2013 AUDI A6 fuel

76 On the road
Startin g and automati cally r ele a s ing the
p ark ing b rake
.. When you sta rt to drive as usua l, the park­
ing brake is automatically re leased and your
vehicle begins to move.
When stopping at a traffic signa l or stopping
in city traffic, the parking brake can be ap­
plied. The veh icle does not have to be held
with the footbrake. The park ing brake elimi­
nates the tendency to creep with a drive range
engaged . As soon as you dr ive off as usual,
the park ing brake is released automatically
and the veh icle sta rts to move .
Starting on slope s
When starting on inclines, the starting assist
prevents the vehicle from unintentionally roll­
ing back . The braking force of the parking
brake is not released until sufficient dr iv ing
fo rce has been bu ilt up at the whee ls.
(D Tips
For safety reasons, the park ing brake is re­
leased automatically only when the dr iv­
er 's safety belt is engaged in the buck le.
Starting off with a trailer
To prevent rolling back unintentionally on an
incline, do the following:
.. Keep the switch l pulled and depress the
accelerator. The park ing brake stays applied
and prevents the vehicle from ro lling back­
ward.
.. You can release the switch
C®l once you are
sure that you a re develop ing enough for­
ward momentum at the wheels as you de ­
press the accelerator .
Depending on the weight of the r ig (vehicle
and trai ler) and the seve rity of the incline, you
may roll backwards as you start. You can pre­
vent rolling backwards by holding the parking brake switch(®) pulled out and acce lerating -
just as you would when starting on a hill with a conventional hand brake .
Emergency braking
In the event that the conventional brake sys­
tem fails or locks .
.. In an emergency, pull the switch C®l and
con tinue to pull it to slow your vehicle down
w ith the park ing brake.
.. As soon as you release the switch (®) or ac-
celerate, the b rak ing process stops.
If you pull the switch C®l and hold it above a
speed of about 5 mph (8 km/h), the emergen­
cy brak ing f unct ion is init iated . T he ve hicle is
braked at all fou r whee ls by activating the hy­
draulic b rake sys tem. The brake performance
is similar to making an emergency stop~&. .
In order not to act ivate the emergency brak­
ing by mis take, an audib le warning tone (buz­
zer) sounds whe n the switch(®) is pulled . As
soon as t he sw itch C®l is re leased , or the accel­
erator peda l is depressed, emergency braking
stops.
_& WARNING
-Emergency braking should only be used in
an emergency, when the norma l foot brake
has fa iled or the brake pedal is obstructed.
Using the parking brake to perform emer­
gency b raking will slow your veh icle down
as if you had made a full bra ke application .
The laws of physics cannot be suspended
even with ESC and i ts associated compo­
nents (ABS, ASR, EDL) . In corners and
when road or weathe r conditions are bad,
a full brake application can ca use the vehi­
cle to sk id or the rear end to break away -
risking an accident.
Start-Stop-System
Description
Applies to vehicles: with Start -Stop -System
T he Start -Stop-Sys tem can help increase fuel
e conomy and reduce CO 2 emissions.
In the Start-Stop-mode, the engine shuts off
automat ica lly when the veh icle is stopped,
such as at a traffi c light. The igni tion remains .,.

Automatic Transmission
multitronic ®, S tronic ®,
tiptronic
Introduction
App lies to vehicles: with multitro ni c/S tronic/t iptronic
The automatic transmission is controlled elec­
tronically . The transmission upshifts or down­
shifts automatically depend ing on which drive
program is se lected.
When a
moderate driving style is used, the
transmission selects the most economical
driving mode .
It will then change up early and
de lay the downshifts to g ive better fuel econ­
omy.
The transmission switches to a sporty mode after a k ick-down or when the driver uses a
sporty driving style characterized by quick ac­
celerator pedal movements, heavy accelera­
tion, frequent changes in speed and traveling
at the maximum speed.
If desired, the driver can a lso se lect the gears
manually (t iptronic mode ) ¢ page 109.
Various automatic transm issions may be in­
stalled, depend ing on the model :
multitronic® transmission
The multitronic ® transmission is a continuous­
ly variable transmission. Power is transferred
using a multidisk clutch. In contrast to con­
ventional automatic transmissions using shift­
ing operat ions, the transmission ratio in the
continuously variable transmission is changed
continuously. This opt imizes the comfort level
and conserves fuel.
S tronic ® transmission
The S tronic ® is a dual-clutch transmission .
Power is transferred using two clutches that
work independently from one another. They
r eplace the torque converter used in conven­
tional automat ic transmissions and allow the
vehicle to accelerate without a noticeable in­
terruption in traction.
Automatic Transmission 105
tiptronic transmission
In the tiptronic transmission, power is trans­
ferred by a torque converter .
Selector lever positions
Applies to vehicles: wit h mult itronic/5 tro nic/tiptro nic
Fig. 111 Disp lay in the instrument cluster: selector
l ever pos itio n
The selector lever position engaged appears
next to the selector lever as well as in the in­
strument cluster display.
P -Park
In this selector lever position the transmis­
sion is mechanically locked. Engage P only
when the vehicle is
completely stopped¢&.
in Driving the automatic transmission on
page 108.
To shift in or out of position P, yo u must first
press and ho ld the brake pedal and then press
the release button in the selector lever handle
while moving the selector lever to or from P .
You can shift out of this position only with the ignition on .
R -Reverse
Select R only when the vehicle is at a full stop
and the engine is running at idle speed¢ A in
Driving the automatic transmission on
page 108.
Before you move the se lector lever to R, press
both the button in the handle of the selector
lever
and the brake pedal at the same time .
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illu­
minate when the selector lever is moved into
R. .,.

200 Driving and en vir onm ent
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission con­
trol 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 220,
Fuel supply.
• Never run the tank down all the way to
empty .
• Never put too much motor oil in your en-
gine ¢
page 230, Adding engine oil~-
., Never try to push- or tow -start your veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an eff ic ient "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
important for the life of the cata lytic conve rt­
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
& WARNING
-
- Do not park o r 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 p ipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields . During driving, the
substance used for undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire .
@ Note
-Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the catalytic
conve rter .
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢ page 230.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis­
fire . U nburned f uel could a lso get into the exhaust system and this co
uld cause
the cata lytic converter to overheat .
- Do not switch off the ignition while the
vehicle is moving .
- Do not continue to ope rate your veh icle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
cou ld result in overheating of the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis ­
sion Control System:
- H ave your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance w it h the service rec­
ommendat ions in your Warranty &
M ain tenance book let.
- L ack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehi cle will impair
the function of the em iss ion contro l
system and could lead to damage .
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control System is
operat ing proper ly, 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 f il li ng the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are d rivi ng on poor roads, or over
c u rbs, steep ramps, etc., ma ke certai n that
low- ly ing parts s uch as spoilers and exha ust
system parts do not bottom o ut and get dam ­
aged.
T his is espe cially true for ve hicles with low­
s lung chassis (spor ts chassis)* and fully load­
ed vehicles .

Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
A WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re­
store the full b raking effect.
([) Note
-Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or electr ical
system can be severely damaged by driv­
i ng th rough water.
- Always switch off the Start-Stop-System
when driving through water~ page 76.
(D Tips
-Check the depth of the water before dr iv­
i ng t hrough it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, dr ive in reverse
or switch the eng ine off whe n driving
through water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep fo r your vehi­
cle to drive t hrough safely.
- Avoid dr iv ing through salt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 201
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and
wear on your eng ine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your pe rsonal d riving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitat ions
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut you r
fuel consumpt io n by 10-15 percent . T his sec­
tion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your po cketbook.
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROT ECTI ON AGENCY
( E PA) a nd Tra nspo rt Canada may no t corre­
spond to your actual consump tion on the
road, which will va ry depending upon vehi ­
cle load and speed, road and weather con­
ditions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most f ue l when they a re ac ­
ce le rat ing. If you ant icipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
th us, acce lerate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible - for examp le when you see
that the next traff ic light is red.
•
•

202 Driving and environment
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.
Fu el consumption, exhaust emissions and en ­
gine 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
ditions 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 .
The idling phase is automat ically reduced for
vehicles w ith the Start/Stop system .
It is effi ­
cient to switch
off the engine in vehicles with­
out the Start-Stop-System when stopped at
railroad crossings and long red lights . Turning
the engine
off for just 30-40 seconds saves
more f uel than is burned by starting the en­
gine again.
It takes a long time for the engine to wa rm up
fully when it is running at idle. However, wear
and noxious emissions 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.
([) Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter starting. If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they would
go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which could result in over­
heating or other damage to the veh icle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
.,. Have your vehicle serviced at regu la r inter-
vals .
By having your veh icle reg ularly se rviced by an
Audi dealer he lps to ensure that it runs prop­
erly and economically. The condition of your
vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to
ho ld its value, it also affects
fuel consump ­
tion .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amou nt of oi l used is related to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certain
mileage has been driven .
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 miles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fuel consumption and en­
gine output .
(D Note
-Have your veh icle ma inta ined properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet. Lack of proper ma inte­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
em ission control system and could lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
t he Emission Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer .
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System

and other important veh icle compo ­
nents .
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips .
... Try t o avo id driving short dist ances with a
c old eng ine.
The engine and catalyt ic conv erte r have to
r ea ch their optimal
operating temperature to
red uce f ue l con sumption and noxiou s emis­
sions effe ctive ly .
J ust afte r sta rting, a cold engi ne in a mid-size
car only a chieves a f uel economy of 6-8 miles
pe r gallo n (3 0-40 l/1 00 km). Afte r abou t a
h a lf a m ile, fue l economy climbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/ 1 00 km) . Afte r abo ut
2.5 m iles (4 km),
the eng ine is at its proper ope rating tempera­
ture and fue l economy has reached a norma l
level. So you can see that you should avoid
short trips wheneve r poss ib le.
T he
outside temperature is a lso c ritical in this
regard . Your car cons umes more fuel in the
winter than in the summer.
Driving and environment 203
•
•

208 Cleaning and protection
Cleaning and protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value .
Any automobile is exposed to industrial
fumes, corrosive road salt, etc. A well cared
for Audi can look like new many years after
purchase . Regular and correct care w ill con­
tr ibute to maintaining the beauty and value of
your Aud i.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition
for substantiating a warranty claim should
corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Your author ized Audi dealer has a variety of
dedicated vehicle-care products and can ad­
vise which ones to use for cleaning the exter i­
or and interior of your vehicle .
Whether you use products recommended by
Audi or other commercially available clean ing
agents, please make sure you apply them cor­
rectly .
A WARNING
-Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep
them out of the reach of children.
- Heed all caut ion labels.
- Always read directions on the container
before using any product . Follow the di­
rect ions carefu lly.
- Most chemical cleaners are concentrated
and have to be diluted.
- Use spot removing fluids only in well
ventilated areas.
- Do not use gasoline, kerosene, d iesel
fuel, nail pol ish remover or other volatile
fluids. They may be toxic, flammable or
hazardous in other ways. Do not wash,
wax or dry the vehicle with the ignit ion
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, etc. without pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts. -
Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing eff ic iency
c::> page 194 , General
information.
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle .
@ For the sake of the environment
Select only environ mentally friendly clean­
ing products. Leftover cleaning products
should not disposed of in the household
waste .
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent washing protects the vehicle .
The best p rotection against environmental in ­
fluences is
frequent washing and waxing . How
often this is required depends on:
- How much the veh icle is used
- Where the vehicle is parked (garage, in the
open under trees, etc.)
- The seasona l and weather conditions
- Environmental influences
T he longer b ird droppings, insects, tree resin,
road and industria l gr ime, tar, soot, road salt
and other materials remain on the vehicle body, the more lasting their destructive ef­
fects will be . High temperatures caused by ex­
posure to intense sunlight intensify the corro­
sive effect, particularly when humidity is high as well.
Under certain circumstances,
weekly washing
may be necessary. Under other conditions, a
monthly washing and waxing may be ade­
quate .
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle
should be thoroughly washed, preferably in a
professional car wash.
Vehicles with matte finish paint
c::> page 210.
A WARNING
-A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c::> page 208.

210 Cleaning and protec tio n
sponges to prevent scratches. It is best
to use soapy water .
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis, for example when refuel­
ing your vehicle. Never clean the head­
lights w ith a dry cloth or sponge. Use a
wet cloth or sponge. It is best to use
soapy water .
@) For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facilit ies specially
designed for that purpose. Th is w ill reduce
the risk of d irty water contaminated w ith
oil from entering the sewer system . In
some areas, wash ing vehicles outs ide of
these facilities is prohib ited.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you
observe a few simple rules.
• Before using the power w asher , make sure
yo u have read and understood the WARN­
INGS
q A in General information on
page 208.
• Always fo llow the operating instructions for
the power washer.
• Make sure that the jet o n the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped spray" .
• Do
not hold the spray nozzle too close to
soft materia ls .
Keep a d istance from soft materials such as
rubber hoses or insulat ing mater ial as we ll as
sensors and camera lenses.
When cleaning t he vehicle wit h a power wash­
er
always fo llow the operating instructions .
This applies particularly to the operating pres­
sure and the spraying distance . Do not po int
the spray direc tly at the sea ls around the s ide
windows, aro und t he doors, on the re ar lid or
on the sunroof* . Likew ise, do not point it di­
rectly at tires, r ubber hoses, ins ulation mate­
rial or sensors
q page 211. Hold the spray nozzle at least 1.3 ft (0.4 m) away from the
vehicle.
Do no t use a high-pressu re power was her to
remove snow and ice .
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a d irect
st ream o r one that has a rotating je t.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F
(60 °() .
A WARNING ,..__
Neve r wash t ires with a jet that sprays wa­
ter in a direct stream. This could cause in­
v is ible d amage to the t ires and weaken
them, even if the spray is from a relative ly
l ong distance and for a short time . Dam ­
aged and wea kened tires can fail a nd cause
accidents and personal in jury.
(D Note
To avoid damaging yo ur vehicle, a lw ays
make sure tha t the re is sufficien t distance
between the spray head and soft materia ls
li ke rubber hoses, plast ic parts and sound ­
deaden ing mater ia ls as well as sensors
and camera lenses. Never a im the spray
head at the same point fo r a long time.
This also app lies to cleaning headlights
and paint ed bumpers . Remembe r: t he
closer the no zzle is to the surfa ce of the
m at erial , the gre ater t he s tress on the ma ­
terial.
Caring for vehicles with matte finish
paint
Applies to vehicles: wit h matte finish paint
Vehicles with matte finish paint require spe ­
cial care due to the characteristics of the
paint.
Washing by hand
T o avoid damaging the pain t when was hing,
fi rst remove dust and la rge particles from
yo ur vehicle . Insects, grease spots and finger­
prints are best removed with a
special cleaner
for matte finish pa int .
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