2012 AUDI A7 oil level

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 11
- Never open the engine hood if you see or
hear steam, or if you see engine coolant
dr ipping from the engine compartment.
You could burn yourself . Let the engine
cool off first so that you cannot hear or
see any steam or engine coolant.
Q) Note
- Mount ing additional lights or accessories
i n front of the a ir inlets reduces the cool­
i ng effect of the rad iator . At h igh outside
temperatures or high eng ine load, the
engine could overheat.
- The front spo ile r has been designed to
proper ly distrib ute the cooling air wh en
t h e veh icle i s moving.
If the spoiler is
damaged, this cou ld red uce the cooling
effect and the engine co uld then over ­
heat . Ask yo ur authorized Audi dea ler fo r
ass istance.
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM
(revolutions per minutes).
If engine R PM drops be low 1 ,500, you should
downshift to the next lower gea r. T he red area
at the end of the sca le indicates maximum
pe rmissib le engine RPM after the break- in pe­
riod. Before reach ing this area, move these­
lector lever to position "D/S (Drive)" or ease
your foot off the accelerator peda l.
(D Note
The tachometer needle should only br iefly
be in the red zone: you cou ld damage your
eng ine! The beginn ing of the red zone var­
ies depending on the e ng ine.
@ For the sake of the environment
Upshift ing early saves fuel and reduces en­
g ine noise.
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge only wo rks when the ignition is
on .
If the fuel level drops below 2.6 gallons (10 liters), the bottom LED turns red and the
indicator
light~ turns on ¢
page 20. The
bottom LED blinks red when the fue l level is
very low.
T he possible range based on the current f uel
level is shown in tab@¢
page 22, fig . 4 .
(D Note
Neve r run the tan k comp letely dry. An ir­
r egular supp ly o f fu el can cause engine
misfiring and fuel could enter the exha ust
system . The cata lytic converter could then
overheat and be damaged.
Warning/indicator Lights
Description
The ind icator lights in the instrument cluster
blink or turn on. They indicate funct ions or
malfunctions
q ,& .
Messages may appear with some indicato r
lights. A warning signal will sound at the
same time. The indicator lights and messages
in the center of the displays may be rep laced
by other d isplays . To show them again, select
the tab for ind icator lights and messages us­
ing the multifunction steering whee l
¢
page 22. I f there are several malfunc­
tions, you can display them one at a time us­
ing the thumbwheel.
Some indicators lights in the d isplay can tu rn
o n in seve ra l c olors.
&_ WARNING
- F ailure to heed warning l igh ts an d other
important vehicle in formation may resu lt
in serious personal inj ury or vehicle dam­
age .
- Whenever stalled or stoppe d for repair,
move the vehicle a safe d istance off the
road, stop the engine, and turn on the
emergency flasher
q page 42.
- The engine compartment of any motor
veh icle is a potentially hazardous area.
Before you check anything in the engine

12 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
compartment, stop the engine and let it
cool down. Always exercise extreme cau­
tion when work ing under the hood
¢ page 210, Engine compartment
Malf u nctions or faults wi ll be identified ei­
ther with a red symbol (pr iority 1 -Dan­
ger!) or with a yellow symbol (priority 2 -
Warn ing).
Overview
Some indicator lights turn on briefly to check
the function of that system when you switch
the ignition on. These systems are ma rked
with an./ in the follow ing tab les. If one of
these indicator lights does not turn on, there
is a malfunction in that system.
Red indicator lights
Red symbols indicate a priority malfunction -
Danger!
- Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
-Turn off the engine.
- Check the ma lfunctioning system. Contact
your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified
workshop for assistance.
USA model s:
Brake ma lf u nction./
¢page 14
Canada model s:
Brake malfunction ./
¢page 14
- USA model s:
____ ,
Electromechanical parking brake
¢ page 15
Canada models:
Electromechanical parking brake
¢page 15
Engine cooling system
¢page 15
Engine oil pressure
¢page 16
I
Engine oil level
¢ page 17
Battery
Qpage 16
Safety belt
¢page 16
Electromechanical steering ./
¢page 189
Electronic steering column lock
Qpage 17
Engine start system
¢page 17
Speed warning system
Qpage 77
Adaptive cruise control./
Qpage 81
-
Pedestrian warning
¢page98
Rear spoiler
¢page 186
Yellow indicator light s
Yellow symbo ls indicate a priority 2 malfunc-
tion - Warning!
I
USA model s: Safety systems
Qpage 17 '
m
Canada models : Safety systems
Qpage 17
Ji]
Electronic Stab ilizat ion Program
(ESP)./
¢page 18
I
Electronic Stabilization Program
(E SP)./
¢page 18
rJ}E
USA models:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
defective ./
Qpage 18
I

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

16 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
-The engine compartment of any vehicle
is a dangerous area. Before you perform
any work in the engine compartment,
turn of the eng ine and allow it to cool.
Follow the warning stickers¢
page 210,
Engine compartment.
@ Note
Do not continue driving if the. symbol
illuminates. There is a malfunct ion in the
eng ine cooling system -you could damage
your eng ine .
0 Battery
This warning/indicator light detects a mal ­
function in the generator or in the vehicle's
electrical system.
The .warning/indicator light illuminates
when you sw itc h on the ignit ion and must go
out after the engine has started .
• Alte rnator fault: Batte ry is not being
c ha rged
I f the indicator light t urns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the
generator or vehicle electr ica l system.
Drive to yo ur authorized Audi dea ler or quali ­
fied workshop immediately. Because the vehi ­
cle battery is discharging, turn off a ll unnec­
essary electrical equ ipment such as the radio.
Seek professional ass istance if the battery
charge level is too low .
(•i Low battery charge: b atte ry will be
cha rged while dri ving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there may be limited starting
ab ility.
If th is message turns off after a litt le while,
the battery charged enough whi le driving.
I f the message does not turn off, have you r
author ized Audi dealer or qua lified workshop
correct the mal function.
,(,. Safety belts
This warning/indicator light reminds you to
put on your safety belt.
The . warning/indicator light illuminates
when the ignition is switched on to remind
the driver and any front passenger to put on
the safety belt. Addit ionally, an acoustic warn­
ing (gong) wi ll also sound .
For more Information¢
page 128, ~ Safety
belt warning light .
"l!::7": Engine oil pressure malfunction
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol
requires immediate service or repair . Driving
with a low-oil-pressure indication is likely to
inflict severe damage to the engine .
• Swit ch off engine and check oil le vel
If the indicator light turns on the message ap­
pears, the oil pressure is too low .
"" Pull off the road .
... Stop the vehicle.
... Tu rn off the engine .
... Check the engine oil level ¢ page 221.
"" If the eng ine oil level is too low, add eng ine
oil
¢ page 221. Make sure that the oil pres­
sure warning symbol. appears no longer
in the display befo re you start dr iv ing again .
"" If the eng ine o il level is co rrect and the i ndi­
cato r ligh t still turns on, tu rn the engine off
and do not cont inue dr iv ing. Seek professio­
na l assistance .
@ Tips
- The engin e oil pressure symbol. is
not an indicator for a low engine oil lev­
el. Do not rel y on it. In ste ad, check the
oil level in your engine at regula r inter­
vals, p referably each time you refuel ,
and always be fore going on a long tr ip.
- The yellow oil level warning indication
II requires oil refill or workshop se rv­
i ce without delay. Do not wait until the
red oil pressure warning. sta rts to

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 17
flash before you respond to the low oil level warning
Ill. By then, your engine
may already have suffered serious dam­
age.
~ . Engine oil level
• WARNING: Please add oil immediately
When the symbol and the driver message ap­
pear, the oil has to be replenished right now
,=;,page 218.
If the indicator light and the message appear,
add engine oil immediately
,=;, page 221.
II Add oil, max. x qt (l). You may continue
driving
When the symbol and the driver message ap­
pear, add the amount of oil appearing in the
display at the next opportunity
¢ page 218.
@ -Steering column lock
• Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is an electronic steering
column lock malfunction. You cannot switch
the ignition on.
Do
not tow your vehicle because it cannot be
steered. Seek professional assistance.
l!l!I Steering lock: system fault. Please con­
tact dealer
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is an electronic steering
column lock malfunction .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
-
Your vehicle must not be towed in the
event of a malfunction in the electronic
steering column lock because it cannot be
steered due to the locked steering.
If it is
towed with the steering locked, there is
the risk of an accident.
©-Engine start system
• Engine start system fault. Please con­
tact dealer
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, do
not switch the ignition off
because you may not be able to switch it on
again.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
II! Engine start system fault. Please con­
tact dealer
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the en­ gine start system.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
t!i1 !i: Safety systems
The ffll (USA models)!Ei (Canada models) in­
dicator light monitors the safety systems e .g.
airbags, pretensioners and illuminates for a
few seconds each time you switch the ignition
on.
If the
ffl (USA models);Ei (Canada models)
indicator light does not go out, or if it illumi ­
nates while you are driving, or if it starts to
blink, then there is a malfunction somewhere
in the system.
If the light does not illuminate
when you switch the ignition on, this also
means there is a malfunction.
A WARNING ~
If you have a malfunction in the safety sys-
tems, contact your authorized Audi dealer
immediately. Otherwise the safety sys­
tems may not work properly in an acci­
dent .

20 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
!?' Engine speed limitation
Ap plies to vehicles: wit h eng ine spee d limi tation
(ii Engine speed maximum XXXX RPM
The engine speed is automatically limited to
the speed displayed in the driver information
system. This protects the engine from over­
heating.
The engine speed limitation deactivates once
the engine is no longer in the critical tempera­
ture range and you have released the accelera­
tor pedal once.
If the engine speed limitation was activated by an engine control malfunction, the indica­
tor light~ also turns on. Make sure that the
speed does not go above the speed displayed .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
~ . Engine oil level
II! Add oil, max. x qt (l) . You may continue
driving
When the symbol II and driver message ap­
pear, add the amount of oil appearing in the
display at the next opportunity
c:> page 221.
~ .... Engine oil sensor
• Oil level! Sensor defective
If the symbol illuminates, contact your au­
thorized Audi dealer and have the oil sensor inspected. Until you have this done, check the
oil level each time you refuel just to be on the
safe side<=>
page 221.
Bil Fuel level indicator
Ji Please refuel
If the indicator light turns on for the first
time and the message appears, there are
about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the
tank . Time to refuel
<=> page 212.
Ji Tank system malfunction! Contact dealer
If the indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the
tank system.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
o Windshield washer fluid level
B Please refill washer fluid
If the symbol illuminates, add windshield
washer fluid to the washer system/headlight
washer system*
c:> page 230.
~ Windshield wipers
,,., Windshield wiper defective
There is a malfunction with the windshield
wipers.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
~/0$ Defective light bulb warning
fa-If the indicator light turns on, a bulb has
failed. The message indicates the location of
the bulb.
[I-if a rear fog lamp has failed, the indicator
light turns on to indicate the location on the
vehicle .
Vehicle lights: malfunction
If the message appears, there is a malfunc ­
tion in the headlights or light switch .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
A WARNING
-
-Light bulbs are pressurized and could ex-
plode while they are being changed caus­
ing serious personal injury.
- Work with due care when handling the
high-voltage section of gas discharge
(xenon) lights. Failure to do so could re­
sult in death or serious injury.

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 .

Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission con­trol system (catalytic converter) is function­
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run­
ning in an environmentally sound manner .
.. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 211,
Fuel supply.
.,. Never run the tank down all the way to
empty.
.,. Never put too much motor oil in your en-
gine
¢ page 221, Adding engine oil~-
.,. Never try to push- or tow-start your veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an eff icient "clean­
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle . The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be ­
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
importa nt for the life of the cata lytic convert­
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
-
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material which can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields. During driving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢ page 221.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis­
fire . U nburned fuel could a lso get i nto
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 193
the exhaust system and this cou ld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat .
- Do not switch off the ignit ion while the
vehicle is mov ing.
- Do not continue to ope rate your veh icle
unde r these conditions, as othe rwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
co uld result in overheating of the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis ­
sion Control System:
- H ave your vehicle maintained prope rly
and in accordance w ith the se rv ice rec­
ommendat ions in you r Warranty &
M aintenance boo klet.
- L ack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehi cle w il l impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage .
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control System is
operat ing properly, the exha ust gas can
have a sul fur -li ke exhaust gas smell under
some operating states . This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fue l may help,
or filling the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are drivi ng on poo r roads, or over
c ur bs, s teep ramps, etc., ma ke certai n that
low -lying parts s uch as spoilers and exhaust
system pa rts do not bottom o ut and get dam­
aged.
T h is is espec ially true for veh icles w ith low­
s lung chassis (spor ts chassis)* and fully load­
ed vehicles. •
•