ECO mode AUDI S8 2008 Owner's Guide

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restraints and for the different models of the same kind of child
restraint offered by child restraint manufacturers .
The weight ranges for the individual types , makes and mode ls of
child restraints that the NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard
together with the weight ranges of typ ical infants and typica l 1 year­
old child have been stored in the control unit of the Advanced
Airbag System. When a ch ild restra int is being used on the front
passenger sea t wi th a typical 1 y ear-old child, the Advanced Airbag
System compares the weight measured by the weight sensing mat
with the information stored in the e lectronic control unit .
The electronic contro l unit also registers the tension on the front
passenger safety be lt . The tens ion on the safety belt for the front
passenger seat will be different for an adult who is properly using
the safety belt as compared to the tension on the belt when it is used to attach a chi ld restraint to the seat. The sensor below the
latch for the safety belt for the front seat passenger measures the
t e nsion on th e be lt . The input from this sensor is then used with the
weight to "decide" , w hether there is a child restraint with a typical 1
year-o ld child on the front passenger seat and whether or not the
airbag must be turned off .•
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regard less of the child restraint that you use, make sure that i t has
been certified to meet United States Federa l Motor Vehic le Safety
Standards and has been certified by its manufacturer for use with
an airbag . Always be sure that the chi ld restraint is properly
insta lled at one of the rear seating positions . If in exceptiona l
circumstances you must use it on the front passenger seat, carefully
read all of the information on child safety and Advanced Airbags
and heed a ll of the app licable WARNINGS. Make certain that the
child restraint is correct ly recognized by the weight -sensing mat
inside the front passenger seat, that the front passenger airbag is
turned off and that the airbag status is always correct ly signa led by
t he
P ASS ENGER AIR B AG OFF light .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Many types and mode
ls of chi ld restraints have been available over
t he years, new mode ls are introduced regular ly incorpora ting new
and improved designs and older models are taken out of produc­
tion. Child rest raints are not standardized . Child restraints of the
same type typically have different weights and sizes and different
'footprints,' the size and shape of the bottom of the chi ld restra int
that sits on the seat, when they are insta lled on a veh ic le seat. These
differences make it virtua lly impossible to certify comp liance with
the requirements for advanced airbags with each and every child restraint that has ever b een sold in th e past or will b e sold over the
course of the usefu l life of your veh ic le .
For this reason, the Uni ted S tates National Highway Traffic Safety
Admin istration has pub lished a lis t of spec ific type, makes and
models of child restra ints that must be used to cert ify compl iance
of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the suppression
requ irements of Federa l Motor Veh ic le Safety Standard 208. These
child restraints are:
A. Ca r beds, man ufac tured on or afte r Sept ember 1 ,
20 0 4:
• Cosco Dream R ide 02-719
B . Rea r fa cin g c hild re straint syste ms, manu factured
o n or aft er Se ptemb er 1 , 20 04:
(When the restraint system comes equipped with a removab le base,
compliance has to be certified with or without the base) .
• Britax Handle with Care 191
• Century Assura 4553
• Century Smart F it 4543
• Cosco Arriva 02727
• E venflo Discovery Adjust R ig ht 212
• Evenflo First Choice 204
• Graco lnfant8457
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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- Lack of proper maintenance as wel l as improper use of the
vehic le will impair the func tion of the emission con tro l system
and cou ld lead to damage .
<£> For the sake of the envir onment
Even when the Emission Control System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a su lfur -like exhaust gas smell under some
operating states . This depends on the sulfur content of the fuel
being used. Using a different b rand of fue l may help, or fil ling the
tank with lead-free super grade gasol ine. •
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over curbs, steep ramps,
etc., make certain that low- lying parts such as spoi lers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
T his is especial ly true for vehicles with low -s lung chassis (sports
chassis)* and ful ly loaded vehicles .•
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Y o ur personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle , as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and wear on your engine,
brakes and t ires largely depend on three factors :
• your personal driving style
• operat ing cond it ions
• t echnica l limitations
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
I
f you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you can eas ily cut your fuel consumptio n by 10 -15 percent . This
section wil l give you some tips on how you can help the environ­
ment and your poc ketboo k.
[ i ] Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENV IRO NME NTA L
PRO TECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre ­
spond to your actua l consumption on the road, which wi ll vary
depe nding upon veh ic le load and speed, road and weather condi­
tions, trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they ore accelerating .
-Avo id unnecessary accelerat ing a nd braking .
Vehicles use the most fue l when they are accelerating . If you antici ­
pate what is going to happen
ne xt, you wi ll need to brake less and,
thus, acce lerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possib le -for
examp le when you see that the next traffic light is red. •
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
- Try and keep we ll below your car 's max imum speed.
Acce lerating gently reduces fue l consumption, engine wear, and
does no t disturb the envir onment.
Fue l consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
dispropo rtionately at h ig h speeds . If yo u drive at approxi mate ly
three quarters of top speed, fuel consumpt ion wil l be reduced by
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor­
tation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that the add it ional load
wi ll affect durability, economy and performance.
Tra iler towing not on ly p laces more stress on the vehicle, it a lso ca lls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reason, always fol low the ope rating and driv ing instruc tions
provided and use common sense.
(D Note
If you are go ing to tow a trai ler, you must activate the trailer opera ­
tion
mode => page 189, "Towing a Trailer". •
Technical requirements
Traile r hit ch
Use a we ight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trai ler weight.
The hitch must be suitable for your vehic le and trailer and must be
mounted secure ly on the ve hicle's chass is at a
technically sound
location. Use only a trailer hitch with a removable ball mount.
Always check wit h the trai ler hitch manufacturer to make s ure that
you are using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bumper hit ch.
The hitc h must be installed in such a way t hat it does not interfere
with the impact-absorbing bumper system. No modifications
should be made to the veh ic le exhaust a nd brake systems. F rom time to time, check that all hitch mounting bolts remain secure
ly
fastened .
When yo u are no t towing a trailer, re move the tra ile r hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage shou ld your
vehic le be struck from
behind =>& .
Traile r br ake s
If your tra iler is equipped with a braking syste m, check to be sure
that it conforms to al l regu lations .
The tra iler hydraul ic brake sys tem must not be di rect ly co nnected to
t he vehic le's hydrau lic brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle and the trailer.
Trailer light s
Trai ler lights must meet a ll regulations. Be sure to check with your
Aud i dea ler for correc t wir ing, sw itch es and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traf fic behind you using the regu lar
outside mirrors, then you
must instal l extended mirrors. It is impor ­
t ant that you
always have c lear v ision to the rear.
& WARNING
After removing the tr ailer hitch , do not store it in your vehi cle . In
ca se of sudden braking , the hitch could fl y forward and injure you
or your p assenger s.•

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-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 268. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left
side~ page 308.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models:
BRAKE , Canadian models:
«D>l will come on~ page 22 and~ page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized
Audi dealer
immediately. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho­
rized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know-how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid .
Observe these precautions:
-Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification J 1703 and
conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make sure you are using
the correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake fluid is also indicated on the brake fluid reservoir .
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use of the brakes can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety . This could result in an accident .
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom ­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With high outside temperatures or long
daily drives we recommend that you have the electrolyte level .,,_

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•
pressure label lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the vehic le at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured .
If yo u w is h to impro ve comfo rt when oper ating the vehi cle at
norm al lo ad (up to 3 occup ants), y ou can adju st tire pre ssure s to
tho se spe cified for norm al v ehi cle lo ad . Before oper ating the vehi cle
a t maximum lo ad , you mu st incre as e the tire pre ssure s to tho se
s p ec ified for m aximum vehi cle lo ad ::::>
& .
Bear in m ind that the tire pressure monito ring system can only
monitor the tire pressures you have stored . The system does not
recognize the load condition of your vehicle .
The effect iveness of the t ire pressure mon itoring system will be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
veh ic le at its maximum
load ::::>& .
Engin e II Tire design ati on See the i
llustration::::>
page 328, fig . 272 for the location of the label
e it h er o n driver's side 8 -p illar or inside the fue l fil ler flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slight ly!.
Note that the following tab le is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change . In the event o f discrepanc ies, the t ire
pressure label (On USA vehic les, the tire pressure labe l is located on
the driver's s ide 8 -p illar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label
is located either on the driver's side 8 -pi llar or inside the fuel fil ler
fl ap) always takes precedence .
The table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi mode l covered by your Owner's Literature at the
veh ic le's capacity weight and the tire s izes insta lled on the respec ­
tive models as original equipment, or as a factory option.
Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
( displa ce-
normal load
II full load norm
al load
full load
ment in
c ondition al condition condition al condition
liter)
PSI II kPA PSI II kPA PSI I I kPA If PSI IT kPA .,
8-c ylinder 255 /45 R1 8 99H All Sea son
33 230 33 230 30 2
10
33 230
4 .2
255/40 R19100V XL All Sea son 36 250 38 260 33 230 36 250
255 /40 R1 9 1 00 Y XL High P erformanc e 33 230 33 230 30 2 10 33 230
275 /35 R20 102V XL High Performance
33 230 36 250 30 2
10
39 270
8-cylinder 2 55/45 R1 8 99H All Sea son
33 230 35 240 30 2
10
33 230
4 .2 L
255/40 R1 9 100V XL All Sea son 36 250 38 260 33 230 36 250
255 /40 R1 9 1 00Y XL High Perfo rman ce
33 230 35 240
30 2
10
33 230
275 /35 R20 102V XL High Performance 33 230 36 250 30 2 10 39 270
Vehicle care
I

Tires a nd wh eels -
----------------
•
0
©
U.S. DOT tire identification number
Sever snow cond itions
Ti re ply composition and materials used
Maximum load rating
Treadwear, traction and temperature grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pressure
The tires and rims are essentia l parts of the vehicle 's design. The
tires and rims approved by Audi are special ly matched to the char­
acteristics of the vehic le and can make a major contribution to good
road hold ing and safe handling when in good cond ition and prop­
erly inf lated
=> .&, .
We recommend tha t all work on tires and wheels be performed by
an authorized Audi dea ler . They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary special too ls and spare parts as
we ll as the proper facilities for disposing of the old tires.
Authori zed Audi dea lers have the necessary information about tech ­
n ical requirements for insta lling or changing tires and rims.
R ep lac ing t ires and wh eels
Tires shou ld be replaced at least in pairs and not individual ly (for
examp le both front tires or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the informat ion to the tire pressure mon i­
toring
system => page 338.
Always buy replacement radial tires t hat have the same specifica ­
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi. Rep lacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the
origina l equipment or approved optional t ires listed in the table
=> page 328.
Audi -approved specification tires are specially matched to your
vehicle and its load limits, and can contribute to the important road- holding, driving characteristics, and safety of the vehicle
. The table
(=> page 328) lists specificat ions of the tires approved for the Audi
models covered by your Owner's Literature .
The tire pressure labe l located either on driver's side 8 -pil lar or
ins ide the fuel fi ller
flap( => page 328, fig. 273) lists the specifica­
tions of the original equipment tires installed on your vehicle at the
t ime it was manufactured.
Federa l law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized infor ­
mation on the sidewa ll of all
tires => page 336, fig . 276. This informa ­
tion identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics, the quality grade of the tire and a lso provides a tire identification
number for sa fety standard cert ificat ion and in case of a recall.
T ire s pec ificat ion s
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it easier to choose the
correct tires . Radial tires have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewall, for example :
255/45 R 18 99 H
This contains the fo llowing information:
P Indicates the tire is for passenger cars (where applicable)
255 Nominal tire width in mm of the tire from sidewall edge to side -
wa ll edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire
45 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
18 Rim diameter code (in inches)
99 Load rat ing code
H Speed rat ing letter code
XL (or "xi", "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF") indicates that the tire is a "Rein­
forced" or an "Extra Load" tire
M +S (or "M/S") Indicates tha t the tire has some mud and snow capa ­
bility
The tires could a lso have the information of direction of rotation
=> page 324.
Vehicle care

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•
• T he batt ery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a l imited
s er vice l ife.
• Al ways drive with the va lve stem ca ps sec ure ly m ounted. We
r ec om mend u sin g fa ctor y in sta lle d v alv e stem caps. Ask your autho­
rized Audi d ealer to replac e lost valve stem caps .
T he in stalla tio n of replacement ti res with steel cord body plies i n
th e tire s id ewal l may cause malfunct ion of the tire pressure moni ­
toring sy ste m, and is not recommended (c ord mate ria l infor mation
i n mo lded on the tire s idewa ll).
Al ways check your tir e pressure monitor ing system indicator after
r eplac ing on e o r m ore tire s on y our vehi cle. If the tire pressu re
monitorin g system indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
w orki ng pr ope rly. You r rep lace ment tir e mi ght be in co m pati ble w ith
your t ire pr essure monitoring system, or some component of the
t ir e pr ess ure m oni to ring sys te m m ay be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and / or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use tires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory -installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehi cle manufacturer .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
espe cially 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
lower speeds .
• 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.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type ,
size (rolling cir cumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driving
&, WARNING (continued )
with different tires reduces vehicle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle
-for example with winter tires -only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly.
• Overloading tires cause heat build -up , sudden tire failure,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated.
• For techni cal reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels , make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked . Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the factory . The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system that indicates a loss of tire pressure. Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires . If run flat tires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted.
0 Note
• Fo r tec hnica l reaso ns, i t is not gene rally p oss ibl e to use the
whee l rims from other vehicles . T his can hold true for wheels of t he
sa me v ehicl e typ e.
Vehicle care