2008 AUDI S8 Owners Manual

Checkin g and fillin g 1111
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•
the form of Service or Repair Ord ers that all scheduled maintenance
was perfo rmed in a t imely man ner. •
Engine oil consumption
The engin e in your vehicle d ep ends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effect ive lubrication and cool ing of internal
engine components, all internal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of o il. Oil consumption varies from engine to eng ine
and may change significantly over the life of the engine . Typically,
eng ines wi th a specif ied break -in period
(see => page 2771 consume
more oil during the break -in period than they consume after oi l
consumption has stabi lized .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on
the quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute)
at which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
co ndensation or fue l residue and the oxidation level of the o il. As
any engine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consump ­
t io n may increase over time until rep lacement of worn components
may become necessary .
With all these variables coming into play, no standard rate of oil consu mption can be estab lished or specified. T here is no a lternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yellow eng ine o il level warni ng symbol in the instrume nt
cluster ~ lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as
poss ible
with the oil dipstick => page 311 . Top off the oil at your
earliest
convenience=> page 312.
& WARNING
Bef ore you che ck anything in the eng ine comp artment , alw ay s
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 307 .
0 Note
Driving with an insuff ic ie n t o il level is l ikely to cause severe damage
to the engine.
[ i ] Tip s
• The oil pr es sure warning displ ay level . Do not rely on it. Instead , check the oil level in your engine at
regular inter vals, preferably ea ch time you refuel , and al ways before
going on a long trip.
• I f you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oi l, we reco mmend that you consult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed . Keep in mind
t hat t he acc urate measureme nt of oil consump tion requ ires g reat
care and may take some time. Your Audi dealer has instructions
about how t o measure oil consumpt ion accurately. •
Checking the engine oil level
Vehicle care
Fig. 26 3 Illu stration of
prin cipl e 1: Mar ker s on
o il dip sti ck ...

-
Checking and filling
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Fig. 264 Illustration of
principle 2: Markers on
oil dipstick
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all
WARNINGS ~ & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 307 .
Determining oil level
-Park your vehicle so that it is horizontally level.
-While at operating state temperature, briefly let the
engine run at idle and then shut it off.
-Wait approx. two minutes.
Pull out the oil dipstick. Wipe off the oil dipstick with a
clean cloth, and slide it back in as far as it will go.
-Pull it back out and read off the oil level ~ page 311,
fig. 263 or~ fig. 264. Top off the engine oil, if applicable
~ page 312.
Oil level within range @
-Do not add oil.
Oil level within range
@
-You can add oil. Afterwards, the oil level should be within
range @. Oil level within range
©
You must add oil. Afterwards, the oil level should be
within range @.
The oil level needs to be checked at regular intervals. The best times
to do this are whenever you refuel and prior to long trips. •
Adding engin e oil 'l:::7:
Fig. 265 Oil filler cap
location: 4.2 L
8-
cylinder
Fig . 266 Oil filler cap
location : 6.0 L
12 -
cylinder
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 engine . .._

Checkin g and fillin g -
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•
-Unsc rew the oil filler cap f rom the cylinde r head cover
=>
page 312, f ig . 265 or=> page 312, fi g. 266 .
-Carefully top off with the appropriate o il in 0.5 liter doses.
-Check the oi l level again after two minutes => page 311 .
-Top off the oil again, if necessary .
-Screw the cap bac k on the filling hole and slide the oil
dipstick in as fa r as i t will go .
& WARNING
• Whil e topping off , the oil mu st not com e in c ontact with hot
e ng ine p art s
-fire h azard!
• The oil filler cap mu st be prop erly se cur ed to pr even t oil from
be ing spr aye d on the hot en gi ne a nd exha ust sys te m when the
engin e is running
-fir e haza rd!
• If your skin h as c ome in cont act wi th the engine oil , you mu st
s ubs equen tly c leanse it thoroughl y.
0 Not e
• The o il level must not be above range @- da nger of converter or
engine damage! Contact an authorized dealership to draw off oi l, if
necessary.
• Audi d oes no t re commend the u se of o il a ddit ives. The y m ay
damage th e engine and adv erse ly a ffect y our New Vehicle Warr ant y.
<£> For the sake of the environment
• Under no circumstances can the o il come i n contact w ith the
sewage network or the soil.
• Observe and fol low legal regulat ions when d ispos ing of empty
oi l containers. •
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an auth o­
rized Audi dealer or a qualified service station.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always rea d
and heed all
WARNING S=> & in "Working in the engine co mpart­
ment" on
page 307.
The engine oi l must be changed according to the interva ls specified
in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet . This is very important
because the lubricating properties of oi l diminish gradua lly during
normal vehicle use.
Under some circumstances the engine oil shou ld be changed more
frequently . Change oil mo re often if you drive most ly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predomi­
nantly stop -and -go traffic conditions, or have your ve hicle where
temperatures remain below freezing for extended periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oi l look dark after the
eng ine has been runn ing for a short t ime . Th is is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Because of the problem of proper disposal, along with the spec ial
tools and necessary expertise required, we strong ly recommend
that you have your oi l ch anged by an authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified service station .
If you choo se to ch ang e y our oil your self, please note the following
important information:
& WARNING
To r edu ce the ri sk of per son al inju ry if you mu st change th e engine
oil in your v ehicl e your self :
• Wear eye prote ction .
• To r educ e the ri sk of burn s from hot en gine oil , le t the engine
c ool do wn t o th e tou ch . .,_
Vehicle care

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&, WARNING (continued)
• When removing the oil drain plug with your fingers, stay as far
away as possible. Always keep your forearm parallel to the ground
to help prevent hot oil from running down your arm.
• Drain the oil into a container designed for this purpose, one
large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in your engine.
• Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of the reach of children.
• Continuous contact with used engine oil is harmful to your
skin. Always protect your skin by washing oil off thoroughly with
soap and water.
0 Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil. These additives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Audi Lim ited New
Vehicle Warranty.
<£> For the sake of the environment
• Before changing your oil, first make sure you know where you
can properly dispose of the used oil.
• Always dispose of used engine oil properly. Do not dump it on
garden soil , wooded areas , into open streams or down sewage
drains.
• Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a used engine oil collec­
tion facility in your area, or contact a service station. •
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it keeps the
engine from overheating and it protects the engine from
freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sealed and generally requires little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the factory with a permanent
coolant which does not need to be changed . The coolant consists of
a mixture of water and the manufacturer's glycol -basedcoolant
additive G12 ++ antifreeze with anti corrosion addi tives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian models). This mixture both assures the
necessary frost protection and protects metal components in the
engine's cooling system from corrosion and scaling. It also raises
the boiling point of the coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the coolant in the summer by
adding plain water.
The proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50% but not more than 60%
to maintain antifree ze protection
and cooling efficiency. If the coolant frost protection is too low, the
coolant could freeze and damage the vehicle heating and engine
cooling system.
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at the factory for temper­
atures down to :
• -31 °F ( -35 °C) USA
•
-40 °F ( -40 °C) Canada .
You can mix the G12 ++ coolant additive with other additives (G12 +
or G12). Always check with your authori zed Audi dealer .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
~ & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 307.

___________________________________________ C;:_:_: h..:e ..:c :..;.k..: i_n ..::g :.._ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ..::g :.._--JIIIII
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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&, WARNING (continued)
• Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
• Protect your face, hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
• Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light, downward pressure on the top of
the cap.
• To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on the
exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain conditions, the
ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's engine
coo lant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the func­
tion and perfo rmance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty .
[ i] Tips
On vehicles with the 12-cylinder engine, the expansion tank is
located under a cover. •
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Wor king in
the engine compartment" on
page 307.
-Turn off the engine.
-Let the engine cool down.
-Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
=> page 315, fig. 267 and carefully twist the cap counter­
clockwise
=> & .
-Add coolant.
-Twist the cap on again tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
=> page 314, "Coolant". Even in an emergency, if coolant additive
G12++, G12+ or G12 is not available, do
not use a different additive.
Use plain water instead until you can get the correct additive and
can restore the correct ratio. This should be done as soon as
possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of coolant, then you should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Excess coolant will be
forced out through the pressure relief valve in the cap when the
engine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot.
Reduce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light, downward pressure on the top
of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain condi-
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire. .,,

Checking and filling -_______________________________ =..:..:..::...::.:..;~:.....:...;_.:..:..,__--=--.J
fl::. WARNING (continued )
• Antifr eez e is po isonous. Always stor e antifreeze in it s origin al
c ontainer and well out of the re ach of ch ildren .
• If you drain the coolant , it must be caught and saf ely stored in
a prop er co ntainer cle arly m arked "poi son ".
0 Note
• Coolant po llutes the environment and cou ld cause an engine
fire. Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief
valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
• I f, in an emergency, only wa ter can be added, the correct ratio
between water and
antifreeze => page 314 must be restored as soon
as possib le .
W For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused . A lways dispose of used
coolant while observing all environmental regulations . •
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by i tself .
The radiator fan is driven by the engine via the V-be lt. The viscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the temperature
of the coo lan t.
An auxiliary electric radiator fan * switches on and off depending on
coolant temperature and other vehic le opera ting condi tions.
After you switch the engine off , the auxiliary fan can continue
running for up to 10 minutes -even with the ignition off. It can even
switch on again later by
itself =>& , if
• the temperature of the engine coo lant rises due to the heat
bu ild -up fro m the engine in the engine c ompar tment , or •
the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunlight .
& WARNING
• To reduce the ri sk of per sonal injury never tou ch the radiator
fan .
• The au xiliary elect ric fan i s te mperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly e ven when the engine is not running .
• The au xiliary radiato r fan switche s on auto matically when th e
eng ine coolant reache s a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coo lant temperat ure drop s. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
T he brake fluid level can be checked with a quick glance.
-w ;:;
Fig . 26 8 Engin e
c o mp artm ent: B ra ke
fluid r eservoir
Before you check anyth ing in the e ngine compartmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS ~ & in "Working in
t h e engi ne compartment " on
page 307. _,,,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

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-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 268. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left
side~ page 308.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models:
BRAKE , Canadian models:
«D>l will come on~ page 22 and~ page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized
Audi dealer
immediately. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho­
rized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know-how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid .
Observe these precautions:
-Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification J 1703 and
conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make sure you are using
the correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake fluid is also indicated on the brake fluid reservoir .
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use of the brakes can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety . This could result in an accident .
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom ­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With high outside temperatures or long
daily drives we recommend that you have the electrolyte level .,,_