2018 AUDI A8 warning light

Checking and Filling
Cl osing the ho od
~ Push the hood down until you override the
force of the strut .
~ Let the hood fall light ly into the latch. Do not
press it in.
c::> .&_ .
A WARNING
-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.
Engine compartment overview
The most important check points .
-For safety reasons, the hood must always be
closed securely while driv ing. Because of
this, always check the hood after closing it
to make sure it is latched correctly . The
hood is latched if the front corners cannot
be lifted.
-If you notice that the hood is not latched
while you are driving, stop immed iate ly and
close
it, because d riving when the hood is
not latched increases the r is k of an accident.
Fig. 258 Typical locatio n of the rese rvoir and the engi ne o il fille r open ing
(D Washer fluid reservoir (Q) c::> page 281
@ J ump 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 * w ith VW standard
c::> page 2 75
274
® Engine oil filler opening ( page 2 76
@ Brake fl uid reservo ir ((0)) c::> page 2 79
(J) Coolant reservoir (-L) c::> page 2 78
The engine oil filling opening (item @) may be
l ocated in a different area depending on the en-
gine version.
.,.

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' @ For the sake of the environment
-Oil should never enter the sewer system or
come into contact with the ground.
- Pay attention to legal requirements when
disposing of empty oi l containers .
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that hove your oil changed by on
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service sta­
tion .
Before you check anyt hing in the engine compart ­
ment,
alw ays re ad and h eed all W ARNINGS ¢ &
in Working in the engine comportment on
page 272.
The engine oil must be changed according to the
intervals specified in your Warranty
& Mainte­
nance booklet . This is very important because the
lubricating properties 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 t ime . Th is 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 se rvice station .
If you choo se to chang e your o il y ou rse lf, please
note the following important information:
A WARNING
T o reduce the r isk of personal injury if you
must change the engine oil in your ve hicle
yourse lf:
- Wear eye protection .
-
Check ing and F illing
- To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine
oil, let the engine cool down to the touch.
- When removing the oil drain p lug with your
fingers, stay as far away as possible. Always 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 o il is
harmful to your skin. Always protect your
skin by wash ing oil off thoroughly with soap
and wate r.
@ Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil.
These add itives can damage your engine and
adversely affect your Audi L imited New Vehi­
cle War ranty .
@ For the sake of the environment
-Before chang ing your o il, 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 so il, wooded
areas, i nto open streams o r down sewage
dra ins.
- Recycle used eng ine o il by tak ing it to a used
eng ine oi l collection fac ility in yo ur area, or
c ontact a se rvice station.
Cooling system
Coolant
The eng ine cooling system is filled w ith a mixture
of purified water and coolant additive at the fac­
tory. This coolant must not be not changed .
The coo lant level is mon itored through
the . in­
dicator
light¢ page 20. However, we do recom­
mend occasionally checking the coolant level
manually .
.,.
277

Checking and Filling
@
Fire, sparks, open flame and smok ing are
forb idden.
~
A highly explosive mixture of gases can
form when charging batteries.
®
Keep c hildren away from battery acid and
batteries.
A WARNING
All work on the battery or electrical system in
your vehicle can result in injuries, chemical
burns, accidents or burns. Because of this, a ll
work must be performed
only by an author­
ized Aud i dea le r o r authorized Aud i Serv ice
Facility.
A WARNING
California Proposit ion 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, terminals and re lated acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the Sta te of California
to ca use ca nce r and rep roduct ive p roblems.
Wash hands after handling.
{Q) Note
If the v ehicle wi ll be par ked for long periods
of t ime, pro tect i t against the co ld so that it
w ill not be destroyed by "freezing"
¢page 280.
Vehicle battery
The term "vehicle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
bat tery in your vehicle.
Not running the vehicle for long periods of
time
I f you do not dr ive your vehicle for seve ral days or
weeks, elec trical equipmen t is gradually scaled
back or switched off. This reduces energy use and
ensu res the vehicle wi ll be able to start after long
periods of
time ¢ page 131. Some convenience
functions, such as interior lighting or power seat
ad justment, may not be available under certa in
circumstances. These convenience funct ions w ill
be ava ilable aga in once you switch the ignition on
and start the engine.
280
Even when electrical equipment is swi tched o ff,
the equipment can still drain the vehicle battery i f the ve hicle is not dr iven fo r long periods of
time. Deep draining results in a chemica l reaction
that destroys the ins ide of the vehicle battery.
The vehicle battery must be charged every month
to reduce the risk of this
happen ing ¢ page 280.
Contact an autho rized Aud i dea le r or a uthorized
A udi Se rvice Fa cility for mo re information.
Winter operation
Co ld weather places higher demands on the vehi­
cle battery. T his res ults in reduced starting abili ­
ty . Have the vehicle ba tte ry checked by an au­
thorized Aud i dea ler or author ized Audi Service
Fa cil ity befo re the cold time of ye ar.
Charging the vehicle battery
Fi g. 262 Eng ine compa rtment: connectors fo r a cha rger
and jump start cab les
Requirement: only use chargers with a ma ximum
charging voltage of 30 amp s/14.8 Volts.
The
vehicle battery cab les remain connected .
.. Read the warnings ¢.&. in General warnings
about batteries on page 280
and ¢ _&. .
.. Switch off the ignitio n and all electrica l equip­
ment.
.. Open the hood ¢ page 2 73 .
.. Remove the cover (I) by pressing on the arrow
¢fig. 262.
.. Open the cover @on the pos it ive terminal.
.. Clamp the charger terminal clamps to the jump
star t pins accord ing to the inst ru ct ions. (pin un­
de r the cover= "positive", p in wit h hex agon al
head = "nega tive") .
.. Insert the power cable for t he cha rging dev ice
into the socket and switch the device on.
Ill>

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' ~ 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 term inal and
re-install the
cover (!).
~ Close the hood c:;, page 2 73 .
A drained battery can freeze at temperatures
around
322F (0QC) . A frozen or thawed out bat­
tery must no longer be used . The battery hous ing
could be cracked by the format ion of ice , which
could cause battery acid to leak out
c:;, ,&. .
Charg ing the b attery
Only use chargers with a ma ximum charg ing
v oltage of 14 .8 V.
The battery connecting cables
do not need to be disconnected . Do not open the
battery when charg ing .
Read all of the manufacturer's instructions for
the charger before charging the battery .
A WARNING
-A h ighly exp losive mixture of gases can form
w hen cha rging batter ies. O nly charge t he
vehicle ba tte ry in well -vent ilated a reas.
- A d rained vehicle battery can freeze at tem­
peratu res a round 32
Q F (0 QC). A froze n or
thawed ve hicle battery m ust not be ch arged
and must not be used anymore. The battery
housing can crack and battery acid can leak
out if ice forms, whic h increases the risk of
an exp losion and chemical burns. Contact an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Aud i
Service Facility for more information.
- Do not connect or disconnect the charg ing
cable while charg ing because th is increases
the risk of an explosion .
(D Tips
-Only charge the vehicle battery through the
connections in the engine compartment.
-Read all of the manufacturer's instructions
for the charger before charg ing the ve hicle
battery .
Ch eck ing and F illing
Windshield washer
system
F ig . 263 E ngin e compar tmen t: was he r fl ui d reservo ir cap
M N
-N ' "' "' m
The windshield washer fluid reservoir O contains
the cleaning solution for the windshie ld and the
headlight washer system
c:;, fig. 263, c:;, page 274.
The reservoir capacity can be found in
<=> page 334.
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 temperatures are cold, an
anti -freezing agent should be added to the water
so that it does not freeze .
@ Note
-The concentration of ant i-freez ing agent
must be adjusted to the veh icle operat ing
condit ions in the respective cl imate . A con­
centration that is too high can lead to vehi­
cle damage.
- Never add radiato r anti-freeze or other addi­
t ives to the washer fluid.
- Do not use a glass cleaner that conta ins
paint so lvents, because t his could damage
the paint.
Service interval display
The service interval display detects when your ve­
hicle is due for service.
T he serv ice interval d isplay wo rks in two stages:
-In sp ec tio n o r oil change remind er: after a cer-
tain distance driven , a message appears in the
.,.
2 8 1

lL t:0 ....
"" ......
"" .... 0 0 :c ' Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPM S
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys­
tem is not operating properly. The TPMS mal­
function indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi­
mately one minute and then remain cont inuously
illuminated . This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal­
function ex ists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be ab le to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended . TPM S malfunctions
may occur for a var iety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
indicator appears
Applies to: AS, 58
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system malfunction .
Fig. 268 Instrument clus ter: indicator light with message
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor­
ing system compares the tire tread circumfer­
ence and vibration characteristics of the individu­
al tires . If the pressure changes in one or more
tires, this is ind icated in the instrument cluster
display with an indicator light
ti] and a message .
Wheels
If only one tire is affected, the location of that
tire will be indicated.
The tire pressures must be stored in the Infotain­
ment system again each time the pressures
change (switching between partial and full load
pressure) or after changing or replacing a tire on
your vehicle
c:> page 302. The tire pressure mon i­
toring system only monitors the tire pressure you
have stored. Refer to the tire pressure label for
the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle
c:> page 293, fig . 267 .
Tire tread circumference and vibration character­
istics can change and cause a tire pressure warn­
ing if :
- the t ire pressure in one or more tires is too low
- the tire has structural damage
- the tire was replaced or the tire pressure was
changed and it was not stored
c:> page 302
- the spare tire* is installed
Indicator lights
ti] Loss of pressure in at least one tire c:> ,&..
Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys­
tem
c:>page 302.
mm ( T ire Pressure Monitor ing System) Tire
pressure: System malfunction!. Ifm:m appears
after switching the ignition on or while driving
and the
ti] indicator light in the instrument clus­
ter blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures
c:> page 302. If
the indicator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time, drive to an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty immediately to have the malfunction correct­ ed .
.&, WARNING
- If the tire pressure ind icator appears in the
display, reduce your speed immediately and
avoid any hard steering or braking maneu­
vers. Stop as soon as possible and check the
tires and their pressure.
..,.
301

Wheels
~ WARNING
Read and follow the important information
and notes ¢
page 303.
© Tips
The tire pressure or tem perature a re not di s­
played in ada pta tion mode. Da shes --.-- a re
shown in place of the press ure and tempera ­
ture .
Tire pressure loss
Applies to: 58 plus
F ig. 269 D isp lay: ind icator light wi th a message
-
If the IE indica to r li ght turns on, the p ressure in
at least one ti re is too low or new sensors were
not adapted :
RE indicator lights turns on after turning the
ignition on
The tire pressure is too low compared to the
specif ied pressure .
.,. Check and store the t ire pressure(s) the next
ti me it is poss ible¢
page 304 .
RE indicator light turns on while driving
Wheels with new senso rs were not adapted or
the t ire pressu re has reached a c ritical leve l com­
p ar ed to the specified press ure.
.,. Avo id unnecessary steering and braking maneu-
vers .
.,. Adapt you r d riving style to the situation .
.,. Stop as soon as possible and check the t ire(s) .
.,. If it i s po ssible to co nti nu e d riving, see an au-
t horized Audi dea le r or a uthorized Audi Service
Fa cility immed iate ly and have your tire(s) re­
paired or replaced.
304
A WARNING
, -
Read and fo llow the important information
and notes
¢ page 303.
Storing new tire pressures
App lies to: 58 pl us
Correctly stored tire pressure specifications are
necessary for reliable tire pressure monitoring.
.,. Check the tire pressures in all wheels .
-
.,. If necessary , correct the tire press ure according
to the specifications on the sticker on the driv ­
er's doo r
q page 291. On ly co rrect t he pressure
in t ires whose tempe rature is appro ximate ly
the same as the ambient tempera ture. If the
tempe rature of the tire is higher than the ambi­
ent air tempe rature, the t ire pressure must be
i n creased approxim ate ly 3 PSI (0 ,2 ba r) above
the val ue on the sticker .
.,. Switch the ignitio n on .
.,. Select: !CAR ! function button > Car systems >
Tire pressure mon itoring > Sto re tire pressure .
After storing, the t ire pressu re monitoring sys­
tem measures t he current t ire pressures and
s to res them as the new specif ied pressures .
.,. If the changed tire p ressures are not displayed
in the Infotainment system, d riv e the veh icle
for approximately 10 minutes so that the sen­ so r signa l from the w heels is received again.
D ur ing this adapta tion phase, --,--is displayed
fo r pressure and temperat ure and t he Tire Pres­
su re Moni toring Sys tem is on ly p arti all y av ail a­
ble: it only warns yo u if one or more of the tire
pressures is/are under t he minim um permitted
val ue. If th is is the case, the
IE indicator light
appears with a message .
A WARNING
Read and follow the important information
and notes
q page 303.
Malfunctions
App lies to: 58 plus
-
If the Tire Pressure Mon itoring System is not
available, t he
mm indicato r light appears in the
dr ive r informa tion system . T he
IE indica to r light .,..

Care and cleaning
Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value. It can also be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from an authorized Audi dea ler or authorized
Audi Service Facility. Read and follow the instruc ­
tions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
-Using cleaning and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
- Always store clean ing and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the r isk of poi­
sonin g.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferab ly purchase environmenta lly-friend­
l y cleaning products.
- Do not dispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the ve­
h icle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect.
Before washing, r inse
off heavy deposits with
p lenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a microfiber cloth.
A lso, wash the underside of yo ur vehicle once
road sa lt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icle w ith a pressure wash­
er , al ways fo llow the operating instructions pro­
vided with the press ure washer. This is especially
important in regard to the pressure and spraying
distance. Do not aim the spray directly at the
306
seals on the side windows, doors, lids or the sun­
roof* or at tires, rubber hoses, insulating materi ­
a l, sensors* or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of
at least 16 in (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use cone nozz les or high pressure nozzles.
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °C) .
Automatic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof* are closed
and the windshie ld wipers are
off . Follow instruc ­
tions from the car wash operator, especially if
there are accessories attached to your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes.
Only use car washes where the vehicle remains
stationary and the washing equipmen t moves
around the vehicle when washing and drying. Car
washes that move the vehicle t hrough the car
wash using a chain are not recommended .
Washing by hand
Clean the vehicl e starting from the top and work­
ing down using a soft sponge or cleaning brush.
Use solvent -free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing, first
remove dust and large particles from your vehi ­
cle. Insects, grease spots and fingerprints are
best removed with a special cleaner for matte
finish paint .
Apply t he product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse t he ve hicle thoroughly with wate r. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft micro ­
fiber clot h.
R inse the vehicl e thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a chamois.
..,..

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" N .... 0 0 :c ' & WARNING
-Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci­
dents.
-To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash­
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
-After washing the vehicle, the braking effect may be delayed due to moisture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter . This in­
creases the risk of an accident. The brakes
must be dried first with a few careful brake
applications.
@ Note
-If you wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash, you must fold the exterior mirrors in
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
Power folding exterior mirrors* must only
be folded in and out using the power folding
function.
-To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.
-
Care and cleaning
-To reduce the risk of damage, do not wash
the power top with a pressure washer.
-To reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitchen
sponges or similar items.
-Matte finish painted vehicle components:
-To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polishing agents or hard
wax.
-Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect .
-Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with matte
finish paint. The paint could be damaged
when the stickers or magnets are re­
moved .
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facilities specially de­
signed for that purpose . This will reduce the
risk of dirty water contaminated with oil from
entering the sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individual vehicle
components, refer to the following tables. The
information contained there is simply recom­
mendations. For questions or for components that are
not listed, consult an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility. Also
follow the information found
in~.&. -
Exterior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper
Deposits ~ page 51
blades
Headlights/
Deposits Soft sponge with a
mild soap solutiona)
Tail lights
Sensors/
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with solvent-free cleaning solution
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with alcohol-free cleaning solu-
tion
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
307
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