2013 AUDI A6 ABS

ESC includes and/or works together with the
anti-lock brake system (ABS) , brake assist sys ­
tem, anti -slip regulation (ASR) , electronic dif­
ferential lock (E DL) and e lectronic interaxle
d ifferential lock*. ESC is swi tched on all the
time. In certain situat ions when you need less
traction , you can switch off ASR by pressing
the button
[ru ~ fig . 177 . Be sure to switch
ASR on again when you no longer need less
traction.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up
when braking. The vehicle can still be steered even during hard braking . Apply steady pres­
sure to the brake pedal. Do not pump the ped­
al. A puls ing in the brake pedal indicates that
the system is he lping you to brake the vehicle.
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease brak ing
d istance.
It increases braking power when the
driver presses the brake pedal quickly in emer­
gency situations. You must press and hold the
brake pedal until the situation is over . In
vehicles with adaptive cruise control* , the
brake assist system is more sensitive if the
d istance detected to the vehicle ahead is too
small.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the force to
the road condit ions. This makes it eas ier to
s tart, accelerate and drive up hills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL brakes wheels that are spinn ing and
transfers the drive power to the other drive
wheel or whee ls if the vehicle is equipped with
all-whee l drive*. This function is available up
to about 75 mph (120 km/h).
I n extreme cases , EDL automatically switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked wheel
from overheating. EDL wi ll switch on again au­
tomatically when conditions have returned to
normal.
Intelligent technology 193
Electronic interaxle differential lock*/
selective wheel torque control*
The electronic interaxle differential lock (front
whee l drive) or the se lective wheel torque
cont rol (all-wheel dr ive) operates when dr iv­
ing through curves . The front wheel on the in­
s ide of the curve or both wheels on the inside
of the curve are braked selectively as needed .
T his min imizes sliding in the front wheels and
allows for more precise driving through
curves . Th e applicable system may no t acti­
vate when driv ing in wet or snowy conditions.
A WARNING
-
-ESC, ABS, ASR, EDL and the electronic in­
teraxle differential lock function* cannot
overcome the laws of physics. This is es­
pecially important on slippery or wet
roads . If the systems begin acting to sta­
bilize your vehicle, you should immedi­
ately change your speed to match the
road and traffic conditions. Do not let
the increased safety provided by these
systems tempt you to t.;1ke risks. Doing
so will increase the risk o f a loss of vehi­
cle control, collision and serious personal
injuries.
-Always adapt your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions . The risk of los­
ing control of the vehicle increases when
driving too fast, espec ially through
curves and on slippery or wet roads, and
when dr iving too close to vehicles up
ahead . ESC, ABS, the brake assist sys­
tem, EDL, ASR and the elec tronic inter­
axle differential lock function* cannot
prevent collisions .
- Always accelerate with special care on
even, smooth surfaces such as those that
are wet or covered with ice and snow.
The drive wheels can spin even with
these assistance systems that cannot al­
ways he lp to red uce the risk of loss of ve -
hicle control. .,.
•
•

194 Intelligent technology
@ Tips
-ABS and ASR on ly work correctly when
all four wheels are equipped w ith identi­
cal tires. Different tire sizes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems
described are working.
- If the indicator light
DJ or 11:11 (USA
models) 1i] (Canada models) appears,
there may be a malfunction¢
page 20,
c> page 19.
Switching on and off
ESC
turns on automatically when you start
the engine.
Fig. 177 Center console w it h ESC OFF button
Switching sport mode on
Press the I~ OF FI button c::> fig . 177. The ac­
tions taken by the ESC system to stabilize the
vehicle are limited. In vehicles with front
wheel drive, the anti-slip regulation (ASR) is
limited. In vehicles with a ll-wheel drive, the
ASR is switched off. The
It) ESC indicator light
turns on and the message
Stabilization con­
trol (ESC): Off Warning! Reduced stability
¢.&. appears in the driver information system
d isplay.
The following examples are unusual situa­
tions where it may make sense to switch sport
mode on in order to allow the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle back and forth when it is
stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving with snow cha ins
Switching sport mode off
Press the 1.$ OF FI button again. The I indica­
tor light turns off and the message
Stabiliza­
tion control (ESC): On
appears in the driver
information system display .
A WARNING
-
-Drive wheels can spin and you can lose
control of the vehicle more easily when
ASR and ESC are in sport mode, especial­
ly when the road is slippery.
- Sw itch to sport mode only when your
driving skills, traffic and weather condi­
tions permit.
@ Tips
You cannot sw itch sport mode on when
adaptive cruise control* is working.
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
-
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing condit ions and driving hab its
c::> .&. . On
vehicles that are either driven most ly in stop­
and-go city t raff ic or are driven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dea ler more often than specified in
the
Warranty & Maintenance booklet. Failure
to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you should use the braking
effect of the engine . This way, you prevent un­
necessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down continuously. Pump the brakes at inter­
vals .
Moisture o r road salt
Under certain conditions, for example, when
driving through water or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in .,,_

204 Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, p lease remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
@ Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
c:::> page 204, Operating instructions.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­ ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location . Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. A lways
check with the trai ler hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the cor rect
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system. No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems . From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trai ler hitch ball mount. This prevents the
h itch from causing damage should your veh i­
cle be struck from behind
c:::> A .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check with your Audi dealer for correct
wiring, switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is important
that you
always have clear v is ion to the rear .
A WARNING
--
After removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle . In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in­
jure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A tra ile r for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 tra ile r.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shift ing forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
c:::> A in Driving instructions on page 206 .
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard­
er . It is important that the cooling system 's
performance is up to the additional load.

206 Trailer towing
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en­
g ine braking effect to slow 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 carefully. 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 display 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 r ide in your car
who is not properly wear ing the restraints
provided by Aud i.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
a trailer because of the additional weight and
different weight distribution . Safety, perform­
ance and economy w ill greatly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig .
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turn ing, stopp ing and back ing up in an area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become comp lete ly familiar with the way
your ve hicle-trai ler comb ination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a tra iler generally requi res
steering act ion opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your ve­
hicle and the one in front of you. You will need
more room to stop. To compensate for the trailer, you wi
ll need a larger than normal
turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac­
celerate as fast as you norma lly would be­
cause of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass . After passing, a llow
plenty of room for your trailer before chang ­
ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts , sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in
period of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may re­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the extra load¢
page 285.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on o slope with a trailer. If it can­
not be avoided, do so only after doing the fol­
lowing:
When parking:
.,. App ly the foot brake .
.. Have someone pla ce chocks under both the
vehicle and the trailer wheels.
.. With chocks in place, slowly release the
brakes until the whee l chocks absorb the
load .
.. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.. Apply the parking brake.
.. Select the P selector lever posit ion .
When restarting after parking:
.. Apply the foot brake.
.. Start the engine.
.. Select the D/S selector lever position .
.. Release the parking brake and slowly pull
out and away from the wheel chocks .
.,. Stop and have someone retr ieve the wheel
chocks .
Ill-

when the cleaning solution when cleaning the
display .
The MMI/RS E* contro ls must be cleaned firs t
with a brush so that dirt does no t ente r the
unit or enter between the buttons and the
housing . Then wiping the controls with a cloth
dampened with dish detergent and water is
recommended.
(D Note
- To avoid scratching the disp lay, you
shou ld never clean it dry.
- To prevent damage, make sure fl uids do
not enter the controls .
Head-up Display
Applies to vehicles: with Head-up Display
The Head-up Display may be cleaned with a
damp cloth. The cloth should be free from
dust and lint, like a m icrofiber cloth for exam­
ple.
(D Note
- To prevent scratches, do not clean the
display when it is dry.
- To prevent damage, make sure that flu­
i ds do not enter the disp lay.
Aluminum trim
Use only n eutral -pH products to remove spots
and depos its from alum inum surfaces .
Chrome ca re produ cts and alkaline cleaners
will a ttac k alum in um s urfaces and can dam­
age them over time.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
~ page 208 .
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabric coverings (e .g. seats, door
tr im panels, etc.) should be cleaned at reg ular
intervals with a vacuum cleaner. T his removes
surface dirt particles which could become em­ bedded in the fabr ic through use. Steam
Cleaning and protec tion 215
cleaners sho uld not be used, beca use the
steam tends to p ush the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there .
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
o r a lint-free microfibe r cloth to the clean fab­
ric. Brushes shou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fabr ic surfaces
could be harmed by brushes.
Norma l surface stains can be cleaned using a
commercially availab le foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the s urface of t he fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not satu­
rate the fabric. T hen pat the foam dry us ing
absorbent, dry cloths (e.g. m icrofiber cloth)
and vacuum it after it has dried completely.
Cle aning sta in s
Stains caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fr uit
juice, etc.) can be treated with a mild deter­
gent solution. Apply the detergent solution
with a sponge. In the case of stubborn stains,
a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked into the fabric. After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to remove the rema ining de terge nt. App ly the
water wit h a damp cloth or sponge and pat
the fabric dry with an absorbent, dry cloth .
Stai ns from choco late or ma keup should have
de tergent paste (e.g. ox-gall soap) rubbed in­
to them. Afterwa rds, remove the soap wi th
wa ter (damp sponge) .
Alcohol can be used to treat stai ns from
grease, o il, lipstick or a ballpoin t pen. Melted
grease o r dye mus t be patted
off using ab­
sorbent mater ia l. It may be necessary to re ­
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa­
ter .
In the case of genera l soiling of the upho ls­
tery and cover material, we recommend hir ing
a specia list t hat has the eq uipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabric surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction. •
•

and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams .
The leather sho uld be cleaned reg ularly as
needed. After having been used for a re latively
l ong time, your leather seats will acquire a
rich aged finish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ura l leather and a sign of true quality .
I n o rder to maintain the va lue of th is natura l
p roduct over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendations below :
(D Note
-To keep yo ur leather from bleach ing out,
do not a llow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the vehicle parked outside
for long periods, cover the leather to
protect it from d irect exposure to sun­
light.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on be lts can
leave permanent scratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather .
- After each time you clean the leather and
at regu lar inte rva ls, use a leather preser­
vat ive creme that conta ins UV-blockers
and that wor ks into the leather. This
c reme will no urish and moistur ize the
l eather, helping i t to brea the and stay
supple .
It also helps to b uild up a protec­
tive coating on the s urface .
- Clean the lea ther every 2 -3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh mar ks made by ba llpoint
pens, ink, lipstick, shoe polish, e tc. as
soon as possib le .
- Preserve the colo r of the lea ther as need­
ed by using a special colored leather care
creme to to uch up areas of uneven co lor.
Cleaning and protec tion 217
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
App lies to vehicles : with natural lea ther
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention .
Normal cleaning
.. Clean so iled areas with a slightly moistened
cotton or woolen cloth .
More stubborn dirt
.. More st ubborn dirt can be removed using a
cloth saturated with a mild soap solut ion (2
tablespoons mild liquid soap).
.. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather, and make certain that no water soaks into the seams.
.,. Wipe off the soap so lution with a soft, dry
cloth.
Cleaning spots
.. Remove fresh wat er-based spots (such as
coffee, tea, juices, blood) with an absorbent
cloth or pape r towel.
.. Remove fresh
greas e or oil-ba sed spot s
(such as bu tte r, mayonnaise, chocola te) with
an absorbent cloth or paper towel, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface
of the leather.
.. Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if
oil/
grease spot s ha ve dried on.
.. Remove specific k inds of spots (ballpoint
pen, felt marker, fingerna il polish, water­
based pa int, shoe po lish, etc.) with a spot
remover specifically fo rmu lated for leather.
Leather care
.. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your Audi dealer) to
care for the leather .
.,. App ly the product very spar ingly.
.. Wipe it off with a damp clot h.
If you have any q uestions about clean ing and
caring for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact you r authorized Audi dea ler, who
will be g lad to help you and tell you abo ut o ur
full range of leather care prod ucts, such as : .,..
•
•

The location of the brake fl uid reservo ir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
c::> page227.
The fl uid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls considerably be­
l ow the "MIN" mark, the bra ke wa rning/ind i­
cator light
1111 (U .S . models)/ . (Canadian
models) will come on
c::> page 15. Do not con­
tinue to operate the vehicle. The comp lete
brake system sho uld be thoroughly checked
by an author ized Audi dealer or other quali­
fied fac ility and the cause corrected . If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warn ing/
i ndicator light w ill illuminate . Contact an au­
thor ized Audi dealer
imm ediately .
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the a ir. If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
h igh, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a per iod of t ime . The bo iling po int of t he
brake fluid w ill also decrease consider ably and
dec rease b raking per formance.
Therefore, the brake flu id must be changed
ever y two years . Always use new b rake fluid
whi ch confo rms to Fede ral Motor Vehicle
Standard "FMVSS 1 16 DO T 4".
The brake flu id rese rvoir ca n be difficult to
r eac h, therefo re , we re commend that yo u
have the brake fl uid changed by y our autho r­
i z ed
Audi dealer . Your deale r has the correct
too ls, the right brake fluid and the know -how
to do this for you .
A WARNING
-Brake fluid is po isonous . It must be stor­
ed only in the closed orig inal container
out of t he reac h of children!
- Brake fa ilure can result from old o r inap ­
propr iate brake fluid. Observe these pre­
caut ions:
Checkin g and fillin g 235
-Use only brake f luid that meets SAE
spec ificat ion
J 1703 and conforms to
Federal Motor Ve hicle Standard 116.
Always check with your autho rized Audi
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct brake fluid . The correct type of
brake f lu id is also ind icated on the
brake flu id rese rvoi r.
- The bra ke fluid must be new. Heavy us e
of the brakes can cause a vapo r lock if
the b ra ke fluid is left i n the system too
l ong . This can se riously affec t the effi ­
ciency of the b rakes as well as your
safety . This co uld resu lt in an accident.
(D Note
B rak e fluid wi ll damage the pa int o f you r
vehicle .
~ For the sake of the environment
Because o f the p rob lem of pro per disposal
of bra ke fluid as well as the spe cial too ls
r equired an d the necessary exper tise, we
r ecommend that yo u have the brake flu id
changed by yo ur authorized Aud i dea le r.
Battery
General information
U nder normal ope ra ti ng cond itions , the bat­
te ry in yo ur Audi doe s not need any ma inte ­
nance. With
high outside tempera tures or
l ong daily drives we recommend that you have
the e lectrolyte level checked by a service fa­
c ili ty. The electrolyte leve l should a lso be
checked each t ime the battery is charged
c:> page 237.
Have the battery checked when yo u take your
vehicle in for service. You are well advised to
replace a batte ry that is older than 5 years .
Wi th certain types of airbag deployment, the
battery is disconnected from the vehicle elec­
trical system for safety reasons
c> & in Re­
pair , care and disposal of the airbags on
page 161.
~
•
•

236 Check ing and filling
Di sconnect ing the batt ery terminal s
Some vehicle functions (power window regu­
l ators, for example) are lost if the battery ter­
minals are disconnected . These functions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals are
connected again. To prevent this, the battery
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
electrical system when absolutely necessary
for repairs .
Vehicles not dri ven fo r lo ng period s
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main­
tains starting capab ility over a longer period
¢ page 19 7 . Some of the convenience func­
tions may not operate, such as the inte rior
lights or powe r seat adjustme nt. The conven ­
ience functions will be ava ilable again when
you switch on the ignition and start the en­
gine.
Winter operati on
During the winter months, battery capacity
tends to decrease as tempe ratures drop . This
is because more powe r is also consumed while
start ing, and the headlights, rear window de­
fogger, etc., are used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, par­
ticularly in c ity traffic or when trave ling on ly
short distances. Let your authorized Audi
dea ler check the capacity of the vehicle bat ­
tery before winter sets in
¢ page 237. A well
charged battery w ill not only prevent starting
prob lems when the weather is cold, but will
also last longer .
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
veh icle battery should be removed and
sto red where it will not freeze. This w ill
prevent it from being damaged and hav ing
t o be replaced.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the luggage compart­
ment under the floor. Before you check any­
th ing in the luggage compartment,
read and
h ee d all WARNINGS
¢ ,&,
Always heed the safet y warnings , when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle e lec ­
trical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important wh en wor king on the battery :
Alway s heed the following WARNING S YM­
BOLS and safety prec autions when working
on the battery .
®
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contain s sulfuric acid.
Alwa ys wear glove s and ey e protec­
tion.
No
- sparks
-flames
- smoking .
1
When a b atter y is charged, it pr odu­
ces hydrogen gas which i s ex plosive
and could cau se per sonal injury.
Always keep the battery well out of reach of children .
.&_ WARNING ~
Whenever working on the battery or on
the electrical system, there is the risk of
i njury, accident and even fire. Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
- Always wear eye protection. Do not let
battery ac id or any lead particles get on
your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes. Exp losive gases can cause blindness or
other inju ry.
- Battery acid conta ins sulfuric acid. Sulfu­
ric acid can cause blindness and severe
burns.