2018 AUDI A8 service

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' reactivated the next time you switch the ignition
on.
C lea n the head lights. The headlight washer sys ­
tem operates only when the low beam headlights
are switched on . If you move the lever to position
@ , the headlights and the night vision assist
camera* are cleaned at intervals .
A WARNING
-The rain sensor is only intended to assist the
dr iver. The driver may still be responsible
for manually sw itching the w ipers on based
on v is ib il ity conditions.
-The w indshie ld may not be treated with wa­
ter-repell ing windsh ield coating agents . U n­
favorable conditions, such as wetness, dark­ ness, and whe n the s un is low, can cause in­
cr eased g la re, which in cre ases the risk of a n
acc iden t. W iper blade ch atter is also poss i­
ble.
-Prope rly f unct ion ing winds hield wiper
blades are require d fo r a clear view and s afe
driving¢ page 51, Replacing the wiper
blades.
(Llj) Note
-If there is frost, make s ure t he windsh ie ld
wiper b la d es are not frozen to the wind ­
s h ield. Switching on the windshield wipers
when the blades are frozen to the wind­ s h ield can damage the wiper blades.
-Prior to using a car was h, the windshield
wiper system must be switched off (lever in
pos ition @). This prevents the wipers from
switching on un intent ionally and causing
damage to the w indshie ld w iper system .
(D Tips
-The windshield wipe rs switch off when the
i gnition is sw itched off. You can act ivate the
winds hield wipers after the ig nition is
switched back on by moving the winds hield
wiper leve r to any pos it ion .
-Worn or dirty w indshield wiper blades result
i n streak ing . This can affec t the ra in se nsor
f u nct ion . Check yo ur windsh ield wipe r
b lades regu lar ly.
Light s and Vision
-The washer fluid no zz les for the windshield
washer system are heated at low tempera­
tures when the ign ition is on .
-When stopping temporari ly, such as at a
traffic light, the speed of the windshield
w ipers automatica lly reduces by one level.
Cleaning the wiper blades
Clean the wiper b lades when you see w iper
streaks. Clea n the wiper blades with a soft towel
and glass cleaner .
.. Place the windshie ld w iper arms in the service
position
¢ page 51.
.. Fold the windshie ld wiper arms away from the
w indshield .
A WARNING
Dirty windsh ie ld w iper b lades can impa ir vi­
sion, w hich in creases the r is k of an acc ident.
Replacing the wiper blades
The service position is set in the Infotainment
system .
Fig. 57 Remov ing w indsh ield wiper b lades
Windshield wiper s erv ice position /blade
repl ace ment posit ion
-
~ ~ M 0 :i: ... m
.. Switch the ignit ion off and move the windshield
w iper lever to
position @) briefly¢ page 50,
fig. 56. The windshield wipers move into the
serv ice position .
.. To bring the wiper blades back into the o rig inal
position, sw itch the ignition on and ope rate the
w indshie ld w iper lever.
You can also turn the se rvice posit ion on or off in
the Infotainment system:
.,.
51

Lights and Vision
,.. Switch the windshield wipers off (position@
~page 50, fig. 56).
,.. Select: the ICARI function button > Car systems
control button > Service & control> Wiper
change position. > On.
Removing the wiper blade
,.. Fold the windshield wiper arm away from the
windshield.
,.. Press the locking knob@ c:> fig. 57 on the wiper
blade . Hold the wiper blade firmly.
,.. Remove the wiper blade in the direction of the
arrow.
Installing the wiper blade
,.. Insert the new wiper blade into the mount on
the wiper arm @until it clicks into place.
,.. Place the wiper arm back on the windshield.
,.. Turn the service position off.
.,&. WARNING
For safety reasons, the windshield wiper
blades should be replaced once or twice each
year.
@ Note
- The windshield wiper blades must only be
folded away when in the service position! Otherwise, you risk damaging the paint on
the hood or the windshield wiper motor.
- You should not move your vehicle or press
the windshield wiper lever when the wiper
arms are folded away from the windshield.
The windshield wipers would move back in­
to their original position and could damage
the hood and windshield.
- You can also use the service position, for ex­
ample, if you want to protect the windshield
from icing by using a cover.
- You cannot activate the service position
when the hood is open.
52
Digital compass
Switching the compass on and off
Applies to: vehicles with digital compass
Fig. 58 Rearview mirror : d ig ital compass activated
,.. To turn the compass in the mirror on or off,
press the button @ until the compass display
in the mirror appears or disappears.
The digital compass only works when the ignition is turned on. The directions are indicated with ab­
breviations:
N (north), NE (northeast), E (east),
SE (southeast), S (south), SW (southwest), W
(west),
NW (northwest) .
(D Tips
To prevent inaccurate compass readings, do
not bring any remote controls, electrical devi­
ces or metallic objects near the mirror.

Seats and storage
-If the refrigerator is not functioning correct ­
l y, turn it off to prevent any damage. Have it
checked by an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility.
Operation
App lies to: vehicl es with refrigerator
Fig . 85 Rea r ce nte r armr est
Depending on the equipment, the refrigerator
may be located in the rear behind the center arm­
rest or behind the sunshade. It refr igerates or
freezes only when the ignition is sw itched on.
Opening and closing the refrigerator
,.. Pull the release lever @~ fig. 85 to open the
refrigerator.
,.. Push the cover back into its closed position to
close the refrigerator. The cover is closed cor­
rectly if the release
lever (!) audibly engages.
Switching on/off
,.. Press the button @¢ fig. 85 to switch the
cooling function on or off. The symbol in the
button lights up when the function is switched
on.
,.. Press the button ® to sw itch the freezer func­
tion on or off. The symbol in the button lights
up when the function is switched on .
{I) Tips
- To avoid a build-up of condensation, only
open the refrigerator cover as briefly and
quickly as possible .
- Do not place any warm food or drinks in the
refrigerator .
68

lL t:0 ....
"" ......
"" .... 0 0 :c ' Save en er gy
The engine drives the generator, wh ich generates
electricity; the fue l consumption also increases
with the demand for electricity. Therefore, switch
e lectrical equipment off when you no longer
need it. Examples of equipment that use a lot of
energy are air blowers at a high setting, the rear
window defogger and seat heating*.
CD Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after
starting. If warning lights should come on to
ind icate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces
heat, wh ich could result in overheat ing or
other damage to the vehicle or other p roper-
ty.
CD Note
-Have your vehicle maintained properly and
i n accordance with the service recommenda­
tions in your Warranty
& Ma intenance book­
l et. Lack of proper maintenance as well as
i mproper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system and
could lead to damage.
-Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap­ proved by the manufacturer.
-Do not alter or remove any device, such as
heat shie lds, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Emission Control System and other
important vehicle components .
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published by
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehicle
load and speed, road and weather conditions
trip length, etc.
'
D rivi ng
Steering
Adjusting the steering wheel position
The steering column can be power adjusted up
and down and forward and back.
F ig . 89 Sw itc h for steering colu mn adjustment
Requirement: the driver's seat is set correct ly.
"' To adjust the he ight, press the sw itch up/down .
The steering co lumn will continue movi ng as
long as you are pressing the switch.
"' To move the steering wheel forwa rd or back,
press the switch forward/back. The steering
column will continue moving as long as you are
pressing the switch.
T he steering wheel can a lso be adjusted when the
ignition is switched off .
In veh icles with memory function*, the steering
co lumn settings are s to red toget her w ith the
seat position.
A WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjustment
and improper seating position can cause seri­
ous personal injury.
- Adjust the steering wheel column only when
the vehicle is not moving to prevent loss of
veh icle control.
- Ad just the driver's seat or steer ing whee l so
that the re is a m inimum of 10 in (25 cm)
between your chest and the steering wheel
r::;, page 209, fig . 217 . If you cannot main­
tain this minimum distance, the airbag sys-
tem cannot protect you p roperly.
~
75

Drivin g
During emergency braking, your vehicle will
brake sim ilar to heavy brak ing. ESC and the
associated components (ABS, ASR, EDL)
cannot overcome the laws of physics . In cor­
ners and when road or weather cond it ions
are bad, a full b rake applicat ion ca n cause
the vehicle to skid o r the rear end to swerve,
wh ic h increases the r is k of an accident.
- If the powe r supply fa ils, you cannot set the
par king b rake if it is re leased. In th is case,
par k the vehicle on level ground and secure
it by placing the selector lever in the P posi­
tion . See an authorized Audi dea ler or a u­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance .
- Always take the vehicle key with you when
leaving your vehicle, even fo r a short period
of time . This applies particular ly w hen ch il­
dren rema in in the vehicle. Otherwise ch il­
dren could start the engine, release the
park ing brake or operate electrical eq uip­
ment such as powe r windows, which in­
c reases the risk of an acc ident.
- No one sho uld rema in in the vehicle when it
is locked - especially ch ild ren. Locked doo rs
make it mo re diff icu lt fo r eme rgency wor k­
ers to get into the vehicle, which puts lives
at r is k .
0) Tips
When stopping at a traffic s ignal or stopping
in c ity traffic, you can set the parking b rake
manually. The vehicle does no t have to be
he ld w it h t he br ake peda l. The parking b rake
elim ina tes the tendency to creep when a se ­
lecto r lever position is engaged . As soon as
you p ress t he accelerator pedal, the parking
brake releases automat ica lly and your vehicle
starts to move
c::, page 82.
(D Tips
- Occasiona l noises when the parking brake is
set and re leased a re normal and a re not a
cause for concer n.
- The park ing bra ke goes thro ugh a se lf-test
cycle at regular intervals when the ve hicle is
stopped. Any noises associated w ith this a re
normal.
82
- If there is a powe r fail ure, the par king b rake
wi ll not set if it is released, and it wi ll not
re lease if it is
set ~.&. . See an a uth orized
Audi dealer or author ized Audi Se rvice Fa­
cility for assistance.
Starting to drive
Various convenience and safety f unct ions may be
available when the vehicle begins dr iving, de­
pendi ng on vehicle equipment .
Starting on hills with th e pa rking brake set
Requirement: the driver's door must be closed
and the driver's safety belt must be fastened.
.,. To sta rt driving comfortably when on a h ill, set
the parking brake and begin driving as usu a l.
The braking force of the parking brake does not
release automatically unt il the whee ls build up
enoug h driving force.
Starting on hills with hill hold assist
Hill hold assis t makes it easier to start on hills.
Requireme nt: the d rive r's doo r must be closed
and t he engine must be runn ing.
.,. To activate h ill hold assist, press and hold the
brake pedal for several seco nds . The vehicle
m ust be in an uphill d irect io n of t ravel.
After re leas ing the brake pedal, the brak ing pow­
er is maintained for a brief moment
c::, &. to pre ­
vent the veh icle from rolli ng back w hen starting.
Du ring this t ime, you can easily begin to move
yo ur vehicle.
_8. WARNING
Applies to: vehicles with hill hold assist
-If you do not beg in d riving immed iate ly or
the engine stalls after releasing the bra ke
pedal, your veh icle may beg in to roll back­
ward. Press the brake pedal or set the park­
ing brake immedia tely.
- The inte lligent technology of hill ho ld assist
cannot ove rcome the limitat ions imposed by
natural p hys ica l laws. The increased comfort
offe red by hill ho ld assist should not cause
you to t ake safety r is ks.

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' Kick-down
Kick-down enables maximum acceleration.
When you press the accelerator pedal down be­
yond the resistance point, the automatic trans­ miss ion downshifts into a lower gear and the en­
g ine utilizes its full power, depend ing on veh icle
speed and engine RPM . It shifts up into the next
h igher gea r once the maximum spec ified eng ine
RP M i s reached .
A WARNING
Please note tha t the wheels could sp in o n
slick or slippery roads when kick -down is ac­
tive.
Overboost
Applies to: S8 plus
-
The maximum engine torque is temporarily in ­
creased in overboost. Overboost is activated
when nearing full throttle in the S position and
when the engine is at operat ing temperature .
A WARNING
Please note that the wheels could spin o n
slick or sl ippery roads when overboost is ac­
t ive.
Transmission malfunction
Tran sm iss ion : selector l eve r in drive!
-
If the selector lever is not in the P position when
you open the driver's door, the vehicle could roll.
Select the P se lector lever position .
rm Transm issio n: Please p res s bra ke pedal and
s e lect ge ar aga in
Press the brake pedal and se lect the desired se ­
lector lever posit ion aga in. You can then continue
driving.
rm T ransmi ssion o verh ea ting : Ple ase d rive con­
servat ively
The t ransm iss ion tempera ture h as increased s ig ­
nificantly due to the sporty driving manner. Drive
in a less sporty manner until the temperature re -
Driving
turns to the normal range and t he indicator light
switches of .
rm Transmi ssion malfunction : You can continue
driving
T here is a system malfu nction in the transmis­
s io n. You may cont inue d riving. Dr ive to an au­
thorized Aud i dea le r or a uthorized Audi Serv ice
F ac ility soon to have t he malfunct io n cor rected.
[O] liJ Transmission malfunc tion: You can con­
tinu e driving in D un til engine i s off
There is a system malfunction in the transmis­
s ion . The transm ission is switch ing to emergency
mode .
If you turn the engine off, you w ill not be
able to select any othe r se lector lever positions
after sta rting the engine ag ain. Drive to an a u­
tho rized Aud i de aler or authorized Audi Serv ice
F acility immediate ly to have the ma lfunction cor ­
rected .
rm Transmi ssion malfunction : You can continue
driving with limited functionalit y
There is a system malfu nction in the transmis­
s io n. The transm ission is switc hing to eme rge ncy
mode. This mode only sh ifts i nto ce rtain gears or
will no longer sh ift a t all. T he eng ine may sta ll.
Drive to an authorized A udi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected.
[O] liJ Tran smi ssio n malfunction : No rev ers e
g ear. You can c ontinue dri ving
T he re is a system malfu nction in t he transmis­
s io n. The transm ission is switc hing to eme rge ncy
mode. This mode only sh ifts into ce rtain gears or
will no longer shift at a ll. The engine may sta ll.
You cannot engage the reverse gear . Drive to an
authorized Audi dea ler or authorized Audi Service
Facility immed iate ly to have the malfunction cor­
rected .
[O] Vehicle ma y roll! Cannot sh ift to P. Please
appl y par king brake
-The parking loc k was released using the emer -
gency
re lease ¢ page 88 . Or ..,.
87

Driving
-The park ing lock can no longer be engaged.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility immed iately to have
the malfunction corrected.
rm Transmission malfunction: Stop vehicle and
shift to park.
Do not continue driving. Select the P selec tor lev­
er position and contact an authorized Audi dea ler
or authorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
Parking lock emergency release
The parking lock must be released using the
emergency release before towing the vehicle.
®
Fig. 99 Drive r's side footwe ll: releasin g t he parking lock
u sin g th e emergency release
Fig . 100 Dr iver's s ide footwell: resett ing the park ing lock
The emergency re lease is located under the floor
mat on the driver 's side. You operate the emer­
gency release from the driver's seat.
Releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release
.,. To prevent the vehicle from rolling unintention­
ally, set the parking brake(®)
¢ page 81 or
press the brake pedal.
88
.,. Th ere are two slits on the cover. Position the
screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit in one of
the s lits on the cover and pry the cover off.
.,. Pull the band ® in the direction of the arrow
until the release lever locks in place
¢ fig. 99 .
.,. Fold the upper sect ion of the release lever
down into th e recess.
Resetting the parking lock
.,. Press the button @ and the release lever at the
same time. You can now push the lever back in­
to its original posit ion. Make sure the lever
locks in
place ¢ fig. 100 .
.,. Install the cover .
When the parking lock emergency release is
used, the
rm indicator light and the N selector
lever posit ion turn on in the instrument cluster.
The message
Vehicle may roll! Cannot shift to P.
Please apply parking brake
also appears .
.&, WARNING
-
If you release the parking lock using the
emergency release, secure your vehicle with
the pa rking brake or the brake pedal if the
parking brake is not working. The vehicle can
ro ll away if it is not secured and cause a crash.

Assistance systems
-With stationary objects ¢ page 97.
A WARNING
Always pay attention to traffic when adaptive
cruise control is switched on and braking
guard is active. As the driver, you are still re­
sponsible for starting and for maintaining
speed and distance to other objects. Braking
guard is used to assist you . The driver must
always take action to avoid a collision. The
driver is always responsible for braking at the
correct time.
- For safety reasons, do not use adaptive
cruise control when driving on roads with
many curves, when the road surface is in
poor condition and/or in bad weather (such
as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and hydroplan­
ing). Using the system under these condi­
tions increases the risk of an accident.
- Switch adaptive cruise control off tempora­
rily when driving in turning lanes, on ex­
pressway exits or in construction zones. This
prevents the vehicle from accelerating to
the stored speed when in these situations .
- The adaptive cruise control system will not
brake by itself if you put your foot on the ac­
celerator pedal. Doing so can override the
speed and distance regulation.
- When approaching stationary objects such
as stopped traffic, adaptive cruise control
will not respond and braking guard will have limited function.
- The adaptive cruise control system and
braking guard do not react to people, ani­
mals, objects crossing the road or oncoming
objects.
- The function of the radar sensors can be af­
fected by reflective objects such as guard
rails, the entrance to a tunnel, heavy rain or
ice.
A WARNING
- Improper use of adaptive cruise control can
cause collisions, other accidents and serious
personal injury.
- Never let the comfort and convenience that
adaptive cruise control and braking guard
96
offer distract you from the need to be alert
to traffic conditions and the need to remain
in full control of your vehicle at all times,
- Always remember that the adaptive cruise
control and braking guard have limits -they
will not slow the vehicle down or maintain the set distance when you drive towards an
obstacle or something on or near the road
that is not moving, such as vehicles stopped
in a traffic jam, a stalled or disabled vehicle.
If registered by the radar sensors, vehicles
or obstacles that are not moving can trigger
a collision warning and if confirmed by the
video camera, an acute collision warning.
- Never follow a vehicle so closely that you
cannot stop your vehicle safely. The adap­
tive cruise control cannot slow or brake the
vehicle safely when you follow another vehi­ cle too closely. Always remember that the
automatic braking function cannot bring the
vehicle to a sudden or emergency stop un­
der these conditions .
- To prevent unintended operation, always
switch ACC off when it is not being used .
@ Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, wheel housing and
underbody. That could affect the adaptive
cruise control system and braking guard .
Have an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility check their function.
© Tips
For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulations, see
¢page 339.