
Driver  information  display 
Introduction 
General  notes 
The driver information  display  inside  the  instrument 
cluster  provides you,  the  driver, with  much  useful  infor
mation . 
Fig.  8  Instrument 
cluster:  center  display 
Informat ion  from  the  Driver  Information System  is shown  in the 
display  in the  center  of  the  instrument cluster. 
When  you  tu rn  on  the  ignition  and  while  you  are  driving,  some  func
tions  and  vehicle  components  are  scanned  for  their  operating  status. 
Malfunctions  or  required  service  procedures  are  signalled  audibly  and 
shown  by red  and  yellow  lighted symbols  and  reminders  to  the  driver 
in the  display . 
Th e  driver  is also  shown  information  about  radio  and CD operat ion 
and  directions  for  the  navigation  system.  You can  find  additional 
information  on  these  subjects in the  MMI  manual. 
The  Driver Information  System  provides  the  follow ing  functions: 
Con tro ls a nd e quip 
m en t  Vehicle 
OP-eration 
Driver  information  display 
Sound  system  display ~page20 
Outside  a ir temperature ~page20 
Digital  speedometer ~ page21 
Door  open  indicator ~page21 
Defective  light bulb ~page21 
Service  interval  display ~page22 
Auto  Check system ~page24 
Driver  information ~page24 
Speed  limiter ~page23 
Trip computer ~ page3 4 
Tire  pressure  monitoring ~page314 
Selector  lever  position ~ page  147 
(I] Tips 
In the  event  of a malfunction  either  a red  or yellow  icon  appears  in the 
display . Red  symbols  indicate 
Danger ~ page  25. Yellow  symbols 
indicate  a 
Warning ~ page 29. • 
Vehicle  care  Do-it-yourselt service  iTechnical data  

Driver  information  display 
& WARNING  (conti nu ed ) 
•  Work  with  due  care when  handling  the  high- voltage  section  of 
gas di scharg e (xenon ) light s. Failure to  do so could result  in death 
or serious injury. 
[  i J Tips 
Have the  bu lb replaced  or  the  connection  repa ired  by your  author ized 
Audi  Se rvice department. • 
Service  interval  display 
The  service  interval  display  reminds  you  when your  next 
service  is due. 
Fig . 14  Displ ay: 
Se rvice inte rval disp la y 
T he  schedule  for  the  next  o il change  or  inspection  is calc ulated  auto
matically  and  displayed  accordingly.  The  display  wo rks  in two  stages : 
Service  reminder 
30  days  before  the  next  serv ice  is d ue,  a  service  reminder  appears  in 
the  display  when  you  tur n on  the  ignition 
=> fig . 14 . 
After  about  5  seconds  the  disp lay  switches  back  to  normal.  The 
distance  and  time  rem aini ng  a re  updated  each  time  the  ig nition  is 
turned  on  until  the  da te  due  for  service  is  reached . 
Service  due 
When  the  due  date  for  service  is  reached,  the  messa ge Service due ! 
appea rs  in the  instrument  cluste r immediately  afte r yo u turn  on  the 
ign ition.  Additionally,  a warning  tone  soun ds.  After  about  5 seconds 
t he  display  switc hes  back  to  normal. 
Calling  up  the  service  schedules 
If or  when  an  oil change  or  inspection  is due,  can  be  show n in the  MMI 
display  by se lecting  t he service  inte rval disp lay i n the  car  menu.  Select 
function  butto n 
I CAR]> Sy stems *> Service interval  display. 
Resetting  the  service  interval  display 
Your  authorized  A ud i dea ler  will  reset  the  co rrespond ing  service 
schedule  after  performing  the  appropriate  se rvice  o n your  vehicle. 
You a lso  have  the  possibility  to  reset  the  oi l change  sched ule  after 
having  performe d an  oil  change  accord ing  to  Audi  spec ificat ions . 
Select  f unct io n  butto n 
I CAR]> Systems *> Service interval  di splay > 
Reset oil  change  interval. 
0 Note 
If you  d isconnect  the  battery  terminals,  no  calculat ions  can  be  made 
for  the  service  interva l display  d uring  this  t ime  and  no  servi ce 
reminder  will  appear.  Remember  that  observing  the  proper  service 
in terva ls  is vi tally importan t to  extending  the  life  of  your  ve hicle, 
part icularly  the  engine,  and  maintaining  its  va lue.  Even  if the  mileage 
driven  is  low,  the  max imum  perio d of  one  year  from  one  se rvi ce  to the 
next  must  not  be  exceeded . 
[I] Tips 
• Do not  reset  the  d isp lay  between  oi l changes,  ot he rw ise  the 
display  will  be  incorrec t. 
•  The  informat ion  in  the  Service  Reminder  rema ins  stored  eve n 
w hen  the  ve hicle  ba ttery  is d isconnec ted. •  

Driver  information  display 
Engine  oil  pressure  malfunction 
~ 
The red engine  oil pressure  warning  symbol  requires 
immediate  service  or repair.  Driving with  a low-oil-pres
sure  indication  is likely  to  inflict  severe  damage  to  the 
engine . 
If the "t=:;r: symbol  appears  in the  display  and  blinks, the  oil 
pressure  is too  low. An additional  driver message  can also  be 
displayed  by pressing  the 
[CHECK] button : 
Switch  off  engine ! Oil pressure  too  low 
Immediate  actions 
-Pull off  the road . 
- Stop  the  vehicle. 
- Turn off the  engine. 
- Check the  engine  oil  level with  the  dipstick=> page  283. 
Dipstick  readings  checks  too  low 
- Top off oil to  the  proper  level=> page  284 . 
Make sure  that  the  oil pressure  warning  symbol "t=:;r: 
appears  no longer  in the  display  before you start  driving 
again. 
Dipstick  reading  checks  OK 
- If the  oil pressure  warning  symbol "t=:;r: starts flashing 
again  even though  the  engine  oil level checks OK on the 
dipstick, 
do  not  continue  driving  and  do  not  let  the 
engine  run in  idle. 
Instead,  contact  your  authorized  Audi 
dealer  for  assistance. 
W Tips 
•  The engine  oil  pressure  symbol 't=1: is not  an  indicator  for  a low 
engine  oil  level.  Do not  rely on  it.  Instead,  check the  oil  level  in your 
engine  at  regular  intervals,  preferably  each  time  you  refuel,  and 
always  before  going  on  a long  trip. 
•  The yellow  oil  level  warning  indication  "" requires  oil  refill  or 
workshop  service  without  delay.  Do not  wait  until  the  red oil  pres
sure  warning 
't=1: starts  to  flash  before  you  respond  to  the  low  oil 
level  warning  -. By then,  your engine  may already  have  suffered 
serious  damage.  • 
Steering  malfunction i 
If  there  is a malfunction  in the  electronic  steering  column 
lock,  the  steering  cannot  be  unlocked. 
If the i symbol  in the  display  blinks, there is a malfunction 
in the  electronic  steering  column  lock . An  additional  driver 
message  can also  be  displayed  by pressing  the  [ 
CHECK ] 
button: 
Do not  drive vehicle:  Steering  defective 
-Contact  your  nearest  authorized repair facility. 
- Do 
not tow  your vehicle . 
& WARNING 
Your vehicle  must  not  be towed  in the  event  of  a  malfunction  in 
the  electronic  steering  column  lock  because  it  cannot  be  steered  due  to  the  locked  steering.  If  it  is towed  with  the  steering  locked, 
there  is the  risk of  an  accident.  •  

Speed  warning  2 
Storing  war ning 2 is recommended  i f you o/woyswantto  be reminded 
of  a certain  speed, fo r example  when you  are travel ing  in a country 
that  has a genera l maximum  speed  limit,  or  if  you do  not  want  to 
exceed a specified  speed fo r winter  tires . 
The speed warning  2 symbol, 
8 , (USA mode ls)/ 8, (Canada models) 
appears  in the  display when you exceed the  stored  speed  limi t. Unlike 
warning  1,  it  will  not  go  out  until  the  vehicle  speed drops  below  the 
sto red speed  limi t. 
Setting  speed warn ing 2 
=> page 33 . 
(I) Tips 
Even though  your  ve hicle is eq uipped with  a speed war ning system, 
you should  st ill watch  the  speedometer  to  make sure you are no t 
dr iv ing faste r th an the  speed lim it. • 
Speed  warning  1:  setting  a  speed  Limit 
Warning  threshold  1 is set  by  the  [ CH ECK] button . 
Storing  the  maximum  speed 
-Drive  at  the  desired  max imum  speed . 
Fig. 19  CHE CK butt on 
in the  i nstrument 
clu ste r 
- Briefly  pre ss  the  [CHECK]  button ~ fig.  19. 
Con tro ls a nd e quip 
m en t  Vehicle 
OP-eration 
Driver  information  display 
Resetting  the  maximum  speed 
- Drive the  vehic le at  a speed  of  at  leas t 3  mph  (S k m/h) 
- Press the  [ CH EC K]  button  for  more  t han  2 seconds . 
The speed warning  symbo l 8 (USA models)/ 8 (Canada models)  will 
appea r briefly  in the  d ispl ay when you  release the  bu tton  to  indica te 
that  the  maximum  speed  has been stored  successf ully. 
Th e maximum  spee d  rema ins s tored  until  it  is cha nged  by p ressing 
the  button  again  briefly  or  until  it  is deleted  by a lengthy  push o n the 
bu tton .• 
Speed  warning  2:  setting  a  speed  Limit 
Warning  threshold  2 is set,  changed  and  deleted  in the 
fv1fv1l. 
- Select:  Funct io n  button [CAR ]> Systems* > Instrument 
cluster > Speed warning . 
Warning  threshold  2 can be set  in the  speed  range starting  from 
20  mph  to  150  mph  (30  km/ h to  240  km/h).  Settings  can each be 
adjusted  in  intervals  of  5 mph  (10  km/h). • 
Vehicle  care  Do-it-yourselt  service  iTechnical data  

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 .  _.,  

__________________________________________ A_ d_a""" p:....- t_iv _ e_ C_ r_ u _is _ e_C_ o_n_ t_ r_ o_ L_....Jfflll 
Driver  information 
Applies  to  veh icles:  with  Adaptive C ruise  Cont ro l 
Displays  in  the  instrument  cluster 
Depending  on the  driving situation,  driver information  is 
displayed  in the  instrument  cluster . 
@ Speedometer  and  indicator  light  display 
@  Display  in the  instrument  cluster 
Fig.  114  O vervi ew 
in strume nt  clu ster 
@ Speedomet er  and  indicator  light  display 
Important  information  concerning  vehicle  operation  with  Adaptive 
Cru ise  Control  is shown  in display  area @. T he  desired  speed  you  set 
is  indicated  in the  speedometer  (L ED lights  around  the  edge). 
Th e  ind ic ator  lig hts  show  whether  the  sys tem  has  detec ted  a ve hicle 
traveling  ahead. 
@ Display  in  the  instrument  cluster 
In  d isp lay  area @ information  from  the  navigation  system * and  the 
t rip  compu ter  is displayed  in a ddition  to  info rmation  abou t Ad apt ive 
Cru ise  Control. 
You can  select  among  the  different  information  by repeated  b rief 
taps  on the 
I RESE T! but ton on the  windshield  w iper  lever~ page 35, 
"Operation" . 
Contro ls a nd e quip 
m en t  Vehicle 
OP-eration 
Certain pieces  of in format ion in the  bottom  part  of the  display  are  not 
show n perm anent ly . In fo rmat ion  is  dis played  on ly if you  set  or 
change  the  speed  setting,  change  the  t ime  interval,  when  messages 
are  displayed  or  if the  Adaptive  Cr uise  Control  is tu rned  off  for  safety 
reasons .• 
App lies  to  v ehicle s: with  Adaptive  C ru ise  Cont rol 
Display  in  the  speedometer 
Desired  speed 
Fig. 1 15  Di spl ay in 
th e  sp eedometer 
The  des ired  speed  set  by the  driver  is displayed  by  a red  LED. 
If  the  desired  speed  was  set  between  two  lines  o n the  speedometer 
using  the 
[ SET ! button,  the  two  closes t light  em itting  diodes  will 
come  on~ fig. 115 . 
The  system  allows  on ly speeds  to  be  set  between  20  to  95  mph  (30 
to  150  km/h)  to  be  set.  This speed  range  is fa int ly ill umina ted  in  the 
speedometer  (L ED  lights) . 
Indicator  lights  (symbols) 
• ""~  Open  ro ad: The  indicator  light 11 "~ shows  that  ACC is active 
and  that  no  moving  veh icle  has  been  detected  with  in  range  of the 
radar  sensor  up  ahead  in your  lane  of travel.  The  set  speed  is main-
tained.  .,,_ 
Vehicle  care  Do-it-yourselt  service iTechnical data  

Intelligent  technology 
--------------------------------------------------' '----'----
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  
![AUDI S6 2011  Owners Manual Driving  and  environment 
(I] Tip s 
The  consumption  estimates  as  pub lished  by ENV IRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and  Transport  Canada  may  not  corre
spond  to  your  actual  consump AUDI S6 2011  Owners Manual Driving  and  environment 
(I] Tip s 
The  consumption  estimates  as  pub lished  by ENV IRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and  Transport  Canada  may  not  corre
spond  to  your  actual  consump](/manual-img/6/57593/w960_57593-255.png)
Driving  and  environment 
(I] Tip s 
The  consumption  estimates  as  pub lished  by ENV IRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and  Transport  Canada  may  not  corre
spond  to  your  actual  consumption  on  the  road,  which  will vary 
depending  upon  vehicle  load  and  speed,  road  and  weather  conditions, 
trip  length,  etc. • 
Drive  smoothly  and  keep  a  lookout  ahead 
Vehicles  use  the  most  fuel  when  they  are  accelerating . 
-Avo id unnecessary  accelerating  and  braking. 
Vehicles  use  the  most  fue l when  they  a re accele rating.  If  you  antici
pate  what  is going  to  happen  next,  you  will  need  to  brake  less  and, 
thus,  accelerate  less.  Let the  vehicle  coast  whenever  possible  -for 
example  when  you  see  that  the  next  traffic  l ight  is red. • 
Avoid  full  throttle 
Driving at  moderate  speeds  saves  fuel  and  improves  your 
mileage. 
- Try  and  keep well  below  your  car's  maximum  speed . 
Accelerating  gently  reduces  fuel  consumption,  engine  wear,  and  does 
not  disturb  the  environment. 
Fuel  consumption,  exhaust  emissions  and  engine  noise  increase 
disproportionately  at  high  speeds . If you  drive  at  approx imately  three 
qua rters  of  top  speed,  fuel  consumption  will  be  reduced  by one  half. 
Never  drive  faster  than  the  posted  speed  limit  and  weather  condi
tions  permit. 
a  Reducing  unnecessary  idling 
Even when your  car is just  idling  it  burns  up  fuel. 
-
Shut  the  engine  off  when  yo u are  not  driving  the  vehicle. 
- Do not  warm  up  the  vehic le by letting  the  eng ine run  at 
idle. 
It  makes  sense  to  shut  off  the  engine  in traffic  jams,  when  waiting  for 
trains  to  pass  at  rai lroad  crossings,  o r at  traffic  lights  that  have  long 
wa its  on  red . Turn ing  the  eng ine  off  for  just  30-40  seconds  saves 
more  fuel  than  is  burned  starting  the  engine  again. 
It  takes  a long  t ime  for  the  engine  to  warm  up  fully  when  it  is running 
at  idle.  Howeve r, wear  and  noxious  emissions  are  espec ially  high 
when  the  eng ine  is wa rm ing  up.  So you  sho uld  d rive away  as  soon  as 
you  start  the  engine  and  avoid  running  at  hig h rpms  while  the  eng ine 
is still  warming  up. 
0 Note 
Do not  leave  engine  idling  unattended  after  starting . If warning 
lights  should  come  on  to  indicate  improper  operation,  they  would  go 
unheeded.  Extended  idling  also  produces  heat,  which  cou ld  result  in 
overheat ing  o r othe r damage  to  the  vehicle  or  other  p roperty. • 
Regular  maintenanc_e  ____________  _ 
A badly  tuned  engine  unnecessarily  wastes  a lot  of  fuel . 
- Have your  vehicle  serviced  at  regular intervals . 
By having  yo ur vehicle  regularly  se rviced  by an  Audi  dealer  helps  to 
ensure  that  it  runs  properly  and  economically . T he  condition  of your 
vehicle  not  only  a ffects  its  safety  and  ability  to  ho ld  its  va lue,  it  a lso 
affects 
fu el con sumption . 
Check your  o il  e ach tim e you fill  you r tank. 
~