2014 AUDI RS7 SPORTBACK Owners Manual

-You may hear noises when the systems
described are working.
- If the indicator ligh t
DJ or flB (USA
models) @ (Canada models) appears,
Switching on and off
Intelligen t technolog y 191
there may be a malfunc tion c> page 19,
c> page 18 .
ESC turns on automatically when you s tart the engine .
Fig. 180 Cente r con sole,.$ OFF b utto n
The ESC is des igned to function in levels . De ­
pend ing on the leve l that is selected, the sta-
ESC l evels
bilization funct ion of the ESC is lim ited or
swi tched off . The amoun t of s tabilization con­
tro l will d iffer depending on the level.
T he following situat ions are exceptions where
it may be usefu l to switch on sport mode to
allow the w heels to spi n:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving with snow chains
Sport mode on ESC/ASR off Sport mode off or
ESC/ASRon
Behavior
T he ESC and ASR stabili za- The stabili zation function The fu ll stabili zation f unc -
tion funct ions are lim ited is not ava ilable
c> & . ESC tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢ & . and ASR are sw itched off. available agai n.
Operati on Press the I~ O FF I button Press and hold the 1-~ O FFI Press the 1-~ O FF I button
briefly. button longer than 3 sec-again .
o nds.
Ind ic a to r I turns on . I and ifil•)H turn on . II turns off or II and
light s If i4•)ii turn off.
Dr iver mes- Stab ilization control Stabilization control Stabilization control
s ages (
ESC ): Spo rt. Warning! (ESC ): Off. Warning! Re· (ESC) : On
Reduced stabil ity duc ed stab ility
A WARNING
.
You should only sw itch sport mode on o r
switch ESC/ASR off if your drivi ng ab il ities
and road condi tions perm it. -
There is no vehicle stabilization when
ESC/ASR are switched off .
@ Tips
-The s tabilization func tion is limited
w he n spor t mode is sw itched on . The
dr iv ing whee ls cou ld spin and the vehicle
cou ld swe rve, especially on slick or slip­
pery road surfaces. -
ESC/ASR cannot be switched off or sport
mode cannot be switched on when adap·
tive cruise control* is switched on .
-If the rear spoiler system malfunctions,
sport mode may not switch on o r it may
switch off again automatically .

192 Intelligent technology
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling
and enhances driver control.
Fig. 181 Center console: Switch for rear spo iler
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts. Spoiler
operation can be set for automatic or manual
operat ion.
Automatic mode (normal operation)
-Automatic deployment: At a speed of about
80 mph (130 km/h), the rear spoiler deploys
automatically.
- Automatic retraction: When speed drops be­
low about SO mph (80 km/h), the rear spoil­
er retracts automatically.
Manual mode
- Manual deployment: Tapping briefly on the
switch
c:> fig. 181 deploys the rear spoiler .
- Manual retraction: At speeds up to about
10 mph (20 km/h), retract the rear spoiler
by pressing and holding the switch
c:> fig. 181 . At speeds between 10 mph (20
km/h) and 80 mph (130 km/h), retract the
rear spoiler by tapping on the switch
<=?fig. 181.
Indicator lights
I§!/. Rear spoiler: system malfunction!
The rear spoiler may not have extended due to
a malfunction. This could change the vehicle's
driving characteristics at high speeds. Do not
exceed 85 mph (140 km/h). Drive to your au­
thorized Audi dealer immed iately to have the
malfunction corrected . The co lor of the indica­
tor light depends on the veh icle speed.
A WARNING
-Driving at higher speeds without the rear
spoiler deployed can impair handling char­
acteristics, making the vehicle harder to
control.
-Always make sure that the spo iler is de­
p loyed when driving at speeds over
85 mph (140 km/h) . If the rear spoiler
warn ing/ indicator light in the instru­
ment cluster comes on, the rear spoiler
may not have deployed.
- Never drive at speeds higher than
85 mph (140 km/h) if the spoiler is not
deployed. Have the spoiler inspected as
soon as possible by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf­
fic laws.
A WARNING
Improper operation of the rear spoi ler can
cause crushing injuries.
- Always make sure that nobody, especially
children, is in the way when the rear
spoiler is deployed or retracted.
(D Note
- Never push the vehicle or apply force to
the rear spoiler -it could be damaged.
- Only operate the rear spoiler manua lly
when the rear lid is closed . Otherwise,
damage could occur.
(I} Tips
Clean the spoiler compartment every 2 to
3 months. The spoiler compartment must
always be free of ice, snow, leaves or other
debris.

Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating condit ions and d riv ing hab it s
The brakes on today's automobi les are sti ll
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing conditions and dr iving habits
c:> A . 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
i zed Audi dealer more often than specified in
the
Warr ant y & Maint enan ce bookle t. Failure
to have your b rake pads inspected can res ult
i n red uced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing
effect of the engine. This way, you p revent un­
necessa ry wea r on the brake system.
If you
must use yo ur brakes, do not ho ld the brakes
down continuously. Pump the brakes at in ter ­
va ls.
Moistu re or road salt
Unde r ce rtain conditions, for example, when
driving through wate r or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced d ue to moisture (or in
freezing conditions ice) on the brake pads . A
few careful brake app lications 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 w ill 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 b rake discs and pads with a few careful
applications of the brake
c:> ,&. .
Cor ro sion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
Int ellig ent technolog y 193
the d iscs if the car is not driven regu larly or
only for short trips with litt le use of the
brakes.
If the brakes a re not used frequently, o r if cor­
rosion has formed on the discs, it is adv isable
to clean
off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed
c:> ,&. .
Fault s in the brak e syste m
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal trave l, then one of the two brake
circuits may have fai led ¢
A.
Low brake fluid lev el
Malfunctions can occu r in the bra ke system if
the b rake fluid level is too low. The brake flu id
level is monitored elec tronica lly.
Brake booster
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
su re which is created only whe n the engine is
runn ing ¢,&. .
Brake lining we ar s tatus
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the open ings in the w heel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed fo r thi s in­
spe ction ¢
page 2 54, Changing a wheel.
_& WARNING
-You should 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 ca use an accident!
- Before descend ing a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear or lower dr iving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . Th is could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency.
- Do not " ride the brakes" by rest ing your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to b rake. This may cause the brakes to
•
•

194 Intelligent technology
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating
condit ions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy ra in or after wash ing
the vehicle, the effect iveness of the
brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice ca n
accumulate on the brake pads, linings ,
discs and d rums . Carefully apply brakes
for a test . B rakes wi ll dry a nd ice coat­
ings will be cleaned off after a few c are­
f ul brake app lications .
- Driv ing fo r an ex tende d pe riod of time on
salt-covere d roads w ithout us ing yo ur
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 res ulting in an in­
creased stopp ing distance. Avoid driv ing
the vehicle and have it towed to t he near­
est Au di dea le r o r q ualified w ork sh o p.
- Never let the vehicle ro ll to a stop w ith
the e ngine shu t off.
- If the brake booster is not working, the
bra ke pedal must be p ressed conside ra­
bly harder to make up for the la ck of
booster assistance.
Electro-mechanical
power assist, dynamic
steering
The electro-mechanical power assist helps
the driver when steering .
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator lights and messages
• Steering defective! Stop the vehicle
If this indicato r light turns on and stays on
and t his message appears, the power steering
may have failed.
D o
not con tinue dr iv ing . See your author ized
Audi dealer or other qualified repair facility
for assistance .
'I-lj Steering: Sy stem fault You can continue
driving
If the indicato r light turns on and the mes­
sage appea rs, the stee ring may be more diffi­
cul t to move o r more sens itive th an usua l. The
stee ring wheel may a lso be at an ang le when
driving straight .
D rive slowly to you r authorized Aud i dea le r or
qualified wo rkshop to have the ma lf u nct ion
corre cted.
(:rij Dynamic st eering: Initializing
If this driver message appears and the indica­
tor light is f lashing on the instrument panel,
dynam ic steer ing* is being rei nitia lized . Afte r
sta rting the engine, the stee ring wheel will
move s ligh tly. Re- ini tiali zation mig ht be ne c­
essa ry if the stee ring wheel w as moved h ard
to the left and r ight wh ile the vehicle was not
moving . The display goes out as soon as initi ­
alization is complete.
D rive slowly to you r authorized Audi de aler or
qualified wo rkshop to have the ma lf u nct ion
corrected.
_& WARNING
Have t he dynamic stee ring * system mal ­
f u nction repa ired as soon as possible by an
a uthorized Audi dea ler or qua lified wor k­
shop - risk of acc ident !
(D Tips
If the . or (:rij indicator light on ly stays
on for a short time, yo u may continue driv­
i ng.
- The dynamic steering * stab ility systems
are not avai lab le in the event of a system
ma lf u nction.
- For add itiona l information on dynamic
steering *, refer to
c> page 96.

Driving with your
quattro
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv­
en .
General information
With all-wheel 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
t::;> page 189.
A center differential distributes the driving
power variably to the front and rear axle. It
works together with selective wheel torque
control, which activates when driving through
curves
t::;> page 190 . With the sport d ifferen­
tial*, power distribution to the rear wheels is
va riable and can be adjusted with drive select
¢page 96.
The all-wheel drive concept is designed for
hi gh engine power. Your vehicle is exception­
ally powerful and has exce llent dr iv ing charac­
teristics both under normal driving conditions
and on snow and
ice. Always read and follow
safety precautions
t::;> .& .
Winter tires
When driving in the w inter, your ve hicle with
all-wheel drive has an advantage, even with
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea­
son t ires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels. See also ¢ page 243, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally a lso applies to vehicles
with a ll-wheel drive¢
page 244, Snow
chains.
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles w ith all-wheel drive must always
have tires of the same size. Also avoid tires
with different tread depths. For details see
page
t::;> page 239, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels .
Intelligent technology 195
Off•Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough g round clear­
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle.
It is
therefore best to avoid rough tracks and un ­
even terrain as much as possible. Also refer to
¢page 199.
A WARNING
Always adjust your dr iv ing to road and traf­
fic conditions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
- Although the all-wheel drive is very ef­ fective, always remember that braking
capacity is lim ited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive
speeds on icy or slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to
drive too fast because the front wheels
could begin to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning) . If this should occur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in­
crease in engine speed as with a front­
wheel drive veh icle. Always drive at
speeds which are su ited to the road con­
ditions - risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting
the engine .
If a vehicle with a conventiona l energy system
is not driven for a long period of tim e, the bat­
tery is discharged by idling current consumers
(e.g . immobilizer). In certain circumstances it
can resu lt in there being insufficient energy
available to start the eng ine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle handles the distribution of e lectrica l ene r­
gy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
ll>
•
•

196 Intelligent technology
Basically, energy management consists o f
battery diagnosis, idling current manage­
ment
and dynamic energy man agement.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously dete rm ines
the state of the battery. Sensors determine
battery vo ltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling current management
I dling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is standing.
With the ignition switched off, it contro ls the
energy s upply to the various e lectrica l compo­
nents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid­
ered.
D epending on the battery's state of charge,
individual consumers are gradually turned off
to prevent excess ive discharge of the battery
and thus mainta in start ing capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being dr iven, dynamic en­
ergy management distributes the energy gen­
erated according to the needs of the individu­
a l components. It regu lates consumption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
than is being generated and ensures an opti­ mal state of charge for the battery.
(D) Tips
-But even energy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
limited .
- If starting ab ility is threatened, the indi­
cator light (•) appears ¢
page 16.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the co ld time
of year. Abu ndant electrical energy is re- quired, but on
ly a little is generated . It is also
critical if the engine is not running and electri­
ca l components are turned on. In this in­
stance energy is be ing consumed but none is
being generated .
It is in precise ly these situations that you will
notice energy management active ly regu lat­
ing the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, e lectrica l compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off .
This reduces energy consumption and main­
ta ins start ing capability over a longer period .
Some of the convenience functions may not
operate, such as the interior l ights or the
power seat adjustme nt. The convenience
funct ions will be available again when you
switch on the ignition and start the eng ine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for examp le, w ith
the engine turned off or use other MMI func­
tions, the battery is be ing discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to en­
ergy consumption, the following warning ap­
pears in the MMI display:
Please start the engine soon or the system
will be turned off.
The warning indicates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 minutes . If
you w ish to continue using the functions, you
have to start the eng ine.
With the engine running
Although e lectrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is being driven, the battery can be­
come discharged. This happens mostly when
little energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is not opt imal.
To bring the energy ba lance back into equili ­
brium, consumers which requ ire espec ially
large amounts of energy are temporar ily cut
back or sw itched off. Heating systems in .,.

particular require a great deal of energy. If
you notice, for example, that the heated seats* or the heated rear window are not
heating, they have been temporarily cut back
or switched off. These systems will be availa­ ble again as soon as the energy balance has
been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has been increased slightly. This is normal and not
a cause for concern . By increasing engine idle
speed the additional energy required is gener­
ated and the battery is charged.
Intelligent technology 197
•
•

198 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 10.
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 ra ke pa ds don't have t he bes t stop­
pi ng power and m us t be "broke n-in " dur­
i ng the in itial 1 00 to 150 mi les (15 0 to
2 00 k ilometers) of no rma l city driving . You
can compensate for this by pressing th e
br ake peda l mo re f irm ly . This also applies
l ater when new pads are installed.