check engine AUDI A8 2013 User Guide

Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 2 7
The date and time are shown in the instru ­
ment cluster display ¢
page 23, fig. 4. There
is also an ana log clock in the center conso le
¢fig. 12.
When you open the drive r's door, the date and
time appear in the instrument cluster display for 30 seconds. When the ign ition is switched
on, the time is always displayed in the status
line © regard less of the current d isp lay.
You can set the time on both clocks and the
date display in the MMI. Refer to the M MI
owner's manual for instructions.
Service interval display
The service interval display reminds you when
your next service is due.
Fi g. 1 3 In st rume nt cluster: Service interva l d isp lay
The schedule for the next oil change o r inspec­
tion is calculated a utomatically and displayed
according ly. The display works in two stages:
Service reminder
30 days before the next service is due, a serv­
ice reminder appears in the display when you
switch the ignition o n
r:::;,fig. 13.
After abo ut 5 sec onds the display sw itches
back to n ormal. The d istance and time re­
maining are updated each time the ignition is
switched on until the date due for serv ice is
reac hed.
Service due
W hen the due date for service is reached, the
message
Service due! appea rs in the instru­
ment clus ter immediately after you switch the
i gnit io n on . Additionally, a war ning tone sou
nds. After about 5 seconds the disp lay
switc hes back to normal.
Calling up the service schedules
If or w hen an oi l change or inspection is due,
c a n be shown in the M MI di spl ay by selec ting
t h e service in terval d isplay in the c ar menu .
Se lect the
I CAR I function button > Car s ys­
tems
control button > Ser vicing & checks >
Service interval d isp lays.
Resetting the service interval display
Your auth ori zed Audi de aler will reset the cor­
responding service sc hedule a fter pe rforming
t h e a ppropriate service o n your vehicle. You
also have t he possibility to reset the oil
change schedule after hav ing performed a n
o il change according to Aud i specifications.
Se lect the
ICAR I function button > Car sys­
tems
con trol button > Servicing & che cks >
Service Intervals > Reset oil change interval.
(D Note
If you d isconnect t he battery te rm inals , no
ca lculat ions can be made fo r the service
i nte rva l disp lay dur ing th is time and no
se rv ice rem inde r will appear. Remem ber
th at obs erving the prop er servi ce inte rva ls
i s vi tally imp ortant t o extending the lif e of
you r ve hicl e, p articu larly the engine, an d
maintain ing its val ue. Eve n if the milea ge
dr iven is low, the maximum period of one
year from one service to the next m ust n ot
be exceeded.
(D Tips
- Do not reset the display between oil
chan ges, otherwise the disp lay wi ll be in­
co rrect.
- The i nfo rmation in the Service Reminder
remains stored eve n when t he ve hicle
battery is disconnected.

Removing the mechanical key
Fig. 17 Remote co ntrol maste r key : re mov ing the me­
c han ical key
• Press the release button@ ¢ fig. 17.
• Pull the mechanica l key @ out of the mas ­
ter key.
Using the mechan ica l key, you can:
- lock and unlock* the storage compartment
on the passenger's side
<=:> page 74 .
-lock and unlock the vehicle manually
c:> page 35 .
-lock the front and rear passenger doors me­
chanically
c:> page 36.
- unlock the luggage compartment lid man­
ually
c:> page 39 .
Check light and battery in the master
key
Fig. 18 Remote master key: Re mov ing the batte ry
hold er
Check light in the maste r ke y
The check light @<=:> fig. 18 in the master key
p rov ides info rmat ion about d ifferent cond i­
tions.
• The check light turns on briefly once when a
button is pressed, and dur ing an "inqu iry"
by the convenience key system.
Op enin g an d clos ing 31
• If the check light does not come on, the
battery is dead and has to be replaced. In
add ition, when the battery is dead
the m
indicator light appears in the instrument
cluster display as well as the message
Pl ease chang e th e key b attery .
Maste r ke y b atte ry replacement
• Remove the mechanical key c:> page 31.
• Press the re lease button ® c:> fig. 18 on the
battery holder and at the same time pull the
battery holder out of the master key in the
direction of the arrow .
• Install the new battery CR 2032 with the
"+ " sign facing down.
• Push the battery holder carefu lly into the
maste r key.
• Install the mechan ical key.
@ For the sake of the environment
D ispose of dead batteries properly so as
not to poll ute the environment.
@ Tips
The rep lacement battery must be the
same specifica tion as the o rigina l.
Electronic immobilizer
The immobilizer helps to prevent unauthor­
ized use of your vehicle .
A computer chip ins ide your key automatically
deact ivates the electron ic immobilizer when
the key is inside the vehicle . When you remove
the key from the vehicle, the elect ron ic immo ­
bilizer is automa tically ac tivated once aga in.
& WARNING
A lways take the key with you when you
leave the vehicle. The key can disarm the
e lectronic engine immobilizer and permit
an unauthorized person to start the engine
and enable operation of the vehicle sys­
tems such as power w indow or power sun-
roof leading to serious pe rsonal injury .
Ill>

Closing the windows
• Pull the switch to the first stop and hold it
until the window reaches the desired posi­
tion.
• Pull the switch briefly to the
second stop to
automatically close the window.
Power window switches
@ Driver's door
@ Passenger's door
© Left rear door
@ Right rear door
® Safety button (or two safety buttons in
vehicles with power child safety locks
¢ poge40)
Child safety lock
When the safety button®¢ fig. 32 is press­
ed, the LED in the button lights up. The fol­
lowing features are switched off:
- The power windows in the rear doors,
- The buttons for the power sun shades* in
the side windows,
- The buttons for the power sun shade * in the
rear window,
- Front passenger power seat adj ustment*
button.
_& WARNING
- When you leave your vehicle - even if on­
ly briefly- always take the ignition key
with you. This applies particularly when
children remain in the veh icle. Otherw ise
the ch ildren could start the engine or op­
erate electrical equ ipment (e.g. power
w indows). The powe r windows are func­
tional until the driver's door or passeng­
er's door has been opened.
- Be careful when closing the windows.
Check to see that no one is in the way, or
serious injury could result!
- When locking the vehicle from outside,
the vehicle must be unoccupied sinc e the
windows can no Longer be opened in an
emergency.
Opening and closing
@ Tips
-The driver can Lower or raise the power
sun shades* in the side windows by using
switches © and @.
- After the ignition has been switched off,
the windows can still be opened or
closed for about 10 min utes. The power
windows are not switched off until the dr iver's door or passenger's door has
been ope ned.
What to do after a malfunct ion
The one-touch open and close function must
be reactivated if the battery hos been discon­
nected .
• Pull and hold the power window switch un­
til the w indow is fully closed.
• Release the sw itch and then pull it again for
at least one second.
Valet parking
The valet parking feature protects the lug­
gage comportment from unauthorized
ac ­
cess .
Fig. 33 Valet parking bu tton
With "valet parking" activated, the luggage
compartment lid cannot be opened.
• Remove the mechanical key¢
page 31.
• Open the glove compartment and activate
¢
fig. 33 the "valet parking" feature by
pressing the
! VALE TI button . The indicator
light in the sw itch illuminates .
.,.. Close the glove compartment and lock it
w ith the mechanical key .
liJJ,,
41

Full-length center
console
Overview
Applies to vehicles: with full-le ngth center console
Fig. 65 Rear: full -lengt h center console
@ · 115 volt socket c::> page 67
@ · cupholder c::> page 74
© -12 volt socket c::> page 73
@· Folding table c::> page 68
© ·center armrest and storage compart ­
ments : to open the deep compartment, press
the r ight button and fold the center armrest
upward. To open the compartment for the
massage function remote control*
c::> page 63
and for the telephone*, press the left button
and fold the center armrest upward.
115-volt socket
Applies to vehicles: with 115-volt socket
The 115-vo lt socket can on ly be used when
the engine is running
c::> .&. . When you push
the connector all the way into the socket, the
child safety mechanism releases and current
flows through the socket.
Equipment that can be connected
Electrical devices can be connected to the 115
volt socket in the vehicle. Power consumption
at the 115-volt socket must not exceed 150
watts (300 watts peak) . Check the power con­
sumpt ion of the equipment on the model
plate .
Seats and storage 67
LED on the socket
-The socket is ready for use when the LED is
green.
- If the LED blinks red, there is a malfunction.
The socket wi ll switch off automatically due
to overcurrent o r overheating . The socket
will switch on again automatica lly after a
cool-down period . Any devices that are con­
nected and switched on will activate again
automatically
c::> .&. .
A WARNING
-- The sockets and the-electrical accessories
connected to them operate only when
the ignition is switched on. Incorrect us­
age can lead to ser ious injuries or burns.
To reduce the risk of injuries, never leave
children unattended in the veh icle with
the vehicle key.
- Heavy equipment or plugs with integrat­
ed power supply units can damage the
socket and lead to injuries.
- Store all connected equipment securely
while the vehicle is moving so that they
cannot be thrown through the vehicle in
the event of a braking maneuver or an
accident.
- Never spill any liquids on the socket . If
any moisture gets into the socket, make
certain that all the moisture has dried up before using the socket again .
- Equipment that is connected to the vehi·
cle socket can heat up more than it does
when connected to the public gr id.
- When using adapters and extension
cords, the child safety for the 115-volt
socket is disabled and the socket is live .
- Never insert anything other than the
plug of an appropriate electrical accesso­
ry into the socket, especially things that
conduct e lectricity, e.g. meta l pens, knit­
ting need les, etc. into the contacts of the
115-volt socket.
- Turn the electrical equ ipment off if the
socket has switched off because of over­
heating.

76 Seats and storage
-the temperature in the luggage compart­
ment is below 131 °f (55 °C). The cooler
switches off automatically if the tempera­
ture in the luggage compartment exceeds 131 °f (55 °C). Once the tempera ture falls
below 131 °f (55 °C) again, the cooler
switches on aga in automatically .
- the battery is adequately charged . The cool­
er switches off automatically if the vehicle
battery voltage falls below a minimum lev­
el. This prevents the battery from discharg­
ing. The cooler switches back on again auto­
matically when the battery voltage increases
again (e.g . after starting the engine).
The cooler cools to 42.8 °f
(+ 6 °C) and the
freezer cools to 21.2 °f (-6 °C) in opt imum
cooling conditions . The cooling performance
is affected by the temperature in the luggage
compartment. The temperature inside the
cooler will be higher if the luggage compart­
ment is hot.
A WARNING
To avoid putting the occupants at any risk, please observe the following safety rules:
- The maximum capacity is 2.5 kg (5.5
lbs.).
- Never overload the cooler. This could
cause injury in the event of a collision or
sudden braking.
- The cooler lid must always be kept closed
while you are driving. Make sure the re­
taining catch is securely engaged. The contents of the coo ler could be thrown
forward into the passenger compart­
ment in the event of a collision or under
sudden braking -risk of injury!
- Inflammable liquids, gas canisters, etc.
must not be stored in the cooler -risk of
explosion! This also includes any prod­
ucts that might emit volatile or inflam­
mable gases.
- Liquids will freeze at temperatures at or
below 32 °f (0 °C) and may cause glass
bottles to burst!
(D Note
- The ventilation openings for the cooler
are located on the back panel trim in the
luggage compartment and
must be kept
clear at all times.
- If the cooler is not functioning properly,
switch it off to prevent further damage.
Have it checked by a qualified workshop.
Operation
App lies to vehicles: wit h cooler
Fig. 80 Rear cen ter armrest
The cooler is located in the rear cabin behind
the center armrest or behind the sliding
cover
(depending on the equipment fitted in your
vehicle) . The cooler and freezer only work
when the ignition is on .
Opening / closing the cooler
.,. To open the cooler, pull the release lever(!)
c!> fig. 80.
.. To close the cooler, push the lid back into its
original position . You should hear the re­
lease lever
(D engage if the lid is properly
closed.
Switching on/off .,. Press button @c::>fig.
80 to switch the cool­
er on/off. The symbol in the button is lit
when this function is a ctivated .
.. Press button
@ to switch the freezer on/
off . The symbol in the button is lit when this
function is activated.

@ Tips
When you stop and the start-stop-system
turns the engine off, the ignition remains on. Make sure that the ign ition is switched
off before exiting the vehicle.
General information
App lies to vehicles: with Start-Stop-System
The standard Start-Stop-mode can be cancel·
led for different system-related reasons.
Fig. 89 Instrument cluster : eng ine-Stop temporar ily
u navailable
Engine will not switch off
Before each stop phase, the system checks if
certain cond itions have been met . For exam­
p le, the engine will
not be switched off in the
following situations:
- The engine has not reached the minimum
required temperature for Start -Stop-mode .
- The interio r temperature selected by the A/C
system has not been reached.
- Th e outside temperature is extremely h igh/
low.
- The windshield is being defrosted
9page 81.
- The parking system* is switched on.
- The battery charge level is too low .
- The steering wheel is sharply turned or there is a steer ing movement.
- After engaging the reverse gear.
- On sharp inclines .
The
(jj indicator light appears in the informa­
tion line in the instrument cluster display
9fig. 89.
On the road 89
Engine automatically restarts
The stop phase is interrupted in the following
situations, for example. The engine restarts
without any action by the driver.
- The interior temperature varies from the
temperature selected in the A/C system.
- The windsh ield is being defrosted
9page 81.
-The brake pedal is pressed severa l times in a
row.
- The battery charge level becomes too low .
- High power consumpt ion.
@ Tips
If you shift into the D, Nor S positions af­
ter sh ifting into
reverse, the vehicle must
be driven faster than 6 mph (10 km/h) in
order for the engine to sw itch off aga in.
Switching the Start-Stop-System on/off
manually
App lies to vehicles: wi th Start-Stop-Sys te m
If you do not wish to use the system, you can
switch it off manually.
Fig. 90 Center console: Start-Stop-System button
.,. To switch the Start-Stop-System off/on
manually, press the
l "'I button. The LED in
the button turns on when the system is
sw itched off.
@ Tips
If you switch the system off during a stop
phase, the engine will start again auto­
matically.

200 Intelligent technology
-ABS and ASR on ly work correctly when
all four wheels are equipped w ith ident i­
ca l tires. Different tire s izes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems described are working.
- If the indicator light
DJ or m:11 (USA
models) ;tiJ (Canada models) appears,
there may be a malfunct ion
c::;, page 19,
c::;, page 18 .
Switching on and off
ESC turns on automatically when you start
the engine.
Fig. 188 Center console w ith ESC OFF button
Switching ASR off (sport mode)
In certain situat io ns, you can switch ASR and
ESC into sport mode by pressing the button
l!l
c::;, fig. 188. The indicator light II comes on
and the mess age Stabilization control (ESC ):
Off warning! Reduced stability appears. ASR
deactivates completely and the assistance provided by the ESC system is limited. Switch
to sport mode on ly when your driving skills,
traffic and weather cond itions permit .
I n some situations, it may be useful to switc h
ASR off to let the wheels slip. Example:
- Rocking the vehicle back and forth when it is
stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving with snow cha ins
Switching ASR on Press the button[!] aga in. The message Stabi­
lization control (ESC): On appears.
A WARNING
- Drive whee ls can sp in and you can lose
control of the vehicle more eas ily when
ASR and ESC are in sport mode, especial­
ly when the road is slippery.
- Sw itch to sport mode only when your
driving skills, traff ic and weather condi­
tions permit.
@ Tips
You cannot sw itch sport mode on when
adaptive c ruise control* is working.
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
-
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing condit ions and driving habits
c::;, &. . On
vehicles that are either dr iven mostly in stop­
and-go city traffic or are driven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dea ler more often than specified in
the Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Failure
to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you should use the braking
effect of the engine. This way, you prevent un­
necessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down continuously. Pump the brakes at inter­
vals .
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on
the speed, braking force and outside condi­
tions such as temperature and humidity.
Due to the nature of the materia ls used in ce­
ramic brake rotors*, noises may become more
apparent at low speeds. .,..

202 Intellig ent technol ogy
- If you damage the fro nt spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­ ed . Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the ent ire brake system .
- Failure of one brake c ircuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­ creased stopp ing distance. Avoid driv ing
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­ est Aud i dea ler or qualified workshop .
Brake booster
The brake booster adds extra braking power .
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
sure which is created only when the engine is
running ¢& .
& WARNING
-Never let the vehicle ro ll to a stop w ith
the engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not work ing, for
example when towing your vehicle, or
because the b rake booste r has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerab ly harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance .
Servotronic® -
advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems use the power of
the running engine to allow precise steering
with little effort.
The advanced Servotronic ® power steering
system senses the road speed and e lectroni­
cally adjusts powe r ass istance to p rov ide com ­
fortable and sa fe stee ring response exactly
matc hed to the ve hicle speed .
Power steering w il l not work if the eng ine is
off . As a result, the steering whee l w ill be hard
to turn.
The power steering fluid level is chec ked dur­
ing the scheduled ma intenance serv ices.
(D Note
If there is an e lectronic malfunction, ser­
votronic
will still function like a conven­
tiona l power steering system, providing a
constant steering support force that is no
l onger proportionate to the vehicle speed.
This is most not iceable when t urning the
steering wheel at low speeds (for example
when pa rking), - more effort w ill be re­
q uired than us ual.
- Be aware of the diffe rent than usual
steering response and adjust your steer­
ing force acco rding ly.
- Have the problem checked and set right
by an A udi dealer as soon as poss ible.
(D Tips
- When the eng ine is running, never ho ld
the stee ring wheel turned all the way to
the rig ht or to the left fo r longer than 15
seconds. The powe r stee ring pump will
overheat the hydraulic fluid i f yo u keep
holding the stee ring wheel turned all the
way. This is likely to damage the power steering system.
- If the powe r steering system sho uld fai l
entire ly, or if the engine is not runn ing
(for example, wh ile be ing towed), you
w ill still be able to stee r the veh icle.
However,
considerably more effort will
be requi red to do so.
- If the power steering system should
have a leak, or is not functioning proper­
ly, contact your author ized Audi dealer
immed iately.
- The power steer ing system req uires a
specially fo rmu lated hyd raulic fluid. The
powe r stee ring fluid reservoir is located
in the engine comp art ment¢
page 234.
T he cor rect fluid level in the reservoir is
impo rtant fo r proper functioning of the
powe r stee ring .

208 Driving and en vir onm ent
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
A WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re­
sto re the full braking effect.
@) Note
- Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or electr ical
system can be severely damaged by driv­ i ng th rough water.
- Always switc h off the Start-Stop-System
when driving through water~
page 87.
(1) Tips
-Check the depth of the water before dr iv­
i ng through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, dr ive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
through water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive th rough safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitat ions
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This sec­
t ion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook.
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTEC TION AGENCY
( E PA) and Transpo rt Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi ­
cle load and speed, road and weather con ­
ditions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they a re ac­
ce lerating. If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
t hu s, acce lerate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for examp le when you see
that the next traff ic light is red.

212 Trailertowing
Trail er load dis tr ibut ion
Be sure the load in the trai ler is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
N eve r all ow a p assenger to rid e in a trailer
~.&. in Driving instructions on page 213.
Engine cooling sy stem
Towing a tra iler makes the eng ine work hard­
er . It is important that the cooling system's
performance is up to the addit ional load .
Make sure that the cooling system has eno ugh
flu id.
Tir e pressure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the t ires of your
vehicle to the co ld tire pressure listed under
" Full load " on the label loca ted o n the dr iver's
side B-pillar (v is ible when the door is open).
I nflate trailer tires to tra iler and tire manufac­
turers' specifications.
Lights
Check to make sure both veh icle and trailer
l ights are wor king p roperly.
Safe ty chain s
Be sure tra iler safety cha ins are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve ­
h icle . Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners . When you install safety
cha ins, make su re they w ill not drag on the
road when yo u are driving.
The chains shou ld cross under the tra iler
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separat ion from the hitch .
Adjusting the Audi drive select
Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface be­
for e
hitching up the tra iler and b efor e adjust ­
ing the tongue weight . The vehicle must be i n
auto or comfort driving mode and not raised
~ page 109, ~CD .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered . In Info ­
tainment, select:
I CARI function button > Low­
e r
control button . If you must drive under poor road conditions,
you can raise the vehicle
afte r coupling the
trailer or
a fter adjust ing the tongue we ight
~ page 111.
(D Note
-Changes in temperature or load can af­
fect the height of the vehicle .
- Always select auto or comfort mode .
Otherw ise, the tongue load specified for
your vehicle will no longer be applicable.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core and consideration.
T o obtain the best possible hand ling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the fo llowing:
.. Do not tow a loaded t railer when you r ca r it­
self is not loaded .
.. Be especially carefu l when passing other
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limits.
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.. Always apply brakes early .
.. Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight di stribut ion
T owing a loaded trailer with an empty car re ­
su lts in a highly unstable d istribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
l ow speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should
be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble , while keep ing the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the ci rcumstances. Whenever poss i­
ble , transfer some ca rgo to the luggage com ­
partment of the tow vehicle while obse rv ing
tong ue load requi rements and vehicle load ing
considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more d ifficu lt it be­
comes fo r the driver to cont rol the rig. Do not
1111>