2013 AUDI Q7 checking oil

Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 11
too high, or the coolant level is too low
¢ page 32.
If the needle is well in the upper area of the
ga uge , the coolant temperature is too high.
Stop the vehicle , switch the eng ine off and
allow the engine to cool.
If the warning light
comes on again after driving a short distance,
contact an authorized dealer.
A WARNING
-Always observe the warning in
¢ page 255, Engine compartment, be ­
fore opening the hood and checking the
engine coolant level.
- Never open the engine hood if you see or
hear steam, or if you see engine coolant
dripping from the engine compartment.
You could burn yo urself. Let the engine
cool off first un til you can no longer see
or hear steam or coo lant escaping .
(D Note
- Mounting additional lights or accessories
i n front of the air inlets reduces the cool­
in g effect of the rad iato r. At high outside
temperatures or high engine load, the
engine could overheat.
- The front spoi ler has been designed to
properly distribute the cooling air when
the vehicle is moving. If the spoiler is
damaged, this cou ld red uce the cooling
effect and the engine could then over­
heat. Ask your authorized Aud i dealer for
assistance .
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM
(revolutions per minutes) .
The tachometer @¢ page 10, fig. 3 is the left
of the two large clock-type displays.
The engine turns at a speed
1,000 times the
single digit in the display, e.g . if the needle is
pointing at the "2" the engine is turning at
2,000 RPM. If
eng ine RPM drops below 1,500, you should
downshift to the next lower gear. The red area
at the end of the scale indicates maximum
permissible engine RPM after the break -in pe­
riod. Before reaching this area, move these­
lector lever to position "D (Drive)" or ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Q) Note
The tachometer needle should not move
i nto the red range. If it does, then only for
a very short per iod of t i me. You could
damage your engine by driving at high
RPM .
@ For the sake of the environment
Upsh ifting early saves fuel and reduces en­
gine noise .
Digital clock with date display
Fig. 4 In st rum en t cluster : time and date
The date, time of day, and time and date for­
mat can be set in the MMI. You can learn more
about this in the MMI manual.
{!) Tips
- When open the driver door, the time,
date and odometer are displayed for an
add itional 30 seconds.
- You can also call up the display with the
!CHECK I button c:> page 12 while the ig­
nition is sw itched off.

-Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever to "P" (Park).
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wa it until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili­
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool­
ant system is pressurized and hot cool­
ant could spray out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
- Do not remove the engine cover under
any circumstances . This increases the
risk of burns.
- If work on the fuel system or the electri­
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery .
- Never smoke or work near heaters or
open flames. Fluids in the engine com­
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im­
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in­
jury while the engine is running or being
started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
Checking and filling 265
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever to "P" (Park) .
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact­
ing hot parts . Tie back hair before
starting, and do not wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards~&. .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
Q) Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam­
age to vehicle systems will occur .
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly . If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu­ ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au­
thorized Audi dealer. •
•

266 Checking and filling
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check .
Fig. 243 Typical layout for containers, engine oil di pstick and engine oil fille r cap
CD W indshield/head light washer
. ( ") container O ......... ... .. . 279
@ Coolant expansion tank (-L) ... 272
® E
ng ine oi l filler cap ('t".:r.) ... .. . 270
© Eng ine oil dipstick (orange) . .. . 269
® Brake fluid reservoir ((0)) ...... 274
® Power steering reservoir ... .. . 230
(j) Jump start connector(+) under
a cover, ( -) with hex head screw
277, 314
The position of the engine o il fi lling hole and
the engine oil dipstick
r=;, fig. 243 (position ®
and @) can vary according to the type of en­
gine .
_&. WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢.&.
in Working in the engine
comportment on page 264.
-
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the
right kind of oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophist icated
powerplant that was built to exacting specifi­
cations. This engine needs the right kind of
engi ne oil that meets specifications regard ing
quality and v iscosity so that it can run
smooth ly and reliab ly. Choosing the right oil
and changing oil within the time and mileage
intervals printed in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet matters a lot more to­
day than it did years ago . Audi has developed
a spec ia l quality standard for eng ine oil that
will help assure that your vehicle's engine w ill
get the lubrication it needs for proper opera­
t ion .
Modern engine lubr ication has taken a quan ­
tum leap in the last few years. Many synthetic "'

oils available today provide better engine lu­
brication that can outlast traditional petrole­
um-based oils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum­based engine oil, the oil that you use must
conform to Audi's oil quality standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine) to
help keep your vehicle's engine running
smoothly and help prevent the formation of harmful deposits , sometimes called "sludge,"
that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oils available in
the U .S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or VW 507 00
(vehicles with diesel engine) are synthetic en­
gine oils. This does not mean, however, that
every synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil
standard VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline
engine) or VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel
engine). So always be sure that you use an ap­
proved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful de­ posits use only oil with the following specifi­
cations printed on the oil container :
-Audi oil standard VW 502 00 (gasoline en­
gine)
- Audi oil standard VW 507 00 (diesel en-
gine)
Oil container labels may carry the specifica­
tion singly or in combination with other desig­
nations and oil quality standards.
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their vis­
cosity . The proper viscosity grade oil for your
engine depends on climactic or seasonal con­
ditions where you drive. You can use oil with a
viscosity grade of SAE SW40 ac ross all tem­
perature ranges for normal driving conditions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE
SW40 is not available, you can also use viscos­
ity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as
it meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00
Checking and filling 267
(vehicles with gasoline engine) or VW 507 00
(vehicles with diesel engine) specifications.
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil
standard may not be available everywhere
when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that expressly conforms to the
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine) spec­
ification, in case you have to top
off the oil
while on the road.
Applies to vehicles with gasoline engine on­
ly: Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick -and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 502 00 specificat ions is available - may
you top
off with a high quality engine oil, pref­
erably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3
or API SM specifications, but even then, only in viscosity grades SAE SW-40, SAE SW-30, or
SAE OW-40 . However, during the entire time
between oil change intervals, never top off
with more than a total of 0.5 qt/liter engine
oil that does not conform to Audi oil specifica­
tion VW 502 00.
Applies to vehicles with diesel engine only:
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick - and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 507 00 spec ifications is available - may
you top
off with a high quality engine oil, that
meets ACEA C3 or API CF specifications, but
even then, only in viscosity grades SAE
5W-40, SAE 5W-30, or SAE OW-40. However,
during the entire time between oil change in­
tervals, never top off with more than a total
of 0 .5 qt/liter engine oil that does not con­
form to Audi oil specification VW S07 00.
For more information about engine oil that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact either your authori zed Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834
or visit our web si te at www.audiusa .com or
www .audicanada .ca. Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names etc.) that conform to Audi oil standard
lilJJ,,
•
•

268 Checking and filling
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine).
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed
according to the m ileage (ki lometers) and
time intervals specified in your vehicle 's War­
ranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed
these intervals -harmful deposits from old
engine oil can reduce engine performance and
can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changing the oil at the recommended inter­
va ls is so very important because the lubricat ­
ing properties o f oi l decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when
you have your o il changed, ask your author­
i z ed Audi Service Advisor.
Under some ci rcumstances the engine oi l
should even be changed more frequently .
Change oi l more often if you drive mostly
short distances, operate the vehicle in dusty
areas or mostly under stop-and-go traffic con­
d itions, or when you use your vehicle w here
temperatures stay below freez ing point for
l ong periods .
Detergent additives in the o il w ill make fresh
oil look dark after the engine has been run­
ni ng for a short time . This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than
recommended.
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of
maintenance
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended intervals using only engine oil
that complies with Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoli ne engine) or
VW 507 00 (veh icles with diese l engine) . Your
Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malf unctio ns due to failure to fol­
lo w recommended maintenance and use re­
quirements as set forth in the A udi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Your dea ler will have to deny warranty cover­
age unless you present to the dealer proof in
the form of Service or Repa ir Orders that all scheduled maintenance was
performed in a
timely manner.
Engine oil consumption
To provide effective lubrication and cooling for
internal engine parts, all internal combustion
engines use some o il. Oil consumption varies
from engine to engine and may change over
the life of the engine. Engines tend to use
more o il during the break-in period tha n they
do afterward, when oil consumption has sta­
bilized. Depending on the way the vehicle is
driven and the operating conditions, oil con­
s u mption can be up to 1 quart per 1,200
miles (1 liter per 2,000 km) . Consumption
may be higher within the first 3,000 m iles
(5,000 km) .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil con­
sumption depends on oil quality as well as vis­
cosity, engine speed (rpm), outs ide tempera­
ture, road conditions, the amount of oil dilu­
t ion caused by condensed water or fue l resi­
due, and ox idat ion of the oil. Oil co nsumption
may increase with engine wear over time, un­
t il replacement of worn engine pa rts may be­
come necessary.
Because of all these variables, there is no
standard or "norma l" rate of oil consumption .
We urge you to check the engine oil level at
regular intervals, preferably every time you
fill the fuel tank, and always before a long
trip.
The oil pressure warning light. is not an
indicator of low engine oil level. If the warn­
ing light does not go out after starting, or
flashes while driving (above 1500 rpm), a
buzzer will sound. It indicates that the oil
pressure is too low . Stop the engine immedi·
ately, check the engine oil level and add oil if
necessary. If the engine oil level is normal,
but the light continues to flash, do not keep
driving or let the engine idle, as damage may
occur .
II-

If you be lieve your e ngine uses too much oil,
w e recommend that you consult your author­
ized Audi dealer so that the cause of your con ­
cern can be properly diagnosed . Keep in mind
that accurate measurement of oil consump­ tion requires great care and may take some
time . Your Aud i dealer has inst ruct ions for
how to measure oil consumption acc urately .
_& WARNING
Stop! Before work ing in the engine com­
pa rtment, always read and heed all WARN­
IN GS
¢ .& in Working in the engine com­
partment on page 264.
The engine com­
partment of any motor ve hicle is
a poten ­
tially dangerous a rea and can cause ser i­
ous pe rsonal injury.
(D Note
- The eng ine depends on oi l to lubr icate
and cool a ll of its moving parts . The en­
gine o il m ust be checked regu larly and
kept at the required leve l.
- Make it a habit to have the engine oil lev­
el checked every time you fill the fue l
ta nk.
- Too litt le engine oil may ca use severe en­
gine damage.
Checking the engine oil level
The dipstick indicates the engine oil level.
F ig. 244 Illust rat io n of p rinc ip le 1: Ma rkers on o il dip­
s tick
Checkin g and fillin g 269
Fig . 2 45 Il lust rat io n of p rin ciple 2: Ma rke rs o n oil d ip ­
s tick
Befo re you check anyt hing in the engine com ­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 264 .
Determining oil level
.,. Park yo ur vehicle so that it is horizonta lly
level.
.,. While at operating state tempe rature,
briefly let the engine run at idle and then
shut it off.
.,. Wait approx. two minutes.
.,. Pull out the oil dipstick . W ipe off the oil
d ipstick with a clean cloth, and sl ide it back
in as far as it w ill go.
.,. Pull it back out and read off the o il level
r=> fig. 244 or ¢ fig. 2 45. Top off the eng ine
oil, if applicable ¢
page 2 70 .
Oil level within range (v
.,. Do not add oil.
Oil le vel within range@
.,. You can add oil. Afterwards, the oil leve l
sh ould be within range @.
Oil le vel within range 0
.,. Yo u must add oil. Afterwards, the oil leve l
should be within range @.
T he oil leve l needs to be checke d at regu lar in ­
terva ls. The best t imes to do this are whenev -
er yo u refuel and prior to long trips.
Depend ing o n the way the vehicle is dr iven
and t he ope rat ing con ditions, o il co nsu mption
can be up to 1 q uart per 1,200 mi les ( 1 liter
Ill>

Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling
system . In the event of coolant loss, the cool­
ing system should be inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not
enough merely to add coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if
the boiling point of the coolant is exceeded as
a result of overheating.
A WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of scald­
ing from hot coolant by following these
steps.
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering the
cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in
a counter-clockwise direction while ap­
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill anti­ freeze or coolant on the exhaust system
or hot engine parts. Under certain condi­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool­
ant can catch fire.
(D Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant. Add­
ing radiator repair fluid may adversely af­
fect the function and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage
not covered by your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS c:;, A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 264.
Checking and filling 273
.. Turn off the engine .
.. Let the engine cool down.
.. Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank
c:;, page 2 72, fig. 247 and carefully
twist the cap counter-clockwise c:;, &, .
.. Add coolant .
.. Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to
exact specificat ions
c:;, page 2 71, Coolant. We
recommend using only coolant additive G12+
+, G13 or in an emergency G12 +. Do
not use a
different additive. In an emergency use plain
water until you can get the correct additive
and can restore the correct ratio. This should
be done as soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of
coolant, then you should add cold antifreeze
and cold water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling .
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Ex­
cess coolant will be forced out through the
pressure relief valve in the cap when the en ­
gine becomes hot.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of
scalding from hot coolant by following
these steps.
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering
the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter-clockwise direction while
applying light, downward pressure on
the top of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill an­
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys­
tem or hot engine parts. Under certain
conditions, the ethylene glycol in en­
gine coolant can catch fire.
- Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store an­
tifreeze in its original container and well
out of the reach of children. .,.
•
•

332 Index
How does moisture or road salt affect the
brakes? .................... ..... . 228
Malfunction .............. ... .... .. 32
Parking brake ............ .. .. .... . 109
Warning/indicator lights ... .. .. .... .. 19
Worn brake pads symbol ....... .. .... 36
Braking guard
refer to Audi braking guard .......... 127
Break-in period ............ .. .. .... . 234
Brake pads ............ .. .... .. .. . 234
Tires .... .. ................ ..... . 234
Breakover angle .. .. ........ ... .. .. . 238
Bulbs ... .. .. ..................... . 312
Bumper cover Caution when parking near a parking bar-rier or curb ............... ... .... . 110
C
California Proposition 65 Warning .. .. . 265
Battery specific .............. .... . 277
Capacities ... ... .... ...... .. .. .. .. . 322
Car -Systems
Ambience lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Lighting profiles ............ .. .... .. 62
Car care ..... ................ ..... . 245
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Plastic and vinyl ................ .. . 248
Care of exterior ............ .. .. .. .. . 245
Cargo area
refer to Loading the luggage compart-
ment .. .. .. ... .... ...... .. .. .. .. . 171
Cargo floor .. ............. .. .. .. .. .. 82
Cargo net .... ... .......... .. .. .. .. .. 80
Catalytic converter ... ...... .. .. .. .. . 235
Center armrest Cup holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Storage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Center console in rear ..... .. .. .. .. .. . . 78
Central locking Emergency locking .. ...... .. .. .. .. . . 45
Panoramic slid ing sunroof .. .. .. .. .. . . 55
Certification .............. .. .. .. .. . 328
Changing a flat tire .......... ... .... . 304
Changing a wheel .............. .. ... 304
Changing engine oil ......... .... ... . 270 Chassis
Undercoating
also refer to Adaptive Air Suspen- 250
sion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155, 157
CHECK button ..... ................. . 12
Checking Engine coolant level . ............ ... 272
Checking tire pressure ........... .... 286
Child restraints
Danger of using child restraints in the
front seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Where can I get additional information
about child restraints and their use? .. 224
Child restraint system anchors .... .. .. 218
Child safety ..... .. .......... ... .. .. 205
Convertible locking retractor ... .. .. .. 215
Guidance fixtures for lower anchorages 220
Important safety instructions for using
child safety seats . ............. .. .. 208
Important things to know when driving
with children .... ................ . 205
Installing a child restraint using the
LATCH system .. .. ............. .. .. 221
Mounting and releasing the anchorage
hook . .... .... ................... 221
Tether anchors . .. .......... ... .. .. 222
Tether straps . ... ....... ...... .. .. 222
Child safety lock
rear doors (power) .. ........... .... . 48
Child safety seat Unused safety belts on the rear seat . . 210
Child safety seats .. ..... ..... ... .. .. 211
Booster seats ................. .... 213
Convertib le child seats ............. 212
Convertible locking retractor ......... 215
Danger of using child restraints in the
front seat ..... .. ................ . 186
How do I properly install a child safety
seat in my vehicle? ............... .. 208
Infant seats .................. .... 211
Installing ... .. .. ....... ...... .. .. 215
LATCH system .. .. ... ......... ... .. 221
Safety instructions ... .. ..... ... .. .. 208
Child seats Lower anchorages ............. .... 219