AUDI S6 2009 Owners Manual

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c_k _in ~ g_ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ~g __ lfflll
•
T o obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off .
The expansion tank in your vehic le is equipped with an e lectric
coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto ­
Check System ~
page 37 will blink until you add coo lant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coo lant level
from time to time .
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system. In the event
of coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer . It is not enough merely to add
coo la nt.
In a sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating .
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's engine
coolant . Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the func­
tion and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
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 301.
- Turn off the engine.
- Let the engine cool down. Place
a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
~ page 308, fig. 242 and carefully twist the cap counter­
clockwise ~& .
Add coolant.
- Twist the cap on again
tightly .
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
~ page 307, "Coolant". Even in an emergency, if coolant additive
G12++ , G12 + or G12 is not availab le, do not use a different additive .
Use plain water instead until you can get the correct add itive and
can restore the correct ratio. This shou ld be done as soon as
possible.
If you have lost a considerab le amount of coolant, then you should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold .
A lw ays use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Excess coolant will be
forced out through the pressure relief valve in the cap when the
eng ine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot.
Reduce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down .
- Protect your face , hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large , thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light , downward pressure on the top
of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain condi-
tions , the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire . ...
Vehicle care
I t •

--~C~h.!. e~ c~k ~in ~ g~ a~n ~d~ f~il ~li~ n~gL ___________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued )
• Antifreeze is poi sonous. Alway s store antifreeze in its original
container and well out of the rea ch of children.
• If you drain the coolant , it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper container clea rly marked "poi son ".
0 Note
• Coo lant po llutes the env ironment and could 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, on ly wa ter ca n be added, the correc t rati o
between water and antifreeze=>
page 307 must be restored as soon
as possible .
~ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused. Always dispose of used
co olant whi le observ ing all e nvir o nmen tal regula tions .•
Radiator fan
The radi ator fan s wit ches on automa tically by i tsel f.
The radiator fan is driven by t he engine v ia the V -belt. The v iscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the temperature
of the coo lant .
An aux iliary e lectric radiator fan* switches on and off depending on
c oo lant temperature and other vehicle opera tin g co ndi tions.
After you switch the engine off, the aux iliary fan can continue
running for up to 10 minutes -even with the ignition off. It can even
switc h on again later by itself=>&, if
• the temperature of the engine coolant rises due to the heat
bui ld-up fr om the eng ine in the engine c ompartmen t, or •
the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in in tense s un ligh t.
& WARNING
• To reduce the ri sk of personal injury never touch the radiator
fan .
• The auxiliary e lectric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The au xiliary radiator fan switches on automatic ally when the
engine coolant reaches a ce rtain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature d rops .•
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
T he brak e fluid level can be checked wit h a quick glance.
F ig . 243 Engine
c o mp artment : B ra ke
fluid re servoir
Befo re you c heck anything in the e ngi ne compartme nt,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
t h e e ngin e com part ment" on
page 30 1. ~

Checkin g and fillin g Ill
--------------~-
•
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
~ fig. 243. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side=> page 302.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto ­
matic adjustment of the brake pads . This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator l ight (U.S. models:
BRAKE , Canadian models:
CCD> l will come on=> page 22 and=> page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle . The complete brake syste m shou ld be thor ­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate . Contact an authorized
Audi dea ler
immedi ately. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni ­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling po int of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
T herefore, the brake fluid must be changed
ever y two yea rs. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federa l Motor Veh ic le Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DO T 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho­
rized
Audi deal er. Your dealer has the co rrect tools, the right brake
fluid and the know-how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Bra ke fluid i s poi sonou s. It m ust be stor ed only in the closed
or iginal container out of the reach of children!
• Brake f ailur e can result fr om old or in approp riat e bra ke fluid .
Ob serve the se pre cauti ons:
- Use o nly br ake fluid that me ets SAE specifi cation
J 1703 and
c onfo rm s t o Fed eral Mo to r V ehicle Standard 116 . Alway s check
w ith your auth oriz ed A udi de aler t o m ake sure you are usin g
the correct b rake flu id . The corre ct ty p e of brake flu id i s al so
indi cate d on the br ake fl uid r eservo ir .
- The brake f luid mu st be new . Heav y use of the brake s can
ca us e a va por lo ck if the brake fluid is left in the sy stem too
long. Thi s ca n seriou sly affect th e effic iency of the brake s as
well as your safe ty. T his co uld r esult i n an a ccide nt.
0 No te
Brake fluid wil l damage the paint of your vehicle .
'£> For the sake of the environm ent
Because of the problem 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 authorized Audi
dea ler. •
Battery
General information
Under norm al 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 ._
Vehicle care I t •

-Checking
and filling
---=---------------
checked by a service facility . The electrolyte level should also be
checked each time the battery is charged
~ page 314.
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
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 229.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected . These functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again . To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle electrical system when absolutely necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
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 269.
Take into consideration that when you unlock 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 available again when you turn on the ignition and
start the engine.
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop . This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when traveling only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dealer
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
~ page 314. A well charged battery will not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold , but will also last longer .
[ i] Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. This will prevent it from being damaged and
having to be replaced. •
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near the battery.
Fig. 244 Luggage
compartment : Battery
The battery is located in the luggage compartment under
the floor. Before you check anything in the luggage
compartment,
read and heed all WARNINGS=>& .
Lift the floor by the plastic handle.
Hook the handle into the luggage compartment weather
strip.
Always heed the safety warnings, when working on the vehicle
battery or the vehicle electrical system to prevent injury.

__________________________________________ C_ h _ e_c _k _in _ g =- a_ n __ df _i_ lli _n ___ g __ fflllll
•
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 •

llffl __ C _h_ e_ c_k _in --== g'-- a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ..:::g:::..- ___________________________________________ _
& 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 .
• 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. 245 Engine
compartment : Connec­
tors for charger and
jumper cables
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below=> & and=> &
in "Working on the battery" on page 312.
- Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
- Make sure the area is well ventilated when you charge
the battery.
- Open the hood => page
300.
-Open the red cover on the positive pole=> fig. 245.
- Connect the charger connectors according to the instruc-
tions to the
jump start bolts. (Bolts under the red cover=
" posit ive", 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. .,_

Checkin g and fillin g -
--------------~-
•
-Now remove the clamps fo r the charging eq uipment.
- Close t he red cover on the positive pole.
- Close the hood~
page 301.
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures of only O °C. A llow
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.
Batt ery c harg ing (Ma ximum ch arging rate of 30
a mps /14 .8 Volt )
When charging at /ow voltages (e.g. with a trickle charg er), the
ba ttery 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 .
Fa st cha rging the batt ery (chargi ng ra te ab ove 14 .8
Volt s)
For technical reasons do not use a battery charger that uses vo ltage
greater than 14.8 Volts to charge your vehic le's battery.
& WARNING
C harging a battery can be d angerou s.
• Alwa ys follo w the oper ating instruct ions pro vided b y the
battery charger manuf acturer when charging your b attery .
• Neve r charge a frozen battery. It m ay explode be cau se of gas
tr apped in the i ce. Allow a frozen battery to thaw out fir st.
• Do not reuse batteries wh ich were fro zen. The battery housing
m ay hav e crac ked and wea kened when the b atte ry fro ze .
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated area. Keep away from
open fla me or ele ctri cal s par k. Do not smok e. Hydrogen ga s gener ­
ated by the battery is explo sive.
&_ W ARN ING (c ontinued )
• To redu ce the danger of explo sion, never connect or d isconnect
c h ar ger cable s while the charger is ope rat ing .
• Batte ry acid that may spill durin g charging should be w ashed
off with a sol ution of warm water and b aking soda to neutralize
the acid .
0 Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine . This wi ll
seriously damage sensitive electronic components, such as control
units, re lays, 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 responsib le for
distributing the e lectrica l energy throughout your vehicle
~ page 269 . 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 availab le once again
after you have changed the battery, we recommend that you insta ll
batteries of the same type and manufacture only (the same as those
insta lled at the t ime your vehicle was de livered). Specif ications are
listed on the battery housing . Your authorized Audi dealer wi ll then
code the battery management con trol unit.
I f it is not possib le to use a battery of this type, the new battery must
have the same capacity, voltage (12 volts), amperage, construction
and p lug sealing .
When installing the battery, make sure the ignition and all electrical consumers are tur ned off.
~
Vehicle care I t •

___ C_h_ e_ c_k _in --=:: g;__ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ..:g:a.- ___________________________________________ _
0 Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom ­
mend your authorized Audi dea ler change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid and lead and must always be
disposed of properly in compliance with all environmental regula ­
tions . Disposing of vehicle batteries improperly is very dangerous to
t he environment. •
Windshield/headlight washer
container
Fig . 246 Engine
compartment: Wind ­
s hie ld and headlight*
washer fluid container
The washer fluid container is marked with the symbol O on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS :::> & in "Working
in the engine compartment" on page
301 .
-Lift the fille r cap tongue to add washer fluid. You can fill
the container to the top.
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container.
You can find the reservoir capacity in the table in=> page 369.
To prevent lime residue from building up on the spray jets, use
distilled water when refilling. Always add a gla ss cleaner solution
(with frost protection in the winter).
0 Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or any other additives to fill up
the windshield washer reservoir.•

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lllll
•
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 349.
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.