2012 AUDI R8 SPYDER warning

138 Child Saf ety
will receive serious or possibly even fata l
injury .
I n o rder for the airbag to offe r protection, it is
important that all vehicle occ upants, especia l­
l y any children, who must be in the front seat
because of exceptional circ umstances, be
properly restrained and as far away from the
a irbag as poss ible. By keep ing room between
the child's body and the front of the passen­
ger compartment, the airbag can inflate com ­
p letely and provide supplemental protection
in certain frontal col lisions.
_& WARNING
Not using a booster seat, using the boos­
t er sea t imprope rly, incorre ct ly ins talling a
booste r seat or using the vehicle safety
belt improperly increases the risk of se ri­
ous personal injury and death in a collision
or other eme rgency s ituation. To help re­
duce the risk of ser ious persona l injury
and/or death:
- The shoulder be lt must lie as close to the
center of the child 's collar bone as poss i­
ble and must lie and snug on the upper
body. It mus t never lie across the throat
o r neck . The lap belt must lie across the
pelvis and never across the stomach o r
abdomen. Make sure the belt lies flat
and snug. Pull on the be lt to t igh ten if
necessary.
- F ailure to properly route sa fety belts
over a ch ild' s body will cause severe inju­
ries in an acc ident or other emergency
situation
<:!;,page 101.
- Children on the front seat of any car,
even w ith Advanced A irbags, can be seri­
o usly injured or even killed when an a ir­
bag inflates.
- Never let a child stand or knee l on the
seat.
- Never let a child ride in the ca rgo a rea of
yo ur vehicle.
- Always remember that a chi ld leaning
forward, sitt ing s ideways or out of posi­
t ion in any way during an acc ident can be
-
struck by a dep loying a irbag . This will re­
sult in ser ious personal injury or death .
- If you must install a booster seat on the
front passenger seat because o f excep­
tional circ umstances the
PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF
li ght must come on and
stay on , whenever the ignition is switch­
ed on .
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not come on and stay on, pe rform
the ch ecks descr ibed ¢
page 120, Moni­
toring the Advanced Airbag System .
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not come on and stay on whenever
the ig nit ion is switched on the infla ting
ai rb ag w ill hi t the child sa fe ty seat or in­
fant car rier with g reat force an d will
smash the child sa fety seat and child
aga inst the backrest, door or roof . Have
the airbag system inspected immed iately
by your Audi dea ler.
- Always read and heed all WAR NIN GS
whenever using a child restrained in ave­
h icle is being used
¢ page 101, Safety
belts,
¢ page 109 , Airbag system and
r:!;, page 130, Important things to know.
Installing a child safety
seat
Securing a child safety seat using a
safety belt
Safety belts for the front passenger con be
locked with the convertible locking retractor
to properly secure child safety seats .
The safety belts emergency locking retracto rs
for the front passenger's seat safety belt have
a convertible locking retracto r for child re ­
stra ints . The safety be lt must be loc ked so
that be lt webb ing cannot unree l. The r etrac­
tor can be a ctivated to lock the safety belt and
prevent the s afety be lt webb ing from loosen­
ing up d uring norma l dr iv ing. A child safety
seat can only be properly insta lled when t he
safety belt is locked so that the chi ld and child
safety seat will stay in place. ..,.

Always remember: Even though your vehicle is
equipped with an Advanced Airbag system, a
child should always ride in the seat properly
restrained for its age and size.
_&. WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats in­
crease the risk of serious personal injury
and death in a collision.
- Always make sure that the safety belt re­
tractor is locked when installing a child
safety seat. An unlocked safety belt re­
tractor cannot hold the child safety seat
in place during normal driving or in a
crash .
- Always buckle the child safety seat firmly
in place even if a child is not sitting in it.
A loose child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a collision.
- The inflating airbag will hit the child
safety seat or infant carrier with great
force and will smash the child safety seat
and child against the backrest, door or
roof.
- Forward-facing child safety seats or in­
fant carriers installed on the front pas­
senger's seat may interfere with the de­ ployment of the airbag and cause serious
injury to the child.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restrained in ave­
hicle is being used
c:::;, page 130. Special
precautions apply when installing a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat
c:::;, page 111, Child restraints on the front
seat -some important things to know.
_&. WARNING
-
Always take special precautions if you
must install a forward or rearward-facing
child restraint on the front passenger's
seat in exceptional situations:
- Whenever a forward or rearward-facing child restra int is installed on the front
passenger seat, the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light must come on and stay on
whenever the ignition is switched on.
Child Safety 139
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not come on and stay on, perform
the checks described
c:::;, page 120, Moni­
toring the Advanced Airbag System.
- If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not come on and stay on whenever
the ignition is switched on the inflating
airbag will hit the child safety seat or in­
fant carrier with great force and will
smash the child safety seat and child
against the backrest, door or roof. Have
the airbag system inspected immediately
by your Audi dealer.
- Improper installation of child restraints
can reduce their effectiveness or even prevent them from providing any protec­
tion.
- An improperly installed child restraint
can interfere with the airbag as it de­
ploys and seriously injure or even kill the
child.
- Always carefully follow the manufactur­
er's instructions provided with the child
safety seat or carrier.
- Never place additional items on the seat
that can increase the total weight regis­
tered by the weight-sensing mat and can
cause injury in a crash.
_&. WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:
- Always make sure the forward-facing
seat has been designed and certified by
its manufacturer for use on a front seat
with a passenger front and side airbag.
- Never put the forward-facing child re­ straint up, against or very near the in­
strument panel.
- Always move the passenger seat into its
rearmost position in the seat's fore and
aft adjustment range, as far away from
the airbag as possible before installing
the forward-facing child restraint. The
backrest must be adjusted to an upright
position. •
•

140 Child Saf ety
- Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the
time whenever the ignition is switched on .
A WARNING
Rearward -fac ing c hild restra ints:
- A ch ild in a rearward-facing child safety
seat installed on the front passenger
seat will be ser iously injured and can be
killed if the front airbag inflates - even
with an Advanced Airbag System.
- The inflating a irbag will hit the child
safety seat or infant carrier wit h great
force and w ill smash the ch ild safety seat
and child against the b ackrest , door or
roof.
- Alway s be espe cially caref ul if you must
ins tall a re arwa rd fa cing child s afety seat
on the front passenge r seat in exception ­
al circumstances .
- A tight tet her strap on a rearward-facing
child rest raint attached to the front pas ­
senger seat can put too much pressu re
on the weight-mat in the seat and reg is­
ter a heavier weight in the Advanced A ir­
bag System. The heav ier we ight regis­
tered can make the system work as
though an adult were on the seat and de­
ploy the Advanced Ai rbag when it must
be s uppressed causing ser ious o r even
f a tal injury to the child .
- Make su re that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the
t ime whenever the ignition is switched
on.
- Never install a rearward facing child
safety seat on the front passenger seat
unless the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on . If t he PAS·
SENGER AIR BAG OFF
light does not
come on and stay on the inflating airbag
will hit the child safety seat or infant car­
rie r with great fo rce and will smash the
child safety seat and child against the
backrest, door or roof. Have the airbag
system inspected immedia tely by your
au thori zed Au di d ealer .
Activating the convertible locking
retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to se­
cu re a child re strain t.
Always heed the ch ild safety sea t manufactur­
er's instr uctions when installing a child re­
st ra in t in your veh icle . To a ctivate the conve r­
t ible lo cking re tractor:
" Place t he child res traint o n a seat .
" Slowly pu ll the belt
all the way out .
" Route it a round or throug h the child re­
s train t belt pa th
~ ,& .
" Push the ch ild safety sea t down wi th yo ur
full weight to get t he safety be lt really tight.
" Insert the belt tong ue into the b uckl e for
that seating position .
" Guide the safety be lt back into the retractor
until the be lt lies flat and snug o n the child
safety seat.
" You should hear a "cl icking " noise as the
be lt winds back into the inertia ree l. Test the
convert ible lo cki ng re tr actor by pulling on
t he belt. You s hould no longer be ab le to
pull t he be lt out of the retrac to r. T he con ­
vertible locking retracto r is now activated .
" Ma ke s ure that the red release b utton is fac ­
ing away from the child restraint so that it
can be unbuckled quick ly.
" Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt
is properly tight and fastened so that the
s e at ca nnot move forwa rd or sideways more
than one inch ( 2.S cm).
A WARNING
Using the wrong child res traint o r an i m­
pr operly ins talled chi ld restraint can cause
se rious pe rsonal injury or deat h in a c rash.
- Always ma ke sure tha t t he safe ty belt re-
trac to r i s loc ked when insta lling a child
safety seat. An un locke d safety belt re­
tracto r cannot hold the child safety seat
in place dur ing norma l dr iving o r in a
crash.
- Always buckle the child sa fety seat firmly
-
in place even if a ch ild is not sitt ing in it. ~

A loose chi ld safety seat can fly around
dur ing a sudden stop or in a crash.
- Always make sure the seat backrest to
wh ich the child restraint is installed is in
an upr ight position . Otherwise, the seat­
back with the child safety seat attached
to it could fly forward in the event of an
acc ident or other emergency situat ion.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child rest rain ed in ave­
hicle is being used
~page 130. Spec ial
precautions apply when installing a ch ild
sa fety sea t on the fron t passenge r sea t
~ page 111, Child restrain ts on the fron t
seat -some impor tant things to know.
Deactivating the convertible locking
retractor
The convertible locking retractor for child re ­
straints will be deactivated automatically
when the belt is wound all the way back into the retractor.
~ P ress the red button on the safety be lt
buck le . The belt tongue will pop out of the
buck le.
~ G ui de the safety belt all the way back into
i ts stowed posit ion.
A lways let the safety belt retract comp lete ly
into its stowed posit ion. The safety belt can
now be used as an ord inary safety belt with­
out the convert ible lock ing retractor for chi ld
restra ints .
If the convert ible locking retractor s hou ld be
activated inadvertently, the safety belt must be unfastened and guided completely back in ­
to its stowed position to deactivate th is fea­
ture . If the convertib le loc king retractor is not
deactivated, the safe ty belt will g radua lly be­
come tighter and uncomfo rt a b le to wear .
A WARNING
Imprope rly insta lled child sa fe ty seats in ­
crease the risk of ser ious personal inju ry
and death in a collision .
Child Safet y 141
-Never unfasten the safety belt to deacti­
vate the convertible locking retracto r for
child restraints while the vehicle is mov ­
ing. You would not be restrained and
could be serious ly inju red in an accide nt.
- Always read a nd heed a ll WARNI NGS
wheneve r us ing a child restrained in ave­
hicle is being used
Q page 130 . Special
prec autions app ly wh en insta lling a child
safety sea t on the fro nt passe nger seat
Q page 111, Child restraints on the fron t
seat -some important things to know.
Additional Information
Sources of information about child
restraints and their use
T he re a re a number of sources of additiona l
in forma tion a bout child re st ra in t se lec tion, in­
stalla tion and use:
N HTSA advises that the best ch ild safety seat
i s the one t hat fits you r ch ild and fits in you r
vehicle, and that yo u will u se correc tly and
c onsistently.
Try before you buy!
U .S National Highway Traffic Safety Admin­
istration
Tel.: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1 -800 -424 -9153)
www . n htsa .gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
Tel.: (202) 662-0600
www .safe kids .org
Safety BeltSafe U.S.A
Tel.: (800) 7 45-SAFE (English)
Tel.: (800) 747-SANO (Span is h)
www .carseat .org
T ransport Canada Information Centre
Tel.: 1 (800) 333-03 71 or call
1 (613) 998-8616 if you are in the Ottawa
area
www .tc .gc.ca/ roadsafe ty
Audi Customer Relations
Tel.: (800) 822-2834 •
•

as a pulsing mo tio n of the brake pe dal, ac­
companied by some noises. I n order for ABS
to be a ble to operate optimally in th is range,
you must keep the brake pedal depressed -
never "pump the brakes" . You should not ex­
pect that braking d is tances w ill be
shortened
under all circumstances w ith ABS . Braking dis­
tance may even be slightly
longer , for exam­
p le on gravel or wi th fresh snow on a slippery
surface .
If a sign ificant
speed differential between the
d rive w heels on one axle is determined (for
examp le, on a su rface that is s lippery
on one
side),
t he EDS brakes the spinn ing whee l and
transfers power to the other drive whee ls.
This is done up to a speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h) . Noises from the brake system
signal that whee l spin is being controlled.
I f one wheel spins when s tarting from a com­
p lete stop because o f a different grip (for ex ­
ample , one wheel o n ice), keep your foot
hard
on the acce lerator until the veh icle starts to
move.
If the wheels spin , ASR wi ll automatically re­
duce engine torque and match power to road
su rface condit ions .
Switching on Sport mode
In specific drivi ng situa tions (e.g. La unch Con ­
trol), you switch ASR and ESC to Sport mode
by pressing the
[!I button once . The indicator
light
11 illuminates and ESP sport -Warning!
Restricted stability
appears . "Slip" is matched
to the speed. You should do this only if your
driving skill a nd traffic cond it ions permit .
Switching ASR /ESC off
In certain sit uat ions (e .g . in deep snow, on a
l oose surface, o r when rocking the vehicle
free), switch ASR and ESC off by pressing the
[ill button for more than 3 seconds. The ind ica­
tor light
II i lluminates and E SP swit ched off -
Warning! Re stricted stability appea rs . You
should do th is only if your driving skill and
traffic cond it io ns pe rmit .
Int ellig ent technolog y 143
Switching ASR /ESC on
Activate ASR/ ESC by pre ssing the [!I bu tton
again. The message
ESP on appears in the dis­
play briefly.
Brake overheating
So that the disc b rake on a b raked wheel does
not over heat, the EDS switche s off au toma ti­
ca lly if there is un usua lly severe loa ding a t
th is wheel. The vehicle is st ill drivable and has
the same properties as a vehicle without EDS .
As soon as the brake has coo le d down, EDS
swi tches on aga in automatically .
A WARNING
- Even ESC, ABS, EDS and AS R cannot over ­
come the laws of physics . You should
keep t his in m ind in particular on an icy
or wet road. If the systems intervene,
you shou ld ad just your speed immediate­
ly to road and traff ic conditions . Do not
be tempted by the increased safety pro­
vided to take risks -you risk having an
accide nt.
- Please keep in mind that the risk of an
accident is i ncreased by d riving too fast,
pa rti cularly in corners and on icy or wet
ro ads, and by drivi ng too close to the ve­
hicle ahead . Even ESC, ABS, E DS and A SR
cannot eliminate the increased risk of
having an accident.
-Apply the throttle ca re fully when accel ­
erating on a consistently s lippery sur­
face, e .g. on ice and snow . The drive
wheels can spin in spite of the EDS and thereby affect vehicle stability -you risk
having an accide nt.
- Please note that when ASR or ESC/ASR is
deactivated , the drive wheels can spin on
icy and sl ippery roads a nd the veh icle can
break away -the re is a risk of skidd ing!
(D Tips
- In the event of a defect in the rear spoil-
er system or in Audi magnet ic ride, it can
happen that ASR and ASR/ESC cannot be .,.
•
•

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.
•
•

Driving with your
quattro ®
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv­
en .
Gene ral inform ation
W ith all-wheel dr ive, power is distributed to
all four wheels . This happens automatically
depending on your driving style and the road
conditions at the t ime . See also <::;>
page 142.
Winter t ires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with
all-wheel drive has an advantage, even with
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all -sea­
son t ires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing: these tires must be mounted on
a ll f our
wheel s.
Snow chain s
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain
roads, th is normally also applies to vehicles
with all-wheel drive
Qpage 198, Snow
chains.
Replacing wheel s/tire s
Only the wheel/tire sizes specified by the
manufacturer may be used on vehicles with
all-wheel drive
<=> page 193 .
A WARNING
-Always adjust your driving to road and
traffic conditions. Do not let the extra
safety affo rded by a ll-wheel d rive tempt
you into taking extra risks .
- Although a ll-wheel drive is ve ry effect ive,
always remember that braking capacity
is limited by tire traction . You should
therefore not drive at excessive speeds
on icy or slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because the front wheels
cou ld begin to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning). If this should occur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in­ crease in engine speed as with a front-
-
Int ellig ent technolog y 147
wheel drive vehicle. Always drive at
speeds which are su ited to the road con­
ditions. -risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system
is not driven for a long per iod of t ime, the bat­
te ry is d ischarged by idling current consumers
(e .g. immobi lizer). In certain circumstances it
can resu lt in the re being insufficient energy
available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle handles the distribution of e lectr ica l ene r­
gy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
Bas ica lly, energy management consists of
b atte ry diag nosis, idling current m an age­
m ent
and dy namic energ y manag ement .
Batte ry diagno sis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines
the state of the batte ry. Sensors determine
battery voltage, battery current and batte ry
temperature . This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling current manag ement
Idling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is standing.
Wi th the ign ition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrica l compo ­
nents. Data from battery diagnosis is consid­
ered.
Depend ing on the ba ttery's state of charge,
individual cons umers are gradually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of the battery
and thus maintain starting capability. .,..
•
•