2018 AUDI A8 engine coolant

lL t:0 ....
"" ......
"" .... 0 0 :c ' Cockpit overview
Instrument cluster
Instrument cluster overview
The instrument cluster is the central information center for the driver.
Fig. 3 Instrument cl uster overview
@ Eng ine coolan t temperature gauge
@ Tachometer ... .. ..... ... .. .. .
®
@
Turn signals
D isp lay w ith
- Driver information system .. .. .
- In dicator lights ..... ... .. .. .
® Speedometer
@ Fuel level ................. .. .
(j) Trip odometer reset b utton .. .. .
@ Tips
9
10
44
12
17
1 0
10
The instrument illumination for the need les
and dia ls t urns on when the ignition is turned
on and the lights are turned off. The illumina ­
tion for the gauges reduces automat ica lly and
eventually turns off as brightness outside in­
creases. This function reminds the drive r to
tur n the low beams on at the appropriate
time.
Coolant temperature indicator
The coolant temperature disp lay @ i:> page 9,
fig. 3
only func tions when the ignition is switch­
ed o n. To preven t engine damage , please observe
t h e following notes about the temperatu re rang­
es.
Cold range
If only the LEDs at the bottom of the gauge turn
o n, the engine has not reached operat ing tem­
perature yet. Avoid high eng ine speeds, f ull ac­
c e le ra ting and heavy e ng ine loads.
Normal range
The eng ine has reached its operating tempera­
ture once the LEDs up to the center of the gauge
tu rn on . If
the . indica tor light i n the display
tu rns on, th e coolant temperat ure is too h igh
c=> page 20.
9

Cockpit overv iew
CD Note
- Auxiliary headlights and other accessories in
front of the cooling-air intake impair the
cooling effect of the coolant. This increases
the r isk of the engine overheat ing during
high outside temperatures and heavy en-
gine load.
- The front spoiler also helps to distr ibute
cooling air correctly wh ile driving. If the
spoiler is damaged, the cooling effect will
be impaired and the risk of the engine over­
heating will inc rease. See an a uthorized
A ud i dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa­
cility for assistance .
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in rev ­
olutions per minute
(RPM).
You should shift to the next lowest gea r when
the speed is below 1,500 RP M. The beginn ing of
the red zone in the tachometer ind icates the
maximum permissible engine speed fo r all gears
once the engine has been broken in and when it is
warmed up to operating temperature . Before
reaching this zone, you should shift into the next
highest gear, select the D selector lever position,
or remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
~ Note
The needle in the tachometer @ c:> page 9,
fig. 3 may only be in the red area of the gauge
for a short time or there is a risk of engine damage. The locat ion where the red zone be­
gi ns varies depending on the engine.
@ For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early helps you to save fuel and re­
duces operating noise.
Fuel level
The display @ only works when the ignition is
sw itched on. If the fuel level drops below 4 gal
(15
L), a red L ED will light up and the Ill indica­
tor light will turn on
c:> page 24. The red LED
will blink when the fuel level is very low.
10
The fuel tank capacity of your ve hicle is listed in
the
Techn ical Data section c:> page 334.
CD Note
Neve r drive until the tank is comp letely emp­
ty. The irregu lar supply of fuel th at results
from that can cause engine misfires . Uncom­
busted fuel w ill then enter the exhaust sys­
tem. This can cause overheating and damage
to the catalyt ic converter.
Odometer
Fig. 4 Instru ment cluster: odometer and reset button
Upper odometer
The trip odometer shows the distance driven
s ince it was last reset.
It can be used to measure
short distances.
The trip odometer can be reset to zero by press ­
ing
the ~ reset button.
Lower odometer
The lower odomete r shows the total distance
that the vehicle has driven.
Malfunction indicator
If there is a malfunction in the instrument clus­
ter,
DEF will appear in the trip odometer display.
Have the malfunction corrected as soon as possi­
ble.

Cockpit overv ie w
- If the brake system indicator light does not
t u rn off or it t urns on while driv ing, the
brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low,
and this increases the risk of an acc ident.
Stop the vehicle a nd do not cont inue dr iv­
ing . See an author ized Audi dealer or au­
t h orized Aud i Serv ice Faci lity fo r ass ista nce.
- If the brake system ind icator light turns on
toget he r with the ABS and ESC ind icator
l ights, the ABS/ ESC regulat ing func tion may
be m alfu nctioning. Fu nctions t hat stabilize
the vehi cle are no longer ava ilable . This
cou ld cause the ve hicle to swerve, whic h in ­
creases the risk that t he ve hicle wi ll slide.
Do not continue driving. See an author ized
Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service Fac ili­
ty for assistance .
PARK/(®) Electromechanical parking brake
If the -(USA models) / . (Canada models)
i n dicator light tu rns on , the park ing brake was
set .
-(USA models ) /. (Canada models ) Cau·
tion : Vehicle parked too stee p
lfthe indicator light blinks and the message ap­
pears, the re is not enough brak ing power to se­
cure the vehicle . The brakes have overhea ted. The
ve hicle could roll away even on a small incline .
-(USA models) / . (Canada models) P ress
b rake pedal to release parking b rake
To re lease the parking brake, press the brake
pedal and press
the ~ button at the same time
or start driv ing with hill start ass ist
c> page 82 .
Ill Parking brake!
There is a malfunction in the park ing brake . Dr ive
to a n author ized Audi dealer or author ized A udi
Serv ice Faci lity immediately to have t he malfunc­
tion corrected.
(D Tips
For add it io na l info rmation on the pa rk ing
brake, seer:!)
page 81.
20
_ L Cooling system
• Turn off engine and ch eck coolant l evel
The coolant level is too low .
Do not continue dr iving and switch t he engine
off. Check the coolant level
c> page 2 77 .
- If the coo lant level is too low, add coolant
r:!) page 2 78. Only continue driving once the in­
dicator light turns off.
• Coolant temperature too high! Ple ase let en­
gine run with vehicle stationar y
Let the engine ru n at idle fo r a few mi nutes to
cool off, until t he ind icator lig ht tur ns off .
-If the ind icator light does not turn off, do not
cont inue driving the veh icle . See an author ized
Aud i dea le r or aut horized Audi Serv ice Facility
for assis tance.
.&_ WARNING
- N ever ope n the hood if you ca n see or he ar
steam or coo la nt escaping from t he engine
compa rtment. This increases the risk of
burns. Wait until you no longer see o r hear
steam or coolant escaping.
- The engine compartment in any vehicle can
be a dange rous a rea. Stop the engine and
allow it to cool before working i n the engine
compa rtment. Always follow the informa­
tion fo und in
c> page 272.
@ Note
Do not continue driv ing if the . indicator
li ght turns on as this increases the risk of en­
g ine damage.
~ Safety belt
The . indicator light stays on unt il the dr iver 's
and front passenge r's safety belts are faste ned .
Above a certa in speed, the re will a lso be a war n­
i ng tone.
© Tips
Fo r additional info rmat ion on safety belts,
see c>page219.

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' Warm and cold Deluxe automatic
climate control
Description
The climate control system warms, cools and re ­
moves humidity from the air in the vehicle interi­
or. It is the most effective when the windows and
sunroof* are closed. If there is a build-up of heat inside the vehicle, ventilation can help to speed
up the cooling process .
In all heating mode functions, except for defrost,
the blower only switches to a higher speed once
the engine coolant has reached a sufficient tem­
perature .
Pollut ant filt er
The po llutant filter removes pollutants such as
dust and pollen from the air.
Ke y r eco gnition
The climate control settings are a utomatically
stored and assigned to the remote control key
that is in use .
A WARNING
Poor visibility can lead to accidents.
- For safer driving, keep all windows free of
ice, snow and fog .
- Become familiar as quickly as possible with
the correct use and function of the climate contro l system, especially with the defrost­
ing and defogging function.
- When the temperature is below freezing,
only use the windshield washer system after
Warm and c old
the windshield has been warmed by the cli­
mate control system. The washer fluid could
freeze on the windshield and impair visibili­
ty .
@ Note
-If you suspect that the climate contro l sys­
tem is damaged, switch the system off to
prevent further damage and have it checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Aud i Serv ice Facility.
- Repa irs to the Aud i climate control system
require special technical knowledge and
special tools . See an authorized Aud i dealer
or authorized Audi Serv ice Fac ility .
@ For the s ake of the environment
Reducing the amount of fuel used also re­
duces the amount of pollutants that enter the
a ir .
(D Tips
- To prevent interference with the heat ing
and cooling output and to prevent the win­
dows from fogging over, the a ir intake in
fro nt of t he w indshie ld must be free of ice,
snow or leaves.
- Condensat ion from the coo ling system can
dr ip and form a pudd le of water under the
veh icle . T h is is no rma l and does not mean
there is a leak .
- Th e energy management system may tem­
porarily switch off certain functions, suc h as
the seat heating* or rear window defogger .
T hese systems are avai lable again as soon
as the energy supply has been restored.
69

Adjusting the temperature
Temperatures between 60 °F ( +16 ° C) and 84 °F
(+28 °C) can be set . Outside of this range,
LO or
HI will appear in the climate contro l system dis­
p lay . At both of these settings, the climate con ­
trol system runs continuously at maximum cool­
ing or heating power. There is no temperature
regulation.
~ Adjusting the amount of air
You can adjust the airf low manually to suit your
ne eds . The blower should always run at a low set ­
ting to prevent the windows from fogging and to
ensure a continuous exchange of air ins ide the
vehicle. To have the airflow regulated automat i­
cally, press the
IAUTO I button.
~ Adjusting the air distribution
You can manually se lect the vents where the air
will flow. To have the a ir distribution regu lated
automatically, press the
IAUTO I button.
Ill/ lil* Adjusting seat heating/ventilation*
Pressing the button switches the seat heating/
venti lation on at the highest setting (level 3). The
LEDs indicate the temperature level. To reduce
the temperature, press the button aga in. To
sw itch the seat heating/ventilation off, press the
button repeatedly until the LED turns off.
After 10 minutes, the seat heating/ventilation
automatically switches from level 3 to level 2.
l The windshield and side windows are defrosted
or cleared of condensation as quickly as possible.
The maximum amount of air flows main ly from
the vents below the windshield. Recirculation
mode switches off. The temperature shou ld be
set to approximately 72 °F (22 °().
The
IAUTOI button switches the defroster off .
IQil REAR I Switching the rear window defogger
on and off
The rear window defogger only operates when
~ the engine is running. It switches off automati-....
~ cally after 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the N
~ outside temperature. 0 :c ' Warm and cold
To prevent the rear window defogger from
switching off automatica lly, press and hold the
loo REAR I button for more than three seconds .
This is stored until the ignition is switched off.
I SYNC! Synchronization*
When synchron ization is switched on, the set­
tings for the driver's side are applied to the front
pass enge r's side (except for seat heating/venti la ­
tion*). The rear is also synchronized in vehicles
with the 4-zone deluxe automatic climate control
system*. Synchronization switches off if the set­
t ings are adjusted on the front passenger's side
or in the rear*.
You can synchronize the sett ings in a row by
pressing and holding a knob. For example, to ap­
ply the sett ings for the front passenger's side to
the driver's side, press and hold the knob on the
front passenger 's side.
Vents
You can open or close the center and rear vents in
the cockpit and the vents in the rear center con­
sole and door pillars using the ridged thumb­
wheels. The levers adjust the direction of the air­
flow from the vents.
Residual heat
You can act ivate the residual heat function when
the ignition is switched off by pressing and hold­
ing the
lj) button. The residual heat from the
coolant is used to heat the vehicle interior . T he
r esidua l heat function switches off automatically
after about 30 minutes .
_&. WARNING
-You should not use the recirculation mode
for an extended period of time since no
fresh air is drawn in. With the air-condition ­
ing switched off, the windows can fog up,
which increases the risk of an acc ident.
- Individuals with reduced sensitivity to pain
or temperature could develop burns when
using the seat heating function. To reduce
the r isk of injury, these individua ls should
not use seat heating .
71

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' (D Tips
-Some noise after starting the engine is nor­
mal and is no cause for concern.
- If you leave the vehicle with the ignition
switched on, the ignition will switch off af­
ter a certain amount of time. Make sure that
electrical equipment such as the exterior
lights are switched off.
Stopping the engine
.,. Bring the vehicle to a full stop.
.,. Select the P or N selector lever position .
.. Press the I START ENGI NE STOPI button
~ page 76, fig. 90.
Steering lock
The steering locks when you turn the engine off
using the lSTART
ENGINE STOPlbutton and
open the driver's door. The locked steering helps
prevent vehicle theft.
Emergency off function
If it is absolutely necessary, the engine can also
be turned off while driving in the
R, Dor S selec­
tor lever position at speeds below 6 mph (10 km/
h). To stop the engine, press and hold the
I START ENGINE STOPI button and also press the
brake pedal.
& WARNING
-Never turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. The full func­
tion of the brake booster and the power
steering is not guaranteed. You must use
more force to turn or brake. Because you
cannot steer and brake as you usually
would, this could lead to accidents and seri­
ous injuries .
-Always take the key with you whenever you
leave your vehicle. Otherwise, the engine
cou ld be started or electrical equipment
such as the power windows could be operat­
ed. This can lead to serious injury.
-For safety reasons, always park the vehicle
with the selector lever in the P position .
Driving
Otherwise, there is the risk that the vehicle
could roll unintentionally.
@ Note
If the engine has been under heavy load for
an extended period of time, heat builds up in
the engine compartment after the engine is
switched off and there is a risk of damaging
the engine. For this reason, let the engine run
at idle for approximately two minutes before
shutting it off .
(D Tips
For up to 10 minutes after stopping the en­
gine, the radiator fan may turn on again auto­
matically or it may continue to run (even if
the ignition is switched off) for the following
reasons :
- The coolant temperature is increasing due
to trapped heat.
- If the engine is warm and the engine com­
partment also heats up from strong sun­
light.
Messages in the instrument cluster display
Turn off ignition before leaving car
This message appears and a warning tone sounds
if you open the driver's door when the ignition is
switched on.
Press brake pedal to start engine
This message appears when you press the
I START ENGINE STOP ! button to start the engine
and do not press the brake pedal while doing so.
The engine can only be started when the brake pedal is pressed .
Ill Is key in the vehicle?
This indicator light turns on and this message ap­
pears if the ignition key was removed from the
vehicle when the engine was running. If the igni­
tion key is no longer in the vehicle, you cannot
switch on the ignition or start the engine once
you stop it. You also cannot lock the vehicle from
the outside .
.,.
77

u. 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> (Car)* 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 dr ive on long inclines in a low
gear at h igh 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 ind icator lights, re­
fer
to . ¢ page 20.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
veh icle 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 towing
information
Important to know
-
Your ve hicle handles different ly when towing a
tra ile r because of the additiona l we ight and dif­
ferent weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy wi ll greatly depend on how careful­
l y you load your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic . Keep practicing until you have be­
come comp letely familiar with the way your vehi­
cle-trailer combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a trailer generally requires steer­
ing action opposite to that when backing up your
vehicle without a trailer.
Trailer towing
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you . You will need more
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 wou ld 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.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
c h anges.
(D Tips
-Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your ve hicle.
-If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require
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:
.,. App ly the foot brake.
.,. Have someone place chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels .
.,. With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load .
.,. Tur n the whee ls towards the curb .
.,. Apply the parking brake .
.,. Select the P selector lever posit ion.
When restarting after parking:
.. App ly the foot brake .
.. Start the engine .
.,. Select 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 befo re applying the park-
in g brake and before blocking the wheels, you
.,_
91

Checking and Filling
Emissions control
systems
Catalytic converter
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith gasoline engines
The vehicle may on ly be driven with unleaded
gasoline, otherwise the catalyt ic converter will be
destroyed.
Never d rive until the tank is comp letely empty .
The irregular supp ly of f uel that results from that
can cause engine m isfires. Uncombusted fuel will
enter the exhaust system , w hich can cause over­
heating and damage to the catalyt ic converter .
A WARNING
The temperature o f the exha ust system is
hig h, bo th whe n driving and after stopping
t he engine.
-
- Never touch the exha ust ta il pi pes once they
h ave become ho t. This could resul t in burns.
- Do no t park you r vehicle ove r flammable
m aterials such as g rass or leaves because
t h e hi gh te mperat ure of the emiss io ns con­
t rol sys te m c ould star t a fire.
- D o no t apply u nder bod y p rote ctant in the
exha ust syste m are a, bec au se t his in cre ases
t h e ris k of fire .
Engine compartment
Working in the engine compartment
Special core is required if you ore working in the
engine comportment
For work in the engine compartment such as
checking and filling fluids, there is a risk of in­
jury , scalding , accidents, and burns . For this
reason, follow all the warnings and general
safety precautions provided in the following in­
formation . The engine compartment is a dan ­
gerous area on the vehicle .
~ ,&..
A WARNING
- T urn the engine off.
- Switch the ign ition off .
- Set the parking b rake .
- Select the P selector leve r pos ition.
272
- Let the eng ine cool down .
- Never open the hood when there is steam o r
coo lant escapin g from the engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that yo u could
be burned. Wait unt il no steam or coolant is
escaping.
- Keep children away from the eng ine com­
pa rtment.
- Never sp ill fluids on a hot engine. These flu­
ids (such as the anti-freezing agent con­
tained in the coolant) can ignite .
- Avoid short c ircuits in the electrical system.
- When working in the engine compa rtment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, wh ich
increases the r isk of persona l injury.
- Never open the cap on the coolant expan­
sion tank when the engine is warm. The
cooli ng system is under p ressure .
- To protect your face, hands, and a rms from
hot steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
large cloth when opening.
- Do not remove the engine cove r under any
circumstances . T his increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be perfo rmed with the en­
gine running, there is add itiona l danger due
to mov ing components (such as the r ibbed
be lt, alterna tor and rad iator fan) and from
the high-voltage ignition system.
- Do not unde r any circ ums tances activate the
throttle inadvertently (for example, by hand
from t he e ngine compartment) if the veh i­
cle is stat ionary but the en gine is r un ning
an d a gea r is en gaged. Otherwise, the veh i­
cle will start to move immediately and this
could result in an acc ident .
- Pay a ttent ion to the following wa rnings lis t­
e d w hen wor k on the fue l system o r on the
electrical equipment is require d.
- Do no t smoke.
- Never work near open flames .
- Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby.
- All work on the battery or elect rical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi ­
cal b urns, acc idents or bu rns. Because o f
this, all work m ust be perfo rmed
only b y an ~