2014 AUDI A7 fuel consumption

26 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
Resetting values to zero
.,. Se lect t he on -board computer / Efficien cy
program
men u item in the Vehicle func­
tions
menu.
.,. You can now select between the long-term
memory and short -term memory .
.,. To reset the values i n a memory, press and
ho ld the thumbwhee l@ for one second .
Assigning a function to the
programmable steering wheel button*
.,. Se lect : ICAR !funct io n button> (Car )* sys-
tems
control button > Vehicle settings >
Ste ering wh eel button .
The last function se lected displays when y ou
switch the ignition on.
On-board computer
You can call up the following information in the on -board computer:
- D ate
- Drivi ng time ( h) from t he s ho rt- term memo-
ry
- Ave rag e consumption in MPG (l/ 100 km)
from the sho rt-term memo ry
- Ave rag e speed in mph (km/h) from the
s h ort-term memo ry
- Distance d riven in m iles (km) from the
sho rt-term me mory
- C urrent fuel co nsumption in MPG (l/100
k m)
- Sho rt-term memo ry overview
- Long-term memory overview
The s ho rt-term memo ry co llects driving i nfo r­
mat io n from the time the ignit ion is switched
on until it is switched off. If yo u continue dr iv­
ing within two hours after switching the igni­
tion off, the new val ues a re i ncluded when cal­
culating the cu rrent trip informa tion .
Unlike the short-term memory, the long-term
memory is not erased automatica lly. You can
select the time period for evaluat ing trip in­
formation yo urse lf.
For some veh icle functions, you can access the
tr ip i nformat io n from the tempora ry memory
i n the line
(D ¢ page 24 , fig. 5.
The current fue l cons umption can be d is ­
played using a ba r
¢page 27, fig . 10. The
average cons umption (mpg) stored in the
short-term memo ry is also displayed. E lectri ­
ca l energy can be sto red in the battery when
t h e vehicle is coasting or dr iving dow nhill (re ­
c u pera tion) . The bar w ill move toward
Cl .
Efficiency program
The efficiency program can he lp y ou to use
less fuel.
It evaluates driving information in
reference to f uel consumption and shows ot h­
er equipment influencing consumption as well
as shift recomme ndat ions .
¢ page 26. Fu el
eco nomy m essages
<=:> page 2 7 provide t ips
f o r efficient d riving. The effi ciency program
u ses d ist ance and cons umpti on d ata from trip
c om puter
1.
T o d is pl ay th e eff ic ien cy p rogram, call up Ve­
hicle functions
and se le ct t he menu o ptio n
Efficiency program. If the d ata are dele ted in
t h e eff icien cy prog ram, th ose values a re a lso
reset in tri p com puter .
@ Tips
-All s tored v alu e s will be los t if th e ve hi­
cl e battery is dis con nected .
- Fue l consum ptio ns (a ver age an d cu r­
ren t), range an d s pee d ar e disp laye d in
metric un its on Canadian mode ls.
Other equipment
Fi g. 8 Tri p comp uter: ot her equi pm en t
Req uire ment: T he e fficiency p rogram m ust be
displayed
<=:> page 26 .
.,. Turn the thumbwheel u ntil the other eq uip-
ment appears in the d isplay . .,.

Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 2 7
Other equipment that is currently affecting
fuel consumption is listed in the efficiency
program. The display shows up to three other
items of equipment @. The equipment using
the most fuel is listed first. If more than three items using fue l are switched on, the equ ip ­
ment that is currently using the most f uel is
d isplayed .
A scale @ also shows the current total con­
sumpt ion of all other equ ipment .
Fuel economy messages
Fig. 9 Dis p lay: exa mple of a fue l eco no m y m essage
F ue l economy messages are disp layed when
fuel consumption is increased by certain con ­
ditions. If you follow these fuel economy mes­
sages, you can reduce your vehicle's consump­
tion of fuel. The messages appear automati­
cally and are only disp layed in the eff ic iency
p rog ram. The fuel economy messages turn off
au tom atically after a certa in period of time.
~ T o turn a n economy message off immediate­
ly after it appears, p ress any b utton o n the
mult ifunct ion steer ing whee l.
@ Tips
-Once you have t urne d a fuel economy
m essage off, it will only appear again af­
te r you turn the ignition o n aga in.
- The fuel economy messages ar e not dis­
p layed in
every insta nce, but rat her i n in­
t e rva ls
ove r a period of t ime .
Cylinder on demand System
Applies to veh icles: w ith 4.0 TFSI engine
Fi g. 10 Inst rumen t cl us ter : fu el cons umption
To save fuel, the engine automatically turns
fo ur cy linders on or off, depend ing on the
amount of power needed . Th is act io n is not
felt by the passengers .
Displaying cylinder mode
Requirement: the on -board comp ute r is d is ­
played ¢
page 26.
~ Turn the thumbwheel u nti l the current fuel
cons umption display is shown in the instru ­
ment cluste r.
If the green bar is displayed,
y o u are driving in 4-cy linder mode.
Basic requir ements for 4 -cylinder mode
4 -cylinder drive mode is used a utomat ica lly if
certain basic requirements a re f ulfille d. These
incl ude :
-A low power ou tpu t re qui rement.
- Dr iving in t hird gear or hig her.
- Engi ne speed between 960 and 3,500 RPM .
-A warm eng ine.
Odometer
Fig. 1 1 Instrumen t cluste r: Odo mete r and rese t but­
to n

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.

@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, wh ic h will vary depend ing upon vehi­
cle load and speed, road and weather con­
ditions, tr ip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
~ Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating . If you anticipate what is go ing to
h appen next, you will need to b rake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast
wheneve r poss ible -fo r example when you see
that the nex t tr affic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
~ T ry and keep well below your car's max imum
speed.
Accelerating gent ly reduces fuel consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not dist urb the
environment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and en­
g ine no ise increase d ispropo rtionately at high
speeds. If you dr ive at approxima tely three
q uarters of top speed, fue l consumption will
be red uced by one ha lf. Never dr ive faste r
than the posted speed limit and wea ther con­
d itions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
E ven when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
~ S hu t the engine off when you a re not dr iv ing
t h e vehi cle.
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 207
~ Do not warm up the vehicle by lett ing the
engine run at id le .
T he id ling phase is au toma tic ally red uced for
vehicles with the Start/S top system . It is eff i­
cient to switch off the engine in vehicles with­
out the Start-Stop-System when stopped at
railroad crossings and long red lights. Turning
the engine off for just 30-40 seconds saves more fuel than is burned by start ing the en-
. . gme again .
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fully when it is run ning at id le. However, wear
and noxious emissions are especia lly high
when the eng ine is warm ing up. So you should
dr ive away as soon as you start the engine and
avo id running at high rpms whi le the engine is
sti ll warming up.
(L} Note
Do not leave eng ine idling unattended af­
ter start ing.
If wa rni ng lights sho uld come
o n t o indi cate improper ope rat ion, t hey
wo uld go unheeded. Extended idlin g also
produces heat, wh ich could res ult in ove r­
heating or other damage to the veh icle or
other p roperty .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
~ Have your ve hicle servi ced at reg ular i nter-
vals .
By havi ng your ve hicle regu la rly se rviced by an
Audi dealer he lps to ensu re tha t it ru ns prop­
erly and economically . The condition of your
vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability to
ho ld its va lue, it a lso affects
fuel consump­
tion .
Check your oil each t ime y ou fill your tank.
The amou nt of o il used is re lated to engine
l oad and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reac h its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has been d riven. .,..
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208 Driving and environment
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess o il consumption.
This also applies to fuel consumption and en­
gine output.
0 Note
- Have yo ur vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet. Lack of proper mainte­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the funct ion of the
emission control system and could lead
to damage .
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emi ssion Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer .
- Do not alter or remove any dev ice, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, wh ich are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and othe r important veh icle compo­
nents.
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips .
.. Try to avo id driving short d istances with a
co ld engine .
The engine and ca talyt ic converter have to
reach their optimal
operating temperature to
reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis­
sions effect ively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid-size
car only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 miles
per gallon (30-40 l/100 km) . After about a
half a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/100 km). After abo ut
2 .5 miles (4 km),
the engine is at its proper ope rat ing tempera­
ture and fue l economy has reached a normal
l eve l. So you can see that you should avoid
short trips whenever possible. T
he
outside temperature is also critical in this
regard. Your car consumes more fue l in the
winter than in the summer.

current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names etc.) that conform to Audi oil standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine).
C hanging the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed
according to the mileage (kilomete rs) 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
vals is so very important because the lubricat­
ing properties of oil decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when
you have your oil changed, ask your author­
ized Audi Service Advisor .
Under some circumstances the engine oil
should even be changed more frequently .
Change oil more often if you drive mostly
short distances, operate the vehicle in dusty
areas or mostly under stop-and-go traffic con­
ditions, or when you use your vehicle where
temperatures stay below freezing point for long periods.
Detergent addit ives in the oil will make fresh
oil look dark after the eng ine has been run­
ning 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 oil standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine). Your
Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to failure to fol­
low recommended maintenance and use re­
quirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Your dealer will have to deny warranty cover­
age unless you present to the dealer proof in
Checking and filling 231
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all
scheduled maintenance was performed in a
timely manner.
Engine 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
cooling of internal engine components, all in­
ternal combustion engines 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 specified break-in period (see ¢
page 204) consume more oil during the
break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Under normal 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 conditions . Further fac­
tors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the oxida­
tion level of the oil. As any engine is subject to
wear as mileage 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 regular and frequent checking of the oil lev­
el, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbol
in the instrument cluster
II! lights up, you
should check the oil level as soon as possible
¢
page 232. Top off the oil at your earliest
convenience
9 page 232.
.&, WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢.&.
in Working in the engine
comportment on page 22
7.
-
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-The use of incorrect tire pressure values
can lead to accidents or other damage.
Therefore it is essential that the driver observe the specified tire pressure values
for the tires and the correct pressu res for
the funct ion of the tire pressure mon itor­
ing system*.
- Always inflate t ires to the recommended
and correct tire pressure before driving
off.
- Driv ing with under inflated tires bend
more, letting them get too hot resu lting
in tread separation, sudden t ire fa il u re
and loss o f control.
- Excessive speed and/ove rloading can
cause heat bui ld-up, sudden tire fail ure
and loss o f control.
- If the t ire pressure is too low or too high,
the tires w ill wear prematurely and the
vehicle will not hand le we ll.
- If the t ire is no t flat and you do not have
to change a wheel immediate ly, drive at
reduced speed to the nearest service sta­
tio n to check the tire pressure and add
air as required.
(D Note
Dr iving without va lve stem caps ca n cause
damage to the tire va lves. To prevent this,
always make sure that factory installed
valve stem caps on all wheels are secure ly
mounted on the va lve.
@ For the sake of the environment
Underinflated tires will a lso increase the
fue l consumption .
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or
weight that any veh icle and any t ire can carry .
A vehicle that is overloaded w ill not handle
well and is more difficult to stop . Overload ing
can not on ly lead to loss of vehicle con trol,
b ut can a lso damage important par ts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden tire failure, in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation that
can cause the vehicle to crash.
Tire s an d wheel s 251
Your safety and that of your passengers also
depends on making sure that load limits are
not exceeded. Vehicle load includes everybody
and everything in and on the veh icle. These
load lim its are technically referred to as the
vehicle's
Gro ss Ve hicle Wei ght R ating
("GVWR") .
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic
vehicle, all factory installed accessories, a full
tank of fuel, o il, coolant and other fluids plus
maximum load. The max imum load includes
the number of passengers that the vehicle is
in tended to carry ("seat ing capac ity") with an
assumed we ight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each
passenger at a designated seating posit ion
and the total weight of any luggage in the ve­ hicle . If you tow a trai ler, the weight of the
trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the
loaded tra iler must be included as part of the
vehicle load.
The
Gr oss Ax le We ight R ating ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each
of the vehicle's two axles.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety comp liance sticker label located on the
driver's side B-pillar. Your Audi has 4 seat ing
pos itions, 2 in the front and 2 in the rear for
total seating capacity of 4 . In some vehicles
there are 5 seating pos it ions, 2 in the front
and 3 in the rear for tota l seating capacity of
5. Each seat ing position has a safety belt
~ page 140, Safety belts .
The fact that there is a n upper limit to you r
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating means
that the total weig ht of whatever is being car­
ried in the vehicle ( includ ing the weight of a
trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the
loaded trai ler) is limited . The more passen­
gers in the vehicle or passengers who are
heavier than the standard we ights assumed
mean that less we ight can be carried as lug­
gage .
The tire pressure label on your Audi also lists
the maximum combined weight of a ll of the
occupants and luggage or other cargo that ..,.
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The speed rating letter code (c::> page 246) is
on the side wall of the tire
c::> page 254.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower than your vehicle's max­
imum speed . Always know the maximum
speed before driving off. Never drive faster
than the speed permitted for your specific
winter tires . This will cause damage to the
tires leading to an accident and serious
personal injury to you and your passen­
gers.
A WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your vehicle
were designed can cause tire failure in­ cluding a blowout and sudden deflation,
loss of control, crashes and serious per­
sonal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
- Winter tires have maximum speed rating
that may be lower than your vehicle's
maximum speed .
- Never drive faster than the speed for
which the winter or other tires installed
on your vehicle are rated .
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and
traffic conditions. Never let the good ac­
celeration of the winter tires and all-wheel
drive tempt you into taking extra risks . Al­
ways remember :
- When braking, an all-wheel drive vehicle
handles in the same way as a front drive
vehicle.
- Drive carefully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even winter tires
cannot help under black ice conditions.
@l For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather condi­
tions permit. They are quieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
-
Tires and wheels
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front
wheels , and only to certain tire sizes. Ask your
authorized Audi dealer on which tire sizes
snow chains can be used.
If you are going to use snow chains, then you
must install them on the front wheels at
least.
The snow chains must have low-profile links
and must not be thicker than 0.4 inch
(10,S mm) , including the lock.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putting snow chains on your vehicle
c::> (]) . For safety reasons cover caps must then
be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are avail­
able from authorized Audi dealers.
A WARNING ,..__
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehi­
cle or installing them incorrectly can in­
crease the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
- Snow chains are available in different
sizes . Always make sure to follow the in­
structions provided by the snow chain manufacturer .
- When driving with snow chains never
drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow chains .
- Always observe local regulations.
(D Note
- Remove snow chains before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wearing the snow
chains down unnecessarily.
- Snow chains, which come into direct con­
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or
damage it. Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitably covered . Check
the position of the snow chains after
driving a few yards and correct if neces­
sary. Follow the instructions from the
snow chain manufacturer when doing so.
- If the Adaptive Air Suspension* should
malfunction, do not mount or use snow ..,.
259
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