service AUDI S8 2010 Owners Manual

-With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the whee ls towards the curb .
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move the selector lever to
P.
When restarting after parking:
- Apply the foot brake.
- Start the eng ine .
- M ove the selector lever to
D.
-Release the parking brake and slowly pu ll out and away
from the wheel chocks .
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel chocks .
[ i ) Tips
If you move the se lector lever of the automat ic t ransm ission to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the whee ls,
yo u may have to use mo re force later to move the leve r out of t he
P
position. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

In order to fill the tank properly while protecting the environment,
please follow this refueling procedure carefully.
& WARNING
Under normal operating conditions, never carry additional fuel
containers in your car. Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such containers, full or empty,
may leak and could cause a fire in a collision. If you must transport
fuel to use for your lawn mower, snow blower, etc., be very careful
and always observe local and state laws regarding the use, trans­
portation and storage of such fuel containers. Make certain the
container meets industry standards (ANSI /ASTM F852 -86).
0 Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fuel tank is completely empty . The
irregular supply of fuel can cause misfiring. Gasoline could enter the
exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter. •
Refuelling
The fuel filler flap is unlocked from a button in the
driver's door.
Fig . 235 Driver's
door: Unlock ing fuel
filler flap
Vehicle OP-eration
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Fig. 236 Fuel cap
hooked on the opened
f uel filler flap
When adding fuel , the ignition and any cellular phones in the
vehicle must be switched
off.
Taking the fuel cap off
- To open the fuel filler flap, press the button~ fig. 235.
- Unscrew fuel filler cap counter-clockwise and hang it on
the fuel filler flap~ fig . 236.
Refuelling procedure
- Insert the fue l nozzle from the gasoline pump into the
fuel filler neck as far as it will go.
- Select a medium refuelling rate so that the nozzle
switches off automatically when the tank is full.
Putting the fuel cap back on
- After filling your tank, twist the fuel filler cap clockwise
until you hear a definite click .
- Close the fuel filler flap.
To avo id fuel spi lling or evaporating from the fuel tank always close
fuel filler cap properly and completely . An improperly closed fuel
filler cap may also cause the MIL lamp~
page 25 to come on. ._.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Unlocking the fuel filler flap by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the power
locking system should fail.
Fig . 237 Luggage
compartment: Right·
side storage area
Fig. 238 luggage
compartment: Erner·
gency opening of fuel
filler flap
-Rotate the two pins @to the vertical position to open the
storage area.=:> fig. 237 .
- Unclip the loop® and move it to position©=:> fig. 238.
- Pull the loop down to position © to unlock the fuel filler
flap. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

_____________________________________________ C_h _ e_ c_ k_in --= g'-- a_n _d_ f_i _ll _i_n -=g ::;__ ____..
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 289 . •
Applies to vehicles : w it h 12-cylin der engine
Engine compartment overv iew: 12-
cylinder engine
These are the most important items that you can check .
Fig. 242 T ypic al la yo ut fo r co nta iner s, engi ne oil dip stick and e ngine o il fill er
cap
(D W indsh ield/ headligh t washer con tainer (Q ) . . . . . . . . 305
@ Brake fluid reservoir(' ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
® Engine oil dipst ick (o range) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
~ehicle OP-eration
© Engine oil filler cap (~) .. . ...... ............. . .
© Coolant expansion tank (-1- ) .................... .
& WARNING
294
297
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , alw ay s
read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working in the engine
c ompa rtment " on
page 289 .
[ i ] Tips
The coo la nt expansion tank is located under a cover. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engi ne oil used in your Audi needs the right k ind of oil .
The eng ine in your Audi is a soph isticated powerplant that was built
to exacting specificat io ns. This engine needs the r ight kind of engine
oil that meets sp ecifications regard ing qua lity and viscosity so that it
can run smoothly and reliably . Choosing the right oil and chang ing oi l
with in the time and mi leage intervals prin ted in your veh icle's
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet matters a lot more today than it did
years ago . Audi has dev eloped a special quality st andard for engine o il
that wi ll help assure that your vehicle's engine will get the l ubrication
i t n eed s fo r proper ope ration .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years . Many sy nthet ic oils available today provide bette r engine lubri ­
cat ion that can outlast t raditional petroleum- based oi ls, mak ing
them a smart choice for use throug hout the life of your Audi.
Whethe r you u se syntheti c or pet roleum-b ase d engine o il, the oil that
you use must conform to Aud i's o il quality standard VW 502 00 to
help keep you r ve hicl e's engine run ning smooth ly and help prevent ..,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

lffl) __ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_i l_ l_i n_ g _________________________________________ _
the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes ca lled "sludge," that
over time can lead to expensive re pairs.
At the time of pr int ing, engine o ils available in the U .S . and Canada
that meet the exacting s pecifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, however, that every
synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00. So a lways
be s ure that you use an approved o il.
To help prevent the format ion of harmful deposits use only oil with
the following specifications printed on the oil container:
Audi oi l stand ard VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in comb ina­
tion with other designations and o il quality standards.
Vi sco sit y
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity . The proper
viscos ity grade oil for your eng ine depends on climactic or seasonal
conditions where you drive. You can use oi l with a v iscosity grade of
SAE SW40 across all tempera ture ranges for norma l driving cond i­
tions.
However, if engine o il viscosity grade SAE SW40 is not avai lable, you
can a lso use viscos ity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as it
meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications .
Be cause eng ine oil that meets the A udi oil standard may not be avail­
able everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend that you
always carry w ith you an extra quart (liter) o f oi l that expressly
conforms to the VW 502 00 specif ication, in case you have to top off
the oi l while on the road.
On ly if the level of the o il is at or be low the min imum mark on the oil
dipstick - and no oil that expressly conforms to Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 spec ificat ions is ava ilable - may you top off with a high
quality engine oil, preferably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA AS or ACEA BS or AP I SL spec ifications, but even then, on ly in
viscos ity grades SAE SW-40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40. However,
dur ing t he entire time between oil change intervals, neve r top off w
ith more tha n a total of 0 .5 qt/liter eng ine o il that does not
con form to Audi o il specification VW 502 00.
For more information abo ut eng ine oil that has been approved for
your vehicle, p lease contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relat ions at 1 (800) 822-2834 or v isit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www .audicanada.ca. Here you will also find a
cur rent list of oils (manufacture rs, brand names e tc.) t hat co nform to
Audi oil standard VW 502 00.
Chan ging the e ngine oil
T he eng ine oil and oil fi lter must be changed according to the mileage
(kilometers) and time interva ls specified in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenan ce boo klet. Do no t exceed these interva ls - harmful
deposits from old eng ine oil can reduce engine performance and can
lead to expensive engine repairs.
Chang ing t he oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating properties of oil decrease gradually d uring
normal veh icle use. If you are not sure when you have your o il
changed, ask your authorized A udi Service Advisor.
Under some circumsta nces the engine oil should even be changed
more frequently. Change oil more often if you drive most ly short
dis tances, ope rate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop­
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper­
a tures stay below freezi ng point for long periods .
Detergent add itives in the oil will make fres h oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short t ime . This is normal and is not a
reaso n to cha nge the oil mo re often than recommended.
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essentia l that you change your o il at the recommended intervals
using only engine o il that comp lies w it h Aud i oil standard
VW 502 00 . Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or ma lfunctions due to fa ilure to follow recommended main­
tenance and use requirements as set forth in the Aud i Owner's
Ma nual and W arra nty
& M ai ntenance book let. Your deale r will have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in ._

___________________________________________ C_ h_e _c _k_ i_n ~g_ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _i_n _g __ _
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS==> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 289.
- Turn off the engine.
- Unscrew the oil filler cap from the cylinder head cover
==>
page 294, fig. 245 or==> page 294, fig. 246.
- Carefully top off with the appropriate oil in 0.5 liter doses.
- Check the oil level again after two minutes==>
page 293.
- Top off the oil again, if necessary.
- Screw the cap back on the filling hole and slide the oil
dipstick in as far as it will go.
& WARNING
• While topping off, the oil must not come in contact with hot
engine parts - fire hazard!
• The oil filler cap must be properly secured to prevent oil from
being sprayed on the hot engine and exhaust system when the
engine is running - fire hazard!
• If your skin has come in contact with the engine oil, you must
subsequently cleanse it thoroughly.
0 Note
• The oil leve l must not be above range@- danger of converter or
eng ine damage! Contact an authorized dealership to draw off oil, if
necessary.
• Audi does not recommend the use of oil additives. They may
damage the engine and adversely affect your New Vehicle
Warranty.
Safety first
<£' For the sake of the environment
• Under no circumstances can the oil come in contact with the
sewage network or the soil.
• Observe and follow legal regulations when disposing of empty oil
containers. •
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an autho­
rized Audi dealer or a qualified service station.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always read
and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working in the engine compart ­
ment" on
page 289.
The engine oil must be changed according to the intervals specified in
your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. This is very important because
the lubricating properties of oil diminish gradually during normal
vehicle use.
Under some circumstances the engine oil sho uld be changed more
frequently. Change oil more often if you drive mostly short distances,
operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominant ly stop-and­
go traffic conditions, or have your vehicle where temperatures remain
below freezing for extended periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time . This is normal and is not a
reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Because of the problem of proper disposal, along with the special
tools and necessary expertise required, we strongly recommend that
you have your oil changed by an authorized
Audi dealer or a qualified
serv ice station.
If you choose to change your oil yourself, please note the following
important information: .,_
Vehicle care Technical data

___________________________________________ C_ h _ e_c _k _ i_n -=g .._ a_n _ d_ f_i _ll _i _ n -=g '--- ....... 1!'1
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold. If necessary, increase the proportion of
coo lant additive to 60% .
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system, remember:
-We recommend using only coolant additive G12++ (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is available at autho­
r iz ed Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can s ignificantly
reduce corrosion protection. The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage.
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle 's
eng ine coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Checking the engine coo lant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
.... N
Fig. 247 Engine
compartment: Coolant
expansion tank
Vehicle OP-eration
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 289.
- Turn off the ignition.
- Read the engine coolant level from the coolant expansion
tank=> fig. 247 . With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
"max'' marking .
The locat ion of the coolant expans ion tank can be seen in the engine
compartment illustration=>
page 290.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric coolant level sensor .
When the coolant level is too low, the warn ing light in the Auto-Check
System =>
page 29 will blink until you add coolant and the level has
been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric coolant
level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level from
time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system. In the event of
coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immediately by
your authorized Audi dealer .
It is not enough merely to add coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coo lant is exceeded as a result of overheating.
& WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot. Redu ce
the risk of scalding from hot coolant
by following these steps.
• Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Checking and filling ------------------------------- ---=.:..:..=.:=~..:::..:.....:..:.;__ ___ _::,______,.J
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Antifreeze is pois onous. Alway s store antifreeze in its original
container and well out of the r each of children.
• If you drain the coolant , it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper container clearly marked "poi son ".
0 Note
• Coolant poll utes the environment and could cause an engine fire .
Excess coolant w ill be forced out throug h the pressure re lief valve in
t he cap when the e ng ine becomes hot .
• If, in an emergency, o nly wate r ca n be adde d, the correct ratio
between water and antifreeze=>
page 296 must be restored as soon
as possib le.
W For the sake of the environment
Dra ined coolant shou ld not be reused. A lways dispose of used coo lant
w hile observ ing a ll enviro nment al regul ations . •
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by itself
T he radi ator fa n is d riven by the engine via th e V-bel t. The v iscous
clutch regu lates the speed of the fan accord ing to the temperature of
t he coolant.
An auxiliary e lectr ic rad iator fan* sw itches on and off depend ing o n
coo la nt tempe rat ur e and othe r vehicle ope ra ting condi tions .
After you switch the engi ne off, the auxilia ry fa n can cont inue r unning
for up to 10 minutes - even w ith the ignition off . It can even switch on
agai n lat er by itse lf => & , if
• the tempe rature of the e ngine coolant rises due to the heat build ­
up from the eng ine in t he engi ne comp art ment, or
Vehicle OP-eration
• the engine compartment heats up because the veh icle is parked in
in tense s unlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the ri sk of personal injury never touch the radiator
fan.
• The auxiliary electri c fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temperature and will cont inue to
run until the coolant temperature drops .•
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
T h e b rake fluid l evel can be ch ecked with a quick glance.
-w ;:;
Fig. 24 8 En gine
compa rtme nt: Brak e
f luid re se rv oi r
Be fore you chec k anyt hin g in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working in
t h e engine compartm ent" on
page 289 . .,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

_____________________________________________ C_h _ e_ c_ k_in --= g'-- a_n _d_ f_i _ll _i_n -=g ::;__ ____.fflll
a service facility . The electrolyte level should also be checked each
time the battery is charged =>
page 303.
Have the batte ry checked when you take your vehicle in for serv ice .
You are well advised to rep lace a battery that is older than 5 years.
With certa in types of a irbag deployment, the ba ttery is disconnected
from the vehicle electrical system for safety reasons=>
& in "Repair,
care and disposal of the airbags" on
page 220.
Di sconne cting th e bat tery t ermina ls
Some vehicle f unct ions (power window regulators, fo r example) are
lost if the battery termina ls are disconnected . These functions have
to be re learned after the battery termina ls are connected aga in. To
prevent this, t he battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle e lectr ica l system when absol ute ly necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do no t dr ive your veh icle over a period of severa l days or weeks,
electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off. Th is
red uces e nergy consumption and main tains sta rt ing capabili ty ove r a
longer period=>
page 258.
Be aware that when you unlock your vehicle, some of the convenience
functions may not operate, such as the Convenience key*, the remote
control or the power seat adjustment. The convenience functions will
be availab le aga in whe n you tur n on th e ignition and start the eng ine.
Winter operation
Dur ing the winter months, battery capac ity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear w indow defogger, etc., a re
used more often.
Avoid unnecessa ry power consum ption, part ic ula rly i n city traffic o r
when traveling only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dealer check the capacity of the vehicle battery before w inter sets in
=>
page 303 . A well charged battery will not only prevent start ing
prob lems when the wea ther is cold, but will also las t longe r.
Vehicle OP-eration
(I) Tips
If your vehicle is left standing fo r seve ral weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
w here it will not free ze. This will preven t it from being damaged and
having to be replaced. •
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near the
battery.
Vehicle care
Fi g. 2 49 Lugga ge
co mp artme nt: Righ t·
s ide stor age co mpar t·
me nt
Fig. 25 0 Lug gage
comp art me nt: Batt ery ~
Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

_____________________________________________ C_h _ e_ c_ k_in --= g'-- a_n _d_ f_i _ll _i_n -=g ::;__ ____..
of properly in compliance with all environmental regulations .
Disposing of vehicle batter ies improperly is
very dangerous to the
environment .•
Windshield/headlight washer
container
F ig . 251 E ngine
compa rtme nt: W ind·
sh iel d and h eadlight
w asher flu id con tainer
The washer fluid container is marked wi th the symbol ~ on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working
in the engine compartment" on page
289.
- Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer fluid. You can fill
the container to the top.
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck a fter filling the
container.
You can find the reservoir capacity i n the table in~ page 360 .
To p revent lime residue from bui ld in g up on the spray jets, use
distilled wate r when refilling . Always add a glass cleaner solution
(with frost p rotection in the winter) .
Vehicle OP-eration
0 Note
Do not mix engine coo lant antifreeze o r any other additives to fill up
the w indshield wash er reservoir .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data