towing AUDI S6 2010 User Guide

Trailer towing
"---------------------------------------------------
Speed
T he higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig. Do not dr ive at the max imum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icu larly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the tra iler shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for veh icles towing
trailers are lower than for regu lar vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driv ing dow nhill, shift in to a lower
gear to use the eng ine braking effect to slow the veh icle. Use of the
bra kes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
Th e coolant temperature gauge~ page 8 must be observed care­
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately 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 m inutes to prevent heat build-up.
& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk in an accident. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided by Audi.•
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
------------
Your vehicle handles differently when tow ing a trailer because of the
additiona l weight and different weight distribution. Safety, perfor- mance and economy will greatly depend on how carefully you load
your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turning, stopp ing and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing until you have
become completely familiar with the way your vehicle-t railer comb i­
nation behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a trailer
generally requires steering action oppos ite to that when backing up
your vehicle without a trai ler.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in front
of you. You will need more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you will need a larger than normal turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you normally would because of the added load . Make sure you have
enoug h room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trai ler before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky sta rts, sharp tur ns or rapid lane changes.
W Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in per iod of your veh icle.
• If you tow a trai ler, your Audi may require more frequent mainte­
nance due to the extra load
~ page 344. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
- Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels . ._

Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement "THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX LBS"on your vehicle's placard (tire infla­
tion pressure label)=>
page 297,
fig. 216.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo­
grams or
"XXX" pounds shown on the
sticker =>
page 297, fig. 216.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lbs . passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5
X 150) = 650 lbs.)
Safety first
Tires and wheels -
5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer ,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.
- Check the tire sidewall(=>
page 305,
fig. 220) to determine the designated load rating for a specific tire . •
Vehicle care Technical data

What do I do now? I'll ______________________________ ____::..:..:..:..::..::....::..::.....::.....:::...::,_ __ __,J
& WARNING (continued)
• Never start or run the engine while the vehicle is supported by
the jack.
• If you must work under the vehicle, always use safety stands
specifically designed for this purpose.
• Never use the hexagonal socket in the handle of the screw­
driver to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.
• Always make sure the spare tire and even a flat tire are secured
in place and not loose, otherwise they could fly forward, causing
personal injury to passengers in the vehicle in an accident or
sudden maneuver. •
Tools
The vehicle tools are stored in the luggage compartment
behind the right-side trim panel.
-
The onboard tool kit includes:
• Hook for removing wheel covers*
• Wheel bolt wrench
• Alignment pin for changing wheels
• Screwdrive r with reve rsible blade
Fig. 225 Luggage
compartment: vehicle
tool kit
Vehicle OP-eration
• Towing eye
[ i] Tips
Some of the onboard items listed above are provided on certain
models only or are optional extras. •
Spare wheel
The spare wheel is stored in the wheel well underneath
the floor panel in the luggage compartment.
Fig. 226 Luggage
compartment spare
wheel
Your vehicle is equipped with a regular spare wheel. It is held
in place by plastic retaining knurled screw .
Taking out the spare wheel
- Raise the floor panel at the plastic handle.
- Securely engage the handle in the luggage compartment
seal as illustrated to keep the floor panel up.
Unscrew the knurled retainer bolt in the wheel center
=> fig. 226. Turn it counter-clockwise.
- Take out the spare wheel.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service iTechnical data

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- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
Storing the replaced wheel
-Place the replaced wheel inside the spare wheel well in the
luggage compartment.
Tighten the knurled retaining screw clockwise to secure
the wheel in place.
- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
& WARNING
Loose items in the passenger compartment can cause serious
personal injury during hard braking or in an accident.
• Never store the spare wheel or jack and tools in the passenger
compartment.
• Always store all jacking equipment, tools, and the spare wheel
in the luggage compartment.
• Tighten the knurled retaining screw for the spare wheel
securely.
[ i] Tips
Check the inflation pressure of the spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use.•
Changing a wheel
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own and your
passenger's safety when changing a wheel.
- After you experience a tire failure, pull the car well away
from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before
you stop :::> & .
- All passengers should
leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail) :::>& .
- Engage the
parking brake to prevent your vehicle from
rolling unintentionally:::> &.
- Move
selector lever to position P :::> & .
- If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle.
- Take the
jack and the spare tire out of the luggage
compartment:::>
page 316.
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if
you do not follow these safety precautions:
• If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off the road. Turn
off the engine, turn the emergency flashers on and use other
warning devices to alert other motorists.
• Make sure that passengers wait in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the road and traffic.
• To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possibly
slipping off the jack, always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed. When
one front wheel is lifted off the ground, placing the Automatic
~

Emergency situations --------------=----EWI
Emergency situations
General
This chapter is intended for trained emergency crew s and working
personnel who ha ve the necessar y tools and equipment to perform
the se operations . •
Starting by pushing or towing
(D Note
Your vehicle is equipped with an a utomat ic transmission. Conse­
que ntly, the eng ine can not be started by pushing or towing. •
Starting with jumper cables
If necess ary, the engine can be started by connecting it to
the battery of an other vehicle .
If the engine shou ld fai l to start because of a discharged or weak
battery, the battery can be co nnecte d to the battery of
another
vehicle, using a pair of jumper cable s to start the engine .
Jumper cables
Use only jumper cables of suffic ient ly large cross section to carry the
sta rter cur ren t safely . Refe r to the manufacture r's specifications.
Use on ly j umper cab les with
insulated te rm ina l clamps w hich are
distinct ly marked :
plus(+) cable in most cases colo red red
minus (-) cable i n most cases colored black.
Safety first
& WARNING
Batterie s contain electricity, acid, and gas . Any of these can cause
very serious or fatal injury . Follow the inst ructions below for safe
handling of your vehicle 's battery .
• Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning over the battery
whenever possible.
• A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures just below
32 °F (0 °C). Before connecting a jumper cable, you must thaw the
frozen battery completely , otherwise it could explode.
• Do not allow battery acid to contact eyes or skin . Flush any
contacted area with water immediately .
• Improper use of a booster battery to start a vehicle may cause
an explosion.
• Vehicle batteries generate e xplos ive gases. Keep spa rks, flame
and lighted cigarettes away from batteries.
• Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a low acid level in the
battery.
• The voltage of the booster battery must also h ave a 12 -Volt
rating. The capacity (Ah) of the booster battery should not be
lower than that of the discharged battery. Use of batter ies of
different voltage or sub stantially different "Ah " rating may cau se
an explosion and personal injury.
• Never charge a frozen battery . Ga s trapped in the ice may cause
an e xplosion.
• Never charge or use a battery that has been frozen. The battery
case may have be weakened.
• Use of batteries of different voltage or substantially different
capacity (Ah ) rating may cause an explosion and injury . The
capacity (Ah ) of the booster battery should not be lower than that
of the discharged battery. _..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Emergency towing with
commercial tow truck
General hints
Your Audi requires special handling for towing.
The following information is to be used by commercial tow truck
operators who know how to operate their equipment safely.
• Never tow your Audi, towing will cause damage to the engine
and transmission.
• Never wrap the safety chains or winch cables around the brake
lines.
• To prevent unnecessary damage, your Audi must be transported
with a flat bed truck.
• To load the vehicle on to the flat bed, use the towing loop found
in the vehicle tools and attach to the front or rear anchorage
~ page 334 and~ page 335 .
& WARNING
A vehicle being towed is not safe for passengers. Never allow
anyone to ride in a vehicle being towed, for any reason. •
Front towing Loop
Do not install the front towing loop until it is needed.
Fig. 240 Front
bumper: removing the
cover cap
Fig. 241 Front
bumper: screwing in
the towing loop
The towing loop fits into the threaded hole located on the
right side of the front bumper and covered by a small cover
when not in use.
- Remove the towing loop from the vehicle toolkit
=> page 316.
-Press the cover in by applying short sharp pressure to the
bottom part to release it from the bumper=> fig. 240.
- Screw the towing loop tightly into the threaded hole as far
as it will go=> fig. 241 . ..,

Emergency situations --------------=---:.--___.VPII
When it is no longer needed, unscrew the towing loop and put it back
into the vehicle toolkit. Be sure to have the towing loop stored in the
vehicle at all times .
& WARNING
If the towing loop is not screwed in as far as it will go, the thread
ca n pull out when the vehicle is towed -potential risk of an
accident. •
Rear towing loop
Do not install the rear towing loop until it is needed.
Fig. 242 Rear
bumper: screwing in
the tow ing loop
On the right side under the rear bumper there is a threaded
hole for the towing loop. The threaded hole is protected by a
cover.
- Remove the towing loop from the vehicle toolkit
=::;, page 316.
-Pull the protective cover out of the threaded hole
=;, fig. 242.
-Screw the towing loop tightly into the threaded hole as far
as it will go.
Vehicle OP-eration
When it is no longer needed, unscrew the towing loop and put it back
into the vehicle toolk it. Be sure to have the towing loop stored in the
vehicle at all times.
& WARNING
If the towing loop is not screwed in as far as it will go, the thread
c an pull out when the vehicle is towed · potential risk of an
accident. •
Loading the vehicle onto a flat bed truck
Front hook up
Fig. 243 Vehicle on
fl at bed truck
-Align the vehicle w ith the centerline of the car carrier
ramp.
- Attach the winch hook to the front towline eye previously
installed.
Rear hook up
- Align the vehicle with the centerline of the car carrier
ramp .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service iTechnical data

______________________________________________ C _o_ n _ s_u_ m_ e_r_ I_n _f_ o_ r_m _ a_t_ i_ o _ n __ _
reliab ility. For deta iled vehicle maintenance cons ult your Warra nty &
Main tenan ce bookle t.
Under difficult operating conditions, for example at extremely low
outside temperatures, in very dusty regions, when towing a trailer
very frequently, etc., some service wo rk shou ld be performed
between the intervals specified. This app lies particu larly to:
• oil changes, and
• cleaning or rep lacing the air fi lter.
<£> For the sake of the environment
By regular ly maintaining your vehicle, you help make sure that emis­
sion standards are mainta ined, t hus mi nimizing adve rse e ffects o n
the environment. •
Important considerations for you and your
vehicle
T he increasing use of electronics, sophisticated fuel injection and
em ission cont rol systems, and t he generally increasing techni cal
complex ity of today's automobiles, have stead ily reduced the scope
of mai ntenan ce and repairs w hich can be ca rried out by ve hicle
owners.
Also , safety and environm ental concerns p lace very strict
limits on the nature of repairs and adjustments to engine and trans­
mission parts wh ich an owner can perform.
Maintenance, adj ustments and repairs usua lly req uire specia l tools,
test ing devices and other eq uipment available to specially t rained
workshop personnel in order to assure proper performance, re li­
ability and safety of the vehicle and its many systems.
Improper maintenance, adjustments and repairs can impair the oper­
ation and reliabili ty of your ve hicle and even void you r vehicle
warranty. Therefore, p roof of servicing in accordance with the main­
t enance schedu le may be a condit ion fo r uphold ing a possible
warranty cla im made w it h in the warranty period .
Safety first
Above all, operational safety can be adversely affected, creating
unnecessary r is ks for you and you r passe ngers.
If in doubt about a ny servic ing, have it done by your authorized Audi
dealer or any other properly eq uipped and qualified works hop. We
st rongly urge you to give you r a utho rized Aud i dealer the opportunity
to perform a ll scheduled maintenance and necessary repairs. Your
dealer has t he facilities, o rigina l part s and trained spe ciali sts to keep
your vehicle running properly.
Performing limit ed maint enance yourself
The following pages describe a lim ited number of procedures which
can be perfo rmed on your vehicle w it h ordi na ry tools, should t he need
ar ise and trained personnel be unava ilab le. Before performing any of
t hese p rocedures, always tho roughly read all of the applicable text
and carefu lly follow the instructions given. Always rigorous ly observe
t he
WARNINGS p rov ided .
Before you ch eck anyth ing in the eng ine compartment, alwa ys read
and heed all WARNINGS~
& and~ & in "Working in the engine
compartmen t" on
page 277.
& WARNING
• Seriou s pe rs onal injury may occ ur as a result of improperly
perform ed maintenan ce, adju stments or repair s.
• Always be extremely careful when work ing on the vehicle.
Alway s foll ow commonly acc epted safety practic es and general
c ommon sense . N ever ri sk per son al injury .
• Do not attempt any of the maint enance, che cks or repair s
de scrib ed on the following p ages if you are not fully familiar with
the se or ot her procedure s with re spect to the vehicle , or are uncer­
tain how to proceed .
• Do not do any work without the prop er tool s and equipment .
Ha ve the ne cessary work done by your authorized Audi dealer or
an other properly equipped and qu alified workshop. _,.
Do-it,yourself service Technical data

-Alphabetical inde x _ ___,_ ______ .::..:....=.:..:..__ __________________________ _
A Temporarily turning off .......... . 124
warning/indicator lights .... ...... . 127
Danger of fitting a child safety seat on the
front passenge r seat ............
197
Accesso ries ..... ...... ............. 346 Adaptive Light ......... ....... .. .. .. 61 Disposal .................. .. .... 209
Adapter for cupholder ................ 89 defective ........................ 32 Front airbags ......... ... .... 199, 200
Adaptive Air Suspension ... .......... 166
Automatic mode .. .. ... .... ...... 167
Comfort mode ................... 167
Description ..................... 166
Dynamic mode ... .. ... ...... .... 167
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire ...
168
Lift mode ....................... 167
Setting the driving modes ...... ... 167
Tr ailer towing mode .............. 168
Warning/indicator lights .... ....... 16
Adaptive Cruise Contro l ...... ...... .. 119
Changing speed ..... ............. 123
Driver information ............ .. .
Driver intervention prompt ...... . . Adding
Engine coolant ........... ...... .
285
Engine oil ............ ...... ..... 282
Windshield washer fluid ........... 292
Additional accessories ............... 346
Additives
Engine oil ............ .. .........
282
Adjusting
Instrument cluster illum ination .....
11
Steering column electrically ........ 107
Steering column manually .. .. .. .. . 106
Adjus ting front seats .......... ... .. .. 75
Air conditioning
See Climate controls ...............
96
Air distribution How do the front airbags work?
.....
204
How many airbags does my vehicle have? .
202
How the Advanced Airbag System compo -
nents work together ............
203
Important things to know ... .. .. .. 195
Indicator light ................... 206
Monitoring ... ................. . 206
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light ..... 207
Repairs ............ .. .. .. .... .. 209
Safety instructions .............. . 208
Side airbags .... .... ............. 211
Side curtain airbags .............. 214
Weight-sensing mat ..............
218
When must the system be inspected? 206
All Wheel Drive ... ... .. .......... ... 246 Dr iv ing in traffic ................ .
Driving program .. ...... ........ .
127
130
120
131
Climate controls 100 Alloy wheels ................. .... .. 263
Error messages . .. .. .... ........ .
Open road ... .. .. .. .. ....... ... . 129 Air pollutants filter
120 Climate controls .................. 96
All-wheel drive
Winter tire s .....................
309
Override ...................... .. 120 Airbag
Alternator
Request for driver to assume control
120 Warning/indicator lights ..... ...... 14 Malfunction ..... . .. .............. 26
Save speed . ...... .. .. ........... 122 Airbag system .................. 195,212 Amb ience lighting
Sett ing distance .. ...... ...... .. .
125 Advanced Airbag System .......... 199 Lighting profiles .. .. .............. 64
Sett ing time interval .............. 125 Advanced Airbag System components 202 Anti-freeze
Sett ings ..................... ...
131 Care ... .. .......... ..... .. .. .. . 209 See Engine coolant system ......... 284
Special driving situations .......... 131
Status messages ................. 129
Switching on and off .............. 122
System limits ................ ... 131
Chil d restraints .................. 219
Children ........................ 218
Components (front airbags) ... ..... 202
Anti -glare inside day -night mirror .... 69, 70
Anti-lock brake system
How the ABS system works ...... ..
244
Warning/indicator lights ........... 17

-Alphabetical inde x ------',.__ ___________________________________ _
Driv ing messages ...... ...... .. .. .. .. 24
Dr iv ing safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 4
Dr iving through water ... ... ... .. .. .. 250
Dr iv ing time .. ............ .......... 34
Duplica te key . .... .... .. .. .. ........ 3 7
Dust fi lter
Climate controls .. .. .. .... .. .. . ... 96
DVD player for navigation system . .. . .. . 86
Dynam ic shift program ............ .. 156
E
Easy entry feature . .. .. .. .. .... ..... 108
Electric seat adjustment
See Power seat ................... 76
Electromechanical parking brake Emergency braking . ... .. .. .... .. . 11 5
Ma lf u nct ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Park ing .................... .. .. 114
Releasing and app ly ing ... .. ... .. .. 113
Starting off w ith a t railer ......... . 115
Wa rning/ind icator lights . .. .... .. .. 17
Electronic differential lock (EDL) How the system works ... ......... 241
Warning/ind icator lights . .......... 17
Electroni c immobili ze r ... .... .. .. .. .. . 40
Electronic powe r control
(EPC) war ning/ indicato r light .. .. ... . 14
E lectronic speed limiter ........ .... .. . 23
Ele ctro nic s tabiliza tion p rogram ( ESP)
How t he system wor ks ... ......... 2 40
W arning/ind icator lights . .......... 14 Emergency braking
..... .. .. .. .. .. .. 115
Emergency closing Power su nroof ... ... .. .. . ... ... 55, 56
Eme rgency flasher ................ ... 61
Wa rning/ind icator l ights . .. .. .. .. .. 15
Emergency locking of doors . .. .. .. .. .. 45
E mergency sta rt ing .... ..... ... .. .. . 331
Emergency towing .................. 334
Energy management ................ 247
Battery power .. .. .. .. .. .... ..... 248
Dr iver not ification ............... . 248
Engine Compartment . ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 2 78
Coolant .. ... .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. . 284
Hood . ... .. .. .. .... ... .. .. .. .. . 276
Starting ....... .. .. ........ . 108, 109
Starting with jumpe r cab les . .. .... . 331
Stopping ...... .............. ... 110
E ngine compa rtment
Sa fety instructions . .... ... .. .. .. . 277
Working the eng ine compartment .. 277
En gine coolant system ........ .. .. .. . 28 4
Add ing coolant ................. . 285
C hecking coo la nt level . ..... .. .. .. 28 4
Checking the engine coo lant level . .. 284
Ma lfu nction ... .. ..... ..... .... .. . 27
Radiator fan ....... .. ... . .. .. ... 286
E ngine coo lant tempe rature
T emperat ure gauge ............. .. . 8
Engine data ....... ...... .... .. ..... 341
Engine hood Closing .... ..... ..... .... .. .. .. . 2 77
How to re lease the hood ..... .. ... . 2 76 Engine oil
.. ... .... ... .. . ... ... .. .. 279
Add ing .............. .... ... .. .. 282
Add itives .................. .... . 282
Changing .. ..... .......... .. .. .. 283
Checking the engine oil leve l ..... .. 281
Indi cat io ns and conditions requiring extr a
check ing . .. .. .. .. ............. 281
Oil consumption .... ............. 280
Oil grades . .. .. .... ..... ....... . 279
Recommended oil check intervals ... 281
Specification and viscosity ..... .. .. 279
Engine oil leve l .... .. .. ............. . 31
E ngine oil p ress ure
Mal fu nct ion .. .. .. .. .... .......... 28
Engine oil sensor defect ive . ...... ... .. 31
Engine speed limitation ....... ... .. .. . 32
E nvironmen t
Bre ak-in per iod ...... ...... .. .. .. 249
Ca taly tic converte r .. .... ......... 250
Disposing o f you r vehi cle bat tery .... 292
Driving at hig h speeds ..... ... . ... 252
Driving to minimize poll ution and noise . .
2 51
Fuel .. .. .... ....... ...... .... .. 273
F ue l economy .. .. .. ....... .. .. .. 251
Leaks unde r yo ur vehicle ... .. .. .. . 2 77
Lett ing the vehicle stand and warm up .. .
252
Proper disposa l of dra ined brake fluid 287
Prope r disposal of dra ined engine coo la nt
285
Proper disposal of drained engine oil 282, 283
Recy cling used e ng ine o il .......... 282