2008 AUDI S6 light

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& WARNING (continued )
• If the backrest is not securely latched, the child and the child
restraint will be thrown forward together with the backrest and
will strike parts of the vehicle interior . The child can be seriously
injured or killed .
• Never install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the front passenger seat. A child will be seriously injured and can be killed when the passenger airbag inflates .
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest , center arm rest , door or roof.
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the rear seat.
• Forward-facing child safety seats or infant carriers installed on
the front passenger's seat may interfere with the deployment of
the airbag and cause serious injury to the child .
• It is safer to install a forward -fac ing child safety seat on the rear
seat.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
=> page 234 . Special precau­
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat
=> page 214 , "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know ".
& WARNING
Always take special precautions if you must install a forward or
rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat in
exceptional situations:
• Whenever a forward or rearward -facing child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on whenever the ignition is
switched on .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued )
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on, perform the checks described
=> page 223, ''Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag System ".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on .
• Improper installation of child restraints can reduce their effec­
tiveness or even prevent them from providing any protection.
• An improperly installed child restraint can interfere with the
airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or even kill the child.
• Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
• Never place additional items on the seat that can increase the
total weight registered by the weight-sensing mat and can cause injury in a crash.
& WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:
• Always make sure the forward -facing seat has been designed
and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
• Never put the forward-facing child restraint up, against or very
near the instrument panel .
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range , as far away from the
airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child
restraint . The backrest must be adjusted to an upright position .
• Make sure that the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on . .,,,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

•L-----=C::..: h:...:..:..:. il-= d ~S=-= a~fe =-=- ty!.._ _____________________________________________ _
& WARNING
Rearward-facing child restraints:
• A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat installed on the
front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if
the front airbag inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag System.
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center arm rest, door or roof.
• Always be especially careful if you must install a rearward
facing child safety seat on the front passenger seat in exceptional
circumstances.
• A tight tether strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-mat in the seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. The heavier weight registered can make
the system work as though an adult were on the seat and deploy
the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing serious or even fatal injury to the child.
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on, immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer. •
Activating the convertible locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure a child
restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufacturer's instruc­
tions when installing a ch ild restraint in your vehicle. To
activate the convertible locking retractor: -
Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on the rear
seat.
- Slowly pull the belt
all the way out.
-Route it around or through the child restraint belt path
=>& .
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight.
- Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that seating
position.
- Guide the safety belt back into the retractor until the belt
lies flat and snug on the child safety seat.
- You should hear a "clicking" noise as the belt winds back
into the inertia reel. Test the convertible locking retractor
by pulling on the belt. You should no longer be able to
pull the belt out of the retractor. The convertible locking
retractor is now activated.
- Make sure that the red release button is facing away from
the child restraint so that it can be unbuckled quickly.
- Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is properly
tight and fastened so that the seat cannot move forward
or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
& WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improperly installed child
restraint can cause serious personal injury or death in a crash.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when
installing a child safety seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a crash.
~

& WARNING !continued)
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center arm rest, or door .
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight -mat in the seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. The heavier weight registered can make
the system work as though an adult were on the seat and deploy
the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing serious
or even fatal injury to the child.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on,
immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer. •
Securing the upper tether strap to the anchor
bracket
Safety first
Fig. 224 Tether strap:
proper routing and
mounting
Child Safety
Securing the child restraint tether strap to the
tether anchor
- Release or deploy the tether strap on the child restraint
according to the child restraint manufacturer's usage
instructions.
Guide the upper tether strap
under the rear head
restraint ~ fig. 224 (raise the head restraint if necessary) .
- Tilt the recess flap -detail view-:::;, fig. 224 up to expose
the anchor bracket .
- Slide the tether strap hook over the anchor bracket.
- Pull on the tether strap hook so that the spring catch of
the hook engages.
- Tighten the tether strap f irmly following the child
restraint manufacturer's instructions.
Releasing the tether strap
- Loosen the tension following the child restraint manufac­
turer's instructions.
- Depress the spring catch on the hook and release it from
the tether anchor.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS.
0 Note
If you leave the child restraint with the tether strap firmly installed
for several days, this could leave a mark on the upholstery on the seat cushion and backrest in the area where the tether strap was
installed. The upholstery would also be permanently stretched
around the tether strap. This applies especially to leather seats.•
Vehicle care
I I irechnical data

The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
t he aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is continua lly
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example, when the vehic le starts hydrop laning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate whee l to correct
the prob lem.
The vehicle is then stab ilized 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 mainly app lied on the wheel that is on
the outside of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to sl ide out of the curve), the brakes are applied at the
rear wheel that is on the inside of the curve . An acoustic signal indi­
cates when ESP brake application cuts in
~ & .
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system
~ page 262 . If the Anti -Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP wi ll be out of action as well.
Ac tivat ing
When you turn on the eng ine, ESP will automatically be activated
and will perform a se lf -test . As soon as the test is comp leted, the
system is in norma l operating mode.
You can activate a deactivated ESP or deactivated ESP/ASR if required by pressing the~
page 258, fig. 225 button . When they are
activated, the message
E S P/AS R on appears briefly in the display.
D eactiv ating
The ESP should normally be activated al l the time . If necessary, you
can deactivate An ti- Slip Regulation (ASR) or the E lectronic Stabiliza ­
tion Program (ESP) by pressing the button~
page 258, fig. 225.
• Dea ct ivat ing A SR: Tap the button . In certain exceptional situa ­
tions (e.g. driving with t ire chains) , the Anti-Sl ip Regulation (ASR)
can be deactivated ~
page 260. The message ASR off appears in the
display as we ll.
• Dea ctiv at ing E SP/ASR Press the button for more than 3 seconds.
With the ESP/ASR deactivated, the ESP check light comes on, see
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
In
te llig ent tec hn olo gy
~ page 19 . The message ES P sw itched off appears in the disp lay as
we ll.
& WARNING
The Electroni c Stabili zation Program i s never thele ss subject to the
la ws o f physics . It is p articularl y import ant t o pay a ttent ion t o th is
f a ct on wet and slippery road s. It is ther efore important tha t y ou
a lw ays a dapt your dr iving to the c ondit ion of th e ro ad and t raffi c
c ondition s. Do n ot allow the inc rea sed safety pro vided b y th e Elec ­
tr on ic S ta bili zatio n Pr ogram sys tem to lull you in to acc epting
add iti onal safet y risk s. C
Electronic differential tock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
Gener al note s
The electronic differential lock (EDU helps the car to start moving,
accelerate and c limb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or
almost no grip . Without EDL, this would be difficult, if not impos ­
sib le .
How th e sys te m wo rk s
The EDL operates automatical ly . It monitors the rotational speed of
the drive wheels on an axle with the he lp of the ABS sensors
~ page 262 . If a noticeable difference in rotational speed between
the drive wheels on one axle is detected (e.g. on slippery ground
on
one side),
the spinning wheel is braked, thereby transferring power
to the other drive wheel or whee ls (a ll -whee l drive) . Th is is done up
to a speed of about 60 mph ( 100 km/h). Noises from the brake
system signal that wheel spin is being control led .
Dr iving off
When driving off , always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface
Iii>
•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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with less grip, gradually increase the pressure on the accelerator
pedal until the car starts to move.
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads on this wheel, the EDL cuts out tempo ­
rarily. The vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way
as a vehicle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto ­
matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can 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 driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning light=>
page 22. •
Ant"-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP). When the vehicle starts up and acceler ­
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR
performs automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS sensors=>
page 262, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine
torque is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to
lock onto the road surface. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
Th e ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR will also be out of action.
Activating
The ESP is automatically activated when the engine is started and it
performs a self -test . You can activate a deactivated ASR if required
by pressing the =>
page 258, fig. 225 button . When it is activated,
the message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display. Vehicles
with front-wheel drive a deactivated ASR automatically re-activates
itself at a speed of 40 mph (70 km/h) .
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if required by pressing the button (for
less than 3 seconds)=>
page 258, fig. 225. With the ASR deactivated,
the ESP check light comes on, see=>
page 19. The message ASR off
appears in the display as well. On vehicles with front-wheel drive:
deactivation is possible only up to 30 mph (50 km/h) for safety
reasons . Vehicles with all -wheel drive: the ASR can be deactivated
at any speed .
The ASR should normally be activated all the time. Only in certain
exceptional situations when some slip is desirable does it make
sense to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck .

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& WARN ING (continued )
• Before des cending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans­
mission into a lower gear or lower dr iving range. D o not r ide the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
c au se the brake s to get hot and dimin ish braking effi ciency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to b rake. This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and in crea sed stopping distan ce.
• Under certain climat ic and oper ating condit ion s s uch as
passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter ,
ice c an a ccumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums .
Carefully apply brakes fo r a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications .
• Driving for an e xtended pe riod of time on salt-covered road s
without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency . Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake disc s and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spoile r, or if you install a different
spoiler , 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 br ake system .
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance . Avo id driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop .
u
Brake booster
T he brake boo ster ad ds e xtra bra kin g pow er.
T he brake booster works with vacuum pressure which is created
only when t he en gine is run ning~ &.
& WARNING
• Never let the vehi cle roll to a stop with the engine shut off .
• If the brake boo ster is not working, for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged, the brake pedal must be pre ssed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance . •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
-- --
ABS preven ts the wheels from l ocking up und er bra kin g.
T he ABS contributes effectively to vehicle contro l since it prevents
th e w hee ls fr om lo cking when the brakes a re app lied . T hi s m ea ns
that the vehicle remains steerable and is less l ikely to skid.
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake . Just hold the brake
pedal down .
H owever, do not expect the AB S to shorten braking distance under
all circu ms tances. When drivi ng on grave l or on newly fa lle n sn ow
on top of icy surfaces, braking distance may be even longer, there ­
f o re, unde r these c ircums ta nces , it is es pecially imp ortant th at you
drive slow ly and with great care .
How the ABS system works
An automatic check is made when a speed of about 4 mph (6 km/h)
i s r eac hed . W he n th is happens, a pumping n oise ca n be heard.
I f a n indiv idual wheel be gins to rotat e too slowly in relation to
vehic le speed and tends to lock, the ABS automatically reduces
brake pressur e to p revent that whee l from loc king .
T his automatic adjustment p rocess will cause a slight vibration of
t he brake peda l a nd some noi ses t o a le rt yo u th at ve hicle speed
must be adapted to ex isting 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 functioning properly, a warning light will come on .
See
=> page 22.
• If a fault occurs in the ABS , the EDL is also not functioning. This
is indicated 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 pedal very quickly, the brake assistant automati ­
cally boosts the braking force to the maximum level, up to the point
where the anti-lock brake function (ABS) intervenes to stop the
wheels from locking. You should then keep the brake pedal pressed
until the vehicle has braked to the required speed. The brake assis ­
tant switches itself off as soon as you release the brake pedal.
The brake assistant will not be operative if there is a malfunction in
the ABS.
In vehicles with Adaptive Cruise Control* (ACC), the distance to the
vehicle ahead is continuously calculated using a radar sensor,
within the limits of the system=>
page 135. If the radar system
detects a short distance to the vehicle ahead, the brake system
exerts a small braking force to reduce the brake response time in
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
case of braking. In this way, the brake application can be quickened
and
the stopping distance reduced.
& 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.
n
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.
The power steering fluid level is checked during the scheduled
maintenance services.
0 Note
If there is an electronic malfunction, servotronic will still function
like a conventional power steering system, providing a constant
steering support force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed. This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
low speeds (for example when parking), -more effort will be
required than usual.
II-
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. •