oil level AUDI S8 2010 Owners Manual

You will also hear an audible warning tone. The displays are color
coded in eith er red or yellow depending on their level of priority.
A red symbol means
Danger , a yellow symbol ind icates Warning . In
certain situations, information message for the driver appear in addi­
tion to the red and yellow symbols.
Function test: automatic transmission
The Auto-Check Control will automat ically perform a test each t ime
you switch on the ignition. With the selector lever in
P or N , the
following message appears in the display:
When stationary apply foot brake while selecting gear.
When you a select a different gear (for example: R, D, etc.) , the
message will disappear and the Auto-Check function is d isplayed.
If there is a malfunction, then the malfunction message will appear
about 15 seconds after the you start the vehicle. At the same time
you will hear a warning tone. •
Driver information messages
Driver information messages are shown in the instru­
ment cluster display in addition to the red and yellow
symbols .
Controls and equip ­
ment
(C HECK ·Fo
Safety first
Fig. 16 CHECK button
in the inst rument
clu ster
Driver information display
For example, if the transmission selector lever is not in the P position
when the engine is turned off, the following message appears :
Shift to P, otherwise vehicle can roll away. Doors do not lock if
lever is not in P.
Th e ignition key can only be removed w ith the selector in this posi­
tion . This and other messages are brought up if a function cannot be
carried out .
Driver messages and red symbols
If a red symbol appears in the display, a driver message can be shown
by pressing the (
CHECK) button.
For example, the symbo l for a prob lem with engine oil pressu re
appears in the display . If you then press the (CHECK) button, the
following driver message appears in the display :
Switch off engine and check oil level
The dr iver message in the display goes out after about 5 seconds . The
dr ive r message can be disp lay ed again by briefly pressing the
(CHECK) button .
Driver messages and yellow symbols
If a yellow symbol appears in the display, a driver message is also
displayed automatically.
For example, the symbol
-> appears in the display, indicating low
windshield washer fluid level. The following message also appears:
Please top up washer fluid
The driver message disappears after a few seconds . The driver
message can be displayed again by briefly pressing the
I CHECK)
button.•
Vehicle care Technical data

Driver information displ ay
Red symbols
A red symbol means DANGER.
-Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn of f the engine .
Fig . 1 7 Display:
en gine coo lant le v el
w arning (pr ior ity 1)
- Check the malfunctioning system. Contact your autho -
rized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop for assistance .
Red symbols indicate a priority malfunction -Danger !
With a prior ity 1 malfunction , a large symbo l appears in the center
area of the display => fig . 17 . When the symbol appears,
three
warning tones sound in succession. The symbol co ntinues to blink
until the malfunction has been repaired.
After a few seconds, the large symbol is replaced by a small symbol
shown at the top left of the display. This symbol is d isp layed unti l the
fault is corrected.
If there are more than one priority 1 malfunctions, the symbols
appear one after the other for about 2 seconds .
An additional driver message can a lso be displayed by b riefly pressing
the
! CHECK ] button.
The red symbols mean:
BRAKE
USA mod els:
Brake system malfunction =>
page28
((D) Canada models:
Brake system malfunction
ll
=>page28
Engine coolant level too => page 29
low/engine coo lant temperature
too high
~ E ngine oil pressure too low
-
~ Faulty steering
~
© Faulty ignition switch
.....
(I) Tips
]I=> page 30
=> page 31
::::> page31
• If the warning/indicator light BRAKE (USA models)/ CCD) (Canada
mode ls) in the instrument cluster flashes, there is a b rake system
malfunction . By pressing the [
CHECK] button, you can bring up a
driver message w hich explains the ma lf u nction in more detail. Please
note=>
page 28 .
• Speed wa rnings threshold 1 8 (USA models)/ 8 (Canada models)
and threshold 2
8 , (USA models)/ 8. (Canada models) are also shown
as red symbols. The warning is always shown as a sma ll symbo l in the
upper area of the disp lay=>
page 35. •
Brake system malfunction BRAKE
A malfunction in the brake system must be repaired as
soon as possible.
If the warning /ind icator light BRAKE (USA models)/ (CD)
(Canada models) in the instrument cluster flas hes, there is a
brake system malfunction . By pressing th e [
CHECK] bu tton, ~

Driver information display
is too low. An additional driver message can also be displayed
by pressing the [CHECK) button:
Switch off engine and check coolant level
-Pull off the road .
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
- Check coolant level=>
page 297.
-Add coolant if necessary=> page 298.
-Continue driving only after the engine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
- Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary.
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be the
cause of the malfunction.
If the generator warning/indicator light should also illuminate
=>
page 16, then the fan belt may be damaged .
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights=>
page 63, "Emer­
gency flasher A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment -you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant
escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn of
& WARNING (continued)
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
=> page 281, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the -~-symbol illuminates. There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling system -you could damage your
engine. •
Engine oil pressure malfunction "t':::7':
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair. Driving with a low-oil-pres­
sure indication is likely to inflict severe damage to the
engine.
If the ~ symbol appears in the display and blinks, the oil
pressure is too low. An additional driver message can also be
displayed by pressing the [CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check oil level
Immediate actions
-Pull off the road .
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine .
-Check the engine oil level with the dipstick=> page 293.
Dipstick readings checks too low
- Top off oil to the proper level=> page 294.

- Make sure that the oil pressure warning symbol 't=:1:
appears no longer in the display before you start driving
again.
Dipstick reading checks OK
- If the oil pressure warning symbol 't=:1: starts flashing
again even though the engine oil level checks OK on the
dipstick,
do not continue driving and do not let the
engine run in idle.
Instead, contact your authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.
[ i) Tips
• The engine oil pressure symbol~ is not an indicator for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your
engine at regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and
always before going on a long trip.
• The yellow oil level warning indication _ requires oil refill or
workshop service without delay. Do not wait until the red oil pres­ sure warning ~ starts to flash before you respond to the low oil
level warning _ . By then, your engine may already have suffered
serious damage. •
Steering malfunction i
If there is a malfunction in the electronic steering column
lock, the steering cannot be unlocked.
If the i symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic steering column lock . An additional driver
message can also be displayed by pressing the (
CHECK)
button:
Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
-Contact your nearest authorized repair facility.
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Driver information display
-
Do not tow your vehicle.
& WARNING
Your vehicle must not be towed in the event of a malfunction in
the electronic steering column lock because it cannot be steered
due to the locked steering. If it is towed with the steering locked,
there is the risk of an accident. •
Ignition lock malfunction ,Pe
A malfunction in the ignition lock must be repaired imme­
diately.
If the 2e symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic ignition lock. An additional driver message
can also be displayed by pressing the
(CHECK] button:
Ignition lock defective. Contact workshop !
- Do
not turn the engine off.
- Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer to have
the malfunction corrected.
If there is a malfunction in the electronic ignition lock, the ignition
cannot be turned off . Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer
to have the cause of the malfunction corrected.
If your vehicle has a Convenience key*, then you should not use the
[ STOP
l button to shut off the engine. You will not be able to start the
engine again once the ignition is switched off. •
Vehicle care Technical data

Driver information displ ay
Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Fig . 18 Display: low
f ue l level warn ing
(priority 2)
Yellow symbols ind icate a prior ity 2 malfunction -Warning!
When a yellow warning symbo l appears,
one warning tone sounds. A
dr iver message appears as well to explain the ma lfunction in more
detail. The driver warning goes out after about 5 seconds, but it can
be brought up again at any time by pressing the
I CHECK] button .
Check the displayed function as soon as possible.
If more than one
priority 2 malfunction is detected, all symbols will appear one after
the other for about 2 seconds .
Yellow symbols mean:
Worn brake pads
=> page 32
Electromechanical => page 125
parking brake
Check engine oil level
=> page 33
=> page 293
Engine oil sensor malfunction => page 33
-
Low fuel level =>page33
Windshield washer fluid =>page33
level low ~
Bat tery voltage =>page34
-
II Battery in remote control key =>page40
Convenience key * =>page 122
Key not in veh icle
USA models: => page24
Defective brake light
Can ad a mod els : =>page24
Defect ive brake light
Defective light bulb
=>page24
E ng ine speed limitat ion* => page33
-
IIAdaptive Light* defective =>page34
Dynamic headlight range => page 34
contro l defective
Defective light-/rain sensor
=> page34
Tire pressure monitoring sys-=>page328
tern *
Loss of air p ressure
-Tire pressure monitoring sys-=> page331
tern*
11System not available •
Worn brake pads •
Brake pa ds!

If the warning light illum inates, immediately contact your authorized
Audi dea ler or qu alified wor kshop to h ave all b rake pads insp ecte d.
On USA mode ls the warn ing light comes on together w it h the
warning light
BRAKE . Both sets of brake pads on an axle must a lways
be rep laced at the same time.
& WARNING
Driving w ith bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal
injury .
• If the w arning light
ii and the warning light BRAKE1> with the
me ssage Brake pads! com es on in the in strument clu ster di splay,
immediately contact your author ized Aud i dealer or qualified
workshop t o have all brake pads che cked or replaced if
necessary. •
Checking the engine oil level ~
.... ,. Pleas e check oil level
W hen the symbol i lluminates, check the engine oi l level as soon as
poss ible=>
page 293. Add oil if necessary=> page 294. •
Engine oil sensor defective
~ Oil level ! sensor d efective
If the symbo l illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer and
have t he o il senso r in spec ted . U ntil yo u have this do ne, check the oil
level each time you refue l just to be on the safe side=>
page 293. •
ll BRAKE: USA mode ls on ly
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Driver information display
A
pp lies to vehi cles : w ith engine s peed lim it a tion
Engine speed limitation
!.-• Engine speed maximum XXXX RPM
The symbol illuminates whe n there is an engine co ntrol malfunc ­
tion. The in dicator light in the instrument cluste r a lso i lluminates .
T he engi ne speed is limited to the speed d isp layed in the driver infor­
mation system . Keep in mind that t he engine speed will not exceed
t he va lue disp layed in the d rive r in format ion sys tem, for example
when downshifting .
P lease go to an a uthor ized A udi deale r o r ot her qualifie d wo rk shop to
have the malfunction repa ired .•
Fuel supply too low w
A Please refuel
When the symbol illuminates, th is means there are about 2.4 ga llons
(9 litres) of fuel left in the fuel tank . Time to refuel.=>
page 284.
If
the symbol lig hts up, even when there is ample fue l in the tank, and
t he text
Tank sy stem m alfunction! Contact workshop appears in t he
display, there is a fa ult in the system. Con tact a qual ified workshop to
h ave the fault re ctified. •
Windshield washer fluid level too low ;>
Please top up washer fluid
If the symbo l illuminates, add windshield washe r fluid to the washer
system and a lso to the headlig ht washe r system =>
page 305. •
Vehicle care Technical data

________________________________________ __;I:..: n~ t -=-e .=.:.: ll:.:.;igent technology .__==-
On steep s lopes , you shou ld use the brak ing effect of t he e ngine. This
w ay, y ou p revent unne ce ss ary we ar o n t he bra ke sys te m . If you mus t
use your brakes , do not ho ld the brakes down conti nuously . Pump the
bra kes at intervals.
Moisture or road salt
Under cer ta in c on di tions, for ex ample, when drivin g thr ough w at er or
very heavy rain, or e ve n after was hing your veh icle, the braking effect
c an be re duced due to moi st ur e (o r in freezi ng condi tio ns ice) o n the
bra ke pads . A few care ful b rake app lica tions should dry off the bra ke
pads or
remove any ice coatings .
Th e effec tiveness of the bra ke s ca n be re d uced whe n the vehicle is
driven on a salt-covered road and the brakes are not used . He re too,
yo u sh ould clean off a ccumula ted sa lt c oat ing from brake disc s and
pads with a few caref ul app lications of the brake::::;,&.
Corrosion
The re may be a tendency fo r dirt to build up on the bra ke pads and
cor ro si on t o fo rm on the di scs if t he c ar is not driven re gularly or o nly
for short t rips w ith litt le use of the bra kes.
If the bra kes are not used fre quent ly, o r if corrosion ha s fo rme d on
t he d iscs, i t is advisable to clean off t he pads and d is cs by bra king
fi rm ly a few t imes from a mo derately high speed ::::;,& .
Faults in the brake system
If yo u shou ld no tice a sudden in cre ase in b rake ped al t ravel, t hen one
o f t he two brake circ uits may have failed::::;,&.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occ ur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is
t o o low. The bra ke f lui d level is mon itored e lectroni cally.
Brake lining wear status
Brak e lining we ar may be checked by v isual inspec tio n o f the condi­
tion of the brake pads throug h the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sa ry, t he wheel m ay be re m oved f or this in spection ::::;,
page 335,
"C hanging a w hee l" .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
•
You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road condition s permit. Other
road users must not be put at risk -you may cause an accident!
• Before descending a steep grade, reduce speed and shift trans ­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often. This could
cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to overheat,
premature wear and increased stopping di stan ce.
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings, discs and drums .
Carefully apply brakes for a test . Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency. Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applications.
• If you damage the front spoiler, or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed.
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective­
ness of the entire brake system .
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping di stance . Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop .•
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

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 __ _
the form of Serv ice or Repair O rde rs that all scheduled ma inte nance
w as perfo rm ed in a t im ely mann er.•
Engine oil consumption
Th e e ngin e in your v ehi cle dep ends on an ad equate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool a ll of its movin g parts.
In order to p rovide e ffect ive lubric ation and cooling of inter na l
eng ine components, all internal combust ion eng ines consume a
c ert ain a mo unt o f oil. Oil co nsump tion va ries from e ngine to eng ine
and may change sign ifican tly over the li fe of the engine . Typically,
eng ines w ith a sp ecifie d brea k-in period (s ee =>
page 261) co nsum e
more o il dur ing the break -in period t han they cons ume a fter oil
cons umption has stabilize d.
Under norm al cond itions, th e ra t e of oil con su mp tio n depe nds on t he
quality and v iscosi ty of the oil, the RPM ( revolutions pe r minute) at
w hich the engi ne i s op erate d, the ambie nt te m pe ratu re and r oad
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oi l di lution from water
co ndens ation or f uel re sidue and th e oxid ation level of the oil. As any
eng ine is s ubject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consumption
may increase over time until replacemen t of wo rn components may
become necessa ry .
With all these varia bles comin g into play, no stan dar d rate of oil
co nsum ption can be establis hed o r spe cified. Th ere is no alte rnative
to regular and frequent chec kin g of the o il level, see
Note .
If the yellow e ngine oil leve l w arning symbol in the ins trumen t
cl uster · .. lights up, yo u should chec k the o il lev el as soon as possible
with the oil dipstick=> page 293 . Top off the oil at yo ur earliest
conveni ence=>
pag e 294 .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working in the engine
compartment " on
page 289.
Safety first
0 Note
Driv ing with an in sufficie nt o il level is like ly to c ause severe d amage
to the engine .
[ i ] Tips
• The oil pressure warn ing display 'e.::1; is not an indicator of the oil
level. Do not rely on it . Instead, check the oil level in your engine at
regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and always
before going on a long trip .
• If you have the impression your eng ine consumes excessive
am ounts of o il, we recom mend that you cons ult your Audi dea le r to
have the cause of your concern properly d iagnosed. Keep i n m ind that
t he accurate meas urement of oil co nsum ption re quires great care
and may take some t ime. Your Audi dealer has instruct io ns about how
t o meas ure o il cons umption a ccu ra tely .•
Checking the engine oil Level
Vehicle care
Fig . 24 3 Illustration
o f principle 1 : M arker s
on oil dipstick ...
Technical data