2012 AUDI R8 SPYDER ECO mode

132 Child Saf ety
typical 1 year -old chi ld, the Advanced Airbag
System compares the weight meas ured by the
weight sensing mat with the in format ion stor­
ed in the electron ic contro l unit.
The electron ic contro l unit a lso registers the
tension on the front passenge r safety belt.
The tens ion on the safety be lt fo r the front
passenger seat will be d ifferent for an adult
who is properly using the safety belt as com­
pared to the tension on t he be lt whe n it is
used to attach a child restraint to the seat.
The senso r below the latch fo r the safety be lt
fo r the front seat passenger measu res the
tension on the be lt. T he inp ut from this sen­
sor is then used with the we igh t to "decide",
whether there is a chi ld restraint with a typica l
1 year-o ld child o n the front passenger seat
and whether or not the airbag must be turned
off.
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regardless of the ch ild restraint that you use,
make sure tha t it has been ce rtified to meet
Un ited States Fede ral Motor Vehicle Safety
S tanda rds a nd has been cer tified by its manu­
facture r fo r u se wit h an air bag. If i n excep­
tional circumstances yo u m ust use it on the
front passenge r seat, caref ully read all of the
info rmation on c hild safety an d Advanced Air­
bags and heed a ll of the app licable WARN­
INGS. Make certai n that t he child restraint is
correctly recognized by the weig ht-sensing
mat i nside the front passenger seat, that the
fro nt passenge r airbag is tur ned off and that
the airbag status is a lways correctly signaled
by the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light .
Many types and models of child restra ints
have been ava ilable over the years, new mod­
e ls ar e introduced regularly incorporat ing new
a nd improved designs a nd older models are
taken out of p ro du ction. Child res traints are
not stan dardized . Ch ild restra ints o f the same
type typically have different weights and s izes
a nd d ifferent 'footprints,' the s ize and s hape
of the bottom o f the child restraint that sits
on the seat, when they are installed on a veh i­
cle seat. These differences make it virtually impossible to certify compliance wi
th t he re ­
quirements for a dvanced airbags with eac h
and every ch ild restra int that has ever been
sold in the past or wi ll be sold over the course
of the useful life of your veh icle.
For t his reason, the United States National
Hig hway T raffic Safety Adm inistrat ion has
published a list of spec ific type, ma kes and
m odels of child restraints that must be used
to certify comp liance of the Advanced Airbag
System i n your veh icle w ith the su ppr ession
r equirem ents of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standa rd 208. These chi ld restraints a re :
Subpart A -Car bed child restraints
Model
Angel Guard Angel
R ide AA 2403F OF Manufactured on or
after
September 25, 2007
Subpart B - Rear-facing child restraints
Model
Century Sm art Fi t
4 543
Cosco Arriva
22 -013PAW and base
22-999 WHO
Evenflo Discove ry Ad­
just Right 212
E venflo First Choice
2 04
Graco Infant 8457
G raco Snug ride
Peg Perego Pr im o Vi­
aggio SIP IMU NOOUS Manufactured on or
after
D ecembe r 1, 1999
Septemb er 25, 20 07
Decembe r 1, 1999
D ecember 1, 1 999
Decembe r 1, 1999
September 25, 2007
September 25, 2007
Subpart C -Forward-facing and
convertible child restraints '
.
'
.
Model Manufactured on or
·
B rita x Round about
E 9 L0 2xx after
Sep
tember 25, 2007
Cosco Touriva 02519 Decemb er
1, 1999
'

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 .,.
•
•

172 Checking and filling
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the
right kind of oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated
powerplant that was built to exacting specifi­
cations. This engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding
quality and viscosity so that it can run
smoothly and reliably. Choosing the right oil
and changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet matters a lot more to­
day than it did years ago. Audi has developed
a special quality standard for engine oil that
will help assure that your vehicle's engine will
get the lubrication it needs for proper opera­
tion .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quan­
tum leap in the last few years. Many synthetic
oils available today provide better engine lu­ brication that can outlast traditional petrole ­
um-based oils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your Audi .
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum­ based engine oil, the oil that you use must
conform to Audi's oil quality standard
VW 502 00 to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help prevent the for­
mation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
"sludge," that over time can lead to expensive
repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oils available in
the U.S. and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean,
however, that every synthetic engine oil will
meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00 . So always
be sure that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful de­ posits use only oil with the following specifi­
cations printed on the oil container :
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specifica­
tion singly or in combination with other desig­ nations and oil quality standards.
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their vis­
cosity . The proper viscosity grade oil for your
engine depends on climactic or seasonal con­
ditions where you drive. You can use oil with a
viscosity grade of SAE SW40 across all tem­
perature ranges for normal driving conditions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE
SW40 is not available, you can also use viscos­
ity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as
it meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00
specifications.
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil
standard may not be available everywhere
when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that expressly conforms to the
VW 502 00 specification, in case you have to
top off the oil while on the road.
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick - and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 502 00 specifications is available -may
you top off with a high quality engine oil, pref­
erably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3
or API SM specifications, but even then, only
in viscosity grades SAE SW-40, SAE SW-30, or
SAE OW-40. However, during the entire time
between oil change intervals, never top off
with more than a total of 1 qt/liter engine oil
that does not conform to Audi oil specification
vw 502 00.
For more information about engine oil that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at www.audiusa.com or
www .audicanada .ca. Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names etc.) that conform to Audi oil standard
vw 502 00.
Changing the engine oil

A WARNING
-While top ping off, the oil must not come
in contact with hot engine pa rts -fire
hazard!
- The oil fille r cap must be prope rly se­
cured to preve nt o il from being sprayed
on the hot engine and exhaust system
when the eng ine is r unning -fire hazard!
- If your skin has come in contact w ith the
engine oil, yo u must subseque ntly
cl eanse it tho roughly.
(D Note
- The oil level must not be above range G)
- danger of conver ter or eng ine damage!
Co ntact an authorized Audi dea ler to
draw off oil, if necessa ry.
- Audi does not recommend the use of oil
additiv es. They may damage the engine
and adverse ly affec t your New Vehicle
Warr an ty.
@) For the sake of the environment
- Under no ci rcumstances ca n the o il come
i n cont act w it h the sewage network o r
the soil.
- Observe and fo llow lega l regu lations
when d isposing of empty oil con taine rs.
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The coolant provides cooling for the engine.
The percentage of the coolant additive deter­
mines the freeze protection of the coolant in the winter.
The cooling system is sea led and generally re­
q ui res little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the fac ­
tory with a permanent coolant which does not
need to be changed. The coolant consists of a
mixture o f water and the man ufacture r's g ly­
col-based coolant additive Gl3 ant ifreeze
w ith a nticorros ion add itives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canad ian models). This mix­
ture bot h assures the n ecessary frost protec-
Checkin g and fillin g 175
tion and protects meta l components in t he
engine's cooling system from corrosio n and
sca ling . It a lso raises the boiling point of the
coolant.
Do not reduce the concen tration of the cool ­
ant in the s ummer by adding p lai n wate r.
The
proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50 % but not more than 60 %
to main­
ta in antifreeze protect io n and coo ling eff ic ien­
cy. If the coo la nt frost protection is too low,
t h e coolant could freeze and damage the vehi­
cle heating and engine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory fo r temperatures dow n to:
- -31°F( -35°C)USA
- -40 °F ( -40 °C) Canada .
A WARNING ~
Before you chec k anything in the engi ne
compartment, always read and heed a ll
WARNINGS¢
& in Working in the engine
compartment on page 169.
-
(D Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coo lant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli ­
mate condit ions. This is especially impor­
t ant if you l ive i n a region where the win-
t er is extremely cold. If necessary, in-
cr ea se t he p ropo rtion of coo lant add itive
t o 6 0%.
- Whe n ad ding coolant addi tiv e to yo ur
c oo ling sys te m , reme mbe r:
- We recommend using on ly coo lant ad­
d itive Gl2 ++ or Gl3 (check the labe l)
for your vehicle. This coolant additive is ava ilable at authorized Aud i dea lers .
Othe r ty pes of antifreeze ca n sig nifi­
ca ntly reduce cor ros io n protec tion . The
r esu lting co rrosion can cause a loss of
coo lant a nd serio us e ng ine da mage.
- Do not add any type of rad iator l eak seal­
ant to yo ur vehicle's engi ne coo lant .
A dd ing radia to r r epair f luid m ay adverse-
ly affect the f unction and pe rformance of .,.. •
•

188 Tire s and wheel s
The table below lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the Audi model
covered by your Owner's Literature at the vehi- cle's capacity weight and the ti
re sizes instal­
led on the respective models as original
equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine
(dis­
place­
ment in Tire designation
Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
normal load full load normal load full load condition condition condition condition
liter )
a -cylin­
der
4 .2
inder
5.2 235
/3 5 R1 9 9 1 V
XL
295 /30 R19 100V X L
305 /30 R1 9 10 2V X L
235 /35 R19 91 V X L
295 /30 R1 9 100V XL
305 /30 R19 102V X L
XL= reinfor ced
PSI
45
Because tec hnical changes may be made to
vehicle equ ipment dur ing the model yea r, al­
ways compare the tire size designation on the
tire pressure labe l on you r vehi cle w it h the
tires on your vehicle. Ma ke s ure that the ti re
size information on the veh icle label is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle.
This is especially important if the vehicle be­
longs to someone else or you bought the vehi­
cle with different rims/tires or you bought the
vehicle as a previously owned vehicle.
Remember, your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on mak ing sure that
load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load in­
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
vehicle . These load lim its are technically refer­
red to as the vehicle's G ross Vehicle We ight
Rati ng ("GVWR"). The G ross Ax le Weight Rat­
i ng ("GAWR") is the max imum load that can
be app lied at each o f the veh icle's two axles.
The G ross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance stic ker labe l located either
on the driver's side B-pillar. The tire pressure
labe l on your Audi lists the maximum com­
b ined weight of all of the occupants and lug­
gage or other cargo that the veh icle can carry.
For the location of the tire pressure label
¢ fig. 148.
kPA PSI kPA PSI
310 45 310
41
41
kPA PSI
280 41
280 41
kPA
280
280
280
280
.&_ WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss o f ve­
h icle cont ro l, a crash o r other accident, se ­
r ious pe rsonal injury, and even death.
- Ca rrying more we igh t than your veh icle
was designed to car ry wi ll prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in­
crease the risk of a loss of vehicle con­
trol.
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
veh icle w ith in a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been over load­
ed can fail s uddenly caus ing loss of con­
trol and a crash.
.&_ WARNING
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can lead to a serious or fatal acci­
dent.
- Inco rrect tire pressures and/or underin­
f lation cause increased tire wear and can
affect the handling of the vehicle.
- Inco rrect tire pressures and/or underin­
f lation can a lso lead to s udden t ire fail­
ure, including a blowout and sudden de­
fl ation, ca using loss of veh icle cont ro l.

196 Tire s and wheel s
The insta llation of replacement tires with
steel cord body plies in the tire sidewall may
cause ma lfunction of the tire pressure mon i­
toring system, and is not recommended (cord material information in molded on the t ire
sidewall) .
A lways check your tire pressure monitoring
system ind icator after replacing one or more
tires on your vehicle. If the tire pressure mon i­
toring system ind icator flashes, or is on, your
system is not work ing properly.
A WARNING
- Us ing incorrect or unmatched ti res and/
o r wheels or imp roper tire and whee l
c ombin ations can lead to loss of contro l,
co llision and serious persona l injury.
- Always use tires, rims and wheel bo lts
that meet the specifications of or ig inal
f ac to ry-installed t ires or other combina ­
tions that have been spec ifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manufacturer .
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fail suddenly, es pecially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
o ld can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at lower
speeds .
- Never mount used tires on your vehicle if
you a re not sure of their "previous histo­ ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to s udden tire failure
and loss o f vehicle control.
- Only t he wheel/tire s izes spec ified by t he
ma nufactu rer may be used o n veh icles
with all-wheel dr ive.
- N ever drive faste r th an the maxim um
speed for whi ch the tires o n your ve hicle
are ra ted because ti res that are driven
f as ter than their rated speed can fail
s u dden ly .
- Overloading t ires cause heat build- up,
s u dden tire failure, incl uding a blowout
and sudden deflation and loss of control. -
Temperature grades apply to tires that
are properly inflated and not over or un­
derinflated.
- For technica l reasons it is not always
possible to use whee ls from other vehi­
cles -in some cases not even wheels
from the same ve hicle model.
- Do not use run-flat tires on yo ur vehicle.
Using run-flat t ires ca n lead to veh icle
damage or crashes .
@ Note
- For technical reasons, it is not generally
poss ible to use the w heel rims from oth­
er ve hicles . Th is can hold true for wheels
of the same vehicle type .
- If you should put different wheels and
tires on your veh icle (e.g . winter wheels
and tires), you must be certain that the
wheels and tires are compatible with the ti re pressure monitor ing system. Other ­
w ise the system will regi ste r a mal func­
t ion and a fa ult message w ill be dis­
played. For more information, contact
your authorized Audi dealer.
(D Note
- When installing new tires, be care ful not
to damage the va lves or tire pressure
monitoring system sensors.
- N ever drive without the valve stem cap.
The va lves co uld get damaged.
- If the sensors must be replaced, then
the valve must also be replaced at the
same time .
@ For the sake of the environment
Dis pose o f old tires in accordance with the
l ocal requirements .
@ Tips
Tires with the iden tific ation "ROl " have
been specially matched with you r A udi. We
r ecommend using on ly these tires because
they meet the highest standards rega rding
safety and driving characteristics when used correctly . Your authorized Aud i R8

the wheel bolts. These are available from au­
thorized Audi dealers.
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehi­
cle or installing them incorrectly can in­
crease the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
- Snow chains are available in different
sizes. Always make sure to follow the in­
structions provided by the snow chain
manufacturer .
- When driving with snow chains, never
drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow chains.
- Always observe local regulations.
- Remove snow chains before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wearing the snow
chains down unnecessarily.
- Snow chains, which come into direct con­
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or
damage it. Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitably covered . Check
the position of the snow chains after
driving a few yards and correct if neces­
sary. Follow the instructions from the
snow chain manufacturer when doing so.
(D Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer­
tain roads, this normally also applies to ve­
hicles with all-wheel drive.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque.
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
factory installed rims. If different rims are fit­
ted, the correct wheel bolts with the right
length and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted
securely and that the brake system functions
correctly .
Tires and wheels 199
In certain circumstances, you may not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same model
r:!> page 221.
A WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel
bolts can become loose causing loss of
control, a collision and serious personal in­
jury.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clean so the
wheel bolts can turn easily and be prop­ erly tightened.
- Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and
the threads in the wheel hubs. They can
become loose while driving if greased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specified
torque.
- Only use wheel bolts that belong to the
rim being installed.
- Never use different wheels bolts on your
vehicle.
-Always maintain the correct tightening
torque for the wheel bolts to reduce the
risk of a wheel loss. If the tightening tor­
que of the wheel bolts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi­
cle is moving.
If the tightening torque is
too high, the wheel bolts and threads
can be damaged and the wheel can be­
come loose.
(D Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is
90 ft lb (120 Nm) with a tolerance of ± 7 .4
ft lb( ± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bolts diago­
nally. After changing a wheel, the torque
must be checked as soon as possible with a
torque wrench -preferably by an author­
ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect
ratio tires. These tires have been thoroughly
tested and been selected specifically for your model for their superb performance, road feel
and handling under a variety of driving
IJ,,
•
•

Consumer Information
Warranty coverages
Your Audi is covered by the following war­
ranties:
- New Vehicle Limited Warranty
- Limited Warranty Against Corrosion Perfo-
ration
- Emissions Control System Warranty
- Emissions Performance Warranty
- California Emissions Con trol Warranty (USA
vehicles only)
- California Emissions Performance Warranty
(USA vehicles only)
Detailed information regarding your warran ­
ties can be found in your
Warranty & Mainte­
nance booklet .
Operating your vehicle
outside the U.S.A. or
Canada
Government regulations in the United States
and Canada require that automobiles meet
specific emission regulations and safety
standards. Therefore, veh icles built for the
U.S.A. and Canada differ from vehicles sold in
other countries .
If you p lan to take your vehicle outside the
continental limits of the United States or Can­
ada, there is the possibility that
- unleaded fuels for vehicles with cata lytic
converter may not be available;
- fuel may have a considerably lower octane
rating . Improper fuel may cause engine
damage ;
- service may be inadequate due to lack of
proper service facilities, tools or testing
equipment ;
- replacement parts may not be readily availa­
ble.
- Navigation systems for vehicles built for the
U.S.A. and Canada will not necessari ly work
in Europe, and may not work in other coun­
tries outside of North America.
Consumer Information 219
@ Note
Audi cannot be responsible for mechanical
damage that could result from inadequate
fuel, service or parts availability.
Audi Service Repair Manuals and Literature
Audi Offic ial Factory Service Manuals and Lit ­
erature are published as soon as possible after
model introduction. Service Manuals and liter­
atu re are availabl e to order from the Audi
T echnical Literature Ordering Center at:
https: //www.a udi.techliterature.com
Maintenance
' General
Your vehicle has been designed to help keep
maintenance requirements to a minimum.
However, a certain amount of regular mainte­
nance is still necessary to assure your vehicle's
safety, economy and rel iability . For detailed
vehicle maintenance consult your Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet.
Under difficult operating conditions, for ex­
ample at extremely low outside temperatures,
in very dusty regions, etc., some service work
shou ld be pe rformed between the intervals
specified. This applies particularly to:
- oil changes, and
- cleaning or replacing the air fi lter.
@ For the sake of the environment
By regu larly maintaining your vehicle, you
help make sure that emission standards
are maintained, thus min imizing adverse
effects on the environment.
Important considerations for you and
your vehicle
T he increasing use of electron ics, soph isticat­
ed fuel injection and emission control sys­
tems, and the generally increasing technica l
complexity of today's automobiles, have ..,_
•
•