2009 AUDI S8 service interval

Driver informati on displ ay
Driver information display
Introduction
General notes
The driver information display inside the instrument
cluster provides you, the driver, with much useful infor­
mation.
Fig . 8 Inst rum ent
c lu ster : cente r dis pl ay
Information from the Driver Information System is shown in the
display in the cen ter of the instrument clust er.
When you turn on the ignition and while you are driving, some func ­
tions and vehicle components are scanned for their operating status. Malfunctions or required service procedures are signalled
audibly and shown by red and yellow ligh ted symbols and
reminders to the driver in the display.
The driver is also shown information about radio and CD operation and directions fo r the navigation system . You can find additional
information on these subjects in the MMI manual.
The Driver Information System provides the fol lowing functions : Sound system display
~ page25
Outside air temperature ~ page25
Digital speedometer ~ page25
Door open indicator ~ page26
Defective light bulb ~ page26
Service interval display ~ page27
Au
to Check syst em ~ page28
Driver information ~ page29
Speed limiter ~ page28
Trip computer ~ page38
Tire pressure monito ring* ~ page 41
Selector lever pos ition ~ page 167
[ i ] Tips
In the event of a malfunction either a red or yellow icon appears in
the display. Red symbols indicat e
Danger ~ page 30. Yellow
symbols ind icate a
Warning ~ page 34. •

& WARNING !continued)
• Work with due care when handling the high-voltage section of
gas discharge (xenon) lights. Failure to do so could result in death
or serious injury.
[ i J Tips
Have the bulb replaced or the connection repaired by your autho ­
rized Audi Service department. •
Service interval display
The service interval display reminds you when your next
service is due.
Fig. 14 Display:
Service interval display
The date for service is calculated automatically. Based on the
average distance driven in previous months, a monthly driv ing
distance is calculated . As soon as the distance remaining to the next
service drops below the distance driven monthly, the service
reminder is initiated. The maximum period from one service to the
next is one year.
Service reminder
30 days b efore the next service is due, a service reminder appears
in the display when you turn on the ignition => fig. 14.
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Driver information display
After about 5 seconds the display switches back to normal. The
distance and time remaining are updated each time the ignition is
turned on until the date due for service is reached .
Service
When the due date for service is reached, the message Service due
! appears in the display immediately after you turn on the ignition.
Additionally, a warning tone sounds . After about 5 seconds the
display switches back to normal.
0 Note
If you disconnect the battery terminals, no calculations can be
made for the service interval display during this time and no service
reminder will appear . Remember that observing the proper service
intervals is vitally important to extending the life of your vehicle,
particularly the engine, and maintaining its value . Even if the
mileage driven is low, the maximum period of one year from one
service to the next must not be exceeded. •
On-Board Diagnostic system (OBD)
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Mill in the instrument cluster
=>
page 16, fig. 7 is part of the On -Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system.
The warning/indicator light illuminates when the ignition is switched on and goes out after the engine starts and the idle has
stabilized. This indicates that the MIL is working properly.
If the light does not go out after the engine is started, or illuminates
while you are driving, a malfunction may exist in the engine system. If the light starts flashing , the catalytic converter could be damaged .
Continue driving
with reduced power (avoiding sustained high
speeds and/or rapid accelerations) and have the condition
corrected. Contact your author ized Audi dealer .
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Dipstick reading checks OK
-If the oil pressure warning symbol "t=:7: starts flashing
again even though the engine oil level checks OK on the
dipstick,
do not continue driving and do not let the
engine run in idle.
Instead, contact your authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.
[ i] Tips
• The engine oil pressure symbol ~ is not an indicator for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it . Instead, check the oil level in your
engine at regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and
always before going on a long trip .
• The yellow oil level warning indication .: requires oil refill or
workshop service without delay. Do not wait until the red oil pres­
sure warning
~ starts to flash before you respond to the low oil
level warning . By then, your engine may already have suffered
serious damage. •
Steering malfunction i
If there is a malfunction in the electronic steering column
lock, the steering cannot be unlocked.
If the i symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic steering column lock. An additional driver
message can also be displayed by pressing the [
CHECK]
button:
Do not drive vehicle: Steering defective
- Contact your nearest authorized repair facility.
- Do
not tow your vehicle.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
& WARNING
Your vehicle must not be towed in the event of a malfunction in the
electronic steering column lock because it cannot be steered due
to the locked steering. If it is towed with the steering locked, there
is the risk of an accident. •
Ignition lock malfunction ~
A malfunction in the ignition lock must be repaired imme­
diately.
If the -Pe symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic ignition lock. An additional driver message
can also be displayed by pressing the [
CHECK] button:
Ignition lock defective. Contact workshop !
- Do not turn the engine off.
-Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer to have
the malfunction corrected.
If there is a malfunction in the electronic ignition lock, the ignition
cannot be turned off. Drive immediately to an authorized Audi
dealer to have the cause of the malfunction corrected.
If your vehicle has a Conv eni enc e key *, th e n you should not use the
I STOP I button to shut off the engine. You will not be able to start the
engine again once th e ignition is switched off. •
I • •

• .___w_ a_ rm __ a_ n_ d_ c_o _l_d ________________________________________________ _
Warm and cold
Climate controls
Description
The air conditioner is fully automatic and is designed to
maintain a comfortable and uniform climate inside the
vehicle.
We recommend the follow ing settings:
- Set the temperature to 75 °F (+23 °C).
- Press the !AUTO
I button.
With this setting, you attain maximum comfort in the least amount
of time. Change this setting, as desired, to meet your personal needs.
The climate controls are a combination of heating, ventilation and cooling systems, which automatically reduce humidity and cool the
air inside your vehicle.
The air temperature, air flow and air distribution are automatically
regulated to achieve and maintain the desired passenger compart­
ment temperature as quickly as possible.
The system automatically compensates for changes in outside
temperature and for the intensity of the sunlight entering the
vehicle. We recommend you use the
Automatic mode=> page 117
for year-round comfort.
Please note the following:
Turn on the air conditioner to reduce humidity in the vehicle. This also prevents the windows from fogging up.
When the outside temperature is high and the air is very humid,
condensation from the evaporator may drip under the vehicle. This
is normal and does not indicate a leak. If the outside temperature is low,
the fan normally only switches to
a higher speed once the engine coolant has warmed up sufficiently.
The air conditioner temporarily switches off when you drive off from
a standstill using full throttle to save engine power.
The compressor also switches off if the coolant temperature is too
high, so that the engine can be adequately cooled under extreme
loads.
Air pollutants filter
The air pollutants filter (a combined particle filter and activated
charcoal filter) reduces or prevents outside air pollution (dust, or
pollen) from entering the vehicle.
The air pollutants filter must be changed at the intervals specified
in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet, so that the air conditioner
can properly work.
If you drive your vehicle in an area with high air pollution, the filter
may need to be changed more frequently than specified in your
Audi Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. If in doubt, ask your autho­
rized Audi Service Advisor for advice.
Key coded settings
The air conditioner settings selected are automatically stored and
assigned to the key being used. When the vehicle is started, the air
conditioner automatically selects the settings assigned to that key.
This way every driver will maintain his/her own personal settings
and does not have to reset them manually.
If a different driver uses your key and changes the air conditioner
settings, the latest adjustments will erase and replace the settings
you have stored.
Energy management
To prevent the battery from being discharged and to restore the
balance of energy, components which require large amounts of

tenance boo klet. Failure to have your brake pads inspected can
r esult i n reduce d brake pe rfor mance .
On steep slopes , you s hou ld use the braking effect of the engine .
T his way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the bra ke system . If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down con tinuo usly.
P ump the brakes at intervals.
Moisture or road salt
U nder ce rtain conditions, for example, when driving through water
or very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the brak ing
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice)
on the b rake pads. A few carefu l brake appl icat io n s sh ould d ry o ff
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
Th e eff ectiveness of the b rakes ca n b e re d uce d whe n the ve hicle is
driven on a salt -covered road and the brakes are not used . Here too,
you sh ould clean off acc umulated sa lt coat ing from brake d iscs and
pads with a few careful app lications of the brake~&.
Corrosion
T here may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
co rrosion to form o n the discs if the car is not d rive n regu lar ly or
only for short trips with little use of the brakes .
I f the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has fo rmed on
t he d iscs, i t is a dv isab le to clea n off th e pads an d discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderate ly high speed~& .
Faults in the brake system
I f you shou ld notice a sudden increase in brake pedal trave l, then
one of the two brak e circu its may have failed~ &.
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfunctions can occur in the brake system if the brake fluid leve l is
t oo low. T he b rake fl uid level is mon ito red e lect ro nica lly .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
Brake lining wear status
Brake l ini ng w ear may be checke d by visua l ins pec tion of the co nd i­
tion of the brake pads throu gh the open ings in the wheel. If neces ­
sa ry, the wheel may be removed for this i nspectio n
~ page 353,
"Changin g a whee l".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit . Other
road use rs must not be put at r isk -you may cause an accident !
• Before descending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans ­
mi ssion into a lower gear or lower driving range . Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
cau se the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency .
• Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance.
• Under certain climati c and operating conditions such as
passing through water , driving in heavy rain or after washing the
vehi cle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter ,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums .
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake applications .
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt -covered roads
without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency. Clean off accumulated salt coating from brake disc s and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spo iler , or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed.
Otherwise the brake sy stem could overheat reducing the effective ­
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake cir cuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance. Avoid driving the
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ D_ r_i v_ in_... g"'- a_ n_ d_ e_ n_ v_i_r _ o _n_ m __ e_n _ t _______________________________________________ _
one half. Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather
conditions permit. •
Reducing unnecessary =citing
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
- Shut the eng ine off when you are not driving the vehicle .
- Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the engine run at
idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic jams, when waiting
for trains to pass at rai lroad crossings , or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds
saves more fuel than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up fu lly when it is
running at idle. However, wear and noxious emissions are especially
high when the engine is warming up. So you should drive away as
soon as you start the engine and avoid running at high rpms while
the engine is still warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting . If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would
go unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which could result in overheating or other damage to the vehicle or other
property .•
Regu1ar ma1--.tenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
-Have your vehic le serviced at regular intervals .
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an Audi dealer helps to
ensure that it runs properly and economically. The condition of your
vehic le not only affects its safety and abi lity to hold its value, it also
affects
fuel con sumpt ion.
C hec k your o il e ach time you fill your t ank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is norma l for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest va lue after a certain mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly assess oil consumption .
This also applies to fuel consumption and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. Lack of proper ma intenance as well as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the function of the emission control system and
cou ld lead to damage.
• Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Control
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not alter or remove any device, such as heat shields,
switches, ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Em ission Control System and other important vehicle
components .•
Fewer short tr ips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips.
- Try to avoid driving short dista nces wi th a cold engine. _,

-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
~

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