2015 AUDI A7 brakes

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Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard 91
When approaching a moving vehicl e up ahead,
the adaptive cruise contro l system automati­
cally brakes to match that object's speed and
then maintains the stored distance.
If the ve­
hicle ahead accelerates, adaptive cruise con­
trol will also accelerate up to the stored
speed .
The higher the speed, the greater the distance
in yards (meters) ¢.&. . The
Distance 3 setting
is recommended .
The distances prov ided are specified values .
Depending on the driving situation and the
how the vehicle ahead is driving, the actual
distance may be more or less than these tar ­
get distances.
The various symbols for the time increments appear briefly in the information line @
¢
page 88, fig . 94 when you change the set ­
tings .
,::::::,_,::::::, ___ Distance 1: This setting corre-
sponds to a distance of 92 feet/28 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
time interval of 1 second.
,::::::, __ ,::::::, __ Distance 2: This setting corre­
sponds to a distance of 118 feet/36 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
time interval of 1.3 seconds .
,::::::, ___ ,::::::,_ Distance 3: This setting corre-
sponds to a distance of 164 feet/SO meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
time interval of 1.8 seconds .
,::::::, __ __ ,::::::, Distance 4: This setting corre-
sponds to a distance of 210 feet/64 meters
when traveling at 62 mph (100 km/h), or a
time interval of 2.3 seconds .
A WARNING
Following other vehicles too closely in­
creases the risk of collisions and serious
personal injur y.
- Setting short distances to the traffic
ahead reduces the time and distance
available to bring your vehicle to a safe
stop and makes it even more necessary
to pay close attention to traffic. -
Always obey applicable traffic laws, use
good judgment, and select a safe follow­
ing d istance for the traff ic, road and
weather conditions .
(D Tips
-Distance 3 is set automatically each time
you switch the ignition on.
- Your standard settings are automatically
stored and assigned to the remote con­
trol key being used.
Selecting the driving mode
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise control
.. Select the desired driving mode in dr ive se­
lect
c::> page 102 .
(D Tips
Your settings are automat ically stored and
assigned to the remote control key being
used.
Prompt for dr iver intervention
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise contro l
Fig. 98 Instrument cluster: req ues t fo r drive r inte rven­
tio n
In certain situations, the system will prompt
yo u to take action . This could happen, for ex­
amp le, if braking by the adaptive cruise con­
trol system is not enough to maintain enough
distance to the veh icle ahead .
The indicator light . and the symbol in the
display will warn you about the situation
c::> fig. 98. You wi ll also hear an acoustic signal.
- Press the brake pedal to slow your vehicle
down.

92 Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Audi braking guard
Descript ion
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise control
Fig. 99 Instrument cluster: approach warn ing
Braking guard uses radar sensors and a video
camera . It also functions within the limits of
the system when adapt ive cruise control is
switched off .
What can braking guard do?
When detected in time, the system can assess
situations when a vehicle ahead brakes sud­
denly or if your own vehicle is traveling at a
high speed and approaching a vehicle up
ahead that is moving more slowly . Brak ing
guard does not react if it cannot detect the
situation.
The system advises you of various situations:
- The
distance warning is given if you are too
close to the vehicle ahead for a long time. If
the vehicle ahead brakes sharply, you will not be able to avoid a collision . The indicator
light. in the display comes on.
- The
approach warning is given when a de­
tected vehicle up ahead in your lane is mov ­
i ng much more slowly than you are or if it
brakes sharply . When this warning is given,
it may only be possible to avoid a collision
by swerving or braking sharply . Th e indicator
light. and indicator in the display will
warn you about the danger
c::> fig. 99. You
will also hear an acoustic signa l.
ll This is not ava ilable in some co un tri es .
If you do not react fast enough or do not react
at all to the situation, braking guard will inter·
vene by braking.
- If a coll is ion is imminent, the system will
first provide an
acute warning by briefly and
sharply applying the brakes.
- If you do not react to the acute warning,
braking guard can brake wit h increasing
force w ith in the limits of the system . This
reduces the vehicle speed in the event of a
collision.
- The system can initiate maximum braking
short ly before a collision
1l . Full deceleration
at high speeds occurs only in vehicles with
adapt ive cruise control and side assist (pre
sense plus).
- If the braking guard senses that you are not
braking hard enough when a collision is im·
m inent, it can increase the braking force.
- The pre sense functions also engage when a
collision is imminent
c::> page 192.
Which functions can be controlled?
You can switch braking guard and the dis­
tance/approach warning on or off in the MMI
c::> page 93, Settings in the MMI.
A WARNING
Lack of attention can cause collisions, oth­
er accidents and serious personal injuries.
The braking guard is an assist system and
cannot prevent a collision by itself. The
driver must always intervene. The driver is
always respons ible for braking at the cor­
rect time.
- Always pay close att ent ion to traffic,
even when the braking guard is switched
on. Be ready to intervene and be ready to
take comp lete control whenever necessa­
ry . Always keep the safe and legal dis­
tance between your vehicle and vehicles up ahead.
- Braking guard works within limits and
will not respond outside the system lim· its, for example when approaching a ..,.

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Automatic Transmission
S tronic, tiptronic
Introduction
The automatic transmission is controlled elec­
tronically. The transmission upsh ifts or down­
shifts automatically depending on which drive
program is selected.
When a
moderate driving style is used, the
transmission selects the most econom ica l
driving mode. It will then change up early and
delay the downshifts to give better fuel econ­
omy.
The transmission switches to a sporty mode
after a kick-down or when the driver uses a
sporty driving style characterized by quick ac­
celerator pedal movements, heavy accelera­
tion, frequent changes in speed and traveling
at the maximum speed.
If desired, the driver can also select the gears
manually (tiptronic mode) ¢ page 113.
Various automatic transmissions may be in­
stalled, depending on the model :
S tronic transmission
The S tronic is a dual-clutch transmission.
Power is transferred using two clutches that
work independently from one another . They
replace the torque convert er used in conven­
tional automatic transmissions and allow the
veh icle to accelerate without a noticeable in­
terruption in traction.
tiptronic transmission
In the tiptronic transmission, power is trans­
ferred by a torque converter .
Automatic Transmission 109
Selector lever positions
Fig. 118 D isp lay in the instrument clus te r: se le ctor
lever pos itio n
The selector lever position engaged appea rs
next to the selector lever as well as in the in­
str ument cluster display.
P- Park
In this selector lever position the transm is­
s ion is mechanica lly locked . Engage P only
when the vehicle is
completely stopped Q .&.
in Driving the automatic transmission on
page 111.
To shift in or out of posit ion P, you must first
press and hold the brake pedal and then press
the release button in the selector lever handle
whi le moving the selector lever to or from P.
You can shift out of this position on ly with the
ignit ion on .
R- Reverse
Select R only when the vehicle is at a full stop
and the engine is running at idle speed ¢.&. in
Driving the automatic transmission on
page 111.
Before you move the selector lever to R, press
both the button in the hand le of the selec tor
lever
and the brake pedal at the same t i me .
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illu­
minate when the selector lever is moved into
R.
N -Neutral
The transmission is in neutral in this pos ition .
Sh ift to th is position for standing with the
brakes applied
¢.&. in Driving the automatic
transmission on page 111. ..,.

112 Automatic Tran sm iss ion
-Never leave your vehicle with the engine
running while in gear. If you must leave
your vehicle when the engine is running, act ivate the park ing brake and move the
selector lever to P.
- Power is st ill transmitted to the wheels
when the eng ine is running at idle . To
prevent the vehicle from "creeping", you
must keep your foot on the brake when
the engine is runn ing and the selecto r
lever is in D/S or R or "tiptronic" mode is
selected .
- Do not press the accelera tor pedal when
changing the selector lever pos ition
whi le the vehicle is stationary and the
engine is running.
- Never shift into
R or P whi le driving.
- Before driv ing down a steep slope , re-
duce you r speed and shift into a lower
gear with "tiptronic".
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake
peda l too often or too long when dr iving
down a hill. Constant braking causes the
brakes to overheat and substant ially re­
duces braking per formance, increases
braking distance or causes complete fail­
ure of the brake system.
- To prevent the veh icle from rolling back
when stopping on inclines, always hold it in place with the brake peda l or parking
brake .
- Never hold the veh icle on an incline with
a slipping clutch . The clutch opens auto ­
matically when it becomes too hot from
the overload . An indicator lamp@] illu­
minates and a dr iver message appears
9 page 114 when the clutch is overload­
ed.
- If the engine must remain running, never
have any driv ing pos ition eng aged when
check ing under the hood. Make sure the
selector lever has secure ly engaged and
is locked in P with the parking brake set
9 page 225. Otherwise, any increase in
engine speed may set the vehicle in mo­
t io n, even with the park ing brake ap ­
plied .
(D Note
-When stopping on an incline, do not try
to hold the vehicle in place by press ing
the acce lerator pedal while a driving gear
is se lected. This can cause the transmis­
sion to overheat and can damage it . Acti ­
vate the parking brake or press the brake
peda l to prevent the vehicle from roll ing .
- Allowing the vehicle to roll when the en ­
gine is stopped and the selecto r lever is
in N will damage the transmission be­
cau se it is not l ubricated unde r th ose cir­
c umstances.
(D Tips
Fo r safety reasons, the pa rking brake is re­
l eased automatically o nly when t he d riv­
er's safety belt is eng aged in the buckle.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control system assists the
driver when driving down declines.
Hill descent cont rol is activated when these­
lector lever is in D/S and yo u press the brake
peda l. The transmission automa tical ly selects
a gear tha t is suitable fo r the incline. H ill de ­
scent cont ro l tries to ma inta in the speed ach ­
ieved at the time of braking, within physica l
and tec hnical lim itations. If may sti ll be nec­
essary to ad just the speed with the brakes.
Hill descent cont ro l sw itches off once the de ­
cline leve ls o ut or yo u press the acce lerator
pedal.
On vehicles with the cru ise cont ro l system *
9 page 84 , hill descent control is also activa t­
ed when the speed is set.
A WARNING ,____ -
Hill descent control cannot overcome
physica l lim itations, so it may not be ab le
to maintain a constant speed under all
conditions . A lways be ready to apply the
brakes .

196 Intellig ent technolog y
distance detected to the veh icle a head is too
smal l.
Anti -slip regulation (ASR )
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the force to
the road condit ions. This makes it eas ier to
start, accelerate and drive up hills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL )
The ED L brakes wheels that are spinn ing and
transfers the d rive power to the other wheels.
This f unct ion is not availab le at h igher speeds.
In extreme cases, EDL automat ically switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked whee l
from overheating. EDL w ill switch on aga in au­
tomatically when conditions have returned to norma l.
St eering recommendat ion
The ESC helps to stabilize the vehicle by
cha nging the steering to rque.
In vehicles with dynam ic steering*, ESC also
helps to stabilize the steering in critical s itua­
tions .
Select ive w heel to rque control
Selective wheel torque control is used when
driving on curves . The front wheel on the in­
side of the curve or both wheels on the inside
of the curve are braked selectively as needed.
This a llows more prec ise driving in curves. The
applicable system may not activate when d riv­
ing i n wet or snowy conditions.
.&_ WARNING
- T he ESC and its integrated systems can­
not overcome the limits posed by natural physical laws
. This is especially impor­
tant on slippery or wet roads. If the sys­ tems beg in acting to stabilize your vehi­
cle, you should immediately change your
speed to match the road and traffic con­
d itions . Do not let the increased safety
p rovided by these systems tempt you to
take risks. Do ing so will increase the ri sk
of a loss of veh icle cont ro l, collision and
serio us personal inj uries.
- Always adapt your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions . The risk of los ­
ing control of the vehicle increases when
driving too fast , especially through
curves and on slippery or wet roads, and
when dr iv ing too close to vehicles up
ahead . The ESC and its integrated sys­
tems cannot a lways prevent collisions -
there is still a risk of acc idents!
- Always accelerate with special care on
even, smooth su rfaces such as those that
are wet or covered with ice and snow .
The drive wheels can spin even w ith
these assistance systems that c annot al­
ways he lp to red uce the risk of loss of ve­
h icle control.
(D Tips
- ABS and ASR only wo rk correctly when
all four wheels are equipped wi th iden ti­
cal tires. D ifferen t tire sizes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- Yo u may hear noises when the systems
descr ibed are workin g.
-If the ind icator light DJ or Ea (USA
mode ls)/ lCO j there may be a malfunction~
page 19,
<=>page 19.

198 Intelligent technology
-Automatic retraction : When speed drops be­
l ow about SO mph (80 km/h), the rear spoil­
er retracts automatically.
Manual mode
- Manual deployment: Tappi ng briefly on the
switch
¢ fig. 183 dep loys the rear spoiler.
- Manua l retraction: At speeds up to about
10 mph (20 km/h), ret ract the rear spoiler
by pressing and holding the switch
¢fig. 183 . At speeds between 10 mph (20
km/h) and 80 mph (130 km/h), retract the
rear spoiler by tapping on the switch
¢fig . 183.
Indicator lights
1,1 /. 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 immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected . The co lor of the indica­
tor light depend s on the veh icle speed.
A WARNING
Dr iv ing at higher speeds w ithout the rear
spoiler deployed can impair handling char­
acteristics, making the veh icle harder to
control.
-Always make sure that the spoiler is de­
ployed when driving at speeds over
85 mph (140 km/h). If th e rear spoiler
wa rning/ind icator 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
dep loyed. Have the spoiler inspected as
soon as possible by an authorized A udi
dealer or qualified workshop.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf­
fic laws.
A WARNING
Improper operation of the rear spoiler 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.
- To prevent damage to the rear spoiler do
not lean or place anything on it .
- Only operate the rear spoiler man ually
when the rear lid is closed and the rear
spoiler moving parts are not blocked.
Otherw ise, damage co uld occur.
(D 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 conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing condit ions and driving hab its
r:::;, ,& . On
vehicles that are either dr iven mostly in stop­
and-go city traff ic or are dr iven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dea ler more often than specified in
the
Warranty & Maintenance booklet. Failure
to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes , you sho uld use the braking
effect o f the engine . This way, you prevent un­
necessary wear on the brake system . If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down cont inuous ly. Pump the brakes at inter­
vals.
Moisture or road salt
Under certain conditions, for example, when
driving through water or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking .,..

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effect can be reduced due 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 wit h
the windshield wipers on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake d iscs 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 shou ld clean off accumulated salt coat ing
from brake discs and pads with a few careful
applications of the brake ¢
A.
Cor ro sion
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 dr iven regularly or
only for sho rt trips with l ittle use of the
b rakes .
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor­ rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and discs by b rak ing
fi rm ly a few times from a mode rately h igh
speed ¢,& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake peda l travel, t hen one of the two brake
circu its may have failed¢
A.
Low brake flu id le vel
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low . T he brake fluid
level is monitored electronically .
Brake booste r
The brake booster works with vacuum pres ­
sure which is created only when the engine is
running ¢
A.
Brake lining w ear statu s
Brake lining wea r may be c hecked by vis ual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
Int ellig ent technolog y 199
thro ugh the open ings in the wheel. If neces ­
sa ry, the whee l may be removed for t his in­
spection ¢
page 2 75, Changing a wheel.
_& WARNING
- You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Othe r road use rs 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
gea r o r l ower dr iving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too o ften . T hi s could c ause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by rest ing you r
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to b rake . This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Unde r ce rtain climatic and operating
conditions such as passing thro ugh wa ­
ter, dr iv ing in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winte r, ice can
accumu late on the brake pads, lin ings,
discs and drums. Carefully app ly bra kes
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice co at­
ings w ill be cleaned off after a few care ­
fu l brake applicat ions.
- Driving for an ex tended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can a lso affect bra king efficiency .
Clean off accum ulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
f low to the front brakes is not obstruct­
ed. Otherw ise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capab il ity result ing in an in­
creased stopping distance . Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the
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Driving and
environment
The first 1
1000
miles
(11500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1 ,500 km) .
For the first 600 mile s (1,000
kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle.
.,. Do not drive 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
maximum pe rm iss ib le road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in per iod
.,. Do not rev the engine up to high speeds
when it is cold. This applies whether the
transmission is i n N (Neutra l) or in gear.
After the break- in peri od
.. Do not exceed maximum engine speed un­
der any circumstances.
.,. Upshift into the next higher gear
before
reaching the red area at the end of the tach­
ometer scale
¢ 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
i n. How well this break-in p rocess is done de­
pends to a considerable extent on the way the
ve hicl e is driven du ring the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 ki lome ters).
(D Note
Extremely h igh engine speeds are auto­
mat ica lly reduced. However, t hese rpm
lim its are progr amme d for an eng ine well
r u n- in, not a new engine .
Driving and environment 203
@) For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high en­
g ine speeds -upshifting ear ly saves f uel,
reduces noise and protects the environ­
ment.
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive
particularly caref ul for the first 350 miles
(500 kilomete rs) afte r fitt ing.
.&, WARNING
N ew tires tend to be sl ippery and mus t al­
so be "b roken -in" . Be sure to remember
this dur ing the f irst 350 m iles (500 kilo­
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llowing
closely behind other vehicles or other sit­
uations that m ight require sudden, hard
b raking .
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a
full brak ing effect dur ing the first 250 m iles
(400 ki lomete rs) afte r they are installed.
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" be­
fore they have optima l grab¢ .&. .
D uring the brea k-in period, yo u should avo id
putting severe loads on the brakes. Severe
l oads include , for example, sudden hard brak­
i ng, in particular at very h igh speeds or, for
example, on mounta in passes .
.&, WARNING
New b rake pads don't have the best stop­
p ing power and must be "broken-i n" dur­
ing the initi al 100 to 150 miles (150 to
200 kilometers) o f no rma l ci ty driving . You
can compensate for this by pressing the b rake peda l more firm ly . This also applies
later when new pads are installed.
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