check engine AUDI A8 2017 User Guide

Trailer mode
Trailer load distribution
Be s ure the load in the trailer is held securely in
p lace to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways .
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 91.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harder . It
is important that the cooling system's perform­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has eno ugh fluid.
Tire pressure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the tires of your
veh icle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load " on the label ¢
page 293 . Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tir e manufacturers' specifica­
tions.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly .
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners . When you install safety cha ins, make
sure they w ill not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
Adjusting the Audi drive select
Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface before
hitching up the trailer and before adjust ing the
tongue weight. The vehicle must be in
auto or
comfort driving mode and not raised
o:,;, page 110, o:,;, 0 .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info­
tainment, select:
ICARI function button> Lower
control button.
90
If you must drive under poor road conditions, you
can raise the vehicle
after coupling the trailer or
after adjust ing the tongue we ight ¢ page 112.
([) Note
-Changes in temperature or load can affect
the height of the vehicle.
- Always select auto or comfort mode. Other­
wise, the tongue load specified for your ve­
hicle will no longer be app licab le .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results
i n a high ly unstable distribution of we ight . If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid t he risk of losing steering contro l.
A "balanced " rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissib le, wh ile
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow veh icle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind cond it ions are unfavorable - particularly when
go ing downh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of sway ing.
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail. ..,.

0 co .... N ,..._
N .... 0 0 :c ' -New brake pads do not achieve their fu ll
brak ing effect during the first 250 mi
(400 km). They must be "broken in" first.
However, you can compensate for the
sl ightly reduced braking force by pressing
firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy brak­
ing dur ing the b reak-in per iod.
- Certa in weather and operat ing cond it ions
such as dr iving t hrough water, d riving in
heavy ra in or d riving after washing your ve­
hicle ca n impair the effectiveness of the
bra kes . In the w inter, ice may b uild up on
the brake pads, rotors and drums . Check
these components by braking carefu lly. Ap­
plying the brakes carefu lly several times
dr ies the brakes and removes ice bu ild-up.
- The effic iency of the brakes can also be im­
paired by driving for long st retches on roads
cove red w ith salt without using the b rakes.
Yo u can remove sa lt deposits from the
bra ke rotors and pads by caref ully applyi ng
the brakes severa l t imes .
- If the front spoiler is damaged or you install
another spoiler, ma ke sure the front wheel
bra kes are vent ilated prope rly. O therwise,
the br ake system could overheat, wh ic h re­
duces the ir effectiveness.
- Failure of a brake circui t impai rs b raking
perfo rmance, whi ch incre ases bra king dis­
tance . Avoi d driving the vehicle and have it
towed it to the nearest author ized Audi
dealer or authorized A udi Se rvice Facility .
- If the bra ke booster is not wor king, you will
have to press m uch ha rder on the bra ke
peda l to compensate for the lack of the
booster.
(D Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
pedal lightly when braking is not actually
necessary. This causes the brakes to over­
heat and inc reases braking d istance and
causes wear.
- Before driving downh ill a long distance on a
steep h ill, decrease your speed and select a
l ower gear. This makes use of the engine
braking effect and relieves the brakes . If Intellig
ent Technology
you need to bra ke ad ditiona lly, bra ke in in­
terva ls and not continuous ly .
(D Tips
- If the brake boos ter is not wor king, you
must press the brake peda l with much more
force than normal.
- If you retrof it your vehicle with a front spo il­
er, wheel covers or simi lar items, make su re
that the air f low to the front wheels is not
inter rupted. Otherwise the b rake system
can become too hot.
Electromechanical
steering., dynamic
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements.
Power s teer ing adapts electronically based on
the ve hicle speed .
Indicator lights and messages
• Do not dr ive vehicle: Steering defective
If this indicator light turns on and stays on and
t hi s message appears, the power steering may
have failed.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as pos­ s ible. Do
not cont inue drivi ng. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac il ity for
ass ista nce.
l;rj Steering: System fault You can continue
driving
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, the steering wheel may be more d iffi ­
cu lt to move or m ore sensitive than usual. The
steering wheel may also be at an angle when
driv ing stra ight .
Drive slowly to an a uthorized Audi dea ler or au­
thori zed Audi Serv ice Facility to have the mal­
funct ion corrected .
'T-ij Dynamic stee ring: Initializing
If the indicato r ligh t is blinking and this mess age
appe ars, dynamic steering* is be ing ini tialized. .,.
129

Rear Seat Ente rtainm ent
The last selected menu is disp layed when it is
switched on.
When the ig nition is swit ched off, a message in­
d icating that the RSE is in standby mode appears
in the left or right RSE display. The RSE switches
off automatically if you do not press the left or right On/Off knob while the system is in standby
mode.
(D Tips
- The RSE switches off automatica lly if the
engine is not running and the vehicle bat­
tery is low.
Symbols
Applies to: vehicles with Rear Seat Entertainment
F ig. 204 RS E display symbo ls
Symbol /Description E xplanation
- If you cannot sw itch the RS E on again, check
the parenta l control settings in the M MI
r=:> page 196.
Adjusting the volume
Applies to: vehicles with Rear Seat Entertainment
.,. Increasing o r decre asing the volume: turn the
On/Off knob to the right or left .
.,. Muting : press the On/Off knob brief ly.
.,. Unmuting: press the On/Off knob briefly or
turn the On/Off knob to the right .
(D Tips
Volume that is too high or too low is auto­
matically adjusted to a preset level when the
RSE is sw itched on.
© [t] Active med ia source
@ Headphones Aud
io outp ut throug h headphones that a re wireless or connected
by a cable
® Speaker Aud io output throug h the vehicle's aud io system
@ Importing process
Import ing a udio/v ideo fi les to the Jukebox r=:> page 182
® Time Set time
® Parental control Parental control is switched on r=:>page 196
(J) L/R Display for RSE when RSE cont rol panel is act ive
(D Tips
A headphone or speaker symbol that is
crossed out @ /@ r=;,
fig. 204 indicates that
the active aud io/video sou rce is m uted.
194

Checking and Filling
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Applies to: vehicles with gaso line engine
Using the right fuel helps keep the environment
clean and prevents engine damage .
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recommended for your vehicle is unlead­
ed premium
grade gasoline. Audi recommends
using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline with a mini­
mum octane rating of 91 AKI (95 RON). For more
information on TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline,
please go to the official website
(www.toptiergas .com) .
The recommended gasoline octane rating for
your engine can also be found on a label located
on the inside of the fuel filler flap. This rating
may be specified as AKI or RON.
Your vehicle may also be operated using unlead­
ed regular gasoline with a min imum octane rat ­
ing of 87 AKl/91 RON. However, using 87 AKl/91
RON octane fuel will slightly reduce engine per­
formance.
Use unleaded gasoline only. Unleaded gasoline
is available throughout the USA, Canada, and in
most European countries . We recommend that
you do not take your vehicle to areas or countries
where un leaded gasol ine may not be available.
For more information on refueling your vehicle,
see
~ page 268.
Octane rating
Octane rating indicates a gasoline's ability to re­
sist engine damaging "knock" caused by prema­
ture ignit ion and detonation . Therefore , buy ing
the correct grade of gasoline is very important to
h e lp prevent possible engine damage and a loss
of eng ine performance.
Gasoline most commonly used in the United
States and Canada has the following octane rat-
~ ings that can usually be found on the filler pump: .... N
~ -Premium Grade: 91 -96 AKI .... 0 0 :c ' Checking and Filling
-Regu lar Grade: 87 -90 AK I
Exp lanation of the abbreviations:
AK I=
Anti Knock Index = (R +M)/2 = (RON +MON)/
2
RON = Research Octane Number
MON= Moto r Octane Number.
(D Note
- Do not use any fuel with octane ratings low­
er than 87 AKI or 91 RON otherwise expen­
sive engine damage will occur.
- Do
not us e leaded gasoline. The use of lead­
ed gasoline will severe ly damage your vehi­
cle's catalytic converter and its ability to
control exhaust emissions .
Blended gasoline
Applies to: vehicles with gasoline engine
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or MTBE
(methyl tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unleaded gasoline blended with al­
cohol or MTB E (commonly referred to as oxygen ­
ates) if the blended mixture meets the following
criteria:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
-Anti -knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must contain no more than 3% metha-
nol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co-solvents.
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol or
ethyl alcohol)
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must not conta in more than 15% etha-
nol.
Blend of gasoline and MTBE
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AK I or higher.
- Blend must contain not more than 15% MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform es­
pecially well for winter or summer dr iving . Dur-
ing seasonal change-over, we suggest that you ..,.
267

Checking and Filling
fill up at busy gas stations where the seasonal
adjustment is more likely to be mad e in time.
0 Note
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these re­
quirements may cause corrosion and dam­
age to plastic and rubber components in the
fuel system.
- Do not use fuels that fail to meet the speci­
fied criteria in this chapter .
- If you are unable to determine whether or
not a particular fuel blend meets the speci­
fications, ask your service station or its fuel
supplier.
- Do not use fuel for which the contents can­
not be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance prob­
lems resulting from the use of fuels differ­
ent from those specified are not the respon­
sibility of Audi and are not covered under
the New Vehicle or the Emission Control
System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy or
driveability and performance problems due
to the use of one of these fuel blends, we
recommend that you switch to unblended
fuel.
Gasoline additives
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith gasoline engine
A major concern among many auto manufactur­
ers is carbon deposit build-up caused by the type
of gasoline you use .
Although gasoline grades differ from one manu­
facturer to another, they have certain things in
common. All gasoline grades contain substances
that can cause deposits to collect on vital engine
parts, such as fuel injectors and intake valves. Al­
though most gasoline brands include additives to keep engine and fuel systems clean, they are not
equally effective .
Audi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent Gas­
oline. For more information on TOP TIER Deter­
gent Gasoline, please go to the official website (www.toptiergas .com) .
268
After an extended period of using inadequate
fuels, carbon deposit build-ups can rob your en­
gine of peak performance.
([) Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel qual­
ity is not covered by the Audi New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
Refueling
· Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel filler flap .
If the power locking system should fail, you can
still open the flap manually -for detailed instruc­
tions see
~ page 2 70.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your vehicle
in
~ page 334 .
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap tells
you the correct fuel for your vehicle. For more in­
formation about fuel specifications, see
~ page 267.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on board refuelling
vapor recovery system. This feature helps to pre­
vent fuel vapors from escaping from the tank and
polluting the environment while you refuel your
vehicle . In order to fill the tank properly while
protecting the environment, please follow this
refueling procedure carefully.
& WARNING
-Under normal operating conditions, never car­
ry additional fuel containers in your car. Gas
canisters and other containers used to trans­
port fuel can be dangerous. Such containers,
full or empty, may leak and could cause a fire
in a collision. If you must transport fuel to
use for your lawn mower, snow blower, etc .,
be very careful and always observe local and
state laws regarding the use, transportation
and storage of such fuel containers. Make cer­
tain the container meets industry standards
(ANSI/AS TM F8S2 -86).

C) C0 ....
"' ,....
"' .... 0 0 :r (D Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fuel tank is
completely empty. The irregular supply of
fuel can cause misfiring. Gasoline could enter
the exhaust system and damage the catalytic
converter.
Fueling procedure
Fig. 253 R ight rear side of the vehicle: opening the fue l
f iller door
Fig. 254 Fu el fil ler door w ith attached fuel cap
The fuel filler door is unlocked or locked by the
central locking system.
Opening the fuel cap
"" Press on the left side of the fuel filler door to
open
c:!;> fig . 2 53.
""Unscrew the tank cap counterclockw ise.
"" Place the cap from above on the open fuel filler
door
c:!;> fig. 254.
Closing the fuel cap
""Screw the tank cap on to the right on the filler
neck until it cannot turn any farther .
""Then press on the left side of the tank door un­
ti l it latches .
Checking and Filling
Once the pump nozzle switches off, the fuel tank
is "full". Do not fill the tank more . Otherwise the
expansion space in the tank will be filled.
The correct fuel type for your vehicle can be
found on a label located on the inside of the fuel
filler door. For additional information on fuel,
see
c:!;> page 267.
The fuel tank capacity of your vehicle is listed in
the
Technical Data section c:!;> page 334.
To avo id fuel spilling or evaporat ing from the fuel
tank always close fuel cap properly and com­
pletely. An improperly closed fuel filler cap may
also cause the MIL lamp
c:!;> page 25 to come on.
A WARNING
Not paying attention when fueling or han­
dling fuel incorrectly can lead to fires, explo­
sions or serious injuries.
- Fuel ignites easily and can cause serious
burns and other injuries.
-
-If you do not switch the engine off when fu­
eling and/or do not insert the fuel nozzle
completely into the tank opening, fuel can
leak out or run over. Leaked fuel can ignite
and start a fire.
- Do not use the telephone while fueling. The
electromagnetic rays can cause sparks,
which can ignite fuel vapors and start a fire .
- Do not sit in your vehicle while fueling. If
you must make an exception and enter your
veh icle aga in while fueling, close the door
and touch metal to discharge static electric­
ity before touching the fuel nozzle. Static
electricity can create sparks, which can ig­
nite vapors when fueling.
- Do not smoke or have an open flame in the
area when fueling your vehicle or filling a
fuel container because this increases the
risk of an explosion.
- For your safety, carrying fuel containers in
your vehicle is not recommended. Whether
full or empty, the container can leak and
cause a fire in the event of an accident.
- If you must make an exception and trans­
port a fuel container, note the following:
269

Checking and Filling
-Never fill the fuel container with fuel
while it is in or on the vehicle. Static elec­
tricity is discharged when filling which can
cause the fuel vapors to ignite and in­
creases the risk of an explosion .
- Always place a fuel container on the
ground before filling .
- Always hold the fuel nozzle completely in
the fuel container when filling .
- If the fuel container is made of metal, the
fuel nozzle must always be in contact with
the container when filling it with fuel. This
prevents static electricity from discharg­
ing.
- Never spill fuel in the vehicle or the lug­
gage compartment . Evaporated fuel is ex­
plosive and increases the risk of serious in­
jury or death.
- Follow legal requirements when using,
storing and transporting fuel containers.
- Make sure the fuel container conforms to
industry standards (ANSI/ASTM F852-86).
0 Note
- Remove spilled fuel from vehicle paint im­
mediately, because it can damage paint.
- Never drive until the fuel tank is completely
empty . The irregular supply of fuel that re­
sults from that can cause engine misfires .
Uncombusted fuel will enter the exhaust
system and increase the risk of damage to
the catalytic converter.
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not overfill the fuel tank, otherwise fuel
can leak out when the vehicle is warming up.
(0 Tips
The fuel filler door on your vehicle does not
lock if you lock the vehicle from the inside .
270
Fuel filler door emergency release
If the cen tral locking system is faulty, the fuel
filler door can be unlocked manually .
Fig. 255 Vehicles with selective ca ta ly tic reduc tion•: righ t
s ide trim panel in the l ugg age compartment
Fig. 256 R ig ht s ide t rim pane l in t he luggage com part·
ment : emerg enc y release mechan ism
.., tn
9 :c
"' a,
The emergency release mechanism is located be­
hind the right side trim panel in the luggage
compartment. In vehicles with selective catalytic
reduction*, remove the vent grille first:
.. Press both tabs@¢
fig. 255 and tilt the vent
grille downward. You can then remove the
grille upward .
.. Loosen the loop
q fig . 256 from the retainer
and then pull on the loop carefully
q (I) . The
fuel filler door releases.
.. Press on the left side of the fuel filler door to
open it~
page 269 , fig. 253 .
(D Note
Only pull on the loop until you feel resistance.
You will not hear it release . Otherwise you
could damage the emergency release mecha­
nism.

Checking and Filling
-Set the parking brake.
- Select the P selector lever position.
- Let the engine cool down.
- Never open the hood when there is steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that you could
be burned. Wait until no steam or coolant is
escaping.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment.
- Never spill fluids on a hot engine. These flu­
ids (such as the anti-freezing agent con­
tained in the coolant) can ignite.
- Avoid short circuits in the electrical system.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of personal injury.
- Never open the cap on the coolant expan­
sion tank when the engine is warm. The
cooling system is under pressure.
- To protect your face, hands, and arms from
hot steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
large cloth when opening.
- Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be performed with the en­
gine running, there is additional danger due
to moving components (such as the ribbed
belt, alternator and radiator fan) and from
the high-voltage ignition system .
- Do not under any circumstances activate the
throttle inadvertently (for example, by hand
from the engine compartment) if the vehi­
cle is stationary but the engine is running
and a gear is engaged. Otherwise, the vehi­
cle will start to move immediately and this
could result in an accident.
- Pay attention to the following warnings list­
ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
- Do not smoke .
- Never work near open flames.
- Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby
- All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi-
272
cal burns, accidents or burns. Because of
this, all work must be performed
only by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility .
- To reduce the risk of electric shock and in­
jury, never touch the following components when the engine is running or is being start­
ed:
- Ignition cable
- Other components in the electronic high-
voltage ignition system
- If you must check or perform work on the
engine while it is running:
- Set the parking brake and place the selec­ tor lever in the P (park) position first.
- Always proceed with extreme caution so
that clothing, jewelry or long hair do not
become caught in the radiator fan, fan
belt or other moving components or do
not come into contact with hot compo­
nents . Tie back long hair before beginning
work and do not wear clothing that can
hang down into the engine .
- Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi­
cals to as short a time as possible
c:> ,&. .
.&_ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm. In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm .
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms .
Wash hands after handling.

C) C0 ....
"' ,....
"' .... 0 0 :r (D Note
When filling fl uids, be sure not to mix the flu­
ids up. Otherwise severe ma lf u nctions and en ­
gine damage w ill occur.
@) For the sake of the environment
You sho uld regular ly check the ground u nder
your veh icle in o rder to detect leaks qu ickly. If
there are visible spots from oil or other f luids,
bring your vehicle to an authorized Aud i dea l­
er or author ized Audi Service Facility to be
checked.
Opening/closing the hood
The hood is released from inside the vehicle.
Fi g. 257 Driver footwell: re lease lever
F ig. 258 Roc ke r switch under t he hood
,-.. ~ co 0 :± ... IX)
Checking and Filling
Make s ure the wiper arms are not raised up from
the windshie ld . Otherwise the paint could be
damaged.
Opening the hood
.,. With the d river 's doo r open, pull the lever be­
low the instrument pane l in the d irection of the
arrow
q fig. 257 .
.,. Raise the hood slightly¢_& .
.,. Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
q fig. 258 . This releases the catch.
.,. Open the hood .
Closing the hood
.,. Push the hood down until you override the
force of the strut.
.,. Let the hood fall lightly into the latch .
Do not
press it in.
q _& .
A WARNING
--Never open the hood when there is steam or
coo lant escaping from the engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that you could be burned. Wait unt il no steam or coolant is
escapi ng.
- For safety reasons, the hood m ust always be
closed securely while driv ing. Because of
this, always che ck t he hood afte r closing i t
to make sure it is latched correct ly. The
hood is latched if the front corners cannot
be lifted.
- If you notice that the hood is not latched
while you are driving, stop immediately and
close it, because driving when the hood is not latched increases the risk of an accident.
273

Checking and Filling
Engine compartment overview
The most important check points.
Fig. 259 Typical location of the rese rvoir and the engine o il fil le r open ing
(D Washer fluid reservoir (Q) c::> page 281
@ Jump start point(-) with hex head screw
c::> page 280, c::> page 32 7
@ Jump start point( +) under a cover
c> page 280, c::> page 32 7
@ Engine oil label* with VW standard
c> page 274
® Eng ine oil filler opening(~) c> page 276
@ Brake fluid reservoir((()}) c::> page 2 79
(j) Coolant reservoir (-L) c::> page 2 78
The engine oil fill ing opening (item@) may be
located in a different area depending on the en­
gine version.
A WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS before check­
ing anything in the engine compartment
c::> &.
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 271.
274
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
The service interval display in the instrumen t
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an o il change. We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by an authorized Audi Se rv­
ice Advisor.
If you must add oil between oil changes, use an
oi l that matches the Audi oil quality standard
listed on the sticker. The sticker is located at the
front of the eng ine compartment
c::> page 274,
fig. 259
Audi recommends
~ Castrol /fg/j;Sf.g;fg f'r Audi recommends Longlife high performance
engine oil from Aud i Genuine Parts
liJI,