2012 AUDI S8 load capacity

-When not in use, to reduce fuel consump­
tion, wind noise and to guard against theft.
A WARNING
- Use of an unapproved roof rack or incor­
rect mounting of an approved roof rack
can cause the roof rack or the items at­
tached to it to fall off the roof onto the
road .
- Objects falling from the roof of a veh icle
can cause a crash and personal injury .
- Only mount the roof rack on the desig­
nated locations on the roof
c::> fig . 70 .
-The roof rack system must be installed
exactly according to the instructions pro­
vided.
- When driving w ith a roof rack system,
changes to the center of gravity and wind
resistance can change the veh icle han­
dling and lead to a collision . Always
adapt your driv ing and your speed to the
current conditions.
0 Not e
-Your vehicle warranty does not cover any
damages to the vehicle caused by using
r oof racks or mount ing structures not
approved by Audi for your vehicle. The
same applies to damage resulting from
incorrect roof rack installation.
- Always check the roof rack mountings
and hardware before each trip and dur­
ing a trip to make sure everything is se­
cure ly tightened . If necessary, retighten
the mount ings and check the ent ire sys­
tem from t ime to t ime.
- After mounting a roof rack system, or
when you transport objects on the roof
of your veh icle, the height of the vehicle
i s naturally increased. Be careful when
driv ing under low br idges or in parking
garages for example. This could cause
damage to the load and even the vehicle
i tself.
- Make sure the open rear lid and the sun­
roof* do not come into contac t with the
roof rack .
Seat s an d sto rage 69
Loading the roof rack
Always distribute loads evenly. Make sure
anything on the roof rack is securely tied
down .
.. Always distribute the loads on the roof rack
even ly .
.. Always attach items to the roof rack secure-
ly before you d rive off .
The maximum permissible roof weight is
2 20
lb (100 kg ).
The roof weight is the total of
the weight of the roof rack, the attachments
and the cargo you a re carrying. You must also
not exceed the maximum load we ight for the
roof rack you are using .
When using a roof rack system which has a l ower load ca rrying capaci ty , you must not use
up the tota l maxim um permissible load car ry ­
i ng capacity specified above . Instead, you
sho uld load the roof rack system only to the
maximum capacity specified by the manufac ­
turer of the roof rack system.
A WARNING
---Weak, damaged or improper straps used
to secure items to the roof rack can fail
during hard braking or in a collis ion and
cause ser ious personal injury.
- Make sure the roof rack is installed exact­
ly as specified above
c::> page 68.
-Always use su itable mount ing straps for
securing items to the roof rack to help
p revent items from sh ifting or flying for­
ward.
- Items on the roof rack must always be
securely mounted.
- The use of a roof rack can negat ively af­
fect the way a veh icle hand les . Cargo
that is large, heavy, bulky, long or flat
will have a greater negat ive influence on
the vehicle's aerodynamics, center of gravity and overall handling . Always
drive s lowly, avoid sudden braking and
maneuvers when transporting cargo on
the roof of your vehicle .

70 Seats and storage
-Never exceed the maximum permissible
load carrying capacity of the roof of your
vehicle, the permissible axle weights and
the permissible total weight of your vehi­ cle
c::, page 276, Weights .
@ For the sake of the environment
As a result of the increased wind resist­
ance created by a roof rack, your vehicle is
using fuel unnecessarily. So remove the
roof rack after using it.
12-volt sockets
Applies to vehicles: 12-volt soc kets
Electrical accessories can be connected to ev­
ery 12-volt socket.
Fig. 71 Sect io n of the trim panel of th e lu ggage com­
part ment: 12 -vol t soc ket
Fig. 72 Rear center conso le: 12-vo lt soc ket
... Open the socket cover c::, fig. 71 or c::, fig. 72 .
... Insert the plug of the electrical device into
the socket.
There is an additional 12 volt socket in the
front center console~
page 71, fig. 73.
The 12 volt sockets may be used for 12-volt
appliances with maximum consumption of up
to 100 watts . Before you purchase any accessories, always
read and follow
the information in
c::, page 282, Additional accessories and parts
replacemen t.
A WARNING
The sockets and the electrical accessories
connected to them operate only when the ignition is switched on . Incorrect usage
can lead to serious injuries or burns. To re­
duce the risk of injuries , never leave chil­
dren unattended in the vehicle with the ve­
hicle key.
(D Note
To avoid damaging the socket, only use plugs that fit properly.
- Never connect equipment that generates
electrical current, such as a solar panel
or battery charger, to the 12 volt socket .
This could damage the vehicle 's electri­
cal system.
- The 12 volt socket should only be used
for a short period of ti me as a power
source for electrical equipment. Please
use the electrical sockets in the vehicle
when connecting equipment for longer periods.
@ Tips
When the engine is off and accessories are
still plugged in and are on, the vehicle bat­
tery can still be drained.

- the temperature in the luggage compart­
ment is below 131 °f (55 °C). The cooler
switches off automatically if the tempera­
ture in the luggage compartment exceeds
131 °f (55 °C) . Once the temperature falls
below 131 °f (55 °C) again, the cooler
switches on aga in automatically .
- the battery is adequately charged . The cool­
er switches off automatically if the vehicle
battery voltage falls below a minimum lev­
el. This prevents the battery from discha rg­
i ng . The cooler switches back on again auto­
matically when the battery voltage increases
again (e.g . after starting the engine).
The cooler cools to 42.8 °f
(+ 6 °C) and the
freezer cools to 21.2 °f (-6 °C) in opt imum
cooling cond itions . Th e cooling performance
is affected by the temperature in the luggage
compartment. The temperature inside the
cooler will be higher if the luggage compart­
ment is hot.
A WARNING
To avoid putting the occupants at any risk,
please observe the following safety rules:
- The maximum capacity is 2.5 kg (5.5
lbs.).
- Never overload the cooler. This could
cause injury in the event of a collision or
sudden braking.
- The coo ler lid must always be kept closed
while you are driving. Make sure the re­
taining catch is securely engaged. The
contents of the coo ler could be thrown
forward into the passenger compart­
ment in the event of a collision or under
sudden braking - risk of injury!
- Inflammable liquids, gas canisters, etc.
must not be stored in the cooler -risk of
exp losion! This also includes any prod­
ucts that might emit volatile or inflam­
mable gases.
- Liquids will freeze at temperatures at or
below 32 °f (0 °C) and may cause glass
bottles to burst!
Seats and storage 73
(D Note
-The venti lation openings for the cooler
are located on the back pane l trim in the
luggage compartment and
must be kept
clear at all t imes.
- If the cooler is not functioning properly,
switch it off to prevent further damage.
Have it checked by a qualified workshop .
Operation
Applies to vehicles: wit h coo ler
Fig. 76 Rea r ce nte r armre st
The cooler is located in the rear cabin behind
the center armrest or behind the sliding cover (depending on the equipment fitted in your
vehicle) . The cooler and freezer only work
when the ignition is on .
Opening / closing the cooler
.,. To open the cooler, pull the release lever@
~ fig. 76.
.,. To close the cooler, push the lid back into its
original position. You should hear the re­
lease lever
(D engage if the lid is properly
closed.
Switching on /off
.,. Press button @ 9 fig. 76 to sw itch the cool­
er on/off. The symbol in the button is lit
when this function is activated .
.,. Press button
@ to switch the freezer on/
off . The symbol in the button is lit when this
function is activated .

-Always distribute the load as evenly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in
the luggage compartment as possible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rat­
ing or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
specified on the safety compliance stick­
er on the left door jamb. Exceeding per­
missible weight standards can cause the
vehicle to slide and handle differently .
- Please observe information on safe driv­
ing
o page 124 .
A WARNING
-
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas
from being drawn into the vehicle, always
keep the rear lid closed while driving .
- Never transport objects larger than those fitting completely into the luggage
area because the rear lid cannot be fully
closed.
- If you absolutely must drive with the rear
lid open, observe the following notes to
reduce the risk of poisoning:
-Close all windows,
- Close the power roof,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument
panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest
speed.
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win­ dows, the power roof and the rear lid are
securely closed and locked to reduce the
risk of injury when the vehicle is not being
used .
- After closing the rear lid, always make
sure that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your vehicle unattended es­ pecially with the rear lid left open. A
child could crawl into the vehicle through
the luggage compartment and close the
rear lid becoming trapped and unable to
get out . Being trapped in a vehicle can
lead to serious personal injury .
-
Driving Safely 131
-Never let children play in or around the
vehicle.
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must
always be properly restrained in one of
the vehicle's seating positions .
(D Tips
-Air circulation helps to reduce window
fogging. Stale air escapes to the outside
through vents in the trim panel, on the
left side of the luggage compartment. Be sure to keep these slots free and
open .
- The tire pressure must correspond to the
load . The tire pressure is shown on the
tire pressure label. The tire pressure la­
bel is located on the driver's side B-pillar.
The tire pressure label lists the recom­
mended cold tire inflation pressures for
the vehicle at its maximum capacity
weight and the tires that were on your
vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
For recommended tire pressures for nor­
mal load conditions, please see chapter
opage 239.
Tie-downs
The luggage compartmen t is equipped with
four tie-downs to secure luggage and o ther
items .
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo prop­
erly
o page 130, Loading the luggage com­
partment .
In a collision , the laws of physics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the vehi­
cle will become heavy missiles that can cause
serious injury. Items in the vehicle posses s en ­
ergy which vary with vehicle speed and the
weight of the item. Vehicle speed is the most
significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a
10-lb (4 .5 kg) object are about 20 times the
normal weight of the item . This means that
the weight of the item would suddenly be
•
•

Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers for the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event. EDR's are sometimes called "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retr ieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDR's that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for examp le, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during norma l vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a very limited period of
time and stored when a system fault or other
condition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may relate to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as we ll as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of
skidding and loss of veh icle control. It works
only when the engine is running. ESC detects
Intelligent technology 187
certain difficult driving situations, including
when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw)
out of control and helps you to get the veh icle
back under control by se lectively braking the
wheels, and/or reducing engine power and
providing steering ass istance to help hold the
vehicle on the driver's intended course. The in­
dicator light
Ip.] in the instrument cluster
blinks when ESC is taking action to help you
control the vehicle.
ESC has limitations .
It is important to remem­
ber that ESC cannot overcome the laws of
physics.
It will not always be able to help out
under all conditions you may come up against.
For example, ESC may not always be able to
help you master situations where there is a
sudden change in the coefficient of friction of
the road surface. When there is a section of
dry road that is suddenly covered with water,
slush or snow, ESC cannot perform the same
way it would on the dry surface . If the vehicle
hydroplanes (rides on a cushion of water in­
stead of the road surface), ESC will not be
able to help you steer the vehicle because con­
tact with the pavement has been interrupted
and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered .
During fast cornering, particularly on winding
roads, ESC cannot always deal as effectively
with difficult driving situations than at lower
speeds. When towing a trailer, ESC is not able
to help you regain control as it would if you
were not tow ing a trailer.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffi<; and weather conditions. ESC can­
not override the vehicle's physical limits, in­
crease the available traction, or keep a veh icle
on the road if road departure is a result of
driver inattention. Instead, ESC improves the
poss ibility of keeping the vehicle under con­
trol and on the road dur ing extreme maneu­
vers by using the driver's steering inputs to
help keep the vehicle going in the intended di­
rection. If you are traveling at a speed that
causes you to run off the road before ESC can
provide any assistance, you may not experi­
ence the benefits of ESC.
•
•

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.

Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressure
to which a tire may be inflated. Also called
"maximum inflation pressu re."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 k ilograms) times the
number of occupants seated in the vehicle up
to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer diameter means the overall diameter of an inflated new
tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteri­
ors of the sidewalls of an inflated tire, includ­
ing e levations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated para llel cords.
Production options weight
means the comb ined weight of those installed
regular production options weighing over 5
lbs . (2 .3 kg) in excess of those standard items
which they replace, not previously considered
in curb weight or accessory weight, including
heavy duty brakes, r ide leve lers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and specia l trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic t ire in which the p ly cords
that extend to the beads are laid at substan­
tially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Tires and wheels 237
Recommended inflation pressure
see~
page 236, Cold tire inflation pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a t ire design to operate at higher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standard tire. Reinforced tires
may be identified as "XL ", "x l", "E XTRA LOAD",
o r "R F" on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a t ire and
tube assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Rim diameter
means nom inal d iameter of the bead seat. If
you change your wheel s ize, you w ill have to
purchase new tires to match the new r im di­
ameter.
Rim size designation
means r im diameter and width.
Rim width
means nom inal distance between rim fla nges.
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the
tread and bead.
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is designed to
be driven for extended periods of time. The
ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h) to
186 mph (298 km/h)
~ page 247 . You may
not find this information on all tires because
it is not requ ired by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applica­
ble, is molded on the tire sidewall and indi­
cates the max imum pe rm issib le road speeds
~ .&. in Winter tires on page 251.
Tire pressure monitoring system*
means a system that detects when one or
more of a veh icle's tires are underinflated and
illuminates a low tire pressure warning tell­
tale.
•
•

238 Tires and wheels
Tread
means t hat port ion of a tire that comes into
con tact w it h t he road.
Tread separation
means pull ing away of the t read from the ti re
carcass .
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the pr inc ipal
grooves designed to give a v isua l ind ication of
the deg rees of wea r of the tread . See
~ page 245, Tread W ear Indicator (T WI) for
mo re info rmat io n on measu ring ti re wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the
United States Nat io nal Highway Traffic Safety
Admi nistration (N HTSA) that is designed to
h e lp buye rs make relat ive compa risons among
tires. The UTQG is not a safety rating an d no t a
g ua ran tee t hat a tir e will las t fo r a presc ribed
nu mber of m iles (kilome ters) or perform in a
certain way. It s imply gives tire buye rs addi ­
tional informat ion to com bine with ot her con­
side rat ions, s uch as pr ice, brand loya lty and
dea ler recommendations. Under UTQG, t ires
are g raded by t he tire manufacturers in th ree
areas: treadwear, tract io n, and temperature
res ista nce. Th e UTQG i nfo rmation on the tires ,
mo lded into t he s idewalls.
U.S . DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the t ire 's "serial number" It beg ins
with the lette rs "DOT" and indicates that the t
ir e mee ts a ll fede ra l standards. The nex t two
numbe rs o r letters in dicate the plant where it
was man ufactu red, and the last four numbers
represent the wee k and year of man ufact ure.
For example,
DOT . .. 2212 ...
me ans th at the tire w as produced in t he 22nd
wee k of 2012 . T he o the r num bers are m arket­
ing co des that may or may not be used by the
t ir e manufacturer . This information is used to
contact consume rs if a tire defect requires a
recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the ra ted ca rgo an d luggage lo ad plus
150 lbs. ( 68 kilo gr ams) times the vehicle's to ­
ta l seating ca pacity as listed on the la bel lo ­
cated on the driver's side B-pilla r.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
me ans tha t load on an individu al tire tha t is
de termined by dis tributi ng to eac h axl e its
share of the maxim um loa ded vehicle weight
and dividing by two .
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means th at l oad o n an individua l tire tha t is
de termined by dis trib uti ng to eac h axle its
share o f the cur b weight , accessory weight,
and normal occ upant weig ht (distr ibuted in
accordance with tab le be low ~
page 238)
and dividing by two.
Occupant loading and distribution for veh icle normal lo ad fo r variou s designated seating
capacities
Designated seating capacity,
number of occupants
4
5
Vehicle normal load, number Occupant distribution in a nor-
of occupants _____ malty loaded vehicle
2 2 in front
3 2 in front, 1 i n bac k seat