
The indicator li ght q fig . 30 starts flashing
rapidly fo r 2 seconds and then blinks slowly.
How is the anti-theft alarm system
switched off?
The anti -the ft alarm system is switched off
on ly when you unlock your vehicle. If yo u do
not open a door with in 30 seconds after yo u
have unlocked with the remote control, the
ve hicle w ill lock itse lf again a utomat ically.
When will the anti theft alarm system be
triggered?
When the veh icle is locked, the alarm system
monitors and protects the following parts of
the vehicle:
- engine compartment
- luggage compartment
- doo rs
- ignition
When the system is activated , the alarm wi ll
be tr iggered if one of the doors, the eng ine
compa rtment lid or the front lid are opened .
The anti-theft a larm system will also go off
when the battery is disconnected .
You can a lso trigger the alarm by pressing t he
PANIC button on your remote-control key .
This will a lert other peop le in case of emer
gency . Press the
PANIC button again to tu rn
off the alarm .
How is the ant i-theft alarm switched off
when triggered?
The alarm system is switched off w hen you
u nl ock the vehicle us ing the remote-control
key or when the ignition is sw itche d on . T he
a larm w ill also switch itse lf off when it comes
t o the en d of its cycle.
Emergency flasher
The emergency f lasher w ill blink b riefly w hen
the doors, e ngine compartment l id and fron t
lid are properly clos ed .
If the emergency flashers do not blink, check
the doors, e ngine compartment l id and front
l id to make sure t hey a re p roperly closed . If
Opening and clo sin g 35
you close a doo r, the eng ine compartment lid
o r the fro nt lid with the anti -theft alarm
switched on, the eme rgency flashers w ill blink
o nl y after yo u have closed the door or lid.
@ Tips
For the a nti-theft alarm system to f unc
tion properly, make sure all ve hicle do ors
and windows are closed bef ore leaving t he
vehicle.
Power windows
Controls
Th e driver can opera te all windo ws.
F ig. 31 Driver 's doo r: power w indow sw it ches
T he powe r window swi tc hes have a two-posi
tion function :
Opening the windows
.,. Press the swit ch and hold it down u nt il the
w indow h as reached the desired posi tio n.
.,. Press t he swi tch
briefly to open the win dow
automatically .
... By briefly press ing/p ulling the sw itch again,
the downward t ravel of the window can be
stopped in any pos ition
¢ ,& .
Closing the windows
.,. Pull the sw itch and hold it until the w indow
has reached the desire d posi tion .
... Pull the sw itch
briefly to close t he window
automatically.
... By briefly pressing/pull ing the sw itch again,
the upwa rd trave l of the w indow can be
stopped in any pos it ion
¢ ,& . .,.

36 Openin g and clo sing
A WARNING
- Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, especially with access to vehicle
keys . Unsupervised use of the keys can
result in starting of the engine and use
of vehicle systems such as powe r win
dows , etc. which cou ld result in serio us
injury.
- Remember -you can still open or close
the power w indows for abou t ten m i
nutes after the ignition is sw itched off .
Only when either of the front doors are
opened are the power windows switched
off.
- Be careful when closing the windows .
Check to see that no one is in the way, or
serious injury could result!
- Always remove the ignition key whenever
you leave your vehicle.
- If you lock your vehicle from the outside,
no one, especia lly children, sho uld re
ma in in the vehicle .
- Do not stick anything on the windows or
the windsh ield that may interfere with
the driver's fie ld of vision.
@ Tips
- When the doors are opened, the w in
dows are a utomatica lly lowered 0.4 in
(10 mm) .
Reactivating the system after battery
disconnection
If the vehicle ba ttery i s disconnected and
then reconnected, the automatic closing and
opening function will not work until it is reac
tivated .
• Pull and hold the power w indow swi tch un til
the window is completely clo sed .
• Release the switch and pull it again for one
second.

Convertible top
Convertible top
General information
The fabric convertible top opens and closes
automatically . When it is open, it is stored in
the convertible top storage bay. The converti
b le top may be opened or closed at speeds up
to 31 mph (SO km/h) .
The convertible top is wind- and waterproof
under normal conditions. Some moisture may
collect in the vehicle interior, but only under
extreme ly adverse weather conditions such as
torrential rain. That is normal and no cause
for concern.
F ollow the clean ing and maintenance instruc
tions
Q page 159 to ensure the convertible
top remains wind- and waterproof . Also note
the following points:
- Only stow the convert ible top when it is
clean and dry . Grains of sand or coarse dirt
particles can cause abrasions on the conver
tible top when stowed that can lead to dam
age to the fabric over time. Stowing the con
vertible top when it is damp can cause
marks or permanent mildew spots to form .
- Do not leave the convertible top open for
several weeks or the creases in it may be
come discolored . This is especia lly true if the
top was stowed when damp .
- Remove ice and snow before opening the
convertible top. Do not use any sharp edged
objects to remove ice and snow or the con
vertible top could be scratched or damaged.
The rear window may be cleared with a
standard ice scraper.
- Th e fabric in the convertible top loses elas
t icity in sub-zero temperatures. We recom
mend not opening or closing the convertible
top when the temperature is below 32 °F
(0 QC). The convertib le top will not open
when the temperature is 5 °F (-15
Q() or be
low .
Convertible top 3 7
Opening/closing the convertible top
Fig. 32 Center console: convertible top switc h
Requ irement: the front lid must be closed and
the ignition must be switched on .
Opening the convertible top
... Pull and hold the convertib le top switch un
til the top is stowed in the bay and the cover
on the bay has closed completely .
Opening the convertible top using the
one-touch function
... Pull the switch briefly to open the converti
ble top comp letely.
It is not necessary to
hold the switch. The one-touch function is
only available at speeds between 4 and
31 mph (6 and 50 km/h) .
Closing the convertible top
... Press and hold the switch until the converti-
ble top is closed and the latch is locked.
T he ind icator light Nin the instrument clus
ter goes out when the top is complete ly open
or closed.
The side windows a utomat ically lower slightly
during the opening/closing process.
A WARNING
-Never drive when the convert ible top is
not locked correctly. The wind generated
by driving cou ld cause it to open, which
could injure vehicle occupants or damage
the vehicle .
- Make sure no one will be injured by the
convert ible top supports and other mov
ing objects on the vehicle whe n opening
a nd clos ing the top.

40 Convertible top
The rear window can be extended comp lete ly
for cleaning. This is ca lled the cleaning posi
tion.
E xtendin g the rear w indow into th e w ind
d efl ector po sit io n
.. Pull and hold the rear window switch
¢ fig. 36 .
.. Re lease the switch once the rea r window has
reached the wind deflector position.
E xte nding th e rear window into th e
cle aning po sition
.. Pull and hold the rear window switch
¢ fig . 36.
.. Release the switch once the rear window has
reached the wind deflector position .
.. Pull and hold the rear w indow switch again .
.. Pull and hold the convertible top switch
within one second
¢ page 37, fig . 32.
Re tra cting the re ar w indow
.. Press and hold the rear window sw itch until
the window has been retracted .
Retra cting the re a r wi ndow using the one
t ouch function
.. Press the rear window switch briefly . There
is no need to hold the switch .
The rear window can only be operated when
t he igni tion is switched on.
The rear window can also be extended or re
tracted when the convertib le top is closed.
A WARNING
- Do not use the rear window to secure car
go or other objects. This could result in
mJury .
- Always pay attention and be careful
when extending or retracting the rear
window . It could cause injury by pinch
ing .
(D Tips
-Keeping all of the w indows raised pro
v ides the best wind protection . - The vehicle must be stationary to bring
the rear window into the cleaning posi
tion . The rear window will retract once
you begin dr iv ing .
Convertible top
emergency operation
General information
The convertible top can be closed by hand if
there is a malfunction .
First check if overload protection is active
¢ page 38. If this is the case, the convertible
top wi ll operate again afte r a short de lay. Oth
erwise the fo llowing steps must be completed
before closing the convertib le top:
.. Activate the pa rking brake .
.. Open the side w indows, if necessary.
.. Remove the key from the ignition.
E mergency loc king is not intended for long
term use or long d rives . The convertible top
will not be completely waterproof after using
the emergency locking procedure because the
seals wi ll not be seated correctly. Only close
the convertible top manually in an emergency .
Please see an authorized Audi R8 dealer to
have the cause of the malfunction corrected .
A WARNING
-The ignition must be sw itched off d uring
the entire closing p rocedu re.
- When pos itioning the convertible top,
avoid contact with the supports or other
movi ng parts. Otherwise you could p inch
your hands.
- Never drive when the convert ible top is
not locked correctly . The wind from d riv
ing could cause the convertible top to
open . This can resu lt in injuries and dam
age to the vehicle.
(D Tips
Have a second person assist when clos ing
the convert ible top. Opening the storage
bay lid and positioning the convertible top
i s easier when a second person is assisting.

Step 1: Retract the rear window
Fig. 37 Upper storage compartment: removing the
cover
Fig. 38 Upper storage compartment: using the Allen
wrenc h as a crank to lower the rear window
~ 0 N ... a,
,__ ,-. M C)
"' ... a,
The rear window must be retracted in order to
close the convertible top. If the rear window
switch is not functioning ¢
page 39, the rear
window can be cranked .
.. Open the upper storage compartment be
tween the seat backrests ¢
page 61 .
.. Remove the cover using the screwdriver
from the vehicle tool kit¢
fig. 37 .
.. Press the Allen wrench from the veh icle tool
k it firmly into the opening until it cl icks into
place¢
fig. 38.
.. Turn the bolt clockw ise until the rear win
dow is lowered.
Step 2: Release the pressure in the
hydraulic system
The pressure in the hydraulic system must be
released before the convertible top can be
closed.
.. Switch the ignition
off.
.. Pull or press the convertible top switch
¢page 37, fig. 32 for approximately 10 sec
onds.
Convertible top 41
A WARNING
If convertible top operat ion fa ils when
opening or closing the top, do not hold or
touch the supports or other moving parts
when releasing the pressure. The converti ble top will sink down and could pinch your
hands.
Step 3: Open the convertible top storage
bay lid
Fig. 39 Engine compartment: install ing the emergency
operation bolts
Fig. 40 Raising t he storage bay lid and pulling it back
The engine compartment lid must be released
using the emergency procedure in order to re
lease the storage bay lid
¢page 172 .
Releasing the convertible top storage bay
lid
.. Turn the emergency operation bolts on the
left and right sides of the engine compart
ment¢
fig. 39 clockwise using the open end
wrench from the vehicle too l kit until the
bolts are installed completely . The converti
ble top storage bay lid will raise approxi
mately 0.4 in (1 cm) from the vehicle when
the bolts are insta lled comp letely.
.. Close the engine compartment lid
¢page 174.

.. Pull the convertible top all the way out in
the direction indicated @. Position the fins
upward at the same t ime.
.. Press the convertib le top as far forward to
ward the windshield frame as possible
Q fig. 44 .
Have a second person assist when positioning
the convertible top. That person should stand
on the opposite side of the vehicle and per
form the same steps.
_& WARNING
-When positioning the convertible top,
avo id contact with the supports or othe r
moving pa rts. O the rw ise you cou ld pinch
yo ur hands.
- Whe n pressing the convert ible top down
onto the windsh iel d frame, make s ure
that you do not pinch yoursel f or anyone
else .
Step 6: Secure the convertible top
-
Fig . 4 5 Co nvertible top sto rage bay: installi ng the driv
er
F ig . 4 6 Securing th e convert ib le top
The convertible top must be under tension to
secure it to the windshie ld frame. The wheel
wrench, dr iver and bolts from the vehicle tool
kit a re required for this.
Con vert ible top 4 3
Have a second person assist with th is step .
That person should stand on the opposite side
of the vehicle and perform the same steps .
.. Posit ion the dr iver @ on the bo lt @ in the
front sect ion of the convert ible top storage
bay and rotate clockwise to insta ll in the
threads ~
fig. 45.
.. Posit ion the wheel wrench © with the long
end on the driver @.
.,. Press the convertible top as far forward as
possible toward the windshie ld frame @
w ith one hand~
fig. 46. At the same t ime,
pull the fins upward @for support with the
other hand.
.. Now, grasp the fins with the hand that you
used to move the convertib le top forward
and hold the fins in this position . Wit h the
other hand, turn the wheel wrench upward
until it stops @.
(D Tips
-When pressing the convertible top for
ward, make sure the locking pins are
seated in the latch o n the windshield
frame and not on the frame itself.
- When press ing the convert ible top for
ward, make sure the locking pins are
seated exactly i n the latch on t he wind
shield frame and not on the frame itself.
T his is t he on ly way that the convertib le
t op can be latched cor rect ly .

44 Convertible top
Step 7: Lock the convertible top
Fig . 47 Inner s ide of the convertible top : remov ing the
cap
F ig. 48 In ner s ide of the co nvertible top: pos it ion ing
the Allen wrench
... Remove the cap in the center of the conver
tible top using the screwdriver from the ve
hicle tool kit
c::> fig. 47. The emergency lock
ing mechanism is located behind it.
... Insert the Allen wrench
(D and turn the bolt
to the left @until it is tight and the conver
t ible top is locked securely
c::> fig. 48.
.,. Remove the Allen wrench from the open ing
and cover the open ing with the cap .
... Remove the wheel wrench from the conver
t ib le top storage bay .
... Close the convertib le top storage bay lid .
A WARNING
Make s ure the convert ible top is locked
correctly. Otherwise the wind from driving
could cause the convertible top to open.
This can result in inju ries and damage to
th e vehicle.
-
Step 8 : Secure the fins on the body
F ig . 4 9 Co nve rtib le top : press ing t he f ins downward
F ig . SO Inte rior: tightening the bo lt
The following steps must be performed on
both sides of the veh icle .
... Press the fin downward firmly
c::> fig . 49 .
.,. Ho ld the fin in th is position and tighten the
bolt above the seat belt -arrow-us ing the
Allen wrench from the vehicle tool k it at the
same time
c::> fig. 50.
A second person should assist when securing
the fins to the body. Tightening the bolts is much easier if a second person presses the
fins down .
A WARNING
-
Make sure the fins lie on the body. Other -
wise the convert ible top will not lock se
cure ly and it could open while driv ing. This
ca n resul t in in ju ries and d amage to the
vehicle.
-

Step 9: Extend the rear window
~ 0 N ... a,
Fig. 51 Upper storage compartment between the seat
backrests: extending the rear w indow
... Press the Allen wrench from the vehicle tool
kit firmly into the opening until it clicks into
place
r::;, fig. 51 .
... Turn the bolt counterclockwise unti l the rear
window is extended. Press the rear window
back lightly whi le doing this.
(D Note
To prevent damage to the vehicle, make
sure the rear w indow is in the guide in the
convert ible top when extending the win
dow and the fins are secured on the body.
Con vert ible top 45