2013 AUDI A7 warning

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
•
•

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 .,..
•
•

220 Cleaning and protec tio n
when the cleaning so lution when cleaning the
display .
The MMI/RS E* contro ls must be cleaned first
with a brush so that d irt does not enter the
unit or enter between the buttons and the
housing . Then wiping the controls with a cloth
dampened with dish detergent and water is
recommended.
- To avoid scratching the disp lay, you
shou ld never clean it dry.
- To prevent damage, make sure fl uids do
not enter the controls .
Head-up Display
Applies to vehicles: with Head-up Display
The Head-up Display may be cleaned with a
damp cloth. The cloth should be free from
dust and lint, like a m icrofiber cloth for exam­
ple .
Q) Note
-To prevent scratches, do not clean the
display when it is dry.
- To prevent damage, make sure that flu­
i ds do not enter the disp lay.
Aluminum trim
Use only n eutral -pH products to remove spots
and depos its from alum inum surfaces .
Ch rome ca re products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum inum s urfaces and can dam­
age them over time.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 213.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabric coverings (e .g. seats, door
tr im panels, etc.) should be cleaned at reg ular
intervals with a vacuum cleaner . This removes
surface dirt particles which could become em­ bedded in the fabr ic through use . Steam cleaners should not be
used, because the
steam tends to p ush the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there.
Normal cl eaning
Genera lly, we recommend using a soft sponge
o r a lint-free microfiber cloth to the clean fab­
ric. Brushes shou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces cou ld be harmed by brushes.
Normal s urface stains can be cleaned using a
commercially availab le foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the surface of the fabric with a soft sponge and work it in gently . Do not satu­
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam dry us ing
absorbent, dry cloths (e.g. m icrofiber cloth)
and vacuum it after it has dried completely.
Cle aning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fruit
juice, etc .) can be treated with a mild deter­
gent solution. Apply the detergent solution
wi th a sponge. In the case of stubborn s tains,
a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked i nto the fabric . After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to
remove the rema ining deterge nt. Apply the
water with a damp cloth or sponge a nd pat
the fabr ic dry with an absorbent, dry cloth .
Stai ns from choco late or makeup should have
detergent paste (e.g. ox-gall soap) rubbed in­
to them. Afterwa rds, remove the soap with
water (damp sponge) .
Alcohol can be used to treat stains from grease, o il , lipstick or a ballpoint pen . Melted
gre ase or dye mus t be patted
off using ab­
sorbent material. It may be necessary to re ­
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa­
ter.
In the case of general soiling of the upho ls­
te ry and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specia list that has the equipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabric surfac es by
shampooing and spray extraction.

A WARNING ,~
Always read an d heed all WARNINGS and
the information
c';> page 213.
(D Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover . Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas . For pers istent dirt
use an Audi app roved
s olvent-fr ee plastic
cleane r/pro te ctant.
A WARNING
So lvents can c ha n ge the properties o f
some plast ics and make it ha rder for the
airbag to dep loy.
-
- N ever clean the instr ument pane l o r the
s u rface of airbag modules with clea ning
products that contain solvents.
- Products containing solvents w ill make
the surface of this part porous.
- Serious injur ies can resu lt if plastic pa rts
come loose when the airbag is deployed .
- Alw ays re ad and hee d all WAR NINGS and
other informa tion
c:';> page 213.
(D Note
Clea ning agents containing solvents will
atta ck th e mater ial a nd can change the
way it behaves.
Trim and molding
Trim and mo lding in the ve hicle interio r can
be cleaned w it h a dry microfibe r cloth. To pre ­
vent scratches, do not use any clean ing solu ­
t ions.
Cleaning and protec tion 221
Natural leather
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather .
General
We offer many different types of leather o n
our vehicles. Mos t are different types of nappa
l eather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colo rs .
The intensity of the co lor determines the visu­
al characteristics and appearance. If the sur­
face of the leather has a typ ica l natural look,
t h en the leather is a nappa leather that has
been left in a re lative ly natura l condit io n . This
leat her offe rs particularly good comfort and
brea thes we ll. Fine veins , cl osed grai ns, in sect
bites, sk in fo lds, and s ubt le var ia tions in co lor
rema in visible . These charac teristics demon ­
strate that the material is natura l.
Natura l n a p pa le athe r is no t covered by a col­
o r finish. It is therefo re more sens it ive to soil­
ing and wea r, which is someth ing you need to
consider if children , anima ls or ot her facto rs
might prove to be pa rt icu larly hard on the
leat her .
By cont rast, leather types t hat are covered by
a colo red finish layer are more durab le . T his
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 na tu­
ral leathe r are barely or not apparent. Howev­
er, th is does not mean that the leathe r itse lf
is of infe rior quality .
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leat her that Aud i uses and their unique p rop­
erties (such as sens it iv ity to oils, grease , soil ­
ing, etc.), yo u w ill need to be somewhat ca re­
ful with these leathers, and a ce rtain type of
ca re is req uired. Fo r exam ple , da rk clothing
m at eria ls can dis co lor le ather seats (especi al­
ly if su ch clo thing is damp and was not dyed
correct ly). Dust and dirt particles in pores,
fo lds, and seams can have an abrasive effect .,.. •
•

-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 .
•
•

224 Cleaning and protection
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
Al way s switch o ff t he ign ition b efore clean ­
ing the engi ne
c:> &. .
Plenum p ane l
Remove leaves from the plenum pane l in front
of the windshield under the engine compart­
ment. This p revents the water drain holes
from becoming blocked, and it preven ts de­
bris from enter ing the veh icle inter ior through
the heating and venti lation ducts.
Cor rosion protecti on
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti -corrosion treatment is very impor ­
tant, particular ly in the winter. If the vehicle
is frequent ly driven on sa lt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
should 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.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease removing solut ions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro­
sion treatment is a lmost always removed as
well. It is therefore essential to have a long­
l asting co rrosion protection reapp lied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment .
&_ WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before working in the engine compart­
ment, be sure to read the informat ion
c:> page 230.
- Before reaching into the front pane l, al­
ways switch off the ignition. Otherwise,
1l Use o nly the co rrect cle anin g so lu ti on s. Never use gas­
o lin e or d ie se l fuel.
the windshield wiper system could unin­
tentionally be switched on, possibly
causing personal injury from the moving
wiper linkage .
- Never reach into the area around or
touch the rad iator fan. The auxiliary fan
is temperature controlled and can sw itch
on suddenly- even when the ignition is
off.
- Do not wash, wax or dry the eng ine with
the engine running. Mov ing or hot parts
could injure you.
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts without protect ing your
hands and arms . You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other info rmation
c:> page 213.

226 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
-Blend must contain not more than 15%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
espec ially we ll for winter or summer driv ing.
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.
(CT) 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 fuels that fai l to meet the
specified criteria in this chapter.
- If yo u are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or
its fuel sup plier.
- 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 respons ibility 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
A major concern among many auto manufac ­
turers is carbon deposit build- up caused by
the type of gasoline you use.
A lthough 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 co llect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline
brands include additives to keep engine and fuel
systems clean, they a re not equally effec­
tive .
A udi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. For more information on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended period of using inadequate
f uels, carbon deposit build-ups can rob yo ur
engine of peak performance.
(D Note
'
Damage or malf u nct ion due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Aud i New Ve­
hicle Limited Warranty.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
s ide panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the power locking system should fail, you
can still open the flap manually- for detailed
instructions see¢
page 228 .
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve­
hicle in
Technical Data ¢ page 287.
The label on the inside of the fuel fi ller flap
tells you the correct fue l for your veh icle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see ¢
page 225.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on board refuel­
li ng vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you refuel your vehicle . In order to fill the tank
properly wh ile protecting the environment,
please fo llow this refueling procedure careful­
ly.
.8, WARNING
Under normal operating cond itions, never
carry additional fuel containers in your car.
Gas canisters and other containers 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