2010 AUDI S6 maintenance

Table of contents
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag Vehicle care .............. 258 Emergency towing with
System ...................... 206 commercial tow truck ........ .
Side airbags ... ......... ...... 211
Cleaning and protection ...... 258 Lift
ing vehicle ............... . 334
336
Side curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Child Safety .. .. .......... ..... 217
Important things to know . . . . . . 217
Child safety seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Installing a child safety seat .. .. 227
LATCH Lower anchorages and
tethers for children . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Additional Information 237
Vehicle operation ...... 240
Intelligent technology ........ 240
Notice abou t data recorded by
vehicle control modules . . . . . . . . 240
E lectronic Stabilization Program
(ESP) ........................ 240
Braking ...................... 243
Servo tronic® -advanced power
steering system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Driving with your quattro® . . . . . . 246
Energy management ........... 247
Driving and environment ...... 249
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km)
and afterwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Avoid damaging the veh icle . . . . . 250
Driving through water on roads . 250
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution ......... 251
Trailer towing ................. 254
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . 254
T railer towing tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
General informa
tion . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Care of exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Care of interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Fuel supply and filling your fuel
tank ..........................
271
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Checking and filling . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Technical data
General information
Explanation of technical data .. .
Vehicle ident ification ......... .
Weights ................... . .
Dimensions ............... .. . 338
338
338
338
339
339
Engine hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 300 hp, 3.0 liter, 6-cylinder
Engine cooling system . . . . . . . . . 284
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Ba ttery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Windshield/headlight washer container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 engine ......................
.
265 hp, 3.2 liter , 6-cylinder
engine ......... ..... ........ .
350 hp, a-cylinder engine ..... .
Consumer Information ...... .
Warranty coverages .......... . 341
342
343
344
344
T ires ........................ 293 Operating your vehicle outside the
T ire pressure monitoring system 312
Do-it-yourself service . 316
What do I do now? ........... 316
Trunk escape handle ........... 316
Jack, tools and spare wheel ..... 316
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
F u ses ........... ............. 325 U.S.A
. or Canada ............. .
Audi Service Repair Manuals and
Literature ................... .
Maintenance ................ .
Additional accessories, modifications and parts replacement ............... . .
Declaration of Compliance,
T elecommunications and
Electronic Systems .......... . .
Bulbs ........................ 329
Alphabetical index ....
Emergency situations ......... 331
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Starting by pushing or towing 331
Starting with jumper cables .... 331
Use of jumper cables . . . . . . . . . . 332
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service
344
344
344
346
347
350
Technical data

Vehicl e literatur e
Vehicle literature
In addition to th is Owner's Manual, your Audi comes w ith the
• MMI Operating Instructions
• Warranty
& Maintenance booklet
If you are missing one of these publications, or if you believe that the
information is not complete, contact your autho rized A udi dea le r for
assistance.
MMI Operating Instructions
contain detailed description of the Audi Mu lti Media Interface (MMI)
including the nav igat ion system, the sound system and the hand held
phone.
The Warranty & Maintenance booklet
explains how you can keep your Audi in top driving condition by having
it serviced regularly and contains deta iled informat io n about the
warranties covering your Audi. Always have the booklet with you
when you take your veh icle to an authorized Aud i deale r for serv ice .
Your Audi Service Adviser will record each schedu led service and can
answer any quest ions you may have regard ing how to ma inta in your
vehicle.
In Canada,
the vehicle literature is also avai lable in French. To obtain a copy,
contact yo ur dealer or wri te to:
Au Canada, on peut se procurer un exemplaire en fran~ais de ce docu­
ment aupres du concess ionnaire ou de:
Volkswagen Canada, Inc.
Client Ass istance
Assistance a la Clientele
777 Bay ly St reet, West,
Ajax, Ontario LlS 7G7
If you sell your Audi
all literature shou ld be left in the veh icle to make the Warranty terms
as well as all operating, safety and maintenance information avail­
ab le to the next owner.
If you change your address or if you bought
this Audi used
be sure to send in a "Notice of Address Change"/ "Notice of Used Car Purchase" post card. Th is card can be found in the Warranty
& Main­
tenance book let or obta ined from your author ized A udi dealer.
It i s in your own int eres t th at we a re a ble to c ont act you should th e
need aris e.•

Warm and cold
Warm and cold
Climate control
Description
The air conditioner is fully automatic and is designed to
maintain a comfortable and uniform climate inside the
vehicle.
We recommend the following settings:
- Set the temperature to 75 °F (+23 °C).
- Press the [AUTO] button.
With this setting, you attain maximum comfort in the least amount
of time. Change this setting , as desired, to meet your personal needs.
The climate controls are a combination of heating, ventilation and cooling systems, which automatically reduce humidity and cool the
air inside your vehicle.
The air temperature, air flow and air distribution are automatically regulated to achieve and maintain the desired passenger compart­
ment temperature as quickly as possible .
The system automatically compensates for changes in outside
temperature and for the intensity of the sunlight entering the
vehicle. We recommend you use the
Automatic mode=> page 99 for
year-round comfort .
Please note the following:
Turn on the air conditioner to reduce humidity in the vehicle. This also
prevents the windows from fogging up .
When the outside temperature is high and the air is very humid,
condensation from the evaporator may drip under the vehicle. This is
normal and does not indicate a leak. If the outside temperature
is low, the fan normally only switches to a
higher speed once the engine coolant has warmed up sufficiently .
The air conditioner temporarily switches off when you drive off from
a standstill using full throttle to save engine power.
The compressor also switches off if the coolant temperature is too
high, so that the engine can be adequately cooled under extreme
loads.
Air pollutants filter
The air pollutants filter (a combined particle filter and activated char­
coal filter) reduces or prevents outside air pollution (dust, or pollen)
from entering the vehicle. The air is also filtered in air recirculation
mode.
The air pollutants filter must be changed at the intervals specified in
your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet, so that the air conditioner can
properly work .
If you drive your vehicle in an area with high air pollution, the filter
may need to be changed more frequently than specified in your Audi
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. If in doubt, ask your authorized
Audi Service Advisor for advice .
Key coded settings
The air conditioner settings selected are automatically stored and
assigned to the key being used. When the vehicle is started, the air
conditioner automatically selects the settings assigned to that key.
This way every driver will maintain his/her own personal settings and
does not have to reset them manually.
If a different driver uses your key and changes the air conditioner
settings, the latest adjustments will erase and replace the settings
you have stored . _.,

-Airbag system ------=-~-----------------------------------
& WARNING (conti nued)
• Always make sure that the side a irbag can inflate without
interference :
- Never in stall seat covers or replacement uphol stery over the
front seatbacks that have not been specifically approved by
Audi .
- Never use addit ional se at cushions that cover the areas
where the side ai rbags inflate.
- Damage to the or iginal seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the side airbag module must always be repaired immedi­
ately by an author ized Audi dealer.
• The airbag system can be activated only on ce. After an airbag
has inflated, it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the techni cal information, t raining
and special equipment necessary.
• The airbag sy stem can be deploy ed only once. After an airbag
has been dep loyed , it must be replaced with new replacement
parts designed and approved e specially for your Audi model
version. Replacement of complete airbag systems or a irbag
components must be performed by qualified workshops onl y.
Make sure that any airbag service action is entered in your Audi
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .
• For s afety reason s in s evere accidents, the alternator and
starter are separated from the vehicle battery with a pyrotechnic
circuit interrupter.
-Work on the pyrotechnic circuit interrupter must only be
performed by a qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
- If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is sc rapped , all appli ­
cable safety precautions must be followed.
W For the sake of the environment
Un deployed ai rbag modu les and p retensione rs might be class ified as
Perch lorate Mate rial -special handling may apply, see
www.dts c.ca.gov/ha za rdouswas te/pe rchlorate. When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system includ ing airbag modules and saf ety
be lts wi th p retens ioners are sc rappe d, all applicable laws an d regu la ­
tions must be observed. Yo ur authorized Aud i dealer is familiar w ith
t hese requi reme nts and we recommend tha t yo u have yo ur dealer
perform th is service for you. •
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Chang ing the vehicle's suspension system can change the way that
t h e Advan ced Airbag System pe rforms in a cr ash . For e xamp le, usi ng
tire-rim combinations not app roved by Audi, lowering the vehicle,
c hang ing the stiffness o f th e suspension, incl uding the sp rings,
suspension struts, shock absorbers etc. can change the forces that
are meas ured by the a irbag sensors and sent to the ele ct ronic contro l
unit . Some suspension changes can, fo r exam ple, increase the force
levels measured by the senso rs and make the airbag system deploy in
crashes in which i t would not deploy if the changes had no t been
ma de . Other kinds of changes may reduce the force levels meas ured
by the sensors and p revent the airbag from dep loying when it should.
T he sensors in the safety belt b uckle for the drive r and front
p as senge r se at tell the e lectroni c cont rol mo dule if the sa fe ty belt is
latched or not . If the safety belt is being used, t he front a irbag w ill
dep loy a t a s lightly h igher r ate o f vehicle decele ration t han if t he
safety belt is not be ing used . Therefo re, in a par ticular collis io n, it is
possible that an a irba g w ill not dep loy at a seating position where the
safety belt is being used but w ill inflate at the posit ion where the
safety belt is not be ing use d. It is im portant that nothing interfere
w it h t he safety belt bu ckles so that t he sensors can se nd the co rrect
info rmation about safety be lt use to the electronic contro l unit.
~

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value 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 Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the vehicle w ill
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 un less approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not a lter or remove any device, such as heat shie lds, switches,
ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protect your vehicle's Emission Contro l System and other important vehicle components. •
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips .
-Try to avoid driving short distances with a cold engine.
The eng ine and catalytic converter have to reach thei r optima l oper­
ating temperature
to reduce fuel consumption and noxio us em is­
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid -size car only achieves a fuel
economy of 6-8 miles per gallon (30-40 l/l00km). After about a half
a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100 km). After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operating temperature
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
and fuel economy has
reached a normal level. So you can see that you
should avoid short trips whenever possible.
The
outside temperature is also cr it ical in th is regard . Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ C_ h_e _c_ k_ i_ n _ g_ a_ n _ d_ f_il _l _in ____ g ___________________________________________ _
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil fi lter must be changed according to the mileage
(kilometers) and t ime intervals specified in your vehicle 's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet . Do not exceed these interva ls -harmful
deposits from o ld engine oil can reduce engine performance and can
lead to expensive engine repairs .
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very impo rtant
because the lubricating properties of o il decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, ask your author ized Audi Service Adv isor .
Under some circumstances the engine oil should even be changed
mo re frequently. Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop­
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper­
atures stay be low freezing point for long periods.
Detergent addit ives in the oi l wi ll make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short t ime. This is normal and is not a
reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended intervals
using only engine oi l that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle War ranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to fai lure to follow recommended main­
tenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner 's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dealer will have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in
the form of Serv ice or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a time ly manner. •
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
eng ine components, all inte rnal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change sign ifican tly over the lif e of the engine. Typically,
engines with a specified break- in period (see~
page 249) consume
more oil during the break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stab ilized .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on the
quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the ox idation level of the oil. As any
eng ine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consumption
may increase over time until replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With all these variab les coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified . There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level , see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbol in the instrument
cl uster lights up, you should chec k the oil level as soon as possible
with the oil dipstick~ page 281. Top off the oil at your earliest
convenience ~
page 282.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~
& in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 277.

___________________________________________ C_ h_e _c _k_ i_n ~g_ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _i_n _g __ _
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an autho­
ri ze d Audi dealer or a qualified service station.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, alway s read
and heed all WARNINGS:::::,
& in "Working in t he eng ine compart­
ment" on page 277.
T he eng ine oil mus t be changed acco rding to the intervals specifie d in
your Warranty
& Maintenance book let . This is very important because
the lub ricating properties of oil diminish gradually during norma l
vehicle use .
Under some circumstances the eng ine o il sho uld be changed more
frequently. Ch ange oi l more ofte n if you drive mos tly short distan ces,
operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominant ly stop-and­
go tr affic condi tions , or have yo ur vehicl e where temperat ures rem ain
below freezing for extended per iods.
Detergent a dditives in the o il w ill make fres h oil look dark after the
eng ine has been ru nning for a s hort ti me. Th is is normal an d is not a
reason to change the oil mo re often than recommended.
B eca u se of the proble m of pr oper di sp o sal, along w ith the s pe cial
too ls and necessary expertise required , we strong ly recommend that
yo u have your o il changed by an a uth o rized
Audi dealer o r a qua lified
service stat io n.
If you choose to change your oil yourself , please note the following
i m po rtan t informatio n:
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury if you must change the engine
oil in your vehicle your self:
• Wear eye protection.
• To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine oil, let the engine
cool down to the touch.
Safety first
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• When removing the oil drain plug with your fingers , stay as far
away as possible. Always keep your forearm parallel to the ground
to help prevent hot oil from running down your arm .
• Drain the oil into a container designed for this purpose, one
large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in your
engine .
• Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of the reach of chil­
dren.
• Continuous contact with used engine oil is harmful to your
skin. Always protect your sk in by washing oil off thoroughly with
soap and w ater.
(D Note
N ever m ix o il additives w it h your engine oil. These a dditives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Audi L imited New
Vehicle Warranty .
For the sake of the environment
• Before changing yo ur oil, first ma ke sure you know w he re you ca n
pro pe rly dispose of the use d oil.
• Always dispose of used eng ine oil prope rly . D o not dum p it on
garden soi l, wooded a reas, into open st reams or down sewag e drains .
• Recy cl e used en gine o il by taking it to a use d eng ine oil collection
facili ty in your area, or contac t a serv ice stat io n.•
Vehicle care Technical data