2011 AUDI R8 SPYDER ESP

Automatic operation
Applies to vehicles: with R tronic
The forward gears are shi~ed up or down au­
tomatically.
S tartin g from a stop
.. Press and hold the brake pedal.
.. Tap the se lector lever towards A.
.. Release the brake pedal and acce lerate
c::, A.
in Manual operation on page 86.
Under certain circumstances (driving in the
mounta ins for example), it can be beneficial
to switch temporarily to the manua l shift pro­
gram
c::> page 86 in order to adjust the gear ra­
tios to driving conditions manually.
Kick-down
Applies to vehicles : with R tronic
When you depress the accelerator pedal be­
yond the resistance point, R tronic downshifts
into a lower gear, depending on vehicle speed
and engine rpm . The ups hift into the next
h igher gear takes place once the max imum
specified engine speed is reached. Exception:
You have activated the sport funct ion.
A WARNING
Please note that the d rive whee ls can spin
if kick -down is used on a smooth slippery
road - there is a risk of skidding .
Launch Control
Program
Applies to vehicles : with R tronic
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 running, press the
[!I but­
ton one t ime. The ESP indicator light
fi in
the Driver Information System display illu­ minates and the message
ESP sp ort -W arn­
in g! Re str icte d s tab ility
appears .
Autom ated manual tr an sm iss ion 8 7
.. Press the brake pedal with your left foot and
hold it down.
.. Engage a gear.
.. Press the
ISPORT I button on the selector lev­
er cover.
.. Press the accelerator pedal w ith your right
foot simultaneously unt il the eng ine has
reached a constant speed .
.,. Remove your left foot from the brake
c::, ,& .
A WARNING
-Always adapt your dr iv ing to the traffic
f low.
- On ly use La unch Control when road and
traffic conditions allow it and other driv­
ers will not be endangered or annoyed by
your driving and the vehicle's accelera­
tion.
- Please note that t he driving wheels can
spin and the vehicle can break away
when ESP is switched off, especially
when the road is slippery .
- Once the starting procedure is complete,
you should sw itch ESP on again by press­
ing the
[!I switch.
(D Tips
When accelerat ing using the Launch Con­
trol program, all vehicle parts are sub ject
to heavy loads. This can result in increased
wear.
Steering wheel with
shift paddles
Applies to veh icles: with R tronic
The shi~ paddles allow you to select gears
manually at the steering wheel.
F ig . 91 Sport steering wheel: S hift padd les

90 Parking system
Rear view camera coverage area
The rearview camera shows you the area be­hind your vehicle in the navigation system dis­
play. This area roughly corresponds to the
area in
¢ fig. 94 and (!) ¢fig. 95. Orientation
lines and colored surfaces are projected in the
area shown, which can help you with parking
and maneuvering. Objects that are located in
an area that is not captured by the camera@
¢ fig. 95 and that are closer to the bumper
will not appear on the navigation system dis­ play.
We recommend that you practice parking with
the rearview camera in a traffic-free location
or parking lot to become familiar with the sys­
tem, the orientation lines, and their function.
There should be sufficient light and good
weather conditions when doing so.
In the navigation system display, objects or
vehicles appear closer or further away if:
Objects or vehicles appear closer or farther
away in the navigation system if:
- you are driving in reverse gear from a level
surface onto an incline, or a downward
slope,
- you are driving in reverse gear toward pro-
truding objects.
The accuracy of the o rientation lines and blue
surfaces diminishes if:
- the rearview camera does not provide a reli­ able image, for example, in poor visibility
conditions or if the lens is dirty,
- the image on the screen is not visible due to
sun glare and reflection .
Caring for the rearview camera lens
The rearview camera is located in the center
of the vehicle above the rear license plate bracket. In order for the rearview camera to
function properly , the camera lens must be
kept clean and free of snow and ice .
- Dampen the lens with a household alcohol­
based glass cleaner , and clean the lens with
a dry cloth. - Remove
snow with a hand brush and ice
preferably with a de-icing spray
¢ (D .
A WARNING
--
-The parking system cannot replace the
driver's attention. The driver alone is re­
sponsible for parking and similar driving maneuvers .
- Sensors have blind spots in which objects
cannot be detected. Pay special attention
to small children and animals because
the sensors cannot always detect them .
- Always keep your eyes on the vehicle's
surroundings, using the rearview mirror
as well.
- Do not allow yourself to be distracted from traffic by the rearview camera pic­
tures in the navigation system display .
- If the position and the installation angle
of the camera has changed, for example,
after a rear end collision, do not continue
to use the system for safety reasons .
Have it checked by an authorized Audi
dealer or other qualified workshop.
(D Note
-Low obstacles already s ignaled by a
warning can disappear from the system's detection range as they are approached
and will not continue to be signaled. Ob­
jects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, narrow painted vertical poles or
fences may not be detected by the sys­
tem, posing risk of damage.
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the rearview camera
lens because the lens could crack.
- Never use products that are abrasive
when cleaning the lens.

92 Parking system
Reverse parking
Applies to vehicles: with park ing system advanced
Parking mode 1 con be used when parking in
a garage or into a parking space.
Fig. 98 Navigat ion syste m display : Aiming at a pa rk in g
spot
Fig. 99 Navigation syste m display: Align ing t he ve hicle
> Switch the navigation system and the dis­
play of the navigation system on .
.,. Select the reverse gear .
.,. Turn the steer ing whee l until the orange ori­
entat ion lines (;) appear in the parking spot
¢ fig. 98. Use the markings@to help yo u
estimate the distance from an obstacle .
Each marking represents 3
ft. (1 m). The
blue area represents an extension of the ve­
hicle 's outline by approximately 16
ft. (5 m)
to the rear.
> While driving in reverse gear, adjust the
steering wheel angle to fit the parking spot
with the aid of the orange orientation lines
¢ (}). @ marks the rear bumper. Stop the
vehicle once the red orientation line@
touches an object¢,&. .
A WARNING
-The rearview camera does not show the
entire area behind the vehicle ¢
page 89,
fig. 95.
Watch out especially for small children and anima
ls. The rear view cam­
era cannot always detect them, posing
risk of an accident!
- Please note that objects not touching the
ground can appear to be farther away
than they really are (for example, the
bumper of a vehicle or the rear of a
truck) . In th is case, you should not use
the orientation lines to help with park·
ing, which poses danger of an accident!
(D Note
In the navigation system display, the direc·
tion of travel of the vehicle rear is rep re­
sented depending on the steering wheel
angle . The vehi cle front swings out more
than the vehicle rear. Maintain plenty of
distance so that your outside mirror or a
corner of your vehicle does not collide with
any obstacles . This can damage to your ve­
hicle.
Parallel parking
Applies to vehicles: with parking system advanced
Use parking mode 2 to help you parallel park
along the side of a street.
Fig. 100 Navigat ion sy stem display : B lu e surfac e
alig ned wit h parking spot
Fig. 101 Navigation system display : T h e b lue curved
line contact ing t he curb

The following steps apply only when there is
no obstacle such as a wall near the parking
spot. Otherwise, please read the information
prov ided in the "Parking Next to Obstacles"
section.
~ Activate the turn signal.
~ Position yo ur vehicle parallel to the edge of
the street, approximately 3 ft. (1 m) from a parked vehicle .
~ Switch the navigation system and the nav i­
gat ion system display on.
~ Se lect reverse gear . The parking aid tu rns on
and par king mode 1 appears on the display .
~ Press the control bu tto n 1 on the nav igat io n
system ¢
fig. 100. Parking mode 2 appea rs .
~ Backup and align yo ur vehicle so the b lue
area @ borders on the rear end of the vehi­
cle or on the parking spot line. The bl ue area
represents an extension of the veh icle's out­
line by approximate ly 16 ft (5 meters) to the
rear . The long side of the blue area should
be o n the curb . The entire blue area must fit
i nto the parking spot .
~ With the veh icle s topped, tu rn the s teer ing
whee l to the r ight as far as it w ill go.
~ Back into the park ing spot until the blue
cu rve to uches the curb¢
fig. 101. Stop the
vehicle.
~ With the veh icle stopped, turn the steer ing
wheel to the left as far as it will go .
~ Continue to back into the parking spot un til
the vehicle is parked para llel to the curb .@
marks the rear bumper. Stop the vehicle
when the red orientation line@ borde rs an
object ¢.&, . Keep an eye o n the fron t of
yo ur vehicle while do ing this ¢Ci) .
Parking next to obstacles
When t here is an obstacle (such as a wall)
next to the pa rking spot, choose a spot w it h
mo re space on t he sides. Position the long
side of the b lue a rea so that there is sufficient
space from the curb. The a rea m ust no t be on
the c urb. You w ill also need to start turn ing
the steeri ng wheel much earlie r. T he re should
be a s uffic ient amo unt of space between the
curb and the blue c urve, and the blue c urve
¢
fig. 101 must not touch the curb.
Par king system 93
A WARNING
-The rearview camera does not show the
entire area behind the vehicle¢
page 89,
fig. 95 . Watch out especially for small
children and anima ls . The rea r view cam­
e ra can no t always de tect t hem, pos ing
ris k of an accident!
- P lease note that objects not touching the
g rou nd can appear to be far ther away
than they really are (for example, the
bumper of a vehicle or the rea r of a
truck) . In this case , you sho uld not use
the o rientation lines to help with park­
ing, which poses danger of an accident!
(D Note
In the navigation system disp lay, the direc ­
tion of trave l of the vehicle rear is repre ­
sented depend ing on the stee ring wheel
angle. T he veh icle front swings out more
than the vehicle rear. Ma inta in p lenty of
distance so that you r o utside m irror or a
corner of you r vehicle does no t coll ide with
any obstacles. This can damage to your ve­ hicle.
(0 Tips
The left o r right o rientation lines and su r­
faces will be disp layed, depending on the
turn s ignal being used .
Adjusting the warning tones
Applies to vehicles: wi th parking sys tem adva nced
Fi g. 102 Nav igat io n system d isplay: a djusting t he
park ing s yste m
Req uirement: The parking system m ust be
switched on.

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. .,..
•
•

100 Driving S afel y
• Fasten your safety be lt and wear it properly .
Also instruct your passengers to fasten their
safety belts properly ¢
page 109.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi­
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver 's ability to concentrate on the rood
without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the
vehicle and all of its occupants. If your ability
to drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and you also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road ¢
.&,.
Therefore:
• Do not let yourself be distracted by passen­
gers or by using a cellular telephone .
• NEVER dr ive when your dr iving ability is im­
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol, drugs, etc.) .
• Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense.
• ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traff ic
and weathe r condit ions.
• Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not
drive for more than two hours at a stretch .
• Do NOT drive when you are tired , under
pressure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING , .
Impaired driving safety increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death when­
ever a vehicle is being used.
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor­
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 106 Correc t seat ing posit ion
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
following position:
• Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween the steering wheel and your breast
bone ¢
fig. 106 .
• Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi­
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
¢.&_ .
• Grasp the top o f the steer ing whee l w ith
your elbow(s) slightly bent.
• Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possible, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible .
• Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face.
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position so that your back
comes in full contact with it when yo u drive.
• Fasten and wear safety be lts correctly
¢ page 110.
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle a t all
times .

Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only re­
duce the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are
properly seated.
Improper seating positions can cause serious
injury or death. Safety belts can only work
when they are properly posit ioned on the
body. Improper seating positions reduce the
effectiveness of safety belts and will even in­
crease the risk of injury and death by moving
the safety belt to critical areas of the body.
Improper seating positions also increase the
risk of serious injury and death when an air­
bag deploys and strikes an occupant who is
not in the proper seating position. A driver is
responsible for the safety of all vehicle occu­
pants and especially for children . Therefore :
... Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seating position when the vehicle is being used
c> _& .
The following bullets list only some sample
positions that will increase the risk of serious
injury and death. Our hope is that these exam­
ples will make you more aware of seating po ­
sitions that are dangerous .
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is
moving:
- never stand up in the vehicle
- never stand on the seats
- never kneel on the seats
- never ride with the seatback reclined
- never lean up against the instrument panel
- never sit on the edge of the seat
- never sit sideways
- never lean out the window
- never put your feet out the window
- never put your feet on the instrument panel
- never rest your feet on the seat cushion or
back of the seat
- never ride in the footwell
- never ride in the cargo area
Driving Safely
A WARNING
Improper seating positions increase the
risk of serious personal injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used.
- Sitting incorrectly places occupants at
risk of being critically injured if the air ­
bags deploy and strike them .
- Before you start driving, seat yourself
properly and always maintain this seat­
ing position during the trip . Before each
trip, instruct your passengers to seat
themselves properly and to maintain this
seating position during the trip
c> page 66, Seats and storage .
Driver and passenger
side footwell
Important safety instructions
A WARNING
Always make sure that the knee airbag can
inflate without interference. Objects be­
tween yourself and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by interfer­
ing with the way the airbag deploys or by
being pushed into you as the airbag de­
ploys.
- No persons (children) or animals should
ride in the footwell in front of the pas­
senger seat. If the airbag deploys, this
can result in serious or fatal injuries.
- No objects of any kind should be carried
in the footwell area in front of the driv­
er's or passenger's seat. Bulky objects
(shopping bags, for example) can ham­
per or prevent proper deployment of the
airbag. Small objects can be thrown
through the vehicle if the airbag deploys
and injure you or your passengers.
-
103
•
•

For example, in a frontal collision at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a 10- lb (4.5 kg) object are about 20 times the
norma l weight of the item. This means that
the we ight of the item would suddenly be
about 200 lbs . (90 kg) . You can imagine the
in juries that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flyi ng
freely throug h the pass enge r compartment
could cause in a collision li ke t his.
_& WARNING
Imprope rly stored luggage or other items
can fly through the vehicle ca using se rious
personal in jury in the event of har d brak ­
ing or an acc ident . To help reduce the r is k
of serious personal injury :
- Always put objects, for examp le, luggage
o r othe r heavy items in the luggage com­
partment.
_& WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your ve­
hicle handles. To help reduce the r isk of a
loss of control leading to ser ious personal
injury:
- Always keep in m ind whe n transporting
heavy objects, t hat a change in t he cen ­
ter of g ravity can also cause c hanges in
vehicl e handling.
- Never exceed the G ross Ax le Weight Ra t­
ing or t he Gross Veh icle Weight Rating
spe cified on t he safety compliance stic k­
er on t he left door jamb. Exceeding pe r­
missib le we igh t standa rds can cause the
vehicle to s lide and handle differently.
- Please observe info rm atio n on s afe driv­
ing
C? page 99.
_& WARNING , ~ ~
Always make su re that the doors, all win ­
dows and the front lid are securely closed
an d locked to red uce the risk of in jury
when the veh icle is not being used .
- After closing the front lid, a lways make
s u re that it is properly closed and locked .
- Never leave you r vehicle unatten ded es­
pecially with the front lid left open . A
Dr iving S afel y 105
child cou ld craw l into the luggage com­
pa rtment and close the front lid becom­
ing trapped and unable to get out. Be ing
trapped in a veh icle can lead to se rious
pe rsonal injury .
- Never let ch ildren play i n or around the
veh icle .
- Never let passengers ride in t he luggage
compartment . Vehicle occupants must
always be prope rly restra ined in one of
the vehicle 's seating pos it ions .
(D Tips
The t ire pressure must correspond to the
l oad. The t ire press ure is show n on the tire
p ressure label. The tire pressure label is lo­
cated on the d river 's s ide B-pillar. The t ire
pressure label lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the vehicle at
it s m aximum c apac ity we igh t a nd the tires
that we re on your vehicle at the t ime it
was manufacture d. For recommended tire
pressures fo r normal load cond it ions,
please see chapter c::> page 193.
Reporting Safety
Defects
Applicable to U.S.A.
If you believe that your vehi cle
ha s a defect which could cau se
a crash or could caus e injury or
death, you should immediately inform the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notify­
ing Audi of Amer ica , Inc .
If NHTSA receives similar com­ plaints, it may open an investi­
gation , and if it finds that a
safet y defect s exists in a group .,.
•
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