Audi A8   General maintenance  Care of vehicle and cleaning
For cleaning and care of individual components on the vehicle, please refer to the tables below. These are recommendations only. If you have special questions or certain components are not listed, please ask your qualified workshop. Please also refer to the notes WARNING!.
(A) Component
(B) Situation
(C) Remedy
(A)
 (B)
 (C)
Wiper blades
 Dirt/deposits
 Link
Headlights/
rear lights
 Dirt/deposits
 Soft sponge with mild detergent1)
Sensors/
camera lenses
 Dirt/deposits
 Sensors: soft cloth with solvent-free cleaning agent
Camera lenses: soft cloth with alcohol-free cleaning agent
Snow/ice
 Small brush/solvent-free de-icer spray
Wheels
Road salt
 Water
Brake dust
 Acid-free cleaning agent
Tailpipes
 Road salt
 Water; suitable stainless steel cleaning product if necessary
Ornamental trim/
mouldings
 Dirt/deposits
 Mild detergent1); suitable stainless steel cleaning product if necessary
Paintwork
 Paint damage
 Refer to the vehicle data sticker for the paint no. and touch up using a paint pen Link
Fuel overflow
 Rinse with water without delay
Surface rust
 Surface rust remover, apply wax afterwards; contact your qualified workshop with any questions
Corrosion
 Have it removed by your qualified workshop
Water no longer pearls off clean paintwork
 Apply wax (at least twice a year)
Paint has lost its shine, gloss cannot be restored by waxing
 Treat with a suitable polish; finish with wax coating if polish does not contain wax compounds
Carbon parts
 Dirt/deposits
 Same treatment as painted parts Link
Table  Cleaning the exterior
(A) Component
(B) Situation
(C) Remedy
(A)
 (B)
 (C)
Windows
 Dirt/deposits
 Glass cleaning agent, then wipe dry
Ornamental trim/
mouldings
 Dirt/deposits
 Mild detergent1)
Plastic parts
 Dirt/deposits
 Damp cloth
Heavier dirt/deposits
 Mild detergent1); solvent-free plastic cleaning agent if necessary
Displays
 Dirt/deposits
 Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
Controls and displays
 Dirt/deposits
 Soft brush, then soft sponge with mild detergent1)
Seat belts
Dirt/deposits
 Mild detergent1) (allow to dry before retracting)
Fabrics,
leatherette,
Alcantara
 Surface dirt
 Vacuum cleaner
Water-based stains, e.g. coffee, tea, blood, etc.
 Absorbent cloth and mild detergent1)
Fat-based stains, e.g. oil, make-up, etc.
 Apply mild detergent1), dab off dissolved grease or colour particles with absorbent cloth; if necessary treat with water
Special dirt/stains, e.g. ballpoint pen, nail varnish, dispersion paint, shoe cream, etc.
 Special stain remover (dab off with absorbent fabric); if necessary treat with mild detergent1)
Natural leather
 Fresh dirt/stains
 Cotton cloth with mild detergent1)
Water-based stains, e.g. coffee, tea, blood, etc.
 Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
Dried stains: stain remover suitable for leather
Fat-based stains, e.g. oil, make-up, etc.
 Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and suitable stain remover for leather
Dried stains: grease removal spray
Special dirt/stains, e.g. ballpoint pen, nail varnish, dispersion paint, shoe cream, etc.
 Stain remover suitable for leather
Care of vehicle
 Regularly apply leather-care cream with ultra-violet protection and impregnating compound; if necessary use special colour leather cream
Coolbox
 Dust and dirt
 Cleaning ventilation openings in luggage compartment
Dirt/deposits
 Lukewarm water, if necessary with mild detergent1), dry afterwards
Defrosting
 Empty coolbox, switch off and allow to defrost with door open, dry afterwards
Carbon parts
 Dirt/deposits
 Same treatment as plastic parts
Table  Cleaning the interior
WARNING!
Do not use water-repellent coatings on the windscreen. In bad visibility conditions such as light rain, low sun or when driving at night these coatings can cause increased dazzle, which is a serious safety hazard. Such coatings can also cause the wiper blades to judder.
Caution!
  • Headlights/rear lights
    • Never clean the headlights/rear lights with a dry cloth or sponge.
    • Do not use cleaning agents containing alcohol. This could cause the glass to crack!
  • Wheels
    • Do not use paint polish or other abrasive agents.
    • If the protective paint coating on the wheel rim is scratched or damaged by stone chips etc., the damaged area should be touched up without delay.
  • Sensors/camera lenses
    • Never remove snow and ice from the camera lens using warm or hot water - danger of cracks appearing on the lens.
    • Never clean the camera lens with cleaning agents which are abrasive or contain alcohol – danger of scratches and cracks appearing.
  • Windows
    • Remove snow and ice from windows and exterior mirrors with a plastic scraper only. To avoid scratches, the scraper should only be pushed in one direction and not moved to and fro.
    • Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from windows and mirrors. This could cause the glass to crack!
    • To avoid damaging the heating element, do not put stickers on the inner side of the rear window.
  • Ornamental trim/mouldings
    • Do not use chrome cleaning agents.
  • Paintwork
    • The vehicle must be free of dirt and dust before applying polish/wax – otherwise the paintwork may be damaged.
    • Do not polish/wax the vehicle in direct sunlight – this can damage the paint!
    • Do not attempt to polish out surface rust deposits – this can damage the paint!
  • Displays
    • Displays must not be cleaned with a dry cloth – this can scratch the display!
  • Control consoles
    • Do not let any liquid get inside the control consoles – risk of damage!
  • Seat belts
    • Do not remove the seat belts to clean them.
    • Do not use chemical cleaning agents, corrosive liquids, solvents or sharp instruments to clean the seat belts or their components – this can damage the belt webbing!
    • If you find any damage to the belt webbing, the belt fittings, the belt retractor or the buckle, have the belt in question replaced by a qualified workshop.
  • Fabrics/leatherette/Alcantara
    • Do not use leather care products, solvents, wax polish, shoe cream, stain removers, or any similar products on leatherette/Alcantara fabrics.
    • To avoid damage, stubborn stains should be removed by a qualified workshop.
    • Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard sponges or similar utensils.
    • Do not use the seat heating* to dry the seats.
    • Sharp-edged objects on clothing, such as zip fasteners, rivets or belts, can also damage the surface of the fabric.
    • Please make sure you close any velcro fasteners, e.g. on your clothing, as these could otherwise damage the upholstery.
  • Natural leather
    • Do not use solvents, wax polish, shoe cream, stain removers, or any similar products on leather fabrics.
    • Sharp-edged objects on clothing, such as zip fasteners, rivets or belts, can also damage the surface of the fabric.
    • Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard sponges or similar utensils.
    • Do not use the seat heating* to dry the seats.
    • Avoid exposing leather to direct sunlight for long periods, otherwise it may tend to lose some of its colour. If the car is left for a prolonged period in the bright sun, it is best to cover the leather.
  • Coolbox
    • Do not use external heat sources (such as a hair dryer) to accelerate defrosting.
    • To prevent damage to health and damage to the cool box, do not use abrasive powders, solvents, wax or heavily perfumed/aggressive cleaning agents, etc.
    • Do not use steel wool or similar abrasive products to clean the coolbox.
Note
  • It is much easier to remove dead insects if the car has been waxed recently.
  • Regular waxing can help protect against surface rust.
1) Mild detergent: not more than two tablespoons of pH-neutral detergent to one litre of water

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