2016 AUDI A7 brake pads

Instruments and indicator lights
-The engine compartment of any motor vehi­
cle is a potentially hazardous area. Before
you check anything in the engine compart­ ment, stop the engine and let it cool down.
Always exercise extreme ca ution when work­
ing under the hood
c:> page 218.
Overview
Some ind icator lights turn on briefly to chec k the
function of that system whe n you swi tch the ign i­
t ion o n. These systems are m ark ed w it h a ../ in
t he fo llowing tables . If one of these indi cator
lights does not tu rn on, there is a malfunction in
that system .
Red indicator lights
12
-------------
US A models :
Brake malfunction ../
c:> page
14
Canada mod els :
Bra ke m alfunction ../
r::!> page
14
USA mod els :
Elect romechan ica l par king brake
r::!>page
15
Canada models:
Electromechan ica l park ing brake
c:>page
15
E ng ine cooling system
r::!> page
15
Eng ine oi l pressure
r::!> page
16
E ng ine o il level
r::!> page
17
Battery
c:> page
16
Eng ine stops while dr iving
r::!> page
16
Safety belt
c:>page
16
Elect romechan ica l steering ../
c:> page
192
Electronic steering column lock
r::!> page
17
Engine sta rt system
r::!> page
17
USA models: Speed warning sys­
tem r::!> page
82
Canada model s: Speed warni ng
system
r::!> page
82
Adaptive cruise contro l*../
r::!> page
87
Air suspension *
r::!> page
17
Night vision assistant*
i=> page
104
Night vision assistant *
i=> page
104
Rear spo iler
i=> page
193
Refill Ad Blue*
i=>page
214
AdBl ue malfunction*
c:> page
214
Yellow indicator light s
-------------
US A models: Safety systems
i=> page
18
Canada models: Safety systems
i=> page
18
Electronic Stabi lizatio n Control
(ESC) ../
c:> page
18
Elec tronic Stab ilizati on Con trol
( E SC) ../
i=> page
18
USA models:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
defective ../
c:>page
19
Canada models:
Anti -lock braking system (ABS)
defective ../
c:> page
19
Worn brake pads
i=> page
19

Instruments and indicator lights
D
Adaptive cruise contro l*
¢ page 87
Adaptive c ruise control *
¢page 87
Audi act ive lane assist*
¢ pag e 95
Start-S top-Sys tem*
c::> page80
Start-Stop-System*
c::>page80
High beam assist*
c::>page44
High beam
c::>page44
BRAKE /((JJ Brake system
The light illum inates when the ignition is switch­
ed on .
It goes out after the engine has been
started. This indicates t hat the brake war ning
light is f unct ion ing properly.
If th e brak e warning light do es not light up
when the engine i s cranking, th ere may be a
malfun ction in th e elec trical sy stem . In thi s
c ase , conta ct your Audi deal er.
If the brake system warning/indicator light turns
on, there is a brake system malfunction .
1111 (USA models )8 (Canada models) Stop
v ehicle and check brak e fluid l eve l
If the indicator light t urns on and the message
appears, proceed as follows:
.. Pull
off the road .
.. Stop the vehicle .
.. Turn
off the engine.
.. Check the brake fluid level
c::> page 227 .
.. Contact your nearest authori zed repa ir facility if
necessary .
Warning! Fault in brake system. Contact dealer
If th e ABS indicato r light fll1J (U SA mode ls)/ ¢e 'A
(Canada models), the ESC indicator light DJ and
the brake system indicator lig ht
1111 (USA mod­
els)/ . (Canada models) turn on and the mes-
14
sage appears, the ABS, ESC and braking dis tribu ­
tion are not working
¢ .&. .
Carefully drive to your author ized Audi de aler im­
med iate ly to have the malfunc tion corrected
c::> &, .
1111 (USA models )/. (Canada models ) Park­
ing brake : system f ault! Ple ase contact dealer
- If the ind icator light and the message appea r
when stationar y or after switching the igni­
ti on on ,
check if you can release the pa rking
br ak e. After releasing the par king brake, care­
fully drive to your author ized Audi dealer im ­
mediately to have the ma lf u nction corrected. If
you cannot release the parking bra ke, seek pro ­
fessiona l assistance .
- If the ind icator light and the message appear
while d riv ing , the eme rgency braking function
may not be avai lab le . It may not be possib le to
set the park ing brake or re lease it once it has
been set . Seek professiona l assistance.
(USA mode ls): If th e warning light
1111 and the
warning light
IJ appear together, immediately
contact your autho riz ed Audi dealer or qualif ied
workshop to have all brake pads inspected
c::> page 19.
When the light comes on, a n audible warning sig­
nal is also given.
A WARNING
- Always observe the warn ings in
c::> page 218, before opening the hood and
checking the brake flu id.
- Dr iving with low brake f luid is a safety haz­
ard. Stop the car and get professional assis­
tance .
- If the
1111 (USA models) 8 (Canada mod­
els) brake system indicato r light turns on to­
gethe r with the ABS and ESC indicator
lights, the ABS/ESC regulat ing funct ion may
have fai le d . Fu nctions t hat stabili ze t he ve­
hicle are no longe r avai lable. This could
cause t he ve hicl e to swe rve and inc rease the
ris k of sli ding. Drive carefully to the nearest
author ized Audi dealer or other qualified ..,.

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ABS/(@)) Anti-lock braking system (ABS )
This warning/indicator light monitors the ABS
and the electronic differential lock (EDL) .
The warning/indicator light
,n:) (USA models) /
ill (Canada models) will come on for a few sec­
onds when the ignition is switched on. The light
will go out after an automatic check sequence is
completed.
There is a malfunction in the ABS when:
-The warning/indicator light does not illuminate
when you switch the ign it ion on.
- The warning/indicator light does not go out af­
ter a few seconds.
- The warning/indicator light illuminates while driving .
The ESC indicator light also illuminates if there is
a ma lfunction in the ABS . The message
Stabiliza­
tion control (ESC/ABS): Fault! See owner's man­
ual
also appears in the instrument cluster display
and a warning tone sounds.
The brake system will still respond even with­
out the assistance of the ABS system. See your
authorized Audi dealer as soon as possible to re­
store full braking performance.
For more infor­
mat ion regarding the ABS ¢page 188.
Malfunction in the brake system
If the brake warning light¢ page 14 and the ABS
warn ing illuminate together there may be a mal­
function in the ABS, and there may also be a mal­
function in the brake system itself¢,& .
The ABS
will not work and you will notice a change in
braking response and performance.
In the event of a malfunct ion in the brake sys­
tem
the warning/indicator light 1111 (USA mod­
els)/. (Canada models) in the instrument clus­
ter flashes ¢ page 14 .
Malfunction in the electronic differential
lock (EDL)
The ED L works together with the ABS . The ABS
warn ing light will come on if there is a malfunc­
tion in the EDL system
c::> page 188 . See your au­
thorized Audi dealer as soon as possible.
Instruments and indicator lights
A WARNING
-If the ,n:) (USA mode ls)/ ill (Canada mod­
els) warn ing light does not go out, or if it
comes on while dr iv ing, the ABS system is
not working prope rly . The vehicle can then
be stopped only with the standard brakes
(without ABS) . You will not have the protec­
tion ABS provides. Contact your Audi dealer
as soon as possible .
- USA models: If the
1111 warning light, the
G1 warning light and the ,n:) warning light
come on together, the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking . Rear wheel
lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control and
an accident. Have your vehicle repaired im­
mediately by your author ized Audi dealer or
a qualified workshop . Dr ive slowly and avoid
sudden, hard brake applications .
- Canada models: If the brake warning light
• • the
DJ warning light and the ABS warn­
ing light
ill come on together, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard brak­
ing. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss o f ve ­
hicle control and an accident . Have your ve­
hicle repaired immediately by your author­
ized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop.
Drive s low ly and avoid sudden, hard brake
applications.
{0) Worn brake pads
EiJ Brake pads!
-
If the warning light i lluminates, immed iate ly
contact your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads inspected. On
USA models the warning light
EiJ comes on to­
gether w ith the warning light
1111 . Both sets of
brake pads on an axle must always be replaced at
the same time .
A WARNING
Driving with bad b rakes can cause a collision
and serious personal injury .
-
19

Instruments and indicator lights
-If the warning light EiJ and the warning
light
11111 ) with the message Brake pads!
comes on in the instrument cluster display,
immediately contact your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop to have all
brake pads checked or replaced if necessary.
EPC Electronic power control
Applies to vehicles: w ith gaso line engine
This warning/indicator ligh t monitors the elec­
tronic power control .
The (m warning/indicator light (Electronic Powe r
Control) illuminates when you switch the ignition
on as a function check.
{!) Tips
If this warning/indicator light illuminates
while you are driving, then there is a malfunc­
tion in the engine electronics. Have the mal­
function corrected as soon as possible by your
authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair fa­
cility.
W Glow plug system
App lies to vehicles: with diesel engine
The control light illuminates when the glow plug
system is active.
If the El indicator light illuminates, the glow
plug system is active . You should start the engine
immediate ly after the indicator light switches off.
The indicator light only illuminates for approxi­
mately 1 second if the engine is warm or if the
outside temperature is above 46 QF (8 QC).
@ Tips
-If the glow plug indicator light illuminates
while driving, there is an engine control
malfunction. The engine should be checked
immediately.
- If the indicator light does not illuminate at
all when switching the ignition on, there may be a malfunction in the glow plug sys­
tem. The engine should be checked.
l) - : USA mo dels onl y
20
o Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is part of
the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system. The symbol
('4 lights up when the ignition is switch­
ed on and will turn off after the engine has start­
ed and has settled at a constant idle speed . This
indicates that the MIL is working properly.
The warning light illuminates when there is a
malfunction in the engine electronic system.
Contact your authorized Audi dealer and have the
malfunction corrected.
An improperly closed fuel filler cap may also
cause the MIL light to illuminate
¢ page 212.
For more information ¢ page 28.
~ Diesel particulate filter
Applies to vehicles: with diese l engine and diesel particulate
filter
II Particulate filter: System fault See owner's
manual
The diesel particulate fil ter requires regenera­
tion . To support the filter's self -cleaning func­
tion:
Drive for approximately 15 minutes with these­
lector lever in the S position at a minimum speed
of 37 mph (60 km/h) and an engine speed of ap ­
proximately 2,000 RPM . The temperature in­
crease that will result from this can burn off the
soot in the filter . T he symbol will switch off when
the cleaning is successful.
If the indicator light does
not turn off, drive im­
mediate ly to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Serv ice Facility to have the malfunction
corrected.
_&, WARNING
Always adapt your speed to the current
weather, road and traffic conditions . You
should never disobey traffic laws in order to
follow driving recommendations.

Intelligent Technology
ESC lev els
Sport mode on Sport mode off
Beha vior
The ESC and ASR stabilization f unctions are The full stabilization function of t he ESC
limited
c> ,& . and ASR is avai lab le again .
Operation Press the 1.$ OFF I button. Press the 1.$ OFF I button agai n.
In dicato r II turns on. II turns off.
light s
Driv er m es- S ta bi liz at ion contr ol (ESC ): sport. Warn -Stabiliz ati on c ontr ol (ESC ): on
s age s ing! Res tricted stabilit y
A WARNING
Only switch sport mode on when yo ur driving
abilities and the traffic situation permit, be­
cause there is a risk of sliding.
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is switched on. The dr iv ing
wheels could spin and the vehicle could
swerve, especially on slick or slippery road
s u rfaces .
(D Tips
-Sport mode cannot be switched on if the
cruise control system* or adaptive cruise
control* is switched on.
- If the rear spoiler system malfunctions,
sport mode may not switch on or it may
switch off again automat ically.
Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the f irst 250 miles (400 km), new brake
pads do not possess the ir full braking effect, they
have to be "broken in" first
c> ,& . You can com­
pensate for this sl ightly reduced brak ing power
by pushing ha rder on the brake pedal. Avoid
heavy brak ing loads dur ing the b reak-in per iod.
Operat ing condit ions and d riving hab its
The brakes on today's automobi les are st ill sub­
ject to wear, depending largely on operating con ­
d itions and dr iving habits
c> ,& . On veh icles that
are either driven mostly in stop-and-go c ity t raf­
fic or are dr iven hard, the b rake pads should be
checked by your author ized Audi dea ler mo re of -
190
ten than specified in the Warrant y & Mainte­
nan ce b ookl et.
F ail ure to have your brake pads
inspected can resu lt in reduced brake perform ­
ance.
On steep slopes, you sho uld use the braking ef­
f ect of the engine. This way, you prevent unnec ­
essary wear on the brake system. If yo u must use
you r brakes, do not hold the brakes down contin ­
u ously. Pump the brakes at intervals .
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depend ing on the
speed, braking force and ou tside cond itions su ch
as temperature and hum idity .
Effect of wat er and road salt
In certa in situations, for examp le after driv ing
t hr ough water, in heavy rain, after overnight con­
densa tion or after washing yo ur ca r, the bra king
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads . The brakes must be
dried fi rst with a few careful brake applications .
At higher speeds and with the winds hield wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake rotors for a short amount of time . This occurs at
r egular intervals without the driver noticing and
provides for better brake response time under
wet cond itions .
The effect iveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is d riven on a salt-covered road
and the brakes are not used. Likewise, you clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs
and pads wi th a few caut ious applications of the
brake
c> ,& . IJI>

M N <( (.J
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Corro sion
There may be a tendency fo r dirt to bui ld up on
the brake pads and corrosion to fo rm on the discs
if the car is not driven regularly or only for short
trips with little use of the brakes.
If the b rakes are not used frequently, or if corro­
sion has formed on the discs, it is advisab le to
clean
off the pads and discs by braking firmly a
few times from a moderately high speed
c=> .&, .
Faults in the brake sy stem
If you should not ice a sudden increase in brake
pedal travel, then one of the two brake circuits
may have fai led
c=> .&, .
Low brake flu id level
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if the
brake fluid level is too low. The brake flu id leve l is
monitored e lectronically.
Br ake boo ste r
The brake booster works w ith vacuum pressure
which is created only when the engine is running
~ ,& .
Brake lining wear sta tu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
c=> page 2 55, Replacing wheels.
.8, WARNING -
- New brake pads don't have the best stop­
ping power and must be "broken-in" during
the initial 250 mi les ( 400 km) . You can com­
pensate for this by pressing the brake peda l
more firmly. This a lso applies later when
new pads are installed.
- You should perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of clean ing the brake system
only if road conditions perm it. Other road
users must not be put at risk -you may
cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmiss ion into a lower
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
In te llig ent T echnolog y
brakes or hold the peda l down too long o r
too often. This could cause the brakes to get
hot and dimin ish braking effic iency.
- Do not "ride the brakes" by rest ing your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to
brake. This may cause the brakes to over­
heat, premature wear and increased stop­
ping distance .
- Under certain cl imatic and operat ing condi­
tions such as passing through water , dr iv ing
in heavy rain or afte r washing the veh icle,
the effect iveness of the brakes can be re ­
duced. In winter, ice c an accumulate on the
b rake pads, lin ings, discs and drums. Care­
fu lly apply brakes for a test . Brakes will dry
and ice coatings will be cleaned
off after a
few ca reful brake app lications.
- Driving for an extended period of t ime on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can a lso affect braking efficiency.
Clean
off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you in­
stall a different spoiler, be su re the air f low
to the front brakes is not obstructed . Other­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc­ ing the effect iveness of the entire brake sys­
tem.
- Fai lure of one brake circuit will impa ir th e
b rak ing capability res ulting in an increased
s topping distance. Avoid driving the vehicle
a nd have it towed to the nearest Aud i dea ler
or qualified workshop .
- Never let the vehi cle roll to a s top with the
engine shut
off .
- If the b rake booste r is no t working, the
b rake peda l must be pressed cons iderably
harder to make up for the lack of booster as­
sistance.
191

Driving and the environment
Driving and the
environment
Breaking in
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle .
.,. Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the maximum permitted RPM .
.,. Avoid high engine speeds.
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers ):
.,. Speeds can gradually be increased to the maxi­
mum perm issible road or eng ine speed.
During and after break-in period
.,. Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it
is cold . This applies whether the transmission is
i n N (Neutral) or in gear .
After the break-in period
.,. Do not exceed maximum engine speed under
any circumstances.
.,. Upshift into the next higher gear
before reach­
i ng the red area at the end of the tachometer
scale~
page 10 .
During the first few hours of driving, the engine's
internal friction is higher than later when all the
mov ing parts have been broken in. How well th is
break-in process is done depends to a cons idera­
b le extent on the way the vehicle is driven during
the first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
(D Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automati­
cally reduced. However, these rpm limits are
programmed for an engine wel l run-in, not a
new engine.
196
® For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high engine
speeds -upshifting early saves fuel, reduces
noise and protects the environment.
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive par­
ticularly careful for the first 350 miles (500 kilo ­
meters) after f itting .
.8, WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must also
be "broken- in". Be sure to remember this dur­
ing the first 350 mi les (500 kilometers).
Brake gently. Avoid following closely behind
other ve hicles or other situations that might
require sudden, hard braking.
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 damaged .
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung chass is (sports chassis)* and fully loaded
vehicles .
-
Driving through water on
roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage whe n
driving through water, for example on flooded
roads:
- The water must not be any highe r than the bot­
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not dr ive faster than walk ing speed .
.8, WARNING
After driv ing through water or mud, the brak­
ing effect can be reduced due to moisture on
the brake discs and brake pads. A few careful
brake applications shou ld dry off the brakes.

M N <( I.J "". rl I.O
"' N I.O rl
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
Fig. 192 Engine compa rtment : cove r on the brake f luid
reservoir
N
N
-N ,::
~
Before you check anything in the engine compart­
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
¢ A in Working in the engine comportment on
page 218.
.,. Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid
reservoir
¢ fig. 192, ¢page 220, fig. 188. The
brake fluid leve l must be between the "MIN"
and "MAX" markings .
The location of the brake f luid reservo ir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
¢page 220.
The fl uid level may drop slightly after some time
due to the automatic adjustment of the brake
pads. This is not cause for alarm.
I f the brake fluid level falls
considerably below
the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/indicator
light
1111 (U .S. models)/ . (Canadian models)
will come on ¢
page 14. Do not cont inue to oper­
ate the vehicle . The complete brake system
should be thoroughly checked by an authorized
Audi dealer or other qualified facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low,
the brake warning/indicator light will illuminate.
Contact an authorized Audi dealer
immediately .
Changing brake fluid
Hove the broke fluid changed by on experienced
technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the
water content in the brake fluid is too high, cor-
Checking and Filling
rosion in the brake system may result after a peri­
od of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid
will also decrease considerably and decrease braking performance .
T herefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every
two years.
Always use new brake fluid which con­
forms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard "FMVSS
116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach,
therefore, we recommend that you have the brake flu id changed by your authorized
Audi
dealer .
Your dea ler has the correct tools, the
right brake fluid and the know-how to do this for
you .
_&. WARNING
-.
- Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stored
only in the closed original conta iner out of
the reach of children!
- Brake failure can resu lt from o ld or inappro­
p riate brake fluid. Observe these precau­
tions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE speci­
fication
J 1703 and conforms to Federa l
Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake fluid .
The correct type of brake flu id is also ind i­
cated on the brake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use of
the brakes can cause a vapor lock if the
brake fluid is left in the system too long.
T his can seriously affect the efficiency of
the brakes as well as your safety. This
could result in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehi­
cle.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of prope r disposal of
brake fluid as well as the special tools re­
quired and the necessary expertise, we rec­
ommend that you have the brake flu id
changed by your authorized Audi dealer.
227