2013 AUDI A8 coolant top up

16 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
dealer or qualified workshop immediately to
have the ma lfunction corrected.
_ l Engine cooling system malfunction
A malfunction in the engin e cooling system
must be repaired as soon as possible .
• Swit ch off en gine and ch eck c oolan t leve l
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the coo lant temperature is too
h igh or the coo lant level is too low.
.. Pull off the road .
.. Stop the vehicle .
.. Turn off the engine.
.. Check coolant level
¢page 240.
.. Add coolant if necessary ¢ page 241.
.,. Contin ue driving only after the eng ine cool­
ant warning/indicator light goes o ut.
.. Contact your authorized Audi dea ler for as-
sistance if necessary .
I f the engine coolant level is correct, then the
radiator fan may be the cause of the malfunc­
t ion.
• Coo lan t te mpera ture t oo high! Pl ease let
e ngine run with veh icle st a ti on ary
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears in t railer mode*, let the engine
r u n at id le for a few m inutes to cool down.
& WARNING
- If your vehicle should break down for
mechanical or other reasons, park at a
safe distance from moving traffic, turn
off the engine and turn on the hazard
warning lights ¢
page 46, Emergency
flasher .
-
-Never open the hood if you see or hear
steam or coolant escap ing from the en­
gine compartme nt -you risk being scald­
ed . Wait until you can no longer see or
hear steam or coo lant escaping.
- The engine compartment of any veh icle
is a dangerous area . Before you perform
any wor k in the engine compartment,
t ur n of the eng ine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
¢
page 226,
Engine compartment .
@ Note
Do not continue driving if the. symbo l
i ll uminates . There is a malfunction in the
engine cooling system -you could damage
your engine.
% Safety belts
This warning/indicator light reminds you to
put on your safety belt.
T he . warning/ indicator light illum inates
when the ignition is switched on to remind
the driver and any front passenger to put on
the safety belt. Addit iona lly, an acoustic warn­
ing (gong) w ill also sound .
For more Information ¢
page 144, {t Safety
belt warning light .
0 Battery
This warning/indicator light detects a mal ­
function in the generator or in the vehicle 's
electrical system.
T he . warning/ indicato r light illuminates
when you switch on the ignition and must go
out after the engine has started.
• Alternator fault: Batt ery i s not b ein g
charged
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malf unct ion in the
generator or veh icle elect rical system.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer or quali­
fied workshop immed iate ly. Be cause the veh i­
cl e battery is discharg ing, tu rn off all unnec­
essary elec trical equipmen t such as the rad io .
Seek professiona l assistance if the battery
c h arge level is too low.
(•) Low battery char ge: battery will be
charg ed while d riving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there may be limited sta rting
ability.

84 On th e road
Stopping the engine
• Bring your vehicle to a complete stop.
• Move the selecto r lever to the P or N posi­
t ion .
• Pre ss the I START ENGINE STOP I button
¢ page 83, fig. 85.
When you s top and the Sta rt- Stop -Sys tem*
turns off the engine, the ignit ion remains on .
Press the
I STAR T ENGINE ST OP I button to
switch the ignition off during a stop phase.
Steering lock
The stee ring lo cks w hen you t urn the engine
off using the
I S TART ENGINE STOP I button
and open the dr iver's door . The locked steer­
ing helps prevent vehicle theft .
Emergency off
If necessary, the eng ine ca n be sw itched off
with the selector lever in the R, Dor S pos i­
tions . The eng ine stops if you press the
I START ENGINE STOP ! button at speeds be low
6 mph (10 km/h) .
A WARNING
-Never turn off the engine before the ve­
hicle has come to a complete stop. The
full function of the brake booster and the power steering is not quara nteed. You
must use more force to turn or b rake if
necessary. Because you cannot stee r and
brake as you usua lly would, th is could
lead to c rashes and serious injur ies.
- For safety reasons, you shou ld always
par k your vehicle with the se lector lever
in P. Otherwise, the ve hicle co uld i nad­
vertent ly roll away .
- After the engine has been switched off,
the radia tor fan can continue to run fo r
up to 10 min utes -even with the ign it ion
switched off. It can a lso switch on again
after some time if the coolant tempera­
ture rises as the result of a heat buildup
or if the engine is hot and the engine
compartment is addit ionally heated by
the su n's rays.
(D Note
Do not stop the eng ine immediately after
hard or extended driving . Keep the eng ine
runn ing for approximate ly two minutes to
prevent excess ive heat bu ild-up.
Driver message in the instrument
cluster display
Ignition i s on
This message appears and a warning tone
sounds if you open the driver's door when the
ignition is sw itched on.
Press brake pedal to start eng ine
This message appears if you press the
I START ENGINE STOPI button to start the en­
gine and do not depress the brake pedal. The
engine can only be started if the brake pedal
is depressed .
!!I Is key in the vehicle ?
If the indicator ligh t turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the remote control key was re­
moved from the vehicle whi le the engine was
runn ing . If the ignition key is not in the veh i­
cle you will not be able to switch on the igni­
tion or restart the engine after it has bee n
switched off . You will also not be able to lock
the ve hicle from the outs ide .
Shift to P , othe rwise v ehicle can roll away.
Doors do not lock if le ver is not in P .
This driver message appears for safety rea ­
sons if the transmission has not been shifted
to the P position when you switc h the ignition
off . Move the selector lever to the P position.
O therwise the vehicle is not p rotected from
r o ll ing a nd ca nnot be locked.
rJl Ke y i s not recognized . Hold back of ke y
aga inst marked area. See owner's manual.
If the indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunct ion
¢ page 85.
Tu rn off ignition before leaving c ar

drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind condit ions are unfavorable -part icularly
when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediatel y if the trail­
er shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing trailers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
A lways app ly brakes early. When driving
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en­
gine braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of
the brakes a lone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge c:> page 10
must be observed carefully. The coo lant tem­
perature can increase if you drive on long in ­
clines in a low gear at high engine speeds. Re­
duce your speed immed iate ly if the L EDs in
the top part of the display turn on.
F or more information about indicator lights,
refer to. ~
page 16.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident . Never let anyone r ide in your car
who is not properly wear ing the restra ints
provided by Aud i.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your veh icle hand les different ly when tow ing
-
a trailer because of the addit ional weight and
d ifferent weight distribution . Safety, perform­
ance and economy will greatly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your ng .
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
Trailer towing 213
have become completely familiar with the way
your vehicle-trai ler combination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a t railer generally requires
steering action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a tra iler.
Maintain a greater distance between your ve­
hicle and the one in front of you . You wi ll need
more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you w ill need a larger than normal
turning radius.
When passing, remembe r that you cannot ac­
ce lerate as fast as you norma lly would be­
cause of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your trailer before chang­
ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in
period of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may re ­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the extra load
c:> page 296.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it can­
not be avoided, do so only a~er doing the fol­
lowing:
When parking:
.,. App ly the foot brake.
.,. Have someone p lace chocks under both the
vehicle and the trailer wheels .
.,. With chocks in place, slowly release the
brakes until the wheel chocks absorb the
load.
.,. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.,. Apply the parking brake .
.,. Select the P selector lever posit ion .
When restarting after parking:
.,. Apply the foot brake.
•
•

(!) Windshield/headlight washer
t .
(~ ) con ainer ,..., .. .... ... ... . . 247
@ Jump start point( -) with hex
h ead screw ............... .. 246, 284
® Jump start point( +) under a cov-
er . ..... .. ... .. ..... ... .. . 246, 284
@ Engine oil filler cap(~) . . . . . 238
® Brake fl uid reservo ir ((0)) . . . . . 242
® Coolant expansion tank (-L) . . . 240
0 Power steering reservoir . . . . . . 202
@ Oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
The engine oil fille r nec k (item @) may be lo­
cated in a d ifferent a rea depend ing o n the ver ­
sion of the eng ine .
A WARNING
Before yo u check any thing in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
~ &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 232.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the
right kind of oil.
-
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated
powerp lant that was bu ilt to exacting specifi­
cations. This engine needs the r ight kind of
engine o il that meets specificat ions rega rding
qua lity and viscos ity so that it can run
smoothly and reliably . Choos ing the righ t oi l
and ch anging oil with in t he time and mileage
inte rva ls printed in your veh icle's Warranty
&
M aintenance book let matters a lot more to­
day than it d id years ago. A udi has developed
a special quality standard for engine oil that
will he lp assure that your veh icle's eng ine will
get the lubrication it needs for prope r opera­
tion .
M odern eng ine lubrication has taken a quan­
tum leap in the last few years. Many synthetic
oils ava ilable today provide better engine lu­
brication that can outlast traditional pet role -
Checkin g and fillin g 235
um -based oils, ma king them a smart cho ice
for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use sy nthetic o r pe trole um­
based eng ine oil, the oil tha t you use m ust
confo rm to Aud i's oi l quality standard
VW 502 00 to help keep your vehicle's engine runn ing smooth ly and he lp prevent the for­
mation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
"sludge," that over time can lead to expensive
repairs .
At the time of printing, engine oils ava ilab le in
the U.S. and Canada that meet the exact ing
specifications of Audi oi l standard VW 502 00
are synthet ic eng ine o ils . Th is does not mean,
howeve r, that every sy nthetic engi ne oil will
meet A udi o il standard VW 502 00 . So always
be s ure that yo u use an approved oil.
To he lp prevent the formation of harmfu l de­
pos its use on ly o il wi th the following specifi­
cat ions pr inted on th e oil conta iner:
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
Oil container labe ls may car ry the specifica­
tion sing ly or in combination with othe r desig ­
nations and oil quality standards.
Viscosity
E ngine o ils are graded a ccord ing to the ir vis­
cosi ty . T he p roper viscos ity grade oil fo r yo ur
engine depends on climactic o r seasona l con­
ditions where yo u drive. You can use oi l wit h a
viscosity grade of SAE 5W40 across all tem­
perature ranges for norma l driv ing cond itions.
However, if engine oil viscosity g rade SA E
5W40 is not available, you can also use viscos ­
ity grade SAE 5W -30 or SAE OW -40 as long as
it meets Audi oil q ua lity standard VW 502 00
specifications.
Because eng ine o il tha t meets the Audi oi l
standard may not be availab le everywhere
when you need it, we strong ly recommend
that you a lways carry wit h you an extra quart
( li ter) of oil that express ly conforms to the
VW 502 00 spec if icat ion, in case you have to
top off the o il while o n the road . .,..
•
•

the level may be slightly above the "max"
marking .
The location of the coolant expansion tank
can be seen in the engine compartment illus­
tration ¢
page 234.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine
must be switched
off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with an electric coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System
¢page 16will
illuminate until you add coolant and the level
has been restored to normal. Even though
there is an electric coolant level sensor , we
still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cool­
ing system should be inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer.
It is not
enough merely to add coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if
the boiling point of the coolant is exceeded as
a result of overheating.
& WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of scald­
ing from hot coolant by following these
steps.
- Turn
off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering the
cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in
a counter-clockwise direction while ap­
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill anti­ freeze or coolant on the exhaust system or hot engine parts . Under certain condi­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool ­
ant can catch fire .
Checking and filling 241
@ Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant. Add­
ing radiator repair fluid may adversely af­
fect the function and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage not covered by your New Vehicle limited
Warranty .
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine com ­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS ¢ & in Working in the engine compart ­
ment on page 232 .
.,. Turn off the engine .
.,. let the engine cool down.
.,. Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank ¢
page 240, fig . 200 and carefully
twist the cap counter-clockwise ¢&_ .
.,. Add coolant.
.,. Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to
exact specifications ¢
page 240, Coolant. We
recommend using only coolant additive G12+
+, G3 or in an emergency G12+. Do
not use a
different additive. In an emergency use plain
water until you can get the correct additive
and can restore the correct ratio. This should
be done as soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of
coolant , then you should add cold antifreeze
and cold water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Ex­
cess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of
II-
•
•

24 2 Ch ecking and filling
scalding from hot coolant by following
these steps .
- Turn off the eng ine and a llow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from escaping flu id and steam by cover ing
the cap with a large, thick rag .
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
i n a counter-clockwise direction while
apply ing l ight, downwa rd press ure on
the top of the cap .
- To avo id being burned, do not spi ll an­
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys­
tem or hot engine parts . Under certain
conditions, the ethylene glyco l in en­
gine coolant can catch f ire .
- Antifreeze is poisonous . Always store an­
tifreeze in its or iginal container and we ll
out of the reach of children.
- If you drain the coolant, it must be
caught and safely stored in a proper con­
tainer clear ly marked "poison".
@ Note
- Coolant po llutes the env ironment and
could cause an engine fire . Excess coo l­
ant will be forced out through the pres­
sure re lief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
- If, in an emergency, only water can be
added, the correct ratio between water
and antifreeze
c::> page 240 must be re­
stored as soon as possible .
@ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be re used. Al­
ways dispose of used coolant while observ­
ing all environmental regulat ions .
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by
itself
T he radiator fan is driven by the engine via the
V-be lt . The viscous clutch regulates the speed
of the fan accord ing to the temperature of the
coolant. An a
uxiliary electric radiator fan* switches on
and off depend ing on coolant temperature
and other vehicle operat ing condit ions .
After yo u sw itch the engine off, the aux iliary
f an can continue running for up to 10 minutes
- eve n wit h the ignit ion off. It can even switc h
on again later by itself
c::> &. , if
- t he tempe rature of the engine coo lant rises
due to the heat build -up from the engine in
the engine compartment, or
- the engine compa rtment heats up because
the vehicle is parked in i ntense sunlight.
_& WARNING
- To reduce the risk of personal injury nev­
er touch the radiator fan.
- The auxiliary electric fan is temperat ure
controlled and can sw itch on suddenly
even when the engine is not running.
- The a uxiliary radiator fan sw itches on au­
tomatically when the engine coo lant
reaches a certai n temperature and will
continue to run until the coolant temper­
ature drops .
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a
quick glance.
F ig . 201 E ngin e compart men t: cover on the brake fluid
r eservo ir
Before you check a nyth ing in the engine com­
partment,
always read and hee d all WARN ­
INGS c::> .&. in Working in the engine compart-
ment on page 232. .,..

250 Tire s and wheel s
-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 t ire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when driving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
(D Note
Please note that summer and wi nte r tires
are designed for the cond itions that are
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means t he comb ined we ight (in excess of
those sta ndard items which may be rep laced)
of au toma tic tra nsmission, power steer ing,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that th ese
items are availab le as factory -installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not) .
Aspect ratio
means t he 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 ti re that is made of
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire . typ
ica l in those seasons . Aud i recommends
using winter tires during the winter
months . Low temperatures signif icant ly
decrease the e lasticity of summer tires,
which affects tract ion and brak ing ability.
If summer tires are used in very co ld tem­
peratures, cracks ca n form on the tread
bars, res ulting in permanent tire damage
that can cause loud driving no ise and un­
balan ced t ires. Audi is not responsible for
th is type of damage .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire p ressu re recommended by t he
vehicle manufacturer fo r a tire of a des igna ted
s iz e that has not bee n driven for more than a
coup le of miles (k ilometers) at low speeds in
t h e three hour period before the tire pressure
is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
mea ns the we ight of a motor ve hicle with
standard equipment in cl uding the max imum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi ­
tioning and additional weight of optiona l
equipment.
Extra load tire
me ans a t ire design to operate at higher loads
and at h igher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standard tire . Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "x l" , "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF" on the sidewall.
Gross A xle Weight Rating ("GAWR ")
means the lo ad -c a rry ing c apac ity of a s ingle
axle system , measured a t the tire-ground in­
terfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR ")
mea ns the maximum total loaded we ight of
t h e ve hicl e. .,.

A
A/C (automatic climate control) . ... .. .. 7 9
ABS
refer to Anti-lock braking system .. .. . 198
Accessories .. ............. .... .. ... 298
Adapt ive a ir s uspension/sport .. .. .. .. . 109
Adapt ive cruise control ................ 93
C leaning sensors/camera ........... 218
M essages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Request for drive r in terven tion .. .. .. .. 98
S top-and-go traffic ................. 97
Adapt ive Lig ht (defect ive) ............. 21
Adding Eng ine coolant ........... .. .. .. ... 241
Eng ine oil .. ............. .... .. ... 238
W indshield washer fluid ... .. .. .. .. . 247
Addit ives
Engine oi l .. .. .... .... ... .. .. .. ... 238
Ad justab le steer ing colum n ............ 82
Adjusting Air distribution (automatic climate con-
trol) ..... ... ...... ........ ........ 80
Front seats ........................ 57
Inst rument illum ina tion ... .. .. .. .. .. SO
S teer ing colu mn .......... .. .. .. .. .. 8 2
Tempe rature (automat ic climate control) 80
A irbag system ................ . 152,17 1
Advanced Airbag System ....... ... .. 156
Adva nced A irbag System components . 159
Ca re . .. .. .. .. ............. .. .. ... 165
Ch ild ren . .. ............. .... .. .. . 17 7
C hild restraints . ... .... ... .. .. .. ... 178
Components (front airbags) . ... .. .. . 159
Danger of fitting a child seat on the front
passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Disposal . .. .. ........... .. .. .. ... 165
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156, 157
H ow do the front airbags wo rk? .. ... . 16 1
H ow many airbags does my vehicle
h ave? . .. .. ................. .. ... 159
H ow the Advan ced Airbag Sys tem com-
ponents wor k together . ... .. .. .. .. . 160
Important safety instructions on the
knee airbag system .... ... .. .. .. .. . 169
Important things to know .. .. .. .. .. . 152
Knee airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Mo nitoring ... ........... .. .. .. ... 163
Inde x 301
PASS ENG ER A IR BAG OF F light ... .. .. 163
Repairs ... .. .. .... . ... ...... ... .. 165
•
Safety instr uctions . .. .. ..... ... .. .. 165 •
Side a irbags . .. .. ................. 170
S ide curtain airbags ................ 173
Warning/ind icator lights ........... .. 18
Warning/Indicator lights ......... .. 163
Weight-sensing mat ............... 177
When must the sys tem be inspected? 163
A ircraft
Transporting your vehicle ........... 288
A lloy whee ls . ..... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 221
A ll Wheel Drive .. .. .... ........... .. 203
Winter tires . .. .. .. .. ........... .. 264
A lternator
refer to Generator .. .............. .. 16
Ambience lighting ... . ... .... ... .. .. . 49
Ant i-freeze
refer to E ng ine coola nt ......... .. .. 240
Anti- lock braking system ......... .... 198
Warning/ind icator lights ........ ..... 19
Anti-slip regulation . .. ... .... ... .. .. 198
Anti-theft systems El ec tronic immob ilizer .......... .. .. . 31
ASR
refer to A nti-slip regulation 198
Audi braking guard
refer to Braking guard . ......... .. .. . 93
Audi drive selec t
refer to Drive se lect .. .. ..... ... .. .. 109
Audi Se rv ice Repair Manuals and Litera-
tu re ......... .. .. .. .. ........... .. 296
AUTO Automat ic climate control . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Automat ic head lights ............. .. 45
A uto Lock . ... .. .... . ... ...... ... .. . 32
Automa tic be lt ret ractor ............. 14 7
Automat ic car wash ............. .... 216
A utomat ic climate control
Air vents . ... .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. . 80
A utomat ic recirc ulation . ..... ... .. .. . 81
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Setup ............................ 81
A utomat ic climate cont rol system
synchronizing .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. . 80