2012 AUDI R8 SPYDER oil temperature

8 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Instruments and warning/indicator Lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster and controls
The instrument cluster is your central source of information.
Fig. 3 Overv iew of the inst rument cluster
(D Eng ine oil temperature . . . . . . . 8
@ Tachometer with time and date
display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 9
® Warning/indicator lights . . . . . 11
© Coolant temperature gauge . . . 9
® Fuel gauge........... .... .. 10
@ Speedometer w ith odometer . . 10
(i) Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
@ Set/Check button . . . . . . . . . . . 9
® Driver information display . . . . 21
@ I RESET ! button for trip odome-
ter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The illumination for the instrument cluster
lights up whenever you switch on the ignition
with the
vehicle headlights off. The gauges
are also illuminated when the lights are
turned on.
Engine oil temperature display
The engine oil temperature display Q page 8,
fig. 3 only operates with the ignition on . To
prevent engine damage, please observe the
following important points concerning the
temperature ranges.
Cold range
If the needle is at the bottom of the gauge,
the engine oil has not reached operat ing tem­
perature yet . Avoid high engine speeds, full
throttle applicat ions and heavy engine loads .
Normal range
The engine has reached operating tempera­
ture when the needle moves into the center of
the gauge under normal driving conditions .
The needle may move higher on the gauge
with heavier engine load at high outs ide tem­
peratures. This is not a cause for concern as
long as the . indicator light in the display
does not flash.
Warning light .
If the symbol . in the display flashes, ei­
ther the engine oil temperature is too high or
the engine o il level is too low
Q page 174 .
If
the needle is well in the upper area of the
gauge, the engine oil temperature is too high .
Stop the vehicle, switch the engine off and
allow it to cool.
If the warning l ight comes on
again after driving a short distance, contact
an authorized Audi dea ler.

10 Instrum ents a nd warning /indic ato r li ghts
Stop the vehicl e, sw itch the engin e off and
allo w it to coo l.
If the warning light comes on
again after driving a short distance, contact
an authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always observe the warning in
¢ page 169, Working in the engine
compartment
before open ing the engine
compartment lid and checking the en­
gine coo lant level.
- Never open the engine compartment lid
if you see or hear steam, or if you see en­
gine coo lant dr ipping from the eng ine
compar tment. You could bur n yourse lf.
Let the engine coo l
off first so that you
cannot hear or see any steam or engine
coolant.
CD Note
- Mounting additional lights or accesso ries
in front of the air inlets reduces the cool­
ing effect of the radiator . At high outside
temperatures or high engine load, the
engine could overheat .
- The front spoi ler has been designed to
properly distribute the cooling air when
the vehicle is moving. If the spoiler is
damaged, this could reduce the cooling
effect and the engine could then over­
heat . Ask your authorized Aud i dea ler for
ass istance.
Fuel gauge
The fuel ga uge works only when the ignition is
on. When the needle reaches the red area, the
warning light in the instrument cluster will i l­
luminate
c::> page 18 Ii}']. This means you
have approximately 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of
fuel left in the tank.
Time to refuel!
The total tank capacity of your vehicle is listed
in
Te chnic al d ata c::> page 217 .
CD Note
Never run the tank comple tely d ry! An ir­
regular supply of fue l can cause engine misfiring and fuel could enter into the ex­
haust system. The catalytic converter
could then overheat and be damaged.
Speedometer with odometer
The speedometer shows you the vehicle
speed, and the odometer shows you how
many miles (kilometers) you have driven.
F ig. 5 Speedomete r close-up: odometer display
The distance dr iven is shown in m iles (USA
models) or in kilometers (Canada mode ls) .
Lo wer odometer
The lower odometer shows the total number
of miles (kilometers) dr iven .
Upper odom ete r (trip odometer )
The upper odometer shows the total number
of miles (kilometers) driven since you last re­
set the odometer back to zero. You can use
this odometer when you want to keep track of
how many m iles (kilometers) you have driven
for a single tr ip or errand . The last dig it ind i­
cates 1/10 of a mile (100 meters) . You can set
the tr ip odometer back to zero by pressing the
I RESE T! button c::> fig. 5.
With the ign ition off, pushing of the Set/
Check button
¢ page 8, fig . 3 @ can turn on
the d isplay fie ld lighting for a few seconds .
Malfunction me ssag e
If there is a malfunct ion somewhere in the in­
strument cluster,
d EF w ill appear in the trip
odometer and w ill stay on . Contact your au ­
thorized Audi dealer to have the problem cor­ rected.

12 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
Safety belt
•
Check engine oil level
¢page 14
¢page 18
ii
Generator./
Engine oil sensor malfunction
¢page 14
¢page 18 '
D
Engine oil pressure too low
•
Battery voltage too h igh or too low
¢page 14
¢page 18
Engine coolant level too low/
II
Low fuel level
engine coolant temperature too
¢page 18
high¢ page 15
m
Windshield washer fluid level low
Yellow indicator lights ¢ page 18
Yellow symbols indicate a priority 2 ma lfunc-
~:)
Defective light bulb
tion -Warning!
¢page 18
11
Convertib le top ope ration
•
USA model s: Defective brake light
¢page 15
¢page 18
I]
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ./
6
Canada models: Defective brake
¢page 16 light¢ page 18
-
I
Electronic Stab ility Control (ESC) ./
m
Light/rain sensor defe ctive (a utomat-
¢ page 16 ic headlights)* defective ¢ page 19
~ USA models: anti-lock brake system
(ABS) ./ defective ¢ page 16
B
Audi magnetic ride
¢page 19
•
Canada model s: anti-lock brake sys-
E
Rear spoiler./
tern (ABS)./ de fec tive ¢
page 16
¢page 19
•
Worn brake pads
~
USA model s: Speed warning 1
¢page 17
¢page29
g
Tire pressu re too low
•
Canada models : Speed warning 1
¢page 201
¢page29
I Tire pressure monitoring system
~
USA models: Speed warning 2 111115' 200
¢ page
¢page29
rm
Electronic power con trol ./
Canada models : Speed warning 2 ¢page 17
•
¢page29
B
USA models: Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (MIL)¢
page 17 Selector lever defective*
No reverse gear*
g
Canada models: Ma lfunction lndica-¢page 19
tor Lamp (MIL) ¢ page 17 ffl;O Clutch is overheating*
.,
Engine speed limitation* ¢page 19
¢page 17
R
Gearbox malfunction*
¢page 19

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 15
~ Cont act your a uth orized Audi dea ler fo r as -
s istance if necessary.
Engine oil level too low
If th e e ngine o il level is too low, to p off o il to
the prope r leve l
¢page 174 .
Engine oil level OK
If th e . symbol sta rts flas hing again even
though the engine oil leve l checks O K on the
d ipst ick ,
do not start driving again and do
not let the engine run at idle .
In stea d, con­
t a ct your author ized A udi de aler for assis­
tance.
@ Tips
- The engine oil pressure symbol. is
not an indicator for a low engine oil lev ­
el. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the
oil level in your engine at regular inter­
vals , preferably each time you refuel,
and always before going on a long trip.
- The yellow oil level warning indication
1/1 requires oil refill or workshop serv ­
ice without delay. Do not wait until the
red oil pressure warning symbol.
starts to flash before you respond to
the low oil level warning
Ill. By then,
your engine may already have suffered
serious damage.
-L Engine cooling system
A malfunction in th e engine cooling system
must b e re paired as so on as possibl e.
W hen th e . symbol in t he d isp lay flashes,
the n either the eng in e coolan t
temperature is
too h igh, or the coo lant
le vel is too low . In ad­
d ition to the symbol, the fo llowing message
al so a ppe ars i n the dis pla y:
Switch off engin e and check coolant level
~ Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
~ Turn off t he e ngine.
~ Check coo lant level c> page 176.
~ Add coolant if necessa ry¢ page 177 .
~ Contin ue dr iving only after the eng ine cool­
an t war ning/ indica to r li ght goes o ut.
~ Contact yo ur autho rized A udi d eale r for as -
sistance if necessa ry .
If the engi ne coo lant level is correct, then t he
r adi ator fan may be the ca use of the mal func ­
tion .
If the ge nera tor war ning/ indica to r li ght
sho uld al so illum ina te
¢ page 14 , then the
f an bel t may be d amaged .
A WARNING
-If you r vehicle should brea k dow n for
mec hanical or other reaso ns, par k at a
safe distance fr om moving traffic, tu rn
off the eng ine and tu rn on the haza rd
warn ing lig hts ¢
page SO , Emergency
flash er.
-
- Never ope n the eng ine co mpartment lid
if y ou see or hea r steam o r co olant es­
cap ing from t he eng in e compar tment -
you ris k being sca lded . Wait until you can
no lon ger see o r hear steam o r coolant
esc ap ing .
- Th e engi ne co mpartm ent of a ny vehicle
i s a dange rous are a. B efo re you perf orm
an y w ork in t he engi ne c om par tm ent,
t ur n off the eng ine an d allow it to coo l.
F ollow t he war ning stickers
c> page 169,
W orking in the engine compartment .
(D Note
Do not con tinue dr iv in g if the . symbol
ill umina tes . The re is a mal func tion in the
engine c oo ling system -you could dama ge
your engine .
~ Convertible top operation
The indicator light tu rns or, f!4
-When the converti ble to p opens or closes or
- If t he conver tible to p d id no t open o r close
comp letely.
T he in dica tor light blinks if the co nvertib le top
can not open or close ¢
page 41.

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 17
loss of vehicle control and an accident.
Have your vehicle repaired immediately
by your authorized Aud i dealer or a quali­
fied workshop . Drive slowly and avoid
sudden, hard brake applications.
- Canada models: If the brake warn ing
light ., the
DJ warning light and the
ABS wa rning light
rii] come on together,
the rear wheels could lock up first unde r
hard bra king. Rear wheel lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle control and an acci­
dent. Have yo ur vehicle repaired immed i­
ately by your authorized A udi dealer or a
qualified workshop . Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applicat ions.
(0 ) Worn brake pads
r;J Check b rak e pads!
If the warning light illum inates, immediately
contact your authorized A udi dealer or quali­
fied workshop to have all brake pads inspect­
ed. On USA models the warning light
r;J
comes on together with the war ning light
- · Both sets of brake pads on an axle
must always be replaced at the same time .
A WARNING
Driv ing with bad brakes can cause a coll i­
sion and serious personal injury .
- If the warning light
r;J and the warning
light -
1l with the message Brake
p ad s!
comes on in the i nstr ument cluster
display, immedia tely contact your au­
tho rized Audi dea le r or qualified work­
shop to have a ll brake pads checked or
replaced if necessary.
EPC Electronic power control
This warning/indicator light monitors the
electronic power control.
The ~ warn ing/ indica to r light ( Elect ronic
P ower Control) illumina tes when you swi tch
on the ignition as a function check.
1) - : USA mod els only
-
(D Tips
If this warn ing/indicator light illuminates
while yo u are driving, then there is a mal­
funct ion in the engine electronics. Have
the malfunct ion corrected as soon as pos­
s ible by your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop .
~ Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Ma lfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is pa rt
of the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system.
T he symbo l
lffl ligh ts up when the ignit ion is
turned on and will turn off after the eng ine
has started and has settled at constant id le
speed. This indicates that the MIL is working
proper ly.
T he warning light ill uminates when there is a
malfunction in the engine electronic system .
Contact your authorized Audi dea ler and have
the malfunct ion corrected.
An improperl y clo sed fu el filler cap ma y als o
c a use the MIL light to illuminate
¢ page 166 .
For more information ¢page 22.
!?') Engine speed limitation
Ma ximum 6000 RPM
The eng ine speed is automatically limited to
6000 RPM. This protects the engine from
overheating .
The eng ine speed limitation
(ll deactivates
once the eng ine is no longe r in the cr itica l
temperature range and yo u have re leased the
acce le rator pedal once.
(D Tips
When co ld, the engine speed is limited to
6000 RPM (w ith the
VlO engine) or
7000 R PM (with the VB engine) to protect
the engine. The limit is deactivated once
the oil temperature rises above 140 °F

144 Intelligent technology
deactivated, or they are activated auto­
matically in the deactivated state.
- If a malfunction occurs in the E DS, this is
signaled by an indicator light, see
~ page 16.
- Some tracks (e.g . steeply banked turns)
may affect ESC response .
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling
and enhances driver control.
Fig. 132 Switch for rear spoile r
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts . Spo ile r
ope rat ion can be set for automatic or manual
operat ion.
Automatic mode (no rmal operation )
-Extending automatically: This occurs when
dr iv ing faster than approximately 62 mph
(100 km/h) or at a certain eng ine compart­
ment temperature
1>.
- Retracting automatically: This occurs when
dr iv ing s lower than approximately 22 mph
(35 km/h) o r at a certa in engine compart­
ment temperatu re
1>.
Manual mode
- Extending manually: Press the switch
~ fig. 132 briefly to exte nd the rear spoiler
completely .
- Retracting manually : When dr iv ing at
speeds below approx imately 12 mph (20
km/h), press and hold the switch to retract
the rear spo iler. When driving at speeds be­
tween 12 mph and 62 mph (20 km/h and
l ) The rear s poiler only extends or retracts above acer ­
ta in eng in e te mpe rature in some models.
100 km/h), press the switch briefly to re­
tract the rear spoiler complete ly. You cannot
retract the rear spo iler if it extended due to
the engine compartment temperature.
Indicator light
When the indicato r light f.-j appears, there is
a system malfunction . The rear spoiler may
not be able to extend . This cou ld change the
vehicle's dr iving characteristics at high
speeds. Do not exceed 87 mph (140 km/h).
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immed i­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
A WARNING
Driving at higher speeds without the rear
spoiler deployed can impair handling char­
acteristic s, making the ve hicle ha rder to
control.
- I mp rope r operation of the rear spoiler
c a n cau se crushing injuries . Always ma ke
sure tha t nobo dy, espec ia lly children, is
i n the way when the rear spoi ler is de ­
p loyed or retracted.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf ­
fic laws .
- H ot air from the eng ine compartmen t
can escape thro ugh the rear spo iler when
it is open and it could burn you.
(D Note
- N ever push the vehicle or apply force to
t he rear spoiler -it co uld be damaged.
- Ope rate the rear spoiler manually on ly
w hen the eng ine compartmen t lid is
closed, o therwise there is a r is k of dam­
age .
(D Tips
Clean the spoiler comp artme nt eve ry 2 to
3 months . The spoiler compa rtment m ust
a lway s be free of ice, snow, leaves or other
debr is.

-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,-
•
•