warning light AUDI A7 2012 Owner's Guide

-Compartment in the rear center armrest
- Storage in the trim panels in the luggage
compartment
A WARNING
- Always remove objects from the instru­
ment panel. Any items not stored could
slide around inside the vehicle while driv­ ing or when accelerating or when apply­
ing the brakes or when driving around a
corner.
- When you are driving make sure that
anything you may have placed in the cen­
ter console or other storage locations cannot fall out into the footwells. In case
of sudden braking you would not be able
to brake or accelerate.
- Always keep the lid of the compartment
for (sun)glasses* closed while driv ing to
reduce the risk of injury dur ing a sudden
braking maneuver or in the event of an
accident.
- Any articles of cloth ing that you have
hung up must not in terfere with the driv ­
er's view . The coat hooks are designed
only for lightweight clothing. Never hang
any clothing with hard, pointed or heavy
objects in the pockets on the coat hooks.
During sudden braking or in an accident -
especially if the airbag is deployed -
these objects could injure any passen­ gers inside the vehicle.
- To reduce the r isk of personal injury in an
acc ident or sudden stop, always keep the
glove compartmen t closed while dr iv ing.
- Read and fo llow all WARNINGS
~ page 159, Important safety instruc ­
tions on the side airbag sys tem.
- Hang clothes i n such a way that they do
not impair the dr iver's v is ion.
- The coat hooks must only be used for
lightwe ight cloth ing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp edged obje cts in the pock ­
ets which may interfere with the side cur ­
tain airbag deployment and can cause persona l injury in a cras h.
- Do not use coat hangers for hanging
clothing on the coat hooks as this can in-
Sea ts a nd s to rage 57
terfere with proper deployment of the
side curtain a irbags in an acc ident.
- Do not hang heavy objects on the coat
hooks , as they could cause personal in­
jury in a sudden stop.
(D Note
Objects located on the rear shelf that rub
against the rear window could damage the heating wires for the rear window defog­
ger.
Roof rack
Description and mounting locations
Additional cargo can be carried with a roof luggage rack.
F ig . 58 Roof rack attachment points
... Always read and follow the instructions pro ­
vided by the roof rack manufacturer when
the roof rack system must be installed .
If luggage or cargo is to be carried on the
roof, you must observe the following:
- To enha nce the vehicle's streamlined design,
rai n gutters have been mo lded into t he roof.
I t is not possible to use normal roof racks .
On ly install a roof rack specifically designed
for your veh icle. Contact the nearest Aud i
dealer for information on approved modular
roof racks for your veh icle.
- On ly use roof racks approved for your vehi­
cle. These approved roof racks are the basis
for a complete roof rack system. Addit ional
attachments or carrier systems are needed
to transport luggage and sports equipment .
IJll-

62 Seats and storage
compa rtment can cause in a co llision at a
speed considered relatively low .
.&_ WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used
to secure items to tie-downs can fail dur­
ing hard brak ing or in a coll ision and cause
ser ious personal injury.
- Always use suitable retaining straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help pre­
vent items from shifting or flying for­
wa rd.
- Never attach a child seat tether strap to
a tie-down.
- For strength-related reasons, the mount­ ing hoo ks can only be used to s ecure ob­
jects weighing up to 10 lb. (5 kg). Heav i­
er objects will not be adequately secured
- there is a r isk of injury.
Fastening eyes
Light objects can be secured on the eyes .
Fig. 65 Luggage compartment: fastening eyes
You can use the eyes to hang bags, sacks, etc .
.&_ WARNING
The eyes may hold a max imum weight of 3
kg. Heavier objects are not adequately se­
cured. There is risk of personal injury.
Luggage compartment covering
(reversible mat)
Applies to veh icles : w ith lug gage compartme nt car petin g
The reversible luggage compartment covering
should be used when transporting dirty or wet objects.
F ig . 66 Luggage compartment carpeting with seatback
fo lded down: spread o ut over t he bumper
The luggage compartment carpeting can be
used with the d irt resistant side or the decora­
t ive side, depending on wh at is needed.
u) Tips
The protective mat should be folded up
on ly when dry.
Pass-through with ski
sack
Preparing the pass-through
Applies to veh icles: w it h sk i sack
Long objects such as skis can be transported
in the ski sack* .
Fig . 67 Rear bench seat : opening the pass-t hr oug h
Opening the trunk pass -through
... Fold the center a rmrest in the rear forward
and out. .,.

.. Pull the release handle c;,fig . 67 and fold
down the cover of the pass-through in the
vehicle interior .
.. Open the rear lid .
.. Push the ski sack* through the opening
from the luggage compartment .
.. Secu re the ski sack
c::> page 63 .
Closing the trunk pass-through
.. Open the rear lid .
.,. Remove the ski sack from the trunk pass­
through .
.. Push the pass-through cover up inside the
vehicle until it latches .
.. Raise the center armrest in the vehicle
again.
.. Close the rear lid .
& WARNING
Objects must only be transported in the ski
sack since the ski sack can be sec ured. In­
divid ual objects cannot be secured. There
is a risk of injury .
@ Tips
You can also open the pass-through from
the luggage compartment. Push the re­
lease button down and push the cover for­
ward .
Securing the ski sack
Applies to vehicles: wit h ski sack
The ski sack must be secured in the luggage
compartment .
Fig. 68 Luggage compartment: Securing the bag
Seats and storage 63
Fig. 69 Secur ing t he objects in the ski sack
Securing the ski sack in the luggage
compartment
.. The ski sack has two belts with hooks on the
unde rside
c;, fig . 68 @. Hang the hooks to
t he rear fasten ing eyelets in the luggage
compartment .
Securing the objects in the ski sack
.,. There is also a secur ing strap c::> fig. 69 @ in
the sack. Pull the strap taut using the free
end of the strap.
& WARNING ~ -
-The ski sack is intended only for the
transportation of skis and other light ob­
jects . To reduce the risk of serious per­
sonal injury , never transport heavy or
pointed objects in the sk i sack.
- When braking rapidly or dur ing an acci­
dent, the load could be disp laced and
cause injury to occupants.
- Sharp edges on the load must be covered
for protection. Always fasten the belt
tightly around the sack and its contents
c::> fig . 69 .
(D Tips
-Never stow the ski sack away when it is
st ill wet or damp (for examp le, snow
me lting from skis). Allow it to dry com­
pletely before stow ing it away.
- Position skis in the ski sack with the
pointed ends facing the front and ski
poles with the pointed ends facing the
rear .

-If you leave the vehicle with the ignition
switched on, the ignition will switch off
after a certain period of time . Please
note that e lectrica l equipment such as
exterior lights will switch off as well
when that happens.
Stopping the engine
.,. Bring your vehicle to a complete stop.
.,. Move the selector lever to the
P or N posi­
t ion.
.,. Press the
!START ENGINE STOPI button
¢page 71, fig. 76.
Emergency off
If necessary, the engine can be sw itched off
with the selector leve r in the
R or D/ S posi­
tion . The engine stops if you p ress the
I START ENGINE STOPI button at speeds below
6 mph (10 km/h) and press the brake pedal.
A WARNING
- Never turn off the engine until the vehi­
cle has come to a complete stop.
- The brake booster and power steering
only work when the engine is running. If
the engine is off, you have to use more
force when steering or braking. Because
you cannot steer and brake as you usua l­
ly would, this could lead to crashes and
serious injur ies.
- For safety reasons, you should always
park your vehicle with the selector lever
in P. Othe rwise, the veh icle could inad­
vertent ly roll away.
- After the engine has been switched off,
the radiator fan can continue to r un for
up to 10 minutes - even with the ign it ion
swit ched off.
It can a lso swi tch on aga in
after some time if the coo lant tempera ­
ture rises as the result of a heat buildup
or if the engine is hot and the engine
compartment is additionally heated by
the sun's rays.
On th e road 73
(D Note
Do not stop the engine immediately after
hard or extended driving. Keep the engine
running for approximately two minutes to
prevent excess ive heat bu ild-up.
Starting the engine if there is a
malfunction
It may not be possible to start the engine un­
der certain circumstances, for example if the
battery in the vehicle key is drained, if inter­
ference is affected the key or if there is a sys­
tem malfunction.
F ig . 77 Center console/master key: start ing the eng ine
i f there is a malfunction
Requirement : The message K ey not recog­
nized . Ho ld back of k ey against mark ed area .
Se e own er's manual.
must appear and the in­
di cator light
I] must swi tch on.
.,. Hold the master key vertically in the loca­
tion indicated
y >>) 9 fig. 77.
.,. Press the b rake pedal¢
& in Starting the
engine on page
72.
... Press the '"" I s"'T ,..,A ""'R ,.,,T ,..., E"' N...,. G = I N~ E-=s"'T '""o '"" P,..,I button.
The engine will start.
... Drive to your authorized Audi dea ler imme­
diately to have the malfunction corrected.
(D Tips
You can view the message again by press­ i ng the
I STAR T ENGINE STOP ! button.

7 4 On the road
Electromechanical
parking brake
Operation
The electromechanical parking brake replaces
the hand brake.
Fig. 78 Center conso le: Park ing brake
~ Pull on the switch ®> r::!;> fig. 78 to apply the
parking brake. The indicator light in the
switch illuminates.
~ Step on the brake pedal or the accelerator
pedal and press the switch
®) at the same
t ime to release the parking brake . The indi­
cator light in the switch goes out.
Your veh icle is equipped with an electrome ­
chan ical parking brake . The parking brake is
designed to prevent the vehicle from rolling unintent ionally and replaces the hand brake.
In addition to the normal functions of a tradi­
tional hand brake, the electromechan ical
parking brake provides various convenience
and safety functions.
When starting from rest
-The integral starting assist helps you when
dr iv ing by automatically releasing the park ­
ing brake
r::!;> page 75, Starting from rest.
- When sta rting on inclines, the starting as­
s ist prevents the vehicle from unintentional­
ly rolling back . The brak ing force of the
parking brake is not released until sufficient
dr iv ing force has been built up at the
wheels .
Emergency brake function
An emergency brake ensures that the veh icle
can be slowed down even if the
normal brakes
fail ¢
page 76, Emergency braking.
Indicator lights
-If the parking brake is closed with the ign i­
tion
switched on the indicator lights come
on - (USA mode ls)/ . (Canada models)
in the instrument cluster and in the switch.
- If the pa rking brake is closed with the ign i­
tion
switched off the indicator lights come
on - (USA mode ls)/ . (Canada models)
in the instrument cluster and in the switch
for about 20 seconds.
A WARNING
-Do not press the accelerator pedal inadver-
tently if the vehicle is stationary but the
engine is running and a gear is selected .
Otherwise the vehicle w ill start to move
i mmediately and could result in a crash.
(D Note
If the symbol . in the display or the indi­
cator light
1111 (USA models)/ . (Cana­
da models) in the instrument cluster flash­
es, there is a ma lfunction in the brake sys­
tem. Please refer to the detailed descrip­
tion of the indicator lights
r::!;> page 14.
- If the indicator light- (USA mod-
els)/ . (Canada models) or
IIJ tur ns
on, there may be a malf unct ion in the
parking brake
¢page 15.
(0 Tips
-Yo u can apply the parking b rake at any
time - even with the ign ition sw itched
off . The ignition must be on in order to
release the parking brake.
- Occasional noises when the parking
brake is applied and released are normal
and are not a cause for concern .
- When the vehicle is parked, the parking
brake goes through a self-test cycle at
regu lar intervals. Any associated noises
are normal.

76 On the road
Emergency braking
In the event that the conventional brake sys­
tem fails or locks .
.,. In an emergency, pull the switch(®) and
continue to pull it to slow your vehicle down
with the parking brake .
... As soon as you release the sw itch <®> or ac-
cele rate , the braking process stops.
If you pull the switch <®> and hold it above a
speed of about 5 mph (8 km/h), the emergen­
cy braking function is in itiated . The vehicle is
b raked at all four wheels by activating the hy­
dra ulic bra ke system. The b ra ke performance
i s simi lar to making an emergency stop ¢
A.
In order not to activate the emergency brak­
ing by mistake, an audible wa rning tone (b uz­
z e r) sounds when the switch<®> is pulled. As
soon as the switch(®) is released, or the accel­
erator pedal is depressed , emergency braking
stops .
&_ WARNING
Emergency braking shou ld only be used in
an emergency, when the normal foot brake
has failed or the brake pedal is obstructed.
Using the parking brake to perform emer­
gency braking will slow you r vehicle down
as if you had made a fu ll brake application.
The laws of physics cannot be s uspended
even w ith ESP and its associated compo ­
nents (ABS, ASR, ED L). In corners and
when road or weather conditions are bad,
a full b rake application can cause the vehi­
cle to skid or the rear end to break away -
r isking an accident.
Speed warning system
Introduction
The speed warning system helps you to stay
under a specified maximum speed.
The speed warning system warns you if you
are exceeding the max imum speed that you
have set . You w ill hear a warn ing tone when
your speed exceeds the stored va lue by ap- proximate
ly 3 mph (3 km/h) . An ind icator
light . (USA
models) ;a (Canada models) in
the instr ument cluster d isp lay also turns on at
the same time. The indicator light./.
turns off when the speed decreases be low the
stored maximum speed .
Setting a threshold is recommended if you
would like to be rem inded when you reach a
certain maximum speed. S ituations where you
may wa nt to do so include driv ing in a country
with a general speed limit or if there is a
specified maximum speed for winter tires .
(D Tips
Even though your vehicle is equipped w ith
a speed warn ing system, you should still
watch the speedometer to ma ke sure you
a re not dr iv ing faster than the speed limit.
Setting the threshold
You can set, change and delete the threshold
in the MMI.
.,. Select: !CAR ! function button> Car sy stems
cont rol button > Driver a ssist > Sp eed warn­
ing .
You can set any threshold between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and 150 mph (240 km/h) . Sett ings
can each be adjusted in increments of 5 mph
(10 km/h).

Cruise control
Switching on
Applies to vehicles: with cr uise contro l
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive at a constant speed starting at 20 mph
(30 km/h).
0
•
~
0
Fig . 79 Contro l lever with set button
Fig. 80 Display: Selected speed
• Pull the lever to position (D ¢ fig. 79 to
switch the system on.
• Drive at the speed you wish to set.
• Press button @to set that speed.
The stored speed and the indicator light
lff;(1)~1~ (US models) 111 (Canad ian models) ap­
pear in the instrument cluster display
¢ fig. 80. The display may vary, depending on
the type of display in your vehicle . The indica­
tor
light ll in the instrument cluster also illu­
minates.
This information is also shown briefly in the
Head-up Display*.
The speed is kept constant via an engine out­
put adjustment or active brake intervention .
On the road 77
A WARNING
-Always pay attention to traffic even when
the cruise control is switched on. You are
always responsible for your speed and
the distance between your veh icle and
other veh icles .
- For safety reasons, the cruise contro l
should not be used in the city, in stop­
and-go traffic, on twisting roads and
when road conditions are poor (such as
ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and hydro­
planing) -risk of accident .
- Turn off the cruise control temporarily
when entering turn lanes, highway exit
lanes or in construction zones .
- Please note that inadvertently "resting"
your foot on the accelerator pedal causes the cruise control not to brake. This is
because the cruise control is overridden
by the driver's acceleration.
- If a brake system malfunction such as
overheating occurs when the cruise con­
trol system is switched on, the braking
function in the system may be switched off. The other cruise control functions re­
ma in active as long as the indicato r light
mmlm (US models) !Iii (Canadian mod­
e ls) is on.
(D Tips
The brake lights illuminate as soon as the
brakes decelerate automatically.
Changing speed
Applies to vehicles: wi th cruise co ntrol
• Press lever in the 0 or 0 direction
¢ page 77, fig. 79 to increase or decrease
your speed .
• Release the lever to
save that speed.
Change speed in in crements of 1 mph (1 km/
h) by lightly pressing the lever. If you keep the
lever pressed down, you will a lter your speed
in 5 mph (10 km/h) increments.
You can also press the accelerator pedal down
to increase your speed, e.g . if you want to
II>

82 Adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Setting the speed and activating
regulation
.. To set the current speed, press the I SET !
button ¢ fig. 85. The set speed is shown in
the tachometer @and in the display
¢
fig . 86. You must also press the brake
pedal when the vehicle is stopped.
Switching adaptive cruise control off
.. Push the lever away from you into position
@ until it clicks into p lace. The message
ACC off appears.
Indicator lamps and messages in the instru­
ment cluster display inform you about the cur­
rent system status and settings.
@ Indicator lights
II -adaptive cruise control is switched on. No
vehicles are detected up ahead. The stored
speed is ma intained.
I -A moving vehicle is detected up ahead.
The adaptive cruise control system regulates
the speed and distance to the moving vehicle
ahead and acce lerates/brakes automat ically.
fij-adaptive cruise control is switched on. A
moving vehicle up ahead was detected. Your
vehicle remains stopped and will not start driving automatically.
I-When a utomat ic brak ing is not able to
keep enough distance to a previously detected
moving vehicle up ahead, you must take con­
trol and brake¢
page 83, Prompt for driver
intervention.
© Display
If adaptive cruise control is not shown in the
display, you can call it up with the multifunc ­
tion steering wheel buttons¢
page 22.
Based on the symbo ls in the display, you can
determine if the system is main taining a dis­
tance to the vehicle ahead and what that dis­
tance is .
No vehicle -No vehi cle ahead was detected.
White vehicle -A vehicle ahead was detected.
Red vehicle -Prompt for the driver to take ac­
tion ¢
page 83 .
Both arrows on the scale © indicate the dis ­
tance to the vehicle ahead. No arrow appears
when the vehicle is on an open road and the re
is no object ahead. If an object is detected
ahead, the arrow moves on the scale.
T he green zone on the scale shows the stored
distance . For information on changing the
stored distance ¢
page 84. If the distance
selected is too close or may soon become too
close, the arrows move into the red zone on
the scale.
A WARNING
Improper use of the adaptive cruise con­
trol can cause collisions, other accidents
and serious personal injur ies.
- Pressing the
!SET ! button when driv ing at
speeds below
20 mph (30 km/h), w ill au­
tomatically accelerate the vehicle to
20
mph (30 km/h), which is the minim um
speed that can be set.
(D Tips
-If you switch the ignit ion or the adaptive
cruise contro l off, the set speed is e rased
from the system memory.
- You cannot switch the Electron ic Stabili­
zation Program (ESP) to the SPORT mode
when adaptive cruise control is sw itched
on.
Driving in stop-and-go traffic
Applies to vehicles: with adaptive cruise control
The adaptive cruise control system also as­ sists you in stop-and-go traffic. If a previous
detected vehicle ahead stops, your vehicle will
brake to a stop, within the limits of the sys­
tem.
.. To resume driving with adaptive cruise con­
trol, tap the acce lerator pedal or
.. Pull the lever toward you into position @
¢ page 81, fig. 85. .,.

Adaptive cruise control and braking guard 83
@ Tips
-If adaptive cruise contro l is active and
your vehicle does not start dr iving as ex ­
pected after pulling the lever once, you
can start out aga in by tapping the accel­
erator pedal.
- If an obstacle is detected when your ve­
hicle starts dr iv ing, the system w ill
prompt you to take over
c:> page 83.
Your vehicle w ill dr ive more slowly when
starting. This may also happen in some
situations when there no obstacle is ap ­
parent .
Interrupting cruise control
App lies to vehicles: with a daptive cruise co ntrol
Requirement : adaptive cruise control must be
switched on.
Overriding cruise control
• To accelerate manually, pull the lever to­
ward you into position@¢
page 81, fig. 85
and hold it th ere . The message ACC override
appears . Or
• press the accelerator peda l.
• To resume cruise control, release the lever
or take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Canceling cruise control while driving
• Move the lever into position @. Th e mes­
sage
ACC standby appears. Or
• press the brake pedal.
• To resume the stored speed, move the lever
into position @.
Canceling cruise control when stopped
• Push the lever away from you into position
@ . The message
ACC standby appears.
• To resume cruise control, press the brake
pedal and pull the lever toward you into po­
sition @.
A WARNING
Improper use of the adaptive cruise con­
trol can cause coll is io ns, othe r acc idents
and ser ious personal inj uries. -
Never resume the stored speed if the
speed is too high for prevailing road,
traffic or weather conditions.
Prompt for driver intervention
Applies to vehicles: wit h adapt ive c ruise contro l
Fig. 87 Instrument cluste r: req uest for driv er interve n­
tion
In certain situations, the system will prompt
you to take action . For example, braking by
the adapt ive cruise control system is not
enough to maintain enough distance to the
vehicle ahead.
The indicator light
I and the symbol in the
display will warn you about the situation
c:> fig. 87. You w ill also hear an acoustic signal.
- Press the brake pedal to slow your vehicle
down .
Changing the speed
Applies to veh icles: w it h adaptive c ru ise contro l
0
f
• 0
Fig. 88 Operatin g lever: changing the speed
• To incr ease or reduc e the speed in incre­
ments,
tap the lever up or down.
• To increase or reduce the speed qu ickly,
hold the lever up or down until the red LED .,._

Adaptive cruise control and braking guard 85
@ Tips
- Distance 3
is set automatically each time
you switch the ignition on.
- Your standard settings are automatically
stored and assigned to the remote con­
trol key being used.
Audi braking guard
Descript ion
Applies to vehicles: with adaptive cruise contro l
Fig. 90 Instrument cluster: approach warning
Audi braking guard uses radar sensors and a
video camera. It is active at speeds above
about 6.2 mph (10 km/h) and also works
within system limits when adaptive c ruise
control is switched off.
On vehicles w ith adaptive cru ise control and
Audi side assist (Aud i pre sense plus), system
functions also engage when a collision is im­
minent
c::> page 182.
What can Audi braking guard do?
When detected in time, the system can assess
situations when a vehicle ahead brakes sud­
denly or if your own veh icle is traveling at a
h igh speed and approaching a veh icle up
ahead that is moving more slowly . Audi brak­
in g guard does not react if it cannot detect
the situation.
The system advises you of various s ituations:
- The
distance warning is given if you are too
close to the vehicle ahead for a long time. If
the vehicle ahead brakes sharply, you will not be able to avoid a coll is ion . The ind icator
light
I in the disp lay comes on. Take imme- diate action to avoid
the collision and in­
crease the distance to the vehicle up ahead.
- The
approach warning is given when a de­
tected vehicle up ahead in your lane is mov­
ing much more slowly that you are or if it
brakes sharp ly. When this warning is given,
it may only be possible to avoid a collision
by swerving or braking sharply. The indicator
light
I and the symbol in the display will
warn you about the danger
c::> fig . 90 . You
w il l also hear an acoustic signal.
If you do not react fast enough or do not react
at all to the situation, Audi braking guard w ill
intervene by braking and the message
braking
guard intervention
will appear.
- If a collision is imminent, the system will
first provide an
acute warning by braking
sharply.
- If you do not react to the acute warning, Au­
di braking guard will brake w ith increased
force in severa l stages to reduce the speed
in a poss ible collis ion. On veh icles with
adaptive cruise control and Audi side assist
(Audi pre sense plus), the system can brake
with increasing force up to maximum dece l­
eration shortly before a sensed collision
c::>page 182.
-If the Audi braking guard senses that you
are not brak ing hard enough when a colli­
sion is imminent, it can increase the braking
force.
Audi braking guard takes the driver's reaction
time into consideration in order to provide
timely warnings. The system reaction time de­
creases automatically in some situations, for
example when it detects acce lerator pedal use
or steering input . The Audi braking guard in­
tervent ion stops in certa in situations, for ex­
amp le if you press the accelerato r pedal to
pass the vehicle moving ahead of you in your
lane .
Which functions can be controlled?
You can switch Audi braking guard and the
distance/approach warning on or
off i n the
MM I ¢ page 86, Settings in the MMI.