2010 AUDI S8 warning light

...,. Child Safety Pfl'I ____ _,.__ __________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on,
immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer. •
Installing the upper tether strap on the
anchorage
Installing the tether strap
Fig. 233 Tether strap:
proper routing and
mounting
- Release or deploy the tether strap on the child restraint
according to the child restraint manufacturer's instruc­
tions.
- Guide the upper tether strap
under the rear head restraint
=> fig. 233 (raise the head restraint if necessary).
- Tilt the recess flap up to expose the anchor bracket.
- Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the opening
of the tether anchorage. -
Pull on the tether strap hook so that the spring catch of
the hook is engaged.
- Tighten the tether strap firmly following the child
restraint manufacturer's instructions.
Releasing the tether strap
-Loosen the tension following the child restraint manufac­
turer's instructions.
- Depress the spring catch on the hook and release it from
the anchorage.
0 Note
If you leave the child restraint with the tether strap firmly installed
for several days, this could leave a mark on the upholstery on the seat
cushion and backrest in the area where the tether strap was installed.
The upholstery would also be permanently stretched around the
tether strap. This applies especially to leather seats.•
Using tether straps on rearward-facing
child restraints
Currently, few rear-facing child restraint systems come with a tether.
Please read and heed the child restraint system manufacturer's
instructions carefully to determine how to properly install the tether.
& WARNING
A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat installed on the front
passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag System.
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center armrest, or door.
~

Child Safety -
-------------------"'---
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward-facing child
restraint attached to the front pas senger seat can put too much
pressure on the weight-mat in the seat and register a heavier
weight in the Advanced Airbag System. The heavier weight regis­
tered can make the system work as though an adult were on the
s eat and deploy the Advan ced Airbag when it must be suppressed
caus ing serious or e ven fatal injury to the child.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on,
immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer .•
Additional Information
Sources of information about child
restraints and their use
T here are a number of sources of addi tional information about child
restra in t selec tion , in stalla tion and use:
N HTSA a dvises t hat the best ch ild safety s eat is the one that fits you r
child and fits in your vehicle, and that yo u will use co rrectly and
consiste ntly.
Try before you buy!
U .S National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Tel. : 1-88 8-327- 4236 (T TY: 1-800- 424 -9153)
www.n htsa .gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
Tel. : (202) 662-0600
www.safe kids .org
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation Safety BeltSafe U
.S.A
T el. : (800 ) 74 5-SAFE ( Eng lish)
Tel. : (800) 747 -SA NO (Spa nish)
www.carseat.org
Transport Canada Information Centre
T el. : 1 (80 0) 333-037 1 or call 1 (6 13) 99 8-8 616 if you are i n the
Ottawa area
www. tc.gc.c a/ro ads afety
Audi Customer CARE
T el. : (800) 822-2834 •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_________________________________________ I_ n_ t_ e_ ll_,igent technology ,__E~-
acting on the vehicle, the brake pressure and the steering angle are
all meas ured.
The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
the aid of the steering angle and vehicle speed and is continually
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, for example , when the vehicle starts hydroplaning on a wet
road, ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel to correct
the problem.
The vehicle is then stabi lized by the forces acting on the whee l during
braking. If the vehicle is
oversteering (rear tends to skid out of the
turn), the brakes are main ly applied on the wheel that is on the
outs ide of the curve. In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to slide out of the curve), the brakes are applied at the rear
wheel that is on the inside of the curve. An acoustic signal ind icates
when ESP brake application cuts in =>
&.
Th e system operates across the entire speed range in combination
with the ABS system=>
page 256. If the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP will be out of action as we ll.
Activation
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatically be activated and
will perform a self-test .
The system can be activated or deactivated by pressing the button
=>
page 252, fig. 234 . The warning light comes on when the system
is switched off=>
page 16.
Normally, the ESP should always be on, however, it may be advanta­
geous to turn off the sys tem in certain special cases when some
degree of whee l spin is desired such as:
• when driving with snow chains
• when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface (to allow the
wheels to dig in to reach firm ground)
• when trying to "roc k" the vehicle free when it has become stuck.
The system should be reactivated once you are no longer in such situ­
ations.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Both the ABS and
EDS systems are still functioning even if the ESP is
switched off.
& WARNING
The Electroni c Stabilization Program is nevertheless subject to the
laws of physics. It is particularly important to pay attention to
this fact on wet and slippery roads. It is therefore important that
you always adapt your driving to the condition of the road and
traffic conditions. Do not allow the increased safety provided by
the Electronic Stabilization Program system to lull you into
accepting additional safety risks. •
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
General notes
The electronic differential lock (EDL) helps the car to start moving,
acce lerate and climb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or almost
no grip . Without EDL, this would be difficult, if not impossible .
How the system works
The EDL operates automatically. It monitors the rotational speed of
the drive wheels on an axle with the he lp of the ABS sensors
=>
page 256 . If a noticeable difference in rotational speed between
the drive wheels on one axle is detected (e .g . on slippery ground
on
one side),
the spinning wheel is braked, thereby transferring power to
the other drive whee l or wheels (all -wheel drive). This is done up to a
speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h) . Noises from the brake system
signal that wheel spin is being contro lled.
Driving off
When driving off, always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface with
less grip , gradually increase the pressure on the accelerator peda l
Iii>
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Intelligent technology
'-----------------------------------------------
until the car starts to move . The whee l less ab le to transfer power
spins .
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc b rake of the bra ked wheel from ove rhea ting if
subjected to excessive loads, the EDL cuts out temporarily . The
veh icle remains operat ional and beh aves in the same way as a vehicle
without EDL .
As soon as the brake has coo led down, EDL switches on again auto­
matically .
& WARNING
• When a ccelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
alw ay s be careful when depre ssing the a ccelerator pedal. E ven
with the EDL working, the drive wheel s can spin and reduce your
ability to control your car . Risk of crash !
• The in creased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
can take safety ri sks. Always adapt your driving st yle to the road
condition s and traffic situation .
fi Tips
If a fault occurs i n the ABS, the EDL is also no t fu nct ion ing . This is
indicated by the ABS warning light~
page 19. •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulati on System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is a ccel erating.
General notes
T he Anti-S lip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP). When the veh icle starts up and acceler­
ates , the wheels are p reve nted from sp inning by adjust ing the eng ine
powe r to match t he amo unt of grip avai lab le from the road s urface.
How the system works
ASR perfo rms au toma tica lly, i .e . witho ut the drive r's in tervent ion .
With the aid of the A BS sensors~
page 256, ASR monitors the speed
of the driven wheels . If the wheels start to spin, the engine powe r is
reduced automat ically u nti l the t ires find enough gr ip to lock onto
the road s urface. The system is active across the entire speed range.
Th e ASR wor ks in con ju nction with the A BS .
If a m alfu nction sho uld
occur in the ABS, the ASR w ill also be out of action.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety ri sks . Always adapt your driving style to the road
condit ions and traffic situation.
[ i ] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works prope rly, all four wheels must be fitted
w ith ident ic a l ti res Any differences in rollin g radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when t his is not desired .
See also ~
page 318, "N ew t ires and replacing tires and whee ls" .•
Braking
General Information
What affects b raking efficiency ?
Operating cond itions and driving habits
Th e bra kes on t oday's automo biles are still subjec t to we ar,
depending large ly on operating conditions a nd driving habits~ &.
O n ve hicles tha t are eithe r driven mostly in stop- and-go city t raff ic or
are drive n hard, the brake pads should be checked by your author ized
Audi de aler more o ften than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte­
nance booklet .
Failure to have your brake pads i nspected can result
in re duced brake pe rformance. .,

lillill.a._...:I:..: n~ t .::.e::::..::.: ll~igent technology ,_ _______________________________________ _
Brake booster
The brake booster adds extra braking power.
The brake booster works with vacuum pressure which is created on ly
w hen the eng ine is ru nn ing =>& .
& WARNING
• Nev er let the vehicle roll to a stop w ith the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is n ot working , for e xample when towing
your vehicle, or because the brake booster has som ehow been
damaged , the brake pedal must be pressed conside rably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistan ce. •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS)
A BS prevents the wheels fr om locking up under braking.
The ABS co ntributes effectively to ve hicle contro l s i nee it preve nts the
w heels from
locking when the brakes a re applied. T his means that the
vehicle remains steerable and is less likely to skid .
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake. Just hold the brake
pedal down.
However, do not expect the A BS to shorten brak ing distance under all
circumstances. When driving on grave l o r on newly fa llen snow on top
of icy su rfaces, b raking distance may be even longer, therefore, under
these circumstances, it is especially important that you drive slowly
and w ith great care.
How the ABS system works
An automatic check is made w hen a speed of abo ut 4 mph (6 km/h) is
reached . When this happens, a pumping noise can be heard . If a
n ind iv idua l wheel begins to rotate too slow ly in relat ion to ve hicle
speed and tends to lo ck, the ABS automat ically redu ces bra ke pres ­
su re to p revent t hat wheel from lock ing.
Th is automatic adjustment process wi ll cause a
slight vib ration of
t he bra ke pedal and so me noises to al er t you tha t vehicle s peed mus t
be adapted to existing road and traff ic conditions.
& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always remember that braking
capability is limited by tir e traction. Always adjust your driving
speed acco rding to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking extra ri sks .
The ABS cannot ove rcome the laws of physics.
[I) Tips
• If ABS is not funct ioning properly, a warning light will come on.
See=>
page 19.
• If a fa ult occ urs in the ABS, the ED L is also not functioning . This is
ind icated by the A BS warn ing ligh t.•
Brake assistant
T he brake assistant is designed to achi eve the optimum
b ra king effect.
The b rake ass istant helps to i ncrease the effective brak ing power and
thus to achieve a shorter stopping distance. If the driver p resses the
bra ke pedal
very quickly, the brake assistan t automatically boosts t he
brak ing fo rce to the maximum level, up to the po int where the anti­
lo ck bra ke f un ct ion (ABS) intervenes to stop the whee ls from locking.
You shou ld then keep the brake pedal pressed unt il the ve hicle has
bra ked to t he required s peed . T he bra ke ass ist ant sw itches itse lf off
as soon as you re lease the brake pedal. ._

_________________________________________ I_ n_ t_ e_ ll_,igent technology ,__E~-
vidual components. It regulates consumption, so that more electrical
ene rgy is not being used than is being generated and ensures an
optimal state of charge for the battery.
[I] Tips
• But even energy management cannot negate the limits of physics.
Consider that the power and life of a battery are limited.
• If starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
~ page 259, "Driver notification in the instrument cluster display" .•
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining starting capa ­
bility.
Th e battery is severely taxed in short-distance driving, in city tra ffic
and during the cold time of year. Abundant electrical energy is
required, bu t on ly a little is generated .
It is also critical if the engine
is not running and electrical components are turned on. In this
instance energy is being consumed but none is being generated.
It is in prec isely these situations that you will notice energy manage­
ment actively regulating the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or weeks,
electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off. This
reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability over a
longer period.
Be aware that when you unlock your vehicle, some of the convenience
functions may not operate, such as the Convenience key, the remote
control or the power seat adjustment. The convenience functions will
be available aga in when you turn on the ignition and start the eng ine.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
With the
engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the engine turned off or
use other MMI functions, the battery is being discharged .
If starting capab ility is jeopardized due to energy consumption, the
following warning appears in the MMI display:
Please start engine, otherwise system will switch off in 3
minutes.
The warning indicates that the system will be turned off automati­
cally after 3 minutes. If you wish to continue using the functions, you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when the vehicle is being
driven, the battery can become discharged . This happens mostly
when little energy is being generated and a great dea l consumed and
the battery's state of charge is not optimal.
T o bring the energy balance back into equilibrium, consumers which
require especially large amounts of energy are temporarily cut back
or switched off. Heating systems in particular require a great deal of
energy . If you notice, for example, that the heated seats* or the
heated rear window are not heating, they have been temporarily cut
back or switched off . These systems w ill be ava ilable again as soon as
the energy balance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has been increased
slightly. This is normal and not a cause for concern . By increasing
engine idle speed the additional energy required is generated and the
battery is charged. •
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If the battery's state of charge is not in the optimal range, this driver
no tifi cation appears in the instrument cluster display:
Low battery charge: battery will be charged while driving ~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
(I] Tip s
The consumption estimates as pub lished by ENV IRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the road, which will vary
depending upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating .
-Avo id unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fue l when they a re accele rating. If you antici­
pate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possible -for
example when you see that the next traffic l ight is red. •
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
- Try and keep well below your car's maximum speed .
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consumption, engine wear, and does
not disturb the environment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds . If you drive at approx imately three
qua rters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by one half.
Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather condi­
tions permit.
a Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
-
Shut the engine off when yo u are not driving the vehicle.
- Do not warm up the vehic le by letting the eng ine run at
idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic jams, when waiting for
trains to pass at rai lroad crossings, o r at traffic lights that have long
wa its on red . Turn ing the eng ine off for just 30-40 seconds saves
more fuel than is burned starting the engine again.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up fully when it is running
at idle. Howeve r, wear and noxious emissions are espec ially high
when the eng ine is wa rm ing up. So you sho uld d rive away as soon as
you start the engine and avoid running at hig h rpms while the eng ine
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 cou ld result in
overheat ing o r othe r damage to the vehicle or other p roperty. •
Regular maintenanc_e ____________ _
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel .
- Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals .
By having yo ur vehicle regularly se rviced by an Audi dealer helps to
ensure that it runs properly and economically . T he condition of your
vehicle not only a ffects its safety and ability to ho ld its va lue, it a lso
affects
fu el con sumption .
Check your o il e ach tim e you fill you r tank.
~

Trailer towing
"---------------------------------------------------
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor ­
tation .
If you p lan to tow a t railer, p lease remember that the additional load
w ill affect durability, economy and performance.
Tr ailer towing not on ly p laces mo re s tress on the vehicle, it also calls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reason, a lways follow the operating and dr iv ing inst ructions
prov ided and use common sense .
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must activate the tra iler ope ra­
tion mode =>
page 179, "Towing a Trailer".
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a we igh t-car rying h itch co nform ing to the gross tra iler we ig ht.
The h itch must be suitab le for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mou nted securely o n th e vehi cle's ch assi s at a
techni cally sound loc a­
tion . Use only a trailer hitch with a removab le ball mount. Always
check wit h the t railer h itch manufactu rer to make sure that yo u are
using the correct h itch .
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The h itch mus t be installed in such a way t hat it does not in terfe re
w ith t he impact-absorb ing bumper system. No modifications shou ld be made to t
he veh icle exha ust and bra ke systems. From t ime to
time, check that a ll hitch mounting bo lts rema in securely fastened.
W hen you are no t tow in g a tra ile r, remove the t railer hit ch ball
mount. This prevents the hitc h from caus ing damage should your
vehicle be str uck from behind=>& .
Trailer brakes
If your trail er is e quipped w ith a b raking system, che ck to be s ure t hat
it conforms to all regulations.
T he tra ile r hydrau lic brake system m ust not be directly connected to
t he vehicle's hyd raulic b rake sys tem .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check w ith your
Audi de aler fo r corr ec t wir ing , sw itches and re lays.
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see t he t raff ic be hind you using t he regular
outs ide mirrors, then you
must install extended mi rrors. It is impor­
t an t th at yo u
always ha ve clear vi sion to the re ar.
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking , the hitch could fly forward and inju re you
or your passengers. •