oil level AUDI S8 2008 Owners Manual

If the indicator goes all the way to the right side inside the coolant
temperature gauge, then the engine coolant temperature is too
high.
Pull off the road to safe location, turn off the engine and let it
cool down.
If the warning light comes on again after you have driven
a short distance, contact a qualified workshop.
& WARNING
• Always observe the warning in :::::, page 299, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the hood and checking the engine coolant
level.
• Never open the engine hood if you see or hear steam, or if you
see engine coolant dripping from the engine compartment. You
could burn yourself. Let the engine cool off first so that you cannot
hear or see any steam or engine coolant.
0 Note
• Mounting additional lights or accessories in front of the air inlets
reduces the cooling effect of the radiator. At high outside tempera ­
tures or high engine load, the engine could overheat.
• The front spoiler has been designed to properly distribute the
cooling air when the vehicle is moving . If the spoiler is damaged,
this could reduce the cooling effect and the engine could then over­
heat. Ask your authorized Audi dealer for assistance. •
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM (revolutions per
minutes).
The tachometer 0:::::, page 12, fig. 2 is the left of the two large clock­
type displays.
The engine turns at a speed
1,000 times the single digit in the
display, e.g. if the needle is pointing at the "2" the engine is turning
at 2,000 RPM.
Controls and equip­ ment
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
If engine RPM drops below 1,500, you should downshift to the next
lower gear. The red area at the end of the scale indicates maximum
permissible engine RPM after the break-in period . Before reaching
this area, move the selector lever to position "D (Drive)" or ease your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
0 Note
The tachometer needle should not move into the red range . If it
does, then only for a very short period of time. You could damage
your engine by driving at high RPM.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early saves fuel and reduces engine noise.•
Digital clock with date display
Date and time of day can be set in MM/.
Fig . 3 Instrument
cluster with digital
clock
The date, time of day, and time and date format can be set in MMI.
You can find out more in the MMI manual.
~

If a component is malfunctioning or if the need for an urgent repair
has been detected, this will appear in the instrument clus ter display .
You will a lso hear an audible warning tone . The displays are co lor
coded in either red or yellow depending on their level of priority.
A red symbol means
D anger , a yellow symbo l ind icates W arning . In
certain situations, information message for the driver appear in
addit ion to the red and yellow symbo ls .
Fun ction t est: au tom atic transmission
The Auto-Check Contro l will automat ically perform a test each time
you switch on the ignition. With the selector lever in
P or N , the
f ollowing message appears in the display:
When stati onar y appl y fo ot brake while selecting gea r.
When you a select a different gear (for example : R, D , etc.l, the
message will disappear and the Auto -Check function is disp layed.
If there is a malfunction , then the malfunction message will appear
about 15 seconds after the you start the vehicle . At the same time
you will hear a warning tone .•
Driver information messages
Driver i nfo rmation messages are shown in the instrument
cluster display in addition to the red and yellow symbols.
Controls and equip­ ment
Fig. 16 CHEC K button
in th e instru ment
c lu ster
Driv er information di splay
For example, if the transmission selector lever is not in the P posi­
ti on when the engine is turned off, the following message appears:
Shift t o P, otherwi se ve hic le can roll away. Doors do not lo ck if
le ver i s not in P .
The igni tion key can only be removed with the selector in this pos i­
tion. This and other messages are brought up if a function cannot
be car ried ou t.
Dri ver messa ges and r ed symbols
If a red symbo l appears in the display, a driver message can be
shown by pressing the [ CH ECK] button.
For example, the symbol f or a problem with engine oi l
pressure~
appears in the disp lay . If you then press the [ CHECK] button , the
fo llowing driver message appears in the d isp lay:
S witch off engine and che ck oil level
The driver message in the display goes out after about 5 seconds .
The dr iver message can be d isplayed aga in by briefly pressing the
[ CHECK] button .
Driver me ssages and yellow symbols
If a yellow symbol appears in the display, a driver message is also
displayed automat ica lly .
For examp le, the symbol
G> appears in the disp lay, indicating low
windshield washer fluid level. The following message also appears :
Please top up wa sher fluid
The driver message disappears after a few seconds . The driver
message can be d isplayed aga in by briefly pressing the [ CHECK]
button. •

Driver information display
-Pull off the road.
-Stop the vehicle.
-Turn off the engine .
-Check coolant level ~ page 315.
-Add coolant if necessary~ page 316.
-Continue dr iv ing only after the eng ine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
-Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary .
If the engine coolant le ve l is correct, then the radiato r fan may be
the cause of the malfunction.
I f the generator warning/indicator light should also illuminate
~ page 18, then the fan belt may be damaged.
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights
~ page 73, "Emer­
gency flasher
A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment
-you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant
escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn of
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
~ page 299, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the-~-symbol illuminates. There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling sys tem -you could damage your
engine. •
Engine oil pressure malfunction ~
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair. Driving with a low -oil -pres ­
sure indication is likely to inflict severe damage to the engine.
If the ~ symbol appears in the display and blinks, the oil
pressure is too low. An additional driver message can also
be displayed by pressing the !CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check oil level
Immediate actions
-Pull off the road.
-Stop the vehicle.
-Turn off the engine.
-Check the engine oil level with the dipstick ~ page 311.
Dipstick readings checks too low
-Top off oil to the proper level~ page 312.
-Make sure that the oil pressure warning symbol ~
appears no longer in the display before you start driving
again. ~

Dipstick reading checks OK
-If the oil pressure warning symbol "e::7: starts flashing
again even though the engine oil level checks OK on the
dipstick,
do not continue driving and do not let the
engine run in idle.
Instead, contact your authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.
[ i] Tips
• The engine oil pressure symbol ~ is not an indicator for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it . Instead, check the oil level in your
engine at regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and
always before going on a long trip.
• The yellow oil level warning indication
~ requires oil refill or
workshop service without delay. Do not wait until the red oil pres­
sure warning
~ starts to flash before you respond to the low oil
level warning
~- -By then, your engine may already have suffered
serious damage. •
Steering malfunction i
If there is a malfunction in the electronic steering column
lock, the steering cannot be unlocked.
If the ~ symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic steering column lock. An additional driver
message can also be displayed by pressing the [ CHECK]
button :
Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
-Contact your nearest authorized repair facility.
- Do
not tow your vehicle.
Controls and equip­
ment • I I • • I
Driver information display
& WARNING
Your vehicle must not be towed in the event of a malfunction in the
electronic steering column lock because it cannot be steered due
to the locked steering. If it is towed with the steering locked, there
is the risk of an accident. •
Ignition lock malfunction ~
A malfunction in the ignition lock must be repaired imme­
diately.
If the ~ symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic ignition lock. An additional driver message
can also be displayed by pressing the [ CHECK] button:
Ignition lock defective. Contact workshop !
-Do not turn the engine off.
- Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer to have
the malfunct ion corrected.
If there is a malfunction in the electronic ignition lock, the ignition
cannot be turned off. Drive immediately to an authorized Audi
dealer to have the cause of the malfunction corrected.
I f your vehicle has an Advanced Key *, then you should not use the
I STOPI button to shut off the engine. You will not be able to start the
engine again once the ignition is switched off. •

Driver inf orma tio n displ ay
Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Fig . 18 Display: low
fu el l eve l warn in g
(pr iori ty 2)
Yellow symbols indicate a priority 2 malfunction - Warning!
When a yellow warning symbol appears,
one warning tone sounds.
A driver message appears as well to explain the malfunction in more detail . The driver warning goes out after about 5 seconds, but it can
be brought up again at any time by pressing the [ CHECK
I button.
Check the displayed function as soon as possible . If
more than one
priority 2 malfunction is detected, all symbols will appear one after
the other for about 2 seconds .
Yellow symbols mean:
Worn brake pads
Electromechanical
parking brake
Check engine oi l level
=> page 311
= page 34
=> page 136
=> page 35
Engine oil sensor malfunction => page 35
Low fue l level => page 35
-
Windshield washer fluid = page35
level low ~
Battery voltage => page35
-
II Battery in remote control key = page48
Advanced Key* = page 133
Key not in vehicle
USA mod els: = page26
Defective brake light
Canad a m od els: => page26
Defective brake light
Defective light bulb
=> page26
Adaptive Light* defective => page36
-
Dynamic headlight range => page36
ll contro l defective
Defective light -/rain sensor
= page36
--Tire pressure monitoring sys-= page42
tern
II Loss of air pressure
Tire pressure monitoring sys -
= poge45
tern
System not available
•
Worn brake pads
l"J Br ake pad s !

If the symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dea ler to
have the front brake pads inspected (on that occas ion have the rear
brakes inspected as wel l to be
safe!. •
Checking the engine oil level ~
~-Please c hec k oil le vel
When the symbo l illuminates, check the engine oi l leve l as soon as
possible=> page 311 . Add oil if necessary=> page 312 . •
Engine oil sensor defective ~ ....
~ ... Oil le vel ! sen sor defe cti ve
If the symbo l illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dea ler and
have the oi l sensor inspected . Unt il you have this done, check the o il
level each time you refuel just to be on the safe
side => page 311. •
Fuel supply too low Bil
Bu Please refuel
When the symbol i lluminates, th is means there are abou t 2.4
gallons (9 l itres) of fue l left in the fue l tank . Time to refuel.
=> page 302 .
If the symbo l lights up, even when there is ample fuel in the tank,
and the text
Tan k sys tem m alfunct ion ! Conta ct w ork shop appears
in the disp lay, there is a fault in the system. Contact a qual ified work ­
shop to have the fau lt rectified .•
Windshield washer fluid level too low ~
~ Ple ase top up washer fluid
Controls and equip­ ment
Driver information di splay
If the symbo l illuminates, add windshie ld washer fluid to the washer
system and a lso to the headlig ht washer
sys tem => page 323. •
Battery voltage 0
If the battery 's state o f charge is not in the optimal range, the 0
symbo l is shown in the display and the driver message L ow batter y
charge: b attery will be charged while driving
appears .
Whi le this driver not ification is displayed, you have to be prepared
for limited starting capability .
Drive r m essa ge a ppear s a nd go es out ag ain
If th is d rive r message appears after the ign ition is turned on or
wh ile dr iving and it goes out again after a wh ile, the battery has
been adequately recharged.
Dri ver messa ge ap pears a nd does not g o out ag ain
If t his drive r notif ication appea rs after the ignition is t urned o n or
wh ile driving and does not go out again, the battery's state of
charge is not in the opti mal range. Start ing capab ility is restricted.
Have the battery c hecked at a dea lership as soon as possible. •
Applies to vehi cles : with Advanced Key
Key not in vehicle ..?c
.,J. Key not in vehi cle
This message appears toget her with the ..J. symbol when the
remote control key is removed from the vehicle whi le the engine is
run ning. This is to remind you that you s hould not continue your trip
without your key.
I f the remote control key is no longer i n the vehicle, you w ill not be
able to start the engine aga in after you have switched off the igni ­
tion. In addition to this, you will not be able to lock the vehic le from
the outside. •

On the road -----------------
Parking
To prevent a parked vehicle from rolling away, there are a
few things you should do.
When you park your vehicle, do the following
- Stop the vehicle using the brake pedal.
- Pull the switch to apply the electromechanical parking
brake.
- Move the selector lever into the
P position => &.
- Switch off the engine and remove the ignition key from
the ignition lock.
When you park your vehicle on hills, do the
following
- Stop the vehicle using the brake pedal.
- Pull the switch to apply the electromechanical parking
brake.
- If you are parking headed
downhill, turn the front wheels
toward the curb.
- If you are parking headed
uphill, turn the front wheels
awayfrom the curb.
- Move the selector lever into the
P position.
- Switch off the engine and remove the ignition key from
the ignition lock.
& WARNING
This is how you can reduce the risk of injury when leaving your
vehicle.
Controls and equip­ ment
&, WARNING (continued)
• Never park the vehicle where it can come in contact with dry
grass, spilled fuel or any other flammable materials.
• When parking on hills, always turn the wheels so that the front
wheels will first roll into the curb, if the vehicle should start to roll.
• Never allow anyone -especially small children -to remain
in the
vehicle when it is locked. Locked doors make it more difficult for
rescuers to access the passenger compartment in the event of an
emergency. Danger to life!
• Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. Children
could release the parking brake or move the gearshift lever out of
gear. The vehicle could start to roll away and cause an accident.
• No matter what the season is, the temperature in a parked
vehicle can reach dangerous levels.
0 Note
• Please exercise care when you park your vehicle in parking areas
with parking barriers or curbs . Parking barriers and curbs vary in
height and could damage your bumper and related components as
the front of your vehicle moves over a barrier or curb that is too high, as you park or as you back out of a parking spot. In order to be
sure that no such damage can occur, you may wish to stop short of
having the front tires of your car touch the parking barrier or curb.
• Please also exercise exceptional care when you drive up or down
steep ramps or drive over curbs or other obstacles, for which the
vehicle is not designed , because components of the vehicle close to
the ground, such as bumper covers, spoilers and suspension and
exhaust system components, may become damaged. •

_________________________________________ ___..!l~ n ~t ~e :..!.ll ~ig ~ e:.!::n ~t ~ t~ e~ c~ h~ n~o ~l~o ~g !Jy ~ --
•
On steep slo pes, you shou ld use th e braking effect of the engine .
This way, yo u preve nt u nn ecessary wear on the bra ke sys te m. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down cont inuous ly .
Pu mp the brakes at in terval s.
Moisture or road salt
U nder ce rtain cond itions, for e xa m ple, w hen drivi ng thro ug h w ate r
or v ery h eavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking
e ff ect can be red uce d du e to mo is tu re ( or in fr eezin g c ond it ions ice)
on t he b rake pads . A few carefu l brake applicatio ns should dry off
t h e br ake pads o r rem ove a ny ice coatings .
The e ffective ness of t he b ra kes ca n b e red uced wh en th e ve hicle is
driven o n a salt -covered road and t he brakes are not used. Here too,
yo u should cle an off acc umulate d sa lt co atin g from b rake di scs a nd
pads w ith a few careful app lications of th e
brake=>&.
Corrosion
T here may be a tendency for dirt to build up on t he bra ke pads and
c o rr os ion t o form on th e dis cs if t he car is not driven reg ular ly or
only for short trips with little use of the bra kes .
If th e bra ke s are not us ed fr equ ent ly , or if corro sion h as form ed on
th e discs, it is adv isab le to cl ean off the pa ds and discs by braking
firm ly a few times from a moderate ly h igh
speed =>& .
Faults in the brake system
If y ou s ho uld n oti ce a
sud d en inc rea se in b rake pe dal trave l, then
one of the two b rake c ircuits may h ave
fai led =>& .
Low brake fluid level
M alfunctions can occur in the brake system if the b ra ke fluid leve l is
t oo low. Th e br ake fluid level is monitor ed ele ctr onic a lly .
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit. Other
road users must not be put at risk -you may cause an accident!
& WARNING (continued )
• Before descending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range . Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency .
• Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake . This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance .
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winter,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums .
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications .
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency. Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed.
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective­
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance. Avoid driv ing the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop. •
Brake booster
Th e brake boo ster adds ex tra braking po wer.
The b ra ke booster works wit h vacuu m press ure which is created
on ly wh en th e e ngi ne is
r un ning => & .

llffll,.__ __ D_r_ iv _ in_.... g,_ a_n_ d __ e_n _v_ ir_o_ n_ m_ e_n_ t _____________________________________________ _
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. _,.

___ 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
.,_