steering AUDI A7 2012 Owner's Manual

96 Audi drive select
Audi drive select
Driving settings
Introduction
Audi drive select makes it possible to experi­
ence different types of vehicle settings in one
vehicle. The driver can select three Comfort,
Auto and Dynamic modes in the MMI to
switch between a sporty and a comfortable
driving mode.
You can also adjust the setting according to
your preferences in the individual mode. For
example, you can combine settings such as a
sporty engine tuning with light steering.
Description
The vehicle setup in each mode depends on
the vehicle's features . The engine, transmis­
sion and steering are always involved . The cor ­
nering light* can also be adjusted. The revers i­
ble safety belt tensioners .:;,
page 182 are
adapted to the dynamic mode.
Engine and transmission
Depending on the mode , the engine and the
transmission respond more quickly or in a more balanced manner to accelerator pedal
movements . In the sporty dynamic mode, the
transmission shifts at higher RPMs.
Steering
The steering adapts in terms of steering effort
and steering ratios . Indirect steering that
moves easily as in comfort mode is especially
suited to long drives on a highway. In con­
trast, dynamic mode provides sporty, direct
steering .
The following applies to vehicles with dynamic
steering*: the steering ratio changes based on
vehicle speed in order to maintain optimum
steering effort for the driver at all times. This
sets the steering to be less sensitive at higher
speeds in order to provide improved vehicle
control. Cornering light*
The cornering light adapts to driving on
curves . The pivoting action and the lighting
are also adapted to the mode.
CJ) Tips
- In some models, the maximum vehicle
speed can only be reached in the Auto
and Dynamic modes.
- Selecting the Dynamic mode results in
sporty shifting characteristics. The
S
gear position engages automatically.
Selecting the driving mode
You can choose between Comfort, Auto, Dy­
namic and Individual.
Fig. 100 MMI: Drive select
.. To select the mode, select the following in
the M MI :
I CAR I function button > Comfort,
Auto, Dynamic or Ind ividual.
You can change the driving mode when the ve­ hicle is stationary or while driving. If traffic
permits, after changing modes, briefly take
your foot off the accelerator pedal so that the recently selected mode is also activated for
the engine .
Comfort - provides a comfort-oriented vehicle
setup and is suited for long drives on high­
ways.
Auto - provides an overall comfortable yet dy­
namic driving feel and is suited for every day
use .
Dynamic - gives the vehicle a sporty driving
feel and is suited to a sporty driving style .

Individual-¢page 97.
Adjusting the Individual mode
Audi drive select 97
A WARNING
Pay attention to traffic when operating Au­
d i drive select to prevent potential risk of
an accident.
You can adjust the vehicle settings to your personal preferences.
~ Se lect: ICARI function button > Set individ­
ual
control button. You can now adjust the
individual systems.
The
Individual driving mode will automatica l­
ly be activated when you have finished config-
uring the settings.
Systems Comfort
Engine/Transmission
balanced
Steering comfortable
Cornering light* comfortable
Belt tensioner* Standard
II
(D Tips
Your Individual mode settings are auto­
matically stored and assigned to the re­
mote contro l key being used. T
he equipment in your vehicle will determine
which settings you can adjust. The following
table provides an overview of the characteris­
tics of each driving mode.
Auto Dynamic
balanced sporty
balanced sporty
ba lanced sporty
Standard Deployment time
adapted
-

98 Night vision assistant
Night vision assistant
Night vision assistant
with detected pedestrian marking
Description
App lies to vehicles: with night v isio n ass istant
Fig. 101 D isplay: n ight vis ion assistant
"N ight v is ion assistant with pedestrian detec­
tion" uses an infrared camera to monitor the
area in front of your vehicle at night. Within
the limits of the system, it can display objects
up to about 1000 feet (300 meters) away. The
heat image of a pedestrian detected by the
camera is shown in the instrument cluster dis­
play
q fig. 101. Warm areas appear lighter
and cold areas appear darker .
Pedestrian detection
Applies to vehicles: with n ig ht v ision ass istant
Fig. 102 Display : yellow pedestrian marking
Fig. 103 Disp lay: symbo l w hen infrare d im age is not
visible
Night vision assistant can detect pedestrians
that are between about SO and 300 feet (15
and 90 meters) in front of the vehicle, under
ideal conditions . If a pedestrian is detected
when it is dark outside and the vehicle head­
lights are switched on, the pedestrian is high­
lighted in yellow
q fig. 102, q page 99,
General information. If another display such
as nav igation replaces the image from the
night vision assistant, the symbol
~11 appears
in a tab
qfig. 103.
(0 Tips
If
th e night vi.sion assistant image does
not appear when the system is switched
on, you can access it with the buttons on
the multifunction steering wheel
qpage 23.

106 Autom atic Tran smissi on
To d ownsh ift
.,. Push the lever to the m inus position 0 -
When acce lerat ing, the transm iss ion w ill au­
tomatically sh ift into the next gear befo re the
engine reaches its maxim um RPM.
If you apply a light throttle when accelerat­ ing , tiptronic will automatically shift from 1st
to 2nd gea r to save fuel.
If you apply a heavy
thrott le, the transmission will stay in 1st gear
unti l near maximum RPM is reached, or unt il
the driver shifts into 2nd gear .
If you take your foot off the accelerator peda l
when dr iving down a steep i ncl ine, tiptronic
will downshift from the selected gear into the
next lower gear until it reaches 1st gear,
based on road speed and engine RPM. Auto­
matic downshifting is interrupted as soon as
you apply the throttle again.
(D Tips
- When you shift into the next lower gear,
the transmiss ion will downshift only
when there is no possibility of over-rev­
v ing the engine.
- When the kick-down comes on, the transmission will sh ift down to a lower
gear, depending on vehicle and engine
speeds.
- tiptronic is inoperative when the trans­
mission is in the fail-safe mode .
Steering wheel with tiptronic
Applies to vehicles: with tiptron ic steer ing wheel
The shift buttons on the steering wheel allow
the driver to shift gears manually .
Fig. 1 14 Stee ring wheel: Sh ift butto ns
.,. To downshift, touch the button on the left
0 -
.,. To upshift, touch the button on the r ight
0 -
The shift buttons are activated when the se­
lector lever is in
D /S or in the manual shift
program (tiptronic).
Of course , you can continue to use the manua l
shift program with the selector lever on the
center console.
Transmission malfunction
Applies to vehicles: with tiptronic
[O] Transm iss ion : pleas e pre ss the br ake ped­
al and select the pos ition again
Press the brake pedal and select the desired
selector lever position again. You can then
continue driving.
[O] Tran smi ssio n hot: ple ase m odify dri ving
style
The transm iss io n temperat ure has in cr eased
s ignificantly due to the spor ty driving manner.
Drive in a less sporty ma nner until the tem­
perature returns to the normal range and the
indicator light switches of.
[O] Transmi ssion malfun ction: You can c on­
tinue driv ing
T he re is a system malfunction i n the t ransm is­
s ion. You m ay cont inue drivi ng. Drive to you r
authorized Aud i dea ler o r qualified repa ir fa­
c il ity soon to have the malfunction corrected.
[O] Transmis sion malfun ction: Limited driv­
ing functionality
There is a system malfunction in the t ransm is­
s ion . The transm ission is switching to emer­
gency mode . This mode o nly shifts into ce r­
ta in gears o r will no longer shift at all. The en­
gine may sta ll. Drive to your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified repair faci lity immediately
to have the malfunction corrected .
[O] Transmi ssion malfunc tion: St op and shift
~p ~

112 Park in g s ystem
Reverse Park ing
App lies to vehicles: with park ing system p lus w it h rear
view ca mera
Parking mode 1 con be used when parking in
a garage or into a parking space.
Fig. 122 MMI display : aiming at a parking spot
Fig . 123 MMI display: alig nin g th e veh icle
... Switch the MMI on and select reverse gear .
... Turn the steering wheel until the orange
orientation lines
(D appear in the parking
spot¢
fig . 122. Use the markings @to help
you estimate the distance from an obstacle .
Each marking represents 3
ft (1 meter). The
blue area represents an extension of the
ve­
hicle's outline by approx imately 16 ft (5 me­
ters) to the rear.
"' While driv ing in reverse gear, ad just the
steering wheel angle to fit the parking space
with the aid of the orange orientation lines ¢ (D. @ marks the rear bumper. Stop the
vehicle when the red orientation line © bor­
ders an object¢ .&_!
A WARNING
-The rear view camera does not show the
entire area beh ind the veh icle
¢ page 110, fig. 120. Watch out espe­
c ially for small childre n and an imals. The rear view camera cannot always detect
them, posing risk of an accident!
- Please note that objects not touching the
ground can appear to be further away
than they really are (for example, the
bumper of a parked vehicle, a trailer
hitch, or the rear of a truck). In this case,
you shou ld not use the help lines to help
with pa rking, wh ich poses danger of an
accident!
(D Note
In the M Ml d is play , the direction of travel
of the vehicle rear is represented depend­
i ng on the steering wheel angle . T he vehi­
cle front swings o ut more than the vehicle
rear. M aint ain plenty of dista nce so th at
your outside mirror or a corner o f you r
ve­
hicle does not co llide with any obstacles .
This can damage to your ve hicle .
Parallel Parking
Applies to vehicles: wit h parking system plus with rea r
v iew camera
Use parking mode 2 to help you parallel park
along the side of a stree t .
F ig . 124 MMI disp lay: b lue surface in th e parking spot
Fig . 125 MM! display : B lue curve on th e curb

The following steps apply only when there is
no obstacle such as a wall near the parking
spot. Otherwise, please read the information
prov ided in the "Parking Next to Obstacles"
section
c::> page 113.
~ Activate the turn signal.
~ Position your vehicle parallel to the edge of
the street, approximately 3 ft (1 meter)
from a parked vehicle.
~ Switc h the MMI on and se lect reverse gear.
The parking aid tu rns o n and parking mode
1 appears on the display .
~ Press the contro l bu tton (D c::> fig. 124 on
the MMI contro l conso le. Parking mode 2
appea rs .
~ Back up and align your vehicle so t he blue
area @ borders on the rear end of the vehi­
cle or on the parking spot line. The blue area
represents an extension of the vehicle's out­
line by approximate ly 16 ft (5 meters) to the
rear. The long side of the blue area should
be o n the curb . The entire blue area must fit
i nto the parking spot .
~ With the vehicle stopped, turn the steer ing
whee l to the right as far as it w ill go.
~ Back into the park ing spot until the blue
cu rve to uches the curb
c::> fig. 125. Stop the
vehicle.
~ With the veh icle stopped, turn the steering
wheel to the left as far as it will go.
~ Continue to back into the parking spot until
the vehicle is parked para llel to the curb. @
marks the rear bumper. Stop the vehicle
when the red orientation line@ borde rs an
object
c::> .&, . Keep an eye o n the fron t of
yo ur vehicle while do ing this
c::> (j) .
Parking next to obstacles
When t here is an obstacle (such as a wall)
next to the pa rking spot, choose a spot wit h
mo re space on t he sides. Pos ition the long
side of the b lue a rea so that there is sufficient
space from the curb. The a rea m ust no t be on
the c urb. You w ill also need to start turn ing
the steering wheel much earlier. T he re should
be a suffic ient amo unt of space between the
curb and the blue c urve, and the blue cu rve
c::> fig. 125 must not touch the curb.
Parking system 113
A WARNING
-The rear view camera does not show the
entire area behind the vehicle
c::> page 110, fig. 120. Watch out espe­
cially fo r small children and anima ls. The
rea r view ca m era ca nnot alway s de te ct
them, posing r is k of an a ccident!
- P lease note that objects not touching the
g rou nd can appear to be further away
than they really are (for example, the
bumper of a parked vehicle, a trai ler
hitch, or the rea r of a truck) . In this case,
you shou ld not use the help lines to help
with parking, wh ich poses danger of an
accident!
(D Note
In the MMI display, the direction of travel
of the vehicle rear is represented depend­
i ng on the steering wheel angle. The vehi­
cle front swings o ut more than the vehicle
rear. Maintain ple nty of d istance so that
your outside mirror or a corner of your ve­
hicle does not col lide with any obstacles.
T his can damage to your ve hicle.
(0 Tips
The left o r right orientation lines and su r­
faces will be disp layed, depending on the
turn s ignal being used.
Adjusting the display
and warning tones
App lies to v ehicl es: wi th parkin g sys tem pl us or parkin g
system plus wit h rear view ca mera
The display and warning tones can be adjust­
ed in the MMI .
~ Select:!CAR !function button> Car sy stem s
cont ro l butto n > Driv er a ssist > Parking aid
> Setting s control b utton .
Display
On* -turns o n the visual d isplay for parking
system p lus and shows the rearview came ra
image for the par king system p lus w ith rea r
view came ra*. ..,

.. Make sure to use the right child restraint
correct ly to protect children
Q page 163,
Child Safety.
.. Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same¢
page SO,
General recommendations .
.. Faste n your safety belt and wear it properly.
Also instruct your passengers to fasten their
safety belts properly ¢
page 128.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi­
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver 's ability to concentrate on the road
without being distracted.
The driver is respons ible for the safety of the
veh icle and all of its occupants.
If your ability
to drive is impai red, safety r isks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and you also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road ¢ _&. .
Therefore:
.. Do not let yourself be dist racted by passen­
gers or by using a cellular telephone.
.. NEVER drive when your driving ability is im ­
paired (by medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
.. Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense .
.. ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions .
.,. Take frequent breaks on long trips . Do not
drive for more than two hours at a stretch.
.. Do NOT drive when you are tired, under
pressure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death when­
ever a vehicle is being used.
Driving Safely 119
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor­
tant for safe, relaxed driving .
Fig. 128 Correct seat ing pos it ion
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
follow ing pos ition:
.. Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi­
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
wh ile keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
¢ _&. .
.. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upr ight position so that your back
comes in full contact w ith it when you drive.
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween the steering wheel and yo ur breast
bone
Q fig. 128. If not possible, see your au ­
thorized Audi dealership about adaptive
equipment .
.. Adjust the steer ing wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face.
.,. Grasp the top of the steering whee l with
your elbow(s) slightly bent.
.. Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not poss ible, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible .
.. Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 131.

120 Driving Safely
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle at all
times.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
¢ page 51.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help
reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between your breast­
bone and the steering wheel.
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and
the lower part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the
outside of the steering wheel rim with
your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of per­
sonal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with your hands at
other positions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Hold­
ing the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands,
arms and head if the driver's airbag in­
flates.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supple­
mental driver's airbag to protect you in a
collision.
- Always sit in an upright position and nev­
er lean against or place any part of your
body too close to the area where the air­
bags are located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
seats and head restraints properly and
make sure that all passengers are prop­
erly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle
is moving. Your seat may move unexpect- edly and you could lose control of the ve­
hicle .
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in­
jury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper seating posi ­
tion .
- Children must always ride in child seats
¢
page 163. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front passenger seat¢
page 137.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position
is important for safe, relaxed driving .
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the seat for the front
passenger to the following position :
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position and your back comes in full contact with it whenever the vehicle is
moving.
• Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possibl e, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible
¢page 122.
• Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of
the front passenger seat .
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 131.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see
¢ page 50 .
A WARNING
-
Front seat passengers who are unbelted,
out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured or killed by the air­
bag as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of
serious personal injury:

130 Safety belts
occupant will slam violently into the steering
wheel, instrument panel, windshield, or what­
ever else is in the way
c::> fig. 133. This imp act
with the vehicle interior has all the energy
t hey had just before the crash.
Never rely on a irbags alone for protection.
Even when they deploy, airbags provide only
additional protection. Airbags are not sup­
posed to deploy in all kinds of accidents. Al­
though your Audi is equipped with airbags, all
vehicle occupants, including the driver , must
wear safety belts correctly in order to mini­
mize the risk of severe injury or death in a
crash.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only
once and that your safety belts are always
there to offer protection in those accidents in
which airbags are not supposed to deploy or
when they have already deployed . Unbelted
occupants can also be thrown out of the vehi­
cle where even more severe or fatal injuries
can occur.
It is also important for the rear passengers to
wear safety belts correctly. Unbelted passen­
gers in the rear seats endanger not only them­
selves but also the driver and othe r passen­
gers ~
fig. 134. In a frontal collision they will
be thrown forward violently, where they can
hit and injure the driver and/or front seat pas­
senger .
Safety belts protect
People think it's possible to use the hands to
brace the body in a minor collision . It's simply
not true !
Fig. 135 Driver is co rr ect ly re strain ed in a sudd en brak­
ing maneuve r
Safety belts used properly can make a big dif­
ference. Safety belts help to keep passengers
in their seats, gradually reduce energy levels
applied to the body in an accident, and help
prevent the uncontrolled movement tha t can
cause serious injuries . In addition, safety belts
reduce the danger of being thrown out of the
vehicle .
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and
give them the benefit of being slowed down
more gently or "softly" through the "give" in
the safety belts, crush zones and other safety
features engineered into today's vehicles. By
"absorbing " the kinetic energy over a longer
period of ti me, the safety belts make the
forces on the body more "tolerable" and less
likely to cause injury.
Although these examples are based on a fron­
tal collision, safety belts can also substantial­
ly reduce the r isk of injury in other kinds of
crashes. So, whether you're on a long trip or
just going to the corner store, always buckle up and make sure others do, too. Accident sta­
tistics show that vehicle occupants properly
wearing safety belts have a lower risk of being
injured and a much better chance of surviving
an accident. Properly using safety belts also
greatly increases the ability of the supplemen­
tal airbags to do their job in a collision . For
this reason, wearing a safety belt is legally re­
quired in most countries including much of
the United States and Canada.
Although your Audi is equipped with airbags,
you still have to wear the safety belts provid­
ed. Front airbags , for example, are activated
only in some frontal collisions. The front air­
bags are not activated in all frontal collisions,
in side and rear collisions, in roll overs or in
cases where there is no t enough decelera tion
through impact to the front of the vehicle .
The same goes for the other airbag systems in
your Audi . So, always wear your safety belt
and make sure everybody in your vehicle is
properly restrained!

Airbag system Important things to know
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For
airbags to do their job , occupants must al­
ways properly wear their safety belts and be
in a proper seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers, before driving off, always:
"" Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel
properly ¢
page 119,
"" Adjust the front passenger's seat properly
¢page 51,
"" Wear safety be lts properly ¢ page 131,
"" Always properly use the proper child re-
straint to protect chi ldren ¢
page 163.
In a collision, airbags must inflate within the
blink of an eye and with considerable force.
The supplemental airbags can cause injuries if
the driver or the front seat passenger is not
seated properly . Th erefore in order to help the
a ir bag to do its job, it is important, both as a
driver and as a passenger to s it properly at all
times.
By keeping room between your body and the
steer ing wheel and the front of the passenger
compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
comp letely and provide supplemental protec­
tion in certain frontal collisions ¢
page 119,
Proper occupant seating positions.
F or details
on the operation of the seat adjustment con­
trols
¢ page 51.
It's especially important that children a re
properly restrained ¢
page 163.
There is a lot that the driver and the passen­
gers can and must do to help the individual
safety features installed in your Aud i work to­
gether as a system.
Proper seating pos ition is important so that
the front airbag on the driver side can do its
job. If yo u have a physical impa irment or con-
Airbag system 137
dition that prevents you from sitting properly
on the driver seat with the safety belt properly
fastened and reach ing the peda ls, or if you
have concerns with regard to the function or
operation of the Advanced Airbag System,
please contact your author ized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop, or call Audi Customer
CARE at 1-800-822-2834 for possible modifi­
cations to your vehicle .
When the airbag system dep loys, a gas gener ­
ator will fill the a irbags, break open the pad­
ded covers, and inflate between the steer ing
whee l and the driver and between the instru­
ment pane l and the front passenger. The air­
bags will deflate immediately after deploy­
ment so that the front occupants can see
through the windshield again without inter­ ruption .
All of th is takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don't even realize that
the airbags have deployed. The airbags a lso
inflate with a great dea l of force and nothing
should be in their way when they deploy.
Front airbags in combination with properly
worn safety belts slow down and lim it the oc­
cupant's forward movement . T ogether they
help to prevent the driver and front seat pas­
senger from hitting parts of the inside of the
vehicle while reducing the forces acting on the
occupant during the crash . In this way they
help to reduce the risk of injury to the head
and upper body in the crash. Airbags do not
protect the arms or the lower parts of the
body.
Both front airbags will not inflate in all fronta l
collisions . The triggering of the airbag system
depends on the vehicle dece leration rate
caused by the collision and registered by the
electron ic control unit. If th is rate is below
the reference value programmed into the con ­
trol unit, the airbags will not be trigge red,
even though the car may be bad ly damaged as
a result of the collision . Ve hicl e damage, re­
pair costs or even the lack of veh icle damage
is not necessarily an indication of whether an
airbag should inflate or not . .,. •
•