service AUDI A6 2017 Workshop Manual

Wheels
&,. WARNING -
-Only use tire/rim combina­
tions and suitable wheel bolts
that have been approved by
Audi. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and an accident could result.
-For technical reasons, it is not
possible to use tires from oth­
er vehicles -in some cases,
you cannot even use tires from
the same vehicle model.
-Make sure that the tires you
select have enough clearance
to the vehicle. Replacement
tires should not be chosen
simply based on the nominal
size, because tires with a dif­
ferent construction can differ
greatly even if they are the
same size. If there is not enough clearance, the tires or
the vehicle can be damaged and this can reduce driving
safety and increase the risk of
an accident.
-Only use tires that are more
than six years old when abso­
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so.
-Do not use run-flat tires on
your vehicle. Using them when
218
not permitted can lead to ve­
hicle damage or accidents.
-If you install wheel covers on the vehicle, make sure they al­low enough air circulation to
cool the brake system. If they do not, this could increase the
risk of an accident.
Tire wear/damage
Fig. 189 Tire profile: treadwear indica­
tor
Tire wear
Check the tires regularly for wear.
-Inflation pressure that is too low
or high can increase tire wear
considerably.
-Dr iving quickly through curves,
rapid acceleration and heavy
braking increase tire wear.
-Have an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty chec k the wheel alignment if
there is unusual wear.
-Have the wheels rebalanced if an imbalance is causing noticeable
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vibration in the steering wheel. If you do not, the tires and other
vehicle components could wear more quickly.
Treadwear indicator
The original tires on your vehicle
have 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high
"wear indicators"¢
fig. 189 run­
ning across the tread. Marks on
the tire sidewall (for example
"TWI" or other symbols) indicate
the positions of the tread wear in­
dicators .
The tires have reached the mini­ mum tread depth
l) when they
have worn down to the treadwear
indicators. Replace the tires with
new ones ¢A.
Tire rotation
Rotating the tires regularly is rec­
ommended to ensure the tires
wear evenly. To rotate the tires,
install the tires from the rear axle
on the front axle and vice versa.
This will allow the tires to have
approximately the same length of
service life.
For unidirectional tires, make
sure the tires are installed accord-
~ l) Obey any applicable regulations in your 0
§ country.
Wheels
ing to the running direction indi­
cated on the tire sidewall
¢ page 241 .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims can of­
ten occur in locations that are hidden. Unusual vibrations in the
vehicle or pulling to one side may indicate that there is tire damage.
Reduce your speed immediately.
Check the tires for damage. If no
damage is visible from the out­
side, drive slowly and carefully to
the nearest authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Fa­
cility to have the vehicle inspect­
ed.
A WARNING
Tread that has worn too low or
different tread depths on the
tires can reduce driving safety.
This can especially have a nega­
tive effect on handling, on the risk aquaplaning when driving
through water, when driving
through curves and when brak­
ing, which increases the risk of
an accident.
219

Wheels
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinstall su mmer tires at the appropriate
time, because they pro vide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumption.
@ Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
w inter t ires. Please note that in some coun­
tries where w inter tires are required, only
w inter t ires with the
& symbol may be per­
m itted .
Snow chains
Snow chains not only imp rove the dr iving in w in ­
ter ro ad conditions, b ut also the brak ing .
.,. Only install snow chains o n the front wheels .
T his applies also to ve hicles w ith all wheel
drive* .
.,. Check and correct the sea ting of the snow
chains a fter dr iv ing a few fee t, if necessa ry. Fo l­
l ow the instructions from the manufacturer .
.,. Note th e maximum speed of 30 mph (SO km/
h). Note the loca l regulat ions.
Use of snow chains is on ly permitted with certain
rim/t ire combinations due to technical reasons .
Check with an authorized Audi dealer or author ­
i z ed Aud i Service Fac ility to see if you may use
snow chains.
You must remove the snow c hains on roads w it h ­
out snow. Otherw ise, you could impa ir dr iv ing
ab ility and damage the tires.
A WARNING
Us ing incorrect snow chains or insta lling snow
chains incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle
cont rol, which inc reases the risk of an acc i­
dent .
(D Note
-Snow cha ins can damage the rims/wheel
covers* if the chains come into d irec t con­
tac t wi th them . Remove the wheel cove rs*
first. Use coa ted snow chai ns.
226
- Us ing snow c hains that add more than 0. 4
inch (10.S mm) of height can severely dam­
age the whee l housings and other vehicle
components .
- Do not insta ll and use snow chains if there is
a malfunction in the adapt ive a ir suspen­
sion*, because the vehicle he ight will be
very low. If you drive wit h snow chains any­
way, the whee l housings and other vehicle
components can be seve rely damaged .
(D Tips
When using snow chains, it may be useful to
switc h on sport mode
<=> page 121.
Low aspect ratio tires
You r A udi is factory-equ ipped with low aspect ra­
tio t ires . T hese tires have bee n thoroug hly tested
a n d been sele cted specifi ca lly for your mode l for
thei r sup erb pe rformance, road fee l and han dling
u nder a var iety of driving conditions. Ask your au ­
thori zed Audi dea ler for more detai ls .
The low as pec t rat io o f these tires is indica ted by
a n umera l of
55 or le ss in t he t ire's si ze designa ­
tion . The numeral represents the ratio of the
tire's si dewa ll height in relation to its trea d width
expressed in percentage. Conventiona l tires have
a height/width ratio of 60 or more.
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tire s is par­
ticularly sensitive to improper inflation pres­
sure. It is the refore important that low aspect
rat io tires are inflated to the specified pressure
and that the inflation pressure is regularly
checked and maintained. Tir e pressur es should
be checked at lea st once a month and always
before a long trip
¢ page 220.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more eas i­
l y by impact with potholes, curbs, gullies or
r idges on the road , particula rly if the tire is un -
der i nfla ted. .,..

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In o rder to minimize the oc currence of impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­ mend that you observe the fo llow ing
precautions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation pres­
sures. Check your tire pressure every 2,000
miles (3,000 km) and add a ir if necessary .
- Drive carefully on roads with potho les, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires . Impact w ith a curb may also cause
damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au­
thorized Aud i dealer . Replace a damaged tire as
soon as poss ible .
- Inspect your t ires every 2 ,000 miles (3,000 km)
for damage and wear . Damage is not always
easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of a ir and
underinflation , which cou ld eventually cause
t ir e failure. If you be lieve tha t a tire may have
been damaged, replace the t ire as soon as pos­
s ible.
= T hese tires may wear more q uick ly than othe rs.
- Please a lso remember that, while these tires
deliver responsive hand ling, they may r ide less
comfortab ly and ma ke more no ise th an other
cho ices .
Reduced performance in winter /cold season
condit ions
All t ires are desig ned fo r ce rtain pur poses. The
l ow aspect ratio, ul tra high performance t ires
originally insta lled on you r vehicle a re intended
for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling. They are not s uitable for cold, snowy or
icy weather cond it ions. If you dr ive under those
circumstances, you shou ld equ ip your ve hicle
with a ll-season or winter tires, wh ic h offer better
traction under those condit ions . We suggest you
use the recommended snow or all-season tires
specified fo r you r vehicle , or the ir equivalent.
Refer to¢
page 225 for more detailed informa ­
tion rega rding winter tires .
Uniform tire quality grading
8 -Tread wea r ' Wheel s
-Traction AA ABC
- Tempe ra tu re ABC
Quali ty g rades can be found where applicable o n
the tire side wall be tween tread shoulder and
max imum sec tion width
¢ page 210, fig . 188.
For example: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA, Tem ­
perature
A .
All passenger car ti res must conform to Federal
Safety Requiremen ts in addit io n to these grades .
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wea r rate of the tire when tested
u nder controlled cond it ions on a specif ied gov­
ernment test course.
F or example , a tire graded 1 50 wou ld wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as we ll on the govern­
ment course as a t ire graded 100 .
T he re lative performance of tires depends upon
t h e actual conditions of thei r use, however, and
may depa rt sig nificantly from the norm due to
variations in driv ing habits , service practices and
differences in road character istics and cli mate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, a re
AA , A, Band
C. Those grades represent t he tire 's
ability to stop o n we t pavement as measured un­
der controlled cond itions on specified govern­
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
¢ ,&. .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generat ion of heat and its abi lity to dissipate
heat when tested u nder cont rolled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained h igh temperatu re can cause the mate­
rial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive tempe rature can lead to s udden
t ire failure ¢,&. . .,.
227

Tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to: vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitoring System in­
dicator
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system malfunction .
Fig. 192 Instrument clus ter : indicator ligh t w ith message
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor­
ing system compares the tire tread circumfer­
ence and vib ration characteristics of the individu­
al tires.
If the pressure changes in one or more
tires, this is indicated in the instrument cluster
display with an indicator light
RE and a message.
If only one tire is affected, the location of that
tire will be indicated.
The tire pressures must be stored in the Infotain ­
ment system again each time the pressures
change (switching between partial and full load pressure) or after changing or replacing a tire on
your vehicle ¢
page 230 . The tire pressure moni ­
toring system only monitors the tire pressure you have stored. Refer to the tire pressure label for
the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle
¢page 220, fig.191 .
Tire tread circumference and v ibration character­
istics can change and cause a tire pressure warn­
ing if:
- the tire pressure in one or more tires is too low.
- the tire has structural damage.
- the tire was replaced or the tire pressure was
changed and it was not stored
¢ page 230.
- the spare tire* is installed.
~ Indicator lights ....
~ RE-Loss of pressure in at least one tire¢,&,. . ....
g Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary.
<.,;) 'SI"
Wheels
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys­
tem
¢ page 230 .
fflm (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
press ure: System malfunction!.
Ifffi:m appears
after switching the ignition on or while driving
and the
RE indicator light in the instrument clus­
ter blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures¢
page 230. If
the indicator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time , drive to an author­
ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service Facili­
ty immediately to have the malfunction correct­
ed.
_& WARNING ,..___
- If the tire pressure indicator appears in the
d isplay, reduce your speed immediately and
avoid any hard steering or braking maneu­
vers. Stop as soon as possible and check the
tires and their pressure.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining the
correct tire pressure. You must check the
tire pressure regularly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
driving style, winter conditions or unpaved roads), the tire pressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed .
@ Tips
-The tire pressure monitoring system can al­
so stop working when there is an ESC mal­
function .
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The tire pressure monitoring system in your
Audi was calibrated with "Audi Original
Tires"¢
page 217 . We recommend that you
use these tires.
229

Wheels
Storing tire pressures
Applies to: vehicles with Tire Pressure Monito ring System in­
dicator
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced, it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys­tem.
• Make s ure before storing that the tire pressures
of all fo ur t ires meet the specified val ues and
are adapted to the load
c> page 220.
• Switc h the ignition on.
• Se lect : the ICARI function button
> (Car )* Sys­
tems
con trol b utton > Service & checks > Tire
pres sure monitor > Store tire pres sure > Yes,
stor e now .
(D Tips
Do not s tore the tire press ures if snow chains
a re installed.
230

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility . Read and follow the instruc­
tions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
- Us ing clean ing and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
- Always store clean ing and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the r isk of po i­
son ing .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably purchase env ironmenta lly-friend­
l y cleaning products.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
T he longer that deposits remain on the vehicle,
the more the surface may be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damag ing effect.
Befor e washing, rinse
off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water.
S tubborn depos its such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth.
A lso, wash t he un derside of yo ur vehicle once
road sa lt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washi ng your ve hicle w ith a pressure wash­
e r, a lways fo llow the operating instructions pro­
vided wi th the p ressure washer. This is especially
i mportant in rega rd to the pressure and sp raying
d istance . Do not aim the spray directly at the
sea ls on the side windows , doors, lids or the sun-
Ca re and cleaning
roo f* or at tires, r ubber hoses, insulat ing mater i­
al, sensors* or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of
at least 16 in (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use cone noz zles o r high pressu re noz zles .
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °().
Automat ic car washe s
Spray off t he vehicle befo re washing .
Make s ure that the wi ndows and roo f* are closed
and the windsh ie ld wipers are
off . Follow instruc ­
tions from the car wash operator, especially if
there are accessories attached to your vehicle .
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing
by hand
Clean the ve hicle starting from the top and work­
i ng down using a soft sponge o r cleaning br ush.
U se solven t-free cleaning p rod ucts.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by
hand
T o avo id damag ing the pa int w hen washi ng, fi rst
remove d ust and large p articl es from you r vehi­
cl e. Insects, grease spo ts and f ingerprints are
best removed with a special cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply t he p roduct using a microfiber cloth. To
avo id damag ing the pa int surfa ce, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the ve hicl e thorough ly w ith wate r. Then
clean usi ng a neutral shampoo and a soft m ic ro ­
fiber clo th .
Rinse the ve hicle thorough ly agai n and let it air
dry. Remove a ny wate r residue using a chamois .
A WARNING
- Onl y wash the vehicle when the ign ition is
off and follow t he instr uctions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci -
-
dents. .,.
231

Care and cleaning
-To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when was h­
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings .
- After washing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to mo isture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter . This in­
creases the risk of an acc ident. The bra kes
must be d ried first w ith a few careful brake
applica tions.
0 Note
- If you wash the ve hicle in an automatic car
wash, you must fold the exterior m irrors in
to reduce the risk of damage. Power fo ld ing
ex ter ior mirro rs* m ust only be folded in and
out using the power folding function.
- To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
wash the vehicle i n dire ct sunlig ht.
- T o reduce t he risk of damage to the surface,
do not use i nsec t remov ing sponges, ki tchen
s ponges or similar items. - Matte finish painted vehicle components:
-To reduce the r isk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polis hing agents or hard
wax.
- Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with matte
finish paint. The paint could be damaged
when the stickers or magnets are re­
moved. @ For the sake of the environment
Only wash t he ve hicle in facilities spec ially de­
signed for that pu rpose. This will reduce the
r isk of dirty wate r contaminated with o il from
ente ring the sewe r system.
Cleaning and care information
W hen clean ing and c aring for ind ividua l vehicle
com ponents, refer to the fo llow ing tables. The
info rmation conta ined there is simply recom­
mendations. Fo r quest ions or for components that are
not listed, cons ult an autho rized Audi
dealer or au thor ized A udi Service Fac il ity. Also
fo llow the information found in ¢ &. .
Ext erior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper
Deposits ¢ page 48, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
blades
Headlights/
Deposits S
oft sponge with a m ild soap solutiona)
Tail light s
Sensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth w ith solvent-free cleaning solut ion
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with alcohol-free cleaning solu-
tion
Snow/ice Hand br
ush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Bra ke dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
E
xhau st tail pipes Road salt Water, clean ing solution su itab le for s tainless stee l, if nee-
essary
232

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" N .... 0 0 <..:l ' avoid scratches, move the scraper only in
one direction and not back and forth.
- Never remove snow or ice from door win­
dows and mirrors using warm or hot water
because this could cause cracks to form.
- To avoid damage to the rear window de­
fogger, do not apply any stickers on the
heating wires on the inside of the window.
- Decorative part .s/trim
- Never use chrome care or cleaning prod-
ucts .
-Paint
- To reduce the risk of scratches, the vehicle
must be free of dirt and dust before pol­
ishing or waxing.
- To prevent paint damage, do not polish or
wax the vehicle in direct sunlight .
- To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
polish away rust spots .
- Remove cosmetics and sunscreen immedi­
ately- these could damage the paint.
-Displays
-To avoid scratches, do not use dry cleaning
methods on displays.
-Controls
- Make sure that no fluids enter the con-
trols, because this could cause damage.
- Safety belts
- Do not remove the safety belts to clean
them.
- Never clean safety belts or their compo­
nents chemically or with corrosive fluids
or solvents and never allow sharp objects
to come into contact with the safety belts.
This could cause damage to the belt web­
bing.
- If there is damage to the webbing, the
connections, the retractors or the buckles,
have them replaced by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
- Textiles/artificial leather/ Alcantara
- Never treat artificial leather/ Alcantara
with leather care products, solvents, floor
polish, shoe polish, spot remove or similar
products .
- Have a specialist remove stubborn stains
to prevent damage.
Care and cleaning
-Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard
sponges, etc. when cleaning.
- Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry the
seat.
- Objects with sharp edges, such as zippers
or rivets on clothing or belts, can cause
damage to the surface.
- Open hook and loop fasteners, for exam­
ple on clothing, can damage seat covers.
Make sure hook and loop fasteners are
closed.
- Natural leather
- Never treat leather with solvents, floor
polish, shoe polish, spot remover or simi­
lar products.
- Objects with sharp edges, such as zippers or rivets on clothing or belts, can cause
damage to the surface.
- Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard
sponges, etc . when cleaning.
- Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry the
seat.
- To help prevent the leather from fading,
do not leave the vehicle in direct sunlight
for long periods of time. If leaving the ve­
hicle parked for long periods of time, you
should cover the leather to protect it from
direct sunlight.
(D Tips
-Insects are easier to remove from paint that
has been freshly waxed.
- Regular waxing can prevent rust spots from
forming.
Placing your vehicle out
of service
If you would like to take your vehicle out of serv­
ice for a longer period of time, contact an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty. They will advise you of important measures,
such as corrosion protection, service and storage procedures . Also follow the information about
the vehicle battery~
page 206.
235

Emergency assistance
-If the spare tire has to be installed in the incor ­
rect direction, use the spare tire only tempora­
rily since the tire w ill not be able to achieve its
optimum performance characteristics with re­
gard to aquaplaning, noise and wear.
- We recommend that you pay particular atten­
tion to this fact during wet weather and that
you adjust your speed to match road condi­
tions.
- Replace the flat tire with a new one and have it
installed on your vehicle as soon as possible to
restore the handling advantages of a unidirec­
tional tire .
Notes on wheel changing
Please read the informat ion ~ page 217, New
tires or wheels
if you are going to use a spare tire
which is different from the tires on your vehicle.
After you change a tire:
-Check the tire pressure on the spare tire im­
mediately after installation.
- Have the wheel bolt tightening torque
checked with a torque wrench as soon as pos­
sible by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified service station .
- With steel and alloy wheel rims, the wheel
bolts are correctly tightened at a torque of 90
ft lb
(120 Nm) .
- If you notice that the wheel bolts are corroded
and difficult to turn while changing a tire,
they should be replaced before you check the
tightening torque.
- Replace the flat tire with a new one and have
it installed on your vehicle as soon as possi­
ble. Remount the wheel cover.
Until then, drive with extra care and at reduced
speeds.
_& WARNING
- If you are going to equ ip your vehicle with
tires or rims which differ from those which
were factory installed, then be sure to read
the information
~ page 217, New tires or
wheels .
242
-Always make sure the damaged wheel or
even a flat tire and the jack and tool kit are
proper ly secured in the luggage compart­
ment and are not loose in the passenger
compartment.
- In an accident or sudden maneuver they
could fly forward, injuring anyone in the
ve­
hicle.
- Always store damaged w heel, jack and tools
securely in the luggage compartment. Oth­
erwise, in an accident or sudden maneuver
they could fly forward, causing in jury to pas­
sengers in the vehicle.
Spare tire
Space-saving spare tire
App lies to : vehicles wit h spare tire
Fig. 203 Luggage com partment: space-sav ing spare t ire
The spare tire is intended for short -term use on­
l y . Have the damaged tire checked and, if neces­
sary, replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi
Serv ice Facility as soon as possible .
There are some restr ictions on the use of the
spare tire. The spare tire has been designed spe­
cifica lly for your type of vehicle . Do not replace it
with the spare tire from another type of vehicle .
Space-saving spare tire*
The tire pressure must be 61 PSI (4.2 bar).
Removing the spare tire
"' Lift the cargo floor using the plastic handle and
hook the hand le onto the luggage compa rt­
ment seal
~fig . 203.
"'Tur n the handwheel counter-clockwise and re­
move it.