2009 AUDI S8 ESP

Safety first ........ ... ... .. .
Driving Safely ................. .
General notes ... .............. .
Proper occupant seating positions
Driver and passenger s ide footwell
Peda l area ..... ..... ....... ... .
Stowing luggage .............. .
Reporting Safety Defects ..... .. .
Safety belts .............. ... .. .
Genera l notes ....... .......... .
Why safety be lts? .. ...... ..... .
Safety belts .. .. .. .... ... .. ... .
Safety belt pretensioners ...... .
Airbag system ..... ... ... .. ... .
Important thing s to know .. •....
Front airbags .. ... ..... ..... .. .
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System ..... ... .. ....... .. ... .
Knee airbags ................. .
Side a irbags .... ..... ........ . .
Side curtain airbags ........... . 199
200
200
202
206
206 207
209
211
211
212
215
218
220
220
224
231
236
239
242
Child Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Impor tant things to know . . . . . . . 245
Child safety seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Insta lling a ch ild safety seat . . . . . 255
Addit ional Information . . . . . . . . . . 258
Lower anchorages and tether for
children (LATCH) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Vehicle operation . . . . . . . . 269
Intelligent technology . . . . . . . . . . 270
Notice about data recorded by
vehicle control modules . . . . . . . . .
270
Elect ronic Stabilizat ion Program
(ESP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
270
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Servotronic® -advanced power
steer ing system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Driv ing w it h your quattro® . . . . . . 275
Energy management . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Driving and environment . . . . . . . 279
The first 1,000 mi les ( 1,500 km) and
afterwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
279
Cata lytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Avoid damaging the vehicle . . . . . 281
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution . . . . . . . . . .
281
Trai ler towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Driv ing w ith a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Trai ler towing tips . . . . . . . . . • . . . . 286
Table of contents
Vehicle care ....... ... ... ... 289
Cleaning and protection ........ 290
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Care of exte rior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Care of inte rior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Fuel supply and filling your fuel
tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Gasoline . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . . . . . . . . 303
Fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Checking and filling . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Engine hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Eng ine cooling system . . . . . . . . . . 3 16
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . 319
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
W indshield/headlight washer
container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Tires ... ... ... .... .. ... ... .... .. 326
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

About this Own er's M anu al
About this Owner's Manual
This owner's manual contains important information, tips, sugges­
tions, and warnings for the use of your vehicle.
Make sure that this owner's manual is always located in the vehicle.
This is especial ly important if you allow other people to drive the
veh ic le, or if you sell it.
This owner's manual describes the
equ ip m ent r an ge specified for
this model at the editorial deadline date. Some of the equipment
descr ibed here will only be availab le at a later date, or only in
specific markets.
Some sections in this owner's manual do not apply to all veh icles.
In that case, the
range of appl icability is given at the beginning of
the section, e .g . "Appl ies to vehicles : with Advanced Park ing
System". In addition, optional equipment is indicated by an asterisk
"*"
The details in the illustration s may be different from those in your
vehic le, and are intended to be viewed as a bas ic guide.
You will find a
table of content s at the beg inning of this book, whic h
displays all topics described in this manua l in order of appearance.
You wil l find an alphabetical
index at the end of this bo ok.
All
direct ions , such as "left", "right", "front", "back", are re lative to
the direction of trave l.
* optional equipment
.,.. This section continues on the next page.
• Indicates the
end of a section .
® Registered t rademarks are iden tified with a® · If this symbol is
missing, it is no guarantee that the terms can be used freely.
~ & Cross-reference to a "WARN ING!" within a section . For indi ­
cation with a page number, the corresponding "WARNING!" can be
found ou tside of the section.
& WARNING
Text with thi s symbol cont ains impo rtant inform ation on safety
and how to reduce the ri sk of personal injury or death .
0 Note
Text with this symbol draws your attention to potent ial sources of
damage to your veh ic le.
W For the sake of the environment
Text with this symbol contains in fo rmation about the environment
and how you can he lp protect it.
[ i ] Tips
Text with this symbol contains specia l tips and other information
about getting the most out of your vehicle and i ts features .•

Instruments and controls
General illustration
G) Power window switches .. ...... .... ... .. ....... .
0 Door handle
G) Pow er locking switches ... .... .... .... ... ....... .
© Adjuster control for outside mirrors ............. . .
© Light switch .... .... ....... ... ... .. .... .. ..... .
© Control lever for:
- Cruise control .... .... ... .... .... .... ... .... .
- Adaptive Cruise Control .. ... ....... .......... .
0 Air outlets ...... .............................. .
@ Control lever for:
- Turn signal and high beam ....... ... .... ..... .
- Lane assist .. .... ..................... ... ... .
® Multifunction steering wheel with :
- Horn
- Driver's airbag .. ...... ...... ....... ...... ... .
- Shift buttons ........... .... ... .. .... .... ... .
Button for steering wheel heating ..... .. .. .... .
@ Instrument cluster .................... .... ..... .
@ Swi tches for
- Windshield wip er/ washer ............. ... .. ... .
- Trip computer ..... ... ... .... .... ... ... ... .. .
@ Steering lock/ignition /starter switch
@ Buttons for :
- Advanced Parking System .. .... .... .... .... .. .
- Side assist ..... .. .. ... ..... .... ... .. .... ... .
- Power sunshade
@ MMI Display
Controls and equip ­
ment
61
53
84
69
137
139
122 73
153
224 171
119 12
80 38
129
173
156
78
Instruments and controls
@ Buttons/Indicator light for:
- Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) 270
- PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
- Emergency flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
@ Storage tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
@ Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
@ Front passenger's airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
@) Shift lever for automatic transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
@ Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
@ Rear window d efogger switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
@ Ashtray with cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
@ ISTART ]-~STOP ~button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
@ MMI Terminal
@ Storage w ith cup holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
@ Electromechanical parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
@ Data Link Connector for On Board Diagnostics (OBD Ill 27
@ Engine hood release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
@ Adjustable steering column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
@) Memory buttons (driver's seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
@ Switch for
- unlocking the fuel filler door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
- unlocking the trunk lid 54
[ i ] Tips
Operation of the Multi Media Interface (MMI) is described in a sepa­
rate manual. •
I • •

Instruments and warning /indicator lights
- Press the"-" button to decrease the brightness during
the hours of darkness.
A light sensor in the instrument cluster controls the illumination for
the instrument cluster, the center console and the displays . In a
bright environment, using the buttons to change the brightness has
no effect .
[ i ] Tips
The illumination for the instrument cluster lights up whenever you
switch on the ignition with the
vehicle headlights off. As the
daylight fades, the instrument cluster illumination likewise dims
automatically and will go out completely when the outside light is
very low. This feature is meant to remind you to switch on the head­
lights when outside light conditions become poor. •
Warning/indicator lights
Overview
The warning/indicator lights indicate different functions
or a possible malfunction.
iNiii i·i i· i hii
Fig. 7 Instrument cluster with warning/indicator lights
Your vehicle is equipped with several important warning and indi ­
cator lights to help you monitor the continued reliab le operation of
your vehic le => & .
0
Electronic power control
Generator
=> page 18
=> page 18
Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) => page 18

Inst rum ents and w arnin g/indi cat or li ghts
& WARNI NG (con tinu ed)
ex treme ca ution whe n wo rki ng und er the hood => page 301,
" Engin e comp artment"
[ i ] Tips
Many functions are monitored by the Auto -Check system
=>
page 28 . Malfunctions or faults wil l be identified either with a red
symbol (pr iority 1 -Danger!) or with a yel low symbol (priority 2 -
Warning). •
Electronic power control
,._
This warning/indicator light monitors the electr onic
power control.
The warning/indicator light (Electronic Power Control) i llumi -
nates when you turn on the ignition as a function check.
[ i ] Tips
If this warning/indicator light illuminates whi le you are driving, then
there is a malfunction in the engine electronics . Have the malfunc­
tion corrected as soon as possible by your authorized Audi dea ler or
qualified repair facility .•
Generator D
This warning/indicator light detects a malfunction in the
generator or in the vehicle's electrical system.
The O warning/indicator light i lluminates when you switch on the
ignition and must go out after the engine has started.
If the O warning/indicator light illuminates while you are driving,
you should contact your authorized Audi dealer . Since the vehic le battery is discharging, you should switch off any unnecessary elec
­
t rical consumers (for example, the air conditioner) .
0 Note
If the _f_ warning/indicator light (malfunction in the engine coo ling
system) in the instrument cluster should illuminate=>
page 31, stop
the vehicle and turn off the engine . The water pump is not working
- this can cause engine damage. •
Electronic stabilization program (ESP) This warning/indicat or light monitors the electr onic stabi ­
lization program .
The warning/indicator light has the following functions:
• It blinks while you are driving when the ESP is working .
• It illuminates when you switch on the ignition for approximate ly
2 seconds as a function check .
• It illuminates when there is a malfunction in the ESP. The
message
E S P f ault ! Se e owner 's manual also appears in the instru ­
ment cluster display and a warning tone sounds .
• It illuminates continuously when the ESP is switched off .
• It illuminates if there is a malfunction in the ABS, since the ESP
is part of the ABS system.
If the battery terminals were disconnected and re-connected , the
vehic le was jump started or the batte ry is very weak, the ESP sensor
system goes through a learning process for the first few yards. The
warning/indicator light illuminates . The warning/indicator light
goes out as soon as the learning process is complete.
If the ESP warning/indicator light illuminates and stays on after you
have started the engine, this may mean that the control system has
temporarily switched off the ESP . If this is case, you can reactivate
the ESP by turning the ignition off and then on again . The .,_

warning/indicator light should go out to show that the system is
fully functional again. For more information about the ESP~
page 270. •
Airbag system ~
This warning/indicator light monitors the airbag and the
tensioner systems.
The ffi warning light illuminates for a few seconds each time you
switch on the ignition.
If the ~ warning light does not go out, or if it i lluminates whi le you
are driving, or if it starts to blink, then there is a malfunction some ­
where in the system. If the light does not illuminate when you
switch on the ignition, this also means there is a malfunction.
& WARNING
If you have a malfunction in the airbag system, contact your autho­
rized Audi dealer immediately. Otherwise the airbag or the belt
tensioner may not work properly in an accident. •
Applies t o vehicles: with lane ass ist
Lane assist (system is ready) /:
The indicator light shows that the system is ready to use . A warning
alerts the driver when the vehicle drives over detected lane
boundary lines.
More information about lane assist~
page 153. •
Controls and equip ­
ment
Instruments and warning /indi cator lights
Applies to vehic les: with lane ass ist
Lane assist (system is not ready) •,
The indicator light shows that the system is turned on but unable to
send a warning .
More information about lane assist ~
page 153. •
Turn signals ¢ ¢
The indicator light blinks when you use either turn signal.
Whenever you use the left ¢i or the right Q turn signal, the indicator
light blinks . When you use the emergency flashers, both indicator
lights f lash.
If one of the turn signal light bulbs burn out, the turn signal will
blink twice as fast as normal. •
High beam ~D
Th e ~D warning/indicator light illuminates when the high beams are
on or when you use the headlight flasher. For more information
about using the high beams, see~
page 73. •
Fog lights }D
Th e indicator light io illuminates when the fog lights are turned
on. •
Rear fog lights ") .
The indicator light illuminates when the rear fog light s are turned
on .•
I • •

Adaptive Air Suspension c.:::>
The c.:, symbol illuminates for a few seconds after you have
switched on the ignition to indicate
r e du ced ground cle aranc e when
the dynamic mode is activated and when the ignition is switched on
with a vehicle which was parked in dynamic mode=>
page 189,
"Chassis Controls" . On vehicles which are equipped with the s por t
s u sp en sio n
Adaptive Air Suspension -Sport*, the check light does
not come on in this instance since ground clearance is general ly
reduced.
This warning/indicator light has the following functions: • It illuminates for a few seconds after the ignition is turned on as
function check and then goes out.
• If the warning/indicator light flashes in conjunction with the
~
warning/indicator light, you should not drive the vehicle immedi­
ate ly in order to prevent damage to the underbody. The two
warning/indicator lights flashing together points to an extreme Low level. A very
pronounced lowering of the vehicle (extreme Low level)
can result, for example, from a heavy load. As soon as the level has
returned to normal, the warning/ind icator lights stop flashing , and
you can drive away .
0 Note
If the warning/indicator light flashes in conjunction with the .•.
warning/indicator light, you should not drive the vehicle because low -lying vehicle parts can bottom out as you drive over uneven
ground and be damaged as a result. •
Cruise control
CRUISE (USA models) /c,f' (Canada models)
The warning/indicator light illuminates when the cruise control is
activated. •
Controls and equip ­
ment
In st rum ent s a nd w arnin g/indi cato r ligh ts
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
... (USA models) /
~ (Canada models)
This warning/indicator light monit ors the ABS and the
electronic differential lock (EDL).
The warning/indicator light wi ll come on for a few seconds when the
ignition is switched on. The light will go out after an automatic
check sequence is comp leted .
There is a malf un cti on in the AB S when :
• The warning/indicator light does not i lluminate when you switch
on the ignition .
• The warn ing/indicator light does not go out after a few seconds.
• The warning/indicator light illuminates while driving.
The ESP indicator light also i lluminates if there is a ma lfunction in
the ABS. The message
E S P / A BS fau lt ! Se e ow ner's manu al also
appears in the inst rument cluster display and a warning tone
sounds.
The br ake system will still re spond even withou t the assis tan ce o f
t he ABS system. See y our autho rize d Audi dealer a s soon as
pos sibl e t o r estor e full br aking perfo rm an ce.
For more information
regarding the ABS=>
page 274 .
The ABS warning lig ht and th e br ak e w ar ning lig ht come on
t og eth er. The AB S will no t work an d you w ill notic e a ch ange in
b ra king re sp ons e an d p erf or mance .
Mal fun ction in the brak e syst em
If the brake warning light=> page 22and the ABS warning illuminate
together there may be a malfunct ion in the ABS, and there may also
be a malfunction in the brake system itself=>&.
In the event of a
malfun ctio n in th e br ak e s yste m the warning/indi ­
cator light
BRAKE (USA mode ls)/ ((i)) (Canada models) in the instrument
c luster flashes. By pressing the
I CHECK] button, you can bring up a
driver message which explains the ma lfunc tion in more detail.
Please note =>
page 30. _,.
I • •

If the ABS, ESP and brake force distribution fail, the ABS indicator
l ig ht (USA models)/ ~ (Canada models) and the ESP ind ica tor
light
~ come on along with the brake system ma lfunction light
BRAKE (USA mode ls)/ (@ (Canada models). The message Brake fault !
Drive carefully to nearest workshop appears in the instrument
cluster disp lay and three consecutive wa rning tones so und =>& .
(USA models) : If th e warning light
BRAKE and t he wa rn ing lig ht ......
illuminate together, immediately contact your authorized Audi
dea ler o r qua lified works hop to have a ll brake pads inspec ted
=> page
34.
When the lig ht co mes on , an audible wa rning signal is also given.
& WARNING
• USA models: If the BRAKE warning light , the ~ warning light and
the , warning light come on together , the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss
of vehicle control and an accident . Have your vehicle repaired
immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified work­
shop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden , hard brake application s.
• Canada models:
If the brake warning light CCD>, the ., warning
light and the ABS warning light come on together , the rear
wheels could lock up fir st under hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up
can cau se loss of vehicle control and an accident. Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake
appli cations.
• If the brake warning /indicator light does not go out after a few
seconds and the parking brake released , or lights up while you are
driving , the fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir i s too low. If you
believe that it is safe to do so , proceed immediately at low speed
to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility and have the brake system inspected .
• Always keep in mind that after several brake applications, you
will need greater pressure on the brake pedal to stop your vehi cle.
Do not rely on strained brakes to respond with maximum stopping
Controls and equip ­
ment
Instruments and warning /indi cator lights
& W ARNING (continued )
power in critical situations . You must allow for in creased brak ing
distances. The extra di stance used up by fading brakes could lead
to an accident . •
I • •