2015 AUDI Q7 Owner´s Manual

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@ Alert stage signal flashes
If you activate your turn signal in driving sit­
uation @, the signa l light briefly flashes re­
peatedly. Side assist is alerting you of a vehi­
cle that you may not have noticed .
@ Tips
-The faster a vehicle approaches from the
rear, the sooner the signa l on the outside
mirror lights up. Side assist will signa l,
at the latest, when a detected vehicle en­
ters your "blind spot".
- When vehicles approach very quickly,
changing lanes can be dangerous even if
the signal on the outside mirror does not
light up.
Driving situation: Vehicles dropping
back slowly
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
®
Fig . 156 S id e assist: Vehicles dropp ing back s lowly
CD Signal on outs ide mirror does not light
up
The vehicle that you passed has not yet been
detected by side assist . The signal on the out­
side mirror does not light up
q .& in Safety
tips on page 138.
Audi side assist 135
@ Informational stage signal lights up
A vehicle dropping back slowly on the r ight
(difference in speed of less than 9 mph, or lS
km/h) has been detected by side assist. The
informational stage signa l on the outside mir­
ror lights up.
@ Alert stage signal flashes
If you activate yo ur turn signal in driving sit­
uation @, the signal briefly flashes repeated­
ly. Side assist is alerting you of a vehicle that
you may not have noticed.
Driving situation: Vehicles dropping
back quickly
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
®
Fig. 157 Side assist: Veh icles dropp ing back quickly
CD Signal on outside mirror does not light
up
T he vehicle just passed has not yet been de­
tected by side ass ist. The sign al on the out­
side mirror does not light up
q .& in Safety
tips on page 138 .
@ Signal on outside mirror does not light
up
The vehicle dropping back quickly on the right
( difference in speed of more than 9 mph, or
lS km/h) has been detected by side assist,
1J1>

136 Audi side assist
but is not considered notable in the event of a
lane change, because it is dropping back so
quickly. The signal on the outside mirror does not light up¢.&.
in Safety tips on page 138.
@ Signal on outside mirror does not light
up
If you activate your turn signal in driving sit­
uation @, the signal still does not light up on
the outside mirror¢.&.
in Safety tips on
page 138.
MMI settings
App lies to vehicles: with side assist
The basic brightness setting of the signal on
the outside mirror can be adjusted via the
MMI.
.. Select : I CARI function button> Systems*
control button > Audi side assist. Or
.. Select :
I CAR ! function button > Car systems*
control button > Driver assist > Audi side
assist.
The brightness of the signal light for both the
informational and alert stages is automatical ­
ly adjusted to ambient light conditions. In ad­
dition, you can adjust the
basic brightness
separately, via the brightness function.
While making the adjustment, the new
brightness setting is displayed briefly . The
brightness displayed is that of the informa­
tional stage signal. The alert stage signal
brightness is linked to the informational stage
signal brightness.
The informational stage signal brightness
should be adjusted so that you notice the sig­
nal illumination when you look in the outside
mirror, but not when you look forward
through the windshield.
In very dark or light surroundings, the auto­
matic brightness setting adjusts signal light
brightness to maximum or minimum intensi­
ty, as needed. In circumstances such as these,
you may not notice any change in the bright­
ness on the outside mirror when adjusting the
basic brightness.
You may not notice the change until lighting
conditions are normal again.
(D Tips
- Side assist is not active when the basic
brightness is adjusted. The signal light
comes on briefly to help you make the
adjustment.
- Your settings are automatically stored
and assigned to the remote control key
being used.
· General information '
App lies to vehicles : wit h side assist
Side assist has limits and cannot detect
vehicles under all road and weather condi­
tions . Please remember system limitations
and never rely on the system, especially when:
- driving through curves¢
page 136,
-lanes are of different widths¢ page 137.
' When driving through curves
Applies to vehicles: wit h side assist
Side assist cannot detect vehicles in curves
with a turning radius of less than 328 feet
(100 m).
When driving through a curve, it is possible
that side assist may register a vehicle two
lanes over, and the signal on the outside mir­
ror will light up.

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Lane width
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
-· Fig. 158 Lan es o f a norma l wid th are in detect ion area
Fig . 159 Narrow lanes: Side ass ist may detect vehicles
two la nes away
Side assist's detection area is designed to cov­
e r l anes of standard w idth to the left and
r ight of your travel lane, depending on wheth­
er you dr ive in the center of your lane or closer
to the edge.
I f you drive in narrow lanes, s ide ass ist's de­
tec tion a rea may a lso incl ude other lanes -es­
pec ia lly if you tend to d rive on the edge of
your lane
c:::> fig. 159 . Under these cond it ions,
ve hicles can also be detected that are two
l anes away, and side assist then could switch
between the informat ional and warn ing stage
signals.
When driving in very wide lanes, vehicles in
the adjacent lane may not be detected be ­
cause they are not inside the detection area.
Notes
Messages in instrument cluster display
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
If s ide ass ist t urns off automa tically, the ind i­
cator l igh t on the button wi ll go ou t and you
Aud i side assist 13 7
will see a message in the instrument cluster
display:
Audi side assist not available: sensors
blocked
T he side assist sensors are built into the rear
bumper on the left and r ight (not visible on
the outside)
c:!> poge 131, fig . 150. To ensure
that you do not adversely affect the way side
ass ist functions, foreign objects (such as stick­
ers or bicycle racks) should not be attached to
the area on the rear bumper where the sen­
sors a re located . If side ass ist functions are
adverse ly affec ted, you w ill see th is message
in the instrument cluster disp lay . Remove any ­
th ing t hat may be blocking the sensors.
If no vehicle is detected for a longer per iod of
t ime wh ile dr iv ing, s ide ass ist w ill also switch
off automati cally.
Audi side assist cu rrently not available
If there is a temporary problem (such as the
vehicle 's battery charge be ing low), side assist
cannot be act ivated temporar ily .
Audi side as sis t: system fault
Have the system checked by an author ized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
Audi side assist not available when
towing
The radar sensor's view is limited when tow­ ing a tra iler. For vehicles with a factory instal­
led tow ing hitch or a trailer hitch that was in­
stalled later according to facto ry specifica­
t ions, s ide ass ist is automatically deact ivated
as soon as the ele ctrical connection to the
trailer's e lectrical socke t is made, an d this sta­
tus message appears in the instrument clus­
ter display. Deactivation cannot be guaran ­
teed when using a ret rofitted towing hitch
that was
not installed according to factory
specifications .

138 Audi side a ssis t
Safety tips
App lies to vehicles: wit h side ass ist
The s ide ass ist detect ion may be lim ited when
d riving around narrow street corners , on hilly
streets, and under poor weathe r cond itions.
It is poss ible that the radar sensors may also
detect other objects , such as high o r stag­
gered guardra ils .
Side assist does not measure actual lane
width . T he system assumes a fixed lane w idth .
Detection in the left and r ight lanes is based
on this assumed lane width . When driving on
na rrow roads or when driving to the left or
right of the center of a travel lane , it is possi ­
b le that vehicles wi ll be detected that are
not
in the lane next to the lane you are using.
A WARNING
- Improper reliance on the s ide ass ist sys­
tem can cause collisions and serious per­
sonal injury :
- Neve r rely only on side assist when
changing lanes .
- Always check rear view mirrors to make
sure that it is safe to change lanes.
- Side ass ist cannot detect a ll vehicles un­
der all cond itions- danger of accident!
- Side ass ist cannot detect vehicles in time
to alert you when they approach from beh ind at very h igh speeds or drop back
very quick ly .
- T he radar sensor's
vision can be reduced
or entirely blocked by rain, snow, and
heavy spray. This can result in side assist
not adequately detecting vehicles or, in
some cases, not detecting them at a ll.
Always keep an eye on the direction you are traveling and the relevant area
around the vehicle .
- Please note that side assist indicates
there are approaching vehicles, or
vehicles in your blind spot, only after
your vehicle has reached a driving speed
of at least 19 mph (30 km/h). -
Side assist signa l does not work around
tight corners (turning radius less than
328 feet, or 100 m).
- Side assist is no replacement for the driv­
er 's full attention. The driver alone is re­
sponsible for lane changes and sim ilar
driving maneuvers. Always keep an eye
on the d irect ion you are traveling and the
re levant area around the vehicle.
(D Note
To ensure that side assist is not adversely
affected, you should not block the area on
the rear bumper where the radar sensors
are located with foreign objects (such as
with stickers or bi cycle racks).
(D Tips
If the pos itions of the radar sensors have
been changed as a result of a rear end-co l­
lision, for instance, have s ide assist
checked by an autho rized Aud i deale r for
safety reasons.

Automatic
transmission
tiptronic
Introduction
The automatic transmission is controlled elec­
tronically. The transmission upshifts or down­
shifts automatically depending on which drive
program is selected. The power is transferred
by a torque converter .
When a
mode rate d riv in g s ty le is used, the
transmission selects the most econom ica l
driving mode. It w ill then change up early and
delay the downshifts to g ive better fuel econ­
omy.
T he transmission switches to a sporty mode
after a k ick-down or when the driver uses a
spo rty driving sty le 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 a lso select the gears
manually ( tiptronic mode ) ¢ page 142.
Selector lever positions
Fig. 160 D isp lay in t he i nst ru m en t cluster: selecto r
l ever in pos it ion P
The selector lever position engaged appears
next to the selecto r lever as well as in the in­
strument clus ter disp lay.
P- P ark
M N In th is selector lever pos ition the transmis-o
;;f_ sion is mechan ically locked . Engage P only
~ when the vehicle is completely stopped ¢ 11::.. 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
Automatic tran sm iss ion 139
in Driving the automatic transmission on
page 141.
T o shift in or out of posit io n P , yo u m ust first
press and ho ld the brake pedal and then press
the re lease button in the selector leve r handle
whi le moving the selector lever to or from P.
You can shift out of th is position only with the
ignition on.
R -Reverse
Se lect R on ly when the vehicle is at a full stop
and the engine is running at idle speed ¢ 11::.. in
Driving the automatic transmission on
page 141.
Before you move the se lector lever to R, press
both the button in the hand le o f the selector
lever
and the brake pedal at the same t ime.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illu­
minate when the selecto r lever is moved into
R .
N -Neutral
The t ransm iss ion is in neut ral in this pos ition.
S hi ft to t his position fo r standing with the
brakes appl ied ¢
11::.. in Driving the automatic
transmission on page 141 .
The vehicle can
also roll when the engine is stopped .
When the vehicle is stat iona ry or at speeds
below 1 mph (2 km/h), yo u m ust always apply
the footbrake before and whi le mov ing the
lever o ut of
N .
D - Normal position for driving forward
In the no rma l mode D, the t ransmission auto­
matically selects the s uitable gear ratio.
It de­
pends on engine load, vehicle speed and driv ­
i ng sty le.
S -Sport posit ion
Se lect the sport mode S for spo rty dr iv ing .
T he vehicle makes fu ll use of the eng ine's
power. Shift ing may become noticeable when
acce lerat ing.
When the vehicle is stat ionary or at speeds
below 1 mph (2 km/h), you must always app ly ...,

140 Automatic transmission
the foot brake before and while moving the
lever to Dor S out of N .
.&_ WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS
c::> & in
Driving the automatic transmission on
page 141.
(D Note
Coasting downhill with the transmission in N and the engine not running will result in
damage to the automatic transmission
and possibly the catalytic converter.
(D Tips
- If you accidentally select N while driving,
take your foot off the accelerator pedal immediately and wait for the engine to
slow down to idle before selecting D.
- If there is a power failure, the selector
lever will not move out of the P position.
The emergency release can be used if
this happens
c::> page 143.
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)
T he Automatic Shift Lock safeguards you
against accidentally shifting into a forward or the reverse gear and causing the vehicle to
move unintentionally.
Fig . 161 Shift gate : se lector lever lock posi tion s an d
re lease button h ig hl igh te d
The selector lever lock is released as follows:
.. Tu rn the ignition on .
.. Step on the brake pedal.
At the same time
press and hold the release button on the
side of the gear selector knob
c::> fig. 161
with your thumb until you have moved the selector lever to the desired position .
Automatic selector lever lock
The selector lever is locked in the P and N po­
sitions when the ignition is tu rned on . You
must press the brake pedal and the release
button to select another position . As a re ­
minder to the driver, the following warning
appears in the instrument cluster display
when the selector is in P and N:
When stationary apply brake pedal while se­
lecting gear
The Automatic Shift Lock only functions when
the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below
1 mph (2 km/h).
At speeds above about 1 mph (2 km/h) the
Automat ic Shift Lock is automatically deacti­
vated in the N position.
A time delay element prevents the selector lever from locking when it is moved through
the N position (going from R to D). The lock­
ing element will lock the selector lever if the
lever is left in N (Neutral) for more than ap­
proximately 1 second, without the brake ped­
al being pressed .
Release button
The release button on the selector lever pre­
vents the lever from being accidentally shifted
into certain positions. Pressing this button de­
activates the selector lever lock. Depending
on the direction of the shift, the selector lever
locks at different positions . The positions are
highlighted in the illustration
c::> fig . 161.
Ignition key safety interlock
The key cannot be removed from the ignition
unless the selector lever is in the P park posi­
tion. When the ignition key is removed, the
selector lever will be locked in the P position.

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Driving the automatic transmission
Fig. 162 Shift g ate on the center co nso le: se lector lev­
er wi th release butt on
Starting the engine
~ The selector lever must be in P or N .
Starting off
~ Press and hold the brake pedal.
~ Press and hold the release button in these­
lector lever handle , select the desired selec ­
tor lever pos ition such as D and release the
button .
~ Wait briefly until the transmission has shift­
ed (you will feel a slight movement).
~ Remove your foot from the brake pedal and
acce lerate .
Stopping temporarily
~ Keep the vehicle stationary us ing the brak­
ing pedal, for examp le at traffic lights.
~ Do not press the accelerato r pedal when do -
ing this.
Stopping /parking
If the selector lever is not in the P position
when you open the driver's door, the vehicle
could roll. The message
Transmi ssion : Car
may roll! Shift to park! appears.
~ Press and hold the brake pedal unt il the ve­
hicle has come to a complete stop.
~ Set the parking brake firmly 9 page 112,
Parking.
~ Se lect the P selector lever position 9 &.-
Stopping on an incline
~ Always press the brake pedal to hold the ve­
hicle in place and prevent it from "rolling
back"
9 ,& . Do not try to prevent the vehi-
Autom atic transm ission 141
cle from "rolling back" when a gear is en­
gaged by increasing the engine speed
c::>(D.
Under certain circumstances, such as driving
in the mountains, it may be usefu l to switch
temporarily to the manual shift program in or­
der to adjust the gears to the driving condi­
tions by hand
c::> page 142 .
On slopes, activate the parking brake first and
then move the selector lever to the P position.
This prevents too much stress from being
placed on the locking mechanism.
A WARNING
- Unintended vehicle movement can cause
serious injury.
- Never leave your vehicle with the engine
running while in gear.
If you must leave
your veh icle when the engine is running,
apply the park ing brake firmly and move
the selector lever to P.
- Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To
prevent the vehicle from "c reeping ", you
must keep your foot on the brake when
the engine is running and the selector
lever is in D, Sor R or "tiptronic" mode is
selected.
- Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing the se lector lever position
while the vehicle is stationary and the engine is running.
- Never shift into R or P while driving.
- Before driving down a steep slope, re-
duce your speed and shift into a lower
gear with "tiptronic".
- Do not ride the brakes or press the bra ke
pedal too often or too long when driving
down a hi ll. Constant braking causes the
brakes to overheat and substantially re­
duces braking performance, increases braking distance or causes complete fa il·
ure of the brake system.
- To prevent the vehicle from rolling back
when stopping on inclines, always hold it
in place with the brake pedal or parking
brake . .,..

142 Automatic tr an smis sion
- Never hold the veh icle on an incl ine with
a slipp ing 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
c!;> page 143 when the clutch is overload­
ed.
- If the engine must remain running, never
hav e any driving pos ition engaged when
che cking under the hood. Make sure the
selector lever has secure ly engaged and
is locked in P with the parking bra ke
firmly set¢
page 256. Otherwise, any
increase in engine speed may set the ve­
hicle in motion, even with the parking
brake applied.
(D Note
- When stopping on an incline, do not try
to hold the vehicle in place by pressing
the accelerator peda l while a driving gear
is selected. Th is can cause the transm is­
s io n to overheat and can damage it. Acti­
vate the park ing brake or p ress the brake
pedal to prevent the vehicle from ro lling .
- Allow ing the vehicle to roll when the en ­
gine is stopped and the selector lever is i n
N w ill damage the transmiss ion be­
cause it is no t lub rica ted under those c ir­
cumst ances.
Hill descent control
The hill d escent control system assists the
driver when driving down declines.
H ill desce nt co ntrol is activated when these­
lecto r lever is in D/S a nd you press the b rake
pedal. The tra nsmission a utomatically se lects
a gea r that is suitab le for the incline. Hill de­
scent control tries to maintain the speed ach­
i eved at the t ime of brak ing, within physical
a nd techn ica l limitations . It may st ill be nec­
essary to adjust the speed with the brakes.
H ill descent co ntrol sw it ches off once the de ­
cline levels out or you press t he accelerator
pedal. When the speed is set in the cruise con
trol
system
c!;> page 113, hill descent contro l is al­
so act ivated.
A WARNING
--
Hill descent control cannot overcome
physical lim itations, so it may not be ab le
to maintai n a co nstant speed under all
conditions . A lways be ready to apply the
b rakes .
· Manual shift program
Using the manual shift program you can
manually select gears.
Fig. 1 63 Center conso le: sh ift in g the gears m an ually
Fig . 1 64 St ee rin g whee l: S h ift paddle s•
Gear selection with selector lever
The tiptronic mode can be sel ected either w ith
the vehicle stat io na ry or on t he move.
.,. Push the se lector lever to the right from D.
An
M appears in the instrument cluster dis ­
play as soon as the transmission has shifted .
.,. To upshift, push the se lecto r lever forwa rd
t o the plu s position
0 c!;> fig. 163 .
.,. To downsh ift, pus h the lever to the min us
position
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