2009 AUDI S8 tires

Driver informati on displ ay
Ap plies to vehicles : w ith n,e pre ss ure monito ring syst em
Malfunctions
A malfunction can have various causes.
Fi g. 2 9 Dis p lay :
S ystem m alfun ction
If the l · warning light in the instrument cluster flashes for approxi ­
mately one minute and then remain continuously il luminated and
additional ly the
-r J ~ fig . 29 symbo l appears in the display, the
tire pressure monitoring system is not ava ilable . Th is can have
various causes.
• If the message appears at the end of the learning process, the
system cannot recognize the wheels installed on the vehicle. This
can be because one or more wheels without a wheel sensor were
installed.
• A wheel sensor or other componen t may have failed.
• The system has detected more than 5 whe els with wheel sensors
in the vehicle, for example when carrying snow tires.
• A tire was changed but the
Initiali ze wheels function was not
activated
=:> page 45.
• Audi replacemen t parts were not used .
• If snow chains are being used, system function can be compro­
mised due to the shielding properties of the chains.
• The tire pressure monitoring system may not be available
because of a radio malfunction . • T
ransmitters with the same frequency, such as radio head­
phones in the vehicle or radio equipment, can cause a temporary
disruption of the system through excessive electromagnetic fields .
• Eliminate the interference i f possible/if you can and then re-start
the
I n itia lize w heel s function . If the warning light comes on again,
you shou ld contact your authorized Audi dealer immediately to have
the problem corrected .
• Do not use commercial ly availab le tire sealants . Otherwise, the
electrical components of the tire pressure monitoring system will
n o l onger work properly and the sensor for the tire p ressure moni ­
toring system wi ll have to be replaced by a qua lified workshop .•

On the road -
----------------
Parking
To prevent a parked vehicle from rolling away, there are a
few things you should do.
When you park your vehicle , do the following
- Stop the vehicle using the brake peda l.
- Pull the switch to app ly th e electromechanical park ing
brake .
- Move t he selector lever into the
P positio n ~ &-
- Switch off the engine and remove the ignitio n key f rom
the ignition loc k.
When you park your vehicle on hills , do the
following
- Stop the vehicle using the brake peda l.
- Pull the switch to app ly th e electromechanical par king
brake.
- If you are parkin g headed
downhill , turn t he fro nt whee ls
toward the curb.
- If you are parking headed
uphill , turn t he front w heels
awayfrom the curb.
- Move the se lector lever into the
P position.
- Sw itch off the engine and rem ove the ignitio n key f rom
the ign ition lock.
& WARNING
Thi s is how you can reduce the r isk of injury when l eav ing your
v ehicle.
Controls and equip ­
ment
& WARN ING (c ontinued )
• Neve r p ark the vehi cle wh ere it c an come in cont act with dry
gra ss, s pilled fuel or any oth er fl amm able m ater ials.
• Wh en p arking on hill s, always turn the w hee ls s o that the front
wheel s will fir st roll into the cu rb , if the veh icle should start to roll.
• Never allo w anyone -e spe ciall y small ch ildren -to r em ain in the
vehi cle when it i s lo cked . Lo cked doors make it more diffi cult fo r
r e s cuers to acce ss the pa ssenger compartment in the event of an
emergen cy. Danger t o life!
• Never le ave chi ldren un supervi sed in the vehicle . Children
c ould release the p arking brake or mo ve the gear shift le ve r o ut of
g ear. The vehicle could start to roll away and cau se an a ccident.
• No matt er w hat the se a son i s, the temper atu re in a pa rked
vehicle can rea ch d angerou s levels.
0 Note
• Please exe rcise care when you park your vehicle in pa rking areas
with parking barriers or curbs . Parking barriers and curbs vary in
height and cou ld damage your bumper and re lated components as
the front of your vehicle moves over a barrier or curb that is too high, as you park or as you back out of a parking spot . In order to be
sure that no such damage can occur , you may w ish to stop short of
having the front tires of your car touch the parking barrier or curb.
• Please also exercise exceptional care when you drive up or down
steep ramps or drive over curbs or other obstacles, for which the
vehicle is not designed, because components of the vehicle close to
the ground, such as bumper covers, spoilers and suspension and exhaust system components, may become damaged. •
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 . •

-Intelligent technology --=---=-=-------------
Overheating
of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads, the EDL cuts out temporarily . The
vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way as a
vehicle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto ­
matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can spin and reduce your ability to control your car. Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks . Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning light=>
page 21. •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP). When the vehicle starts up and acceler­
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the
engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS sensors=>
page 274, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine
power is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to
lock onto the road surface. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR will also be out of action.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also=>
page 338, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending largely on operating conditions and driving habits=>& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic
or are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your autho ­
rized Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Main- ~

ll}Jl __ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
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
driveability and braking: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also ~ page 343, "Winter tires".
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with All Wheel Drive~
page 344, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size. Also avoid tires with different tread depths . For details see
page ~
page 338, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to~
page 281.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by All Wheel Drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the All Wheel Drive is very effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (aqua­
planing).
If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road condi­
tions - risk of crash. •
Energy management
Starting ability is opt:m·zed
Energy management controls the distribution of electrical
energy and thus optimizes the availability of electrical
energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is not driven for a
long period of time, the battery is discharged by idling current
consumers (e.g . immobilizer) . In certain circumstances it can result
in there being insufficient energy available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle handles the distribu­
tion of electrical energy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
battery diagnosis, idling
current management
and dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the state of the battery.
Sensors determine battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current state of charge and the
power of the battery .
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy consumption while the
vehicle is standing. With the ignition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical components . Data from
battery diagnosis is considered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge, individual consumers
are gradually turned off to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic energy management distributes the energy generated according to the needs of the indi-•

Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and afterwards
!\Jew engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
F o r th e fir st 600 mil es (1,000 kilomet ers):
Do not use full throttle.
- Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the top speed marked on
the speedometer.
- Avoid high engine speeds .
From 600 t o 1,000 mil es (1,000 t o 1,500
kil om eter s):
- Speeds can
gradually be i ncreased to t he maximum
permiss ible road or engine speed .
During and aft er br eak-in p eri od
- Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it is cold. This applies whether the transm ission is in N (Neutral) or
1n gear.
Aft er the br eak-in p eriod
- D o not exceed max imum e ngine speed unde r any
circumstances.
- Upshift into the next higher gear
before reac hing the red
area at the end of the tachome ter scale ~
page 12 .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
During the first few hours of driving, the eng ine's internal friction is
higher than later when all the moving parts have been broken in.
How well this break -in process is done depends to a considerable
extent on the way the vehicle is driven during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 ki lometers).
0 Not e
Extreme ly high engine speeds are automatically reduced. However,
these rpm limits are programmed for an engine well run-in, not a
new engine .
~ For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high engine speeds -upshifting
early saves fuel, reduces noise and protects the environment .
New tires
If your v ehic le is running on new tires, driv e particularly
carefu l for the first 350 miles (500 ki lometers) after fitting.
& WARNING
N ew tir es tend to be slipp ery and mu st al so be "broken -in ". B e
su re to r ememb er thi s during th e fir st 350 m ile s ( 50 0 k ilome te rs).
Brak e gen tly. Av oid follow ing close ly behind other vehicl es or
o the r s ituati ons that mig ht requi re su dde n, ha rd b raking.•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

- Lack of proper maintenance as wel l as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the func tion of the emission con tro l system
and could lead to damage.
<£> For the sake of th e envir onm ent
Even when the Emission Control System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a su lfur -like exhaust gas smell under some
operating states . This depends on the sulfur content of the fuel
being used. Using a different brand of fue l may help, or filling the
tank with lead-free super grade gasoline. •
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over curbs, steep ramps,
etc., make certain that low- lying parts such as spoi lers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung chassis (sports
chassis) * and fully loaded vehicles .
a
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear on your engine,
brakes and tires largely depend on three factors:
• your personal driving style
• operating cond itions
• technica l limitations
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you can easily cut your fuel consumption by 10 -15 percent . This
section wil l give you some tips on how you can help the environ­
ment and your pocketbook.
[ i ] Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENV IRONMENTAL
PRO TEC TION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre ­
spond to your actua l consumption on the road, which wi ll vary
depending upon vehic le load and speed, road and weather condi­
tions, trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they ore accelerating.
-Avoid unnecessary accelerat ing and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating . If you antici­
pate what is going to happen next, you wi ll need to brake less and,
thus, acce lerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possib le - for
examp le when you see that the next traffic light is red. •
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
-Try and keep well below your car 's max imum speed.
Acce lerating gently reduces fue l consumption , engine wear, and
does not disturb the environment.
Fue l consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds . If you drive at approximate ly
three quarters of top speed, fuel consumption wil l be reduced by
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Operating instructions
Max im um tra iler weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer.
T ra ile r l oa d di stributio n
Be sure the load in the trailer is he ld securely in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or sideways .
Never allo w a passe nger to r ide in a tr aile r~ & in "Driving instruc­
tions" .
Engin e c oolin g sys te m
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harder. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additiona l load. Make
sure that the coo ling system has enough fluid .
Tire pr ess ure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the co ld tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the labe l located either on the
driver's side B -pil lar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trai ler tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications.
L ig ht s
The head light settings should be checked wit h the trai ler attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly .
Safe ty c ha in s
Be sure traile r safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to
perm it turning corners . When you i nsta ll safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separat ion from the hitch.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must activate the trailer opera­
tion mode ~
page 192, "Towing a Trailer". •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of veh icle and trailer,
please note t he following :
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
Be espec ia lly careful whe n passing other vehicles.
- Observe s peed limits .
Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed .
Always apply brakes ear ly.
Moni tor t he temperature ga uge.
Weight distr ibution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly
unstable distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at
very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and perm is ­
s ib le, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances . Whenever possible, transfe r so me cargo to t he luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considera tions . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data