2018 AUDI A7 warning light

Ass is tanc e system s
depending on the situation. The distribution of
power varies from balanced (comfort) to sporty
(dynamic) depending on the selected mode. The
goal is a high leve l of agility and ab ility to accel­
erate on curves. The ve hicle is very respons ive to
steer ing .
Co rne ring light *
The cornering light adapts the high beams to the
direction of the curve depending on the speed.
The pivot ing action and the light ing also adapt to
the mode.
Adapti ve c ruise control *
The behavior when acce lerating can be adjusted
from comfortable to sporty, depending on the
drive select mode. Adaptive cruise control a lso
responds to the driving behavior of the veh icle
ahead in a more conservative or sporty manner.
Engine sound *
The engine sound adapts to the current mode
and can be subtle to sporty .
@ Note
Applies to: vehicles with adaptive air suspension
-Make sure there is enough clearance above
and below t he ve hicle when parking. The
height of the vehicle (ground clearance) can
change once it is parked due to temperature
fl uctuations, changes to t he load condit ions
and c hanges to the d rivi ng modes.
- When transporting the veh icle on a car car­
r ier, tra in, sh ip or by other means, only t ie
the ve hicle dow n at t he ru nning surface of
the tires, w hich is the outer circ umfe rence.
Securing t he vehi cle at t he axle compo ­
nents, suspension struts or towing eyes is
not permitted because the pressu re in t he
a ir s uspension struts can change dur ing
Adjusting the Individual mode
transport . The vehicle may not be secured
sufficiently if this happens.
(D Tips
- In some models, the max imum ve hicle
speed can on ly be reached in t he auto and
dynamic modes.
- Th e S se lector lever position a utomat ica lly
engages if the dynamic mode is selected.
- Applies to: vehicles with dynamic steering:
operating noise is heard when sta rting o r
stopping the engine. This does not indicate
a problem .
Selecting the driving mode
.,. To select the mode, select the follow ing in the
Infotainment:
! CAR ! function button> Comfort ,
Auto , Dynamic or Individual.
.,. Applies to: vehicles with a ti:~ button on the
steering wheel: press the button repeatedly u n­
til the desired mode appea rs in the instrument
cl uste r d isplay.
You
can change the driv ing mode whe n the vehi­
cle is stationary or while d riv in g. If traff ic per­
mits, afte r changing modes, briefly t ake your
foot o ff t he accelerator pedal so t hat the recently
selected mode is also activated for t he engine.
Comfort -provides a comfort-or iented vehicle
setup a nd is s uited fo r long d rives o n highways.
Auto -provides a n overall comfortable yet dy­
nam ic dr iv ing feel and is suited for everyday use .
Dynamic -gives the driver a sporty driving fee l
and is suited to a sporty driving style .
Individu al -¢ page 106 .
A WARNING
Pay attention to traffic when ope rating the
drive select to reduce the r isk of an accident.
-
You can adjust the vehicle settings to your personal preferences .
.,. Select: the !CAR! function button > S et individ­
ual
control b utton . Once you select the men u,
106
you will a utomatica lly drive in the Indi vidual
mode .

Parking syste m s
Parking systems
General information
A pplies to: ve hicles w ith pa rk in g system plus/rearview cam­
era/peripheral camera
Depending on your vehicle 's equipment , various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma­
ne uvering.
The
p ark in g sys tem plu s assists you when park­
ing by aud ibly and visua lly indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the veh icle
Q page 109.
The rea rv iew c am era shows the area beh ind the
veh icle in the Infotainment system d isp lay. The
lines in the rearv iew came ra image he lp you to
pa rk or maneuve r
Qpage 110.
The peripher al c am era s assist you with parking
and maneuvering . You are aided by var ious cam­
eras depend ing on the vehicle equipment leve l
Qpage 113. The pa rk ing system pl us functions
are also available
Q page 109 .
& WARNING
-Always look for traffic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it direct ly
as well. The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attent ion. The driver is always
respons ible when enter ing or leav ing a park­
ing space and dur ing s imilar maneuvers.
- Please note that some surfaces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system .
-
-Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
wh ich people and objects cannot be detect­
ed . Be especially caut ious of small children
and animals .
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator gr ille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody . The park­
ing system may be impa ired as a result.
Have a n author ized A udi dealer or au thor ­
ized Audi Service Facility check their func ­
tion .
- Make s ure the senso rs ar e not obst ructed by
stickers, deposits or other materia ls. If they
are, the sensor function could be impaired.
For additiona l information on cleaning, see
Q page 228.
108
@ Note
-Some objects are not detected or disp layed
by t he system under certain c ircumstances:
- objects such as barrier cha ins, tra iler draw
ba rs, ve rtical po les o r fences
- objects above the sensors such as wall ex ­
tensions
- objects with certain s urfaces or structures
such as cha in li nk fe nces 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 lo nger be
wa rned 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 prov ide a war ning even
though there are no obstacles in the cover­
age area in some situations, such as :
- certain road surfaces or when there is tall
grass
- exte rna l ul trasonic sources such as from
cleaning vehicles
- in heavy rain, snow, o r th ick vehicle ex­
h a u st
- We recommend th at you practice p arki ng in
a traffic -free loca tion or parking lot to be ­
come fami liar with the system . When doing
this, there s hou ld be good light and weath ­
er conditions.
- You can change the vo lume and pitch of the
signa ls as well as the d isp lay
Q page 118.
- Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trai ler located in
Q page 118.
-What appea rs in the infotainment d isplay is
somewhat time -de layed.
- Th e sensors m ust be ke pt clean and free of
snow and ice for the parking aid to operate .

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
120
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
122
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,

a co .... N
" 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
123

a co ,...,
N
" N ,...,
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 .
125

a co .... N
" 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 . .,_