2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER tire pressure

In a collision, the laws of physics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the ve hi­
cle will become heavy missiles that can cause
serious injury. Items in the vehicle possess en­
ergy which vary with vehicle speed and the
weight of the item . Vehicle speed is the most
sig nificant factor.
For examp le, in a frontal coll is ion at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a
10 -lb (4 .5 kg) object are about 20 times the
norma l we ight of the item. Th is means that
the we ight of the item would suddenly be
about 200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imag ine the
in ju ries that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flyi ng
freely th roug h the passenge r compartment
could cause in a collision like this.
~ WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items
can fly through the vehicle ca us ing serious
personal in jury in the event of hard brak­
ing or an acc ident. To help reduce the risk
of serious personal injury :
-Always put objects, for examp le, luggage
or other heavy items in the luggage com­
partment .
A WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your ve­
hicle handles . T o help reduce the r is k of a
loss of control leading to ser ious personal
injury:
- Always keep i n m ind whe n transporting
heavy objects, that a c hange in t he cen­
t er of g ravity c an also cause c hanges in
vehicle handling .
- Never exceed the G ross Ax le Weight R at­
ing or the Gross Veh icle Weight R ating
specified on t he safety compliance s tic k­
er on the left door jamb. Exceeding pe r­
missib le we ight standa rds can cause the
vehicle to s lide and handle differently.
- Please obse rve info rmation on safe driv­
ing
c:;, page 93 .
Dr iving S afel y 99
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win­
dows a nd the front lid are secure ly closed
and locked to reduce the r is k of injury
when the vehicle is not be ing used .
- After closing the front lid, always make sure that it is p rope rly closed and locked .
- Never leave your veh icle unattended es ­
pecially with the front lid left open . A
child co uld craw l into the luggage com­
pa rtment and close the front lid becom­
ing tr apped and unable to ge t out. Being
trapped in a veh icle can lead to se rious
pe rsonal injury .
- Never let c hild ren play i n or aroun d the
veh icle .
- Never let p assenger s ride in the luggage
comp artment. Vehicle oc cupants mus t
always be prope rly restrained in one of
the vehicle's seating pos it ions .
(D Tips
The t ire press ure mu st cor respond to t he
l oad. The t ire p ress ure is shown on the tire
pressure label. The tire pressure labe l is lo ­
cated on the d river's side B-pi llar . The t ire
pressure label lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the vehicle at i ts maximum capac ity we ight and the tires
that we re on your vehicle at the t ime it
was manufactured. For recommended tire
p ressures fo r no rma l load cond it ions,
please see chapter
c:;, page 193.
Reporting Safety
Defects
Applicable to U.S.A.
If you belie ve that your vehi cle
has a d efe ct which could cau se
a crash or could caus e injur y or
d eath, you should immediat ely
inform th e National High way
Tr affi c Safet y Administration
•
•

The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is dr iven on a salt -covered
road and the brakes are not used. Likewise,
you clean
off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few ca utious ap­
plications of the brake<=>,& .
Co rrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
the discs if the car is not dr iven regularly or
only for short trips with little use of the
brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor­ rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean
off the pads and discs by brak ing
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed<=> ,&.
Fa ult s in th e bra ke s yste m
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, then one of the two brake
circu its may have failed. Drive immed iately to
the nearest qualified workshop to have the
damage repa ired. Drive at reduced speed on
the way there and anticipate longer stopping
d istances and higher peda l pressure¢ _&.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake flu id level is too low . The brake fluid
l eve l is monito red electronically .
Brake po wer ass ist un it
The brake power assist un it increases the
pressure that you generate with the brake
pedal. It works only when the eng ine is run­
ning.
Br ake lining w ear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this in­
spection
¢ page 214 .
Int ellig ent technolog y 147
_& WARNING
-You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Other road use rs must not be put at risk -
you may ca use an accident!
- Before descend ing a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear o r lower dr iving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too
long o r too often. Th is could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency .
- Do not " ride the brakes" by resting you r
foot on the pedal when you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain cl imatic and operat ing
conditions such as passing through wa­
ter, dr iv ing in heavy rain o r after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winte r, ice can
accumu late on the bra ke pads, lin ings,
discs and drum s. Carefully app ly bra ke s
for a test. Brakes w ill dry and ice coa t­
ings w ill be cleaned
off after a few care­
fu l brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt -cove red roads without using your
brakes can a lso affect braking efficiency .
Clean
off accum ulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few cautious
brake applications.
- I f you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
f low to the front brakes is not obstruct­
ed. Otherw ise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one b rake circuit will impai r
the braking capab ility result ing in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle a nd have it towed to the near­
est A udi dealer or qualified workshop .
- Never let the veh icle roll to a s top with
the engine shut
off. .,.
•
•

Power steering
When the engine is running, power steering
makes it easier for the driver to steer.
Power steering he lps the driver steer the vehi­
cle with little physical effort .
If the engine is not runn ing, the power steer­
ing system is also not wo rking. In this case,
you will find it extreme ly difficult to turn the
steering whee l.
If you t urn t he steering fully to the le ft or
right when the vehicle is stationary, you place
a very heavy load on t he power steering sys ­
tem . T urning the steering wheel fu lly to the
left or r ight will cause noise in the system . It
a lso reduces engine idle speed.
(D Note
Do not hold the steering turned fully to
the left or right for more than 10 seconds
when t he engine is running. There is a risk
of damage to the power steeri ng system .
@ Tips
-In the event of a power steering system
failure, or if the eng ine is not running
(while being towed), you wi ll st ill be able
to stee r the ve hicle . However, you will re­
quire more effort to do so .
- If the power steer ing system has a leak
or is defective, you should immed iately
contact a qualif ied wo rkshop.
- The powe r stee ring system requires a
spec ial hyd raulic f luid. The powe r stee r­
i ng fl uid reservo ir is lo cated in the en­
g ine compar tment . Th e cor re ct hydra ulic
f lui d leve l is important for p ro per opera ­
tion o f the power steering sys tem . The
power steer ing fl uid leve l is checked ac­
cord ing to the Aud i maintenance service
schedule.
Dry sump Lubrication
H igh lateral and long itud inal forces affect the
engine and the vehicle d uring sporty driving.
Ory sump lubr ication ensures that your eng ine
Int ellig ent technolog y 149
is supplied wi th oi l and properly lubricated
even under these conditions .
In a "no rma l" veh icle the o il pump sends the
o il from the o il p an t o the lubr ication points in
t h e engine. The oi l then ret urns to the o il pan .
In extreme situations , the oil p ump may draw
in a ir, which results in insufficient oi l pressure.
Wi th dr y sump lubri cat ion, the o il is not in the
oi l pan (it is "dry"), but in a separate oil tank.
While one p ump supplies t he e ngine with oil ,
a second pump suctions the oil out of the en­
gine and returns it to the oil tank. Because the
o il tank is tall and narrow, oil pressure is con­
stant even under extreme conditions .
In add ition, the oi l pan in vehicles with dry
sump l ubrication is noticeab ly shallower. This
allows the engine to be installed lower in the
vehicle , bring ing down the center of grav ity .
T his imp roves your ve hicle's handling .
Driving with your
quattro ®
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv ­
en.
General information
With a ll-wheel d rive, powe r is distr ib uted to
al l four wheels. This happens autom atic ally
depen ding on your d riving s tyle and the ro ad
conditions a t the time . See also ¢
page 144.
The all-whee l dr ive concept is des igned for
high eng ine power. Your veh icle is except ion­
al ly powe rf ul and h as ex cellen t driving charac ­
teristics both under normal driving cond itions
and on snow and ice . Always read and follow
safety precaut ions ¢&. .
Winter tires
When dr iving in the win ter, yo ur vehicle wi th
a ll- wheel d rive h as an advantage, even w it h
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea ­
son tires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing : these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels . See also¢ page 203, Winter tires. .,..
•
•

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>-
•
•

Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most
abused parts of a motor vehicle .
Tires may be the least appreciated and most
abused parts of a motor vehicle . Tires are,
however, one of the most important parts of a
vehicle, particularly considering the compara­
tively small patch of rubber on each tire that
assures that a ll- important contact between
you, your vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, mak ing
sure that your vehicle and its tires do not have
to carry mo re weight than they can safely han­
d le, avoiding damage from road hazards and
r eg ularly inspect ing t ires for damage i nclud­
ing cuts, slashes irregu la r wear and ove rall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to he lp avoid sudden tire failure in­
cluding tread separat ion and blowouts.
A voidin g damage
If you have to d rive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very slow ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemicals includ ing grease, o il ,
gasoline and brake fluid off the t ires .
I nspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedde d in the treads.
Storing tires Mark tires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . T his ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
i nstall them .
When removed, the wheels or t ires should be
sto red in a cool, d ry and preferably dark place .
Store tires in a vertical pos ition if they are not
mounted on rims, in a horizontal pos it ion if
they are mounted on rims .
Tires an d wheel s 189
New tires
New ti res have to be broken in¢& .
The tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord­
ing to the type a nd make of t ire and the tread
patte rn.
H idden damage
Damage to tires and r ims is ofte n not readily
visible . If you notice unusual v ib rat ion or the
vehicle pulls to one s ide, th is may ind icate
that one of the t ires has been damaged . T he
ti res m ust be chec ked immed iate ly by an au­
thorized Audi dea le r or q ua lified wor kshop .
Unidirectional tires
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sidewa ll, that po int in the direc­
tion the t ire is designed to rotate. You mus t
f ol low the specified di rection o f rotation . T his
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance.
For more information
¢ page 214.
A WARNING
New tires or t ires that are o ld, worn or
damaged cannot provide maximum con­
trol and braking ability .
-
-New tires tend to be slippery and must
be broken in. To reduce the r isk of losing
control, a co llision and ser ious personal
in ju ries, d rive with special ca re for the
fi rst 350 m iles ( 560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
lead to loss of control, sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowout and sudden de­
fl ation, cras hes and se riou s personal in­
juries . Have worn or damaged t ires re­
placed immediate ly.
- Ti res age even if they are not being used
and can fai l sudden ly, especially at hig h
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith special care and at low
speed.
•
•

190 Tire s and wheel s
-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
yo u are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden t ire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when driving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
(D Note
Please note that summer and winter tires
are designed for the cond itions that are
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined we ight (in excess of
those standard items which may be rep laced)
of au toma tic tra nsmission, power steer ing,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory -installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the he ight to the w idth of
the tire in percent . Numbers of 55 or lower in­
dicate a low sidewall for improved steering re­
sponse and better overall handling on dry pavement .
Bead
means the part of the ti re that is made of
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead s eparation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire . typ
ica l in those seasons . Audi recommends
using winter tires during the winter
months . Low temperatures signif icant ly
decrease the e lasticity of summer tires,
which affects tract ion and brak ing ability.
If summer tires are used in very co ld tem­
peratures, cracks ca n form on the tread
bars, res ulting in permanent tire damage
that can cause loud driving no ise and un­
balan ced t ires. Audi is not responsible for
th is type of damage .
Cold tire inflation pre ssure
means the t ire p ressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer fo r a tire of a des ignated
s ize that has not bee n driven for more than a
coup le of miles (k ilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire pressure
is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the we ight of a motor ve hicle w ith
standard equipment including the max imum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi ­
tioning and additional weight of optiona l
equipment.
E x tra load tire
means a t ire designed to ope rate a t higher
loads and at highe r inflation p ressu res than
the corresponding standard tire. Extra load
tires my be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Gross A xle Weight Rating ("GAWR ")
means the load -carry ing capacity of a s ingle
axle system , measured at the tire-ground in­
terfaces.
Gr oss Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR ")
means the maximum total loaded we ight of
t h e vehi cle. .,.

Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry for a g iven inflation pressure. You
may not find this information on all tires be­
cause it is no t req uired by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a t ire at the max i­
mum permissible inflation pressure for that
tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressure
to which a tire may be inflated. Also called "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the
number of occupants seated in the vehicle up
to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overa ll diamete r of an inflated new
tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteri­
ors of the sidewalls of an inflated tire, includ ­
in g elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated parallel cords.
Tires and wheels 191
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those installed
regular production options we ighing over 5
lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard items
which they replace, not previously considered
in curb weight or accessory weight, including
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, heavy duty
battery, and special trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in wh ich the ply cords
that extend to the beads are laid at substan­
tia lly 90 degrees to the center line of the
tread .
Recommended inflation pressure
see ¢ page 190, Cold tire inflation pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a t ire designed to operate at higher
loads and at higher inflat ion pressures than
the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
tires my be identified as "XL", "xl", "E XTRA
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and
tube assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Rim diameter
means nom inal d iameter of the bead seat. If
you change your wheel s ize, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the new rim di­
ameter.
Rim size designation
means r im diameter and width .
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the
tread and bead. •
•

192 Tires and wheels
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at wh ic h a tir e is des igned to
be d riven for extended per io d s of t ime. The
ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h) to
186 mph (298 km/h)
¢ page 200 . You may
not find this in format ion on all tires because
it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, w here a pplica­
b le, is molded on the tire s idewa ll and indi­
cates the maxim um permissible road speeds
¢ &. in Winter tires on page 204.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a sys tem that detects whe n one or
mo re of a vehicle's t ires a re under inflated and
il lum inates a low t ire p ress ure warn ing te ll­
tale.
Tread
means t hat port ion of a tire tha t comes into
con tact w it h t he road.
Tread separation
means pull ing away of the t read from the t ire
car cass .
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means t he p rojections withi n the pr inc ipal
g rooves desig ned to give a v isua l ind ication of
the deg rees of wear of the tre ad . See
¢pag e 198, Tread W ear Indicator (TWI) for
mo re inf ormat io n on measu ring tire we ar.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a ti re i nfo rmation system developed by the
United States Nat io nal Highway Traffic Safety
Admi nistration (N HTSA) that is designed to
h e lp buye rs m ake re lative compa risons among
tires. The UT QG i s n ot a safety r ating an d no t a
g ua ran tee t hat a tir e will las t fo r a presc ribed
n umber of m iles or per form i n a certa in way .
It sim ply g ives tire buyers a dditio na l info rma­
tion to combine w ith other considerations, s
u ch as pr ice, brand loyalty a nd dealer recom ­
me ndations. Under U TQG, tires are gra ded by
t h e tire man ufact urers in three areas : tread­
wear, traction and temperature resistance .
The UTQG informat io n on the tires, m olded in ­
to the sidewalls .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN )
This is the tire's "se ria l numbe r" It begins
with the letters "DOT" and ind icates that the
t ir e meets all federa l standards. The next two
numbers or letters ind icate the plant where it
was ma nufactu red, and the last four numbe rs
r eprese nt the week and year of ma nufact ure.
Fo r exampl e,
DOT ... 2213 ...
means that the tire was produced in t he 22nd
wee k of 2013. The ot her numbers are market­
ing codes that may or may not be used by the
t ire manufacturer . This information is used to
contact consumers i f a tire defect requires a
r ecall .
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load p lus
150 lbs. (68 k ilograms) times the vehicle's to­
ta l seating capacity as listed on the label lo­
cated on the driver's side B-pilla r.
Vehicle maximum lo ad on the tire
means that load on an individua l tire that is
determined by distrib uting to eac h axle its
share of the maxim um loaded vehicle weight
and divid ing by two .
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individua l t ir e that is
determined by distrib uting to eac h ax le its
share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occ upant weig ht (d istr ibuted in
accorda nce wit h tab le below¢
page 193)
and divid ing by two .