2012 AUDI Q7 AMI

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.,.
•
•

24 0 Cl eaning and protec tio n
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
sign of the facility, the filte ring of the wash
water, the type of wash and care mater ial , etc.
I f the pa int has a dull appearance afte r going
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 car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing the
windows and the Panoramic sliding s unroof.
Factory installed antennas must not be re­
moved.
I f you have installed additional accessories on
the vehicle - such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed.
A WARNING
Please take note of the following po ints
before going through an automatic car
wash with your vehicle, so that you can avoid damage to your vehicle .
- Compare the track of your vehicle with the distance between the gu ide rails of
the fac ility- there is a risk of damage to
the whee ls and t ires.
- Compare the height and w idth of your
vehicle with the height and width of the
t u nnel at the facility.
- Fold the exte rior mirrors flat - t here is a
risk of damag ing the exte rior m irrors.
Power folding exterior mirrors* mus t not
be folded in or out by hand. Use the pow­
er function!
- Do not al low the wiper blade to fall onto
the windshield after the vehicle is dried -
there is a r isk of damag ing the paint on
the hood .
- Always read and heed all WARNI NGS and
other information ¢
page 239.
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 understood the WARNINGS
¢ .&. in General information on page 239 .
.,. First soak all dried d irt unt il it is soft, then
r inse it off .
.,. As you clean you r vehicle , start w it h the
roof and work your way dow n to the bo ttom,
using a sponge, a sponge g love or a clean
brush.
.,. Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often,
flushing it clean each time.
.,. Use spec ial car shampoo only for very per­
sistent d irt .
.,. Rinse the car thoroughly wit h water .
.,. Use a chamo is leather to gently w ipe the ex-
ter io r d ry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
wheels, door s ills and other regions exposed
to road dirt . In this way, you will not scratch
the pa int with coarse pa rticles imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the car.
A WARNING ~ -
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers , or other ha rd
to reach pa rts without protect ing your
hands and arms . You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 239.
(D Note
- Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the ve hicle is dry . Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, s ince this
co uld 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

252 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Winter operation
At temperatures below 20° F (-7° C), Diesel
fuel No.
2 loses its fluidity due to wax separa­
tion, which may clog the fuel filter or tank fil­
ter and keep the engine from running .
To help the filter from being clogged by wax,
the fue l filter in your vehicle is automatically
preheated. Preheating the fuel filter makes
operation of your vehicle possible with Diesel
fuel No. 2 down to -10° F (-24° C).
If you expect temperatures below
5° F
(-15° C)
ask your fuel dealer whether their
Diese l fuel No.
2 is sufficiently winterized for
the prevailing and expected temperatures.
If not winterized or insufficiently winterized
Diesel fuel has already thickened to the extent
that the engine will not start, warm the vehi­
cle up by leaving it in a heated garage.
It is normal that the engine noise leve l (die­
seling) is louder during the warm-up period in
winter. It is also norma l when whitish-blue
smoke comes out of the tailpipe after starting
and during warm-up . The amount of smoke
depends on the outs ide temperature.
Do not let your Diese l engine idle unnecessari ­
ly after a cold start. Driving off slowly will
shorten the warm-up period.
A WARNING
- Never use "starting assist fluids." They
may be potent ially explosive or cause a
"run-away" engine condition. This could
result in ser ious engine damage and per­
sonal injur y.
- Never use fuel line anti-freeze offered for
gasoline engines.
(D Note
- Your Diesel engine has been specifically designed to operate only on Ultra Low
Sulfur Diesel fuel. Therefore, never use
home heating oil or regular gasoline. The
properties of these fuels may cause seri­
ous damage to the fuel injection system
and to the engine. Using these fuels can
-
cause expensive engine repairs and will
also adversely affect your New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
- If Diesel fuel sho uld get on any rubber
hose, it must be wiped off immediately.
Then wash the contaminated hose por­
tion with soap and warm water. Do not allow D iesel fuel to remain on connect­
ing hoses . They may develop leaks and
cause serious damage.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the power locking system shou ld fail, you
can still open the flap manua lly -for detailed
instructions see
¢page 255.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve­
hicle in
Technical Data ¢page 316 .
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap
te lls you the correct fuel for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see ¢
page 250.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refuel­
ling vapo r recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fue l vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you refuel your vehicle. In order to fi ll the tank
proper ly while protecting the environment,
please fo llow this refueling procedure careful­
ly.
A WARNING
-Under normal operating conditions, never
carry addit ional fuel conta iners in your car .
Gas canisters and other conta iners used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such con­
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision .
If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower,
snow b lower, etc., be very careful and al ­
ways observe loca l and state laws regard­
ing the use, transportation and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the ..,.

286 Tires and wheels
contribution to good road ho lding and safe
handling when in good condition and properly
inflated
¢ ,& .
We recommend that all work on tires and
wheels be performed by an authorized Audi
dealer. They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary spec ial
too ls and spare parts as well as the proper fa­
cilities for disposing of the old tires.
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary information about technical requ irements for
installing or changing tires and r ims.
Replacing tires and wheels
Tires should be rep laced at least in pairs and
not individually (for example both front tires
or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the information to
the tire pressure monitoring system
¢pa ge 292.
Always buy rep lacement radial tires that have
the same specifications as the tires approved
for your vehicle by Audi. Replacement t ires
must always have the same load rating speci­
fication as the original equipment or approved
optional tires listed in the table
c:> page 2 78.
Aud i-approved specification ti res are specially
matched to your vehicle and its load limits,
and can contribute to the important road hold­
ing, driving characteristics, and safety of the
vehicle. The table
(c:> page 2 78) lists specifica­
tions of the tires approved for the Audi mod­
els covered by your Owner's Literature .
The tire pressure label located on the driver's
side B-pillar
c:> page 2 78, fig. 238 lists the
specifications of the original equipment tires
installed on your vehicle at the time it was
manufactured.
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to
place standard ized information on the s ide­
wall of all tires
c:> fig. 241 . This information
identifies and describes the fundamental
characterist ics, the quality grade of the tire
and also provides a tire ident ificat ion number f
or sa fety standard certification and in case of
a reca ll.
Tire specifications
Knowledge of tire specificat ions makes it eas­
ier to choose the correct tires. Radial tires
have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewa ll, for examp le:
P255 / 55 R 18 109 H XL
This conta ins the following information:
P Indicates the tire is for passenger cars
(where app licab le)
255 Nominal tire width in mm of the tire
from sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the number, the wider
t he tire
55 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ra-
t io)
R Tire construction: Radial
18 Rim diameter code (in inches)
109 Load rating code
H Speed rat ing letter code
XL (or "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" Indicates
that the tir e is a"Re inforced" or an "Extra
Load " tir e
M+S (or "M/S") Indicates that the tire has
some mud and snow capability
The tires could also have the information of
direction of rotat ion
c:> page 274 .
Tire manufacturing date
The manufacturing date is also indicated on
the tire sidewall (possibly on ly on the
inner
side of the wheel):
"DOT ... 2211. .. " means, for examp le, that
the tire was produced in the 22nd week of
2011.
Speed rating (letter code)
The speed rating letter code on the whee ls in­
dicates the maximum permissible road speeds
c:> & in Winter tires on page 290 .
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph ( 170 km/h)

Fuse s and bulb s 305
Right cockpit fuse assignment
Fig . 258 Right cockp it: f use pane l w ith plastic clip
No. Con sumer Amps No. Consumer Amps
Fu se pa nel@ (bla ck )
6 Automatic transmission
5/20
1 Heated rear seats
7
E lectronic Stability Control
5
2 Telephone, cell phone package (ESC)
--Shift gate automatic transmis-
Front seat hating/seat ventila-
8 5
3 30/15
tion (right) sion
Electron ic Stab ility Control 9 Parking system
5
4 (ESC) 20
10 Airbag
5
5 Door control module (right side
15 11
Heated rear seats
5
of vehicle) 12 Air-conditioning 5
6 Rear electrical outlets 25 Fuse panel© (red )
7
Lumbar support passenger's
10 1 Instrument cluster
seat 2 Rearview camera
8 Ciga
rette lighter front 20
3 CD player, DVD drive 5
9 Front electrical outlets
25 4 MMI Display 5
10 A/C controls 10
5 Automatic transmission
11 Cooler
15 Panoramic sliding sunroof seg-
7 20
12 Inte
lligent power module pas-
15 ment 1
senger Panoramic sliding sunroof seg-
Fuse panel B (brown ) 8 ment2 20
1 Headlight e
lectronic system
10 Panoramic sliding sunroof sun-
9 20
(right side of veh icle)
blind
Ride height adjustment 5
Window regulators (right side
Telephone package 5 11
of vehicle) 35
4 12 Rear air-condi
tioning contro ls 10
5 Electronic
Stability Cont rol
5
(ESC)

designated seating position) and luggage
weight~&. .
Gros s Axle W eight Rating
The G ross Axle Weight Rating is the maximum
l oad that can be applied at each axle of the
vehicle
q .&. .
Vehicle capacit y weight
The vehicle capac ity we ight (max. load) is list­
ed on the driver 's side B-p illar.
Roof weight
The maximum permissible roof weight is 220
lb (100 kg ).
The roof weight is made up of
the we ight of the roof rack system and the
weight of the object be ing transported
q page 84, Loading the roof rack.
..&, WARNING
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rat ing for yo ur
Audi Q7 vehicle, found on the safety compliance label on the driver's side B ­
pillar, must never be exceeded under any
circumstances. Exceed ing the Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating of your vehicle is like ly
to damage your vehicle, and such dam­
age will not be covered by your Limited
New Vehicle Warranty . Exceeding the
Gross Vehicle We ight Rating will also
change the performance and handling
characteristics of your vehicle, which
cou ld cause a crash result ing in serious
injury o r death.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rat ing for your
Audi Q7 wo uld be exceeded if your vehi­
cle is s imultaneously equ ipped with Pan­
oramic sliding sunroof; third-row seat­
ing; trailer towing equipment (factory or
dealer-installed), and running boards
(dealer-installed). UNDER NO CIRCUM­
STANCES MAY ALL SUCH ITEMS BE IN­
STALLED ON T HE SAME VEHICLE .
- The actual Gross Axle Weight Rat ing at
the front and rear axles should not ex­
ceed the perm iss ible weights, and their
c ombination must not exceed the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rat ing.
G ene ral in formation 315
-Exceeding perm iss ible weight ratings can
result in veh icle damage, acc idents and
personal injury.
([) Note
-The ve hicle capacity weight figures apply
when the load is d istr ibuted evenly in the
vehicle (passengers and luggage). When
transport ing a heavy load in the luggage
compartment, carry the load as near to
the rear axle as poss ible so that the vehi­
cle's handling is not impaired.
- Do not exceed the maximum permissible
axle loads or the maximum gross veh icle
we ight. Always remember that the vehi­
cle's handling w ill be affected by the ex­
tra load. Therefore, ad just yo ur speed ac­
co rding ly.
- Always observe local regulat ions .
Dimensions
T he specifications refer to the basic model.
D ifferences may occur depending on the mod­
el type and op tions ordered, fo r example, tire
sizes .
Q) Note
When dr iv ing up steep ramps, on rough
r oads, over c urbs, etc. it is important to re ­
member that some parts of your vehicle,
such as spoi lers or exhaust system compo­
nents, may be close to the ground. Be
careful not to damage them.
•
•
I

-Always make sure the transm ission se­
lector lever (automatic transmiss ion) is
in "P" (Park position) and the park brake
is firmly app lied .
@) For the sake of the environment
-Changing the eng ine settings w ill ad­
versely affect em ission levels. This is det­
rimental to the environment and increas­
es fuel consumption .
- Always observe env ironmental regula­
tions when d isposing of old engine oil,
used brake fluid, dirty engine coolant,
spent batter ies or worn out t ires.
- Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
s ioners might be classified as Perchlo­
rate Material -specia l hand ling may ap­
ply, see www.dts c.ca .gov/hazardous­
waste/perch lorate. When the veh icle or
parts of the restraint system includ ing
airbag modules safety belts wit h preten­
sioners are scrapped, all applicable laws
and regulations must be observed. Your
a uthorized Audi dea ler is familiar w ith
these requirements and we recommend
that you have your dea ler perform this
serv ice for you .
Additional accessories,
modifications and
parts replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
Always consult an authorized Audi dealer be­
fore purchasing accessories.
Your veh icle incorporates the latest safety de­
sig n featu res ensu ring a high standard of ac ­
tive and passive safety.
This safety could be compromised by non-ap­ proved changes to the veh icle. For this reason,
if parts have to be replaced, please observe
the following points when install ing addition­
a l accessories:
Con sumer In formation 321
Approved Audi accesso ries and genuine Audi
parts are available from authorized Audi deal­
ers.
T hese dea lers a lso have the necessary facili­
ties, tools and trained specialists to install the
parts and accessories proper ly.
A WARNING
Using the wrong spare parts or using non­
approved accessories can cause damage to
the vehicle and serious persona l injury.
- Use on ly accessories express ly approved
by Audi and genu ine Audi spare parts
- These parts and accessories have been
specially designed to be used on your ve­
hicle .
- Never install accessories such as tele­
phone cradles or beverage holders on air­
bag covers or within the airbag deploy­
ment zones . Do ing so will increase the
risk of injury if a irbags are triggered in an
accident!
- Before you check anything in the engine
compa rtment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS ~
page 248.
(D Note
-If items other than genuine Audi spare
parts, add-on equipment and accessory
items are used or if repair work is not
performed accord ing to spe cified meth­
ods, this can result in severe damage to
yo ur vehicle's engine and body (such as
corrosion) and adversely affect your vehi ­
cle's warranty .
- If emergency repairs must be performed
elsewhere, have the vehicle examined by
an authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible.
- The manufacturer cannot be held liable
for damage wh ich occurs due to failure
to comply with these stipulations.
•
•

322 Consumer Information
Technical Modifications
Our guidelines must be complied with when
technical modifications are made .
Always consult an authori zed Audi dealer be ­
fo re starting work on any modifications .
This will he lp ensure that vehicle function,
performance and safety are not impaired
¢ &. .
Attempting to work on electronic components
and the software used with them can cause
malfunctions. Because of the way electronic
componen ts are interconnected with each
other, such malfunctions can also have an ad­
verse affect on other systems that are not di ­
rectly involved . Th is means that you risk both
a substantial reduction in the operational
safety of your vehicle and an inc reased wea r of
ve hicle parts ¢
A:,..
Author ized Audi dealers will perform th is
wo rk in a p rofessiona l and competent manner
or, in special cases , refer you to a professional
company that specializes in such mod ifica­
tions .
A WARNING
Improper repairs and modifications can
change the way vehicle systems work and
cause damage to the veh icle and serious
personal injury.
-
If emergency repairs must be performed
elsewhere, have the ve hicle examined by
an authorized Audi dealer as soon as possi­
ble.
Declaration of
Compliance, Telecom­
munications and
Electronic Systems
Radio Frequency Devices and Radio Communi­
cation Equipment User Manual Notice .
The manufacturer is not responsib le for any
radio or TV interference caused by unauthor­
i z ed modifications to this equipment.
D ev ices
The following dev ices each comply with FCC
Part 15.19, FCC Part 15.2 1 and RSS -Gen Iss ue
1:
- Adapt ive cru ise control
- Conven ience key
- Aud i side assist
- Cell phone package
- Electron ic immobili zer
- Homelink ® universal remote contro l
- Remote control key
FCC Part 15.19
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC
Ru les . Operation is subject to the fo llow ing
two conditions :
(1) This device may not cause harmful inter ­
ference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation .
FCC Part 15 .21
CAUTION:
Changes or mod ificat ions not expressly ap­
proved by the party responsible for compli­
ance could void the user 's authority to operate
the equipment .
RSS-Gen Issu e 1
Operation is subject to the fo llow ing two con­
ditions:
(1) this device may not cause inte rfe rence ,
and