2013 AUDI A7 service indicator

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 19
If the indicator light turns on and the mes ­
sage appears , there is a ma lfunction in the en­
g ine start system.
Drive to your authorized Aud i dea ler immedi­
ately to have the mal function cor rected .
0 Air suspension
Appl ies to vehicles: with a ir suspe nsio n
• Air suspension: system fault. Can contin­
ue slowly with ma x. 35 mph .
There is a malfunction that can resu lt in re­
stricted driving stability .
Carefully drive at a maximum speed of 35
mph
(60 km/h) to your authorized Audi dealer
or qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected .
• Air suspension: service mode. Vehicle
can only be moved with restrictions
Carefully drive to your authorized Aud i dealer
or qualified workshop immediately to have
the service mode deactivated.
l!I Air suspension fault
There is a system ma lfunction that can result
in restr icted driving stability or reduced
ground clearance.
Drive to your authorized Audi dea ler immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
l!I Air suspension: vehicle too low. Ground
clearance reduced
The ground clearance is very low due to a sys ­
tem malf unct io n. Wait until the air suspen­
sion system has restored normal gro und clear­
ance . Otherwise, conditions such as an uneven
road surface can lead to vehicle damage.
~/ !f Safety systems
The fl (USA models) !fll (Canada models) 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
fl (USA models)
Jfll (Canada models)
indicator light does not go out, or if it illumi­
nates while you are driving, or if it starts to
blink, then there is a malfunction somewhere
in the system. If the light does not illuminate
when you switch the ign ition on, th is also
mea ns there is a malfunct io n.
A WARNING
If you have a ma lfunction in the safety sys­
tems, contact your authorized Audi dealer immediately. Otherwise the safety sys­
tems may not work properly in an acc i­
dent.
f!;.J fj Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC)
This warning/indicator light monitors the
Electronic Stabilization Control .
When you switch the ignition on, the indicato r
light
G1 turns on briefly to check the function.
If the
G1 indicator lamp blinks while dr iv ing,
the ESC or ASR (Anti-Slip Reg ulation) is active­
ly reg ulat ing.
If the
Ji1 indicator lamp illuminates, the sys­
tem has switched the ESC
off.
If the indicator light II turns on, the ESC was
switched to ESC sport mode with the button
[!]~page 196. If this is case , you can reacti­
vate the ESC by switching the ignition
off and
then on again. The warning/ indicator light
sho uld go out to show that the system is fully
functional again.
Stabilization control (ESC/ABS): Fault! See
owner's manual
If the indicato r light GI and the ABS indicator
li ght
B (USA models) ,1iJ (Canada mod­
els) tu rn on and the message appears, there is
a malfunction in the ABS system or electron ic
differential lock. This also inte rr upt s the ESC.
The brakes still function with their norma l
power, but ABS is not active .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi-
ate ly to have the malfunction corrected. .,..

22 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
oil leve l each time you re fuel just to be on the
safe side¢
page 235.
Bi) Fuel level indicator
II Please refuel
If the indicator light turns on fo r th e f irst
time and the message a ppears, there are
about 2 .6 gallons (10 liters) of f ue l left in the
tank . Time to refuel¢
page 226.
(I Tank sy stem malfunction! Contact dealer
If t he indicator light tu rns on and th is mes­
sage a ppears, t he re is a ma lfu nc tion in the
ta nk syste m.
D rive to yo ur autho rized Aud i deale r immedi­
ately to have the malfunction cor recte d.
<;;:> Windshield washer fluid level
-· Please refill wa sher fluid
If the symbol illum inates, add windshield
washer fluid to the washer system/headlight
washer system *¢
page 244.
~ Windshield wipers
t•5 Wind shield wiper defective
Th ere is a malfunct io n w ith the w indshield
wipers .
Drive to yo ur autho rized Aud i deale r immedi­
ately to have the malfunc tion cor rected .
i§il0$ Defective light bulb warning
ra'J -If the ind icator light turns on, a b ulb has
fa iled. The message indica tes the loca tion o f
the bulb .
II-if a rea r fog lam p has fa iled, the ind icator
light t urns on to indica te the locat ion on t he
ve hicl e.
Vehicle lights: malfunct ion
If the message appears, there is a mal func ­
ti on in the headlights or lig ht switch . D
rive to your authori zed A udi dealer immedi ­
ate ly to have the ma lfu nction corrected.
A WARNING
-- Light bu lbs a re p ress urized and could ex-
p lode w hile they are being changed ca us­
ing serio us pe rsonal i njury.
- Wo rk with due care when hand ling the
h igh-vo ltage sect io n o f gas discharge
(xenon) lights. Failure to d o so could re ­
sult in death or ser ious injury .
(D Tips
Have the b ulb re placed or the connect ion
r epaire d by y our authorized Audi Service
department .
§.0 Headlight range control
IS Headlight range cont rol : defective!
If the symbol illum inates, the headlig ht range
control is no longer work ing properly. Have
the system checked and repaired at you r A udi
deal er.
§: D Adaptive Light
Applies to veh icles: w it h Adapt ive Light
l;J Audi adaptive light: system fault
If the indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears , there is a malfunct ion in the
adaptive ligh t syst em. The head lights s till
f unct ion.
Go to an author ized dealersh ip to have the
headlights o r th e control un it for the Adaptiv e
Li ght re paired .
@) Light/rain sensor
II Automatic headlights /automatic wipers :
system fault
If the indicato r ligh t turns on and this mes­
sag e appea rs, the light/ rain senso r is not
f unc tioni ng co rrec tly.
For safety reasons the low beams are t urned
o n pe rmanently with the sw itch in
AUTO . II>-

24 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
@
Tab
1
2
3
4
5
6
®
Content
Vehicle functions:
On-board computer ¢page 25
Efficiency program*¢ page 26
Digital speedometer
Cruise control*¢ page
83
Adaptive cruise control and braking
guard* ¢page
86
Audi active lane assist* <::;>page 95
Display darkened
Indicator lights and messages
Warning when a door, the hood or the rear lid is not closed
Service interva l display¢ page
28
Speed warning system ¢ page 83
Night vision assistant*¢ page 105
Audio/video
Telephone*
Navigation*
The second and third tabs are only visib le if at
least one indicator light or message is shown
or if that system is switched on.
The status line© is located in the bottom
part of the display ¢fig.
4. It displays the ex­
terior temperature, time, selector lever posi­
ti on, trip odometer and odometer.
F or some vehicle functions, you can access the
tr ip informat ion from the temporary memory
¢ page 25 in the line (D ¢ fig. 5.
A WARNING
-
-Never rely exclus ively on the outside
temperature display to determine if a
road surface is icy or not. Keep in mind
that road surfaces, especially bridges
and overpasses, could be ice covered and
slippery even at an outside temperature
above 41 °F ( +5 °C) .
- Always remember, even if the "snow­
flake" symbol (ice warning) does not ap­
pear in the display, black ice could be on
the road. -
Always reduce your speed and drive with
special care in cold weather conditions
when the chance of encountering icy
road surfaces increases.
(1) Tips
- At temperatures below 14 °F (+ 5 °() a
snowf lake symbol appears ahead of the
temperature display. It is intended to re­ m ind the driver to pay special attention
to
ice on the road <::;> .&,. If the vehicle is
stationa ry, or if you are driving at a very
low speed, the temperature shown in the
display might be slightly hig her than the
actual outside temperature. This is
caused by the heat being radiated from
the engine .
- You can select the units used for temper­
ature, speed and other measurements in
the MMI.
- For information on the audio/video and
navigation* functions, refer to the sepa­
rate MMI owner's manua l.

28 Instr uments and warning/indicator lights
Service interval display
The service interval display reminds you when
your next service is due .
Fig. 13 Instrument cluster: Service interva l d isplay
The schedule for the next oil change o r inspec­
tion is calculated automatically and displayed
according ly . The display works in two stages:
Service reminder
30 days before the next service is due, a serv­
ice reminder appears in the display when you
switch the ignition o n
c::> fig. 13.
After about 5 seconds the display sw itches
back to normal. The distance and time re­
maining are updated each time the ignition is
switched on until the date due for service is
reached.
Service due
When the due date for service is reached, the
message
Service due! appears in the instru­
ment cluster immediately after you switch the
ignition on. Additionally, a warn ing tone
sounds. After about 5 seconds the display
switches back to normal.
Calling up the service schedules
If or when an oil change or inspect ion is due,
can be shown in the MMI display by select ing
the service interva l disp lay in the car menu .
Select the
!CAR ! function button> (Car)* sys­
tems
control button > Servicing & checks >
Service interval displays. In new vehicles, the
schedule can only be called up after approxi­ mately S00 km.
Resetting the service interval display
Your authorized Audi dea ler will reset the cor­
responding service schedule after performing
the appropriate service on your vehicle. You
also have the possibility to reset the oil
change schedule after having performed an
oil change according to Audi specifications.
Select the
ICAR I function button> (Car)* sys­
tems
control button > Servicing & checks >
Service Intervals> Reset oil change interval.
(D Note
If you disconnect the battery term inals, no
calculations can be made for the service
i nterval display during th is time and no
serv ice reminder will appear. Remember
that observing the proper service in tervals
i s vitally important to extending the life of
your vehicle, particularly the engine, and maintain ing its value. Even if the mileage
driven is low, the maximum period of one
year from one service to the next must not
be exceeded.
(D Tips
-Do not reset the display between oil
changes, otherwise the display w ill be in ­
correct.
- The information in the Service Reminder
remains stored even when the vehicle
battery is disconnected.

30 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
the engine starts and the idle has stabilized.
This indicates that the MIL is working proper­
ly.
If the light does not go out after the engine
i s started, or illuminates whi le you are driv­
ing, a ma lfunction may exist in the engine sys­
tem .
If the light illuminates, the catalytic con­
verter could be damaged.
Continue driving
with reduced power (avoid­
ing susta ined high speeds and/or rapid accel­
erat ions) and have the condition corrected.
Contact your authori zed Audi dealer .
If the light illuminates, the electronic speed
limiter may also be ma lfunctioning. For more
information
Q page 30, Electronic speed
limiter.
An improperly closed fuel filler cap may also
cause the MIL light to illuminate
Qpage227.
On-Board Diagnostics
Fig . 16 Locat io n of Data Link Co nnector (D LC)
On-Board Diagnostics monitors the compo­
nents o f your emission control system. Each
monitored component in your engine system
has been assigned a code. In case of a mal­
function, the component will be identified
and the fault stored as a code in the control module memory.
The MIL light may a lso illuminate if there is a
leak in the on-board fue l vapor recovery sys­
tem. If the light illuminates after a refuelling,
stop the veh icle and make sure the fuel filler
cap is properly closed
Q page 22 7. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, the
stored data can on
ly be displayed using spe­
c ial diagnostic equipment (generic scan tool
for OBD).
In order to connect the special diagnostic
equipment, push the plug into the Data Link
Connector (D LC). The DLC is located to the
right of the hood release~
fig. 16.
Your authorized Audi dea ler or a qualified
service station can interpret the code and per­
form the necessary repair.
A WARNING
-Do not use the diagnostic connector for
personal use. Incorrect usage can cause
malfunctions, which can increase the risk
of a collision!
Electronic speed limiter
-
Your vehicle may be factory equipped w ith
t ir es that are rated for a maximum speed of
130 mph (210 km/h). This is less than the
maximum speed of your vehicle. To reduce the
risk of sudden tire fai lure and loss of control if
the vehicle is operated at excessive speeds,
your vehicle also has an e lectronic speed limit­
er . The electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from going faster than the tire speed
rating . For more information
Q page 257.
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehi­
cle road speed signals, the Malfunction Indi­
cator Lamp (MIL)
¢fj will illuminate . If this
occurs, contact the nearest authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.
S models
Your vehicle's top speed is electronica lly limit­
ed to 155 mph (250 km/h).
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehi­
cle roadspeed signals, the Malfunction Indica­
tor Lamp (MIU¢.§ will illuminate . If this oc­
curs, contact the nearest authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.

44 Clear vision
& WARNING
-Automatic headlights are only intended
to assist the driver . They do not relieve
the driver of his responsibility to check
the headlights and to turn them on man­
ually according to the current light and
visibility conditions. For example, fog
cannot be detected by the light sensors.
So always switch on the headlights
io
under these weather conditions and
when driving in the dark.
- Crashes can happen when you cannot see
the road ahead and when you cannot be
seen by other motorists. Always turn on
theheadlightssothatyoucanseeahead and so that others can see your car from
the back .
- Please observe legal regulations when
using the lighting systems described .
(D Note
The rear fog lights should only be turned
on in accordance with traffic regulation, as
the lights are bright for following traffic.
{D) Tips
- The light sensor* for automatic head­
light range control* is located in the rear
view mirror mount . You should therefore
not apply any stickers to the windshield
in this area in order to prevent malfunc­
tions or failures .
- In the event of a light sensor malfunc ­
tion, the driver is notified in the instru­
ment cluster display ~
page 22 .
-You will hear a warning tone if you open
the driver door when the exterior lights
are switched on.
- In cool or damp weather, the inside of
the headlights, turn signals and tail lights can fog over due to the tempera­
ture difference between the inside and
outside. They will clear shortly after
switching them on. This does not affect
the service life of the lighting.
Emergency flasher
The emergency flasher makes other motorists
aware that you or your vehicle are in an emer­
gency situation .
Fig. 34 Ce nte r co nso le: em erg en cy flash er sw itc h
.. Press the switch I:;,,. ~fig. 34 to turn the
emergency flashers on or off.
When the emergency flasher is on, all four
turn signals blink at the same time. The turn
signal indicator lights
B Nin the instrument
cluster, as well as the light in the emergency
flasher switch
I:;,,. blink likewise. The emergen­
cy flashers also work when the ignition is
turned off.
The emergency flashers will turn on automati­
cally if you are in an accident where the airbag
has deployed.
@ Tips
You should turn on the emergency flashers
when:
- you are the last vehicle standing in a traf­
fic jam so that any other vehicles coming
can see you, or when
- your vehicle has broken down or you are
in an emergency situation, or when
-your vehicle is being towed by a tow
truck or if you are towing another vehicle
behind you.
Adjusting the exterior lighting
The settings ore adjusted in the MMI.
.. Select: !CAR ! function button> (Car)* sys­
tems
control button > Vehicle settings > Ex-
terior lighting. ..,.

234 Checking and filling
temperatures stay below freezing point for long periods.
Detergent additives in the oil w il l make fresh
oil look dark after the eng ine has been run­
ning for a short time . This is norma l and is not
a reason to change the oi l more often than
recommended.
Damage or malfun ctions due to lack of
maintenance
It is essential that you change your oil at the
recommended intervals using only engine o il
that complies with Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle War­
ranty does not cover damage or malfunctions
due to fail ure to fo llow recommended mainte­
nance and use requ irements as set forth in
the Audi Owner's Manual and Warranty &
Maintenance booklet . Your dealer will have to
deny warranty coverage unless you present to
the dea ler proof in the form of Service or Re­
pa ir Orders that all scheduled ma intenance
was performed in a timely manner.
Eng ine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all
of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and
cool ing of internal engine components, all in­
ternal combustion eng ines consume a certain
amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from
engine to engine and may change significantly
over the life of the engine. Typically, engines
with a specif ied break-in period (see
¢ page 204) consume more oil during the
break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Under norma l conditions, the rate of oil con­
sumption depends on the quality and viscosity
of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient
temperature and road condit ions . Further fac­
tors are the amount of oil d ilution from water
condensat ion or fuel residue and the oxida­
tion level of the oil. As any engine is subject to wear as mi
leage builds up, the oil consump­
tion may increase over time until replacement
of worn components may become necessary.
With all these variables coming into play, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be es­
tablished or specified. There is no alternative
to regu lar and frequent checking of the o il lev ­
el, see Note.
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbo l
in the instrument cluster
II lights up, you
sho uld check the oil leve l as soon as possible
c:> page 235. Top off the oil at your earliest
convenience
c:> page 235.
A WARNING '"---
Before you check anythi ng in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
c:> A in Working in the engine
compartment on page 230.
(D Note
Driving with an insufficient o il level is like­
ly to cause severe damage to the engine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warning display . is
not an indicator of the oil level. Do not
rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in
your engine at regular intervals, pref­
erably each time you refuel, and always
before going on a long trip.
- If you have th e impression your engine
consumes excessive amounts of oil, we
recommend that you consult your Audi
dealer to have the cause of your concern
properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that
the accurate meas urement of oil con­
sumption requ ires great care and may
take some t ime. Your Audi dealer has in­
structions about how to measure oil con­
sumption accurately.
-

24 0 Ch eck ing and filling
The location of the brake fluid reservo ir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
¢ page 232.
The fl uid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
I f the brake fluid level falls
considerably be­
low the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/ind i­
cator light
1111 (U .S . models)/ . (Canadian
models) will come on¢
page 15. Do not con­
tinue to operate the vehicle. The comp lete
brake system shou ld be thoroughly checked
by an au thorized Audi dealer or other quali­
fied facility and the cause corrected . If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warn ing/
indicator light w ill illuminate . Contact an au­
thor ized Audi dealer
imm ediatel y.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the a ir . If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
h igh , corros ion in the brake system may result
after a per iod of t ime . The bo iling po int of the
brake fluid w ill also decrease considerably and
dec rease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake flu id must be changed
ev ery two year s. Always use new b rake fluid
which conforms to Fede ral Motor Vehicle
Standard "FMVSS
116 DO T 4".
The brake flu id reservoir can be difficult to
r each, therefo re , we recommend that you
have the brake fl uid changed by yo ur author­
ized
Audi d ealer. Your dea ler has the correct
too ls, the right brake fluid and the know -how
to do this for you .
A WARNING
-Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stor ­
ed only in the closed orig inal container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake fa ilure can result from old or inap­
propriate brake fluid. Observe these pre­
caut ions: -
Use only brake fluid that meets SAE
specification
J 1703 and conforms to
Federa l Motor Vehicle Standard
116.
Always check with your authorized Audi
dealer to make sure you are using the
correct brake fluid . The correct type of
brake f lu id is also ind icated on the
brake flu id reservoir.
- T he brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the bra kes ca n cause a vapo r lock if
the b rake fluid is left in the system too
l ong . This can seriously affect the effi ­
c iency of the brakes as well as your
safety. This co uld resu lt in an accident.
(D Note
Bra ke fluid will damage the paint of you r
vehicle .
(® For the sake of the environment
Because of the p rob lem of p roper disposal
of b ra ke fluid as well as the spec ial too ls
r equired and the necessary expertise, we
re commend that you have the brake fluid
changed by yo ur authorized Aud i dea ler.
Battery
General information
U nder normal ope rat ing cond itions , the bat­
tery in yo ur Audi does not need any ma inte­
nance. With
high o utside tempe ra tu res or
l ong daily drives we recommend that you have
the e lectrolyte level checked by a service fa­
cility. The electrolyte leve l should a lso be
checked each t ime the battery is charged
<=> page 243.
Have th e battery checked when yo u take your
veh icle in for service. You are well advised to
replace a battery that is o lder than S years .
With certain types of airbag deployment, the battery is disconnected from the veh icle elec­
trical system for safety reasons<=>.&
in Re­
pair , care and dispo sal of the airbags on
page
165.