2008 AUDI S8 tires

___ C_ le_ a_n _i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d
__ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
0 Note
• Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle
is dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this could scratch your
vehicle 's paint or windows.
• 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
wi th a hose, be ca reful not to aim the stream of wa ter direc tly at
locks, or at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges designed to remove insects, 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 sc ratches . It is best to use soapy
water .
~ For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the vehicle 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 WARNINGS :::>
& in "General infor­
mation" on
page 288.
- Always follow the operating instructions for the power
washer. - Make
sure that the jet on the spray hose produces a "fan
shaped spray".
- Do
not hold the spray nozzle too close to soft materials.
When cleaning the vehicle w ith a power washer always follow the
operating instructions. This applies particularly to the
operating
pressure
and the spraying distance. Maintain a sufficient distance
to soft materials such as rubber hoses and sound/vibration dead ­
ening materials (particularly on the underside of the engine hood).
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a
direct stream or one that
has a
rotating jet.
Water temperature should no t exceed 140 °F (60 °Cl.
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays water in a direct stream.
This could cause invisible damage to the tires and weaken them,
even if the spray is from a relatively long distance and for a short
time. Damaged and weakened tires can fail and cause accidents
and personal injury .
0 Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, always make sure that there is
sufficient distance between the spray head and soft materials like
rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound-deadening materials . Never
aim the spray 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 material , the greater the
stress on the material. •

lll'ft __ T_ ir_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h
_ e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu lar ly considering the comparatively smal l patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehic le and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its t ires do not have to carry more we ight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regularly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure inc luding tread separation and
blowouts.
Av oidin g dam age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possib le at a right angle to the curb .
A lways keep chem ica ls including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
flu id off the ti res.
Inspect t he t ires regu larly fo r damage (cuts, cracks or b listers, etc .l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads .
Storing tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota­
tion . This ensures you to be able to moun t them correctly w hen you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place .
S tore tires in a vert ical pos it ion if they are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in=> &.
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern .
Hidden dam age
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible . If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one side, this may ind ica te
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qual ified workshop .
Unidir ec tiona l tir es
A unid irec tional tire can be identified by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . Th is is necessary so that t hese
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=> page 357.
& WARNING
New t ires or tire s th at a re old , worn or d am aged cann ot pro vide
maximum control and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slipper y and mu st be bro ken in . To redu ce
the risk of lo sin g con tro l, a collision and seriou s per sonal injurie s,
dri ve w ith spe cial care f or the fi rst 350 mile s (560 km l.
• Driving wi th worn or damaged tir es can l ead to lo ss of control ,
sudd en tire f ailure , inc ludi ng a blowout and sudden defl atio n, .,_

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

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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 .

Tires and wheels -
-----------------------------
•
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298
km/h)=> page 338. You may not find this informa­
tion on all tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire
sidewall and indicates the maximum permissible road
speeds=> &
in "Winter tires" on page 341.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning tell­
tale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
=> page 335, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on
measuring tire wear .
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles (kilometers) or perform in a certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers additional information to combine with
other considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recom- mendations
. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufac­
turers in three areas: treadwear, traction, and temperature resis­
tance . The UTQG information on the tires, molded into the
sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac­
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2207 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2007 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may or may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle's total seating capacity as listed on the label located either on the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by dis trib­
uting to each axle its share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by dis trib­
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table
below => page 328) and dividing by two. ..,.
Vehicle care

lllffl...__T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n
_ d_ w_ h_ e_ e_ls _________________________________________________ _
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. ...,