2015 AUDI A7 check oil

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Safet y fir st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Driving Safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Proper occupant seating posit ions . . . 129
Driver and passenger side footwell . . . 133
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Stowing luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
R eport ing Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Why safety bel ts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 1
Safety belt p re tens ioners . . . . . . . . . . 145
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
I mpor tant th ings to know . . . . . . . . . . 1 47
Fr ont airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
M onitoring the Advanced Airbag
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Knee airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Side curta in a irbags ........ . .... . .
Ch ild Safety ............... .. . .
Important things to know .. .. .. .. . .
C hi ld safety seats ............ .... .
Install ing a chi ld safety seat .. .. ... .
L A TC H L ower ancho rages and tethe rs
fo r ch ild ren . ............. .... .. . .
Addit io nal Informa tion
Audi pre sense .......... .. .. . .
Pr even ta ti ve passe nger p rotec tion
Vehicle operation ....... .. .. . .
Intelligent technology .. .. .. . .
N ot ice about da ta re corded by the
E vent Data Recorder and vehi cle
control mod ules ... .... ... .. .. .. . .
Elect ronic Stabilization Control (ESC) .
Rear spoiler ............. .... .. . .
Braking .. .. ................. .. . .
Elect romechan ical power assist, 169
173
173
179
184
187
19 1
192
19 2
194
194
194
195
197
198
dynam ic steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
D riving w ith your quattro . . . . . . . . . . 200
E ne rgy management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 1
Table of contents 3
Driving and environment . . . . .
203
T he first 1,000 miles (1 ,500 km) and
afterwa rds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Avoid damaging the vehicle . . . . . . . . . 204 Driving through water on roads . . . . . 204
Catalytic co nverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
D iesel pa rticulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
S hu tting down vehi cle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Operate your vehicle e conomically and
min imi ze poll ution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Dr iving wit h a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
T ra ile r tow ing t ips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Vehicle care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 12
Vehicle care and cleaning . . . . . 212
Genera l informa tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Car was hes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Cleaning and care information . . . . . . 213
Fuel supply and filling your
fueltank ... .. .... . ... ...... ... .
217
Gasoline .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. 217
Diesel fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Fuel tank.. .. .. .. .. .. ........... . 219
Se lective cata lytic reduction . . . . . . . . 221
Checking and filling . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
En gine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
E ngine o il . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
En gine cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Br ake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Windshie ld/headlight * washer
co ntainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 0
T ires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Tire pressure mo nitoring system 2 70
Do-it-yourself service . . . . . . . . . 273
What do I do now? . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Emergency warn ing triangle . . . . . . . . 273
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Changi ng a wheel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
•
•

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Instruments and warning/indicator lights 17
-The engine compartment of any vehicle
is a dangerous area. Before you perform
any work in the engine compartment,
turn of the eng ine and allow it to cool.
Follow the warning stickers
c::;, page 225.
(D Note
Do not continue driving if the. symbo l
illuminates. There is a malfunct ion in the
eng ine cooling system -you could damage
your eng ine.
0 Battery
This warning/indicator light detects a mal­
function in the generator or in the vehicle's
electrical system.
The. warning/ind icator light illuminates
when you switch on the ignit ion and must go
out after the engine has started.
• Alternator fault: Battery is not being
charged
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the
generator or vehicle e lectr ica l system .
Dr ive to your au thorized Audi dealer or quali ­
fied workshop immediately . Because the vehi ­
cle battery is discharging, turn
off all unnec­
essary electrical equipment such as the radio.
Seek professional ass istance if the battery
charge level is too low .
(•) Low battery: battery will be charged
while driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes ­
sage appears , there may be limited starting
abi lity .
If this message turns off after a litt le wh ile,
the battery charged enough wh ile driving.
If the message does not turn off, have your
authorized Audi dealer or qua lified workshop
correct the mal func tion.
~ Safet y belts
This warning/indicator light reminds you to
put on your safety belt.
The . warning/ indicator light illum inates
when the ignition is switched on to remind
the driver and any front passenger to put on
the safety belt. Add it ionally, an acoustic warn­
ing (gong) wi ll also sound.
For more Information
c::;, page 138, i Safety
belt warning light .
~ Engine oil pressure malfunction
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol
requires immediate service or repair . Driving
with a low-oil-pressure indication is likely to
inflict severe damage to the engine.
• Switch off engine and check oil level
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the oi l pressure is too low.
.,. Pull
off the road.
.,. Stop the vehicle.
.,. Turn
off the engine .
.,. Check the engine oil level c> page 229 .
.,. If the eng ine o il level is too low, add eng ine
oil
c::;, page 229. Make sure that the oil pres­
sure warning symbol. appears no longer
in the display before you start dr iv ing again .
.,. If the eng ine o il level is correct and the indi­
cator light still turns on, turn the engine
off
and do not continue driving. Seek professio­
na l assistance .
(D Tips
- The engine oil pressure symbol. is
not an indicator for a low engine oil lev­
el. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the
oil level in your engine at regular inter­
vals, preferably each time you refuel ,
and always before going on a long trip.
- The yellow oil level warning indication
II requires oil refill or workshop serv­
ice without delay. Do not wait until the
red oil pressure warning. starts to
flash before you respond to the low oil

22 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
If the engine speed limitation was activated
by an engine control malfunction , the indica­
tor light ~ also t urns on. Make sure that the
speed does not go above the speed displayed .
Drive to your authori zed Aud i dealer immedi­
ately to have t he malfunction corrected .
II Oil level! Sen sor defective
If the symbol illuminates, contact your au­
thor ized Audi dealer a nd have the o il sensor
i n spected . Until you have t his done , ch eck the
oil level each time you refuel just to be on the
safe side
c::> page 2 29 .
Bil Fuel level indicator
ID'J Plea se refuel
If the indicator light turns on fo r the fi rs t
time and the message app ears, ther e ar e
about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of f ue l left in the
t an k. T ime to refue l
c::>page 219.
Ill Tank system malfunction! Contact dealer
If the i ndicator light tu rns on and t his mes­
sage appears, t here is a ma lfunction in the
tank system .
Drive to yo ur autho rized Aud i dea ler immedi­
ately to have t he malfunction corrected.
~ Windshield washer fluid level
~ Please refill washer fluid
If the symbo l illuminates, add windshield
washer f luid to the washer system/headlight
washer system*
c::> page 238.
~• Windshield wipers
m Windshield wiper defective
There is a malfunct io n with the w indshield
wipers.
D rive to yo ur autho rize d Au di dea ler immedi ­
ate ly to have t he malfunction cor rected .
~/0$ Defective light bulb warning
S:j -If t he in dicato r light tu rn s on, a bu lb h as
f ailed. The message in dicates t he loca tio n of
t h e b ulb .
II-if a rea r fog lamp has fa iled , the ind icator
li gh t tur ns on to ind icate the loca tion on the
vehicle.
Vehicle lights : malfunction
If the message appears, there is a malfu nc­
t ion in the headlights o r light sw itch.
Drive to your authorized A udi dealer immedi ­
ate ly to have the ma lfunction corrected.
.&_ WARNING
- Light bulbs a re pr ess urized and could ex­
p lode w hile they are being changed ca us­
i n g s erio us pe rsonal injury .
- Wo rk with due care when han dling the
h igh-vo ltage sect io n o f gas disc harge
(xe non) ligh ts. Failur e to do so could re­
s ult in death or ser ious injury .
(D Tips
Have t he b ulb replaced or the co nnect ion
r epaired by y our auth orized A udi Se rvice
d epartment .
~{i) Headlight range control
II Headlight range control : defective!
If the symbol illuminates, the headlig ht range
control is no lo nger wor king properly . Have
t h e sys tem checked and repaired at yo ur Audi
d eal er.
:sO Adaptive Light
App lies to veh icles : w ith Adapt ive lig ht
r!J Audi adaptive light: sy stem fault
If the indicato r light turns on and this m es­
sage appears, there is a malf unct io n in th e
adaptive ligh t syste m. The head lig ht s s till
funct ion.

28 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
The schedule fo r the next oil change o r inspec ­
t ion is calculated automatically and d isplayed
according ly . T he display works in two stages :
Service reminder
30 days befo re the ne xt service is due, a serv­
i ce rem inder appears in the di splay when yo u
switch the ignit ion on
¢ fig . 13.
Afte r abo ut 5 seconds the display sw itches
b ack to normal. The di sta nce and time re­
maining a re update d eac h time the ignition is
switched on unt il the date due for service is
reac hed .
Service due
When the due date for service is reached , the
message
Service due! appears in the instr u­
men t clus ter immedia tely after you switch the
i gnition on. Additionally, a war ning tone
sounds . After about 5 seconds the display
switches back to normal.
Calling up the service schedules
If o r whe n an oil change o r inspect ion is due,
can be shown in the MM I disp lay by select ing
the service interva l disp lay in the car menu .
Select the
! CAR ! function b utton> (Ca r)* s ys­
tems
contro l button > Servicing & chec ks >
Service interval displays.
Resetting the service interval display
Your author ized A udi dealer w ill reset the cor ­
responding service sched ule after perform ing
the app rop riate serv ice on yo ur vehicle. Yo u
a ls o have the possibility to reset the oi l
change schedule after having performed an
oil change according to Audi specifications.
Selec t the
I CAR ! function button > (Car) * sys­
tems
cont ro l button > Servicing & checks >
Service Intervals > Re set oil change interval.
(D Note
- Only reset the o il change d isp lay when
you hav e compl eted an o il change .
- If you d isconnect t he battery te rm inals,
no calc ulations can be made for the serv­
i ce interv al display during this t ime and
n o servi ce re mi nder w ill appear . Reme m- ber th
at o bse rv ing the p roper service in ­
tervals is vita lly im po rtant to extend ing
the life of your vehicle, part icularly the
eng ine , and maintain ing its value. Eve n if
the mileage driven is low, the maxim um
p er iod of one year fro m one service to
t he next mus t not be e xceed ed .
@ Tips
The information in the Service Reminder
r ema ins sto red even when the vehicle bat ­
tery is disconnected.
Head -up Display
Applies to veh icles: w ith Head-up D isp lay
Fig. 14 Exa mple: in dic ato rs in th e Head -up D isplay
Fi g. 1 5 Ins trume nt panel: k nob for t he Head -u p D is ­
play
The Head -up D isplay projects cer tain warnings
o r se lected info rmation from the ass istance
syste ms* or na vigatio n* on t he windsh ie ld .
T he disp lay appe ars wi thin the drive r's field o f
vision .
Switching on/off
.,. Press the knob 1rl to switch t he Head-up
Display o n/off ¢
fig. 15.

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 .,..

204 Driving and en vir onm ent
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 especially true for vehicles with low­
slung chassis (sports chassis) * and fully load­
ed veh icles .
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- T he water must not be any higher tha n the
bottom o f the vehicle body.
- Do not d rive faster than wa lking speed.
_& WARNING
After d riving through water, m ud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because o f wet brake rotors and pads . Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re­
store the full braking effect.
(]) Note
-Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or e lectr ica l
system can be severe ly damaged by driv­
ing through water.
- Always switch
off the Start-Stop-System
when driving through water¢
page 81.
(D Tips
-Check the depth o f the water before driv ­
ing through it.
- Do no t stop the veh icle, dr ive 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 fo r your vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
-
- Avoid driving through salt water because
it can cause corrosion .
Catalytic converter
Applies to vehicles : w ith gasoli ne e ngi ne
It is very important that your emission con­
trol system (catalytic converter) is function­
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run­
ning in on environmentally sound manner.
.. Always use lead-free gasoline ¢ page 217,
Fuel supply .
.. Never run the tank down all the way to emp­
ty.
.. Never put too much motor o il in your eng ine
¢ page 229, Adding engine oil~-
.. Never try to push- or tow-sta rt your vehicle.
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean­
u p" dev ice built into the exhaust system of
the ve hicle. The cata lytic conve rter bu rns
many of the pollutants in the exha ust gas be­
f ore they are re leased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is c rit ically
important fo r the life of the catalyt ic convert­
er and prope r fu nct ion ing of the engine.
A WARNING
-
The temperature of the exhaust system is
h igh, both when driving and after stopping
the engine.
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once
they have become hot . This could result
in burns .
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exha ust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fue l spill or other material which can
cause a fire .
- Do not app ly additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields. Dur ing driv ing, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
~

206 Driving and en vir onm ent
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending 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 mo st fuel when they are ac­
celerating . If you anticipate what is go ing to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus , accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast
wheneve r poss ible -for example when you see
that the next traffic l ight is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
• Try and keep well below your car 's max imum
speed .
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and en­
g ine no ise increase d isproportionately at high
speeds. If you dr ive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fue l consumption will
be reduced by one half. Neve r dr ive faste r
than the posted speed limit and wea ther con­
d itions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
• Shut the engine off when you are not dr iv ing
the vehicle. •
Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at id le .
T he id ling phase is automatically red uced for
vehicles with the Start -Stop -System . It is effi­
cient to switch off the engine in vehicles with ­
out the Start-Stop -System when stopp ed at
railroad crossings and long red lights. Tu rning
the engine off for jus t 30-40 seconds saves
more fuel than is burned by starting the en-
. . gme again .
It takes a long time for the eng ine to warm up
fully when i t is running at idle. However, wear
and noxiou s emissions are espec ially high
when the eng ine is warm ing up . So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avo id running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
W Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter start ing . If wa rning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wo uld go unheeded . Ex tended idling also
produces heat, wh ich could result in ove r­
heating or other damage to the ve hicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
• Have your veh icle serviced at reg ular in ter -
vals .
By having your ve hicle regu la rly se rviced by an
Audi dealer he lps to ensu re tha t it runs p rop ­
erly and economically . The condition of your
vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to
ho ld its va lue, it also affects
fuel con sump­
tion .
Check your oil e ach time you
fill y our tank.
The amount of o il used is re lated to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has bee n driven . ..,.

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.
II>