2016 AUDI S8 check engine light

Check ing and F illing
oil du ring the break -in period than they consume
after oil consumption has stabilized .
Unde r no rmal condi tions, the rate of o il con­
sumpt ion depends on the quality and viscosity of
the oi l, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
which the engine is operat ed, the ambient tem­
perature and road cond itions . Further factors are
the amount of oil dilut ion from water condensa­
tion or fuel residue and the oxidation level of the
oil. As any eng ine is subject to wear as m ileage
bu ilds up, the oil consumption may increase over
time until rep lacement of worn components may
become necessa ry .
W ith all these variables com ing into play, no
standard rate of oil consumpt ion ca n be estab­
lished or specified . There is no a lternative to reg­
ular and frequent checking of the oil leve l, see
Note .
If the ye llow eng ine oil level war ning symbol in
the instrument cluster
II lights up, you should
check t he oil leve l as soon as possib le
¢
page 224 o r ¢ page 225. Top off the o il at
your ea rliest convenience ¢
page 225.
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com ­
partment, a lways read and heed a ll WARN­
INGS ¢.&
in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 220.
(D Note
Driving with an insufficient oil level is likely to
cause severe damage to the engine .
@ Tips
-The oil pres sure warning display. i s not
an indicator of the o il level. Do not rely on
i t. Instead , check the oil level in your en­
gine at regular intervals, preferably ea ch
time you refuel , and always befo re going
on a long trip.
- If you have the impression your engine con­
sumes excessive amounts of oil, we recom­
mend that you co nsul t yo ur Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern p roperly di ­
agnosed . Keep in mind that the acc urat e
224
meas urement of oi l consumption re quires
great care and may take some t ime. Yo ur
Audi dea ler has instructions about how to
meas ure o il consumption acc urately.
Checking the engine oil level
App lies to: vehicles wi th oil level indicato r
Fig. 198 Disp lay : o il leve l ind icato r
.,. Par k your veh icle on a leve l su rface.
.,. Shut the eng ine off when it is warm .
.,. Switch o nly the ignition back on.
.,. Wait approximate ly two minutes.
.,. Select:
!CAR ! function button > Car systems
control button > Servicing & checks > Oil le vel.
.,. Check the oil level in the display c> fig . 198 . Add
eng ine oi l if the ba r of the oil leve l ind icator is
nea r "m in"
¢ page 225 .
Depend ing on the way the vehicle is driven and
the operating cond it ions, oil consumpt io n can be
u p to 1/2 qua rt pe r 600 miles (0 .S liter per
1,000 km). Consumpt ion may be h igher w it hi n
the first 3, 000 mi les (5,00 0 km).
(D Tips
The o il level indicato r in the MMI Display is
o nl y an information display. If t he oi l level is
l ow, a m inimum oil w arn ing appea rs in the in­
str ument clus ter. Ad d oil ¢
page 225. If the
hood has been opened, the curren t oil level is
shown in the instrument cluster the next t ime
the ignition is switched on .

Checking and Filling
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 illustration
¢ page 222.
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 15 will il­
luminate 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 cooling
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 re­
sult of overheating.
_& WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and can
get very hot. Reduce the risk of scalding from
hot coolant by following these steps.
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from es­
caping 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 applying
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 conditions,
the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can
catch fire.
228
(D Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant
to your vehicle's engine coolant. Adding radia­
tor repair fluid may adversely affect the func­
tion 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 compart­
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
¢.& in Working in the engine compartment on
page 220 .
.. Requirement: There must be a residual amount
of coolant in the expansion tank ¢(D .
.. Turn off the engine .
.. Let the engine cool down .
.. Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank ¢
page 22 7, fig. 201 and carefully twist
the cap counter-clockwise ¢&, .
.,. Add coolant mixed in the correct ratio
r::!> page 22 7, Coolant up to the MAX marking.
.. Make sure that the fluid level remains stable.
Add more coolant if necessary .
.. Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to ex­
act specifications ¢
page 22 7, Coolant.
We recommend using only coolant additive G12+
+, G13 or in an emergency G12+ . Do
not use a
different additive. In an emergency use plain wa­
ter 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 cool­
ant, 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 . Excess
coolant will be forced out through the pressure
relief valve in the cap when the engine becomes
hot.
~

Checking and Filling
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig. 202 Eng ine compartment: cove r o n th e brake flu id
r eservoi r
Before you check anything in the engine compart­
ment,
always re ad a nd hee d all W ARNING S
¢ A in Working in the engine compartment on
page 220.
., Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid
reservoir
<=> fig . 202, ¢page 222. The brake flu ­
id level must be between the "MIN" and "MAX"
mark ings.
The location of the brake fluid reservoir can be seen in the engine compartment illustration
¢ page 222.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time
due to the automatic adjustment of the brake
pads . This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably below
the ' 'MIN" mark, the brake warning/indicator
light
1111 (U.S. models)/ . (Canadian models)
will come on¢
page 14 . Do not continue to oper­
ate the vehicle . The complete brake system
should be thoroughly checked by an authorized
Aud i dealer or other q ualified facili ty and the
cause corrected.
If the brake f luid level is too
low, the brake warning/indicator light will i llumi ­
nate. Contact an authorized Audi dealer
immedi­
at ely.
230
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced
technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the
water content in the brake fluid is too high, cor­ rosion in the brake system may result after ape­
riod of time . The boiling po int of the brake fluid
will a lso decrease considerably and decrease
braking performance.
Therefore , the brake fluid must be changed
eve ry
two y ears . Always use new brake fluid which con­
forms to Feder-al Motor Vehicle Standard "FMVSS 116 DO T 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach ,
therefore, we recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your author ized
Audi
d ea ler . Your dealer has the correct tools, the
right brake fluid and the know -how to do this for
you.
A WARNING
- Brake fluid is po isonous. It must be stored
only in the closed original container out of
the reach of children!
- Brake fai lure can result from o ld or inappro­
priate brake fluid . Observe these precau­
tions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE speci­ ficat ion
J 1703 and conforms to Federal
Motor Ve hicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake f luid .
The correct type of brake f luid is also indi­
cated on the brake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new . Heavy use of
the brakes can cause a vapor lock if the
brake fluid is left in the system too long .
This can seriously affect the efficiency of
the brakes as well as your safety. This
could result in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehi-
cle .
lilJJ,

@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of
brake fluid as we ll as the special toots re­
quired and the necessary expertise, we rec­
ommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your authorized Audi dealer .
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery
in your Audi does not need any maint enance.
With
high outside temperatures or long daily
drives we recommend tha t you have the electro­
lyte level checked by a service facility. The elec­
trolyte level should also be checked each time
the battery is charged ¢
page 233.
Have the battery checked when you take your ve­
hicle in for serv ice. You are well advised to re­
place a battery that is older than 5 years .
With certain types of airbag deployment, the batte ry is disconnected from the vehicle electri­
cal system for safety reasons¢
& in Repair, care
and disposal of the airbags on page 159 .
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regu la­
tors, for example) are lost if the battery te rmi ­
nals are disconnected. These functions have to be
relearned after the battery terminals are con­
nected again. To prevent th is, the battery should
only be disconnected from the vehicle e lectr ica l
system when abso lutely necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks, electrical components are
gradually cut back or sw itched off. This reduces
ene rgy consumption and ma inta ins starting ca­
pability over a longer period ¢
page 195. Some
of the convenience functions may not operate,
such as the interior lights or the power seat ad­
justment. The convenience funct ions will be
ava ilable again when you switch on the ignition
and start the engine.
Checking and Filling
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends
to decrease as temperatures drop . This is be­
cause more power is also consumed while start­
ing, and the headlights, rear window defogger,
etc., are used more often.
Avo id unnecessary power consumption, particu­
larly in city traffic or when traveling only short
distances . Let your authorized Audi dealer check
the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter
sets in ¢
page 233. A well charged battery will
not only prevent starting problems when the
weather is cold, but will also last longer .
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the ve­
hicle battery should be removed and stored
where it w ill not freeze . This will prevent it
from be ing damaged and having to be re­
placed.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the luggage compart­
ment under the floor . Before you check anything
in the luggage compartment,
read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢
&-
Always heed the safety warnings, when working
on the vehicle battery or the veh icle electrical
system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important
when working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYM·
BOLS and safety precautions when working on
the battery.
®
Always wear eye protection.
~
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Al-
ways wear gloves and eye protection.
231

Check ing and F illing
@
No
- spark s
- fl ame s
- smokin g.
~
Wh en a b att ery is ch arg ed , it produc es
h yd ro ge n ga s which i s explosive and
could cau se per sonal injury.
®
Always keep the b atter y well out of
r each of child ren.
A WARNING
Whenever work ing on the battery or on the
elect rical system, there is the risk of injury,
accident and
even fire. Read and heed the fol­
lowing WARN INGS :
- Always wear eye protection. Do not let bat­
te ry acid or any lead particles get on your
sk in or cloth ing . Sh ield your eyes. Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury .
- Battery acid con tains su lfu ric acid. Sulfur ic
acid can cause blindness and severe b urns.
- Always wear gloves and eye protection. Do
no t tilt the battery because acid could leak
out of the ventilat ion open ings .
- If you get battery ac id in your eyes or on
your skin, immediately rinse with cold wa­
ter for several minutes and get medical at­ tention .
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek
medical attention immediately .
- Do not expose the battery to an open flame,
electric sparks or an open light .
- Do not smoke.
- Do not interchange the positive and nega-
t ive cables.
- When working on the battery, be sure not to
short-circuit the terminals with tools or oth ­
er metal objects. Th is wou ld cause the bat­
tery to heat up
very quickly, which could
lead to damage or explosion and personal
injury .
- When a battery is charged, it produces hy ­
drogen gas which is explosive and could
ca use personal injury.
- Always keep the battery well out of the reach of ch ildre n.
232
-
-Before work is done on the electrical sys­
tem, disconnect the negative gro und cable.
- Before performing any work on the e lectri­
cal system, switch off the engine and ign i­
tion as well as any electrical equ ipment . The
negat ive cab le on the battery must be dis­
connected . If you are just going to replace a
light bulb, then it is enough to switch off
the lights.
- Before d isconnecting the battery, switch off
the anti-theft alarm system! Otherwise you
will set off the alarm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first dis­
connect the negative cab le and then the
positive cable.
- Before reconnect ing the battery, make sure
all electr ica l consume rs a re switched off .
Reconnect the positive cable first and then
the negative cable . Never in terch ange t he
cables -this could sta rt a fire!
- Never cha rge a frozen or a thawed-out bat­
tery . It cou ld explode ! If a ba ttery has fro­
zen, then it must be replaced. A discharged
battery can freeze over at 32 ° F (0 °C).
- Make sure the
vent hose is always attached
to the opening on the side of the battery .
- Never use batter ies which are damaged.
There is the danger of an exp losion! Always
replace a damaged battery .
A WARNING
Califo rnia Proposition 65 Warning :
- Batte ry posts, te rm inals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State o f Cali fornia
to cause cancer and reproductive problems.
Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
- Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when
the ignition is on or when the engine is run­
ning, otherwise, you w ill damage electronic
components in the electrical system.
- If your veh icle is go ing to stand for a long
period of time w ithout being driven, protect
the battery from "freezing", otherwise it ..,.

Check ing and F illing
warm water and baking soda to neutralize
the acid.
CD Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start
the engine . This will serious ly damage sensi­
tive electronic components, such as control
units, relays, radio, etc., as well as the battery
charger.
Battery replacement
T he new battery must have the same specifica­
t ions and dimensions as the original equipmen t
bat tery.
Int elli g ent en ergy managem ent in your vehicle is
responsible for distributing the electrical energy
throughout your vehicle
r=> page 195. The intelli­
gent energy management system will keep the
engine battery charged better than veh icles w ith­
out this system . To make sure the addit ional
e lectrical energy is avai lab le once again after you
have changed the battery, we recommend that
you install batteries of the same type and manu­ facture on ly (the same as those installed at the
time your vehicle was delivered). Specifications
are listed on the battery housing. Your author­
i z ed dealer must code the battery in the energy
management system to enable you to use the en­
ergy management functions correctly after re ­
placing the battery .
The new battery must have the same capacity,
voltage (12 volts) , amperage, construction and
plug sealing .
When installing the battery, make sure the igni­
tion and all electrical consumers are sw itched
off.
CD Note
- Make sure the ventilation hose on the s ide
of the battery is connected, otherw ise
fumes or battery ac id can leak out.
- Vehicles with the Start-Stop-System* are equipped with a special cycle-proof AGM battery . Installing a d ifferent type of bat­
tery can cause problems in the vehicle elec -
234
trical system. When replacing the vehicle
battery, always install one with the same
specifications as the original battery .
- Battery mounts and clamps m ust always be
secured correctly.
- Read and follow the warnings under
¢ page 231, Working on the battery before
performing any work on the battery .
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the p roblem of proper disposal of
a battery, we recommend your authorized
A udi dealer change the battery for you . Bat­
teries contain sulfur ic acid and lead and must
a lways be disposed of properly in compliance
with all environmental regulations . Disposing
of veh icle batteries improperly is very danger­
ous to the environment .
Windshield washer
system
Fig. 204 En gin e compa rt ment: washer fluid rese rvoir cap
The w indshield washer fluid reservo ir Q conta ins
the cleaning solution for the w indshield and the
headlight washe r system ¢
fig. 204, ¢ page 222.
The reservoir capacity is found in
r=> page 2 78 .
To reduce the risk of lime scale depos its on the
spray nozzles, use clean water with low amounts
of calcium. Always add w indow cleaner to the wa­
ter . When the outside temperat ures are cold , an
anti-freez ing agent shou ld be added to the water
so that it does not freeze. ..,.

Replacing wheels
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own
and your passenger's safety when changing a
wheel.
.,. After you experience a tire failure, pull the car
well away from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before you stop¢.,&. .
.. All passengers should
leave the car and move
to a safe location (for instance, beh ind the
guardrail) ¢.,&. .
.,. Engage the
parking brake to prevent your vehi­
cle from rolling unintentionally ¢.,&. .
.. Move
selector lever to position P ¢ .,&. .
1> lfyou are towing a trailer, unhitch the trailer
from your vehicle.
.,. Take the
jack and the spare tire out of the lug­
gage compartment,
¢page 257.
..&, WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured wh ile
changing a wheel if you do not follow these
safety precautions:
- If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance
off the road. Turn off the engine, turn the
emergency flashers on and use other warn­
ing devices to alert other motorists.
- Make sure that passengers wa it in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- T o help prevent the vehicle from moving
sudden ly and possibly slipping off the jack,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel be­
ing changed. When one front wheel is lifted
off the ground, plac ing the Automatic
Transmission in "P" (Park) will
not prevent
the vehicle from moving.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm . If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack .
- Always store the vehicle tool k it, the jack
and the replaced tire in the luggage com­
partment ¢
page 135.
Emergency assistance
{!) Tips
Before changing the wheel, you must activate
the jacking mode, so that the automat ic con­
tro ls for the Adaptive Air Suspension do not
make it more difficult to lift the vehicle with
the jack ¢
page 261 .
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel , follow the sequence
described below step-by-s tep and in exactly tha t
order .
l. Activate the vehicle jack mode ¢ page 261 .
2. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For
more details see also¢
page 260, Decora ­
tive wheel covers
or¢ page 260, Wheels
with wheel bolt caps .
3. Loosen the wheel bolts¢ page 260.
4. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack and align the jack below that point
¢ page 261 or¢ page 262.
5. Raise the car with the jack¢ page 261 or
¢page 262.
6. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then
install
the spare ¢ page 263.
7. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly .
8.
Lower the vehicle with the jack .
9. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten
all wheel bolts<=>
page 260.
10. Replace the decorative wheel cover*.
11. Deactivate the vehicle jack mode in the MMI :
I CAR! function button > Car systems contro l
button
> Servicing & checks > Air susp.: jack
mode > Off.
The vehicle jack mode switches off automatically
at speeds above 10 km/h .
..&, WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in­
formation
¢ .&. in AB: Raising the vehicle on
page 262
and ¢ page 264.
259

Emergency situations
General
This chapter is intended for trained emergency
crews and working personnel who have the nec­
essary tools and equipment to perform these
ope rations.
Starting by pushing or
towing
(D Note
Veh icles with an automatic transmission can­
not be started by pushing or towing.
Starting with jumper
cables
If necessary, the engine can be started by con­
necting it to the battery of another vehicle .
If the engine shou ld fail to start because of a dis ­
charged or weak battery, the battery can be con­
nected to the battery of
another vehicle, using a
pair of jumpe r cables to start the engine.
Jumper cables
Use only jumper cables of suffic iently large cross
section
to carry the starter current safely. Refer
to the manufacturer's specifications.
Use only jumper cables with
insulated term inal
clamps which are dis tinct ly marked :
plus(+) cable in most cases colored re d
minus( -) cable
in most cases colored blac k.
A WARNING
Batteries contain electricity, acid, and gas.
Any of these can cause very serious or fatal in­
jury. Follow the instructions below for safe
handling of your vehicle's battery.
- Always shield your eyes and avo id leaning
over the battery whenever poss ible.
- A discharged battery can freeze at tempera­
tures just below 32 °F (0 °C) . Before con­
necting a jumper cable, you must thaw the
Emergency situations
frozen battery completely, otherwise it
could explode .
- Do not allow battery acid to contact eyes or
skin. Flush any contacted area with water immediately.
- Improper use of a booster battery to start a
vehicle may cause an exp losion.
- Vehicle batteries generate exp losive gases.
Keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away from batteries.
- Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a
low acid level in the battery .
- The vo ltage of the booster battery must also
have a 12-Volt rating. The capacity (Ah) of
the booster battery should not be lower
than that of the discharged battery. Use of
batter ies of different voltage or substantial­
ly different "Ah" rating may cause an exp lo­
sion and personal injury .
- Never charge a frozen battery. Gas trapped
in the ice may cause an explosion.
- Never charge or use a battery that has been
frozen . The battery case may have be weak­
ened .
- Use of batter ies of different voltage or sub ­
stantially different capacity (Ah) rating may
cause an exp losion and injury. The capac ity
(Ah) of the booster battery should not be
lowe r than that of the discharged battery.
- Before you check anything in the eng ine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
r::!)page 220.
(D Note
-Applying a higher voltage booster battery
will cause expensive damage to sensitive
electronic components, such as control
units, relays, radio, etc.
- Th ere must be no electrical contact between
the vehicles as otherwise current could al­
ready start to flow as soon as the positive
(+) terminals are connected.
(D Tips
- The discharged battery must be properly
connected to the vehicle's e lectrica l system. ..,.
271