2015 AUDI S7 warning lights

Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard 89
tachometer @and is also shown briefly in
the display @
c::> fig. 94.
.. You must also press the brake pedal when
the vehicle is stopped.
Switching adaptive cruise control off
.. Push the lever away from you into position
@ until it clicks into place. The message
ACC off appears.
@ Indicator lights
II-Adaptive cru ise contro l is switched on.
No vehicles are detec ted up ahead. The stored
speed is ma intained.
• -A moving vehicle is detected up ahead.
The adaptive cruise control system regulates
the speed and distance to the moving vehicle
ahead and acce lerates/brakes automatical ly.
fit -Adaptive cruise contro l is switched on. A
mov ing vehicle up ahead was detected. Your
vehicle remains stopped.
• -When automatic brak ing is not able to
keep enough distance to a previously detected
moving vehicle up ahead, you must take con­
trol and brake
c::> page 91, Prompt for driver
intervention.
© Display
If adaptive cruise control is not shown in the
d isp lay, you can call it up with the multifunc­
tion steering wheel buttons
c::> page 24.
Based on the symbols in the d isplay, you can
determine if the system is maintaining a dis­
tance to the vehicle ahead and what that d is­
tance is.
No vehicle -No veh icle ahead was detected .
White vehicle -A vehicle ahead was detected.
Red vehicle -Prompt for the driver to take ac­
tion
c::> page 91.
Both arrow s on the scale© indicate the dis­
tance to the vehicle ahead. No arrow appears
~ when the vehicle is on an open road and there <(
~ is no object ahead . If an object is detected
:;, ahead , the arrow moves on the scale .
"' ,....,
"' ,....,
The green zone on the scale shows the stored
distance. For information on changing the
stored distance, refer to
c::> page 90 . If the
distance selected is too close or may soon be­
come too close, the arrows move into the red
zone on the sca le .
A WARNING
Improper use of the adaptive cruise con­
trol can cause collisions, other accidents
and serious personal injur ies .
- Pressing the
!SET ! button when driv ing at
speeds below 20 mph (30 km/h), will au­
tomatically accelerate the vehicle to 20
mph (30 km/h), which is the minimum
speed that can be set.
(D Tips
-If you switch the ignit ion or the adaptive
cruise control off, the set speed is erased
from the system memory.
- Th e elec tronic stab ilization control (ESC)
and the anti-slip-regulation (ASR) are au­
tomatically turned on when the adaptive
cruise control is turned on. Both systems
cannot be turned off if the adaptive
cruise contro l is turned on.
Changing the speed
Applies to veh icles: with Audi adaptive cruise control
0
f
• 0
Fig . 95 Se lector lever: chang ing the speed
.. To increase or reduce the speed in incre­
ments,
tap the lever up or down.
.. To increase or reduce the speed quickly,
hold
the lever up or down until the red LED @
reaches the desired speed
c::> page 88,
fig . 94.
~

128 Driving Safely
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, child restraints as
well as child safety. Your safety is for us
priori­
ty number 1.
Always observe the information
and warnings in this section - for your own
safety as well as that of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle . Some of the
features described in this sections may be
standard equipment on some models, or may
be optional equipment on others. If you are
not sure, ask your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
structions and heed the WARNINGS in
this Manual. It is in your interest and in
the interest of your passengers.
- Always keep the complete Owner's Liter­
ature in your Audi when you lend or sell
your vehicle so that this important infor­
mation will always be available to the
driver and passengers.
- Always keep the Owner's literature handy
so that you can find it easily if you have
questions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint system and work together to help
reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations.
Your safety and the safety of your passengers
should not be left to chance. Advances in
technology have made a variety of features
available to help reduce the risk of injury in an accident.
The following is a list of just a few of
the safety features in your Audi:
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all
passenger seating positions,
- safety belt pretensioners ,
- safety belt force limiters for the front seats,
- safety belt height adjustment systems for
the front seats,
- front airbags,
- knee airbags for the front seats*
- side airbags in the front seats and outer rear
seats*,
- side curtain airbags ,
- special LATCH anchorages for child re-
straints,
- head restraints for each seating position,
- adjustable steering column.
These individual safety features, can work to­ gether as a system to help protect you and
your passengers in a wide range of accidents .
These features cannot work as a system if
they are not always correctly adjusted and cor­
rectly used.
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job! Vehicle and occu ­
pant safety always depends on the informed and careful driver .
For your safety and the safety of your passen ­
gers,
before driving always:
.. Make sure that all lights and signals are op­
erating correctly.
.. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct .
.. Make sure that all windows are clean and af­
ford good visibility to the outside .
.. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
q page 64, q page 61 .
.. Make sure that nothing can interfere with
the pedals.
.. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height.
.. Instruct passengers to adjust the head re-
straints according to their height . .,..

138 Safety belts
Safety belts
General notes
Always wear safety belts!
Wearing safety belts correctly saves lives!
This chapter explains why safety belts are nec­
essary, how they work and how to adjust and
wear them correctly.
.. Read all the information that follows and
heed all of the instructions and WARNINGS.
A WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them
improperly increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death.
- Safety belts are the single most effective
means available to reduce the risk of se­
rious injury and death in automobile acci­
dents . For your protection and that of
your passengers, always correctly wear
safety belts when the vehicle is moving .
- Pregnant women, injured, or physically
impaired persons must also use safety
belts. Like all vehicle occupants, they are
more likely to be seriously injured if they
do not wear safety belts. The best way to
protect a fetus is to protect the mother -
throughout the entire pregnancy.
Number of seats
Your Audi has a total of four seating positions: two in the front and two in the rear . In some
vehicles, there are five seating positions : two
in the front and three in the rear . Each seating
position has a safety belt.
A WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them
improperly increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death.
- Never strap more than one person, in­
cluding small children, into any belt.
It is
especially dangerous to place a safety
belt over a child sitting on your lap. -
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are safety belts available.
- Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is
properly restrained with a separate safe­
ty belt or child restraint.
~ Safety belt warning light
Your vehicle has a warning system for the
driver and front seat passenger (on USA mod­
els only) to remind you about the importance
of buckling-up.
Fig. 150 Safety belt warning light in the instr ument
cluster -enlarged
Before driving off, always:
.. Fasten your safety belt and make sure you
are wearing it properly.
.. Make sure that your passengers also buckle
up and properly wear their safety belts.
.. Protect children with a child restraint sys-
tem appropriate for the size and age .
The warning light . in the instrument clus­
ter lights up when the ignition is on as a re­
minder to fasten the safety belts. In addition,
you will hear a warning tone for a certain peri ­
od of time .
Fasten your safety belt and make sure that
your passengers also properly put on their
safety belts.
A WARNING
-- Safety belts are the single most effective
means available to reduce the risk of se­
rious injury and death in automobile acci­
dents . For your protection and that of
your passengers, always correctly wear
safety belts when the vehicle is moving.

M N <( I.J "". rl I.O
"' rl
"' rl
Intelligent technology 197
Switching on and off
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine.
Fig. 182 Center console,:, OFF button
ESC levels
Sport mode on
The following situations are exceptions where it may be useful to switch on sport mode to
allow the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Dr iv ing with snow chains
Sport mode off
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabilization functions The fu ll stab ilizat ion function of the ESC
are limited¢ ,&.
Operation Press the I~ OFFI button .
Indicator II turns on.
lights
Driver mes- Stabilization control (ESC): Sport.
sages Warning! Reduced
stability
A WARNING
You should only sw itch sport mode on if
your dr iving abilities and road conditions
permit.
- The stabilization function is limited
when sport mode is sw itched on . The
dr iv ing wheels could spin and the vehicle
cou ld swerve, especially on slick or slip­
pery road surfaces.
@ Tips
- Sport mode cannot be switched on if the
cruise control system* or the adapt ive
cruise control* is switched on.
- If the rear spoiler system malfunctions,
spo rt mode may not switch on or it may
swit ch off again automatically.
-
and ASR is available again.
Press the IS'} OFF I button again.
Iii tur ns off.
Stabilization control (ESC): On
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling
and enhances driver control.
Fig . 183 Cente r conso le: Sw itch for rear spoiler
The rear spoi ler deploy s and retracts. Spoiler
operation can be set fo r automatic or man ual
opera tion.
Automatic mode (normal operation)
-Automatic deployment: At a speed of about
80 mph (130 km/h), the rea r spo iler deploys
automatically .
II>

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 .,..

200 Intelligent technology
nearest Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop.
- Never let the vehicle ro ll to a stop with
the engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, the
brake pedal must be pressed considera­
bly harder to make up for the lack of
booster assistance.
Electromechanical
power assist, dynamic
steering
The electromechanical power assist helps the
driver when steering.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Indicator lights and messages
• Steering defective! Stop the vehicle
If this indicator light turns on and stays on
and this message appears, the power steering
may have failed.
Do
not continue driving. See your authorized
Audi dealer or other qualified repair facility
for assistance.
l>:r-ij Steering: System fault You can continue
driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the steering may be more diffi­
cult to move or more sensitive than usual. The
steering wheel may also be at an angle when
driving straight.
Drive slow ly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected.
'Tl Dynamic steering: Initializing
If th is driver message appears and the ind ica­
tor light is flashing on the inst rument panel,
dynamic steering* is be ing reinitialized. After
starting the engine, the steering whee l wi ll
move slightly. Re-initialization might be nec­
essary if the steering wheel was moved hard
to the left and right while the vehicle was not moving. The display
goes out as soon as initi­
alization is complete.
Drive slowly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified wo rkshop to have the malfunct ion
corrected.
A WARNING
Have the dynamic steering * system mal ­
function repaired as soon as possible by an
authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop -risk of accident!
(D Tips
If the . or '1:I indicator light only stays
on for a short time, you may continue driv­
ing.
- The dynamic steering* stability systems
are not availab le in the event of a system
malfunction .
- For additional information on dynamic
steering*, refer to¢
page 102.
Driving with your
quattro
-
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels ore driv­
en .
General information
With all-wheel drive, power is distributed to
all four wheels. This happens automatically
depending on your driving style and the road
conditions at the time. See also
¢page 195.
A center differential distributes the driving
power variably to the front and rear axle.
It
works together with selective wheel torque
control, which activates when driving through
curves¢
page 196. With the sport differen­
tial*, power distribution to the rear wheels is
variable and can be adjusted with drive se lect
¢ page 102.
The all-wheel drive concept is des igned for
high eng ine power. Your veh icle is except ion­
ally powerfu l and has excellent driving charac­
teristics both under normal driving conditions
and on snow and ice. Always read and follow
safety precautions ¢,&. . .,.

202 Intelligent technology
than is being generated and ensures an opti­
mal state of charge for the battery.
(D Tips
- But even energy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
li mited.
- If starting ability is threatened, the indi­
cator light (•) appears¢
page 17.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the cold time
of year. Abundant e lectrica l energy is re­
quired, but only a little is generated.
It is also
crit ical if the engine is not running and electri­
cal components are turned on. In this in­
stance energy is being consumed but none is be ing generated .
It is in precisely these situations that you wi ll
notice energy management actively regulat­
ing the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an e xtended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of severa l days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched
off.
This reduces energy consumption and main­
tains starting capab ility over a longer period.
Some of the conven ience functions may not
ope rate, such as the inter ior lights or the
power seat adjustment. The conven ience
f u nctions w ill be available again when you
switch on the ignition and start the engine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the engine turned
off or use other MMI func­
tions, the battery is being discha rged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to en­
ergy consumpt ion, the following warning ap­
pears in t he MMI display:
Please start the engine soon or the system
will be turned off.
The wa rn ing ind icates that the system will be
turned
off automatically after 3 minutes. If
you wish to continue using the functions, yo u
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the vehicl e is being driven, the battery can be­
come discharged. This happens mostly when
little energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and t he battery's state of
charge is not opt imal.
To bring the energy ba lance back into equili­
brium , consumers which require especially
large amounts of energy are temporari ly cut
back or switched
off. Heating systems in par­
t icular require a great deal of energy. If you
notice, for example, that the heated seats" or
the heated rear window are not heating, they
have been temporarily cut back or sw itched
off. These systems w ill be available again as
soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly . This is normal and not
a cause for concern. By increasing engine idle
speed the addi tional energy requi red is gener­
ated and the batt ery is charged.

208 Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, p lease remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
@ Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
c:::> page 208, Operating instructions.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­ ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound location . Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. Always
check with the trailer hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the cor rect
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system. No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems . From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trai ler hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your vehi­
cle be struck from behind
c:::> A.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brakin g sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check with your Audi dealer for correct
wiring, switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is important
that you
always have clear v is ion to the rear .
A WARNING
--
After removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle . In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in­
jure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shift ing forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
c:::> A in Driving instructions on page 210.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard­
er . It is important that the cooling system 's
performance is up to the additional load.