sensor AUDI A6 2016 Owner's Manual

Airbag system
-An Advanced Airbag with gas generator and
control valve for the driver inside the steering
wheel hub.
- An Advanced Airbag with gas generator and
control valve inside the instrument panel for
the front passenger.
- A capacitive passenger detection system under­
neath the front passenger seat cover. This sys­
tem measures the electrical capacitance of the
person in the seat. The information registered
is sent continuously to the electronic control
unit to regulate deployment of the front Ad­
vanced Airbag on the passenger side.
- An airbag monitoring system and indicator
light in the instrument cluster~
page 153.
-A sensor in each front seat registers the dis­
tance between the respective seat and the
steering wheel or instrument panel. The infor­
mation registered is sent continuously to the
electronic control unit to regulate deployment
of the front Advanced Airbags.
- The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on in the center of the instrument
panel
~ pag e 154, fig. 159 and tells you when
the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has been turned
off.
- A sensor in the safety belt latch for the driver
and for the front seat passenger that senses
whether that safety b elt is latched or not and
transmits this information to the electronic control unit.
A WARNING
Damage to the front passenger seat can pre­
vent the front airbag from working properly .
- Improper repair or disassembly of the front
passenger and driver seat will prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from functioning properly.
- Repairs to the front passenger seat must be
performed by qualified and properly trained
workshop personnel.
- Never remove the front passenger or driver
seat from the vehicle.
- Never remove the upholstery from the front
passenger seat.
- Never disassemble or remove parts from the
seat or disconnect wires from it.
150
- Never carry sharp objects in your pockets or
put them on the seat. The capacitive pas­
senger detection mat in the front passenger
seat will not function properly if it is punc­
tured .
- Never carry things on your lap or carry ob­
jects on the front passenger seat . Such ob­
jects can influence the capacitance regis­
tered by the capacitive passenger detection
system, so that incorrect information is pro­
vided to the airbag control unit.
- Never store items under the front passenger
seat . Parts of the Advanced Airbag System
under the passenger seat could be dam­
aged, preventing them and the airbag sys­
tem from working properly.
- Never place seat covers or replacement up­
holstery that have not been specifically ap­
proved by Audi on the front seats.
- Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Air­
bag System from recognizing child re­
straints or occupants on the front passenger
seat and prevent the side airbag in the seat
backrest from deploying properly.
- If a seat heater has been retrofitted or oth­
erwise added to the front passenger seat,
never install any child restraint system on
this seat.
- Never use cushions, pillows, blankets, or
similar items on the front passenger seat.
The additional layers prevent the capacitive
passenger detection system from accurately
measuring the capacitance of the child safe­
ty seat and/or the person on the seat and
thus keep the Advanced Airbag System from
working properly.
- Never place or use any electrical device
(such as a laptop, CD player, electronic
games device , power inverter or seat heater
for child seats) on the front passenger seat
if the device is connected to the 12-volt
socket or the cigarette lighter socket. Such
devices can influence the capacitance regis­
tered by the capacitive passenger detection
system, so that incorrect information is pro­
vided to the airbag control unit.
- If you must use a child restraint on the front
passenger seat and the child restraint
~

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manufacturer's instructions require the use
of a towel, foam cushion or someth ing else
to properly pos ition the child restraint,
make certain that the
PA SS EN GE R A IR B AG
OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever
the ch ild restraint is installed on the front
passenge r seat.
- If the
PASSENGER AIR BA G OFF light does
not come on and stay on, immediately in­
stall child res traint in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by
your Audi dealer .
_& WARNING
If the front passenger seat gets wet, dry it im­
mediately .
-If liqu id soaks into the fron t passenger seat,
this can keep the airbag system from work ­
ing properly and may, for instance, deacti­
vate the passenger frontal airbag. If this
happens, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light will come on and stay on together with
the a irbag indicator light
II (USA models)/
E,I (Canada models) in the instrument clus­
ter .
- If liquid is pooled on the seat, but has not soaked in, this may also keep the a irbag sys­
tem from working properly and ca use the
pa ssenge r frontal a irbag to be enabled
(t ur ned on), even t hough the re is a properly
installed child restraint system on the seat.
Wet towe ls or other wet things o n the seat
cushion can have the same effect. If the
front passenger frontal airbag is t urned on,
the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light light
will go out .
How the Advanced Airbag System
components work together
The front Advanced Airbag System and the side
airbags s upplemen t the protection offered by the
front three-point safety bel ts with pretensioners
and load limiters and the adjustable head re ­
straints * to help reduce the risk of injury in a
wide range of accident and crash situations. Be
sure to read the important information about
safety and heed the WARNINGS in this chapter.
Airb ag sys tem
Deployment of the Adv a need Airbag System and
the activation of the safety belt pretensioners de­
pend on the dece leration measured by the crash
sensors and registered by the electronic control
unit. Crash severity depends on speed and decel­
eration as well as the mass and stiffness of the
vehicle or object involved in the crash .
On the passenger side, regard less of safety belt
use, the front passenger frontal airbag will be
turned off if the e lectr ica l capacitance measured
by the capacitive passenger detect ion system on
the front passenger seat is less than the amount
programmed in the electron ic contro l unit. The
front passenge r frontal a irbag wi ll also be turned
off if the capaci tance measured by the system for
the front passenger seat equals that of an infant
of about one year of age in one of the chi ld seats
that was used to certify the Advanced Airbag Sys­
tem under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
208 . The
P ASS ENGER AIR BA G OFF light comes
on and stays o n to tell you when the front Ad ­
vanced Airbag System on the passenger side has been t urned off
c::> page 154 .
_& WARNING
To reduce the ris k of injury when an airbag in­
flates, always wear safety belts prope rly.
- If you are un restra ined, leaning forward, sit­
ting sideways or ou t of position in a ny way ,
your r isk of injury is much higher .
- You will a lso receive ser ious injuries and
could even be killed if you are up against the
a ir bag or too close to it when it inflates -
even with an Advanced Airbag
c::> page 142.
More important things to know about front
airbags
Fig . 158 Inflated front airbags
151

A WARNING 1=-
Objects between you and the airbag will in­
crease the risk of injury in a crash by interfer­
ing w ith the way the airbag unfolds or by be­
ing pushed into you as the a irbag inflates .
- Never hold th ings in your hands or on your
lap when the vehicle is in use .
- Never transport items on or in the area of
the front passenger seat . Objects could
move into the area of the front airbags dur­
ing brak ing or other sudden maneuvers and
become dangerous projectiles that can
cause serious personal injury if the airbags
inflate.
- Never place or attach accessories or other
objects (such as cup holders, te lephone
brackets, large, heavy or bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the steering wheel, instru­
ment pane l, seat backrests or between
those areas and yourself . These objects
could cause injury in a crash, especially
when the airbags inflate .
- Never recline the front passenger 's seat to
transport objects . Items can also move into
the area of the side airbag or the front a ir­
bag dur ing bra king or in a sudden maneu­
ver. Objects near the airbags can become
projectiles and cause injury, particular ly
when the seat is reclined.
-
- Never place or transport objects on the
front passenger seat . Objects on the front
passenger seat could cause the capacitive
sensor in the seat to signal to airbag system
that the seat is occup ied by a person when it
in fact is not, or that the person on the seat
is heavier than he or she actually is . The
change in electric capac itance because of
such objects can cause the passenger front
airbag to be turned on when it shou ld be
off, or can cause the airbag to work in a way
that is different from the way it would have
worked without objects on the seat.
- Always ma ke sure that there is nothing on
the front passenger seat that wi ll cause the
capacit ive passenger detection system in
the seat to signa l to the Airbag System that
Airb ag sys tem
the seat is occupied by a person when it is
not, or to signal that it is occupied by some­
one who is heavier than the person actually
sitt ing on the seat . The presence of an ob­
ject could cause the passenger front airbag to be turned on when it should be off , or
could cause the airbag to work in a way that
is different from the way it would have
worked without the object on the seat.
A WARNING
=
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can
cause breathing prob lems for people with a
history of asthma or other breathing condi­
tions .
- To reduce the risk of breathing problems,
those with asthma or other respiratory con­
ditions should get fresh air right away by
getting out of the vehicle or open ing win­
dows or doors.
- If you are in a collision in wh ich airbags de­
ploy, wash your hands and face w ith m ild
soap and water before eating .
- Be carefu l not to get the dust into your eyes,
or into any cuts or scratches.
- If the residue should get into your eyes,
flush them w ith water .
Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag System
t!~ (USA models) /!t (Canada models)
Airbag monitoring indicator light
T wo separate indicators monitor the function of
the Advanced Airbag System : the airbag moni­
toring indicator light and the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light.
The Advanced Airbag System as well as the side
airbags and side curtain airbags with ejection
mitigation fea tures (including the electronic con­
trol unit, sensors and system wiring) are all monitored continuously to make sure that they
are functioning properly whenever the ignition is
on. Every time you turn on the ign ition, the a ir­
bag system indicato r light
II (USA models) tfll
(Canada models) wi ll come on for a few seconds
(function check).
153
...

Airbag system
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modu les and pretension­
ers might be classified as Perchlorate Materi­
al -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo­
rate . When the vehicle or parts of the re­
straint system including airbag modules and
safety belts w ith pretensioners are scrapped,
all applicable laws and regulations must be
observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is fa­
m iliar with these requirements and we recom­
mend that you have your dealer perform this
service for you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
cha nge the way that the Advanced Airbag System
pe rforms in a crash. For example, using tire-r im
comb inat ions not approved by Audi, lower ing the
veh icle, changing the stiffness of the suspens ion,
including the spr ings, suspension struts, shock
absorbers etc . can change the forces that are
measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the
electronic control unit . Some suspens ion changes
can, for example, increase the force levels meas­
ured by the sensors and make the airbag system
deploy in crashes in wh ich it would not deploy if
the changes had not been made. Other ki nds of
changes may reduce the force levels measured by
the sensors and prevent the airbag from deploy­
ing when it should .
A WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including
use of unapproved tire-rim combinations can
change Advanced A irbag performance and in­
crease the risk of serious personal injury in a
crash.
- Never install suspension components that
do not have the same performance charac­
teristics as the components originally insta l­
led on your veh icle.
- Never use tire-rim comb inations that have
not been approved by Audi.
158
Knee airbags
Description of knee airbags
App lies to vehicles: with knee airbags
The knee airbag system can provide supplemen­
tal protection to properly restrained front seat
occupants.
Fig. 160 Driver 's knee airbag
The driver knee airbag is in the instrument panel
underneath the steering whee l
¢fig. 160, the
airbag for the passenger is at about the same
height in the instrument panel underneath the
glove compartment.
The knee airbag offers additiona l protection to
the driver 's and passenger's knees and upper and
lower thigh areas and supplements the protec­
tion provided by the safety belts.
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags a lso
deploy in frontal collisions when the deployment
threshold stored in the control unit is met
c> page 151, More important things to know
about front airbags .
In addition to their normal safety function, safe­
ty belts help keep the dr iver or front passenger in
position in a frontal collision so that the airbags
can provide supplemental protection .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occu­
pant restraint system in your vehicle. Always re­
member that the airbag system can only help to
protect you if you are wear ing your safety belt
and wearing it p roperly. This is why you shou ld
always wea r your safety be lt, not just because
the law requires you to do so
c> page 134, Gener-
al information. ..,..

-the e lectron ic control modu le and externa l side
impact sensors
- the two airbags located in the sides of the front
backrests and the two airbags * located in the
rear backrest
- the airbag warning light in the inst rument clus-
ter.
The a irbag system is monitored electronically to
make certa in that i t is functioning properly at all
times . Each time you switch on the ignition, the
airbag system indicator light will come on for a
few seconds (self diagnostics) .
The s ide airbag system supp lements the safe ty
be lts and can help to reduce the risk of injury to
the driver's, front and rear passenger's upper tor­
so on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a
side coll is ion. The a irbag dep loys only in side im­
pacts and only when the vehicle acceleration reg­
istered by the control un it is h igh enough . If this
rate is below the reference value programmed in­
to the cont rol un it, the side a irbags w ill not be
tr iggered, even thoug h the car may be bad ly
damaged as a resul t of the collision.
It is not pos­
sib le to define an airbag tr igger ing range that
will cover every possib le ang le o f impact, since
the circumstances wi ll vary considerably between
one co llision and another. Important factors in­
clude, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of
the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc .
q page 162, Important safety in­
structions on the side airbag system.
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
be lts work to help keep the driver or front pas­
senger in posit ion in the event of a side collision
so that the s ide a irbags can prov ide protection.
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occu­
pant restraint system in your veh icle . Always re­
member that the s ide airbag system can only
h e lp to protect you if you are wea ring your safety
be lt and wea ring it p roperly. This is ano ther rea­
son why you s hou ld always wear yo ur safety
be lts, not just because the law requ ires yo u to do
so
q page 134, General information.
It is important to remember that wh ile the sup­
p lemental side a irbag sys tem is designed to re-
Airb ag sys tem
duce the likelihood of serious injuries, other in ju­
ries, for example, swelling, bruising, friction
burns and m inor abras ions can also be assoc iated
with deployed side airbags. Remember too, side airbags will deploy only once and only in certa in
k inds of accidents -your safety belts are a lways
there to offer protect ion.
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of
vehicle damage are not necessar ily an ind ication
of over-sens it ive or fa iled a irbag activation. In
some collisions, both front and side airbags may
inflate . Remember too, that a irbags w ill dep loy
o nl y once and only in certa in kinds of collisions -
yo ur safe ty belts are alw ays there to offer protec­
t ion in those accidents in which airbags are not
supposed to deploy or when they have already
deployed.
The side airbag system will not deploy:
- when the ignit io n is switched off
- in side co llisions when the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low
- in fro nt-end coll is ions
- in rear-end collisions
- in rollovers.
In some types of accidents t he front airbags, side
curtain airbags and side ai rbags may be triggered
together.
A WARNING
-- Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protect ion when occupants are in
the proper seat ing pos ition ¢
page 162.
-If the airbag ind icator light¢ page 18
comes when the veh icle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
author ized Audi dealer. It is possible that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup­
posed to, or w ill not inflate w hen it should.
161

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by being pushed into you as the airbag in­
flates.
- Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cup holders, telephone
brackets, or even large, bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked
"AIRBAG" on the seat backrests.
- Such objects and accessories can become dangerous projectiles and cause injury
when the supplemental side airbag de­
ploys.
- Never carry any objects or pets in the de­ ployment space between them and the
airbags or allow children or other passen­
gers to travel in this position.
- Always use the built-in coat hooks only for
lightweight clothing. Never leave any heavy
or sharp-edged objects in the pockets that
may interfere with side airbag deployment
and can cause personal injury in an accident .
- Always prevent the side airbags from being
damaged by heavy objects knocking against
or hitting the sides of the seatbacks.
- The airbag system can only be triggered
once. If the airbag has been triggered, the
system must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealership .
- Damage (cracks, deep scratches etc.) to the
original seat covers orto the seam in the area of the side airbag module must always
be repaired immediately by an authorized
Audi dealer.
- If children are seated improperly, their risk
of injury increases in the case of an accident
c;, page 166, Child safety.
-Never attempt to modify any components of
the airbag system in any way.
- In a side collision, side airbags will not func­
tion properly if sensors cannot correctly
measure increasing air pressure inside the
doors when air escapes through larger, un­
closed openings in the door panel.
- Never drive with interior door trim panels removed.
- Never drive when parts have been re­
moved from the inside door panel and the
openings they leave have not been proper­
ly closed.
Airbag system
-Never drive when loudspeakers in the
doors have been removed unless the
speaker holes have been properly closed.
- Always make certain that openings are
covered or filled if additional speakers or
other equipment is installed in the inside
door panels.
- Always have work on the doors done by an
authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop.
Side curtain airbags
Description of side curtain airbags
The side curtain airbag system can provide sup­
plemental protection to properly restrained oc­ cupants.
Fig. 164 S ide curta in airb ags, driver's side: s ide curtai n air­
bag locat ion
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides
of the interior above the front and rear side win­
dows
c;, fig. 164. They a re identified by the word
"AIRBAG" on the windshield frame and the cen­
ter roof pillar .
Th e side curta in airbags contain features that
provide ejection mitigation to help prevent vehi­
cle occupants or parts of their bodies from being
completely or partially ejected from the vehicle
interior in certain side impacts and vehicle roll­
overs.
The side curtain airbag system supplements the
safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of in­
jury for occupants' heads and upper torso . The
side curtain airbag inflates in side impacts and
only when the vehicle acceleration registered by
the control unit is high enough. If this rate is
II>
163

Airbag system
below the reference value programmed into the
control unit, the side curtain airbag will not be
triggered, even though the car may be bad ly
damaged as a result of the collision. It is not pos­
sible to define an airbag triggering range that
will cover every possible angle of impact , since
the circumstances will vary cons iderably between
one co llision and another. Important factors in­
clude, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of
the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc. ¢
page 164, How side curtain air­
bags work.
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
be lts work to help keep the driver or front pas­
senger in pos it ion in the event of a collision so
that the side curtain airbags can provide protec ­
tion .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overa ll occu­
pant restraint system in your vehicle. Always re­ member that the airbag system can only he lp to
protect you if you are wearing your safety belt
and wear ing it properly . This is another reason
why you should always wear your safety belts ,
not just because the law requires you to do so
¢ page 134, General information.
It is important to remember that while the s ide
curtain airbag system is designed to help reduce
the likelihood of serious injuries, other injuries,
for example, swel ling, b ruising, fr iction burns
and minor abrasions can also be assoc iated with
these airbags upon deployment . Remember too,
these airbags will deploy only once and only in
certain kinds of acc idents -your safety be lts are
always there to offer protection.
The side curtain airbag system basically
consists of:
-The electronic control module and external side
impact sensors
- The side curtain airbags above the front and
rear side windows with ejection mitigation fea ­
tures
- T he airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
The airbag system is monito red electronically to
make certa in it is funct ion ing properly at all
164
times. Each time you switch on the ignition, the
airbag system indicator light will come on for a
few seconds (se lf diagnostics).
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
-if the igni tion is sw itched off,
- in side collisions when the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low,
- in rear-end co llisions.
A WARNING
- Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protection when occupants are in
the proper seating position¢
page 53, Gen­
eral information.
- If the airbag indicator light¢ page 18
comes when the vehicle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
author ized Audi dealer. It is possible that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup­
posed to, or will not inflate when it should.
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain airbags can work together with side
airbags to help reduce the risk of head and upper
torso injuries for occupants who are properly re­
strained.
Fig. 165 Illus trat ion of principle: Inflated side curtain a ir­
bags o n the left s ide
The side curtain airbags inflate between the oc­
cupant and the windows on the side of the veh i-
cle that is struck i n a side collision ¢
fig. 165 .
When the system is triggered, the s ide curtain
airbag is filled with propellant gas and breaks
through a seam above the front and rear side
windows identified by the AIRBAG label. In order ..,.

Audi pre sense
Audi pre sense
Preventative passenger
protection
A pp lies to ve hicles : w ith Audi p re se nse
Pre sense can initiate steps to protect vehicle oc­
cupants in certain dangerous situations. The
functions described are available depending on
veh icle equipment :
Pre sense basic*
The following functions can be triggered in cer­
tain driving situations:
- Tensioning of the safety belts (for example,
during heavy braking): The front safety belts
have reversible belt pretensioners. If a collision
does not occur, the safety belts loosen slightly
and are ready to trigger again .
- Closing the windows and the sunroof* (for ex­
ample, when
over-or understeering): The door
windows and the sunroof* are closed almost
completely until only a small gap is open .
Audi pre sense basic functions can be triggered at
speeds
above 20 mph (30 km/h).
Drive select : The dep loyment time is adapted in
Dynamic mode.
Pre sense front (vehicles with adaptive cruise
control*}
Pre sense front contains the functions of pre
sense basic . In addition, the likelihood of a rear­
end collision with the vehicle ahead is also calcu­
lated, within the limits of the system. If the risk
of a collision is detected, the following functions
can trigger :
- Braking guard
c:> page 90
- Tensioning of the safety belts
- Closing the windows and the sunroof*
Pre sense rear (vehicles with side assist*)
Pre sense rear contains the functions of pre sense
bas ic. In addition, the likelihood of a rear-end
coll ision from the vehicle beh ind is also calculat­
ed, within the limits of the system. If the risk of a
collision is detected, the following functions can
trigger:
184
- Tensioning of the safety belts
- Closing the windows and the sunroof*
Pre sense plus*
Pre sense plus contains the functions of pre
sense front and pre sense rear .
Error message
Audi pre sense: Unavailable
Preventative passenger protection is not availa­
ble. Drive to your authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
Pre sense cannot overcome natural physical
laws. It is a system designed to assist and it
cannot prevent a collision . Do not let the in­
creased safety provided tempt you into taking
risks. This could increas e your risk of a colli­
sion.
- The system can deploy incorrectly .
- Please note that the sensors do not always
detect all objects . This increases the risk of
a collision .
- Pre sense does not react to people or ani­
mals or objects that are crossing the vehi­
cle 's path or are difficult to detect
c:> page 84.
- Reflective objects such as guard rails or the
entrance to a tunnel, heavy rain and ice can
affect the function of the radar sensors and
the system's ability to detect a collision risk.
(D Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, wheel housing and
underbody. Pre sense can be impaired by this.
Have an authorized Aud i dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility check their function.
{!) Tips
-Certain pre sense front functions switch off
when sport mode is switched off or when
driving in reverse.
1J11>

Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your authorized Audi dealer. Read and fol­ l ow the instructions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
- Using clean ing and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
-Always store cleaning and care products out of reach of chi ldren to reduce the r isk of po i­
soning .
@) For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not dispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits remain on the vehicle,
the mor e the surface may b e damaged . High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damag ing effect.
Before washing, rinse off heavy deposits with
p lenty of water .
S tu bborn depos its s uch as bird d roppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth.
A lso , wash the underside of yo ur vehicle once
road sa lt stops being used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your ve hicles w ith a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instructions
p rovided w ith the pressure washer. This is espe­
cially importa nt in regard to the pressu re and
sp raying distance . Do no t aim the sp ray directly
at seals on side windows, doors, the hood, the
rear lid or the sunroof * or at tires, rubber hoses,
Ca re and cleaning
insulating materia l, sensors* or camera lenses* .
Keep a distance of at least 16 inches (40 cm) .
Do no t remove snow and ice with a p ressure
washe r.
Never use rota ry nozzles or high pressure noz­
z les.
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °().
Automat ic car washe s
Spray off t he vehicle before washing .
Make s ure that the windows and roo f* are closed
and the windsh ie ld wipers are off . Follow instruc ­
tions from the car wash operator, especially if
there are accessories attached to your vehicle .
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing
by hand
Clean the vehicle starting from the top and work­
ing down using a soft sponge o r cleaning br ush.
U se solven t-free cleaning produ cts .
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by
hand
T o avo id damag ing the pa int w hen washi ng, fi rst
remove d ust and large p articl es from you r vehi­
cl e. Insects, grease spots and f ingerprints are
best removed with a special cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply t he p roduct using a microfiber cloth. To
avo id damag ing the pa int surfa ce, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the ve hicle thorough ly w ith wate r. Then
clean usi ng a neutral shampoo and a soft micro ­
fiber clo th .
Rinse the ve hicle thorough ly agai n and let it air
dry. Remove a ny wate r residue using a sham my .
A WARNING
- On ly wash the vehicle when the ign ition is
off and follow t he instr uctions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci ­
dents.
-
203

Care and cleaning
-To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when was h­
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings .
- After washing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to mo isture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter . The brakes
must be d ried first w ith a few careful b rake
applications.
(D Note
- If you wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash, you must fold the exte rior m irrors in
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
Power folding exte rior m irrors* must on ly
be fo lded in and out us ing the powe r folding
f u nct ion.
- To p revent paint damage , do not wash the
vehicle in di rect sunlight.
- To reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insec t remov ing sponges, kit chen
sponges or similar items. - Matte finish painted vehicle components:
-To reduce the r isk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polis hing agents or hard
wax.
- Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with matte
finish paint. The paint could be damaged
when the stickers or magnets are re­
moved.
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash t he ve hicle in facilities spec ially de­
signed for that pu rpose . This will reduce the
r isk of dirty wate r contaminated with o il from
ente ring the sewe r system.
Cleaning and care information
When clean ing and c aring for ind ividua l vehicle
components, refer to the fo llow ing tables. The
information contained there is simply recom- mendat
ions. For questions or for components
t h at are not listed, refer to an author ized Audi
dealer. Also follow the informat ion found in¢&.
Ext erio r cl eaning
Component Situ ation Solution
Wind shield wip er
Deposits ¢ page 52, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
blade
s
Headligh ts/
Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solutiona >
tail light s
S en sors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with solvent-free cleaning solution
cam era le nses Camera lenses: soft cloth with alcohol-free cleaning solu-
tion
Snow/ice H
and br ush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wh eels Road salt Water
Brake dus t Acid-free special
cleaning solution
Ex haust tail p ipe s Road salt Water, clean ing solution su itable for stainless steel, if nee -
essary
Decorative parts / Deposits Mild
soap solution a), a cleaning solution suitable for stain-
trim less stee l, if necessary
204