2018 AUDI Q7 suspension

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:E ' Air suspension *
The air suspension* is an electronically-control­
l ed air suspension and damping sys tem . The ad ­
justment depends on the driving mode selected, steering movements, the driver's braking and ac­
celerat ion, and as the road surface, vehicle speed
and load. The veh icle ground clearance depends
on the mode selected and the speed.
The ground clearance increases s ignificantly
when the vehicle is in the
All road mode . At
speeds from approximate ly 50 mph (80 km/h) to
75 mph (120 km/h), the ground clearance re­
duces in stages . When the speed decreases, the
g round clea rance increases again a utomat ically.
The ground clearance is the lowest in
Dynamic
mode.
Steering
The power steering adapts. Ind irect steer ing that
moves easily as in
Comfort mode is especia lly
suited to long drives on highways. The
Dynam ic
mode provides sporty, direct steering.
All-wheel steer ing*
All-wheel steer ing increases dr iving comfort by
providing add it ional steering ability at the rear
axle. Steer ing in the opposite d irection at low
speeds dec reases the turning rad ius. Steering in
the same d irect io n a t high speeds imp roves the
r e sponse t ime whi le increas ing dr iv ing stab ility at
the same time .
Sport differential*
As a componen t of the all wheel d rive system
(quattro)
~ page 146, the sport diffe rential dis­
tr ib utes the dr iv ing power to the rear ax le de­
pending on the situa tion. The dis tribution of
power var ies dependi ng on the selected mode
from moderate
(Comfort ) to sporty (Dynamic ).
The goa l is a high level of agility and ability to ac ­
celerate on curves . The veh icle is very responsive
to steer ing.
Adaptive cruise control (ACC)*
The behavior when accelerating can be adjusted
from comfortab le to sporty, depending on the
drive select mode . Adaptive cru ise control a lso
A ssi st a nce systems
responds to the driv ing behavior of the vehicle
ahead in a more conservative or sporty manner.
Engine sound*
T he eng ine sound adap ts to the c urren t mode
and can be subtle to sporty .
(D Note
Applies to: vehicles with air suspensio n
-Make sure there is enough clearance above
and below the vehicle when pa rk ing. The
height of the ve hicle (gro und clea rance) can
change once it is par ked due to temperature
fluctuations, changes to the load conditions
and changes to the dr iving modes.
- When transporting the vehicle on a car car ­
r ier, train, ship or by other means, o nly tie
the vehicle down at the runn ing s urface of
the ti res, which is the outer c ircumference.
Sec uring the vehicle at the axle compo­
ne nts , sus pension str uts o r towing eyes is
no t pe rm itted because the pres sure in the
air suspens ion s truts ca n change d uring
tr anspo rt . The ve hicle may not be secu red
sufficiently if this ha ppens.
(D Tips
The "S" se lector lever posi tion automatic ally
engages w hen the
Dynamic mode is selected.
Selecting the driving mode
Applies to: vehicles wi th Aud i drive select
~- ------ -
~
Fig. 1 26 Ce nter console: co ntro ls for d rive select
.,,. Press the le ft or righ t arrow key~ fig. 126 unt il
t he desired mode appe ars in the ins trumen t
cluste r/ Infotainmen t system disp lay. O r ..,,.
129

Assistance systems
~ Select in the Infotainment system: IMENUI but-
ton
> Vehicle > Audi drive select.
~ Select and confirm the desired setting .
You can change the driving mode when the vehi­
cle is stationary or whi le driving. If traffic per­
mits, after changing modes, briefly take your
foot off the accelerator pedal so that the recent ly
selected mode is a lso activated for the engine.
Offroad * or Lift/ Offroad* -activates offroad
functions to support driving on rough terrain .
The engine, transmission and steering adjust and
the Start/Stop system* switches off. Applies to
air suspension*: the vehicle also lifts for passing
over obstacles to maintain maximum ground
clearance.
Adjusting the Individual mode
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith Audi drive select
Allroad * -on ly for air suspension*: the vehicle
li fts to maintain higher ground clearance for dif­
ficult stretches of road .
Comfort -provides a comfort-oriented vehicle
setup and is suited fo r long drives on highways.
Auto -provides an overa ll comfortable yet dy­
namic driv in g feel and is suited for everyday use.
Dynamic -gives the driver a sporty driving feel
and is suited to a spo rty driving style.
Individual -c::;,page 130.
A WARNING
Pay attention to traffic when operating the
drive select to reduce the risk of an accident .
-
You can adjust the vehicle settings to your personal preferences.
~ Select in the Infotainment system: IMENU I but­
ton
> Vehicle > Audi drive select > Individual >
right control button.
Afte r you have closed the settings, you will auto ­
matica lly drive in the
Individual mode .
Systems comfort
Engine/transmission
ba lanced
Air suspension * comfortable
Steering comfortable
All-wheel steering* comfortable
Sport differential * Off
Engine sound * subtle
ACC* comfortable
a l Sub tle in t he se lecto r lever posit ion "D" and sporty in "S".
(D Tips
Your settings are automatica lly saved in Indi­
vidual
mode.
Raising/lowering the vehicle
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith air susp en sion
~ Press the left or right arrow key c> page 129 ,
fig . 126
until the desired mode appears in the
130
The equipment in your vehicle will determine
which settings you can adjust . The fo llowing ta­
ble gives an overview of the characteristics.
auto dynamic
ba
lanced sporty
balanced sporty
ba lanced sporty
ba la nced sporty
ba lanced sporty
subtle/sportyal sporty
ba lanced sporty
instrument cluster/Infotainment system dis­
play. Or
~ Select in the Infotainment system: IMENU ! but­
ton
> Vehicle > Audi drive select.
~ Select and confirm the desired setting .

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:E ' CD Note
The lift/ Offroad mode switches to Allroad
mode when dr iving above approximately
20 mph (30 km/h) and the veh icle automati­
cally lowers again. These modes may only be
used on a temporary bas is and are not intend­
ed for continuous d riving.
(D Tips
- The filled-in boxes in the Infotainment sys­
tem represent the current vehicle level. If
the box is wh ite or the boxes are blinking,
the veh icle is lift ing or lowe ring. If on ly the
bottom box is fi lled in, the vehicle is at the
l owest level ( le a st amount of g round clear ­
ance) . If all the segme nts are fi lled in, then
the vehicle is at the highest level (highest
ground clear a nee) .
- The target level is hig hligh ted wi th a
red
frame while the vehicle is lifting o r lower­
i ng. The frame is then hidden when the ve­
hicle reaches the target level.
- The vehicle lifts up to the highest level
when you se lect
lift / Offroad . Select an ­
other mode to lower the vehicle again.
Rear lowering
App lies to: vehicl es with air suspe nsio n
The rear of the vehicle con be lowered to make
loading and unloading easier .
Fig . 12 7 Sect ion of l uggage co mpa rt m ent: rear lower ing
b ut ton
Req uirement: a ll vehicle doors must be closed .
" Open the l uggage compa rtment lid .
" Press the lower section of the button
¢fig . 127 @. The rear of the veh icle lowers .
Assi st a nce systems
" Press the upper section of the butto n (D. The
rear of the vehicle raises again.
T he rear lower ing a utomat ica lly deac tiva tes
when you select another mode or when the vehi ­
cle speed exceeds approximately 2 mph (2 km/
h).
T he L ED in the button t urns on while the ve hicl e
is lowering . When the loading level has been
reached, the LE D stays on as long as the rear of
t h e vehicle is lowered . The LED turns off when
the vehicle returns to the original level.
CD Note
- Before the rea r lowering e nds, make sure
there is enough clearance above the vehicle
and the l uggage compartment lid, if it is
open.
- Do not park the vehicle in a lowered load ing
level.
(D Tips
- The ve hicle w ill not lowe r if one of the vehi­
cle doors is open
or when the ignition is
switched off and the compressed air reser­
voir is empty . The butto n LED bli nks three
times .
- If the compressed air reservoir is empty, it
is refilled while driving at speeds above
25 mph (40 km/h).
Messages
Applies to: vehicles with air suspension
rl A ir s uspension: vehicle current ly too h igh.
Controlling level. ..
rl Air suspension: vehicle currently too low.
Controlling level. ..
The message turns off when t he leve l cont rol
process is complete .
131

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:E ' The rearview camera helps you to park or maneu­
ver using the orientation lines .
General information
Applies to: vehicles with rearview camera
Fig. 132 Area covered (!) and area no t covered @ by the
r earview c amera.
AU D .L
Fig. 133 Luggage co mpar tment lid : lo ca ti on of the rear­
view ca mera
The rearview camera is located above the rear li­
cense plate bracket. Make sure that the lens for
the rearview camera .=;,
fig. 133 is not covered by
deposits or any other obstructions because this
can impair the function of the rearview camera .
For information on cleaning , see .=;,
page 351.
The rearview camera coverage area includes (D
.=;, fig. 132 . Only this area is shown in the Info­
ta inment display . Objects that are in area @,
which is no t covered, are not displayed .
A WARNING
- Always read and follow the applicable warn­
ings
.=;, A in General information on
page 132.
- If the position and the installation angle of
the rearview camera was changed , for ex­
ample after a collision, do not continue to use the system for safety reasons. Have it
Parking systems
checked by an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility.
- Only use the rearview camera to assist you if
it shows a good, clear picture. For example,
the image may be affected by the sun shin­ ing into the lens, dirt on the lens, or if there
is a malfunction .
- Use the rearview camera only if the luggage
compartment lid is completely closed . Make
sure any objects you may have mounted on
the luggage compartment lid do not block
the rearview camera.
- The camera lens enlarges and distorts the
field of vision . The object appears both al­
tered and inaccurate on the screen.
- In certain situations, people or objects in
the display appear closer or farther away:
- For objects that do not touch the ground,
such as the bumper of a parked vehicle, a trailer hitch or the rear of a truck . Do not
use the orientation lines in this case.
- If driven from a level surface onto an in ­
cline, or a downward slope.
- If driven toward protruding objects.
- If the vehicle is carrying too much load in the rear.
- Applies to: vehicles with air suspension: the
accuracy of the orientation lines and blue
surfaces decreases when the vehicle is raised/lowered
.=;, page 128.
(D Note
- Always read and follow the applicable warn­
i ngs
i=;, (D in General information on
page 132.
- The orange-colored orientation lines in the
Infotainment display show the vehicle path
based on the steering wheel angle. The
front of the vehicle swings out more than
the rear of the vehicle. Maintain plenty of
distance so that an exterior mirror or a cor­
ner of the vehicle does not collide with any
obstacles .
135

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:E ' Peripheral cameras
Introduction
Applies to: vehicles with peripheral cameras
With this equipment, the park ing system p lus*
¢
page 133 is supplemented w ith various pe riph­
e ral cameras. The four cameras give you the fol­
l owing views: area around the vehicle, front cor­
ner view and rear corner view, view in front of the
vehicle and behind the vehicle .
General information
Applies to: vehicles with peripheral cameras
Fig. 137 Location of periphera l cameras
The four peripheral cameras are located in the ra­
diator grille, in the luggage compartment lid and
on both exterior mirrors
¢ fig. 137. Make sure
that the lenses are not covered by deposits or any
other obstructions as this may impair the system. For information on cleaning, see¢
page 351.
Black corners are shown in the vehicle si lhouette
when in
S u rro und ing s mode. Objects in these
areas are outside of the camera's field of view
and are not detected.
A WARNING
-Always read and follow the applicable warn­ ings
¢.&. in General information on
page 132.
- If the position or the installation angle of a
came ra was changed, for example after a
co llision, do not continue to use the system
for safety reasons. Have it checked by an au­
thorized Audi dea le r or authorized Audi
Service Facility .
Parking systems
- Keep in mind that the image in the display is
incorrect if the exterior mirror housing has
been moved out of p lace.
- Use the
Re ar mode and the Co rner view
(r ea r)
mode only when the luggage com­
partment lid is completely closed. Other­
wise the image in the display will be incor­
rect.
- The area around the vehicle is shown using
the camera images. The vehicle image is
shown by the system . Objects and obstacles
above the camera a re not disp layed.
- Camera lenses enlarge and distort the field
of vision. The objects appear both a ltered
and ina ccurate on the screen.
- Applies to: vehicles with air suspension: the
accuracy of the or ientat ion lines and blue
surfaces dec reases whe n the veh icle is
raised/ lowered¢
page 128.
(D Note
- Always read and fo llow the applicable wa rn­
ings ¢Ci)
in General information on
page 132.
- The Infotainment d isplay shows the direc­
tion in which the rear of the veh icle is travel­
ing based on the steering wheel ang le. The
front of the vehicle swings out more than
the rear of the vehicle. Maintain plenty of distance so that an exterior mirror or a cor­
ner of the vehicle does not collide with any
obstacles.
(l) Tips
If the 8/~/c::; symbol appears in the dis­
play and the respective disp lay area is grayed
out, then the power exterior mirrors were
fo lded in or the dr iver's door/front passeng­
er's door/luggage compartment lid was
opened .
137

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:E ' -For safety reasons in severe accidents, the
alternator and starter are separated from
the vehicle battery with a pyrotechnic circuit
interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit interrupt­
er must only be performed by a qualified
technicians who have the experience, in ­
formation and special tools necessary to
perform the work safely.
- If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is
scrapped, all applicable safety precautions
must be followed .
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretension­
ers might be classified as Perchlorate Materi­
al -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo­ rate. When the vehicle or parts of the re­
straint system including airbag modules and
safety belts with pretensioners are scrapped,
all applicable laws and regulations must be
observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is fa­
miliar with these requirements and we recom­
mend that you have your dealer perform this
service for you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag System
performs in a crash . For example, using tire-rim
combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the
veh icle, chang ing the stiffness of the suspens ion,
including the springs, suspension struts, shock
absorbers etc. can change the forces that are
measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the
electronic contro l unit. Some suspension changes
can, for example, increase the force levels meas­
ured by the sensors and make the airbag system
deploy in crashes in which it would not deploy if
the changes had not been made. Other kinds of changes may reduce the force levels measured by
the sensors and prevent the airbag from deploy­
ing when it should .
Airbag system
A WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including
use of unapproved tire-rim combinations can
change Advanced Airbag performance and in­
crease the risk of serious personal injury in a
crash.
- Never install suspension components that
do not have the same performance charac­
teristics as the components originally instal­
led on your vehicle.
- Never use tire-rim combinations that have
not been approved by Audi.
Side airbags
· Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 237 Side a irbag locatio n in the driver's seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the
front seat backrests ¢
fig. 23 7 and the rear back­
rest* facing the doors.
The side airbags installed for the front seating
pos itions have been des igned and certified to
help reduce the risk of injury that can be caused
by airbags when they inflate, particularly when
the occupant s itting next to it is not seated prop­
erly. The side airbag for the front passenger seat
can be used w ith proper ly installed chi ld re­
straints . Please be sure to read the important in­
formation and warnings whenever using a child
restraint in a vehicle: Safety belts¢
page 261,
Airbag system ¢ page 269, Child safety
r:=> page 291.
The side airbag system basically consists of: .,..
285

Wheels
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumption.
(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, only
winter tires with the
& symbol may be per­
mitted.
Snow chains
Snow chains not only improve the driving in win­
ter road conditions, but also the braking .
~ Only install snow chains on the front wheels.
~ Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains after driving a few feet, if necessary . Fol­
low the instructions from the manufacturer.
~ Note the maximum speed of 30 mph (SO km/
h). Note the local regulations.
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons.
Check with an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility to see if you may use
snow chains.
Use
fine-mesh snow chains . They must not add
more than 0 .53 in (13.5 mm) in height, including
the chain lock.
You must remove the snow chains on roads with ­
out snow. Otherwise, you could impair driving
ability and damage the tires.
.&_ WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
chains incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle
control, which increases the risk of an acci­
dent.
(LlJ) Note
- Snow chains can damage the rims/wheel
covers* if the chains come into direct con­
tact with them. Remove the wheel covers*
first. Use coated snow chains.
- Do not install and use snow chains if there is
a malfunction in the air suspension*, be­
cause the vehicle height will be
very low. If
346
you drive with snow chains anyway, the
wheel housings and other vehicle compo­ nents can be severely damaged.
(D Tips
When using snow chains, it may be useful to
switch the offroad mode on
r=> page 143.
Low-profile tires
Applies to: vehicles with low-profile tires
Compared to other tire/rim combinations, low­
profile tires offer a wider tread surface and a
larger rim diameter with shorter tire sidewalls.
This results in an agile driving style. However, it
may reduce the level of comfort and increase
road noise when driving on roads in poor condi­
tion.
Low -profile tires can become damaged more
quickly than standard tires when driving
over
large bumps, potholes, manhole covers, and
curbs . Therefore, it is particularly important to
maintain the correct tire pressure
r=.> page 340.
To reduce the risk of damage to the tires and
rims, drive
very carefully on poor roads.
Check your wheels regularly every 2,000 mi
(3,000 km) for damage . For example, check for
bulges/cracks on the tires or deformations/
cracks on the rims.
After a heavy impact or damage, have the tires
and rims inspected or replaced immediately by
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
Low-profile tires can wear out faster than stand­
ard tires .
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- Traction AA ABC
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and maximum section width
r=.> page 331, fig. 269.

Emergency assistance
placing the Automatic Transmission in P
(Park) will
not prevent the vehicle from
moving.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm. If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack*.
-Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack* and the replaced tire in the luggage com­partment <=>
page 257.
@ Tips
-Obey all laws.
- Before changing the wheel, you must acti- vate the jacking mode*, so that the auto­matic controls for the air suspension* do
not make it more difficult to lift the vehicle
with the jack*<=>
page 360 .
Removing the caps
Fig .. 276 Wheel: wheel bo lts wi th caps
.,. Slide the plastic clip (from the vehicle tool kit)
onto the cap until it engages
<=> fig. 276 .
.,. Remove the cap with the plastic clip .
Loosening the wheel bolts
Fig. 277 Whee l: loosen ing the w heel bo lt
360
.,. Slide the wheel wrench (from the vehicle tool
kit) all the way onto the wheel bolt .
.,. Turn the wheel bolt approximately one turn to
the left -arrow- . To reach the required torque,
hold the end of the wheel wrench. lfthe wheel
bolt will not loosen, press carefully on the
wheel wrench with your foot . H old onto the ve­
hicle securely whi le during this and make sure
your stance is stable.
_&. WARNING
To reduce the risk of an accident, only loosen
the wheel bolts gently (one turn) before rais ­
ing the vehicle with the vehicle jack*.
Raising the vehicle
Fig. 278 S ill panels: markings
Fig. 279 Sill: positi on ing the vehicle jack
.,. Place the veh icle jack* (vehicle tool kit) on a
firm s urface. Use a flat, stable support if neces ­
sary . On a slippery surface such as ti le, you
should use a non-slip pad (such as a rubber
mat)
c> .&_ .
.,. Find the marking on the sill that is closest to
the tire that wi ll be changed<=>
fig. 278. Behind
the mark ing, there is a lifting point o n the side
sill for the vehicle jack* . ..,.