AUDI S8 2012 Owner's Manual

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 19
system goes through a learning process fo r
the first few yards . The warning/indicator
light ill uminates. The warn ing/indicator light
goes out as soon as the learning process is
complete.
F or more information about the ESC
~page 187.
ABS/(8) Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
This warning/indicator light monitors the ABS
and the electronic differential lock (EDL).
The warning/indicator ligh t m (USA mod­
e ls)
.11] (Canada models) will come on for a
few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
The light will go out after an automatic check
sequence is completed.
There is a malfunction in the ABS wh en :
- T he warning/indicator lig ht does not illumi­
nate when you switch the ignition on.
- T he warning/ indicator lig ht does not go out
after a few seconds.
- T he warning/indicator light ill uminates
whi le driving.
The ESC indicator light a lso illuminates if
there is a malfunction in the ABS. The mes­
sage
S tabilit y prog ram and ABS faul t! S ee
o w ner' s manu al
also appears in the inst ru­
ment cluster display and a warning tone
sounds.
Th e br ake sy ste m will still r espond ev en
with out the a ssis tan ce of the ABS sy ste m .
See your a uth orized Audi deal er as s oon a s
po ssible to re sto re full br akin g perform anc e.
For more information regarding the ABS
¢page 187.
Malfunction in the brake sy stem
If the b rake warning light~ page 14 and the
ABS warning illuminate
together there may be
a ma lfunction in the ABS, and there may also
be a ma lfunction in the brake system itself
¢ &,. The ABS wi ll not work a nd you will no ­
tice a chang e in br aking r espo nse a nd p er­
forman ce.
In the event of a malfunction in the br ake
sys tem
the warning/indicator light _
(USA mode ls)/ . (Canada mode ls) in the in­
strument cluster flashes¢
page 14.
Malfunction in th e electronic d iff erential
l o ck (EDL)
The EDL works together with the ABS. The
ABS warning light will come on if there is a
malfunction in the EDL system
¢page 187.
See your authorized Audi dealer as soon as
poss ible.
A WARNING
- If the m (USA models)/ rl] (Canada
models) warning light does not go out,
or if it comes on while dr iving, t he ABS
system is not working properly. The vehi­
cle can then be stopped only w ith the
standard brakes (without ABS) . You w ill
not have the protect ion ABS prov ides.
Contact your Audi dea ler as soon as pos­
sible.
- USA models: If the - warning light,
the
W warning light and the B warn­
ing light come on together, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard
brak ing. Rear wheel lock-up can ca use
loss of vehicle control and an accident.
Have your vehi cle repaired immediately
by your au thori zed A udi dealer or a quali­
fied workshop . Dr ive slowly and avoid
sudden, hard brake applications.
- Canada models: If the brake warning
light ., the
B'J warning light and the
ABS warning light
II] come on together,
the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking. Rear whee l lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle contro l and an acci­
dent. Have your veh icle repa ired immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Drive s lowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
(0 ) Worn brake pads
£i Brake pad s!

20 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
If the warning light illuminates, immediately
contact your authorized Audi dealer or quali­
fied workshop to have all brake pads inspect­
ed. On USA models the warning light
El
comes on together with the warning light
- · Both sets of brake pads on an axle
must always be replaced at the same time .
A WARNING
Driv ing with bad brakes can cause a colli­
sion and serious personal injury.
-If the warning light El and the warn ing
light
- 1) with the message Brake
pads!
comes in in the inst rument cluste r
display, immediately contact your au­
thorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop to have all brake pads checked or
replaced if necessary.
EPC Electronic power control
This warning/indicator light monitors the
electronic power control.
The~ warning/indicator light (Electronic
Power Control) illuminates when you switch
the ignition on as a function check.
@ Tips
If this warning/indi cator light ill uminates
while you are driving, then there is a mal­
function in the engine electronics. Have
the malfunction corrected as soon as pos­
sible by your authorized Aud i dea ler or
qualified repair facility.
o Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Malfunction Ind icator Lamp (MIL) is part
of the On-Board D iagnostic (OBD II) system .
The symbol
¢4ii lights up when the ignition is
switched on and w ill turn off after the engine
has started and has sett led at a constant idle
speed. This ind icates that the MIL is working
properly.
l ) - : USA mod els only
-
The warning light illuminates when there is a
malfunction in the engine electronic system.
Contact your authorized Audi dea ler and have
the malfunction corrected.
An improperly closed fuel filler cap may also
cause the MIL light to illuminate
¢page 217.
For more information ~ page 26.
!?'i Engine speed limitation
Applies to vehicles: with engine speed limitatio n
Ill Engine speed maximum XXXX RPM
The eng ine speed is automatically limited to
the speed displayed in the driver information
system . This protects the engine from over ­
heating.
T he eng ine speed limitation deactivates once
the engine is no longer in the critical tempera­
ture range and you have re leased the accelera­
tor pedal once.
If the engine speed limitation was activated
by an engine control malfunction, the indica­
tor light~ also turns on. Make sure that the
speed does not go above the speed displayed .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
~ .. Engine oil level
II Add oil, max. x qt (l). You may continue
driving
When the symbol II and driver message ap­
pear, add the amount of oil appearing in the
display at the next opportunity¢
page 225.
~,.. Engine oil sensor
II Oil level! Sensor defective
If the symbol illuminates, contact your au­
thorized Audi dealer and have the oil sensor inspected . U ntil you have this done, check the
o il level each time you refuel just to be on the
safe side ~
page 224.

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 21
Bu Fuel level indicator
II Please refuel
If the indicator light turns on for the first
time and the message appears, there are
about 4 ga llons (15 liters) of fuel left in the
tank . T im e to refuel
<=>page 216.
II Tank system malfunction! Contact dealer
If the indicator light turns on and th is mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the
tank system.
Drive to your authorized Audi dea ler immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
co Windshield washer fluid level
II Please refill washer fluid
If the symbol illuminates, add windshield
washer fluid to the washer system/headlight
washer system* <=>
page 234.
4I:> Windshield wipers
!I Windshield wiper defective
There is a malfunction with the windshield
wipers.
Drive to your authorized Aud i dealer immedi­
ately to have the mal function cor rected .
~!}0 10$ Defective light bulb warning
I-If the indicator light turns on, a bulb has
fa iled. The message indicates the location of
the bulb.
II-if a fog lamp* has failed, the ind icator
light t urns on to indicate the location on the
vehicle.
[ti-if a rea r fog lamp has failed, the ind icator
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 A udi dealer immedi­
ate ly to have the ma lfunction corrected.
A WARNING
- Light bulbs are pressurized and could ex­
plode w hile they are being changed ca us­
ing serious personal injury.
- Work with due care when hand ling the
high-voltage sect ion of gas discharge
(xenon) lights. Failure to do so could re­
sult in death or serious injury.
(1) Tips
Have the bu lb replaced or the connection
repaired by your authorized Audi Service
department.
i.lD Headlight range control
II Headlight range control: defective!
If the symbol illuminates, the headlight range
control is no longer work ing properly. Have
the system checked and repaired at your Audi
dealer .
~0 Adaptive Light
Applies to veh icles: w it h Adaptive light
ml 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 st ill
function.
Go to an authorized dealersh ip to have the
headlights or the control unit for the Adaptive
Light repa ired .
@ Light/rain sensor
!I Automatic headlights/automati c wipers:
system fault
If the indicato r light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, the light/rain sensor is not
funct io nin g correctly.
For safety reasons the low beams are turned
on permanently with the switch in
AUTO . liJI,

22 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
However, you can continue to turn the lights
on and
off using the light switch . You can still
control a ll funct ions that are independent of
the rain sensor through the windshield wiper lever.
Contact your authorized Audi dealer as soon
as possible to have the prob lem corrected.
@! Dynamic steering
1;r.ij Steering: system fault. you can continue
driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the steering may be more diffi­
cult to move or more sensitive than usual. The
steering wheel may also be at an angle when
driving straight .
Drive slow ly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected.
tT@ Dynamic steering: initialising
If th is driver message appears and the ind ica­
tor light is flashing on the instrument panel,
dynamic steering is being reinitialized. Once
you start the engine after this is finished, the steering wheel w ill be easy to move . Re-initi ­
alization might be necessary if the steering
wheel was moved hard to the left and r ight
while the veh icle was not moving . The display
goes out as soon as init ialization is complete .
A WARNING
-
Have the dynamic steering system mal­
function repaired as soon as possible by an
authorized Audi dealer or any qualified
workshop -risk of accident!
@ Tips
-The dynamic steering stability systems
are not available in the event of a system
malfunction.
- For additional informat ion on dynamic
stee ring, refer to
¢page 103.
I-: Sport differential
II Sport differential: system fault
There is a malfunction with the sport d ifferen ­
t ial.
Drive to your authori zed Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
II Sport differential: overheating
The transmission temperature has increased
s ignificantly due to the sporty driving manner.
Drive in a less sporty manner until the tem­
perature returns to the normal range and the
indicator light switches of.
A WARNING
Contact your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop if the sport differential
is faulty or malfunct ioning . The repair
must be performed by trained personnel
using the correct oil in order to ensure
safety.
¢ 9 Turn signals
-
The indicator light blinks when you use either
turn signal .
Whenever you use the left B or the right B
turn signal, the indicator light blinks. When
you use the emergency flashers , both indica­
tor lights flash .
If one of the turn signal light bulbs burn out,
the turn signal will blink twice as fast as nor­ mal. Carefu lly dr ive to your authorized Audi
dealer immed iately to have the malfunction
corrected. The indicator light does not indi­
cate a malfunction if a turn signal on the trail­
er or on the vehicle fails in trailer towing
mode.
@ Tips
For more information on the turn signals,
refer to
¢ page 45.

Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 23
Driver information
display
Overview
Fig. 4 Driv er in formation system in t he in strum en t
cl uster
Fig . 5 D isplay: e xample of th e informa tion line
The driver information system contains infor­
mation
® that is displayed on tabs ®
c::> fig. 4. The follow ing content is possibl e de­
pending on vehicle equipment:
®
Tab
1
2
---
®
Content
Vehicle functions:
On-board computer <=;>page 24
Digital speedometer
Cruise control*
c::> page 85
Adaptive cru ise control and Audi
braking guard*
c::>page 87
Audi lane assist* c::> page 96
Display darkened
Indicator lights and messages
Warning when a door, the hood or
the rear lid is not closed
c::> page 26
Service interval display¢
page 25
Speed warning system ¢ page 85
--
® ®
Tab Content
3 Night vision assistant* c::> page 106
4 Audio/video
s Telephone*
6 Navigation*
The second and th ird tabs are only v isible if at
least one indicator light or message is shown
o r i f that system is switched on .
The status line © is located in the bottom
part of the d isplay
c::> fig . 4. It displays the ex­
terior temperature , time , selecto r lever posi­
tion, trip odometer and odometer.
I
For some vehicle functions, you can access the
trip information from the temporary memory
r::!;> page 24 i n the line (D c::> fig. 5.
& WARNING ,.______ -
- Never re ly exclusively on the outside
temperature display to determine if a
road surface is icy or not. Keep in mind
that road surfaces, especia lly bridges
and overpasses, could be ice covered and
slippery even at an outside temperature
above 41 °F ( +S
0
() .
-Always remember, even if the "snow­
flake" symbol (ice warning) does not ap­ pear in the display, black ice could be on
the road .
- Always reduce your speed and drive with
special care in cold weather conditions
when the chance of encountering icy road surfaces increases.
(i) Tips
-At temperatures below 14 °F (+ S 0
() a
snowf lake symbol appears ahead of the
temperature display .
It is intended to re­
mind the driver to pay special attention
to
ice on the road c::> &. If the vehicle is
stationary, or if you are driving at a very
low speed, the temperature shown in the
display might be slightly higher than the
actual outside temperature. This is

24 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
ca used by the he at being radiated from
t h e engine.
- Y ou can se lect the units used for temper­
atu re, speed and other measurements i n
the MMI.
- Fo r i nforma tion on the a udio/video and
navigation* functions, refer to the se pa­
r ate MMI owner's manual.
Operation
The driver information system is operated us ­
ing the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
en
~------,~
;;i,
Fig . 6 Mult ifunct io n steer in g whee l: ope rat ing t he d riv ­
er informa tion sys tem
Fi g. 7 Driver info rm ation system : open ing t he ve hicle
f unct io ns m en u
Operating concept
.. Switch the ignition on.
.. To sw itch between the tabs, press the rock­
er switch @to the left or right¢
fig. 6.
.. To access addi tional info rmat ion be low or
above, rotate the thumbw heel @ dow n or
u p.
.. To confi rm a se lecti on, press the thum b­
w hee l@ .
Accessing Vehicle functions
.. Sele ct the first t ab with the ro cker swi tch
@ .
.. Press the button ~-Th e Vehicle funct ions
menu appears ¢ fig. 7.
.. To se lect a menu item, turn and press t he
thumbwheel @.
Resetting values to ze ro
.. Select the on-board computer / Efficiency
program
menu item in the Vehicle func­
tions
menu .
.. Yo u can now select between the long-term
memory and s hort-term memory .
.. To reset the values in a memory, p ress a nd
hold the thumbwheel @ for one second .
The last function selected d isp lays when you
switch the ignition on .
On-board computer
You can call up the fo llowing info rmation in
the on -board computer:
- Dat e
- Dr iving t ime ( h) from the short-term memo-
ry
- Average cons umption in MPG ( l/100 km)
from the short-te rm memory
- Average speed i n mph (km/h) from the
short-te rm memory
- Dis tance driven in miles (km) from the
short-t erm memory
- Cur ren t fu e l consumption in MPG ( l/100
km)
- Short -te rm memory overview
- Long-term memory overview
T he short-te rm memory collects dr iv ing infor ­
mation from the time the ig nition is switched
on until it is switched off. If you continue driv­
i ng within two ho urs after switch ing the ig ni­
tion off, the new values are included when cal­
cu lating the c urrent t rip information .
U nli ke the short-term memory , the long-term
memory is not erased automatically . You can
select the time period for evaluating trip in-
format io n yourself . ..,.

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 25
For some vehicle functions, you can access the
trip information from the temporary memory
in the line
(I) c:;; page 23, fig. 5.
@ Tips
- All stored values will be lost if the vehi­
cle battery is disconnected.
- Fuel consumptions (average and cur­
rent), range and speed are displayed in
metric units on Canadian models.
Odometer
Fig. 8 Instrument cluster Odometer and reset b utto n
The odometer shows you how many miles
(kilometers) you have driven. You can switch
th e display from miles to kilometers and vice
versa via the MMI.
Upper odometer
The trip odometer shows the distance driven
since it was last reset.
It can be used to meas­
ure short distances. The last digit indicates 1/10 of a mile (100 meters).
You can reset the trip odometer to zero by
pressing the Reset button~-
Lower odometer
The lower odometer shows the total number
of miles (kilometers) driven .
Malfunction message
If there is a malfunction in the instrument
cluster,
DEF will appear in the trip odometer
display area. Contact your authorized Audi
dealer to have the problem corrected .
Time and date display
...
I~
Fig. 9 Cente r console : analog clock
The date and time are shown in the instru­
ment cluster display
c:;; page 23, fig. 4. There
is also an analog clock in the center console
¢fig . 9 .
:r
~
When you open the driver's door, the date and
time appear in the instrument cluster display
for 30 seconds. When the ignition is switched
on, the time is always displayed in the status
line © regardless of the current display.
You can set the time on both clocks and the
date display in the MMI. Refer to the MMI
owner's manual for instructions.
Service interval display
The service interval display reminds you when
your next service is due .
Fig. 10 Instrument cluster: Serv ice inte rval disp lay
The schedule for the next oil change or inspec­
tion is calculated automatically and displayed
accordingly. The display works in two stages:
Service reminder
30 days before the next service is due, a serv­
ice reminder appears in the display when you
switch the ignition on
¢fig. 10. ..,.

26 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
After abo ut 5 seconds the display sw itches
back to normal. The distance and time re­
maining are updated eac h time the ignition is
switched on until the date due for service is
reached .
Service due
When the due date for service is reached , the
message
Serv ice due! appears in the instr u­
ment cluster immediately after you switch the
ignit io n on . Additionally, a warning tone
sounds . After about
5 seconds the display
sw itches back to no rmal.
Calling up the service schedules
If or when an oil change or inspection is due,
can be shown in the MMI d isplay by select ing
the service interva l display in the car menu .
Select the
!CAR ! function button> Car sys­
tems
co ntrol button > Servicing & checks >
Service interval disp lays.
Re setting the service interval display
Your author ized Audi dealer w ill reset the cor­
responding service sched ule after performing
the app rop riate se rv ice on you r vehicle . You
a lso have the possibili ty to reset the o il
change sched ule after having performed an
oil c hange a ccor ding to Audi s pecifications.
Selec t the
I CAR I func tion button > Car sys­
tems
c on trol b utt on > Servicing & checks >
Service interval displays > Reset oil change
inte rval.
{[) Note
If you disconnec t the b attery termi nals, no
calc ulations can be made for the serv ice
interva l display during this t ime and no
service rem inder w ill appea r. Remembe r
that obse rv in g the prope r se rv ice interva ls
is vitally impo rtant to extend ing the life of
your v eh icle, part icu larly the eng ine, and
main taini ng its va lue . Ev en i f th e m ileage
driv en is low, th e maximum per iod o f one
yea r from o ne se rvi ce to the nex t mus t not
be e xcee ded.
(D Tips
- Do not reset the display betwee n oil
c h anges, otherwise the d isp lay w ill be in­
co rrect.
- Th e info rmation in the Se rvice Remin der
remains stored even w hen t he vehicle
battery is disconnected.
Open door /hood /rear lid warning
F ig. 1 1 Display : doors and rea r lid open
Wi th the ig nition sw itched on, t he warn ing il­
lu minates when at least
one doo r or th e hood
or the rear lid is not closed. The sym bo l also
shows you
which d oor(s) or lid is not closed.
In the illustration
r:!> fig. 11 it is the driver's
doo randt he leftrea rdoo ~
On-Board Diagnostic
system (OBD)
Malfunction Ind icator Lamp (MIL )
The Ma lf u nction Indicator Lam p (M IL) f-4 in
t h e instr ume nt cluster is part of t he On -Board
Diagnostic (OBD
II) system .
T he wa rn ing /indic ator lig ht ill uminates when
the ignitio n is switched on and goes ou t after
t h e engine sta rts and t he id le has sta bilized.
This ind icates that the MIL is working proper­
ly.
If the light does not go out afte r the e ngine
is starte d, or illumi nates w hile you are driv­
i ng, a mal function may exist in the engine sys ­
tem . If t he light illum inates, t he catalytic con-
verter could be damaged .
IIJ,-

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 2 7
Continue driving with reduced power (avoid­
ing sustained high speeds and/or rapid accel­
erat ions) and have the condition corrected.
Contact your author iz ed Audi dealer.
If the light ill uminates, the electronic speed
limiter may also be ma lfunctioning . For more
information ¢
page 2 7, Electronic speed
limiter .
An improperly closed fuel fi ller cap may also
cause the MIL light to ill uminate ¢
page 217.
On-Board Diagnostics
Fig. 12 Loca tion of Data Li nk Connector (DLC)
On-Board Diagnostics monitors the compo­
nents of yo ur emission control system. Each
mon itored component in your engine system
has been assigned a code. In case of a ma l­
function, the component will be identified and the fault stored as a code in the contro l
module memory.
The MIL light may a lso illuminate if there is a
l eak in the on-board fue l vapor recovery sys­
tem. If the light illuminates after a ref uelling,
stop the veh icle and make sure the fue l filler
cap is properly closed ¢
page 217.
In order to make an accurate diagnosis, the
stored data can only be displayed using spe­
cial diagnostic equipment (gener ic scan tool
for OBD).
In order to connect the special diagnostic
eq uipment, push the plug into the Data Link
Connector (DLC). The DLC is located to the right of the hood release¢
fig. 12.
Your authorized Audi dea ler or a qualified
service station can interpret the code and per­
form the necessary repair.
A WARNING
Do not use the diagnostic connector for
personal use. Incorrect usage can cause
malfunctions, wh ich can increase the risk
of a collision!
Electronic speed limiter
-
Your vehicle may be factory equipped w ith
t ir es that are rated fo r a maximum speed of
130 mph (210 km/h). This is less than the
maximum speed of your vehicle . To reduce the
risk of sudden tire fai lure and loss of control if
the vehicle is operated at excessive speeds,
your vehicle a lso has an e lectronic speed limit­
er . The e lectronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from going faster than the tire speed rating . For more information ¢
page 246.
If the engine contro l unit receives faulty vehi­
cle road speed signa ls, the Ma lfunction Indi·
cator Lamp (MIL)
fllllij w ill illuminate. If this
occurs, contact the nearest authorized Audi
dealer for assistance .
A WARNING
-
Always observe the posted speed limits
and adjust your speed to suit prevailing road, traffic and weather conditions. Never
drive your vehicle faster than the maxi­
mum speed rating of the tires installed.

28 Opening and closing
Opening and closing
Keys
Key set
Fig. 13 Key set
@ Remote control key with mechanical
key
You can centrally lock and unlock your vehicle
and start the engine with the master key with remote control. A mechanical key is integrat­
ed in the remote control key
c:> page 29 .
@ Emergency key
The emergency key is not intended for con­
stant use.
It should only be used in an emer­
gency. Keep it in a safe place and do not carry it on your key ring.
Key replacement
If you lose a key, contact your authorized Audi
dealer immediately to have the
lost key disa­
bled. Be sure to bring all your keys with you.
Personal comfort settings
If two peop le use one vehicle, it is recom­
mended that each person always uses "their
own" master key . When the ignition is switch­
ed off or when the vehicle is locked, personal
convenience settings for the follow ing sys­
tems are stored and assigned to the remote
master key.
- Automatic climate control
- Central locking system
- Rear window sun blind
- Amb ient lighti ng
- Seat memory
- Parking system* - Adaptive cruise control*
-
Aud i lane assist*
- Aud i side assist*
-Audi drive select
- Night vision assistant*
- Heated steering wheel *
T he stored settings are automatically recalled
when you unlock the vehicle, when you open
the doors or when you switch the ignition on.
A WARNING
-- Do not leave your vehicle unattended. Al­
ways take your ignit ion key with you and
lock your vehicle. Entry by unauthorized
persons could endanger you or result in
theft or damage the vehicle.
- Do not leave ch ildren unattended in the
veh icle, especially with access to vehicle
keys. Unguarded access to the keys pro­
vides children the opportunity to start
the engine and/or activate vehicle sys­
tems such as the power windows, etc.
Unsupervised operation of any vehicle
system by children can result in serious
injury.
(D Tips
- The operation of the remote control key
can be temporarily disrupted by interfer­
ence from transm itters in the vic inity of
the vehicle working in the same frequen­
cy range (e .g. a cell phone, radio equip­
ment).
- For security reasons, replacement keys
are only available from Audi dealers.
- For Declaration of Compliance to United
States FCC and Industry Canada regula­
tions<=>
page 283.