check oil AUDI S6 2009 Owners Manual

Warning light in the instrument cluster -L
When the _L warning light in the instrument cluster starts to flash,
this can mean one of two things: either the coolant
temperature is
too high, or the coolant
level is too low=> page 31.
If the needle is well in the upper area of the gauge, the coolant
temperature is too high. Stop the vehicle, switch the engine off and
allow the engine to cool. If the warning light comes on again after
driving a short distance, contact an authorized dealer.
& WARNING
• Always observe the warning in => page 293, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the hood and checking the engine coolant
level.
• Never open the engine hood if you see or hear steam, or if you
see engine coolant dripping from the engine compartment . You
could burn yourself. Let the engine cool off first so that you cannot
hear or see any steam or engine coolant.
0 Note
• Mount ing additional lights or accessories in front of the air inlets
reduces the cooling effect of the radiator. At high outside tempera­
tures or high engine load, the engine could overheat .
• The front spoiler has been designed to properly distribute the
cooling air when the vehicle is moving. If the spoiler is damaged,
this could reduce the cooling effect and the engine could then over ­
heat. Ask your authorized Audi dealer for assistance. •
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM (revolutions per
minutes).
Th e tachometer 0 => page 12, fig. 2 is the left of the two large clock ­
type displays.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
The engine turns at a speed 1,000 times the single digit in the
display, e.g. if the needle is pointing at the "2" the engine is turning
at
2,000 RPM.
If engine RPM drops below
1,500, you should downshift to the next
lower gear. The red area at the end of the scale indicates maximum
permissible engine RPM after the break -in period. Before reaching
this area, move the selector lever to position "D (Drivel" or ease your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
0 Note
The tachometer needle should not move into the red range. If it
does, then only for a very short period of time. You could damage
your engine by driving at high RPM.
'£> For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early saves fuel and reduces engine noise .•
Digital clock with date display
Dote and time of day con be set in the MM/.
Fig . 3 Instrument
cluster with digital
clock
The date, time of day, and time and date format can be set in the
MMI. You can find out more in the MMI manual. .,_
I • •

Driver information display
& WARNING
Always observe the posted speed limits and adjust your speed to
suit prevailing road, traffic and weather conditions. Never drive
your vehicle faster than the maximum speed rating of the tires
installed. •
Auto Check Control
Introduction
The Auto -Check control monitors the function of certain vehicle
features and components . It simply makes sure these features and
components are working properly . The Auto -Check control works as
long as the ignition is on, as well as whenever the vehicle is driven.
If a component is malfunctioning or if the need for an urgent repair
has been detected, this will appear in the instrument cluster display.
You will also hear an audible warning tone . The displays are color
coded in either red or yellow depending on their level of priority .
A red symbol means
Danger, a yellow symbol indicates Warning. In
certain situations, information message for the driver appear in
addition to the red and yellow symbols.
Function test: automatic transmission
The Auto-Check Control will automatically perform a test each time
you switch on the ignition. With the selector lever in
P or N, the
following message appears in the display:
When stationary apply footbrake while selecting gear.
When you a select a different gear (for example: R, D, etc.), the
message will disappear and the Auto-Check function is displayed.
If there is a malfunction, then the malfunction message will appear
about 15 seconds after the you start the vehicle. At the same time
you will hear a warning tone .•
Driver information messages
Driver information messages are shown in the instrument
cluster display in addition to the red and yellow symbols.
Fig. 17 Instrument
cluster: CHECK button
For example, if the transmission selector lever is not in the P posi­
tion when the engine is turned off, the following message appears:
Please move selector lever to position P
The ignition key can only be removed with the selector in this posi ­
tion. This and other messages are brought up if a function cannot
be carried out.
Driver messages and red symbols
If a red symbol appears in the display, a driver message can be
shown by pressing the [
CHECK) button.
For example, the symbol for a problem with engine oil pressure
'1=7-
appears in the display. If you then press the [ CHECK) button, the
following driver message appears in the display:
Switch off engine and check oil level
The driver message in the display goes out after about 5 seconds.
The driver message can be displayed again by briefly pressing the
[CHECK) button. ...

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 information display
Engine oil pressure malfunction "t=;f':
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair. Driving with a low-oil-pres­
sure indication is likely to inflict severe damage to the
engine.
If the ~ symbol appears in the display and blinks, the oil
pressure is too low. An additional driver message can also
be displayed by pressing the
!CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check oil level
Immediate actions
- Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
-Check the engine oil level with the dipstick=:> page 305.
Dipstick readings checks too low
-Top off oil to the proper level ::::, page 306.
Make sure that the oil pressure warning symbol~
appears no longer in the display before you start driving
again.
Dipstick reading checks OK
- If the oil pressure warning symbol~ starts flashing
again even though the engine oil level checks OK on the
dipstick,
do not continue driving and do not let the
engine run in idle.
Instead, contact your authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.
[ i] Tips
• The engine oil pressure symbol ~ is not an indicator for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your
engine at regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and
always before going on a long trip.
• The yellow oil level warning indication ,.. requires oil refill or
workshop service without delay. Do not wait until the red oil pres­
sure warning
~ starts to flash before you respond to the low oil
level warning ...... By then, your engine may already have suffered
serious damage. •
Steering malfunction i
If there is a malfunction in the electronic steering column
lock, the steering cannot be unlocked.
If the i symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic steering column lock. An additional driver
message can also be displayed by pressing the
I CHECK]
button:
Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
-Contact your nearest authorized repair facility.
- Do
not tow your vehicle.
& WARNING
Your vehicle must not be towed in the event of a malfunction in the
electronic steering column lock because it cannot be steered due
to the locked steering. If it is towed with the steering locked, there
is the risk of an accident. •

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 .•

Battery voltage ~
If the battery's state of charge is not in the optimal range, the
symbo l is shown in the display and the driver message
Low battery
c harge : battery will be charged wh ile dr iving
appears .
Whi le th is d river notification is displayed, you have to be p repa red
for limited starting capabi lity.
Driver message appears and goes out again
If this driver message appears after the ignition is turned on or
w hile driving and it g oes out agai n after a w hile , th e ba tte ry has
been adequately recharged.
Driver message appears and does not go out again
I f this dr iver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
while driv ing and does n ot go out aga in, the bat tery's state of
charge is not in the optimal range. Starting capability is restricted.
H ave the ba ttery checke d by an au tho rize d Audi deale r as soon a s
poss ible .•
Worn brake pads
Brake pads!
If the wa rning light i lluminates, immediate ly contact your autho ­
rized Aud i d eal er or qualified wor kshop to have a ll brake pads
inspected. On USA models the warning light comes on together
wit h the warning light
BRAKE . Both sets of brak e pads o n an a xle must
a lways be replaced at the same time.
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal
injury.
• If the warning light • and the warning light
BRAKE11 with the
message Brake pads ! comes on in the instrument cluster display ,
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driv er information display
& W ARNING (continued )
immediately contact your author ized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if necessary .•
Headlight range control defective ">
l ) Headlight range control defective
If th e sy mbol ill uminates , the dyna mic headlig ht ra nge c ont rol is n o
longer working properly . Have the system checked and repa ired at
yo ur Au di d eale r.•
Engine oil level "'·
Please check oil level
When the symbol il luminates, check the engine o il leve l as soon as
possible =>
page 305. Top off the oi l at your earliest opportu nity
=>
page 306. •
Engine oil sensor defective ~,m,
Oil level! sensor defective
If the symbo l il luminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer and
h ave th e oil sensor insp ecte d. Unt il y ou hav e thi s do ne, c heck the oil
leve l each time you refue l just to be on the safe side=>
page 305. •
11 BRAKE : USA models only
I • •

_____________________________________________ C_ l_ e _a_ n_ in_ g_a _ n_d_ p_ r_ o_ t _e_ c_t _io _ n __ l'III
•
from fading. Slight color variations will develop in normal use and
are not an indication of material deterioration.
0 Note
• Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine),
waxes, shoe polish or similar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
• To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commer­
cial cleaning specialist.
• Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or similarly abrasive cleaning
aids .•
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work reliably when
needed.
- Keep belts clean.
- For cleaning, use a mild soap and water solution . Let
belts dry thoroughly and away from direct sunlight .
- Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to retract before
they are completely dry.
- Check the condition of your safety belts
regularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract properly.
& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
• Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean that
you and your passengers would not be adequately protected in an
accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation. Never
remove belts from the vehicle to clean them.
& WARNING (continued)
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents, bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
• When cleaning your safety belts, inspect them for damage. If
you discover damage, see your Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page282. a
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the engine compart­
ment.
Always switch off the ignition before cleaning the engine ~ &.
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front of the windshield
under the engine hood. This prevents the water drain holes from
becoming blocked, and it prevents debris from entering the vehicle
interior through the heating and ventilation ducts.
Corrosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission have been corrosion­
protected at the factory.
Good anti -corrosion treatment is very important, particularly in the
winter. If the vehicle is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel should be thor­
oughly cleaned at the end of winter and retreated to prevent salt
damage. At the same time, the underside of the vehicle should be
washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any time with grease
removing solutions
2 l, or if you have the engine washed, the anti­
corrosion treatment is almost always removed as well. It is therefore .,_
21 Use only th e correct cleaning solut ions. N ev er use gasolin e or di ese l fu el.
Vehicle care I t •

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_n ...:::g::;...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in -'g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand names etc.) that conform
t o Audi oi l standard VW 502 00 .
Changin g the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed according to the
mi leage (ki lometers) and time intervals specified in your vehicle's
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed these interva ls -
harmful deposits from old engine oil can reduce engine perfor­
mance and can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changing the oi l at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating prope rties of oi l decrease gradual ly during
normal vehicle use . If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, ask your author ized Audi Serv ice Advisor.
Under some circumstances the engine oil should even be changed
more frequently. Change oil more often if you dr ive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop ­
and -go t raffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where
temperatures stay be low freezing point for long per iods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time . This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than recommended.
Damag e or malfunctions due to lack o f mainten anc e
It is essentia l that you change your oi l at the recommended interva ls
using on ly engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover damage or ma lfunctions due to failure to follow recommended
main tenance and use requirements as set forth in the Aud i Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dealer wi ll have
t o deny warranty cove rage unless you present to the dealer p ro o f in
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all schedu led maintenance
was pe rformed in a timely manner. •
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adeq uate
amount of oil t o lubric ate and c ool all of its m oving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and coo ling of interna l
engine components, al l interna l combustio n eng ines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change significant ly over the life of the engine . Typ ically,
engines with a specified break-in period (see=> page 271) consume
more oil du ring the break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stabi lized .
Unde r normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on
the quality and v iscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute)
at which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
cond itions. Fur ther factors are the amount of oil di lu tion from wate r
condensation or fue l residue and the oxidation leve l of the oi l. As
any engine is subject to wear as mileage bu ilds up, t he oil consump ­
tion may increase over time until replacement of worn components
may become necessa ry .
With all these variables coming into play, no standard rate o f oi l
consumption can be established or specified . There is no alternative
t o regula r and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yel low engine oil level warning symbo l in the instrument
clus ter lights up, yo u should check the oil level as soon as
possible with the oil dipstick=> page 305. Top off the oil at your
ea rliest convenience => page 306 .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNING S
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment " on
page 301.

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c _ k_in -= g_a _ n_d _ f_il _li _n ..;::g =-- ____.111
0 Note
Driving with an insufficient oil level is likely to cause severe damage
to the engine.
[ i] Tips
• The oil pressure warning display~ is not an indicator of the oil
level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your engine at
regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and always before
going on a long trip.
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oil, we recommend that you consult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed. Keep in mind
that the accurate measurement of oil consumption requires great
care and may take some time . Your Audi dealer has instructions
about how to measure oil consumption accurately. •
Checking the engine oil level
Fig. 239 Illustration of
principle 1: Markers on
oil dipstick
Fig . 240 Illustration of
principle 2: Markers on
oil dipstick
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 301.
Determining oil level
-Park your vehicle so that it is horizontally level.
- While at operating state temperature, briefly let the
engine run at idle and then shut it off.
- Wait approx. two minutes.
- Pull out the oil dipstick. Wipe off the oil dipstick with a
clean cloth, and slide it back in as far as it will go.
Pull it back out and read off the oil level=> fig. 239 or
=> fig.
240. Top off the engine oil, if applicable
=>
page 306.
Oil level within range @
- Do not add oil.
Oil level within range @
-You can add oil. Afterwards, the oil level should be within
range @. _,,,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ C_h_ e_ c_k _in --== g'-- a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ..:::g:::..- ___________________________________________ _
Oil l ev el within r ange
©
- You must add oil. Afterwards, the oil level should be
within range @.
The oil level needs to be checked at regular intervals. The best times
to do this are whenever you refuel and prior to long tr ips.
Depending on the way the vehicle is driven and the operating condi­
tions, oil consumption can be up to 1 quart per 1 .200 miles (1 liter
per 2.000 km) . Consumption may be higher within the first 3 .000
miles (5.000 km) .•
Adding engine oil "l=:7:
Fig . 2 41 Engine
co mp artm ent: Oil filler
ca p loc ation
Before you check anything in the e ngine compartment,
alw ay s read and h eed all WARNINGS ==> & in "Work ing in
the engi ne compartment" on page 301.
- Unscrew the cap
:::::> fig .241.
Carefully top off with the approp riate o il in 0.5 liter doses .
- Check the oil level again after two minutes
==> page 305.
- Top off the oil agai n, if necessary . - Sc
rew the cap back on the filling hole and slide the oil
dipstick in as far as it will go .
& WARNING
• Whil e topping o ff, the oil mu st not come in cont act with h ot
eng ine p arts -fire haza rd!
• The o il filler cap mu st be properly se cured to pr event oil from
b ei ng spr ayed on th e hot engi ne and e xhau st sy stem when the
engine i s running · fire ha zard !
• If y our skin has com e in contac t with the eng ine oil, you mu st
s ub sequently clean se it thoroughly.
0 Not e
• The oil level must not be above range @- danger of converter or
engine damage! Contact an authori zed dealership to draw off oi l, if
necessary.
• Audi do es not re comm end the use of oil add it ives. They may
d a mage the engi ne and adversely affe ct you r New Vehicle W arra nty.
cj? For the sake of the environment
• Under no circumstances can the oil come in co ntact with the
sewage network or the soil.
• Observe and follow legal regulations when disposing of empty
oi l containers. •
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an autho­
rized Audi dealer or a qualified service station.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, a lways r ead
a nd h eed all W ARNIN GS=:>
& in "Working in the engine compart-
ment" on
page 301 . .,_