brakes AUDI S8 2008 Owner's Manual

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Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserves vehicle value.
Any automobile is exposed to industrial fumes, corrosive road salt,
muddy dog feet, etc . A well cared for Audi can look like new many
years a fter purchase. Regu lar a nd correc t ca re will contribu te to
maintaining the beauty and va lue of your Audi.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition for substantiating a
warr anty claim should corrosion d amage or paint defect s occur .
Your authorized Audi dealer has a variety of dedicated vehicle- care
product s
and can adv ise whic h ones to use fo r clea ning the exterior
and interior of your vehicle.
Whether you use prod ucts recom mended by Audi or o ther commer ­
cia lly availab le cleaning agents, please make sure you app ly them
correctly.
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poi sonous . Keep them out of the reach
o f children .
• Heed all cau tion label s.
• Always read directions on the container before u sing any
p rodu ct. Follo w the di re ction s carefully .
• Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be
diluted.
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated area s.
• Do not use gasoline , kerosene , die sel fuel , n ail polish remo ver
or other vol atile fluids . They may be toxic , flammable or ha zardous
in other way s. Do n ot wash , w ax or dry the vehicle with the igni ­
tion on or the engine running.
& WARNING (continued )
• Do not clean the under sides of chassis , fenders , wheel cover s,
etc . without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself
on sha rp -edged metal parts .
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking effi ciency
=> page 270 , "Gener al info rm ation ". Test the brake s carefully each
time you wash the vehicle .
~ For the sake of the environment
Select only enviro nmen ta lly friend ly c leaning pr oducts . Leftover
clean ing products should not disposed of in the household waste. •
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent washing protects the vehicle.
Th e best p rotection aga inst environmental influe nces is frequent
washing and waxing . How often this is required depends on:
• Ho w much the vehic le is used
• Where the vehic le is parked (garage, in the open under trees,
etc.)
• T he seasonal and weather conditions
• E nvironmenta l influences
T he longer bird droppings, insects, tree resin, road and industrial
gri me, ta r, soot, road salt and ot her mater ials rema in on the ve hicle
body, the more lasting their destruc tive effects will be . High temper­
atu res caused by exp osu re to in tense s un ligh t inte nsify the c orro -
s ive effect, particularly when hum idity is high as well .
_,,,

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brake dust is also corrosive. If left on for too long, brake dust can
cause pitting.
Use on ly specia l
acid-free cleaners formu lated for a lloy r ims . Safe
products are availab le at your Audi dealer. Never leave the cleaner
on the ri ms longer than specified on the label. If not rinsed off
promptly, the acid contained in some c leaners can attack the
threads o n the wheel bo lts .
Never use abrasive or metal po lishing c leaning agents . If the protec ­
t ive coating has been chipped, e.g . by kicked up road dirt, touch i t
up as soon as possible .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on b rake s ma y affe ct b raking effi ciency
=> page 270 , "General information ". Te st the brakes carefully ea ch
t ime you wa sh the vehi cle .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288. •
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not nee d to be checked.
A ll body cavit ies which could be affected by corrosion have been
t horough ly pr otected a t the factory .
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treat ­
ment . If any wax should seep out of the cavity when the ambient
temperature is high, it can be removed with a plastic scraper and a suitable solvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be d angerous.
• Ben zine is flammable and to xic . If you use benzine for removing
the wax , keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes away . Never
& W AR NING (continued )
dump benzine on the ground , into ope n streams or do wn sew age
drain s.
• Be sure to observe all safet y and env ironmental regulat ions .
Follow all in struction s on the cont ainer .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288 . •
Chassis
Hav e the underc oating c hecked for damage from tim e to
time.
T he lower body shell of your Audi is also thoroughly protected
against corrosion .
Any damage to the undercoat ing caused by road hazards s hou ld be
repaired promptly.
& WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong place s can cau se a fire .
• Do not appl y additional undercoating or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold , exhau st pipes , catalytic converter or
h eat shield s. Wh ile dr iving , the sub stan ce used for underco ating
could overheat and cau se a fire .
• Alway s re ad and heed all WARNINGS and other info rm ation
=> page 288 . •

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-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 .,,_

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

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Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
L oa d r atin g (code)
means t he m aximum load that a t ire is rated to carry for a given
inf lation pressure . You may not find this information on a ll tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax imum l oad r ating
means t he load rating for a tire a t the maximum permissib le infla­
tion pressure for that tire.
Maximum l oaded v ehi cle wei ght
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capaci ty weight, and
(d) Product ion options weight
M ax imum (p er mis sibl e) infl ati on pr essure
means the maximum cold i nflation pressure to wh ic h a t ire may be
inflated. Also cal led "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occ upant we ight
means 150 lbs. (68 ki lograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the veh ic le up to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Oc cupant distributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer di ameter
means the overal l diameter of an inf lated new tire.
O verall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an infla ted t ire, includ ing elevat ions due to labe ling, decorat ions, or
protective bands or ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated para llel cords.
P rodu cti on opt ion s we ig ht
means the co mbined weight of those insta lled regular product ion
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which t hey replace, not previously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, inc luding heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy du ty bat tery, and special trim .
Rad ia l pl y tir e
means a pneumat ic t ire in wh ich t he ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
t read .
Recomm ended infl ation pres su re
see :::::> page 325, "Cold tire inflat ion pressure".
R einforc ed tir e
means a tire des ign to operate at higher loads and at higher infla­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires may be iden tified as
"XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewa ll.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
whic h the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di ame ter
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam ­
eter.
Rim siz e design ation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim w idth
means nominal distance between rim flanges .

Tires and wheels Ill
----------------
•
& WARNING (continued )
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehi cle within a safe distance .
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
c au sing lo ss of control and a cra sh.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the we ight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
v ehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating .
& WARNING
• Incorrect tire pressures and /or underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident.
• Incorre ct tire pressures and /or underinflation cause in creased
tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle .
• Incorrect tire pressures and /or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
c ausing loss of vehi cle control.
•
Checking tire pressure
The c orrect tire pressu re f or the tires ori gina lly installe d
on your vehicle is lis ted on the ti re pressure la bel loca ted
either on driver's side 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
The rec omme nded ti re p ressu res a re on the tire pr essure la be l an d
in the
table~ page 328, "Co ld tire inflation pressure". This means
t ha t th e pres su re m us t be c hecked a nd adjus ted w he n t he ti re has
not been driven for more than a couple of miles (kilometers) at low
speeds du rin g the p revio us th ree hou rs . Ai r in t he tires ex pand s
when the tire heats up as a resu lt of internal fr iction as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is hig her when the tire has warmed up than
when it is "co ld ." I
t is the inflation pressure in a "cold" t ire that counts . Therefore, you
s h oul d never le t air ou t of a warm ti re to matc h "Co ld t ire in fl ati on
pressure"
recommendations~ pa ge 328 . The tires wou ld then be
u nde rinflate d and could fail sud denly .
The t ire pressure label o n your Au di lists the recomme nded cold t ire
inflation press ures at maximum capacity for the new, origina l equip ­
m ent tires t hat we re on yo ur vehicle at t he t ime it was manufac ­
tured. For the location of the
labe l~ page 328, fig . 272.
M ost tires lose a ir natu rally ove r ti m e. T hey can a lso lose so me air if
you drive ov er a pothole or h it a curb while parkin g. It is usually not
pos sible to see whe the r the rad ial tir es use d today are unde rin flated
just by look in g at t hem .
T herefore, be sure to chec k tire pressures at least once a month and
a lways be fore go ing o n a lo ng trip . Make su re to take the nu mber o f
people and the amount of luggage into account when ad justing tire
pr ess u re fo r a trip -even one t hat you wou ld not conside r to be
" long ."
See~ page 333, "Tires and vehic le load limits" for more
i mp ort ant i nfor mati on .
A lways use a n accu rate ti re p ressure gauge w hen c hec kin g a nd
adjusting inflation pressures . Chec k all of the tires and be sure not
t o fo rget t he spare t ire . If the pressu re i n an y tire is too high when
the tire is "co ld," let air out of the tire slow ly with the edge of the tire
ga uge and kee p checking the press ure u ntil y ou r each th e pr essu re
that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
d riv in g yo u plan to do .
I f the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the cold tire and the pressure you need and add the air
t hat you need to r each the correct pressure for the veh ic le load
(passengers and luggage) for the tires on your vehicle as listed on
t he o n you r vehicl e and i n thi s m anua l a n d t he kind of driving yo u
p lan to do.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire
sidewall for any reason .
Remember that the vehic le manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer,
deter mines the correc t tire pressure for the ti res on your vehicle.
~
Vehicle care

________________________________________________ T_ i
_ r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ l'III
•
• T he batt ery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a l imited
s er vice l ife.
• Al ways drive with the va lve stem ca ps sec ure ly m ounted. We
r ec om mend u sin g fa ctor y in sta lle d v alv e stem caps. Ask your autho­
rized Audi d ealer to replac e lost valve stem caps .
T he in stalla tio n of replacement ti res with steel cord body plies i n
th e tire s id ewal l may cause malfunct ion of the tire pressure moni ­
toring sy ste m, and is not recommended (c ord mate ria l infor mation
i n mo lded on the tire s idewa ll).
Al ways check your tir e pressure monitor ing system indicator after
r eplac ing on e o r m ore tire s on y our vehi cle. If the tire pressu re
monitorin g system indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
w orki ng pr ope rly. You r rep lace ment tir e mi ght be in co m pati ble w ith
your t ire pr essure monitoring system, or some component of the
t ir e pr ess ure m oni to ring sys te m m ay be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and / or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use tires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory -installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehi cle manufacturer .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
espe cially 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
lower speeds .
• 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.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type ,
size (rolling cir cumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driving
&, WARNING (continued )
with different tires reduces vehicle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle
-for example with winter tires -only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly.
• Overloading tires cause heat build -up , sudden tire failure,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated.
• For techni cal reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels , make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked . Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the factory . The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system that indicates a loss of tire pressure. Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires . If run flat tires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted.
0 Note
• Fo r tec hnica l reaso ns, i t is not gene rally p oss ibl e to use the
whee l rims from other vehicles . T his can hold true for wheels of t he
sa me v ehicl e typ e.
Vehicle care

___ A_ l-=- p _ h_ a_ b_e _t_ ic _ a_l _in _ d_e_ x ____________________________________________ _
Electromechanical parking brake ... 134
Fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
How does moisture or road sal t affect the
brakes? ....................... 270
Malfunction ..... ... ... .. .... .... . 30
Warning/indicator lights ... .... .... 22
Worn brak e pads symbol ..... .. .... 34
Break -in period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
B rake pads .. ...... .... ......... . 278
Tires ..... .. .. .... .... ......... . 277
Bu lbs ... .... .... .... ....... .... ... 362
Bumper cover Caution when parking near a parking bar -
rier or curb ...... ... .... .... ... 135
C
Ca lifornia Proposition 65 Warning 308
Battery specific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Capacit ies .. .... .... .... .... ... .... 378
Car care . .... .... .... .... .... .... .. 288
Int erior .. .... .... .... .... ...... . 295
P lastic and vinyl .. .... .... ... .... 292
Weatherstrips ...... ... .. ...... .. 293
Car carrier Transporting your vehicle ........ . 369
Care of exterior . .... .... .... .... .... 288
Cargo area
See Loading the luggage compartment ..
205
Cargo net .... .... .... .... ... .... ... 101
Catalyt ic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Central locking
Emergency locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Changing a flat tire ...... .... ... .. .... 45
Changing a wheel .... ..... .. .... .... 351
Changing engine oi l .. .... .... .... ... 313
Chassis Undercoating ... .. .... .... .... ... 294
See also Adaptive Aur Suspension . .. 185
CHECK button .... .... .... ..... .. .... 15
Checking Engine coolant level ... .... ..... .. 315
Checking tire pressure ... .. .... .... .. 331
Child restraints Danger of using child restraints in the front seat ... ....... ...... .... .. 220
What types o f child restraint anchors are
avai lable? ... ....... ...... .... .. 256
Where can I get additional information
about child r estraints? ...... ... .. 257
Child safety ...... .. . ... .... ... . 243, 248
Additiona l information ............ 262
Booster seat ... .... ... .... .... ... 251
Convertible child safety seat .... ... 249
Conv ert ible locking r etractor ... .... 253
Guidance fixtures for lower anchorages
259
Important safety instructions for using
child safety seats ..... .. .... .... 246
Important things to know when driving with children . .... .... .... ...... 243
Infant seat .... .... .... .... ... ... 248
Installing a child restrain t using the
LATCH system ...... ...... ..... . 261 Mounting and releasing the anchorage
hook .......................... 262
Older children and safety belts ..... 252
Safety belts and older children .... . 252
Tether anchors .. ...... .... ... .. . 262
Tether strap ........... .... .... .. 263
Which restraint system should my older chi ld wear? .................. .. 252
Child safety lock
Rear doors (mechanical! ...... .... .. 58
Rear doors (power) .... .... .... .... 58
Child safety seat .. .... .... ...... .... 248
Convertible locking r etractor .... ... 253
How do I properly insta ll a chi ld safety
seat in my vehicle? .. ........ .... 246
Installing .. .. .. .... .... ..... .. ... 253
LATCH system ................... 261
Safety instructions .. ...... .... ... 246
Cigarette I ig hter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Cleaning Alcantara (synthetic suede) .... .... 298
Engine compartment ...... .... ... 299
Fab rics and fabric coverings ... .... 295
Instrument panel ...... ....... .... 296
Interior ... .... .... .... .... .... .. 295
Leather ... .... .... .... ..... .. ... 297
MMI display .............. .... ... 295
MMI terminal ...... .... ..... .. ... 295
Plastic and viny l ... .... .... ....... 292
P lastic parts ..................... 296
Safety belts ... .... .... ... .... ... 299
Trim strips . ....... .... ... .... ... 291
trim strips . ....... .... ....... .... 292
Lower anchorages ........... ..... 258 Cleaning and protection ............. 288