2018 AUDI A7 winter tires

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-Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to drive
through safely.
-Avoid driving through salt water, because
this can cause corrosion.
Economical and environmentally-friendly
driving
The amount of fuel consumption, the environ­
mental impact and the wear to the engine,
brakes and tires depends mostly on your driving
style. With an anticipatory and economic driving
style, fuel consumption can be reduced by ap­
proximately 10-15%. The following tips will help
you conserve the environment and your money at the same time.
Anticipatory driving
A vehicle uses the most fuel when accelerating.
When you drive with anticipation, you do not
need to brake as often and so you accelerate less.
When possible, let your vehicle coast with a
gear
engaged, for example, when you notice that the
next traffic light is red. This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con­
sumption to zero (fuel shut-off during decelera­
tion) .
Shift efficiently
Upshifting earlier is an effective way to save fuel.
Staying in a gear too long uses fuel unnecessari­
ly .
Press down on the accelerator pedal slowly and
avoid "kick-down".
Avoid full acceleration
You should rarely travel at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproportionately
high increase in fuel consumption, emissions and
traffic noise. Slower driving saves fuel.
Reduce idling time
The Start/Stop system* helps to reduce the idling
time automatically. In vehicles without the Start/
8 Stop system*, it is efficient to switch the engine 00 \.J ' Driving
off when stopped at railroad crossings and long
red lights. Stopping the engine for 30-40 sec­
onds already saves more fuel than the amount of
extra fuel needed to restart the engine.
It takes a very long time in idle to warm the en­
gine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially high in the warm-up
phase. Therefore, you should begin driving im­
mediately after starting the engine. Avoid high
RPMs while doing this .
Have maintenance performed regularly
By having maintenance performed regularly on
your vehicle, you can help to reduce fuel con­
sumption before you even start to drive. The maintenance condition of your vehicle not only
affects traffic safety and long-term value but al ­
so impacts
fuel consumption . A poorly main­
tained engine can lead to fuel consumption that
is 10% higher than normal.
Avoid short trips
The engine and emissions control system must
reach their optimal operating temperature to ef­
fectively reduce consumption and emissions .
A cold engine uses a disproportionately high amount of fuel. The engine reaches operating
temperature and consumption normalizes only
after approximately
2 .5 miles (4 km) .
Check the tire pressure
To save fuel, make sure the tires are always in­
flated to the correct pressure
Q page 215. The
fuel consumption can increase by S% if the pres­
sure is only 0.5 bar too low . Due to the increased
rolling resistance, low tire pressures will also
lead to greater tire
wear and will affect driving
behavior.
Do not drive on
winter tires year -round, as this
will consume up to 10% more fuel.
Eliminate unnecessary weight
Since every pound of extra weight increases fuel
consumption, a quick inspection of the luggage
compartment may be worth it to avoid unneces -
sary weight.
.,.
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" N .... 0 00 \.J - Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your veh icle is primar ily intended for transport­
ing people and luggage. However, if you dr ive
with a trailer , follow the technical requirements,
the operation and driving tips, and the legal reg­
u lations.
Driving with a trailer affects the vehicle 's fuel
consumption, performance and wear. It also re­
quires highe r concentration from the driver.
A WARNING
Do not transport any people in a trailer due to
the risk of fatal injury.
Technical requirements
Certain requirements must be met when towing
a trailer.
Trailer hitch
Only use a trailer hitch with a removab le ball
hitch mount and ball hitch. The trailer hitch must
be perm itted for the vehicle, the trailer and the
permitted total weight of the trailer being
pu lled. Above all, it must be secure ly and safe ly
attached to the vehicle trailer.
Never mount a trailer hitch on the bumper. The
trailer hitch must be mounted in a way that does
not impair the function of the bumper. Do not
make any changes to the exhaust system and the
brake system.
Check regularly if the trailer hitch is securely
mounted. A lways follow the instructions given by
the trai ler hitch manufacturer .
Trailer brakes
If the tra iler has its own brake system, then fol­
l ow the manufacturer specifications. However,
the brake system on the trailer must never be
connected to the vehicle brake system.
Trailer towing
Engine cooling system
Driving with a trailer means a higher load on the
engine and the cooling system. The coo ling sys­
tem must be designed for additiona l load and
contain enough coo lant
i::> @ .
@ Note
Longer inclines cannot be driven without a
suitab le cooling system, especia lly if t he out­
side temperatures are high . otherwise, this
increases the risk of engine damage.
Operating instructions
Several things must be noted when towing a
trailer.
Towing capacity
Your vehicle can only be operated with class 1 or
class 2 trailers.
Load distribution
Poor cargo load and distribut ion can negatively
impact vehicle handling.
- Store objects preferably in the vehicle luggage
compartment . The vehicle should always carry
the heaviest poss ible load and the trailer
should have the lightest possible load.
- Distribute the load in the trailer so that the
heavy objects are as close to the axle as poss i­
b le.
- Secure objects from sl iding out of place .
- Ut ilize the maximum permitted tongue weight
if possible .
Tires
Set the tire pressure on your vehicle for a "full
load"; see the tire pressure sticker
c::>page 215.
If necessary, also adjust the tire pressure on the
trailer according to the manufacturer's recom­ mendat ion .
Winter tires should be mounted on the vehicle and on the trailer during winter temperatures.
Outside mirrors
If you cannot see the tra ffic behind the trailer
with the standard exterior mirrors, then you
81

Ass is tance sy stem s
Assistance systems
Speed warning system
Description
Applies to: veh icles with speed warning system
The speed warning system helps you to stay un­
der a specified maximum speed.
The speed warning system warns you if you are
exceeding the maximum speed that you have set.
A warning tone will sound as soon as your speed
exceeds the sto red value slightly.
The . (USA models) I. (Canada models) indi­
cator light and a message appear in the instru­
ment cluster display at the same time.
The.
• indicator light and the message turn off if the
speed falls back below the stored maximum
speed.
Sett ing a threshold is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when you reach a certa in
maximum speed. S ituations where you may want
to do so i nclude driving in a country wit h a ge ne r­
a l speed limit o r if the re is a specified maximum
speed for winter tires.
Setting the warning threshold
The warning threshold is set in the Infotainment
system.
• Se lect: the ICARI function button> (Car )* Sys­
tems
control button > Driver assistan ce >
Spe ed warning .
(D Tips
Regardless of the speed warning system, you
should always monitor your speed using the
speedometer and make sure you are following
the legal speed limit.
84
Cruise control system
Switching on
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive at a constant speed starting at 20 mph (30
km/h).
0
f
~
0
F ig . 86 Operat ing lever: c ruise control system
• To switch t he cru ise control o n, pull the lever
into position
(D ~ fig. 86 .
• Drive at the speed to be maintained.
• To store the speed, press the button @.
The stored speed and the
( ij;\1)~14 (USA models) /
l'I (Canada models) ind icator lig ht are disp layed
in the instrument cluster.
This information is also shown briefly in the
head -up display* .
The speed is mainta ined by modifying engine
power or through a n active br ake interven tion.
~ WARNING
-Always pay at tentio n to the traffic around
you when the cruise contro l system is in op­
eration . You are always respons ible for your
speed and the distance between your ve hi­
cle and other vehicles.
-For safety reasons, cruise control should not
be used in the city, in stop-and-go traff ic, on
winding roads and when road conditions are poor (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rai n and
hyd roplaning), because this inc reases the
r is k of an accident.
-Switch the cr uise control off temporarily
when dr iv ing in turning lanes, highway exits
or in constr uction zones.
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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 .
125

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Wheels
Wheels and Ti re s
General information
.,,.Check your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts , cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob­
jects from the tire tread .
.,,. If driving over curbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap ­
proach the curb at an angle.
.,,. Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately .
.,,.Protect your tires from oil ,
grease and fuel.
.,,. Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running
direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled .
.,,.Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry locat ion
with as litt le exposure to light as
possible .
&_ WARNING -
-Never drive faster than the
maximum permitted speed
for your tires. This could cause the tires to heat up too much .
This increases the risk of an
acc ident because it can cause
the tire to burst.
-Always adapt your driving to the road and traffic condi-
Wheels
tions. Drive carefully and re ­
duce your speed on icy or slip­
pery roads . Even winter tires
can lose traction on black ice .
@ N ot e
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the condit ions that are typical
in those seasons. Audi recom­
mends using winter ti res dur ­
ing the winter months. Low
temperatures significantly de­ crease the e lasticity of summ­
er tires , which affects traction
and braking ab ility . If summer
tires are used in very cold
temperatures, cracks can form on the tread bars, resulting in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be
used in winter driving condi­
tions . The surface of the rims
does not have sufficient corro­
sion protect ion for this and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or similar
substances.
205

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(J) US DOT number (TIN) and
manufacture date
T he manufacture date is listed on
the tire sidewall (it may only ap­
pear on the inner s ide of the tire):
DOT .. . 2217 .. .
means , for example, that the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of
the year 2017 .
@ Audi Original Tires
Audi Original equipment tires
with the designation
"AO" have
been specially matched to your
Audi . When used correct ly , these
tires meet the highest standards
for safety and handling . An au­
thorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility wi ll be
able to provide you with more in­
formation .
® Mud and snow capability
"M/5 " or "M+S" indicates the tire
is suitable for driving on mud and
snow .
& indicates a winter tire .
@ Composition of the tire cord
and materials
The number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay­
ers in the tire. In general : the
more layers, the more we ight a
tire can carry . Tire manufacturers
Wh eel s
must also specify the materials
used in the tire . These include
steel, nylon, polyester and other
materials.
@ Ma ximum permitted load
This number indicates the maxi­
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry .
@ Uniform tire qual ity grade
standards for treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance
Treadwear , tract ion and tempera­
ture ranges
r=:>page221 .
@ Running direction
The arrows indicate the runn ing
direction of unidirectional tires .
You must always follow the speci­
fied running direction
c> page 241.
@ Ma ximum permitted
inflation pressure
This number indicates the maxi­
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated under normal operat­
ing cond itions .
207

..,Audi recommends that you use
Audi Original Tires. If you would like to use different tires, please
note that the tires may perform
differently even if they are the
same size
i=:> &, .
..,If you would like to equip your
vehicle with a tire/rim combina­
tion that is different from what
was installed at the factory, con­
sult with an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility before making a pur­
chase
i=:> &, .
Because the spare tire* is differ­
ent from the regular tires instal­
led on the vehicle (such as winter
tires or wide tires), only use the spare tire* temporarily in case of
emergency and drive carefully
while it is in use. It should be re­
placed with a regular tire as soon
as possible.
Applies to: vehicles with all wheel drive: all four wheels must be
equipped with tires that are the
same brand and have the same construction and tread pattern so
that the drive system is not dam­ aged by different wheel speeds .
~ For this reason, in case of emer-
-~ gency, only use a spare tire* that
-0
"' \.) ..
Wheels
is the same circumference as the
regular tires.
&_ WARNING
-
-Do not use steel rims that are
17 inches or larger. Other­
wise, damage to the vehicle
and an accident could result.
-Only use tire/rim combina­ tions and suitable wheel bolts
that have been approved by
Audi. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and an accident
could result.
-For technical reasons, it is not possible to use tires from oth­
er vehicles -in some cases,
you cannot even use tires from the same vehicle model.
-Make sure that the tires you select have enough clearance
to the vehicle. Replacement
tires should not be chosen
simply based on the nominal
size, because tires with a dif­
ferent construction can differ
greatly even if they are the
same size. If there is not
enough clearance, the tires or
the vehicle can be damaged
and this can reduce driving
safety and increase the risk of
an accident.
...
213

Wheels
be five 150 lbs. pas seng ers in
your vehicle, th e am ount of
a vail abl e cargo and lug gage
lo ad ca pac ity is 650 lb s.
(1400-750 (5
X 150) = 650
lb s.)
5. Determine the combined weight of lu ggage and c argo
bein g loaded on the vehi cle .
Th at w eight ma y not safel y
ex ­
ceed the a vail able car go and
luggage lo ad capac ity calc ul at­
ed in St ep 4 .
6. If your vehicle will b e towing a
tr aile r, lo ad from your tr aile r
w ill b e tran sferr ed to your
v e ­
hi cle. C onsul t this manual t o
determin e how this re du ces
th e av ailab le cargo and lug­
g age load capa cit y of your v ehi­
cl e.
..,.Che ck th e tire sidewall
(c:::> pa ge 206, fig . 187) to det er­
mine the de signated load rating
for a sp e cific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/t ighten
easi ly .
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or w it h bolted whee l
covers " consist of mu ltip le pieces . These compo­
nents were bolted together using specia l bolts
220
and a spec ia l proced ure. Yo u must not repair or
disassemb le them
i::> &. .
A WARNING
Wheel bo lts that are tightened or repaired in­
correct ly can become loose and resu lt in loss
of vehicle contro l, wh ich increases the risk of
an accident . For the correct tighten ing spec ifi­
cation,
see ¢ page 23 7, After changing a
whe el.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of
grease .
- Only use wheel bolts tha t fit the rim.
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
author ized Audi dealer or authorized A udi
Serv ice Facility . Neve r repa ir o r disassemb le
rims you rself, because this increases the risk
of an a cciden t.
Winter tires
Win ter tires significant ly imp rove the veh icle's
handling when dr iv ing in winter conditions. Be­
ca use of their construction (width, compound,
tread patte rn), s ummer ti res provide less trac­
tion on ice and snow.
.,. Use winter tires on a ll four wheels .
.,. Only use winter tires that are app roved for yo ur
vehicle .
.,. Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lowe r with winter
tires¢ &. in
General information on page
205 . An author­
ized Aud i dealer or authorized Aud i Serv ice Fa ­
cility can inform yo u about t he maximum per­
m itted speed for your tires .
.,. Check the tire p ressure afte r insta lling wheels
¢ page 215 .
The effectiveness of wi nter tires is reduced g reat­
l y when t he tread is wo rn down to a depth of
0.157 i n (4 mm). The cha ra cte ris tics of winte r
t ir es a lso decrease g rea tly as the t ire ages , re­
gard less o f th e remaining t read.