2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER Owners Manual

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. ..,.
•
•

186 Checking and filling
No
- sparks
@
-flames
-smoking.
--· W hen a b att ery is ch arg ed , it produc es
A hydrogen ga s whi ch i s ex plosive and
could cause p ers onal injury.
®
Alway s keep the battery well out of
reach of children.
A WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system, there is the r isk of
inju ry, acc ident and
even fire. Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
- Always wear eye protection . Do not let
battery acid or any lead part icles get on
yo ur sk in or cloth ing . Sh ield your eyes .
Explosive gases can cause blindness or
other injury.
- Battery acid contains sulfur ic acid. Sulfu­
ric acid can cause blindness and
severe
burns.
- Always wear gloves and eye protection .
Do not tilt the battery because ac id
could lea k out of the vent ilation open­
ings.
- If you get battery acid in yo ur eyes or
on your sk in, immediately rinse with
cold water for severa l m inutes and get
medical attention.
- I f you should ingest any battery acid,
see k medical attention immediately.
- Do not expose the battery to an open
flame, electric sparks o r an open ligh t.
- Do not smoke .
- Do not interchange the positive and neg-
ative cables .
- When working on the battery, be sure
not to short-circuit the terminals with
tools or other metal objects. This would
cause the battery to heat up
very quickly,
wh ich could lead to damage or e xplosion
and personal injury.
- When a battery is charged, it produces
hydrogen gas which is explosive and
cou ld cause persona l injury. -
Always keep the battery well out of the
reach of children.
- Before work is done on the elect rical sys­
tem, disconnect the negative ground ca­
ble.
- Before performing any work on the e lec­
tr ica l system, switch off the engine and
ignit ion as well as any electrical equip­
ment. The negative cable on the battery
must be disconnected .
If you are just go­
i n g to replace a light bulb, then it is
enough to switch off the lights.
- Before disconnecting the battery, switch
off the anti-theft alarm system! Other­
wise you wi ll set off the alarm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first
d isconnect the negat ive cab le and then
the posit ive cab le.
- Before reconnecting the batte ry, ma ke
sure all e lectr ica l consumers are sw itch­
ed off. Reconne ct the pos it ive cable first
an d then the negative cable. Never inter­
change the cables -this could start a fi re!
- Never ch arge a fro zen or a thawed-out
battery. I t could exp lode! I f a battery has
frozen, then it must be replaced . A dis­
charged batte ry can freeze
over at 32 °F
(0 oc).
- Make sure the vent hose is always attach­
ed to the opening on the s ide of the bat ­
tery .
- Never use batteries which a re damaged .
Danger of explosion! Always replace a
damaged battery .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories conta in lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive problems . Wash hands after han­
dling.

(D Note
-Do not disconnect the vehicle battery
when the ignition is switched on or when
the engine is running, otherwise, you will
damage electronic components in the
electrical system .
- If your vehicle is going to stand for a
long period of time without being driven,
protect the battery from "freezing", oth­
erwise it will be damaged and will then have to be replaced.
Charging the battery
Connections for charging the battery are lo­
cated in the Luggage compartment.
Fig. 146 Luggage com pa rtm ent: batt ery cov er
Fig. 147 Luggag e com partm ent: connec tor s for a
c harge r and jump start cables
Do not connect the negative cable direc tly to
the negative terminal on the battery . Connect
it to a
jump start pin instead c::.> fig . 147 .
.. Always read and heed all WARNINGS c::.> .&.
in Working on the ba ttery on page 186 and
Q ,&. .
.. Switch off the ignition and all electrical con ­
sumers .
.. Open the luggage compartment lid
c::.> page 3 3.
Checking and filling 187
.. Remove the battery cover c::.> fig. 146.
.. Connect the terminal clamps from the
charger to the battery terminal (red = "posi­
tive") and the jump start pin
c::.> fig. 147
(black or brown= "negative") as specified.
.. Only now plug the mains lead for the charg ­
ing equipment into the wall outlet and turn
it on .
.. When the battery is fully charged: Turn the
charging equipment off and
remove the
mains lead from the wall outlet .
.. Now
remove the clamps for the charging
equipment .
.. Install the battery
cover.
.. Close the luggage compartment lid
c::.> page 3 3.
When charging at low voltages (e.g. with a
trickle charger), the battery cables do not
have to be disconnected first. Before charging
at
high voltages, i.e . "fast charging", you
must disconnect both cables. In either case,
follow the instructions from the manufacturer
of the charger.
Fastcharging a battery is
dangerous c::.> .&. in
Working on the battery on page 186 .
It re­
quires special charging equipment and the
knowledge to go with it. We recommend hav­
ing your battery fast charged only by a quali­
fied workshop .
A discharged battery can
freeze at tempera­
tures of only 32 °F (0 °C). Allow a frozen bat ­
tery to thaw completely before attempting to
charge it
c::.> & . However, we recommend not
using a thawed battery again because the bat­
tery casing can be cracked due to ice forma­
tion and can leak battery acid .
Do not open the battery caps when charging
the battery.
WARNING
Charging a battery can be dangerous.
- Never charge a frozen battery. It may ex­
plode because of gas trapped in the ice .
Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first.
- Do not reuse batteries which were fro-
zen. The battery housing may have

188 Checking and filling
cracked and weakened when the battery
froze.
- Charge the battery in a we ll ventilated
area. Keep away from open f lame or elec­
trical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas
generated by the battery is explosive.
- To reduce the danger of explosion, never
connect or disconnect charger cables
wh ile the charger is operating.
- Fast charg ing a battery is dangerous and
should only be attempted by a compe­
tent technicia n w ith the proper equip­
me nt.
- Battery acid that may spill during charg­
ing should be washed off with a solution
of warm water and baking soda to neu­
tralize the acid.
(D Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to
start the engine. This will seriously dam­
age sensitive electronic components, such
as control units, relays, rad io, etc., as we ll
as t he battery charger.
(D Tips
- The vehicle battery must not be charged
with a standard small charger that p lugs
i nto the c igarette lighte r o r outlet.
- Only charge the battery through the con­
nect ions in the luggage compartment.
Windshield washer
container
Fig. 148 Luggage compartment: Wind shie ld washer
fl uid reser voir
T he washer fluid container is marked with the
symbol
O on its cap ~page 174, fig. 136 .
,. Lift the fi ller cap tongue to add washer flu­
id. You can fil l the container to the top.
,. Press the cap back onto the filler neck after
fi lling the container .
You can find the reservo ir
c a p acit y in the table
in
~ page225
Clean water should be used when filling up. If
possible, use soft water to prevent scaling on
the washer jets. Always add a glass cleane r
solution (with frost protection in the winter).
(D Note
- Do not mix e ngine coolant ant ifreeze or
any other additives to fill up the w ind­
shield washer reservoir .
- Do not use g lass cleaners conta ining
pai nt so lvent; you risk damaging the
paint.

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. .,.