2011 AUDI R8 SPYDER ESP

62 Clear vis ion
Install ing th e wiper blade
.,. Pla ce the rounded end of the wiper onto the
end of the w iper arm in the
op pos ite direc ­
tion to the arrow @
r=;, fig. 71.
.,. Squeeze the corrugation on the w iper until
you hear it click in the wiper arm .
.,. Fold the wiper arm back onto the wind­
shield .
.,. Switch the ign ition on and move the wiper
lever down briefly
r=;, page 59, fig . 69 . The
wipe r will move back to the park position.
_& WARNING
- Clean yo ur wiper blades regularly w it h a
windshield washer solution to prevent streaking. If the wipe r blades are very
dirty, for examp le with insects, carefu lly
clean the w iper blades with a sponge or a
soft brush.
- For your safety, you should replace the
wiper blades once or twice a year. See
your authorized Aud i dealer for replace­
ment blades.
(D Note
- The w iper blades may only be changed
r=;, page 61 in the service position! Other­
wise, you r isk damaging the paint on the
front lid o r the windsh ield wiper motor .
- To prevent damage to the wiper system:
-Always loose n blades which a re fro zen
t o the windshield before operating
w ipers.
- Do not use gasoline, kerosene, paint
t hinne r, or o ther solven ts on o r near
t he wipe r blades .
- Do not attemp t to move the wipers by
hand.
{D) Tips
The front wiper b lades are different
lengths; the blade o n the dr ive r's side is
longer .
Mirrors
Automatically dimming inside mirror
The automatic dimming function can be
turned on and off if required .
Fig . 72 Inside rearv iew mirror: auto d imming on/off
button and ind icator lig ht
Disabling auto d imming
.,. Press button ® r=;, fig. 72 -the green indica­
tor light @ goes out .
Activating /reactivating auto dimming
.,. Press button @¢ fig. 72 -the green indica-
tor light @ goes on .
Automatic dimming function
The automatic dimming function is act ivated
every time the ign it ion is turned on . T he g reen
indica tor light is lit to indicate auto d imming
is active.
When dimming is act ivated, the inside m irror
will darken
automatically i n response to the
amount of light st riking the mirro r (such as
headlig hts from rearward approaching vehi­
cles). Even in dimming mode, the mirror sur­
face turns bright when:
- t he in terior lig ht is swi tched on
- reverse gear is engaged.
Senso rs for automatic headlight s
With the help of the sensors in the mirror,
when the light switc h is in the
AUTO posit ion,
the low beams are switched on and off auto­ matically depending on the amb ient light con-
ditions. ..,.

_& WARNING
Broken glass of automatic dimming mirror
can cause electrolyte fluid leakage. Elec­
trolyte fluid can irritate sk in, eyes, and res­
piratory system .
- Repeated or prolonged exposure to elec­ trolyte can cause ir ritation to the resp ira­
tory system, espec ially among people
with asthma or other respiratory condi­
ti ons. Get fres h ai r i mmedia tely by leav­
ing the vehicle or, if that is not possible,
open windows and doors all the way.
- If electrolyte gets into the eyes, flush
them thoro ughly with large amounts of
clean water for at least 15 min utes;
med ica l attent ion is recommended.
- If e lectrolyte contacts sk in, f lush affect­
ed area with clean water for at least 15
minutes and then wash affected area
with soap and water; medical attention
is recommended . T horoughly wash af­
fected clothing and shoes before reuse .
- If swallowed and person is conscious,
rinse mouth w ith water for at least 15
min utes . Do not i nd uce vom it in g unless
inst ructed to do so by medical professio­
nal. Get medical atten tion immediately.
CD Note
liquid electro lyte leaked from a b roken
m irror glass will damage any p lastic surfa­
ces it comes in contact with. Clean up spil­
led electro lyte immediately wi th clear wa ­
t er and a sponge.
(D Tips
- If yo u switch off the automatic dim·
ming function on th e in sid e mirror , au ­
t o mati c dimming of the out sid e mirror s
w ill likewi se be di sabled .
-Check to make sure there are no objects
preventing light from reaching the inside
mirro r.
- Do no t attach any sticke rs to the wind ­
sh ield in front of t he two light sensors,
as this would interfere with both the au ­
tomatic operation of the headlights and
Clear vi sion 63
the a utomatic dimming of the inside
mirror(s) .
Outside mirrors
The outsid e mirrors ar e electrically adjusted .
Fig. 73 Forward sect io n of dr iv er's armrest: powe r mir ­
ro r control s
Adjusting the outside mirrors
.,. Turn the adjust ing knob to position © (driv­
er 's s ide) or in pos ition ® (passenger side)
r::!) fig. 73.
... Press the knob in the appropriate dire ction
to move the mi rror surface so that yo u have
a good view to the rear .
Heated mirrors
... Tu rn the knob to position @.
Folding both out side mirro rs flat*
.,. Turn the knob to @.
Depend ing on the outside temperature, the
mirror surfaces are heated until the ignition is
switched off - even if the knob is no longer in
pos ition @.
You are we ll-advised to fold* the outside mir­
rors in maneuvering in tight spaces or when
leaving the car parked close to other vehicles.
CD Note
- Curved (i .e. convex) mirror surfaces in­
crease yo ur field of view. Remember that
vehicles or other objects will appear smaller and farther away than when
seen in a flat m irror . If you use this mir­
ror to estimate distances of following ve-
hicles when chang ing lanes, you could ..,.

64 Clear vis ion
estimate incorrect ly and cause an acci ­
dent .
- If the mirror ho using is moved un inten­
tiona lly (for example, while parking your
vehicle), then you must first fo ld the mir­
ror electrically. Do not readjust the mir­
ror hous ing manually. You could damage
the motor which controls the mirror.
If there shou ld be a malfunction in the
electrical system, you can still adjust the
outs ide mirrors by press ing the edge of
the mirror .
Automatic dimming for outside mirrors
Applies to vehicles: with automatic dimming for outside
mirrors
The outside m irrors are dimmed together with
the automatic d imm ing of the inside m irror.
When the ign it ion is switched on, the m irrors
darken automat ically depending on the light
str iki ng them (e.g. headlights from the rea r).
When the interior lighting is switched on and
when reverse gear is engaged, the mirrors are
sw itched back to their or iginal br ightness (not
d immed).
_& WARNING
Broken g lass of automa tic dimming m irror
c an ca use e lectrolyte fluid leakage. Elec ­
trolyte fluid can irritate skin, eyes, and res ­
piratory system .
- Repeated o r prolonged exposure to elec­
t ro lyte can cause irritation to the respira­
tory system, especially among people
with asthma or other respiratory cond i­
t ions. Get fresh air immediately by leav­
ing the vehicle or, if that is not possible,
open wi ndows and doors all the way.
- If electrolyte gets into the eyes, flush
them thoroughly with la rge amounts of
clean water for at least 15 m in utes ;
med ica l attent ion is recommended.
- If electrolyte contacts sk in, f lush affect­
ed area with clean water for at least 15
minutes and then wash affected ar ea with soap and water; medical attention
is recommended. Thoroughly wash af­
fected clothing and shoes before reuse.
- If swallowed and person is conscious,
rinse mouth with water for at least 15
minutes. Do not induce vomiting unless
instructed to do so by medical professio­
na l. Get medical attention immediately.
([) Note
Electrolyte leaking from a broken mirror
glass attacks the vehicle pa int and p lastic
surfaces. C lean up spilled elect ro lyte im­
med iately with clear water and a sponge.
@ Tips
- If automatic dimming for the inside m ir­
ror is switched off, the outside mirrors
are also not dimmed automat ically.
- Automatic d imm ing for the mirror on ly
operates properly if the l igh t striking the
inside m irror is not hi ndered by othe r ob­
jects.
Digital compass
Activating or deactivating the compass
The direction is displayed on the interior rear ­
view mirror.
NW
Fi g. 74 Inside rea rv iew mirr or: digi tal co mpass activa t­
ed
.. To activate or deac tiva te, ho ld the @ button
down unti l the red display appears or disap­
pea rs .
T he dig ita l compass o nly works w it h the igni­
t ion turned on . The directions are d isp layed as
initials :
N (North), NE (Northeast), E (East), 1111>

66 Seat s a nd s tor ag e
Seats and storage
General recommen­
dations
Why is your seat adjustment so
important?
The safety belts and the airbag system can
only provide maximum protection if the front
seats are correctly adjusted.
There are various ways of adjust ing the front
seats to provide safe and comfortable support
for the driver and the front passenger . Adjust
your seat properly so that :
- you can easily and quick ly reach all the
switches and controls in the instrument
panel
-your body is prope rly supported thus reduc­
ing physical stress and fatigue
- the safety be lts and airbag system can offe r
maximum protection ¢
page 117.
In the following sec tions, you will see exactly
how you can best adjust you r seats .
There are special regulations and instructions
for insta lling a child safety seat on the front
passenger's seat. Always heed the informa­
tion rega rd ing child safety provided in
¢ page 138, Child Safety .
A WARNING
Incorrect seating position of the driver and
all other passengers can result in serious
personal injury.
- Always keep your feet on the floor when
the vehicle is in motion -never p ut your
feet on top of the instrument panel, out
of the w indow or on top of the seat cush­
ion! This applies espec ially to the passen­
gers .
If your seating position is incorrect
you increase the r isk of injury in the case
of sudden braking or an acc ident.
If the
airbag infla tes and the seating position
is incorrect this could result in personal
injury or even death.
- It is important for bo th the driver and
front passenger to keep a distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between them­
selves and the steering wheel and/or in­
strument panel. If you're s itting any
closer than th is, the a irbag system can­
not protect you properly . In addition to
this, the front seats and head restra ints
must be adjusted to your body height so
that they can give you max imum protec­
tion.
- Always try to keep as much distance as
possible between yourself and the s teer­
ing wheel or instrument pane l.
- Do not adjust the driver's o r fron t pa s­
senger's seat whi le the vehicle is moving.
Your seat may move unexpected ly, caus ­
ing sudden loss of vehicle contro l and
personal inj ury . If you ad just yo ur seat
while the veh icle is moving, you are out
of posit io n.
Driver's seat
The correct seat position is important for safe
and relaxed driving.
We recommend that you adjust the driver's
seat in the fo llowing manner:
.,. Adjust the seat in fo re and aft direction so
t ha t you can easily p ush the peda ls to the
floor wh ile keeping your knee slightly bent
i::> A in Why is your seat adjustment so im­
portant? on page 66 .
.,. Adjust the seatback so that when you sit
w ith your back against the seatback, you can
still grasp the top of the steering wheel.
.,. Posit io n the head restraint according to the
occupant 's height
<=:>page 68 . For maxi­
mum protection, t he top of the head re­
s t raint shou ld be a t least at eye level, pref ­
erab ly higher and idea lly level with the top
of the head
¢ page 102, fig. 107 .
A WARNING "--
Never place any objects in the dr iver's foot-
well. An object could get into the pedal
area and interfere with pedal function. In
case of sudden braking or an acc ident, you
wo uld not be able to brake or accelerate!

Front passenger's seat
Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost position .
To avoid contact with the airbag while it is de­
p loying, do not sit any closer to the instru­
ment panel than necessary and always wear
the three-point safety belt provided adjusted
correctly . We recommend that you adjust the
passenger's seat in the following manner:
.,. Move the front passenger seat into the rear ­
most position of the fore and aft adjustment
range
c:::> &. in Why is your seat adjustment
so important? on page
66.
.,. Bring the backrest up to an (almost) upright
position.
Do not ride with the seat reclined .
.,. The idea l position for the head restraint is
with the upper edge of the restraint leve l
with the top of your head
c:::> page 68. You
shou ld
not lower the top of the restra int be­
low the level of your eyes .
.,. Place your feet on the floor in front of the
passenge r's seat .
Power seats
Adjustment switches
The operating logic for the switches corre­
sponds to the construction and function of
the seat.
Fig . 76 Ad just men t sw itches: locations on driver sea t
The operating log ic for the switches corre­
sponds to the construction, the design and
the function of the seat . Push or pull e ithe r
sw itch in exactly the same direction you want
the corresponding part of the seat to move.
Seats and storage 67
Adjustment switches
CD Adjusting the lumbar support
@ Adjusting seat height and fore-and-aft po­
sit ion
@ Adjusting the angle of the seatback
Power seat adjustment
The switches can be moved in various direc­
tions to allow precise adjustment.
Read and heed all warnings before you adjust
your seat.
c:::> &. .
Adjusting the curvature of the lumbar
support
.,. Push the forward or rear depression on the
sw itch shell
CD c:::> page 67, fig. 76 to in­
crease or decrease the backrest curvature.
Adjusting the height of the lumbar
support
.,. Push the top o r bottom depress ion on the
sw itch shell
CD to raise or lower the support
i n the backrest.
Moving the front seats forward or
backward
.,. Press the switch @forward or backward
hor izont ally.
Adjusting the seat height
.,. Pull or pus h the switch @even ly at both
ends to ra ise or lower the seat .
Angling the seat cushion up and down
(front)
.,. Pull or push the switch @at the front only
to ra ise or lower the seat .
Angling the seat cushion up and down
(rear)
.,. Pull or pus h the switch @at the rear only to
raise or lower the seat.
Adjusting the seatback
... Push or pull the switch ® in the same direc-
tion you want the seatback to tilt . ..,.

80 On the road
The parking brake warning light_
(USA)/ . (CON) illuminates when the parking
brake is set and you switch on the ignition.
A WARNING
-
Always release the parking brake com­
pletely. A partially engaged brake will
overheat the rear brakes, reduce their ef­
fectiveness and cause excessive wear. This could lead to brake failure and an accident .
(D Note
Only after the vehicle has come to com­
plete stop, should you firmly set the park­
ing brake and
move the gearshift lever into
a gear.
Parking
To prevent a parked vehicle from rolling
away, there are a few things you should do .
.. Stop the vehicle using the brake pedal.
.. Set the parking brake firmly .
.. Switch off the engine.
.. Engage a gear
q ,&. .
What else you should do when parking
your vehicle on an incline or decline
Turn the steering wheel so that if the vehicle
should start to roll, it will roll into the curb.
A WARNING
This is how you can reduce the risk of in­
jury when leaving your vehicle.
- Never park the vehicle where it can come
in contact with dry grass, spilled fuel or
any other flammable materials.
- Never allow anyone - especially small
children - to remain in the vehicle when
it is locked. Locked doors make it more
difficult for rescuers to access the pas­
senger compartment in the event of an
emergency. Danger to life!
- Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. Children could release the park­
ing brake or
move the gearshift lever out
-
of gear. The vehicle could start to roll
away and cause an accident.
- No matter what the season is, the tem­
perature in a parked vehicle can reach
dangerous levels.
Starting on hills
Applies to vehicles: with hill hold assist
Hill hold assist makes it easier to start on
hills .
The system is activated when the brake pedal
is depressed
for a few seconds.
After releasing the brake pedal, the brake
power is held for a
brief moment to prevent
the vehicle from rolling back when starting.
During this time, you can easily begin to
move
your vehicle.
A WARNING
-- If you did not begin moving immediately
after releasing the brake pedal, the vehi­
cle could begin to roll backward under
certain circumstances. Depress the brake
pedal immediately or engage the parking
brake.
- If the engine stalls, depress the brake
pedal immediately or engage the parking
brake.
- To prevent the vehicle from rolling back
unintentionally when starting in stop­
and-go traffic, keep the brake pedal de­
pressed for a few seconds before driving
off.
(D Tips
You can find out if your vehicle is equipped
with "hill hold assist" at an authorized Au­
di dealer.

Cruise control
Introduction
The cruise control system keeps the speed
constant .
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive at a constant speed over 20 mph (US
model) or 30 km/h (Canadian model). This is
true only to the extent that engine power or
engine braking effect allow . Using the system
takes the strain off the "gas peda l foot" -es­
pec ial ly on long tr ips.
In the control mode, the indicator light in the
instrument cluster is lit
(Dj;(i )~i~ (US model) ,111
(Canadian model).
The cruise control system automatically
switches itself off imm ed iately under the fol­
lowing cond itions:
- Pressing the brake pedal.
- Pressing the clutch pedal.
A WARNING
-Always pay attention to traffic even when
the cruise control system is switched on.
You are always responsible for your
speed and the distance between your ve­ hicle and other vehicles.
- For safety reasons, the cruise control sys­ tem shou ld not be used in the city, in
stop-and-go traffic, on twisting roads
and when road conditions are poo r (such
as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and hydro­
planing) -risk of accident.
- Turn off the cr uise control system tem­
porarily when entering turn lanes, high­
way exit lanes or in construction zones.
- Please note that inadvertently "rest ing"
your foot on the accelerator peda l causes
the cruise control system not to brake .
This is because the cruise contro l system
is overridden by the driver's acceleration.
(D Note
On manual transmission vehicles: If you
shift into neutral with the cruise contro l
On th e road 81
system switched on, always depress the
clutch pedal! Otherwise the engine will
race and could be damaged as a result .
(D Tips
When driving on steep downward grades,
the cruise control system cannot keep the
speed constant. The vehicle's own weight
increases the speed. Shift into a lower gear
i n plenty of t ime or brake the vehicle with
the foot brake .
Saving the speed
The desired speed must be saved.
Fig. 87 C ruise control system controls
.,. Dr ive at the speed you w ish to set.
.,. Pull the lever to position
(D c:> fig. 87 to
sw itch the system on.
.,. Briefly press button @.
After the button @is released, the current ve­
hicle speed is sto red and maintai ned, i.e. you
are driv ing in control mode.
Changing speed
The desired speed can be changed.
Fas ter
.,. Press lever up towards the 0 c:> page 81,
fig. 87.
.,. Release the lever to store the current speed .
Slower
.. Press lever down towards the O c:> page 81,
fig. 87.
.,. Release the lever to store the current speed. IJJl-

84 Manual transmission
Manual transmission
Launch Control
Program
Applies to vehicles: with VlO engi ne and manua l trans­
mission
The Launch Control Program enables maxi­
mum acceleration.
Requirement : The engine must be at operat­
ing temperature and the steering wheel must
not be turned.
• With the engine runn ing, press the
[!I but­
ton one time. The ESP indicator light
fi in
the Driver Information System display illu­
minates and the message
ESP sport· Warn­
ing! Restricted stability
appears.
• Press the clutch and hold it down.
• Engage the first gear.
• Press the accelerator peda l all the way down
until the engine speed remains steady at
6500 RPM.
• Release the clutch carefully~.&_ .
.&_ WARNING
-Always adapt your driving to the traffic
flow.
- Only use Launch Control when road and
traffic conditions a llow it and other driv­
ers wi ll not be endangered or annoyed by
your driv ing and the vehicle's accelera­
tion.
- Please note that the driving wheels can
spin and the vehicle can break away
when ESP is sw itched off, especially
when the road is slippery.
- Once you have accelerated, you should
switch the ESP back on by pressing the
l:m
button.
(D Tips
- When accelerating using the Launch
Control program, all vehicle parts are
subject to heavy loads. This can result in
i ncreased wear.
- The Launch Control Program only func­
tions when the parking brake is released and
the vehicle speed is less than 3 mph
(5 km/h).