2012 AUDI R8 SPYDER light

144 Intelligent technology
deactivated, or they are activated auto­
matically in the deactivated state.
- If a malfunction occurs in the E DS, this is
signaled by an indicator light, see
~ page 16.
- Some tracks (e.g . steeply banked turns)
may affect ESC response .
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling
and enhances driver control.
Fig. 132 Switch for rear spoile r
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts . Spo ile r
ope rat ion can be set for automatic or manual
operat ion.
Automatic mode (no rmal operation )
-Extending automatically: This occurs when
dr iv ing faster than approximately 62 mph
(100 km/h) or at a certain eng ine compart­
ment temperature
1>.
- Retracting automatically: This occurs when
dr iv ing s lower than approximately 22 mph
(35 km/h) o r at a certa in engine compart­
ment temperatu re
1>.
Manual mode
- Extending manually: Press the switch
~ fig. 132 briefly to exte nd the rear spoiler
completely .
- Retracting manually : When dr iv ing at
speeds below approx imately 12 mph (20
km/h), press and hold the switch to retract
the rear spo iler. When driving at speeds be­
tween 12 mph and 62 mph (20 km/h and
l ) The rear s poiler only extends or retracts above acer ­
ta in eng in e te mpe rature in some models.
100 km/h), press the switch briefly to re­
tract the rear spoiler complete ly. You cannot
retract the rear spo iler if it extended due to
the engine compartment temperature.
Indicator light
When the indicato r light f.-j appears, there is
a system malfunction . The rear spoiler may
not be able to extend . This cou ld change the
vehicle's dr iving characteristics at high
speeds. Do not exceed 87 mph (140 km/h).
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immed i­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
A WARNING
Driving at higher speeds without the rear
spoiler deployed can impair handling char­
acteristic s, making the ve hicle ha rder to
control.
- I mp rope r operation of the rear spoiler
c a n cau se crushing injuries . Always ma ke
sure tha t nobo dy, espec ia lly children, is
i n the way when the rear spoi ler is de ­
p loyed or retracted.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf ­
fic laws .
- H ot air from the eng ine compartmen t
can escape thro ugh the rear spo iler when
it is open and it could burn you.
(D Note
- N ever push the vehicle or apply force to
t he rear spoiler -it co uld be damaged.
- Ope rate the rear spoiler manually on ly
w hen the eng ine compartmen t lid is
closed, o therwise there is a r is k of dam­
age .
(D Tips
Clean the spoiler comp artme nt eve ry 2 to
3 months . The spoiler compa rtment m ust
a lway s be free of ice, snow, leaves or other
debr is.

Braking
New brake pads
During the first 250 miles (400 km), new
b rake pads do not possess their full braking
effect, they have to be "broken in" first. The
distance can be ten times longer in veh icles
with ceramic brakes*. You can compensate for
this slightly reduced brak ing power by push­
ing harder on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy
braking loads during the break-in period.
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobi les are sti ll
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing conditions and dr iv ing habits
c:> & . On ve­
hicles that are either driven mostly in stop­
and-go city traffic or a re driven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dealer more often than specified in
the
Warranty & Maintenan ce booklet . Failure
to have your b rake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the brak ing
effect of the engine. This way, you prevent un­
necessary wear on the brake system . If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down continuously. Pump the brakes at inter­
va ls.
Moisture or road salt
Under ce rta in conditions, for example, when
d riving through water or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in
freezing conditions ice) on the brake pads. A
few cautious brake applicat ions should dry
off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
When you are driving at higher speeds with
the windshield wipers on, the brake pads will
briefly touch the brake d iscs in regular inter­
vals so as to improve reaction t ime when brak­
ing on wet surfaces. You, the driver, will not
notice anything.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is dr iven on a salt-covered
road and the brakes are not used . Likewise,
Intelligent technology 145
you clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few cautious ap­
plications of the brake
c:> & .
Corrosion
The re may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corros ion to form on
the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
on ly for short trips with litt le use of the
brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, o r if cor­
rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean
off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed
c:> & .
Faults in the brake system
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, then one of the two brake
circuits may have fai led . Drive immediately to
the nearest qualified workshop to have the
damage repaired. Drive at reduced speed on
the way there and anticipate longer stopping
distances and higher pedal pressure c:> &,.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake flu id
level is monitored electronically.
Brake power assist unit
T he brake power assist unit increases the
pressure that you generate with the brake
pedal. It works only when the engine is run­
ning.
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of t he condition of the brake pads
thro ugh the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the whee l may be removed for this in­
spection
c:> page 206 .
A WARNING
--You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
•
•

148 Intelligent technology
Dynamic energy management
While th e veh icle is be ing dr iven , dynamic en­
e rgy management distributes the energy gen­
erated according to the needs of the individu­
a l components . It reg ulates cons umption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
t han is being generated and ensures an opti­
mal state of charge for the battery .
(D Tips
- But even energy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are li mited .
- If starting ab ility is threatened, you are
i nformed by a warn ing
<=> page 148,
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display .
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
d riving, in city traffic and duri ng the co ld time
of year. Abu ndant e lectr ica l energy is re­
qu ired, but only a little is g ene rated . It is also
cr itica l if t he engine is not run ning and ele ct ri­
cal componen ts ar e turned on. In th is in ­
stance energy is being consumed but none is
being generate d.
It is in precisely these si tua tions that you w ill
notice energy management actively regula t­
ing the distrib ution o f energy .
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive you r vehicle over a period
of severa l days or weeks, elect rical compo­
n ents are grad ually cu t back o r swi tched off .
This redu ce s energy cons umption and mai n­
tains s ta rting cap abili ty over a longer period .
T a ke into considerat ion tha t when you u nlock
your ve hicle, some co nvenience func tions,
such as the remote key or power sea t adj ust ­
men t, may not be available. The convenience
f u nctions will be avai lable again when you
turn on th e ignition and start the engine. With the engine turned off
If you
listen to the radio, for examp le, w it h
t h e engine t urned off, the battery is being dis­
c h arged .
If starti ng capab il ity is jeopard ized d ue to en­
ergy consu mptio n, a mess age a ppea rs in the
drive r informa tion d isplay .
You have to start t he engine to charge the
ba tte ry.
With the engine running
Althoug h electrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is being d riven, the battery can be ­
come discharged. This happens mostly when
li ttle energy is being ge ne rated and a g reat
deal consumed a nd t he battery's state of
c h arge is not opt imal.
To b ring the energy bala nce back into equ ili­
br iu m , consume rs wh ich req uire espe cially
l ar ge amounts of ene rgy a re temporar ily cu t
ba ck or sw itched o ff. H ea ting systems in par ­
t icu lar require a grea t deal of energy . If you
not ice, for examp le, that the heated seatsat or
the heated rear window are not heating, they have been temporarily cut back or switched
off . These systems w ill be available again as
soon as the e ne rgy balance has been restored.
You w ill also notice that engine id le speed has
been increased slightly . T hi s is normal and not
a cause for concern. By increasing engine id le
speed the additional energy required is gener ­
ated and the battery is charged .
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If bat tery power drops in to the range where i t
can limit the ability of the engi ne to start, this
is shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
(•] Low battery charge: battery will be
charged while driving
T h is not ifi cat io n r eminds yo u that t he start ing
ca pabili ty of the engi ne may be lim ite d. As
soon as you s tart dr iv ing again, the battery .,..

-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 hicle 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 extreme 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 17 4 .
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 151
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.
_& WARNING
-
Some race tracks (e.g. steeply banked
turns) may affect the response of the ESC.
(D Tips
- Review the track requirements and con­
ditions before you start driving.
- 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 ironmenta l impact, and
wear on your eng ine, brakes and tires la rgely
depend on three facto rs:
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
By havi ng your ve hicle reg ularly se rviced by an
a uthorized Aud i dea le r helps to ens ure that i t
runs properly and economica lly. The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and
ability to ho ld its va lue, it a lso affects
f u el
consumption .
The amount of oi l used is re lated to engine
load and speed .
It is normal for the oil consump tion of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) before yo u can p rope rly
assess oil consumpt io n.
Th is also app lies to fue l consumption and en-
gine o utp ut.
IJll>
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•

Cleaning and protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value.
Regular and correct care will contribute to
maintaining 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 i n 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 a nd arms . You may
c u t yourself on sharp -edged metal parts .
- Mois ture and ice on brakes may imp air
braking efficiency
c:> page 145, Broking.
T est the brakes ca refully each time you
wash the vehicle.
@) For the sake of the environment
Select only environmenta lly fr iend ly clean­
ing prod ucts . Leftover clean ing products
should not disposed of in the household
waste .
Cleaning and protec tion 153
Care of exterior
Washing your vehicle
T he longer i nsect rema ins, bird dropp ings,
t ree res in, road and indust rial d ust, tar , soo t
part icles, 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 sun­ 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 aro und 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 pressur e je t of wate r in
any case.
IJl,-
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•

154 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 156. Use
a
shampoo only for very 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.

156 Cleaning and protec tio n
-To prevent pa int damage, do not wash
the vehicle in direct sunlight .
- To prevent damage to the paint surface, do not use insect removal sponges,
rough kitchen sponges or similar items.
- You should remove debris (such as in ­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis, for example when refue l­
i ng your vehicle. Only clean the head­
li ghts using a wet cloth or sponge, never
a dry one . Cleaning w ith soapy water is
recommended.
@ For the sake of the environment
On ly wash the vehicle in facilit ies specially
designed for that purpose. Th is w ill reduce
the risk of d irty water contaminated with
oil from entering the sewer system. In
some areas, washing vehi cles outs ide of
t hese facilities is prohib ited.
(D Tips
For more informat ion on special cleaning
p roducts designed for matte fin is h pa int,
seeyourAudiRBdeale~
Convertible top care
The convertible top requires special care .
Keeping your top looking great and making
certain that it lasts a long t ime depend to a
great extent on proper use and care . Remove
b ir d droppings as soon as possib le, since t he
cor rosive chemi cals in them w ill cau se the
r u bber impregnat ion in your top to swell and
possib ly allow the fabric to leak .
W ith
normal soiling, a ll yo u n eed to do is
clear the top with a soft brush and clear wa ­
ter . Always brush in the direction of the fabric
from fron t to rear.
I f the top is
very dirty and has spotted areas
clean it wi th a brush using a convert ible top
cleane r. Always brush in the direction of the
fabric from front to rear . Rinse with plenty of
clear water , and a llow the top to air-dry.
C hamois a re not s uitable fo r dry ing the top. Never use gasoline, spot remover, benzene,
paint thinner or solvents to remove spots
. We
recommend that you only use cleaners espe­
c ially formulated for use on convertib le tops,
and that you fo llow the produce use d irections
carefully . Authorized Audi deals can prov ide
detailed informat ion.
A WARNING ,..__
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information on
¢ page 153.
(D Note
Never use a high-pressure power washer to
clean the convertib le top .
Wind deflector
Clear the wind deflector w ith wate r o r, if it is
heavily soi led, a chemically neut ral cleaning
solution .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information on
¢page 153.
Waxing and polishing
Wa xing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint
to a large extent against the envi ronmental
factors listed under¢
page 153, Washing
your vehicle
and even against slight scratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your
paint as soon as one week afte r yo ur vehicle
has been delivered.
E ven if you regu larly use a
wa xing process in
automa tic car washes, we recommend that
you manually apply a coat of wax to give the
paint extra protection, part icu larly if water no
l onger beads on the clean paint.
Protect plastic body parts with car wax in the
same way as the ve hicle body. .,..

During warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the for­
ward area of the hood. They are much easier
to remove from paint that is waxed
often.
Poli shing
P olish your vehicle on ly if the pa int has lost its
shine and the gloss cannot be brought back
with wax.
If the polish used does not contain preserva ­
tive compounds, the paint must be waxed af­
terwa rds .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNING and
other Information¢
page 153.
([) Note
Do not use car wax on
- ma tte or anod ized metal trim
-
- rubbe r or rubber-like tr im .
Trim strips
For e nvironmenta l reasons, Aud i fabricates
the br igh t tr im strips and t rim pieces from
pure chromium-free a luminum .
D irt and mar ks on the tr im str ips should be
removed with a
pH -balanc ed cl eaning agent
(do no t use a chrome cleaner). Paint po lishes
are a lso not suitable for the care o f decorative
parts and trim strips. A lkaline cleaners which
are often used before entering car washes can
cause dull or mi lky spots when they dry.
Author ized Audi dealers carry cleaning prod ­
ucts which have been tested for use on your
vehicle and are not harmful to the environ­
ment.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNING and
other Informat ion
¢page 153.
Plastic and vinyl
-
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light surface dirt. For other soil, use
Cleaning and protec tion 157
a lukewarm all-p urpose cleaning so lution o r a
mild saddle soap for vinyl trim. Paint care
products are not suitab le for plastic and viny l.
A WARNING
Always read and observe all WARNINGS
and other information
¢page 153.
Carbon-fiber parts
Applies to vehicles : with carbo n-fiber parts
The carbon-fiber parts of your vehicle have a
painted surface. They do not requ ire special
ca re and are cleaned like other painted parts
¢ page 153.
Touch-up paint -
You
r authorized Audi dea ler has to uch-up
paint fo r minor scratches and stone chips. Mi­
nor paint damages such as scratches or stone
c h ips should be touched up immed iate ly to
prevent corrosion.
T he number for the origi nal veh icle paint can
be fo und on the vehicle identification label
¢ page 215.
However, if cor rosion h as formed, you must
have th is thoro ughly removed by you a uthor­
ized Audi dea ler or other qualified workshop .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WAR NINGS and
the information
c:> page 153.
Windows
Clear vision improves traffic safety.
In order to maintain the performan ce of the
winds hield wiper blades, neve r clean the win­
dow glass with insect remove r or wax .
Rubber, o il, g rease, or silicone residue can be
removed using a
glas s cl eaner o r a silic one re­
m over .
Wax residue, howeve r, can only be re ­
moved using a spec ial cleane r. You can obta in
more information from your authorized Audi
dealer.
ll-
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