2008 AUDI S8 oil change

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wards, use copious amounts of clean water to remove the
rema ining detergen t. App ly the water with a damp cloth or sponge
and pat the fabric dry with an absorbent, dry c loth .
Stains from chocolate or makeup should have detergent paste (e.g .
ox -ga ll soap) rubbed into them. A fterwards, remove the soap w ith
water (damp sponge).
A lcohol can be used to treat stains from grease, o il, lipstick or a ba ll­
point pen . Melted grease or dye must be patted off using absorbent
mater ial. It may be necessary to retreat the areas w ith de tergent
paste and water .
In the case of genera l soiling of the upho lstery and cover material,
we recommend h iring a spec ialist that has the equ ip m ent to c lean
the seat covers and other fabric surfaces by shampooing and spray
extraction .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNING S and the information
=> page 288 .
[ i] Tip s
Open Ve lcro fasteners on your clothing can damage the seat cover.
Please make sure that Velcro fasteners a re c losed .•
Plastic parts and instrument panel
A lways use a c lean cloth mo istened in clear water to clean these
areas . For persistent dirt use an Audi approved solvent-free plastic
cleaner/protectant .
& WARNING
Solvents can ch ange the propertie s of some plasti cs and make it
harder for the airbag to deploy.
& W AR NING (continued )
• Never clean the instrument panel or the surface of airbag
module s with cle aning pr oduct s that contain sol vent s.
• Product s containing solvent s will make the surface of this part
porou s.
• Seriou s injurie s can result if plastic parts come loo se when the
a irbag i s deployed .
• Alway s re ad and heed all WARNING S and other information
=> page 288.
0 Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents wil l attack the material and can
change the way it behaves .•
Ap plies to vehicles : w ith natu ra l l eathe r
Natural leather
Audi makes great eff orts to maintai n the properti es,
n at ural look and feel of interior leather.
General
We offer many different types of leat her on our veh icles . M ost are
different types of nappa leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in va rious co lors .
T he intens ity of the color determines the visua l c h aracteristics and
appearance. If the surface of the leather has a typica l natural look,
then t he leat her is a nappa leather that has been left in a re lative ly
natural condition. This leather offers particu lar ly good comfort and
breathes well. F ine ve ins, closed gra ins, insect bites, skin folds, and
subt le variations in color remain visib le. These characterist ics
dem onstra te that the material is natura l.
Natura l nappa leather is not covered by a color fin ish . It is therefore
more sensitive to soiling and wea r, which is something you need to
.,.

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to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help
prevent the formation of harmfu l deposits, sometimes called
"sludge, " that over time can lead to expensive repairs .
At the time of printing, engine oils available in the U.S. and Canada
that meet the exacting specificat ions of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, however, that every
synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oi l standard VW 502 00. So
a lways b e sur e that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oi l with
the following specifications printed on the oil container :
Audi oil sta nda rd VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combi­
nation with other designations and oil quality standards.
V iscosi ty
Engine oi ls are graded according to their viscosity . The proper
viscosi ty grade oi l for your engin e depends on climactic or seasonal
conditions where you drive . You can use o il with a v iscosity grade of
SAE 5W40 across all temperature ranges for normal driving condi­
tions.
However , if eng ine oil viscosity grade SAE 5W40 is not available, you
can a lso use viscosity grade SAE 5W -30 or SAE 0W -40 as long as it
meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications.
B ecause engin e oil that meets the Audi oi l standard may not be
avai lable everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you a lways carry with you an extra quart !liter) of oil that
express ly conforms to t he VW 502 00 specification, in case you have
to top off the oil while on the road.
Only if th e level of the oil is at or be low the minimum mark on the
oi l dipstick -and no oil that express ly conforms to Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 specifications is avai lable -may you top off with a high
quality engine oi l, preferably synthetic -based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA A5 or ACEA B5, API SL or ILSAC GF -3 specifications , but even
t hen, only in viscosity grades SAE 5W -40, SAE 5W -30, or SAE 0W -40.
However, during the entire time betwe en oil change int erva ls, nev er top off with more than a total of 0
.5 qt/ liter engine oil that does not
conform to Audi oil specifica tion VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oil that has been approved for
your vehic le, please contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Aud i Customer Relat ions at 1 (800) 822-2834 or v isit our web s ite at
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca. Here you will also find a
current list of o ils (manufacturers, brand names
etc.I that conform
to Audi oi l standard VW 502 00.
Ch an g in g t he en gin e oil
The engine oil and o il filter must be changed according to the
mileage (ki lometers) and time intervals specified in your vehic le 's
Warranty & Maintenance booklet . Do not exceed these intervals -
harmful deposits from old engin e oil can reduce engin e perfor­
mance and can lead to expensive eng ine repa irs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very impor tant
because the lubricating properties of oi l decrease gradua lly during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your o il
changed, ask your authorized Audi Service Advisor.
Under some circumstances the eng ine oil should even be changed
mor e frequen tly . Change oil more oft en if you drive most ly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop ­
and -go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where
t emperatures stay be low freezing po int for long per iods .
Detergent add it ives in the oi l wi ll make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has be en running for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oi l more often than recommended .
Dam age or malfun ction s du e to lack of m aint enan ce
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended interva ls
using on ly engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to fai lure to follow recommended
maintenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dea ler wi ll have
to deny warranty coverage un less you pr esent to the dea ler proof in
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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 ...

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.

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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 .,,_

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[ i J Tips
You are well advised to keep a supply of spare fuses in your vehicle.
Fuses with the proper ampere ratings are available at your Audi
dealer. •
Fuse Location , Instrument Panel left
Fig . 293 Fuse panel
layout
Some of the equipment items listed are optional or only available on
certain model configurations.
Note that the following table is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change. In the event of discrepancies, the
label on the inside of the cover always takes precedence.
The power windows and the power seats are protected by circuit
breakers, which automatically reset after a few seconds after the
overload -for example if a window is frozen -has been remedied.
No. Equipment
1 Garage door opener (Homelinkl 5
2
Parking assist system 5
3
Parking assist system 5
4
Headlight range control/light control device 10
No.
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Equipment Amps
Instrument cluster 5
Steering column electronics system control 10
Diagnostic connector 5
Diagnostic connector/oil level sensor 5
ESP control unit/steering angle sensor 5
Instrument cluster 5
Audi lane assist 10
Brake light switch 5
Telephone/cell phone 10
Vacant
Access/start control module
5
RSE system 10
Adaptive Cruise Control 5
Heated washer jets 5
Vacant
Tire pressure mon itoring system
5
Vacant
Brake light switch
5
Cell phone preparation 5
Horn 15
Windshield wiper system 40
Vacant Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP)
25
Vacant
Switch illumination
1
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service irechnical data

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-Read and hee d WARNI NG =:> & .
Fig. 305 Re ar lifting
point
Ac tivate t he vehicle jackin g mode if a pp licable
=:> p age 188 .
-Loc ate lift ing po in ts=:> page 369 , fig. 3 04 =:> fig. 3 05.
Ad just lift in g a rms of works hop hoi st or floor jack t o
match ve hicle li ftin g points.
Ins ert a ru b be r pad betwe en the floor jack/work shop
h o ist and t he li ftin g poin ts.
The vehicle jacki ng m ode mus t be ac tiva ted so that the au tomatic
adjustment of the Adaptive Air Suspension does not make it more
d ifficu lt to ra ise the vehic le w ith the (floor
jac k) => page 188 .
If you must lift your vehicle with a floor jack to work underneath , be
sure the vehicle is safely supported on stands intended for this
purpo se.
Front lifting point
T he lif ti ng po int is locat ed o n th e floor pan re inforc ement abou t at
the same level as the jack mounting
point => page 3 69, fig. 304. Do
not lift the vehicle at the vertical sill reinforcement. Rear lifting point
Th
e lif tin g po int is loca ted o n the vertical re info rce ment of the l ower
s ill for t he o n-board
jack=> fig . 305.
Lifting with vehicle jack
Refer to => page 354.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of serious injury and vehicle damage.
-Always lift the vehicle only at the special workshop hoist and
floor ja ck lift points illustrated
=> page 369 , fig. 304 and
=> fig . 305.
- Failure to lift the vehicle at these points could cause the
vehicle to tilt or fall from a lift if there is a change in vehicle
weight distribution and balance. This might happen , for
example , when heavy components such as the engine block or
transmission are removed .
• When removing heavy components like these, anchor vehicle
to hoist or add corresponding weights to maintain the center of gravity. Otherwise , the vehicle might tilt or slip off the hoist,
c ausing serious personal injury .
0 Note
• Be awar e of the following points before lifting the vehicle :
-The vehicle should never be lifted or jacked up from under­
neath the engine oil pan , the transmission housing , the front or
rear axle or the body side members . This could lead to serious
damage .
-To avoid damage to the underbody or chassis frame , a rubber
pad must be inserted between the floor jack and the lift point s.
- Before driving over a workshop hoist, check that the vehicle
weight does not exceed the permissible lifting capacity of the
hoid . ~