2009 AUDI S8 engine coolant

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Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
Fig. 261 Driver's side
footwell: engine hood
release lever
-Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel ~ fig. 261 in the direct ion of the arrow.
Th e hood pops up slightly under spring pressure .•
Opening the engine hood
Fig . 262 Release lever
under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that the wind­
shield wipers are flat against the windshield. Otherwise,
they could damage the paint on the hood.
Lift the hood slightly ~&, .
- Pull up on the release under the hood ~ fig. 262. This
releases the catch.
- Open the hood all the way.
The hood is kept in the open position by two gas struts.
& WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood. •

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•
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the struts is
reduced .
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fail to engage => &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
~ & .
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood :
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake .
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever to "P" (Park).
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment .
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm . The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary :
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames . Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine
is running or being started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running: -First, fully apply the parking brake, move selector lever to "P"
(Park). .,
Vehicle care
I t •

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& WARNING (continued )
-Always u se extreme caution to prevent cloth ing , jewelry, or
long hair from getting caught in the radiator fan , V-belt s or
other moving parts , or from contacting hot parts . Tie back hair
before starting , and do not wear clothing that will hang or
droop into the engine .
• Minimize exposure to emis sion and chemical hazards
::::> & .
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 W arn ing :
• Engine exhaust , some of its constituents , and certain vehicle
c omponents cont ain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and reproductive harm. In addition , certain fluids contained in vehi cles and certa in products
of component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and birth defect s or other reprodu c­
tive harm.
• Battery posts , terminals and related ac cessories conta in lead
and lead compounds , chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms. Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
When adding f luids, always make sure that they are poured into the
proper container or filler ope ning, otherwise serious damage to
vehic le systems wi ll occur .
ci> For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle floor pan from under ­
n eath regularly. If you see spots fro m oil o r o th e r v eh icle flu ids, hav e
your vehicle inspected by an author iz ed Audi dea le r. •
Engine compartment
Ap plies to vehi cle s: w ith 8 -c yli nd er e ng in e
Engine compartment overview : 8-cylinder
engine
T hese are the mos t impor tant items th at you c an ch eck .
Fig. 26 3 Typical l ayout for containe rs, engine o il d ip stic k and engine oil fille r
c a p
G) Winds hield/headlight washer containe r(<;;;> ) .. ..... .
0 Brake fluid reservoir ( l) .. .. .. .. ...... .... ... .. .
© En gine oil filler cap ('I::?:) .. .. .... ...... .... ... . _ .
© Engine oil d ipstick (orange) .... ..... ........ .... .
© Power st eering r eservoir ...... ........ ... ......• .
© Coolant expansion tank (- L l ... ...... .... ... .... . .
325
319
314
31 3
275
317 ..

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& WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal inju ry if you mu st change the engine
oil in your vehicle your self:
• Wear eye prote ction .
• To reduce the ri sk of bu rn s from hot engine oil , let the engine
c ool down to the tou ch .
• When remo ving th e oil dr ain pl ug w ith your fing ers, s tay a s fa r
a w ay as po ssibl e. Alw ays keep your forearm p arallel to the grou nd
to help prevent hot oil from running down your arm .
• Drai n the oil into a container de signed for th is purpose , one
l a rg e enough to hold at le ast the tot al a mount of oil in your eng ine .
• Engine oil is poi sonou s. Keep it well out of the rea ch of children .
• Continuous contact with used engine oil i s harmful to your
skin. Always prote ct your skin by wa shin g oil off thoroughly with
s oap and water .
0 Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil. These additives can
damage you r engine and adve rsely affect you r Audi Limited New
Vehicle Warranty .
~ For the sake of the environment
• Before changing your oil, first make sure you know where you
can proper ly dispose of the used oil.
• Always dispose of used engine oil properly . Do not dump it on
garden soil, wooded areas, into open st reams or down sewage
drains .
• Recycle used engine oi l by taking it to a used engine oi l collec ­
tion facility in your area, or contact a service station .•
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolan t perf orms two func tions: it keeps t he
engine from overheating an d it protects the engine from
freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sealed and general ly requires litt le attention.
The coo ling system has been fi lled at the factory with a permanent
coo lant 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 additives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian mode ls) . 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 boil ing point o f the coolant.
D o not reduce the concentration of the coo lant in the summer by
adding pla in water.
Th e proporti on of coolant additive must b e at
l e as t 50 % but not more than 60 %
to maintain antifreeze protection
and cooling efficiency . If the coolant frost protect ion is too low, the
coo lant could freeze and damage the vehicle heating and engine
coo ling 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 G 12 + + coolant additive wit h other additives (G12 +
or G12). A lways check with your authorized Audi dealer .
& WARNING
Before you che ck anything in the engine compartment , alwa ys
read and heed all WARNING S
~ & in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 30 9.

Checking and filling -
------------------------------------------- -=----- =------
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold. If necessary, increase the proportion of
coolant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system,
remember:
-We recommend using only coolant additive G12+ + (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is available at autho­
rized Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protection . The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage .
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's
engine coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and cou ld result
in damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty .•
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig . 269 Engine
compartment : Coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS==> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 309.
Turn off the ignition .
Read the engine coolant level from the coolant expan­
sion tank==> fig. 269. With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
" max" marking .
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the
engine compartment illustration=>
page 310.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off .
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric
coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto­
Check System =>
page 31 will blink until you add coolant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system. In the event
of coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not enough merely to add
coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating.
& WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot. Reduce
the risk of scalding from hot coolant
by following these steps. ~
Vehic le care I I Technical data

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& WARN ING (c o ntinued )
• Turn off the engine and all ow it to c ool down .
• Protect your f ace, hand s and arms from e scaping flu id and
s te am by covering the cap w ith a large , thick rag .
• Turn the cap slowly a nd ve ry ca re fu lly
in a c ounter -clockw ise
dire ction while applying light , downward pres sure on the top of
the cap.
• To avoid being burned , do not spill antifree ze or coolant on the
e x hau st sy stem or hot eng ine parts . U nde r certain conditions , the
ethylene glycol in engine coolant can cat ch fire .
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealan t to your vehic le's engine
coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the func ­
tio n and performance of your coo ling system and could resu lt in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty .
[ i J Tips
On vehicles with the 12 -cylinder engine, the expansion tank is
located under a cover .•
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check a nything in the e ngine compartment,
alway s read and heed all WARNINGS=:> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 309.
Turn off the engine.
Let the engine coo l down. -
Pla ce a t hick rag over t he co ola nt expansio n tank
=:> page 317, fig . 269 and carefully tw ist the cap cou nter ­
clockw ise
=:> & .
- Add cool ant.
Twist the cap on again
tightly .
Replacement engine coolant mus t conform to exact specifications
=> page 316, "Coolan t". Even in an emergency, if coolant additive
G 12+ +, G12 + or G12 is not availab le, do
not use a different additive.
Use plain water instead until you can get the correct additive and
can restore the correct ratio . This should be done as soon as
possible.
I f you have lost a cons iderable amount of coolant, then you should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold .
A lways use
new engine coolant when refil ling .
Do not fi ll coo lant above the "MAX" mark . Excess coolant wil l be
f orced out through the p ressure relief valve in the cap when the
eng ine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system i s under pre ssure and can g et very hot .
Redu ce th e risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
s tep s.
- Turn off the e ngine a nd allo w it t o cool down .
- Protect your fac e, hand s and arms from e sc a ping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thi ck rag .
- Turn the cap slo w ly and very caref ully in a counter -clockwi se
dire ction while applying light , downward pres sure on the top
of the cap .
- To avoid being burned , do not sp ill antifreeze or cool ant on
the e xhau st sy stem o r hot e ngine part s. Under ce rtain condi -
tions , the ethylene glycol in engine cool ant can catch fire. _.,,

Checking and filling 111111 _______________________________ =..:..:..::...:::...:...:~:....:...;_.:....::___--:::-------J
& WARNING !continued )
• Antifr eeze is po isonous. Always store antifreeze in it s original
c ontainer and well out of the re ach of children .
• If you drain the coolant, it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper co ntainer cle arly m arked "poi son ".
0 Note
• Coolant po llutes the environment and cou ld cause an engine
fire. Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief
valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
• I f, in an emergency, only wa ter can be added, the correct ratio
between water and antifreeze=>
page 316 must be restored as soon
as possib le .
W For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused. A lways dispose of used
coolant while observing all environ mental regula tions . •
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on au tomatically by i tself.
T he radiator fan is driven by the engine via the V-belt. The viscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the temperature
of the coo lan t.
An auxiliary electric radiator fan * switches on and off depending on
coolant tem perature and o ther vehic le opera ting condi tions.
After you switch the engine off , the auxiliary fan can continue
running for up to 10 minutes -even with the ignition off. It can even
switch on again later by itself=>&, if
• the temperature of the engine coolant rises due to the heat
bu ild -up from the engine i n the engine c ompar tment, or •
the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunligh t.
& WARNING
• To reduce the ri sk of personal injury never touch the radiator
f a n .
• The aux iliary electric fan i s te mperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The au xiliary radiato r fan switche s on automatic ally when th e
eng ine coolant reache s a certain temperature and
will continue to
r un until the coo lant tempe rature drop s. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
T he brake fluid level can be checked with a quick glance.
-w ;:;
Fig . 270 Engin e
c o mpartm ent: B ra ke
fluid r ese rvo ir
Before you check anything in the e ngine comp artmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS:::::> & in "Working in
t h e engi ne compartment" on
page 3 09. .,_
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ C_ o_n_ s_ u_m _ e_ r_ ln_ f_o _r_m _ a_ t_ i_o _n ______________________________________________ _
& WARN ING (continued )
• The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially
hazardous area . Never rea ch into the area around or to uch the
radiator fan . It is temperature controlled and can sw itch on
suddenly -even when the engine is off and the ignition key has
been removed . The radiator fan switches on automatically when
the coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to run until the coolant tempe rature drops .
• Always remove the ignition key before anyone gets under the
vehi cle .
• Always support your vehicle with safety stands if it is neces ­
sary to work underneath the vehicle . The jack suppl ied with the
vehicle is not adequate for this purpose and could collap se
causing serious personal injury .
• If you must work underneath the vehicle with the wheels on
the ground, always make sure the veh icle is on level ground , that
the wheels are always securely blocked and that the engine
cannot be sta rted .
• Always make sure the tr ansmission selector lever (automatic
transmission) is in "P" (Park position ) and the p ark brake is firmly
applied.
W For the sake of the environment
• Cha ng ing the e ngin e sett ings will a dverse ly aff ect em iss ion
levels. This is detrimenta l to the environment and increases fuel
co nsump tion .
• Always observe environmenta l regu lations when disposing of
o ld eng ine oil, u sed bra ke flu id, d irty eng ine coo la nt, spent batter ies
or worn out tires.
• Undeployed airbag modul es and pretensioners might be classi ­
fied as Perchlorate Material -specia l handling may apply, see
www .d tsc.ca .gov/ hazardouswaste/pe rc h lora te . W hen t he vehicle or
parts of the restraint s ystem including airbag modules safety be lts
with pre tensio ners are sc ra p pe d, a ll ap pl ica ble laws and reg ula- tions must be observed. Your authorized Audi dea
ler is familiar with
t hese requi reme nts and we reco mmend th at you h ave your dealer
perform th is serv ice for you. •
Additional accessories,
modifications and parts replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
A lways consult an author ized Audi dea ler before
pur chasin g access orie s.
Y our vehicle incorporates the latest safety design featu res ensuring
a hi gh standa rd of active a nd passive sa fety .
T his saf ety could be com promised by non -approved changes to th e
vehic le . Fo r thi s reason, i f parts have to be replaced, p lease obse rve
th e fo llow ing po ints wh en insta lling add it io na l acc essories:
Approved Audi accessories and genuine Audi parts are avai lable
from autho rized Audi dea lers .
T hese dealers also have the necessary faci lities, tools and trained
spec ia lists to ins tal l the part s and accessorie s prope rly.
& WARNING
Using the wrong spare parts or using non -approved accessories
can cause serious personal injury.
• Use only accessorie s expressly approved by Audi and genuine
Audi spare parts
• These parts and accessories have been specially designed to
be used on your vehicle .
• Never install accessories such as telephone cradles or
beverage holders on airbag covers or within the airbag deploy-