2008 AUDI S8 winter tires

Driver inf ormation displ ay
Ap plies to vehi cles : wi th Ad aptive Li ght
Adaptive Light defective ~O
g(J Adaptiv e lig ht def ecti ve
When this symbol go illuminates, it means that Adaptive Light is
defective. Go to an authorized dealership to have the head lights or
the control unit for the Adaptive Light repaired. •
Headlight range control defective {G>
(0 Headli ght range co ntr ol d efe ct ive !
If the symbol illuminates, the dynamic headlight range contro l is no
longer working properly . Have the system checked and repaired at
your Audi dealer.
•
Defective light /rain sensor @)
~o Autom atic he adlight s/aut om ati c wi pers defe ctive
If the symbol il luminates, the light/rain sensor has fai led. For sa fety
reasons the low beams are turned on permanently with the switch
in
AUTO. H owever, you can continue to tur n the lights on and off
using the light switch . If the rain sensor fails, the functions of the
windshield wiper lever wil l stil l work . Contact your authorized Audi
dea ler as soon as possible to have the problem corrected .•
Speed warning system
Overview
The speed warning syste m hel ps you to keep your driving
speed below a set speed limit.
T he speed warning system warns the driver if he exceeds a previ ­
ous ly stored maximum speed . A warn ing tone will sound as soon as
the vehicle speed exceeds the set speed by about 3 mph (3 km/hl. At
the same time, a warning symbol appears in the disp lay.
The speed warn ing system has
two w arning thre shold s that func ­
tion independent ly of each other and that have somewhat d ifferent
purposes :
Speed warning 1 8 {USA mod els l/8 {Canad a m odels)
You can use speed warning 1 to set the maximum speed whi le you
are driving . This setting will remain in effect until you turn off the
ign it ion,
assu ming that you have not changed or reset the setting .
T he speed warning symbol
8 (USA modelsl/ 8 (Canada models) in
t he warn ing 1 disp lay appears when you exceed the maximum
speed . It goes out when the speed falls below the stored maximum
speed.
T he speed warn ing symbol wi ll also go out if the speed
exceeds th e
stored maximum speed by more than about 25 mph ( 40 km/h) for at
l east 10 seconds. However, t his does not reset the stored maximum
speed .
Setting speed warning 1
~ page 37 .
S pe ed wa rning 2
6 {USA m odels l/ 8 {Ca na d a models )
Storing warning 2 is recom mended if you always want to be
reminded of a certain speed, for example when you are traveling in
a co untry that has a general maximum speed l imit, or if you do n ot
want to exceed a specified speed for winter tires.
~

Driver information display
& WARNING (continued)
tion also is likely to impair the vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.
• Do not adjust tire pressure when tire temperature is excessive .
This could lead to serious tire damage and even cause the tire to
burst, with the additional danger of an accident.
W For the sake of the environment
Driving with under -inflated tires reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life.
[ i) Tips
• Each tire, including the spare*, should be checked monthly when
cold and set to the recommended inflation pressure as specified on
the tire pressure label
=> page 328.
• The tire pressure monitoring system helps the driver to keep an
eye on tire pressures. But the driver still has the responsibility for
maintaining the correct tire pressure .
• Tire pressure must only be adjusted when the temperature of the
tires is about the same as ambient air temperature.
• When tires are replaced, the sensors and valves should not be
detached or exchanged. Only the valve core needs to be replaced
and, if necessary, the valve and the wheel electronics replaced.
• 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 compatible 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
authorized Audi dealer.
• Adjust the tire pressure and store the pressure in the tire pres ­
sure monitoring system to the load you are
carrying => page 328. •
Significant loss of air pressure ( )
The yellow symbol appears in the event of a significant
loss of air pressure.
Fig . 25 Display: yellow
symbol with message
Fig . 26 Display: yellow
symbol without
message
If the warning light in the instrument cluster:::::, page 20
illuminates and then the ( symbol appears in the display
:::::, fig. 25 or:::::, fig. 26, this means the tire pressure is too low
in one or several tires (including spare tire* with sensor).
Stop driving as soon as possible without endangering
yourself or other drivers on the road.
- Inspect the tire or tires.
Change the tire if
necessary:::::, page 351.

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

___ 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. •

Tires and wheels -
-----------------------------
•
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298
km/h)=> page 338. You may not find this informa­
tion on all tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire
sidewall and indicates the maximum permissible road
speeds=> &
in "Winter tires" on page 341.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning tell­
tale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
=> page 335, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on
measuring tire wear .
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles (kilometers) or perform in a certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers additional information to combine with
other considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recom- mendations
. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufac­
turers in three areas: treadwear, traction, and temperature resis­
tance . The UTQG information on the tires, molded into the
sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac­
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2207 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2007 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may or may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle's total seating capacity as listed on the label located either on the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by dis trib­
uting to each axle its share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by dis trib­
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table
below => page 328) and dividing by two. ..,.
Vehicle care

___ T_ ir_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h
_ e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
Tire ma nufact uring d ate
The manufacturing date is a lso indicated on the t ire sidewa ll
(possib ly on ly on the inner side of the wheel):
"DOT ... 2207 ...
" means, for example, the tire was produced in the
22nd week of 2007.
Sp eed ratin g (lett er code )
The speed rating letter code on the whee ls indicates the maximum
permissible road speeds =>
& in "Winter tires" on page 341.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S upto110mph(180km/h)
T upto118mph(190km/ h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)2>
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)2>
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)21
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/ h)21
Your vehicle is normally factory equipped with tires, which possess
excel lent driving characteristics and give your Audi opt imum
driving comfort . An e lectronic speed
limiter=> page 28wil l norma lly
prevent your vehicle from going faster t han the tire speed rating
=> & .
U.S . D OT T ire Iden tifi cation Number (TIN ) and tire
m anuf actur e date
This is the tire's "seria l num ber" . It beg ins with t he letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac-
2 1 For tires with a maximum speed capab il ity over 149 mph (240 km/h), ti re
manufacturers somet imes use the lett ers "ZR."
ture . For example, the numbers 2207 mean the tire was produced in
t he 22nd
week of 2007 . The other numbers are marketing codes that
may or may not be used by the tire manufacturer . This information
is used to contact consumers if a tire defect requires a recall.
T ire p ly co mpos ition and mate ria ls used
The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber -coated
fabric in the tire . In genera l, the greater the number of p lies, the
more weight a tire can support. Tire manufacturers also must ind i­
cate the materials in the tire, which include steel, ny lon, polyester,
and others.
M ax imum Lo ad R ating
T his number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
Tire quali ty grading f or treadwe ar, t rac tion , and
t e mp era tu re resis ta nce
Tread wea r, traction and temperature
grades => page 340.
M ax imum P ermi ssible Infl atio n Press ure
T his number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the tire under norma l driving conditions.
Repl acing tir es o r rim s on vehi cles e quipp ed w ith tire
pr ess ur e monit orin g sy st em
T he wheels on your vehicle are equipped with a sensor which
constantly monitors the air pressure inside the tire , and then trans ­
m its this information to the tire pressure mon itoring system. If you
are going to replace the whee l rims on your vehicle, make sure the
n ew rims also have t hese sensors. The sensors mus t be compa tible
with the tire pressure monitoring system on your vehicle .
I f you instal l rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
whic h are not compatible, then the t ire pressure monitoring system
wi ll not work properly. In this case, the tire pressure monitoring
system would not be ab le to mon itor the tire pressure or warn you
if it is necessary . .,_

________________________________________________ T_ i
_ r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ l'III
•
• T he batt ery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a l imited
s er vice l ife.
• Al ways drive with the va lve stem ca ps sec ure ly m ounted. We
r ec om mend u sin g fa ctor y in sta lle d v alv e stem caps. Ask your autho­
rized Audi d ealer to replac e lost valve stem caps .
T he in stalla tio n of replacement ti res with steel cord body plies i n
th e tire s id ewal l may cause malfunct ion of the tire pressure moni ­
toring sy ste m, and is not recommended (c ord mate ria l infor mation
i n mo lded on the tire s idewa ll).
Al ways check your tir e pressure monitor ing system indicator after
r eplac ing on e o r m ore tire s on y our vehi cle. If the tire pressu re
monitorin g system indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
w orki ng pr ope rly. You r rep lace ment tir e mi ght be in co m pati ble w ith
your t ire pr essure monitoring system, or some component of the
t ir e pr ess ure m oni to ring sys te m m ay be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and / or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use tires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory -installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehi cle manufacturer .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
espe cially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds .
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type ,
size (rolling cir cumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driving
&, WARNING (continued )
with different tires reduces vehicle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle
-for example with winter tires -only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly.
• Overloading tires cause heat build -up , sudden tire failure,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated.
• For techni cal reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels , make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked . Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the factory . The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system that indicates a loss of tire pressure. Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires . If run flat tires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted.
0 Note
• Fo r tec hnica l reaso ns, i t is not gene rally p oss ibl e to use the
whee l rims from other vehicles . T his can hold true for wheels of t he
sa me v ehicl e typ e.
Vehicle care

___ 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.
~