2018 AUDI A8 weight

Seats and storage
(D Note
Beverage containers in the cup holders should
always have a lid. If not, beverages could spill
and cause damage to vehicle equipment, such
electronics or seat covers.
Cooled glove compartment
The cooled glove compartment only functions
when the A/C system is switched on.
Fig. 77 Glove compar tment: switching cooling mode on/
off
.. Turn the knob @counter-clockwise to switch
the cooling on. The symbols on the knob indi­
cate the correct position.
.. Turn the knob @clockwise to switch the cool-
ing off .
The glove compartment cooling mode only func­
tions when the vehicle A/C system is switched on.
If the heating is switched on, switching the glove
compartment cooling mode off is recommended.
A WARNING
-
Always leave the lid on the glove compart­
ment cover closed while driving to reduce the
risk of injury.
(D Tips
The glove compartment can be locked using
the mechanical key.
Additional storage compartments
You will find a range of storage compartments
and hold ers at different locations in the vehicle.
- Compartments in the doors
64
- Net in the front passenger footwell
- Glasses holder in the headliner (near the rear-
view mirror)
- Storage compartments under the center arm­
rest
- Compartments* on the backrests of the front
seats
- Garment hooks above the rear doors
- Compartment behind the rear center armrest
(on vehicles without a pass-through* or refrig­
erator*)
- Cell phone holder* in the right rear door
- Bag hooks* in the luggage compartment
A WARNING
-When driving, do not leave any hard objects
on the rear window shelf or allow your pet
to sit on the shelf. They could become a haz­
ard for vehicle occupants in the event of
sudden braking or a crash.
- Any articles of clothing that you have hung
up must not interfere with the driver's view .
The coat hooks are designed only for light­
weight clothing. Never hang any clothing
with hard, pointed or heavy objects in the
pockets on the coat hooks. During sudden
braking or in an accident
-especially if the
airbag is deployed
-these objects could in­
jure any passengers inside the vehicle .
- To reduce the risk of personal injury in an
accident or sudden stop, always keep the
glove compartment closed while driving.
- Read and follow all WARNINGS
~ page 245, Important safety instructions
on the side airbag system.
- Hang clothes in such a way that they do not
impair the driver's vision.
- The coat hooks must only be used for light­
weight clothing. Do not leave any heavy or
sharp edged objects in the pockets which
may interfere with the side curtain airbag
deployment and can cause personal injury in
a crash.
- Do not use coat hangers for hanging cloth­
ing on the coat hooks as this can interfere
with proper deployment of the side curtain
airbags in an accident.

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"" .... 0 0 :c ' -Do not hang heavy objects on the coat
hooks, as they could cause personal injury in
a sudden stop.
CD Note
Objects on the rear shelf that rub against the
rear window can damage the rear window de­
fogger wires.
@ Tips
- A vent slot is located between the shelf and
the rear window. Do not b lock the vent with
any items you may place on the rear window
shelf.
- Do not p lace bulky items on the rear window
shelf as they could restr ict or block the driv­
er's vision in the rear view mirror.
Roof rack
A ppl ies to: ve hicles with roof rac k
Fig . 78 Attachment po ints for the roof rack
If luggage or cargo is to be carried on the roof,
you must observe the following:
- Only a specially designed roof rack may be used
on your veh icle . These roof racks are the basis
for a complete roof rack system. Additional at­
tachments/carrier systems are necessary to
transport luggage and sports equipment . We
recommend roof racks and attachments from
the Audi Genu ine Accessor ies program .
- When installing the roof rack, make sure that it
is mounted only at the designated points on
the roof
c::> fig . 78 .
-The permissible roof load for your vehicle is
220 lbs (100 kg) . The roof load is the total of
the weight of the roof rack, the attachments and the cargo you are carrying. However, you
S eats and storag e
must also note the pe rmitted load of the carri ­
er system being used . For the permitted axle
load and the permitted tota l vehicle weight,
see
Q page 333.
A WARNING
-Follow the installation instruct ions provided
wit h the roof rack system . If you do not se­
cure the roof rack system and objects on the
roof correctly, they could come loose from
the vehicle and ca use a n accident.
- Using a roof rack system increases the r isk
of an acc iden t, because it changes the d riv­
ing characte risti cs by shifting the center of
g ravi ty and/or the increasing the sur face
area exposed to wind. Adapt your driving
and speed to the current cond itions.
CD Note
Make su re that the open luggage compart­
ment lid and the tilt ing/slid ing sun roof * do
not come into contact with objects on the
roof.
@ For the sake of the environment
Your vehicle will use more fue l due to the in­
creased wind resistance. So remove the roof rack after using it .
Luggage compartment
General information
WARNING
Read and fo llow the important safety preca u­
tions in
Q page 213, Storing cargo correctly .
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Drivin g
-Avoid driving through sa lt water, because
this can cause corrosion .
Economical and environmentally-friendly
driving
The amount of fuel consumption, the env iron­
mental impact and the wear to the engine,
brakes and t ires depends mostly on your dr iv ing
style. W it h an anticipatory and economic dr iv ing
style , fu el consumption can be reduced by ap ­
p roximate ly 10 -15% . The following tips wi ll help
you conserve the environment and your money at the same time .
Anticipatory driving
A veh icle uses the most fuel when acce le rating.
When you dr ive with ant ic ipat io n, you do no t
need to brake as often and so you accelerate less .
When possib le, let your vehicle coast with a
gear
eng aged ,
for example, when you notice that the
next traffic light is red. This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con­
sumpt ion to zero (fuel shut -off during decelera­
tion) .
Shift efficientl y
Upshifting earlier is an effective way to save fuel.
Staying in a gear too long uses fue l unnecessari­
ly . Press down on the accelerator pedal slowly
and avoid "k ick-down" .
Avoid full accel eration
You shou ld rare ly trave l at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproportionately h igh increase in fuel consumption, emissions and
traffic no ise . Slower driving saves fuel.
Reduce idlin g time
The Start/Stop system* he lps to reduce the idling
time automatically. In vehicles without the Start/
Stop system*, it is efficient to switch the eng ine
off when stopped at ra ilroad crossings and long
red l ights . Stopp ing the engine for 30 -40 sec­
onds already saves more fuel than the amount of
ext ra fuel needed to resta rt the eng ine.
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It takes a ve ry long time in id le to warm the en­
gine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially high in the warm -up
phase. Therefore, you shou ld begin driving im­
med iate ly after starting the engine. Avoid high
RPMs while doing this .
Hav e maintenance perfo rmed regul arly
By having maintenance performed reg ularly on
your vehicle, you can help to reduce fuel con­
sumption before you even start to drive. The maintenance condition of your vehicle not on ly
affects traffic safety and long-term value but al­
so impacts fuel consumpt ion. A poorly main­
ta ined engine can lead to fuel consumpt ion that
i s 10% hig he r th an no rma l.
Avoid short trip s
The engine and exhaust cleaning system must
reach their optimal operat ing temperature to ef­
fect ively reduce consumpt ion and emissions .
A cold engine uses a d isproportionately high
amount of fuel. The engine reaches operat ing
temperature and consumption normalizes only
after approximately 2 .5 m iles (4 km) .
Check the tire pressu re
To save fue l, make sure the t ires are always in­
flated to the correct pressure
¢ page 291. The
fuel consumpt ion can increase by 5% if the pres­
sure is only 0 .5 bar too low . Due to the increased
r oll ing resistance, low tire p ressures w ill also
l ead to greater tire wear and will affe ct driv ing
behav ior.
Drive w ith summer tires when poss ible because
t hi s can increase fue l economy by up to 10% .
Eliminate unnecessary weight
Since every pound of extra weight increases fuel
consumption, it pays to remove any unnecessary
weight.
A roof rack increases the w ind resistance on the
vehicle and shou ld be removed when it is not
needed. You will save approximately 12% of your
fuel when at speeds from 62-75 mph (100-120 km/ h).
.,.

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'"" .... 0 0 :c ' Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­ my and performance.
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must ac­
tivate the trailer operation mode
c:> page 89, Operating instructions.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount. Always check with the trail­
er hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system . No modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From time to time, check that all hitch mounting
bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the trailer hitch ball mount . This prevents the hitch
from causing damage should your vehicle be
struck from behind
£:=? .&, .
Trailer towing
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure
to check with your Audi dealer for correct wiring,
switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outside mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors . It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear .
.,&. WARNING
-After removing the trailer hitch, do not store
it in your vehicle. In case of sudden braking,
the hitch could fly forward and injure you or
your passengers.
Operating instruction s
Fig. 101 MMI display: towing mode o n
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
89

Trailer towing
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
p la ce to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways .
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer~&.
in Driving instructions on page 91.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder . It
is important that the coo ling system's perform­
ance is up to t he additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has eno ugh fluid .
Tire pressure
When tow ing a tra iler, inflate the tires of your
veh icle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load " on the label
~ page 293. Inflate trailer
tires to trailer and tir e ma nufactu rers' specifica­
tions.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly .
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are proper ly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle.
Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners . When you install safety cha ins, make
sure they w ill not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch .
Adjusting the Audi drive select
Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface before
hitching up the trailer and before adjust ing the
tongue we ight. The vehicle must be in
auto or
comfort driving mode and not ra ised
~ page 111, ~0 .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info­
tainment, select:
ICARI function butto n> Lower
control button.
90
If you must drive under poor road conditions, you
can raise the ve hicle
after coupling the trailer or
after adjust ing the tongue we ight ~ page 113.
@ Note
-Changes in temperature or load can aff ect
the height of the vehicle .
-Always select auto or comfort mode. Other­
wise, the tong ue load specified for your ve­
hicle will no longer be applicab le .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results
in a hig hly unstable distribution of we ight. If th is
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid t he risk of losing steering contro l.
A "balanced" rig is eas ier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle s hould be loaded
to
the extent possible and permissib le, w hil e
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow veh icle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficu lt it be ­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind cond it ions are unfavorable - particularly whe n
go ing down hill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of sway ing.
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles.
A lways apply brakes early. When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
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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

Drivin g saf ety
A WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items can
fly through the vehicle causing serious per­ sonal injury in the event of hard braking or an
accident. To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
- Always put objects, for example, luggage or other heavy items in the luggage compart­
ment.
- Always secure objects in the luggage com­
partment using the tie-down hooks and
suitable straps .
A WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehi­
cle handles. To help reduce the r isk of a loss
of control leading to serious pe rsonal injury:
- Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a change in the center of
grav ity can also cause changes in vehicle
hand ling:
- Always distribute the load as even ly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in the
luggage compartment as poss ible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
o r the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating specified
on the safety compliance sticker on the left
doo r jamb. Exceed ing permissible weight
standards can cause the vehicle to slide and
hand le differently .
- Please observe information on safe driving
c> page 208.
A WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas from
being d rawn into the vehicle, always keep the
rear lid closed whi le driving.
- Never transport objec ts larger than those
fi tt ing complete ly into the luggage a rea be­
ca use the rear l id cannot be fully closed.
- If you absolutely mus t drive w ith the rea r lid
open, obse rve the follow ing notes to reduce
t h e risk of poisoning:
- Close all windows,
- Close the power roof,
214
-
- Open all a ir outlets in the instrument pan­
el,
- Switch off the air reci rculat ion
'
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed .
A WARNING -
Always make su re that the doo rs, all win ­
dows, the powe r roof and the rear lid are se­
curely closed and locked to re duce the risk of
in jury when the veh icle is not being used.
- After closing the rear lid, always ma ke sure
that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your veh icle unattended espe­
cially with the rear lid left open . A child
could crawl into the vehicle through the lug­
gage compartment and close the rea r lid be­
coming trapped and unab le to get o ut. Be­
ing trapped in a vehicle can lead to ser ious
pe rsonal injury.
- Never let ch ildren play in o r around the vehi­
cle.
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compa rtment . Vehicle occupants mus t al­
ways be properly restrained in one of the ve­ hicle's seat ing pos itions.
(D Tips
- Air circulation helps to reduce w indow fog­
ging . Stale ai r esca pes to the outs ide
through vents in the trim panel, on the left
side of the luggage compartment. Be sure
to keep t hese s lo ts free and open.
- T he tire p ressure must correspond to the
load. The t ire pressure is shown on t he tire
press ure label. The ti re pre ssure label is lo­
c ated on the drive r's side B- pilla r. The tire
pressu re label lists the recommen ded cold
t ire inflation pressures fo r the veh icle at its
maximum capac ity we ight and the tires that
we re on your veh icle at the time it was man­
ufactured . For recommended t ire pressures
for normal load conditions, p lease see chap­
ter
c> page 294.

Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with four
tie-downs to secure luggage and other items .
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo properly
¢ page 213, Loading the luggage compartment.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even
sma ller items that are loose in the vehicle will
become heavy missiles that can cause ser ious in­
jury . Items in the ve hicle possess energy which
vary with vehicle speed and the weight of the item . Veh icle speed is the most s ignif ica nt factor .
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed of
30 mph (48 km/h), the forces act ing o n a 10-lb
(4 .5 kg) object are about 20 times the normal
weight of the item . This means that the weight
of the item would suddenly be about
200 lbs . (90 kg). You can imagine the injuries
t hat a 200 lbs. (9 0 kg) item flying freely throug h
the passenger compartment could cause in a col­
lision like this.
A WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used to
secure items to tie-downs can fail during hard
brak ing or in a col lision and cause serious per­
sonal injury .
- Always use suitab le mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help prevent
items from shifting or flying forward as dan­
gerous missiles .
- Never attach a child safety seat tether strap
to a tie-down .
-
Reporting Safety Defects
Applicable to U.S.A.
If you believe that your vehicle
has a defect which could cause a
crash or could cause injury or
~ death, you should immediately in-
....
~ form the National Highway Traffic ....
~ Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
' Driving safety
addition to notifying Audi of
America, Inc.
If NHTSA receives similar com­
plaints, it may open an investiga­
tion , and if it finds that a safety
defects exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and
remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you,
your dealer, or Audi of America,
Inc.
To contact the NHTSA, you may
either call:
Tel.: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY:
1-800-424-9153) or
1-800-424-9393
or you may write to:
NHTSA
U.S. Department of Transporta ­
tion 1200 New Jersey Ave ., S.E.
West Building
Washington , DC 20590
You can also obtain other infor­
mation about motor vehicle safe­
ty from:
http:/ /www.safercar.gov
215