warning light AUDI S6 2009 Owners Manual

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Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig. Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions
are unfavorable -particularly when going downhi ll.
Reduce vehicle speed
im med ia tel y if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to s top the swayi ng by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trai lers are lower than for regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes ear ly. When driving downhill, shift into a lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes a lone can cause them to overheat and fail.
C ool ant t emp era tur e
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 12 must be observed care­
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immed iately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing
- F- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build-up.
& WARNING
A nyo ne n ot properly re str aine d in a moving vehi cle i s at a mu ch
g re ater ri sk in an accident . Never let any on e r ide in y our car who
is n ot pr operl y wea ring th e re stra ints pr ovided b y Audi . •
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and different weight distribution. Safety, performance and economy will greatly depend on how carefully you
l
oad your trailer and operate your r ig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic . Keep practicing unti l you
have become comp letely familiar with the way your vehicle-trai ler
combination behaves and responds.
Back ing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a
trailer generally requires steering action opposite to that when backing up your vehic le without a tra iler.
Ma intain a greater distance between your veh ic le and the one in
front of you . You will need more room to stop. To compensate for
the trai ler, you w ill need a larger than norma l turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you nor mally wou ld because of the added load . Make su re you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trai ler befo re changing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
[ i ] T ips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break -in period of your vehicle.
• I f you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent main te­
nance due to the extra load=>
page 372. •
Parking on a slope
Do n ot park on a slope with a trailer. If it cann ot be
avoi ded, do so only after d oing the followi ng:
When p arking :
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and
the trailer wheels. ._

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0 Note
• Never try to remove d irt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle
is dry . Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this cou ld scratch your
vehic le's paint or w indows.
• Never wash your car in bright sunlight. Drops of water act as
magnify ing lenses and may damage your paint.
• When you wash your car in the winter : if you rinse your vehicle
with a hose, be careful not to aim the stream of water directly at
locks, or at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges designed to remove insects, or any kitchen
scouring sponges or similar products. They can damage your paint
finish .
• Never use a dry cloth or sponge to c lean the head ligh ts. 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 environment, the vehicle should on ly be
washed in specia l wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high -p ressure
power washer is safe as l ong as y ou observe a few simple
rules .
-Before using the power washer, make s ure you have read
and understood the WAR NINGS=::;,
& in "General infor­
mati on" o n
page 282.
-Always follow the operating instructions for the power
washer. - Make sure that the jet o
n the spray hose pro duces a "fan
sha ped sp ray".
D o
not hold the spray nozzle too close to soft materials.
When cleaning the vehicle with a power washer always follow the
operating instructions. This applies particula rly to the
operating
pre ssure
and the spraying di stance . Maintain a sufficient distance
to soft materia ls such as rubber hoses and sound/vibration dead ­
ening materia ls (part icularly on the underside of the engine hood).
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a
direct stream or one that
has a
rotating jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F (60 °Cl.
& WARNING
Never wash tire s with a jet that sp ra ys water in a dir e ct stream .
Thi s could cau se invisible damage to the tire s and we ake n them ,
eve n if th e spra y is from a re lativel y lo ng dis tanc e an d f or a sh o rt
time . Damaged and weakened tire s can f ail and cau se ac cident s
a nd per sona l injur y.
0 Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, always make sure that there is
suffic ient distance between the spray head and soft materia ls like
rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound -deadening materials . Never
aim the spray head at the same p oint for a long time . This also
applies to cleaning headlights and painted bumpers . Remember :
the c loser the nozzle is to the surface of the material, the greater the
stress on the mater ial. •

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Waxing
Wax prote cts the vehicle's paint.
- Use a manually applied car wax occasion ally to protect
t h e paint.
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint to a large extent
against th e environm ental factors listed under~
page 282,
"Washing" and even against slight scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your paint as soon as one
wee k after you r vehic le has been delivered .
Even if you regularly use a
waxing process in automatic car washes,
we recommend that you manua lly app ly a coat of wax to give the
paint e xtra protection, par ticu lar ly if water no longer beads on the
clean paint.
Protec t plastic body parts with car wax in the same way as the
vehic le body.
During warm weather dead insects tend to col lect on the front
bumpe r and on the forward area of the hood. They are much easie r
to remove from paint that is waxed
often.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 282 .
0 Note
Do not use ca r wax on
• matte or anodized meta l trim
• rubber or rubber -like trim. •
Polishing
Polishi ng resto res the gloss to the p aint.
Po lish your vehic le on ly if the paint has lost its shine and the g loss
cann ot be brought back wi th wax .
I f the polish used does not contain preservative compounds , the
paint must be waxed afterwards~
page 285, "Waxing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 282 .
0 Note
D o not treat matte anodized metal trim, plastic or rubber parts with
polish or wax .•
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special c are.
Fo r envi ronmental reasons, Audi fab ricates the bright trim strips
and trim pieces from pure chromium -free aluminum .
Dirt and marks on the trim strips should be removed with a
pH­
balanced
clean ing agen t (d o no t use a chrome clea ner). Audi
dea lers carry cleaning products which have been tested for use on
your vehicle and are n ot harm fu l to t he e nvironment.
To avoid corrosion on the exterior trim strips , only a pH -ba lanced
solution shou ld be used for the windshield washer .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 282 .•
Vehicle care I t •

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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 espe­
cially 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
~ page282. •
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
~ page282 .•
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 366.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page282.•
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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T he best way to remove snow from windows and mirrors is to use a
brush . Use a non -abrasive
pla stic ice scraper -better still, a spray
deicer -to remove
ice from w indows and mirrors .
The windows must not be cleaned with insect remover or wax since
these can inter fere with the function of the w inds hie ld w iper blades
(chatter).
Oil, grease o r sil icone residue can be removed with
glass cleaner or
s ilicone remover . However, wax residue requires the use of a
spec ially for mulated solvent . Please contact your Audi dealer for
advice on safe products for wax removal.
Windows should also be c leaned on the inside at regular interva ls .
Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry
painted surfaces . Wax residue on the chamois can impair vision
t hrough the windows.
& WARNING
• The windshield mu st not be treated with water -repellent mate ­
rials. They c an incre ase gl are under poor v isibility conditions such
a s wetne ss, darkne ss, or when the sun i s low on the hori zon. In
addition , they can cause the wind shield wipers to chatter .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 282.
0 Note
• Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from
windows a nd mirrors . This cou ld cause the glass to crack.
• T o prevent damage to the wires of the rear defogger, do not p lace
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the
wires .
• T o he lp prevent dirt from scratching the window, always scrape
in a forward direction -pushing the scraper away from you -never
back and forth. •
Weatherstrips
Complete car car e includes the we atherst rip s as well .
App ly a suitable rubbe r con ditioner to the weatherstr ips
f ro m time to tim e.
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear lid, etc . must remain pliable. Spray the weatherstrips with sili­
co ne or coat them w ith ta lcum powder or glycer ine to retain the
f lexibility of the rubber and to protect them against freezing in the
winte r.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 282.
[ i ] Tip s
Keep si licone sprays off the windshield to avoid wiper smear in
ra in .•
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
- Was h the wheels w ith a sponge or hose b rus h every
other week.
Fo r de ep cle aning af terwar ds, use only a dedicat ed
acid­
free cast al lo y whee l c leaner.
R ub a co at of
liquid wax onto t he rims ever y thr ee mo nth .
Be su re t o r ea ch and t reat a ll pa rts of t he r im.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cas t al loy wheels,
some special care is necessary . In addition to road dirt and salt,
Vehicle care I t •

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brake dust is also corrosive. If left on for too long, brake dust can
cause pitting.
Use on ly specia l
acid-free cleaners formulated for a lloy r ims . Safe
products are available at your Audi dealer. Never leave the cleaner
on the ri ms longer than specified on the label. If not rinsed of f
promptly, the acid contained in some c leaners can attack the
threads o n the wheel bo lts .
Never use abrasive or metal po lishing c leaning agents. If the protec ­
tive coating has been chipped, e.g . by kicked up road dirt, touch i t
up as soon as poss ible .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on b rake s may affe ct b raking effi cien cy
~ page 26 5, "General information ". Te st the brake s carefully ea ch
t ime you wa sh the vehi cle .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ pag e 282. •
Body cavity sealing
T he body cavity sealing does not nee d to be checked .
All body cavities which could be affected by corrosion have been
t horoughly pr otected a t the factory .
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treat ­
ment . If any wax should seep out of the cavity when the ambient
temperature is high, it can be removed with a plastic scraper and a suitable solvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous.
• Ben zine is fla mmab le and to xic . If you use be nzine fo r removing
the wax , keep sparks, f lame and lighted cigarettes away . Never
& W ARN ING (continued )
dump benz ine on the ground , into open streams or down sewage
dra in s.
• Be sure to observe all safety and env ironmental regulat ions .
Follow all in struction s on the cont ainer .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other inform ation
~ page 282 .•
Chassis
Have the u nderc oating c hecked for dama ge from tim e to
time.
T he lower body shell of your Audi is also thoroughly protected
aga inst corrosion .
Any damage to the undercoat ing caused by road hazards shou ld be
repaired promptly.
& WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong place s can cau se a fire .
• Do not app ly addition al und ercoating or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold , exhau st pipe s, catalytic converter or
he at shield s. While dr iving , the sub stance used for underco ating
could overhe at and cau se a fire .
• Alwa ys read and heed all WARNINGS and other info rm ation
=> page282 .•

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Care of interior
MMI display
- Clean th e MMI display with a soft c lean cloth and an LCD
cl eane r.
The MM I disp lay can be cleaned with a professional ly available "LCD
cleaner". The cloth should be s lightly dampened with the c leaning
fluid to clean the display.
0 Note
T o avoid scra tching the MMI display, you should never c lean it dry .•
MMI terminal
- First clean the MMI terminal with a brush to remove dust
from the housing.
- T hen wipe the MMI terminal wit h a clea n, soft, s lig htly
damp cloth .
The MMI terminal shou ld be c leaned with a brush first so that no
dirt is trapped between the buttons and the housing. We recom­
mend giving the MM I terminal a final wipe with a c loth moistened
with water and dish washing dete rgent.
0 Note
To prevent damage, make sure that no flu id ever gets into the M MI
terminal. •
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
a lum inum surfaces . C hro me care products an d alka line cleaners
wi ll attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 282 .•
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabric coverings (e.g . seats, door trim panels, etc.l
shou ld be c leaned at regular intervals with a vacuum cleaner . This
re moves surface dirt partic les which could become embedded in
the fabric through use. Steam cleaners shou ld not be used, because
t he steam tends to push the d irt deeper into the fabric and lock it
there.
Normal cl eaning
Genera lly, we recommend using a soft sponge or a lint -free
microf iber c loth to the clean fabric . Brushes should on ly be used for
carpets and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces could be harmed
by brushes.
Norma l surface stains can be cleaned using a commercially avail ­
able foam cleaner. Spread the foam on the surface of the fabric with
a soft sponge and work it in gent ly. Do not saturate the fabric . Then
pat the foam dry using absorbent, d ry cloths (e.g. microfiber cloth)
and vacuum it a fter it has dried completely .
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e.g. coffee, fruit juice, etc.) can be
treated with a mild detergent so lution . Apply the detergent so lution
with a sponge. In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can be applied direct ly to the stain and worked into the fabric. After -.,.
Vehicle care I t •

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Cleaning spots
- Remove fresh water-based spots (such as coffee, tea,
juices, blood) with an absorbent cloth or paper towel.
- Remove fresh
grease or oil-based spots (such as butter,
mayonnaise, chocolate) with an absorbent cloth or paper
towel, or use the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface of the
leather.
- Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if
oil/grease spots
have dried on.
- Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint pen, felt
marker, fingernail polish, water-based paint, shoe polish,
etc.) with a spot remover specifically formulated for leather.
Leather care
- Every half year use an approved leather care product
(available from your Audi dealer) to care for the leather.
- Apply the product very sparingly.
- Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any questions about cleaning and caring for the leather
in your vehicle, it is best to contact your authorized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our full range of leather
care products, such as:
• Leather cleaning and care kit
• Creams to care for colored leather
• Spot removers for ballpoint pens, shoe polish, etc .
• Oil/grease dissolving spray
• New and upcoming products.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 282.
0 Note
• Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine),
waxes, shoe polish or similar products on the leather surfaces in
your Audi.
• To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commer­
cial cleaning specialist. •
Applies to ve hicle s : with A lc a nt ara up ho lst ery
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Removing dust and dirt
- Moisten a cloth, squeeze out excess water and wipe down
the seat surfaces.
Removing stains
- Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or with diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcohol.
- Dab at the stain. Start at the outside and work inwards.
- Once the stain is no longer visible, use a soft dry cloth or
tissue to soak up the moisture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Alcantara .
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can scratch and damage the
surface . If the car is left standing in the sun for long periods , the
Alcantara should be protected against direct sunlight to prevent it .,.

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from fading. Slight color variations will develop in normal use and
are not an indication of material deterioration.
0 Note
• Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine),
waxes, shoe polish or similar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
• To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commer­
cial cleaning specialist.
• Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or similarly abrasive cleaning
aids .•
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work reliably when
needed.
- Keep belts clean.
- For cleaning, use a mild soap and water solution . Let
belts dry thoroughly and away from direct sunlight .
- Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to retract before
they are completely dry.
- Check the condition of your safety belts
regularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract properly.
& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
• Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean that
you and your passengers would not be adequately protected in an
accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation. Never
remove belts from the vehicle to clean them.
& WARNING (continued)
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents, bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
• When cleaning your safety belts, inspect them for damage. If
you discover damage, see your Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page282. a
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the engine compart­
ment.
Always switch off the ignition before cleaning the engine ~ &.
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front of the windshield
under the engine hood. This prevents the water drain holes from
becoming blocked, and it prevents debris from entering the vehicle
interior through the heating and ventilation ducts.
Corrosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission have been corrosion­
protected at the factory.
Good anti -corrosion treatment is very important, particularly in the
winter. If the vehicle is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel should be thor­
oughly cleaned at the end of winter and retreated to prevent salt
damage. At the same time, the underside of the vehicle should be
washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any time with grease
removing solutions
2 l, or if you have the engine washed, the anti­
corrosion treatment is almost always removed as well. It is therefore .,_
21 Use only th e correct cleaning solut ions. N ev er use gasolin e or di ese l fu el.
Vehicle care I t •

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& WARNING (continued )
-Always u se extreme caution to prevent cloth ing , jewelry, or
long hair from getting caught in the radiator fan , V-belt s or
other moving parts , or from contacting hot parts . Tie back hair
before starting , and do not wear clothing that will hang or
droop into the engine .
• Minimize exposure to emis sion and chemical hazards
::::> & .
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 W arn ing :
• Engine exhaust , some of its constituents , and certain vehicle
c omponents cont ain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and reproductive harm. In addition , certain fluids contained in vehi cles and certa in products
of component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and birth defect s or other reprodu c­
tive harm.
• Battery posts , terminals and related ac cessories conta in lead
and lead compounds , chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms. Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
When adding f luids, always make sure that they are poured into the
proper container or filler ope ning, otherwise serious damage to
vehic le systems wi ll occur.
ci> For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle floor pan from under ­
n eath regu larly. If you see spots fro m oil o r o th e r v eh icle flu ids, hav e
your vehicle inspected by an author ized Audi dea ler. •
Engine compartment
These are th e m ost im porta nt items th at you can ch ec k.
Fig. 238 Typical layout for containe rs, engine oi l d ipstick and engine oil filler
cap
0 Jum p star t connector( +) under a cover,( -) w ith hex
head screw .... ... .... ..... ... .. .. ........... .. 314, 357
@ B rake fluid reservoir ( ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10
© C oo lant e xpansio n tank (- L ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
© Eng in e oil fill er cap ('l=:11) . . . . . • . . . . . . • . . . • . . . . . . . 30 6
© E ng ine oil d ipstick (orange) .............. ....... .
©
0
Power steering reservoir ....................... •.
Windshield/ headlight washer container( ~) ....... . 3
0 5
267
316 ~