technical data AUDI Q7 2010 Owner´s Manual

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
- Lack of proper maintena nce as well as improper use of the
vehicle w ill imp air t he funct io n of t he emission con trol system and
could lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Contro l System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a sulfur-like exhaust gas sme ll under some
operat ing states. This depends on the s ulfur content of the fue l being
used. Using a differe nt brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank with
lead-free supe r grade gasoline. •
Applies to vehicles: w ith diesel eng ine
Diesel particulate filter
The d iese l part iculate filter fi lters nearly all of the soot particles out
of the exhaus t. T he filte r cleans i tself automa ticall y unde r no rm al
driving con dit io ns. If the f ilter cannot clea n itself (for example,
because yo u are on ly driving short dis tances), the f ilter becomes
clogged w it h soot and the symbo l for the diesel particulate fi lter
illuminates ~
page 35.
& WARNING
• Do not park your vehicle over flammable materials such as
grass or leaves because the high temperature of the diese l partic ­
ulate filter could start a fire .
• Do not apply an underbody protectant in the exhaust system
area or a fire could start .•
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Avoid damaging the vehicle
Whe
n you are driving on poor roads, or over curbs, steep ramps, etc.,
m ake ce rtain that low-lying p art s s uch as spoilers and e xhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
Thi s is espec ia lly t rue for vehicles with low-s lung chassis (sports
chass is) * and f ully loaded vehicles. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will det ermine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, env ironmenta l im pact , and wea r on your e ng ine,
brakes and tires largely depend on t hree factors:
• your person al driv in g style
• operating conditions
• techni cal lim itations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economically,
you can e asily cut you r fu el consum ptio n by 10- 15 pe rcen t. T his
sect io n w ill give you some tips on how you can help the environment
and yo ur po cketbook.
rn Tips
Th e consumption est ima tes as published by E NVIRO NMEN TAL
PROT ECTION AGENCY ( EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your act ual consumption on the roa d, which will vary
depend ing upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather co ndit ions,
trip length, etc.•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
---------------------------------------------------'
0
Note
• Have you r vehicle ma intained properly and in acco rdance w ith t he
service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet .
Lac k of p roper ma inte nan ce as well as imprope r use of the vehicle wi ll
impair the funct ion of the em ission control system and cou ld lead to
damage.
• Do not alter o r remove any component of the Emission Control
System u nless approved by the manufa ct ur er.
• Do not a lter or remove any device, such as heat shie lds, switches,
ign ition w ires , va lves, which are desig ned to protec t your ve hicle's
Emission Contro l System and other important veh icle components .•
Fewer short trips
F uel consumptio n will always be relatively high on short
trips .
-Try to avoi d drivi ng s ho rt dis tances wit h a cold engine .
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optima l oper­
ating temperature
t o reduce f uel consum ptio n a nd noxio us em is ­
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid -s ize car on ly achieves a fuel
economy of 6-8 m iles per gallon (30- 40 l/l00km) . After about a ha lf
a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100 km). After abo ut
2 .5 m iles ( 4 km), t he engine i s at its p rop er operat ing temper ature
and fue l economy has reached a normal level. So yo u can see that you
sho uld avoi d short t rips whenever possible.
T he
out side temperature is a lso c ritical in this regard. Your car
cons umes mo re fue l in the winter than in the summer. •
Controls and equip·
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving off road
Driving off road
Driving in difficult road conditions
and offroad
General information
T he ope ra ti on of the Ele ctro nic Stabilization P rogr am ( ESP ) is
expanded for operation away from paved roads. In s ituations where
slip or a different ia l lock in g f unct io n is requ ired, t he ESP offroa d
mode can be activated~
page 252. Hill descent control is also avail­
able in the ESP offro ad mode, wh ich a utomatically bra kes the vehicle
and thereby keeps speed consta nt when d ifferent whee l speeds are
de te cted when descend ing a hill~
page 253. Your Audi also has
permanent all-wheel drive in add ition.
However , your Audi is not a pure offroad ve hicle.
It was not bui lt for
dr iv ing un der extreme cond it ions, e.g. for t rips that ar e in th e natur e
of an exped it io n.
Drive only on road s and offroad sections which match the design of
your vehicle and your abilities as a driver. Never take risks!
Before driving offroad
• Check the eng ine oi l level, tire pressure, coolant level, and the
fluid level in the w indshiel d wa sher rese rvoir.
• Stow luggage items and other objects in the luggage compart ­
me nt, and sec ure t hem agains t slid ing ar ound.
After driving offroad
• After tr ips offroad, remove a ny tw igs and other foreign objects
from the gr ill, the underbody an d the whee ls. Pay special attention to
fore ign obje cts (sto nes) wh ich have be come lodge d in the tire tr ead.
• Clean the body and the vehicle unde rside, and ins pect t he vehicle
for possib le dam age. •
Clean dirty w indows, headlamp lenses, rear lights, and lic ense
plates.
• Perform a bra ke check (pa rticul arly afte r travell ing t hrough
wate r).
& WARNING
• Drive especially attentively and plan ahead in difficult road
condit ions and when offroad. E xcessive speed or incorrect maneu­
vers can cau se injurie s and damage to the vehicle .
• Always adapt your speed and driving style to road, offroad,
traffic, and weather condition s. Drive especially slowl y offroad
when your view is restricted.
• Please be aware that in ESP offroad mode, particularly on a
smooth and slippery road, the wheels may have an increased
tendency to spin and the vehicle may break away - danger of skid­ ding!
• Stability i s limited in the ESP offroad mode.
<i' For the sake of the environment
Avoid dama ge to t he e nvir onment and respect nature .
[ i ] Tips
O nly drive where i t is permi tted and st ay on mar ke d roads an d
paths .
Explanation of some technical terms
The follow ing data refer to ideal conditions. Depending on vehicle
load and g round condi tions a nd the enviro nment, t he num bers may ...

• Driving off road
------------------------------------------------------'
vary. It is the driver's responsibility to decide whether a vehicle can
overcome a specific situation
=> &-
Gradient angle
The number of meters in altitude gained over a distance of 109 .4
yards or 100 meters (grade) are given as a percentage or degrees.
Information about the gradient the vehicle can climb under its own
power (depends in part on the road surface and engine power).
Maximum permitted grade: 31
°
Lateral angle (slope of vehicle)
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicl e can be driven diagonally
or across the fall line on a slope without the vehicle tipping over s ide­
ways (depends on center of gravity). Maximum permitted late ral
angle: 35°
Breakover angle
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can dr ive over a ramp at
low speed without the underside of the vehicle hitting the edge of the
ramp.
• Vehicles without air springs: maximum breakove r angle: 21, 1 °
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: maximum breakover
ang le: 19.1 ° (at normal leve l), 23.8° (at high level 2)
Approach /departure angle
Transition from the horizontal plane to a gradient or from a grade
back to level ground. Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can
drive onto or off a slope at low speed without striking the bumper or
the underbody.
• Vehicles without air springs: maximum approach/departure
ang le: 21.9° (front), 23.4° (rear)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: maximum
approach/departure angle at normal level 20° (front), 21.9° (rear).
Maximum approach/departure angle at high level 2 (front) 24°,
(rea r) 25.4°
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Ground clearance
Th
e distance between the road surface and the lowest point of the
vehicle underbody.
• Vehicles without air springs: Ground clearance 8.1 in
(204 .8 mm)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: minimum ground clear­
ance 7.1 in (179.8 mm) at normal level, maximum ground clearance
9.4 in (239.8 mm) at high level 2
_& WARNING
Exceeding the stated maximum figures can result in severe inju­
ries or vehicle damage .
• All the information was gathered on level, firm and non-slip­
pery road surfaces, and under dry weather conditions.
• Ideal conditions do not prevail offroad. Never utilize the
maximum readings to their fullest, always leave a safety
reserve. •
Driving tips
On poor road and off road, there is always only one
motto: Plan ahead and drive slowly!
Please observe the follow ing when driving away from paved
roads:
- Drive only on roads and offroad sections which match the
design of your veh icle and your abilities as a driver. Never
ta ke ris ks!
- Drive slowly and plan ahead!
- Take into consideration the
ground clearance of you r
vehicle.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information Your Audi was design ed primarily for passenger transpor ­
tation .
If you plan to tow a t rai ler, p lease rem emb er that the add itiona l load
wi ll affect durab ility, economy and performance.
T railer tow ing not on ly p laces mo re s tress on the vehicle, it a lso calls
for more concentrat ion from the driver.
For this reason, a lways follow the ope rating and dr iv ing instr uctions
prov ided and use common sense .
(D Note
If you are going to tow a t ra iler , you must ac tivate the tra ile r ope ra­
tion mode ::::;,
page 180, "Towing a trailer". •
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a we igh t-car rying hit ch confo rm ing to the g ross tra ile r weig ht.
The hitch must be suitable for your vehicle and tra iler and must be
mou nted secure ly o n th e veh icle's chassis a t a
te chnically sound loca­
tion. Use only a trailer hitch with a removab le ba ll mount. Always
check w ith the tra iler h itch manufacturer to ma ke sure tha t you are
using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be i nstalled in such a way t hat i t does not interfe re
w ith the impact-absorbing bumper system. No mod ificat ions should
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
be made to the vehicle exhaust and b
rake systems. From time to
time, check that all hitc h mounting bo lts rema in securely fastened.
Whe n you are no t towing a trai ler, remove the trailer hi tch ba ll
mount. This prevents the hitch from caus ing damage should your
vehicle be s truck from behind::::;,& .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer i s eq uipped w ith a b raking system, che ck to be s ure that
it conforms to all regulat ions.
T he tra iler hyd raulic brake system must not be directly connected to
the vehi cle's hydraul ic brake system ::::;, & .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains betwee n your vehicle and t he tra iler .
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulat ions. Be sure to check w ith your
au thor ized A udi deale r for co rrect wi ring, switc hes, and re lays.
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see the traff ic beh ind you us ing t he regular
outside m irro rs, then you
must install extended mirro rs. It is impor­
t an t th at yo u
always have cle ar vision to the re a r.
& WARNING
• If a trailer has electrical brakes please note that these brakes
are not activated by the factory-fitted control unit -ri sk of acci ·
dent!
• Afte r removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle .
In case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure
you or your passengers .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

pressure label is located o n the dr iver's side B-pillar. Inflate trailer
t ires to tra ile r and t ire ma nufacturers' spec ifications.
Lights
T he headl ight settings shou ld be chec ked with the tr ailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are wo rking properly.
Safety chains
Be sure tra ile r safety cha ins are p roperly connected from the t rai ler
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to perm it
tu rning corners . When you install sa fe ty ch ains, ma ke sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trai ler tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the h itch .
0 Note
If you are goi ng to tow a trai ler , you must activate the trai ler opera­
tion mode =>
page 180, "Towing a trailer". •
Driving instructior,s
Driving with a trailer always requires e xtra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possib le handling of ve hicle a nd trailer ,
please note the following :
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especia lly careful when pass ing other vehicles .
- Observe speed limi ts.
- Do not drive at the maximum pe rmissible speed.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
- Always apply brakes early.
- Mo
nitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distri but ion
T owing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly unstable
distribution of we ight . If t his cannot be avoided , drive at very low
speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that the
tow veh icle shou ld be loaded to the extent poss ible and permissib le,
wh ile keeping the tra ile r as lig ht as poss ible unde r the ci rc u mstances.
Whe never possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage compart ­
me nt o f the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more d ifficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not dr ive at the maxim um permiss ible speed .
Reduce your speed eve n more if load, weather or w ind conditions are
unfavorable -particular ly when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immed iately if the tra ile r shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not tr y to stop the s wayi ng by a ccele rating .
Observe speed lim its. In some areas, speeds for veh icles towing
trailers are lowe r than for regular veh icles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving downhi ll, shift into a lower
gear to use the engine brak ing effect to slow t he ve hicle . Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperatur e
The coo lant temperature gauge=> page 10 must be observed care­
fu lly. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the sca le, reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
If the coo lant temperature warning light in the instrument clus ter
starts flash ing
- F- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two m inutes to prevent hea t buil d-up.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the P
position. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Cleaning and protection Ill
---------------=---------=----
Under certain circumsta nces, weekly was hing may be necessary .
Und er other c ond it ions, a monthl y w ashi ng and waxing m ay be
adequate.
After the winter, the unders ide of the vehicle s hou ld be t horoughly
w ashe d, p refe rably in a pr ofess ional ca r was h.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 274. •
Automatic car wash
The ve hicle ca n be w ashed in alm ost any mo dern auto­
matic car w ash .
Th e ve hicl e p aint is so du ra ble th at t he vehicle c an nor mally be
washed w itho ut problems in an automatic car wash . H owever, the
effe ct on the pai nt de pend s to a large ex ten t on t he desig n of t he
facili ty, th e fil ter ing of the was h water, t he type of wash and care
material, etc . If t he pa int has a du ll appea rance a fter going throu gh
t he ca r wash o r is sc ratched, bri ng this to the a tte ntion of the ope r­
ator immediately . If necessa ry, use a different car wash .
B efo re go ing throu gh a c ar wa sh, be sure to ta ke the us ual pr eca u­
t ions such as clos ing the windows and the Panoramic s lid in g su nroof.
Fa ctor y in stall ed a ntenn as mu st not be re moved .
If you have ins talled addit ional accessories on the vehicle -su ch as
spoilers, roof rack, etc . - it is best to ask the car wash ope rato r if these
sho uld be removed.
& WARNING
Please take note of the following points before going through an
automatic car wash with your vehicle , so that you can avoid
damage to your vehicle.
Safety first
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Compare the track of your vehicle with the distance between
the guide rails of the facility -there is a risk of damage to the
wheels and tires.
• Compare the height and width of your vehicle with the height
and width of the tunnel at the facility.
• Fold the exterior mirrors flat -there is a risk of damaging the
exterior mirrors . Power folding exterior mirrors* must not be
folded in or out by hand. Use the power function!
• Do not allow the wiper blade to fall onto the windshield after
the vehicle is dried · there is a risk of damaging the paint on the
hood .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 274. •
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of wat er is n eeded when washing a v ehicl e by hand.
- Before yo u sta rt wash ing , m ak e sure you have read and
u nd ers tood the WARN IN GS =>
& in "Gener al in forma­
t io n" o n page
274.
- F ir s t soa k all dried dir t until it is soft, t hen rinse i t off.
- A s you cle an yo ur vehi cle, sta rt with the roof and work y our
way down to the bottom , us ing a sponge , a sp onge glove
or a cle an bru sh .
- Rin se the sp ong e or the sp o ng e glo ve often, flu shing it
cl ean each t im e.
- U se s pecia l car shampoo on ly for v ery pe rsiste nt dirt .
- R inse the car thoroug hly wi th wate r.
- U se a ch a m ois le ath er to gently w ipe t he ex ter ior dry. •
Vehicle care Technical data

__________________________________________ C_ l _e_ a_ n_i _n -=g =--- a_n_ d__, p.__ r_ o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n __ ,n
0 Note
T o avo id damaging your vehicle, a lways make sure that there i s suffi­
cient distance between the spray head and soft materia ls like r ubber
hoses, plastic part s and sound-de adening mate ria ls. Never aim the
spray head at the same point for a long time . This a lso applies to
cleaning headl ights and painted bumpers. Remembe r: the closer t he
nozzle is to the surface of the mater ia l, the greater the stress on the
mate rial. •
Wa xing
Wax protects the vehicle's paint.
- U se a manua lly applied car wax occas ionally to pro tect t he
pa int.
A good wax coat ing protects the vehicle paint to a la rge extent
agai nst the env ironmen ta l fa ctors liste d un der~
page 2 74,
"Washing" and even against slight scratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect yo ur paint as soon as one wee k
after your ve hicle has been delivered .
Even if you regula rly use a
wa xing process in automatic car washes,
we recomme nd that you m anually apply a co at of wax to give the
paint extra protection, part icularly if water no longer beads on t he
cl ean pa int .
Protec t plast ic body parts with car wax in t he same way as the vehicle
body .
Dur ing warm wea ther de ad insec ts te nd t o collec t on t he fron t
bumper and on the forward area of the hood. They a re much easier to
remove from p aint th at is waxed
often.
Safety first
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:=> page 274 .
0 Note
Do not use car wax on
• matte o r anodized metal trim
• rub ber or rubbe r-like trim .•
Polishing
P olishing restores the gloss to the paint.
P olis h your ve hicl e only if t he pa int has lost its shine and the gloss
cannot be brought back with wax.
If the polish used does not contain preservative compounds, the
paint must be waxed afterwards~ page 277, "Waxing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:=> page 274 .
0 Note
Do no t trea t matte a nodize d meta l trim, p lastic o r ru bber p arts wi th
polish or wax . •
Trim strips
fv1 etal tri m needs s pec ial care .
For env ironmental reasons, Aud i fabr icates the brig ht trim strips and
trim p ieces from pure chrom ium -free a lum inum. ._
Vehicle care Technical data

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road film and carwash
wax buildup.
- Remove snow from windows using a brush.
- Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from windows and
mirrors.
- Remove other residue on the w indows with a spray-on
glass cleaner .
- Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of cloth or
kitchen paper towel.
T he best way to remove snow from w indows and mirrors is to use a
brush. Use a non-abrasive plastic ice s craper - be tter st ill, a spray
deicer -to remove ice from windows and mirrors.
Th e w indows must not be cleaned with insect remover or wax since
these can interfere with the function of the w indshield wiper blades
(chatte r) .
Oil, grease, or silicone residue can be removed with glass cleaner or
s ili cone remover. Howeve r, wax residue requires the use of a specially
formulated solvent . Please contact your author ized Aud i dealer for
advice on safe products for wax remova l.
W indows shou ld also be cleaned on the inside at regu lar i nte rvals.
Never dry windows w ith the same chamo is that you use to dry painted
surfaces. Wax res idue on the chamois ca n impa ir v is ion t hrough the
windows .
& WARNING
• Alw ays read and h eed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 274 .
Safety first
& WARNING (continu ed)
• The windshield must not b e tre ated with w ater-repellent
m aterial s. They c an increa se g lare und er poor visibilit y condit ions
s uch as w etnes s, dar kne ss, or when the sun i s low on the ho rizon .
In addition, they can cau se the wind shi eld wip ers to chatter.
0 Note
• Never use warm o r hot wate r to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors . This could cause the glass to crack.
• To prevent damage to the w ires of the rear defogger, do not place
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the wires.
• T o help prevent dirt from scratching the w indow, always scrape in
a forward direction - pushing the scraper away from you - never back
and forth .•
Weatherstrips
Complete car care includes the weatherstrips as well .
-Apply a suitable rubber conditioner to the weatherstrips
from time to t ime .
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear l id, etc. must remain pliable . Spray the weatherstrips with sili­
cone or coat t hem with talc um powder or g lycerine to retain the flex­
ibility of the rubber and to p ro tect them agai nst free zing in the
winter .
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other inform ation
~ page 274 .
Vehicle care Technical data