2008 AUDI S8 service

Checkin g and fillin g -
-----------------=-----------"'---
•
-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

___ C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ~g~ a_ n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in _g~--------------------------------------------
&, 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_in -= g_a
_ n_d _ f_il _li _n ..;::g ;;.___.IIIII
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

-Tires and wheels Pft'::I _______________ _
It is important to check the t ire pressur e wh en the tires are cold .
• Read the req uire d tire p re s su re from the tire p re ssur e la bel. On
USA ve hicles, the tir e pressure label is located on the driver's side
8 -pilla r. On Canada vehic les, the ti re p ress ure label is located eit her
o n the driv er's s ide 8-pill ar or ins id e th e fuel fill er flap .
• Tur n the va lve stem cap co unte r-cloc kw ise to re move it fr om t he
tire valv e.
• Place th e a ir p re s sur e ga uge on th e valve .
• T he tire pressures should o nly be checked and ad justed when
th e tir es are col d. The s lig ht ly ra ise d pres sur es of wa rm tir es mu st
not b e re duc ed .
• Adjus t the tire pre ss ure to the l oad y ou are carry ing.
• Reinstal l the valve stem cap on the valve.
When should I check the tire pressure?
The co rrec t tir e pr ess ure is especiall y important a t hi gh spee ds. T he
pressu re should th er efor e b e checked a t le ast once a mo nth an d
a lwa ys be fore s ta rti ng a j ourn ey . D o not for get to chec k the ti re pr es­
sure fo r the sp are wh eel
=> page 350.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjust the tire pr essur e to the load you are carrying . After chan gin g
a w hee l or r epl ac ing w hee ls you have to ad just th e tire pr essu re s on
a ll whee ls. I n ad ditio n, yo u must t hen sto re the ne w tire pressu res
in t he t ire pres sure m onit or ing
system => page 40.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and /or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure , loss of control, collision, serious personal injury or even
death .
• When the warning symbol
(l) appears in the instrument
cluster , stop and inspect the tires .
& WARNING (continued)
• Incorrect tire pressure and /or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control .
• The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pressure values are located on
a sticker on the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
• Only when all tires on the vehicle are filled to the correct pres­
sure , the tire pressure monitoring system can work correctly.
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage . Therefore it is essential that the driver observe
the specified tire pressure values for the tires and the correct pres­
sures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system .
• Always inflate tires to the recommended and correct tire pres ­
sure before driving off .
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot resulting in tread separation , sudden tire failure and loss
of control.
• Excessive speed and /overloading can cause heat build-up ,
sudden tire failure and loss of control.
• If the tire pressure is too low or too high , the tires will wear
prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well.
• If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel
immediately, drive at reduced speed to the nearest service station
to check the tire pressure and add air as required . _..

Tires and wheels -
-----------------'
Tire service life
The service life of tires depends on a lot of different things
including proper installation and balancing, correct tire
pressure and driving style .
Tread Wear Ind icator (TWI)
Fig. 274 Tire tread:
tread wear indicators
(TWII
Fig . 275 Rotating tires
for more even wear
The origina l tires on your vehic le have 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high "wear
indicators"::::, fig. 274 running across the tread. Depending on the
make, there will be six to eight of them evenly placed around the
tire. Marks on the tire sidewall (for example
"TWI" or other symbols)
indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators. Worn tires must
be rep laced. Different figures may apply in other
countries::::, &-
Tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wear and can cause
sudden tire blow-out. For this reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a
month ::::, page 331.
Driving style
Driving fast around curves, heavy accele ration and hard braking
increase tire wear .
Rotating tires for more even wear
For all four tires on your vehicle to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rear tires are rotated according to the
tire manufacturer's suggested tire rotation intervals. Please
remember the following:
• Tire rotation intervals may differ from the vehicle service inter­
vals outlined in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
• The longer one tire is used in one location on the vehicle, the
more it wears at certain points; therefore, we recommend that you
follow the tire manufacturer 's suggested tire rotation intervals .
• Vehicles with front-wheel drive experience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to all -wheel drive (quattro®l .
• Please rotate tires as shown
~ fig. 275.
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
::::, page 357.
Wheel balancing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various situa ­
tions during everyday driving can cause them to become unbal ­
anced, resu lting in vibrations you can usually feel through the
steering wheel.
Unbalanced wheels must be rebalanced to avoid excessive wear on
steering, suspension and tires. A whee l must also be rebalanced
when a new tire is insta lled.
...
Vehic le care I I Technical data

___ T_ ir_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h
_ e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
• If the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted
on your vehicle (for example winter tires or wide profile tires), then
use the spare tire for a short period of time only and drive with extra
care . Replace the flat tire with the tire matching the others on your
vehicle as soon as possible.
• If you should put different wheels and tires on your vehicle (e.g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and
tires are compatib le with the tire pressure monitoring system.
Otherwise the system will register a malfunction and a fault message will be displayed. For more information, contact your Audi
dea ler.
0 Note
• When installing new tires, be careful not to damage the valves or
tire pressure monitoring system sensors.
• Never drive without the va lve stem cap. The valves could get
damaged.
• If the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
replaced at the same time.
For the sake of the environment
Dispose of o ld tires in accordance with the loca l requirements. •
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tread wear
• Traction AA A B C
• Temperature A B C
Qua lity grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wal l
between tread shoulder and maximum section width
=> page 336,
fig. 276.
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA, Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal Safety Require­
ments in addit ion to these grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wea r rate
of the tire when tested under contro lled conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 wou ld wear one and one half (1 1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actua l condi­
tions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
n orm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ­
ences in road characteristics and climate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, Band C.
T hose grades represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under contro lled conditions on specified government
t est surfaces o f asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance
=:> & .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing
t he tire's resistance to the genera tion of heat and its abi lity to dissi ­
pate heat when tested under control led conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the mater ial of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire
failure=> &.
The grade C corresponds to a leve l of performance which a ll
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test whee l than the minimum
required by law.
~