service AUDI S8 2008 Owner's Guide

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_ il_d _S_ a
_ fe_t--' y'---_ffllll
& WARNING
Not using a child safety seat , using the wrong child safety seat or
improperly installing a child restraint increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death .
• All vehicle occupants and especially children must always be
restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle .
- An unrestrained or improperly restrained child can be injured or killed by being thrown against the inside of the vehicle or by
being ejected from it during a sudden maneuver or impact.
- An unrestrained or improperly restrained child is at much
greater risk of injury or death by being struck by an inflating
airbag.
• Commercially available child safety seats are required to
comply with U .S . Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS l
213 (in Canada CMVSS 2131.
-When buying a child restraint , select one that fits your child
and the vehicle .
- Only use child restraint systems that fully contact the flat
portion of the seat cushion. The child restraint must not tip or
lean to either side . Audi does not recommend using child safety
seats that rest on legs or tube -like frames. They do not provide
adequate contact with the seat .
- Always heed all legal requirements pertaining to the installa ­
tion and use of child safety seats and carefully follow the
instructions provided by the manufacturer of the seat you are
using.
• Never allow children under 57 inches (1 .5 meters) to wear a
normal safety belt. They must always be restrained by a proper
child restraint system. Otherwise, they could sustain injuries to
the abdomen and neck areas during sudden braking maneuvers or
accidents.
• Never let more than one child occupy a child safety seat .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
&, WARNING (continued)
• Never let babies or older children ride in a vehicle while sitting
on the lap of another passenger .
- Holding a child in your arms is never a substitute for a child
restraint system .
- The strongest person could not hold the child with the forces
that exist in an accident. The child will strike the interior of the
vehicle and can also be struck by the passenger .
- The child and the passenger can also injure each another in
an accident.
• Never install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the front passenger seat . A child will be seriously injured and can
be killed when the passenger airbag inflates - even with an
Advanced Airbag System .
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest , center arm rest , door or roof .
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the rear seat .
• Forward-facing child safety seats installed on the front
passenger's seat can interfere with the airbag when it inflates and
cause serious injury to the child. Always install forward -facing
child safety seats on the rear seat .
• If exceptional circumstances require the use of a forward ­
facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat , the child's
safety and well -being require that the following special precau­
tions be taken:
- Make sure the forward -facing seat has been designed and
certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
- Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Child Safety -
---------------''----
child is available . In these exceptional situations, the use of a lap
belt is better than permitting the child to remain totally unre ­
strained . But remember: a lap belt cannot provide the same level of
protection as a proper child restraint or a three -point lap and
shoulder belt if the child is big enough. Also, using a lap belt for
younger children, who should be using a child restraint, may violate
laws in your state or Province .
Never use a lap belt alone to restrain a child that weighs less than
about 80 lbs (36 kg) and who is less than 4'9" tall. Always remember
that children do not have the pronounced pelvic structure required
for the proper function of lap belts. If a lap belt is only restraint
system available, then the child's safety absolutely requires that the
lap belt be fastened snugly and as low as possible around the pelvis
let a lap belt pass over the child's stomach or abdomen .
& WARNING
Using wrong child restraints or improperly installed child
restraints can cause serious personal injury or death in a crash.
• Failure to properly route safety belts over a child's body will
cause severe injuries in a crash. The lap belt portion of the three
point belt as well as any lap belt alone must always pass as low as
possible across the pelvis, never over the stomach or abdomen.
• An improperly worn safety belt will not provide the best protec­
tion in a crash and may cause serious personal injury. Always make sure that children and other vehicle occupants properly
wear available restraint systems. Carefully follow the instructions provided by the manufacturers of child restraints. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Installing a child safety seat
Securing a child safety seat using a safety
belt
Safety belts for the rear seats and the front passenger can
be locked with the convertible locking retractor to prop­
erly secure child safety seats.
The safety belts emergency locking retractors for the rear seats
safety belts and for the front passenger's seat safety belt have a
convertible locking retractor for child restraints. The safety belt
must be locked so that belt webbing cannot unreel. The retractor
can be activated to lock the safety belt and prevent the safety belt
webbing from loosening up during normal driving. A child safety
seat can only be properly installed when the safety belt is locked so
that the child and child safety seat will stay in place.
Always remember: Even though your vehicle is equipped with an
Advanced Airbag system, all children, especially those 12 years and
younger, should always ride in the back seat properly restrained for
their age and size.
& WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death in a collision.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when
installing a child safety seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a crash.
• Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
child is not sitting in it. A loose child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a collision
• Always make sure that the rear seat backrest to which the
center rear safety belt is attached is securely latched whenever
the rear center safety belt is being used to secure a child restraint.
_,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Child Safety -
---------------''----
& WARNING
Rearward-facing child restraints:
• A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat installed on the
front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if
the front airbag inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag System.
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center arm rest, door or roof.
• Always be especially careful if you must install a rearward
facing child safety seat on the front passenger seat in exceptional
circumstances.
• A tight tether strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-mat in the seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. The heavier weight registered can make
the system work as though an adult were on the seat and deploy
the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing serious or even fatal injury to the child.
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on .
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on, immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer. •
Activating the convertible locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure a child
restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufacturer's instruc ­
tions when installing a child restraint in your vehicle. To
activate the convertible locking retractor:
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
-Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on the rear
seat.
-Slowly pull the belt all the way out.
-Route it around or through the child restraint belt path
=>& .
-Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight.
-Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that seating
position.
-Guide the safety belt back into the retractor until the belt
lies flat and snug on the child safety seat.
-You should hear a "clicking" noise as the belt winds back
into the inertia reel. Test the convertible locking retractor
by pul ling on the belt. You should no longer be able to
pull the belt out of the retractor. The convertible locking
retractor is now activated.
-Make sure that the red release button is facing away from
the child restraint so that it can be unbuckled quickly.
-Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is properly
tight and fastened so that the seat cannot move forward
or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
& WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improperly installed child
restraint can cause serious personal injury or death in a crash.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when
installing a child safety seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a crash.
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Child Safet y -
---------------''----
(The term "ISO FIX" regarding lower anchorages had been used by
Audi and other manufactu rers in the past, but LATCH is now the
standard name for the new child restraint anchorage system.)
Some child restraint system manufacturers have been providing
tether straps on certain mode ls of their child restraint systems,
either as standard equipment or as a retrofit, for several years .
Check with the manufacturer of the ch ild restraint system for tether
strap availability .
To provide a simpler and more practicable way to attach the child restraint system on the vehicle seat, U .S . Federal regulations require
the phase -in of lower anchorages in vehic les and devices on new
ch ild restraint systems to attach to the veh icle anchorages.
Child restraint system manufacturers will probably offer two kinds
of lower anchorages on their child safety seats
T hey could come with:
• hooks or other latches attached to adjustable straps or
• rigid latches on bars tha t extend out the back of the child
restraint and are released with release but tons at the bottom of the
child restraint.
In addition to the LATCH lower anchorages, both of these chi ld
restra int systems use tether straps to he lp keep the ch ild restraint
system firmly in place .•
Where can I get additional information about
child restraint application and usage?
There are a number of sources of additional information about child
restra int select ion , instal lat ion and usage :
NH TSA advises that the bes t child saf ety seat is the one that fits
your ch ild and fits in your ve hicle, and that you wi ll use correctly and
consistent ly.
Try before you buy!
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation Nat
iona l High way Traffic Safet y Admini stra tion
Te l.: (888) DASH -2 -DOT
www .nhtsa .dot .gov
N ati ona l S AF E K IDS Camp aign
Tel.: (202) 662 -0600
www .safekids.org
Saf ety BeltS afe U .S .A
Tel.: (800) 745-SAFE (English)
Te l.: (800) 7 47-SANO (Spanish)
www.carseat .org
Tr an sport Can ad a
Tel.: (800) 333-0371
www .tc.gc .ca
Aud i Cl ient Rel ations
Te l.: (800) 822-2834
•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_______________________________________________ C_h _ i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t..a y __ llll
-Tighten the tether strap firmly following the child
restraint manufacturer's instructions.
Releasing the tether strap
-Loosen the tension following the ch ild restra int manufac ­
turer 's instructions.
-Depress the spring catch on the hook and release it from
the tether anchor .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS .
0 Note
If you leave the child restraint with the tether strap firmly installed
for several days, this could leave a mark on the upholstery on the
seat cushion and backrest in the area where the tether strap was
installed. The upholstery would also be permanently stretched
around the tether strap . This applies especially to leather seats .•
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

____________________________________________ ln_t_ e_ l_ li _,..g "- e_ n
_ t_t_e _ c_ h_ n_o _l_o _....g ,_,y'-_IJIII
T he direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
t he aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is con tinua lly
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example, when the vehic le starts hydrop laning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate whee l to correct
the prob lem.
The vehicle is then stabi lized by the forces act ing on the whee l
during braking. If the vehicle is
oversteering (rear tends to skid out
of the turn), the brakes are mainly app lied on the whee l that is on
the outside of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to s lide out of the curve), t he brakes are applied a t the
rear wheel that is on the inside of the curve. An acoustic signal indi ­
cates when ESP brake app lication cuts in
=> & .
The system operates across t he entire speed range in comb inat ion
with the ABS system
=> page 272 . If the Anti -Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP wi ll be out of act ion as well.
Ac tivation
When you turn on the eng ine, ESP will automatically be activated
and wil l perform a self -test.
The system can be activated or deactivated by pressing the but ton
=> page 268, fig. 254 . The warning light comes on when the system
is switched off
=> page 18.
Normally, the ESP s hould always be on, however, it may be advanta­
geous to turn off the system in certain special cases when some
degree of wheel spin is des ired such as:
• when driving with snow chains
• whe n driving in deep snow or on a loose surface (to allow the
whee ls to dig in to reach firm ground)
• whe n trying to
"rock" the vehicle free whe n it has become stuck.
T he system should be reactivated once you are no longer in such
situations .
Both the ABS and EDS systems are still functioning even if the ESP
is switched off .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
The Ele
ctron ic Stabiliz ation Pr ogram i s ne verthele ss subje ct to the
laws of phy sic s. It is p articularl y important to pay attention to this
fa ct on wet and slipper y ro ad s. It i s therefore important th at you
alway s adapt your dr iving to the condit ion of the road and traffic
c ondition s. Do not allo w the in crea sed safety pro vided by the Ele c­
tronic Stabilization Program system to lull you into a ccepting
a ddition al safety ri sk s.
•
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The elec tronic d ifferen tial lock moni tors the rotation al
s p eed of the drive wheels.
G en era l not es
The elect ronic d ifferential lock (EDU helps the ca r to start mov ing,
accelerate and c limb a grad ient on surfaces providing poor or
a lmost no grip . Without EDL, this would be difficult, if not impos ­
s ib le.
How the syst em works
The EDL operates automatical ly. It monitors the rotationa l speed of
t he drive wheels on an ax le with the he lp of the ABS senso rs
=> page 272. If a not iceable difference in rotational speed between
the drive wheels on one axle is detected (e.g. on slippery ground
on
one side),
the spinning w heel is bra ked, thereby transferring power
to the other drive wheel or wheels (a ll -whee l drive) . This is done up
t o a speed of ab out 60 mph (100 km/h). N oises from the brake
system signal that wheel spin is being control led .
Dri ving off
When driving off, always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. I f one drive wheel spins because it is on a sur face
with less grip, gradual ly increase the pressure on the accelerator
pedal unt il the car star ts to move . The whee l less able to t ra nsfer
power spins.
.,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intellig ent tec hnol ogy -
------------ -=--=-= '-
& WAR NIN G (c onti nued )
acc ident canno t b e co mp ensat ed for even b y th e br ake assis tant,
s o alway s maintain a safe sp eed . •
Servotronic® - advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise s teering with little effor t.
The advanced Servotronic® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortab le and safe steer ing response exactly matched to the
vehic le speed.
Power s teeri ng will not work if the engine is off . As a result, the
steering whee l wil l be hard to turn .
The power steering fluid level is checked during the scheduled
maintenance serv ices.
0 Note
If there is an electron ic ma lfunction, servotronic will sti ll funct ion
like a conventiona l power steering system, providing a constant
steer ing suppor t force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed . This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
low speeds (for examp le w hen parking), -more effor t wi ll be
required than usual.
• Be aware of the different than usua l steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly .
• Have the problem checked and set right by an Aud i dea ler as
soon as possib le.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
[
i ] Tip s
• When the engine is running, never hold the steer ing whee l
turned all the way to the right or to the left for longer than 15
seconds. The power steer ing pu mp wil l overheat the hydraul ic fluid
if you keep ho lding the steering whee l turned a ll the way. This is
like ly to damage the power steering system.
• I f the power steering system shou ld fail entire ly, or if the engine
is not runn ing ( for examp le, wh ile be ing towed), you w ill st ill be able
to steer the vehicle . However, considerably more effort will be
requ ired to do so.
• I f the power steering system shou ld have a leak, or is not func ­
tioning properly, contact your author ized Audi dealer im mediately.
• The power stee ring system requires a special ly formulated
hydrau lic fluid . The power steer ing reservo ir is the one located most
forward on the left side of the engine
compartment => page 308. The
correct flu id level in the reservo ir is important for proper func ­
tioning of the power steering. •
Driving with your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
Genera l inf orm ati on
With All Whee l Drive, power is d istributed to all fo ur wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road condi tions at the time . See
a lso => page 269, "Electronic differ ­
entia l lock ! EDU" .
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires . In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for improved
driveabi lity and braking: these ti res must be mounted on all four
wheel s. See
also=> page 341, "Winter tires". ~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intellig ent tec hnol ogy -
------------ -=--=-= '-
vidual components . It regulates consumption, so that more elec­
t rical energy is not be ing used than is be ing genera ted and ensures
an optimal state of charge for the battery .
[ i ] Tip s
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits of
physics. Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
• If starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
~ page 275, "Driver notification in the instrument cluster
display" .•
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining starting capa ­
bility.
T he battery is severely taxed in short -distance driving, in city traffic
and during t he co ld time of year . Abundant e lectrica l energy is
required, but on ly a little is generated . It is also critical if the engine
is not running and e lectrical components are turned on. In this
instance energy is being consumed but none is being generated .
I t is in precisely these situations that you wi ll notice energy manage ­
ment active ly regulating the d istr ibut ion of energy.
Vehicl e stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a per iod of several days or
weeks, electrica l components are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consu mpt ion and maintains starting capability
over a longer period .
Be aware t hat when you unlock you r ve hicle, some o f the conve ­
nience functions may not operate, such as the Advanced Key, the
remote contro l or t he power seat adjustment. T he convenience
functions will be available again when you turn on the ignition and start the engine .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation With th
e engin e turned off
If you listen to the radio, for examp le, with t he engine tu rned off or
use other MMI functions, the battery is being discharged.
I f starting capabi lity is jeopardized due to energy consumption, the
f o llow ing warn ing appears in t he MMI display:
Ple ase start engine , other wise sy stem will s witch off in 3
minute s.
The warning indicates that the system wi ll be turned off au tomat i­
ca lly after 3 minutes. If you wish to continue using the functions,
you have to start the engine .
With the engine running
Although e lectrica l energy is generated when the vehic le is being
driven, the battery can become discharged. This happens mostly
when little energy is being generated and a great deal co nsumed
and the battery's state of charge is not optimal.
To br ing the ene rgy balance bac k into equi librium , cons umers
which require especially large amounts of energy are temporar ily
cu t back or switched off . Heating systems in part icu lar require a
great deal of energy. If you notice, for example, that the heated
seats* o r the heated rear w indow are not heating, they have been
temporari ly cut back or switc hed off. These systems wil l be avai lable
again as soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You wil l also notice t hat engi ne idle speed has been increase d
s lightly . This is norma l and not a cause for concern . By increasing
engine idle speed the addi tiona l energy required is ge nerated a nd
the battery is charged. •
Driver notification in the instrument cluster
display
I f the battery's state of charge is not in the optima l range, this driver
no tificat io n ap pears in the instrument cl uster d isplay:
t:3 Low battery ch arge : battery will be charged while dri ving .,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

______________________________________________ D_ ri_v _ i_ n _, g..,_ a_ n_d _ e_ n_ v_i_ro _ n_ m_ e_ n_t __ lll
Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers):
Do not use full throttle.
- Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the top speed marked on
the speedometer.
- Avoid high engine speeds .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
- Speeds can gradually be increased to the maximum
permissible road or engine speed.
During and after break-in period
-Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it is cold.
This applies whether the transmission is in N (Neutral) or
1n gear.
After the break-in period
- Do not exceed maximum engine speed under any
circumstances.
- Upshift into the next higher gear
before reaching the red
area at the end of the tachometer
scale => page 12.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
During the first few hours of driving, the engine's internal friction is
higher than later when all the moving parts have been broken in.
How well this break-in process is done depends to a considerable
extent on the way the vehicle is driven during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 kilometers).
0 Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automatically reduced. However,
these rpm limits are programmed for an engine well run-in, not a
new
engine.
~ For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high engine speeds -upshifting
early saves fuel, reduces noise and protects the environment .•
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive particularly
careful for the first 350 miles (500 kilometers) after fitting.
& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must also be "broken-in". Be
sure to remember this during the first 350 miles (500 kilometers).
Brake
gently. Avoid following closely behind other vehicles or
other situations that might require sudden, hard braking.
•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

llffll,.__ __ D_r_ iv _ in_.... g,_ a_n_ d __ e_n _v_ ir_o_ n_ m_ e_n_ t _____________________________________________ _
New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a full braking
effec t during the first 250 miles (400 kilometers) after they
are installed .
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" before they have optimal
grab =>& .
During the break -in period, you s hou ld avoid putting severe loads
on the brakes . Severe loads include, for examp le, sudden hard
braking, in particular at very high speeds or, for example, on moun ­
t ain passes.
& WARNING
N ew brake p ad s don 't h ave the be st stopping po wer and mu st be
"broken -in " during the initial 100 to 150 mile s (150 to 200 kil ome ­
t e rs) of norm al c ity dri ving . You can comp en sa te for thi s by
pr ess ing the brake ped al more firmly . Thi s al so appli es later when
ne w pad s a re in sta lled. •
Catalytic converter
It is very important tha t your emission control sys tem
(catalytic converter) is functioning properly to e nsure that
y o ur vehicle is running in an environmentally sound
manner.
-Always use lead-f ree gasoli ne :=> page 301, "Fuel supply".
-Never run the tank down a ll the way to empty.
-Never put too much motor o il in your engine :=> page 312,
"Adding eng ine oil 'l=;r111
•
-Never try to push -or tow -s ta rt yo ur vehic le.
T he catalytic converter is an efficient "clean -up" device built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns ma ny
of the po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
The exclusive use o f un leaded fue l is critica lly important for the l ife
of the cata lytic converter and proper functioning of the engine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate th e veh icle in ar ea s where the hot
e x hau st sys tem m ay come in cont act w ith dr y grass, brush , fuel
s pill or other material which can cau se a fire .
• Do not appl y additi ona l u ndercoating or ru stpr oofing on or
near the exhau st manifol d, exhau st pipe s, ca tal ytic converter or
h ea t shield s. Du ring dri ving , the sub sta nce u sed f or under coating
c ould overhe at and cau se a fir e.
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with leaded fue l wi ll already
seriously degrade the performance of the catalyt ic converter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil
level => page 312 .
• Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes comp letely empty . The
engine cou ld misfire. Unburned fuel could also get into the exhaust
system and this could cause the catalytic converter to overheat .
• Do not turn off t he ignition wh ile the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions,
as otherwise fuel can reach the cata lyt ic converter . This cou ld result
in overheating of the converter, requiring its rep lacement .
• To assure eff ic ient operat ion of the Emiss ion Contro l System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. _,.