2011 AUDI S8 brake

Instrument s and warnin g/indi cator ligh ts 19
ABS/( {§) Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
This warning/indicator light monitors the ABS
and the electronic differential lock (EDL) .
The warning/indicator light m (USA mod­
els)
;ti] (Canada models) will come on for a
few seconds when the ignition is switched on .
The light will go out after an automatic check
sequence is completed.
The re i s a m alfunction in the ABS when :
-The warning/indicator light does not illumi­
nate when you switch the ignition on .
- The warning/indicator light does not go out
after a few seconds .
- The warning/indicator light illuminates while driving.
The ESP indicator light a lso illuminates if
there is a malfunction in the ABS. The mes­
sage
E S P/ABS : fault! See owner' s ma nual al­
so appears in the instrument cluster display
and a warning tone sounds.
Th e b rake system will sti ll r esp ond e ven
w ithout th e ass ist ance of the AB S sy stem .
S ee you r authorized Aud i dealer a s soon as
po ssibl e to r estor e full braking p erforman ce.
For more informat ion regarding the ABS
¢ page 190 .
Malf uncti on in the brake system
If the brake warning light¢ page 14 and the
ABS warning illuminate
toge ther there may be
a ma lfunction in the ABS, and there may also
be a malfunction in the brake system itself
¢ /1::i. . Th e ABS w ill not work and you will no­
tic e a chang e in br aking r espo nse and p er­
f o rm ance.
In the event of a malfunct ion in the b rak e
syst em
the warn ing/ indicato r light _
(USA
models) ;III (Canada models) in the in­
strument cluster flashes
C? page 14 .
Malfuncti on in the electronic differential
lock (EDL )
The ED L wor ks toget her with the ABS. The
ABS warning light will come on if the re is a
mal funct ion in the EDL system
<=? page 190.
See your authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible .
A WARNING
-If the m (USA models)/ fl] (Canada
models) warning light does not go out,
or if it comes on while driving, the ABS
system is not working properly. The vehi ­
cle can then be stopped only w ith the
standard brakes (without ABS) . You w ill
not have the protect ion ABS prov ides.
Contact your Audi dea ler as soon as pos­
sible.
- USA models: If the - warning light,
the
JjJ warning light and the m warn­
ing 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 quali­
f ied workshop . Dr ive slowly and avoid
sudden, hard brake applications .
-Canada models: If the brake warning
light •• the
Iii warn ing light and the
ABS warning light
Ii] come on together,
the rear wheels could lock up first under hard braking . Rear whee l loc k-up can
cause loss of vehicle contro l and an ac ci­
dent. Have your vehicle repaired immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Drive s low ly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
0) Worn brake pads
El Brake pads !
If the warning light i lluminates, immediate ly
contact your authorized Audi dealer or quali­
fied workshop to have all brake pads inspect­
ed. On USA models the warn ing light
El
comes on together with the warning light
- -Both sets of brake pads on an axle
must a lways be rep laced at the same time . ..,.

20 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
&_ WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a colli­
sion and serious personal injury.
- If the warning light
II and the warning
light
- ll with the message Brake
pads!
comes on in the instrument cluster
display, immediately contact your au­
thorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop to have all brake pads checked or
replaced if necessary.
EPC Electronic power control
This warning/indicator light monitors the
electronic power control .
The~ warning/indicator light (Electronic
Power Control) illuminates when you switch
the ignition on as a function check.
(D Tips
-
If this warning/indicator light illuminates
while you are driving, then there is a mal­
function in the engine electronics. Have
the malfunction corrected as soon as pos­
sible by your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified repair facility.
O Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is part
of the On-Board Diagnostic (080 II) system.
The symbol
f-@j lights up when the ignition is
switched on and will turn off after the engine has started and has settled at a constant idle
speed . This indicates that the MIL is working
properly.
The warning light illuminates when there is a
malfunction in the engine electronic system.
Contact your authorized Audi dealer and have
the malfunction corrected.
An improperly closed fuel filler cap may also
cause the MIL light to illuminate
<::> page 220 .
For more information
c::> page 27.
1) - : USA mod els only
!7} Engine speed limitation
Applies to vehicles: with engine speed limitation
lfl Engine speed maximum XXXX RPM
The engine speed is automatically limited to
the speed displayed in the driver information
system. This protects the engine from over­
heating.
The engine speed limitation deactivates once
the engine is no longer in the critical tempera­
ture range and you have released the accelera­
tor pedal once.
If the engine speed limitation was activated
by an engine control malfunction, the indica­
tor light~ also turns on. Make sure that the
speed does not go above the speed displayed.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
~"' Engine oil level
II Add oil, max. x qt (l). You may continue
driving
When the symbol II and driver message ap­
pear, add the amount of oil appearing in the
display at the next opportunity
c::> page 22 7.
'"' Engine oil sensor
II Oil level! Sensor defective
If the symbol illuminates, contact your au­
thorized Audi dealer and have the oil sensor inspected. Until you have this done , check the
oil level each time you refuel just to be on the
safe side
c::> page 22 7.
Bu Fuel level indicator
Ii Please refuel
If the indicator light turns on for the first
time and the message appears, there are about 4 gallons (15 liters) of fuel left in the
tank. Time to refuel
<::> page 219.
Ii Tank system malfunction! Contact dealer llll>

54 Seat s a nd s tor ag e
Seats and storage
General recommen­
dations
Why is your seat adjustment so
important?
The safety belts and the airbag system can
only provide maximum protection if the front
seats are correctly adjusted.
There are various ways of adjust ing the front
seats to provide safe and comfortable support
for the driver and the front passenger. Adjust
you r seat prope rly so that :
- you can easily and quick ly reach all the
switches and controls in the instrument
panel
-your body is prope rly supported thus reduc­
ing physical stress and fatigue
- the safety be lts and airbag system can offe r
maximum protection
¢ page 145 .
In the following sec tions, you will see exactly
how you can best adjust you r seats .
There are special regulations and instructions
for insta lling a child seat on the front pas­
senger's seat. Always fo llow the information
regarding child safety provided in
q page 169, Child Safety .
A WARNING
Incorrect seating position of the driver and
all other passengers can result in serious
personal injury.
- Always keep your feet on the floor when
the vehicle is in motion -never p ut your
feet on top of the instrument panel, out
of the w indow or on top of the seat cush­
ion . Th is app lies especially to the passen­
gers .
If your seating position is incorrect,
you increase the r isk of injury in the case
of sudden braking or an acc ident.
If the
airbag infla tes and the seating position
is incorrect, this could resul t in personal
injury or even death.
- It is important for bo th the driver and
front passenger to keep a distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between them­
selves and the steering wheel and/or in­
strument panel. If you're s itting any
closer than th is, the a irbag system can­
not protect you properly . In addition, the
front seats and head restraints must be
adjusted to your body height so that they
can give you max imum protect ion.
- Always try to keep as much distance as
pos sible between yourself and the steer­
ing wheel o r instrument panel.
- Do not adjust the driver's o r front pas­
senger's seat whi le the vehicle is moving.
Your sea t may move unexpected ly, caus­
ing sudden loss of vehicle control and
personal injury . If you adjust yo ur seat
while the veh icle is moving, yo u are out
of posit ion.
Driver's seat '
The correct seat position is important for safe
and relaxed driving.
We recommend tha t you adjus t the dr iver's
seat in the fo llowing manner :
"' Adjust th e seat in fore and aft direction so
t ha t you can eas ily push the peda ls to the
floor wh ile keeping your knees sl igh tly bent
q A in Why is your seat adjustment so im­
portant? on page 54.
"' Adjust the backrest so that when you sit
w ith your back agains t th e backrest, you can
still g rasp the top of the steering wheel.
"' Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as poss ible with the top of your
head . If that is not poss ible , try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
t his pos it ion as possib le
q page 61.
A WARNING
Neve r place any objects in the dr iver's foot ­
well. An object could get into the pedal
area and interfere with pedal function . In
case of sudden braking or an acc ident, you
would not be able to brake or accelerate .

A WARNING ,~ ~
When driving, do not leave any hard ob­
jects on the rear w indow shel f or allow
your pet to s it on the shelf. They could be­
come a hazard for veh icle occupants in the
event of sudden braking or a crash.
([) Note
Make sure abrasive objects do not damage
the heating w ires for the rear window de­
fogger.
{1) Tips
- A vent slot is located between the shelf
and the rear window. Do not b lock the
vent with any items you may place on the
rear w indow shelf.
- Do not place bulky items on the rear w in­
dow shelf as they could restrict o r block
the driver's vis ion in the rear view mirro r.
Additional storage
There are a variety of storage compartments
and fasteners in various places in the vehicle.
- Storage compartments in the doors
- Net in the front passenger footwell
- Eyeglasses compartment in the headliner
(near the rearview m irror)
- Storage compartments under the center
armrests
- Compartments* on the back of the front
seat backrests
- Garment hooks over the rear doors
- Compartment in the center console with
pass-through)* (rear)
- Compartment behind the rear center arm ­
rest (in vehicles without the pass-through*
or refr igerator*)
- Bag hooks in the luggage compartment
A WARNING
-
- Always remove objects from the instru­
ment panel. Any items not stored could
slide arou nd inside the vehicle while driv­
ing or when accelerating or when apply-
S eat s an d sto rage 71
ing the brakes or when driving around a
corner.
- When you are driving make sure that
anyth ing you may have placed in the cen­
ter conso le or other storage locations
cannot fall out into the footwells. In case
of sudden braking you would not be able
to b ra ke or accelerate .
- Any art icles of clothing that you have
hung up must not inte rfere wit h the dr iv­
er's view. The coat hooks are des ign ed
only fo r ligh twe ight clot hing. Neve r hang
any cloth ing wi th hard, po in ted o r heavy
objects in the po ckets on the coat hoo ks .
During s udden braking or in an accident -
especia lly if the airbag is deployed -
these objects co uld inj ure any passen­
gers inside the vehicle.
- To reduce the risk of perso nal inju ry in an
accident or s udden stop, always keep the
glove compartment closed wh ile driving.
- Read and follow a ll WARNINGS
c::> page 165 , Important safety instruc­
tions on the side airbag system.
- Hang clothes in such a way that they do
not impair the driver's vision.
- The coat hooks must only be used for
lightweight clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp edged objects in the pock­
ets which may interfere with the s ide cur­
tain airbag deployment and can ca use
pe rsonal injury in a crash .
- Do not use coat hangers for hanging cloth ing on the coat hooks as th is can in­
terfere with prope r deployment of the
side curta in a irbags in an acc ident.
- Do not hang heavy objects on the coat
hooks, as they co uld cause perso nal i n­
ju ry in a sudden stop.
(D Note
Objects located on the rear shelf that rub
against the rea r window could damage the
heating wires for the rear window defog­
ger.

the stored position as soon as you switch on
the ignition.
Starting and stopping
the engine
Starting the engine
This button switches on the ignition and
starts the engine.
Fig. 80 Center console: S TART ENGINE S TOP b utton
" Step on the brake pedal¢&_ .
.. Press on the !START ENGINE STOP I button
¢ fig. 80 -the engine w ill start .
By pressing the
I START ENGINE STOP I button
without depressing the brake pedal, the igni­ tion is on and switched off by pressing it
again.
After a cold engine is started, there may be a
brief period of increased noise because oil
pressure must first build up in the hydraulic
valve adjusters. This is normal and not a cause
for concern.
If the engine should not start immediately,
the starting process is automatically stopped
after a short time. Repeat starting procedure.
Driver message in the instrument cluster
display
Press brake pedal to start engine
This message appears if you press the
I START ENGINE S TOP I button to start the en­
gine and do not depress the brake pedal. The
engine can only be started if the brake pedal is depressed.
!! Convenience key: Is key not in the vehi­
cle?
On the road 79
This message appears along with thee sym ­
bol if the master key is removed from the ve­
hicle with the eng ine running.
It is intended
to remind you (e.g . when changing drivers)
not to continue the journey without the mas­
ter key.
If the master key is no longer in the veh icle,
you cannot switch on the ignition after stop­
ping the engine and you also cannot start the
engine again . Moreover, you cannot lock the
vehicle from the outside with the key.
Shift to P, otherwise vehicle can roll away.
Doors do not lock if lever is not in
P.
This message appears for safety reasons
along with an audible warning tone if the
P
selector lever position is not engaged when
stopping the engine with the
I START ENGINE STOP I button. Select the P se­
lector lever position . Otherwise the vehicle
cou ld roll and it cannot be locked .
Key not recognised. Hold back of key against
marked area . See owner's manual.
If the indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction
¢ page 80.
Steering lock
The steering locks when you turn the engine
off using the
I START ENGINE STOP I button
and open the driver's door. The locked steer­ ing helps prevent vehicle theft.
A WARNING
- Never allow the engine to run in confined
spaces - danger of asphyx iation.
- Never turn off the engine until the vehi­
cle has come to a complete stop.
- The brake booster and power steering
only work when the engine is running. If
the engine is off, you have to use more
force when steering or braking. Because
you cannot steer and brake as you usual­
ly would, this could lead to crashes and
serious injuries.

80 On the road
(D Note
-Avoid hig h engine rpm, fu ll throttle and
heavy engine loads unti l the engine has
reached operating temperat ure -other­
wise you risk eng ine damage.
- The engine cannot be started by pushing
or towing the vehicle.
- If the engine has been under heavy load
for an extended period, heat b uilds up in
the engine compartment after the en­
gine is switched off - there is a risk of
damaging the engine . Allow the eng ine
to run at idle for about 2 minutes before
switching it off.
@ Tips
If you open the driver's door with the igni­
tion on, a buzzer sounds and the message
Igniti on is on appears in the instrument
cluster display. Sw itch the ignition off .
Stopping the engine
• Bring your vehicle to a complete stop.
.. Move the se lector lever to the
P or N pos i­
t ion .
.. Pre ss the I STAR T ENGINE ST OP I button
r:> page 79, fig. 80 .
Emergency off
If necessary, the engine can be switched off
with the selector lever in the
R , D or S posi­
tions . The engine stops if you press the
I S TAR T ENGINE ST OP ! button at speeds be low
6 mph (10 km/h).
A WARNING
- Never turn off the eng ine unti l the vehi­
cle has come to a complete stop.
- The brake booster and power steer ing
only work when the engine is runn ing .
If
the engine is off, you have to use more
force when steering or braking. Because
you cannot steer and brake as you usua l­
ly wo uld, this could lead to crashes and
serious injuries. -
For safety reasons, you should a lways
park your vehicle w ith the selector lever
in P . Otherwise, the vehicle could inad­
vertently roll away .
- After the engine has been switched off,
the radiator fan can cont inue to run for
up to 10 minutes -even with the ignition
sw itched off. It can also sw itch on again
after some time if the coolant tempera­
ture rises as the result ofa heat bu ildup
or if the engine is hot and the engine
compartment is additionally heated by
the sun's rays .
(D Note
Do not stop the eng ine immedia tely after
hard o r extended driving. Keep the engine
running for approximate ly two minutes to
prevent excessive heat bui ld-up.
Starting the engine if there is a
malfunction
It may not be possible to start the engine un­
der certain circumstances, for example if the
battery in the vehicle key is drained, if inter­
ference is affected the key or if there is a sys­
tem malfunction.
"' ij
:c
-- --- -~
Fig . 81 Ce nter co nsole/master key: start ing the e ngin e
i f there is a malfunct ion
Requirement: The message K ey not recog­
niz ed . Hold back of ke y again st ma rked are a.
See o wner's manual.
must appear and the in ­
dicator light
m must switch on .
.. Hold the master key vertically in the loca­
tion indicated
y >>) <=> fig . 81.
• Press the brake pedal r=> & in Starting the
engine on page 79 .
IJ>,

.. Press the !START ENGINE STOPI button. The
engine will start.
.. Drive to your author ized Audi dealer imme­
diately to have the malfunction corrected .
@ Tips
You can view the message again by press­
ing the
! START ENGINE STOPI button.
Electromechanical
parking brake
Operation
The electromechanical parking brake replaces
the hand brake.
Fig. 82 Center console: Park ing brake
.. Pull on the switch<®> c> fig . 82 @to apply
the parking brake. The indicator light in the
switch illuminates.
.. Step on the brake pedal or the accelerator
pedal and press the switch <®> at the same
t ime to release the parking brake. The indi­
cator light in the switch goes out.
Your vehicle is equipped with an electrome­
chan ical parking brake. The parking brake is
designed to prevent the vehicle from roll ing
un intent ionally and replaces the hand brake.
In addition to the normal functions of a tradi­
tional hand brake, the electromechanical parking brake provides various convenience
and safety functions.
When starting from rest
-The integral starting assist helps you when
driving by automatically releasing the park­
i ng brake
c> page 82, Starting from rest.
On the road 81
- When start ing on inclines, the starting as­
sist prevents the vehicle from unintentional­
ly rolling back. The braking force of the
parking brake is not released until sufficient
driving force has been built up at the
wheels.
Emergency brake function
An emergency brake ensures that the vehicle
can be slowed down even if the
normal brakes
fail
c> page 83, Emergency braking.
Indicator lights
-If the parking brake is closed with the igni­
tion
switched on the indicator lights come
on - (USA mode ls)/ . (Canada models)
in the instrument cluster and the switch.
- If the parking brake is closed with the igni­
tion
switched off the indicator lights come
on - (USA models)/ . (Canada models)
in the instrument cluster and the switch for
about 20 seconds .
A WARNING
Do not press the accelerator pedal inadver­
tently if the veh icle is stationary but the
engine is running and a gear is selected .
Otherwise the vehi cle w ill start to move
immediately and could result in a crash.
(D Note
If the symbol . in the display or the indi­
cator light
11111 (USA models)/ . (Cana­
da models) in the instrument cluster flash­
es, there is a malfunction in the brake sys­
tem. Please refer to the detailed descrip­
tion of the indicator lights
c>page 14.
- If the indicator light -(USA mod-
els)/ . (Canada models) or
Im turns
on, there may be a malfunction in the
parking brake
c> page 15.
{I) Tips
-Yo u can app ly the parking brake at any
time -even with the ignition switched
off. The ignition must be on in order to
release the parking brake.

82 On the road
-Occasiona l noises when the parking
brake is applied and re leased are norma l
and are not a cause for concern .
- When the vehicle is parked, the parking
brake goes through a se lf-test cycle at
regular intervals. Any assoc iated noises
are norma l.
Parking
Various rules apply to prevent the parked ve­
hicle from rolling away accidentally.
P ar king
,. Stop the vehicle w ith the foot brake.
,. Pull the switch© to apply the parking
brake.
,. Se lect the
P se lector lever position
9 page 112.
,. Turn the eng ine off q _&. .
In addition on incline s and grad es
,. Turn the steering whee l so that your vehicle
wi ll ro ll against the curb in case it should
start to move .
A WARNING
-When you leave your veh icle -even if on­
ly briefly -always take the ignition key
with you. This applies particularly when children remain in the veh icle. Otherw ise
the ch ildren could sta rt t he engine, re­
lease the p arking brake or operate e lec­
trical equipment (e .g. power windows) .
T he re is the risk of an accident.
- When the vehicle is loc ked, no one -par­
t icu la rly not children sho uld remain in
the vehicle . Locked doors make it more
difficult for emergency workers to get in­
to the vehicle -putt ing lives at risk.
Start ing from rest
The starting assist function ensures that the
parking brake is released automatically upon starting.
Stopping and appl ying par kin g brake
,. Pull the switch© to apply the parking
brake.
St arting and automatic ally rel easi ng the
parking b rake
,. When you start to dr ive as usual, the park ­
ing brake is automat ically released and your
veh icle beg ins to move.
When stopping at a traffic signal or stopping in city traffic, the parking brake can be ap­
plied . The vehicle does not have to be held
with the footbrake . The parking brake elimi ­
nates the tendency to creep w ith a dr ive range
engaged. As soo n as you d rive off as usual,
the pa rking brake is re leased automatically
and the vehicle s tarts to move.
Sta rting on slopes
When starting on inclines, the starting assist
prevents the veh icle from u nintent ionally roll­
i ng back. The braking fo rce of the par kin g
brake is not re leased unti l su ff ic ient d riving
f orce has been built up a t the wheels.
(D Tips
Fo r safety reasons, the pa rking bra ke is re­
l eased automatically o nly when t he d riv­
er's safety belt is engaged in the buckle.
Starting off with a trailer
To prevent rolling back unintentionally on an
incline, do the following:
,. Keep the sw itch(®) pulled and depress the
accelerator. The pa rking brake stays applied
and p revents the vehicle from roll ing back­
ward .
,. You can release the switch© once you are
sure that you are developing enough for­
ward momentum at the whee ls as you de ­
press the acce lerator.