steering AUDI A6 2011 Owner's Manual

Automatic transmission -_______________ ____.
(]] Tips
• When you shift into the next lower gea r, the tra nsmission w ill
downs hift o nly when there is no possibi lity of ov er-revving the
eng ine.
• When the kickdown comes on, the transmission will s hift down to
a lower gear, depending on vehicle a nd e ng ine speeds.
• tiptronic ® is inoperative when the transm ission is in the fai l-safe
mode .•
Ap plies to veh icl es: wit h 6-spee d auto matic t ransmiss io n
Steering wheel with tiptronic ®
The shift buttons on the steering wheel allo w the driver to
shift gears manually.
Fi g. 143 Stee ring
wheel : Sh ift butt ons
- To downs hif t, touch the bu tton on the le ft 0-
- To upshift , touc h the button on the right G) .
The sh ift buttons are activated when the sel ector lever is in D, Sor in
t he m anual shift pr ogram (ti ptroni c).
Of course, you can cont inue to use the manual sh ift program with the
sele ctor lever o n the cente r console. •
Contro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Applies to vehicles : w ith 6 -s p eed a utomatic transm ission
Automatic transmission malfunction 0
I n the event of a sys tem malfu nction, the automatic transm issio n
switches to emergency ope ra tion mode .
Gearbox malfunction: you can continue driving
Yo u ca n cont inue to dr ive the vehicle. See an a uth o rized Audi dealer
or other qualified workshop at the next opportunity .
Gearbox malfunction: you can continue driving (limited
fun ct ionality )
There is a ser ious system malfunction:
• T he progr am shif ts only int o c ertain gea rs.
• T he engine may sta ll.
• It is not poss ible to restart the engine if it has bee n sw itched off .
• C ontinuing to d rive cou ld resu lt in subsequent d amage.
0 Note
If the transmission switc hes to fa il-s afe mo de, you sho uld take the
veh icle to an autho rized Audi dealers hip as soon as poss ible to have
the con dition corrected .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

llffl..__A_ u_ t_ o_ m_ a_ t _ ic_ t_r_a _ n_ s_m _ i_ s _s_ i_ o _ n _____________________________________________ _
(I) Tips
• When you sh ift into t he next lower gea r, the engine will downshift
only when there is no possibility of over-revving.
• When the kick-down comes on, the transm ission will shift down to
a lower gear depending on vehicle and engine speeds.
• The tiptron ic ® is inoperative when the transm ission is in the fail­
safe mode .•
Applies to vehic les : w ith multitronic ® Continuously Variable Transm ission (CVT)
Steering wheel with tiptronic ®
The shift buttons on the steering wheel allow the driver to
shift gears manually.
F ig. 15 1 Ste eri ng
whe el: Shift butt ons
- To downshift, touc h the bu tton on t he l eft Q .
- To upshift, touch the button on t he right G).
The shift buttons a re activated when the selector lever is in D, Sor in
the manua l shift program (tiptronic).
Of co urse, yo u can cont in ue to use t he manual sh ift p rogr am with t he
selector lever on the center console .•
Applies to veh icles: w ith multitron ic® Conti nuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Automatic transmission malfunction :)
In the event of a system malfunction, the automat ic tra nsm iss ion
switches to emergency operation mode.
Ge arbox malfunction: you can continue driving
You ca n con tinue to dr ive the vehicle. See an autho rized Audi dealer
or other qualified workshop at the next opportunity.
Gearbox malfunction : you can c ontinue dr iving (limited
functionality)
There is a serious system malfunction:
• T he program sh if ts only into certa in ge ars.
• T he engine may sta ll.
• It is not poss ible to restart the engine if it has been switched off.
• Con tinuing to d rive cou ld res ult in subseq uen t damage.
0 Note
If the transmission switches to fail-safe mode, you sho uld take t he
vehicle to an authorized Aud i dealership as soon as poss ible to have
the cond ition corrected .•

___________________________________________________ P_ a _ r_k :...:.; a..::s ...:s...: i..::s ...:t _ ___,Jfflll
Fig. 159 MMI D isplay:
al igni ng the veh icle
- Switch the MMI on and se lect the reverse gear .
- Turn the steering wheel until the orange orientation lines
(D appear in the parking spot=> page 164, fig. 158 . Use
the markings @to help you estimate the distance from an
obstacle. Each marking presents to 3 f t (1 m) . The blue
area represen ts a n extension of the vehi cle's o utline by
approximately 16 ft (5 m) to the rear .
- While driving in reverse gear, adjust the steering wheel ang le to fit the parking space with the aid of the orange
orientation lines =>
0. ® marks the rear bumper . You
should stop driving in reverse as soon as and no la ter than
when the red orientation line© abuts an object=>& !
& WARNING
• The rear view came ra does not show the enti re area beh ind the
v ehicle =>
page 162, fi g. 156. Watch out e spe cially fo r s mall chil ·
dren and animal s. The rear v iew cam era cannot alwa ys dete ct
them , posing ri sk of an accident!
• Plea se note that obje ct s not tou ching the groun d can appear to
be further awa y than th ey reall y are (for example , th e bumpe r of
a parked vehi cle, a trailer hit ch , or the r ear of a truck) . In thi s case ,
Con tro ls a nd e quip ·
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
& WARNING (con tin ued)
you sh o uld not use the help lin es to help with p arking , whic h
po se s dang er of an accident!
0 Note
• Low obstacles a lready signaled by a wa rning c an disappear from
the sys tem's de te ct ion range as they are app roached and will no t
conti nue to be signaled . Objects such as barrier cha ins, trailer draw
bars, thin painted ve rtica l poles or fences may not be detected by the
system , posing risk of damage.
• In the MMI display , the direc tion o f travel o f the vehicle rear is
represen ted depend ing on the steering whee l angle. The vehicle front
swings out more than the veh icle rear . Maintain plenty of distance
from an obstacle so that your outside mirror or a corner of your
vehicle does not collide with any obstacles -danger of accident !•
Ap plie s to veh icle s: with pa rk ing syst e m (r ea r, wi th rear vie w cam era)
Parallel P arking
Use parking mode 2 to help you park on the edge of a
street.
Vehicle care
Fig. 160 MM I Displ ay :
blue surface In the
p arking s pot
~
Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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Fig.161 MMI Display:
Blue curve on the curb
The following steps apply only when there is no obstacle
(such as a wall) near the parking spot. Otherwise, please read
the "Tips on Parking Next to Obstacles".
- Activate the turn signal.
- Switch the MMI on and select the reverse gear. The
parking aid turns on and parking mode 1 appea rs on the
display.
- Position your vehicle parallel to the edge of the street,
approximately 3 ft (1 m) from a parked vehicle.
- Press the control button
(D => page 165, fig. 160 on the
MMI control console. Parking mode 2 appears.
- Back up in reverse gear and align your vehicle so that the
blue area ® borders on the rear end of the vehicle or on
the parking spot line. The blue area represents an exten­
sion of the vehicle's outline by approximately 16 ft (5 m)
to the rear. The long side of the blue area should be on the
curb. The entire blue area must fit into the parking spot.
- While the vehicle is stationary, turn the steering wheel to
the right as far as it will go. -
Back into the parking spot until the blue curve touches the
curb => fig. 161. Stop the vehicle.
- While the vehicle is stationary , turn the steering wheel to
the left as far as it will go .
- Continue to back up into the parking spot until the vehicle
is parked parallel to the curb .® marks the rear bumper .
You should stop driving in reverse as soon as and no later
than when the red orientation line© abuts an object
=> & !Keep an eye on the front of your vehicle while doing
this =>
0.
Parking next to obstacles
When there is an obstacle (such as a wall) next to the parking spot,
choose a spot with more space on the sides. Position the long side of
the blue a rea so that the re is sufficient space from the curb. The area
must not be on the curb. You will also need to start turning the
steering wheel much earlier. There should be a sufficient amount of
space between the curb and the blue curve, and the blue curve
=> fig . 161 must not touch the curb.
& WARNING
• The rear view camera does not show the entire area behind the
vehicle => page
162, fig. 156. Watch out especially for small chil­
dren and animals. The rear view camera cannot always detect
them, posing risk of an accident!
• Please note that objects not touching the ground can appear to
be further away than they really are (for example, the bumper of
a parked vehicle, a trailer hitch, or the rear of a truck). In this case,
you should not use the help lines to help with parking, which
poses danger of an accident! _,,,

Park assist ffl'I _________________________________ _____;.....:;_;_.:..:,____;;_ ____ _
0 Note
In the MMI display, the d irect ion of t ravel of the vehicle rear is rep re­
sented depend ing on the steering wheel angle. The vehicle front
swi ngs ou t mo re t han t he ve hicle re ar. M ain tain ple nty of dist ance
from an obstacle so t hat your outs ide mirror or a corner of your
vehicle d oes no t collide with any o bstacles - dange r of accide nt!
[ i ) Tips
Th e left or right or ientat ion lines and s urfaces will be displ aye d,
depending on the tu rn signal being used. •
App lies to veh icles : with park ing syst em (rear, wit h rea r view cam era)
Adjusting the display and warning tones
Th e display and warning tones can be adjusted in the
MM I.
-Select: Funct ion button !CA R]> Systems *> Parking
system .
Display
• Off -when the parking system is switche d off, only audible sig na ls
are given.
• On -when t he pa rking system is swi tched on, the pic ture from the
rear view camera is displayed.
Warning tones
• Rear volume -rear sensor vo lume
• Rear frequency -rear sensor frequency
• In-car entertainment fader -w hen the p ark in g sys tem is switche d
on, t he volume of the active audio source is lowered.
Th e newly adj uste d value is briefly hear d from the signal generator .
Th e set tings are automat ically stored and assigned to the master key
with remote control.
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
& WARNING
•
Always make sure that the volume and frequency of the
warning tones i s adju sted so that you can easily hear the acou stic
distance signal even if the radio is playing , the air-conditioner
blower is on High or there is a high level of outside noise.
• Check the settings whenever someone else has driven the
vehicle before you.
[I] Tips
• Th e warning tones can also be ad justed direct ly from the rear -view
camera image . Simply p ress the
[Settings I co ntro l button .
• C han ged settings are a ctivat ed w hen parking assist is switched on
again .•
A pplies to v ehicl es: w ith park ing syst em (r e a r, wi th re ar view cam era)
Error messages
If a warni ng tone is aud ible fo r about five se conds when yo u turn on
the ignition, the re is a ma lfunction in t he system. Have the prob lem
co rrected by yo ur a utho rized Audi dea ler .
K eep the se nsors in the rear b umper clean and free from i ce so t hat
the acoustic pa rk assist system can function p roper ly .•
Vehicle care Technical data

• ....__D_ r_iv _i_ n_, g=-- S_ a _ f_e _,Ly _ ______________________________________________ _
Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
Th is chapter contains important information, t ips, instructions and
warnings that you need to read an d observe fo r you r own safe ty, the
safety of you r passengers and others . We have summarized here
w hat you need to know about sa fety belts, airbags, child restra ints as
we ll as child safety . You r safety is for us
priority number 1. Always
observe the information and warnings in this section -for your own
safety as well as t hat of your passengers.
The informat ion in this section applies to all mode l versions of yo ur
veh icle . Some of the fe atures des cribed in this se ctions m ay be st an­
dard equ ipment on some models, or may be optional eq uipment on
others. If you a re not sure, ask your a uth o rized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
• Always make sure that you follow the instructions and heed
the WARNINGS in th is Manual. It is in your interest and in the
intere st of your passengers.
• Always keep the complete Owner's Literatu re in your Audi
when you lend or sell your vehicle so that this important informa ­
tion will always be available to the driver and passengers .
• Always keep the Owner's literature handy so that you can find
it easily if you have questions . •
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant restraint
s y stem and wor k together to he lp reduce the ris k of injury
in a wide variety of accident situations.
Your sa fety and t he safety o f yo ur passenge rs shou ld no t be left to
chance . Adva nces in technology have made a variety of features avai l­
a b le to help re duce the risk of injury in an a cc ident . The fo llow ing is a
list of jus t a few of the safety features in your Audi:
• sophisticated safety belts for driver and a ll passenger seating
p osi tion s,
• safety belt pretensioners,
• safety belt fo rce lim iters for the fro nt sea ts,
• safety belt he igh t adju stmen t sys tems for the fro nt sea ts,
• automatic safety be lt height adjustment for the rear seats,
• front ai rbags,
• side air bags in the front sea ts a nd ou ter rear seats*,
• side curtain airbags,
• special LATCH an chorages fo r ch ild restra in ts,
• head restraints fo r eac h seating position,
• adjustable steering co lumn .
These individual safety feat ures, can work together as a system to
he lp protect you and yo ur passengers in a wide range of accide nts .
T hese feat ures ca nnot work as a system if they are not a lways
c o rre ctly adjusted and co rre ct ly u sed .
Safety is everybody's responsibility! •

___ D_ r_ i_ v _i_n _.g"-- S_ a_ f_ e__. LY.__ _____________________________________________ _
Proper occupant seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important for safe,
relaxed driving.
Fig. 166 The correct
distance between
driver and steering
wheel
Fig . 167 Correct head
restraint position for
driver
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the
event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust the
driver's seat to the following position:
- Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily push the
pedals all the way to the floor while keeping your knee(s)
slightly bent==>& . -
Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in an upright
position so that your back comes in full contact with it
when you drive.
- Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the steering wheel and
your breast bone==> fig. 166. If not possible, see your
authorized Audi dealership about adaptive equipment.
- Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering wheel and airbag cover points at your chest and not at your face.
- Grasp the top of the steering wheel with your elbow(s) slightly bent.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as even
with the top of your head as possible but no lower than eye
level and so that it is as close to the back of your head as
possible ==> fig. 167.
- Fasten and wear safety belts correctly=>
page 191.
-Always keep both feet in the footwell so that you are in
control of the vehicle at all times.
For detailed information on how to adjust the driver's seat, see
=:>page 76 .
& WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help reduce
the risk of serious personal injury:
• Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that
there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone and
the steering wheel.
• Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering
wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions ..

______________________________________________ D_ ri_v _ i_n _,,g ,c.._ S_a_ f_ e_ l..:: y __ _
& WARNING (continued)
to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag
inflates .
• Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o 'clock position or with
your hands at other positions inside the steering wheel rim or on
the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the
driver's airbag deploys.
• Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the
ability of the supplemental driver's airbag to protect you in a colli·
sion .
• Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or
place any part of your body too close to the area where the airbags
are located.
• Before driving, always adjust the front seats and head
restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are properly
restrained.
• Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat
may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle .
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child safety seats =>
page 219.
Special precautions apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat =>
page 197. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The
proper front passenger seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the
event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust the seat
for the front passenger to the following position:
- Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in an upright
position and your back comes in full contact with it when­
ever the vehicle is moving.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as even
with the top of your head as possible but not lower than
eye level and so that it is as close to the back of your head
as possible=>
page 181.
- Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the front
passenger seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts correctly=>
page 191.
For detailed information on how to adjust the front passenger's seat,
see=>
page 75 .
& WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too
close to the airbag can be seriously injured or killed by the airbag
as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
• Passengers must always sit in an upright position and never
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
• Passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too close to
the airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye. .,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Because the passengers of this vehicle are not using safety belts
=> page 188, fig. 171, they will keep moving at the same speed the
vehicle was moving just before the crash, until something stops them
- here, the wall =>
page 188, fig. 172.
The same principles apply to people sitting in a vehicle that is
involved in a frontal collision. Even at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30
to SO km/h), the forces acting on the body can reach one ton (2,000
lbs. or 1,000 kg) or more. At greater speeds, these forces are even
higher .
People who do not use safety belts are also not attached to their
vehicle. In a frontal collision they will also keep moving forward at
the speed their vehicle was travelling just before the crash . Of course,
the laws of physics don't just apply to frontal collisions, they deter­
mine what happens in all kinds of accidents and collisions.•
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop themselves
from flying forward and being injured or killed. Always
wear your safety belts!
Safety first
Fig. 173 A driver not
wearing a safety belt is
violently thrown
forward
Vehicle OP-eration
Safety belts
Fig. 174 A rear
passenger not wearing
a safety belt will fly
forward and strike the driver
Unbelted occupants are not able to resist the tremendous forces of
impact by holding tight or bracing themselves. Without the benefit
of safety restraint systems, the unrestrained occupant will slam
violently into the steering wheel, instrument panel, windshield, or
whatever else is in the way=> fig. 173. This impact with the vehicle
interior has all the energy they had just before the crash.
Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even when they deploy,
airbags provide only additional protection. Airbags are not supposed
to deploy in all kinds of accidents. Although your Audi is equipped
with airbags, all vehicle occupants, including the driver, must wear safety belts correctly in order to minimize the risk of severe injury or
death in a crash.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and that your
safety belts are always there to offer protection in those accidents in
which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have already
deployed. Unbelted occupants can also be thrown out of the vehicle
where even more severe or fatal injuries can occur.
It is also important for the rear passengers to wear safety belts
correctly. Unbelted passengers in the rear seats endanger not only
themselves but also the driver and other passengers=> fig . 174. In a
frontal collision they will be thrown forward violently, where they can
hit and injure the driver and/or front seat passenger. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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Airbag system
Important things to know
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For airbags to
do their job, occupants must always properly wear their
safety belts and be in a proper seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving off, always:
- Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel properly
=>
page 178,
- Adjust the front passenger's seat properly=> page 76,
- Wear safety belts properly=>
page 190,
-Always properly use the proper child restraint to protect
children=>
page 219.
In a collision, airbags must inflate within the blink of an eye and with
considerable force. The supplemental airbags can cause injuries if the
driver or the front seat passenger is not seated properly. Therefore in
order to help the airbag to do its job, it is important, both as a driver
and as a passenger to sit properly at all times.
By keeping room between your body and the steering wheel and the
front of the passenger compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
completely and provide supplemental protection in certain frontal
collisions =:,
page 178, "Proper occupant seating positions" . For
details on the operation of the seat adjustment controls=>
page 76.
It 's especially important that children are properly restrained
=:,
page 219.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
There
is a lot that the driver and the passengers can and must do to
help the individual safety features installed in your Audi work
together as a system .
Proper seating position is important so that the front airbag on the
driver side can do its job. If you have a physical impairment or condi­
tion that prevents you from sitting properly on the driver seat with
the safety belt properly fastened and reaching the pedals, or if you
have concerns with regard to the function or operation of the
Advanced Airbag System, please contact your authorized Audi dealer
or qualified workshop, or call Audi Customer CARE at 1-800-822-
2834 for possible modifications to your vehicle.
When the airbag system deploys, a gas generator will fill the airbags,
break open the padded covers, and inflate between the steering
wheel and the driver and between the instrument panel and the front
passenger . The airbags will deflate immediately after deployment so
that the front occupants can see through the windshield again
without interruption.
All of this takes place in the blink of an eye, so fast that many people don't even realize that the airbags have deployed . The airbags also
inflate with a great deal of force and nothing should be in their way
when they deploy . Front airbags in combination with properly worn
safety belts slow down and limit the occupant's forward movement .
Together they help to prevent the driver and front seat passenger
from hitting parts of the inside of the vehicle while reducing the
forces acting on the occupant during the crash. In this way they help to reduce the risk of injury to the head and upper body in the crash .
Airbags do not protect the arms or the lower parts of the body.
Both front airbags will not inflate in all frontal collisions . The trig­
gering of the airbag system depends on the vehicle deceleration rate
caused by the collision and registered by the electronic control unit.
If this rate is below the reference value programmed into the control
unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even though the car may be
badly damaged as a result of the collision . Vehicle damage, repair
9J),
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data