2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER warning

With S tronic transmission:
(!) Powe r steeri ng fluid rese rvoir
(~ ) ... .. ................ . . 149
@ Engine oi l filler cap ("1::r.) with
engine oil dipstick, ........ .. 180, 179
A WARNING
Before you ch eck a nything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
~ A in Working in the engine
compartment on page 173.
@ Tips
The coolant expansion tank is located un­
der the convert ible top storage bay lid
~page 183.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications (8-cyl.-engine )
The engine in your Audi needs the right kind
of oil.
-
The engine in your Audi is a soph istica ted
powerp lant tha t was b uilt to exacting specifi­
cations . This engine needs the r ight kind of
engine oi l that meets specifications regarding
qua lity and viscosity so that it can run
smoothly and reliably. Choos ing the right oi l
and changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your veh icle's Warranty
&
Ma intenance book let matters a lot more to­
day than it d id yea rs ago. A udi has developed
a special quality standa rd for engine oil that
will he lp assure tha t your veh icle's eng ine will
get the lubrica tion it needs for prope r opera­
tion.
M odern eng ine lub rication has taken a quan­
t um leap in the last few yea rs. Ma ny synthetic
oils availa ble today provide be tter eng ine lu­
b rica tion that can outlast traditional pe trole ­
um-based o ils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your A udi.
Whether yo u use syn thetic or petroleum­
based engine oil, the oil that yo u use must
conform to Audi's oil qua lity standard VW S02
00 to help keep your vehicle's engine running
Checkin g and fillin g 175
smooth ly and he lp prevent the format ion of
harmful deposits, sometimes ca lled "s ludge,"
that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of prin ting, engine oils ava ilab le in
t h e U.S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oi l standard VW 502 00
are synt het ic eng ine oi ls . Th is does not mean,
however, that every synthetic engine oil will
meet Audi o il standard VW 502 00. So always
be sure that you use an approved oil.
To he lp prevent the formation of harmfu l de­
pos its use on ly oil with the following specifi­
cations pr inted on the o il conta iner:
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
Oil containe r labels m ay car ry the s peci fica­
t ion sing ly or in combina tion wi th othe r desig ­
na tions and oil quality s tanda rds .
Viscosity
Engine o ils are graded accord ing to thei r vis­
cosity. The p roper viscos ity grade oil fo r yo ur
engine depends o n climactic or seasona l con­
ditions where yo u drive. You must use oil w it h
a v isco sity g rade of SA E 5W-30 all temper a­
tu re ranges fo r norma l d riving condi tions.
Because eng ine o il that meets the Audi oil
sta ndard may not be availab le everyw here
whe n you need i t, we strong ly reco mmend
t h at you a lways carry wit h you an ex tra quart
( li ter) of oil that exp ress ly con forms to the
VW 502 00, in case you have to top
off the oil
whi le on the road.
Only if the level of the o il is at or be low the
minimum ma rk on the oi l dipstick -and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oi l VW 502
00 is ava ilab le -may you top
off with a h igh
quality eng ine o il, preferab ly synthetic-based,
that meets ACEA A3 or API SM specifications. However, duri ng the entire time between oi l
c h ange in tervals, neve r top
off w ith more tha n
a total of 1 qt/lite r engine oil that does not
confo rm to Aud i oil spec ifi cat ion VW 50 2 00.
For more information abo ut eng ine oi l that
has been approved for your veh icle, please
contact e ither you r autho rized Aud i dea le r o r ..,.
•
•

1 78 Che cking and filling
authorized Audi dealer will have to deny war ­
ranty cov erage un less you present to the dea l­
er proof in the form of Serv ice o r Repair Or­
ders tha t all sched uled maintena nce was per­
f ormed in a t imely manner .
Engine oil consumption
T he engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amoun t of oil to lubricate and cool all
of its moving par ts.
In order to provide effective l ubrication and
cooling of internal engine components, a ll in­
ternal comb ustion eng ines consume a certa in
amount of o il. O il consumption var ies from
engine to eng ine and may c hange significa ntly
over the life of the eng ine . T ypically, eng ines
with a specifie d break-in per iod (see
c::> p oge 153) consume more oil during the
b reak-in per io d t han they co nsume after oil
consumption has sta bilized.
Unde r no rma l conditions, the rate of oil con­
sum ption depends on the qu ality and vi scosity
of the oi l, the R PM ( revo lutions per m inute) at
which t he engine is ope rated, the ambient
temperature and road cond itio ns. Furthe r fac­
tors are the amount of o il d ilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the ox ida­
ti on level of the oi l. As any engine is subject to
wear as mileage bu ilds up , the oil consump ­
tion may increase over t ime until replacement
of worn componen ts may become necessary.
W ith all these variables com ing into play, no
standa rd rate of o il consumption can be es ­
tablished or specif ied . T he re is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil lev­
e l, see
Note .
If the ye llow eng ine o il level warning symbol
i n t he inst rument cluster
1\1 lights up, you
should check the o il l evel as soon as possibl e
c::> page 178. Top off the oil at you r earliest
conven ie nc e
c::>page 180.
_& WARNING
Before yo u check any thin g in t he engine
compartment , always read and hee d all
-
WAR NIN GS c::> & in Working in the engine
compartment on page 173.
(D Note
D riving wit h an insufficient o il level is like ­
l y to cause severe dama ge to the e ngine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warning display. is
not an indicator of the oil level. Do not
rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in
your engine at regular intervals , pref­
erably each time you refuel, and always
before going on a long trip .
- If
you have t he impression yo ur engine
cons umes excessive amounts of o il, we
recommend that you consu lt your Aud i
deale r to have the cause of your concer n
prope rly diagnosed . K eep in m ind that
th e accu rat e meas urement of o il con­
s u m ptio n re quires grea t care and may
t a ke some time. Y our Audi de aler h as i n­
st ru ctio ns abou t how to measure oil con­
sumption acc urately .
Checking the engine oil level
Applies to vehicles: with manual transmiss ion
Fig . 1 38 In st ru men t cl uste r: E ng in e oi l te m pe ratu re
d isp lay
Fig. 139 M arkers on o il dip stick

180 Checking and filling
Adding engine oil "1::::1:
Appl ies to vehicles: with manual transmission
Fig. 142 Engine compartment : Oil filler cap locat io n
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
al ways r ead and h eed all WARN ­
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 173 .
.. Unscrew the cap~ to the engine oil filling
hole¢
fig. 142 .
,. Carefully top off with the appropriate oil.
.. Check the oil level aga in ¢
page 178 .
,. Top off t he oil again, if necessary .
,. Screw the cap back on the filling hole and
s li de the oil d ipst ick in as far as it will go .
& WARNING
-While topping off, the oil mus t not come
in contact with hot engine parts -fire
hazard!
- The oil fil ler cap must be prope rly se­
c u red to prevent oil from being sprayed
on the hot engine and exhaust system
when the eng ine is running - fire hazard!
- If your skin has come in contact w ith the
engine oil, you must subsequent ly
cleanse it thoro ughly.
(D Note
- The oil level must not be above range
c:> page 178, fig. 139 0 -danger of con ­
verter or engine damage ! Contact an au­
thorized Audi dealer to draw off oil, if
necessa ry.
- Audi does not recommend the use of oil
additives. They may damage the engine
and adversely affect your New Vehicle
Warranty .
@) For the sake of the environment
-Under no circumstances can the oil come
in contact with the sewage network or
the soil.
- Observe and follow legal regulat ions
when disposing of empty oil containers.
Adding engin e oil "1::::1:
Applies to vehicles: with S tronic
Fig . 14 3 En gi ne compartment : cover on t he eng ine oi l
filler neck
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always r ead and heed all WARN­
INGS c:> A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 173 .
,. Shut the eng ine off.
,. Remove the design cover, if necessary .
,. Unscrew the cap
't=7: to the engine o il filling
hole
c:> fig . 143.
,. Carefully top off with the appropr iate oil
c:> page 175, c:> page 176.
,. Check the oi l level aga in c:> page 1 79 .
.. Top off the oil again, if necessary.
.. Slide the oil dipstick in and screw the cap
back on the filling hole.
& WARNING
'-
- W hile topping off, the o il must not come
in contact with hot engine parts - f ire
hazard!
- The oi l filler cap must be p roperly se­
cured to prevent oil from bei ng sprayed
on the hot engi ne and exhaust system
when the engine is runn ing - fire haza rd !
- If you r skin has com e in contact with the
engine o il, you must subsequently
cleanse i t thoroughly. ..,.

CD Note
-The oil leve l mus t not be ab ove range
¢ page 179 , fig. 141 G) -danger of con­
verter or engine damage! Contact an au­
thorized Audi dealer to draw off oil, if necessary .
- Audi does not recommend the use of oil
additives. They may damage the engine
and adversely affect your New Vehicle
Warranty .
@ For the sake of the environment
-Under no circumstances can the o il come
i n contact with the sewage network or
the soil.
- Observe and follow lega l regu lations
when d isposing of empty oil containers.
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro­ tects the engine from freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sea led and generally re­
q ui res lit tle at ten tion.
The cooling system has been filled at the fac­
tory with a pe rma nent coolant which does not
need to be changed. The coolant consists of a
mix ture o f wa ter and the m anu fa ctu rer 's g ly ­
col -based coolant addit ive Gl3 antifreeze
with anticorrosion additives (50% for USA mod els; 60% for Canadian models) . This mix ­
ture both assures the necessary frost protec ­
tion and protects metal components i n the
engine's cooling system from corrosion and
scaling .
It also raises the bo iling po int of the
coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo l­
ant in the summer by adding plain water.
The
proportion of coolant addit ive must b e at
lea st 50% but not more than 60 %
to main­
tain antifree ze protection and cooling efficie n­
cy.
If t he cool ant frost pro tect io n is too low,
the coo lant cou ld freeze and damage the veh i­
cle heating and engine cooling system.
Checkin g and fillin g 181
For year -round driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- -31°F(-35°C)USA
- -40 °F ( -40 °C) Canada.
.8, WARNING
Before you check anythi ng i n the engi ne
com partmen t, a lways re ad and heed al l
WA RNIN GS
q .&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 173 .
-
CD Note
- Before wi nte r sets in, have the coo lant
checke d to see if the cool ant a ddi tive in
yo ur vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli ­
mate conditions . This is especia lly impor ­
tant if you live in a region where the win­
ter is extreme ly cold. I f necessary, in­
crease the proportion of coo lant add itive
to 60% .
- When adding coolant additive to your cooling system, remember :
- We re commend using o nly coola nt ad­
di tive G l2++ or Gl3 (check the l abe l)
for your vehi cle. This coolan t additive is
ava ila ble at autho rize d Aud i dea le rs .
Othe r ty pes of antifreeze can sig nifi­
cantly reduce corros ion protection. The
resu lting corrosion can cause a loss of
coolant and serio us engine damage.
- Do not add any type of rad iator leak seal ­
ant to yo ur vehicle 's engine coolant.
Add ing radiator repair flu id may adverse­
ly affect the f unction and performance of
your cooling system and co uld resu lt in
damage not covered by you r New Vehicl e
Li mited War ran ty.
•
•

182 Checking and filling
Checking the engine coolant level
Proceed carefully when checking the coolant.
Fig. 144 Convertible top: se rvice position
Fig. 145 Convert ible top sto rage bay: coo lant expan­
sion tank
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS c:::> &_ in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 173
and park your vehicle on a
level surface.
The coolant expansion tank is located in the
right side of the convertible top storage bay
under the round metal cover
c:::> fig. 145. The
convertible top must be in the service position
to check the coolant leve l
c:::> fig. 144.
Bringing the closed convertible top into
the service position
.. Switch the ignition on .
.. Pull and hold the convertible top switch .
.. Press and hold the rear window switch too
until the convertib le top moves into the
service position
c:::> fig. 144.
Bringing the open convertible to into the
service position
.. Switch the ignition on.
.. Press and hold the convertible top switch. ..
Press and hold the rear window switch too
until the convertible top moves into the
service position
c:::> fig. 144.
Opening the coolant expansion tank cover
.. Stop the engine and allow it to cool.
.. Switch the ignition off .
.. Care fully remove the bolts in the cover@
using a screwdriver and remove the cover.
The coolant reservoir is located below
¢fig. 145.
Checking the engine coolant level
.. Place a rag or cloth on the cap of the coolant
expansion tank and turn the cap
carefully to
the left (counter-clockwise)
c:::> .&, .
.. Read the coolant leve l inside the coolant ex­
pansion tank¢
fig. 145. With a cold engine,
it must be above the "min" mark. With a hot
eng ine, it can be a little above the indicated
range.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with an electric coo lant level sensor
c:::> page 15. We still recommend you check the
coolant level from time to time .
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cool­
ing system should be inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not
enough merely to add coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur on ly if
the boiling point of the coo lant is exceeded as
a result of overheating .
A WARNING
-- The cooling system is under pressure. Do
notopenthecapofthecoolantexpan­
sion tank when the engine is hot. You
ris k be ing sca lded.
- The coolant additive, and therefore the
coo lant itself, is haza rdous to hea lth .
Keep the coolant additive in the original

container out of the reach of children. It
is a poison hazard.
@ Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant. Add­
ing radiator repair fluid may adversely af­
fect the function and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage
not covered by your New Vehicle Lim ited
Warranty.
Adding coolant
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS q A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on pag e 173.
"'Add coolant .
"'Twist the cap on again
tightly.
"'Tighten the cap (D q page 182, fig. 145
again.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to
exact specifications
q page 181, Coolant .
We recommend using only coolant additive
G12++, G13 or in an emergency G12 +. Do
not
use a different additive. In an emergency use
plain water until you can get the correct addi­
tive and can restore the correct ratio. This
should be done as soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of
coolant, then you should add cold antifreeze
and cold water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling .
Do not fill coolant above the "max" mark. Ex­
cess coolant will be forced out through the
pressure relief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of
scalding from hot coolant by following
these steps.
Checking and filling 183
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering
the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter-clockwise direction while
applying light, downward pressure on
the top of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill an­
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys­
tem or hot engine parts. Under certain
conditions, the ethylene glycol in en­
gine coolant can catch fire .
- Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store an ­
tifreeze in its original container and well
out of the reach of children.
- If you drain the coolant, it must be
caught and safely stored in a proper con­
tainer clearly marked "poison" .
Q) Note
- Coolant pollutes the environment and
could cause an engine fire . Ex cess cool­
ant will be forced out through the pres­
sure relief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
- If, in an emergency, only water can be
added, the correct ratio between water
and antifreeze
q page 181 must be re­
stored as soon as possible.
@ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused . Al­
ways dispose of used coolant while observ­
ing all environmental regulations.
Brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced t echnician.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
high, corrosion in the brake system may result
afte r a period of time. The boiling point of the
brake fluid will also decrease considerably and
decrease braking performance. .,.. •
•

184 Checking and filling
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
ev ery two yea rs. A lways use new brake fluid
which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
Brake fl uid is rep laced according to the Audi
maintenance service schedule . Your author­
ized Audi dealer is equipped with the necessa­
ry special tools and rep lacement parts, has
the necessary expertise, and can d ispose of
the used fluid .
A WARNING
-Brake fluid is po isonous . It must be stor­
ed only in the closed orig inal container
out of the reac h of children!
- Brake fa ilure can result from old o r inap­
propriate b rake fluid. Observe these pre­
c aut ions:
- Use on ly brake fluid that meets SAE
specif icat ion
J 1703 and conforms to
Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116 .
Always check with your authorized Audi
dealer to make su re you are using the
correct brake flu id. The correct type of
b rake fluid is a lso indicated on the
b rake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor loc k if
t he brake fl uid is left in the system too
long. This can ser ious ly affect the effi ­
ciency of the brakes as well as yo ur
safety . This could result in an accident.
CJ) Note
Br ake fl uid will damage the paint of your
veh icle.
@.l For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of prope r d isposa l
of brake fl uid as we ll as the speci al tools
req uired and the necessary expert ise, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your authorized Audi dealer .
Battery
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with a specia l bat­
te ry, an
ACM battery. This ba tte ry is located
i n the luggage compartmen t an d must be re ­
placed with an origina l equipment battery .
U nder normal operating conditions, the bat­
tery is
maintenance -free.
Have the batte ry checked when yo u take your
vehicle in for service. You are well advised to
replace a battery that is o lde r than 5 years.
Disconnecting the battery te rminals
Some vehicle fu nctions (power window reg u­
lators, for ex ample) are lost if the batte ry te r­
mina ls are disconnected. These f unctions have
to be relearned after the battery termina ls are
connected again. To prevent this, the battery
sho uld only be disconnected from the veh icle
electrical system when abso lutely necessary
for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of seve ral days or weeks , e lectrica l compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and ma in­
ta ins start ing capability over a longer period
r:> page 150. Some of the convenience func­
t ions may not operate, such as the inter ior
li ghts or powe r seat ad justment. The conven­
ience funct io ns w ill be available again when
you sw itch on the ign it io n and s tart the en­
gine.
Winter operation
D uring the winte r months, battery capac ity
tends to dec rease as temperatures drop. This
is because mo re power is a lso co nsumed wh ile
sta rting, and the headlig hts, rear win dow de­
f ogger, e tc., are used more often .
Avoid unnecessa ry powe r consumpt ion, pa r­
t icu lar ly i n city traffic o r when traveling only
sho rt dist ances. Let yo ur au thori zed Au di
dealer check the capacity of the vehicle bat -
tery before winter sets in
r:> page 187. A well ll>

charg ed batte ry wi ll not only prevent starting
prob lems when the weather is cold, but will
a lso last longer.
Replacing battery
The new battery mu st h ave the same capac i­
ty, vo ltage ( 12 volts), amperage, construction
a nd p lug sealing, as the origina l battery . Spec ­
ifications are listed on the battery housing.
Batteries specially developed by Audi fulfill
the maintenance, output, and safety require­
ments.
When insta lling the battery, make sure the ig­
nition and all electrica l consumers are switch­
ed
off c:> (D .
We recommend that you use maintenance­
free or
c y cle- re sis tant /leak-proof batteries
according to the standards TL 82S 06 (from
April 2008) and VW 7 50 73 (from Apr il
2010).
Replacing the battery should be carried by a
qua lified workshop. P lease follow the instruc ­
tions on the battery cover.
(D Note
-All work on the battery requires techni­
ca l knowledge. Please contact an A udi
dealersh ip or another a uthorized facility
fo r quest ions about the battery - danger
of acid burns and explosion hazard!
- The battery must not be opened ! Do not
try to change the battery's liquid leve l,
othe rwise detonating gas w ill escape
from the battery - explos ion ha zard!
- The AGM batte ry in the luggage com­
partment ca nnot leak, because the elec­
trolyte fo r th is battery is absorbed into a
spec ial glass ma t. T his leak-proof battery
mus t not be repla ce wi th a convention al
batte ry .
- M ake sure the ven tilat ion hose on the
s id e of the b attery is con ne cte d, o ther­
wise fumes or ba ttery acid can leak ou t.
- Ba ttery ho lder and term inals always
have to be secured cor rectly.
Checkin g and fillin g 185
-Be fore all wo rk on the batte ry follow the
warnings below co.&. in Working on the
battery on page 186 .
@ For the sake of the environment
Because o f the p rob lem of prope r disposal
of a battery, we recommen d your author­
i zed Audi dealer change the battery for
you. Batteries contain sulfur ic acid and
l ead and must always be disposed of prop­
e rly in comp liance with a ll environmental
regulat ions. Disposing of veh icle batter ies
i mprope rly is very dange rous to th e envi­
r o nment. Make sure that the removed bat ­
te ry canno t overb alance, othe rwi se su lfu­
r ic acid might escape!
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left s tanding for seve ral
weeks at ext remely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery sho uld be removed and
stored where it w ill not freeze . This will
prevent it from be ing damaged and having
to be replaced.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery!
T he bat tery is located in the luggage compar t­
ment behind a cover. Befo re you work on or
near the battery,
read and heed all WARN­
INGS
co .&, .
A lways heed the
safety warnings , when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle e lec­
trical system to prevent in jury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important wh en working on the battery :
Alway s heed the following WARNING SYM ­
BOLS and safety pre caution s when working
on the battery .
® Always wear eye protection . !
I). Battery acid contains sulfuric acid_-Al­
~ ways wear gloves and eye protection. ..,.
•
•