
88 Homelin k®
Homelink ®
Universal remote
control
General information
The Homelink universal remote control can
be programmed with hand-held transmitters
from existing equipment.
You must first program the Homelink ® trans
mitter before you can use the system
~ page 88, Programming the Homelink ®
transmitter.
In order to program the Homelink® transmit
ter for devices utilizing rolling code, a second person on a ladder who can safely reach the
garage door opener motor is recommended.
It is also necessary to locate the "learn" but
ton on your garage door opener motor . Refer
to the operating instructions for the opener,
as the location and color of this button may
vary by manufacturer .
You can still use the original remote control
for the device at any time.
A WARNING
-
- Never use the Homelink® transmitter
with any garage door opener that does
have not the safety stop and reverse fea
ture as required by federal safety stand
ards. This includes any garage door open
er model manufactured before April 1,
1982.
- A garage door opener which cannot de
tect an object, signaling the door to stop
and reverse does not meet current feder
al safety standards. Using a garage door
opener without these features increases
risk of serious injury or death.
- For safety reasons never release the
parking brake or start the engine while
anyone is standing in front of the vehicle.
- A garage door or an estate gate may
sometimes be set in motion when the
Homelink ® remote control is being pro
grammed. If the device is repeatedly ac- tivated, this can overstrain motor and
damage its electrical components
-an
overheated motor is a fire hazard!
- To avoid possible injuries or property
damage, please always make absolutely
certain that no persons or objects are lo
cated in the range of motion of any
equipment being operated.
{!) Tips
- If you would like more information on
Homelink ®, where to purchase the
Homelink ® compatible products, or
would like to purchase the Homelink®
Home Lighting Package, please call toll
free: 1-800-355-3515.
- For Declaration of Compliance to United
States FCC and Industry Canada regula
tions ~
page 222.
Programming the Homelink ®
transmitter
The transmitter is programmed in two phas
es. For rolling code transmitters, a third
phase is also necessary.
~----------------- ~ ,:.
~
Fig. 101 Overhead console: Homeli nk® keypad
I
'-..~0000 - - ,r.;-_ - -
Fig. 102 Fro nt bumper , driver side : loc ation of trans -
mi tter unit ..,_

Phase 1:
p rogramming th e overh ead k eypad
1. Make sure your vehicle is wit hin operating
range of the remote controlled garage
door opener.
2. Set the parking brake
q A in General in
formation on page 88.
3 . Turn the ignition on . Do not start the en
g ine!
4. P ress and hold the two outs ide Home
Link ® buttons
(D and @for approxi
mately 20 seconds until indicator light @
¢fig. 101 begins to flash . Then release
both buttons. Do not ho ld the buttons for
longer than 30 seconds.
.,. This procedure only needs to be performed
once . It erases the factory-set default codes
and does not have to be repeated to pro
gram add it ional remote controls.
S. P ress and hold the Home Link ® button
(D ,
® or @ until the indicato r ligh t@
starts flashing
slowly. Re lease the bu tton.
.,. The system will remain in programming
mode for 5 minutes . Co to the front of the
vehicle and proceed with phase 2 .
Phase 2:
programmin g th e bumper mounted tran s
m itter
6. Hold the original remote control at a dis
tance between 0 -6 in. (0 -15 cm) from the
bumper below the appropriate headlight
for your vehicle
c:!;> fig. 102 (use the short
est distance possib le).
7 . A im the remote con trol just be low the
driver sid e head light.
8. P ress and hold the activation button on
the remote contro l.
.,. May be different in Canada.
If so, press and
re-press (cycle) the act ivation button on your
remote control every two seconds.
9. The emergency flashers will flash
three
time s
(after about 15-60 seconds) when
the programm ing is successful. Release
the butto n on the remote control.
.,. To program more devices, repeat steps 4 to
9.
Homelink ® 89
10. Press and hold the tra ined Homelink ®
button and observe the indicator light @
qfig. 101 .
.,. If the indicator light is solid/contin uous,
programm ing is complete and your device
should activate when you press and release
the t ra ined Homel ink® button .
.,. If the ind icator light blinks rapidly fo r 2 sec
onds and is the n a solid/continuous light,
p roceed w ith phase 3 to program a roll ing
code device.
Phase 3: rolling code programming
.,. A second pe rson on a ladder who can safely
reach the garage door opene r motor is rec
ommended .
11. Lo ca te the "learn" button on the ga rage
doo r opener motor ( re fer to the operating
instructions for the opener, as t he loca
tion of t his button may vary by man ufac
turer).
12. Press and re lease the learn button on the
garage door opener motor .
.,. Not e: once the button is pressed, there are
30 s econds in wh ich to in it iate the next
step.
13. On t he Homelink ® keypad inside the vehi
cl e, firmly press and ho ld the Homel in k®
bu tton prev iously programmed in phases
1 and 2 for two seconds and release. Re
peat this sequence
twice.
.,. Some vehicles may require the press/hold/
release sequence up to three times to com
plete t he trai ning process .
.,. Homelink ® should now activate your rolling
code equipped device.
If the S m inute time limit is exceeded, the
emergency flash ers will flash one time to in
dicate that the p rocess has been te rm inated.
In this case, repeat steps 4 t hrough 9.
If the emergency flashers do not flash
three
times (after about lS-60 seconds), program ming was not successful. In this case, repeat
steps 4 through 9 .
Remote contro l units for garage door openers
in Canada are set to stop transmitting radio
frequency sig nals afte r two seconds. This t ime
Ill-

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 .,.
•
•

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.
•
•

-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.

158 Cleaning and protection
You shou ld also clean the inside of the win
dow g lass at regular intervals.
The cloth or chamois used on paint surfaces
con tains wax res idue. Use a separa te cloth or
chamois to d ry the window glass.
Cl eaning the rear window
Aud i recommends cleaning the window us ing
a soft cotton clot h and water m ixed wi th
clean ing solution or window cleaner (1:1 mix
ture) . To avoid streaks, do not wipe the win
dow dry with paper towels.
D o not use any clea ning so lutions that conta in
ammonia, acids , si licone or fl uo ride or clean
ers that are abrasive or co uld cause sc ratches.
Do not use any alkaline cleaning solutions.
A WARNING
- The windshie ld m ust not be treated with
water-repe llent materials. They can in
crease glare under poor visib ility condi
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the horizon. In addi
t ion, they can cause the windshield wip
ers to chatte r.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 153.
(D Note
-Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors.
This could cause the glass to crack .
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
sticke rs on the inside of the rear window
over the wires.
- To help prevent d irt from scratch ing the
window, always scrape in a forward d i
r ection - pushing the scraper away from
you - never back and forth .
Wheels
Regular care is required to preserve the deco
rative appearance of the wheels . Road sa lt
and brake dust must be washed off regu larly
or the wheels wi ll be damaged. Use only special acid-free cleaning agents
. You
can find proper wheel cleaner at authorized
Audi dealers and specia lty stores . Do not leave
the cleaner on the wheels longer than speci
fied. Wheel cleaners contain ing acid can dam
age the surface of the wheel bolts .
Pa int polish or other abrasive materials must
not be used when caring for wheels . If the
protective coat ing has been damaged, from
stones for example, touch up the damage as
soon as possible.
A WARNING ,__
- Moisture and ice on b rakes may affect
b rak ing eff ic iency -
¢ page 145, Braking.
Test the b rakes carefully after each veh i
cle wash.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNI NGS and
the informa tion
¢page 153.
Exhaust tail pipes
-
Road salt and other corrosive materials will
damage the material in the exhaust tail pipes
if they are not cleaned regularly. Do not clean
the tail pipes with wheel cleaner, pa int polish,
chrome polish or other abrasive cleaners.
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
that are suitable for sta inless steel.
Your authorized Audi dea ler can provide clean
ing products that have been tested and ap
proved for your vehicle.
Care of interior
Radio and navigation display
T he display may be cleaned with a soft cloth
and commercially-avai lab le "LCD cleaner".
The cloth should be coated lightly when the
cleaning solution when cleaning the display.
(D Note
To prevent scratches, only clean the display when it is dry.