2012 AUDI R8 SPYDER warning

Plastic parts and imitation leather
You can clean plastic parts and imitation
leather with a damp cloth . If this does not re­
move the dirt, you can treat these parts only
with specia l
solvent-free plastic cleaning and
care products.
A WARNING
So lvents can change the properties of
some plast ics and make it harder for the
airbag to dep loy.
-
- Never clean the instrument panel or the
surface of Airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents.
- Products containing solvents w ill make
the surface of this part porous.
- Serious injur ies can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the informat ion
c::;,page 153.
(D Note
Clean ing agents containing solvents will
attack the material and can change the
way it behaves.
Carbon-fiber parts
Applies to vehicles: with carbo n-fiber parts
The carbon-fiber parts of your vehicle have a
pa inted surface. They do not require any spe­
cial care and are cleaned like plast ic parts
¢pag e 159.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabr ic coverings (e.g. seats, door
trim panels, etc.) should be cleaned at regular
intervals with a vacu um cleaner. This removes
surface dirt particles which could become em­
bedded in the fabric through use. Steam
cleaners shou ld not be used, because the
steam tends to push the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there.
Cleaning and protection 159
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
or a lint-free microfiber cloth to the clean fab­
ric. Brushes shou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces could be harmed by brushes.
Normal surface stains can be cleaned using a
commercially available foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the s urface of the fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not satu­
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam dry using
absorbent, dry cloths (e.g. m icrofiber cloth)
and vacuum it after it has dried completely.
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e.g. coffee, fruit
juice , etc.) can be treated with a mild deter­
gent solution. Apply the detergent solution
with a sponge . In the case of stubborn stains,
a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked into the fabric. After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to
remove the remaining deterge nt. Apply the
water with a damp doth or sponge and pat
the fabric dry with an absorbent, dry cloth .
Stains from chocolate or makeup should have
detergent paste (e.g. ox-gall soap) rubbed in­
to them. Afterwards, remove the soap with
water (damp sponge) .
Alcohol can be used to treat stains from
grease, oil, lipstick or a ballpoint pen. Melted
grease or dye must be patted off using ab­
sorbent materia l.
It may be necessary to re ­
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa­
ter.
In the case of general soiling of the upho ls­
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specia list t hat has the equipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabr ic surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
c::;, page 153.
•
•

Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natu ral leather
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention.
Norm al cleaning
.,. Cle an soiled areas w it h a slightly mo istened
cotton or woolen cloth .
More stubb orn d irt
.,. More stubborn dirt can b e re moved using a
cloth saturated with a m ild soap so lution (2
tablespoons m ild liquid soap).
.,. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather, and make certa in that no water
soaks into the seams .
.,. Wipe off the soap solut ion with a soft, dry
clo th .
Cl eaning spots
.,. Remove fresh wa ter-b ased spots (such as
coffee, tea, ju ices, blood) w ith an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.,. Remove fresh
gr ease or o il-based spot s
(such as b utter, mayonnaise , chocolate) wi th
an absorbent cloth or paper towe l, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet p enetrated into the surface
of the leathe r.
.,. Use an oil/grease dissolv ing spray, if
oil /
gr ease spot s hav e dr ied on.
.,. Remove spec ific kinds of spots (ballpo int
pen, felt marker, fingernail polish , water­
based paint, shoe polish, etc.) with a spot
remove r spec ifi cally formulated for leather .
Leather care
.,. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (ava ilable from your authorized Au ­
di dealer) to care for the leather .
.,. Apply the p roduct very spa ring ly.
.,. Wipe it off wi th a damp cloth .
If you have any questions about cleaning and
car ing for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact your author ized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our
fu ll range of leather care products, s uch as:
Cleaning and protec tion 16 1
-Leather cleaning and care kit
- Cremes to care for colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpoint pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oi l/grease d issolving spray
- New and upcom ing products .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
r:!vpage 153.
@ Note
- Never use chemical so lvents (e .g . lighter
fluid, tu rpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
sim ilar products on the leather surfaces
in your Audi.
- To avoid damage, have stubbo rn sta ins
removed by a comme rcial clean ing spe­
c ialist.
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
App lies to vehicles: wit h Alcantara upholstery
Removing dust and dirt
.,. Mois ten a cloth , squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces.
Removing stains
.,. Moisten a cloth with lukewarm wate r or
w ith d iluted
e th yl (rubbing ) alcohol.
.,. Dab at the stain . Start at the outs ide and
work i nwards .
.,. Once the sta in is no longer v is ible , use a
soft dry cloth or tissue to soak up the mo is ­
ture.
Do no t use leather cleaning prod ucts on A l­
cantara .
You may use a suitab le shampoo for remov ing
dust and di rt.
Dust and gr it in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface .
If the car is
left stand ing in the sun for long per iods, the
Alcanta ra covers should be protected aga inst
direc t sun light to prevent it from fad ing.
Slight co lor va riations will develop in normal .,.. •
•

162 Cleaning and protection
use and are not an indication of material
deterioration.
(U;) Note
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter
fluid , turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
similar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercial cleaning spe­
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim­ ilarly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly.
• Keep belts clean.
• For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol­
ution. Let belts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
• Do not allow inertia reel safety bel ts to re­
tract before they are completely dry.
• Check the condition of your safety belts
reg ­
ularly .
_& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
- Anything that might damage your safety
belts could mean that you and your pas­
sengers would not be adequately pro­
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­
rect installation. Never remove belts
from the vehicle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents,
bleach or dyes. They have corrosive prop­
erties which weaken the webbing.
- When cleaning your safety belts, inspect
them for damage. If you discover dam­
age, see your authorized Audi dealer.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
¢page 153.
1) Use o nly the co rrect cle anin g so lu ti on s. Never use gas­
o lin e or die se l fuel.
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
Corrosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatment is very impor­
tant, particularly in the winter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
should be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage .
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle should be washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease removing solutions
1> , or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro­ sion treatment is almost always removed as
well.
It is therefore essential to have a long­
lasting corrosion protection reapplied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment.
A WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before working in the engine compart­
ment, be sure to read the information
¢page 169.
-Before reaching into the front plenum
panel, always remove the ignition key .
Otherwise, the windshield wiper system
could unintentionally be switched on,
possibly causing personal injury from the
moving wiper linkage.
- Never reach into the area around or
touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary fan
is temperature controlled and can switch
on suddenly- even when the ignition is
off.

-Do not wash, wax or dry the engine with
the engine running. Moving or hot parts
could injure you.
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts w ithout protecting your
hands and arms. You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
~ page 153 .
Cleaning and protec tion 163
•
•

-Blend must contain not more than 15%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
espec ially we ll for winter or summer driving.
During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stat ions where the sea­
sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time .
(D Note
-Methanol fuels which do not meet these
requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo­
nents in the fuel system .
- Do not use fue ls that fail to meet the
specified criter ia in this chapter.
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fue l blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or
its fuel supp lier.
- Do not use fuel for which the contents
cannot be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the responsibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Vehicle or the Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy
or driveability and performance prob­ l ems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufac­
turers is carbon deposit build- up caused by
the type of gasoline you use.
Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another , they have certain
things in common. All gasoline grades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline brands include additives to keep engine and
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 165
fuel systems clean, they are not equally effec ­
tive .
A udi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. For more info rmation on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended period of using inadeq uate
fuels, built-up carbon deposits can rob yo ur
engine of peak performance.
Q) Note
Damage or malf unct ion due to poor fue l
quality is not covered by the Aud i New Ve­
hicle Limited Warranty.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel fille r flap.
If the unlocking system should fail, you can
still open the flap manually -for detailed in ­
structions see
¢ page 167.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve­ hicle in
Technical Data ¢ page 217.
The label on the inside of the fuel fi ller flap
tells you the correct fue l for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see
¢ page 164.
Your vehicle fue l tank has an on -board refue l­
ing vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you refuel your vehicle . In order to fill the tank
properly while protecting the environment,
please fo llow this refueling procedure careful­
ly.
_&. WARNING
Under normal operating conditions, never
carry additional fuel containers in your car.
Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport f uel can be dangero us. Such con­
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision. If you must
•
•

166 Fuel suppl y and filli ng your fuel t ank
transport fue l to use for your lawn mower,
snow blower, etc., be very careful and al­
ways observe local and state laws regard­
ing the use, transportat ion and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the con­
tainer meets industry standards (ANSI/
AS TM F852 -86).
(D Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fuel tank
is completely dry. The irregular supply of
fuel can cause misfir ing. Gasoline cou ld
e nte r into the exhaust system and damage
the cata lytic conve rter.
Refueling
Fig. 133 D river 's doo r: Unlocki ng fuel filler flap
Fig. 134 Fuel cap hooked on the opened fuel filler flap
When adding fuel, the ignition and any cellu­
lar phones in the vehicle must be sw itched
off .
Tak ing th e fuel cap off
• To open the fuel filler flap, press the button
9fig. 133.
• Unscrew fuel filler cap counter-clockwise
and hang it on the fuel filler flap ¢
fig. 134 .
Refueling procedure
• Insert the f uel nozzle from the gasoline
pump into the fuel fi ller neck as far as it wi ll
go .
• Select a med ium refueling rate so that the
nozzle switches off automatically when the
tank is full.
Putting th e fu el cap bac k on
• After fi lling your tank, twist the fuel filler
cap clockwise until you hear a definite click.
• Close the fue l filler flap.
T o avoid fuel spilling or evaporating from the
fuel tank always close fuel filler cap properly and completely. An improperly closed fuel fi ll­
er cap may also cause the MIL lamp¢
page 22
to come on.
A WARNING
Improper refue ling or handling of fuel can
cause fire, explosion and severe burns.
- Fuel is highly flammable and can cause
severe burns and other injuries.
- Fai lure to shut the engine off while refu­
eling and/or to insert the pump nozzle
fully into the fuel filler neck could cause
fuel to spray out of filler neck or to ove r­
flow. F ue l spray and overflowing fuel can
cause a fire.
- Never use a ce llular telephone while re­
fue ling. The electromagnet ic rad iat io n
can cause spa rks that can igni te fuel va­
pors and cause a fire.
- Never get back into your vehicle whi le re­
fue ling.
If in exceptio nal circumstances
you must get back in your vehicle while
ref ueling, make certain that you close
the door and touch metal to discharge
static electricity before touching the fill­
er nozzle again. Static electricity can
cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors
re leased d uring refueling .
- Never smoke or have an open f lame any­
where in o r near your veh icle when refu­
eling or filling a portable fue l conta iner.

Checking and filling Engine compartment
lid
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine compartment!
Whenever you must perform any work in the
engine compartment, for example checking
and filling the different fluids, there is a risk
of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent per­
sonal injury always observe the following
WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a ha zardous area!
¢ &. .
_&. WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check any­
thing under the engine compartment lid:
- Switch off the engine.
- Remove the ignition key.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of R tronic to "N"
(Neutral); put manual transmission in
Neutral.
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the engine compartment lid if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping
from the engine compartment. Wait un­
til no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before carefully opening the en­
gine compartment lid.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool­
ant system is pressurized and hot cool­
ant could spray out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
Checking and filling 169
-If work on the fuel system or the electri­
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames . Fluids in the engine com­
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im­
mediately available .
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in ­
jury while the engine is running or being started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever of R tronic to "N"
(Neutral); put manual transmission in
Neutral.
- Always use extreme caution to prevent clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact­
ing hot parts. Tie back hair before
starting, and wear no clothing that will
hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards¢& .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
•
•

1 7 0 Che cking and filling
(D Note
When adding fluids, a lways make sure that
they are poured into the proper container or filler opening, otherwise serious dam­
age to veh icle systems will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regu larly . If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu­ ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au­
thorized Audi dealer.
Releasing the engine compartment lid
The engine compartment lid is released from
inside the vehicle .
Fig. 137 Driver's side: releasing t he engine co mpart ­
ment lid
Requirement : The ignition must be switched
on.
... Make sure the rear spoiler is retracted
¢page 144 .
... Pull the button @. The eng ine compart­
ment lid opens slightly .
... Open the engine compartment lid
c> ,& .
A WARNING
-
Hot engine coo lant can burn you . To re­
duce the risk of being bu rned, never open
the engine compartment lid if yo u see or
hear steam or coolant escaping from the
eng ine compartment. Wait until no steam
or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the engine compartment
lid.
(D Note
To prevent damage to the vehicle, on ly
open the engine compartment lid when
the convert ible top storage bay lid is
closed.
(D Tips
An emergency re lease can be used if the
engine compartment lid cannot be re­
leased with the button
® ¢ page 171.
Closing the engine compartment lid
... Make sure that the rear spoiler is retracted
Qpage 144.
.,. Pull the eng ine compartment lid down unti l
the pressure from the struts is reduced .
... Press the engine compartment lid closed
Q&. .
A WARNING
A engine compartment lid that is not com­
plete ly latched could fly up and b lock your
view wh ile driving.
- When you close the engine compartment
lid, check it to make sure the safety catch
has properly engaged. The engine com­
partment lid should be flush with the
surrounding vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while driving that the en­
gine compartment lid is not secured
properly, stop at once and close it.