2020 AUDI Q7 ground clearance

Stowing and using




gage compartment cover
Applies to: vehicles with luggage compartment cover


B4L-1256

Fig. 79 Luggage compartment: removing and installing
the luggage compartment cover
Follow the safety precautions > page 82.
> To attach the luggage compartment cover, pull
the cover out by the handle @) and secure it in
the mounting eyelets (2) on the side trim pan-
els.
> To remove the luggage compartment cover,
pull the lever firmly in the direction of the ar-
row > fig. 79 and remove the cover upward.
> To install the luggage compartment cover,
place the cover in the mounts on the side trim
panels on the left and right side.
> Push the cover downward until it clicks into
place.

D_Incertain countries.
84

Applies to: vehicles with air suspension
Fig. 80 Left side of the luggage compartment: rear lower-
ing button

The rear of the vehicle can be lowered to make
loading and unloading easier.
Requirement: all vehicle doors must be closed.
The trailer mode for air suspension is switched
off.
> Open the luggage compartment lid.
> Press the lower section of the button @). The
rear of the vehicle lowers.
> Press the upper section of the button @). The
rear of the vehicle will lift.
The LED in the button will turn on while the vehi-
cle is lowering. When the loading level has been
reached, the LED will stay on as long as the rear
of the vehicle is in the lowered position. The LED
turns off when the vehicle returns to the original
level.
The rear of the vehicle will be automatically
raised when you select another mode or start to
drive.
— Do not park the vehicle in a lowered loading
level.
— Also refer to the information about ground
clearance > page 109. >

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 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
>

Driving dynamic

or on steep ramps, which could damage your
vehicle.
WEEE Tel
B Air suspension: malfunction! You may con-
tinue driving slowly at max. XX mph (km/h)
There is a malfunction. Driving stability may be
limited. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately. Do not
drive faster than the speed given in the message.
B Air suspension: malfunction! You can contin-
ue driving. Speed limited to max. XX mph
(km/h)
There is a malfunction. Driving stability may be
limited. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately. The
maximum speed has been limited.
B Air suspension: malfunction! Safely stop ve-
hicle. Steering and ground clearance limited
There is a malfunction. Do not continue driving.
Stop the vehicle safely. Avoid turning the steer-
ing wheel, because the vehicle ground clearance
may be so low that turning the steering wheel
could result in damage to the wheels and wheel
housings.
1 ¢ | Suspension: malfunction! You can continue
driving
There is a malfunction. See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as-
sistance.
B Air suspension: vehicle too low. Limited
ground clearance
The vehicle ground clearance is very low. Wait un-
til the air suspension system has restored normal
ground clearance. Have an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility repair the mal-
function immediately if the indicator light does
not turn off after a significant period of time.
|<] Air suspension: malfunction! Please contact
Service
There is a malfunction. The driving stability may
be limited and the ground clearance may be low.
110
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance.
Audi drive select: automatic suspension low-
ering. See owner's manual
The vehicle level is adjusted to the setting stored
for the active personal profile > page 28.
Audi drive select: automatic suspension Lift.
See owner's manual
The vehicle level is adjusted to the setting stored
for the active personal profile > page 28.
Steering
Electromechanical steering supports the driver's
steering movements by electronically adapting
the power steering depending on the vehicle
speed. The settings depend on the selected Audi
drive select* mode.
All-wheel steering
Applies to: vehicles with all-wheel steering
Additional steering ability at the rear axle im-
proves the driving dynamic and stability. At low
speeds, the rear wheels are steered in the oppo-
site direction from the front wheels to reduce the
turning radius. At high speeds, steering the rear
wheels in the same direction as the front wheels
improves the vehicle response and driving stabili-
ty.
a Steering: malfunction! Please stop vehicle
The power steering may have failed. Adapt your
driving style immediately to compensate for the
fact that it may be more difficult to turn the
steering wheel, and stop your vehicle in a safe lo-
cation as soon as possible. Do not continue driv-
ing. See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility for assistance.
a Steering: malfunction! Please stop vehicle.
Pay attention to distance at side
The rear axle steering may have failed. More
space on the road may be needed at the side of >

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

4M1012721BA
Driver assistance

and road conditions > page 133, Predictive con-
trol.


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


For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulations, see > page 295.
Applies to: vehicles with adaptive cruise assist

B8V-0630.

Fig. 108 Example: vehicle changing lanes and stationary
vehicle



a vehicle in the adjacent lane and apply the
brakes. You can override the system by pressing
the accelerator pedal briefly.
— The adaptive cruise assist works with the vari-
ous sensors and cameras in the vehicle.
Vehicles can only be detected once they are
within the area and range covered by the sen-
sors > page 119, fig. 98.
— When driving around tight curves, a vehicle
driving ahead that was previously detected may
no longer be detected, and the adaptive cruise
assist may accelerate unexpectedly.
— The adaptive cruise assist does not react to a
stationary vehicle in the same lane if the sys-
tem expects that you can easily drive aroun d
the stationary vehicle by turning the steering
wheel.
— The adaptive cruise assist may not react to sta-
tionary obstacles, such as the end of a traffic
jam, especially at high speeds.
— The adaptive cruise assist has a limited ability
to detect vehicles that are a short distance
ahead, off to the side of your vehicle, or moving
into your lane.
— Objects that are difficult to detect, such as mo-
torcycles, vehicles with high ground clearance,
or vehicles with an overhanging load, may be
detected late or not detected at all.
— The adaptive cruise assist does not respond to
people, animals, or objects that are crossin
approaching from the opposite direction.
Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 118.
g or


Fig. 109 Example: driving into a curve
In some situations, the adaptive cruise assist
function is limited and you must assume control
of the vehicle when necessary, for example by ap-
plying the brakes.
— If a vehicle that was already detected @ turns
or changes lanes, the adaptive cruise assist will
react to the vehicle ahead of it @).
— When driving into a curve > fig. 109 and out of
acurve, the adaptive cruise assist may react to
135