2021 AUDI A8 vehicle starting system

Checking and Filling


out of the container and ignite, especially dur-
ing an accident. This can cause explosions,
fires, and injuries.
— If you must transport fuel in a fuel contain-
er, note the following:
— Always place the fuel container on the
ground before filling. Never fill the fuel
container with fuel while it is inside or on
the vehicle. Electrostatic discharge can oc-
cur while refueling and the fuel vapors
could ignite.
— When using fuel containers made of met-
al, the fuel pump nozzle must always re-
main in contact with the container to re-
duce the risk of static charge.
— Insert the fuel pump nozzle as far as pos-
sible into the filler opening while refuel-
ing.
— Follow the applicable legal regulations in
the country where you are driving when
using, storing and transporting fuel con-
tainers.
— Make sure that the fuel container meets
the industry standards, for example ANSI
or ASTM F852-86.

©) Note
— Remove fuel that has overflowed onto any
vehicle components immediately to reduce
the risk of damage to the vehicle.
— Never drive until the fuel tank is completely
empty. The irregular supply of fuel that re-
sults from that can cause engine misfires.
Uncombusted fuel may enter the exhaust
system and increase the risk of damage to
the catalytic converter.
@) For the sake of the environment
— Do not overfill the fuel tank, or fuel could
leak out when the vehicle is warming up.
— Fuel should never enter the sewer system or
come into contact with the ground.
@) Tips
The fuel filler door on your vehicle does not
lock if you lock the vehicle from the inside us-
ing
the central locking switch.
272
G) Tips
Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive
— When inserting the fuel pump nozzle, make
sure that you do not press on the fuel filler
door opener @) with the fuel pump nozzle.
See the label in the fuel filler door @)
> fig. 176. Otherwise, a valve will close in
the fuel filler neck and fueling will stop even
if the tank is not full.
— You must vent the tank system again if you
press on the fuel filler door opener. The fuel
pump nozzle can stay in the fuel filler neck
when doing this. Vent the tank system by
pulling the EQ) switch in the driver's door
again.
— If the engine turned off because the fuel
level was too low, then you may need to re-
fuel with up to 4.0 gallons (15 liters) of fuel
in order for the vehicle to detect the new
fuel level. Otherwise, the engine may not
restart.
— Fuel can age and may lead to problems
when starting. Audi recommends replacing
the fuel in your vehicle within six months.

4N0012721BF
Checking and Filling


— Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns.
— Due to the risk of electric shock, never touch
the ignition cable or other components in
the electronic high-voltage ignition system
when the engine is running or is starting.
— If a gear is engaged while the vehicle is sta-
tionary and the engine is running, do not
press the accelerator pedal inadvertently.
Pressing the accelerator pedal will cause the
vehicle to move, and this could result in an
accident.
— If inspections or repairs must be performed
while the engine is running, moving compo-
nents (such as the ribbed belt, generator,
and radiator fan) pose an additional risk.
— Set the parking brake first and select the
“P” (Park) selector lever position.
— Always make sure that no parts of the
body, jewelry, ties, loose clothing, and
long hair can be caught in moving engine
components. Before any work, always re-
move any jewelry and/or ties, tie back long
hair, and make sure all clothing fits close
to the body to reduce the risk of anything
becoming caught in engine components.
— Pay attention to the following warnings list-
ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
— Do not smoke.
— Never work near open flames.
— Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby.
— 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
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
— Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi-
cals to as short a time as possible.

emit chemicals known to the State of Cali-
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm. In addition, certain flu-
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod-
ucts of component wear contain or emit
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.



ZA WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
— Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or

@) 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.
275

Checking and Filling

Stop the vehicle and check the brake fluid level.
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance.
Changing the brake fluid
Brake fluid should be changed at regular inter-
vals. Have the brake fluid changed by an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty. The authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility will inform you of the replace-
ment intervals.

ZA\ WARNING
— If the brake fluid level is below the MIN
marking, it can impair the braking effect and
driving safety, which increase the risk of an
accident. Do not continue driving. See an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance.
— If the brake fluid is old, bubbles may form in
the brake system during heavy braking. This
could impair braking performance and driv-
ing safety, which increases the risk of an ac-
cident.
— The brake fluid in your vehicle must meet
the standard VW 501 14 and is available at
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility. If this brake fluid is not
available, another high-grade brake fluid of
equivalent quality may be used, and it must
meet the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Stand-
ard (FMVSS) 116 DOT 4, Class 6.

@) Note
— If the brake fluid level is above the MAX
marking, brake fluid may leak out over the
edge of the reservoir and result in damage
to the vehicle.
— Do not allow any brake fluid to come into
contact with the vehicle paint, because it
will corrode the paint.
Electrical system
If the = / B or = indicator light turns on,
there is a malfunction in the power supply, the
battery, or the vehicle electrical system.
284
= / B Electrical system: malfunction! Safely
stop vehicle
Do not continue driving and switch the ignition
off > A\. See an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
= Electrical system: malfunction! Restart not
possible. Please contact Service
If you switch the ignition off, you will not be able
to restart the vehicle. Vehicle functions or driving
stability may be limited. Drive to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility im-
mediately.
=} Electrical system: malfunction! Please con-
tact Service
Switch off all electrical equipment that is not
needed. If necessary, some equipment will be
switched off automatically. Vehicle functions or
driving stability may be limited. Drive to an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility immediately.
= Electrical system: low battery charge. Bat-
tery
will be charged while driving
The starting ability may be impaired.
If this message turns off after a little while, the
vehicle battery has charged enough while driving.
If this message does not turn off, drive immedi-
ately to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility.

ZA\ WARNING
When there is an electrical system malfunc-
tion, vehicle functions may not work and driv-
ing stability may be limited, which increases
the risk of an accident. Do not continue driv-
ing and switch the ignition off. See an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-

cility for assistance.

Battery
Battery general information
Because of the complex power supply, all work on
batteries such as disconnecting, replacing, etc., >

4N0012721BF
Checking and Filling

should only be performed by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility > A\.
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
— Plug-in hybrid drive: High-voltage battery (for
example, for electric driving) > page 131, In-
troduction.
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.

this, all work must be performed only by an
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.
12 Volt vehicle battery
Explanation of warnings:


Always wear eye protection.

Battery acid is highly corrosive. Always
wear protective gloves and eye protection.

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

Z\ WARNING
— All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi-
cal burns, accidents, or burns. Because of

A highly explosive mixture of gases can
form when charging batteries. >
@
>
©

285

Emergency assistance


ZA\ WARNING
— A drained battery can freeze at tempera-
tures around 32 °F (0 °C). If the vehicle bat-
tery is frozen, it must be thawed before con-
necting the jump start cables. If it is not,
the risk of an explosion and chemical burns
increases. After jump starting the vehicle,
drive to an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility immediately to
have the vehicle battery checked.
— Read the warnings when working in the en-
gine compartment > page 274.
— Handling the jump start cables incorrectly
may cause the vehicle battery to explode
and lead to serious injuries.

@) Note
— Jump start cables can cause considerable
damage to the vehicle electrical system if
they are connected incorrectly.
— Plug-in hybrid drive: You must not give a
jump start with your vehicle. This could
cause significant damage to the electrical
system in your vehicle.
G) Tips
— There must be no contact between the
vehicles, or else voltage could flow when
connecting the positive terminal and drain
the vehicle battery of the vehicle providing
the jump start.
— The drained vehicle battery must be con-
nected correctly to the electrical system.
— Switch off electrical equipment that is not
needed.
324

Both jump start cables must be connected in the
correct order.

Fig. 203 Engine compartment: connectors for jump start
cables or a charger



Fig. 204 Connecting the jump start cables
T
he jump start cable connections are located in
the engine compartment.
Fi ollow the information about the vehicle battery
=> page 284.
Connecting the positive cable (red) to the
positive terminal
>
I.
Open the red cover on the positive terminal
> fig. 203.
Attach one end of the positive cable (red) to
the jump-start pin @ ° fig. 204 on your vehi-
cle.
Attach the other end of the positive cable
(red) to the positive terminal @ on the pow-
er source.
Connecting the negative cable (black) to the
n
3
egative terminal
. Attach one end of the negative cable (black)
to the negative terminal @) on the power
source. >

Data privacy

typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehi-
cle is designed to record such data as:
— How various systems in your vehicle were oper-
ating;
— Whether or not the driver and passenger safety
belts were buckled/fastened;
— How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
— How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understand-
ing of the circumstances in which crashes and in-
juries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your
vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation occurs;
no data are recorded by the EDR under normal
driving conditions and no personal data (e.g.
name, gender, age, and crash location) are re-
corded. However, other parties, such as law en-
forcement, could combine the EDR data with the
type of personally identifying data routinely ac-
quired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equip-
ment is required, and access to the vehicle or the
EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle manu-
facturer, other parties, such as law enforcement,
that have the special equipment, can read the in-
formation if they have access to the vehicle or the
EDR.
Assist system monitor
This vehicle is equipped with an Assist System
Monitor (ASM). The ASM collects data that is not
stored by the EDR in the event of an accident. The
main task of the ASM is to make it possible to un-
derstand the role and the behavior of the assist
systems in these accident situations. In addition
to the data that the EDR stores, the ASM records
data related to the assist systems starting sever-
al seconds before the accident or near-accident.
The data collected by ASM depends on the equip-
ment and may include the following information:
status information of the assist systems (for ex-
ample, if they are switched on or off, system
events, etc.), control interventions (for example,

D_ System availability may be limited depending on the mar-
ket.
2) In preparation at the time of printing.
334
by ESC, ABS, Audi pre sense’, etc.), and assist
systems settings (such as speed settings).
Special devices and access to the vehicle or to the
ASM are necessary in order to read the data from
the ASM memory. In addition to the vehicle man-
ufacturer, third parties such as law enforcement
authorities can also read and analyze the stored
data if they have access to the vehicle or to the
ASM.
Data usage
Audi can read out the information stored in the
data memories or similar data, or give this infor-
mation to third parties, especially in the follow-
ing situations:
— If the vehicle owner or lessee agrees
— If there is an official request from the police
— Ifa court or authorities request it
If legally permitted, Audi can also use the data
for analysis of vehicle operation and safety per-
formance or provide this data to third parties for
research purposes.
Data memory for autonomous driving!)
Applies to: vehicles with data memory for autonomous driv-
ing
When park assist plus is active > page 198, data
is stored in a memory in the vehicle. This data is
continuously overwritten by more current data
after a few seconds. The data is erased when the
ignition is switched off.
In certain situations, such as if an airbag has
been triggered or a parking process was ended,
the corresponding technical data may be stored
in the data memory for autonomous driving. The
data memory for autonomous driving is a read-
only memory that has a limited amount of stor-
age space. If the storage space is full, the oldest
data will be overwritten with the newest data. >

Index

Socket
refer to Power sourceS...... 0002+ eee eee 94
Software information
Legal information..............000eee 266
Software version (MMI)
Version information...............0.. 266
Sound
refer to Adjusting the sound............ 263
Space-saving spare tire (compact spare tire) . 323
SPArGctire’s « s wey » o wee 2 Raw & 2 BOR Ge Oe 323
Speed limit information
refer to Traffic sign recognition......... 155
Speed limits
refer to Traffic sign recognition......... 155
Speedometer’. wesive so svessve sv aves sv amen ve 12
Speed warning system............000005 155
Sport differential sis s & seins se nae ae eee 128
Start/Stop System: « « zausx & = sense s ¥ peuey s 2 117
MeSSAGQES: crseicee vs esses vo secnene wv anes ow aes 118
Switching offandon...............00. 118
Starting climate control after unlocking.... 105
Starting to drive......... 2. eee eee eee 108
Starting (engime)'. « + esses ss snus + 6 sone vo 3 118
SECON Gis ws. cewaens o 6 setae 3 6 meee oo MEE = wo 127
Audi drive select. ......... 0.00000 e ae 124
also refer to Steering..............055 127
Steering lock.............000-000- 107, 127
Steering wheel
AGjUStING sxc = s eemn : oe gems =v eee eo eeR = 78
Shiftepaddles « wesnise ov wana 2 ¥ sues ae sures a 111,
Steering wheel heating................ 104
also refer to Multifunction steering wheel. . 13
Steps for determining correct load limit... 303
Stopover (navigation) .................. 234
Stopping............. 0... ce eee ee eee 108
Stopping the vehicle................... 108
Stopping (ENGINE) swiss « scseas 6 sosens vw avtvens 118
StOrag@iiss os ons x 0 wnwas ow meson ow a & BEHEK 95
Storage area behind the rear head restraints. 96
Storage compartment.......:.eeeceee eee 97
Stored stations
refer'to Presets ex «. seccoa se owen wees ee 245
Subtitles
DVD... eee 257
356
Sunshade
Rear side windows .........-.0 eee eee eee 52
Rear WindOWeris ease 2 yew x 2 WAGE ae RoR 55
ROOF: «5 swan 2s swavece vx asentoe ¥ ceamens a a meee 2 a 53
also refer to Panoramic glass roof........ 53
SUMVISORS:« ssisteae » esosent o wueieon © o: ayesnie w aonexe 65
Surface Weatin gees x « encase + a wise» x een © 103
SUSPENSION ¢ cisvsn is owes o ormeecs « oer © 8 Os 125
Audi drive select...............000 00 124
Swapping calls............. 0c eee eae 217
SWERVCMSSISLE: sensi « iesans av cruem s & omoerue 181
Symbols
Charging equipment................0- 138
NaviGatiOnizaye + sans ¢ sanse ¢ 3 Naam 6 2 rea 234
TAP I Cts x © saanees a x seamne so aoEMMG & ¥ coatON a 8 239
also refer to Indicator lights.............. 7
SYNC (climate control system) ........... 101
System SOttingSs « sess co sews © o cows « ¥ soseene 263
T
Tachometetiican <& asiwn se iasin a + esas ow 12,14
Tail lights
Cleaning........ 0... cece eee a1
Technnicalidata. «cscs ox secvie « o cmmaue 4 o conn 343
Rear Seat Remote.............0--0000- 29
Screens imtheitear’: « s sss y = yazan ss wou 9 sg 32
Technical modifications................. 338
Telephone.......... 0c cee ee eee eee 209
Accepting/ending acall................ 217
Audi PhOMe DOK ies so wise s worse 6 eee os 211:
Charging the battery (USB)............. 212
Charging the battery (wireless)......... 213
Connecting a mobile phone............ 209
Dialinganumber...........--..00000- 217
Exterior antennas. is cses a scam ae epee a 212
Mobile device reminder signal.......... 213
Options during aphonecall............ 217
Playing tUSi¢ « seus < ¢ eee sv ees ce eee 251
Temperature display (outside temperature) .. 15
Temperature gauge
GOOLSMTE « sees x 2 sews « & ete © F meme e RoE 12
TeXtinbut : aces « < sean: 5 ¢ ewe 5 os ewe ©» eee 25
Text messageS...........0 0000000000 219
S@ttiNGS seu s = news & ¥ eee se Hewes eee 219
also refer to Text messages............ 219
Wied owinsts ws svesies 2 os amcceue 3 9 aveviens v wucwane we cei 98

4N0012721BF
Index

Tightening specification
Wheel bolts ......... 0... c cece eee 323
Tightening specification (wheel bolts) ..... 323
THING sscsnirs so secenis w sneer ow emmers 3m etme wo a 16
Timer (high-voltage battery)............. 136
tiptronic
refer to Manual shifting............... 111
Tire Mobility System (tire repair set)....... 317
THROS cesses x oi ores wu enews woo cranes + areas aw SK 289
Loose wheel warning...........0+e00ee 304
Low-profile tires.............02..000- 306
REPalnisetis sccm 2 3 mow @ & wemew & wasn ao one 317
Replacing.......... 0... c eee eee eee 319
SOPVICE lif@ns = s eee ¢ x eae 3 vawed HawH 298
TIRE PKESSUNE iiss so somes oo ase ov Reem we woKs 299
Tire pressure monitoring system.... 307, 308
Tire pressure table...........-..00000- 300
Tire pressure (trailer mode)............ 147
Treadwear indicators... . 0.0.6.0 ee 298
Unidirectional..................0. 291, 322
Uniform tire quality grading............ 306
Tires and wheels
Glossary of tire and loading terminology .. 292

Tires and vehicle load limits............ 302
Toll Module
refer to Integrated Toll Module......... 161
oo) Ca 317
Tool tipS.... 2... eee eee eee eee ee 20
Top tether anchor (securing the child safety
SGat) ¢ suche 7 § See od SOBRE Fo See sD ed 92
Touch display
Adjusting feedback............---..00-5 20
QPeKating « « ssessie 2 x care oo cea o seauew we > were 18
TOWING §: & & sxise @ & aves @ & aeawein & o wean @ & waK 325
TOWING OOP sves « & wave x e waves ¢ @ wow 2 2 327
Towing protection monitoring............. 44
TPMS
Tire pressure monitoring system........ 308
Traffic incidents
refer to Online traffic information....... 239
Traffic information « sic. <6 cane v weve wo eee 240
Online traffic information.............. 239
Traffic light information................ 157
Traffic sign recognition................. 155
Traffic SiQMScsic 2% arcu oa axeueve x a oeeneve w+ oer 158
Trailer mode
Air suspension ..........000ec cence eee 147
Trailer towing...........-.. cee eee eee eee 147
Tongue weight............eeceeeeeeee 147
Trailer load « « seas + + sewn 2 2 ees vo ew ve 147
TUNM@ASSISE « esc s sree: & s eevem ¢ 2 ene s x Be 181
Turtsignals = sess <2 wee = 2 eee s = HeieR gx oes 59
U
Uniform tire quality grading............. 306
Unlocking and locking................5-5 41
By remote control.............--e0eeee 46
Using the lock cylinder..............005 44
With Audi connect vehicle control........ 47
With the central locking switch.......... 43
With the convenience key............... 46
Update (software) ........ 0. cece ee eee 264
Upright positions « scsi se ess s cows s 6 vere 76
USB
Adapters « s escciis « eoasane 2 wasire a eases @ 2% 212
USB charging ports. « secs ¢ « sores & o arenes ¥ « ave 94
USB drive
Supported types/formats.............. 258
USB stick
refer to Audi music interface........... 252
Users
LOCALUSEtS sas x s anwe ¢ § earee FE Sates GS eae 38
MYAUGPUSEDSiscs: «osm oo ees oo een eo oer 38
Using residual heat.................-.. 103
V
Valet parking sxc ¢ s exes ze wewu 2 e owen 2 ee 55
Vanity MOF ccs < = seas + nen & ¥ axes ¢ ¢ Rees 65
Vehicle
Care/cleaning . es: : sesee s seeeaseewnas 310
DIMeNSIONS asco « 2 meses « 2 msn + 6 oom @ Ho 343
Identification data................... 343
Out Of S@FVICE cares sy ces sv ees ve eee ee 316
RaiSigss « cassis x 0 senxie 9 v aaeniue 6 9 cxsee @ nave 321.
Starting.......... 06. c eee ee eee eee 107
TRANS POFt wes s x eee su eeee o Bee 2 REE 125
Unlocking and locking............-...-- 46
Vehicle:car@ssiox «msn os ean oo wenn = # oes 310
Vehicle control services..............--- 224
Vehicle data label............. eee eee ee 343
Vehicle identification number............ 343