2012 AUDI A8 window

than is being generated and ensures an opti­mal state of charge for the battery.
@ Tips
- But even energy management cannot
negate the limits o f physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
li mited.
- If starting ab ility is threatened, the indi­
cator light
(•i appears ~ page 16, 0
Battery.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-dis tance
d riving, in city traffic and during the co ld time
of year . Abundant e lectrica l energy is re­
q ui red, but only a litt le is generated. It is also
cr itical if the engine is not runn ing and electri­
cal components are turned on. In th is in­
stance energy is being consumed but none is
be ing generated .
It is in precisely these situations that you w ill
notice energy management actively regulat­
i ng the distribution of energy.
Vehicle sta nds for an ext ended p eriod
If you do not drive you r vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­ nents are grad ually cut back or switched
off .
This reduces energy consumption and main­
tains sta rting capab ility over a longer per iod.
Some of the conven ience f unctions may not
ope rate, such as the inter ior lig hts or the
power sea t adjustment. The conven ien ce
f u nctions w ill be ava ilable again when you
switch on the ignit ion and start the engine .
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the engine turned
off or use other MMI func­
tions, the battery is being discharged .
If starting capability is jeopa rdized due to en­
ergy consumpt ion, the fo ll ow ing warning ap­
pears in the MMI display :
Intellig ent technolog y 193
Plea se start the engine soon or the sy stem
will be turned off .
The wa rni ng ind ic ates that the system wi ll be
tu rned
off automatically a fter 3 minu tes. If
you w ish to continue using the funct ions, yo u
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Althoug h elec trical energy is generated when
t h e ve hicl e is being driven, t he battery can be­
come d ischarged. This happe ns mostly when
little energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is not opt imal.
T o b ring the energy ba lance back in to equili ­
brium, consumers which require especially
l a rge amounts of energy a re temporari ly cut
back or sw itched
off. Heat ing systems in par­
ticular require a great deal of energy. If you notice, for example, that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they
have been temporarily cut back or switched
off . These systems w ill be available again as
soon as the ene rgy balance has been restored.
You w ill also notice that engine id le speed has
been increased slightly . Thi s is normal and not
a cause for concern. By inc reasing engi ne id le
speed the additional e nergy requi red is gene r­
ated and the b attery is charged.
•
•

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. .,.

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
~

Have the battery checked when you take your
vehicle in for service. Yo u are well advised to
replace a battery that is older than 5 years .
W ith certa in types o f airbag deployment, the
battery is disconnec ted from the vehicle elec ­
trica l system for safety reasons
c::> &. in Re­
pair, care and disposal of the airbags on
page 156.
Disconn ecting the battery terminal s
Some vehicle functions (power w indow regu­
l ators, for example) are lost if the battery ter­
minals are disconnected . These functions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals are
connec ted again. To prevent this, the battery
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
e lectrical system when absolutely necessary
for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long period s
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cu t back or switched off .
This reduces energy consumption and main ­
tains starting capability over a longer per iod
c::> page 192. Some of the convenience func­
tions may not operate, s uch as the inte rior
lights o r the power sea t adjustment . T he con­
ve nience fun ct ions wi ll be available again
when yo u switch on the ignition and start the
engine.
Winter operation
During the winter mont hs, ba ttery capaci ty
t ends to decrease as tempe rat ures d rop . Th is
is because more powe r is also consumed while
starting , and the headlights, rear window de ­
fogger, etc., are used more oft en.
Avoid unnecessary power cons umption, par­
ticularly in c ity t ra ff ic or when t raveling on ly
short distances. Let your a uthorized Audi
dealer check the capac ity of the vehicle bat ­
tery before winter sets inc::>
page 233. A well
charged battery w ill not only prevent starting
problems whe n the weather is cold, but will
also last longer .
Checkin g and fillin g 231
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for seve ral
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery shou ld be removed and
stored where it w ill not freeze. This will
prevent it from be ing damaged and having
to be replaced .
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the l uggage compart­
ment under the floor. Before you check any­
th ing in the luggage compartment,
read and
h eed all WARNINGS
c::> &_ .
Always heed the safety warnings , when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle e lec­
trical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery:
Al ways heed the follo wing WARNING SYM­
BOLS and safety precautions when working on the battery.
@
®
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid.
Always w ear glove s and eye prot ec­
tion .
No
- sparks
-flames
- smoking .
When a battery i s charged, it produ­
ce s hydrogen gas wh ich i s ex plosive
and could cause per sonal injury .
Always keep the battery well out of ]
reach of children .
_& WARNING ~
Whenever working on the battery o r on
the electrical system, there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire . Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
•
•

236 Tires and wheels
-Never mount used tires on yo ur 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.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those standard items which may be rep laced)
of automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory -installed equip ­
ment (whether installed or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the he ight to the w idth of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in­
dicate a low sidewall for improved steering re­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of
steel wires, wrapped o r reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than a
couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire pressure
is measured or adjusted. -
If you notice unusual vibration or if the
veh icle pulls to one side when driv ing, a l­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle w ith
standard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optiona l
equipment.
Extra load tire
means a t ire design to operate at h igher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standard tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"R F" on the sidewall .
Gross Axle Weight Rating ( "GAWR ")
means the load-carrying capacity of a s ingle
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in­
terfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of
the vehicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs .
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry for a given inflation pressure. Yo u
may not find this information on all tires be­
cause it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at the maxi­
mum permissib le inflation pressure for that
tire.

266 Fuses and bulbs
Fuse panel @ (brown)
No. Equipment
1 Headlight control switch
2 Emergency start coil (key
identification)
3 Rear door
control module
(driver's side)
5 Horn
6 Interior lights
(headliner)
Steering column lever, mul-
8
tifunction steering wheel
controls, steering wheel
I heating
10 Power steering column ad-
justment
11 Driver door control module
12 Diagnost
ic connector, light/
rain sensor
14 Power steering column ad-
justment
15 Power
steering, AC compres-
sor
16 Brake booster
Fuse panel © (black)
No. Equipment
1 Front seat heating
2 Windshield wiper
3 Front exterior lighting
4 Sun roof
5 Driver power window
6 Driver seat (pneumatic)
7 Panoramic
sunroof
8 Dynamic steering
9 Front exterior lighting
10 Windshield/headlight
wash-
er system
11 Rear power window (driver's
side)
Panoramic sunroof
Amps
5
5
7,5 15
7,5
10/5
5
7,5 10
25
20 15
Amps
30
30
30 20
30 15
20
35
30
35
30
40
Front passenger side cockpit fuse
assignment
Fig. 206 Front passe nger side cockpit: fuse pane l with
plastic bracket
Fuse panel ® (black)
No. Equipment Amps
1 Anti-theft alarm system
5
2 T
ransmission control mod-
15
ule
3 Front climate control fan 40
4 Engine supply 35
6 Engine
control module
5
7 Front passenger door con-
7,5
trol module
8 Front passenger
power win-
30
dow
9 ESC control module 10
10 E5C control modu le 25
11 Right rear power window
30
12 Front
passenger seat (pneu -
15
matics)

Convertible locking retractor .... .. .. . 17 5
How do I prop erly install a child safety
seat in my vehicle? ....... ... .. .. .. .
169
Infant seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Instal ling .. ............. .... .. ... 175
Instal ling a child restraint us ing the
L A T C H system .... .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .
18 1
LATCH system ................... .. 181
Lower ancho rages ........ .. .. .. .. . 179
M ounti ng and releas ing the anchorage
hook . ..... .. .. ... ..... ... .. .. ...
181
Safety instructions ..... ... .. .. .. .. . 169
C leaning and protection .............. 203
Alcantara (synthet ic suede) . .. .. .. .. . 2 12
Cooler . .. .. .... ........... .. .. ... 213
Eng ine compartment ... ... .. .. .. .. . 213
Exhaust tail p ipes . ..... ... .. .. .. .. . 209
Fabrics and fabric coverings . ... .. .. . 209
Instrument panel .................. 210
Interior .......................... 209
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
MMI disp lay/controls ............. .. 209
Plastic and v inyl .... ... ... .. .. .. .. . 206
Plastic pa rts ...................... 210
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 12
tr im str ips . ............. .... .. ... 207
Trim str ips .... .. ..... ... .. .. .. ... 20 6
Climate controls ............ ...... ... 75
C lock ... .... .. .. .. .. .... .. . .. .. .. .. 25
C losing
Panor amic su nroof ........ .. .. .. .. ..
4 1
Sliding/ tilting sun roof .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 4 0
Sun shade (panoramic sunroof) ... .. .. 42
Cold ti re i nflat ion p ressu re ... .. .. .. .. .
239
Coming home ............. .... .. .... 45
Compact spare tire . ..... ... .. .. .. .. .
258
Compartments ................... ... 7 1
Compass in the mirro r ... ... .. .. .. .. .. 52
Comp lian ce .. ............. .... .. ... 283
Consumer Information . . . . . . . . . . 132, 280
Consumption (fue l) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Contact ing N HTSA ................ ..
132
Conven ience key ........... .... .. .... 32
Starting the engine ................. 80
Stopping the engine (START ENGINE
STOP button) ......................
81 Inde
x 287
Switching the ignition on .... ... .. .. . 80
U nl ocking and locking vehicle . ... .. .. . 32
Conve rtib le child safety seats ......... 172
Convertible locking retractor
Activati ng ........................
177
Deact ivating ...... ........... ..... 178
U sing to secure a child safety seat 1.75, 17 7
Coolant
refer to Eng ine coolant ............. 227
Cooler ... .. .. .... ... .. .. ..... ... .. . 72
Cleaning . ... .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 213
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Cooling mode (automa tic climate cont rol) 76
Cornering light .. .. ................. 103
C ruise cont ro l
Changing speed .... . .. ..... ... .. .. .
85
Presetting your speed .. ..... ... .. .. . 86
Switch ing off .. .. ............... .. . 86
Switching on . .. .. ................. . 85
Cu pholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
D
Data .............................. 278
Data recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Date disp lay . ..... ... .. .. ..... ... .. . 25
Daytime runn ing lights .............. .. 43
Declarat ion of compliance
Adaptive cruise control .............
283
Audi side ass ist .............. .... . 283
Cell phone package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Convenience key .................. . 283
Electronic immob ilizer .......... .. .. 2 83
Homel in k® uni versal remote control .. 283
Remote con tro l key ... ...... ... .. .. 283
DEF
What does this mean when it appears in
t h e tr ip odometer display? ...........
25
Defective light bulb warning ........... 21
Defrosting (windows) .. .. ..... ... .. .. . 77
Del uxe a utomat ic cl imate control .. .. .. . 76
Determ ining correct load limit ........ 243
Digi tal compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
52
Dimens ions ... .. .. .. . .. .... ...... .. 277
Dimming the rearview mirror .. ... .. .. . 51
Dista nce . .. .. .. .. .. ............... . 24
Door/rear lid warning ............ .. .. .
23
•
•