2011 AUDI R8 SPYDER warning lights

60 Clear v is ion
Moving w iper blades to the service
posit ion
.. Do not lift the wiper arms away from the
glass when they are in their parked position;
this would damage the paint on the front
lid .
.. When there is a risk of frost, make sure that
the wiper b lades are not frozen to the wind­
shield .
.. Move wipe r blades to the se rvice posit ion
¢page 61.
The windshield wipers and washer on ly work
when the ignition is turned on.
To reduce the sensit iv ity of the sensor, move
switch @down . To increase the sens itiv ity,
move the switch up. The higher you adjust the
sens itivity, the faste r th e sensor will react
when it senses moisture on the w indshield.
The pauses between w iper turns depend not
on ly on the sensitivity setting, but on the ve ­
hicle speed as well.
Du ring a temporary stop, e.g . at a t raff ic sig­
na l, the set wipe r speed is automatically re­
duced by one stage.
When the igni tion is tu rned on, the washer
jets are heated.
_& WARNING
- Wipe r blades a re cruc ial for safe driving!
Only when they are in good cond ition are
they able to clear the windows properly
to provide uncompromising visibility.
Worn or damaged wiper blades are a safety hazard ¢
page 61, Replacing
front wiper blades!
- The light/ra in sensor is only des igned to
assist and support the dr iver .
It remains
entirely the d river 's responsibility to
mon itor outs ide weather conditions and
to manually activate the w ipers as soon
as rain o r dri zzle red uces visibi lity
thro ugh t he windshie ld.
- T he windshie ld must not be treated with
water-repe llent materials. They can in­
crease glare under poor visib ility condi­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when the s
un is low on the horizon . In addi­
tion, they can cause the w indshield w ip­
ers to chatter .
(D Note
In freezing or near freezing conditions:
- Always check that the w iper b lades are
not frozen to the g lass before you turn
the wipers on . Loosen a wiper blade
wh ich is frozen in place before operating
the wipers to prevent damage to the
w iper blade or the wiper motor.
- Do not use the w ipers to clear a frosted
window. Us ing the wipers as a conven­
ient ice scraper will destroy the wiper
blades .
- Before you take your veh icle to an auto­
matic car wash, make sure you have the
w indshield w iper system switched off
(lever in position 0), otherwise the w ind­
shield w iper system could get damaged
in the car wash if it should suddenly
come on .
(D Tips
-The windshie ld w ipers are switched off
w hen the ignit ion is turned off. Act ivate
t he winds hield wipers after the igni tion
is switched back on by moving the wind­
shield wiper lever to any position.
- Worn or d irty windshield wipe r blades
cause smearing, which can affect the op­
eration of the light/rain sensor . Check
the cond ition of your windsh ield wiper
blades regularly.
- When the wipers are switched on man­
ually and in ra in cond itions, the auto­
matic headlights turn on
¢ page 55 or
off during the day when the wipers are
no longer operating . The automat ic
head lights fu nction is avai lab le in this
case on ly w hen the light switch is in the
"A UTO" posit ion ¢
page 55, fig. 63.
-Make su re the washer fluid reservoir is
t opped off before goi ng on a long tr ip.
Look up ¢
page 188 for checking and
filling the washe r containe r.

_& 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>

78 On the road
Ignition on @
Afte r switching the ignition on, the needles
move a ll the way up and then down .
I f it is difficult to tu rn the key afte r you have
i nserted it into the ignition lock, turn the
steering wheel back and forth. This will take
the load off the steering lock mechan ism and
you will be able to turn the key freely and start the engine .
Starting the engine @
In th is position the engine sta rts. While the
engine is start ing, the power s upply to the
headlights and other e lectr ica l cons umers is
tempo rari ly interrupted to conserve battery
power. After the engine has started, release
the key and it will return to posit ion @.
Before the starter can be operated again the
key must be turned back to position@. The
non-repeat lock prevents you from damaging
the starter when the engine is runn ing .
A WARNING
-Never remove the key from the ign ition
lock whi le the vehicle is moving. The
steeri ng wheel will lock causing loss of
contro l.
- If you have to leave your vehicle - even
for just a m inute - always remove t he ig­
nition key and ta ke it with you. This is es­
pecially important if you a re going to
leave ch ildren behind in the vehicle. The
children co uld star t t he engine or use
other vehicle controls . Unsupervised use
of vehicle controls (for examp le, power
windows) can cause serious personal in­
jur ies.
(D Tips
If the veh icle battery has been discon nect­
ed and then reconnected, then you must leave the key in pos ition @for abo ut 5
seconds before you can start t he engine.
-
Starting the engine
The engine can only be started with your orig ­
inal Audi key.
On vehicles with R tronic *, the engine can be
started in the ne utra l position N and in each
gear (1 - 6 and R).
.. Se t the park ing brake ¢,&. .
.. On ve hicles with ma nual transmission *, fully
depress the cl utch peda l.
.. Press and hold the brake peda l.
.. Turn the ignition key to posit ion @
¢ page 77, fig . 85 - do not depress the gas
pedal when starting the engine .
.. Let go of the key as soo n as the engine
starts - the sta rter must not cont inue to
r u n. On veh icles w it h R t ro nic , sele ct ge ar
posi tion N.
A cold engine may at first be loud afte r it has
been started. This is due to the hydrau lic
valves b uilding up the oil p ress ure. This is no r­
mal and no need fo r conce rn .
If th e engine does not start imm ediately, stop
t ry ing after 10 seconds and t hen t ry to res tart
t h e engine abou t 30 seconds later.
A WARNING
-
- Never star t or le t the eng ine run in a con ­
f ined o r enclosed area . Exha ust fumes
from the en gine contain carbon monox­
ide, a co lorless and odorless gas. Carbon
monox ide ca n be fatal if inhaled.
- Never leave the engine id ling unattend­
ed. An unattended veh icle w ith a run ning
e ngine poses a danger of personal injury
or theft.
- With the engine r unning and a gear en­
gaged, you have to hold the ve hicle w it h
the foot brak e.
(D Note
-Avo id h igh engine speeds, fast accelera­
tion or heavy engine loads while the en­
gine is still cold. This could damage the
eng ine.

Automated manual transmission
Description
App lies to vehicles: with R tro nic
Fig . 89 S hift pattern
F ig. 90 Display : Gear s engaged
R tronic is an au tomated manua l transm iss ion
in which the function of the cl utch and shift­
ing is controlled by an electronic system.
The gears are engaged manua lly, sim ilarly to
a manual transmission. The gears ca n also be
shifted automatica lly. The engine can be
started and switched off in all gears .
The selected mode of operation, the gear en­ gaged and the spor t funct ion are shown in the
Driver Information Sys tem display ¢
fig. 90.
M · Manual operation
In th is operating mode, you shift the forward
gears us ing the selecto r lever
¢ page 86 or
the shift paddles on the multifunction steer­ i ng whee l
¢page 87.
A - Automati c operation
In th is operating mode, the forward gears are
shifted up or down depending on engine load
and vehicle speed ¢
page 87.
Autom ated manual tr an sm iss ion 85
R -Rever se g ear
Reve rse gear m ust only be engaged when the
vehicle is
stationary and the engine is running
at id le speed
~ ,1. .
To engage reverse gear, you have to press the
brake pedal, move the selec to r lever to the
right and tip it towards R. In reverse gear, the
back up lights ill uminate when the ignition is
on .
N -Neutral
To engage neu tral, yo u have to move these­
lector lever to the left or to the right .
If re­
verse gear is engaged, move the selector lever
to the left . If a forward gear is engaged , move
the selector lever to the right.
Sport function
T he sport function is sw itched on by pressing
the
I SPORT I b utton. The engine's power re­
serves can be used fully by upshifts later. Shift
t ime is decreased and acce lerator pedal re­
sponse is improved . In addition, in manua l op­
eration the eng ine does
not sh ift a utomat ical­
ly into the next gear before it has reached the
maximum perm iss ible engine speed . In auto ­
matic operat io n, upsh ifting cont inues auto­
matically .
_&. WARNING
- If a gear is engaged when the veh icle is
stat ionary, the accelera to r must not be
pressed inadvertent ly under any circum ­
stances . Otherwise the vehicle wi ll im­
mediately start to move· sometimes
even if the park ing brake is firmly ap­
plied.
- Before you or other persons open the en ­
gine compartment lid and work on a run­ ning engine, select neutral pos ition N
a nd firmly app ly the handbrake . Follow
the warning notes.
(!} Tips
If you accidenta lly shifted into N w hile
driving, you can engage a gear in the nor­ mal way us ing the selecto r lever.

Switching on and off
Applies to vehicles: with parking system advanced
Fig . 96 Section of the center console: Par k ass ist
switch
F ig. 97 Nav igatio n system dis p lay: visual distance d is ­
play
Switching on
.,. Switch the navigation system and the navi­
gation system disp lay on.
.,. Engage the reverse gear, or
.,. Press the
l""' I switc h in the center console
9 fig . 96. A short confirma tion tone so unds
and the indicato r light in the switch lights
up .
Sw itching between the rear v iew camera
and visual display
.,. Press the Graphic con trol button
9 page 9 2, fig . 98 to see the visua l dis­
play .
.,. Press the
Rear view contro l button to see
the rear view camera image
c) fig. 9 7.
Switching off
.,. Drive faster than 6 mph (10 km/h), o r
.,. Press the
l""' I switch, or
.,. Switch off the ignition .
Parking system 91
Segm ents in the visual display
The red segmen ts i n fro nt of and behind the
vehicle
c) fig . 97 he lp you to de termine the
distance between yo u and an obstacle. As
you r vehicle comes close r to t he obstacle, the
segments move closer to the vehicle . The col­
lision area has been reached when the next to
l ast segment is displayed. Do not continue
driv ing farther
c) .&. in General Information
on page
90!
A WARNING
- Th e nav igation system d isplay cannot
show, or c annot adequately show, cer­
tain o bjects (s uch as small posts o r gra­
ting), recesses in the groun d and pro­
trud ing parts on anothe r ca r.
- On ly use t he rearview came ra to assist
you if it shows a goo d, clear pict ure. For
examp le, the image may be affected by
the sun sh ining into the lens, d irt on the
lens or if there is a defect.
@ Tips
- The sensors m ust be kept clean and free
of s now and ice for the park assist to op­
erate .
- Yo u can change the vo lume and pitch of
the s ignals
c::> page 93 .
- What appea rs in the disp lay is time -de ­
layed.
-

Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need
to read and observe for your own safety, the
safety of your passengers and others . We have
summarized here what you need to know
about safety belts, airbags, child restraints as
well as child safety. Your safety is for us
priori­
ty number 1.
Always observe the information
and warnings in this section - for your own
safety as well as for that of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle . Some of the
features described in this sections may be
standard equipment on some models, or may
be optional equipment on others. If you are
not sure, ask your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Make certain that you follow the instruc­
tions and heed the WARNINGS in this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the
interest of your passengers.
- Always keep the complete owner's litera­
ture in your Audi when you lend or sell
your vehicle so that this important infor­
mation will always be available to the
driver and passengers.
- Always keep the owner's literature handy
so that you can find it easily if you have
questions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint system and work together to help
reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations .
Your safety and the safety of your passengers
should not be left to chance. Advances in
technology have made a variety of features
available to help reduce the risk of injury in an
Driving Safely 99
accident. The following is a listing of just a
few of the safety features in your Audi:
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all
passenger seating positions,
- safety belt pretensioners ,
- front airbags,
- knee airbags,
- side airbags in the seats
- adjustable head restraints,
- adjustable steering column.
These individual safety features can work to­
gether as a system to help protect you and
your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if
they are not always properly adjusted and
properly used!
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occu­
pant safety always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
~ Make sure that all lights and signals are op­
erating correctly .
~ Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
~ Make sure that all windows are clean and af­
ford good visibility to the outside.
~ Secure all luggage and other items carefully
r=:> page 70.
~ Make sure that nothing can interfere with
the pedals.
~ Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height .
~ Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to their height .
~ Make sure to use the right child restraint
correctly to protect children¢
page 138,
Child Safety.
~ Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same¢
page 66,
Seats and storage. .,..
•
•

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.