2015 AUDI A8 engine oil

206 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 220,
Fuel supply .
.. Never run the tank down all the way to emp-
ty .
.. Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 234, 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 al ready seriously de­
grade the perfo rmance of the cata lytic
conve rter. -
Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
i=>page 234.
-Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
completely empty . The engine co uld m is­
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 ope rate 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 .
Usi ng 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
te r 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
Cl symbol for the diese l
particulate filter i lluminates
i=> page 21. ..,.

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.... ..,., ....
A WARNING ,~
- Do not park your vehicle over flammable
materials such as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the diesel par­
t icu late filter cou ld start a fire .
- Do not apply an underbody protectant in the exhaust system area or a fire could start .
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like your veh icle to remain inop ­
erat ive for a longer period of time, contact an
Aud i or other specia lized dealer. They can ad­
vise you on necessary precautions e.g . corro­
sion prevention, ma intenance and storage.
Pay attention to additiona l information con­
cerning the battery. Refer to~
page 240.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you a re driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that low-lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get dam­
aged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low­
slung chassis (sports chassis)* and fully load ­
ed vehicles.
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 veh icle 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
-
Drivin g and environment 207
the brakes first by braking carefully to re­
store the full braking effect.
(D Note
- Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical
system can be severely damaged by driv­
ing through water.
- Always switch off the Start-Stop-System*
when driving through water
~ page 87.
(D Tips
-Check the depth of the water before driv­
ing through it .
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive 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 through safely .
- Avoid driving through salt water because
it can cause corrosion.
Operate your vehicle
economically and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
t he economy of your vehicle , as well as ex­
haus t and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
If you ant icipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This sec­
tion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook. •
•

208 Driving and en vir onm ent
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport 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, tr ip 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 are ac­
celerating . If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus , accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast
whenever poss ible -for example when you see
that the next traffic l ight is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
• Try and keep well below your car's max imum
speed .
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and en­
g ine noise increase d isproportionately at high
speeds. If you dr ive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fue l consumption will
be reduced by one half. Neve r dr ive faste r
than the posted speed limit and wea ther con­
d itions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
• Shut the engine off when you are not dr iv ing
the vehicle. •
Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at id le .
T he id ling phase is automatically red uced for
vehicles with the Start -Stop -System*. It is ef ­
ficient to switch off the engine in vehicles
without the Start -Stop-System when stopped
at rai lroad crossings and long red lights . Turn­
ing the engine off for just 30-40 seconds
saves more fuel than is burned by starting the engine aga in .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle. However, wear
and noxious emissions are espec ially high
when the eng ine is warm ing up . So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avo id running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
W Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter start ing . If wa rning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wo uld go unheeded. Ex tended idling also
produces heat, wh ich could result in ove r­
heating or other damage to the ve hicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
• Have your veh icle serviced at reg ular in ter -
vals .
By having your ve hicle regu la rly se rviced by an
Audi dealer he lps to ensu re that it runs p rop ­
erly and economically . The condition of your
vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to
ho ld its va lue, it also affects
fuel con sump­
tion .
Ch eck your oil e ach time you
fill y our tank.
The amount of o il used is re lated to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has bee n driven . ..,.

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-Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in the engine com­
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im­
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in­
jury while the engine is running or being
started, never touch :
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever to "P" (Park).
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact­ ing hot parts. Tie back hair before
starting, and do not wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical ha zards c:::> & .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition ,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm .
Checking and filling 229
-Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam­
age to vehicle systems will occur.
(® For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly . If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu­ ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au­
thorized Audi dealer.
Closing the engine hood
.,. Pull the hood down until the pressure from
the struts is reduced.
"'Let the hood
drop down and latch in place.
Do not try to push it shut; it may fail to en­
gage
c:::> ,A .
A WARNING
-
A hood that is not completely latched
could fly up and block your view while driv ­
ing .
- When you close the engine hood, check it
to make sure the safety catch has proper­ ly engaged. The hood should be flush
with the surrounding vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while driving that the hood
is not secured properly , stop at once and
close it. •
•

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(!) Windshield/headlight washer
t .
(~ ) con ainer ,..., .. .... ... .. .. . 244
@ Jump start point( -) with hex
h ead screw ............... .. 242, 281
® Jump start point( +) under a cov-
er . ..... .. ... .. ..... ... .. . 242, 281
@ Engine oil filler cap(~) . . . . . 234
® Brake fl uid reservo ir ((0)) . . . . . 239
® Coolant expansion tank (-L) . . . 237
0 O il dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
The engine oil filler neck (item @) may be lo­
cated in a different area depend ing on the ver­
sion of the eng ine .
A WARNING
Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARN INGS
Q .&. in Working in the engine
c ompartment on page 228.
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 b uilt to exacting specifi ­
cations . This engine needs the right kind of
engine o il that meets specificat ions regarding
q ua lity and viscos ity so that it can run
smoothly and reliably . Choos ing the right oil
and changing oil within the time and mileage
in terva ls pr inted in your veh icle's War ranty
&
M aintenance book let matters a lot more to­
day than i t did yea rs ago . Audi has developed
a special quality s tanda rd fo r engine oil th at
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 lubrica tion has taken a qu an­
tum leap in the last few years . Many synthetic
oils ava ilable today provide better engine lu­
brication that can outlast traditional petrole­
um-based o ils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your A udi.
Checkin g and fillin g 231
Whether you use synthetic o r petro le um­
based engine oil, the oil that you use m ust
conform to Aud i's oi l quality standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles w it h diesel eng ine) to
help keep your veh icle's engine ru nning
smoot hly and he lp prevent the format io n of
harmful deposits, sometimes ca lled "s ludge, "
t h at over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oils ava ilab le i n
t h e U.S . and Canada that meet the exac ting
specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
(ve hicl es w ith gasoline engine) o r VW 50 7 00
(ve hicl es w ith diese l engi ne) are synthet ic en ­
gine oi ls. Th is does not mean, howeve r, that
every synthetic engine oil will meet A udi oi l
standard VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline
engine) or VW 507 00 (vehicles with d iesel
engine). So always be sure that you use an ap­
proved o il.
To he lp prevent the formation of harmfu l de­
pos its use on ly oil with the following specifi­
cations pr inted on the o il conta iner:
- Audi oil standard VW 502 00 (gasoline en­
gine )
- Audi oil standard VW 507 00 (diesel en-
gine )
Oil containe r labels may car ry the spe cifica­
tion sing ly or in combination wi th other desig­
nations and oil quality s tanda rds .
Viscosity
Engine o ils are graded accord ing to their vis­
cosity . The proper viscos ity grade oil fo r your
engine depends o n climactic or seasona l con­
ditions where you d rive. You ca n use o il wit h a
vis cosity gr ade of SA E SW40 across all tem ­
pera ture ranges for norma l driv ing con ditions.
Howeve r, if engine oil v iscos ity grade SA E
SW40 is not available, you can a lso use v iscos­
i ty grade SA E SW -30 or SA E OW -40 as long as
i t meets Aud i oil q ua lity standard VW 502 00
(ve hicles w ith gasoline engine) o r VW 5 07 00
(ve hicles w ith diese l engine) specifications.
Be cause eng ine o il that mee ts the Audi o il
standard may no t be availab le everywhere
•
•

232 Check ing and filling
when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of o il that expressly conforms to the
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (veh icles with diesel engine) spec­
ification, in case you have to top off the oil
while o n the road .
Applies to veh icles w ith g asol ine eng ine on­
l y:
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick - and no oil
that expressly conforms to Aud i oil standard
VW 502 00 specif ications is avai lab le - may
you top off with a high quality eng ine oil, pref­
e rably synthetic -based, that meets ACEA A3
or AP I SM specifications, but even then, only
in viscosity grades SAE SW-40, SAE SW-30, or
SAE OW-40. However, during the entire time between oi l change interva ls, never top off
with more than a total of 0.5 qt/liter eng ine
oil that does not conform to Audi oil specifica­
tion VW 502 00 .
Applies to veh icles with diesel engine onl y:
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick - and no oil
that expressly conforms to Aud i oil standard
VW 507 00 specifications is available - may
you top off with a high quality eng ine oil, that
meets AC EA C3 or A PI CF specifications, but
even then, only in v iscosity grades SAE
SW-40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40 . However,
during the entire time between oil change in­
tervals, never top off with more than a tota l
of 0.5 qt/ liter engine oil that does not con­
form to Audi oil specif ication VW 507 00.
F or more information about engine oil that
has been approved for yo ur vehicle, please
contact either your authorized Audi dea ler or
Aud i Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834
or visit our web site at www.audiusa.com or
www.audicanada.ca . Here you will a lso find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, b rand
names etc.) that conform to Audi o il standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles wi th gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (veh icles w ith diese l engine) .
Changing th e engine oil
The eng ine oi l and oil fi lter m ust be changed
according to the mileage (kilometers) and
t ime intervals specified in your veh icle's War ­
ranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed
these interva ls - harmful deposits from old
engine oil ca n reduce engine performance and
can lead to expensive e ngine repa irs.
Changi ng the oil at the recommended inter­
vals is so very important because the lubricat­
ing propert ies of oil decrease gradually during
normal veh icle use . If you are not sure when
you have your oil changed, ask your author­ ized Audi Serv ice Adv isor.
Under some circumstances the engine oil
should even be changed more frequent ly .
Change oil more often if you drive most ly
sho rt distances, operate the ve hicl e in dusty
areas o r most ly unde r stop-and-go traff ic con­
ditions, or when you use your vehi cle where
temperatures stay be low freezing point for
long pe riods .
Detergent addi tives in the oil will make fresh
o il look dark after the engine has been run­
ning for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often t han
recommended.
Damage or malfunction s du e to l ack of
maintenance
It is essentia l th at you c hange yo ur oil at the
recommended intervals using on ly eng ine oil
t h at complies with Audi oil standa rd
VW 502 00 (veh icles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles wit h diese l engine). Your
Limited New Veh icle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to fail ure to fo l­
low recommended maintenance and use re­
quirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Mai ntenance booklet.
Your dealer w ill have to deny wa rranty cover­
age unless you present to the dealer proof in
t h e form o f Service or Repair Orders that all
scheduled maintenance was performed in a
timely manner.

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Engine oil consumption
The e ngine in your vehicle dep ends on an ade ­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all
of its m oving parts .
In order to provide effective l ubrication and
cooling of internal engine components, all in­
ternal combustion eng ines consume a certain
amo unt of o il. O il cons umption varies from
engine to eng ine and may c hange significant ly
over the li fe o f the eng ine . T yp ica lly, eng ines
with a specified break -in per io d (see
¢
page 205) cons ume more oi l during the
b reak-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Unde r norma l conditions, the ra te of oil con ­
sumption depends on the quality and viscosity
of the oi l, the RPM (revo lutions per minute) at
which the eng ine is operated, the ambient
temperature and road condit ions. Further fac­
tors are t he amount of oil d ilution from wate r
condensation or fuel residue and the ox ida ­
t ion level of the o il. As any engine is subject to
wear as mileage bu ilds up, the o il consump­
tion may in crease over t ime un til re p la cement
of worn componen ts may become necessa ry.
W ith all these var iabl es com ing in to play, no
standa rd rate of o il cons umption can be es­
t a blishe d or specifie d. T he re is no a lterna tive
t o regular and freq uen t ch ecking of the oi l lev­
e l, see
Note .
If the ye llow eng ine o il level war ning symbol
in t he ins trumen t clus te r
II light s up, yo u
should che ck t he o il level as soon as possible
¢
page 233 or ¢ page 23 4. Top off t he oil at
your ea rliest convenience ¢
page 234.
A WARNING
Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WAR NINGS
¢ .&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 228.
Dr iving with an insufficient oi l level is like­
ly to ca use seve re damage to the eng ine.
-
Checkin g and fillin g
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warning display. is
not an indicator of the oil level. Do not
rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in
your engine at regular intervals, pref­
erably each time you refuel, and always
before going on a long trip .
-If you have the impressi on yo ur engi ne
cons umes excess ive amounts of oil, we
recommend that you consult your Aud i
dea le r to have the cause of your concer n
properly diagno sed . K eep in mi nd th at
t he a ccu rate meas urement o f oil con ­
sumption requi res g reat care and may
take some t ime . Your Audi dea le r h as i n­
struct io ns about how to measure oil con­
sumption acc urate ly.
Checking the engine oil level
App lies to vehicles : wit h oil level indicator
Fig. 201 D isp lay: o il leve l indicator
.,. Par k yo ur vehicle o n a level su rface.
.,. Shu t the eng ine off when it is warm.
.,. Switch on ly the ignition back on.
.,. Wa it app roximately two minutes .
.,. Select:
!CAR ! functio n button > Car systems
cont ro l button > Servicing & checks > Oil
level.
.,. Check t he oil level i n the display ¢ fig. 201.
Add eng ine o il if the bar of the oil leve l ind i­
cato r is nea r "m in"¢
page 234 .
Depending o n the way the vehicle is dr iven
and the ope rat ing cond it ions, o il cons umption
can be up to 1/2 quart per 600 miles (0 .5 liter
per 1,000 km). Consumption may b e hig he r
within the first 3, 000 miles (5 ,0 00 km). ..,,.
233
•
•

234 Checking and filling
@ Tips
The oi l level i ndicator in the MMI Display is
only an in format ion d isp lay .
If the oil leve l
is low, a minim um o il warning appears in
the instrument cluster. Add oi l
c::> page 234. If the hood has bee n ope ned,
the c urrent oil level is shown in the instru­
men t cluster t he nex t time the ig nition is
s w itche d on .
Checking the engine oil level
Appl ies to vehicles: with oil dipstick
Fig . 202 Oi l di pstick: ma rk ing field s
Before you check any thing in the engine com­
pa rtment,
always read an heed all WARN­
INGS c::> page 2 28 .
Determining the oil level
.. Park your vehicle on a level surface .
.. Let the engine run in idle briefly while it is at
operating tempe ratu re and then shut the
engi ne off.
.. Wait approxima tely two min utes .
.. Remove the oil d ipst ic k. W ipe off t he oil dip­
st ick with a cle an clot h an d inse rt it all the
w ay in ag ain .
.. Remove the d ipstick again and then rea d the
o il level
c::> fig. 202 . Add engine oi l if neces­
sary
c::> page 234.
Oil level in the G) area
.. Do no t add any oi l.
Oil level in the @area
.. You may add oil. After adding oi l, the leve l
sho uld be in the @ area .
Oil level in the @ area
.. Yo u mu st ad d oil. A fter a dding oi l, the level
should be in the
0 area .
D epend ing on the way the vehi cle is dr iven
and the ope ra tin g con dit ions, oi l consu mption
ca n be up to 1/2 qu art pe r 600 miles (0.5 liter
per 1,00 0 km). Cons umption may be h ig he r
within the first 3,000 miles (5,000 km) . Be ­
ca use of this, the engine oil leve l must be
c h ecked regu la rly. It wo uld be best to check
each time you refue l your veh icle and before
lo ng d rives.
Adding engine oil "l::r.
Fig. 2 03 Engin e compartm en t: cove r on th e e ng in e o il
f ill e r neck
Befo re you c heck a nyth ing in the engin e com­
partment ,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS c::> .&. in Wo rking in the engine compart ­
men t on page 22 8.
"' Shut the eng ine off .
"' Un screw the cap
't=;,1 to the eng ine oil filling
hole
c::> fig. 203, c::> page 230 .
.. Ca refully top off with 0 .5 qu arts ( 0.5 liters)
of t he appropriate oil
c::> page 231 .
"' Check t he oi l level aga in after two m in utes
c::> page 233, Checking the engine oil level or
c::> page 234, Checking the engine oil level.
.. Top off the o il aga in, if necessary.
"' Sc rew the cap back on the filling hole .
_&, WARNING
--W hile topping off, th e oil m ust n ot com e
i n c onta ct w ith hot e ngine parts - fi re
haza rd! ..,.