2012 AUDI A8 differential

14 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Air suspension
¢page 18
Sport differential*
¢page22
Other indicator lights
- Turn
signals
¢page22
~ USA models: Cruise control *
~ ¢ page 85
•
Canada models: Cruise control*
¢page 85
-
r!I
Adaptive cruise control*
¢page89
•
Adaptive cruise control*
¢page 89
-
I
Adaptive cruise control*
¢page89
•
Audi lane assist
¢ page 96
-
•
High beam
¢page45
BRAKE /((f)) Brake system
The light illuminates when the ignition is
switched on . It goes out after the engine has
been started . This indicates that the brake
warn ing light is functioning properly.
If the brake warning light does not light up
when the engine is cranking, there may be a
malfunction in the electrical system. In this
case, contact your Audi dealer.
If the brake system warning/ind icator light
turns on, there is a brake system malfunction.
- (USA models)/ . (Canada models)
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid level
If the indicator light turns on and the mes ­
sage appears, proceed as follows:
"" Pull off the road . ""
Stop the vehicle.
"" Turn off the engine .
"" Check the brake fluid level ¢
page 229.
"" Contact your nearest authori zed repair fa-
cility if necessary.
Warning! Fault in brake system. Contact
dealer
If the ABS indicator light ti] (USA models)/ rl]
(Canada models), the ESC indicator light G]
and the brake system indicator light
- (USA models)/ . (Canada models) turn
on and the message appears, the ABS, ESC
and braking distr ibut ion are not working¢.&..
Carefu lly drive to your authorized Audi dealer
immediately to have the malfunction correct­
ed ¢.&. .
- (USA models) . (Canada models)
Parking brake: system fault! Please contact
dealer
- If the indicator light and the message ap­
pear
when stationary or after switching the
ignition on , check if you can release the
parking brake. After releasing the parking
brake, carefully drive to your authorized Au­
di dealer immediately to have the malfunc­
tion corrected. If you cannot release the
pa rking brake, seek professiona l assistance.
- If the ind icator light and the message ap­
pear
while driving, the emergency brak ing
function may not be available . It may not be
possible to set the park ing brake or release
it once it has been set. Seek profess ional as­
sistance.
(USA models): If the warn ing light - and
the warn ing l ight
El appear together, imme­
diately contact your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified wo rkshop to have all brake pads in­
spected
¢ page 19.
When the light comes on, an audible warning
s ignal is also given .
Ill-

18 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a ma lfunction in the en ­
g ine start system.
Drive to your authorized Aud i dealer immedi­
ate ly to have the malfunction cor rected .
0 Air suspension
• Air suspension: system fault. Can contin­
ue slowly with max. 35 mph .
There is a malfunction that can result in re­
stricted driving stability .
Ca refully drive at a maximum speed of 35
mph
(60 km/h) to your authorized Audi dealer
or qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected .
• Air suspension: service mode. Vehicle
can only be moved with restrictions
Carefully drive to your authorized Audi dealer
or qualified workshop immediately to have
the service mode deactivated.
Ill Air suspension fault
There is a system ma lfunction that can result
in restr icted driving stability or reduced
ground clearance.
Drive to your authorized Audi dea ler immedi­
ate ly to have the malfunction corrected.
IIJ Air suspension: vehicle too low. Ground
clearance reduced
The ground clea rance is ve ry low due to a sys­
tem malfunct ion. Wait until the air suspen­
sion system has restored normal ground clear­
ance . Otherwise, conditions such as an uneven
road surface can lead to ve hicle damage.
~/ !f Safety systems
The fl (USA models) ;BI (Canada models) in­
d icator light monitors the safety systems e.g.
a ir bags, pretensioners and illum inates for a
few seconds each time you switch the ignition
on .
If the
I (USA models) ;BI (Canada models)
indicator light does not go out, or if it illumi- nates while you are driving, or if it starts to
blink,
then there is a malfunction somewhere
in the system.
If the light does not illuminate
when you switch the ign it ion on, th is also
means there is a malfunct ion.
A WARNING '"--
If you have a ma lfunction in the safety sys-
tems, contact your authorized Audi dea ler
imme diately. Otherwise the safety sys­
tems may not work properly in an acci­
dent.
fJJ [}, Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This warning/indicator light monitors the
Electronic Stability Control.
When you switch the ignition on, the indicator
light
G1 turns on briefly to check the function.
If the
J.iJ ind icator lamp blinks wh ile driving,
the ESC or ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) is active­
ly regulating.
If
the DJ ind icator lamp illuminates, the sys·
tern has switched the ESC off.
If the indicator light fi turns on, the ESC was
switched to ESC sport mode with the button
[!] c::, page 187. If this is case, you can reacti­
vate the ESC by switching the ignition off and
then on aga in. The warning/indicator light
should go out to show that the system is fully
functional again .
Stability program and ABS fault! See own­
er 's manual
If the indicator light DJ and the ABS indicator
li ght
m (USA models) ;II] (Canada models)
turn on and the message appears, there is a malfunction in the ABS system or electronic
differential lock. Th is also interrupts the ESC.
The brakes still funct ion wit h their normal
power, but ABS is not active .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
If the battery terminals were disconnected
and re-connected, the vehicle was jump start-
ed or the battery is very weak, the ESC sensor .,,.

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 19
system goes through a learning process fo r
the first few yards . The warning/indicator
light ill uminates. The warn ing/indicator light
goes out as soon as the learning process is
complete.
F or more information about the ESC
~page 187.
ABS/(8) Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
This warning/indicator light monitors the ABS
and the electronic differential lock (EDL).
The warning/indicator ligh t m (USA mod­
e ls)
.11] (Canada models) will come on for a
few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
The light will go out after an automatic check
sequence is completed.
There is a malfunction in the ABS wh en :
- T he warning/indicator lig ht does not illumi­
nate when you switch the ignition on.
- T he warning/ indicator lig ht does not go out
after a few seconds.
- T he warning/indicator light ill uminates
whi le driving.
The ESC indicator light a lso illuminates if
there is a malfunction in the ABS. The mes­
sage
S tabilit y prog ram and ABS faul t! S ee
o w ner' s manu al
also appears in the inst ru­
ment cluster display and a warning tone
sounds.
Th e br ake sy ste m will still r espond ev en
with out the a ssis tan ce of the ABS sy ste m .
See your a uth orized Audi deal er as s oon a s
po ssible to re sto re full br akin g perform anc e.
For more information regarding the ABS
¢page 187.
Malfunction in the brake sy stem
If the b rake warning light~ page 14 and the
ABS warning illuminate
together there may be
a ma lfunction in the ABS, and there may also
be a ma lfunction in the brake system itself
¢ &,. The ABS wi ll not work a nd you will no ­
tice a chang e in br aking r espo nse a nd p er­
forman ce.
In the event of a malfunction in the br ake
sys tem
the warning/indicator light _
(USA mode ls)/ . (Canada mode ls) in the in­
strument cluster flashes¢
page 14.
Malfunction in th e electronic d iff erential
l o ck (EDL)
The EDL works together with the ABS. The
ABS warning light will come on if there is a
malfunction in the EDL system
¢page 187.
See your authorized Audi dealer as soon as
poss ible.
A WARNING
- If the m (USA models)/ rl] (Canada
models) warning light does not go out,
or if it comes on while dr iving, t he ABS
system is not working properly. The vehi­
cle can then be stopped only w ith the
standard brakes (without ABS) . You w ill
not have the protect ion ABS prov ides.
Contact your Audi dea ler as soon as pos­
sible.
- USA models: If the - warning light,
the
W warning light and the B warn­
ing light come on together, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard
brak ing. Rear wheel lock-up can ca use
loss of vehicle control and an accident.
Have your vehi cle repaired immediately
by your au thori zed A udi dealer or a quali­
fied workshop . Dr ive slowly and avoid
sudden, hard brake applications.
- Canada models: If the brake warning
light ., the
B'J warning light and the
ABS warning light
II] come on together,
the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking. Rear whee l lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle contro l and an acci­
dent. Have your veh icle repa ired immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Drive s lowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applications.
(0 ) Worn brake pads
£i Brake pad s!

22 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
However, you can continue to turn the lights
on and
off using the light switch . You can still
control a ll funct ions that are independent of
the rain sensor through the windshield wiper lever.
Contact your authorized Audi dealer as soon
as possible to have the prob lem corrected.
@! Dynamic steering
1;r.ij Steering: system fault. you can continue
driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the steering may be more diffi­
cult to move or more sensitive than usual. The
steering wheel may also be at an angle when
driving straight .
Drive slow ly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected.
tT@ Dynamic steering: initialising
If th is driver message appears and the ind ica­
tor light is flashing on the instrument panel,
dynamic steering is being reinitialized. Once
you start the engine after this is finished, the steering wheel w ill be easy to move . Re-initi ­
alization might be necessary if the steering
wheel was moved hard to the left and r ight
while the veh icle was not moving . The display
goes out as soon as init ialization is complete .
A WARNING
-
Have the dynamic steering system mal­
function repaired as soon as possible by an
authorized Audi dealer or any qualified
workshop -risk of accident!
@ Tips
-The dynamic steering stability systems
are not available in the event of a system
malfunction.
- For additional informat ion on dynamic
stee ring, refer to
¢page 103.
I-: Sport differential
II Sport differential: system fault
There is a malfunction with the sport d ifferen ­
t ial.
Drive to your authori zed Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
II Sport differential: overheating
The transmission temperature has increased
s ignificantly due to the sporty driving manner.
Drive in a less sporty manner until the tem­
perature returns to the normal range and the
indicator light switches of.
A WARNING
Contact your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop if the sport differential
is faulty or malfunct ioning . The repair
must be performed by trained personnel
using the correct oil in order to ensure
safety.
¢ 9 Turn signals
-
The indicator light blinks when you use either
turn signal .
Whenever you use the left B or the right B
turn signal, the indicator light blinks. When
you use the emergency flashers , both indica­
tor lights flash .
If one of the turn signal light bulbs burn out,
the turn signal will blink twice as fast as nor­ mal. Carefu lly dr ive to your authorized Audi
dealer immed iately to have the malfunction
corrected. The indicator light does not indi­
cate a malfunction if a turn signal on the trail­
er or on the vehicle fails in trailer towing
mode.
@ Tips
For more information on the turn signals,
refer to
¢ page 45.

104 Audi dri ve sele ct
surface o f the tires, which is the outer
circumference. Securing the vehicle at
the axle components, s uspension struts
or towing eyes is not perm itted because
the pressure in the air suspension struts
can change during transport. The veh icle
may not be secured suff ic iently if this
happens .
- If you are go ing to tow a trailer, you
must activate the trailer operat ion mode
¢page 199.
@ Tips
- In some models, the maximum vehicle
speed can only be reached in the
auto
and dynamic modes.
- Selecting the
dynamic mode results in
spo rty sh ifting character istics. The S
gear position engages automati cally.
- In vehicles that have dynamic steering*,
operating noise is heard when starting or
stopp ing the eng ine . Th is does not ind i­
cate a problem.
- In vehicles with sport differential*, the
dynam ic mode is deactivated whe n tow­
i ng a traile r.
Selecting the driving mode
You can choose be tween Comfort, Auto, Dy­
namic and Individual.
Fi g. 106 MM!: D rive se lect
.,. To se lect the mode, select the following in
the MMI :
I CARI function button> Comfort ,
Auto , Dynamic or Indi vidu al.
You can change the driving mode when the ve­
hicle is stationary or while driving . If traffic
permits, after changing modes, briefly take
your foot off the accelerator pedal so that the
recently selected mode is also activated for
the engine.
comfort -provides a comfort-oriented vehicle
setup and is suited for long drives on high­
ways.
auto -provides an overall comfortable yet dy­
nam ic driving feel and is suited for every day
use.
d yna mi c -gives the vehicle a sporty driving
feel and is suited to a sporty driving style .
individual -¢ page 105.
A WARNING
Pay attention to traffic when operating Au­
d i drive select to prevent potential risk of
an accide .nt.

Audi drive select 105
Adjusting the Individual mode
You can adjust the vehicle settings to your personal preferences.
~ Select: ICARlf unct ion button> Set individ·
ual
control button. You can now adjust the
individua l systems.
The
individual d riving mode will automatical­
l y be activated when yo u have fin ished config­
uring the settings.
Systems
Engine
a nd Transmission
Air suspension Steer ing Comfort balanced
comfo
rtable
comfortab le The equ
ipment in your vehicle will determ ine
which sett ings you can adjust. The following
tab le prov ides a n overview of the c haracteris­
tics of eac h driving mode.
Dynamic
ba lanced spo
rty
---.. ,
s porty
ba lanced spo
rty
Dynamic steering*
Sport differential *
Cornering light*
Belt tensioner c o mfo rtable/ind ire c t balanced/dire ct sporty/direc t
spo rty
Adaptive cruise control *
balanced
comfortable
Standard
comfo rtable
Yo ur
individual mode se ttings a re auto ­
mat ica lly store d an d assig ned to t he re­
mote control key bein g use d.
Raising/lowering the
vehicle
Raising the vehicle
You ca n ra ise your veh icle temporarily, for ex­
ample to drive over a tall curb.
~ Se lect the following i n the MMI: I CARI f unc­
t ion button >
Raise control button.
~ Wait for the arrows in the d isplay to stop
blinking and the vehicle to reach its fina l po­
s it io n.
Lowe ring the vehicle
~ T o lower the veh icle, select the fo llow ing in
the MMI: ICARlfunction button>
Lower con­
trol button.
~ Wa it for the arrows in the d isplay to stop
blinking and th e vehicle to lower complete­
ly . ag
ile
balanced
Standard
balanced
(D Note
---.. ,
---.. ,
sporty Deployment t ime
adapt ed
sporty
- Remember that your ve hicle is not sui ta ­
ble fo r dr iv ing offroa d even when it is
raised . There is not enough ground clear­
ance.
- If the vehicle is ra ised, it will lower auto ­
matically when driving 62 mph (100 km/
h) or faster.
Driver messages
Air suspension : vehicle currently too low.
Le vel control running
Air suspension: vehicle currently too high. Level control running
T he dr iver mess age swi tches o ff when the lev­
el con tro l process is comp lete.

188 Intelligent technology
ESC includes and/or works together with the
anti-lock braking system (ABS), brake assist
system, anti-s lip regulat ion (ASR), e lectronic
d ifferential lock ( EDL), dynamic steering* and
e lectronic interaxle differentia l lock*. ESC is
switched on all the time. I n certa in s ituations
when you need less tract io n, you ca n sw itch
off ASR by pressi ng the button above
~ page 189, fig. 167 the se lector lever. Be
sure to sw itch ASR on ag ain when you no lon­
ger need less trac tion.
Anti -lock braking system (ABS)
ABS prevents t he wheels from locking up
when braking. The veh icle can still be st eered
even d uring ha rd b rak ing . Apply steady p res­
sure to the br ake ped al. Do no t pu mp the ped­
a l. A puls ing in t he bra ke peda l ind icates that
the system is he lping yo u to b rake the vehicle .
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease b ra kin g
d ista nce. It increases braking powe r w hen the
d river p resses the brake pedal quickl y in eme r­
gency situa tions . You mus t press and ho ld the
b rake peda l until the situation is over. In vehi­
cles with adaptive cruise control*, the brake
assist system is more sensitive i f the d istance
detected to the vehicle ahead is t oo smal l.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engine power w hen the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the fo rce to
the road condit ions. This makes it eas ier to
start, accelerate and drive up hills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL )
The E DL brakes wheels that are spinn ing and
transfers the drive powe r to the o ther d rive
wheel o r whee ls if the vehic le is equipped with
a ll whee l drive*. This funct ion is available up
to about 7S mph (120 km/h).
I n extreme cases , EDL automatica lly swit ches
off to help keep the brake on the braked whee l
from overheating. ED L wi ll switch on again au­
tomatically when conditions have returned to normal.
Dynamic steering*
On vehicles wi th dynam ic s teeri ng, ES C helps
stab ilize the steer ing in cer tain sit uations.
Electronic interaxle differential lock
function*
T he ele ctronic i nte raxle di fferentia l lock f unc ­
tion ac tiva tes when dr iving t hrough curves.
B ra king is targeted towar d the whee ls on the
inside of the curve as needed . This helps to
min imi ze front whee l skid, improves traction
and allows for more precise driving throug h
cu rves .
A WARNING
- ESC, ABS, ASR , EDL, dynamic steering*
and the elect ronic interaxle differential
loc k function* cannot ove rcome t he laws
of physics . This is espe cially im po rtant
on slippery o r we t road s.
If the sys tems
begin actin g to stabilize your veh icle, you
should immediately change yo ur speed
to match the road and t raffic conditions .
Do not let the increased safety provided
by these systems tempt you to take risks. Doing so will increase the risk of a loss of
veh icle cont ro l, collision and ser io us per­
sonal injur ies .
-Always ada pt your speed to road , traffic
and wea ther conditions. The risk of los­
ing contr ol of the vehicle i ncreases wh en
d riving too fast, espe cially through
curve s and on slippe ry or wet roads, and
when dr iv ing too close to vehicles up
ahead. ESC, ABS, the brake ass ist sys ­
tem, EDL, ASR, dynam ic steering * and
the elect ron ic interaxle differential lock
function * cannot prevent co llisions.
- Always accelerate with s pecial care on
even, smooth s urfaces such as those that
are wet or covered with ice and snow.
The drive wheels can spin even w ith
these assistance sys tems that cannot al­
ways he lp to red uce the risk of loss of ve ­
h icle co nt ro l.
-

288 Index
Doors
M echanical child safety lock .. .... .. .. 37
Power child safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Driver information system
CD/radio display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Door/r ear lid warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Exterior temperature display ....... .. 23
On-board computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Driver seating position ............... 125
drive select .. .. . .......... .. .. .... . 103
adaptive a ir suspension/sport ........ 103
Adaptive dampers ................. 103
Cornering light ........... .. .. .... . 103
Dynamic steering .................. 103
Safety belt tensioner ............... 103
Sport differential .......... ... .... . 103
Driving safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Driving through water ............... 196
Driving time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Duplicate key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Dynam ic steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 103
E
Easy entry feature .......... .... .... .. 79
Einparkhilfe Sensoren/Kamera reinigen ...... .... 205
Elect rical accessories (sockets) . . . . . 64, 70
E lectromechanical park ing brake
Emergency braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Parking .................... ..... .. 83
Releasing and closing ..... .. .. .. .. . . 82
Starting assist ........... .. .. .... .. 83
Starting from rest .......... .. .... .. 83
Starting
off with a tra iler . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Warning/indicator lights ..... .. .. .. . . 15
E lectronic different ial lock ( EDL) .. .... . 187
Warning/indicator lights ... .. .. .. .. . . 19
Electronic immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 29
Electronic power control (EPC)
warning/indicator light ..... .... ..... 20
Electronic speed limiter ......... .... .. 27
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) .. ..... 187
Warn ing/indicator lights ....... .. .. .. 18 Emergency
actuation
Doors ... ..... .. .. .............. .. 34
Parking lock ... .. ................. 113
Power sunroof . .. ............. .... . 40
Rear lid ... .... .. ............. .... . 37
Emerg ency braking ................... 84
Emergency flasher ................. .. 44
Warning/ind icator lights ........ .. .. . 22
Emergency operation Panoramic sunroof ... .......... .. .. . 42
Sun shade (roof) ................... 42
Emergency starting ................ . 270
Emergency towing .. ............ .. .. 272
Emergency warning triangle .......... 256
En ergy management ................ 192
Engine Compartment ..................... 221
Coolant ... .. .. .. .. ... ........ .. .. 227
Data ..... .... .. ............. .... 278
starting ......... .. .............. .. 80
Starting with jumper cables ......... 270
Stopping . ..... .. .. .............. .. 81
Engine compartment ................ 221
Closing the hood . ... .......... .. .. 220
Opening the hood ............. .... 219
Safety instructions ................ . 219
Working in the engine compartment .. 219
Engine coolant ..................... 22 7
Adding coolant . .. ... .......... .. .. 228
Check ing the engine coolant level ..... 227
Expansion tank ... ................. 227
Malfunction symbol ................. 15
Radiator fan ... .. ............. .... 229
Temperature gauge ............ .... . 10
Engine oil ...... .. .. .............. . 222
Adding ......... .. .............. . 225
Additives . ..... .. ............. .... 225
Changing . .. .. .. ............. .. .. 226
Checking oil level .... .......... .. .. 225
Checking the engine oil level ....... .. 224
Consumption .. ................... 225
I ndications and conditions requiring ex-
tra checking . ...... .. ...... ....... 224
Indicator light ... ............. .... . 17
Oil consumpt ion .. ............. .... 223
Oil grad es ..... .. ................ . 222
Oil level symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20