2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER Owners Manual

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.

@ Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Natural leather
App lies to vehicles: with natura l leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties , natural look and feel of interior
leather.
G ene ra l
We offer many different types of leather on
our veh icles. Most are different types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various co lors .
The intensity of the color determines the visu ­
al characteristics and appearance . If the sur­
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has
been left in a relatively natural condition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. F ine veins, closed grains, insect
b ites, skin folds, and subtle variations in co lor
remain visible . These cha racte ristics demon­
strate that the mater ia l is na tural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col ­
or finish .
It is therefore more sensitive to so il­
ing and wear, wh ich is something you need to
consider if ch ild ren, an imals o r othe r factors
m ight prove to be particularly hard on the
l eather .
By contrast, leather types that are cove red by
a co lored finish laye r are more durable. This
h as a posit ive effect on the leather's resist­
ance to wear and soiling in daily use . On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu­
ra l leather are bare ly or not apparent. Howev­
er, this does not mean that the leather itself
is of infer ior quality.
Ca re and handling
Because of the exclusive nat ure of the types of
l eather that Audi uses and their unique prop­
erties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, soi l­
ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care-
Cleaning and protec tion 163
ful with these leathers, and a ce rtain type of
care is required. For example, dark clothing
mater ia ls can disco lor leather seats (especia l­
l y if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correctly) . Dust and dirt particles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect
and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams .
The leather should be cleaned regularly as needed . After having been used for a relat ively
long time, your leather seats will acqu ire a
rich aged fin ish . This is a character istic of nat­
ural leathe r and a s ign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural
product over the life of your ve hicle, you
shou ld follow the recommendat ions below:
(D Note
- To keep your leather from b leac hing out,
do not allow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time . If you
have to leave the veh icle parked outside
for long per iods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to s un­
light.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent sc ratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather .
{i) Tips
-After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leather preser­
vative creme that contains UV-b lockers
and that works into the leather. Th is
creme will nour ish and mo isturize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay
supple . It also helps to build up a protec­
tive coating on the surface .
- Clean the leather every 2 - 3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh marks made by ballpo int
pens, ink, lipstick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as poss ible.
- Preserve the color of the leather as need­
ed by us ing a special colored leather care
creme to touch up areas of uneven color . •
•

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
•
•

166 Cleaning and protection
- Do not wash, wax or dry the engine with
the engine running. Moving or hot parts
could injure you.
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts w ithout protecting your
hands and arms. You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
~ page 156.