2013 AUDI A8 transmission

& WARNING
-Never engage R or P wh ile driving. It
cou ld cause a crash .
-
-Power is sti ll transmitted to the whee ls
when the engine is running at idle. To prevent the vehicle from "creeping", you
must keep your foot on the brake in all
selector lever positions except P and N
when the engine is running. Do not inad­
vertent ly press the accelerator pedal
when the veh icle is stationary . Otherwise
the vehicle will start to move immediate­ ly. This cou ld happen even if the parking
brake is activated.
- Before opening the hood, select the P se­
lector lever position and set the par king
brake. This reduces the risk of a crash. A l­
ways read and follow the applicable
warnings
¢page 226, Engine comport­
ment.
- Never get out of the driver's seat when
the engine is running.
- If you must get out of the vehicle, move
the se lector lever securely into the P po­
sit ion and apply the park ing brake .
@ Tips
-If you un intentionally shift into the N se­
l ector lever position while dr iving, take
your foot off the accelerator pedal and
wait for the engine to slow down until it is idling before you shift into Dor S.
Driving tips
The gears shift outomoticolly .
Starting from a stop
"' Press and ho ld the brake pedal.
.,. Start the eng ine
q page 83.
"' Press the button on the se lector lever and
select the D, S or R selector lever position
¢ page 115.
"' Wait a moment until the transmission
shifts. You w ill not ice a slight movement
when the gear engages .
"' Re lease the brake pedal and press the accel ­
erato r peda l¢ _& .
Aut omat ic Tr ans missio n 11 7
Stopping temporarily
"' Press the b rake pedal to stop the veh icle,
for examp le at a traffic light . Do not press
the acce lerator pedal when doing this .
"' To prevent the vehicle from rolling when
you start driving, set the parking brake
when stopp ing on large inclines¢_& .
"' The parking brake will release automat ically
and the vehicle will start mov ing once you
press the acce lerator pedal.
Parking
If the selector lever is not in the P position
when you open the driver's door, the veh icle
could roll. The message
Transmission: Car
may roll! Shift to park !
appears.
"' Press and hold the brake pedal¢ _& .
"' Set the park ing brake.
"' To engage the P se lector lever position,
press the button on the selector lever and
shift into the P posit ion ¢
page 115 .
Under certa in conditions such as dr iv ing in the
mountains or when towing a trailer, it may be
helpful to switch to manual mode temporarily
to shift
manually to adapt to the dr iving con­
ditions
¢ page 118.
On slopes, activate the parki ng brake first and
then move the selecto r leve r to the P position .
T his prevents too much st ress from be ing
placed on the locking mechanism.
& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS ¢ .&. in Se­
lecting o selector lever position on
page 117.
- The vehicle can also roll when the engine
is stopped.
- Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing the selec tor lever position
while the vehicle is stationary and the engine is running . This could result in a
crash.
- Never engage R or P while driving . It
could cause a crash.
- Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To ..,.

118 Autom atic Tran smissi on
preve nt the vehicle from "creep ing" , you
must keep your foot on the brake in all
selector lev er positions except P and N
when the e ng ine is r unning. Do not inad­
vertently press the accelerator pe dal
w hen the veh icl e is stationary . Otherwise
the vehicle will s tart to move immediate­
ly, even if the park ing brake is se t. This
cou ld result in a c rash.
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake
peda l too often or too long when dr iving
down a hill. Constant braking causes the
brakes to ove rheat and s ubstant ially re­
duces braking performance, increases
braking distance or causes comp lete fail­
ure of the brake system.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control system assists the
driver when driving down declines.
H ill descent control is activated when these­
lector lever is in D/S and you press t he b rake
pedal. The transmission automat ically se lects
a gear that is suitab le for the incline. Hill de­
scent control tries to maintain the speed ach­ ieved at the time of brak ing, within physical
and techn ical limitations. If may still be nec­
essary to adjust the speed with the brakes .
H ill descent control switches off once the de­
cline levels out or you press the accelerator
pedal.
Hill descent control is also activated when the
speed is set by starting the cruise control sys­
tem c:>
page 90.
A WARNING -
Hill descent control ca nnot overcome
physical limitations, so it may not be able
t o maintain a constant speed under all
condi tion s. Alw ays be ready to ap pl y the
bra kes.
Shifting manually
The shift paddles allow the driver to shift the
gears manually .
Fig . 1 25 Steer ing whee l: sh ift in g manually
" To shift to a higher or lowe r gear tempo rari ­
ly, tap the
0 or 0 shift padd le c:> fig. 125.
" To switch manual mode on, press the~
button. An M and the gear that is current ly
engaged appear in the instrument cluster
disp lay @ c:>
page 115, fig. 122.
" To shift up one gear, tap the rig ht shift pad­
dle
0 c:> fig . 125 .
" To s hift down one gear, tap the left shift
paddle Q.
" To swi tch manual mode off, press the~
but ton again, or
" Move the se lector lever back and release it .
T he transm iss io n automatically sh ifts up or
down before cr itical engine spee d is reached.
T he transm iss ion only allows manual sh ifting
whe n the eng ine speed is w ith in the pe rmit­
ted range .
The eng ine braking effect increases when you
downsh ift when going downhill .
Kick-down
Kick-down enables maximum acceleration .
When you press the accelerator pedal down
beyond the resistance point, the automatic
transmission downsh ifts into a lower gear, de­
pending on veh icle speed and eng ine RPM . It
shifts up into the next higher gear once the
max imum specified engine RP M is reached .
Iii>

A WARNING 1=
Please note that the wheels could spin on
slick or slippery roads when kick-down is
act ive.
Transmission malfunction
[O] Transmission: please pre ss the brake ped­
al and select the position again
Press the brake pedal and select the des ired
selector lever pos it ion again. You can then
continue dr iv ing .
[O] Transmission hot: please modify driving
style
The transmission temperature has increased
significantly due to the sporty driving manner. Drive in a less sporty manner until the tem­
perature returns to the normal range and the
in dicator light switches of .
[O] Gearbox malfunction: you can continue
driving
There is a system ma lfunction in the transmis­
sion. You may continue driving. Drive to your
authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair fa­
cility soon to have the malfunction corrected.
l'§J/1;1 Gearbox malfunction: you can contin­
ue driving in D only until engine is off
There is a system malfunction in the transmis­
sion. The transmission is switching to emer ­
gency mode. If you turn the engine off, you
will not be able to select any other selector
lever positions after start ing the engine again.
Drive to your authorized Aud i dealer or quali­
fied repair facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
[O] Gearbox malfunction: you can continue
driving (limited functionality)
There is a system ma lfunction in the transmis­
sion. The transmission is switching to emer­
gency mode. This mode only shifts into cer­
tain gears or will not longer shift at all. The
engine may stall. Dr ive to your authorized
Aud i dealer or qualified repair facility immedi ­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
Automatic Transmission 119
[o];ffl Gearbox malfunction: no reverse gear
(you can continue driving)
The re is a system malfunction in the transmis­
s ion. The transmission is switching to emer­
gency mode. This mode on ly shifts into cer ­
tain gears or will not longer shift at a ll. You
cannot engage the reverse gear . Dr ive to your
authorized Aud i dea ler immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
[O] Vehicle may roll! Cannot shift to P. Please
apply parking brake
-The parking lock was released using the
emergency release ¢
page 120. Or
- The parking brake cannot engage automati­
cally . Drive to your authorized Audi dea ler o r
qualified repair facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
[O] Gearbox malfunction: Stop and shift to P
Do not continue dr iving . Select the P selector
lever position and see your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified repair facility for assis­
tance.

120 Automatic Transmission
Parking lock emergency release
The parking lock must be released using the
emergency release before towing the vehicle .
@
Fig. 126 Dr iver's side footwell: releasing t he park ing
lock us ing t he emergency release
Fig. 127 Drive r's s ide footwe ll: resetting th e pa rking
l ock
The emergency release is located under the
floor mat on the driver's side. You operate the
emergency re lease from the dr iver's seat.
Releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release
• To prevent the vehicle from rolling uninten­
tionally, set the park ing brake© ¢
page 85
or press the brake peda l.
.. There are two slits on the cover. Position
the screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit in
one of the s lits on the cover and pry the cov­
er off.
• Pull the band@ in the direction of the ar­
row until the release lever locks in place
¢ fig . 126.
• Fold the uppe r section of the release lever
down into the recess.
Resetting the parking lock
• Press the button @ and the release lever at
the same time . You can now push the lever back into its original pos
ition . Make sure the
lever locks in place
¢fig. 127.
.. Install the cover .
T he indicator light
[O] and the N position indi­
cator in the instrument cluster turn on when
the parking lock is released using the emer­
gency release . The message
Risk of rolling! P
not possible . Please set the park ing brake
a l­
so appears.
A WARNING
If you release the park ing lock using the
emergency release, secure your vehicle
with the pa rking brake or the brake pedal
i f the parking brake is not working. The ve­
hicle can roll away if it is not secured and
cause a crash.

Effect of w ate r and ro ad sa lt
In certain situa tions, for example after driving
through water, in heavy rain, after overnight
condensation or after washing your car, the
braking effect can be reduced by moisture or
ice on the brake rotors and brake pads. The
brakes must be dried first wit h a few careful
brake applications.
At higher speeds and with the windshield wip ­
ers turned on, the brake pads press against
the brake rotors for a short amount of time.
This occurs at regular intervals w ithout the
driver noticing and provides for better brake response time under wet condit ions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is dr iven o n a salt-covered
road and the brakes are not used . Likewise,
you clean
off accumulated sa lt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few caut ious ap­
p lications of the brake¢&. -
Due to their surface characteristics, ceram ic
brake roto rs* absorb mo isture in such condi­
tions. This can cause a temporary reduction in
b rak ing fo rce compared to d ry brakes. You can
compensate for this by pressing the brake pedal harder .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
the discs if the car is not dr iven regularly or
on ly for short t rips with little use of the
brakes.
I f t he b rakes are not used frequently, or if co r­
rosion has formed on the dis cs, it is advisable
to clean
off the pads and discs by brak ing
firm ly a few times from a moderately high
speed ¢.&. .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in
b rake peda l travel, then o ne of the two bra ke
circuits may have failed~ .&..
Int ellig ent technolog y 201
Low br ake fluid level
Malfunctions can occu r in the bra ke system if
the b rake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid
level is monitored electronica lly.
Brake lining wear status
B rake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spe ct ion of the condition of the brake pads
through the open ings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the whee l may be removed for this in­
spection
r=;, page 2 7 3, Changing a wheel.
_& WARNING
-You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an accident!
- Before descend ing a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear or lower dr iving range . Do not ride
the brakes or hold t he pedal down too
long o r too often. Th is could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by rest ing you r
foo t on the pedal when you do not intend
to b rake . This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating
conditions such as passing thro ugh wa­
ter, dr iv ing in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumu late on the brake pads, lin ings,
discs and drums . Carefully app ly brakes
for a test. Brakes w ill dry and ice coat­
ings w ill be cleaned
off after a few care­
fu l brake applicat ions.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt- cove red roads without using your
brakes can a lso affect braking efficiency .
Clean
off accum ulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
•
•

208 Driving and en vir onm ent
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
A WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re­
sto re the full braking effect.
@) Note
- Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or electr ical
system can be severely damaged by driv­ i ng th rough water.
- Always switc h off the Start-Stop-System
when driving through water~
page 87.
(1) Tips
-Check the depth of the water before dr iv­
i ng through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, dr ive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
through water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive th rough safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitat ions
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This sec­
t ion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook.
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTEC TION AGENCY
( E PA) and Transpo rt Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi ­
cle load and speed, road and weather con ­
ditions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they a re ac­
ce lerating. If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
t hu s, acce lerate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for examp le when you see
that the next traff ic light is red.

216 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 115.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
r:::;, page 215.
- Before washing the vehicle in an auto­
matic car wash, p lease make sure to re­
tract the exterior mirrors to prevent
them from being damaged. Power fold­ i ng exter ior mirrors must not be folded
i n or out by hand . Always use the electri­
ca l power control.
- Compare the track of your vehicle with the d istance between the guide rails of the facility - the
re is a risk of damage to
the whee ls and tires .
- Compare the height and width of your
vehicle with the height and width of the tunnel at the facility .
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi ­
cle by hand.
.,. Before yo u start washing, make su re you
have read and understood the WARNINGS
~ A in General information on page 215.
.,. First soak all dried dirt unti l 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 o r the sponge g love often,
flushing it clean each time.
.,. Use spec ial car shampoo only for very per­
sistent dirt .
.,. Rinse the car thoroughly with water.
.,. Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the ex-
ter ior 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
-- Wash your vehicle only when the ign ition
is switched off to reduce the risk of a
crash.
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­ sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts without protect ing your
hands and arms . You may cut you rself on
sha rp-edged metal pa rts.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other info rmation
c;, page 215. ~

226 Cleaning and protec tio n
-When cleaning your safety belts, inspect
them for damage.
If you discover dam­
age, see your Audi dealer .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 215.
Cooler
Applies to vehicles: with cooler
A layer of ice or frost in the cooler interferes
with its cooling performance.
Cl ean ing
The refr igerator sho uld be cleaned regularly.
.. Wash the cooler w ith lukewarm water and a
mild cleaning solut ion, if necessary .
.. The n wipe the cooler dry.
.. Dust and dirt will accumu late near the ven­
t il ation openings in the luggage compar t­
ment due to normal cooler usage. This
should be cleaned regularly.
Defrost ing
.. Swi tch the cooler off¢ page 75.
.. Remove any food or beve rages and al low
the cooler to defrost with the door open .
.. Wipe the inside of the cooler dry and clean
the cooler , if necessary .
Defrost the cooler if yo u will not be using it
for extended periods of time .
@ Note
-Do not try to speed up the defrost ing
process by applying heat.
- To reduce the risk of personal injury or
damage to the refrigera to r,
- do not use any abrasive cleaners, sol­
vents, wax, aggressive cleaning solu­
tions, so lutions with strong fragrances,
etc.,
- do not clean the coo ler with cleaning
tools such as stee l wool.
1l Use o nly th e co rrect cle anin g so lu ti on s. Never use gas­
o lin e or d ie se l fu el.
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
Always switch off the ign it ion before cle an­
i ng th e eng in e¢ .&. .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel i n front
of the windshield under the engine compart­
ment. This prevents the water drain holes
from becoming b locked, and it prevents de­
bris from entering the vehicle interior through
the heat ing and ventilat ion ducts .
Corrosi on protect ion
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory .
Good anti-corrosion treatment is very impor ­
tant, partic ularly in the winter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
shou ld be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage .
At the same time, the underside of t he veh icle
shou ld be washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease remov ing solutions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro­
s ion treatment is almost a lways removed as
well . It is therefo re esse ntia l to have a lo ng­
lasti ng corrosion pro te ct ion reapplied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment .
A WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before working in the engine compart­
ment, be sure to read the information
¢page 232.