check engine AUDI A6 2011 Owner's Guide

Intelligent technology
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It is in precisely these situations that you will notice energy manage­
ment actively regulating the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or weeks,
electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off. This
red uces energy consumption and maintains starting capability over a
longer period.
Take into consideration that when you unlock your vehicle, some
convenience functions, such as the remote key or power seat adjust­
ment, may not be avai lab le. The convenience functions wi ll be ava il­
able again when you turn on the ignition and start the engine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the engine turned off o r
use other MMI functions, the battery is being discharged.
If starting capability is jeopard ized due to energy consumption, the
following warning appears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will switch off in
3 minutes .
The warning indicates that the system will be turned off automati­
cally after 3 minutes. If you wis h to continue using the funct ions, you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrica l energy is generated when the vehicle is being
dr iven, the battery can become discharged. This happens mostly
when little energy is being generated and a great deal consumed and
the battery's state of charge is not optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equilibrium, consumers which
req uire especially large amounts of energy are temporarily cut back
or switched off . H eating systems in particular require a great deal of
energy. If you notice, for example, that the heated seats* or the
heated rear window are not heating, they have been temporarily cut
back or switched off. These systems will be ava ilable again as soon as
the energy ba lance has been restored. You will also
notice that engine idle speed has been increased
slightly. This is normal and not a cause for concern. By increasing
engine idle speed the addit ional energy required is generated and the
battery is charged. •
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If battery powe r drops into the range where it can limit the ability of
the engine to start, this is shown in the instrument cluster display
w ith the following driver message:
1 Low battery charge: battery will be charged while driving
This notification reminds you that the starting capability of the
eng ine may be limited. As soon as you start driving again, the battery
will be recharged and the notification will go out.
Driver notification appears and goes out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
wh ile driving and it goes out again after a while, the battery has been
adequately recharged.
Driver notification appears and does not go out
again
If this dr iver not ificat ion appears after the ign it ion is turned on or
whi le driving and does not go out again, the battery's state of charge
is not in the optimal range. Starting ability is restricted . Have the
battery checked as soon as possible at a dealership.

Driving and environment
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a f ull braki ng
e ff e ct during the first 250 miles (400 kilometers) after they
are i nsta lle d.
New bra ke pads have to be "b ur nished in " before they have opt ima l
grab=> &.
Dur ing the break -in period, you sho uld avoid putting severe loads on
the brakes . Severe loads incl ude, for example, sudden hard braki ng,
in particu lar at very high s peeds or, for examp le, on mountai n passes.
& WARNING
New brake pads don 't have the be st stopping power and must be
" broken -in " during the initial 100 to 150 miles (150 to 200 kilo­
meters ) of normal cit y driving. You can compensate for thi s by
pressing th e brak e pedal more firmly. This also applies lat er wh en
new pad s are installed. n
Avoid damaging the vehicle
W hen yo u are d riving on poor roads, or over c urbs, steep ram ps, etc.,
ma ke c ert ain that low-lying pa rts such as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damage d.
Thi s is espe cially t rue for veh icle s wi th low-slung chass is (spor ts
chassis)* and fully loaded vehicles.
Driving through water on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage when driving throug h
water, fo r example on flooded roads: •
The water must not be any higher than the bottom of the vehicle
body .
• Do not dr ive faster than wa lking speed.
& WARNING
After driving through water , mud, slush , etc. , the brake s may be
slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads.
Dry the
brakes first by braking carefully to restore the full b rak ing effect.
0 Note
Vehicle components such as the engine, transmission, suspension o r
elect rical sys tem can be seve rely damaged by dr iv ing t hrough w ater.
[ i ] Tips
• Check t he de pth of the wa ter bef ore dr iv ing thro ugh it.
• Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or switch the engine off
when drivi ng throug h wate r.
• Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may create waves t hat raise
t he wate r level a nd make i t too deep fo r yo ur veh icle to drive th ro ugh
safe ly.
• Avoid dr iv ing through sa lt water because i t can cause corros ion. •
Catalytic converter
--
It is very impor tant that your emission control system
(catalyti c converter) is functioning properly t o ensure
that y our vehicle i s run ning i n an en viro nme ntally sou nd
man ner.
- A lways us e lead-fr ee gasoline=> page 273, "F uel supp ly".
- N ever run the tan k down all the way to empty. .._

Driving and environment
(I] Tip s
The consumption estimates as pub lished by ENV IRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the road, which will vary
depending upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating .
-Avo id unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fue l when they a re accele rating. If you antici­
pate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possible -for
example when you see that the next traffic l ight is red. •
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
- Try and keep well below your car's maximum speed .
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consumption, engine wear, and does
not disturb the environment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds . If you drive at approx imately three
qua rters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by one half.
Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather condi­
tions permit.
a Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
-
Shut the engine off when yo u are not driving the vehicle.
- Do not warm up the vehic le by letting the eng ine run at
idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic jams, when waiting for
trains to pass at rai lroad crossings, o r at traffic lights that have long
wa its on red . Turn ing the eng ine off for just 30-40 seconds saves
more fuel than is burned starting the engine again.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up fully when it is running
at idle. Howeve r, wear and noxious emissions are espec ially high
when the eng ine is wa rm ing up. So you sho uld d rive away as soon as
you start the engine and avoid running at hig h rpms while the eng ine
is still warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting . If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which cou ld result in
overheat ing o r othe r damage to the vehicle or other p roperty. •
Regular maintenanc_e ____________ _
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel .
- Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals .
By having yo ur vehicle regularly se rviced by an Audi dealer helps to
ensure that it runs properly and economically . T he condition of your
vehicle not only a ffects its safety and ability to ho ld its va lue, it a lso
affects
fu el con sumption .
Check your o il e ach tim e you fill you r tank.
~

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Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
-Open the driver's door.
Fig. 205 Driver's side
footwell: engine hood
release lever
- Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel => fig. 205 in the direction of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly under spring pressure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 206 Release lever
under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that the wind­
shield wipers are flat against the windshield. Otherwise, they
could damage the paint on the hood.
Pull up on the release under the hood=> fig. 206. This
releases the catch =>
&.
- Open the hood all the way.
& WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
• 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. •

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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

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& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS~
& in "Working in the engine
compartment " on
page 279. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engin e oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of oil.
Th e e ng ine in your Aud i is a sophis ticated powerplant that was bui lt
to exacting spec ificat ions. This engine needs the r ight kind of engine
oil t hat meets spec ifi cat ions regarding qu ality a nd viscosity so t hat it
can run smooth ly and re liably. Choosing the right o il and changing oil
with in the time and mileage intervals pr in ted in your veh icle 's
Warranty
& Maintena nce book let matters a lot more today than it did
years ago . Audi has developed a specia l quality standard for engine oil
that w ill help assure that your veh icle's engine will get t he lubr ication
it needs fo r prope r operation.
M ode rn engine lubr ication has taken a quan tum leap in the last few
years. Many synthet ic oils available today provide better engine lubri­
c at ion th at c an outlast tradit ional petro le u m-based o ils, making
them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Aud i.
Whethe r you use synthetic or petroleum -based engine oi l, the o il th at
yo u use mus t confo rm to Aud i's oi l quality standa rd VW 502 00 to
help keep your ve hicle's engine runn ing smooth ly and help prevent
the format ion of ha rmfu l deposits, somet imes called "sludge," t hat
over time can lead to expens ive repairs.
A t the time o f pr int ing , engine o ils avai lab le in the U.S . and Can ad a
that meet the exact ing spec ificat io ns of A udi o il standard VW 502 00
are syn the tic engine o ils . Thi s does not mean, however, that every
syn the tic engine o il will meet Aud i o il sta ndard VW 502 00. So a lways
be s ure that you use an app roved o il.
Safety first
To help prevent the format io n of harmfu l deposits use only oi l with
t he follow ing s peci ficati ons p rin ted on the oil con tainer:
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
Oil container labe ls may carry the specification s ingly or in comb ina­
t ion wi th o ther d esigna tions and o il quali ty stand ards.
Viscosity
Engine oils are g raded acco rdi ng to the ir viscosity . The proper
viscos ity grade oi l for your eng ine depends o n climac tic or seasona l
conditions where you drive. Yo u can use oi l with a v iscosity grade o f
SA E SW 40 acros s all t empe rature range s fo r no rma l dr iving con di­
tions.
However, if engine oil v iscosity grade SAE SW 40 is not ava ilab le, yo u
can a lso use viscos ity grade SAE SW -30 or SAE OW -40 as long as it
meets Audi oi l quality stan dard VW 502 00 specifications .
Be ca use e ngine o il th at mee ts the Aud i oil st andar d m ay not be avail ­
able everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend that you
alw ays car ry w it h you an ex tra quart (lite r) o f oil that expressly
conforms to the VW 502 00 specification, in case you have to top off
t he o il w hil e on the road.
Only if t he level of the oil is at o r below t he min imum mark on the o il
dipstic k -and no oil that exp ress ly conforms to A udi oi l standar d
VW 50 2 00 sp ec ificat ions i s available -may you top off w it h a high
quality engine o il, preferably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA AS or AC EA BS or A PI SL sp eci fi cations, but even t he n, only in
viscos ity grades SAE SW-40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40 . However,
dur ing t he enti re time between o il change intervals, neve r top o ff
with more than a tota l of 0.5 qt/liter engine oil that does not
c on form to A udi o il specif ic a tion VW 5 02 00.
For mo re informa tion about eng ine o il that has been approved fo r
your vehicle, p lease contact either your author ized A ud i deale r or
Audi Cus tomer Relat io ns at 1 (800) 822-2834 or v is it our w eb si te a t
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca. Here you w ill also f ind a
cu rrent list of oil s (m anu fact ur ers, brand na mes e tc.) tha t co nform to
Audi oil standard VW 502 00. ..,.
Vehicle care Technical data

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Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil fi lter must be changed according to the mileage
(kilometers) and t ime intervals specified in your vehicle 's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet . Do not exceed these interva ls -harmful
deposits from o ld engine oil can reduce engine performance and can
lead to expensive engine repairs .
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very impo rtant
because the lubricating properties of o il decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, ask your author ized Audi Service Adv isor .
Under some circumstances the engine oil should even be changed
mo re frequently. Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop­
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper­
atures stay be low freezing point for long periods.
Detergent addit ives in the oi l wi ll make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short t ime. This is normal and is not a
reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended intervals
using only engine oi l that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle War ranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to fai lure to follow recommended main­
tenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner 's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dealer will have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in
the form of Serv ice or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a time ly manner. •
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
eng ine components, all inte rnal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change sign ifican tly over the lif e of the engine. Typically,
engines with a specified break- in period (see~
page 251) consume
more oil during the break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stab ilized .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on the
quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the ox idation level of the oil. As any
eng ine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consumption
may increase over time until replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With all these variab les coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified . There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level , see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbol in the instrument
cl uster lights up, you should chec k the oil level as soon as possible
with the oil dipstick~ page 283. Top off the oil at your earliest
convenience ~
page 284.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~
& in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 279.

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0 Note
Driv ing with an insufficient oil level is likely to cause severe damage
to the engine .
[ i ] Tips
• The oil pressure warning display~ is not an indicator of the oil
level. Do not rely on it. Instead , check the oil level in your engine at
regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and always
before going on a long trip .
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oil, we recommend that you consult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of you r concern properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that
the accurate measurement of oil consumpt ion requires great care
and may take some time . Your Audi dealer has instructions about how
to measure oil consumption accurately .•
Checking the engine oil leve l
Fig. 208 Ill ustra tion
o f principle 1: Markers
on oil dipstick
Vehicle OP-eration
Fig. 209 Illustrat ion
of prin ciple 2: Markers
on oil dipst ic k
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 2 79.
Determining oil level
-Park your vehicle so that it is horizontally level.
- While at operating state temperature, briefly let the
engine run at idle and then shut it off.
- Wait approx. two minutes.
Pull out the oil dipstick. Wipe off the oil dipstick with a
clean cloth, and slide it back in as far as it will go .
- Pull it back out and read off the oil level ::::> fig. 208 or
~ fig. 209. Top off the engine oil, if applicable
~ page 284.
Oil Level within range @
-Do not add oil.
Oil Level within range ®
-You can add oil. Afterwards, the oil level should be within
range @. _,,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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Oil level within range
©
- You must add oil. Afterwards, the oil level should be
within range@.
The oil level needs to be checked at regular intervals . The best times
to do this are whenever you refuel and prior to long trips.
Depending on the way the vehicle is driven and the operating condi­
tions, oil consumption can be up to 1 quart per 1.200 miles
(l liter
per 2,000 km). Consumption may be higher within the first 3 ,000
miles (5,000 km) .•
Adding engine oil 9=::11
Fig . 210 Engine
compa rtment: Oil filler
cap locatio n
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 279.
-Unscrew the cap => fig. 210.
- Carefully top off with the appropriate oil in 0.5 liter doses.
- Check the oil level again after two minutes=>
page 283.
-Top off the oil again, if necessary . -
Screw the cap back on the filling hole and slide the oil
dipstick in as far as it will go.
& WARNING
• While topping off, the oil must not come in contact with hot
engine parts -fire hazard!
• The oil filler cap must be properly secured to prevent oil from
being sprayed on the hot engine and ex haust system when the
engine is running -fire hazard!
• If your skin has come in contact with the engine oil, you must
subsequently cleanse it thoroughly.
0 Note
• The oil level must not be above range@- danger of converter or
engine damage! Contact an authorized dealership to draw off oil, if
necessary .
• Audi does not recommend the use of oil additives. They may
damage the engine and adversely affect your New Vehicle
Warranty.
• Under no circumstances can the oil come in contact with the
sewage network o r the soil.
• Observe and follow legal regulations when disposing of empty oil
containers. •

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Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an autho­
ri ze d Audi dealer or a qualified service station.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, alway s read
and heed all WARNINGS:::::,
& in "Working in t he eng ine compart­
ment" on page 279.
T he eng ine oil mus t be changed acco rding to the intervals specifie d in
your Warranty
& Maintenance book let . This is very important because
the lub ricating properties of oil diminish gradually during norma l
vehicle use .
Under some circumstances the eng ine o il sho uld be changed more
frequently. Ch ange oi l more ofte n if you drive mos tly short distan ces,
operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominant ly stop-and­
go tr affic condi tions , or have yo ur vehicl e where temperat ures rem ain
below freezing for extended per iods.
Detergent a dditives in the o il w ill make fres h oil look dark after the
eng ine has been ru nning for a s hort ti me. Th is is normal an d is not a
reason to change the oil mo re often than recommended.
B eca u se of the proble m of pr oper di sp o sal, along w ith the s pe cial
too ls and necessary expertise required , we strong ly recommend that
yo u have your o il changed by an a uth o rized
Audi dealer o r a qua lified
service stat io n.
If you choose to change your oil yourself , please note the following
i m po rtan t informatio n:
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury if you must change the engine
oil in your vehicle your self:
• Wear eye protection.
• To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine oil, let the engine
cool down to the touch.
Safety first
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• When removing the oil drain plug with your fingers , stay as far
away as possible. Always keep your forearm parallel to the ground
to help prevent hot oil from running down your arm .
• Drain the oil into a container designed for this purpose, one
large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in your
engine .
• Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of the reach of chil­
dren.
• Continuous contact with used engine oil is harmful to your
skin. Always protect your sk in by washing oil off thoroughly with
soap and w ater.
(D Note
N ever m ix o il additives w it h your engine oil. These a dditives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Audi L imited New
Vehicle Warranty .
For the sake of the environment
• Before changing yo ur oil, first ma ke sure you know w he re you ca n
pro pe rly dispose of the use d oil.
• Always dispose of used eng ine oil prope rly . D o not dum p it on
garden soi l, wooded a reas, into open st reams or down sewag e drains .
• Recy cl e used en gine o il by taking it to a use d eng ine oil collection
facili ty in your area, or contac t a serv ice stat io n.•
Vehicle care Technical data