MP4.2+6.0

Question for S8 owners, especially 2015's or 2016's:

The 2015 manual describes the display for cylinder on demand (COD) as well as the energy efficiency one showing what systems are costing mileage (A/C running, defrost, etc.). For those with S8's, do these displays/screens appear on a U.S. S8? I haven't seen them in with the other trip computer screens and pull down choices in that part of the steering wheel control enabled menu. The manual is generic though in a lot of ways and doesn't distinguish in a fair number of places among possible variants for the different engines.

I also ask because I think COD does exist on S8's. Regardless, I don't see it in the 2015 instrument panel displays like it discusses in the manual. It was covered in the intro Audi press releases in 2013 for the S8, 4.0T and W12 motor features. I know that at least the U.S. S8's do not have auto start/stop.

mikey94025

My U.S. 2015 S8 also doesn't have the Onboard-Computer/Efficiency Program option in my Vehicle Functions steering-wheel menu. The S8 manual says this feature "applies to vehicles: with efficiency program" so you seem to be right that U.S. vehicles don't have this efficiency program or it's not enabled.

gk1

Hmmm. That is odd because my US 2015 S6 definitely has this...I'm not sure why they would disable it on the S8. I mean it is just suggestions of things to shut off or close the windows at highway speeds it's not a separate ECU tune that misers gas or anything.
BTW the COD is active when the bar for instantaneous mileage turns from white/grey to green.

MP4.2+6.0

Further testing:

Definitely no efficiency screen there on S8. It is just advisory though, as opposed to doing something that alters performance or economy. We have a similar screen on the Q5 Hybrid so I am familiar with it.

And yes, I found the COD does work as gk1 suggested. When whitish gray is is the 8 cylinder mode, and if green it is down to 4 cylinders. Manual was not the clearest about it. Very impressive; no perception it is changing other than by looking at the display and seeing it flip colors. Would typically go back to eight cylinders climbing slight grades if otherwise being driven at constant speed like with ACC on.

Off topic: mikey: Does 94025 mean on the Peninsula by chance? ... thats where "MP" comes in for mine.

HouTexAudi

My '16 S8 has the consumption meter in the Onboard Computer menu of the MMI. The bar graph is gray when in 8 cylinder mode and green when in 4 cylinder mode, so I assume that the COD function is operating--the change from 8 to 4 and back is seamless. I can make it go to green by holding a steady RPM for a short time.

motegi

My 2013 S8 has the fuel consumption meter gray/green color change for the COD function. The salesperson at the dealer pointed it out when I was test driving the car.

Much to my relief though my S8 does not have the auto start/stop which I have experienced in several of the Audi service loaners and found to be very annoying.

But overall even with the COD feature on the S8, my A8L 4.2 had better fuel economy. My long term average MPG on the A8L 4.2 was over 20. On the S8 I am just under 16.

HouTexAudi

Yes, Audi thankfully left that feature off of the S8, however, on a '13 A8L I had you could turn it off with the button on the dash and it would stay off even after the ignition was turned off. My wife's SL has this feature and it reverts back to on when you turn off the car so you have to hit the button every time you start the car to turn it off.

I had my S8 in for its first service this week and they gave me an A6 as a loaner and its auto start/stop defaulted to on when you turned off the car as well--very annoying.

UnseenS8

European S8 2015 has start/stop and it's not bad. It's not as annoying as in my previous Mercedes.

Regarding COD, in European models green means that you're driving efficiently but not necessary on 4 cylinders, unless it says so.

Picture I posted in different thread:

HouTexAudi

Interesting. Mine does not say "4 cylinder mode" when the bar is green so does that mean I don't have COD?

derfA8L

You have COD. My 4.0T A8 is same as yours, but all 4.0T and now W12 Audi vehicles have COD.