towing AUDI Q7 2012 Owner´s Manual

154 Adapti ve Air Susp en sion
Di spl ay ing the vehicl e lev el
The cu rrent vehicle level is shown w ith seg­
ments fi lled out in the segment disp lay @ . If
only the bottom segment is filled out, the ve­
hicle is at highway level. If all segments are
fi lled out, the vehicle is at high level 2 and has
the greatest amount of ground clearance pos­
sible.
While the vehicle is being raised or lowered,
the target leve l is indicated by an arrow ©
¢
fig. 176 or a white border ©¢ fig. 177. The
arrow/border disappears aga in when the vehi­
cle is at the target level.
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire
Appl ies to vehicles: with Adaptive Air Suspens ion
This mode must be activated in the MMI be­
fore raising the vehicle with a jack or on a ve ­
hicle lift.
,. Select: Funct ion button ICARI > Function
button
! SETUP I> Jacking mode . Or
,. Select : Funct ion button
ICARI > Control but ­
ton
Car sy stem s* > Serv icing & ch eck s > Air
su sp .: tire ch ang e.
The vehicle jack mode must be activated be ­
fore changing a wheel so that the automatic
control processes for the a ir suspension do
not make lifting with the vehicle jack more dif­
ficu lt.
The check lamp
II in the instrument cluster
d isplay illuminates in v ehicle jack mode.
(D) Tips
The vehicle jack mode is switched off auto­
mat ically at speeds above 9 mph (15 km/
h).
Towing a trailer
Appl ies to vehicles: with towing hitch and Adapt ive Air
Suspension
Automatic lowering is not desirable when
towing a trailer.
,. Se lect: Function button ICARI > Function
button
! SE TUP I> Towi ng mod e. Or ,.
Select: Function b utton
I CAR !> Control but ­
ton
Car s ystem s* > Vehicle setting s > Air
su sp.: towing .
As long as towing mode is activated, a vehicle
with a trai ler appears in the
adap tiv e air su s­
pen sion
main menu.
Level Ad ju stment when towing a t railer
- Before hitching up the tra ile r and before ad­
jus ting the tongue weight at the trailer, the
automatic or comfo rt mode
mu st be se lect­
ed so that the ve hicle can be at normal level
¢ page 152, MMI settings .
-If driving in dynamic mode is desired, this
mode
mu st be selected before hitching up
the trailer and before ad justing the tongue
weight. However, note that your vehicle is lowered and ground clearance is reduced.
- If you have to drive under difficult road con­
ditions, you can select offroad or lift mode,
after hitching up the trailer or after adjust­ ing the tongue weight .
- If the veh icle is at
normal level, and you se­
lect offroad mode wh ile traveling at speeds
higher than 22 mph (35 km/h), the veh icle
w ill not be ra ised . Offroad mode will appear
as the active mode in the MM I Disp lay.
- If the veh icle is in offroad mode at
high level
1 ,
it automa tically lowers to normal level
when the vehi cle is t ravel ing at speeds ex­
ceed ing approximate ly 31 mph (SO km/h) .
The vehicle is automatically raised to
high
level 1
again when the traveling speed falls
be low approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
Rest rictions when ope rating with a tr ailer
When operating w ith a trailer, the lift mode
can on ly be selected up to about 12 mph (20
km/h). Lift mode is automatically cance led
again w hen a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/
h) is exceeded.
If t he vehicle is in au toma tic , comfo rt, offroad
or lift mode before the trai ler towing mode is
activated, the dynamic mode cannot be acti­
vated.
If t he vehicle is in dynamic mode before tow -
ing opera tion is activated, it can be driven in
11>-

this mode. If the suspension is switched from
this mode to another mode, dynamic mode
cannot be re-se lected .
{D) Tips
-For vehicles with a factory installed tow­
ing hitch or a trailer hitch that was in­
stalled later accord ing to factory specifi­
cations, the system recognizes "Trailer
tow ing mode" and activates this special
mode automatically, as soon as the elec­
trical connection on the trailer socket is
connected . The mode ceases automat i­
cally when the elect rical connection to
the trailer socket is d isconnected.
- If the tra iler towing mode has been act i­
vated, the vehicle will not drop to the l ow or highway level.
Cargo mode
A pp lies to vehicles: wit h Adap tive Air S uspe nsio n
The rear of the vehicle con be lowered to
make it easier to load .
Fig. 178 Luggage compa rtment detail: Cargo mode
sw itc h
Using sw itch for activating cargo mode
~ Close all vehicle doors .
~ Open the trunk lid .
~ Press the lower pa rt of the switch@
Q fig. 178. The rear of the vehicle is low­
ered.
~ Press the uppe r part of the sw itch (D . The
rear of the vehi cle is raised aga in .
Activating cargo mode in the MMI*
~ Se lect: Function button ICAR I > Function
button
! SE TUP I> Lower f or load in g. Ad
apti ve A ir Sus pension 155
In cargo mode, the rear ax le is lowered by 2 .2
inches (55 mm), compared to the normal lev­
el.
While the ve hicl e is in ca rgo mode, the seg­
ments do not appear as filled in the segment
display.
Cargo mode is a utomatically c ance led again
when a different mode is selected in the MM I
D isplay, or when a speed of about 3 mph (5
km/ h) has been exceeded.
If the system is tempora rily unavailable due
to, for instance, an empty compressed ai r
tank, the
Lower fo r loading* function appears
greyed out in the MMI Display. As soon as the
system is available again, the function can
once more be selected in the disp lay.
While the vehicle is being lowered, the indica­
tor light @~
fig. 178 on the switch in the
luggage compartment flashes. When the car­
go level has been reached, the indicator light
comes on and remains on as long as the vehi­
cle is in cargo mode. When the vehicle is
raised agai n, the indicator l ight f las hes aga in.
(D Note
Make sure before canceling cargo mode
that there is sufficient clearance above the
vehicle and around the tru nk lid , if open .
(D Tips
-The ve hicle w ill not be lowered if one of
the vehicle doors is open, or if the com­
pressed air tank is empty . T he indicator
light on the switch flashes three times.
- When the compressed air tank is empty,
it will refill when you drive at speeds
over 25 mph (40 km/ h). The vehicle can
be lowered to cargo level when the com­
pressed air tank is adequately fille d.
- If the veh icle is i n lift or off road mode
when you act ivate cargo mode, the vehi­
cl e w ill first drop dow n to norma l level.

166 Driving Safel y
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be prop­ erly stowed and secured in the luggage com ­
partment.
Fig . 184 Safe load pos ition ing: place heavy objects as
low and as far forward as possible.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift suddenly, changing vehicle handling
characterist ics . Loose items can also increase
the r isk of serious personal injury in a sudden
vehicle maneuver or in a collision .
,. Distribute the load evenly in the luggage
compartment .
,. Always place and properly secure heavy
items in the luggage compartment as low
and as far forward as poss ible
¢fig. 184.
,. Secure luggage using the tie-downs provid­
ed
¢ page 80.
,. Make sure that the rear seatback is securely
latched in place .
A WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items
can fly through the vehicle caus ing serious
personal inj ury in the event of hard brak­
ing or an acc ident. To help reduce the r isk
of serious persona l injury:
- Always put objects, for example, luggage
or other heavy items in the luggage com­
partment.
- Always secu re objects in the luggage
compartment us ing the tie-down eye lets
and suitable straps.
A WARNING
-Heavy loads wi ll influence the way your ve-
h icle ha ndles. To help reduce the risk of a
loss of control leading to serious personal
i njury:
-Always keep in mind when transporting
heavy objects, that a change in the cen­
ter of gravity can also cause changes in
veh icle handling:
- Always distribute the load as evenly as
poss ible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in
the luggage compartment as possible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle We ight Rat­
ing or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
specif ied on the safety compliance stick­
er on the left door jamb. Exceed ing per­
miss ible weight standards can cause the
veh icle to slide and handle differen tly.
- Please observe information on safe dr iv­
ing
¢page 160.
A WARNING
-
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas
from being drawn into the vehicle, a lways
keep the rear lid closed while driving.
- Never transport objects larger than those fitting comp letely into the luggage
area because the rear lid cannot be ful ly
closed.
- If you absolutely m ust dr ive wi th the rear
lid open, observe the following notes to
red uce the risk of poisoning:
- Close all windows,
- Close the Panoramic sliding sunroof *,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument pane l,
- Switc h off the air recirculat ion,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest
speed.
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win­
dows, the Panoramic sliding sunroof * and
the rear lid are securely closed and locked
-

-Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmiss ion 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 cause the
brakes to get hot and dimin ish braking
efficiency.
- Do not "r ide the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to bra ke. Th is may cause the brakes to
overheat, prema ture wear and increased
stopping distance .
- Under certain climat ic and operating
condit ions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the
brakes can be reduced . In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums. Carefully apply brakes
for a test . Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings will be cleaned off after a few care­
ful brake applications.
- Driv ing for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads w ithout us ing your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency .
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads w ith a few caref ul
brake applicat ions.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct ­
ed. Otherwise the brake system co uld
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopp ing distance. Avoid driv ing
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est author ized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop .
Brake booster
The brake booster adds extra braking power.
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
sure which is created only when the engine is
running¢ &,.
Int ellig ent technolog y 223
A WARNING
-Never let the veh icle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off .
- If the brake booster is not working, for
example when towing your vehicle, or because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerably harder to make up
for the la ck of booster assistance .
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up un­
der braking.
T he ABS contributes effect ively to vehicle con­
trol s ince it preve nts the whee ls from
locking
when the brakes are applied. This means that
the vehicle remains steerable and is less likely
to skid .
With ABS y ou do not nee d to pump the
bra ke. Just h old t he br ake ped al d own .
However, do not expect the ABS to shorten
braking distance under
all circumstances.
When dr iving on g ravel or on new ly fallen
snow o n top of icy s urfaces, braking dis tance
may be even longer, therefore, under these
circumstances, it is especia lly important that
you drive s low ly and wit h great care.
How the ABS s ystem works
An a utomat ic check is made when a speed of
about 12 mph (20 km/h) is reached . When
th is happens, a pumping noise can be heard.
If an ind iv idual whee l begi ns to rotate too
s low ly in relation to vehicle speed and tends
to lock, the ABS automatically reduces brake
pressure to prevent tha t whee l from locking .
T his automatic adjustment p rocess will cause
a
sli ght vibrati on of the brake pedal and some
no ises to a le rt you that ve hicle speed m ust be
adapted to existing road and traffic condi ­
tions. •
•

Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, p lease remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
F or this reason, always fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
q page 154, Towing a trailer.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­ ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. A lways
check with the trai ler hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
i ng bumper system. No mod ifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems . From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trai ler hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your veh i­
cle be struck from behind~.&.
Trailer towing 235
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations.
T he trailer hydraulic bra ke system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system
q .& .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the trai le r.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check with your authorized Audi dealer
for correct wiring, sw itches, and relays.
M irr ors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors.
It is important
that you always have clear v is ion to the rear.
_&. WARNING
- If a trailer has electrical brakes please
note that these brakes are not activated
by the factory-fitted control unit -risk of
accident!
- After removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in you r vehicle. In case of sudden
brak ing, the hitch could fly forward and
injure you or your passengers.
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
Audi Q7 vehicle, found on the safety
compliance labe l on the driver's side 8 -
pillar, must never be exceeded under any
circumstances. Exceeding the Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating of your vehicle is likely
to damage your veh icle, and such dam­
age will not be covered by your Limited New Vehicle Warranty. Exceeding the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat ing will a lso
change the performance and handling
characteristics of your vehicle, which
could cause a crash resulting in serious
injury or death.
-
•
•

236 Trailer to wing
-The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for yo ur
Audi Q7 would be exceeded if your vehi­
cle is simultaneously equ ipped w ith Pan­
oramic sl iding sunroof; th ird-row seat­
ing; trailer towing equipment (factory or
dealer-installed), and running boards
(dea le r-installed) . UNDER NO C IRCUM­
STANC ES MAY AL L SUC H ITE MS BE IN­
STALLED ON THE SAM E VEH ICLE.
Operating instructions
MAX 6 .9 "
MAX175mm
E
"' E
"' .... a)
rt
Fig. 219 Permi tted ball p osit ion of the t ra iler hitc h
Traile r to wing we ight s
W it h a fac tor y-ins talled trailer hitch, the
maximum permissible trailer we ight is 6 ,615
lbs (3,000 kg) . The maximum permissible un­
braked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg) .
W ith an aft er mar ket trailer hitch, the maxi­
m um permissible trailer we ight is 5,512 lbs
(2,500 kg) . These specifica tions apply when
driving on roads having an incline of less than
12%.
Perm issible tongue load
F or best vehicle handli ng u nder these
changed condit ions, adjust the trailer load so
that the tongue load is at the maxim um al ­
l owable or slightly lower. Yo u can get an ap­
proximation of the tongu e load with a bath­
room scale o r you c an measu re the load at a
trucking company or weighing s ta tion.
With a factory-in stalled trailer hitch, the
maximum permissib le load on the ball hitch
may not exceed 662 lbs (300 kg). With an af­
termarket trailer hi tch, the maximum permis­
sib le load on the ball h itch may not exceed 551
lbs (250 kg) . It is recommended to use
the maximum permissible load.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the t ra iler is held secure ly
in place to prevent it from shift ing forward,
backward or sideways.
Nev er allow a pas seng er t o rid e in a trai ler
¢&. in Driving instructions on page 23 7.
Ball m ount
The trailer hi tch may only be used w ith suita­
ble ball mount and ball¢
fig. 219 . Installa ­
tion of the h itch ball must be carried out in ac­
cordance with the manufacturer's inst ruc­
tions . At the height dimens ion of 1.5 in
(38 .5 mm) a tolerance of+/- 0.5 in ( 12. 7 mm)
is permissible .
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard­ er . It is impo rtant that the cooling system's
performance is up to the additional load.
Make sure that the cooling system has enough
fluid.
T ire pressur e
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold ti re pressu re listed under
" F u ll load" on the tire pressure label. The tire
pressure label is located on the drive r's side B­
pillar . Inflate trailer tires to t railer and tire
manufacturers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight settings should be checked wi th
t h e trai ler attached before d riving
off. Check
to make s ure both vehicle and trailer lights
are worki ng properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trai le r to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the ch ains to pe r­
mit turning corners. When you install safety
chains, make sure they will not drag on the
road when you are driving. ..,.

The chains should cross under the trai ler
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch.
([) Note
If you are going to tow a trai le r, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
¢ page 154, Towing a trailer.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration .
To obtain the best poss ible handling o f vehicle
and trai ler, p lease note the following:
~ Do not tow a loaded trailer whe n your car it­
self is not loaded.
~ Be especially careful when passing other ve­
hicles.
~ Observe speed limits .
~ Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
~ Always apply brakes early.
~ Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution 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 con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, wh ile keeping the trailer as light as poss i­
ble under the circumstances . Whenever possi­
b le, transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle wh ile observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the drive r to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
Trailer towing 237
wind conditions are unfavorable -pa rticularly
when going downhill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest s ign of sway ing .
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some a reas, speeds
for vehicles tow ing tra ilers are lower than for
regular veh icles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving
down hill, shift into a lower gear to use the en­
gine braking effect to s low the vehicle . Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 10
must be observed carefully. If the need le
moves close to the upper end of the scale, re­
duce speed immediately and/or turn off the
air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in
the instrument cluster starts flashing ., pull
off the road, stop and let the engine
idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build -up .
A WARNING ~
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov-
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident. Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
prov ided by Audi.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
-
a trailer because of the additional weight and
different weight distr ibution . Safety, perform­
ance and economy will great ly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig .
Before you actua lly tow your tra iler, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become completely familiar w ith the way.,.
•
•

238 Trailer towing
your vehicle-trai ler combination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a trailer genera lly requi res
steering action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a trailer .
Maintain a greater distance between your ve­
hicle and the one in front of you. You will need
mo re room to stop. To compensate for the
trai ler, you will need a larger than norma l
turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac ­
celerate as fast as you normally would be­
cause of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow
plenty of room for your trai ler before chang ­
ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in
period of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, you r A ud i may re­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the extra load
~page 319.
Parking on a slope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it can­
not be avoided , do so only ofter doing the fol­
lowing:
When parking:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Have someone place chocks under both the
vehicle and the trai ler wheels .
.. With chocks in p lace, slowly re lease the
brakes until the whee l 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 s low ly pull
out and away from the wheel chocks .
.. Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the auto­
matic transmission to
P before applying
the parking brake and before blocking the
wheels, you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the
P posi­
tion.

other things that you plan to
transport so that you can make sure that your vehicle will not
be overloaded.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OC­
CUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX LBS"on your vehi­
cle's placard (tire inflation
pressure label)
¢ page 2 78,
fig. 237.
2.
Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­ sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and pas­sengers from
"XXX" kilo­
grams or
"XXX" pounds
shown on the sticker
¢ page 278, fig. 237 .
4. The resulting figure equals
the available amount of car­
go and luggage load capaci­
ty . For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs.
and there will be five 150
lbs. passengers in your vehi­
cle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load ca-
Tires and wheels 283
pa city is 650 lbs. (1400-7 so
(5 X 150) = 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle .
That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step
4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your trail ­
er will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual
to determine how this re­
duces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
~ Check the tire sidewall
( ¢ page 285 , fig. 241) to de­
termine the designated load rating for a specific tire.
•
•
'

What do I do now?
Jack, tools and
inflatable spare tire
Tools
The tool kit is located in the luggage com­
partment under the cargo floor cover.
F ig . 2 4 4 Luggage compa rtme nt: ve hicle tool ki t
The on board tool kit includes:
- Hook for removing wheel covers*
- Plastic hook to remove wheel bolt cove rs*
- Wheel bolt wrench
- Alignment pin for changing wheels
- Screwdriver with reversible blade
- 10 x 13 open ended wrench
- Towing eye
@ Tips
Some of the onboard items listed above
are prov ided on certa in models only or are
optional extras .
What do I do now ? 295
Jack and folding chocks
The jack and the folding chocks are located in
the luggage compartment under the cargo
floor cover.
F ig . 2 4 5 Luggage compar tme nt ve hicle jack and fold·
i ng chocks
--------
F ig. 246 Ope ning fo ldi ng chocks
Vehi cle jack
The jack is located under the tool kit
¢ fig . 245. Before storing the jack, make sure
it is wound back down as far as it will go.
Folding chocks
Two unassembled fo lding c hocks are attached
to the foam section at the front with the jack
¢fig . 245.
Re lease the two hook-and-loop fasteners, and
remove the two chocks. To use the chocks, you
first have to raise the support plate
¢ fig . 246 (D and then insert the locking plate
with the two "tabs" into the elongated ho les
in the base plate @¢.&. .
A WARNING
-The chock cannot fulfil its function and
may lose its stability if the "tabs" on the
support p late are not inse rted co rrectly
into the elong ated holes in the base