AUDI A6 2011 Owners Manual
Page 261 of 370
-With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the whee ls towards the curb .
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move the selector lever to
P.
When restarting after parking:
- Apply the foot brake.
- Start the eng ine .
- M ove the selector lever to
D.
-Release the parking brake and slowly pu ll out and away
from the wheel chocks .
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel chocks .
[ i ) Tips
If you move the se lector lever of the automat ic t ransm ission to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the whee ls,
yo u may have to use mo re force later to move the leve r out of t he
P
position. •
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 262 of 370
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Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserves vehicl e val ue.
Any automobile is exposed to industria l fumes, co rrosive road salt,
e tc. A well ca red for Audi c an look lik e new many ye ars after pur cha se.
Regu lar and correct care w ill contribute to mai nta in ing t he bea uty
a nd valu e of your Au di.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition for substantiating a
warranty claim should corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Yo ur au thori zed Audi d eale r h as a var iety of dedicated vehicle-care
products
and can advise w hich ones to use for clea ning the exterior
a n d inter io r of your ve hicle.
W het her you use products recommended by Aud i or other comme r
cia lly availab le cleaning agents , please make sure yo u appl y them
co rrectly .
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous . Keep them out of the reach
of children.
• Heed all caution labels .
• Always read directions on the container before using any
product. Follow the directions carefully.
• Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be
diluted .
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated areas.
• Do not use gasoline, kero sene , diesel fuel , nail polish remover
or other volatile fluids . They may be toxic, flammable or
hazardous in other ways. Do not wash, wax or dry the vehicle with
the ign ition on or the engine running .
& WARNING (continued )
• Do not clean the under sides of chassi s, fenders , wheel covers,
etc. without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut your
self on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking efficiency
~ page 245, "General information ". Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle .
'£> For the sake of the environment
Select only envir onmenta lly fr iendly clea ning produc ts . Leftover
cleaning pro ducts sho uld not dis posed of i n the household waste .•
Care of exterior
Washing
F re quent w ashin g protec ts th e vehicle.
T he best protection aga inst env ironmental influences is frequent
w ashi ng and w ax ing. How oft en thi s is requ ired depen ds on :
• How m uch the vehicle is used
• Whe re the ve hicle is parke d (gar age, in the o pen un der tr ees, etc.)
• The seasona l and weather conditions
• Environ mental influences
T he longer bird droppings , insects , tree resin, road and industria l
gr ime, t ar, soo t, road sa lt and o ther ma ter ia ls remain on t he veh icle
body, the more lasti ng their destructive effects w ill be. H igh temper
atu res cause d by ex pos ure to intense s unlight int ensify the co rrosive
effect, part icu larly when humid ity is high as we ll.
~
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Under certain circumstances, weekly washing may be necessary .
Under other conditions, a monthly washing and waxing may be
adequate.
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle shou ld be thoroughly
washed, p referably in a profess ional car wash.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260. •
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any modern auto
matic car wash.
Th e vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle can normally be
washed without problems in an automatic car wash . However, the
effect on the paint depends to a lar ge exten t on the design of the
facility, the filtering of the wash water, the type of wash and care material, etc. If the paint has a dull appearance after going through
the car wash or is scratched, bring this to the attention of the oper
ator immediately . If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going thro ugh a car wash, be sure to take the usual precau
tions such as closing the windows and power roof. Factory installed
antennas must not be removed.
If you have installed additional accessories on the vehicle -such as
spoilers, roof rack, etc. - it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260. •
Safety first
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehicle by hand.
-Before you star t washing, make sure you have read and
understood the WARNINGS~
& in "General informa
tion" on
page 260.
- First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then rinse it off .
- As you clean your vehicle, start with the roof and work your
way down to the bottom, using a sponge, a sponge glove
or a clean brush.
- Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often, flush ing it
clean each time .
- Use special car shampoo only for very persistent dirt.
- Rinse the car thoroughly with water.
- Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the exterior dry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the wheels, door sills and other
regions exposed to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch the
paint with coa rse particles imbedded in the sponge the next time you
wash the car.
& WARNING
• Do not clean the underside of the chassis, fenders, wheel
covers, or other hard to reach parts without protecting your hands
and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260. _..
Vehicle care Technical data
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0 Note
• Never try to remove dirt, mud o r d ust if the s urface of the vehicle
is dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge, s ince this could scratch your
veh icle's pai nt o r win dows.
• Never was h your car in bright sunlight . D rops of water act as
magnifyi ng lenses and may damage your p aint.
• When you was h yo ur car in the winter: if you rinse your vehicle w ith
a hose , be careful not to a im the stream of wate r d irect ly at locks, or
at doo r or hatch openings -they can freeze s hut.
• N ever use sponges des igned to remove insects, o r any kitchen
sco uring sponges or s imilar pro ducts. They can damage yo ur paint
fi ni sh.
• N ever use a dry cl oth o r sp on ge to clean t he he adlig hts. Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent scratches . It is best to use soapy
water .
<i> For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environme nt, the ve hicl e should on ly be washed
in special wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cle a ning the exterior o f y o ur car with a hi gh-pressure
po we r w ashe r is s afe as long as y ou observe a few simple
ru les.
- Bef ore using the power wa sher, make su re yo u hav e rea d
and unders tood the WAR NIN GS ~
& in "G ener al in for
matio n" o n
pag e 260 .
- Always follow t he o perat in g in struc tions fo r t he power
was her. -
Make sure t hat t he je t o n the spray hose pro duc es a "fan
sha ped spr ay ".
- Do
not ho ld t he spray no zzle too close to so ft mat eria ls.
When cleani ng the vehicle wi th a power washer al ways fo llow the
operat ing inst ruct ions . T his ap plies part icu lar ly to the
operating
pressure
a nd the spraying distance . Keep a distance from soft mate
r ia ls s uch as rubbe r hoses or insulating material as well as sensors
a nd came ra le n ses.
Do not use
a jet wh ich sprays water in a direct stream or one that has
a rotating je t.
W ate r temperature s houl d no t exceed 140
°F (60 °() .
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays water in a direct stream.
This could cause invisible damage to the tires and weaken them ,
even if the spray is from a relatively long distance and for a short
time . Damaged and weakened tires can fail and cause accidents
and personal injury .
0 Note
To avo id damagi ng your vehicle , a lways ma ke s ure th at ther e is suffi
cient distance between the s pray head a nd soft mate rials like r ubber
hoses, p las tic pa rt s an d sound -dea den ing ma ter ials. Never ai m the
spray head at the same po int for
a long time. This a lso applies to
cleaning headligh ts a nd pai nte d bu mpe rs. Remember: the close r the
nozzle is to the surface of the material, the greater the stress on the
m at eria l. •
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Waxing
Wax protects the vehicle's paint.
- Use a man ually applied car wax occasionally to protect the
paint .
A good wax coat ing p ro tects the vehi cle pa int to a la rge exte nt
against the environmental factors listed under=>
page 260,
"Washing " and even against slig ht s cratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your paint as soon as one week after your vehicle has been delivered .
E ven if you regularly use a
waxing p ro cess in a utomatic car washes,
we recommend that you manually apply a coat of wax to give the
pai nt extra p rotectio n, part icularly if wate r no longer beads on the
clean pa int.
Protect plastic body parts with car wax in the same way as the vehicle
body .
Dur ing warm weather dead insects tend to collect on the front
bumpe r and on the forward area of the hood. They a re much easier to
remove from pa int that is waxed
often .
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNING S and other information
=> pag e 260.
0 Note
Do not use car wax on
• matte o r anodized meta l trim
• rubber or rubber-like tr im. •
Safety first
Polishing
Polishing restores the gloss to the paint.
Polish your vehicle only if the pa int has lost its shine and the gloss
c annot be bro ught back wi th wax.
If the polish used does not contain preservative compounds, the
paint must be waxed afterwards=>
page 263, "Waxing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informa tion
:::> page 260 .
0 Note
Do not treat matte anodized metal tr im, plastic or rubber parts with
polish or wax. •
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care.
For env ironmental reasons, Aud i fabr icates the bright trim strips and
trim p ieces from p ure chrom ium-free alum inum .
Dirt and marks on the tr im strips should be removed with a
pH
balanced clean ing age nt (do no t use a chrome clean er) . Au di dealers
carry cleaning products which have been tested for use on your
vehicle and a re not h armf ul t o the envi ronment.
T o avo id corrosion on the exterior trim strips, only a pH-balanced
solution sho uld be used for the windshie ld washer .
& WARNING
Always re ad and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:::> page 260 . •
Vehicle care Technical data
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Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove dust and light surface
dirt. For other soil, use a lukewarm all-purpose cleaning solution or a
mild saddle soap for vinyl trim . Remove water spots and traces of
soap with a clean, damp cloth or sponge. Use a clean, soft cloth to rub
dry.
Grease, tar or oil stains can be removed with a clean cloth or sponge
soaked with all-purpose cleaner or with a solvent designed especially
to clean vinyl.
Occasionally apply a colorless vinyl or leather preservative to retain
the material 's luster and pliability.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:::> page 260. •
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
aluminum surfaces. Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners will
attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 260. •
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up immediately.
- Use either a touch-up paint stick or spray paint to cover
minor scratches and nicks.
Your Audi dealer has touch-up paint for minor scratches and stone
chips . Scratches should be touched up soon after they occur to
prevent corrosion.
If a spot starts to rust, however, a simple touch-up job will not be
enough. The affected surface must be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti-rust primer before the painted finish can be restored.
The number for the original vehicle paint can be found on the vehicle identification label=>
page 340.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 260. •
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road film and carwash
wax buildup.
- Remove snow from windows using a brush.
- Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from windows and
mirrors.
- Remove other residue on the windows with a spray-on glass cleaner.
- Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of cloth or
kitchen paper towel.
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The best way to remove snow from w indows and mirrors is to use a
br ush . Use a non- abra sive
plastic ice scraper -better st ill, a spray
deicer -to remove
ice from w indows and mirro rs .
T he windows must not be cleaned with insect remover o r wax since
t hese ca n interfere w it h the func tion of the w indshie ld wipe r blades
(chatte r).
O il, g re ase o r silicone resi due c an be remove d with
glass cleaner or
silicone remover. However, wax residue requires the use of a specially
formulated solvent . Please contact your A udi dea ler for advice on safe
prod ucts for wax removal.
Wi ndows s hou ld also be cleaned on the inside at regu lar intervals .
N ever dry wi ndow s w ith t he same ch amo is tha t you use to dry pain ted
surfaces. Wax res idue o n the c hamois ca n impa ir vis ion t hrough t he
w indows.
& WARNING
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent
materials. They can increase glare under poor vis ibility conditions
such as wetness, darkness, or when the sun is low on the horizon .
In addit ion, they can cause the windshield wipe rs to chatter.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260.
0 Note
• N ever use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from
w indows and mir rors . This cou ld c au se the glass to c rac k.
• To prevent damage to the wires of the rear defogger, do not place
a ny adhesive stick ers on the inside of the re ar window ove r the wires .
• T o help prevent dirt from scratching the window, a lways scra pe in
a fo rwa rd direction -pu shing t he s crape r away fro m you -neve r back
and fort h.•
Safety first
Weatherstrips
C om pl ete c ar c are inc ludes the weat her strips as well .
- Ap ply a sui tab le ru bb er co nditio ner to t he we athers tri ps
from time to time .
To be able sea l pro pe rly, the weat hers tr ips arou nd the hood, doo rs,
rear lid, etc. m ust remain pliable. Spray the weathe rst rips with sili
con e or coat them wit h talcu m p owder or glyce rine t o reta in the flex
ibility of the rubber and to protect them against freezing in t he
wi nter.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 260.
[I) Tips
Keep silicone sprays off the winds hie ld to avoid wiper smear in ra in. •
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) all oy wheels requir e sp ecial c are.
- Wash the whe els wi th a spo nge or h ose bru sh ev er y othe r
w ee k.
- Fo r deep cleaning afterwar ds, use on ly a dedi cated
acid
free cas t all oy whe el cleaner.
- R ub a coat of
liquid wax onto the r ims eve ry three month .
B e su re to reac h an d trea t all parts o f the rim.
To preserve the dec orative appearance of the cast alloy whee ls , some
s pecial care is necessa ry . In add ition to road dirt and s alt , bra ke du st
is a lso corrosive . If left on for too long, brake dust can cause pitt ing . ..,_
Vehicle care Technical data
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Use only special acid-free cleaners formulated for a lloy r ims . Sa fe
pro ducts are availabl e at your A udi de aler. Never leave t he cle aner on
the rims longe r tha n spec ified on the label. If not rinsed off promptly,
the ac id contained in some cleaners can attack the t hreads on the
w heel bolts.
Never use abrasive or metal po lish ing cleaning agents.
If the protec
t ive coa ting ha s been ch ipped, e.g. by k icked up road dirt, touch it up
as soon as possible.
& WARNING
• Moisture and ice on brakes may affect braking efficiency
=> page 245, "General information ". Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=:>page 260 . •
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not need to be checked .
All body cavit ies which cou ld be affected by corrosion have been thor
oughly p rotected at the factory .
Th is sea ling does not require any inspection or additiona l treatment.
If any wax sho uld seep ou t of the cavi ty when the ambien t tempera
ture is h igh, it can be removed w it h a plastic scraper and a suitable
so lvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous.
• Benzine is flammable and toxic. If you use benzine for
removing the wa x, keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away. Never dump benzine on the ground, into open st reams or
down sewag e drains.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Be su re to observe all safety and environmental regulations.
Follow all instructions on the container.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=:>page 260 . •
Chassis
Hav e the undercoa ting checked fo r damage f rom time to
ti me.
The lower body shell of your Audi is a lso thoroughly protected against
c orrosion .
Any damage to the u nde rcoat ing caused by road ha za rds sho uld be
repaire d promptly.
& WARNING
Too mu ch undercoating in the wrong places can caus e a fire.
• Do not apply additional undercoating or rustp roofing on or
near the exhau st manifold , exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. While dr iving, the substance used for undercoating
c ould overheat and cau se a fire.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other info rmation
=:>page 260 . •
E x haust tail pipes
Road s alt and ot her c orrosive mater ials w ill damage the m ate rial in
the exhaust ta il pipes if they a re not cleaned regularly. Do not clean
t he t ail pipes w ith w heel cleaner, p aint polish, chrome po lish or o ther
abrasive cleaners. C lean the tail pipes with car care products that are
sui table for sta inless s teel.
~
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Your authorized Audi dealer can provide cleaning products that have
bee n tested and approved for your veh icle. •
Care of interior
MMI display
- Clean the MMI display with a soft clean cloth and an LCD
cleaner .
The MMI display can be cleaned with a professionally available "LCD
cleaner". The cloth should be slightly dampened with the cleaning
fluid to clean the d isp lay .
0 Not e
To avoid scratching the MMI display, you should never clean it dry. •
MMI control console
- First clean the MMI control console with a brush to
remove dust from the housing.
- Then wipe the MMI control console with a clean, soft,
slightly damp cloth.
T he MM I control console sho uld be cleaned w ith a brush first so that
no dirt is trapped between the buttons and the housing. We recom
mend g iving the MMI contro l conso le a final w ipe with a cloth mois t
ened w ith water and dish washing detergent.
0 Note
To prevent damage, make sure that no fluid ever gets into the MMI
control console .•
Safety first
Aluminum trim
Use only neut ral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
al uminum surfaces. Ch rome care prod ucts and al kaline cleaners w ill
attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over t ime .
& WARNING
Alw ay s re ad and heed all WARNING S and other information
~ page 2 60. •
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabr ic coverings (e .g . seats, door trim panels, etc.) should
be clean ed at regular interva ls with a vacuum cl eaner . T his removes
surfa ce di rt pa rt icl es which co uld become embedded in the fabr ic
through use . Steam cleaners should not be used, because the steam
tends to push the d irt deeper into the f abric and lock it there.
Norm al clean ing
Genera lly, we recommend using a soft sponge or a li nt-free
microfiber cloth to the clean fabric. Brushes should on ly be used for
ca rpets and floor mats , since other fab ric surfaces could be ha rmed
by brushes.
No rma l sur face sta ins can be cleaned us ing a commercially avai lab le
foam cleaner. Spread the foam on the surface of the fabr ic with a soft
sponge and work it in gently . Do not saturate the fabric. Then pat the
foam dry using absorbent , dry cloths (e .g. microfiber cloth) and
vacuum it after it has dried comp letely.
Clean ing stains
Sta ins caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fruit juice, etc.) can be
treated with a mild detergent solut ion. Apply the detergent solut ion
with a sponge . In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can
be applied directly to the stai n and worked into the fabric . After
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to remove the remaining .,.
Vehicle care Technical data
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detergent. Apply the water with a damp cloth o r sponge a nd pat the
fabr ic dr y wi th a n ab sorb ent , dr y clot h.
Sta ins from choco late or makeup should have dete rge nt paste (e.g.
ox -gall soap) ru bbed into them . Afterwards, remove t he soap w ith
w at er ( damp s ponge).
Alcoho l can be used to treat sta ins from grease , oil, lipstick or a ba ll
po int p en. Melte d gre ase o r dye mus t be p atted o ff usi ng absorbe nt
material. It may be necessary to ret reat t he areas with detergent
paste a nd water .
In the case of ge nera l soili ng o f th e upholste ry an d cover mater ia l, we
recommend hiring a specialist that has the equ ipment to clean the
sea t cover s and o ther fab ric su rf a ces by sh am poo ing and s pray
extractio n.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 260 .
(I) Tips
Ope n Velcro fasteners on yo ur clothing can damage the sea t cover.
Please make su re t hat Velc ro fasteners are closed .•
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear water to clean t hese
a reas. For pers iste nt dirt use a n Audi appr oved
solvent-free plas tic
cleaner /protectant.
& WARNING
Solvents can change the properties of some plastics and make it harder for the airbag to deploy.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Never clean the instrument panel or the surface of airbag
modules with cleaning products that contain solvents.
• Products containing solvents will make the surface of this part
porous.
• Serious injuries can result if plastic parts come loose when the
airbag is deployed .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260.
0 Note
Cleaning agents contai ning solvents will attack the mate rial and can
c hange the w ay it behave s.•
App lies to vehicles: with na tural leather
Natural leather
A udi makes gre at effo rts to main tain the propert ies,
natura l loo k and f eel of inte rio r le a th er .
General
We offe r m any di fferen t types o f lea ther on ou r ve hicl es. Most are
differen t types of nappa leat her, which has a smooth s urface and
comes in va rious co lo rs .
Th e int ensity of the colo r de ter min es th e vi sual cha ra cte ris tic s an d
appea rance. If the s urface o f the leathe r has a typical natu ral look,
t hen the le a the r is a nappa lea ther tha t has bee n left in a relat ively
natura l condition. This leat he r offers partic ularly good comfort a nd
brea thes wel l. Fine veins, closed gr ains, insec t bit e s, sk in fol ds , and
subt le variations i n color rema in v isib le. These character ist ics demon
stra te t hat the ma ter ia l is na tural.
N at ural nappa leat her i s not cov ered by a colo r finish.
It is therefor e
more sensitive to soiling and wea r, which is somethin g you need to ..,