2016 AUDI A6 brake fluid

Instruments and indicator lights
Other indicator ligh ts
CRUISE
-------------
Turn signals
¢ page22
USA model s: Cruise control*
¢ page82
Canada model s: Cruise control*
¢ page82
Adaptive cru ise control*
¢ page86
Adaptive cru ise control*
¢ page86
Adaptive cru ise control*
¢page86
Audi activ e lan e assist *
¢page 94
Start-Stop-System *
¢page 79
Start -Stop-System *
c::>page 79
High beam assist*
c::> page 45
H igh beam
c::> page 45
BRAKE /C©) B rake system
The light illum inates when the ignit ion is switch­
ed on . It goes out after the engine has been
started . T hi s indicates that the brake war ning
light is f unction ing p roperly.
If the brake warning light does not light up
when the engine is crank ing, there ma y be a
malfun ction in the elec tri cal sy stem. In this
ca se , contact your Audi deal er.
If the brake system warn ing/ indicator light turns
on, there is a brake system malfunction.
1111 ( USA model s)JII (Canada models ) Stop
v ehicle and check brake fluid level
If the indicator lig ht tu rns on and the message
appears, proceed as follows:
.. Pu ll off the road .
.. Stop the veh icle .
.. Turn off the engine .
14
.. Check the b rake fluid level c::> page 225.
.. Contact your nearest authorized repair facility if
necessary .
Warning! Fault in brake s ystem. Contact dealer
If the ABS ind icator light rJ:11 (USA models) ;tiJ
(Canada mode ls), the ESC indica to r li ght
GJ and
t h e b rake system indicator light
1111 (USA mod­
e ls) ;II (Canada models) turn o n and the mes­
sage appears, the ABS, ESC and b raking distrib u­
tion are not working ,:::,
&..
Caref ully dr ive to yo ur autho rized Aud i de aler i m ­
med iate ly to have the ma lfunction corrected
,:::, &. .
1111 (USA model s)JII (Canada model s) Park ­
ing brak e: sy ste m fault! Pl eas e contact dealer
- If the ind icator light and the message appea r
when stationary or after switching the igni ­
t ion on ,
check if you can release t he parking
brake. Afte r rele asing the par king br ake, ca re­
fully drive to your author ized Audi dealer im ­
mediately to have the malfunction corrected . If
you cannot re lease the parking brake, see k pro­
fessional assistance.
- I f the ind icator light and the message appear
while dri ving , the emergency braking functio n
may not be available. It may not be possible to
set the parking brake or re lease it once it has
been set. Seek profess ional assistance .
( U SA mode ls) : If the warning light
1111 and the
warning light
riJ appear togethe r, immediately
contact your author ized Audi dealer or qualif ied
workshop to have all b rake pads inspected
¢ page 19.
When the light comes on, an audible warning sig­
nal is also given.
A WARNING
- Always observe the warnings in
c::> page 216, before open ing the hood and
checking the brake fluid .
- Dr iving with low brake fluid is a safety haz­
ard . Stop the car and get profess ional assis -
tance .
1111>

-If the 1111 (USA models) . (Canada mod­
els) brake system indicator light turns on to­
gether with the ABS and ESC indicator
lights, the ABS/ESC regulating function may
have failed. Functions that stabilize the ve­
hicle are no longer available . This could
cause the vehicle to swe rve and increase the
risk of sliding. Drive carefully to the nearest
authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
workshop and have the ma lfunction correct ­
ed.
- If the brake warn ing/ indicator light does
not go out after a few seconds and the park­
ing brake is re leased, or lights up while you
are driving, the flu id level in the brake fluid
reservoir is too low. If you believe that it is
safe to do so, proceed immediately at low
speed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer
or qualified repair facility and have the brake system inspected.
- Always keep in mind that after several brake
applications, you will need greater pressure
on the brake pedal to stop your vehicle. Do
not rely on strained brakes to respond w ith
maximum stopping power in critical situa­
tions . You must allow for increased braking
distances. The extra distance used up by
fading brakes could lead to an accident.
PARK /(® ) Electromechanical parking brake
The warning/indicator light monitors the elec ­
tromechanical parking brake.
If the indicator light- (USA models)/ .
(Canada models) turns on, the parking brake was
set .
- (USA m od els) • (Canada mod els) Ca u·
t io n: Vehi cle parked to o s teep
If the indicator light blinks and the message ap­
pears, the re is not enough brak ing power to keep
the vehicle from ro lling. The brakes have over­
heated. The vehicle could roll away even on a
sma ll incline.
Pr ess bra ke pedal to rele a se par kin g brak e
To release the parking brake, press the brake
pedal and press the button~ or start driving
Instrum ents an d ind ic a to r ligh ts
with starting assist at the same time
¢page 78.
Plea se r ele a se parki ng brake
To release the parking brake manually, press the
brake pedal and press the button~ at the same
t ime . The park ing brake only releases automat i­
ca lly if the d river 's safety belt is fastened .
Ill Parking brake!
If the liJ indicator light turns on and this mes ­
sage appears, there is a parking brake malfunc­
t ion. Drive to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop immediately to have the mal­
funct ion corrected .
_L Engine cooling system malfunction
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must
be repaired as soon as possible .
• Swit ch off engine a nd check c ool ant l eve l
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, the coolant temperature is too high or
the coolant level is too low.
.. Pull off the road .
.. Stop the vehicle.
.. Turn off the engine.
.. Check coolant level¢
page 222 .
.. Add coo lant if necessary¢ page 223 .
.. Continue driving only after the engine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out .
.. Contact your author ized Audi dealer for assis-
tance if necessary.
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the ra­
diato r fan may be the cause of the malfunction.
• Cool ant temper atu re too high! Pl ease let en ­
gine run with ve hicle s tat ionar y
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, let the engine run at id le for a few mi-
nutes to cool down. ..,.
15

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.

Trailer mode Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
T railer tow ing not only p laces more stress on the
vehicle, it a lso calls for more concentration from
the dr iver.
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must ac­
tivate the trai ler operation mode
¢ page 199, Operating instructions.
Technical requirements
Tr ailer hitch
Use a weight -carrying hitch conforming to the
gross tra iler weight. The h itch must be suitab le
for your vehicle and tra ile r and must be mo unted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically
sound
location . Use on ly a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ba ll mou nt. Always che ck wit h the t rail­
e r hitch manufac turer to make s ure that you a re
usi ng the co rrect hitch .
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system . No mod ifica tions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
Fr om time to time, chec k that all hitch mo un ting
bo lts rem ain securely fastened.
W hen you are not tow ing a trailer,
remove the
tra iler hitch ba ll mount . This prevents the hitch
from ca u sing damage s hou ld your veh icle be
struck from behind
¢ .&, .
Trailer mode
Trailer brakes
If your traile r i s equ ipped with a b raking sys tem,
c h ec k t o be sure that it con forms to a ll regu la ­
tions.
T he tra ile r h ydr aulic bra ke sy stem must not be
directly con nected to the vehicle's hydr aulic
brake sy stem.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the tra iler .
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure
to check w it h your Aud i dealer for correct wir ing,
swi tches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outside mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors . It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear .
A WARNING
--
After remov ing the tra ile r hi tch, do not sto re
i t in yo ur vehicle. In case of sudde n brak ing,
t he hitch could fly fo rwa rd and injure you or
your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A traile r for yo ur vehicle is lim ited to a typical
cla ss 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribut ion
Be sure the load in the tra iler is held secure ly in
place to p reve nt it from shifting forward, back­
ward o r sideways.
Ne ver allow a passenger to ride in a trailer¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 201 .
Engine cooling system
Towing a tra ile r makes the engine wor k harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cool ing system has enoug h fluid . .,..
199

Checking and Filling
Checking and Filling
Hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehi­
cle .
Fig. 184 Driver footwell: release leve r
Fig . 185 Rocker switch under the hood
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up from
the windshield . Otherwise the paint could be
damaged .
.. With the driver's door open, pu ll the lever un ­
der the instrument panel in the direction of the
arrow ¢
fig. 184.
.. Raise the hood slightly Q _A .
.. Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
Q fig. 185. This releases the catch.
.. Open the hood.
A WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you .
- To reduce the risk of be ing burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam or
coolant escaping from the eng ine compart­
ment. Wait unt il no steam or coolant can be
216
seen or heard before carefully open ing the
hood.
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the
engine comportment.
Whenev er yo u mu st perform an y work in the
engin e compartment , for example ch ecking and
filli ng d iffe rent fl uids , the re is a risk of injury ,
bu rn s and a ccid ents . To pre ve nt p erso nal injur y
a lway s obse rve the foll owing WARNING S. The
e ng ine compartment o f an y v ehicl e is a haz ard ­
ou s a rea
Q _6 .
A WARNING
To he lp avoid injury, before you check any­
thing under the hood:
- Turn off the engine .
- Switch off the ignit ion.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever to P (Park).
- Always let the eng ine cool down. Hot com-
ponents will burn skin on contact .
-
-To redu ce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam or
coo lant escaping from the engine compart­
ment . Wait until no steam or coolant can be
seen or heard before carefully open ing the
hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never sp ill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary
electric fan is temperature controlled and
can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap when
the engine is sti ll warm. The coolant system
is pressurized and hot coolant could spray
out.
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .

-Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns.
- If work on the fuel system or the electrical
system is necessary:
- Always d isconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open
flames. Flu ids in the engine compartment
could start a fire.
- Keep an app roved fire ext inguisher imme­
d iate ly availab le.
- To avo id electr ical shock and personal injury
wh ile the eng ine is running or being started,
never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repa ir with
the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake, move
selector lever to P (Park) .
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
cloth ing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts or
other mov ing parts, or from contacting
hot parts. Tie back ha ir before starti ng,
and do not wear clothi ng that will hang or
d roop into t he engine.
- Min imize exposu re to emission and chem i­
cal hazards¢ .&.-
_& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warn ing:
- E ngine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
em it chem ica ls known to the St ate of C ali­
f orn ia to cause cancer and bi rth de fects and
reproductive harm . In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in ve hicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
Ch eck ing and Filling
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, term inals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of Californ ia
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Was h hands afte r handling .
([) Note
When adding flu ids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper co nta iner or
fille r opening, otherwise serious damage to
vehicle systems w ill occur.
® For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the veh icle
floor pan from unde rneath regularly. If you
see spots from oil or other veh icle fluids, have
your vehicle inspected by an authorized Audi
dealer.
Closing the engine hood
.,.. Pull the hood down un til the press ure from the
struts is reduced.
.,.. Let the hood
drop down and latch in p lace . Do
not try to push it shut;
it may fail to engage
¢ _& .
_& WARNING
--A hood that is not completely latched co uld
fly up and block your view while driv ing.
- When you close the engine hood, check it to
make sure the safety catch has properly en­
gaged . The hood s hou ld be flush with the
sur rounding vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while driv ing that the hood is
not secured properly, stop at once and close
it.
-
217

Checking and Filling
Engine compartment
Engine compartment overview
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 186 Typical layout for containers and eng ine oil fille r cap
screw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228, 264
@ Jump start point(+) under a co ver
® Brake fluid reservoir ((0}) ...... .
@ Eng ine oil filler cap ('t::r.) ...... .
® Coolant expansion tank (-t) .... .
@ Windshield/headlight washer con -
t . (ffi) amer ~ ..................
. 228,264
225
220
222
229
The engine oil filler neck (item@) may be locat­
ed in a different area depending on the version of
the engine.
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
INGS ~.&.
in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 216.
218
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
The serv ice interval display in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an oi l chang e. We recommend that you
have your oil changed by an authorized Audi Serv­
i ce Advisor.
If you have to top off the oil between oil changes,
us e the Audi oil quality standard specified in the
ta ble.
~

.... N
0 CJ ' M I.Cl ......
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
Fig. 190 Engine compartment : cover on t he brake fluid
reservoir
N
N
-N ,::
~
Before you check anything in the engine compart­
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
¢ A in Working in the engine compartment on
page 216.
.,. Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid
reservoir
¢fig. 190, ¢page 218, fig. 186. The
brake fluid level must be between the "MIN "
and "MAX" markings.
The location of the brake fluid reservoir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
¢page 218.
The fluid 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 below
the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/indicator
light
1111 (U.S. models) ;II (Canadian models)
will come on¢
page 14. Do not continue to oper­
ate the vehicle. The complete brake system
should be thoroughly checked by an authorized
Audi dealer or other qualified facility and the
cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too
low, the brake warning/indicator light will illumi ­
nate. Contact an authorized Audi dealer
immedi­
ately.
Checking and Filling
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced
technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the
water content in the brake fluid is too high, cor­
rosion in the brake system may result after ape ­
riod of time . The boiling point of the brake fluid
will also decrease considerably and decrease
braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every
two years . Always use new brake fluid which con­
forms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard "FMVSS
116 DOT 4" .
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach,
therefore, we recommend that you have the
brake fluid changed by your authorized
Audi
dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the
right brake fluid and the know-how to do this for
you.
A WARNING
- Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored
only in the closed original container out of
the reach of children!
- Brake failure can result from old or inappro­
priate brake fluid . Observe these precau­
tions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE speci­
fication
J 1703 and conforms to Federal
Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake fluid.
The correct type of brake fluid is also indi­
cated on the brake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use of
the brakes can cause a vapor lock if the
brake fluid is left in the system too long.
This can seriously affect the efficiency of
the brakes as well as your safety. This
could result in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehi-
cle.
IJ>
225