2015 AUDI A6 Owners Manual

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 a lone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Air suspension*
When driving with a trai ler, activate the trailer
mode of the air suspension. Switch the air
suspension trailer mode on when you are tow­
ing a trailer. This will limit the regulation by
the air suspension while driving. Select in the
MMI:
! CARI function button> (C ar) * systems
control button > Vehicle settings > Air susp.:
towing > On .
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 immed iately if the LEDs in
the top pa rt of the display turn on.
For more information about indicator lights,
refer to. ¢
page 16 .
A WARNING
Anyone no t properly restrained in a mov­
ing veh icle is at a much greater ris k in an
accident . Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
provided by Audi .
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when tow ing
a trailer because of the addit ional weight and
d ifferent 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
M N turning, stopping and backing up in an area 0
~ away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
~ have become comp lete ly fam iliar with the way 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
Trailer towing 207
your vehicle-trai ler combination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a trailer generally req uires
steering action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a trai ler.
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 rad ius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac­
ce lerate as fast as you norma lly would be­
cause of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass . After passing, allow
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 292.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a 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 p lace chocks under both the
vehicle and the trailer wheels.
.,. With chocks in place, slowly release the
brakes until the wheel chocks absorb the
load .
.,. Turn the wheels towards the curb.
.,. Apply the parking brake .
.,. Select the P selector lever posit ion.
When re starting after parking:
.,. App ly the foot brake.
.,. Start the engine.
•
•

208 Trailer towing
• Se lect the D/S se lector lever posit ion .
• Re lease the par king b rake an d slow ly pull
o ut and away from the whee l chocks.
• Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks.
If you move the se lector lever of the a uto ­
mat ic transm ission to P before app lying
the park ing brake a nd befo re blocking the
w heels, you may have to use mo re force
la ter to move the lever out of the
P posi­
tion.

M N
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,...., ..,., ,....,
Vehicle care and clean ing
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your
vehicle 's value. It can also be a requirement
when submitting warranty claims for corro ­
sion damage and paint defects on the body .
The required cleaning and care products can
be obtained from your authorized Audi dealer
or a qualified workshop . Read and follow the
instructions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
-Us ing clean ing and care products incor­
rectly can be dangerous to your hea lth.
- Always store cleaning and care products
out of reach of children to reduce the risk
of poisoning.
@) For the sake of the environment
-Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and
care products with household trash .
Car washes
-
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the
vehicle, the more the surface can be dam­ aged. High temperatures such as those
caused by sunlight increase the corrosive ef­
fect.
Before washing, wet heavy deposits w ith plen­
ty of water.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once road salt stops be ing used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your vehicles with a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instruc­
tions provided w ith the pressure washer . Th is
is especially important in regard to the pres ­
sure and spraying distance. Do not aim the
spray directly at seals on side w indows, doors,
Vehicle care and cleaning 209
the hood, the rear lid or the sunroof* or at
tires, rubber hoses, insulating material, sen­ sors* or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of at
least 16 inches (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rotary nozzles or high pressure noz­
zles.
The water temperature must not be above
140 °F (60 °C) .
Automatic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof* are
closed and the windshield wipers are
off. Fol­
low instructions from the car wash operator,
especially if there are accessories attached to
your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the vehicle starting from the top and
working down using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush. Use solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and large particles from
your vehicle. Insects, grease spots and finger­ prints are best removed with a special cleaner
for matte finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use
too much pressure .
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft mi­
crof iber cloth.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it
air dry . Remove any water residue using a
shammy.
Stubborn deposits such as bi rd droppings or
tree sap are best removed with plenty of wa-
ter and a microfiber cloth.
Ill-
•
•

210 Vehicle care and cleaning
A WARNING
-Only wash the vehicle when the ignition
is off and follow the instructions from
the car wash operator to reduce the risk
of accidents .
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect your­
self from sharp metal components when
washing the underbody or the inside of
the wheel housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking ef­
fect may be delayed due to moisture on
the brake rotors or ice in the winter. The
brakes must be dried first with a few
careful brake applications.
(!;) Note
- If you wash the vehicle in an automatic
car wash, you must retract the rear spoil­
er if necessary, and fold the exterior mir­
rors in to reduce the risk of damage.
Power folding exterior mirrors* must on­
ly be folded in and out using the power
folding function.
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash
the vehicle in direct sunlight. -
To reduce the risk of damage to the sur­
face, do not use insect removing spong­
es, kitchen sponges or similar items.
- Matte finish painted vehicle compo­
nents:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the
surface, do not use polishing agents or
hard wax.
- Never use car wash cycles that apply
protective wax.
It can destroy the
matte finish effect.
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with matte finish paint. The paint could be
damaged when the stickers or magnets
are removed.
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facilities specially
designed for that purpose. This will reduce
the risk of dirty water contaminated with
oil from entering the sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individual vehi­
cle components, refer to the following table.
The information contained there is simply rec­
ommendations . For questions or for compo- nents that are not listed, refer to an author­
ized
Audi dealer or a qualified workshop. Also
follow the information found in¢,& .
Cleaning exterior
Component Situation Solution
Wiper blades
Dirty ¢ page 49, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Headlights/ Dirty Soft sponge with a mild soap solutiona>
tail lights
Sensors/
Dirty Sensors: soft cloth with a solvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol-free cleaning
solution
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
Exhaust tail Road salt Water, cleaning solution suitable for stainless steel,
if
pipes necessary

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Vehicl e ca re a nd cl eanin g 211
Component Situat ion Solution
Deco ra ti ve
Dirty Mild soap solutional, a cleaning solution suitab le for
p art s/ stainless steel, if necessary
tri m
P ai nt
Paint damage Refer to the paint number on the vehicle data label, re-
pair with touch up paint
c::> page 289
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately
Rust film Rust film1 remover, then protect with hard wax; for ques-
tions, refer to an authorized Audi dea ler or a qualified
workshop
Corrosion Have it removed by an authorized Audi dealer or a qua li-
fied workshop
Water no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean paint
No shine even Treat
with suitable polish; then apply paint protectant if
though paint has the polish that was used does not contain any protec-
been protected/ tant
paint looks poor
Carbo n pa rts Dirty Clean the same way as pa inted parts c:>page 209, Car
washes
al Mild soap solut ion: max im um two tablespoons neutral soap in l quart (l l iter) of water
C le aning int erior
Component Situ ation Solution
W indo ws
Dirty Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Deco rativ e Dirty Mi
ld soap solutional
parts/
trim
Pl as tic p art s
Dirty Damp cloth
Heavily soiled Mild soap solutional, solvent-free plastic cleaning solu -
tion, if necessary
Di sp lays Dirty Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
Cont rols Dirty Soft brush, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solut iona)
S af ety belts Dirty Mild soap solutional, allow to dry befo re letting them re -
tract
•
•

212 Vehicle care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
T ex tile s,
Stains adhering to Vacuum cleaner
Vin yl, the surface
A lcan ta ra Water -based stains Absorbent cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
O il-based stains Apply a mild soap solutiona>, blot away the d issolved oil
such as oil, make- or dye, treat afterward w ith water, if necessary
up, etc.
Special stains such Special stain remover, blot with absorbent material,
as ballpoint pen, treat afterward with mild soap solutiona>, if necessary
na il polish, latex
pa int, shoe po lish,
etc.
N atu ral leather Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mild soap solutiona>
Water-based stains Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dr ied stains: sta in remover suitable for leather
blood, etc.
Oi l-based stains Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and sta in remover suitable
such as oil, make- for leather
up, etc. dried stains: Oil cleaning spray
Special stains such Stain remover suitable for leather
as ballpo int pen,
na il polish, latex
pa int, shoe polish,
etc.
Care Regular
ly apply condit ioning c ream that protec ts from
light a nd penetrates into the materia l. Use specially-col-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon part s Dirty Clean tlhe same way as plastic parts
a) Mi ld soap so lut ion : maximum two tablespoons neut ra l soap in 1 quart (I lite r) of water
& WARNING
The windshie ld may not be treated with
water -repe lling windshield coating agents .
Unfavorab le conditions such as wetness,
darkness, or low sun can result in in­
creased glare. W iper blade chatter is a lso
possible .
(V Note
-Headlights /tail lights
- Never clean headlights or tail lights
w it h a dry cloth or sponge. -
Do not use any cleaning product that
contains alcohol, because they could
cause cracks to form.
-Wheels
- Never use any paint polish or other
abrasive mater ials.
- Damage to the protective layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratc hes
must be repa ired immediately.
- Sensor s/camera len ses
- Never use warm or hot water to re-
move snow or ice from the camera
le ns. This could cause th e lens to crack . ""

M N
0 <.J 'SI: ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
-Never use abrasive cleaning materials
or alcohol to clean the camera lens.
Th is could cause scratches and cracks .
-Window s
-Remove snow and ice on w indows and
exterior mirrors with a plastic scraper.
To avoid scratches, move the scraper only in one direction and not back and
forth.
- Never remove snow or ice from w in­
dows and m irrors using wa rm or hot
wate r because this cou ld cause crac ks
to form.
- To avoid damage to the rear window
defogger, do not apply any stickers on
the heating wires on the inside of the
w indow .
-Dec or ati ve p arts /trim
-Never use chrome care or cleaning
products.
-Paint
-To reduce the risk of scratches, the ve-
hicle must be free of dirt and dust be­
fore polishing or waxing.
- To prevent paint damage, do not polish
or wax the veh icle in direct sunlight.
- To reduce the risk of paint damage, do
no t polish away rust film .
-Di splay s
-To avoid scratches, do not use dry
cleaning methods on displays .
-Controls
- Make sure that no flu ids enter the con-
trols, because this cou ld cause dam­
age .
-Safet y belts
- Do not remove the safety belts to clean
t hem.
- Never clean safety belts or their com­
ponents chemically or with cor ros ive
fluids or solvents and never a llow
sharp objects to come into contact
with the safety belts . This cou ld cause
damage to the belt webbing.
- If the re is damage to the webb ing, the
connections, the retractors or the buck­
les, have them rep laced by an author-
V ehicl e ca re a nd cl eanin g 213
ized A udi dealer or a qualified work­
shop.
- Te xtile s/Vin yl/ Alcant ara
- Never treat Vinyl/Alcantara w ith leath-
er care products, solvents, floor polish,
shoe polish, stain remover or s imilar
p rod ucts.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by an authorized Aud i deale r
or a qualif ied workshop.
- Never use steam cleaners, brushes,
hard sponges, etc. when cleaning.
- Do not turn on the seat heating * to dry
the seat.
- Objects with sharp edges such as zip­
pers, rivets on clothing or be lts can
cause damage to the surface.
- Open hook and loop fasteners, for ex­
ample on cloth ing, can damage seat
covers. Make sure hook and loop fas­
tene rs a re closed.
- Natural leather
- Neve r treat leather w ith solven ts, floo r
polish, shoe polish, stain remover or
similar products.
- Objects with sharp edges such as zip ­
pers, rivets on clothing or be lts can
cause damage to the surface.
- Never use steam cleaners, brushes,
hard sponges, etc . when cleaning.
- Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry
the seat.
- To help prevent the leather from fad­
ing, do not leave the vehicle in direct
sunlight for long periods of time. If leaving the vehicle parked for long pe­
riods of time, you should cover the
leather to protect it from d irect sun­
light.
(D Tips
- Insects are easier to remove from paint
that has been freshly waxed.
- Regular waxing can prevent rust film
from forming.
•
•

214 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Fuel supply and filling
your fuel tank
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Appl ies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
Using the right fuel helps keep the environ­
ment clean and prevents engine damage .
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recommended for yo ur vehicle is un ­
l e aded premium
grade gasoline . Audi recom­
mends using TO P TI ER D ete rgent Gaso line
wi th a m inimum octane ra ting o f 91 A KI ( 95
RO N). Fo r more informa tio n o n TOP TIER De­
tergent Gasoline, p lease go to the o fficia l
websi te (www. topt iergas .com) .
The re commended gasoline octane rati ng for
your engine can a lso be fo und o n a label loc at­
ed on the ins ide of the fuel filler flap . This ra t­
ing may be specif ied as AK I or RO N.
Your veh icle may also be operated using un­
l eaded regular gasoline with a minimum oc ­
tane rating of 87 AKI/91 RO N. However, using
87 A KI/91 RON octa ne fue l wi ll slightly re ­
d uce eng ine perfo rmance .
Use unleaded ga soline only. U nleaded g aso­
l ine is available th rougho ut the USA, Canada,
a nd i n most E uropean countries . We recom ­
mend that you do not ta ke yo ur vehicle to
areas or co untries where unleaded gasoline
may not be ava ilable.
F or mo re informat io n on refue ling your ve hi­
cle, see~
page 216.
Octane rating
Octane rating ind icates a gaso line's abili ty to
res ist eng ine dam ag ing "knoc k" ca use d by
premature ign ition and detona tion. Therefore,
buy ing the correct grade of gaso line is very
important to he lp prevent possible engine
damage and a loss of engine performance.
Gasoline mos t commonly used in the Unite d
States and Canada has the following octane r
atings t hat can usu a lly be found on the fi ller
pump:
- Premium Gra de: 91 -96 A KI
- Regular Grade : 87 -90 AKI
Explanation of the abbreviations:
AKI = Anti K nock In d ex = (R+M )/2 = (RON
+ MON)/2
R ON= Resear ch Octane Numb er
MON = Motor Octane Num ber .
(D Note
-Do not use a ny fue l w it h o ctane rat ings
lower tha n 87 A KI or 91 RO N othe rwise
expensive engi ne damage w ill occur.
- Do
not use leaded gasoli ne. The use of
leaded gasoline w ill severely damage
yo ur v ehicle's cata lytic co nve rter and its
ability to co ntrol exha ust em issions .
Blended gasoline
Applies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or
MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether )
You may use unleaded g asoline blende d wi th
alcohol o r MTBE (commonly referred to as
oxygenates) if the blende d mixture meets t he
f o llow ing criteria:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
- Anti -kno ck index must be 87 A KI or higher.
- Blend must contain no more t han 3% meth-
anol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co -sol -
vents.
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol
or ethyl alcohol)
- Anti -knock index must be 87 AKI or higher .
- Blend must not conta in mo re tha n 15%
ethanol.
Blend of ga soline and MTBE
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher. IJll,