brake AUDI Q7 2010 Owner´s Manual

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fore-and-aft and lateral directions, the brake pressure and the
steering angle are all measured.
The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
the aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is continually
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example, when the vehicle starts hydroplaning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate whee l to correct
the problem.
The vehicle is then stabi lized by the forces acting on the whee l during
braking. If the vehicle is
oversteering (rear tends to skid out of the
turn), the brakes are main ly applied on the wheel that is on the
outs ide of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to slide out of the curve), the brakes are applied as needed
on the wheel that is on the inside of the curve or additionally on the
other wheels. An acoustic s ignal indicates when ESP brake application
cuts in=> &.
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system ~
page 256 . If the Anti -Lock Brake System
(ABS) ma lfunctions, the ESP wi ll be out of action as well.
Activating
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatically be activated and
will perform a self-test. As soon as the test is comp leted, the system
is in normal operating mode .
Offroad mode
ESP should normally be operated in normal mode because this
ensures maximum vehicle stability. If necessary, you can activate the
ESP offroad mode by pressing the button=>
page 252, fig. 220 to
obtain maximum traction and braking ability when driving off paved
roads at low speeds. In ESP offroad mode, the ESP indicator light
=> page 16 illuminates and the message ESP Offroad Caution!
Limited driving stability
appears briefly in the disp lay.
The ESP offroad mode can be useful in the following exceptiona l situ­
ations when slip or a highly effe ctive different ial loc king funct ion is
desirable. Examples:
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
•
when driving w ith tire chains,
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground,
• when driving on uneven surfaces with the wheels severely
unloaded (articulation), and
• when rocking the vehicle loose a fter it has become stuck.
When the unusual situation is past, you should sh ift back to the
normal ESP operating mode by pushing the button again. The
message
ESP/ ASR on then appears briefly in the display.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control is switched on in ESP offroad mode. When
slowly descending steep gradients on loose ground or when the axles
are art iculated, hill descent control provides assistance by automati­
cally applying the brakes to keep vehicle speed constant. The vehicle
is also rende red easier to steer by select ive distribution of braking
force. Hill descent control intervenes when:
• the accelerator pedal is not pressed,
• the vehicle is travelling less than 12 mph (20 km/h),
• a steep gradient is detected,
• wheel behavior indicates loose ground or conditions with poor
adhesion (e.g. also axle articulat ion).
Hill descent control operates both dr iving forward and in reverse.
Active hi ll descent control is deactivated by pressing the accelerator
pedal until the conditions for activation already listed are met aga in .
& WARNING
• The Electronic Stabilization Program is nevertheless subject to
the laws of physics . It is particularly important to pay attention to
this fact on wet and slippery roads. It is therefore important that
you always adapt your driving to the condition of the road and
traffic conditions. Do not allow the increased safety provided by
the Electronic Stabilization Program system to lull you into
accepting additional safety risks. ..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intelligent technology
'-----------------------------------------------
& WA RNING (conti nu ed )
• Plea se be aware th at in ESP offroad mode , particularly on a
s mooth and slippery road, the wheels may have an incr eased
tendency to spin and the vehicle may break awa y -danger of skid ­
ding!
• Stabilit y is limited in the ESP offroad mode. •
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
General notes
The electronic differe ntia l lock (EDL) helps the ca r to sta rt moving,
acce lerate and climb a gradient on surfaces provi ding poor or almost
no grip. W ithout ED L, th is would be d iff ic ul t, if not impossible .
How the system works
The EDL operates automatically . It mo nitors the rotational speed of
w heels wi th the help of the ABS sensors ==>
page 256 . If a not iceab le
slip is detected at the wheels (e .g . o n slippery g round on one side),
the spin ning whee ls are braked and power is transferred to the other
wheels. This is done up to a speed of about 60 mph ( 100 km/h) .
Noises from the brake system signa l that wheel spin is being
cont rolled.
Driv ing off
W hen d rivi ng off, always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you acce lerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface with
less grip, apply
plenty of th rottle until t he car starts to move .
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc b rake of the bra ked wheel from overhea ting if
subjected to excessive loads on this whee l, t he EDL cuts out tempo ­
ra rily. The vehicle rema ins operat iona l and behaves in the same way
as a veh icle without EDL. As soon as the brake has coo
led down, EDL sw itches on again auto­
m atically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accele rator pedal. Even
with the EDL working , the drive wheels c an spin and reduce your
ability to control your car . Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks . Always adapt your d riv ing style to the road
c ondition s and traffic situation.
[ i ] Tips
If a fa ult occurs in the A BS, the ED L is also no t fu nct io ni ng. This is
ind icated by the ABS warn ing light==>
page 19. •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti- S lip Re gula tion System preven ts the drive n
w heels from spinning when the car is acc ele rating .
General notes
The Anti-S lip Reg ulation Sys tem (ASR) is in tegr ated in the ele ctroni c
stabilization program (ESP) . When the ve hicle starts up and acceler­
a tes, the whee ls are p reven ted from sp inning by adjust ing t he engine
power to match the amoun t of grip ava ilable from the road surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatica lly, i.e. witho ut the driver 's intervent ion.
With the aid o f th e ABS sensors ==>
page 256, ASR moni to rs the speed
of the driven wheels. If the whee ls start to spin, engine torque is
reduced automatically unt il the tires find enough grip to lock onto
the road s urface. The system is active ac ross the en tire speed range .
'1>

Intelligent technology
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The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR w ill also be out of action.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four whee ls must be fitted
with ident ical tires. Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when th is is not desired.
See also=>
page 326, "New tires and replacing tires and whee ls" .•
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending large ly on operating conditions and driving habits=>& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop -and -go city traffic or
are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your authorized
Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte­
nance booklet.
Failure to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake pe rformance .
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing effect of the engine . This
way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you must
use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously. Pump the
brakes at intervals.
Noises may occur when braking depending on the speed , braking
force and outside conditions such as temperature and humidity.
Safety first
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 31 mph (SO km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads wi ll briefly touch the brake discs in
regular interva ls so as to improve reaction time when braking on wet
surfaces . You, the driver, will not not ice anything.
Under certain cond itions, for example, when driving through wa ter or
very heavy rain, or even after washing yo ur vehicle , the braking effect
can be reduced due to moisture (or in free zing conditions ice) on the
brake pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off the brake
pads or remove any ice coatings .
The effect iveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is
dr iven on a sa lt-covered road and the brakes are not used. Here too,
you should clean off accumu lated salt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few careful applications of the brake=> & -
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up o n the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the dis cs if the car is no t driven regularly or only
for short trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high speed=> &.
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake pedal travel, then one
o f the two brake circuits may have failed==>& .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is
too low. The brake fluid level is monitored e lectron ically .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual inspection of the condi­
tion of the brake pads through the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection =>
page 339,
"Changing a wheel". ._.
Vehicle care Technical data

lillill.a._...:I:..: n~ t .::.e::::..::.: ll~igent technology ,_ _______________________________________ _
in. WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road condition s permit. Other
road u sers must not b e put at r isk - you may cau se an ac cident!
• Before d esc ending a steep gr ade , redu ce speed and shift t ran s­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
c ause the brake s to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by re sting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. Thi s may caus e the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increa sed stopping di stance.
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
pas sing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brake s can be reduced . In winter,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , disc s and drums .
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brake s will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt -cov ered roads
without using your brakes can al so affect braking efficiency. Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake d iscs and pads with a few
careful brake applications.
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
s poiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed.
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective­
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance. Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qualified wo rkshop. •
Brake booster
The brake booster adds e xtra brakin g pow er .
The brake booster wor ks with vacuum pressure which is created on ly
w hen the en gine is ru nning =>& .
in. WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off .
• If the brake booster i s not working , for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged , the b rake pedal must be p ressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistan ce.
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS)
AB S prevents the wheels from locking up under br aking.
T he ABS co ntribu tes effectively to vehicle co ntrol s ince it prevents t he
w hee ls from
locking when the b rakes are a pplied. This means t hat t he
veh icle rema ins steerable and is less likely to s kid .
W ith ABS you do not need to
pump the brake. Just hold the brake
pedal down .
However, do not expect the ABS to shorten braking distance u nder
all
circums tances. When driving on grave l or on newly fa llen snow on top
of icy su rfaces, braking dis tance may be even longer, therefore, under
these c irc umstances, it is especially important that you dr ive slowly
and w it h great care .
How the ABS system works
An automatic check is made when a speed of about 12 mph (20 km/h)
is reached . When this happens, a p umping noise can be hea rd. ._

_________________________________________ I_ n_ t_ e_ ll_,igent technology ,__E~-
If an individual wheel begins to rotate too slowly in relation to vehicle
speed and tends to lock, the ABS automatically reduces brake pres­
sure to prevent that wheel from locking .
Thi s automatic adjustment process wi ll cause a
slight vibration of
the brake pedal and some noises to alert you that vehicle speed must
be adapted to existing road and traffic conditions.
_& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always remember that braking
capability is limited by tire traction. Always adjust your driving
speed according to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risks.
The ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics .
(I) Tips
• If ABS is not funct ioning properly, a warning light will come on .
See ~
page 19.
• If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
ind icat ed by the ABS warning light. •
Brake assistant
The brake assistant is designed to achieve the optimum
braking effect.
The brake assistant helps to increase the effective braking power and
thus to achieve a shorter stopping distance.
If the driver presses the
brake peda l very qu ickly , the brake assistant automatically boosts the
braking force to the maximum level, up to the point where the anti­
lock brake function (ABS) intervenes to stop the whee ls from locking.
You should then keep the brake pedal pressed until the vehicle has
braked to the required speed. The brake assistant switches itself off
as soon as you release the brake pedal.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Automatic full braking
assist
This function allows full braking in spite of high brake pedal forces
(e .g . when the brakes are severely stressed because the veh icle is fully
loaded). The driver notices this function through a reduction of pedal
force and increased pedal travel. When the brake pedal is released,
full braking assist switches off again automatically.
If there is an ABS failure, the brak e assistant and automatic full
braking assist are not available.
Th e brake assistant will not be operative if there is a ma lfunction in
the ABS .
_& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast, especially in corners or on a slippery road, or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too closely. Increased risk of an
accident cannot be compensated for even by the brake assistant ,
so always maintain a safe speed.•
Servotronic® -advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise steering with little effort.
The advanced Servotronic ® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortable and safe steering response exactly matched to the
vehicle speed .
Power steering will not work if the engine is off. As a result , the
steering wheel will be hard to turn .
Th e power steering fluid level is checked during the scheduled main­
tenance services.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
----------------------------------------------'
Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km)
and afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,50 0 km) .
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers):
Do not use fu ll thrott le .
- Do not drive fas ter t han 3/ 4 of the top speed marked on
t h e speedometer.
- Avo id high engine speeds .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
- Spe eds can
gradually be i ncr eas ed to the maxi mu m
perm iss ible road or engin e spee d.
During and after break-in period
- Do not rev the eng ine up to high speeds when it is co ld.
This app lies whether t he tra nsmission is in N ( Neutra l) or
1 n gear.
After the break-in period - Do not exceed maximum engi ne s pee d und er any circum­
stances .
- Up shift i nto t he next hi ghe r g ear
befor e reach in g the red
area at t he end of the tachometer sc al e=>
pa ge 10 .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
During the first few ho
urs of d riving, the engine's interna l fr iction is
highe r than later when all the moving parts have been broken in . How
well th is br eak -in p rocess is done depends to a cons iderab le extent on
the way the veh icle is driven dur ing the f irst 1,000 miles (1,500 kilo­
meters).
0 Note
E x tremely high e ngine speeds a re au tomat ically re duced. However,
these rpm limits are programmed for an engine well run -in, not a new
engine .
~ For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with u nnecessa rily high engine s peeds -upshift ing early
saves f uel, reduces no ise and protec ts the environme nt.
New tires
If your v eh icl e is run ning on new t ires, driv e p arti cul ar ly
c a refu l fo r the first 35 0 miles (50 0 kilometers) af ter fit ting.
& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must al so be "broken-in ". Be
sure to remember this during the first 350 m iles (500 kilome ­
ter s). Brake gently . Avoid following closely behind other vehicles
or other situations that might require sudden, hard braking. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a f ull braki ng
e ff e ct during the first 250 miles (400 kilometers) after they
are i nsta lle d.
New bra ke pads have to be "b urnished in" before they have opt ima l
grab=> &.
Dur ing the break -in period, you sho uld avoid putting severe loads on
the brakes. Severe loads incl ude, for example, sudden hard braki ng,
in particu lar at very high s peeds or, for examp le, on mountai n passes.
& WARNING
New brake pads don 't have the be st stopping power and must be
" broken -in " during the initial 100 to 150 miles (150 to 200 kilo­
meters ) of normal cit y driving. You can compensate for thi s by
pressing th e brak e pedal more firmly. This also applies lat er wh en
new pad s are installed. n
Appli es to ve hicles : w it h g aso line eng ine
Catalytic converter
--
I t is very important th at your emission control system
(ca talytic co n verter) i s func tioning properly to e nsure
that you r vehicle is running in an environmentally sou nd
manner.
- Always us e lead-fr ee gasoli ne ~ page 287, "Gaso line" .
- Never run the tan k down a ll the way to empty.
- Never put too m uch motor oil in your engine~
page 302,
"Add ing e ngi ne o il "t::r.11
•
-Nev er try to p ush- or tow-sta rt yo ur veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean- up" device b uilt into the
exha ust sys te m of the ve hicle. The cat alytic converte r burns many of
t he polluta nts in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphe re.
Th e e xcl usive use of unleaded fuel is cr itic ally important for the life of
the catalytic converte r and proper f unction ing of the engine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
exhaust system may come in contact with dry grass, brush, fuel
spill or other material which can cause a fire .
• Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold , exhaust pipes, catalytic conve rter or
heat shields. During driving, the substance used for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire .
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank fi lling wit h leaded fu el wi ll alrea dy
ser iou sly degrade the performan ce of the ca talyt ic co nve rter.
• Do not excee d the correct engine oil leve l=>
page 302 .
• Do not dr ive unti l the f uel tank becomes complete ly empty. The
eng ine could misfire . Unburned fuel could a lso get into the exha ust
system and th is could cause the catalytic converter to overheat.
• Do not t urn o ff the igni tion whi le the ve hicl e is moving.
• Do not contin ue to operate your vehicle under these conditions, as
o therwi se fuel c an reach the cat alytic c onve rter. Th is cou ld resu lt in
over heating of t he converte r, requir ing its rep lacement.
• T o ass ure eff ic ient opera tion of the Emi ssion C ontro l Sy stem:
- Have your vehicle maintaine d properly and in accordance with
t h e se rvice recommenda tions in your Warranty
& M ain tenance
booklet. •

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
- Lack of proper maintena nce as well as improper use of the
vehicle w ill imp air t he funct io n of t he emission con trol system and
could lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Contro l System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a sulfur-like exhaust gas sme ll under some
operat ing states. This depends on the s ulfur content of the fue l being
used. Using a differe nt brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank with
lead-free supe r grade gasoline. •
Applies to vehicles: w ith diesel eng ine
Diesel particulate filter
The d iese l part iculate filter fi lters nearly all of the soot particles out
of the exhaus t. T he filte r cleans i tself automa ticall y unde r no rm al
driving con dit io ns. If the f ilter cannot clea n itself (for example,
because yo u are on ly driving short dis tances), the f ilter becomes
clogged w it h soot and the symbo l for the diesel particulate fi lter
illuminates ~
page 35.
& WARNING
• Do not park your vehicle over flammable materials such as
grass or leaves because the high temperature of the diese l partic ­
ulate filter could start a fire .
• Do not apply an underbody protectant in the exhaust system
area or a fire could start .•
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Avoid damaging the vehicle
Whe
n you are driving on poor roads, or over curbs, steep ramps, etc.,
m ake ce rtain that low-lying p art s s uch as spoilers and e xhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
Thi s is espec ia lly t rue for vehicles with low-s lung chassis (sports
chass is) * and f ully loaded vehicles. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will det ermine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, env ironmenta l im pact , and wea r on your e ng ine,
brakes and tires largely depend on t hree factors:
• your person al driv in g style
• operating conditions
• techni cal lim itations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economically,
you can e asily cut you r fu el consum ptio n by 10- 15 pe rcen t. T his
sect io n w ill give you some tips on how you can help the environment
and yo ur po cketbook.
rn Tips
Th e consumption est ima tes as published by E NVIRO NMEN TAL
PROT ECTION AGENCY ( EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your act ual consumption on the roa d, which will vary
depend ing upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather co ndit ions,
trip length, etc.•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating.
- Avo id unnecessary acce lerating and braking .
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerati ng. If you antici­
pate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus , accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possible - for
example 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 maximum speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consumption, engine wear, and does
not disturb the environment.
Fuel consumption , exhaust emiss ions and eng ine no ise increase
disproportionately at high speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption w ill be reduced by one ha lf.
Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather condi­
tions pe rm it. •
Reducing unnecessary idling
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 eng ine run at
idle .
It makes sense to shu t off t he eng ine in traffic jams, when wa it ing for
tra ins to pass at railroad crossings, or at traffic lights that have long waits on red
. Turning the eng ine off for just 30-40 seconds saves
more f uel than is burned start ing the engine aga in.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up fully when it is ru nning
at idle . However, wear and noxious emissions are especia lly high
when the eng ine is wa rming up. So you shou ld 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 afte r start ing. If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which cou ld result in
overhea ting or other damage to the vehicle or other property. •
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serv iced by an authorized Aud i dealer
helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically. The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safe ty and ability to hold its value,
it a lso affects fuel con sumption .
Che ck your o il e ach time you fill your t ank.
T he amo unt of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is normal for the o il consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest val ue afte r a certa in m ileage has been d riven.
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 m iles (5,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oi l consumption .
T his also app lies to f uel consumption and engine ou tput. ._

Driving off road
- Activate the ESP offroad mode=> page 252 as needed .
- Use the
hill descent control => page 253 when driving
down steep sections on hills.
Unpaved roads and offroad
Drive slowly on unfamiliar roads and unknown offroad sections, and
loo k out for unexpected obstacles (e .g. potho les, rocks, t ree st umps,
etc.).
T o prevent the vehicle from bo ttoming and avoid dam age to the
underbody, you should drive straight across severe bumps in the
gro und with on ly one s ide of the vehicle so tha t on ly two of your
wheels cross the bumps.
Drive brisk ly throug h sandy or marshy offroad sections and do not
stop, if at all poss ible.
Driving through water
Your vehicle ca n drive at maximum wal king speed thro ugh stand ing
water if the gro und is firm enough . The
maximum water depth is
1 9. 7 in o r 500 mm (ve hicles w it h out air spr ings) or 2 1.1 in or
535 mm (vehicles with Adaptive Air Suspension*, at high level 2).
Driving on a slope
If you ever find yourself not able to climb a slope, do not try to t urn
around, drive bac k dow n in
rever se . Ot herw ise, you run t he ris k of
tipping over .
If the vehicle threaten s to tip over when driving a cross a slope , you
must immediately steer downh ill in the direction of the slope .
Do not park your vehicle on steep slopes or gra des .
T o red uce the risk of tipp ing ove r, d rive on s lopes in t he di re ct io n of
the downward slope (fall line) -
not crosswise .
Driving on snow-covered ground
T he standard tires fitted to your vehicle are not snow ti res. So you
should mo unt wheels with snow t ires in good t ime where winter road
conditions prevail. Before driving on unp lowed stretches o f deep snow, install tire chains
. For tech nica l reasons, t ire chains may only
be ins talle d on the re a r wheels - never on the front whee ls.
& WARNING
After driving through water , mud, slush, etc. , the brake s may be
slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads.
Dry the
brake s first by braking carefully to re store the full braking effe ct.
0 Note
Vehicle components such as the engine, trans mission, s uspension or
electrical system can be severely damaged by dr iv ing through water.
W Tips
• Check the dept h of the water before dr iv in g through it.
• Do not stop the vehicle, dr ive in reverse or sw itch the e ngine off
when driving through water .
• Keep in m ind th at on coming vehicles m ay cre ate w aves t hat ra ise
the water level and make it too deep for your vehicle to drive through
safe ly .
• Avoid dr iving through sa lt water because it ca n cause corrosion .•