technical data AUDI S8 2010 Owners Manual

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
- Lack of proper maintena nce as well as improper use of the
vehicle w ill imp air t he funct io n of t he emission con trol system and
could lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Contro l System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a sulfur-like exhaust gas sme ll under some
operat ing states. This depends on the s ulfur content of the fue l being
used. Using a differe nt brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank with
lead-free supe r grade gasoline. •
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are dr iving on poor roads, or ove r cur bs, steep r amps, etc.,
make certain that low-lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
p arts do not bo ttom ou t and ge t damage d.
Th is is espec ia lly true for vehicles with low-slung chass is (sports
chassis)* and fully loaded vehicles .•
Driving through water on roads
N ote the following to avoid vehicle damage w hen driving through
water, fo r examp le on flooded roads:
• The water must not be any higher than the bottom of the vehicle
b ody.
• Do not drive faster tha n walking speed.
& WARNING
After driving through water , mud, slush , etc. , the brakes may be
slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads . Dry the
brakes first by braking carefully to restore the full braking effect.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
0 Note
Vehicle
compone nts such as the engine, tra nsmiss ion, s uspension or
electrical system can be severely damaged by driv ing thro ugh water .
[ i ] Tips
• Check the depth of the water before d riving throug h it.
• Do not stop the vehicle, d rive in revers e or switch the e ngine off
when driving through wate r.
• Keep in m ind that oncoming vehicles may c reate waves t hat raise
the water leve l and make it too deep for yo ur vehicle to drive throug h
sa fely.
• Avoid driving through salt water because it can ca use corros io n.
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
You r personal style of driving will determi ne the econom y
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise l evels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and wea r on your eng ine,
brakes and tires largely depend on t hree factors:
• your persona l dr iving style
• operati ng conditions
• t echni cal lim itations
If you an ticipa te what you need to do next and drive economically,
you can easily cut your fuel consumption by 10-15 percent. This
s e ct io n w ill give you so me tip s on how you can he lp the e nvir onme nt
and your pocketbook.
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value after a certain mileage has been driven .
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oil consumption.
This also applies to fuel consumption and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the
service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the vehicle w ill
impair the function of the emission control system and cou ld lead to
damage.
• Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Control
System un less approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not a lter or remove any device, such as heat shie lds, switches,
ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protect your vehicle's Emission Contro l System and other important vehicle components. •
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips .
-Try to avoid driving short distances with a cold engine.
The eng ine and catalytic converter have to reach thei r optima l oper­
ating temperature
to reduce fuel consumption and noxio us em is­
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid -size car only achieves a fuel
economy of 6-8 miles per gallon (30-40 l/100 km) . After about a half
a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100 km). After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operating temperature
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
and fuel economy has
reached a normal level. So you can see that you
should avoid short trips whenever possible.
The
outside temperature is also cr it ical in th is regard . Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer=>
& in "Driving instruc­
tions".
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additional load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the label located either on the
driver's side B -pillar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications .
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to permit
turning corners . When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Trailer
towingL_,1!:::!:·~-
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must activate the trailer opera­
tion mode =>
page 179, "Towing a Trailer". •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration .
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early .
- Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly unstable
distribution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low
speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissible,
while keeping the trailer as light as possible under the circumstances.
Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage compart­
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-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

Cleaning and protection -
---------------=---------=----
Under certain circumstances, weekly washing may be necessary.
Under other conditions, a monthly washing and waxing may be
adequate.
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle shou ld be thoroughly
washed, p referably in a profess ional car wash.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 270. •
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any modern auto­
matic car wash.
Th e vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle can normally be
washed without problems in an automatic car wash . However, the
effect on the paint depends to a lar ge exten t on the design of the
facility, the filtering of the wash water, the type of wash and care material, etc. If the paint has a dull appearance after going through
the car wash or is scratched, bring this to the attention of the oper­
ator immediately . If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going thro ugh a car wash, be sure to take the usual precau­
tions such as closing the windows and power roof. Factory installed
antennas must not be removed.
If you have installed additional accessories on the vehicle -such as
spoilers, roof rack, etc. - it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 270. •
Safety first
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehicle by hand.
-Before you star t washing, make sure you have read and
understood the WARNINGS~
& in "General informa ­
tion" on
page 2 70.
- First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then rinse it off .
- As you clean your vehicle, start with the roof and work your
way down to the bottom, using a sponge, a sponge glove
or a clean brush.
- Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often, flush ing it
clean each time .
- Use special car shampoo only for very persistent dirt.
- Rinse the car thoroughly with water.
- Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the exterior dry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the wheels, door sills and other
regions exposed to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch the
paint with coa rse particles imbedded in the sponge the next time you
wash the car.
& WARNING
• Do not clean the underside of the chassis, fenders, wheel
covers, or other hard to reach parts without protecting your hands
and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 270. _..
Vehicle care Technical data

Cleaning and protection Ill
---------------=---------=----
Waxing
Wax protects the vehicle's paint.
- Use a man ually applied car wax occasionally to protect the
paint .
A good wax coat ing p ro tects the vehi cle pa int to a la rge exte nt
against the environmental factors listed under=>
page 270,
"Washing " and even against slig ht s cratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your paint as soon as one week after your vehicle has been delivered .
E ven if you regularly use a
waxing p ro cess in a utomatic car washes,
we recommend that you manually apply a coat of wax to give the
pai nt extra p rotectio n, part icularly if wate r no longer beads on the
clean pa int.
Protect plastic body parts with car wax in the same way as the vehicle
body .
Dur ing warm weather dead insects tend to collect on the front
bumpe r and on the forward area of the hood. They a re much easier to
remove from pa int that is waxed
often .
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNING S and other information
=> pag e 270.
0 Note
Do not use car wax on
• matte or anodized meta l trim
• rubber or rubber-like tr im. •
Safety first
Polishing
Polishing restores the gloss to the paint.
Polish your vehicle only if the pa int has lost its shine and the gloss
c annot be bro ught back wi th wax.
If the polish used does not contain preservative compounds, the
paint must be waxed afterwards=>
page 273, "Waxing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informa tion
=> page 27 0.
0 Note
Do not treat matte anodized metal tr im, plastic or rubber parts with
polish or wax. •
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care.
For env ironmental reasons, Aud i fabr icates the bright trim strips and
trim p ieces from p ure chrom ium-free alum inum .
Dirt and marks on the tr im strips should be removed with a
pH ­
balanced clean ing age nt (do no t use a chrome clean er) . Au di dealers
carry cleaning products which have been tested for use on your
vehicle and a re not h armf ul t o the envi ronment.
T o avo id corrosion on the exterior trim strips, only a pH-balanced
solution sho uld be used for the windshie ld washer .
& WARNING
Always re ad and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:::> page 270 . •
Vehicle care Technical data

Cleaning and protection Ill
---------------=---------=----
The best way to remove snow from w indows and mirrors is to use a
br ush . Use a non- abra sive
plastic ice scraper -better st ill, a spray
deicer -to remove
ice from w indows and mirro rs .
Oil, grease or s ilicone residue can be removed with
glass cleaner or
s ili cone remover . However, wax res idue requires the use of a spe cially
formulated solvent. Please contact your A udi dea ler for advice on safe
pro duc ts for w ax remov al.
W indows should also be cleaned on the inside at regu lar i ntervals .
N ever dry wi ndows w it h the same chamo is that you use to dry painted
s ur fa ces. Wax res idue on the chamois ca n impair vis ion t hrough t he
windows.
& WARNING
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 270 .
• The wind shield must not be treated with water-repellent
material s. They can in crease glare und er poor visibility conditions
such as wetness , darkness , or when the sun is low on the horizon .
In addit ion, they can cause the w indshield wipers to chatter.
0 Note
• N ever use warm o r hot water to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors . This cou ld cause the glass to crack .
• To prevent damage to the wires of the rear defogger, do not place
any a dhesive stickers on t he inside of the rea r window over the wires.
• To help prevent dirt from scratching the window, a lways scrape in
a forward direction -pushing the scrape r away from you -neve r back
and fort h.•
Safety first
Weatherstrips
Com plete car care includes the weat herstrips as well.
- Ap ply a sui tab le rubb er condi tion er to t he w eathers tri ps
f rom tim e to t ime .
To be able sea l prope rly, the weat hers tr ips arou nd the hood, doo rs,
rear lid, etc. must remain pliable. Spray the weathe rst rips with sili­
c one or coat them with tal cum powder o r g lyce rine to reta in the flex­
ibility of the rubber and to protect them against freezing in the
winter.
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 2 70.
[I) Tips
Keep silicone sprays off the winds hie ld to avoid wiper smear in ra in. •
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) all oy wheels requir e spe cial c are.
- Was h the whe els wi th a spo nge or h ose br ush ev er y ot her
w eek .
- Fo r deep cleaning afterwar ds, use on ly a dedi cated
acid­
free cas t all oy whee l cleaner.
- R ub a coat of
liquid wax onto the r ims eve ry three month .
Be su re to reac h and trea t all parts o f the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy whee ls , some
special care is necessa ry . In ad d it io n to road dirt and s alt , bra ke du st
is a lso corrosive . If left on for too long, brake dust can cause pitting . ..,_
Vehicle care Technical data

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ in--= g=-- a_n_ d_ p ,__r_o _t_ e_ c_ t _ io_ n __ ,n
Your authorized Audi dealer can provide cleaning products that have
bee n tested and approved for your veh icle. •
Care of interior
MMI display
- Clean the MMI display with a soft clean cloth and an LCD
cleaner .
The MMI display can be cleaned with a professionally available "LCD
cleaner". The cloth should be slightly dampened with the cleaning
fluid to clean the d isp lay .
0 Not e
To avoid scratching the MMI display, you should never clean it dry. •
MMI terminal
- First clean the MMI terminal with a brush to remove dust
from the housing.
- Then wipe the MMI terminal with a clean, soft, slightly
damp c loth .
The MMI te rmi nal shou ld be cleaned with a b rush first so that no di rt
is trapped between the buttons and the housing. We recommend
giving the MM I termina l a final wipe w ith a cloth moistened with
water and dish wash ing detergent .
0 Note
To prevent damage, make sure that no fluid ever gets into the MMI
terminal. •
Safety first
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
al uminum surfaces. Ch rome care prod ucts and al kaline cleaners w ill
attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over t ime .
& WARNING
Alw ay s re ad and heed all WARNING S and other information
~ page 2 70. •
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabr ic coverings (e .g . seats, door trim panels, etc.) should
be clean ed at regular interva ls with a vacuum cl eaner . T his removes
surfa ce di rt pa rt icl es which co uld become embedded in the fabr ic
through use . Steam cleaners should not be used, because the steam
tends to push the d irt deeper into the f abric and lock it there.
Norm al clean ing
Genera lly, we recommend using a soft sponge or a li nt-free
microfiber cloth to the clean fabric. Brushes should on ly be used for
ca rpets and floor mats , since other fab ric surfaces could be ha rmed
by brushes.
No rma l sur face sta ins can be cleaned us ing a commercially avai lab le
foam cleaner. Spread the foam on the surface of the fabr ic with a soft
sponge and work it in gently . Do not saturate the fabric. Then pat the
foam dry using absorbent , dry cloths (e .g. microfiber cloth) and
vacuum it after it has dried comp letely.
Clean ing stains
Sta ins caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fruit juice, etc.) can be
treated with a mild detergent solut ion. Apply the detergent solut ion
with a sponge . In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can
be applied directly to the stai n and worked into the fabric . After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to remove the remaining .,.
Vehicle care Technical data

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
consider if childre n, animals or other factors might prove to be partic­
ularly hard on the leathe r.
By contrast, leather types that are covered by a colored fin ish layer
are more durable . This has a positive effect on the leath er's resistance
to wear and so iling in daily use. On the othe r hand, the typical charac­
teristics of natura l leathe r are barely or not apparent . However, this
does not mean that the leathe r itself is of infer io r quality.
C are and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of leather that Audi uses
and the ir unique p roperties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, so iling,
etc.), yo u will need to be somewhat ca refu l with these leat he rs , a nd
a certain type of care is required. For example, dark clothing mate­
r ials ca n disco lor leather seats (especially if such clothi ng is d amp and
was not dyed correctly) . Dust and dirt particles in pores, folds, and
seams can have an abrasive effect and c an damage the le athe r
surface as well as weaken seams .
The leather s houl d be cleaned regularly as needed . After having been
used for a relatively long time, your leather sea ts w ill acquire a rich
aged finis h. This is a characteristic of natura l leather and a sign of
true quality.
I n order to maintain the value of this natural product over the life of
your vehicle, you sho uld fo llow the recommendations below :
0 Note
• To keep you r leather from b leaching out, do not allow it to be
exposed to bright sunl ight for long periods of time . If you have to
leave t he veh icle parked outside for long pe riods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sunlig ht.
• Sharp objects on clothing, such as zippers, rivets or sha rp pieces
on belts can leave permanent scratches or scrape marks on the
s u rface of the leather.
Safety first
(I] Tips
• After each time you clean the leathe r and at regular inte rvals , u se
a leather preservative creme that contains UV-blockers and that
works into the leather. This creme will nou rish and mo istur ize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay supp le. It also helps to build up
a p ro tect ive coa ting on the surfa ce.
• Clean the leather every 2 -3 months, and clean any areas that get
soiled.
• Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc. as soon as poss ible.
• Preserve the color of t he leather as needed by using a specia l
co lored leather ca re creme to touch up areas of uneven color .•
Ap plies to vehi cles : w it h nat ural leat her
Cleaning and caring for leather upholstery
and trim
Natural leather requires special care and attention.
Normal cleaning
- Clean so iled areas wit h a slightly mois tened cotton or
woolen cloth .
More stubborn dirt
-More stubborn d irt can be removed using a clot h satu­
rated w ith a mild soap solution (2 ta blespoons m ild liq ui d
soap) .
- Never allow the soap solution to saturate the leather, and
make certa in that no water soaks i nto the seams .
- Wipe off the soap solution w ith a soft, dry c loth. .,,
Vehicle care Technical data

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
0 Note
• N ev er use che mical s olvents (e.g. lig hte r fl uid , turpen tine), waxe s,
sho e polish or sim ila r pr oducts on A lcantara ® surfaces.
• T o avo id damage, have s tubbor n sta ins removed by a co mmerc ia l
cleaning s pecialist .
• Do not use brushes, stiff spo nges or sim ilarly ab rasive cl ea ni ng
aids. •
Safety belts
Only well- maintain ed safe ty b elts wo rk re liably when
n ee ded.
- Kee p belts cle an.
- F or clea nin g, use a mil d soap and w ate r solution. Let belts
dry thor oug hly and aw ay fro m direct s unlig ht.
- D o not a llow i nertia re el sa fety b elt s t o re trac t bef ore the y
are c ompl ete ly dry .
- Che ck th e condi tio n of you r sa fety belts
regu larly.
H eav ily so iled safe ty be lts may not ret rac t proper ly.
& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
• Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean
that you and your passengers would not be adequately protected
in an accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation. Never
remove belts from the vehicle to clean them .
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents , bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
Safety first
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• When cleaning your safety belts , inspect them for damage . If
you discover damage, see your Audi dealer .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 270. •
Engine compartment
Be es pec ially care ful w hen clean ing th e engine co mp art­
m en t.
Always switch off the ign ition before cleaning the engine~,&. .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum pane l in front of the win dshi eld
under the eng ine hoo d. Thi s preven ts the wa ter d rain holes fro m
becoming blocked , and it prevents debris from enter ing t he veh icle
in ter ior thro ugh t he heat ing a nd ve ntilation ducts.
Corrosion protection
The e ng in e co mp artm ent a nd trans missio n have bee n co rros io n­
protected at the facto ry .
G ood ant i- corro sion t rea tmen t is very i mporta nt, pa rt icul arly in t he
wi nte r. If the ve hicle is freq uently d riven on sa lt treated roads, the
entire eng ine compartment and plenum pane l sho uld be tho rough ly
clea ned at the end of winter and retreated to preve nt salt damage. At
the same time, t he un derside of the vehi cle should be washed as well.
If the eng ine co mpartme nt is clean ed at any t ime wi th gre ase
remov ing so lutions
2
), or if you have the engine was hed, the anti­
cor rosion treat men t is almo st alw ays rem oved as well.
It is the refore
essential to have a long-last ing corrosion protection reapplied to all
s u rfaces, seams, jo ints and com ponents in the engine compartmen t.~
2> Us e on ly the co rrect clean ing so lut ions . Neve r use gaso line or diese l fue l.
Vehicle care Technical data