coolant level AUDI A8 2014 Owners Manual

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 11
gauge turn on under normal d riving condi ­
tions . The LEDs higher up may turn on when
the eng ine is under heavy load or the exter ior
temperature is high . This is no need to worry
as long as the. warning light in the instru­
ment cluster does not illuminate . If the LEDs
in the upper area of the display and the ind ica­
tor light . in the instrument cluster d isplay
turn on, the coolant temperature is too high
¢ page 16.
A WARNING
-Always observe the warning in
~ page 231, Working in the engine
compartment,
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
dr ipping 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 .
(D Note
- Mounting additional lights or accessories
in front of the a ir inlets reduces the cool­
i ng effect of the rad iator . At h igh outside
temperatures or high eng ine load, the
engine co uld overheat.
- The front spo ile r has been designed to
properly distrib ute the cooling air when
the veh icle is moving. If the spoiler is
damaged, this cou ld red uce the cooling
effect and t he engine co uld then over­
heat . Ask your aut ho rized Audi dea le r for
ass istance.
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM
(revolutions per minutes).
If engine R PM drops be low 1,500, you should
downshift to the next lower gear. The red a rea
at the end of the sca le ind icates maxim um
perm iss ible engine RPM after the break-in pe­
riod. Before reaching this area, move these­
lector lever to position "D (Drive)" or ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
@ Note
The tachometer need le should only briefly
be in the red zone: yo u could damage your
engine! The beg inning of the red zone var ­
i es dependi ng on the engine.
@ For the sake of the environment
Upsh ifting early saves fuel and reduces en ­
gine noise.
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge only works when the ignition is
o n.
If the fue l level drops below 4 gallons (15
l ite rs), the bottom LE D tu rns red and the indi­
cator light~ turns on
c::> page 21. The bot­
tom LED b link s red when the fue l level is very
l ow .
The possible range based on the current fuel
level is shown in tab@~
page 24, fig. 4.
(D Note
Never run the ta nk complet ely dry. An ir­
regular supply of f uel can cause engine
misfiring and fuel cou ld enter the exha ust
system. The cata lytic converter could t hen
overheat and be damaged .
Warning/indicator
lights
Description
T he ind icator lights in the ins trument clus ter
blink or turn on. They indica te fu nct ions or
malfunctions
c;;> ,& .
Messages may appea r with some indicato r
li ghts. A warning signal will sound at the
same t ime. The indica tor lights an d messages
in the center of the displays may be rep laced
by other disp lays. To show them again, select
the tab for ind icator lights and messages us­
ing the multifunction steering whee l
c;;> page 24. If there are several malfunc­
tions, you can display them one at a time us- ing the thumbwheel. ..,.

16 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
automatically if the driver's safety be lt is fas­
tened .
Ill Parking brake!
If the II indicator light turns on and this
message appears, there is a parking brake
malfunction. Drive to your authorized Aud i
dealer or qualified wo rkshop immediately to
have the ma lf u nction corrected .
-l Engine cooling system malfunction
A malfunction in the engine cooling system
must be repaired as soon as possible.
• Switch off engine and check coolant level
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the coolant temperature is too
high or the coolant level is too low.
• Pull off the road.
• Stop the vehicle.
•Turnoff the engine.
• Check coolant level ¢
page 240.
• Add coolant if necessary ¢ page 240.
• Continue driving only after the eng ine cool­
ant warning/ indicator light goes o ut.
• Contact your authorized Audi deale r for as-
sistance if necessary .
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the
radiator fan may be the cause of the malfunc­
tion.
• Coolant temperature too high! Please let
engine run with vehicle stationary
If the indicator light turns on and the mes ­
sage appears in trailer mode*, let the engine
run at id le for a few m inutes to cool down.
A 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
wa rning lights ¢
page 47, Emergency
flasher.
- Never open the hood if you see or hear
steam or coolant escap ing from the en- gine
compartment -you risk being scald­
ed. 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 warn ing stickers ¢
page 231.
([) Note
Do not continue dr iv ing if the . symbol
ill uminates. There is a malfunction in the
engine cooling system -you could damage
your engine .
~ Safety belts
This warning/indicator light reminds you to
put on your safety belt.
The . warning/ indicator light illum inates
when the ignition is switched on to remind
the driver and any front passenger to put on
the safety belt. Add itionally, an acoustic warn­
ing (gong) w ill also sound .
For more Informat ion
¢ page 145, 4'-Safety
belt warning light .
· u Battery
This warning/indicator light detects a mal­
function in the generator or in the vehicle's
electrical system .
The. warn ing/ indicator light illuminates
when you switch on the ignition and must go
out after the eng ine has started.
• Alternator fault: Battery is not being
charged
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunct ion in the
generator or veh icle electrical system.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer or quali­
fied workshop immediate ly. Because the vehi­
cle battery is discharging, turn off all unnec ­
essary electrical equipment such as the radio . .,.

24 0 Ch eck ing and filling
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance .
Fig . 204 Eng ine compartment: cover on the coolant
expa nsion tank
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
a lwa ys re ad and h eed a ll WA RN­
INGS o .A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 231 .
Park your vehicle on a level surface.
• Switch
off the ignition .
• Read the engine coolant leve l from the cool­
ant expansion tank
o fig. 204, o page 233.
With a cold engine, the coolant level should
be betwee n the "min" and "max" markings.
When the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the "max" marking .
The location of the coolant expans ion tank
can be seen in the engine compartment illus ­
tration
o page 233.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine
must be switched
off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with an e lectric coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System
o page 16 wi ll
illuminate unti l you add coolant and the level
has been restored to normal. Even though
there is an electric coolant level sensor, we
still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time.
Coolant l oss
Coolant loss may indicate a le ak in the cooling
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cool- ing system shou
ld be inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dea ler . It is not
enough mere ly to add coo lant .
In a
sea le d system, losses can occur on ly if
the boiling point of the coo lant is exceeded as
a res ult of overheating.
A WARNING
-The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Red uce the risk of scald­
i ng from hot coolant by fo llow ing these
steps.
- Turn
off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping flu id and steam by covering the
cap with a large, th ick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in
a counter-clockwise d irect ion while ap­
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap.
- To avo id being burned, do not sp ill anti­
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system
or hot engine parts. Under certa in cond i­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool­
ant can catch fire.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your veh icle's engine coolant . Add­
i ng radiator repa ir fluid may adverse ly af­
fect the funct io n 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 anyth ing in the eng ine com­
partment,
alw ay s re ad and h eed all WARN­
IN GS o .A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 231.
• Tu rnoff the engi ne.
• Let the eng ine cool down.

242 Checking and filling
-The auxiliary e lectric fan is temperature
controlled and can switch on suddenly
even when the engine is not runn ing.
- The auxiliary radiator fan switches on au­
tomatically when the engine coolant
reaches a certain temperature and will
continue to run until the coolant temper­
ature drops .
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a
quick glance.
Fig . 205 E ng ine co mpartment: cove r on the brake fluid
r eservo ir
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS 9 &_ in Working in the engine compart­
m ent on page 231.
.. Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fluid reservoir
9 fig . 205, q page 233. The
brake fluid leve l must be between the "MIN"
and "MAX" markings.
The location of the brake fl uid reservoir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustrat ion
9 page233.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably be­
low the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/ind i­
cator light
1111 (U.S. models)/ . (Canadian
models) will come on
q page 14. Do not con­
tinue to operate the vehicle . T he complete
brake system should be thoroughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other quali­
fied fac ility and the cause corrected.
If th e
brake flu id level is too low, the brake wa rning/
indicator light will illuminate. Contact an au­
thorized Audi dealer
immediately.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by on experi­
enced technician.
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
a fter a period of time. The boiling point of the
brake fluid will also decrease considerably and
decrease braking performance .
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always use new brake flu id
which conforms to Federal Motor Veh icle
Standard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4" .
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficu lt to
reach, therefore, we recommend that you
have the brake fluid changed by your author ­
ized
Audi dealer . Your dealer has the correct
tools, the right brake fluid and the know-how
to do this for you .
.&, WARNING
-Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stor­
ed only in the closed origina l container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can result from old or inap­
propriate brake fluid. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE
spec ification
J 1703 and conforms to
Federa l Motor Vehicle Standard 116.
Always check with your authorized Aud i
dealer to make sure you are using the
correct brake fluid. The correct type of
brake fluid is also indicated on the
brake fluid reservoir .
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is Left in the system too
lllJ.

29 4 Con sum er Inf ormation
-Always make sure the transmission se­
lector lever (automatic transmiss ion) is
in "P" (Park position) and the park brake
is applied .
@) For the sake of the environment
-Changing the engine settings wi ll ad­
versely affect em iss ion levels. This is det­
rimental to the environment and increas­
es fuel consumption .
- Always observe env ironmental regula­
tions when dispos ing of old engine oil,
used brake fluid, dirty engine coolant,
spent batteries or worn out tires.
- Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
s ioners might be classified as Perchlo ­
rate Material -spec ial handling may ap­
ply, see www.dtsc.ca .gov/hazardous­
waste/perch lorate . When the veh icle or
parts of the restraint system including
airbag modules safety belts wit h preten ­
sioners are scrapped, all applicable laws
and regulations must be observed. Your
authori zed Aud i dea ler is familiar with
these requirements and we recommend
that you have your dealer perform this
serv ice for you .
Additional accessories,
modifications and
parts replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
Always consult an authorized Audi dealer be­
fore purchasing accessories.
Your veh icle incorporates the latest safety de­
sig n featu res ensu ring a high standard of ac­
tive and passive safety .
This safety could be compromised by non-ap­ proved changes to the veh icle. For this reason ,
if pa rts have to be replaced , please observe
the following points when install ing addition­
a l accessories: Approved Audi accessories and genuine Aud
i
parts are available from authorized A udi deal­
ers.
T hese dea le rs a lso have the necessary facili­
ties, tools and trained specialists to install the parts and acc essories proper ly .
A WARNING
-Using the wrong spare parts or using non-
approved accessories can cause damage to
the veh icle and ser ious persona l injury.
- Use on ly accessories express ly approved
by Audi and gen uine Audi spare parts
- These parts and accessories have been
specia lly designed to be used on yo ur ve­
h icle .
- Never install accessor ies such as tele­
phone crad les or beverage ho lders on a ir­
bag covers or within the airbag deploy­
ment zones . Do ing so will increase the
risk of injury if a irbags are triggered in an
accident!
- Before you check anything in the engine
compa rtment, always read and heed a ll
WARNI NGS
9 page 231.
(D Note
-If items other than genu ine Audi spare
parts, add-on equipment and accessory
items are used or if repair work is not
performed accord ing to specified meth­
ods, this c an resu lt in seve re damage to
your vehicle's eng ine and body (such as
corrosion) and adversely affect yo ur vehi ­
cle's warranty .
- T he innovat ive a luminium concept of
your Audi AB means that all servicing, re­
pairs or other work on the vehicle body
must be carr ied out exclusive ly by an
Audi workshop .
- If emergency repairs must be performed
elsewhere, have the veh icle examined by
an authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible .
- The manufacturer cannot be held liable
for damage wh ic h occurs due to failure
to comply with these stipu lations .

298 Index
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Setup ..... ................ ..... .. 82
Automatic climate control system
synchron izing .......... .. .. .. .. .. .. 81
Automatic transmission . .. .. .. .. .. .. . 116
Automatic transmission (tiptronic) Emergency mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Kick -down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Manual shifting .......... .. .. .. .. . 119
Parking lock emergency release . .. .. . 121
Selector lever positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Automatic wipers .................. .. S3
Auto Safety Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Average consumption ........... .. .. .. 25
Average speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Avoid damaging the vehicle ...... .. .. . 209
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Charging . .. ................ ... .. . 245
I mportant warnings .......... .. .. . 243
L ocat ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
low ... .. .. .. . .......... .. .. .. .. . 204
Replacing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
State of charge ............ ... .... . 204
Winter operation .......... ... .... . 243
Working on the battery .... .. .. .. .. . 243
Before driving ........... .. .. .. .. .. . 135
Blended gasoline . ...... ... .... .. .. . 222
Blower (automatic climate control) . ... .. 81
Booster seats .............. ... .. ... 185
Brake fluid Changing the brake fluid ... .. .. .. .. . 242
Check ing the brake fluid level ... .. .. . 242
What is the correct brake fluid level? .. 242
What should I do if the brake fluid warn-
ing light comes on? ..... .. .. .. .. .. . 242
Brake system Anti-lock braking system ... .. .. .. .. . . 19
Brake assist system ......... .. .. ... 199
Brake booster . .. ...... .... ... .. .. . 203
Brake fluid .............. .... ..... 242
Brake fluid spec ificat ions for refill and re­
p la cement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Brake light defective ....... ... .... . . 22
Brake pads ............... ... .... . 207
Electromechanica l parking brake .. .. . . 86 Fluid
reservoir ... ................ . 242
How does moisture or road salt affect the
brakes? .......................... 201
Warning/indicator lights ........ .... . 14
Worn brake pads symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
braking guard Messages ..... .. ............. .... 101
Braking guard . .. .. ... .......... .. .. . 94
Settings .. .... ............... .... 101
Break-in period .. .. ... .......... .. .. 207
Brake pads .. .. .. .......... ... .. .. 207
Tires ...... ... .. .. ........ ... .. .. 207
Bul bs .. .... .... ................... 282
C
California Proposition 65 Warning ..... 232
Battery specific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24S
Capacities .. .. .. . .............. .. .. 290
Engine oil ..... .. ... .......... .. .. 234
Carbon parts Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218,219
Car carrier Transporting your vehicle ....... .... 287
Care ... .... .... ............... .... 216
Cargo area
refer to Luggage compartment . .. .. .. 141
Catalytic converter . ................. 208
Center armrest
Cockpit ........................... 61
Rear ............................. 68
Central locking .. .. ... ........... ... . 33
Emergency locking .. ........... .... . 37
Certification .. .. .. ............. .. .. 29S
Changing a wheel .. ............. .... 272
Chang ing engine oil ....... ...... .. .. 238
Checking Engine coolant level . ........... .. .. 240
Tire pressure .................... .. 254
Child restraints Danger of using child restraints in the
front seat . ................... .... 15S
Where can I get additional information
about child restraints and their use? .. 196
Child restraint system anchors ..... ... 190

Engine compartment .... ... .. .. .. .. . 233
C losing the hood . ..... ... .. .. .. .. . 232
Opening the hood ....... ... .. .. .. . 231
Safety instructions ........ .. .. .. .. . 231
Working in the engine compartment . . 231
E ng ine coolant ... .. .... ... .. .. .. ... 239
Adding coolant . ... .... ... .. .. .. ... 240
Chec king the eng ine coolant leve l .. .. . 240
Expansion tank ........... .... .. ... 240
Malfunct ion symbo l ....... .. .. .. .. .. 16
Radiator fan ................ .... .. 241
Temperature ga uge ....... .. .. .. .. .. 1 0
Engine oil ... .. .... .... ... .. .. .. ... 234
Adding .. .. ............. .... .. .. . 237
Addit ives . .. .. ........... .. .. .. ... 237
Changing ................ ... ... .. 238
Checking oil level ............. ... .. 237
Checking the eng ine o il level .. .. . ... . 236
Consumpt ion ............ .... .. .. . 237
I ndications and cond it io ns requ iring ex-
tra checking ............. .. .. .. .. . 236
I ndica tor light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7
Oi l cons umption .. ..... ... .. .. .. ... 236
O il grades .. .. ........... .. .. .. ... 234
Pressure malfunction ...... .. .. .. .. .. 17
Recommended oil check intervals .. .. . 236
Sensor defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Specification and viscos ity ... ... ... .. 234
Engine sound . ... .. .... ... .. .. .... . 110
E ng ine speed limitat io n ..... .. .. .. .. .. 2 1
Eng ine start-stop mode
refer to Sta rt-Stop-System ..... . ... .. 90
Entry assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
E nv iro nment
Brea k-in period ........... .. .. .. ... 20 7
Cata lytic conver ter ..... ... .. .. .. .. . 208
Diese l partic ulate fi lter . ... .. .. .. .. . 208
Disposing of yo ur vehicle batte ry . .... 246
Driving at h igh speeds ..... .. .. .. .. . 210
Driving to m inimi ze pollution and no ise 209
Fue l ..... .. .. ............. .. .. ... 225
Fuel economy ............. ... ... .. 209
L eaks under your veh icle .... ... ... .. 23 1
L ett ing the ve hicle stand and wa rm up . 210
P rope r disposal of dra ined brake flu id . 24 2
Inde x 301
Proper disposal of d rained eng ine cool -
ant . ... .. .. .. .... . ... ...... ... .. 240
Proper disposal of drained eng ine
o il . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237,238
Recycling used engine oil ............ 23 7
U nleaded fuel .. ... ................ 222
What should I do with an o ld battery? . 246
EPC
refer to Electron ic power control (EPC) . 20
ESC
refer to E le ct ron ic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ... .. .. .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 199
E vent Data Recorde r (ED R) ........ .. .. 199
Exhaust tail pipes Cleaning .. .. .. .. ............... .. 218
Expansion tank . ..... . .. .. ..... ... .. 240
Exterior lighting .... ................. 46
Exterior mirrors Adjusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S5
Dimming .. .. .. .... ... ....... ...... 56
Heating ..... .. .... ... ....... ...... 55
Exterior temperat ure display ... ... .. .. . 24
F
Fastening
Booster seats ...... . .. .. ..... ... .. 185
Convertib le child sa fety seats . ... .. .. 184
Infant seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Fo ld ing table ...... .. ................ 69
Foot peda ls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Fo r th e sake of the envi ronment
Gasoline fumes and the env ironme nt .. 2 25
Red ucing engine noise by early upshift -
ing .. ... .. .. .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. . 10
Ref uelling ... .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 225
Saving f uel by early upsh ifting ..... .. . 10
Fo ur zone a utoma tic cl im ate cont rol .. .. . 80
Front airbags Desc ription ...... .. ............... 157
How they work ... .. ... ....... .... . 162
Frontal coll is ions and the laws of physics 146
Fron t passenger seat a djustment . . . . . . . 64
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Adjust ing . .. .. .... .......... ..... 137
Child rest raints in the front seat .. .. .. 155
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