2021 AUDI A8 Owners Manual

4N0012721BF
Care and cleaning


height and width of the inside of the car
wash.
ZA WARNING
—To reduce the risk of accidents, only wash
the vehicle when the ignition is off and fol-
low the instructions from the car wash oper-
ator.
—To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not wash
decorative decals* with a pressure washer.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitchen
sponges, or similar items.
— When washing matte finish painted vehicle
components:
—To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash-
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
— After washing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to moisture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter. This in-
creases the risk of an accident. The brakes
must be dried with a few careful brake appli-
cations.
— To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polishing agents or hard
wax.
— Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
@) Note — Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle components painted with
matte finish paint. The paint could be
damaged when the stickers or magnets
are removed.

— If you wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash, you must fold the exterior mirrors in
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
Power folding exterior mirrors* must only
be folded in and out using the power folding (@) For the sake of the environment
function.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the rims
and tires, compare the width between the
wheels on your vehicle with the distance be-
tween the guide rails in the car wash.
—To reduce the risk of damage, compare the
height and width of your vehicle with the
Only wash the vehicle in facilities specially de-
signed for that purpose. This will reduce the
risk of dirty water contaminated with oil from
entering the sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individual vehicle are not listed, consult an authorized Audi dealer
components, refer to the following tables. The or authorized Audi Service Facility. Also follow
information contained there is simply recommen- __ the information found in > A.
dations. For questions or for components that
Exterior cleaning




Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper | Deposits Soft cloth with glass cleaner, > page 67
blades
Headlights/ Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution®
tail lights
Sensors/ Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with a solvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol-free cleaning sol-
ution
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent-free de-icing spray >

311

Care and cleaning




Component Situation Solution
Laser scanner Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution®
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
Exhaust tail Road salt Water, cleaning solution suitable for stainless steel, if nec-
pipes essary
Decorative parts | Deposits Mild soap solution ®, a cleaning solution suitable for stain-
and
trim
less steel, if necessary

Paint Paint damage Repair with touch-up paint

Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately

Surface rust Rust remover, then treat with hard wax; for questions, con-
sult an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.

Corrosion Have it removed by an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility.

Water no longer
beads on the surface
of clean paint
Treat with hard wax (at least twice per year)

No shine even though
paint has been pro-
tected/paint looks
poor
Treat with suitable polish; then apply paint protectant if
the polish that was used does not contain any protectant

Deposits such as in-
sects, bird droppings,
tree sap, and road
salt
Dampen with water immediately and remove with a micro-
fiber cloth

Grease-based con-
taminants such as
cosmetics or sunblock
Remove immediately with a mild soap solution ® and a soft
cloth

Carbon compo-__| Deposits clean the same way as painted parts > page 310
nents
Decorative decals | Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution®
Audi e-tron Deposits Soft, dry towel
charging system
Wall mount clip | Deposits Soft towel with alcohol-free cleaning solution

a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of
Interior cleaning
neutral soap in 1 quart (1 liter) of water


Component Situation Solution
Window glass Deposits Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Decorative parts {Deposits Mild soap solution®
and
trim

312

4N0012721BF
Care and cleaning


Component Situation Solution

Plastic parts Deposits Damp cloth

Heavier deposits Mild soap solution ®), detergent-free plastic cleaning solu-
tion, if necessary


Displays/instru- | Deposits Soft cloth with LCD cleaner; dust in the lower area of the
ment cluster instrument cluster can be removed using a soft brush.
Controls Deposits Soft brush, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solution®)
Safety belts Deposits Mild soap solution ), allow to dry before letting them re-
tract
Textiles, Deposits adhering to | Vacuum cleaner
artificial leather, |the surface
Alcantara Water-based deposits
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
Absorbent cloth and mild soap solution®

Oil-based deposits
such as oil, make-up,
etc.
Apply a mild soap solution ®), blot away the dissolved oil or
dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary

Certain types of de-
posits such as ink,
nail polish, latex
paint, shoe polish,
etc.
Special stain remover, blot with absorbent material, treat
afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary)


Natural leather Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mild soap solution®

Water-based deposits
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
dried stains: stain remover suitable for leather

Oil-based deposits
such as oil, make-up,
etc.
Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
for leather
dried stains: oil cleaning spray

Certain types of de-
posits such as ink,
nail polish, latex
paint, shoe polish,
etc.
Spot remover suitable for leather


Care

Regularly apply conditioning cream that protects from
light and penetrates into the material. Use special colored
conditioning cream, if necessary.

313

Care and cleaning





Component Situation Solution
Refrigerator Dust and dirt Clean the ventilation openings in the luggage compart-
ment
Deposits Lukewarm water, mild soap solution if necessary), then
dry
Defrosting Empty the refrigerator, switch it off, and let it thaw with
the door open, then dry
Carbon compo- Deposits Clean the same way as plastic components
nents


ZA\ WARNING
The windshield must not be treated with wa-
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un-
der unfavorable conditions, such as wetness,
darkness, and when the sun is low, these coat-
ings can cause increased glare, which increas-
es the risk of an accident. They can also cause
wiper blade chatter.


ZA\ WARNING
— Never immerse the Audi e-tron charging sys-
tem and connectors in water.
— The Audi e-tron charging system must only
be cleaned when the control unit is com-
pletely disconnected from the power supply
and from the vehicle.

@) Note
— Headlights and tail lights
— Never clean the headlights or tail lights
with a dry cloth or sponge because the
lights could be damaged.
— Do not use any cleaning products that con-
tain alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
— Wheels
— Never use any paint polish or other abra-
sive materials.
— Damage to the protective layer on the
rims, such as stone chips or scratches,
must be repaired immediately.
— Camera lenses
— Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens. This
could cause the lens to crack.
314
2) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quart (1 liter) of water
— Never use abrasive cleaning materials or
alcohol to clean the camera lens. This
could cause scratches and cracks.
— Laser scanner
— Never use abrasive cleaning materials to
clean the laser scanner. This could cause
scratches and cracks.
— Door windows
— Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plastic scraper. To re-
duce the risk of scratches, move the scra-
per only in one direction and not back and
forth.
— Never remove snow or ice from door win-
dows and mirrors using warm or hot water
because this could cause cracks to form.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the rear
window defogger, do not apply any stick-
ers on the heating wires on the inside of
the window.
— Decorative parts and trim
— Never use chrome care or cleaning prod-
ucts.
— Paint
— To reduce the risk of scratches, the vehicle
must be free of dirt and dust before pol-
ishing or waxing.
— To prevent paint damage, do not polish or
wax the vehicle in direct sunlight.
—To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
polish away rust spots.
— Remove cosmetics and sunscreen immedi-
ately because they could damage the
paint.
— Decorative decals

4N0012721BF
Care and cleaning

—To reduce the risk of damage, do not use
any rough powder or abrasive cleaning
products.
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not pol-
ish decorative decals that have a matte or
printed finish.
— Due to the risk of damage, do not use an
ice scraper to remove snow and ice on win-
dows with decorative decals on them.
— Displays and instrument cluster
— Make sure that the display and instrument
cluster are switched off and have cooled
down before cleaning. To switch off the
upper and lower display, select on the
MMI home screen: SETTINGS > Display &
brightness > MMI > Screen cleaning.
— Displays, the instrument cluster, and the
trim surrounding it must not be cleaned
with dry cleaning methods because they
could become scratched.
— Make sure no fluids enter the spaces be-
tween the instrument cluster and the
trim, because that could cause damage.
— Controls
— Make sure that no fluids enter the con-
trols, because this could cause damage.
— Safety belts
— Do not remove the safety belts to clean
them.
— Never clean safety belts or their compo-
nents with chemicals or with corrosive flu-
ids or solvents and never allow sharp ob-
jects to come into contact with the safety
belts. This could cause damage to the belt
webbing.
— If there is damage to the webbing, the
connections, the retractors, or the buck-
les, have them replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility.
— Textiles, artificial leather, and Alcantara
— Never treat artificial leather or Alcantara
with leather care products, solvents, floor
polish, shoe polish, spot remover, or simi-
lar products.
— Have a cleaning specialist remove stub-
born stains to reduce the risk of damage.
— Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard
sponges, etc. when cleaning.
— Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry
the seat.
— Objects with sharp edges, such as zippers
or rivets on clothing or belts, can cause
damage to the surface.
— Open hook and loop fasteners, for exam-
ple on clothing, can damage seat covers.
Make sure hook and loop fasteners are
closed.
— Natural leather
— Never treat leather with solvents, floor
polish, shoe polish, spot remover or simi-
lar products.
— Objects with sharp edges, such as zippers
or rivets on clothing or belts, can cause
damage to the surface.
— Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard
sponges, etc. when cleaning.
— Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry
the seat.
— To help prevent the leather from fading,
do not leave the vehicle in direct sunlight
for long periods of time. If leaving the ve-
hicle parked for long periods of time, you
should cover the leather to protect it from
direct sunlight.
— Refrigerator
— Do not try to speed up the defrosting
process by applying heat.
—To help prevent health risks or damage to
the refrigerator, do not use any abrasive
cleaners, solvents, wax, or strongly scent-
ed or aggressive cleaning products.
— Do not clean the refrigerator with rough
cleaning tools such as steel wool.
— Wall mount clip
— Do not us any abrasive cleaning products
or any that contain alcohol, because these
increase the risk of discoloration.
@) Tips
— Insects are easier to remove from paint that
has been freshly waxed.
— Regular waxing can prevent rust spots from
forming.
315

Care and cleaning

— Decorative decals can age due to environ-
mental conditions, which can result in dam-
age such as brittleness. The color may fade
if exposed to excessive sunlight.
Taking your vehicle out
of service
If you would like to take your vehicle out of serv-
ice for a long period of time, contact an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty. You can receive information about the meas-
ures to take depending on the conditions for tak-
ing the vehicle out of service (duration, location,
etc).
316

4N0012721BF
Emergency assistance

Emergency assistance
General information
> Park the vehicle as far as possible from moving
traffic in the event of a breakdown. In the event
of a flat tire, park the vehicle ona level surface.
If you are ona steep hill, be especially careful.
> Set the parking brake.
> Switch the emergency flashers on.
> Have the passengers exit the vehicle. They
should move to a safe place, for example be-
hind a guard rail.

zs

, WARNING
Follow the steps given above. This is for your
protection and the for the safety of others on
the road.

Equipment
Vehicle tool
vehicle jack
Applies to: vehicles with the vehicle tool kit, tire mobility kit,
and vehicle jack




Applies to: vehicles with conventional drive system
Fig. 191 Luggage compartment: cargo floor cover





Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive
Fig. 192 Luggage compartment: cover

Conventional drive system: The vehicle tool kit,
vehicle jack*, tire mobility kit*, and compressor*
are stored in the luggage compartment under
the cargo floor cover > fig. 191.
Plug-in hybrid drive: The vehicle tool kit, tire mo-
bility kit, and compressor are located on the rear
side
of the cover and in the compartment under-
neath > fig. 192.
Conventional drive system
> Lift the cargo floor by the plastic handle
> fig. 191.
> Hook the handle into the luggage compart-
ment weather strip.
> Applies to: vehicles with spare tire: Turn the
handle counter-clockwise and remove the spare
tire.
> Unhook the cargo floor cover before closing the
luggage compartment lid.
Plug-in hybrid drive
> Open the cover using the handle > fig. 192.
Conventional drive system: Depending on the
equipment, the vehicle tool kit and the tire mobi-
lity kit* may be located under the spare tire*, un-
der another cover, or in the tool box.
Tips
— The vehicle jack* does not require any main-
tenance.
— Plug-in hybrid drive: The vehicle must not
be operated without a tire mobility kit.
Tire mobility kit
Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit
> Read and follow the important safety precau-
tions > page 317.
> Set the parking brake.
> Select the “P” position.
> Check if a repair with the tire mobility kit is pos-
sible > page 318.
317

Emergency assistance

Using the ti

Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit

B8U-0100



Fig. 193 Tire: tire damage that cannot be repaired
The tire repair is only meant for temporary use.
Change the damaged tire as soon as possible
oA.
If the tire is pierced by an object such as a nail,
do not remove the object from the tire.
The tire mobility kit can be used at temperatures
as low as -4 °F (-20 °C).
The tire mobility kit must not be used:
—If the tire has cuts or punctures that are larger
than 0.16 in (4mm) @ & fig. 193
— If the rim is damaged (2)
— If you have driven with very low tire pressure or
without air in the tire @)
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance in these situations.

Z\ WARNING
— Please note that the tire mobility kit cannot
be used in all situations, and that it may on-
ly be used temporarily.
— The tire sealant must not come in contact
with skin, eyes, or clothing.
— If tire sealant comes into contact with your
eyes or your skin, thoroughly rinse the af-
fected area immediately with clean water.
— Do not inhale the fumes.
— If you swallow any of the tire sealant, thor-
oughly rinse your mouth immediately and
drink a lot of water. Do not induce vomiting.
Seek medical attention immediately.
— Change your clothing immediately if it
comes into contact with tire sealant.


— If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical
attention immediately.
— Keep the tire sealant away from children.
@) Tips
— If sealant leaks, allow it to dry in place. You
can then peel it off like a sticker.

— Note the expiration date on the sealant bot-
tle. Replace the tire sealant at an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility.
— Radio reception can be interrupted when
operating the compressor.
— Follow the legal regulations that are appli-
cable in the country where you are operating
the vehicle.

Repairing tires
Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit

RAZ-0054]

[RAZ-0055}




318
Fig. 195 Tire mobility kit connection
Requirement: the tire mobility kit must be laid
out and ready for use > page 317.