2015 AUDI A7 ESP

212 Vehicle care and cleaning
Vehicle care and
cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your
ve hicle 's value. It can also be a requirement
when subm itting warranty claims for corro ­
sion damage and paint defects on the body .
The required cleaning and care prod ucts can
be obtained from your authorized Audi dea ler
or a qualified workshop. Read and follow the
instr uctions for use on th e packaging .
A WARNING
-Us ing cleaning and care products incor­
rec tly can be dange ro us to your hea lth .
- Always store cleaning and care products
o ut of rea ch of children to redu ce the r is k
of po ison ing.
@) For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents .
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and
ca re p rod ucts with household trash .
Car washes
-
The longer that depos its suc h as insects, bird
d roppings , tree sap o r road salt rema in on the
ve hicl e, the more the su rface can be dam­
aged. High tempe ra tur es such as those
c a used by s unligh t increase the cor rosive ef­
fect.
B efore was hing, wet heavy deposits w ith p le n­
ty of water.
A lso , wash the underside of your vehicle once
r oad salt stops be ing used fo r th e season .
Pressure wa shers
When washing your veh icles w ith a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instruc­
tions provided w ith the pressure washe r. Th is
i s especially important in rega rd to t he pres ­
sure and spray ing distance . Do not aim the
spray d irectly at seals o n side w indows, doors, the
hood, the rear lid o r the sunroo f* or at
t ir es , rub ber hoses, insu lating mate rial, sen­
sors * or camera lenses *. Keep a d istance o f at
l east 16 inches (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice wi th a p ressu re
washe r.
Never use rota ry no zzle s or high pressure noz­
z les.
T he wate r temperature must not be above
140
° F (60 °() .
Automatic car washes
Spray off the ve hicle before washing.
Make sure that the w indows and roof * are
closed and the winds hield wipers are off . Fo l­
l ow instructions from the car wash operator,
especially if there are accessories attached to
your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the ve hicl e starting from the top and
working down using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush . Use solvent-f ree cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and la rge particles from
yo ur vehicle. Insects, grease spots and finger­
pri nts are best removed with a special cleaner
for matte finish paint .
Apply the p rod uct us ing a microfiber cloth . To
avo id damag ing the pa int surface, do not use
too much pressure.
Rinse the ve hicl e thoro ughly with water . Then
clean usi ng a neutral shampoo and a soft mi­
crof iber cloth.
Rinse t he vehi cle thoroughly again and le t it
air dry . Remove any wa ter residue using a
shammy.
Stubborn dep osit s su ch as b ird drop pin gs o r
t ree sap are best remove d with p le nty o f wa -
te r and a microfiber cloth . ..,.

214 Vehicle care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Decorative
Dirty Mild soap solutional, a cleaning solution suitab le for
parts/ sta inless steel, if necessary
trim
Paint
Paint damage Refer to the paint number on the vehicle data label, re-
pair with touch up paint
q page 291
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately
Rust film Rust
film remover, then protect with hard wax; for ques-
tions, refer to an authorized Audi dea ler or a qualified
workshop
Corrosion Have it removed by an autho rized Aud i dealer or a quali-
fied workshop
Water no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean paint
No shine even T
reat with suitable polish; then app ly paint protectant if
though paint has the polish that was used does not contain any protec-
been protected/
tant
pa int looks poor
Carbon parts Dirty Clean tlhe same way as painted parts qpage 212, Car
washes
a ) Mild soap so lution: maximum two tablespoons neut ra l soap in 1 quart (I lite r) of water
Cleaning interior
Component Situation Solution
Windows
Dirty Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Decorative Dirty Mild soap
solutional
parts/
trim
Plastic parts
Dirty Damp cloth
Heavily soiled Mild soap solutional, solvent-free plastic cleaning sol u-
tion, if necessary
Displays Dirty Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
Controls Dirty Soft brush, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solut ional
Safety belts Dirty Mild soap solutional, allow to dry before letting them re-
tract
...

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Vehicl e ca re a nd cl eanin g 215
Component Situ ation Solution
T ex tiles,
Stains adhering to Vacuum cleaner
Vin yl, the surface
A lcan ta ra Water-based stains Absorbent
cloth and mild soap solutional
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
Oil-based stains Apply a mild soap solutiona l, blot away the dissolved oil
such as oil, make- or dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
up, etc.
Special stains such Special stain remover, blot with absorbent material,
as ballpoint pen, treat afterward with mild soap solutional, if necessary
na il polish, latex
pa int, shoe polish,
etc.
N atu ral le athe r Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mild soap solutional
Water-based stains Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dried stains: stain remover suitable for leather
blood , etc.
Oil-based stains Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
such as oil, make- for leather
up, etc. dried stains: Oil cleaning spray
Special stains such Sta in remover suitable for leather
as ballpo int pen,
nai l polish, latex
paint, shoe polish,
etc.
Care Regularly
apply conditioning cream that protects from
light and penetrates into the material. Use specially-col-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon part s Dirty Clean the same way as plastic parts
al Mild soap solution: maxi mum two tablespoons neutral soap in 1 qua rt (I lite r) of water
& WARNING
The windshie ld may not be treated with
water-repelling windshie ld coating agents.
Unfavorab le conditions such as wetness,
darkness, or low sun can result in in­
creased glare. W iper blade chatter is also
possible.
- Headlights /ta il li ghts
-Never clean headlights or tail lights
w ith a dry cloth or sponge. -
Do not use any cleaning product that
contains alcohol, because they could
cause cracks to form .
-Wheels
- Never use any paint polish or other
abrasive mater ials.
- Damage to the protective layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratches
must be repaired immediately .
-Se nsor s/came ra len ses
- Never use warm or hot water to re-
move snow or ice from the camera
l ens . This could cause the lens to crack .
IJII>
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218 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
-Blend must contain not more than 15%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
espec ially we ll for winter or summer driv ing.
During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stat ions where the sea­
sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time.
(CT) Note
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these
requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo­
nents in the fuel system .
- Do not use fuels that fai l to meet the
specified criteria in this chapter.
- If yo u are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or
its fuel sup plier.
- Do not use fuel for which the contents cannot be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the respons ibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Vehicle or the Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy
or driveability and performance prob­ l ems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufac ­
turers is carbon deposit build- up caused by
the type of gasoline you use.
A lthough gasoline grades differ from one
manufacturer to another, they have certain
things in common. All gasoline g rades contain
substances that can cause deposits to co llect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline
brands include additives to keep engine and fuel
systems clean, they a re not equally effec­
tive .
A udi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. For more information on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended period of using inadequate
f uels, carbon deposit build-ups can rob yo ur
engine of peak performance.
CD Note
Damage or malf u nct ion due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Aud i New Ve­
hicle Limited Warranty.
Diesel fuel
Applies to veh icles: w ith diesel engine
Always use ULSD (Ultra Low Su lfu r Diesel)
No. 2. The U LSD No. 2 meets the ASTM D975.
Diesel fuel with concentrations of biodiese l
higher than 5 % s uch as Bl 1, B2O or BlOO are
strictly prohib ited.
Serv ice stat ion fuel pumps are labeled with
the correct fuel information for easy recogn i­
t io n by the user. If the diesel fuel pump is not
labeled ask the station operator what fue l is
being dispensed before filling up your vehicle.
ULSD No. 2 may not be available outside the
USA and Canada. Be sure to check before trav­
eling to other countries.
ULSD No. 2 can become thicker in very cold
temperatu res, and this can impair the en­
gine's start ing and running. Depending on the
season, gas stat ions provide ULSD No. 2 that
flows better in cold temperatures so that you
can continue operating your vehicle as usua l.
CD Note
-Yo ur vehicle's diesel engine was de­
signed soley for use with ULSD No. 2.
Therefore, never use gasoline, heating
oil, other fuels or flow improvers. These
conta in substances that will severely
damage the fuel system and the engine.
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220 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Refuelling procedure
.. Inse rt the fue l nozzle from the gasoline
pump into the fue l filler neck as far as it will
go.
.. Se lect a medium refuelling rate so that the
no zzle switches off automatica lly when the
tank is full.
Putting the fuel cap back on
.. After filling your tank, twist the fuel fi ller
cap clockwise as far as it will go.
.. Close the fuel filler flap.
To avoid fuel spi lling or evaporating from the
fuel tank always close fuel fi ller cap properly
and completely. An improperly closed fuel fill­
er cap may a lso cause the MIL lamp
q poge 29
to come on.
A WARNING
Improper refueling or handling of fue l can
cause fire, explosion and severe burns .
- Fuel is highly flammable and can cause
severe burns and other injuries.
- Failure to shut the engine off while refu­
eling and/or to insert the pump nozzle
fully into the fuel filler neck could cause
fuel to spray out of filler neck or to over­
flow. Fuel spray and overflow ing fuel can
c ause a fi re.
- Never use a cellular telephone wh ile re­
fueling. The electromagnetic radiation
can cause sparks that can ign ite fue l va­
pors and cause a fire.
- Never get back into you r vehicle while re­
fueling. If in exceptiona l circumstances
yo u must get back in your vehicle whi le
refue ling, make certain that you close
the door and touch metal to discharge
static electricity before touching the fill­
er nozzle again. Static electricity can
cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors
released during refueling.
- Never smoke or have an open flame any­
where in or near your vehicle when refu ­
eling or filling a portable fuel container .
- For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you do not travel w ith a portable fuel container in your vehicle. The con­
tainer, full or empty may leak and could
cause a fire, especially in a crash.
- If, under exceptional circumstances, you
must transport a portable fuel container,
please observe the following:
- Never fill a portable fuel container
whi le it is anywhere in or on the vehicle
(for example, in the luggage compa rt­
ment, or on the trunk) . Static electrici­
ty can build up while filling and can ig­
nite fuel vapors causing a fire.
- Always place a portab le fue l container
on the ground before fi lling.
- Always keep the filler nozzle complete­
ly inside the portab le container before
and during filling.
- If filling a portab le container made of
metal, the f iller nozzle must always be
in contact with the container. This will
help prevent static electricity from d is­
c harging and cause a fire.
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or
luggage compartment. Fuel vapors are
highly flammable .
- Always observe local and state/provin­
cial laws regarding the use, storage
and transportation of fuel containers .
- Make certain the fuel container meets
industry standards (ANSI/ ASTM
F852 -86) .
(D Note
If any fuel has spilled onto the car, it
should be removed immediately to prevent
damage to the paint .
@) For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated no zzle
switches off automatically for the first
time, the tank is full. Do not try to add
more fuel because fuel may spill out . In
addition, the expansion space in the fuel
tank will be filled -causing the fuel to
overflow when it becomes warm and pol­
l ute the environment .

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Checking and filling Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig. 191 Dr iver footwell: release leve r
Fig. 192 Rocker switch under the hood
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up
from the w indshield. Otherw ise the paint
could be damaged.
.. With the driver's door open , pull the lever
under the instrument panel in the direction
of the arrow
c::> fig. 191.
.. Raise the hood slightly c::> .&. .
.. Press the rocker switch under the hood up­
ward
c::> fig. 192. This releases the catch.
.. Open the hood .
A WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment . Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the hood.
Checkin g and fillin g 225
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment.
Wh ene ve r y ou must p erform an y wor k in the
en gine com pa rtm ent , for e xample checking
a nd filling diff ere nt fluids, th ere is a risk of
inju ry, burn s and accid ent s. To pr eve nt per­
so nal injury alwa ys observ e the foll owing
WARNING S. The engin e compartm ent of any
v e hicle i s a h az a rdou s area
c::> ,& .
h WARNING
To help avoid injury, before yo u check any ­
thing under the hood:
- Turn off the engine.
- Sw itch off the ignition .
- Apply the parki ng brake.
- Move selector leve r to P (Park) .
- Always let the engine cool down . Hot
components w ill burn skin on contact .
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coo lant escaping from the engine
compa rtment. Wait unt il no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fu lly opening the hood.
- Keep ch ildren away from the engine com­
pa rtment.
- Never sp ill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents . They can cause a fire .
- Never touch the rad iator fan. The auxili­
ary electric fan is temperat ure controlled
and can sw itch on suddenly .
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm . The cool­
a nt system is p ressu rized and hot cool­
a nt cou ld spray o ut.
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by plac ing a
thick rag ove r the cap when you open the
coo lant rese rvoir.
- Do not remove the engine cover under
any circumstances. This inc reases the
ris k of burns.
- If work on the fue l system o r the elec tri -
cal system is necessary:
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-Always dispose of used engine oil proper­
ly. Do not dump it on garden soil, wood­
ed areas, into open streams or down
sewage drains.
- Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a
used engine oil collection facility in your
area, or contact a service station.
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro­
tects the engine from freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sealed and generally re­
quires little attention .
The cooling system has been filled at the fac­
tory with a permanent coolant which does not
need to be changed . The coolant consists of a
mixture of specially conditioned water and the
manufacturer 's glycol-based coolant addi-
tive G13 antifreeze with anticorrosion addi­
tives (50% for USA models; 60% for Canadian
models) . This mixture both assures the neces­
sary frost protection and protects metal com­
ponents in the engine's cooling system from
corrosion and scaling.
It also raises the boil­
ing point of the coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the cool­
ant in the summer by adding plain water.
The
proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50% but not more than 60%
to main­
tain antifreeze protection and cooling efficien ­
cy .
If the coolant frost protection is too low,
the coolant could freeze and damage the vehi­
cle heating and engine cooling system.
For year -round driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- -31°F(-35°C)USA
- -40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
If you must add coolant, use a mixture of wa­
ter and coolant additive. Mixing the coolant
additive with distill ed water is recommended .
Checking and filling 231
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS ~&.
in Working in the engine
compartment on page 225.
(D Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli­
mate conditions. This is especially impor­
tant if you live in a region where the win­
ter is extremely cold. If necessary, in­
crease the proportion of coolant additive
to 60%.
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system, remember:
- We recommend using only coolant ad­
ditive G12++ or G13 (check the label)
for your vehicle. This coolant additive is
available at authorized Audi dealers.
Other types of antifreeze can signifi­
cantly reduce corrosion protection. The
resulting corrosion can cause a loss of
coolant and serious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant.
Adding radiator repair fluid may adverse­
ly affect the function and performance of
your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance.
Fig. 196 Engine compa rtment: cove r on t he coola nt
expansion tank

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@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the pr oblem of proper d isposa l
of brake flu id as we ll as the special tools
requ ired and the necessary expert ise, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your author ized Audi dealer .
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the bat­
tery in your Audi does not need any mainte ­
nance. With
high outside temperatures or
long daily dr ives we recommend that you have
the electro lyte level checked by a service fa­
cility . The electrolyte level shou ld also be
checked each time the battery is charged
¢ page 237.
Have the battery checked when you take your
ve hicle in for service . You are well adv ised to
replace a battery that is older than 5 yea rs .
W ith certa in types of a irbag deployment, t he
b attery is d isconnected from the vehicle elec­
tr ica l system for safety reasons¢.&.
in Re ­
pair, core and disposal of the airbags on
page 163.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power w indow regu­
lators , for example) are lost if the battery ter­
m inals a re d isconnected. These func tions have
to be re lea rned after the batte ry term inals a re
connected agai n. T o prevent this , the bat tery
should only be d isconnec ted from the vehicle
e lec tric al system when absolu tely necessa ry
for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive you r vehicle over a period
of severa l days or weeks, elec trical compo­
nen ts are gr adually cut b ack o r swi tched off .
This redu ces energy cons umption and main­
tains starting capab ility over a longer per io d
¢ page 201. Some of the co nvenience func­
tions may not operate, s uch as the inte rior
lights or power seat adjustme nt. The conven-
Checkin g and fillin g 235
ience funct ions w ill be available again when
yo u sw itch on the ign ition and start the en­
gine.
Winter operation
D ur ing the w inte r mon ths, bat tery ca pa city
tends to decrease as tempera tures drop . This
is beca use more power is a lso consumed wh ile
starting, and the headlights, rear window de­
fogger, etc., are used mo re often.
Avoid unnecess ary powe r consumpt ion, pa r­
ticu lar ly in city traffic o r when traveling only
sho rt distances. Let yo ur authorized A udi
dealer check the capacity of the vehicle bat ­
tery before w inter sets in¢
page 23 7. A well
charged battery will no t on ly prevent star tin g
problems w hen the weather is cold, but w ill
also last longer .
@ Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for seve ral
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery s hou ld be removed and
stored where it will not freez e. This will
p reve nt it from be ing dam aged and having
to be repl aced .
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the bat tery.
The battery is located in the luggage compar t­
ment under the floor . B efo re you che ck any­
thi ng in the luggage compartment,
read and
heed all WARNINGS
¢ .&, .
Always heed the safety warnings , when work­
i ng on the veh icle batte ry or t he vehicle e lec­
t rical sys tem to p reven t inju ry.
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYM· BO LS and safety precautions when working
on the battery .
®
Always wear eye protection.
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