2017 AUDI A7 Snow chain

Parking systems
Parking systems
General information
Applies to: vehicles with parking system plus/rearview cam­
era/peripheral camera
Depending on your vehicle's equipment , various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma­
neuvering.
The
parking system plus assists you when park­
ing by audibly and visually indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the vehicle
¢page 109.
The
rearview camera shows the area behind the
vehicle in the Infotainment system display. This
display assists you when you are cross or parallel parking
¢ page 110. The parking system plus
functions are also available
¢ page 109.
The
peripheral cameras assist you with parking
and maneuvering. You are aided by various cam­
eras depending on the vehicle equipment level
¢ page 113. The parking system plus functions
are also available
¢ page 109.
A WARNING
-Always look for traffic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it directly
as well. The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attention. The driver is always responsible when entering or leaving a park­
ing space and during similar maneuvers.
- Please note that some surfaces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system .
-
-Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
which people and objects cannot be detect­ ed . Be especially cautious of small children
and animals.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody . The park­
ing system may be impaired as a result.
Have an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility check their func­
tion .
- Make sure the sensors are not obstructed by stickers, deposits or other materials. If they
are, the sensor function could be impaired.
108
For additional information on cleaning, see
¢page 235.
(D Note
-Some objects are not detected or displayed
by the system under certain circumstances:
- Objects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, vertical poles or fences
- Objects above the sensors such as wall ex­
tensions
- Objects with certain surfaces or structures
such as chain link fences or powder snow
- If you continue driving closer to a low ob­
ject, it may disappear from the sensor range. Note that you will no longer be
warned about th is obstacle .
- Keep enough distance from the curb to re­
duce the risk of damage to the rims .
(D Tips
-The system may provide a warning even
though there are no obstacles in the cover­
age area in some situations, such as :
- certa in road surfaces or when there is tall
grass.
- external ultrasonic sources such as from
cleaning vehicles .
- in heavy rain, snow, or thick vehicle ex­
haust.
- We recommend that you practice parking in
a traffic-free location or parking lot to be­
come familiar with the system . When doing
this, there should be good light and weath­
er conditions.
- You can change the volume and pitch of the
signals as well as the display
¢ page 118.
- Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trailer located in
¢page 118.
- What appears in the infotainment d isplay is
somewhat time-delayed.
- Th e sensors must be kept clean and free of
snow and ice for park aid to operate .

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<..:l 'SI"
you into taking risks. This could increase
your risk of a collision.
- Please note the risk of a co llision increases
when driving fast, especially through curves
and on slippery or wet roads, and when driv­
ing too close to objects ahead. The ESC and
its integrated systems cannot always pre­
vent collisions -there is still a r isk of acci­
dents!
- Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
accelerating on even, slippery surfaces such
as ice and snow. The drive wheels can spin
Switching on /off
Intelligent Technology
even when these control systems are instal­
led and this can affect driving stability and
increase the risk of a collision.
(D Tips
- ABS and ASR only function correctly when
all four wheels are equipped with identical
tires. Different tire s izes can lead to a reduc­
tion in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working.
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine .
Fig. 140 Center console: OFF ~ button
The following examples are unusual situations
where it may make sense to switch sport mode
on in order to allow the wheels to spin:
ESC levels
Sport mode on
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
-Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving with snow chains
Applies to: RS models: the ESC is designed to
function in levels. Depending on the level that is
selected, the stabil izat ion function of the ESC is
limited or switched off. The amount of stabiliza­
tion control will differ depending on the level.
Sport mode off
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabilization functions The
full stabilization function of the ESC
are limited
c::> & . and ASR is available again.
Operation Press the I~ OFF I button . Press the 1.$ OF FI button again .
Indicator Ill turns on. II turns off.
lights
Messa ges Stabilization control (ESC ): Sport Warn- Stabilization control (ESC): On
ing! Reduced stability
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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 227, Snow chains.
Replacing tires
For vehicles w ith all whee l dr ive, only whee ls w ith
the same rolling circumference should be used .
Avoid using tires with different tread depths
¢ page 218, 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.
_& WARNING
-Also, in vehicles with a ll wheel drive, adapt
your dr iving style to the current road and
traff ic conditions. Do not let the increased
safety provided tempt you into taking risks,
because this increases the risk of an acci­
dent .
- The braking ability of your vehicle is limited
to the traction of the wheels . In this way, it
is not different from a two wheel dr ive vehi­
cle. Do not be tempted to accelerate to a
high speed when the road is slippery, be­
cause this increases 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 .
For this reason, adapt your speed to the
road conditions to reduce the risk of an acci­
dent.
Intelligent Technology
Rear spoiler
The extendable rear spoiler increases driving sta­
bility.
Fig. 141 Center console: button for the rear spoiler
T he rear spo iler retracts and extends. Var ious op­
erating modes (automatic o r manua l mode) can
be activated .
Automatic mode (normal operation)
-Extends automatically: when the vehicle speed
exceeds approx imately 80 mph (130 km/h) .
- Retracts automat ically: when the vehicle speed
drops below approx imately SO mph (80 km/h).
Manual mode
- Extending manually: briefly tap the button to
fully extend the rear spoiler.
- Retracting manually: when driving at speeds
below approximately 10 mph (20 km/h), press
and hold the button to retract the rear spoiler.
When at speeds between 10 mph (20 km/h)
and 80 mph (130 km/h), the rear spoiler will
completely retract when you tap the button.
Indicator lights
lfa /. Rear spoiler: System fault!
The rear spoiler may not have extended due to a
malfunction . This cou ld change the vehicle 's driv­
ing characteristics at high speeds. Do not drive
faster than 85 mph (140 km/h) . Drive to an au­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility immed iately to have the malfunction cor ­
rected . The color of the indicator light depends
on the vehicle speed .
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\.J ' and a special procedure. You must not repair or
disassemble them ¢.&. .
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control, which increases the risk of
an acc ident. For the correct tightening specifi ­
cation, see ¢
page 244, After changing a
wheel .
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim .
- Always have damaged r ims repa ired by an
authorized Audi dealer o r autho rized Aud i
Service Facility . Never repair or d isassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident.
Winter tires
W inte r ti res s ignificantly improve the vehicle's
h andling when driving in win ter condit ions . Be­
cause of the ir constr uction (width, compound,
tread pattern), summer tires provide less trac­
tion on ice and snow .
... Use w inter t ires on all fo ur wheels .
... Only use winter t ires that are approve d for your
v ehicl e.
... Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires¢.&_ . An
authorized Aud i dealer or au thori zed Aud i Serv­
ice Fac ility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed fo r your tires .
... Check the tire press ure after installing wheels
¢page 221.
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
l y when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .1 57 in ( 4 mm). The character ist ics of winter
tires a lso de crease great ly as the tire ages, re­
ga rdless of the remain ing tread.
WARNING
- Never drive faster than the maxim um per ­
mitted speed for your t ires. This cou ld cause
the tires to heat up too much. Th is increases
Wh eel s
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the t ire to burst.
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic cond itions . Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads . Even
winter t ires can lose tract io n on black ice.
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinsta ll summer tires at the app ropr iate
time, beca use they prov ide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road no ise, tire wear and fue l
consumpt io n.
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun­
tries where winter tires are required, on ly
winter tires w ith the
& symbo l may be per­
mitted .
Snow chains
Snow ch ains not o nly improve t he d riv in g in win ­
te r road condit ions, bu t also the braking .
... On ly install snow cha ins on the fron t wheels .
Th is applies a lso to vehicles with a ll w heel
drive * .
... Check and correct the se ating of the snow
chai ns after driving a few feet, if necessary . Fol ­
low th e instructions from the manufacturer.
... Note the maximum speed of 30 mph (SO km/
h). Note the local regula tions .
U se of snow cha ins is only permitted with certa in
rim/tire combinat ions due to technical reasons .
Check with an autho riz ed Audi dealer or author­
i z ed Audi Service Facility to see if you may use
snow c hains .
Yo u m ust remove the snow chains on roads with­
o ut snow . Otherw ise, you co uld impai r dr iving
ability and damage the t ires .
A WARNING ,_
Using incor rect snow chains or installing snow
cha ins incor rectly can resu lt in loss of veh icle
~
227

Wheels
co ntrol, w hich inc reases t he risk of an
accident .
(D Note
-Snow cha ins can damage the rims/whee l
covers * if the chains come into d irect con ­
tact with them. Remove the whee l cove rs *
first. Use coated snow chains.
- Usin g sn ow chains that a dd more than 0 .4
i nch (10.5 mm) of he ight can severely dam­
age the wheel ho usings and other vehicle
components .
- Do not install and use snow chains if there is
a malfunct ion in the adaptive air suspen­
s io n*, because the vehicle height wi ll be
very low . If yo u drive with snow chains any ­
way, the wheel ho usings a nd othe r vehicle
co mp onen ts ca n be severe ly da mage d.
(D Tips
When using snow cha ins, it may b e usef ul to
sw itch on spo rt mo de
~ pag e 12 1.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Aud i is f actory-equipped wi th low aspec t ra­
t io tires. The se tir es h ave bee n thor oughly te sted
and b een se lected s pecific ally fo r yo ur model fo r
their superb perfo rmance , road feel and hand ling
un der a va riety of driving conditions. As k yo ur au ­
thor ized Audi dealer for mo re details .
Th e low aspect ratio of these tires is indi cate d by
a nume ra l of
55 or less in t he tire's size desig na­
tion. The nume ra l r ep resents the rat io of t he
tire's sidewall he ight i n relat ion to its tread wi dth
expressed in pe rcentage. Conventional tires have
a heig ht/w idt h rat io o f 60 o r mo re.
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires is par­
ticularly sensitive to improper inflation pres­
sure. It is therefore important that low aspect
ratio tires are inflated to the specified pressure
and that the inflation pressure is regularly
checked and maintained. Tire pressures should
be checked at least once a month and always
before a long trip~
page 221.
228
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more eas i­
l y by impact with potho les, curbs, gullies or
r idges on the road, particularly if the tire is un ­
der inflated.
In orde r to mi nimize the occurrence of impact
damage to the tires o f yo ur vehicle, we recom ­
mend that you observe the following preca u­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation pres ­
sures. Check yo ur tire pressure every 2,000
m iles (3,000 km) and add a ir if necessary.
- Dr ive carefully on roa ds w it h potholes, deep
gullies o r ridges. The impact from dr iv ing
throug h or over such obstacles can damage
your t ires. Impac t with a curb may a lso ca use
damage to yo ur tir es.
- After a ny impact, immed iate ly inspect you r
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au ­
t horize d Aud i dealer . Replace a damage d tire as
soo n as poss ible .
- Inspec t your tir es ev ery 2,000 m iles (3,000 km)
for d amage and wear . Damage is no t always
easy to see . Da mage ca n lead to loss o f air and
un derinfla tion, w hich could eve ntually ca use
t ire f ailure. If yo u be lieve th at a tir e m ay h ave
been dam age d, rep la ce the tire as soon as pos ­
sible .
- These tire s may wea r mo re quick ly th an ot hers.
- Ple ase also remember th at , while t hese tires
delive r respo nsive h andli ng, they may rid e less
c omforta bly an d make mo re noise than o ther
choices .
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
A ll t ires are des igned for certain purposes . T he
l ow aspect ratio, ultra h igh performance tires
o rigina lly installed on your veh icle are inten ded
fo r max imum d ry and wet road per formance and
h andling . They a re not suitable fo r co ld, snowy or
i cy weather conditions . If yo u drive under those
c ir cums tances, you should eq uip yo ur vehicle
wi th all-season o r winter tires, which offer be tter
t ra ct io n und er th ose condi tions. We suggest yo u ..,.

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\.J - Check/correct the pressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys­
tem
¢page 231.
ffim (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) T ire
pressu re : S ys tem malfunction !. If ffim
appears
after switching the ignition on or whi le driving
and the
[I] indicator light in the instrument clus­
ter blinks for approximate ly one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures¢
page 231. If
the ind icator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time, dr ive to an author­
i zed A udi dealer o r authorized Audi Service Fac ili­
ty immediately to have the malfunc tion correct ­
ed .
& WARNING ,___ -
-If the tire pressure indicator appea rs in the
display, reduce your speed immed iate ly and
avoid any hard steer ing or braking maneu­
vers. Stop as soon as possib le and check the
t ires and their pressure.
- The driver is responsib le for maintaining the
correct tire pressure. You must check the
t ire pressure regu larly.
- Under certa in conditions (such as a sporty
driv ing style, winter cond itions or unpaved
roads), the tire p ressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed.
{D) Tips
- The t ire pressure monitoring system can al­
so stop work ing when there is an ESC mal­
funct ion.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction .
- The t ire pressure monitoring system in your
Audi was calibrated with "Audi Orig inal
Tires"
¢ page 218. We recommend that you
use these t ires .
Wh eel s
Storing tire pressures
Applies to: vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitor ing System in­
dicator
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys­ tem.
.,. Make sure before storing that the tire pressures
of all four tires meet the specified values and
are adapted to the load
¢ page 221.
.,. Switch the ignit ion on.
.,. Select: the
I CAR ! funct ion button > ( C ar) * Sys­
tem s
contro l button > S ervic e & ch eck s> Tire
pres sure monitor > Store tire pre ssure > Yes,
s tore now .
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
a re installed.
Tire pressure monitoring
system
ill General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
shou ld be checked monthly whe n cold and inflat­
ed to the i nflat io n press ure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the veh icle placard or
t ir e inflation pressure labe l. (If your ve hicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la­
bel, you should determ ine the proper tire infla­
t ion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, yo ur vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure mon itor ing system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell­
ta le when one or more of your tires is signif icant­
ly under-inflated. According ly, when the low t ire
pressure te lltale illum inates, you sho uld stop and
chec k your tires as soon as possib le, and inflate
t h em to the prope r pressure. Dr iving on a sig nifi­
ca nt ly unde r-inflated t ire causes the t ire to over ­
hea t and can lead to tire fa il ur e. Under-inflat ion
also reduces fue l effic iency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop -
ping ability .
liJJ,-
231

Wheels
"'If the changed tire pressures are not displayed
in the Infotainment system, drive the vehicle
for approximately 10 minutes so that the sen­
sor signal from the wheels is received again.
During this adaptation phase, --.--is displayed
for the pressure and temperature and the tire
pressure monitoring system is only partially
available. It only provides a warning if one or
more t ire pressures is below the minimum per­
mitted specified pressure. If this is the case, the
Rt] indicator light appears with a message.
_& WARNING
Read and follow the important information
and notes
r::!;>page 232.
Malfunctions
Appl ies to : vehicles wi th tire pressure mo nito rin g system
If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System is not
avai lable, the
mm indicator light appears in the
driver information system. The
Rt] indicator light
also blinks for approximately one minutes each
time the ignition is switched on. The tire pressure
monitoring system cannot be selected in the In­
fotainment system. The following are examples
of situations that could cause a malfunction:
- If the message appears at the end of the adap­
tation phase, the system cannot detect the
wheels installed on the vehicle. This may result
from one or more wheels being installed with­ out wheel sensors or with incompatible wheel
sensors.
- A wheel sensor or another component has
failed.
- Using snow chains can affect the function of
the system because of the shield ing effect of
the cha ins.
- The tire pressure monitoring system is not
available due to a malfunction .
- Transmitters with the same frequency, such as
headphones or remote-controlled devices, may
cause a temporary system malfunction due to
the strong electromagnetic field.
The
mm indicator light turns off once the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System is available again.
If
you cannot correct the malfunction and the mm
234
indicator light stays on, drive immediately to an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the malfunction repaired.

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\.J ' Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility . Read and follow the instruc­
tions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
- Us ing clean ing and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
- Always store clean ing and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the r isk of po i­
soning .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably purchase env ironmenta lly-friend­
l y cleaning products.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
T he longer that deposits remain on the vehicle,
the more the surface may be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damag ing effect.
Befor e washing, rinse
off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water.
S tubborn depos its such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth.
A lso, wash t he un derside of yo ur vehicle once
road sa lt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your ve hicles w ith a pressure
washer, always follow t he ope rating inst ructions
p rovided w ith the pressure washe r. This is espe ­
cially important in regard to the pressu re and
sp raying distance. Do not a im the spray directly
at the sea ls on the side w indows, doors, lids or
Ca re and cleaning
the sun roof * or at tires, rubber hoses, ins ulating
material, sensors* or camera lenses* . Keep a dis­
tance of at least 16 in (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use cone noz zles o r high pressu re noz zles .
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °C).
Automat ic car washe s
Spray off the vehicle befo re washing .
Make s ure that the wi ndows and roo f* are closed
and the windsh ie ld wipers are
off . Follow instruc ­
tions from the car wash operator, especially if
there are accessories attached to your vehicle .
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Applies to: RS models: only use car washes where
t h e vehi cle rema ins s ta ti onary and the washi ng
equipmen t moves around the veh icle when wash ­
ing and drying. Car washes that move the ve hicle
th rough the car wash using a chain are not rec­
ommended.
Washing by hand
Clean the ve hicl e s tarting from the top and wor k­
ing down using a soft sponge or cleaning br ush .
Use solvent -free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
T o avo id damag ing the pa int when washing, firs t
remove dust and large pa rticles from your vehi­
cle . Insects, grease spots and fingerprints are
best removed w ith a special cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth . To
avo id damaging the pa int surface, do not use too
much pressure .
Rinse the ve hicl e thorough ly w ith wate r. Then
clean using a neutra l shampoo and a so ft micro ­
fiber cloth .
Rinse the ve hicl e thoroug hly aga in and let it air
dry . Remove any water residue using a chamois. ..,.
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