check engine AUDI S8 2009 Service Manual

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_n ...:::g::;...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in -'g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 270. 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 310.
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.
Th erefore, 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 .,_

Checking and filling -
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checked by a service facility. The electrolyte level should also be
checked each time the battery is charged =>
page 323.
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
With certain types of airbag deployment, the battery is discon­
nected from the vehicle electrical system for safety reasons=>.& in
"Repair, care and disposal of the airbags" on
page 234.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected. These functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again. To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle electrical system when absolutely necessary for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long periods 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
=> page 276.
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.
Winter operation During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consump tion, particularly in city traffic or
when traveling only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dealer
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=> page 323. A well charged battery will not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
[ i] Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. This will prevent it from being damaged and
having to be replaced.•
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near the battery.
Fig . 271 Luggage
compartment: Right·
side storage compart­
ment
Fig . 272 Luggage
compartment : Battery
The battery is located in the luggage compartment on the
right side behind a cover. Before you check anything in the
luggage compartment,
read and heed all WARNINGS=>& . .,_
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

-Checking and filling PW~--=----=----------------
-To open the side storage compartment, turn the two pins
@ ~fig . 271 to the vertical position.
The positive(+) battery terminal is protected by a plastic cover . This
cover must be removed to access the positive(+) terminal when
connecting jumper cables to start the eng ine.
Always heed the safety warnings , when working on the vehicle
battery or the vehicle electrica l system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre­
cautions when working on the battery .
@
®
Always wear eye prote ction .
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Always wear
gloves and eye protection .
No
• sparks
- flames
· smoking.
When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause personal injury .
Always keep the battery well out of reach of chil­
dren .
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire. Read and heed the
following WARNINGS :
& WARNING (continued)
• Always wear eye protection. Do not let battery acid or any lead
particles get on your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes. Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury.
• Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can cause
blindness and severe burns.
-Always wear gloves and eye protection . Do not tilt the
battery because acid could leak out of the ventilation openings.
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immedi­
ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and get medical
attention.
- If you should ingest any battery acid , seek medical attention
immediately .
• Do not expose the battery to an open flame , electric sparks or
an open light .
• Do not smoke.
• Do not interchange the positive and negative cables.
• When working on the battery, be sure not to short-circuit the
terminals with tools or other metal objects. This would cause the battery to heat up very quickly, which could lead to damage or
explosion and personal injury.
• When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen gas which is
explosive and could cause personal injury.
• Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children.
• Before work is done on the electrical system, disconnect the
negative ground cable.
• Before performing any work on the electrical system, switch off
the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment. The
negative cable on the battery must be disconnected. If you are just
going to replace a light bulb , then it is enough to switch off the
lights.
• Before disconnecting the battery, switch off the anti-theft
alarm system! Otherwise you will set off the alarm.

Checking and filling -
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•
& WARNING (continued)
• When disconnecting the battery, first disconnect the negative
cable and then the positive cable.
• Before reconnecting the battery, make sure all electrical
consumers are switched off. Reconnect the positive cable first and
then the negative cable. Never interchange the cables -this could
start a fire!
• Never charge a frozen or a thawed-out battery. It could
explode! If a battery has frozen, then it must be replaced. A
discharged battery can freeze over at 32 °F (0 °CI.
• Make sure the vent hose is always attached to the opening on
the side of the battery.
• Never use batteries which are damaged. There is the danger of
an explosion! Always replace a damaged battery.
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
• Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems. Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
• Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when the ignition is
switched on or when the engine is running, otherwise, you will
damage electronic components in the electrical system.
• If your vehicle is going to stand for a long period of time without
being driven, protect the battery from "freezing", otherwise it will
be damaged and will then have to be replaced .•
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery.
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below=> & and => &
in "Working on the battery" on
page 321.
-Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
- Make sure the area is well ventilated when you charge
the battery.
- Attach the red (positive
8) clamp of the charging equip­
ment to the positive terminal of the battery and the black
(negative(:)) clamp to the jumper terminal.
- Only now plug the mains lead for the charging equip­
ment into the wall outlet and turn it on=> &.
-Make sure the charging rate is not over 30 amps/14.8
Volt.
-When the battery is fully charged: Turn the charging
equipment off and remove the mains lead from the wall
outlet.
- Now remove the clamps for the charging equipment .
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures of only O °C . Allow
a frozen battery to thaw completely before attempting to charge it
=> &. However, we recommend not using a thawed battery again
because the battery casing can be cracked due to ice formation and
can leak battery acid.
Battery charging (Maximum charging rate of 30
amps/14.8 Volt)
When charging at /ow voltages (e.g. with a trickle charger), the
battery cables do not have to be disconnected first. The battery caps
should
not be opened when charging a battery. ._.
Vehicle care I t •

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Windshield/headlight washer
container
F ig . 273 Engine
co mpartm ent : Wind ­
s hiel d and headl ig ht
wa sher fluid container
The was her fluid container is marke d w ith the symbol <$ on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the e ngine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working
in t he engi ne com partme nt" on
page 309.
- Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer f luid. You can fill
the container to the top .
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container .
You can find the reservoir ca paci ty in the table in=> page 380.
To prevent lime residue from building up on the spray jets, use
distilled water when refilling. Always add a glass cleaner solution
(with frost protection in the winter!.
0 Note
Do n ot m ix engine coo lant antifreeze or any other addi tives to fill up
the windshield washer reservoir .•
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

What do I do now? Ill
---------------~.;______
•
-Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
Storing the replaced wheel
-Place the replaced wheel inside the spare wheel well in
the luggage compartment.
Tighten the knurled retaining screw clockwise to secure
the wheel in place.
- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
& WARNING
Loose items in the passenger compartment can cause serious
personal injury during hard braking or in an accident .
• Never store the spare wheel or jack and tools in the passenger
compartment.
• Always store all jacking equipment, tools, and the spare wheel
in the luggage compartment.
• Tighten the knurled retaining screw for the spare wheel
securely.
[ i] Tips
Check the inflation pressure of the spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use. •
Changing a wheel
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own and your
passenger's safety when changing a wheel.
- After you experience a tire failure, pull the car well away
from moving traffic and try to reach level ground before
you stop
~ & .
- All passengers should leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail) ~& .
- Engage the parking brake to prevent your vehicle from
rolling unintentionally ~& .
- Move selector lever to position P
~ &.
-If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle.
- Take the jack and the spare tire out of the luggage
compartment~
page 351.
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if
you do not follow these safety precautions:
• If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off the road. Turn off
the engine, turn the emergency flashers on and use other warning
devices to alert other motorists.
• Make sure that passengers wait in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the road and traffic.
• To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possibly
slipping off the jack, always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed. When one ..,
Do-it -yourself service

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& WARNING !continued)
• Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~ page 301, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
• Applying a higher voltage booster battery will cause expensive
damage to sensitive electronic components, such as control units,
relays, radio, etc .
• There must be no electrical contact between the vehicles as
otherwise current could already start to flow as soon as the positive
(+) terminals are connected.
[ i) Tips
• The discharged battery must be properly connected to the
vehicle's electrical system. When jump starting or charging the
battery , never connect the negative ground cable to the battery
negative post because the battery manager system must be able to
detect the battery's state of charge. Always connect the negative
ground cable to the negative ground post of the battery manager
control unit .•
Use of jumper cables
Make sure to connect the jumper cable clamps in exactly
the order described below!
Fig. 299 Jump starting
with the battery of
another vehicle: A -
discharged vehicle
battery, B -booster
battery
The procedure described below for connecting jumper
cables is intended to provide a jump start for your vehicle.
Vehicle with discharged battery:
-Turn off lights and accessories, move lever of automatic
transmission to
N (Neutral) or P (Park) and set parking
brake.
Connect POSITIVE (+) to POSITIVE (+) (red)
1. Connect one end to the positive terminal~ fig . 299 G)
of your battery @.
2. Connect the other end to the positive terminal
@ of the
booster battery
@.
Connect NEGATIVE (-) to NEGATIVE (-) (black)
3. Connect one end to the negative terminal @ of the
booster battery
@.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service irechnical data

111!1.___E_ m_ e_r -=g :...e_ n _ c-=y _ s_ i_t _u _a _t_ i_o _n_ s _______________________________________________ _
4. Connect the other end t o the negative ground post of t he
battery manager contro l un it located next to t he batte ry.
Start in g the engin e
-Start the engine of the vehicle with the booster battery .
Run the engine at a moderate speed.
- Start eng ine w ith discharged ve hicle battery in t he usual
manner .
- If the e ngine fa ils to sta rt: do not keep the starter
cranking for longer than 10 seconds . Wait for about 30
seconds and then try aga in .
- With e ngine running, remove jumper cables from both
ve hic les in the exac t
reverse order.
The battery is vented to the outside to prevent gases from entering
the vehicle interior . Make sure that the jumper clamps are well
connected with their metal parts in full contact with the battery
termina ls .
& WARNING
To avo id seri ous pe rsonal injur y and d am age to the veh icle, heed
all warning s and ins truct ion s of the jumper cable manufa cturer . If
in doubt , call for road ser vic e.
• Jump er cable s mu st be long enough so that the vehicle s do not
tou ch .
• When connecting jumper c able s, make sure th at the y cannot
g et ca ught in an y mov ing par ts in the engine compa rt me nt.
• Befor e you che ck anything i n the en gine com partment , alwa ys
re ad and heed all WARNINGS=>
page 301 , "Engin e com partm ent ".
0 Note
Improper hook -up of jumper cables can ruin the generator. •
Always connect POS ITIVE( +) to POSITIVE(+), and NEGAT IVE( -) to
NEGAT IVE( -) ground post of the battery manager con trol unit.
• Check that al l screw plugs on the battery cells are screwed in
firm ly . If not, tighten plugs prior to connecting clamp on negative
battery terminal.
• Please note that the procedure for connect ing a jumper cable as
described above applies specifical ly to the case of your vehicle
being jump started. When you are giving a jump start to another
vehicle, do not connect the negative(-) cable to the negative(-)
t erminal on the discharged battery@=> page 367, fig. 299. Ins tead,
securely connect the negative (-l cable to either a solid meta l
component that is firmly bo lted to the engine block or to the engine
block itself. If the battery that is being charged does not vent to the
outside, escap ing battery gas could ignite and explode! •
Emergency towing with commercial
tow truck
General hints
Your Audi requires special handling for t owing.
T he fol lowing information is to be used by commercial tow truck
operators who know how to operate their equipment safely .
• Never t ow y our Audi , tow ing w ill ca use damage to t he en gin e
and tran sm iss ion .
• Never w ra p the safe ty c hai ns or winch ca bles a ro und th e bra ke
line s.
• To prevent un nece ssa ry d ama ge, your Audi must b e tr ansported
wi th a flat bed tru ck .
• To lo ad the vehi cle on to th e flat bed , us e the to wing loop fo und
in the vehicle tool s and a tt ac h to the front or rear anchorage
=> page 369 and=> page 370 . ~

-Emergency situations PV:f...__---=---=---------------
-Read and hee d W ARNI NG =:> & .
Fig. 30 7 Re ar lifting
point
Ac tiv ate t he vehicle jackin g mode if a pp licable
=:>
p age 19 1.
-Locat e lifting po in ts =:> page 371, fig. 3 06 =:> fig . 3 07 .
Ad ju st li ftin g a rms of works hop hoi st or floor jack t o
m atch v ehicle li ftin g poi nts.
In sert a r ub be r pad between the floor jack /wo rk sh op
h o ist and t he li ftin g poin ts.
The vehicle jac kin g m ode m ust be ac tiva ted so that the a utomatic
adjustment of the Adaptive Air Suspension does not make it more
d iffic ult to ra ise the vehic le w ith the ( floor jack) => page 19 1.
If you must lift your vehicle with a floor jack to work underneath , be
sure the vehicle is safely supported on stands intended for this
purpose.
Front lifting point
Th e lif ti ng po int is locat ed o n th e floo r pan re inf orc emen t abou t at
the same leve l as t he jack mounting point => page 371, fig. 306 . Do
not lift the vehicle at the vertical sill reinforcement. Rear lifting point
Th e lif tin g po int is loc ated on t he ver tical re infor ce ment o f the lo wer
s ill for t he on -boa rd jack=> fig . 3 07 .
Lifting with vehicle jack
R efer to => page
356 .
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of serious injury and vehicle damage .
- Always lift the vehicle only at the special workshop hoist and
floor jack lift points illustrated
=> page 371 , fig . 306 and
=> fig. 307.
- Failure to lift the vehicle at these points could cause the
vehicle to tilt or fall from a lift if there is a change in vehicle
weight distribution and balance. This might happen , for
example, when heavy components such as the engine block or
transmission are removed .
• When removing heavy components like these, anchor vehicle
to hoist or add corresponding weights to maintain the center of gravity. Otherwise , the vehicle might tilt or slip off the hoist,
causing serious personal injury .
0 Note
• Be awar e of the following points be fore liftin g the vehicle :
- The vehicle should never be lifted or jacked up from under­
neath the engine oil pan , the transmission housing , the front or
rear axle or the body side members . This could lead to serious
damage .
- To avoid damage to the underbody or chassis frame, a rubber
pad must be inserted between the floor jack and the lift points .
- Before driving over a workshop hoist, check that the vehicle
weight does not exceed the permissible lifting capacity of the hoist . _..

_______________________________________________ C _o_ n _ s_u _ m_ e_ r_l_n _f_o _ r_ m_ a_ t _i _o _ n __ lllll
re liabi lity . For detailed vehicle maintenance consult your Warranty &
M ain tena nce booklet .
Under diff icult operating condition s, for example at extreme ly low
outside temperatures, in very dusty regions, when towing a trai ler
very frequently, e tc ., som e serv ice work shou ld be p erfo rm ed
between the intervals specifie d. T his applies particu lar ly to:
• oil ch ang es, a nd
• cleaning or replacing the air filter.
<£> For the sake of the environment
By regularl y maintaining your vehicle, you help make su re that emis ­
s io n sta n da rds are ma intained, thus minimi zing a dvers e effe cts on
the environment. •
Important considerations for you and your
vehicle
The inc reasing use of elect ronics, sophisticated fue l injection and
e mi ssio n con tro l sy stems, a nd the gene ra lly i ncreas ing tec hn ica l
complexity of today's automobiles, have steadily reduced the scope
o f mai nte na nce a nd repairs wh ic h can be carr ied ou t by veh ic le
owners.
Also, safety and environmental concerns p lace very strict
l im it s o n the nat ure o f rep ai rs a nd adju stmen ts to engine a nd tra ns­
m ission parts which an owner can perform.
M aintena nce, adj ust m ent s and repairs u sua lly require special t ool s,
t est ing dev ices and o ther equipment ava ilab le to sp ecia lly trained
workshop personne l in order to assure p rope r performance, reli ­
ab ilit y and sa fety o f the vehicle a nd its many sys tems.
I mproper maintenance, adjustments and repairs can impair the
ope ra ti on a nd reliabil ity o f your vehi cle a nd even vo id your ve hicle
warranty. Therefore, proof of servicing in accordance with the main ­
t e nance sch ed ule may be a con diti on for upholding a poss ibl e
warranty claim made within the warranty period.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Above a
ll, operational safe ty can be adverse ly affected, creating
u nn ece ssary risks for you a nd your passenge rs .
I f in doubt about any servicing, have it done by your authorized Audi
dea ler or any other properly equipped and qualified workshop. We
str on gly ur ge you to g ive your au thorized Au di dea ler t he o pportu ­
nity to perform al l scheduled maintenance and necessary repairs.
Your dealer has t he facil ities, origina l pa rts and tra ined spec ialis ts
to keep your vehic le running proper ly.
Performing limited maintenance yourself
The fo llowing pages descr ibe a limited numbe r of procedu res wh ic h
ca n be perf ormed o n you r vehicle wi th ord ina ry tools, sho uld the
need arise and trained personne l be unavailab le. Befo re performing
any of t hese proc edures, a lways thor oug hly read all of the ap pli­
cable text and carefu lly fo llow the instruct ions given. Always rigor ­
ously observe the
WARNINGS provid ed .
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , al ways read
and heed all WARNINGS~
& and~ & in "Working in the engine
compa rtme nt" on
page 309.
& WARNING
• Serious personal injury may occur as a result of improperly
performed maintenance , adjustments or repairs .
• Always be extremely careful when working on the veh icle .
Always follow commonly accepted safety practices and general c ommon sense . Never risk personal injury .
• Do not attempt any of the maintenance, checks or repairs
descr ibed on the following pages if you are not fully fam iliar with
these or other procedures with respect to the vehicle , or are uncer ­
tain how to pro ceed .
• Do not do any work without the proper tools and equipment.
Have the necessary work done by your authorized Audi dealer or
another properly equipped and qualified workshop . _,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Tec hn ica l da ta