2012 AUDI A6 check engine

Removing the mechanical key
Fig. 17 Remote control master key : remov ing the me­
chanical key
• Press the release butto n@ c::> fig. 17.
• Pull the mechanica l key @ out of the mas ­
ter key.
Using the mechan ica l key, you can:
- lock and unlock the storage compartment
on the passenger's side
c::> page 56.
- lock and unlock the vehicle manually
c::>page 35 .
-lock the front and rear passenger doors me­
chanically
c:> page 36.
Master key battery replacement
F ig . 18 Remote master key: Removing the battery
holde r
Check li ght in the ma ste r key
The check light @ in the master key prov ides
information about different cond itions .
• The check light comes on briefly once when
a button is pressed, and during an "inquiry"
by the conven ience key system .
• If the check light does not come on, the
battery is dead and has to be replaced. In
addition, when the battery is dead the
I'!!
symbol appears in the instrument cluster
Op enin g an d clos ing 31
disp lay as well as the message: Ple ase
chan ge k ey batte ry.
Ma ster ke y battery replacement
We recommend having the battery changed
by an authorized Audi dea ler. However, if you
wish to rep lace the dead battery yourse lf, pro­
ceed as follows:
• Pull the mechanical key out of the master
key
c::>page 31.
• Press the release button @ on the battery
holder and at the same time pull the battery
holder out of the master key in the direction
of the arrow.
• Insta ll the new battery CR 2032 with the
"+" sign facing down.
• Push the battery holder carefully into the
master key .
• Install the mechanical key.
@ For the sake of the environment
Dispose of dead batteries properly so as
not to pollute the environment.
(D Tips
The replacement battery must be the
same specification as the origi nal.
Electronic immobilizer
The immobilizer helps to prevent unauthor­
ized use of your vehicle.
A computer chip inside your key automatically
deactivates the electronic immobilizer when
the key is inside the vehicle. When you remove
the key from the vehicle, the electron ic immo­
bilizer is automatically activated once aga in .
.&, WARNING
-
A lways take the key with you when you
leave the vehicle. The key ca n disa rm the
e lectronic engine immobilizer and permit
an unauthorized person to start the engine
and enable operation of the vehicle sys­
tems such as power window or power sun-
roof leading to serious personal injury. .,

38 Openin g and clo sing
- The power windows in the rear doors,
- The interior l ighting buttons.
In order to activate the child safety lock on
the left and the right side, press the two safe­
ty buttons [!l in succession.
Power windows
Controls
The driver can control all power windows .
Fig. 29 Section of the driver's door: Controls
All power window switches are provided with
a tw o-p osition fun ction :
Opening th e window s
• Press the switch to the
firs t stop and hold it
until the window reaches the desired posi­
tion.
• Press the switch br iefly to the
se cond stop
to automatically open the window .
Cl os in g th e window s
• Pull the switch to the
firs t s top and hold it
until the window reaches the des ired pos i­
tion.
• Pull the switch briefly to the
sec on d sto p to
automatically close the window .
P ow er wi ndow switche s
@ Driver's door
® Passenger's door
© Left rear door
® R ight rear door
A WARNING
- When you leave your veh icle -even if on­
ly briefly -always take the ignition key with you. This applies particularly when
children remain in the vehicle. Otherwise
the children could start the engine or op­
erate electrical equipment (e.g. power
windows). The power windows are func­
tional unt il the driver's door or passeng­
er's door has been opened.
- Be careful when clos ing the windows .
Check to see that no one is in the way, or
serio us inju ry cou ld result!
- When locking the vehicle from outside,
the vehicle must be unoccupied since the windows can no longer be opened in an
emergency.
(0 Tips
Afte r the ignition has been switched off,
the w indows can still be opened o r closed
fo r abo ut 10 minutes. The power windows
are not switched off until the driver's door
or passenger's door has been opened.
What to do after a malfunction
The one-touch open and close function must
be reactivated if the battery has been discon­
nected.
• Pull and ho ld the power window sw itch un­
til the w indow is f ully closed.
• Release the sw itch and then pull it again for
at least one second .
Valet parking
The valet parking feature protects the lug­
gage compartment from unauthorized ac­
cess.
F ig. 30 Luggage compartment: valet park ing button

70 On the road
steering column will continue moving as
l ong as you are pressing the switch.
There must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween your chest and the center of the steer ­
ing whee l.
If you cannot sit more than 10 in­
ches (25 cm) from the steering whee l, see if
adaptive equipment is available to help you reach the pedals and increase the distance
from the steer ing wheel.
For detai led information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
<::> page 51 .
In vehicles with the memory f unction* , the
steering column settings are stored together
with the seat position.
A WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjust­
ment and improper seating position can
cause se rious personal injury.
- Adjust the steer ing whee l column on ly
when the vehicle is not moving to pre­
vent loss of veh icle control.
-
- Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel
so that the re is a min imum of 10 inches
(25 cm) between your chest and the
steering wheel ¢
page 124, fig. 131. If
you can not maintain this min imum dis­
tan ce, the airbag system cannot protect
yo u properly.
- If phys ica l limitations prevent you from
sitting 10 in ches (25 cm) o r more from
the steering wheel, check with yo ur au­
tho rized Aud i dealer to see if adaptive
equipment is availab le .
- If the steering wheel is aligned with you r
face, the supp lemental driver's airbag
cannot provide as much protect ion in an
acc ident. A lways make sure that the
steering wheel is aligned with your
chest.
- Always hold the steering wheel with your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
t ions to reduce the risk of pe rsonal injury
if the d river 's airbag deploys.
- Never hold the steering whee l at the 12
o'clock posit ion or w ith your hands i nside the steering wheel rim or on the steering
wheel hub. Hold
ing the steer ing wheel
the wrong way can cause serious injuries
to the hands, arms and head if the driv­
er 's airbag deploys.
Easy entry feature
Applies to vehicles: with electrically adjustable steering
wheel
The easy entry feature makes it easier to en­
ter and exit the vehicle by automatically ad­
justing the steering wheel.
.. Select in the MM I: ICARlfunction button>
Car system s control button > Vehicle set­
ting s
> Seats > D rive r's seat > Easy entry >
On .
When the easy ent ry feature is turned on, the
steering wheel moves up to the park position
when you switch
off the ignition. After you en­
ter the veh icle, the steering wheel moves to
the stored position as soon as you sw itch on
the ignit ion.
Starting and stopping
the engine
Starting the engine
This button switches on the ignition and
starts the engine.
Fig . 72 Center console: S TART ENGINE S TOP butto n
"' Step on the brake pedal and move the selec­
tor lever to
P or N <::> .&_ .
"' Press on the ~ ,s_T_A_R_T_E_N_G_I_N_E_S _T_ O_P~I button
<::> fig. 72 -the engine will start. ..,.

108 Automatic Transmission
-If you must g et out of the vehicle, move
the selector lever securely into the P po­
sition and apply the parking brake f irmly.
-If the engine must remain running, never
have any driving position engaged when
checking under the hood. Make sure the
selector lever has securely engaged and
is locked in P with the parking brake
firmly set
r:!;> page 214, Engine compart­
ment.
Otherwise, any increase in engine
speed may set the vehicle in motion,
even with the parking brake applied.
Selector lever posit ions
Appl ies to vehicles: with tiptronic
This section describes the selector lever posi­
tions and driving ranges.
Fig. 113 Display in the instrume nt cluster: se lector
lever pos itio n
The selector lever position engaged appears
next to the selector lever as well as in the in­
strument cluster display.
P - Park
In this selecto r lever position the transmis­
sion is mechanically locked . Engage
P only
when the vehicle is
completely stopped ¢ A
in Driving the automatic transmission on
page 107 .
To shift in or out of position P, you must first
press and hold the brake pedal and then press
the release button in the selector lever handle
while moving the selector lever to or from
P.
You can shift out of this position only with the
ignition on.
You must release the parking lock manually
before towing the vehicle
<:!;>page 112.
R -Reverse
Select R only when the vehicle is at a full stop
and the engine is running at idle speed r:!;> ,& in
Driving the automatic transmission on
page 107.
Before you move the selector lever to R, press
both the button in the handle of the selector
l ever
and the brake pedal at the same time.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illu­
minate when the selector lever is moved into
R.
N - Neutral
The transmission is in neutral in this position .
Shift to this position for standing with the
brakes applied
<:!;>page 109.
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 out of
N.
D/S - Normal position for driving forward
In the D/S position, the transmission can be
operated either in the normal D mode or in
the S sport mode . To select the S sport mode,
pull the selector lever back briefly. Pulling the
lever back again will select the normal D
mode. The instrument cluster display shows
the selected driving mode.
In the
normal mode D , the transmission auto­
matically selects the best gear ratio.
It de­
p ends on engine load, vehicle speed and the
dynamic control program (DRP).
Select the
sport mode S for sporty driving.
The vehicle makes full use of the engine's
power. Shifting is more noticeable when accel­
erating.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds
below 3 mph (5 km/h), you must always apply
the foot brake before and while moving the
lever to
D/S out of N .
In certain circumstances it may be advanta­
geous to temporarily switch to the manual
shift program to manually select gear ratios .,..

@ Tips
-ABS and AS R on ly wor k co rrectly when
a ll fo ur wheels are eq uipped w ith identi­
ca l tires . Different tire s izes can lead to a
r educt io n in eng ine power.
- You may hear noises when the sys tems
desc ribed are working.
- If the indicato r light
D] or m (USA
models) ;£1 (Canada models) appea rs,
there may be a malfunctio n ¢
page 19 ,
¢ pag e 19.
Switching on and off
ESP turns on automatically when you start
the engine .
Fig. 1 64 Center co nsole wit h ESP OFF button
Switching sport mode on
Press th e I,$ OF F I button ¢ fig. 164. The ac­
tions tak en by the ES P syst em to stabili ze th e
ve hicl e are lim ited. In ve hicl es w it h fro nt
wheel drive, the an ti-s lip reg ulat ion (ASR) is
limited . In vehicles wi th a ll-wheel d rive, t he
AS R is switc hed off. The
I ES P i ndicator lig ht
turns on and the message
Caution! Reduced
tract ion ¢.&
appears in the driver informa ­
tion system d isplay.
The fo llow ing examples a re u nusua l situa­
tions where it may make sense to switc h sport
mode on in order to a llow the whee ls to spin:
- Rocking the vehi cle back and forth when it is
stuck
- D rivin g in d eep snow or on loose groun d
- D riving wi th s now cha ins
Intelligent technology 191
Switching sport mode off
Press the In OF FI but ton ag ain. T he ltJ in dica ­
tor lig ht tur ns off an d the message
Stability
program on
appears in t he d river info rmation
system display .
&_ WARNING
-- Drive whee ls can sp in and you can lose
contro l of t he ve hicle more eas ily w hen
ASR and ESP are in sport mode, especial­
ly whe n th e road is slippery.
- Sw itch to sport mode only when your
driving sk ills, traff ic and weat her co ndi­
tions perm it.
@ Tips
You cannot sw itch sport mode on whe n
adaptive c ruise control* is w orki ng.
Braking
General information
Wha t affe cts bra king effici ency?
-
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles a re still
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­ i ng co nd it io ns and driving habits ¢,& . On ve­
hi cles that a re e it h er dr iven most ly in stop­
and-go city t raff ic or are dr iven hard, the
br ake pa ds should be check ed by yo ur au thor­
iz ed Audi dea ler m ore often th an spec ified in
the
Warranty & Maintenance booklet. Failure
to have yo ur brake pads ins pected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On stee p slopes, you sho uld use the br aking
e ff ect o f the engine. This way, you prevent un ­
necessary wear on t he brake system. If you
must use your bra kes, do not hold the brakes
down cont in uous ly. Pump the brakes at inter­
vals.
Moisture or road salt
U nder certa in conditions, for exam ple, when
driving th roug h water or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your veh icle , the b raking
effect can be reduced due to m oist ure (or in ..,.

192 Intelligent technology
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 salt-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
Q & .
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 driven regularly or
only for short trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor­
rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and discs by braking
f irmly a few times from a moderately high
speed
Q & .
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
Q & .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid
level is monitored electronically.
Brake booster
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
sure which is created only when the engine is
running
Q & .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this in­
spection
Q page 258, Changing a wheel.
WARNING
- You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too
long or too often . This could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency.
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake. This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating
conditions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums. Carefully apply brakes
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings will be cleaned off after a few care­
ful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency.
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­
ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, for
example when towing your vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
~

198 Driving and en vironm ent
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
A WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re­
sto re the full braking effect.
@) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspension or electrical sys­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
- Check the depth of the water before dr iv­
i ng through it.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
through water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This sec­
t ion will give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook.
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi­
cle load and speed, road and weather con ­
ditions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
ce lerating. If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, acce lerate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible - for example when you see
that the next traffic light is red.

Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
"" Try and keep well below your car's maxi-
mum speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump­ tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
F ue l consumption, exhaust emissions and en ­
g ine noise increase disproportionately at high
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed limit and weather con­
d itions permit .
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
"" Shut the engine off when you are not driv­
ing the vehicle.
"" Do not warm up the veh icle by letting the
engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut
off the engine in traff ic
jams, when waiting for trains to pass at ra il­
road crossings, or at traffic lights that have
l ong wa its on red. Turning the engine
off fo r
just
30-40 seconds saves more fue l than is
bu rned starting the eng ine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fu lly when it is running at idle. However, wear
and nox ious em issions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up .
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter starting . If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wou ld go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which cou ld result in over-
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 199
'
heating o r othe r damage to the veh icle or
other p roperty .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
"" Have your veh icle serviced at reg ular i nter-
vals.
By having your veh icle regu la rly serviced by an
Audi dealer he lps to ensu re that it runs prop­
erly and economically. The condition of your
vehicle not only affects its sa fety and ability to
hold its value, it a lso affects
fuel con sump­
tion .
Check your oil e ach t ime you fill your tank .
The amount of o il used is re lated to eng ine
load and speed .
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has been driven .
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l consumption and en­
gine output.
(U) Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Ma in­
tenance booklet . Lack of proper mainte­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
em iss io n cont ro l system and cou ld lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control Sys tem unless ap­
proved by the manufacture r.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as heat shie lds, swit ches, ign it ion w ires,
valves, which are designed to p rotec t
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other important vehicle compo­
nents .
•
•