2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER brake

The parking brake warning comes on only af ­
ter you hav e drive n for longer than 3 seconds
and faster than 5 mph (5 km/h).
The parking b rake warning light _
(USA)/ . (CON) illuminates when the parking
brake is set and you switc h on the ignition .
A WARNING
Always release the parking brake com­
pletely. A partially engaged brake will
overheat the rear brakes, reduce the ir ef­
fectiveness and cause excess ive wear . This
could lead to brake failure and an accident .
On ly after the vehicle has come to com­
plete stop, should you f irm ly set the park­
ing brake and move the gearshift lever into
a gear.
Parking
Parking
"' Stop the vehicle using the brake pedal.
"' Set the parking brake firmly.
"' Swi tch off the e ngine .
"' Engage a gear
~ ,&. .
In addition on inclines and grad es
"' Turn the steer ing whee l so that your vehicle
will ro ll against the curb i n case it should
sta rt to move .
A WARNING
This is how yo u can reduce the risk of in­
jury when leaving your veh icle.
- Never pa rk the vehicle whe re it can come
in contac t wi th dry grass, spille d fu el or
any othe r flammable materials.
- Never allow a nyone - especially small
children -to remain in the vehicle when
it is locked. Locked doors ma ke it mo re
difficult for rescuers to access the pas ­
senger compartment in the event of an emergency . Danger to life!
- Never leave c hildren unsupervised in the
vehicle . Children co uld re lease the park-
-
On th e ro ad 71
ing brake or move the gearsh ift leve r out
of gear. The vehicle could start to ro ll
away and cause an acc ident.
- No matter what the season is, the tem ­
perature in a parked ve hicle can reach
dangerous leve ls.
Starting on hills
App lies to vehicles : wi th hill ho ld assist
Hill ho ld assist makes it eas ier to start on
hill s.
The system is activated when the brake peda l
is depressed
for a few second s.
After releasing the brake ped al, the brake
power is held for a
brief moment t o p reven t
the ve hicle from rolling back when starting . A t
this time, you can easi ly begin to move your
vehicle.
A WARNING
- If you did not begin moving immed iate ly
after releasing the brake pedal, under
certa in circumstances, the vehicle would
begin to roll backwa rd . Dep ress the
brake peda l imm ediate ly o r engage the
hand b rake.
- Should t he eng in e sta ll, dep ress th e
bra ke peda l immediate ly o r engage the
ha nd br ake.
- In o rder to prevent the vehicl e from roll­
ing back unintentionally whe n starti ng in
s top-and-go tr affic, keep the br ake ped al
depressed fo r a few seconds be fore driv­
in g off .
(D Tips
You can find o ut if yo ur vehicle is equ ipped
wi th "Hi ll hold ass ist" at a n au thori ze d
A udi dealersh ip.

74 On the road
8_ WARNING
-Always pay attention to traffic even when
the cruise control is switched on. You are
always responsible for your speed and
the distance between your vehicle and
other vehicles.
- For safety reasons, the cruise control
should not be used in the city, in stop­
and-go traffic, on twisting roads and
when road conditions are poor (such as
ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and hydro­
planing) -risk of accident.
- Turn
off the cruise control temporarily
when entering turn lanes, highway exit
lanes or in construction zones.
- Please note that inadvertently "resting"
your foot on the accelerator pedal causes
the cruise control not to brake. This is
because the cruise control is overridden
by the driver's acceleration.
@ Tips
- Vehicles with manual transmission: You
can attain the set speed only if the cur­
rently engaged gear allows it and the en­
gine is not stressed. Shifting to a higher
or lower gear promptly will allow the en­
gine to run smoothly .
- The cruise control cannot maintain a
constant speed when driving downhill.
The vehicle will accelerate under its own
weight. Downshift to a lower gear or use
the brakes to slow down.
Changing speed
.,. Press lever in the 0 or 0 direction
¢ page 73, fig. 79 to increase or decrease
your speed.
.,. Release the lever to save that speed.
You can also press the accelerator pedal down
to increase your speed, e.g. if you want to
pass someone. The speed you saved earlier
will resume as soon as you release the acceler­ ator pedal.
If, however, you exceed your saved speed by
S mph (10 km/h) for longer than 5 minutes,
the cruise control will turn
off temporarily.
The symbol will go out but the saved speed
will be retained .
Presetting your speed
You can preset your desired speed while the
vehicle is not moving.
.,. Turn on the ignition.
.,. Pull lever into position@~
page 73,
fig. 79.
.,. Press the lever in the 0 or 0 direction to
increase or decrease your speed.
.,. Release the lever to save that speed .
This function makes it possible, for example,
to save the speed you want before driving on
the highway. Once on the highway, activate
the cruise control by pulling the lever toward
CD-
Switching the system off
Temporary deactivation
.,. Press the brake pedal , or
.,. Keep the clutch pedal pressed down longer,
or
.,. Press the lever into position @ (not clicked
into place)
~ page 73, fig. 79 , or
.,. Drive for longer than S minutes at more
than 5 mph (10 km/h) above the stored
speed.
Switching off completely
.,. Press lever into position @(clicked into
place), or
.,. Switch the ignition
off.
The system retains the saved speed if you de­
activate the cruise control temporarily. To re­
sume the saved speed, release the brake or
clutch pedal and pull the lever to position
(D .
Switching the ignition off erases the saved
speed.

_& WARNING
You should only return to the saved speed if it is not too fast for the current traffic
conditions - risk of an accident!
Audi magnetic ride
Damping can be adjusted to the driver's pref­
erence and it adapts automatically to the cur­
rent driving situation.
SPORT •
Fig. 81 Center conso le : Switch for Audi magnetic ride
.,. To turn sport setting on/off, press the
switch
¢fi g. 81 .
Aud i magnetic ride is an electronica lly con­
trolled damping system . This chassis system
assists the driver by adapting to the particu lar
situation through imperceptible control proc­
esses. The damping provides individual modu­
lation of damping forces. For example, with
damping characteristics set to prov ide greater
comfort, damping is set somewhat harder for
a brief period only as required, when rounding
a curve and when brak ing.
Standard setting
Select the standard setting if you prefer a sus­
pension setting emphasizing comfort.
Sport setting
Select the sport setting if you prefer a sporty
suspension setting. The LED in the button
II]
comes on to indicate sport setting.
@ Tips
The warning/indicator light Bin the instru­
ment cluster comes on in the event of a
malfunction. Drive to the closest author-
On the road 75
ized Audi dealer as soon as possible and
have the malfunction repaired.
Sporty driving
Warming up and cooling down
By carefully warming up and cooling down
you r vehicle, you can help ensure that it is not
overstressed unnecessar ily during sporty driv­
ing .
When warm ing up, the vehicle is driven at a
maximum engine speed of 6000 RPM
(Vl0 engine) or 7000 RPM (V8 engine) in or­
der to raise the engine oil temperature to a
minimum of 140 °F (60 °C). The tires also on­
ly reach their full road holding capability once
they have warmed up.
The cooling fan can cont inue to run in your ve­
hicle after the engine is switched off. Howev­
er, driving the vehicle to coo l it down is partic­
ularly important. During sporty driving, the
engine and brakes, the exhaust system, and
the transmission all become extremely hot.
Before you park the vehicle, you should drive
it for a few m iles/kilometers at light load in
the low rpm range to allow it to cool down.
Driving on a track
Before you take your vehicle out on a track ,
ensure that it is in perfect condition. For ex­
amp le, you should check the tire tread and the
brake pads. It is best to increase tire pressure
by about 0.3 bar.
When driving on a track, oil consumption may
be somewhat higher than in "normal" opera­
tion
r=> page 178.
You should definitely inspect your vehicle af ­
ter subject ing it to severe conditions . Are the
brake pads OK? Is there anything unusual
about the tires, including the inner and outer
sidewalls (e.g. tread, blistering)? Are the air
intakes free of leaves and tire dust? Is the oil
level OK? .,,.

78 Transmission
@ Tips
-When accelerating using the Launch
Control program, all vehicle parts are
subject to heavy loads. This can result in
increased wear.
- The Launch Control Program only func­
tions when the parking brake is released
and the vehicle speed is less than
3 mph
(5 km/h).
S tronic®
Description
Applies to vehicles: with S tronic
Fig. 83 Shift pattern
Fig. 84 Display: selected gears
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronical­
ly-controlled manual transmission called S
tronic ®. Two independent clutches transfer
the powe r between the engine and transmis­
sion. They replace the torque converter used
in conventional automatic transmissions and
allow the vehicle to accelerate without a no­
ticeable interruption in traction.
The selected mode of operation, the gear en­
gaged and the sport function are shown in the
Driver Information System display ¢
fig. 84.
M -Manual operation
In this operating mode, you shift the forward
gears using the selector lever ¢
page 79 or
the shift paddles on the multifunction steer­
ing wheel¢
page 81.
A - Automatic operation
In this opera ting mode, the forward gears are
shifted up or down depending on engine load
and vehicle speed ¢
page 80.
R- Reverse
Only shift into reverse gear when the vehicle is
stationary and the engine is running at idle
speed~ ,&..
To engage reverse gear, you have to press the
brake pedal, move the selector lever to the
right and tip it towards R . In reverse gear, the
backup lights illuminate when the ignit ion is
on .
N -Neutral
To engage neutral, you have to move these­
lector lever to the left or to the right.
If re­
verse gear is engaged, move the selector lever
to the left.
If a forward gear is engaged, move
the selector lever to the right.
Sport function
The sport function is sw itched on by pressing
the
I SPOR T I button on the selector lever cover.
Upshifting at a higher RPM makes full use of
the engine's power. Shift time is decreased
and acce le rator pedal response is improved.
In addition, in manual operation the engine
does
not shift automatically into the next
gear before it has reached the maximum per­
missible engine speed. In automatic opera­
tion, upshifting continues automatically.
P - Automatic parking lock
The automatic parking lock is engaged imme­
diately after you remove the key. The auto­
matic parking lock is also engaged if you turn
off the engine while in the A, R, or manual
mode positions. .,..

If you turn off the engine while in the N posi­
ti on and leave the vehicle key in the ignition,
the transm ission remains in the N pos ition for
approximately 20 mi nutes an d then act ivates
th e automatic parking lock. If vehicle
move­
ment is detected within tha t 20 minutes
based on rotat ion of the wh eels, th en the
time will increas e according ly.
A WARNING
- If a gear is engaged when the vehicle is
stationa ry, the acce lerator must not be
pressed inadvertently under any circum­
stances. Otherwise the vehicle will im­
med iately start to
move -sometimes
even if the parking brake is firmly ap­
plied.
- Before you or other persons open the en­
gine compartment lid and work on a ru n­
ning eng ine, se lect neutral position
N
and firmly apply the handbrake. A lways
read and follow the applicable warn ings
¢ page 172, Working in the engine
compartment.
(i) Tips
- If you accidentally shifted into N while
driving, you can engage a gear in the nor­ mal way using the selecto r lever.
-An indicator light is displayed if a mal­
funct ion occ urs while in S tronic. Refe r to
qpage 81.
Manual mode
Appl ies to vehicles : wit h S t ronic
S tronic allows the driver to shift gears man­
ually.
Starting from a stop
.. Press and ho ld the brake pedal.
.. Move the selector lever to the left.
.,. Tap the selector lever forward
0 -
.. Re lease the brake pedal and press the accel­
erato r peda l¢ ,& .
Tran sm iss ion 79
Shifting
.,. To shift up, tap the selec to r l ever forwa rd
0-
.. To shift down, tap the selector lever to the
rear Q.
Stopping temporarily
.. Press the b rake pedal to p revent the veh icle
from mov ing, fo r ex ample at tra ffic l ights.
Parking
.. Press and hold the brake pedal¢ ,& .
.. Act ivate the park ing brake .
.,. Tu rn off the ignition and remove the key.
Stopping on an incline
.. Always keep th e vehicle stat ionary using the
foot brake to prevent it from "rolling back"
¢ ,& . D o
not try to p revent the veh icle from
"rol ling back" when a gear is engaged by in­
creasing e ng ine speed.
.. Ac tiva te the pa rk ing br ake.
Starting on a hill
.. With a gear engaged, remove your foot from
th e brake, accelerate and slowly release the
park ing brake.
When accelerat ing, S tronic sh ifts i nto the
next gear i n gears 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 shortly
before the max imum pe rm issib le eng ine
speed is reached.
If you have se lected a lowe r gear tha n the cur­
r ent one, S tron ic will s hift down only when
the engine will not be
over- revved .
You can switch to automat ic operation at any
time
q page 80.
A WARNING
-Never leave your vehicle with the engine
ru nning while in gear . If you must leave
your veh icle w ith the engine r unning, set
the par king brake firm ly and engage neu­
tral
N.
- W ith the engine r unning and a gear en­
g aged, you have to hold the ve hicle with
the foot bra ke.

80 Transmi ssion
-Do not accelerate when you shift gears
with the vehicle stationary and the en­
gine running.
- Before driving down a steep slope, re­
duce your speed and shift into a lower
gear with S tron ic.
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake pedal too often or too long. Constant
braking causes the brakes to overheat
and substantially reduces brak ing per ­
formance, inc reases braking distance or
c auses comp lete failure of t he b rake sys­
tem.
0 Note
If you must stop on an incline, always hold
t he vehicle in place w it h the foot bra ke to
p revent it from roll ing ba ck. Do not t ry to
preven t the vehicle from r oll ing bac k when
t he ge ar is engaged by increasing speed,
as t his may damage the clutch .
Automatic mode
Applies to vehicles: with 5 tronic
The transmission shifts up and down auto­
matically when in the driving gears.
Starting from a stop
.. Press and hold the brake peda l.
.. Tap the se lector lever towards A.
.. Re lease the brake pedal and press the accel­
era to r peda l¢
A in Manual mode on
page
79 .
Unde r certain circumstances (d riving in the
mo unt ains fo r example), it can be beneficia l
to switch tempo rari ly to the manua l shift pro ­
gram ¢
page 79 in order to adjust the gear ra­
tios to driving conditions
manually .
Kick-down
Applies to vehicles: with S tronic
When you depress the acce lerator pedal be ­
yond the resistance po int, S tronic downshifts
i n to a lower gear , depending on vehicle speed
l) Market- sp ec ifi c
and engine rpm . It shifts up into the next
higher g ear once the maximum specified en ­
gine RPM is reached. Except ion: you have acti ­
vated the sport func tion .
A WARNING
Please note that the whee ls cou ld spin on
slick or slippe ry roads when kick-down is
active .
Launch control program
Applies to vehicles: wit h S tronic
The Launch Con trol Program enables maxi­
mum acceleration .
Requirement: The eng ine must be at operat­
ing temperature and the steering wheel must
not be turned.
.. With th e engine running, press the
(fill
!ESC OFF!1l
button one time. The I ind ica­
tor light and the message
ESC Spo rt -Cau ­
tion! Lim ited stabil ity!
appears in the driver
information system display .
.. Press the brake pedal with your left foot a nd
hold it down .
.. Engage a gea r.
.. Press the
I SPOR T! button on the selecto r lev ­
er cover .
.. Press the accelerator peda l at the same time
with your right foot unti l the engine has
reached a constant speed .
.. Remove your left foot from the brake¢,&. .
A WARNING
--Always adapt your dr iving to the traff ic
f low.
- Onl y use t he Launch contro l program
when road and t raff ic conditions a llow it
a nd other d rivers w ill not be e ndangered
or both ered by your dr iving and the vehi­
cle 's ac celera tion.
- Pl ease note that the d riving wheels ca n
sp in a nd the vehicle can b reak away
-

when ESC is switched off, especially
when the road is slippery.
- Once you have accelerated, you should
switch the ESC back on by pressing the
[fil
button.
(D Tips
- The transmission temperature may in­
crease significantly after using the Launch Control Program. If that hap­
pens, the program may not be available
for a few minutes. It will be available again after a cool-down period.
- When accelerating using the Launch
Control program, all vehicle parts are
subject to heavy loads. This can result in
increased wear.
Steering wheel with shift paddles
Applies to vehicles: with S tronic
The shift paddles allow you to select gears
manually on the steering wheel .
Fig . 85 Steering wheel: shift paddles
~ To shift down, press the paddle on the left
0 -
~ To shift up, press the paddle on the right G).
You can continue to use the manual sh ift pro­
gram with the selector lever in the center con­
sole.
Transmission malfunction
Applies to vehicles: with S tronic
[O] Transmission: please press the brake ped­
al and select the position again Transmission 81
Press the brake pedal and select the desired
selector lever position again. You can then
continue driving.
[O] Transmission too hot: please modify driv·
ing style
The transmission temperature has increased
significantly due to the sporty driving manner.
Drive in a less sporty manner until the tem­
perature returns to the normal range and the
indicator light switches of.
[O] Transmission: System malfunction! You
may continue driving
There is a system malfunction in the transmis­ s ion. You may continue driving. Drive to your
authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair fa­
c ili ty soon to have the malfunction corrected.
Bii·Transmission: System malfunction !
You may continue driving in A until you turn
the engine off.
There is a system malfunction in the transmis­
sion. The transmission is switching to emer­
gency mode . Drive to your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified repair facility immediately
to have the malfunction corrected.
[O] Transmission: System malfunction ! Driv­
ing ability is restricted
There is a system malfunction in the transmis­
s ion . The transmission is switching to emer­
gency mode . This mode only shifts into cer­
tain gears or will no longer shift at all. The en­
gine may stall. Drive to your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified repair facility immediately
to have the malfunction corrected .
[oJ;t Transmission: System malfunction !
Driving ability is restricted. No reverse gear
There is a system malfunction in the transmis­
sion. The transmission is switching to emer­
gency mode . This mode only shifts into cer­
ta in gears or will no longer shift at all. The en ­
gine may stall. You cannot engage the reverse
gear. Drive to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified repair facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.

82 Transmission [O] Risk of rolling! P not possible. Plea se set
the parking brake
- T he pa rking lock was released using the
eme rgency release
r=;, page 82. Or
- T he pa rking lock can no longer be engaged.
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified repair facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
• Transmission: System malfunction ! Stop
the vehicle
Do not cont inue driving. Turn off the ignition
and contact your nearest authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.
There is a serious system malfunction . Con­
tinuing to drive could result in subsequent
damage.
0 Note
If S tronic has switched to emergency op­
eration mode, you should have the mal­
function corrected as soon as possible.
Parking lock emergency release
Appl ies to vehicles: with S tronic
The parking lock must be released using the
emergency release before towing the vehicle .
Fig. 86 Engine compartment: emergency release
Fig. 87 Engine compa rtment: pa rking lock emergency
r e lease
The emergency release is located in the en­
gine compartment.
Releasing the parking lock using the
emergency release
.,. Turn the engine off.
.,. Set the parking brake to prevent the vehicle
from rolling unintentionally.
.,. Remove the removable plastic key from the
luggage compartment and extend the key to
its full length .
.,. Remove the cover over the emergency re­
lease mechanism .
.,. Insert the plastic key into the emergency re­
lease mechanism and turn it all the way to
the right
r=;, fig. 87.
Resetting the parking lock
.,. Tu rn the key all the way to the left .
.,. Install the cover.
The
[O] indicator light appears in the instru­
ment cluster if the park ing lock was released
from P using the emergency release. The mes­
sage
Risk of rolling! P not possible. Please
set the parking brake
also appears .
.&_ WARNING
- Only activate the emergency release
while on a level surface or a slight slope.
-If you release the parking lock using the
emergency release, secure you r vehicle
wit h the parking brake. The vehicle can
roll away if it is not secured and cause a
crash.