2012 AUDI A8 warning

204 Cleaning and protec tio n
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle
can normally be washed without problems in
an automatic car wash. However, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sign of the facility, the filte ring of the wash
water, the type of wash and care mater ial , etc.
I f the pa int has a dull appearance afte r going
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 car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing the
windows and power roof . Factory installed an­
tennas must not be removed.
I f you have installed additional accessor ies on
the vehicle - such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed .
When driving through an automatic car wash,
fi rst se lect the N position and then switch the
engine off. If you switch the engine off when N is engaged, the transmission remains in N
for approximately 30 m inutes and then Pis
engaged.
Further information for automatic gearboxes
~ page 109.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
r:::;, page 203.
- Fo ld the exterior mirrors - flat there is a
risk of damaging the exterior mirrors .
Power folding exterior m irrors must not
be folded in or out by hand. Use the pow­
er function!
- Compare the track of your vehicle with
the d istance between the guide rails of
the facility - there is a risk of damage to
the wheels and tires . - Compa
re the height and width of your
vehicle with the 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 wash ing, make su re you
have read and understood the WARNINGS
r:::;, A in General information on page 203.
.,. First soak a ll dried dirt unt il it is soft , then
rinse it off.
.,. As you clean your vehicle, start with the
roof and work your way down to the bottom,
using a sponge, a sponge glove or a clean brush .
.,. Rinse the sponge or the sponge g love often,
flushing it clean eac h time.
.,. Use spec ial car shampoo only for very per­
sistent di rt.
.,. Rinse the car thoroughly w ith water.
.,. Use a chamois leather to gently w ipe the ex-
terior dry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
whee ls , door si lls and other regions exposed
to road dirt. In this way, you will 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 underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts without protect ing you r
hands and arms. You may cut yourself on
sha rp-edged metal parts .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other info rmation
c;, page 203.
(D Note
- Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the veh icle is dry. Never
use a d ry cloth or sponge, s in ce this
co uld scratch your vehicle's paint or win -
-
dows. .,.

-Never w ash your ca r in bri ght sunlight.
Drops of water act as magnifying lenses
and may damage your paint.
- When yo u wash your car in the winter : if
you rinse your vehicle with a hose , be
careful not to aim the stream of water
direct ly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings -they can freeze shut.
- Never use sponges des igned to remove
i nsects, or any kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products . They can damage
you r paint finish .
- Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean
the headlights . Only use wet cloths or
sponges to prevent scratches . It is best
to use soapy water.
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headligh t lenses on a
regular basis , fo r example when refuel­
i ng yo ur vehicle. Never clean the he ad­
l ights w ith a dry clo th or sponge. Use a
wet cloth or sponge . It is best to use
soapy water.
@ For the sake of the environment
I n the interes t of the envi ronment, the ve­
hicle sho uld only be washed in specia l
wash bays.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exter ior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple rules.
~ Befo re using the power washe r, make sure
you have read and understood the WARN­
INGS
c> A in General information on
page 203 .
~ Always follow the operating instructions for
the power washer .
~ Make sure that the jet o n the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped spray ".
~ Do not hold the spray no zzle too close to
soft materia ls.
W hen clea ning the vehi cle w it h a powe r wash­
e r
always fo llow the operating instruc tions.
Cleaning and protec tion 205
This applies particu la rly to the operating
pre ssure and the spraying di stance. Keep a
distance from soft materia ls such as rubber
hoses or insulating material as we ll as sensors
and camera lenses.
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a direct
stream or one that has a rotating jet.
Water tempera ture sho uld no t exceed 140 ° F
(60 °().
A WARNING
N eve r wash t ires with a jet that sprays wa­
ter in a direct stream . T hi s could cause in ­
v isib le damage to the t ires and weaken
them, even i f the spray is from a re lative ly
long distance and for a sho rt time. Dam­
aged and weakened tires can fail and cause
accidents and personal i njury .
(D Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, a lways
make sure that the re is suffic ient d istance
between the spray head and soft materials
li ke rubber hoses, plast ic pa rts and sound­
deaden ing ma ter ia ls as well as sensors
and camera lenses. Never a im th e sp ray
head at the same point for a long time .
This also applies to cleaning headlights
and painted bum pers. Remembe r: the
cl oser the nozzle is to the surface of the
mater ia l, the greater the stress on the ma­
terial.
Sensoren und Kameralinsen
- Entfernen S ie Schnee m it einem Handfeger
und Eis bevo rzugt mit einem losungsm ittel­
fre ien Enteisu ngsspray .
- Reinigen Sie die Sensoren (adaptive cruise
cont ro l*, Einparkhi lfe*) mit losungsm itte l­
fre iem Re inigungsmi tte l und einem weiche n
t ro ck enen Tuch .
- Befeuchten Sie die Kameralinse m it handel­
si.iblichem Glasrein ig ungsm ittel a uf Al ko­
holbasis und reinigen Sie die Linse mi t ei­
nem trockenen Tuch . Beim lane assist* wird
de r Bereich vor der Linse im Normalfall .,..
•
•

206 Cleaning and protec tio n
durch den Scheibenwischer und beim Nacht­
sichtassistent* durch die Scheinwerferreini ­
gungsan lage gereinigt. Bei starker Versch­
mut zung ki::innen Sie den Bere ich mit Glas­
reiniger und einem weichen trockenen Tuch
reinigen .
@ Note
- Wenn Sie Ihr Fahrzeug mit e inem Hoch­
druckrein iger waschen,
- halten Sie geni.igend groBen Abstand
zu den Sensoren, die s ich im vorderen
oder hinte ren StoBfanger befinden.
- rein igen S ie Kameralinsen und den Be­
reich um diese nicht mit dem Hoch­
druckre iniger .
- Entferne n Sie niemals Schnee und Eis
von de r Kameralinse m it warmem oder
heiBem Wasser -Gefahr einer Rissbi l­
dung in der Linse!
- Verwenden S ie bei der Re inigung der Ka­
meralinse niemals Pflegemittel mit
Schleifwirk ung.
Waxing and Polishing
Wa xing
A good wax coating protects t he vehicle paint
to a large extent aga inst the environmental
factors listed under ¢page 203, Washing and
even against slight scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your
pa int as soon as one week after your veh icle
has been delivered.
Even if you regularly use a
w ax ing process in
automatic car washes, we recommend that
you manua lly app ly a coat of wax to give the
pa int extra protection, particular ly if water no
longer beads o n the clean paint .
Protect p lastic body parts with car wax in the
same way as the vehicle body.
During warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the for­
ward area of the hood. They are much easier
to remove from paint that is waxed often.
Polishing
Polish yo ur vehicle only if the paint has lost its
shine and the gloss cannot be brought back
with wax .
If the pol ish used does not conta in p reserva­
t ive compounds, the pain t must be waxed a f­
te rwards.
A WARNING ~
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other info rmation
¢ page 203.
(D Note
Do not use car wax on
- matte o r anodized meta l trim
- rubber or rubber-like t rim.
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care .
For environmental reasons, Audi fabricates
the bright trim strips and trim p ieces from
pure chromium-free aluminum.
Dirt and ma rks on the trim st rips sho uld be
removed with a
pH -balanced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleaner). Audi dealers
carry clea ning products which have been tes t­
ed fo r use on your vehicle and are not harmful
to the environment.
To avoid corrosion on the exter ior trim strips,
only a pH-ba lanced solution should be used
for the windsh ield washer .
A WARNING
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other i nformation
¢ page 203.
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care .
U se a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light surface dir t. For other soil, use
a lukewa rm all-purpose cleaning so lution or a
mild saddle soap for v inyl tr im . Remove water
spots and traces of soap with a clean, damp ..,.

cloth or sponge. Use a clean, soft cloth to rub
dry .
Grease, tar or o il stains can be removed with a
clean cloth or sponge soaked w ith all-purpose
cleane r or with a solvent designed especially
to clean viny l.
Occasiona lly apply a colo rless v iny l or leather
prese rvat ive to reta in the mate rial's l uster
and pliability .
~ WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
r=; page 203.
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral -pH products to remove spots
and depos its from alum inum surfaces.
Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum inum su rfaces and can dam­
age them over time .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
r=:; page 203.
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up
immediately.
.,. Use either a touch-up pa int stick or spray
paint to cover minor scratches and nicks .
Your Audi dealer has touch-up paint for minor scratches and stone chips. Scratches should
be touched up soon after they occu r to pre­
vent co rrosion .
If a spot starts to rust, however, a simple
touch-up job w ill not be enoug h. The affected
surface must be sanded smooth and coated
with an a nti-rust pr imer befo re the pa inted
finish ca n be restor ed .
The number for the original vehicle paint ca n
be found on the vehicle ident ificat ion labe l
r=;page276 .
Cleaning and protec tion 207
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
r=:; page 203.
, Windows
Clear vision to all sides .
Clean all windows regularly to remove road
film and car was h wax buildup.
.. Remove snow from w indows using a b rush .
.,. Use a p las tic ice s craper to remove ice from
windows and mirrors.
.. Remove other residue on the windows with
a spray-on g lass cleaner.
.. Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of
cloth or kitchen paper towel.
The best way to remove snow from windows
and mirrors is to use a brush. Use a non-abra­
s ive
plastic ice scraper -better still, a spray
deicer - to remove
ice from w indows and mir­
ro rs .
Oil, grease or silicone residue can be removed
with
glass cleane r or silicone remo ve r. How­
ever, wax res idue requires the use of a spec ial­
ly formula ted so lvent . Please contact your Au­
di dealer for adv ice on safe products for wax
r emoval.
Windows should also be cleaned on the inside
at regu lar intervals .
Never dry windows with the same chamo is
that you use to dry painted surfaces. Wax resi­ due on the chamois can impa ir v is io n through
the windows .
A WARNING
-Always rea d and heed a ll WAR NINGS and
other info rmation
¢ page 203.
- The windsh ield must not be treated w ith
wate r-repellent mate rials. They can in­
crease glare unde r poo r vis ibility condi­
tion s such as wetness, d arkness, or when
the s un is low on the hori zon . In addi ­
tion, they can ca use the windshield w ip-
ers to chatter. ""'
•
•

208 Clea ning and protec tio n
-Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors.
This could cause the glass to crack.
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
stickers on the inside of the rear window
over the wires.
- To help prevent d irt from scratch ing the
window, always scrape in a forward d i­
rection - pushing the scraper away from
you - never back and forth .
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
• Wash the wheels with a sponge or hose
brush every other week.
• For deep cleaning afterwards, use only a
dedicated
acid -free cast alloy wheel cleaner.
• Rub a coat of
liquid wax onto the r ims every
three month . Be sure to reach and treat a ll
parts of the rim.
To preserve the decorat ive appearance of the
cast alloy wheels, some special care is neces­
sary. In addit ion to road dirt and sa lt, b rake
dust is a lso cor ros ive. If left o n for too long,
b rake dust can cause pitting.
Use only special
acid-free cleaners formulated
for a lloy rims. Safe products are available at
your Aud i deale r. Neve r leave the cleaner on
the r ims longer than spec ified on the label.
If
not rinsed off promptly, the acid contained in
some cleaners can attack the threads on the
wheel bolts .
Never use ab ras ive or metal polishing clean ­
ing agents. If the protective coating has been
chipped, e .g. by kicked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as possible .
A WARNING
- Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency¢
page 189, General
information.
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the veh icle .
-
-Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 203.
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked.
All body cav it ies which could be affected by
cor rosion have been thorough ly protected at
the factory.
T his sealing does not require any inspection or
additional treatment. If any wax shou ld seep
out of the cavity when the ambient tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed with a p lastic
scraper and a suitable solvent.
A WARNING
-Solvents can be dangerous.
- Benzine is flammab le and toxic . If you
use benzine for removing the wax, keep
sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away. Never dump benz ine on the
ground, into open streams or down sew­
age dra ins.
- Be sure to observe all safety and environ­
mental regulat ions . Follow all instruc­
tions on the container .
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information ¢
page 203.
Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Aud i is also thor­
oughly protected against corros ion.
Any damage to the undercoating ca used by
road hazards should be repaired prompt ly .
A WARNING
-Too much undercoating in the wrong p la-
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additiona l undercoating or
r u stproofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con-
verter or heat shields. While driving, the
~

substance use d for u ndercoating cou ld
overheat an d cause a fire.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 203.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road sa lt and other corros ive materials will
damage the mater ial in the exhaust tail p ipes
if they are not cleaned regu larly . Do not clean
the ta il p ipes with wheel cleaner, paint polish,
chrome polish or othe r abrasive cleaners .
C lean the tail p ipes with ca r ca re products
that are s uita ble for stain less stee l.
Your authorized Audi dealer can provide clean­ i ng p rod ucts that have been tested and ap­
p roved fo r your vehicle.
Care of interior
Infotainment components
The MMI/RSE* disp lay may be cleaned with a
soft cloth and commercially-ava ilable "LCD
cleaner" . The cloth should be coated light ly
when the clean ing solution when cleani ng the
d isplay.
The MMI/RSE* contro ls must be cleaned first
with a brush so that dirt does not enter the
un it o r enter between the buttons and the
h ousing. Then w iping the controls with a clot h
dampened wi th d ish dete rgent and water is
recommended.
(D Note
To preve nt sc ratches, only clean the dis­
p lay when it is d ry.
- To p reven t damage, ma ke s ure fluids do
not enter the cont rols.
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH produc ts to remove spots
and depos its from alum in um s urfaces.
C hr ome ca re products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum in um s urfaces and can dam­
age them over time.
Cleaning and protec tion 209
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢page 203.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabr ics and fabric cover ings (e.g. seats, door
trim pa ne ls, etc.) shou ld be cleaned at regular
i n tervals w it h a vac uum cleaner. This removes
s ur face di rt particles which cou ld become em­
bedded in the fabri c throug h use. Ste am
cleaners sho uld not be used, beca use the
steam tends to p ush the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there .
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
o r a lint -free microfibe r clo th to the clean fab­
ric. Br ushes shou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces
could be harmed by br ushes.
Norma l su rface s tains c an be cleaned using a
commerc ially availab le foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the s urface of t he fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not satu­
rate the fabric. T hen pat the foam dry us ing
absorbe nt, dry cloths (e.g. m icrofiber cloth)
and vacuum it after it has dried completely.
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e .g. coffee, fr uit
juice, etc.) can be treated with a mild deter­
gent solution. Apply the detergent sol ution
with a spo nge. In the case of stubborn stains,
a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked into the fabric. After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to
remove the rem aining de terge nt. Apply the
w at er wit h a d am p clot h or sponge a nd pat
the fabric dry with an abso rbent, dry clot h.
Stains from choco late or makeup should have
de terge nt pa ste (e.g. o x-gall soa p) rubbed i n­
to them. Afterwa rds, remove the soap wi th
wa ter (damp sponge) .
Alcohol can be used to treat stains from grease, o il , lipstic k or a ballpoin t pen. M elted ..,_ •
•

210 Cleaning and protec tio n
grease or dye must be patted off using ab ­
sorbent materia l. It may be necessary to re­
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa­
te r.
I n the case of general soi ling of the uphols ­
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specialist that has the equ ipment to clean
the seat cove rs and other fabric surfaces by
shampooing and spray ex traction.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
~ page 203.
(D Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas. For pers istent dirt
use an Audi approved
s ol ve nt-fr ee plastic
cleane r/protectant.
A WARNING
So lvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to dep loy.
- Never clean the instr ument pane l or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents wi ll make
the surface of th is part porous.
- Serious injuries can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed .
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other information ~
page 203.
0 Note
Cleaning agents con taining solvents will
at tac k t he mater ial and can change the
way it behaves .
Trim and molding
Trim and molding in the vehicle interior can
be cleaned with a dry m icrofiber cloth. To pre­
vent scratches, do not use any cleaning so lu­
tions.
Natural leather
Appl ies to vehicles: with natural leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather .
General
We offer many d iffe rent types of leather o n
ou r vehicles. Most a re d ifferent types of nappa
l eather, which has a smooth s urface and
comes in various colors .
T he intensity of the co lor dete rm ines the visu­
al characterist ics and appea rance . If the su r­
face of the leather has a typ ica l natural look ,
then the leather is a nappa lea ther that has
been left in a relative ly natural condition . This
l eather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes we ll. Fine veins, closed grains, insect
bites, skin folds, and subtle variations in color
rema in v is ible. These character istics demon­
strate that the material is natural.
Natura l nappa leather is not covered by a co l­
or finish. It is therefore more sensitive to soil­
i ng and wear, which is someth ing you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors
might prove to be part icu la rly ha rd o n the
leather .
By contrast, leather types that are covered by
a colo red finish layer are more durable. This
has a positive effect on the leather 's resist­
ance to wear and soiling i n dai ly use . On the
other hand, the typica l char acteristics of natu­
ral leathe r are barely or not appa rent. Howev­
er, this does not mean that the leather itse lf
is of infe rior quality.

212 Cleaning and protec tio n
• Apply the p roduct very sparing ly.
• Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
I f yo u have any questions about cleaning and
caring for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact your authorized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to he lp you and te ll you about our
fu ll range of leather care products, such as:
- Leathe r cleaning and care kit
- Creams to care for colo red leather
- Spot removers for ballpo int pens, shoe po l-
ish, etc.
- Oil/grease dissolving spray
- New and upcoming products .
A WARNING ,_
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
~ page 203.
0 Note
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on the leather surfaces
i n your Audi.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stai ns
r emoved by a commerc ial cleaning spe­
cia list.
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Applies to vehicles: with Alcantara upholstery
Removing dust and dirt
• Moisten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat su rfaces.
Removing stains
• Moisten a cloth w ith lukewarm water or
with diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcoho l.
• Dab at the stain. Start at the outside and
work inwards.
• Once the stain is no longer visib le, use a
soft d ry cloth or tissue to soak up the mois­
ture .
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al­
cantara.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing
dust and dirt. D
ust and grit in the po res and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
l eft standing in the sun for long per iods, the
Alcantara covers should be protected aga inst
direct sunlight to prevent it from fad ing.
Slight co lor variations will develop in normal
use and are not an indication of material dete­
rioration .
(D Note
-Never use chemical so lvents (e.g. lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
simi la r products on A lca ntara® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn sta ins
removed by a commercial clean ing spe­
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim­
ilarly abrasive cleaning a ids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia­
bly when needed .
.,. Keep belts clean.
• For cleaning, use a mild soap a nd water so l­
ution. Let belts dry thoroug hly and away
from d irect sunlight .
• Do not allow inertia ree l safety belts to re­
t ract before they are completely dry.
• Check the condition of you r safety be lts
reg ­
ularly .
Heavi ly so iled safety be lts may not ret ra ct
properly.
A WARNING ~
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash .
- Anyth ing th at might damage yo ur sa fety
be lts could mean that you and your pas ­
sengers would not be adeq uate ly pro­
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on co r­
rect insta llation. Never remove be lts
from the vehicle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents, bleach or dyes. They have corrosive prop­
erties which weaken the webb ing.