2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER warning

154 Driving and en vironm ent
• Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 180, Adding engine oil • Never try to push -or tow-start your veh icle.
The cata lytic converter is an efficient "clean ­
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be­
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fue l is critically
important for the life of the cata lytic convert­
er and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
- Do not park or operate the veh icle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel sp ill or other material which can
cause a fi re.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust p ipes, catalytic con­
verte r o r heat shie lds . D uring d riving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
([) Note
- Be aware that just one tank f illing with
le aded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil leve l
¢page 180 .
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis­
fire. Unburned f uel could a lso get into
the exhaust system and this could cause
the catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn
off the ignition while the ve­
hicle is moving .
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
could result in overheat ing of the con­
verter, requ iring its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­ sion Control System: -
Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendat ions in yo ur Warranty
&
Maintenance book let.
- Lack of proper maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehicle will impair
the function of the emission contro l
system and could lead to damage.
@ For the sake of the env ironment
Even when the Emission Control System is
operating proper ly, the exhaust gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operat ing states . This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fue l may help,
or fil ling the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline.
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like your vehicle to remain inop­
erative for a longer per iod of t ime, contact an
Audi or othe r specialized dealer. They can ad­
vise you on necessary precautions e.g . corro­
sion prevention, maintenance and storage.
Pay attention to additional informat ion con­
cerning the battery. Refer to<=>
page 184.
Operation and
maintenance
Fuel economy, env ironmental impact, and
wear on your eng ine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three facto rs:
-your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitat ions
By having your veh icle regu larly se rviced by an
authorized Audi dea ler helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economica lly. The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to hold its va lue, it also affects
fu el
cons umpt ion.
The amount of oi l used is re lated to engine
l oad and speed.

156 Cleaning and protection
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
Audi. Furthermore, good care may be a condi ­
tion for substant iat ing a warranty claim
should corrosion damage or pa int defects oc­
cur.
Your authorized Audi R8 dealer has a variety
of
dedicated vehicle-care products. Please
make sure you apply them correctly .
.8, 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 pol ish remover or other volatile
fluids. They may be toxic, flammable or
haza rdous in other ways. Do not wash,
wax or dry the vehicle with the ignit ion
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, etc. without pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourse lf on sharp-edged metal parts.
- Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
braking efficiency¢
page 146, General
information .
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle.
@ For the sake of the environment
Select only environmentally friend ly clean­
ing products . Leftover cleaning products
should not disposed of in the household
waste.
Care of exterior
Washing your vehicle
T he longer i nsect remains, bird dropp ings,
tree res in , road and indust rial dust, tar, soot
part icles, road salt, and other aggressive de­
posits remain on the vehicle surface, the more
lasting their destructive effect will be . High
temperatures, for example from intense sun­
li ght, intens ify the corrosive effect.
After the end of winter road salting, the un­
derside of the vehicle should be thoroughly
washed .
Automatic car washes
Before going through an automatic car wash,
yo u should take the usual precautions (closing
the windows). If your vehicle has special ac­ cessories -e.g . spoilers, radio antenna -it is
best to speak to the operator of the car wash
c:> (D .
Only use car washes where the vehicle re­
mains stationary and the cleaning equipment
moves aro und the vehicle 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 power washer
When washing yo ur vehicle with a power
washer, be sure to follow the operating in­
structions for the power washer . This applies
particularly to the
pressure and the spraying
distance.
Maintain sufficient distance from
soft materials such as rubber hoses, sound
deaden ing mater ial, and the parking aid sen ­
sors* that are located in the front or rear
bumper .
Do not use washers with
a rotating jet or a
nozzle spraying
a high pressure jet of water in
any case. ..,.

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>-
•
•

158 Cleaning and protection
the waste water. In certain areas washing
a car outside of such facilities is not per­
mitted.
Caring for vehicles with matte finish
paint
App lies to vehicles: with matte finish paint
Vehicles with ma tte finish poin t require spe­
cial core due to the characteris tic s of the
point.
Automatic car washes
You must take the necessary precautions such
as closing the windows before using an auto­
matic car wash. See the car wash attendant if
there is special equipment on your vehicle
such as a spoiler or remote control antenna
c:::> CD.
Only use car washes where the vehicle re­ mains stationary and the washing equipment
moves around the vehicle when washing and
drying .
It is not possible to use car washes
that move the vehicle through the car wash
using a chain
c:::> &,.
Only use car washes that use cloth cleaning
equipment, not brushes .
Washing with pressure washers
When washing your vehicles with a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instruc­
tions provided with the pressure washer . This
is especially important in regard to the
pres­
sure
and spraying distance. Be sure to keep
enough distance from soft materials such as rubber hoses or insulating material as well as
from the parking system sensors*, which are
located in the front or rear bumper.
Never use
rotary nozzles or high pressure
nozzles.
Washing by hand
T o avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and large particles from
your vehicle. Insects , grease spots and finger­
prints are best removed with a
special cleaner
for matte finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use
too much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Clean
the vehicle starting at the top and working to­
ward the bottom using a
neutral shampoo
and a soft microfiber cloth. Stop frequently to
rinse the cloth thoroughly.
Clean the wheels and sill panels last. Use a
clean
sponge on these areas.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it
air dry . If there are any water spots, they can
be removed using a
leather cloth.
Clean again with the special cleaner for matte
finish paint
if necessary .
Removing stubborn dirt
Bird droppings or tree sap
are best removed
with plenty of water and a microfiber cloth.
You should rinse off
gasoline residue immedi­
ately with plenty of water .
A WARNING
--Wash your vehicle only when the ignition
is switched off to reduce the risk of a
crash .
- To reduce the risk of cutting yourself,
protect your hands and arms from metal
parts with sharp edges when cleaning
the underbody, the inside of the wheel
housings or the wheel covers.
- If washing your vehicle during the win­
ter, moisture and ice in the brake system
can affect the vehicle's braking ability.
0 Note
-Do not treat vehicle parts painted with
matte finish paint using polishing mate­
rials or hard wax. These products could
cause damage to the appearance or sur­
face that cannot be repaired.
- Never use protective wax.
It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with
matte finish paint. The paint could be

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>
•
•

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 .
•
•

162 Cleaning and protection
Plastic parts and imitation leather
You can clean plastic parts and imitation
l eathe r with a damp cloth .
If this does not re­
move the dirt, you can treat these parts only
with specia l
sol vent-free pla st ic cleaning and
care product s.
A WARNING
So lvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to dep loy .
- Never clean the instrument pane l or the
surface of Airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents w ill make
the surface of th is part porous.
- Serious injur ies can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the informat ion
¢ page 156 .
Cleaning agents containing solvents will
attack the material and can change the
way it behaves.
Carbon-fiber parts
App lies to vehicles: with carbon-fibe r parts
The carbon-fiber parts of your vehicle have a
p a inted su rface . They do not require any spe­
cial care and are cleaned like plast ic parts
¢ page 162 .
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fab rics and fabr ic coveri ngs (e.g. seats, doo r
tr im panels, etc.) should be cleaned a t reg ular
inte rva ls with a vacu um cleaner. This removes
surface dirt particles which could become em­
bedded in th e fabric thro ugh use. Steam
cleaners shou ld not be used, because the
s team tends to push the dir t deeper into the
f abric and lock i t there.
Normal cleaning
Gener ally, we re commend using a soft sponge
o r a lint -free microfibe r cloth to the clean fab ­
ric. Brushes s hou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fab ric surfaces
could be harmed by b rushes.
Norma l su rface s tains can be cleane d using a
commercially availab le foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the s urface of the fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently . Do not satu­
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam dry us ing
absorbe nt, dry cloths (e .g. m icrofiber cloth)
and vacuum i t after it has dried completely .
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverag es (e .g. coffee, fr uit
j uice, etc .) can be treated with a mild deter­
gen t solution. Apply the detergent solution
with a spo nge . In the case of stubborn stains,
a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked i nto the fabric. After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean wa ter to
remove the rema ining deterge nt. App ly the
wate r w ith a damp doth or sponge and pat
th e fabric dry wi th an abso rbent, dry cloth .
Stai ns from choco late or ma keup should have
de tergent pa ste (e.g. ox-gall so ap) rubbed in­
to them. Afterwa rds, remove the soap wi th
water (damp sponge) .
Alcohol can be used to treat sta ins from
grease, o il, lipstick or a ballpoint pen . M elted
grease or dye mus t be patted off using a b­
sorbent ma terial.
It may be necessary to re ­
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa ­
ter.
In the case of gene ral soiling of the upho ls­
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specia list t hat has the equipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabr ic surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction.
A WARNING
-A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
¢ page 156.