2015 AUDI A6 ignition

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Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 11
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster and controls
The instrument cluster is your central source of information.
Fig. 3 Overv iew of the instrument cluster
CD Coolant temperature gauge .. .
@ Tachometer (eng ine rev counter)
@ Turn signals ............... .
@ Display with
®
®
-Driver information system .. .
- Wa rning/ind icator lights
Tachometer Fuel gauge
@ Tips
11
12
45
24
12
12
The instrument illumination (for dials and
needles) turns on when the ignition is on
and the vehicle lights are turned off. As
the daylight fades, the illumination of the
dials likewise dims automatically and wil l
go out completely when the outside light
is very low. This feature is meant to rem ind
you to switch on the headlights when out­
side light conditions become poor.
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coolant gauge CD¢ page 11, fig. 3
only works when the ignition is on. To prevent
damage to your eng ine, please note the fol­
l owing important points:
Engine cold
If only the LEDs at the bottom of the gauge
turn on, the eng ine has not reached operating
temperature yet . Avoid high engine speeds,
heavy engine loads and heavy throttle applica­
tions.
Normal temperature
The engine has reached its operating temper­
ature once the LEDs up to the center of the
gauge turn on under normal driving cond i­
t ions. The LEDs higher up may turn on when
the engine is under heavy load or the exterior
temperature is high. This is no need to worry
as long as the. warning light in the instru­
ment cluster does not illuminate . If the LEDs
in the upper area of the display and the indica­
tor light . in the instrument cluster display
turn on, the coolant temperature is too high
¢page 16.
A WARNING
-Always observe the warn ing in
¢ page 222, before opening the hood
and checking the engine coolant level.

12 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
-Never open the engine hood if you see or
hear steam, or if you see engine coolant
dripping from the engine compartment.
You could burn yourself . Let the engine
cool off first until you can no longer see
o r hear steam or coo lant escaping.
@ Note
- Mounting additional lights or accessories
i n front of the a ir inlets reduces the cool­
i ng effect of the rad iator . At h igh outside
temperatures or high eng ine load, the
engine could overheat.
- The front spo iler has been designed to
proper ly distribute the cooling air when
t h e ve hicle is moving.
If the spoiler is
dam aged, th is co uld red uce the cooling
effect and the engine co uld then over­
heat . Ask your authorized Audi dea ler for
assistance .
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM
(revolutions per minutes).
If engine RP M drops be low 1,500, yo u should
downshift to the next lower gear. The red a rea
at the end of the sca le indicates maximum
perm iss ib le engine RPM after the break-in pe­
riod. Before reaching this area, move these­
lector lever to position D/S (Drive) or ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
(D Note
The tachometer needle should on ly br iefly
be in the red zone: you could damage your
engine! The beginn ing of the red zone var­
ies depending on the engine .
@ For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early saves fuel and reduces en­
gine noise.
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge only works when the ignition is
on .
If the fuel level d rops below 2 . 6 ga llons (10 liters), the bottom LED turns red and the
indicator light
ll'J turns on r=> page 22. The
bottom LED blinks red when the fuel level is
very low.
T he possible range based on the current fuel
level is shown in tab@r=>
page 24, fig . 4 .
(D Note
Never run the tank completely dry. An ir ­
r egular supply of f uel can cause engine
misfiring and fuel could enter the ex ha ust
system . The catalytic converter could then
overheat and be damaged.
Warning/indicator Lights
Description
The ind icator lights in the instrument cluster
blink or turn on. They indicate funct ions or
malfunctions
r::!> ,& .
Messages may appear with some indicato r
lights. A warning signal will sound at the
same t ime. The indicator lights and messages
in the center of the displays may be rep laced
by other d isplays . To show them again, select
the tab for ind icator lights and messages us­
i ng the multifunction steering wheel
r::!> page 24. If t here are several malfunc­
t ions, you can display them one at a time us­
ing the thumbwheel.
Some indicato rs lights in the d isplay can turn
on in severa l co lors.
A WARNING
- F ailure to heed w arning l igh ts and other
important vehicle in forma tion may res ult
in ser io us personal inj ury or vehicle dam­
age .
- Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move the vehicle a safe d istance off the
road, stop the engine, and turn on the
emergency flasher
r::!> page 44.
- The engine compartment of any motor
veh icle is a potentially hazardous area.
Before you chec k anything in the engine

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Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 13
compartment, stop the engine and let it
cool down. Always exercise extreme cau­
t ion when working under the hood
c>page222.
Overview
Some ind icator lights turn on briefly to check
the function of that system when you switch
the ignition on. These systems are marked
w ith a,/ in the followi ng tables.
If one of
these indicator lights does no t turn on, there
is a malfunction in that system.
Red ind ic a tor l ights
-------------
U SA model s:
Brake malfunction ,/
c>page 15
Canada m odel s:
Brake malfunction ,/
c>page 15
USA models:
Electromechanical parking
brake
c>page 16
Canada m odel s:
Electromechanical parking
brake
c>page 16
Engine cooling system
c>page 16
Engine oil pressure
c>page 17
Engine oil level
c> page 18
Battery
c>page 17
Safety belt
c>page 17
Electromechanical steering,/
c>page 197
Electronic steering column lock
c>page 18
Engine start system
c>page 18
Central ind icator light
c> page 19
USA models: Speed warning
system
c> page 81
Canada mod els : Speed warning
system
c> page 81
Adaptive c ruise control*,/
c> page86
Air suspension*
c> page 18
Pedestrian warning*
c>page 103
Refill Ad Blue*
c> page 218
AdBlue malf unct ion*
c> page 218
Yellow indicator li ght s
"O~ I I \; ,,
-------------
USA models : Safety systems
c>page 19
Canada models : Safety sys­
tems
c> page 19
Electron ic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ./
c>page 19
Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ,/
c>page 19
USA model s:
Anti-loc k braki ng system (ABS)
defect ive ,/
c>page 19
Canad a mod els :
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
defect ive ,/
c>page 19
Worn brake pads
c>page20
Electromechanica l parking
brake
c>page 16

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Instruments and warning/indicator lights 15
Adaptive cruise contro l*
Q page 86
Audi act ive lane assist*
qpage 94
Sta rt-Stop-System*
¢page 79
Sta rt-Stop-System*
¢page 79
High beam
qpage45
BRAKE /(0) Brake system
The light illuminates when the ignition is
switched on.
It goes ou t after the engine has
been started. This indicates that the brake
warning light is functioning properly.
If the brake warning light does not light up
when the engine is cranking, there may be a
malfunction in the electrical system. In this
case , contact your Audi dealer.
If the brake system warning/ind icator light
turns on, there is a brake system mal function.
• (USA models ). (Canada models ) Stop
vehicle and check brake fluid level
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, p roceed as follows:
~ Pull off the road.
~ Stop the vehicle.
~ Turnoff the engine .
~ Check the brake fluid level q page 231 .
~ Contact your nearest authorized repa ir fa-
c ili ty if necessary.
Warning! Fault in brake system . Contact
dealer
If the ABS indicator light rJE (USA models)/
ii] (Canada models), the ESC indicator light
G1 and the brake system indicator light
• (USA models)/ . (Canada models) turn
on and the message appears, the ABS, ESC
and b raking dist ribution are not working
Q _& .
Carefully drive to your authorized Audi dealer
immediately to have the malfunction correct­
ed
Q ,& .
• (USA models) . (Canada models) Park­
ing brake: system fault! Please contact deal­
er
- If the ind icator light and the message ap­
pear
when stationary or after switching the
ignition on,
check if you can release the
parking brake. After releasing the parking
brake, carefully drive to your authorized
Audi dea ler immediately to have the ma l­
function corrected. If you cannot release the parking brake, seek professional assistance.
- If the ind icator light and the message ap ­
pear
while driving , the emergency brak ing
function may not be available. It may not be possible to set the park ing b rake or release
it once it has been set . Seek profess ional as­
sistance .
(USA models): If the warn ing light . and the
warning light
liJ appea r together, immedi ­
ately contact your authorized Aud i dealer or
qualified workshop to have all brake pads in­
spected
¢ page 20.
When the light comes on, an aud ible warning
s ignal is also g iven .
A WARNING
-Always observe the warn ings in
q page 222, before opening the hood
and checking the brake fluid.
- Driving with low brake fluid is a safety
ha zard . Stop the car and get professional
assistance.
- If the. (USA models). (Canada
models) brake system indicat or light
turns on together with the ABS and ESC
indicator lights, the ABS/ESC regulating
function may have failed. Functions that
stabilize the vehicle are no longer avai la­
ble. This could cause the vehicle to
swerve and increase the risk of slid ing .
Drive carefully to the nearest authorized
Aud i dealer or other qualified workshop
and have the malfunction corrected. ..,.

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Instruments and warning/indicator lights 17
-The engine compartment of any vehicle
is a dangerous area. Before you perform
any work in the engine compartment,
turn of the eng ine and allow it to cool.
Follow the warning stickers¢
page 222.
(D Note
Do not continue driving if the. symbo l
illuminates. There is a malfunct ion in the
eng ine cooling system -you could damage
your eng ine.
0 Battery
This warning/indicator light detects a mal­
function in the generator or in the vehicle's
electrical system.
The. warning/ind icator light illuminates
when you switch on the ignit ion and must go
out after the engine has started.
• Alternator fault: Battery is not being
charged
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the
generator or vehicle e lectr ica l system .
Dr ive to your au thorized Audi dealer or quali ­
fied workshop immediately . Because the vehi ­
cle battery is discharging, turn
off all unnec­
essary electrical equipment such as the radio.
Seek professional ass istance if the battery
charge level is too low .
(•) Low battery: battery will be charged
while driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes ­
sage appears , there may be limited starting
abi lity .
If this message turns off after a litt le wh ile,
the battery charged enough wh ile driving.
If the message does not turn off, have your
authorized Audi dealer or qua lified workshop
correct the mal func tion.
~ Safet y belts
This warning/indicator light reminds you to
put on your safety belt.
The . warning/ indicator light illum inates
when the ignition is switched on to remind
the driver and any front passenger to put on
the safety belt. Add it ionally, an acoustic warn­
ing (gong) wi ll also sound.
For more Information¢
page 136, i Safety
belt warning light .
~ Engine oil pressure malfunction
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol
requires immediate service or repair . Driving
with a low-oil-pressure indication is likely to
inflict severe damage to the engine.
• Switch off engine and check oil level
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the oi l pressure is too low.
.,. Pull
off the road.
.,. Stop the vehicle.
.,. Turn
off the engine .
.,. Check the engine oil level c> page 226 .
.,. If the eng ine o il level is too low, add eng ine
oil ¢
page 226. Make sure that the oil pres­
sure warning symbol. appears no longer
in the display before you start dr iv ing again .
.,. If the eng ine o il level is correct and the indi­
cator light still turns on, turn the engine
off
and do not continue driving. Seek professio­
na l assistance .
(D Tips
- The engine oil pressure symbol. is
not an indicator for a low engine oil lev­
el. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the
oil level in your engine at regular inter­
vals, preferably each time you refuel ,
and always before going on a long trip.
- The yellow oil level warning indication
II requires oil refill or workshop serv­
ice without delay. Do not wait until the
red oil pressure warning. starts to
flash before you respond to the low oil

18 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
level warning II. By then, your engine
may already have suffered serious dam·
age.
~ Engine oil level
• WARNING: Please add oil immediately
If the indicator light and the driver message
appear, add engine oil immediately
c::>page224.
Ill Add oil, max. x qt (I). You may continue
driving
When the symbol and the driver message ap­
pear , add the amount of oil appearing in the
display at the next opportunity
c::> page 224.
~ - Steering column lock
• Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears , there is an electronic steering
column lock malfunction. You cannot switch
the ignition on.
Do
not tow your vehicle because it cannot be
steered. Seek professional assistance.
Ill Steering lock: system fault. Please con­
tact dealer
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is an electronic steering
column lock malfunction .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING , --
Your vehicle must not be towed in the
event of a malfunction in the electronic
steering column lock because it cannot be
steered due to the locked steering.
If it is
towed with the steering locked, there is
the risk of an accident .
©-Engine start system
• Engine start system fault. Please contact
dealer
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, do
not switch the ignition off
because you may not be able to switch it on
again.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
ml Engine start system fault. Please contact
dealer
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the en­
gine start system.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
c:::::> Air suspension
Applies to vehicles: with air suspension
• Air suspension: system fault. Can contin­
ue slowly with max. 35 mph.
There is a malfunction that can result in re­
stricted driving stability .
Carefully drive a t a maximum speed of 35
mph (60 km/h) to your authorized Audi dealer
or qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected .
• Air suspension: service mode. Vehicle can
only be moved with restrictions
Carefully drive to your authorized Audi dealer
or qualified workshop immediately to have
the service mode deactivated.
II Air suspension fault
There is a system malfunction that can result
in restricted driving stability or reduced
ground clearance.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
II Air suspension: vehicle too low. Ground
clearance reduced
The ground clearance is very low due to a sys­
tem malfunction . Wait until the air suspen ­
sion system has restored normal ground clear­ ance . Otherwise, conditions such as an uneven
road surface can lead to vehicle damage.

M N
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,...., ..,., ,....,
Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 19
~/ !J.: Safety systems
The fl (USA models)/ E,I (Canada mode ls) in­
d icator light moni tors the safety systems (e.g.
airbags, pretensioners) and illuminates for a
few seconds each time you switch the ignition
on.
If the II (USA mode ls)/ E,I (Canada models)
indicator light does not go out, or if it illumi­
nates while you are driving, or if it starts to
blink, then there is a ma lfunction somewhere
in the system.
If the light does not illuminate
when you switch the ignition on, this also means there is a malfunction.
A WARNING
If you have a malfunction in the safety sys­
tems, contact your author ized Audi dealer
immediately. Otherw ise the safety sys­
tems may not wo rk p roperly in an acci­
dent.
& Central indicator light
I f the indicator light . or II turns on, check
the message in the instrument cluster.
f;.J ~ Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC)
If the J.i3 indicator light blinks wh ile driving,
the ESC or ASR (Ant i-Slip Regulation) is active­
ly regulating .
If the
G1 indicator light turns on, the system
has sw itched the ESC off. In this case, you can
switch the ignition off and then on to switch
the ESC on again. The indicator light turns off
when the system is functioning fully.
If the
fl indicator light turns on, ESC was re­
stricted using the
I ~ OF FI button¢ page 193 .
Stabilization cont rol (E SC /AB S): F ault! See
owner 's manu al
If the DJ indicator light and the ABS indicator
light
f;U1 (USA models) 1 11] (Canada mode ls)
turn on and the message appears, the ABS or
electronic differential lock is ma lfunction ing .
This a lso causes the ESC to malfunct ion. The brakes still function with their normal power,
but ABS is not active.
D
rive to your author ized A udi dealer or quali­
f ied wor kshop immed iate ly to have the mal­
f unct ion corrected .
A WARNING
If the . (USA mode ls)/ . (Canada mod­
e ls) brake system indicator light turns on
together with the ABS and ESC indicator
lights, the ABS/ESC regulating function
may have fa iled. Functions that stabilize
the vehicle are no longe r available. Th is
could cause the vehicle to swerve and in­
crease the risk of sliding. Drive ca refully to
the nea rest authori zed Audi dealer or oth­
e r qualified workshop and have the ma l­
f u nction corrected.
(D Tips
For additional informat ion on ESC and
ABS, refer to
¢page 193.
ABS/(8) Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
This warning/indicator light monitors the ABS
and the elec tronic differential lock (EDL).
The wa rning/indicator light f;U1 (USA mod-
els)
I ii] (Canada models) w ill com e on for a
few seconds whe n the ignition is switched on.
T he light will go o ut after an automa tic check
sequence is comp leted .
There is a malfunct ion in the ABS when:
- The warn ing/indicator light does not illum i­
nate when you switch the ign it ion on.
- The warn ing/indicato r light does not go out
after a few seconds.
- The warning/indicator light illum inates
while driving.
The ESC indicator lig ht also illuminates if
there is a malfunction in the ABS. The mes­
sage
S tab ilizat ion control (ESC /ABS ): Fault!
S ee owner's manual
also appears in the i n­
strument cluster d isp lay and a warning tone
sounds.
~

20 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
The brake system will still respond even
without the assistance of the ABS system.
See your authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible to restore full braking performance.
For more information regarding the ABS
c;,page 193.
Malfunction in the brake system
If the brake warning light c;,page 15 and the
ABS warning illuminate
together there may be
a malfunction in the ABS, and there may also be a malfunction in the brake system itself
c;, &. . The ABS will not work and you will no­
tice a change in braking response and per­
formance.
In the event of a malfunction in the brake
system
the warning/indicator light . (USA
models)/ . (Canada models) in the instru­
ment cluster flashes ¢
page 15.
Malfunction in the electronic differential
lock (EDL)
The EDL works together with the ABS. The
ABS warning light will come on if there is a
malfunction in the EDL system¢
page 193.
See your authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible.
A WARNING
- If the f;t11 (USA models);tlJ (Canada
models) warning light does not go out,
or if it comes on while driving, the ABS
system is not working properly. The vehi­
cle can then be stopped only with the
standard brakes (without ABS). You will
not have the protection ABS provides .
Contact your Audi dealer as soon as pos­
sible.
- USA models: If the . warning light, the
fjJ warning light and the f;t11 warning
light come on together, the rear wheels
could lock up first under hard braking.
Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of ve­
hicle control and an accident. Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your au-
l ) . : USA mode ls o nly
thorized Audi dealer or a qualified work­
shop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden,
hard brake applications.
- Canada models: If the brake warning
light ., the
B.1 warning light and the
ABS warning light
ti] come on together,
the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle control and an acci­
dent. Have your vehicle repaired immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
(0} Worn brake pads
Ill Brake pads!
If the warning light illuminates, immediately
contact your authorized Audi dealer or quali­
fied workshop to have all brake pads inspect­
ed. On USA models the warning light
Ill
comes on together with the warning light •.
Both sets of brake pads on an axle must al­
ways be replaced at the same time.
A WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a colli­
sion and serious personal injury.
- If the warning light
Ill and the warning
light •
1
) with the message Brake pads!
comes on in the instrument cluster dis­
play, immediately contact your author­
ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop to
have all brake pads checked or replaced if
necessary.
EPC Electronic power control
Applies to veh icles: w ith gasoline engine
This warning/indicator light monitors the
electronic power control.
The l3i warning/indicator light (Electronic
Power Control) illuminates when you switch
-
the ignition on as a function check. ..,.