brake fluid AUDI S6 2009 Owners Manual

Safety first ........ ... ... .. .
Driving Safely ................. .
General notes . .... ........... . .
Proper occ upant sea ting positions
Peda l area ... ..... ....... .... . .
Sto\Ning luggage . .... .... .... . .
Reporting Sa fety Defects ....... .
Safety belts .......... ....... .. .
Genera l notes ...... ........... .
W hy safe ty belts? .... ... ... ... .
Safety belts ..... ........ ... .. .
Safety belt pretensioners ... ... .
Airbag sy stem ..... ...... ... .. .
Important t hings to kno\N ...... .
Front airbags . ... ... .......... .
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System ... .. ... .... ..... ..... .
Side airbags ......... .... .. ... .
Side curtain a irbags ...... ..... .
Child Safety ................... . 193
194
194
196
200
201
203
205
205
206
209
2 13
215
2 15
2 19
226
231
234
238
Impo rtant things to kno\N . . . . . . . 238
Child safety seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Insta lling a ch ild safe ty seat . . . . . 248
Add it ional Information . . . . . . . . . . 251
Lo\Ner anchorages and tether for
ch ildren (LA TC H) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
253
Vehicle operation .... ... .
Inte lligent technology ......... .
Not ice about d ata reco rded by
ve hicle contro l modules ........ .
Elect ronic S tabilizat ion Program
!ESP) ...... .... ..... ..... ..... .
B raking ....... ................ .
Servotronic® -advanced po\Ner
s teer ing syst em ............... .
Driv ing \Nit h your quatt ro® ..... .
Energy management .... ....... .
Driving a nd enviro nment ...... .
The first 1,000 miles (1 ,500 km) and
after\Na rds .............. ... ... .
Cata lytic converter ............ .
Avo id damaging the vehicle .. .. .
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution ......... .
Trailer towi ng ................. .
Driving \Nit h a trailer ..... ... ... .
Trai ler to\Ning tips ....... ..• ....
261
262
262
262
265
267
2 6 8
269
2 7 1
2 7 1
27 2
273
273
276
2 7 6
278
Table of contents
Vehicle care ....... ... ... ... 281
C leaning and protection ........ 282
Gener al in fo rm atio n . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Care of exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Care of inte rior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 9
F u el su pp ly and fillin g your fuel
ta nk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Gasoline . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . . . . . . . . 295
Fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
C heck in g and filling . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Engine hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Engi ne cooling sys te1 T1 . . . . . . . . . . 307
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 11
W indshield/headlight \Nasher
containe r .... .... .. ... .. .... ...
3 16
T iresa ndw hee ls ............ ... 317
T ires ........................ ... 3 17
Tire pressure monitoring system . . 336
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
turned off, the warning/indicator light illuminates for about 30
s e co nds.
The warnin g/indicator li ght wi ll go out when the par kin g brak e is
r e lea sed .
I f the wa rn in g/ind ica tor l ig ht flas hes co ntinu ously
after applying th e
par king brake, brakin g force is not sufficient to prevent the veh ic le
fr om r olling u nint enti onally. Ple as e n ote the foll owin g:
• If the s lope of the ground is too steep to park the vehicle, the
additio nal drive message appea rs
Caution: Vehicle parked too
steep .
• In the even t of a parking brake malf unc tion, the yel low I sym bol
appears in the instrument c luster display and the driver m essage
Parking brake malfunction! is displayed. Have the ma lfunct ion
repa ired as soo n as possible b y a qua lified Aud i deale rship. •
Brake system BRAKE (USA models) /(©) (Canada
models)
Th e warn ing/indicator light f lashes if brake fluid level i s
low, if there is an ABS sy stem malfunct ion or a par kin g
b ra ke malfun cti on.
The light illuminate s when the ignition i s turned on . It goes out afte r
the engine has been start ed. Thi s ind icates t hat th e bra ke w arni ng
light is functioning properly .
If the brake warning light does not light up when the engine is
cranking , there may be a malfun ction in the electrical system . In this
case , contact your Audi dealer .
If the b rake system warni ng/ind icator l ight flas he s, t here is a b rake
system malfunction . By pressing the [
CH ECK ] button, you can bring
up a dr ive r m essage w hic h exp la in s the mal funct io n i n mor e deta il
=>
page 30 .
If the ABS fai ls, the A BS warning/indicator lig ht _. (USA
mod els)/ (Ca nada mode ls) flas hes toget he r w ith th e brake sys te m
warn ing/ indicator lig ht=>
& -
(U SA mode ls): If the warni ng light BRAKE and the warning light
illumin ate t oget her, im medi ate ly contact yo ur a uth orized Aud i
dea ler or qua lified workshop to have all brake pads ins pected
=>
p age 35.
When the l ig ht comes on, an aud ible warning signal is also giv en .
& WARNING
• USA models : If the BRAKE warning light and the Af'l~ warning
light come on together , the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control
and an accident . Have your vehicle repaired immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop . Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
• Canada model s: If the brake warning light (Q)) and the ABS
warning light come on together , the rear wheels could lock up
first under hard braking . Rear wheel lock -up can cause loss of
vehicle control and an accident . Have your vehicle repaired imme­
diately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop .
Drive slowly and avoid sudden , hard brake applications.
• If the brake warning /indicator light does not go out after a few
seconds and the parking brake released, or lights up while you are
driving , the fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir is too low . If you
believe that it is safe to do so , proceed immediately at low speed
to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility and have the brake system inspected .
• Always keep
in mind that after several brake applications , you
will need greater pressure on the brake pedal to stop your vehicle. Do not rely on strained brakes to respond with maximum stopping
power in critical situations . You must allow for increased braking
distances . The extra di stance used up by fading brakes could lead
to an a ccident. •

Driver messages and yellow symbols
If a yellow symbol appears in the display, a driver message is also
displayed automatically.
For example, the symbol appears in the display, indicating low
windshield washer fluid level. The following message also appears:
Please top up washer fluid
The driver message disappears after a few seconds. The driver
message can be displayed again by briefly pressing the
I CH ECK]
button. •
Red symbols
A red symbol means DANGER.
-Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
Turn off the engine.
Fig . 18 Display: engine
coolant level warning
(priority 1)
- Check the malfunctioning system. Contact your autho­
rized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop for assistance.
Red symbols indicate a priority 1 malfunction -Danger!
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
Driver information display
With a priority 1 malfunction, a large symbol appears in the center
area of the display => fig. 18. When the symbol appears,
three
warning tones sound in succession. The symbol continues to blink
until the malfunction has been repaired.
If there are
more than one priority 1 malfunctions, the symbols
appear one after the other for about 2 seconds.
An additional driver message can also be displayed by briefly
pressing the
! CHECK ] button.
The red symbols mean:
0
BRAKE

[ i] Tips
Alternator malfunction
USA models:
Brake system malfunction
Canada models:
Brake system malfunction
Engine coolant level too
low/engine coolant temperature
too high
Engine oil pressure too low
Faulty steering
Faulty ignition switch
=> page30
=> page 30
=> page30
=> page 31
=> page32
=> page 32
=> page 33
• If the warning/indicator light BRAKE (USA models)/ © (Canada
models) in the instrument cluster flashes, there is a brake system
malfunction. By pressing the
I CH ECK] button, you can bring up a
driver message which explains the malfunction in more detail.
Please note
=> page 30. ..
Vehicle care
I I irechnical data

Driver inf ormati on displ ay
• Speed warnings threshold 1 8 (USA modelsl/ 8 (Canada
models) and threshold 2
e , (USA modelsl/ 8 (Canada models) are
a lso shown as red symbols. The warning is always shown as a small
symbo l in the upper area of the display =>
page 36. •
Alternator malfunction 0
If the O symbol in the ins trument pane l disp lay flashes, then there
is a malfunction in the alternator or the vehicle electronics. A
warning to the driver will appear, too . The driver warning goes out
after about 5 seconds, but it can be brought up at any time by
pressing the
( C H ECK ] button again .
Usually, you can sti ll drive to the next dealership . Turn off a ll but the
most necessary electrical consumers, since these drain the vehicle's
battery.
0 Note
If the _t warning symbol (coolant system malfunction) also lights
up on the instrument pane l during the trip=>
page 31, then you
have to stop immediately and turn off the engine . The coolant pump
is not working anymore -danger of damage to the engine! •
Brake system malfunction
A malfunction in the brake system must be repaired as
soon as possible.
If the warning /indi cator light BRAKE (USA models)/ (©)
(Canada models) in the instr ument cl uster flashes, there is
a brake system malfunct io n. By pressing the [ CHECK ]
button, you can bring up a driver message w hich explains
the malfunction in more detail.
Stop v ehi cle a nd ch ec k brak e fluid l eve l
- Pull off the road .
- Stop t he vehicle .
- Tur n o ff the engine .
- Check the brake fluid level=>
page 310.
-Contact your nearest authorized repair facility if neces-
sary .
Warning! Fault in ABS brake syst em . Conta ct
workshop
- D rive carefully to the nearest au thorized repair fac ility
and have the malfunction corrected
=> ,& .
Parking br ake ! Ple ase c onta ct work sh o p
- If the warning/indicator light flashes when the vehicle is
stationary or after the ignition is turned on, c heck to see
if the parking brake c an be released . Dr ive to an aut ho­
rized repair facility as soon as possible a nd have the
ma lfunctio n corrected. If the pa rking brake cannot be
released, contac t your nea rest authorized repa ir facil ity .
- If the warning/indicato r light flashes w hile you are
dr iving, i t is possible tha t the traction con tro l or the
emerge ncy brake has ma lfunc tioned . It is poss ib le that
the park ing brake cannot be applied . It is a lso possible
that the pa rking brake cannot be released after it has
been app lied . Drive to an aut horized A udi dealer to have
the malfunction corrected.
If the ABS system malfunctions, the ABS warning/indicator light i llu ­
minates together with the brake system malfunction warning/indi -
cator light=>& . .,_

& WARNING
• Always observe the warnings in => page 293, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the hood and checking the brake fluid.
• Driving with low brake fluid is a safety hazard . Stop the car and
get professional assistance.
• USA models : If the BRAKE warning light and the -warning
light come on together, the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control
and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop. Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
• Canada models: If the brake warning light «D> and the ABS
warning light come on together, the rear wheels could lock up first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of
vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired imme­ diately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop .
Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake applications. •
Engine cooling system malfunction _t
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
repaired as soon as possible.
When the -t symbol in the display blinks, then either the
engine coolant
temperature is too high, or the coolant level
is too low. An additional driver message can also be
displayed by pressing the [
CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check coolant level
- Pull off the road .
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
Check coolant level ~ page 308.
-Add coolant if necessary~ page 309 .
Continue driving only after the engine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary.
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be
the cause of the malfunction.
If the O warning symbol (alternator malfunction) also lights up on
the instrument panel=>
page 30, then the fan belt may be damaged.
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights =>
page 67, "Emer­
gency flasher
A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment - you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn of
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
=>
page 293, "Engine compartment" .
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the -F-symbol illuminates. There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling system -you could damage your
engine .•
I • •

Ignition lock malfunction ~
A malfunction in the ignition Jock must be repaired imme­diately.
If the ~ symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic ignition lock. An additional driver message
can also be displayed by press ing the [CHECK] button:
Ign iti on lock defe ctive . C ont ac t wo rkshop !
- Do not turn the engine off.
- Drive immediately to an auth orized A udi dealer to have
the malfunction corrected .
If there is a malfunction in the electronic ignition lock, the ignition
cannot be turned off . Drive immediately to an authorized Audi
dea ler to have the cause of the malfunction corrected .
On vehicles with Convenience key*, the engine should not be
switched off using the [
STOP] button because the engine cannot be
started again after the ignition is switched off. •
Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Fig . 19 Dis pl ay: low
fu el le ve l wa rning
(pr io rity 2)
Dri ver inf orm atio n di spl ay
Ye llow symbols indicate a priority 2 malfunction -Warning!
When a yellow warning symbol appears,
one warning tone sounds.
A driver message appears as well to explain the malfunction in more detail. The driver warning goes out after about 5 seconds, but it can
be brought up again at any time by pressing the [ CHECK
I button .
Check the displayed function as soon as possible . If
more than one
priority 2 malfunction is detected , a ll symbols will appear one after
the other for about 2 seconds.
Yellow symbols mean:
Convenience key*
~ page 120
Key not in vehicle
USA models: ~ page25
Defective brake light
Canad a mod els: ~ page25
Defective brake light
11 Defective light bulb
~ page25
-
Light/rain sensor defective ~ page34
Windshield washer fluid ~ page34
level low
Low fuel leve l
~ page34
Battery voltage ~ page35
Worn brake pads ~ page35
IIDynamic headlight range ~ page35
control defective
-
Check engine oi l level ~ page35
~ page305 ...
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Driver inf ormati on displ ay
Engine oil sensor malfunction => page 35
._ -
Engine speed limitation* => page 36
--Adaptive Light* defective :::::, page 36
Ignition lock malfunction :::::, page 36
--Windshield wiper defective :::::, page 36
Tire pressure monitoring sys -:::::, page 337
tern
Loss of tire pressure
Tire pressure monitoring sys -:::::, page 337
tern
System not available
Ba ttery in remote control key
--Electromechanical
parking brake
Automatic transmission ma l­
function
A pplies to vehi cles : wi th Conven ien ce key
Key not in vehicle
K ey not in vehicle
=> page 43
=> page 123
:::::, page 160,
=> page 167
-
-
-
-
This reminder appears along with the.., symbol if the master key is
removed from the vehicle with the engine running. It is intended to
remind you (e.g . when changing drivers) no t to continue the journey
without the master key.
If the master key is no longer in the vehicle, you cannot switch off
the ignition after stopping the engine and you also cannot start the
•
engine again . What is more, you cannot lock the vehicle from the
outside. •
Light/rain sensor defective
Au tomat ic he adl ight s/au tomatic wiper s defec tive
If the symbo l illuminates, the light sensor has failed . For safety
reasons the low beams are turned on permanently with the switch
in
AU TO . However, you can continue to turn the lights on and off
using the light switch. In the case of a defect in the rain sensor, the
windshie ld wiper lever functions are still available. Have the
light/rain sensor checked as soon as possible at a dea lership .•
Windshield washer fluid level too low "')
U Please top up washer fluid
If the symbol il luminates, add windshield washer fluid to the washer
system and also to the headlight washer system:::::,
page 316. •
Fuel supply too low Q.)
L Pl ea se refuel
When this symbol il luminates for the first time, the fue l reserve
in your vehicles is still about 2 Gal lons (7 to 9 litersl. Refuel as soon
as possible :::::,
page 296.
If the symbo l lights up, even when there is ample fue l in the tank,
and the text
T an k s yste m m alf un ction ! Cont act w orks hop appears
in the display, there is a fault in the system. Contact a qualif ied work ­
shop to have the fault rectified .•

When the abnormal situation is over, you should activate the ASR
again.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires. Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also~
page 329, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending largely on operating conditions and driving habits~& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic
or are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your autho ­
rized Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Main­
tenance booklet.
Failure to have your brake pads inspected can
result in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you should use the braking effect of the engine .
This way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously.
Pump the brakes at intervals.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
Moisture or road salt
If
you are driving faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in regular intervals so as to improve reaction time when braking on
wet surfaces. You, the driver, will not notice anything.
Under certain conditions, for example, when driving through water
or very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice)
on the brake pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings .
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered road and the brakes are not used. Here too,
you should clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few careful applications of the brake ~& .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
only for short trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high speed~&.
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake pedal travel, then
one of the two brake circuits may have failed~& .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is
too low . The brake fluid level is monitored electronically .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual inspection of the condi ­
tion of the brake pads through the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection
~ page 344,
"Changing a wheel". ._.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

This automatic adjustment process will cause a slight vibration of
the brake pedal and some noises to alert you that vehicle speed
must be adapted to existing 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 21.
• If a fau lt 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 quick ly, 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.
T he brake assistant wil l not be operative if there is a malfunction in
the ABS .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
& 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. •
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
comfortab le 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 ma lfunction, servotronic wi ll 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 whee l at
low speeds (for examp le when parking), -more effort will be
required than usual.
• Be aware of the different than usual steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly.
• Have the problem checked and set right by an Aud i dealer as
soon as possible. ._
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Operating instructions
Max im um tra iler weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer.
T ra ile r l oa d di stributio n
Be sure the load in the trailer is he ld securely in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or sideways .
Never allo w a passe nger to r ide in a tr aile r~ & in "Driving instruc­
tions" .
Engin e c oolin g sys te m
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harder. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additiona l load. Make
sure that the coo ling system has enough fluid .
Tire pr ess ure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the co ld tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the labe l located on the driver's
side B -pillar {visible when the door is open). Inflate trailer tires to
trailer and tire manufacturers' specifications .
Light s
The head light settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off . Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safe ty chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave e nough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you insta ll safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the r oad when you a re driving .
The chains should cross under the tra iler tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must activate the trailer opera­
tion mode ~
page 186, "Towing a trailer". •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of veh icle and trailer,
please note t he following :
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
Be espec ia lly careful whe n passing other vehicles.
- Observe s peed l imits .
Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed .
Always apply brakes ear ly.
Moni tor t he temperature ga uge.
Weight distr ibution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly
unstable distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at
very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and perm is ­
s ib le, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances . Whenever possible, transfe r some cargo to t he luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considera tions . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data