2009 AUDI S8 warning light

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_n ...:::g::;...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in -'g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 270. 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 310.
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.
Th erefore, 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 .,_

Checking and filling -
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checked by a service facility. The electrolyte level should also be
checked each time the battery is charged =>
page 323.
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 certain 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 234.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle 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
vehicle electrical system when absolutely necessary for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long periods 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 consumption and maintains starting capability
over a longer period
=> page 276.
Be aware that when you unlock your vehicle, some of the conve ­
nience functions may not operate, such as the Convenience key*,
the remote control or the power seat adjustment. The convenience
functions will be available again when you turn on the ignition and
start the engine.
Winter operation 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 consump tion, particularly in city traffic or
when traveling only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dealer
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=> page 323. A well charged battery will not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
[ i] Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. This will prevent it from being damaged and
having to be replaced.•
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near the battery.
Fig . 271 Luggage
compartment: Right·
side storage compart­
ment
Fig . 272 Luggage
compartment : Battery
The battery is located in the luggage compartment on the
right side behind a cover. Before you check anything in the
luggage compartment,
read and heed all WARNINGS=>& . .,_
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

-Checking and filling PW~--=----=----------------
-To open the side storage compartment, turn the two pins
@ ~fig . 271 to the vertical position.
The positive(+) battery terminal is protected by a plastic cover . This
cover must be removed to access the positive(+) terminal when
connecting jumper cables to start the eng ine.
Always heed the safety warnings , when working on the vehicle
battery or the vehicle electrica l system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre­
cautions when working on the battery .
@
®
Always wear eye prote ction .
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Always wear
gloves and eye protection .
No
• sparks
- flames
· smoking.
When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause personal injury .
Always keep the battery well out of reach of chil­
dren .
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire. Read and heed the
following WARNINGS :
& WARNING (continued)
• Always wear eye protection. Do not let battery acid or any lead
particles get on your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes. Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury.
• Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can cause
blindness and severe burns.
-Always wear gloves and eye protection . Do not tilt the
battery because acid could leak out of the ventilation openings.
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immedi­
ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and get medical
attention.
- If you should ingest any battery acid , seek medical attention
immediately .
• Do not expose the battery to an open flame , electric sparks or
an open light .
• Do not smoke.
• Do not interchange the positive and negative cables.
• When working on the battery, be sure not to short-circuit the
terminals with tools or other metal objects. This would cause the battery to heat up very quickly, which could lead to damage or
explosion and personal injury.
• When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen gas which is
explosive and could cause personal injury.
• Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children.
• Before work is done on the electrical system, disconnect the
negative ground cable.
• Before performing any work on the electrical system, switch off
the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment. The
negative cable on the battery must be disconnected. If you are just
going to replace a light bulb , then it is enough to switch off the
lights.
• Before disconnecting the battery, switch off the anti-theft
alarm system! Otherwise you will set off the alarm.

Checking and filling -
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Windshield/headlight washer
container
F ig . 273 Engine
co mpartm ent : Wind ­
s hiel d and headl ig ht
wa sher fluid container
The was her fluid container is marke d w ith the symbol <$ on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the e ngine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working
in t he engi ne com partme nt" on
page 309.
- Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer f luid. You can fill
the container to the top .
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container .
You can find the reservoir ca paci ty in the table in=> page 380.
To prevent lime residue from building up on the spray jets, use
distilled water when refilling. Always add a glass cleaner solution
(with frost protection in the winter!.
0 Note
Do n ot m ix engine coo lant antifreeze or any other addi tives to fill up
the windshield washer reservoir .•
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

1111 What do I do now? ..._ __________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued )
front wheel is lifted off the ground , placing the Automatic Trans­
mission in "P" (Park) will
not prevent the vehicle from moving.
• Before you change a wheel, be sure the ground is level and firm.
If necessary , use a sturdy board under the jack.
• After installing the spare wheel, make sure that you replace the
flat tire/wheel in its storage area properly and tighten the knurled
retaining screw securely.
[ i J Tips
Before changing the wheel, you must activate the jacking mode, so
that the automatic controls for the Adaptive Air Suspension do not
make it more difficult to lift the vehicle with the jack =>
page 791. •
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence described
below step-by-step and in exactly that order.
1. Activate the vehicle jacking mode~ page 191.
2. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For more details
see also
~ page 355, "Decorative wheel covers" or
~ page 355, "Wheels with wheel bolt caps" .
3. Loosen the
wheel bolts ~ page 356.
4. Locate the proper mounting point for the jack and align
the jack below that point~
page 356.
5. Lift the car with the jack~ page 356.
6. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then install the
spare
~ page 358 .
7. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly. 8.
Lower the vehicle with the
jack.
9. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten all wheel
bolts
~ page 356.
10. Replace the decorative wheel cover*.
11. Deactivate the vehicle jacking mode~ page 191.
& WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and information :::::> 6 in
" Raising the vehicle" on
page 356 and => page 359. •
After changing a vvheel
A wheel change is not complete without the doing the
following.
- Store and secure the wheel you replaced in the spare
wheel well.
- Replace the tools and the jack in their proper location.
- Check the
tire pressure on the spare wheel immediately
after mounting it.
- As soon as possible , have the
tightening torques on all
wheel bolts checked with a torque wrench. The correct tightening torque is 90 ft lb (120 Nm) .
- Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
[ i J Tips
• If you notice that the wheel bolts are corroded and difficult to
turn while changing a tire, they should be replaced before you check
the tightening torque. .,_

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•
erl y put back to g eth er to help pr eve nt brea kage of parts and long
te rm dam age fro m water that can enter h ous ing s th at h ave not
been properly resealed.
F or y our safety , we reco mmend that you have your autho rized A udi
dea ler rep lace any b ulbs for you, s ince you r deale r has the proper
tools, the correct bu lbs and the expertise.
Gas discharge lamps (Xenon lights):
D ue to the hi gh e lectrical voltage, have the bu lbs replaced by a qual ­
ified techn ic ian. Headlights wi th Xenon light can be ide ntifie d by the
h igh voltage s tic ke r.
& WARNING
Contact with high-voltage components of the ele ctri cal system
and improper replacement of gas discharge (Xenon) headlight
bulbs can cause ser ious personal injury and death .
• Xenon bulbs are pressurized and can explode when being
changed .
• Changing Xenon lamps requires the special training, instruc ­
tions and equipment .
• Only an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified workshop
should change the bulbs in gas discharge lamps .
& WARNING
There are parts with sharp edges on the openings and on the bulb
holders that can cause serious cuts.
• If you are uncertain about what to do, have the work performed
by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified workshop. Serious
personal injury may result from improperly performed work.
[ i ] Tips
• I f you must replace the light bulbs yourse lf , always remember
tha t the e ngi ne compartmen t of an y ve hic le i s a hazardous area to work in. Always read and heed al
l WARNINGS=>
page 301, " E ngine
c om partm ent" =>& .
• I t is best to ask your authorized Audi dealer whenever you need
to ch ang e a bul b.•
Do-it -yourself service

1111.___E_ m _ e _r-==g :...e_ n_ c...:y _ s_ i_t _u _a _t_ i_o _n_ s _______________________________________________ _
Emergency situations
General
This section is intended for trained emergency crews and personnel
who have the necessary tools and equipment to perform these
operations. •
Starting by pushing or towing
0 Note
Your ve hicle is equipped wit h an auto matic trans mis sion. C onse­
quent ly, the engine cannot be started by pushing or tow ing .•
Starting with jumper cables
If n ece ssar y, the eng in e c an b e star ted by conne cting it to
the battery of anoth er veh icle .
If th e engine shou ld fai l to start because of a discharged or weak
ba ttery , the bat te ry can be connected t o the ba ttery of
another
vehic le, using a pair of jumper cables to start the engine.
Jumper cables
Use
only jumper cabl es o f sufficient ly la rgecross section to carry the
st arte r current safe ly . R efer to th e manu fac tur er's speci fica tions.
Us e on ly jumper cables w ith
i n sulated te rminal clamps w hic h are
d istinct ly marked:
plus (+l cable in m ost cas es c olore d red
minus (-l cable in most cases co lored black .
& WARNING
Batteries contain electricity , acid , and gas . Any of these can cause
very serious or fatal injury. Follow the instructions below for safe
handling of your vehicle 's battery .
• Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning over the battery
whenever possible .
• A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures just below
32 °F (0 °C l. Before connecting a jumper cable , you must thaw the
frozen battery completely , otherwise it could explode.
• Do not allow battery a cid to contact eyes or skin . Flush any
contacted area with water immediately.
• Improper use of a booster battery to start a vehicle may cause
an explosion.
• Vehicle batteries generate e xplosive gases . Keep sparks, flame
and lighted cigarettes away from batteries.
• Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a low ac id level in the
battery.
• The voltage of the booster battery must also have a 12-Volt
rating . The capacity (Ahl of the booster battery should not be
lower than that of the discharged battery . Use of batteries of
different voltage or substantially different "Ah " rating may cause
an e xplosion and personal injury .
• Never charge a frozen battery. Gas trapped in the ice may cause
an explosion .
• Never charge or use a battery that has been frozen . The battery
case may have be weakened.
• Use of batteries of different voltage or substantially different
capacity (Ah ) rating may cause an explosion and injury . The
capacity (Ahl of the booster battery should not be lower than that
of the discharged battery . .,_

________________________________________________ E_ m ___ e_r.::g ~e ___ n_c ~y:.- s;_ i_t _u :...:a:..:. t.:.: i...:o :...:n...:..:. s _ __,J_
& WARNING !continued)
• Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~ page 301, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
• Applying a higher voltage booster battery will cause expensive
damage to sensitive electronic components, such as control units,
relays, radio, etc .
• There must be no electrical contact between the vehicles as
otherwise current could already start to flow as soon as the positive
(+) terminals are connected.
[ i) Tips
• The discharged battery must be properly connected to the
vehicle's electrical system. When jump starting or charging the
battery , never connect the negative ground cable to the battery
negative post because the battery manager system must be able to
detect the battery's state of charge. Always connect the negative
ground cable to the negative ground post of the battery manager
control unit .•
Use of jumper cables
Make sure to connect the jumper cable clamps in exactly
the order described below!
Fig. 299 Jump starting
with the battery of
another vehicle: A -
discharged vehicle
battery, B -booster
battery
The procedure described below for connecting jumper
cables is intended to provide a jump start for your vehicle.
Vehicle with discharged battery:
-Turn off lights and accessories, move lever of automatic
transmission to
N (Neutral) or P (Park) and set parking
brake.
Connect POSITIVE (+) to POSITIVE (+) (red)
1. Connect one end to the positive terminal~ fig . 299 G)
of your battery @.
2. Connect the other end to the positive terminal
@ of the
booster battery
@.
Connect NEGATIVE (-) to NEGATIVE (-) (black)
3. Connect one end to the negative terminal @ of the
booster battery
@.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service irechnical data