brakes AUDI S6 2008 Owner's Manual

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Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig. Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions
are unfavorable -particularly when going downhi ll.
Reduce vehicle speed
im med ia tel y if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to s top the swayi ng by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trai lers are lower than for regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes ear ly. When driving downhill, shift into a lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes a lone can cause them to overheat and fail.
C ool ant t emp era tur e
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 13 must be observed care­
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immed iately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing
- F- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build-up.
& WARNING
A nyo ne n ot properly re str aine d in a moving vehi cle i s at a mu ch
g re ater ri sk in an accident . Never let any on e r ide in y our car who
is n ot pr operl y wea ring th e re stra ints pr ovided b y Audi . •
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and different weight distribution. Safety, performance and economy will greatly depend on how carefully you
l
oad your trailer and operate your r ig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic . Keep practicing unti l you
have become comp letely familiar with the way your vehicle-trai ler
combination behaves and responds.
Back ing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a
trailer generally requires steering action opposite to that when backing up your vehic le without a tra iler.
Ma intain a greater distance between your veh ic le and the one in
front of you . You will need more room to stop. To compensate for
the trai ler, you w ill need a larger than norma l turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you nor mally wou ld because of the added load . Make su re you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trai ler befo re changing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
[ i ] T ips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break -in period of your vehicle.
• I f you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent main te­
nance due to the extra load=>
page 366. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cann ot be
avoi ded, do so only after d oing the followi ng:
When p arking :
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and
the trailer wheels. ._

-Wit h chocks i n place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load .
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move the selector lever to
P.
Wh en r est arting aft er parking :
-Apply the foot brake.
- Start the engine.
- Move the selector lever to
D .
- Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away
f rom the whee l chocks.
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel chocks .
[ i ) Tip s
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmission to P
befor e applying th e parking brake and before blocking th e wheels ,
you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the
P
position .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserves vehicle value.
Any automobile is exposed to industrial fumes, corrosive road salt,
muddy dog feet, etc . A well cared for Audi can look like new many
years a fter purchase. Regu lar a nd correct ca re will co ntribu te to
maintaining the beauty and value of your Audi.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition for substantiating a
war ranty claim should co rros ion damage or paint defect s occur .
Your authorized Audi dealer has a variety of dedicated vehicle- care
product s
and can adv ise whic h ones to use for clea ning the e xter ior
and interior of your vehicle.
Whethe r you use p roducts recommended by Audi or other c ommer ­
cia lly availab le cleaning agents , please make sure you apply them
correctly.
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep them out of the reach
of ch ildren .
• Heed all caution label s.
• Always read directions on the contai ner before using any
product. Follow the di rection s carefully .
• Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be
d iluted.
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated area s.
• Do not use gasoline , kerosene , die sel fuel , nail polish remover
or other volatile fluids . They may be toxic , flammable or hazardous
in other way s. Do not wash , wa x or dry the vehicle w ith the igni ­
tion on or the engine running.
& WARNING (continued )
• Do not clean the under side s of chassis , fenders , wheel cove rs,
etc . without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself
on sharp -edg ed metal parts .
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking effi ciency
=> page 261 , "General info rmation ". Test the brake s carefully each
time you wa sh the vehicle.
~ For the sake of the environment
Se lect only enviro nmenta lly friend ly c leaning products . Leftover
clean ing products should not disposed of in the household waste. •
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequen t washing pro tects the vehi cle.
Th e bes t protection against envi ronmental influences is frequent
washing and waxing . How often this is required depends on:
• Ho w much the vehic le is used
• Where the vehic le is parked (garage, in the open under trees,
etc.)
• T he seasonal and weather conditions
• Environmenta l influences
T he longer bird droppings, insects, tree resin, road and industrial
gri me, tar, soot, road salt and ot her materials rema in on the ve hicle
body, the more lasting their destruc tive effects will be . High temper ­
atu res caused by exp osu re to in tense s un ligh t inte nsify the c orro -
sive effect, particularly when humidity is high as well.
~

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& 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.

Tires a nd wh eels -
----------------
•
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
Load ra ting (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure. You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax im um l oad ra tin g
means the load rating for a tire at the maximum permissib le infla­
tion pressure for that tire.
Ma ximum l oaded v ehi cle weigh t
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehic le capacity weight, and
(ct) Production options weight
M ax im um (p er mi ssibl e) infl ati on pr essur e
means the maximum cold inflation pressure to wh ich a tire may be
inflated. Also ca lled "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occ upa nt wei ght
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the to tal seating capacity of your vehicle.
O ccupant di stributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer di am eter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
O ve rall wi dth
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an inflated tire, includ ing elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Pl y
means a layer of rubber -coated para lle l cords.
P rodu ction opt io ns wei ght
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs . (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
i t ems wh ich they replace, not previously considered in curb weigh t
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy duty battery, and specia l trim .
Radi al p ly tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Reco mm ended infl ati on pr essu re
see => page 314, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Rein force d tir e
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires my be identified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
R im
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
wh ich the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di amet er
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam ­
eter .
Rim siz e de sig nation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim wid th
means nominal distance between rim flanges.
Vehicle care I t •

IIJ!I Tires and wheels
that the vehicle can carry. For the location of the label~ page 31 7,
fi g. 240 .
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control , a crash or
other accident , serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
ri sk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a veh icle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly,
including a blowout and sudden deflation , causing loss of control
and a crash.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle 's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. •
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to calculate the
total weight of the passengers and luggage or other things that you plan to
transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overloaded.
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE COMBINED
WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle's placard (tire infla­
tion pressure label)=>
page 317 , fig. 240.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3 . Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo ­
grams or
"XXX" pounds shown on the
sticker=>
page 317, fig. 240.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the
" XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will
be five 150 lbs. passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400-750 (5
X 150) = 650 lbs.) t,,,

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& WARN ING (continued )
• All four wheels mu st be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
si ze (rolling cir cumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driving
with different tires redu ces vehicle handling and can le ad to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehi cle -for e xample with winter tires -only use the spare
t ire for a short period of time and drive w ith extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for whi ch the tires
on your vehicle are rated becau se t ires that are driven faster than
their rated speed c an fail suddenly .
• Overload ing tires cause heat build-up , sudden tire failure,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control .
• Tempe rature grades apply to t ires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated.
• Fo r techni cal reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model .
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels , make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blo cked . Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision .
• Run flat tires may only be u sed on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the factory . The vehicle must have a chas sis designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
system that indi cates a loss of tire pressure . In corre ct u se of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authori zed Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped w ith run flat tires . If run flat tires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mi xing tire types is not permitted.
0 Note
• For technical reasons, it is not ge nerally poss ible to use the
whee l rims from other vehicles. This can ho ld t rue for whee ls of the
same ve hic le type.
• I f the s pa re tire is diffe rent from the tires that you have mo unted
o n your veh icle ( for e xample w inter t ires or w ide pro file t ires), the n
use the spare tire for a short period of time on ly and drive with extra
ca re. R ep lace the flat t ire w ith th e ti re m atc hin g the o thers o n your
vehic le as soon as possib le.
• I f you should put different w hee ls and t ires o n you r ve hicle (e.g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and
t ires are co mpat ible w ith the tire pressure monit oring syst em.
Otherwise the system will register a ma lfunction and a fau lt
m essage w ill be d isplayed . For more info rmatio n, con tact your Aud i
dea ler.
0 Note
• When insta lling new tires, be carefu l not to damage the va lves or
t ire pressu re m oni toring sys te m sensors .
• N ever drive without the valve stem cap. The va lves could get
damaged.
• I f the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
r ep laced at t he same t ime .
~ For the sake of the environment
Dispose of o ld tires i n acco rdance wit h the local requ ire men ts .•
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tr ead wear
• Tr action AA A B C
• T emperature A B C

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Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Anti-lock brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Brake fluid specifications for refill and replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Electromechanical parking brake ... 129
General information .............. 261
How does moisture or road salt affect the brakes? ....................... 261
Malfunction ........ ... ...... .... . 32
Warning/indicator lights ........... 23
Worn brake pads symbol . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Break -in period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tires .... ... .. .... .... .......... 267
Bu lbs ... .... .. ... ...... ....... .... 349
Bumper cover Caution when parking near a parking bar -
rier or curb ...... ... .... .... ... 130
C
Ca lifornia Proposition 65 Warning 298
Battery specific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Capacities ......................... 363
Car care ................. .... .... .. 278
Interior .......... .... .... ...... . 285
Plastic and vinyl .. .... ........... 282
Weatherstrips ....... ........ .... 283
Care of exterior .... ....... .......... 278
Cargo area
See Loading the luggage compartment ..
199 Cargo net
.... .... ... ........ ...... .. 98
Catalytic converter . ........ .... .... . 268
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Central locking Emergency locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Changing a flat tire ........ .... ... ... 338
Changing a wheel .... .. ..... .. .. .... 338
Changing engine oi l ....... .... ... ... 302
Chassis Undercoating ... .. .... .... .... ... 284
See also Adaptive Aar Suspension . . . 182
CHECK button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Checking Engine coolant level .............. 304
Checking tire pressure .. ........... .. 319
Child restraints Danger of using child restraints in the front seat ......... ... .... ...... 214
What types of chi ld restraint anchors are
available? . .... ..... ...... .... .. 247
Where can I get additional information
about child restraints? ...... ... .. 248
Child safety ...... ...... .... ... . 234, 239
Additional information ............ 253
Booster seats ................. ... 242
Convertible chi ld safety seats .. .... 240
Convertible locking retractor ....... 244
Guidance fixtures for lower anchorages
250
Important safety instructions for using
child safety seats .... ...... ... .. 237
Important things to know when driving with children ................... 234 Infant
seats ... .... .... ....... .. . 239
Install ing a child restraint using the
LATCH system .. ...... ..... .. ... 252
Lower anchorages ... .. .... .... ... 249
Mounting and releasing the anchorage
hook . ............ ....... .... .. 253
Older children and safety belts ..... 243
Safety belts and older children ..... 243
Tether anchors .. ...... .... ...... 253
Tether strap ... .... .... ...... .... 254
Which restraint system should my older
chi ld wear? ....... ........... .. 243
Child safety lock
rear doors {power) . .... ........ .... 59
Child safety seats .. .... ...... .... ... 239
Convertible locking retractor .. ..... 244
Danger of using child restraints in the
front seat ...................... 214
How do I properly install a child safety
seat in my vehicle? .... ... .... ... 237
Installing .. .. .. .... .... ... .... ... 244
LATCH system ....... ........ .... 252
Safety instructions ............... 237
Cigarette I ig hter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Cleaning Alcantara {synthetic suede) . ....... 288
Engine compartment ...... .... ... 289
Fabrics and fabric coverings . ...... 285
Instrument panel ....... ........ .. 286
Interior ........... .... .......... 285
Leather ... .... .................. 287
MMI display .............. .... ... 285
MMI terminal .. .... .... ... .... ... 285
Plastic and vinyl ... .... .... .... ... 282