2017 AUDI A7 check engine

Checking and Filling
-Ad Blue is required by law to operate this ve­
hicle .
Messages in the instrument cluster display
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
The display indicates if the Ad Blue level is low or
if there is a system malfunction.
AdBlue level low
You will be informed if the Ad Blue in the tank
drops below a certain level.
Please refill AdBlue . Range x mi (km)
This message appears when there is only enough
Ad Blue left to drive the distance indicated in the
driver information system . Fill the AdBlue.
Ad Blue ,0 Refill AdBlue! Cannot start engine
in x mi (x km)! See owner's manual
This message appears when there is only enough
Ad Blue left to drive the distance indicated in the
driver information system. Fill the AdBlue. Other­
wise the engine will not start again if you stop it
once the distance indicated has been driven. You
can also check the remaining distance in the on­
board computer* .
Refill Ad Blue! No restart! See own-
er's manual
This message appears when the Ad Blue tank is
empty . Fill the Ad Blue . Otherwise you will not be
able to start the engine again once you stop it .
The AdB lue must be refilled when the amount in
the tank has reached the minimum level
c::> page 196, Filling AdBlue.
Incorrect filling/system malfunction
A message appears if the Ad Blue tank was filled
with a fluid other than AdBlue and the system
has detected that the tank was fi lled incorrect ly,
or if there is a system malfunction .
Ad Blue-/' Ad Blue : system fault. No re start in
x mi (x km) See owner's manual
This message appears when it is only possible to
d rive the distance indicated in the driver informa­
tion system. Drive to the nearest authorized Aud i
dealer or authorized Aud i Serv ice Facility to have
196
the malfunction corrected . Otherwise the engine
will not start again if you stop it once the dis­
tance indicated has been driven.
AdBlue: System fault No restart!
See owner's manual
This message appears if the system has detected
that the tank was fi lled incorrect ly or that there
i s a ma lfunction. Drive immed iate ly to the near­
est authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility to have the ma lfunction co rrect ­
ed. Otherwise you wi ll not be able to start the en­
gine again once you stop it.
Filling AdBlue
Applies to: vehicles with selective cata lytic reduct ion
Fig. 180 R ig ht rea r side of t he ve hicle: removing the Ad B l­
ue cap
The Ad Blue tank open ing is located near the die­
sel tank opening . Add at least 1.5 gallons (S . 7
lit ers) of Ad Blue . This is the minimum amount re­
quired to ensure the system detects the refilling
and to start the eng ine. You can add a maximum
of 4.5 gallons (17 lite rs).
Requirement: the request to add AdBl ue must
appear in the ins trument cluster display .
.,. Switch the ignition off.
.,. Open the tank filler door
c::> page 193.
.,. Tu rn the cap on the filler neck counter-clock­
w ise using the wheel wrench from the vehicle
tool kit to remove it
c::> fig. 180.
.. Fill the Ad Blue using a bottle c::> page 197 or a
canister
c::> page 19 7.

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\.J - A WARNING ,~
Ad Blue can irritate the skin, eyes and respira­
tory system. If there is contact with the fluid,
flush immediately with plenty of water . Con­
sult a physician if necessary.
CD Note
- Only use Ad Blue that conforms to the
standard ISO 22241 -1. Do not mix any addi ­
tives w ith the AdBlue and do not d ilute it
with water.
- Do not add Ad Blue to the diesel ta nk or add
diesel fuel to the Ad Blue tank. Do not start
the engine under any circumstances if the
wrong f uel is filled in the tank. There is a
risk of damaging the fuel tank system and
the engine. See an author ized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility for ass is­
tance .
- Ad B lue attacks surfaces such as pa inted ve ­
hicle components, plast ic and carpet . Re­
move the fluid as quickly as poss ible with a
damp cloth and plenty of cold water. If the
Ad Blue has already crysta llized, use warm
water and a sponge . AdBlue residue that is
not removed will crysta llize a nd can damage
the affected surface.
- Do not store refill bottles or canisters per ­
mane ntly in the vehicle . If the container
l ea ks, the escaping AdBl ue could damage
t h e veh icle inter io r.
- Do not allow AdBlue to come into co ntact
with clothing. If there is contact w ith the
f lui d, f lush immed iate ly w ith p lenty of wa­
te r.
(j) Tips
Follow the Ad B lue man ufact urer's instr uc­
t ions fo r use and storage.
Refilling AdBlue using a bottle
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
.. Remove the cap from the refi ll bottle ¢ A in
Filling AdBlue on page 197, ¢(Din Filling
AdBlue on page 197 .
Check ing and Filling
.. Position the bott le on the fi ller tube and turn
the bottle clockwise until it stops turning .
.. Press lightly against the bottom of the bottle
to empty it. Cont inue pressing the bottom of
the bottle until it is empty or until fluid stops
flow ing into the tank .
.,. Remove the bottle and seal the filler neck
¢ page 198, Completing AdBlue refill.
CD Note
Only use refill bottles that are approved for
your vehicle . Using other systems can cause
Ad B lue to leak.
@ Tips
- You can obtain ref ill bottles from an author­
ized Aud i dea le r o r aut horized Aud i Serv ice
Facility.
- A permitted refi ll bottle contains approxi­
mately 0.5 gallon (1.9 liters) of AdBl ue.
Refilling AdBlue using a canister
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
®
+®
Fig. 181 Can iste r w ith attachable hose
.. Remove the cover from the refill canister¢ A
in Filling AdBlue on page 197, ¢(Din Filling
AdBlue on page 197 .
.,. Secure the end of the hose (Don the opening in
t he caniste r@ by turni ng the hose to the right.
.,. Remove the cap @ from the o ther end of the
hose @.
.. Position the end of the hose @ on the filler
neck in the veh icle and turn the hose to the
r ight to tighten it .
.. Lift the canister up and then t ip it. Cont inue
holding the canister in a tipped pos ition until it ..,.
197

Check ing and F illing
is empty or until no mo re fluid flows into the
tank.
~ Remove the canister and close the fi ller tube
c> page 198 , Completing AdBlue refill .
(D Note
Only use refi ll canisters that are approved for
your vehicle. Us ing other systems can cause
Ad Blue to leak.
@ Tips
- An authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi repair facility can te ll you which ref ill
can isters are approved for your vehicle.
- A permitted refill canister contains approxi­
mately 1.3 ga llons (5 liters) of AdB lue.
Completing AdBlue refill
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
C losi ng the filler neck
~ Turn the cap on the filler neck to the right with
the wheel wrench unt il the cap clicks into place.
This t ightens the cap to the specification o &
in Filling AdBlue on page 197, c> (D in Filling
AdBlue on page 197 .
~ The n press on the left side of the tank doo r un-
ti l it l atches.
After filling
The vehicle must be driven so that the system
recognizes that the Ad Blue was refilled . T his can
take severa l m in utes.
~ If there was no Ad Blue left in the tank and a
range of O mi (0 km) was shown in the d isplay,
switch the ign it ion on for about 30 seconds be­
fo re sta rting the engine.
(D Tips
Ad Blue can freeze at very low temperat ures .
If this happens, the system will not detect
that the Ad Blue was refilled a nd it will contin­
ue to inform yo u of the low Ad Blue level. The
message turns off as soon as the tank thaws
out again.
198
Catalytic converter
Applies to: vehicles with gasoline engine
It is very important that your emission control
system (catalytic converter) is func tioning prop­
erly to ensure that your vehicle is running in an
environmentally sound manner .
~ Always use lead-free gasoline c> page 191, Fuel
supply .
~ Never run the tank down all the way to empty.
~ Never put too much motor o il in your engine
c> page 204, Adding engine oil.
~ Never try to push- o r tow-start your vehicle .
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean -up "
device built into the exhaust system of the veh i­
cle. The catalyt ic converter b urns many of the
po llutants in the exhaust g as befo re they are re­
l eased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of un leaded fuel is critically im­
po rtant fo r the life of the catalytic converte r and
prope r funct io ni ng of the engine.
_&. WARNING
The temperat ure of the exhaus t sys tem is
high, both when driv ing and a fter stopping
the engine.
-
- Never tou ch the exhaust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This cou ld resu lt in burns.
- D o not p ark or operate the vehicle in ar eas
where the hot exhaust system may come in
contact with dry g rass, brush, fuel spi ll or
other mate rial which can ca use a fire.
- Do not apply additiona l undercoating or
rustp roofing on or near the exhaust mani­
fold, exha ust pipes, cata lytic conve rter or
heat shields . D uring driving, the substance
used for unde rcoat ing could overheat and
cause a fire .
Cl) Note
-Be aware that just one tank f illing wit h
leaded fu e l w ill already seriously degrade
the performance of the catalytic converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil leve l
c>page204.

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\.J ' -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 switch off the ignition while the vehi­
cle is moving.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un­
der these conditions, 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 vehicle maintained properly and
in accordance with the service recommen­
dations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
book let.
- Lack of proper maintenance as we ll 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
erat ing states. This depends on the su lfur
content of the fuel being used. Using a differ­
ent brand of fue l may help, or filling the tank
w ith lead-free super grade gasoline .
Diesel particulate filter
Applies to: veh icles with diesel engine
The diesel particulate filter filters nearly all of
the soot particles out of the exhaust. The filter
cleans itself automatically under normal driving
conditions . If the filter cannot clean itself (for ex­
ample , because you are only driving short distan­
ces), the fi lter becomes clogged with soot and
the
II symbo l for the diesel particulate filter il­
luminates
¢ page 17.
A WARNING
-Do not park your vehicle over flammable
materials such as grass or leaves because
-
Checking and Filling
the high temperature of the diesel particu­
late filter could start a fire.
- Do not apply an underbody protectant in the
exhaust system area or a fire could start.
Engine compartment
Working in the engine compartment
Special care is required if you are working in the
engine compartment
For work in the engine compartment, such as
checking and filling fluids, there is a risk of in­
jury, scalding, accidents, and burns. For this
reason, follow all the warnings and general
safety precaution s provided in the following in·
formation . The engine compartment is a dan­
gerous area on the vehicle.
¢ ,&..
A WARNING
= =--
- Turn the engine off.
- Switch the ignition off.
- Set the parking brake.
-Select the P selector lever position.
- Let the engine cool down.
- Never open the hood when there is steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that you could
be burned. Wait until no steam or coolant is
escaping .
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never sp ill fluids on a hot engine. These flu­
ids (such as the freeze protection contained
in the coolant) can catch fire.
- Avoid short circuits in the electrical system.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of personal injury.
- Never open the cap on the coolant expan­
sion tank when the engine is warm . The
coo ling system is under pressure.
- To protect your face, hands, and arms from
hot steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
large cloth when opening.
199

Checking and Filling
-Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances . This increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be performed with the en­
gine running, there is additional danger due
to moving components (such as the ribbed belt, alternator and radiator fan) and from
the high voltage ignition system.
- Do not under any circumstances give gas in­
advertently (for example, by hand from the
engine compartment) if the vehicle is sta­
tionary but the engine is running and a gear
is engaged. Otherwise, the vehicle will start
to move immediately and this could result
in an accident.
- Pay attention to the following warnings list­
ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
- Do not smoke .
- Never work near open flames.
- Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby
- All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi·
cal burns, accidents or burns. Because of
this, all work must be performed
only by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
- To reduce the risk of electric shock and in­
jury, never touch the following components when the engine is running or is being start­
ed :
- Ignition cable
- Other components in the electronic high-
voltage ignition system
-If you must check or perform work on the
engine while it is running:
- Set the parking brake and place the selec­
tor lever in the P (park) position first .
- Always proceed with extreme caution so
that clothing, jewelry or long hair do not
become caught in the radiator fan, fan
belt or other moving components or do
not come into contact with hot compo­
nents. Tie back long hair before beginning
work and do not wear clothing that can
hang down into the engine.
200
-Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi­
cals to as short a time as possible
c> A .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm . In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to mix the flu­
ids up. Otherwise severe malfunctions and en­
gine damage will occur.
@:) For the sake of the environment
You should regularly check the ground under
your vehicle in order to detect leaks quickly. If
there are visible spots from oil or other fluids, bring your vehicle to an authorized Audi deal­
er or authori zed Audi Service Facility to be
checked.

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<..:l 'SI"
Opening/closing the hood
The hood is released from inside the vehicle.
Fig. 1 82 D rive r footwell: release lever
Fi g. 1 83 Roc ke r sw itc h under the hood
M ake sure the w iper arms a re not raised up from
the windshield . Otherwise the pa int could be
damaged .
Opening the engine compartment lid .. Wi th the driver's doo r open, pu ll the leve r be­
low the instrument panel in the direct ion of the
arrow c>fig.182 .
Checking and Filling
.. Raise the hood slightly c> ,& .
.. Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
¢fig. 183. This releases the catch .
.. Open the hood .
Closing the engin e compartm ent lid
.. Push the hood down until yo u over ride the
force of the strut .
.. Let the hood fall lightly into the latch.
Do not
press it in.
c> ,&.
A WARNING
-
-Never open the hood when there is steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that you could
be burned. Wait unt il no steam or coolant is
escaping.
- For safety reasons, the hood m ust always be
closed securely while driv ing . Because of
this, a lways check t he hood afte r closing i t
t o make sure it is latched correct ly . T he
hood is latched if the front corners cannot
be lifted.
- If you no tice that t he hood is not latched
while you are d riving, stop immed iately and
close it, because driving when the hood is
not latched increases the risk of an accident .
201

Checking and Filling
Engine compartment overview
The most important check points.
Fig. 184 Typical location of the rese rvoir and the engine o il fil le r open ing
(D Jump start po int(-) with hex head screw
<::;> page 208, <::;> page 254
@ Ju mp start point(+) under a cover
<::;> page 208, ¢ page 254
® Engine oil label* with VW standard
<::;> page 202
@ Brake fluid reservoir ((0)) <::;> page 207
® Engine oil filling opening (~)¢page 204
@ Coolant reservoir (- L) ¢ page 206
(j) Washer fluid reservoir (0) ¢ page 209
The engine oil f illing opening (item@) may be
located in a differe nt area depending on the en­
gine version .
A WARNING
Read and follow the WARNINGS before
checking anything in the engine compartment
¢ .&. in Working in the engine compartment
on page 199.
202
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
The service interval display in the instrumen t
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an oi l change. We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by an authorized Audi Serv­
ice Advisor.
If you must add oil between oil changes, use an
oi l that matches the Audi oil quality standard
listed on the sticker. The sticker is located at the
front of the eng ine compartment ¢
page 202,
fig. 184 .
Audi recommends
~Castrol /fg/j;Sf.g;fg f'r Audi recommends Longlife high performance
engine oil from Aud i Genuine Parts .,_

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\.J ' Using the proper engine oil is important for the
functionality and s ervice life of the engine. Your
engine was factory-filled with a high -quality oil
which can usually be used throughout the entire
yea r.
Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions d ue to failure
to follow rec ommended maintenance and use
requireme nts as s et forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty & Maintenance booklet .
- Use only a high quality engine oi l that ex-
pressly complies with the Au di oil quality
standard specified for your vehicle's engine.
Using any o ther oil can cause serious engine
damage.
- Do not mix any lubricants o r other additives
into the engine oil. Doing so can cause en­
gine damage.
@ Tips
If you need to add oil and there is none availa­
ble that meets the Audi o il quality standard
your eng ine requ ires, you may add a total of
no more than 0 .5 qt (0.5 l) of a h igh-quali ty
"synthet ic"oil that meets the following speci ­
fications.
- Applies to: gaso line engine: ACEA A3 or
API SM with a viscosity grade of SAE OW-30,
SAE 5W-30 or SAE 5W-40.
- Applies to: diesel engine: ACEA C3 or API CF
with a viscosity grade of SAE OW-30 o r
SAE 5W-30 .
- For more information about engine oil that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact e ither your authori zed Audi dea ler
or Audi Customer Relat ions at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www .audiusa .com or www .aud ica nada.ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of
its moving parts .
In order to provide effective lub rication and cool­
ing of in ternal engine componen ts, all internal
Ch eck ing and Filling
combustion engines consume a certain amo unt
of oil. Oil consumption vari es from engin e to en­
gine and may change s ignificantly over the life of
the engine . Typ ically, engines w ith a specified
break-in period (see¢
page 65) consume mo re
o il during the break -in per iod than they consume
after o il consumption has stab il ized .
Under normal cond itions, the rate of oil con ­
sump tion depends on the qu ality and viscos ity of
the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
wh ich the engine is operated, the amb ient tem­
perature and road co ndit ions. Further facto rs a re
the amount of oi l di lution from wate r condensa ­
tion or fuel resid ue and the oxidat ion level of the
o il. As any engine is subject to wear as mileage
builds up, the oil consumption may increase over
time unti l replac ement of worn components may
become necessary.
With a ll these variab les coming into play, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be estab ­
li sh ed or sp ecified . There is no alternative to reg­
u lar and frequent checking of the oi l level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbo l in
the instr ument cluster
Ill lights up, yo u should
check the oi l level as soon as possible
¢
page 204. Top off the o il at your earliest con­
venience ¢
page 204 .
A WARNING
-Before you check anyt hing in the engine com -
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
INGS
¢ .&. in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 199.
{(D Note
Driving w it h an insufficient oil level is likely to
cause severe damage to the eng ine .
(D Tips
-The oil pressure wa rn ing display. is not
an indicator of the o il leve l. Do not rely on
i t . Instead, check th e oil level in your en­
gine at regular interval s, preferably each
time you refuel, and alway s before going
on a long trip .
203