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Vehicles moving in you r direction can be detected up to a dis tance
of about 140 yards (130 meters) bu t the Adaptive Cruise Control
cannot detect vehicles that are stopped or sta lled, obs tacles that do
not move or narrow vehic les like motorcyc les and bicycles .
Open road
When the road is c lear, Adap tive Cruise Con trol works like cruise
control. It maintains a constant target speed specified by the driver .
Driving in traffic
If a slow er vehicle driving ahead is detected, the Adaptive Cruis e
Contr ol dece lerates (within the limits of the system) ::::,
page 150 to
its spe ed and after adjusting, tries to maintain the set distance from
t he veh ic le ahead. The vehicle may temporar ily d rive slower tha n
the set speed while adjusting ::::,
& in "Description" on page 139.
If the vehicle in front accele rates, Adaptive Cruise Control also accel
erates up to the speed that you have set.
Situations requiring driver intervention
I n some situations you w ill have to use the foot brake and slow the
veh icle down in order to keep a sa fe distance from vehicle in front
of you or to avoid a rear -end collision. In this situation, a symbol
appears and a warning tone sounds::::,
page 146.
Passing another vehicle
If you move int o the pa ssing lane and no vehicle is detecte d ahead,
Adaptive Cruise Contro l accelerates to the speed you have set and
maintains it .
Overriding ACC
You can increase your speed a t any time by stepping on the acceler
ator pedal. After you re lease the accelerator pedal, the system
adjusts back down to the speed you previously set .
Contro ls and eq uip
ment
& WARNING
• Never rely on the distan ce control feature of ACC alone to
prevent rear -end collisions. Always be prepared to brake and take
evasive action to avoid colli sio ns and other accident situation s.
• Never allow the closing speed between you and other vehicle s
to be so high that the Adaptive Cruise Control may not be able to
slow your vehicle safely . If clo sing speed i s too high , you must
apply the brakes yourself to reduce the risk of a rear -end cra sh .
[ i ] Tips
Please note that the amount of acceleration the Adaptive Cruise
C o ntro l use s depends on the Distance setting selected . DISTA NCE 1
gives you acceleratio n that is dynamic a nd sporty. D IS TA NCE 4, on
the other hand, gives more moderate acceleration . For more infor
mation about the ti me inte rvals ::::,
page 144, "How is the distance
set?". •
Applies to veh ic les : wi th Ad aptive Cr uise Co ntro l
Switching the system on and off
Switching the system on
- Pull the le ver t o positi on G) .
Vehicle care I I
Fig . 15 3 Contr ol le ver:
Sw itch ing on an d off
irechnical data

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DISTANCE 1
Symbol c:::, _ c:::,_ --
Time interval 1 second
Dynamics Sporting
Distance at 25 mph (40 km/h) 36 Feet (11 Meters)
Distance at
50 mph (80 km/h) 72 Feet (22 Meters)
Distance at 75 mph (120 km/h) 108 Feet (33 Meters)
& WARNING
Following other vehicles too closely increases the risk of a crash
and serious personal injury .
• Following other vehicles too closely, particularly at higher
speeds increases the risk of collisions and serious personal injury .
• Setting short distances to the traffic ahead reduces the time
and distance available to bring your vehicle to a safe stop and
makes it even more necessary to pay close attention to traffic.
• Always select a speed and distance to traffic ahead that is safe
and appropriate under the prevailing traffic, road, weather and
lighting conditions.
• Never rely on the distance control feature of ACC alone to
prevent rear-end collisions. Always be prepared to brake and take
evasive action to avoid collisions and other accident situations.
• Never allow the closing speed between you and other vehicles
to be so high that the Adaptive Cruise Control may not be able to slow your vehicle safely .
If closing speed is too high, you must
apply the brakes yourself to reduce the risk of a rear-end crash.
• Always select a greater following distance to the vehicle ahead
on wet roads than on dry roads.
• Always read and heed the information and
WARNINGS ~ & in
"Description" on page 139.
Controls and equip
ment
DISTANCE 2 DISTANCE 3 DISTANCE 4
~ __ c:::, __ c:::,
___ c:::,_
c:::, ____ c:::,
1.3 seconds 1.8 seconds 2.3 seconds
Standard Standard Comfortable
46 Feet ( 14 Meters)
66 Feet (20 Meters) 82 Feet (25
Meters)
95 Feet (29 Meters) 131 Feet (40 Meters) 167 Feet (51 Meters)
197 Feet (60 Meters) 249 Feet (76 Meters)
[ i] Tips
• Distance can be adjusted using the slider switch on the lever and
through Adaptive Cruise Control in the MMI menu~ page
150. The
settings in the MMI menu are stored automatically and allocated to
the remote control key.
• If the distance was not set in the MMI menu Adaptive Cruise
Control , it is reset to the factory setting DISTANCE 3 when the igni
tion is turned on. •
I • •

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Select R only when the vehicle is at a full stop and the engine is
running at idle speed=>
& in "Driving the automatic transmission"
on
page 166.
Before you move the selector lever to R, press both the button in the
handle of the selector lever
and the brake pedal at the same time.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illuminate when the
selector lever is moved into
R.
N -Neutral
The transmission is in neutral in this position. Shift to this position
for standing with the brakes applied =>
page 168 .
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while moving the
lever out of
N.
D -Normal position for driving forward
Position Dis for normal city and highway driving. It ranges from zero
to top speed and all six gears shift automatically, depending on
engine load, driving speed and automatically selected shift
programs.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and while moving the
lever to
D out of N.
In certain circumstances it may be advantageous to temporarily
switch to the manual shift program to manually select gear ratios to
match specific driving conditions=>
page 170.
S -Sport position
Select this position for sportier performance. In this position, the
transmission will not upshift as soon, allowing the vehicle to use the increased power available at higher engine speeds to achieve live
lier acceleration.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and while moving the lever to
S out of N.
& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS => & in "Driving the automatic
transmission" on
page 166.
0 Note
Coasting downhill with the transmission in N and the engine not
running will result in damage to the automatic transmission and
possibly the catalytic converter. •
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)
Automatic shift lock prevents you from accidentally
shifting into a forward gear or into reverse, thus causing the vehicle to move unintentionally.
Fig. 187 Shift gate
selector lever lock
positions and interlock
button highl ighted
The selector lever lock is released as follows:
- Turn the ignition on.
Step on the brake pedal.
At the same time press and hold
the lock button on the side of the gear selector knob
=> fig. 187 with your thumb until you have moved the
selector lever to the desired position.
~

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Autom ati c selec to r l eve r lock
The se lector lever is locked in the P and N positions when the igni
tion is turned on. To move the lever from these positions the driver
must depress the brake pedal. As a reminder to the driver, the
follow ing warning appears in the instrument cluster disp lay when
the selector is in
P and N:
When stationary app ly foot brake while s electing gear
A time delay e lement prevents the selector lever from locking when
it is moved through the
N position (going from R to Dl. The locking
e lement will lock the selector lever if the lever is left in N (Neutral)
for more than approximately 1 second, without the brake peda l
being pressed.
At speeds above about 3 mph (5 km/h) the Automatic Shift Lock is
automatically deactivated in the
N posi tion .
Interl ock button
The lock button on the selector lever prevents the lever from being
accidentally shifted into certain positions. Pressing this button
deactivates the selector leve r lock. Dependi ng on the direction of
the shift, the selector lever locks at different positions. The positions
are highligh ted in the illus trati on =>
page 168, fig . 187.
Igniti on k ey saf ety in te rlo ck
The key canno t be removed from the ignition un less the selector
lever is in the
P park position. When the ignition key is removed, the
selector lever wil l be l ocked in the
P posi tion .•
Kick -down
T he kick-down feature allows the vehicle to genera te
maximum accelera tion.
When you press the acce lerator pedal beyond the resistance point
that is reached at ful l throttle, the transmission wi ll select a lower
gear ratio based on vehic le speed and engine RPM . The engine RPM
wil l be control led to produce maximum vehic le acceleration as long
Controls and equip
ment
as you continue to press the acce lerator pedal beyond this resis
t ance poin t.
& WARNING
Be careful when u sing the ki ck -down feature on slippery road s.
Rapid acceleration ma y cause the vehicle to skid . •
Dynamic shift program (DSP)
T he aut omatic tr ans mission is electro nically c ontrolle d.
The transmission is se lf adapting and will automaticall y select the
b est shi ft program su ited to the driving conditio ns and driving style.
The transmission will select one of the
e conomy programs when
you drive at a s teady speed or a g radually changing speed without
heavy acceleration. This achieves optimum fuel efficiency, with ear ly
upshifting and delayed downshifting .
The trans mission will au tomatically select the
sporty shift progra ms
when you drive at higher speeds, or with heavy acce leration and
frequent ly cha nging speeds . Upshifts ar e delayed t o make f ull use
of engine power . Downshifting takes place at higher engine speeds
than in t he ec onomy p rograms .
The selection of the most su itable shift program is a continuous,
automatic process . The driver can a lso make the transmission
sw itch to a sporty progra m by
quickly pressing down the gas peda l.
This causes the transmission to shift down to a lower gear to
achiev e rapid acc elerati on, e.g . fo r q uickly pass ing another vehicle .
You do not need to press the gas pedal into the kick-down range.
After the transm ission has upshifted, the original progra m is
selected according to your driving sty le.
An additiona l shift program allows the automatic transmission to
select the proper gear fo r uph ill and downhi ll gradients.
This prevents the transmission from upshifting and downshifting unnecessa rily o n hills . The transm ission wi ll shift down to a lower _,.
I • •

-L~A~d~a~ p~ t~iv~ e~A~ ir~ S~u~ s ~p~ e~n~ s~io~n ~-------------------------------------------
Adaptive Air Suspension
Adaptive Air Suspension and
Damping
Description
Adaptive Air Suspension and damping can be regulated and they adapt automatically t o a request from the driver
and the driving situation at the time.
Adaptive Air Suspension is an electronica lly controlled springing
and damping system. This chassis system makes it easier on the
driver by adapting to the particular situation through imperceptible
control processes.
The
Ad aptiv e Ai r Suspen sion component regulates ground clear
ance depending on vehic le speed, load condition and driver input.
Accelerating to a speed above a predetermined limit wil l make the
vehic le lower itself. On the other hand, driving more slowly results
in the vehicle raising aga in at specific speeds.
The
damping component provides individual control of the
damping forces . For example, with damping c haracteristics set to
provide greater comfort, damping is set somewhat harder for a brief period only as required, for example, when going around a curve or
over rough road surfaces as well as when braking.
Settings
Adaptive Air Suspension provides the driver w ith the opportunity to
set the chassis characteristics also to their individual preference .
With the driving modes
standard, automatic and dynamic the driver
has three chassis settings available, ranging from comfort to sporty.
In addition,
lift provides a fourth mode which can be selecting for
driving over poor stretches of road=>
page 189, "Chassis Controls".
The modes are set in MMI =>
page 191.
On vehicles equipped with the s port su spen sio n Adaptive Air
Suspension -Sport*, there is generally more emphasis on a sporty
chassis setting. Settings range from comfortable to firm
=>
page 190, "Sport Chassis Contro ls".
0 Note
• Whenever you park your vehicle, always make sure there is
adequate c learance
above and below the vehic le . The height of the
parked vehicle can change as the result of temperature fluctuations,
changes in load conditi on and changes in the driving m ode (gro und
clearance).
• Mount the tie -down chains/cables over the running surface
(circumference) of the tires . Never secure the vehicle by the axle, the
suspension stru ts or the front or rear towline eye. For technical
reasons, the pressure in the suspension struts may change during
the transport and this wi ll adversely affect vehicle handling.
• To prevent damage to the vehicle underbody, remember that
you r veh ic le is not an off -road vehicle, even in the lift mode. The
ground c learance is insufficient for this type of operation.
• If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must activa te the trai ler oper
ation mode=>
page 792.
[ i ] T ip s
Before you can raise your vehic le using the vehicle jack (for
example, when changing a flat tire) you must activate the jacking
mode=>
page 191 . •

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Chassis Controls
Four different driving modes can be set by the driver.
The automatic control processes are speed -and time -dependent.
For example, it is not possib le to raise the suspension to the lift
mode above certain speeds .
When a speed of about 75 mph ( 120 km/h) is exceeded for more than
30 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered approximately 1
inch (25 mm) to a level suitable for highway speeds, except in the
standard mode . Road holding is optim ized as a result of the lower
center of gravity and fue l consumption is reduced as a result of
reduced wind resistance .
Level adjustment
lift
automatic
dynamic
a utomati c Ground
clear ance
about 5 .7 inches (145 mm)
a bout 4.7 inches ( 120 mm)
about 4 .7 inches (120 mm)
about 3 .9 inches (100 mm)
Select the automatic mode if you prefer a suspension setting
e m phasizing comfort. Damping characteristics emphasizing
comfort are selected in this mode.
• Lower ing : When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h) is exceeded
for more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered by about 1 inch (25 mm) .
• Rais ing : The vehicle is automatically raised again if the speed
falls be low about 44 mph (70 km/h) for a period of 120 seconds. The
vehicle is raised immediately when speed falls below about 22 mph (35 km/h) .
dynami c
Select the sport mode if you prefer a sporty suspension setting. In
this mode, the vehic le is lowered whi le it is still stationary and
Controls and equip
ment
sporty damping characteristics are selected. The warning light ~
in the instrument cluster will come on for a few seconds just to
remind you of the reduced ground clearance .
I f you switch off the engine while the vehicle is in the dynamic mode
and then switch on the ignition once again, the~ warning light
wi ll also come on again for a few seconds.
• Lowering : When a speed of abou t 75 mph (120 km/h) is exceeded
for more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered by an addi tional 0 .2 in (5 mml.
• Raising : The vehicle is automatically raised again if the speed
falls bel ow about 44 mph (70 km/h) for a period o f 120 seconds . The
vehic le is raised immediately when speed falls below about 22 mph
(35 km/h).
s ta nd ard
Select the standard mode if you desire a suspension setting with a
special emphasis on comfort . In the standard mode there is
no
lowering o f the suspension. Even at high speeds, the veh icle stays
at the same level. Damping characteristics with a decided emphasis
on comfort are selected in this mode .
lift
Select the lift mode when you have to travel over poo r sections of
road (e .g . trai ls). In the lift mode, the vehic le is raised by 1 inch (25
mm) compared to norma l leve l while it is still stationary and
damping characteristics are adjusted to emphasize comfort.
The lift mode can be act ivated only at speeds be low 50 mph (80
km/h). When a speed of about 62 mph (100 km/h) is exceeded, the
system automatically leaves lift mode and the mode set previously
(standard, automa tic, dynamic) is activated again. •
I • •

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Applies to vehi cles : wi th Ad aptive Air Sus pension -Sport
Sport Chassis Controls
Four different driving modes can be set by the driver.
The automatic control processes are speed -and time -dependent .
For example, it is not possible to raise the suspension to the lift
mode above certain speeds.
When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h) is exceeded for more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered approximately 0.2
inch (5 mm) to a level suitable for highway speeds, except in the
standard mode.
L e v el ad justm ent
lift
standard
automatic
aut om ati c Gr
ound clea ra nce
about 4 .9 inches (125 mm)
about 3 .9 inches (100 mm)
about 3.9 inches (100 mm)
about 3.9 inches (100 mm)
Select the automat ic mode if you prefer a sporty suspension
setting. Sporty damping characteristics are selected in this mode.
• Low erin g: When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h) is exceeded
for more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is automatically lowered by
about 0 .2 inch (5 mm) .
• Rais ing : The vehicle is automatically raised again if the speed
falls below about 44 mph (70 km/h) for a period of 120 seconds. The
vehic le is raised immediate ly when speed fa lls below about 22 mph
(35 km/h).
dy nami c
Select the dynamic mode if you prefer a firm suspension setting and
damping characteristics.
• Lo we ring : When a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h) is exceeded
for more than 30 seconds, the vehicle is automatica lly lowered by an
additiona l 0.2 in (5 mm) .
• Rais ing: The vehic le is au tomatically raised again if the speed
falls below about 44 mph (70 km/h) for a period of 120 seconds. The
vehic le is ra ised immediate ly when speed fa lls below about 22 mph
(35 km/h) .
stand ard
Select the standard mode if you want a comfortab le suspension
setting. In the standard mode there is
no lowering of the suspen
sion. Even at high speeds, the vehicle stays at the same level.
Comfor table but firm damping characteristics are selected in this
mode.
lift
Select the lift mode when you have to travel over poor sections of
road (e.g. trails). In the lif t mode, the vehic le is raised by 1 inch (25
mm) compared to normal level and the setting goes to sporty
damping characteristics .
The lift mode can be activated only at speeds below 50 mph (80
km/h). When a speed of about 62 mph (100 km/h) is exceeded, the
system automatical ly leaves lift mode and the mode set previously
(standard, automatic, dynamic) is activated again. •
![AUDI S8 2009 Owners Manual ....... _A_ d_ a --=- p_t_ i_v _e_ A_ ir_ S_u_ s_,_ p_e_ n_ s_io _ n _____________________________________________ _
[ i] Tips
The vehicle jack mode is switched off automatically at speeds AUDI S8 2009 Owners Manual ....... _A_ d_ a --=- p_t_ i_v _e_ A_ ir_ S_u_ s_,_ p_e_ n_ s_io _ n _____________________________________________ _
[ i] Tips
The vehicle jack mode is switched off automatically at speeds](/manual-img/6/57618/w960_57618-193.png)
....... _A_ d_ a --=- p_t_ i_v _e_ A_ ir_ S_u_ s_,_ p_e_ n_ s_io _ n _____________________________________________ _
[ i] Tips
The vehicle jack mode is switched off automatically at speeds above
9 mph (15 km/h). •
Towing a Trailer
Automatic lowering is not desirable when towing a trailer.
Fig. 214 MMI display :
Activate towing opera
tion
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must activate the trailer
towing mode.
Switching the trailer towing mode on and off
manually
- Press the ICAR)function button. The main menu
Adaptive Air Suspension appears.
- Press the !SETUP] function button. The menu
Adaptive
Air Suspension
appears ~ fig. 214.
- Select
Trailer towing mode on or off as desired.
Level Adjustment when Towing a Trailer
The following applies to vehicles with Adaptive Air Suspension: • Before
hitching up the trailer
and before adjusting the tongue
weight at the trailer, the automatic or standard mode
must be
selected, so that the vehicle is at normal level=>
page 191, "Setting
the Driving Modes".
• If driving in dynamic mode is desired, this mode
must be
selected before hitching up the trailer and before adjusting the
tongue weight . However, note that your vehicle is lowered and
ground clearance is reduced.
• If you have to drive under difficult road conditions, you can
select lift mode after hitching up the trailer or after adjusting the
tongue weight .
The following applies to vehicles with
sport suspension Adaptive Air
Suspension -Sport*:
• Before hitching up the trailer
and before adjusting the tongue
weight at the trailer, the automatic, standard or dynamic mode
must
be selected, so that the vehicle is at normal level=> page 191,
"Setting the Driving Modes".
• If you have to drive under difficult road conditions , you can
select lift mode after hitching up the trailer or after adjusting the
tongue weight .
Restrictions when Operating with a Trailer
When operating with a trailer, the lift mode can only be selected up
to about 25 mph (40 km/h). The system automatically goes out of lift
mode when speed exceeds about 31 mph (50 km/hl.
If the vehicle is in automatic, standard or lift mode before the trailer
towing mode is activated, the dynamic mode cannot be activated -
except on vehicles with
sport suspension Adaptive Air Suspension -
Sport*.
If the vehicle is in dynamic mode before towing operation is acti
vated, it can be driven in this mode. If the suspension is shifted from
this mode to automatic mode, dynamic mode cannot be re-selected.~