2017 AUDI A6 ESP

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vibration in the steering wheel. If you do not, the tires and other
vehicle components could wear more quickly.
Treadwear indicator
The original tires on your vehicle
have 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high
"wear indicators"¢
fig. 189 run­
ning across the tread. Marks on
the tire sidewall (for example
"TWI" or other symbols) indicate
the positions of the tread wear in­
dicators .
The tires have reached the mini­ mum tread depth
l) when they
have worn down to the treadwear
indicators. Replace the tires with
new ones ¢A.
Tire rotation
Rotating the tires regularly is rec­
ommended to ensure the tires
wear evenly. To rotate the tires,
install the tires from the rear axle
on the front axle and vice versa.
This will allow the tires to have
approximately the same length of
service life.
For unidirectional tires, make
sure the tires are installed accord-
~ l) Obey any applicable regulations in your 0
§ country.
Wheels
ing to the running direction indi­
cated on the tire sidewall
¢ page 241 .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims can of­
ten occur in locations that are hidden. Unusual vibrations in the
vehicle or pulling to one side may indicate that there is tire damage.
Reduce your speed immediately.
Check the tires for damage. If no
damage is visible from the out­
side, drive slowly and carefully to
the nearest authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Fa­
cility to have the vehicle inspect­
ed.
A WARNING
Tread that has worn too low or
different tread depths on the
tires can reduce driving safety.
This can especially have a nega­
tive effect on handling, on the risk aquaplaning when driving
through water, when driving
through curves and when brak­
ing, which increases the risk of
an accident.
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In o rder to minimize the oc currence of impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­ mend that you observe the fo llow ing
precautions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation pres­
sures. Check your tire pressure every 2,000
miles (3,000 km) and add a ir if necessary .
- Drive carefully on roads with potho les, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires . Impact w ith a curb may also cause
damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au­
thorized Aud i dealer . Replace a damaged tire as
soon as poss ible .
- Inspect your t ires every 2 ,000 miles (3,000 km)
for damage and wear . Damage is not always
easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of a ir and
underinflation , which cou ld eventually cause
t ir e failure. If you be lieve tha t a tire may have
been damaged, replace the t ire as soon as pos­
s ible.
= T hese tires may wear more q uick ly than othe rs.
- Please a lso remember that, while these tires
deliver responsive hand ling, they may r ide less
comfortab ly and ma ke more no ise th an other
cho ices .
Reduced performance in winter /cold season
condit ions
All t ires are desig ned fo r ce rtain pur poses. The
l ow aspect ratio, ul tra high performance t ires
originally insta lled on you r vehicle a re intended
for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling. They are not s uitable for cold, snowy or
icy weather cond it ions. If you dr ive under those
circumstances, you shou ld equ ip your ve hicle
with a ll-season or winter tires, wh ic h offer better
traction under those condit ions . We suggest you
use the recommended snow or all-season tires
specified fo r you r vehicle , or the ir equivalent.
Refer to¢
page 225 for more detailed informa ­
tion rega rding winter tires .
Uniform tire quality grading
8 -Tread wea r ' Wheel s
-Traction AA ABC
- Tempe ra tu re ABC
Quali ty g rades can be found where applicable o n
the tire side wall be tween tread shoulder and
max imum sec tion width
¢ page 210, fig . 188.
For example: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA, Tem ­
perature
A .
All passenger car ti res must conform to Federal
Safety Requiremen ts in addit io n to these grades .
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wea r rate of the tire when tested
u nder controlled cond it ions on a specif ied gov­
ernment test course.
F or example , a tire graded 1 50 wou ld wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as we ll on the govern­
ment course as a t ire graded 100 .
T he re lative performance of tires depends upon
t h e actual conditions of thei r use, however, and
may depa rt sig nificantly from the norm due to
variations in driv ing habits , service practices and
differences in road character istics and cli mate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, a re
AA , A, Band
C. Those grades represent t he tire 's
ability to stop o n we t pavement as measured un­
der controlled cond itions on specified govern­
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
¢ ,&. .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generat ion of heat and its abi lity to dissipate
heat when tested u nder cont rolled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained h igh temperatu re can cause the mate­
rial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive tempe rature can lead to s udden
t ire failure ¢,&. . .,.
227

Wheels
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un­
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109. Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor­
nering, hydroplaning or peak traction charac­
teristics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab­
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
A WARNING
Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and not over or underinflat­
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring system
CD General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and inflat­
ed to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la­
bel, you should determine the proper tire infla­
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell­
tale when one or more of your tires is significant­ ly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and
228
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure . Driving on a signifi­
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over­
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop­ ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's re­
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres­
sure tel ltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys­
tem is not operating properly. The TPMS mal­
function indicator is combined with the low t ire
pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi­
mately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal­
function exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the veh icle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.

Tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to: vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitoring System in­
dicator
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system malfunction .
Fig. 192 Instrument clus ter : indicator ligh t w ith message
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor­
ing system compares the tire tread circumfer­
ence and vib ration characteristics of the individu­
al tires.
If the pressure changes in one or more
tires, this is indicated in the instrument cluster
display with an indicator light
RE and a message.
If only one tire is affected, the location of that
tire will be indicated.
The tire pressures must be stored in the Infotain ­
ment system again each time the pressures
change (switching between partial and full load pressure) or after changing or replacing a tire on
your vehicle ¢
page 230 . The tire pressure moni ­
toring system only monitors the tire pressure you have stored. Refer to the tire pressure label for
the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle
¢page 220, fig.191 .
Tire tread circumference and v ibration character­
istics can change and cause a tire pressure warn­
ing if:
- the tire pressure in one or more tires is too low.
- the tire has structural damage.
- the tire was replaced or the tire pressure was
changed and it was not stored
¢ page 230.
- the spare tire* is installed.
~ Indicator lights ....
~ RE-Loss of pressure in at least one tire¢,&,. . ....
g Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary.
<.,;) 'SI"
Wheels
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys­
tem
¢ page 230 .
fflm (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
press ure: System malfunction!.
Ifffi:m appears
after switching the ignition on or while driving
and the
RE indicator light in the instrument clus­
ter blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures¢
page 230. If
the indicator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time , drive to an author­
ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service Facili­
ty immediately to have the malfunction correct­
ed.
_& WARNING ,..___
- If the tire pressure indicator appears in the
d isplay, reduce your speed immediately and
avoid any hard steering or braking maneu­
vers. Stop as soon as possible and check the
tires and their pressure.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining the
correct tire pressure. You must check the
tire pressure regularly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
driving style, winter conditions or unpaved roads), the tire pressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed .
@ Tips
-The tire pressure monitoring system can al­
so stop working when there is an ESC mal­
function .
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The tire pressure monitoring system in your
Audi was calibrated with "Audi Original
Tires"¢
page 217 . We recommend that you
use these tires.
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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility . Read and follow the instruc­
tions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
- Us ing clean ing and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
- Always store clean ing and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the r isk of po i­
son ing .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably purchase env ironmenta lly-friend­
l y cleaning products.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
T he longer that deposits remain on the vehicle,
the more the surface may be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damag ing effect.
Befor e washing, rinse
off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water.
S tubborn depos its such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth.
A lso, wash t he un derside of yo ur vehicle once
road sa lt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washi ng your ve hicle w ith a pressure wash­
e r, a lways fo llow the operating instructions pro­
vided wi th the p ressure washer. This is especially
i mportant in rega rd to the pressure and sp raying
d istance . Do not aim the spray directly at the
sea ls on the side windows , doors, lids or the sun-
Ca re and cleaning
roo f* or at tires, r ubber hoses, insulat ing mater i­
al, sensors* or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of
at least 16 in (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use cone noz zles o r high pressu re noz zles .
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °().
Automat ic car washe s
Spray off t he vehicle befo re washing .
Make s ure that the wi ndows and roo f* are closed
and the windsh ie ld wipers are
off . Follow instruc ­
tions 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 ve hicle starting from the top and work­
i ng down using a soft sponge o r cleaning br ush.
U se solven t-free cleaning p rod ucts.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by
hand
T o avo id damag ing the pa int w hen washi ng, fi rst
remove d ust and large p articl es from you r vehi­
cl e. Insects, grease spo ts and f ingerprints are
best removed with a special cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply t he p roduct using a microfiber cloth. To
avo id damag ing the pa int surfa ce, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the ve hicl e thorough ly w ith wate r. Then
clean usi ng a neutral shampoo and a soft m ic ro ­
fiber clo th .
Rinse the ve hicle thorough ly agai n and let it air
dry. Remove a ny wate r residue using a chamois .
A WARNING
- Onl y wash the vehicle when the ign ition is
off and follow t he instr uctions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci -
-
dents. .,.
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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
De corat ive p art s/
Deposits Mild
soap solution al, a cleaning so lution suitable for stain-
less stee l, if necessary
tri m
P aint
Paint damage Refer to the paint number on the vehicle data label, repair
with touch up paint
q page 255
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately
Surface rust Rust remover,
then protect with hard wax; for questions,
consult an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv-
ice Facility.
Corrosion Have it removed by an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized A udi Se rvice Fac il ity.
Water no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean pa int
No shine even though Treat with suitable polish; then apply paint protectant if
paint has been pro- the polish that was used does not contain any protectant
tected/paint looks
poor
Deposits such as in - Dampen w ith water immediately and remove wit h a m icro-
sects, bird droppings, fiber cloth
tree sap and road salt
Grease-based con- Remove immediately with a m ild soap solution al and a
tam inants such as soft cloth
cosmetics or sunb lock
C arb on p art s Deposits clean
the same way as painted parts q page 231
a} Mild soap solution: maximum two tab lespoons of neutral soap in 1 quart (1 lite r) of water
Inte rio r clea ning
Component Situation Solution
W indo ws
Deposits Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Decor ati ve p art s/ Deposits Mild
soap solution al
tri m
Pla stic part s
Deposits Damp cloth
Heavier depos its Mild soap solution al, detergent-free plastic cleaning solu-
tion, if necessary
D ispla ys Deposits Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
C ont ro ls Deposits Soft brush, then a soft cloth with a m ild soap solutional
Saf ety be lt s Deposits Mild
soap solution al, allow to dry before letting them re-
tract
2 33

Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Te xtil es
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
a rt ifici al le ather , the surface
Alcant ara Water-based deposits Absorben
t cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
O il-based deposits Apply a m ild soap solution a), blot away the dissolved oil or
such as oil, make-up, dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
etc.
Special deposits such Special stain remover, b lot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, na il polish, la- afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary a)
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natural leather Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mi
ld soap solutiona>
Water-based deposits Fresh sta ins : absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dried sta ins: stain remover suitable fo r leather
blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
such as oil, make-up, for leather
etc. Dried sta ins : grease dissolv ing spray
Special deposits such Spot remover suitab le for leather
as ink, nai l polish, la -
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Ca re Regularly apply cond ition ing cream that protects from
light and penet rates into the materia l. Use specia lly-co l-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon parts Deposits clean the same way as plastic parts
a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablesp oons of neutral soap in 1 quart (l liter) of water
_& WARNING
The windshie ld may not be trea ted with wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un­
favorable conditions s uch as wetness, dark­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare .
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
(D Note
- Headlights /tail light s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
- Wheels
234
-
- Never use any paint polish or other abra­
sive materials.
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratches must
be repaired immediately.
- Sensors /camera l enses
- Neve r use wa rm or ho t water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens . This
could cause the lens to crack .
- Neve r use ab rasive cleaning materials or
a lcohol to clea n the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Doo r window s
-Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plast ic scraper. To

Emergency assistance
Emergency assistance
General information
... Park the vehicle as far as possible from moving
traffic in the event of a breakdown. In the event
of a flat tire, park the vehicle on a level surface .
It you are on a steep hill, be especially careful.
.,. Set the parking brake .
.,. Switch the emergency flashers on .
... Set up the warning triangle
r=;, page 236 .
... Have the passengers exit the vehicle . They
should move to a safe place, for example be­
hind a guard rail.
A WARNING
Follow the steps given above. This is for your
protection and the for the safety of other driv­
ers.
Equipment
Warning triangle
A ppl ies to: ve hicles w ith warning triangle
Fig. 193 Luggage co mpartment lid : wa rnin g triangle
The warning triangle placed in the vehicle at the
factory is located in the luggage compartment.
... To remove the warning triangle, press the re-
tainer in the direction of the arrow
r=;, fig . 193
and fold the holder down.
The luggage compartment lid is only designed to
hold the warning triangle offered by the Audi
Genuine Accessories program.
236
Vehicle tool kit
Fig. 194 Luggage compartment: vehicle tool kit
The vehicle tools and vehicle jack* are stored in
the luggage compartment under the floor cover.
... Lift the cargo floor by the plastic handle.
.,. Hook the handle into the luggage compartment
weather strip.
.,. Turn the handle counter-clockwise and remove
the cover or the spare tire* .
.,. Unhook the cargo floor before closing the rear
lid .
A WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack can cause se­
rious personal injuries.
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
tighten wheel bolts, since the bolts cannot
attain the necessary tightening torque if yo u
use the hex head, potentially causing an ac­
cident.
- The factory-supplied jack is intended only
for your vehicle model. Under no circum­
stances should it be used to lift heavy
vehicles or other loads; you risk injuring
yourself.
- Never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised, which cou ld cause an accident .
- Support the vehicle securely with appropri­ ate stands if work is to be performed under­
neath the vehicle; otherwise, there is a po­
tential risk for injury .
- Never use the jack supplied with your Audi
on another vehicle, particularly on a heavier
one. The jack is only su itable for use on the
vehicle it came wi th.