2011 AUDI S8 warning

WARNINGS ¢ .&. in Working in the engine
compartment an page 222.
~ Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer flu­
id. You can fill the container to the top.
~ Press the cap back onto the filler neck after
filling the container.
You can find the reservoir
capacity in the table
in¢
page 282.
Clean water sho uld be used when filling up. If
possible, use soft water to prevent scaling on
washer jets. Always add a glass cleaner solu­
tion (with frost protection in the winter).
(D Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or
any other additives to fill up the wind­
shield washer reservoir.
Checking and filling 237
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238 Tir es and whee ls
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most
abused parts of a motor vehicle .
Tires may be the least appreciated and most
abused parts of a motor vehicle. Tires are,
however, one of the most important parts of a
vehicle, particularly considering the compara ­
tive ly small patch of rubber on each tire that
assures that a ll-important contact between
you, your vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, mak ing
sure that your vehicle and its tires do not have
to carry more weight than they can safe ly han­
d le, avoiding damage from road hazards and
reg ularly inspecting t ires for damage includ­
ing cuts, slashes irregu la r wear and ove rall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to he lp avoid sudden tire failure in­
cluding tread separat ion and blowouts.
A voidin g damage
If you have to drive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very s low ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chem icals includ ing grease, oil,
gasoline and b rake fluid off the tires.
Inspect the tires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedded in the treads.
St oring tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . Th is ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
install t hem.
When removed, the wheels or t ires should be
stored in a cool, d ry and preferably dark place .
Store tires in a vertical position if they are not mounted on rims, in a horizontal pos it ion if
they are mounted on rims.
N ew tire s
New tires have to be broken in¢&,. .
The tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord­
ing to the type a nd make of t ire and the tread
pattern .
Hidden damag e
Damage to tires and r ims is often not readily
vis ible . If you notice unusual v ibrat ion or the
vehicle pulls to one s ide, th is may ind icate
t h at one of the t ires has been damaged . T he
t ir es must be checked immed iate ly by an au­
thorized Aud i dea le r or q uali fied wor kshop.
Unidirection al t ire s
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sidewall, that po int in the direc­
t ion the t ire is designed to rotate. You must
fol low the specified direction of rotation . This
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characteristics regarding grip,
road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance.
For more information ¢
page 267.
A WARNING
-New tires or tires that are old, worn or
damaged cannot provide maximum con­
trol and braking ability .
-
-New tires tend to be slippery and must
be broken in . To reduce the risk of losing
control, a co llision and ser ious personal
in ju ries, d rive w ith special ca re for the
fi rst 350 m iles (560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
lead to loss of control, sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowou t and sudden de­
flation, c rashes and serious personal in­
juries . Have worn or damaged tires re­
p laced immediate ly .
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fai l sudden ly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith specia l care and at low
speed.

Tires and wheels 243
change. In the event of discrepancies, the tire
pressure label (On USA vehicles, the tire pres­
sure label is located on the dr iver's side B -pil­
lar always takes precedence.
The table be low lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the A udi model covered
by your Owner 's Literat ure at the vehi­
cle's capacity weight and the ti re sizes instal­
l ed on the respective models as orig inal
equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load full load normal load full load
ment in
li-conditiona l
condition conditional
condition
ter) kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
a-cylinder 235/55 Rla 104H XL all
35 240 36 250 32 220 38 260 4.2
season
255/45 R19 104H XL all
240 36 250 32 220 38 260
season
265/40 R20 104V XL
33 230 33 230 30 210 35 240
a-cylinder 235/55 R18 104H XL all 240
36 250 32 220
38 260
4.2L season
255/45 R19 104H XL all
35 240 36 250 32 220 38 260 season
265/40 R20 104V XL 240
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xl, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire side-
wall.
al normal load co ndit io n c:, page 24 1.
The correct tire pressure for the spore wheel is
located on a label on the driver's side B-p illar.
Because technical cha nges may be made to
vehicle equipment during the model year , a l­
ways compa re the tire size designation on the
tire pressure label on your ve hicle with the
tires on your vehicle . Make sure that the tire
size information on the vehicle label is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle.
T his is especially important if the vehicle be­
longs to someone else or you bought the vehi­
cle wi th different rims/ tires or you bought the
vehicle as a previously owned vehicle .
Remember, your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on mak ing sure that
load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load in­
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
veh icle. These load lim its are technically refer­
red to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating ("GVWR"). The Gross Axle Weight Rat­
in g ("GAWR") is the maximum load that can be applied at each
of the vehicle's two axles.
T he Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance sticker label located on the
driver's side B-pillar . The tire pressure labe l on
your Audi lists the maximum combined
weight of all of the occupants and luggage or
other cargo tha t the veh icle can carry . For the
location of the tire pressure label
c::> fig. 184.
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve­
hicle control, a crash or other accident, se­
rious personal injury, and even death.
- Carrying more weight than your vehicle
was designed to carry will prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in­ crease the risk of a loss of vehicle con­
trol.
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•

24 4 T ir es and whe els
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
vehicle within a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been overload­
ed can fail suddenly causing loss of con­
trol and a crash.
- Always make sure that the tota l load be­
ing transported -including the we ight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer - does not make the veh i­
cle heav ier than the veh icle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating.
A WARNING
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can lead to a serious or fatal acci­
dent.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation cause increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle .
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can also lead to sudden tire fa il­
ure, including a blowo ut and sudden de­
flation, causing loss of vehicle control.
Checking tire pressure
.
The correct tire pressure for the tires original­
ly installed on your vehicle is listed on the tire
pressure label located on driver's side 8-pil ­
lar.
The recommended t ire pressures are on the
tire pressure labe l and in the tab le
r::;, page 242, Cold tire inflation pressure.This
means that the pressure must be checked and
adjusted when the tire has not been driven for
more than a couple of m iles (kilometers) at
low speeds during the previous three hours .
A ir in the tires expands when the tire heats up
as a result of internal fr iction as it flexes in
use. The ti re p ressu re is higher w hen the tire
has warmed up than when it is "cold ."
It is the inflat ion pressure in a "cold" tire that
counts. Therefo re, you shou ld never let air out
of a warm t ire to match "Cold tire inflation
p ressure" recommendations
¢page 242. T he tires wou
ld then be unde rinf lated and co uld
fail suddenly.
T he tire pressure label on your Audi lists the
re commended co ld tire inflation pressures at
maximum capacity for the new, original
equipment tires that were on your vehicle at
t h e time it was man ufactured. For the loca ­
t ion of the labe l
r::;, page 242, fig. 184 .
Most tires lose air natura lly over time. They
can a lso lose some air if you drive over a pot­
ho le or hit a curb while park ing. It is usually
not possible to see whether the rad ia l tires
used today are underinflated just by looking
at them .
Therefore, be sure to check t ire press ures at
l east once a month and a lways before going
on a long trip. Make sure to take the number
of peop le and the amount of luggage into ac ­
count when adjust ing tire pressure for a trip -
even one that you wo uld not consider to be
"long." See
r::;, page 246, Tires and vehicle
load limits
for more important information .
Always use an accurate ti re pressu re gauge
when checking and ad justing inflat ion pres­
su res. Check all of the tires and be sure not to
forget the spare tire.
If the pressure in any t ire
is too high when the ti re is "cold," let air o ut
of the ti re s low ly with the edge o f the tire
gauge and keep checking the pressure until
you reach the pressure that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and k ind of
driv ing you plan to do.
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the
difference between the pressure in the co ld
tire and the pressure you need and add the air
that you need to reach the correct pressure for
the ve hicle load (passengers and luggage) for
the tires on your vehicle as listed on the o n
your vehicle and in th is manual and the kind
of d riving you plan to do .
Never e xce ed the max imum inflation pres­
sure list ed on the tire sidewall for any rea­
s on .

Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not
the tire manufacturer, determines the correct
tire pressure for the t ires on your vehicle.
It is impor tan t to check the tire pressu re when
the t ires a re cold .
- Read the requ ired ti re p ressure from the tire
pressure label. On USA veh icles, the t ire
pressure label is located on the drive r's side
B-pi llar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pres ­
sure label is located on the driver's side B­
pillar.
- Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise
to remove it from the tire valve.
- Place the air pressure ga uge on the valve.
- T he tire pressures sho uld only be chec ked
and adjusted when the t ires are cold. The
s li ght ly raised pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
- Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are
ca rrying .
- Re insta ll the va lve stem cap on the valve.
When should I ch eck the tire pressur e?
The cor rect tire pressure is espec ially impor­
tant at high speeds. The pressure should
therefo re be checked at least once a month
a nd a lways before start ing a journey. Do no t
forget to check the tire pressure for the spare
wheel
r:!> page 261 .
When should I adjust the tire pressures ?
Adjust the tire p ressure to the load you are
carry ing. Afte r changing a wheel
or replacing
wheels you have to adjust the tire pressures
on all wheels . In addition, you must then
store the new tire pressures i n the tire pres­
sure monitoring system *
r:!> page 256.
A WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinfla­
tion can lead sudden tire failure, loss of contro l, col lision, ser ious persona l injury
or even death.
- When the warning symbo l
[I] appears in
the instrument cluster, stop and inspect
the tires .
Tires an d wheel s 245
-Inco rrect tire pressure and/or underinfla­
tion can cause increased tire wear and
can affect the handli ng of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can a lso lead to sudden t ire fail­
ure, including a blowout and sudden de­
flation, caus ing loss of veh icle cont rol.
- The drive r is responsib le for the correct
tire pressures for all tires on the ve hicle.
The appli cable pressure values a re locat­
ed on a sticke r o n the dr iver's s ide B -pil­
lar.
- Onl y when all tir es on the vehicle are fil­
led to the co rrect p ressu re, the t ire pres­
sure mon itor ing* syste m can work cor­
rectly.
- Th e use of incorrect tire p ress ure v alues
can lead to a cciden ts or o ther d amage.
T herefore it is essential that the drive r
observe the specified tire press ure va lues
for the tires and the correct pressures for
the function of the t i re p ress ure monito r­
ing system*.
- Always inflate t ires to the recommended
and correct t ire pressure before dr iv ing
off.
- Driving with underinf lated tires bend
more, lett ing them get too hot resulting
in tread separation, sudden tire failure
a nd loss of cont rol.
- Excessive speed and/overloading can
cause heat build- up, sudden tire failure
a nd loss of cont rol.
- If the tire pressure is too low or too high,
the t ires will wear prematurely and the
veh icle w ill not handle well.
- If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel immediately, d rive at
red uced speed to t he nearest servic e sta­
tion to che ck the t ire p ress ure and add
air as req uired.
0 Note
Driving w ithout valve stem caps can cause
damage to the tire valves. To prevent this,
a lways make sure that factory insta lled
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246 Tires and wheels
valve stem caps on all wheels are secure ly
mounted on the valve .
@ For the sake of the environment
Underinflated tires will also increase the
fue l consumption.
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or
weight that any vehicle and any tire can carry.
A vehicle that is overloaded will not handle
well and is more difficult to stop. Overloading
can not only lead to loss of vehicle control, but can also damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden tire failure, in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation that
can cause the vehicle to crash.
Your safety and that of your passengers also
depends on making sure that load limits are
not exceeded. Vehicle load includes everybody
and everyth ing in and on the vehicle. These
l oad limits are techn ica lly referred to as the
vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the we ight of the basic
vehicle, all factory installed accessories, a full
tank of fuel , oil, coo lant and other fluids plus
maximum load. The maximum load includes
the number of passengers that the vehicle is
intended to carry ("seating capacity") with an
assumed weight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each
passenger at a des ignated seat ing pos ition
and the tota l we ight of any luggage in the ve­
hicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the
trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the
l oaded trailer must be included as part of the
vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each
of the vehicle's two axles.
The G ross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance sticker labe l located on the
driver's side B-p illar. You r A udi has 5 seat ing
positions, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear for
total seating capacity of 5. Vehicles with pow- er individual rear seats* have
4 seating posi ­
tions,
2 in the front and 2 in the rear for total
seat ing capac ity of
4. Each seating position
has a safety belt¢
page 137, Safety belts.
The fact that there is an upper limit to your
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating means
that the total weight of whatever is being car­
ried in the vehicle (including the weight of a
trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the
loaded trailer) is lim ited . The more passen­
gers in the vehicle or passengers who are
heavier than the standard we ights assumed
mean that less we ight can be carried as lug­
gage.
The tire pressure label on your Audi also lists
the max imum combined weight of a ll of the
occupants and luggage or other cargo that
the vehicle can carry. For the location of the
label¢
page 242, fig. 184.
A WARNING ,___
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve­
h icl e contro l, a crash or other accident, se­
rious personal injury, and even death.
- Carrying more weight than your vehicle
was designed to carry will prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in­
crease the risk of the loss of vehicle con­
trol.
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
veh icle with in a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been overload­
ed can fail suddenly, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, causing loss of
control and a crash.
- Always make sure that the total load be­
ing transported -including the weight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue we ight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehi­
cle heavier than the vehicle's G ross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating.

A WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of con­
trol, a crash and serious personal injury!
- Never drive a vehicle when the tread on
any tire is worn down to the wear indica­
tors.
- Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do
not grip well on wet roads and increase
your risk of "hydroplaning" and loss of
control.
- Always keep chemicals that can cause
tire damage, such as grease, oil, gasoline
and brake fluid away from t ires.
- Tires age even if they are not be ing used
and can fail suddenly, especially at high
speeds . Tir es that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used tires on your vehicle if
you are not sure of their" previous histo ­
ry ." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
Tires and wheels 249
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in .
Fig. 188 Tir e specificat ion codes on t he s idewall o f a
tire
No. Description
CD Passenger car tire (where applicable)
@ Nominal w idth of tire in millimeters
® Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
© Radial
® Rim diameter code
® Load index and speed rating
(f) U.S. DOT tire identification number
® Audi Origina l tire
® Sever snow conditions
@ T ire ply composition and materials
used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature
grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the
vehicle's design . The tires and rims approved
by Audi are spec ially matched to the charac­
teristics of the vehicle and can make a major .,.
•

T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/ h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/ h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)1
)
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)l)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)l)
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)l)
Your veh icle is no rma lly factory equipped with
tires , which possess excellent driving charac ­
teristics and give your Audi opt imum driving
comfort . An e lectronic speed limiter
c::> page 28 wi ll normally prevent you r vehicle
from go ing fa ster th an the tire speed ra ting
c:::> .& .
U.S . DOT T ire Identificat ion Numb er (TIN )
and tire manufacture date
This is the t ire's "se rial number" . It begins
wi th the letters "DOT" and indicates that the
tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it
was manufactured, and the last four numbers r epresent the week and year of manufacture.
F or
examp le, the numbers 22 10 mean the ti re
was prod uced in the 22nd week of 2010. The
other numbers are marketing codes that may
or may not b e used by the tire manufacturer .
T his information is used to contact consumers
i f a t ire defect requires a reca ll.
Aud i original tir e
Tires with t he identification "AO" or "RO" have
been specia lly matched w ith your Audi . We
recommend using only these tires because
they meet the highest standards regard ing
sa fety and driving character istics when used
correctly . Your authorized Audi dealer will
gladly provide you with more information .
Tire ply compo sit ion and materi als used
The number of plies indicates the number of
layers of rubber-coated fabric in the t ire. In
general, the greater the number of plies, the more weight a tire can support. Tire manufac -
llFt· "h · or ires wit a m ax im um spee d cap abil ity over 149
mph (2 4 0 k m/h) , tire man ufacturers some times u se
th e le tters "Z R."
Tire s an d wheel s 251
ture rs also must indicate the mate rials in the
tire , which include stee l, nylon , po lyester, and
others .
Maximum Load Rating
This number ind icates the maximum load in
k ilograms and po unds that can be ca rr ied by
the tire.
Tire quality grading for treadwear ,
traction, and t emp eratur e resistanc e
Tre ad wear, t raction and tempera ture grades
c::> page 2 52 .
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of a ir
pressure that should ever be put in the t ire
u nder norma l dr iv ing cond itions .
_&. WARNING ,-=
-Using incorrect o r unmatched tires and/
or wheels or improper tire and wheel
comb inations can lead to loss of control
'
coll is ion and serious personal inj ury.
- Always use tires, rims and whee l bolts
that meet the specifications of original
factory- insta lled tires or other combina ­
tions that have been specifically ap­ proved by the vehicle manufacturer.
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fail suddenly , especially at high
speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mo unt used tires on your veh icle if
you are not sure of thei r "previous histo­
ry." O ld used tir es may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire fai lure
and loss of vehicle control.
- All four whee ls must be fitted with radial
tires of the same type, size (rolling cir­
cumference) and the same tread pattern .
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