tires AUDI S8 2008 User Guide

Adaptiv e Air Su spension 11!11
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Ad apt iv e Air Suspension
Adaptive Air Suspension and
Damping
Description
Adaptive Air Suspension and damping can be regulated
and they adapt automatically to a request from the driver
and the driving situation at the time.
Adaptive Air Suspension is an electronica lly contro lled springing
and damping system. T his chassis system makes it eas ier on the
driver by adapting to the particu lar situation through imperceptible
control processes.
The
Ad apti ve Air Suspen sion component regu lates ground c lear­
ance depending on vehicle speed, load condition and driver input .
Acce lerat ing to a speed above a predetermined limit wil l make the
vehic le lower i tself. On the other hand, driving more slowly results
in the vehic le rais ing again at specific speeds .
T he
d amp in g component provides individual contro l of the
damping forces. For examp le, with damping characteristics set to
provide greater comfort, damping is set somewhat harder for a brief
period only as required, for example, when going around a curve or
over rough road surfaces as well as when brak ing.
S ett ing s
Adaptive Air Suspension provides the driver with the opportunity to
set the chassis characteristics a lso to their individua l preference .
With the driving modes
standard, automatic and dynamic the driver
has three chassis settings availab le, ranging from comfort to sporty.
In addition,
lift provides a fourth mode wh ich can be selecting for
driving over poor stretches of
road~ page 186, "Chassis Contro ls" .
The modes are se t in MMI
~ page 188.
Controls and equip­ ment
On vehicles equipped with the sport su sp en sion Adaptive Air
Suspension -Sport *, there is genera lly more emphasis on a sporty
chassis sett ing. Settings range from comfortable to firm
~ page 187, "Sport Chassis Contro ls".
0 Note
• Whenever you park your vehicle, always make sure there is
adequate c learance above and be low the vehicle . The height of the
parked vehicle can change as the result of temperature fluctuations,
changes in l oad condition and c hanges in the driv ing m ode (ground
c learance).
• Mount the tie -down cha ins/cab les over the running surface
(circumference) of the tires . Never secure the vehicle by the axle, the
suspens ion stru ts or the front or rear towline eye . For tec hn ica l
reasons , the pressure in the suspension struts may change during
the transport and this wil l adversely affect vehicle handling.
• To prevent damage to the vehic le underbody, remember that
your vehicle is not a n off -road vehicle, even in the lift mode . The
ground clearance is insufficient for this type of operation .
• If you are going to tow a tra iler, you mus t activate the trailer oper ­
ation
mode~ page 189 .
[ i ] Tip s
Before you can raise your vehic le using the vehicle jack (for
examp le, when changing a flat tire) you must activate the jacking
mode
~ page 188 . •

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Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads, the EDL cuts out temporarily . The
vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way as a
vehicle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto ­
matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can spin and reduce your ability to control your car. Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by
EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning
light => page 21. •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabili zation program (ESP) . When the vehicle starts up and acceler­
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the
engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS
sensors=> page 272, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine
power is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to
lock onto the road surface . The system is active across the entire
speed range.
The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR will also be out of action.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See
also=> page 336, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels ".•
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 operating conditions and driving
habits=:,& .
On vehicles which are driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic or
which are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your
authorized Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty &
Maintenance booklet. _,,,

Intellig ent tec hnol ogy -
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& WAR NIN G (c onti nued )
acc ident canno t b e co mp ensat ed for even b y th e br ake assis tant,
s o alway s maintain a safe sp eed . •
Servotronic® - advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise s teering with little effor t.
The advanced Servotronic® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortab le and safe steer ing response exactly matched to the
vehic le speed.
Power s teeri ng will not work if the engine is off . As a result, the
steering whee l wil l be hard to turn .
The power steering fluid level is checked during the scheduled
maintenance serv ices.
0 Note
If there is an electron ic ma lfunction, servotronic will sti ll funct ion
like a conventiona l power steering system, providing a constant
steer ing suppor t force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed . This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
low speeds (for examp le w hen parking), -more effor t wi ll be
required than usual.
• Be aware of the different than usua l steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly .
• Have the problem checked and set right by an Aud i dea ler as
soon as possib le.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
[
i ] Tip s
• When the engine is running, never hold the steer ing whee l
turned all the way to the right or to the left for longer than 15
seconds. The power steer ing pu mp wil l overheat the hydraul ic fluid
if you keep ho lding the steering whee l turned a ll the way. This is
like ly to damage the power steering system.
• I f the power steering system shou ld fail entire ly, or if the engine
is not runn ing ( for examp le, wh ile be ing towed), you w ill st ill be able
to steer the vehicle . However, considerably more effort will be
requ ired to do so.
• I f the power steering system shou ld have a leak, or is not func ­
tioning properly, contact your author ized Audi dealer im mediately.
• The power stee ring system requires a special ly formulated
hydrau lic fluid . The power steer ing reservo ir is the one located most
forward on the left side of the engine
compartment => page 308. The
correct flu id level in the reservo ir is important for proper func ­
tioning of the power steering. •
Driving with your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
Genera l inf orm ati on
With All Whee l Drive, power is d istributed to all fo ur wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road condi tions at the time . See
a lso => page 269, "Electronic differ ­
entia l lock ! EDU" .
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires . In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for improved
driveabi lity and braking: these ti res must be mounted on all four
wheel s. See
also=> page 341, "Winter tires". ~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with All Wheel
Drive:::::, page 342, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size . Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see
page :::::, page 336, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer
to:::::, page 279.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by All Wheel Drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the All Wheel Drive is very effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (aqua­ planing).
If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road condi­
tions -risk of crash. •
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution of electrical
energy and thus optimizes the availability of electrical
energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is not driven for a
long period of time, the battery is discharged by idling current
consumers (e.g . immobilizer) . In certain circumstances it can result
in there being insufficient energy available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle handles the distribu­
tion of electrical energy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
battery diagnosis, idling
current management
and dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the state of the battery.
Sensors determine battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current state of charge and the
power of the battery .
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy consumption while the
vehicle is standing. With the ignition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical components . Data from
battery diagnosis is considered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge, individual consumers
are gradually turned off to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven , dynamic energy management
distributes the energy generated according to the needs of the indi -_,,,

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Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers):
Do not use full throttle.
- Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the top speed marked on
the speedometer.
- Avoid high engine speeds .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
- Speeds can gradually be increased to the maximum
permissible road or engine speed.
During and after break-in period
-Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it is cold.
This applies whether the transmission is in N (Neutral) or
1n gear.
After the break-in period
- Do not exceed maximum engine speed under any
circumstances.
- Upshift into the next higher gear
before reaching the red
area at the end of the tachometer
scale => page 12.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
During the first few hours of driving, the engine's internal friction is
higher than later when all the moving parts have been broken in.
How well this break-in process is done depends to a considerable
extent on the way the vehicle is driven during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 kilometers).
0 Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automatically reduced. However,
these rpm limits are programmed for an engine well run-in, not a
new
engine.
~ For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high engine speeds -upshifting
early saves fuel, reduces noise and protects the environment .•
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive particularly
careful for the first 350 miles (500 kilometers) after fitting.
& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must also be "broken-in". Be
sure to remember this during the first 350 miles (500 kilometers).
Brake
gently. Avoid following closely behind other vehicles or
other situations that might require sudden, hard braking.
•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Operating instructions
M ax im um tra iler weig ht
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typ ical c lass 1 or class 2
trailer.
T ra ile r l oad d is tributi on
Be sure the load in the trailer is he ld securely in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or s ideways .
Never a llow a pass enger to r ide in a trailer:::::, & in "Driving instruc­
t ions" .
Engin e coo lin g sys te m
Tow ing a trai ler makes the engine work harder. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additiona l load. Make
sure that the coo ling system has enough fluid .
Tire press ure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your veh icle to t he co ld tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the labe l located either on the
driver's side B -pil lar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications.
L ig ht s
The head light settings should be checked wit h the trai ler attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly .
Safe ty c ha in s
Be s ure trailer safe ty chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners . When yo u insta ll safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separat ion from the hitch.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
0 Note
If you are go ing to tow a trai ler, you must activate the tra iler opera­
tion
mode :::::, page 189, "Towing a Trailer". •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possib le handling of ve hicle and trailer,
p lease note t he following :
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especia lly careful whe n passing other vehic les .
- Observe speed limits .
- Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed .
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor t he temperature ga uge .
W eight d istr ibu tion
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly
unstable d istribution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at
very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
t he tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permis ­
sib le, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances . Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considera tions .
.,,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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0 Note
• Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle
is dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this could scratch your
vehicle 's paint or windows.
• Never wash your car in bright sunlight. Drops of water act as
magnifying lenses and may damage your paint.
• When you wash your car in the winter: if you rinse your vehicle
wi th a hose, be ca reful not to aim the stream of wa ter direc tly at
locks, or at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges designed to remove insects, or any kitchen
scouring sponges or similar products. They can damage your paint
finish .
• Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean the headlights. Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent sc ratches . It is best to use soapy
water .
~ For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the vehicle should only be
washed in special wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high-pressure
power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple
rules.
- Before using the power washer, make sure you have read
and understood the WARNINGS :::>
& in "General infor­
mation" on
page 288.
- Always follow the operating instructions for the power
washer. - Make
sure that the jet on the spray hose produces a "fan
shaped spray".
- Do
not hold the spray nozzle too close to soft materials.
When cleaning the vehicle w ith a power washer always follow the
operating instructions. This applies particularly to the
operating
pressure
and the spraying distance. Maintain a sufficient distance
to soft materials such as rubber hoses and sound/vibration dead ­
ening materials (particularly on the underside of the engine hood).
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a
direct stream or one that
has a
rotating jet.
Water temperature should no t exceed 140 °F (60 °Cl.
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays water in a direct stream.
This could cause invisible damage to the tires and weaken them,
even if the spray is from a relatively long distance and for a short
time. Damaged and weakened tires can fail and cause accidents
and personal injury .
0 Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, always make sure that there is
sufficient distance between the spray head and soft materials like
rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound-deadening materials . Never
aim the spray head at the same point for a long time. This also
applies to cleaning headlights and painted bumpers . Remember:
the closer the nozzle is to the surface of the material , the greater the
stress on the material. •

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Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu lar ly considering the comparatively smal l patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehic le and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its t ires do not have to carry more we ight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regularly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure inc luding tread separation and
blowouts.
Av oidin g dam age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possib le at a right angle to the curb .
A lways keep chem ica ls including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
flu id off the ti res.
Inspect t he t ires regu larly fo r damage (cuts, cracks or b listers, etc .l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads .
Storing tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota­
tion . This ensures you to be able to moun t them correctly w hen you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place .
S tore tires in a vert ical pos it ion if they are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in=> &.
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern .
Hidden dam age
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible . If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one side, this may ind ica te
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qual ified workshop .
Unidir ec tiona l tir es
A unid irec tional tire can be identified by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . Th is is necessary so that t hese
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=> page 357.
& WARNING
New t ires or tire s th at a re old , worn or d am aged cann ot pro vide
maximum control and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slipper y and mu st be bro ken in . To redu ce
the risk of lo sin g con tro l, a collision and seriou s per sonal injurie s,
dri ve w ith spe cial care f or the fi rst 350 mile s (560 km l.
• Driving wi th worn or damaged tir es can l ead to lo ss of control ,
sudd en tire f ailure , inc ludi ng a blowout and sudden defl atio n, .,_

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
& WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their
"previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage.
•
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
may be identified as
"XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side ­
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
( " GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
Vehicle care

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Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
L oa d r atin g (code)
means t he m aximum load that a t ire is rated to carry for a given
inf lation pressure . You may not find this information on a ll tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax imum l oad r ating
means t he load rating for a tire a t the maximum permissib le infla­
tion pressure for that tire.
Maximum l oaded v ehi cle wei ght
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capaci ty weight, and
(d) Product ion options weight
M ax imum (p er mis sibl e) infl ati on pr essure
means the maximum cold i nflation pressure to wh ic h a t ire may be
inflated. Also cal led "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occ upant we ight
means 150 lbs. (68 ki lograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the veh ic le up to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Oc cupant distributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer di ameter
means the overal l diameter of an inf lated new tire.
O verall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an infla ted t ire, includ ing elevat ions due to labe ling, decorat ions, or
protective bands or ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated para llel cords.
P rodu cti on opt ion s we ig ht
means the co mbined weight of those insta lled regular product ion
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which t hey replace, not previously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, inc luding heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy du ty bat tery, and special trim .
Rad ia l pl y tir e
means a pneumat ic t ire in wh ich t he ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
t read .
Recomm ended infl ation pres su re
see :::::> page 325, "Cold tire inflat ion pressure".
R einforc ed tir e
means a tire des ign to operate at higher loads and at higher infla­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires may be iden tified as
"XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewa ll.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
whic h the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di ame ter
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam ­
eter.
Rim siz e design ation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim w idth
means nominal distance between rim flanges .