2014 AUDI A7 brake pads

14 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
I
• •
USA models : Safety systems
¢page 19
Canada mod els: Safety systems
¢page 19
Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ./
¢page 19
Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ./
¢page 19
USA models :
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
defective ./
¢page20
Canada models:
Anti-loc k braking system (ABS)
defective ./
¢page20
Worn brake pads
¢page 21
Electromechanical parking brake
¢page 79
Tire pressure monitoring system
./
¢page261
mffl Tire pressure monitoring system
~ ¢page261
•
•
II
•
Electronic power control./ (alter­
native
to mJ )
¢page21
Glow plug system
(alternative to
[3i )
¢page 21
Malfunction indicator Lamp (MIL)
./
¢page21
Diesel particu late fi lter* clogged
¢ page22
Engine speed limitation
¢page22
Engine oil level
¢page 18
•
•
•
l:J
m
•
•
Engine oil sensor
¢ page 22
Battery
¢page 17
Tank system
¢page 22
Windshie ld washer fluid level
¢page 22
Windshield wipers
¢page 22
Remote control key
¢ page 76
Remote control key
¢page 78
Battery in remote control key
¢page 33
Defective light bulb warni ng
¢page 23
Rear fog light(s)
¢ page 23
Headlight range control
¢page 23
adaptive light*
¢page 23
Light-/rain sensor faulty
¢page 23
Audi active lane assist*
¢page 96
Transmission (tiptronic)
¢page 114
Transmission
- 5 tronic
¢ page 114
Electronic steering column lock
¢page 18
Engine start system
¢page 18

16 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
- If the indicator light and the message ap­
pear
while dri ving , the emergency braking
function may not be available. It may not be
poss ible to set the parking brake or release
it once it has been set. Seek professional as­
s istance .
(USA models): If the warning light
1111 and
the warning light
EiJ appear together, imme­
diately contact your authorized Aud i dealer or
qualified workshop to have all brake pads in ­
spected
~ page 21 .
When the light comes on, an audib le warning
signal is also given.
.&_ WARNING
- Always observe the warnings in
~ page 22 7, before opening the hood
and checking the brake fluid .
- Driv ing with low brake fluid is a safety
hazard. Stop the car and get professional
assistance.
- If the 1111 (USA models)/ . (Canada
mode ls) brake system indicator light
tu rns on together with the ABS and ESC
indicator lights, the ABS/ ESC regu lating
function may have failed. Functions that
stabilize the vehicle are no longer availa­
ble. This could cause the vehicle to
swerve and increase the risk of sliding.
Drive carefu lly to the nearest authorized
Audi dealer or other qualif ied workshop
and have the malfunction corrected .
- If the brake warning/indicator light does
not go out after a few seconds and the
park ing brake is released, or lights up
wh ile you are driv ing, the fluid level in
the brake f luid rese rvoir is too low . If you
believe that it is safe to do so, proceed
immedi ately at low speed to the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer o r qualified repair
facility and have the brake system in­
spected.
- Always keep in mind that after several
brake applications, yo u will need g reater
pressure on the brake peda l to stop your
vehicle. Do not re ly on stra ined brakes to
respond w ith maximum stopp ing power in critical situations
. You must allow for
increased braking distances. The extra
distance used up by fading brakes could lead to an accident .
PARK/(®) Electromechanical parking brake
The warning/indicator light monitors the
electromechanical parking brake .
If the indicator light -(USA models) /.
(Canada mode ls) turns on, the parking brake
was set. If the parking brake is set when the
ignition is off, the indicator ligh t turns off af­
ter about 20 seconds .
The warning/indicator light w ill go out when
the parking brake is re leased.
- (USA model s) /. (Canada m odel s)
Caut ion: Vehicle parked too steep
If the indicator l ight b links and the message
appea rs, there is not enough braking power to
keep the vehicle from roll ing. The b rakes have
overheated . The vehicle could roll away even
on a sma ll incline.
Pre ss brak e ped al to relea se parking brake
To re lease the park ing brake, press the brake
peda l and press t he button
@ii or sta rt driving
with sta rting assist at the same time
~ page 80.
Please re le ase parking brak e
To release the park ing brake manually, press
the brake pedal and press the button
@ii at the
same t ime. The parki ng brake only releases
automat ica lly if the driver's safety belt is fas­
tened .
Ill Parking b rake!
If the Iii indicator lig ht t urns on and this
message appears, there is a parking brake
malfunction . Drive to your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop immediately to
have the malfunct ion corrected.

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 21
the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle control and an acci­
dent. Have your vehicle repaired immed i­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Dr ive slowly and
avo id sudden, hard brake applicat ions.
(0) Worn brake pads
IJ Brak e pads!
If the warn ing light illum inates, immediately
contact your author ized Audi dealer or quali­
fied workshop to have all bra ke pads inspect­
ed. O n USA models the wa rning light
IJ
comes on togethe r wi th the warn ing light
1111 . Both sets of brake pads on an axle
must always be replaced at the same time .
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a colli­
sion and serious personal injury.
- If the wa rning light IJ and the warning
light
11111 ) with the message B rake
pads ! comes on in the instrument cluster
display, immediately contact your au­
thorized Aud i deale r or qualified work­
shop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if necessary.
EPC Electronic powe r control
App lies to vehicles: with gaso line engine
This warning/indicator light monitors the
electronic power control .
The Ga warning/ indicator light (Electron ic
Power Control) illuminates when you switch
the ignition on as a function check .
@ Tips
If this warning/indicator light illuminates
while you are dr iving, then there is a mal­
function in the engine electron ics. Have
the malfu nction corrected as soon as pos-
l ) - : USA models only
-
'
sible by your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified repair facility .
W Glow plug system
Applies to vehicles: with diesel eng ine
The control light illuminates when the glow
plug system is active.
If the II i ndicato r light illum inates, the g low
pl ug system is a ct ive. You sho uld start the en­
gine immediately after the ind icator light
switches off. The indicator light only illum i­
nates for approximate ly 1 second if the en­
gine is warm or if the outs ide temperature is
above 46 QF (8 Q().
(l) Tips
-If the glow plug indicator light illum i­
nates while dr iving, there is an eng ine
control malfunction. The engine should
be checked immed iate ly.
- If the ind icator light does not illuminate
at all when switch ing the ign it ion on,
there may be a malfunction in the glow
plug system. The engine sho uld be
ch ecked.
0 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
T he Ma lf u nction Indicator Lamp ( MIL) is pa rt
of the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system.
T he symbo l
¢.j lights up when the ignition is
switched on and will turn off after the engine
has started and has settled at a constant idle
speed. This indicates that the MIL is work ing
properly.
The warning lig ht ill uminates when there is a
malfunction in the engine electron ic system.
Contact your a uthorized Audi dea ler and have
the malfunction corrected.
An improperly closed fuel filler cap may a lso
ca use the MIL light to illuminate
c> page 221.
For more information c> page 30 .

200 Intelligent technology
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobi les are sti ll
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing conditions and driving habits
c:> ,&. On
vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop­
and-go city traffic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dealer more often than specified in
the
Warranty & Maintenan ce booklet . Failure
to have your b rake pads inspected can result
in red uced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the brak ing
effect of the engine. This way, you prevent un­
necessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use yo ur brakes, do not hold the brakes
down continuously. Pump the brakes at inter­
va ls.
Moisture or road salt
Unde r certain conditions, for example, when
driving through water or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be red uced due to moisture (or in
freezing conditions ice) on the brake pads. A
few careful brake applications should dry off the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
When you are driving at higher speeds with
the windshield wipers on, the brake pads will
briefly touch the brake discs in regular inter­
vals so as to improve reaction t ime when brak­
ing on wet surfaces. You the driver will not no­
tice anything .
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is dr iven on a salt-covered
road and the brakes are not used . Here too,
you should clean off accumulated salt coat ing
from brake discs and pads with a few careful
applications of the brake
c:> ,& .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on the
discs if the car is not driven regu larly or
o n Ly for short trips with litt le use of the
brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor­
r osion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately h igh
speed
c:> .&. .
Faults in the brake system
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, then one of the two brake
circuits may have fai led
c::> .&. .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occu r in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid
l evel is monitored electronically.
Brake booster
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
su re which is created only when the eng ine is
running
c::> ,& .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spect ion of the condition of the brake pads
t hr ough the open ings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this in­
spect ion
c:> page 266, Changing a wheel.
.8_ WARNING
-You shou ld perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too
long or too often . This could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency.
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake. This may cause the brakes to

overheat, premature wear and increased
stopp ing distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating
conditions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after wash ing
the vehicle, the effect iveness of the
brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums. Carefully apply brakes
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coat­ ings will be cleaned off after a few ca re­
f ul brake applications.
- Driv ing for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads w ithout using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency.
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads w ith a few caref ul
brake applicat ions.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­ ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the ent ire brake system.
- Failure of one brake c ircuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
c reased stopp ing distance. Avoid driv ing
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est Aud i dea ler o r q ualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop w ith
the engine shu t off.
- If the brake booster is not work ing, the
brake pedal must be pressed conside ra­
bly harder to make up for the lac k of
booster assistance.
Electro-mechanical
power assist
The electro-mechanical power assist helps
the driver when steering.
Powe r steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Indicator lights and message s
• Steerin g defective! Stop th e vehicle
Int ellig ent technolog y 201
If this indicato r light turns on and stays on
and t his message appears, the power steering
may have failed.
Do
not con tinue dr iv ing . See your au thor ized
Audi dealer or other qualified repair facility
for assistance .
'I-Y Steering: System malfun ction! You may
c ontinue dri ving
If the indicato r light turns on and the mes­
sage appea rs, the stee ring may be more diffi­
c ult to move o r more sens itive than usual.
Drive slowly to your authorized Aud i dealer or
qualified workshop to have the ma lfunction
corre cted.
0) Tips
If the . or 1:z;lj indicator light on ly stays
on for a short t ime, yo u may continue dr iv­
i ng.
Driving with your
quattro
App lies to veh icl es: w ith all-w hee l drive
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv­
en.
General information
Wi th a ll W heel Drive, power is distributed to
all four wheels . This happens automatically
depending on your driving style and the road
conditions at the time . See also
~ page 196.
With the sport different ia l* , power distribu­
tion to the rear wheels is variable and can be
adjusted with Audi dr ive select*
~ page 102.
Always read and follow safety precautions
~ .&. .
Winter tires
When dr iving in the winter, yo ur vehicle with
all-wheel drive has an advantage, even wit h
regular tires . In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea­
son tires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing: these tires must be moun ted o n
all four
wh eel s.
See also~ page 258, Winter tires. ..,.
•
•

204 Driving and environment
Driving and
environment
The first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the fir st 600 miles (1,000
kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle.
... Do not d rive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM.
... Avoid high engine speeds.
From 600 to 1,000 mile s (1 ,000 to
1,500 kilometers):
... Speeds can gradually be increased to the
max imum pe rm iss ible road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in period
.,. Do not rev the eng ine up to high speeds
when it is cold. Th is app lies whether the
transm ission is in N (Neutra l) or in gear.
After the break-in period
... Do not exceed maximum engine speed un­
der any circumstances.
.,. Upshift into the next hig her gear
before
reaching the red area at the end of the tach­
ometer scale
c:> page 11.
During the first few hours of driving, the en­
g ine's interna l friction is higher than later
when all the moving parts have been broken
in . How well this break- in process is do ne de­
pends to a conside rable extent on th e way the
ve hicl e is driven during the first 1,0 00 miles
(1, 500 k ilome ters).
0 Note
E xtremely high engi ne speeds are auto­
mat ica lly reduced. However, these rpm
lim its are progr amme d for an engine well
r u n- in, not a new engine .
{® For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high en­
g ine speeds - upshifting ear ly saves fuel,
reduces no ise and protects the environ­
ment.
, New tires
If your vehicle is runni ng on new tires, drive
part icularly caref ul for the first 350 miles
(500 kilomete rs) afte r fitt ing.
A WARNING
N ew tires tend to be sl ippery and mus t al­
so be "b roken -in" . Be s ure to remember
this dur ing the fi rst 350 mi les ( 500 kilo ­
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llow ing
closely behind other vehicles or other sit­
uations that m ight require sudden, hard
braking .
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a
full bra king effect dur ing the fi rst 250 m iles
(400 kilomete rs) afte r they a re insta lled.
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" be­
fo re t hey have optima l grab
c:> A .
During the break- in period, you should avoid
putting severe loads on the brakes. Severe
l oads include, for example, sudden hard brak­
i ng, in particular at very high speeds or, for
example, on mounta in passes .
A WARNING
New b rake pa ds don't have t he bes t stop­
pi ng power and mus t be "broke n-in " dur­
i ng the in iti al 1 00 to 150 mi les (150 to
20 0 k ilometers) of no rma l city driving . You
can compensate for this by pressing the
br ake peda l mo re f irm ly . This also applies
l ater when new pads are installed.

206 Driving and en vir onm ent
8_ WARNING
- Do not park your vehicle over flammable
materials such as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the diesel par­
t icu late filter could start a fire .
- Do not apply an underbody protectant in
the exhaust system area or a fire could start.
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that
low-lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get dam­
aged.
This is especia lly true for vehicles with low­
slung chassis (sports chassis)* and fully load­
ed vehicles.
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when dr iving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
8_ WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes f irst by brak ing carefully to re­
sto re the full braking effect.
(D Note
- Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical
system can be severely damaged by driv­
ing through water.
- Always switch off the Start-Stop-System
when driving through water~
page 81.
-
(D Tips
-Check the depth of the water before d riv­
ing through it .
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
through water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid driving through salt water because
it can cause corrosion.
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like your vehicle to remain inop­
erative for a longer period of time, contact an
Audi or other specialized dealer. They can ad­
vise you on necessary precautions e .g. corro ­
sion prevention, maintenance and storage .
Pay attention to additional information con­
cern ing the battery. Refer to
~ page 238.
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, env ironmental impact, and
wear on your eng ine , brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumption by 10-15 percent . This sec­
tion will give you some tips on how you can
help the environment and your pocketbook.

continue to run until the coolant temper­
ature drops.
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
Fig. 197 E ngine co mpartment : cove r on the b rake fluid
r ese rvoir
Before you check anything i n the engine com­
partment,
a lw ays read and heed all W ARN ­
ING S 9 A in Working in the engine compart ­
ment on page
22 7.
~ Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fluid reservoir
9 fig . 197, 9 page 229,
fig. 193.
The brake fluid level must be be ­
tween the "MIN" and "MAX" markings .
The location of the brake fl uid reservo ir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustrat ion
9 page229.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adj ustment of the
b rake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
I f the brake fluid level falls
considerably be­
l ow the "MIN " mark, the brake wa rning/indi­
cator ligh t
1111 (U.S. models)/ . (Canadia n
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 authorized Audi dealer or other quali­
f ied fac ility and the cau se corrected.
If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warning/
indicator light will illuminate . Contact an au ­
thor ized Audi dealer
imm ediat ely .
Checkin g and fillin g 237
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs mois ture from the air. If
the wa ter content in the brake fluid is too
high , corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling point of the
brake flu id will also dec rease considerably and
decrease braking pe rformance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
ev ery two years. Always use new brake flu id
which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle
Standard "F MVSS 116 DOT 4 ".
The brake fluid reservo ir can be d iff icult to
reach, the refore, we recommend that you
have the brake fluid changed by your author­
i zed
Audi dealer . Your dealer has t he correct
tools, the right brake fl uid and the know-how
to do this for you.
A WARNING
-
- Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stor­
ed only in the closed original container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can resu lt from o ld or inap­
propriate brake f luid. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE
spec ificat ion
J 1 7 03 and conforms to
Federa l Moto r Ve hicl e Standard 116.
Always check with yo ur authorized Audi
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct bra ke fluid. The correct type of
brake f luid is also indicated on the
brake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake 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. Th is cou ld resu lt in an accident .
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your
vehicle .
.