Headlights AUDI Q7 2012 Owner´s Manual

10 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Instruments and warning/indicator Lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster and controls
The instrument cluster is your central source of information.
Fig. 3 Overv iew of the inst rument cluster
CD Coolant temperature gauge . . . 10
@ Tachometer with time and date
display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 11
® Warning/indicator lights . . . . . . 14
© Driver information system.. .. . 21
® Speedometer with odometer . . 12
® Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
(i) Instrument cluster illumination 13
@ Reset button for trip odometer . 12
® Parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
@ ICHECK I button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
@ Tips
The illumina tion for the instr ument cluster
lights up whenever you switch on the igni­
tion with the
vehicle headlights off. As
the daylight fades, the instrument cluster illumination likewise dims automatically
and will go out completely when the out­
side light is very low. This feature is meant
to remind you to switch on the headlights
when outside light condit ions become
poor.
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coolant gauge q page 10, fig. 3 CD
only works when the ignition is on. To prevent
damage to your engine, please note the fol­
lowing important po ints:
Engine cold
As long as the needle remains at or close to
the bottom of the gauge, the engine still has
not reached its operating temperature. Avoid
high engine speeds, heavy engine loads and
heavy throttle applicat ions .
Normal temperature
When the engine has reached its operating
temperature, the needle will move into the
middle of the gauge and remain there. If the
engine is working hard at high outside tem­
peratures, the needle may rise up. This is no
need to worry as long as the. warning light
in the instrument cluster does not illuminate.
Warning light in the instrument cluster
When the. warn ing light in the instrument
cluster starts to flash, th is can mean one of
two things: either the coolant
temperature is .,..

Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 13
The ICHECK I button performs the following
functions:
Switching on the clock and odometer
W ith the ignition turned off, the odometer
reading and the digital clock with date display
can be switched on for about 30 seconds by
pressing the
I CH ECKi button¢ fig. 6.
Starting the Auto-Check sequence
The Auto-Check system ¢ page 30 constant­
ly monitors certain individual funct ions and
components of the vehicle when the ignit ion
is turned on and when the veh icle is moving.
W ith the ignition turned on, you can start the
"Au to-Check sequence" by pressing the
IC HECKI button. Yo u can perform an A uto­
Check sequence when the vehicle is stationary
and the ignition is turned on or when the vehi­
cle is moving not faster than 3 mph (5 km/h) .
The n umber of keys programmed to the vehi­
cle is also displayed. The d isp lay
3\3 indicates
that three keys have been programmed . This
allows you to make sure you have received all
of the keys when you purchase a used vehicle.
F or example, if you on ly receive two keys, you
should take those keys to your authorized Au­
di dealer to have the missing key deactivated
so it cannot be used. You should a lso report
the missing key to your insurance company.
Call ing up the driver information
A yellow or red symbol appears in the instru­
ment cluster display, usually with a driver
message. The driver message display disap­
pears after about S seconds. The driver mes­
sage can be displayed again by briefly press­ ing the
! CHECK I button.
Setting the speed warning
By pressing the ICHECK I button briefly, you
can set threshold 1 of the speed warning whi
le you are driving
¢page 29. By main ­
taining pressure on the
I CH ECKi button, you
delete the warning threshold.
Instrument cluster illumination
The basic brightness of the illumination for
the instruments, the center console and the
display can be adjusted.
Fig. 7 Instrument cluster illumination
~ Press the"+" button to increase the bright­
ness dur ing the hours of darkness .
~ Press the"-" butto n to decrease the bright-
ness dur ing the hours of darkness.
A light sensor in the instrument cluster con­
trols the illuminat ion for the instrument clus­
ter, the center console and the displays. In a
brigh t env iron ment, using the buttons to
change the brightness has no effect.
(D Tips
The illum ination for the inst rument cluster
light s up whenever you switch on the igni­
tion with the vehicle headlights off. As the
daylight fades, the instrument cluster illu­
mination likewise dims automatically and
will go out completely when the outside light is very low. This feature is meant to
remind you to switch on the headlights
when outside light conditions become
poor .

II
Low fuel level
¢page 35
fi.fl1::jfl1-j Kefill Ad Blue*
¢page255
-Ad Blue,/'
•
•
•
••NI@
AdBlue ma lfunction*
¢poge255
Battery voltage
¢poge36
Worn brake pads
¢poge36
Dy namic headlight range
control defective
¢poge36
Check eng ine oil level
¢poge36
Engine oil sensor malfunc­
tion
¢poge36
Engine speed limitat ion*
¢poge36
Diesel particulate filter *
clogged
¢poge37
A dapt ive lig ht* defec tive
¢poge37
-Ignition lock malfunction
¢poge37
W indshield wiper defective
¢poge37
Tire pressure monitoring
sys tem
Loss of air pressure
¢poge293
T ire pressure monitoring
system
System not availab le
¢poge293
Dri ver information di spla y 35
Battery in remote control
key
¢poge39
A utomat ic transm iss ion
malfunction
¢ page 141
...?c, Key not in vehicle
Applies to vehicles: with Convenience key
!!I Key not in vehicle
This reminder appears along with the !!I sym ­
bol if the master key is removed from the
ve­
hicle with the engine runn ing. It is intended
to rem ind you (e .g. whe n cha ng ing dr ive rs)
not to cont inue the journey without the mas­
te r k ey.
If the master key is no longer in the ve hicle ,
you cannot swi tch off t he ig nit io n after stop­
ping the engine an d you also cannot start the
engine aga in. What is mo re, you cannot lo ck
t he ve hicl e from the o utsi de.
@. D Light/rain sensor defective
fll Automatic headlights/ automatic wipers
defective
If t he symbol illumina tes, the l ight se nsor has
f ailed. For safe ty rea sons the low beams are
tu rned on permanently with t he switc h in
AU­
TO. However , yo u can cont inue to tu rn the
li g hts on and off using the light switch . In the
case of a defect in the rain sensor, t he wind ­
shield wiper lever functions are still availab le.
Have the light/rain senso r ch ecked as soon as
poss ible by an author ized Audi dealer .
6 Windshield washer fluid level too low
~ Please refill washer fluid
If the symbol illuminates, add w indshie ld
washe r fl ui d to the washer system and also to
t h e headlight washer system
¢ page 2 73 .
Bl Fuel supply too low
II Please refuel

The IPJ symbol illuminates when there is an
engine control malfunction. The indicator
light ~ in the instrument cluster also illum i­
nates. The engine speed is limited to the
speed d isplayed in the driver information sys­
tem. Keep in mind that the eng ine speed will
not exceed the value displayed in the drive r in­
formation system, for example when down­
shifting.
Please go to an authorized Aud i dealer or oth­
e r qualified workshop to have the malfunction
repaired.
~ Diesel particulate filter clogged
Applies to vehicles: with diesel engine and diesel part icu­
late filter
1,1 Particulate filter See owner's manual
When the. symbo l illuminates, you can al­
ter your driving style to assist the filter self­
cleaning process. Drive for approx imately
15
minutes with the selector lever in the S pos i­
tion at a min imum speed of 37 mph (60 km/
h) and an engine speed of approx imately
2,000 RPM. The temperature increase that
w ill result from this can burn
off the soot in
the filter. The symbol wi ll switch
off when the
cleaning is successf ul. After a successful
cleaning, there is no need to bring the car to
an author ized dealer or qualified workshop
because this is part of normal vehicle opera­
tion .
If the symbo l
II does not switch off, see
your authorized dealer or other qualified
workshop to have the prob lem corrected.
F or more information on the diesel particu­
late filter, refer to¢
page 229.
A WARNING
Always adapt yo ur speed to the current
weather, road and traffic condit ions. You
should never disobey traffic laws in order
to follow driv ing recommendations.
-
Driver information display 37
~O Adapt ive light defective
Applies to vehicles: with adaptive light
ml adaptive light defective
When this symbol ml ill uminates, it means
that adaptive light is defective. Go to an au­
thorized deale rship to have the headlights or
the control unit for the adaptive light re­
paired.
~ Ignition lock malfunction
If the!! symbol in the display comes on,
there is a ma lfunction in the e lectronic igni­
tion lock. An additional driver message can be
displayed by pressing the
I CHECK! button:
Ignition lock defective
11> Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or quali­
fied workshop at your earl iest convenience
t o have the malfunction corrected .
~ Windshield wipers faulty
fl Windshield wiper defective
When this symbo1 (.j illuminates, it means
that the electronics for the windsh ield wipers
are defective. Please go to an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop to have the
winds hield wiper system repaired.

Clear vision Lights
Switching the headlights on and off
In the "AUTO" position, a light sensor auto·
matically switch es t he head· and taillights on
and off in r espons e to light conditions .
Fig. 53 Instrument pane l: lig ht sw itch
The ligh t sw itch m ust not be overturned pas t
the stops in
eit her direct ion .
Sw itching on automatic headlight control
,.. Turn the light switch to AUTO ¢ fig . 53 .
Swi tching on the side m ark e r lights
,.. Turn the light switch to :;oo:;.
Sw itching on the headlights and high
be am
,.. Turn the light switch to io .
,.. Push the high beam lever forward towards
the instrument panel
9 page 60 .
Switching off the light s
,.. Turn the light switch to 0.
The headlights only wo rk when the ignition is
sw itched on. While s tart ing the engine or
when switching
off the ignition, the head ·
lights will go
off and on ly the s ide marker
lights will be on .
Afte r star ting t he engine, the headlights are
automatically adjusted* to the load and angle
of the vehicle (for example, during accelera ·
tion, braking). This prevents oncoming traffic
from experiencing unnecessary headlight glare from your headlights.
Clear vi sion 5 7
If the system is not ope rat ing properly, a
warning symbol in the Auto-Check Control is displayed ¢
page 36.
With the side ma rker ligh ts or he ad ligh ts
switched on, the symbol next to the light
switch i lluminates
:oo :.
Daytime running lights
- USA model s:
The daytime runn ing lights
w il l come on automatically whe n the igni­
tion is t urne d on and the l ight sw itch
¢
fig. 53 is in the O position or the AUTO po ­
sition (only in daylight conditions). The
Day­
time running lights
function can be turned
on and
off in the MMI menu E xter ior l ight ·
ing
¢ page 58.
- Canada models: The dayt ime running lights
w ill come on automatically when the igni·
tion is turned on and the light switch
¢
fig. 53 is in the O position o r the AUTO po ·
sition (only in daylight condit ions) ¢ .&. .
Automatic headlight control
In the switch position AUTO the automatic
headlight control
i s turned on. The low
beams and tail lights are turned on automati·
ca lly through a light sensor as soon as amb i­
ent b rightness (e.g . when driving into a t un­
nel) fa lls below a value p reset a t the factory.
When ambien t brightn ess increases ag ain ,
the low beams are turned
off ag ain automati­
ca lly ¢ .&. .
In the
AUTO posi tion the low beams a re
swi tched
off au tom ati cally when the igni tion
is tur ned
off.
Light Sensor Malfunction
In the event of a light sensor malfunction, the
dr ive r is notified in the instrument cluster dis­
play:
f'gl Automatic head lights / automatic wip ers
defective
For safety reasons the low beams are turned
o n permanently with the switch in
AUTO .
However, you can conti nue to turn the lights
o n and
off using the light switch . Hav e the II>

58 Clear vis ion
lig ht sensor checked as soo n as poss ible at an
author ized Audi dealer or qua lified wor kshop .
.&_ WARNING
-Daytime ru nning lights and automatic
headlights are only intended to assist
the driver. They do not relieve the driver
of his respons ib ility to check the head­
lights and to turn them on manually ac­
co rding to the current light and v is ibi lity
condit ions. For example, fog cannot be
dete cted by the light sensors*. So alw ays
switch on the headlights
io u nder these
weather conditions and when driving in
the dark.
- Crashes can happen when yo u cannot see
the road ahead and when you cannot be seen by other motorists. Always turn on
the headlights so that you can see ahead
and so that others can see yo ur car from
the back.
- Please obey a ll laws when using the
lighting systems described here.
@ Tips
- With the switch in AUTO front fog lights
and rear fog lights cannot be turned on in addition.
- The light senso r for headlight contro l is
l ocated in the rear view m irror mount.
You should therefore not app ly any st ick­
ers to the windsh ield in this area in o rder
to preve nt ma lfunctions o r failures.
- Some exterior lighting functions can be
adjusted
c:> page 58.
-When you remove your key from the igni­
tion while the vehicle's lights are turned
on, a buzzer sou nds as long as the driv­
er's door is open .
- In coo l o r damp weather, t he ins ide of
t h e headlights, turn signa ls and tail
li ghts can fog ove r du e to t he tempera­
tu re diffe re n ce between the inside and
outside. They will cle ar sho rtly after
swi tching them on. This does not affect
t h e service li fe of the lighting . -
In the event o f a light sensor malfunc­
tion, the driver is notified in the instru­
ment cl uster display
c:> page 35 .
Adjusting exterior lighting
The functions are set in the MMI.
• Select: Func tion b utton I CAR !> Con trol but ­
t on
Systems* > Exterior lighting . Or
.. Select: Function button
I CAR !> Con trol but ­
ton
Car systems * > Vehicle settings > Ex te·
rior lighting .
Coming home (Lights when leaving car ),
Leaving home (Light s when unlock ing car )
The coming home f unction ill uminates the
area o utside the vehicle when you tu rn the ig­
nition off and open the driver's door. Depend­
ing on vehicle equ ipment, the f unction can be
switched on and off or the length of t i me the
ligh ts remain on* can be adjusted .
The leaving home illum inates the area outside
the ve hicle when yo u unlock the vehicle . T his
funct ion can be switched on and off .
The Coming home and Leaving home func­
tions only operate when it is dark and the light switch is in the
AUTO pos ition.
Daytime running lights
USA model s: The daytime r unning lights can
be turned on or off using th is function.
Canada model s: Th e fu nction canno t be
tu rned off .
It is activated automatically each
time the ignition is t urned on. This menu item
is shown "greyed out" .
Front fog lights
Fig. 54 Instrument pa nel: light switch

66 Clear vis ion
Headlight washer system
Applies to vehicles: with headlight washer system
The headlight washer system cleans the
headlights .
.. Operate the windsh ield wiper/washer sys­
tem
c:> page 63, fig. 65 ® with the head­
lights turned on by holding the lever for lon ­
ger than one second.
The washer jets extend forward out of the fro nt bumper driven by water pressure to
spray the front headlights with water .
You should inspect the headlights regularly (for example when refueling) and clean off
any solid dirt or insects from the lenses .
To ensure the system works properly in winter ,
keep the washer jets free of snow and remove
any ice using a de- ic ing spray.
Service position
The wiper blades can only be changed in the
service position.
.. If the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield , bring the windshield wiper lever
to the basic position@c:>
page 63 , fig. 65 .
.. Select : Function button ICARI > Control but-
ton
Syst ems* > W indshie ld wip ers > Ser vice
po sition .
Or
.. Se lect : Funct ion button
ICARI > Contro l but­
ton
C ar sys tem s* > Servicing & check s >
Wip er service po sition .
- On -
changing the windsh ie ld w iper blades
can on ly be done if you bring the wiper a rms
to the se rv ice position. You wi ll also avoid
paint damage to the hood when wo rking on
t h e wipers in this pos ition.
- Off -the w indshield wipers a re moved to
their initial pos ition aga in.
(D Note
Never maneuve r your vehicle with the
front windshield wipe r arms ra ised since
they will a utomat ica lly be moved back to the
ir basic position above a speed of 3
mph
(6 km/h) and can scratch the hood.
(D Tips
- Yo u ca n al so use the se rvice posi tion, for
example, if you want to protect the
w indshield from icing by using a cover .
- T he service posit ion automatically
switches to
Off when you operate the
w indshield wiper lever, o r speed exceeds
3 mph (6 km/h) .
Replacing windshield wiper blades
Wiper blades in good condition help keep the
windshield clear.
®
F ig . 67 R emoving th e w ip er b lades
F ig . 68 Ins ta llin g w iper b la d es
Removing a wiper blade
.. Bring the w indshield wipe rs to the se rvice
posi tion
c:> page 66.
.. Lift the wiper arm away from the wind­
shie ld .
.. Squeeze the plast ic bracket on the wind­
shie ld wiper arm together on both sides @
c:>
fig. 67 .
.. Turn the wiper blade away from the wiper
arm . ..,.

Dimming the mirrors
Fig. 71 Automatic d imm ing rearv iew mir ror*
Manu al ant i-glar e adjustment
.. Move the small lever (located on the bot­
tom edge of the mirror) to the rear.
Automatically dimming mirror s*
.. To d im the rearview mirror and both ex teri­
o r mirro rs*, press the @button . The diode
@ turns on. The rearview and exterior mir­
rors* dim a utomatically when light shines
on them, for example from headlights on a
vehicle to the rear .
&_ WARNING
Electrolyte flu id can leak from automatic
dimming mirrors if the glass is broken.
Electrolyte flu id can irritate s kin, eyes and
respi ratory system.
- Repeated or prolonged exposure to elec­
tr olyte can cause ir ritation to the resp ira­
tory system, espec ially among people
with asthma or other respiratory cond i­
tions. Get fres h air immedia tely by leav ­
ing the vehicle or, if that is not possible,
open windows and doors a ll the way.
- If electrolyte gets into the eyes, flush
them thoroughly with large amounts of
clean water for at least 15 m inutes;
med ica l attent ion is recommended.
- If electrolyte contacts skin , flush affect­
ed area with clean water for at least 15
minutes and then wash affected area
w ith soap and water; medical attention
is recommended. T ho roughly wash af­
fected clothing and sho es before reuse.
Clear vi sion 69
- If swallowed and perso n is conscious,
rinse mouth with water for at least 15
m inutes. Do not induce vomiting unless
instructed to do so by med ica l professio·
nal. Get medical attention immediately .
(D Note
Liquid e lectrolyte leaking from broken m ir­
ror glass w ill damage any plastic surfaces
i t comes in contact wit h. Clea n up spilled
electrolyte immediately w it h clean water
and a sponge.
@ Tips
- Switching off the dimming function of
the inside rear view mir ro r also deacti·
vates the automatic dimming function of t he exter ior mirro rs*.
- T he automatic dimming m irrors do not
dim when the inte rior lighting is tu rned
on or the reve rse gear is sele cted.
- Automatic d imm ing fo r the mirror only
operates proper ly if the sun shade* for
t he re ar w indow is not in use or the ligh t
st riking the inside mirror is not hindered
by othe r objects.
Digital compass
Activating or deactivating the compass
App lies to vehicles: with digital compass
The direction is displayed on the interior rear
view mirror .
Fig. 72 Inside rear view mirror: digita l compass act i·
vated
.. To activate or deactivate, hold the @but­
ton down unt il the red display appears or
disappears .

directly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings -they can freeze shut.
- Never use sponges designed to remove
insects , or any kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products. They can damage
your paint finish .
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis, for example when refuel­
ing your vehicle. Never use a dry cloth or
sponge to clean the headlights . Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent
scratches . It is best to use soapy water .
@) For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the ve­
hicle should only be washed in special
wash bays .
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you observ e a few simple rules.
" Before using the power washer , make sure
you have read and understood the WARN­ INGS ~.&.
in General information on
page 239.
" Always follow the operating instructions for
the pow er wash er.
" Make su re that the jet on the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped spr ay" .
" Do
not hold the spray nozzle too close to
soft materials .
When cleaning the vehicle with a power wash­
er
always follow the operating ins truc tions.
T his applies particularly to the
operating
pressure
and the spraying distance. Maintain
a sufficient distance to soft materials such as
rubber hoses and sound/vibration deadening
materials (particularly on the underside of the
engine hood). Do not use a jet which sprays
water in a
direct stream or one that has a ro­
tating
jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F
(60 °().
Cleaning and protection 241
A WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays wa­
ter in a direct stream . This could cause in­
visible damage to the tires and weaken
them, even if the spray is from a relatively
long distance and for a short time . Dam­
aged and weakened tires can fail and cause
accidents and personal injury.
(D Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, always make sure that there is sufficient distance
between the spray head and soft materials
like rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound­
deadening materials. Never aim the spray
head at the same point for a long time.
This also applies to cleaning headlights
and painted bumpers. Remember : the
closer the nozzle is to the surface of the
material, the greater the stress on the ma­
terial.
Waxing and Polishing
Waxing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint
to a large extent against the environmental
factors listed under ~
page 239, Washing and
even against slight scratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your
paint as soon as one week after your vehicle
has been delivered.
Even if you regularly use a
waxing process in
automatic car washes, we recommend that
you manually apply a coat of wax to give the paint extra protection, particularly if water no
longer beads on the clean paint .
Protect plastic body parts with car wax in the
same way as the vehicle body .
During warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the for ­
ward area of the hood. They are much easier
to remove from paint that is waxed
often . IJ,-
•
•

2 70 Chec king and filling
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
e lectrical system when absolutely necessary
for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a pe riod
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main ­
tains starting capab ility over a longer period
c;, page225.
Take into consideration that when you un lock
your vehicle, some convenience functions, such as the interior 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
engine .
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity
tends to decrease as temperatures drop . This
is because more power is also consumed while
starting, and the headlights, rear window de ­
fogger, etc., are used more often .
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, par­
ticularly in city traffic or when traveling only
short d istances . Let your authorized Audi
dealer check the capacity of the vehicle bat­
tery before w inte r sets in
¢ page 271. A well
cha rged battery w ill not only prevent starting
p rob lems when the weather is cold, but will
a lso last longer.
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery should be removed and
stored where it will not freeze . This wi ll
prevent it from being damaged and having
to be replaced.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located under the driver 's seat.
Before you check anyth ing under the driver 's
seat,
read and heed all WARNINGS c:;, _&.
Always heed the safety warnings, when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle elec­
trical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYM­ BOLS and safety precautions when working
on the battery.
@!) Always wear eye protection .
b.. Battery acid contains sulfuric acid . Al­
~ ways wear gloves and eye protection.
~ No
\!:51 -sparks
- flames
- smoking.
A. When a battery is charged, it produces
~ hydrogen gas which is explosive and
could cause personal injury.
~ Always keep the battery well out of
~ reach of children.
,&. WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on
the electrical system, there is the risk of
injury, accident and even fire . Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
- Always wear eye protection. Do not let
battery ac id or any lead particles get on
your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes .
Exp losive gases can cause blindness or
other injury.
- Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfu­
ric acid can cause blindness and severe
burns.
- Always wear g loves and eye protection.
-
Do not tilt the battery because acid ~