2017 AUDI A6 check engine light

Intelligent Technology
Braking
New brake p ads
New b rake pads do no t achieve the ir full b raking
effect during the firs t 250 mi (400 km) . They
m ust be "broken in" first .
Wear
Brake pad wear depends largely o n the way the
ve hicl e is driven and on operat ing cond it ions.
This is especi ally true if you are d riving frequently
in the c ity and on c urves or with a sporty driving
style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when bra king depend ing on the
speed, b raking force and outs ide cond it ions s uch
as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water and road salt
In ce rtain s ituations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, afte r ove rnight con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the b raking
effect can be red uce d by mo isture or ice on the
b rake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
"dried" first with a few careful brake applica­
tions.
At highe r speeds and with t he windshie ld wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the bra ke
rotors for a short amount of time . This action,
which is not felt by the driver, happens at regular
intervals and ens ures a better reaction time for
the brakes in wet weathe r.
The braking effect can also be reduced if you are
driving on sa lted roads and you do not apply t he
brakes for long periods of time. The layer of salt
on the brake rotors and pads must be worn off
first when the brakes are applied.
Corrosi on
Leaving the vehicle parked for long periods of
time, low mi leage and avo iding heavy brak ing
can contribute to corrosion on the brake rotors
and to d irty brake pads.
If you usually avoid heavy b raking or if there is
corros ion present, occasional heavy braking at
122
high speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and pads¢.&. .
Brake system malfunction
if you not ice that the b rake peda l t ravel has sud­
denly increased, then a br ake circuit in the du al­
c irc uit b rake system may have malfunctioned.
Drive to an authorized A udi dealer or authorized
A udi Se rvice Facility immediate ly to have the
problem corrected. On the way there, drive w ith
reduced speed and keep in m ind t hat you will
need a longer distance to stop and you will need
to press the brake peda l harder .
lo w b rake fluid level
When the brake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
the brake system may occur. The brake fluid level
i s electronically monitored.
Brake booster
The brake boos ter amp lifies the pressure you ap ­
ply to the brake pedal. It only works when the en­
gine is running .
A WARNING
- Only app ly the brakes for the purpose o f
cleaning the brake system when road and
traffic conditions permit. You must not en­
danger other road users. This i ncreases the
r is k of an accident .
-
- Never let the ve hicle roll while the engine is
s topped because this i ncreases the ris k of an
accident .
- New brake pads do no t ach ieve the ir full
braking effect dur ing the first 250 m i
( 4 00 km). They m ust be "b roken in" fi rst.
However, you can compensa te fo r the
slightly reduced brak ing force by pressing
firm ly on the brake pedal. Avo id heavy brak ­
ing during the break-in period.
- Ce rtain weather and operating condi tions
such as d riving through water, dr iv ing in
heavy rain o r driv ing after washi ng your ve­
hicle can impai r the effectiveness of the
brakes. In the winter, ice may build up on
the brake pads, rotors and dr ums. Check

Check ing and F illing
Checking and Filling
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Applies to: vehicles with gaso line engine
Using the right fuel helps keep the environment
clean and prevents engine damage.
F u el r eco mmend ati on
The fuel recommended for your vehicle is unle ad­
e d pr em ium
grade gasoline . Audi recommends
using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline with a mini­
mum octane rating of 91 AKI (95 RON). For more
information on TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline,
p lease go to the offic ial website
(www.toptiergas .com).
The recommended gasoline octane rating for
your engine can also be found on a label located on the ins ide of the fuel filler flap . This rating
may be specified as AK I or RON .
Your veh icle may also be operated using unlead­
ed regular gasoline with a minimum octane rat ­
ing of 87 AKl/91 RON. However, using 87 AKI/91
RON octane fuel w il l slightly reduce engine pe r­
forma nce.
Us e un leade d gaso lin e onl y. Unleaded gasoline
is availab le throughout the USA , Canada, and in
most European countries . We recommend that
you do not ta ke your vehicle to areas or co unt ries
where un leaded gaso line may not be availab le.
For more information on refueling your vehicle,
see
¢page 192.
Octan e rating
Octane rating indicates a gasoline's ability to re­
sist engine damaging "knock" caused by prema­
ture ignit ion and detonation . Therefore, buy ing
the correct grade of gasoline is very important to
he lp prevent poss ible engine damage and a loss
of eng ine performance.
Gasoline most commonly used in the Un ited
States and Canada has the following octane rat­
i n gs that ca n usually be found on the filler pump:
- Premium Grade: 91 - 96 AKI
190
- Regu la r Grade: 87 - 90 AK I
Explanation of the abbreviations:
AKI = Anti Knock Index = (R +M)/2 = (RON +MON)/
2
RON = Research Octane Number
MON = Motor Octane Number.
{[) Note
-Do not use a ny fue l w ith o ctane ratings low­
er than 87 AKI or 91 RON othe rw ise expen­
sive engine damage wi ll occur .
- Do
not use leaded gasoline. The use of lead­
ed gasoline will severely damage your vehi­
cle's catalyt ic converter and its ability to
control exhaust emissions .
Blended gasoline
Applies to: vehicles with gasoline engine
Use of gaso lin e conta ining alcoho l or MTBE
(meth yl tertia ry butyl ether )
You may use unleaded gasoline blended with al­
cohol or MTB E (commonly referred to as oxygen ­
ates) if the blended m ixture meets the follow ing
criteria:
Blend of g asoline methanol (wood alcohol o r
m eth yl alcoho l)
-Anti -knock index must be 87 AKI or h igher.
- Blend must contain no more than 3% metha-
nol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co -solvents.
Blend of ga soline and ethanol (grain alcohol or
ethyl alc ohol )
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or h igher .
- Blend must not conta in more than 15% etha-
nol.
Blend of gas oline and M TBE
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AK I or h igher .
- Blend must contain not mo re than 1S% MTB E.
S easonall y adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform es­
pecially well for winter or summer dr iv ing . Dur-
i ng seasonal change-over, we suggest that you .,..

Checking and Filling
& WARNING
AdBlue can irritate the skin, eyes and respira­tory system. If there is contact with the fluid,
flush immediately with plenty of water . Con­
sult a physician if necessary.
(D Note
- Only use Ad Blue that conforms to the
standard ISO 22241 -1. Do not mix any addi ­
tives with the Ad Blue and do not dilute it
with water.
- Do not add Ad Blue to the diesel tank or add diesel fuel to the Ad Blue tank. Do not start
the engine under any circumstances if the
wrong fuel is filled in the tank. There is a
risk of damaging the fuel tank system and
the engine. See an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance.
- AdBlue attacks surfaces such as painted ve­
hicle components, plastic and carpet. Re­
move the fluid as quickly as possible with a
damp cloth and plenty of cold water. If the
Ad Blue has already crystallized, use warm
water and a sponge . AdBlue residue that is
not removed will crystallize and can damage
the affected surface.
- Do not store refill bottles or canisters per ­
manently in the vehicle. If the container
leaks, the escaping AdBlue could damage
the vehicle interior.
- Do not allow AdBlue to come into contact
with clothing. If there is contact with the
fluid , flush immediately with plenty of
wa­
ter.
(j) Tips
Follow the Ad Blue manufacturer 's instruc­
tions for use and storage.
Refilling AdBlue using a bottle
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
... Remove the cap from the refill bottle ¢.&. in
Filling AdBlue on page 196,
c::> (D in Filling
AdBlue on page 196.
196
... Position the bottle on the filler tube and turn
the bottle clockwise until it stops turning.
... Press lightly against the bottom of the bottle
to empty it . Continue pressing the bottom of
the bottle until it is empty or until fluid stops
flowing into the tank .
... Remove the bottle and seal the filler neck
c::> page 197, Completing AdBlue refill.
d) Note
Only use refill bottles that are approved for
your vehicle. Using other systems can cause AdBlue to leak.
(D Tips
- You can obtain refill bottles from an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
- A permitted refill bottle contains approxi­
mately 0.5 gallon (1.9 liters) of AdBlue.
Refilling AdBlue using a canister
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
®
+®
Fig. 179 Canister w ith attachable hose
... Remove the cover from the refill canister c::> .&.
in Filling AdBlue on page 196 , c::>(D in Filling
AdBlue on page 196 .
.,. Secure the end of the hose the canister @by turning the hose to the right.
.,. Remove the cap @from the other end of the
hose @.
... Position the end of the hose @on the filler
neck in the vehicle and turn the hose to the
right to tighten it .
... Lift the canister up and then tip it . Continue
holding the canister in a tipped position until it
1J,,

Checking and Filling
Opening/closing the hood
The hood is released from inside the vehicle .
Fig. 180 Driver footwell: release lever
Fig . 181 Rocker switch under the hood
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up from
the windshield. Otherwise the paint could be
damaged .
Opening th e hood
• With the driver's door open, pu ll the lever be­
low the instrument panel in the direction of the
arrow
c!;> fig. 180 .
200
• Raise the hood slightly c!;> &_ .
• Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
i=> fig. 181. This releases the catch.
• Open the hood .
Clos ing the hood
• Push the hood down until you override the
force of the s trut.
• Let the hood fall lightly into the latch .
Do not
press it in .
c> &_.
A WARNING
-Never open the hood when there is steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that you could
be burned. Wait unt il no steam or coolant is
escaping.
- For safety reasons, the hood m ust always be
closed securely while driv ing. Because of
this, always check the hood after closing it
to make sure it is latched correctly . The
hood is latched if the front corners cannot
be lifted.
- If you no tice that t he hood is not latched
while you are driving, stop immediate ly and
close it, because driving when the hood is
not latched increases the r isk of an accident.

Check ing and F illing
Using the proper engine oil is impo rtant for the
functionality and service life of the engine. Your
engine was facto ry-filled with a h igh-quality oi l
which can usually be used throughout the entire
year.
@) Note
Your Limited New Vehicle War ranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions due to failure
to follow recommended maintenance and use
requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warran ty
& Maintenance booklet.
- Use only a high quality eng ine oil t hat ex-
p ressly complies with the Audi oil qua lity
standard specified for your vehicle's engine.
Using a ny o ther oil can cause serious engine
d am age.
- D o not mix any lubricants o r other addit ives
i nto the engine oil. Doing so ca n cause en­
g ine damage.
(D Tips
I f you need to add oil and there is none availa­
ble t hat meets the Audi o il quality standard
your eng ine requi res, you m ay ad d a tot al of
no more than 0.5 q t (0.5
l) of a h igh-quali ty
"synthe tic"oil that meets t he following speci ­
fications.
- Applies to: gasoline engine: ACEA A3 or
API SM with a viscosity g rade of SAE 0W-30,
SAE SW -30 or SAE SW-40.
- Applies to: diesel engine: ACEA C3 or API C F
with a viscosity grade of SAE 0W-30 or
SAE SW-30.
- Fo r more information about engine o il that
has been approve d for your ve hicle, please
contact either you r authorized Audi dea ler
or Audi C ustome r Relat ions at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www .aud icanada .ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of
its moving parts .
In order to provide effective lubr ication and cool­
ing of internal engine components, a ll inter nal
202
combust ion engines consume a certa in amo unt
of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to en­
gine and may change signi ficantly over the life of
the engine. Typically, engines w ith a specified
break-in period (see
c:::;, page 66) consume more
o il dur ing the break-in per iod than they consume
af ter o il consumption has stab ilized .
Under normal cond itions, the rate of oil con­
sumption depends on the quality and viscos ity of
the oil, the RPM (revo lutions per m inute) at
wh ich the engine is operated, the amb ient tem­
perature and road condit ions. Furt her facto rs a re
the amo unt of o il di lution from wate r condensa ­
t ion or fue l resid ue an d the oxidation level of the
o il. As any engine is sub je ct to wear as mileage
builds up, the oi l cons umption may increase ove r
time unt il replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With a ll these va riab les coming into p lay, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be estab ­
li shed or spec ified. The re is no alte rnative to reg­
ul ar and freq uent checking of the oi l level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oi l level warning symbo l in
the instr ument cluster
El lights up, yo u should
check the o il level as soon as possible
c:::;, page 203. Top off the o il at your ea rliest con­
venience
c:::;, page 203.
A WARNING
Before you check a nyth ing in the e ng ine com­
par tment, always read and heed all WARN­
IN GS
c:::;, .&. in Working in the engin e compart­
ment on page 198.
(D Note
Drivi ng w it h an insuff ic ient oil level is likely to
cause severe damage to the eng ine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warn ing d isplay. is not
an indicator of the oil level. Do not rely on
it. Instead, check the oil level in your en­
gine at regular intervals, preferably each
time you refuel, and alway s before going
on a long trip .

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The coolant leve l is monitored through the. in­
dicator light
c::> poge 14. However, we do recom­
mend occasionally check ing the coo lant level
manually.
If you m ust add coolant, use a m ixture o f water
and coolant additive . M ixing the coolant additive
w ith d istilled water is recommended.
Coolant additive
The coolan t addi tive is made of ant i-freez ing and
corrosion protection agents. Only use the fo llow­
i n g coo lant additives . These additives may be
mixed wit h each other .
Coolant additive Specification
Gl3 TL774J
Gl2++ TL 774 G
The amount of coo lant add itive that needs to be
mixed with water depends on the climate where
the veh icle will be ope rated. If the coolant addi­
tive percentage is too low, the cool ant can freeze
and damage the engine.
Coolant Freeze protec-
additive tion
Warm regions min . 40% m
in. -13 ° F
max. 45% (-25 °C)
Cold regions min . 50% max . -40 °F
max . 55% (-40 °C)
(D Note
-
Befo re the start of winter, have your author­
i zed Audi dealer or author ized Audi Se rvice
Facility check if the coolant additive in yo ur
vehicle ma tches the percen tage approp riate
fo r th e climate. This is especially import ant
whe n driving in co lder climates .
-If the approp ria te coolant addi tive is no t
available in an emergency, do no t ad d any
other additive. You co uld damage the en­
gine. If this happens, only use wate r and re­
store the correct mixture ratio with the
spec ified coolant additive as soon as possi­
ble.
- Only refill with new coo lant .
- Radiator sealant must not be mixed with
the coo lant .
Checking and Filling
Adding coolant
Fig. 184 En g in e compa rtment : coo lant expa nsion ta nk
cove r
Observe the safety prec autions c::> A in Working
in the engine comportmen t on page 198.
Checking the engine coolant level
Park the vehicle on a level surface.
.,. Switch t he ignit ion off.
.,. Read the coolant level on the coolant expansion
tank
c::> page 201, fig . 182. The coolant level
must be between the MIN and MAX mark ings
when the engine in cold. When the eng ine is
warm it can be slightly above the MAX marki ng.
Adding coolant
Requirement: there must be a residua l amount of
coolant in the expansion tank
c::> (D .
.,. Let the eng ine cool down .
.,. Place a cloth over the coolant expansion tank
cap and unscrew the cap counterclockw ise
c::> .&_ .
.,. Add coo lant m ixed in the cor rect rat io
c::> page 204 u p to the MAX mark ing.
.,. Ma ke sure that the f luid level remains stab le.
Add mo re coolant if necessary.
.,. Close the cap sec urely.
Coo la nt loss usually i ndicates there is a lea k. Im­
med iate ly drive you r ve hicle to a n author ized
Audi dealer or authorized A udi Se rvice Faci lity
and have the cooling system inspected. If the
cooling system is not leak ing, a loss can come
from the coolant boiling through overheat ing
and being pushed out of the cooling system.
205

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@
Fire, sparks, open flame and smoking are
forb idden.
~
A highly explosive mixture of gases can
form when charging batteries.
®
Keep children away from battery acid and
batteries.
A WARNING
All work on the battery or electrical system in
your vehicle can result in injuries, chemical
burns, accidents or burns. Because of this, all
work must be performed
only by an author­
ized Aud i dealer or authorized Aud i Service
Facility.
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproduct ive problems.
Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
Protect the vehicle battery against freezing if
the vehicle will be parked for long periods of
time so that it is not destroyed by "freezing"
c:>page207.
@ For the sake of the environment
~ Batteries contain poll uting substances such
as sulfuric acid and lead. Contact an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility for more information.
Vehicle battery
The term "vehicle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
battery in your vehicle.
Not running the vehicle for long periods of
time
If you do not drive your vehicle for several days or
weeks, e lectrical equipment is gradually scaled
back or switched off. This reduces energy use and
ensures the veh icle will be able to start after long
periods of time
c:> page 124. Some convenience
Checking and Filling
functions, such as interior lighting or power seat
adjustment, may not be available under certa in
c ir cumstances. These convenience functions will
be available again once you switch the ignition on
and start the engine .
Even when electrical equipment is switched off,
the equipment can still dra in the vehicle battery
if the vehicle is not driven for long periods of
time . Deep draining results in a chemical reaction
that destroys the inside of the vehicle battery .
T he veh icle battery must be charged every month
to reduce the risk of this happening
c:> page 207 .
Contact an authorized Aud i dea ler or authorized
A udi Service Facility for more information .
Winter operation
Cold weather places higher demands on the vehi ­
cle battery . This results in reduced starting abili­
ty. Have the veh icle battery checked by an au­
thorized Audi dea ler or authorized Audi Service
Facility before the cold time of year.
Charging the vehicle battery
Fig. 186 En g in e compa rtment: co nnectors for a cha rge r
and ju mp start cables
Requirement: only use chargers with a maximum
charging voltage of 30 amps/14.8 Volts.
The
vehicle battery cables remain connected .
.,. Read the warnings
c:> &. in General warnings
about batteries on page 207
and ¢ &_ .
.,. Switch off the ignit ion and all electrical equ ip­
ment.
.,. Open the hood
c:> page 200.
"'Open the red cover on the pos itive terminal
c:> fig. 186 .
207

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' @ Tips
The vehicle jack* in your vehicle is mainte­
nance-free.
Replacing wheels
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own
and your passenger's safety when changing a
wheel .
.,. After you experience a tire failure, pull the car
well away from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before you stop¢,&. .
.,. All passengers should
leave the car and move
to a safe location (for instance, beh ind the
guardrail)¢ ,&..
.. Engage the
parking brake to prevent your vehi­
cle from rolling unintentionally ¢,&. .
.. Move
selector lever to position P ¢ ,&. .
.,. If you are towing a trailer, unhitch the trailer
from your vehicle.
.,. Take the
jack and the spare tire* out of the lug­
gage compartment c:> page 236.
A WARNING
You or your passengers could be inju red wh ile
changing a wheel if you do not follow these
safety precautions:
- If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance
off the road. Turn off the engine, turn the
emergency flashers on and use other warn ­
ing devices to alert other motorists .
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- T o help prevent the vehicle from moving
sudden ly and possibly slipping off the jack,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel be­ ing changed. When one front wheel is lifted
off the ground, plac ing the Automatic
Transmission in P (Park) will
not prevent the
vehicle from mov ing.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm. If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack .
Emergency assistance
-Always store the vehicle too l kit, the jack
and the replaced tire in the luggage com­
partment
¢page 134.
@ Tips
Before changing the wheel, you must activate
the jacking mode, so that the automatic con ­
tro ls for the Adaptive Air Suspension* do not
make it more difficult to lift the vehicle with
the jack
c> page 239.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly that
order .
l. Activate the vehicle jack mode* ¢ page 239 .
2. Remove the decorative wheel cover* or the
wheel bolt caps* . For more details see also
¢ page 238, Decorative wheel covers or
¢ page 238, Wheels with wheel bolt caps .
3. Loosen the wheel bolts¢ page 238 .
4. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack and align the jack below that point
¢page 239.
5. Raise the car with the jack c> page 239 .
6. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then
install
the spare ¢ page 241.
7. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
8.
Lower the vehicle with the jack .
9 . Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten
all wheel bolts
c> page 238.
10. Replace the decorative wheel cover* or the
wheel bolt caps*.
11. Deactivate the vehicle jack mode* in the
MMI:
I CARI function button > ( Car)* systems
control button > Servicing & checks > Air
susp.: jack mode > Off.
The vehicle jack mode* switches off automatica l­
ly at speeds above 6 mph (10 km/h).
A WARNING
--
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in­
formation
¢ .&. in Raising the vehicle on
page 240
and c> page 242 .
237