2009 AUDI S6 brake fluid

This automatic adjustment process will cause a slight vibration of
the brake pedal and some noises to alert you that vehicle speed
must be adapted to existing road and traffic conditions .
& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always remember that braking
capability is limited by tire traction. Always adjust your driving
speed according to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risks.
The ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics .
[ i ] Tips
• If ABS is not functioning properly, a warning light will come on .
See ~
page 21.
• If a fau lt 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 quick ly, 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.
T he brake assistant wil l not be operative if there is a malfunction in
the ABS .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
& WARNING
Please remember that the
accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast , especially in corners or on a slippery road, or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too closely. Increased risk of an
accident cannot be compensated for even by the brake assistant ,
so always maintain a safe speed. •
Servotronic® -advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise steering with little effort.
The advanced Servotronic ® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortab le 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 ma lfunction, servotronic wi ll 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 whee l at
low speeds (for examp le when parking), -more effort will be
required than usual.
• Be aware of the different than usual steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly.
• Have the problem checked and set right by an Aud i dealer as
soon as possible. ._
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Operating instructions
Max im um tra iler weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer.
T ra ile r l oa d di stributio n
Be sure the load in the trailer is he ld securely in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or sideways .
Never allo w a passe nger to r ide in a tr aile r~ & in "Driving instruc­
tions" .
Engin e c oolin g sys te m
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harder. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additiona l load. Make
sure that the coo ling system has enough fluid .
Tire pr ess ure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the co ld tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the labe l located on the driver's
side B -pillar {visible when the door is open). Inflate trailer tires to
trailer and tire manufacturers' specifications .
Light s
The head light settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off . Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safe ty chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave e nough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you insta ll safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the r oad when you a re driving .
The chains should cross under the tra iler tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must activate the trailer opera­
tion mode ~
page 186, "Towing a trailer". •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of veh icle and trailer,
please note t he following :
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
Be espec ia lly careful whe n passing other vehicles.
- Observe s peed l imits .
Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed .
Always apply brakes ear ly.
Moni tor t he temperature ga uge.
Weight distr ibution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly
unstable distr ibution 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 control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and perm is ­
s ib le, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances . Whenever possible, transfe r some cargo to t he luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considera tions . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ C_ le_ a _ n_i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d __ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserves vehicle value.
Any automobile is exposed to industrial fumes, corrosive road salt,
muddy dog feet, etc . A well cared for Audi can look like new many
years a fter purchase. Regu lar a nd correct ca re will co ntribu te to
maintaining the beauty and value of your Audi.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition for substantiating a
war ranty claim should co rros ion damage or paint defect s occur .
Your authorized Audi dealer has a variety of dedicated vehicle- care
product s
and can adv ise whic h ones to use for clea ning the e xter ior
and interior of your vehicle.
Whethe r you use p roducts recommended by Audi or other c ommer ­
cia lly availab le cleaning agents , please make sure you apply them
correctly.
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep them out of the reach
of ch ildren .
• Heed all caution label s.
• Always read directions on the contai ner before using any
product. Follow the di rection s carefully .
• Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be
d iluted.
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated area s.
• Do not use gasoline , kerosene , die sel fuel , nail polish remover
or other volatile fluids . They may be toxic , flammable or hazardous
in other way s. Do not wash , wa x or dry the vehicle w ith the igni ­
tion on or the engine running.
& WARNING (continued )
• Do not clean the under side s of chassis , fenders , wheel cove rs,
etc . without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself
on sharp -edg ed metal parts .
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking effi ciency
=> page 265 , "General info rmation ". Test the brake s carefully each
time you wa sh the vehicle.
~ For the sake of the environment
Se lect only enviro nmenta lly friend ly c leaning products . Leftover
clean ing products should not disposed of in the household waste. •
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequen t washing pro tects the vehi cle.
Th e bes t protection against envi ronmental influences is frequent
washing and waxing . How often this is required depends on:
• Ho w much the vehic le is used
• Where the vehic le is parked (garage, in the open under trees,
etc.)
• T he seasonal and weather conditions
• Environmenta l influences
T he longer bird droppings, insects, tree resin, road and industrial
gri me, tar, soot, road salt and ot her materials rema in on the ve hicle
body, the more lasting their destruc tive effects will be . High temper ­
atu res caused by exp osu re to in tense s un ligh t inte nsify the c orro -
sive effect, particularly when humidity is high as well.
~

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•
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the struts is
reduced .
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fail to engage => &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
~ & .
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood :
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake .
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever to "P" (Park).
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment .
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm . The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary :
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames . Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine
is running or being started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running: -First, fully apply the parking brake, move selector lever to "P"
(Park). .,
Vehicle care
I t •

--~C~h.!. e~ c~k ~in ~ g~ a~n ~d~ f~il ~li~ n~gL ___________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued )
• Antifreeze is poi sonous. Alway s store antifreeze in its original
container and well out of the rea ch of children.
• If you drain the coolant , it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper container clea rly marked "poi son ".
0 Note
• Coo lant po llutes the env ironment and could cause an engine
fire . Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief
valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
• If, in an emergency, on ly wa ter ca n be added, the correc t rati o
between water and antifreeze=>
page 307 must be restored as soon
as possible .
~ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused. Always dispose of used
co olant whi le observ ing all e nvir o nmen tal regula tions .•
Radiator fan
The radi ator fan s wit ches on automa tically by i tsel f.
The radiator fan is driven by t he engine v ia the V -belt. The v iscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the temperature
of the coo lant .
An aux iliary e lectric radiator fan* switches on and off depending on
c oo lant temperature and other vehicle opera tin g co ndi tions.
After you switch the engine off, the aux iliary fan can continue
running for up to 10 minutes -even with the ignition off. It can even
switc h on again later by itself=>&, if
• the temperature of the engine coolant rises due to the heat
bui ld-up fr om the eng ine in the engine c ompartmen t, or •
the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in in tense s un ligh t.
& WARNING
• To reduce the ri sk of personal injury never touch the radiator
fan .
• The auxiliary e lectric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The au xiliary radiator fan switches on automatic ally when the
engine coolant reaches a ce rtain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature d rops .•
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
T he brak e fluid level can be checked wit h a quick glance.
F ig . 243 Engine
c o mp artment : B ra ke
fluid re servoir
Befo re you c heck anything in the e ngi ne compartme nt,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
t h e e ngin e com part ment" on
page 30 1. ~

Checkin g and fillin g Ill
--------------~-
•
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
~ fig. 243. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side=> page 302.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto ­
matic adjustment of the brake pads . This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator l ight (U.S. models:
BRAKE , Canadian models:
CCD> l will come on=> page 22 and=> page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle . The complete brake syste m shou ld be thor ­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate . Contact an authorized
Audi dea ler
immedi ately. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni ­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling po int of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
T herefore, the brake fluid must be changed
ever y two yea rs. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federa l Motor Veh ic le Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DO T 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho­
rized
Audi deal er. Your dealer has the co rrect tools, the right brake
fluid and the know-how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Bra ke fluid i s poi sonou s. It m ust be stor ed only in the closed
or iginal container out of the reach of children!
• Brake f ailur e can result fr om old or in approp riat e bra ke fluid .
Ob serve the se pre cauti ons:
- Use o nly br ake fluid that me ets SAE specifi cation
J 1703 and
c onfo rm s t o Fed eral Mo to r V ehicle Standard 116 . Alway s check
w ith your auth oriz ed A udi de aler t o m ake sure you are usin g
the correct b rake flu id . The corre ct ty p e of brake flu id i s al so
indi cate d on the br ake fl uid r eservo ir .
- The brake f luid mu st be new . Heav y use of the brake s can
ca us e a va por lo ck if the brake fluid is left in the sy stem too
long. Thi s ca n seriou sly affect th e effic iency of the brake s as
well as your safe ty. T his co uld r esult i n an a ccide nt.
0 No te
Brake fluid wil l damage the paint of your vehicle .
'£> For the sake of the environm ent
Because of the problem 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 authorized Audi
dea ler. •
Battery
General information
Under norm al 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 ._
Vehicle care I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Tire pr essure
Inco rrect tire pressure causes prematu re wear and can cau se
sudden tire blow-out. For this reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a month
~ page 323 .
Driving style
Dr iv ing fa st around curves, heavy acceleration and hard brak ing
increase tire wear.
Rotating tire s for more even wear
For all four t ires on your vehic le to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rea r tires are rotat ed acc ord ing to the
tire manufacturer 's suggested tire rotation intervals. Please
remembe r the f ollo wi ng :
• Tire rotat ion i nterva ls m ay d iffer from the vehic le serv ice inte r­
vals outl ined in your Maintenance and Warranty Book let.
• The longer one tire is used in one location on the vehicle, t he
more it wears at certain points; the refo re, we recommend that you
f ollow the tire manu facturer's sug ges ted t ire rotat ion i nte rvals.
• Vehicles with fro nt-w hee l dr ive e xper ience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to all -wheel drive (quattro®l .
• Please rotate tires as sh ow n~
page 32 7, fig. 250 .
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
~ pag e 349 .
Wheel balancing
T he w hee ls o n new v ehic les are balanced. However, various s itua ­
tions during everyday driving can cause them to become unba l­
anc ed, resu lti ng in vib rati ons yo u ca n us ually feel thro ugh t he
steer ing whee l.
U nba la nce d w heels must b e re ba lance d to avoid e xcessive wea r on
steering, suspension and tires. A whee l must a lso be reba lanced
when a new tire is installed.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect w hee l al ig nm ent ca n cau se e xcess ive ti re wea r, impa iring
t h e s afety of th e veh ic le. If t ires s how excessive w ear, have the
w hee l a lig nme nt checke d by a n autho rize d Aud i deale r or qualifie d
wo rkshop.
All Wheel Drive
Vehic les with quattro® must always have tires of the same size,
co nstruct ion an d tread ty pe. For deta ils see ~
page 268.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of control , a crash and serious
personal injury !
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators.
• Worn tires are a safety hazard , they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning " and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage , such as
grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds .
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history. " Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control . •

-Alphabetical index
---=--------------------------------
A
A . ccessones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Adapter for cupholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Adaptive Air Suspension .. .... ... .... 184
Automatic mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Dynamic mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire .
186
Lift mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Setting the driving modes .. .... ... 185
Standard mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Trailer towing mode ... .... .... ... 186
Warning/indicator lights ........... 20
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Changing speed .. ........... .... 131
D. . f . river in ormat1on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Driver interven tion prompt ........ 138
Driving in traffic ...... .... ...... . 128
Driving program ...... .... .... ... 139
Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Open road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Override 128
Request for driver to assume control 128
Save speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Setting distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Setting time interval .. .. ....... ... 133
Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Specia l driving situations .. .. .. ... 140
Status messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Switching on and off .. .... .... ... 130
System limits ...... .... .......... 140
Temporarily turning off ... ..... ... 132
warning/indicator lights .... ..... .. 135
Adaptive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
defective ......................... 36
Adding
Engine coolant ................ ...
309
Engine oil ... .. ...... ....... ..... 306
Windshield washer fluid .. ...... ... 316
Additional accessories .... .... .... ... 374
Additives
Engine oil
Adjusting
. .. .. ..... .. .... .... ... 306
Instrument cluster i llumination ...... 16
Steering column electrically .. ... .. 115
Steering column manually ......... 114
How many airbags does my vehicle have?
222
How the Advanced Airbag System compo -
nents work together . . . . . . . . . . . . .
223
Important things to know ... .... ... 215
Indicator light .... .... ........... 226
Monitoring .... .... .... ...... .... 226
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light ..... 227
Repairs ..... .. .... .... .......... 229
Safety instructions .. ...... .... ... 228
Side airbags . .... .... ............ 231
Side curtain airbags .. ....... .. ... 234
Weight -sensing mat .... ... .... ... 239
When must the system be inspected? . ..
226
All Wheel Drive ... .... .... .. . .... .. . 268
Ad' . f Justing ront seats .. .... .... .... ... 80 All h 1 oy w ee s ....................... 287
Air conditioning
See Climate controls ... ...... ... . .
102
Airbag
Warning/indicator lights ..... ......
18
Airbag system . ... .... ........ .. 215, 232
Advanced Airbag System .......... 219
Advanced Airbag System components ..
222
Care ...... .... .... .... .... .... .. 229
Child restraints .................. 240
Children .. .... ..... .. .... .... ... 239
Components (front airbags) .. ... ... 222
Danger of fitting a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat . .... .... ...
217
Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Front airbags ....... .... ... .. 219,220
How do the front aiirbags work? .... 224
All- whee l drive
Winter tires
A lternator
333
Malfunction ......... ... .. .... .... 30
Anti -freeze
See Engine coolant system ...... ..
307
Anti-glare inside day-night mirror .... .. 75
Anti -lock brake system
How the ABS system works . .... ...
266
Warning/indicator lights ...... ... ... 21
Anti -Slip Regulation System (ASR)
How the system works . . . . . . . . . . . .
264
Anti-theft systems
Anti -theft alarm system .. ...... ....
54
Electronic immobilizer ............. 44
Tilt sensors ....................... 55