2010 AUDI S8 instrument panel

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lower parts of the body . Front airbags supplement the th ree-point
sa fety belts o nly in some fron tal co llis io ns in whi ch the vehicl e decel­
eratio n is h igh enough to d eploy the a irbags .
Front airbags will not deploy:
• if the ignition is sw itched off when a cras h occ urs,
• in s ide collisions,
• in rea r-end collisions,
• in rollovers,
• when the cras h deceler ati on me asured by t he airba g sy st em is le ss
than t he m in imum thres hold needed for airbag dep loyment as regis­
t ere d by the e lectro nic cont rol uni t.
The front passenger airbag also will not deploy:
• when the front pas se ng er s eat is not occupi ed,
• when the we ight on the front passenge r seat as sense d by the
Adv anced Air bag Sy stem indicat es th at t he fron t a irbag on the
passenger s ide has to be turned off by the e lec tron ic cont rol u nit (the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ligh t com es o n an d st ay s on ).
& WARNING
Sitting in the wrong position can increase the risk of serious injury
in crashes .
• To reduce the risk of injury when the airbags inflate, the driver
and passengers must always sit in an upright position, must not lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
• Occupants who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the
airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye=>
page 208 .
& WARNING
A child in a rearward-facing child 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 seat or infant carrier with
great force and will smash the child seat and child against the
backrest, center armrest, door or roof.
• Always install rear-facing child seats on the rear seat .
• If you must install a rearward facing child 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 ch ild seat in a rear seating
position and have the airbag system inspected by your Audi
dealer .
& WARNING
Objects between you and the airb ag will increase the risk of injury
in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by
being pushed into you as the airbag inflates.
• Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle
is in use.
• Never transport items on or in the area of the front passenger
seat . Objects could move into the area of the front airbags during
braking or other sudden maneuvers and become dangerous
projectiles that can cause se rious personal injury if the airbags
inflate.
• Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cup
holders, telephone brackets, large, heavy or bulky objects ) on the
doors , over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the steering
wheel, instrument panel, seat backrests or between those areas and yourself. These objects could cause injury in a crash , especially
when the airbags inflate. ..,.

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& WARNING (conti nued)
position and have the airbag system inspected by your Audi
deal er.
• A tight tether or othe r strap on a rearward-facing child
restraint attached to the front passenger seat can put too much
pressure on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and register more
weight than i s actually on the seat. The heav ier weight registered
can make the system work as though an adult were on the seat
and deploy the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed
causing serious or even fatal injury to the child .
• If, in ex ceptional circumstances, you must install a forward·
facing child restraint on the front passenger seat, always move
the seat into i ts rearmo st po sition in the seat's fore and aft adjust ·
ment range, as far away from the airbag as possible . The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position. Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
& WARNING
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light do es not go out when an
adult is sitting on the front passenger seat after taking the steps
de scribed above, make sure the adult i s properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seating positions.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer before
transporting anyone on the front passenger seat .
[ i ] Tips
If the we ight-sens ing mat in the front passenger seat detects an
empty seat, the front a irbag on the passenger side w ill be t urne d off,
and the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light w ill stay on .•
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts o f the a irbag system are installed at many different p laces on
your Audi. Install ing, remov ing, servic ing or repa iring a part in an
area of the ve hicle can damage a part of an airbag system and preve nt
t ha t system from working pro perl y in a coll is ion.
T here are some important thi ngs you have to know to make sure that
the effectiveness of the system will not be impa ired and that
discarded components do no t cause injury or poll ute the enviro n­
ment .
& WARNING
Improper care , servicing and repair procedures can increase the
risk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from
deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
• Never cover, obstruct , or change the steering wheel horn pad or
airbag cover or the instrument panel or modify them in any way.
• Never attach any objects such as cup holders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag unit s.
• For cleaning the horn pad or instrument panel, use only a soft,
dry cloth or one moistened with plain water. Solvent s or cleaners
could damage the airbag cover or change the stiffness or strength
of the material so that the airbag cannot deploy and protect prop·
erly .
• Never repair, adjust, or change any part s of the airbag system .
• All work on the steering wheel, instrument panel , front seats
or electrical sy stem (including the installation of audio equip·
ment , cellular telephones and CB radios, etc .) must be performed
by a qualified technician who ha s the training and special equip ·
ment necessary .
• For any work on the airbag system, we strongly re commend
that you see your autho rized Audi dealer o r qualified workshop.
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body.
liJ,,

should always wear your safety belt, not just because the law requires
you to do so=>
page 197 , "General notes".
The safety belt buckle for the driver and front seat passenger have
switches that tell the airbag control module if the safety be lt is being
used or not.
If the safety belt is being used, the knee airbag will
dep loy at a s lightly higher rate of deceleration than if the be lt is not
being used. Therefore, in a particular collision, it is possible that an
airbag will not deploy at a seating position where the safety be lt is
being used but will inflate at the position where the safety belt is not
being used.
Remember too, airbags will deploy only once and only in certain kinds
of accidents -your safety belts are always there to offer protection in
those accidents in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when
t hey have already deployed, for example when you r vehicle strikes or
is struck by another after the first collision.
Thi s is just one of the reasons why an airbag is not a substitute for the
safety belt . The airbag system works most effectively when used with
the safety belts. Therefore, always wear your safety belts correctly.
It is im portant to remembe r th at while the supplemental airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injur ies, other
injuries, for example, swe lling, bruis ing, and minor abrasions can
also be assoc iated with airbags.
The knee airbag system basically consists of:
• The electronic contro l module
• Two inflatable airbags (airbag and gas gene rator), one for the
driver and one for the front passenger
• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The knee airbag system will not deploy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in front-end collisions when the deceleration measured by the
control unit is too low
• in s ide collisions
• in rear-end collisions
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
• in rollovers
• in the even t of a system ma lfunction (warning/ indicator lig ht ill u­
minated) =>
page 17.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system can only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position =>
page 215.
• If the airbag indicator light comes when the vehicle is being
used, have the system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer. The airbag may not work properly when the vehicle
acceleration in a side collision is high enough to deploy the airbag.
See also =>
page 17. •
How knee airbags work
The risk of injury to the leg area is reduced by fully
deployed knee airbags.
Fig. 217 Inflated
airbags protecting in a
frontal collision
The knee airbag system has been designed so that the airbags for the
dr iver and front passenger are dep loyed in certa in but not all frontal
collisions.
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags also deploy in frontal
collisions above a certain sever ity.
jll-
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service Technical data

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When the system is dep loyed , the a irbags sta rt to fill with a propel­
lan t gas, and infla te be twee n the lower p art of th e ins tru men t pan el
and the driver and the lowe r part of the instrumen t panel a nd the
front passenge r=>
page 215, fig . 21 4.
Alt hough t hey are no t a soft pi llow, they can "cushi on" th e im pact
and in t his way they can he lp to reduce the risk of in jury to the lower
ext rem ities.
All this takes place i nstantaneously, so fast that many people don't
even rea lize that t he a irbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate
w ith a great dea l of force a nd it is importa nt fo r occupant safe ty tha t
nothing should be i n their way when they deploy .
Fully inf lated air bag s in co mbination with prope rly wo rn sa fety bel ts
slow down and limit the occupant's forward movement and help to
re duc e the ris k. •
Important safety instructions on the knee
airbag system
Air bags are on ly su pp le m en ta l r es tra ints. Always wea r
s af ety be lts c orre ctly and ride in a p rop er seating pos i­
tion.
The re is a lot that you and your passenge rs must know and do to help
t he sa fe ty be lts and a irbag s to prov ide s uppl em ent al p rot ectio n.
& WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious injury. Wearing safety
belts incorrectly and improper seating positions increase the risk
of seriou s personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being
used.
• The airbag system cannot protect you properly if you are seated
too close to any of the airbag locations . When adjusting their seat
positions, it is important that both the driver and the front
& WARNING (co ntinued )
passenger keep their upper bodies and knees at the following
minimum safe di stances:
- 10 inches (25 cm) between the chest and the steering
wheel/instrument panel.
- 4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the lower part of
the instrument panel.
• The risk of personal injury increases if you lean forward or to
the side, or if the seat is improperly positioned and you are not
wearing your safety belt. The risk increases even more should the
airbag deploy.
• Always make sure that the knee airbag can inflate without
interference. Objects between yourself and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by interfering with the way the
airbag deploys or by being pushed into you as the airbag deploys .
- No persons (children ) or animals should ride in the footwell
in front of the passenger seat . If the airbag deploys, this can
result in serious or fatal injuries.
- No objects of any k ind should be carried in the footwell area
in front of the driver's or passenger 's seat. Bulky objects (shop­
ping bags, for example ) can hamper or prevent proper deploy­
ment of the airbag. Small objects can be thrown through the
vehicle if the airbag deploy s and injure you or your passengers.
• Make sure there are no cracks , deep scratches or other damage
in the area of the instrument panel where the knee airbags are
located.
• If children are incorrectly seated, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an accident =>
page 231, "Child Safety". •

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Side curtain airbags
Description of side curtain airbags
The side curtain airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to properly restrained occupants .
Fig. 220 Side curtain
airbags, driver's side:
s ide curtain airbag
location
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides of the interior
above the front and rear side windows=> fig. 220. They are identified
by the word "AIRBAG" on the windshield frame and the center roof
pillar.
The side curta in airbag system s upplements the safety belts and can
help to reduce the risk of injury for occupants' heads and upper torso
on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a sid e collision . The s ide
curtain a irbag inflates only in side impacts and only when the vehicle
acceleration registered by the contro l unit is high enough . If this rate
is below the reference value programmed into the control unit, the
side airbags will not be triggered, even though the car may be bad ly
damaged as a result of the collision.
It is not possib le to define an
airbag triggering range that will cover every possible angle of impact,
since the circumstances will vary considerably between one collision
and another. Important factors include, for example, the nature
(hard or soft) of the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc.=>
page 229, "How side curtain airbags work" . Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work to help
keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a co lli­
sion so that the s ide curta in a irbags can provide protection .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt . Rather, it is
part of the overall occupant restraint system in your veh icle. Always
remember that the airbag system can on ly help to protect you if you
are wear ing your safety belt and wearing it p rop erly . This is another
reason why you should always wear your safety belts , not just because
the law requires you to do so=>
page 197, "Gene ral notes".
It is important to remember that while the side curta in airbag system
is designed to he lp reduce the like lihood of serious injuries, other
injuries , for example, swell ing, bruis ing, and minor abrasions can
also be assoc iated with these airbags upon deployment. Remember
t oo, these airbags wi ll dep loy only once and only in certain kinds of
accidents - your safety belts are always there to offer protection .
The side curtain airbag system basically consists of:
• The electronic control module and external side impact sensors
• The side curtain airbags above the front and rear s ide windows
• Th e airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The airbag system is mon itored electron ically to make certain it is
functioning properly at all times . Each time you turn on the ignition,
the air bag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds (self
diagnostics).
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
• if the ignition is turned off,
• in side co llisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor is
too low,
• in front-end collisions,
• in rea r-end co llisions,
• in rollovers .

-Child Safety ------ ~---------------------------------
& WARNING (cont inued)
• It is safer to install a forward-facing child safety seat on the
rear seat.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used=>
page 231. Special precau­
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat=>
page 208, "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know".
& WARNING
Always take special precautions if you must install a forward or rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat in
exceptional situations:
• Whenever a forward or rearward-facing child restraint is installed on the front passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on whenever the ignition is
switched on .
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and
stay on, perform the checks described=>
page 217, "Monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on.
• Improper installation of child restraints can reduce their effec­
tiveness or even prevent them from providing any protection .
• An improperly installed child restraint can interfere with the
airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or even kill the child.
• Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
• Never place additional items on the seat that can increase the
total weight registered by the weight-sensing mat and can cause
injury in a crash .
& WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:
• Always make sure the forward -facing seat ha s been designed
and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
• Never put the forward-facing child restraint up, against or very
near the instrument panel.
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child
restraint. The backrest must be adjusted to an upright position .
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
& WARNING
Rearward-facing child restraints:
• 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, door or roof.
• Always be especially careful if you must install a rearward
facing child safety seat on the front passenger seat in exceptional
circumstances.
• A tight tether strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger 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 registered can make
the system work as though an adult were on the seat and deploy
the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing serious
or even fatal injury to the child.
Ill-

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detergent. Apply the water with a damp cloth o r sponge a nd pat the
fabr ic dr y wi th a n ab sorb ent , dr y clot h.
Sta ins from choco late or makeup should have dete rge nt paste (e.g.
ox -gall soap) ru bbed into them . Afterwards, remove t he soap w ith
w at er ( damp s ponge).
Alcoho l can be used to treat sta ins from grease , oil, lipstick or a ba ll­
po int p en. Melte d gre ase o r dye mus t be p atted o ff usi ng absorbe nt
material. It may be necessary to ret reat t he areas with detergent
paste a nd water .
In the case of ge nera l soili ng o f th e upholste ry an d cover mater ia l, we
recommend hiring a specialist that has the equ ipment to clean the
sea t cover s and o ther fab ric su rf a ces by sh am poo ing and s pray
extractio n.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 270 .
(I) Tips
Ope n Velcro fasteners on yo ur clothing can damage the sea t cover.
Please make su re t hat Velc ro fasteners are closed .•
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear water to clean t hese
a reas. For pers iste nt dirt use a n Audi appr oved
solvent-free plas tic
cleaner /protectant.
& WARNING
Solvents can change the properties of some plastics and make it harder for the airbag to deploy.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Never clean the instrument panel or the surface of airbag
modules with cleaning products that contain solvents.
• Products containing solvents will make the surface of this part
porous.
• Serious injuries can result if plastic parts come loose when the
airbag is deployed .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 270.
0 Note
Cleaning agents contai ning solvents will attack the mate rial and can
c hange the w ay it behave s.•
App lies to vehicles: with na tural leather
Natural leather
A udi makes gre at effo rts to main tain the propert ies,
natura l loo k and f eel of inte rio r le a th er .
General
We offe r m any di fferen t types o f lea ther on ou r ve hicl es. Most are
differen t types of nappa leat her, which has a smooth s urface and
comes in va rious co lo rs .
Th e int ensity of the colo r de ter min es th e vi sual cha ra cte ris tic s an d
appea rance. If the s urface o f the leathe r has a typical natu ral look,
t hen the le a the r is a nappa lea ther tha t has bee n left in a relat ively
natura l condition. This leat he r offers partic ularly good comfort a nd
brea thes wel l. Fine veins, closed gr ains, insec t bit e s, sk in fol ds , and
subt le variations i n color rema in v isib le. These character ist ics demon­
stra te t hat the ma ter ia l is na tural.
N at ural nappa leat her i s not cov ered by a colo r finish.
It is therefor e
more sensitive to soiling and wea r, which is somethin g you need to ..,

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Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
Fig . 2 39 Dr iver 's sid e
f oo twell : e ng in e ho od
r elease leve r
-Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel ~ fig. 239 in the dir ect ion of th e arrow .
The hood pops up slightly under spring pressure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 24 0 Rel ease le v er
under the eng ine h ood
Before opening the eng ine hood, make sure that the wi nd­
sh ield wipers are flat against the windshield . Otherwise, t hey
cou ld damage the pa int on the hood.
Lif t the hood slightly~ &.
- Pull u p on t he rel ease un der the hood ~ fig . 240. This
releases the c atch .
- Open t he hood a ll the way.
& WARNING
Hot eng ine coolant can burn you.
• To reduce the risk of being burned , never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart ­
ment . Wait until no ste am or coolant can be seen or heard before
c arefull y opening the hood .•