ABS AUDI A7 2012 Owner's Manual

208 Clea ning and protec tio n
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nat ure of the types of
l eather that Audi uses and their unique prop ­
erties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, soi l­
ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care­
fu l w ith these leathers, and a certain type of
care is required. For examp le, dark clothing
materials can d iscolor leather seats (especial­
ly if such cloth ing is damp and was not dyed
correctly). Dust and dirt part icles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an ab ras ive effect
and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams.
The leather should be cleaned regularly as
needed. After having been used for a re latively
long t ime, your leather sea ts will acquire a
rich aged finish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ura l leather and a sign of true quality .
I n order to maintain the va lue of th is natura l
p rod uct over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendations below :
(D Note
-To keep you r leather from bleaching out,
do not a llow it to be exposed to bright
sunl ight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the vehicle parked o utside
for long periods, cover the leather to
protect it from d irect exposure to sun­
li ght.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on be lts can
leave permanent scratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather.
- After each time you clean the leather and
at regu lar intervals, use a leather preser­
vat ive creme that conta ins UV-blockers
and that works into the leather. This
creme wi ll nourish and moistur ize the
l eather, helping it to b reathe and stay
supple.
It also helps to bu ild up a protec­
tive coat ing on the s urface.
- Clean the leather every 2 -3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled. - Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint
pens, ink, lipstick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as poss ible.
- Preserve the color of the leather as need­
ed by using a specia l co lored 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 lea ther requires special care and a t­
tention .
Normal cl ean ing
.. Clean soiled areas with a slightly moistened
cotton or woolen cloth .
More stubborn dirt
.. More s tubbor n dirt ca n be removed using a
cloth saturated with a mild soap solut ion (2
tablespoons mild liquid soap).
.. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leath er, and make certain that no water
soak s into the seam s.
.. Wipe off the soap solution with a soft, dry
cloth .
Cleanin g spot s
.. Remove fresh wate r-b as ed spots (such as
coffee, tea, juices, blood) with an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.. Remove fresh
grease or oil -b ased spots
(such as butter, mayonnaise, chocolate) with
an absorbent cloth or paper towel, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has no t yet penetrated into the surface
of the leathe r .
.. Use an oil/grease d issolving spray, if
o il/
grea se sp ots ha ve d ried on.
.. Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint
pen, fe lt marker, fingerna il polish, water­
based pa int, shoe polish, etc.) with a spot
remover specifically formulated for lea ther.
L e athe r care
.. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your Audi dealer) to
care for the leather . .,.

226 Check ing and filling
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always r ea d and heed all W ARN­
INGS
¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 216.
• Read the brake fluid leve l from the brake
fluid reservoir
¢ fig. 173. The brake fluid
l evel must be between the
"MIN" and
"MAX" markings .
The location of the brake fluid reservoir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
co page 218.
The fl uid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the brake pads . This is not cause for alarm .
I f the b rake fluid level falls
considerably be­
l ow the "MIN" mark, the brake wa rning/indi ­
cator light- (U.S.
models) ;II (Canadian
models) will come on
¢ page 14. Do not con ­
tinue to operate the vehicle. The comp lete
brake system shou ld be thoroughly checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or other quali­
fied fac il ity and the cause corrected. If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warn ing/
i ndicator light w ill illuminate. Contact an au­
thor ized Audi dealer
imm ediatel y.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moistu re from the a ir . If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
h igh, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a per iod of t ime . The bo iling po int of the
b rake fluid w ill also decrease considerably and
dec rease braking per formance.
Therefore, the brake flu id must be changed
ev ery tw o y ear s. Always use new b rake fluid
which confo rms to Fede ral Motor Vehicle
Standard "FMVSS 1 16 DO T 4".
The brake flu id rese rvoi r can be difficult to
r each, therefo re , we re commend that yo u
have the brake fl uid changed by yo ur a utho r­
ized
Audi dealer. Your dea ler has the correct tools, the
right brake flu id and t he know -how
to do this for you.
A WARNING
-- Brake flu id is poisonous. It must be stor-
ed only in the closed or igina l container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can resu lt from o ld or inap­
propriate brake f lu id. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only brake f luid that meets SA E
spe cifi cation
J 17 03 and conforms to
Federa l Motor Vehicle Standard 1 16 .
Always chec k with your authorized A udi
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct brake fluid. The cor rect type of
brake flu id is also ind icated on the
brake f lu id reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is left i n the system too
long . This can se riously affect the effi­
c iency of the brakes as well as your
safety . T h is i:ou ld result in an ai;i;ident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the pai nt of you r
vehicle .
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal
of brake fluid as well as the spec ial too ls
r equired and the necessary expertise, we
r ecommend that yo u have the brake flu id
changed by yo ur autho rized Aud i dea le r.
Battery
General information
Under normal operat ing cond itions, the bat­
te ry in your Audi does not need any ma inte­
nance. With
high outside temperatures or
long da ily drives we recommend that you have
the e lectrolyte leve l che cked by a se rv ice fa­
c il ity. The electroly te leve l should also be
chec ked each time the battery is cha rged
¢ page 22 9.

Have the battery checked when you take your
vehicle in for service. Yo u are well advised to
replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
W ith certa in types o f airbag deployment, the
battery is disconnec ted from the vehicle elec ­
trica l system for safety reasons
c::> &. in Re­
pair, care and disposal of the airbags on
page 153.
Di sconn ecting the battery t erminal s
Some vehicle functions (power w indow regu­
l ators, for example) are lost if the battery ter­
minals are disconnected . These functions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals are
connec ted again. To prevent this, the battery
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
e lectrical system when absolutely necessary
for repairs .
Vehicl es not driven for long p eriod s
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cu t back or switched off .
This reduces energy consumption and main ­
tains starting capability over a longer per iod
c::> page 190. Some of the convenience func­
tions may not operate, s uch as the inte rior
lights o r power seat adjus tme nt. The conven­
ience functions will be ava ilable again when
you switch on the ignition and start the en­ gine.
Winter operation
During the winter months, ba ttery capaci ty
t ends to decrease as tempe rat ures d rop . This
is because more powe r is also consumed while
starting , and the headlights, rear window de ­
fogger, etc., are used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power cons umption, par­
ticularly in c ity t ra ff ic or when t raveling on ly
short distances. Let your a uthorized Audi
dealer check the capac ity of the vehicle bat ­
tery before winter sets in
c> page 229. A well
charged battery w ill not only prevent starting
problems whe n the weather is cold, but will
also last longer .
Checkin g and fillin g 22 7
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for seve ral
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery shou ld be removed and
stored where it w ill not freeze. This will
prevent it from be ing damaged and having
to be replaced .
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the l uggage compart­
ment under the floor. Before you check any­
th ing in the luggage compartment,
read and
h eed all WARNINGS
c> &_ .
Always heed the safety warnings , when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle e lec­
trical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery:
Al way s heed the follo wing WARNING SYM­
BOLS and safety precautions when working on the battery.
@
®
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid.
Always w ear glove s and eye prot ec­
tion .
No
- sparks
-flames
- smoking .
When a battery i s charged, it produ­
ce s hydrogen gas wh ich i s ex plosive
and could cause per sonal injury .
Always keep the battery well out of ]
reach of children .
_& WARNING ~
Whenever working on the battery o r on
the electrical system, there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire . Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
•
•

250 Tires and wheels
When the malfunction indicator is illuminat­
ed, the system may not be able to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended . TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea­
sons, including the installation of replace­ ment or alternate tires or wheels on the vehi ­
cle that prevent the TPMS from funct ioning
properly . Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more t ires or
wheels on your veh icle to ensure that the re­
p lacement or a lternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Tire pressure indicator appears
Applies to vehicles: with tire p ressure mo nitoring syste m
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too
low or if there is a system malfunction.
Fig. 181 Display : underinflatio n warning
Fig. 182 Display : Syste m mal functio n
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure moni­
toring system compares the tire tread circum­
ference and vibration characteristics of the in­
d ividual tires.
If the pressure decreases in one
or more tires, th is is indicated in the instru­
ment cluster with a warning symbol
'9] and a
message ¢
fig . 181.
The tire pressure monitoring system must be
reset via MMI each time the pressures are ad- justed
(e.g. when switching between partial
and full load pressure) or after changing or re­
placing a tire on your vehicle ¢
page 251. You
can find the recommended tire pressures for
your vehicle on the label on driver 's side B-pil­
lar ¢
page 235 .
Tire tread circumference and vibration charac­
teristics can change and cause a tire pressure
warning if:
- the tire pressure in one or more tires is too
low,
- the tire has structural damage,
- the tire pressure was changed, wheels rotat -
ed or replaced but the TPMS was not reset
¢page 251.
Warning symbols
'9] Loss of pressu re in at least one tir e ¢ & .
Check the tire or tires and replace or repa ir if
necessary. The indicator light
'9] in the instru­
ment cluster also illuminates
¢page 11.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires
and reset TPMS via MMI.
••MIS, ( Ti re Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
pressure! System malfunction .
If IIMIS, appears after switching the ignition
on or while driving¢
fig. 182 and the indica­
tor light
'9] in the instrument cluster blinks
f or approximately one minute and then stays
on, there is a system malfunction . See your
authorized Audi dea ler as soon as possible .
A WARNING
--If the tire pressure indicator appears in
the instrument cluster display, one or more of your tires is significant ly under­
inflated. Reduce you r speed immediately
and avoid any hard steer ing or braking
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible and
check the tires and their pressures. In­
flate the tire pressure to the proper pres­
sure as indicated on the vehicle's tire
pressure label¢
page 235. Driving on a
significantly under- inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also is likely to

impair the vehicle's handling and stop­
ping ability.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining
the correct tire pressures. You must
check the t ire pressures regularly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a spor­
ty driving style, w inter condit ions or un­
paved roads), the pressure monitor ind i­
cator may be de layed.
- Ask your authorized Audi dealer if run­
flat tires may be used on your veh icle.
Your vehicle registrat ion becomes invalid
if you use these tires when not permit­
ted. Damage to your veh icle or acc idents
cou ld also resu lt.
(0 Tips
- The t ire pressure monitoring system
stops working when there is an ESP/ABS malfunction.
- Using snow chains may result in a system malfunction .
- To ensure a proper TPMS function use
AUDI Origina l Tires wh ich are marked
with "AO" or "RO" on the tire sidewall.
¢page 242.
- The t ire pressure monitoring sys tem on
you r A udi was syntoni zed using tires w ith
the "AO" or "RO" identific ation. We rec­
omme nd using these tires.
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monito ring system
If the tire pressure is adjusted, wheels are ro­
tated or changed, the T PMS must be reset via
MMI .
"' Switc h on the igni tion.
"' Se lect in the M MI: !CAR !func tion button>
Car system s contro l button > Servi cing &
checks > Ti re pre ssure mon itoring > Store
tire press ures> Ye s, store now .
@ Tips
Before reset ting the TPMS, the current
pressures of all four tires must correspond
to the specified values. Adjust the t ire
Tire s an d wheel s 251
pressure and reset the pressure in the ti re
pressure monitoring system according to
the load you are car ry ing
c::!;> page 235 .
-Do not store the tire p ressu res if you are
driving with snow chains . Othe rwise, a
system malfunction may occur.
•
•

288 Index
General notes .............. .. .... . 231
Glossary of tire and loading termino lo-
gy . ... .. .. ... ............. ..... . 232
Low aspect ratio tires ............... 248
New tires and wheels ............... 242
Replacing .. ................ ... ... 243
Snow chains ... ... .... ..... .. .. .. . 247
Tires and vehicle load lim its ......... 239
Wheel bo lts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
W inter t ires .. ........... .. .. .... . 246
Tire serv ice life ................ .. ... 241
Tools ..... .. ................ ..... . 252
Torn or frayed safety belts ... .. .. .. .. . 131
Touch-up paint ................ .... . 204
Towing Tow truck procedures ....... ... .... . 266
TPMS Tire pressure monitoring system .... . 250
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Operating instructions ...... .... .... 197
Technical requirements . . . . . . . . 197,198
Trailer towing tips ............ .. ... 198
Transm ission
tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Transmission malfunction (indicator
light) ..... .. ................ ..... . 106
Transport Canada ................... 126
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) .. .. .. .. .. . 241
Trip odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
What does it mean when DEF appea rs in
the trip odometer display? ... .... .. .. 25
Trunk
refer to Luggage compartment .. .. .... 59
Trunk pass-through .................. 63
Turn signa ls . ............... ... .... .. 43
Warning/indicator lights ........ ... .. 21
u
Unde rcoating .............. ... .... . 205
Unfasten ing safety belts .... .. .. .. .. . 133
Unidirectiona l tires .................. 231
Uniform tire quality grading ... .. .. .. . 245
Unlocking Power locking sw itch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Remote control ............... ..... 33
Using the key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
V
Valet parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Vanity mirrors ... .. ... ......... ... .. . 45
Vehicle-care products ............ .. .. 200
Vehicle electrical system ......... .... . 16
Vehicle identification label ............ 270
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) .... 270
Vehicle jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252, 256
Vehicle literature .. ... .......... .. .... 5
Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
w
Warning/ind icator lights .............. 11
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Anti- lock braking system (ABS) . . . . . . . . 18
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Cruise contro l .... .................. 21
E lectromechanical parking brake ..... . 15
Electronic power control ........ .... . 19
Electronic stabilization program (ESP) . . 18
Generator ..... ....... ........... .. 16
Instrument cluster ................ .. 10
Malfunction Ind icator Lamp (MIL) .. .. . 19
Safety belt .. .. .. ............. .... . 16
T urn signals . .. .. ............... ... 21
Warning/Indicator lights
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149, 150
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ........... 150
Warranty coverages ............... .. 273
Washer reservoir .. ... .......... .. .. 230
Washing .......................... 200
Automatic car wash ...... ...... .. .. 201
by hand . .. .. .. .. ............. .... 201
with a power washer ........... .... 202
Waxing .... .... .. .... ........... .. 203
Wear indicator .... ................. 241
We ights ....... .... .... ........... . 270
What happens if you wear your safety belt
too loose? ...... ............... .... 132
What happens to unbe lted occupants? . . 129
What impairs driving safety? ......... . 119
What should I do after changing a
wheel? . .... .... ............... .... 238
What shou ld I do after replacing whee ls? 238