2012 AUDI A6 tow

182 Child Safety
into place and cannot fold forward. Oth­
erwise, the seatback with the child safety
seat attached to it could fly forward in
the event of an accident or other emer­ gency situation .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restrained in ave­
hicle is being used
c:;, page 168. Special
precautions apply when installing a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat
c:;, page 144, Child restraints on the front
seat -some important things to know.
Deactivating the convertible locking
retractor
The convertible locking retractor far child re­
straints will be deactivated automatically
when the belt is wound all the way back into the retractor.
• Press the red button on the safety belt
buckle . The belt tongue will pop out of the
buckle.
... Guid@ th@ safety belt all th@ way back into
its stowed position.
Always let the safety belt retract completely into its stowed position. The safety belt can
now be used as an ordinary safety belt with­
out the convertible locking retractor for child
restraints .
If the convertible locking retractor should be
activated inadvertently, the safety belt must be unfastened and guided completely back in­
to its stowed position to deactivate this fea­
ture . If the convertible locking retractor is not
deactivated, the safety belt will gradually be­
come tighter and uncomfortable to wear .
_&, WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats in­
crease the risk of serious personal injury
and death in a collision.
- Never unfasten the safety belt to deacti­
vate the convertible locking retractor for
child restraints while the vehicle is mov- ing
. You would not be restrained and
could be seriously injured in an accident.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restrained in ave­
hicle is being used
c:;, page 168. Special
precautions apply when installing a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat
c:;, page 144, Child restraints on the front
seat -some important things to know.
LATCH Lower
anchorages and tethers
for children
Child Restraint System anchors and how
are they related to child safety
To provide a simpler and more practicable way
to attach the child restraint on the vehicle
seat, Federal regulations require special lower anchorages in vehicles and devices on new
child restraints to attach to the vehicle ancho ­
rages.
The combination of the tether anchorages and
the lower anchorages is now generally called
the
LATCH system for "Lower Anchorages and
Tet hers for Children ."
Forward-facing child restraints manufactured
after September 1 , 1999, are required by U.S.
federal regulations to comply with new child head movement performance requirements .
These new performance requirements make a
tether necessary on most new child seats.
Installing a child restraint that requires a top
tether without one can seriously impair the
performance of the child restraint and its abil­
ity to protect the child in a collision. Installing
a child restraint that requires a top tether
without the top tether may be a violation of
state law.
Child restraint manufacturers offer LATCH
lower anchorages on their child seats with
hook-on or push -on connectors attached to
adjustable straps.
In addition to the LATCH lower anchorages,
these child restraint systems usually require .,.

Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers for the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event. EDR's are sometimes called "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retr ieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDR's that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for examp le, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during norma l vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a very limited period of
time and stored when a system fault or other
condition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may relate to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as we ll as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Electronic stabilization
program (ESP)
Description
ESP helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of
skidding and loss of veh icle control. It works
only when the engine is running. ESP detects
Intelligent technology 189
certain difficult driving situations, including
when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw)
out of control and he lps you to get the veh icle
back under control by se lectively braking the
wheels, and/or reducing engine power and
providing steering ass istance to help hold the
vehicle on the driver's intended course. The in­
dicator light
lf.1 in the instrument cluster
blinks when ESP is taking action to help you
control the vehicle.
ESP has limitations.
It is important to remem­
ber that ESP cannot overcome the laws of
physics.
It will not always be able to help out
under all conditions you may come up against.
For example, ESP may not always be able to
help you master situations where there is a
sudden change in the coefficient of friction of
the road surface. When there is a section of dry road that is suddenly covered with water,
slush or snow, ESP cannot perform the same
way it would on the dry surface . If the vehicle
hydroplanes (rides on a cushion of water in­
stead of the road surface), ESP will not be
able to help you steer the vehicle because con­
tact with the pavement has been interrupted
and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered .
During fast cornering, particularly on winding
roads, ESP cannot always deal as effectively
with difficu lt driving situations than at lower
speeds. When towing a trailer, ESP is not able
to help you regain control as it would if you
were not tow ing a trailer.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffi<; and weather conditions. ESP can­
not override the vehicle's physical limits, in­
crease the available traction, or keep a vehicle
on the road if road departure is a result of
driver inattention. Instead, ESP improves the
possibility of keeping the vehicle under con­
trol and on the road dur ing extreme maneu­
vers by using the driver's steering inputs to
help keep the vehicle going in the intended di­
rection. If you are traveling at a speed that
causes you to run off the road before ESP can
provide any assistance, you may not experi­
ence the benefits of ESP .
•
•

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. •
•

Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a tra iler, p lease remember
that the addit ional load will affect durab ility,
economy and performance .
T railer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
F or this reason, a lways fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer we ight. The hitch must be suita­
b le for your veh icle and trailer and must be
mounted secure ly on t he veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location . Use only a t railer
h itch w ith a removab le ball moun t. A lways
check with the tr ailer hitch man ufac tur er to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
T he hitc h must be installed in such a way that
it does not inte rfe re with the impac t-absorb­
i ng b umper syst em. No modifica tions should
be made to the vehicle exhaus t and b rake sys­
tems . From t ime to time, check that a ll hitch
mo unt ing bolt s remain securely fas tened.
W hen you are not tow ing a trailer, remove the
trai le r hi tch ball moun t. T h is prevents the
hi tch from causing damage sho uld your ve hi­
cle be str uck from be hind
¢ &. .
Trailer brakes
If yo ur tra iler is equ ipped w it h a braking sys­
tem, check to be su re that it conforms to a ll
r eg ulat io ns.
Trailer towin g 201
The trailer hyd ra ulic bra ke system must not be
direct ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Alw ays use saf ety chains between your ve hicle
and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Tra iler lights must meet all reg ulations . Be
su re to check with your Audi dea ler fo r cor re ct
wir ing, swi tches and relays.
Mirrors
If you a re unable to see the traffic behind you
u sing the regula r outside m irrors, then you
must i nsta ll ext ended mir rors . It is important
t h at you
always have clea r vis ion to the rear .
.8, WARNING
-
Afte r removing the trailer hit ch, do no t
s tore i t in yo ur vehicle . In case of sudden
b raking, the h itch cou ld fly forwar d an d in­
ju re you or yo ur passengers .
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A tra ile r fo r you r vehicle is limited to a ty pical
cl ass 1 or class 2 tra ile r.
Trailer load distribution
B e sure the loa d in the tr aile r is held secure ly
i n place to p reven t it from shift ing forw ard,
ba ckward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ &. in Driving instru ctions on page 20 2.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard­
er . It is impo rtant that the cooling system's
perfo rmance is up to the additional load .
Make sure that the coo ling syst em has enough
f lui d.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer , inflate the tires of your
vehicle to t he cold tire pressure listed under .,..
•
•

202 Trailer towing
"Full load" on the label located on the driver's
side B-pillar (visible when the door is open).
Inflate trailer tires to trai ler and t ire manufac ­
turers' specif ications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer
lights are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners. When you install safety
chains, make sure they wi ll not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the following:
.. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car it­
self is not loaded.
.,. Be especia lly careful when passing other
ve­
hicles.
.. Observe speed limits .
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early .
.. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car re­
sults in a high ly unstable distribution of
weight . If this cannot be avoided, drive at
very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should
be loaded to the extent poss ible and permissi­
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the circumstances . Whenever possi- ble,
transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tong ue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
T he higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed . Re­
duce your speed
even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -particularly
when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing trai lers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downhi ll, shift into a lower gear to use the en­
gine braking effect to s low the vehicle. Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 11
must be observed carefu lly. The coolant tem­
perature can increase if you drive on long in­
clines in a low gear at high engine speeds. Re­
duce your speed immediately if the LEDs in
the top part of the d isplay turn on .
For more information about indicator lights,
refer to. ¢
page 16 .
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident. Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
provided by Audi.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
a trai ler because of the additional weight and ..,.

different weight distribution. Safety, perform ­
ance and economy w ill greatly depend on how
carefu lly you load yo ur trailer and operate
your rig.
B efore you actua lly tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in a n area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become comp letely fam iliar with the way
your veh icle- trailer comb inat ion behaves and
responds .
Backing up is d ifficu lt and requires practice .
Backing up with a tra iler genera lly requires
steer ing action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a trailer .
M aintain a g reater distance between your ve­
hi cle and the one in front of you. You will need
more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you will need a larger than norma l
turn ing radius.
When passing, remember that yo u cannot ac ­
celerate as fast as you normally would be­
cause of the added load . Make s ure you have
e nough roo m to pass . After passing, allow
p lenty of room fo r your tra ile r befor e chang­
in g la nes aga in.
Avoid jerky sta rts, sharp turns or rapid lane
cha nges.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a tra iler during the break- in
period of you r vehicle.
- If you t ow a trailer, your A udi may re­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the ext ra load
¢ page 2 78 .
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If i t can­
not be avoided, do so only after doing the fol ­
lowing:
When parking:
.. Apply the foot b rake .
.. Have someone place chocks under both the
vehicle and the trailer wheels.
Trailer towin g 203
.. W ith chocks in place, slowly release t he
brakes unt il the whee l choc ks absorb the
load .
.. Turn the whee ls towards t he curb .
.. App ly the parking brake.
.. Select the
P selector lever position .
When restarting after parking:
.. App ly the foot brake.
.. Sta rt the engine .
.. Select the
D/S selector lever position.
.. Release the park ing brake and s low ly pull
out a nd away from the wheel c hocks .
.. Stop and have someone retr ieve the wheel
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector leve r of the auto­
matic transmission to
P before applying
the p arking bra ke a nd before blo cking the
whee ls, y o u m ay h ave t o use more fo rce
lat er to move the lever out of the
P p osi­
tion .
•
•

208 Clea ning and protec tio n
8_ WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
Q page 204 .
Aluminum trim
Use only n eu tra l- pH products to remove spots
and depos its from alum inum surfaces .
C hr ome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum inum surfaces and can dam ­
age them over time.
WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
Q page 204 .
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up
immediately.
• Use either a touch-up pa int stick or spray
paint to cover minor scratches and nicks .
Your Audi dealer has touch-up paint for minor
scratches and stone chips . Scratches shou ld
be touched up soon after they occu r to pre­
vent corrosion .
If a spot starts to rust, however, a simple
touch-up job w ill not be enough. The affected
surface must be sanded smooth and coated
with a n anti-rust pr imer before the pa inted
f inish can be restored.
The number for the origina l vehicle paint can
be found on the vehicle ident ification labe l
Qpage274.
8_ WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
Q page 204 .
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road
film and car wash wax bu ildup. •
Remove snow from windows using a brush.
• Use a p lastic ice scraper to remove ice from
w indows and mirrors.
• Remove other residue on the windows with
a spray-on glass cleaner.
• Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of
cloth or kitc hen paper towel.
The best way to remove snow from windows and mirrors is to use a brush. Use a non-abra­
s ive
pla stic ic e scraper -better still, a spray
deicer - to remove
i ce from w indows and mir­
ro rs.
Oil, grease or s ilicone residue can be removed
with
gla ss clea ner or s ilic on e re m over . How­
ever, wax res idue requires the use of a spec ial­
ly formulated so lvent. Please contact your Au­
di dealer for advice on safe products for wax
removal.
Windows should also be cleaned on the inside at regu la r i ntervals .
Never dry windows with the same chamo is
that you use to dry painted surfaces. Wax resi ­
due on the chamois can impair v is ion through
the windows .
8_ WARNING
- Always read and heed al l WARNINGS and
o ther info rmation
Q page 204.
- The windsh ield must not be treated w ith
water-repellent materials. They can in­
crease glare under poo r visibility condi­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the horizon . In addi­
tion, they can cause the windshield wip­
ers to chatter.
(D Note
- Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from windows and mirrors .
This could cause the glass to crack.
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
st ickers on the ins ide of the rear window
over the wires.
...