2021 AUDI A6 jump cable

Checking and Filling

Do not continue driving and switch the ignition
off > A\. See an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
= Electrical system: malfunction! Restart not
possible. Please contact Service
If you switch the ignition off, you will not be able
to restart the vehicle. Vehicle functions or driving
stability may be limited. Drive to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility im-
mediately.
z= Electrical system: malfunction! Please con-
tact Service
Switch off all electrical equipment that is not
needed. If necessary, some equipment will be
switched off automatically. Vehicle functions or
driving stability may be limited. Drive to an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility immediately.
=] Electrical system: low battery charge. Bat-
tery will be charged while driving
The starting ability may be impaired.
If this message turns off after a little while, the
vehicle battery has charged enough while driving.
If this message does not turn off, drive immedi-
ately to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility.

Z\ WARNING
When there is an electrical system malfunc-
tion, vehicle functions may not work and driv-
ing stability may be limited, which increases
the risk of an accident. Do not continue driv-
ing and switch the ignition off. See an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility for assistance.

Battery
PE laa meee eee aCe)
Because of the complex power supply, all work on
batteries such as disconnecting, replacing, etc.,
should only be performed by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility > A\.
252
Multiple batteries with different technologies
may be installed in your vehicle:
— Vehicle battery (for example, for starting the
engine, basic power supply) > page 253, 12
Volt vehicle battery or > page 253, Other bat-
tery types
— Auxiliary battery (for example, for recuperation
or optional equipment) > page 253, Other bat-
tery types
Not running the vehicle for long periods of
time
The battery will gradually drain if the vehicle
does not run for long periods of time. To ensure
that the vehicle can still be started, the electrical
equipment will be limited or switched off. Some
convenience functions, such as interior lighting
or power seat adjustment, may not be available
under certain circumstances. The convenience
functions will be available again when you start
the
engine.
Even when electrical equipment is switched off,
the equipment can still drain the battery if the
vehicle is not driven for long periods of time.
Deep draining results in a chemical reaction that
destroys the inside of the battery. The battery
must be charged every month to prevent this
= page 254. Contact an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility for more infor-
mation.
Winter operation
Cold weather places an especially high load on
the 12 Volt vehicle battery. Have the battery
checked by an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility before cold weather be-
gins.

ZA\ WARNING
— All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi-
cal burns, accidents, or burns. Because of
this, all work must be performed only by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
— Never connect a charging cable or jump
start cable directly to the 12 Volt vehicle >

Checking and Filling

an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for more information.
ing the 12 Volt vehicle battery


Fig. 164 Engine compartment: connectors for a charger or
jump start cables
Observe the safety precautions > page 242, Gen-
eral information, > A\ in Battery general infor-
mation on page 252 and > /\.
Requirement: only use chargers with a maximum
charging current of 14.8 volts. The battery ca-
bles remain connected.
The charging cable connections are located in the
motor compartment. The ground point ©) is al-
ways located on the vehicle body.
> Switch off the ignition and all electrical equip-
ment.
> Open the hood > page 243.
> Press the release lever on the positive terminal
and fold the cover upward © fig. 164.
> Clamp the charger terminal clamps to the jump
start pins according to the instructions. (Hex
head bolt under a cover @), ground point on the
vehicle body ©).
> Insert the power cable for the charging device
into the socket and switch the device on.
>» At the end of the charging process, switch the
charger off and pull the power cable out of the
socket.
> Remove the charging device terminal clamps.
> Close the cover on the positive terminal.
> Close the hood > page 243.

ZA WARNING
— Never connect a charging cable or jump
start cable directly to the 12 Volt vehicle

254

battery. Only use the connections in the en-
gine compartment > page 254.
— A highly explosive mixture of gases can form
when charging batteries. Only charge the
battery in well-ventilated areas.
— A drained battery can freeze at tempera-
tures around 32 °F (0 °C). Do not charge or
use a frozen or thawed battery. If ice forms,
the battery housing can crack and battery
electrolyte can leak out, which increases the
risk of an explosion and chemical burns.
Contact an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility for more informa-
tion.
— Do not connect or disconnect the charging
cable while charging because this increases
the risk of an explosion.
G) Tips
Read all of the manufacturer's instructions
for the charger before charging the battery.

Windshield washer
system

B4M-0135}

Fig. 165 Engine compartment: washer fluid reservoir cap
Observe the safety precautions > page 242, Gen-
eral information.
The windshield washer reservoir <> contains the
cleaning solution for the windshield/rear window
and the headlight washer system* > fig. 165,
= page 245. The reservoir capacity can be found
in > page 314.
To reduce the risk of lime scale deposits on the
spray nozzles, use clean water with low amounts
of calcium. Always add window cleaner to the wa-
ter. When the outside temperatures are cold, an >

4K0012721BE
Emergency assistance

> Connect the compressor hose to a vehicle sock-
et and switch it on.
> Let the compressor run until the specified value
on the tire pressure sticker is reached
> page 266, fig. 169>@.
> Screw the valve cap back onto the valve.
Returning to storage
> To release air, turn the valve insert. See an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
> Turn the valve insert back once the air has been
released.
> Wait several hours before placing the collapsi-
ble spare tire in the spare wheel well. Only then
will it fold down completely so that you can
store it securely.
> Then screw the valve cap back onto the valve.
> Secure the collapsible spare tire with the hand-
wheel.
> Fold the cargo floor cover back into place.
Snow chains
Using snow chains on the collapsible spare tire is
not permitted for technical reasons.
If you have to drive with snow chains and a front
tire fails, mount the collapsible spare tire in place
of a rear tire. Install the snow chains on the rear
tire that you removed, and install that in place of
the front tire that failed.

Z\ WARNING
— Only use the collapsible spare tire in emer-
gencies and drive very carefully, especially if
it is more than six years old.
— The compressor and the hose can become
very hot during operation which increases
the risk of burn injuries.
— After installing a collapsible spare tire, the
tire pressure must be checked as quickly as
possible to reduce the risk of an accident.
— Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)
with the collapsible spare tire. Driving faster
than that increases the risk of an accident.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, avoid hard
acceleration or braking and driving fast
around curves with the collapsible spare

tire.

— Never drive using more than one collapsible
spare tire, because this increases the risk of
an accident.
— Normal tires or winter tires must not be
mounted on the collapsible spare tire rim.
C) Note
The compressor must be switched off after six
minutes at the most to reduce the risk of
overheating. Let the compressor cool down
for several minutes before using it again.


Jump starting
You should only perform the steps that follow if
you have the necessary tools and technical ex-
pertise.
If the engine does not start because the vehicle
battery is drained, you can jump start your vehi-
cle using another vehicle. Jump start cables are
needed to do this.
Both vehicle batteries must have 12 V nominal
voltage. The voltage capacity (Ah) of the vehicle
battery that is giving power must not be less
than the capacity of the drained vehicle battery.
Jump start cable
Only use a jump start cable with a large enough
diameter. Note the manufacturer's specifica-
tions.
Only use a jump start cable with insulated termi-
nal clamps.
Positive cable - usually red.
Negative cable - usually black.

Z\ WARNING
— A drained battery can freeze at tempera-
tures around 32 °F (0 °C). If the vehicle bat-
tery is frozen, it must be thawed before con-
necting the jump start cables. If it is not,
the risk of an explosion and chemical burns
increases. After jump starting the vehicle, >

293

Emergency assistance


drive to an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility immediately to
have the vehicle battery checked.
— Read the warnings when working in the en-
gine compartment > page 242.
— Handling the jump start cables incorrectly
may cause the vehicle battery to explode

and lead to serious injuries.

C) Note
Jump start cables can cause considerable
damage to the vehicle electrical system if
they are connected incorrectly.
@ Tips
— There must be no contact between the
vehicles, or else voltage could flow when
connecting the positive terminal and drain
the vehicle battery of the vehicle providing
the jump start.
— The drained vehicle battery must be con-
nected correctly to the electrical system.
— Switch off electrical equipment that is not
needed.
aT eile le)
Both jump start cables must be connected in the
correct order.

Fig. 181 Engine compartment: connectors for jump start
cables or a charger
294


Fig. 182 Connecting the jump start cables
The jump start cable connections are located in
the engine compartment.
Follow the information about the vehicle battery
=> page 252.
Connecting the positive cable (red) to the
positive terminal
> Open the red cover on the positive terminal
> fig. 181.
1. Attach one end of the positive cable (red) to
the jump-start pin @ © fig. 182 on your vehi-
cle.
2. Attach the other end of the positive cable
(red) to the positive terminal @) on the pow-
er source.
Connecting the negative cable (black) to the
negative terminal
3. Attach one end of the negative cable (black)
to the negative terminal @) on the power
source.
4. Attach the other end of the negative cable
(black) to the jump-start pin @ on the vehi-
cle.
Starting the engine
> Start the engine in the vehicle giving the charge
and let it run at idle.
> Now start the engine in your vehicle, which has
the drained battery.
> If the engine does not start, stop the starting
procedure after 10 seconds and then repeat it
after approximately 30 seconds.
> Turn on the rear window defogger in your vehi-
cle in order to reduce any voltage peaks that
may occur when disconnecting the jump start
cables. The headlights must be switched off. >

4K0012721BE
Emergency assistance

> With the engines running, remove the cables in
reverse order of the way they were installed.
> Close the red cover on the positive terminal.

ZA WARNING
— Never connect the jump start cable directly
to your vehicle battery. Only use the connec-
tions in the engine compartment.
— Do not touch the non-insulated parts of the
terminal clamps. The cable must also not
come into contact with vehicle components
that conduct electricity when it is connected
to the positive vehicle battery terminal. This
can cause a short circuit.
— The plugs on the battery cells must not be
opened.
— Keep ignition sources (such as open flames,
burning cigarettes, etc.) away from the vehi-
cle batteries to reduce the risk of an explo-
sion.
— Route the jump start cables so they cannot
get caught in the moving parts in the other
vehicle's engine compartment.
@) Note
Please note that the connecting process previ-
ously described for the jump start cables is in-
tended for when your vehicle is being jump
started.
@) Tips
Make sure that the connected jump start ca-
bles have sufficient contact with metal.

Towing
General information
You should only perform the steps that follow if
you have the necessary tools and technical ex-
pertise.
Towing requires a certain amount of practice.
Audi recommends contacting a towing company
to have the vehicle transported.
You should only have your vehicle towed by an-
other vehicle when disabled in exceptional cir-
cumstances. Inexperienced drivers should not
tow.
Notes on towing
When the engine is stopped, the transmission
will not be sufficiently lubricated if traveling at
high speeds and long distances:
— The maximum permitted towing speed is 30
mph (50 km/h).
—The maximum permitted towing distance is 30
miles (50 km).
Additional information on towing with a tow
truck
The vehicle may only be towed with the front axle
raised. Do not wrap any chains or cables around
the brake lines.
Tow bar and towing cable
The vehicle can be towed with a tow bar or tow-
ing cable. Both drivers should be familiar with
the special considerations when towing, especial-
ly when using a towing cable.
Always make sure the traction force does not ex-
ceed the permitted level and there are no shock
loading conditions. There is always the risk of the
coupling becoming overloaded when driving off-
road.
For the most safety and security, drive with a tow
bar. You should use a towing cable only if a tow
bar is not available. Use a towing cable made of
synthetic elastic cable similar elastic material.

ZA WARNING
— Towing highly increases the risk of an acci-
dent, for example from colliding with the
towing vehicle.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, do not al-
low anyone to remain inside the vehicle
when it is being transported by a tow truck
or a special transporter.
C) Note
—If normal towing is not possible, for exam-
ple if the transmission is faulty or if the
towing distance is greater than 30 miles

295