2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER warning light

148 Intelligent technology
-If the brake booster is not working, for
example when towing your vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance .
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling
and enhances driver control.
SPORT •
Fig. 129 Switch for rea r sp o ile r
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts. Spoi ler
operation can be set for automatic or manual
operation.
Automatic mode (normal operation )
-Extending automatically: This occu rs when
driving faster than approximate ly 62 mph
(100 km/h) or at a certain engine compart­
ment temperature
1> .
- Retracting automatically: This occurs when
driv ing s lower than approximately 22 mph
(35 km/h) or at a certain engine compart­
ment temperature
1> .
Manual mode
- Extending manually: Press the switch
~ fig. 129 briefly to extend the rear spo iler
completely.
- Retracting manually: When dr iving at
speeds below approximately 12 mph (20
km/h), press and hold the switch to retract
the rear spoiler . When driving at speeds be­
tween 12 mph and 62 mph (20 km/h and
l ) The rear s poiler o nly exten ds or ret racts a bove a cer­
ta in eng in e te mp erat ure in s ome m odels.
100 km/h), press the switch briefly to re­
tract the rear spoiler complete ly. You cannot
retract the rear spoiler if it extended due to
the engine compartment temperature .
Indicator light
When the indicato r light (.-) appears, there is
a system malfunction . The rear spoiler may
not be able to extend . This cou ld change the
vehicle's driving characteristics at high
speeds. Do not exceed 87 mph (140 km/h) .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer immedi­
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
A WARNING
Driving at higher speeds without the rear
spoiler deployed can impair handling char­
acteristics, making the vehicle ha rder to
control.
- Imp roper operation of the rear spoiler
can cause crushing injuries. Always ma ke
sure that nobody, especia lly children, is
in the way when the rear spoi ler is de­
p loyed or retracted.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf­
fic laws .
- Ho t air from the eng ine compartment
can escape thro ugh the rear spoiler when
it is open and it could burn you.
(D Note
- Never push the vehicle or apply force to
t he rear spoiler -it could be damaged.
- Operate the rear spoiler manually only
when the eng ine compartment lid is
closed, otherwise there is a risk of dam­
age .
(D Tips
Clean the spoiler compartment every 2 to
3 months. The spoiler compa rtment must
always be free of ice, snow, leaves or other
debris.

than is being generated and ensures an opti­mal state of charge for the battery.
@ Tips
- But even energy management cannot
negate the limits o f physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
limited.
- If starting ability is threatened, you are
i nformed by a warning
¢ page 151,
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the co ld time
of year. Abundant e lectrical energy is re­
quired, but only a litt le is generated. It is also
cr itical if the engine is not runn ing and electri­
cal components are turned on. In th is in­
stance energy is being consumed but none is
be ing gene rated.
It is in precisely these situations that you w ill
notice energy management actively regulat ­
in g the distribution of energy .
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main ­
tains sta rting capab ility over a longer per iod.
Take into consideration that when you unlock
your veh icle, some convenience functions,
such as the remote key or power seat adjust ­
ment, may not be available . The convenience
functions will be ava ilable again whe n you
turn on the igni tion and star t the eng ine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the eng ine turned off, the battery is being dis­
charged .
Intellig ent technolog y 151
If starting capability is jeopardized d ue to en ­
ergy consumption, a message appears in the
drive r information d isplay .
You have to start t he engine to charge the
batte ry .
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the ve hicl e is being driven, t he battery can be­
come disc harged. This happens mostly when
li ttle energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
c h arge is not optimal.
T o b ring the energy ba lance back into equili ­
br ium, consumers which requ ire espec ially
large amounts of energy are temporari ly cut
back or switched off . Heating systems in pa r­
ticu lar require a great deal of energy. If you
notice, for example, that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they
have been temporarily cut back or switched
off . These systems w ill be available again as
soon as the ene rgy balance has been restored.
You w ill also notice that engine id le speed has
been increased slightly . Th is is normal and not
a cause for concern . By increas ing engi ne idle
speed the additional energy required is gene r­
ated and the battery is charged.
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If battery power drops into the range where it
can limit the ability of the engine to start, this
is shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
(•) Low battery charge: battery will be
charged while driving
T his not ificat ion reminds yo u that the start ing
capability of the engine may be limited . As
soon as you sta rt driving again, the battery
will be recharged and the not ificat ion w ill go
out. •
•

Hand washing
When washing your veh icle by hand, fi rst soft ­
en the dirt with copious amounts of water and rinse it
off as b est you can.
Then clean the veh icle using a soft
s ponge , an
auto gl ove or a low -press ure wa sh bru sh .
Work from the top down -sta rting with the
roof . Use a
s h ampoo only for very stubborn
dirt.
Rinse the sponge or auto glove thorough ly at
fr equent intervals.
C lea n the wheels, doo r sill s and simi lar a reas
last . Use a separate sponge fo r th is.
_&. WARNING
- Car washes with conveyors can damage
the vehicle tires , which could cause the
ti re to lose pressure sudden ly while driv­
ing and put you at risk for an accident.
Do not use car washes with conveyors.
- Switch
off the ignit ion when you wash
yo ur vehicle to avo id an accident.
- Protect yo ur hands and arms from sharp
metal edges when you clean the under­
body, the ins ide of the whee l wells or the
wheel covers to avoid cutting yourself .
- When washing your vehicle in the winter:
Moist ure and ice in the brake system can
affect the brakes.
- Never wash tires with a jet that sprays
water in a direct stream . T hi s 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 wea kened tires can fail
and cause a ccidents and pe rsonal inj ury.
0 Note
- Never dr ive your veh icle through any au ­
tomatic car wash that fails to p rov ide e i­
the r suff icient clearance for your veh icle
or sufficient tra ck wid th fo r your tires .
Ris k of expensive damage to the veh icle's
u nderbody, tires, and rims!
- As descr ibed in you r Warra nty
& M ainte­
nance booklet , damage or malf unct ion
Cleaning and protec tion 157
due to m isuse o f the vehicle or fai lure to
operate the vehicle in acco rdance with
the inst ruct ions of th is Owner's Manua l
wi ll not be covered under warranty.
- Fold the exte rior mirrors flat -there is a
r isk of damag ing the exterior m irrors .
Power folding exterior mirrors must not
be folded in or out by hand . Use the pow­
er function!
- Do not wash the vehicle in d irect sun­
light . You may damage the paint.
- Do not use sponges designed to remove
insects, rough k itchen sponges , or s imi­
lar products . You risk damag ing the
pai nt s urface.
- Do not wash the vehicle using cleani ng
products that contain alcohol when the
e ng ine is ho t. This increases the risk of
damage to plast ic components, such as
c rack ing .
- You should remove deb ris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regu lar bas is, for example when re fuel ­
ing your vehicle. Never clean the head­
lights with a dry cloth or sponge. Use a
wet cloth o r sponge . It is best to use
soapy water.
- Never clean t ires using a nozz le that
sprays water in a direct stream. Damage
can occur even with a relatively long
spraying distance and for a very short
t ime.
- To avoid damaging your veh icle, always
make sure that there is sufficient dis­
tance between the spray head and soft
materials like rubbe r hoses, plast ic parts
and sound-deadening materials. Never
aim the spray head a t the same point for
a long time. This also app lies to cleani ng
head lights and pa inted b umpers . Re ­
member : the closer the nozz le is to the
surface of the material, the greater the
stress on the materia l.
@ For the sake of the environment
Wash yo ur vehicle on ly at spec ia lly de­
signed facilities . They can prevent any dirty
water contaminated by oil from entering
Iii>-
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damaged when the stickers or magnets
are removed.
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash
the veh icle in direct sunlight .
- To p revent damage to the paint s urface,
do no t use insect removal sponges,
rough k itchen sponges or similar items.
- You should remove debris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regular basis , for example when refue l­
i ng your vehicle. Only clean the head­
li ghts using a wet cloth or sponge, never
a dry one. Cleaning w ith soapy water is
r ecomme nded.
@ For the sake of the environment
On ly wash the vehicle in facilit ies specially
designed for that purpose. Th is w ill reduce
the risk of d irty water contaminated wi th
oil from entering the sewer system . In
some areas, washing vehicles outs ide of
these facilit ies is prohib ited.
(j) Tips
For mo re info rmation on special cleaning
products designed for matte fin ish pa int,
s ee yo ur Audi RB deale r.
Convertible top care
The convertible top requires special care .
Keeping your top look ing grea t and making
certain that it lasts a long t ime depends to a
g reat extent on proper use and care . Remove
b ir d droppings as soon as possib le, since the
cor rosive chem icals in them w ill cause the
r u bber impregna tion in your top to swell an d
possibly allow the fabric to lea k.
W ith
normal soiling , all yo u need to do is
clear the top wit h a soft brush and clear wa­
ter. Alw ays br ush in the direction of the fabric
from front to rea r.
If the top is
very dirty and has spotted areas
clean i t with a b rush us ing a convert ible top
cleane r. A lways br ush in the direction o f the
fabric from front to rear . Rinse w ith plenty of
clear water , and a llow the top to air-dry.
Cleaning and protec tion 159
Chamois are not sui table for drying the top.
Neve r use gaso line, spot remover, ben zene,
paint t hinner or solvents to remove spots. We
re commend that yo u on ly use cle ane rs spe­
c ia lly formulated for use on convertib le tops,
and that you fo llow the product directions
ca refully. A uthorized Audi dea ls can prov ide
detailed information.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information on
c:::, page 156 .
(D Note
Neve r use a high-press ure power washer to
clean the convertib le top .
Wind deflector
Clean the wind deflecto r with water or, if it is
heavily soiled, a chemically neut ral cleaning
solution .
&_ WARNING
Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
the inform ation on
¢ page 156.
Waxing and polishing
Waxing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle pain t
t o a la rge exten t agains t the env ironmental
factors lis ted under ¢
page 156, Washing
your v ehicl e
and even against slight scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect yo ur
paint as soon as one wee k after you r vehicle
has been delivered .
Even if you r egularly use a waxing process in
a ut omat ic car washes, we recommend tha t
you manually apply a coat of wax to g ive the
paint extra protection, part icu la rly if wate r no
longer beads on the clean paint.
P ro tect plast ic body parts with car wax in the
same way as the veh icle body.
IJII>
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•

160 Cleaning and protection
During warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the for­
ward area of the hood. They are much eas ier
to remove from paint that is waxed
o~en.
P oli shin g
Polish you r vehicle on ly if the pa int has lost its
shine and the g loss cannot be brought back
with wax .
I f the polish used does not cont ain preserva ­
tive compounds, the paint m ust be waxed af­
terwards .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNING and
other Informat ion¢
page 156.
(UJ Note
Do not use ca r wax on
- matte or anod ized metal trim
-
- r ubber o r rubbe r-like tr im .
Trim strips
For environmenta l reasons, Audi fabr icates
the br igh t tr im st rips and t rim pieces from
pure chromium -free a luminum .
D irt and mar ks on the trim str ips should be
r emoved with a
pH -balanc ed cl eaning age nt
(do no t use a chrome cleaner). Pain t po lishes
a re a lso not s uitable for the care o f deco rat ive
pa rts and trim strips. A lkaline cleaners which
are often used befo re ente ring car washes can
cause dull or milky spots when they dry.
Author ized Audi dealers car ry cleaning prod ­
ucts which have been tested for use on your
ve hicle and are not harmful to the env iron­
ment.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNING and
other Informat ion¢
page 156 .
Plastic and vinyl
-
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
d ust and light surface dirt. For other so il, use a
lukewa rm all -purpose cleaning so lution or a
mild saddle soap for vinyl trim. Paint care
products are not suitab le for plastic and viny l.
A WARNING
"---
Always read and observe all WARNINGS
and other information¢
page 156.
Carbon -fiber parts
Applies to vehicles: wit h carbon-fiber parts
The carbon-fiber parts of your vehicle have a
painted surface. They do not requ ire spec ial
ca re and are cleaned lik e othe r painted parts
¢ page 156.
Touch-up paint
Your authorized Audi dea ler has touch- up
paint for minor scratches and stone chips. Mi­
nor paint damages such as scratches o r stone
c hi ps shou ld be touched up immediate ly to
prevent corrosion.
T he number for the orig inal veh icle paint can
be fo und on the vehicle identification label
Q poge223 .
However, if cor ros ion h as formed, yo u m ust
have th is thoroughly removed by yo u author­
ized Audi dea ler or other qualified workshop .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
Q poge 156.
Windows
Clear vision improves traffic safety.
In order to maintai n the performance of the
windshield wipe r blades, neve r clean the w in ·
dow glass w ith insect remove r or wax .
Rubber, o il, g rease, or silicon e residue can be
removed using a
glas s cleaner or a silicone re­
mover .
Wax residue, howeve r, can only be re ­
moved using a spec ial cleane r. You can obta in
more information from yo ur autho rized Audi
dealer. ..,..

You should also clean the inside of the win ­
dow g lass at regular intervals.
The cloth or chamois used on paint s urfaces
contains wax res idue. Use a separate clo th or
chamo is to dry the window glass.
Cl eaning the rear window
Aud i recommends cleaning the window us ing
a soft cotto n cloth and water mixed with
cleaning 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 clean ing so lutions that conta in
ammonia, acids , silicone or fluo ride or clean­
e rs that are abrasive or cou ld cause scratches .
Do not use any alkaline cleaning solutions.
A WARNING
- The windshie ld must not be treated with
water-repellent materials. They can in­
crease glare under poor visib ility condi­
t ions 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 chatter.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
r:::> page 156.
(D Note
-Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors.
This could cause the glass to c rack.
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
stickers on the inside of the rear window
ove r the wires.
- To he lp prevent di rt from scratching the
window, always scrape in a forward d i­
r ection - pus hing the scraper away from
you - never back and fo rth.
Wheels
Regular care is required to preserve the deco­
rative appearance of the wheels . Road sa lt
and b rake dust must be washed off regu larly
or the wheels wi ll be damaged.
Cleaning and protec tion 16 1
Use only specia l 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 whee ls longer than speci ­
fied. Wheel cleaners containing acid can dam­
age the surface of the w heel bo lts .
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 brakes may affect
brak ing eff ic iency -
c:::> page 146, General
information.
T est the bra kes ca re fully af­
ter each vehicle wash .
- Always read and heed a ll WAR NINGS and
the information¢
page 156.
Exhaust tail pipes
-
Road salt and other corrosive materials wi ll
damage the material in the exhaust tail pipes
if they are not cleaned regularly . Do not clea n
the tail pipes with wheel cleaner, pa int polish,
chrome polish or other abras ive cleaners.
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
that are suitable for stainless 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-/Navigation* display
T he disp lay may be cleaned with a soft cloth
and commercially-avai lab le "LCD cleaner".
The cloth should be coated lightly with the
cleaning so lution when cleaning the disp lay.
Q) Note
To prevent scratches, only clean the dis ­
play when it is dry .
•
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164 Cleaning and protection
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention.
Normal cleaning
• Clean soiled are as with a slightly moistened
cotton or woolen cloth.
More stubborn dirt
• More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
cloth saturated with a mild soap solution (2
tablespoons mild liquid soap).
• Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather , and make certain that no water
soaks into the seams .
• Wipe off the soap solution with a soft, dry
cloth .
Cleaning spots
• Remove fresh water-based spots (such as
coffee, tea, juices, blood) with an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
• Remove fresh
grease or oil-based spots
(such as butter, mayonnaise , chocolate) with
an absorbent cloth or paper towel, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface
of the leather.
• Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if
oil/
grease spots have dried on.
• Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint
pen, felt marker, fingernail polish, water­
based paint, shoe polish, etc.) with a spot
remover specifically formulated for leather .
Leather care
• Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized
Audi dealer) to care for the leather .
• Apply the product very sparingly.
• Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any questions about cleaning and
caring for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact your authorized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our
full range of leather care products, such as: -
Leather cleaning and care kit
- Cremes to care for colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpoint pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oil/grease dissolving spray
- New and upcoming products .
_&. WARNING
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
~ page 156.
(D Note
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or similar products on the leather surfaces
in your Audi .
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercial cleaning spe­
cialist.
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Applies to vehicles: with Alcantara upholstery
Removing dust and dirt
• Moisten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces.
Removing stains
• Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or
with diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcohol.
"' Dab at the stain . Start at the outside and
work inwards .
• Once the stain is no longer visible, use a soft
dry cloth or tissue to soak up the moisture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al­
cantara.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing dust and dirt .
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface . If the car is
left standing in the sun for long periods, the
Alcantara covers should be protected against
direct sunlight to prevent it from fading .
Slight color variations will develop in normal
use and are not an indication of material dete-
rioration. ""

(D Note
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
flu id, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercia l cleaning spe­
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim­
ilarly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
~ Keep belts clean.
~ For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol­
ution. Let belts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
~ Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re­
tract before they are completely d ry.
~ Check the condition of your safety belts reg­
ularly.
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
- Any thing tha t might damage you r safety
belts co uld mean that you and your pas ­
sengers wo uld not be adequately pro­
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­ rect installation . Never remove belts
from the vehicle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents,
bleach o r dyes . They have corrosive prop­
erties which weaken the webbing.
- When cleaning your safety belts, inspect
them for damage. If you discover dam­
age, see your authorized Audi dea ler.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the informat ion
¢page 156.
1) Use o nly the correct cleaning sol utio ns. Neve r use gas­
oline or d iese l fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
Corrosion p rotection
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatmen t is very impor­
tant, partic ularly in the winter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
shou ld be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage .
At the same time, the underside of the veh icle
shou ld be washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease remov ing solutions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed, the a nti-corro­
s ion treatment is almost always removed as
well.
It i s therefo re essentia l to have a long­
lasti ng corrosion protection reapplied to all
su rfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compa rtment .
A WARNING
--=
Be aware: The eng ine compartment of any
motor veh icle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before work ing in the engine compart­
ment, be sure to read the information
¢page 172.
-Before reaching into the front p lenum
panel, a lways remove the ignit ion key.
Otherwise, the w indshield wiper system
could u nintentionally be sw itched on,
possibly caus ing persona l injury from the
mov ing wipe r linkage.
- Never reach i nto the area around or
touch the rad iator fan. The aux iliary fan
is tempe ratu re controlled and ca n sw itch
on s uddenly -even when the ignition is
off. .,.
165
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