2011 AUDI S8 oil type

Automatic car wash
The vehicl e can b e washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so durable that t he vehicle
can n ormally be washed without p roblems in
a n automatic car wash . H owever, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sig n of the fac ility, the filte ring of the wash
water, the type of wash and care mater ial , etc.
If the pa int h as a dull appearance afte r go ing
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi­
ately. If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a ca r wash, be s ure to
take the usual precautions such as clos ing the
windows and power roof. Factor y installed an­
tennas m ust not be removed.
If yo u have installed additional accessor ies on
the vehicle -such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car was h operator if these
should be removed .
When driv ing through an automatic ca r wash,
firs t se lect the
N posit ion and then sw itch the
engine off. If you switch the eng ine off when
N is engaged, the transmission remains in N
for approximate ly 30 m inutes and then Pis
engaged.
F u rther information for automatic gearboxes
~ page 112.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 206.
(D Note
- Fo ld the exterior mir ro rs -flat the re is a
r isk of damaging the exterio r mirrors .
Power folding exterior mirrors must not
be fo lded in or out by hand. Use the pow­
er function!
- Compare the track of your vehicle w it h
the distance between the guide ra ils of
the facility- there is a risk of damage to
t h e wheels and tires .
-
Cleaning and protec tion 207
- Compa re the height and w idth of your
vehicle with t he height and width of the
t u nnel at the facility .
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi ­
cle by hand.
.,. Before yo u start washing, make s ure you
have read and unders tood the WARNINGS
¢ .&. in General information an page 206.
.,. First soak a ll dried d irt unt il it is soft, then
r inse it off.
.,. As you clean yo ur vehicle, start wit h the roof
and work your way down to t he bottom, us­
ing a sponge, a sponge glove or a clean
brush .
.,. Rinse the sponge o r th e sponge g love often,
flushi ng it cl ean ea ch time.
.,. Use spec ial car shampoo only fo r very persis­
tent di rt.
.,. Rinse the ca r thorough ly w ith water.
.,. Use a chamo is leather to gently w ipe the ex-
ter ior dry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
whee ls , door sills and othe r regions exposed
to road dirt. In this way, yo u wi ll not scratch
the pa int with coarse particles imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the car.
A WARNING
- Do not clean the unde rside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or oth er ha rd
to rea ch parts witho ut p rotect ing you r
hands a nd ar ms . You may cut you rsel f on
sha rp-edge d meta l pa rts.
- Always read a nd heed a ll WA RNIN GS and
o ther info rmation
¢ page 206.
@ Note
- Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
th e su rface of the ve hicle is dry. Never
use a d ry cloth o r sponge, s in ce th is
co uld scra tch you r vehi cle's pain t or win -
-
dows. .,..
•
•

214 Cleaning and protection
leathe r, whi ch has a smooth surface and
comes in various co lors .
The intensity of the color determines the v is u ­
a l charac ter istics and appearance. If the sur­
face of the leather has a typical natu ral look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has been left in a relatively natural cond ition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. F ine veins, closed grains, insect
b ites, skin folds , and subtle var iations in co lor
remain visible . These c haracteristics demon­
strate that the mater ia l is natural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col­
or fi nish . It is therefore more sensitive to soil ­
i ng and wear, w hich is something you need to
consider if ch ild ren , an ima ls or othe r factors
might prove to be particular ly hard on the
l eathe r.
By contrast, leat her types that are covered by
a co lored finish layer a re mor e durable . This
has a posit ive effect o n the leather's resist­
a nce to wear and soil ing in daily use. On the
o ther hand , the typical characteris tics of na tu­
ra l leather a re barely or not apparent. Howev ­
e r, this does not mean that the leather itself
is of infer ior quality.
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive na ture of the types of
l eather that Audi uses and the ir unique prop­
erties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, soi l­
ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care­
fu l w ith these leathers, and a ce rtain type of
care is required. For examp le, dark clot hing
materials can d iscolor leather sea ts (especial­
ly if such clot hing is damp and was not dyed
correctly) . Dust and d irt part icles in po res,
folds , and seams can have a n ab ras ive effect
and can damage the leathe r sur face as well as
weaken seams.
The leather should be cleaned regula rly as
needed. After havi ng been used for a re lative ly
l ong time, yo ur leather sea ts will acqui re a
ri ch aged finish. This is a charac ter istic of n at­
u ra l lea ther and a sign o f true quality . In order to maintain the val
ue of this nat ural
product over the life of your vehicle, you
sho uld follow the recommendat ions be low :
(D Note
- To keep your leather from b leaching o ut,
do not allow it to be exposed to b right
sunlight for long periods of time . If you
have to leave the ve hicle parked outside
for long per iods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sun ­
light .
- Sharp objects on cloth ing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permane nt sc ratches or sc rape
ma rks on the su rface of the leather.
(0 Tips
- After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leathe r preser­
vative c reme that contains UV-b locke rs
and tha t works into the leat he r. Thi s
c reme will nour ish a nd moistu rize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay
supple. It a lso helps to build up a p rotec­
tive coating on the surface.
- Clean the leat her every 2 -3 months,
and clean any a reas that get soi led .
- Remove fresh ma rks made by ballpo int
pe ns, ink, lipstick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as poss ible.
- P reserve the color o f the leather as need ­
ed by using a specia l co lore d leathe r care
creme to touch up areas of uneven color .
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Natural lea ther requires special care and at­
tention .
Normal cleaning
.. Clean soiled areas with a slightly moistened
cotton or woolen cloth . .,.

230 Check ing and filling
th e "min" and "max" markings. When the
engine is wa rm, the level may be slightly
above the "max" marking.
The location of the coolant expansion tank
can be seen in the engine compartment ill us­
tration ¢
page 224 .
To obtain an accurate read ing , the engine
must be switched
off .
The expans io n tank in you r vehicle is equipped
with an e lectric coolant level se nsor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the A uto-Check System ¢
page 15 will
i llum inate u nti l you add coolant and the level
has been restored to normal. Even though
there is an electric coolant level sensor , we
still recommend you check the coolant leve l
from time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling
system. In the event of coolan t loss, the cool­
ing system should be inspected immedia tely
by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not
enough mere ly to add coolant.
I n a
se aled system, losses can occur only if
the boiling point of the coolant is exceeded as
a result of overheat ing.
A WARNING
T he cooling system is unde r pressure and
can get ve ry hot . Reduce the risk of sca ld­
ing from hot coolant by following these
steps.
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect yo ur face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by cove ring the
cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefu lly in
a counter-clockwise direction wh ile ap­
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap .
- To avoid being b urned, do not spill ant i­
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system or hot eng ine parts . Under ce rtai n condi -
'
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine coo l­
ant can catch fire.
@ Note
Do not add any type o f radiato r leak sea l­
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant. Add ­
i ng radiator repa ir fluid may adverse ly af­
fect the funct ion and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage not covered by your New Veh icle L imited
Warranty .
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anyth ing in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS
c> .&. in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page
222 .
• Turnoff the engine .
• Let the eng ine cool down.
• Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank
c> page 22 9, fig . 180 and carefully
tw ist t he cap co unter-clockwise c> ,& .
• Add coo lant .
• Twist the cap o n again
tightly.
Replacement engine coo lant must conform to
exact spec ificat ions ¢
page 229, Coolant .
Even in a n emerge ncy, if coo la nt addi-
t ive G 12++ , G12+ or G12 is not ava ilable , do
not use a d iffe ren t addit ive. Use plain water
instead unt il you can get the cor rect add itive
and can restore the correct ratio . This sho uld
be don e as soon as possible.
If you have los t a consider able amount o f
coolant, then you sho uld add cold ant ifreeze
and cold wate r on ly when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coo lant when refilling.
Do not f ill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Ex ­
cess coola nt w ill be fo rced o ut through the
pressure relief valve in t he cap when the e n-
gine becomes ho t.
Ill>

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.

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.