2012 AUDI A6 recommended oil

Modern eng ine lubrication has taken a quan ­
tum leap in the last few years . Many synt hetic
oils ava ilable today provide better engine lu­
brication that can ou tlast traditional petrole­
um-based o ils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your Audi .
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum­ based engine oil, the oil that you use must
conform to Audi's oil quality standard
VW 502 00 to help keep your veh icle 's engine
running smoothly and help prevent the for­
mat ion of harmfu l deposits, sometimes called
"s ludge," that ove r time can lead to expensive
r epairs .
At the t ime of pri nting , engine o ils available in
the U .S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oi l standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, h owever, that every syn thetic engine oil w ill
meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00. So a lways
be sure that you use an approved oi l.
To help preve nt the format ion of harmful de­
posits use only oi l with the fo llow ing spec ifi­
cations printed on the oil container :
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
O il conta iner labels may carry the specif ica ­
tion s ingly or in comb inat ion w ith other des ig­
nations and oil qua lity standards .
Viscosity
Engine oi ls are graded according to their vis­
cosity. The proper v iscosity grade oi l for your
engine depends on cl imactic or seasonal con­
d itions where you dr ive. You can use oil with a
viscosity grade of SA E 5W40 across all tem ­
pe rature ranges for normal d riving conditions .
However, if eng ine oi l viscosity grade SA E
5W40 is not avai lab le, you can also use viscos­
ity grade SAE 5W -30 or SA E OW-40 as long as
it meets Audi o il quality standard VW 502 00
specifications .
Because engine oil that meets the A udi oil
standard may not be available everywhere
when you need it, we s trongly recomme nd
that you always carry with you a n ext ra quart
Checkin g and fillin g 223
(li ter) of oil that exp ress ly con forms to the
VW S02 00 specification , in case you have to
top
off the o il while on the road.
Only if the level of the o il is at or be low the
minimum mark -and no oi l that expressly
confo rms to Audi oil standard VW 502 00
spec ifications is available -may you top
off
with a h igh quality engine o il, prefe rab ly syn ­
thet ic-based, that meets ACEA A3 or API SM
spec ifications, but even then, only in v iscosity
grades SAE 5W-40 , SA E 5W-30, o r SAE
OW- 40 . However, dur ing the entire time be­
tween o il cha nge inte rva ls, never top
off with
more than a tota l of 0. 5 q t/liter engine o il
that does not con form to A udi oil spe cification
VW S02 00.
Fo r more information abo ut eng ine oi l tha t
has been approved for your veh icle, ple ase
contac t eit h er yo ur autho rized Aud i dea le r or
Audi C ustomer Re lations at 1 (800) 822 -2834
or visit our web site at www .a u diusa.com or
www.aud icanada .ca. Here you w ill also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names e tc.) tha t conform to Audi oil s tandard
vw 502 00.
Changing the engine oil
T he eng ine oi l and o il f ilt er m ust be changed
according to the mileage (ki lometers) and
time intervals specified i n your ve hicle's War ­
ranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed
these interva ls - harmful deposits from old
engine oil can reduce engine performance and
can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changi ng the oil at the recommended inter­
vals is so very important beca use the l ubricat­
ing propert ies of oil decrease gradually during
norma l veh icle use . If you a re not sure when
yo u have your o il cha nged, ask your author­
ized Audi Se rv ice Adv isor.
Under some circumstances the engine oil
shou ld eve n be changed more frequent ly .
Change oil more often if you dr ive most ly
sho rt distances, operat e the ve hicle in dusty
areas o r most ly under stop-and -go traff ic con-
di tions, o r when you use your vehi cle where .,..
•
•

224 Check ing and filling
temperatures stay below freezing point for
long periods.
Detergent add it ives in the o il w il l make fresh
oil look dark after the eng ine has been run­
ning for a short time . This is norma l and is not
a reason to change the oi l more often than
recommended.
D am age or m alfunc tions du e to lack of
m ainten ance
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended in tervals using only engine o il
that complies with Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00. You r Limited New Vehicle War­
ranty does not cover damage or malfunctions
due to fail ure to fo llow recommended mainte­
nance and use requ irements as set forth in
the Audi Owner's Manual and Warranty &
Maintenance book let . Your dealer will have to
deny warranty coverage unless you present to
the dea ler proof in the form of Service or Re­
pa ir Orders that all scheduled ma intenance
was performed in a t imely manner.
Eng ine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all
of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and
cool ing of internal engine components, a ll in­
ternal comb ustion eng ines consume a certa in
amount of oil. O il consumption varies from
engine to engine and may change significantly
over the life of the engine. Typica lly, engines
with a specif ied break-in period (see
¢
page 196) consume more oil during the
break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Under norma l conditions, the rate of oil con­
sumpt ion depends on the quality and viscosity
of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per m inute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient
temperature and road condit ions . Further fac­
tors are the amount of oil d ilution from water
condensat ion or fuel residue and the ox ida­
tion level of the oi l. As any engine is subject to wear as mi
leage builds up, the oil consump­
tion may increase over time until replacement of worn components may become necessary.
With a ll these variab les coming into play, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be es­
tablished or specified. There is no alternative
to regu lar and frequent check ing of the o il lev ­
el, see Note.
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbo l
in the instrument cluster
II! lights up, you
shou ld check the oil leve l as soon as possib le
¢
page 225. Top off the oil at your earliest
convenience
¢ page 225.
A WARNING '"---
Before you check anythi ng in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS¢
A in Working in the engine
compartment on page 220.
(D Note
Driving w ith an insufficient o il level is like­
ly to cause severe damage to the engine .
(D Tips
-The oil pressu re warn ing display. is
not an indic ator of the oil le vel. Do not
r el y on it . In ste ad, ch eck the oil lev el in
y our engin e at r eg ular inter vals , pref ­
erably ea ch time you r efu el, and alwa ys
before going on a long trip .
- If you have t he impression yo ur engine
cons umes ex cessive amoun ts of o il, we
recommend that you consu lt your Aud i
dea ler to have the cause of your concern
properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that
the accurate meas urement of oi l con­
sumption requ ires great care and may
take some t ime. Your Audi dea ler has in­
structions about how to measure oil con­
sumption accurately.
-

226 Check ing and filling
and ad versely a ffect yo ur New Vehicl e
W arr ant y.
@) For the sake of the environment
- Under no circumstances can the oil come
in contact with the sewage network o r
the soil.
- Observe and follow lega l regu lations
when disposing of empty oil containers .
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by
an authorized Audi dealer or a qualified serv­
ice station.
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
a lw ays rea d an d h eed all WARN­
INGS c::> .& in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 220.
The engine oil must be changed accord ing to
the intervals specified in your Warranty
&
Maintenance book let. This is very important
because the lubricating properties of oil di­
minish gradua lly during normal vehicle use .
Under some ci rcumstances the engine oi l
should be changed more frequently. Change
oil more often if you drive most ly short dis­
tances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominantly stop-and-go traffic con­
ditions, or have your vehicle where tempera­
tures remain below freezing for extended pe ­
riods .
Detergent addit ives in the oil w ill make fresh
oil look dark after the engine has been run­ n ing for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than recommended.
Because of the problem of proper disposal,
along w ith the special tools and necessary ex ­
pertise required , we strongly recommend that
you have your o il changed by an authorized
Audi de ale r or a qual ified servi ce station.
If y ou choo se to c hang e y our oi l y our self,
please note the followi ng important informa­
tion :
A WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury if you
must change the eng ine oil in your vehicle
yourself:
- Wear eye protect ion.
- To reduce the risk of burns from hot en- gine oil, let the engine cool down to the
touch.
- When removing the o il dra in plug with
your fingers, stay as far away as possible.
Always keep your forearm parallel to the
ground to help prevent hot oil from run­n ing down you r arm.
- Dra in the oil into a container designed
for this purpose, one large enough to
hold at least the total amount of oil in
your engine.
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it we ll out
of the rea ch of childre n.
- Continuous contact with used eng ine o il
is harmfu l to your sk in. Always protect
your skin by washing oil off tho roughly
with soap and wate r.
@ Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine
oi l. These additives can damage your en­
g ine and adversely affect you r A ud i Limit­
ed New Veh icle War ranty.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Before changing your oil, first make su re
you know where you can prope rly dispose
o f the used oil.
- Always dispose of used eng ine oi l proper­
ly. Do not dump it on garden soil, wood­
ed areas, into open streams or down
sewage drains.
- Recycle used engi ne oil by taking it to a
used engine oil collection facility in you r
area, or contact a service station.

236 Tires and wheels
-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those standard items which may be rep laced)
of automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory -installed equip ­
ment (whether installed or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the he ight to the w idth of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in­
dicate a low sidewall for improved steering re­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of
steel wires, wrapped o r reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than a
couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire pressure
is measured or adjusted. -
If you notice unusual vibration or if the
veh icle pulls to one side when driv ing, a l­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle w ith
standard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optiona l
equipment.
Extra load tire
means a t ire design to operate at h igher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standard tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"R F" on the sidewall .
Gross Axle Weight Rating ( "GAWR ")
means the load-carrying capacity of a s ingle
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in­
terfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of
the vehicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs .
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry for a given inflation pressure. Yo u
may not find this information on all tires be­
cause it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at the maxi­
mum permissib le inflation pressure for that
tire.

276 Data
Data
211 hp, 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine
Applies to vehicles: with 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive
Engine data Maximum output SAE net
Maximum torque SAE net
No . of cylinders
Displacement
Stroke
Bore
Compression ratio
Fuel
Dimen sion s (appro x.)
Leng th (with license pla te bracket)
Width (across mirrors) He igh t (unloaded) hp@rpm
lb-ft@ rpm
CID (cm
3 )
in (mm)
in (mm)
211 @4300 -6000
4
121 (1984)
3.65 (92 .8)
3 .25 (82.5)
9.6: 1
Premium unleaded (91 AKI) Recommended for maxi­
mum engine performance. Further details
¢ page 215,
Gasoline
in (mm) 1 93.9 (4925)
in (mm) 82.l (2086)
in (mm) 57.8 (1468)
Turning circle diameter (curb to curb) ft . (m) 39.0 (11.9)
Capacities (appro x.)
Fuel tank
- Total capacity
- Reserve (o f to tal capacity)
Windshield fluid container
Wind shield and headlight wa sher
fluid containe r*
Engine oil with filter c hange gal (liters)
19
.8 (75 .0)
gal (liters) 2 .6 (10.0)
quarts (liters) 3 .7 (3 .5)
q uarts ( li1ters) 5 .2 (4 .9)
quarts (liters) 4 .9 (4 .6)

Data
310 hp, 3.0 liter 6-cylinder engine
Applies to vehicles: with 3.0 liter 6-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive
Engine data
Maximum output SAE ne t
Maximum torque SAE net
No. of cylinders
Displacement
Stroke
Bore
C ompression ratio
Fuel
Dimensions (approx .)
L eng th (wit h license pl ate brac ket)
Width (across mirrors) He igh t (unloaded)
310@ 5500-6500 hp@ rpm
lb-ft@ rpm
-.. .--
C ID (cm3
)
in (mm)
in (mm)
__ ,
-~-- ,
325 @ 290 0-4500
6
182 (2995)
3.50 (89.0)
3 .33 (84.5)
10.3: 1
Premium unleaded (91 AKI) Recommended for maxi­
mum engine performance. Further details¢
page 215,
Gasoline
in (mm) 193.9 ( 4925)
in (mm) 82.1 (2086)
in (mm) 57 .8 ( 1468)
Turning circle diameter (curb to curb) ft. (m) 39.0 (11.9)
Capacities (appro x.)
Fuel tank
- Total capac ity
- Reserve (o f to tal capacity)
Windshield fluid container
Windshield and headlight washer
fluid container *
Engine oil with filter change gal (liters)
19.8 (75.0)
gal (li
ters) 2. 6 (10.0)
quarts (liters) 3.7 (3.5)
qu arts ( liters) 5 .2 ( 4.9)
quarts (lite rs) 7.2 (6.8)
277
•
•

Engine oi l ... .. .... ..... .. .. .. .. ... 222
Adding .... .... .. .... ... .. .. .. ... 225
Addit ives ... .... ...... ... .. .. .. .. . 225
Changing .. ............. .... .. ... 226
Checking the eng ine o il level .. .. .. .. . 225
Indications and cond it ions requ iring ex -
tra check ing ..... .. ...... .. .. .. .. . 225
I ndicator light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
O il consumption .......... .. .. .. .. . 224
O il gr ad es .. ............. .... .. ... 22 2
O il level symbol ....... ... .. .. .. .... 21
P ressu re mal function ... ... .. .. .. .. .. 17
Recommended oil check intervals .. .. . 225
Sensor defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Specification and viscos ity .. .. .. .. .. . 222
E ng ine speed limi tat ion .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 21
E ng ine start system (ind icator l ights) .. .. 18
Environment Break- in period ........... .... .. ... 196
Catalytic converter ........ .. .. .. .. . 197
Disposing of your vehicle batte ry .. .. . 234
Driving at h igh speeds ........ .... .. 199
Driving to m inim ize pollution and no ise 198
F ue l ..... .. ................. .. ... 2 17
Fu el economy ............ .... .. .. . 198
L eaks under your ve hicle ... .. .. .. .. . 220
L ett ing the ve hicle stand and wa rm up. 199
Prope r disposal of drained brake fluid . 230
Prope r disposal of dra ined engine coo l-
ant ..... .. ................. .. ... 228
Proper disposal of drained engine
oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225, 226
Recycling used engine o il . ..... .... .. 225
Un leaded f uel ......... ...... .... .. 215
Wha t should I do wi th an old batte ry? . 234
ESP (Electronic s tabilization program)
War ning/ indicator lights ... .. .. .. .. .. 19
Event Data Recorder (EDR) ... .. .. .. .. . 189
E xhaust tail p ipes .... ...... .... .. .. . 210
Expansion tank ............ .... .. .. . 227
E xterior lighting . ... .... ... .. .. .... .. 41
E xterior mirrors
Ad justing ............ .... ... ... ... 48
D imming . .. ............. .... .. .... 48
H eating .. .. .. ........... .. .. .. .... 48
Exterior temperature d isplay ..... ... ... 23
Inde x 287
F
Fastening
Booster seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Convertib le child safety seats . ... .. .. 175
Infant seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 4
Fl oor ma ts .. .. .. .. .. .. ........... .. 1 28
Foot peda ls .... ... .. ..... .......... 128
Fo r th e sake of the environment
Gasoline fumes and the env ironment . . 217
Red ucing engine noise by early upshift -
ing ....... .. .. .. ................. . 11
Refueling . .. .. .... .. ........ ..... 217
Sav ing fuel by early upsh ifting ...... .. 11
Fo ur-zone automatic climate control ... . 66
Fron t air bags
D es cription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
How they wor k . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Frontal coll is io ns and the laws of p hys ics 134
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Adjusting . .. .. .. .. .. ........... .. 125
Child restraints in the front seat ...... 144
Fuel Additives . ... .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 215
B lended gaso line ..... ............. 215
C u rre nt consumption ........... .. .. . 24
Economy messages (effic iency program) 25
Fuel fil le r flap emergency re lease . .... 218
Fuel fi ller nec k ... .. .. .. ...... .... . 216
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Gasoline .. .. .. .. ... ............ .. 215
Gasoline ad di tives .... ........... .. 216
L ow fue l level symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Octane rat ing . ..... . .. .. ..... ... .. 215
Recommendation ... . .. .. ... ... .. .. 215
Ref uel ling ... .. ...... ............. 217
Reserve ... .. .. .. ... ............ .. . 12
Tank capac ity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 276
Fuses Ass ignment ..... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 264
Rep lacing . .. .. .. ................. 264
G
Ga rage door opener (Homelink ®) . ... .. 120
Ga rment hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Gas discharge lamps ............. .... 267
•
•