Get Lights and vision Guide for Audi Rs Q8 SUV First Generation (2020-2026)

Lights and vision

Automatic headlight range control

Lights and vision

Exterior lights

Switching lights on and off

Your vehicle is equipped with automatic head-

light range control. This prevents oncoming traf-

fic from being dazzled when your vehicle is heavi-

ly loaded. The headlight range is adjusted auto-

matically.

Audi adaptive light

Applies to: vehicles with Audi adaptive light

With the adaptive light feature, you have better

vision in the dark because the lights are control-

led dynamically to match the vehicle speed and

road conditions, e.g. on motorways or country

roads, at intersections or through corners. The

adaptive light feature can only be used when the

AUTO lighting function is activated.

Fig. 35 Dashboard: Light switch module

1 Light switch 

WARNING

Press 1 until the desired lighting function is se-

lected. The selected function will be displayed

briefly in the instrument cluster. The AUTO light-

ing function is selected automatically when the

ignition is switched on.

– Please note the safety precautions and sys-

tem limitations of the supporting systems,

sensors and cameras ðpage 171 to

ðpage 174.

– The automatic headlights are only intended

to assist the driver. The driver must always

ensure that the headlights are used when

required, and may have to switch them on or

off manually, e.g. when the light conditions

or visibility are poor. For example, the light

sensors are not able to detect fog. There-

fore, you should always switch on the dip-

ped headlights  in these conditions and

when driving after dark.

– AUTO – The headlights are switched on auto-

matically according to the ambient light condi-

tions. On vehicles for some markets, the day-

time running lights*, tail lights and number

plate light are switched on permanently.

–  – You can turn on the dipped headlights as

soon as you have switched on the ignition.

–  – You can turn on the side lights at speeds

below 10 km/h.

– OFF – You can switch all of the light functions

off at speeds below 10 km/h.

Note

If the dipped headlights or side lights are switch-

– If the vehicle battery has been losing charge

for a while, the side lights or parking lights

may be switched off automatically. Avoid

using the side lights for long periods (sever-

al hours). Switch the left or right parking

lights on where appropriate.





ed on, the corresponding indicator lamp

will light up in the instrument cluster.

/

2 All-weather light .

All-weather lights improve illumination of the

road when visibility is poor.

– The driver is responsible for complying with

the relevant country-specific regulations

when using the lights while driving and

parking the vehicle.

3 Rear fog light 

To avoid dazzling the traffic behind you, the rear

fog light should only be used in accordance with

country-specific regulations.

– Depending on the export market, the rear

lights on some vehicles may be switched on



59

Lights and vision

together with the headlights when the day-

time running lights* are activated. On other

vehicles, the rear lights remain off.

If one of the indicator lamps flashes twice as fast

as usual, a turn signal bulb has failed. Drive care-

fully to a qualified workshop without delay and

have the fault rectified.

– In cool or damp weather, the inside of the

headlights, turn signals or rear lights can

sometimes mist up, due to the temperature

difference between the interior and exterior

of the car. They should clear again partially

or completely soon after you switch on the

headlights. This has no influence on the life

expectancy of the vehicle lights.

Main beams  and headlight flasher

►

Move the lever to the appropriate position:

3 Main beam headlights on (vehicles with main

beam assist* ðpage 60)

4 Main beam headlights off or headlight flasher

– When the side lights are switched on with



The indicator lamp  will light up in the instru-

ment cluster.

the ignition switched off, the

symbol

will light up in the light switch module.

WARNING

Turn signal and main beam lever

The main beams can dazzle other road users.

Risk of accident! Never use the main beam

headlights or the headlight flasher if they

could dazzle other road users.

Main beam assist

Applies to: vehicles with main beam assist

The main beam assist automatically switches the

main beam headlights on or off depending on the

surrounding light conditions.

Fig. 36 Control lever: Switching light functions on/off

A camera (located in the mounting for the interi-

or mirror) detects light sources from other road

users. The main beams are activated/deactivated

automatically depending on the position of

vehicles on either side of the road, on the road

speed, and on other traffic and ambient condi-

tions.

The turn signal lever also operates the parking

lights, main beam headlights and headlight

flasher.

Turn signals   and parking lights 

The turn signals will flash if you move the lever

while the ignition is switched on. The correspond-

ing indicator lamp  or  will flash. If you just

tap the lever, the turn signals will flash three

times (one-touch signalling).

Applies to vehicles with matrix LED headlights:

Individual segments of the main beams are acti-

vated or deactivated. The relevant sector in front

of the vehicle is masked, while the surrounding

areas remain lit. The ambient surroundings are

thus illuminated optimally without dazzling oth-

er road users.

The parking lights will be switched on if you oper-

ate the lever with the ignition switched off:

1 Turn signals/parking lights (right side)

2 Turn signals/parking lights (left side)

Activating the main beam assist 

Important: The lights must be set to AUTO and

the main beam assist function must be activated

on the MMI ðpage 62.

When the ignition is switched off, you can switch

on the parking lights on both sides by switching

on the side lights  and locking the vehicle from

outside.

►

Briefly press the lever forwards 3 ðpage 60,

Fig. 36 to activate the main beam assist. The



60

Lights and vision

indicator lamp  will light up in the instru-

ment cluster display and the main beams will

be activated/deactivated automatically. The in-

dicator lamp  is lit when the main beams are

partially or fully on.

Laser lights

Applies to: vehicles with laser lights

Laser lights increase the range of the main

beams.

An additional module integrated in the headlight

uses a phosphor to convert the blue laser light to

white light.

Activating/deactivating the main beams

manually

If the main beams are not activated/deactivated

as expected, you can do this manually:

Activating/deactivating the laser lights

Important: The AUTO lighting function must be

activated, and the main beam assist function and

laser lights must be switched on in the MMI

ðpage 62.

►

To activate the main beams manually, briefly

press the lever forwards 3 ðpage 60, Fig. 36.

The indicator lamp  will light up.

►

To deactivate the main beams manually, pull

the lever towards you 4 ðpage 60, Fig. 36.

The main beam assist will be deactivated.

The main beam assist function activates the main

beams on the headlights. The laser lights are

switched on shortly after the LED main beams.

Flashing the headlights

►

Briefly press the lever forwards 3 ðpage 60,

►

To flash the headlights, pull the lever towards

Fig. 36 to activate the main beam assist. The

indicator lamp  will light up in the instru-

ment cluster display and the main beams will

be activated/deactivated automatically.

you 4 ðpage 60, Fig. 36. The main beam as-

sist function will remain activated if the head-

lights were dipped.

WARNING

The laser lights are switched on at speeds above

approximately 70 km/h when the main beams

are activated.

– Please note the safety precautions and sys-

tem limitations of the supporting systems,

sensors and cameras ðpage 171 to

ðpage 174.

The laser lights are dipped again when the road

speed drops below approximately 50 km/h or

when the main beam assist dips the LED main

beams.

– The main beam assist is only intended to as-

sist the driver. It is always the driver who is

responsible for controlling the lights and

making adjustments according to the light

conditions and visibility.

WARNING

– Please note the safety precautions and sys-

tem limitations of the supporting systems,

sensors and cameras ðpage 171 to

– The main beams can dazzle other road

users. Risk of accident! Never use the main

beam headlights or the headlight flasher if

they could dazzle other road users.

ðpage 174.

– All headlight repairs must be carried out by

a qualified workshop working to the specifi-

cations of the Audi factory. Improper repairs

can cause damage to eyesight, impair the

effectiveness of the system and invalidate

the operating permit for your vehicle.

– The laser module must NOT be opened. This

can cause permanent damage to eyesight.

Note

When using the lights, make sure you adhere

to the relevant country-specific regulations,

for example with regard to dazzling other

road users. As the driver you are always re-

sponsible for adhering to the locally applica-

ble laws and regulations.



61

Lights and vision

switch to the dipped headlights setting  to

prevent oncoming traffic from being dazzled.

Note

The headlights contain class 2 lasers and

technical components which transform the la-

ser beams so that there is no danger when

they are used as intended.

Digital light signatures

You can choose between different light signa-

tures. Depending on the equipment fitted in the

vehicle, the light signature is active in conjunc-

tion with the daytime running lights and/or the

tail lights.

Adjusting the settings for the exterior

lighting

The following settings depend on the equipment

fitted in your vehicle.

Hazard warning lights

►

Applies to MMI: On the home screen, select

CAR > Lights & vision > Exterior lighting.

Automatic headlights

The following settings are available in the Auto-

matic headlights menu:

Activation time – You can determine how soon

the lights are switched on by using the settings

Early, Medium or Late to adjust the sensitivity of

the light sensor.

Fig. 37 Centre console: Hazard warning lights

The hazard warning lights make other road users

aware of your vehicle in hazardous situations.

Main beam assist – You can switch the main

beam assist on/off.

►

Press the  button 1 to switch the hazard

Laser lights – You can switch the laser lights on/

warning lights on/off.

off.

When the hazard warning lights are on, the indi-

cator lamps  and  both flash simultaneous-

Entry/exit lights

The entry/exit lights illuminate the area around

the vehicle when the vehicle is unlocked or when

the driver's door is opened with the ignition off.

The entry/exit lights are operational in the dark

when the lights are set to AUTO. The front and

rear daytime running lights* are switched on au-

tomatically every time the vehicle is unlocked, ir-

respective of the ambient light conditions.

ly.

If you brake hard at high speed, the brake lights

will flash and the hazard warning lights will come

on automatically

1)

.

You can use the turn signals to indicate a change

of direction (or lane) even when the hazard warn-

ing lights are on. The hazard warning lights will

be interrupted temporarily.

Headlight dip settings for driving at home

and abroad

The hazard warning lights also work when the ig-

nition is switched off.

If you drive a right-hand drive vehicle in a left-

hand drive country, or vice versa, it is not neces-

sary to adjust the headlights, as they are de-

signed for use when driving on the left or right.

One exception to this is when you are driving on

motorways. In this case you should turn the light

1)

This function is not available in all countries.

62

Lights and vision

Driver messages

Interior lights

The following driver messages may appear, de-

pending on the equipment installed in your

vehicle:

Front interior lights

If the indicator lamp  lights up, a bulb has

failed. The driver message shown indicates the

cause and what action should be taken. If a mes-

sage continues to be displayed, drive to a quali-

fied workshop soon and have the fault rectified.

 Audi adaptive light: fault. See owner's man-

ual

Fig. 38 Headliner: Interior lights

The adaptive light feature is out of action. The

dipped headlights will still be working normally.

Drive to a qualified workshop soon and have the

fault rectified.

Buttons for interior lights

* – Interior lights on/off

 – Courtesy lighting on/off. The interior lights

are switched on and off automatically when this

function is activated.

 Headlight range control: fault. See owner's

manual

There is a malfunction in the headlight range

control which may cause other road users to be

dazzled. Drive to a qualified workshop without

delay and have the fault rectified.

Touch-sensitive reading lights

►

Briefly touch the surface 1 to turn the appro-

priate reading light on/off.

►

To use the manual dimmer function, touch the

 Main beam assist: fault. See owner's manual

surface 1 when the light is switched off, and

hold your finger on the surface until the desired

brightness level is reached.

You can still switch the main beam headlights on

and off manually. Drive to a qualified workshop

soon and have the fault rectified.

 Main beam assist: currently unavailable.

Camera view restricted due to surroundings.

See owner's manual

Rear interior lights

This message will appear if the camera view is

obstructed. The system will switch itself off. Try

switching the system on again later.



Automatic headlights: fault. See owner's

manual

The light sensor/rain sensor is out of action. For

safety reasons, the dipped headlights will then

be switched on permanently when the lights are

set to AUTO. Drive to a qualified workshop soon

and have the fault rectified.

Fig. 39 Headliner: Reading lights

Reading lights

►

Press the  button 1 to switch the appropri-

ate reading light on/off.

►

To use the manual dimmer function*, press the

 button 1 when the light is switched off,



63

Lights and vision

and keep pressing it until the desired bright-

ness level is reached.

– MMI

– Audi virtual cockpit

Background lighting

Applies to: vehicles with background lighting

Clear vision

Adjusting the exterior mirrors

The background lighting turns on when the igni-

tion is switched on. The background lighting is

deactivated when the light function is OFF.

The following settings depend on the equipment

fitted in your vehicle.

►

Applies to MMI: On the home screen, select

CAR > Lights & vision > Background lighting.

You can select from several colour profiles, e.g.

Maritime.

Fig. 40 Driver's door: Adjuster knob for exterior mirrors

Additional settings and profiles:

►

Turn the knob in the driver’s door to the appro-

priate position:

– Brightness: You can adjust the brightness of

the entire background lighting.

0 – To deactivate all setting functions.

– Individual: You can adjust the brightness and

colour of the background lighting for the linear

and surface lighting.

/ – To select the exterior mirror (left or right

side). To adjust the mirror surface, tilt the knob

in the desired direction.

– Audi drive select: The colour of the linear and

surface lighting changes depending on the

drive select* mode set.

 – To heat* the mirrors (depends on the outside

temperature).

Note

 – To fold in the exterior mirrors*. To fold the

mirrors out, turn the knob to any of the other po-

sitions. One of the MMI settings allows you to

control whether or not the mirrors are folded in

automatically when you lock the vehicle

ðpage 40.

If the drive select* function is selected on

some equipment versions, the current colour

of the linear and surface lighting will change

briefly to red or blue whenever the interior

temperature is increased or reduced manual-

ly.

Tilt function* for exterior mirror on

passenger side

Display brightness

Important: The knob must be in the position for

adjusting the exterior mirror on the passenger

side.

You can adjust the standard brightness of the in-

strument cluster and display lighting. The set-

tings depend on the equipment fitted in your ve-

hicle.

The mirror is tilted slightly when you select re-

verse gear in order to provide a better view of the

kerb, for example, when reversing into a space.

►

Applies to MMI: On the home screen, select

SETTINGS > Display & brightness.

You can adjust the mirror surface by tilting the

knob in the desired direction.

Settings available on the MMI:

The mirror returns to its original position from

the reversing position:

– Cockpit dimming

– Head-up display



64

Lights and vision

– When you switch off the ignition

– If you drive forwards faster than 15 km/h.

– If the knob is no longer in the position for ad-

justing the exterior mirror on the passenger

side

Anti-dazzle setting

Manual anti-dazzle interior mirror

►

Pull the lever at the bottom of the mirror to-

wards you.

Automatic anti-dazzle mirrors

Applies to: vehicles with automatic anti-dazzle mirrors

WARNING

Convex or wide-angle* exterior mirrors give a

larger field of vision. However, they make ob-

jects look smaller and further away than they

really are. If you use these mirrors to estimate

the distance to vehicles behind you when

changing lane, you could misjudge the dis-

tance. Risk of accident!

►

The interior and exterior mirrors will darken

when bright light (e.g. from the headlights of a

following vehicle) shines on the surface of the

interior mirror.

WARNING

Applies to: vehicles with automatic anti-dazzle mirrors

CAUTION

Electrolyte fluid can leak from a broken auto-

matic anti-dazzle mirror. This fluid can cause

irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory or-

gans. Wash thoroughly with clean water

should you come into contact with this fluid.

Seek medical assistance if necessary.

– Applies to vehicles with electrically retracta-

ble exterior mirrors: If one of the mirror

housings is knocked out of position (e.g.

when parking), the mirrors must be fully re-

tracted with the electric control. You will

hear a loud noise when the mirrors snap

back into place. Do not readjust the mirror

housing by hand, as this will interfere with

the mirror adjuster function.

CAUTION

Applies to: vehicles with automatic anti-dazzle mirrors

Electrolyte fluid can leak from a broken auto-

matic anti-dazzle mirror. This fluid can dam-

age plastic surfaces and paintwork. Use a wet

sponge or similar to remove the fluid as soon

as possible.

– Applies to vehicles without electrically re-

tractable exterior mirrors: If one of the mir-

ror housings is knocked out of position (e.g.

when parking), it must be returned to its

proper position by hand.

Note

– Before washing the vehicle in an automatic

car wash, please make sure to retract the

exterior mirrors to prevent them from being

damaged. Electrically retractable exterior

mirrors* must NOT be folded in or out by

hand. Always use the electrical power con-

trol.

Applies to: vehicles with automatic anti-dazzle mirrors

– The automatic anti-dazzle mirrors may not

function as intended if the light falling on

the surface of the interior mirror is obstruc-

ted.

– The automatic anti-dazzle mirrors do not

darken if the interior lighting is on or the car

is in reverse gear.

Note

If the electrical adjustment should fail to op-

erate, both of the mirrors can be adjusted by

hand by lightly pressing the edge of the mir-

ror glass.

65

Lights and vision

Sun visors

Windscreen wipers

Switching on the windscreen wipers

Fig. 41 Headliner: Sun visor

Fig. 43 Control lever: Windscreen wipers

Sun visor

The sun visors can be pulled out of their mount-

ings and turned towards the door 1 .

In this position you can also slide the sun visors in

or out (depending on the vehicle’s equipment).

Make-up mirrors

The light for the make-up mirror comes on auto-

matically when you slide open the mirror cover

2 .

Fig. 44 Control lever: Rear window wiper

Sun blind

Applies to: vehicles with manual sun blind

►

Move the lever  to the appropriate position:

0 Wipers off

1 Rain sensor/intermittent wipe. As long as the

vehicle has been moving faster than approx.

4 km/h at least once, the windscreen wipers will

be activated automatically in the rain. The higher

the sensitivity level for the rain sensor (i.e. the

further switch 6 is moved to the right), the

sooner the windscreen wipers react to moisture

on the windscreen. You can deactivate the rain

sensor mode (this will activate the intermittent

wipe mode). In intermittent wipe mode, you can

adjust the interval with switch 6 .

Fig. 42 Rear window: Sun blind

Sun blind on rear window

►

Applies to MMI: On the home screen, select

►

Pull out the sun blind and hook it into the re-

CAR > Lights & vision > Rain sensor.

tainer on the boot lid.

2 Slow wipe

3 Fast wipe

4 Single wipe. If you hold the lever in this posi-

tion, the wipers will switch from slow continuous

wiping to fast continuous wiping after a while.



66

Lights and vision

5 Wash/wipe . The number of wipe and extra-

wipe cycles depends on how long you hold the

lever in position 5 .

– Poor visibility can cause accidents. Always

ensure that the wiper blades are in good

condition ðpage 67, Cleaning/changing

the windscreen wiper blades.

The windscreen is given an extra wipe a few sec-

onds later to remove any dribbles of water (if the

vehicle is moving). You can deactivate this func-

tion by moving the lever to position 5 again

within 10 seconds after the extra wipe. The extra-

wipe function is activated again the next time you

switch on the ignition.

CAUTION

– In icy conditions, check that the wiper

blades are not frozen to the windscreen. If

the wiper blades are frozen to the wind-

screen when you switch on the windscreen

wipers, this could damage the wiper blades.

– Make sure you switch off the windscreen

wiper system (lever in position 0 ) before

you use an automatic car wash. This will

avoid inadvertent triggering of the wipers

and possible damage to the wiper system.

If you hold the lever in position 5 for more than

half a second, the extended wipe function will be

activated. In this case, the windscreen wiper will

move closer to the edge of the windscreen during

the extra wipe, and remove the dirt collected dur-

ing the wiping cycle. This function is available at

speeds of up to 120 km/h.

Note

The headlight washer system* only operates

when the dipped headlights are switched on. The

headlights and the camera for the night vision

assist* are also automatically washed intermit-

tently when you move the lever to position 5 .

– The windscreen wipers are deactivated

when the ignition is switched off. You can

activate the windscreen wipers after switch-

ing the ignition on again by moving the lev-

er to any position. Single wipe (lever in posi-

tion 4 ) also works when the ignition is

switched off.

7 Rear wipe . The frequency of the rear wiper

depends on the frequency of the windscreen wip-

ers.

– Worn or dirty wiper blades can cause smear-

ing on the glass. This can also impair the ef-

fectiveness of the rain sensor. Please check

the wiper blades regularly.

If the windscreen wipers are on and in operation,

the rear window wiper will also be switched on

automatically when you engage reverse gear.

– If you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights, the

wiper speed setting will automatically be re-

duced by one level.

8 Rear wash/wipe . The number of wiper cy-

cles depends on how long you hold the lever in

position 8 . The reversing camera is also washed

(depends on the vehicle’s equipment).

Cleaning/changing the windscreen wiper

blades

WARNING

– The rain sensor is only intended to assist the

driver. The driver is still obliged to manually

operate the windscreen wipers as required

depending on visibility.

– 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.

Fig. 45 Windscreen wipers: Changing wiper blades



67

Lights and vision

Wiper change position

CAUTION

►

Switch the ignition off, move the windscreen

– The wipers must be in the wiper change po-

sition before they are lifted off the wind-

screen! Otherwise the wiper motor or the

paintwork on the bonnet may be damaged.

– Never move your vehicle or operate the

windscreen wiper lever while the wiper arms

are off the glass in a raised position. The

wipers will otherwise automatically return

to their park position and may damage the

bonnet and windscreen.

wiper lever to position 4 ðpage 66, Fig. 43

and hold it there until the wipers move into the

wiper change position.

To move the windscreen wipers back to their

original position, switch on the ignition and

►

hold the windscreen wiper lever in position

4

until the wipers have returned to their original

position, or drive faster than 12 km/h.

You can also switch the wiper change position

on/off on the MMI system:

Note

►

Switch the windscreen wipers off (position

ðpage 66, Fig. 43).

0

– You can also use the wiper change position,

for example, if you want to fix a cover over

the windscreen in the winter to keep it clear

of ice.

►

Applies to MMI: On the home screen, select

CAR > Settings & service > Wiper change posi-

tion.

– You cannot activate the wiper change posi-

tion when the bonnet is open.

Cleaning wiper blades

Important: The wipers must be in the wiper

change position.

Cleaning/changing the rear wiper blade

►

Lift the wiper arm away from the glass.

►

Notes on cleaning ðtable on page 347.

Changing wiper blades

Important: The wipers must be in the wiper

change position.

►

Lift the wiper arm away from the glass.

►

Keep hold of the wiper blade.

►

Press the release button 1 on the wiper blade.

►

Pull the wiper blade out of the mounting on the

Fig. 46 Rear window wiper: Attaching the wiper blade

wiper arm 2 .

►

Fit the new wiper blade into the mounting on

Cleaning the wiper blade

the wiper arm. You should hear it engage.

Fold the wiper arm back down onto the wind-

screen.

►

Lift the rear wiper arm away from the glass.

Notes on cleaning ðtable on page 347.

►

Switch off the wiper change function.

Taking off the wiper blade

►

Lift the rear wiper arm away from the glass.

WARNING

►

Pull the wiper blade out of the retainer.

– For safety, the wiper blades should be

changed once or twice a year.

Fitting the wiper blade

►

– Dirty wiper blades can impair the driver's

view – risk of accident!

Press the mounting on the wiper blade into the

retainer.

►

Fold the wiper arm back down onto the rear

window.



68

Lights and vision

WARNING

For safety, the wiper blades should be

changed once or twice a year.

Driver messages

The following driver messages may appear, de-

pending on the equipment installed in your vehi-

cle:



If the indicator lamp

lights up, there is a fault

in the wiper system. The driver message shown in

addition indicates the cause and what action

should be taken. If a message remains displayed

and does not disappear, drive to a qualified work-

shop soon and have the fault rectified.



Automatic wipers: fault. See owner's man-

ual

The light sensor/rain sensor is out of action. You

can continue to use all the other functions of the

windscreen wiper lever that do not use the rain

sensor. Drive to a qualified workshop soon and

have the fault rectified.

69

Lights and vision for Your Audi Rs Q8 SUV First Generation (2020-2026)

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