2021 AUDI Q8 tow

Lights and Vision

— you are the last car in a traffic jam so that
all other vehicles approaching from behind
can see your vehicle
— your vehicle has broken down or you are
having an emergency
— your vehicle is being towed or if you are tow-
ing another vehicle
Messages
If the 6; indicator light turns on, a bulb has
failed. The displayed message indicates the cause
and possible solutions. If one of the messages re-
mains on, drive immediately to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to
have the malfunction repaired.

By Audi adaptive light: malfunction! See own-
er's manual
Adaptive light* is not working. The headlights
still function. Drive immediately to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to
have the malfunction repaired.
High beam assistant: malfunction! See own-
er's manual
You can still switch the high beams on or off
manually. Drive immediately to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to
have the malfunction repaired.
High beam assistant: currently unavailable.
Camera view limited due to surroundings. See
owner's manual
This message appears if the camera's visual field
is blocked. The system will switch itself off. Try
switching the systems on later.
Automatic headlights: malfunction! See
owner's manual
The light/rain sensor is malfunctioning. When
the AUTO light function is on, the low beams will
remain switched on at all times for safety rea-
sons. Drive immediately to an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to have
the malfunction repaired.
54
Interior lighting
Front interior lighting


Fig. 36 Headliner: interior lighting
Interior lighting buttons
axs* — Interior lighting on/off
4 - Door contact switch on/off. The interior light-
ing is controlled automatically.
Touch-sensitive reading lights
> To turn a reading light on or off, touch the sur-
face @ briefly.
> To activate the manual dimming function,
touch the surface @ when the light is switched
off and keep touching it until the desired
brightness is reached.
Rear interior lighting
3 2
NI

Fig. 37 Headliner: reading lights
Reading lights
> To switch the reading lamp on or off, press the
~¥ button @.
> To activate the manual dimming function*,
touch the surface while the light is switched off
“~¥@ and keep touching it until the desired
brightness is reached.

4M8012721BF

Lights and Vision

— The automatic dimming mirrors do not dim Windshield wipers
when the interior lighting is turned on or
the reverse gear is selected. Switching the windshield wipers on

Sun visors



RAZ-0253 Fig. 39 Roof headliner: sun visor
Sun visor
The sun visors can be moved out of their brackets
and turned toward the doors (a).

They can also be moved back and forth length-
wise in this position.


Vanity mirror Fig. 42 Lever: rear window wiper
The mirror light switches on when the cover over > Move the windshield wiper lever © to the cor-
the vanity mirror @) opens. responding position:
Windshield wipers off
@ :
Applies to: vehicles with manual sunshade @ Rain sensor/intermittent mode. The wind-
shield wipers switch on once the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 2 mph (4 km/h) and it is
raining. The higher the sensitivity of the rain sen-
sor that is set (switch ©) to the right), the earlier
the windshield wipers react to moisture on the
windshield. You can deactivate the rain sensor
mode, which switches the interval mode on. In
intermittent mode, you can adjust the interval
time using the switch ©.
> Applies to: MMI: Select on the home screen:

big ns OsResnwindowssunsieds VEHICLE > Light & Visibility > Rain sensor.
Rear window sunshade @® Slow wiping
> Pull the sunshade out and attach it to the re- @ Fast wiping
tainer on the luggage compartment lid.
ggeg P @ Single wipe. If you hold the lever in this posi-
tion longer, the wipers switch from slow wiping
to fast wiping.
57
>

4M8012721BF
Sitting correctly and safely

Head restraints
General information
Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints

B4G-0454


Fig. 53 Correctly-adjusted head restraint
Make sure that:
— The upper edge of the head restraint is as even
as possible with the top of your head
— The head restraint is as close as possible to the
back of the head
— The head restraints on rear seats that are occu-
pied are raised up at least one level.

Z\ WARNING
— There is one head restraint for each seat. All
vehicle occupants must adjust the head re-
straint correctly before every trip. Having
head restraints that are not adjusted cor-
rectly or not installed in the vehicle increas-
es the risk of a neck injury during sudden or
unexpected driving or braking maneuvers or
in a collision.
— Only remove the rear seat head restraints if
it is necessary to install a child safety seat
= page 76. Stow the removed head re-
straints securely, for example in the luggage
compartment. Reinstall the head restraints
immediately once the child safety seat has
been removed. Driving without head re-
straints increases the risk of serious neck in-
juries.

Front head restraints
Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints

[RAZ-0683]


Fig. 54 Front seat: adjusting the head restraint
Adjusting the head restraints
> To adjust the head restraint upward, slide it un-
til it locks into place.
> To adjust the head restraint downward or back-
ward, press the button on the side and slide the
head restraint. Release the button and slide the
head restraint farther until it locks into place.
Rear head restraints
Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints



Fig. 55 Rear seat: adjusting or removing the head restraint
Adjusting the head restraints
> To adjust the head restraint upward, slide it un-
til it locks into place.
> To adjust the head restraint downward, press
the button @) and slide the head restraint. Re-
lease the button and slide the head restraint
farther until it locks into place.
Removing the headrests
Applies to: vehicles with removable head restraints
> Applies to: vehicles with folding backrests: Fold
the backrest forward slightly. See > page 86.
> Move the head restraint upward all the way. >
67

Sitting correctly and safely



is deactivated. This increases the risk of in-
jury and death. Always make sure that
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ remains on
while driving. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ does not
turn on, make sure the front passenger is
sitting correctly in the seat > page 62 and
that there is nothing covering the front pas-
senger's seat (such as blankets or pillows).
If PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ still does
not turn on, the front passenger's seat must
not be used. Drive to an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
and have the airbag system inspected.
A child in a child safety seat on the front
passenger's seat - especially in a rear-facing
child safety seat - can receive a severe im-
pact if the front passenger's airbag deploys,
which increases the risk of serious or fatal
injury. Always secure child safety seats on
the rear seats. If special circumstances re-
quire the use of a child safety seat on the
front passenger's seat, always make sure
that PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF %; stays
on while driving. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #¥; does not
turn on, remove the child safety seat and in-
stall it again according to the child safety
seat manufacturer instructions. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF &%; still does
not turn on, the front passenger's seat must
not be used. Drive to an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
and have the airbag system inspected.
Fluids, electronic devices, or mechanical
damage on the front passenger's seat may
cause the front passenger seat occupant de-
tection to malfunction. The system may
then incorrectly detect if the front passeng-
er's seat is occupied. As a result, it could de-
ploy the front passenger’s airbag incorrectly
or fail to deploy it, which increases the risk
of serious or fatal injury. Make sure that no
wet objects (such as a wet hand towel) and
no fluids come into contact with the front
passenger's seat cushion. If the front pas-
senger's seat becomes wet, dry it immedi-
ately. Make sure no electronic devices (such

76
as a laptop or a retrofitted seat heater) are
on the front passenger's seat. Do not trans-
port any objects on or under the front pas-
senger's seat.
— Seat covers or protective covers may prevent
the advanced airbag system from correctly
detecting child safety seats or passengers in
the front passenger's seat. You must not use
seat covers or protective covers on the front
passenger's seat that are not specifically ap-
proved for use on Audi seats with an ad-
vanced airbag system.

Child safety seats
General information
When installing and using child safety seats, fol-
low the information in this Owner's Manual, the
applicable state and federal regulations, and the
manufacturer instructions for the child safety
seat.
You can also obtain useful and current informa-
tion from the following sources:
U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration
http://www.nhtsa.gov
http://www.safercar.gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
http://www.safekids.org
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.
http://www.carseat.org
Transport Canada Information Centre
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety
Audi Customer Experience Center
https://www.audiusa.com/help/contact-us
https://www.audi.ca/ca/web/en/models/layer/
contact.html

ZA\ WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries,
children must always be secured in the vehicle
with a child safety seat that is appropriate for
their body size, weight, and age.
— Children ages 12 and under must be trans-
ported using the appropriate child safety >

Sitting correctly and safely

> Secure the child safety seat according to the
child safety seat manufacturer instructions.
While doing so, pull out the safety belt. Insert
the safety belt into the belt latch that belongs
to that seat until it audibly locks.
> Pull the upper belt out completely and then al-
low it to retract. You will hear a clicking sound
while the belt is retracting. It will not be possi-
ble to pull the safety belt out any farther.
> Push the child safety seat into the seat and al-
low the belt to retract more.
> Make sure that the child safety seat cannot
move more than 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Deactivating the belt retractor lock
> Unbuckle the safety belt from the belt latch.
> Remove the child safety seat according to the
manufacturer instructions.
> Allow the safety belt to retract completely. The
belt retractor lock is deactivated.

ZA WARNING
—A safety belt that is not locked by the belt
retractor lock or a locking device cannot se-
cure a child safety seat while driving or in
the event of an accident, which increases the
risk of fatal injury. Always make sure the
belt retractor lock on the safety belt is acti-
vated if the child safety seat manufacturer
instructions require it.
— Due to the risk of fatal injury, never place a
rear-facing child safety seat on the front
passenger's seat when the front passenger's
airbag is switched on.
— For the child safety seat to offer the maxi-
mum protection, it is especially important
to route the vehicle safety belt correctly. Al-
ways follow the instructions from the child
safety seat manufacturer for routing the
safety belt correctly. Incorrectly fastened
safety belts can cause injuries, even during
minor accidents.

80


Fig. 64 Rear backrest: top tether anchors to secure a child
safety seat with an upper belt

RAZ-0186|



Fig. 65 Rear backrest: securing the upper belt to the top
tether anchor
Observe the safety precautions > page 76.
There is a top tether anchor behind every seat in
the rear bench seat to additionally secure a child
safety seat with an upper belt.
> Move the head restraint behind the child safety
seat upward.
> Secure the child safety seat according to the
child safety seat manufacturer instructions.
> Guide the upper belt on the child safety seat
under the head restraint or along both sides of
it and toward the rear (depending on the child
safety seat model).
» Fasten the belt to the top tether anchor
=> fig. 65. While doing this, make sure the belt
is not twisted and is not running over any sharp
edges.
> Pull the belt tightly so that the child safety seat
rests at the top of the seat backrest.
> If necessary, move the head restraint behind
the child safety seat downward.

4M8012721BF
Storage and convenience


ZA WARNING
— Do not put any hot beverages in the cup
holder while the vehicle is moving. Hot bev-
erages could spill, which increases the risk
of injury.
— Do not use any breakable beverage contain-
ers (for example, made out of glass or por-
celain). You could be injured by them in the
event of an accident.
@) Note
Beverage containers in the cup holders should
always
have a lid. Otherwise, the liquid inside
could spill and cause damage to vehicle
equipment.

Storage and
compartments
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
— Applies to: vehicles with luggage compart-
ment cover: The luggage compartment cov-
er is not a surface for storing objects. Ob-
jects placed on the cover increase the risk of
injury to all vehicle occupants during sudden
driving or braking maneuvers or in the event
of an accident.
— Applies to: vehicles with luggage compart-
ment cover: The luggage compartment cov-
er must always be securely fastened when in
use to reduce the risk of an accident.
— 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.

83

4M8012721BF
Storage and convenience

> To pull the luggage compartment cover out,
hold the handle @ on the cover and pull it to-
ward the rear of the vehicle until it locks into
place audibly at the ends of the guide rails 2).
> To retract the luggage compartment cover, lift
it lightly and guide it slowly by hand toward the
front of the vehicle without letting it retract
quickly.
> To remove the luggage compartment cover,
pull both levers (3) firmly in the direction of the
arrow and remove the cover upward.
> To install the luggage compartment cover,
place the cover in the mounts on the side trim
panels on the left and right side.
> Push the cover downward until it clicks into
place.

lg gage compartment [coy ees
Applies to: vehicles with power luggage compartment cover
Qs
Z
Fig. 71 Luggage compartment: retracted cover (power)

Observe the safety precautions > page 83.
If you open the luggage compartment lid, the
power luggage compartment cover will move in-
to position @ or Q).
> You can also operate the power luggage com-
partment cover manually. To do this, slowly
guide the cover by hand into position @ or 2)
without letting it move quickly.
> To remove the luggage compartment cover,
bring it into position @, pull the lever @)
=> page 84, fig. 70 firmly in the direction of the
arrow, and remove the cover upward.
> To install the luggage compartment cover,
place the cover in the mounts on the side trim
panels on the Left and right side.

D In certain countries.
> Push the cover downward until it clicks into
place.

Applies to: vehicles with air suspension

Fig. 72 Left side of the luggage compartment: rear lower-
ing button
The rear of the vehicle can be lowered to make
loading and unloading easier.
Requirement: all vehicle doors must be closed.
The trailer mode for air suspension is switched
off.
> Open the luggage compartment lid.
> To lower the rear of the vehicle, press on the
lower section of the button @).
> To raise the rear of the vehicle, press on the up-
per section of the button @).
The LED in the button will turn on while the vehi-
cle is lowering. When the loading level has been
reached, the LED will stay on as long as the rear
of the vehicle is in the lowered position. The LED
turns off when the vehicle returns to the original
level.
The rear of the vehicle will be automatically
raised when you select another mode or start to
drive.
©) Note
— Do not park the vehicle in a lowered loading
level.
— Also refer to the information about ground
clearance > page 113.

8s

4M8012721BF
Storage and convenience

the partition net behind the front or rear seats.
Use the mounting eyelets @ or @ for this.
Observe the safety precautions > page 83.
> Fold the backrest forward, if necessary
=> page 86.
> To attach the partition net, secure it in the up-
per mounting eyelets first, and then in the low-
er mounting eyelets.
> Tighten and secure the straps @).
> Slide the lower section of the partition net @)
to the desired level.
> To release the partition net, loosen the strap
®.
@ Tips
— The straps must face toward the rear when
attaching the partition net.
— You must disengage the partition net before
folding the backrest back into the upright
position.
Tie-downs and cargo net

FOR RO OTT ce MY
Fig. 78 Luggage compartment: luggage compartment net*
stretched out
Observe the safety precautions > page 83.
Tie-downs
There are tie-downs (@) in the luggage compart-
ment to secure pieces of luggage and objects.
» Use the tie-downs to secure the cargo.
Cargo net
Applies to: vehicles with cargo net
Use the cargo net (2) to secure lighter objects in
the luggage compartment
> Fold the clip for the tie-downs upward.
> Attach the hooks for the cargo net to the tie-
downs.
Cargo floor

Removing and installing the cargo floor
> To remove the cargo floor, pull the entire cargo
floor toward the back of the vehicle.
> To install the cargo floor, insert the tabs at
both sides into the openings and slide the car-
go floor all the way in toward the backrest
> fig. 79.
87