warning AUDI Q7 2012 Owner´s Manual
Page 248 of 342
24 6 Cl eaning and protec tio n
8_ WARNING
So lvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to deploy .
-
-Never clean the instrument panel or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents w ill make
the surface of th is part porous.
- Serious injur ies can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 239.
(D Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents will
attack the mater ial and can change the
way it behaves.
Natural leather
App lies to vehicles: with natura l leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather.
Gen eral
We offer many different types of leather on
our vehicles. Most are different types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colors.
The intensity of the color determines the visu al characteristics and appearance . If the sur
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has
been left in a relatively natural condition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. F ine veins, closed grains, insect
b ites, ski n folds , and subtle var iations in color
remain visible. These characte ristics demon
strate that the mater ial is natural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col
or finish.
It is therefore more sensitive to soil
ing and wear, which is something you need to
consider if chi ld ren, anima ls or othe r factors
might prove to be particular ly hard on the
leather. By cont
rast, leather types that are covered by
a colored finish layer are more durable . This
has a positive effect on the leather's resist
ance to wear and soiling in dai ly use. On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu
ral leather are barely or not apparent . Howev
er, th is does not mean that the leathe r itself
is of inferior quality .
Care and h andling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leather that Aud i uses and their unique prop
erties (such as sensit ivity to oils, grease, soil
ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care
ful with these leathers, and a ce rtain type of
ca re is requ ired . For example , dark clothing
mater ials can disco lor leathe r seats (especia l
ly if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correct ly). Dust and dirt particles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect and can damage the leather surface as we ll as
weaken seams.
The leather should be cleaned regularly as
needed . After having been used for a relatively
l ong time, your leather seats will acqu ire a
rich aged fin ish. This is a characteristic of nat
ural leather and a sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural
product over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendat ions below:
(D Note
- To keep your leather from b leaching out,
do not allow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the veh icle parked outside
for long per iods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sun
light.
- Sharp objects on cloth ing, such as zip
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent s cratches or s crape
ma rks on the su rface of the leather.
(D Tips
- After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leathe r
1111>
Page 249 of 342
preservative creme that contains UV
blockers and that works into the leather .
This creme w ill nourish and mo istur ize
the leather, he lp ing it to breathe and
stay supple. It also helps to build up a
protective coating on the surface.
- Clean the leather every 2 - 3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipst ick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as possib le.
- Preserve the color of the leather as need
ed by using a special colored leather care
creme to touch up areas of uneven color .
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Natural leather requires special care and at
tention.
Norm al cleaning
.,. Clean soiled areas w ith a slightly mo istened
cotton or woolen cloth.
Mor e stub born dir t
.,. More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
cloth saturated with a m ild soap so lution (2
tablespoons m ild liquid soap) .
.,. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather, and make certa in that no water
soaks into the seams .
.,. Wipe off the soap solut ion with a soft, dry
cl oth.
Cleaning spots
.,. Remove fresh water -b ased spots (such as
coffee, tea, ju ices, blood) w ith an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.,. Remove fresh
gr eas e or oil -ba sed spot s
(such as b utter, mayon naise , chocolate) wi th
an absorbe nt cloth or paper towe l, or use
the cleaner from the leat her ca re kit i f the
spot has not yet penetrated into the s urface
of the leather .
.,. Use an oil/grease disso lv ing spray, if
oil /
grease spots h ave d ried on.
Cleaning and protec tion 247
.,. Remove specific k inds of spots (ba llpoint
pe n, fe lt marker, fingernai l polish, water
based pa int, shoe po lish, etc .) with a spot
remover specifically formu lated for leather.
L e ather care
.,. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized Au
di dea ler) to care for the leather .
.,. App ly the product very sparingly.
.,. Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any q uestions about cleaning and
caring for the leather in yo ur vehicle, it is best
to contact your a uthorized Audi dea ler, who
will be g lad to help you and tell you about our
full range of leather care products, such as :
- Leather cleaning and care kit
- Creams to ca re fo r colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpoin t pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oil/grease d issolving spr ay
- New and upcom ing products .
.&_ WARNING
Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other in formation
r::!)page 239 .
(D Note
- Never use chem ica l so lvents (e .g . lighte r
fluid, tu rpe nti ne), waxes, s hoe polish o r
simi la r prod ucts on the lea ther surfaces
i n yo ur Audi .
- T o avoid damage, have stubbo rn sta ins
remove d by a comme rci al clean ing spe
c ialist .
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Applies to vehicles: with Alcantara upholstery
Removing du st and dirt
.,. Mois ten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces .
Removing stains
.,. Moisten a cloth with lukewa rm wate r o r
w ith di luted
ethyl (rubbing ) alc ohol.
•
•
Page 250 of 342
248 Clea ning and protec tio n
• Dab at the stain . Start at the outside and
work inwards .
• Once the stain is no longer visible, use a
soft dry cloth or t issue to soak up the mois
ture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al
cantara.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing
dust and dirt .
Dust and gr it in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
l eft standing in the sun for long periods, the
A lcantara should be protected against direct
sunlight to prevent it from fading. Slight color
variations will deve lop in normal use and are
not an indication of material deterioration .
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces .
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commerc ial cleaning spe
cia list.
- Do not use br ushes, stiff sponges or sim
i larly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia
bly when needed.
• Keep be lts clean.
• For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol
ution. Let be lts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
• Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re
tract before they are completely dry.
• Check the condition of your safety belts
reg
ularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can b reak in a crash . -
Anything that might damage your safety
be lts could mean that you and your pas
sengers would not be adequately pro
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor
rect insta llation. Never remove be lts
from the veh icle to clean them .
- Do not use chemical clean ing agents,
bleach or dyes. They have corrosive prop
erties which weaken the webb ing.
- When clean ing your safety belts, inspect
them for damage . If you discover dam
age, see your authorized Audi dealer .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 239.
' Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en
gine comportment.
Alwa ys switch off the ign ition before clean
i ng the engine¢ .&, .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front
of the windshield under the engine hood . This
prevents the water drain holes from becoming
blocked, and it prevents debris from enter ing
the vehicle interior through the heating and
ventilat ion ducts.
Cor rosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion -protected at the factory .
Good anti- corrosion treatment is very impor
tant, particu larly in the w inter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
shou ld be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage.
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle
should be washed as well. ..,_
Page 251 of 342
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease removing solutions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro
sion treatment is almost always removed as
well. It is therefore essential to have a long
lasting corrosion protection reapplied to all
surfaces , seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment .
.8, WARNING
Be aware: The engine compa rtment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially h azardous
area .
- Before working in the engine compart
ment, be s ure to read the informat ion
~ page 258 .
-Before reaching into the front plenum
pane l, always remove the ignition key .
Otherwise, the windshield wiper system
cou ld unintentiona lly be switched on,
poss ibly causing personal injury from the
moving wiper linkage.
- Never reach into the area around or
touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary fan
is temperature controlled and can switch
on suddenly- even when the ign it ion is
off .
- Do not wash, wax or dry the engine w ith
the engine running . Moving or hot parts
could inju re you .
- Do not clean the underside of the chas
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts w ithout protecti ng your
hands and arms. You may cut yourse lf on
s harp-edged metal parts .
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
othe r information
~ page 239.
l) Use o nly the co rr ect clean in g s olu tio ns. Ne ve r use ga s
o line or d ie sel fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion 249
•
•
Page 254 of 342
252 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Winter operation
At temperatures below 20° F (-7° C), Diesel
fuel No.
2 loses its fluidity due to wax separa
tion, which may clog the fuel filter or tank fil
ter and keep the engine from running .
To help the filter from being clogged by wax,
the fue l filter in your vehicle is automatically
preheated. Preheating the fuel filter makes
operation of your vehicle possible with Diesel
fuel No. 2 down to -10° F (-24° C).
If you expect temperatures below
5° F
(-15° C)
ask your fuel dealer whether their
Diese l fuel No.
2 is sufficiently winterized for
the prevailing and expected temperatures.
If not winterized or insufficiently winterized
Diesel fuel has already thickened to the extent
that the engine will not start, warm the vehi
cle up by leaving it in a heated garage.
It is normal that the engine noise leve l (die
seling) is louder during the warm-up period in
winter. It is also norma l when whitish-blue
smoke comes out of the tailpipe after starting
and during warm-up . The amount of smoke
depends on the outs ide temperature.
Do not let your Diese l engine idle unnecessari
ly after a cold start. Driving off slowly will
shorten the warm-up period.
A WARNING
- Never use "starting assist fluids." They
may be potent ially explosive or cause a
"run-away" engine condition. This could
result in ser ious engine damage and per
sonal injur y.
- Never use fuel line anti-freeze offered for
gasoline engines.
(D Note
- Your Diesel engine has been specifically designed to operate only on Ultra Low
Sulfur Diesel fuel. Therefore, never use
home heating oil or regular gasoline. The
properties of these fuels may cause seri
ous damage to the fuel injection system
and to the engine. Using these fuels can
-
cause expensive engine repairs and will
also adversely affect your New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
- If Diesel fuel sho uld get on any rubber
hose, it must be wiped off immediately.
Then wash the contaminated hose por
tion with soap and warm water. Do not allow D iesel fuel to remain on connect
ing hoses . They may develop leaks and
cause serious damage.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the power locking system shou ld fail, you
can still open the flap manua lly -for detailed
instructions see
¢page 255.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve
hicle in
Technical Data ¢page 316 .
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap
te lls you the correct fuel for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see ¢
page 250.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refuel
ling vapo r recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fue l vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you refuel your vehicle. In order to fi ll the tank
proper ly while protecting the environment,
please fo llow this refueling procedure careful
ly.
A WARNING
-Under normal operating conditions, never
carry addit ional fuel conta iners in your car .
Gas canisters and other conta iners used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such con
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision .
If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower,
snow b lower, etc., be very careful and al
ways observe loca l and state laws regard
ing the use, transportation and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the ..,.
Page 255 of 342
container meets industry standards (ANSI/
ASTM F852 -86).
(D Note
Never drive yo ur vehicle unt il the fuel tank
is complete ly empty. The irregular supply
of fuel can cause misfiring . Gasoline could
enter the exhaust system and damage the
catalyt ic converter.
Refuelling
F ig. 220 Righ t rear vehicle side: Opening th e fue l fill er
flap
F ig. 221 Fu el cap hooked on the opened fuel filler flap
When adding fuel, the ignition and any cellu
lar phones in the vehicle must be sw itched
off. When activating the central locking, the
fuel filler flap is automatica lly unlocked or
locked. Refuel the ve hicle w ith the ignition
turned
off.
Tak ing th e fu el cap off
• To open the fuel filler flap, press on the left
s ide of the flap¢
fig. 220 -arrow- .
• Unscrew fuel fil ler cap counter-clockwise
and hang it on the fuel fille r flap ¢
fig. 221.
• Check the label on the inside o f the f uel fill
er flap to determine if the vehicle must be
fueled with gasoline or diesel fuel.
Fuel suppl y and filli ng your fuel t ank 25 3
Refuelling p ro cedur e
• Insert the fuel nozz le from the gasoline
pump into the fuel fi ller neck as far as it wi ll
go .
• Select a medi um refue lling rate so that the
nozz le switches off automatically when the
tank is full.
Pu tting th e fuel cap bac k on
• After fi lling your tank, twist the fuel filler
cap clockwise as far as it wi ll go.
• Close the fue l filler flap.
T o avoid fuel spill ing or evaporating from the
fuel tank always close fuel filler cap proper ly
and completely. An improperly closed fuel fill
er cap may also cause the MIL lamp¢
page 2 7
to come on (only vehicles with gasoline en
gine).
A WARNING
Improper refueling or handling of fuel can
cause fire, explosion and severe burns.
- Fuel is highly flammable and can cause
severe burns and other injur ies.
- Failure to shut the engine off wh ile refu
eling and/or to insert the pump nozzle
fully into the fuel filler neck could cause
fue l to spray out of filler neck or to over
f low. Fue l spray and overflowing fue l can
cause a fi re.
- Never use a cel lu lar telephone while re
fueling. The electromagnetic rad iation
can cause sparks that can ignite f uel va
pors and cause a fire.
- Never get back into your vehicle whi le re
fueling. If in exceptional circumstances
you must get back in your vehicle while
refueling, make certain that you close
the door and touch metal to discharge
stat ic electricity before touching the fill
er nozzle again. Static e lectricity can
cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors re leased du ring refuel ing .
- Never smoke or have an open flame any
where in or near your veh icle when refu-
eling or filling a portab le fue l conta iner.
ll>
Page 257 of 342
Unlocking the fuel filler flap by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the
power locking system should fail.
•
•
Fig . 222 Luggage co mpa rtme nt: Pry ing cover ope n
Fi g. 22 3 Luggage co mpartmen t: Emergency ope ning
of fue l filler flap
.. Remove the right-side trim panel with the
aid ofa screwdriver
¢ fig. 222.
.. Pull the loop down in the direction of the ar
row to unlock the fuel f iller flap ¢
fig. 223 .
Selective catalytic
reduction
General information
App lies to vehicles : with diesel engine
On vehicles w ith select ive catalytic reduction,
an urea solut ion (Ad Blue ®) is injected into the
exhaust system befo re a nitrogen oxide cata
lytic converter to reduce nitrogen em iss ions .
The AdBlue is stored in a separate tank in the
veh icle. The AdBlue usage accounts for ap
p rox imately 0.5% to 1.2% of the diese l fuel
that is used. The Ad Blue tank capaci ty is ap
pr ox ima tely 6 gallons (23 liters) .
You must refill the Ad Blue or have it refilled
by your authorized A udi dealer or qualified
wo rkshop as soon as the Ad Bl ue refill mes-
Fu el suppl y and filli ng your fuel t ank 255
sage appears in the instrument cluster
¢ page 256.
A WARNING
Failure to heed AdBlue refill info rmation in
the instrument cluster can prevent the ve hi cle from be ing started and dr iven. If the
vehicle cannot be driven and a n emerge ncy
a rises, pe rsonal injury can occur .
- Always have the AdBlue tank refilled well
befo re the tank runs dry .
(D Tips
- The instrument cluster d isp lay ind icates
the distance remain ing that can be driv
en ¢
page 255. If the Ad B lue tank is
completely empty, the engine will not
start again afte r the ignit ion is switched
off.
- Ad Blue is req uired by law to operate th is
veh icl e.
- Ad Blue ® is a registered trademark of the
Registe red Automobile Association (Ve r
band de r Automob ilindustrie e .
V. -
VOA) .
Indicator in the instrument cluster
display
Appl ies to vehicles: wit h diesel eng ine
The display indica te s if the Ad Blue level is low
or if it was filled incorrectly.
Fi g. 22 4 Instrument cluste r: in dicator in t he d isp lay
AdBlue level low
You w ill be informed if t he AdB lue in the tank
drops below a certain level.
AdBlue /9 1500 mi (2400 km) Refill
AdBlue. See owner 's manual
Page 259 of 342
bottom of the bottle until it is empty or
until fluid stops f lowing into the tank.
~ Turn the bott le to the left without press ing
on the bottom.
Closing the filler tube
~ Turn the cap clockwise on the filler tube
with the lug wrench until you hear it tighten
completely.
~ Close the tank cover .
After filling
The vehicle must be driven . The system may
take up to two minutes to detect that the
Ad B lue has been filled.
~ If there was no AdBlue left in the tank and a
range of
O mi (0 km ) was displayed in the
instrument cluster, switch the ignition on
for about 15 seconds before starting the en
gine .
.&_ WARNING
Ad Blue can irritate the skin, eyes and res
piratory system. If there is contact with
the fluid, flush immediately with plenty of
water . Consult a physician if necessary .
(D Note
-Only use Ad Blue that conforms to the
standard ISO 22241-1. Do not mix any
additives with the Ad Blue and do not di
lute it with water .
- Ad Blue is not a diesel additive. Do not
add it to the diesel tank. If Ad Blue is
mixed w ith diesel fuel, it can lead to
damage to the eng ine and the Ad Blue
tank system . The Limited New Vehicle
Warranty does not cover such damage.
- AdBlue attacks surfaces such as painted
vehicle components, plast ic and carpet.
Remove the fluid as quick ly as possible
with a damp cloth and plenty of cold wa
ter . If the AdBlue has already crystal
lized, use warm water and a sponge.
AdBlue residue that is not removed w ill
crystall ize and can damage the affected
surface .
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 257
-Do not store the refill bottle in the vehi
cle . If it leaks, the escaping Ad Blue could
damage the vehicle interior.
- Do not allow Ad Blue to come into con
tact with clothing . If there is contact
with the fluid, flush immediate ly with
plenty of water .
(1) Tips
-Yo u can obtain refill bottles from any au
thorized Audi dealer or other qualified
workshop .
- Follow the Ad Blue manufacturer's in
struct ions for usage and storage. •
•
Page 260 of 342
258 Checking and filling
Checking and filling Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig . 2 27 Dr iver' s side footwe ll: e ngin e hood re lease
lever
.. Open the drive r's door.
.. Pull the release lever on the left under the
inst rument panel
c> fig . 227 in the d irect ion
of the ar row .
The hood pops up s light ly under spring pres
sure.
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 228 Re lease lever under the e ng ine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make s ure
that the windshie ld w ipers are flat against the
windshie ld. Otherwise, they co uld damage the
pa in t on the hood.
.. Lift the hood s light ly
c> _& .
.. Pull up on the release under the hood
¢ fig. 228 . This releases the catch .
.. Open the hood all the way.
A WARNING
-Hot eng ine co olant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of being b urned, never
o pen the hood if you see or hear steam
or coo la nt escapi ng from the eng ine
compa rtment . W ait unt il no steam or
coo lant can b e se en o r heard before care
fu lly openi ng the ho od.
Closing the engine hood
.. Pull the hood down un til the pressure from
t he stru ts is reduced .
.. Let the hood
drop down and la tch in p lace.
Do not try to push it shut; it may fail to en
gage
c> _& .
A WARNING
--
A ho od t hat is not completely latched
could fly up an d block your vi ew while dr iv
i ng.
- W hen you close the engine hood, ch eck it
to make sure the safety catch has proper
ly engaged . The hood should be flush
wit h the surrou nding vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while dr iv ing t hat t he hood
is not s ecured properly, stop at once and
close it .
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment .
Whenever you must perform any wo rk in the
engine compartment, for example checking
and filling different fluids, th ere is a risk of
injury, burns and accidents. To pr event per
sonal injury alway s observe the following
WARNINGS. The engine compartm ent of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
c> &, .
A WARNING
To he lp avo id i njury, before yo u check any
thi ng under the hoo d:
- Tu rn off the eng ine .
- Remove the igni tion key.
Page 261 of 342
-Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever to "P" (Park).
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wa it until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care
fully opening the hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool
ant system is pressurized and hot cool
ant could spray out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
- If work on the fuel system or the electri
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or
open flames. Fluids in the engine com
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in
jury while the engine is running or being
started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
-If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever to "P" (Park).
Checking and filling 259
-Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact ing hot parts . Tie back hair before
starting, and do not wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards
9 .&, .
&_ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con
tain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac
cessories contain lead and lead com
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc
tive harms. Wash hands after handling .
(D Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam
age to vehicle systems will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly. If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu
ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au
thorized Audi dealer. •
•