2017 AUDI A6 service

Check ing and F illing
- Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
complete ly empty . The engine cou ld mis­
fire . Unburned fuel could also get into the
exhaust system and this cou ld cause the
catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not sw itch off the ignition while the vehi­
cle is moving .
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un­
der these cond itions, as otherwise fuel can
reach the catalytic converter . This could re­
su lt in overheating of the converter, requ ir­
i ng its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­
sion Control System :
- Have your ve hicle main tained pro perly and
in accordance with the service recommen ­
dations in your Wa rranty & Maintenance
book let.
- Lac k of proper maintenance as well as im ­
proper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission cont rol system
and could lead to damage.
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Control System is op­
erat ing properly, the exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some op­
erat ing states . This depends on the su lfur
content of the fuel be ing used . Using a differ­
ent brand of fue l may he lp, or filling the tan k
w ith lead-free super grade gasoline.
Diesel particulate filter
A ppl ies to: ve hicles w ith diesel e ng in e
The diesel particulate fi lter filters nearly all of
the soot particles out of the ex haust. The f ilter
cleans i tse lf automatically under normal d riv ing
conditions. If the filte r ca nnot clean itse lf (for e x­
a mple , beca u se you are only driving sho rt distan­
ces), the fi lter becomes clo gged with soot and
the . symbo l for the diesel particulate fi lter il­
lum inates
c:> page 18.
A WARNING
- Do not park you r vehicle over flammable
materials such as grass or leaves because
198 -
the high temperature of the diesel particu­
late filte r could sta rt a fire .
- Do not apply an underbody protectant in the
exhaust system area or a fire could sta rt.
Engine compartment
· Working in the engine compartment
Special care is required if you are working in the
engine compartment
For work in the engine compartment, such as
checking and fill ing fluids , the re is a risk of in­
jury, scalding, accidents , and burns. For this
reason, follow all the warnings and general
safety precaut ions provided in the following in ·
formation . The engine compartment is a dan­
gerous area on the vehicle.
c:> .&, .
A WARNING
-Turn the engine off.
- S witch t he igni tion off.
- Set the park ing bra ke .
- Select the P s elector lever position.
-Let the eng ine cool down .
- Never open the hood when there is steam o r
coo lant 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 .
- Keep children away from the eng ine com­
pa rtment .
- Never sp ill fluids on a hot eng ine. These flu­
ids (such as the freeze protection contained
in the coolant) ca n ca tch fire .
- Avoid short c ircuits in the electrical system .
- When working in the engine compa rtment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, wh ich
increases the r is k of p ersona l injury.
- Never ope n the cap on the coolant expan­
sion tank when the engine is warm . The
coo ling system is under p ressure .
- To protect your face, hands, and arms from ho t steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
large cloth wh en opening .
~

co
co
.... N
" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' -Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances . This increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be performed with the en­
gine running, there is additional danger due
to moving components (such as the ribbed belt, alternator and radiator fan) and from
the high voltage ignition system.
- Do not under any circumstances give gas in­
advertently (for example, by hand from the
engine compartment) if the vehicle is sta­
tionary but the engine is running and a gear
is engaged. Otherwise, the vehicle will start
to move immediately and this could result
in an accident.
- Pay attention to the following warnings list­
ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
- Do not smoke .
- Never work near open flames.
- Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby
- All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi•
cal burns, accidents or burns. Because of
this, all work must be performed
only by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
- To reduce the risk of electric shock and in­
jury, never touch the following components when the engine is running or is being start­
ed :
- Ignition cable
- Other components in the electronic high-
voltage ignition system
- If you must check or perform work on the
engine while it is running:
- Set the parking brake and place the selec­
tor lever in the P (park) position first .
- Always proceed with extreme caution so
that clothing, jewelry or long hair do not
become caught in the radiator fan, fan
belt or other moving components or do not come into contact with hot compo­
nents. Tie back long hair before beginning
work and do not wear clothing that can
hang down into the engine .
Checking and Filling
-Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi­
cals to as short a time as possible
c:> A .
A WARNING
-California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm . In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms. Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to mix the flu­
ids up. Otherwise severe malfunctions and en­
gine damage will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
You should regularly check the ground under
your vehicle in order to detect leaks quickly. If
there are visible spots from oil or other fluids, bring your vehicle to an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility to be
checked.
199

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 .

co
co
.... N
" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' -If you have the im pression your engine con­
sumes excessive amounts of oil, we recom­
mend that you cons ult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern properly di­
agnosed. Keep in mind that the accurate
measurement of oil consumption requires
great care and may take some time. Your
A udi dealer has instructions about how to
measure oil consumption accurate ly.
Checking the engine oil level and adding
engine oil
The engine oil level can be checked in the Info­
tainment system
Fig. 183 Eng ine compartment : eng ine oil filler opening
cover
Obse rve the safety precautions¢ &. in Working
in the engine compartment on page 198 .
Checking the engine oil level
.,. Park the vehicle on a level surface.
.,. Shut the engine off when it is warm. Wait ap­
prox imately two m inutes so that the engine oil
can flow back in to the oil pan .
.,. Switch only the ignition back on.
.,. Se lect: the
ICARI function button > (Car )* Sy s­
tems
control button > Service & checks > Oil
le vel.
.,. Read the oil level in the Infota inment system.
Add engine oil if the bar in the oil level indica­
tor is just before "min".
Adding engine o il
.,. Turn the engine off.
.,. Unscrew the engine oil filler opening cap
"t!:r.
¢fig.183, ¢page 201, fig.182.
.,. Carefully add 0.5 quart (0.5 liter) of the correct
o il
¢ page 201.
Check ing and Filling
.,. Close the engine oi l filler open ing cap "t!:r. .
.,. Close the hood, restart the ignition after two
m inutes and read the current o il leve l in the In­
fotainment system.
A WARNING
-When adding oil, do not let oi l dr ip onto hot
e ngine components. This increases the risk
of afire.
- You must seal the cap on the oil filler open­
ing correctly so that oi l does not leak ou t
onto the hot engine and exhaust system
when the engine is runn ing, be ca use this is
a fire hazard.
- Always clean sk in thoro ughly if it comes into
con ta ct w ith eng ine oi l.
d) Note
-The e ngine o il level must not be under the
"min" marking, beca use this increases the
r is k of engine damage.
- If the message
Oil level is too full. Pleas e
reduce
oil level. appea rs, the re is too m uch
oil in the engine and the re is a r is k of cata­
lyt ic converte r and engine damage. Do no t
start the eng ine. Co ntact an a uthorized Audi
dea ler or authorized Audi Service Facility to
have excess engine oil extracted if necessa­
ry.
-Do not mix any ad ditiona l lubricants into
the engine oil. Damage caused by such add i­
tives is not covered by the warranty .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Oil sho uld never enter the sewer system or
come into contact with the ground .
- Pay attention to lega l req uiremen ts when
disposing of empty oil containers .
(D Tips
- T he oil level in dicator in the inst rumen t
cl uster display is only an informationa l dis ­
play. If the o il level is too low, a minim um
oil warn ing appears in the instrument clus­
ter. Add oil and close the hood. The c urrent
oil level is d isplayed in the Infotainment
203

Checking and Filling
system the next time the ignition is
switched on.
- The engine oil consumption may be up to
0.5 quart/600 miles (0.5 liter/1 ,000 km),
depending on driving style and operating
conditions . Consumption may be higher
during the first 3,000 miles (5,000 km). Be­
cause of this, the engine oil level must be
checked regularly .
It would be best to check
each time you refuel your vehicle and before
long drives .
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service sta­
tion.
Before you check anything in the engine compart ­
ment ,
always read and heed all WARNINGS q .&.
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 198.
The engine oil must be changed according to the
intervals specified in your Warranty
& Mainte­
nance booklet. This is very important because the
lubricating properties of oil diminish gradually
during normal vehicle use.
Under some circumstances the engine oil should
be changed more frequently . Change oil more of­
ten if you drive mostly short distances , operate
the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominantly
stop-and-go traffic conditions, or have your vehi­
cle where temperatures remain below freezing
for extended periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil
look dark after the engine has been running for a
short time. This is normal and is not a reason to
chang e the oil more often than recommended.
Because of the problem of proper disposal, along
with the special tools and necessary expertise re­
quired, we strongly recommend that you have
your oil changed by an authorized
Audi dealer or
a qualified service station .
If you choose to change your oil yourself, please
note the following important information:
204
A WARNING
-
To reduce the risk of personal injury if you
must change the engine oil in your vehicle
yourself:
- Wear eye protection.
- To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine
-
oil, let the engine cool down to the touch .
- When removing the oil drain plug with your
fingers, stay as far away as possible. Always keep your forearm parallel to the ground to
help prevent hot oil from running down your
arm .
- Drain the oil into a container designed for
this purpose, one large enough to hold at
least the total amount of oil in your engine.
- Engine oil is poisonous . Keep it well out of
the reach of children.
- Continuous contact with used engine oil is
harmful to your skin . Always protect your
skin by washing oil off thoroughly with soap
and water.
(D Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil.
These additives can damage your engine and
adversely affect your Audi Limited New Vehi­
cle Warranty.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Before changing your oil, first make sure you know where you can properly dispose of
the used oil.
- Always dispose of used engine oil properly .
Do not dump it on garden soil, wooded
areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains.
- Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a used
engine oil collection facility in your area, or
contact a service station .
Cooling system
Coolant
The engine cooling system is filled with a mixture
of purified water and coolant additive at the fac-
tory. This coolant must not be not changed. ..,.

Checking and Filling
_& WARNING
-The cooling system is under pressure. Do
not open the coolant expansion tank cap
when the engine is hot. This increases the
risk of burns.
- The coolant additive and the coolant can be
dangerous to your health. For this reason,
keep the coolant in the original container
and away from children. There is a risk of
poisoning .
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of injury.
CD Note
Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty. Air could enter the cooling system and
damage the engine. If this is the case, do not
continue driving. See an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance .
Brake fluid
Fig. 185 Engine compartment : ca p on brake fl uid re servoir
Observe the safety precautions c::> .&. in Working
in the engine comportment on page 198.
Checking the brake fluid level
• Read the brake fluid level on the brake fluid
reservoir
c::> page 201, fig . 182. The brake fluid
level must be between the MIN and MAX mark­
i n gs c::> .,&. .
The brake fluid level is monitored automatically .
206
Changing the brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed regularly by an au­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
_& WARNING
- If the brake fluid level is below the MIN
marking, it can impair the braking effect
-
and driving safety, which increase the risk of
an accident . Do not continue driving . See an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance.
- If the brake fluid is old, bubbles may form
in the brake system during heavy braking.
This would impair braking performance and driving safety, which increases the risk of an
accident .
- To ensure the brake system functions cor­
rectly, only use brake fluids that comply
with VW standard 50114 or FMVSS-116 DOT 4.
CD Note
-If the brake fluid level is above the MAX
marking, brake fluid may leak out over the
edge of the reservoir and result in damage
to the vehicle.
- Do not get any brake fluid on the vehicle
paint, because it will corrode the paint.
Battery
General warnings about batteries
Because of the complex power supply, all work
on batteries such as disconnecting, replacing,
etc. should
only be performed by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
c:::, &.
The term "vehicle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
battery in your vehicle.
Detailed warnings for the vehicle battery:
®) Wear eye protection.
~ Battery acid is highly corrosive. Wear pro-
~ tect1ve gloves and eye protection. ..,.

co
co
.... N
" N .... 0 0 <.,;) 'SI"
@
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

Check ing and F illing
"' Clamp the charger terminal clamps to the jump
start pins according to the instruct ions. (pin un ­
der the red cover = "positive", pin with hexago ­
nal head = "negative").
"' Insert the power cable for the charging device
into the socket and switch the device on .
"' At the end of the charging process, switch the
charge r off and pull the power cab le out of the
socket.
"' Remove the c ha rge r termi nal clamps.
"' Close the red cover on the posi tive te rm inal.
"' Close the hood
¢ page 200.
A WARNING
- A highly explosive mixture of gases can form
when charging batter ies. On ly charge the
vehicle battery in well-vent ilated areas.
- A drained battery can freeze at tempera­
tures a round 32 °F (0 °C). A frozen or
thawed veh icle battery must not be charged
and must not be used anymore . The batte ry
hous ing can crac k an d battery acid can leak
o ut if ice fo rms, wh ic h increases the r is k of
an exp losion and ch emical burns. Contact an
authoriz e d Au di dea ler o r aut ho riz e d Aud i
Service Facility for mo re inform ation .
- Do no t conne ct o r dis co nne ct the c hargi ng
cable while charg ing because th is increases
the risk of an exp losion .
(D Tips
-Only ch arge the vehicle battery through the
c on nection s in t he e ng ine comp artmen t.
- Read a ll of the manufacture r's instruc tions
f or the charger befo re charg ing the ve hicle
b attery .
208
Windshield washer
system
Fi g. 187 En gin e compar tm en t: was her flui d rese rvoir cap
.., N
-N ~ a, m
The w indshield washer reservoir O con tains the
cleaning so lution for the windshield and the
headlight washer system *
q page 201, fig. 182.
The reservoir capacity can be found in
¢ page 257.
To reduce the risk of lime scale deposits on the
spray no zzles, use clean water with low amo unts
of calcium. Always add window cleaner to the wa­
ter. When the ou tside temperatures are cold , an
anti -freezing agent shou ld be added to the water
so tha t it does not freeze .
(D Note
-The concentration of ant i-freez ing agent
must be adjusted to the ve hicle operat ing
condi tions i n the respective cl imate . A con­
c entration that is too h igh can lead to vehi­
cl e damage.
- N ever add radia to r anti-free ze or other addi­
t ives to the washer fluid.
- Do not use a glass cleaner t hat contains
pai nt so lvents, because th is could damage
t h e pain t.
Service interval display
The service in terval display detects when your ve­
hicle is due for service.
The serv ice interval d isplay wo rks in two stages:
-Inspection or oil change rem inder: afte r a cer-
tain dis tance drive n, a message appears in the ..,.