2012 AUDI A7 brake pads

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 13
Canada models:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
defective ./
c:>page 18
Worn brake pads
c:>page 19
Electromechanical parking brake
c:>page 74
Tire pressure mon itoring system
./
c:> page249
-pa ....,.,.. -,,
ll@l@t Tire pressure monitoring system
-
•
•
-
•
•
m
-
I!
c:>page2 49
Electronic power contro l ./
c:> page 19
Malfunction indicator Lamp (MIL)
./
c:>page19
Engine speed limitation
c:>page 20
Engine oil level
c:>page 17
Engine o il sensor
c:> page20
Battery
c:>page 16
Tank system
c:>page20
Windshield washer fluid level
c:>page20
Windshie ld w ipers
c:>page20
Remote control key
c:>page 71
Remote cont ro l key
c:> page 73
Battery in remote control key
c:>page30
-
Defective light bu lb warn ing
9 page20
Rear fog light(s)
c:>page20
Headlight range cont rol
9 page 21
-
adaptive lig ht*
¢page 21
Light-/rain sensor faulty
¢page 21
Transmission (tiptronic®)
c:>page 106
Electronic steering col umn lock
9page 17
Engine start system
c:>page 17
Ele ctrome chanical steering ./
¢page 189
-
Rear spoiler
c:>page 186
Other indicator light s
11!1 a Turn s ignals
Iii !!!9':ii ¢ page 21
~ USA models: Cruise con trol*
~ c:> page 77
• -
r!I
I
I
Canada models : Cruis e control*
¢page 77
-
Adaptive cruise control *
c:>page Bl
Adaptive cruise cont ro l*
¢page Bl
Adaptive cruise control *
¢page 81
High beam
c:>page43

14 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
BRAKE /((J) ) Brake system
The light illuminates when the ignition is
switched on.
It goes out after the engine has
been started. This indicates that the brake
warning light is functioning properly.
If the brake warning light does not light up
when the engine is cranking, there may be a
malfunction in the electrical system. In this
case, contact your Audi dealer.
If the brake system warning/indicator light
turns on, there is a brake system malfunction.
-(USA models) tllll (Canada models)
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid level
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, proceed as follows :
.. Pull
off the road.
• Stop the vehicle.
• Turn
off the engine.
• Check the brake fluid level¢
page 225 .
.. Contact your nearest authorized repair fa-
cility if necessary .
Warning! Fault in brake system. Contact
dealer
If the ABS indicator light II] (USA models)/11]
(Canada models), the ESP indicator light DJ
and the brake system indicator light
- (USA models)/ . (Canada models) turn
on and the message appears , the ABS, ESP
and braking distribution are not working¢&, .
Carefully drive to your authorized Audi dealer immediately to have the malfunction correct­
ed ¢&, .
- (USA models)/ . (Canada models)
Parking brake: system fault! Please contact
dealer
- If the indicator light and the message ap­
pear
when stationary or after switching the
ignition on,
check if you can release the
parking brake. After releasing the parking
brake, carefully drive to your authorized Au­
di dealer immediately to have the malfunc­
tion corrected.
If you cannot release the
parking brake, seek professional assistance. - If
the indicator light and the message ap­
pear
while driving, the emergency braking
function may not be available. It may not be
possible to set the parking brake or release
it once it has been set. Seek professional as­
sistance .
(USA models): If the warning light- and
the warning light
r,J appear together, imme­
diately contact your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop to have all brake pads in­
spected
¢ page 19.
When the light comes on, an audible warning
signal is also given.
A WARNING
=
- Always observe the warnings in
¢ page 210, Engine compartment, be­
fore opening the hood and checking the
brake fluid.
- Driving with low brake fluid is a safety
hazard . Stop the car and get professional
assistance .
-USA models: If the - warning light,
the
G1 warning light and them warn­
ing light come on together, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard
braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause
loss of vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer or a quali­
fied workshop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake applications .
-Canada models: If the brake warning
light •• the
DJ warning light and the
ABS warning light
II] come on together,
the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle control and an acci­
dent. Have your vehicle repaired immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
- If the brake warning/indicator light does
not go out after a few seconds and the
parking brake released, or lights up while
you are driving, the fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir is too low. If you
~

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 19
malfunction in the EDL system¢ page 18 4.
See your authorize d Audi dealer as soon as
possible.
A WARNING
- If
the m (USA mode ls)l li] (Canada
mode ls) warn ing light does n ot go out,
or if it comes on while driving, the ABS
system is not working properly . The vehi­
cle can then be stopped only with the
standard bra kes (without ABS). You will
not have the protection ABS provides.
Contact you r Audi dealer as soon as pos­
sible.
- USA models: If the - warning l ight,
the
Ii] warning light and the m warn­
ing light come on together, the rea r
wheels co uld lock up first unde r hard
braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause
loss of vehicle control and an accident .
Have your vehicle repaired immediately
by your autho rized Aud i dea ler or a quali ­
fied workshop . Drive slowly and avoid
sudden, hard bra ke applications.
- Canada models: If the b rake warn ing
light ., the
DJ warning light and the
ABS wa rning light
rl] come on together ,
the rear w heels could lo ck up fi rst under
h ard bra king . Rear wheel lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle control and an acci­
dent. Have yo ur vehicle repaired immed i­
ately by your authorized A udi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Dr ive slowly and
avo id sudden, hard brake applicat ions .
(0) Worn brake pads
£1 Bra ke pad s!
If the warn ing light illum inates, immediately
contact your authori zed A udi dealer or quali­
fied workshop to have all brake pads inspect­
ed. O n USA models the warning light
£1
comes on together with t he war ning light
- · Both sets of brake pads on an axle
mus t always be replaced a t the same time.
1) - : USA m odels on ly
A WARNING
Driving w ith bad brakes can cause a colli­
sion and ser ious personal in ju ry .
- If the warn ing light
£1 and the warning
light
11111> with the message Brake
pads!
comes on in the instrument cluster
disp lay, imm ediately contact your au­
thori zed A udi dealer or qualified work­
shop to have all b rake pads checked or
replace d if necess ary.
EPC Electronic power control
This warning/indicator light monitors the
electronic power control.
The ~ warning/ind icator light (E lectronic
Power Cont rol) illuminates when you switch
the ignit io n on as a fu nction chec k.
(D Tips
If this war ning/ indicator l ight illum inates
while yo u are d riving, then there is a mal­
funct io n in the engine electronics. Have
the malf unct ion corrected as soon as pos­
si bl e by your au thori zed A udi dealer or
q ualified repa ir facility .
Ci Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp ( MIL) is pa rt
of the On -Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system.
The symbol
fllllijj lights up when the ign ition is
switched on and will tur n off after the engine
has started and has settled at a consta nt idle
speed . This indicates that the MIL is work ing
properly.
The warning lig ht illuminates w hen there is a
malfu nction in the e ng ine electron ic system .
Contact your aut horized Audi dealer and have
the malfunction cor rected.
An improperly closed fuel filler cap may a lso
cause the MI L light to illuminate ¢
page 213.
For more information ¢page 27.

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 .

192 Driving and environment
Driving and
environment
The first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the fir st 600 miles (1,000
kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle.
... Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM.
... Avoid hig h engine speeds.
From 600 to 1,000 mile s (1 ,000 to
1,500 kilometers):
... Speeds can gradually be increased to the
max imum pe rm iss ible road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in per iod
.,. Do not rev the engine up to high speeds
when it is cold. Th is app lies whether the
transm ission is i n N (Neutra l) or in gear.
After the break-in period
... Do not exceed maximum engine speed un­
der any circumstances.
.,. Upshift into the next hig her gear
before
reaching the red area at the end of the tach­
ometer scale
c:> page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the en­
g ine's interna l friction is higher than later
when all the moving parts have been broken
in . How well this break- in p rocess is do ne de­
pends to a conside rable extent on th e way the
ve hicl e is driven d uring the first 1,0 00 miles
(1, 500 k ilome ters).
0 Note
E xtremely high engi ne speeds are auto­
mat ica lly reduced. However, these rpm
lim its are progr amme d for an engine well
r u n- in, not a new engine .
{® For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high en­
g ine speeds - upshifting ear ly saves fuel,
reduces no ise and protects the environ­
ment.
, New tires
If your vehicle is runni ng on new tires, drive
part icularly caref ul for the first 350 miles
(500 kilomete rs) afte r fitt ing .
A WARNING
New tires tend to be sl ippery and mus t al­
so be "broken -in" . Be s ure to remember
this dur ing the fi rst 350 mi les ( 500 kilo ­
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llow ing
closely behind other vehicles or other sit­
uations that m ight require sudden, hard
braking .
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a
full bra king effect dur ing the fi rst 250 m iles
(400 kilomete rs) afte r they a re insta lled .
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" be­
fo re t hey have optima l grab
c:> A .
During the break- in period, you should avoid
putting severe loads on the brakes. Severe
l oads include, for example, sudden hard brak­
i ng, in particular at very high speeds or, for
example, on mounta in passes .
A WARNING
New b rake pa ds don't have t he bes t stop­
pi ng power and mus t be "broke n-in " dur­
i ng the in iti al 1 00 to 150 mi les (150 to
20 0 k ilometers) of no rma l city driving . You
can compensate for this by pressing the
br ake peda l mo re f irm ly . This also applies
l ater when new pads are installed.

194 Driving and en vironm ent
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
A WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re­
sto re the full braking effect.
@) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspension or electrical sys­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
- Check the depth of the water before dr iv­
i ng through it.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
through water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This sec­
t ion will give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook.
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi­
cle load and speed, road and weather con ­
ditions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
ce lerating. If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, acce lerate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible - for example when you see
that the next traffic light is red.

226 Check ing and filling
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always r ea d and heed all W ARN­
INGS
¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 216.
• Read the brake fluid leve l from the brake
fluid reservoir
¢ fig. 173. The brake fluid
l evel must be between the
"MIN" and
"MAX" markings .
The location of the brake fluid reservoir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
co page 218.
The fl uid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the brake pads . This is not cause for alarm .
I f the b rake fluid level falls
considerably be­
l ow the "MIN" mark, the brake wa rning/indi ­
cator light- (U.S.
models) ;II (Canadian
models) will come on
¢ page 14. Do not con ­
tinue to operate the vehicle. The comp lete
brake system shou ld be thoroughly checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or other quali­
fied fac il ity and the cause corrected. If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warn ing/
i ndicator light w ill illuminate. Contact an au­
thor ized Audi dealer
imm ediatel y.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moistu re from the a ir . If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
h igh, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a per iod of t ime . The bo iling po int of the
b rake fluid w ill also decrease considerably and
dec rease braking per formance.
Therefore, the brake flu id must be changed
ev ery tw o y ear s. Always use new b rake fluid
which confo rms to Fede ral Motor Vehicle
Standard "FMVSS 1 16 DO T 4".
The brake flu id rese rvoi r can be difficult to
r each, therefo re , we re commend that yo u
have the brake fl uid changed by yo ur a utho r­
ized
Audi dealer. Your dea ler has the correct tools, the
right brake flu id and t he know -how
to do this for you.
A WARNING
-- Brake flu id is poisonous. It must be stor-
ed only in the closed or igina l container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can resu lt from o ld or inap­
propriate brake f lu id. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only brake f luid that meets SA E
spe cifi cation
J 17 03 and conforms to
Federa l Motor Vehicle Standard 1 16 .
Always chec k with your authorized A udi
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct brake fluid. The cor rect type of
brake flu id is also ind icated on the
brake f lu id reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is left i n the system too
long . This can se riously affect the effi­
c iency of the brakes as well as your
safety . T h is i:ou ld result in an ai;i;ident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the pai nt of you r
vehicle .
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal
of brake fluid as well as the spec ial too ls
r equired and the necessary expertise, we
r ecommend that yo u have the brake flu id
changed by yo ur autho rized Aud i dea le r.
Battery
General information
Under normal operat ing cond itions, the bat­
te ry in your Audi does not need any ma inte­
nance. With
high outside temperatures or
long da ily drives we recommend that you have
the e lectrolyte leve l che cked by a se rv ice fa­
c il ity. The electroly te leve l should also be
chec ked each time the battery is cha rged
¢ page 22 9.