2017 AUDI A8 cooling

Trailer mode
Trailer load distribution
Be s ure the load in the trailer is held securely in
p lace to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways .
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 91.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harder . It
is important that the cooling system's perform­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has eno ugh fluid.
Tire pressure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the tires of your
veh icle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load " on the label ¢
page 293 . Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tir e manufacturers' specifica­
tions.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly .
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners . When you install safety cha ins, make
sure they w ill not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
Adjusting the Audi drive select
Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface before
hitching up the trailer and before adjust ing the
tongue weight. The vehicle must be in
auto or
comfort driving mode and not raised
o:,;, page 110, o:,;, 0 .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info­
tainment, select:
ICARI function button> Lower
control button.
90
If you must drive under poor road conditions, you
can raise the vehicle
after coupling the trailer or
after adjust ing the tongue we ight ¢ page 112.
([) Note
-Changes in temperature or load can affect
the height of the vehicle.
- Always select auto or comfort mode. Other­
wise, the tongue load specified for your ve­
hicle will no longer be app licab le .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results
i n a high ly unstable distribution of we ight . If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid t he risk of losing steering contro l.
A "balanced " rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissib le, wh ile
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow veh icle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind cond it ions are unfavorable - particularly when
go ing downh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of sway ing.
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail. ..,.

Checking and Filling
-Set the parking brake.
- Select the P selector lever position.
- Let the engine cool down.
- Never open the hood when there is steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that you could
be burned. Wait until no steam or coolant is
escaping.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment.
- Never spill fluids on a hot engine. These flu­
ids (such as the anti-freezing agent con­
tained in the coolant) can ignite.
- Avoid short circuits in the electrical system.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of personal injury.
- Never open the cap on the coolant expan­
sion tank when the engine is warm. The
cooling system is under pressure.
- To protect your face, hands, and arms from
hot steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
large cloth when opening.
- Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be performed with the en­
gine running, there is additional danger due
to moving components (such as the ribbed
belt, alternator and radiator fan) and from
the high-voltage ignition system .
- Do not under any circumstances activate the
throttle inadvertently (for example, by hand
from the engine compartment) if the vehi­
cle is stationary but the engine is running
and a gear is engaged. Otherwise, the vehi­
cle will start to move immediately and this
could result in an accident.
- Pay attention to the following warnings list­
ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
- Do not smoke .
- Never work near open flames.
- Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby
- All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi-
272
cal burns, accidents or burns. Because of
this, all work must be performed
only by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility .
- To reduce the risk of electric shock and in­
jury, never touch the following components when the engine is running or is being start­
ed:
- Ignition cable
- Other components in the electronic high-
voltage ignition system
- If you must check or perform work on the
engine while it is running:
- Set the parking brake and place the selec­ tor lever in the P (park) position first.
- Always proceed with extreme caution so
that clothing, jewelry or long hair do not
become caught in the radiator fan, fan
belt or other moving components or do
not come into contact with hot compo­
nents . Tie back long hair before beginning
work and do not wear clothing that can
hang down into the engine .
- Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi­
cals to as short a time as possible
c:> ,&. .
.&_ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm. In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm .
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms .
Wash hands after handling.

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' - Pay attention to legal requirements when disposing of empty oil containers .
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service sta­
tion .
Before you check anyth ing in the eng ine compart­
ment,
a lways rea d and heed all WARNINGS¢ &
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 271.
The engine oil must be changed according to the intervals specified in your Warranty
& Mainte­
nance booklet . This is very important because the
lubricat ing propert ies of oil diminish gradually
during normal vehicle use.
Under some circumstances the engine oi l should
be changed more frequently. Change oil more of­
ten if you drive mostly short distances, operate
the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominantly
stop-and-go traffic condit ions, or have your vehi­
cle where temperatures remain below freezing
for extended periods .
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil
look dark after the engine has been running for a
short time . This is normal and is not a reason to
change the oil more often than recommended .
Because of the problem of proper disposal, along
with the special tools and necessary expertise re­
qu ired, we strongly recommend that you have
your oil changed by an authorized
A ud i d ea ler or
a qualified service station .
If y ou choo se to change yo ur o il y o urse lf, please
note the following important information:
A WARNING
To red uce the risk of personal injury if you
must change the engine oil in your veh icle
yourself:
- Wear eye protection .
- To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine
o il, let the eng ine cool down to the touch.
-
- When removing the o il drain plug with your
fingers, stay as far away as poss ible. Always
Ch eck ing and Filling
keep your forearm parallel to the ground to
help prevent hot oil from running down your
arm.
- Drain the oil into a container designed for
this purpose, one large enough to hold at
least the total amount of oil in your engine.
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of the reach of children.
- Continuous contact with used engine oil is
harmful to your skin. Always protect your
skin by washing oil off thoroughly with soap
and water .
CI) Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil.
These additives can damage your engine and
adversely affect your Audi limited New Vehi­
cle Warranty.
® For the sake of the environment
- Before chang ing your oi l, first make sure
you know where you can properly d ispose of
the used oil.
- Always dispose of used engine o il properly.
Do not dump it on garden soil, wooded
areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains.
- Recycle used engine o il by tak ing it to a used
eng ine oil collection fac ility in your area, or
contact a service station .
Cooling system
Coolant
The engine cooling system is filled with a mixture
of purified water and coolant additive at the fac­
tory. This coolant must not be not changed .
T he coo lant level is monitored through the. in­
dicator light¢
page 20. However, we do recom­
mend occasionally checking the coolant leve l
manually.
If you must add coolant, use a mixture of wate r
and coolant additive . Mixing the coolant additive
with dist illed water is recommended.
ll>
277

Checking and Filling
Coolant addit iv e
The coolant additive is made of anti-freezing and
corrosion protection agents. Only use the fo llow­
ing coolant additives .
Coolant additive Sp ecification
G13 TL 774)
G12++ TL 774 G
These additives may be mixed with each other.
The amount of coolant additive that needs to be
mixed w ith water depends on the climate where
the vehicle will be operated . If the coolant addi­
tive percentage is too low, the coo lant can freeze
and damage the engine.
Coolant addi- Freeze protec-
tive tion
Warm regions min
. 40%,
min. -13 °F
max. 45% (-25 °C)
Cold regions min . 50%, max. -40 °F
max. 55% (-40
°C)
(D Note
-Before the start of winter, have your author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
F ac ility check if the coolant additive in you r
vehicle matc hes the percentage appropriate
fo r the clim ate. This is espe cially important
when driving in colder climates .
-If the appropriate coolant addi tive is not
available in an emergency, do not add any
other additive for risk of damaging the en ­
gine. If this happens, only use water and re­
store the correct mixture ratio with the
specified coolant additive as soon as possi­
ble.
- Only refill with new coo lant.
- Radiator sealant must not be mixed with
the coo lant.
278
Adding coolant
Fig. 261 E n g in e compartment: coolant expansion tank
cover
Observe the safety precautions ¢ .&. in Working
in the engine compartment on page 2 71.
Check ing the engine coolant level
.,. Park the vehicle on a level surface.
.,. Switch the ignit ion off.
.,. Read the coolant level on the coolan t expansion
tank
¢page 274. The coolant leve l must be be­
tween the M IN and MAX markings when the en­
gine in cold . When the engine is warm it can be
slightly above the MAX marking .
Adding coolant
Requirement: there m ust be a residua l amount of
coolant in the expansion t ank
~ CD.
.,. Let the engine cool down .
.,. Place a cloth
over the coolant expansion tank
cap and unsc rew the cap cou nte rclockw ise
~ .&. -
.. Add coolant mixed in the correc t ratio
~ page 277 up to the MAX marking.
.,. Make sure that the fluid level remains stable.
Add more coolant if necessary .
.,. Close the cap securely .
Coo lant loss usually indicates there is a leak . Im­
med iate ly drive your vehicle to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
and have the cooling system inspected.
If the
cooling system is not leak ing, a loss can come
from the coolant boiling through overheat ing
and being pushed ou t of the cooling system .

C)
_& WARNING
-The cooling system is under pressure. Do
not open the coolant expansion tank cap
when the engine is hot. This increases the
risk of burns .
- The coolant add itive and the coolant can be
dangerous to your health. For this reason,
keep the coolant in the original container
and away from children. There is a risk of
poisoning.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can sw itch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of injury.
CD Note
Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty. Air could enter the cooling system and
damage the engine. If this is the case, do not
continue driv ing. See an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance.
Brake fluid
N
N
-N
" co IXl
F ig. 262 Engine compartment: cap on brake fluid re servoir
Observe the safety precautions c:> &. in Working
in the engine compartment on page 2 71.
Checking the brake fluid level
" Read the brake fluid level on the brake fluid
reservoir
c:> page 2 74, fig. 259. The brake fluid
level must be between the MIN and MAX mark­
ings
c:> &_ .
~ The brake fluid level is mon itored automatically .
" N ...... 0 0 :r Checking and Filling
Changing the brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed regularly by an au­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
A WARNING
-
- If the brake fluid level is below the MIN
marking, it can impair the braking effect
and driving safety, which increase the risk of
an accident . Do not continue dr iving. See an
author ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi
Service Facility for assistance.
- If the brake fluid is old, bubbles may form
in the brake system dur ing heavy braking.
This would impair braking performance and
driving safety, which increases the r isk of an
accident.
- To ensure the brake system functions cor­
rectly, only use brake fluids that comply
with VW standard 50114 or FM VSS -116 DOT 4.
CD Note
-If the brake f luid level is above the MAX
marking, brake f luid may leak out over the
edge of the reservoir and result in damage
to the vehicle.
- Do not get any brake fluid on the vehicle
paint, because it wi ll corrode the paint.
Battery
General warnings about batteries
Because of the complex power supply, all wo rk
on batter ies such as disconnecting, replac ing,
etc. should
only be performed by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac il ity
c:> & .
The term "vehicle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
battery in your vehicle.
Detailed warnings for the vehicle battery:
® Wear eye protection.
I.)._ Bat~ery acid is highly corrosiv~. Wear pro-
~ tect1ve gloves and eye protection. Ill-
279

Index
Closing Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Panorama glass roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Sun roof.. .. .. ...... ......... .... .... 38
Sun shade (panoramic sunroof) . . . . . . . . . 40
Sunshade (sliding/tilting sunroof) . . . . . . . 38
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Closing/opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Closing aid (doors) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Cockpi t (overview) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Color number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Coming home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Compass in the mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S2
Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Conference call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Connecting and d isconnecting an MP3 play-
er . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Connections
refer to Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 , 189
Consum er information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Consumer Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Consumption (fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Contacting NHTSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
I mport ing/exporting 153
Convenience key Unlocking/locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Cooling mode (automatic climate control) . . 70
Cooling system Checking/adding coolant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Coolant temperature indicator . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Cover Flow
refer to Browsing through album covers . 190
Cup holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Current economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
D
Data encryption 196
Data recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Date.. .... .. .. ... ............ .... .. . 204
Date display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 204
Daylight saving time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Daytime running lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Declar ation of compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
342
Defrosting (windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
DEF (instrument cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Demo mode
refer to Presentation mode . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Determining correct load limit . . . . . . . . . . 297
Digital compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
D igital Rights Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
D.
. 1mens1ons . .. .. .. .. .. .. ........... . .
Directory
refer to Contacts
Display 334
150
Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196, 206
Settings .... .. . ... .. .. ......... 190, 196
Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Doors Child safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Closing aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Emergency locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Driver information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Ind icator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Service interval display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Driver seating position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Drives
refer to Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180, 189
Drive select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Driving safe ly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Driving through water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Driving time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
DVD Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Full screen display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
also refer to Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180, 189
Dynamic steering . ... .. ........... 110, 129
Dynamic volume
refer to System volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
E
Economy tips (efficiency program) . . . . . . . . 13
E conomy (fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Efficiency program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
E lectromechanical parking brake . . . . . . . . . 81
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) . . . . . . . . 126
Electronic immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Electronic speed limiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26