2016 AUDI A8 brakes

Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard
.. You must also press the brake pedal when the
vehicle is stopped .
Switching adaptive cruise control off
.. Push the lever away from you into position @
until it clicks into place. The message
ACC off
appea rs.
@ Indicator lights
II-Adapt ive cru ise control is switched on . No
vehicles are detected up ahead. The stored speed
is ma inta ined .
• -A moving vehicle is detected up ahead . The
adapt ive cruise control system regulates the
speed and distance to the moving vehicle ahead
and accelerates/brakes automatically.
(-) -Adaptive cru ise control is switched on . A
mov ing vehicle up ahead was detected . Your veh i­
cle remains stopped .
• -When automatic braking is not able to keep
enough d istance to a previously detected moving
veh icle up ahead, you must take control and
brake
c::> page 95, Prompt for driver interven­
tion.
© Display
If adaptive cruise control is not shown in the dis­
play, you can call it up with the multifunction
steer ing wheel buttons c::>
page 23.
Based on the symbols in the display, you can de­
termine if the system is ma inta ining a distance to
the vehicle ahead and what that distance is.
No vehicle -No vehicle ahead was detected.
White vehicle -A vehicle ahead was detected.
Red vehicle -Prompt for the driver to take action
c::>page 95.
Both arrows on the scale © indicate the distance
to the vehicle ahead. No arrow appears when the
vehicle is on an open road and there is no object
ahead . If an object is detected ahead, the arrow
moves on the scale .
The green zone on the scale shows the stored dis­
tance . For information on chang ing the stored
distance, refer to
c::> page 94. If the distance se-lected is too
close or may soon become too close,
the arrows move into the red zone on the scale .
A WARNING
Improper use of the adaptive cruise control
can cause collisions, other accidents and seri­
ous personal injuries.
- Pressing the
ISETI button when driving at
speeds below 20 mph (30 km/h), will auto­ matically accelerate the ve hicle to 20 mph
(30 km/h), which is the minimum speed
that can be set.
(D Tips
-If you switch the ignit ion or the adaptive
cruise control off, the set speed is erased
from the system memory .
- You cannot switch the Electronic Stabiliza­
tion Control (ESC) to the SPORT mode when
adaptive cruise control is switched on .
Changing the speed
Applies to: vehicles with Aud i adapt ive cru ise control
0
f
•
0
Fig. 102 Selector lever: chan gin g t he speed
.. To increase or reduce the speed in increments,
tap the lever up or down .
.,. To increase or reduce the speed quickly,
hold
the lever up or down until the red LED@reach­
es the desired speed c::>
page 92, fig. 101.
Following any changes, the new stored speed will
be displayed br iefly in the display @c::>
page 92,
fig. 101 .
93

Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Driving in stop -and-go traffic
Applies to: ve hicles w ith Audi adaptive cruise co ntro l
The adaptive cruise control system also assists
you in stop-and-go traffic.
If a previous detected
vehicle ahead stops, your vehicle will brake to a
stop, within the limits of the system.
• To resume driving with adaptive cruise control,
tap the accelerator pedal or
• Pull the lever toward you into position @
<=>page 94, fig. 103.
(Di Tips
-If adaptive cruise control is active and your
vehicle does not start driving as expected
after pulling the lever once, you can start
out again by tapping the accelerator pedal.
- If an obstacle is detected when your vehicle
starts driving, the system will prompt you
to take over<=>
page 95. Your vehicle will
drive more slowly when starting. This may
also happen in some situations when no ob­
stacle is apparent.
Interrupting cruise control
App lies to: ve hicles w ith Audi adaptive cruise co ntro l
Fig. 103 Selector lever
Requirement: adaptive cruise control must be
switched on.
Overriding cruise control
• To accelerate manually, pull the lever toward
you into position@and hold it there . The mes­
sage
ACC override appears . Or
• press the accelerator pedal.
• To resume cruise control, release the lever or
take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
94
Canceling cruise control while driving
• Move the lever into position @. The message
ACC standby appears. Or
• press the brake pedal.
• To resume the stored speed, move the lever in­
to position @.
Canceling cruise control when stopped
• Push the lever away from you into position@.
The message
ACC standby appears.
• To resume cruise control, press the brake pedal
and pull the lever toward you into position @.
A WARNING
Never resume the stored speed if the speed is
too high for prevailing road, traffic or weather
conditions.
Setting the distance
App lies to: vehicles with A ud i adapt ive cru ise contro l
Fig. 104 Selector lever: setting the dista nce
• Tap the switch to display the current set dis­
tance
<=> fig. 104.
:;: N 0
±
ci!i
• To increase or reduce the distance by incre­
ments, tap the switch again to the left or right.
The distance between the two vehicles will
change in the instrument cluster display .
When approaching a moving vehicle up ahead,
the adaptive cruise control system automatically brakes to match that object's speed and then
maintains the stored distance.
If the vehicle
ahead accelerates, adaptive cruise control will al­
so accelerate up to the stored speed.
The higher the speed, the greater the distance in
yards (meters)
<=> A . The Distance 3 setting is
recommended.

Audi adaptive cruise control and braking guard
Audi braking guard
Description
Applies to: vehicles w ith Aud i adapt ive c ru ise co ntro l
Fig. 106 Instrument cluster : approac h warning
Braking guard uses radar sensors and a video
camera. It also functions within the limits of the
system when adaptive cruise control is switched
off .
What can braking guard do?
When detected in time, the system can assess
situations when a vehicle ahead brakes suddenly
or if your own vehicle is traveling at a high speed
and approaching a vehicle up ahead that is mov­
ing more slowly. Braking guard does not react if
it cannot detect the situat ion.
The system advises you of various situations:
- The
distance warning is given if you are too
close to the vehicle ahead for a long time. If the
vehicle ahead brakes sharply, you will not be
able to avo id a coll is ion. The indicator light.
in the display comes on.
- The
approach warning is given when a detected
vehicle up ahead in your lane is moving much
more slowly than you are or if it brakes sharply.
When this warning is g iven, it may only be pos­
sible to avo id a collision by swerving or braking
sharp ly. Th e indicator light. and indicator in
the display will warn you about the danger
qfig. 106. You will also hear an acoustic signal.
If you do not react fast enough or do not react at
all to t he situation, braking guard will intervene
by braking and the message
braking guard inter­
vention
will appear.
l) Thi s is not available in some countries.
96
-If a collision is imminent, the system will first
provide an
acute warning by briefly and sharply
app ly ing the brakes.
- If you do not react to the acute warning, brak­
ing guard can brake with increasing force with­
in the limits of the system. This reduces the ve­
hicle speed in the event of a collision.
- The system can initiate maximum braking
shortly before a co llision
1
) . Full deceleration at
high speeds occurs only in vehicles with adap­
tive cruise control and side assist (pre sense
plus) .
- If the braking guard senses that you are not
braking hard enough when a collision is immi­
nent, it can increase the braking force .
- The pre sense functions also engage when a
collision is imminent
qpage 187.
Which functions can be controlled?
You can switch braking guard and the distance/
approach warning on or off in the MMI
¢ page 9 7, Settings in the MMI.
A WARNING
Lack of attention can cause collisions, other
accidents and serious personal injuries. The
braking guard is an assist system and cannot
prevent a collision by itself . The driver must
always intervene. The driver is always respon­
sible for braking at the correct time.
- Always pay close attention to traffic, even
when the braking guard is switched on. Be
ready to intervene and be ready to take
comp lete control whenever necessary. Al­
ways keep the safe and legal distance be­
tween your vehicle and veh icles up ahead.
- Braking guard works within limits and will
not respond outside the system limits, for
example when approaching a stopped vehi­
cle or stationary obstacle (end of a traffic
jam or vehicle that has broken down in traf­
fic).
- Always remember that the radar sensor for
-
the brak ing guard works only within def ined ..,.

to move immediately, even if the parking brake is set. Th is could result in a crash.
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake
peda l too often or too long when driving
down a hill. Constant braking causes the
brakes to overheat and substantially re­
duces braking performance, increases brak­
ing distance or causes complete failure of
the brake system.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control system assists the driver
when driving down declines.
Hill descent control is activated when the selec­
tor lever is in D/S and you press the brake pedal.
The transm iss ion automatically selects a gear
that is suitable for the incl ine. Hill descent con­
trol tries to mainta in the speed achieved at the
time of brak ing, within physical and technical
limitations. It may st ill be necessary to ad just the
speed with the brakes .
H ill descent contro l switches off once the decline
l eve ls out or yo u press the accelerator pedal.
H ill desce nt control is also act ivated when the
speed is set by starting the cruise control system
¢ page 88.
& WARNING
Hill descent contro l cannot overcome physical
limitations, so it may not be able to mai ntain
a constant speed under a ll conditions . Always
be ready to apply the brakes.
Aut oma tic tr ansm iss ion
Shifting manually
The shift paddles allow the driver to shift the
gears manually .
Fig. 126 Steering whee l: sh ift in g man ually
.. To shift to a higher or lowe r gear temporar ily,
tap the
G) or O shift paddle ¢ fig . 126.
g
:i:
"' CD
.. To switch manual mode on, press the~ but­
ton. An M and the gear that is currently engag­
ed appear in the instrument cluster display @
¢page 112, fig . 123 .
.., To shift up one gear, tap the right shift paddle
G) ¢fig .126.
.., To shift down one gear, tap t he left shift pad­
d le
Q .
.., To switch manua l mode off, press the~ but-
ton again, or
.. Move the selector lever back and re lease it.
T he transmission automatically sh if t s up or down
before critica l engine speed is reached .
T he transmission on ly allows manual shifting
when the eng ine speed is w ith in the pe rm itted
range.
The eng ine braking effect increases when you
downsh ift when go ing downh ill.
Kick -down
Kick-down enables maximum acceleration .
When you press the accelerator pedal down be­
yond the resistance point, t he automatic trans­
mission downsh ifts into a lower gear, depe nding
on vehicle speed and e ngine RPM .
It shifts up in­
to the next higher gear once the maxim um speci-
fied eng ine RPM is rea ched . ...,
115

Smart Technology
shared, please see your contract with the
wireless te lecommunications provider and the
"About Audi connect" tab in your vehicle's
MMI:
! MENUI button> Audi connect> About
Audi connect.
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of skid­
ding and loss of vehicle control. It works only
when the engine is running. ESC detects certain
difficult dr iving situations, including when the
veh icle is beginn ing to spin (yaw) out of contro l
and helps you to get the vehicle back under con­
trol by se lectively braking the wheels, and/or re­
ducing engine power and providing steering as­
sistance to help hold the vehicle on the driver's
intended course. The indicator light
GI in the in­
strument cluster blinks when ESC is taking action
to help you control the vehicle.
ESC has limitations. It is important to remember
that ESC cannot overcome the laws of physics. It
will not always be able to help out under all con­
ditions you may come up against . For example,
ESC may not always be able to help you master
situations where there is a sudden change in the
coefficient of friction of the road surface. When
there is a section of dry road that is suddenly cov­
ered with water, slush o r snow , ESC cannot per­
form the same way it wou ld on the dry surface. If
the vehicle hydrop lanes (rides on a cushion of wa­
ter instead of the road surface), ESC wi ll not be
able to he lp you steer the vehicle because contact
with the pavement has been interrupted and the
vehicle cannot be braked or steered. During fast cornering, part icularly on w inding roads, ESC
cannot always deal as effective ly w ith difficult
driving situat ions than at lower speeds . When
towing a trailer, ESC is not able to help you re­
ga in control as it would if you were not towing a
trai ler.
Always adjust your speed and driving sty le to
road, traffic and weather conditions. ESC cannot
override the vehicle's physical limits, increase the
190
available traction, or keep a vehicle on the road if
road departure is a result of driver inattention.
Instead, ESC improves the possib ility of keeping
the vehicle under control and on the road during extreme maneuvers by using the driver's steering
inputs to help keep the vehicle going in the in­
tended direction . If you are traveling at a speed
that causes you to run off the road before ESC
can provide any assistance, you may not exper i­
ence the benefits of ESC.
ESC is switched on all the time. In certa in s itua­
tions when you need less traction, you can sw itch
off ASR by press ing the button above
~ page 192, fig. 186 the selector lever. Be sure
to switch ASR on again when you no longer need
l ess traction.
The following systems are integrated in the ESC:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up when
braking. The vehicle can still be steered even dur ­
i ng hard braking . Apply steady pressure to the
brake pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A pulsing in
the brake pedal indicates that the system is help ­
i ng you to brake the vehicle.
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease braking dis­
tance. It increases braking power when the dr iver
presses the brake pedal quickly in emergency sit­
uations. You must press and hold the brake pedal
u nt il the situation is over. In vehicles with adap ­
tive cruise control*, the brake assist system is
more sensitive if the d ista nee detected to the ve­
hicle ahead is too sma ll.
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engine powe r when the dr ive wheels
begin to spin and adapts the force to the road
cond itions. This makes it easier to start, acceler­
ate and drive up hills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the drive power to the other wheels.
This function is not available at higher speeds .

Smart Technology
Switching on and off
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine.
Fig. 186 Center console w it h ESC O FF but ton
ESC level s
Sport mode on
The following situations are exceptions where it
may be useful to switch on sport mode to allow
the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Dr iving with snow chains
Sport mode off
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabilization functions The full stabilization function of the ESC
are limited ¢
A:,.. and ASR is ava ilable again .
Operation Press the 00 button. Press
the[!] button again.
Indicator II turns on. II turns off .
lights
Driver mes- Stabilization control (ESC): Sport Warn- Stabilization control (ESC): On
sages ing! Reduced stability
A WARNING
You should only switch sport mode on if your
dr iv ing abilities and road condit ions perm it .
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is sw itched on. The driving
wheels cou ld spin and the vehicle could
swerve, espec ially on s lick o r sli ppery road
s urfac es.
Sport mode cannot be sw itched on if t he
cruise cont rol system* or the adaptive cru ise
cont rol* is switched on.
Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the first 250 miles (400 km), new brake
pads do not possess the ir full braking effect, they
have to be "broken in" first ¢
.1:,.. The break-in pe­
riod can be considerably longe r fo r vehicles with
192
ceramic brake rotors*. You can compensate for
this slightly reduced braking power by push ing
harder on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy braking
lo ads during the break-in period.
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still sub ­
j ect to wear, depending large ly on operating con­
ditions and driving habits¢,& . On vehicles that
are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traf­
fic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by your authorized Audi dealer more of ­
ten than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte­
nance booklet .
Failure to have your brake pads
inspected can result in reduced brake perform­
ance.
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing ef­
fect of the engine. T his way, you prevent unnec­
essary wea r on the brake system. If you mus t use
your brakes, do not hold the brakes down contin-
u ously. Pump th e brakes at intervals. ..,.

Operating noi se
Noises may occur when braki ng depend ing on the
speed, braking force and outside cond itions s uch
as temperature and humidity.
Due to the na ture of t he mate ria ls used in ce ram­
ic bra ke rotors*, noises m ay become mo re appa­
ren t at low speeds.
Effect of wat er and road salt
In ce rtain situat ions, for example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, afte r ove rnig ht con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effe ct can be red uced by moisture or ice on the
b rake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
dried first w ith a few careful brake applications .
At highe r speeds and with t he windsh ie ld wipers
turned o n, the bra ke pads p ress against the bra ke
rotors for a short amount of time . This occ urs at
regular intervals without the driver noticing and
provides for better bra ke response time under
wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is dr iven on a salt-covered road
and the brakes are not used. L ikewise, you clean
off accumu lated salt coat ing from brake discs
and pads with a few cautious applications of the
brake
c::> ,& .
Due to their sur face characteristics, ceramic
brake rotors* absorb mo isture in such condit ions.
This can cause a temporary reduction in braking
force compared to dry brakes. You can compen­
sate for this by pressing the brake peda l harder.
Cor rosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to b uild up on
the brake pads and corros ion to form on the discs
if the car is not driven regularly or only for short
tr ips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corro­
sion has formed on the discs, it is adv isable to
clean off the pads and discs by brak ing firmly a
few t imes from a moderately high speed
c::> ,& .
Sma rt Technology
Faults in the brake system
If you s hou ld notice a sudden increase in br ake
peda l travel, then one of the two bra ke circu its
may have fai led
c::> ,& .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions ca n occu r in the brake system if the
brake fluid level is too low . T he brake flu id leve l
is monitored elect ronically.
Brake boost er
The brake booster works w ith vacuum pressure
wh ich is created only when the engine is runn ing
c::> ,& .
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visua l in­
spect ion of the cond ition of the brake pads
t hr ough the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for t his inspection
c::> page 259, Replacing wheels .
.8_ WARNING
-New b rake p ads don't h ave the bes t stop­
p ing power an d must be "broken-in" during
the initial 250 miles (400 km) . The break-in
pe riod can be considerably longer for
veh icles with ceramic brake rotors*. You can
compensate for this by pressing the brake
pedal more firmly. This also applies late r
when new pads are installed.
- You shou ld perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system only i f road co ndit ions pe rmit . Other road
users m ust not be put at r is k -you may
cause an ac cident!
- Before descending a steep g rade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear o r lower dr iving range. Do not r ide the
b ra kes or hold the pe dal down too long or
too often. This cou ld cause the b rakes to ge t
hot and dimin ish b raking effic iency .
- Do not " ride the bra kes" by rest ing you r foot
on the pedal when you do no t intend to
brake. This may cause the brakes to over­
heat, premature wear and increased stop­
p ing distance.
193

Smart Techn olo gy
- Under certain climatic and operating condi­
tions such as passing through water, driving
in heavy rain or after washing the vehicle,
the effectiveness of the brakes can be re­
duced . In w inter, ice can accumulate on the
brake pads, linings, discs and drums . Care­
fully apply brakes fo r a tes t. Brakes w ill dry
and ice coatings wi ll be cleaned off after a
few careful brake applications .
- Driving for an extended pe riod of time on
salt-covered roads witho ut using your
brakes can also affect bra king efficiency.
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few carefu l
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you in­
stall a different spoiler, be sure the air flow
to the front brakes is not obstructed. Other­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc­
ing the effectiveness of the entire brake sys­
tem.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair the
braking capability result ing in an increased
stopp ing distance. Avoid driving the vehicle
and have it towed to the nea rest Aud i dealer
or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, the
brake pedal must be pressed considerably
harder to make up for the lac k of booster
assistance.
Electromechanical power
assist, dynamic steering
The electromechanical power assist helps the
driver when steering.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Ind icator light s and messages
• Stee ring defective! St op th e ve hicle
If th is ind icator light turns on and stays on and
this message appears, the power steer ing may
have fa iled.
194
Do not continue driving. See your authorized
Audi dealer or other qualified repair facility for
ass istance .
,Ion Steering : System faul t You can c ontinue
dri ving
If the indicato r light turns on and the message
appears, the steeri ng may be more diff icult to
move o r more sensitive than usu a l. T he steer ing
whee l may also be at an angle when driving
straight.
D rive slowly to your a uth orized Aud i dea ler or
qualified wo rkshop to have the malfunct ion cor­
rected.
1;r,ij D ynamic steering : Init ializing
If this driver message appears and the indicator
light is flashing on the instrument panel, dynam­
i c steer ing* is being re initialized . After starting
the engine, t he steering wheel w ill move slightly.
Re- initializa tion might be necessary if the steer­
i ng whee l was moved hard to the left and right
while the vehicle was not moving . The display
goes out as soon as initialization is comp lete .
D rive slowly to your a uth orized Aud i dea ler or
qualified wo rkshop to have the mal func tion cor­
rected.
.&_ WARNING
Have the dynamic steering * system malfunc­
tion repaired as soon as possible by an au­
thorized Audi dealer or qualif ied workshop -
risk of acc ident!
(D Tips
If the . or ,Ion indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue driving.
- The dynamic steering* stabi lity systems are
not ava ilable in the event of a system mal­
function.
- For additiona l information on dynamic
steering *, refer to~
page 106 .