2018 AUDI A6 check engine light

Instrum ent s and ind icat or light s
-The front spoiler also he lps to distribute
cooling air while driving . If the spoiler is
damaged, the cooling effect w ill be im­
paired and the r isk of the engine overheat­
i ng will increase. See an author ized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac ility for
ass istance.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in rev­
olutions per minute (RPM) .
You should shift to the next lowest gear when
the speed is below 1,S00 RPM. The beginn ing of
the red zone in the tachometer indicates the maximum permissible engine speed for all gears
once the engine has been broken in and when it is
warmed up to operating temperature. Before
reaching the red zone, yo u should shift into the
next higher gear, choose the Dor S se lector lever
position, or remove your foot from the accelera ­
tor peda l.
@ Note
The needle in the tachometer @ ¢ page 9,
fig. 3
may only be in the red area of the gauge
for a short time or there is a risk of engine
damage.
@ For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early he lps you to save fuel and re ­
duces operating noise.
(D Tips
Applies to: S models
The engine speed is limited when the eng ine
is cold - the full engine output is not availa­
ble. When the engine is at operating temper­
ature, the red area in the tachometer moves
to a hig her RPM range .
Fuel level
The display @ only wo rks when the ignition is
sw itched on. If the fuel level d rops below 2 .6 gal
(10 li ters), a red L ED w ill tur n on and t he
rD indi ­
cator light will turn
on ¢ page 17. The LED
blinks red when the fuel leve l is very low .
10 The possible range based on the cu
rrent fue l lev ­
e l is shown in
tab @ ¢page 19 , fig . 4 .
Fo r th e tank capacity i n your veh icle, refe r to the
Techn ica l
Data ¢ poge 245.
@ Note
Never drive until t he tank is comp lete ly emp­
ty. The ir reg ular supply of fuel t hat res ults
from tha t ca n cause engine m is fires. Uncom ­
b usted fue l w ill then enter the exhaust sys ­
tem . This can cause overheating and damage
to t he catalyt ic converter .
Indicator lights
Description
The indicator lights in the instrument cluster
blink or tur n on. They ind icate functions or mal ­
functions .
Messages may appear w ith some indicator lights.
A war ning s ignal will sound at the same time.
The ind icator lights and messages in the instr u­
ment cluster disp lay can be covered by ot her dis ­
plays . To show them again, se lect the tab for in­
dicator lights and messages using the mu ltifunc­
tion steering wheel
¢ page 19 . lfthere are sev­
eral malfunctions, you can display them one at a
time us ing the thumbwheel.
Some indicator lights in the display can disp lay in
several colors.
Central indicator light
App lies to : vehicles wit h mo nochrome display
If a message appears together with a central in­
dicator light . or
0. the central ind icator light
will indicate the priority of the warning. If a
wh ite ind icator light a lso appears, the centra l in­
dicator light w ill have its ow n colo r. Fo r example,
i1' ii ::ippea rs togethe r wi th • • read the descr ip ­
tion
for • .
Overview
Some indicator lights turn on briefly as a function
check when you switch the ignition on. These sys­
tems are marked with
a./ in the fo llow ing tab les. 1111-

Instruments and indicator lights
/:
12
Engine warm-up request
¢page 17
Battery charge
¢page 14
Tank system
¢page 17
Washer fluid level
¢page 17
Windshield wipers
¢page 17
Remote control key
¢page 68
Remote control key
¢page 70
Battery in remote control key
¢page26
Bulb failure ind icator
¢ page 17
Rear fog lights
¢page 17
Headlight range control system
¢page 18
Adaptive light*
¢page39
Light/rain sensor
¢page 18
Active lane assist*
¢ page 96
Transmission
¢page 79
Transmission
¢page 79
Steer ing lock
¢ page 15
Engine start system
¢page 15
Brake booster
¢ page 16,
Central indicator light
¢page 10
Electromechanica l power steering,
dynamic steering*
¢page 122
A ir suspension*
¢ page 15
Sport differential*
¢page 18
Other indicator lights
--------------
Turn signals
¢page 18
USA models :
cruise control system
¢page 84
Canada models:
cruise contro l system
¢ page84
Adaptive cruise control*
¢page 88
Adaptive cruise contro l*
¢ page 88
Adaptive cruise contro l*
¢ page 88
Active lane assist*
¢page 96
Start/Stop system*
¢page 70
Start/Stop system*
¢page 70
High beam ass istant*
¢ page39
High beams
¢page39
BRAKE/{©) 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 veh icle and check the brake flu id level.
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance if necessa ry .
1111 (USA models) /. (Canada models)
Brakes: malfunction! Please stop vehicle safely
.,.

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \,;J ' If the ABS indicator light fJ] (USA mode ls) /
ii] (Canada mode ls), th e ESC indicator light DI .
and the brake system ind icator light 1111 (USA
models)
/ . (Canada mode ls) all turn on and
this message appears, then the ABS, ESC and braking distribution are
malfunctioning ¢&. .
Do not cont inue driving . See an authorized Aud i
dealer or authori zed Aud i Serv ice Facili ty for as­
sistance ¢
&..
1111 (USA model s) /. (Canada models ) Pa rk­
ing brake: S ystem fault! See owner 's manual.
- If the indicator light and the message appear
when the vehicl e is stati onar y or afte r switch­
ing the ignition on ,
check if you can release the
parking brake. If you cannot re lease the park ­
ing brake, see an authori zed Aud i dealer or au­
thori zed Audi Serv ice Facility. If you can rele ase
the parking brake and the message still ap ­
pears, see an authorized Aud i dealer or author­
i zed Audi Serv ice Facility immediately to have
the malfunct ion corrected.
- If the indicato r light and message appear
while
d riving,
the h ill stQrt Qssist or emergency b r9k­
ing function may be malfunctioning. It may not
be poss ib le to set the parking brake or release
it once it has been set. Do not park your ve hicle
on hi lls. See an authorized Audi dealer or au ­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance .
Applies to: USA models
If the 1111 and EiJ t u rn on at the same t ime, the
brake pads are worn out ¢
page 16.
A WARNING
-Read and follow the warnings in
¢ page 189, Working in the engine com­
portment
before open ing the hood and
check ing the brake fluid level.
- If the brake system ind icator light does not
turn off or it turns on while dr iv ing, the
brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low,
and this increases the risk of an acc ident.
Stop the vehicle and do not continue dr iv­
ing. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
tho rize d Aud i Serv ice F acility for ass istance.
- If the brake system ind icator light turns on
together with the ABS and ESC ind icator
In strum ents and ind icator ligh ts
lights, the ABS/ESC regu lating function may
be malfunct ion ing . Funct ions 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 cont inue driving. See an autho rized
Aud i deale r or a utho rized Aud i Serv ice Facili­
ty fo r ass istance.
PARK/(®) Electromechanical parking brake
If the -(USA mode ls)/ . (Canada models)
indicator ligh t turns on, the parking brake was
set .
-(USA model s) /. (Can ad a model s) Cau ­
t ion : V ehicle parked too steep
If the indicato r light bl inks and the message ap­
pears, there is not enoug h braking powe r to se­
c ur e the veh icle. The b rakes have ove rheated. The
vehicle could roll away even o n a sm all incline .
-(USA model s) /. (Can ad a model s) Pre ss
brak e pedal to r elease parkin g brake
To release the parking brake, press the brake
pedal and press
the ~ button at the same time
or start driving w ith hill start
assist ~ page 74 .
&,I Parking brake!
T here is a ma lfunction in the parking brake. Drive
to an authorized Audi dealer or authori zed Audi
Service Facility immediate ly to have the ma lfunc­
t ion cor rected.
(D Tips
For additional information on the parking
brake, see ¢
page 72.
_L Cooling system
• Turn off engine and check coolant le vel
T he coo lant level is too low.
Do not continue dr iv ing and switch t he e ngine
off. Chec k the coolan t level ¢
page 196 .
- If the coo lant level is too low, add coolant
~ page 196 . Only continue dr iving once the in-
d icator light turns off.
.,.
13

Instruments and indicator lights
• Coolant temperature too high! Please let en­
gine run with vehicle stationary
Let the engine run at idle for a few minutes to
cool off, until the indicator light turns off.
- If the indicator light does not turn off, do not
continue driving the vehicle. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
for assistance.
A WARNING
- Never open the hood if you can see or hear
steam or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. This increases the risk of
burns. Wait until you no longer see or hear
steam or coolant escaping.
- The engine compartment in any vehicle can be a dangerous area. Stop the engine and
allow it to cool before working in the engine
compartment. Always follow the informa­
tion found
in¢ page 189, Working in the
engine compartment.
@ Note
Do not continue driving if the. indicator
light turns on as this increases the risk of en­
gine damage.
~ Front safety belt
The. indicator light stays on until the driver's
and front passenger's safety belts are fastened.
Above a certain speed, there will also be a warn­
ing tone.
(D Tips
For additional information on safety belts,
see
¢page 134.
0 Alternator/vehicle battery
• Electrical system: malfunction! Battery is
not being charged
There is a malfunction in the alternator or the ve­
hicle electrical system.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately. Because the ve-
14
hicle battery is discharging, turn off all unneces­
sary electrical equipment such as the radio. See
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility if the battery charge level is too
low.
(•) low battery: Battery will be charged while
driving
The starting ability may be impaired.
If this message turns off after a little while, the
vehicle battery charged enough while driving.
If the message does not turn off, have an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty repair the malfunction .
~ Engine stop while driving
• Engine stopped: No power steering and
brake support.
There is a malfunction in the engine or in the fuel
supply system.
More force is needed to steer and brake the mov­
ing vehicle when the engine is stopped . If the
ve·
hicle is rolling, try to bring it to a stop off to the
side from moving traffic. See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as­
sistance.
A WARNING
If the engine stops while driving, you will
need to use more force to brake the vehicle.
This increases the risk of an accident. There
will still be power steering if the ignition is
switched on while the vehicle is rolling and
there is sufficient battery charge . Otherwise,
you must use greater force when steering.
~ Engine oil pressure
• Turn off engine and check oil level
Stop the engine and do not continue driving.
Check the engine oil
level¢ page 193.
-
- If the engine oil level is too low, add engine oil
¢ page 194 . Only continue driving once the in-
dicator light turns off.
1111-

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \,;J ' -If the engine oi l leve l is correct and t he in dica ­
tor light st ill tu rns on, turn the eng ine
off and
do not continue driving . See an a uth orized Audi
dealer or author ized A udi Se rvice Fac ility for as ­
s istance .
(D Tips
The oil pressure warning is not an o il level in­
dicator. Always check the oil level regu la rly.
'.!2" .. Engine oil level
App lies to: ve hicles wit h oil level warn ing
• Please add oil immed iately .
Add engine oil imme diate ly r=:>poge 192.
II Add oil max . x qt (l). You may continue driv­
ing
Add the disp layed amo unt of o il immed iate ly
r=:> page 1 92.
@ -Steering lock
• Do not drive vehicle : Steering defective
There is a malfunc tion in the elec tronic stee ring
l o ck. You ca nnot t urn th e igni tion o n.
Do
not tow your vehicle beca use it ca nnot be
steered . See an au thor ized A udi dealer or au thor ­
iz ed A udi Service Fac ility for assis tance .
l!llt Steering lock: System fault Please contact
dealer
There is a malfunction in the elect ronic stee ring
l ock .
Dri ve to an autho rize d Aud i dea ler o r a uth o rized
Au di Service Faci lity immediately to have t he
mal funct ion corrected .
A WARNING
Do not tow your veh icle when there is a mal­
function in the electronic stee ring lock - this
increases the r isk of an accident.
© -Engine start system
• Engine start system fault. Please contact
dealer
-
Instruments and indicator lights
D o not switch the ignition o ff because you may
not be able to switch it on again .
Dr ive to an au thor ized A udi dealer or au thoriz ed
A udi Se rvice Faci lity immed iate ly to h ave the
malfu nction corrected.
ml Engine start system fault. Please contact
dealer
T he re is a ma lf u nct ion in the engine s ta rting sys­
tem .
Drive to an author ized A udi dealer or autho rized
A udi Se rvice Fac ility immed iate ly to have the
malfu nction corrected .
0 Air suspension
• Air suspension: System fault. You can drive
slowly (max . speed 35 mph))
The re is a ma lf u nct ion that can resu lt in restric t­
ed dr iving stab ility .
Drive to an author ized A udi dealer or autho rized
Audi Se rvice Facility immed iate ly at a maxim um
speed of 35 mph (60 km/h) to hav e the malfunc­
t io n co rrected .
• Air suspension: Service mode . Vehicle can
only be moved with restrictions
Caref ully drive to an aut ho rize d Aud i dea le r o r
autho rize d Aud i Serv ice Facility immediately to
have the service mode deact ivated.
rl Air suspension: System fault.
T he re is a syste m malfu nction t hat can resul t in
r es trict ed dr iv ing stabilit y or reduced grou nd
cl ear ance.
D rive to an author ized A udi dealer or autho riz ed
A udi Se rvice Fac ility i mmed ia te ly to have the
m alfu nction corr ecte d .
rl Air suspension: Vehicle too low Ground
clearance reduced
The ground clearance is ve ry low due to a system
malfu nction . Wait u nti l the a ir su sp ension sys­
tem has res to red normal g ro und clea rance . O th­
erwise, con ditions s uch as an un even roa d surface
c a n l ead t o ve hicle dam age .
15

Instruments and indicator lights
& Brake booster
U Brake servo: limited functionality. You can
continue driving. Contact workshop
There is a ma lfunction in the brake booster . The
brake booster is available, but its effectiveness is
reduced . Braking behavior may be different from
how it normally functions and the brake pedal
may vibrate.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
Y!., /~ Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC)
If the bJ indicator light blinks while driving, the
ESC or ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) is actively regu­
lating.
If the
bJ indicator light turns on, the system has
switched the ESC
off. In this case, you can switch
the ignition
off and then on to sw itch the ESC on
again. The indicator light turns
off wh en th e sys­
tem is functioning fully.
If the
II indicator light turns on, ESC was
switched
off using the i.i, O FF I button
¢page 119.
Stabilization control (ESC/ABS): Fault! See
owner's manual
If the G) indicator light and the ABS indicator
light~ (USA models) I II] (Canada models)
turn on and this message appears, there is a mal­
function in the ABS system or electronic differen­
tial lock. This also causes the ESC to malfunction.
Th e brakes still function with their normal pow er,
but ABS is not active.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corr ect ed.
&_ 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 malfunctioned . Functions that stabilize
16
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
malfunction corrected.
{D Tips
For additional information on ESC and ABS,
see
¢ page 119 .
tlit !J: Safety systems
The II (USA models) Im (Canada models) indi­
cator light monitors the safety systems .
I f the
II (USA models) Im (Canada models) in­
dicator light turns on or blinks, there is a mal ­
function in a safety system such as the airbag or
belt tensioner system.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer 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
risk that the systems may not activate during
a collision, which increases the risk of serious
injury or death.
(0} Brake pads
Ill Brake pads!
The brake pads are worn.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
brake pads checked.
Applies to: USA models
-
The Ill indicator 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 control.

a co .... N
" N .... 0 0 \.J ' Drive slowly to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility to have the engine
checked.
! ?) Engine speed limitation
Applies to: ve hicles with eng ine speed lim itat ion
Ill Maximum engine speed: XXXX rpm
The engine speed is automatically limited to the
speed displayed in the instrument cluster. This
protects the engine from overheating.
The engine speed limitation deactivates once the
engine is no longer in the critical temperature range and you have released the accelerator ped­
a l once.
If the engine speed limitation was activated by
an engine contro l ma lfunction, the
ll:a indicator
light also turns on. Make sure that the speed
does not go above the speed displayed. Drive to
an author ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility immediately to have the malfunc­
tion corrected .
Q) Tips
Applies to: S models
The engine speed is limited when the engine
is cold
-the full engine output is not availa­
ble. When the engine is at operating temper­
ature, the red area in the tach ometer moves
to a highe r RPM range.
~;... Engine oil sensor
• Oil level! Sensor defective
The senso r to check the engine oil level has
fa iled. Drive to an authorized Aud i dealer or a u­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the ma lfunction corrected .
f Engine warm-up request
0 Please warm up engine
Fuel has en tered the engine oi l, either from low
outside temperatures or frequent short drives. Drive unti l the engine is warm so that the fue l in
the eng ine oil will evaporate. Avoid high engine
Instruments and indicator lights
speeds, full accelerating and heavy engine loads
when doing this.
Bil Tank system
II] Please refuel
If the indicator light turns on for the first time
and the message appears, there are about 2.6
gallons ( 10 liters) of fuel left in the tank.
II] Fuel tank system malfunction! Contact deal­
er
T here is a ma lfunct ion in the fuel tank system.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immed iately to have the
malfu nction corrected .
(D Tips
For additional informat io n on refueling, see
c::>page 186 .
.. Washer fluid level
m Please refill washer fluid
Fill the washer fluid for the windsh ie ld washer
system and the headlight washer system* when
the ignit ion is switched off
c::> page 199 .
• Windshield wipers
m Windshield wiper defective
There is a malfunction w ith the windshield wip­
ers .
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immed iate ly to have the
malfunction corrected.
i§! l0$ Defective light bulb warning
If the 1:1 ind icator light turns o n, a light has
failed . The message indicates the location of the
lig ht. If the
IJ indicato r light also turns on, then
a rear fog light has failed. The position of the in­
dicator light corresponds with the location on the
vehicle.
..,.
17

a co .... N
" N
-Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to drive
through safely.
-Avoid driving through salt water, because
this can cause corrosion.
Economical and environmentally-friendly
driving
The amount of fuel consumption, the environ­
mental impact and the wear to the engine,
brakes and tires depends mostly on your driving
style. With an anticipatory and economic driving
style, fuel consumption can be reduced by ap­
proximately 10-15%. The following tips will help
you conserve the environment and your money at the same time.
Anticipatory driving
A vehicle uses the most fuel when accelerating.
When you drive with anticipation, you do not
need to brake as often and so you accelerate less.
When possible, let your vehicle coast with a
gear
engaged, for example, when you notice that the
next traffic light is red. This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con­
sumption to zero (fuel shut-off during decelera­
tion) .
Shift efficiently
Upshifting earlier is an effective way to save fuel.
Staying in a gear too long uses fuel unnecessari­
ly .
Press down on the accelerator pedal slowly and
avoid "kick-down".
Avoid full acceleration
You should rarely travel at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproportionately
high increase in fuel consumption, emissions and
traffic noise. Slower driving saves fuel.
Reduce idling time
The Start/Stop system* helps to reduce the idling
time automatically. In vehicles without the Start/
8 Stop system*, it is efficient to switch the engine 0 \.J ' Driving
off when stopped at railroad crossings and long
red lights. Stopping the engine for 30-40 sec­
onds already saves more fuel than the amount of
extra fuel needed to restart the engine.
It takes a very long time in idle to warm the en­
gine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially high in the warm-up
phase. Therefore, you should begin driving im­
mediately after starting the engine. Avoid high
RPMs while doing this .
Have maintenance performed regularly
By having maintenance performed regularly on
your vehicle, you can help to reduce fuel con­
sumption before you even start to drive. The maintenance condition of your vehicle not only
affects traffic safety and long-term value but al ­
so impacts
fuel consumption . A poorly main­
tained engine can lead to fuel consumption that
is 10% higher than normal.
Avoid short trips
The engine and emissions control system must
reach their optimal operating temperature to ef­
fectively reduce consumption and emissions .
A cold engine uses a disproportionately high amount of fuel. The engine reaches operating
temperature and consumption normalizes only
after approximately
2 .5 miles (4 km) .
Check the tire pressure
To save fuel, make sure the tires are always in­
flated to the correct pressure
Q page 211. The
fuel consumption can increase by S% if the pres­
sure is only 0.5 bar too low . Due to the increased
rolling resistance, low tire pressures will also
lead to greater tire
wear and will affect driving
behavior.
Do not drive on
winter tires year -round, as this
will consume up to 10% more fuel.
Eliminate unnecessary weight
Since every pound of extra weight increases fuel
consumption, a quick inspection of the luggage
compartment may be worth it to avoid unneces -
sary weight.
.,.
65