transmission AUDI S6 2009 User Guide

• ..__A_ u_ t _o_ m_ a_ t_ i_ c _ t_r _a _n_ s_ m_ is_ s_i o _ n ________________________________________________ _
[ i J Tip s
• When you shift into the next lower gear, the transmission will
downshift only when there is no possibi lity of over -revving the
engine.
• When the kickdown comes on, the transmission will shift down
to a lower gear, depending on vehicle and engine speeds.
• tiptronic ® is inoperative when the transmission is in the fail -safe
mode .•
A pplies to vehicl es: with 6-s peed automatic transmission
Steering wheel with tiptronic ®
The shift buttons on the steering wheel allow the driver to
shift gears manually.
Fig . 16 2 Stee ring
w heel: Shift button s
To downshift, touch the button on the left Q.
To upshift, touch the button on the right G) .
The shift buttons are activated when the selector lever is in D, Sor
in the manual shift program (tiptronic).
Of course, you can continue to use the manual shift program with
the selec tor lever on the center console. •
Applie s to vehicle s: wi th 6-speed automatic transmiss ion
Automatic transmission malfunction
In the event of a system malfunction, the automatic transmission
switches to emergency operation mode.
Gearbox malfunction : You c an continue driving
You can continue to drive the vehicle. See an authorized Audi dealer
or other qualified workshop at the next opportunity.
Gearbox malfunction: You can continue driving but fun cti ons
a re re st ric ted
There is a serious system malfunction:
• The program shif ts only into certain gears.
• The engine may stall.
• It is not possib le to restart the engine if it has been switched off.
• Cont inuing to drive could result in subsequent damage.
0 Note
If the transmission switches to fail -safe mode, you should take the
vehic le to an authorized Audi dealership as soon as possible to have
the condition co rrected. •

_________________________________________________ A_ u_t_ o_ m_ a_t _i _ c _ t _ra_ n_s_ m __ is_ s_ io_ n _ __._
Ap plies to vehicle s: with 6-speed auto m ati c transmi ssio n
Emergency release for selector lever
If the vehicle's power supply fails, the selector lever can
be released in an emergency.
Fig . 163 Remove the
as htray i nsert
Fig . 164 Eme rge ncy
r elease fo r se lecto r
l ever
The emergency release is located under the insert for the
ashtray.
- Slide open the cover for the ashtray .
- Grasp the ashtray insert~
page 161, fig. 163 by the
recesses on both sides and pull it upward and out.
- Now you can see a sma ll cover in th e as htray holder.
- Release and remove this cover from the ashtray holder.
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Using a screwdriver or a similar tool, press down on the
screw in the m iddle of the ashtray holder, which is now
accessib le, and hold it down
~ fig. 164 .
Now press the interlock and move the selector lever to
the
N position.
The selector lever can only be moved from the P position if the igni­
tion key is in the lock and the ignition is turned on. If the vehicle has
to be pushed or towed if the power supply fails (e.g. battery is
discharged), the selector lever must be moved to the N position
using the emergency locking device .•
multitronic ®
Applies to v ehicl es: wi th mul titroni c® Con tinuou sly Variab le Transm issi on (C VTl
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with a electronically controlled continu­
ously variable transmission (multitronic®l. Inside the multitronic ®
system, the gear ratios are not shi fted in finite steps as in a conven ­
tional automatic transmission, but rather
contin uously. As a result,
engine power is applied smoothly and comfortably, and better fuel
economy is achieved.
The transmission selects the appropriate gear ratio (upshifts and
downshifts) automatically based on set driving programs
=> page 165, "Dynamic shift program (DSP)".
You can also manually select a shift program (tiptronic®)
=> page 166.
You should note, that the multitronic transmission differs from a
conventiona l Automatic Transmission . In the multitronic transmis­
sion the engine power is transferred via a link -plate chain, rather
than by a conventional torque converter. The multitronic transmis­
sion greatly reduces vehicle "creep" when at a standstill and the
transmission is in
D Sor R. •
Vehicle care I I Technical data

Automatic transmission 11'11 __________________________ ___;__:..;____;_ ______ _
& WARNING (continued )
-When the selector lever is in a driving position , the vehi cle
may creep , even at idle speed . Therefore do not release the
parking brake or foot brake until you are ready to move ,
because power is transmitted to the wheels as soon as a
driving position is engaged.
- Do not accelerate while selecting a driving position. At this
time the engine must be at idle speed so that undue stress is
not placed on the clutches in the transmission.
- Remember : - even when stopped briefly with the automatic
transmission in "D", "S" or "R" , engine power is being trans ­
mitted to the wheels . Your vehicle could "creep " forward or
backward . When stopped , keep the brake pedal fully depressed
and use the parking brake if necessary to keep the vehicle from
rolling .
- If the sele ctor lever is unintentionally moved into N while you
are driving , take your foot off the accelerator pedal and wait for
the engine to return to idle speed before selecting a driving
position .
- Never shift into "R " or "P " when the vehicle is in motion .
- Never get out of the driver's seat when the engine is running.
- If you must get out of the vehicle , move the selector lever
securely into the P position and apply the parking brake firmly .
- If the engine must remain running, never have any driving
position engaged when checking under the hood. Make sure
the selector lever has securely engaged and is locked in "P "
with the parking brake firmly set :::::,
page 293, "Engine
compartment ". Otherwise , any increase in engine speed may
set the vehicle in motion , even with the parking brake
applied .•
Controls and equip ­
ment
Ap plies to vehic les : wit h m ultit ron ic® Conti nuous ly Va riable Transm ission (CVT)
Selector lever positions
This sec tion des cribes th e sele ctor lev er positi ons an d
dr iv ing ra ng es.
Fig . 166 Display in the
instrument clu ster:
se lector lever in posi ·
tion D
Th e se lecto r le ver p ositi on engag ed app ear s ne xt to th e selec tor
lev er as well as in the instrument cluste r disp lay .
P -Park
In this s electo r lever position the transmission is mechanica lly
lo cke d.
Eng age P on ly when t he veh ic le is
completely stopped=> 11::::. in
" Dr ivin g th e multitroni c®" on
page 162
To s hift int o or out o f pos ition P , you m ust firs t press a nd h old the
brake peda l
and then press the release button in th e se lector lever
h an dle whi le m oving the sele ctor l ev er to P .
R - Reverse
The tra nsm issio n w ill automat ica lly se lect the lowest gear ratio
when you sh ift into reverse .
S ele ct R only wh en th e ve hicle is at a
fu ll sto p and t he engine is
running at id le speed :::::, 11::::. in "Driving t he multitron ic®" on
page 162.
I • •

• ..__A_ u_ t _o_ m_ a_ t_ i_ c _ t_r _a _n_ s_ m_ is_ s_i o _ n ________________________________________________ _
Before you move the selector lever to R, press both, the button in the
handle of the selector lever
and the brake pedal at the same time .
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illuminate when the
selector lever is moved into R.
N -N eutr al
Sh ift to this position for standing with brakes applied=> page 164.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while moving the
lever out of
N .
Do not use N for coasting downhill.
D -Normal dr iving po sition f or forward
Depending on the load on the engine, vehicle speed and the
dynamic control program, the transm ission will select the
optimal
gear ratio.
In certain circumstances it may be advantageous to temporarily
switch to the manua l shift program to manually select gear ratios to
match specific driving conditions=>
page 166.
When the vehicle is s tationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while moving the
lever to
D ou t of N.
S -Spor t p osition
Select this position for sportier performance. In this position, the
transmission wil l not upshift as soon, allowing the vehicle to use the
increased power avai lable at higher engine speeds to achieve live ­
lier acceleration.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and whi le moving the
lever to
S out of N .
& WARNING
Re ad a nd follo w all WARNIN GS=> & in "Dr iv ing th e multitr oni c®"
on
page 16 2.
0 Note
Coasting downhill with the transm ission in N and the engine not
operating will result in damage to the automatic transmission and
possibly the catalytic converter. •
Applies to vehicles: with multitronic® Continuous ly Variable Transmission (CVT)
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)
The Automatic Shift Lock safeguards you against acciden­
tally shifting in to a forward or the reverse gear and
causing the vehicle to move unintentionally.
F ig . 167 S hift gate:
se lect or l ever loc k
pos it ions a nd int erl ock
butt on high lighted
The selector lever l ock is rel eased as f ollows :
T u rn the ignition on .
Step on the brake peda l.
At the same time press and hold
the interlock button on the side of the gear selector knob
=> fig. 167 with your thumb until you have moved the
selector lever to t he desired position.
~

_______________________________________________ A_ u_t _o _ m_ a_ t _i_ c_ t_r _a _n _ s_ m __ is_s_ i _o _ n __ llll
Autom ati c selec to r l eve r lock
The se lector lever is locked in the P and N positions when the igni ­
tion is turned on . To move the lever from these positions the driver
must depress the brake pedal. As a reminder to the driver, the
follow ing warning appears in the instrument cluster disp lay when
the selector is in
P and N :
When stationary app ly footbrake while selecting gear
A time delay e lement preven ts the selector lever from locking when
it is moved through the
N position (going from R to Dl. The locking
e lement will lock the selector lever if the lever is left in N (Neutral)
for mor e than approximately 1 second, without the brake peda l
being pressed .
At sp eeds above about 3 mph (5 km/h) the Automatic Shift Lock is
automatically deactivated in the
N posi tion .
Interl ock button
The lock button on the selector lever prevents the lever from being
accid entally sh ift ed into certain pos it ions. Pressing th is button
deactivates the selector leve r lock . Dependi ng on the direction of
the shift, the se le ctor lev er locks a t different positions . Th e positions
are highligh ted in the illus trati on =>
page 164 , fig. 167 .
Igniti on k ey saf ety in te rlo ck
The key canno t be removed from the ignition un less the selector
lever is in th e
P park position . When th e ignition k ey is remov ed, the
selector lever wil l be l ocked in the
P posi tion .•
A pplies to veh ic les : wit h mu ltit ro nic® Cont inuous ly Va riab le Transm iss io n (CVT )
Kick-down
The kick- down feature allo ws the ve hic le to generate
maximum acceler ati on .
When you press the acce lerator pedal beyond the resistance point
t hat is reached at ful l th rottle, the transmission wi ll select a lower
gear ra tio bas ed on vehic le spe ed and engine RPM. The engine RPM
Controls and equip ­
ment
wi ll be control led to produce maximum vehic le acceleration as long
as yo u conti nue to press the acce lerato r pedal beyond this resis ­
tance point .
& WARNING
Be careful when us ing the ki ck-down feature on slippery roads .
Rapid acceleration may cau se the vehicle to skid . •
A pplies to veh icl es : wi th mu ltitro nic® C ontinuo usly V ari ab le Tra nsm iss ion (CVT)
Dynamic shift program (DSP)
The multitronic® tr ansmissi on is elect ro nic ally
controlled.
The transmission se lects the appropriate gear ratio (upshifts and
downsh ifts) automatical ly based on preset driving programs.
The transmission wil l selec t one of the
economy programs when
yo u drive at a steady speed o r a gra dually changing speeds without
heavy acceleration . T his gives bes t fuel efficiency , with early
upshifting and delayed downshif ting .
The transmission will au tomat ically select the
s porty shift programs
when you drive at higher speeds, or with heavy acce leration and
freque ntly changing speeds . Upshifts are delayed to make full use
of engine power. Downshifting takes place at higher engine speeds
t han in t he economy programs .
The se lection of the most suitable shift program is a continuous,
automatic process . The driver can also make the transmission
sw itch to a spor ty progra m by
quickly pressing down the gas peda l.
This caus es the transmission to shift down into a lower gear ratio
and makes qu ick acceleration possible (to pass another vehic le) You
do not need to press the gas peda l into the kickdown range . After
the trans missi on has upshifte d, the o riginal p rogram is selected
according to your driving style . _.,
I • •

-L~A~u~t~o~m~a~t ::,:i c~t::!r.!:a~n~ s~m!.!!:i s~ s ~ io~n :..._ ____________________________________________ _
An additional shift program allows the automat ic t ransmission to
select the p roper gear for uphill and downhill gradients.
This prevents the transmission from shifting up and down unneces­ sari ly on hills. The transmission will shift down to a lower gear ratio
when the driver presses the brake pedal on a downhill gradient . This
makes use of the braking effect of the engine without the need to
shift down manually.
If you are driving in hills and mountains, the transmission will
continuously adjust the gear ratio to the road grade. If you press the
brake pedal when driving downhi ll, the transmission will down shift
automatically . This increases the braking effect of the engine .
If the cru ise control is on when you are traveling downh ill, the trans ­
mission will automatically select a lower gear ratio in order to main ­
tain the set vehic le speed . This wil l cause the engine speed to
increase. •
Applies to v ehicles: wit h mult it ro n ic® Co ntin uous ly V ariab le Tra nsm iss io n (CVT )
tiptronic ® manual shift progr am
Using the manual shif t program ( tiptronic® J you can
manually shift between seven pre-programmed gear
r at io s ( tra nsmission p ositi ons).
Fig . 16 8 C enter
c onsole : shifting
m anu ally Fi
g. 169 Di sp la y:
m anu al shift progr am ,
se lec ted ge ar
Switching to manual shift program
Pus h th e se lecto r leve r to the r ight from D. As soon as the
transmission has sw itched over, t he selected gear
ap pears in t he display ~ fig . 169.
To upshift Push the se lector lever forward to t he p lus position
~ fig.168
0-
To downshift
- Pu sh t he lever t o the minus posi tion
Q .
When accelerati ng, the transm ission wi II automatica lly shift into the
next higher gear before the engine reaches the maximum RPM.
When accelera ting, if you apply a ligh t thrott le, the tipt ron ic® wi ll
automatically shift into the next higher gear to save fuel. If you apply
a heavy throttle , the transmiss ion wi ll stay in gear engaged unti l
near maximum RPM are reached, or until the driver manually shifts
into a higher gear .
I f you take your foot off the accelerator peda l when driving down a
steep incline, the tiptronic ® will downshift from the selected gear
into the next l ower gea r based on r oad speed a nd engine RPM . The
automatic downshifting is interrupted as soon as you apply throttle
again . .,_

_______________________________________________ A_ u_t _o _m_ a_ t_ i_ c _ t_r _ a _n _s_ m_ i_ s _ s_ i_ o _ n _ ___._
[ i J Tips
• When you shift into the next lower gear, the engine will down­
shift only when there is no possibility of over -revv ing.
• When the kick-down comes on , the transmission will shif t down
to a lower gear depending on vehicle and engine speeds.
• The tiptronic® is inopera tive when the t ransmission is in the fail­
safe mode .•
Ap plies t o vehi cles: w it h mu lt it ro nic® Co ntin uou sly Va ria ble Tra nsm iss io n (CVT )
Steering wheel with tiptronic ®
The shift buttons on the steering wheel allow the driver to
shift gears manually.
Fig . 170 Steering
wheel: Shift buttons
To downshift , touch the button on the left Q.
To upshift, touch the button on the right G).
The shift buttons are activated when the selector lever is in D, Sor
in the manual shift program (tiptron ic).
Of course, you can continue to use the manual shift program with
the selec tor lever on the center console .•
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
A pp lies to vehicles: w it h muh it r on ic® Cont inuous ly Variable Transm iss ion ( CVT)
Automatic transmission malfunction
In the event of a system malfunction, the automatic transmission
switches to emergency operation mode.
Gearbox malfunction: You can continue driving
You can continue to drive the vehicle . See an authorized Audi dealer
or other qualified workshop at the next opportunity .
Gearbox malfunction: You can continue driving but functions
are restricted
There is a serious system malfunction:
• The program shifts only into certain gears.
• The engine may stall.
• It is not possible to res tar t t he engine i f it has been switched off .
• Continuing to drive could result in subsequent damage .
0 Note
If the transmission switches to fail -safe mode , you should take the
vehicle to an authorized Audi deale rship as soon as possible to have
the condition corrected .•
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

•L---=A....::...: u:;.. t:..: o:..::....: m.....;::. a..;:t :;..ic ~ t:..: r..;: a ..:..; n.....;::. s..:.m ;.;..:. is::.. s .::....:. io::....:. n;__ ____________________________________________ _
Applies to vehic les: with mul tit roni c® Cont inuous ly Variab le Transmission (CVTl
Emergency release for selector lever
If the vehicle's power supply fails, the selector lever can
be released in an emergency.
Fig . 171 Remove the
ashtray insert
Fig . 172 Emergency
release for selector
lever
The emergency release is located under the insert for the
ashtray.
- Slide open the cover for the ashtray.
- Grasp the ashtray insert~ fig. 171 by the recesses on
both sides and pull it upward and out.
- Now you can see a small cover in the ashtray holder.
- Release and remove this cover from the ashtray holder. -
Using a screwdriver or a similar tool, press down on the
screw in the middle of the ashtray holder, which is now
accessible, and hold it down ~ fig. 172.
- Now press the interlock and move the selector lever to
the
N position.
The selector lever can only be moved from the P position if the igni­
tion key is in the lock and the ignition is turned on. If the vehicle has
to be pushed or towed if the power supply fails (e .g. battery is
discharged), the selector lever must be moved to the N position
using the emergency locking device. •

-Wit h chocks i n place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load .
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move the selector lever to
P.
Wh en r est arting aft er parking :
-Apply the foot brake.
- Start the engine.
- Move the selector lever to
D .
- Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away
f rom the whee l chocks.
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel chocks .
[ i ) Tip s
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmission to P
befor e applying th e parking brake and before blocking th e wheels ,
you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the
P
position .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_____________________________________________ C_ l_ e _a_ n_ in_ g_a _ n_d_ p_ r_ o_ t _e_ c_t _io _ n __ l'III
•
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 •