2017 AUDI A6 trailer

Table of contents
About this Owner's Manual ... .. .
Cockpit ... .. ............... .... .. .
Cockpit overview ................ .
Controls at a glance ... .......... .. .. .
Instruments and indicator lights
Instruments .... ... .......... .. .. .. .
Indicator lights .. .. .......... .. .. .. .
Driver information system ... .. .
Overview ... .... ... .......... ...... .
Operation .... .. ... .......... .. .. .. .
On-board computer ........... .... .. .
Eff iciency program . ........... .. .. .. .
Odometer .. .. .. ............ .... ... .
T ime/date display ........... .... ... .
He ad-up display .... .. .. ..... ... .. .. .
On Board Diagnostic System (OBD) .. .. .
Starting and driving ...... .. .. .. .
Opening and closing .......... .. .
Central locking ... ............ .... .. .
L uggage compartment lid ...... .... .. .
Child safety lock .... .......... .. .. .. .
Power windows ...... ..... ... .. .. .. .
Sunroof . ... .... .. ........... .. .. .. . 5
6
6
6
9
9
10
2 1
21
22
22
23
24
24
24
25
27
27
27
33
36
37
38
Valet Parking function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Garage door opener (Home link) . . . . . . . . 39
Lights and Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Exterior lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Interior lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
V1s1on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Windshield wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
S eats and storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Gene ral information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Fro nt seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
H ead restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
51
Memory function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
12 Volt sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
2
Warm and cold .. .. ... .......... . .
Climate contro l system . ............ . .
Steering wheel heating .. . .......... . .
Driving ..... .. .. .. .. ... .......... . .
General information . .... .......... . .
Steering .. .. .. .. .. .. ............. . .
Start ing and stopping the eng ine ..... . .
Start-Stop system .. .. ... .. ..... ... . .
E le ctromechanical parking brake ..... . .
Start ing from a stop .. .............. .
Automatic transmission
Trailer towing ..... .............. .
Driving with a trailer .. ... .. ... ... .. . .
T ra iler towing information .......... . .
Driver assistance .. ........ ..... . .
Assist ...... .. .. .. .. .. ........... . .
Speed warning system . ............. . .
Cruise control system ... ........... . .
Audi adaptive c ruise contro l .......... .
Audi active lane assist ... ........... . .
Audi s ide ass ist .. .. .. ............. . .
Night vision assist w ith pedestrian and
wild animal detection ............... .
Audi drive select (drive settings) ....... .
60
60
65
66
66
68
70
72
75
76
77
83
83
85
86
86
86
86
88
96
98
101
104
Park ing systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Genera l information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Parking system plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Rearviewcamera . ......... ....... ... 110
Peripheral cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Adjus ting the display and the warning
tones..............................
118
Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Trailer hitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Intelligent Technology . . . . . . . . . . 120
E lectronic Stabilization Control (ESC) . . . . 120
B raking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
E lectromechanical steering, dynamic
steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
123
All wheel drive (quattro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Energy management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Notice about data recorded by the Event
Data Recorder and vehicle control
modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
126

Instruments and indicator lights
Drive to an autho rized Aud i dea ler or a uth orized
Aud i Service Facility immediately to have t he
malfunct ion corrected .
0 Air suspension
• Air suspension : System fault Driving slowly
at ma ximum 35 mph is possible.
There is a malfunction that can result in restrict ­
ed driving stability.
Drive to an a utho rized Audi dea ler or authorized
Audi Serv ice Facility immediately at a maximum
speed of 35 mph (60 km/ h) to have the ma lf u nc­
tion corrected .
• Air sus pension : Service mode. Vehicle can
onl y be mo ved with restriction s
Carefully drive to your author ized A udi dealer or
author ized Audi Se rvice Facility immed iate ly to
have the serv ice mode deactivated .
II Air su spen sion : Sy stem fault
There is a system malfunct ion that ca n result in
restricted driving stability or reduced gro und
clearance.
Drive to an authori zed Aud i dea ler or authori zed
Aud i Serv ice Facility immediately to have the
malfunct ion corrected.
II Air sus pension : Vehicle is too low . Ground
clearance limited
The ground clearance is very low due to a system malfunctio n. Wait until the air suspension sys­
tem has restored norma l ground clearance. Oth­
erwise, conditions such as an uneven road surface
can lead to vehicle damage.
0 Clutch
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith manu al transmiss ion
• Clutch: malfunction! Safely park vehicle
There is an ongoing ma lfunction in the clutch.
Stop the vehicle safely . See an authorized Audi
dealer or a uthorized Aud i Serv ice Facility fo r as­
sistance .
[O] Clutch malfunction! Adapt d riving sty le.
Contact Ser vice
16
There is an ongoing ma lf u nct ion in the clutch.
The engine torq ue that can be transfer red is re ­
duced. You may continue driv ing. Avo id using the
clutch in any way that w ill place a heavy load on
i t. For example, do not let the clutch rub when
start ing o n hills, whe n towing a trai ler or when
maneuveri ng the vehicle . Drive to an author ized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac ility im­
med iate ly to have the malfu nction corrected.
fiB Clut ch malfunction! You may continue driv­
ing
There is a ma lfunction in the clutch. The engine
torque that can be transferred is reduced. You
may contin ue driving . Avoid using the clutch in
t h e future in any way that w ill place a heavy load
o n it. Fo r example , do no t let the clutc h ru b when
starting o n hill s, when towing a trailer or when
mane uve rin g the vehicle . The ind ic a tor light
turns off once the clutch is fully operab le ag ain.
Lt Brake booster
D Brake servo : limited functionality. You can
conti nue d riving. Conta ct w ork shop
There is a m alfu nction in the brake booster. The
bra ke booste r is ava ilable, but its effectiveness is
reduced . Braking behavior may be different from
how it normally f unctions and the bra ke pedal
may vibrate.
Drive to an au thorized A udi dealer or au thorized
Audi Se rvice Facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected.
n/ u Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC)
If the G1 ind icator light blinks while driving, the
ESC or ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) is act ively regu­
lating .
If the
GJ ind icator light turns on, the system has
switched the ESC off. In t his case, yo u can switch
the ignit io n off and then on to switch the ESC on
again . T he i ndicator light t urns off when the sys ­
tem is functioning fully .
If the
II ind icator light turns on, ESC was
switched off us ing the
I~ OFFI button
<=> page 120 .

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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 . .,_

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge c::> page 9 must
be observed carefu lly . The coolant temperature
can increase if you drive on long inclines in a low
gear at high engine speeds. Reduce your speed immediately if the LEDs in the top part of the dis­
play turn on.
F or more information about ind icator lights, re­
fer to.
c::> page 14.
A WARNING
Anyone not proper ly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided
by Audi.
Trailer towing information
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
tra iler because of the additional weight and dif­
ferent weight distribut ion . Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how careful­
ly you load your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopp ing and back ing up in an area away
from traff ic. Keep practicing until you have be­
come completely fam iliar with the way your vehi­
cle-trailer combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires pract ice.
Backing up with a trailer generally requires steer­
ing action opposite to that when backing up your
vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater d istance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. You w ill need more
r oom to stop. To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accel­
erate as fast as you normally wou ld because of
the added load. Make s ure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, a llow plenty of room for
your tra iler before changing lanes again.
Trailer towing
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
c::> page 259 .
Parking on a slope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
• Apply the foot brake.
• Have someone place chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels.
• With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load.
• Turn the whee ls towards the curb.
• App ly the parking brake.
• Select the P selector lever position.
When restarting after parking:
• App ly the foot brake.
• Start the engine.
• Select the D/S se lector lever position.
• Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
• Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks.
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automat­
i c transmission to P before applying the park­
i ng brake and before blocking the wheels, you
may have to use more force later to move the
l ever out of the P position.
85

Assist
system may have detected a vehicle in another
lane that is
not adjacent to your current lane.
- If you are driving through a curve. Side assist
may react to a vehicle that is one lane over
from the adjacent lane.
- If side assist reacts to other objects (such as
high or displaced guard rails).
- In poor weather conditions. The side assist
functions are limited.
Do not cover the radar sensors <=>
fig. 107 with
stickers, deposits, bicycle wheels or other ob­
jects, because they will impair the function. Do not use side assist when towing a trailer. For in­
formation on cleaning, see <=>
page 231.
A WARNING
-Always pay attention to traffic and to the
area around your vehicle. Side assist cannot
replace a driver's attention. The driver alone
is always responsible for lane changes and
similar driving maneuvers.
- In some situations, the system may not
function or its function may be limited. For
example:
- If vehicles are approaching or being left
behind very quickly. The display may not
turn on in time.
- In poor weather conditions such as heavy
rain, snow or heavy mist.
- On very wide lanes, in tight curves, or if
there is a rise in the road surface. Vehicles
in the adjacent lane may not be detected
because they are outside of the sensor
range.
- Audi side assist cannot detect all vehicles under all conditions, which can increase the
risk of accidents.
- Please note that side assist only displays ap­ proaching vehicles or vehicles in your blind
spot if your vehicle is traveling at least
19 mph (30 km/h).
- In certain situations, the system may not
work or its function may be limited. For ex­
ample:
- The display may not turn on at the right
time if veh ides are approaching or passing
very quickly.
100
-
-In poor weather conditions, such as heavy
rain, snow or fog.
- In very wide lanes, in tight curves or when
there are slopes in the roadway, vehicles
in the neighboring lanes may not be de­
tected because they a re outside of the
sensor range.
(D Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, wheel housing and
underbody. This can impair the system. Have
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility check their function .
@ Tips
If the window glass in the driver's door or
front passenger's door has been tinted, the display in the exterior mirror may be incor­
rect.
- For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulations, see
~page 262.
Switching on and off
Appl ies to : vehicles wi th Audi side ass ist
Fig. 108 Driver's door: side assist button
"" Press the button to switch the system on and
off <=>.&
in General information on page 100.
The LED in the button turns on when side assist
is switched on.

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l - Adjusting the display brightness
Applies to: vehicl es with Audi side assist
The display brightness can be adjusted in the In­
fotainment system.
.. Se lect: the ICARI function button > ( Car )* Sys ­
tems
control button > Driver ass istance > Audi
side a ssist .
The display brightness ad justs automat ica lly to
the br ightness of the surroundings, bot h in the
i n formation and in the warning stage . In very
dark or very bright sur roundi ngs, the automatic
ad ju stment will set t he d isp lay to the m inimum
or maxim um level. In such cases, you may no tice
no change when adjus ting the brightness, o r the
change may only be no tic eable once the s ur­
ro undings change .
Ad just the b rig htness to a level where the d isp lay
i n the inform ation stage wi ll no t dis rup t your
view ahead. If you change the bright ness, the dis­
p lay in the ex terior mir ror will brief ly show the
b rightness level in the information stage . The
b rightness of the warning stage is linked to the
brightness in the informat ion stage and is ad just­
ed along with the information stage.
(D Tips
- Side assist is not active wh ile you are ma k­
i ng the ad justment.
- Your settings are automatically stored and
ass igned to the remote control key being
u sed.
Messages
App lies to: vehicl es with Audi side assist
If side ass ist switches off by itself, the LED in the
button turns off and a message will appear in the
i nstr ument cluster d isp lay :
Audi side assist: Currently unavailable . No
sensor vision
The rada r senso r vis io n i s impa ired . Do not cove r
the area in front of the senso rs with bike wheels ,
sticke rs, dirt o r othe r objects . Clean t he a rea in
fr on t of the senso rs , if necess ary
c> page 99,
fig. 107 .
Assist
Audi side assist: Currently unavailable
S id e assist c annot be sw itched on at this time be­
ca use there is a ma lfunction (for example, the
batte ry c harge leve l may be too low).
Audi side assist: System fault!
T he system cannot gua rantee that it will detect
vehicles cor rect ly a nd i t has switc hed off. The
senso rs have been moved or are f aulty. Have the
system checked by an au thorized Aud i dea ler or
authorized Audi Serv ice Facility soon.
Audi side assist: Unavailable when towing
S ide ass ist swit ches off automatically when a fac­
tory- inst alled tra ile r hi tch is con nected to the
elect rica l connec tor on the t rai ler . There is no
guarantee the system will switch off when using
a retrofitted trailer hitch. Do not use side assist
when towing a trai ler.
Night vision assist with
pedestrian and wild
animal detection
Description
Applies to : vehicles with night vision assist
The night vision assist can detect, highlight and,
if necessary, warn about pedestrians and large wild animals.
Night v ision assist w it h pedestrian and w ild a ni­
mal detection assists you at nig ht by using an in­
frared camera to monitor the a rea in front of
your vehicle, within t he limits of the system. It
can d isplay objects up to a distance of approxi ­
mately 1000 feet (300 m) . The thermal image
de tected by the camera is show n in the inst ru­
me nt cl uster d is pla y. Wa rm areas appear lighter
and co ld areas appear da rker.
101

Parking systems
Parking systems
General information
Applies to: vehicles with parking system plus/rearview cam­
era/peripheral camera
Depending on your vehicle's equipment , various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma­
neuvering.
The
parking system plus assists you when park­
ing by audibly and visually indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the vehicle
¢page 109.
The
rearview camera shows the area behind the
vehicle in the Infotainment system display. This
display assists you when you are cross or parallel parking
¢ page 110. The parking system plus
functions are also available
¢ page 109.
The
peripheral cameras assist you with parking
and maneuvering. You are aided by various cam­
eras depending on the vehicle equipment level
¢ page 113. The parking system plus functions
are also available
¢ page 109.
A WARNING
-Always look for traffic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it directly
as well. The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attention. The driver is always responsible when entering or leaving a park­
ing space and during similar maneuvers.
- Please note that some surfaces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system .
-
-Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
which people and objects cannot be detect­ ed . Be especially cautious of small children
and animals.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody . The park­
ing system may be impaired as a result.
Have an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility check their func­
tion .
- Make sure the sensors are not obstructed by stickers, deposits or other materials. If they
are, the sensor function could be impaired.
108
For additional information on cleaning, see
¢page 231.
(D Note
-Some objects are not detected or displayed
by the system under certain circumstances:
- Objects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, vertical poles or fences
- Objects above the sensors such as wall ex­
tensions
- Objects with certain surfaces or structures
such as chain link fences or powder snow
- If you continue driving closer to a low ob­
ject, it may disappear from the sensor range. Note that you will no longer be
warned about th is obstacle .
- Keep enough distance from the curb to re­
duce the risk of damage to the rims .
(D Tips
-The system may provide a warning even
though there are no obstacles in the cover­
age area in some situations, such as :
- certa in road surfaces or when there is tall
grass.
- external ultrasonic sources such as from
cleaning vehicles .
- in heavy rain, snow, or thick vehicle ex­
haust.
- We recommend that you practice parking in
a traffic-free location or parking lot to be­
come familiar with the system . When doing
this, there should be good light and weath­
er conditions.
- You can change the volume and pitch of the
signals as well as the display
¢ page 118.
- Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trailer located in
¢page 118.
- What appears in the infotainment d isplay is
somewhat time-delayed.
- Th e sensors must be kept clean and free of
snow and ice for park aid to operate .