ignition AUDI S8 2008 Manual Online

11111 Child Safety
------!....------------------------------
&, W ARNING (continued )
• Alway s inst all rear-facing child safety seats on the rear seat .
• If you mu st in sta ll a rear ward f acing child safet y seat on the
front pa ssenger seat in exceptional circum stan ces and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light doe s not come on and stay on,
immediately inst all the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
s eating po sition and ha ve the airbag sy stem inspe cted immedi ­
atel y by your Audi de aler .
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstance s, you mu st in stall a forward -facing
c hild re straint o n the fr ont p assenger 's seat:
• Alway s make sure the forward -fa cing s eat ha s been de signed
a nd cert ified by it s m anufa cturer for use on a front seat w ith a
pa ssenger front and side airbag.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instruct ions provided with
the child safety seat or carrier.
• Alway s move the pa ssenger seat into it s re armost position in
the seat' s fore and aft adju stment range , as far aw ay from the
ai rbag as possibl e befo re installing the ch ild restr aint . The ba ck­
rest mu st be adjusted to an upright po sition.
• Alway s m ake sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight
c ome s on and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is
sw it c hed on . •
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with an "Advanced Airbag System" in
compl iance with U nited States Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Stan­
dard { FMVSSl 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manu ­
factured. T
he Advanced Airbag system in your vehicle has been certified to
meet the " low -risk" requirements for 3 and 6 year -old chi ldre n on
the passenger side and smal l adults on the driver side . The low risk
deployment criteria are intended to reduce the risk of injury through
interaction with the airbag that can occur, for example, by being too
close to the steering wheel and instrument panel when the airbag
inflates. In addition, the system has been certified to comply with
the "suppression" requirements of the Safety Standard, to turn off
the front airbag for infants up to 12 months who are restra ined on
the front passenger seat in child restraints that are listed in the
Standard.
Even though your vehic le is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
system, al l ch ildren, especially those 12 years and you nger, should
a lways ride in the back seat properly restrained for their age and
size . The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a poten­
tia lly dangerous p lace for a ch ild to ride. The front seat is not the
safest p lace for a child in a forward -facing child safety seat . It can be
a very dangerous p lace for an infant or a larger ch ild in a rearward ­
facing seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
The Advanced Airbag Sys tem in your vehicle detects the presence
of an infant or child in a chi ld restra int on the front passenger seat
using the weight -sensing mat in the seat cushion and the sensor
below the safety belt latch on the front passenger seat that measures the tension on the safety belt.
T he weigh t-sensing mat measures total weight o f the chi ld and the
child safety seat and a child blanket on the front passenger seat . T he
weig ht o n the fr ont passenger seat is rela ted to the desig n of the
chi ld restraint and its "footprint", the size and shape of the bottom
of the child restraint as it sits on the seat . The weight of a child
restraint and its "footprint" vary for different kinds of child
~

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C . Forward-facing convertible child restraint systems,
manufactured on or after September 1, 2004:
• Britax Roundabout 161
• Britax Expressway
• Century Encore 4612
• CenturySTE10004416
• Cosco Olympian 02803
• Cosco Touriva 02519
• Evenflo Horizon V 425
• Evenflo Medallion 254
• Safety First Comfort Ride 22-400
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on whenever a child restraint is installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition
is switched on.
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer immediately.
[ i] Tips
The child seats listed in categories A to C have been tested by Audi
only for the Advanced Airbag function. •
Important safety instructions for using child
safety seats
Correct use of child safety seats substantially reduces the
risk of injury in an accident!
As the driver, you are responsible for the safety of every ­
body in the vehicle, especially children:
- Always use the right child safety seat for each child and
always use it
properly =:> page 248.
-Always carefully follow the child safety seat manufac­
turer's instructions on how to route the safety belt prop­
erly through the child safety seat.
- When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child safety
seat, you must first activate the convertible locking
retractor on the safety belt to prevent the child safety
seat from
moving =:> page 253.
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot
move forward or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cml.
- If a strap or tether is being used to tie the child safety
seat to the front passenger seat, make sure that it is not
so tight that it causes the weight-sensing mat to
measure more weight than is actually on the seat.
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.
.,

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& WARNING (continued)
-Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost
position of the passenger seat's fore and aft adjustment range,
and as far away from the airbag as possible before installing
the child restraint.
- Always make sure that nothing prevents the front
passenger's seat from being moved to the rearmost position in
its fore and aft adjustment range .
- Always make sure that the backrest is
in the upright posi­
tion.
• 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 read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being
used => page 209, "Safety belts",
=> page 218, "Airbag system" and=> page 243, "Child Safety".
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on whenever a child
restraint is installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition
is switched on.
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer immediately. •
Child safety seats
Infant seats
Babies and infants up to about one year old and 22 lbs or
10 kg need special rearward-facing child restraints that
support the back, neck and head in a crash.
Fig . 240 Rearward­
facing infant seat,
properly installed on
the rear seat
-When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child safety
seat, you must first activate the convertible locking
retractor on the safety belt to prevent the child safety
seat from
moving~ page 253 or install the seat using
the LATCH attachments.
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot
move forward or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
Infants up to about one year (22 lbs. or 10 kg) are best protected in
special infant carriers and child safety seats designed for their age
group. Many experts believe that infants and small children should
ride only in special restraints in which the child faces the back of the
vehicle. These infant seats support the baby's back, neck and head
in a crash . These child safety seats must never be used in the front
seat because of the risk of serious injury or death should the airbag
deploy in a
crash => fig. 240. liJ,

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The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a potentially
dangerous place for a child to ride. The front seat is not the safest
place for a child in a forward-facing child safety seat. It is a very
dangerous place for an infant or a larger child in a rearward -facing
seat.
& 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 in a collision or other emergency situa­
tion.
• Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced
Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates . 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, or door.
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats on the rear seat .
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
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 .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
=:> page 209, "Safety belts",
=> page 218, "Airbag system" and =:> page 243, "Important things
to know".
& WARNING
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 precautions be taken:
• Make sure the forward-facing seat has been designed and certi­
fied by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a passenger
front and side airbag.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions provided with
the child safety seat or carrier.
• Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost posi­
tion of the passenger seat's fore and aft adjustment range, and as
far away from the airbag as possible before installing the child
restraint.
• Always make sure that nothing prevents the front passenger's
seat from being moved to the rearmost position in its fore and aft
adjustment range.
• Always make sure the backrest is in an upright position.
• 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 light does not stay on, perform the checks
=> page 229,
"Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG
OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on. •

-
Child Safety ___ :;....____ ____________ _
& WARNING
Not using a booster seat, using the booster seat improperly, incor­
rectly installing a booster seat or using the vehicle safety belt
improperly increases the risk of serious personal injury and death
in a collision or other emergency situation. To help reduce the risk
of serious personal injury and/or death:
• Always make sure to position the shoulder portion of the three­
point belt over the middle of child's shoulder .
• Never let the shoulder portion of the belt rest against or across
the neck, face, chin, or throat of the child.
• Always make sure the lap belt portion of the three-point belt is
worn snug and passes as low as possible across the child's pelvis.
Never let the belt pass over the soft abdomen.
• Failure to properly route safety belts over a child's body will
cause severe injuries in an accident or other emergency situation
=> page 209.
• Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced
Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag
inflates. 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.
• Never let a child stand or kneel on any seat, for example the
front seat.
• Never let a child ride in the cargo area of your vehicle .
• Always remember that a child leaning forward, sitting side­
ways or out of position in any way during an accident can be
struck by a deploying airbag. This will result in serious personal
injury or death.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light must come on and stay on, when­
ever the ignition is switched on .
& WARNING (continued)
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on, perform the checks described ::> page
229, "Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag System" .
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used ::> page
209, "Safety belts",
=> page 218, "Airbag system" and::> page 243, "Important things
to know". •
Safety belts and older children
Properly worn three point lap and shoulder belt can help
protect children weighing more than 80 lbs. (36 kg) and
who are at least 4
ft. 9 in. tall.
Fig . 243 Child taller
than 4
ft . 9 in. properly
restrained on the rear
seat
Children who weigh more than about 80 lbs (36 kg) and are at least
4 ft. 9 in. tall can generally use the vehicle's three point lap and
shoulder belts. Children should use a lap belt only in
very excep­
tional situations and only if no child restraint system for the child's
size and weight or safer alternative means of transportation of the
tll-

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&, WARNING (continued )
• If the backrest is not securely latched , the child and the child
restraint will be thrown forward together with the backrest and
will strike parts of the vehicle interior. The child can be seriously
injured or killed.
• 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 .
• 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 or infant carriers installed on
the front passenger's seat may interfere with the deployment of
the airbag and cause serious injury to the child .
• It is safer to install a forward -facing child safety seat on the rear
seat.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
=> page 243 . Special precau­
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat
=> page 220 , "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know ".
& WARNING
Always take special precautions if you must install a forward or
rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat in
exceptional situations:
• Whenever a forward or rearward -facing child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat , the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on whenever the ignition is
switched on .
&, WARNING (continued )
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on, perform the checks described
=> page 229, " Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag System ".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on .
• Improper installation of child restraints can reduce their effec­
tiveness or even prevent them from providing any protection .
• An improperly installed child restraint can interfere with the
airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or even kill the child.
• Always carefully follow the manufa cturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier .
• Never place additional items on the seat that can increase the
total weight registered by the weight-sensing mat and can cause injury in a crash.
& WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:
• Always make sure the forward -fa cing seat has been designed
and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag .
• Never put the forward-facing child restraint up , against or very
near the instrument panel.
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range , as far away from the
airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child
restraint. The backrest must be adjusted to an upright position .
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
..,_

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

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Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with All Wheel
Drive:::::, page 342, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size . Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see
page :::::, page 336, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer
to:::::, page 279.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic 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 effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited 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 (aqua­ planing).
If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road condi­
tions -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 conventional energy system is not driven for a
long period of time, the battery is discharged by idling current
consumers (e.g . immobilizer) . In certain circumstances it can result
in there being insufficient energy available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle handles the distribu­
tion of electrical energy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
battery diagnosis, idling
current management
and dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the state of the battery.
Sensors determine battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current state of charge and the
power of the battery .
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy consumption while the
vehicle is standing. With the ignition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical components . Data from
battery diagnosis is considered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge, individual consumers
are gradually turned off to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven , dynamic energy management
distributes the energy generated according to the needs of the indi -_,,,

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

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This notification reminds you that the starting capability of the
engine may be limited . As soon as you s tart d riv ing aga in, the
battery wi ll be recharged and the notification wi ll go out.
Driver notification appears and goes out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
w hile dr iv ing and i t go es out again after a w hile, the ba ttery has
been adequately recharged.
Driver notification appears and does not go out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
w hile driving a nd do es n ot go out aga in, t he bat te ry's state of
charge is not in the optimal range . Starting abi lity is restricted . Have
th e battery checke d as soon as p ossi ble at a deale rs h ip . •