2011 AUDI A6 warning lights

brightness increases again, the low beams are turned off again auto­
matically =>& .
In the
AUTO position the low beams are switched off automatically
when the ignition is turned off.
Light Sensor Malfunction
In the event of a light sensor ma lfunct ion, the driver is notified in the
instrument cluster display:
Automatic headlights/automatic wipers defective
For safety reasons the low beams are turned on permanently with t he
switch in
AUTO. However, you can continue to turn the lights on and
off using the light switch. Have the light sensor checked as soon as
possible at a dealership.
& WARNING
• Never use daytime running lights to see where you are going.
They are not bright enough and will not let you see far enough
ahead for safety, especially at dusk or when it is dark. Always
switch on the low beams at dusk or when it is dark.
• Automatic headlights are only intended to assist the driver .
They do not relieve the driver of his responsibility to check the
headlights and to turn them on manually according to the current
light and visibility conditions. For example, fog and rain cannot be
detected by the light sensors. So always switch on the headlights
under these weather conditions and when driving in the dark
io.
• Crashes can happen when you cannot see the road ahead and
when you cannot be seen by other motorists.
- Always turn on the headlights so that you can see ahead and
so that others can see your car from the back.
[ i ) Tips
• With the switch in AUTO front fog lights and rea r fog ligh ts cannot
be turned on in addition .
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Clear vision
•
The light sensor for headlight control is located in the rear view
mirror mount. Do not apply any stickers to the winds hield in this area
to prevent malfunctions or failures .
• If you remove the ignition from the ignitio n lock w hile the head­
lights are still on, a buzzer will sound as long as the dr iver's door is
open to remind you to turn off the lights.
• Always observe the specific loca l regulations for your area as to
when to use your lights .•
Adjusting exterior lighting
The functions are set in the MMI.
-Select: Function button [CAR]> Systems* > Exterior
lighting .
Coming home
The Coming home function ensures tha t after turning off the igni­
tion and opening the driver's door
the vehicle per iphery is illum i­
nated in the dark. In addition, the front fog lights, the tail lights and
the license plate light are turned on. On-time can be set for a per iod
from O (off) to 60 seconds .
Leaving home
The Leaving home function ensu res that when unlocking the vehicle
per iphery is illuminated in the dark. In addition, the front fog lights,
the tail lights and the license plate light are turned on. This function
can be turned on and off .
Daytime running lights
USA models: On vehicles with xenon lights the daytime running
lights can be turned on or off using this function . On vehicles with
halogen lights there is no daytime running lights function .
Canada models: The function cannot be turned off. It is activated
automatically each time the ignition is tur ned on. This menu item is
shown "greyed out". •
Vehicle care Technical data

Rain sensor
The rain sensor operates on ly in the interval wiper position . When it
starts to rain, the interval wiper mode is activated automat ically .
I f the windshield wiper lever is in the interval wipe position with the
ign ition switched off, the rain sensor is not activated until vehicle
speed is above 4 mph (6 km/h) .
To reduce the sensitivity of the rain sensor, the switch @ must be
moved down . To increase the sensit ivity of the rain sensor, the switch
must be moved up.
The higher the sensitiv ity sett ing, the sooner the windsh ield wipers
react to mo isture on the windshie ld. Increased sensitivity is signa led
by the windshield w ipers making a single pass over the windshie ld.
T he rain sensor wiper intervals depend on the sensitivity setting as
we ll as vehicle speed. During brief stops, wiper motion will adjust in
relation to the amount of rain on the windshield .
& WARNING
• Wiper blades are crucial for safe driving! Only when they are in
good condition are they able to clear the windows properly to
provide uncompromised visibility. Worn or damaged wiper blades
are a safety hazard =>
page 68, "Replacing windshield wiper
blades"!
• The rain sensor is only designed to assist and support the
driver. It remains entirely the driver 's responsibility to monitor
outside weather conditions and to manually activate the wipers as
soon as rain or drizzle reduces visibility through the windshield.
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent
materials. They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions
such as wetness, darkness, or when the sun is low on the horizon.
In addition, they can cause the w indshield wipers to chatter.
0 Note
In freez ing or near freezing conditions:
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Clear vision
•
Always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the glass
before you turn the wipers on. Loosen a wiper blade which is frozen in
place before operat ing the w ipers to prevent damage to the wiper
blade or the wiper motor.
• Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted window . Us ing the wipers
as a convenient ice scraper will destroy the wiper blades.
• Before you take your vehicle to an automatic car wash, make sure
you have the windshield wipe r system switched off (lever in position
0), otherw ise the windshield wiper system could get damaged in the
car wash if it shou ld suddenly come on.
(I] Tips
• Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades cause smearing which can
affect the operation of the rain sensor . Check the condit ion of your
windshield wiper b lades regularly.
• The rain sensor is part of the interval wiping system . Turn ing off
the ignition will a lso deactivate the rain sensor. To reactivate the
sensor, switch off the interval wip ing function, then switch it back on
again.
• The w indshield wipers are switched off when the ignition is turned
off . Activate the windsh ie ld wipers after the ignition is switched back
on by mov ing the w indshield wiper lever to any pos it ion.
• Make sure the washer fl uid reservoir in the engine compar tment is
topped off before going on a long trip . Look up::::>
page 294 for
checking and filling the washer conta iner. •
App lies to ve hicle s: with headli ght was h er syste m
Headlight washer system
The headlight washer system cleans the headlights.
- Operate the windshield wiper/washer system~ page 66,
fig. 57 ®with the headlights turned on by holding the
lever for longer than one second. _,,,,
Vehicle care Technical data

Clear vision
Applies to vehicles : w ith automat ically d imm ing ins ide m ir ror w ith d ig ital compass
Automatically dimming inside mirror
The automatic dimming function can be turned on and
off if required .
Disabling auto dimming
Fig . 60 I nside rea r
v ie w mirror
- Press but ton @ ~ fig . 60 brie fly, -the green ind icator
light ® goes out.
Activating/reactivating auto dimming
- Press button @ briefly, -the green indicator ligh t® goes
on .
Automat ic dimming function
The automatic dimming function is activated every tim e the ignition
is turned on. The g ree n indicator light is lit to indica te auto d imming
is active.
When d imming is act ivated, the inside mir ror w ill darke n
automati­
cally
in response to the amou nt of light striking the mirror (such as
head lights from rearward approaching vehicles). Even in d imming
mode, the mirror surface turns br ight when :
• the interio r light is switched on
• reverse gear is engaged .
& WARNING
Broken glass of automatic dimming mirro r can cause electrolyte
fluid leakage . El ec trolyte fluid can irritate skin , eyes, and respira­
tory system .
• Repeated or p rolonged expo sur e to ele ctrolyte can cau se irrita­
tion to the resp iratory system, esp ecially among p eople with
asthma or other r espiratory condition s. G et fre sh air immediately
by le aving the vehicl e or, if that is not po ssible , open window s and
doors all the wa y.
• If ele ctrolyte g ets into the eye s, flush th em tho roughly with
large am ount s of clean water f or at lea st 15 minute s; medical
attention is re commended .
• If el ectrolyte contacts skin , flu sh affected area with clean
water for at l east 15 minut es and then wash aff ected area with
s oap and wat er; medical attention is rec ommend ed . Thoroughly
wash affected clothing and sho es before reu se.
• If swallowed and per son is c on sciou s, rinse mouth with water
fo r at le ast 15 minut es. Do not indu ce vomit ing unle ss instru cted
to do so by medical profe ssional. Get medical attenti on imm edi­
ate ly .
0 Note
Liquid e lectrolyte leaked from a broken mirror g lass will damage any
plastic surfaces it comes in contact with. Clean up spi lled electrolyte
immediately with clear water and a sponge.
[I) Tips
• If you switch off the automatic dimming function on th e in side
mir ro r, automatic dimming of the outside mirrors will l ikewise be
di sabled .
• Check to make sure there are no objects preventing light from
reac hing t he i nside m irro r.

Clear vision
0 Note
• Curved ( i.e. co nvex) mir ror s urfaces increase your field of view.
Remember that vehicles or other objects will ap pear smaller and
f art her away th an whe n seen in a fla t mi rror. If you use th is mi rro r to
estimate distances of follow ing ve hicles when chang ing lanes, you
could estimate i nco rre ct ly and ca u se an a cci dent .
• If the mir ror ho using is moved un inte ntionally (for examp le, whi le
par king yo ur veh icle), then you m ust fir st f old the mir ror ele ctrically.
Do not read just the mirro r hous ing manually. You could damage the
mot or w hic h con trols the mi rror .
[ i ] Tips
If the re should be a m alfu nction in the ele ct ric al sys tem, you can st ill
adjust the outs ide mirrors by pressing the edge of the m irror. •
App lies to ve hicles : w ith auto mat ic dimm ing fo r outs ide m ir ro rs
Automatic dimming for outside mirrors
T he ou tside mir rors are dimmed toge ther w it h t he a utoma tic
dimming of the ins ide mirror . When the ignition is sw itched on, t he
m irrors da rken a utomat ica lly depend ing on the light stri king them
(e .g . headlights from the r ea r) .
When the interio r light ing is sw itched on and when reverse gear is
engaged , the mi rrors are switche d back to their or ig inal b rightness
(not d immed).
& WARNING
Broken glass of automatic dimming mirror can cause electrolyte
fluid leakage. Electrolyte fluid can irritate skin, eyes, and respira­ tory system.
• Repeated or prolonged exposure to electrolyte can cause irrita­
tion to the respiratory system, especially among people w ith
& WARNING (co ntinued )
asthma o r other respiratory conditions . Get fresh air immediately
by leaving the vehicle or, if that is not po ssible, open window s and
doors all the way.
• If electrolyte gets into the eyes, flush them thoroughly with
large amounts of clean water fo r at least 15 minutes; medical
attention i s recommended.
• If electrolyte contacts skin , flush affected area with clean
water for at least 15 minutes and then wash affected area w ith
soap and water; medical attention is recommended. Thoroughly
wash affected clothing and shoes before reuse.
• If swallowed and person is conscious, rinse mouth with water
for at least 15 minutes. Do not induce vomiting unle ss instructed
to do so by medical professional. Get medical attention immedi·
ately.
0 Note
El ectro ly te lea king from a br oke n m irro r g lass a ttack s th e veh icle
pa int and plast ic surfaces. Clean up sp illed electrolyte immed iate ly
w ith clear w ater and a s ponge.
[ i ] Tips
• If automatic dimming for the inside mirror is switched off , the
outside mirrors are also not dimmed automatically.
• Automat ic di mmin g for t he mir ro r only oper ates p roperly if the
sunshade * fo r th e rear w indow is retracted, o r the light strik ing t he
inside mi rror is not hindere d by other objects .•

On the road -_______________ __.
the driver's door is opened. In t his instance, the steer ing is not
locked. The s teer ing is locked:
• If you press the
(STOP) button again for more than 1 second .
• If you close the driver 's door and lock yo ur vehicle from the
outs ide .•
Electromechanical parking brake
Operation
The electromechanical parking brake replaces the hand
brake.
Fi g. 104 Cente r
co nsol e: Pa rki ng brak e
- Pull the switch to apply the parking brake ~fig . 104. The
indicator light in the switch will come on.
- Step on the brake pedal or the accelerator pedal and press the switch at the same time to re lease the parking bra ke.
The indicator light in the switch wil l go out .
Your vehicle is equipped with an electromec hanical park ing brake
w hich replaces the handb rake. The parking brake is d esigned to
prevent the vehicle from ro lling unintent iona lly .
Con tro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
In addit io n to the normal functions of a traditional hand brake, the
ele ct romechan ica l parki ng br ake p rovides various convenience and
safety functions .
Emergency brake
An emergency brake ensures that the vehicle can be slowed even if
t he
normal bra kes fail => page 115, "E merge ncy bra king" .
Indicator lights
• If the pa rking brake is applie d with the ig nition turned on , the
indicator light in the instrument cluster (U.S models:
:'.Ii , Canadian
mode ls: © ) and i n the swi tch
(e)) w ill come o n.
• If the parking brake is applied with the ign ition
turned off , the
indicator light in the in strument cluste r (U.S. models:
::'.l, , Ca nadian
models: ©) and in the switch© will come on for about 30 seconds
and then go out .
& WARNING
If the vehicle is stati onary and the transmi ssion is engaged with
the eng ine running, the e ngine should not be speeded up (e.g.
m anuall y from under th e hood ). Otherwi se the vehicle will st art to
mo ve -you run the risk of an ac cident.
0 Note
If the warning/ind icator light (U.S. models: BRAKE , Canadian mode ls:
(Ci)) ) flashes in the ins trumen t clus ter, t here is a brake sys tem
malfunction. By press ing the [
CHECK) b utton, yo u can bri ng up a
dr iver message which explains the malfu nction in mo re deta il.
If the
message
Parking brake! Please contact workshop appea rs, the re is a
parking brake malfunction which yo u should have repaired immedi-
ately by an au thorized dealership=>
page 26 . ..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

_________________________________________________ O_ n_t_ h _ e_ ro_ a_d __ ffl'II
The display=> page 116, fig. 106 will show the set speed. The display
may vary depending on the type of display in your vehicle. T he indi­
cator light
CRUISE (US model) I c-f (Canadian model) w ill also light up
in the instrument cluster.
The speed is kept constant via an engine output adjustment or active
brake intervention.
_& WARNING
• Always pay attention to traffic even when the cruise control is
switched on. You are always responsible for your speed and the
distance between your vehicle and other vehicles.
• For safety reasons, the cruise control should not be used in the
city, in stop-and-go traffic, on twisting roads and when road
conditions are poor (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and hydro­
planing ) - risk of accident.
• Turn off the cruise control temporarily when entering turn
lanes, highway exit lanes or in construction zones.
• Please note that inadvertently "resting" your foot on the accel­
erator pedal causes the cruise control not to brake . This is because
the cruise control is overridden by the driver's acceleration .
(I] Tips
The brake lights illuminate as soon as the brakes decelerate
automatically . •
A ppli es to ve hicles : w it h cr uise contro l
Changing speed
- Press lever in the G)orQ direction ==> page 116, fig. 105
to increase or decrease your speed.
- Release the lever to save that speed.
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Change speed
in increments of 1 mph (1 km/h) by lightly pressing the
lever. If you keep the lever pressed down, yo u will alter your speed in
5 mph (10 km/h) increments.
You can also press the accelerator pedal down to increase your speed, e .g . if you want to pass someone. The speed you saved earlier wi ll
resume as soon as you release the accelerator pedal.
If, however, you exceed yo ur saved speed by 5 mph (10 km/h) for
longer than S m inutes, the cruise control will turn off temporarily.
The symbol will go out but the saved speed will be retained .•
App lies to ve hicle s: w it h cr uise c ontro l
Presetting your speed
You can preset your desired speed while the vehicle is not
moving.
- Turn on the ignition.
- Pull lever into position
(i) ==> page 116, fig. 105 .
- Press the lever in the
0 or 0 direction to increase or
decrease your speed.
- Release the lever to save that speed.
This function makes it possible, for example, to save the speed yo u
want before driving on the highway. Once on the highway, act ivate
the cruise contro l by pulling the lever toward
(D. •
A pp lies to ve hicles : wit h cr uise c ontro l
Switching the system off
Temporary deactivation
- Press the brake pedal, or
Vehicle care Technical data

ffl..__A_ u_ t_ o_ m_ a_ t _ ic_ t_r_a _ n_ s_m _ i_ s _s_ i_ o _ n _____________________________________________ _
R -Rev e rse
T he transmission will automatically select the lowe st gea r ratio when
you sh ift into reverse .
Select
R only when the vehicle is at a full stop and the engine is
running at id le speed=>
& in "Driving the a utomatic tra nsmiss ion"
on
page 146 .
Before yo u move the selector lever to R, press both the button in the
handle of the selector lever
and the brake pedal at the same time.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illum inate when the
selector lever is moved into
R .
N -Neutral
The tra nsmission is in neutra l in t his position . Shift to this posit ion
for standing wit h the brakes applied~
page 148.
When the vehicle is s tationary or a t speeds be low 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while mov ing the
lever ou t of
N .
D -Normal position for dri ving forward
Posit ion Dis fo r normal city and highway driv ing. I t ranges from ze ro
to top speed and all gears shift automatically, depending on eng ine
load, d riving speed and au tomatically selected s hift p rograms.
When the vehicle is stat ionary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and while moving the
lever to
D out of N .
In certa in circumstances it may be advantageous to temporarily
switch to the m anu al sh ift prog ram to man ua lly se lect gea r ratios to
match specific driving conditions~
page 150.
S -Sport position
Select this position for sportier performance. In this position, the
t ransm iss ion will not upshif t as soon, allowing the vehicle to use the
increased power available at higher engine speeds to achieve livelier
a cceler ation. When the vehicle
is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always app ly the foot bra ke before and w hile movi ng the
lever to
S out of N.
& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS=> & in "Driving the automatic
transmi ssion " on
page 146 .
0 Note
Coast ing downh ill with the transmission in N and t he e ng ine not
running will result in damage to the automatic t ransmiss ion and
possibly the catalytic converter .•
Ap plies to veh icles: w it h 6-speed automatic t ransmissio n
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)
The Automati c Shift Lo ck s afegu ards you ag ainst acci­
dentally shifting i nto a for ward or the reverse gear and
causing the vehicle to m ove unintentionally .
Fig. 140 Shift gat e:
s e lect or le ve r lo ck posi­
t io ns a nd interl ock
butt on h ighlighted
The sele ct or lever lock is released as fo llows:
- Turn the ignition on.

Automatic transmission Ill
----------------
Before you move the selector lever to R, press both, the button in the
hand le of the se lector lever
and the brake pedal at the same time.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illuminate when the
selector lever is moved into
R.
N -Neutral
Shift to this position for standing with brakes applied=> page 155.
When the vehicle is stat ionary o r at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and wh ile moving the
lever out of
N.
Do not use N for coasting downhill.
D -Normal driving position for forward
Depending on the load on the engine, vehicle speed and the dynamic
control program, the transmission will se lect the
optimal gear ratio.
In certa in circumstances it may be advantageous to temporarily
switch to the manual shift program to manually select gear ratios to
match specific driving conditions=>
page 157.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while moving the
lever to
D out of N .
S -Sport position
Select this position for sportier performance. In this position, the
transmission will not upshift as soon, allowing the veh icle to use the
increased power available at higher engine speeds to achieve livelier
acceleration.
When the vehicle is stat ionary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always app ly the foot brake before and whi le moving the
lever to
S out of N.
& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS=> & in "Driving the multi­
tronic ®" on
page 153.
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
0 Note
Coasting downhill
with the transmission in N and the engine not
operating will result in damage to the automatic transmission and
poss ibly the catalytic converter.•
Applies to veh icles: w ith mult itronic ® Continuously Va riable T ransmiss ion (C VT)
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)
The Automatic Shift Lock safeguards you against acci­
dentally shifting into a forward or the reverse gear and
causing the vehicle to move unintentionally.
Fig. 148 Shift gate:
selector lever lock posi­
tions and inter lock
button highlighted
The selector lever lock is released as follows:
- Turn the ignition on.
- Step on the brake pedal.
At the some time press and hold
the interlock button on the side of the gear se lector knob
=> fig. 148 with your thumb until you have moved the
selector lever to the desired position .
Automatic selector lever lock
The selecto r lever is locked in th e P and N positions when the ignition
is turned on. To move the lever from these pos itions the driver must
depress the brake pedal. As a reminder to the driver, the following .,_
Vehicle care Technical data