2016 AUDI RS7 SPORTBACK Owners Manual

Effect of wat er and road salt
In ce rtain situations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy rain, afte r ove rnight con ­
densation or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
dried first w ith a few careful brake applications.
At higher speeds and with the windshie ld wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake rotors for a short amount of time. Th is occurs at
regular intervals without the driver noticing and
provides for better brake response time under
wet conditions .
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered road
and the brakes are not used. Likewise, you clean
off accumulated salt coat ing from brake discs
and pads with a few cautious applications of the b rake ¢_&. .
Due to their surface character istics, ceramic
brake roto rs* absorb mo isture in such condit ions.
This can cause a temporary reduc tion in braking
force compared to dry brakes. You can compe n­
sate fo r th is by press ing the b rake peda l harder.
Corrosion
There may be a tende ncy for d irt to bu ild up on
the brake pads and corros ion to form on the discs
if the car is not dr iven regularly or only fo r sho rt
tr ips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corro­
sion has formed on the discs, it is adv isable to
clean off the pads and discs by brak ing firmly a
few t imes from a mode rately h igh speed ¢,& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake
pedal travel, then one of the two brake c ircuits
may have failed
¢ ,& .
Low brake fluid le vel
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if the
brake fl uid level is too low. The brake fluid level
is monitored electronically .
Intelligent Technology
Brake booster
The brake boos ter works w ith v acuum press ure
which is crea ted on ly when the engine is running
¢ & .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wea r may be chec ked by visua l in­
spe ct ion of the condition of the brake pads
t hr ough the openings in t he wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
¢ page 243, Replacing wheels .
_8 WARNING "'----
-New b rake pads don't have the best stop­
p ing power and must be "broken-in" d uring
the initial 250 miles (400 km). The b reak-in
period can be considerably longer for
veh icles with ceramic brake roto rs*. You can
compensate for this by pressing the brake
pedal mo re firmly. This also applies late r
when new p ads are inst alled.
- You shou ld pe rform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system
only i f road condit io ns pe rmit. O ther ro ad
users m ust no t be put at r is k - you may
cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep g rade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear o r lower driving range. Do not r ide the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or
too often. This cou ld cause t he b rakes 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
p ing distance .
- Unde r certain climatic and ope rating condi­
tions such as passing t hrough water, d riving
i n heavy rain o r afte r wash ing the veh icle,
the effectiveness of the brakes ca n be re­
duce d. In winter, ice can accum ulate on the
b rake pads, lin ings, discs and dr ums. Care­
fu lly apply brakes for a test. Brakes will d ry
an d ice coatings will be cleaned off after a
few ca refu l brake applications.
183

Intelligent Technology
-Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can also 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 sure the air flow
to the front brakes is not obstructed. Other­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc­
ing the effectiveness of the entire brake sys­
tem.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair the
braking capability resulting in an increased
stopping distance. Avoid driving the vehicle
and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer
or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, the
brake pedal must be pressed considerably
harder to make up for the lack of booster
assistance.
Electromechanical
steering, dynamic
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator lights and messages
• Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
If this indicator light turns on and stays on and
this message appears, the power steering may
have failed .
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as pos­
sible. Do
not continue driving. See an authori zed
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for
assistance.
'Jij Steering: System fault You can continue
driving
184
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, the steering may be more difficult to move or more sensitive than usual. The steering
wheel may also be at an angle when driving
straight.
Drive slowly to your authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility to have the mal­
function corrected.
':r-ij Dynamic steering: Initializing
If the indicator l ight is blinking and this message
appears, dynamic steering* is being initialized.
The steering wheel will be easy to move after
starting the engine. Re-initialization might be
necessary if the steering wheel was moved hard
to the left and right while the veh icle was not
moving. The display turns off if the initialization
was successful.
(D Tips
- If the . or ':r-ij indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue driving.
- The dynamic steering stability systems
opage 180 are not availab le in the event of
a system malfunction.
- For additional information on dynamic
steering, refer to
c> page 95.
All wheel drive (quattro)
Applies to: vehicles with all wheel drive
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are powered.
General information
In all wheel drive, the driving power is divided be­
tween all four wheels. This happens automatical­
ly depending on your driving behavior as well as
the current road conditions. Refer to
c> page 180,
Electronic Stabilization Control (£SC).
A center differential distributes the driving power
variably to the front and rear axle. It works to­
gether with selective wheel torque control, which
activates when driving through curves
<=> page 181 . With the sport differential*, power
distribution to the rear wheels is variable and can
be adjusted with drive select
q page 95 . .,..

The all wheel drive concept is designed for high
engine power. Your vehicle is exceptionally pow­
erful and has excellent driving characterist ics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre­
cautions
¢ ,&. .
Winter tires
By using all wheel drive, your vehicle has good
forward motion with standard tires in winter con­ ditions . However, in winter we recommend using
winter or all season tires on all four wheels, be­
cause this will improve the braking effect.
Snow chains
If there are snow chain laws, snow chains must
also be used on vehicles with all wheel drive
¢ page 233, Snow chains .
Replacing tires
For vehicles with all wheel drive, only wheels with
the same rolling circumference should be used .
Avoid wheels with different tread depths
¢ page 225, New tires or wheels.
Offroad vehicle?
Your Audi is not an offroad vehicle -there is not
enough ground clearance. For this reason, avoid
difficult terrain.
A WARNING
-Also, in vehicles with all wheel drive, adapt
your driving style to the current road and
traffic conditions. Do not let the increased
safety provided tempt you into taking risks,
because th is increases the r isk of an acci­
dent.
- The braking ability of your veh icle is limited
to the tract ion of the wheels . In this way, it
is not diffe rent from a two wheel drive vehi­
cle. Do not be tempted to accelerate to a
high speed when the road is slippery this in­
creases the risk of an accident.
- Note that on wet streets, the front wheels
can "hydroplane" if driving at speeds that
are too high . Unlike front wheel drive
vehicles, the engine does not rev higher sud­
denly when the vehicle begins hydroplaning.
Intelligent Technology
For this reason, pay attention to the road
conditions reg a rd less of your speed to re­
duce the risk of an accident .
Rear spoiler
The extendable rear spoiler increases driving sta­
bility .
Fig. 176 Center console: button for t he rear spoiler
The rear spoiler retracts and extends. Var ious op­
erating modes (automatic or manua l mode) can
be activated .
Automatic mode (normal operation)
-Automatic deployment : At a speed of about 80
mph (130 km/h), the rear spoiler deploys auto­
mat ically .
- Automatic retraction: When speed drops be low
about SO mph (80 km/h), the rear spoiler re­
tracts automatically.
Manual mode
-Manual deployment: Tapping briefly on the
switch<=:>
fig. 176 deploys the rear spoiler.
- Manual retraction: At speeds up to about
10 mph (20 km/h), retract the rear spoiler by
pressing and holding the switch. At speeds be­
tween 10 mph (20 km/h) and 80 mph (130
km/h), retract the rear spoiler by tapping on
the switch.
Indicator lights
l'J /. Rear spoiler: malfunction!
The rear spoiler may not have extended due to a
malfunction . This could change the vehicle's driv­
ing character istics at high speeds . Do not exceed
85 mph (140 km/h). Drive to your authorized ..,.
185

Intelligent Technology
Audi dealer immediately to have the malfunction
corrected. The color of the indicator light de­pends on the vehicle speed.
_& WARNING
-
Driving at higher speeds without the rear
spoiler deployed can impair handling charac­
teristics, making the vehicle harder to con­
trol.
- Always make sure that the spoiler is de­
ployed when driving at speeds over 85 mph
(140 km/h) . If the rear spoiler warning/indi­
cator light in the instrument 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 deployed .
Have the spoiler inspected as soon as possi­
ble by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop.
- Always obey speed limits and other traffic
laws.
_& 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.
@) Note
- Never push on the vehicle on the rear spoil­
er . This could cause damage.
- To prevent damage to the rear spoiler do
not lean or place anything on it.
-
- Only operate the rear spoiler manually when
the luggage compartment lid is close and
the rear spoiler moving parts are not
blocked. Otherwise, damage could occur.
(D Tips
Clean the rear spoiler compartment every 2 to
3 months. To function correctly, the rear
spoiler must be free of ice, snow and leaves.
186
Energy management
' The starting ability is optimized
The energy management system manages the
electrical energy distribution and optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting the
engine.
When a vehicle with a conventional energy sys­
tem is not driven for a long time, the battery is
drained by equipment (for example the immobil­
izer). In certain circumstances , there could may
not be enough energy to start the engine .
Your vehicle is equipped with an intelligent ener­
gy management system for distributing electrici­
ty. This significantly improves the starting ability
and increases the battery life.
The energy management system Is made up of
battery diagnosis , idling current management
and dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
The battery diagnosis determines the battery charge level. The sensors detect the battery, the
battery current, and the battery temperature .
The current charge level and the performance of
the battery are determined based on this.
Idling current management
The idling current management decreases the
energy used while parked . With the engine
switched off, it manages the energy distribution
to the different electrical components. Date from
battery diagnosis is taken into account for this.
Depending on the battery charge level, electrical
equipment is switched off one item after the oth­
er, to prevent the battery from draining and to
retain the starting ability.
Dynamic energy management
While driving, dynamic energy management dis­
tributes the appropriate amount of energy to the
electrical equipment .
It controls the battery
charge level so that more energy is not used then
is being generated in order to maintain an opti-
mal battery charge level.
ll>

@ Tips
-Energy management cannot overcome the
laws of physics. Note that the charge level
and length of the battery life are limited.
- When the starting ability is endangered, the
(•j indicator light turns on¢ page 15.
What you should know
Maintaining the starting ability is the highest
priority.
A lot o f stress is placed on the battery when driv ­
ing short distances, in traffic, and at cold times
of the year. A lot of ene rgy is used but little is
generated. It is also critical when the engine is
not running but electrical equipment is switched
on. In this case, energy is used but none is gener­
ated.
In s ituations like this, energy management will
actively regulated the distribution of energy.
Long pe riods without u se
If yo u do not drive your vehicle for several days or
weeks, e lectrica l equipment is gradually scaled
back or switched off. This reduces energy use a nd
ensures the veh icle w ill be able to start after long
periods of time. Some convenience functions,
such as interior lighting or power seat adjust­
ment, may not be available under certain circum­
stances . These convenience functions will be
ava ilab le aga in once you switch the ign ition on
and st art the engine.
With the engine switched off
The battery will drain if you use functions such as
listening to the radio while the engine is sw itch­
ed off.
The vehicle's ability to start may be impaired by
the energy use, a message will appear in the In­
fotainment system d isplay.
The message ind icates that the system will
sw itch off automatically soon. If you wou ld like
;:::: to continue using the funct ions, you must start
er: u the eng ine . 'SI: ,...., N Intellig ent Technology
With the engine running
Although e lec trica l energy is ge nerated wh ile
driv ing, the b attery can dra in. This can happen
when litt le energy is generated, a nd much is used
and t he charge level of the batte ry is not optimal.
T o res to re the balance of ene rgy, components
that req uire large amoun ts of energy are tempo ­
rarily scaled back or sw itched
off . Heat ing sys ­
tems in particular req uir e a great deal of energy .
If you notice, for example, that the seat heating*
or rear window defroster is not working, then it
has been tempora rily reduced or sw itched off.
These systems are availab le aga in as soo n as the
energy supply has bee n restored .
In add ition, you may notice that the idle speed
has slig htly increased. That is normal and no
ca use for concern. Due to the increased id ling
speed, the addi tional required energy will be
generated and t he battery w ill be charged .
187

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 .
.,. Avo id 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 issib le road or engine 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 this
break- in process is done depends to a considera­
b le extent on the way the vehicle is d riven during
the first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
(D Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automati­
cally reduced. However, these rpm lim its are
programmed for an engine we ll run-in, not a
new engine .
188
® 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 m iles (500 kilo­
meters) after f itting .
.8, WARNING
New tires tend to be slippe ry and must also
be "broken-in". Be sure to remember this dur­
ing the first 350 mi les (500 kilometers).
Brake gent ly. 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 spo ilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged .
-
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung
chassis (sports chassis)* and fully loaded
vehicles.
Driving through water on
roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage when
driving through water, for examp le on flooded
roads:
- The water must not be any highe r than the bot­
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than walk ing speed .
.8, WARNING
After driving through water or mud, the brak­
ing effect can be red uced due to moisture on
the brake discs and brake pads . A few careful
brake applications should dry off the brakes.

CD Note
-Vehicle components such as the engine,
transm ission, suspension or electrical sys­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
- Determine the depth before driv ing through
water.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or
switch the eng ine off when dr iving through
water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming veh icles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to drive
through safely .
- Avo id d riving through salt water (corrosion).
Warming up and cooling
down
By carefully warm ing up and cool ing down your
veh icle, you can he lp ensure that it is not over­
stressed un necessa rily during sporty driving.
When warming up, the vehicle is dr iven at a max­
i mum eng ine speed of 6000 RPM in order to raise
the eng ine oi l temperature to a min imum of
140 °F (60 °C). The tires a lso on ly reac h their f ull
road ho ld ing capability once they have warmed
up .
The cooling fan can continue to run in your vehi­ cle after the engine is swi tched off. Howeve r,
d riving the vehicle to cool it dow n is particularly
important. D uring sporty dr iv ing, the engine and
brakes, the exhaust system, and the transmission
a ll become extremely hot. Before you park the
ve hicle, you shou ld drive it for a few m iles/kilo­
meters at light load in the low rpm range to al­
low it to cool down.
Driving and the envir onment
Catalytic converter
Applies to: veh icles w ith gasoli ne e ngi ne
It is very important that your emission control
system (catalytic converter) is functioning prop­
erly to ensure that your vehicle is running in an
environmentally sound manner .
.. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 198,
Fuel supply.
.. Never run the tank down all the way to empty.
.. Never put too much motor o il in yo ur engine
¢ page 20 7, Adding engine oil 9:::r. .
.,. Never try to pus h- or tow-start your veh icle.
The catalytic co nverter is an efficient "clean-up"
device built into the exhaust sys tem of t he ve hi­
cle. The catalyt ic conv erter b urns ma ny of the
po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are re­
leased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of un leaded fuel is cr itically im­
po rtant fo r the life of the catalytic converte r and
prope r fu nct io ni ng of the eng ine.
_&. WARNING
The tempe ra tu re o f th e exh aus t sys tem is
hi gh, bot h when driv ing and a fter stopping
the engine.
- Never tou ch the e xhaus t tail pipes on ce they
have become hot. This cou ld res ult in burns.
- Do not p ark or operate the vehicle in ar eas
where the hot exhaus t sys tem may come in
contact w ith dry grass, b rush, fuel spill or
other mate rial which can ca use a fire.
- Do not app ly additiona l undercoating or
r u stp roofing on or near the exhaust mani­
fold, exha ust pipes, cata lytic converter or
heat shields. D uring driving, the substance
used for undercoat ing could overheat and
cause a fire.
CD Note
- Be aware that just one tank fi lling with
leaded fuel w ill already seriously degrade
the performance of the catalytic converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil leve l
¢page 207.
189

Driving and th e en vironm ent
- Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
complete ly 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 sw itch off the ignition while the vehi­
cle is moving.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un­
der these cond itions, as otherwise fuel can
reach the catalytic converter. This could re­
sult in overheating of the converter, requ ir­
i ng its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­
sion Control System :
- Have your veh icle maintained properly and
in accordance with the service recommen ­
dations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
book let.
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as im ­
proper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system and could lead to damage.
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Control System is op­
erating properly, the exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some op­
erating states. This depends on the sulfur
content of the fuel be ing used . Using a differ­
ent brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank
w ith lead-free super grade gasoline.
Placing your vehicle out
of service
If you would like to take your vehicle out of serv­
ice for a longer time, contact your authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
They will advise you of important measures, such
as corrosion protection, maintenance and stor­
age procedures. Also follow the information
about the battery
c:> page 212.
190
Economical and environ­
mentally-friendly driving
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the
economy of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and
noise levels.
Fuel economy, env ironmental impact, and wear
on your engine, brakes and tires large ly depend
on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your fuel
consumption by 10-15 percent. This section will
give you some tips on how you can help the envi­
ronment and your pocketbook.
(j) Tips
The consumption estimates as published by
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the road, which will vary depending upon vehicle
l oad and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating.
~ Avoid unnecessary accelerat ing and braking .
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­ ating. If you anticipate what is going to happen
next, you will need to brake less and, thus, accel­
erate less . Let the vehicle coast whenever possi­
ble -for example when you see that the next traf­
fic light is red.