2016 AUDI A6 brakes

Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Driving in stop-and-go traffic
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise control
The adaptive cruise control system also assists
you in stop-and-go traffic.
If a previous detected
vehicle ahead stops, your vehicle will brake to a
stop, within the limits of the system.
• To resume driving with adaptive cruise control,
tap the accelerator pedal or
• Pull the lever toward you into position @
¢ page 88, fig. 95.
(Di Tips
-If adaptive cruise control is active and your
vehicle does not start driving as expected
after pulling the lever once, you can start
out again by tapping the accelerator pedal.
- If an obstacle is detected when your vehicle
starts driving, the system will prompt you
to take over¢
page 89. Your vehicle will
drive more slowly when starting. This may
also happen in some situations when no ob­
stacle is apparent.
Interrupting cruise control
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adaptive cruise contro l
Fig. 95 Selector lever
Requirement: The adaptive cruise control is
switched on.
Overriding cruise control
• To accelerate manually, pull the lever toward
you into position@and hold it there. The mes­
sage
ACC: Override appears. Or
• press the accelerator pedal.
• To resume cruise control, release the lever or
take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
88
Canceling cruise control while driving
• Move the lever into position @. The message
ACC: Standby appears. Or
• press the brake pedal.
• To resume the stored speed, move the lever in­
to position @.
Canceling cruise control when stopped
• Push the lever away from you into position@.
The message
ACC: Standby appears.
• To resume cruise control, press the brake pedal
and pull the lever toward you into position @.
A WARNING
It is dangerous to activate cruise control and
resume the stored speed when the current
road, traffic or weather conditions do not per­
mit this . This could result in a crash.
Setting the distance
Applies to vehicles: with Audi adapt ive cruise control
Fig. 96 Selector lever: setting the dista nce
• Tap the switch to display the current set dis­
tance ¢
fig. 96.
• To increase or reduce the distance by incre­
ments, tap the switch again to the left or right.
The distance between the two vehicles will
change in the instrument cluster display.
When approaching a moving vehicle up ahead,
the adaptive cruise control system automatically brakes to match that object's speed and then
maintains the stored distance.
If the vehicle
ahead accelerates, adaptive cruise control will al-
so accelerate up to the stored speed.
II--

Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Audi braking guard
Description
Applies to vehicles: w ith Audi adaptive cruise co ntro l
Fig. 98 Instrument cluster: approach warning
Braking guard uses radar sensors and a video
camera . It also functions within the limits of the
system when adaptive cruise control is switched
off .
What can braking guard do?
When detected in time, the system can assess
situations when a vehicle ahead brakes suddenly
or if your own vehicle is traveling at a high speed
and approaching a vehicle up ahead that is mov­
ing more slowly . Braking guard does not react if
it cannot detect the situat ion.
The system advises you of various situations:
- The
distance warning is given if you are too
close to the vehicle ahead for a long time.
If the
vehicle ahead brakes sharply, you will not be
able to avo id a coll is ion. The indicator light.
in the display comes on .
- The
approach warning is given when a detected
vehicle up ahead in your lane is moving much
more slowly than you are or if it brakes sharply .
When this warning is g iven, it may only be pos­
sible to avo id a collision by swerving or braking
sharp ly. Th e indicator light. and indicator in
the display will warn you about the danger
qfig. 98. You will also hear an acoustic signal.
If you do not react fast enough or do not react at
all to t he situation, braking guard will intervene
by braking.
l ) Thi s is not ava ilab le in some co un tri es .
90
-If a collision is imminent, the system will first
provide an
acute warning by briefly and sharply
app lying the brakes.
- If you do not react to the acute warning, brak­
ing guard can brake with increasing force with­
in the limits of the system. This reduces the ve­
hicle speed in the event of a collision.
- The system can initiate maximum braking
shortly before a co llision
1
) . Full deceleration at
high speeds occurs only in vehicles with adap­
tive cruise control and side assist (pre sense
plus) .
- If the braking guard senses that you are not
braking hard enough when a collision is immi­
nent, it can increase the braking force .
- The pre sense functions also engage when a
collision is imminent
qpage 184.
Which functions can be controlled?
You can switch braking guard and the distance/
approach warning on or off in the MMI
q page 91, Settings in the Infotainment sys­
tem .
A WARNING
Lack of attent ion can cause collisions, other
accidents and serious personal injuries . The
b ra king guard is an assist system and cannot
prevent a collision by itself. The driver must
always intervene . The driver is always respon­
sib le for braking at the correct time .
- Always pay close atten tion to traffic, even
when the braking guard is switched on. Be
ready to intervene and be ready to take
comp lete contro l whenever necessary. Al­
ways keep the safe and legal distance be­
tween your vehicle and vehicles up ahead.
- Braking guard works with in limits and will
not respond outside the system limits, for
example when approaching a stopped vehi­
cle or stationary obstacle (end of a traffic
jam or vehicle that has broken down in traf­
fic) .
- Always remember that the radar sensor for
-
the brak ing guard works only within def ined Ill>

Automatic transmission
Automatic transmission S tronic, tiptronic
Introduction
The automatic transmission is controlled elec­
tronically. The transmission upshifts or down­
shifts automatically depending on which drive
program is selected.
When a
moderate driving style is used, the
transmission selects the most economical driving
mode. The transmission upshifts at a lower RPM
and downshifts at a higher RPM to improve fuel
efficiency.
The transmission switches to a sporty mode after
a kick-down or when the driver uses a
sporty
driving style
characterized by quick accelerator
pedal movements, heavy acceleration, frequent
changes in speed and traveling at the maximum
speed.
If desired , th e driver can also select the gears
manually (tiptronic mode) 9 page 110.
Various automatic transmissions may be instal­
led, depending on the model:
S tronic transmission
The S tronic is a dual-clutch transmission. Power
is transferred using two clutches that work inde­
pendently from one another. They replace the
torque converter used in conventional automatic
transmissions and allow the vehicle to accelerate
without a noticeable interruption in traction.
tiptronic transmission
In the tiptronic transmission, power is transfer­
red by a torque converter.
106
Selector lever positions
Fig. 115 Display in the instrument cluster: selector lever
position
The selector lever position engaged appears next
to the selector lever as well as in the instrument
cluster display.
P -Park
In this selector lever position the transmission is
mechanically locked. Engage P only when the ve­
hicle is
completely stopped¢&. in Driving the
automatic transmission on page 108.
To shift in or out of position P, you must first
press and hold 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 igni­
tion on.
R -Reverse
Select R only when the vehicle is at a full stop
and the engine is running at idle speed¢&. in
Driving the automatic transmission on
page 108.
Before you move the selector lever to R, press
both the button in the handle of the selector lev­
er
and the brake pedal at the same time.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illumi­
nate when the selector lever is moved into R.
N -Neutral
The transmission is in neutral in this position.
Shift to this position for standing with the brakes
applied
9 A in Driving the automatic transmis­
sion on page 108.
...

-Before driving down a steep slope, reduce
your speed and shift into a lower gear with
"tiptronic" .
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake
pedal too often or too long when driving
down a hill. Constant braking causes the
brakes to overheat and substantially re ­
duces braking performance, increases brak­
ing distance or causes complete failure of
the brake system .
- To prevent the vehicle from rolling back
when stopping on inclines, always hold it in
place with the brake pedal or parking brake.
- Never hold the vehicle on an incline with a
slipping clutch. The clutch opens automati­
cally when it becomes too hot from the
overload. An indicator lamp
l!] illuminates
and a driver message appears
¢ page 111
when the clutch is overloaded.
- If the engine must remain running, never
have any driving position engaged when
checking under the hood. Make sure these­
lector lever has securely engaged and is
locked in P with the parking brake set
¢ page 216 . Otherwise, any increase in en ­
gine speed may set the vehicle in motion,
even with the parking brake applied .
(D Note
-When stopping on an incline, do not try to
hold the vehicle in place by pressing the ac­
celerator pedal while a driving gear is se­
lected . This can cause the transmission to
overheat and can damage it. Activate the
parking brake or press the brake pedal to
prevent the vehicle from rolling.
- Allowing the vehicle to roll when the engine
is stopped and the selector lever is in
N will
damage the transmission because it is not
lubricated under those circumstances.
(D} Tips
For safety reasons, the parking brake is re­
leased automatically only when the driver's
safety belt is engaged in the buckle.
Automatic transmission
Hill descent control
Hill des cent control assists the driver when driv­
ing down hills .
Hill descent control is activated when the sele c­
tor lever is in the D or S posi tion and you press
the brake pedal. The transmission automatically selects a gear that is suitable for the incline. Hill
descent control tries to maintain the speed ach­
ieved at the time of braking, within physical and
technical limitations . If may still be necessary to
adjust the speed with the brake pedal.
Hill descent control switches off once the hill lev­
els out or you press the accelerator pedal.
On vehicles with a cruise control system*
¢ page 82, hill descent control is also activated
when the speed is set.
,&. WARNING
Hill descent control cannot overcome physical
limitations, so it may not be able
to maintain
a constant speed under all conditions. Always
be ready to apply the brakes.
109

shared, please see your contract with the
wireless telecommunications provider and the
"About Aud i connect" tab in your vehicle's
MMI:
! MENUI button> Aud i connect > About
Audi conn ect.
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road ho ld ing and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of skid­
d ing and loss of vehicle control. It works only
when the engine is runn ing . E SC detects certain
d ifficult dr iving sit uat ions, including when t he
ve hicl e is begin ning to spin (yaw) out of contro l
and helps you to ge t the veh icle back under con­
tro l by se lective ly braking the wheels, and/or re ­
ducing engine powe r and provid ing steering as­
sistance to help hold the vehicle on the dr iver's
intended course. The indicator light
GJ in the in­
strument cluster blinks when ESC is taking action
to help you co ntrol the vehicle.
ESC has limitations. It is important to remember
that ESC cannot overcome the laws of physics. It
will not a lways be able to help out under all con­
d itions you may come up aga inst. For example,
ESC may not always be able to help you master
situations where there is a sudden change in the
coeff icient of friction of the road surface. When
there is a section of dry road that is sudde nly cov­
e red with water, slush o r snow, ESC cannot pe r­
form the same way it wo uld on the dry s urface . If
the vehicle hydrop lanes (rides on a cushion of wa­
ter i nstead of the road su rface), ESC wi ll not be
ab le to he lp you steer the veh icle because contact
with the pavement has been interrupted and the
ve hicle cannot be braked or steered. Dur ing fast
cornering, pa rticula rly on w inding roads, ESC
cannot always deal as effect ively w it h difficult
d riving si tuations tha n at lowe r speeds.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to road , traffic and weather cond itions . ESC cannot
override the vehicle's physical lim its, increase the
ava ilab le traction, o r keep a ve hicle on the road if
road departure is a resu lt of driver in attention .
I nstead, ESC imp roves the possibi lity of keep ing
Intellig ent Technology
the vehicle under contro l and on the road d uring
extreme mane uvers by using the driver's steering
i nputs to help keep the vehicle go ing in the in­
tended direction. If you are traveling at a speed
that causes you to run off the road before ESC
can provide any assistance, you may not exper i­
ence the benefits of ESC.
ESC is switched on all the time. In certain s itua­
tions when you need less tract ion, you can sw itch
off ASR by press ing the button
lm c> page 188,
fig . 177 . Be sure to switc h ASR on again whe n
you no longer need less traction.
The following systems are integrated in the ESC:
Anti-lock braking sy stem (ABS )
ABS prevents the wheels from locking when brak ­
ing. The vehicle can still be steered even dur ing
hard braking. Apply steady pressure to the brake
pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A pulsing in the
brake pedal ind icates that the system is acting to
stab ilize the veh icle .
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease braking dis­
tance. It increases braking power when the dr iver
presses the brake peda l quickly in emergency sit­
uat ions. You must press and ho ld the brake pedal
unt il the dange rous situation is over . In vehicles
with adaptive c ruise cont rol*, the b rake ass ist
system is more se nsitive if the distance detected
to the ve hicle ahead is too sma ll.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engine power whe n the dr ive wheels
begin spin ning and adapts the force to the road
co ndit ions. This makes it eas ier to s tart, acce ler­
ate a nd d rive up incl ines.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the drive power to the other dr ive
wheel or wheels if the vehicle is equ ipped with all
whee l drive*) . This function is not available a t
highe r speeds .
In extreme cases, EDL automat ica lly switches off
to keep t he brake o n the braked wheel from over­
hea ting . T he veh icle is still working co rrectly. EDL
IJJ>
187

Intelligent Technology
ESC levels Sport mode on Sport mode off
Behavio r
The ESC and ASR stabilization functions The fu ll stabilization function of the ESC
are limited ¢ .&. . and ASR is avai lable again.
Operation Press the I .a OFF I button.
Press the I.a OFFI button again .
Indicator II turns on. II turns off.
lights
Driver mes- Stabilization control (ESC): sport. Warn- Stabilization control (ESC): on
sages ing! Restricted stability
A WARNING
Only switch sport mode on when your driving
abilities and the traffic s ituation permit, be­
cause there is a r isk of slid ing .
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is sw itched on. The driving
wheels could spin and the vehicle cou ld
swerve, espec ially on slick or slippery road
surfaces .
(D Tips
Sport mode cannot be sw itched on if the
cru ise control system* or adaptive cruise con­
trol* is switched on.
Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the first 250 miles (400 km), new brake
pads do not possess the ir full braking effect, they
have to be "broken in" first¢.&. . You can com­
pensate for this slightly reduced braking power
by push ing harder on the brake pedal. Avoid
h eavy braking loads during the break-in period .
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still sub­
ject to wear , depend ing largely on operating con­
d itions and dr iving habits ¢.&. . On veh icles that
are e ither dr iven most ly in stop-and-go city traf­
fic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by your authorized Audi deale r more of­
ten than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte­
nance booklet.
F ailure to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake perform­
ance.
On steep slopes, you should use the braking ef­
fect of the engine. This way, you prevent un nec­
essa ry wea r on the brake system. If you must use
you r brakes, do not hold the brakes down contin­
u ous ly. Pump the brakes at intervals.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, bra king fo rce and outside conditions such
as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy rain, after overn ight con­
densation or afte r wash ing your car, the brak ing
effect can be reduced by moisture or ic e on the
brake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
dried f irst with a few careful brake applications .
At h igher speeds and w ith the windshield wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brak e
rotors for a short amount of time. This occurs at
regular intervals without the driver noticing and
provides for better brake response t ime under
wet conditions.
T he effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a sa lt-covered road
and the brakes are not used . Likewise, yo u clean
off accum ulated salt coating from brake discs
and pads with a few cautious applications of the
brake¢ .&..
Corrosion
There may be a tendency fo r dirt to build up on
the brake pads and corrosion to form on the discs .,..
189

Intelligent Technology
if the car is not driven regularly or only for short
trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently , or if corro­
sion has formed on the discs, it is advisable to
clean off the pads and discs by braking firmly a
few times from a moderately high speed¢& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake
pedal travel, then one of the two brake circuits
may have failed ¢
&..
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the
brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid level
is monitored e lectronically .
Brake booster
The brake booster works with vacuum pressure
which is created only when the engine is running
c:;> &, .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
c;> page 253, Replacing wheels .
A WARNING
-New brake pads don't have the best stop­
ping power and must be "broken- in" dur ing
the initial 250 miles (400 km) . You can
compensate for this by pressing the brake
pedal more firmly. This also applies later
when new pads are installed.
- You should perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system
only if road conditions permit. Other road
users must not be put at risk -you may
cause an accident!
-
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or
too often . This could cause the brakes to get
hot and diminish brak ing efficiency.
190
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to over­
heat, premature wear and increased stop­
ping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating condi­
tions such as passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the vehicle,
the effectiveness of the brakes can be re­
duced. In winter, ice can accumulate on the
brake pads, linings, discs and drums. Care­
fully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry
and ice coatings will be cleaned off after a
few careful brake applications .
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency .
Clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you in­
stall a different spoiler, be sure the air flow
to the front brakes is not obstructed. Other­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc­
ing the effectiveness of the entire brake sys­
tem.
- Fa ilure of one brake circuit will impair the
braking capability resulting in an increased
stopping distance. Avoid driving the vehicle
and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer
or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, the
brake pedal must be pressed considerably
harder to make up for the lack of booster
assistance.
Electromechanical
steering, dynamic
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.

Driving and the environment
Driving and the
environment
Breaking in
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers):
.,. Do not use full throttle .
.,. Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the maximum permitted RPM .
.,. Avo id high engine speeds.
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
.,. Speeds can gradually be increased to the maxi­
mum perm issib le road or engine speed.
During and after break-in period
.,. Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it
is cold . This applies whether the transmission is
i n N (Neutral) or in gear .
After the break-in period
.,. Do not exceed maximum engine speed under
any circumstances.
.,. Upshift into the next higher gear
before reach­
i ng the red area at the end of the tachometer
scale~
page 10 .
During the first few hours of driving, the engine's
internal friction is higher than later when all the
mov ing parts have been broken in. How well this
break- in process is done depends to a considera­
b le extent on the way the vehicle is d riven during
the first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
(D Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automati­
cally reduced. However, these rpm lim its are
programmed for an engine we ll run-in, not a
new engine .
194
® For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high engine
speeds -upshifting early saves fuel, reduces
noise and protects the environment.
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive par­
ticularly careful for the first 350 m iles (500 kilo­
meters) after f itting .
.8, WARNING
New tires tend to be slippe ry and must also
be "broken-in". Be sure to remember this dur­
ing the first 350 mi les (500 kilometers).
Brake gent ly. Avoid following closely behind
other ve hicles or other situations that might
require sudden, hard braking.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that low­
lying parts such as spo ilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged .
-
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung
chassis (sports chassis)* and fully loaded
vehicles.
Driving through water on
roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage when
driving through water, for examp le on flooded
roads:
- The water must not be any highe r than the bot­
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than walk ing speed .
.8, WARNING
After driving through water or mud, the brak­
ing effect can be red uced due to moisture on
the brake discs and brake pads . A few careful
brake applications should dry off the brakes.