2011 AUDI A6 towing

Trailer towing
"---------------------------------------------------
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor ­
tation .
If you p lan to tow a t railer, p lease remember that the additional load
w ill affect durability, economy and performance.
Tr ailer towing not on ly p laces mo re s tress on the vehicle, it also calls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reason, a lways follow the operating and dr iv ing inst ructions
prov ided and use common sense .
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must activate the tra iler ope ra­
tion mode =>
page 170, "Towing a tra iler". •
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a we igh t-car rying h itch co nform ing to the gross tra iler we ig ht.
The h itch must be suitab le for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mou nted securely o n th e vehi cle's ch assi s at a
techni cally sound loc a­
tion . Use only a trailer hitch with a removab le ball mount. Always
check wit h the t railer h itch manufactu rer to make sure that yo u are
using the correct h itch .
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The h itch mus t be installed in such a way t hat it does not in terfe re
w ith t he impact-absorb ing bumper system. No modifications shou ld be made to t
he veh icle exha ust and bra ke systems. From t ime to
time, check that a ll hitch mounting bo lts rema in securely fastened.
W hen you are no t tow in g a tra ile r, remove the t railer hit ch ball
mount. This prevents the hitc h from caus ing damage should your
vehicle be str uck from behind=>& .
Trailer brakes
If your trail er is e quipped w ith a b raking system, che ck to be s ure t hat
it conforms to all regulations.
T he tra ile r hydrau lic brake system m ust not be directly connected to
t he vehicle's hyd raulic b rake sys tem .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check w ith your
Audi de aler fo r corr ec t wir ing , sw itches and re lays.
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see t he t raff ic be hind you using t he regular
outs ide mirrors, then you
must install extended mi rrors. It is impor­
t an t th at yo u
always ha ve clear vi sion to the re ar.
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking , the hitch could fly forward and inju re you
or your passengers. •

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 . ._

Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement "THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX LBS"on your vehicle's placard (tire infla­
tion pressure label) =>
page 299,
fig. 216.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo­
grams or
"XXX" pounds shown on the
sticker =>
page 299, fig. 216.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lbs . passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5
X 150) = 650 lbs.)
Safety first
Tires and wheels -
5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer ,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.
- Check the tire sidewall(=>
page 307,
fig. 220) to determine the designated load rating for a specific tire . •
Vehicle care Technical data

What do I do now? -______________________________ ____::..:..:..:..::..::....::..::.....::.....:::...::,_ __ __,J
& WARNING (continued)
• Never start or run the engine while the vehicle is supported by
the jack.
• If you must work under the vehicle, always use safety stands
specifically designed for this purpose.
• Never use the hexagonal socket in the handle of the screw­
driver to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.
• Always make sure the spare tire and even a flat tire are secured
in place and not loose, otherwise they could fly forward, causing
personal injury to passengers in the vehicle in an accident or
sudden maneuver. •
Tools
The vehicle tools are stored in the luggage compartment
behind the right-side trim panel.
-
The onboard tool kit includes:
• Hook for removing wheel covers*
• Wheel bolt wrench
• Alignment pin for changing wheels
• Screwdrive r with reve rsible blade
Fig. 225 Luggage
compartment: vehicle
tool kit
Vehicle OP-eration
• Towing eye
[ i] Tips
Some of the onboard items listed above are provided on certain
models only or are optional extras. •
Spare wheel
The spare wheel is stored in the wheel well underneath
the floor panel in the luggage compartment.
Fig. 226 Luggage
compartment spare
wheel
Your vehicle is equipped with a regular spare wheel. It is held
in place by plastic retaining knurled screw .
Taking out the spare wheel
- Raise the floor panel at the plastic handle.
- Securely engage the handle in the luggage compartment
seal as illustrated to keep the floor panel up.
Unscrew the knurled retainer bolt in the wheel center
=> fig. 226. Turn it counter-clockwise.
- Take out the spare wheel.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service iTechnical data

lffl!I.___W __ h_a_ t_ d_ o_ I_ d_ o_ n_ o_w_ ? _____________________________________________ _
- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
Storing the replaced wheel
-Place the replaced wheel inside the spare wheel well in the
luggage compartment.
Tighten the knurled retaining screw clockwise to secure
the wheel in place.
- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
& WARNING
Loose items in the passenger compartment can cause serious
personal injury during hard braking or in an accident.
• Never store the spare wheel or jack and tools in the passenger
compartment.
• Always store all jacking equipment, tools, and the spare wheel
in the luggage compartment.
• Tighten the knurled retaining screw for the spare wheel
securely.
[ i] Tips
Check the inflation pressure of the spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use.•
Changing a wheel
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own and your
passenger's safety when changing a wheel.
- After you experience a tire failure, pull the car well away
from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before
you stop :::> & .
- All passengers should
leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail) :::>& .
- Engage the
parking brake to prevent your vehicle from
rolling unintentionally:::> &.
- Move
selector lever to position P :::> & .
- If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle.
- Take the
jack and the spare tire out of the luggage
compartment:::>
page 318.
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if
you do not follow these safety precautions:
• If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off the road. Turn
off the engine, turn the emergency flashers on and use other
warning devices to alert other motorists.
• Make sure that passengers wait in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the road and traffic.
• To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possibly
slipping off the jack, always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed. When
one front wheel is lifted off the ground, placing the Automatic
~

-Emergency situations Pf":11..--=---=;..._-------------
Emergency situations
General
This chapter is intended for t rained emergency crew s and working
pe rsonnel who have the necessary tool s and equipment to perform
the se operation s. •
Starting by pushing or towing
0 Note
Yo ur vehicle is equipped with an automatic t ransmission . Conse­
quently, the engine ca nnot be started by push ing or tow ing .•
Starting with jumper cables
I f necessary, the engine can be started by connectin g it to
the bat tery of another vehicle.
If the eng ine shou ld fa il to start because of a discharged or weak
battery, the battery can be connected to t he battery of
another
veh icle, us ing a pair of jumper cables to start the engine .
Jumper cables
Use only jumper cables of suffic iently large cross section to carry the
sta rter cur rent s afely . Refer to the m an ufa ct ur er's specificat ions.
Use only j umpe r cab les with
insulated te rm inal clamps wh ich are
distinct ly marked :
plu s(+) cable i n most cases colored red
minus (-) cable i n most cases colored black .
& WARNING
Batterie s contain el ectricity, acid, and gas . Any of the se can cause
very serious or fatal injury. Follow the inst ructions below for safe
handling of your vehicle 's battery.
• Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning over the battery
whenev er po ssible .
• A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures just below
32 °F (0 °C ). Before connecting a jumper cable, you must thaw the
frozen battery completely, otherwise it could explode.
• Do not allow battery acid to contact eyes or sk in . Flush any
contacted area with water immedi ately .
• Improper use of a booste r battery to start a vehicle may cause
an explosion .
• Vehicle batteries generate e xplosive gases. Keep sparks, flame
and lighted cigarettes away from batterie s.
• Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a low acid level in the
battery.
• The voltage of the booster battery must also have a 12-Volt
rating. The capacity (Ah) of the booster battery should not be
lower than that of the discharged battery . Use of batteries of
different voltage or substantially different "Ah " rating may cau se
an e xplosion and personal injury.
• Never charge a frozen battery . Gas trapped in the ice may cause
an explosion.
• Never charge or use a battery that has been frozen. The battery
case may have be weakened .
• Use of batteries of different voltage or substantially different
capacity (Ah) rating may cause an explosion and injury . The
capacity (Ah) of the booster battery should not be lower than that
of the discharged battery. .,_

Emergency situations --------------=---:.--___.VPII
Emergency towing with
commercial tow truck
General hints
Your Audi requires special handling for towing.
The following information is to be used by commercial tow truck
operators who know how to operate their equipment safely.
• Never tow your Audi, towing will cause damage to the engine
and transmission.
• Never wrap the safety chains or winch cables around the brake
lines.
• To prevent unnecessary damage, your Audi must be transported
with a flat bed truck.
• To load the vehicle on to the flat bed, use the towing loop found
in the vehicle tools and attach to the front or rear anchorage
=> page 335 and=> page 336 .
& WARNING
A vehicle being towed is not safe for passengers. Never allow
anyone to ride in a vehicle being towed, for any reason. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Front towing loop
Do not install the front towing loop until it is needed.
Fig. 239 Front
bumper: removing the
cover cap
Fig. 240 Front
bumper: screwing in
the towing loop
The towing loop fits into the threaded hole located on the
right side of the front bumper and covered by a small cover
when not in use.
- Remove the towing loop from the vehicle toolkit
=> page 318.
- Press the cover in by applying short sharp pressure to the
bottom part to release it from the bumper=> fig. 239.
- Screw the towing loop tightly into the threaded hole as far
as it will
go => fig. 240. ~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service iTechnical data