2009 AUDI S6 coolant

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Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig. Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions
are unfavorable -particularly when going downhi ll.
Reduce vehicle speed
im med ia tel y if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to s top the swayi ng by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trai lers are lower than for regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes ear ly. When driving downhill, shift into a lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes a lone can cause them to overheat and fail.
C ool ant t emp era tur e
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 12 must be observed care­
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immed iately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing
- F- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build-up.
& WARNING
A nyo ne n ot properly re str aine d in a moving vehi cle i s at a mu ch
g re ater ri sk in an accident . Never let any on e r ide in y our car who
is n ot pr operl y wea ring th e re stra ints pr ovided b y Audi . •
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and different weight distribution. Safety, performance and economy will greatly depend on how carefully you
l
oad your trailer and operate your r ig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic . Keep practicing unti l you
have become comp letely familiar with the way your vehicle-trai ler
combination behaves and responds.
Back ing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a
trailer generally requires steering action opposite to that when backing up your vehic le without a tra iler.
Ma intain a greater distance between your veh ic le and the one in
front of you . You will need more room to stop. To compensate for
the trai ler, you w ill need a larger than norma l turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you nor mally wou ld because of the added load . Make su re you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trai ler befo re changing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
[ i ] T ips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break -in period of your vehicle.
• I f you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent main te­
nance due to the extra load=>
page 372. •
Parking on a slope
Do n ot park on a slope with a trailer. If it cann ot be
avoi ded, do so only after d oing the followi ng:
When p arking :
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and
the trailer wheels. ._

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Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
-Open the driver's door .
Fig. 236 Driver's side
footwell: engine hood
release lever
-Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel
~ fig. 236 in the direct ion of the arrow.
The hood pops up sl ightly under spring pressure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 237 Release lever
under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that the w ind­
shield wipers are flat against the windshield. Otherwise,
they could damage the paint on the hood.
Pull up on the release under the hood
~ fig. 237. This
releases the catch
~ /n. .
- Open the hood all the way.
& WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
• 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. •

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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 •

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T he engine oil must be changed according to the intervals specified
in your Warranty
& Maintenance book le t. This is very important
because the lubricating properties of oi l diminish gradually during
normal vehicle use .
Under some circumstances the engine oil should be changed more
frequently. Change oil more often if you drive most ly short
distances, opera te the vehic le in dusty areas or under predomi ­
nant ly stop-and-go traffic conditions, or have your vehicle where
t emperatures remain below free zing for extended periods.
Detergent additives in the oil wil l make fresh oi l look dark after the
engine has been running for a sh ort time . This is normal and is not
a reason to chan ge the oi l more often than recommended.
Because of the problem of proper disposal, along with the specia l
t ools and necessary expertise requ ired, we strongly recommend
that you have your oi l changed by an authorized
Audi de aler or a
qualified se rvice statio n.
If you choo se to change your oil yourself , please note the following
important information:
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of per sonal injury if you mu st ch ange the engine
o il in you r veh icle your self :
• Wear eye protection.
• To reduce the ri sk of burns from hot engine oil , let the eng ine
c ool down to the touch.
• Wh en remo ving the oil dra in plug with your fingers , stay a s far
aw ay as po ssible. Alway s keep your forearm parallel to the ground
to help prevent hot oil from ru nning do wn your arm .
• Drain t he o il into a container designed for thi s purpo se , one
large enough to hold at lea st the total amount of oil in your eng ine.
• Engine oil i s poi sonous . K eep it well out of the rea ch of children .
& WAR N IN G ( continued )
• Continuous contact with used engine oil i s harmful to your
sk in. Al way s prote ct your skin b y was hing oil off thorough ly w ith
soap and water .
0 Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil. These additives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Aud i Limited New
Vehicle Warranty.
• Before changing your oil, first make sure you know where you
can properly dispose of the used oil.
• Always dispose of used engine oil properly. Do not dump it on
garden soil, wooded areas, into ope n strea ms or down sewage
drains .
• Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a used engine oil collec ­
tion facility in your area, or contact a service station. •
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolan t per for ms two functions: i t kee ps the
engine from ove rhe ating and it prot ects the e ngine from
freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sea led and general ly requires litt le attention.
The coo ling system has been fi lled at the fac tory with a per manent
coolant which does not need to be changed. The coo lant consists of
a m ixture of water and the manufacturer's glycol -b asedco olant
additive G 12++ antifreeze with anti corrosion additives (50% for USA .-,
Vehicle care I t •

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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 coolant in the summer by
adding plain water.
Th e pro port io n of coo la nt additi ve mu st be at
lea st 50 % but n ot mor e th an 60 %
to maintai n ant ifreeze protection
and cooling efficiency. If the coolant frost protection is too low , the
coolant could free ze and damage the veh icle heating and engine
cooling system .
For year-round driving , antifreeze is added at the factory for temper ­
atures down to:
• -31 °F ( -35 °c1 usA
• - 40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
You can mix the
Gl 2+ + coolant additive with other additives (G12+
or G12). Always check w ith your authorized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
B efo re you che ck anyt hing in th e eng ine compartmen t, alway s
re ad a nd he ed all WARN ING S~
& in " Working in the engine
c ompar tm ent " on
page 30 1.
0 Not e
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coo lant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especia lly important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold . If necessary, increase the proportion of
coolant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolan t additive to your coo ling system,
remember:
-We recommend using only coolant additive
G12+ + (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is avai lable at autho­
riz ed Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly reduce corrosion protection. The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage.
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's
engine coolan t. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result
in damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
F ig . 2 42 E ngin e
com partm ent : Cool ant
ex pans io n tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
alw ays read and h eed all WARNINGS ~ & in "Working in
the eng ine compartment" on page 301.
- Turn off the ignition.
- Read the e ngine coo lant level from the coo lant expan -
sion tank~ fig. 242. With a cold engi ne, the coolant level
sho uld be between the "min" and "max" markings. W hen
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
"max" marking .
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the
engine compartment illustration~
page 302.

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T o obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off .
The expansion tank in your vehic le is equipped with an e lectric
coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto ­
Check System ~
page 37 will blink until you add coo lant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coo lant level
from time to time .
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system. In the event
of coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer . It is not enough merely to add
coo la nt.
In a sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating .
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's engine
coolant . Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the func­
tion and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 301.
- Turn off the engine.
- Let the engine cool down. Place
a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
~ page 308, fig. 242 and carefully twist the cap counter­
clockwise ~& .
Add coolant.
- Twist the cap on again
tightly .
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
~ page 307, "Coolant". Even in an emergency, if coolant additive
G12++ , G12 + or G12 is not availab le, do not use a different additive .
Use plain water instead until you can get the correct add itive and
can restore the correct ratio. This shou ld be done as soon as
possible.
If you have lost a considerab le amount of coolant, then you should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold .
A lw ays use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Excess coolant will be
forced out through the pressure relief valve in the cap when the
eng ine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot.
Reduce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down .
- Protect your face , hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large , thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light , downward pressure on the top
of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain condi-
tions , the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire . ...
Vehicle care
I t •

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& 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. ~

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0 Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom ­
mend your authorized Audi dea ler change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid and lead and must always be
disposed of properly in compliance with all environmental regula ­
tions . Disposing of vehicle batteries improperly is very dangerous to
t he environment. •
Windshield/headlight washer
container
Fig . 246 Engine
compartment: Wind ­
s hie ld and headlight*
washer fluid container
The washer fluid container is marked with the symbol O on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS :::> & in "Working
in the engine compartment" on page
301 .
-Lift the fille r cap tongue to add washer fluid. You can fill
the container to the top.
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container.
You can find the reservoir capacity in the table in=> page 369.
To prevent lime residue from building up on the spray jets, use
distilled water when refilling. Always add a gla ss cleaner solution
(with frost protection in the winter).
0 Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or any other additives to fill up
the windshield washer reservoir.•