2011 AUDI A6 ESP

Operating instructions
Max imum tr aile r weight
A trai ler for your vehicle is lim ited to a typical class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trail er lo ad di stribut ion
Be sure the load in the t ra iler is held secu rely in place to prevent it
from shift ing forward, backward or sideways.
N ev er a llow a pa ssenge r to ride in a traile r=>
& in "Driving instr uc­
tions".
Eng ine c ooling s ystem
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harder. It is important that
the cooling system 's performance is up to the addi tional load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pre ssur e
When towing a tra iler, inflate the tires of your veh icle to the co ld tire
pressu re listed under "Full load" on the label located on the d river's
side 8 -pillar (visible when the door is open) . Inflate traile r tires to
t rai ler and tire manufacture rs' specificat io n s.
Light s
The headl ight sett ings shou ld be checked with the tr ailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly .
Safety chain s
Be sure traile r safety cha ins are p roperly connected from the trai ler
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to perm it
tu rning corners. When you install sa fe ty cha ins, make s ure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trai ler tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the h itch .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
0 Note
If you are going to tow a t
railer, you must activate the tra iler opera­
tion mode =>
page 170, "T owing a trai ler" .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires e xtra care and
consideration .
To obtain the best possible handling of vehic le and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other veh icles .
- Observe speed limits .
- Do not dr ive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early .
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribut ion
T owing a loaded tra iler w ith an empty car results in a highly unstable
distribution of we ight . If this cannot be avoided, d rive at very low
speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" r ig is easier to operate and control. This means that the
t ow ve hicle sho uld be loaded to the exte nt poss ible and permissib le,
wh ile keeping the tra iler as light as poss ible under the circumstances.
Whenever poss ible, tra nsfer some cargo to the l uggage compart ­
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle load ing considerations .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Trailer towing
"---------------------------------------------------
Speed
T he higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig. Do not dr ive at the max imum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icu larly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the tra iler shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for veh icles towing
trailers are lower than for regu lar vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driv ing dow nhill, shift in to a lower
gear to use the eng ine braking effect to slow the veh icle. Use of the
bra kes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
Th e coolant temperature gauge~ page 8 must be observed care­
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately 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 m inutes to prevent heat build-up.
& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk in an accident. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided by Audi.•
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
------------
Your vehicle handles differently when tow ing a trailer because of the
additiona l weight and different weight distribution. Safety, perfor- mance and economy will greatly depend on how carefully you load
your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turning, stopp ing and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing until you have
become completely familiar with the way your vehicle-t railer comb i­
nation behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a trailer
generally requires steering action oppos ite to that when backing up
your vehicle without a trai ler.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in front
of you. You will need more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you will need a larger than normal turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you normally would because of the added load . Make sure you have
enoug h room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trai ler before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky sta rts, sharp tur ns or rapid lane changes.
W Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in per iod of your veh icle.
• If you tow a trai ler, your Audi may require more frequent mainte­
nance due to the extra load
~ page 346. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
- Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels . ._

-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d__. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove dust and light surface
dirt. For other soil, use a lukewarm all-purpose cleaning solution or a
mild saddle soap for vinyl trim . Remove water spots and traces of
soap with a clean, damp cloth or sponge. Use a clean, soft cloth to rub
dry.
Grease, tar or oil stains can be removed with a clean cloth or sponge
soaked with all-purpose cleaner or with a solvent designed especially
to clean vinyl.
Occasionally apply a colorless vinyl or leather preservative to retain
the material 's luster and pliability.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:::> page 260. •
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
aluminum surfaces. Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners will
attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 260. •
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up immediately.
- Use either a touch-up paint stick or spray paint to cover
minor scratches and nicks.
Your Audi dealer has touch-up paint for minor scratches and stone
chips . Scratches should be touched up soon after they occur to
prevent corrosion.
If a spot starts to rust, however, a simple touch-up job will not be
enough. The affected surface must be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti-rust primer before the painted finish can be restored.
The number for the original vehicle paint can be found on the vehicle identification label=>
page 340.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 260. •
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road film and carwash
wax buildup.
- Remove snow from windows using a brush.
- Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from windows and
mirrors.
- Remove other residue on the windows with a spray-on glass cleaner.
- Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of cloth or
kitchen paper towel.

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
consider if childre n, animals or other factors might prove to be partic­
ularly hard on the leathe r.
By contrast, leather types that are covered by a colored fin ish layer
are more durable . This has a positive effect on the leath er's resistance
to wear and so iling in daily use. On the othe r hand, the typical charac­
teristics of natura l leathe r are barely or not apparent . However, this
does not mean that the leathe r itself is of infer io r quality.
C are and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of leather that Audi uses
and the ir unique p roperties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, so iling,
etc.), yo u will need to be somewhat ca refu l with these leat he rs , a nd
a certain type of care is required. For example, dark clothing mate­
r ials ca n disco lor leather seats (especially if such clothi ng is d amp and
was not dyed correctly) . Dust and dirt particles in pores, folds, and
seams can have an abrasive effect and c an damage the le athe r
surface as well as weaken seams .
The leather s houl d be cleaned regularly as needed . After having been
used for a relatively long time, your leather sea ts w ill acquire a rich
aged finis h. This is a characteristic of natura l leather and a sign of
true quality.
I n order to maintain the value of this natural product over the life of
your vehicle, you sho uld fo llow the recommendations below :
0 Note
• To keep you r leather from b leaching out, do not allow it to be
exposed to bright sunl ight for long periods of time . If you have to
leave t he veh icle parked outside for long pe riods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sunlig ht.
• Sharp objects on clothing, such as zippers, rivets or sha rp pieces
on belts can leave permanent scratches or scrape marks on the
s u rface of the leather.
Safety first
(I] Tips
• After each time you clean the leathe r and at regular inte rvals , u se
a leather preservative creme that contains UV-blockers and that
works into the leather. This creme will nou rish and mo istur ize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay supp le. It also helps to build up
a p ro tect ive coa ting on the surfa ce.
• Clean the leather every 2 -3 months, and clean any areas that get
soiled.
• Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc. as soon as poss ible.
• Preserve the color of t he leather as needed by using a specia l
co lored leather ca re creme to touch up areas of uneven color .•
Ap plies to vehi cles : w it h nat ural leat her
Cleaning and caring for leather upholstery
and trim
Natural leather requires special care and attention.
Normal cleaning
- Clean so iled areas wit h a slightly mois tened cotton or
woolen cloth .
More stubborn dirt
-More stubborn d irt can be removed using a clot h satu­
rated w ith a mild soap solution (2 ta blespoons m ild liq ui d
soap) .
- Never allow the soap solution to saturate the leather, and
make certa in that no water soaks i nto the seams .
- Wipe off the soap solution w ith a soft, dry c loth. .,,
Vehicle care Technical data

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Blend of gasoline and MTBE
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
• Blend must contain not more than 15% MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform especially well fo r
winter or summer driving. During seasonal change-over, we suggest
that you fill up at busy gas stat ions where the seasonal adjustment is
more likely to be made in time.
0 Note
• Methano l fuels which do not meet these requirements may cause
corrosion and damage to plastic and rubber components in the fue l
system .
• Do not use fuels that fail to meet the specified criteria in this
chapter .
• If you are unab le to determine whether or not a particu lar fuel
blend meets the spec ifications, ask your serv ice station or its fuel
supplier.
• Do not use fuel for which the contents cannot be identified.
• Fuel system damage and performance problems resulting from
the use of fuels different from those specified are not the responsi­
bility of Aud i and are not covered under the New Vehicle or the Em is­
sion Control System Warranties.
• If you experience a loss of fuel economy or driveab ility and perfor­
mance problems due to the use of one of these fuel blends, we
recommend that you switch to unblended fuel.•
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufacturers is carbon deposit
build-up caused by the type of gasoline you use. Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another,
they have certain things
in common. All gaso line g rades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect on v ital engine parts,
such as fuel injectors and intake valves. A lthough most gasoline
brands include additives to keep eng ine and fuel systems clean, they
are not equally effective.
Audi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. For more
information on TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline, please go to the officia l
webs ite (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended period of using inadequate fuels, carbon deposit
build-ups can rob your engine of peak performance.
0 Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel quality is not covered by the
Audi New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear side panel behind the
fuel filler flap .
If the power locking system should fail, you can still open the flap
manually- for detailed instructions see~
page 277.
You can find the fue l tank capacity of your vehicle in
Technical Data
~page 343.
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap tells you the correct fuel
for your ve hicle. For more information about fuel specifications, see
~page 273.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refue lling vapor recovery
system. This feature helps to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from
the tank and polluting the environment wh ile you refuel your veh icle . ..,_

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
in. WARNING
Improper refu eling or handling of fuel can cause fire , explosion
and sev ere burns .
• Fuel is highly flammable and can cause seve re burns and other
injuries .
• Failure to shut the engine off while refueling and /or to inse rt
the pump nozzle fully into the fuel fill er n eck could cau se fuel to
spray out of filler neck or to overflow. Fuel sp ray and overflowing
fue l can cau se a fire.
• Never u se a cellula r telephone while refueling. The electromag ­
netic radiation can cau se spark s that can ign ite fuel vapor s and
cause a fire.
• Never get back into your vehicle while refue ling . If in ex cep­
tional circumstances you must get back in your veh icle while refu ­
eling , make certain that you clo se th e door and touch metal to
discharge static electricity before touching the filler nozzle again .
Static electricity can cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors
released during refueling.
• N ever smoke or have an open flame anywhere in or near your
vehicle when refueling or filling a portable fuel containe r.
• For your safety, we strongly recommend that you do not travel
with a portable fuel container in your vehicle. The containe r, full
or empty may leak and could cau se a fire, especially in a crash .
• If, under except ional circumstances , you must t ranspo rt a
portable fuel container, please ob serve the following:
- Never fill a portable fuel container while it is anywhere in or
on the vehicle (for example, in the luggage compartment, or
on the trunk ). Static electricity can bu ild up while filling and
can ignite fuel vapors causing a fire .
- Alway s place a portable fuel container on the ground before
fill ing.
- Alway s keep the filler nozzle completely inside the portable
container before and during fill ing.
& WARNING (c on tinued )
-If filling a portable container made of metal , the filler nozzle
must alway s be in contact with the container. This will help
prevent static electricity from dis charging and cause a fire .
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or luggage compartment .
Fuel vapor s are highly flammable.
- Always observe local and state /provincial laws regarding the
use , storage and transportation of fuel containers .
-Make certain the fuel container meets industry standards
(ANSI / ASTM F852-86).
0 Note
If any fuel has spilled onto the ca r, it should be remove d immed iate ly
t o prevent damage to t he pa int.
For the sake of the environment
As soo n as t he correct ly operated nozz le switches off automatically
for the first time, the tank is full. Do not try to add more fue l because
fue l may spill out . In addition, the expansion s pace in the fuel tank
w ill b e filled -causing the fue l to overflow when it becomes warm an d
poll ute the e nvironment .
(I] Tips
• Runn ing your e ngine while ref uellin g may cause vapo rs to escape
or even cause fuel to spill out of the tank . This wou ld then shut off the
fue l nozzle before the tank is f ull.
• Do not refuel your vehicle with the ignition turned on. The fuel
gauge may o therwise not ind icate the correc t fu el leve l after
refuell ing .•