2013 AUDI A7 light

214 Cleaning 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 power roof . Factory installed an­
tennas must not be removed.
I f you have installed additional accessor ies 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
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c;, page 213.
- Before washing the vehicle in an auto­
matic car wash, p lease make sure to re­
tract the exterior mirrors to prevent
them from being damaged. Power fold­
i ng exter ior mirrors* must not be folded
i n or out by hand . Always use the electri­
ca l power control.
- Compare the width of your vehicle with the width of the tunnel at the facility.
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi­cle by hand.
• Before you start washing , make sure you
have read and understood the WARNINGS
r:::;, _& ,
• First soak all dried dirt unti l it is soft, then
rinse it off.
• As you clean your vehicle, start w ith the
roof and work your way down to the bottom,
using a sponge, a sponge glove or a clean
brush .
• Rinse the sponge or the sponge g love often,
flushing it clean each time .
• Use spec ial car shampoo only for very per­
sistent d irt .
• Rinse the car thoroughly with water.
• Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the ex -
terior dry .
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
whee ls, door sills and other regions exposed
to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch
the paint with coarse particles imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the car.
A WARNING
'-
- Wash your vehicle only when the ign ition
is switched off to reduce the risk of a
crash .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c;, page 213 .
(D Note
-Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the vehicle is dry. Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, since this
could scratch your vehicle's paint or win­
dows.
- Never wash your car in bright sunlight .
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
directly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings - they can freeze sh ut.
- Never use sponges designed to remove
insects, or any k itchen scouring sponges
or simi lar products. They can damage
your paint finish.
- Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean
the headlights. Only use wet cloths or

sponges to prevent scratches. It is best
to use soapy water .
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis, for example when refuel­
ing your vehicle. Never clean the head­
lights w ith a dry cloth or sponge. Use a
wet cloth or sponge. It is best to use
soapy water .
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facilit ies specially
designed for that purpose. Th is w ill reduce
the risk of d irty water contaminated with
oil from entering the sewer system . In
some areas, washing veh icles outs ide of
t hese facilit ies is prohib ited.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you
observe a few simple rules .
.,. Befo re using the power washe r, make sure
you have read and understood the WARN­ INGS ¢
A. in General information on
page 213.
.,. Always fo llow the operating instructions for
the power washer .
.,. Make sure that the jet on the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped spray" .
.,. Do
not ho ld the spray no zzle too close to
soft mate ria ls .
Keep a d istance from soft materials such as
rubber hoses or insulat ing mater ial as we ll as
sensors and camera lenses .
When clean ing the vehicle w it h a power wash­
er
always follow the operating instructions.
This applies particularly to the operating pres­
sure and the spraying distance . Do not po int
the spray directly at t he sea ls around the side
windows, aro und the doors, o n the rea r lid or
on the sunroof *. L ikew ise, do not point it di­
rectly at tires, r ubber hoses, ins ulation mate­
rial or sensors ¢
page 216. Hold the spray
Cleaning and protec tion 215
nozzle at least 1.3 ft (0.4 m) away from the
vehicle.
Do no t use a high-p ressure power w asher to
remove snow and ice .
Do not use a jet which sprays wate r in a d irect
stream o r one that has a rotating jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F
(60 °() .
A WARNING
Neve r wash t ires with a jet that sprays wa­
ter in a direct stream . Thi s could cause in­
v isible damage to the t ires and we aken
them, even if the spray is from a re lative ly
l ong dis tance and for a short time. Dam ­
aged and wea kened tires can fail and cause
accidents and personal in jury.
(D Note
To avoid damaging yo ur vehicle, a lways
make sure tha t the re is sufficien t distance
between the s pray head and soft materia ls
lik e rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound­
deaden ing mater ia ls as well as sensors
and camera lenses. Never a im t he spray
head at the same point for a long time .
This also applies to cleaning headlights
and paint ed bumpers. Remembe r: the
closer the no zzle is to the surfa ce of the
m at eria l, the gre ater the s tress on the m a­
terial.
Caring for vehicles with matte finish
paint
App lies to vehicles : wit h matte finish paint
Vehicles with matte finish paint require spe ­
cial care due to the characteristics of the
paint.
Washing by hand
T o avoid d amaging the pain t when washing,
first remove dust and la rge particles from
your vehicle . Insects, grease spots and finger­
prints are best removed with a
special cleane r
for matte fin ish paint .
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216 Cleaning and protec tio n
Apply the product using a micr ofib er cl oth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use
too m uch pressure.
R inse the vehicle t ho roughly with water . Clean
the vehicle sta rting at the top and working to­
ward the bottom using a
neutra l sh ampoo
and a soft mi crofiber cloth . Stop frequently to
rinse the cloth thoroughly.
C lean the wheels and sill panels last. Use a
clean
s pon ge on these areas .
R inse the vehicle tho roughly aga in and let it
a ir dry.
If there are any wa ter spo ts, they can
be removed using a
leather cloth .
Clean again with the spe cial clean er for matt e
finish paint
if ne cessary.
Removing stubborn d irt
B ird d ropping s or tree sap are best removed
with plenty of water and a m icrofiber cloth .
You should r inse
off ga soli ne res idue immedi­
ately with plenty of water.
A WARNING
- Wash your ve hicle only when the ignition
is switched
off to reduce the risk of a
crash .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and othe r information
c:::> page 213.
([) Note
-Do not treat vehicle parts painted w ith
matte f inish paint us ing polish ing mate­
r ials or hard wax. These products could
cause damage to the appea rance or sur­
face that cannot be repaired.
- Never use p rotective wax.
It can destroy
the matte fin ish effect .
- Do not p lace any st ickers or magnetic
s igns on vehicle parts painted with
matte finish paint. The pa int could be
damaged when the st ickers or magnets
a re removed.
- To preven t pa int damage, do not wash
the veh icle in direct s unl igh t. -
To prevent damage to the pa int surface,
do not use insect remova l sponges,
rough kitchen sponges or sim ilar items .
- Yo u should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regu lar basis, for example when refuel­
ing your vehicle. Only clean the head­
lights using a wet cloth or sponge, never
a dry one. Cleaning with soapy water is
recommended.
(D Tips
For more information on special cleaning
products designed for matte finish paint,
seeyourAud idea~~
Sensors and camera lenses
- Remove snow with a hand brush and remove
ice with a de -icing spray that does not con­
tain so lvents.
- Clean the senso rs (adaptive c ruise control*,
park ing system*) w ith a cleaning so lution
tha t does not contain so lvents and a soft
cloth .
- The camera lens or the area in front of the
camera lens is norma lly cleaned by the
windshield wipers (Audi active lane assist*)
or head light wipers (night vision system *).
If the lens or the area is exceptionally dirty,
clean the area with glass cleaner and a soft,
dry cloth .
(D Note
-If you wash your vehicle with a pressure
washer,
- make sure there is eno ugh distance to
sensors i n the fron t and rear bumper,
- do not clean the camera lenses and the
ar ea a round them with the p ress ure
washer.
- N ever use warm or hot wate r to remove
snow or i ce from the camera lens. This
cou ld cause the lens to crack.
- Never clean the camera lens wi th abra­
sive products.

Waxing and Polishing
Wa xing
A good wax coat ing protects the vehicle pa int
to a large extent aga inst the environmental
factors listed under
~page 213, Washing and
even against slight sc ratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your pa int as soon as one week after your veh icle
has been del ivered.
Even if you regularly use a
w axi ng process in
automatic car washes, we recommend that
you manually app ly a coat of wax to give the
pa int ext ra protection, particularly if wate r no
l onge r beads on the clean paint.
Protect p lastic body parts with car wax in the
same way as the vehicle body.
During warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the for­
ward area of the hood . They are much easier
to remove from paint that is waxed
often.
Poli shing
Polish your vehicle only if the pa int has lost its
sh ine and the gloss cannot be brought back
with wax .
If the polish used does not contain preserva­
tive compounds, the paint must be waxed af­
terwards.
&, WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
~ page 213.
(I) Note
Do not use car wax on
- matte or anod ized metal trim
- rubber or rubber-like trim.
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care.
For environmenta l reasons, Aud i fabricates
the br ight tr im st rips and t rim pieces from
pu re chromium-free a lum inum.
Cleaning and protec tion
D irt and marks on the trim strips sho uld be
removed wit h a
pH-balanced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleaner). Audi dealers
carry clean ing products w hich have been test­
ed for use on your vehicle and are not harmful
to the environment.
To avoid corrosion on the exter ior trim strips,
only a pH-ba lanced solution should be used
for the windsh ield washer.
&, WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other info rmation
~page 213.
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light s urface dirt. For other soil, use
a lukewarm all-p urpose cleaning so lution or a
mild saddle soap for v inyl tr im. Remove water
spots and traces of soap with a clean, damp cloth or sponge . Use a clean, soft cloth to rub
dry.
Grease, tar or oil stains can be removed w ith a
clean cloth or sponge soaked with a ll-purpose
cleaner o r with a solvent designed espec ially
to clean v inyl.
Occas ionally apply a colorless vinyl or leather
preservative to retain the mater ia l's luster
and pliability .
&, WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNI NGS and
other info rmat ion
~ page 213 .
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH p rod ucts to remove spots
and deposits from a luminum sur faces.
Chrome care products and a lkaline cleaners
will attack a luminum surfaces and can dam-
age them over time. ..,.
217
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218 Cleaning and protection
8_ WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
Q page 213 .
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up
immediately.
.. Use either a to uch -up paint stick or spray
paint to cover minor scratches and nicks .
Your Audi dea ler has touch-up paint for minor
scratches and stone chips. Scratches shou ld
be touched up soon after they occur to pre­
vent 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 origina l vehicle paint can
be found on the vehicle identification label
r::>
page 2 85.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
Qpage 213.
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road
fi lm and car wash wax buildup.
.. Remove sno w from windows using a brush.
.. Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from
windows and mirrors .
.. Remove other residue on the windows with
a spray -on glass cleaner.
.. Wipe the windows dry with a clean p iece of
cloth or kitchen paper towel.
The best way to remove snow from windows
and mirrors is to use a brush . Use a non-abra­
sive
plastic ice scraper -better still, a spray
deicer - to remove
ice from windows and mir­
rors . Oil, grease or silicone residue can be removed
with
glass cleaner or silicone remover . How­
ever, wax res idue requires the use of a spec ial­
ly formulated so lvent. Please contact your
Audi dealer for adv ice on safe products for
wax removal.
Windows should also be cleaned on the inside at regu lar intervals.
Never dry windows with the same chamois
that you use to dry painted surfaces . Wax resi­
due on the chamois can impair v is ion through
the windows.
A WARNING
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
Q page 213 .
-The windsh ield must not be treated w ith
water-repellent materials. They can in­ crease glare under poor v is ib ility condi­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the hor izon. In addi­
tion, they can cause the windshield wip­
ers to chat ter.
(D Note
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors.
Thi s could cause the glass to crack .
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
st ick ers on the inside of the rear win dow
over the wires.
- To help prevent dirt from scratching the
w ind ow, always scrape in a forward di­
rection -pushing the scraper away from
you -never back and forth .
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
.. Wash the wheels with a sponge or hose
brush every other week.
.. For deep cleaning afterwards, use only a
dedicated
acid-free cast alloy wheel cleaner.
.. Rub a coat of
liquid wax onto the rims every
three month . Be sure to reach and treat all
parts of the rim.
...

To preserve the decorative appearance of the
cast a lloy whee ls , some specia l care is neces­
sary. In add it ion to road dirt and sa lt, brake
dust is also corros ive. If left on for too long,
brake dust can cause pitting.
Use only specia l
acid-free cleaners formulated
for a lloy rims. Safe products are available at
your Aud i dealer. Never leave the cleaner on
t he r ims longer than spec ified on the label. If
not rinsed off promptly, the acid conta ined in
some cleaners can attack the threads on the
wheel bo lts.
Never use abras ive or metal polishing clean­
ing agents . If the protective coat ing has been
chipped, e .g . by k icked up road d irt, touch it
up as soon as possib le.
.8, WARNING
- Moist ure and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency
r::!;> page 199, General
information .
Test the brakes caref ully
each time you wash the vehicle.
- Alw ays read and hee d all WARN INGS and
other information ¢
page 213 .
-
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked.
All body cavities wh ich could be affected by
corrosion have been thoroughly p rotected at
the facto ry.
This sea ling does not require any inspection or
addit ional treatment . If any wax should seep
out of the cav ity w hen the ambient tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed wit h a plastic
scrape r and a su itab le solvent.
.8, WARNING
So lvents can be dangerous.
- Benzine is flammable and toxic.
If you
u se benzine for removing the wax, keep
sparks, flame and lighted c igarettes
away. Never dump benzine on t he
ground, into open streams or down sew­
age drains .
Cleaning and protec tion 219
- Be s ure to observe all safety and environ­
mental reg ulations . Follow all instruc­
tions on the container.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
r::!;> page 213.
Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time .
The lower body shell of your Aud i is also thor­
oughly protected against corrosion .
A ny damage to the unde rcoa ting caused by
road hazards sho uld be repaired prompt ly.
.8, WARNING ,.____
T oo much undercoating in the wrong p la­
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not app ly addition al u nder coati ng or
r u stp roof ing on or nea r the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con ­
verter or heat shields . While driving, the
substance used for undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
r::!;> page 213.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and other corrosive materials will
damage the material in the exhaust tail pipes
if they are not clea ned regular ly . Do not clea n
the tail pipes with w heel cleaner, pa int polish,
c hr ome polish or other ab ras ive clea ne rs.
C lean t he tail pipes with ca r c are products
that are suitable for stainless steel.
Your authorized Audi dea ler ca n provide clean­
ing products that have been tested and ap ­
proved for yo ur vehicle .
Care of interior
Infotainment components
The MMI/RSE* display may be cleaned w it h a
soft clot h and commercia lly-available "LCD
cleaner" . T he cloth should be coated lightly .,..
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222 Cleaning and protec tio n
and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams .
The leather shou ld be cleaned reg ularly as
needed. After having been used for a re latively
l ong time, your leather seats will acquire a
rich ag ed finish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ura l leather and a sign of true quality .
I n order to ma in tain the va lue of th is natura l
p rod uct over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendations below :
(U;) Note
-To keep your leather from bleaching ou t,
do not a llow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time .
If you
have to leave the vehicle parked outside
for long periods, cover the leather to protect it from d irect exposure to sun­
li ght.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent scratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather .
(D Tips
-After each t ime you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leather preser ­
vat ive creme that conta ins UV-blockers
and that works into the leather. This
creme wi ll nourish and moistur ize the
l eather, helping i t to breathe and stay
supple. It also helps to b uild up a protec­
tive coating on the surface .
- Clean the leather every 2 -3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh mar ks made by ba llpoi nt
pens, ink, lipst ick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as possib le .
- Preserve the colo r of the leather as need­
ed by using a special colored leather care
creme to touch up areas of uneven co lor.
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Appl ies to vehicles : wi th natural lea the r
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention .
Normal cleaning
.. Clean soiled areas with a slightly moistened
cotton or woolen cloth .
More stubborn dirt
.. More stubborn dirt can be remov ed using a
cloth saturated with a mild soap solut ion (2
tablespoons mild liquid soap).
.. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather, and make certain that no water
soaks into the seams .
.. Wipe off the soap so lution with a soft, dry
cloth.
Cle aning spot s
.. Remove fresh wat er-base d spots (suc h as
coffee , tea, juices, blood) with an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.. Remove fresh
gre ase or o il-ba sed spot s
(such as butter , mayonnaise, chocolate) with
an absorbent cloth or paper towel, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface
of the leather.
.. Use an oil/grease d issolving spray, if
oil /
gr ease spots ha ve dr ied on.
.. Remove specific k inds of spots (ballpoint
pen, felt marker, fingerna il polish, water­
based pa int, shoe polish, etc .) with a spot
remover specifically fo rmu lated for leather.
L e ather care
.. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your Audi dealer) to
care for the leather .
.. App ly the product very spar ingly.
.. Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any questions about cleaning and
ca ring for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact your authorized Aud i dea ler, who
will be g lad to help you and tell you abo ut o ur
f ull range of leather care products, such as : .,_

-Leather cleaning and care kit
- Creams to care for colo red leather
- Spot removers fo r ballpo int pens, shoe pol-
ish , etc.
- Oil/grease dissolving spray
- New and upcoming products.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ~
page 213.
-Never use chemical solvents (e .g. lighter
flu id , turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on the leather surfaces
i n your Audi.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
r emoved by a commerc ial cleaning spe­
c ia list .
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Ap plies to vehicles : wit h Alcanta ra up hols tery
Removing dust and dirt
.,. Moisten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the se at s urfaces .
Removing stains
.,. Moisten a cloth w it h lukewarm water or
with diluted
ethyl (rubb ing) alcoho l.
.,. Dab at the stai n. Start at the outside and
wor k inwards.
.,. Once the s tain is no longer visib le , use a
soft dry cloth or t issue to soak up the mois ­
tu re .
D o no t use leather cleaning produc ts on Al­
cantara .
You may use a suitable s hampoo fo r removi ng
dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface . If the car is
l eft standing in the sun fo r long pe riods , the
A lcantara covers sho uld be protected against
d ir ect sunlight to preve nt i t from fading.
Slight color var iat ions w ill deve lop in normal
Cleaning and protec tion 223
use and a re not an indication of material dete ­
rioration .
(D Note
-Never use chem ic al so lvents (e .g. lighter
fluid , tur pentine), waxes, shoe polish o r
simi lar products on A lcantara ® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stub born sta ins
removed by a commercial clean ing spe­
cialist .
- Do not use b rushes, sti ff spon ges or sim ­
ilar ly abrasive cleaning a ids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia ­
bly when needed.
.,. Keep belts clean.
.,. For cleaning, use a mild soap and water so l­
ution. Let belts dry thoroug hly and away
from direct sunlight .
.. Do not allow inertia ree l sa fety belts to re ­
tract before they are completely dry.
.,. Check t he condition of your safety belts reg·
ularly .
Heavi ly so iled safety belts may not retract
proper ly.
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash .
-Anyth ing that might damage your safety
be lts could mea n that you and your pas­
sengers would not be adequate ly pro ­
t e cted in an accide nt.
- Safety belt performance depends on co r­
rect installation . Never remove be lts
from the veh icle to clean t hem .
- Do not use chemical clea ning agents,
bleach or dyes . T hey have corrosive prop­
erties which wea ken the webb ing .
- When clea ning your safety be lts, inspect
them for damage . If you discover dam­
age, see your Audi d ealer.
- Always read a nd heed a ll WAR NINGS and
other information
~ page 213 .
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