check engine AUDI S8 2009 User Guide

Driver informati on displ ay
Red symbols
A red symbol means DANGER.
Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
Fig . 17 Dis play : en gine
coola nt leve l warnin g
(pr iorit y 1
l
Check the malfunctioning system. Contact your aut ho­
rized Audi dea ler or a qua lified workshop for assistance.
Red symbols indicate a pr io rity malfunction -Danger !
With a priority 1 malfunction, a large symbol appears in the center area of the display => fig. 17. When the symbol appears,
three
warning tones sound in succession . The symbol continues to blink
until the malfunction has been repaired .
After a few seconds, the large symbol is replaced by a small symbol shown at the top left of the display. This symbol is displayed until
the fault is corrected.
If there are
more than one priority 1 malfunctions, the symbo ls
appear one after the other for about 2 seconds .
An additional driver message can a lso be d isplayed by briefly
pressing the
( CH ECK I button .
The red symbols mean:
BRAKE
U SA mod els:
Brake system malfunction
=> page 30
((D) C anada mod els:
Brake system malfunction
II=> page 30
Engine coolant level too => page 31
low/engine coolant temperature
too high
~ En gine o il p ress ure too low ]I=> page 32
-
~ Faulty steering => page 33
...
© F au lt y ig nition s witch
.....
=> page3 3
[ i ] Tips
• If the warning/indicator light BRAKE (USA models)/ {(D) (Canada
models) in the instrument cluster flashes, there is a brake system
malfunction. By pressing the [
CHECK] button, you can bring up a
driver message which exp lains the malfunction in more detail.
Please note =>
page 30.
• Speed warnings threshold 1 8 (USA modelsl/ 0 (Canada
models ) and threshold 2
8 , (USA modelsl/ 8 (Canada models) are
a lso shown as red symbo ls . The warning is a lways shown as a sma ll
symbo l in the upper area of the display=>
page 37 . •
Brake system malfunction
A malfunction in the brake system must be repaired as
soon as possible.
If the warning /indi cator light BRAKE (USA models)/ ((D)
(C anada models) in the instr ument cluster flashes, there is
a brake system malfunctio n. By pressing the
I CHECK] ~

button, you can bring up a driver message which explains
the malfunction in more detail.
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid level
-Pull off the road .
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
- Check the brake fluid level=>
page 319.
- Contact your nearest authorized repair facility if neces-
sary.
Brake fault ! Drive carefully to nearest workshop
- Drive carefully to the nearest authorized repair facility
and have the malfunction corrected =>
&.
Parking brake ! Please contact workshop
- If the warning/indicator light flashes when the vehicle is
stationary or after the ignition is turned on, check to see
if the parking brake can be released. Drive to an autho­
rized repair facility as soon as possible and have the
malfunction corrected. If the parking brake cannot be
released, contact your nearest authorized repair facility.
- If the warning/indicator light flashes while you are
driving, it is possible that the traction control or the
emergency brake has malfunctioned. It is possible that
the parking brake cannot be applied. It is also possible
that the parking brake cannot be released after it has
been applied. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer to have
the malfunction corrected.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
If the ABS, ESP and the brake force distribution fail , the ABS
warning/indicator light and the ESP warning/indicator light come
on along with the brake system malfunction warning/indicator light
=>& .
& WARNING
• Always observe the warnings in=> page 301, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the hood and checking the brake fluid.
• Driving with low brake fluid is
a safety hazard. Stop the car and
get professional assistance .
• USA models: If the BRAKE warning light, the. warning light and
the "'L') warning light come on together, the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss
of vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired
immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified work­
shop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
• Canada models: If the brake warning light <<D>, the warning
light and the ABS warning light
G come on together, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control and an accident. Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop . Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake
applications. •
Engine cooling system malfunction -L
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
repaired as soon as possible.
When the -L symbol in the display blinks, then either the
engine coolant
temperature is too high, or the coolant level
is too low. An additional driver message can also be
displayed by pressing the [CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check coolant level
I • •

Driver information display
-Pull off the road.
- Stop the veh icle.
- Turn off the engine.
- Check coolant level~
page 317.
-Add coolant if necessary ~ page 318.
-Continue dr iving only after the eng ine coolant
warning/ indicator light goes out .
- Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary .
If the engine coolant le ve l is correct, then the radiator fan may be
the cause of the malfunction.
If the generator warning/indicator light should also illuminate
~ page 18, then the fan belt may be damaged.
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights
~ page 73, "Emer­
gency flasher
A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment -you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn of
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
~ page 301, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the -~- symbol illuminates. There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling system -you could damage your
engine. •
Engine oil pressure malfunction "t=:?:
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair. Driving with a low -oil -pres ­
sure indication is likely to inflict severe damage to the
engine.
If the ~ symbol appears in the display and blinks, the oil
pressure is too low. An additional driver message can also
be displayed by pressing the
I CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check oil level
Immediate actions
- Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the eng ine.
- Check the engine oil level
with the dipstick~ page 313.
Dipstick readings checks too low
- Top off oil to the proper level~ page 314.
-Make sure that the oil pressure warning symbol~
appears no longer in the display before you start driving
again. .,,,

Dipstick reading checks OK
-If the oil pressure warning symbol "t=:7: starts flashing
again even though the engine oil level checks OK on the
dipstick,
do not continue driving and do not let the
engine run in idle.
Instead, contact your authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.
[ i] Tips
• The engine oil pressure symbol ~ is not an indicator for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it . Instead, check the oil level in your
engine at regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and
always before going on a long trip .
• The yellow oil level warning indication .: requires oil refill or
workshop service without delay. Do not wait until the red oil pres­
sure warning
~ starts to flash before you respond to the low oil
level warning . By then, your engine may already have suffered
serious damage. •
Steering malfunction i
If there is a malfunction in the electronic steering column
lock, the steering cannot be unlocked.
If the i symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic steering column lock. An additional driver
message can also be displayed by pressing the [
CHECK]
button:
Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
- Contact your nearest authorized repair facility.
- Do
not tow your vehicle.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
& WARNING
Your vehicle must not be towed in the event of a malfunction in the
electronic steering column lock because it cannot be steered due
to the locked steering. If it is towed with the steering locked, there
is the risk of an accident. •
Ignition lock malfunction ~
A malfunction in the ignition lock must be repaired imme­
diately.
If the -Pe symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic ignition lock. An additional driver message
can also be displayed by pressing the [
CHECK] button:
Ignition lock defective. Contact workshop !
- Do not turn the engine off.
-Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer to have
the malfunction corrected.
If there is a malfunction in the electronic ignition lock, the ignition
cannot be turned off. Drive immediately to an authorized Audi
dealer to have the cause of the malfunction corrected.
If your vehicle has a Conv eni enc e key *, th e n you should not use the
I STOP I button to shut off the engine. You will not be able to start the
engine again once th e ignition is switched off. •
I • •

Driver information display
Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Fig. 18 Display: low
fuel level warning
(priority 2)
Yellow symbols indicate a priority 2 malfunction -Warning!
When a y ellow warning symbol appears,
one warn ing ton e sounds.
A driver message appears as well to explain the malfunction in more
detail. The dr iver warning goes out after about
5 s e conds, bu t it can
be brought up again at any time by pressing the [
CHECK I button .
Check the displayed function as soon as possible . If
more than one
priority 2 malfunction is detected, all symbols will appear one after
the other for about
2 seconds .
Yellow symbols mean :
Worn brake pads
Electromechanical
parking brake
=> page 34
=> page 136
Check engine oil level => page 35
=> page 313
Engine oil sensor malfunction => page 35
Low fuel level => page 35
Windshield washer fluid => page 35
level low
Battery voltage
=> page 36
-
II Battery in remote control key => page 48
Convenience key * => page 133
Key not in vehicle
USA models: => page26
Defect ive brake light
Canada models: => page26
Defective brake light
Defective light bulb
=> page26
Engine speed limitation* => page 35
-
IIAdaptive Light* defective => page 36
Dynamic headlight range => page 36
control defective
Defect ive light -/rain sensor
=> page 36
Tire pressure monitoring sys-=> page 43
tern*
Loss of air pressure
-Tire pressure monitoring sys -=> page 46
tern*
ll system not ava ilable
•
Worn brake pads r
Brake pads!

If the warning light illuminates, immediate ly contact your autho ­
ri zed Aud i dealer or qualified workshop to have a ll brake pads
inspected . On USA models the warning light
.1 comes on together
with the warni ng light
BRA KE. Both set s of brake pads on an axle must
a lways be replaced at the same time .
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cau se a colli sion and serious personal
injury.
• If the warning light and the warning light
BRAKE11 with the
mes sage Brake pads ! come s on in the in strument clu ster display ,
immediately conta ct your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if nece ssary .•
Checking the engine oil level ~
.... ,. Plea se check oil le vel
When the symbo l illuminates, chec k the eng ine oi l leve l as so on as
possible=>
page 313 . Add oil if necessary=> page 374 . •
Engine oil sensor defective
~ Oil level ! sen sor defective
If the symbo l il luminates, contact your authorized Audi dea ler and
have the oi l sensor inspecte d. Until you have this done, check the o il
level each time you refuel just to be on the safe side=>
page 373. •
11 BRAK E: USA mode ls on ly
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driv er information display
Ap plies to vehic les: wit h eng ine s peed limita tio n
Engine speed limitation
!-1 Engine speed maximum XXXX RPM
The _-symbo l illuminates when there is an engine control malfunc ­
t io n. The indica to r light "in the instrument clus te r also illumi ­
nates . The engine speed is limited to the speed displayed in the
driver info rmation system . Keep in mind that the engine speed wil l
not e xceed the va lue d isplayed in the dr ive r info rm ation system, fo r
examp le when downshifting.
Please go to an au thorized Audi deale r or other qua lif ied workshop
to have the ma lfunction repaired .•
Fuel supply too low l
A Please refuel
When the symb ol i llu minates, this means there are abo ut 2.4
gallons
(9 l itres) of fuel left in the fuel tank . Time to refuel.
=>
page 304 .
If the symbo l lig hts up, eve n w hen there is ample fuel in th e tank,
and the text
Tank system malfunction ! Conta ct workshop appears
i n the d isp lay, t here is a fault in th e sys tem. C ontac t a q ua lified work ­
shop to have the fault rectified .•
' Windshield washer fluid level too low ~
Plea se top up washe r fluid
If t he symbo l illum inates, add windshie ld washe r fluid to the washe r
system and a lso to the headlight washer system=>
page 325. •
I • •

Driver information display
Battery voltage ~
If the battery's state of charge is not in the optimal range, the
symbol is shown in the display and the driver message
Low battery
charge: battery will be charged while driving
appears.
While this driver notification is displayed, you have to be prepared
for limited starting capability.
Driver message appears and goes out again
If this driver message appears after the ignition is turned on or
while driving and it goes out again after a while, the battery has
been adequately recharged.
Driver message appears and does not go out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
while driving and does not go out again, the battery's state of
charge is not in the optimal range. Starting capability is restricted.
Have the battery checked at a dealership as soon as possible.•
Applies to vehicles: w ith Conven ience key
Key not in vehicle
Key not in vehicle
This message appears together with the symbol when the
remote control key is removed from the vehicle while the engine is
running. This is to remind you that you should not continue your trip
without your key.
If the remote control key is no longer in the vehicle, you will not be
able to start the engine again after you have switched off the igni ­
tion. In addition to this, you will not be able to lock the vehicle from
the outside. •
Applies to vehicles: with Adap tive ligh t
Adaptive Light defective== ~
.. c; Adaptive light defective
When this symbol L illuminates, it means that Adaptive Light is
defective. Go to an authorized dealership to have the headlights or
the control unit for the Adaptive Light repaired. •
Headlight range control defective '.:1
T<. Headlight range control defective !
If the symbol illuminates, the dynamic headlight range control is no
longe r working properly. Have the system checked and repaired at
your Audi dealer. •
Defective light /rain sensor jf:>
.... Automatic headlights/automatic wipers defective
If the symbol illuminates, the light/rain sensor has failed. For safety
reasons the low beams are turned on permanently with the switch
in
AUTO. However , you can continue to turn the lights on and off
using the light switch. If the rain sensor fails, the functions of the
windshield wiper lever will still work. Contact your authorized Audi
dealer as soon as possible to have the problem corrected. •

Battery operation in the master key is monitored by a check light .
The check light flashes when one of the buttons on the master key
is pressed . If the check light does not flash, the battery is dead and
has to be replaced .
In addition, when the battery is dead the symbol appears in the
instrument cluster display as well as the message :
Please ch ange key battery
We recommend having the battery changed by an Audi Dealer .•
Electronic immobilizer
T he immob ili z er helps to prevent unauthorized use of
y o ur vehicle.
A computer chip inside your key automatically deactivates the e lec­
tr onic im mob ilizer when you insert the key in the ign iti on lock, or on
vehic les with Convenience key*, when the key is inside the vehicle .
When you remove the key from the ignition lock, or on vehicles with
Convenience key, when you remove the key from the vehicle, the
e lectronic immobilizer is automatica lly activated once again.
If an unauthor ized key was used,
SAFE is disp layed continuously in
the odometer disp lay field.
& WARNING
Always take the key w ith you when you leave the vehicle. The key
c an disarm the electronic engine immob ilizer and permit an unau ­
thori zed person to start the engine and enable oper atio n of the
vehicle sy stem s such a s power window or power sunroof leading
to s eriou s personal injury .
[ i ] Tip s
• Your engine can on ly be started using the factory-equipped key.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Opening and clo sing
• You may not be ab le to start your vehic le if an ignition key of a
different ve hicle make is a lso l oca ted on your set of keys .
• F or Dec laration of Comp liance to United States FCC and Industry
Canada regulations =>
page 385 . •
Power locking system
General description
T he power locking system locks or unlocks all doors and
the rear lid simultaneousl y.
The power loc kin g system in your veh ic le incorporates the following
functions:
• Central locking function
• Selective unlock feature=>
page 52
• Remo te contro l fea ture => page 48
• Convenience key*=> page 58
• Ant i-theft a larm system => page 60
All the doors and the rear lid are locked by the central locking
system when you lock the v ehicle. You can set whether general ly
only the driver's door or all doors and the rear lid should be
unlocked when you open t he vehic le in the MM I menu
Central
loc king
to suit your individua l desires=> page 52.
Unlocking the vehicle
You can un lock the vehic le from outside either by using the remote
co ntrol
or by tur ning the key i nside the driver's door lock. When you
unlo ck your vehic le:
• The anti -theft ala rm system is deactivated briefly .
• The vehicle interior lights i lluminate for approximately 30
sec ond s.
• All turn signal lights wi ll flash twice when the car is unlocked. .,,_
I • •

vehicle, the system senses that your are approaching, it makes a
quick check to see if you are "authori zed" and then i t does the
following :
• unlocks the vehicle ~
page 59 .
• locks the vehicle~ page 60.
• switches on the ignition and starts the engine when y ou press
the [ START] button . You do not have to insert your key into the igni ­
t ion lock ~
page 131.
& WARNING
• When you lock your vehi cle from out side , nobody -especially
c hildr en -sh ould rem ain in side the vehi cle . Rem emb er, w hen you
lock the vehicle fr om the outside the window s cannot be opened
from the in side .
• When you leave the vehicle , alwa ys remove the ignition key and
t a ke it wi th yo u. Thi s w ill prevent pa ss engers (children , for
example ) fro m acciden tally bein g locked in the vehicle should they
ac cid entally pr ess the p ower lock ing switch in the doo rs.
• Do not leave children in side the vehicl e un sup ervised. In an
eme rg ency it would be i mpo ssible to ope n th e door s from th e
o ut side wi thout the ke y.
[ i ) Tips
• For the Convenience key to properly work, you must always have
your vehic le key with you .
• The vehicle will lock or unlock the doors only if an authorized key
comes within 5 ft 11.5 meters) from one of the vehicle doors or the
rear lid.
• You can still lock or unlock your vehic le using the remote control
key buttons, however the se lector lever must in the P position .
• For Declaration of Compliance to United States FCC and Industry
Canada regulations ~
page 385. •
Controls and equip ­
ment
Opening and clo sing
Ap plies to veh ic les : wi th C onve nie nce ke y
Unlocking the vehicle
Y ou can unlock the doors and rear lid without using the
remote control .
Fig . 4 6 Convenien ce
k ey: U nlo ck in g a door
- Grab the door hand le . The door automat ica lly un locks.
P ull the doo r handle to o pen the doo r.
A door will unlock as you approach a door handle and the system
senses that you have an authorized key . This applies to each door on
t he vehicle . The authorized key on ly has to be within a range of
about 5 feet 11 .5 meters) from the respective door .
Whenever you un lock a door, the driver's door a lso un locks . Yo u can
set the power lock system using the me nu in the
MMI system, for
examp le, if you want to unlock just one specific door , or all the
veh ic le doors
~ page 52 .
[ i ) Tips
If you r vehic le has been standing f or an extended pe riod, p lease
note the following:
• To conserve battery power, the sensor will turn off after a few
days. When you come back, you will have to pull on the door hand le
once to un lock the door and then a second time to open the door .
~
I • •

How is the anti-theft alarm system switched off?
The anti-theft alarm system is switched off only when you unlock
your vehicle. If you do not open a door within 60 seconds after you have unlocked with the remote control, the vehicle will lock itself
again automatically.
When will the anti-theft alarm system be triggered?
When the vehicle is locked, the alarm system monitors and protects
the follow ing parts of the vehicle:
• engine compartment
• luggage compartment
• doors
• ignition
When the system is activated, the alarm will be triggered if one of
the doors, the engine hood or the rear lid are opened, or if the igni­
tion is turned on. The anti-theft alarm system will also go off when
the battery is disconnected.
Unlocking the rear lid by inser ting and turning the key inside the
rear lid locking cylinder will trigger the optical and acoustic alarm .
You can also trigger the alarm by pressing the PANIC button on your
remote control. This will a lert other people in case of emergency .
Press the
PANIC button again to turn off the alarm.
How is the anti -theft alarm switched off when
triggered?
The alarm system is switched off when you unlock the vehicle or
when the ignition is switched on. The alarm will a lso switch itself off
when it comes to the end of its cycle .
Emergency flasher and horn
The emergency flasher will blink briefly and the horn sounds when
the doors, engine hood and rear lid are properly closed.
If the emergency flashers do not b link , or the horn does not sound,
check the doors, engine hood and rear lid to make sure they are
properly closed . If you close a door, the hood or the rear lid with the
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
Opening and closing
anti-theft alarm switched on, the emergency flashers will blink and
the horn will sound only a fter you have closed the door or lid .
[ i ] Tips
For the anti-theft alarm system to function properly, make sure all
vehicle doors and windows are closed before leaving the vehicle .•
Power windows
Controls
Vehicle care I I
Fig. 48 Driver's door:
power window
switches
Fig . 49 Driver's door:
Switches (vehicles
with power child safety
lock ) _,.
irechnical data