2018 AUDI A7 warning

Intelligent Technology
Intelligent Technology Electronic stabilization
control (ESC)
Description
Elect ronic stabili zation control ( ESC) suppo rts
driver safety. It red uces the risk of slipping and
improves dr iving stabi lity. ESC detects crit ica l sit­
uations such as the vehicle overstee ring and un­
dersteeri ng or the w heels are sp inning. The vehi­
cle is stabilized by app lying the brakes or reduc ­
i n g e ngine torque . As soon as the ESC is active ly
regula ting, t he
Ii) indicato r light blink s in the in­
s trumen t clus ter.
The fo llow ing systems are in tegrated in the ESC:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS p reve nts the whee ls from lock ing whe n brak ­
ing. The vehicle can st ill be steered even d uring
hard brak ing. Apply steady press ure to the bra ke
pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A puls ing in t he
b rake pedal indicates that the system is act ing to
s tabili ze the vehicle .
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can dec rease brak ing dis­
tance. It inc reases brak ing power when the d river
presses the brake pedal q uick ly in eme rgency sit­
uations . You must press and hold t he b rake pedal
until the dangerous si tuatio n is ove r. In veh icles
w ith adapt ive c ruise con trol*, the bra ke assist
sys te m is more sensitive if t he di stan ce detec ted
t o the veh icle dr iv ing a head is too small. On
ve hicl es w ith ac tivated and funct io ni ng night vi ­
sion assist*, the brake assist system can respond mo re sensit ively if there is a warning .
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces eng ine power when the drive w heels
beg in sp inning a nd ad ap ts the force to the road
conditions. This makes i t easie r to sta rt, acceler ­
ate and dr ive up h ills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
ED L appl ies the bra kes to a w heel that st arts
sp inning and transfe rs th e dr ive powe r to the
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othe r driving whee ls. This func tion is no t ava ila ­
ble at higher s peeds .
I n extre me cases , EDL au tomat ic al ly swi tches off
to keep t he b rake o n the br aked whee l from ove r­
h eating. The ve hicle is still wo rking co rrect ly. EDL
will switch on agai n automatically when co ndi ­
tions have returned to normal.
Steering recommendation
The ES C he lps to s tabili ze th e vehicle by ch ang ing
t h e steer ing torque.
In veh icles wi th dyna mic steer ing*, ESC a lso
h elps to stab ilize the steer ing in cr it ica l sit ua ­
t ion s.
Selective wheel torque control
Se lective wheel to rque con trol is used when driv­
i ng o n curves . The fron t whee l on the inside of
t h e curve or bo th whee ls on the i nside of th e
cu rve are braked se lective ly as needed. This al­
l ows mo re prec ise dr iving in curves .
Automatic post -collision braking system
The "automa tic post -coll is io n braking system"
can hel p t o reduce the risk of sl iding and of addi­
tiona l co llisions after an acc iden t. If th e a irbag
c ontro l modu le de tec ts a c ollisi on above a cert ain
vehicle speed, the ve hicle is brak ed by the ESC.
The veh icle does not brake automatically if :
- the drive r presses t he acce lerator pedal, or
- the bra kin g force generate d by the presse d
brake pedal is greater than the b raking force
that wo uld be in itiated by the system, or
- the ESC, the bra ke system or the ve hicle elect ri­
cal system are not functioning.
A WARNING
- The ESC and its integ rated systems can not
overcom e the lim its imposed by natura l
p hys ica l laws . Thi s is esp ec ially impo rtan t
on s lippery or wet roa ds. If the sys te m s be­
g in a cting to stab ilize y our vehicle, y ou
s ho uld immedi ately alter y o ur speed to
match the road an d traffic condi tions . Do
not let the increased safety provi ded tem pt

Intelligent Technology
ESC levels
Applies to : RS models
Sport mode on ESC/ASR off Sport mode off or
ESC/ASRon
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza -
The stabilization function is Th
e fu ll stabilization func-
tion functions are limited not available
¢ .&. . ESC and tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢ .&_. ASR are switched off. avai lab le aga in.
Operation Press the I~ OFFI button Press and hold the I~ OFFI Press the I ~ OFFI button
briefly. button
longer than 3 sec-
again.
onds .
Indicator II turns on. II and II turn on. II turns off or II and II
lights turn off.
Messages Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization control
Sport Warning! Reduced Off Warning! Reduced sta- (ESC): On
stability bility
A WARNING
-You should only switch sport mode on or
switch ESC/ ASR off if your driving abilities
and road conditions permit.
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is switched on. The driving
wheels could spin and the vehicle could swerve, especially on slick or slippery road
surfaces.
- There is no vehicle stabilization when ESC/
ASR are switched off.
(D Tips
- ESC/ASR cannot be switched off or sport
mode cannot be switched on if the cruise
control system* or the adaptive cruise con­
trol* is switched on.
- If the rear spoiler system malfunctions,
sport mode may not switch on or it may
switch off again automatically.
Brakes
New brake pads
-
New brake pads do not achieve their full braking
effe ct during the first 2S0 mi (400 km). They
must be "broken in" first.
The break-in period can be considerably longer
for vehicles with ceramic brake rotors*. However,
you can compensate for the slightly reduced
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braking force by pressing firmly on the brake
pedal. Avoid heavy braking during the break-in
period.
Wear
Brake pad
wear depends large ly on the way the
vehicle is driven and on operating conditions .
This is espec ia lly true if you are driv ing frequently
i n the city and on curves or with a sporty driving
style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, braking force and outside conditions such
as temperature and humidity.
Noises may become more apparent at lower
speeds due to the nature of the materials in the
ceramic brake rotors*.
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy rain, after overnight 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 with a few carefu l brake applica­
tions.
At higher speeds and with the windshield wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake
rotors for a short amount of time. This action,
which is not felt by the dr iver, happens at regular
IJIJ,

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" N .... 0 00 \.J ' intervals and ensures a better reaction time for
the brakes in wet weather.
The braking effect can also be reduced if you are
driving on salted roads and you do not apply the
brakes for long periods of time. The layer of salt
on the brake rotors and pads must be worn off
first when the brakes are applied.
Due to its surface, the ceramic brake rotor* ab­
sorbs moisture in certain situations. Therefore,
there will temporarily be less braking force than
when the brakes are dry. You can compensate for
this by pressing the brake pedal harder.
Corrosion
Leaving the vehicle parked for long periods of
time, low mileage and avoiding heavy braking
can contribute to corrosion on the brake rotors
and to dirty brake pads.
If you usually avoid heavy braking or if there is
corrosion present, occasional heavy braking at
high speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and
pads ¢.&. .
Brake system malfunction
If you notice that the brake pedal travel has sud­
denly increased, then a brake circuit in the dual­
circuit brake system may have malfunctioned. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
problem corrected. On the way there, drive with
reduced speed and keep in mind that you will
need a longer distance to stop and you will need
to press the brake pedal harder .
Low brake fluid level
When the brake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
the brake system may occur . The brake fluid level
is electronically monitored .
Brake booster
The brake booster amplifies the pressure you ap­
ply to the brake pedal. It only works when the en­
gine is running.
A WARNING
-Only apply the brakes for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system when road and
-
Intelligent Technology
traffic conditions permit. You must not en­
danger other road users. This increases the
risk of an accident.
- Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is
stopped because this increases the risk of an
accident.
- New brake pads do not achieve their full
braking effect during the first 250 mi
(400 km) . They must be "broken in" first.
The break-in period can be considerably lon­
ger for vehicles with ceramic brake rotors*.
However, you can compensate for the
slightly reduced braking force by pressing
firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy brak­
ing during the break-in period.
- Certain weather and operating conditions
such as driving through water, driving in
heavy rain or driving after washing your ve­
hicle can impair the effectiveness of the
brakes. In the winter, ice may build up on
the brake pads, rotors and drums. Check
these components by braking carefully. Ap­
plying the brakes carefully several times
dries the brakes and removes ice build-up .
- The efficiency of the brakes can also be im­
paired by driving for long stretches on roads
covered with salt without using the brakes.
You can remove salt deposits from the
brake rotors and pads by carefully applying
the brakes several times.
- If the front spoiler is damaged or you install
another spoiler, make sure the front wheel
brakes are ventilated properly. Otherwise,
the brake system could overheat, which re­
duces their effectiveness.
- Failure of a brake circuit impairs braking
performance, which increases braking dis­
tance. Avoid driving the vehicle and have it
towed it to the nearest authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
- If the brake booster is not working, you will
have to press much harder on the brake
pedal to compensate for the lack of the
booster .
@ Note
-Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
pedal lightly when braking is not actually
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0 00 <..:l ' Winter tires
By using all wheel d rive, yo ur vehicle has good
forward motion with standard t ires in winter con­
ditions. However, in winter we recommend using
wint er or all season t ires on all four wheels, be­
cause this will improve the braking effect.
Snow chains
If
t h ere are snow cha in laws, snow chains must
a lso be used on vehicles with a ll wheel drive
¢ page 221, Snow chains.
Replacing tires
For vehi cles w ith all whee l dr ive , only whee ls w ith
the same rolling circumferen ce s hou ld be used .
Avoid using tires with different tread depths
¢ page 212, New tires or wheels .
Offroad vehicle?
Your Audi is not an offroad vehicle -there is not
enough g round clearance. For this reason, avo id
d ifficult terrain .
_& WARNING
-Also, in vehicles with a ll wheel drive, adapt
yo ur dr iv ing style to the cu rrent road and
traff ic conditions . Do not let the increased
sa fety 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 t he wheels . In this way, it
is not diffe rent from a two whee l dr ive vehi ­
cle. Do not be tempted to accelerate to a
hig h speed when t he road is slippe ry, be­
ca use this increases the risk of a n accide nt .
- Note that on wet streets , the fro nt wheels
can "hyd roplan e" if d riving at speeds that
are too hig h. Unlike front whee l drive
vehicles, t he eng ine does not rev highe r su d­
den ly when the vehicle begins hydroplaning .
For this reason, adapt your speed to the
road conditions to reduce the risk of an acc i­
dent.
Intelligent Technology
Rear spoiler
T he extendable rear spoiler increases driving sta­
bilit y.
Fig. 1 39 Cen ter conso le : b utton for t he rea r spo iler
T he rear spo iler retracts and extends. Var ious op­
erating modes (automatic o r manua l mode) can
be a ctivated .
Automatic mode (normal op eration)
- Extends automatically: when the vehicle speed
exceeds approx imately 80 mph ( 130 km/h) .
- Retracts automat ica lly: when the veh icle speed
drops be low approx ima tely SO mph (80 km/h) .
Manual mode
- Extend ing manua lly: br iefly tap the button to
fully extend the rear spo iler.
- Retracting manually: when dr iving at speeds
be low 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 rea r spo ile r will
comp letely retract whe n you tap the butto n.
Indicator lights
,A I. Rear spoiler: System f ault!
The rear spoiler may not have extended due to a
malfunction . This cou ld change the vehicle 's driv ­
i ng character istics at high speeds. Do not dr ive
faster than 85 mp h (140 km/h) . Drive to an au­
thorized Audi dea ler or authori zed Audi Service
Facility immed iate ly to have the malfu nction cor ­
rected . T he color of the indicato r light depends
o n the vehicle speed .
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Intellig ent T echn olo gy
A WARNING
When extending and retracting the rear spoil­
er, make sure there are no persons or objects
w ith in the spoiler range to reduce the risk of
injury .
A WARNING -
Driv ing at higher speeds w ithout the rear
spoiler dep loyed can impa ir hand ling cha rac­
ter istics, mak ing the veh icle h arder to con­
trol.
- Always make sure that the spoiler is de ­
ployed whe n driving at speeds ove r 85 mp h
(140 km/h) . If the rear spoiler warning/indi ­
cator lig ht in the instrument cluster comes
on, the rear spoi ler 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 author iz ed Audi dealer or qualif ied
workshop.
- Always obey speed limits and other traffic
laws .
@ Note
-Never push on the vehicle on the rear spoi l­
er . T his cou ld cause damage.
- To prevent damage to the rear spoiler do not lean or p lace anyt hing on it.
- Only operate t he 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 spoi ler compartment every 2 to
3 months . To function correctly, the rear
spoiler must be free of ice, snow and leaves.
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Energy management
The starting ability is optimized
T he energy management sys tem 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 veh icle bat­
tery is drained by equ ipment (for example, the
i mmob il izer). I n certa in circumstances, there
could may not be enough energy to start the en ­
gine.
Your vehicle is equipped with an intell igent ener­
gy management system fo r dist ributing elect rici­
ty. Thi s sign if icantly improves the start ing ab il ity
and increases the vehicle battery life .
The energy management system Is made up of
battery dia gno sis , idling current management ,
and dynamic energ y m ana gement .
Battery di agnosis
T he battery diagnos is determines the vehicle bat ­
tery cha rge level. The sensors detect the batte ry,
t h e battery cur rent, and the battery temperature .
The current cha rge level and the pe rformance of
t h e ve hicle battery are dete rm ined based on th is.
Idling current management
The idling current management decreases the
energy used while parked . With the engine
switched off , it ma nages the ene rgy distr ib ution
to the d ifferent e lectr ica l components . Data from
t h e battery d iagnosis is ta ken into a ccou nt for
t hi s.
Depend ing on the vehicle batte ry cha rge level,
electr ical eq uipme nt is switched off one item af ­
te r th e o ther to p revent the veh icle bat tery from
dra ining and to ma intain the starting ab ility.
Dynamic energy manag ement
While driv ing , dynam ic energy management dis­
t ributes the app ropr iate amo unt of energy to t he
electr ical eq uipme nt.
It contro ls the batte ry
c h arge level so tha t the amount of energy is no t
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" N .... 0 00 \.J ' Driving safety
Basics
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
The individua l safety features of your vehicle can
work together as a system to help protect you
and your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if they
are not always correctly adjusted and correctly
used .
This chapter contains important informat ion,
tips, instruct ions and warn ings that you need to
read and observe for your own safety, the safety
of your passengers and others . We have summar­
i zed here what you need to know about safety
be lts, a irbags, child restra ints as well as child
safety. Yo ur safety is for us priority number 1. Al­
ways observe the information and warnings in
this section - for your own safety as well as that
of your passengers.
The informa tion in t his sect ion app lies to all
model versions of your vehicle. Some of the fea ­
tures described in this sections may be standard
eq uipment on some models, or may be optional
equ ipment on others. If you are not sure, ask
your author ized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
-Always make sure that you follow the in­
struct ions and heed the WARNINGS in th is
Manual. It is in your i nterest a nd in the in­
te rest of your passengers .
-
-Always keep the complete Owner's Litera­
t ur e in yo ur Audi whe n you lend or se ll yo ur
vehicle so that this important information
w ill a lways be available to the d rive r and
passengers.
-Always keep the Owne r's literature h andy so
that you can f ind it easily if yo u have ques­
tions .
Driving saf ety
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job ! Vehicle and occupant
safety always depends on the informed and care­
ful driver .
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
befor e dri ving alw ays:
.. Make sure that a ll lights and signals are operat­
ing correctly.
.. Make sure tha t the tire pressure is correct .
.. Make sure that all windows are clean and afford
good vis ibility to the outs ide .
.. Secure all luggage and othe r items ca refully
¢ page 54, ¢page 53 .
.. Make sure that not hing c an interfere wi th the
peda ls .
.. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correct ly for your height.
.. Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to their height.
.. Make sure to use the rig ht child restra int cor­
rectly to protect children
¢ page 170, Child
safety .
.. Sit properly in your seat and make sure t hat
your passengers do the
same ¢ page 47, Seats
and storage.
.. Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly . Al ­
so instruct your passengers to fasten their safe­
ty belts
properly ¢ page 138 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle , the driver as well as the driver 's abili­
ty to concentrate on the road without being dis­
tracted.
The driver is responsib le for the safety of the ve ­
hicle and a ll of its occupants. If your ability to
drive is impa ired, safety risks for everybody in the
vehicle increase and you a lso become a hazard to
everyone else on the road
¢ &_ . Therefore:
.. Do not let yourse lf be distracted by passengers
or by using a cellular telephone .
.. NEVER drive when your driving abi lity is im­
pa ired (by med ications, alcohol, drugs, etc .) .
.. Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and
speed lim its and plain common sense .
129

Driving sa fety
,.. ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and
weather conditions.
,.. Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive
for more than two hours at a stretch.
,.. Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pres­
sure or whe n you are stressed .
A WARNING
Impaired driv ing safety inc reases the risk of
ser ious persona l inju ry and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
Correct passenger
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver sea ting po sition is impor tan t
for safe, relaxed driving .
Fig. 14 0 Correc t seat ing posit ion
F or your own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the driver 's seat to the following
position :
,.. Adjust the dr iver's seat so tha t you can easily
push the pedals all the way to the floor whi le
keeping your knee(s) s light ly
bent ¢ ,A.
,.. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position so that your back comes in
full contact with it when you drive.
,.. Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a dis­
tance of at least 10 inches (25 cm ) between the
stee ring wheel and your breast
bone ¢ fig. 140 .
If not possib le, see you r autho rized Aud i dea l­
ersh ip about adaptive equipment .
130
,.. Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering
wh eel and airbag cover points at your chest and
not at your face.
,.. Grasp the top of the steering wheel with your
elbow(s) slightly bent.
,.. F or ad justab le head rest raints: Adjust the head
restraint so t he upper edge is as even as possi­
ble with the top of your head . If that is not pos­
sible, t ry to adjust the head restraint so tha t it
is a s close to this pos it ion as poss ible . M ove the
he ad restraint so tha t it is as close to the back
o f the head as possible.
,.. Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢ page 141 .
,.. Always keep both feet in the footwell so that
you are in contro l of the veh icle at all times .
Fo r detail ed information on how to adjust the
dr iver's seat,
see ¢ page 47.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted , out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in-
jured by an airbag as it unfo lds . To help re-
duce the risk of serio us pe rsonal i njury:
-Always adjust the driver's seat and the steer ing whee l so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between you r breastbone
and the steering wheel.
- Always ad just the driver's seat and the
steer ing whee l so that the re are at least
4 inch es (10 cm) between the knees a nd the
lower part of the ins trumen t panel.
-Always hold t he s teering wheel on the out­
side of t he steering wheel r im with yo ur
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
tions to help reduce the risk of personal in­
jury if the dr iver 's airbag inflates.
-Never hold the stee ring wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with you r hands at
other positions inside the steer ing whee l
rim o r on the steering wheel hub. Holding
the steering wheel the wrong way can cause
serious injuries to the hands, arms and head
-
if the driver's airbag inflates . .,_

a co .... N
" N .... 0 00 \,;J ' -Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supplemen­
tal driver's airbag to protect you in a colli­ sion .
- Always sit in an upright position and never
lean against or place any part of your body
too close to the area where the airbags are
located .
- Before driving, always adjust the front seats
properly and make sure that all passengers
are properly restrained .
- For adjustable head restraints : before driv ­
ing, always also adjust the head restraints
properly .
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving . Your seat may move unexpectedly
and you could lose control of the vehicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt
and improper seating position.
- Children must always ride in child seats
~ page 170. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
i::> page 146 .
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is
important for safe, r elaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust th e seat for the front passenger
to the following position:
.. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position and your back comes in full
contact with it wh enever the vehicle is moving.
.. For adjustable head restraints: adjust the head
restraint so the upper edge is as even as possi­
ble with the top of your head. If that is not pos­
sible , try to adjust the head restraint so that it
is as close to this position as possible
~ page 132. Move the head restraint so that it
is as close to the back of the head as possible.
Driving safety
.. Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the
front passeng er seat.
.. Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
i::> page 141 .
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front pass enger's s eat, see
i::> pag e 47.
A WARNING
= -
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out
of position or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured or killed by the airbag as it
unfolds . To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
- Passengers must always sit in an upright po­
sition and never lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of posi­
tion or too close to the airbag can be seri­
ously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
g reat force in the blink of an eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front pas­
senger's breastbone and the instrument panel.
- Always make sure that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the front passen­
ger's knees and the lower part of the instru­
ment panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat .
- Before driving, always adjust the front pas­
senger seat properly.
- For adjustable head restraints: before driv­
ing, always also adjust the head restraints
properly .
- Always keep your feet on the floor in front
of the seat. Never rest them on the seat, in­
strument panel, out of the window, etc. The
airbag system and safety belt will not be
able to protect you properly and can even in­
crease the risk of injury in a crash .
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
~
131