2018 AUDI A8 traction control

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' The steering wheel will be easy to move after
starting the engine. Re-initialization might be
necessary if the steering whee l was moved hard
to the left and right while the vehicle was not
moving . The display turns off if the initia liz ation
was successful.
(D Tips
- If the . or l;:r-ij indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue driving.
-The dynamic steering stability systems
<=>page 127 are not available in the event of
a system malfunction.
-For additional informat ion on dynamic
steering, see
<=> page 111.
ALL wheel drive (quattro)
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are powered .
General information
In all wheel drive, the driving power is divided be­
tween a ll four wheels . This happens automatical ­
ly depending on your driving behavior as well as
the current road conditions. Also see
<=> page 12 7, E lectronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) .
With the sport differential*, power distri­
bution to the rear wheels is variable and can be
adjusted using the drive select
<=>page 111.
The all wheel drive concept is designed for high
engine power . Your vehicle is exceptionally pow­
erful and has excellent driving characterist ics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follo w safety pre ­
cautions<=>.&. .
Winter tires
By using all wheel drive, your vehicle has good
forward mot ion with standard tires in winter con­
ditions. However, in winter we recommend using
winter or all season tires on all four wheels, be­
cause this will improve the braking effect.
Snow chains
If there are snow cha in laws, snow chains must
a lso be used on vehicles with all wheel drive
<=> page 298, Snow chains .
Intelligent Technology
Replacing tires
For vehicles with all wheel drive, only wheels with
the same rolling circumference should be used.
Avoid using tires with different tread depths
<=> page 2 90, New tires or wheels.
Offroad vehicle?
Your Audi is not an offroad vehicle -there is not
enough ground clearance. For this reason, avoid
difficu lt terrain .
A WARNING ~ -
-Also, in vehicles with all whee l drive, adapt
your driving style to the current road and
traffic cond itions. Do not let the increased
safety prov ided tempt you into taking r isks,
because this increases the risk of an acci ­
dent.
- The braking ability of your vehicle is limited
to the traction of the wheels. In this way, it
is not different from a two wheel drive vehi­
cle. Do not be tempted to accelerate to a
high speed when the road is slipp ery, be­
cause this incr eases the risk of an accident.
- Note that on wet streets, the front wheels
can "hydrop lane" if dr iv in g at speeds that
are too high . Unlike front wheel drive
vehicles, the engine does not rev higher sud­
den ly when the vehicle begins hydroplaning.
For this reason, adapt your speed to the
road conditions to reduce the risk of an acci­
dent.
Energy management
The starting ability is optimized
The energy management system manages the
electrical energy distribution and optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting the
engine.
When a vehicle with a conventiona l energy sys­
tem is not driven for a long t ime, the vehicle bat­
te ry is drained by equipment (for example, the
immobilizer). In certain circumstances, there
cou ld may not be enough energy to start the en-
gine.
.,.
131

Audi connect
You can return to the previous page using the
I BACK ! button.
A WARNING
To red uce the risk of an accident, only use
Audi connect services when road and traffic
conditions perm it.
(D Tips
Some functions are only avai lab le when the
vehicle is stationary.
Overview of Audi
connect services
Basic functions
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect
-
~ Se lect: the IMENU ! button> Audi connect > the
desired Audi connect service.
Depending on the selected Audi connect service,
you may need to set a search area first:
Setting the search area
- Immediate vicinity :
the desired information for
the area around your current locat ion is dis­
played .
-Vicinity of destination/stopover : if you have
entered a nav igat ion destination, you can dis­
play the desired information for the area
around the destination .
-In new city: you can ente r any city for which
you wou ld like to receive the desired informa­
tion using the
M MI touch or the speller
¢page 138 .
Travel information
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect
Information on attractions and travel tips in the
selected search area.
~ Se lect and confirm an attraction to display the
details.
160 Parking information
Applies
to: vehicles with Audi connect
Information on parking locations and fees in the
selected searc h area .
Fuel prices
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect
Information on gas stations with the lowest fuel
prices for your vehicle in the selected search area .
Weather
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect
Information on current weather conditions as
well as weather forecasts for the selected search
area (for examp le, at the
Destination ).
City events
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect
Information on events in various categor ies in
the desired search area .
~ Select and confirm a category, such as Sports.
~ Select and confirm an event to display the de-
tails.
Messages
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect
V iew the most current headlines in the MMI.
~ Select and confirm a headline.
Audi connect services in navigation
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect
The following Audi connect serv ices are currently
available:
- Navigation with the
online map service and on­
line Street
View ¢ page 172
-Point of interest search (POI) with voice oper­
ation
(for examp le restaurants): p lan route
guidance using the
MMI control panel and the
voice recognition system
ca:> page 144 and desti­
nation setup in your
MMI using your myAudi
account
¢ page 168. .,..

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"" ......
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0 0 :c ' Starting/canceling route
guidance
Applies to: ve hicles with navigation system
You can a lso cancel route guidance by enter ing a
new destination
¢ page 166 .
-Starting route guidance when entering a new
destination :
select the I NAVI button > Route
guidance
control button > Enter a des tination
> Start route guidance .
- Restarting/canceling last route guidance :
se­
lect the
I NAVI but ton> Route guidance control
button
> Start /Cance l.
The fo llow ing additional functions are ava ilable
when enter ing a new destination:
Display alternative routes: three route s ugges ­
tions are calcu lated for the destination that is
currently entered. The side menu shows informa­
tion about the alternative routes , such as dis­
tance to the dest inat ion and the calculated arriv­
a l time .
Alternat ive routes can only be calcu lated for indi­
vidual destinations .
Enter point of interest in city : allows you to
search for attractions and public places around
the specified locat ion, such as hospitals , mov ie
theaters , recreation areas, etc. The po ints of in­
terest can be selected direct ly as a destination.
Select downtown : the navigation system ca lcu ­
l ates the ro ute to the center of the city or distr ict
that is entered .
Display destination on map : the destination en­
tered is disp layed on the map.
1l O nly appl ies to vehicles w ithou t camer a-based speed lim it
d isp lay .
Navigation
Operating the map
Appl ies to: vehicles with navigation system
Fig. 184 Online map wit h crossha irs sw itched off
Fig. 185 Standard map wit h the c ross hair s sw itched o n
-Opening the map : press the I NAVI button (sev­
eral times if necessary).
- Switching the crosshairs on: press the contro l
knob in the map view.
- Switching the crosshairs off: press the I BACK I
button.
When the crosshairs are switched off:
(D Direction : the map is displayed eith er with an
orientation to the
North or to the Direction
of
travel ¢ page 174.
@ Scale: turn the control knob to the left or
right to decrease or increase the scale .
@ Distance to the destination or stopover
@ Calcu lated arriva l time at the destination or
stopover
® Speed display1l
® Altitude d isp lay
(J) Vehicle location
171

Wheels
the available cargo and lug­gage load capacity of your vehi­
cle.
.,.Check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 283, fig. 264) to deter­
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easily .
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
covers* consist of multiple pieces . These compo­
nents were bolted together using special bolts
and a special procedure. You must not repair or
disassemble
them £:=?.&. .
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control, which increases the risk of
an accident. For the correct tightening specifi­
cation, see
¢page 314.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim.
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility. Never repair or disassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident .
Winter tires
Winter tires significantly improve the vehicle's
handling when driving in winter conditions. Be­
cause of their construction (width, compound,
tread pattern) , summer tires provide less trac­
tion on ice and snow.
298
.. Use winter tires on all four wheels .
.. Only use winter tires that are approved for your
vehicle.
.. Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter
tires¢ _&.. An
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv ­
ice Facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires .
.,. Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
¢page 293 .
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0.157 in (4 mm). The characteristics of winter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages , re­
gardless of the remaining tread.
A WARNING
- Never drive faster than the maximum per­
mitted speed for your tires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much. This increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst .
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic conditions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
winter tires can lose traction on black ice .
® For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, because they provide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumption.
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun­
tries where winter tires are required, only
winter tires with the
& symbol may be per­
mitted.
Snow chains
-
Snow chains not only improve the driving in win­
ter road conditions, but also the braking.
.,. Only install snow chains on the front wheels. .,.

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' ~ Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains after driving a few feet, if necessary. Fol­
low the instructions from the manufacturer.
~ Note the maximum speed of 30 mph (SO km/
h). Note the loc al regulations.
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons.
Check with an authori zed Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility to see if you may use
snow chains .
You must remove the snow chains on roads with­
out snow. Otherwise, you could impair driving
ability and damage the tires.
A WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
chains incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle
control, which increases the risk of an acci­
dent.
0 Note
-Snow chains can damage the rims/wheel
covers* if the chains come into direct con·
tact with them . Remove the wheel covers*
first. Use coated snow chains.
-Using snow chains that add more than 0.4
inch (10.5 mm) of height can severely dam­
age the wheel housings and other vehicle
components.
-Do not install and use snow chains if there is
a malfunction in the adaptive air suspen­
sion, because the vehicle height will be very
low. If you drive with snow chains anyway,
the wheel housings and other vehicle com­ ponents can be severely damaged.
@ Tips
When using snow chains, it may be useful to
switch on sport mode
¢ page 128.
Low-profile tires
Appl ies to: ve hicles w ith low-profile tires
Your vehicle is equipped with low-profile tires* at
the factory . Compared to other tire/rim combina­
tions, low-profile tires offer a wider tread surface
and a larger rim diameter with shorter tire side-
Wheels
walls. This results in an agile driving style. How­
ever, it may reduce the level of comfort and in­
crease road noise when driving on roads in poor
condition.
Low-profile tires can become damaged more
quickly than standard tires when driving over
large bumps, potholes, manhole covers, speed
bumps and curbs. Therefore, it is particularly im­
portan t to maintain the correct tire pressure
¢ page 293.
To reduce the risk of damage to the tires and
rims, drive very carefully on poor roads.
Check your wheels regularly every 2,000 mi
(3,000 km) for damage. For example, check for
bulges/cracks on the tires or deformations/
cracks on the rims.
After a heavy impact or damage, have the tires
and rims inspected or replaced immediately by
an authorized Audi dealer or authori zed Audi
Service Facility.
Low-profile tires can wear out faster than stand­
ard tires.
Summer tires are not suitable for cold weather,
snow or black ice. If you are driving in these con­
ditions, use winter or all season tires
¢ page 298.
Uniform tire quality grading
-Tread wear
-Traction AA AB C
-Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width
¢ page 283, fig. 264.
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA, Tem­
perature
A .
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades .
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
299

Wheels
under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one ha lf (11/2) times as well on the govern­
ment course as a tire graded 100 .
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, howeve r, and
may depart significant ly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, Band
C. Those grades represent the tire's
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured un­
der contro lled conditions on specified govern­
ment test surfaces of aspha lt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
¢ & .
Temperature
The temperatu re grades are A (t he highest), B ,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the mate ­
rial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire
fa ilure¢ fr:. .
The grade C corresponds to a leve l of perform ­
ance which a ll passenger car tires must meet un­
der the Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher leve ls
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the mi nimum required by law.
A WARNING
-
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
t ests, and does not include acceleration, cor­
nering, hydroplaning or peak traction charac­
teristics.
300
A WARNING
The temperature grade for t his tire is estab­
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in comb ination , can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
A WARNING
-
-
Temperature grades apply to tires that are
properly inflated and not over or under inflat­
ed .
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System
(AS, S8)
ill General notes
Applies to: AS, 58
Each tire, including the spare (if prov ided),
shou ld be checked monthly when cold and inflat­
ed to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure labe l.
(If your veh icle has
tires of a different size than the size ind icated on
the ve hicle placard or tire inflat ion pressure la­
bel , you should determ ine the proper tire infla­
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure mon itor ing system
(TPMS) that illum inates a low tire pressure tell­
tale when o ne or more of your tires is significant­
l y unde r-inflated. According ly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illum inates, you sho uld stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure . Driving on a signifi ­
cant ly under -inflated tire causes the tire to over­
heat and can lead to tire fai lure. Under-inflation
also reduces fue l eff iciency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop­ ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the dr iver's re ­
spons ibility to maintain correct t ire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres-
sure te lltale .
.,.