2011 AUDI S6 towing

Table of contents
Table of contents
Vehicle literature ..... .
About this Owner's Manual .......... ....... .. .
Controls and
equipment .............. .
Instruments and controls ... .
General illustration ........... .
Instruments and
warning/indicator Lights ..... . Instruments ... ... .......... .
Warning/indicator ligh ts ..... . .
Driver information display ... .
Introduction ...... ......... . .
On-Board Diagno stic sy ste m
(OBD) . ..... ....... .......... .
Auto Ch eck Control ........... .
Speed warning system ........ .
Tr ip computer ............ ... .
Opening and closing ......... . Keys ............ ............ .
Power locking system
Rear lid .... ..... ............ .
Child safety Lock ............. .
Convenience key ............. .
Anti-theft alarm sys tem ...... .
Power windows .............. .
Sliding/tilting power sunroof .. .
Clear vision .. .... ............ .
L ights ... .. ........ ......... .
Interior ligh ts ... ... .. ....... .
4
5
6
7
7
8
8
12
19
19
23
24
32
34
37
3 7
41
46
47
47
49
so
53
58
58
63 Vi
sion .................... .. .
Wiper and washer system Mirrors ... ............... ... .
Digital compass ............ .
Seats and storage ........ ... .
General recommendations .... .
Power seat . ................. .
S eat m emory ............... . .
Rear sea ts ... ... .. .......... .
Head res train ts ........... ... .
Armrest .. .. ................ .
Luggage compar tm en t ..... .. .
Roof ra ck . .... .... .......... .
Cupholder .................. .
Ashtray .. ................... .
Cigarette Lighter/socket ...... .
S torag e ................ .. .. .
Warm and cold .... .......... .
Cl imate control ........ .. .... .
Ba sic se tt ings ............... .
On the road ... .... .......... .
S tee ring .................... .
Igni tion lock and ignition swi tch
Start ing and stopp ing the engine
Start ing and stopping the engine
with Convenience key ......... .
E lectromechanical parking brake
Cru ise control ............... .
Adaptive Cruise Control ..... . Speed and distance con trol
sys tem .............. ....... .
Dr iver information ........... .
Syst em Limitations ........... .
Audi Lane assist .......... .. .
Lane ass ist .... .. ............ . 64
66
69
73
75
75
76
79
80
81
82
83
87
89
91
92
93
96
96
104
106
106
108
109
110
113
116
119
119
12 7
131
134
134 Audi
side assist ............... 137
Lane Change Assistant ......... 137
No tes ....... .... ............. 144
Automatic transmission 146
tiptronic ® (6-sp eed au toma tic
tr ansmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
multitronic ® ............ ...... 152
Park assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Park ing sys tem ......... .... .. . 160
Park ing syst em (r ear) . . . . . . . . . . 160
Park ing sy ste m (r ear, w ith r ear
view camera) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Adaptive Air Suspension . . . . . . 168
Adap tive Air Suspens ion and
Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 168
Homelink ® ............. .... .. 171
Universal remote control 171
Safety first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 6
Driving Safely ................. 176
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Proper occupant seating
posi tions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 8
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Stowing Luggag e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Reporting Safe ty Defe cts . . . . . . . 185
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
G eneral not es ................. 187
Why safe ty be lt s ? ........... .. 188
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Safe ty belt pretensio ners . . . . . . . 195

Airbag system ................ 197
Important things to know ...... 197
Front airbags ......... ........ 201
Monitoring the Advanced A irbag
System ...................... 208
Side airbags .................. 213
Side curtain a irbags . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Child Safety ................... 219
Impor tant things to know ..... .
Child safety seats ............ .
Installing a child safety seat ... .
LATCH Lowe r anchorages and
tethers for children ........... .
Add it ional Informat ion 219
224
229
232
239
Vehicle operation
...... 24 2
Intelligent technology . . . . . . . . 242
Notice abou t data recorded by
vehicle control modules . . . . . . . . 242
E lectronic Stab iliza tion Program
(ESP) ........................ 242
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Servo tronic® -advanced power
steering system .......... ..... 247
Driving with your quattro® . . . . . . 248
Energy management . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Driving and environment ...... 251
T he first 1,000 miles (1,500 km)
and afterwards . ............. . 251
Avoid damaging the vehicle . . . . . 252
Driving through water on roads . 252
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Operate your veh icle econom ically
and minimize pollution . . . . . . . . . 253
Trailer towing ................. 256
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . 256
T railer towing tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle care
.............. 260
Cleaning and protection ...... 260
General informa tion . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Care of exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Care of interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Fuel supply and filling your fuel
tank ..........................
273
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Fuel tank ..................... 274
Checking and filling . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Engine hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Engine cooling system . . . . . . . . . 286
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Windshield/headlight washer container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
T ires ........................ 295
T ire pressure monitoring system 314
Do-it-yourself service . 318
What do I do now? ........... 318
T runk escape handle ........... 318
Jack, tools and spare wheel ..... 318
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
E lectrical fuses ............... 327
Bulbs ........................ 330
Emergency situations . . . . . . . . . 332
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Starting by pushing or towing 332
Starting with jumper cables . . . . 332
Use of jumper cables . . . . . . . . . . 333
Table of contents
Eme rgency towing with
commercial tow truck ........ .
Lift ing vehicle ............... .
Technical data
General information
Explanation of technic al data .. .
Vehicle ident ification ......... .
Weights ................... . .
Dimensions ............... .. .
Data ......................... .
300 hp, 3.0 lite r, 6-cylinder
engine .................... .. .
265 hp, 3.2 liter , 6-cylinder
engine .. .......... .......... .
350 hp, 4.2 liter, 8-cylinder
engine ...... .............. .. .
Consumer Information ...... .
Warranty coverages .......... .
Operating your vehicle outside the
U.S.A. or Canada ............. .
Audi Service Repair Manuals and Li terature ................... .
Maintenance ........... ..... .
Additional accessories, modifications and parts
replacement ............... . .
Declaration of Compliance,
Telecommun ications and
E lectronic Systems .......... . .
Alphabetical index ... .
335
337
340
340
340
340
341
341
343
343
344
345
346
346
346
346
346
348
349
3S2
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Clear vision
-Press the switch /4. => page 61, fig. SO to turn the emer-
gency flashers on or off.
When the emergency flasher is on, all four turn signals blink at the
same time. The turn signal indicator lights¢¢ in the instrument
cluster, as well as the light in the emergency flasher switch~ blink
likewise.
The emergency flashers will turn on automatically if you are in an accident where the airbag has deployed.
(I) Tips
You should turn on the emergency flashers when:
• you are the last vehicle standing in a traffic jam so that any other
vehicles coming can see you, or when
• your vehicle has broken down or you are in an emergency situa­
tion, or when
• your vehicle is being towed by a tow truck or if you are towing
another vehicle behind you .•
Turn signal ¢ c> and high beam ~D lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column is used to
operate the turn signals and the high beam as well as the
headlight flasher .
i
'
-to
"' -w
"' cc
Fig. 51 Turn signal
and high beam lever
The turn signal and high beam lever has the following func­
tions:
Turn signals ¢ Q
- Lift the lever up all the way=> fig. S 1 © to use the right
turn signals, or push the lever down all the way@to use
the left turn signals.
Auto-blink
-Move the lever (up or down) just to the point of resistance
to use the turn signals for as long as you need them, for
example when changing lanes.
- Move the lever (up or down) just to the point of resistance
and then release it right away to make the turn signals
blink
three times . You can use this feature for example
when changing lanes on highways.
~

Luggage compartment
Increasing Luggage compartment space
You can create additional space for loading luggage by
folding do wn either or both of the rear seatback
segments to form a deck .
Folding backrest down
Fig. 72 Rear backr es t:
rele ase lever
Fig. 73 Rea r ba ckr est:
l o cki ng t he b ackre st
- Push forwa rd release lever ©~ fig. 72 i n direction of
arrow.
- Fold the backrest down .
Contro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Seats and storage
Returning backrest to upright position
- Push rear seat backrest up unti l it engages~ &. You will
know that the seat is properly engaged when you canno t
se e t he red marking on the lever @.
Locking the backrest
- Insert your key into t he lock ~ fig . 73 and turn it clock­
w ise.
Unlocking the backrest
- Ins ert the key in to the lock and turn it count er-clockwise .
Stowing luggage
-For safe loading and securing of items read an d follow the
guidelines on~
page 183.
The rear seatback is divided into two segments -one third/two thirds.
You can fold down ei ther or bo th parts of t he sea tback.
T he release levers for the fo lding backrests can be loc ked when the
back rests are properly engaged in their upr ight position. This
prevents unauthor ized access to the luggage compartment from
withi n the vehicle. The release levers can only be locked with the
master key o r emergency key.
& WARNING
• The backr est must always be s ecurely latched so that the sa fety
belt of the center seating position can work properly to help
prote ct the occupant .
• The backrest must be securely latched in position so that no
items contained in the luggage compartm ent can s lide forward
upon sudden b raking.
• Never allow safety belts to become damag ed by being caught
in d oor or seat hardware. _,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

- Pull out and unfold the ski sack.
- Load skis or similar objects through the luggage compart-
ment into the interior of the vehicle~&.
Securing ski sack
- Insert the ski sack strap@~ page 86, fig. 80 in the
center buckle
® ·
- Pull the safety belt taut on the free end of the belt @.
Stowing ski sack
- Pull the ski sack through the rear backrest to the rear.
- In the passenger compartment, close the ski sack flap.
- Fold the ski sack carefully.
& WARNING
• The ski sack is intended only for the transportation of skis and
other light objects. To reduce the risk of serious personal injury
never transport heavy or pointed objects in the ski sack.
• When braking rapidly or during an accident the load could be
displaced and cause injury to occupants.
• Sharp edges on the load must be covered for protection.
Always fasten the belt tightly around the sack and its contents
=> page 86, fig. 80.
[ i] Tips
Never stow the ski sack away if it's wet or damp (for example, snow
melting from skis). Let it dry completely before you stow it away. •
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Seats and storage
Roof rack
First things first
A roof
rack can be fitted to carry additional luggage on
the roof
-Always read and follow the instructions provided by the
roof rack manufacturer when the roof rack system must
be installed.
If you are transporting luggage or other objects on the roof, please
note the following:
• Your vehicle has specially designed aerodynamic roof rails. Only
install a roof rack specifically designed for your model. Contact the
nearest Audi dealer for information on approved modular roof racks
for your vehicle .
• These approved roof racks are the basis for a complete roof rack
system. Additional attachments for the basic roof rack are necessary
to safely transport luggage, bicycles, surf boards, skis or small boats.
All necessary hardware for these systems is available at your autho­
ri zed Audi dealer .
• We recommend that you keep the installation instructions for
your roof rack system together with your Owner's literature in the
vehicle.
When should the roof rack be removed?
• Before going through an automatic car wash (it is best to ask the
car wash operator for advice).
• When not in use, to reduce fuel consumption, wind noise and to
guard against theft. _,,,
Vehicle care Technical data

lffl!I.___A_ d_ a_,_ p_t _i_ v _e _ A_i_ r_ S_ u_ s ... p,_ e_n_ s_ io_ n __________________________________________ _
mode at speeds above SO mph (80 km/h). This mode is then shown
greyed out in the MMI display .
For additional information on the driving modes=>
page 169,
"Chassis controls". •
Appli es to ve hicles: w it h Adap tive Air S uspensi on
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire
This mode must be activated in the MMI before raising
the vehicle with a jack or on a vehicle lift.
-Select: Function button [CAR)> function button [SETUP]
> Jacking mode.
The vehicle jack mode must be activated before changing a wheel so
that the au toma tic control processes for the air suspension do not
make lifting with the vehicle jack more difficult.
[ i ] Tips
The vehicle jack mode is switched off automatica lly at speeds above 9
mph (15 km/h) .•
Ap plies to veh icle s: with Ad ap tive Ai r Suspe nsion
Towing a trailer
Automatic lowering is not desirable when towing a
trailer .
-Select: Function button [CAR)> function button [SETUP]
> Towing mode .
Level Adjustment when towing a trailer
• Before hitching up the trailer and before adjust ing the tongue
we ight at the trailer, the automatic or comfort mode
must be selected, so that the vehicle is at normal
level=>
page 169, "Setting
the driving modes".
• If driving in dynamic mode is desired, this mode
must be selected
before hitch ing up the trailer and before adjusting the tongue
weight . However, note that your vehicle is lowered and ground clear­
ance is reduced .
• If you have to drive under difficu lt road conditions, you can select
lift mode after hitching up the trailer or after adjusting the tongue
weight.
Restrictions when operating with a trailer
When operating with a trailer, the lift mode can only be selected up
to about 25 mph (40 km/h). The system automatically goes out of lift
mode when speed exceeds about 31 mph (SO km/h).
If the vehicle is in automatic, comfort or lift mode before the trailer
towing mode is act ivated, the dynam ic mode cannot be activated .
I f the vehicle is in dynamic mode before towing operation is acti­
vated, it can be driven in this mode .
If the suspens ion is switched
from this mode to automatic mode, dynamic mode cannot be re­
selected.
[ i ] Tips
If the trailer towing mode has been act ivated, the vehicle will not sink
to the dynamic level if selected .•

________________________________________________ D_ r_ i_ v _i_n ""'g "-- S_a_ f_ e_ l _,,y'-- __
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area unobstructed and that
are firmly secured so that they cannot slip out of position . You can
obtain suitable floor mats from your authorized Audi Dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached to these fasteners.
Properly securing the floor mats will prevent them from sliding into
positions that could interfere with the pedals or impair safe opera­
tion of your vehicle in other ways .
& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a loss of vehicle
control and increase the risk of serious personal injury.
• Always make sure that floor mats are properly secured.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings in the
vehicle that cannot be properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the pedals or the ability to
control the vehicle.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings on top
of already installed floor mats. Additional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal area and interfere with
the pedals.
• Always properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have been
taken out for cleaning.
• Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver foot­
well while the vehicle is moving. Objects can become trapped under the brake pedal and accelerator pedal causing a loss of
vehicle control. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All
luggage and other objects must be properly stowed
and secured in the luggage compartment.
Fig. 169 Safe load
positioning : heavy
cargo positioned as far
forward as possible.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can shift suddenly,
changing vehicle handling characteristics. Loose items can
also increase the risk of serious personal injury in a sudden
vehicle maneuver or in a collision.
- Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
- Always place and properly secure heavy items in the
luggage compartment as far forward as possible
=> fig. 169.
- Secure luggage using the tie-downs provided=>
page 84.
-Make sure that the rear seat back is securely latched in
place .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intelligent technology!_ _______________________________________ _
Low brake fluid l evel
Ma lf u nctions can occ ur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is
too low . T he brake flu id level is monitored e lec tron ically .
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visua l inspection of the condi­
t ion of t he brake pads through the open ings in the whee l. If neces ­
sary, the wheel may be removed fo r thi s inspection~
page 320,
"Changing a whee l".
& WARNING
• You should p erform braking maneuvers for the purpo se of
cleaning the brake system only if road condit ions permit. Other
road u sers must not be put at risk - you may cau se an accident!
• Befo re descending a steep grade, reduce speed and sh ift t rans ­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often. Th is could
cause the brake s to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the b rakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. Thi s may cau se the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance.
• Under certain climatic and operating condition s such as
passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brake s can be reduced. In winter ,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings, discs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brake s will dry and ice coating s
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without using your brakes can also affect brak ing efficiency. Clean
off accumulated salt co ating from brake disc s and pads with a few
careful brake applications.
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you in stall a different
spoiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obst ructed.
Otherwi se the brake system could overheat reducing the effective­
ness of the entire brake system .
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increa sed stopping di stance. Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop. •
Brake booster
The brake booster adds extra brakin g po wer.
Th e bra ke booster wor ks with vacuu m pressure which is created on ly
when the eng ine is running ~& .
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working , for e xample when towing
y our vehicle , or be cause the brake booster has somehow been
damaged , the brake pedal must be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of boo ster assistance. •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS)
AB S prevents the wh eels from locking up under braking .
The ABS co ntrib utes effe ctive ly to ve hicl e con tro l s in ce i t preven ts t he
wheels from
locking when the brakes are applied . This means that the
vehicle remains steerable and is less likely to s kid.
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake. Just hold the brake
pedal down.
However, do not expect t he A BS to sho rten b raking di stan ce u nder all
circumstances. W hen driving on grave l or on newly fa llen snow on top
of icy s urfaces, braking distance may be even longer, therefore, under .,_