2016 AUDI A6 ESP

Child safety
-Always make sure the forward-facing seat
has been designed and certified by its man­
ufacturer for use on a front seat with a pas­
senger front and side airbag.
- Never put the forward-facing child restraint
up, against or very near the instrument pan­
el.
- Always move the passenger seat into its
rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft
adjustment range, as far away from the air­
bag as possible before installing the for­
ward-facing child restraint. The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position.
- Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
_&. WARNING
Rearward-facing child restraints:
- A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat
installed on the front passenger seat will be
seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates -even with an Ad­
vanced Airbag System.
- The inflating airbag will hit the child safety
seat or infant carrier with great force and
will smash the child safety seat and child
against the backrest, center armrest, door
or roof.
- Always be especially careful if you must in­
stall a rearward facing child safety seat on
the front passenger seat in exceptional cir­
cumstances.
- Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on .
- If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not come on and stay on, immediately in­
stall the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear seating position and have the airbag
system inspected by your Audi dealer .
178
· Activating the convertible locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure a
child restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufacturer 's
instructions when installing a child restrain t in
your vehicle . To activate the convertible locking
retractor:
.. Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably
on the rear seat.
.. Slowly pull the belt
all the way out .
.. Route it around or through the child restraint
belt path
~ ,&. .
.. Push the child safety seat down with your full
weight to get the safety belt really tight.
.. Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that
seating position.
.. Guide the safety belt back into the retractor un­
til the belt lies flat and snug on the child safety
seat.
.. You should hear a "clicking" noise as the belt
winds back into the inertia reel. Test the con ­
vertible locking retractor by pulling on the belt.
You should no longer be able to pull the belt
out of the retractor. The convertible locking re­
tractor is now activated.
.. Make sure that the red release button is facing
away from the child restraint so that it can be
unbuckled quickly.
.. Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is
properly tight and fastened so that the seat
cannot move forward or sideways more than
one inch (2 .5 cm) .
_&. WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improp­
erly installed child restraint can cause serious
personal injury or death in a crash.
- Always make sure that the safety belt re­
tractor is locked when installing a child
safety seat. An unlocked safety belt retrac­
tor cannot hold the child safety seat in place
during normal driving or in a crash.
- Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a child is not sitting in it. A
loose child safety seat can fly around during
a sudden stop or in a crash.

Releas ing the t eth er strap
"'Loosen the tension following the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions.
"' Depress the spring catch on the hook and re ­
lease it from the anchorage.
(D Note
I f you leave the chi ld restraint with the tether
strap firmly installed for several days, this
could leave a mark on the upholstery on the
seat cush ion and backrest in the area where
the tether strap was installed. The upholstery
wou ld also be permanently stretched around
the tether strap . This applies especially to
leather seats .
Using tether straps on rearward -facing
child restraints
Current ly, few rear-facing chi ld restraint systems
come with a tether. Please read and heed the
chi ld restraint system manufacturer's instruc­
tions carefully to determine how to properly in­
stall the tether.
A WARNING
A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat
installed on the front passenger seat w il l be
ser iously injured and can be killed if the front
airbag inflates -even w ith an Advanced A irbag
System.
- T he inflating a irbag w ill hit the child safety
seat or infant carrie r wi th great force and
will smash the chi ld safety seat and chi ld
against the backrest, center armrest, or
door.
- If you mus t install a rearward facing child
safety seat on the front passenger seat be­
cause of exceptiona l circumstances and the
PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not
come on and stay on, immed iate ly install
the rear-fac ing ch ild safety seat in a rear
seating pos it ion and have the airbag system
inspected by your Audi dealer.
Ch ild safety
Additional information
Sources of information about child
restraints and their use
There are a number of sources of additional in ­
formation about child restraint se lection, instal­
lation and use:
N HT SA advises that the best ch ild safety seat is
the one that fits your child and fits in your vehi­
cle, and that you wi ll u se correct ly and consis ­
tent ly.
T ry befo re yo u buy!
U.S National H ighwa y Tr affic S afety Administra ­
ti on
Tel. : 1-888-3 27-4236 ( TTY: 1-800-424-9153)
www .nhtsa .gov
National SAF E KIDS Campai gn
Tel. : (202) 662-0600
www .safekids.org
S af ety Belt Saf e U.S. A
Tel.: (800) 745-SAFE (English)
Tel.: (800) 747-SANO (Spanish)
www .carseat.org
T ransport C anada Information C entre
Tel.: 1-800-333-0371 or call 1-613-998-86 16 if
you are in the Ottawa area
http://www.tc.gc.ca/ eng/ roadsafety/men u. h tm
Aud i Cu stom er R elations
Tel.: (800) 822-2834
183

Intelligent Technology
will switch on again automat ically when condi­
tions have returned to normal.
Steering recommendation
The ESC helps to stabilize the veh icle by changing
the steering torque.
In vehicles with dynam ic steering*, ESC also
helps to stabilize the steering in critical situa­
tions.
Selective wheel torque control
Selective wheel torque control is used when driv­
ing on curves . The front wheel on the inside of
the curve or both wheels on the inside of the
curve are braked selectively as needed. This al­
lows more precise driving in curves.
Automatic post-collision braking system
The "Automatic post-collision braking system"
can help to reduce the risk of slid ing and of other
coll is ions after an accident . If the airbag control
module detects a collision above a certain vehicle
speed, the vehicle is braked by the ESC.
The vehicle does not brake automat ically if:
- the driver presses the accelerator pedal, or
- the braking force generated by the pressed
brake pedal is greater than the braking force
that would be initiated by the system, or
- the ESC, the brake system or the vehicle electri­
cal system are not functioning.
Switchin on/off
A WARNING
- The ESC and its integrated systems cannot
overcome the limits posed by natural physi­
cal laws. This is especially important on slip­
pery or wet roads. If the systems beg in act­
ing to stabilize your vehicle, yo u should im­
mediately alter your speed to match the
road and traffic conditions . Do not let the
increased safety provided tempt you into
taking risks. This could increase your risk of
a co llision.
- Please note the risk of a collision increases
when driving fast, especially through curves
and on slippery or wet roads, and when driv­
ing too close to objects ahead. The ESC and
its integrated systems cannot always pre­
vent collisions -there is still a risk of acci­
dents!
- Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
accelerating on even, slippery surfaces such
as ice and snow. The drive wheels can spin
even when these control systems are instal­
led and this can affect driving stability and
increase the risk of a collision.
{l) Tips
-ABS and ASR only function correctly when
all four wheels are equipped with identical
tires. Different tire sizes can lead to a reduc­
tion in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working.
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine.
Fig. 177 Center conso le; !j. OFF button
188
The following examples are unusual situations
where it may make sense to switch sport mode
on in order to allow the wheels to spin:
- Rock ing the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving with snow chains

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

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.

Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
~ Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
~ Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the en-
gine run at idle .
The idling phase is automat ically reduced for
veh icles w ith the Start-Stop-System. It is effi­
cient to switch off the engine in vehicles without
the Start-Stop-System when stopped at ra ilroad
crossings and long red lights . Turning the engine
off for just 30-40 seconds saves more fuel than is
b ur ned by sta rting the engine ag ain.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fu lly when it is runni ng at idle . Howeve r, wear
and noxio us emiss ions a re espe cially high when
the eng ine is wa rm ing up. So you sho uld d rive
away as soon as you sta rt the engi ne and avoid
r u nning at high rpms whi le the engine is still
warming up .
(D Note
Do not leave engine id ling unatten ded a fter
starting . If warning lights should come on to
indicate im proper operation, they wou ld go
unheeded. Extended id ling a lso produces
heat, wh ich could result in overheat ing or
other damage to the vehicle or other proper­
ty.
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
~ Have your veh icle serviced at regu lar intervals.
By having your veh icle reg ularly serviced by an
Audi dea ler helps to ensure that it runs proper ly
and econom ica lly. The condition of your veh icle
not on ly affects its safety and ability to ho ld its
va lue, it a lso affects
fuel consumption .
Check you r oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil use d i s re lated to e ngine lo ad
a nd speed.
Driving and the envir onment
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new e n­
gine to reach its lowest value after a certain mi le­
age has been dr iven.
Yo u m ust dr ive your ve hicl e abou t 3,0 00 m iles
(S, 000 kilometers) befo re yo u can properly as ­
sess oil consumption .
T h is also ap plies to f ue l cons umption and eng ine
o utput .
CD Note
-Have your ve hicle maintained pro perly and
in acc ordance w ith the se rvice rec ommend a­
ti ons i n your W arra nty
& M ain ten ance book­
let . Lack of proper maintenan ce as we ll as
improper use of the ve hicl e w ill impair the
function of the em ission cont rol system and
co uld lead to damage.
- Do not alte r or remove any component of
the Emission Contro l System unless ap­
proved by the man ufacturer.
- Do not alte r or remove any device, such as
heat shields, switches, ign it ion w ires,
valves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Emission Contro l System a nd othe r
im por tan t ve hicle components .
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high
on short trips.
~ Try to avo id driv ing short distances with a cold
eng ine .
T he engine and cata lytic conve rter have to reach
their opt imal
operating temperature to reduce
fuel consumpt io n and noxious emiss ions effec­
tively.
Just afte r starting, a cold engine in a mid-size car
only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 m iles per
gallo n (30-40 l/ 100 km) . After about a half a
mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100
km) . Afte r about
2 .5 m iles (4 km), the eng ine is
at its p roper operat ing temperature and fue l
eco nomy has reached a no rma l level. So yo u can
see th at yo u should avoid short trips w heneve r
poss ible. .,.
197

Trailer mod e
Tire pr essure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the tires of you r
veh icle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Fu ll
load" on the label located on the driver's side B ­
pillar (visib le when the door is open) . Inflate
trai ler tires to trailer and tire manufacturers'
specifications.
Light s
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working proper ly.
Safet y chains
Be sure t railer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the h itch on the veh icle.
L eave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners . When yo u install safety chains, make
sure they wi ll not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains shou ld cross under the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch .
Adjusting the Audi d rive select
Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface bef ore
hitching up the t railer and bef ore adjust ing the
tongue we ight . The vehicle must be in
auto or
comf ort driving mode and not raised
r::!> page 100, r::!> 0 .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info­
tainment, select:
ICARI function button > Lower
control button .
I f you m ust dr ive under poor road condit ions, you
can ra ise the vehicle
afte r coup ling the t rai ler or
after adjusting the tongue weight r:!> page 102.
(D Note
-Changes in tempe rature or load can affect
the he ight of the vehicle.
- Always se lect
auto or comfort mode. Othe r­
wise, the tongue load spec ified for yo ur ve­
hicle w ill no longer be applicable .
200
· Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration .
To obtain the best possible hand ling of veh icle
and trailer, please note the following:
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself
is not loaded .
.,. Be especially careful when passing other
vehicles .
.,. Observe speed limits .
.,. Do not dr ive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.,. Always app ly brakes ea rly.
.,. Monitor the temperat ure gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car results
i n a h ighly unstab le distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steer ing contro l.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle shou ld be loaded
to the extent possible and permissib le, wh ile
k eeping the trailer as l ight as poss ible under the
c ircu mstances . Wheneve r possib le, transfer
some ca rgo to the luggage compartment of the
tow vehicle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the mo re diff icu lt i t be ­
comes fo r the driver to con trol the r ig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
cond itions are unfavorab le -particularly when
go ing downh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
i mmed iatel y if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not tr y
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles .
Always apply bra kes early. Whe n driving down -
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine .,..

braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Air suspension*
When driving with a tra ile r, activate the trailer
mode of the air suspension. Switch the air sus ­
pension trailer mode on when you are towing a
trailer. This will limit the regulation by the air
suspension while driving. Select in the MMI :
ICARI function button > (Car)* systems control
button>
Vehicle settings> Air susp.: towing>
On.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 10 must
be observed carefully . The coolant temperature
can increase if you drive on long inclines in a low
gear at high engine speeds. Reduce your speed immediately if the LEDs in the top part of the dis­
play turn on .
For more information about ind icator lights, re­
fer to. ¢
page 15.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not p roperly wearing the restraints p rovided
by Audi.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know -
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
trailer because of the additional weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution. Safety, performance
and
economy will greatly depend on how careful­
ly you load your trailer and operate your rig .
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traff ic. Keep practicing until you have be­
come comp letely fami liar with the way your vehi­
cle-trailer comb inat ion behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a trailer generally requires steer-
Trailer mode
ing action opposite to that when backing up your
vehicle without a trailer .
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. You will need more
room to stop . To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accel­
erate as fast as you normally wo uld because of
the added load . Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow p lenty of room for
your trailer before changing lanes again .
Avo id jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your veh icle.
-If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load ¢
page 2 73.
Parking on a slope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only ofter doing the following:
When parking:
"Apply the foot brake .
" Have someone place chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels.
"W ith chocks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load.
" Turn the whee ls towards the curb.
" App ly the parking brake.
" Select the P selector lever position.
When restarting after parking:
"App ly the foot brake.
" Start the engine .
"S elect the D/S se lector lever position.
" Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
" Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks.
201