
24 Driver information system
Total-trip memory (Trip computer 2 )
Unlike the single -t rip memory, t he tota l-trip
memory is not rese t autom atically. This per
mits you to eval uate your d riving data for the
enti re pe riod between manual resets.
Fuel range
The e stima ted cruising ra nge in miles (km)
ap pears in the display. The disp lay ch anges in
increments of 6 miles ( 10 km) .
Average fuel mileage
The average fuel economy in MPG (l/ 100 km)
si nce you last clea red the memory appears i n
this displ ay .
Current fuel mileage
The instantaneous fuel consumption in miles
pe r gallo n (l/ 100 km) is shown in this d isplay .
When the ve hicle is stationary, the most r e
cent fuel consumpt ion is di splayed.
Average speed
The average speed in mph (km/h) si nce the
last time the disp lay was reset appears in the
d isplay .
Elapsed time
The length of time that you have been driving
since you last reset the memo ry appears in
this display. The maximum time period that
can be recorded is 999 hou rs and 59 mi nutes.
Distance
The elapsed distance since the last time the
memory was clea red appears i n the display .
The maximum d istance that can be recorded
i s 9,999.9 m iles (9,999 .9 ki lometers) .
@ Tips
All stored values will be lost if the vehicle
battery is disc onnected .
Operation
The trip computer is controlled by two
switches on the windshield wiper lever .
----@
Fig . 11 W ipe r arm/w iper lever: co ntro ls for t he t rip
computer
Select ing the trip computer
.. Tap the I RESE T I button @ unti l the t rip
computer (memory level 1 or 2) appears in
the display
c:> page 23, fig . 10 .
Selecting the functions
., u,
8 ,;.
~
.. Push in t he up per (lower) protr usio n on t he
fu nction selector sw itch ®
c:> fig. 11 . The
functions fo r th e tr ip comp ute r are dis
played in succession on t he respective mem
ory leve ls.
Resetting the fun ction to zero
.. Push the I RESET ! button @ for at least two
seconds .
You can rese t the following values to zero:
- driving time
- d istance
- average fuel mileage
- average speed
T he tri p computer on ly operates whe n the ig
nition is on. When you turn o n the ignition,
t h e function that was in use when you last
turned the ignition off wi ll be displayed .
(D Tips
-Yo u can also set the va lues for t he f unc
tions to zero in the me nu dis play
(Reset )
c:>page 25.
-All stored val ues will be lost if t he vehi
cle battery is d isconnected .

Menu display
Introduction
-----®
Fig . 12 W iper lever: Controls for the men u display
Display Ty e
~Set
• 1r
che c1<:----
Menu off
Fig. 13 D isplay: Start me nu
Some functions in your veh icle can be set, ac
tivated, and controlled by
Menus (e.g. Acous
tic park ass ist*). With these menus you can al
so se lect the info rmation show n in the Driver
Information System, which ope rates only with
the ignition switched on . Operation is cont rol
l ed by the
I RESET ! button and the rocker
sw itch on the w iper lever ¢ fig. 12.
The
Start menu shows you the different dis
play types:
Set
Che ck
Menu off
Each display type in the Start menu contains a
submenu with add itional opt io ns.
Set
Dr iver in formation system 25
C lock
¢ page
26
Tire pressure
¢page200
Computer
¢page 26
Speed warning
¢page30 L ang uage
q page26
Units (distance, fuel consump
tion, temperature) ¢page26
Disp lays (lap timer)
Lights
¢page49
W ipers (se rv ice position)
¢ page55
Doors (unlocking and locking
mode)
¢page34
Check Service
Chassis number
¢page 215
Keys
Menu off The menu display is hidden and
the lap timer appears.

an authorized Audi dealer when there is an
operating prob lem.
Using the climate controls economically
Economical use of the climate controls helps
to save fuel.
When climate con trol is wor king in cool ing
mode, engine performance is red uced and
fuel consumption is affected. To keep the time
the air conditioning is on as short as possib le,
you shou ld do the fo llow ing:
.,. If you wo uld like to save f uel, sw itch the air
conditioning off .
.. If you open the windows whi le driving,
switch the air conditioning off.
.,. If the vehicle is extremely hot due to the
heat of the sun, briefly open doors and win
dows.
@ For the sake of the environment
When you save fuel, you reduce em iss ions
from the vehicle.
Rear window defogger
The rear window defogger clears the rear win
dow of condensation .
.. Press the Iii button <=> page 65, fig. 79 to
turn the rear window defogger on and off.
The rear window defogger wor ks only when
the eng ine is r unning. The indicator light in
the button illuminates when the rear window
defogger is turned on.
The rear window defogger is switched off au
tomatically after approx . 10 minutes .
@ For the sake of the environment
As soon as the rear window is clear, yo u
should switc h the rea r window de fogger
off . The reduced power consumption has a
beneficial effect on f uel consumption.
Warm and c old 69
Heated seats
Applies to vehicles: with heated seats
The seat cushion and the seatback of the
front seats can be heated electrically.
.. Press the heated seats button I-J + I
<=> page 65, fig . 79 to set the leve l of heating
desired.
The range of cont ro ls goes from 1 to 3. The
heat setting selected is shown by LEDs above
the button.
A WARNING
--=
Indiv iduals wit h reduced sens itiv ity to pa in
or temperature could deve lop burns when
using the seat heat ing funct ion. To reduce
the r isk of injury, these ind ividuals should
not use seat heating.
@ Note
To avoid damage to the heat ing e lements
i n the seats, do not kneel on the seats or
place heavy loads o n a small area of the
seat.

Transmission Manual transmission
Gearshift lever
App lies to vehicles: with manual transmission
The clutch pedal must be depressed all the
way before you can start the engine.
T he manual transmission in your Audi is
equipped with an
interlock-feature.
• Depress the clutch pedal all the way.
• Start the engine with the gearshift lever in
Neutral and the clutch pedal depressed.
(D Note
Always depress the clutch pedal fully when
changing gears . Do not hold the vehicle on
a hill with the clutch pedal partially de
pressed. This may cause premature clutch
wear or damage .
@ Tips
- Resting your hand on the gearshift lever
knob while driving will cause premature
wear in the transmission.
- The back-up lights go on when you sh ift
into Reverse w ith the ignition on.
Gearshift pattern (6-speed manual
transmission)
Applies to vehicles: with 6-speed manual transmission
Fig. 86 Gearshift pattern : 6 -speed manual tran smi s
sio n
Drive in 6th gear for optim um fuel economy
when cruising . However, if more acceleration
is required (when passing, for example), shift
down.
Transmission 77
Engaging reverse gear (R)
• Move the shift lever all the way to the left,
press it down, then push it backward.
Especially after driving forward, stop the vehi
cle completely, sh ift into
Neutral and rest the
shift lever br iefly in Neutra l before shift ing in
to
Reverse .
Launch Control Program
Applies to vehicles: with VlO eng ine and manual t ra ns·
miss ion
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 button
Im one time. The ESC indicator light 1B in the
Driver Informat ion System display illumi
nates and the message
ESP sport - Warn
ing! Restricted stability
appears.
• Press the clutch and hold it down.
• Engage the first gear.
• Press the accelerator pedal all the way
down until the engine speed remains steady
at 6500 RPM .
• Release the clutch carefu lly <=> .& ..
A WARNING
- Always adapt your dr iving to the traffic
flow.
- Only use Launch Control when road and
traffic conditions allow it and other dr iv
ers will not be endangered or annoyed by
your driving and the vehicle's accelera
tion.
- Please note that the driving wheels can
spin and the vehicle can break away
when ESC is switched off, especially
when the road is slippery.
- Once you have accelerated, you sho uld
sw itch the ESC back on by pressing the
button
[fil .

150 Driving and en vironm ent
Driving and
environment
Break-in period
A new vehicle must be broken in, and the break-in per iod should be 1,500 miles (2,500
km) . Do not use full acceleration for the first
600 miles (1,000 km) and do not exceed the
maximum eng ine speed of 6,000 rpm You
m ust also not use fu ll acce lerat ion between
600 and 1,200 m iles ( 1,000 to 2,000 km).
Fr om 1,200 to 1 ,500 mi les (2,000 to 2,500
km), you can gradua lly increase maxim um en
gine speed to 8,250 rpm for brief periods.
During the first ho urs of operation, there is
g reater friction in the engine and the trans
mission than later when a ll the moving parts
have broken in.
The way yo u drive duri ng the first 1 ,500 miles
(2,500 km) affects engine quality. If you drive
at moderate engine speeds thereafter, partic
u lar ly when the engine is cold, yo u reduce en
gine wear and increase the potential mileage
of the engine.
Do not drive at RPMs that are too low. Shift
down when the engine is no longer running
"smoothly". Extreme ly high RPMs are gov
erned automa tically.
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when dr iving t hrough water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body .
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed .
.&_ WARNING
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet b rake roto rs and pads. Dry
t he brakes fi rst by bra king carefully to re
sto re the full braking effect .
-
(D Note
Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or e lectrical sys
tem can be severe ly damaged by dr iv ing
through water .
@ Tips
-Check the depth of the water before d riv
ing through it.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
through water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi
cle to drive through safely .
- Avo id driving through salt water because
it can cause corros ion.
Catalytic converter
You must use lead-free gasoline in your veh i
cle, otherwise you will destroy the ca talyt ic
converter .
Never run the fuel tank completely dry; their
regular fue l supply could cause misfires . This
allows unburned fue l into the exhaus t system,
poss ibly resulting in overheating and damage
to the catalytic converter .
.&_ WARNING ,-
-Do not park or operate the vehicle in
a reas where the hot exha ust system may
come in co nta ct with dry g rass, brush,
fue l spills or o ther material which can
cause a fire.
- Do not app ly addition al under coating or
r u stproofing on or nea r the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con
verter or heat shields . Dur ing driving, the
substance used for undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
(D Note
To ensure efficient o peration of the Emis
s ion Control System :

-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>
•
•

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,-
•
•

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.