2021 AUDI Q7 service

Care and cleaning

Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi-
cle's value. It can also be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The required cleaning and care products can be
obtained from an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Service Facility. Read and follow the in-
structions for use on the packaging.

ZA\ WARNING
— Using cleaning and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
— Always store cleaning and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the risk of poi-
soning.

@ For the sake of the environment
— Purchase environmentally-friendly cleaning
products if possible.
— Do not dispose of cleaning and care prod-
ucts with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the ve-
hicle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect.
Before washing, rinse off heavy deposits with
plenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water anda
microfiber cloth.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once
road salt stops being used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your vehicle with a pressure wash-
er, always follow the operating instructions pro-
vided with the pressure washer. This is especially
important in regard to the pressure and spraying
distance. Do not aim the spray directly at the
280
seals on the side windows, doors, hood, luggage
compartment lid, or sunroof*, or at tires, rubber
hoses, insulating material, sensors*, camera
lenses*, or the laser scanner*. Keep a distance of
at least 16 inches (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use cone nozzles or high pressure nozzles.
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °C).
Automatic car wash
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof* are closed
and the windshield wipers are off. Make sure that
the vehicle is still able to roll during the washing
process in the car wash. Follow instructions from
the car wash operator, especially if there are ac-
cessories attached to your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes.
Washing by hand
Clean the vehicle starting from the top and work-
ing downward using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush. Use solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To reduce the risk of damaging the paint when
washing, first remove dust and large particles
from your vehicle. Insects, grease spots, and fin-
gerprints are best removed with a special cleaner
for matte finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To re-
duce the risk of damaging the paint surface, do
not use too much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft micro-
fiber cloth.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a chamois. >

4M1012721BC
Care and cleaning


A WARNING height and width of the inside of the car
wash.
—To reduce the risk of accidents, only wash
the vehicle when the ignition is off and fol-
low the instructions from the car wash oper-
ator.
—To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not wash
decorative decals* with a pressure washer.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitchen
sponges, or similar items.
— When washing matte finish painted vehicle
components:
—To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash-
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
— After washing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to moisture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter. This in-
creases the risk of an accident. The brakes
must be dried with a few careful brake appli-
cations.
— To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polishing agents or hard
wax.
— Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
@) Note — Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle components painted with
matte finish paint. The paint could be
damaged when the stickers or magnets
are removed.

— If you wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash, you must fold the exterior mirrors in
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
Power folding exterior mirrors* must only
be folded in and out using the power folding (@) For the sake of the environment
function.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the rims
and tires, compare the width between the
wheels on your vehicle with the distance be-
tween the guide rails in the car wash.
Only wash the vehicle in facilities specially de-
signed for that purpose. This will reduce the
risk of dirty water contaminated with oil from
entering the sewer system.
—To reduce the risk of damage, compare the
height and width of your vehicle with the
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individual vehicle are not listed, consult an authorized Audi dealer
components, refer to the following tables. The or authorized Audi Service Facility. Also follow
information contained there is simply recommen- __ the information found in > A.
dations. For questions or for components that
Exterior cleaning



Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper | Deposits Soft cloth with glass cleaner, > page 60
blades
Headlights/ Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution®
tail lights
Sensors/ Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with a solvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol-free cleaning sol-
ution
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent-free de-icing spray >

281

Care and cleaning




Component Situation Solution
Laser scanner Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution®
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
Exhaust tail Road salt Water, cleaning solution suitable for stainless steel, if nec-
pipes essary
Decorative parts | Deposits Mild soap solution ®, a cleaning solution suitable for stain-
and
trim
less steel, if necessary

Paint Paint damage Repair with touch-up paint

Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately

Surface rust Rust remover, then treat with hard wax; for questions, con-
sult an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.

Corrosion Have it removed by an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility.

Water no longer
beads on the surface
of clean paint
Treat with hard wax (at least twice per year)

No shine even though
paint has been pro-
tected/paint looks
poor
Treat with suitable polish; then apply paint protectant if
the polish that was used does not contain any protectant

Deposits such as in-
sects, bird droppings,
tree sap, and road
salt
Dampen with water immediately and remove with a micro-
fiber cloth

Grease-based con-
taminants such as
cosmetics or sunblock
Remove immediately with a mild soap solution ® and a soft
cloth

Carbon compo-__| Deposits clean the same way as painted parts > page 280
nents
Decorative decals | Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution®

a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of
Interior cleaning
neutral soap in 1 quart (1 liter) of water


Component Situation Solution
Window glass Deposits Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Decorative parts | Deposits Mild soap solution®
and
trim
Plastic parts Deposits Damp cloth



Heavier deposits Mild soap solution @), detergent-free plastic cleaning solu-

tion, if necessary

282

Care and cleaning

— Never clean the headlights or tail lights
with a dry cloth or sponge because the
lights could be damaged.
— Do not use any cleaning products that con-
tain alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
— Wheels
— Never use any paint polish or other abra-
sive materials.
— Damage to the protective layer on the
rims, such as stone chips or scratches,
must be repaired immediately.
— Camera lenses
— Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens. This
could cause the lens to crack.
— Never use abrasive cleaning materials or
alcohol to clean the camera lens. This
could cause scratches and cracks.
— Laser scanner
— Never use abrasive cleaning materials to
clean the laser scanner. This could cause
scratches and cracks.
— Door windows
— Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plastic scraper. To re-
duce the risk of scratches, move the scra-
per only in one direction and not back and
forth.
— Never remove snow or ice from door win-
dows and mirrors using warm or hot water
because this could cause cracks to form.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the rear
window defogger, do not apply any stick-
ers on the heating wires on the inside of
the window.
— Decorative parts and trim
— Never use chrome care or cleaning prod-
ucts.
— Paint
— To reduce the risk of scratches, the vehicle
must be free of dirt and dust before pol-
ishing or waxing.
—To prevent paint damage, do not polish or
wax the vehicle in direct sunlight.
—To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
polish away rust spots.
284
— Remove cosmetics and sunscreen immedi-
ately because they could damage the
paint.
— Decorative decals
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not use
any rough powder or abrasive cleaning
products.
— To reduce the risk of damage, do not pol-
ish decorative decals that have a matte or
printed finish.
— Due to the risk of damage, do not use an
ice scraper to remove snow and ice on win-
dows with decorative decals on them.
— Displays and instrument cluster
— Make sure that the display and instrument
cluster are switched off and have cooled
down before cleaning. To switch off the
upper and lower display, select on the
MMI home screen: SETTINGS > Display &
brightness > MMI > Screen cleaning.
— Displays, the instrument cluster, and the
trim surrounding it must not be cleaned
with dry cleaning methods because they
could become scratched.
— Make sure no fluids enter the spaces be-
tween the instrument cluster and the
trim, because that could cause damage.
— Controls
— Make sure that no fluids enter the con-
trols, because this could cause damage.
— Safety belts
— Do not remove the safety belts to clean
them.
— Never clean safety belts or their compo-
nents with chemicals or with corrosive flu-
ids or solvents and never allow sharp ob-
jects to come into contact with the safety
belts. This could cause damage to the belt
webbing.
—If there is damage to the webbing, the
connections, the retractors, or the buck-
les, have them replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility.
— Textiles, artificial leather, and Alcantara
— Never treat artificial leather or Alcantara
with leather care products, solvents, floor >

4M1012721BC
Care and cleaning

polish, shoe polish, spot remover, or simi-
lar products.
— Have a cleaning specialist remove stub-
born stains to reduce the risk of damage.
— Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard
sponges, etc. when cleaning.
— Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry
the seat.
— Objects with sharp edges, such as zippers
or rivets on clothing or belts, can cause
damage to the surface.
— Open hook and loop fasteners, for exam-
ple on clothing, can damage seat covers.
Make sure hook and loop fasteners are
closed.
— Natural leather
— Never treat leather with solvents, floor
polish, shoe polish, spot remover or simi-
lar products.
— Objects with sharp edges, such as zippers
or rivets on clothing or belts, can cause
damage to the surface.
— Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard
sponges, etc. when cleaning.
— Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry
the seat.
—To help prevent the leather from fading,
do not leave the vehicle in direct sunlight
for long periods of time. If leaving the ve-
hicle parked for long periods of time, you
should cover the leather to protect it from
direct sunlight.
@ Tips
— Insects are easier to remove from paint that
has been freshly waxed.
— Regular waxing can prevent rust spots from
forming.
— Decorative decals can age due to environ-
mental conditions, which can result in dam-
age such as brittleness. The color may fade
if exposed to excessive sunlight.
Taking your vehicle out
of service
If you would like to take your vehicle out of serv-
ice for a long period of time, contact an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty. You can receive information about the meas-
ures to take depending on the conditions for tak-
ing the vehicle out of service (duration, location,
etc.).
285

Emergency assistance

Emergency assistance
General information
> Park the vehicle as far as possible from moving
traffic in the event of a breakdown. In the event
of a flat tire, park the vehicle ona level surface.
If you are ona steep hill, be especially careful.
> Set the parking brake.
> Switch the emergency flashers on.
> Have the passengers exit the vehicle. They
should move to a safe place, for example be-
hind a guard rail.

ZX WARNING
Follow the steps given above. This is for your
protection and the for the safety of others on
the road.

Equipment

Vehicle tool kit, tire mobility kit, and
vehicle jack
Applies to: vehicles with the vehicle tool kit, tire mobility kit,
and vehicle jack


Fig. 178 Luggage compartment: cargo floor cover
The vehicle tool kit, vehicle jack*, tire mobility
kit*, and compressor* are stored in the luggage
compartment under the cargo floor cover
> fig. 178.
> Lift the cargo floor using the handle > fig. 178.
@) Tips
The vehicle jack* does not require any mainte-
nance.
286
Tire mobility kit
Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit
> Read and follow the important safety precau-
tions > page 286.
>» Set the parking brake.
> Select the “P” position.
> Check if a repair with the tire mobility kit is pos-
sible > page 286.

time) iS ads
Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit

B8U-0100



Fig. 179 Tire: tire damage that cannot be repaired
The tire repair is only meant for temporary use.
Change the damaged tire as soon as possible
SA.
If the tire is pierced by an object such as a nail,
do not remove the object from the tire.
The tire mobility kit can be used at temperatures
as low as -4 °F (-20 °C).
The tire mobility kit must not be used:
— If the tire has cuts or punctures that are larger
than 0.16 in (4mm) @ © fig. 179
— If the rim is damaged (2)
— If you have driven with very low tire pressure or
without air in the tire @)
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance in these situations.

ZA WARNING
— Please note that the tire mobility kit cannot
be used in all situations, and that it may on-
ly be used temporarily. >

4M1012721BC
Emergency assistance


— The tire sealant must not come in contact
with skin, eyes, or clothing.
— If tire sealant comes into contact with your
eyes or your skin, thoroughly rinse the af-
fected area immediately with clean water.
— Do not inhale the fumes.
— If you swallow any of the tire sealant, thor-
oughly rinse your mouth immediately and
drink a lot of water. Do not induce vomiting.
Seek medical attention immediately.
— Change your clothing immediately if it
comes into contact with tire sealant.
— If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical
attention immediately.


— Keep the tire sealant away from children.

G) Tips
— If sealant leaks, allow it to dry in place. You
can then peel it off like a sticker.
— Note the expiration date on the sealant bot-
tle. Replace the tire sealant at an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility.
— Radio reception can be interrupted when
operating the compressor.
— Follow the legal regulations that are appli-
cable in the country where you are operating
the vehicle.
Fae ma cd
Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit


[RAZ-0054]




Fig. 180 Components of the tire mobility kit

2) The compressor may look different. However, the way it is
operated is generally the same.

SS

Fig. 181 Tire mobility kit connection
Requirement: the tire mobility kit must be laid
out and ready for use > page 286.
Setting up the tire mobility kit
> Open the cover @ on the compressor!)
> fig. 180.
>» Remove the connector (4) and pressure hose ()
from the housing.
> Connect the compressor pressure hose ® to
the flange © on the tire sealant bottle @.
> Insert the sealant bottle with the flange at the
bottom into the opening @) on the compressor.
> Remove the valve cap from the faulty tire.
> Connect the filler hose @) to the valve @)
> fig. 181.
> Connect the plug @) © fig. 180 to an outlet in
the vehicle.
> Switch the ignition on.
Inflating a tire
> Move the switch (8) © fig. 181 on the compres-
sor into position I.
> Inflate the tire to between 29 psi (200 kPA)
and 36 psi (250 kPA) and read the pressure on
the gauge.
> If this tire pressure is not reached, remove the
filler hose. Drive slowly approximately 33 feet
(10 m) forward or in reverse so that the sealant
can be distributed in the tire. Inflate the tire
again > A\.
287

Emergency assistance


ZA\ WARNING
— Read and follow the manufacturer's safety
precautions on the compressor and in the in-
structions on the bottle of sealant.
— Ifa tire pressure of 29 psi (200 kPA) cannot
reached after inflating for 6 minutes, then
the tire is too severely damaged. Do not con-
tinue driving.
— If the tire cannot be repaired with the tire
sealant, see an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
@ Tips
Do not operate the compressor for more than
six minutes continuously, or it can overheat.
Once the compressor has cooled, you can con-
tinue to use it.
(eeyn aye) (-ialare)
Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit


> Affix the sticker that says "max. 50 mph (max.
80 km/h)" that is provided with the tire mobili-
ty kit within the driver's field of vision.
> Stop the vehicle after driving for about 10 mi-
nutes and check the tire pressure.
> If the tire pressure is lower than 19 psi (130
kPA), then the tire is too severely damaged. Do
not continue driving.

ZA WARNING
Pay attention to the following after repairing
the tire:
— Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h).
— Avoid hard acceleration or braking and driv-
ing fast around curves.
— The vehicle may become more difficult to
control.
— If the tire is too severely damaged, see an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi


Service Facility for assistance.

@ For the sake of the environment
You can give the used tire sealant bottle to an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for disposal.
288
G) Tips
Remember to obtain a new bottle of sealant
from an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility after repairing a tire.
Replacing wheels
You must complete the preparation before
changing a tire.
> Read and follow the important safety precau-
tions > page 286.
> Set the parking brake.
> Select the “P” position.
» When towing a trailer: disconnect the trailer
from your vehicle.
> Lay out the vehicle tool kit > page 286 and the
spare tire.
> Applies to: vehicles with air suspension: Select
on the home screen: VEHICLE > Settings &
Service > Air suspension: wheel change.
> Switch the ignition off.

ZA WARNING
— The vehicle must also be secured to prevent
it from rolling when using the vehicle jack*.
Use suitable objects to block the front and
back of the wheel that is diagonal from the
wheel with the flat tire.
— Applies to: vehicles with active roll stabiliza-
tion: Switch the ignition off because the sus-
pension regulation could change the vehicle
height,
which increases the risk of an acci-
dent.