2018 AUDI A6 ESP

Assistance systems
Messages
App lies to: ve hicles w ith night v isio n ass ist
Night vision assist: System fault
The system cannot guarantee correct function
and is switched off . See an author ized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance .
Night vision assist: Currently unavailable
The system cannot guarantee correct function at
this t ime and is switched off.
Night vision assist: Only available at night with
lights turned on
Night vision assist onl y works when it is dar k out­
side and the head lights are on.
Night vision assist: Pedestrian marking current­
ly unavailable
The pedestrian and wild animal marking was
sw itched off by the system.
Audi drive select (drive
settings)
Introduction
Drive select makes it possible to experience dif­
ferent types of vehicle settings in one vehicle .
The driver can se lect
Comfort , Auto and Dynamic
modes in the Inf ota inme nt system to switch be­
tween, for example, a sporty and a comfo rtable
driving mode .
I n the
Individual mode, the sett ings can be ad­
justed to your perso nal preferences. This makes
it poss ible to comb ine settings such as a spo rty
engine setting with light steering.
Description
The following systems, among other things, are
influenced by drive select:
Engine and automatic transmission
Depending on the mode , the engine and a uto­
mat ic tran smission respond more quickly or in a
mo re balanced manner to accelerator peda l
104 movements
. In the sporty dynamic mode, the
transmission shifts at higher speed ranges.
Adaptive air suspension*
The adaptive a ir suspens ion* is an electron ically­
controlled air suspension and damping system.
The adjustment depends on the driving mode se­
l ected, steering movements, the driver's braking
and acce leration, and as the road surface, vehicle
speed and load.
The vehicle ground clearance depends on the
mode selected and the speed . When you are in
the
auto mode, the highway setting is activated
when you drive above 75 mph (120 km/h) for
more than 30 seconds. The ground clearance is
i ncreased automatically if the speed drops below
44 mph (70 km/h) for more than 120 seconds .
Steering
The power steering adapts. Indirect steering that
moves easily as in comfort mode is especia lly
su ited to long drives on a highway. The dynamic
mode provides sporty, direct steering.
App lies to: vehicles wit h dynamic steer ing
The steering ratio changes based on vehicle
speed in order to maintain optimum steering ef ­
fort for the driver at all times. Th is sets the steer­
i ng to be less sensitive at h igher speeds in order
to provide improved veh icle control. At reduced
speeds, steering is more direct in o rder to keep
t h e steer ing effort as minimal as possible whe n
the driver is maneuvering the vehicle. At low and
average speeds, dynamic steering* additionally
provides more responsive steering performance.
Sport differential*
As a component of the all whee l dr ive system
(quattro)
~ page 123, the sport differe ntial dis­
tributes the driving power to the rear axle de­
pending on the situation. The distribution of
power varies from ba lanced (comfort) to sporty
(dynamic) depending on the se lected mode. The
goal is a high level of agility and ability to accel­
erate on curves. The vehicle is very responsive to
steering.
IJIJ,

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" N .... 0 0 \.J ' Cornering light*
The cornering light adapts the high beams to the
direc tion of the curve depending on the speed .
The pivoting action and the lighting also adapt to
the mode .
Adaptive cruise control*
The behav ior when accele rating can be adjusted
from comfortab le to sporty, depen ding on the
drive select mode . Adaptive cr uise cont rol a lso
responds to the driving behavior of the ve hicle
ahead in a more conservative or sporty manner.
Engine sound*
The engine sound adapts to the cur rent mode
an d can be subtle to sporty .
(UJ) Note
Applies to: vehicles with adaptive air suspension
-Make sure the re is eno ugh clearance above
and below t he ve hicle when par king . The
height of the vehicle (ground clearance) can
change once it is pa rked due to tempe rature
fluctuations , changes to the load conditions
and c hanges to the driv ing modes .
-When transport ing the veh icle on a car car­
r ier, tra in, sh ip or by other means, only t ie
the veh icle dow n at the runni ng surface of
t h e tires, wh ich is the outer circ umference .
Secur ing the ve hicle at t he a xle co mpo­
nen ts, suspe nsio n str uts or tow ing eyes is
not permi tted be cause the p ress ure in the
air sus pension str uts can change during
transport. The vehicle may not be secured
sufficiently if this happens .
Adjusting the Individual mode
Ass istance systems
(D Tips
-In some models, the maximum ve hicle
speed can only be reached in t he auto and
dynamic modes.
-T he S selector lever position automatica lly
engages if the dynamic mode is selected.
- Applies to: vehicles with dynamic steering:
operati ng no ise is heard when sta rting or
stopp ing the engine. T his does not ind icate
a prob lem.
Selecting the driving mode
.. To select the mode, select the follow ing in the
Infota inment:
!CARI function b utton> Comfort ,
Auto , Dynamic or Individual.
You can change the driv ing mode when the veh i­
cle is stationary or while driving . If traff ic per­
mits , afte r changing modes, briefly take your
foot off the accelerator pedal so t hat the recently
selected mo de is also ac tiva ted fo r th e e ngine.
Comfort -provides a comfort-or iented vehicle
setup a nd is s uited fo r long d rives o n highways .
Auto -provides an ove rall comfortab le yet dy­
nam ic dr iving feel and is suited for everyday use .
Dynamic -gives the driver a sporty driving fee l
and is suited to a sporty driving style .
Individual -q page 105.
A WARNING ~ -
Pay attention to traffic w hen ope rating the
d rive select to reduce the r isk o f an accident.
You con adjust the vehicle settings to your personal preferences .
.,. Select : t h e ICARI fu nction bu tton > Set individ ­
ual
con trol button . Once yo u select the me nu,
yo u wi ll au tomatically drive in t he
Indi vidual
mode.
Afte r you have closed the se tt ings, you will a uto ­
mat ica lly dr ive i n the
Individual mode . T
he equ ipment in yo ur vehicle will dete rm ine
wh ich se tt ings you can adjust. The fo llow ing ta -
ble g ives an overview o f the characteristics .
.,_
105

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" N .... 0 0 \.J ' Parking systems
General information
A pp lies to: ve hicles with pa rk in g system p lus/rearview cam ­
era/peripheral camera
Depending on your vehicle 's equipment, various
pa rking aids wi ll help you when parking and ma­
ne uvering.
The
p arki ng sys tem plu s assists you when park­
ing by aud ibly and visua lly indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the ve hicle
¢page 108.
The re arv ie w ca mer a shows the area beh ind the
veh icle in the Infotainment system d isplay. The
lines in the rearview came ra image help you to
pa rk or maneuver
¢ page 109.
The peripher al c amer as assist you with parking
and maneuvering . You are aided by var ious cam­
eras depend ing on the vehicle equipment leve l
¢page 112. The pa rking system pl us functions
are also availab le
¢ pag e 108.
& WARNING
-Always look for traffic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it direct ly
as well. The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attent ion. The driver is always
responsible when enter ing or leav ing 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
wh ich people and objects cannot be detect­
ed . Be especially caut ious of small children
and animals .
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator gr ille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody . The park­
ing system may be impa ired as a result.
Have a n author ized A udi dealer or author­
ized Audi Serv ice Facility check their func ­
tion .
- Make s ure the senso rs a re not obstructed by
stickers, deposits o r other materia ls. If they
are, the sensor function could be impaired.
For additiona l information on cleaning, see
¢ page 221. Parking
syste m s
@ Note
-Some objects are not detected or disp layed
by the system under certain circumstances:
- objects such as barrier cha ins, tra iler draw
ba rs, vertical po les o r fences
- objects above the sensors such as wall ex ­
tensions
- objects with certain surfaces or structures
such as cha in l ink 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
wa rned about t his 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 situat ions, such as:
- certain road surfaces or when there is tall grass
- externa l ultrasonic sources such as from
cleaning vehicles
- in heavy rain, snow, o r th ick vehicle ex ­
h aust
- We recommend tha t you practice par king in
a traff ic-free location or parking lot to be ­
come fami liar with the system . W hen doing
this, there shou ld be good light and weath ­
er conditions.
- You can change the volume and pitch of the
signa ls as well as the
d isplay ¢ page 117.
-Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trai ler located in
¢ page 117 .
-What appea rs in the infotainment display is
somewhat time -delayed .
- Th e sensors m ust be kep t clean and free of
snow and ice for the parking aid to operate .
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Parking syste m s
@ Tips
The left or right orientation lines and surfaces
will be displayed, depending on the turn sig­ nal being used.
Peripheral came ras
Introduction
Applies to : vehicles with peripheral cameras
With this equipment, the parking system plus*
¢ page 108 is supplemented with various periph­
eral cameras.
Depending on vehicle equipment, you are prov id ­
ed w ith the following views: area around the ve­
hicle, front corner view and rear corner view , view
in front of th e vehicle and behind the veh icle .
General information
Applies to: vehicles w ith peripheral cameras
Fig. 12 4 Loca tion of peripheral ca meras
The periphera l cameras are located in the radia­
tor gr ille, in the luggage compartment lid and on
both exter ior mirrors
¢ fig . 124.
Make sure that the lenses are not covered by de­
posits or any other obstructions as it may impa ir
the system . For information on cleaning, see
¢ page 221 .
In the Surro und ing mode, black corners are
shown in the vehicle s ilhouette. Objects in these
areas a re outside of the camera's field of v iew
and are not detected .
The accuracy of the orientation lines and the blue
surfaces is reduced if the adaptive air suspen-
112
sion* is fau lty, if the ve hicle is lifted or if the Dy­
nam ic
mode is activat ed ¢ page 104 .
A WARNING
-Always read and follow the applicable warn­
ings¢&. in General information on
page 107.
-If the position or the installation angle of a
camera was changed, for example after a
collision, do not continue to use the system
for safety reasons. Have it checked by an au­ thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Serv ice Facility .
-Keep in mind that the image in the display is
incorrect if the exterior mirror housing has
been moved out of p lace.
-Use the R ear mode and the C orner vie w
( rear )
mode only when the luggage com­
pa rtment l id is completely closed . Other­
wise the image in the disp lay w ill be incor­
rect.
-The area around the vehicle is shown us ing
the camera images. The veh icle image is
shown by the system. Objects and obstacles
above the camera are not displayed .
-Camera lenses enlarge and distort the field
of vision. The objects appear both altered
and inaccurate on the screen .
(D Note
-Always read and fol low the applicable warn­
ings
¢ 0 in General information on
page 107.
- T he Infotainmen t display shows the direc­
t ion in which the rear of the vehicle is travel ­
ing based on the steering wheel ang le . The
front of the veh icle swings out more than
the rear of the vehicle. Maintain plenty of
distance so that an exterior m irror or a cor­
ner of the vehicle does not collide with any
obstacles.
@ Tips
If the 8/cr;;fl/r::=s symbo l appears in the dis­
play and the respective display area is grayed
out, then the powe r exter ior mirrors were

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" N .... 0 0 \.J ' Adjusting the display and the warning tones
A ppl ies to : ve hicles w ith parkin g system plus/rearv iew cam­
era/peripheral ca mera
The display and warning tones can be adjusted in
the Infotainment.
~ Se lect: the ICARI fu nction button > (Car)* Sys­
tems
control b utton > Driver assistance > Park­
ing aid .
Display
On * -
an op tical d isp lay is shown for the par kin g
system plus, a rearv iew camera image is s hown
for the rearview camera *.
Off -when the p arking sys tem is sw itche d off,
on ly audib le sign als are give n.
Signal tones
Front volume -
volume for the front area
Rear volume -volume for the rear area
Front frequency -frequency for the front area
Rear frequency -frequen cy fo r the rea r area
Music volume during nav . prompts -the volume
of the a udio/video so urce is lowe red when t he
pa rking system is turned o n
The new value is g iven briefly during the adjust­
ment.
(D Tips
- The wa rning tones ca n also be ad justed d i­
r ectly by the vis ual d isp lay or the pictu re
from the camera. Simply p ress the
Settings
co ntro l bu tton.
- Changed set tings are ac tivated whe n the
parking system is swi tched o n aga in.
- The settings for volume and frequency are
a utomat ica lly saved and ass igned to the re­
mo te con trol key be ing used.
Error messages
A pp lies to: ve hicles with parking system plus/rearview cam­
era/per ipheral ca mera
There is an erro r in the system if the LED in the
Pw , button is b link ing and yo u hear a continuous
Parking systems
alarm for a few seconds after sw itch ing on the
par king system or w hen the pa rking system is a l­
r eady activated. If the erro r is not cor rected be ­
fo re you switch off the ignition, the
LED in the Pw ,
button w ill blink the next time you switch on the
park ing system by shifting into reverse.
Parking system plus*
If a senso r is fa ulty, the~ symbo l will appear i n
front of/beh ind the vehicle in the Infotainment
display. If a rear sensor is faulty, on ly obstacles
t h at are i n areas @and @ are shown
<=> page 108, fig . 114 . If a front se nsor is faulty,
o n ly obs tacles tha t are in a reas © and @are
shown. The re is a lso a sys tem ma lf u nct ion if all
seg ments arou nd the veh icle are red or if no seg­
me nts are disp laye d.
Peripheral cameras*
The re is a system malfu nction if t he 00 • symbol
appea rs and the co rresponding d isp lay area is
s h own in bl ue. The camera is not wo rking in t his
are a.
Drive to an authorized A udi dealer or authorized
Audi Se rvice Facility immed iate ly to have the
malfu nction corrected.
Trailer hitch
App lies to: vehicles wit h parking system pl us/rea rv iew cam ­
e ra/peri phe ra l cameras an d tra ile r hitc h
When the trailer socket is in use, the par king sys­
tem rear sensors are not act ivated when you sh ift
into reverse gear or when yo u press t he
p,,1A but­
ton. This res ults in the following rest rict ions.
Parking system plus*
The re is no distance warning for the rear. The
front senso rs remain activated. T he v isua l disp lay
switches to trailer mode.
Rearview camera*/peripheral cameras*
T he re is no distance warning for the rea r. The
front senso rs remain activated . The visua l disp lay
switches to trailer mode. The rearview came ra
i mage will not s how the orie ntation lines and t he
bl ue surfaces.
.,..
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" N .... 0 0 \,;J ' Intelligent Technology Electronic stabilization
control (ESC)
Description
Electronic stabilization control (ESC) supports
driver safety. It reduces the risk of slipping and
improves driving stability. ESC detects critica l sit­
uations such as the vehicle oversteering and un­
dersteering or the wheels are spinning. The vehi­
cle is stabilized by applying the brakes or reduc­ ing engine torque. As soon as the ESC is actively
regulating, the
If] indicator light b links in the in­
strument cluster.
The following systems are integrated in the ESC:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking when brak­
ing. The vehicle can still be steered even during
hard braking. Apply steady pressure to the brake
pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A pulsing in the
brake pedal indicates that the system is act ing to
stabilize the vehicle .
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease braking dis­
tance. It increases braking power when the driver
presses the brake pedal quickly in emergency sit­
uations . You must press and hold the brake pedal
until the dangerous situat ion is over . In veh icles
with adaptive cruise contro l*, the brake assist
system is more sensitive if the distance detected
to the vehicle dr iv ing ahead is too small. On
vehicles with activated and functioning night vi­
sion assist*, the brake assist system can respond more sensitively if there is a warning .
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces eng ine power when the drive wheels
begin spinning and adapts the force to the road
conditions. This makes it easier to start, acceler­
ate and drive up hills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL applies the brakes to a whee l that starts
spinning and transfers the drive power to the
other driving wheel or wheels (if the vehicle is
Intelligent Technology
equipped with a ll wheel drive*). This function is
not avai lab le at higher speeds.
In extreme cases , EDL automatically switches off
to keep t he brake on the braked whee l from over ­
heating. The vehicle is still working correctly. EDL
will switch on again automatically when condi­
tions have returned to normal.
Power steering
The ESC can also support veh icle stability
through steering .
Selective wheel torque control
Selective wheel torque control is used when driv­
i ng on curves. The front whee l on the ins ide of
the curve or both wheels on the ins ide of the
curve are braked selectively as needed. This al­
lows more precise driving in curves.
Automatic post-collision braking system
The "automat ic post-collis ion braking system"
can help to reduce the risk of sliding and of addi­
tional collisions after an accident. If the airbag
contro l module
detects a co llision above a certa in
vehicle speed, the vehicle is braked by the ESC.
T he vehicle does not brake automatically if:
- the driver presses the accelerator pedal, or
- the braking force generated by the pressed brake pedal is greater than the braking force
that would be initiated by the system, or
- the ESC, the brake system or the vehicle electri­
cal system are not functioning.
A WARNING
-
- The ESC and its integrated systems cannot
overcome the lim its imposed by natura l
p hys ica l laws. This is especially impo rtant
on slippery or wet roads. If the systems be­
g in acting to stabilize yo ur vehicle, you
should immediately alter your speed to
match the road and traffic conditions. Do
not let the increased safety provided tempt
you into taking risks. This could increase
your r isk of a coll is ion.
- Please note the risk of a coll ision increases
when dr iv ing fast, especially through curves
and on slippery or wet roads, and when
IIJ,,
119

Intelligent Technology
driving too close to objects ahead . The ESC
and its integrated systems cannot always prevent coll isions
-there is still a risk of ac­
cidents!
- Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
accelerating on even, slippery surfaces such as ice and snow . The drive wheels can spin
even when these control systems are instal-
Switching on /off
led and this can affect driving stability and
increase the risk of a collision.
(D Tips
-ABS and ASR only function correctly when
all four wheels are equipped with identical
tires. Different tire sizes can lead to a reduc­
tion in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working.
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine .
Fig. 137 Ce nter con sole: OF F~ button
ESC levels
Sport mode on
The following examples are unusual situations
where it may make sense to switch sport mode
on in order to allow the wheels to spin:
- Rock ing the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving with snow chains
Sport mode off
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabilization f unctions Th
e fu ll stabilization f unction of the ESC
are limited
~ &. . and ASR is avai lab le again.
Operating Press the I~ O FF I button . Press the I~ OF F! button again .
Indicator filturns on. . turns off.
lights
Messages Stabilization control (ESC): Sport Warn-Stabilization control (ESC): On
ing! Reduced stability
A WARNING
-Only switch sport mode on when your driv­
ing abilities and the traffic situation permit,
because there is a risk of sliding .
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is switched on. The driving
wheels could spin and the vehicle could
swerve, espec ially on slick or slippery road
surfaces .
120
-
{l) Tips
Sport mode cannot be switched on if the
cruise control system* or adaptive cruise con­
tro l* is switched on .
Brakes
New brake pads
New brake pads do not achieve their full braki ng
effec t during the first 2SO mi (400 km). They
must be "broken in" first.

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" N .... 0 0 \,;J ' Wear Brake pad
wear depends largely on the way the
vehicle is driven and on operating conditions.
This is especially true if you are driving frequently
in the city and on curves or with a sporty driving
style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, braking force and outside conditions such
as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, after overnight con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
"dried" first with a few careful brake applica ­
tions.
At higher speeds and with the windshie ld wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake rotors for a short amount of time. This action,
which is not felt by the driver, happens at regular
intervals and ensures a better reaction time for
the brakes in wet weather .
The braking effect can also be reduced if you are
driving on salted roads and you do not apply the brakes for long periods of time. The layer of salt
on the brake rotors and pads must be worn off
f ir st when the brakes are applied.
Corrosion
Leaving the vehicle parked for long periods of
time, low mileage and avo iding heavy brak ing
can contribute to corrosion on the brake rotors
and to d irty brake pads .
If you usually avoid heavy braking or if there is
corros ion present, occasional heavy braking at
high speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and
pads¢ &..
Brake system malfunction
If you notice that the brake pedal travel has sud­
denly
increased, then a brake circuit in the dual­
circu it brake system may have malfunct ioned.
Drive to an authorized Aud i dealer or authorized
Intelligent Technology
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
problem corrected. On the way there, drive with
reduced speed and keep in mind that you will
need a longer distance to stop and you will need
to press the brake peda l harder.
Low brake fluid level
When the brake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
the brake system may occur . The brake fluid level
is e lectronically monitored.
Brake booster
T he brake booster amplifies the press ure you ap­
ply to the brake pedal. It on ly works w hen the en­
gine is running.
A WARNING
-
-Only apply the brakes for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system when road and
traffic cond itions permit. You must not en­
danger other road users. This increases the
risk of an accident .
- Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is
stopped because this increases the risk of an
accident .
- New brake pads do not ach ieve the ir full
braking effect dur ing the first 250 m i
(400 km). They must be "broken in" first .
However, you can compensate fo r the
slightly reduced braking force by pressing
firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy b rak­
ing during the break -in period.
- Ce rtain weather and operating conditions
such as driving through water, dr iv ing in
heavy rain or driving after washing your ve ­
hicle can impair the effectiveness of the
brakes. In the winter, ice may build up on
the brake pads, rotors and drums. Check
these components by braking carefully. Ap­
plying the brakes carefully several times
dries the brakes and removes ice build-up .
- The efficiency of the brakes can also be im­
pa ired by dr iv ing for long stretches on roads
covered with salt without using the brakes.
You can remove salt deposits from the
brake rotors and pads by carefully applying
the brakes several times.
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