2020 AUDI Q7 display

Driving


— Do not leave your vehicle unattended while
the engine is running, because this increases
the risk of an accident.
— If the parking brake is set, it can release au-
tomatically when the accelerator pedal is
pressed. To reduce the risk of an accident,
do not inadvertently press the accelerator
pedal and always shift into “P” when the ve-
hicle is stopped.
— If you leave the vehicle, switch the ignition
off and take the key with you. This is espe-
cially important when leaving persons or an-
imals in the vehicle. Otherwise, the vehicle
could start unintentionally, the parking
brake could release, or electronic equipment
could activate, which increases the risk of an
accident.
— No persons or animals should be left in a
locked vehicle. Locked doors make it more
difficult for emergency workers to enter the
vehicle, which puts lives at risk.
— If you do not begin driving immediately af-
ter releasing the brake pedal, your vehicle
may begin to roll backward. Press the brake
pedal or set the parking brake immediately.
@) Note
If you have to stop on an incline, always press
the brake pedal to hold the vehicle in place to
reduce the risk of the vehicle rolling back-
ward. Do not try to hold the vehicle in place
by pressing and holding the accelerator pedal.
The transmission can overheat, which increas-
es the risk of damage.
Hill hold assist
If you take your foot off of the brake pedal when
driving on hills, the braking force will be held for
several seconds. At that time, you can start driv-
ing without the vehicle rolling backward.

Requirement: the driver's door must be closed,
the engine must be on, and the vehicle must be
traveling uphill.
> To activate hill hold assist, press and hold the
brake pedal for several seconds while the vehi-
cle is stationary.
96
Z\ WARNING
— If you do not begin driving immediately af-
ter releasing the brake pedal, your vehicle
may begin to roll backward. Press the brake
pedal
or set the parking brake immediately.
— The hill hold assist cannot hold the vehicle
on inclines in every scenario (for example,
on slippery or icy ground).
Gears and driving programs
Qs
(2—*


[RAZ-0410|






R
N
i
D/S
mn \___|
Fig. 93 Center console: selector lever



The automatic transmission shifts automatically
depending on the selected gear and the current
driving style. When driving with a moderate driv-
ing style, upshifting early and downshifting late
will help to improve fuel economy. When driving
with a sporty driving style, the transmission per-
mits higher RPMs.
The gears are displayed next to the selector lever.
— P (Park)
— R (Reverse)
—N (Neutral)
—D (Drive)
Selecting a gear
Requirement: the ignition must be switched on.
— Bring the vehicle to a full stop and press the
brake pedal.
— Press the release button @ on the selector lev-
er.
—To select the nearest gear, move the selector
lever forward or back until you feel the first
pressure point.

4M1012721BA
Driving

—To skip a gear (for example, move from “D” to
“R”), move the selector lever past the pressure
point in the desired direction.
— The label next to the selector lever for the se-
lected gear will light up.
“N” (Neutral) gear
In the “N” gear, power is not transmitted to the
driving wheels. Use the “N” gear in a car wash
(with conveyor belts), for example.
If you unintentionally select “N” while driving
(faster than 1 mph (2 km/h)), you can also shift
back to “D” without pressing the brake pedal.
For safety reasons, the vehicle cannot be locked
when the transmission is in the "N” gear.
“Pp” (Park) gear
Requirement: the ignition must be switched on.
The vehicle is secured from rolling away by the
parking lock when in the “P” gear.
— Bring the vehicle to a full stop and press the
brake pedal.
— Press the “P” button 2) on the selector lever.
—The “P” next to the selector lever will light up.
“P” engages automatically if you switch the en-
gine off while the “D” or “R” gear is selected. If
you switch the engine off in “N”, “P” will engage
automatically after approximately 30 minutes.
If you want to switch to another gear from “P”,
the engine must be running.
If you cannot shift out of “P”, for example be-
cause the vehicle has no power, you may need to
use the emergency release for the parking lock
=> page 98.
Selecting the driving program
Various driving programs can be selected when in
the “D” gear. The programs influence when the
transmission shifts and how the accelerator ped-
al responds.
The selected driving program is displayed in the
instrument cluster.
— D (Drive): normal driving mode
—S (Sport): sporty driving mode
If you select the Dynamic mode in Audi drive se-
lect*, the “S” driving program will be activated.
When the ignition is switched off, the driving pro-
gram may be reset to “D”.
To switch between the current driving program
and “S”, push the selector lever toward the rear.

ZA WARNING
— Before starting to drive, check if the desired
gear is displayed next to the selector lever.
— Always secure your vehicle from rolling
away. Press the brake pedal or shift to “P”.
When leaving the vehicle, also set the park-
ing brake.
— Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To pre-
vent the vehicle from “creeping”, you must
keep your foot on the brake in all selector
lever positions (except "P" and "N") when
the engine is running.
—To reduce the risk of an accident, do not
press the accelerator pedal when changing
gears if the vehicle is stationary and the en-
gine is running.
— Never select the “R" or "P” gears while driv-
ing. Doing so could cause an accident.
— The vehicle can roll even if the ignition is
switched off.

(i) Tips
If you shift between “D” and “R” within one
second, you do not need to press the brake
pedal. This makes it possible to “rock” if it is
stuck, for example.
97

Driving



Manual shi

RAZ-0411


Fig. 94 Center console: shifting manually with the selector
lever

RAZ-0003


—
Fig. 95 Steering wheel: shift paddles*
You can shift the gears manually when in “D”
mode. The transmission must be in tiptronic
mode.
Shifting with the selector lever
You can shift into manual shifting mode while the
vehicle is stationary or while driving.
> To switch to manual shifting mode, tilt the se-
lector lever toward the front passenger's side
> fig. 94. “M” will be displayed in the instru-
ment cluster.
> Upshifting: push the selector lever forward ().
> Downshifting: push the selector lever toward
the rear ©).
> To switch back to automatic mode, tilt the se-
lector lever toward the driver's side.
Shifting with the shift paddles
Applies to: vehicles with shift paddles
> Upshifting: press the @) shift paddle > fig. 95.
> Downshifting: press the © shift paddle.
> To engage the lowest possible gear for maxi-
mum acceleration, press and hold the ©) shift
paddle.
98
> To switch back to automatic mode, press and
hold the @) shift paddle or push the selector
lever toward the rear.
If you stop using the shift paddles temporarily,
the transmission will switch back to automatic
mode. To keep shifting manually, tilt the selector
lever toward the front passenger's side.
@ Tips
— The transmission only allows manual shift-
ing when the engine speed is within the per-
mitted range.
— The transmission automatically shifts up or
down before critical engine speed is
reached.
Accelerator pedal
You can accelerate the vehicle using the accelera-
tor pedal.
Maximum acceleration
If you press the accelerator pedal all the way
down, the motor’s full power will be used and
you will reach maximum acceleration, also called
“kick-down”.

Z\ WARNING
The driving wheels could spin and the vehicle
could swerve on slick or slippery road surfaces
when using kick-down, which increases the
risk of an accident.

Parking lock emergency release
@

B4M-0189

®

Fig. 96 Footwell: releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release

Driving

assistance. Read and follow the other safety pre-
cautions > A\.
GG y @ Brake pads: wear limit reached. You
can continue driving. Please contact Service
The brake pads are worn. Drive to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility as
soon as possible to have the malfunction correct-
ed.
Brake booster: limited functionality.You can
continue driving. Please contact Service
There is a brake booster malfunction. The brake
booster is available, but its effectiveness is re-
duced. The braking performance may be different
compared to the usual performance. Drive to an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility immediately to have the malfunction cor-
rected.
Brake booster: deactivated. See owner's manual
The brake booster remains active for a brief peri-
od of time after switching off the ignition. Secure
the vehicle from rolling by setting the parking
brake and select the “P” gear.
Other indicator lights
When you switch the ignition on, the indicator
light IBRAKE| ii @ turns on briefly to check the
function. If the indicator light does not turn on,
there is a system malfunction.
1f RG / @ stays on, there is a malfunction in
the brake system.
if) is displayed when there is a malfunction,
the brakes were under heavy load. Follow the in-
structions in the message to utilize the engine
braking effect and to relieve the brakes.

ZA\ WARNING
If a malfunction occurs in the ABS, ESC, and
braking distribution, interventions that stabi-
lize the vehicle will no longer be available.
This could cause the vehicle to swerve, which
increases the risk that the vehicle will slide.
Do not continue driving. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
for assistance.

104
Electromechanical
parking brake
Operating the parking brake
The electromechanical parking brake is used to
secure the vehicle from rolling away unintention-
ally.
The @) switch is located under the selector lever
in the center console. It turns on when the park-
ing brake is set. You can release the parking brake
manually or automatically when you start to
drive.
Setting and releasing the parking brake
> Setting: pull the ©) switch.
> 1f i i © appears, the parking brake is hold-
ing the vehicle. You can remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
> Releasing: when the ignition is switched on,
press and hold the brake pedal and press the
button.
If the red indicator light flashes, the braking
force has not built up enough or it has decreased.
You can also secure the vehicle by selecting the
“P” gear or pressing the brake pedal. Make sure
the indicator light is off before you start driving.
Automatically releasing the parking brake
when starting to drive
Requirement: the driver's door must be closed
and the driver’s safety belt must be fastened.
> Press the accelerator pedal to start to drive.

ZA WARNING
—To reduce the risk of an accident, always
make sure the vehicle is situated safely
while stationary.
— If the parking brake is set, it can release au-
tomatically when the accelerator pedal is
pressed. To reduce the risk of an accident,
do not inadvertently press the accelerator
pedal and always shift into “P” when the ve-
hicle is stopped.
— If the power supply fails, you cannot set the
parking brake once it is released, or release
it if it is set. In this case, park the vehicle on

Driving

Special driving situations
Driving uphill and downhill
When driving uphill, downhill, or at high alti-
tudes, note the following information:
— Drive slowly and carefully.
— Do not try to turn around if you cannot safely
drive on an incline or hill. Instead, drive in re-
verse.
— When driving down hills, you can activate the
hill descent control if you press the brake pedal
while driving in “D” gear. The automatic trans-
mission will select a gear suitable for driving
down the hill and will attempt to maintain the
speed at which the vehicle was traveling at the
time the brake pedal was pressed. Press the
brake pedal if necessary. The hill descent con-
trol will switch off once the hill levels out or
you press the accelerator pedal.
— Utilize the engine braking effect when driving
downhill by selecting the “S” driving program
=> page 97. This especially applies when towing
a trailer. This reduces the load on the brakes.
— Brake in intervals and do not press the brake
pedal continuously.
— Use the hill descent assist if necessary
=> page 107
Inclinometer
Applies to: vehicles with a tilt angle display
You can display the vehicle's sideways angle and
lengthwise angle in relation to the horizon.
— Applies to: MMI: Select on the home screen:
VEHICLE > Vehicle data.
— You may need to scroll down to the Inclinome-
ter display.
The sideways angle of your vehicle should not ex-
ceed the yellow range in the gauge. If it reaches
the red range, there is a risk that the vehicle
might tip.
The steering wheel angle, the elevation, the com-
pass direction, and the geo-coordinates of the
current vehicle position are displayed in addition
to the current vehicle angle. You will also receive
information about the maximum sideways and
lengthwise angle that was reached in the current
106
driving cycle. These values are reset when the ig-
nition is switched off.
Note that the accuracy of the display depends on
the driving situation.

A WARNING
— Only drive on inclines that your vehicle is de-
signed to handle. Do not exceed the hill
climbing ability of your vehicle. Your vehicle
could tip or slide.
— Do not drive at an angle on steep inclines
and hills. If your vehicle is about to tip, you
must immediately start steering in the di-
rection of the downward slope to reduce the
risk of an accident.
— Always be ready to brake when using the hill
descent control function.
— Applies to: vehicles with an inclinometer: Do
not rely only on the inclinometer when as-
sessing the driving situation.
Ole MLAs)
Your vehicle is not an offroad vehicle. Note the
following points when driving offroad:

— Drive slowly and carefully.
—To reduce the risk of underbody damage, pay
attention to the vehicle's ground clearance and
drive across raised areas of the ground with the
wheels on one side of the vehicle, instead of al-
lowing the center of the vehicle to pass over the
raised areas.
—To reduce the risk of becoming stuck, drive
through sandy or swampy areas at a steady
speed and without stopping, if possible.
If necessary, use the following functions:
— Audi drive select* Offroad mode > page 108
— Hill descent assist* > page 107
—Inclinometer* > page 106
— Raising the vehicle > page 109
— Limit ESC > page 113

ZA WARNING
Only drive in terrain that is suitable for the ve-
hicle and your driving ability.

4M1012721BA
Driving

@ For the sake of the environment
Avoid actions that are damaging to the envi-
ronment. Show respect for the natural envi-
ronment and remain on marked routes.
@ Tips
Clean your vehicle after driving offroad. Dirt
and stones falling off your vehicle can affect
other road users.
Driving through water
If you must drive through water, follow these in-
structions:
— Check the stability of the ground, the current,
and the water depth. If the ground is unstable,
there is a strong current, or there are waves,
the water must only reach up to the lower edge
of the body at the most.
— Deactivate the Start/Stop system.
— Drive carefully and no faster than at walking
speeds to prevent the front of the vehicle from
creating waves, because they could splash
above the lower edge of the body. Oncoming
vehicles could also create waves.
— Do not stop the vehicle while in the water.
— Drive in reverse.
— Do not turn the engine off.
Hill descent assist
Applies to: vehicles with hill hold assist
The “& button is located in the function bar on
the lower display. It lights up when the system is
turned on.
Hill descent assist can assist you when driving
down hills by maintaining a constant vehicle
speed by automatically braking all four wheels.
You can adjust the speed using the accelerator
and brake pedals. The regulation depends on the
hill and the vehicle speed.
> Switching on: press a
> Switching off: press “2 again.
Active regulation
Regulation begins shortly after you start driving
and is possible at speeds up to approximately 19
mph (30 km/h) and on hills that have an approxi-
mately 6-60% grade. If these conditions are met,
regulation will be activated and the indicator
light will turn on.
Ready mode
If one of the requirements for active regulation is
not met, the system will be in ready mode. The
a indicator light will turn on. Once the require-
ments are met again, the system will be able to
provide active regulation again.

ZA WARNING
After driving through water, press the brake
pedal carefully to dry the brakes so that the
full braking effect will be restored.
@) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine, drive
system, suspension, or electrical system, can
be severely damaged by driving through wa-
ter.
@ Tips
If possible, avoid driving through salt water
because it increases the risk of corrosion. Use
fresh water to clean any vehicle components
that come into contact with salt water.

ZA WARNING
— Be ready to apply the brakes at all times
when using the hill hold assist.
— Always adjust the speed to the visibility,
weather, road, and traffic conditions. The
system cannot replace the driver's atten-
tion.
— The system cannot maintain a constant vehi-
cle speed in all situations, for example when
on smooth or slippery ground. This can in-
crease the risk of an accident.
G) Tips
If you select the Audi drive select* offroad
mode, hill descent assist will switch on.

107

4M1012721BA
Driving dynamic

Based on the selected setting, the air suspen-
sion* will adjust the ground clearance and the ac-
tive roll stabilization* will provide various de-
grees of compensation for vehicle movements.
Engine sound
The engine sound adapts and can be subtle to
sporty.
Suspension
XCEL Melia Ley
Applies to: vehicles with suspension control
The adaptive dampers are an electronically-con-
trolled damping system. The firmness of the sus-
pension will adapt to the driving conditions and
the driving situation. The settings depend on the
selected Audi drive select* mode.
Air suspension
Applies to: vehicles with air suspension
The air suspension is an electronically-controlled
suspension and leveling system. The firmness of
the suspension will adapt to the driving condi-
tions and the driving situation. The system balan-
ces out changes in load. The vehicle level will also
adapt gradually to the vehicle speed in order to
reduce the wind resistance at high speeds and in-
crease the ground clearance at low speeds. The
settings depend on the selected Audi drive se-
lect* mode.
Displaying the vehicle level
» Applies to MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Audi drive select.
The filled-in boxes represent the current vehicle
level. The more boxes that are filled in, the high-
er the ground clearance. The box that corre-
sponds with the current vehicle level will flash
while the vehicle is lifting or lowering. The target
level is indicated by a red outline.
Raising the vehicle
> Applies to MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Audi drive select.
> Press Raise to reach the highest vehicle level
and thus the maximum ground clearance.
> Press Lower to lower the vehicle down again.
The Audi drive select* mode will be changed if
necessary when the vehicle is raised.
The vehicle will lower at speeds of approximately
20 mph (30 km/h) and below. This function may
only be used temporarily when increased ground
clearance is necessary. It is not intended for long
drives.
() Note
—Also refer to the information about ground
clearance > page 109.
— When transporting the vehicle on a road
carrier, rail carrier, ship carrier, or other car-
rier, it may only be secured at the running
surfaces of the tires (circumference). Secur-
ing the vehicle at the axle components, sus-
pension struts, or towing eyes is not permit-
ted because the pressure in the air suspen-
sion struts can change during transport. The
vehicle might not be secured sufficiently if
this happens.
Ground clearance
The vehicle height and clearance can be influ-
enced by the following factors:
— Change in temperature
— Change in load
— Change to the Audi drive select* mode
— Lifting and lowering via the air suspension*
— Lower the rear* of the vehicle

ZA WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury, make sure no one
gets pinched when the vehicle level is chang-
ing, for example when cleaning the under-
body or the wheel housings.


() Note
Always make sure there is enough clearance
above and below the vehicle. This is especially
important for entrances with height restric-
tions, for example, before driving into under-
ground garages. You could also scrape the
ground when driving over the edges of curbs
109
>

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