2011 AUDI S8 service

28 Instrum ents a nd w arning /indic ato r ligh ts
An imp rop erl y cl ose d fu el filler cap m ay also
c a u se t he MIL l igh t to illumin ate
c:> page220.
On-Board Diagnostics
Fig. 14 Locat io n of Data Link Co nnec tor (DLC)
On-Board Diagnostics monitors the compo­
nents o f your emission control system. Each
monitored component in your engine system
has been assigned a code. In case of a mal­
function, the component will be identified
and the fault stored as a code in the control module memory.
The MIL light may a lso illuminate if there is a
leak in the on-board fue l vapor recovery sys­
tem. If the light illuminates after a refuelling,
stop the veh icle and make sure the fuel filler
cap is properly closed
c:> page 220.
In order to make an accurate diagnosis, the
stored data can only be displayed using spe­
cial diagnostic equipment (generic scan tool
for OBD) .
In order to connect the special diagnostic
equipment, push the plug into the Data Link
Connector (DLC). The DLC is located to the right of the hood release
c:> fig . 14.
Your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified
service station can interpret the code and per­
form the necessary repair .
Electronic speed limiter
Your vehicle may be factory equipped with
tires that are rated for a maximum speed of 130 mph (210 km/h). This is less than the
maximum speed of your vehicle. To reduce the
risk of s udden tire failure and loss of control if the vehicle is operated at excessive speeds,
your vehicle a lso has an e lectronic speed limit­
er . The e lectronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from going faster than the tire speed
rating. For more information
c:> page 249.
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehi­
cle road speed signals, the Ma lfunction Indi­
cator Lamp (MIL)
(lllli$ will illuminate . If this
occurs, contact the nearest authorized Audi
dealer for assistance .
_&. WARNING
-Always observe the posted speed lim its
and adjust your speed to suit prevailing r oad, traffic and weather cond itions. Never
drive your vehicle faster than the maxi­ mum speed rating of the tires installed.
-

40 Opening and closing
Valet parking
The valet parking feature protects the lug­
gage comportment from unauthorized ac­
cess .
Fig. 31 Valet park ing button
With "valet pa rking" activated, the rear lid
cannot be opened.
.. Remove the mechanical key
c:> page 30 .
.,. Open the glove compartment and activate
¢
fig. 31 the "valet parking" feature by
pressing the
I VALET I button. The ind icator
light in the switch illuminates.
.,. Close the glove compartment and lock it
with the mechanical key .
.. Leave the master key with the service per­
sonnel
for parking and keep the mechanical
key with you .
When the "valet parking" feature is activated :
- the u nlocking button for the rear lid
c:5 in
the driver's door is inactive
- the butt on
c:5 on the master key is inac tive
- the opening hand le in the rear lid is inactive.
The vehicle can be driven and locked and un­ locked w ith the master key. Access to the lug­
gage compartment is blocked.
When the valet parking function is switched
on, the message
Valet parking activated ap­
pears in the instrument cluster display when
you switch the ign it ion on .
Sliding/tilting sunroof
Operation
Fig. 32 Section of the headl iner: Sliding/t iltin g sunroof
button
@ Tilting and sliding
.,. To t ilt the sunroof completely, press the
sw itch br iefly to the second level¢
fig. 32
briefly .
.. To close the sunroof completely, pull the
sw itch briefly to the second level¢,&. .
.. To select an intermediate position, press/
pull the switch to the first level until the de ­
sired position is reached .
@ Opening and closing
.,. To open the sunroof completely, slide the
button back briefly to the second level.
.. To close the sunroof completely, slide the
button forward briefly to the second level
q ,&..
.. To select a partially open pos ition, slide the
button forward/back to the first level until
the roof reaches the desired position.
A wind deflector integrated into the sliding/
t il ting sunroof adapts automatically to the
speed and sunroof pos ition . This reduces wind
noise to a m inimum in all sunroof positions .
You can still close or open the sunroof for up
to ten minutes after you have switched the ig­
nition off . The switch is deact ivated once the
driver's or front passenger's door is opened.
Solar protection
The solar protection opens automatically
when the sunroof opens.

50 Clear vision
Replacing windshield wiper blades
Wiper blades in good condition help keep the
windshield clear .
Fig. 46 Remov ing wi nds hield w ipe r blade s
Serv ice p osition
""Switch the windshield wipers off (posit io n
@ ~ page 48, fig . 45).
""Select in the MMI:: !CAR !function button>
Car system s control button > Servici ng &
checks > Wip er se rv ice po sition > On . The
windshield wipers move into the service po­
s it ion.
O r
"" Switch the ignition off and move the wind­
shield wiper lever to position ©~
page 48,
fig. 45.
R emoving the wip er blad e
""Fold the windshield wiper arm away from
the windshie ld .
"" Press the locking knob
@ ~fig. 46 on the
wiper blade . Hold the wiper blade firm ly.
"" Remove the wiper blade in the direction of
the arrow.
In sta ll ing th e wip er blad e
""Insert the new wiper blade into the mount
on the wiper arm @until you hear it latch
into place .
"" Place the wiper arm back on the windshield.
"" Switch the ignition on .
""Select : ICAR !funct ion button>
Car sy stem s
control button > Servicing & ch eck s > W iper
se rvic e po sition
> Off .
Or
""Press the windshield w iper lever .
A WARNING
-If the windshie ld w ipers smear the wind­
sh ie ld, clean the wiper b lades with wind­
shie ld washer fluid .
If the wiper blades
are extremely dirty, you can a lso clean
them with a soft sponge o r cloth.
- For your safety, you should replace the
wiper blades once o r twice a year. See
your author ized Audi dealer for replace­
men t bla des.
([) Note
-The windshield wiper blades must only
be folded away when in the service posi­
tion! Otherwise, you ris k damaging the
paint on the hood o r the windshie ld w ip­
er motor.
- Yo u should not move your veh icle or
press the windsh ie ld wiper lever when
t he wipe r arms are folded away from the
w indshield. The windshield wipers wou ld
move back into their or iginal position
and could damage the hood and wind­
shield.
- To help prevent damage to the w iper sys­
tem, always loosen blades wh ich are fro­
zen to the windshield before operating
w ipers .
- To help prevent damage to wiper blades,
do not use gasoline, kerosene, paint
thinne r, or other solvents on o r near the
w iper blades .
- To help prevent damage to the w iper
arms or other components, do not at­
tempt to move the wipe rs by hand .
(j) Tips
- Comme rcial hot waxes appl ied by auto­
matic ca r washes affect the cleanability
of t he windshie ld.
- You can also use the service position, for
example, if you want to p rotect the
w indshield from icing by using a cover.
- You cannot activate the se rv ice position
when the hood is ope n.

7 4 Warm and cold
Warm and cold Climate controls
Description
The climate control system warms, cools and
adds humidity to the air in the vehicle interior.
It is the most effect ive when the windows and
sunroof* are closed . If the temperature inside
the parked vehicle becomes very warm, open­ ing the window briefly will speed up the cool­
ing process.
I n all heating mode functions except
defrost,
the blower on ly switches to a higher speed
once the engine coolant has reached a certain
temperature.
Condensation from the cooling system can
drip and form a puddle of water under the ve­
hicle. This is normal and does not mean there
is a leak.
Pollutant filter
The pollutant filter removes pollutants such
as dust and po llen from the air.
The air pollutants filter must be changed at
the intervals spec ified in you r Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet, so that the air condi­
tioner can properly work.
I f you drive your vehicle in an a rea with high
a ir po llution, the filter may need to be
changed more frequent ly than specified in
your Aud i Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. If
in doubt, ask your authorized Audi Service Ad­
visor for advice .
Key coded settings
The climate control settings are a utomat ically
stored and assigned to the remote control key
that is in use.
A WARNING
Reduced visibility is dangerous and can
cause accidents. -
- For safe driving it is very important that
all windows be free of ice, snow and con­
densation.
- Comp letely familiarize yourself with the
proper use and function of the heating
and ventilation system and especially how to defog and defrost the windows.
- Never use the windshield wiper/washer
system in freez ing weather unt il you
have warmed the windshield first, using
the heating and ventilation system. The
washer solution may freeze on the wind­ sh ie ld and reduce visib ility.
(D Note
- If you suspect that the air conditioner has been damaged, switch the system
off to avoid further damage and have it
inspected by a qualified dealership.
- Repairs to the Audi air conditioner re­
quire special technical knowledge and
special tools. Contact an authorized Aud i
dea ler fo r assistance.
@ For the sake of the environment
By reducing the amount of fuel you use,
you also reduce the amount of pollutants
emitted into the air.
(D Tips
- Keep the air intake s lots (in fro nt of the
w indshield) free from ice, snow and de ­
bris in order to maintain the proper func­
tion of the climate control system.
- T he energy management system may
switch the seat heating* or rear window
defroster off temporari Ly . These systems
are available again as soon as the energy
balance has been restored.
- Air escapes through vents under the rear
window. When placing items of clothing on the luggage compartment cover, en­
sure that the openings are not covered.

144 Safety belts
the belt and takes up belt slack c> .& in Service
and disposal of safety belt pretensioner on
pag e
144. Taking up the slack helps to reduce
forward occupant movement during a colli­
sion.
_& WARNING
- It is possible for the pretensioners to de ­
ploy incorrectly .
- The pyrotechnic system can only provide
protection for one collision . If the pyro ­
technic pretensioners deploy, the preten­ sioning system must be replaced.
(D Tips
The pyrotechnic safety belt pretensioners can only deploy once .
- The safety belt pretensioners do not de­
ploy in minor frontal and side collisions,
in rear-end collisions, in rollovers and in
collisions involving very little impact
force .
-A fine dust is released when the pyro­
technic safety belt pretensioners deploy .
This is normal and is not caused by a fire
in the vehicle.
- The relevant safety requirements must
be observed when the vehicle or compo­
nents of the system are scrapped . A
qualified dealership is familiar with
these regulations and will be pleased to
pass on the information to you.
- Be sure to observe all safety, environ­
mental and other regulations if the vehi­
cle or individual parts of the system, par­
ticularly the safety belt or airbag, are to be disposed . We recommend you have
your authorized Audi dealer perform this
service for you .
Service and disposal of safety belt
pretension er
The safety belt pretensioners are parts of the
safety belts on your Audi. Installing, remov­
ing, servicing or repairing of belt pretension­
ers can damage the safety belt system and prevent it from working correctly
in a colli­
sion.
There are some important things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of
the system will not be impaired and that dis­
carded components do not cause injury or pol­
lute the environment.
_& WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair proce­
dures can increase the risk of personal in­
jury and death by preventing a safety belt
pretensioner from activating when needed
or activating it unexpectedly :
- The belt pretensioner system can be acti ­
vated only once . If belt pretensioners
have been activated, the system must be
replaced.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts
of the safety belt system.
- Safety belt systems including safety belt
pretensioners cannot be repaired. Spe­
cial procedures are required for removal,
installation and disposal of this system.
-For any work on the safety belt system,
we strongly recommend that you see
your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
technician who has an Audi approved re­
pair manual, training and special equip­
ment necessary.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
sioners might be classified as Perchlorate
Material -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/per­
chlorate. When the vehicle or parts of the restraint system including airbag modules
safety belts with pretensioners are scrap­ ped, all applicable laws and regulations
must be observed . Your authorized Audi
dealer is familiar with these requirements
and we recommend that you have your
dealer perform this service for you.

airbag system and prevent that system from
working properly in a collision.
There are some important things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of
the system will not be impaired and that dis­
carded components do not cause injury or pol­
lute the environment.
A WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair proce­
dures can increase the risk of personal in­
jury 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
many way .
- Never attach any objects such as cup
holders or telephone mountings to the
surfaces covering the airbag units.
- For cleaning the horn pad or instrument
panel, use only a soft , dry cloth or one
moistened with plain water. Solvents or
cleaners could damage the airbag cover
or change the stiffness or strength of the
material so that the airbag cannot de­
ploy and protect properly.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts
of the airbag system.
- All work on the steering wheel, instru­
ment panel, front seats or electrical sys­
tem (including the installation of audio
equipment, cellular telephones and CB
radios, etc .) must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training
and special equipment necessary .
- For any work on the airbag system, we
strongly recommend that you see your authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop.
- Never modify the front bumper or parts
of the vehicle body .
- Always make sure that the side airbag
can inflate without interference:
- Never install seat covers or replace­
ment upholstery over the front seat-
Airbag system 159
backs that have not been specifically
approved by Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags
inflate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or
to the seam in the area of the side air­
bag module must always be repaired
immediately by an authorized Audi
dealer.
- The airbag system can be activated only
once . After an airbag has inflated, it
must be replaced by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified technician who has
the technical information, training and
special equipment necessary.
- The airbag system can be deployed only
once . After an airbag has been deployed,
it must be replaced with new replace­
ment parts designed and approved espe­
cially for your Audi model version . Re­
placement of complete airbag systems
or airbag components must be per­
formed by qualified workshops only.
Make sure that any airbag service action
is entered in your Audi Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet under
AIRBAG REPLACE­
MENT RECORD.
- For safety reasons in severe accidents,
the alternator and starter are separated
from the vehicle battery with a pyrotech­ nic circuit interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit inter­ rupter must only be performed by a
qualified dealer - risk of an accident!
- If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter
is scrapped, all applicable safety pre­
cautions must be followed.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
sioners might be classified as Perchlorate Material - special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc .ca.gov/hazardouswaste/per-
ch lo rate . When the vehicle or parts of the
restraint system including airbag modules
and safety belts with pretensioners are
scrapped, all applicable laws and ..,.
•
•

160 Airbag sys te m
regulations must be obse rved . Your au ­
thorized A udi dealer is familiar with these
req uirements and we recommend that you
have your dea ler perform this service for
you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag Sys­
tem performs in a crash. For example, using
tire-rim combinations not approved by Audi,
lowering the vehicle, changing the stiffness of
the suspension, including the springs, suspen­
sion struts, shock absorbers etc. can change
the forces that are measured by the a irbag
sensors and sent to the electronic control un it . Some suspension changes can, for exam­
p le, increase the force levels measured by the
sensors and make the airbag system deploy in
crashes in w hich it would not dep loy i f the
changes had not been made. Other kinds of
changes may reduce the force levels meas ­
ured by the sensors and prevent the airbag
from deploying when it should.
The sensors in the safety belt buckle fo r the
driver and front passenger seat tell the elec­
tronic control module if the safety belt is
latched or not. If the safety belt is being used,
the front airbag will deploy at a slightly high­
er rate of vehicle deceleration than if the safe­
ty belt is not being used. Therefore, in a par­
ticular co llision, it is poss ible that an a irbag
will not deploy at a seating position whe re the
safety be lt is being used but will inflate at the
position whe re the safety belt is not being
used . It is importan t that nothing interfe re
with the safety belt buckles so that the sen ­
sors can send the correct information abo ut
safety be lt use to the electron ic contro l unit.
A WARNING
Changing the vehicle 's suspension includ­
ing use of unapproved tire-r im combina­
tions can change Advanced Airbag pe r­
formance and increase the risk of ser ious
personal in jury in a crash. -
Never install suspension components
that do not have the same performance
characteristics as the components origi­
nally installed on your vehicle .
- Never use tire-rim combinations that
have not been approved by Audi.
A WARNING .....__ -
Items stored between the safety be lt
b uckle and the ce nter console can cause
the sensors in the buckle to send the
wrong information to the e lectronic con­
trol module and prevent the Advanced Air­
b ag System from working prope rly.
- Always ma ke sure that nothing can inter­
fe re with the safety belt buckles and that
they are not obs truc ted.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and p reten­
s ione rs might be classified as Per chlorate
Materia l - specia l hand ling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/ha zardouswaste/per­
ch lorate. When the vehicle or parts of the
rest raint system including airbag modu les
and safety belts with pretensioners are
scrapped, all applicab le laws and regu la­
tions must be observed. Your authorized
Audi dealer is familiar with these require­ ments and we recommend that you have
your dealer perform this service for you.

198 Driving and en vi ro nment
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission con­
trol system (catalytic converter) is function­
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run­
ning in an environmentally sound manner .
.. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 218,
Fuel supply.
.. Never run the tank down all the way to emp-
ty .
.. Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 22 7, Adding engine oil 't=r. .
• Never try to push- or tow-star t your veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an eff ic ient "clean­
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be­
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
important for the l ife of the cata lytic conve rt­
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
& WARNING
-
- Do not park o r operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material which can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust p ipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shie lds . During driving, the
substance used for undercoating could
overheat and caus e a fire .
@ Note
-Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the perfo rmance of the catalytic
conve rter .
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil leve l
¢page 227.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis­
fire . Un burned f uel could a lso get into the exhaust system and th
is co uld cause
the cata lytic converter to overheat .
- Do not switch
off the ignition while the
vehicle is moving .
- Do not continue to ope rate your veh icle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
cou ld result in overheating of the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis ­
sion Control System:
- H ave you r vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance w it h the service rec­
ommendat ions in your Warranty &
M ain tenance boo klet.
- L ack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehi cle will impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage .
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion Control Sys tem is
operat ing proper ly, the exha ust gas can
have a sul fur -li ke ex haust gas smell under
some operating states . This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fue l may help,
or f il li ng the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are d rivi ng on poor roads, or over
c u rbs, steep ramps, etc., ma ke certai n that
low- ly ing parts s uch as spoilers and exha ust
system parts do not bottom o ut and get dam ­
aged.
T his is es peci ally true for ve hicles with low­
s lung chassis (spor ts chassis)* and fully load­
ed vehicles .