
same way as the vehicle body.
D uring wa rm weather dead insec ts tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the for­
ward area of the hood . They are much easier
to remove from paint that is waxed
often.
P olish ing
P olish you r vehicle on ly if the pa int has lost its
shine and the g loss cannot be brought back
with wax.
If the po lish used does not conta in prese rva­
tive compounds , the paint must be waxed af­
terwa rds .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 200.
Cleaning and protec tion 203
@ Note
Do not use car wax on
- matte o r anodized meta l trim
- rubber or rubber- lik e t rim.
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care .
For environmental reasons, Audi fabricates
the b right t rim strips and trim p ieces from
pure chromium-free al uminum .
Dirt and marks on the trim strips shou ld be
removed w it h a
pH-balanced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleane r). Audi dealers
ca rry clea ning products which have been test­
ed fo r use on your vehicle and are not ha rmfu l
to the environment.
T o avoid co rrosion on the exter io r trim st rips ,
o nly a pH-balanced solution should be used
for t he windsh ie ld washer.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARN INGS and
other informat ion ¢
page 200 .
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light su rface d irt. For other soil, use
a lukewa rm all-p urpose cleaning solution or a
mild saddle soap for v inyl tr im . Remove water
spots and t races of soap wi th a clean, damp
cl oth or sponge. Use a clean, soft cloth to rub
dry .
G rease , ta r or oil stains can be removed w it h a
cl ea n clot h or sponge soaked with a ll- purpose
cl eaner or with a so lvent designe d espec ia lly
to clean v inyl.
Oc cas iona lly app ly a color less v inyl or leathe r
preserva tive to re tain the ma ter ia l's lus ter
and pliabili ty .
•
•

204 Cleaning and protec tio n
8_ WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
r:=:> page 200 .
Aluminum trim
Use only neu tra l- pH products to remove spots
and depos its from alum inum surfaces .
C hr ome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum inum surfaces and can dam ­
age them over time.
WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
r:=:> page 200 .
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up
immediately.
• Use either a touch-up pa int stick or spray
paint to cover minor scratches and nicks .
Your Audi dealer has touch-up paint for minor
scratches and stone chips . Scratches shou ld
be touched up soon after they occu r to pre­
vent corrosion .
If a spot starts to rust, however, a simple
touch-up job w ill not be enough. The affected
surface must be sanded smooth and coated
with a n anti-rust pr imer before the pa inted
f inish can be restored.
The number for the origina l vehicle paint can
be found on the vehicle ident ification labe l
<=:>page 270.
8_ WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
r:=:> page 200 .
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road
film and ca r wash wax bu ildup. •
Remove snow from windows using a brush.
• Use a p lastic ice scraper to remove ice from
w indows and mirrors.
• Remove other residue on the windows with
a spray-on glass cleaner.
• Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of
cloth or kitc hen paper towel.
The best way to remove snow from windows and mirrors is to use a brush. Use a non-abra­
s ive
pla stic ic e scraper -better still, a spray
deicer - to remove
ice from w indows and mir­
ro rs.
Oil, grease or s ilicone residue can be removed
with
gla ss clea ner or s ilicon e re m over . How ­
ever, wax res idue requires the use of a spec ial­
ly formulated so lvent. Please contact your Au­
di dealer for advice on safe products for wax
remova l.
Windows should also be cleaned on the inside at regu la r i nte rvals .
Never dry windows with the same chamo is
that you use to dry painted surfaces. Wax resi ­
due on the chamois can impair v is ion through
the windows .
8_ WARNING
- Always read and heed al l WARNINGS and
o ther info rmation
r:=:> page 200.
- The windsh ield must not be treated w ith
water-repellent materials. They can in­
crease glare under poo r visibility condi­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the horizon . In addi­
tion, they can cause the windshield wip­
ers to chatter.
(D Note
- Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from windows and mirro rs .
Th is could cause the glass to crack.
- To prevent damage to t he wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
st ickers on the ins ide of the rear window
over the wires.
...

-To he lp prevent d irt from scratching the
window, always scrape in a forward di­ rection -pushing the scraper away from
you -never back and forth.
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
.,. Wash the whee ls with a sponge o r hose
brush every other week.
.. For deep cleaning afterwards, use only a
dedicated
a ci d-fr ee cast alloy wheel cleaner .
.,. Rub a coat of
liquid w ax onto the r ims every
three month. Be sure to reach and treat all parts of the rim .
To preserve the decorative appearance of the
cast alloy wheels, some special care is neces­
sary . In add it ion to road dirt and salt, brake
dust is also corros ive. If left on for too long,
brake dust ca n cause pitting .
Use only special
acid-free cleaners formulated
for alloy rims . Safe products are available at
your Aud i dealer. Never leave the cleaner on
the r ims longer than spec ified on the label. If
not rinsed off p romptly, the acid co nta ined in
some cleane rs can attac k the th reads on the
wheel bo lts.
Never use abras ive or metal polishing clean­
i n g agents. If the protective coat ing has been
chipped, e.g. by k icked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as possib le.
A WARNING
- Moist ure and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency~
page 187, General
information .
Test the brakes caref ully
each time you wash the vehicle.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c:> page 200.
-
Cleaning and protec tion 205
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked .
All body cav ities which could be affected by
corros io n have been thoroughly protected at
the factory .
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treatment. If any wax should seep
out of the cavity when the ambie nt tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed with a plastic
scraper and a su itable solvent .
A WARNING
Solvents can be dangero us.
- Benz ine is flammab le and toxic. If you
use benz ine fo r removing the wax, keep
sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away. Never dump ben zine on the
groun d, into open streams or down sew­
age drains .
- Be s ure to obse rve all safe ty and environ­
men tal reg ulations. Fo llow all instruc­
tions on the container.
- Always read and heed all WAR NINGS and
o ther information
c:> page 200.
Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Aud i is also thor­
oughly p rotec ted against cor ros io n.
Any damage to the undercoat ing caused by
road hazards should be repaired promptly .
A WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong pla­
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustp roofing on or nea r the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalyti c con­
ver ter or heat shields. While driving, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
•
•

206 Cleaning and protec tio n
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c> page 200.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and other corrosive materials will
damage the material in the exhaust tail pipes
if they are not cleaned regularly . Do not clean
the tail p ipes with wheel cleaner, paint pol ish,
chrome po lish or other abrasive cleaners.
C lean the tail p ipes with car ca re p roducts
that are su itable for stain less stee l.
Your author ized Audi dealer can provide clean­
ing p roducts that have been tested and ap­
p roved fo r you r vehicle.
Care of interior
Infotainment components
The MMI/RSE* display may be cleaned with a
soft cloth and commercially-ava ilable "LCD
cleaner" . The cloth should be coated lightly
when the clean ing solution when cleaning the
d isplay.
The MMI/RSE* contro ls must be cleaned first
with a brush so t hat dirt does not ente r the
un it or enter between the buttons and the
housing. Then wiping the controls with a cloth
dampened with dish detergent and water is recommended.
CJ) Note
- To avoid sc ratch ing the disp lay, you
shou ld never clean it dry.
- To prevent damage, ma ke sure fluids do
not enter the controls.
Aluminum trim
Use only n eutral-pH products to remove spots
and deposits from aluminum surfaces.
Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack aluminum s urfaces and can dam­
age them over time.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c> page 200.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabr ics and fabric cover ings (e .g. seats, door
trim panels, etc.) should be cleaned at regular i ntervals w ith a vacuum cleaner. This removes
su rface di rt particles which could become em ­
bedded in the fabric through use. Steam
cleaners should not be used, because the
steam tends to p ush the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there.
Normal clean ing
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
o r a lint-free microfiber cloth to the clean fab­
ric. Brushes shou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces
could be harmed by brushes.
Norma l su rface stains can be cleaned using a
commercially available foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the s urface of the fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not satu­
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam dry using
absorbent, dry cloths (e.g. m icrof iber cloth)
and vacuum it after it has dried completely.
Cle anin g sta ins
Stains caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fruit
juice, etc.) can be treated with a mild deter­
gent solution. Apply the detergent solution
with a sponge. In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked into the fabric. After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to
remove the rema in ing deterge nt. Apply the
water wit h a damp clo th or sponge and pat
the fabric dry with an abso rbent, dry cloth .
Stains from choco late or makeup should have
detergent paste (e.g. ox-gall soap) rubbed in­
to them. Afterwa rds, remove the soap with
water (damp sponge) .
Alcohol can be used to treat stains from grease, o il, lipstick or a ballpoin t pen . Melted ..,.

grease or dye must be patted off using ab­
sorbent material. It may be necessary to re­
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa­
ter.
In the case of general soiling of the uphols­
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specialist that has the equipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabric surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
Q page 200.
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas. For persistent dirt
use an Audi approved
solvent-free plastic
cleaner/protectant.
A WARNING
Solvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harde r for the
airbag to deploy.
- Never clean the instrument panel or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents.
- Products containing solvents will make
the surface of this part porous.
- Serious injuries can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information~
page 200.
(D Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents will
attack the material and can change the
way it behaves.
Cleaning and protection 207
Trim and molding
Trim and molding in the vehicle interior can
be cleaned with a dry microfiber cloth. To pre­
vent scratches, do not use any cleaning solu­
tions.
Natural leather
Appl ies to vehicles: with natural leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather.
General
We offer many different types of leathe r on
our vehicles. Most are different types of nappa l eather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colors.
Th e intensity of the color determines the visu­
al characteristics and appearance. If the sur­
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nap pa leather that has
been left in a relatively natural condition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. Fine veins, closed grains, insect
bites, skin folds, and subt le variations in color
remain visible. These characteristics demon­
strate that the material is natural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col­
or finish. It is therefore more sensit ive to soil­
ing and wear, which is something you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors
might prove to be particularly hard on the
leather .
By contrast, leather types that are covered by
a colored finish layer are more durable. This
has a positive effect on the leather 's resist­
ance to wear and soiling in daily use. On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu­
ral leather are barely or not apparent. Howev­
er, this does not mean that the leather itself
is of inferior quality. •
•