2018 AUDI A6 tow

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \.J - Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your veh icle is primar ily intended for transport­
ing people and luggage. However, if you dr ive
with a trailer, follow the technical requirements,
the operation and driving tips, and the legal reg­
u lations.
Driving with a trailer affects the vehicle 's fuel
consumption, performance and wear. It also re­
quires highe r concentration from the driver.
A WARNING
Do not transport any people in a trailer due to
the risk of fatal injury.
Technical requirements
Certain requirements must be met when towing
a trailer.
Trailer hitch
Only use a trailer hitch with a removab le ball
hitch mount and ball hitch. The trailer hitch must
be perm itted for the vehicle, the trailer and the
permitted total weight of the trailer being
pu lled. Above all, it must be secure ly and safe ly
attached to the vehicle trailer.
Never mount a trailer hitch on the bumper. The
trailer hitch must be mounted in a way that does
not impair the function of the bumper. Do not
make any changes to the exhaust system and the
brake system.
Check regularly if the trailer hitch is securely
mounted. A lways follow the instructions given by
the trai ler hitch manufacturer .
Trailer brakes
If the tra iler has its own brake system, then fol­
l ow the manufacturer specifications. However,
the brake system on the trailer must never be
connected to the vehicle brake system.
Trailer towing
Engine cooling system
Driving with a trailer means a higher load on the
engine and the cooling system. The coo ling sys­
tem must be designed for additiona l load and
contain enough coo lant
i::> @ .
@ Note
Longer inclines cannot be driven without a
suitab le cooling system, especia lly if t he out­
side temperatures are high . otherwise, this
increases the risk of engine damage.
Operating instructions
Several things must be noted when towing a
trailer.
Towing capacity
Your vehicle can only be operated with class 1 or
class 2 trailers.
Load distribution
Poor cargo load and distribut ion can negatively
impact vehicle handling.
- Store objects preferably in the vehicle luggage
compartment . The vehicle should always carry
the heaviest poss ible load and the trailer
should have the lightest possible load.
- Distribute the load in the trailer so that the
heavy objects are as close to the axle as poss i­
b le.
- Secure objects from sl iding out of place .
- Ut ilize the maximum permitted tongue weight
if possible .
Tires
Set the tire pressure on your vehicle for a "full
load"; see the tire pressure sticker
c::>page 211.
If necessary, also adjust the tire pressure on the
trailer according to the manufacturer's recom­ mendat ion .
Winter tires should be mounted on the vehicle and on the trailer during winter temperatures.
Outside mirrors
If you cannot see the tra ffic behind the trailer
with the standard exterior mirrors, then you
81

Trail er to wing
must attach additiona l exterior mirrors . Adjust
them so you have a sufficient visibility behind
you .
Exterior lighting
Follow the lega l regulat ions regard ing the light ­
ing eq uipment on your trailer . Conta ct an author ­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty for more information.
Before start ing to drive, check a ll l ight ing equip­
men t on the hitc hed trailer.
The headlig ht range contro l adjusts automatical­
ly to the light range of the headl ights.
Safe ty chain s
Make su re the safety chains are correctly applied
when pulling a trailer . The chains should hang
enough so t hat the trailer can dr ive around
curves. However, they must not touch the
g round .
Air su spension
Applies to: vehicles with air suspension
The air suspension must be at the standard vehi­
cle height before you set the tongue weight on
the trailer a nd h itch the trailer ¢@ ,
¢page 106,
Raising/lowering the vehicle .
For ve hicles w ith a factory-installed tra iler hitch,
the air suspension trailer mode will automat ically
sw itch on if you connect the trailer cable to the
socket.
F or ve hicles w ith a retro fitted trailer hitch, you
must switch on the air suspension trailer mode
manually . Select in the Infota inment system:
ICARI function button > ( Car )* s yste m s contro l
button
> V ehicle setting s > Air su spen sion : trail ­
e r > On .
Switch it off again after tow ing a tra ile r.
You can also switch off tra iler mode ma nually
while driving , for example, when using a bicycle
rac k system .
If you have to drive through difficult road condi­
tions , you can raise the vehicle aga in after hitch­
ing the t rai ler or after adjust ing the tongue
weight .
82
@ Note
Applies to: vehicles with air suspension
-Changes i n temperature or load can affect
the height of the vehicle .
- Set the air suspension to the standard veh i­
cle he ight, otherwise the applicable tongue
we ight no longer appl ies to your veh icle .
(D Tips
-Use chocks when park ing on inclines if the
trai ler is loaded.
- We recommend also hav ing the vehicle in­
spected between the inspection intervals if
you are towing a trailer frequently .
- Avoid driv ing with a trai ler dur ing the veh i­
cle break-in per iod.
Driving with a trailer
Driving with a trailer requires extra caution.
Sp eed
Adhere to t he lega l speed lim its . Fo llow the legal
regu lat ions
sp ecific to the country.
As the speed increases, the dr iv ing stab il ity of
t h e tra ile r decreases. Therefore you should not
exceed the max imum lega l speed lim it w hen
t h ere are unfavorab le road, weather and/or wind
conditions. This especia lly applies when driving
downh ill.
Yo u m ust always red uce your speed as soon as
you notice even the slightest swinging motion o f
the trai ler . Never try to "straight en out" the trai l­
er by acce lerating.
The we ight d istr ibution is very poor if the vehicle
is empty and the trai ler is loaded. However if you
must drive under these circumstances, then drive
especially slowly .
Brakes
B rake in a time ly manner. Downs hift befo re dr iv ­
i ng down hill so that the engine can assist with
braking ¢&. .
When using a trailer w it h over run bra kes, fi rst
bra ke gently t hen q uick ly. This red uces the r isk of
j erking while braking if the trailer wheels lock up .
IIJJ,,

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \.J ' Engine coolant temperature
Pay att ention specifica lly to the coolan t tempera ­
t ure d isp lay when t here are high outside tempe r­
atures, an d when dr iv ing on long inclines
~ page 9 . Shift to a highe r gear in a timely man ­
ne r.
A WARNING
Constant b raking causes the brakes to ove r­
heat and substant ially reduces b raking per­
formance, increases brak ing distance or caus­
es complete fa ilu re of the brake system.
-
Trailer towing
83

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \.J ' -Please note that unconsciously "resting"
yo ur foot on the accelerator pedal prevents
the cruise control from braking. Th is is be­
cause pressing the acce lerator pedal over­
rides the cruise control system .
- If a brake system ma lf u nction such as over­
heating occu rs when the c ruise contro l sys­
tem is switched on, the braking function in
the system may be switched off . The rest of
t h e cruise control system f unction s remain
ac tive as long as
the @;(IM~ (USA model s) /
l'I (C anada models) indi cator light is on .
(D Tips
The brake ligh ts turn on when the brakes a re
ap plied a utomat ica lly .
Changing speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
.. To inc rease o r decrease the speed in incre ­
ments, tap the lever toward
0 10 <=> page 84 ,
fig . 87 .
.. To inc rease o r decrease the speed qu ickly, ho ld
the leve r in the
010 direction until the de­
s ir ed speed is displayed.
You can a lso press the acce lerator pedal down to
increase yo ur speed, for example i f you want to
pass someone. The speed you set earlier w ill re­
sume as soo n as you release t he accelerator ped­
al.
However, if you exceed your saved speed by 5
mph (10 km/h) for longe r th an 6 mi nutes, the
cru ise control system tur ns off temporar ily .
The
green @;(i)~i~ (USA models) !l'I (Canada mod ­
e ls) indicator light in the speedometer tu rns off
and the stored speed is maintained.
Preselecting the speed
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
You can pre-select your desired speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
.. Switch the ign ition on.
.. Pull the lever into position @<=> page 84,
fig. 87 .
A ss istance systems
.. To increase or decrease the speed, tap the lever
toward
0 10 .
.. To store t he speed d isp layed, release the leve r.
T his func tion makes it possible , fo r example, to
save the spee d you want before driving on the
highway. Once on the highway, activate the
c ruise contro l by pull ing the leve r
towa rd @ .
Switching off
Applies to : vehicles with cruise control system
Deact ivating temporarily
.. Press the brake pedal, or
.. Press the lever into position @(not clicked into
p lace) <=>
page 84, fig . 87, or
.. Dr ive fo r longer t han 5 m inutes faster than 5
mph (10 km/h) above the stored speed .
Switching off completely
.. Press the lever into position @(clicked into
p lace), or
.. Switch the ignit ion off .
The speed you stored will be ma intained if the
cruise contro l has been switched off temporari ly .
To resume the stored speed, re lease the brake
peda l and pull the lever to
position @.
Switching the ignition off wi ll erase the stored
speed.
A WARNING "---
You should only resume the sto red speed if it
i s no t too high fo r existing t raff ic conditions .
Otherw ise you can inc rease the risk of an acci­
d ent .
85

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \,;J ' -With stationary objects ¢ page 88.
A WARNING
Always pay attention to traffic when adaptive
cruise control is switched on and braking
guard is active . As the driver, you are still re­
sponsible for starting and for maintaining
speed and distance to other objects. Braking
guard is used to assist you . The driver must
always take action to avoid a collision. The
driver is always responsible for braking at the
correct time.
- For safety reasons, do not use adaptive
cruise control when driving on roads with
many curves, when the road surface is in
poor condition and/or in bad weather (such
as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and hydroplan­
ing). Using the system under these condi­
tions increases the risk of an accident.
- Switch adaptive cruise control off tempora­
rily when driving in turning lanes, on ex­
pressway exits or in construction zones. This
prevents the vehicle from accelerating to
the stored speed when in these situations .
- The adaptive cruise control system will not
brake by itself if you put your foot on the ac­
celerator pedal. Doing so can override the
speed and distance regulation.
- When approaching stationary objects such
as stopped traffic, adaptive cruise control
will not respond and braking guard will have limited function.
- The adaptive cruise control system and
braking guard do not react to people, ani­
mals, objects crossing the road or oncoming
objects.
- The function of the radar sensors can be af­
fected by reflective objects such as guard
rails, the entrance to a tunnel, heavy rain or
ice.
A WARNING
- Improper use of adaptive cruise control can
cause collisions, other accidents and serious
personal injury.
- Never let the comfort and convenience that
adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Assistance systems
offer distract you from the need to be alert
to traffic conditions and the need to remain
in full control of your vehicle at all times,
- Always remember that the adaptive cruise
control and braking guard have limits -they
will not slow the vehicle down or maintain
the set distance when you drive towards an
obstacle or something on or near the road
that is not moving, such as vehicles stopped
in a traffic jam, a stalled or disabled vehicle.
If registered by the radar sensors, vehicles
or obstacles that are not moving can trigger
a collision warning and if confirmed by the
video camera, an acute collision warning.
- Never follow a vehicle so closely that you
cannot stop your vehicle safely. The adap­
tive cruise control cannot slow or brake the
vehicle safely when you follow another vehi­ cle too closely. Always remember that the
automatic braking function cannot bring the
vehicle to a sudden or emergency stop un­
der these conditions .
- To prevent unintended operation, always
switch ACC off when it is not being used .
@ Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, wheel housing and underbody . That could affect the adaptive
cruise control system and braking guard .
Have an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility check their function.
(D Tips
For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulations, see
¢page 250.
87

Assistance systems
In curves
Applies to: vehicles with Audi adaptive cruise contro l
Fig. 90 Example: dr ivi ng into a curve
When driving into a curve ¢ fig. 90 and out of a
curve, the adaptive cruise control may react to an
object in the ne ighbor ing la ne and apply the
brakes. You can p revent that by pressing the ac­
celerator pedal b riefly.
Stationary objects
Applies to: vehicles with Audi adaptive cruise control
F ig . 91 Example: object changi ng lanes and stationa ry o b·
j e ct
The adaptive cruise contro l system only reacts to
objects that are moving or that the system has
already detected as moving. For examp le, it can
react when a vehicle that has already been de­
tected @turns or changes lanes, but adaptive
cru ise control does not react to a stat ionary vehi­
cle @.
88
Switching on/off
Applies to: vehicles with Audi adaptive cruise control
Fig. 92 Operat ing lever: switc hing on and off
Fig. 93 Instrument cl ust er: a daptive c ruise control
You can set any speed between 20 mph (30 km/
h) and 95 mph (150 km/h) .
Indicator lights and messages in the instrument
cluster disp lay inform you about the current sit­
uation and setting .
An additional indicator appears in the head-up
display*.
Switching adaptive cruise control on
.,.. Pull the lever toward you into position @
¢ fig. 92. ACC: standby appears in the display.
Storing the speed and activating regulation
.,.. To store the cur rent speed, press the ISET I but­
ton
¢ fig. 92. The stored speed is shown in the
speedometer in the LE D line @and appears
briefly in the info rmation
line @¢ fig. 93 .
.,.. To activate the regulation while stationary, also
press the brake pedal.
Switching adaptive cruise control off
.,.. Push the leve r away from you into position@
until it clicks into place. The message
ACC : off
appears.

Ass is tance sy stem s
Driving manually
.,. Tap the acce lerato r pedal, o r
.,. pull the lever toward you into position @.
(D Tips
If an obstacle is detected whe n your veh icle
starts moving, the driver intervention request
appears
¢ page 91. Your vehicle will drive
more s low ly when starting. This may also
happen in some situations when there is no
apparent obstacle.
Interrupting cruise control
App lies to: veh icles with Audi adaptive cruise control
Fig . 95 S ele ctor leve r
Req uirement: adaptiv e cruis e control must be
sw itched on.
Overriding cruise control
.,. T o accelerate manually , p ull the lever toward
you into position @and ho ld it the re . T he mes­
sage
ACC : over ride appears. Or
.,. Press the accelerator pedal.
.,. T o resume cru ise control, release the lever or
take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Canceling c ruise contr ol while driving
.,. Move the lever into posit ion @. The message
AC C: standby appears . Or
.,. Press the brake pedal.
.,. T o resume the stored speed, move the lever in­
to position
@ .
Canceling crui se contr ol when stopped
.,. Push the lever away from you into position @.
The message
ACC: standby appea rs.
90
.,. To resume c ruise contro l, press the brake peda l
and pull the lever toward you into position @ .
A WARNING
It is dangerous to activate cruise control and
resume the stored speed when the current
road , traffic or weather conditions do not per­
mit this . This increases the risk of an accident .
· Setting the distance
Applies to: vehicles with Audi adapt ive c ruise control
Fig. 96 Operat ing lever: settin g th e d ista nce
.,. T ap the switch to display the current set dis­
tance
c> fig . 96.
N a, N 9 ::c
~
.,. To increase or reduce the dis tance in incre­
ments, tap the sw itch again to the r ight or left .
The d istance between the two vehicles will
change in the instrumen t cluster display .
When app roaching an object ahead, the adaptive
c ruise contro l system brakes to match that speed
and then adjusts to the set distance . If the object
ahead ac celerates, adaptive c ruise co ntro l w ill al­
so ac ce lerate up to the stored speed .
The higher the speed, the greater the distance in meters
c> ,&. . The Distance 3 setting is recom­
mended. That is equa l to the general recommen­
da tion of
" hal f the speed shown on the speedom­
ete r" .
The distances provided a re spec ified values . De­
pending on the driv ing s ituation and the way the
ob je ct ahe ad is dr iv ing, the actual dist ance may
be more or less than these ta rget distan ces .
The var ious symbols for the time inc rements ap­
pears briefly in the info rmation line @
¢ page 88, fig . 93 when you change the settings. II>

Assistance systems
Audi side assist
Description
Applies to: vehicles with Audi side assist
F ig. 103 Sensor detectfon ra nge
F ig. 104 Display o n the exterio r m irror
Side assist helps you monitor your blind spo t and
traffic behind your vehicle . Within the limits of
the system, it warns you about vehicles that are
coming closer or that are traveling with you with­
i n sensor
range @<=> fig. 103 : if a lane change is
classified as critical, the display@in the exter io r
mirror
c> fig. 104 turns on.
The display in the left exter ior mirror provides as­
sistance when making a lane change to the left,
while the display in the right exterior mirror pro­
vides assistance when making a lane change to
the right .
Information stage
As long as you do not activate the turn signal,
side assist
informs you about vehicles that are
detected and classified as critical. The display in
the mi rror turns on, but is dim .
The display remains dim in the info rmat ion stage
so that your view toward the front is not distur­
bed.
98
Warning stage
If the display in a mirror blinks brightly when you
activate a turn signal , side assist is
warning you
about detected vehicles that it has classified as
critical. If this happens, check traffic by glancing
in the exterior mirro rs and over your shoulder
c> .&. in General informa tion on page 99.
Applies to: vehicles with active lane assist
The display in the mirror can also blink if you
have not activated a turn signal: if you are ap­
proaching a detected lane marker line and it ap­
pears you will be leaving the lane, side ass ist will
warn you about detected vehicles that it has clas­
s if ied as crit ical.
@ Tips
You can adjust the br ightness on of the d is­
play on the rearview mirror
c> page 100 .