2011 AUDI A6 technical data

Intelligent technology
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fore-and-aft and lateral directions, the brake pressure and the
steering angle are all measured.
The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
the aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is continually
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example , when the vehicle starts hydroplaning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel to correct
the problem.
The vehicle is then stabilized by the forces acting on the wheel during
braking. If the vehicle is
oversteering (rear tends to skid out of the
turn), the brakes are mainly applied on the wheel that is on the
outside of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to slide out of the curve), the brakes are applied at the rear
wheel that is on the inside of the curve. An acoustic signal indicates
when ESP brake application cuts in =>
&.
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system=>
page 246. If the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP will be out of action as well.
Activating
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatically be activated and
will perform a self-test . As soon as the test is completed, the system
is in normal operating mode.
You can activate a deactivated ESP or deactivated ESP/ ASR if required
by pressing the=>
page 242, fig. 201 button. When they are acti­
vated, the message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display .
Deactivating
The ESP should normally be activated all the time. If necessary , you
can deactivate Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) or the Electronic Stabiliza­
tion Program (ESP) by pressing the button =>
page 242, fig. 201.
• Deactivating ASR: Tap the but ton . In certain excep tional situa­
tions (e.g. driving with tire chains) , the Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) can
be deactivated=>
page 244 . The message ASR off appears in the
display as well.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation •
Deactivating ESP/ASR
Press the button for more than 3 seconds .
With the ESP/ASR deactivated, the ESP check light comes on, see
=>
page 14. The message ESP switched off appears in the display as
well.
& WARNING
The Electronic Stabilization Program is nevertheless subject to the laws of physics. It is particularly important to pay attention to
this fact on wet and slippery roads. It is therefore important that
you always adapt your driving to the condition of the road and traffic conditions. Do not allow the increased safety provided by
the Electronic Stabilization Program system to lull you into
accepting additional safety risks. •
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
General notes
The electronic differential lock (EDL) helps the car to start moving,
accelerate and climb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or almost
no grip . Without EDL, this would be difficult, if not impossible .
How the system works
The EDL operates automatically . It monitors the rotational speed of
the drive wheels on an axle with the help of the ABS sensors
=>
page 246 . 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 othe r drive wheel or wheels (all-wheel drive). This is done up to a
speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h) . Noises from the brake system
signal that wheel spin is being controlled.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intelligent technology
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The ASR should normally be activated all the time . Only in certain
except ional situations when some slip is desirable does it make sense
to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck.
When the abnormal s ituation is over, you should activate the ASR
again .
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[I] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four whee ls must be fitted
with ident ical tires . Any differences in rolling radius of the tir es can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also=>
page 307, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automob iles are still subject to wear ,
depending largely on operating conditions and driving habits=>& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic or
are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your authorized
Aud i dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte-
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation nance booklet.
Failure to have your brake pads
inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing effect of the engine . This
way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you must
use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously. Pump the
brakes at intervals.
Noises may occur when brak ing depending on the speed , braking
force and outside cond it ions such as temperature and humidity.
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in
regular intervals so as to improve reaction t ime when braking on wet
surfaces. You, the driver, will not notice anything.
Under certain cond it ions, for example , when driving through water or
very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking effect
can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice) on the
brake pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off the brake
pads or remove any ice coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is driven on a sa lt-covered road and the brakes are not used. Here too,
you should clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few careful applications of the brake=>& .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not dr iven regularly or only
for short trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
fi rm ly a few times from a moderately high speed=>& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake pedal travel, then one
of the two brake circuits may have failed=>& . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intelligent technology
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these circ umstances, it is especially importa nt that you dr ive slowly
a nd wi th grea t ca re .
How the ABS system works
An au tom ati c c heck is m ade w hen a speed of about 4 mp h (6 km /h) is
reac hed. When th is happens, a pump ing no ise can be heard.
If an indivi dual w heel beg ins to rot ate too s low ly in relat ion to vehi cle
speed and tends to lock, t he A BS a utomat ically reduces brake pres­
sure to prevent that w heel from loc king .
Thi s au tom atic adju stm ent pr oces s w ill c au se a
slight vibration of
the brake pedal and some noises to alert you that vehicle speed must
be ad apted to exis tin g road and traff ic c ondi tio ns.
& 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 J Tips
• If A BS is no t fu nct ion ing prope rly, a w arn ing ligh t will come on .
See
~ page 17 .
• If a f ault o ccur s in the A BS, the EDL is also not func tio ning. T his is
ind icated by the ABS war ning light.
Brake assistant
--
The brake assis tan t is d esign ed to achie ve the opt imum
b raki ng eff ect.
The b rake ass istant he lps to increase the effective braking power and
t hu s to ac hi eve a shorter stopping dis tance . If t he dr iver p re sse s t he
brake peda l ve ry qu ickly, the b rake assistant automatica lly boosts the
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
brak
ing fo rce to t he maximum level , up to the point where the anti­
l ock brak e fu nction (A BS) in terve nes to stop the whee ls fr om l ocking.
Yo u should t hen kee p the brake pedal pressed unti l the ve hicle has
bra ked to the required speed. The bra ke ass istant switches itself off
as soon as you re lease the brake pedal.
The brake assistant will not be operative i f th ere is a ma lf u nction in
t he A BS.
& 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 clo sely. Increa sed 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 po wer s teerin g sys tems uses the power of the
runnin g engine to a llow p re cis e st ee rin g with little effort.
The adva nced Servotronic ® power stee ring syste m senses the road
speed and elect ronically adjusts power assistance to p rovide
c omfortab le and saf e steer ing response exa ctly match ed to th e
vehicle speed.
P owe r steer ing will not wor k if the engine is o ff. As a resul t, the
steeri ng wheel will be hard to tu rn .
The power steering fluid level is checke d dur ing the sched uled main ­
tenance se rvices .
0 Note
If the re is a n ele ct ronic mal func tion, s ervo tr onic will s till f unction
like a conventional power steering system, provid ing a constant
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_________________________________________ I_ n_ t _;_e _;__;_ ll;....,igent technology ..__==-
& WA RNING (c on tinued )
• Although the All Wheel Drive is ve ry effe ctive , alway s
remember that braking capacity i s limited by tire traction. You
should the refore not drive at e xce ssive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheel s could begin to slide on top of the water (aqua­
planing ). If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden in crease in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
veh icle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road condi­
tions - risk of crash. •
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
f nergy management controls the distri bution of elec ­
trical energy and thus optimiz es th e availability of elec ­
tri cal energy for startin g the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventiona l e ne rgy sys tem is not driven fo r a long
period of time, the battery is d ischarged by idling cur rent consumers
(e.g . immo bilizer). In ce rt ain circumstance s it can re sul t in t here
being insufficient energy ava ilab le to start the engine .
Inte lligent energy management in your ve hicl e han dles the dist ribu­
t ion of e lectr ica l energy . Starting ability is ma rkedly improved a nd
the life of the battery is extende d.
B as ica lly, energy man agemen t consis ts of
battery diagno sis, idling
current management
and dynamic energy management .
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuous ly dete rmines the state of the battery.
Se nso rs de ter mine batte ry vo ltage, ba ttery c urren t and bat tery
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
temperature
. Th is determines the cur rent state of charge and the
powe r of the b attery.
Idling current management
Idli ng cur rent m anagement reduces energy consump tion w hile the
vehicle is standing. With the ignition switc hed off, it controls the
energy su pply to the v ario us ele ct ric al com po nents. D ata from
battery diagnosis is considered .
Depen ding on the battery's state of charge, individual consumers a re
gradually tu rned off to p revent excess ive d ischa rge of the battery and
thus ma intain start ing capab ility.
Dynamic energy management
Whi le the vehicle is being dr iven, dynamic energy management
dis tributes the energy ge ne rated according to the needs of t he indi­
vidua l compo nents.
It regulates consumpt ion, so that more e lectr ica l
energy is not be ing use d tha n is being gene rated and ensures an
optimal state o f charge for the battery.
[I) Tips
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits o f phys ics.
Conside r th at th e p ower and li fe o f a batte ry ar e limi ted.
• If starting ab ility is threatened, yo u are in formed by a warning
=> p age 2 50, "Dr iver n otifi cat ion in the inst rum ent cl uste r displ ay".
What you should know
The high est priority is given to main taining star tin g cap a­
bility.
Th e battery is seve rely taxed in sho rt-distanc e dr iving, in city t raffic
and dur ing t he cold time of year. Ab undant e lectr ica l energy is
re qui red, bu t on ly a little is generate d. It is a lso c rit ica l if the engine
is not run ning and electrica l compone nts are turned on. In this
in st an ce e nergy i s being consumed bu t none is being ge ne rat ed. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
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Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km)
and afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,50 0 km) .
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers):
Do not use fu ll thrott le .
- Do not drive at engine speeds that are more than 2/3 of
the maximum permitted RPM .
- Avo id high engine speeds .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
- Spe eds can
gradually be i ncr eas ed to the maxi mu m
perm iss ible road or engin e spee d.
During and after break-in period
- Do not rev the eng ine up to high speeds when it is co ld.
This app lies whether t he tra nsmission is in N ( Neutra l) or
1 n gear.
After the break-in period - Do not exceed maximum engi ne s pee d und er any circum­
stances .
- Up shift i nto t he next high er g ear
befor e reach in g the red
area at t he end of the tachometer sc al e=>
pa ge 8.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
During the first few ho
urs of d riving, the engine 's interna l fr iction is
highe r than later when all the moving parts have been broken in . How
well th is br eak -in p rocess is done depends to a cons iderab le extent on
the way the veh icle is driven dur ing the f irst 1,000 miles (1,500 kilo­
meters).
0 Note
E x tremely high e ngine speeds a re au tomat ically re duced. However,
these rpm limits are programmed for an engine well run -in, not a new
engine .
~ For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with u nnecessa rily high engine s peeds -upshift ing early
saves f uel, reduces no ise and protec ts the environme nt.
New tires
If your v eh icl e is run ning on new t ires, driv e p arti cul ar ly
c a refu l fo r the first 35 0 miles (50 0 kilometers) af ter fit ting.
& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must al so be "broken-in ". Be
sure to remember this during the first 350 m iles (500 kilome ­
ter s). Brake gently . Avoid following closely behind other vehicles
or other situations that might require sudden, hard braking. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
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-Nev er p ut too much motor oil in yo ur eng ine=:> pag e 284 ,
"A dd ing eng ine o il 't=:r.".
- N ever try to push- or tow-star t your ve hicle.
Th e catalyt ic conve rter is an eff ic ient "clean-up" device built into the
ex ha ust system of the vehicle . The catalytic converter burns many of
t he pollu tan ts i n the exhaust gas be fore they are re leased into the
atmosphere.
Th e excl usive use o f un leaded fuel is crit ic all y import ant for the lif e of
the catalytic converter and proper funct io ni ng of the engine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or ope rate the vehicle in areas where the hot
exhaust sy stem may come in conta ct with dry grass, bru sh, fuel
spill or othe r materi al which can cause a fire .
• Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold , exhaust p ipes , catalytic converter or
heat shi eld s. During driving, the sub stance u sed for und ercoating
could o verheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling w it h leaded fuel will already
ser iously degr ade the performance of the catalyt ic converter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oi l level =>
page 284.
• Do not dr ive until t he fuel tank becomes com plete ly em pty. The
engine could misfire. Unbu rned fue l co uld also get into the exhaust
sys tem and t his co ul d cause t he ca talyt ic converter to ove rheat.
• Do not turn off the ignition while the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions, as
otherwise fuel can reac h the cata lyti c conve rter. This co ul d res ult in
over heat ing of the converter, requir ing its rep lacement.
• T o ass ure eff icient operat ion of the Emission Cont rol System:
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
-
Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
t he se rvi ce recom menda tions i n your W arran ty
& Mai ntenan ce
booklet.
- Lac k of proper mai nte nance as well as im proper use o f th e
veh icle w ill impair the function of the emiss io n cont rol system and
c o uld lead to d amage.
~ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Contro l System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a s ulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some
operating states . This depends on the sulfur content of the fue l being
used. Using a differe nt brand of fuel may help, or filli ng the tank with
lead-free super g rade gasoline. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Yo ur p ersonal sty le o f driving will determine the eco nom y
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels .
Fuel economy, envi ronmenta l impact, and wear on your engine,
bra kes and tires la rgely depend on t hree fac to rs:
• your persona l dr iv ing style
• operati ng conditio ns
• technical limitations
If you an tici pat e wh at yo u nee d to do nex t an d drive eco no m ic ally,
you can easily cut your fuel consumpt io n by 10-15 percent. This
se ct io n w ill give you s ome tips on how yo u can he lp the env ironme nt
and your pocketbook .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
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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

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