2020 AUDI Q7 trailer

Trailer towing

correctly will help to achieve this weight. Having
the tongue weight too low affects the vehicle's
handling.
You can determine the tongue weight using a
tongue weight scale, a bathroom scale, or a pub-
lic weigh station, for example.
The permitted tongue weight of your vehicle can
be found in the vehicle documentation or in
=> page 298.
Load distribution
Poor cargo load and distribution can negatively
impact vehicle handling. Load the trailer based
on the following criteria as much as possible:
— Store objects in the vehicle luggage compart-
ment, if possible. The vehicle should always
carry the heaviest possible 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 possi-
ble.
— Secure objects so that they do not slide.
— Utilize the maximum permitted tongue weight
if possible.
Tires
Set the tire pressure on your vehicle for a “full
load”; see the tire pressure sticker > page 256. If
necessary, also adjust the tire pressure on the
trailer according to the manufacturer's specifica-
tions.
The tire pressure must be increased an additional
3 PSI (0.2 bar) for towing loads over 6,600 lbs
(3,000 kg).
The trailer and the vehicle should be equipped
with winter tires when driving in winter tempera-
tures.
Outside mirrors
If you cannot see the traffic behind the trailer
with the standard exterior mirrors, then you
must attach additional exterior mirrors. Adjust
them so you have a sufficient visibility behind
you.
116
Exterior lighting
Follow the legal regulations for lighting on your
trailer that are applicable in the country where
you are operating the vehicle. Contact an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty for more information.
Before you start driving, check all lighting equip-
ment on the trailer while it is hitched to the vehi-
cle.
The headlight range control automatically ad-
justs the light range of the headlights.
The turn signals are activated in trailer mode if
the & indicator light blinks. If a turn signal on
the trailer or on the vehicle fails while in trailer
mode, the indicator light will not blink twice as
fast to indicate this.
Safety chains
Make sure the safety chains are correctly applied
when pulling a trailer. The chains should hang
enough so that the trailer can drive around
curves. However, they must not touch the
ground.
Air suspension
Applies to: vehicles with air suspension
The Audi drive select* comfort mode > page 108
must be selected before you adjust the tongue
weight on the trailer and hitch the trailer >,
=> page 109.
For vehicles with a factory-installed trailer hitch,
the air suspension trailer mode will automatically
switch on if you connect the trailer cable to the
socket.
For vehicles with a retrofitted trailer hitch, you
must switch on the air suspension trailer mode
manually.
Applies to MMI: select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Settings & Service > Air suspension:
trailer.
Switch it off again when you are no longer towing
a trailer.
When using carrier systems that are mounted di-
rectly on the trailer hitch ball head, you can also
switch trailer mode off manually.

4M1012721BA
Trailer towing

If you must drive on roads that are in poor condi-
tion, you can raise the vehicle again after hitching
the trailer or after adjusting the tongue weight
=> page 109.
You can also increase ground clearance by select-
ing the Audi drive select* offroad or allroad
modes > page 108.
Vehicle levels below the values set in the comfort
level will no Longer be available, even if you are
lowering the vehicle manually.

IX WARNING
— Never turn off trailer mode while driving
when a trailer is hitched, because then the
restrictions for controlling the vehicle level
will be turned off.
— Driving with a trailer on unpaved roads when
the vehicle is raised may change the vehicle
handling. Adapt your speed.
— Note that the vehicle will lower automatical-
ly at certain speeds if you have lifted the ve-
hicle manually.
® Note
— Applies to: vehicles with air suspension: Se-
lect the Audi drive select* comfort mode.
Otherwise, the tongue load specified for
your vehicle will no longer be applicable.
— Attachments retrofitted on the vehicle may
cause damage, especially on the trailer
hitch ball head. In cases of damage, have
the function checked by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
@ Tips
— Block the wheels with chocks when parking
on inclines if the trailer is loaded.
— Having the vehicle inspected between the
inspection intervals is recommended if you
tow a trailer frequently.
— Avoid driving with a trailer during the vehi-
cle break-in period.
Pe MO le
Driving with a trailer requires extra caution.

Speed
Adhere to the legal speed limits. Follow the legal
regulations that are applicable in the country
where you are operating the vehicle.
As the speed increases, the driving stability of
the trailer decreases. Therefore you should not
exceed the maximum legal speed limit when
there are unfavorable road, weather, and/or wind
conditions. This especially applies when driving
downhill.
Hill
When you start driving uphill or downhill, trailers
may tilt or sway sooner than when driving ona
level surface. If small swaying movements have
already occurred, you can stabilize the trailer by
firmly braking immediately. Never attempt to
“straighten out” the trailer by accelerating.
Downshift before driving on hills to utilize the en-
gine braking effect > A\.
Brakes
When using a trailer with overrun brakes, first
brake gently then quickly. This reduces the risk of
jerking while braking if the trailer wheels lock up.
Engine coolant temperature
Pay attention specifically to the coolant tempera-
ture display when there are high outside temper-
atures, and when driving on long inclines
=> page 13. Shift to a higher gear in a timely man-
ner.

Z\ WARNING
Constant braking causes the brakes to over-
heat and can substantially reduce braking per-
formance, increase braking distance, or cause
complete failure of the brake system.

117

Assist systems

Assist systems
General information
Safety precautions

ZA WARNING
— As the driver, you are always completely re-
sponsible for all driving tasks. The assist
systems cannot replace the driver's atten-
tion. Give your full attention to driving the
vehicle, and be ready to intervene in the
traffic situation at all times.
— Activate the assist systems only if the sur-
rounding conditions permit it. Always adapt
your driving style to the current visual,
weather, road, and traffic conditions.
— Loose objects can be thrown around the ve-
hicle interior during sudden driving or brak-
ing maneuvers, which increases the risk of
an accident. Store objects securely while
driving.
— For the assist systems to be able to react
correctly, the function of the sensors and
cameras must not be restricted. Note the in-
formation on sensors and cameras
=>page 119.

@ Tips
— Pay attention to applicable local regulations
relating to driving tasks, leaving space for
emergency vehicles, vehicle distance, speed,
parking location, wheel placement, etc. The
driver is always responsible for following
the laws that are applicable in the location
where the vehicle is being operated.
— You can cancel a steering or braking inter-
vention by the system, by braking or accel-
erating noticeably, steering, or deactivating
the respective assist system.
— Always check the assist systems settings be-
fore driving. The settings could have been
changed, for example, by other drivers or if
another personal profile was used.
118
System limitations
ZA\ WARNING
— The use of an assist system cannot over-
come the natural laws of physics. A collision
cannot be prevented in certain circumstan-
ces.
— Warnings, messages, or indicator lights may
not be displayed or initiated on time or cor-
rectly, for example, if vehicles are approach-
ing very fast.
— Corrective interventions by the assist sys-
tems, such as steering or braking interven-
tions, may not be sufficient or they may not
occur. Always be ready to intervene.
G) Tips
— Due to the system limitations when detect-
ing the surrounding area, the systems may
warn or intervene unexpectedly or too late
in certain situations. The assist systems may
also interpret a driving maneuver incorrectly
and then warn the driver unexpectedly.
— The systems may not function as expected
in unusual driving situations, such as driving
offroad, on unpaved roads, on loose ground,
on inclines, or on grooves in the road.
— The systems may not function correctly in
unclear traffic situations, such as turning
lanes, exit ramps, construction zones, rises
or dips that obstruct visibility, intersections,
toll stations, or city traffic.
— The detection of the surrounding area can
be limited, for example by vehicles driving
ahead or by rain, snow, heavy spray, or light
shining into the camera.
—In trailer mode, some assist systems may be
limited, may not react as usual, or may be
unavailable. Please refer to the instructions
for towing a trailer located in > page 115.
— If accessories have been mounted on the
steering wheel, the ability for the steering
systems to react may be limited.

Assist systems

—Insome situations, the ability of the sen-
sors and cameras to detect and display
certain objects may be limited.
— Objects located above the coverage area,
such as bumpers on parked cars, garage
doors that are partially open, or objects
that are hanging
— Low obstacles
— Narrow objects, such as barrier chains, fo-
liage, poles, or fences
— Projecting objects, such as trailer draw
bars
— Objects with certain surfaces and struc-
tures, such as fabric
@ Tips
— The sensors and cameras and the areas
around them must not be obstructed be-
cause this can impair the function of the
systems that depend on them. Make sure
that the sensors and cameras are free of
snow, ice, and other deposits. Do not use
any accessories, stickers, or other objects
that extend into the range of the sensors
and cameras.
— On vehicles that have factory-installed li-
cense plate brackets on the front of the ve-
hicle, the brackets may only be replaced
with ones that are the same size and made
of the same material. Do not install any Li-
cense plate brackets on the front of vehicles
that do not have factory-installed brackets.
Otherwise, the function of the system could
be impaired.
— The function of the sensors and cameras
may be limited when light and visibility con-
ditions are poor, for example when driving
into a tunnel, when there is glare, or when
there are reflective objects.
— External ultrasonic sensors, such as those in
other vehicles, can interfere with the sen-
sors.
— The coverage areas of the sensors > fig. 98
are diagrams and do not represent a true-
to-scale image of the sensor ranges.
— For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
120

Industry Canada regulations, see
=> page 295.
ocations of the sensors and cameras






Fig. 101 Rear area: sensors and cameras
Front area
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the follow-
ing sensors and cameras may be installed:
— Laser scanner in the front in the radiator grille
oA
— Camera behind the windshield
— Peripheral cameras on the exterior mirrors
— Front peripheral camera in the radiator grille
— Night vision camera in the radiator grille
— Front ultrasonic sensors
— Radar sensors at the front corners of the vehi-
cle
— Radar sensor in the front in the radiator grille
Rear area
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the follow-
ing sensors and cameras may be installed:
— Rearview camera in the luggage compartment
lid
— Radar sensors at the rear corners of the vehicle
— Rear ultrasonic sensors

Driver assistance


— In trailer mode, the braking behavior of the
trailer can be different than usual during au-
tomatic braking.

Gi) Tips
Certain pre sense front functions are switched
off when the hill descent assist is actively con-
trolling the vehicle.
NOC eRe
Applies to: vehicles with Audi pre sense rear
Within the limits of the system, Audi pre sense
rear uses data from radar sensors in the rear area
of the vehicle and calculates the probability of a
rear-end collision with the vehicle behind you.
Audi pre sense preemptive safety measures can
be initiated if the risk of a collision with the vehi-
cle behind you is detected.

ZA WARNING
— Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 118.
— Audi pre sense rear does not react to pedes-
trians, animals, crossing objects, and ob-
jects not detected as vehicles.
@ Tips
— Audi pre sense rear functions switch off
when trailer mode is detected. There is no
guarantee the functions will switch off
when using a retrofitted trailer hitch.
— Audi pre sense rear functions may also
switch off if there is a malfunction in the
side assist system.
ONT eee
Applies to: vehicles with Audi pre sense side

Audi pre sense side uses data from the extra ra-
dar sensors installed in the front and rear areas
of the vehicle, and other sensors can react to side

) In preparation at the time of printing. The speed range
may be within approximately 30 mph - 90 mph (50 km/h -
150 km/h) depending on the vehicle production date.
148
impacts from cross-traffic and vehicles coming
from the side.
Audi pre sense side is active at speeds up to ap-
proximately 35 mph (60 km/h). The Audi pre
sense preemptive safety measures can be trig-
gered when a collision risk is detected.

ZA\ WARNING
— Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 118.
— Audi pre sense side does not react to pedes-
trians, animals, and objects not detected as
vehicles.
G) Tips
— The Audi pre sense side functions are limit-
ed when trailer mode is detected.
— The Audi pre sense side functions may also
switch off if there is a malfunction in the in-
tersection assistant*.
Saree cid
Applies to: vehicles with swerve assist

The swerve assist can help you to steer the vehi-
cle around an obstacle detected in a critical area.
If you avoid an obstacle after the acute warning,
then swerve assist assists you by specifically
braking individual wheels and applying slight
steering adjustment to correct the steering
wheel angle as long as you are actively steering.
The swerve assist is available at speeds between
approximately 20 mph and 90 mph (30 km/h -
150 km/h) Y.

ZA\ WARNING
— Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 118.
— Swerve assist does not react to pedestrians,
animals, crossing objects, and objects not

detected as vehicles. >

4M1012721BA
Driver assistance

located in the area that is critical for a lane
change. For example:
— If the lanes are narrow or if you are driving on
the edge of your lane. If this is the case, the
system may have detected a vehicle in another
lane that is not adjacent to your current lane.
— If you are driving through a curve. Side assist
may react to a vehicle that is in the same lane
or one lane over from the adjacent lane.
— If side assist reacts to other objects (such as
roadside structures like guard rails).

ZA WARNING
— Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 118.
— The display may not appear on time when
vehicles are approaching or being passed

very quickly.

G) Tips
— If the window glass in the driver's door or
front passenger's door has been tinted, the
display in the exterior mirror may be incor-
rect.
— These systems are not available in trailer
towing mode. There is no guarantee the sys-
tems will switch off when using a retrofitted
trailer hitch. Do not use these functions
when towing a trailer.
— For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulations, see
=> page 295.
Oe Ree
Applies to: vehicles with side assist
The system can be switched on and off in the
MMI > page 121. If the system is activated, the
displays will turn on briefly when the ignition is
switched on.
Adjusting the brightness
You can adjust the brightness of the display in
the exterior mirror. The settings depend on the
vehicle equipment.
> Applies to: MMI: Select on the home screen:
VEHICLE > Driver assistance > (€}) > Side as-
sist > Brightness.
The display brightness is automatically adapted
to the ambient light. If the automatic adaptation
has already reached the upper or lower limit, no
change will be apparent when the setting is
changed, or it will only become visible when the
ambient light changes. Adjust the brightness to a
level where the display in the information stage
will not disrupt your view ahead. If you change
the brightness, the display will briefly show the
brightness level in the information stage.
Messages
Applies to: vehicles with side assist
iff or Eg is displayed when there is a malfunc-
tion, the side assist and exit warning system
functions may be unavailable or may be limited.
A message that indicates the cause and possible
solution may appear with some displays. The
weather conditions may be too poor or a sensor
may be covered. Clean the sensor area in the ve-
hicle rear and try to turn the systems on again
later.
If the malfunction remains, drive to an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty immediately to have the malfunction correct-
ed.
151

Driver assistance

Exit warning Switching the exit warning on and off
rr — The system can be switched on and off in the
ple Ted |) at Cela)
MMI & page 121.
Applies to: vehicles with exit warning system

A WARNING
— Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 118.
— Always pay attention to traffic and to the
area around your vehicle. The exit warning
system does not replace the attention of the
vehicle occupants. The vehicle occupants are
always responsible for opening the doors
and exiting the vehicle.
— The exit warning system does not respond
to people and cannot warn you about every
type of approaching objects, such as cyclists.
Always monitor the traffic as well as the ve-
hicle's surroundings with direct eye contact.
— The display may not appear in time when
vehicles are approaching very quickly.
— The exit warning system does not react to
stationary objects or pedestrians.




Fig. 125 Front door: warning strip (diagram) — The exit warning system will not provide
alerts if your vehicle is pulled too far into
General information the parking space so that it is hidden by ad-

jacent vehicles.
Within system limits, the exit warning system
can detect traffic approaching from behind such 6) »
as vehicles, and provide assistance based on this VJ Tips
information when you are exiting the vehicle — The exit warning system can be available for
=> fig. 124. The system uses the data from the ra- up to approximately three minutes after un-
dar sensors at the rear corners of the vehicle. locking the vehicle and opening the door as
well as after switching off the ignition. Then
Displays and warnings the displays flash briefly and the system
If you pull a door handle while the vehicle is sta- switches off.
tionary and an object classified as critical is ap- — The system is not available when towing a
proaching, the warning strip @ and the display trailer. There is no guarantee the system
on the exterior mirror (2) will light up on the cor- will switch off when using a retrofitted trail-
responding side of the vehicle. er hitch. Do not use these functions when
towing a trailer.
— For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulations, see
=> page 295.
If the door is opened, the displays on that side
will flash. If another road user that is classified
as critical is approaching while a door is already
open, the displays on that door will turn on.
The same messages apply for the exit warning
system and side assist > page 151.
152

Parking and maneuvering

Parking and
maneuvering
Introduction
Depending on the vehicle equipment, various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma-
neuvering.
Parking aid
The parking system plus assists you while park-
ing by audibly and visually warning you of objects
detected in front of and behind the vehicle
=> page 156.
The rearview camera shows the area behind the
vehicle in the MMI display. The lines in the rear-
view camera image help you to park and maneu-
ver > page 158.
The peripheral cameras are an addition to the
rearview camera and help you to see various
areas around the vehicle while parking and ma-
neuvering > page 158.
The rear cross-traffic assist can warn you of ap-
proaching cross traffic when driving in reverse or
exiting a parking space > page 163.
Settings options
You can adjust parking aid functions individually.
The adjustment options depend on the vehicle
equipment.
— Activating automatically > page 156
— Front and rear volume > page 157
— Entertainment fader > page 157
— Clean rearview camera > page 159
— Trailer view > page 160
—View > page 161
— Rear cross-traffic assist > page 163

ZA WARNING
Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 118.

@ Tips
Practicing parking in a traffic-free location or
parking lot to become familiar with the sys-
156
tems is recommended. Practice parking in
good light and weather conditions.
Parking aid plus
Activating/deactivat
Applies to: vehicles with parking system plus



Fig. 128 Center console: parking aid button
General information
The parking aid assists when parking and maneu-
vering by providing warnings about obstacles. If
the ultrasonic sensors on the vehicle > page 119,
fig. 98 detect an obstacle, the system will pro-
vide audio and visual warnings.
Activating/deactivating
Requirement: the vehicle speed must be under
approximately 6 mph (10 km/h).
> Press the Pt or {4 button in the center console.
When activating, a brief tone will sound and
the LED in the button will turn on.
Automatic activation
> The system activates automatically when re-
verse gear is engaged while the engine is run-
ning. A brief tone will sound.
> If Automatic activation is switched on in the
MMI and if the vehicle approaches an obstacle
at speeds below approximately 6 mph (10
km/h), the parking aid will switch on automati-
cally. Audible signals will sound once the obsta-
cle is within the sensor detection area.
> Applies to: MMI: To switch Automatic activa-
tion on or off, select on the home screen: VEHI-
CLE > Parking aid > Automatic activation. >