2015 AUDI Q7 Owner´s Manual

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emphasis on comfort are selected in this
mode.
- Automatic lowering: When a speed of
about 75 mph (120 km/h) is exceeded for
more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is auto­
matically lowered by 0.6 inch (15 mm) to
low level .
-Automatic raising: The vehicle is automati­
ca lly raised to
normal level again, if the
speed falls below about 44 mph (70 km/h)
for a period of 2 minutes . The vehicle is
raised immediately when speed falls below
about 22 mph (35 km/h) .
Offroad
Select the offroad mode when you have to
travel over poor quality sections of road (e .g.
trails). In th is mode, the vehicle is raised to
high level 1, and damp ing characteristics for
poor road stretches are selected . When
sw itch ing to offroad mode , the Adaptive Air
Suspension indicato r appears automat ically in
the instrument cluster display¢
page 160.
The offroad mode can only be activated at
speeds below 37 mph (60 km/h) . Offroad
mode ends automatically and the automatic
mode is activated when a speed of approxi­
mately 50 mph (80 km/h) is exceeded.
Lift
Select the lift mode when except ionally high
ground clearance is needed at a reduced
speed. In this mode, the vehicle is raised to
high level 2. When switching to lift mode , the
Adaptive A ir Suspension indicator appears au­
tomatically in the instrument cluster display
¢ page 160.
The lift mode can be activated only at speeds
below 12 mph (20 km/h). When a speed of
about 25 mph (40 km/h) is exceeded, the sys­
tem automatically leaves lift mode and the
offroad mode is activated. The instrument
cluster display automat ically switches the dis­
play to Adaptive Air Suspens ion to indicate re­
duced ground clearance .
Adaptive Air Suspension 159
MMI settings
Applies to vehicles: wit h Adaptive A ir Suspension
Driving modes are adjusted in the MMI and
the current vehicle level is displayed .
Fig. 189 MMI Display: Sett ings
Fig. 190 MMI Display: Sett ings
Th e ign ition must be switched on to set the
driving modes.
1-Select: !CAR ! function button .
Raising and lowering
If the arrow (D ¢ fig. 189 is white or if the ar­
rows
(D blink ¢ fig. 190, the vehicle is being
raised .
If the arrow @i=>
fig. 189 is white or if the ar­
rows
(D point downward and blink ¢ fig. 190,
the vehicle is being lowered .
The respective arrow stays on/blinks until the
level change is complete . The time used for a
level change can vary, depending on the cur­
rent driving conditions .
Displaying the vehicle level
The c urrent vehicle level is shown with seg­
ments filled out in the segment display@. If
only the bottom segment is filled o ut, the ve-
hicle is at highway level. If all segments are
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160 Adapti ve Air Su spen sion
filled out, the vehicle is at high level 2 and has
the greatest amount of ground clearance pos­
sib le.
While the vehicle is being raised or lowered,
the target level is indicated by an arrow@
c::> fig. 189 or a white border @ c::> fig. 190 . The
arrow/border disappears aga in when the vehi­
cle is at the target level.
Limitations to MMI setting s
Please note that not eve ry dr iving mode can
be selected in every driving situation . For ex­
ample, it is not possible to switch to "lift"
mode at speeds above 12 mph (20 km/h) .
This mode is then shown
greyed out in the
MMI Display .
The vehicle can only be lowered when
a ll of
the vehicle's doors are closed. If one door is
open, all driving modes whose level sett ing is
belo w the current vehicle level appear
greyed
out
i n the MMI Display . If a door is opened
while the vehicle is being lowered, the lower­ ing process is interrupted until all doors are
closed again .
If the system is temporar ily unava ilable due
to, for instance, an empty compressed air
tank, the driving modes that cannot be set ap­ pear
greyed out in the MM I Disp lay. As soon
as the system is available again, the driv ing
modes can once more be selected in the dis­
p lay .
(D} Tips
- Fo r addition al in format ion on the driv ing
modes
c::> page 157, Chassis controls.
- When the compressed air tank is empty,
the compressor can be switched on by
starting the engine . The Adaptive Air
Suspension is once again available, after
waiting a few minutes.
- To prevent over load, the system switches
off tempera rily if several adj ustments
are made in a row. The Adaptive Air Sus­
pension is once again available, after
waiting a few minutes. Appearance in the instrument cluster
display
Applies to veh
icles: w ith Adapt ive A ir Suspens ion
You can view th e current vehicle l evel in the
instrument cluster display.
Fi g. 1 91 Display: Adapt ive Air Suspensio n
Fig . 1 92 Disp lay: Adapt ive A ir Susp ensio n
Repeated, brief tapping of the I RESET ! button
on the windshield wiper lever allows you to
se lect whether information concerning the
trip computer, digital tachometer, nav igat ion*
or "Adapt ive Air Suspension" is to appear in
the instrument cluster d isp lay .
Display of the Adaptive Air Suspension is auto­
matic when the offroad or lift mode is select­
ed, or when the vehicle is automatically low­
ered in lift mode .
Rai sing and lowe ring
If arrow
(J) is white c::> fig. 191 or c::> fig . 192,
the vehicle is raised.
If arrow @is
white, the vehicle is lowered .
The respective arrow stays on until the level c hange is complete. The time requ ired for a
level change can vary, depending on the cur-
ren t drivi ng conditions . ..,_

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Displaying the vehicle level
The current vehicle leve l is shown with seg­
ments fi lled out in the segment disp lay @. If
on ly the bottom segment is filled out, the ve­
hicle is at highway leve l. If all segments are
fi lled out, the vehicle is at high level 2 and has
the greatest amount of ground clearance pos­
sible.
While the vehicle is being raised or lowered,
the target level is indicated by an arrow @
¢
fig. 191 or a white border @¢ fig. 192. The
arrow/border disappears aga in when the vehi­
cle is at the target level.
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire
Applies to vehicles: with Adaptive Air Suspension
This mode must be activated in the MMI be­
fore raising the vehicle with a jack or on a ve­
hicle lift.
.,. Select: ICARI funct ion button> ! SETUP I func­
t ion button >
Jacking mode. Or
.,. Select:
I CARI funct ion button > Car systems*
control button > Servicing & checks > Air
susp.: tire change .
The vehicle jack mode must be activated be­
fore changing a wheel so that the automatic
control processes fo r the a ir suspension do
not make lift ing with the vehicle jack more dif­
ficult.
The check lamp
II i n the instrument cluster
d isp lay illuminates in vehicle jack mode.
0) Tips
The vehicle jack mode is switched off auto­
mat ically at speeds above 9 mph (15 km/
h).
Towing a trailer
Appl ies to vehicles: with towing hitch and Adaptive Air
Suspension
Automatic lowering is not desirable when
towing a trailer.
.,. Se lect: ICAR I function button> !SETUP I func­
tion button >
Towing mode . Or
Adaptive A ir Suspension 161
.,. Select: !CAR I function button > Car systems*
contro l button > Vehicle settings > Air
susp.: towing .
As long as towing mode is activated, a vehicle
with a trai ler appears in the
adaptive air sus­
pension
main menu.
Level Adjustment when towing a trailer
- Before hitching up the trailer and before ad­
jus ting the tongue weight at the trailer, the
automatic or comfort mode
must be select ­
ed so that the ve hicle can be at normal level
¢ page 159, MMI settings.
-If driving in dynamic mode is desired, this
mode
must be selected before hitching up
the trailer and before adjusting the tongue
weight. However, note that your vehicle is lowered and ground clearance is reduced.
- If you have to dr ive under difficult road con­
ditions, you can select offroad or lift mode,
after hitch ing up the trailer or after adjust­
ing the tongue weight.
- If the veh icle is at
normal level, and you se­
lect offroad mode wh ile traveling at speeds
higher than 22 mph (35 km/h), the veh icle
w ill not be ra ised. Offroad mode will appear
as the active mode in the MMI Display.
- If the veh icle is in offroad mode at
high level
1 ,
it automatically lowers to normal level
when the ve hicl e is t ravel ing at speeds ex­
ceeding approximately 31 mph (SO km/h).
The vehicle is automatically raised to
high
level 1
again when the traveling speed falls
be low approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
Restrictions when operating with a trailer
When operating w ith a tra iler, the lift mode
can only be selected up to about 12 mph (20
km/h). Lift mode is automatically cance led
again when a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/
h) is exceeded.
If the vehicle is in automatic, comfort, offroad
or lift mode before the trai ler towing mode is
activated, the dynamic mode cannot be acti­
vated.
If the vehicle is in dynamic mode before tow-
ing operation is activated, it can be driven in
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162 Adapti ve Air Su spen sion
this mode. If the suspension is switched from
this mode to another mode, dynamic mode
cannot be re-selected .
(D Tips
-For vehicles with a factory installed tow ­
ing hitch or a trailer hitch that was in­
stalled later accord ing to factory specifi­
cations, the system recognizes "Trailer
tow ing mode" and activates this specia l
mode automatically, as soon as the elec­
trical connection on the trailer socket is
connected. The mode ceases a utomat i­
ca lly when the elect rical connection to
t h e trai ler socket is d isconnected.
- If the tra iler towing mode has been acti­
vated, the vehicle will not drop to the
l ow or highway level.
Cargo mode
Applies to vehicles: with Adapt ive Air Suspe nsio n
The rear of the vehicle can be lowered to
make it easier to load.
Fig. 193 Luggage compa rtment detail: Cargo mode
sw itch
Using switch for activating c argo mode
.. Close all vehicle doors .
.. Open the trunk lid .
.,. Press the lower pa rt of the switch @
~ fig. 193. The rea r of the vehicle is low ­
ered.
.,. Press the uppe r part o f the switch @. T he
rear of the vehicle is raised again.
Activating cargo mode in the MMI*
.. Select: ICAR I funct io n button> !SETUP I func­
t ion button >
Lower for loading .
In cargo mode, the rear ax le is lowered by 2 .2
inches (S5 mm), compared to the normal lev ­
el.
While the veh icle is in ca rgo mode, the seg­
ments do not appear as filled in the segment
display.
Cargo mode i s automatic ally c an ce le d again
when a different mode is selected in the MM I
Display, or when a speed of about 3 mph (5
km/ h) has been exceeded.
If the system is tempora rily unavailable due
to, for instance, an empty compressed air
tank, the
Lower for loading * function appears
greyed out in the MMI Display. As soon as the
system is available again, the funct ion can
once more be selected in the disp lay.
While the vehicle is being lowered, the indica­
tor light @~
fig. 193 on the switch in the
l uggage compartment flashes. When the car ­
go leve l has been reached, the indicator light
comes on and remains on as long as the vehi­
cle is in cargo mode. When the vehicle is
r aised agai n, the indicator light flashes again.
(D Note
M ake sure before canceling cargo mode
that there is sufficient clearance above the
vehicle and around the trunk lid, if open.
(D Tips
- The vehicle w ill not be lowered if one of
the vehicle doors is open, or if the com­
pressed air tank is empty. The indicator
light on the switch flashes three times.
- Whe n the compressed air tank is empty,
it will refill when you drive at speeds
over 25 mph (40 km/ h). The vehicle can
be lowered to cargo level whe n the com­
pres sed air tan k is adequately filled.
- If the vehicle is i n lift or off road mode
when you act ivate cargo mode, the vehi­
cle will fi rst drop down to no rma l level.

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Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need
to read and observe for your own safety, the
safety of your passengers and others . We have
summarized here what you need to know
about safety belts, airbags, ch ild restra ints as
well as child safety. You r safety is for us
priori­
ty number 1.
Always observe t he information
a nd warn ings in th is se ct ion - for yo ur own
safety as well as that of your passengers .
The information in this se ction applies to all
model ve rsion s of your veh icle . Some of the
feat ures descr ibed in th is sec tions may be
standa rd equipment on some models, or may
be optional equipment on others . If you are
not sure, ask yo ur authorized Aud i dea ler.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
st ruct ions and heed the WARNINGS i n
this manual. It is in your interest and in
the inte rest of you r passengers.
- Always keep all of the Owner's Literature
man uals in your Audi when you lend o r
sell your vehicle so that this im po rtant
information will a lways be availab le to
the driver and passengers.
- Always keep the Owner's Literature han­
dy so that you can find it easily if yo u
have ques tion s.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint syst em and work togeth er to help
redu ce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations .
Your safety and the safety of your passenge rs
should not be left to chance. Advances in
t echnology have made a var iety o f fea tures
avai lable to he lp red uce the risk of i njury in an
Dr iving Safel y 163
accident . The following is a list of just a few of
the safety features in yo ur Audi :
- sophis ticated s afety be lts fo r drive r and a ll
passenger sea ting posit ions,
- be lt tens ione rs fo r the fro nt seats and the
outer sea ting pos it ions in the second row
seating,
- be lt h eight adjustment fo r th e front seats
a nd the o ute r seat ing positions in the sec­
ond row sea ting,
- he ad restra ints for e ach sea ting pos it ion,
- front airbags,
- side airbags in the fro nt seats a nd the outer
seating posit ions i n the second row seat­
ing*,
- side curta in airbags,
- special LATCH anchorages for child re-
straints,
- adjustab le steeri ng column.
T hese individual safety features, can work to ­
gether as a system to he lp protect you and
your passengers in a wide range of accide nts.
These features cannot work as a system if
they are not always correctly adjusted and cor ­
rect ly used .
Safety is everybody's responsibil ity!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job! Vehicle and occu­
pant safety always depends on the informed
and careful driver.
Fo r yo ur safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
.. Ma ke s ure that all lights and signa ls are op­
erating correctly .
.. Ma ke s ure that the tire pressure is co rrect .
.. Make s ure that all windows are clean and a f­
ford good vis ibility to the outs ide.
.. Secure all luggage and o ther items carefu lly
¢ page 90.
.. Make s ure that nothing can interfere with
the peda ls.
.. Adj ust fron t se at, head res traint and m irrors
c orrectly fo r you r heigh t. .,..
•
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164 Driving Safel y
• Instr uct passenge rs to adjust the head re­
straints according to their height.
• Make sure to use the right child restraint
correct ly to protect children<=>
page 203,
Child Safety .
• Sit properly i n your seat and make sure that
you r passenge rs do the same
<=> page 74,
General recomm endations .
• Fasten your safe ty be lt and wear it properly.
Also ins truc t you r passengers to f aste n t heir
sa fety belts properly <=>
page 173.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving i s directly rela ted to the condi­
t ion of the vehicle , the driver as well as the
driver 's abili ty to concentrate on the road
without being distracted .
The driver is responsib le fo r the s afety o f the
ve hicl e an d all of i ts occupants . If you r ab ility
to d rive is impai red, safety r is k s for everybody
i n the vehicle increase and yo u also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road <=>
&_.
Therefore:
• Do not let yo ursel f be distracte d by passe n­
gers or by using a cellular telephone.
• NEVER dr ive when your dr iv ing ability is im ­
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol , drugs, etc.).
• Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense .
• ALWAYS ad just yo ur speed to road, t raff ic
and weathe r con dit ions .
• Take frequent breaks o n long t rips. Do no t
dr ive for more than two hours a t a str etch .
• Do NOT drive when you are t ired, under
pressure or when you are st ressed .
A WARNING
Impai red driving safety increases the risk
of serious persona l injury and death when­
ever a veh icle is being used.
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver sea ting posi tion is imp or­
t ant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fi g. 1 94 Correct seat ing posit ion
For yo ur own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust t he driver's seat to the
fo llow ing pos ition:
• Adj ust t he d river's seat so that you can easi­
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keepi ng your knee(s) slightly bent
¢ &_ .
• Ad just t he angle of the seatbac k so that it is
in an upr ight position so that your back
comes in full conta ct w ith it when you d rive.
• Adj ust t he steering wheel so t hat there is a
d is tance of at least 1 0 inches (2 5 cm) be ­
t ween the steer ing whee l and yo ur breast
bone ~
fig. 194. If not possible, see your a u­
thorized A udi dealer about adaptive equip ­
ment.
• Adjust t he steering wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover poi nts at your
ch est and not at your face .
• Grasp the top of the ste ering whee l w ith
your elb ow(s) slightly ben t.
• Adj ust t he head re st ra in t so the upper edge
is as even as possible wi th th e top of y our
head . If that is not poss ible, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this pos ition as possib le .
.,. Fasten and wear safety belts correct ly
<=>page 177.

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~ Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle at all
times.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
¢ page 75.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help
reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between your breast­
bone and the steering wheel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the
outside of the steering wheel rim with
your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of per­
sonal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with your hands at
other positions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Hold­
ing the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands,
arms and head if the driver's airbag de­
ploys.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supple­
mental driver's airbag to protect you in a
collision .
- Always sit in an upright position and nev­
er lean against or place any part of your
body too close to the area where the air ­
bags are located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
seats and head restraints properly and
make sure that all passengers are prop­
erly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle
is moving . Your seat may move unexpect­
edly and you could lose control of the ve­
hicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in-
Driving Safely 165
jury due to incorrect positioning of the
safety belt and improper seating posi­
tion .
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats ¢
page 203. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seat
on the front passenger seat¢
page 182.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position
is important for safe, relaxed driving .
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom ­
mend that you adjust the seat for the front
passenger to the following position :
~ Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position and your back comes
in full contact with it whenever the vehicle is
moving .
~ Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possible , try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible¢
page 166.
~ Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of
the front passenger seat .
~ Fasten and wear safety belts correct­
ly ¢
page 177 .
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger 's seat, see ¢
page 7 4.
A WARNING ,_
Front seat passengers who are unbelted,
out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured or killed by the air­
bag as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of
serious personal injury:
- Passengers must always sit in an upright
position and never lean against or place
any part of their body too close to the
area where the airbags are located.
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of po­
sition or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured by an airbag as it
•
•

166 Driving Safely
unfolds with great force in the blink of
an eye .
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front
passenger's breastbone and the instru­
ment panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of their own and properly fasten and
wear the safety belt belonging to that
seat.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
passenger seat and head restraint prop­
erly .
- Always keep your feet on the floor in
front of the seat. Never rest them on the
seat, instrument panel, out of the win­
dow, etc. The airbag system and safety
belt will not be able to protect you prop­
erly and can even increase the risk of in­
jury in a crash.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in­
jury due to incorrect positioning of the
safety belt and improper seating posi­
tion.
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats
c::> page 203. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seat
on the front passenger seat
c::> page 182 .
Proper seating positions for passengers
in rear seats
Rear seat passengers must sit upright with
both feet on the floor consistent with their
physical size and be properly restrained whenever the vehicle is in use .
To reduce the risk of injury caused by an incor­
rect seating position in the event of a sudden
braking maneuver or an accident, your pas­
sengers on the rear bench seat must always
observe the following :
.. If there are passengers in the rear seat, fold
the head restraints up on the occupied seats
or slide the center head restraint upward at
least to the next notch
c::> page 80.
.. Make sure that the seatback is securely
latched in the upright position
c::> page 82.
.. Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of
the rear seat .
.. Fasten and wear safety belts properly
c::> page 177.
.. Make sure that children are always properly
restrained in a child restraint that is appro­
priate for their size and age
c::> page 203.
_& WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on
the rear seat can be seriously injured in a
crash.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat
of their own and properly fasten and
wear the safety belt belonging to that seat .
- Safety belts only
offer maximum protec­
tion when the seatback is securely latch­
ed in the upright position and the safety
belts are properly positioned on the
body. By not sitting upright, a rear seat
passenger increases the risk of personal
injury from improperly positioned safety
belts!
- Always adjust the head restraint properly
so that it can give maximum protection.
Proper adjustment of head restraints
-
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an im­
portant part of your vehicle's occupant re ­
straint system and can help to reduce the risk
of injuries in accident situations.
Fig. 19S H ead restra int: vi ew ed from the front
The head restraints must be correctly adjust-
ed to achieve the best protection. .,.