headlights AUDI S8 2011 Owners Manual

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 21
If the indicator light turns on and th is mes ­
sage appears, there is a ma lfunction in the
tank system.
Drive to your authorized Aud i dea ler immedi­
ately to have the mal function cor rected .
Ci:> Windshield washer flu id level
fl! Please refill washer fluid
If the symbol illuminates, add windshield
washer fluid to the washer system/headlight
washer system* ~
page 236.
~ Windshield wipers
!I Windshield wiper defective
There is a malfunct ion with the windshield
wipers.
D rive to you r autho rized Aud i deale r immedi­
ately to have the mal function cor rected.
~/}D /0$ Defective light bulb warning
I-If the indicator light turns on, a bulb has
failed. The message indicates the location of
the bulb .
ffil-if a fog lamp* has failed, the indicator
light turns on to indicate the location on the
vehicle .
rm-if a rea r fog lamp has failed, the indicator
light turns on to indicate the location on the
vehicle.
Vehicle lights: malfunction
If the message appears, there is a malfunc­
tion in the headlights or light switch .
Drive to your authorized Audi dea ler immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
- light bulbs are pressurized and could ex­
plode while they are being changed caus­
ing serious personal injury.
- Work with due care when handling the
high-voltage section of gas discharge (xenon)
lights. Failure to do so cou ld re­
sult in death or serious injury .
(D Tips
Have the b ulb replaced or the connection
repaired by your authorized Audi Service
department.
~(D Headlight range control
II Headlight range control: defective!
If the symbol illuminates, the head light range
control is no longer working properly. Have
the system checked and repaired at your Audi
dealer.
§0 Adaptive Light
App lies to vehicles: wit h Adaptive Lig ht
rJI Audi adaptive light: system fault
If the indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunct ion in the
adaptive light system. The headlights still
funct ion.
Go to an authorized dealership to have the
headlights or the control unit for the Adaptive
light repaired.
@> Light/rain sensor
fl Automatic headlights/automatic wipers:
system fault
If the indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, the light/rain sensor is not
funct io ni ng correctly .
For safety reasons the low beams are turned
on permanently with the switch in
AUTO.
However, you can continue to turn the lights
o n and off using the light switch . You can st ill
control all functions that are independent of
the rain sensor through the w indshield wiper
l ever.
Contact your authorized Audi dealer as soon
as possible to have the problem corrected .

Clear vision Lights
Switching the headlights on and off
Fig . 35 Instrument pane l: lig ht sw itc h wit h all -weath­
er ligh ts•
The headlights only wo rk when the ignition is
switched on. Wh ile start ing the eng ine o r
when switching off the ign ition, the head­
lights will go off and on ly the side marker
lights will be on .
If the system is not operating p roperly, a
war ning symbol in the dr iver information dis­
p lay is d isplayed
c::, page 21 .
Light switch ·'ti- -
Tu rn the switch c::> fig . 35 to the correspond ing
position . When the lights are switched on, the
:oo: symbo l tu rns on .
0 · The lig hts are off or the dayt ime runn ing
lights are on:
- USA models: The daytime running lights
will come on automatically when the igni­
t ion is on and the light switch
c::, fig . 35 is in
the
O posit ion or the AUTO position (only in
daylight cond itions). The
Daytime running
light s
function can be turned on and off in
t h e M MI
c::> page44, c::>A .
-Canada model s: The daytime running lig hts
will come on automa tically when the igni­
t ion is on and the light switch
c::> fig . 35 is in
the
O position, the : oo: pos ition or the AUTO
position (only in daylight conditions) c::> A .
AUTO -Automatic headlights swi tch on and
off depend ing o n brightness, for example i n
tw ilight, during rain or in tunnels
c::, &. .
Clear vision 43
:oo: -Parking lig hts
gD -Low beam headlights
~ -All-weather lig hts* (vehicles with LED
headlights *)
c::, fig. 35
@!] -Rear fog lights*. When the rear fog lights
are on, the symbol
0$ on the switch will illu­
minate .
All-weather lights*
In vehicles with all-weather lights, the front
lights are ad justed automatically so that you
are less like ly to see glare from your own
headlights, for example when dr iving on a wet
road.
Automat ic dynamic headlight range
con trol*
Your vehicle is equipped with a headlight
range cont ro l system so that the headlights
do not bl ind oncoming traff ic if the vehicle
load cha nges. The headlight range a lso ad­
justs au toma tic ally when braking and acceler­
at ing .
Light funct ions
The following light funct ions are availab le de­
pend ing on vehicle equipment and on ly func­
tion when the light switch is in the AUTO posi­
t ion. You can dea ctivate these functions i n the
MM I under
Audi adaptive light c::>page 44.
Static corn ering light * (vehicles with LED
headlights o r adaptive light) - the corner ing
ligh t sw itches on automa tically w hen the
stee ring wheel is turned at a ce rtain angle at
speeds up to approximately 4 4 mph (70 km/
h) and when the turn signal is activated at
speeds up to approximate ly 25 mph (40 km/
h). The area to the s ide of the vehicle is illumi­
nated better when turn ing .
Dynamic cu rve light* (vehicles with adaptive
li ght) - the curve light only functions at
speeds between approximately 6 mph (10
km/h) and 110 km/h and adapts itself to the
curves in the road.

44 Clear vision
Highway light function*
(vehicles with LED
headlights) -this function adapts the lighting
for highway driving based on vehicle speed.
.&_ WARNING
- Automatic headlights are only intended
to assist the driver . They do not relieve
the driver of his responsibility to check the headlights and to turn them on man­
ually according to the current light and
visibility conditions . For example, fog
cannot be detected by the light sensors.
So always switch on the headlights §,0
under these weather conditions and
when driving in the dark.
- Crashes can happen when you cannot see the road ahead and when you cannot be seen by other motorists. Always turn on
the headlights so that you can see ahead
and so that others can see your car from
the back .
(D Note
The rear fog lights should only be turned
on in accordance with traffic regulation, as
the lights are bright for following traffic.
(D Tips
- In the event of a light sensor malfunc­
tion, the driver is notified in the instru­
ment cluster display
q page 21 .
-You will hear a warning tone if you open
the driver door when the exterior lights
are switched on.
- Please observe legal regulations when
using the lighting systems described .
Emergency flasher
The emergency flasher makes other motorists
aware that you or your vehicle ore in on emer­
gency situation .
Fig. 36 Ce nte r co nso le: em erg en cy flash er sw itch
.,. Press the switch~ c:> fig. 36 to turn the
emergency flashers on or off.
When the emergency flasher is on, all four
turn signals blink at the same time. The turn
signal indicator lights¢¢ in the instrument
cluster, as well as the light in the emergency
flasher switch
~ blink likewise.
The emergency flashers will turn on automati­
cally if you are in an accident where the airbag
has deployed.
@ Tips
You should turn on the emergency flashers
when:
- you are the last vehicle standing in a traf­
fic jam so that any other vehicles coming
can see you, or when
- your vehicle has broken down or you are
in an emergency situation, or when
-your vehicle is being towed by a tow
truck or if you are towing another vehicle
behind you.
Adjusting the exterior lighting
The settings ore adjusted in the MMI.
"'Select: !CARI function button> Car systems
control button > Vehicle settings > Exterior
lighting. ""

Automatic headlights
You can adjust the following settings in the
Automatic headlights menu:
Headlights activation time -You can adjust if
the headlights switch on
Early, Med . or Late
according to the sensitivity of the light sensor.
Audi adaptive light* -You can switch adaptive
light
On and Off.
Daytime running lights
USA models:
You can switch the dayt ime run­
n ing lights
on and off .
Canada models :
The function cannot be
turned off . It is activated automatically each
time the ignition is switched on. This menu
item is shown "greyed out".
Coming home, Leaving home
The coming home function illuminates the
area outside the vehicle when you switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door. To turn
the function on, select
Lights when leaving
car > On .
The leaving home function illuminates the
area outside the vehicle when you un lock the
vehicle. To turn the funct ion on, select
Lights
when unlocking car > On .
The coming home and leaving home functions
only operate when it is dark and the light
switch is in the
AUTO pos ition. Clear
vision 45
Turn signal lever
The lever on the left side of the steering col­
umn is used to operate the turn signals and
the high beam as well as the headlight flash­
er.
Fig. 37 Tu rn signal and high beam lever
The turn signa l and high beam lever has the
following funct ions :
Turn signals ¢ 9 ©@
.,. Push the lever up as fa r as it can go to turn
on the right turn signa l or down to turn on
the left tu rn s ignal ¢
fig. 3 7.
... Move the lever briefly unti l you meet resist­
ance and re lease it to flash three times.
.,. Move the lever (up or down) until you meet
resistance and hold it there to determine
the flashing time for the turn signals.
High beam ~D @
... Push the lever forward to switch on the high
beam .
.,. Pull the lever back towards you to switch
off
the high beam.
Headlight flasher ~D ©
... Pull the lever toward the steering wheel to
use the headlight flasher.
Notes on these features
-The turn signals on ly work w ith the ignition
sw itched on. The indica tor l ights
R or II in
the instrument cluster
¢page 11 also blink.
-Aft er you have turned a corner, the turn sig-
nal switches
off automatically.
- The
high beam works only when the head-
lights are on. The indicator light . in the .,.

46 Clear vision
instrument cluster illuminates when the
high beams are on.
- The
headlight flash er works only as long as
you hold the lever - even if there are no
lights turned on. The indicator light. in
the instrument cluster illuminates when you
use the headlight flasher.
(D Note
Do not use the high beam or headlight
flasher if you know that these could blind
oncoming traffic .
Interior lights
Front and rear interior lighting
Fig. 38 Headliner: Front interior l ig hts
Fig. 39 Rear headliner : Reading light
Press the appropriate button ¢ fig. 38:
§} -Interior lighting on/off
I]-Door contact switch. The interior lighting
turns on automatically when you unlock the
vehicle, open a door or switch the ignition off.
The interior lighting turns off several seconds
after you close the doors, when you lock the
vehicle or when you switch the ignition on.
When a door is open, the light turns off after
a few minutes.
L:!l -Reading lights on/off
~ - Switching the rear reading lights on/off
from the cockpit.
IREAR MODEt* - Sw itch ing the rear reading
lights on/off from the cockpit : press the
I REAR MODE i button and then the appropriate
button
L:!l in the cockpit .
Ambience lighting
Applies to vehicles: wi th ambience lig htin g
You can select a color profile and brightness
for the ambience lighting in various areas of
the vehicle, called zones.
Turning ambience lighting on
.,. Select in the MMI: ICARI function button >
Car systems control button > Vehicle set­
tings > Interior lighting > On.
Adjusting/turning off the brightness
.,. Select in the MMI: ICARlfunction button>
Car systems control button > Vehicle set­
tings > Interior lighting
> Brightnes s .
.,. Turn the knob to the desired vehicle area
and press the knob. The bar that appears in­
dicates the selected brightness .
.,. To increase or reduce the brightness, turn
the knob and press it.
Selecting a color profile*
.,. Select in the MMI: ICARlfunction button>
Car systems control button > Vehicle set­
tings > Interior lighting > Color profile.
The ambience lighting turns on when the
function is activated in the MMI and when you
turn the headlights on while the ignition is switched on.
Adjusting the brightness
You can adjust the brightness for the four
zones
Front top, Front footwell, Rear top and
Rear footwell or for All areas at the same
time . ..,.

Selecting a color profile
You can select from the Ivory , Polar and Ru­
b y/ Pol ar
color profiles .
(D Tips
The settings are automa tically sto red and
assigned to the remote con tro l key that is
in use.
Instrument illumination
You con adjust the brightness of the instru ­
ment and display illumination .
Fig . 40 In strument ill um ination
• Press the knob to release it.
• Turn the knob toward"-" or"+" to reduce or
increase the brightness .
• Press the knob again to return it to it s or ig i­
nal position .
Q Tips
The instrument illumination (for dials and
needles) lights on when the ig nitio n is
sw itched on and the vehicle lights are
turned off. As the daylight fades, the illu­
m ina tion of the dials likewise dims auto­
mat ically and wi ll go out com plete ly when
t he o utside light is very low . This fea ture is
meant to remind you to switch on the
headlights when o utside light conditions
become poor. Clear vi
sion 4 7
Vision
Sun visors
E J
Fig . 4 1 S un viso r
The sun visors for the driver and passenger
can be re leased from their bracke ts and
turned toward the doors
c:> fig. 41 (D . They
can a lso be moved back and forth lengthwise
in th is position .
The m irror light switches on when the cover
ove r the vanity m irror @opens.
T here is a shade between the dr iver 's and pas­
senger's s un visors that can be used to cover
the gap above the rearview mirror.
. Sun Shade
Fi g. 42 Cock pit: Sun shade swit ch
F ig. 4 3 Rear doo r: S un s had e butto n

(!)-Rain s ensor mode. The windshield wipers
switch on once the vehicle speed exceeds ap­ proximately 2 mph (4 km/h) and it is raining.
The higher the rain sensor sensitivity is set (switch @to the right), the earlier the wind­
shield wipers react to moisture on the wind ­
shield. You can deactivate ra in sensor mode in
the MMI, which will then activate intermittent mode. Select:
ICARI function button> Car sys­
tems
control button > Driver assist > Rain
se nsor
> Off. In intermittent mode, you can
adjust the interval time using the switch @.
@-Slow wiping
®-Fast wiping
@ -Single wipe. If you hold the lever in this
position longer, the wipers switch from slow
wiping to fast wiping.
® -Clean the windshield. The wipers wipe
one time after several seconds of driving to
remove water droplets. You can switch this
f unction
off by moving the lever to position ®
within 10 seconds after the afterwipe . The af ­
terwipe function is reactivated the next time
you switch the ignition on .
Cleaning the headlights. The headlight wash­
er system* only functions when the lights are
switched on. The headlights and the night vi­
sion system camera* are cleaned automatical­ ly the first time the lever is press in position
® and every 8 times it is pressed after that.
They are also cleaned every time you hold the lever in position ® for longer than 8 seconds.
A WARNING
-The rain sensor is only designed to assist
and support the driver. It remains entire­
ly the driver's responsibility to monitor
outside weather conditions and to man­
ually activate the wipers as soon as rain
or drizzle reduces visibility through the
windshield .
- The windshield must not be treated with
water-repellent materials . They can in­
crease glare under poor visibility condi­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the horizon. In addi-
Clear vision 49
tion, they can cause the windshield wip­
ers to chatter.
- Properly functioning windshield wiper
blades are required for a clear view and
safe driving
c:::> page SO, Replacing
windshield wiper blades.
([) Note
-In the case of frost, check whether the
windshield wiper blades are frozen to
the windshield. Switching on the wind­
shield wipers can damage the wiper
blades!
- Prior to using a car wash, the windshield
wiper system must be switched
off (lever
in position 0) . This helps to prevent unin ­
tentional switching on and damage to
the windshield wiper system.
- Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted
window. Using the wipers as a conven­ ient ice scraper will destroy the wiper
blades .
(D Tips
- The windshield wipers are switched off
when the ignition is off. Activate the
windshield wipers after the ignition is
switched back on by moving the wind­
shield wiper lever to any position.
- Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades
result in streaking. This can affect the
rain sensor function . Check your wind­
shield wiper blades regularly .
- The washer fluid nozzles of the wind ­
shield washer system are heated at low
temperatures when the ignition is on.
- When stopping temporarily, e.g. at a
traffic light, the set speed of the wind­
shield wipers is automatically reduced by
one speed.

Mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors
Fig . 47 Fo rw ar d section of driver's armrest: powe r m ir­
r or co nt rols
Turn the knob to the desi red position :
Q/P -In th is position, you can adjust the
driver's and front passenger's exter ior mir rors
by turn ing the knob in t he des ired direction .
® -The m irrors are heated depending on the
out side temperature .
8 -The exterior mirrors fo ld in. In the MMI,
you c an se lect if the m irro rs fold in automat i­
cally when you lock the vehicle
¢ page 32 .
Driver exter io r mi rro r tilt funct ion
To help yo u see the curb when backing into a
parking space, the surface of the mirror tilts
slightly. The knob must be in the P position
for this to happen .
You can ad just the tilted mirror s urface by
turning the knob in the desired direction.
When you move out of reverse and into anoth ­
er gear, the new mirror position is stored and
assigned to the key you a re using.
The mirror goes back into its origina l posit io n
once yo u dr ive forward faster than 9 mph (15
km/h) or switch the ignition off .
A WARNING
-Curved ( i.e. convex) mirror s urfaces in­
crease your field of view . Remember that
vehicles or other objects will appear
small er and farther away than when seen
in a f lat m irror .
If you use this mirro r to
est imate distances of following vehicles
.
Clear vi sion 51
when changing lanes, you co uld estimate
incor rectly and cause an accident.
(D Note
- If the m irror housing is moved uninten ­
tionally (for examp le, w hile pa rking your
vehicle), then yo u must first fold the mir­
ror electrically. Do not read just the mir­
ror housing man ually. You cou ld damage
the motor which controls the mirror.
(D Tips
- The exterior m irror settings are stored
w ith the memory function*
¢ page 62.
- If there is a malfunction in the electrical
system, you can still adjust the outside
mi rrors by pressing the edge of the m ir­
ror .
Dimming the mirrors
Fig . 48 Automatic dimming rearview mirro r
.. To dim the re arview mirror and both exterior
m irrors, press the@ button . The diode ®
turns on. T he rearv iew and exterior mirrors
dim automatically whe n light shines o n
t hem, for examp le from headlights on ave­
hicle to the rear .
A WARNING
Elect ro lyte fluid can lea k from au to matic
d imm ing mir rors if the g lass is b roken .
E lec tro lyte fluid can irr itate skin, eyes and
respiratory system.
- Repeated or prolonged exposu re to e lec­
trolyte can cause irritation to the respira­
tory system, especially among people
with asthma or other resp iratory
.

208 Cleaning and protection
-Never wash your car in bright sunlight.
Drops of water act as magnifying lenses
and may damage your paint.
- When you wash your car in the winter: if
you rinse your vehicle with a hose, be
careful not to aim the stream of water
directly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings - they can freeze shut.
- Never use sponges des igned to remove
i nsects, or any kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products . They can damage
your paint finish .
- Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean
the headlights. Only use wet cloths or
sponges to prevent scratches .
It is best
to use soapy water.
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis, fo r example when refuel­
ing your vehicle. Never clean the head­
lig hts w ith a dry cloth or sponge. Use a
wet cloth or sponge . It is best to use
soapy water.
@ For the sake of the environment
I n the interest of the environment, the ve­
hicle should only be washed in special
wash bays.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple rules.
• Before using the power washer, make sure
you have read and understood the WARN­
INGS
c:> A in General information on
page 206 .
• Always follow the operating instructions for
the power washer .
• Make sure that the jet on the spray hose pro­
duces a "fan shaped spray".
• Do
not hold the spray nozzle too close to
soft materia ls.
When cleaning the vehicle wit h a power wash­
er
always follow the operating instructions. T
his applies particu larly to the
operating
pressure
and the spraying distance. Keep a
distance from soft materials such as rubber
hoses or insulating material as well as sensors
and camera lenses.
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a
di rect
stream
or one that has a rotating jet .
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F
(60 °().
A WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays wa­
ter in a direct stream . This could cause in­
v is ible damage to the t ires and weaken
them, even if the spray is from
a relatively
long distance and for a short time. Dam­
aged and weakened tires can fail and cause
accidents and personal injury .
(D Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, always
make sure that there is suffic ient d istance
between the spray head and soft materials
like rubber hoses, plast ic parts and sound­
deadening materials as well as sensors
and camera lenses. Never aim the sp ray
head at the same point for a long time.
This also applies to cleaning headlights
and painted bumpers. Remember: the
closer the nozzle is to the surface of the
mater ia l, the greater the stress on the ma­
terial.
Sensors and camera lenses
- Remove snow with a hand brush and remove
ice with a de-icing spray that does not con­
tain solvents .
- Clean the sensors (adaptive cruise control*,
pa rking system*) w ith a cleaning so lution
that does not contain so lvents and a soft
cloth.
- The camera lens or the area in front of the
camera lens is normally cleaned by the
w indshie ld w ipers (Audi lane assist*) or
headlight wipers (night vision system*) . If
the lens or the area is exceptionally dirty,
111-

@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposa l
of brake fl uid as we ll as the special tools
requ ired and the necessary expert ise, we
recommend that you have t he brake fluid
changed by your author ized Audi dealer .
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the bat­
tery in your Audi does not need any mainte ­
nance. With
high outside temperatures or
long daily dr ive s we recommend that you have
the electro lyte level checked by a service fa­
cility . The electrolyte level shou ld a lso be
checked each time the battery is charged
¢ page 235.
Have the battery checked when you take your
ve hicle in for service . Yo u are well adv ised to
replace a battery that is older than 5 yea rs .
W ith certa in types of a irbag deployment, t he
b attery is d isconnected from the vehicle elec­
tr ica l system for safety reasons¢.&.
in Re ­
pair, care and disposal of the airbags on
page 159.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power w indow regu­
lators , for example) are lost if the battery ter­
m inals a re d isconnected. These func tions have
to be re lea rned after the batte ry term inals a re
connected agai n. T o prevent this , the bat tery
should only be d isconnec ted from the vehicle
e lec tric al system when absolu tely necessa ry
for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive you r vehicle over a period
of severa l days or weeks, elec trical compo­
nen ts are gr adually cut b ack o r swi tched off .
This redu ces energy cons umption and main­
tains starting capab ility over a longer per io d
¢ page 195.
Be aw are tha t when you unlock yo ur vehicle ,
some of the conven ien ce f unct ions may no t
Checkin g and fillin g 233
opera te , such as the Conven ience key*, the re­
mote control or the power seat adjustment .
T he convenience functions will be ava ilab le
again when you switch on the ign ition and
start the eng ine.
Winter operat ion
D uring the w inte r mon ths, bat tery capacity
tends to dec rease as temperatures drop . This
is beca use more power is a lso consumed wh ile
starting, and the headlights, rear window de­
fogger, etc., are used more often.
Avoid unnecessary powe r consum ptio n, pa r­
ticu lar ly in city traffic or when traveling only
short distances. Let your autho riz ed Audi
dealer check the capacity of the vehicle bat­
te ry before w inter sets in¢
page 235 . A well
c h arged battery will not on ly prevent s tarti ng
problems w hen the weather is cold, but wi ll
also last longer.
(D Tips
If you r vehicle is left s tandi ng for seve ral
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
vehicle ba ttery s hould be removed an d
s to red w here i t w ill not fr eeze . T his w ill
p revent it from be in g damaged and having
to be replaced.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the bat tery.
T he battery is lo cated in the l uggage compa rt­
ment unde r the floo r. B efo re you che ck a ny­
thi ng in the luggage com partmen t,
read and
heed all WARNINGS
¢ .&, .
Alw ays heed t he safety warning s, when work­
ing on the vehicle b atte ry or the vehicle e lec -
t rical system to prevent i njury. .,..
•
•