2015 AUDI Q7 overheating

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Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers for the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event. EDRs are sometimes called "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retr ieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDRs that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for example, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during norma l vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a very limited period of
time and stored when a system fault or other
condition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may relate to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as we ll as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
The Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) rein­
forces driver safety. It reduces the risk of slip ­
ping and improves driving stability. ESC de­
tects critical s ituations such as the vehicle
Intelligent technology 223
oversteering and understeering or the whee ls
spinning . The vehicle is stabilized by applying
the brakes or reducing eng ine torque . Once
the ESC is active, the indicator light
GI blinks
in the instrument cluster.
The following systems are integrated in the
ESC:
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up
when brak ing. The vehicle can sti ll be steered
even during hard braking. Apply steady pres­
sure to the brake peda l. Do not pump the ped­
al. A pulsing in the brake pedal indicates that
the system is helping you to brake the vehicle.
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease braking
distance.
It increases braking power when the
driver presses the brake peda l quickly in emer­
gency situations. You must press and hold the
brake pedal until the situation is over. In
vehicles with adaptive cruise control*, the
brake assist system is more sensitive if the
distance detected to the vehicle ahead is too
small.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the force to
the road conditions. This makes it easier to
start, accelerate and dr ive up hi lls.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the drive power to the other wheels.
This function is not available at higher speeds .
In extreme cases, EDL automatically switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked wheel
from overheating. EDL will switch on again au­
tomatically when conditions have returned to
normal.
A WARNING
- The ESC and its integrated systems can­
not overcome the laws of physics. This is
especially important on slippery or wet
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Catalytic converter
Applies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
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 an environmentally sound manner .
... Always use lead-free gasoline c::> page 248,
Gasoline .
... Never run the tank down all the way to emp­
ty .
... Never put too much motor oil in your engine
c::> page 261, Adding engine oil 't=r..
.,. Never try to push-or tow-start your veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an eff icient "clean­
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be­
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclus ive use of unleaded fuel is cr it ically
i mportant for the life of the cata lytic convert­
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
& WARNING ,~
T he temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driving and after stopping
the engine .
- Never touch the exha ust tail pipes once
they have become hot. This could result
in burns.
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material which can
cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust p ipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields . During driving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
(D Note
- Be aware that just one tank f illing with
leaded fuel will already seriously de-
grade the performance of the catalytic
conve rter.
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 231
-Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
c::> page 261.
- Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
completely empty. The engine cou ld mis­
fire. Unburned fuel could also get into
the exhaust system and this cou ld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ignition while the ve­
hicle is mov ing.
- Do not continue to operate your veh icle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalyt ic converter. Th is
cou ld result in overheating of the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­
sion Control System:
- Have you r vehicle main tained properly
and in accordance w ith the se rv ice rec­
ommendations in your Warranty & Maintenance book let.
- Lack of proper maintenance as we ll as
improper use of t he vehicle will impair
the function of the emission contro l
system and could lead to damage.
@) For the sa ke of the env ironment
Even when the Emission Control System is
operating properly, the exhaust gas can have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operat ing states. This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fuel may help,
or filling the tank with lead-free s uper
g rade gasoline.
Diesel particulate filter
App lies to vehicles: wit h diese l eng ine
The diesel part iculate filter filters nearly all of
the soot pa rticles out of the exhaust . T he fil­
te r clea ns itself automat ica lly under no rma l
driv ing cond itions. If the filter cannot clean it ­
self (for example, because you are on ly driving
short distances), the fi lter becomes clogged
with soot and the
II symbol for the diese l
particulate filter i lluminates
c::> page 36. ..,_
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26 2 Ch eck ing and filling
8_ WARNING
Stop! Before working in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN ­
INGS
~ .&. in Working in the engine com­
partment on page
256 . The engine com­
partment of any motor veh icle is a poten­
tially dangerous area and can cause ser i­
ous personal injury.
8_ WARNING ,,,__
If you must change the engine oil in your
vehicle:
- Always wea r eye protection .
- T o reduce the ris k of burns from hot en-
gine oil let the engine cool down to the
touch.
- Whe n removing the oil drain plug with
yo ur fingers, stay as far away as poss ible.
Always keep your forearm paralle l to the
ground to he lp prevent hot oil from run­
ning down your arm.
- Drain the oi l into a container designed
for this pu rpose, one large enough to
hold at least the total amount of oil in
your engine.
- To reduce the risk of poisoning, never use
empty food or beverage containers that
might m islead someone into dr ink ing
from them.
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out
of the reach of children.
- Cont inuous contact with used engine oil
is harmful to your skin. Always protect
your sk in by washing thoroughly with
soap and water .
(D Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine
oil. These additives can damage your en­
gine and adverse ly affect your Audi Limit­
ed New Vehicle Warranty.
@i For the sake of the environment
- Before changing the oil, first make sure
you know where you can properly dispose of the old oil.
-
.
- Always dispose of used oil p roperly. Nev ­
er dump it on garden soil, in wooded
areas, into st reams or down sewage
dra ins.
- Recycle used oi l by taking it to a used en­
gine oil collection facility in your area, or
contact a service station.
- We strongly recommend that yo u have
your oil changed by an authorized Audi
dealer or a qualified workshop with the
special tools and expert ise required, and
proper means of disposal.
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.
T he cooling sys tem is sealed and genera lly re­
quires little attention.
The cooling system has been fi lled at the fac­
tory with a permanent coolant which does not need to be changed. The coo lant cons ists of a
mixtu re of specially conditioned water and the
manufacturer's g lycol -basedcoo la nt add
i-
tive G l3 antifreeze with anticorrosion addi ­
tives (SO% for USA mode ls; 60% for Canadian
models). This mixture both assures the neces­
sary frost protection and protects metal com­
ponents in the eng ine's cooling system from
corros ion and scaling.
It also ra ises the bo il­
i ng po int of the coolant .
Do not reduce the concentration of the cool­
ant in the summer by adding p lain wate r. Th e
proportion of coo lant additiv e mu st be at
l e as t 50 °/4 but not m ore than 60°/4
to main­
ta in ant ifreeze protect io n and cooling eff ic ien­
c y.
If the coo lant fros t 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
t h e factory fo r temperatures down to:
- -31°F(-35°C)USA
- - 40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada.

264 Check ing and filling
Coolant lo ss
Coolant loss may indicate a l ea k in t he cooling
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cool ­
ing system should be inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not
enough merely to add coolant.
I n a
se ale d system, losses can occur only if
the boiling point of the coolant is exceeded as
a result of overheating.
A WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of scald­
ing from hot coolant by following these
steps.
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering the
cap with a large, thick rag .
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in
a counter-clockwise direction wh ile ap­
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap .
- To avoid being burned, do not spill ant i­
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system
or hot eng ine parts. Under certain condi­
t io ns, the ethy lene g lycol in engine cool­
an t ca n ca tch f ire.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your vehicle's eng ine coolant. Add­
ing radiato r repair fluid may adve rsely af­
fect the function and performance of your
cooling system and could res ult in damage
not covered by your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty .
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything i n the engine com­
pa rtmen t,
a lwa ys read and heed all WARN ­
INGS c:::> A in Working in the engine compart ­
ment on page 256.
.. Tu rn off the engine .
.. Let the engine cool down.
.. Place a thick rag over the coo lant expansion
tank
c> page 263 , fig. 246 and carefully
twist the cap counter-clockwise c> ,&. .
.. Add coo lant m ixed in the correct rat io
c:::> page 262, Coolant.
.. Twist the cap o n again tightly.
Rep lacement engine coo lant must conform to
exact spec ificat ions
c> page 262, Coolant.
We recommend using only coo lant add it ive
G12 ++, G13 or in an emergency G12 +. Do
not
use a different add itive. In an emergency use
plain water until you can get the correct addi­
t ive and can restore the correct ratio . This
shou ld be done as soon as poss ib le.
If you have lost a considerab le amount of
coolant, the n you should add cold ant ifreeze
and co ld water on ly when the eng ine is cold .
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fi ll coo lant above the "MAX" mark. Ex­
cess coolant will be forced o ut through the
pressure relief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of
scalding from hot coolant by following
these steps.
- Turn off the engine and allow it to coo l
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering
the cap with a large, th ick rag.
- Turn the cap s low ly and very carefully
in a counter-clockwise direction while
applying light, downward pressure on
the top of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill an­
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys­
tem or hot engi ne parts. Under certain
cond it ions, the ethylene g lycol in e n­
gine coolant can catch fire .

306 What do I do now?
• Secure the wheel with the large screw.
• Fold the cargo floor back down .
After using th e inflat able spare wheel
The inflatable spare t ire can be re-used as
l ong as it is not damaged and is not worn
down to the tread wear ind icators
c::> A .
When you let the air out of the inflatable
spa re tire, it does not assume its folded shape
again for several ho urs. Until then, it cannot
be p laced back in the spare wheel well and
stowed securely.
A WARNING
- Never use the spare tire if it is damaged
or if it is worn down to the tread wear in­
dicators.
- If the inflatable spare tire is more than 6
years old, use it on ly in an emergency
and w ith extreme caut ion and careful
dr iv ing .
- The inflatable spare tire is intended only
for temporary and short-term use .
It
should be replaced as soon as possible
with the no rmal wheel and tire .
- The tire pressure value for the inflatable
spare t ire is located on the driver's side
B-p illar
c::> page 278, fig . 251 .
-Maximum perm iss ible speed is SO mph
(80 km/h).
- Avoid full-throttle acce le rat ion, heavy
braking, and fast corner ing .
- When the air is let out of the inflatable
spare wheel, it does not assume its fold­
ed shape for several hours . Until then, it
cannot be placed back in the spare wheel
we ll and stowed secu rely.
- Never drive with more than one inflata­
ble spare ti re.
- For technical reasons, the use of ti re
chains on the inf latable spare tire is not
permitted.
If i t is necessary to drive w ith
t ir e cha ins, the infla table spare whee l
must be moun ted on the front axle in the
event of a flat in a rear tire . The newly
available front whee l must the n be in­
sta lled in place of the rear wheel with the flat tire
. Insta lling the t ire cha in be­
fore mounting the wheel and tire is rec­
ommended.
- Loose items in the passenger compart­
ment can cause serious personal injury
during hard brak ing or in a n accident.
Never store the inflatable spare tire or
jack and tools in the passenge r compart­
ment.
(D Note
- The inflatable spare tire has been deve l­
oped specifically for t his veh icle mode l.
It must not be exchanged or used for
other vehicle models. Sim ila rly, inflata­
ble t ires from other vehi cle models m ust
no t be used.
- Norma l summer or w inte r ti res m ust not
be ins talled on the infla table t ire rim.
Inflating inflatable spare tire
• Remove the compressor from the luggage
compa rtment
c::> page 305 , fig. 260.
• Unscrew the valve stem from the spare tire.
• Screw the tire f iller hose from the compres­
sor firmly onto the
va lve of the spare tire.
• Insert the plug from the compressor into an
outlet of the ve hicle
c::> page 90 .
• Switch the comp resso r on .
• Let the compressor run unti l the va lue speci­
fied on the ti re p ressu re label is reached
c::> page 278, fig. 251 . Switc h the compres­
sor off after running for 12 m inutes at the
most -danger of overheating!
A WARNING
-The compressor and the tire f iller hose can
become extremely hot while t hey are run­
n ing -danger of burns!
([) Note
Switch the compressor off after ru nning
for 12 min utes at the most -danger of
overheating! Allow the compressor to cool
down for a few m inutes before you use it
again .