2012 AUDI A6 oil

By pressing the I START ENGINE STOPI button
without depressing the brake peda l, the igni­
tion is on and switched
off by pressing it
again.
After a cold engine is started, the re may be a
brief period of increased noise because oil
pressure must first bui ld up in the hydraulic
va lve adjusters. This is normal and not a cause
for concern.
If the engine should not start immediately,
the starting process is automatically stopped
after a short time. Repeat starting procedure.
Driv er m essag e in th e in strument clu ste r
disp lay
Pr ess br ak e p ed al to start engin e
This message appears if you press the
I START ENGINE STOP ! button to start the en ­
g ine and do not depress the brake peda l. The
engine can on ly be started if the brake pedal
is depressed.
!!I C o nv enience ke y: I s ke y not in th e vehi­
cle ?
This message appea rs a long with the !!I sym­
bol if the maste r key is removed from the ve­
hicle with the engine r unning . It is intended
to remind you (e .g . when changing drivers)
not to continue the journey witho ut the mas­
ter key.
I f the master key is no longer in the vehicle,
you cannot sw itch on the ignition after stop­
ping the engine and yo u also cannot start the
engine again. Moreover, you cannot lock the
veh icle from the outside with the key.
Shift to P , other wis e vehicle c an roll away.
Doo rs do not lock if le ver i s not in P.
This message appears for sa fety reasons
a long with an audib le warning tone if the
P
selector lever position is not engaged when
stopping the eng ine with the
I STAR T ENGINE STOP ! button. Select the P se­
lector lever posit ion. Otherwise the veh icle
could roll and it can not be locked .
On th e ro ad 71
Ke y not r ecogni sed . Hold bac k of ke y again st
ma rked area. See owne r's manual.
If the indica tor l ight turns on and this mes­
sage appears, there is a malf unct ion
¢ page 72.
Steering lock
The steering locks when you turn the engine
off using the I START ENGINE STOP ! button
and open the d river's doo r. T he locked steer ­
i ng helps p revent vehicle theft.
& WARNING ~
- Never allow the engine to run in confined
spaces -danger of asphyxiation .
- Never turn
off the engine un til the vehi­
cle has come to a complete stop .
- The brake booster and power steering
only work when the eng ine is r unning . If
the engine is
off, you have to use more
force when steering or braking. Because
you cannot steer and brake as you usual­ ly would, this cou ld lead to crashes and
serious injuries.
(CT) Note
- Avo id h igh engine rpm, full thrott le and
heavy engine loads until the engine has
reached operating temperature -other­
w ise you risk engine damage .
- The engine cannot be started by pushing
or towing the vehicle.
- If the engine has been under heavy load
for an extended per iod, heat builds up in
the engine compa rtment afte r the e n­
gine is switched
off -there is a risk of
damaging the engine. Allow the engine
to run at idle fo r about 2 minutes before
switching it
off.
(D Tips
- If you open the d river 's doo r with the ig­
nition on, a buz ze r sounds and the mes­
sage
Ignition i s on appears in the instr u­
ment cl uste r display . Sw itch the ignition
off . Ill-

88 Audi side a ssis t
- Side assist signal does not work around
t ight corners (turning radius less than
328 feet or 100 m).
- Side assist is no rep lacement for the driv­
er's full attent ion. The dr iver alone is re­
sponsible for lane changes and similar dr iv ing maneuvers . Always keep an eye
on the di rection yo u are traveling and the
relevant area around the vehicle.
(D Note
- To ensure that you do not adversely af­
fect side assist, do not block the area on
the rear bumper whe re the radar sensors
are located with foreign objects (such as
stickers o r bicy cle racks).
- Make sure that the signa l light on the
outside m irror is not blo cked by st ickers
or other items.
@ Tips
- Side assist a utomat ica lly deactivates if it
detects that the radar sensors a re
blocked E} page 93. The ind icator light
on the bu tton goes out.
- The area on the bumper where the radar
sensors are located must consis tently re­
main free of snow, ice, and heavy soiling
so that side assist can function properly .
Fo llow the additional notes on
c> page 93.
-Additional tinting on the front side win­
dows can make it harder to see and cor­
rectly understand the signa l light on the
outside mirror.
- For Declarat ion of Compliance to United
States FCC and Industry Canada regula­
tions
c> page 281.
Sensor detection area
Applies to veh icles: w ith side assist
F ig. 89 Schemat ic ill ust rat ion : Sensor detect ion a rea
The detection c> fig. 89 of the radar sensor de­
tection area is made up of:
- the approach area (light red area)
(D , about
230 feet (70 m) behind the vehicle, and
- the "b lind spot" (dark red area)@.
T he rada r sensors cover the adjace nt left and
right lanes. Other lanes a re
not covered by the
radar sensors.
(0 Tips
Side assist does not measure a ctual lane
wid th. The system assumes a fixe d lane
width. Detection in the left and right lanes
is based on this assumed lane width .
When driv ing on narrow roads or when
driving to the left or right of the center of
a travel lane, it is possible that vehicles
will be detected that are
not in the lane
next to the lane you are us ing
c> page 92.
Operation
Applies to veh icles: w ith s ide assist
S ide assist compares t he d istance and diffe r­
ence in speed of detected vehicles wi th the
speed of your vehi cle. Wheneve r the d iffe r­
ence in speed and distance is registered as no ­
tab le if you were to change lanes, a signal
li ght appears on the respective mirror.
T he signa l can ligh t up if yo u are passed by a
vehicle or if you are passing another vehicle.
If you pass another vehi cle slowly (difference
in speed less than 9 mph, o r 15 km/h), the ..,.

112 Automatic Transmission
authorized Audi dealership as soon as pos­
sible to have the condition corrected.
Emergency release of the selector lever
Applies to vehicles: with tiptro nic
If the vehicle's power supply foils, the selec­
tor lever can be released in on emergency.
Fig. 118 Emergency release for selecto r lever
> To reach the emergency release mechanism,
remove the ashtray insert*.
> loosen and remove the small cap in the
ashtray mount
~ fig . 118 .
> You now have access to a bolt. Using a
screwdriver or similar, press the bolt down
and hold it down.
> Now press the interlock and move the selec-
tor lever to the
N position.
The selector lever can only be moved from the
P position if the ignition is turned on. If the
vehicle has to be pushed or towed if the power
supply fails (e.g. battery is discharged), the
selector lever must first be moved to the
N
position using the emergency locking device.

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
~

Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission con­trol system (catalytic converter) is function­
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run­
ning in an environmentally sound manner .
.. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 215,
Fuel supply.
.,. Never run the tank down all the way to
empty.
.,. Never put too much motor oil in your en-
gine
¢ page 225, Adding engine oil~-
.,. Never try to push- or tow-start your veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an eff icient "clean­
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle . The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be ­
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
importa nt for the life of the cata lytic convert­
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
-
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material which can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields. During driving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢ page 225.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis­
fire . U nburned fuel could a lso get i nto
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 197
the exhaust system and this cou ld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat .
- Do not swi tch off the ignit ion while the
vehicle is mov ing.
- Do not continue to ope rate your veh icle
unde r these conditions, as othe rwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
co uld result in overheating o f the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis ­
sion Control System:
- H ave your vehicle maintained prope rly
and in accordance w ith the se rv ice rec­
ommendat ions in you r Warranty &
M aintenance boo klet.
- L ack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehi cle w il l impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage .
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control System is
operat ing properly, the exha ust gas can
have a sul fur -li ke exhaust gas smell under
some operating states . This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fue l may help,
or filling the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are drivi ng on poo r roads, or over
c ur bs, s teep ramps, etc., ma ke certai n that
low -lying parts s uch as spoilers and exhaust
system pa rts do not bottom o ut and get dam­
aged.
T h is is espec ially true for veh icles w ith low­
s lung chassis (spor ts chassis)* and fully load­
ed vehicles. •
•

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 .
•
•

Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle
can normally be washed without problems in
an automatic car wash. However, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sig n of the fac ility, the filte ring of the wash
water, the type of wash and care mater ial , etc.
If the pa int has a dull appearance afte r go ing
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi­
ately. If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a ca r wash, be s ure to
take the usual precautions such as closing the
windows and power roof. Factory installed an­
tennas m ust not be removed.
If you have installed additional accessor ies on
the vehicle -such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car was h operator if these
should be removed .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 204.
(D Note
- Fo ld the exterior mirro rs -flat there is a
r isk of damaging the exterio r mirrors .
Power folding exterior mirrors must not
be fo lded in or out by hand. Use the pow­
er function!
- Compare the track of your vehicle w ith
the d istance between the guide ra ils of
the facility- there is a risk of damage to
t h e wheels and tires .
- Compare the width of your vehicle wit h
the width of the tu nnel at the fac ility .
Cleaning and protec tion 205
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi­
cle by hand .
.,. Before you start washing, make sure you
have read and u nderstood the WARNINGS
¢ .&. in General information on page 204 .
.,. First soak all dried d irt unt il it is soft, then
r inse it off.
.,. As you clean yo ur vehicle , start w it h the
roof and wor k your way down to the bottom,
using a sponge, a sponge g love or a clean
brush.
.,. Rinse the sponge o r the sponge g love often,
flushing it clean each time.
.,. Use specia l car shampoo only for
very per­
sistent d irt .
.,. Rinse the car thoroughly with water .
.,. Use a chamo is leather to gent ly w ipe the ex-
ter ior d ry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
whee ls, door sills and othe r regions exposed
to road dirt . In this way, you w ill not scratch
the pa int w it h coarse par ticl es imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the ca r.
& WARNING ~ -
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers , or other hard
to reach parts witho ut protecting yo ur
hands and arms . You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 204.
(D Note
- Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of the ve hicle is dry . Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, s ince this
cou ld scratch your vehicle's paint or win ­
dows.
- Never wash your car in bright sunlight. Drops of water act as magn ifying lenses
and may damage your paint .
- When you wash your car in the winter: if you rinse your vehicle with a hose, be careful not to aim the stream of water •
•

-make s ure there is enough distance to
sensors in the front and rear bumper,
- do not clean the camera lenses and the
area around them with the pressure
washer.
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens. This
could cause the lens to crack .
- Never clean the camera lens with abra ­
s ive prod ucts .
Waxing and Polishing
Wa xing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint
to a large extent against the environmental
factors listed under¢
page 204, Washing and
even against slig ht scratches.
You can use a liq uid ca r wax to protect your
paint as soon as one week after your vehicle
has been delivered.
Even if you regularly use a
wax ing process in
automatic ca r washes, we recommend that
you manua lly app ly a coat of wax to give the
pa int extra protection, particularly if water no
longer beads o n the clean paint.
Protect p lastic body pa rts with car wax in the
same way as the vehicle body.
D uring wa rm weather dead insec ts tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the for­
ward area of the hood . They are much easier
to remove from paint that is waxed
often.
P olish ing
P olish you r vehicle on ly if the pa int has lost its
shine and the g loss cannot be brought back
with wax.
If the po lish used does not conta in prese rva­
tive compounds , the paint must be waxed af­
terwa rds .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 204.
Cleaning and protec tion 207
@ Note
Do not use car wax on
- matte o r anodized meta l trim
- rubber or rubber- lik e t rim.
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care .
For environmental reasons, Audi fabricates
the b right t rim strips and trim p ieces from
pure chromium-free al uminum .
Dirt and marks on the trim strips shou ld be
removed w it h a
pH-balanced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleane r). Audi dealers
ca rry clea ning products which have been test­
ed fo r use on your vehicle and are not ha rmfu l
to the environment.
T o avoid co rrosion on the exter io r trim st rips ,
o nly a pH-balanced solution should be used
for t he windsh ie ld washer.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARN INGS and
other informat ion ¢
page 204 .
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light su rface d irt. For other soil, use
a lukewa rm all-p urpose cleaning solution or a
mild saddle soap for v inyl tr im . Remove water
spots and t races of soap wi th a clean, damp
cl oth or sponge. Use a clean, soft cloth to rub
dry .
G rease , ta r or oil stains can be removed w it h a
cl ea n clot h or sponge soaked with a ll- purpose
cl eaner or with a so lvent designe d espec ia lly
to clean v inyl.
Oc cas iona lly app ly a color less v inyl or leathe r
preserva tive to re tain the ma ter ia l's lus ter
and pliabili ty .
•
•