2012 AUDI Q7 Stability

(!) Memory buttons (driver's seat)
@ Door handle
@ Power locking switch .... .. .. .
© Side assist button .......... .
® Adjuster control for outside m ir-
rors .... ... ............... .
@ Air outlets ................ .
(J) Light switch ........... .... .
@ Turn signal and high beam . .. .
® Multifunction steering wheel
with:
- Horn
- Driver's airbag ............ .
- Audio/video, telephone, navi-
gation and vo ice recognition
buttons
- Shift buttons ........ .. .. .
- Button for steering wheel heating ............. .... .
@ Instrument cluster ...... .. .. .
@ Switches for:
- Windshield wiper/washer . .. .
- Trip computer ........ .. .. .
@ Ignition lock ........... .... .
@ Buttons for:
- Parking system
- Resetting the trip odometer ..
- !CHECK lbutton ... ' ... .... .
- Instrument lighting ....... .
'3 Adjustable steer ing wheel, de­
pending on equipment:
- mechanical .......... .... .
- electrical ............ .... .
@ Control lever for: 73
44
129
68
96
57
60
183
141
101
10
63
24
105
144
12
12
13
103
103
- Cru ise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
- Adaptive cruise control . . . . . 113
@ Data Link Connector for On
Board Diagnostics (OBD II) . . . . 27
@ Pedal for operating parking
brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
@ Engin e hood release . . . . . . . . . . 258
@ Handle for releasing parking
brake. ..... .... .... ... .. .. . 109
@ Switch for unlock ing the trunk
lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Instruments and controls 9
@ Power window switches ...... .
@ MMI Display (see separate man­
ual)
@ Buttons/Indicator light for:
- PASS ENG ER AIR BAG OFF
- Emergency flashers ........ .
- Electronic Stability Control
(E5C) ... .... .. . ......... .
@ Buttons for:
- Switching MMI display on/off
- Valet key function ......... .
- Unlocking glove compartment
@ Glove compartment ......... .
@ Front passenger's airbag ..... .
@ Audi multimed ia (see separate
manua l)
@ Climate controls . .. .. .. ..... .
@) Sh ift lever for automatic trans -
mission ....... .. .......... .
@ 12-volt outlets ... . .. .. ..... .
@ MMI control console (see sepa­
rate manual)
@ Storage compartment
@ IS TART I- / IS T OPI button
(D Tips
51
60
219
41
88
88
183
92
137 87
107
Some of the equipment or features shown
in the general illustration may be standard
equipment on your vehicle or may be op­
tional equipment depend ing on your mod­
el. Always ask your authorized Audi dealer
i f you have a question about your vehicle .

14 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Warning/indicator lights
Overview
The warning/indicator lights indicate different functions or a possible malfunction.
Fig . 8 Instrument duster w ith warning/indicator ligh ts
Your veh icle is equipped with several impor·
a
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
tant warning and indicator lights to help you (MIL)
monitor the continued reliable operation of
<=:>page 17
your veh icle c:> _& .
•
Adaptive Air Suspension*
rm
Electron ic power control <=:>page 17
(alternative to l,;I) -
•
Adaptive Air Suspension*
<=:>page 15
<=:>page 17
II
Glow plug system ~
(alternative to~
rl
Right turn signal
<=:>page 15 <=:>page
16
•
Electron ic Stability Control (ESC)
Safety belt
<=:>page 16
<=:>page 18
I
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
•
High beam
<=:>page 16
¢page 18
USA models: Safety systems
[g
Tire pressure monitoring system
<=:>page 16
<=:>page 18
Canada models : Safety systems
gm
USA models: Cruise control acti·
<=:>page 16 vated
<=:>page 18 j
Left turn signal
E
Canada models: Cruise control <=:>page 16
•
activated
•
Trailer turn signal assembly* c:>pafe 18
<=:>page 16
~
USA models: Anti-lock brake
system (ABS) defective
¢page 18

16 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
;;./~ Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This warning/indicator light monitors the
Electronic Stability Control .
If the D] indicator lamp blinks while driving,
the ESC or ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) is active­
ly regulating.
If the G] indicator lamp illuminates, the sys­
tem has switched the ESC off. In this case, you
can switch the ignition off and then on to
switch the ESC on again . The system is func­
tioning completely when the indicator lamp
switches off.
If the
I indicator lamp illuminates, the ESC
was switched off with the
I ~ OF F! button.
Stability program and ABS fault! See own­
er's manual
If the J;.j indicator lamp and the llJ ABS indi­
cator lamp illuminate and the driver message
appears, the ABS or electronic differential lock
is malfunctioning. This also interrupts the
ESC. The brakes still function with their nor­
mal power, but ABS is not active .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
For more information about the ESC
¢page 219.
ii !.!r Safety systems
The I (USA models)/ . (Canada mode ls) in­
dicator light monitors the safety systems e.g.
a ir bags, pretensioners and illuminates for a
few seconds each time you switch the ignition
on .
If the
I (USA models)/ . (Canada models)
indicator light does not go out, or if it illumi­
nates while you are driv ing, or if it starts to
b link , 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 ma lfunction in the safety sys­
tems, contact your authorized Audi dealer
imme diately. Otherwise the safety sys­
tems may not work properly in an acc i­
dent.
¢ Q Turn signals
The indicator light blinks when you use either
turn signal .
Whenever you use the left B or the right B
turn signal, the indicator light blinks. When
you use the emergency flashers, both indica­
tor lights flash.
If one of the turn signal light bulbs burn out,
the turn signal will blink twice as fast as nor­
mal.
This does not apply, however, in towing mode.
The indicator light does not flash if a turn sig­
nal is out on the trailer or the towing vehicle .
Additional information on the turn s ignals
¢ page 60 .
¢1¢ Trailer turn signal assembly
Applies to veh icles : w ith t owing h it c h
The indicator light also blinks if the turn sig ­
nal is operated when towing a trailer.
The indicator light . blinks when the turn
signal is used, if a trai ler has been proper ly
connected to the vehicle.
If one of the turn signal bulbs on the trailer is
burned out or defective, the indicator light
will not blink when you use the turn signals .
(D Tips
For vehicles with a factory installed towing
hitch or a trailer hitch that was installed
later according to factory spec ifications,
the trailer turn signal assembly is actuat­
ed.

the 20 to 95 mph (30 to 150 km/h) speed
range .
ACC not available
The text message ACC not available appears,
for example, if the temperature of the brakes
i s excessive. Adaptive cruise control is tempo­
rarily not available. A warning tone sounds as
a reminder .
ACC not available!
The text message ACC not available! appears
in the event of a malf uncti on. Adaptive cruise
control is tu rned off . A warning tone sounds
as a reminder. Have the system inspected by a
qua lified dealership.
ACC sensor blocked !
The text message ACC sensor blocked ! ap­
pears when the ACC System can no longer ac­
curately detect vehicles moving up ahead in
your lane of travel. Adaptive cr uise control is
turned off. A warning tone also sounds as a re­ minder.
To decide whether it is necessary to switch off
the ACC (ACC sensor blocked
!) or if it is only a
temporary condition (ACC Functionally limit­
ed), the system will a lso takes into cons idera­
tion the outside temperature and/or the wind­
shield wiper operation .
The ACC sensor is dirty or blocked (e.g. leaves,
snow).
The ACC sensor is loca ted behind the area to
the right of the front license plate . If the ACC
sensor is dirty or blocked, clean the area to re­
store system operat ion.
Stability program
The text message Stability program appea rs
if the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) has in­
tervened . In th is case the adaptive cr uise con ­
trol is automatically turned off. Th is is accom­
panied by a warn ing tone.
Speed
The set speed in mph (Canada km/h) always
appears when saving or changing the speed in
Adaptive cruise control 123
adaptive cruise control c:::> page 116, How is
the speed stored?
and c:::> page 117, Changing
stored speed.
ACC functionality limited
T he message ACC functionality limited ap­
pears when the ACC System does not detect
any moving vehicles up ahead in your lane of
trave l for a longer period of time . During t his
time, the distance to moving vehicles in your
lane of travel up ahead is not being main­
ta ined . The ACC system is not switched off,
and increased attention to the traffic situation
is absolutely necessary. The following may be
reasons why the message
ACC functionality
limited
appears:
- The ACC sensor is d irty. The ACC system is
not reacting, or is not reacting co rrectly, to
moving vehicles up ahead in your lane of
travel.
- There may be very light traffic on and there
is noth ing that marks the side of the road
(for examp le, guard ra ils, traffic signs,
t rees). As soon as a moving vehicle up ahead
is detected again, ACC becomes active again
and the message disappears.
T he ACC senso r is located behind the area to
the right of the front license p late.
If the ACC
sensor is dirty or blocked, clean the area to re ­
store system operation.
Parking brake!
The text message Parking brake! appears,
whe n the parking brake is applied. ACC is
turned off. A warning tone sounds as a re­
minder.
Stationary object ahead
T he text message Stationary object ahead ap­
pears, whe n you want to activate the system
and there is a stationary vehicle or an object
immediately in front of you .
Gradient too steep
The text message Gradient too steep appears
when the maximum gradient for prope r ACC
operation has been exceeded. Adaptive cruise .,.

Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers for the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event. EDRs are sometimes called "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retr ieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDRs that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for example, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during norma l vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a very limited period of
time and stored when a system fault or other
condition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may relate to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as we ll as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Intelligent technology 219
Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)
General information
The ESC improves the vehicle stability.
. ..---------..
------- -
Fig. 218 Center console with ESC sw itch
ESC is designed to help you maintain vehicle
control in situations where the car approaches
the limits of "grip", especially when accelerat­
ing and cornering. ESC reduces the risk of
skidding and improves stability under all road
condit ions .
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination with the ABS system. If
the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) malfunc­
tions, the ESC will also shut down.
How the system works
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic
Differential Lock (EDL) and the Anti-Slip Regu­
lation System (ASR) are integrated in the Elec­
tronic Stability Control. In addition to the da­
ta provided by these functions, the ESC con­
trol unit requires additional measurement da­
ta provided by high performance sensors. The
rotational speed of the vehicle about its verti­
cal axis, vehicle acceleration in the fore-and­
aft and lateral directions, the brake pressure and the steering angle are all measured.
T he direction in wh ich the driver wishes to
travel is determined with the aid of the steer­
ing angle and vehicle speed and is continually
compared with the actua l behavior of the ve­
hicle. If the two do not match, for example,
when the vehicle starts hydroplaning on a wet
road, ESC will automatically brake the appro-
priate wheel to correct the problem. ..,_
•
•

220 Intellig ent technol ogy
The vehicle is then stabilized by the forces act­
ing on the whee l during braking. If the vehicle
is
oversteering (rear tends to sk id out of the
turn), the brakes are ma inly applied on the
wheel that is on the outside of the curve. In
the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to slide out of the curve), the
brakes are applied as needed on the whee l
that is on the ins ide of the curve or addit ional­
l y on the o ther wheels. An acoustic s ignal indi­
cates when ESC b rake app lication cuts in
¢ A .
The system operates across the entire speed
range in combination with the ABS system
¢ page 223. If the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESC wi ll be out of ac­
tion as well .
Activating
When you turn on the engine, ESC w ill auto­
mat ica lly be act ivated and will perform a se lf­
test. As soon as the test is comp leted, the sys­
tem is in normal operating mode.
Offroad mod e
ESC should normally be ope rated in normal
mode because this ensures maximum vehicle
stability. If necessary, you can act ivate the
ESC offroad mode by pressing the but to n
¢ fig . 218 to obtain maximum traction and
braking ability when driving
off paved roads at
l ow speeds. In ESC offroad mode, the indica­
tor light
fi illuminates and the message Off ­
road control Warning! Red uced t ract ion
ap­
pears briefly in the display .
The ESC offroad mode can be usefu l in the fo l­
low ing except iona l situations when slip or a
h ighly effective differentia l locking function is
desirable . Examples:
- when driving with tire chains,
- when driving in deep snow or on loose
ground,
- when driving on uneven surfaces with the
wheels severe ly unloaded (articulation), and
- when rocking the vehicle loose after it has
become stuck.
When the unusua l situat ion is past, you
should shift back to the normal ESC operating mode by pushing the button again
. The mes­
sage
S tabilit y prog ram on then appears brief­
l y in the display.
H ill descent control
T he hill descent con trol is swi tched on in ESC
offroad mode . When slowly descending steep
gradients on loose gro und or when the axles
are articulated, hill descent control provides
ass istance by automatically applying the
brakes to keep vehicle speed constant. The ve­
hicle is also rendered easier to steer by selec­
t ive d istr ibut ion of braking force . H ill descent
control intervenes when:
- the acce lerator pedal is not pressed,
- the vehicle is travelling less than 12 mph
(20 km/h),
- a steep gradient is detected,
- wheel behavior indicates loose ground or
conditions with poor adhesion (e.g . a lso axle
articu lation).
Hill descent con tro l operates both d riving for­
ward and in reverse. Active hill descent con­
trol is deactivated by pressing the accelerator
pedal unti l the conditions for activation al­
ready listed are met again.
A WARNING
- The Electronic Stability Control is never­
theless subject to the laws of phys ics. It
is part icu larly important to pay attention
to this fact on wet and slippery roads. It is therefore impo rtant that you a lways
a dapt your d riving to the condit ion of the
road and traffic cond itions. Do not allow
the increased safety provided by the Electron ic Stability Control system to lull
you into accepting additional safety
risks.
- Please be aware that in ESC offroad
mode, particularly on a smooth and s lip­
pery road, the wheels may have an in­
creased tendency to spin and the vehicle
may break away - danger of skidding!
- Stability is limited in the ESC offroad
mode.

Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the
rotational speed of the drive wheels.
G ener al note s
The electronic differentia l lock (EDL) helps the
car to start mov ing, accelerate and climb a
gradient on surfaces providing poor or almost
no gr ip . W ithout EDL, this would be difficult,
if not impossible .
How the s yst em work s
The EDL operates automatically . It monitors
the rotat ional speed of wheels w ith the help
of the ABS sensors <=>
page 223. If a noticea­
ble
slip i s detected at the wheels (e.g . on slip­
pery ground
on one side), the spinning wheels
are braked and power is transferred to the
other wheels. This is done up to a speed of
about 60 mph (100 km/h). Noises from the b rake system signal that wheel spin is being
contro lled .
Driving off
When driv ing off , a lways be sure to keep road
conditions in mind as you accelerate . If one
drive whee l spins because it is on a surface
with less grip, apply
plenty of throttle until
the car starts to move.
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the b raked wheel
from ove rheating if subjected to excessive
l oads on this whee l, the EDL cuts out tempo ­
ra rily. The vehicle remains operational and be­
h aves in the same way as a vehicle without
EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL
switches on again automatically .
A WARNING
-When accelerating on slippery surfaces,
such as on ice or snow, always be careful
when depressing the acce lerator pedal.
Even with the EDL working, the drive
wheels can spin and reduce your ability
to control your car . R isk of crash!
Int ellig ent technolog y 221
-The increased safety afforded by EDL
does not mean that you can take safety
risks. Always adapt your driving style to
the road condit ions and traffic situation .
(!) Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also
not functioning. This is ind icated by the
ABS warning light <=>
page 18.
' Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the
driven wheels from spinning when the car is
accelerating.
G eneral not es
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is inte­
grated in the Electronic Stability Control
(ESC). When the vehicle starts up and acceler­
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning
by adjust ing the eng ine power to match the
amount of grip available from the road sur ­
face .
How the system works
ASR performs automatica lly, i.e. without the
driver 's intervention. With the aid of the ABS
sensors <=>
page 223, ASR monitors the speed
of the dr iven wheels. If the wheels start to
spin, engine torque is reduced automatically
unt il the t ires find enough grip to lock onto
the road surface. The system is active across
the enti re speed range.
The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If
a malfunction should occur in the ABS, the
ASR wi ll also be ou t of act ion.
A WARNING
The increased safety affo rded by ASR does
not mean that you can take sa fety risks.
A lways adapt your driving sty le to the road
conditions and traffic situation. ...,
•
•

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 ..,.