2008 AUDI S8 engine overheat

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.
~

There is still approximately 2.4 gallons (9 liters) of fuel left. This message is meant to remind you to
re fuel .
(D Note
Never run the tank completely dry . An irregular supp ly of fuel can
cause engine misfiring and fuel could enter the exhaust system . T he
cata lytic converter could then overheat and be damaged .•
[ C HECK] button
You can perform different functions with this button .
Fig . 5 CHECK butto n in
th e instr um ent clu ste r
The [ CHECK ] button performs the fo llowing functions:
Swi tch ing on th e clock and odom ete r
With the ignition turned off, the odometer reading and the digital
clock with date display can be sw itched on for about 30 seconds by
pressing the
I C HE CK I but ton ~ fig. 5 .
Sta rtin g the Au to-C heck se quen ce
The Auto -Check system ~ page 28 constantly monitors certain indi ­
vidual functions and components of the vehicle when the ignition is
turned on and when the vehicle is moving.
W ith the ignition turned on, you can start the "Auto -Check
sequ ence" by pr essing the !CH ECK ] bu tton . You can p erform an
Controls and equip­
ment
Inst rum ents and warning /indi cator light s
Auto-Che ck sequence when the vehicle is stationary and the ignition
is turned on or when the vehicle is moving no t faster than 3 mph
(5 km/h).
C alling up the dri ver inf ormatio n
A yellow or red symbol appears in the instrument cluster display ,
usually with a driver message. The driver message display disap ­
pears after about 5 seconds . The driver message can be displayed
again by briefly pressing the
I CHECK ] button .
Setting th e sp eed w arni ng
By pressing the [ CHECK! but ton briefly, you can set threshold 1 of
the speed warning while you are
driving ~ page 37. By maintaining
pressure on the [CHECK ! button, you delete the warning
threshold. •
Instrument cluster illumination
The basic brightness of the illuminati on f or the instru­
ments, the center console and the display can be
adjusted .
Ir ,-i:,.-.. I+ ,- i:,.--•/, ,,,,
Fig. 6 Instr ume nt
c lus te r ill umi nation
Press the"+" button to increase the brightness d uring
the hours of dar kness.
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

llll.___l_n _t _e _ll _ig=- e_n _ t_ te_ c_h _n_ o_ lo...;g'"'-=- y ___________________________________________ _
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads, the EDL cuts out temporarily . The
vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way as a
vehicle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto ­
matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can spin and reduce your ability to control your car. Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by
EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning
light => page 21. •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabili zation program (ESP) . When the vehicle starts up and acceler­
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the
engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS
sensors=> page 272, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine
power is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to
lock onto the road surface . The system is active across the entire
speed range.
The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR will also be out of action.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See
also=> page 336, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels ".•
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending largely on operating conditions and driving
habits=:,& .
On vehicles which are driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic or
which are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your
authorized Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty &
Maintenance booklet. _,,,

_________________________________________ ___..!l~ n ~t ~e :..!.ll ~ig ~ e:.!::n ~t ~ t~ e~ c~ h~ n~o ~l~o ~g !Jy ~ --
•
On steep slo pes, you shou ld use th e braking effect of the engine .
This way, yo u preve nt u nn ecessary wear on the bra ke sys te m. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down cont inuous ly .
Pu mp the brakes at in terval s.
Moisture or road salt
U nder ce rtain cond itions, for e xa m ple, w hen drivi ng thro ug h w ate r
or v ery h eavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking
e ff ect can be red uce d du e to mo is tu re ( or in fr eezin g c ond it ions ice)
on t he b rake pads . A few carefu l brake applicatio ns should dry off
t h e br ake pads o r rem ove a ny ice coatings .
The e ffective ness of t he b ra kes ca n b e red uced wh en th e ve hicle is
driven o n a salt -covered road and t he brakes are not used. Here too,
yo u should cle an off acc umulate d sa lt co atin g from b rake di scs a nd
pads w ith a few careful app lications of th e
brake=>&.
Corrosion
T here may be a tendency for dirt to build up on t he bra ke pads and
c o rr os ion t o form on th e dis cs if t he car is not driven reg ular ly or
only for short trips with little use of the bra kes .
If th e bra ke s are not us ed fr equ ent ly , or if corro sion h as form ed on
th e discs, it is adv isab le to cl ean off the pa ds and discs by braking
firm ly a few times from a moderate ly h igh
speed =>& .
Faults in the brake system
If y ou s ho uld n oti ce a
sud d en inc rea se in b rake pe dal trave l, then
one of the two b rake c ircuits may h ave
fai led =>& .
Low brake fluid level
M alfunctions can occur in the brake system if the b ra ke fluid leve l is
t oo low. Th e br ake fluid level is monitor ed ele ctr onic a lly .
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit. Other
road users must not be put at risk -you may cause an accident!
& WARNING (continued )
• Before descending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range . Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency .
• Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake . This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance .
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winter,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums .
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications .
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency. Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed.
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective­
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance. Avoid driv ing the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop. •
Brake booster
Th e brake boo ster adds ex tra braking po wer.
The b ra ke booster works wit h vacuu m press ure which is created
on ly wh en th e e ngi ne is
r un ning => & .

Intellig ent tec hnol ogy -
------------ -=--=-= '-
& WAR NIN G (c onti nued )
acc ident canno t b e co mp ensat ed for even b y th e br ake assis tant,
s o alway s maintain a safe sp eed . •
Servotronic® - advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of the
running engine to allow precise s teering with little effor t.
The advanced Servotronic® power steering system senses the road
speed and electronically adjusts power assistance to provide
comfortab le and safe steer ing response exactly matched to the
vehic le speed.
Power s teeri ng will not work if the engine is off . As a result, the
steering whee l wil l be hard to turn .
The power steering fluid level is checked during the scheduled
maintenance serv ices.
0 Note
If there is an electron ic ma lfunction, servotronic will sti ll funct ion
like a conventiona l power steering system, providing a constant
steer ing suppor t force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
speed . This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
low speeds (for examp le w hen parking), -more effor t wi ll be
required than usual.
• Be aware of the different than usua l steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly .
• Have the problem checked and set right by an Aud i dea ler as
soon as possib le.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
[
i ] Tip s
• When the engine is running, never hold the steer ing whee l
turned all the way to the right or to the left for longer than 15
seconds. The power steer ing pu mp wil l overheat the hydraul ic fluid
if you keep ho lding the steering whee l turned a ll the way. This is
like ly to damage the power steering system.
• I f the power steering system shou ld fail entire ly, or if the engine
is not runn ing ( for examp le, wh ile be ing towed), you w ill st ill be able
to steer the vehicle . However, considerably more effort will be
requ ired to do so.
• I f the power steering system shou ld have a leak, or is not func ­
tioning properly, contact your author ized Audi dealer im mediately.
• The power stee ring system requires a special ly formulated
hydrau lic fluid . The power steer ing reservo ir is the one located most
forward on the left side of the engine
compartment => page 308. The
correct flu id level in the reservo ir is important for proper func ­
tioning of the power steering. •
Driving with your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
Genera l inf orm ati on
With All Whee l Drive, power is d istributed to all fo ur wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road condi tions at the time . See
a lso => page 269, "Electronic differ ­
entia l lock ! EDU" .
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires . In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for improved
driveabi lity and braking: these ti res must be mounted on all four
wheel s. See
also=> page 341, "Winter tires". ~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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New brake pads
Remember that new brake pads do not have a full braking
effec t during the first 250 miles (400 kilometers) after they
are installed .
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" before they have optimal
grab =>& .
During the break -in period, you s hou ld avoid putting severe loads
on the brakes . Severe loads include, for examp le, sudden hard
braking, in particular at very high speeds or, for example, on moun ­
t ain passes.
& WARNING
N ew brake p ad s don 't h ave the be st stopping po wer and mu st be
"broken -in " during the initial 100 to 150 mile s (150 to 200 kil ome ­
t e rs) of norm al c ity dri ving . You can comp en sa te for thi s by
pr ess ing the brake ped al more firmly . Thi s al so appli es later when
ne w pad s a re in sta lled. •
Catalytic converter
It is very important tha t your emission control sys tem
(catalytic converter) is functioning properly to e nsure that
y o ur vehicle is running in an environmentally sound
manner.
-Always use lead-f ree gasoli ne :=> page 301, "Fuel supply".
-Never run the tank down a ll the way to empty.
-Never put too much motor o il in your engine :=> page 312,
"Adding eng ine oil 'l=;r111
•
-Never try to push -or tow -s ta rt yo ur vehic le.
T he catalytic converter is an efficient "clean -up" device built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns ma ny
of the po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
The exclusive use o f un leaded fue l is critica lly important for the l ife
of the cata lytic converter and proper functioning of the engine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate th e veh icle in ar ea s where the hot
e x hau st sys tem m ay come in cont act w ith dr y grass, brush , fuel
s pill or other material which can cau se a fire .
• Do not appl y additi ona l u ndercoating or ru stpr oofing on or
near the exhau st manifol d, exhau st pipe s, ca tal ytic converter or
h ea t shield s. Du ring dri ving , the sub sta nce u sed f or under coating
c ould overhe at and cau se a fir e.
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with leaded fue l wi ll already
seriously degrade the performance of the catalyt ic converter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil
level => page 312 .
• Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes comp letely empty . The
engine cou ld misfire. Unburned fuel could also get into the exhaust
system and this could cause the catalytic converter to overheat .
• Do not turn off t he ignition wh ile the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions,
as otherwise fuel can reach the cata lyt ic converter . This cou ld result
in overheating of the converter, requiring its rep lacement .
• To assure eff ic ient operat ion of the Emiss ion Contro l System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. _,.

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_ r_o _ n_ m_ e_ n_ t _______________________________________________ _
one half. Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather
co nditions permit. •
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
- Shut the eng ine off when you are not driving the vehicle .
- Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the engine run at
id le .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traff ic jams, when waiting
for trains to pass at rai lroad crossings, or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds
saves more fue l than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up fu lly when it is
running at idle. However, wear and noxious em issions are espec ially
high when the engine is warming up . So you should drive away as
soon as you start the engine and avoid running at high rpms while
the engine is sti ll warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting . If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would
go unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which could
result in overheating or other damage to the vehicle or other
property .•
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- H ave your vehicle serviced at regular intervals .
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an Audi dealer helps to
ensure t hat it runs properly and economical ly . The condit ion of your
vehic le not only affects its safety and abi lity to hold its va lue, it also
affects
fuel con sumpt ion .
C hec k your oil each time you fill your tan k.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
I t is norma l for the oi l consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest va lue after a certain mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly assess oil consumption .
T his also applies to fuel consump tion and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
t he service recommendat ions in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. Lack of proper ma intenance as well as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the function of the emission control system and
cou ld lead to damage.
• Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Contro l
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not alte r or remove any device, such as heat sh ields,
switches, ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protect your
vehic le's Emission Control System and other important vehic le
components .•
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips.
- Try to avoid driving short dista nces with a cold engine. ~

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Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficu lt it becomes for the driver to
control the rig. Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions
are unfavorable
-particularly when going downhi ll.
Reduce vehicle speed
i mm edia te ly if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try t o stop the sway ing by accelerating.
Observe speed lim its. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trai lers are lower than for regular ve hicles .
Always apply brakes ear ly. When driving down hill, shift into a lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes a lone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Cool ant temp era tu re
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 12 must be observed care­
ful ly. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immed iately and/or turn off the air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flas hing
-F- , pul l off the road, stop and let t he engine idle for
about two m inutes to prevent heat build-up.
& WARNING
An yone n ot properl y re str aine d in a mo ving vehi cle is at a mu ch
g re ate r ri sk in an accid ent . N ever let any on e rid e in y our car who
i s not properl y wea rin g th e res tra int s pr ov ided by Audi.
•
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and different weight distribution. Safety, performance and economy wi
ll greatly depend on how carefully you
l oad your trailer and opera te your r ig.
Before you actual ly tow your trailer, practice turn ing, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic . Keep practicing unti l you
have become comp letely fam iliar with the way your vehicle-trai ler
combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is di fficult and requires practice. Backing up with a
trai ler generally requires steering action opposite to that when
backing up your veh ic le without a tra iler.
Ma inta in a greater distance between your veh ic le and the one in
front of you . You will need more room to stop. To compensate for
the trai ler, you w ill need a larger than norma l turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you n or mally wou ld because of t he added load . Make su re you have
enough room to pass . After passing, al low plenty of room for your
t rai ler befo re changing lanes again .
Avo id jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
[ i ] T ips
• Do not tow a tra iler during the break-in period o f your veh ic le.
• I f you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent main te­
nance due to t he extra
load=> page 380. •
Parking on a slope
Do n ot park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do
so o nly after doing the followi ng:
When p arking :
-Apply the foot b rake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and
the trailer wheels. _,,,