2007 AUDI R8 technical data

Seats and storage69
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Applies to vehicles: with electric seat adjustmentSeat adjustment
You can use the electrical adjustment to set the position,
angle and shape of the seat so that you can travel in a
safe and comfortable sitting position.Before adjusting your seat, please read and observe the
warnings ⇒.
Adjusting contour of lumbar support*
– Press the front or rear part of the adjuster switch
⇒page 68, fig. 63 to increase or decrease the curvature
of the lumbar support as required.
Adjusting height of lumbar support*
– Press the top or bottom part of the adjuster switch to
move the lumbar support upwards or downwards as
required.
Moving seat backwards or forwards
– Press the switch forwards or backwards.
Adjusting seat height
– Press the switch up or down.
Raising/lowering seat at front
– Press the front of switch up or down.
Raising/lowering seat at rear
– Press the rear of switch up or down.
Adjusting the backrest angle
– Press the switch forwards or backwards.Unlocking backrest
– Push the handle upwards.
– Fold the backrest forwards
WARNING
•
Never adjust the driver's seat when the vehicle is moving - this
could lead to an accident.
•
The electrical seat adjustment also works when the ignition is
off and when the key is not in the ignition. To avoid accidental inju-
ries, never leave children unattended in the vehicle.
•
Be careful when adjusting the seat height. Careless or uncon-
trolled use of the height adjustment can cause injuries.
•
Do not drive with the backrests of the front seats reclined too
far as otherwise the seat belt and airbag could fail to restrain the
wearer properly in an accident, possibly leading to injury.
•
For safety reasons the front seat backrests must be locked
while driving.
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Seats and storage71
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
– Turn the adjuster wheel to set the angle of the back-
rest as required.
Unlocking backrest
– Press one of the two levers ⇒page 68, fig. 63
upwards and fold down the backrest.
WARNING
•
Never adjust the driver's seat when the vehicle is moving - this
could lead to an accident.
•
The electrical seat adjustment also works when the ignition is
off and when the key is not in the ignition. To avoid accidental inju-
ries, never leave children unattended in the vehicle.
•
Be careful when adjusting the seat height. Careless or uncon-
trolled use of the seat adjustment can cause injuries.
•
Do not drive with the backrests of the front seats reclined too
far as otherwise the seat belt and airbag could fail to restrain the
wearer properly in an accident, possibly leading to injury.
•
For safety reasons the front seat backrests must be locked
while driving.
Head restraintsFront head restraints
In combination with properly worn seat belts, the head
restraints offer effective protection. However, they must
always be properly adjusted to suit the height of the occu-
pant.– Take hold of the sides of the head restraint with both
hands.
– Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the head
restraint is level with the top of your head.The height of the head restraints is adjustable. They should be set
to suit the height of the occupant. In combination with the seat
belts, the head restraints offer effective protection, provided they
are properly adjusted.
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Fig. 65 Head restraint
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Seats and storage73
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Using cigarette lighter
– Open the ashtray cover to access the cigarette lighter
⇒page 72.
– Press in the cigarette lighter knob.
– Wait for the lighter to spring out.
– Pull out the cigarette lighter immediately.
– Use the glowing heater element of the cigarette lighter to
light your cigarette.
– Put the cigarette lighter back in its socket.
Operating electrical socket
– Open the cover to access the cigarette lighter.
– Take out the cigarette lighter.
– Insert the plug of the electrical appliance into the ciga-
rette lighter socket.The cigarette lighter employs a standard 12 Volt socket which can
also be used as a power source for electrical appliances. The appli-
ances connected to the socket must not exceed a power rating of
100 W.
WARNING
Take care when using the cigarette lighter. Carelessness or negli-
gence when using the cigarette lighter can cause burns.
Caution
Always use the correct type of plugs to avoid damaging the sockets.
Note
Using electrical appliances with the engine switched off will drain
the battery.Storage compartmentsGlove box
The lockable glove box is equipped with a light.Opening glove box
– Pull the catch on the lid in the direction indicated (arrow)
⇒fig. 68 and open the lid.
Closing glove box
– Close the lid and push it in until it engages.If the side lights or headlights are switched on, the light in the glove
box comes on when the glove box is opened. You will find a
compartment for (sun)glasses in the lid.
The glove box has a standard 12 Volt socket which can also be used
as a power source for electrical appliances. The appliances
Fig. 68 Glove box
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Heating and cooling75
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Heating and coolingAir conditionerControls
The air conditioner is designed to keep the passenger
compartment at the temperature you find most comfort-
able at all times of the year.Fig. 69 Air conditioner controlsRecommended settings:
– Turn the control ⇒fig. 69 to the right to switch the air
conditioner on.
– Set the temperature to 22 °C (72 °F).
– Press the button ⇒fig. 69.
This setting quickly provides a comfortable temperature inside the
vehicle. If necessary it can be changed to suit individual preferences
or particular circumstances.
The air conditioner provides heating and ventilation and also cools
and dehumidifies the air inside the vehicle.
The air conditioner is fully automatic, and will maintain the desired
temperature at a constant level. To achieve this, the temperature of
the air supplied to the interior, the blower speed (volume of air
delivery) and the air distribution are regulated automatically. The
system also allows for the effect of strong sunlight, so there is no
need for manual adjustment. For these reasons it is advisable to use
the automatic mode for the comfort of all the passengers in virtually
all conditions throughout the year ⇒page 78.
Please note:
The humidity of the air is automatically reduced when the system
cools the interior of the vehicle. This helps to prevent condensation
on the windows. The air conditioner (compressor) will be switched
off automatically at low outside temperatures (below zero) and will
no longer dehumidify the air inside the vehicle.
If the humidity and temperature outside the vehicle are high,
condensation can drip off the evaporator in the air cooling system
and form a pool underneath the vehicle. This is normal and does not
indicate a leak.
If the outside temperature is low, the blower normally only switches
to a higher speed once the coolant has warmed up sufficiently (this
does not apply to the defrost setting).
In order to achieve maximum engine power, the air conditioner
compressor is temporarily switched off when pulling away from a
standstill with full throttle.
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Heating and cooling77
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Switching air conditioner on or offSwitching air conditioner on or off
– Turn the control ⇒page 75, fig. 69 clockwise to switch
the air conditioner on. The diode next to the word OFF
will go out.
– Turn the control ⇒page 75, fig. 69 anti-clockwise to
switch the air conditioner off. The diode next to the word
OFF will light up.
Regulating the blower speed

– Turn the control ⇒page 75, fig. 69 to the desired
setting for the blower speed (amount of air to be deliv-
ered).In automatic mode, the air conditioning system automatically regu-
lates the blower speed according to the interior temperature.
However, you can also adjust the blower speed manually.
Note
The blower speed will automatically be adjusted if the difference
between the selected temperature and the actual temperature in
the vehicle is too high. This ensures that the selected temperature
is reached as quickly as possible.
Air distributionFig. 70 Dashboard: Location of air outlets– Turn the rotary control ⇒page 75, fig. 69 to the
desired setting.
– The outlets can be opened and closed by turning the
adjustment ring.
– The direction of air delivery from these outlets can be
adjusted horizontally and vertically using the adjuster in
the centre of each outlet grille.Air distribution:•
In position
 the air will flow only to the windows. Air outlets
and will be opened. For maximum defrosting effect on the side
windows in the driver's door and front passenger's door the
outlets should be directed at the side windows.
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Heating and cooling79
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data When driving through a tunnel or in queues of traffic, to prevent
fumes entering the interior of the vehicle.
WARNING
For reasons of safety you should not leave the air recirculation
switched on for too long. This mode prevents fresh air from
entering the vehicle, so the windows can mist over if the air
cooling is switched off. Bad visibility can cause an accident.AC mode Activating the AC mode
– Press the button ⇒page 75, fig. 69.
Deactivating the AC mode
– Press the button again.In the AC mode, the air cooling system is switched on and the
heating and ventilation are regulated automatically.
Note
If the LED in the AC button should continue to light up when the AC
mode has been switched off (i.e. the air conditioner has been
switched off) this is due to a defect in one of the air conditioner
components. If a malfunction should occur, please contact a quali-
fied workshop.
Economical operation of the air conditioner
Economical operation of the air conditioner will help to
save fuel.When the air conditioner is operating in the cooling mode it
reduces engine power and increases fuel consumption. To
ensure that the cooling mode is activated only when really
necessary, please note the following points:
– Switch the AC mode off if you wish to save fuel.
– Switch the AC mode off if you decide to open the
windows while driving.
– If the vehicle has heated up after standing in the sun,
open the windows and doors for a short time to cool the
vehicle.
For the sake of the environmentBy saving fuel you also reduce the amount of pollutants emitted
from your vehicle.Rear window heating

The rear window heating helps to demist the rear window.– Press the
 button ⇒page 75, fig. 69 to switch the rear
window heating on or off.
The rear window heating only works when the engine is running. An
indicator lamp in the button lights up when the rear window heater
is switched on.
The rear window heating switches off automatically after about
10 minutes.
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Driving81
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
DrivingSteeringAdjusting the steering wheel position
The height and reach of the steering wheel can be
adjusted as required to suit the driver.–Push the lever ⇒fig. 71 down ⇒.
– Move the steering wheel to the desired position.
– Then push the lever towards the steering column until
the catch engages.
WARNING
•
Never adjust the position of the steering wheel when the
vehicle is moving - this could cause an accident.
•
For safety reasons, the lever must be securely engaged in its
top position to prevent the steering wheel from accidentally
changing position while driving, which could cause an accident.
Ignition lockIgnition lock
The ignition key is used to start and switch off the engine.Ignition off
In position ⇒fig. 72 the ignition and the engine are switched off,
and the steering wheel lock can be engaged.
To engage the steering wheel lock, take out the key and turn the
wheel until you hear the pin engage. You should always engage the
steering lock when you leave the vehicle. This will help to deter theft
⇒.
Ignition on (normal running position)
The needles in the instrument cluster will sweep across the dials
once after you switch on the ignition.
If the key is difficult to turn in the lock, move the steering wheel (to
take the load off the steering lock mechanism) until the key turns
freely.
Fig. 71 Lever beneath
steering column
Fig. 72 Ignition key
positions
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Driving83
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
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Self-help
Technical data
Switching off the engineOn vehicles with R tronic, the engine can be switched off in
neutral (N) or in any gear (1 - 6 or R).
– Turn the ignition key to position ⇒page 81, fig. 72.
WARNING
•
Never switch off the engine until the vehicle is stationary.
•
The brake servo and the power steering system work only
when the engine is running. You need more strength to steer and
brake the vehicle when the engine is switched off. This would
mean a greater risk of accidents and serious injury, because you
cannot steer and brake in the normal manner.Caution
•
If the engine has been working hard for a long time, there is a risk
of heat building up in the engine compartment after the engine has
been switched off; this could cause engine damage. For this reason,
you should leave the engine idling for a few minutes or drive at a
moderate speed to let the engine cool down before switching it off
⇒page 139.
•
Because the engine can get very hot after working hard, do not
park the vehicle on surfaces which could catch fire (e.g. on grass or
at the forest edge).Note
After the engine is stopped the radiator fan may run on for up to
10 minutes, even if the ignition is switched off. The fan may also
start running again after some time if the coolant temperature rises
due to a build-up of heat, or if the engine is hot and the engine
compartment is heated up further by direct sunlight.
HandbrakeHandbrake
The handbrake should be applied firmly to prevent the
vehicle from accidentally rolling away.Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up all the way.
Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and at the same time press in the
release button ⇒fig. 73 -arrow-.
– Keep the release button pressed and push the lever all
the way down ⇒.The handbrake warning lamp
 lights up when the handbrake is
applied with the ignition on.
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Fig. 73 Detail of the
centre console: Hand-
brake applied
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