2021 AUDI A6 steering wheel

4K0012721BE
Sitting correctly and safely

> To move the steering wheel forward or back-
ward, press the switch forward or backward.
The steering wheel can also be adjusted when the
ignition is switched off.
Head restraints
General information
Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints

B4G-0454



Fig. 54 Correctly-adjusted head restraint
Make sure that:
— The upper edge of the head restraint is as even
as possible with the top of your head
— The head restraint is as close as possible to the
back of the head
— The head restraints on the occupied rear seats
are positioned as high as possible.

ZA WARNING
— There is one head restraint for each seat. All
vehicle occupants must adjust the head re-
straint correctly before every trip. Having
head restraints that are not adjusted cor-
rectly or not installed in the vehicle increas-
es the risk of a neck injury during sudden or
unexpected driving or braking maneuvers or
ina collision.
— Only remove the rear seat head restraints if
it
is necessary to install a child safety seat
= page 78. Stow the removed head re-
straints securely, for example in the luggage
compartment. Reinstall the head restraints
immediately once the child safety seat has
been removed. Driving without head re-
straints increases the risk of serious neck in-
juries.

Front head restraints
Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints

[RAZ-0683]


Fig. 55 Front seat: adjusting the head restraint
Adjusting the head restraints
> To adjust the head restraint upward or forward,
slide it until it locks into place.
> To adjust the head restraint downward or back-
ward, press the button on the side and slide the
head restraint. Release the button and slide the
head restraint farther until it locks into place.
Rear head restraints
Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints



Fig. 56 Rear seat: adjusting or removing the head restraint
Adjusting the head restraints
Applies to: vehicles with manually adjustable head restraints
> To adjust the head restraint upward, slide it un-
til it locks into place.
> To adjust the head restraint downward, press
the button @) and slide the head restraint. Re-
lease the button and slide the head restraint
farther until it locks into place.
Removing the headrests
Applies to: vehicles with removable head restraints
> Applies to: vehicles with folding backrests: Fold
the backrest forward slightly. See > page 87.
69
>

Sitting correctly and safely

> Move the head restraint upward all the way.
> Insert a suitable object, such as the extended
vehicle key or mechanical key, into the release
point @ on the inside or outside of the base.
> Press the button @) and pull the head restraint
out of the backrest > A\ in General informa-
tion on page 69.
Installing the headrests
Applies to: vehicles with removable head restraints
> Fold the backrest forward slightly > page 87.
> Slide the posts on the head restraint down into
the guides until the posts click into place.
> Press the button @) and slide the head restraint
all the way down. It should not be possible to
remove the head restraint from the backrest
without pressing the button.
Safety belts
General information
Each seat is equipped with a three-point safety
belt. Safety belts that are worn correctly are the
most effective way to reduce the risk of serious or
fatal injuries in a collision. Therefore, wear your
safety belt correctly and make sure that all vehi-
cle passengers are also wearing their safety belts
correctly when the vehicle is moving.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an air-
bag system, every vehicle passenger must still al-
ways wear the appropriate safety belt. In addi-
tion to their normal protective function, safety
belts also hold vehicle occupants in the correct
seating position in the event of a collision so that
the airbags can deploy correctly and provide addi-
tional protection. Safety belts provide protection
during collisions when the airbags do not deploy
or if they have already deployed.


ZX WARNING
The risk of serious or fatal injury increases if
the safety belt is not fastened, if it is worn in-
correctly, or if it is damaged.
— All vehicle occupants, including the driver,
must fasten their safety belts correctly be-
fore every trip and must always keep their
safety belts fastened during the trip, regard-


less of whether the seat is equipped with an
airbag or not. This also applies to children
that are seated in a child safety seat that is
appropriate for their weight and age and
that is secured with a safety belt.
— In the event of a collision, vehicle occupants
that are not wearing safety belts could be
propelled through the vehicle interior and
collide with vehicle components, such as the
steering wheel, instrument panel, wind-
shield, or doors. In some situations, vehicle
occupants could also be ejected from the ve-
hicle. Vehicle occupants in the rear seats
who do not wear safety belts not only en-
danger themselves, but also other people in
the vehicle.
— Only one person may be fastened with a
safety belt at a time. Never secure more
than one person, including children, with a
single safety belt.
— Never allow children or infants to ride on an-
other person's lap and be belted into the
safety belt with them.
— Insert the belt buckle only in the belt latch
belonging to the corresponding seat, so that
the protective function is not impaired.
—To ensure the maximum protective function
of the safety belts, all vehicle passengers
must sit in the correct seating position
=> page 65.
— Check the condition of your vehicle’s safety
belts regularly > page 281. If you find dam-
age to the belt webbing, the belt connec-
tions, the retractor, or the buckle, have the
damaged safety belt replaced by an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
— The safety belts must not be removed or
modified in any way. Do not attempt to re-
pair the safety belts yourself.
— Safety belts that are strained during an acci-
dent must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty.


70

Sitting correctly and safely


— In an emergency, the recall process can be
canceled by pressing the seat adjustment
button on that seat.

Airbag system
Z\ WARNING
— If you have not fastened your safety belt,
you are in an incorrect seating position, or
you are too close to the airbag system, the
airbag system will not be able to protect
you. This increases the risk of serious or fa-
tal
injuries. Make sure that every vehicle
passenger has their safety belt correctly fas-
tened and is sitting in a correct seating posi-
tion > page 65. This is necessary regardless
of whether the seat is equipped with an air-
bag or not.
— Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, out of the window, or on the seat sur-
faces. To help ensure that the airbag system
can deploy correctly, never bend forward or
lean on the door or the side window. Other-
wise, serious and possibly fatal injuries can
occur if the airbags deploy.

— People, animals, or objects between the
passengers and the airbag system can inter-
fere with the correct deployment of the air-
bag or can be thrown through the vehicle in-
terior, increasing the risk of serious or fatal
injuries. Make sure that nothing is located
between the vehicle occupants and the air-
bag system. Do not secure or transport any
objects within the deployment zone of the
airbag systems, especially on the steering
wheel, on the instrument panel, on the
doors, on the windows, or in the footwell.
— Never put stickers on the airbag system cov-
ers or cover them with any objects.
— Only lightweight clothing should be hung
from the garment hooks in the vehicle. Do
not use clothes hangers to hang clothing.
The pockets of the clothing must not con-
tain any heavy, breakable, or sharp-edged
objects. This could impair the effectiveness
of the side curtain airbags.

74
— You must not use seat or protective covers
that are not specifically approved for use on
Audi seats with side airbags. Since the side
airbags deploy from the seat backrest, such
covers could impair the protective function
of the side airbags.
— Damage to the original seat covers in the
side airbag deployment area must always be
repaired by an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility.
— Airbag system components are installed at
various locations in your vehicle. Incorrect
work or repairs on the vehicle could damage
the airbag system components or impair
their functionality. This may prevent the air-
bags from deploying or cause them to de-
ploy incorrectly in the event of an accident,
which increases the risk of serious or fatal
injuries. Only have an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility make re-
pairs or modifications to a vehicle.
— The airbag system can only provide protec-
tion during one collision. If there is another
collision, the airbag system will not deploy
again. If the airbag system has deployed,
have it replaced immediately by an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
— Fine dust may appear if the airbags deploy.
This is completely normal and does not indi-
cate a fire in the vehicle. The fine dust can ir-
ritate the skin and mucous membranes in
the eyes and can cause difficulty breathing,
particularly for individuals who have or have
had asthma or other health issues that af-
fect breathing. Exit the vehicle or open the


windows or doors to get access to fresh air.
@ Tips
If you are transporting children in the vehicle,
read the information and follow the safety
precautions > page 78.
Safety systems monitoring
The Ea indicator light in the instrument cluster
monitors the safety systems such as the airbags
(including the control modules, sensor, and

>

Sitting correctly and safely

condition of the object that the vehicle hits (hard
or soft), the angle of impact, vehicle speed, etc.
The deciding factor for the deployment of the air-
bag system is the deceleration that occurs during
an accident. Sensors in the vehicle are designed
to detect the severity of an accident in conjunc-
tion with the control module, and to provide a
targeted and timely deployment of the restraint
system. If the vehicle deceleration that is meas-
ured during an accident is below the specified
reference values in the control module, then the
airbags will not deploy, even though the vehicle
may be severely damaged from the accident. In
these cases, the vehicle occupants will be pro-
tected by the safety belts if they are fastened and
worn correctly.
The deployment of the front passenger's airbag
will depend on the occupancy of the seat
=> page 76.
Each deployed airbag is filled with gas. When this
occurs, the airbag covers open and the airbags
unfold with great force into the deployment zone
within milliseconds. Inflated airbags reduce the
movement of passengers wearing safety belts in
the direction of the impact and thus help to re-
duce the risk of injury. They can help to protect
the head, upper body, and lap, for example. How-
ever, there is the possibility that airbag deploy-
ment can cause injuries.
The airbag system only works when the ignition
is turned on.
If you or other vehicle passengers have physical
limitations that prevent sitting in a correct posi-
tion, modifications to the vehicle may be neces-
sary. For more information, contact an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty, or call Audi customer support at
1-800-822-2834.
G) Tips
The side curtain airbags in your vehicle have
ejection mitigation functions. This reduces
the risk of being ejected from the vehicle inte-
rior during an accident, especially in the event
of a vehicle rollover.
76
Advanced airbag system

Fig. 63 Headliner: indicator light to display the status of
the front passenger's airbag
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has
been certified to comply with the requirements
of the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (FMVSS) 208, as well as Canada Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 as applica-
ble at the time your vehicle was manufactured.
According to these requirements, the front Ad-
vanced Airbag System on the passenger’s side
has been certified for “suppression” for infants
approximately 12 months old and younger, and
for “low risk deployment” for children aged 3 to
6 years old (as defined in the standard).
The advanced airbag system will activate or deac-
tivate the front passenger's airbag based on the
occupancy of the seat. If a front airbag deploys
during an accident, the deployment force will
adapt to the passenger.
Components
The advanced airbag system consists of the fol-
lowing components:
— Front airbags in the steering wheel and in the
instrument panel on the front passenger's side:
these can protect the front passengers during
an accident
— Passenger occupant detection sensor in the
front passenger's seat: this detects if the front
passenger's seat is occupied (for example, by a
person or a small child in a child safety seat)
— Seat position sensors on the front seats: these
determine the distance between the seat and
the steering wheel or instrument panel
— Sensors in the front seat belt latch: these de-
tect if the safety belts are fastened

Warm and cold

@) Note
To reduce the risk of damage to the seat heat-
ing* elements, do not kneel on the seats or
place heavy pressure on one area of the seat.
@ Tips
— If the front passenger's seat heating” is
turned on, it will not turn on again automat-
ically if more than 10 minutes have passed
between switching the ignition off and on
again.
— Only use the fragrance function* in modera-
tion and take any other passengers and ani-
mals into consideration when using the
function. An overlap of different scents or
odors could cause discomfort. If there is
discomfort, reduce the intensity or switch
the fragrance function* off. Only use fra-
grances that are approved by Audi.
Adjusting the vents
You can open and close the vents using the
thumbwheels. The levers adjust the direction of
the airflow from the vents.
Additional settings
You can adjust additional settings.
» Applies to: MMI: Select on the home screen:
VEHICLE > Air conditioning > ©}.
Fragrance
Applies to: vehicles with fragrance function
Using Fragrance selection, you can select the fra-
grance and see the fill level of the fragrance.
You can select the strength of the scent with Fra-
grance level.
Footwell temperature*
You can adjust the footwell temperature for the
driver and front passenger.
Steering wheel heating
Sica Rela
Applies to: vehicles with steering wheel heating
> Press @ to switch steering wheel heating on or
off.
You can also operate the steering wheel heating
using the multifunction steering wheel
=> page 31.
Applies to: vehicles with steering wheel heating
@& Steering wheel heating: on / Steering wheel
heating: off
This message appears if you have switched the
steering wheel heating on or off.
Steering wheel heating: malfunction! See own-
er's manual
If this message appears, there is a malfunction.
Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.
Fluids in the A/C system
Refrigerant in the A/C system
The sticker in the engine compartment provides
information about the type and amount of refrig-
erant used in the vehicle’s A/C system. The stick-
er is located in the front section of the engine
compartment or at the front or back of the hood.

Symbol | Meaning

Warning: the A/C system must only
be serviced by qualified technicians. A

Refrigerant type

Lubricant type

Refer to the service information
(only available for authorized Audi
dealers or authorized Audi Service
He
tt
&)


Facilities)
e The A/C system must only be serv-
fh iced by qualified technicians. >

4K0012721BE
Driving

— If the engine has been under heavy load for
an extended period of time, heat builds up
in the engine compartment after the engine
is switched off and there is a risk of damag-
ing the engine. For this reason, let the en-
gine run at idle for approximately two mi-
nutes before shutting it off.
G) Tips
— Brief noises are normal when starting and
stopping the vehicle and are no cause for
concern.
—For up to 10 minutes after stopping the en-
gine, the radiator fan may turn on again au-
tomatically or it may continue to run, even if
the ignition is switched off.
— It may not be possible to start the vehicle in
extremely low temperatures.
— Power will be fully available once the engine
is at operating temperature.
WE Tel
= Engine start system: malfunction! Please
contact Service
Do not switch the ignition off because you may
not be able to switch it on again. Drive to an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility immediately to have the malfunction cor-
rected.
EJ Engine start system: malfunction! Please
contact Service
There is a malfunction in the engine start system.
Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.
2 Remote control key: key not detected. Is the
key
still in the vehicle?
The vehicle key was removed from the vehicle
while the engine is running. If the vehicle key is
no longer in the vehicle, you cannot switch the ig-
nition on or start the engine once you stop it. You
also cannot lock the vehicle from the outside.
Remote control key: hold back of key
against the designated area. See owner's man-
ual
The battery in the vehicle key may be drained or
there may be a malfunction. To start the vehicle,
you must also hold the vehicle key against the lo-
cation shown ?) > page 96, fig. 84.
If the malfunction remains, drive immediately to
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility to have the malfunction correct-
ed.
When driving
Starting to drive, stopping, and parking
Starting from a stop
> Press and hold the brake pedal.
> Start the engine.
> Select a gear.
> Release the parking brake.
> Release the brake pedal. The vehicle may roll.
> Press the accelerator pedal to accelerate.
Securing the vehicle against rolling
Secure your vehicle to prevent it from rolling be-
fore exiting the vehicle.
> Set the parking brake.
> Select the “P” selector lever position.
> If parking on a steep road, turn the steering
wheel so that your vehicle will roll against the
curb in case it should start to move.
If one of these measures is not possible, for ex-
ample because there is no vehicle power, you
must secure your vehicle against rolling using ad-
ditional measures.
> Only park the vehicle on a level surface.
> Use suitable objects to block the front and rear
wheels.
Set the parking brake before selecting the “P” se-
lector lever position. This prevents too much
stress from being placed on the locking mecha-
nism when parking on a steep surface.

ZA WARNING
— Always set the parking brake when leaving
your vehicle, even if for a short period of >

97

Driving

Manual shifting

RAZ-0411


Fig. 86 Center console: shifting manually with the selector
lever

RAZ-0003



—
Fig. 87 Steering wheel: shift paddles*
You can shift the gears manually when in “D”
mode. The transmission must be in tiptronic
mode.
Shifting with the selector lever
You can shift into manual shifting mode while the
vehicle is stationary or while driving.
> To switch to manual shifting mode, tilt the se-
lector lever toward the front passenger's side
> fig. 86. “M” will be displayed in the instru-
ment cluster.
> Upshifting: push the selector lever forward ().
> Downshifting: push the selector lever toward
the rear ©).
> To switch back to automatic mode, tilt the se-
lector lever toward the driver's side.
Shifting with the shift paddles
Applies to: vehicles with shift paddles
> Upshifting: press the @) shift paddle > fig. 87.
> Downshifting: press the ©) shift paddle.
» Applies to: vehicles with tiptronic transmission:
To engage the lowest possible gear for maxi-
100
mum acceleration, press and hold the © shift
paddle.
> To switch back to automatic mode, press and
hold the (@) shift paddle or push the selector
lever toward the rear.
If you stop using the shift paddles temporarily,
the transmission will switch back to automatic
mode. To keep shifting manually, tilt the selector
lever toward the front passenger's side.
@ Tips
— The transmission only allows manual shift-
ing when the engine speed is within the per-
mitted range.
— The transmission automatically shifts up or
down before critical engine speed is
reached.
— Applies to: RS models: When accelerating,
the transmission will not automatically shift
to the next gear shortly before the maxi-
mum permitted engine RPM is reached.
Shift to the next highest gear at the right
time.
Accelerator pedal
You can accelerate the vehicle using the accelera-
tor pedal.

Depending on the equipment, you may be able to
adjust the haptic feedback for the accelerator
pedal in the MMI.
— Select on the home screen: VEHICLE > (Charg-
ing & Efficiency) > Efficiency assist > (Interac-
tive accelerator).
Accelerator pedal feedback / predictive
messages
Haptic feedback in the accelerator pedal indi-
cates when you should take your foot off the ac-
celerator pedal to drive more efficiently.
Maximum acceleration
If you press the accelerator pedal all the way
down, the motor’s full power will be used and
you will reach maximum acceleration, also called
“kick-down”.

4K0012721BE
Driving


AN WARNING
The driving wheels could spin and the vehicle
could swerve on slick or slippery road surfaces
when using kick-down, which increases the
risk of an accident.
Launch Control
Applies to: vehicles with S tronic transmission and Launch
Control

Launch Control provides the best possible accel-
eration when starting from a stop.
Requirements
— The engine must be at operating temperature.
—The steering wheel must not be turned.
— Start/Stop system* must be deactivated
=> page 104.
— ESC must be limited > page 117.
— Driving program “S” > page 99 or the dynamic
Audi drive select* mode must be selected
> page 112.
Using Launch Control
— Press the brake pedal with your left foot and
hold it all the way down for at least one second.
— With the brake pedal pressed, press the accel-
erator pedal all the way down with your right
foot at the same time.
— Once the engine reaches a constant speed, re-
move your foot from the brake pedal.
Once the vehicle has started moving, reactivate
the ESC so that it is fully functional.

XN WARNING
Only use Launch Control when road and traffic
conditions allow it and other road users will
not be endangered or impacted by your driv-
ing and the vehicle's acceleration. The driving
wheels could spin and the vehicle could
swerve, especially on slick or slippery road
surfaces, which increases the risk of an acci-
dent.


CG) Note
When accelerating using Launch Control, all
vehicle components are subject to heavy
loads. This can result in increased wear.
@ Tips
After accelerating using the Launch Control,
the temperature of some vehicle components
may increase greatly. If that happens, the
function will not be available for a few mi-
nutes to reduce the risk of damage. After a
cool-down period, Launch Control will be
available again.
Parking lock emergency release


Fig. 88 Center console: releasing the parking lock using
the emergency release
The emergency release is located in the front cup
holder under a cover. Read and follow the impor-
tant instructions about towing > page 295.
Releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release
> Secure the vehicle against rolling > page 97.
> Remove the rubber mat.
> Pry the cover off the opening using the screw-
driver from the vehicle tool kit.
> Insert the socket wrench from the vehicle tool
kit in the opening so that the handle points to-
ward the front passenger's side.
> Turn the socket wrench clockwise (@) until it
stops and press it downward @) until it locks in-
to place.
» Leave the socket wrench inserted.
101