check engine light AUDI S6 2008 User Guide

When this symbol 5' 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 292.
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 work ­
shop to have the fault rectified .•
Battery voltage LJ
If battery power drops below a specified level, idling current
management starts by switching off electrical loads. The driver
message
Power-saving mode activated is shown in the display.
If the battery's state of charge is not in the optimal range, the
U
symbol is shown in the display and the driver message Low battery
charge: battery will be charged while driving
appears .
While this driver 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 out again after a while, the battery has
been adequately recharged.
Driver message appears and does not go out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
while driving and does not go out again, the battery's state of
charge is not in the optimal range. Starting capability is restricted.
Have the battery checked by an authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible. •
Worn brake pads ... 1
C Brake pads!
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
If the symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer to
have the front brake pads inspected (on that occasion have the rear
brakes inspected as well to be safel. •
Headlight range control defective
, Headlight range control defective
If the symbol illuminates, the dynamic headlight range control is no
longer working properly . Have the system checked and repaired at
your Audi dealer. •
Engine oil level r.
' Please check oil level
When the symbol illuminates, check the engine oil level as soon as
possible ~
page 301. Top off the oil at your earliest opportunity
~ page 302. •
Engine oil sensor defective ~1 .•
~ Oil level! sensor defective
If the symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer and
have the oil sensor inspected. Until you have this done, check the oil
level each time you refuel just to be on the safe side~
page 301. •
Applies to veh ic les: w ith Adaptiv e Lig ht
Adaptive Light defective 1
' Adaptive Light defective
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.•
I • •

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.
Fi g. 4 2 Sec tio n fro m
dr ive r's door: co ntrols
T he rear doors ar e equip ped with a power child safe ty lock .
It is operated with t he two safety buttons(!) in the driver's
door=} fig. 42 .
- Press the left and/or right safety button to disable t he
rear p ower window(sl and preve nt the respective rear
door from being opened from t he inside. The LED in the
button will light up when the chi ld safety lock is tur ned
on .
- Press the ill umina ted butt on aga in t o turn the child
safety f eatures
off .
When the chi ld safe ty lock is activated, the interior door opening
lever is inoperative; the door can only be opened from the ou tside .
In addi tion, the window regulator for that door is a lso inoperative
when the child safety lock is activated.
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
Op ening and clo sing
[ i ] Tip s
• In order to activate the child safety lock on the left and the righ t
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. •
Advanced Key
Applies to veh ic les: wit h Ad vanced Key
Description
Access and vehicle operation based on: Master key remains in driver's pocket.
The Advanced Key vehicle authori zation system allows keyless
unlocking, locking and starting of the vehicle . You only have to carry
t he master key on your person .
It makes no difference whether the master key is in your jacket
pocket or in your brief case . As soon as you approach your vehicle ,
the Advanced Key recogni zes the request for access, checks for
authori zation and enab les th e following functions :
• Unlocking the vehicle:::::,
page 60.
• Locking th e vehicle :::::, page 61.
• Switching on ignition and starting the engine by pressing the
I STAR T] button; the master key does not have to be in the igni tion
sw itch:::::,
page 126 .
& WARNING
• Whe n you lock your veh icle from o uts id e, nobod y -espe cia lly
c hildren -sh ould re main in side the vehic le. Reme mber , when you
lock the vehicle fr om the out side th e windo ws cannot be open ed
from the inside. .,,.
Vehicle care
I I Technical data

Opening and closing
H ow is th e a nti-th eft alarm s yste m swi tched off ?
The anti -theft alarm sys tem is switched off only whe n you un lock
your vehicle. If you do not open a door within 60 seconds after you have un locked with the remote control , the vehicle will lock itself
again automatically.
When will the anti -th eft alarm syst em be trigg ered ?
When the vehicle is locked, the alarm system monitors and protects
the following parts of the vehic le:
• engine compartment
• luggage compartment
• doors
• vehicle incline
• ignition
When the system is activated, the alarm will be trigge red if one of
the doors, the engine hood or the rear lid are opened, or if the igni­
t ion is turned on or if the veh icle incline has been changed. The an ti­
theft a larm system will also go off when the battery is disconnected.
You can also trigger the alarm by pressing the PA NIC button on your
remote control. This w ill alert other people in case of emergency.
Press the
PANIC button again to turn off the alarm.
H ow i s th e ant i-th eft al arm swit ch ed off whe n
tr igg ered ?
The alarm system is switched off when you unlock the vehic le or
when the ignition is switched on . T he alarm will a lso switch itself off
when it comes to the end of its cycle .
Emergency flasher and horn
The emergency flasher wi ll blink briefly and the horn sounds when
the doors, engine hood and rear lid are properly closed.
If the emergency flashers do not blink, or the horn does not sound ,
check the doors, engine hood and rear lid to make sure they are
properly c losed . If you close a doo r, the hood or the rear lid w ith the anti
-theft a larm switched on, the emergency flashers will blink and
t he horn will sound only af ter you have closed the door or l id .
Ii ] Tips
Fo r the anti -theft a larm system to function proper ly, make sure a ll
vehic le doors and windows are closed before leaving the vehicle .•
Tilt sensors 1Q
The tilt sensors trigger an alarm if they detect vehi cle
movement.
F ig . 4 5 Driver 's doo r:
tilt sensor swit ch
Sw itch o ff th e til t sensors if you ar e go ing to have your
vehic le transporte d.
Switch off the tilt sensors Press the switch
~ located in the driver's door~ fig. 45.
Lock the ve hicle .
When you turn off the tilt sensors, the diode in the switch~ will illu ­
minate. Also, the indicator light in the door trim will illuminate for
about three seconds. After you lock the vehicle, the indicator light
in the door t rim wil l bl ink quick ly for about three seconds . After that,
the blinking s lows down. .,.

Sliding the roof open all the way
- Turn the rotary switch to position
0-Airflow over the
fully opened sunroof may cause increase d wind noise.
Tilting the roof open - Turn the rotary switch to position @.
- In position @, briefly
press the control to tilt the roof up
completely.
To tilt the roof open to any intermediate position
press
and hold
the switch until the roof reaches the desired
position.
In position ©, the switch jumps back to position G) again as soon
as the switch is released.
When the glass roof opens, the sun visor, which is designed to ward
off strong sunlight, opens along with it. The visor can be closed
manually when the sunroof is closed.
[ i] Tips
• Be aware that the sunroof may actually be open when the sun
visor is closed. Check and make sure that the sunroof is shut when
parking the car or if it suddenly starts raining.
• If the sunroof is not fully closed but you have pressed and held
the switch for the tilt position, the sunroof will not tilt. •
Appl ies to vehicles: with sliding/tilt ing power sunroof
Closing the power sunroof
Sliding the roof shut
- Turn the rotary switch to position
0 => page 66, fig. 49
=>& .
Controls and equip ­
ment
Opening and closing
Tilting the roof shut Briefly
pull the rotary switch to close the roof.
To tilt the roof down to any intermediate position
pull and
hold
the switch until the roof reaches the desired posi­
tion.
& WARNING
Improper use of the power sunroof can cause serious personal
injury.
• Be careful when closing the power sunroof . Not paying atten­
tion could cause you or others to be trapped and injured as the roof closes.
• Always take the key with you when you leave the vehicle to
prevent injuries caused by the roof closing
• Never leave children or persons requiring assistance alone in
the vehicle, especially when they could access the vehicle keys. Unsupervised use of the keys can result in the engine being
started or use of vehicle systems such as the power windows. etc .
which could result in serious injury. The doors could be locked
with the remote key, delaying help in an emergency.
• The power sunroof will continue to operate until the ignition
key has been removed and one of the front doors has been
opened. •
Applies to veh icles: with sliding/t ilting power sunroof
Convenience closing feature
The power sunroof can be closed from outside with the
key in the driver's door lock.
-Insert the key into the driver's door lock.
I • •

Clear vision
Clear vision
Lights
Switching the headlights on and off ·t/.·
In the "AUTO" position, a light sensor automatically
s w itches the head- and taillights on an d off in resp onse to
l igh t co nditio ns.
Fig . 54 In strument
p anel: light swit ch
T he lig ht switc h must no t be overt urned pas t the stops in
either direc tion .
Switching on automatic headlight control
-Tur n t he light switch to AUTO =:> fig. 5 4.
Switching on the side marker lights
- Turn t he lig ht s witch to ~oo~.
Switching on the headlights and high beam
- Turn t he lig ht switch to ~D.
- Pu sh th e high beam l ever f orwar d tow ards t he ins tru-
m en t panel =:>
page 74 .
Switching off th e lights
- T urn the light switch to 0.
The head lights only work when the ignition is swi tched on. Whi le
starting the engine or when switching off the ignition, the head ­
l ights wi ll go off and only the side marker lights wi ll be on.
After starting the engine, the headlights are automatically adjusted* to the load and angle of the vehicle (for example, dur ing
acce leration, braking) . T his prevents oncoming traffic from experi­
encing unnecessary head ligh t glare from your headligh ts .
If the system is not ope rating properly, a warni ng sy mbol in the
Auto -Check Control is displayed =>
page 37.
With the side marker lights or headlights switched on, the symbol
next to the light switch illuminates
coo:.
Daytime running light s
• USA models : On vehicles with xenon lights the daytime running
l ights wil l come on a utomatica lly when th e ignition is t urned on an d
the light switch => fig. 54 is in the
O position or the AUTO position
(on ly in day light co nditions). The
Daytime running lights func tion
can be turned on and off in the MMI menu
Exterior lighting
=> page 71. On vehicles with halogen lights there is no daytime
running lights function=> &.
• Canada models: The daytime running lights wil l come on auto ­
matical ly when the ignition is turned on and the ligh t switch
=> fig. 54 is in the
O position or the AUTO position (only in day ligh t
conditions)=> &.
Automatic headlight control
In the switch position AUTO the automatic h eadlight control is
turned on . The low beams are tu rned on automatically through a
l ight sensor as soon as ambient brightness (e .g. when driving into a
tunnel) falls below a value preset at the factory . When ambient ...

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 operating the wipers to prevent damage to the wiper
blade or the wiper motor.
• Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted window. Using 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 wiper system switched off (lever in position
Ol, otherwise the windshield wiper system could get damaged in the
car wash if it should suddenly come on .
[ i ] Tips
• The rain sensor is part of the interva l wiping system. Turning off
the ignition will also deactivate the rain sensor . To reactivate the
sensor, switch off the interval wiping function, then switch it back
on again.
• Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades cause smearing which
can affect the operation of the rain sensor. Check the condition of
your windshield wiper blades regularly.
• Make sure the washer fluid reservoir in the engine compartment
is topped off before going on a long trip. Look up~
page 312for
checking and filling the washer container .•
App lies to vehic les: w ith head light washer system
Headlight washer system
The headlight washer system cleans the headlights.
-Operate the windshield wiper/washer system~ page 78,
fig. 69
® with the headlights turned on by holding the
lever for longer than one second.
The washer jets extend forward out of the front bumper driven by
water pressure to spray the front headlights with water. You should inspect the headlights regularly (for example when refu­
e ling) and c lean off any so lid dirt or insects from the lenses.
To ensure the system works properly in winter, keep the washer jets
free of snow and remove any ice using a de -icing spray. •
Service position
The wiper blades can only be changed in the service posi­
tion.
Fig . 70 MMI display:
Windshield wipers
At below freezing outside temperatures, make sure first
that the wiper blades are not frozen to the windshield .
Press the
I CAR] function button.
- Select Windshield wipers. The Windshield wipers menu
appears~ fig. 70.
Select Service position on to turn the service position on
or
off to return the windshield wiper to its original posi­
tion.
You must only attempt to change the wiper blades when the service
position is activated. This way, when you are working on the wind ­
shield wipers, you can avoid damaging the paint on the engine
hood.
~

___________________________________________________ O_ n_ t_h _e_ r_o _a_ d _ ___.9I
and then the driver's door is opened. In this instance, the steering is
not locked . The steering is locked :
• If you press the
I STOP ] button aga in for more than 1 second.
• If you c lose the driver's door and lock your vehicle from the
outside .•
Electromechanical parking brake
Operation
The electromechanical parking brake replaces the hand
brake.
Fi g. 12 6 Center
co nso le: Parki ng bra ke
- Pull the switch to app ly the park ing brake => fig. 12 6. The
indicator light in the switch will come on .
- Step on the brake pedal or the accelerator pedal and
press the switch at the same time to rel ease the parking
brake. The indicator lig ht in the switch wi ll go out.
Your vehicle is equipped with an elect romechanical parking brake
which replaces the handbrake . T he parking brake is designed to
prevent the vehicle from rol ling unintentional ly.
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
I n add ition to the normal functions of a traditional hand brake, the
e lectromechanica l parking brake provides various convenience and
safety functions.
Emergen cy brake
An emergency brake ensur es that the vehicle can be slowed even if
t he
normal brakes fail=> page 131, "Emergency braking".
Ind icator lights
• If the parking brake is applied with the ignition tu rned on , the
indicator light in the instrument cluster (U.S models :
::i.:,, Canadian
models: ®)) and in the switch <®) will com e on .
• I f the parking brake is app lie d with the ignition
tu rn ed off , the
indicator light in the instrument cluster (U.S. models: ::.:\,, Canadian
models :(®) ) and in the switch© will come on for about 30 seconds
and then go out .
& WARNING
If the vehicle i s stationary and the tr ansmi ssion is engag ed with
the engine ru nning , the engine should not be speeded up (e .g .
manu ally from under the hood ). Otherwi se the vehicle will sta rt to
move -you run the risk of a n accident .
0 Note
If the warning/indica tor light (U.S . mode ls: BRAKE , Canadian mode ls :
(Ci)) ) flashes in the instrument clus ter, there is a brake system
malfunction . By pressing the
I CHECK] button, you can bring up a
driver message which explai ns the ma lfunc tion in more detail. If the
message
P a rki ng brake ! Plea se conta ct w ork shop appears, there is
a par king brake malfunction which you should have repaired imme -
d iate ly by an authorized dealership=>
page 32. ..
Vehicle care
I I irechnical data

___ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
with less grip, gradually increase the pressure on the accelerator
pedal until the car starts to move.
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads on this wheel, the EDL cuts out tempo ­
rarily. The vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way
as a vehicle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto ­
matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can spin and reduce your
ability to control your car. Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning light=>
page 22. •
Ant"-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP). When the vehicle starts up and acceler ­
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR
performs automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS sensors=>
page 262, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine
torque is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to
lock onto the road surface. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
Th e ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR will also be out of action.
Activating
The ESP is automatically activated when the engine is started and it
performs a self -test . You can activate a deactivated ASR if required
by pressing the =>
page 258, fig. 225 button . When it is activated,
the message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display. Vehicles
with front-wheel drive a deactivated ASR automatically re-activates
itself at a speed of 40 mph (70 km/h) .
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if required by pressing the button (for
less than 3 seconds)=>
page 258, fig. 225. With the ASR deactivated,
the ESP check light comes on, see=>
page 19. The message ASR off
appears in the display as well. On vehicles with front-wheel drive:
deactivation is possible only up to 30 mph (50 km/h) for safety
reasons . Vehicles with all -wheel drive: the ASR can be deactivated
at any speed .
The ASR should normally be activated all the time. Only in certain
exceptional situations when some slip is desirable does it make
sense to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck .

___ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
& WARN ING (continued )
• Before des cending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans­
mission into a lower gear or lower dr iving range. D o not r ide the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
c au se the brake s to get hot and dimin ish braking effi ciency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to b rake. This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and in crea sed stopping distan ce.
• Under certain climat ic and oper ating condit ion s s uch as
passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter ,
ice c an a ccumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums .
Carefully apply brakes fo r a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications .
• Driving for an e xtended pe riod of time on salt-covered road s
without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency . Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake disc s and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spoile r, or if you install a different
spoiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective ­
ness of the entire br ake system .
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance . Avo id driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop .
u
Brake booster
T he brake boo ster ad ds e xtra bra kin g pow er.
T he brake booster works with vacuum pressure which is created
only when t he en gine is run ning~ &.
& WARNING
• Never let the vehi cle roll to a stop with the engine shut off .
• If the brake boo ster is not working, for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged, the brake pedal must be pre ssed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance . •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
-- --
ABS preven ts the wheels from l ocking up und er bra kin g.
T he ABS contributes effectively to vehicle contro l since it prevents
th e w hee ls fr om lo cking when the brakes a re app lied . T hi s m ea ns
that the vehicle remains steerable and is less l ikely to skid.
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake . Just hold the brake
pedal down .
H owever, do not expect the AB S to shorten braking distance under
all circu ms tances. When drivi ng on grave l or on newly fa lle n sn ow
on top of icy surfaces, braking distance may be even longer, there ­
f o re, unde r these c ircums ta nces , it is es pecially imp ortant th at you
drive slow ly and with great care .
How the ABS system works
An automatic check is made when a speed of about 4 mph (6 km/h)
i s r eac hed . W he n th is happens, a pumping n oise ca n be heard.
I f a n indiv idual wheel be gins to rotat e too slowly in relation to
vehic le speed and tends to lock, the ABS automatically reduces
brake pressur e to p revent that whee l from loc king .
T his automatic adjustment p rocess will cause a slight vibration of
t he brake peda l a nd some noi ses t o a le rt yo u th at ve hicle speed
must be adapted to ex isting road and traffic conditions. .,

& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always remember that braking
capability is limited by tire traction. Always adjust your driving
speed according to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra risks.
The ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics.
[ i] Tips
• If ABS is not functioning properly, a warning light will come on .
See
=> page 22.
• If a fault occurs in the ABS , the EDL is also not functioning. This
is indicated by the ABS warning light. •
Brake assistant
The brake assistant is designed to achieve the optimum
braking effect.
The brake assistant helps to increase the effective braking power
and thus to achieve a shorter stopping distance . If the driver
presses the brake pedal very quickly, the brake assistant automati ­
cally boosts the braking force to the maximum level, up to the point
where the anti-lock brake function (ABS) intervenes to stop the
wheels from locking. You should then keep the brake pedal pressed
until the vehicle has braked to the required speed. The brake assis ­
tant switches itself off as soon as you release the brake pedal.
The brake assistant will not be operative if there is a malfunction in
the ABS.
In vehicles with Adaptive Cruise Control* (ACC), the distance to the
vehicle ahead is continuously calculated using a radar sensor,
within the limits of the system=>
page 135. If the radar system
detects a short distance to the vehicle ahead, the brake system
exerts a small braking force to reduce the brake response time in
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
case of braking. In this way, the brake application can be quickened
and
the stopping distance reduced.
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast, especially in corners or on a slippery road, or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too closely. Increased risk of an accident cannot be compensated for even by the brake assistant,
so always maintain a safe speed.
n
Servotronic® -advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise steering with little effort.
The advanced Servotronic ® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortable and safe steering response exactly matched to the
vehicle speed.
Power steering will not work if the engine is off. As a result, the
steering wheel will be hard to turn.
The power steering fluid level is checked during the scheduled
maintenance services.
0 Note
If there is an electronic malfunction, servotronic will still function
like a conventional power steering system, providing a constant
steering support force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed. This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
low speeds (for example when parking), -more effort will be
required than usual.
II-
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data