ABS AUDI S8 2009 Owners Manual

tl~ Airbag system
--
/: Lane assist (system is ready)
Lane assist (system is not ready)
¢
D
-
Left turn signal
High beam
Fog lights
Rear fog lights
Tire pressure monitoring system*
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIU
Safety belt
Adaptive Air Suspension
~ Adaptive Air Suspension
--
CRUISE
Right turn signal
USA models :
Cruise control activated
Canada models:
Cruise control activated
USA models:
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) defec­
tive
Controls and equip ­
ment
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-
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Instruments and warning/indicator lights
PARX
BRAKE
(® )
-
Canada models:
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) defec­
tive
USA models :
Electromechanical parking brake
Canada models: Electromechanical parking brake
BRAKE USA models:
Brake malfunction
--((D) Canada models:
Brake malfunction
=> page 21
=> page22
=> page 22
-
=> page 22
=> page22
Vehicles with the Adaptive Cruise Control* have the follow ing addi ­
tional check lamps:
II II c;:;:::::::, Open road
c;:;:::::::, 11 11 c;:;:::::::, D r i vi n g i n t raff i c
c;:;:::::::, 11 11 c;:;:::::::, R e q u e st f o r d r i v e r to
assume control
& WARNING
=> page 146
=> page 146
=> page 146
• Failure to heed warning lights and other important vehicle
information may result in serious personal injury or vehicle
damage.
• Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move the vehicle a safe
distance off the road, stop the engine, and turn on the emergency
flasher
=> page 73 .
• The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially
hazardous area. Before you check anything in the engine compart-
ment, stop the engine and let it cool down. Always exercise _..
I • •

Inst rum ents and w arnin g/indi cat or li ghts
& WARNI NG (con tinu ed)
ex treme ca ution whe n wo rki ng und er the hood => page 301,
" Engin e comp artment"
[ i ] Tips
Many functions are monitored by the Auto -Check system
=>
page 28 . Malfunctions or faults wil l be identified either with a red
symbol (pr iority 1 -Danger!) or with a yel low symbol (priority 2 -
Warning). •
Electronic power control
,._
This warning/indicator light monitors the electr onic
power control.
The warning/indicator light (Electronic Power Control) i llumi -
nates when you turn on the ignition as a function check.
[ i ] Tips
If this warning/indicator light illuminates whi le you are driving, then
there is a malfunction in the engine electronics . Have the malfunc­
tion corrected as soon as possible by your authorized Audi dea ler or
qualified repair facility .•
Generator D
This warning/indicator light detects a malfunction in the
generator or in the vehicle's electrical system.
The O warning/indicator light i lluminates when you switch on the
ignition and must go out after the engine has started.
If the O warning/indicator light illuminates while you are driving,
you should contact your authorized Audi dealer . Since the vehic le battery is discharging, you should switch off any unnecessary elec
­
t rical consumers (for example, the air conditioner) .
0 Note
If the _f_ warning/indicator light (malfunction in the engine coo ling
system) in the instrument cluster should illuminate=>
page 31, stop
the vehicle and turn off the engine . The water pump is not working
- this can cause engine damage. •
Electronic stabilization program (ESP) This warning/indicat or light monitors the electr onic stabi ­
lization program .
The warning/indicator light has the following functions:
• It blinks while you are driving when the ESP is working .
• It illuminates when you switch on the ignition for approximate ly
2 seconds as a function check .
• It illuminates when there is a malfunction in the ESP. The
message
E S P f ault ! Se e owner 's manual also appears in the instru ­
ment cluster display and a warning tone sounds .
• It illuminates continuously when the ESP is switched off .
• It illuminates if there is a malfunction in the ABS, since the ESP
is part of the ABS system.
If the battery terminals were disconnected and re-connected , the
vehic le was jump started or the batte ry is very weak, the ESP sensor
system goes through a learning process for the first few yards. The
warning/indicator light illuminates . The warning/indicator light
goes out as soon as the learning process is complete.
If the ESP warning/indicator light illuminates and stays on after you
have started the engine, this may mean that the control system has
temporarily switched off the ESP . If this is case, you can reactivate
the ESP by turning the ignition off and then on again . The .,_

Adaptive Air Suspension c.:::>
The c.:, symbol illuminates for a few seconds after you have
switched on the ignition to indicate
r e du ced ground cle aranc e when
the dynamic mode is activated and when the ignition is switched on
with a vehicle which was parked in dynamic mode=>
page 189,
"Chassis Controls" . On vehicles which are equipped with the s por t
s u sp en sio n
Adaptive Air Suspension -Sport*, the check light does
not come on in this instance since ground clearance is general ly
reduced.
This warning/indicator light has the following functions: • It illuminates for a few seconds after the ignition is turned on as
function check and then goes out.
• If the warning/indicator light flashes in conjunction with the
~
warning/indicator light, you should not drive the vehicle immedi­
ate ly in order to prevent damage to the underbody. The two
warning/indicator lights flashing together points to an extreme Low level. A very
pronounced lowering of the vehicle (extreme Low level)
can result, for example, from a heavy load. As soon as the level has
returned to normal, the warning/ind icator lights stop flashing , and
you can drive away .
0 Note
If the warning/indicator light flashes in conjunction with the .•.
warning/indicator light, you should not drive the vehicle because low -lying vehicle parts can bottom out as you drive over uneven
ground and be damaged as a result. •
Cruise control
CRUISE (USA models) /c,f' (Canada models)
The warning/indicator light illuminates when the cruise control is
activated. •
Controls and equip ­
ment
In st rum ent s a nd w arnin g/indi cato r ligh ts
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
... (USA models) /
~ (Canada models)
This warning/indicator light monit ors the ABS and the
electronic differential lock (EDL).
The warning/indicator light wi ll come on for a few seconds when the
ignition is switched on. The light will go out after an automatic
check sequence is comp leted .
There is a malf un cti on in the AB S when :
• The warning/indicator light does not i lluminate when you switch
on the ignition .
• The warn ing/indicator light does not go out after a few seconds.
• The warning/indicator light illuminates while driving.
The ESP indicator light also i lluminates if there is a ma lfunction in
the ABS. The message
E S P / A BS fau lt ! Se e ow ner's manu al also
appears in the inst rument cluster display and a warning tone
sounds.
The br ake system will still re spond even withou t the assis tan ce o f
t he ABS system. See y our autho rize d Audi dealer a s soon as
pos sibl e t o r estor e full br aking perfo rm an ce.
For more information
regarding the ABS=>
page 274 .
The ABS warning lig ht and th e br ak e w ar ning lig ht come on
t og eth er. The AB S will no t work an d you w ill notic e a ch ange in
b ra king re sp ons e an d p erf or mance .
Mal fun ction in the brak e syst em
If the brake warning light=> page 22and the ABS warning illuminate
together there may be a malfunct ion in the ABS, and there may also
be a malfunction in the brake system itself=>&.
In the event of a
malfun ctio n in th e br ak e s yste m the warning/indi ­
cator light
BRAKE (USA mode ls)/ ((i)) (Canada models) in the instrument
c luster flashes. By pressing the
I CHECK] button, you can bring up a
driver message which explains the ma lfunc tion in more detail.
Please note =>
page 30. _,.
I • •

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Malfun cti on in the ele ctronic differ ential lo ck (EDL )
The
ED L works t oget her with the ABS. T he ABS warning light w ill
come on if there is a ma lfunction in the
ED L system=> page 271 . See
your au thorized A ud i dea ler as soon a s possible.
& WARNING
• If the ,..,1 (USA models )/;:_,,. (Canada models) warning light
does not go out , or if it comes on while driving , the ABS system is
not working properly. The vehicle can then be stopped only with
the standard b rake s (w ithout ABS ). You will not have the p rotec ­
tion ABS provides . Contact your Audi de aler a s soon as po ssible .
• USA model s: If the BRAKE warning l ight , the < warning light and
the warning light come on together , the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking . Rear wheel lock -up can cause lo ss
of vehicle control and an accident . Have your vehicle repaired
immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified work ­
shop . Drive slowly and avoid sudden , hard brake applications .
• Canada models : If the brake warning light (CD), the ., warning
light and the ABS warning light come on together , the rear
wheels could lock up fir st under hard br aking. Rear wheel lock -up
c an cause loss of vehicle control and an accident . Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop . Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard br ake
appli cation s.•
Electromechanical parking brake
~[ (USA models)
/(®) (Canada models)
T he warnin g/in dic ator l igh t m on it ors the electromech an­
i c a l p arking brake.
With the parking brake applied and the ignition turned on, the
war ning/ ind icator lig ht illu min a te s. After the ig nition has been
turned off, the warning/indicator light continues to i llum inate for
abo ut 3 0 seconds. If the parking bra ke is applied with the ignition turned off,
the warning/indicator light i lluminates for about 30
s e co nd s.
Th e warning/ind icator light wi ll go out when the parking brake is
r eleased .
I f the warn ing/indica tor l ight flas hes con tinuously
after applying the
par king brake, bra king force is not sufficient to prevent the vehicle
from rol ling uni nten tional ly . T h is can h appen if the brak es bec ome
too hot . Please note the fol lowing :
• I f the slope of the g round is too steep to pa rk the ve hicle, the
addi tiona l dr ive message a ppears
Caution: Vehicle parked too
steep.
• I n the event of a parking brake malfunction , the yel low symbol
appea rs in the instrument c luster display and the driver mes sage
Parking brake malfunction ! is d isplayed . Have the mal fu nct io n
r epaired as soon as poss ib le by a qualified Audi deale rship .•
Brake system BRAKE (USA models) / ((J)) (Canada
models)
The warning/indicator light fl ash es if bra ke fluid level is
low, if there is an A BS sys tem mal function or a parking
brake malfun ctio n.
T he li ght illu minates w hen t he ignitio n is tur ned on. It goes out afte r
the engine has been started . T his indicates that the brake warning
li ght is fu nctioni ng prope rly.
If the brake warning light does not light up when the engine is
cranking , there may be a malfunction in the electrical system. In this
case , contact your Audi dealer.
If the brake system warning/indicator light flashes, there is a brake
syste m malfunct ion . By press ing the
!CHECK ] button, you can bring
up a driver message which exp lains the ma lfunction in more detail
=>
p age 30. ~

If the ABS, ESP and brake force distribution fail, the ABS indicator
l ig ht (USA models)/ ~ (Canada models) and the ESP ind ica tor
light
~ come on along with the brake system ma lfunction light
BRAKE (USA mode ls)/ (@ (Canada models). The message Brake fault !
Drive carefully to nearest workshop appears in the instrument
cluster disp lay and three consecutive wa rning tones so und =>& .
(USA models) : If th e warning light
BRAKE and t he wa rn ing lig ht ......
illuminate together, immediately contact your authorized Audi
dea ler o r qua lified works hop to have a ll brake pads inspec ted
=> page
34.
When the lig ht co mes on , an audible wa rning signal is also given.
& WARNING
• USA models: If the BRAKE warning light , the ~ warning light and
the , warning light come on together , the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss
of vehicle control and an accident . Have your vehicle repaired
immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified work­
shop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden , hard brake application s.
• Canada models:
If the brake warning light CCD>, the ., warning
light and the ABS warning light come on together , the rear
wheels could lock up fir st under hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up
can cau se loss of vehicle control and an accident. Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake
appli cations.
• If the brake warning /indicator light does not go out after a few
seconds and the parking brake released , or lights up while you are
driving , the fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir i s too low. If you
believe that it is safe to do so , proceed immediately at low speed
to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility and have the brake system inspected .
• Always keep in mind that after several brake applications, you
will need greater pressure on the brake pedal to stop your vehi cle.
Do not rely on strained brakes to respond with maximum stopping
Controls and equip ­
ment
Instruments and warning /indi cator lights
& W ARNING (continued )
power in critical situations . You must allow for in creased brak ing
distances. The extra di stance used up by fading brakes could lead
to an accident . •
I • •

button, you can bring up a driver message which explains
the malfunction in more detail.
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid level
-Pull off the road .
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
- Check the brake fluid level=>
page 319.
- Contact your nearest authorized repair facility if neces-
sary.
Brake fault ! Drive carefully to nearest workshop
- Drive carefully to the nearest authorized repair facility
and have the malfunction corrected =>
&.
Parking brake ! Please contact workshop
- If the warning/indicator light flashes when the vehicle is
stationary or after the ignition is turned on, check to see
if the parking brake can be released. Drive to an autho­
rized repair facility as soon as possible and have the
malfunction corrected. If the parking brake cannot be
released, contact your nearest authorized repair facility.
- If the warning/indicator light flashes while you are
driving, it is possible that the traction control or the
emergency brake has malfunctioned. It is possible that
the parking brake cannot be applied. It is also possible
that the parking brake cannot be released after it has
been applied. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer to have
the malfunction corrected.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
If the ABS, ESP and the brake force distribution fail , the ABS
warning/indicator light and the ESP warning/indicator light come
on along with the brake system malfunction warning/indicator light
=>& .
& WARNING
• Always observe the warnings in=> page 301, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the hood and checking the brake fluid.
• Driving with low brake fluid is
a safety hazard. Stop the car and
get professional assistance .
• USA models: If the BRAKE warning light, the. warning light and
the "'L') warning light come on together, the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss
of vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired
immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified work­
shop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
• Canada models: If the brake warning light <, the warning
light and the ABS warning light
G come on together, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control and an accident. Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop . Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake
applications. •
Engine cooling system malfunction -L
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
repaired as soon as possible.
When the -L symbol in the display blinks, then either the
engine coolant
temperature is too high, or the coolant level
is too low. An additional driver message can also be
displayed by pressing the [CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check coolant level
I • •

• .___H_ o_ m _ e _L_i _ n _k _® ____________________________________________________ _
Homelink®
Universal remote control
Applies to vehic les: w ith Home link ® universal remote cont ro l
General information
The HomeLink® fe ature can le arn up to th ree r adio
fre quency codes for m ost c urrent transmitters used for
operating garage doors, es tate gates , home or outdoor
ligh ting sy stems, and other devices .
You m ust first pro gram the H omel in k® trans mitter befor e you can
use the system=>
page 195, "Programm ing th e Homelink® trans ­
m itter".
In order to pro gram t he Homelink® transmitter fo r devices utilizing
ro lling code, a second person on a ladder who can safe ly reach the
ga rage door o pene r m oto r is rec omm ended . It is also necessa ry to
locate the "learn" button on your garage door opener motor. Refer
to t he op era ting instructions for the opene r, as the loca tion and
co lor of this button may vary by manufacturer .
Y ou can still use the o rigina l remote c ontrol fo r th e dev ice at any
time.
& WARNING
• Never use the Homelinkl1JI transmitter with any garage door
opener that does have not the safety stop and reverse feature as
requ ired by federal safety standards . This in cludes any garage
door opener model manufactured before April 1, 1982.
• A garage door opener which cannot detect an object , signaling
the door to stop and reverse does not meet current federal safety
standards . Using a garage door opener without these features
increases risk of serious injury or death .
& WARNING (continued)
• For safety reasons never release the parking brake or start the
engine while anyone is standing in front of the vehicle.
• A garage door or an estate gate may sometimes be set in
motion when the Homelink ® remote control is being
programmed . If the devi ce is repeatedly activated , this can over ­
strain motor and damage its electrical components -an over ­
heated motor is a fire hazard!
• To avoid possible injuries or property damage , please always
make absolutely certain that no persons or objects are located in
the range of motion of any equipment being operated.
[ i ] Tips
• I f you wou ld l ik e mor e infor mation o n Hom elink®, w here to
purchase the Homelink ® compatib le products, or wou ld li k e to
pu rchase the Homeli nk® Home Ligh ting Package, please call t oll­
free: 1 -8 0 0 -355 -3515.
• F or Dec lara tion of Compliance to U nite d Sta tes FCC an d Indu stry
C anada regulations=>
page 385 . •

111 ....... _o_ r_iv _i_ n""' g::;._ S_ a_f _e _ly =---------------------------------------------------
& WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items can fly through the
vehicle causing serious personal injury in the event of hard braking or an accident. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
• Always put objects, for example, luggage or other heavy items
in the luggage compartment.
• Always secure objects in the luggage compartment using the
tie-down hooks and suitable straps.
& WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehicle handles. To help
reduce the risk of a loss of control leading to serious personal
injury :
• Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a
change in the center of gravity can also cause changes in vehicle
handling:
-Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in the luggage compart-
ment as possible.
• Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating specified on the safety compliance sticker on the left door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight standards
can cause the vehicle to slide and handle differently.
• Please observe information on safe driving
~ page 200.
& WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas from being drawn into the
vehicle, always keep the rear lid closed while driving.
• Never transport objects larger than those fitting completely
into the luggage area because the rear lid cannot be fully closed.
& WARNING (continued)
• If you absolutely must drive with the rear lid open, observe the
following notes to reduce the risk of poisoning :
- Close all windows,
- Close the power roof,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
& WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all windows , the power roof and
the rear lid are securely closed and locked to reduce the risk of
injury when the vehicle is not being used.
• After closing the rear lid, always make sure that it is properly
closed and locked .
• Never leave your vehicle unattended especially with the rear lid
left open. A child could crawl into the vehicle through the luggage
compartment and close the rear lid becoming trapped and unable
to get out . Being trapped in a vehicle can lead to serious personal
injury.
• Never let children play in or around the vehicle.
• Never let passengers ride in the luggage compartment. Vehicle
occupants must always be properly restrained in one of the
vehicle's seating positions.
[ i] Tips
Air circulation helps to reduce window fogging. Stale air escapes to
the outside through vents in the trim panel, on the left side of the
luggage compartment. Be sure to keep these slots free and open. •

-S
afe ty b elts ----=-----------------
- Make sure that your passengers also b uckle up and prop­
erly wea r th eir sa fety belts.
Protect children wit h a child restraint system appropriate
for the size and age.
The warning light i in the instrument cluster lights up when the
ignition is switched on as a reminder to fasten the safety belts. In
addition , you will hear a warning tone.
After the ignition is switched on, the warning light in the instrument cluster will a lways come on for about 6 seconds and if the driver has
not fastened the safety belt, a warning tone will also sound for
about 6 seconds . As soon as the driver has fastened the safety belt,
the warning tone will stop and the warning light will go out .
If the driver or front seat passenger have not buckled -up within
about 10 seconds after the warning tone has stopped and the
vehicle is moving faster than about 15 mph, the warning tone will
sound again for about 6 seconds and then stop for 24 seconds and
then repeat this reminder sequence for a maximum of 2 minutes. At
speeds be low 5 mph, the warning tone will not sound.
Fa sten your safe ty belt and m ake su re that your p assengers also
properl y put on th eir s afet y belts .
& WARNING
• Safety belt s are the single mo st effective mean s available to
reduce th e risk of ser ious injur y and death in a utomobile acci­
dent s. For your prote ction and th at of your pas senger s, alwa ys
c orre ctl y we ar safety belt s when t he vehicle is moving .
• Failure t o pay att ention to th e warning light that co me on,
c ould lead to per sonal injury .•
Why safety belts?
Frontal co11isions and the law of physics
Front al crashes create very strong forces for pe ople riding
in vehicles.
F ig. 222 U nbel ted
o cc up ants i n a ve hicle
he ading for a wa ll
Fi g. 223 T he vehicle
c ras hes in to t he wa ll
The physical principles are simple. Both the vehicle and the passen­
gers possess energy which varies with vehicle speed and body
we ight . Engineers cal l this energy "kinetic energy ."
T he higher the speed of the vehicle and the greater the vehic le's
we ight, the more energy that has to be "absorbed" in the crash .
Vehicle speed is the most significan t factor. If the speed doubles
from 15 to 30 mph (25 to 50 km/h), the energy increases 4 times! .,

llffl_....::S~a ~f ~e ~ty ~ b~ e~ l~ t ~s ____________________________________________ _
Safety belts protect
People think it's possible to use the hands to brace the
body in a minor collision. It's simply not true!
Fig . 22 6 Driv er is
cor rec tly r estrai ned in
a su dden b raking
m an euver
Safety belts used properly can make a big difference. Sa fety belts
help to keep passengers in their seats, gradually reduce energy
levels app lied to the body in an accident, and help prevent the
uncontrolled movement that can cause serious injuries. In addition,
safety be lts reduce the danger of being thrown out of the vehic le .
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and give them the benefit
of being s lowed down more gently or "softly" through the "give" in
the safety belts, crush zones and other safety features engineered
into today's vehicles. By "absorbing" the kinetic energy over a longer period of time, the safety belts make the forces on the body
more "tolerable" and less likely to cause injury .
Altho ugh these examples are based on a frontal co llision, safety
belts can a lso substantially reduce the risk of injury in other kinds
of crashes . So, whether you're on a long trip or just going to the
corner store, a lways buckle up and make sure others do, too. Acci­
dent statistics show that vehicle occupants properly wearing safety
belts have a lower ris k of being injured and a much better chance of
surviving an accident. Properly using safety belts also greatly
increases the abi lity o f the supplementa l airbags to do their job in a
collision . For th is reason , wearing a safety belt is legally required in
most countries including much of the United States and Canada. Although your Audi is equipped with airbags, you sti
ll have to wear
the safety belts provided . Fron t airbags, for example, are activated
only in some frontal collisions . T he front airbags are not activated in
a ll frontal col lisions, in side and rear collisions, in roll ove rs or in
cases where there is not enough dece leration through impact to the
front of the vehicle . The same goes for the other airbag systems in
your Audi . So, always wear your safety belt and make sure every ­
body in your vehic le is properly restrained! •
Important safety instructions about safety
belts
Safety belts must always be co rrectly positioned across
t he strongest bones of your body.
Always wear safety belts as illustrated and described in
th is chapter.
Make s ure tha t your safe ty belts ar e always ready for use
and are not damaged .
& WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or w earing them improperl y increase s
the risk of seriou s per sonal injury and death . S afe ty belt s can work
onl y when used corre ctl y.
• Alway s fa sten your s afety belt s correctl y before dri ving off and
make sure all p assenger s ar e correctly restrain ed.
• For m aximum protect ion , safet y belt s must always be po si­
ti oned properly on the body .
• Never strap more th an one person , includi ng sm all children ,
into any belt.
• Never pla ce a s afety belt ove r a child sitting on your lap .
• Alway s keep feet in t he foot well
in front of the seat while the
vehicle is being driven .
~