2011 AUDI S8 ECO mode

156 Airbag system
Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag
System
I (USA models)/!f (Canada models )
Airbag monitoring indicator light
Two separate indicators monitor the function
of the Advanced Airbag System: the airbag
monitoring indicator light and the
PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
light.
The Advanced Airbag System (includ ing the
e lectronic control u nit, sensor circuits and sys ­
tem w iring) is mon itor ed cont inuo usly to
make sure that it is functioni ng p roperly
wheneve r the igni tion is on. Each time yo u
sw itch on t he ign it io n, the air bag moni to ring
indicator light
mJ ( U SA mode ls)/ m (C anada
models) will come on for a few seconds (se lf
d iagnost ics).
The system must be inspected when the
indicato r light
fl (USA models)/EJ
(Canada models ):
- does not come on when the ignit ion is
switched on,
- does not go out a few seconds afte r yo u
have switched on the ignition, or
- comes on while driving.
If an airbag sys tem malf unct ion is de te cte d,
the ind icator light will firs t start flash ing to
catch the driver's attention and then stay on
continuously to se rve as a constant reminder
to have the system inspected immediately .
If a mal function occurs that turns the fron t
a ir bag on t he passenger side
off, the PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
li ght will come on and stay
on whenever the ignition is on.
A WARNING
An airbag system that is not funct ioning
prope rly ca nnot provide supplemental pro­
t ect ion in a fron tal crash.
- If the airbag indicato r light comes on, it
means that t he re may be somet hing
wrong with the Advanc ed Ai rbag System .
It is possib le t hat the airbag will inflate
-
when it is not supposed to, or will not in­
f late when it sho uld.
- Have the airbag system inspected imme­
diate ly by yo ur Audi dealer.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
Fi g. 151 Sect io n fr om the instru men t pa nel: PASS EN ·
GER AIR BAG OFF lig ht
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light is located
in the center of the instrument pane l
<=> fig. 151.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light wi ll come
on and stay on to tell you w hen the front Ad­
vanced Airbag on the passenger s ide has been
turned
off by the electron ic contro l unit . Each
t ime you sw itch on the ig nition, the
PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
light will flas h for a few
se conds a nd:
- will stay on if the fro nt passenger seat is not
occupied,
- will stay on if there is a small c hild or child
restrai nt on the front passenge r seat,
- will go out if the front passenger seat is oc­
cupied by an adult as registered by the
weight-sensing ma t.
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light must
come on and stay on
if the ignition is on and
- a ca r bed has been installed on the front
seat, or
- a rearwa rd -facing child rest raint has been
installed o n the front passenger seat, o r
- a forwar d-fac ing ch ild restra int has been in ­
stalled on the front passenger seat , or
- t he weigh t reg iste red on the fron t passen­
ge r seat is equal to or less t han the com-
bined weig ht of a typical 1 year -o ld .,..

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 ..,.
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NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard
together with the weight ranges of typical in­
fants and typical 1 year-o ld child have been
stored in the control unit of the Advanced A ir­
bag System. When a child restraint is being
used on the front passenger seat with a typi­
cal 1 year-old ch ild, the Advanced Airbag Sys­
tem compares the we ight measured by the
weight sens ing mat with the informat ion s to r­
ed i n the electron ic cont rol unit.
The electron ic control unit a lso registers the
tension on the front passenger safety be lt .
The te nsio n on the safety be lt fo r the front
passenger seat will be d iffe rent for an ad ult
who is properly using the safety belt as com­
pa red to the tension on the be lt when it is
used to attach a child restraint to the seat.
T he sensor below the latch for the safety be lt
for the front seat passenger measures the t ension on the be lt. The input from this sen­
sor is then used with the we ight to "decide",
whether there is a ch ild restrai nt with a typ ica l
1 year-o ld child on the front passenger seat
and whether or no t the airbag mus t be turned
off.
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regard less o f the chi ld res traint that you use,
make sure that it has been certified to meet
United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards and has been certified by its manu­
facturer for use with an airbag. Always be sure
that the child restraint is properly insta lled at
one of the rear seat ing pos itions .
If in excep­
tional c ircumstances you must use it on the
fr ont passenge r seat, caref ully read all of the
information on c hild safety and Adv ance d Air­
b ags and heed a ll of the app licable WAR N­
I NGS . Ma ke certai n that the child restraint is
correctly recognized by the weig ht-sensing
mat inside the front passenger seat, that the
front passenger airbag is turned off and that
t he airbag status is always correctly signaled
by the
PASSENGE R AIR BAG OFF light .
Many types and models of child restraints
h ave been ava ilable over the years, new mod­
els are introduced regularly incorporating new
Child Sa fet y 1 71
and imp roved des igns and o lde r models a re
taken out of production . Chi ld restraints are
not standard ized. Child rest raints of the same
type typically have d ifferent weights and si zes
and different 'footpr ints,' the size and shape
of the bottom of the ch ild restrai nt that sits
o n the sea t, when they a re installed on a veh i­
cle seat . These diffe ren ces make it v irtually
i mpossible to certify complian ce with t he re­
quiremen ts for advanced airbags with eac h
and every ch ild restraint tha t h as eve r been
so ld in the past or wi ll be so ld over the course
of the useful life of your vehicle.
Fo r thi s reason, the Uni ted S ta tes Na tional
Hig hway Traffic Safety Adm inist rat ion has
published a list o f specific type, makes and
models of child restraints that must be used
to certify comp liance of the Advanced Airbag
System in your veh icle with the suppression
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 208 . These child restraints are :
Subpart A - Car bed child restra ints
Model
A ngel Guard A ngel
Ride AA2403FOF
Manufactured on or
after
September 25, 2007
Subpart B - Rear-facing child restraints
Model Manufactured on or
after
Century SmartF it December 1, 1999
4543
Cosco Arriva September 25, 2007
I
22-013PAW and base
22-999WHO
I
Evenflo Discovery Ad- December 1, 1999
just Right 21 2
Evenflo First Choice December
1, 1999
204
Graco Infant 8457 December 1, 1999
Graco Snug ride September 25, 2007 Peg Perego Pr imo Vi- September 25, 2007
aggio SIP IMUNOOUS
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....

200 Driving and en vi ro nm ent
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 consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment. F ue l consumption, exhaust em issions and en ­
gine noise increase disproportionately at high
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fue l consumption will
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed limit and weather con­
d itions permit .
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
"'Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle .
"'Do not warm up the veh icle by letting the
engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut
off the e ngine in traff ic
jams, when waiting for trains to pass at ra il­
road crossings , or at traff ic lights that have
long wa its on red. Turning the engine
off fo r
just
30-40 seconds saves more fue l than is
burned s tarting the eng ine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle . Howeve r, wear
and noxious em issions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up .
([) Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af ­
ter starting . If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wou ld go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which cou ld result in over- heating or other damage to the vehicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
"' Have your ve hicle serviced at reg ular inter -
vals.
By having your veh icle regu larly serviced by an
Audi dealer he lps to ensure that it runs p rop­
erly and economically. The condition of your
vehicle not only affects its sa fety and ability to
hold its value, it also affects
fuel c onsump­
tion .
Check your oil e ach time you fill your t ank .
The amount of oil used is related to engine
load and speed .
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l consumption and en­
gine output.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained proper ly
and in accordance with the service rec ­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet. Lack of proper ma inte­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
em iss ion contro l system and cou ld lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control Sys tem unless ap­
proved by the manufacture r.
- Do not alte r or remove any device, such
as heat sh ie lds, switches, ign it ion w ires,
valves, which are designed to protec t
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other impo rtant vehicle compo­
nents .

202 Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trai ler, please remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
i::> page 202, Operating instructions .
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­ ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. Always
check with the trailer hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system. No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems. From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your vehi­
cle be struck from behind~ &.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
direc tly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the tra iler.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check with your Audi dealer for correct
wiring, switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is important
that you
always have clear v is io n to the rear .
A WARNING ,~ -
After removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in­
jure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Fig. 171 MMI display : tow ing mode on
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer. .,.

Modern eng ine lubrication has taken a quan ­
tum leap in the last few years . Many synt hetic
oils ava ilable today provide better engine lu­
brication that can outlast traditional petrole­
um-based o ils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your Audi .
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum­ based engine oil, the oil that you use must
conform to Audi's oil quality standard
VW 502 00 to help keep your veh icle's engine
running smoothly and help prevent the for­
mat ion of harmfu l deposits, sometimes called
"s ludge," that ove r time can lead to expensive
r epairs .
At the t ime of pri nting, engine o ils available in
the U .S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oi l standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does no t mean,
however, that every syn thetic engine oi l w ill
meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00. So a lways
be sure that you use an approved oi l.
To help preve nt the format ion of harmful de­
posits use only oi l with the fo llow ing spec ifi­
cations printed on the oil container:
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
O il conta iner labels may carry the specif ica­
tion s ingly o r in comb inat ion w ith other des ig­
nations and oil qua lity standards .
Viscosity
Engine oi ls are graded according to their vis­
cosity. The proper v iscosity grade oi l for your
engine depends on cl imactic or seasonal con­
d itions where you dr ive. You can use oil with a
viscosity grade of SAE SW40 across all tem ­
pe rature ranges for normal d riving conditions .
However, if eng ine oi l viscosity grade SAE
SW40 is not avai lab le, you can also use viscos­
ity grade SAE SW -30 or SAE OW-40 as long as
it meets Audi o il quality standard VW 502 00
specifications.
Because engine oil that meets the A udi oil
standard may not be available everywhere
when you need it, we s trongly recomme nd
that you always carry with you a n ext ra quart
Checkin g and fillin g 225
(li ter) of oil that exp ress ly con forms to the
VW S02 00 specification , in case you have to
top
off the o il while on the road.
Only if the level of the o il is at or be low the
minimum mark on the o il dipstick -and no oi l
that expressly conforms to Audi oi l standard
VW S02 00 specifications is availab le - may
you top
off with a high quality engine o il, pref­
erably synthet ic-based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA AS or ACEA BS or API SL spec ificat ions,
but eve n then, only in v iscosity g rades SA E
SW- 40, SA E 5W-30, or SAE OW-40 . Howeve r,
dur ing the entire time between o il change in­
te rv al s, never top
off wi th more than a to ta l
of 0. 5 qt/liter eng ine oil that does not con ­
form to Audi oil specification VW 502 00 .
Fo r more informa tion abo ut eng ine oi l tha t
h as been approved for your veh icle, please
contac t either yo ur autho rized Aud i dea le r or
Audi C ustome r Re lations at 1 (800) 822 -2834
or visit o ur web site at www .a udiusa.com or
www.aud icanada .ca. Here you w ill also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names etc.) that conform to Audi oil standard
vw 502 00.
Changing the engine oil
T he eng ine oi l and oil f ilter m ust be changed
according to the mileage (ki lome ters) and
time intervals specified i n your vehicle's War ­
ranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed
these interva ls - harmful deposits from old
engine oil can reduce engine performance and
can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changi ng the oil at the recommended inter­
vals is so very important beca use the l ubricat­
ing propert ies of oil decrease gradually during
norma l veh icle use . If you a re not sure when
yo u have your o il cha nged, ask your author­
ized Audi Se rv ice Adv isor.
Under some circumstances the engine oil
shou ld eve n be changed more frequent ly.
Change oil mo re often if you dr ive most ly
sho rt distances, operat e the ve hicle in dusty
areas o r most ly under stop-and -go traff ic con-
d iti ons, o r when you use your vehi cle where .,..
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232 Checking and filling
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a
quick glance .
Fig. 181 Engine compartme nt: markings on the brake
flu id reservoir
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS ¢ .&._ in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 222.
.. Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fluid reservoir ¢
fig. 181. The brake fluid
level must be between the "MIN" and
" MAX " markings .
The location of the brake fluid reservoir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
c:::,page224 .
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads . T hi s is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably be­
low the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/indi­
cator light. (U.S. models)/ . (Canadian
models) will come on ¢
page 14. Do not con­
tinue to operate the vehicle . The complete
brake system should be thoroughly checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or other quali­
fied facility and the cause corrected.
If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warning/
indicator light will illuminate. Contact an au­
thorized Audi dealer
immediately .
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If
t he water content in the brake fluid is too
high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling point of the
brake fluid will also decrease considerably and
decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years . Always use new brake fluid
which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle
Standard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we recommend that you
have the brake fluid changed by your author­
ized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct
tools, the right brake fluid and the know-how
to do this for you .
A WARNING
-Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stor­
ed only in the closed original container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can result from old or inap­
propriate brake fluid. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE
specification
J 1703 and conforms to
Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116.
Always check with your authorized Audi
dealer to make sure you are using the
correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake fluid is also indicated on the
brake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is left in the system too
long . This can seriously affect the effi­
ciency of the brakes as well as your
safety. This could result in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your
vehicle.

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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