snow chains AUDI S8 2009 Owners Manual

Driver informati on displ ay
Ap plies to vehicles : w ith n,e pre ss ure monito ring syst em
Malfunctions
A malfunction can have various causes.
Fi g. 2 9 Dis p lay :
S ystem m alfun ction
If the l · warning light in the instrument cluster flashes for approxi ­
mately one minute and then remain continuously il luminated and
additional ly the
-r J ~ fig . 29 symbo l appears in the display, the
tire pressure monitoring system is not ava ilable . Th is can have
various causes.
• If the message appears at the end of the learning process, the
system cannot recognize the wheels installed on the vehicle. This
can be because one or more wheels without a wheel sensor were
installed.
• A wheel sensor or other componen t may have failed.
• The system has detected more than 5 whe els with wheel sensors
in the vehicle, for example when carrying snow tires.
• A tire was changed but the
Initiali ze wheels function was not
activated
=:> page 45.
• Audi replacemen t parts were not used .
• If snow chains are being used, system function can be compro­
mised due to the shielding properties of the chains.
• The tire pressure monitoring system may not be available
because of a radio malfunction . • T
ransmitters with the same frequency, such as radio head­
phones in the vehicle or radio equipment, can cause a temporary
disruption of the system through excessive electromagnetic fields .
• Eliminate the interference i f possible/if you can and then re-start
the
I n itia lize w heel s function . If the warning light comes on again,
you shou ld contact your authorized Audi dealer immediately to have
the problem corrected .
• Do not use commercial ly availab le tire sealants . Otherwise, the
electrical components of the tire pressure monitoring system will
n o l onger work properly and the sensor for the tire p ressure moni ­
toring system wi ll have to be replaced by a qua lified workshop .•

__________________________________________ A_ d_v _a_ n_ c_e _d _ P_a_ r_ k_ i_n ..:g =-- S...:y:- s_ t_ e_ m ___ !II
& WARNING (continued )
Be especially careful to check for small children and animals
before backing up . Small children and animals will not always be
shown in the rear-view display .
• The Audi parking system is not a substitute for being careful
and alert when backing up . Be especially careful during parking
and similar maneuvers . Always watch where you are driving and
make sure that nothing is in the way .
• Do not allow yourself to be distracted from traffic by the rear­
v iew camera pictures.
• When maneuvering or parking , do not only use the MMI Display
for or ientation . Certa in objects -depending on the screen resolu­
tion -may not , or not entirely , be di splayed; for example trailer
hitches , chains , narrow posts , or fences .
• Only use the rear -view camera for aid if it shows a good, clear
picture . The image may be obscured , for example , by the sun
shining into the lens, dirt on the lens , or as the result of a defect ·
danger of accident!
• If the image is hazy when the MMI Display is switched on or the
area behind the vehicle is not visible (for example , as the result of
a dirty or defective lens ), the rear -view camera must not be used
for aid in maneuvering -danger of ac cident!
• The rear -view camera generates two -dimensional images . For
this reason, please note that recesses in the ground and
protruding parts on another vehicle , or protruding objects fixed to
the ground , will be more difficult or impossible to recognize on the
MMI Display, due to the missing spacial depth.
• If the position and the installation angle of the camera has
changed , for example, after a rear end collision, do not continue to
use the system for safety reasons . Have it checked by an autho­
rized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
• Only use the rear-v iew camera when the rear lid is fully closed.
Make sure that objects mounted on the rear are not obscuring the
camera v iew .
Controls and equip ­
ment
& WARNING (continued )
• Remove ice, preferably with de-icing spray .
0 Note
• Never use warm or hot water to remove snow or ice from the
rear -view camera lens -danger of crack format ion on t he lens!
• Whe n cleani ng t he le ns, neve r use care p ro d uc ts wi th a n abr a­
s ive effect.
[ i ] Tips
The positio ns of t he orientation lines/ surfaces are disp laced up or
down if the par king p rocess is car ried out with the rear -view camera
i n A dap tive A ir Susp ens ion
=> p ag e 2 1 dyna m ic or lift mode. T here ­
fore , the accuracy is red uced. •
I • •

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

ll}Jl __ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires. In winter road conditions it may be advisable to mount winter tires (or all -season tires) for improved
driveability and braking: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also ~ page 343, "Winter tires".
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with All Wheel Drive~
page 344, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size. Also avoid tires with different tread depths . For details see
page ~
page 338, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to~
page 281.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by All Wheel Drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the All Wheel Drive is very effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (aqua­
planing).
If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road condi­
tions - risk of crash. •
Energy management
Starting ability is opt:m·zed
Energy management controls the distribution of electrical
energy and thus optimizes the availability of electrical
energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is not driven for a
long period of time, the battery is discharged by idling current
consumers (e.g . immobilizer) . In certain circumstances it can result
in there being insufficient energy available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle handles the distribu­
tion of electrical energy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
battery diagnosis, idling
current management
and dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the state of the battery.
Sensors determine battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current state of charge and the
power of the battery .
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy consumption while the
vehicle is standing. With the ignition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical components . Data from
battery diagnosis is considered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge, individual consumers
are gradually turned off to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic energy management distributes the energy generated according to the needs of the indi-•

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARN ING (continued )
• Never drive fa ster than the speed for which the winter or other
tires in stalled on your vehi cle a re rated.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and t raffic condit ions .
Never let the good acceleration of the winter tires and all -wheel
drive tempt you into tak ing extra risks. Always remember :
• When braking , an all -wheel drive vehicle handles in the same
way as a front drive vehicle .
• Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy and slippery ro ads ,
even winter tires cannot help under bla ck ice conditions.
c£> For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather conditions permit. They are
quieter, d o not wea r as qu ick ly a nd r educe fuel cons ump tio n.•
Snow chains
Sn ow chains may be fitte d only to th e fron t w hee ls, and o nly t o
certain tire sizes . Ask your authorized Audi dealer on which tire
s iz es snow c hains can be used .
If you are going to use snow cha ins , then you must instal l them on
the front wheels at least.
The snow chains must have low-pro file l inks and mus t n ot be thicker
than 0.53 inch ( 13.5 mm), including the lock.
Remove wheel cen ter c ove rs a nd trim discs be fore putti ng snow
chains on your vehic le~
0 . For safety reasons cover caps must
then be fitted ove r the wheel bo lts . These are avai lable from autho ­
rized Audi dealers.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chain s for your vehicle or installing them
incorrectly can in crease the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury .
• Snow chains are available in different size s. Alway s make sure
to follo w the instructions pro vided by the snow chain manufac ­
turer.
• When dr iving with snow ch ains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains .
• Always observe local regulations .
0 Note
• Remove snow chains before driving on roads not covered with
snow to av oid da maging t ires a nd weari ng the snow cha ins dow n
unnecessari ly.
• Snow cha ins, wh ic h come into d irect contact wit h the wheel rim ,
can scratch or damage it. Therefore, make sure that the snow chains
a re suitab ly cove red. Check the p osit io n of the snow cha ins a fter
driving a few yards and correct if neccessary. Follow the instructions
from t he s now cha in manufac turer w he n do ing so .
• I f the Adaptive Air Suspension should malfunction , do not
mo unt or us e snow chains becaus e th e veh icle will be extre m ely
l ow . If you do drive with snow chains on while the vehicle is at this
l evel, the s now c hai ns mig ht s ever ely da mag e th e wheel house and
other parts of the vehicle.
[ i ] Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this norma lly
a lso app lies to veh ic les wi th A ll Wheel Drive .•

___ A---" lp_h_ a_b_ e_ t_ i_ c _ a_ l_ in_d_ e_x ______________________________________________ _
Safety guidelines
Seat adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Safety instructions Engine compartment ..... .... .... 309
for a booster seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
for side curtain airbags .... ....... 243
for using a conver tible child safety sea t .
251
for using an infant seat .. ......... 250
for using child safety seats ........ 248
forusingsafetybe lts ... ... .... ... 214
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System 233
Safety lock Ignition key, automatic transmission 130
Seat adjustment Adjusting the seatback ............. 89
Driver 's seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Driver's seat memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Fron t passenger's seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Head restraints ............. .. 91,205
Lumbar support .. ............... . 90
Power seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Safety guidelines .. ... .... ..... ... 86
Seat belts Why YOU MUST wear them ..... ... 211
Seat memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Seat position Incorrect seat position . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Seating capacity . .... .... .... ... .... 211 Seating position
Driver . ... .... ...... ...... ...... 202
Front passenger .. .... .... .... ... 203
How to adjust the front seats .. .... 203
Occupants .... .... .... ... ....... 202
Rear passengers
Seats Number of seats 204
211
Selective unlock feature .... ....... ... 52
Selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Service and disposal Safety b elt pret ensioner . ... .... ... 219
Service interval display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Service position Windshield wipers . .... .... ....... 82
Servotronic Power steering ...... ...... .... ..
2 7 5
Shift buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Ship Transporting your vehicle . ........ 371
Side airbags Description .... .... .... .... .... .. 239
How they work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Side assist Activating and deactivating ........ 156
Description .......... ...... .... .. 156
Informationa l and alert stage signals 158
Messages in instrument cluster display .. 163
MMI settings ............ .. .. .... 162
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Safety tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Sensor detection area . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Side curtain airbags .
... .. .... .... .. . 242
Description ..... ... .... .... .... .. 242
How they work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Safety instructions . ... .... .... ... 243
Side marker lights .. ....... .... .... ... 69
Sk i sack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Snow chains ....... .... ....... .. ... 344
Sockets ........................ 107, 108
Solar blower fan/solar roof . .... ..... . 123
Sound system display Driver information disp lay . .... .... . 25
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Speed control sys tem
See Adaptive Cruise Control ...... .. 139
Speed rating letter code .. .... .... ... 340
Speed warning system ........ .... .. . . 37
Speedometer .. .... .... ... ...... ..... 14
Sport Suspension
See Adaptive Air Suspension . .... .. 188
Starting off with a trailer ... ... .... ... 136
Starting the engine .... .... ... ... 129,130
What should I do if the engine does not
start? ... .... .... .... ...... ... . 130
Steering . .... .... .... .... ... .... ... 128
Adjusting s teering column .. .... ... 128
Easy entry feature . .... .... .... ... 129
Locking the steering ....... ....... 129
Malfunction .. .. .. .... .... .... .. . . 33
Steering wheel heating .... .... ... ... 119
Steps for determining correct load limit 336
Stopping the engine .... ... .... .... .. 131

________________________________________________ A_l.,_p _h_ a_ b_e _ t_ i_ c _a _l_ i_n _d_ e_ x __ _
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Compartments in the door trim panels .
111
Compartments in the rear doors ... . 111
Cupholder .. ...... .... ...... .... . 105
Cupholder rear cente r armrest .. ... 105
Glove compartment ............... 109
Luggage compartment ........ .... 112
Ski sack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Sma II objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Sun shade .......... ....... .... .... . 78
Sun visors .......................... 77
Switches
Emergency flashers ................
73
Power sunroof .... ... ... ... .. ... .. 65
Rear window defogger .... ........ 124
Symbols
Red ......... .... ....... .... .....
30
Ye llow ........................... 34
T
Tachometer ..... .... .... ............ 13
Technical modifications ...... ...... .. 385
Temperature
Climate controls .. .... .... ..... ...
117
Setting for the driver's and front passen-
ger's side ......................
117
Tether strap ............. ........... 265
Securing the upper tether strap 266
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and
afterwards .....................
279
Tie -down eyelets ................ 100, 209
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Tips
for the environment
Saving fuel ... ... .... ...... ......
104
Using the air conditioner only when
necessary ......... ...... .... .. .
. . ® t1ptronic ......................... .
Au tomatic Shift Lock (ASU ... ... .. .
123
166
168
Driving ........ .... ... .... ....... 166
Dynamic shift program ...... ...... 169
Fail -safe mode ......... ...... .... 171
Kick -down .. ...... .... .... ..... .. 169
Manual shift program ..... .... .... 170
Selector lever .................... 167
Tire pressure ... .... ... .. .... .... ... 333
Tire pressure monitoring system ....... 41
Displaying tire pressures .... ..... .. 44
Initialize wheels ........... ....... . 45
Learning process ...... ....... ..... 44
Loss of air pressure ............. 20, 43
Malfunctions ... .. .... .... ....... . 46
Tires and vehicle load limits .. .. .. .... 335
Tires and wheels
Checking tire pressure ... .. .... ...
333
Cold tire inflation pressure ......... 330
Dimensions ...................... 338
General notes ...... .............. 326
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
327
New tires and wheels ........ .... . 338
Replacing ..... .. .... .... .... .... 339
Snow chains .......... .... .... ... 344
Ti re pressure monitoring system .... 340
Tires and vehicle load limits ........ 335
Wheel bolts ... .... .... ..... .. .... 345
Winter tires ........... ...... ..... 343
Tires/Wheels
Low aspect ratio tires ... .. .... ....
345
Tools .............................. 352
Torn or frayed safety belts ........ .... 214
Sensors ............ · · · · · · · · · · · · · 340 Touch -up paint ... .. .... .... .... .... 294
Storing tire pressures ..... .... .... . 44 Towing
Tires and wheels .................
340 Tow truck procedures ............. 368
Valves ...... ....... ...... .... ... 340 Towing hitch
Tire service life ........ .... ... .. ....
337 Audi parking system ... ...... .... . 183
Tires .... ...... ......... .... ....... 326 Towing loop ........................ 369
Replacing ....................... 340 front .... ... .. .... .... ..... .. .... 369
Service life ........ .. ....... ..... 337 rear ... ... .... ....... ...... ..... 370
speed rating letter code ..... ...... 340 Trailer towing ....................... 284
Tire manufacturing date .. ........ . 340
Tire specifications . .... ........... 339
Tread depth .......... .... ... .... 337
Uniform tire quality grading .... .... 342
Winter tires ........ ... .... .... ... 343
Operating instructions . .... ....... 285
Technical requirements . ...... 284, 285
Trailer towing tips ........ .... .... 286
Train
Transporting your vehicle .. ........
371
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data