AUDI S8 2008 Owners Manual

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Under certain circumstances, weekly washing may be necessary.
Under other conditions, a monthly washing and waxing may be
adequate .
After the winter, the
underside of the vehicle should be thoroughly
washed, preferably in a professional car wash.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288. •
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any modern auto­
matic car wash.
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle can normally be
washed without problems in an automatic car wash . However, the
effect on the paint depends to a large extent on the design of the
facility, the filtering of the wash water, the type of wash and care material, etc. If the paint has a dull appearance after going through
the car wash or is scratched, bring this to the attention of the oper­ ator immediately. If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to take the usual precau­
tions such as closing the windows and power roof . Factory installed
antennas must not be removed.
If you have installed add itional accessories on the vehicle -such as
spoilers, roof rack, etc. -it is best to ask the car wash operator if
these should be removed .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288. •
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehicle by hand.
-Before you start washing, make sure you have read and
understood the
WARNINGS=> & in "General informa­
tion" on
page 288.
-First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then rinse it off.
-As you clean your vehicle, start with the roof and work
your way down to the bottom, using a sponge, a sponge glove or a clean brush.
-Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often, flushing it
clean each time.
-Use special car shampoo only for very persistent dirt.
-Rinse the car thoroughly with water.
-Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the exterior dry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the wheels, door sills and other
regions exposed to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch the
paint with coarse particles imbedded in the sponge the next time
you wash the car.
& WARNING
• Do not clean the underside of the chassis, fenders, wheel
covers, or other hard to reach parts without protecting your hands
and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288. ~
Vehicle care

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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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Waxing
Wax protects the vehicle's paint.
-Use a m anually ap plied car wa x occasion ally to protect
t h e p aint.
A good wax coat ing protects t he vehicle paint to a large extent
against th e environm ental factors listed
under => page 288,
"Washi ng" and eve n against slight scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your paint as soon as one
wee k after you r vehic le has been delivered.
E ven i f you regularly use a
waxing process in automatic ca r washes,
we recommend that you manua lly app ly a coat of wax to give the
paint extra protection, part icu lar ly if water no longe r beads on the
clean paint.
P rotec t plastic body parts wi th ca r wax in the same way as the
vehic le body.
During warm weather dead insects tend to col lect on the front
bumper and on t he forward area o f the hood. They are much easier
to remove from paint that is waxed
often.
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288 .
0 Note
Do not use car wax on
• matte or anod ized meta l trim
• rubber or rubber -like trim. •
Polishing
Polishi ng restores the gl oss t o the pain t.
Po lish your vehic le on ly if the paint has lost its shine and the g loss
ca nnot be broug ht back wi th wax .
I f the polish used does not contain preservat ive compounds, the
pai nt must be waxed
afterwards => page 291, "Waxing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288 .
0 Note
Do not treat matte anodized metal trim, plastic or rubber parts with
polish or wax .•
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special c are.
Fo r envi ronmental reasons, Audi fab ricates the br ight trim st rips
and trim pieces from pure chromium -free aluminum .
Dirt and marks on the trim strips should be removed with a
pH­
balanced
clean ing agent (d o not use a chrome clea ner). Audi
dea lers carry c leaning products which have been tested for use on
your vehicle and are not ha rm fu l to the e nvi ron ment.
T o avoid corrosion on the exterior trim strips, on ly a pH -ba lanced
solution shou ld be used for the windshield washer.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288 . •
Vehicle care

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Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care.
Use a clean, damp cloth or spong e to remove dust and light surface
dirt. For other soil, use a lukewarm all -purpose cleaning solution or
a mild saddle soap for vinyl trim. Remove water spo ts and traces of
soap with a clean, damp cloth or sponge. Use a clean, soft cloth to rub dry .
Grease, tar or oil stains can be removed with a clean cloth or sponge
soaked with all-purpose cleaner or with a solvent designed espe­
cially to clean vinyl.
Occasionally apply a colorless vinyl or leather preservative to retain
the material's luster and pliability .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page288. •
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
aluminum surfaces. Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 288 . •
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up immediately.
-Use either a touch-up paint stick or spray paint to cover
minor scratches and nicks.
Your Audi dealer has touch-up paint for minor scratches and stone
chips . Scratches should be touched up soon after they occur to
prevent corrosion.
If a spot starts to rust, however, a simple touch-up job will not be
enough. The affected surface must be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti-rust primer before the painted finish can be restored.
The number for the original vehicle paint can be found on the
vehicle identification
label~ page 374.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 288. •
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road film and car
wash wax buildup.
-Remove snow from windows using a brush.
-Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from windows and
mirrors.
-Remove other residue on the windows with a spray-on
glass cleaner.
-Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of cloth or
kitchen paper towel.

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The best way to remove snow from windows and mirrors is to use a
brush. Use a non -abrasive
plastic ice scraper -better still, a spray
deicer -to remove
ice from windows and mirrors .
Oil, grease or silicone residue can be removed with
glass cleaner or
silicone remover . However, wax residue requires the use of a
specially formulated solvent. Please contact your Audi dealer for
advice on safe products for wax removal.
Windows should also be cleaned on the inside at regular intervals .
Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry
painted surfaces . Wax residue on the chamois can impair vision
through the windows.
& WARNING
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288 .
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent mate­
rials . They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions such
as wetness, darkness, or when the sun is low on the horizon. In
addition, they can cause the windshield wipers to chatter.
0 Note
• Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors. This could cause the glass to crack.
• To prevent damage to the wires of the rear defogger, do not place
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the
wires .
• To help prevent dirt from scratching the window, always scrape
in a forward direction -pushing the scraper away from you -never
back and forth. •
Weatherstrips
Complete car care includes the weatherstrips as well.
-Apply a suitable rubber conditioner to the weatherstrips
from time to time.
To be able seal properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear lid, etc . must remain pliable. Spray the weatherstrips with sili­
cone or coat them with talcum powder or glycerine to retain the
flexibility of the rubber and to protect them against freezing in the
winter.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288.
[ i ] Tips
Keep silicone sprays off the windshield to avoid wiper smear in
rain. •
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
-Wash the wheels with a sponge or hose brush every
other week.
-For deep cleaning afterwards, use only a dedicated acid­
free cast alloy wheel cleaner.
-Rub a coat of liquid wax onto the rims every three month.
Be sure to reach and treat all parts of the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels,
some special care is necessary . In addition to road dirt and salt,
Vehicle care

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brake dust is also corrosive. If left on for too long, brake dust can
cause pitting.
Use on ly specia l
acid-free cleaners formu lated for a lloy r ims . Safe
products are availab le at your Audi dealer. Never leave the cleaner
on the ri ms longer than specified on the label. If not rinsed off
promptly, the acid contained in some c leaners can attack the
threads o n the wheel bo lts .
Never use abrasive or metal po lishing c leaning agents . If the protec ­
t ive coating has been chipped, e.g . by kicked up road dirt, touch i t
up as soon as possible .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on b rake s ma y affe ct b raking effi ciency
=> page 270 , "General information ". Te st the brakes carefully ea ch
t ime you wa sh the vehi cle .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288. •
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not nee d to be checked.
A ll body cavit ies which could be affected by corrosion have been
t horough ly pr otected a t the factory .
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treat ­
ment . If any wax should seep out of the cavity when the ambient
temperature is high, it can be removed with a plastic scraper and a suitable solvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be d angerous.
• Ben zine is flammable and to xic . If you use benzine for removing
the wax , keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes away . Never
& W AR NING (continued )
dump benzine on the ground , into ope n streams or do wn sew age
drain s.
• Be sure to observe all safet y and env ironmental regulat ions .
Follow all in struction s on the cont ainer .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 288 . •
Chassis
Hav e the underc oating c hecked for damage from tim e to
time.
T he lower body shell of your Audi is also thoroughly protected
against corrosion .
Any damage to the undercoat ing caused by road hazards s hou ld be
repaired promptly.
& WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong place s can cau se a fire .
• Do not appl y additional undercoating or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold , exhau st pipes , catalytic converter or
h eat shield s. Wh ile dr iving , the sub stan ce used for underco ating
could overheat and cau se a fire .
• Alway s re ad and heed all WARNINGS and other info rm ation
=> page 288 . •

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Care of interior
MMI display
- Clean the MMI display with a soft c lean clo th and an LCD
c le ane r.
The MM I disp lay can be c leaned with a pr ofessional ly available "LCD
cleaner". The cloth should be s lightly dampened with the c leaning
fl uid to clean the display.
0 Note
To avoid scra tc h ing the MMI display, you should never c lean it dry .•
MMI terminal
- First clean the MMI terminal with a brush to remove dust
from the housing.
- T hen wipe the MMI terminal with a clea n, soft, s lig htly
damp cloth .
The MMI terminal should be c leaned with a brush first so that no
d irt is trapped between the buttons and t he housing. We reco m­
mend giving the MMI terminal a final wipe with a c loth moistened
with water a nd dish was hing detergent.
0 Note
To prevent damage, make sure that no flu id ever gets i nto the M MI
terminal.
•
Aluminum trim
U se on ly neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
a lum inum surfaces . C hrome care products a nd alka line clea ners
wi ll attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informat ion
=> page 288 . •
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabric coverings (e.g . seats, door trim pane ls, etc.)
shou ld be c leaned at regular intervals with a vacuum cleaner . This
re moves surface dirt partic les which could become embedded in
the fabric through use. Steam cleaners shou ld not be used, because
the steam tends to push the d irt deeper into the fa bric and lock it
there.
Normal cle aning
Genera lly, we recommend using a soft sponge or a lint -free
m icrofiber c loth to the clean fabric . Brushes should only be used for
carpets and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces could be harmed
b y b rushes.
Norma l surface stains can be cleaned using a commercially avail­
able foam cleaner. Spread the foam on the surface of the fabric with
a soft sponge and work it in gent ly. Do not saturate the fabric . T hen
pat the foam dry using absorbent, dry cloths (e.g. microfiber cloth)
and vacuum it a fter it has dr ied completely .
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e.g. coffee, fruit juice, etc.l can be
treated with a mild detergent so lution . Apply the detergent so lution
with a sponge. In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can be applied direct ly to the stain and worked into the fabric. After-.,_
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wards, use copious amounts of clean water to remove the
rema ining detergen t. App ly the water with a damp cloth or sponge
and pat the fabric dry with an absorbent, dry c loth .
Stains from chocolate or makeup should have detergent paste (e.g .
ox -ga ll soap) rubbed into them. A fterwards, remove the soap w ith
water (damp sponge).
A lcohol can be used to treat stains from grease, o il, lipstick or a ba ll­
point pen . Melted grease or dye must be patted off using absorbent
mater ial. It may be necessary to retreat the areas w ith de tergent
paste and water .
In the case of genera l soiling of the upho lstery and cover material,
we recommend h iring a spec ialist that has the equ ip m ent to c lean
the seat covers and other fabric surfaces by shampooing and spray
extraction .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNING S and the information
=> page 288 .
[ i] Tip s
Open Ve lcro fasteners on your clothing can damage the seat cover.
Please make sure that Velcro fasteners a re c losed .•
Plastic parts and instrument panel
A lways use a c lean cloth mo istened in clear water to clean these
areas . For persistent dirt use an Audi approved solvent-free plastic
cleaner/protectant .
& WARNING
Solvents can ch ange the propertie s of some plasti cs and make it
harder for the airbag to deploy.
& W AR NING (continued )
• Never clean the instrument panel or the surface of airbag
module s with cle aning pr oduct s that contain sol vent s.
• Product s containing solvent s will make the surface of this part
porou s.
• Seriou s injurie s can result if plastic parts come loo se when the
a irbag i s deployed .
• Alway s re ad and heed all WARNING S and other information
=> page 288.
0 Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents wil l attack the material and can
change the way it behaves .•
Ap plies to vehicles : w ith natu ra l l eathe r
Natural leather
Audi makes great eff orts to maintai n the properti es,
n at ural look and feel of interior leather.
General
We offer many different types of leat her on our veh icles . M ost are
different types of nappa leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in va rious co lors .
T he intens ity of the color determines the visua l c h aracteristics and
appearance. If the surface of the leather has a typica l natural look,
then t he leat her is a nappa leather that has been left in a re lative ly
natural condition. This leather offers particu lar ly good comfort and
breathes well. F ine ve ins, closed gra ins, insect bites, skin folds, and
subt le variations in color remain visib le. These characterist ics
dem onstra te that the material is natura l.
Natura l nappa leather is not covered by a color fin ish . It is therefore
more sensitive to soiling and wea r, which is something you need to
.,.

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consider if children, animals or other factors might prove to be
particularly hard on the leather.
By contrast, leather types that are covered by a colored finish layer
are more durable. This has a positive effect on the leather's resis­
tance to wear and soiling in daily use. On the other hand, the typica l
characteristics of natural leather are barely or not apparent.
However, this does not mean that the leather itself is of inferior
quality .
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of leather that Audi
uses and their unique properties (such as sensitivity to oi ls, grease,
soiling,
etc.I, you will need to be somewhat careful with these
leathers, and a certain type of care is required. For example, dark
clothing materials can discolor leather seats (especially if such
clothing is damp and was not dyed correctly). Dust and dirt particles
in pores, folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect and can
damage the leather surface as we ll as weaken seams.
The leather shou ld be c leaned regularly as needed . After having
been used for a relatively long time, your leather seats will acquire
a rich aged finish. This is a characteristic of natural leather and a
sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natura l product over the life of
your vehicle, you should follow the recommendations below :
0 Note
• To keep your leather from bleaching out, do not allow it to be
exposed to bright sunlight for long periods of time . If you have to
leave the vehicle parked outside for long periods, cover the leather
to protect it from direct exposure to sunlight.
• Sharp objects on clothing, such as zippers, rivets or sharp pieces
on belts can leave permanent scratches or scrape marks on the
surface of the leather.
[ i] Tips
• After each time you clean the leather and at regular intervals, use
a leather preservative creme that contains UV -blockers and that
works into the leather . This creme wil l nourish and moisturize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay supple . It also helps to build
up a protective coating on the surface .
• Clean the leather every 2 -3 months, and clean any areas that get
soiled.
• Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc . as soon as possible .
• Preserve the color of the leather as needed by using a special
colored leather care creme to touch up areas of uneven color. •
Applies to ve hic les : with na tu ra l le at he r
Cleaning and caring for leather upholstery
and trim
Natural leather requires special care and attention.
Normal cleaning
- Clean soiled areas with a slightly moistened cotton or
woolen cloth.
More stubborn dirt
- More stubborn dirt can be removed using a cloth satu­
rated with a mild soap solution (2 tablespoons mild
liquid soap) .
- Never allow the soap solution to saturate the leather, and
make certain that no water soaks into the seams .
- Wipe off the soap solution with a soft, dry cloth.
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Cleaning spots
- Remove fresh water-based spots (such as coffee, tea,
juices, blood) with an absorbent cloth or paper towel.
- Remove fresh
grease or oil-based spots (such as butter,
mayonnaise, chocolate) with an absorbent cloth or paper
towel, or use the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface of the
leather.
- Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if
oil/grease spots
have dried on.
- Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint pen, felt
marker, fingernail polish, water-based paint, shoe polish,
etc.) with a spot
remover specifically formulated for
leather.
Leather care
- Every half year use an approved leather care product
(available from your Audi dealer) to care for the leather.
- Apply the product
very sparingly.
- Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any questions abou t cleaning and caring for the leather
in your vehicle, it is best to contact your authorized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our full range of leather
care products, such as:
• Leather cleaning and care kit
• Creams to care for colored leather
• Spot removers for ballpoint pens, shoe polish, etc .
• Oil/grease dissolving spray
• New and upcoming products.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 288.
0 Note
• Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine),
waxes, shoe polish or similar products on the leather surfaces in
your Audi .
• To avoid damage, have s tubborn stains removed by a commer­
cial cleaning specialist. •
Applies to ve hicles: w ith Alc a nt ara up ho lst ery
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Removing dust and dirt
- Moisten a cloth, squeeze out excess water and wipe down
the seat surfaces.
Removing stains
- Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or with diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcohol.
- Dab at the stain. Start at the outside and work inwards.
- Once the stain is no longer visible, use a soft dry cloth or
tissue to soak up the moisture .
Do not use leather cleaning products on Alcantara .
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can scratch and damage the
surface . If the car is left standing in the sun for long periods , the
leather should be protected against direct sunlight to prevent it
...