2012 AUDI R8 SPYDER flat tire

200 Tires and wheels
conditions. Ask your authorized Audi dea ler
for more details.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated
by a numeral of 55 or less in the tire's size
designation. The numera l represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewall height in relation to its
tread width expressed in percentage. Conven­
tional tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more.
The performance of low-aspect -ratio tires is
particularly sensitive to improper inflation
pressure. It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified
pressure and that the inflation pressure is reg ­
ularly checked and maintai ned. Tire pressures
should be checked at least once a month and
a lways befo re a long t rip
~ page 189, Check­
ing tire pressure.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
L ow aspect ratio tires can be damaged more
eas ily by impact with potholes, curbs, gullies
o r ridge5 on the road, particu larly if the tire i5
underinflated.
I n order to minimize the occurrence of impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation
pressures. Check your tire pressure every
2.000 miles (3.000 km) and add air if neces­
sary .
- Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest
authori zed Aud i dealer. Rep lace a damaged
t ir e as soon as possible.
- Inspect your tires every 2.000 miles (3.000 km) for damage and wear . Damage is not al­
ways easy to see. Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, wh ich could eventu ­
ally cause t ire failure . If you believe that a tire
may have been damaged, rep lace the
tire as soon as possible.
- These tires may wear more quickly than oth­
ers.
- Please also remember that, while these tires
delive r responsive handling, they may ride
less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices .
Reduced performance in winter/cold
season conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
t ir es or iginally installed on your vehicle are in­
tended for maximum dry and wet road per­
formance and handling . T hey are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions . If
you drive under those c ircumstances, you
should equ ip your vehicle with winter tires,
which offer better traction under those condi­
tions . We suggest yo u use the recommended
snow tires specified for your vehicle, or their
equivalent.
Refer to~
poge 197 for more detailed infor­
mation regarding winter tires.
Ti re pressure
monitoring system
General notes
Eac h tire, including the spare (if provided),
shou ld be checked mon thly when cold and in­
flated to the inflat ion pressure recommended
by the ve hicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure labe l (If your
vehicle has tires of a different si ze than the
s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in­
flat ion pressure label, you should determine
the proper t ire in flation pressure for those
t ir es .) .
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illum inates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Acco rding­
ly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi­
nates, you shou ld stop and check you r tires as
Ill>-

soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure . Driving on a significant ly un­
der-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation a l­
so reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread l ife,
and may affect the veh icle 's handling and
stopping ab ility.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper t ire maintenance, and it is the dr iv­
er's responsib ility to ma inta in correct t ire
p ress ure , even if under- inflation has not
reached the leve l to t rigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale .
Your veh icle has also been equ ipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicato r to indicate when
the system is not ope rating properly. The
TPMS malfunc tion indica to r i s combined wi th
the low t ire pr essu re tellta le. When the sys ­
tem detec ts a ma lf u nct ion, the te lltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuo usly ill uminated . This se­
q uence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction ex ists.
When the malfunction indicator is ill uminat ­
ed, the system may not be able to detect or
signa l low t ire pressure as intended . TPMS
malfunct ions may occ ur for a variety of rea­
sons, including the ins talla tio n of replace­
ment or a lternate tires o r whee ls on the veh i­
cle that prevent the TPMS from funct io ni ng
p roperly . Always check the TPMS malfunct ion
t ellta le afte r replacing one o r more t ires or
wheels o n your veh icle to ensure tha t the re­
p lacemen t or a lternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly .
Introduction
The tire pressure monitoring system monitors
air pressure in all four road wheels while the
vehicle is moving .
As soon as the tire pressu re mo nitor ing sys­
tem senses a s ignificant loss of a ir pressure in
one or severa l ti res, text messages and yellow
symbo ls appear in the instr ument cluster dis ­
p lay to alert the driver. The
[ti warning light
Tire s an d wheel s 201
in the instrument cluster comes on when the
ti re is significant ly underinflated .
T he wa rni ng lig ht
[ti also illu minates i n the
case of a system mal funct io n.
Be aware that t ire pressure is a lso dependent
o n the tempe ratu re of the t ire. For eve ry 18 ° F
(10 °C) incre ase in tir e te mper ature, tire pres­
s u re inc reases by about 1.5 psi (0 .1 bar). The
ti re warms up while the ve hicle is moving and
tire p ress ure rises . So you sho uld ad just tire
pressure only when they a re
cold, when the
temperature of the tires is ro ughly the same
as the ambient a ir temperature.
In order to keep the tire press ure monito ring
system p roperly ca librated, t ire press ure on
all four tires sho uld be checked at regu lar in­
terva ls.
The tire pressure is shown on the label located
on the dr iver's side B-pillar (v is ib le when the
door is open) .
A WARNING
When the tire pressure mo nitoring system
war ning light is lit , one o r m ore of your
tires is s ignificantly under-infla ted . You
shou ld stop and check your tires as soon as
pos sib le, and in flate t hem to the proper
p ress ure a s in dic ate d on the ve hicle's ti re
p ress ure lab el
¢page 187. Driving on a
significantly under -inflated ti re causes t he
tire to over heat and can lead to tire failure .
Under-inflat ion also is like ly to impair the
vehicle's handling and stopping ab ility.
@ For the sake of the environment
D riving wit h un der -inflated tires red uces
fuel efficiency an d tire t read life.
(D Tips
- E ach tire should be chec ked monthly
w hen the tem perature of the tires is
about the same as amb ient a ir tempera­
t u re and set to the recommended infla­
tion press ure as specified on the tire
pressure label¢
page 187.
•
•

204 What do I do now?
Using TM S, tire damage caused by foreign
bodies up to about
0.16 inch (4 mm ) in diam­
eter can be sealed reliably.
The foreign object must s tay in the t ire.
The tir e sea lant mu st not be us ed :
- for cuts or punctures in the tire which are
larger than 0.16 inch (4 mm)¢ fig. 153
(D
- for damage to the rim@
- if you have been driving with very low tire
pressures or tires with no air @
Using the
TM S is described in the section
¢ page 204, Preliminary steps.
TMS can be used at temperatures down to
-4 °F (- 20 °C).
A WARNING
Take the following preca utions after re­
pairing the tire:
-
- Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/
h)!
- Avoid full-throttle acce leration, heavy
braking an d fast cornering.
- The vehicle's road behavior can be affect­
ed.
- Tires sealed w ith
TMS are intended only
for
temporar y, short-term use . Dam­
aged tires must be replaced . Drive care­
fully to the next professional repair fa­
cility.
- After using the t ire sea lant the tire pres­
sure monitoring system may no longer
work properly. Drive carefully to the next professional repair fac ility.
- TMS must NOT be used,
- for cuts or pu nctures in the ti re whi ch
are larger than 0.16 inch (4 mm)
- for damage to the r im
- if you have been dr iv ing with very low
tire pressures or t ires with no air
- Seek profess ional assistance if it is not
poss ible to repair the tire with the tire
sealant.
- The tire sealant must not come into con­
tact with sk in, eyes or clothing. -
If you get any ti re sea lant in yo ur eyes or
come into contact w ith it, rinse the af­
fected area thoroughly with clean water. Find a phys ician immediately!
- Change any clothing contaminated with
tire sealant immediately.
- Do not inha le the vapor!
- If you have swallowed tire sealant, rinse
your mouth thoroughly right away and
drink plenty of water.
- Do not induce vomit ing! Find a physi­
c ian immediately!
- I f you have allergic react ions, find a
phys ic ian immediately.
- Keep the tire sealant away from children.
(D Note
Do not use commercially avai lab le tire
sealants. The e lectr ica l components of the
tire pressure monitoring system will no longe r work properly.
@) For the sake of the environment
Used sealant bottles ca n be dropped off at
a recycling facility.
(D Tips
- If sea lant has run out, allow it to dry.
Then you can peel it off.
- Have the t ire sea lant rep laced every 4
years at a dealership.
Preliminary steps
Some preliminary steps are necessary for tire
repair.
... If you have a flat tire, park the vehicle as far
as possible from moving traffic .
... App ly the
parking brake firmly.
... Engage a gear.
... Check whether a repair using the Tire Mobi­
lity System is poss ible ¢ page 203 .
... Have all passengers
lea ve the veh icle and
stay away from the danger zone¢.&_ .
... Take the
sea lant bottle and the ele ctri c air
pum p from the luggage compartment un-
de r the floor ¢ page 203, fig. 152. ....

.. Remove the "max. 50 mph" (80 km/h)
sticker from the sealant bottle and affix it to
the instrument cluster in the dr iver's view.
A WARNING
- Turn the hazard flashers on if you have a
flat tire in moving traffic. In this way you
protect yourself and other road users .
- Make sure that all passengers are in a
safe place, out of the dange r zone (fo r
example, behind a guard ra il).
(D Note
Part icular care is necessary if you are mak­
ing a t ire repair on a steep incline.
@ Tips
Obey all laws.
Making a tire repair
Tire repair consists of the following sections.
F ig. 154 Parts of the Tir e Mob ility System
Fig . 1 55 Con nector for the Ti re Mob ility System
l) The e lectr ic a ir pump s houl d never r un for long er than
8 m inute s.
What do I do now ? 205
Assembling Ti re Mobility System
.. Open the lid@ of the e lectr ic air p ump
<:!) fig. 154 .
.. Pull the plug @and the pressure hose ®
w ith the gauge out of the housing .
.. Screw the pressure hose ® of the electric
air pump onto the flange @ of the sealant
bott le @ .
.,. Push the sea lant bottle w ith the flange
down into the recess ® on the lid of the
electric a ir pump.
.. Remove the d ust cap from the va lve of the
defe ctive tire .
.. Screw the hose(§ onto the va lve
0
c::> fig. 155.
.. Insert the plug@¢ fig. 154 into the socket
for the c igarette lighte r.
Inf lating tire
.. Move the switch @ ¢ fig. 155 on the elec­
tric air pump
l} to position I. After 5 mi­
nutes, tire pressure m ust have reached at
least 1.8 bar .
.. Switch the e lectric air pump off -sw itch in
position
0 . If the required tire pressure of at
least 1.8 bar has not been reached, follow
th e instruct ions in the section
Re-inflating
tire .
Re-inflating tire
.. Remove the hose from the valve and pull
the plug out of the socket.
.. Dr ive the veh icle slowly 10 meters back­
ward o r fo rward . This helps to d istribute the
sealant bette r .
.. Remove the empty infla tion bot tle and
s crew the hose ®® ¢
fig. 154 from the
electric pump directly onto the va lve .
.. Insert the plug @ into the socket for the
cigarette lighter .
.. Move the switch @
c::> fig. 155 on the elec­
tr ic air pump
l} to position I. After 5 mi­
nutes, tire pressure must have reached at
least 1.8 bar.

206 What do I do now?
• Switch the electric air pump off -switch in
position
0. If the required tire pressure of at
l east 1.8 bar has not been reached, it is not
poss ible to make a repa ir with the tire seal­
ant. Seek professional ass istance.
Disassembling Tire Mobility System
• Remove the hose from the valve and pull
the p lug out of the socket .
• Screw the dust cap onto the valve.
• Place the empty sealant bottle back in the
original packaging and clip it in place under
the floor so that no tire sealant can run out into the vehicle .
• Start driving r ight away so that the sealant
is distributed in the tire.
.&_ WARNING
- Follow the manufactur er's safety instruc­
tions on the decal for the air pump and
the sea lant bott le .
- If a tire pressure of 1.8 bar cannot be
achieved after pumping for 5 minutes,
the tire is too severely damaged. Do not continue to drive.
- Seek professional assistance if it is not
possible to repair the tire with the tire
sealant.
(D Tips
- Do not operate the electric air pump for
more than 8 min utes without stopping,
otherwise it can overheat. When the air
pump has cooled down, you can continue
to use it.
- If sealant has escaped, allow it to dry,
then you can peel it off.
Final check
After driving for a short distance, t ire pressure
must be checked .
• After driving for about 10 minutes, stop
and check the t ire pressure .
• If tire pressure is still at least 1.3 bar, in­
flate the tire to specified p ressure (see driv­
er's side B-pillar), drive to the next repair shop and have the tire and the sealant
bot­
tle replaced.
• If tire pressure is less than 1.3 bar, the t ire
is too severely damaged. Do not continue to
drive. Seek professional assistance.
.&_ WARNING
If tire pressure is less than 1.3 bar after
driving for 10 minutes, the tire is too se­
ve rely damaged. Do not continue to drive.
Seek professional assistance.
(D Tips
After a tire repair, have the sealant bottle
replaced at a dealership. This restores full
functionality to the Tire Mobility System .
What should I be
aware of when
changing a tire?
Tires with unidirectional tread design
-
Tires with unidirectional tread design must be
mounted with their tread pattern pointed the
right direction.
A unidirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sidewall, which point in the direc­
tion of the rotation. You must follow the
specified direction of rotation. This is necessa­
ry in order for these tires to develop their op­
timum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear, and hydroplaning .
· Anti-theft wheel bolts
A special adopter is needed to turn the anti­
theft wheel bolts.
Fig . 156 A nti-theft wheel bolts wit h adapte r

.. Install the adapter @ as far as it wi ll go on ­
to the anti-theft wheel bolt
(D .
.. Push the wheel wrench over the adapter @
as far as it will go.
.. Loosen or tighten the wheel bolt
i=>page 209.
We recommend a lways keeping the wheel
bolt adapter with you in the vehicle . It should
be stored in the vehicle tool k it.
There is a
co de number for the wheel bolt
l ocking device, stamped on the face of the
adapter . You can use th is number to obtain a
replacement adapter at an authorized Aud i
dealership, if necessa ry .
{!) Tips
Write down the wheel bolt locking dev ice
code number and store it in a safe place,
away from the vehicle.
Raising the vehicle
Ap plies to vehicles: with origina l Audi jack
The vehicle must be li~ed with the jack* first
before the wheel can be removed.
•
Fi g. 157 Sill pane ls: markings
Fig. 158 Sill: posit ion ing the vehicle jack
0 co
~
"' ;g
The description for using the vehicle jack only
appl ies to the or ig inal jack* (no t a veh icle
What do I d o now ? 207
component; contact your authorized Audi
dealer if needed) .
.,. Engage the
parking brak e to prevent your
veh icle from rolling unintentionally .
.. Shift into 1st gear.
.. Find the
liftin g po int in the sill on the side
w ith the affected wheel
c:> fig. 157 .
.. Extend the jack under the lifting point on
the door s ill until its arm is positioned di­
rectly under the lifting point
c:> /.1. .
.,. Align the jack so that its arm @c::> fig. 158
engages in the designated lifting point in
the door s ill and the movable base @ lies
flat on the ground. The base @ must be
ver­
tical
under the lifting point @ .
.. Wind the jack up further until the flat tire
comes
off the ground c:> /.1. .
Position the veh icle jack only under the desig­
nated lifting points on the sill ¢
fig. 157.
There is exactly one locat io n for eac h side of
the vehicle . The jack must not be positioned
at any other location
c:> & c:>Q) .
An un stable surfac e under the jack can cause
the ve hicle to slip
off the jack . Always provide
a firm base for the jack on the ground . If nec­
essary place a sturdy board or simi lar s upport
under the jack. On
hard , sl ipper y sur faces
(such as tiles) use a rubber mat or similar to
prevent the jack from slipping c::>
&.
A WARNING
-You or your passengers co uld be in jured
while changing a wheel if you do no t fo l­
low safety precautions:
- Position the vehicle jack on ly at the
designated lifting points and align the
jack. Otherwise, the vehicle jack could slip a nd cause an injury if it does not
have sufficient hold o n the vehicle.
- A soft or unstable surface under the
jac k may cause the ve hicle to slip off
the jack . Always provide a firm base for
the jack on the ground. If necessary, u se a st urdy board under the jack.

Tightening wheel bolts
~ Fit the wheel bolt wren ch over the wheel
bolt and push it down as far as it will go
1l.
~ Close your gr ip around the end of the
wrenc h handle fo r maximum torque and
turn each whee l bolt
clockwi se u nti l it sits
t ight.
H ave the
tightening torque of the whee l bolts
checked as soon as possible with a torque
wrench. It shou ld be 120 Nm.
Chec k the
tir e pre ssure as soon as possible .
Return the vehicle tool kit to its proper place .
A WARNING
Loosening the wheel bo lts is prohib ited;
da nger of an accident!
@ Tips
- Never try and use the hexagona l socke t
i n the handle of the screwdr iver to loos­
en or tighten the w heel bolts.
- If yo u have dete rm ined t hat wheel bolts
a re cor roded and difficult to t urn, the
bo lts must be rep laced befo re checking
the to rque.
- Unti l the tig hte ning torque is checked,
d rive at redu ced speeds as a precaution .
Notes on wheel change
Please read the information ¢ page 193, New
tires and replacing tires and wheels ,
if you are
going to use a spare t ire which is different
from the tires on you r veh icle.
Afte r you change a tire :
- Check the tire pressure on the spare imme­
diately after mounting.
- Have the wheel bolt t ightening torque
chec ked w ith a torq ue wrench as soon as
poss ib le by your author ized A udi dealer or a
qualified service sta tion .
1) You need t he appro pria te adapte r to t ig hte n th e an ti­
t h eft whee l bolt s
c:> page 206 .
What do I do now? 209
- With stee l and alloy wheel rims, the whee l
bolts are correctly tightened at a torque of
90 ft lb (120 Nm) .
- If you notice while changing a tire that the
wheel bo lts are corroded and difficu lt to
turn, then they shou ld be rep laced before
you check the tightening torque.
- Replace the flat tire with a new one and
have it installed on your vehicle as soon as
possible . Remount the wheel cover.
Until then , d riv e with e xtra care and at re­
duced speeds.
A WARNING
- If you are going to equ ip your vehicle
with tires or rims which differ from those
which were facto ry installed, then be
sure to read the information ¢
page 193,
New tires and replacing tir es and
wheels.
- Always sto re the tools secu rely in lug­
gage compartment. Othe rwise, in a n ac­
cident o r su dden maneuver they cou ld fly
forwdrd, CciU5ing injury to pd55enger5 in
the vehicle.
(D Note
Do not use comme rcially avai lab le tire
sea lants . Otherwise, the e le ctr ic al compo­
nen ts of t he tire p ressu re monitoring sys­
tem * wi ll no longe r work proper ly and the
sensor fo r the tire pressure mon itor ing
system will have to be rep laced by a quali­
fied workshop.
Jump-starting
General
If necessary, the engine can be started by
connecting it to the battery of another vehi­
cle.
If the engi ne should fail to start because of a
discharged or weak battery, the battery can be
II>
•
•

224 Index
State of charge ............... .... . 147
Vehicles not driven for long periods . .. 178
Winter operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178, 179
Working on the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Battery voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Before driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Blended gasoline .............. .... . 164
Booster seats ............. .. .. .... . 13 7
Brake system Anti -lock brake system ........ .. .... 16
Brake assist system ......... .. .. .. . 142
Brake fluid ....................... 178
Brake light defective ................ 18
Brake power assist unit ............. 145
Brakes ... .. ................ ..... . 145
Ceramic brakes ............ ... .... . 145
Malfunc tion .............. ... .... .. 13
Warning/indicator lights ....... .... .. 13
Worn brake pads symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Break-in period .............. .. .... . 150
Bulbs ...... ........... ........ ... . 214
C
California Proposition 65 Warning ..... 169
Battery specific ............... .... 180
Capacities ... ................ ..... . 217
Carbon-fiber parts Exterior .. ................. .. .. .. . 157
I nter ior .. ................. .. .. .. . 159
Car care ... .. ................ ... ... 153
Cargo area
refer to L uggage compartment . . . . . . . . 96
Car key .. .... ............... .. .. .. .. 32
Catalytic converter ......... .. .. .. .. . 150
Certification ................. ..... . 222
Changing a flat tire .................. 206
Chassis
refer to Audi magnetic ride ..... .. .... 75
Checking Engine coolant level .......... ... .. . 176
Tire pressure ................. .... . 189
Child restraints
Danger of using child restraints in the
front seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Where can I get additional information
about child restraints and their use? .. 141 Child safety
..... .. ............. .... 130
Convertible locking retractor ......... 138
Impo rtant safety instructions for using
child safety seats .............. .... 133
Important things to know when driving
with children .. .. ................ . 130
Child safety seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Booster seats .... ................. 137
Convertible child seats ............. 136
Convertible locking retractor ....... .. 138
How do I properly install a child safety
seat in my vehicle? ....... ...... .. .. 133
Infant seats ..... ................ . 135
Installing . ................... .... 138
Safety instructions ............. .. .. 133
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Cleaning Alcantara (synthetic suede) ....... ... 161
Engine compartment ........... .... 162
Exhaust tail pipes . ............. .. .. 158
Fabrics and fabric coverings . .. ... ... 159
Leather .......................... 161
Matte finish paint ................. 155
Radio and navigation display ..... .. .. 158
Safety belts . .. .. ............. .. .. 162
Cleaning and protection ... ....... .. .. 153
Cleaning the navigation display .... .. .. 158
Cleaning the radio display ............ 158
Climate controls . .. ... .......... .... . 65
Dust filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6S
Heating .......... .... ........... .. 65
Pollen filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Clock ............................... 9
Closing Engin e compartment lid . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Clutch overheating .... ......... ... .. . 19
Cold tire inflation pressure ........ .. .. 187
coming home . .. .. ............... ... 49
Compass mirror ... ... ......... ... .. . 57
Compliance ..... .. ................. 222
Consumer Information . . . . . . . . . . . 97, 219
Contacting NHTSA . ... .......... .. ... 97
Controls and displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Convertible child safety seats . .. ...... 136