maintenance AUDI S8 2008 Owners Manual

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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 -
------------ -=--=-= '-
& 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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New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a full braking
effec t during the first 250 miles (400 kilometers) after they
are installed .
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" before they have optimal
grab =>& .
During the break -in period, you s hou ld avoid putting severe loads
on the brakes . Severe loads include, for examp le, sudden hard
braking, in particular at very high speeds or, for example, on moun ­
t ain passes.
& WARNING
N ew brake p ad s don 't h ave the be st stopping po wer and mu st be
"broken -in " during the initial 100 to 150 mile s (150 to 200 kil ome ­
t e rs) of norm al c ity dri ving . You can comp en sa te for thi s by
pr ess ing the brake ped al more firmly . Thi s al so appli es later when
ne w pad s a re in sta lled. •
Catalytic converter
It is very important tha t your emission control sys tem
(catalytic converter) is functioning properly to e nsure that
y o ur vehicle is running in an environmentally sound
manner.
-Always use lead-f ree gasoli ne :=> page 301, "Fuel supply".
-Never run the tank down a ll the way to empty.
-Never put too much motor o il in your engine :=> page 312,
"Adding eng ine oil 'l=;r111
•
-Never try to push -or tow -s ta rt yo ur vehic le.
T he catalytic converter is an efficient "clean -up" device built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns ma ny
of the po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
The exclusive use o f un leaded fue l is critica lly important for the l ife
of the cata lytic converter and proper functioning of the engine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate th e veh icle in ar ea s where the hot
e x hau st sys tem m ay come in cont act w ith dr y grass, brush , fuel
s pill or other material which can cau se a fire .
• Do not appl y additi ona l u ndercoating or ru stpr oofing on or
near the exhau st manifol d, exhau st pipe s, ca tal ytic converter or
h ea t shield s. Du ring dri ving , the sub sta nce u sed f or under coating
c ould overhe at and cau se a fir e.
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with leaded fue l wi ll already
seriously degrade the performance of the catalyt ic converter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil
level => page 312 .
• Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes comp letely empty . The
engine cou ld misfire. Unburned fuel could also get into the exhaust
system and this could cause the catalytic converter to overheat .
• Do not turn off t he ignition wh ile the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions,
as otherwise fuel can reach the cata lyt ic converter . This cou ld result
in overheating of the converter, requiring its rep lacement .
• To assure eff ic ient operat ion of the Emiss ion Contro l System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. _,.

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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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one half. Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather
co nditions permit. •
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
- Shut the eng ine off when you are not driving the vehicle .
- Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the engine run at
id le .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traff ic jams, when waiting
for trains to pass at rai lroad crossings, or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds
saves more fue l than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up fu lly when it is
running at idle. However, wear and noxious em issions are espec ially
high when the engine is warming up . So you should drive away as
soon as you start the engine and avoid running at high rpms while
the engine is sti ll warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting . If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would
go unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which could
result in overheating or other damage to the vehicle or other
property .•
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- H ave your vehicle serviced at regular intervals .
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an Audi dealer helps to
ensure t hat it runs properly and economical ly . The condit ion of your
vehic le not only affects its safety and abi lity to hold its va lue, it also
affects
fuel con sumpt ion .
C hec k your oil each time you fill your tan k.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
I t is norma l for the oi l consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest va lue after a certain mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly assess oil consumption .
T his also applies to fuel consump tion and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
t he service recommendat ions in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. Lack of proper ma intenance as well as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the function of the emission control system and
cou ld lead to damage.
• Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Contro l
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not alte r or remove any device, such as heat sh ields,
switches, ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protect your
vehic le's Emission Control System and other important vehic le
components .•
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips.
- Try to avoid driving short dista nces with a cold engine. ~

___ C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ~g~ a_ n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in _g~--------------------------------------------
to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help
prevent the formation of harmfu l deposits, sometimes called
"sludge, " that over time can lead to expensive repairs .
At the time of printing, engine oils available in the U.S. and Canada
that meet the exacting specificat ions of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, however, that every
synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oi l standard VW 502 00. So
a lways b e sur e that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oi l with
the following specifications printed on the oil container :
Audi oil sta nda rd VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combi­
nation with other designations and oil quality standards.
V iscosi ty
Engine oi ls are graded according to their viscosity . The proper
viscosi ty grade oi l for your engin e depends on climactic or seasonal
conditions where you drive . You can use o il with a v iscosity grade of
SAE 5W40 across all temperature ranges for normal driving condi­
tions.
However , if eng ine oil viscosity grade SAE 5W40 is not available, you
can a lso use viscosity grade SAE 5W -30 or SAE 0W -40 as long as it
meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications.
B ecause engin e oil that meets the Audi oi l standard may not be
avai lable everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you a lways carry with you an extra quart !liter) of oil that
express ly conforms to t he VW 502 00 specification, in case you have
to top off the oil while on the road.
Only if th e level of the oil is at or be low the minimum mark on the
oi l dipstick -and no oil that express ly conforms to Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 specifications is avai lable -may you top off with a high
quality engine oi l, preferably synthetic -based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA A5 or ACEA B5, API SL or ILSAC GF -3 specifications , but even
t hen, only in viscosity grades SAE 5W -40, SAE 5W -30, or SAE 0W -40.
However, during the entire time betwe en oil change int erva ls, nev er top off with more than a total of 0
.5 qt/ liter engine oil that does not
conform to Audi oil specifica tion VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oil that has been approved for
your vehic le, please contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Aud i Customer Relat ions at 1 (800) 822-2834 or v isit our web s ite at
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca. Here you will also find a
current list of o ils (manufacturers, brand names
etc.I that conform
to Audi oi l standard VW 502 00.
Ch an g in g t he en gin e oil
The engine oil and o il filter must be changed according to the
mileage (ki lometers) and time intervals specified in your vehic le 's
Warranty & Maintenance booklet . Do not exceed these intervals -
harmful deposits from old engin e oil can reduce engin e perfor­
mance and can lead to expensive eng ine repa irs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very impor tant
because the lubricating properties of oi l decrease gradua lly during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your o il
changed, ask your authorized Audi Service Advisor.
Under some circumstances the eng ine oil should even be changed
mor e frequen tly . Change oil more oft en if you drive most ly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop ­
and -go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where
t emperatures stay be low freezing po int for long per iods .
Detergent add it ives in the oi l wi ll make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has be en running for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oi l more often than recommended .
Dam age or malfun ction s du e to lack of m aint enan ce
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended interva ls
using on ly engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to fai lure to follow recommended
maintenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dea ler wi ll have
to deny warranty coverage un less you pr esent to the dea ler proof in
.,_