height AUDI A8 2017 Owners Manual

Cockpit overview
_& WARNING
The route calculated by the navigation system
is a recommendation for reaching your desti­
nation. Obey traffic lights, stopping restric­
tions, one-way streets, lane change restric­
tions, etc.
An asterisk
" *" in front of the street name in­
dicates that the information about this street
or this section of the route is not complete in
the navigation data that the MMI contains .
Obey traffic laws in one-way streets and pe­
destr ian zones.
Time and date display
Fig. 16 Center conso le: analog clock
The date and time are shown in the instrument
cluster display . There is also an ana log clock in
the center console
<=:> fig. 16 .
When you open the driver's door, the date and
time appear in the display for 30 seconds . When
the ignition is switched on, the time is always dis­
played in the status line © regardless of the cur­
rent d isplay.
You can set the time on both clocks and the date (disp lay) in the Infotainment system
<=:> page 204.
16
Head-up Display
Appl ies to: vehicles with Head-up D isplay
Fig. 17 Examp le : i ndicators in the Head-up Display
Fig. 18 Instrument panel: knob for th e head-up display
The Head-up Display pro jects certain warnings or
selected information from the assist systems* or
navigation* on the windshield. The display ap­
pears within the driver's field of vision.
Switching on/off
.,. To switch the Head-up Display on or off, press
the knob~ ¢
fig. 18.
Adjusting the height
The height of the display can be adjusted to the
i ndivid ual driver .
.,. Make sure you are seated correctly
<=:>page 208.
.,. Turn the knob~ to adjust the d isplay.
Settings in the Infotainment system
.,. Select: the I CARI function button > (Car)* Sys­
tems
contro l button > Driver assist > Head-up
display
> Head-up display contents or Display
brightness .

0 co .... N ,..._
N .... 0 0 :c ' Display content
In the Infotainmen t system, yo u can specify
which informa tion should be displayed: This
could be Navigation information* or Night vision
assist *, for example.
The display of certa in information and some of
the red indicator lights cannot be hidden in the
I nfotainment system .
Display brightness
You can adjust the display brightness in the Info­
tainment system. The display b rightness decreas­
es automati cally as the amoun t of light decreas­
es. The backg ro und brightness is adjusted with
the instrument illumination ¢
page 47.
(D Note
To preven t scratches on the g lass cove ring the
head -up d isplay, do not place any objects in
the projection opening .
(D Tips
-Sunglasses w ith polar izat ion fi lte rs and u n­
favorab le lighting conditions can have a
negative effect on the display.
- An optim um display depends on the seat
position and the height adjustment of the
head -up display.
- A specia l windshield is needed for the head ­
up disp lay function.
- For in formation on cleaning, refer to¢
ta­
ble on page 308 .
Indicator lights
Description
The indicator lights in the inst rument cluster
b lin k or t urn on. They indicate functions or mal­
f u nctions.
W it h some ind icator lights, messages may ap­
pear and wa rning signals may sound . The indica­
tor lights and messages in the center of the dis­ p lays may be replaced by other d isp lays. To show
them again, se lect t he tab for ind icator lights
and messages using the m ultif unction steering
wheel ¢
page 12. If there are seve ral malfunc -
Cockpit o ve rv iew
tions, you can disp lay them one a t a time using
the thumbwheel.
Some indicato r lights in the display ca n disp lay in
severa l co lors.
' Overview
Some indicator lights t urn on briefly as a f unction
c h eck when you switch the ignition on . These sys­
tems are marked with a./ in the fo llow ing tab les.
If one of these ind icator lights does not turn on,
there is a malfunct io n in that system.
Red indicator light s
-------------
US A models:
Brake system./
¢page 19
Canada model s:
Brake system ./
¢page 19
USA model s:
Electrome chanica l par kin g b rake
¢ page20
Canada models:
Electromechanica l parking brake
¢ page20
Coo ling system
¢ page 20
Engine oil pressure
¢page 21
Engine oil leve l
¢page 21
Generator
¢page 21
Engine stop while driv ing
¢ page 21
Safety belt ./
¢page20
Electromechanical steering./
¢page 129
Steering lock
¢page 21
Engine start system
¢page 22
17

Sea ts and stor age
Seats and storage
General information
A WARNING
Refer to ¢ page 207, Driving safety for im­
portant information, tips, suggestions and
warnings that you should read and follow for
your own safety and the safety of you r pas­
sengers.
Front seats
Controls
Seat forward/back adjustment, seat height, backrest and seat cushion angle.
F ig. 60 Fr ont seat: adjust ing the seat
@ -Moving the seat forward/back: press the but ­
ton forward/back .
@ -Moving the seat up/down: press the button
up/down. To adjust the front seat cushion, press
the front button up/down. To adjust the rear seat
cushion, press the rear button up/down .
® - Switching the massage function* on/off . Se­
lect the type of massage with the multifunction
button
c:> page 54.
© - adjusting the backrest angle : press the but­
ton forward/back.
© -Comfo rt head restraint*
c:> page 58
@ -Mu ltifunction button* c:> page 54.
A WARNING
- The power front sea ts can also be adjusted
when the ign ition is switc hed off . For this
54
reason, children sho uld never be left unat­
tended in the vehicle - they could be injured!
- On ly adjust the front seat with when the ve­
hicle is stationary. Otherwise, this increases
the risk of an accident
- Exercise caution when adjust ing the seat
height. Unsupervised or careless seat ad­
justment can pinch fingers or hands causing in juries .
- The front seat backrests must not be re­
clined too far back when driving, because
this impa irs the effectiveness of the safety
belts and airbag system, which increases
the risk of inj ury.
Multifunction button
App lies to: vehicles wit h memory funct ion
You can adjust the massage function, upper sec­
tion of the backrest, lumbar support, side bol ­
sters, upper thigh support and safety belt height using the multifun ction button.
Fig . 61 Infota inment system : seat sett ings
Ope rating
.. If you turn the mult ifunct ion button @
c:> page 54, fig . 60 to the left or to the right,
the poss ible seat settings @are shown in the
Infotainment system
c:> fig. 61.
.. To select a seat setting, turn the multifunction
button @ in the corresponding direction until
the desired seat setting is outlined in red .
.. The arrows ® represent the possible adjust ­
ments . To lower the lumbar support, for exam­
ple, press the mult ifunct ion button @ down­
ward. The corresponding arrow © lights up.
The following seat settings @are poss ible: ..,_

C) C0 ....
"' ,....
"' .... 0 0 :r Massage funct ion* -select the Wave , Pul se ,
St retch , Lumbar or Shou lder
massage type or
off. You can adjust the intensity of each massage
from 1 through 5. You can switch the selected
massage on/off using the button@
c> page 54,
fig. 60 .
Safety belt height adju stment * -adjust the safe­
ty belt up or down
c> page 223 .
Upper ba ckre st * -angle the upper area of the
backrest forward or back.
Lumbar support -you can adjust the lumbar sup­
port up/down and to be stronge r/weaker.
S eat bo lsters * -you can increase/decrease the
l ateral support in the seat using the s ide bo lsters
at the seat surface and the backrest.
Upper thigh support * -you can increase/de­
crease the upper th igh support.
(0 Tips
- The massage function* switches off auto­
matically after approx imately 10 minutes.
- In vehicles with the recl ining rear seat, only
the seat belt he ight and thigh support can
be adjusted on the front passenger seat us­
i ng the multif unction button.
- The air i n the s ide bo lsters* is released as
soon as the driver's door opens. Th is makes
i s possible to enter and exit the vehicle
more comfortab ly. As soon as you sta rt driv­
i ng the ve hicle, the s ide bo lsters fill.
Center armrest
Appl ies to vehicles w ith a front center armrest
There is a storage compartment under the arm­
rest.
N
I
Fig. 62 Cockpit: center armrest
Seats and storag e
---
Fig. 63 Cockpit: divided center armrest •
Opening the storage compartment
.,. Press the button -arrow-and move the armrest
upward.
Ad ju sting the divided center arm rest *
.,. To adjust the armrest forward and up, press the
button -arrow- and pull the armrest into the
desired posit ion at the same time .
.,. To br ing the armrest into the resting position,
press the button -arrow- and s lide the armrest
downwa rd .
Rear seats
Adjusting the rear seats
Applies to : vehicles w ith power adjustable rear seats
F ig . 64 Passenger side rear seat: seat adjustment buttons
F ig . 65 Rear doo r: memory function buttons
55

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 ' depends on the driving mode selected, steering
movements, the driver's braking and accelera­
tion, and as the road surface, vehicle speed and load. A sporty setting is generally used in vehicles
with adaptive air suspension sport*.
The vehicle ground clearance depends on the
mode selected and the speed. When you are in
the auto or dynamic mode, the highway setting is
activated when you drive above 75 mph (120 km/
h) for more than 30 seconds. The ground clear­
ance is increased automatically if the speed
drops below 44 mph (70 km/h) for more than 120 seconds .
Steering
The power steering adapts. Indirect steering that
moves easily as in comfort mode is especially
suited to long drives on a highway. The dynamic
mode provides sporty, direct steering .
Applies to: vehicles with dynamic steering
The steering ratio changes based on vehicle
speed in order to maintain optimum steering ef ­
fort for the driver at all times . This sets the steer­
ing to be less sensitive at higher speeds in order
to provide improved vehicle control. At reduced
speeds, steering is more direct in order to keep
the steering effort as minimal as possible when
the driver is maneuvering the vehicle. At low and
average speeds, dynamic steering* additionally
provides more responsive steering performance.
Sport differential*
As a component of the all wheel drive system
(quattro)
~ page 130, the sport differential dis­
tributes the driving power to the rear axle de­
pending on the situation. The distribution of
power varies from balanced (comfort) to sporty
(dynamic) depending on the selected mode. The
goal is a high level of agility and ability to accel ­
erate on curves. The vehicle is very responsive to
steering .
Cornering light*
The cornering light adapts the high beams to the
direction of the curve depending on the speed.
The pivoting action and the lighting also adapt to
the mode .
Assist
Adaptive cruise control*
The behavior when accelerating can be adjusted
from comfortable to sporty, depending on the
drive select mode. Adaptive cruise control also
responds to the driving behavior of the vehicle
ahead in a more conservative or sporty manner.
Engine sound*
The engine sound adapts to the current mode
and can be subtle to sporty.
(D Note
- Make sure there is enough clearance above
and below the vehicle when parking. The
height of the vehicle can change once it is
parked due to temperature fluctuations,
changes to the load conditions and changes
to the driving modes, which can affect clear­
ance.
- When transporting the vehicle on a car car­
rier, train, ship or by other means, only tie
the vehicle down at the running surface of
the tires, which is the outer circumference.
Securing the vehicle at the axle compo­
nents, suspension struts or towing eyes is
not permitted because the pressure in the
air suspension struts can change during
transport. The vehicle may not be secured
sufficiently if this happens.
@ Tips
- In some models, the maximum vehicle
speed can only be reached in the auto and
dynamic modes.
- The S selector lever position automatically
engages if the dynamic mode is selected.
- In vehicles that have dynamic steering*, op­
erating noise is heard when starting or stop­
ping the engine. This does not indicate a
problem.
111

Driving safety
Basics
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need to
read and observe for your own safety, the safety
of your passengers and others . We have summar­
ized here what you need to know about safety
belts, airbags, child restraints as well as child
safety. Your safety is for us
priority number 1. Al­
ways observe the information and warnings in
this section - for your own safety as well as that
of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle. Some of the fea­
tures descr ibed in this sections may be standard
equipment on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others. If you are not sure, ask
your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
structions and heed the WARNINGS in this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the in­
terest of your passengers .
-
-Always keep the complete Owner's Litera­
ture in your Audi when you lend or sell your
vehicle so that this important information
will always be available to the driver and
passengers.
- Always keep the Owner's literature handy so
that you can find it easily if you have ques­
tions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant re­
straint system and work together to help reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of accident sit­
uations.
~ Your safety and the safety of your passengers
~ should not be left to chance. Advances in tech-,..._
~ nology have made a var iety of features available 0
~ to help reduce the risk of injury in an accident. ' Driving safety
The following is a list of just a few of the safety
features in your Audi:
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all pas-
senger seat ing pos itions,
- safety belt pretensioners,
- safety belt force limiters for the front seats,
- safety belt height adjustment systems for the
front seats,
- front airbags,
- knee airbags for the front seats
- side airbags in the front seats and outer rear
seats,
- side curtain airbags,
- special LATCH anchorages for child restraints,
- head restraints for each seating position,
- adjustable steering column.
These individual safety features, can work to­ gether as a system to help protect you and your
passengers in a w ide range of accidents . These
features cannot work as a system if they are not
always correctly adjusted and correctly used.
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job! Vehicle and occupant
safety always depends on the informed and care­
ful driver .
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
.,. Make sure that all lights and signals are operat­
ing correctly .
.,. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
.,. Make sure that all windows are clean and afford
good visibility to the outside .
.,. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
c:c.> page 65, c:c.> page 63 .
.,. Make sure that nothing can interfere with the
pedals.
.,. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height.
.,. Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to their height.
.,. Make sure to use the right child restraint cor­
rectly to protect children
¢ page 248, Child
safety. ..,.
207

Safe ty belts
during hard braking and in an accident. The be lt
may a lso lock when you drive up or down a steep
h ill or through a sharp curve. Dur ing normal driv­
ing the belt lets you move freely .
Safety b elt pr ete nsione rs
The safety be lts are equ ipped with a belt preten ­
sioner that helps to tighten the safety belt and
remove slack when the pretensioner is activated
¢
page 224. The function of the pretensioner is
monitored by a warning light ¢
page 23.
Convertibl e loc king retra ctor
Every safety be lt except the one on the driver
seat is equipped with a convertible locking retrac­
tor that
must be used when the safety belt is
used to attach a child seat. Be sure to read the
important information about this feature
¢page 258.
A WARNING
Improperly pos it ioned safety belts can cause
ser ious injury in an accident¢
page 222,
Safety belt position.
- Safety belts offer optimum protection only
when the seatback is upright and belts are
prope rly positioned on the body.
- Never attach the safety belt to the buckle
for another seat. Attaching the belt to the
wrong b uck le wi ll red uce safety belt effec­
t iveness and can cause serious persona l in­
jury.
- A passenger who is not p roper ly restrained
can be serio usly injured by the safety be lt it­
self when it moves from the stronger parts
of the body into cr it ical areas like the abdo ­
men.
- Always lock the convertible lock ing retractor
when you are secur ing a child seat in the ve­
hicle ¢
page 260.
@ Tips
For information on safety belt pretensioners,
refer to
¢ page 224.
222
Safety belt position
Correct belt position is the key to getting maxi­
mum protection from safety belts.
Fig. 2 27 Safety belt posit ion
Use the height adjus tment to change the posit io n
of the shoulder belt of the front safety belts.
A WARNING
Improperly positioned sa fety belts can cause
serious personal injury in an accident.
- The shou lder belt should lie as close to the
center of the collar bone as possib le and
should fit well on the body. Hold the belt
above the latch tongue and pull it evenly
across the chest so that it s its as low as pos­
sible on the pe lvis and there is no p ressure
on the abdome n. T he belt sho uld a lways fit
snug ly¢
fig. 22 7. P u ll on the bel t to tigh ten
if necess ary.
- A loose-fit ting safety belt can ca use serious
in ju ries by s hifting its posi tion on yo ur body
from the strong bones to mo re v ulnera ble,
so ft tissue and cause serious in jury.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS an d
o ther impor tan t in formation¢
page 220 .

C) C0 ....
"' " "' .... 0 0 :r Pregnant women must also be correctly
restrained
The best way to protect the fetus is to make sure
that expectant mothers always wear safety belts
corre ctly -throughout the pregnan cy.
F ig. 228 Safety belt pos itio n dur ing p reg nan cy
To provide max imum protection, safety belts
must always be posit ioned correctly on the wear­
er 's body
¢ page 222.
.,. Adjust the front seat and head restraint cor­
rectly
c> page 54, Seats and storage.
.,. Pull the safety belt evenly across the chest so
that it sits as low as possible on the pelv is and
there is no pressure on the abdomen
¢ fig . 228, c> _& .
.,. Inse rt the tongue into the correct b uck le of
you r seat until you hea r it la tch secure ly
<=> page 221 , fig. 226 .
.. Pull on the belt to make sure that it is securely
latched in the buckle .
.&_ WARNING
Improperly positioned safety be lts can cause
ser ious personal inj ury in an accident.
- Expectant mothers must always wear the lap portion of the safety belt as low as pos­
sible across the pelvis and below the round­
ing of the abdomen.
- Always read a nd heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
<=> &. in Fasten­
ing safety belts on page 222 .
Safety bel ts
Unfastening safety belts
Unbuckle the safety belt with the red release
button only o~er the vehicle hos stopped .
J-L
Fig . 2 29 Re leasing t he tong ue from the buckle
.. Push the red re lease but ton on the buck le
¢ fig . 229. The belt tongue w ill spring out of
the buck le¢ &_.
.,. Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you
guide the belt tongue to its stowed position .
_& WARNING
-Neve r unfasten safety belt wh ile the vehicle is
moving . Do ing so w ill increase your r isk of
be­
in g injured or killed .
Adjusting safety belt height
You con adjust the height of the driver's and
front passenger's safety belts .
The safety belt height adjusters for the front
seats can be used to adjust the height of the
shoulder portion of the safety belt so that it is
pos itioned correctly .
0 ..... N
0
:i:
"' CD
The shoulder belt shou ld lie as close to the center
of the collar bone as possible and s hou ld fit well
on the body
¢ &. in Safety belt position on
page 222 .
Power safety belt height adjustment*
You can adjust the he ight of the safety be lts us­
ing the multifunction button on the driver or
front passenger seat
¢ page 54 .
223

Safety belt s
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and oth­
er important informat ion
c:> page 220 .
(D Tips
You can also adjust the height of the front
seats to change the position of the safety
belts.
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly posit ioned safety belts can cause se­
vere injuries.
Wearing safety belts imprope rly can cause seri­
ous injury or death. Safety belts can on ly work
when they a re correctly positioned on the body.
Improper seating positions reduce the effect ive­
ness of safety belts and wi ll even increase the
ris k of injury and deat h by mov ing the safety bel t
to cr it ica l areas of the body . Imp roper seating
posi tions a lso increase the risk of serio us in jury
an d deat h when an air bag deploys and strikes an
oc cupan t who is no t in the co rrect seating pos i­
tion. A d river is responsib le for the safety of a ll
ve hicle occupants and especia lly for children.
Therefo re:
... Neve r permit anyone to ass ume an in co rrect
s itting position in the vehicle w hil e trave ling
c:> & .
A WARNING
Improperly worn safety belts increase t he risk
of se rious personal injury and deat h wheneve r
a vehicle is being used.
- Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
are correctly restra ined and stay in a correct
seat ing pos ition whenever the veh icle is be­
ing used.
- Always read a nd heed all WARNINGS and
othe r important information
c:> pag e 220.
224
Belt tensioners
' How safety belt pretensioners work
In front, side and rear-end collisions above a
particular sev erity and in a rollover, safety b elts
are tensioned automatically.
Rever sible safety belt tensioners
The safety belts on the front seats a re equipped
with power revers ible tensione rs. The following
funct ions are available whe n the drive r's/front
passenger 's safety belts are faste ned:
- Automatic tens ione rs: at the start of a drive,
the safety belts automat ically adjust to t he
passe nger after a certain time period or ve hicle
speed. To switch t he automatic tensioners off,
select the follow ing in the MMI :
!CARI fu nction
but to n
> Car systems > Vehicle setting s >
Seats > Driver's seat or Passenger's seat > Au­
tomatic belt tensioner
> Off .
-In ce rta in dr iving situ ations , the safe ty belts
may tighten w ith a reve rsib le tensioning func ­
t ion
c:> page 216 .
- Th e safety be lts may also tighten with this re -
vers ible te nsion ing f un ct ion in m ino r collisions.
Pyrotechnic safety belt pretensioners
The safety belts are eq uipped w ith safety bel t
p retens ione rs . The system is activa ted by sensors
i n front, side a nd rear-e nd coll is ions of grea t se­
verity and in a ro llover. This tig htens the bel t and
t ak es up belt sla ck
c:> .&. in Service an d disposal of
safety belt pretensioner on page 225.
Taking up
the slack he lps to reduce forward occupant
movement during a collision.
A WARNING
- It is poss ible for the pretensioners to dep loy
incor rect ly.
- The pyrotechnic system can only p rovide
protection for one collision. If t he py rotech­
nic pretens io ners deploy, the pretensioning
sys tem must be replaced .
(1) Tips
The pyrotechnic sa fety belt pretensioners can
on ly dep loy once . ..,_