2008 AUDI S8 headlights

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. _.,

Instruments and warning /indicator lights
-Press the"-" button to decrease the brightness during
the hours of darkness.
A light sensor in the instrument cluster controls the illumination for
the instrument clust er, the center console and the displays . In a
bright environment , using the buttons to change the brightness has
no effect .
[ i] Tips
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 will go out completely 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. •
Warning/indicator lights
Overview
The warning/indicator lights indicate different functions
or a possible malfunction.
iWiii i ·i l· i hii
Fig. 7 Instrument cluster with warning/indicator lights
Your vehicle is equipped with several important warning and indi ­
cator lights to help you monitor the continued reliab le operation of
your
vehicle => &-
0
Electronic power control
Generator => page 18
=> page 18
Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) => page 18

Clear vision
Lights
Switching the headlights on and off -'t/-·
In the "AUTO" position, a light sensor automatically
s w itches t he head- and taillights on and off in respo nse to
l igh t con ditions.
Fig . 56 In stru ment
pan el: lig ht sw itch
Switching on automatic headlight control
- T urn th e light switch to AUTO => fig. 56 .
Switching on the side marker lights
- Turn the light switch to ~oo~.
Switching on th e headlights and high beam
- T urn t he light swi tch to io.
- Push the high beam leve r forw ard towards t he instru -
me nt panel
=> page 73 .
Switching off the lights
- T urn t he light switch to 0 .
Contro ls a nd eq uip­
ment
Clear vision
The head lights only work when the ignition is switched on . While
starting the engine or when switching off the ignition, the head ­
lights will go off and only the side marker lights will be on.
After starting the engine, the xenon headlights are automatically
adjus ted to the load and angle of the vehic le (for example, during
acceleration, braking) . This prevents oncoming traffic from experi ­
encing unnecessary headlig ht g lare from your xenon head ligh ts .
If the system is not operating properly, a warning symbol in the
Auto -Check Control is displayed
=> page 36.
With the side marker lights or head ligh ts switched on, the sym bol
next to the light switch illuminates
:oo: .
Daytime running lights
• USA models : The daytime running lights wi ll come on automati­
ca lly when the ig nition is turned on and the ligh t
switch=> fig. 56 is
in the
O position or the AUTO position (only in day light conditions).
The
Daytime running lights function can be turned on and off in the
MMI menu
Exterior lighti ng => page 70 => & .
• Canada models: The dayti me ru nn ing lights wi ll come on auto ­
matically when the ignition is turned on and the light switch
::::> fig. 56 is in the O position or the AUTO p o siti on (only in daylight
conditions)
=> & .
Automati c headligh t control
In the switch position AUTO the a utomatic headligh t cont rol is
turned on . The low beams are turned on automa tica lly through a
light sensor as soon as ambient brightness (e.g . when driving into a
tunnel) fa lls below a value preset at the factory . When ambient
brightness increases again, the low beams are turned off again
automatically =>& .
In the AUTO pos it ion the low beams are switched off automatically
when the ignition is turned off. If the high beams were switched on,
they w ill come o n again the next time the automatic head ligh t
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Clear vision
control is activated. The high beam function must first be switched
on in the MMI
=> page 70 .
Light Sensor Malfunction
In the event of a light sensor mal fu n ct ion, the driver is notified i n the
instrument cluster display :
@ Automatic headlights/automatic wipers defe ctive
For safety reasons the low beams are turned on permanently with
the switch in
AUTO . However, you can continue to turn the lights on
and off us ing the light switch . Have the light sensor checked as soon
as possib le at a dealership .
& WARNING
• Never use dayt ime running lights to see where you are going .
The y are not bright enough and will not let you see f ar enough
ahead for s afet y, espe cially at du sk or when it is d ark. Alwa ys
switch on the low beams at dusk or when it is dark .
• Autom atic he adlight s are onl y intended to a ssist the dr iver.
The y do n ot relie ve the dri ver of his re spon sibility to che ck the
headlights and to turn them on manuall y according to the current
light and vi sibility condi tion s. For example , fog and rain cannot be
dete cted b y the l ight sen sors . S o alway s switch on the he adlights
under these wea the r condition s and when driving in the dark
gD .
• Cra shes can h appen when you c annot see the road ahead and
when you cannot be seen b y other motori sts .
- Alway s turn on the headlight s so that you can see ahead and
s o that others c an see your c ar from the ba ck.
[ i ] Tips
• With the switch in AUTO front fog lights and rear fog lights
cannot be turned on in addition. • I
f you remove the ignition from the ignition lock while the head ­
li ghts are s til l on, a bu zzer w ill sound as long as the driver's door is
open to remind you to turn off the lights .
• Always observe t he specific local regulations for your area as to
when to use your lights .•
Adjusting exterior lighting
The functions are set in the MM/.
F ig . 57 MM I di spla y:
E xt eri or ligh ting
- Pressthe [CAR ]function button.
- Select
Systems in the CAR me nu.
- Selec t
Exterior lighting. The menu Exterior lighting
appears => fig. 57.
C oming home
The Coming home function ensures that after turning off the igni ­
tion and op ening the driv er's door
the vehicle periphery is il lum i­
nated in the dark . In addition, the front fog lights, the tail lights and
t he license plate lig ht are turned on . O n-t ime can be set fo r a period
from
O (off) to 60 seconds. ~

ture on the windshield. The rain sensor wiper intervals depend on
t he sensitivi ty setting as well as vehic le speed . Dur ing brief s tops,
wiper motion wil l adjust in re lation to the amount of rain on the
windshield .
During br ief stops, e.g. at a red light, wiper mot ion wil l auto mati ­
ca lly be reduced to the next lower speed . Wipers a lready turning at
low speed. change to i nterm ittent w ip ing.
When the ignition is turned on, the washer jets are heated .
With the low beam headlights switched on, p ull the wiper lever
towards you only briefly to clean the windshield. Ho ld ing the w iper
lever wou ld a lso engage the headlight washer system each time you
clean the w inds hie ld and wou ld dra in t he washer flu id reservoir
pr ematurely .
& WARNING
• Wiper bl ade s are cruc ial for safe driving! Only when they are in
good condition are they able to clear the window s properly to
provide uncompromising visibilit y. Worn or damaged wiper blades
are a safety hazard
::::> page 82 , "In stalling new wiper blade s"!
• The rain sensor is only designed to a ssist and support the
driver . It r em ains entirely th e driver' s respon sibility to monitor
outside weather condit ions and to manually activate the wipers as
s oon a s rain or drizzle reduces visibility through the windshield.
• The windshield mu st not be treated with water-repellent mate ­
rials . They c an in crea se gl are under poor visibility condition s such
as wetness , darkness , or when the sun is low on the horizon. In
addition , they can cau se the wind shield wipers to chatter.
0 Note
In free zing or near freezing conditions:
• Always check that the wiper b lades are not frozen to the glass
be fore you turn the w ipe rs on. Loosen a wiper b lade w hich is frozen
Controls and equip­ ment
Clea r vision
in place before operating the wipers to prevent damage to the wiper
bl ade or the wiper motor.
• Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted window. Using the
wipers as a conve nien t ice scraper will des troy the wiper blades .
• Before you take your vehic le to an automatic car wash, make sure
you have the w inds hield w iper system switched o ff (lever in p osition
O), otherwise the windshield wiper system could get damaged in the
car was h if it should suddenly come o n.
[ i ] Tips
• Make sure the washer flu id reservo ir in the engine compartmen t
is topped off before going on a long trip . Look
up:::> page 323 for
check ing and f illing the washer conta iner.
• I f you sw itch off the ignition with the windshield wiper lever st ill
in the inte rval wi pe pos ition and t hen com e back a wh ile la ter a nd
drive off, the rain sensor wil l reactivate itself after the vehicle speed
has e xceeded 4 mph (6 km/h) .
• Worn or dirty windshie ld wiper b lades cause smearing which
ca n affect t he opera tion of the ra in senso r. Check the condi tion of
your windshield wiper b lades regu lar ly . •
Headlight washer system
The he adlight washer sy stem cle ans the he adlig h ts.
-Oper ate the win dshiel d w ip er/was her sy stem G) wit h th e
hea dlights t urned o n by ho ld ing th e l ever fo r lo nge r than
on e seco nd ::::.,
page 80, fig. 76.
The washe r jets extend f orward out of the fron t bumper dr iven by
water pressure to spray the front head lights with water .
You should inspect the head lights regu lar ly (for examp le when refu -
e ling) a nd c lean o ff any sol id dirt or i nsects from the lenses.
~

___ 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. •

_____________________________________________ 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

_________________________________________________ F_ u_ s_ e_s _ a_n _ d_ b_ u_lb _ s __ lllll
•
erly put back together to help prevent breakage of parts and long
t erm damage from water t hat can enter housings that have not
been properly resealed .
For your safety, we recommend that you have your authorized Audi
dea ler replace any bu lbs for you, s ince your dealer has the proper
tools, the correct bu lbs and the expertise .
Ga s di scharge lamp s (Xenon light s):
Due to the high e lectrical voltage, have the bu lbs replaced by a qual ­
ified technician. Headlights with Xenon light can be identified by the
h ig h voltage st icker .
& WARNING
Contact with high -voltage component s of the ele ctric al sys tem
and improper repla cement of ga s di sch arge (Xenon ) headlight
bulb s can cau se ser iou s per son al injury and death .
• Xen on bulbs are pres suri zed and can explode when be ing
c h anged .
• Changing Xenon lamp s require s the special training , in struc ­
tion s and equipment .
• Only an authorized Audi dealer or othe r qualified work shop
s hould ch ange the bulbs in g as dis charge l amp s.
& WARNING
There are parts with sharp edges on the open ings and on the bulb
holder s th at can c ause seriou s cuts.
• If you are uncert ain about what to do , have the work perform ed
b y a n author ized Audi de aler or other qu alified work shop. Seri ous
personal injur y ma y re sult from improperl y perfo rmed work.
[ i] Tips
• I f you must replace the light bulbs yourself, a lways remember
that t he engine compartment of any vehicle is a hazardous area to work in
. Always read and heed all
WARNINGS=> page 299, "Engine
compartment" =>& .
• I t is best to ask your authorized Audi dealer whenever you need
t o change a bulb. •
Do-it -yourself service