2021 AUDI A8 battery

Lights and Vision

Lights and Vision
Exterior lighting
Switching the lights on and off


Fig. 42 Instrument panel: light button module
@ Light switch &
Press and hold @ until the desired light function
is selected. The selected function is displayed
briefly in the instrument cluster. When switching
on the ignition, the AUTO light function is auto-
matically selected.
— AUTO - The automatic headlights adapt to the
surrounding brightness automatically. The day-
time running lights* will automatically turn on.
In vehicles for certain markets, you can switch
the automatic daytime running lights* on and
off in the MMI.
— 20 - You can switch the low beam headlights on
manually once the ignition is switched on.
— 3 - You can switch the parking lights on at
speeds below 20 mph (32 km/h).
— USA models: OFF - You can switch off all light
functions at speeds under 6 mph (10 km/h).
— Canada models: OFF - You can switch off all
light functions when the ignition is switched off
while the vehicle is stationary.
When the low beam headlights or parking lights
are switched on, the respective Ba or EB indica-
tor light appears in the instrument cluster.
@ All-weather lights 2
The headlights automatically adjust so that there
will be less glare, for example when the road sur-
face is wet.
58
@ Rear fog lights %
To reduce glare for traffic behind your vehicle, the
rear fog lights should only be turned on in ac-
cordance with the legal regulations in the coun-
try where you are operating the vehicle.
Automatic headlight range control
Your vehicle is equipped with automatic head-
light range control. It reduces glare for oncoming
traffic if the vehicle load changes. The headlight
range adjusts automatically.
Audi adaptive light
Applies to: vehicles with Audi adaptive light
Audi adaptive light provides better visibility when
driving in the dark. The lights are adapted to the
road conditions based on speed, such as when
driving on expressways, rural roads, at intersec-
tions, and around curves. The adaptive light only
functions when the automatic headlights are ac-
tivated.

ZA WARNING
— Observe the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 150.
— Automatic headlights are only intended to
assist the driver. The driver is still responsi-
ble for controlling the headlights and may
need to switch them on and off manually
depending on light and visibility conditions.
For example, fog cannot be detected by the
light sensors. So always switch on the low
beams ZO under these weather conditions

and when driving in the dark.

@ Tips
— If the vehicle battery has been discharging
for a while, the parking light may switch off
automatically. Avoid using the parking
lights for several hours.
— When using lighting equipment, the driver
is responsible for adhering to any local ap-
plicable regulations while driving and when
parking the vehicle.
— Only the front headlights turn on when the
daytime running lights are switched on*. In >

Storage and convenience

Storage and convenience
Power
sources
When the ignition is switched on, you may be
able to use multiple power sources for external
devices, depending on the vehicle equipment.
12 volt sockets
You can connect electrical accessories to the 12
volt sockets. The power usage from the sockets
must not exceed a total of 120 watts. Do not
connect multiple devices to the sockets in the ve-
hicle at the same time.
The 12 volt sockets are labeled with the 12V
symbol. They are located at the front and rear of
the center console and on the side trim panel in
the luggage compartment”.
USB ports
Applies to: vehicles with USB port
You can charge mobile devices using the USB
ports. The USB ports are labeled with the «> or
[4 symbol or CHARGE ONLY.
115 volt socket
Applies to: vehicles with 115 volt socket
The socket is located in the rear center console
and can be used for electrical devices > A\. The
power usage must not exceed 150 watts.
When you push the device connector all the way
into the socket, the child safety mechanism re-
leases and there is electric current.
—If the LED on the socket is green or flashes
slowly, then the socket is ready for use.
— Ifthe LED is red and flashes quickly, there is a
malfunction in the connected device or the
socket is too hot. The socket will switch off for
safety reasons. To reactivate the socket, remove
the device connector. Connect the device after
correcting the malfunction or reconnect after a
brief cool-down period.

hicle when braking or in the event of an acci-
dent.
— Incorrect usage can lead to serious injuries
or burns. To reduce the risk of injuries, never
leave children unattended in the vehicle
with the vehicle key.


ZA\ WARNING
Applies to: vehicles with 115 volt socket
—To reduce the risk of fatal injury, do not in-
sert any conductive objects, such as knitting
needles, into the contacts on the socket.
—To reduce the risk of fatal injury, do not spill
any fluids on the socket. Should any mois-
ture enter the socket, make sure that it has
dried out completely before using the socket
again.
— If devices or connectors that are heavy (such
as a power supply unit) are attached directly
to the socket, the holder can become dam-
aged, which increases the risk of injury.
— Using adapters and extension cables in-
creases the risk of injury because they over-
ride the safety devices for the socket.
—To reduce the risk of injury, remove the con-
nector of the connected device if the socket
has switched off due to a malfunction.


ZA\ WARNING
— To reduce the risk of fatal injury, store all
connected devices securely when driving so
that they do not move around inside the ve-

94
(!) Note
— Read the operating manuals for the con-
nected devices.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the vehicle
electrical system, never attempt to charge
the vehicle battery by connecting accesso-
ries that provide power to the power sour-
ces.
— Do not connect any device whose network
class (voltage) does not match the network
class designed for the socket.
— Disconnect the connectors from the power
sources carefully to reduce the risk of dam-
aging them.
@) Tips
Applies to: vehicles with 115 volt socket
— Devices that are not shielded or devices near
the rear window antenna can cause

4N0012721BF
Storage and convenience

Additional storage
Depending on vehicle equipment, there are a va-
riety of storage areas, compartments, and retain-
ers, such as the glove compartment, for safely
storing and securing objects.

Z\ WARNING
—To reduce the risk of injury, make sure all
storage compartments are always closed
while driving.
— Loose objects can be thrown around the ve-
hicle interior during sudden driving or brak-
ing maneuvers, which increases the risk of
an accident. Store objects securely while
driving.
— Only use the storage compartments in the
door trim panels to store small objects that
will not stick out of the compartment and
impair the function of the side airbags.
— Only lightweight clothing should be hung
from the garment hooks in the vehicle. Do
not use clothes hangers to hang clothing.
The pockets of the clothing must not con-
tain any heavy, breakable, or sharp-edged
objects. This could impair the effectiveness
of the side curtain airbags.
— Make sure your view toward the rear is not
blocked, for example by hanging clothing or
objects in the vehicle.

Luggage compartment
General information
All pieces of luggage or objects must be securely
fastened in the luggage compartment. Note the
following to maintain good vehicle handling:
> Distribute the load evenly in the luggage com-
partment.
> Stow heavy luggage as far forward in the lug-
gage compartment as possible.
> Use non-elastic cords attached to the tie-downs
to secure objects.

ZA WARNING
— Loose objects can be thrown around the ve-
hicle interior during sudden driving or brak-



ing maneuvers, which increases the risk of
an accident. Always stow objects securely in
the luggage compartment and secure them
at the tie-downs. Use straps suitable for
heavy objects.
— If pieces of luggage or objects are secured
to the tie-downs with unsuitable or dam-
aged straps, this can increase the risk of in-
jury during braking maneuvers or accidents.
— When transporting heavy objects, the vehi-
cle characteristics will change due to the
shift in the center of gravity, which increases
the risk of an accident. You may need to
adapt your driving style and speed to the
current conditions.
— The cargo net* is only strong enough to se-
cure light objects. Heavy objects are not ade-
quately secured. Attempting to secure heavy
objects increases the risk of injury.
— Never exceed the permitted axle and load
and vehicle weight > page 344.
— Never secure a child safety seat to the tie-
downs.
— Never leave your vehicle unattended, espe-
cially if the luggage compartment lid is
open. Children could enter the luggage com-
partment and close the luggage compart-
ment lid from the inside. This creates the
risk of fatal injury, since the children would
be locked in and may not be able to escape
by themselves.
— Do not allow children to play in or on the ve-
hicle. Close and lock the luggage compart-
ment lid as well as all other doors when you
leave the vehicle.
— Never transport passengers in the luggage
compartment. Every passenger must be cor-
rectly secured with the safety belts in the
vehicle > page 80.

® Note
— Make sure that the heating grid strips for
the rear window defogger are not damaged
by abrasive objects.
— Plug-in hybrid drive: Never exceed the maxi-
mum cargo weight for the cargo floor that is
specified on the sticker. Otherwise, the
high-voltage battery that is located
97

Warm and cold

Steering wheel heating
Switching on and off
Applies to: vehicles with steering wheel heating
> Press @ to switch steering wheel heating on or
off.
You can also operate the steering wheel heating
using the multifunction steering wheel
=> page 37.
Messages
Applies to: vehicles with steering wheel heating
@ Steering wheel heating: on / Steering wheel
heating: off
This message appears if you have switched the
steering wheel heating on or off.
Steering wheel heating: malfunction! See own-
er's manual
If this message appears, there is a malfunction.
Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.
Auxiliary climate control
Applies to: vehicles with auxiliary climate control
The auxiliary climate control system warms or
cools the vehicle interior. The vehicle will turn on
the auxiliary climate control system if needed,
depending on the last temperature that was set
with the climate control system controls. This
function can be used when the drive system is
switched off.
You can turn the auxiliary climate control system
on and off immediately in the MMI or set a timer.
Requirement: the charge level of the high-volt-
age battery must be sufficient.
G) Tips
— Using the auxiliary climate control while
charging can also reduce the charge level of
the high-voltage battery.
104
— Starting or stopping the vehicle will not
switch off the auxiliary climate control auto-
matically.
Applies to: vehicles with auxiliary climate control
Applies to: MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Air conditioning > f.
Immediate start
You can immediately switch the auxiliary climate
control on and off using the — button. When this
function is switched on, a colored bar lights up
over the button and the remaining time is dis-
played.
The auxiliary climate control will run for a maxi-
mum of 30 minutes after the immediate start.
When charging with sufficient charging power,
the auxiliary climate control can run for up to 60
minutes.
Timer programming
You can set up and activate up to two timers for
the departure time.
> Select one timer.
> Set the date and press Next.
> Set the time (departure time) and press OK.
The timer will be activated automatically once
itis set.
> Set the second timer, if necessary.
By setting the departure time, you determine
when your vehicle should reach the desired tem-
perature. The departure time can be a maximum
of six days in the future. The auxiliary climate
control will continue to run approximately ten
minutes after the departure time is reached.
After switching off the ignition
Information about the active timer(s) will appear
on the upper display after switching off the igni-
tion. You can start the set climate control set-
tings immediately with the F button, or go to the
auxiliary climate control menu with the > button. >

4N0012721BF
Driving

Driving
Starting the vehicle
pyr Told T ola (ela)


= i
Fig. 91 Center console: starting the engine

Requirement: the key must be in the vehicle.
Starting the engine
> Press and hold the brake pedal.
> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button. The
engine will start.


Plug-in hybrid drive: the electric drive system is
switched on. The combustion engine only starts
when necessary. The power meter indicates if the
electric drive system is switched on > page 15.
Equipment that uses a lot of electricity is switch-
ed off temporarily when you start the engine. If
the engine does not start immediately, the start-
ing procedure stops automatically after a short
time. If this is the case, repeat the starting pro-
cedure after approximately 30 seconds.
Stopping the engine
> Bring the vehicle to a full stop.
> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button. The
engine will switch off.


Plug-in-hybrid drive: the electric drive system and
the combustion engine are switched off.
Applies to: vehicles with steering lock: The steer-
ing is locked when you turn off the engine with
the selector lever in the “P” position and open
the driver's door. The steering lock helps prevent
vehicle theft.
Stopping the engine in an emergency
If necessary in an emergency, the engine can also
be stopped while driving using the emergency off
function*.

> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button twice in
a row or press and hold it one time.

Switching on and off
If you would like to switch the ignition on or off
without starting the engine, follow these steps:

> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button without
pressing the brake pedal.

Switching the ignition off automatically
To prevent the vehicle battery from draining, the
ignition and possibly the exterior lighting may
switch off automatically.
Requirements:
— Conventional drive system: the Start/Stop sys-
tem must have stopped the engine.
— Plug-in hybrid drive: you must have driven the
vehicle. The combustion engine must not be
running.
— You must have left the vehicle for longer than
30 seconds.
— The ignition must be switched on.
Among other indicators, the system detects that
you have left the vehicle based on the following
factors:
— The driver's door has been opened.
— The driver's safety belt has been unbuckled.
— The brake pedal is not being pressed.
The ignition will also be switched off after 30 mi-
nutes or if you lock the vehicle from the outside.

ZA WARNING
—To reduce the risk of asphyxiation, never al-
low the engine to run in confined spaces.
— Never turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. Switching it
off before the vehicle has stopped may im-
pair the function of the brake booster and
power steering. You would then need to use
more force to steer and brake the vehicle.
The fact that you cannot steer and brake as [>


107

Driving


usual may increase the risk of accidents and
serious injuries.
— Secure the vehicle against rolling before ex-
iting the vehicle > page 108.

@) Note
— Avoid high engine speed, full throttle, and
heavy engine load if the engine has not
reached operating temperature yet. You
could damage the engine.
— 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 damag-
ing the engine. For this reason, let the en-
gine run at idle for approximately two mi-
nutes before shutting it off.
@ Tips
— Brief noises are normal when starting and
stopping the vehicle and are no cause for
concern.
— For up to 10 minutes after stopping the en-
gine, the radiator fan may turn on again au-
tomatically or it may continue to run, even if
the ignition is switched off.
— It may not be possible to start the vehicle in
extremely low temperatures.
— Power will be fully available once the engine
is at operating temperature.
Messages
Hj Engine start system: malfunction! Please
contact Service
Do not switch the ignition off because you may
not be able to switch it on again. Drive to an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility immediately to have the malfunction cor-
rected.
B Engine start system: malfunction! Please
contact Service
There is a malfunction in the engine start system.
Drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.
108
B Remote control key: key not detected. Is the
key still in the vehicle?
The vehicle key was removed from the vehicle
while the engine is running. If the vehicle key is
no longer in the vehicle, you cannot switch the ig-
nition on or start the engine once you stop it. You
also cannot lock the vehicle from the outside.
Remote control key: hold back of key
against the designated area. See owner's man-
ual
The battery in the vehicle key may be drained or
there may be a malfunction. To start the vehicle,
you must also hold the vehicle key against the lo-
cation shown ?) > page 107, fig. 91.
If the malfunction remains, drive immediately to
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility to have the malfunction correct-
ed.
When driving
Starting to drive, stopping, and parking
Starting from a stop
> Press and hold the brake pedal.
> Start the engine.
> Select a gear.
> Release the parking brake.
> Release the brake pedal. The vehicle may roll.
> Press the accelerator pedal to accelerate.
Securing the vehicle against rolling
Secure your vehicle to prevent it from rolling be-
fore exiting the vehicle.
> Set the parking brake.
> Select the “P” selector lever position.
> If parking on a steep road, turn the steering
wheel so that your vehicle will roll against the
curb in case it should start to move.
If one of these measures is not possible, for ex-
ample because there is no vehicle power, you
must secure your vehicle against rolling using ad-
ditional measures.
> Only park the vehicle on a level surface.
> Use suitable objects to block the front and rear
wheels.