2017 AUDI A8 engine

Checking and Filling
Engine compartment overview
The most important check points.
Fig. 259 Typical location of the rese rvoir and the engine o il fil le r open ing
(D Washer fluid reservoir (Q) c::> page 281
@ Jump start point(-) with hex head screw
c::> page 280, c::> page 32 7
@ Jump start point( +) under a cover
c> page 280, c::> page 32 7
@ Engine oil label* with VW standard
c> page 274
® Eng ine oil filler opening(~) c> page 276
@ Brake fluid reservoir((()}) c::> page 2 79
(j) Coolant reservoir (-L) c::> page 2 78
The engine oil fill ing opening (item@) may be
located in a different area depending on the en­
gine version.
A WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS before check­
ing anything in the engine compartment
c::> &.
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 271.
274
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
The service interval display in the instrumen t
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an o il change. We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by an authorized Audi Se rv­
ice Advisor.
If you must add oil between oil changes, use an
oi l that matches the Audi oil quality standard
listed on the sticker. The sticker is located at the
front of the eng ine compartment
c::> page 274,
fig. 259
Audi recommends
~ Castrol /fg/j;Sf.g;fg f'r Audi recommends Longlife high performance
engine oil from Aud i Genuine Parts
liJI,

0 co .... N ,..._
N .... 0 0 :c ' Using the proper engine oil is important for the
functionality and service life of the engine. Your
engine was factory-filled with a high -quality oil
which can usually be used throughout the entire
year.
Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover damage or malfunctions due to failure
to follow recommended maintenance and use
requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's Manual and Warranty & Maintenance booklet.
- Use only a high quality engine oil that ex-
pressly complies with the Aud i oil quality
standard specified for your vehicle's engine.
Using any o ther oil can cause serious engine
damage.
- Do not mix any lubricants o r other additives
into the engine oil. Doing so can cause en­
gine damage.
@ Tips
If you need to add oil and there is none availa­
ble that meets the Audi o il quality standard
your eng ine requ ires, you may add a total of
no more than 0 .5 quart/li ter of a h igh-quality
"synthet ic"oil that meets the following speci ­
fications.
- Vehicles with gasoline eng ine: ACEA A3 o r
API SM with a viscosity grade of SAE OW-30,
SAE SW-30 or SAE SW-40.
- For more information about engine oil that has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact e ither your authorized Audi dea ler
or A udi Customer Relat ions at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www.aud icanada .ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of
its moving parts .
In order to provide effective lubr ication and coo l­
ing of internal engine components, all internal
combustion engines consume a certain amount
of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to en­
g ine and may change significant ly over the life of
Ch eck ing and Filling
the engine. Typ ica lly, engines with a specified
break-in period (see ¢
page 73) consume more
o il during the break -in per iod than they consume
after oil consumption has stabili zed.
Under normal cond itions, the rate of oil con ­
sumption depends on the quality and viscosity of
the oil, the RPM (revo lutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the amb ient tem­
perature and road condit ions. Further factors are
the amount of o il dilution from water condensa­
t ion or fuel residue a nd the oxidat ion level of the
o il. As any engine is subject to wear as mileage
builds up, the oil consumption may increase ove r
t ime unt il repla cement of worn components may
become necessary .
With a ll these variab les coming into play, no
sta ndard rate of o il cons umption can be estab­
l is h ed or spec ified. The re is no alternative to reg­
u lar and frequent checking of the oi l level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine o il leve l warning symbo l in
t h e instr ume nt cl uster
II lights up, yo u should
check the o il level as soon as possible
¢ page 2 76 . Top off the o il at your earliest con ­
venience
¢ page 276.
A WARNING
-Before you check anyth ing in the engine com-
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
INGS
¢ .& in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 271 .
@ Note
Driving with an insufficient oil level is likely to
cause severe damage to the eng ine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressu re warning display. is not
an indicator of the o il le vel. Do not rely on
i t. Instead, check the oil level in you r en­
g ine at regular inter vals, preferabl y each
time you refuel, and alw ays before go ing
on a long trip .
-If you have the impression your engine con­
sumes excessive amou nts of oil, we recom-
mend that you consult your Aud i dea le r to .,,.
275

Checking and Filling
have the cause of your concern properly di­
agnosed. Keep in mind that the accurate
measurement of oil consumption requires
great care and may take some time. Your
Audi dealer has instructions about how to
measure oil consumption accurately.
Checking the engine oil level
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith oil leve l indicator
The engine oil level can be checked in the Info­
tainment system
Observe the safety precautions c:::> &. in Working
in the engine compartment on page 2 71.
.. Park your vehicle on a level surface.
.. Shut the engine off when it is warm .
.. Switch only the ignition back on.
.. Wait approximately two minutes.
.. Select: the
ICARI function button > Car systems
control button > Servicing & checks> Oil level.
.. Read the oil level in the display . Add engine oil
if the bar in the oil level indicator is just before
"min"
<=:> page 276.
The engine oil consumption may be up to
0.5 quart/600 miles (0.5 liter/1,000 km), de­
pending on driving style and operating condi­
tions. Consumption may be higher during the
first 3,000 miles (5,000 km). Because of this, the
engine oil level must be checked regularly. It
would be best to check each time you refuel your
vehicle and before long drives.
@ Tips
The oil level indicator in the display is only an
informational display. If the oil level is too
low, a minimum oil warning appears in the in­
strument cluster. Add oil and close the hood.
The current oil level is displayed in the Info­
tainment system the next time the ignition is
switched on .
276
· Adding engine oil~
Fig. 260 En gine compartment : engine oil f iller opening
cover
Read and follow the WARNINGS before check­
ing anything in the engine compartment
c:::> page 2 71 .
.. Turn the engine off .
.. Unscrew the engine oil filling opening cap
"I::?:
c:::> fig. 260, c:::> page 2 74.
.. Carefully add 0.5 quart (0.5 liter) of the correct
oil
c:::> page 2 74.
.. Check the oil level again after two minutes
c:::> page 2 76, Checking the engine oil level .
.. Add more oil if necessary.
.. Close the engine oil filler opening cap.
A WARNING
- When adding oil, do not let oil drip onto hot
engine components. This increases the risk
of afire.
- Always clean skin thoroughly if it comes into
contact with engine oil.
(D Note
- Check the oil level. If the message Please
reduce oil level
appears, contact an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility to have excess oil extracted if neces­
sary.
- Do not mix any additional lubricants into
the engine oil. Damage caused by such addi­
tives is not covered by the warranty.
(® For the sake of the environment
-Oil should never enter the sewer system or
come into contact with the ground.

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

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' ~ Clamp the charger terminal clamps to the jump
start pins according to the instructions. (pin un­
der the cover= "pos it ive", pin with hexagonal
head
= "negative").
~ Insert the power cable for the charging device
into the socket and switch the device on .
~ At the end of the charging process, switch the
charger off and pull the power cab le out of the
socket.
~ Now remove the charg ing device terminal
clamps.
~ Close the cover @on the positive terminal and
re-install the cover
(D.
~ Close the hood c:> page 2 73.
A drained battery can freeze at temperatures
around 322F (OQC). A frozen or thawed out bat­
tery must no longer be used. The battery housing
could be cracked by the formation of ice, which
could cause battery acid to leak out
c:> A .
Charg ing the b att ery
On ly use chargers with a ma ximum cha rg ing
voltage of 14.8 V. The battery connecting cables
do not need to be disconnected. Do not open the
battery when charg ing .
Read a ll of the manufact urer 's instructions for
the charger before charging the battery.
A WARNING
- A highly exp losive mixture of gases can form
when charging batter ies. Only charge the
vehicle battery in well-vent ilated areas.
- A drained battery can freeze at tempera­
tures around 32 °F (0 °C). A frozen or
thawed ve hicle battery must not be charged
and must not be used anymore. The battery
housing can crack and battery acid can leak
o ut if ice fo rms, wh ic h in creases the r is k of
an exp losion and chemica l burns. Conta ct an
au thori zed Aud i dealer o r autho rized Aud i
Service Facility fo r mo re information.
- Do not connect o r disconnect the charg ing
cable while charg ing because th is increases
the risk of an exp losion.
Ch eck ing and Filling
{!) Tips
-Only charge the vehicle battery through the
connect ions in the engine compartment.
- Read all of the manufacturer's instructions
for the charger before charging the vehicle battery.
Windshield washer system
F ig . 2 64 Engine compartmen t: was her fluid reservo ir cap
M N ~ N
"' co m
The windshield washer fluid reservoir O contains
the cleaning solution for the w indshield and the
headlight washer system¢
fig. 264, ¢ page 2 74.
The reservoir capacity is found in c:> page 334 .
To reduce the risk of lime scale deposits on the
spray nozzles, use clean water with low amo unts
of calcium. Always add window cleaner to the wa­
ter. When the outside temperatures are cold, an
anti-freezing agent should be added to the water
so that it does not freeze .
(D Note
-The concentration of ant i-freez ing agent
must be adjusted to the veh icle operat ing
conditions in the respective climate . A con­
centration that is too high can lead to vehi­
cle damage.
- Never add radiator anti-free ze or other addi­
tives to the washer fluid.
- Do not use a glass cleaner that con ta ins
pai nt so lvents, because t his could damage
t he paint.
281

Checking and Filling
Service interval display
The service interval display detects when your ve­
hicle is due for service.
The service interval display works in two stages:
-Inspection or oil change reminder: after a cer-
tain distance driven, a message appears in the
instrument cluster display each time the igni ­
tion is switched on or off . The remaining dis­
tance or time is displayed briefly.
- Inspection or oil change due: if yo ur vehicle
has reached an inspection or oi l change interval
or both intervals at the same time, the mes­
sage
Inspection due! or Oil change due! or Oil
change and inspection due!
appears briefly af­
ter switching the ignition on/off .
Checking service intervals
You can check the remaining distance or time un­
til the next oil change or next inspection in the
Car menu. To do this, select : the
ICARI function
but ton
> Car systems control button > Servicing
& checks > Service intervals .
Resetting the indicator
Your authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Serv ice Facility will reset the serv ice interval dis­
p lay after performing serv ice.
If you have changed the oil yourself, you must re­
set the oil change interva l.
To reset the indicator, select : the
ICARI function
button
> Car systems contro l button > Servicing
& checks > Service intervals. Turn the control
knob downward to
Reset oil change interval and
press the control knob.
([) Note
-Only reset the oil change indicator if the oil
was changed .
- Following the service intervals is critical to
maintain ing the service life and va lue of
your vehicle, especially the engine. Even if
the m ileage on the vehicle is low, do not ex­
ceed the time for the next service.
282