2012 AUDI A6 SEN

90 Audi side assist
@ Alert stage signal flashes
If you activate your turn signal in driving sit ­
uation @, th e signa l br iefly f lashes repeated­
l y. Side assist is a lerting yo u to a vehicle that
you may not have noticed.
@ Tips
- The faster a vehicle approaches from the
rear, the sooner the signa l on the outs ide
mirror lights up. Side assist will signa l,
at the latest, when a detected vehicle en­
ters your "blind spot".
- When vehicles approach very quickly,
changing lanes can be dangerous even if
the signal on the outside mirror does not
li ght up.
Driving situation: Slowly approaching
vehicles
Applies to vehicles : w it h side ass ist
®
Fig. 91 S ide ass ist: S lowly approaching vehicles and ve­
hicles in your blind spot
© Signal on outside mirror does not light
up
A vehicle approaching slowly -in the left-hand
lane for example -was detected by the sen­
sors. Because of the small difference in speed
and the considerab le distance from your vehi- cle,
the signal on the outside mirror will not
light up
c::> &. in Safety tips on page 93 .
@ Informational stage signal lights up
The distance between your vehicle and that of
the slowly approaching vehi cle has narrowed.
T he informational stage signal on the outside
mirror lights up.
As soon as the difference in speed and dis­
tance is registered as notable if you were to
change lanes, a signal on the mirror lights up.
Side assist will signal at the latest when a de­
tected vehicle enters your "blind spot".
@ Alert stage signal flashes
If you activate your turn signal in driving sit­
uation @, the signal light br ie fly flashes re­
peatedly. Side assist is alerting you of a vehi­
cle that you may not have noticed.
(D Tips
- Th e faster a veh icle approaches from the
rea r, the sooner the signal on the outside
mirror lights up. Side assist will signal,
at the latest, when a detected vehicle en­
ters your "blind spot".
- When vehicles app roach very quickly,
changing lanes can be dangero us even if
the signal on the outside mirror does not light up.

right of your travel lane, depending on wheth ­
er you driv e in the center of your lane or closer
to the edge .
I f yo u drive in narrow lanes, s ide ass ist's de ­
tection area may a lso include other lanes -es ­
pecia lly if you tend to drive on the edge of
your lane¢
fig. 95. Under these condit ions,
ve hicles can also be detected that are two
lanes away, and side assist then could sw itch
between the informat ional and warn ing stage
sig nals .
When driving in very w ide lanes, vehicles in
the adjacent lane may not be detected be­
cause they are not inside the detection area .
Notes
Messages in instrument cluster display
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
If side assist turns off automatically, the indi­
cator light on the button wi ll go out and you
will see a message in the instrument cl uster
d isplay:
Aud i side a ssist : not availab le. s en sors
blocked
T he side assist sensors are built into the rear
bumper on the left and right (not visible on
the outside) ¢
page 87, fig. 87. To ensure that
you do not adversely affect the way side assist functions, foreign objects (such as stickers o r
b icycle racks) shou ld not be attached to the
a rea on the rear bumper where the sensors
a re loca ted.
If side ass ist func tions a re ad­
versely affected, yo u will see this message in
the instrument cluster display. Remove any­
thing that may be blocking the sensors .
If no vehicle is detected for a longer period of
time while driving, side assis t will a lso switch
off a utomatica lly.
Audi side as sist currently not available
If there is a tempora ry problem (such as the
veh icle's battery charge being low), s ide ass ist
cannot be activated tempo rarily.
Audi side a ssis t 93
Audi side assist: system fault
Have the system checked by an author ized Au­
di dealer or qualified workshop .
Audi side assist: not available when
to wing
T he radar sensor's view is limited when tow ­
ing a trai ler . F or vehicles with a facto ry instal ­
led towing hitch or a trailer hitch that was in­
stalled later according to factory specifica­
tions, side assist is automatically deactivated
a s soon as the electrical connection to the
trailer 's electrical socket is made, and this sta­
tus message appears in the instrument clus ­
ter display . Deactivation cannot be guaran­
teed when using a ret rofitted towing hitch
that was
not installed acco rd ing to facto ry
spe cifica tions.
Safety tips
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
T he side assist detection may be limited when
driving around narrow street corners, on hi lly
streets, and under poor weather conditions.
It is possible that the radar sensors may a lso
detect other objects, s uch as high or stag ­
gered guardrails .
S ide assist does not measure act ual lane
width. The system assumes a fixed lane width.
Detection in the left and right lanes is based
on this ass umed lane width . When driving on
narrow roads or when driving to the left or
right of the center of a travel lane, it is poss i­
ble that vehicles will be detected that are
not
in the lane next to the lane you are using .
A WARNING
-Improper reliance on the side assist sys­
tem can cause coll is ions and serio us pe r­
sonal injury:
- Never rely on ly on side assist when
changing lanes .
- Always check rear view mirrors to make
sure that it is safe to change lanes.
- Side assist cannot detect all vehicles un-
der all conditions- danger of accident!
~

94 Audi side ass is t
- Side assist cannot detect vehicles in time
to alert you when they approach from
behind at very high speed, or fall drop
back very quickly .
- The radar sensor 's
vision can be reduced
or entirely blocked by rain, snow, and heavy spray . Th is can result in side assist
not adequately detecting vehicles or, in
some cases, not detecting them at a ll.
Always keep an eye on the d irection you
are t raveling and the relevant area
around the vehicle .
- Please note that side assis t indicates
there are approaching vehi cles, o r vehi­
cles in your blind spot, only after your ve­
hicle has reached a driving speed of at
least 19 mph (30 km/h).
- Side assist signal does not work around
tight corners (turning radius less than
328 feet, or 100 m) .
- Side assist is no rep lacement for the driv­
er's f ull attent ion . The dr iver alone is re­
sponsible for lane changes and similar
dr iving maneuvers. A lways keep an eye
on the direction you are traveling and the
relevant area around the vehicle.
(D Note
To ensure that side assist is not adve rsely
affected, you should not block the area on
the rear bumper where the radar sensors
are located with fo reign objects (such as
w ith stickers or bicycle racks) .
(D Tips
If the positions of the radar sensors have
been changed as a result of a rear end-col­
lision, fo r instance, have side assist
checked by a n author ized Audi dealer for
safety reasons.

Audi drive select Driving settings
Introduction
Aud i drive select makes it possible to experi­
ence different types of vehicle settings in one
ve hicl e. The driver can select three
Comfort,
Auto
and Dynamic modes in the MMI to
switch between a sporty and a comfortable
driving mode.
You can also adjust the setting according to
your preferences in the
individual mode. For
examp le, you can comb ine settings such as a
sporty engine tuning with light steering.
Description
The vehicle setup in each mode depends on
the vehicle's features. The engine, transmis­
sion and steering are always involved . The cor ­
nering light* can also be adjusted . The revers i­
ble safety belt tensioners~
page 187 are
adapted to the dynamic mode.
Engine and transmission
Depending on the mode, the engine and the
transmission respond more quickly or in a more balanced manner to accelerato r pedal
movements. In the sporty dynamic mode, the
transmission shifts at higher RPMs.
Steering
The steering adapts in terms of steering effort
and steering ratios . Indirect steer ing that
moves easily as in comfort mode is especially
suited to long drives on a highway. In con­
trast, dynamic mode provides sporty, direct
steer ing .
The follow ing applies to vehicles with dynam ic
steering*: the steering ratio changes based on
veh icle speed in order to maintain optimum
steer ing effo rt for the driver at all times . Thi s
sets the steering to be less sensitive a t higher
speeds in order to provide improved vehicle
control.
Audi drive select 95
Cornering light*
The cornering light adapts to driving on
curves . The pivoting action and the lighting
are also adapted to the mode.
¢j) Tips
- In some models, the maximum vehicle
speed can only be reached in the
Auto
and Dynamic modes.
- Selecting the
Dynamic mode results in
sporty shifting characterist ics. The
S
gear position engages automatically.
Selecting the driving mode
You can choose between Comfort, Auto, Dy­
namic and Individual .
Fig. 96 MMI: Drive select
.. To se lect the mode , se lect the following in
the MMI:
ICARI function button> Comfort,
Auto, Dynamic or Individual.
You can change the driving mode when the ve­
hicle is stationary or wh ile driving. If traffic
permits, after changing modes, briefly take
your foot off the accelerator pedal so that the recently selected mode is a lso activated for
the engine .
Comfort -provides a comfort-oriented veh icle
setup and is suited for long drives on high­
ways.
Auto -provides an overall comfortable yet dy­
namic dr iving feel and is suited for every day
use .
Dynamic -gives the vehicle a sporty driving
feel and is suited to a sporty driv ing style.

106 Automatic Transmission
Of course, you can continue to use the manual
shift program with the selector lever on the
center console.
Transmission malfunction
Applies to vehicles: with multitron ic
[O] Transmission: please press the brake ped·
al and select the position again
Press the brake pedal and se lect the desired
selector lever position again . You can then
continue dr iving .
[O] Transmission hot: please modify driving
style
The transmission temperature has increased
sig nifi cantly due to the sporty driving manner.
Drive in a less spo rty manner until the tem­
perature returns to the normal range and the
indicator light switches of.
[O] Transmission malfunction: You can con­
tinue driving
There is a sys tem ma lf unctio n in the transmis­
sion . You may continue driving. Drive to your
authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair fa­
cility soon to have the malfunction corrected .
[O] Transmission malfunction: Limited driv­
ing functionality
There is a system malfunction in the transmis­
sion . The transmission is switch ing to emer­
gency mode. This mode only shifts into cer­
tain gea rs or will no longer shift at all. The en­
gine may stall. Drive to your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified repair facility immediately
to have the ma lfunction corrected.
[O] Transmission malfunction: Stop and shift
to P
Do not cont inue driving. Select the P se lector
l eve r position and see yo ur authorized Aud i
dealer or qualified repa ir facility for assis ­
tance.
(D Note
If the transmission switches to emergency
mode, you should take the vehicle to an a
uthor ized Audi dea le rs hip as soon as pos ­
sible to have the condition corrected .
Emergency release of the selector lever
Applies to vehicles: w ith multitronic
If the vehicle's power supply fails, the selec­
tor lever con be released in on emergency .
Fig. 111 Emerge ncy release fo r selecto r lever
.,. To reach the emergency release mechanism,
remove the ashtray insert* .
.,. Loosen and remove the small cap in the
ashtray mount ¢
fig. 111 .
.,. 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 se lec-
tor lever to the
N position.
T he 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
se lector lever must first be moved to the
N
pos ition using the emergency locking device.
tiptronic ®
Introduction
Applies to veh icles : w ith tiptronic
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronically
controlled automatic transmission. Upshifting
and downsh ifting takes place
automatically .
The transmission is also equipped with t ip­
tronic ®. It allows the driver to shift gears
manually if desired ~ page 110.

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.

Parking system
General information
Appl ies to vehicles: Audi parking system plus/Audi park­
ing system plus with rear view camera
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, vari­
ous parking aids will help you when parking
and maneuvering.
The
Audi parking system plus assists you
when parking by providing audio and visual
warn ings about objects
in front of and behind
the vehicle ¢page 113.
The Audi parking system plus with rear view
came ra
shows the area behind the vehicle in
the display . This image helps you when paral­
lel parking or cross parking. The system also
provides the parking aid aud io and visual sig­
nals
~ pag e 114 .
@ Tips
For information on cleaning , refer to
q page206.
Audi parking system
plus
De script ion
Appl ies to vehicles: with parking system plus
Audi parking system plus provides audio and
visual signals when parking .
Sensors are located in the front and rear
bumpers . If these detect an obstacle, audible
and v isual signals warn you. The range at
which the sensors begin to measure is approx ­
imately:
front
rear side
center
side
center
--~-
3 ft (0.90 m)
4 ft (1.20 m)
2 ft (0.60 m)
5.2 ft (1.60 m)
The closer you get to the obstacle, the shorter the interval between the audible signa ls. A
continuous tone sounds when the obstacle is
less than approximate ly 1 foot (0.30 meters)
away. Do not continue driving farther!
Parking system 113
If the distance to an obstacle remains con­
stant, th e volume of the distance warning
gradually drops after about four seconds (this
does not apply in the continuous tone range).
Switching on and off
Applies to vehicles: with parking system plus
Fig. 119 Ce nt er co nsol e: Parkin g sy ste m sw it c h
Fig. 120 MMI di splay : v is u al d istance display
Switching on
.. Switch the MMI on
.. Activate
comfort or auto mode in Audi drive
select
q page 95.
.. Shift into reverse or
.. Press the switch~ in the center conso le
q fig. 119 . A short confirmation tone
sounds and the indicator light in the switch
lights up.
Switching off
.. Drive faster than 6 mph (10 km/h) , or
.. press the switch
~ or
.. switch off the ignition.
Segments in the visual display
The red segments in front of and behind the
vehicle
¢ fig. 120 help you to determine the
distance between you and an obstacle. As
your vehicle comes closer to the obstacle, the .,..

114 Park in g s yste m
segments move closer to the vehicle. The col­
lision area has been reached when the next to
l ast segment is displayed. Do not cont inue
driving farther
c:> &.!
A WARNING
-Sensors have blind spots in which objects
cannot be detected . Pay special attention
to small children and animals because
the sensors cannot always detect them .
- The parking system cannot replace the
dr ive r's attention. The driver alone is re­
sponsible for parking and similar driving
maneuvers.
- Always keep your eyes on the veh icle's
surround ings, using the rear view mirror
as well.
(D Note
Low obstacles al ready signaled by a warn­
ing can disappear from the system's detec­
tion range as they are approached and will
not con tinue to be signa le d . Obje cts such
as barrier cha ins, trailer draw bars, thin
pa inted vertical poles or fences may not be
detected by the system, posing risk of
damage.
@ Tips
- The sensors must be kept clean a nd free
of snow and ice for the park assist to op­
erate.
- You can change the volume and pitch of
the signals as well as the display
<=>page 118.
-What appears in the display is time -de ­
l ayed.
Audi parking system
plus with rear view
camera
Introduction
Applies to vehicles : pa rkin g system p lus wit h rear view
came ra
Fig. 121 Parking mode 1: reverse parking
Fig. 122 Park ing mode 2: parallel parkin g
This park ing system integ rates a r e arvi ew
cam era
in addition to the audio and v isual
parking system signa ls
<=> page 113.
0 ± .. a,
You can choose between two modes to assist
yo u w ith parking. For example, you can use
"pa rking mode 1" when parking in a park ing
space or garage
c:> fig. 121. When you want to
park para llel to the edge of the st ree t, select
"pa rking mode 2"
<=>fig. 122.