2008 AUDI S6 ECO mode

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

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

-Tr
aile r t ow ing ---=--------------
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor­
tation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that the additional load
wi ll affect durability, economy and performance.
Trai ler towing not on ly p laces more stress on the vehicle, it a lso ca lls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reason, always fol low the operating and driving instructions
provided and use common sense.
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must activate the trailer opera­
tion mode =>
page 184, "Towing a trailer".
Technical requirements
Tra iler hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weight .
The hitch must be suitable for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted secure ly on the ve hicle's chass is at a
technically sound
location. Use only a trailer hitch with a removable ball mount.
Always check with the trai ler hitch manufacturer to make sure that
you are using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bumper hit ch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way tha t it does not interfere
with the impact-absorbing bumper system. No modifications should be made to the vehic le exhaust and brake systems. From time to time, check that all hitch mounting bolts remain securely
fastened.
When you are no
t towing a trailer, remove the traile r hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage shou ld your
vehic le be struck from behind=>& .
Traile r br akes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system, check to be sure
that it conforms to al l regu lations.
The trai ler hydraulic brake system must no t be direct ly connected to
the vehicle's hydraulic brake system.
Safet y chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle and the trailer.
Trailer light s
Trailer lights must meet a ll regulations. Be sure to check with your
Audi dealer for correc t wiring, sw itches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traf fic behind you using the regu lar
outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is impor­
tant that you
always have c lear vision to the rear.
& WARNING
After rem oving the tr aile r hitch , do not store it in your vehi cle. In
ca se of sudde n braking , the hit ch co uld fl y for ward and injure you
or your p asseng ers. a

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& WARNING
B efo re you c heck anythin g in th e engine comp artme nt, a lways
r e ad and heed all WARNING S
~ & in "Workin g in the en gine
co mp art m ent " o n page 297. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of
oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated powerplant that was built
to exacting specifications. This engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding quality and viscosity
so that it can run smoothly and reliably . Choos ing the right oil and
changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your
vehic le's Maintenance
& Warranty booklet matters a lot more today
than it did years ago. Audi has developed a special quality standard for engine oil that will help assure that your vehicle's engine will get
t he lubr ication it needs for proper operation .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years . Many synthetic oi ls availab le today provide better engine
lubrication that can outlast traditional petroleum-based oils,
making them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum -based engine oi l, the oi l
that you use must conform to Audi's oi l quality standard VW 502 00
t o help keep your vehicle's engine running smoo th ly and help
prevent the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
"s ludge," that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oi ls avai lable in the U.S. and Canada
that meet the exacting specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils . This does not mean, however, that every synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00
. So
a lways be sure tha t you use an approved o il.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oil with
the fo llowing specifications printed on the oil container:
Audi oil standard VW 50 2 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combi ­
nation with other designa tions and oil quality standards .
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity. The proper
viscosity grade oi l for your engine depends on c limactic or seasona l
conditions where you drive. You can use oil with a viscosity grade of
SAE 5W40 across all temperature ranges for normal driving condi ­
tions .
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE 5W40 is not available, you
can a lso use viscos ity grade SAE 5W-30 or SAE 0W -40 as long as it
meets Audi oil qua lity standard VW 502 00 specifications .
Because engine o il that meets the Audi o il standard may not be
avai lable everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you a lways carry with you an extra quart (l iter) of oil that
express ly conforms to the VW 502 00 specification, in case you have
to top off the oil while on the road .
Only if the level of the o il is at or be low the minimum mark on the
oi l dipstick - and no oil that expressly conforms to Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 specifica tions is avai lable -may you top off wit h a high
quality engine oi l, preferably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA A5 or ACEA 85, AP I SL or ILSAC GF -3 spec ifications, but even
then, only in viscosity grades SAE 5W-40 , SAE 5W -30, or SAE 0W -40 .
However, during the enti re time between oi l cha nge interva ls, never
top off with more than a total of 0.5 qt/ liter engine oi l that does not
conform to Audi oil specification VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oi l that has bee n approved for
your vehicle, p lease contact either your authorized Audi dea ler or
Audi C ustomer Relations at 1 (800) 822 -2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca . Here you will a lso find a .._
Vehicle care I t •

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•
because the lubricating properties of oil diminish gradually during
normal vehicle use .
Under some circumstances the engine oil should be changed more
frequently . Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predomi ­
nantly stop -and -go traffic conditions, or have your vehicle where
temperatures remain below freez ing for extended periods.
Detergent additives in the oi l will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oi l more often than recommended .
Because of the problem of proper disposal, along with the specia l
tools and necessary expertise required, we strongly recommend
that you have your oi l changed by an authori zed
Audi dea ler or a
qual ified service stat ion.
If you choo se to cha nge yo ur oi l y ou rse lf, please no te the following
important information:
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of per sonal injury if you m ust change the engine
o il in you r veh ic le y our self :
• Wear eye protection.
• To reduce the ri sk of burn s from hot engine oil , let the engine
c ool down to the tou ch.
• When removing the oil drain plug with your fing ers , sta y as far
away as po ssi ble . Alw ay s k eep your f orearm par allel to the gr ound
to help pre vent hot oil from running down your arm .
• Drain t he oil int o a contain er de signed for thi s purpo se , one
large enough to hold at l ea st th e total amount of oil in your eng ine .
• Engine oil i s poi sono us. K eep it well out of the rea ch of ch ildr en .
• Continuou s contact with u sed engine oil i s harmful to your
sk in. Al wa ys prote ct you r ski n by washing oil off thoroughl y with
s oap and w ater.
0 Note
Never mix oil addi tives with your engine oil. These add itives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Audi Limited New
Vehicle Warranty .
c£> For the sake of the environment
• Before changing your oi l, first make sure you know where you
can properly dispose of the us ed oil.
• Always dispose of used engine oil properly. Do not dump it on
garden soil , wooded areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains .
• Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a used engine oil collec ­
tion fac ility in your area , or contact a service station. •
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it keeps the
engine from overheating and it protects the engine from
freezing i n the winter.
The cooling system is sea led and generally requires little attention.
The coo ling system has been fi lled at the factory with a permanent
coolant which does not need to be changed . The coolant consists of
a mixture of water and the manufac turer's glycol-basedcoolant
additive G 12+ an tifreeze with anticorrosion additives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian models). This mixture both assures the
necessary frost protection and protects metal components in the
engine 's cooling system from corrosion and scaling . It also raises
the boiling point of the coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo lant in the summer by
adding plain water.
The p ropo rt ion of co ola nt additiv e mu st be at .,_
Vehicle care
I t •

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T he fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
m atic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level fal ls
considerably below the "MIN" mark , the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian models:
{(j))) will come on~ page 23 and ~ page 32. Do not continue to
operate the vehic le. The complete brake system should be thor ­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qua lified
facili ty and the cause corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator l ight will illuminate. Contact an au thorized
Audi dea ler
immediate ly .•
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fl uid changed by an experienced techni­
ci an.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too h igh, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerab ly and decrease braking performance .
Therefore , the brake fluid must be changed
e v ery tw o year s. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehic le Stan ­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
T he brake fluid res ervoir can b e difficult to reach, th erefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho ­
rized
Audi de aler . Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fl uid and the know -how to do t his fo r you .
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poi sonous . It mu st be stored onl y in the clo sed
o riginal cont ainer out of the rea ch of children!
• Brake failure c an re sult from old or inappropri ate br ake flu id .
Obs erv e the se pre caution s:
& WAR N IN G (c ontinued )
-Use only brake fluid that meet s SAE specification J 1703 and
c onfo rm s to Feder al Moto r Vehicle St andard 116 . Al wa ys check
w ith your authori zed Audi dealer to make sure you are u sin g
the corre ct b rake flu id. The cor rect type of br ake fluid is als o
indic ated on the brake fl uid reservoir .
- The brake fluid mus t be ne w. Heav y use of th e brake s can
ca use a vapor lock if the bra ke fluid i s left in the sy stem too
long . Thi s can seriou sly affect the efficiency of the brake s as
w ell as your s afety . This could r esult in an a ccident .
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle .
Because of the p rob lem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special too ls required and the necessary expertise, we recom­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authori zed Audi
dea ler .•
Battery
General information
Und er n ormal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With
high outside temperatures or long
daily drives we recommend that you have the electrolyte level
checked by a se rvice facility . The e lectrolyte level should a lso be
checked each time the battery is charged~
page 310 .
Have the batte ry checked when you take your vehic le in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is o lder than 5 years . _,,
Vehicle care I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
for the vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were
on your vehic le at the time it was manufactured.
If you w is h t o improve co mfort w hen opera ting the vehicle a t
n ormal lo ad (up t o 3 o ccupant s), you can a djust ti re pre ss ure s to
tho se s pecified for norm al v ehi cle load . B efore operating the vehi cle
at m aximum lo ad , y ou must i ncreas e the t ire p re ss ure s to tho se
s pe cifi ed for m axim um vehicle lo ad
=> & .
Bear in mind that the tire pressure monitoring system can only
monitor the tire pressures you have stored. The system does not
recognize the load condition of your vehic le.
The effectiveness of the tire pressure monitoring system will be impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehic le at its maximum load=>&. See the
illustration=>
page 317, fig. 240 for the location of the label
either on driver's side B -p illar or inside the fuel fi ller flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slight ly).
Note that the fol lowing tab le is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change . In the event of discrepanc ies, the tire
pressure label (on USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on
the dr iver's side B-pi llar; on Canada vehicles, the tire pressure labe l
is located either on the driver's side B-pillar or inside the fue l fi ller
fl ap) always takes precedence.
T he table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi model covered by your Owner's Literature at the
vehic le's capacity weight and the tire sizes installed on the respec ­
tive models as origina l equipment, or as a factory option.
En gin e Tire des ig nation Tir e pr essur e fro nt Tir e p re ssur e rea r
( di spl ac e-
no rm al l oa d no rm al l oa d
m ent in
conditi on (up t o full lo
ad
condition (u p full lo
ad
lit er)
condition condition 3 occupants ) to 3 occ upant s)
PSI kPA kPA kPA
6-cylinder 225/5 5 R16 99H XL All Sea son 33 230 35 240
30 210
39 270
3.2
245 /45 R17 99H XL All Season 33 230 35 240 30 2 10 39 270
2 45 /40 R1 8 97 H XL All Season 36 250
38 260 33 230 42 290
245
/40 R18 97V XL Hi gh Performan ce 33 230 33 230 30 210
39 270
8
-c ylind er 245 /45 R17 99H XL All Sea son 36 250 36 250 32 220 41 280
4.2
245/40 R18 97 H XL All S eason 39 270 39 270 35 240 42 290
2
45 /40 R18 97V XL High Perf orma nce 35 240
36 250 32 220 39 270
X
L = reinforced or extra load t ire . It may also appea r as xi, EX TRA LOAD , or RF on the tire sidewall.
The correct t ire pressure for the
spare wheel is located on a label
either on the driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel fil ler flap. Because technica
l changes may be made to vehicle equipment
during the mode l year, always compare the tire size designation on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehic le .
Make sure that the tire size information on the vehic le label is the _.,

Tires and wheels -________________ w-.
•
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs before putting snow
chains on you r veh icle =>
(D. For sa fety reasons c ove r cap s m ust
then be fitted over the wheel bo lts . These are avai lable from autho ­
r ized Aud i deale rs.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehicle or in stalling them
incorrectly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
• Snow ch ains are available in different sizes . Always make sure
to follow the instructions provided by the snow chain manufac ­
turer .
• When driving with snow chains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains .
• Always observe local regulations .
0 Note
• Remove sn ow chai ns b efore d rivin g on roads not cove red w ith
snow to avoid damaging tires and wearing the snow chains down
u n n ecessa r i ly.
• Snow chains , which come into d irect contact with t he whee l rim,
ca n scratc h or da mage it. T herefore, ma ke sur e tha t th e snow chains
are suitably covered.
• I f the Adaptive Air Suspensio n* shou ld malfunction, do no t
mount or use snow chains because the vehicle will be extremely
l o w. I f yo u do drive w ith snow c hai ns o n w hi le t he ve hicle is a t thi s
level, the snow cha ins might severe ly damage the wheelhouse and
ot her parts o f the vehicle.
[ i ] Tips
W her e sn ow c hai ns are manda tory on certa in roa ds, t his no rm ally
a lso app lies to vehic les with Al l Wheel Drive. •
Wheel bolts
Wheel bo lts must alw ays be t ig hte ned to the correct
to rq ue .
The design of wheel bo lts is matched to the factory instal led rims. If
d iffere nt rim s are fitted, the corr ect w heel bo lts w it h t he rig ht le ngth
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This ensures that
w he els are fitted securely and that the brake sys tem func tions
correctly.
I n certa in c ircums ta nces, you may not use wheel bo lts from
a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model=> page 368.
& WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel bolts can become loose
causing loss of control , a collision and serious personal injury .
• Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads in the wheel hubs
clean so the wheel bolts can turn easily and be properly tightened.
• Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and the threads in the wheel
hubs. They can become loose while driving if greased or oiled,
even if tightened to the specified torque .
• Only use wheel bolts that belong to the rim being installed .
• Never use different wheels bolts on your vehicle.
• Always maintain the correct tightening torque for the wheel
bolts to reduce the risk of a wheel loss.
If the tightening torque of
the wheel bolts is too low , they can loosen and come out when the
vehicle is moving . If the tightening torque is too high, the wheel
bolts and threads can be damaged and the wheel can become
loose .
0 Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 9 0 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
to lera nce of± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque whee l b o lt s d ia go nally.
Af ter changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as .,_
Vehicle care I t •