2008 AUDI S8 service

Clear vision
To ensure the system works properly in winter, keep the washer jets
free of snow and remove any ice using a de -icing spray. •
Service position
The wiper blades can only be changed in the service posi­
tion.
Windshield wipers
'
• Serv ice posit ion
~ I I

12 :00 AM • ·I , I; J:: Fig . 77 MMI display :
Windshield wipers
-At below freezing outside temperatures, make sure first
that the wiper blades are not frozen to the windshield.
- Press the
I CAR I function button.
Select
Systems in the CAR menu.
Select
Windshield wipers . The Windshield wipers menu
appears~ fig. 77.
- Select
Service position on to turn the service position on
or
off to retu rn the windshield wiper to its original posi­
tion.
You must only attempt to change the wiper blades when the service position is activated. This way, when you are working on the wind­
shield wipers, you can avoid damaging the paint on the engine
hood.
[ i ] Tips
• You can also turn on the service position, for example, if you
want to protect the windshield from icing, using a cover.
• The service position turns itself
off, whenever you use the wind­
shield wiper lever.•
Installing new wiper blades
Wiper blades in good condition help keep the windshield
clear.
g
. = .!i
Fig . 78 Removing the
wiper blades
Fig. 79 Installing
wiper blades

Rem oving a wip er blade
- Bring the windshield wipers to the service pos ition
=> page 82 .
- Lift the wiper arm away from t he windshield.
- Pu sh t he locking piece on the wiper blade in the direction
of the
arrow @=> page 82, fig. 78. Hold the wiper b lade
firmly .
- Remove the wiper b lade @.
Inst allin g wip er bl ad e
- Place the new wiper blade in the retainer on the wiper
arm ©=> page 82, fig. 79.
- Pu sh t he locking piece on the w iper blade in the direction
of the
arrow @ until you feel it click into place on the
wiper arm .
Clean your wiper b lades regularly with a windshield washer solution
to prevent streaking . If the bla des are very dir ty, for example with
insects, carefully clean the b lades with a sponge or a soft brush .
I f the wiper b lades begin to s treak the windshie ld, t his could be
caused by residue left on the windshield by automatic car washes.
Fil l the windshield washer container with a special solution avail ­
able at your authorized Audi dealer to remove the residue .
& WARNING
Be sure t o in spe ct the condition of you r w iper bl ade s regul arly . S ee
your auth orized Audi de aler for repla ceme nt bl ade s.
0 Note
To prevent damage to the wiper system :
Controls and equip­
ment
Clea r vision
• Always loosen blades which are frozen to the windshield before
operating wipers.
• Do not use gaso line, kerosene, paint thinner, or other solvents on
or near t he wiper blades .
• Do not attempt to move the wipers by hand .
[ i] Tip s
Commercial hot waxes app lied by automatic car washes affect the
c leanabi lity of the windshield .•
Mirrors
Rear view mirror
When the ignition is on, the interior m irror w ill darken automatically
depending on the amount of light striking the mirror (suc h as head­
lights shining into the vehic le from the rear!. The mi rror wi ll retu rn
to the origina l state (anti -glare off) when you move the manual gear­
shift/gear selector lever into
Re verse or when you turn on the inte ­
rior lights.
[ i ] Tips
The automa tic an ti-g lare feature on the m irror wil l not operate prop­
e rly if the light shining on the inside mirror is b locked by other
objects. •

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Warm and cold
Climate controls
Description
The air conditioner is fully automatic and is designed to
maintain a comfortable and uniform climate inside the
vehicle.
We recommend the following settings:
- Set the temperature to 75 °F (+23 °C).
- Press the !AUTO
I button.
With this setting, you attain maximum comfort in the least amount
of time. Change this setting, as desired, to meet your personal needs.
The climate controls are a combination of heating, ventilation and cooling systems, which automatically reduce humidity and cool the
air inside your vehicle.
The air temperature, air flow and air distribution are automatically
regulated to achieve and maintain the desired passenger compart­
ment temperature as quickly as possible.
The system automatically compensates for changes in outside
temperature and for the intensity of the sunlight entering the
vehicle. We recommend you use the
Automatic mode=> page 117
for year -round comfort.
Please note the following:
Turn on the air conditioner to reduce humidity in the vehicle. This also prevents the windows from fogging up.
When the outside temperature is high and the air is very humid ,
condensation from the evaporator may drip under the vehicle. This
is normal and does not indicate a leak. If the outside temperature is
low, the fan normally only switches to
a higher speed once the engine coolant has warmed up sufficiently.
The air conditioner temporarily switches off when you drive off from
a standstill using full throttle to save engine power.
The compressor also switches off if the coolant temperature is too high, so that the engine can be adequately cooled under extreme
loads.
Air pollutants filter
The air pollutants filter (a combined particle filter and activated
charcoal filter) reduces or prevents outside air pollution (dust, or pollen) from entering the vehicle.
The air pollutants filter must be changed at the intervals specified
in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet, so that the air conditioner
can properly work.
If you drive your vehicle in an area with high air pollution, the filter
may need to be changed more frequently than specified in your
Audi Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. If in doubt, ask your autho­
rized Audi Service Advisor for advice.
Key coded settings
The air conditioner settings selected are automatically stored and
assigned to the key being used. When the vehicle is started, the air
conditioner automatically selects the settings assigned to that key.
This way every driver will maintain his/her own personal settings
and does not have to reset them manually.
If a different driver uses your key and changes the air conditioner
settings, the latest adjustments will erase and replace the settings
you have stored.
Energy management
To prevent the battery from being discharged and to restore the
balance of energy, components which require large amounts of

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Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant safety
always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving always:
- Make sure that all lights and signals are operat ing
correctly.
- Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
- Make sure that all windows are clean and afford good
visibility to the outside.
- Secure all luggage and other items
carefully => page 109.
-Make sure that nothing can interfere with the pedals.
- Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors correctly for your height .
- Instruct passengers to adjust the head restraints
according to their height.
- Make sure to use the right child restraint correctly to
protect
children => page 243, "Child Safety".
- Sit properly in your seat and make sure that your passen ­
gers do the
same => page 86, "General recommenda ­
tions".
- Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Also instruct
your passengers to fasten their safety belts properly
=> page 209. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of the
vehicle, the driver as well as the driver's ability to concen­
trate on the road without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the vehicle and all
of its occupants. If your ability to drive is impaired, safety
risks for everybody in the vehicle increase and you also
become a hazard to everyone else on the road
=>& .There ­
fore:
Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers or by
using a cellular telephone .
NEVER drive when your driving ability is impaired (by
medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
- Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and speed limits
and plain common sense .
- ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and weather
conditions.
- Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive for more
than two hours at a stretch.
- Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pressure or when
you are stressed .
& WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

& WARNING (continued)
• Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that
there are at least 4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the
lower part of the instrument panel .
• Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering
wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions
to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates .
• Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with
your hands at other positions inside the steering wheel rim or on
the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the
driver's airbag inflates
• Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the
ability of the supplemental driver's airbag to protect you in a colli­
sion .
• Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or
place any part of your body too close to the area where the airbags
are located.
• Before driving, always adjust the front seats and head
restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are properly
restrained .
• Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat
may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle.
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child seats
=> page 243. Special
precautions apply when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
=> page 218 . •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Driving Safely
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the
event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust the
seat for the front passenger to the follow ing position:
- Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible.
There must be a minimum of 10 inches (25 cm) between
the breastbone and the instrument
panel=> &.
-Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in an upright
position and your back comes in full contact with it
whenever the vehicle is moving.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as
even with the top of your head as possible but not lower
than eye level and so that it is as close to the back of your
head as
possible => page 203.
-Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the front
passenger seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts
correctly =:> page 213.
For detailed information on how to adjust the front passenger's
seat, see
=> page 86 .
& WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too
close to the airbag can be seriously injured or killed by the airbag
as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury : ..,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving Safely fflll
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Proper adjustment of head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an important part
of your vehicle's occupant restraint system and can help to reduce the risk of injuries in accident situations.
Fig . 218 Correctly
adjusted head restraint
viewed from the side
The head restraints must be correctly adjusted to achieve
the best protection.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge of the
restraint is level with the top of your head, but no lower
than eye level and so it is as close to the back of your
head as
possible ~ fig. 218.
Adjusting head restraints=> page 91.
& WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted head
restraints increases the risk of serious injuries in a collision. To
help reduce the risk of injury:
• Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly
adjusted.
• Every person in the vehicle must have a properly adjusted head
restraint.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
&, WARNING
(continued)
• Always make sure each person in the vehicle properly adjusts
their head restraint. Each head restraint must be adjusted according to occupants' size so that the upper edge is as even
with the top of the person's head, but no lower than eye level and
so it is as close to the back of to the head as possible .
• Never attempt to adjust head restraint while driving. If you
have driven off and must adjust the driver headrest for any reason,
first stop the vehicle safely before attempting to adjust the head
restraint.
• Children must always be properly restrained in a child restraint
that is appropriate for their age and size
=> page 243. •
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only reduce the risk of
injury if vehicle occupants are properly seated.
Improper seating positions can cause serious injury or
death . Safety belts can only work when they are properly
positioned on the body. Improper seating positions reduce
the effectiveness of safety belts and will even increase the
risk of injury and death by moving the safety belt to critical
areas of the body. Improper seating positions also increase
the risk of serious injury and death when an airbag deploys
and strikes an occupant who is not in the proper seating
position. A driver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle
occupants and especially for children. Therefore:
- Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect seating posi­
tion when the vehicle is being
used ~& .
The following bulletins list only some sample positions that will
increase the risk of serious injury and death. Our hope is that these
.,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of vehicle control
and increase the risk of serious injury.
• 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!
• Always make sure that nothing can fall or move into the
driver's footwell. •
Floor mats on the driver side
Always use floor mats that can be securely attached to
the floor mat fasteners and do not interfere with the free
movement of the pedals.
-Make sure that the floor mats are properly secured and
cannot move and interfere with the pedals =>& .
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area unobstructed and that
are firmly secured so that they canno t slip out of position . You can
obtain suitable floor mats from your authorized Audi Dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats us ed in your vehicle must be attach ed to these fas teners .
Properly securing the floor mats will prevent them from sliding into
positions that could interfere with the pedals or impair safe opera­
tion of your vehicle in other ways.
& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a loss of vehicle
control and increase the risk of serious personal injury.
• Always make sure that floor mats are properly secured.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
&, WARNING
(continued)
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings in the
vehicle that cannot be properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the pedals or the ability to
control the vehicle.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings on top
of already installed floor mats. Additional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal area and interfere with
the pedals.
• Always properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have been
taken out for cleaning.
• Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver foot­
well while the vehicle is moving. Objects can become trapped
under the brake pedal and accelerator pedal causing a loss of
vehicle control.
•
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be properly stowed and secured in the luggage compartment.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can shift
suddenly, changing vehicle handling characteristics. Loose
items can also increase the risk of serious personal injury in
a sudden vehicle maneuver or in a collision.
- Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
- Always place and properly secure heavy items in the
luggage compartment as far forward as possible.
- Secure luggage using the tie-downs provided
=> page 100, "Luggage compartment ".
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with four tie­
downs to secure luggage and other items.
Use the tie -downs to secure your cargo properly => page 205,
"Loading the luggage compartment".
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even smaller items that
are loose in the vehicle will become heavy missiles that can cause
serious injury. Items in the vehicle possess energy which vary with
vehicle speed and the weight of the item. Vehicle speed is the most
significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed of 30 mph (48 km/h),
the forces acting on a 10-lb (4.5 kg) object are about 20 times the
normal weight of the item. This means that the weight of the item
would suddenly be about 200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imagine the inju­ ries that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flying freely through the passenger
compartment could cause in a collision like this.
& WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used to secure items to tie­
downs can fail during hard braking or in a collision and cause
serious personal injury.
• Always use suitable mounting straps and properly secure
items to the tie-downs in the luggage compartment to help
prevent items from shifting or flying forward as dangerous
missiles. •
Reporting Safety Defects
Applicable to U.S.A.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
injury or death, you
should immediately inform
the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis­
tration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Audi of
America, Inc.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a
safety defects exists in a group of vehicles, it
may order a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your dealer,
or Audi of America, Inc.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at:
Tel.: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or write to:
Administrator NHTSA
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from:
http://www.safercar.gov
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data