2009 AUDI S8 maintenance

-Checking and filling ------=-------------------
to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help
prevent the formation of harmful 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 oil standard VW 502 00. So
always be sure 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 standard VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combi­
nation with other designations and oil quality standards.
Viscosity
Engine oi ls are graded according to their viscosity . The proper
viscosity grade oil for your engine depends on climactic or seasonal
conditions where you drive. You can use oil with a v iscosity grade of
SAE 5W40 across all temperature ranges for normal driving condi­
tions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE 5W40 is not available, you
can also use viscosity grade SAE 5W-30 or SAE 0W -40 as long as it
meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications.
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil standard may not be
available everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you always carry with you an extra quart Oiterl of oil that express ly conforms to the VW 502 00 specification, in case you have
to top off the oil while on the road.
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the minimum mark on the
oil dipstick -and no oil that expressly conforms to Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 specifications is available -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
then, only in viscosity grades SAE 5W -40, SAE 5W -30, or SAE 0W -40 .
However, during the entire time between oil change intervals, never top
off with more than a total of 0 .5 qt/liter engine oil that does not
conform to Audi oil specification VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oil that has been approved for
your vehicle, please contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web s ite at
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca. Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand names etc .) that conform
to Audi oil standard VW 502 00.
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed according to the
mileage (kilometers) and time intervals specified in your vehicle 's
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed these intervals -
harmful deposits from old engine oil can reduce engine perfor­
mance and can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating properties of oi l decrease gradua lly during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, ask your authorized Audi Service Advisor .
Under some circumstances the eng ine oil should even be changed
more frequently . Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop­
and -go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where
temperatures stay below freezing point for long periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended interva ls
using only engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to failure 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 unless you present to the dealer proof in
~

Checkin g and fillin g -
--------------~-
•
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all schedu led maintenance
was performed in a time ly manner .•
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cool ing of internal
engine components, all internal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change significantly over the life of the engine. Typically,
engines with a specified break -in period (see~
page 279) consume
more oil during the break-in period than they consume after oi l
consumption has stabi lized .
Unde r 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
condensation or fuel residue and the oxidation level of the o il. As
any engine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consump ­
tio n may increase over time unt il 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. There is no a lternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level, see Note .
If the yellow engi ne oil level warning symbol in the instrume nt
cluster lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as
poss ible
with the oil dipstick~ page 313 . Top off the oil at your
earliest convenience~
page 314.
& WARNING
Before 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 309 .
0 Note
Driving with an insufficie nt o il level is l ikely to cause severe damage
to the engine.
[ i ] Tip s
• The oil pressure warning displ ay ce,. is not an indi cat or of the oil
level . Do not rely on it. Instead , check the oil level in your engine at
regular interv als , prefe rably ea ch time you refuel , and always before
going on a long trip.
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amoun ts of oi l, we recommend tha t you consult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed . Keep in mind
that the accurate measureme nt of oil consumption requires great
care and may take some time. Your Audi dealer has instructions
about how to measure oil consumption accurately. •
Checking the engine oil level
Vehicle care I t •
Fig. 2 65 Illu stra tion of
pri nciple 1 : Mar ker s on
oi l d ips tick ...

Checkin g and fillin g -
--------------~-
•
Before you check a nything in the e ngine compartment,
alw ay s re ad and heed all WARNINGS ~ & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 309.
- Turn off the engine.
- Unscrew the oil filler cap from the cylinder head cover
~ page 314, fig. 267 or~ page 314, fig. 268.
- Carefully top off with the appropriate o il in 0 .5 liter doses .
- Check the oil level again af te r two minutes~
page 313.
- Top off t he o il agai n, if necessary.
- Screw the cap back on the filling hole and slide the oil
dipstic k in as far as it will go .
& WARNING
• While toppi ng off , th e oil mu st n ot come in con tact w ith hot
e ngin e par ts -fir e ha zard!
• The oil filler cap mu st be p roperl y se cured t o pre vent o il fr om
be ing sprayed on the ho t engin e and exhau st s yste m wh en the
e ng ine is runni ng -fi re hazar d!
• If your skin h as come in co ntac t with th e engine oil , you mu st
s ub sequ entl y c lea nse it thor oug hl y.
0 Note
• T he oil level must not be above range @-danger of converter or
engine damage! Contact an authorized dealership to draw off oi l, if
necessary.
• Audi d oes n ot recommend the u se of o il a ddi tives . The y m ay
d am age th e eng in e and adv ers el y af fec t yo ur Ne w Vehicle Warr anty.
<£' For the sak e of th e environment
• Under no circumstances can the oi l come in contact with the
sewage network or the soi l.
• Observe and follow legal regulations when disposing of empty
oi l containers. •
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an autho­
rized Audi dealer or a qualified service station.
Before you check anything in the engine co mpart ment, always re ad
an d heed all WARN INGS=>
& in "Working in the engine compart­
ment" on
page 309.
The engine oi l must be changed according to the interva ls specified
in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. This is very important
because the lubricat ing properties o f oi l d im inish g radua lly during
normal vehicle use.
Under some circumstances the engine oil shou ld be changed more
frequently . Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predomi­
nantly stop -and -go traffic conditions, or have your vehicle where
temperatures remain below freezing for extended periods .
Detergent additives in the oil w ill make fresh oi l look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time . This 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 changed by an authorized
Audi de aler or a
qualified service station .
If you choose to chang e your oil your self , please note the following
important information : .,_
Vehicle care I t •

-~_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 .,_

Tires and wheels -_______________ _____.
Tire service life
The service life of tires depends on a lot of different things
including proper installation and balancing, correct tire
pressure and driving style.
_/l
l '-------- ,)
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)
Fig. 276 Tire tread:
tread wear indicators
(TWI)
Fig . 277 Rotating tires
for more even wear
The original tires on your vehicle have 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high "wear
indicators":::::, fig. 276 running across the tread. Depending on the
make, there will be six to eight of them evenly placed around the
tire. Marks on the tire sidewall (for example "TWI" or other symbols)
indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators. Worn tires must
be replaced. Different figures may apply in other countries.:::::,&.
Tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wear and can cause
sudden tire blow-out. For this reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a month .:::::,
page 333.
Driving style
Driving fast around curves, heavy acceleration and hard braking
increase tire wear.
Rotating tires for more even wear
For all four tires on your vehicle to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rear tires are rotated according to the
tire manufacturer's suggested tire rotation intervals. Please
remember the following:
• Tire rotation intervals may differ from the vehicle service inter­
vals outlined in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
• The longer one tire is used in one location on the vehicle, the
more it wears at certain points; therefore, we recommend that you
follow the tire manufacturer 's suggested tire rotation intervals .
• Vehicles with front-wheel drive experience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to all-wheel drive (quattro®l .
• Please rotate tires as shown .:::::, fig. 277.
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
:::::, page 359.
Wheel balancing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various situa­
tions during everyday driving can cause them to become unbal ­
anced, resulting in vibrations you can usually feel through the
steering wheel.
Unbalanced wheels must be rebalanced to avoid excessive wear on
steering, suspension and tires. A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tire is installed. _,,
Vehicle care I I Technical data

ffl,___G_ e_ n_ e_r_a _ l_ i _n_ f_ o_ rm_ a _t_io _ n _______________________________________________ _
General information
Explanation of technical data
Some of the technical data listed in this manual requires
further explanation.
The technical data for your vehicle is listed in the charts starting on
~ page 380. This section provides general information, notes and
restrictions which app ly to this data. •
Vehicle identification
The key data is given on the vehicle identification number
(VIN) pla te and the vehicle data st icker.
F ig. 30 8 Veh icle Iden ti­
f ic ati on Nu mber ( VIN )
pl ate: locatio n on
dri ver's s ide das h
p anel F
ig . 309 The vehi cle
i d e ntifi cat ion la be l -
i nside the lug gag e
com partm ent
The Vehicle Id enti fication Numb er (V IN)
is located on the driver's side so that it is visible from the outside
through the windshield ~ fig . 308.
Th e veh icle i de ntifi cat ion lab el
is located in the luggage compar tment in the spare whee l well.
The label~ fig. 309 shows the following vehic le data:
0 Production control No.
0 Vehicle identification No.
G) Type code number
© Type designation/engine output in Ki lowatts
@ Engine and transmission code letter
© Paint No./lnterior
0 Optiona l equipment No.'s
Vehicle data 2 to 7 are also found in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet.
Th e s afet y co mpli ance sti cker
is your assurance that your new vehicle complies with a ll app licable
Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Standards which were in effect at the
time the vehicle was manu factured. You can find this sticker on the
left door jamb . It shows the month and year of production and the .._

___ C_ o_n_ s_ u_m _ e_ r_ ln_ f_ o _r _m _ a_ t_ i_o _n ______________________________________________ _
Consumer Information
Warranty coverages
Your A udi i s cov ered b y the follo wing war ra nt ies:
• New Vehicle Limited Warranty
• Limited Warranty Against Corrosion Perforation
• Emissions Control System Warranty
• Emissions Performance Warranty
• California Emissions Control Warranty (USA vehicles only)
• California Emissions Performance Warranty (USA vehicles only)
Detailed information rega rding your warranties can be found in
your Warr ant y
& Maint enan ce book let. •
Operating your vehicle outside the
U .S.A. or Canada
Government regulations in the United States and Canada require
that automobiles meet specific em ission regulations and safety
standards . Therefore, vehic les bui lt for the U .S .A. and Canada differ
from vehicles sold in other countries .
If you plan to take your vehic le outside the continental limits of the
United States or Canada, there is the possibility that
• unleaded fue ls for vehicles with catalyt ic converter may not be
available;
• f uel may have a considerably lower octane rating . Improper fuel
may cause engine damage;
• service may be inadequate due to lack of proper service facilities,
tools or testing equipment;
• replacement parts may not be readi ly available . •
Navigation systems for vehicles built for the U.S.A . and Canada
wil l not necessarily work in Europe, and may not work in other coun ­
tries outs ide North Amer ica.
0 Note
Audi cannot be responsible for mechanica l damage that could
result from inadequate fuel, service or parts avai lability .•
Audi Service Repair Manuals and
Literature
Audi Official Factory Service Manuals are published as soon as
possible after model introduction . Service manuals are availab le
from :
Audi Techni cal Literature Ordering Center
Ca ll tol l-free:
Tel. : 1 (800) 544-8021
(from 8 :00 AM to 8 :00 PM, EST, Monday through Friday)
or access their website www.audi .dd sltd .com on the Internet to
order repair manua ls and other Audi literature .•
Maintenance
G en eral
You r ve hicle has been designed to he lp keep maintenance requ ire ­
ments to a minimum. However, a certain amount of regu lar mainte ­
n ance is sti ll necessary to assure your vehicle's safety, economy and .,_

_______________________________________________ C _o_ n _ s_u _ m_ e_ r_l_n _f_o _ r_ m_ a_ t _i _o _ n __ lllll
re liabi lity . For detailed vehicle maintenance consult your Warranty &
M ain tena nce booklet .
Under diff icult operating condition s, for example at extreme ly low
outside temperatures, in very dusty regions, when towing a trai ler
very frequently, e tc ., som e serv ice work shou ld be p erfo rm ed
between the intervals specifie d. T his applies particu lar ly to:
• oil ch ang es, a nd
• cleaning or replacing the air filter.
<£> For the sake of the environment
By regularl y maintaining your vehicle, you help make su re that emis ­
s io n sta n da rds are ma intained, thus minimi zing a dvers e effe cts on
the environment. •
Important considerations for you and your
vehicle
The inc reasing use of elect ronics, sophisticated fue l injection and
e mi ssio n con tro l sy stems, a nd the gene ra lly i ncreas ing tec hn ica l
complexity of today's automobiles, have steadily reduced the scope
o f mai nte na nce a nd repairs wh ic h can be carr ied ou t by veh ic le
owners.
Also, safety and environmental concerns p lace very strict
l im it s o n the nat ure o f rep ai rs a nd adju stmen ts to engine a nd tra ns­
m ission parts which an owner can perform.
M aintena nce, adj ust m ent s and repairs u sua lly require special t ool s,
t est ing dev ices and o ther equipment ava ilab le to sp ecia lly trained
workshop personne l in order to assure p rope r performance, reli ­
ab ilit y and sa fety o f the vehicle a nd its many sys tems.
I mproper maintenance, adjustments and repairs can impair the
ope ra ti on a nd reliabil ity o f your vehi cle a nd even vo id your ve hicle
warranty. Therefore, proof of servicing in accordance with the main ­
t e nance sch ed ule may be a con diti on for upholding a poss ibl e
warranty claim made within the warranty period.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Above a
ll, operational safe ty can be adverse ly affected, creating
u nn ece ssary risks for you a nd your passenge rs .
I f in doubt about any servicing, have it done by your authorized Audi
dea ler or any other properly equipped and qualified workshop. We
str on gly ur ge you to g ive your au thorized Au di dea ler t he o pportu ­
nity to perform al l scheduled maintenance and necessary repairs.
Your dealer has t he facil ities, origina l pa rts and tra ined spec ialis ts
to keep your vehic le running proper ly.
Performing limited maintenance yourself
The fo llowing pages descr ibe a limited numbe r of procedu res wh ic h
ca n be perf ormed o n you r vehicle wi th ord ina ry tools, sho uld the
need arise and trained personne l be unavailab le. Befo re performing
any of t hese proc edures, a lways thor oug hly read all of the ap pli­
cable text and carefu lly fo llow the instruct ions given. Always rigor ­
ously observe the
WARNINGS provid ed .
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , al ways read
and heed all WARNINGS~
& and~ & in "Working in the engine
compa rtme nt" on
page 309.
& WARNING
• Serious personal injury may occur as a result of improperly
performed maintenance , adjustments or repairs .
• Always be extremely careful when working on the veh icle .
Always follow commonly accepted safety practices and general c ommon sense . Never risk personal injury .
• Do not attempt any of the maintenance, checks or repairs
descr ibed on the following pages if you are not fully fam iliar with
these or other procedures with respect to the vehicle , or are uncer ­
tain how to pro ceed .
• Do not do any work without the proper tools and equipment.
Have the necessary work done by your authorized Audi dealer or
another properly equipped and qualified workshop . _,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Tec hn ica l da ta