2021 AUDI A8 wheel

Driving

— D (Drive)
Selecting a gear
Requirement: the ignition must be switched on.
— Bring the vehicle to a full stop and press the
brake pedal.
— Press the release button @ on the selector lev-
er.
—To select the nearest gear, move the selector
lever forward or back until you feel the first
pressure point.
—To skip a gear (for example, move from “D” to
“R”), move the selector lever past the pressure
point in the desired direction.
— The label next to the selector lever for the se-
lected gear will light up.
“N” (Neutral) gear
In the “N” gear, power is not transmitted to the
driving wheels. Use the “N” gear in a car wash
(with conveyor belts), for example.
If you unintentionally select “N” while driving
(faster than 1 mph (2 km/h)), you can also shift
back to “D” without pressing the brake pedal.
For safety reasons, the vehicle cannot be locked
when the transmission is in the "N” gear.
“Pp” (Park) gear
Requirement: the ignition must be switched on.
The vehicle is secured from rolling away by the
parking lock when in the “P” gear.
— Bring the vehicle to a full stop and press the
brake pedal.
— Press the “P” button (2) on the selector lever.
— The “P” next to the selector lever will light up.
“P” engages automatically if you switch the en-
gine off while the “D” or “R” gear is selected. If
you switch the engine off in “N”, “P” will engage
automatically after approximately 30 minutes.
If you want to switch to another gear from “P”,
the engine must be running.
If you cannot shift out of “P”, for example be-
cause the vehicle has no power, you may need to
use the emergency release for the parking lock
=> page 112.
110
Selecting the driving program
Various driving programs can be selected when in
the “D” gear. The programs influence when the
transmission shifts and how the accelerator ped-
al responds.
The selected driving program is displayed in the
instrument cluster.
—D (Drive): normal driving mode
—S (Sport): sporty driving mode
If you select the Dynamic mode in Audi drive se-
lect*, the “S” driving program will be activated.
When the ignition is switched off, the driving pro-
gram may be reset to “D”.
To switch between the current driving program
and “S”, push the selector lever toward the rear.
Plug-in hybrid drive system: Not all plug-in hy-
brid modes are available in the “S” driving pro-
gram. The driving program or plug-in hybrid
mode will be automatically adjusted if it is not
compatible with an operation.

ZA\ WARNING
— Before you start driving, check if the label
for the desired selector lever position next
to the selector lever is lit up.
— Secure the vehicle against rolling before ex:
iting the vehicle > page 108.
— Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To pre-
vent the vehicle from “creeping”, you must
keep your foot on the brake in all selector
lever positions (except "P" and "N") when
the engine is running.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, do not
press the accelerator pedal when changing
gears if the vehicle is stationary and the en-
gine is running.
— Never select the “R" or "P” gears while driv-
ing. Doing so could cause an accident.
— The vehicle can roll even if the ignition is
switched off.

G) Tips
If you shift between “D” and “R” within one
second, you do not need to press the brake >

4N0012721BF
Driving

pedal. This makes it possible to “rock” if it is
stuck, for example.
Manual shifti


RAZ-0411


Fig. 93 Center console: shifting manually with the selector
lever

RAZ-0003|



—
Fig. 94 Steering wheel: shift paddles*
You can shift the gears manually when in “D”
mode. The transmission must be in tiptronic
mode.
Shifting with the selector lever
You can shift into manual shifting mode while the
vehicle is stationary or while driving.
> To switch to manual shifting mode, tilt the se-
lector lever toward the front passenger's side
=> fig. 93. “M” will be displayed in the instru-
ment cluster.
> Upshifting: push the selector lever forward ().
> Downshifting: push the selector lever toward
the rear (©).
> To switch back to automatic mode, tilt the se-
lector lever toward the driver's side.
Shifting with the shift paddles
Applies to: vehicles with shift paddles
> Upshifting: press the @ shift paddle > fig. 94.
> Downshifting: press the ©) shift paddle.

> To engage the lowest possible gear for maxi-
mum acceleration, press and hold the ©) shift
paddle.
> To switch back to automatic mode, press and
hold the @) shift paddle or push the selector
lever toward the rear.
If you stop using the shift paddles temporarily,
the transmission will switch back to automatic
mode. To keep shifting manually, tilt the selector
lever toward the front passenger's side.

— The transmission only allows manual shift-
ing when the engine speed is within the per-
mitted range.
— The transmission automatically shifts up or
down before critical engine speed is
reached.
Accelerator pedal

RAZ-0565

Fig. 95 Footwell: accelerator pedal
You can accelerate the vehicle using the accelera-
tor pedal.
Depending on the equipment, you may be able to
adjust the haptic feedback for the accelerator
pedal in the MMI.
— Select on the home screen: VEHICLE > (Charg-
ing & Efficiency) > Efficiency assist > (Interac-
tive accelerator).
Accelerator pedal feedback / predictive
messages
Haptic feedback in the accelerator pedal indi-
cates when you should take your foot off the ac-
celerator pedal to drive more efficiently.
111
>

Driving

Combustion engine startup
Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive
A haptic pressure point indicates when the com-
bustion engine will be started. The pressure point
is variable and depends on the high-voltage bat-
tery charge level.
@ Recuperation
@ Power by electric motor
@) Pressure point
@ Power by combustion engine
© Maximum acceleration
Maximum acceleration
If you press the accelerator pedal all the way
down, the motor’s full power will be used and
you will reach maximum acceleration, also called
“kick-down”.
Applies to: vehicles with boost function: The elec-
tric motor can switch on for a brief period if the
accelerator pedal is pressed all the way down in
the “D” and “S” driving program. The availability
of this function depends on the charge level of
the high-voltage battery and the temperature of
the drive system components, among other
things.

Z\ WARNING
The driving wheels could spin and the vehicle
could swerve on slick or slippery road surfaces
when using kick-down, which increases the
risk of an accident.

Parking lock emergency release

B4mM-0189




@

@

Fig. 96 Footwell: releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release
112
The emergency release is located under the floor
mat on the driver's side. Read and follow the im-
portant instructions about towing > page 325.
Releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release
> Secure the vehicle against rolling > page 108.
> Pry the cover off at one of the openings using
the screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit
=> page 317.
> Insert the socket wrench from the vehicle tool
kit into the opening.
> Turn the socket wrench clockwise () until it
stops and press it downward @) until it locks in-
to place.
> Leave the socket wrench inserted.
Resetting the parking lock
> Grasp the socket wrench with both hands and
carefully pull it upward to remove.
> Install the cover.

Z\ WARNING
— The parking lock must be released using the
emergency release before towing the vehi-
cle.
— Only use the parking lock emergency release
if the vehicle is secured against rolling
= page 108. An unsecured vehicle may roll,
which increases the risk of an accident.
— Only activate the emergency release while
on a level surface or a slight slope.
—To reduce the risk of an accident, you must
not drive when the emergency release is ac-

tivated.
i Transmission: malfunction! Safely stop vehi-
cle

Do not continue driving. Stop the vehicle as soon
as possible in a safe location and secure it so it
does not roll > page 108. See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as-
sistance.
Bi Transmission: too hot. Please stop vehicle >

Driving

The Start/Stop system is automatically activated
once
the ignition is switched on.
Switching the Start/Stop system off and on
The & button is located above the selector lever
in the center console. The LED in the button turns
on when the function is switched off.
> Press & to switch the system on or off.
If you switch the system off during a Stop phase,
the engine will start again automatically.
Basic requirements
— The driver's door and hood must be closed.
—"P","N", or "D" must be engaged.
— The steering wheel must not be turned far in ei-
ther direction.
— The vehicle must have driven faster than 2 mph
(3 km/h) since the last time it stopped.
— The vehicle is not in trailer mode.
® Note
Always switch the Start/Stop system off when
driving through water > page 118.
G) Tips
— Depending on the driving situation, the en-
gine may already stop when coasting before
the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
— If you select the "D" position after shifting
into reverse, the vehicle must be driven fast-
er than 6 mph (10 km/h) in order for the
Start/Stop system to become active again.
This makes it possible to maneuver without
stopping the engine.
Stopping and starting the engine
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system
> Press and hold the brake pedal until the vehicle
has stopped. The @ indicator light appears in
the instrument cluster once the engine stops
automatically.
> The engine starts again when you remove your
foot from the brake pedal. The indicator light
turns off.
If the parking brake is set, the engine will only
start again when the accelerator pedal is pressed.
118
G) Tips
— Press the brake pedal during a Stop phase
to keep the vehicle from rolling.
— The ignition will turn off if you press the
START ENGINE STOP] button during a Stop
phase.
— If you leave the vehicle briefly during a Stop
phase and then enter again, the driver's
door must be closed and the safety belt
must be fastened in order for the engine to
be able to restart.
— You can control if the engine will stop or not
by reducing or increasing the amount of
force you use to press the brake pedal. For
example, if you only lightly press on the
brake pedal in stop-and-go traffic or when
turning, the engine will not switch off when
the vehicle is stationary. If you press the
brake pedal harder, the engine will switch
off.
Starting and stopping the engine automat-
rely
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system


The system checks if certain conditions are met
before and during the Stop phase, and deter-
mines if the engine stops and how long it re-
mains stopped. For example, if power usage is
high, the engine will not be stopped. Along with
other conditions, the following factors influence
the automatic engine start or stop:
— Environmental conditions (slopes, inclines, ele-
vation, temperature)
— Battery (charge status, temperature, power us-
age)
— Engine temperature
— Assist systems
— Driving behavior
Depending on the engine, the indicator light
may appear if the engine is not stopped.
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system
Drive system: please start the vehicle manually >

Driving

— The braking force generated by the pressed
brake pedal is greater than the braking force
that
would be initiated by the system
— The ESC, the brake system, or the vehicle elec-
trical system is not functioning

ZA WARNING
— Only apply the brakes for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system when road and
traffic conditions permit. You must not en-
danger other road users and increase the
risk of an accident.
— Due to the risk of injury, only have an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility work on the brake system.
Incorrect repairs could impair the function.
— Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is
stopped because this increases the risk of an
accident.
— During automatic braking maneuvers, the
brake pedal may move downward automati-
cally. To reduce the risk of injury, do not
place your foot under the brake pedal.
@) Note
— Never let the brakes “rub” by pressing the
pedal lightly when braking is not actually
necessary. This can cause the brakes to over-
heat and increases braking distance and
causes wear.
— Observe the important information for driv-
ing downhill > page 122. This especially ap-
plies when towing a trailer.
G@) Tips
— If you retrofit your vehicle with a front spoil-
er, wheel covers or similar items, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not ob-
structed. Otherwise the brake system can
overheat.

— Also refer to the information about brake
fluid > page 283.
Messages
GG i @ Brakes: malfunction! Stop vehicle
safely
120
There is a malfunction in the brake system. If
[S/ Bana B also turn on, there is a malfunc-
tion in the ABS, ESC, and braking distribution. If
the brake booster is not working, you have to use
much more force when braking the vehicle.
Do not continue driving. See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as-
sistance. Read and follow the other safety pre-
cautions > A\.
fie 7 © Brake pads: wear limit reached. You
can continue driving. Please contact Service
The brake pads are worn. Drive to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility as
soon as possible to have the malfunction correct-
ed.
Brake booster: limited functionality. You can
continue driving. Please contact Service
There is a brake booster malfunction. The brake
booster is available, but its effectiveness is re-
duced. The braking performance may be different
compared to the usual performance. Drive to an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility immediately to have the malfunction cor-
rected.
Brake booster: deactivated. See owner's manual
The brake booster remains active for a brief peri-
od of time after switching off the ignition. Secure
the vehicle against rolling > page 108.
Other indicator lights
When you switch the ignition on, the GG / @®
indicator light turns on briefly to check the func-
tion. If the indicator light does not turn on, there
is a system malfunction.
1f Ba / @ stays on, there is a malfunction in
the brake system.
@- A high load was placed on the brakes from
driving downhill for a long period of time. Follow
the instructions in the message to utilize the en-
gine braking effect and to relieve the brakes.

ZA WARNING
If a malfunction occurs in the ABS, ESC, and
braking distribution, interventions that >

4N0012721BF
Driving


stabilize the vehicle will no longer be availa-
ble. This could cause the vehicle to swerve,
which increases the risk that the vehicle will
slide. Do not continue driving. See an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility for assistance.

Electromechanical
parking brake
Operating the parking brake
The electromechanical parking brake is used to
secure the vehicle from rolling away unintention-
ally.
The ©) switch is located under the selector lever
in the center console. It turns on when the park-
ing brake is set. You can release the parking brake
manually or automatically when you start to
drive.
Setting and releasing the parking brake
> Setting: pull the ©) switch.
> 1¢ PM / © appears, the parking brake is hold-
ing the vehicle. You can remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
> Releasing: when the ignition is switched on,
press and hold the brake pedal and press the ©)
button.
If the red indicator light flashes, the braking
force has not built up enough or it has decreased.
You can also secure the vehicle by selecting the
“P” gear or pressing the brake pedal. Make sure
the indicator light is off before you start driving.
Automatically releasing the parking brake
when starting to drive
Requirement: the driver's door must be closed
and the driver’s safety belt must be fastened.
> Press the accelerator pedal to start to drive.

Z\ WARNING
—To reduce the risk of an accident, always
make sure the vehicle is situated safely
while stationary.
— If the parking brake is set, it can release au-
tomatically when the accelerator pedal is

pressed. To reduce the risk of an accident,
do not inadvertently press the accelerator
pedal and always shift into “P” when the ve-
hicle is stopped.
— If the power supply fails, you cannot set the
parking brake once it is released, or release
it if it is set. Secure the vehicle against roll-
ing before exiting the vehicle > page 108.
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized

Audi Service Facility for assistance.
@ Tips
— On steep inclines, especially when in trailer
mode, the vehicle may roll backwards unin-
tentionally when starting to drive. To reduce
the risk of this happening, pull and hold the
switch while pressing the accelerator
pedal. If enough drive power has built up at
the wheels and the vehicle does not roll
backwards, then release the switch to start
to drive.
— If you leave the vehicle when “D” or “R” are
engaged, the parking brake will be set auto-
matically.

— Noises when the parking brake is set and re-
leased are normal and are not a cause for
concern.
— The parking brake goes through a self-test
cycle at regular intervals when the vehicle is
stopped. Any noises associated with this are
normal.
Emergency braking function
Emergency braking should only be used in an
emergency, if the standard brake pedal is mal-
functioning or obstructed. When the emergency
braking function is activated, the braking effect is
similar to a heavy braking maneuver.
> Pull and hold the @) switch while driving.
» An audio warning signal will sound and emer-
gency braking will begin.
> If you press the accelerator pedal, emergency
braking will be canceled.
121
>

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Driving dynamic

Suspension
Air suspension
Applies to: vehicles with air suspension
The air suspension is an electronically-controlled
suspension and leveling system. The firmness of
the suspension will adapt to the driving condi-
tions and the driving situation. The system balan-
ces out changes in load. The vehicle level will also
adapt gradually to the vehicle speed in order to
reduce the wind resistance at high speeds and in-
crease the ground clearance at low speeds. The
settings depend on the selected Audi drive se-
lect* mode.
Displaying the vehicle level
» Applies to MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Audi drive select.
The filled-in boxes represent the current vehicle
level. The more boxes that are filled in, the high-
er the ground clearance. The box that corre-
sponds with the current vehicle level will flash
while the vehicle is lifting or lowering. The target
level is highlighted in color.
Raising the vehicle
> Applies to MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Audi drive select.
> Press Raise to reach the highest vehicle level
and thus the maximum ground clearance.
>» Press Lower to lower the vehicle down again.
The vehicle will lower at speeds of approximately
22 mph (35 km/h) and below. This function may
only be used temporarily when increased ground
clearance is necessary. It is not intended for long
drives.
@) Note
— Also refer to the information about ground
clearance > page 126.
— When transporting the vehicle on a road
carrier, rail carrier, ship carrier, or other car-
rier, it may only be secured at the running
surfaces of the tires (circumference). Secur-
ing the vehicle at the axle components, sus-
pension struts, or towing eyes is not permit-
ted because the pressure in the air suspen-
sion struts can change during transport. The
vehicle might not be secured sufficiently if
this happens.
Active suspension
Applies to: vehicles with active suspension
The active suspension enhances the air suspen-
sion with an electromechanically-controlled sus-
pension system. It selectively influences rolling
movements when driving around curves and
pitching movements, for example when braking
and accelerating. It also reduces lifting move-
ments when driving over bumps. The settings de-
pend on the selected Audi drive select* mode.
The curve tilting function is also switched on in
the comfort+ Audi drive select* mode. This func-
tion reduces the force on the vehicle passengers
when driving around curves by tilting the vehicle
toward the inside of the curve.
Display
You can display the principal functions of the ac-
tive suspension.
> Applies to: MMI: Select on the home screen:
VEHICLE > Vehicle data.
> You may need to scroll down to the Active sus-
pension display.
It will display how the vehicle body movements
are compensated at each wheel. The more the
cylinder is filled in, the more the system is inter-
vening. Please note that the display here is not to
scale.
Settings
> Open the active suspension display and select
@.
With Predictive scanning: unevenness detec-
tion, you can adjust how much the vehicle will
compensate for bumps in the road. For this pur-
pose, there is a camera behind the windshield
that detects the road conditions and activates
the active suspension when bumps are predicted.
A colored cone in the display indicates when this
function is activated. This function may only have
limited availability under certain conditions, for
example, when it is dark > page 151. >
125

Driving dynamic

Applies to: vehicles with elevated entry
With the Elevated entry function, you can select
if the vehicle should be raised when a door is
opened in order to enter and exit the vehicle
more comfortably. The vehicle will lower again
slowly in the following situations:
— When starting from a stop
— When locking the vehicle
— When changing the Audi drive select* mode
— Approximately 10 seconds after all doors have
been closed
— After a certain period of time when the engine
is stopped and a door is open, in order to main-
tain the battery charge level.
This function may not be available under certain
conditions, for example if the ground is not level
or when the battery charge level is low. The func-
tion may also be deactivated temporarily after
the vehicle is serviced using diagnostic equip-
ment, and it will only be available again once the
vehicle is driven a certain distance.
@ Note
When the elevated entry function is activated,
make sure there is sufficient space above and
below the vehicle. This particularly applies to
space under open doors and above roof struc-
tures. If you are unsure about the amount of
space, deactivate the elevated entry function
before exiting the vehicle to reduce the risk of
damage.
@) Tips
— If an open door touches the ground or be-
comes stuck, use the Raise > page 125
function in the MMI to raise the vehicle us-
ing the air suspension.
— When the curve tilting function is switched
on, the vehicle passengers will experience
less turning force when driving around
curves. This may influence the perception of
speed. Always adjust the speed to the driv-
ing situation.
126
Ground clearance
The vehicle height and clearance can be influ-
enced by the following factors:
— Change in temperature
— Change in load
— Change to the Audi drive select* mode
— Lifting and lowering via the air suspension*
— Automatic lifting and lowering using the Ele-
vated entry* function

ZA\ WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury, make sure no one
gets pinched when the vehicle level is chang-
ing, for example when cleaning the under-
body or the wheel housings.
@) Note
Always make sure there is enough clearance
above and below the vehicle. This is especially
important for entrances with height restric-
tions, for example, before driving into under-
ground garages. You could also scrape the
ground when driving over the edges of curbs
or on steep ramps, which could damage your
vehicle.
B Air suspension: malfunction! You may con-
tinue driving slowly at max. XX mph (km/h)

There is a malfunction. Driving stability may be
limited. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately. Do not
drive faster than the speed given in the message.
B Air suspension: malfunction! Safely stop ve-
hicle. Steering and ground clearance limited
There is a malfunction. Do not continue driving.
Secure the vehicle against rolling before exiting
the vehicle > page 108. Avoid turning the steer-
ing wheel, because the vehicle ground clearance
may be so low that turning the steering wheel
could result in damage to the wheels and wheel
housings.
B Active suspension: unavailable. Limited sta-
bility. You can continue driving with caution >