technical data AUDI S8 2009 Owner's Guide

Child Safety -
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& WARNING
Rearward-facing child restraints:
• A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat installed on the
front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if
the front airbag inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag System.
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center arm rest, door or roof.
• Always be especially careful if you must install a rearward
facing child safety seat on the front passenger seat in exceptional
circumstances.
• A tight tether strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-mat in the seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. The heavier weight registered can make
the system work as though an adult were on the seat and deploy
the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing serious
or even fatal injury to the child.
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on, immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer. •
Activating the convertible locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure a child
restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufacturer's instruc ­
tions when installing a child restraint in your vehicle. To
activate the convertible locking retractor:
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
-Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on the rear
seat.
- Slowly pull the belt
all the way out.
- Route it around or through the child restraint belt path
~& -
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight .
- Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that seating
position.
- Guide the safety belt back into the retractor until the belt
lies flat and snug on the child safety seat.
- You should hear a "clicking" noise as the belt winds back
into the inertia reel. Test the convertible locking retractor
by pulling on the belt. You should no longer be able to
pull the belt out of the retractor. The convertible locking
retractor is now activated.
- Make sure that the red release button is facing away from
the child restraint so that it can be unbuckled quickly.
- Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is proper ly
tight and fastened so that the seat cannot move forward
or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
& WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improperly installed child
restraint can cause serious personal injury or death in a crash.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when
installing a child safety seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a crash. ..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_______________________________________________ C_h _ i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t..,:c y __ ffl!III
(The term "ISOFIX" regarding lower anchorages had been used by
Audi and other manufacturers in the past, but LATCH is now the
standard name for the new child restraint anchorage system.)
Some child restraint system manufacturers have been providing
tether straps on certain models of their child restraint systems, either as standard equipment or as a retrofit, for several years .
Check with the manufacturer of the child restraint system for tether
strap availability .
To provide a simpler and more practicable way to attach the child
restraint system on the vehicle seat, U.S. Federal regulations require
the phase -in of lower anchorages in vehicles and devices on new
child restraint systems to attach to the vehicle anchorages.
Child restraint system manufacturers will probably offer two kinds
of lower anchorages on their child safety seats
They could come with:
• hooks or other latches attached to adjustable straps or
• rigid latches on bars that extend out the back of the child
restraint and are released with release buttons at the bottom of the
child restraint.
In addition to the LATCH lower anchorages, both of these child
restraint systems use tether straps to help keep the child restraint
system firmly in place .•
Where can I get additional information about
child restraint application and usage?
There are a number of sources of additional information about child
restraint selection, installation and usage :
NHTSA advises that the best child safety seat is the one that fits
your child and fits in your vehicle, and that you will use correctly and
consistently.
Try before you buy!
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Tel.: (888) DASH -2 -DOT
www.nhtsa .dot .gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
Tel.: (202) 662 -0600
www.safekids.org
Safety BeltSafe U.S.A
Tel.: (800) 745-SAFE (English)
Tel.: (800) 747 -SANO (Spanish)
www.carseat .org
Transport Canada
Tel.: (800) 333-0371
www.tc.gc.ca
Audi Client Relations
Tel.: (800) 822-2834 •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_____________________________________________ C_ h _ il_d _S_ a _ fe_t---= y'----"'
- Tighte n the te th e r st rap firml y fo llow ing t he child
r e st raint ma nufactur er's instr uct ions.
Releasing th e tether strap
- Loosen t he tension fo llowing the child restra int manufac ­
t u re r's instructions.
- Depress the spr ing catch on t he hook a nd re lease it f rom
the tet her anchor .
& WARNING
Always read a nd heed all WARNINGS .
0 Note
If you leave the child restraint with the tether strap firm ly instal led
for several days, this could leave a mark o n the upho lstery on t he
seat cushion and backrest in the area where the tether strap was
installed . The upholste ry would a lso be permanen tly s tretched
around the tether strap . This applies especially to leather seats .•
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
t he aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is continua lly
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example, when the vehic le starts hydrop laning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate whee l to correct
the prob lem.
The vehicle is then stab ilized by the forces acting on the whee l
during braking. If the vehicle is oversteering (rear tends to skid out
of the turn), the brakes are mainly app lied on the wheel that is on
the outside of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is understeering
(tendency to sl ide out of the curve), the brakes are applied at the
rear wheel that is on the inside of the curve . An acoustic signal indi­
cates when ESP brake application cuts in
~ & .
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system
~ page 274 . If the Anti -Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP wi ll be out of action as well.
Ac tivat ion
When you turn on the eng ine, ESP will automatically be activated
and will perform a self -test.
The system can be activated or deactiva ted by pressing the button
~ page 270, fig. 256. The warning light comes on when the system
is switched off
~ page 18.
Normally , the ESP should always be on, however, it may be advanta­
geous to turn off the system in certain special cases when some
degree of wheel spin is desired such as :
• when driving with snow chains
• when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface (to allow the
wheels to dig in to reach firm ground)
• when trying to "rock" the vehicle free when it has beco me stuck.
T he system should be reactivated once you are no longer in such
situations .
Both the ABS and EDS systems are still functioning even if the ESP
is switched off .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
In
te llig ent tec hn olo gy
& WARNING
The Ele ctron ic St abiliz ation Progr am i s ne ve rt h el ess s ubject to the
laws of ph ysics. It i s particularl y important t o pay attention t o th is
f ac t on wet an d slipp ery road s. It i s th ere fore important that you
alway s adapt your driving to the condition of the road and traffic
c onditio ns. Do n ot allow the in crease d sa fety p ro vi ded by t he El ec­
tronic Stabiliz ation Program sy stem to lu ll you into a ccepting
a dditional safety ri sk s.
c
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotation al
s p eed of the drive wheels.
G en era l not es
The elect ronic differential lock (EDU helps the car to start moving,
accelerate and c limb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or
a lmost no grip . Without EDL , this would be difficult, if not impos ­
s ib le.
How the system works
The EDL operates automatical ly. It monitors the rotational speed of
the drive wheels on an axle with the he lp of the ABS sensors
~ page 274. If a noticeable difference in rotational speed between
the drive wheels on one axle is detected (e.g. on slippery ground on
one side), the spinning w heel is braked, thereby transferring power
to the other drive wheel or wheels (all -whee l drivel. This is done up
to a speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h) . Noises from the brake
system signal that wheel spin is being control led .
Dri ving off
When driving off, always be sur e to ke ep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. I f one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface
with less grip, gradual ly increase the pressure on the accelera tor
pedal unt il the car star ts to
move . The whee l less able to t ra nsfer
power spins. _.,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

tenance boo klet. Failure to have your brake pads inspected can
r esult i n reduce d brake pe rfor mance .
On steep slopes , you s hou ld use the braking effect of the engine .
T his way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the bra ke system . If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down con tinuo usly.
P ump the brakes at intervals.
Moisture or road salt
U nder ce rtain conditions, for example, when driving through water
or very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the brak ing
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice)
on the b rake pads. A few carefu l brake appl icat io n s sh ould d ry o ff
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
Th e eff ectiveness of the b rakes ca n b e re d uce d whe n the ve hicle is
driven on a salt -covered road and the brakes are not used . Here too,
you sh ould clean off acc umulated sa lt coat ing from brake d iscs and
pads with a few careful app lications of the brake~&.
Corrosion
T here may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
co rrosion to form o n the discs if the car is not d rive n regu lar ly or
only for short trips with little use of the brakes .
I f the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has fo rmed on
t he d iscs, i t is a dv isab le to clea n off th e pads an d discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderate ly high speed~& .
Faults in the brake system
I f you shou ld notice a sudden increase in brake pedal trave l, then
one of the two brak e circu its may have failed~ &.
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfunctions can occur in the brake system if the brake fluid leve l is
t oo low. T he b rake fl uid level is mon ito red e lect ro nica lly .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
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Brake lining wear status
Brake l ini ng w ear may be checke d by visua l ins pec tion of the co nd i­
tion of the brake pads throu gh the open ings in the wheel. If neces ­
sa ry, the wheel may be removed for this i nspectio n
~ page 353,
"Changin g a whee l".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit . Other
road use rs must not be put at r isk -you may cause an accident !
• Before descending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans ­
mi ssion 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
cau se 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 climati c and operating conditions such as
passing through water , driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehi cle , 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 disc s and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spo iler , or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed.
Otherwise the brake sy stem could overheat reducing the effective ­
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake cir cuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance. Avoid driving the
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

until the vehicle has braked to the required speed. The brake assis­
tant switches itself off as soon as you release the brake pedal.
The brake assistant will not be operative if there is a malfunction in
the ABS.
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast, especially in corners or on a slippery road, or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too closely. Increased risk of an
accident cannot be compensated for even by the brake assistant,
so always maintain a safe speed. •
Servotronic® -advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise steering with little effort.
The advanced Servotronic ® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortable and safe steering response exactly matched to the
vehicle speed.
Power steering 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 services.
0 Note
If there is an electronic malfunction, servotronic will sti ll function
like a conventional power steering system, providing a constant
steering support force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed. This is most noticeable when turning the steering whee l at
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
low speeds (for examp
le when parking), -more effort will be
requ ired than usual.
• Be aware of the different than usual steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly .
• Have the problem checked and set right by an Audi dealer as
soon as possible.
[ i ] Tips
• When the engine is running, never hold the steering whee l
turned all the way to the right or to the left for longer than 15
seconds. The power steering pump will overheat the hydraulic fluid
if you keep holding the steering whee l turned a ll the way. This is
likely to damage the power steering system.
• If the power steering system shou ld fail entire ly, or if the engine
is not running (for examp le, while being towed), you will still be able
to steer the vehicle . However,
considerably more effort will be
required to do so.
• If the power steering system shou ld have a leak, or is not func ­
t ioning properly, contact your authorized Audi dealer immediately.
• The power steering system requires a special ly formulated
hydraulic fluid. The power steering reservoir is the one located most
forward on the left side of the engine compartment=>
page 310. The
correct fluid level in the reservoir is important for proper func­
tioning of the power steering .•
Driving with your q attro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
General information
With All Whee l Drive, power is distributed to all four wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your dr iving style and the
road conditions at the time. See also=>
page 271, "Electronic differ ­
entia l lock (EDU".
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

vidual components. It regulates consumption, so that more elec­
trical energy is not being used than is being genera ted and ensures
an optimal state of charge for the battery.
[ i ] Tips
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits of
physics. Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
• If starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
~ page 277, "Driver notification in the instrument cluster
display". •
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining starting capa ­
bility.
The battery is severely taxed in short -distance driving, in city traffic
and during the cold time of year . Abundant electrical energy is
required, but only a little is generated . It is also critical if the engine
is not running and e lectrical components are turned on. In this
instance energy is being consumed but none is being generated .
It is in precisely these situations that you wi ll notice energy manage ­
ment actively regulating the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or
weeks, electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability
over a longer period.
Be aware that when you unlock your vehicle, some of the conve ­
nience functions may not operate, such as the Convenience key, the
remote control or the power seat adjustment. The convenience
functions will be available again when you turn on the ignition and start the engine.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
With the
engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for examp le, with the engine turned off or
use other MMI functions, the battery is being discharged.
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy consumption, the
following warning appears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will switch off in 3
minutes .
The warning indicates that the system wi ll be turned off automati­
cal ly after 3 minutes. If you wish to continue using the functions,
you have to start the engine .
With the engine running
Although e lectrica l energy is generated when the vehicle is being
driven, the battery can become discharged. This happens mostly
when little energy is being generated and a great deal consumed
and the battery's state of charge is not optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equi librium , consumers
which require especia lly large amounts of energy are temporarily
cut back or switched off. Heating systems in particular require a
great deal of energy. If you notice, for example, that the heated
seats* or the heated rear window are not heating, they have been
temporarily cut back or switched off. These systems will be available
again as soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You wil l also notice that engine idle speed has been increased
s lightly . This is norma l and not a cause for concern . By increasing
engine idle speed the additiona l energy required is generated and
the battery is charged. •
Driver notification in the instrument cluster
display
If the battery's state of charge is not in the optimal range, this driver
notification appears in the instrument cluster display:
Low battery charge: battery will be charged while driving ~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and afterwards
!\Jew engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
F o r th e fir st 600 mil es (1,000 kilomet ers):
Do not use full throttle.
- Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the top speed marked on
the speedometer.
- Avoid high engine speeds .
From 600 t o 1,000 mil es (1,000 t o 1,500
kil om eter s):
- Speeds can
gradually be i ncreased to t he maximum
permiss ible road or engine speed .
During and aft er br eak-in p eri od
- Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it is cold. This applies whether the transm ission is in N (Neutral) or
1n gear.
Aft er the br eak-in p eriod
- D o not exceed max imum e ngine speed unde r any
circumstances.
- Upshift into the next higher gear
before reac hing the red
area at the end of the tachome ter scale ~
page 12 .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
During the first few hours of driving, the eng ine's internal friction is
higher than later when all the moving parts have been broken in.
How well this break -in process is done depends to a considerable
extent on the way the vehicle is driven during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 ki lometers).
0 Not e
Extreme ly high engine speeds are automatically reduced. However,
these rpm limits are programmed for an engine well run-in, not a
new engine .
~ For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high engine speeds -upshifting
early saves fuel, reduces noise and protects the environment .
New tires
If your v ehic le is running on new tires, driv e particularly
carefu l for the first 350 miles (500 ki lometers) after fitting.
& WARNING
N ew tir es tend to be slipp ery and mu st al so be "broken -in ". B e
su re to r ememb er thi s during th e fir st 350 m ile s ( 50 0 k ilome te rs).
Brak e gen tly. Av oid follow ing close ly behind other vehicl es or
o the r s ituati ons that mig ht requi re su dde n, ha rd b raking.•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

- Lack of proper maintenance as wel l as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the func tion of the emission con tro l system
and could lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of th e envir onm ent
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 brand of fue l may help, or filling the
tank with lead-free super grade gasoline. •
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.
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung chassis (sports
chassis) * and fully loaded vehicles .
a
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear on your engine,
brakes and tires largely depend on three factors:
• your personal driving style
• operating cond itions
• technica l limitations
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you can easily cut your fuel consumption by 10 -15 percent . This
section wil l give you some tips on how you can help the environ­
ment and your pocketbook.
[ i ] Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENV IRONMENTAL
PRO TEC TION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre ­
spond to your actua l consumption on the road, which wi ll vary
depending upon vehic 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.
-Avoid unnecessary accelerat ing and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating . If you antici­
pate what is going to happen next, 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 well below your car 's max imum speed.
Acce lerating gently reduces fue l consumption , engine wear, and
does not disturb the environment.
Fue l consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds . If you drive at approximate ly
three quarters of top speed, fuel consumption wil l be reduced by
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper­
ating temperature to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis ­
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid -size car only achieves a
fuel economy of 6-8 miles per gallon (30-401/100 km). After about a
half a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (201/100 kml. After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operating temperature
and fuel economy has reached a normal level. So you can see that
you should avo id short tr ips whenever possible.
The outside temperature is also critical in this regard. Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Driving
and environment
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data