warning AUDI S6 2008 Owners Manual

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c_k _in ~ g_ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ~g __ _
•
When the coolant level is too low , the warning light in the Auto­
Check System =>
page 33will blink un til you add coo lant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant leve l sensor, we still recommend you check the coo lant level
from time to time .
Coola nt lo ss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system . In the event
of coolant loss, the coo ling sys tem should be inspected immedi ­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer . It is not enough merely to add
coolant.
In a
s ealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling po int of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sea lant to your vehicle's engine
coolant . Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the func ­
tion and performance of your cooling system and could resu lt in
damage not covered by your New Vehic le Limited War ranty .•
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 297 .
- Tu rn off the engine .
- L et the engine coo l dow n.
- Place a t hick rag over the coolant expansion tank
=> page 304, fig . 235 and carefully tw ist t he cap counter­
cloc kw ise
=> & .
- Add coolant. - Twist the cap
on agai n
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
=>
page 303, "Coolant". If in an emergency coolant additive G12 + is
not avai lable, do
not use a different additive . Use p lain water
instead until you can get the correct additive and can restore the
correct ratio . This should be do ne as soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of coolant, then you should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold .
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling .
Do not fil l coolant above the "MAX" mark. Excess coolant will be
forced out through the pressure relief va lve in the cap when the
engine becomes ho t.
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get ver y hot.
Redu ce the risk of sc alding from hot coolan t by follow ing the se
s tep s.
- Turn off th e en gine and allo w it to cool down .
- Protect your fa ce , ha nd s and arm s from e sc a pi ng fluid and
s tea m by cov ering the c ap with a large , thick rag.
- Tur n the cap slo wly an d very ca refully in a counter -clockw is e
dire ction whil e applying light , downward pres sure on the top
o f the cap.
- To av oid bei ng burn ed , do n ot spill antifree ze or cool ant on
the e xhau st sy stem or h ot e ngi ne part s. Under cert ain co ndi­
tion s, the ethylen e gl ycol in engin e co olant c an c atch fire .
• Antifr eeze is po iso nous. Alwa ys store antifree ze in its or igin al
c ontainer and well out of the reach of c hildren .
• If you dra in t he coola nt, it mu st b e ca ught and sa fel y stor ed in
a prop er container clearly mark ed "poi son ".
~
Vehicle care I t •

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0 Not e
• Coolant pollutes the environment and cou ld cause an engine
fire. Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief
valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
• If, in an emergency, only water can be added, the correct ratio
between water and antifreeze ~
page 303 must be restored as soon
as possible .
ci> For the sake of the environment
Dra ined coolant should not be reused . Always dispose of used
coolant whi le observing all environmental regulations. •
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by itself.
The rad iator fan is driven by the eng ine v ia the V-be lt . The v iscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the tempera ture
of the coo lant .
An auxiliary electric radiator fan * swi tches on and off depending on
coo lant temperature and other vehicle operating conditions.
After you switch the engine off, the auxiliary fan can continue running for up to 10 minut es -even with th e igni tion o ff. It can even
switch o n again later by itself~ & , if
• the temperature of the engine coo lant rises due to the heat
bui ld -up from the engine in the engine compartment, o r
• the engine compartment heats up because the vehic le is parked
in intense sun light.
& WARNING
• To reduce the ri sk of per sonal injury never tou ch the radiator
f a n.
& W AR N ING (continu ed )
• The auxiliary e le ctri c fan i s temperature controlled and can
s w itch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan swit ches on automatically when the
engine coolant reache s a ce rtain temperature and will con tinue to
run until the coolant t emperatur e drop s. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
Th e brake fluid level c an be checked with a quick glance.
Fig . 23 6 En gin e
co mp art m ent : B ra ke
fl uid re servoir
Befo re yo u c heck anything in th e en gin e compar tme nt,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working in
the eng ine compartment" on
page 297 .
Rea d the brake fl uid level from the bra ke fluid reservoir
~ fig . 236. T he b rake fluid leve l must be betwee n the
" M IN " and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear parti tion of the engine
compartment on the left side~
page 298. .,_

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•
T he fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
m atic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level fal ls
considerably below the "MIN" mark , the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian models:
{(j))) will come on~ page 23 and ~ page 32. Do not continue to
operate the vehic le. The complete brake system should be thor ­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qua lified
facili ty and the cause corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator l ight will illuminate. Contact an au thorized
Audi dea ler
immediate ly .•
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fl uid changed by an experienced techni­
ci an.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too h igh, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerab ly and decrease braking performance .
Therefore , the brake fluid must be changed
e v ery tw o year s. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehic le Stan ­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
T he brake fluid res ervoir can b e difficult to reach, th erefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho ­
rized
Audi de aler . Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fl uid and the know -how to do t his fo r you .
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poi sonous . It mu st be stored onl y in the clo sed
o riginal cont ainer out of the rea ch of children!
• Brake failure c an re sult from old or inappropri ate br ake flu id .
Obs erv e the se pre caution s:
& WAR N IN G (c ontinued )
-Use only brake fluid that meet s SAE specification J 1703 and
c onfo rm s to Feder al Moto r Vehicle St andard 116 . Al wa ys check
w ith your authori zed Audi dealer to make sure you are u sin g
the corre ct b rake flu id. The cor rect type of br ake fluid is als o
indic ated on the brake fl uid reservoir .
- The brake fluid mus t be ne w. Heav y use of th e brake s can
ca use a vapor lock if the bra ke fluid i s left in the sy stem too
long . Thi s can seriou sly affect the efficiency of the brake s as
w ell as your s afety . This could r esult in an a ccident .
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle .
Because of the p rob lem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special too ls required and the necessary expertise, we recom­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authori zed Audi
dea ler .•
Battery
General information
Und er n ormal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With
high outside temperatures or long
daily drives we recommend that you have the electrolyte level
checked by a se rvice facility . The e lectrolyte level should a lso be
checked each time the battery is charged~
page 310 .
Have the batte ry checked when you take your vehic le in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is o lder than 5 years . _,,
Vehicle care I t •

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With certain types of airbag deployment, the battery is discon­
nected from the vehicle electrical system for safety reasons=>&. in
"Repair, care and disposal of the airbags" on
page 226.
Di sc o nnect ing the b attery t ermin als
Some vehic le functions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected. These func tions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again . To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehic le electrical system when absolute ly necessary for repairs.
V ehicle s not driven for long period s
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 reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability
over a longer period =>
page 265.
Take into consideration that when you un lock your vehicle, some
convenience functions, such as the master key remote function or
power seat adjustment, may not be available. The convenience
functions will be availab le again when you turn on the ignition and
start the engine .
Winter oper ation
During the w inter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is also consumed
while s tarti ng, an d the headlights, rear wi ndow defogger, etc ., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary p ow er consumption, particularly in ci ty traffic or
when trave ling only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dea ler
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=> page 310. A we ll charged battery wil l not on ly prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but wi ll also last longer.
[ i J Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for severa l weeks at extremely low
t empera tures, the vehicle ba ttery should be r emoved and stored where it will not freeze
. This will prevent it from being damaged and
having to be replaced .•
Working on the battery
B e espec ially caref ul when working on or near the battery.
Fi g. 23 7 Lugg age
compartm ent : B attery
The battery is located in the luggage compartment under
the floor. Before you check a nything in the l uggage
com partme nt,
read and heed all WARNINGS=>& .
-Lift the floor by the plastic handle.
Hook t he hand le in to the luggage compartment weather
st rip.
Always heed the safety warnings , when working on the vehicle
ba ttery or the vehicle e lectrical system to prevent injury.

Checking and filling 111111
---------------------------=----
•
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre­
cautions when working on the battery .
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Always wear
gloves and eye protection.
No
- sparks
- flames
- smoking.
When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause personal
injury.
Always keep the battery well out of reach of chil ­
dren.
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire. Read and heed the
following WARNINGS:
• Always wear eye protection. Do not let battery acid or any lead
particles get on your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes. Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury.
• Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can cause
blindness and severe burns.
- Always wear gloves and eye protection. Do not tilt the
battery because acid could leak out of the ventilation openings.
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immedi­
ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and get medical
attention.
& WARNING (continued)
-If you should ingest any battery acid, seek medical attention
immediately.
• Do not expose the battery to an open flame, electric sparks or
an open light.
• Do not smoke.
• Do not interchange the positive and negative cables .
• When working on the battery, be sure not to short -circuit the
terminals with tools or other metal objects. This would cause the battery to heat up very quickly, which could lead to damage or
explosion and personal injury.
• When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen gas which is
explosive and could cause personal injury.
• Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children.
• Before work is done on the electrical system, disconnect the
negative ground cable.
• Before performing any work on the electrical system, switch off
the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment. The
negative cable on the battery must be disconnected.
If you are just
going to replace a light bulb, then it is enough to switch off the
lights.
• Before disconnecting the battery, switch off the anti-theft
alarm system! Otherwise you will set off the alarm.
• When disconnecting the battery, first disconnect the negative
cable and then the positive cable.
• Before reconnecting the battery, make sure all electrical
consumers are switched off. Reconnect the positive cable first and
then the negative cable . Never interchange the cables - this could
start a fire!
• Never charge a frozen or a thawed-out battery. It could
explode! If a battery has frozen, then it must be replaced. A
discharged battery can freeze over at 32 °F (0 °CI. .,,_
Vehicle care
I t •

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& WARNING (continued)
• Make sure the vent hose is always attached to the opening on
the side of the battery.
• Never use batteries which are damaged. There is the danger of
an explosion! Always replace a damaged battery.
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
• Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems. Wash hands after handling.
0 Note
• Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when the ignition is
switched on or when the engine is running, otherwise, you will
damage electronic components in the electrical system .
• When working on the engine, protect the battery housing from
ultraviolet (UV) rays by not parking the vehicle in direct sunlight .
• If your vehicle is going to stand for a long period of time without
being driven , protect the battery from "freezing", otherwise it will
be damaged and will then have to be replaced. •
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery.
Fig. 238 Engine
compartment : Connec­
tors for charger and
jumper cables
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below=> & and=> &
in "Working on the battery" on page 308.
-Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
- Make sure the area is well ventilated when you charge
the battery.
- Open the hood =>
page 296.
-Open the red cover on the positive pole=> fig. 238.
- Connect the charger connectors according to the instruc-
tions to the
jump start bolts. (Bolts under the red cover=
"positive", Bolts with hex head= "negative").
- Only now plug the mains lead for the charging equip ­
ment into the wall outlet and turn it on =>
&-
- Make sure the charging rate is not over 30 amps/14.8
Volt.
- When the battery is fully charged: Turn the charging
equipment off and remove the mains lead from the wall
outlet. .,_

Checking and filling Ill
--------------~-
•
-Now remove the clamps for the charging equipment.
- Close the red cover on the positive pole.
- Close the hood
~ page 297.
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures of only O °C. Allow
a frozen battery to thaw completely before attempting to charge it
~ & .However, we recommend not using a thawed battery again
because the battery casing can be cracked due to ice formation and
can leak battery acid.
Battery charging (Maximum charging rate of 30
amps/14.8 Volt)
When charging at /ow voltages (e.g. with a trickle charger), the
battery cables do not have to be disconnected first. The battery caps
should
not be opened when charging a battery.
I t is not necessary to remove the battery from the luggage compart­
ment.
Fast charging the battery (charging rate above 14.8
Volts)
For technical reasons do not use a battery charger that uses voltage
greater than 14.8 Volts to charge your vehicle's battery.
& WARNING
Charging a battery can be dangerous.
• Always follow the operating instructions provided by the
battery charger manufacturer when charging your battery.
• Never charge a frozen battery. It may explode because of gas
trapped in the ice. Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first.
• Do not reuse batteries which were frozen. The battery housing
may have cracked and weakened when the battery froze .
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated area. Keep away from
open flame or electrical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas gener­
ated by the battery is explosive.
&_ WARNING (continued)
• To reduce the danger of explosion, never connect or disconnect
charger cables while the charger is operating.
• Battery acid that may spill during charging should be washed
off with a solution of warm water and baking soda to neutralize
the acid.
0 Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine. This will
seriously damage sensitive electronic components, such as control
units, relays, radio, etc., as well as the battery charger. •
Battery replacement
The new battery must have the same specifications and
dimensions as the original equipment battery.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle is responsible for
distributing the electrical energy throughout your vehicle
~ page 265. The intelligent energy management system will keep
the engine battery charged better then vehicles without this system.
To make sure the additional electrical energy is available once again
after you have changed the battery, we recommend that you install
batteries of the same type and manufacture only (the same as those
installed at the time your vehicle was delivered). Specifications are
listed on the battery housing. Your authorized Audi dealer will then
code the battery management control unit.
If it is not possible to use a battery of this type, the new battery must
have the same capacity, voltage (12 volts), amperage, construction
and plug sealing .
When installing the battery, make sure the ignition and all electrical
consumers are turned off.
~
Vehicle care I t •

-Ch
ecking and filling
---=---------------
0 Not e
Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
Because o f the problem o f prop er disposal of a battery , we recom ­
mend your authorized Audi dea ler change the battery for you .
Batteri es contain sulfuric acid and lead and must always be
disposed of properly in compliance with all environmental regula ­
tions . Disposing of v ehicle batteries improperly is very dang erous to
t he environment. •
Windshield/headlight washer
container
Using plain water is not adequate for filling the wind­
shield washer system and the headlight washer system .
Fig. 239 E ngine
c omp artm ent : Wi nd­
s h iel d and he adlight*
was her fluid c ont ain er
The washer fluid container is marked with the symbol O on
i ts cap. -
Before y ou c heck anything in the engine compartment,
a lway s read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working
in t he eng ine compartment" on
page 297.
- Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer fluid . You can fill
the cont ainer to the top.
- Press the cap bac k on to the f iller neck after filling t he
container .
You can find the reservoir capacity in the tab le in~ page 363.
Use winterized windshield washer solvent during the co ld season
even though the vehic le is equ ipped with
he ated wa sher jets . It
helps to keep your windshield clean and prevents the fluid from
freezing in the winter .
Follow the directions on the container for the correct amount to be
used .
0 Note
Do not mix engine coo lant antifreeze or any other additives to fill up
the windshield washer reservoir. •

Tires a nd wh eels -
----------------
•
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particularly considering the comparative ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all- important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regu lar ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts , slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowouts .
Avoiding dama ge
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slow ly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls includ ing grease, oil, gasoline and brake
f luid off the tires.
I nspec t the tires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blis ters, etc.l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota ­
tion . This ensu res you to be ab le to mount them correctly when you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
St ore t ires in a vertical posit ion if they a re not mounted on rims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in~&.
The tread dep th of new tires may va ry, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
Hidden d ama ge
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusua l vibration or the vehicle pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immed iately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire ction al tir es
A unidirectio nal tire can be iden tif ied by arrows on the s idewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must follow
the specified direction of ro tation . This is necessary so that these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more information
~ page 344.
in. WARNING
Ne w tire s or tire s that are old , worn or damaged cann ot pro vide
m aximum cont rol and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slippe ry and m ust be broken in . To redu ce
the risk of losing control, a colli sion and seriou s per sonal injurie s,
drive with speci al care for t he fi rst 350 m ile s ( 560 km l.
• Driving with worn or damaged t ire s can lead to lo ss of co ntrol ,
s udd en tire failure , in clu ding a blowout a nd sudden deflation , .,,_
Vehicle care
I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted .
Curb weight means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire . Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side ­
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR"l
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.