2017 AUDI A6 brakes

D
Canada models:
cruise control system
c:::>page86
Adaptive cruise control*
c:::>page90
Adaptive cruise control*
c:::> page 90
Adaptive cruise control*
c:::> page 90
Active lane assist*
c:::>page 97
Start/Stop system*
c:::> page 7 2
Start/Stop system*
c:::> page 72
High beam assistant*
c:::> page 42
High beams
c:::> page 42
BRAKE /(0 ) Brake system
If this indicator light turns on, there is a malfunc­
tion in the brake system.
1111 (USA models) /. (Canada models) Stop
vehicle and check brake fluid level.
Stop the vehicle and check the brake fluid level.
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance if necessary.
1111 (USA models) /. (Canada models)
Brakes: malfunction! Please stop vehicle safely
If the ABS indicator light
rJ]l (USA models) /
Ke) (Canada models), the ESC indicator light Dl.
and the brake system indicator light 1111 (USA
models) /. (Canada models) all turn on and
this message appears, then the ABS, ESC and
braking distribution are malfunctioning
c:::> ,& .
Do not continue driving. See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as-
~ sistance c:::> ,& .
.....
~ 1111 (USA models)/ . (Canada models) Park· .....
g ing brake: System fault! See owner's manual
<..:l ' Instruments and indicator lights
- If the indicator light and the message appear
when the vehicle is stationary or after switch­
ing the ignition on, check if you can release the
parking brake. If you cannot release the park­
ing brake, see your authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility . If you can re­
lease the parking brake and the message still
appears, see an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately to
have the malfunction corrected.
- If the indicator light and message appear while
driving, the hill start assist or emergency brak­
ing function may be malfunctioning.
It may not
be possible to set the parking brake or release
it once it has been set. Do not park your vehicle
on hills. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
Applies to USA mode ls
If the 1111 and l'IJ turn on at the same time, the
brake pads are worn out
c:::> poge 17.
_8 WARNING
-Read and follow the warnings in
~ page 198, Working in the engine com­
partment before opening the hood and
checking the brake fluid level.
- If the brake system indicator light does not
turn off or it turns on while driving, the brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low,
and this increases the risk of an accident.
Stop the vehicle and do not continue driv­
ing. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
- If the brake system indicator light turns on
together with the ABS and ESC indicator
lights, the ABS/ESC regulating function may
be malfunctioning. Functions that stabilize
the vehicle are no longer available. This
could cause the vehicle to swerve, which in­
creases the risk that the vehicle will slide.
Do not continue driving. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty for assistance.
13

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' Stabilization control (ESC / ABS) malfunction!
See owne r's manual
I f the
G1 indicato r light and the ABS indicator
l ight ~ (USA models)
I (c a (C anada models)
turn on and this message appears, the re is a ma l­
function in the ABS system or electronic differen­
tial lock. This also causes the ESC to malfunct ion .
The brakes st ill function with their normal power,
but ABS is not act ive.
Drive to an authorized Audi dea ler or authorized
Aud i Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
_&. WARNING
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 and ESC regulating function may
have malf uncti oned. Functions that stabilize
the vehicle are no longer available . This could
cause the vehicle to swerve, which increases
the risk that the vehicle will slide. Drive care­
fully to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility and have the
ma lfunction corrected.
@ Tips
For additional information on ESC and ABS,
see
~page 120.
~/ !f Safety systems
The
II (USA models) / m (Canada mode ls) indi­
cator light monitors the safety systems.
If the
II (USA mode ls)/ m (Canada models) in ­
dicator light turns on or blinks, there is a mal­
function in a safety system such as the airbag or be lt tensioner system .
Drive to an authorized Audi dea ler or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
_&. WARNING
Have the malfunction in the safety systems
inspected immediately . Otherwise, there is a
r isk that the systems may not activate during
-
Instruments and indicator lights
a collision, which increases the risk of serious
injury or death.
(0) Brake pads
EiJ Brake pads!
The brake pads are worn .
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
A udi Service Facility immediate ly to have the
brake pads checked.
Applies to: USA models
T he EiJ ind icator light turns on together with the
1111 indicator light
EPC Engine control (gasoline engine)
If the~ indicator light turns on if there is a
malfunction in the engine contro l.
Drive slowly to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Aud i Serv ice Facility to have the engine
checked.
W Engine control (die sel engine )
T he engine is preheating if the
II indicator light
turns on when the ignition is switched on .
If the indicator light does not turn on or blinks
whi le driving, there is an engine control malfunc­
tion .
Immediately drive slow ly to an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to have
the malfunction cor rected.
a Malfunction indicato r lamp (MIL)
The malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) is part of
the On Board Diagnostic system (080 II) . The
('4 c;ymbol turns on when the ignition is switched
on and turns off aga in once the engine is started
and running at a steady idle speed . This indicates
that the MIL is function ing correctly.
The ind icator light turns on if there is a malfunc­
t ion in the engine electronics . See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac ility to
have the malfunction corrected. For additional
information, see~
page 25.
17

Driving
Driving
General information
Breaking in
A new vehicle must be broken in, and the break­ i n distance should be 1,000 mi les (1,500 km). Do
no t drive at speeds th at wi ll exceed
2/3 of the
maximum permitted engine speed
(R PM ) for the
fi rst 600 mi les (1,000 km) , and avoid f ull accel­
eration d uring this period . You may gradua lly
start increas ing the
RPM and the speed between
600 m iles (1,000 km) and 1,000 m iles (1,500
km).
During the fi rst hou rs of use, the engine has a
h igher internal friction than later on when all
mov ing parts have settled into p lace with each
other.
How the ve hicle is driven d uring the first 1,000
miles (1,500 km) also affects the engine quality.
Drive at moderate engine speeds after the initial
break-in per iod, part icu larly when running a cold
engine . This wi ll reduce eng ine wear and improve
the mi leage .
Do not dr ive at too
low of an engine speed (rpm).
Shift down if the engine stops r unning "smoot h­
ly". Extremely high eng ine s peeds are automati ­
cally reduced .
New tires
If yo ur vehicle is ru nning on new t ires, drive pa r­
t icularly c aref ul for the first 350 miles (5 00 kilo­
meters) after fi tting .
A WARNING
-
New tires tend to be s lippery and must also
be "broken-in". Be s ure to remember this dur­
ing the first 350 miles (500 kilometers).
Brake gently. Avo id following closely behind
other vehicles or other situations that might
require sudden, ha rd brak ing .
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are d riving on poo r roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make ce rtain that low-
66
lying parts such as spo ilers and exha ust system
parts do not bottom o ut and get damaged.
This is es peci ally true for veh icles with low-s lu ng
c h ass is (sports chass is)* and fully loaded
vehicles .
Warming up/cooling down
Applies to: S models
By warming up/coo ling down t he engine careful ­
l y, you can he lp reduce unnecessary strain on
yo ur vehicle when dr iving in a sporty style.
The engine speed is limited when the engine is cold -the full engine o utp ut is not availab le.
When the engine is at operat ing temperat ure,
the engine speed limitation moves to a higher
RPM range. The t ires also only reach t he ir full
r oad holding capab ility once they have wa rmed
u p .
You r vehicle a lso has an after-run cooling fea­
ture . However, cooling down is still important.
The eng ine and the brakes as well as the e xhaust
system and the tra nsmission become very ho t
whe n driving in a spo rty style . B efo re you shut
t h e ve hicle off, yo u should cool down the vehicle
by drivi ng a few miles at low s peeds with ligh t ac­
ce lera tion.
Driving through water on roads
Note the following to reduce the risk of vehicle
damage when driving through water, fo r example
on f looded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the bot ­
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not dr ive faster tha n wal king speed .
A WARNING
-
After driving thro ugh water or m ud, the effec­
tiveness o f the b rakes may be red uced due to
mo isture on the brake rotors and brake pads.
A few careful brake applications shou ld dry
off the brakes.
@ Note
- Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspens ion or elect rical

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' system can be severely damaged by driving
th rough water.
- Always swi tch the Sta rt/S top sys tem * off
when driving through wate r
r:!;> page 72.
@ Tips
-De te rmi ne the de pth befo re dr iv ing th ro ugh
w at er.
- Do no t stop the veh icle, dr ive i n reverse or
swi tch the eng ine off when dr iving t hrough
wa ter .
- K eep in mind that oncomin g ve hicl es m ay
crea te waves that raise the wate r level an d
make it too deep for your vehi cle to drive
th rough sa fely.
- Avo id d riving throu gh sal t wa ter, because
th is can ca use corros ion .
Economical and environmentally-friendly
driving
The amount of fue l consumption, the e nviron­
men tal impact and the wear to the engine ,
b rakes and ti res depends mostly on your dr iving
s tyle. W it h an anticipatory a nd econom ic dr iv ing
style , fu el consumpt ion can be reduced by ap ­
p roxima te ly 10 -15% . The following tips will help
you conse rve the environment and you r money at
the same time .
Anticipatory driving
A vehicle uses the mos t fu el when a ccele ra ting.
W hen you drive wi th an tic ipa tion, you do not
n eed to brake as often and so yo u ac celerate less .
When possib le, let your vehicle coast w ith a
gear
engaged ,
for example, when you notice that the
next tra ffic light is red. This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con­
sumpt io n to ze ro (fuel shut-off dur ing decelera ­
tion) .
Shift efficiently
An effective way to save f uel is to upshift earlier .
Staying in a gear too long uses fue l unnecessari­
l y .
Press down o n the acce lerator peda l s lowly and
avoid "k ic k -down".
D riving
Avoid full acceleration
Yo u should rarely travel at the maxi mum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproport ionate ly
high increase i n fue l cons umption, emissions and
t raffic noise. S lowe r driving saves fue l.
Reduce idling time
The Sta rt-Stop system* helps to red uce the idling
t ime a utoma tically. In veh icles w ithout the S ta rt­
Stop system *, i t is eff icient to sw itch the engine
off when stopped at railroad crossings and long
r ed lights. Stopping the engine for 30-40 sec­
onds a lready saves more fuel than the amo unt of
extra fue l needed to restart the engine.
It ta kes a very long time in id le to warm the en­
gine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially high in the warm- up
phase. Therefore, you sho uld begin driving im­
med iate ly after starting the engine. Avoid h igh
RPMs wh ile doing this .
Have maintenance performed regularly
By having maintenance pe rformed regu larly on
your vehicle, you can help to reduce fuel co n­
sumption before you even start to drive. The
maintenance condition of your vehicle not o nly
affects traffic safe ty a nd long-term val ue but al­
so impa cts
fuel consumption . A poorly main­
t ai ned engi ne ca n lead t o fuel co nsump tion that
is 1 0% hig he r th an no rmal.
Avoid short trips
The eng ine and exhaust cleaning system must
r each their optima l
operating temperature to ef­
fec tively reduce consu mption a nd emissions.
A cold engine uses a d isproportionately high
amount of fue l. The engine reac hes operat ing
temperat ure and cons umption normal izes on ly
af ter app roxima tely
2 .5 miles (4 km ).
Check the tire pressure
To save fuel, make sure the t ires are always in­
flated to the correct press ure
r:!;> page 220. The
fuel consumpt io n can increase by 5% if the pres ­
s ur e is on ly 0 .5 bar too low. Due to t he inc reased
r oll ing resistance, low tire p ressures w ill also .,..
67

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l - than 2 seconds when the brake pedal is not
pressed.
Interlock button
The in terlo ck button i n the selector lever handle
p revents yo u from moving the selector lever i n­
advertently while in some se lector lever posi­
tions. The positions that require the interlock button to be pressed are marked in co lor i n the il ­
lustration
c:> fig . 84.
Driving tips
Starting the engine
.. The selector lever must be in the P or the N po­
s it ion.
Starting from a stop
.. Press and hold the brake pedal.
.. Press and hold the lock button in the selector
lever hand le, select the desired se lector lever
pos ition such as 0/5 and release the lock but­
ton .
.. Wait a moment unt il the transm ission shifts .
You w ill no tice a slight movement when t he
gear e ngages .
.. Release t he b rake pedal and press the acce le ra­
tor pedal
c:> &_ .
Stopping temporarily
.. Keep the veh icle stat ionary using the braking
peda l, for example at traffic lights .
.. Do no t press t he accelerator pedal when doing
t hi s.
.. To p revent the vehicle from rolling when yo u
sta rt driving, se t the park ing brake when stop­
ping on steep i nclines
c:> _&. .
.. The parking bra ke wi ll re lease automatically
and the vehicle will start moving once you press
the accelerator pedal.
Stopping /parking
If the se lec to r l ever is not in the P posi tion when
you open the driver's door, the vehicle could rol l.
The message
Transmission: selector lever in
drive position!
appears . A warn ing tone wi ll also
sound.
.. Press and hold the brake pedal
c:> _&. .
Driving
.. Se t the par king brake.
.. Select the P selector lever posit ion .
U nder certain circumst ances, su ch as driving in
t h e mo unta ins, i t may be useful to swi tch tempo ­
ra rily to the manual s hift program in order to
man ua lly adjust the gea rs to the driving condi ­
tions
c:> poge 80.
On inclines, activate the parking brake fi rs t a nd
t h en move the selector lever to t he P position
c:> page 75. This prevents the locking mechanism
from be ing loaded too heavily and will make it
easier to move the selector lever out of the P po­
s ition .
A WARNING
- The vehicle ca n roll even if the ignit ion is
sw itched off .
- Never leave your ve hicle w ith the engine
r u nning while in gear .
- Do not press the acce le rator peda l when
changing the se lector lever posi tion while
the vehicle is s ta tionary and the engi ne is
r u nning .
-
-Please no te that a small amo unt of power is
transmi tted if the veh icle is stopped tern po­
r a rily w hile in t he D/S or R select or leve r po­
si tion. To reduce t he risk of an a cc iden t, y ou
m ust cont in ue pressing firmly on the brake
pedal whi le t he veh icle is stoppe d so that i t
does not ro ll.
- Never engage the R or P sele ctor leve l pos i­
tions while dr iv ing. It could ca use a crash .
- Before driving down a steep slope, reduce
your speed and sh ift into a lowe r gear w ith
"t i pt ronic" .
- Do not r ide the brakes or p ress the brake
pedal too often or too lon g when dr iving
downhill . Constant bra king causes the
brakes to overheat and s ubstant ially re­
duces brak ing performance, increases b rak­
ing d istance or causes comp lete fai lure of
the bra ke system.
- If you must stop on an incline, a lways hold
the vehicle in place wit h the foot brake or
pa rking bra ke to p reve nt i t from rolling
back.
79

Driving
-Never hold the vehicle on an incline with a
slipping clutch. The clutch opens automati­
cally when it becomes too hot from the
overload . The
[i1 indicator Light turns on
and a message appears~
page 81 when
the clutch is overloaded.
(D Note
-When stopping on an incline, do not try to
hold the vehicle in place by pressing the ac­
celerator pedal while a driving gear is se­
lected. This can cause the transmission to
overheat and can damage it. Set the parking brake or press the brake pedal to prevent
the vehicle from rolling.
- Allowing the vehicle to roll when the engine
is stopped will damage the transmission be­
cause it is not lubricated .
@ Tips
For safety reasons, the parking brake is re­
leased automatically only when the driver's
safety belt is fastened.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control system assists the driver
when driving down hills .
Hill descent control is activated when the selec­
tor lever is in the Dor S position and you press
the brake pedal. The transmission automatically
selects a gear that is suitable for the hill . Hill de­
scent control tries to maintain the speed ach­
ieved at the time of braking, within physical and
technical limitations. If may still be necessary to
adjust the speed with the brake pedal.
Hill descent control switches off once the hill lev­
els out or you press the accelerator pedal.
On vehicles with a cruise control system*
~ page 86, hill descent control is also activated
when the speed is set.
A WARNING
Hill descent control cannot overcome physical
limitations , so it may not be able to maintain
80
a constant speed under all conditions. Always
be ready to apply the brakes .
Shifting manually (tiptronic mode)
The tiptronic mode allows the driver to shift the
gears manually.
'
}
Fig . 85 Center console: sh ift ing manually with the selector
l ever
Fig. 86 Steering wheel : manual s hift ing with the s hift pad­
dles*
Shifting with the selector lever
You can shift into tip tron ic mode while stationary
and while driving.
.,. To shift into tiptronic mode, push the selector
lever from the D/S setting to the right. As soon
as the transmission switches over, the
M selec­
tor lever position will appear in the instrument
cluster display .
.,. To shift up a gear, tap the selector lever for­
ward
0 ~ fig. 85.
.,. To shift down a gear, tap the selector lever back
0-
Shifting with the shift paddles*
You can operate the shift paddles in the D/S or M
selector lever positions. ..,.

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' Trailer towing 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.
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
For 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
c::> page 83, Operating instructions.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount. Always check with the trail­
er hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct 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 modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From time to time, check that all hitch mounting
bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer,
remove the
trailer hitch ball mount . This prevents the hitch
from causing damage shou ld your vehicle be
struck from behind
c::> .&, .
Tra iler towing
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regu la­
tions.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system.
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 with your Audi dealer for correct wiring,
switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable 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 removing the trailer hitch, do not store
it in your vehicle. In case of sudden braking,
the hitch could fly forward and injure you or
your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is lim ited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or s ideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer c::> .&.
in Driving instructions on page 85 .
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has enough fluid . ..,.
83

Trailer towing
Tire pr essure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the tires of yo ur
veh icle to the tire pressure listed under " Fu ll
load" on the label¢
page 220. Inflate trai ler
tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions.
Lights
Check to ma ke sure both vehicle and t railer lights
are working proper ly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are proper ly connect­
ed from the traile r to the hitch on the vehicle.
L eave enough slac k in the c ha ins to permi t turn­
ing corners. When you 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 drive select
Make sure the veh icle is on a level surface before
h itchi ng up the t railer a nd before adjus ting the
tongue we igh t. The vehicle must be in
auto or
c omfort driving mode and not ra ised
¢page 104, ¢(!) .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info­
tainmen t, se lect:
ICARI f u nct ion butto n> Lower
con trol b utton.
I f you must dr ive under poo r road conditions, you
can ra ise the vehicle
aft er coup ling the t rai ler or
after adj usting the tongue weight¢ page 106.
@ Note
-Changes in tempe rature or load ca n affect
the he ight of the vehicle.
- Always se lect
auto or comfort mode . Other­
wise, the tongue load spec ified for your ve­
hi cle w ill no longe r be applicable.
84
· Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results
i n a h ighly unstab le distribut ion of weight. If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle shou ld be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, wh ile
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
c ir cumstances . Wheneve r possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow ve hicle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle load ing conside ra tions.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the dr iver to control the r ig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
yo ur speed even more if load, weather or wind
cond it ions are unfavo rab le -pa rtic ularly whe n
going downh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immed iately if the t railer
shows the slightest sign of sway ing.
Do not try
t o stop th e s waying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds fo r
vehicles tow ing traile rs are lower than for regular
vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the eng ine
braki ng effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
bra kes alone ca n cause them to overheat a nd fail.
Air suspension*
When dr iving with a trailer, act ivate the trailer
mode of the air suspens io n. Switch the a ir sus­
pension trailer mode on w hen you are towing a
trailer. This wi ll limit the regulation by the air
s u spension while dr iv ing. Se lect in the M MI:
I CAR ! funct ion but ton > (Car )* s ystem s contro l
button >
Vehicle setting s > Air su sp .: towing >
On . .,_