2008 AUDI S8 coolant level

Instruments and warning /indicator lights
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster and controls
The instrument cluster is your central source of informa­
tion.
F ig . 2 Overview of the instrume nt cluster
G) Coolant temperature gauge . ................... . .
0 Tachometer with time and date display .. ......... .
® Warning/indicator lights .. ... ..... ... ........ .. .
© Driver information system ............ .... .. .... .
© Speedome ter with odometer ..... .... ..... ..... .
© Fuel gauge . ........ .... .... ..... .. .... ... .... .
G) Reset button for trip odometer ... ... . .. ... .... .. .
12
13, 13
16
24
14
14
14
© I CH ECK] button ..... .. ...... ...... ... .. .. ..... .
® Instrument cluster illumination .. .... .... ... .... . .
[ i ] Tips
15
15
The illumination for the instrument cluster lights up whenever you
switch on the ignition with the
vehicle headlights off. As the
daylight fades, the instrument cluster illumination likewise dims
automatically and wil l go out complete ly when the outside light is
very low . This feature is meant to remind you to switch on the head­
lights when outside light conditions become poor. •
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coolant gauge=> fig. 2 G) only works when the ignition
is on. To prevent damage to your engine, please note the following
important points:
Engine cold
As long as the needle remains at the left end of the gauge, the
engine still has not reached its operating temperature. Avoid high
engine speeds, heavy engine loads and heavy throttle applications .
Normal temperature
When the engine has reached its operating temperature, the needle
will move into the middle of the gauge and remain there. If the
engine is working hard at high outside temperatures, the needle
may go further to the right. This is no need to worry as long as the
-~-warning light in the instrument cluster does not illuminate.
Warning light in the instrument cluster -L
When the _L warning light starts to flash, this can mean one of two
things: either the coolant temperature is too high, or the coolant
level is too
low=> page 31. _.,

If the indicator goes all the way to the right side inside the coolant
temperature gauge, then the engine coolant temperature is too
high.
Pull off the road to safe location, turn off the engine and let it
cool down.
If the warning light comes on again after you have driven
a short distance, contact a qualified workshop.
& WARNING
• Always observe the warning in :::::, page 299, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the hood and checking the engine coolant
level.
• Never open the engine hood if you see or hear steam, or if you
see engine coolant dripping from the engine compartment. You
could burn yourself. Let the engine cool off first so that you cannot
hear or see any steam or engine coolant.
0 Note
• Mounting additional lights or accessories in front of the air inlets
reduces the cooling effect of the radiator. At high outside tempera ­
tures or high engine load, the engine could overheat.
• The front spoiler has been designed to properly distribute the
cooling air when the vehicle is moving . If the spoiler is damaged,
this could reduce the cooling effect and the engine could then over­
heat. Ask your authorized Audi dealer for assistance. •
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM (revolutions per
minutes).
The tachometer 0:::::, page 12, fig. 2 is the left of the two large clock­
type displays.
The engine turns at a speed
1,000 times the single digit in the
display, e.g. if the needle is pointing at the "2" the engine is turning
at 2,000 RPM.
Controls and equip­ ment
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
If engine RPM drops below 1,500, you should downshift to the next
lower gear. The red area at the end of the scale indicates maximum
permissible engine RPM after the break-in period . Before reaching
this area, move the selector lever to position "D (Drive)" or ease your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
0 Note
The tachometer needle should not move into the red range . If it
does, then only for a very short period of time. You could damage
your engine by driving at high RPM.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early saves fuel and reduces engine noise.•
Digital clock with date display
Date and time of day can be set in MM/.
Fig . 3 Instrument
cluster with digital
clock
The date, time of day, and time and date format can be set in MMI.
You can find out more in the MMI manual.
~

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 information display
-Pull off the road.
-Stop the vehicle.
-Turn off the engine .
-Check coolant level ~ page 315.
-Add coolant if necessary~ page 316.
-Continue dr iv ing only after the eng ine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
-Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary .
If the engine coolant le ve l is correct, then the radiato r fan may be
the cause of the malfunction.
I f the generator warning/indicator light should also illuminate
~ page 18, then the fan belt may be damaged.
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights
~ page 73, "Emer­
gency flasher
A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment
-you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant
escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn of
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
~ page 299, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the-~-symbol illuminates. There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling sys tem -you could damage your
engine. •
Engine oil pressure malfunction ~
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair. Driving with a low -oil -pres ­
sure indication is likely to inflict severe damage to the engine.
If the ~ symbol appears in the display and blinks, the oil
pressure is too low. An additional driver message can also
be displayed by pressing the !CHECK] button:
Switch off engine and check oil level
Immediate actions
-Pull off the road.
-Stop the vehicle.
-Turn off the engine.
-Check the engine oil level with the dipstick ~ page 311.
Dipstick readings checks too low
-Top off oil to the proper level~ page 312.
-Make sure that the oil pressure warning symbol ~
appears no longer in the display before you start driving
again. ~

___________________________________________ 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

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

___ C_ o_n_ s_ u_m _ e_ r_ ln_ f_o _r_m _ a_ t_ i_o _n ______________________________________________ _
&, WARNING (continued )
• The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially
hazardous area . Never reach into the area around or touch the
radiator fan . It is temperature controlled and can switch on
suddenly -even when the engine is off and the ignition key has
been removed . The radiator fan switches on automatically when
the coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to run until the coolant temperature drops .
• Always remove the ignition key before anyone gets under the
vehi cle .
• Always support your vehicle with safety stands if it is neces­
sary to work underneath the vehicle . The jack suppl ied with the
vehicle is not adequate for this purpose and could collapse causing serious personal injury .
• If you must work underneath the vehicle with the wheels on
the ground , always make sure the vehicle is on level ground , that
the wheels are always securely blocked and that the engine
cannot be started .
• Always make sure the transmission selector lever (automatic
transmission) is in
"P " (Park position ) and the park brake is firmly
applied.
W For the sake of the environment
• Cha ng ing the eng in e sett ings will adverse ly aff ect em iss ion
levels . This is detrimenta l to the environment and increases fuel
c o nsu mp tion .
• Always observe environmenta l regu lations when disposing of
o ld eng ine oil, u sed b ra ke flu id, d irty e ng in e coo la nt, spe nt batter ies
or worn out tires.
• Undeployed airba g modul es and pret ensioners might be classi ­
fied as Perchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca .gov/ haza rdouswast e/p erc hlor ate . W hen the vehicle or
parts of the restraint s ystem including airbag modules safety be lts
w it h p ret en sio ner s are scra p pe d, a ll ap pl icable l aw s and reg ula- tions must be observed
. Your authorized Audi dea ler is familiar with
th ese re q ui re me nts a nd we reco mmend th at you h ave your dea le r
perform this serv ice for you .•
Additional accessories,
modifications and parts replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
Always consult an author ized Audi dealer before
pu rcha sing a ccess ories .
Your vehicle incorporates the latest safety design featu res ensuring
a high sta nd ard of ac tive a nd pass iv e sa fet y.
T his sa fety could be compromised by non -approved chang es to th e
veh ic le . Fo r th is reason, if pa rts have to be replaced, please o bse rve
the followi ng po ints wh en insta lling addi tio na l acc essor ies:
A pprove d Audi accesso ries and genuine A udi parts are avai lable
fr om autho rized Aud i d eale rs.
T hese deale rs also have the necessary fac ilities, tools and tra ined
spec ial is ts to ins tal l the part s and accesso rie s prope rly.
L1}. WARNING
Using the wrong spare parts or using non -approved accessories
can cause serious personal injury.
• Use only accessories expressly approved by Audi and genuine
Audi spare parts
• These parts and accessories have been specially designed to
be used on your vehicle .
• Never install accessories such as telephone cradles or
beverage holders on airbag covers or within the airbag deploy-