check engine light AUDI A6 2011 User Guide

& WARNING
• Always observe the warnings in~ page 2 71, "Engine compart­
ment ", before opening the hood and che cking the brake fluid.
• Driving w ith low brake fluid is a safety haza rd. Stop the car and
get profe ssional a ssistan ce.
• USA models : If the BRAKE warning light and the warning
light come on tog ether, the rear wheel s could lock up fir st under
hard b raking. Rear wheel lock -up can cause loss of vehicle cont rol
and an a ccident . Have your vehicle repaired immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop. Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake application s.
• Canada models : If the brake warning light((])) and the ABS
warning light come on together , the rear wheel s could lock up
first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of
vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired imme­ diately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop.
Drive slowly and avoid sudden , hard brake applications. •
Engine cooling system malfunction _t_
A malfunction in the engin e cooling system must be
repaired as soon as possible.
When t he J_ symbol in the disp lay blinks , th en e ither the
engine coola nt
temperature is too high, or t he coolan t level
is too low. A n add itiona l dr iver messa ge ca n also be d isp layed
by pressing t he
[CHECK) bu tton :
Switch off engine and check coolant level
-Pull off the road.
- S to p the v ehicl e.
- Turn off the eng ine .
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first Driver information display
- Ch
eck coolant level => page 286 .
- Add coola nt if necessa ry=> page 287.
- Continue driv ing on ly after the eng ine coolant
war ning/i ndica tor light goes ou t.
- Contact your authorized Audi dea ler for assistance if
necessary.
If the eng ine coolan t leve l is correct, then the radiator fan may be the
cause of the malfu nction .
If the
D wa rning symbol (alternator ma lfunction) also lights up on
t he ins trumen t pa ne l~
page 2 6, the n th e fan b elt may be d amaged .
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving t raffic , turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights~
page 61, "Emer­
gency fl asher
A ".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment -you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant escaping .
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area. Before you perform any wo rk in the engine compartment, turn of
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
~ page 2 71, "Engine compartment" .
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the -F-symbol illum inates. There is a
m alfu nct ion in the engine cooling system -yo u co uld da mage yo ur
engine. •
Vehicle care Technical data

Ignition Lock malfunction ~
A malfunction in the ignition lock must be repaired imme­diately .
If the .Pe symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic ignition lock. An additional driver message
can also be displayed by pressing the
[CHECK ] button:
Ignition lock defecti ve . Contact wor kshop!
- Do not turn the engine off.
- Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer to have
the malfunct ion correc ted.
If the re is a malfunction in the e lectronic ignition lock, the ignit ion
cannot be turned
off . Drive immediately to an authori zed Audi dealer
to have the cause of the mal function corrected.
On vehicles with Convenience key* , the eng ine should not be switched
off using the [STOP] button because the engine cannot be started
again afte r the ign ition is switched off .•
Yellow symbols
Ayellow symbol means WARNING.
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Fig.
18 Disp la y : lo w
f u el l evel warning
(p rio ri ty 2)
Dri ver information display
Yellow symbols ind icate a prior ity 2 malfunct ion - Warning!
When a yellow warning symbo l appears,
one warning tone sounds. A
dr iver message appears as well to expla in the malfunction in more
detail. The driver warning goes out after about 5 seconds, but it can
be brought up again a t any time by pressing the
I CHECK] button .
Check the displayed function as soon as possible . If
more than one
pr iori ty 2 malfunction is detected, all symbo ls will appear one after
the other for about 2 seconds.
Yellow symbols mean:
Convenience key*
=> page 112
Key not in vehicle
-
USA models : => page 21
Defective brake light
Canada models : => page 21
Defective brake light
Defective light bulb
=> page 21
L ig ht/rai n sensor defective :::>page 30
Windshield washer fluid =:>page 30
level low
Low fue l level
=:> page30
II Battery voltage => page 31
-
Worn brake pads => page 31
II Dynamic headlight range => page 31
control defective
-
Check engine oil leve l => page 31
=>page 283
...
Vehicle care Technical data

Driver information display
Engine oil sensor malfunction => page 31
._ --
Engine speed limitation* :::>page 32
-- -Adaptive Light* defective => page 32
Ignition lock malfunction =>page 32
--Windshield wiper defective => page 32
Tire pressure monitoring sys­
tem*
Loss of tire pressure
Tire pressure monitoring sys ­
tem*
System not available
Battery in remote control key
--
=> page 315
=> page 315
:::>page 39
Electromechanical => page 115
parking brake
Automatic transmission mal­
function
Ap plies to vehicles: w ith Conven ience key
Key not in vehicle
Key not in vehicle
=> page 151,
=> page 158
-
-
This reminder appears along with the...., symbol if the master key is
removed from the vehicle with the engine running. It is intended to
remind you (e.g. when changing drivers) not to continue the journey
without the master key.
If the master key is no longer in the vehicle, you cannot switch off the
ignition after stopping the engine and you also cannot start the
•
engine again . What is more, you cannot lock the vehicle from the
outside. •
Light/rain sensor defective )
Automatic headlights/automatic wipers defective
If the symbol illuminates, the light sensor has failed . For safety
reaso ns the low beams are turned on permanently with the switch in
AUTO. However, you can continue to turn the lights on and off using
the light switch. In the case of a defect in the rain sensor, the wind­
shield wiper lever functions are still available. Have the light/rain
sensor checked as soon as possible at a dealership. •
Windshield washer fluid level too low 5
, Please refill washer fluid
If the symbol illuminates, add windshield washer fluid to the washer
system and also to the headlight washer system=>
page 294. •
Fuel supply too low )
L Please refuel
When this symbol 1. illuminates for the first time, the fuel reserve in
your vehicles is still about 2 Gallons (7 to 9 liters). Refuel as soon as
possible =>
page 274.
If the symbol lights up, even when there is ample fuel in the tank, and
the text
Tank system malfunction! Contact workshop appears in the
display, there is a fault in the system . Contact a qualified workshop to
have the fault rectified.•

Battery voltage 1• i
If the battery's state of charge is not in the optima l range, the
symbo l is show n in the di splay and the d river me ssage
Low battery
charge: battery will be charged while dri ving
appears.
Whi le this d river notification is displayed, you have to be prepared for
limited starting capability .
Driver message appears and goes out again
If this driver message appears after the ignition is turned on or while
driving and it goes o ut again afte r a while, the ba ttery has been
adequate ly recharged.
Driver me ssage appears and does not go out again
If th is dr iver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
wh ile driving and does not go ou t aga in, the battery 's state o f charge
is not in the opt imal range . Starting capability is restricted. Have the
bat tery checked by an au thor ized A udi dea le r as soon as possible. •
Worn brake pads U
._ Brake pads!
If the war ning lig ht ill um inates, immediately co ntact your au tho rized
Audi dea ler or qualified wor kshop to have all brake pads inspected.
On USA mode ls the warn ing light comes on together w it h the
warning light
BRAKE . Both sets of brake pads on an axle must a lways
be re placed at th e same time.
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal
injury .
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Driver information display
& WARNING
(co ntinued )
• If the warning light... and the warning light BRAKE1l with the
mes sage Brake pads! comes on in the instrument cluster di splay,
immediately contact your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if necessary. •
Headlight range control defective ((
~ ~ Headlight range control defective
If the symbo l illumina tes, the dynam ic he adlig ht r an ge con tro l is no
longer working properly. Have the system checked and repaired at
your Audi de aler. •
Engine oil Level~
Please che ck oil level
Whe n the symbol i llumina tes, check t he engine o il level as soo n as
poss ible => page 283 . Top off the oil at yo ur earlies t oppor tunity
=>page284 .•
Engine oil sensor defective _t..
Oi l level! sensor defective
If the symbo l illuminates, contact your author ized A udi dealer and
have the oi l senso r inspected. Un til you have t his don e, check the oil
level each time you refue l just to be on the safe side => page 283. •
ll BRAKE : USA mode ls only
Vehicle care Technical data

Driver information display
Applies to veh icles : w ith eng ine s peed limitat ion
Engine speed limitation .?i
11'1 Do not exceed max. engine speed of XXXX rpm
The -symbol illuminates when there is an engine control malfunc­
tion. The indicator light in the instrument cluster also illuminates.
The engine speed is limited to the speed displayed in the driver infor­
mation system. Keep in mind that the engine speed will not exceed
the value d isp layed in the drive r informat ion system, for example
when downshifting.
Please go to an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified workshop to
have the malfunction repaired.•
Applies to vehicles: wi th Adap tive Light
Adaptive Light defective
adaptive light defective • r
When this symbol illuminates, it means that Adaptive Light is
defective. Go to an authorized dealership to have the headlights or
the control unit for the Adaptive Light repaired. •
Ignition lock malfunction ..e
If the symbol in the display comes on, there is a malfunc-
t ion in the electronic ignition lock. An additional driver
message can be displayed by pressing the [CHECK] button:
Defective ignition switch
-Drive to an aut horized service facility at your earliest
convenience to have the malfunction corrected.•
Windshield wipers faulty , . .>
.... Windshield wiper malfunction
When this symbol . illuminates, it means that the electronics for
the windshield wipers are defective . Please go to an authorized deal­
ership to have the windshield wiper system repaired. •
Speed warning system
Overview
The speed warning system helps you to keep your driving
speed below a set speed limit.
Th e speed warning system warns the driver if he exceeds a previously
stored maximum speed. A warning tone will sound as soon as the
vehicle speed exceeds the set speed by about 3 mph (3 km/h). At the
same time, a warning symbol appears in the display.
The speed warning system has
two warning thresholds that function
independently of each other and that have somewhat different
purposes :
Speed warning 1
You can use speed warning 1 to set the maximum speed while you are
driving. This setting w ill remain in effect until you turn off the igni­
tion, assum ing that you have not changed or reset the setting .
Th e speed warning symbo l
'8 (USA models)/ 8 (Canada mode ls) in
the warning 1 display appears when you exceed the maximum speed.
It goes out when the speed falls be low the stored maximum speed.
Th e speed warning symbol will also go out if the speed
exceeds the
stored maximum speed by more than about 25 mph (40 km/h) for at
least 10 seconds. The stored maximum speed is deleted.
Sett ing speed warn ing 1
=> page 33. ~

• If the central locking system fails (power supply), you can also
open the rear lid using the trunk escape handle from the inside
~page318. a
Child safety lock
Power child safety lock for the rear doors t
The power child safety lock prevents the rear doors from
being opened from the inside.
Fig. 35 Section from
driver's door: controls
The rear doors are equipped with a power child safety lock. It
is operated with the two safety buttons(!) in the driver's door
~ fig. 35.
- Press the left and/or right safety button to disable the
rear power window(s) and prevent the respective rear door
from being opened from the inside. The LED in the button
will light up when the child safety lock is turned
on.
- Press the illuminated button again to turn the child safety
features
off.
When the child safety lock is activated, the interior door opening
lever is inope rative; the door can only be opened from the outside. In
Contro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Opening and closing
addition, the window regulator for that door is also inoperative when
the child safety lock is activated.
[ i] Tips
• In order to activate the child safety lock on the left and the right
side, you have to press the two safety buttons in succession.
• Make certain that the check light comes on in the corresponding
safety switch when the child safety lock is activated. •
Convenience key
Ap plies to v ehicles: w ith Con ven ience key
Description
Access and vehicle operation based on: Master key
remains in driver's pocket.
Th e Convenience key vehicle authorization system allows keyless
unlocking, locking and starting of the vehicle . You only have to carry
the master key on your person.
It makes nod ifference whether the master key is in your jacket pocket
or in your brief case. As soon as you approach your vehicle, the Conve­
nience key recognizes the request for access , checks for authorization
and enables the following functions:
• Unlocking the vehicle~
page 48.
• Locking the vehicle~ page 49.
• Switching on ignition and starting the engine by pressing the
[START ) button; the master key does not have to be in the ignition
switch ~
page 110.
& WARNING
• When you lock your vehicle from outside, nobody -especially
children -should remain inside the vehicle. Remember, when you .,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Safety switch
® Safety swi tch for rea r window operat ion .
& WARNING
• Do not leav e children unattended in the vehicle, especially with
access to vehicle keys. Unsupervised use of the keys can result in
starting of the engine and u se of veh icle systems su ch a s power
windows, etc. which could result in se rious injury .
• Remember -you can still open or close the power window s for
about ten minutes a fter the ignition is switched off. Only when
either of the front doors are opened are the power windows
switched off.
• Be careful when closing the window s. Check to see that no one
is in the way, o r serious injury could result !
• Alway s remove the ignition key whenever you leave your
vehicle.
• If you lo ck your v ehicle from the outside, no one, e specially
children, should remain in the vehicle.
• Do not stick anything on the windows or the windshield that
may interfere with the dr iver's field of vi sion.
[ i ] Tips
In ad dition to the switches in the d river's doo r there is a separate
switch in each door for the powe r window in that door~
page 52,
fig.39. •
Switches in the driver 's door
T he driver can operate all wind ows.
If the res pective sw itch is pushe d or pulled t he window will
o pen or c los e. Th e powe r window swi tches have a
two-posi­
tion function:
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Opening and closing
Opening the windows
- Push the switch to the first stop and h old i t th ere until the
window has lowered to the desired posi tion .
- Push the switch br iefly to t he
second stop : the window
will automatica lly open a ll the way .
Closing the windows
- Pull the swi tch up to the first stop a n d ho ld it t her e u ntil
the window h as r is e n to t he desir ed posit ion.
- P ull the swi tch qu ickly to th e
second position: the window
w ill automatica lly cl os e a ll th e way ~
& in "Co ntro ls" on
page SO.
Activating/deactivating rear windows
- Press the le ft Cf) sw itch ~ page 50, fi g. 38 to deactivate
o nly the wi ndow reg ulator in the left door. The in dicator
light in the switch illumi nates .
- Press t he r ight
Cf) switc h~ page 50, fig . 38 to deactivate
only the w indow regulator in the right door. The ind icator
lig ht in t he switch illumi nates .
- Press the
[fl switch agai n to reactivate the wi ndow regu-
lator. T he ind icator lig ht in the switch goes out .
This function can a lso deact ivate d. Press both(!) switches ® in
s u ccession.
• If
only the left(!) switch was pressed, only the window regu lator
s w itch in the
left rear door is de acti vated. In a ddi tion , the door i s
locked.
• If
only the right(!) switch wa s pressed, only the window regu lator
switch in the
right rear door is deact ivated. In addition, the door is
locked.
~
Vehicle care Technical data

Clear vision
Clear vision
Lights
Switching the headlights on and off ·"ti-·
In the "AUTO" position, a light sensor automatically
switches the head- and taillights on and off in response to light condi tions.
Fi g. 46 In strument
p an el: li gh t swit ch
The ligh t switc h must not be overtur ned past t he stops in
either d irection.
Switching on automatic headlight control
- Turn the lig ht sw itch to AUTO => fig. 46 .
Switching on the side marker lights
-Turn the lig ht swi tch to ~oo~.
Switching on the headlights and high beam
- Tur n the lig ht sw itch to ~D.
- Push the high beam leve r forward tow ards the in strument
panel=>
page 62 .
Switching off the lights
- Tu rn th e lig ht swi tch to 0.
T he headlights on ly work when the ignitio n is switc hed on. Whi le
starting the engine or w hen switching off t he ignition, the headlig hts
w ill go off and o nly the s ide marke r lights will be o n.
After starting the eng ine, the headlights are automatically adjusted*
to the load and angle o f th e vehicle (for example, during acce lerat ion,
brak ing) . This prevents oncom ing traff ic from experiencing unneces ­
sary headlight glare from your head lig hts.
If the system is not operat ing p roperly, a warning symbol in the Auto­
Check Control is displayed=>
page 31.
With the side marker lights o r headlights switc hed on, the symbol
next to the light switch illum inates
':o oc .
Daytime running lights
• USA models: On vehicles w ith xenon lights the dayt ime runn ing
lights will come on automat ica lly when the ignition is turned o n and
the light switch=> fig. 46 is i n the
O position or the AUTO position
(only i n day light conditions) . The
D aytime running light s function
can be turned on and off in the MMI menu
Exterior lighting
=> page 59. On vehicles wit h halogen lights there is no daytime
r u nning lights fu nctio n=>
& -
• Canada models: The daytime ru nning lights wi ll come o n auto­
matically w hen the ignit io n is t urned on and t he light switch=> fig. 46
is in the
O p osition or the AUTO position (on ly in day light co nditions)
=> & -
Automatic headlight control
In the switch pos ition AUTO the automatic headlight control is
t u rned on. The low beams are t urned on automatically t hrough a light
sensor as soon as ambient br ight ness (e .g . when dr iving into a
t u nnel) falls below a val ue p reset at the factory . When ambient .,.

Rain sensor
The rain sensor operates on ly in the interval wiper position . When it
starts to rain, the interval wiper mode is activated automat ically .
I f the windshield wiper lever is in the interval wipe position with the
ign ition switched off, the rain sensor is not activated until vehicle
speed is above 4 mph (6 km/h) .
To reduce the sensitivity of the rain sensor, the switch @ must be
moved down . To increase the sensit ivity of the rain sensor, the switch
must be moved up.
The higher the sensitiv ity sett ing, the sooner the windsh ield wipers
react to mo isture on the windshie ld. Increased sensitivity is signa led
by the windshield w ipers making a single pass over the windshie ld.
T he rain sensor wiper intervals depend on the sensitivity setting as
we ll as vehicle speed. During brief stops, wiper motion will adjust in
relation to the amount of rain on the windshield .
& WARNING
• Wiper blades are crucial for safe driving! Only when they are in
good condition are they able to clear the windows properly to
provide uncompromised visibility. Worn or damaged wiper blades
are a safety hazard =>
page 68, "Replacing windshield wiper
blades"!
• The rain sensor is only designed to assist and support the
driver. It remains entirely the driver 's responsibility to monitor
outside weather conditions and to manually activate the wipers as
soon as rain or drizzle reduces visibility through the windshield.
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent
materials. They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions
such as wetness, darkness, or when the sun is low on the horizon.
In addition, they can cause the w indshield wipers to chatter.
0 Note
In freez ing or near freezing conditions:
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Clear vision
•
Always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the glass
before you turn the wipers on. Loosen a wiper blade which is frozen in
place before operat ing the w ipers to prevent damage to the wiper
blade or the wiper motor.
• Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted window . Us ing the wipers
as a convenient ice scraper will destroy the wiper blades.
• Before you take your vehicle to an automatic car wash, make sure
you have the windshield wipe r system switched off (lever in position
0), otherw ise the windshield wiper system could get damaged in the
car wash if it shou ld suddenly come on.
(I] Tips
• Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades cause smearing which can
affect the operation of the rain sensor . Check the condit ion of your
windshield wiper b lades regularly.
• The rain sensor is part of the interval wiping system . Turn ing off
the ignition will a lso deactivate the rain sensor. To reactivate the
sensor, switch off the interval wip ing function, then switch it back on
again.
• The w indshield wipers are switched off when the ignition is turned
off . Activate the windsh ie ld wipers after the ignition is switched back
on by mov ing the w indshield wiper lever to any pos it ion.
• Make sure the washer fl uid reservoir in the engine compar tment is
topped off before going on a long trip . Look up::::>
page 294 for
checking and filling the washer conta iner. •
App lies to ve hicle s: with headli ght was h er syste m
Headlight washer system
The headlight washer system cleans the headlights.
- Operate the windshield wiper/washer system~ page 66,
fig. 57 ®with the headlights turned on by holding the
lever for longer than one second. _,,,,
Vehicle care Technical data

Intelligent technology
--------------------------------------------------' '----'----
fore-and-aft and lateral directions, the brake pressure and the
steering angle are all measured.
The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
the aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is continually
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example , when the vehicle starts hydroplaning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel to correct
the problem.
The vehicle is then stabilized by the forces acting on the wheel during
braking. If the vehicle is
oversteering (rear tends to skid out of the
turn), the brakes are mainly applied on the wheel that is on the
outside of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to slide out of the curve), the brakes are applied at the rear
wheel that is on the inside of the curve. An acoustic signal indicates
when ESP brake application cuts in =>
&.
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system=>
page 246. If the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP will be out of action as well.
Activating
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatically be activated and
will perform a self-test . As soon as the test is completed, the system
is in normal operating mode.
You can activate a deactivated ESP or deactivated ESP/ ASR if required
by pressing the=>
page 242, fig. 201 button. When they are acti­
vated, the message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display .
Deactivating
The ESP should normally be activated all the time. If necessary , you
can deactivate Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) or the Electronic Stabiliza­
tion Program (ESP) by pressing the button =>
page 242, fig. 201.
• Deactivating ASR: Tap the but ton . In certain excep tional situa­
tions (e.g. driving with tire chains) , the Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) can
be deactivated=>
page 244 . The message ASR off appears in the
display as well.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation •
Deactivating ESP/ASR
Press the button for more than 3 seconds .
With the ESP/ASR deactivated, the ESP check light comes on, see
=>
page 14. The message ESP switched off appears in the display as
well.
& WARNING
The Electronic Stabilization Program is nevertheless subject to the laws of physics. It is particularly important to pay attention to
this fact on wet and slippery roads. It is therefore important that
you always adapt your driving to the condition of the road and traffic conditions. Do not allow the increased safety provided by
the Electronic Stabilization Program system to lull you into
accepting additional safety risks. •
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
General notes
The electronic differential lock (EDL) helps the car to start moving,
accelerate and climb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or almost
no grip . Without EDL, this would be difficult, if not impossible .
How the system works
The EDL operates automatically . It monitors the rotational speed of
the drive wheels on an axle with the help of the ABS sensors
=>
page 246 . If a noticeable difference in rotational speed between
the drive wheels on one axle is detected (e.g. on slippery ground
on
one side),
the spinning wheel is braked, thereby transferring power to
the othe r drive wheel or wheels (all-wheel drive). This is done up to a
speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h) . Noises from the brake system
signal that wheel spin is being controlled.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data