AMI AUDI Q7 2012 Owner´s Manual
Page 147 of 342
Rearv iew cam era c overage a rea
The MM I display shows the area covered by
the rearview camera c:>
fig. 166 (!). Objects
that are not in the area covered @are not
shown on the MMI display .
We recommend that yo u practice parking with
the rearview camera in a traffic-free location
or parking lot to become familiar with the sys
tem, the orientation lines, and their function.
When do ing th is, there should be good light
and weather conditions.
I n the MMI disp lay, objects or vehicles appear
closer or further away if:
- you are driving in reverse gear from a level
s u rface onto an incline, or a downward
s lope,
- you are driving in reverse gear toward pro
truding objects,
- the vehicle is carrying too much load in the
rear .
The accuracy of the or ientat ion lines and blue
surfaces dimin ishes if:
- the Adaptive A ir Suspension* is faulty or the
dynamic, offroad or lift mode is on,
- the rearv iew camera does not provide a reli
able image, for example, in poor visibility
cond it ions or if the lens is dirty,
- the image on the screen is not visible due to sun glare and reflection.
Ca ring for the rear view c amer a len s
The rearview camera is located above the rear
license plate bracket . For the parking system
to operate, the lens
c:> fig. 167 must be kept
clean:
- Dampen the lens with a househo ld alcoho l
based glass cleaner, and then wipe the lens
clean with a dry cloth c:>0 .
- Remove snow with a hand brush and ice
preferably with a de-icing spray
c:> ([).
A WARNING
-The parking system cannot rep lace the
dr iver's attention. The driver alone is re-
-
Par king system 145
sponsib le for parking and simi lar d riving
maneuvers.
- Sensors have blind spots in which objects
cannot be detected. Pay spec ia l attention
to small children and an imals because
the sensors cannot always detect them.
-Always keep your eyes on the vehicle's surroundings, us ing the rearview mirror
as well.
- Do not allow yourself to be distracted
from traffic by the rearv iew camera pic
tures .
- If the position and the installation angle
of the camera has changed, for example,
after a rear end collision, do not continue
to use the system for safety reasons.
H ave it checked by a qualified dea le rship.
(D Note
- Low obstacles a lready s ignaled by a
warning can disappear from the system's
detect ion range as they are approached
and w ill not continue to be s ignaled. Ob
jects such as ba rr ie r chains, trai le r d raw
bars, thin painted vert ica l poles or fen
ces may not be detected by the system,
posing r isk of damage .
- Never use warm or hot wate r to remove
snow or ice from the rearview camera
lens -this could cause the lens to crack!
- When cleaning the lens, never use prod
ucts that are ab rasive.
Page 152 of 342
150 Adapti ve Air Susp en sion
Adaptive Air
Suspension
Air suspension and damping
Description
App lies to vehicles: with Adapt ive Air Suspe nsion
Air suspension and damping can be adjusted
separately.
Adaptive Air Suspension is an electronically
controlled springing and damping system .
This chassis system makes it easier on the
driver by adapt ing to the particular situat ion
through imperceptible control processes.
The
Ad apti ve Air Su sp ension component reg
ulates ground clearance depending on vehicle
speed and driver input. It functions independ
ently from the load condition . Accelerating to
a speed above a predetermined limit will make the vehicle lower itself . On the other
hand, driving more slowly results in the vehi
cle raising aga in at specific speeds.
The
d am ping component provides individual
control of the damping forces. For example,
with damping characterist ics set to prov ide
greater comfort, damping is set somewhat
harder for a brief per iod only as required, for
example, when going around a curve or when brak ing .
Set tings
Adapt ive A ir Suspension provides the driver
with the opportun ity to set the chassis charac
teristics also to their individual prefe rence.
W ith the dr iv ing modes
Comfort, Automatic
and Dynamic the driver has three chassis set
tings available, ranging from comfort to spor
ty. The
Offrood mode can be selected for driv
ing on poor quality stretches of road. In addi
tion,
Lift provides a fifth mode, which can be
selected when exceptionally high ground
clearance is needed
c::> page 150, Chassis con
trols.
The modes are set in MMI r:::;, poge 152.
A WARNING
The height of the parked vehicle can
change due to temperature fluctuations or
changes in load.
([) Note
- Whenever you park your vehicle, a lways
make sure there is adequate clearance
above and below the vehicle. The he ight
of the parked vehicle can change as the
result of temperature f luctuations,
changes in load cond ition and changes in
the driving mode (ground clearance).
- If the vehicle is being t ransported (e.g.
by tow truck, train, sh ip, etc.), mount the
tie-down chains/cables over the running
surface (circumference) of the tires. Nev
er secure the vehicle by the axle, the sus
pension struts or the front or rear tow
line eye. For technical reasons, the pres
sure in the suspens ion struts may change
during the transport, which could result
in the vehicle no longer be ing secured
properly .
- If you are going to tow a trailer with a trailer hitch that was
not installed ac
cording to factory specif ications, you
must activate the tra iler operation mode
manually
c;, page 154.
(D Tips
- Before you can raise your vehicle us ing
the vehicle jack (for example, when
changing a f lat t ire) or a veh icle lift, yo u
must activate the jac king mode
c::>poge 154.
-On some mode ls, the vehicle can reach
its maxim um speed only in the
Automat
ic
and Dynamic modes.
Chassis controls
Applies to vehicles: wit h Adaptive A ir Suspensio n
Five different driving modes con be set by the
driver.
The automatic control processes are speed
and t ime -dependent . Fo r example, it is not
Page 153 of 342
possible to raise the suspension to a high leve l
above certain speeds .
When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h) is
exceeded for more than 30 seconds, the vehi
cle is automatically lowe red to
low level when
in comfort and automatic mode. Ground
clearance is about 0.6 inch (15 mm) less,
compared to the
normal level.
When a speed of about 100 mph (160 km/h)
is exceeded for more than 20 seconds , the ve
h icle is automat ica lly lowered to
highway lev
el
when in automatic and dynamic mode.
Ground clearance is about 1.4 inches (35 mm)
less, compared to the
normal level. Road
holding is opt imized as a result of the lower
center of gravity, and fuel consumption is re
duced as a result of reduced wind resistance .
Level adjustment
high level 2
high level 1
normal leve l
low level
highway level
Ground clearance
about 9 .4 inches
(240 mm)
about
8 inches
(205 mm)
about 7 inches (180 mm)
about 6 .5 inches
(165 mm)
about 5.7 inches (145 mm)
The segment disp lay @ in the MMI Display
c:::> page 152 or in the instrument cluster dis
p lay
i:> page 153 shows the current vehicle
level.
Automatic
Select the automatic mode if you prefer a bal
anced, comfortable suspension setting . The
damping characteristics are adjusted accord
ingly.
- Automatic lowe ring: When a speed of
about 75 mph (120 km/h) is exceeded for
more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is auto
matically lowered by about 0.6 inch (15
mm) to the
low level, wh ich is more suitable
for highway speeds. Road hold ing is opti
mized as a result of the lower center of grav-
Ad aptive Air Su sp en sion 15 1
ity and fuel consumption is reduced as a re
sult of reduced wind resistance . When a
speed of about 100 mph (160 km/h) is ex
ceeded for more than 20 seconds, the veh i
cle is automatically lowered by an addit ional
0 .8 inch (20 mm) to
highway level.
- Automat ic raising: When the vehicle is at
highway level and the speed falls below
about 80 mph (130 km/h) for more than 20
seconds, the vehicle is automatically raised
to
low level. T he ve hicle is automat ica lly
ra ised aga in to
normal level if the speed
fa lls below abo ut 44 mph (70 km/h) for a
period of 2 minutes . The vehicle is raised im
mediately when speed fa lls below abo ut 22
mph (35 km/h).
Dynamic
Se lect the dynamic mode if you prefer a spo r
ty suspension setting. In t his mo de, the veh i
cle is lowered to
low level while it is still sta
tionary and sporty damping characteristics
are se lected . The warning light
Ill in the in
strument cl uster will come on for a few sec
onds just to rem ind you of the reduced ground
clearance .
If you switc h off the engine whi le the vehicle
is in the dynamic mode and then switch on the
ignition once aga in, the
Ill warning light will
also come on aga in for a few seconds as a re
minder .
-Automa tic lo weri ng : When a speed of
about 100 mph (160 km/h) is exceeded for
more than 20 seconds, the vehicle is auto
matically lowered by 0 .8 inch (20 mm) to
highway level .
-Automat ic ra is ing: The veh icle is automati
cally ra ised to
low level aga in, if the speed
fa lls below about 80 mph (130 km/h) fo r a
pe riod of 20 seconds. The veh icle is raised
immed iate ly w hen speed falls be low about
22 mph (35 km/h).
Comfort
Select the comfort mode if you desire a s us
pension setting with a special emp hasis on
comfort . Damp ing cha racte ristics w ith a clea r
Iii-
Page 156 of 342
154 Adapti ve Air Susp en sion
Di spl ay ing the vehicl e lev el
The cu rrent vehicle level is shown w ith seg
ments fi lled out in the segment disp lay @ . If
only the bottom segment is filled out, the ve
hicle is at highway level. If all segments are
fi lled out, the vehicle is at high level 2 and has
the greatest amount of ground clearance pos
sible.
While the vehicle is being raised or lowered,
the target leve l is indicated by an arrow ©
¢
fig. 176 or a white border ©¢ fig. 177. The
arrow/border disappears aga in when the vehi
cle is at the target level.
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire
Appl ies to vehicles: with Adaptive Air Suspens ion
This mode must be activated in the MMI be
fore raising the vehicle with a jack or on a ve
hicle lift.
,. Select: Funct ion button ICARI > Function
button
! SETUP I> Jacking mode . Or
,. Select : Funct ion button
ICARI > Control but
ton
Car sy stem s* > Serv icing & ch eck s > Air
su sp .: tire ch ang e.
The vehicle jack mode must be activated be
fore changing a wheel so that the automatic
control processes for the a ir suspension do
not make lifting with the vehicle jack more dif
ficu lt.
The check lamp
II in the instrument cluster
d isplay illuminates in v ehicle jack mode.
(D) Tips
The vehicle jack mode is switched off auto
mat ically at speeds above 9 mph (15 km/
h).
Towing a trailer
Appl ies to vehicles: with towing hitch and Adapt ive Air
Suspension
Automatic lowering is not desirable when
towing a trailer.
,. Se lect: Function button ICARI > Function
button
! SE TUP I> Towi ng mod e. Or ,.
Select: Function b utton
I CAR !> Control but
ton
Car s ystem s* > Vehicle setting s > Air
su sp.: towing .
As long as towing mode is activated, a vehicle
with a trai ler appears in the
adap tiv e air su s
pen sion
main menu.
Level Ad ju stment when towing a t railer
- Before hitching up the tra ile r and before ad
jus ting the tongue weight at the trailer, the
automatic or comfo rt mode
mu st be se lect
ed so that the ve hicle can be at normal level
¢ page 152, MMI settings .
-If driving in dynamic mode is desired, this
mode
mu st be selected before hitching up
the trailer and before ad justing the tongue
weight. However, note that your vehicle is lowered and ground clearance is reduced.
- If you have to drive under difficult road con
ditions, you can select offroad or lift mode,
after hitching up the trailer or after adjust ing the tongue weight .
- If the veh icle is at
normal level, and you se
lect offroad mode wh ile traveling at speeds
higher than 22 mph (35 km/h), the veh icle
w ill not be ra ised . Offroad mode will appear
as the active mode in the MM I Disp lay.
- If the veh icle is in offroad mode at
high level
1 ,
it automa tically lowers to normal level
when the vehi cle is t ravel ing at speeds ex
ceed ing approximate ly 31 mph (SO km/h) .
The vehicle is automatically raised to
high
level 1
again when the traveling speed falls
be low approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
Rest rictions when ope rating with a tr ailer
When operating w ith a trailer, the lift mode
can on ly be selected up to about 12 mph (20
km/h). Lift mode is automatically cance led
again w hen a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/
h) is exceeded.
If t he vehicle is in au toma tic , comfo rt, offroad
or lift mode before the trai ler towing mode is
activated, the dynamic mode cannot be acti
vated.
If t he vehicle is in dynamic mode before tow -
ing opera tion is activated, it can be driven in
11>-
Page 157 of 342
this mode. If the suspension is switched from
this mode to another mode, dynamic mode
cannot be re-se lected .
{D) Tips
-For vehicles with a factory installed tow
ing hitch or a trailer hitch that was in
stalled later accord ing to factory specifi
cations, the system recognizes "Trailer
tow ing mode" and activates this special
mode automatically, as soon as the elec
trical connection on the trailer socket is
connected . The mode ceases automat i
cally when the elect rical connection to
the trailer socket is d isconnected.
- If the tra iler towing mode has been act i
vated, the vehicle will not drop to the l ow or highway level.
Cargo mode
A pp lies to vehicles: wit h Adap tive Air S uspe nsio n
The rear of the vehicle con be lowered to
make it easier to load .
Fig. 178 Luggage compa rtment detail: Cargo mode
sw itc h
Using sw itch for activating cargo mode
~ Close all vehicle doors .
~ Open the trunk lid .
~ Press the lower pa rt of the switch@
Q fig. 178. The rear of the vehicle is low
ered.
~ Press the uppe r part of the sw itch (D . The
rear of the vehi cle is raised aga in .
Activating cargo mode in the MMI*
~ Se lect: Function button ICAR I > Function
button
! SE TUP I> Lower f or load in g. Ad
apti ve A ir Sus pension 155
In cargo mode, the rear ax le is lowered by 2 .2
inches (55 mm), compared to the normal lev
el.
While the ve hicl e is in ca rgo mode, the seg
ments do not appear as filled in the segment
display.
Cargo mode is a utomatically c ance led again
when a different mode is selected in the MM I
D isplay, or when a speed of about 3 mph (5
km/ h) has been exceeded.
If the system is tempora rily unavailable due
to, for instance, an empty compressed ai r
tank, the
Lower fo r loading* function appears
greyed out in the MMI Display. As soon as the
system is available again, the function can
once more be selected in the disp lay.
While the vehicle is being lowered, the indica
tor light @~
fig. 178 on the switch in the
luggage compartment flashes. When the car
go level has been reached, the indicator light
comes on and remains on as long as the vehi
cle is in cargo mode. When the vehicle is
raised agai n, the indicator l ight f las hes aga in.
(D Note
Make sure before canceling cargo mode
that there is sufficient clearance above the
vehicle and around the tru nk lid , if open .
(D Tips
-The ve hicle w ill not be lowered if one of
the vehicle doors is open, or if the com
pressed air tank is empty . T he indicator
light on the switch flashes three times.
- When the compressed air tank is empty,
it will refill when you drive at speeds
over 25 mph (40 km/ h). The vehicle can
be lowered to cargo level when the com
pressed air tank is adequately fille d.
- If the veh icle is i n lift or off road mode
when you act ivate cargo mode, the vehi
cl e w ill first drop dow n to norma l level.
Page 168 of 342
166 Driving Safel y
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be prop erly stowed and secured in the luggage com
partment.
Fig . 184 Safe load pos ition ing: place heavy objects as
low and as far forward as possible.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift suddenly, changing vehicle handling
characterist ics . Loose items can also increase
the r isk of serious personal injury in a sudden
vehicle maneuver or in a collision .
,. Distribute the load evenly in the luggage
compartment .
,. Always place and properly secure heavy
items in the luggage compartment as low
and as far forward as poss ible
¢fig. 184.
,. Secure luggage using the tie-downs provid
ed
¢ page 80.
,. Make sure that the rear seatback is securely
latched in place .
A WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items
can fly through the vehicle caus ing serious
personal inj ury in the event of hard brak
ing or an acc ident. To help reduce the r isk
of serious persona l injury:
- Always put objects, for example, luggage
or other heavy items in the luggage com
partment.
- Always secu re objects in the luggage
compartment us ing the tie-down eye lets
and suitable straps.
A WARNING
-Heavy loads wi ll influence the way your ve-
h icle ha ndles. To help reduce the risk of a
loss of control leading to serious personal
i njury:
-Always keep in mind when transporting
heavy objects, that a change in the cen
ter of gravity can also cause changes in
veh icle handling:
- Always distribute the load as evenly as
poss ible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in
the luggage compartment as possible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle We ight Rat
ing or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
specif ied on the safety compliance stick
er on the left door jamb. Exceed ing per
miss ible weight standards can cause the
veh icle to slide and handle differen tly.
- Please observe information on safe dr iv
ing
¢page 160.
A WARNING
-
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas
from being drawn into the vehicle, a lways
keep the rear lid closed while driving.
- Never transport objects larger than those fitting comp letely into the luggage
area because the rear lid cannot be ful ly
closed.
- If you absolutely m ust dr ive wi th the rear
lid open, observe the following notes to
red uce the risk of poisoning:
- Close all windows,
- Close the Panoramic sliding sunroof *,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument pane l,
- Switc h off the air recirculat ion,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest
speed.
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win
dows, the Panoramic sliding sunroof * and
the rear lid are securely closed and locked
-
Page 179 of 342
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly positioned safety belts can cause
severe injuries .
Wearing safety belts improperly can cause se
rious injury or death. Safety belts can only
work when they are correctly positioned on the body . Improper seating positions reduce
the effectiveness of safety belts and will even increase the risk of injury and death by mov
ing the safety belt to critical areas of the
body . Improper seating positions also in
crease the risk of serious injury and death
when an airbag deploys and strikes an occu
pant who is not in the correct seating posi
tion . A driver is responsible for the safety of
all vehicle occupants and especially for chil
dren . Therefore:
... Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect
sitting position in the vehicle while traveling
¢ ,& .
A WARNING
Improperly worn safety belts increase the
risk of serious personal injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used.
- Always make sure that all vehicle occu
pants are correctly restrained and stay in
a correct seating posit ion whenever the
vehicle is be ing used.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
c:>page 173.
Safety belt preten
sioners
How safety belt pretensioners work
In front, side and rear -end collisions above a
particular severity and in a rollover, safety
belts are tensioned automatically.
The safety belts are equipped with safety belt
pretensioners . The system is activated by sen
sors in front, side and rear-end collisions of
great severity and in a rollover. This tightens
the belt and takes up be lt sla ck
c:> .& in Service
Safety belts 177
and disposal of safety belt pretensioner on
page 178.
Taking up the slack helps to reduce
forward occupant movement dur ing a colli
sion.
@ Note
Never let the belt remain over a rear seat
back that has been fo lded forward.
(D Tips
The safety belt pretensioner can only be
activated once.
- In minor frontal and side collisions, in
rear-end collisions and in accidents in
volving very little impact force, the safe
ty belt pretensioner are not activated.
- When the safety belt pretensioners are
activated, a fine dust is re leased. This is
normal and is not caused by a fire in the
vehicle.
- The re levant safety requirements must
be observed when the vehicle or compo
nents of the system are scrapped. An au
thorized Audi dealer or qualified work
shop is familiar w ith these regulations
and w ill be pleased to pass on the infor
mation to you.
- Be sure to observe all safety, environ
menta l and other regulations if the veh i
cle or ind ividual parts of the system, par
ticularly the safety belt or airbag, are to
be disposed. We recommend you have
your authorized Audi dealer perform this
service for you.
Service and disposal of safety belt
pretensioner
The safety belt pretens ioners are parts of the
safety belts on your Audi. Insta lling, remov
ing, servic ing or repair ing of belt pretension
ers can damage the safety belt system and
prevent it from working correctly in a colli
s ion .
T he re are some important things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of .,. •
•
Page 180 of 342
178 Safety belts
the system will not be impaired and that dis
carded components do not cause injury or pollute the environment .
.&_ WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair proce
dures can increase the risk of personal in
jury and death by preventing a safety belt
pretensioner from activating when needed
or activating it unexpectedly:
- The belt pretensioner system can be acti
vated only once . If belt pretensioners
have been activated, the system must be
replaced.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts
of the safety belt system.
- Safety belt systems including safety belt
pretensioners cannot be repaired. Spe
cial procedures are required for removal,
installation and disposal of this system.
- For any work on the safety belt system,
we strongly recommend that you see
your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
technician who has an Audi approved re
pair manual, training and special equip
ment necessary.
@) For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and preten
sioners might be classified as Perchlorate
Material -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/haza rdouswaste/per
chlorate. When the vehicle or parts of the restraint system including airbag modules
safety belts with pretensioners are scrap
ped, all applicable laws and regulations
must be observed . Your authorized Audi
dealer is familiar with these requirements
and we recommend that you have your
dealer perform this service for you.
Page 196 of 342
194 Airbag system
-If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter
is scrapped, all applicable safety pre
cautions must be followed.
@, For the sake of the envi ronment
Undeployed airbag modu les and preten
sioners might be classified as Perchlorate
Material -special handling may app ly, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/per chlorate. When the vehicle or parts of the
restraint system including airbag modules
and safety belts w ith p retens ioners are
scrapped, all applicable laws and regula
tions must be observed. Your authori zed
Aud i dea ler is familiar wit h these requ ire
ments and we recommend that you have
your dealer perfo rm this service for you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag Sys
tem pe rforms in a crash. For example, using
tire-r im combinations not app roved by Aud i,
lowe ring the vehicle, ch anging the stiffness of
the suspension, incl uding the springs, s uspen
sion struts, shock absorbers etc. can change
the forces that are measured by the ai rbag
sensors and sent to the electronic control
un it. Some suspension changes can, for exam
p le, increase the force levels measured by t he
sensors and make the airbag system deploy in
crashes in wh ich it would not dep loy if the
cha nges had not been made. Other k inds of
cha nges may reduce the force levels meas
ure d by the sensors and preven t the a irbag
from deploying when it sho uld .
The senso rs in the safety belt buckle fo r th e
d river and front passe nger sea t tell the elec
tronic control module if the safety belt is
l atched or not. I f the safety belt is being used,
the front airbag will deploy at a slightly high er rate of vehicle deceleration than if the safe
ty belt is not being used. Therefore, in a par
ticular collision, it is poss ible that an airbag
will not deploy at a seating position where the safety belt is being used but will inflate at the position where t
he safety be lt is not being
used. It is important that nothing interfere
with the safety be lt b uckles so that the sen
sors can send the correct information about
safety belt use to the electronic control un it.
A WARNING
=
Changi ng the veh icle's suspension includ-
i ng use of unapp roved tire-rim combina
tions can change Advanced Airbag per
fo rma nce and increase the r is k of seri ous
personal injury in a cra sh.
- N ever install suspension components
that do no t have the same pe rformance
chara cter istics as the compone nts o rigi
na lly ins talled on your vehicle .
- Never use tire-rim combinations that
have not been approved by Audi.
A WARNING
= -
It ems stored between the safety be lt
bu ckle and the cente r console can cause
the sensors in the b uckle to send the
wrong information to the e lectronic con
trol module and prevent the Advanced Air bag System from working prope rly.
- Always make sure that nothing can inter
fere with the safety belt buckles and that they are not obstructed .
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide suppl emental
protection to properly restrained occupants.
F ig . 20 0 Side air bag locat ion in th e driver's seat
Page 228 of 342
226 Intelligent technology
can result in there being insufficient energy
avai lab le to start the engine .
I ntell igent energy management in your vehi
cle handles the distribution of electrical ener
gy . Starting abi lity is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
Basically , energy management consists of
battery diagnosis , idling current manage
ment
and dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines
the state of the battery. Sensors determine
battery volta ge, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is stand ing.
With the ignition switched off, it contro ls the
energy supply to the various e lectrica l compo
nents. Data from battery diagnosis is consid
ered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge,
individua l consumers are gradually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of the battery
and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being dr iven , dynamic en
e rg y management distributes the energy gen
erated according to the needs of the individu
a l components. It regulates consumption, so
that more ele ctrical energy is not being used
than is being generated and ensures an opti mal state of cha rge for the battery.
{D) Tips
- But even energy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
limited .
- If starting ab ility is threatened, you are
i nformed by a warn ing
c> page 22 7,
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display .
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability .
The battery is seve rely taxed in shor t-distance
driving, in city tra ffic and dur ing the cold time
of year . Abundant electrical energy is re
quired, but only a little is generated . It is also
critical if the engine is not running and e lectri
ca l components are turned on . In this in
stance energy is being consumed but none is
being generated.
It i s in precisely these situations that you will
notice energy management actively regulat
ing the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks , e lectr ica l compo
nents are gradually cut back or sw itched off.
T his reduces energy consumption and main
ta ins start ing capability over a longer period .
Take into consideration that when you unlock
your vehicle , some conven ience functions ,
s uc h as the inte rior lights or the power seat
adjustment, may not be available. The con
venience functions will be available again
when you turn on the ignition and start the e ngine .
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, w ith
the engine turned off or use other MMI func
tions, the battery is being discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to en
ergy consumption , the following warning ap
pears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will
switch off in 3 minutes .
The warning indicates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 minutes . If
you w ish to continue using the funct ions, you
have to sta rt the eng ine.
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