2008 AUDI S8 brake

If a component is malfunctioning or if the need for an urgent repair
has been detected, this will appear in the instrument clus ter display .
You will a lso hear an audible warning tone . The displays are co lor
coded in either red or yellow depending on their level of priority.
A red symbol means
D anger , a yellow symbo l ind icates W arning . In
certain situations, information message for the driver appear in
addit ion to the red and yellow symbo ls .
Fun ction t est: au tom atic transmission
The Auto-Check Contro l will automat ically perform a test each time
you switch on the ignition. With the selector lever in
P or N , the
f ollowing message appears in the display:
When stati onar y appl y fo ot brake while selecting gea r.
When you a select a different gear (for example : R, D , etc.l, the
message will disappear and the Auto -Check function is disp layed.
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 i nfo rmation messages are shown in the instrument
cluster display in addition to the red and yellow symbols.
Controls and equip­ ment
Fig. 16 CHEC K button
in th e instru ment
c lu ster
Driv er information di splay
For example, if the transmission selector lever is not in the P posi­
ti on when the engine is turned off, the following message appears:
Shift t o P, otherwi se ve hic le can roll away. Doors do not lo ck if
le ver i s not in P .
The igni tion key can only be removed with the selector in this pos i­
tion. This and other messages are brought up if a function cannot
be car ried ou t.
Dri ver messa ges and r ed symbols
If a red symbo l appears in the display, a driver message can be
shown by pressing the [ CH ECK] button.
For example, the symbol f or a problem with engine oi l
pressure~
appears in the disp lay . If you then press the [ CHECK] button , the
fo llowing driver message appears in the d isp lay:
S witch off engine and che ck oil level
The driver message in the display goes out after about 5 seconds .
The dr iver message can be d isplayed aga in by briefly pressing the
[ CHECK] button .
Driver me ssages and yellow symbols
If a yellow symbol appears in the display, a driver message is also
displayed automat ica lly .
For examp le, the symbol
G> appears in the disp lay, indicating low
windshield washer fluid level. The following message also appears :
Please top up wa sher fluid
The driver message disappears after a few seconds . The driver
message can be d isplayed aga in by briefly pressing the [ CHECK]
button. •

Driver inf orma tio n displ ay
Red symbols
A red symbol means DANGER.
Pull off the road.
-Stop the vehicle .
-Turn off the engine.
Fig . 17 Dis play: en gine
co ola nt leve l warnin g
(pr iori ty 1)
-Check the malfunctioning system. Contact your aut ho-
rized Audi dea ler or a qua lified workshop for assistance.
Red symbols indicate a prio rity malfunction -Danger!
With a priority 1 malfunction, a large symbol appears in the center area of the
disp lay => fig. 17. When the symbol appears, three
warning tones sound in succession . The symbol continues 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 displayed until
the fault is corrected.
If there are more than one priority 1 malfunctions, the symbo ls
appear one after the other for about 2 seconds .
An additional driver message can a lso be d isplayed by briefly
pressing the
( CHECK) button .
The red symbols mean:
BRAKE
-
((l))
©
.....
[ i ] Tips
U SA m od els: => page 30
Brake system malfunction
C anad a mod els:
B rake system malfunction
II=> page 30
Engine coolant level too
=> page 31
low/engine coolant temperature
too high
En gine o il p ress ure too lo w
=> page 32
Faulty steering
=> page 33
Fa ult y ig nition s witch
=> page 33
• If the warning/indicator light
BRAKE (USA mode ls)/ <@ (Canada
models) in the instrument cluster flashes, there is a brake system
malfunction. By pressing the [
CHECK) button, you can bring up a
driver message which exp lains the malfunction in more detail.
Please
note=> page 30.
• Speed warnings threshold 1
8 (USA modelsl /8 (Canada
models) and threshold 2
8 . (USA models)/ 0, (Canada models) are
also shown as red symbo ls . The warning is a lways shown as a small
symbol in the upper area of the
display => page 36 . •
Brake system malfunction
A malfunction in the brake system must be repaired as
soon as possible.
If the warning /indi cator light BRAKE (USA models)/ ((D)
(Canada models) in the instr ument cluster flashes, there is
a brake system malfunction . By pressing the [
CHECK] ~

button, you can bring up a driver message which explains
the malfunction in more detail.
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid level
- Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
- Check the brake fluid level ::::>
page 317.
-Contact your nearest authorized repair facility if neces-
sary.
Brake fault ! Drive carefully to nearest workshop
- Drive carefully to the nearest authorized repair facility
and have the malfunction corrected
=> &.
Parking brake ! Please contact workshop
- If the warning/indicator light flashes when the vehicle is
stationary or after the ignition is turned on, check to see
if the parking brake can be released. Drive to an autho­
rized repair facility as soon as possible and have the
malfunction corrected. If the parking brake cannot be
released, contact your nearest authorized repair facility.
- If the warning/indicator light flashes while you are
driving, it is possible that the traction control or the
emergency brake has malfunctioned. It is possible that
the parking brake cannot be applied. It is also possible
that the parking brake cannot be released after it has
been applied. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer to have
the malfunction corrected.
Controls and equip­
ment
Driver information display
If the ABS, ESP and the brake force distribution fail , the ABS
warning/indicator light and the ESP warning/indicator light come
on along with the brake system malfunction warning/indicator light
=>& .
& WARNING
• Always observe the warnings in => page 299, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the hood and checking the brake fluid.
• Driving with low brake fluid is a safety hazard. Stop the car and
get professional assistance .
• USA models: If the BRAKE warning light, the !';. warning light and
the ABS warning light come on together, the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss
of vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired
immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified work­
shop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
• Canada models: If the brake warning light ((D), the 1$ warning
light and the ABS warning light
0 come on together, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control and an accident . Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop . Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake
applications. •
Engine cooling system malfunction -L
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
repaired as soon as possible.
When the -L symbol in the display blinks, then either the
engine coolant
temperature is too high, or the coolant level
is too low. An additional driver message can also be
displayed by pressing the
[CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check coolant level

Driver inf orma tio n displ ay
Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Fig . 18 Display: low
fu el l eve l warn in g
(pr iori ty 2)
Yellow symbols indicate a priority 2 malfunction - Warning!
When a yellow warning symbol appears,
one warning tone sounds.
A driver message appears as well to explain the malfunction 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 [ CHECK
I 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
Electromechanical
parking brake
Check engine oi l level
=> page 311
= page 34
=> page 136
=> page 35
Engine oil sensor malfunction => page 35
Low fue l level => page 35
-
Windshield washer fluid = page35
level low ~
Battery voltage => page35
-
II Battery in remote control key = page48
Advanced Key* = page 133
Key not in vehicle
USA mod els: = page26
Defective brake light
Canad a m od els: => page26
Defective brake light
Defective light bulb
=> page26
Adaptive Light* defective => page36
-
Dynamic headlight range => page36
ll contro l defective
Defective light -/rain sensor
= page36
--Tire pressure monitoring sys-= page42
tern
II Loss of air pressure
Tire pressure monitoring sys -
= poge45
tern
System not available
•
Worn brake pads
l"J Br ake pad s !

If the symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dea ler to
have the front brake pads inspected (on that occas ion have the rear
brakes inspected as wel l to be
safe!. •
Checking the engine oil level ~
~-Please c hec k oil le vel
When the symbo l illuminates, check the engine oi l leve l as soon as
possible=> page 311 . Add oil if necessary=> page 312 . •
Engine oil sensor defective ~ ....
~ ... Oil le vel ! sen sor defe cti ve
If the symbo l illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dea ler and
have the oi l sensor inspected . Unt il you have this done, check the o il
level each time you refuel just to be on the safe
side => page 311. •
Fuel supply too low Bil
Bu Please refuel
When the symbol i lluminates, th is means there are abou t 2.4
gallons (9 l itres) of fue l left in the fue l tank . Time to refuel.
=> page 302 .
If the symbo l lights up, even when there is ample fuel in the tank,
and the text
Tan k sys tem m alfunct ion ! Conta ct w ork shop appears
in the disp lay, there is a fault in the system. Contact a qual ified work ­
shop to have the fau lt rectified .•
Windshield washer fluid level too low ~
~ Ple ase top up washer fluid
Controls and equip­ ment
Driver information di splay
If the symbo l illuminates, add windshie ld washer fluid to the washer
system and a lso to the headlig ht washer
sys tem => page 323. •
Battery voltage 0
If the battery 's state o f charge is not in the optimal range, the 0
symbo l is shown in the display and the driver message L ow batter y
charge: b attery will be charged while driving
appears .
Whi le this driver not ification is displayed, you have to be prepared
for limited starting capability .
Drive r m essa ge a ppear s a nd go es out ag ain
If th is d rive r message appears after the ign ition is turned on or
wh ile dr iving and it goes out again after a wh ile, the battery has
been adequately recharged.
Dri ver messa ge ap pears a nd does not g o out ag ain
If t his drive r notif ication appea rs after the ignition is t urned o n or
wh ile driving and does not go out again, the battery's state of
charge is not in the opti mal range. Start ing capab ility is restricted.
Have the battery c hecked at a dea lership as soon as possible. •
Applies to vehi cles : with Advanced Key
Key not in vehicle ..?c
.,J. Key not in vehi cle
This message appears toget her with the ..J. symbol when the
remote control key is removed from the vehicle whi le the engine is
run ning. This is to remind you that you s hould not continue your trip
without your key.
I f the remote control key is no longer i n the vehicle, you w ill not be
able to start the engine aga in after you have switched off the igni ­
tion. In addition to this, you will not be able to lock the vehic le from
the outside. •

-Position the head restraint according to the occupant's
height~ page 91. For maximum protection, the top of
the head restraint should be at least at eye level, prefer­
ably higher and ideally level with the top of the head
~ page 203, fig. 218.
& WARNING
Never place any objects in the driver's footwell. An object could
get into the pedal area and interfere with pedal function. In case
of sudden braking or an accident, you would not be able to brake
or accelerate. •
Front passenger's seat
Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost
position.
To avoid contact with the airbag while it is deploying, do not
sit any closer to the instrument panel than necessary and
always wear the three-point safety belt provided adjusted
correctly. We recommend that you adjust the passenger's
seat in the following manner:
-Move the front passenger seat into the rearmost position
of the fore and aft adjustment
range~ & in "Why is
your seat adjustment so important?" on
page 86.
-Bring the backrest up to an (almost) upright position. Do
not ride with the seat reclined.
-The ideal position for the head restraint is with the upper
edge of the restraint level with the top of your head
~ page 91. You should not lower the top of the restraint
below the level of your eyes.
Contro ls a nd eq uip­
ment
Seats and storage
-Place your feet on the floor in front of the passenger's
seat. •
Power seat
Controls
The operating logic for the switches corresponds to the
construction and function of the seat.
Fig. 81 Power seat:
Controls for seat
adjustment
The switches to adjust the seats correspond to the layout, the
design and the function of the seat. The seats are adjusted by
moving the switches following this logic .
@ Upper thigh support=> page 88
@ Seat adjustment=> page 88
© Massage function*=> page 89
® Seatback angle => page 89 and head restraint => page 91 adjust -
ment
© Separate adjustment of upper seatback section => page 89
0 Adjusting the lumbar support=> page 90
@ Safety belt height adjustment => page 216
Vehicle care
I I irechnical data

________________________________________________ S_ e_ a_t _
s _a_ n_d _ s_t _o _ r_ a_ g~ e __ fflll
0 Note
To avoid damaging the socket, only use plugs that fit properly.
[ i] Tips
When the engine is off and accessories are still plugged in and are
on, the vehicle battery can still be drained. •
Storage
General overview
There are numerous places to store items in your vehicle.
Glove compartment
Storage compartment
Pockets in the front seats*
Compartments in the door trim panels
Compartments in the rear doors*
Coat hooks => page 109
=> page 110
=> page 110
=> page 111
=> page 111
Left side storage compartment in the => page 112
trunk
--Right side storage compartment in the => page 113
trunk
Emergency warning triangle
=> page 348
& WARNING
• Always remove objects from the instrument panel. Any items
not stored could slide around inside the vehicle while driving or
Controls and equip­ ment
&, WARNING (continued)
when accelerating or when applying the brakes or when driving
around a corner.
• When you are driving make sure that anything you may have
placed in the center console or other storage locations cannot fall
out into the footwells. In case of sudden braking you would not be
able to brake or accelerate.
• Any articles of clothing that you have hung up must not inter­
fere with the driver's view. The coat hooks are designed only for
lightweight clothing . Never hang any clothing with hard, pointed
or heavy objects in the pockets on the coat hooks. During sudden
braking or in an accident -especially if the airbag is deployed -
these objects could injure any passengers inside the vehicle. •
Glove compartment
Your Owner's Literature and the media player are stored
in the lockable glove compartment.
t------.-,.---------. l
i
Fig. 117 Glove
compartment

___ O_ n_ t_h _e_ r_o _ a_ d ____________________________________________________ _
[ i J Tips
• If you release the ignition key in positions G) ,@ or G) , the key
automatically returns to pos ition @.
• If you open the driver 's door when the ignition is switched on , a
buzzer sounds and the message
Ignition is on appears in the instru ­
ment cluster display. Please switch the ignition off .•
Ignition key safety lock
The igni tio n key can only be re move d when the selector
lever is in the
"P" (P ark) posi tion.
After turning off the ignition , the igni tion key can only be removed
from the ignition lock when the selec tor lever is in the
"P" (Park)
position . Af ter you have removed the key , the selector lever is locked
and cannot be moved .•
Starting and stopping the engine
Starting the engine
The engine ca n only be st arted with y our or iginal A udi
key.
Fig . 14 5 Ignit ion key
po sitions
-St ep o n the brake.
- Move t he selector lever into P or
N => &, .
-Turn the ign ition key to position 0 => fig . 14 5 -do not
depress the gas pedal when start ing t he engine .
A cold engine may sound loud after it has be en started. This is due
to the hydrau lic valves building up oil pressure. This is normal and
is not a n eed fo r concern .
I f the engine does not start immediately, stop trying after 10
seconds and then try to restart the engine about 30 seconds later .
& WARNING
Never start or let the engine run in a confined or en clo sed are a.
Exhaust fumes from the engine contain carbon monoxide, a color ­
less and odorle ss gas . Carbon mono xide can be fatal if inhaled.
• Never leave the engine idling unattended. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine po ses a dange r of person al injury or
theft.
0 Note
• Avo id high e ngine speeds, fast accelerati on or heavy eng ine
loads while the engine is still cold. This could damage the engine.
• The eng ine ca nnot be s tarted by push ing or towi ng the ve hicle.
To avoid unnecessary engine wear and to reduce exhaust emis ­
sions, do not let your vehic le stand and warm up. Be ready to drive
off im mediately afte r starting your vehicle . Maintain modera te
speed until the engine is completely warm . Remember , the engine
performs best at operating temperature. •