2011 AUDI R8 SPYDER Owners Manual

-Have you r vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendat ions in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet.
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as
improper use of the vehicle will impair
the function of the Emission Control Sys­
tem and could lead to damage.
Sporty driving
Warming up and cooling down
By carefully warming up and cooling down
your vehicle, you can he lp ensure that it is not
overstressed unnecessarily during sporty driv ­
ing.
When warming up, the vehicle is driven at a maximum engine speed of
6000 RPM
(Vl0 engine) or 7000 RPM (V8 engine) in or­
der to raise the engine oil temperature to a minimum of
140 °F (60 °(). The tires also on­
ly reach their full road holding capability once
they have warmed up .
The cooling fan can continue to run in your ve­ h icle after the engine is switched
off. H owev­
er, driving the vehicle to cool it down is part ic ­
ularly important. During sporty driving, the
engine and brakes, the exhaust system, and
the t ransm ission all become ex treme ly hot.
Before you park the vehicle, you shou ld d rive
it for a few mi les/kilometers at light load in
the low rpm range to allow it to coo l down .
Driving on a track
Before you take your vehicle out on a track,
ensure that it is in perfect condition. For ex­
ample, you should check the tire tread and the brake pads . It is best to increase t ire pressure
by about 0 .3 bar .
When driving on a track, oil consumption may be somewhat higher than in "normal" opera­
tion ¢page
180.
You shou ld definitely inspect your vehicle af­
ter subjecting it to severe condit ions. Are the
brake pads OK? Is there anything unusual
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 159
about the ti res, including the inner and outer
sidewa lls (e.g . tread, blistering)? Are the air
intakes free of leaves and tire dust? Is the o il
l evel OK?
Your authorized Audi dea ler or qua lified work­
shop will be happy to undertake an inspection
before and after use on the race track.
(D Tips
- Some race tracks (e.g . steeply banked
t u rns) may affect the response of the
ESP .
- When driven on a race track, all vehicle
parts are severe ly stressed. This can re ­
sult in increased wear.
Operation and maintenance
Fuel economy, env ironme nta l impact, and
wear on your eng ine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
By having your ve hicle reg ularly se rv iced by an
authorized Aud i dea ler helps to ens ure that i t
r uns properly and econom ica lly. The condition
of your veh icle not only affects its safety and
ability to ho ld its va lue, it a lso affects
f u el
con sumptio n.
The amount o f oi l used is re lated to engine
load and speed .
It is normal fo r the oil consump tion of a new
engine to reac h its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has been d riven.
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 mi les
(5,000 kilometers) before you can p rope rly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l cons umption and en­
gine output.
(D Note
- Have your veh icle ma inta ined properly
and in accordance with the service
•
•

160 Driving and en vi ro nment
recommendations in your Warranty &
Maintenance booklet . Lack of proper
maintenance as well as improper use of
the veh icle w ill impair the funct ion of
the emission control system and could
l ead to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Em ission Contro l System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, wh ich are designed to protect
you r vehicle's Emiss ion Control System
and othe r important veh icle compo­
nen ts.
(D Tips
The consumpt ion estimates as publish ed
by the ENVIRONM EN TAL PRO TECTIO N
AG ENCY ( EPA) and Transpor t Canada may
no t correspond to yo ur actua l cons ump­
tion on the road, which will vary depend ­
ing upon vehicle load and speed, road and
weather conditions, trip length, etc.
Trailer towing
Your Audi RB is not designed to tow a trailer.
Towing a trai le r with yo ur Audi R8 is not rec­
ommended and ca n cause damage to the vehi­
cle . Damage caused by towing a tra iler is not
covered under warranty .

Cleaning and protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value.
Regular and correct care will contribute to
maintaini ng the beauty and value of your Au­
d i. Furthermore, good care may be a condition
for substantiating a warranty cla im should
corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Your authorized Audi R8 dealer has a variety
of
d edicat ed ve hicl e-car e produ ct s. Please
make sure you apply them correctly .
A WARNING
-Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep
them out of the reach of children.
- Heed all caution labels .
- Always read directions on the container before using any product. Follow the di­
rect ions carefu lly.
- Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be diluted .
- Use spot removing fluids only in well
ventilated areas .
- Do not use gasoline, kerosene, d iesel
fuel, nail polis h remover or other volatile
fluids . They may be toxic, flammab le or
haza rdous in other ways. Do not wash,
wa x or d ry the vehicle wi th the ign it ion
on or the eng ine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, e tc. wit h out pro­
tecting your hands and arms . You may
c u t yourself on sharp -edged metal parts .
- Moist ure and ice on brakes may imp air
braking efficiency
c:> page 153, Broking.
T est the brakes carefully each time you
wash the vehicle.
@) For the sake of the environment
Select only environmentally friend ly clean­
ing products . Leftover clean ing products
should not disposed of in the household
waste .
Cleaning and protec tion 16 1
Care of exterior
Washing your vehicle
The longer i nsect rema ins, bird dropp ings,
t ree res in , ro ad and indust rial dust, tar , soo t
particles, road salt, and o ther aggressive de­
pos its remain on the vehicle su rface, the more
lasting their destructive effect will be . High
temperatures, for example from intense s un­
light, intensify the corrosive effect.
After the end of winter road salting, the un­ derside of the vehicle shou ld be thoroughly
washed .
Automatic car washes
You must t ake the necessary precautions s uch
as clos ing t he windows and convert ible top
before using an automatic car wash.
If yo ur
vehicle has specia l accessories - e.g . spoilers,
radio antenna -it is best to speak to the oper­
ator of the car wash c:>(D .
Only use car washes where the vehicle re ­
mains stationary and the cleaning equipment
moves around the veh icle while washing and
drying. It is not possib le to use car washes
where the vehicle is moved forward on a con­
veyer
c:> ,& .
It is preferab le to wash your vehicle in a
brush less carwash .
Washing with a pow er wa sher
When was hing yo ur vehicle with a power
washe r, be sure to follow the operating in ­
structions for the power washer. This applies particu larly to the
p ressure and the spra ying
distance .
Mainta in sufficient distance from
soft materials such as rubber hoses, sound
deade ning mater ial, and the park ing aid sen­
sors* that are located i n the front or rear
bumper.
Do not use washers with
a ro tating jet or a
nozzle spraying
a h igh pr essur e je t of wate r in
any case.
IJl,-
•
•

162 Cleaning and protection
Hand washing
When washing your vehicle by hand, first soft­
en the dirt with copious amounts of water and
rinse it
off as best you can.
Then clean the vehicle using a soft
sponge, an
auto glove or a low-pressure wash brush.
Work from the top down to the bottom, start­
ing with the convertible top
¢ page 163. Use
a
shampoo only for v ery stubborn dirt.
Rinse the sponge or auto glove thoroughly at
frequent intervals.
Clean the wheels, door sills and similar areas last. Use a separate sponge for this.
_& WARNING
-Car washes with conveyors can damage
the vehicle tires, which could cause the tire to lose pressure suddenly while driv­
ing and put you at risk for an accident.
Do not use car washes with conveyors.
- Switch
off the ignition when you wash
your vehicle to avoid an accident.
- Protect your hands and arms from sharp
metal edges when you clean the under­
body, the inside of the wheel wells or the
wheel covers to avoid cutting yourself.
- When washing your vehicle in the winter :
Moisture and ice in the brake system can
affect the brakes.
- Never wash tires with a jet that sprays
water in a direct stream . This could cause
invisible damage to the tires and weaken
them, even if the spray is from a relative ­
ly long distance and for a short time .
Damaged and weakened tires can fail
and cause accidents and personal injury.
(D Note
- Never drive your vehicle through any au ­
tomatic car wash that fails to provide ei­
ther sufficient clearance for your vehicle
or sufficient track width for your tires. Risk of expensive damage to the vehicle's
underbody , tires, and rims!
- As described in your Warranty
& Mainte­
nance booklet, damage or malfunction due to misuse of the vehicle or failure to
operate the vehicle in accordance with
the
instructions of this Owner's Manual
will not be covered under warranty.
- Fold the exterior mirrors flat - there is a
risk of damaging the exterior mirrors .
Power folding exterior mirrors must not
be folded in or out by hand. Use the pow­
er function!
- Do not wash the vehicle in direct sun­
light. You may damage the paint.
- Do not use sponges designed to remove
insects, rough kitchen sponges, or simi­
lar products. You risk damaging the
paint surface.
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis, for example when refuel­
ing your vehicle. Never clean the head­
lights with a dry cloth or sponge . Use a
wet cloth or sponge .
It is best to use
soapy water.
- Never clean tires using a nozzle that
sprays water in a direct stream. Damage
can occur even with a relatively long
spraying distance and for a very short
time.
- To avoid damaging your vehicle, always
make sure that there is sufficient dis­
tance between the spray head and soft materials like rubber hoses, plastic parts
and sound-deadening materials. Never
aim the spray head at the same point for
a long time. This also applies to cleaning
headlights and painted bumpers. Re­
member: the closer the nozzle is to the
surface of the material, the greater the
stress on the material.
- Never clean the convertible top using a
power washer.
@) For the sake of the environment
Wash your vehicle only at specially de­
signed facilities. They can prevent any dirty
water contaminated by oil from entering
the waste water. In certain areas washing
a car outside of such facilities is not per­
mitted.

Convertible top care
The convertible top requires special core.
Keeping your top looking great and making
certain that it lasts a long time depend to a
great extent on proper use and care. Remove b ird droppings as soon as possible, since the
corrosive chem icals in them will cause the
rubber impregnat io n i n your top to swell and
possibly allow the fab ric to leak.
W ith
normal soiling, all you need to do is
clear the top with a soft brush and clear wa­
ter. Always brush in the direction of the fabric
from front to rear.
If the top is
very dirty and has spotted areas
clean it with a brush us ing a convert ible top
cl eane r. A lways brush in the direction of the
fabr ic from front to rear. Rinse w ith plenty of
clear wa te r, a nd a llow the top to air -dry.
Chamois are not suitable fo r d ry ing the top.
Never use gasoline, spot remover, benzene,
pa int thinner or solvents to remove spots. We
recommend that you only use cleaners espe­
cially fo rmu lated for use on convertible tops,
a nd that you follow the p rod uce use directions
caref ully. Au thor ized A udi deals can provide
deta iled i nformation.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WA RNINGS and
the information on
r:!;> page 1 61.
CD Note
N ever use a high-pressu re power was he r to
clean t he conver tible top.
Wind deflector
C lea r the wind deflecto r with water or, if it is
heavi ly soiled, a chemically neutra l cleaning
solut ion.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNI NGS and
the information on
r:!;>poge 161.
Cleaning and protec tion 163
Waxing and polishing
Waxing
Wax ing pro tects the paint. When water no
l o nger clearly
b eads on the clean pai nt you
sho uld renew yo ur vehicle's pro tect io n by ap­
ply ing a good
hard w ax polish .
Even if you regularly use a wa x process in the
ca r wash, we recommend protect ing the pa int
at leas t tw ice pe r year u sing har d wax.
It is muc h eas ie r to clean insects and other
debris from
freshly waxed paint.
Polishing
Polishing is necessary on ly if the paint on your
vehicle has lost its shine and if you cannot
achieve any gloss with wax mater ials.
If the po lish you use does not contain any
preservative ingredients, yo u will have to wax
the paint afterwards.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNING and
other Information ~ page 161.
CD Note
Do not treat matte anodized meta l trim,
plastic, or rubber parts with polish or wax.
Trim strips
Fo r environmental reasons, Audi fabricates
the b right t rim s trips and trim p ieces from
pure ch romium-free al uminum.
-
D irt and marks on the trim strips shou ld be
removed w it h a
pH-balan ced cleani ng agent
(do not use a chrome cleane r). Pa int polishes
are a lso not suitable for the ca re of decorative
parts and trim s trips. Al ka line cleane rs wh ich
are often used be fore en ter ing c ar washes can
ca use du ll o r milky spots when they dry.
Autho rized Aud i dea le rs ca rry clean ing p rod­
u cts which have bee n tested f or use on yo ur
vehicle and are no t harmfu l to the environ ­
ment.
•
•

164 Cleaning and protection
_& WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNING and
other Information
c::> page 161.
Plastic and vinyl
-
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light surface dirt. For other soil, use
a lukewarm all-purpose clean ing solution or a
mild saddle soap for viny l trim. Paint care
products are not suitable for plastic and vinyl.
_& WARNING
Always read and observe all WARNINGS and other i nfo rmation
c::> page 161.
Carbon-fiber parts
App lies to vehicles: with carbon-fiber parts
The carbon -fibe r parts of your ve hicle have a
pa inted su rface. They do no t require special
care and are cleaned like o ther pa inted parts
¢page 161.
Touch-up paint
-
Your authorized A udi dealer has touch-up
pa int for minor sc ratches and stone ch ips. Mi­
nor paint damages such as scratches or stone
chips should be touched up immediately to prevent cor rosion.
The number for the or igina l vehicle paint can
be found on the vehicle ident ificat ion labe l
c::> page 226 .
However, if corrosion has fo rmed, you must
have this thorough ly removed by you author­
ized A udi dealer or other qualified workshop.
_& WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
the informa tion
c::> page 161.
Windows
Clear vision improves traffic safety .
In order to maintain the performance of the
windshield wiper blades, never clean the w in­
dow glass with insect remover or wax.
Rubber, o il, g rease, or silicone residue can be
removed using a glass cleaner or a silicone re­
mo ver . Wax residue, however, can only be re­
moved using a spec ial cleaner. You can obta in
more information from yo ur autho rized Aud i
dealer .
You should a lso clean the inside of the win­
dow glass at regular i nterva ls.
T he cloth or chamois used on paint surfaces
contains wax residue. Use a separate cloth or
c h amois to dry the w indow glass.
Cleaning the rear window
Audi recommends clean ing the window using
a soft cotton cloth and water mixed with
cleaning so lution o r window cleane r (1:1 mix­
ture). To avo id streaks, do not w ipe the w in ­
dow dry with paper towels.
Do not use any cleaning sol utions that contain
ammonia, acids, silicone or fluoride or clean­
ers that are abras ive or could cause scratches.
Do not use any alkaline cleaning so luti ons.
_& WARNING ,_
- The winds hield must not be treated w ith
wate r-repellent materials . They can in­
crease glare unde r poo r vis ibility condi­
tions such a s wetness, da rkness, or w hen
the sun is low on the hor izon. In addi­
t ion, they can ca u se the w indshie ld w ip­
ers to chatter .
- Always re ad and h eed a ll WAR NIN GS and
ot her info rm ation
c::> page 161.
(D Note
- Nev er use warm o r hot wate r to remove
snow and i ce from w indows and mir ro rs .
T his co uld c ause the glass to cr ack.
- To p revent damage to t he wires of the
re ar d efogger, do no t place any adhesive .,.

stickers on the inside of the rear window
over the wires.
- To he lp prevent dirt from scratching the
window, always scrape in a forward di­
rection -pus hing the scraper away from
you -never back and forth.
Weatherstrips
To seal properly, the weatherstrips around the
front lid, doors, eng ine compartment lid, etc .
must remain pliable . Spray the weatherstrips
with silicone or coat them with talcum pow­
de r or glyce rine to retain the flexibility of t he
r u bber and to protect them against free zing
in the winte r.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
the information
¢page 161.
@ Tips
Keep silicone sprays off the windsh ield to
avoid wiper smear in rain.
Wheels
Regular care is required to preserve the deco­
rative appearance of the wheels . Road sa lt
and brake dust must be washed off regularly
or the wheels w ill be damaged .
Use only special acid-free cleaning agents. Yo u
can find proper wheel cleaner at authorized
Aud i dea lers and specialty stores. Do not leave
the cleaner on the wheels longer than speci­
fied. Wheel cleaners containing acid can dam­
age the surface of the wheel bolts .
Paint polish or other abras ive materials must
not be used when caring for wheels. If the
protective coating has been damaged, from
stones for example, touch up the damage as
soon as possible .
A WARNING
-Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency-
¢page 153, Braking.
-
Cleaning and protec tion 165
Test the brakes carefully after each vehi­
cle wash.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
c:;, page 161.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and other corrosive materials wi ll
damage the material in the exhaust tail pipes
if they are not cleaned regularly. Do not clean
the tail pipes with wheel cleaner, pa int polish,
ch rome polish or other ab ras ive cleaners.
Clean the tail pipes with car ca re p roducts
that are suitable fo r sta inless steel.
Your authorized Audi dea ler can provide clean­
ing products that have been tested and ap­
proved for your vehicle.
Care of interior
· Radio and navigation display
The display may be cleaned with a soft cloth
and commercially-ava ilable "LCD cleaner".
The cloth should be coated lightly when the clean ing solution when cleaning the display .
(D Note
To prevent scratches, only clean the dis­
play when it is dry.
Plastic parts and imitation leather
You can clean p lastic parts and imitation
leather with a damp cloth. If this does not re­
move the d irt, you can t reat these parts only
with special
so lvent-fr ee pl astic cl eaning and
care produ ct s.
A WARNING
""' ~
Solvents can change the properties of
some p lastics and make it harder for the
a irbag to deploy.
- Never clean the instrument panel or the
surface of Airbag modu les with cleaning
products that conta in solvents.
- Products containing solvents will make
the surface of this part poro us.
•
•

166 Cleaning and protection
- Serious injuries can result if plastic parts
come loos e when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the informat ion
¢ page 161.
(D Note
Clean ing agents containing solvents will
attac k the material and can change the
way it behaves .
Carbon-fiber parts
Applies to vehicles: with carbon-fiber parts
The carbon-fiber parts of your vehicle have a
pa inted surface . They do no t requi re any spe·
cial care and a re cleaned like plast ic parts
¢ page 165.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabr ic coverings (e.g . seats, doo r
tr im pane ls, etc.) should be cleaned at reg ular
inte rva ls with a vac uum cle aner . Th is removes
surface dirt particles which could become em·
bedded in the fabric through use. Steam
cleaners shou ld not be used, because th e
steam tends to push the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it the re.
Normal cleaning
Gene rally, we recommend usi ng a soft sponge
or a lint -free microfiber cloth to the clean fab ·
ric . Brushes should only be used for carpets
and floor mats, s ince other fabric s urfaces
could be harmed by brushes.
N ormal surface sta ins can be cleaned using a
comm ercia lly available foam cleaner. Spread
the foam on the surface of the fab ric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not satu·
rate the fabric. Then pat t he foam dry using
absorbent, d ry cloths (e .g . microfibe r cloth)
and vacuum it afte r it has dr ied comp lete ly .
Cleaning stains
Stains ca used by beverages (e.g. coffee, fruit
ju ice, etc. ) can be treated with a mild deter­
gent solut ion . App ly the detergent so lution
with a sponge. In the case of st ubbor n stains , a dete
rgent paste can be applied directly to
t h e stain and worked i nto the fabric. After·
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to
remove the rema ining detergent. Apply the
water wit h a damp cloth or sponge and pat
the fabr ic dry with an abso rbent, dry cloth.
Stains from choco late or ma keup sho uld have
detergent paste (e.g. ox-gall soap) rubbed in­
to them. Afterwards, remove the soap with
water (damp sponge) .
Alcohol can be used to treat sta ins from
grease, o il, lipstick o r a ballpoint pen . M elted
grease or dye must be patted
off using ab­
sorbent mater ial. It may be necessary to re ­
t reat the areas with de tergent paste and wa­
te r.
In the case of general soiling of the uphols­
te ry and cover mate rial, we recommend hir ing
a spec ia list t hat has the equipment to clean
the seat cove rs and othe r fabr ic surfaces by
shampooing a nd spray ext ra ction.
A WARNING
A lw ays rea d and heed all W ARNIN GS an d
the info rmation
¢ page 1 61.
@ Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on yo ur cl othing can
damage the sea t cover. Please make s ure
t h at Velc ro fas teners are cl osed.
Natural leather
Appl ies to vehicles: with natural leather
Audi mak es great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of in terior
leather.
General
We offer many d iffe ren t types of leathe r o n
o ur vehicles . Most a re d iffe rent types of nappa
l eat her, which has a smooth s urfa ce a nd
c omes in var ious colo rs.
The intensity of the co lor determi nes the visu ­
al characterist ics and appea rance . If the su r­
f ace of the leather has a typ ica l natural look,
t h en the leather is a napp a le at her that has .,.