2020 AUDI A8 ECU

Checking and Filling


chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
— Battery posts, terminals and related acces-
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Wash hands after handling.
o Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to add any flu-
ids to the wrong reservoirs. Otherwise severe
malfunctions and engine damage will occur.


@ For the sake of the environment
You should regularly check the ground under
your vehicle in order to detect leaks quickly. If
there are visible spots from oil or other fluids,
bring your vehicle to an authorized Audi deal-
er or authorized Audi Service Facility to be
checked.
Opening and closing the hood
The hood is released from inside the vehicle.


Fig. 181 Footwell: release lever (example)

RAZ-0016,

Fig. 182 Unlocked hood: lever
276

Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up from
the windshield. Otherwise the paint could be
damaged.
Opening the hood
> Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive:
Switch the ignition off before releasing the
hood so that the gasoline engine does not start
automatically.
> With the door open, pull the lever > below
the instrument panel in the direction of the ar-
row > fig. 181.
» Raise the hood slightly > page 274.
> Press the lever > fig. 182 in the direction of the
arrow. This releases the hooks.
> Open the hood.
Closing the hood
> Push the hood down until you override the
force of the strut.
> Let the hood fall lightly into the latch. Do not
press it in. > /\.
Message
B Warning! Hood is not locked. Stop vehicle
and check the lock
The hood latch is not locked correctly. Stop im-
mediately and close the hood.

Z\ 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.
— For safety reasons, the hood must always be
latched securely while driving. 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 lift-
ed.
— If you notice that the hood is not latched
while you are driving, stop immediately and
close it, because driving when the hood is
not latched increases the risk of an accident.

Checking and Filling

> Restart the ignition after two minutes and read
the current oil level in the MMI > page 278,
Checking the engine oil level.
> Add more oil if necessary.

Z\ WARNING
— When adding oil, do not let oil drip onto hot
engine components. This increases the risk
of a fire.
— You must close the cap on the oil filler open-
ing correctly so that oil does not leak out on-
to the hot engine and exhaust system when
the engine is running, because this is a fire
hazard.
— Always clean skin thoroughly if it comes into
contact with engine oil.
— Engine oil is poisonous and must be kept out
of reach of children.
— Store the engine oil securely in the original
container.

@ Note
— The New Vehicle Limited Warranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions if the recom-
mended intended use of the vehicle and
maintenance measures listed in the Audi
Owner's Manual and the Warranty & Main-
tenance Booklet were not followed.
— Only use high-grade engine oil that explicit-
ly meets the Audi oil quality standard for
your vehicle. Using another oil may cause
severe vehicle damage.
— Do not mix any additives with the engine oil.
Additives may cause engine damage that is
not covered by your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
@ For the sake of the environment
— Oil should never enter the sewer system or
come into contact with the ground.
— Follow the legal regulations in the country
where you are located when disposing of
empty oil containers.
280
Changing engine oil
We recommend having the oil changed at an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
Follow the safety precautions > page 274, Gener-
al information.
The engine oil must be changed at the intervals
specified in the Warranty & Maintenance Book-
let. This is very important because the lubrication
function of the oil gradually declines during regu-
lar vehicle operation.
The engine oil should be changed more frequent-
ly under certain circumstances. Have the oil
changed more frequently if you often drive short
distances, your vehicle is predominantly in stop-
and-go traffic situations, is in very dusty environ-
ments, or is operated for long periods of time in
temperatures below zero.
Cleansing additives in the oil make fresh oil ap-
pear darker after the engine has run briefly. This
is normal and no reason to change the engine oil
more frequently than recommended.
Because correctly disposing of engine oil is diffi-
cult and special tools and technical knowledge
are needed for an oil change, having your engine
oil changed by an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility is recommended.
If you change the engine oil yourself, please note
the following important information:

Z\ WARNING
If you change the engine oil on the vehicle
yourself, the following precautions must be
followed:
— Wear protective eyewear.
— Due to the risk of scalding, allow the engine
to cool down sufficiently.
— Maintain enough distance when you are re-
moving the oil drain plug. While doing this,
keep your forearm parallel to the ground to
reduce the risk of hot oil dripping down your
arm.

4N0012721BD
Checking and Filling

Multiple batteries with different technologies
may be installed in your vehicle:
— Vehicle battery (for example, for starting the
engine, basic power supply) > page 285, 12
Volt vehicle battery or > page 286, Other bat-
tery types
— Auxiliary battery (for example, for recuperation
or optional equipment) > page 286, Other bat-
tery types
— Applies to: Plug-in hybrid drive: High-voltage
battery (for example, for electric driving)
= page 136, Introduction.
Not running the vehicle for long periods of
time
The battery will gradually drain if the vehicle
does not run for long periods of time. To ensure
that the vehicle can still be started, the electrical
equipment will be limited or switched off. Some
convenience functions, such as interior lighting
or power seat adjustment, may not be available
under certain circumstances. The convenience
functions will be available again when you start
the
engine.
Even when electrical equipment is switched off,
the equipment can still drain the battery if the
vehicle is not driven for Long periods of time.
Deep draining results in a chemical reaction that
destroys the inside of the battery. The battery
must be charged every month to prevent this
= page 286. Contact an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility for more infor-
mation.
Winter operation
Cold weather places an especially high load on
the 12 Volt vehicle battery. Have the battery
checked by an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility before cold weather be-
gins.

authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
— Never connect a charging cable or jump
start cable directly to the 12 Volt vehicle
battery. Only use the connections in the en-
gine compartment > page 286.


Z\ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
— Battery posts, terminals and related acces-
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Wash hands after handling.

@) Note
— If the vehicle will be parked for long periods
of time, protect the battery against the cold
so that it will not be destroyed by “freezing”
=> page 286, Charging the 12 Volt vehicle
battery.
— There are electrical components under the
cargo floor behind a trim panel that warm
up during operation. To reduce the risk of
the components overheating, do not store
objects such as blankets under the cargo
floor. If the components overheat, they will
switch off temporarily. This will be indicated
by a message that will be displayed in the
instrument cluster until the temperature re-
turns to normal.
PAO A Ula wer Lasley,
Explanation of warnings:
Always wear eye protection.



ZA\ WARNING
— All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi-
cal burns, accidents, or burns. Because of
this, all work must be performed only by an

Fire, sparks, open flame, and smoking are
forbidden.


Battery acid is highly corrosive. Always
wear protective gloves and eye protection.
A highly explosive mixture of gases can
form when charging batteries. >


285

4N0012721BD
Emergency assistance

Replacing wheels
You must complete the preparation before
changing a tire.
> Read and follow the important safety precau-
tions > page 316.
> Set the parking brake.
> Select the “P” position.
> When towing a trailer: disconnect the trailer
from your vehicle.
> Lay out the vehicle tool kit > page 316 and the
spare tire > page 322.
> Applies to: MMI: Select on the home screen:
VEHICLE > Settings & Service > Air suspen-
sion: wheel change.
> Switch the ignition off.

Z\ WARNING
The vehicle must also be secured to prevent it
from rolling when using the vehicle jack”. Use
suitable objects to block the front and back of
the wheel that is diagonal from the wheel
Removing the caps
with the flat tire.



B4L-1337

&




[
Fig. 198 Wheel: wheel bolts with caps
> Slide the plastic clip from the vehicle tool kit
onto the cap until it engages > fig. 198.
> Remove the cap with the plastic clip.

Anti-theft wheel bolts
Applies to: vehicles with anti-theft wheel bolts
i
> all
Fig. 199 Anti-theft wheel bolt with cap and adapter


B4H-0470
v

You need a special adapter in the vehicle tool kit
to remove the anti-theft wheel bolts.
>» Remove the cap @).
> Slide the adapter @) all the way onto the anti-
theft wheel bolt @.
» Slide the wheel wrench from the vehicle tool kit
all the way onto the adapter @).
> Loosen the wheel bolt > page 319.
@) Tips
Note the code number for the wheel bolt
adapter and store it in a safe place separate
from the vehicle. If you need a replacement
adapter, contact an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility and give them
the code number.
Loosening the wheel bolts

B4S-0221

Fig. 200 Wheel: loosening the wheel bolt
319

Emergency assistance

To benefit fully from the advantages of the uni-
directional tire design, you should replace faulty
tires as soon as possible and restore the correct
running direction on all of the tires.
> Reinstall the caps on the wheel bolts if necessa-
ry.
> Store the vehicle tool kit in its designated
place.
> If the removed wheel does not fit in the spare
wheel well, store it securely in the luggage
compartment > page 100.
> Check the tire pressure on the installed wheel
as soon as possible.
> Correct the tire pressure and store it in the MMI
=> page 308.
> The wheel bolt tightening specification must be
90 ft lbs (120 Nm). Have it checked as soon as
possible with a torque wrench. Drive carefully
until then.
> Have the faulty wheel replaced as quickly as
possible.
Space-saving spare tire
Applies to: vehicles with space-saving spare tire (compact
spare tire)
The spare tire is intended for short-term use only.
Have the damaged tire checked and replaced if
necessary by an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility as soon as possible.
There are some restrictions on the use of the
compact spare tire. The compact spare tire has
been designed specifically for your type of vehi-
cle. Do not replace it with the spare tire from an-
other type of vehicle.
The compact spare tire is located in the luggage
compartment under the cargo floor cover
> page 316.
The tire pressure must be 61 PSI (420 kPA).
Snow chains
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains on
the compact spare tire is not permitted.
322
If you have to drive with snow chains and a front
tire fails, mount the spare tire in place of a rear
tire. Install the snow chains on the rear tire that
you removed, and install that in place of the
front tire that failed.

ZA\ WARNING
— After installing a spare tire, the tire pressure
must be checked as soon as possible.
— Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)
with a compact spare tire. Driving faster
than that increases the risk of an accident.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, avoid hard
acceleration or braking and driving fast
around curves with the compact spare tire.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, never drive
with more than one compact spare tire.
— Normal summer or winter tires must not be
mounted on the compact spare wheel rim.

Jump starting
You should only perform the steps that follow if
you have the necessary tools and technical ex-
pertise.
If the engine does not start because the vehicle
battery is drained, you can jump start your vehi-
cle using another vehicle. Jump start cables are
needed to do this.
Both vehicle batteries must have 12 V nominal
voltage. The voltage capacity (Ah) of the vehicle
battery that is giving power must not be less
than the capacity of the drained vehicle battery.
Jump start cable
Only use a jump start cable with a large enough
diameter. Note the manufacturer's specifica-
tions.
Only use a jump start cable with insulated termi-
nal clamps.
Positive cable - usually red.
Negative cable - usually black.

Emergency assistance

4. Attach the other end of the negative cable
(black) to the jump-start pin @) on the vehi-
cle.
Starting the engine
> Start the engine in the vehicle giving the charge
and let it run at idle.
> Now start the engine in your vehicle, which has
the
drained battery.
> If the engine does not start, stop the starting
procedure after 10 seconds and then repeat it
after approximately 30 seconds.
> Turn on the rear window defogger in your vehi-
cle in order to reduce any voltage peaks that
may occur when disconnecting the jump start
cables. The headlights must be switched off.
> With the engines running, remove the cables in
reverse order of the way they were installed.
> Close the red cover on the positive terminal.

ZA WARNING
— Never connect the jump start cable directly
to your vehicle battery. Only use the connec-
tions in the engine compartment.
— Do not touch the non-insulated parts of the
terminal clamps. The cable must also not
come into contact with vehicle components
that conduct electricity when it is connected
to the positive vehicle battery terminal. This
can cause a short circuit.
— The plugs on the battery cells must not be
opened.
— Keep ignition sources (such as open flames,
burning cigarettes, etc.) away from the vehi-
cle batteries to reduce the risk of an explo-
sion.
— Route the jump start cables so they cannot
get caught in the moving parts in the other
vehicle's engine compartment.

@ Note
Please note that the connecting process previ-
ously described for the jump start cables is in-
tended for when your vehicle is being jump
started.
324
G) Tips
Make sure that the connected jump start ca-
bles have sufficient contact with metal.
Towing
General information
You should only perform the steps that follow if
you have the necessary tools and technical ex-
pertise.
Towing requires a certain amount of practice.
Audi recommends contacting a towing company
to have the vehicle transported.
You should only have your vehicle towed by an-
other vehicle when disabled in exceptional cir-
cumstances. Inexperienced drivers should not
tow.
Notes on towing
When the engine is stopped, the transmission
will not be sufficiently lubricated if traveling at
high speeds and long distances:
— The maximum permitted towing speed is 30
mph (50 km/h).
— The maximum permitted towing distance is 30
miles (50 km).
Additional information on towing with a tow
truck
The vehicle may only be towed with the front axle
raised. Do not wrap any chains or cables around
the brake lines.
Tow bar and towing cable
The vehicle can be towed with a tow bar or tow-
ing cable. Both drivers should be familiar with
the
special considerations when towing, especial-
ly when using a towing cable.
Always make sure the traction force does not ex-
ceed the permitted level and there are no shock
loading conditions. There is always the risk of the
coupling becoming overloaded when driving off-
road.
For the most safety and security, drive with a tow
bar. You should use a towing cable only ifatow >

4N0012721BD
Emergency assistance

bar is not available. Use a towing cable made of
synthetic elastic cable similar elastic material.

Z\ WARNING
— Towing highly increases the risk of an acci-
dent, for example from colliding with the
towing vehicle.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, do not al-
low anyone to remain inside the vehicle
when it is being transported by a tow truck
or a special transporter.
@) Note
— If normal towing is not possible, for exam-
ple if the transmission is faulty or if the
towing distance is greater than 30 miles
(50 km), then transport the vehicle on a
special carrier.
— If the vehicle is towed by a tow truck at the
axle that is not permitted, this can cause se-
vere damage to the transmission.

— The vehicle must not be tow started for
technical reasons.
@ Tips
— If the power supply is interrupted, then it
will not be possible to move the selector
lever out of the "P" position. The parking
lock must be released using the emergency
release before towing the vehicle
=> page 116.
— Switch Audi pre sense* off > page 185 when
loading the vehicle onto a vehicle carrier,
train, ship, or other type of transportation,
or when towing the vehicle. This can prevent
an undesired intervention from the pre
sense* system.
— Follow the local legal regulations for tow-
ing.
Read and follow the important information under
=> page 324.
Preparations
> Only secure the towing cable or tow bar at the
designated towing loops > page 325,
=> page 326.
> Make sure the towing cable is not twisted. Oth-
erwise it could disconnect from the towing loop
while towing.
> Switch the emergency flashers on in both
vehicles > page 64. However, do not do this if it
prohibited by law.
Towing vehicle (front)
> Only start to drive when the towing cable is
taut.
> Press the brake pedal very carefully.
> Avoid sudden braking or driving maneuvers.
Vehicle being towed (rear)
> Make sure the ignition is switched on so that
the steering wheel is not locked and so that you
can use the turn signals, the horn, and the
windshield wipers if needed > A\.
> Switching it off before the vehicle has stopped
may impair the function of the brake booster
and power steering. You would then need to
use more force to steer and brake the vehicle.
> Release the parking brake > page 124.
> Select the “N” selector lever position.
> Make sure the towing cable is always taut.

ZA WARNING
Never tow a vehicle using a tow bar or towing
cable if the vehicle does not have electrical
power.

Front towing loop
BFV-0305


Fig. 207 Front bumper: installing the towing loop
325

Data privacy

Adjusting individual privacy settings
In the MMI, you can adjust individually which da-
ta should be transmitted from the vehicle. If you
switch on a data category, the data will be trans-
mitted.
@) Note
You are responsible for all precautions taken
for data protection, anti-virus protection, and
protection against loss of data on mobile de-
vices that are used to access the Internet
through the Wi-Fi hotspot.
@ Tips
— The following interfaces will not be affected
by changes to the privacy settings: Blue-
tooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi,
Audi smartphone interface (ASI), Near Field
Communication (NFC), charging communi-
cation (high-voltage system), Electronic Toll
Collect (ETC), On-Board Diagnostic System
(OBD), if equipped.
— If the maximum privacy settings are switch-
ed on, your vehicle may not receive security
updates and certificates for establishing an
encrypted connection, depending on vehicle
equipment. In order to receive security up-
dates and certificates, switch the maximum
privacy settings off for at least ten minutes
every six months. Make sure that your vehi-
cle is connected to the Internet. A symbol in
the MMI status bar indicates if the required
data connection is available > page 22.
— If the transmission of data is limited, it will
have the following effects on the exchange
of data for Audi connect services and emer-
gency calls, if equipped:
— The emergency call function will remain
available without restrictions and will con-
tinue to transmit data.
— If an online roadside assistance call is ini-
tiated, no data will be transmitted, but a
call will be made.
— If the Geofencing Alert, Speed Alert,
and/or Valet Alert services have been acti-
vated by the key user, then they will re-
334
main available without restrictions and
continue to transmit data.
— Stored destinations (favorites, last desti-
nations) are only stored in the vehicle. If
you allow transmission of data again,
these destinations will be synchronized via
the myAudi account. To prevent synchroni-
zation of destinations, delete the destina-
tions before you allow data to be trans-
mitted again.
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect Infotainment
AUDI AG collects, uses, stores and shares your
personal information, such as contact data, vehi-
cle data, usage data, driving data and precise ge-
olocation, in order to provide you with the prod-
ucts and services you have purchased or request-
ed, and for a number of other purposes, for ex-
ample, to track quality issues, to performance
and safety, to meet our internal compliance or le-
gal requirements and to market to customers
and potential customers. For a more complete
list of the data we collect, how we use it and with
whom we share it, please visit your Audi nation-
al/sales region website at www.audi.com.
The collection, use and sharing may vary depend-
ing on your model and model year, your subscrip-
tion status, or the service offering. For example,
collection, use and sharing may vary between
Audi connect services, if you have designated a
key user, or if you are driving a model equipped
with persistent data logging. Please review the
complete Privacy Statement to understand our
data handling practices with respect to a particu-
lar service.
You can find additional information about our da-
ta privacy practices in your MMI.
> Applies to: MMI: On the home screen, select:
SETTINGS > General > Legal notes > About
Audi connect.
Information about our privacy practices in con-
junction with the mobile Audi connect applica-
tion can be found in the Application’s Privacy
Statement.