2009 AUDI S8 tow

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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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[ 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.~

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[ i ] Tips
T he v ehicle w il l no t lower to the dynam ic leve l when operati ng in the
trai ler towing mode .•
Controls and equip ­
ment
I • •

________________________________________________ D_r_iv _ i _n_ g~ S_ a_ fe_ ly __ l!III
& WARNING (continued)
• Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that
there are at least 4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the
lower part of the instrument panel.
• Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering
wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions
to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates .
• Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with
your hands at other positions inside the steering wheel rim or on
the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the
driver's airbag inflates
• Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the
ability of the supplemental driver's airbag to protect you in a colli­
sion .
• Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or
place any part of your body too close to the area where the airbags
are located.
• Before driving, always adjust the front seats and head
restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are properly
restrained .
• Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat
may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle.
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child seats
=> page 245. Special
precautions apply when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
=> page 220. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the ris k of injury in the
event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust the
seat for the front passenger to the following pos ition:
- Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible.
There must be a minimum of 10 inches (25 cm) between
the breastbone and the instrument panel =>
&.
- Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in an upright
position and your back comes in full contact with it
whenever the vehicle is moving.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as
even with the top of your head as possible but not lower
than eye level and so that it is as close to the back of your
head as possible =>
page 205.
-Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the front
passenger seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts correctly=:>
page 215.
For detailed information on how to adjust the front passenger's
seat, see => page 86.
& WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too
close to the airbag can be seriously injured or killed by the airbag
as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury : .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of vehicle control
and increase the risk of serious injury.
• Never place any objects in the driver's footwell . An object could
get into the pedal area and interfere with pedal function. In case
of sudden braking or an accident, you would not be able to brake
or accelerate!
• Always make sure that nothing can fall or move into the
driver's footwell. •
Floor mats on the driver side
Always use floor mats that can be securely attached to
the floor mat fasteners and do not interfere with the free
movement of the pedals.
- Make sure that the floor mats are properly secured and
cannot move and interfere with the pedals =>& .
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area unobstructed and that
are firmly secured so that they cannot slip out of position . You can
obtain suitable floor mats from your authorized Audi Dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached to these fasteners .
Properly securing the floor mats will prevent them from sliding into
positions that could interfere with the pedals or impair safe opera­
tion of your vehicle in other ways.
& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a loss of vehicle
control and increase the risk of serious personal injury.
• Always make sure that floor mats are properly secured.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
(continued)
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings in the
vehicle that cannot be properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the pedals or the ability to
control the vehicle.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings on top
of already installed floor mats. Additional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal area and interfere with
the pedals.
• Always properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have been
taken out for cleaning.
• Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver foot­
well while the vehicle is moving. Objects can become trapped
under the brake pedal and accelerator pedal causing a loss of
vehicle control. •
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be properly stowed
and secured in the luggage compartment.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can shift
suddenly, changing vehicle handling characteristics. Loose
items can also increase the risk of serious personal injury in
a sudden vehicle maneuver or in a collision.
- Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
- Always place and properly secure heavy items in the
luggage compartment as far forward as possible.
- Secure luggage using the tie-downs provided
=>
page 100, "Luggage compartment ".
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Driving Safely
Applicable to Canada
Canadian customers who wish to report a
safety-related defect to Transport Canada,
Defect Investigations and Recalls, may tele­
phone the toll free hotline:
Tel.: 1-800-333-0371
or contact Transport Canada by mail at:
Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation
Directorate
Transport Canada
Tower C, Place de Ville,
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, ON K1A ON5
For additional road safety information, please
visit the Road Safety website at:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/menu.htm •

& WARNING !continued)
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other important infor­
mation ~
page 214. •
Pregnant women must also be correctly
restrained
The best way to protect the fetus is to make sure that
expectant mothers always wear safety belts correctly -
throughout the pregnancy.
Fig. 229 Safety belt
position during preg­
nancy
To provide maximum protection, safety belts must always
be positioned correctly on the wearer's body=>
page 216.
-Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly
=>
page 86, "General recommendations".
- Hold the belt by the tongue and pull it evenly across the
chest and pelvis=> fig. 229, =>
&.
- Inse rt the tongue into the correct buckle of your seat
until you hear it latch securely =>
page 215, fig. 227.
- Pull on the belt to make sure that it is securely latched in
the buckle.
Safety first
Safety belts
& WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause serious personal
injury in an accident.
• Expectant mothers must always wear the lap portion of the
safety belt as low as possible across the pelvis and below the
rounding of the abdomen.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other important infor ­
mation
~ & in "Fastening safety belts" on page 215. •
Unfastening safety belts
Unbuckle the safety belt with the red release button only
after the vehicle has stopped.
Fig . 230 Releasing the
tongue from the buckle
Push the red release button on the buckle=> fig. 230. The
belt tongue will spring out of the buckle
:::;> &.
Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you guide the belt
tongue to its stowed position.
& WARNING
Never unfasten safety belt while the vehicle is moving . Doing so
will increase your risk of being injured or killed .•
Vehicle care
I I irechnical data

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• A sensor in the safety belt latch for the driver and for the front
s e at passenge r that s enses whether th at sa fe ty bel t i s la tc h ed or n ot
and transmits this information to t he electronic control unit.
& WARNING
Damage to the front passenger seat can prevent the front airbag
from working properly .
• Improper repair or disassembly of the front passenger and
driver seat will prevent the Advanced Airbag System from func ­
tioning properly.
• Repairs to the front passenger seat must be performed by qual ­
ified and properly trained workshop personnel .
• Never remove the front passenger or driver seat from the
vehicle.
• Never remove the upholstery from the front passenger seat.
• Never disassemble or remove parts from the seat or disconnect
wires from it .
• Never carry sharp objects in your pockets or place them on the
seat .
If the weight-sensing mat in the passenger seat is punctured
it cannot work properly.
• Never carry things on your lap or carry objects on the
passenger seat. Such items can increase the weight registered by
the weight-sensing mat and send the wrong information to the
airbag control unit .
• Never store items under the front passenger seat . Parts of the
Advanced Airbag Sy stem under the passenger seat could be
damaged , preventing them and the airbag system from working
properly.
• Never place seat covers or replacement upholstery that have
not been specifically approved by Audi on the front seats.
• Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Airbag System from
recognizing child restraints or occupants on the front pa ssenger
seat and prevent the side airbag in the seat backrest from
deploying properly .
& WARNING (continued)
• Never use cushions, pillows, blankets or similar items on the
front passenger seat. The additional padding will prevent the
weight-sensing mat in the seat from accurately registering the
child restraint or person on the seat and prevent the Advanced
Airbag System from functioning properly .
• If you must use a child restraint on the front passenger seat
and the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the use
of a towel , foam cushion or something el se to properly position
the child restraint , make certain that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever the child restraint is
i nstalled on the front passenger seat .
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on , immediately install child restraint in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer. •
How the Advanced Airbag System
components work together
The front Advanced Airbag System and the side airbags supp lement
the protection offered by the front three -point safety be lts with
pretensioners and load limiters and t he adjustab le head restraints
to help reduce the risk of injury in a w ide range of accident and
crash si tuat ions. Be sure to read t he im po rta nt i nformation ab out
safety and heed the WARN INGS in this chapter.
Depl oyment of the Adva nc ed A irbag Syst em and the acti vatio n of
the safety belt pretensioners depend on the deceleration measured
b y th e c ra sh sen so rs and regi stered by the elec tro nic c ontrol u nit.
C rash severity depends on speed and dece lerat ion as well as the
m ass a nd st iffness of t he vehicle o r object invo lve d i n the c ra s h .
Wh en t he elec tron ic control u nit registe rs a low sever ity c rash and
the safety belt is be ing used, the airbag wi ll not deploy . If the safety
bel t is no t being used, the first s tage d eploys, fo ll o wed by the
second stage after a much later time in the crash sequence . ..