battery AUDI A8 2015 User Guide

7 4 Seats and storage
12-volt sockets
Applies to vehicles: 12-volt socke ts
Electrical accessories can be connected to ev­
ery 12-volt socket.
Fig. 78 Section of the trim panel of the luggage com­
partment: 12-volt socket
Fig . 79 Rear center console: 12-volt socket
.. Open the socket cover¢ fig. 78 or¢ fig . 79 .
.. Insert the plug of the electrical device into
the socket .
There is an additional 12 volt socket in the
front center console¢
page 74, fig. 80.
The 12 volt sockets can be used for electrical
accessories. The power input must not exceed
120 watts.
Before you purchase any accessories, always
read and follow the information in
<::> page 292, Additional accessories and parts
replacement.
A WARNING
The sockets and the electrical accessories connected to them operate only when the
ignition is switched on. Incorrect usage
can lead to serious injuries or burns. To re­
duce the risk of injuries, never leave chil- dren
unattended in the vehicle with the
ve­
hicle key.
(D Note
To avoid damaging the socket, only use plugs that fit properly .
-Never connect equipment that generates
electrical current, such as a solar panel
or battery charger, to the 12 volt socket.
This could damage the vehicle's electri­
cal system.
- The 12 volt socket should only be used
for a short period of ti me as a power
source for electrical equipment. Please
use the electrical sockets in the vehicle
when connecting equipment for longer periods.
(D Tips
When the engine is off and accessories are
still plugged in and are on, the vehicle bat­
tery can still be drained .
Storage
'(upholder
Fig. 80 Center console: front cupholder
Fig. 81 Section of the rear bench seat: rear cupholder Ill>

76 Seats and storage
become a hazard for vehicle occupants in
the event of sudden braking or a crash.
- Always remove objects from the instru­
ment panel. Any items not stored could
slide around inside the vehicle while driv­
ing or when accelerating or when apply­
ing the brakes or when driving around a
corner.
- When you are driving make sure that
anything you may have placed in the cen­
ter console or other storage locations cannot fall out into the footwells. In case
of sudden braking you would not be able
to brake or accelerate.
- Any articles of clothing that you have
hung up must not interfere with the driv­
er's view. The coat hooks are designed
only for lightweight clothing. Never hang
any clothing with hard, pointed or heavy
objects in the pockets on the coat hooks.
During sudden braking or in an accident -
especially if the airbag is deployed -
these objects could injure any passen­ gers inside the vehicle .
- To reduce the risk of personal injury in an
accident or sudden stop, always keep the
glove compartment closed while driving .
- Read and follow all WARNINGS
¢ page 170, Important safety instruc­
tions on the side airbag system.
- Hang clothes in such a way that they do
not impair the driver's vision.
- The coat hooks must only be used for lightweight clothing . Do not leave any
heavy or sharp edged objects in the pock­
ets which may interfere with the side cur­
tain airbag deployment and can cause
personal injury in a crash.
- Do not use coat hangers for hanging
clothing on the coat hooks as this can in­
terfere with proper deployment of the
side curtain airbags in an accident.
- Do not hang heavy objects on the coat
hooks, as they could cause personal in­
jury in a sudden stop.
(D Note
Objects located on the rear shelf that rub
against the rear window could damage the
heating wires for the rear window defog­
ger.
@ Tips
- A vent slot is located between the shelf
and the rear window. Do not block the
vent with any items you may place on the
rear window shelf.
- Do not place bulky items on the rear win­
dow shelf as they could restrict or block
the driver's vision in the rear view mirror.
Cooler
Introduction
Applies to vehicles: wi th coo ler
Please clean the cooler before using it for the
first time ¢
table on page 216.
You can only switch on the cooler if
- the temperature in the luggage compart­
ment is below 131 °F (55 °C). The cooler
switches off automatically if the tempera­
ture in the luggage compartment exceeds
131 °F (55 °C). Once the temperature falls
below 131 °F (55 °C) again, the cooler
switches on again automatically.
- the battery is adequately charged. The cool­
er switches off automatically if the vehicle
battery voltage falls below a minimum lev­
el. This prevents the battery from discharg­ ing. The cooler switches back on again auto­
matically when the battery voltage increases
again (e .g. after starting the engine).
The cooler cools to 42.8 °F
(+ 6 °C) and the
freezer cools to 21.2 °F (-6 °C) in optimum
cooling conditions. The cooling performance
is affected by the temperature in the luggage
compartment . The temperature inside the
cooler will be higher if the luggage compart-
ment is hot. .,.

Starting the engine if there is a
malfunction
It may not be possible to start the engine un­
der certain circumstances , for example if the
battery in the vehicle key is drained , if inter ­
ference hos affected the key or if there is a
system malfunction.
i :c _ ____ ;&
Fig. 89 Center console/master key : starting the engine
if th ere is a m alfunction
Requirement : The message Key not re cog­
nized. Hold b ack of key against marked area.
See owner's manual.
must appear and the in­
dicator light
II must switch on .
"' Hold the master key vert ica lly in the loca­
tion indicated
y >>) c::> fig. 89.
"' Press the brake pedal i=:> A in Starting the
engine on page 83 .
"'Press the j ~s_T_A_R_T_E_N_G _I_N _E_ S_T_O_P~I button . The
engine will start .
"' Drive to your au thor ized Audi dealer imme­
diately to have the malfunct ion corrected .
(D Tips
You can view the message again by press­
ing the
! START ENGINE STOP I button.
On the road 85
Electromechanical
parking brake
Operation
The electromechanical parking broke replaces
the hand broke.
Fig. 90 Center co nsole: Parking b rake
"' Pull on the switch © i=:> fig. 90 ® to apply
the parking brake. The indicator lights in the
switch and. (USA models)/ . (Cana-
da models) in the instrument cluster illumi­
nate .
"' With the ignition switched on, step on the
brake peda l or the accelerator pedal and
press the switch <®lat the same time to re­
lease the parking brake . The indicator lights
in the switch and. (USA mode ls)/ . (Can­
ada models) in the instrument cluster go
out .
Your vehicle is equipped with an electrome­
chanical parking brake. The parking brake is
designed to prevent the vehicle from rolling unintentionally and replaces the hand brake.
In addit ion to the normal functions of a tradi­
tiona l hand brake, the electromechanical
parking brake provides vario us convenience
and safety functions .
When starting from rest
-The integral start ing assist helps you when
driving by automatically re leasing the park­
i ng brake
i=:> page 86, Starting from rest.
- When start ing on inclines , the starting as-
sist prevents the vehicle from unintentiona l-
ly rolling back. The braking force of the
parking brake is not re leased until sufficient
111>

88 On the road
switched off. More force is required to
stop and to steer the vehicle.
- To reduce the risk of injuries, make sure
that the Start-Stop-System is turned off
when working in the engine compart­
me nt¢
page 89.
(D Note
Always switch off the Start-Stop -System
when driving through water ¢
page 89.
Starting/stopping the engine
Applies to vehicles: with Start-Stop-System
Fig . 91 In strument duster : eng ine switc hed off (stop
phase)
~ Slow the vehicle to a stop using the brake
and keep pressing the brake pedal. The en­
gine w ill switch off. The
11] indicator light
appears in the information line in the instru­
ment cluster display.
~ When you take your foot off the brake ped­
al, the engine restarts . The ind icator light
turns off.
Additional information
The engine w ill switch off in the P, D, N and S
positions as well as in manua l mode. In the P
position, the e ngine will also remain off if you
take your foot off the brake pedal. The engine
starts again when you select another se lector
lever position and take your foot off the brake
pedal.
If you select the R position during a Stop
phase, the engine will start again .
Shift from D to P quickly to prevent the engine
from starting unintentionally when shifting
through R. You
can determine for yourself if the engine
will stop or not by reducing or increasing the
amount of force you use to press the brake
pedal. For example, if you only lightly press
on the brake pedal in stop-and and-go traffic
or when turning, the engine will not switch off
when the vehicle is stationary. As soon as you
press the brake down harder, the engine wi ll
switch off.
General information
Applies to vehicles: with Start-Stop-System
The standard Start-Stop-mode can be cancel­
led for different system-related reasons.
Fig. 92 Instrument cluster: eng ine -Stop temporarily
unavailable
Engine will not switch off
Before each stop phase, the system checks if
certain conditions have been met. For exam­
ple, the eng ine will
not be switched off in the
following situations:
- The engine has not reached the minimum
requ ired temperature for Start-Stop-mode.
- The interior temperature selected by the A/C
system has not been reached.
- The outside temperature is extremely high/
low.
- The windshield is being defrosted
¢page 81.
-The parking system* is switched on.
- The battery charge level is too low.
- The steering wheel is sharply turned or
there is a steering movement.
- After engaging the reverse gear.
- On sharp incl ines.

The@j indicator light appears in the informa ­
tion line in the instrument cluster display
<:!)fig. 92 .
Engine automatically restarts
The stop phase is interrupted in the following
situations, for examp le. The engi ne restarts
without any action by the driver.
- Th e interior temperature varies from the
temperatu re selected in the A/C system.
- The windshield is being defrosted
r::!) page 81 .
-The brake pedal is pressed several times in a
row.
- The battery charge level becomes too low.
- High power consumption .
Switching the ignition off automatically
To prevent the battery from draining, the igni­
tion will switch off
automatically when all of
the following conditions have been met:
- The vehicle has al ready been driven.
- The eng ine has been turned off by the Start-
Stop-System*.
- The driver's door is opened.
- The driver's seat belt is removed .
- The brake pedal is not pressed down.
- The vehicle is stationary .
In this case, the activated low beam will be re­
placed by the side marker lights. The side
marker lights will switch off after approxi­
mately 30 minutes or when you lock the vehi­
cle .
If the Start-Stop System has
not turned off
the engine or if you have switched the Start­
Stop system off manually, the ignition w ill
not
be automatically switched off and the engine
will cont inue to run
r::!) .&. .
A WARNING
Never allow the engine to run in confined
spaces - danger of asphyxiation.
(D Tips
If you shift into the D, N or S positions af­
ter shift ing into reverse, the veh icle must
On the road 89
be driven faster than 6 mph (10 km/h) in
order for the engine to switch off again.
Switching the Start-Stop-System on/off
manually
App lies to vehicles: wit h Start -Stop -System
If you do not wish to use the system, you can
switch it off manually.
Fig. 93 Center console: Start -Stop -System button
.,. To switch the Sta rt-Stop-System off/on
manually, p ress the
ICA.> ••I button. The L ED in
the button turns on when the system is
sw itched off.
(D Tips
If you switch the system off during a stop
phase, the engine will start again auto­
ma tically .
Messages in the instrument cluster
display
Applies to vehicles: wit h Start-Stop-Syste m
Start-Stop system deactivated: Please re­
start engine manually
This message appears when specific condi­
tions are not met during a stop phase and the
Start-Stop-System will
not be able to restart
the engine. If the Dor R selector lever posi­
tions were engaged, P will be selected auto­
matically . The engine must be started with
the
I START ENGINE ST OP ! button.
Start-Stop system: System fault! Function
unavailable
There is a malfunction in the Start-Stop-Sys­
tem. Drive the vehicle to an authorized repair .,.

.... N .... N
0 J:
'SI: .... \!) 1.1"1
.... 1.1"1 ....
@ Tips
-Side assist is not active whi le you are
making the adjustment.
- Your settings are automatica lly stored
and assigned to the remote control key
being used.
Driver messages
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
If side ass ist switches off by itself, the LED in
the button turns off and a message will ap­
pear in the instrument cluster d isplay:
Audi side assist: Currently unavailable . No
sensor vision
The radar sensors' vision is affected. Do not
cover the area in front of the sensors with bike
wheels, stickers, dirt or other objects. Clean
the area in front of the sensors, if necessary
c>page 105, fig . 114.
Audi side assist: Currently unavailable
Side assist cannot be swi tched on temporarily
because there is a malfunction (for example,
the battery charge leve l may be too low) .
Audi side assist: System fault!
The system cannot guarantee that it will de ­
tect vehicles correctly and it is switched off .
The senso rs have been displaced or are faulty.
Ha ve the sys tem checked by an authorized
Aud i dealer o r autho rized Aud i Service Fac ilit y
soon.
Audi side assist: Unavailable when towing.
Side assist sw itches off automatically when a
factory- installed trailer hitch is connected to
the electrical connector on the trailer. There is
no guarantee the system will switc h off when
using a retrofitted trailer hitch. Do not use
side assist when towing a trailer .
Audi side assist 107

,....,
N ,....,
N
0 J:
'SI: ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
& WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair proce­
dures can increase the risk of personal in­
jury and death by preventing an airbag from deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
- Never cover, obstruct, or change the steering wheel horn pad or airbag cover
~r the instrument panel or modify them
in anyway .
- Never attach any objects such as cup
holders or telephone mountings to the
surfaces covering the airbag units .
- For cleaning the horn pad or instrument
panel, use only a soft, dry cloth or one
moistened with plain water. Solvents or
cleaners could damage the airbag cover
or change the stiffness or strength of the
material so that the airbag cannot de­
ploy and protect properly.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts
of the airbag system.
- All work on the steering wheel, instru­
ment panel, front seats or electrical sys­
tem (including the installation of audio
equipment, cellular telephones and CB
radios, etc.) must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training
and special equipment necessary.
- For any work on the airbag system, we
strongly recommend that you see your authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop .
- Never modify the front bumper or parts
of the vehicle body .
- Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without interference:
- Never install seat covers or replace ­
ment upholstery over the front seat­
backs that have not been specifically
approved by Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags
inflate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or
to the seam in the area of the side air­
bag module must always be repaired
Airbag system 165
immediately by an authorized Audi
dealer.
- The airbag system can be activated only
once . After an airbag has inflated, it
must be replaced by an authori zed Audi
dealer or qualified technician who has
the technical information, training and
special equipment necessary.
- The airbag system can be deployed only
once . After an airbag has been deployed,
it must be replaced with new replace­
ment parts designed and approved espe­
cially for your Audi model version . Re­
placement of complete airbag systems
or airbag components must be per­
formed by qualified workshops only. Make sure that any airbag service action
is entered in your Audi Warranty
& Main­
t enance booklet under
AIRBAG REPLACE­
MENT RECORD .
-For safety reasons in severe accidents,
the alternator and starter are separa ted
from the vehicle battery with a pyrotech ­
nic circuit interrupter .
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit inter­
rupter must only be performed by a
qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
- If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter
is scrapped , all applicable safety pre­
cautions must be followed.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
sioners might be classified as Perchlorate
Material -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc .ca. gov/hazard o u swaste/ per­
chlorate . When the vehicle or parts of the
restraint system including airbag modules
and safety belts with pretensioners are
scrapped, all applicable laws and regula­
tions must be observed. Your authorized
Audi dealer is familiar with these require­
ments and we recommend that you have
your dealer perform this service for you.
•
•

202 Intelligent technology
Driving with your
quattro
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driv­
en .
General inform ation
With All Wheel Drive, power is distributed to
all four wheels . This happens automatically
depending on your driving style and the road
conditions at the time . See also
c:;; page 197.
With the sport differential*, power d istribu­
tion to the rear wheels is variable and can be
adjusted with Audi d rive select*
c:;; page 108.
Always read and follow safety precautions
¢ .&,.
Winter tires
When driving in the winter , your vehicle with
A ll Wheel Drive has an advantage, even with
regular tir es. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea­
son tires) for improved driveability and brak­ ing: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also ¢ page 260, Winter tires.
Snow chains
Where snow chains are mandatory on certa in
roads, this normally a lso applies to vehicles
with A ll Wheel Drive
c:;, page 261, Snow
chains .
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Dr ive must always
have tires of the same size. Also avoid ti res
with different tread depths. For details see
page
c:;, page 256, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels .
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clear­
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle. It is
therefore best to avoid rough tracks and un ­
even terrain as much as possible. Also refer to
c:;; page207.
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traf­
f ic conditions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by All Wheel Drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
- Although the All Wheel Drive is very ef­
fective, always remember that braking
capacity is lim ited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive
speeds on icy or slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to
drive too fast because the front wheels
could begin to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning) . If this should occur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in­
crease in eng ine speed as with a front­
wheel drive vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road con­
ditions - risk of crash .
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting
the engine .
If a vehicle with a conventiona l ene rgy system
is not driven for a long period of time, the bat­
tery is discharged by idling current consumers
(e .g. immobilizer). In certain circumstances it
can resu lt in there being insufficient energy
available to start the engine .
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle handles the distribution of e lectrica l ener­
gy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
battery diagnosis , idling current manage­
ment
and dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines
the state of the battery. Sensors determine
battery voltage, battery current and battery ..,.

.... N .... N
0 J:
'SI: .... \!) 1.1'1
.... 1.1'1 ....
temperature. This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy
consumpt ion while the vehicle is stand ing.
With the ignition switched off, it contro ls the
energy supply to the various e lectrica l compo ­
nents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid­
ered.
D epending on the battery's state of charge,
individua l consumers are gradua lly turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of the battery
and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the veh icle is being driven, dynamic en­
ergy management dist ributes the energy gen­
erated according to the needs of the individu­
a l components . It reg ulates consumption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
than is being generated and ensures an opti­
mal state of charge for the battery.
- But even energy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
limited.
- If starting ab ility is threatened, the indi­
cator light (•) appears
c> page 16, Cl
Battery .
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability .
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the cold time
of year. Abundant electrical energy is re­
qu ired, but only a little is generated. It is also
cr itica l if the engine is not running and electri­
cal components are turned on. In th is in­
stance energy is being consumed but none is
be ing generated .
Intelligent technology 203
It is in precisely these situations that you will
notice energy management active ly regu lat­
ing the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, e lectrica l compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main­
tains starting capability over a longer period.
Some of the convenience functions may not
operate, such as the interior lights or the
power seat adjustment. The convenience
functions will be available again when you
switch on the ignition and start the eng ine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the engine turned off or use other MMI func­
tions, the battery is being discharged.
If starting capability is jeopardi zed due to en­
ergy consumption , the following warning ap­
pears in the MM I display:
Please start the engine soon or the system
will be turned off.
The warning indicates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 minutes. If
you w ish to continue using the functions, you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is being driven, the battery can be­
come discharged . This happens mostly when
li ttle energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is not optimal.
T o b ring the energy ba lance back into equili­
brium , consumers wh ich requ ire espe cially
large amounts of energy are temporarily cut
back or switched off . Heating systems in par­
ticular require a great deal of energy. If you
notice, for examp le, that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they
have been temporarily cut back or switched .,.
•
•

204 Intelligent technology
off. These systems will be avai lable again as
soon as the energy ba lance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased s lightly. This is normal and not
a cause for concern. By increasing engine idle
speed the additiona l energy required is gener­
ated and the battery is charged .