AUDI Q7 2009 Owner´s Manual

- Lack of proper maintenance as wel l as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the func tion of the emission con tro l system
and could lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of th e envir onm ent
Even when the Emission Control System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a su lfur -like exhaust gas smell under some
operating states . This depends on the sulfur content of the fuel
being used. Using a different brand of fue l may help, or filling the
tank with lead-free super grade gasoline. •
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over curbs, steep ramps,
etc., make certain that low- lying parts such as spoi lers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung chassis (sports
chassis) * and fully loaded vehicles .
a
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear on your engine,
brakes and tires largely depend on three factors:
• your personal driving style
• operating cond itions
• technica l limitations
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you can easily cut your fuel consumption by 10 -15 percent . This
section wil l give you some tips on how you can help the environ­
ment and your pocketbook.
[ i ] Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENV IRONMENTAL
PRO TEC TION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre ­
spond to your actua l consumption on the road, which wi ll vary
depending upon vehic le load and speed, road and weather condi­
tions, trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they ore accelerating.
-Avoid unnecessary accelerat ing and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating . If you antici­
pate what is going to happen next, you wi ll need to brake less and,
thus, acce lerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possib le - for
examp le when you see that the next traffic light is red. •
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
-Try and keep well below your car 's max imum speed.
Acce lerating gently reduces fue l consumption , engine wear, and
does not disturb the environment.
Fue l consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds . If you drive at approximate ly
three quarters of top speed, fuel consumption wil l be reduced by
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ D_ r_i v_ in_... g"'- a_ n_ d_ e_ n_ v_i_r _ o _n_ m __ e_n _ t _______________________________________________ _
one half. Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather
conditions permit. •
Reducing unnecessary =citing
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
- Shut the eng ine off when you are not driving the vehicle .
- Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the engine run at
idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic jams, when waiting
for trains to pass at rai lroad crossings , or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds
saves more fuel than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up fu lly when it is
running at idle. However, wear and noxious emissions are especially
high when the engine is warming up. So you should drive away as
soon as you start the engine and avoid running at high rpms while
the engine is still warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting . If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would
go unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which could result in overheating or other damage to the vehicle or other
property .•
Regu1ar ma1--.tenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- Have your vehic le serviced at regular intervals . By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an authori
zed Audi
dea ler helps to ensure that it runs properly and economica lly. The
condition of your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to
hold its value, it a lso affects
fu el con sumpti on.
C he ck your oil each time you fill your t ank .
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is norma l for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest va lue after a certain mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly assess oil consumption .
T his also applies to fuel consumption and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. Lack of proper ma intenance as well as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the function of the emission control system and
cou ld lead to damage.
• Do not alter or remove any component of the Emiss ion Control
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not alter or remove any device, such as heat shields,
switches, ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle 's Em ission Control System and other important vehicle
components .•
Fewer short tr ips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips.
- Try to avoid driving short dista nces wi th a cold engine. _,

The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper­
ating temperature to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis ­
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid -size car only achieves a
fuel economy of 6-8 miles per gallon (30-40 1/100km) . After about a
half a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (201/100 kml. After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operating temperature
and fuel economy has reached a normal level. So you can see that
you should avo id short tr ips whenever possible.
The outside temperature is also critical in this regard. Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Driving
and environment
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

llffl!I Driving off road __ _...,______;, _____________________________ _
Driving off road
Driving in difficult road conditions
and offroad
General information
The operat ion o f the Elect ronic Stab ilizat ion Prog ram ( ESP) is
e x panded for operation away from paved roads . In situations where
s lip o r a di fferential lockin g function is required, the ESP o ffroad
mode can be activated~
page 288. Hill descent contro l is also avai l­
able in the ESP off road m ode, w hich a utomat ical ly bra kes t he
vehicle and thereby keeps speed constant when different whee l
speeds are de tected whe n descend ing a hill ~
page 289 . You r Audi
a lso has permanent all -wheel drive in add ition .
Howeve r, your Audi is not a pure offroad vehicle . It was n ot bu ilt fo r
dr ivin g und er ex tre me cond itions, e.g . for tr ips t hat ar e in t he n atu re
of an expedition.
Drive only on roads and offroad sections which match the design of
your vehicle and your abilitie s as a driver . Never take r isks!
Before driving offr oad
• Check the engine oil level, tire pressure, coolant level, and the
fl uid level in t he windshie ld wash er r eservo ir.
• Stow luggage items and other objects in the luggage compart ­
ment, and secure the m aga inst sl iding around .
After driving offroad • After trips offroad, remove any twigs and other forei gn ob jects
from the gri ll, the underbody and the whee ls. Pay special attention
t o foreig n objects (stones) which have become lodged in t he tire
tread.
• Clean the body and the vehicle underside, and inspect the
veh ic le for possible damage. •
Clean dirty windows, headlamp lenses, rea r lights, and license
plates.
• Perform a bra ke check (particularly af ter travel ling through
wa ter).
& WARNING
• Drive especially attentively and plan ahead in difficult road
c onditions and when offroad . Excessive speed or in correct maneu ­
vers can cause injuries and damage to the vehicle.
• Alway s adapt your speed and d riv ing style to road , offroad,
traffic, and weather conditions. Drive especially slowly offroad
when your v iew is restri cted .
• Please be aware that in ESP offroad mode , particularly on a
smooth and slippery road , the wheels may have an in creased
tendency to spin and the vehicle may break away -danger of skid ­
ding !
• Stability is limited in the ESP offroad mode.
Avo id dam age to the envir onme nt an d respect na ture .
[ i ] Tips
On ly dr ive where it is perm itted and s tay on marked roads a nd
paths.
Explanation of some technical terms
T he fol lowing data refer to idea l conditions. Depending on vehic le
lo ad and g round cond itions and the environ ment, t he num ber s may ...

vary. It is the driver's responsibility to decide whether a vehicle can
overcome a specific situation
=> &.
Fording depth
Distance between the point touched by the tires (surface of ground)
and the engine air intake or induction system. Maximum fording
depth in standing water.
• Vehicles without air springs: 19.7 in (500 mm)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: 18.7 in (475 mm) at
normal level, 21.1 in (535 mm) at high level 2
Gradient angle
The number of meters in altitude gained over a distance of 109.4
yards or 100 meters (grade) are given as a percentage or degrees.
Information about the gradient the vehicle can climb under its own
power (depends in part on the road surface and engine power).
Maximum permitted grade: 31°
Lateral angle (slope of vehicle)
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can be driven diagonally
or across the fall line on a slope without the vehicle tipping over
sideways (depends on center of gravity) . Maximum permitted lateral
angle: 35°
Breakover angle
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can drive over a ramp at
low speed without the underside of the vehicle hitting the edge of
the ramp.
• Vehicles without air springs: maximum breakover angle: 21,1°
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: maximum breakover
angle: 19.1 ° (at normal level), 23.8° (at high level 2)
Approach/departure angle
Transition from the horizontal plane to a gradient or from a grade
back to level ground. Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle can
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Driving off road
drive onto or off a slope at low speed without striking the bumper
or
the underbody.
• Vehicles without air springs: maximum approach/departure
angle: 21.9° (front), 23.4° (rear)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: maximum
approach/departure angle at normal level 20° (front), 21.9° (rear).
Maximum approach/departure angle at high level 2 (front) 24°, (rear)
25.4°
Ground clearance
The distance between the road surface and the lowest point of the
vehicle underbody .
• Vehicles without air springs: Ground clearance 8.1 in (204.8 mm)
• Vehicles with adaptive air suspension*: minimum ground clear­
ance 7.1 in (179.8 mm) at normal level, maximum ground clearance
9.4 in (239.8 mm) at high level 2
& WARNING
Exceeding the stated maximum figures can result in severe inju­
ries or vehicle damage.
• All the information was gathered on level, firm and non-slip­
pery road surfaces, and under dry weather conditions.
• Ideal conditions do not prevail offroad. Never utilize the
maximum readings to their fullest, always leave a safety reserve. •
Driving tips
On poor road and off road, there is always only one motto:
Plan ahead and drive slowly!
Please observe the following when driving away from paved
roads:
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

lffll __ D_ r_ iv _i_ n-' g"'""'- o_ ff_ r_ o _ a_ d __________________________________________________ _
-Drive only on roads and offroad sections which match
the design of your vehicle and your abilities as a driver .
Never take risks!
Drive slowly and plan ahead!
Take into consideration the
ground clearance of your
vehicle.
- Activate the
ESP offroad mode=:> page 288 as needed.
- Use t he
hill descent control=:> page 289 when driving
down steep sections on hills.
Unpaved roads and offroad
Drive slowly on unfamiliar roads and unknown offroad sections, and
look out for unexpected obstac les (e.g . potholes, rocks, tree stumps,
etc.).
To prevent the vehicle from bottoming and avoid damage to the
underbody, you should drive straight across severe bumps in the
ground with on ly one side of the vehicle so that on ly two of your
whee ls cross the bumps .
Dr ive briskly through sandy or marshy offroad sections and do not
stop, if at all possible.
Driving through water
Your vehicle can drive through standing water if the ground is firm
enough . The
maximum fording depth is 19 .7 in or 500 mm (vehic les
without air springs) or 21.1 in or 535 mm (vehicles with adaptive air
suspension*, at high level 2).
Check the depth of the water before driving through water .
Cross water only at walking speed, do not stop and do not turn the
engine off .
If you drive fast through the water, you wi ll create a bow wave in
front of the vehic le. This bow wave can get into the engine air intake
and severe ly damage the engine. Avoid driving through salt water (corrosion)
.
Driving on a slope
If you ever find yourself not able to climb a slope, do not try to turn
around, drive back down in
reverse. Otherwise, you run the risk of
tipping over.
If the vehicle threatens to tip over when driving across a slope, you
must immediately steer downhill in the direction of the slope.
Do not park your vehicle on steep slopes or grades.
To reduce the risk of tipping over, drive on slopes in the direction of
the downward slope (fall line) -
not crosswise .
Driving on snow-covered ground
The standard tires fitted to your vehicle are not snow tires. So you
should mount wheels with snow tires in good time where winter
road conditions prevail. Before driving on unploughed stretches of
deep snow, install tire chains. For technical reasons, tire chains may
only be installed on the rear whee ls -never on the front wheels .
L1}. WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush, etc. the brakes may be
slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads . The
brakes must first be carefully dried by braking so that full braking
effect is restored. •

Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
Genera l information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor­
ta tion.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that the add itional load
wi ll affect durability, economy and performance.
Trai ler towing no t only places more s tress on the vehicle, it a lso ca lls
for more concentration from the driver.
F or this reaso n, always fol low the operating and driving instructions
prov ided and use common sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a tra iler, you must activate the trailer opera ­
tion mode =>
page 211, "Towing a trailer".
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a we ight-carry ing hitch conforming to the gross tra iler weig ht.
T he hitch must be suitable for your vehic le and trailer and must be
m ounted secure ly on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound
location. Use only a trailer hitch with a removable ball mount.
Always check with the trai ler hitch ma nufacturer to make sure that
you are using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be instal led in such a way that it does not in terfere
with the impact-absorbing bumper system. No modifications shou ld be made to the vehicle exhaust and b rake systems . Fro m
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
time to time, check that all hitch mounting bolts remain securely
fastened .
When you are not towing a trai ler, rem ove the t railer hi tch bal l
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage should your
vehicle be struck from behind =>
&.
Trailer bra kes
If your trai ler is equipped with a b raking system, check to be sure
that it conforms to all regulations.
The tra iler hydraul ic bra ke system must not be directly co nnecte d to
the veh icle's hydrau lic brake system=> &.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle and the trailer.
Trail er lights
Trai ler lights must meet a ll regulations. Be sure to check with your
au thorized Audi dea ler for correct wiring, switches, an d relays.
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see the traff ic behind you using the regular
outside mirrors, then you
must instal l extended mirrors. It is impor ­
t ant that you
always have clear v isi on to the rear.
& WARNING
• If a trailer has electrical brake s please note that the se brakes
are not act ivated by the fa ctory-fitted control unit -ris k of acci­
dent!
• After removing the trailer hitch , do not store it in your vehicle.
In case of sudden braking , the hitch could fly forward and injure
you or your passengers .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

llffl!I Trailer towing
------=---------------------------------
& W ARN ING (continued )
• The Gros s Vehicle Weight Rating for your Audi 07 vehicle ,
found on the safety compliance l abel on the driver's side B -pillar ,
must never be ex ceeded under any cir cumstances . E xceeding the
Gross Vehi cle Weight Rating of your vehicle is likely to damage
your vehicle , and such damage w ill not be covered by your Limited
New Vehicle Warranty. Exceeding the Gro ss Vehicle Weight Rating
will also change the performan ce and handling characteristics of
your vehicle , which could cause a crash resulting in serious injury
or death .
• The Gros s Vehicle Weight Rating for your Audi 0 7 would be
e xc eeded if your veh icle is simultaneously equipped with
Panoramic sliding sunroof ; third -row seating ; trailer towing equip ­
ment (factory or dealer -installed) , and running boards (dealer ­
installedl. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY ALL SUCH ITEMS BE
INSTALLED ON THE SAME VEHICLE .
a
Operating instructions
---------~--~-------
MAX 6.9"
MAX 175mm
Trailer towing weights
Fi g. 2 76 P erm itted ball
po sition of the trailer
hitch
With a factory-installed trai ler hitch, the maximum permissible
trai ler weight is 6,615 lbs (3,000 kg). The maximum permissible
unbraked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kgl. With an
aftermarket
tr ailer h itch , the maxi mum pe rm iss ib le tra iler weigh t is 5,51 2 lb s (2,500
kg). These specifications apply when driv ing on roads having
an in cli ne of less t han 12% .
Permissible tongue load
Fo r best v ehicle ha ndling under th es e changed con ditio ns, a dju st
the trai ler load so that the tongue load is at the maximum allowable
or s lightly lower. Y ou ca n ge t an ap proxi mati on of the tong ue load
with a bathroom sca le or you can measure the load at a trucking
company or weig hing s tati on.
Wtih a
factory -installed trailer hi tch, the max imum perm issib le load
on the ball hitch may not exceed 66 2 lbs (300 kg) . With an
after­
market
t ra iler hitc h, the max imum pe rmi ssible loa d on the ball h itch
may not exceed 55 1 lbs (250 kg). It is recommended to use the
m aximum p ermi ssi ble l oad.
Trailer load distribution B e sure the load in the trai ler is he ld securel y in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer=> & in "D riving ins truc­
tions" on page 307.
Ball mount
T he trai ler hitch may only be used with suitab le ball mount and ball
=> fig. 276 . In sta llati on of t he hitch ball must be ca rr ie d o ut i n a ccor ­
dance with the manufacturer's instructions. At the height dimen­
s io n of 1 .5 in (38 .5 mm) a tole ran ce o f+/- 0 .5 in (12 .7 mm) is pe rmis ­
sib le.
Engine cooling system
T owing a trai ler makes the engine work harder. It is important that
th e c ooli ng system 's per forman ce is u p to the a ddi tiona l loa d. Ma ke
sure that the coo ling s ystem has enough f luid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehic le to the cold tire
p re ssure l is ted unde r "Full load" on th e tire press ure l abe l. On USA
vehic les, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side 8 -

pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either on
t he driver's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel fil ler flap. Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifications.
L ight s
The head light settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off . Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Sa fety c hain s
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle . Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you insta ll safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving .
The chains should cross under the tra iler tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
0 Note
If you are going to tow a traile r, you must activate the trailer opera ­
tion mode =>
page 211, "Towing a trailer" .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the fo llow ing:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car i tse lf is not
loaded .
- Be especia lly careful when passing other vehicles .
- Observe speed l imits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
Always apply brakes early .
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weigh t dis tr ibution
Towing a loaded trailer wi th an empty car results in a highly
unstable dis tribution of weight . If this cannot be avoided , drive at
very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permis ­
sib le, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances . Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher th e speed, the more difficu lt it becomes for the driver to
control the rig . Do not drive at t he maximum pe rmissible speed.
Reduce your speed even more
if load, weather or wind conditions
a re unfavorable -particularly when going downhil l.
Reduce vehicle speed
i mmedi ate ly if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not tr y to s top the swaying by accelerating .
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trailers are lower than for regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coo lant t emperatu re
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 13 must be obse rved care ­
ful ly. If the need le moves close to the upper end of the sca le , reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts f lashing
- f- , pul l off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes t o prevent heat build -up.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

ll'I __ T_ r _a_ il_e _r_ t_ o_ vv_ in__... g,_ __________________________________________________ _
& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk
in an accident. Never let anyone ride in your car who
is not properly wearing the restraints provided by Audi .
c:
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and different weight distribution. Safety,
performance and economy will greatly depend on how carefully you
load your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become completely familiar with the way your vehicle -trailer
combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a
trailer generally requires steering action opposite to that when
backing up your vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in
front of you. You will need more room to stop. To compensate for
the trailer, you will need a larger than normal turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you normally would because of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
[ i] Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in period of your vehicle. • If you tow
a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent mainte­
nance due to the extra load~
page 401. •
Parking on a s1ope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided , do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone place chocks under both the vehicle and
the trailer wheels.
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move the selector lever to
P.
When restarting after parking:
- Apply the foot brake.
- Start the engine.
- Move the selector lever to
D.
-Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away
from the wheel chocks.
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel chocks.
[ i] Tips
I f you move the selector lever of the automatic transmission to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels, II-