2008 AUDI S8 ESP

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0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold. If necessary , increase the proportion of
coolant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system,
remember:
-We recommend using only coolant additive G12+ + (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is available at autho­
rized Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protection . The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage .
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's
engine coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result
in damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty .•
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig . 267 Engine
compartment : Coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 307.
Turn off the ignition.
Read the engine coolant level from the coolant expan­
sion
tank => fig. 267 . With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
"max" marking.
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the
engine compartment illustration =>
page 308.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric
coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto­
Check
System => page 31 will blink until you add coolant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system. In the event
of coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer . It is not enough merely to add
coolant .
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating.
& WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot. Reduce
the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these steps.
.,_
Vehic le care I I Technical data

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checked by a service facility. The e lectrolyte level should also be
checked each time the battery is charged =>
page 321.
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
With ce rtain types of airbag deployment, the battery is discon­
nected from the vehicle electrical system for safety reasons=>
& in
"Repair, care and disposal of the airbags" on
page 232.
Di sconn ecting the b atte ry terminal s
Some veh ic le functions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected. These functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again. To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
veh icle electrical sys tem when absolu tely necessary for repairs.
Veh icl es not driv en for lo ng p eriods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or
weeks, electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumpt ion and maintains starting capability
over a longer period
=> page 274 .
Be aware that when you unlock your vehicle, some of the conve ­
nience functions may not operate, such as the Advanced Key*, the
remote control or the power seat adjustment. The convenience
functions will be ava ilable again when you turn on the ignition and
start the engine.
W int er operati on
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc. , are
used more often .
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when trave ling only short distances . Let your authorized Audi dea ler
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=> page 321. A well charged battery will n ot only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but wi ll also last longer.
[ i ] Tips
If your vehic le is left standing for severa l weeks at extreme ly low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. Th is wil l prevent it from be ing damaged and
having to be replaced.•
Working on the battery
Be espe cially careful when w orking on or near the battery.
Fig . 2 69 Lugg age
co mpartment : R ight ­
si de sto ra ge c omp art­
m ent
F ig. 2 70 Lugg age
co mp artment : B atte ry
T h e ba tter y is lo ca te d in t he luggage compartm ent on the
r ight side b ehind a c ove r. Before you check a nything in the
luggag e co m partment,
read and heed all WARNINGS =>& . .,.
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

-Checking and filling PW~---=---=----------------
It is not necessary to remove the battery from the luggage compart ­
ment, and it is also not necessa ry t o disco nnec t the cab les.
F a st ch arging th e batt ery ( charging rate above 14 .8
V olts )
For technical reasons do not use a battery charger that uses voltage
greater tha n 14.8 Vo lts to charge your veh ic le's battery.
& WARNING
C harging a b attery can be dangerou s.
• Always follow the operating in structions provided by the
battery charger manufacturer when ch arging your b attery .
• Never charge a frozen battery . It may expl ode because of ga s
t rapped in the ice . Allow a frozen batter y to tha w out fir st .
• Do not reu se batteries which were fro zen. The battery hou sing
m ay have cracked and weakened when the battery froze.
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated are a. Keep aw ay from
open flame or electric al spar k. Do not smoke . Hydr ogen gas gener ­
ated by the battery i s explosive.
• To reduc e the danger of e xplosion , never conne ct or dis conn ect
charger cable s while the charger i s oper ating.
• Fa st charging a batter y is dangerous and should only be
a ttempted by a competent technician with the proper equipment .
• Battery ac id that may spill during charging should be washed
off with a solution of warm water and b aking soda to neutralize
the a cid .
0 Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine. This wil l
ser iously damage sens it ive elect ronic compo nents, such as control
units, r elays, radio , etc ., as wel l as the battery charger. •
Battery replacement
The new batte ry mus t have t he s ame s pecificati ons and
dimensions as the original equipment battery.
I ntel ligent energy management in your vehicle is responsible for
distr ibut ing the e lectr ica l energy throughout your veh icle
~ page 274. The inte lligent energy management system will keep
t he engine ba ttery charged be tter than vehicles without t his sys tem.
T o make sure the add it ional electr ical energy is avai lab le once aga in
after you have changed t he battery, we recommend that you ins tall
batteries of the same type and manufacture only (the same as those
insta lled at the time your vehicle was delivered). Specifications are
listed on the battery housing . Your authorized Audi dea ler wi ll then
code the battery management contro l unit .
The new battery must have the same capacity, voltage (12 volts), amperage, construction and p lug sea ling.
When instal ling the battery, make sure the ign ition and all elect rica l
consumers are turned off .
0 Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
'£> For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom ­
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfur ic acid and lead and must always be
disposed of proper ly i n compliance with all environmental regula­
tions . Disposing of vehicle batteries improper ly is very dangerous to
t he environment .•

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
& WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their
"previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage.
•
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
may be identified as
"XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side ­
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
( " GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
Vehicle care

_L--_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
L oa d r atin g (code)
means t he m aximum load that a t ire is rated to carry for a given
inf lation pressure . You may not find this information on a ll tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax imum l oad r ating
means t he load rating for a tire a t the maximum permissib le infla­
tion pressure for that tire.
Maximum l oaded v ehi cle wei ght
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capaci ty weight, and
(d) Product ion options weight
M ax imum (p er mis sibl e) infl ati on pr essure
means the maximum cold i nflation pressure to wh ic h a t ire may be
inflated. Also cal led "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occ upant we ight
means 150 lbs. (68 ki lograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the veh ic le up to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Oc cupant distributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer di ameter
means the overal l diameter of an inf lated new tire.
O verall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an infla ted t ire, includ ing elevat ions due to labe ling, decorat ions, or
protective bands or ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated para llel cords.
P rodu cti on opt ion s we ig ht
means the co mbined weight of those insta lled regular product ion
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which t hey replace, not previously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, inc luding heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy du ty bat tery, and special trim .
Rad ia l pl y tir e
means a pneumat ic t ire in wh ich t he ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
t read .
Recomm ended infl ation pres su re
see :::::> page 325, "Cold tire inflat ion pressure".
R einforc ed tir e
means a tire des ign to operate at higher loads and at higher infla­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires may be iden tified as
"XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewa ll.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
whic h the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di ame ter
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam ­
eter.
Rim siz e design ation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim w idth
means nominal distance between rim flanges .

lllffl...__T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n
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Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seating capacities Designated seating capacity , num­
ber of occupants
4
5
Cold tire inflation pressure
Vehicle no rmal load, number of
oc cupants
2
3
Occupant distribution in a normally
loaded vehicle
2 in front
2 in front, 1 in back seat
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle.
Fig . 272 Tire pressure
label: located either on
driver's side B-pillar or
inside the fuel filler flap
llRE AND LOADING INFORMATION
T IRE SIZE COLO TIRE PRESS URE
FRONT -KPa, -PSI
REAR -KP a, -PSI
SPARE -KPa , -PSI \.~__., ::::::::;=~ ===..:;,;_. Fig. 273 Tire pressure
label
Maintaining proper tire pressure is one of the most important
things you can do to help avoid sudden tire failure. Underinflated
tires are a major cause of sudden tire failure. Keeping tires at the
right pressure is also important for safe and responsive vehicle
handling, traction, braking and load carrying.
Tire pressures are
particularly important when the vehicle is being driven at higher
speeds, and then especially when heavily loaded even within the
permissible load-carrying capacities approved for your vehicle.
The recommended tire pressures for your Audi depend on the kind
of tires on your vehicle and the number of passengers and/or
amount of luggage you will be transporting.
•
Tire pressure generally refers to the amount of air in a tire that it
needs it to do its job and safely carry the combined load of the entire
vehicle and its contents . Tire pressure is measured in kilopascals
(kPa), the international measuring unit and in pounds per square
inch (PSIJ. Tire pressure is based in part on the vehicle's design and
load limit
-the greatest amount of weight that the vehicle can carry
safely and the tire size. The proper tire pressure is frequently
referred to as the "recommended cold tire inflation pressure." Air in
the tires expands when the tire heats up because of internal friction
when it flexes in use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire has
warmed up than when it is "cold." It is the inflation pressure in a
"cold" tire that counts. Therefore, you should never let air out of a
warm tire to match "cold tire inflation pressure " recommendations .
The tires would then be underinflated and could fail suddenly. On
USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's
side 8-pillar . On Canada vehicles , the tire pressure label is located
either on the driver's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel filler flap . The tire
l)ll-

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•
pressure label lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the vehic le at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured .
If yo u w is h to impro ve comfo rt when oper ating the vehi cle at
norm al lo ad (up to 3 occup ants), y ou can adju st tire pre ssure s to
tho se spe cified for norm al v ehi cle lo ad . Before oper ating the vehi cle
a t maximum lo ad , you mu st incre as e the tire pre ssure s to tho se
s p ec ified for m aximum vehi cle lo ad ::::>
& .
Bear in m ind that the tire pressure monito ring system can only
monitor the tire pressures you have stored . The system does not
recognize the load condition of your vehicle .
The effect iveness of the t ire pressure mon itoring system will be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
veh ic le at its maximum
load ::::>& .
Engin e II Tire design ati on See the i
llustration::::>
page 328, fig . 272 for the location of the label
e it h er o n driver's side 8 -p illar or inside the fue l fil ler flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slight ly!.
Note that the following tab le is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change . In the event o f discrepanc ies, the t ire
pressure label (On USA vehic les, the tire pressure labe l is located on
the driver's s ide 8 -p illar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label
is located either on the driver's side 8 -pi llar or inside the fuel fil ler
fl ap) always takes precedence .
The table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi mode l covered by your Owner's Literature at the
veh ic le's capacity weight and the tire s izes insta lled on the respec ­
tive models as original equipment, or as a factory option.
Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
( displa ce-
normal load
II full load norm
al load
full load
ment in
c ondition al condition condition al condition
liter)
PSI II kPA PSI II kPA PSI I I kPA If PSI IT kPA .,
8-c ylinder 255 /45 R1 8 99H All Sea son
33 230 33 230 30 2
10
33 230
4 .2
255/40 R19100V XL All Sea son 36 250 38 260 33 230 36 250
255 /40 R1 9 1 00 Y XL High P erformanc e 33 230 33 230 30 2 10 33 230
275 /35 R20 102V XL High Performance
33 230 36 250 30 2
10
39 270
8-cylinder 2 55/45 R1 8 99H All Sea son
33 230 35 240 30 2
10
33 230
4 .2 L
255/40 R1 9 100V XL All Sea son 36 250 38 260 33 230 36 250
255 /40 R1 9 1 00Y XL High Perfo rman ce
33 230 35 240
30 2
10
33 230
275 /35 R20 102V XL High Performance 33 230 36 250 30 2 10 39 270
Vehicle care
I

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Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
( displace-
normal load full load normal load
full load
ment in
liter)
condition al condition conditiona l condition
kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI
12-cylinder
255/45 R18 99H All Season 36 250 38 260 32 220 32 220
6.0 Individual
255 /40 R19 100V XL All Season 41 280 4 1 280 36 250 36 250
rear seats
255/40 R19 100V
XL High Performance
36 2
50
38 260 3
2 220 32 2 20
275 /35 R20 102Y
XL High Performance 38 41 280 35 2 40 44 300
12 -cylinder 255 /45 R18 99H All Season 36 250 36 250 32 220 32 220
6 .0
255 /40 R19 100V XL All Season 4 1
280 4
1
280 36 250 36 250
255 /40 R19 100V
XL High Performance
36 250 36 250 32 2 20 32 220
275 /35 R20 102Y XL High Performance 38 260 4 1 280 35 240 44 300
XL = reinforced or extra load tire . It may also appear as xi , EXTRA LOAD , or RF on the tire sidewall .
al norma l load cond ition => page 328.
The co rrect tire pressure for the spare wheel is located on a label
either on the driver 's s ide 8-pillar or inside t he fue l fil ler flap.
Because technica l changes may be made to vehicle equipment
du ring t he mode l year, always co mpare the tire si ze desig nati on on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle .
M ake s ure t hat the tire si ze info rmat ion o n the ve hicle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . T his is especial ly impor ­
t an t if t he vehicle bel ongs t o so me one e lse o r yo u boug ht the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ ­
ously owned ve hicle.
Reme mber, you r safety and that of y our passengers a ls o depe nds
on making su re that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
i nc ludes every body and everyt hin g in and o n th e veh icle . T hese load
limits are technically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Veh ic le
Weig ht Ratin g ("GVWR"). T he Gro ss Axle Weigh t Ra tin g ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two axles
. The Gross Vehic le We ight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating are l isted on the safety compl iance sticker labe l located
either on the driver's side 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel filler
fl ap . T he t ire p ressure label on you r A ud i lists t he m axi mum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
th at the v ehicle can carry . Fo r the locati on of the t ire press ure la be l
=> page 328, fig . 27 2.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control , a crash or
other accident, serious per sonal injury , and even death .
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the risk of a loss of vehicle control. ...,