2017 AUDI A8 suspension

Cockpit over view
US A mode ls: speed warning sys­
tem
¢ page92
Can ada m odels: speed warning
system
¢ page92
Adaptive cruise control*../
¢page 96
Air suspension
¢ page22
Night vision ass ist*
¢ page 108
Night vision ass ist*
¢ page 108
Yello w indic ator light s
TPMS
18
-------------Elec tronic Stab ilizat ion Control
( E SC) ../
¢page22
Electronic Stabilizat ion Control
(ESC) ../
¢page22
USA models :
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)../
¢page22
Canada mod els:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS) ../
¢page22
USA models: safety systems
¢ page23
Can ad a mod els : safety systems
¢ page23
Brake pads
¢ page23
Electromechanical parking brake
¢ page20
Tire pressure monitoring system
,I
¢page 301
Tire press ure mon itor ing system
¢ page 301
Engine control (gasol ine engine)
,I
¢ page 23
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
,I
¢page 23
Engine speed limitation
¢page23
Engine oil leve l
¢page 21
Engine oil sensor
¢page24
Engine wa rm-up request
¢ page24
Battery charge
¢page 21
Tank system
¢page24
Washer flu id leve l
¢page24
Windshield wipers
¢page24
Remote contro l key
¢ page 77
Remote contro l key
¢ page 78
Battery in remo te control key
¢page29
B ul b fa ilu re indicator
¢ page24
Rear fog lights
¢page24
Headlight range control system
¢page24
Adaptive light*
¢page44
Light/rain sensor
¢page 25
Active lane assist *
¢page 103
Transm ission
¢ page 87
Transmission
¢page 87

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' Steering lock
¢page 21
Eng ine start system
¢ page22
Brake booster
<=>page23
Electromechanical power steer­
i ng, dynam ic steering*./
<=> page 129
Air suspension
¢ poge22
Sport differe ntia l*
¢ poge 25
Other indi cator lights
-------------
Turn sig na ls
¢ poge25
USA mod els :
Cruise contro l system
<=>page 92
Can ada model s:
Cruise control system
<=>page 92
Adaptive c ruise contro l*
¢ page 96
Adaptive c ruise contro l*
¢ page 96
Adaptive c ruise contro l*
¢page 96
Active lane assist*
¢page 103
Start/Stop system*
¢page 78
Start/Stop system*
<=>page 78
High beam ass istant
<=> poge44
High beams
¢ page 44, <=> page 44
BRAKE /((J)) Brake system
I f th is ind icator light tu rns on, there is a malfunc­
tion in the brake system.
Coc kpit o ve rv iew
llll (USA model s) /. (Canada model s) Stop
v ehicle and che ck brake fl uid le vel
Stop t he veh icle a nd check t he b rake fl uid level.
See an author ized A udi dealer or author ized A udi
Service Facility for assistance if necessary.
1111 (USA mod els) ta (Canada model s)
Brakes : malfunction! Plea se sto p vehi cle safel y
If the ABS ind icator light ll.JJJ (USA models) /
~ (Canada models), the ESC ind icator light Bl ,
and the b rake system indicato r light 1111 (USA
models) /. (Can ada models) all turn o n and
t hi s message appea rs, then the ABS, ESC and
braking d istribution are malfunctioning ¢&. .
Do not continue dr iv ing. See a n author ized Audi
dealer or authori zed A udi Se rvice Fac il ity for as­
s istance ¢&. .
1111 (USA mod els) /. (Canada mod els) Park­
ing brake : S ys tem fault! See owner' s manual
- If the ind icator light and the message appear
when the vehicle is stationary or after switch­
ing the ignition on ,
check if you can re lease the
pa rk ing bra ke. If you cannot release the pa rk­
ing brake , see your author ized Audi dealer or
au thor ized Audi Se rvice Fa cil ity. I f you can re ­
lease the parking brake and the message still
appears, see an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Faci lity immediately to
have the malfunction corrected.
- If the indicator light and message appear
while
dri ving ,
the hill start ass ist or emergency brak­
ing function may be malfunctioning. It may not
be possible to set the parking brake or release
it once it has been set . Do not park you r vehicle
on hills. See an authorized Audi dea le r or a u­
thori zed A udi Service Fac ility for assistance.
App lies to: USA mode ls
If the 1111 and Ei1 tur n on at the same time, the
brake pads are worn out
¢ page 2 3 .
.&, WARNING
-Read and fo llow the warnings in
¢ page 2 71, Working in the engine com­
portment
befo re opening the hood and
checking the brake fluid level.
19

Cockpit over view
& WARNING
Do not tow your veh icle when there is a mal­
function in the electronic steering lock -this
increases the risk of an accide nt.
© -Engine start system
• Engine start sy ste m fault . Plea se contact
dealer
Do not switch the ignit io n off because you may
not be able to switch it o n aga in .
Drive to an authorized Aud i dea ler or a uthorized
Aud i Serv ice Facility immediately to have the
malfunct io n corrected.
1111 Engine start system fault. Please contact
dealer
There is a mal func tion in the eng ine start ing sys­
tem .
D rive to an a uth o riz e d Aud i de aler or a uth o rized
Au di Serv ice Facility immedi ately to have t he
malfunct ion corre cted .
~ Air suspension
• Air su spension : System fault Driving slowly
at ma ximum 35 mph is possible.
There is a malfunction that can resul t in restrict ­
ed d riving stability .
D rive to an a uth o rized Au di dea le r or a uthorize d
Aud i Serv ice Facility immedi ately at a ma xim um
speed of 3S mph (6 0 km/ h) to have the m alfu nc ­
tion corrected.
• Air suspen sion : Service mode. Vehicle can
onl y be moved with restriction s
Carefully drive to your author ized A udi dealer or
author ized Audi Se rvice Facility immed iate ly to
have the serv ice mode deactivated.
rl Air su spension : System fault
There is a system malfunct ion that can result in
restricted d riving stability or reduced gro und
clearance.
22
Drive to an au thori zed A udi dealer or authori zed
Audi Se rvice Facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction cor rected.
rl Air suspension : Vehicle i s too low. Ground
clearance limited
The gro und clea rance is very low due to a system
malfunction . Wai t unti l th e air su sp ension sys ­
tem has restored normal g ro und clear ance. Oth­
erwise, conditions s uch as an uneven road surface
can lead to ve hicle damage.
. ;;.l u Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC)
If the G) ind icator light blinks while driving, the
ESC or ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) is act ively regu­
l ating.
If the
G) indicator light turns on, the system has
switched the ESC off. In th is case, you can switch
the ignit ion off and then on to switch the ESC on
again. The i ndicator light tu rns off when the sys­
tem is functioning fully .
If the
II ind icator light turns on, the ESC was
switched off using the
lli] b utton o page 126.
Stabilization cont rol (ESC/ABS) : malfunction!
See owner's manual
I f the If.) ind ic a tor light and t he A BS indica to r
li gh t~ (U SA mode ls)
I [IJ (Canada models)
turn o n an d this message appears, there is a mal­
functio n in the ABS system or electro nic differen­
tia l lock. This also causes the ESC to malfunction.
The brakes still function with their normal power, but ABS is not active .
Drive to an authorized A udi dealer or authorized
Audi Se rvice Fac ility immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected .
& WARNING
If the ... (USA models) • (Canada mod ­
e ls) bra ke system indicator light turns on to­
ge the r with the ABS and ESC in dicator ligh ts,
the ABS a nd ESC r egulating fu nction may
ha ve malfunc tioned. Fu n ct io ns t hat stab ilize
t he vehicle are no l onger av aila ble. This co uld
cause t he vehicle to swerve, which increases

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' Driving
General information
Breaking in
A new vehicle must be broken in, and the break­
in distance should be 1,000 mi les ( 1,500 km). Do
not drive at speeds that w ill exceed
2/3 of the
maximum permitted engine speed
(RPM) for the
first 600 miles (1,000 km) , and avoid full accel­
eration during this period . You may gradually
start increasing the
RPM and the speed between
600 miles (1,000 km) and 1,000 miles (1,500
km).
During the first hours of use, the engine has a
higher internal friction than later on when all
moving parts have settled into place with each
other.
How the vehicle is driven during the first 1,000
miles (1,500 km) also affects the engine quality.
Drive at moderate engine speeds after the initial
break-in per iod, part icularly when running a cold
engine . This will reduce engine wear and improve
the mileage .
Do not drive at too low of an engine speed (rpm).
Shift down if the engine stops running "smooth­
ly" . Extremely high eng ine speeds are automati ­
cally reduced .
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive pa r­
ticularly careful for the first 350 miles (500 kilo­
meters) after fitting .
.&_ WARNING
-
New tires tend to be slippery and must also
be "broken-in". Be sure to remember this dur­
ing the first 350 miles (500 kilometers).
Brake gently . Avo id following closely behind
other vehicles or other situations that might
require sudden, hard brak ing.
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that low-
Driving
lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged .
T h is is espec ially true for veh icles with low-s lung
chass is (sports chassis)* and fully loaded
vehicles .
Driving through water on roads
Note the following to reduce the risk of vehicle
damage when driving through water, for example
on flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the bot­
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faste r than walk ing speed.
.&_ WARNING
=
After driving through water or m ud, the effec-
tiveness of the brakes may be reduced due to moisture on the brake rotors and brake pads.
A few careful brake applications should dry
off the brakes .
(D Note
-Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical sys­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
- Always switch off the Start/Stop system
when driving through water r::;,page
78.
{i) Tips
- Determine the depth before driving through
water.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or
switch the engine off when driving through
water.
- Keep in mind that oncom ing vehicles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to drive
through safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water, because
this can cause corrosion .
73

0 co .... N ,..._
N .... 0 0 :c ' Air suspension*
When driv ing with a trailer, activate the trailer
mode of the air suspension. Switch the air sus ­
pension trailer mode on when you are towing a
trailer. This will limit the regulation by the air
suspension while driving. Select in the MMI:
ICARI function button > (Ca r)* systems control
button
> Vehicle settings > Air susp.: towing >
On.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 9 must
be observed carefully . The coolant temperature
can increase if you drive on long inclines in a low
gear at high engine speeds. Reduce your speed
i mmed iately if the LEDs in the top part of the dis­
p lay turn on.
For more information about indicator lights, re­
fer to. ¢
page 20.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
de nt. Never let anyone ride in you r car who is
not properly wearing the restraints p rovided
by Audi.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know -
Your veh
icle handles differently when tow ing a
tra iler because of the additional weight and d if ­
ferent weight distr ibut ion. Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how careful­
ly yo u load you r trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopp ing and back ing up in a n area away
from traffic. Keep practicing until you have be­
come completely fami liar with the way your vehi­
cle-trailer comb inat io n behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires pract ice.
Backing up with a trailer gene rally requires steer­
ing action opposite to tha t when backing up your
ve hicl e without a trailer .
Maintain a greater d istance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you . You w ill need more
Trailer mode
room to stop . To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accel­
erate as fast as you normally wo uld because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow p lenty of room for
your trailer before changing lanes again .
Avo id jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your veh icle.
-If you tow a trailer, your Audi may requ ire
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load ¢
page 336.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
" Apply the foot brake .
" Have someone place chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels.
"W ith chocks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load.
" Tur n the whee ls towards the curb.
" App ly the parking brake.
" Select the P selector lever position.
When restarting after parking:
"App ly the foot brake.
" Start the engine .
"S elect the D selector lever position .
" Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
" Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks.
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automat­
i c transmission to P before applying the park­
in g brake and before blocking the wheels, you
may have to use more force later to move the
lever out of the P posit ion.
91

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' depends on the driving mode selected, steering
movements, the driver's braking and accelera­
tion, and as the road surface, vehicle speed and load. A sporty setting is generally used in vehicles
with adaptive air suspension sport*.
The vehicle ground clearance depends on the
mode selected and the speed. When you are in
the auto or dynamic mode, the highway setting is
activated when you drive above 75 mph (120 km/
h) for more than 30 seconds. The ground clear­
ance is increased automatically if the speed
drops below 44 mph (70 km/h) for more than 120 seconds .
Steering
The power steering adapts. Indirect steering that
moves easily as in comfort mode is especially
suited to long drives on a highway. The dynamic
mode provides sporty, direct steering .
Applies to: vehicles with dynamic steering
The steering ratio changes based on vehicle
speed in order to maintain optimum steering ef ­
fort for the driver at all times . This sets the steer­
ing to be less sensitive at higher speeds in order
to provide improved vehicle control. At reduced
speeds, steering is more direct in order to keep
the steering effort as minimal as possible when
the driver is maneuvering the vehicle. At low and
average speeds, dynamic steering* additionally
provides more responsive steering performance.
Sport differential*
As a component of the all wheel drive system
(quattro)
~ page 130, the sport differential dis­
tributes the driving power to the rear axle de­
pending on the situation. The distribution of
power varies from balanced (comfort) to sporty
(dynamic) depending on the selected mode. The
goal is a high level of agility and ability to accel ­
erate on curves. The vehicle is very responsive to
steering .
Cornering light*
The cornering light adapts the high beams to the
direction of the curve depending on the speed.
The pivoting action and the lighting also adapt to
the mode .
Assist
Adaptive cruise control*
The behavior when accelerating can be adjusted
from comfortable to sporty, depending on the
drive select mode. Adaptive cruise control also
responds to the driving behavior of the vehicle
ahead in a more conservative or sporty manner.
Engine sound*
The engine sound adapts to the current mode
and can be subtle to sporty.
(D Note
- Make sure there is enough clearance above
and below the vehicle when parking. The
height of the vehicle can change once it is
parked due to temperature fluctuations,
changes to the load conditions and changes
to the driving modes, which can affect clear­
ance.
- When transporting the vehicle on a car car­
rier, train, ship or by other means, only tie
the vehicle down at the running surface of
the tires, which is the outer circumference.
Securing the vehicle at the axle compo­
nents, suspension struts or towing eyes is
not permitted because the pressure in the
air suspension struts can change during
transport. The vehicle may not be secured
sufficiently if this happens.
@ Tips
- In some models, the maximum vehicle
speed can only be reached in the auto and
dynamic modes.
- The S selector lever position automatically
engages if the dynamic mode is selected.
- In vehicles that have dynamic steering*, op­
erating noise is heard when starting or stop­
ping the engine. This does not indicate a
problem.
111

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' Lowering the vehicle
"'To lower the vehicle, select the following in the
Infotainment system: the
! CAR I function button
> Lower control button.
"' Wait for the arrows in the display to stop blink­
ing and the vehicle to lower completely.
(D Note
- Remember that your vehicle is not suitable
for driv ing offroad even when it is raised.
There is not enough ground clearance.
- If the vehicle is raised, it will lower auto­
matically when driv ing 62 mph (100 km/h)
or faster.
Messages
Air suspension: Vehicle i s too high . Controlling
lev el. ..
Air suspension: Vehicle is too low. Controll ing
le vel. ..
The driver message switches off when the level
control process is complete.
Assist
113

Airbag syste m
service action is entered in your Audi War­
ranty
& Maintenance book let under AIRBAG
REPLACEMENT RECORD.
- For safety reasons in severe accidents, the
alternator and starter are separated from
the vehicle battery with a pyrotechnic circuit interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit interrupt­
er must only be performed by a qualified
dea ler· risk of an accident!
- If the veh icle or the circuit interrupter is
scrapped, all applicab le safety precautions
must be followed .
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modu les and pretension ­
ers might be classified as Perch lorate Materi­
al -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo­
rate. When the vehicle or parts of the re­
straint system including airbag modules and
safety belts w ith pretensioners are scrapped,
all applicable laws and regulations must be
observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is fa­
m iliar with these requirements and we recom­
mend that you have your dealer perform this
serv ice for you .
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag System
performs in a crash. For example, using t ire-r im
comb inat ions not approved by Audi, lower ing the
veh icle, chang ing the st iffness of the suspens ion,
including the springs, suspension struts, shock
absorbers etc. can change the forces that are
measured by the airbag senso rs and sent to the
electronic contro l unit. Some suspension changes
can, for example, increase the force levels meas­
ured by the sensors and make the airbag system
deploy in crashes in which it would not deploy if
the changes had not been made. Other kinds of changes may reduce the force levels meas ured by
the sensors and prevent the airbag from deploy­ ing when it should .
240
A WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including
use of unapproved tire-rim comb inations can
change Advanced Airbag performance and in­
crease the r isk of serious personal injury in a
crash.
- Never insta ll suspension components that
do not have the same performance charac­
ter istics as the components origina lly ins tal­
led on you r vehicle.
- N ever use tire-r im combinations that have
no t been approved by Aud i.
A WARNING
It ems stored between the safety belt buckle
and the center conso le can cause the sensors
in the buckle to send the wrong information
to the electronic contro l module and prevent
the Advanced A irbag System from working
proper ly.
- Always make sure that nothing can interfere
with the safety belt buckles and that they
are not obstructed.
Knee airbags
Description of knee airbags
The knee airbag system can provide supplemen­
tal protection to properly restrained front seat
occupants.
Fig . 234 D river 's knee a irbag
The driver knee airbag is in the instrument panel
underneath the steering wheel~
fig. 234, the
airbag for the passenger is at about the same height in the instrument panel underneath the
glove compartment . ..,_