warning AUDI S8 2008 Owners Manual

Checking and filling -_______________________________ =..:..:..::...::.:..;~:.....:...;_.:..:..,__--=--.J
fl::. WARNING (continued )
• Antifr eez e is po isonous. Always stor e antifreeze in it s origin al
c ontainer and well out of the re ach of ch ildren .
• If you drain the coolant , it must be caught and saf ely stored in
a prop er co ntainer cle arly m arked "poi son ".
0 Note
• Coolant po llutes the environment and cou ld cause an engine
fire. Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief
valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
• I f, in an emergency, only wa ter can be added, the correct ratio
between water and
antifreeze => page 314 must be restored as soon
as possib le .
W For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused . A lways dispose of used
coolant while observing all environmental regulations . •
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by i tself .
The radiator fan is driven by the engine via the V-be lt. The viscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the temperature
of the coo lan t.
An auxiliary electric radiator fan * switches on and off depending on
coolant temperature and other vehic le opera ting condi tions.
After you switch the engine off , the auxiliary fan can continue
running for up to 10 minutes -even with the ignition off. It can even
switch on again later by
itself =>& , if
• the temperature of the engine coo lant rises due to the heat
bu ild -up fro m the engine in the engine c ompar tment , or •
the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunlight .
& WARNING
• To reduce the ri sk of per sonal injury never tou ch the radiator
fan .
• The au xiliary elect ric fan i s te mperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly e ven when the engine is not running .
• The au xiliary radiato r fan switche s on auto matically when th e
eng ine coolant reache s a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coo lant temperat ure drop s. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
T he brake fluid level can be checked with a quick glance.
-w ;:;
Fig . 26 8 Engin e
c o mp artm ent: B ra ke
fluid r eservoir
Before you check anyth ing in the e ngine compartmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS ~ & in "Working in
t h e engi ne compartment " on
page 307. _,,,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ~g~ a_ n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in _g~--------------------------------------------
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 268. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left
side~ page 308.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models:
BRAKE , Canadian models:
«D>l will come on~ page 22 and~ page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized
Audi dealer
immediately. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling 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 fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho­
rized
Audi 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 stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid .
Observe these precautions:
-Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification J 1703 and
conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi 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
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety . This could result in an accident .
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom ­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With high outside temperatures or long
daily drives we recommend that you have the electrolyte level .,,_

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c
_ k_in -= g_a
_ n_d _ f_il _li _n ..;::g ;;.___.IIIII
checked by a service facility. The e lectrolyte level should also be
checked each time the battery is charged =>
page 321.
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
With ce rtain types of airbag deployment, the battery is discon­
nected from the vehicle electrical system for safety reasons=>
& in
"Repair, care and disposal of the airbags" on
page 232.
Di sconn ecting the b atte ry terminal s
Some veh ic le functions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected. These functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again. To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
veh icle electrical sys tem when absolu tely necessary for repairs.
Veh icl es not driv en for lo ng p eriods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or
weeks, electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumpt ion and maintains starting capability
over a longer period
=> page 274 .
Be aware that when you unlock your vehicle, some of the conve ­
nience functions may not operate, such as the Advanced Key*, the
remote control or the power seat adjustment. The convenience
functions will be ava ilable again when you turn on the ignition and
start the engine.
W int er operati on
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc. , are
used more often .
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when trave ling only short distances . Let your authorized Audi dea ler
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=> page 321. A well charged battery will n ot only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but wi ll also last longer.
[ i ] Tips
If your vehic le is left standing for severa l weeks at extreme ly low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. Th is wil l prevent it from be ing damaged and
having to be replaced.•
Working on the battery
Be espe cially careful when w orking on or near the battery.
Fig . 2 69 Lugg age
co mpartment : R ight ­
si de sto ra ge c omp art­
m ent
F ig. 2 70 Lugg age
co mp artment : B atte ry
T h e ba tter y is lo ca te d in t he luggage compartm ent on the
r ight side b ehind a c ove r. Before you check a nything in the
luggag e co m partment,
read and heed all WARNINGS =>& . .,.
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

_L--_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n --=g::...._ a_ n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in --'g=-- --------------------------------------------
-To open the side storage compartment, turn the two pins
©~fig. 269 to the vertical position.
The positive (+l battery terminal is protected by a plastic cover . This
cover must be removed to access the positive (+l terminal when
connecting jumper cables to start the engine.
Always heed the safety warnings, when working on the vehicle
battery or the vehicle electrical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre­
cautions when working on the battery.
-
@
®
-Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Always wear
gloves and eye protection.
No
-sparks
-flames
-smoking.
When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause personal
injury.
Always keep the battery well out of reach of chil­
dren.
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire. Read and heed the
following WARNINGS:
& WARNING (continued)
• Always wear eye protection. Do not let battery acid or any lead
particles get on your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes. Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury.
• Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can cause
blindness and severe burns.
-Always wear gloves and eye protection. Do not tilt the
battery because acid could leak out of the ventilation openings.
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immedi­
ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and get medical
attention.
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek medical attention
immediately.
• Do not expose the battery to an open flame, electric sparks or
an open light.
• Do not smoke.
• Do not interchange the positive and negative cables.
• When working on the battery, be sure not to short-circuit the
terminals with tools or other metal objects. This would cause the battery to heat up very quickly, which could lead to damage or
explosion and personal injury.
• When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen gas which is
explosive and could cause personal injury.
• Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children .
• Before work is done on the electrical system, disconnect the
negative ground cable.
• Before performing any work on the electrical system, switch off
the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment. The
negative cable on the battery must be disconnected. If you are just
going to replace a light bulb, then it is enough to switch off the
lights.
• Before disconnecting the battery, switch off the anti-theft
alarm system! Otherwise you will set off the alarm.

Checking and filling Ill
-------------~~~
•
& WARNING (continued )
• When disconnecting the battery, first disconnect the negative
cable and then the positive cable.
• Before reconnecting the battery, make sure all electrical
consumers are switched off. Reconnect the positive cable first and
then the negative cable . Never interchange the cables -this could
start a fire!
• Never charge a frozen or a thawed-out battery . It could
explode! If a battery has frozen, then it must be replaced . A
discharged battery can freeze over at 32 °F (0
°CI.
• Make sure the vent hose is always attached to the opening on
the side of the battery.
• Never use batteries which are damaged. There is the danger of
an explosion
I Always replace a damaged battery .
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning :
• Battery posts , terminals and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems . Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
• Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when the ignition is
switched on or when the engine is running, otherwise, you will
damage electronic components in the electrical system.
• I f your vehicle is going to stand for a long period of time without
being driven, protect the battery from "freezing", otherwise it will
be damaged and will then have to be replaced .•
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery.
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below ~ & and~ &
in "Working on the battery" on page 319.
-Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
- Make sure the area is well ventilated when you charge
the battery.
- Attach the red (positive
8) clamp of the charging equip­
ment to the positive terminal of the battery and the black
(negative(:)) clamp to the jumper terminal.
- Only now plug the mains lead for the charging equip­
ment into the wall outlet and turn it
on~ &.
-Make sure the charging rate is not over 30 amps/14.8
Volt.
-When the battery is fully charged: Turn the charging
equipment off and remove the mains lead from the wall
outlet.
- Now remove the clamps for the charging equipm ent.
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures of only O °C . Allow
a frozen battery to thaw completely before attempting to charge it
=> ,&. . However, we recommend not using a thawed battery again
because the battery casing can be cracked due to ice formation and
can leak battery acid.
Battery charging (Maximum charging rate of 30
amps/14.8 Volt)
When charging at low voltages (e.g . with a trickle charger ), the
battery cab les do not have to be disconnected first. The battery caps
should
not be opened when charging a battery. ~
Vehicle care

-Checking and filling PW~---=---=----------------
It is not necessary to remove the battery from the luggage compart ­
ment, and it is also not necessa ry t o disco nnec t the cab les.
F a st ch arging th e batt ery ( charging rate above 14 .8
V olts )
For technical reasons do not use a battery charger that uses voltage
greater tha n 14.8 Vo lts to charge your veh ic le's battery.
& WARNING
C harging a b attery can be dangerou s.
• Always follow the operating in structions provided by the
battery charger manufacturer when ch arging your b attery .
• Never charge a frozen battery . It may expl ode because of ga s
t rapped in the ice . Allow a frozen batter y to tha w out fir st .
• Do not reu se batteries which were fro zen. The battery hou sing
m ay have cracked and weakened when the battery froze.
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated are a. Keep aw ay from
open flame or electric al spar k. Do not smoke . Hydr ogen gas gener ­
ated by the battery i s explosive.
• To reduc e the danger of e xplosion , never conne ct or dis conn ect
charger cable s while the charger i s oper ating.
• Fa st charging a batter y is dangerous and should only be
a ttempted by a competent technician with the proper equipment .
• Battery ac id that may spill during charging should be washed
off with a solution of warm water and b aking soda to neutralize
the a cid .
0 Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine. This wil l
ser iously damage sens it ive elect ronic compo nents, such as control
units, r elays, radio , etc ., as wel l as the battery charger. •
Battery replacement
The new batte ry mus t have t he s ame s pecificati ons and
dimensions as the original equipment battery.
I ntel ligent energy management in your vehicle is responsible for
distr ibut ing the e lectr ica l energy throughout your veh icle
~ page 274. The inte lligent energy management system will keep
t he engine ba ttery charged be tter than vehicles without t his sys tem.
T o make sure the add it ional electr ical energy is avai lab le once aga in
after you have changed t he battery, we recommend that you ins tall
batteries of the same type and manufacture only (the same as those
insta lled at the time your vehicle was delivered). Specifications are
listed on the battery housing . Your authorized Audi dea ler wi ll then
code the battery management contro l unit .
The new battery must have the same capacity, voltage (12 volts), amperage, construction and p lug sea ling.
When instal ling the battery, make sure the ign ition and all elect rica l
consumers are turned off .
0 Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
'£> For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom ­
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfur ic acid and lead and must always be
disposed of proper ly i n compliance with all environmental regula­
tions . Disposing of vehicle batteries improper ly is very dangerous to
t he environment .•

Checking and filling -
----------------=--_;::;;.__,
Windshield/headlight washer
container
Using plain water is not adequate for filling the wind­
shield washer system and the headlight washer system.
Fig . 271 Engine
compartment: Wind·
shield and headlight
washer
fluid container
1-.•,
The washer fluid container is marked with the symbol <S1'.) on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working
in the engine compartment" on
page 307.
- Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer fluid. You can fill
the container to the top.
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container .
You can find the reservoir capacity in the table in=> page 378.
Use winterized windshield washer solvent during the cold season
even though the vehicle is equipped with heated washer jets. It
helps to keep your windshield clean and prevents the fluid from
freezing in the winter.
Follow the directions on the container for the correct amount to be
used.
0 Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or any other additives to fill up
the windshield washer reservoir. •
Vehic le care
I I irechnical data

lll'ft __ T_ ir_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h
_ e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu lar ly considering the comparatively smal l patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehic le and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its t ires do not have to carry more we ight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regularly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure inc luding tread separation and
blowouts.
Av oidin g dam age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possib le at a right angle to the curb .
A lways keep chem ica ls including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
flu id off the ti res.
Inspect t he t ires regu larly fo r damage (cuts, cracks or b listers, etc .l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads .
Storing tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota­
tion . This ensures you to be able to moun t them correctly w hen you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place .
S tore tires in a vert ical pos it ion if they are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in=> &.
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern .
Hidden dam age
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible . If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one side, this may ind ica te
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qual ified workshop .
Unidir ec tiona l tir es
A unid irec tional tire can be identified by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . Th is is necessary so that t hese
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=> page 357.
& WARNING
New t ires or tire s th at a re old , worn or d am aged cann ot pro vide
maximum control and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slipper y and mu st be bro ken in . To redu ce
the risk of lo sin g con tro l, a collision and seriou s per sonal injurie s,
dri ve w ith spe cial care f or the fi rst 350 mile s (560 km l.
• Driving wi th worn or damaged tir es can l ead to lo ss of control ,
sudd en tire f ailure , inc ludi ng a blowout and sudden defl atio n, .,_

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
& WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their
"previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage.
•
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
may be identified as
"XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side ­
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
( " GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
Vehicle care

Tires and wheels -
-----------------------------
•
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating <letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298
km/h)=> page 338. You may not find this informa­
tion on all tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire
sidewall and indicates the maximum permissible road
speeds=> &
in "Winter tires" on page 341.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning tell­
tale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
=> page 335, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on
measuring tire wear .
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles (kilometers) or perform in a certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers additional information to combine with
other considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recom- mendations
. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufac­
turers in three areas: treadwear, traction, and temperature resis­
tance . The UTQG information on the tires, molded into the
sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac­
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2207 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2007 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may or may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle's total seating capacity as listed on the label located either on the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by dis trib­
uting to each axle its share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by dis trib­
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table
below => page 328) and dividing by two. ..,.
Vehicle care