warning AUDI A8 2018 Owners Manual

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' @ For the sake of the environment
-Oil should never enter the sewer system or
come into contact with the ground.
- Pay attention to legal requirements when
disposing of empty oi l containers .
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that hove your oil changed by on
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service sta­
tion .
Before you check anyt hing in the engine compart ­
ment,
alw ays re ad and h eed all W ARNINGS ¢ &
in Working in the engine comportment on
page 272.
The engine oil must be changed according to the
intervals specified in your Warranty
& Mainte­
nance booklet . This is very important because the
lubricating properties of oil diminish gradually
during normal vehicle use.
Under some circumstances the engine oi l should
be changed more frequently. Change oil more of­
ten if you drive mostly short distances, operate
the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominantly
stop-and-go traffic condit ions, or have your vehi­
cle where temperatures remain below freezing
for extended periods .
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil
look dark after the engine has been running for a
short t ime . Th is is normal and is not a reason to
change the oil more often than recommended .
Because of the problem of proper disposal, along
with the special tools and necessary expertise re­
qu ired, we strongly recommend that you have
your oil changed by an authorized
A ud i d ea ler or
a qualified se rvice station .
If you choo se to chang e your o il y ou rse lf, please
note the following important information:
A WARNING
T o reduce the r isk of personal injury if you
must change the engine oil in your ve hicle
yourse lf:
- Wear eye protection .
-
Check ing and F illing
- To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine
oil, let the engine cool down to the touch.
- When removing the oil drain p lug with your
fingers, stay as far away as possible. Always keep your forearm parallel to the ground to
help prevent hot oil from running down your
arm.
- Drain the oil into a container designed for
this purpose, one large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in your engine.
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of
the reach of children .
- Continuous contact with used engine o il is
harmful to your skin. Always protect your
skin by wash ing oil off thoroughly with soap
and wate r.
@ Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil.
These add itives can damage your engine and
adversely affect your Audi L imited New Vehi­
cle War ranty .
@ For the sake of the environment
-Before chang ing your o il, first make sure
you know where you can properly d ispose of
the used oil.
- Always dispose of used engine o il properly .
Do not dump it on garden so il, wooded
areas, i nto open streams o r down sewage
dra ins.
- Recycle used eng ine o il by tak ing it to a used
eng ine oi l collection fac ility in yo ur area, or
c ontact a se rvice station.
Cooling system
Coolant
The eng ine cooling system is filled w ith a mixture
of purified water and coolant additive at the fac­
tory. This coolant must not be not changed .
The coo lant level is mon itored through
the . in­
dicator
light¢ page 20. However, we do recom­
mend occasionally checking the coolant level
manually .
.,.
277

lL
_& WARNING
-The cooling system is under pressure. Do
not open the coolant expansion tank cap
when the engine is hot. This increases the
risk of burns .
- The coolant additive and the coolant can be dangerous to your health. For this reason,
keep the coolant in the original container
and away from children. There is a risk of
poisoning.
- 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 injury.
CD Note
Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty. Air could enter the cooling system and
damage the engine. If this is the case, do not
continue driving. See an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance.
Brake fluid
N N
-N
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Fig. 261 Engine compartment: cap on brake flu id reservoir
Observe the safety precautions ~&. in Working
in the engine compartment on page 2
72.
Checking the brake fluid level
.. Read the brake fluid level on the brake fluid
reservoir
~ page 274, fig. 258. The brake fluid
level must be between the MIN and MAX mark­
ings~&. -
~ The brake fluid level is monitored automatically .
...... N ...... 0 0 :c ' Checking and Filling
Changing the brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed regularly by an au­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
_& WARNING
-
- If the brake fluid level is below the MIN
marking, it can impair the braking effect
and driving safety, which increase the risk of
an accident . Do not continue driving . See an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance.
- If the brake fluid is old, bubbles may form
in the brake system during heavy braking.
This would impair braking performance and
driving safety, which increases the risk of an
accident.
- To ensure the brake system functions cor­
rectly, only use brake fluids that comply
with VW standard 50114 or FMVSS-116 DOT 4.
CD Note
- If the brake fluid level is above the MAX
marking, brake fluid may leak out over the
edge of the reservoir and result in damage
to the vehicle.
- Do not get any brake fluid on the vehicle
paint, because it will corrode the paint.
Battery
General warnings about batteries
Because of the complex power supply, all work
on batteries such as disconnecting, replacing,
etc., should
only be performed by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
~ .&. .
The term "vehicle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
battery in your vehicle.
Detailed warnings for the vehicle battery:
® Wear eye protection.
b. Bat~ery acid is highly corrosive. Wear pro-
~ tect1ve gloves and eye protection. Ill>-
279

Checking and Filling
@
Fire, sparks, open flame and smok ing are
forb idden.
~
A highly explosive mixture of gases can
form when charging batteries.
®
Keep c hildren away from battery acid and
batteries.
A WARNING
All work on the battery or electrical system in
your vehicle can result in injuries, chemical
burns, accidents or burns. Because of this, a ll
work must be performed
only by an author­
ized Aud i dea le r o r authorized Aud i Serv ice
Facility.
A WARNING
California Proposit ion 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, terminals and re lated acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the Sta te of California
to ca use ca nce r and rep roduct ive p roblems.
Wash hands after handling.
{Q) Note
If the v ehicle wi ll be par ked for long periods
of t ime, pro tect i t against the co ld so that it
w ill not be destroyed by "freezing"
¢page 280.
Vehicle battery
The term "vehicle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
bat tery in your vehicle.
Not running the vehicle for long periods of
time
I f you do not dr ive your vehicle for seve ral days or
weeks, elec trical equipmen t is gradually scaled
back or switched off. This reduces energy use and
ensu res the vehicle wi ll be able to start after long
periods of
time ¢ page 131. Some convenience
functions, such as interior lighting or power seat
ad justment, may not be available under certa in
circumstances. These convenience funct ions w ill
be ava ilable aga in once you switch the ignition on
and start the engine.
280
Even when electrical equipment is swi tched o ff,
the equipment can still drain the vehicle battery i f the ve hicle is not dr iven fo r long periods of
time. Deep draining results in a chemica l reaction
that destroys the ins ide of the vehicle battery.
The vehicle battery must be charged every month
to reduce the risk of this
happen ing ¢ page 280.
Contact an autho rized Aud i dea le r or a uthorized
A udi Se rvice Fa cility for mo re information.
Winter operation
Co ld weather places higher demands on the vehi­
cle battery. T his res ults in reduced starting abili ­
ty . Have the vehicle ba tte ry checked by an au­
thorized Aud i dea ler or author ized Audi Service
Fa cil ity befo re the cold time of ye ar.
Charging the vehicle battery
Fi g. 262 Eng ine compa rtment: connectors fo r a cha rger
and jump start cab les
Requirement: only use chargers with a ma ximum
charging voltage of 30 amp s/14.8 Volts.
The
vehicle battery cab les remain connected .
.. Read the warnings ¢.&. in General warnings
about batteries on page 280
and ¢ _&. .
.. Switch off the ignitio n and all electrica l equip­
ment.
.. Open the hood ¢ page 2 73 .
.. Remove the cover (I) by pressing on the arrow
¢fig. 262.
.. Open the cover @on the pos it ive terminal.
.. Clamp the charger terminal clamps to the jump
star t pins accord ing to the inst ru ct ions. (pin un­
de r the cover= "positive", p in wit h hex agon al
head = "nega tive") .
.. Insert the power cable for t he cha rging dev ice
into the socket and switch the device on.
Ill>

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' ~ At the end of the charging process, switch the
charger off and pull the power cab le out of the
socket.
~ Now remove the charg ing device terminal
clamps .
~ Close the cover @on the positive term inal and
re-install the
cover (!).
~ Close the hood c:;, page 2 73 .
A drained battery can freeze at temperatures
around
322F (0QC) . A frozen or thawed out bat­
tery must no longer be used . The battery hous ing
could be cracked by the format ion of ice , which
could cause battery acid to leak out
c:;, ,&. .
Charg ing the b attery
Only use chargers with a ma ximum charg ing
v oltage of 14 .8 V.
The battery connecting cables
do not need to be disconnected . Do not open the
battery when charg ing .
Read all of the manufacturer's instructions for
the charger before charging the battery .
A WARNING
-A h ighly exp losive mixture of gases can form
w hen cha rging batter ies. O nly charge t he
vehicle ba tte ry in well -vent ilated a reas.
- A d rained vehicle battery can freeze at tem­
peratu res a round 32
Q F (0 QC). A froze n or
thawed ve hicle battery m ust not be ch arged
and must not be used anymore. The battery
housing can crack and battery acid can leak
out if ice forms, whic h increases the risk of
an exp losion and chemical burns. Contact an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Aud i
Service Facility for more information.
- Do not connect or disconnect the charg ing
cable while charg ing because th is increases
the risk of an explosion .
(D Tips
-Only charge the vehicle battery through the
connections in the engine compartment.
-Read all of the manufacturer's instructions
for the charger before charg ing the ve hicle
battery .
Ch eck ing and F illing
Windshield washer
system
F ig . 263 E ngin e compar tmen t: was he r fl ui d reservo ir cap
M N
-N ' "' "' m
The windshield washer fluid reservoir O contains
the cleaning solution for the windshie ld and the
headlight washer system
c:;, fig. 263, c:;, page 274.
The reservoir capacity can be found in
<=> page 334.
To reduce the risk of lime scale depos its on the
spray nozzles, use clean water with low amounts
of calcium. Always add w indow cleaner to the wa­
ter . When the outside temperatures are cold, an
anti -freezing agent should be added to the water
so that it does not freeze .
@ Note
-The concentration of ant i-freez ing agent
must be adjusted to the veh icle operat ing
condit ions in the respective cl imate . A con­
centration that is too high can lead to vehi­
cle damage.
- Never add radiato r anti-freeze or other addi­
t ives to the washer fluid.
- Do not use a glass cleaner that conta ins
paint so lvents, because t his could damage
the paint.
Service interval display
The service interval display detects when your ve­
hicle is due for service.
T he serv ice interval d isplay wo rks in two stages:
-In sp ec tio n o r oil change remind er: after a cer-
tain distance driven , a message appears in the
.,.
2 8 1

Wheels
"XL" "xl" "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF" I I I
on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire
or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the tire beads are seated.
Rim diameter
means nominal diameter of the
bead seat . If you change your
wheel size, you will have to pur ­
chase new tires to match the new rim diameter .
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width .
Rim width
means nominal distance between
rim flanges.
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire be­
tween the tread and bead .
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is
designed to be driven for extend­
ed periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298
km/h)¢ table
on page 284 .
You may not find
this information on all tires be­
cause it is not required by law .
288
The speed rating letter code,
where applicable, is molded on the tire sidewall and indicates the maximum permissible vehicle
speeds
¢ .1,. in Winter tires on
page 298 .
Tire pressure monitoring
system*
means a system that detects
when one or mo re of a vehicle 's
tires are underinflated and illumi­
nates a low tire pressure warning
telltale .
Tread
means that portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road .
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread
from the tire carcass .
Treadwear indicators (TWI )
means the projections within the
principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees
of wear of the tread. See
¢ page 292, Treadwear indicator
for more information on measur- ing tire wear.
.,.

LL
"' .... N ,-.. N .... g :r st
use a spare tire* that is the same
circumference as the regular
tires.
&_ WARNING
-Only use tire/rim combina­ tions and suitable wheel bolts
that have been approved by
Audi. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and an accident
could result.
-For technical reasons, it is not
possible to use tires from oth­
er vehicles
-in some cases,
you cannot even use tires from
the same vehicle model.
-Make sure that the tires you
select have enough clearance
to the vehicle. Replacement
tires should not be chosen
simply based on the nominal
size, because tires with a dif­
ferent construction can differ greatly even if they are the
same size. If there is not
enough clearance, the tires or
the vehicle can be damaged and this can reduce driving
safety and increase the risk of
an accident.
-Only use tires that are more
than six years old when abso-
Wheels
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so .
-Do not use run-flat tires on
your vehicle. Using them when
not permitted can lead to ve­
hicle damage or accidents.
-If you install wheel covers on
the vehicle, make sure they al­ low enough air circulation to
cool the brake system. If they
do not, this could increase the
risk of an accident.
Tire wear/damage
Fig. 265 T ir e profile: treadwear indica­
tor
Tire wear
Check the tires regularly for wear.
-Inflation pressure that is too low
or high can increase tire wear
considerably.
-Driving quickly through curves, rapid acceleration and heavy
braking increase tire wear.
291

Wheels
&,. WARNING
Always adapt the tire pressure
to your driving style and vehicle
load .
-Overloading can lead to loss of
vehicle control and increase
the risk of an accident. Read and follow the important safe­
ty precautions
inc:::> page 295,
Tires and vehicle load limits.
-The tire must flex more if the
tire pressure is too low or if
the vehicle speed or load are
too high . This heats the tire up
too much. This increases the
risk of an accident because it
can cause the tire to burst and
result in loss of vehicle con­
trol.
-Incorrect tire pressure in­ creases tire wear and has a
Tire pressure table
Please note that the information
contained in the following table
was correct at the time of print­
ing, and the information is sub­
ject to change. If there are differ­ ences between this information
and the tire pressures specified
on the label on the driver's side B­ pillar, always follow the specifica-
294
negative effect on driving and
braking behavior, which in­
creases the risk of an accident.
@ Note
Replace lost valve caps to re­
duce the risk of damage to the
tire valves.
@ For the sake of the environment
Tire pressure that is too low in­
creases fuel consumption.
(D Tips
Audi recommends using the
tire pressure specified for a normal load
c:::> table on
page 295
or for a full load
when the vehicle is partially loaded.
tion on the B-pillar label
c:::> page 293, fig. 266.
Make sure that the tire designa­
tion on your tire matches the des­ ignation on the tire pressure label
and the tire pressure table.
The following table lists recom- mended tire pressures in cold
.,..

tires according to the load and
the size of the tires installed.
Wheels
Tire pressure
Model/ Tire designation Normal load Maximum load
Engine (up to
2*/3 people)al
front
rear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
A8/A8 L: 235/55 Rl8 104H
35 24
0
30 210
36 250
38 260
3.0L
255/45 Rl9 104H 35 240
30 210 36 250 38 260
6 cylinders 265/40 R20 104H 35 24
0
30 21
0
36 2
50
38 26
0
265/40 R20 104V 35 240
30 210 33 230 35 240
265/35 R21 101 Y 38 260
35 240
36 250
38 2
60
275/35 R21103Y 35 240
30 210 36 250 35 240
A8/A8 L: 235/55 Rl8 104H 36 250 30 210 38 260 38 2 60
4.0L
255/45 Rl9 104H 36 250 30 210 38 260 38 260
8 cylinders 265/40 R20 104H 36 250 30 210 38 260 38 260
265/40 R20 104V 36 250 30 210 35 2
40
35 2
40
275/35 R21 103V 36 250 30 210 38 260 38 260
58: 265/40 R20 104V 36 25 0 30 210 3 9 27
0
38 260
4.0L
265/35 R21101 Y 39 270 33 230 44 300 42 290
8 cylinders 275/35 R21 103V 36 250 30 210 44
300 42
290
58 plus: 265/40 R20 104V 38 260 32 220 39 270 38 260
4.0L
275/35 R21 103V
8
cylinders 45 310 39 270 49 340 48 330
a ) Vehicles with 4 seating positions: two people in the front, Vehicles with 5 seating
positions:
two people in the front, one person in the rear
A WARNING
Please note the important safe­
ty precautions regarding tire pressure
c:::> page 293 and load
limits
c:::> page 295.
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of
~ load or weight that any vehicle that
is overloaded will not handle
well and is more difficult to stop.
Overloading can not only lead to
loss of vehicle control, but can al­
so damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden
tire failure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation that can
cause the vehicle to crash.
N
~ and any tire can carry. A vehicle
0 0 :c ' Your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on making
..,
295

Wheels
sure that load limits are not ex­
ceeded. Vehicle load includes ev­
erybody and everything in and on
the vehicle. These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehi­
cle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat­
ing
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight
of the basic vehicle, all factory in­
stalled accessories, a full tank of
fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids plus maximum load. The maxi­
mum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is in­
tended to carry ("seating capaci­
ty") with an assumed weight of
150 lbs. (68 kg) for each passen­
ger at a designated seating posi­
tion and the total weight of any
l uggage in the vehicle. If you tow
a trailer, the weight of the trailer
hitch and the tongue weight of
the loaded trailer must be includ­
ed as part of the vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle's two axles.
The fact that there is an upper
limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being
296
carried in the vehicle (including
the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the loaded
trailer) is limited. The more pas­
sengers in the vehicle or passen­
gers who are heavier than the
standard weights assumed mean
that less weight can be carried as l uggage .
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker label located on the
driver's side B-pillar
¢ page 293,
fig. 266.
_& WARNING ~
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per­
sonal injury, and even death.
-Carrying more weight than
your vehicle was designed to
carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and increase the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that
has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance.

Wheels
the available cargo and lug­gage load capacity of your vehi­
cle.
.,.Check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 283, fig. 264) to deter­
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easily .
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
covers* consist of multiple pieces . These compo­
nents were bolted together using special bolts
and a special procedure. You must not repair or
disassemble
them £:=?.&. .
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control, which increases the risk of
an accident. For the correct tightening specifi­
cation, see
¢page 314.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim.
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility. Never repair or disassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident .
Winter tires
Winter tires significantly improve the vehicle's
handling when driving in winter conditions. Be­
cause of their construction (width, compound,
tread pattern) , summer tires provide less trac­
tion on ice and snow.
298
.. Use winter tires on all four wheels .
.. Only use winter tires that are approved for your
vehicle.
.. Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter
tires¢ _&.. An
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv ­
ice Facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires .
.,. Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
¢page 293 .
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0.157 in (4 mm). The characteristics of winter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages , re­
gardless of the remaining tread.
A WARNING
- Never drive faster than the maximum per­
mitted speed for your tires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much. This increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst .
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic conditions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
winter tires can lose traction on black ice .
® For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, because they provide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumption.
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun­
tries where winter tires are required, only
winter tires with the
& symbol may be per­
mitted.
Snow chains
-
Snow chains not only improve the driving in win­
ter road conditions, but also the braking.
.,. Only install snow chains on the front wheels. .,.