technical data AUDI A6 2011 Owners Manual

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
Waxing
Wax protects the vehicle's paint.
- Use a man ually applied car wax occasionally to protect the
paint .
A good wax coat ing p ro tects the vehi cle pa int to a la rge exte nt
against the environmental factors listed under=>
page 260,
"Washing " and even against slig ht s cratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your paint as soon as one week after your vehicle has been delivered .
E ven if you regularly use a
waxing p ro cess in a utomatic car washes,
we recommend that you manually apply a coat of wax to give the
pai nt extra p rotectio n, part icularly if wate r no longer beads on the
clean pa int.
Protect plastic body parts with car wax in the same way as the vehicle
body .
Dur ing warm weather dead insects tend to collect on the front
bumpe r and on the forward area of the hood. They a re much easier to
remove from pa int that is waxed
often .
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNING S and other information
=> pag e 260.
0 Note
Do not use car wax on
• matte o r anodized meta l trim
• rubber or rubber-like tr im. •
Safety first
Polishing
Polishing restores the gloss to the paint.
Polish your vehicle only if the pa int has lost its shine and the gloss
c annot be bro ught back wi th wax.
If the polish used does not contain preservative compounds, the
paint must be waxed afterwards=>
page 263, "Waxing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informa tion
:::> page 260 .
0 Note
Do not treat matte anodized metal tr im, plastic or rubber parts with
polish or wax. •
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care.
For env ironmental reasons, Aud i fabr icates the bright trim strips and
trim p ieces from p ure chrom ium-free alum inum .
Dirt and marks on the tr im strips should be removed with a
pH ­
balanced clean ing age nt (do no t use a chrome clean er) . Au di dealers
carry cleaning products which have been tested for use on your
vehicle and a re not h armf ul t o the envi ronment.
T o avo id corrosion on the exterior trim strips, only a pH-balanced
solution sho uld be used for the windshie ld washer .
& WARNING
Always re ad and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:::> page 260 . •
Vehicle care Technical data

_________________________________________ ___.:C=..:..: le~a::..:... n:.:i.:...;n :.:g L:: a:.:n..:. d=...! pt:.:.. r.::o :..:t :.::e :.:c:.: t:.: i.::o :..:n..:_ __
The best way to remove snow from w indows and mirrors is to use a
br ush . Use a non- abra sive
plastic ice scraper -better st ill, a spray
deicer -to remove
ice from w indows and mirro rs .
T he windows must not be cleaned with insect remover o r wax since
t hese ca n interfere w it h the func tion of the w indshie ld wipe r blades
(chatte r).
O il, g re ase o r silicone resi due c an be remove d with
glass cleaner or
silicone remover. However, wax residue requires the use of a specially
formulated solvent . Please contact your A udi dea ler for advice on safe
prod ucts for wax removal.
Wi ndows s hou ld also be cleaned on the inside at regu lar intervals .
N ever dry wi ndow s w ith t he same ch amo is tha t you use to dry pain ted
surfaces. Wax res idue o n the c hamois ca n impa ir vis ion t hrough t he
w indows.
& WARNING
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent
materials. They can increase glare under poor vis ibility conditions
such as wetness, darkness, or when the sun is low on the horizon .
In addit ion, they can cause the windshield wipe rs to chatter.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 260.
0 Note
• N ever use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from
w indows and mir rors . This cou ld c au se the glass to c rac k.
• To prevent damage to the wires of the rear defogger, do not place
a ny adhesive stick ers on the inside of the re ar window ove r the wires .
• T o help prevent dirt from scratching the window, a lways scra pe in
a fo rwa rd direction -pu shing t he s crape r away fro m you -neve r back
and fort h.•
Safety first
Weatherstrips
C om pl ete c ar c are inc ludes the weat her strips as well .
- Ap ply a sui tab le ru bb er co nditio ner to t he we athers tri ps
from time to time .
To be able sea l pro pe rly, the weat hers tr ips arou nd the hood, doo rs,
rear lid, etc. m ust remain pliable. Spray the weathe rst rips with sili­
con e or coat them wit h talcu m p owder or glyce rine t o reta in the flex­
ibility of the rubber and to protect them against freezing in t he
wi nter.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 260.
[I) Tips
Keep silicone sprays off the winds hie ld to avoid wiper smear in ra in. •
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) all oy wheels requir e sp ecial c are.
- Wash the whe els wi th a spo nge or h ose bru sh ev er y othe r
w ee k.
- Fo r deep cleaning afterwar ds, use on ly a dedi cated
acid­
free cas t all oy whe el cleaner.
- R ub a coat of
liquid wax onto the r ims eve ry three month .
B e su re to reac h an d trea t all parts o f the rim.
To preserve the dec orative appearance of the cast alloy whee ls , some
s pecial care is necessa ry . In add ition to road dirt and s alt , bra ke du st
is a lso corrosive . If left on for too long, brake dust can cause pitt ing . ..,_
Vehicle care Technical data

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ in--= g=-- a_n_ d_ p ,__r_o _t_ e_ c_ t _ io_ n __ lffll
Your authorized Audi dealer can provide cleaning products that have
bee n tested and approved for your veh icle. •
Care of interior
MMI display
- Clean the MMI display with a soft clean cloth and an LCD
cleaner .
The MMI display can be cleaned with a professionally available "LCD
cleaner". The cloth should be slightly dampened with the cleaning
fluid to clean the d isp lay .
0 Not e
To avoid scratching the MMI display, you should never clean it dry. •
MMI control console
- First clean the MMI control console with a brush to
remove dust from the housing.
- Then wipe the MMI control console with a clean, soft,
slightly damp cloth.
T he MM I control console sho uld be cleaned w ith a brush first so that
no dirt is trapped between the buttons and the housing. We recom­
mend g iving the MMI contro l conso le a final w ipe with a cloth mois t­
ened w ith water and dish washing detergent.
0 Note
To prevent damage, make sure that no fluid ever gets into the MMI
control console .•
Safety first
Aluminum trim
Use only neut ral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
al uminum surfaces. Ch rome care prod ucts and al kaline cleaners w ill
attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over t ime .
& WARNING
Alw ay s re ad and heed all WARNING S and other information
~ page 2 60. •
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabr ic coverings (e .g . seats, door trim panels, etc.) should
be clean ed at regular interva ls with a vacuum cl eaner . T his removes
surfa ce di rt pa rt icl es which co uld become embedded in the fabr ic
through use . Steam cleaners should not be used, because the steam
tends to push the d irt deeper into the f abric and lock it there.
Norm al clean ing
Genera lly, we recommend using a soft sponge or a li nt-free
microfiber cloth to the clean fabric. Brushes should on ly be used for
ca rpets and floor mats , since other fab ric surfaces could be ha rmed
by brushes.
No rma l sur face sta ins can be cleaned us ing a commercially avai lab le
foam cleaner. Spread the foam on the surface of the fabr ic with a soft
sponge and work it in gently . Do not saturate the fabric. Then pat the
foam dry using absorbent , dry cloths (e .g. microfiber cloth) and
vacuum it after it has dried comp letely.
Clean ing stains
Sta ins caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fruit juice, etc.) can be
treated with a mild detergent solut ion. Apply the detergent solut ion
with a sponge . In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can
be applied directly to the stai n and worked into the fabric . After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to remove the remaining .,.
Vehicle care Technical data

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
consider if childre n, animals or other factors might prove to be partic­
ularly hard on the leathe r.
By contrast, leather types that are covered by a colored fin ish layer
are more durable . This has a positive effect on the leath er's resistance
to wear and so iling in daily use. On the othe r hand, the typical charac­
teristics of natura l leathe r are barely or not apparent . However, this
does not mean that the leathe r itself is of infer io r quality.
C are and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of leather that Audi uses
and the ir unique p roperties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, so iling,
etc.), yo u will need to be somewhat ca refu l with these leat he rs , a nd
a certain type of care is required. For example, dark clothing mate­
r ials ca n disco lor leather seats (especially if such clothi ng is d amp and
was not dyed correctly) . Dust and dirt particles in pores, folds, and
seams can have an abrasive effect and c an damage the le athe r
surface as well as weaken seams .
The leather s houl d be cleaned regularly as needed . After having been
used for a relatively long time, your leather sea ts w ill acquire a rich
aged finis h. This is a characteristic of natura l leather and a sign of
true quality.
I n order to maintain the value of this natural product over the life of
your vehicle, you sho uld fo llow the recommendations below :
0 Note
• To keep you r leather from b leaching out, do not allow it to be
exposed to bright sunl ight for long periods of time . If you have to
leave t he veh icle parked outside for long pe riods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sunlig ht.
• Sharp objects on clothing, such as zippers, rivets or sha rp pieces
on belts can leave permanent scratches or scrape marks on the
s u rface of the leather.
Safety first
(I] Tips
• After each time you clean the leathe r and at regular inte rvals , u se
a leather preservative creme that contains UV-blockers and that
works into the leather. This creme will nou rish and mo istur ize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay supp le. It also helps to build up
a p ro tect ive coa ting on the surfa ce.
• Clean the leather every 2 -3 months, and clean any areas that get
soiled.
• Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc. as soon as poss ible.
• Preserve the color of t he leather as needed by using a specia l
co lored leather ca re creme to touch up areas of uneven color .•
Ap plies to vehi cles : w it h nat ural leat her
Cleaning and caring for leather upholstery
and trim
Natural leather requires special care and attention.
Normal cleaning
- Clean so iled areas wit h a slightly mois tened cotton or
woolen cloth .
More stubborn dirt
-More stubborn d irt can be removed using a clot h satu­
rated w ith a mild soap solution (2 ta blespoons m ild liq ui d
soap) .
- Never allow the soap solution to saturate the leather, and
make certa in that no water soaks i nto the seams .
- Wipe off the soap solution w ith a soft, dry c loth. .,,
Vehicle care Technical data

Cleaning and protection -
---------------=---------=----
0 Note
• Nev er use che mical s olvents (e.g. lig hte r fl uid , turpen tine), waxe s,
sho e polish or sim ila r pr oducts on A lcantara ® surfaces.
• T o avo id damage, have s tubbor n sta ins removed by a co mmerc ia l
cleaning s pecialist .
• Do not use brushes, stiff spo nges or sim ilarly ab rasive cl ea ni ng
aids. •
Safety belts
Only well- maintain ed safe ty b elts wo rk re liably when
n ee ded.
- Kee p belts cle an.
- F or clea nin g, use a mil d soap and w ate r solution. Let belts
dry thor oug hly and aw ay fro m direct s unlig ht.
- D o not a llow i nertia re el sa fety b elt s t o re trac t bef ore the y
are c ompl ete ly dry .
- Che ck th e condi tio n of you r sa fety belts
regu larly.
H eav ily so iled safe ty be lts may not ret rac t proper ly.
& 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 .
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents , bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
Safety first
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• 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
~page 260. •
Engine compartment
Be es pec ially care ful w hen clean ing th e engine co mp art­
m en t.
Always switch off the ign ition before cleaning the engine~,&. .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum pane l in front of the win dshi eld
under the eng ine hoo d. Thi s preven ts the wa ter d rain holes fro m
becoming blocked , and it prevents debris from enter ing t he veh icle
in ter ior thro ugh t he heat ing a nd ve ntilation ducts.
Corrosion protection
The e ng in e co mp artm ent a nd trans missio n have bee n co rros io n­
protected at the facto ry .
G ood ant i- corro sion t rea tmen t is very i mporta nt, pa rt icul arly in t he
wi nte r. If the ve hicle is freq uently d riven on sa lt treated roads, the
entire eng ine compartment and plenum pane l sho uld be tho rough ly
clea ned at the end of winter and retreated to preve nt salt damage. At
the same time, t he un derside of the vehi cle should be washed as well.
If the eng ine co mpartme nt is clean ed at any t ime wi th gre ase
remov ing so lutions
2
), or if you have the engine was hed, the anti­
cor rosion treat men t is almo st alw ays rem oved as well.
It is the refore
essential to have a long-last ing corrosion protection reapplied to all
s u rfaces, seams, jo ints and com ponents in the engine compartmen t.~
2> Us e on ly the co rrect clean ing so lut ions . Neve r use gaso line or diese l fue l.
Vehicle care Technical data

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank Ill --------------'--':.......::-----=--=--------
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Using the right fuel helps keep the environment clean and
prevents engine damage .
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recommended for your vehicle is unleaded premium grade
g asoline . See also :::>
page 343, "D ata ". Aud i recommends using TO P
TIER Detergent Gasoline with a minimum octane ra ting of 91 AKI (95
R O N). For more information on TOP TIE R Detergen t Gasoline, please
go to the official website (www. toptiergas .com) .
Th e recommended gasoline octane rating for your engine can also be
found on a labe l located on the ins ide of t he fue l fille r flap. This rating
may be specified as AKI or RON .
Your vehicle may also be ope rated us ing unleaded reg ular gasoline
with a minim um octane rating of 87 AKI/91 RON. However, us ing 87
AKI/91 RON octane fuel will slig htly reduce engine performance.
Use un leaded ga soline only. U nleaded gaso line is available
throughout the USA, Canada, and in most E uropean co untries. We
recommen d that you do not ta ke your veh icle to areas or co unt ries
where unleaded gasoline may not be available.
F or more in formation on re fueling yo ur vehicle, see:::>
page 274 .
Octane rating
Octane r ati ng indi cat es a gaso line's abi lity to resis t engi ne damag ing
"knock" caused by premature ignition and detonat ion. Therefore,
buying the correc t g rade o f gasol ine is very impo rtan t to help preve nt
possible engine damage and a loss of engine performance .
Gaso line most common ly used in the United States and Canada has
the following octa ne rat ings tha t ca n usually be fou nd on the filler
pump :
Safety first
• Premium Grade: 91 - 96 AKI
• Regular Grade: 87 - 90 AKI
Explanation of t he abb reviations :
AKI= Anti Knock Index= (R +M)/2 = (RON+ MON)/2
RO N= Research Octane Number
M ON= M otor Octane Num ber.
0 Note
• Do not use any fue l with octane rat ings lower than 87 AKI o r 91
RO N otherwise expens ive engine damage will occ ur.
• Do
not use leaded gasoline. The use of lea ded gasoline w ill
severely damage your veh icle 's cata lytic converter and its abi lity to
cont rol exhaust emissions .•
Blended gasoline
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or MTBE (methyl
tertiary butyl ether)
Yo u may use unleaded gasoline blended w ith alcoho l or MTBE
( c ommon ly referred to as oxygenates) if the blended mix ture meets
the following criteria:
Blend of ga soline methanol (wood alcohol or methyl alcohol)
• Anti -k nock index m ust be 87 AKI or h igher .
• Bl end must con tain no mo re t han 3% methanol.
• Blend must contain more than 2% co-solvents.
Blend of ga soline and ethanol (grain alcohol or ethyl alcohol)
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI o r higher.
• Bl end must no t contain more th an 10% ethanol.
Vehicle care Technical data

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Blend of gasoline and MTBE
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
• Blend must contain not more than 15% MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform especially well fo r
winter or summer driving. During seasonal change-over, we suggest
that you fill up at busy gas stat ions where the seasonal adjustment is
more likely to be made in time.
0 Note
• Methano l fuels which do not meet these requirements may cause
corrosion and damage to plastic and rubber components in the fue l
system .
• Do not use fuels that fail to meet the specified criteria in this
chapter .
• If you are unab le to determine whether or not a particu lar fuel
blend meets the spec ifications, ask your serv ice station or its fuel
supplier.
• Do not use fuel for which the contents cannot be identified.
• Fuel system damage and performance problems resulting from
the use of fuels different from those specified are not the responsi­
bility of Aud i and are not covered under the New Vehicle or the Em is­
sion Control System Warranties.
• If you experience a loss of fuel economy or driveab ility and perfor­
mance problems due to the use of one of these fuel blends, we
recommend that you switch to unblended fuel.•
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufacturers is carbon deposit
build-up caused by the type of gasoline you use. Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another,
they have certain things
in common. All gaso line g rades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect on v ital engine parts,
such as fuel injectors and intake valves. A lthough most gasoline
brands include additives to keep eng ine and fuel systems clean, they
are not equally effective.
Audi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. For more
information on TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline, please go to the officia l
webs ite (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended period of using inadequate fuels, carbon deposit
build-ups can rob your engine of peak performance.
0 Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel quality is not covered by the
Audi New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear side panel behind the
fuel filler flap .
If the power locking system should fail, you can still open the flap
manually- for detailed instructions see~
page 277.
You can find the fue l tank capacity of your vehicle in
Technical Data
~page 343.
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap tells you the correct fuel
for your ve hicle. For more information about fuel specifications, see
~page 273.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refue lling vapor recovery
system. This feature helps to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from
the tank and polluting the environment wh ile you refuel your veh icle . ..,_

In order to fill the tank properly while protecting the environment,
please follow this refueling procedure carefully.
& WARNING
Under normal operating conditions, never carry additional fuel
containers in your car. Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such containers, full or empty,
may leak and could cause a fire in a collision. If you must transport
fuel to use for your lawn mower, snow blower, etc., be very careful
and always observe local and state laws regarding the use, trans­
portation and storage of such fuel containers. Make certain the
container meets industry standards (ANSI /ASTM F852 -86).
0 Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fuel tank is completely empty . The
irregular supply of fuel can cause misfiring. Gasoline could enter the
exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter. •
Refuelling
The fuel filler flap is unlocked from a button in the
driver's door.
Fig . 202 Driver's
door: Unlock ing fuel
filler flap
Vehicle OP-eration
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Fig. 203 Fuel cap
hooked on the opened
f uel filler flap
When adding fuel , the ignition and any cellular phones in the
vehicle must be switched
off.
Taking the fuel cap off
- To open the fuel filler flap, press the button~ fig. 202.
- Unscrew fuel filler cap counter-clockwise and hang it on
the fuel filler flap~ fig . 203.
Refuelling procedure
- Insert the fue l nozzle from the gasoline pump into the
fuel filler neck as far as it will go.
- Select a medium refuelling rate so that the nozzle
switches off automatically when the tank is full.
Putting the fuel cap back on
- After filling your tank, twist the fuel filler cap clockwise
until you hear a definite click .
- Close the fuel filler flap.
To avo id fuel spi lling or evaporating from the fuel tank always close
fuel filler cap properly and completely . An improperly closed fuel
filler cap may also cause the MIL lamp~
page 23 to come on. ._.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Unlocking the fuel filler flap by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the power
locking system should fail .
-Remove the right-side trim panel.
- Take out the vehicle jack.
Fi g. 20 4 L uggage
compar tment: Emer ·
gency open ing o f fue l
f iller flap
- Pull the loop down in the direction of the arrow to unlock
the fuel filler flap~ fig. 204. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Fu el supp ly and filling your fuel t ank
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

___________________________________________ C..:...._ h:....:e :....:c:..:. k.::..: i..:.. n .:..:g:!:....:: a....:. n..:.. d~ f:....:. i.:..ll :.:.i:....:n :.:g !....- __
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the struts is
reduced.
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fail to engage=:> &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area=>& .
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood:
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake.
Safety first
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever to "P" (Park).
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire. • Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm. The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine is
running or being started, never touch:
-Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition
system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake, move selector lever to
"P" (Park). .,
Vehicle care Technical data