2012 AUDI A6 Owners Manual

should never be left unattended in the ve­
hicle because this increases the risk of in­
jury.
12-volt sockets
Fig. 5 4 Section of the trim panel of the luggage com·
partment: 12-volt socket
•
Fig . 55 Rear center console: 12-volt socket
~ To reach the 12-volt socket in the luggage
compartment, press the net down
¢ fig. 54.
There is an additional 12-vo lt socket in the
front and rear center console
~fig. 55.
The 12 vo lt sockets may be used for 12-volt
appliances with max imum consumption of up
to 120 watts.
Before you purchase any accessories, always
r ead and fo llow the information in
~ page 280, Additional accessories and parts
replacement .
A WARNING
The sockets and the electrica l accessories
connected to them operate on ly when the
ignition is switched on. Incorrect usage
can lead to serious injuries or burns. To re­
duce the risk of injuries, never leave chil-
S ea ts a nd s to rage 55
dren unattended in the vehicle with the ve­
h icle key.
(D Note
To avoid damaging the socket, only use plugs that fit properly.
- Never connect equipment that generates
electrical current, such as a solar pane l
or battery charger, to the 12 volt socket.
This could damage the vehicle's electri­
cal system.
- The 12 volt socket should only be used
for a short period of t i me as a power
source for electrical equipment. Please
use the electrical sockets in the vehicle
when connecting equ ipment for longer
periods.
- To avoid damaging the socket, only use
plugs that fit properly.
(D Tips
When the engine is off and accessories are
still plugged in and are on, the vehicle bat­
tery can still be drained.
Storage
(upholder
Fig. 56 Center console: cupholder
Fig. 57 Rear center armrest: cupholder extended

56 Seats and storage
Front cuphold er
.,. To open the c upholder, tap the cover
~ fig. 56.
Rear cuphold er
.,. Press on the symbol 'i@ ~ fig. 57 .
.,. To adjust the a rm @ , swing it in the direc­
t ion of the a rrow .
.,. Place the beverage in the holder and release
the arm . The arm swings back by itself and
automatically secures the beverage .
.,. Press on the center section between the
two arms and push the cup holder in the
slot as far as it will go.
_& WARNING
Spilled hot liquid can cause an accident
and personal inj ury .
-
- Never carry any beverage containe rs with
hot liquids, such as hot coffee or hot tea,
in the vehicle while it is mov ing . In case
of an accident, sudden b ra ki ng o r other
vehicle movement, hot liq uid c ould spill,
causing sca ld ing burns. Sp illed hot liq ui d
can also ca use an accident and personal
injury.
- Use only soft cups in the cupholde r. Hard
cups and g lasses can ca use inj ury in an
accident.
- Never use the cupho lder or adapter as an
ashtray- r isk of f ire.
(D Note
On ly drink containers wi th lids should be
carried in the cupho lder. Liqu id could spi ll
ou t and damage your vehicle's e lectronic
equ ipment or stain the upholstery, etc.
Cooled glove compartment
Applies to vehicles: wit h coo led g love compartment
The cooled glove compartment only functions
when the A/C system is switched on .
Fig . 58 G love compartme nt: sw it c hin g cooli ng m ode
on/off
.,. Turn the knob @counterclockwise to
sw itch cooling on . The symbols on the knob
ind icate the correct position .
.,. Turn the knob @clockwise to switch cool-
ing off.
The glove compartment cooling mode only
funct ions when the vehicle A/C system is
switched on . If the heat ing is sw itched on,
switching the g love compa rtment coo lin g
mode off is recommended.
Additional storage
T here a re a var iety of storage compartments
and fasteners in various places in the vehicle.
- S torage compartments in the doors
- Compartment in the glove compartment
(coo led*) . T he g love compar tment can be
loc ked using the mechan ica l
key ~ page 31.
-Sta rage compartment for (su n)g lasses* in
t he roof (near the interio r mirror)
- Storage compartments under the center
armrests
- Storage compartment on the rear side of
the front seat *. T he compa rtment can hold a
maximum weigh t of 1 kg.
- Compa rtments* on the back of the front
seat ba ckrests
- Garment hooks on the sides of the pi llars in
th e rear of the vehicle a nd in the rear g rab
ha ndles
lllJ,,

- Compartment in the rear center armrest
-Two mounting hooks* unde r the base of the
rear window inside the luggage compart­
ment. You can attach light objects to these
hooks. The mounting hooks are spring-load­
ed and will return to their normal position
when not in use.
A WARNING
- Always remove objects from the instru­
ment panel. Any items not stored could
sl ide aro und inside the vehicle while driv­
ing or when accelerating or when apply­
ing the brakes or when drivi ng around a
corner.
- When you are driving make sure that
anything you may have placed in the cen­
ter console or othe r storage locat ions
cannot fa ll out into the footwells. In case
of sudden braking you would not be able
to brake or accelerate.
- Always keep the l id of the compartment
for (sun)glasses* closed while driv ing to
reduce the risk of injury during a sudden
braking maneuver or in the event of an
acc ident.
- Any articles of cloth ing that you have
hung up must not interfere with the driv­
er's v iew. The coat hooks are designed
only for lightweight clothing. Never hang
any clothing w ith ha rd , pointed or heavy
objects in the pockets on the coat hooks.
During sudden braking or in an accident -
especially if the airbag is deployed -
these objects could injure any passen­
gers inside the vehicle.
- To reduce the risk o f personal injury in an
accident or sudden stop, always keep the
glove compartment closed while dr iv ing .
- Read and fo llow all WARN INGS
~ page 164, Important safety instruc­
tions on the side airbag system.
- Hang clothes in such a way that they do
not impair the driver's vision .
- The coat hooks must only be used for
lightweight clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp edged objects in the pock ­
ets which may interfere with the side cur-
S ea ts a nd s to rage 57
tain airbag deployment and can ca use
personal injury in a crash .
- Do not use coat hangers for hanging
cloth ing on the coat hooks as this can in­
terfere with proper deployment of the side curta in a irbags in an acc ident.
- Do not hang heavy objects on the coat hooks, as they could cause personal in­
jury in a sudden stop.
- For strength-re lated reasons, the mount­
ing hooks can only be used to secure ob­
jects weigh ing up to 10 lb . (5 kg). Heavi­
e r objects will not be adequately secu red
- there is a r isk of injury .
(D Note
Objects located on the rear shelf that rub
against the rear window could damage the
heating wires for the rear w indow defog­
ger .
Roof rack
Description and mounting locations
Additional cargo can be carried with a roof
luggage rack .
Fig. 59 Roof rack attac hment po ints
.,. Always read and follow the instructions pro­
vided by the roof rack manufacturer when
the roof rack system must be installed .
If luggage or cargo is to be carried on the
roof, you must observe the following:
- To enhance the vehicle's streamlined design,
rain gutters have been molded into the roof.
It is not poss ible to use normal roof racks.
Only install a roof rack specifically designed .,.

58 Seats and storage
for your vehicle. Contact the nearest Audi
dealer for information on approved modu lar
roof racks for your vehicle.
- Only use roof racks approved for your vehi­
cle. These approved roof racks are the basis
for a complete roof rack system. Additional
attachments or carrier systems are needed
to transport luggage and sports equipment.
We recommend using roof racks from the
Audi original accessories program.
- The support feet of the roof rack must al­
ways be installed in the holes in the roof
frame ¢
fig. 59. The holes are only visible
when the doors are open. In the case of roof
racks with pins, the pins must be secured in
the holes during assembly.
- We recommend that you keep the installa­
t io n 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 consump­
t io n, w ind no ise and to guard against theft.
.&_ WARNING i.c
-Use of an unapproved roof rack or incor-
rect mounting of an approved roof rack
can cause the roof rack or the items at­
tached to it to fall off the roof onto the
road.
- Objects fall ing from the roof of a vehicle
can cause a crash and personal injury.
- Only mount the roof rack on the desig­
nated locations on the roof¢
fig. 59.
-The roof rack system must be installed
exactly according to the instructions pro­
vided.
- When driving w ith a roof rack system,
changes to the center of gravity and wind
resistance can change the veh icle han­
dling and lead to a collision . Always
adapt your driving and your speed to the
current conditions.
(D Note
- Your vehicle warranty does not cover any
damages to the vehicle caused by using
roof racks or mounting structures not
approved by Audi for your veh icle. The
same applies to damage resulting from
incorrect roof rack installation.
- Always check the roof rack mountings
and hardware before each trip and dur­
ing a trip to make sure everyth ing is se­
curely tightened.
If necessary, retighten
the mountings and check the entire sys­
tem from time to time.
- After mounting a roof rack system, or
when you transport objects on the roof
o f you r vehicle, the height of the vehicle
is naturally increased . Be careful when
driving under low bridges or in parking
garages for example. This cou ld cause
damage to the load and even the vehicle
itself.
- Make sure the open rear lid and the sun­
roof* do not come into contact with the
roof rack.
Loading the roof rack
Always distribute loads evenly. Make sure
anything on the roof rack is securely tied
down.
.,. Always distribute the loads on the roof rack
even ly.
.,. Always attach items to the roof rack secure-
ly before you drive off.
The maximum permissible roof weight is
220
lb (100 kg).
The roof weight is the total of
the weight of the roof rack, the attachments
and the cargo you are carrying. You must also
not exceed the maximum load weight for the
roof rack you are using.
When using a roof rack system which has a
lower load carrying capacity, you must not use
up the total maximum permissible load carry­
ing capacity specified above. Instead, you
should load the roof rack system only to the .,..

maximum capacity specified by the
manufacturer of the roof rack system.
A WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used
to secure items to the roof rack can fail during hard braking or in a collision and
cause serious personal injury .
- Make sure the roof rack is installed exact­
ly as specified above¢
page 57 .
- Always use suitable mounting straps for
securing items to the roof rack to help
prevent items from shifting or fly ing for ­
ward.
- Items on the roof rack must always be
securely mounted.
- The use of a roof rack can negatively af­
fect the way a vehicle handles . Cargo
that is large, heavy, bulky, long or flat
will have a greater negative influence on
the vehicle's aerodynamics, center of
gravity and overall handling . Always
dr ive slowly, avoid sudden braking and
maneuvers when transpo rting cargo on
the roof of your vehicle.
- Never exceed the maximum permissible
load carrying capacity of the roof of your
vehicle , the permissib le axle weights and
the permissible total weight of your veh i­
cle ¢
page 274, Weights.
-Always drive slowly, avoid sudden brak­
ing and maneuvers when transporting
cargo on the roof of your vehicle .
@) For the sake of the environment
Sometimes it may be easier to leave a roof
rack insta lled even though you are not us­
ing it . Due to the increased air resistance
your veh icle will unnecessar ily use more
fuel. Remove the roof rack if you are not
going to use it .
.
Sea ts a nd s to rage 59
Luggage compartment
Loading luggage compartment
Items of luggage must be stowed securely.
Fig. 60 Pla ce hea vy o bject s as far forward a s possible .
Note the following to preserve the vehicle's
good handling charac teristics.
.,.. Distribute the load as evenly as possible .
... Place heavy objects as far forward as poss i­
ble ¢
fig. 60 .
... Secure the items of luggage w ith the cargo
net* or w ith non -elastic retaining straps to
the tie-down rings * ¢
page 61.
A WARNING
- Loose objects in the l uggage compart­
ment can slide about suddenly and a lter
the vehicle's handling characteristics.
- Loose objects in the passenger compart­
ment can fly forward during abr upt ma­
neuvers or accidents and injure occu­
pants .
- Always store objects in the luggage com­
partment and use suitable straps, partic­
ularly with heavy objects .
-
-When you transport heavy objects, al­
ways remember that a change in the cen ­
ter of gravity may result in a change in
the vehicle's handling characteristics.
- Follow all warnings¢
page 123, Driving
Safely .
(D Tips
The tire pressure must be ad justed to the
load - see the t ire pressure sticker located
on the dr iver's side B -pillar .

60 Seats and st o rage
Enlarging cargo capacity of the vehicle
interior
The seat backs can be folded forward to en­
large the cargo capacity .
Fig. 61 Re lease handle on the seatback
Folding th e se atback forward
.. When you pu ll the release leve r@ ¢ fig. 61
in the direction of the arrow, the safety knob
@ pops out far enough for the red marking
on knob to be visible.
.. Fold the seatback forward .
Raising th e se atback
.. Raise the seatback until it is securely latch­
ed ¢&_ . When you can no longer see the
red mark on the safety knob@, the seat is
l atched.
When the seatback is latched in its upright
position, it can be locked and unlocked with
the mechanical key
c> page 31 next to the re­
lease handle ©
c>fig. 61. This prevents any
entry from the vehicle interior into the lug­
gage compartment .
The luggage compartment can only enlarged
when the seatback is unlocked.
A WARNING
-
-The backrest must a lways be securely
latched so that the safety belt of the cen­
ter seating pos ition can work properly to
help protect the occupant .
- The backrest must be securely latched in
posit ion so that no items contained in
the luggage compar tment can slide for­
wa rd upo n sudden b raking . -
Always check whether the latch is fully
engaged by pull ing the seatback for­
ward.
- Never allow safety belts to become dam­
aged by be ing caught in door or seat
hardware.
-Torn or frayed safety belts can tear and
damaged be lt hardware can break in a
crash . Inspect the belts periodica lly.
Belts show ing damage to webb ing, b ind­
ings, buckles, or retractors must be re­
p laced.
(D Note
- If you move the front seat back when the
rear seat backrest is folded forward, you
cou ld damage the head r estraints on th e
rea r seat.
- Slide the belt guide on the outside safety
be lt a ll the way up befo re fold ing the
backrest back forward. Make sure the
sea t belt is not pinched or damaged
when the rear seat backrest if fo lded
back. Other objects should be removed
from the rear seat bench to protect the
seatback from damage.

Tie-downs and cargo net
The cargo net* prevents small objects from
sliding .
Fig. 62 Location of th e tie -downs in the luggage com­
partment
Fig. 63 Lugg age compartment: cargo net•
.. To secure objects with the luggage com·
partment net*, fold the tie-down bracket
upward
q fig. 62.
.. Insert the hooks on the luggage compart­
ment net* into the tie-downs
q fig . 63 .
.. Read and heed all WARNINGS 9page 129,
Stowing luggage.
In a collision, the laws of phys ics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the vehi­
cle will turn into heavy missiles that can cause
serio us i njury. Items in the vehicle pick up ki­
netic energy which varies with the vehicle and
the weight of the item. Vehicle speed is the
most significant factor.
F or example, in a frontal coll is ion at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a
10- lb (4.5 kg) object are about
20 times the
no rma l weight of the item. This means that
the weight of the item would suddenly be the
equivalent of about 200 lbs (90 kg). One can
easily imagine the injuries that an item of that
weight flying freely through the passenger
Seats and storage 61
compartment can cause in a collision at a
speed considered relatively low.
A WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used
to secure items to tie-downs can fail dur­
ing h ard braking or in a collision and cause
serious personal injury.
- Always use suitable retaining straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help pre­
vent items from shifting or flying for­
ward.
- Never attach a child seat tether strap to
a t ie-down .
- For strength-related reasons, the mount ­
ing hooks can only be used to secure ob­
jects weigh ing up to 10 lb. (5 kg). Heavi­
er objects will not be adequately secured
- there is a risk of injury.
Pass-through with ski
sack
Pass-through with ski sack
App lies to vehicles : wi th ski sa ck
Long objects such as skis can be transported
in the ski sack* .
Fig. 64 Rear bench seat: opening the pass -through
Fig. 65 Sk i sack: secu ring with rea r seat safety belt

62 Seat s a nd s tor ag e
Op ening th e trunk p ass-through
.. Fold the center armrest in the rea r forward
and out .
.. Pull the release handle ¢
fig. 64 and fold
down the cover of the pass -through in the
vehicle interior .
.. Open the rear lid .
.. Push the ski sack* through the opening
from the luggage compartment .
Sec uring the sk i s a ck *
.. Insert the ski sack strap@¢ fig. 65 in the
center buck le @ .
.. Pull the safety belt taut on the free end of
the belt @.
A WARNING
-The ski sack is intended only for the
t ransportation of skis and other light ob­
jects . To reduce the risk of serious per­
sonal inj ury never t ransport heavy o r
pointed objects in the ski sack .
- When brak ing rapidly o r during an acci­
dent the load cou ld 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
¢ fig. 65.
(D Tips
- Never stow the sk i sack away when it is
still wet or damp (for example, snow
melting from skis). Allow it to dry com­
plete ly before stowing it away.
- Position skis in the ski sack with the pointed ends facing the front and ski
po les with the pointed ends facing the
rear.