2013 AUDI S8 coolant level

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 11
gauge turn on under normal d riving condi ­
tions . The LEDs higher up may turn on when
the eng ine is under heavy load or the exter ior
temperature is high . This is no need to worry
as long as the. warning light in the instru­
ment cluster does not illuminate . If the LEDs
in the upper area of the display and the ind ica­
tor light . in the instrument cluster d isplay
turn on, the coolant temperature is too high
¢page 16.
A WARNING
-Always observe the warning in
~ page 226, Engine compartment, be­
fore opening the hood and checking the
engine coolant level.
- Never open the engine hood if you see or
hear steam, or if you see engine coolant
dr ipping from the engine compartment.
You could burn yourself. Let the engine
cool off first so that you cannot hear or
see any steam or engine coolant .
(D Note
- Mounting additional lights or accessories
in front of the a ir inlets reduces the cool­
i ng effect of the rad iator . At h igh outside
temperatures or high eng ine load, the
engine co uld overheat.
- The front spo ile r has been designed to
properly distrib ute the cooling air when
the veh icle is moving. If the spoiler is
damaged, this cou ld red uce the cooling
effect and t he engine co uld then over­
heat . Ask your aut ho rized Audi dea le r for
ass istance.
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM
(revolutions per minutes).
If engine R PM drops be low 1,500, you should
downshift to the next lower gear. The red a rea
at the end of the sca le ind icates maxim um
perm iss ible engine RPM after the break-in pe­
riod. Before reaching this area, move these­
lector lever to position "D (Drive)" or ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
@ Note
The tachometer need le should only briefly
be in the red zone: yo u could damage your
engine! The beg inning of the red zone var ­
i es depending on the engine.
@ For the sake of the environment
Upsh ifting early saves fuel and reduces en ­
gine noise.
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge only works when the ignition is
o n.
If the fue l level drops below 4 gallons (15
l ite rs), the bottom LE D tu rns red and the indi­
cator light~ turns on
c::> page 21. The bot­
tom LED b link s red when the fue l level is very
l ow .
The possible range based on the current fuel
level is shown in tab@~
page 23, fig. 4.
(D Note
Never run the ta nk complet ely dry. An ir­
r egular supply of f uel can cause engine
misfiring and fuel cou ld enter the exha ust
system. The cata lytic converter could t hen
overheat and be damaged.
Warning/indicator lights
Description
T he ind icator lights in the ins trument clus ter
blink or turn on. They indica te f unct ions or
malfunctions
c;;> ,& .
Messages may appea r with some indicato r
li ghts. A warning signal will sound at the
same t ime. The indica tor lights and messages
in the center of the displays may be rep laced
by other disp lays. To show them again, select
the tab for ind icator lights and messages us­
ing the multifunction steering whee l
c;;> page 23. If there are several malfunc­
tions, you can display them one at a time us- ing the thumbwheel. ..,.

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.

240 Checking and filling
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro ­
tects the engine from freezing in the winter .
The cooling system is sealed and generally re­
quires little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the fac­
tory with a permanent coolant which does not need to be changed. The coolant consists of a
mixture of water and the manufacturer's gly ­
col-based coolant additive Gl3 ant ifreeze
with anticorros ion add itives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian models). This mix­
ture both assures the necessary frost protec­
tion and protects metal components in the
engine's cooling system from corrosion and
scaling. It also raises the boiling point of the
coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo l­
ant in the summer by adding plain water .
The
proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50% but not more than 60%
to main­
tain antifree ze protection and cooling efficien­
cy. If the coolant frost protection is too low,
the coolant could freeze and damage the veh i­
cle heating and engine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifree ze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- -31°F(-35°C)USA
- - 40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
c:> &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 232.
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli­
mate conditions. This is especially impor­
tant if you live in a region where the w in- ter
is extreme ly cold . If necessary, in­
crease the proportion of coolant additive
to 60%.
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system, remember:
- We recommend using only coolant ad­
ditive Gl2++ or Gl3 for your vehicle .
This coolant additive is available at au­
thorized Audi dealers. Other types of
antifreeze can significantly reduce cor­
rosion protection. The resulting corro­
sion can ca use a loss of coolant and se­
rious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of radiator leak seal ­
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant .
Add ing radiator repair fluid may adverse­
ly affect the function and performance of
your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance .
Fig. 200 Engin e compar tmen t: cover on t he coolant
expansio n ta nk
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS c:> &. in Working in the engine compart ­
ment on page 232 .
Park your vehicle on a level surface .
.,. Switch off the ignition.
.,. Read the engine coolant level from the
coo lant expansion tank
c:> fig. 200,
c:> page 234. With a cold engine, the coolant
level should be between the "min" and
"max" markings. When the engine is warm, ..,

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. .,..

298 Consum er Inf ormation
-Always make sure the transmission se­
lector lever (automatic transmiss ion) is
in "P" (Park position) and the park brake
is applied .
@) For the sake of the environment
-Changing the engine settings wi ll ad­
versely affect em iss ion levels. This is det­
rimental to the environment and increas­
es fuel consumption .
- Always observe env ironmental regula­
tions when dispos ing of old engine oil,
used brake fluid, dirty engine coolant,
spent batteries or worn out tires.
- Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
s ioners might be classified as Perchlo ­
rate Material -spec ial handling may ap­
ply, see www.dtsc.ca .gov/hazardous­
waste/perch lorate . When the veh icle or
parts of the restraint system including
airbag modules safety belts with p reten ­
sioners are scrapped, all applicable laws
and regulations must be observed. Your
authori zed Aud i dea ler is familiar with
these requirements and we recommend
that you have your dealer perform this
serv ice for you .
Additional accessories,
modifications and
parts replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
Always consult an authorized Audi dealer be­
fore purchasing accessories.
Your veh icle incorporates the latest safety de­
sig n featu res ensu ring a high standard of ac­
tive and passive safety .
This safety could be compromised by non-ap­ proved changes to the veh icle. For this reason ,
if pa rts have to be replaced , please observe
the following points when install ing addition­
a l accessories: Approved Audi accessories and genuine Audi
parts are available from authorized A udi deal­
ers.
T hese dea le rs a lso have the necessary facili­
ties, tools and trained specialists to install the parts and acc essories proper ly .
A WARNING
-Using the wrong spare parts or using non-
approved accessories can cause damage to
the veh icle and ser ious persona l injury.
- Use on ly accessories express ly approved
by Audi and gen uine Audi spare parts
- These parts and accessories have been
specia lly designed to be used on yo ur ve­
h icle .
- Never install accessor ies such as tele­
phone crad les or beverage ho lders on a ir­
bag covers or within the airbag deploy­
ment zones . Do ing so will increase the
risk of injury if a irbags are triggered in an
accident!
- Before you check anything in the engine
compa rtment, always read and heed a ll
WARNI NGS
9 page 226 .
(D Note
-If items other than genu ine Audi spare
parts, add-on equipment and accessory
items are used or if repair work is not
performed accord ing to specified meth­
ods, this c an resu lt in seve re damage to
your vehicle's eng ine and body (such as
corrosion) and adversely affect yo ur vehi ­
cle's warranty .
- T he i nnovat ive a luminium concept of
your Audi AB means that all servicing, re­
pairs or other work on the vehicle body
must be carr ied out exclusive ly by an
Audi workshop .
- If emergency repairs must be performed
elsewhere, have the veh icle examined by
an authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible .
- The manufacturer cannot be held liable
for damage wh ic h occurs due to failure
to comply with these stipu lations .

302 Index
Automatic transmission (tiptronic) .... . 115
Emergency mode . ..... ... .. .. .... . 11 9
Kick-down . .... ... .... ... .. .. .... . 118
Manual shifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Park ing lock emergency release ..... . 120
Selector leve r posit ions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Automatic wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Auto Safety Hotline ...... .. .. .. .. .. . 142
Average consumption ................. 24
Average speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Avoid damaging the vehicle . ... .. .. .. . 207
B
Ba ttery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
C harging ... ................ ... ... 246
Important warnings ...... .. .. .. .. . 244
L ocat ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
low . .. .. .. ............. .. .. .. .. . 203
Replacing the battery ..... .. .. .. .. . 247
State of charge . .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 203
Winter operation . ..... ... .. .. .... . 243
Wo rking on the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
B efore d riving .. ........... .... .... . 134
Blended gasoline ............ .. .... . 228
Blower (automatic climate cont rol) . . . . . . 80
Body cav ity sealing .......... .... .... 221
Booster seats ...................... 184
B rake fl uid
Changing the brake fl uid ... .. .. .. .. . 243
Checking the brake fluid level ..... .. . 242
What is the correct brake fluid leve l? .. 242
What should I do if the brake fluid warn-
ing light comes on? ................ 242
Brake system Anti-lock braking system ... .. .. .. ... . 1 9
Brake assist system .. ... .. .. .... .. . 198
Brake booste r .. .......... .. .. .... . 202
Brake fluid .............. .. .. .. .. . 242
Brake fluid spec ificat ions for refill and re­
placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Brake light defect ive ....... .... ..... 21
Brake pads . ........ ......... .... . 206
E lec tromechan ica l par king brake ...... 85
Fl uid reservoir ........... .. .. .. .. . 242
H ow does mo isture or road salt affect the
b rakes? .... ... .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 200 Warning/ind
icator lights ..... .... . .. . 14
Worn brake pads symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
braking guard Messages . .. .. .. ............. .. .. 100
Brak ing guard . .. .. .......... ...... .. 93
Settings ......... ............... . 100
Break-in period .... .. ... ..... ... .. .. 206
Brake pads .... .. ............. .... 206
Tires . .. .. .. .. .. ............. .. .. 206
Bu lbs . ... .. .... .. ... .. ..... .... . .. 283
C
Californ ia Pr oposition 65 Warn ing . .... 233
Battery spe cific .. ... .......... .. .. 24S
Capacities ........ .. .............. . 292
Engine o il ... .. .. .. ... ....... ... .. 23S
Car care .. .. .. .. .. ............. .. .. 215
Exterior ....... .. .. ........... .... 215
Interior ....... ................... 222
Car carrier Transporting your vehicle .... ... .. .. 288
Cargo a rea
refer to L uggage compartmen t ... .. . .
Catalytic converter
Center armrest 140
207
Cockpit ... .... .. .. ... .. ... ... .. .. . 60
Rear . .... .... .. ............. .... . 67
Cen tral lock ing ...................... 32
E mergency lock ing . .. .. ..... ... .. .. . 36
Certif ication .. .. .................. . 299
Changi ng a wheel .. .. .... .... ... .. .. 273
Changi ng engine oil ............. .... 239
Chassis (undercoat ing) .............. . 221
Checking Engine coolant level .. .. ..... .... . .. 240
Tire pressure . .. .. ............. .. .. 255
Child rest raints
Danger of using child restraints in the
front seat ..... .. .. ... ..... ... .. .. 154
Where can I get additional information
about child restraints and their use? .. 195
Child rest raint system anchors ........ 189
Child safety ... .. .. .. ... ....... ... .. 176
Convertible locking retractor ........ . 186
Gu idance fixtures for lower anchorages 191

starting .... ................ ... .... 83
Starting with jumper cables . ... .. .. . 284
Stopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Engine compartment ....... .. .. .. .. . 234
C losing the hood ......... .. .. .. .. . 233
Opening the hood .............. .. . 232
Safety instructions ................. 232
Working in the engine compartment .. 232
Engine coolant . ........... .. .. .. ... 240
Adding coolant ........... .. .. .. .. . 241
Checking the engine coolant level .. .. . 240
Expansion tank .............. ... ... 240
Malfunction symbol .......... ... .. .. 16
Radiator fan ............. .... .. .. . 242
Temperature gauge ....... .. .. .. .. .. 10
Engine oil ... ................ ... ... 235
Adding .... ................ ... ... 238
Additives ... ................ ... ... 238
Changing .. ............. .... .. ... 239
Checking oil level ......... .. .. .. .. . 238
Checking the engine oil level .. .. .. .. . 237
Consumption ............... .... .. 238
Indications and conditions requiring ex-
tra checking ............. .... .. ... 23 7
I ndicator light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
O il consumption .......... .. .. .. .. . 236
Oil grades .. ................ ... ... 235
Oil level symbol ................ .... 20
Pressure malfunction ......... ..... .. 17
Recommended oil check intervals .. .. . 237
Sensor defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Specification and viscosity .. .. .. .. .. . 235
Engine sound ................ ... ... 109
Engine speed limitation ....... .. .. .. .. 20
Engine start-stop mode
refer to Start-Stop-System . .. .. .. .. .. 89
Engine start system (indicator lights) . ... 17
Entry assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Environment Break-in period ........... .. .. .. ... 206
Catalytic converter . ....... .. .. .. .. . 207
Disposing of your vehicle battery .... . 247
Driving at high speeds ...... ... ... .. 209
Driving to minimize pollution and noise 208
Fuel ... .. .. .. ............. .. .. ... 230
Fuel economy ............ .... .. .. . 208
Leaks under your vehicle ............ 232
Letting the vehicle stand and warm up. 209
Index 305
Proper disposal of drained brake fluid . 243
Proper disposal of drained engine cool-
ant ....... ... .. .. ............... 241
Proper disposal of drained engine
oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238, 239
Recycling used engine oil ............ 238
Unleaded fuel .. .. .. . .. .... ........ 228
What should I do with an old battery? . 247
EPC
refer to E lectronic power control (EPC) . 20
ESC
refer to Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ............................ 198
ESC (Electronic Stab ilization Control)
Warning/ind icator lights ............ . 18
Event Data Recorder (EDR) ............ 198
Exhaust tail pipes .. .. .............. . 222
Expansion tank .. .. ................. 240
Exterior lighting . .. ................. . 45
Exterior mirrors Adjusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Dimming ... ... .... ................ 54
Heating ... .. .. .. .... ............. . 54
Exterior temperature display ........ .. . 23
F
Fastening
Booster seats .. .. .... ......... .... 184
Convertib le child safety seats .... .. .. 183
Infant seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Fo lding table .. .. .. .. ............... . 68
Foot pedals ... .. .... ... .......... .. 139
For the sake of the environment Gasoline fumes and the environment .. 230
Reducing engine noise by ear ly upshift-
ing ....... .. .. .. .. .. ........... .. . 10
Refueling . .. .. .. .. ............... 230
Saving fuel by early upshifting ....... . 10
Four zone automatic climate control ..... 79
Front airbags Description .. .. .. ................. 156
How they work . .. ................. 161
Frontal collisions and the laws of physics 145
Front passenger seat adjustment . . . . . . . 63
•
•