2012 AUDI Q7 ESP

232 Driving o ff road
Driving off road
Driving in difficult road
conditions and offroad
General information
The operation of the E lectronic Stability Con­
trol (ESC) is expanded for operation away
from paved roads. In situations where slip or a
d ifferential locking function is required, the
ESC offroad mode can be act ivated
c::;, page 219 . Hill descent control is also availa­
ble in the ESC offroad mode, which automati­
cally b rakes the vehicle and thereby keeps
speed constant when diffe rent wheel speeds
a re detected when descending a hill
c::;, page 220. Your Audi also has permanent
a ll-whee l drive in addition.
H oweve r, your Aud i is not a pure off road vehi­
cle .
It was no t built for d riving unde r extreme
conditions, e .g. fo r trips that are in the natu re
of an expedit ion .
Dri ve only on road s and offroad section s
which match the de sign of y our vehicl e and
y ou r abilitie s as a dri ver. Never take risks!
Before driving offroad
- Check the eng ine oil level, ti re p ressu re ,
coolant level , and the fluid level in the w ind­
shield washe r reservo ir.
- Stow luggage items and o ther objects in the
luggage compartment, and secure t hem
against s liding aro und .
After driving offroad
- After trips offroad, remove any twigs and
othe r foreign objects from the grill, the un­
derbody and the wheels. Pay spec ia l atten­
t ion to fo re ign objects (stones) which have
be come lodged in the tire tread.
- Clean t he body a nd the veh icle unders ide,
and in spec t the veh icle for poss ible damage.
- Clean dirty w indows , headlamp lenses , rear
l ights, and li cense plates .
- Perfo rm a brake check (part icularly after
t ravel ling th rough water) .
A WARNING
-Drive especially attentively and plan
a head in d iff icu lt road conditions and
when off road. Excessive speed o r inco r­
rect maneuvers can cause injuries and
damage to the vehicle.
-
- Always adapt your speed and driving
style to road, offroad, t raff ic, and weat h­
er cond itions. Drive e specially slowly off­
ro ad when you r view is res tricted.
- Please be awa re that in ESC off road
mo de, particularly on a smoo th and s lip­
pe ry road, the wheels may have an in­
crease d tendency to sp in and the vehicle
may b reak away - danger of skidding!
- Stabili ty is limited in the ESC off roa d
mode .
@) For the sake of the environment
Avoid damage to t he environmen t an d re­
s pect na tu re .
(D Tips
Only d rive w here it is permitte d and stay
on marked road s and pat hs.
Explanation of some technical terms
The following data refe r to ideal cond itions.
Depend ing on veh icle load and gro und condi ­
tions and the environment, the numbers may
vary. It is the driver's responsibility to decide
whether a vehicle can overcome a specific s it­
uat io n
c::;, ,&. .
Gradient angle
The number of meters in alt itude ga ined over
a distance of 109.4 yards or 100 meters
(grade) are given as a percentage or degrees.
Information about the gradient the vehicle
can climb under its own power (depends in
part on the road surface and engine power) .
Max imum pe rm itt ed grade : 3 1
°
Later al angle (slope of vehicle )
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle
can be driven diagonally or across the fall line ..,.

The chains should cross under the trai ler
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch.
([) Note
If you are going to tow a trai le r, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
¢ page 154, Towing a trailer.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration .
To obtain the best poss ible handling o f vehicle
and trai ler, p lease note the following:
~ Do not tow a loaded trailer whe n your car it­
self is not loaded.
~ Be especially careful when passing other ve­
hicles.
~ Observe speed limits .
~ Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
~ Always apply brakes early.
~ Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight . If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, wh ile keeping the trailer as light as poss i­
ble under the circumstances . Whenever possi­
b le, transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle wh ile observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the drive r to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
Trailer towing 237
wind conditions are unfavorable -pa rticularly
when going downhill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest s ign of sway ing .
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some a reas, speeds
for vehicles tow ing tra ilers are lower than for
regular veh icles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving
down hill, shift into a lower gear to use the en­
gine braking effect to s low the vehicle . Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 10
must be observed carefully. If the need le
moves close to the upper end of the scale, re­
duce speed immediately and/or turn off the
air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in
the instrument cluster starts flashing ., pull
off the road, stop and let the engine
idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build -up .
A WARNING ~
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov-
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident. Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
prov ided by Audi.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
-
a trailer because of the additional weight and
different weight distr ibution . Safety, perform­
ance and economy will great ly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig .
Before you actua lly tow your tra iler, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become completely familiar w ith the way.,.
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238 Trailer towing
your vehicle-trai ler combination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a trailer genera lly requi res
steering action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a trailer .
Maintain a greater distance between your ve­
hicle and the one in front of you. You will need
mo re room to stop. To compensate for the
trai ler, you will need a larger than norma l
turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac ­
celerate as fast as you normally would be­
cause of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow
plenty of room for your trai ler before chang ­
ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in
period of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, you r A ud i may re­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the extra load
~page 319.
Parking on a slope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it can­
not be avoided , do so only ofter doing the fol­
lowing:
When parking:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Have someone place chocks under both the
vehicle and the trai ler wheels .
.. With chocks in p lace, slowly re lease the
brakes until the whee l chocks absorb the
load .
.. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.. Apply the parking brake .
.. Move the selector lever to
P.
When restarting after parking:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Start the engine. ..
Move the selector lever to
D.
.. Release the parking brake and s low ly pull
out and away from the wheel chocks .
.. Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the auto­
matic transmission to
P before applying
the parking brake and before blocking the
wheels, you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the
P posi­
tion.

242 Cleaning and protection
Polishing
Polish your vehicle on ly if the paint has lost its
shine and the g loss cannot be brought back
with wax.
I f the polish used does not contain preserva­
tive compounds, the paint must be waxed af­
terwards .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 239 .
~ Note
Do not use car wax on
- matte or anodized metal trim
- rubber or rubbe r-like tr im.
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special core .
For environmental reasons, Audi fabricates
the bright tr im strips and trim pieces from
pure chromium-free aluminum.
Dirt and marks on the trim strips should be
removed with a
pH-balanced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleaner). Authorized Au­
d i dealers carry clean ing products wh ich have
been tested for use on your veh icle and are
not harmful to the environment .
To avoid corros ion on the exterior trim str ips,
only a pH-balanced solution should be used
for the w indshield washer .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 239.
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special core.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light surface dirt. For other soil, use
a lukewarm all-purpose clean ing solution or a
mild saddle soap for vinyl trim. Remove water
spots and traces of soap w ith a clean, damp cloth
or sponge. Use a clean, soft cloth to rub
dry.
G rease , tar or oil sta ins can be removed with a
clean cloth or sponge soaked with all-purpose
cleaner or with a so lvent designed especially
to clean vinyl.
Occas ional ly apply a colorless vinyl or leather
preservative to re tain the materia l's luster
and pliability.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ~
page 239.
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots
and deposits from a luminum surfaces.
Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack aluminum surfaces and can dam­ age them over time.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
~page 239.
Touch-up paint
Minor point damages should be touched up
immediately.
"' Use e ither a touch-up paint stick or spray
pa int to cover m ino r scratches and nicks.
Your authorized Audi dealer has touch-up
paint for minor scratches and stone chips.
Scratches should be touched up soon after
they occur to prevent corrosion .
If a spot starts to rust, however, a simple
touch-up job will not be enough. The affected
surface must be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti-rust primer before the painted
finish can be restored.
The number for the original veh icle paint can
be found on the vehicle identification label
~page 314. ..,.

24 6 Cl eaning and protec tio n
8_ WARNING
So lvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder 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 w ill make
the surface of th is part porous.
- Serious injur ies can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 239.
(D Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents will
attack the mater ial and can change the
way it behaves.
Natural leather
App lies to vehicles: with natura l leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather.
Gen eral
We offer many different types of leather on
our vehicles. Most are different types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colors.
The 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 nappa leather that has
been left in a relatively natural condition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. F ine veins, closed grains, insect
b ites, ski n folds , and subtle var iations in color
remain visible. These characte ristics demon­
strate that the mater ial is natural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col­
or finish.
It is therefore more sensitive to soil­
ing and wear, which is something you need to
consider if chi ld ren, anima ls or othe r factors
might prove to be particular ly hard on the
leather. By cont
rast, 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 dai ly use. On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu­
ral leather are barely or not apparent . Howev ­
er, th is does not mean that the leathe r itself
is of inferior quality .
Care and h andling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leather that Aud i uses and their unique prop­
erties (such as sensit ivity to oils, grease, soil ­
ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care­
ful with these leathers, and a ce rtain type of
ca re is requ ired . For example , dark clothing
mater ials can disco lor leathe r seats (especia l­
ly if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correct ly). Dust and dirt particles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect and can damage the leather surface as we ll as
weaken seams.
The leather should be cleaned regularly as
needed . After having been used for a relatively
l ong time, your leather seats will acqu ire a
rich aged fin ish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ural leather and a sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural
product over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendat ions below:
(D Note
- To keep your leather from b leaching out,
do not allow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the veh icle parked outside
for long per iods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sun­
light.
- Sharp objects on cloth ing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent s cratches or s crape
ma rks on the su rface of the leather.
(D Tips
- After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leathe r
1111>

preservative creme that contains UV­
blockers and that works into the leather .
This creme w ill nourish and mo istur ize
the leather, he lp ing it to breathe and
stay supple. It also helps to build up a
protective coating on the surface.
- Clean the leather every 2 - 3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipst ick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as possib le.
- Preserve the color of the leather as need­
ed by using a special colored leather care
creme to touch up areas of uneven color .
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention.
Norm al cleaning
.,. Clean soiled areas w ith a slightly mo istened
cotton or woolen cloth.
Mor e stub born dir t
.,. More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
cloth saturated with a m ild soap so lution (2
tablespoons m ild liquid soap) .
.,. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather, and make certa in that no water
soaks into the seams .
.,. Wipe off the soap solut ion with a soft, dry
cl oth.
Cleaning spots
.,. Remove fresh water -b ased spots (such as
coffee, tea, ju ices, blood) w ith an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.,. Remove fresh
gr eas e or oil -ba sed spot s
(such as b utter, mayon naise , chocolate) wi th
an absorbe nt cloth or paper towe l, or use
the cleaner from the leat her ca re kit i f the
spot has not yet penetrated into the s urface
of the leather .
.,. Use an oil/grease disso lv ing spray, if
oil /
grease spots h ave d ried on.
Cleaning and protec tion 247
.,. Remove specific k inds of spots (ba llpoint
pe n, fe lt marker, fingernai l polish, water­
based pa int, shoe po lish, etc .) with a spot
remover specifically formu lated for leather.
L e ather care
.,. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized Au ­
di dea ler) to care for the leather .
.,. App ly the product very sparingly.
.,. Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any q uestions about cleaning and
caring for the leather in yo ur vehicle, it is best
to contact your a uthorized Audi dea ler, who
will be g lad to help you and tell you about our
full range of leather care products, such as :
- Leather cleaning and care kit
- Creams to ca re fo r colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpoin t pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oil/grease d issolving spr ay
- New and upcom ing products .
.&_ WARNING
Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other in formation
r::!)page 239 .
(D Note
- Never use chem ica l so lvents (e .g . lighte r
fluid, tu rpe nti ne), waxes, s hoe polish o r
simi la r prod ucts on the lea ther surfaces
i n yo ur Audi .
- T o avoid damage, have stubbo rn sta ins
remove d by a comme rci al clean ing spe­
c ialist .
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Applies to vehicles: with Alcantara upholstery
Removing du st and dirt
.,. Mois ten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces .
Removing stains
.,. Moisten a cloth with lukewa rm wate r o r
w ith di luted
ethyl (rubbing ) alc ohol.
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248 Clea ning and protec tio n
• Dab at the stain . Start at the outside and
work inwards .
• Once the stain is no longer visible, use a
soft dry cloth or t issue to soak up the mois­
ture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al­
cantara.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing
dust and dirt .
Dust and gr it in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
l eft standing in the sun for long periods, the
A lcantara should be protected against direct
sunlight to prevent it from fading. Slight color
variations will deve lop in normal use and are
not an indication of material deterioration .
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces .
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commerc ial cleaning spe­
cia list.
- Do not use br ushes, stiff sponges or sim­
i larly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia ­
bly when needed.
• Keep be lts clean.
• For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol­
ution. Let be lts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
• Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re­
tract before they are completely dry.
• Check the condition of your safety belts
reg­
ularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can b reak in a crash . -
Anything that might damage your safety
be lts could mean that you and your pas­
sengers would not be adequately pro­
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­
rect insta llation. Never remove be lts
from the veh icle to clean them .
- Do not use chemical clean ing agents,
bleach or dyes. They have corrosive prop­
erties which weaken the webb ing.
- When clean ing your safety belts, inspect
them for damage . If you discover dam­
age, see your authorized Audi dealer .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 239.
' Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine comportment.
Alwa ys switch off the ign ition before clean ­
i ng the engine¢ .&, .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front
of the windshield under the engine hood . This
prevents the water drain holes from becoming
blocked, and it prevents debris from enter ing
the vehicle interior through the heating and
ventilat ion ducts.
Cor rosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion -protected at the factory .
Good anti- corrosion treatment is very impor­
tant, particu larly in the w inter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
shou ld be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage.
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle
should be washed as well. ..,_

-Blend must contain not more than 1S%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
espec ially we ll for winter or summer driving.
During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stat ions where the sea­
sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time .
(D Note
-Methanol fuels which do not meet these
requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo­
nents in the fuel system.
- Do not use fue ls that fail to meet the
specified criter ia in this chapter.
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fue l blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or
its fuel supp lier.
- Do not use fuel for which the contents
cannot be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the responsibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Vehicle or the Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy
or driveability and performance prob­ l ems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
Applies to vehicles : wit h gasoli ne e ng in e
A majo r concern among many auto manufac­
ture rs is carbon deposit build-up caused by
the type of gasoline you use.
Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another , they have certain
things in common. All gasoline g rades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 251
brands include additives to keep engine and
fuel systems clean, they are not equally effec­
tive .
Audi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline . For more information on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
webs ite (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended per iod of using inadeq uate
fuels, carbon deposit build-ups can rob your
engine of peak performance.
(D Note
Damage or malf unct ion due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Audi New Ve­
hicle Limited Warranty.
Diesel fuel
Applies to veh icles: w ith diesel engine
Always use ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) sul­
fur content 15 ppm or less.
The ULSD (U ltra Low Sulfur Diesel) meets the
ASTM-D-97S (grade 2).
Die sel fuel with a higher concentration than
ULSD-Die sel No. 2 ASTM D975 and Bio-die­
sel with a higher concentration than 5
% like
Bl 1 , B20 or B100 are strictly prohibited.
Service station fue l pumps are labeled with
the correct fuel information for easy recogni­
tion by the user. If the diesel fuel pump is not
labeled ask the station operator what fuel is
being dispensed before filling up your vehicle.
Serv ice stations offering Diesel fuel are gener ­
ally located on truck routes or major high­
ways . Directories of Diesel fuel stations are
usually available at Diese l fuel stations.
Some states in the USA require permits to
purchase Diesel fuel. Check with your State
Motor Vehicle Department .
Diesel fuel may not be available outside the
USA and Canada. Be sure to check before trav-
eling to other countries .
Ill-
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