2014 AUDI A8 overheating

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 23
Drive s low ly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected .
,'I'M Dynamic steering: initializing
If thi s driver message appears and the indica­
tor light is flashing on the inst rument panel ,
dynamic steering is being reiniti alized . Once
you sta rt the engine after this is finished, the
steering whee l wi ll be easy to move . Re-initi­
alization might be necessary if the steering
wheel was moved hard to the left and r ight
while the veh icle was not moving. The displ ay
goes out as soon as initialization is complete .
A WARNING
-
Have the dynamic steering system mal ­
function repaired as soon as poss ible by an
authorized Audi dealer or any qualified
workshop - risk of accident!
@ Tips
-The dynamic steering stability systems
are not available in the event of a system
malfunction.
- For additional informat ion on dynamic
steering, refer to
¢page 110.
I-: Sport differential
Ill Sport differential: system fault
There is a malfunct ion with the sport differen ­
tial.
Drive to your authori zed Aud i dea ler immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected.
Ill Sport differential: overheating
The transmission temperature has incre ased
sign ificantly due to the sporty driving manner.
Dr ive in a less sporty manner until the tem­
pe rat ure returns to the normal range and the
indicator light switches of.
A WARNING
Contact your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualif ied workshop if the sport different ial
is faulty or malfunctioning . The repa ir
-
must be performed by trained personnel
using the correct oil in order to ensure
safety.
¢¢ Turn signals
The indicator light blinks when you use either
turn signal.
Whenever you use the left II or the r ight II
turn signal, the indicator light blinks. When
you use the emergency f lashers, both indica­
tor lights flash .
If one of the turn signa l light bulbs burn out,
the turn signal wi ll blink twice as fast as nor­
mal. Carefu lly drive to your authorized Audi
dealer immed iate ly to have the malfunction
corrected. The indicator light does not indi­
cate a malfunction if a turn signal on the tra il­
er or on the vehicle fails in trailer tow ing
mode .
(D Tips
For more information on the turn s ignals,
refer to¢
page 48.

68 Seats and storage
Full-length center
console
Overview
Appl ies to vehicles: with full-len gth ce nter console
Fig. 65 Rear: full -length center console
@ · 115 volt socket ¢ page 68
@ · cupholder <=> page 75
© · 12 volt socket c:> page 7 4
@ · Folding table ¢ page 69
® ·center armrest and storage com part ·
ments: to open the deep compartment, press
the r ight button and fo ld the center armrest
upward. To open the compartment fo r the
massage func tion remote con trol*
c:> page 64
and fo r the telephone* , press the left button
and fo ld the center armrest upward.
115-volt socket
App lies to vehicles: with 115 -vo lt socket
The 115-vo lt socket can only be used when
the engine is running¢
A. When you push
the connector all the way into the socket, the
child safety mechan ism releases and current
flows through the socket .
Equipm ent that can be conn ected
Electrical devices can be connected to the 115
volt socket in the veh icle. Power consumption
at the 115-volt socket must not exceed 150
watts (300 watts peak) . Check the power con·
sumpt ion of the equipment on the model
p late .
LED on th e socket
- The socket is ready for use when the L ED is
green.
- If the LED blin ks red, there is a ma lf u nction.
The socket wi ll swi tch off automa tica lly due
to overcu rrent or overheating. The socke t
will switch on again automatica lly after a
coo l-down period. Any devices that are con­
nected and switched on will activate again
automatically
c:> A .
A WARNING
-
- The sockets and the electr ical accessories
connec ted to them operate only when
the ignition is switched on. Incorrect us­
age can lead to ser ious injuries or burns.
To reduce the risk of injuries, neve r leave
chi ldren unattended in the veh icle with
the vehicle key .
- H eavy equipment or plugs with in tegrat­
ed power s upply units can damage the
socket and lead to injur ies .
- Sto re a ll connected e quipment securely
while the veh icle is moving so that they
cannot be thrown through the veh icle in
the event of a braking maneuver or an
accident.
- Never sp ill any liquids on the socket . If
any mo isture gets into the socket, make
certain that all the moisture has dried up before using the socket again.
- Equipment that is connected to the vehi·
cle socket can heat up more than it does
when connected to the public gr id .
- When us ing adapters and extens ion
cords, the child safety for the 115-volt
socket is d isabled and the socket is live.
- Never insert anything other than the
p lug of an appropriate e lectr ical accesso·
ry in to the socket, especially th ings that
conduct e lectr icity, e.g . meta l pens, kn it­
ting needles, etc. in to the cont acts of the
1 15-volt so cket.
- Turn the electrical equ ipment off if the
socket has switc hed off because of over·
heat ing.

200 Intellig ent technol ogy
ESC includes and/or works together with the
anti-lock braking system (ABS), brake assist
system, anti-slip regulat ion (ASR), electronic
d ifferential lock (EDL), dynamic steering* and
electronic interaxle differential lock*. ESC is
switched on all the time. In certain situations
when you need less tract ion, you ca n sw itch
off ASR by pressing the button above
~ page 201, fig. 188 the se lector lever. Be
sure to sw itch ASR on aga in when you no lon­
ger need less traction.
Anti -lock braking system (ABS )
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up
when braking. The vehicle can still be steered
even du ring ha rd b raking . Apply steady pres­
sure to the brake pedal. Do not pump the ped­
a l. A pulsing in the brake peda l indicates that
the system is he lping you to brake the vehicle.
Br ake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease brak ing
d istance. It increases braking power when the
d river p resses the brake pedal q uick ly in emer­
gency situations. You must press and hold the brake peda l until the situation is over. In
vehicles with adaptive cruise control*, the brake assist system is more sensitive if the
d istance detected to the vehicle ahead is too
small.
Anti- slip regulati on (ASR )
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the force to
the road condit ions. This makes it easier to
start, accelerate and drive up hills.
El ectronic diff erential lo ck (EDL )
The ED L brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the drive power to the other drive
wheel or whee ls if the vehicle is equipped with
all whee l drive*. This funct ion is available up
to about 7S mph (120 km/h).
In extreme cases, EDL a utomatica lly switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked whee l
from overheating. EDL will switch on again au­
tomatically when conditions have returned to normal.
Dynamic ste ering *
On vehicles with dynamic s teering, ES C helps
stabilize the steering in certain situations.
Electronic interaxle differential lock
function*
T he electronic interaxle differentia l lock f unc­
tion activates when driving thro ugh curves.
Braking is targeted toward the wheels on the
inside of the curve as needed . This he lps to
minimize front whee l skid, improves traction
and allows for more precise driving through
curves .
A WARNING
- ESC, ABS, ASR, EDL, dynamic steering*
and the electronic interaxle differential loc k function* cannot overcome the laws
of physics. This is espec ially impo rtant
on slippery o r we t roads.
If the systems
begin acting to stabilize your vehicle, you
should immediately change yo ur speed
to match the road and traffic conditions .
Do not let the increased safety provided
by these systems tempt you to take risks. Doing so will increase the risk of a loss of
veh icle control, collision and ser ious per­
sonal injur ies.
-Always adapt your speed to road, traffic and weather conditions. The risk of los­ing control of the vehicle increases when
d riving too fast, espec ially through
curves and on slippery or wet roads, and
when driving too close to vehicles up
ahead. ESC, ABS, the brake ass ist sys ­
tem, EDL, ASR, dynamic steering * and
the electron ic interaxle differential lock
function* cannot prevent collisions.
- Always accelerate with special care on
even, smooth s urfaces such as those that
are wet or covered with ice and snow.
The drive wheels can spin even w ith
these assistance systems that cannot al­
ways he lp to red uce the risk of loss of ve­
h icle control.
-

208 Driving and en vir onm ent
Catalytic converter
Appl ies to vehicles: with gasoline e ngin e
It is very important that your emission con­
trol system (catalytic converter) is function­
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run­
ning in an environmentally sound manner .
.. Always use lead-free gasoline i=> page 222,
Fuel supply .
.. Never run the tank down all the way to emp-
ty .
.. Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 23 7, Adding engine oil .. Never try to push- or tow-start your veh icle.
The catalytic converter is an eff ic ient "clean­
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle. The catalyti c converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be­
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclus ive use of unleaded fuel is cr itically
important for the l ife of the cata lytic convert­
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
T he temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driving and after stopping
the engine .
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once
they have become hot. This could result
in burns.
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material which can
cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust p ipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields . During driving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
@) Note
- Be aware that just one tank f illing with
leaded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the cata lytic
conve rter. -
Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
i=>page 237.
-Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
completely empty . The engine co uld mis­
fire . Unburned fuel could also get into
the exhaust system and this cou ld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not switch off the ignition while the
vehicle is mov ing.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalyt ic converter. Th is
cou ld result in overheating of the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­
sion Control System:
- Have you r vehicle maintained p roperly
and in accordance w ith the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty & Maintenance book let.
- Lack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehicle wi ll impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage.
@) For the sa ke of the en vironment
Even when the Emission Control System is
ope rat ing properly, the exhaust gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operat ing states. This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fuel may help,
or f illing the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline.
Diesel particulate filter
Applies to vehicles: with diese l eng ine
The diesel part icu late filter filters nearly all of
the soot pa rticles out of the exhaust . T he fil­
ter cleans itself automat ica lly unde r no rma l
dr iv ing cond itions . If the filte r cannot clean it­
self (for example, because you are on ly driving
short distances), the filter becomes clogged
with soot and the
II symbol for the diesel
particulate filter i lluminates
i=> page 21. ..,.

@ For the sake of the environment
-Before changing your oil, first make sure
you know where you can properly dispose
of the used o il.
- Always dispose of used engine oil proper­
l y. Do not dump it on garden soi l, wood­
ed areas, into open streams or down
sewage dra ins.
- Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a
used engine oil collection facility in your
area, or contact a service station .
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 sea led and generally re­
q uir es lit tle atten tion .
The cooling system has been filled at the fac ­
tory with a pe rmanent coo lant which does not
need to be c hanged. The coolant consists of a
mixture o f spec ial ly conditioned water and the
manuf acturer 's glyco l-based cool ant ad di-
tiv e G13 antifreeze with ant icorros ion addi ­
tives (50% for USA models ; 60% for Canadian
mod els) . This mixture both assures the neces­
sary frost protection and p rotect s metal com ­
ponents in the engine's coo ling system from
corrosion and scaling . It a lso raises the boil­
i ng point of the coolant .
Do not reduce the concentration o f the coo l­
ant in the summer by adding plain water.
The
proportion of coolant add it ive must be at
l e a st 50 % but not mor e than 60 %
to main­
tain antifreeze protection and coo ling efficien­
cy .
If the coolant frost protect io n is too low,
the coolant cou ld free ze and dam age the veh i­
cle heating and eng ine cooling system.
For yea r-round driving, antifreeze is added at
the fac to ry for tempera tures down to:
-- 31°F( -35°C)USA
- -40 °F ( -40 °C) Canada.
Checkin g and fillin g 239
If you must add coo lant, use a mixture of wa ­
ter and coolant additive . Mix ing the coo lant
additive with distilled water is recommended.
_& WARNING
Before you c heck anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed a ll
WARNINGS
c> .& in Working in the engine
comportment on page 231.
Q) Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coo lant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli­ mate condi tions. This is especi ally impor­
tan t if you live i n a region wher e th e win­
ter is ex treme ly co ld. If necessary, i n­
crease t he p ropo rtion of coo lant add itive
to 60% .
- Whe n ad ding coolant additive t o yo ur
c ooling sys tem, reme mbe r:
- We recommend using on ly coolant ad­
d itive G12++ or Gl3 for your vehicle .
This coolant additive is availab le at au­
thor ized Audi dealers . O ther types of
a ntifreeze can s ignifica ntly reduc e cor­
rosion prote ction. The result ing cor ro­
sion can cau se a loss o f coolan t and se­
rio us engine d amage .
- Do not add any ty pe of rad iator leak seal­
a nt to yo ur vehicle 's engine c oolant .
A dd ing radia tor repair fl uid may adverse ­
ly affect the f unction and pe rformance of
your cooling system and co uld resu lt in
damage not covered by your New Ve hicle
L imited Warranty.
-
•
•

24 0 Ch eck ing and filling
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance .
Fig . 204 Eng ine compartment: cover on the coolant
expa nsion tank
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
a lwa ys re ad and h eed a ll WA RN­
INGS o .A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 231 .
Park your vehicle on a level surface.
• Switch
off the ignition .
• Read the engine coolant leve l from the cool­
ant expansion tank
o fig. 204, o page 233.
With a cold engine, the coolant level should
be betwee n the "min" and "max" markings.
When the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the "max" marking .
The location of the coolant expans ion tank
can be seen in the engine compartment illus ­
tration
o page 233.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine
must be switched
off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with an e lectric coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System
o page 16 wi ll
illuminate unti l 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 l oss
Coolant loss may indicate a le ak in the cooling
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cool- ing system shou
ld be inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dea ler . It is not
enough mere ly to add coo lant .
In a
sea le d system, losses can occur on ly if
the boiling point of the coo lant is exceeded as
a res ult of overheating.
A WARNING
-The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Red uce the risk of scald­
i ng from hot coolant by fo llow ing these
steps.
- Turn
off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping flu id and steam by covering the
cap with a large, th ick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in
a counter-clockwise d irect ion while ap­
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap.
- To avo id being burned, do not sp ill anti­
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system
or hot engine parts. Under certa in cond i­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool­
ant can catch fire.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your veh icle's engine coolant . Add­
i ng radiator repa ir fluid may adverse ly af­
fect the funct io n 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 anyth ing in the eng ine com­
partment,
alw ay s re ad and h eed all WARN­
IN GS o .A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 231.
• Tu rnoff the engi ne.
• Let the eng ine cool down.