2008 AUDI S6 ignition

Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution of electrical
energy and thus optimizes the availability of electrical
energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is not driven for a
long period of time, the battery is discharged by idling current
consumers (e.g. immobilizer). In certain circumstances it can resu lt
in there being insufficient energy available to start the engine .
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle handles the distribu ­
tion of electrical energy . Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basical ly, energy management consists of
battery di agn osis, idling
current mana gement
and dynami c en ergy management .
Batter y diagn osis
Battery diagnosis continuously deter min es the state of the battery.
Sensors determine battery vo ltage, battery current and battery
temperature . This determines the cu rrent state of charge and the
power of the battery .
Idling c urrent man ag em en t
Idling current management reduces energy consumption while the
vehicle is standing. With the ign it ion switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical components. Data from
battery diagnos is is considered .
Depending on the battery's state of charge, individual consumers
are gradually turned off to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energ y managem ent
While the vehic le is being driven, dynamic energy management
distributes the energy gene rated acco rding to the needs of the indi -
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
In
te llig ent tec hn olo gy
vidual components . It regulates consumption, so that more e lec­
trical energy is not being used than is being ge nerated and ensures
an optimal state of charge for the battery.
[ i ] Tips
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits of
physics. Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited .
• I f starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
=> page 266, "Drive r notifica tion i n the instrument cluster
display" .•
What you should know
The highes t pri ority is given to main tain ing starting capa ­
bility.
The battery is severe ly taxed in short-distance driving, in city traffic
and during the co ld time of year. Abundant electrical energy is
required, but only a little is generated. It is also critical if the engine
is not running and elect rica l components are turned on. In this
instance energy is being consumed but none is being generated .
I t is in precisely these situations that you will notice energy manage ­
ment active ly regula ting the distr ibut ion of energy.
Vehicle stands fo r an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or
weeks, electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability
over a longer period.
Take into considerat ion that when you un lock your veh icle, some
convenience functions, such as the remote key or power seat
adjustment, may not be availab le . T he conven ience functions will be
available again when you turn on the ignition and start the engine.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Intelligent technology
----'""------- ~---------------------------------------
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the engine turned off or
use other MMI functions, the battery is being discharged.
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy consumption , the
following warning appears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will switch off in
3 minutes.
The warning indicates that the system will be turned off automati­
cally after 3 minutes. If you wish to continue using the functions,
you have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when the vehicle is being
driven, the battery can become discharged. This happens mostly
when little energy is being generated and a great deal consumed
and the battery's state of charge is not optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equilibrium , consumers
which require especially large amounts of energy are temporarily cut back or switched off. Heating systems in particular require a
great deal of energy. If you notice, for example, that the heated
seats* or the heated rear window are not heating, they have been
temporarily cut back or switched off. These systems will be available
again as soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has been increased
slightly . This is normal and not a cause for concern. By increasing
engine idle speed the additional energy required is generated and
the battery is charged. •
Driver notification in the instrument cluster
d isplay
If battery power drops into the range where it can limit the ability of
the engine to start, this is shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
'-' Low battery charge: battery will be charged while driving
This notification reminds you that the starting capability of the
engine may be limited. As soon as you start driving again, the
battery will be recharged and the notification will go out.
Driver notification appears and goes out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
while driving and it goes out again after a while, the battery has
been adequately recharged.
Driver notification appears and does not go out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
while driving and does not go out again, the battery's state of
charge is not in the optimal range. Starting ability is restricted . Have
the battery checked as soon as possible at a dealership. •

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New brake pads
--
Remember that new brake pads do not have a full braking
effect during the first 250 miles (400 kilometers) after they
are installed .
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" before they have optimal
grab =>& .
During the break -in period, you should avoid putting severe loads
on the brakes . Severe loads include, for examp le, sudden hard
braking, in particular at very high speeds or, for example, on moun­
tain passes.
& WARNING
New brake pads don't have the best stopping power and must be
"broken-in" during the initial 100 to 150 miles (150 to 200 kilome­
ters) of normal city driving. You can compensate for this by
pressing the brake pedal more firmly . This also applies later when
new pads are installed.
:J
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission control system
(catalytic converter) is functioning properly to ensure that
your vehicle is running in an environmentally sound
manner.
- Always use lead-free gasoline:=> page 291, "Fuel supply".
- Never run the tank down all the way to empty.
- Never put too much motor oil in your engine ==>
page 302,
"Adding engine oil 't=:;r\11
•
Never try to push- or tow-start your vehicle.
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean-up" device built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns many
of the po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically important for the life
of the catalytic converter and proper functioning 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 converter or
heat shields. During driving, the substance used for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire .
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with leaded fuel will alr eady
seriously degrade the performance of the catalytic converter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil level=>
page 302.
• Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes completely empty. The
engine could misfire. Unburned fuel could also get into the exhaust
system and this could cause the catalytic converter to overheat.
• Do not turn off the ignition while the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions,
as otherwise fuel can reach the catalytic converter. This could result
in overheating of the converter, requiring its replacement .
• To assure efficient operation of the Emission Control System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Maintenance
& Warranty
booklet. •

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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 Audi dealer helps to
ensure that it runs properly and economically. The condition of your
vehic le not only affects its safety and abi lity to hold its value, it also
affects
fuel con sumpt ion.
C hec k your o il e ach 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 .
This also applies to fuel consumption and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Maintenance
& Warranty
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 Emission 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. _,

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•
from fading. Slight color variations will develop in normal use and
are not an indication of material deterioration.
0 Note
• Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine),
waxes, shoe polish or similar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
• To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commer­
cial cleaning specialist.
• Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or similarly abrasive cleaning
aids .•
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work reliably when
needed.
- Keep belts clean.
- For cleaning, use a mild soap and water solution . Let
belts dry thoroughly and away from direct sunlight .
- Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to retract before
they are completely dry.
- Check the condition of your safety belts
regularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract properly.
& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
• Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean that
you and your passengers would not be adequately protected in an
accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation. Never
remove belts from the vehicle to clean them.
& WARNING (continued)
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents, bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
• When cleaning your safety belts, inspect them for damage. If
you discover damage, see your Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page278. a
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the engine compart­
ment.
Always switch off the ignition before cleaning the engine ~ &.
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front of the windshield
under the engine hood. This prevents the water drain holes from
becoming blocked, and it prevents debris from entering the vehicle
interior through the heating and ventilation ducts.
Corrosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission have been corrosion­
protected at the factory.
Good anti -corrosion treatment is very important, particularly in the
winter. If the vehicle is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel should be thor­
oughly cleaned at the end of winter and retreated to prevent salt
damage. At the same time, the underside of the vehicle should be
washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any time with grease
removing solutions
1 l, or if you have the engine washed, the anti­
corrosion treatment is almost always removed as well. It is therefore .,_
11 Use only th e correct cleaning solut ions. N ev er use gasolin e or di ese l fu el.
Vehicle care I t •

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essential to have a long-lasting corrosion protection reapplied to al l
s urf aces, sea ms, joi nts a nd compo nents i n th e en gine c om par t­
m ent .
& WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a
potentially hazardous area.
• Before working in the engine compartment , be sure to read the
information
=> page 289.
• Before reaching into the front plenum panel, always remove the
ignition key . Otherwise, the windshield wipe r system could unin ­
tentionally be switched on , possibly causing personal in jury from
the moving wiper linkage .
• Never reach into the area around or touch the radiator fan . The
auxiliary fan is temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly
- even when the ignition is off.
• Do not wash, wax or dry the engine with the engine running .
Moving or hot parts could injure you .
• Do not clean the underside of the chassis , fenders, wheel
covers, or other hard to reach parts without protecting your hands
and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp -edged metal parts.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 278 . •

•
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Gasoline
Fuel supply Using the right fuel helps keep the environment clean and
prevents engine damage.
Fuel r ecomm end ati on
The fuel recommended for your vehic le is unl eade d prem ium grade
gaso line . See also ~
page 363, "Data". Audi recommends using TOP
T IER Detergent Gasoline with a minimum octane rating of 91 AKI (95
RON). For more information on TOP TIER Detergent Gaso line, please
go to the official website (www.toptiergas .com).
The recommended gasoline octane rating for your engine can also be found on a label located on the inside of the fuel fille r flap. This
rating may be specified as AK I or RON .
Your vehic le may also be operated us ing unleaded regular gasoline
with a minimum octane rating of 87 AKl/91 RON . However, using 87
AKl/9 1 RON octane fuel will slightly reduce engine performance.
Use unle ad ed ga so line only . Unleaded gaso line is avai lable
throughout the USA, Canada, and in most European countries. We
recommend that you do not take your vehicle to areas or countr ies
where un leaded gasoline may not be available .
For more information on refueling your vehicle, see~
page 292.
Octane ra tin g
Octane rating indicates a gaso line's ability to resist engine
damaging "knock" caused by premature ignition and detonation.
Therefore, buying the correct grade of gaso line is very important to
help prevent possible engine damage and a loss of engine perfor ­
mance.
F ue l supply and fillin g you r fu el tank
Gasoline most common ly used in the United States and Canada has
the following octane ratings that can usua lly be found on the filler
pump:
• Premium Grade : 91 -96 AKI
• Regular Grade: 87 -90 AKI
Explanation of the abbreviations:
AKI = Anti Knock Index= (R +M)/2 = (RON +MON)/2
RON = Research Octane Number
MON
= M otor Octane Number .
0 Note
• Do not use any fue l with octane ratings lower than 87 AKI or 91
RON otherwise expensive engine damage will occur .
• Do
not use leaded gasoline. The use of leaded gasoline w ill
severe ly damage your vehicle's catalytic converter and its abi lity to
control exhaust emissions. •
Blended gasoline
Use of g aso line containing alco hol or M TB E ( meth yl
t er tiary butyl e ther )
You may use unleaded gasoline blended with alcohol or MTBE
(commonly referred to as oxygenates) if the blended mixture meets
the follow ing criteria:
Bl end of g asoline m eth anol (wood al coho l or methyl alc oh ol)
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher .
• Blend must contain no more than 3% methanol.
• Blend must contain more than 2% co-solvents.
Vehicle care I t •

<£> For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated nozzle switches off automatically
for the first time, the tank is full. Do not try to add more fuel because
fuel may spill out. In addition, the expansion space in the fuel tank
will be filled -causing the fuel to overflow when it becomes warm
and pollute the environment .
[ i ] Tips
• Running your engine while refuelling may cause vapors to
escape or even cause fuel to spill out of the tank. This would then
shut off the fue l nozzle before the tank is full.
• Do not refuel your vehicle with the ignition turned on . The fuel
gauge may otherwise not indicate the correct fuel level after
refuelling. •
Unlocking the fuel filler flap by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the power
locking system should fail.
0
- Remove the right-side trim panel.
- Take out the vehicle jack.
Fig. 228 Luggage
co mpartm ent: Emer­
gency opening of fuel
filler flap
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
- Pull the loop down in the direction of the arrow to unlock
the fuel filler flap=:> fig. 228. •
Vehic le care I I irechnical data