2018 AUDI A6 ESP

Wheel s
Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto­ matic transmission, power steer­
ing , power brakes , power win­
dows , power seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-in­
stalled equipment (whether in­
stalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the width of the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a
low sidewall for improved steer­
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement .
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the bead.
20 4
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the t ire pressure recom­
mended by the vehicle manufac­
turer for a tire of a designated
size that has not been driven for
more than a couple of miles (kilo ­
meters) at low speeds in the
three hour period before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor ve­
hicle w ith standard equipment in­
cluding the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil, and coolant, ai r condi­
tioning and additional weight of
optional equipment.
E x tra load ti re
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in­
flation pressures than the corre­
sponding standard tire. Extra load
tires may be identified as "X L",
"
l" "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF" on X I I
the sidewall. .,.

Wheels
by the tire manufacturer. This in­
formation is used to contact con­ sumers if a tire defect requires a
recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and lug­
gage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilo ­
grams) times the vehicle's desig­ nated seating capacity .
Vehicle maximum load on the
tire
means that load on an individual
tire that is determined by distrib­
uting to each axle its share of the
maximum loaded vehic le weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual
tire that is determined by distrib­
uting to each axle its share of the
curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (dis ­
tr ibuted in accordance
with¢ ta­
ble on page
2 13) and d ividing by
two .
Occupant loading and distri­
bution for vehicle normal load
for various designated seating capacities
Re fer to the tire inflation pres­
sure
label¢ page 211, fig. 188
2 08
for the n umbe r of seating posi­
tions. Refer to the
table ¢ table
on page
213 for the number of
people tha t correspond to the ve­
hicle normal load.
New tires or wheels
Audi recommends having all work
on t ires or wheels performed by
an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility.
These facilities have the proper
know ledge and are eq uipped with
the required too ls and rep lace­
ment parts.
... New t ires do not yet have the
optim um gripping properties.
Drive carefully and at moderate
speeds for the first 35 0 m iles
(500 km) with new tires .
... Only use tires with the same de­
sign, size ( rolling circumfer ­
ence) , and as close to t he same
tread pattern as possible on a ll
four wheels .
...
Do not replace tires individually.
At least replace bo th tires on the
same axle at the same time .
... Audi recommends that you use
Audi O riginal Tires. If you would
like to use di fferent tires, please
note that the tires may perform
...

Wheels
For example: Tr ead wea r 200, Traction AA, Tem ­
pe rature
A .
All passenge r ca r tires m ust conform to Federa l
Safety Requi rements in addition to these g rades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparat ive rat ing
based on the wear rate of the t ire when tested
unde r contro ll ed conditions o n a specified gov ­
e rnmen t test co urse.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one ha lf ( 11/2) t imes as well on the gove rn­
ment course as a tire g raded 1 00.
The relative performance of t ires depends upon
the actual condi tions of their use, howeve r, and
may depart s ignificant ly from the norm d ue to
va ria tions in driving hab its, service pra ctices and
d ifferences in road ch aract eris tics and clim ate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, Band
C. T hose grades represent the t ire's
ab ility to stop on wet pavement as meas ured un­
de r contro lled condi tions o n specified gove rn ­
men t tes t su rfa ces of asp ha lt and conc re te. A tire
mar ked C m ay have poor trac tion pe rforma nce
q _&. ,
Temperature
The temperature grades a re A (t he highest), B,
and C, rep resent ing the tire' s resistan ce to t he
gener ation o f heat and it s abili ty to d iss ipate
heat when tested unde r controlled condi tions on
a specified in door laboratory test whee l.
Susta ined hig h tem perature can cause t he ma te ­
r ial of the t ire to dege nerate and re duce tire life,
an d excess ive temperatu re can lead to sudden
tire fai lure
q .&. .
The gr ade C co rresponds to a leve l of perfor m­
a nce wh ich all passenge r car tir es mus t mee t un ­
der t he Fede ra l Mo tor Vehicle Safety Standar d
No . 109 . Grades Band A represent higher leve ls
of perfo rmance on the labo rato ry test w heel than
the min imum required by law.
218
A WARNING -
The tract io n grade assigned to this t ire is
based on straight-a head braking traction
tes ts, a nd does no t in clude acceleration, cor­
ne ring, hy droplaning or pea k traction cha rac­
teris tics.
A WARNING
The tem perat ure grade fo r thi s tire is estab­
lishe d fo r a t ire th at is p roperl y infl ated and
n ot overloaded . Excessive s peed, under infla ­
tion, o r excessive loa ding, either separate ly or
i n comb inat io n, can cause heat bu ildup and
possib le t ire fai lure.
A WARNING
-
-
Tempe rature grades app ly to t ires that are
proper ly inflated a nd not over or under inflat­
ed .
Tire pressure monitoring
system
ill General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if prov ided),
shou ld be checked monthly when cold and inflat­
ed to the i nflat ion press ure recommended by the
vehicle manufacture r on the veh icle placard or
ti re infla tion p ressure labe l. (If your ve hicle has
t ir es of a diffe rent size t han the si ze ind icated on
t h e ve hicle placard or tire i nflat io n press ure la ­
bel, you sho uld dete rm ine the proper tire in fla­
tion press ure for those tires) .
As a n ad ded safety featu re, you r vehicle has been
equipped wi th a t ire p ress ure mon itor ing system
(TPMS) t hat ill umi nates a low tire p ressure tell ­
ta le w hen one or mo re of your tires is s ignificant ­
l y under -inflated. According ly, w hen the low ti re
pressure telltale illum inates, you sho uld stop and
c h eck your t ires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Dr iv ing on a sign ifi­
cant ly under -inflated t ire ca uses the t ire to over ­
heat and ca n lead to tire fa ilu re . U nder-inflation
also red uces fue l eff ic iency a nd tire tread life,
and may affect t he ve hicl e's handling a nd s top-
ping ability.
II>-

Wheels
A WARNING
-If the t ire pressure indicator appears in the
display, reduce your speed immediate ly and
avoid any hard s teer ing or braking maneu­
vers . Stop as soon as possib le and check the
t ir es and thei r pressu re .
- The driver is responsib le for main taining the
correct tire pressure. You mus t check t he
t ir e pressure regu larly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
dr iv ing style, winter cond itions o r unpaved
ro ads), the tire p ressure mon itoring system
in dicator may be delaye d.
(D Tips
- The t ire pressu re monitoring sys tem can al­
so stop work ing when there is an ESC mal­
fun ct ion.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfu nction.
- The t ire pressu re monitoring sys tem in your
A udi was calibrated with "A udi Orig inal
T ires "~ page 208. Using these ti res is re c­
ommended.
Storing tire pressures
Applies to: vehicles with Tir e Pressure Monitor ing System in­
dicator
I f the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys­ tem .
.,. Make sur e before sto ring that t he tire pressures
of a ll fo ur t ires meet the specified val ues and
are ada pted to the load
c:;> page 211 .
.,. Switch the ign ition on .
.,. Se lect : the ICARI fu nction bu tton> ( Car )* Sys­
tems
con trol button > Service & control > Tire
pre ssure monitor > Store tire pre ssure > Yes,
store now .
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pre ssu res i f snow chains
are installed.
220

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \,;J ' Care and cleaning
General information
Regu lar, proper ca re helps to maintain your ve hi­
cle's value. It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims fo r cor rosion damage
and pa int defects on the body.
The necessary care prod ucts can be obtained
from an authorized Audi dea le r or authorized
Aud i Service Facility . R ead and follow the instruc ­
tions fo r use on the packaging.
A WARNING
-Us ing clea ning and ca re products inco rrectly
can be dangero us to your hea lth .
- Always store clean ing and ca re prod ucts out
of reach of chi ldren to reduce the r isk of po i­
son ing .
@ For the sake of the environment
- P refe rab ly purchase env ironmenta lly-friend­
l y cleaning prod ucts.
- Do not d ispose o f leftove r clea ning and ca re
p roducts with house hold t rash.
Car washes
T he longer that deposits remain on the vehicle,
the more the surface may be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sun light
increase t he damag ing effect .
Before washing, rinse
off heavy deposits with
p lenty o f water.
S tu bbor n depos its s uch as bird droppi ngs or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of wate r and a
mic rofibe r cloth.
A lso , wash t he u nderside of yo ur vehicle once
road sa lt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washi ng your ve hicle w it h a pressu re wash­
e r, a lways fo llow the operating instr uctions pro­
v id ed wi th t he p ress ure washer. This is espe cially
i mportant in rega rd to the pressure and sp raying
d ista nce . Do not a im the spray directly at the
sea ls on the side w indows , doors, lids o r the sun -
Care and cleaning
roo f* or at tires, r ubber hoses, insulat ing mater i­
al, sensors* or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of
at least 16 in (40 cm) .
D o no t remove snow and ice wi th a pressure
washe r.
Never use cone noz zles o r high press ure no zzles .
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °() .
Automatic car washes
Spray of f th e vehicle befo re wash ing .
Make s ure that the w in d ows and roo f* are closed
and the windsh ie ld wipers are
off . Follow instruc ­
t ions from the car wash ope rato r, es pecially if
t h ere are accesso ries attac hed to you r vehicle .
If possible, use car washes th at do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the ve hicle starting from t he top and wor k­
i ng down using a soft sponge o r clea ning br ush .
U se solven t-free cleani ng p rod ucts.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avo id d amag ing the pa int w hen washi ng, fi rst
r emove dust and large p articl es from you r vehi ­
cl e. Insects, gre ase spo ts and fingerpr ints are
best removed w it h a s pecial cleaner for mat te
finish paint.
Apply t he p rodu ct using a microfiber cloth. To
avo id dam ag ing t he pa int surfa ce, do no t use too
much pressure.
Rinse t he ve hicle thoroug hly w ith wate r. T hen
cl ea n usi ng a neutra l shampoo an d a soft m icro­
f iber clo th .
Rinse the ve hicle thoroug hly aga in and let it air
dry. Remove a ny wate r residue using a chamois .
A WARNING
- Only wash the veh icle w hen the ig nition is
off an d follow t he in str uctions from the car
wash ope rato r to re duce the ris k of acci ­
dents .
-
221

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \,;J ' Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
P aint
Paint damage Refer to the paint number on the vehicle data label, repair
with touch up paint
c> page 245
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediate ly
Surface rust Rust remover, then protect with hard wax; for questions,
consult an author ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv-
i ce Facility .
Corrosion Have it removed by an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility.
Water no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean paint
No shine even though Treat with suitable polish; then apply paint protectant if
pa int has been pro- the polish that was used does not contain any protectant
tected/pa int looks
poor
Deposits such as in- Dampen with water immediately and remove with a micro -
sects, bird droppings, fiber cloth
tree sap and road salt
Grease-based con- Remove immediately with a mild soap sol ution
al and a
taminants such as soft cloth
cosmetics or sunb lock
Carb on p art s Deposits clean the same way as painted parts c> page 221
a) Mild soap solution: max im um two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quar t (1 liter ) of water
Interior cl eaning
Component Situation Solution
Windo ws
Deposits Glass cleaner, then
wipe dry
Decor ati ve part s/ Deposits Mild soap solutional
trim
Pl as tic part s
Deposits Damp doth
H eavier depos its Mild soap solution
al, detergent-free plastic clean ing solu-
tion, if necessa ry
Di spl ays Deposits Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
Co ntro ls Deposits Soft brush, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solutional
Sa fe ty bel ts Deposits Mild soap sol ution al, allow to dry before letting them re-
tract
223

Care and cl eaning
Component Situation Solution
Tex tile s
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
art ifici al l eat her, the surface
A lca ntara Water -based deposits Absorbent cloth and mild soap solut
iona>
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
O il-based deposits Apply a m ild soap solution
a), blot away the dissolved oil or
such as oil , make-up, dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
etc.
Special deposits such Special stain remover, blot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, na il polish, la- afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary a)
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natural leathe r Fresh stains Cotton cloth
with a mild soap so lutiona >
Water-based deposits Fresh stairns : absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dried sta ins : stain remover suitable for leather
blood, etc.
Oil -based deposits Fresh stairns : absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
such as oil, make-up, for leather
etc. Dried stains : grease dissolving spray
Special deposits such Spot remover suitab le for leather
as ink, nai l polish, la -
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Care Regula rly apply cond it ion ing cream that p rotects from
lig ht and penetrates into the material. Use specia lly-co l-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary .
Carbon part s Deposits clean the same way as plastic parts
al Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quart (1 liter) of water
_& WARNING
The windsh ie ld may not be treated wi th wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un ­
favorable conditions such as wetness, dark ­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare.
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
@ Note
-Headlight s/tail light s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form .
-Wheel s
224
- - Never use any paint polish or other abra­
sive materials.
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratches must
be repaired immediately.
- Cam era lens es
- Neve r use wa rm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the came ra lens . This
could cause the lens to crack .
- Neve r use ab rasive cleaning m aterials or
a lcohol to clean the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Door wind ow s
- Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plast ic scraper. To

Emergency assistance
Emergency assistance
General information
.,. Park the vehicle as far as possible from moving
traffic in the event of a breakdown. In the event
of a flat tire, park the vehicle on a level surface .
It you are on a steep hill, be especially careful.
.,. Set the parking brake .
.,. Switch the emergency flashers on .
.,. Set up the warning triangle r=;,page 226 .
.,. Have the passengers exit the vehicle . They
should move to a safe place, for example be­
hind a guard rail.
A WARNING
Follow the steps given above. This is for your
protection and the for the safety of other driv­
ers.
Equipment
Warning triangle
A pplies to: ve hicles w ith warning triangle
Fig. 190 Luggage compa rtment lid : wa rnin g triangle
The warning triangle placed in the vehicle at the
factory is located in the luggage compartment.
.,. To remove the warning triangle, press the re-
tainer in the direction of the arrow
r:;, fig . 190
and fold the holder down.
The luggage compartment lid is only designed to
hold the warning triangle offered by the Audi
Genuine Accessories program.
226
Vehicle tool kit
Fig. 191 Luggage compartment: vehicle tool kit
The vehicle tools and vehicle jack* are stored in
the luggage compartment under the floor cover.
.,. Lift the cargo floor by the plastic handle.
.,. Hook the handle into the luggage compartment
weather strip.
.,. Turn the handle counter-clockwise and remove
the cover or the spare tire* .
.,. Unhook the cargo floor before clos ing the lug­
gage compartment lid.
A WARNING
I mproper use of the veh icle jack can cause se­
rious personal injuries.
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
tighten wheel bolts, since the bolts cannot
attain the necessary tightening torque if yo u
use the hex head, potentially causing an ac­
cident.
- The factory-supplied jack is intended only
for your vehicle model. Under no circum­
stances should it be used to lift heavy
vehicles or other loads; you risk injuring
yourself.
- Never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised, which could cause an accident .
- Support the vehicle securely with appropri­ ate stands if work is to be performed under­
neath the vehicle; otherwise, there is a po­
tential risk for injury .
- Never use the jack supplied with your Audi
on another vehicle, particularly on a heavier
one. The jack is only suitable for use on the
vehicle it came with.