2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER tow

154 Driving and en vironm ent
• Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 180, Adding engine oil • Never try to push -or tow-start your veh icle.
The cata lytic converter is an efficient "clean ­
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be­
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fue l is critically
important for the life of the cata lytic convert­
er and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
- Do not park or operate the veh icle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel sp ill or other material which can
cause a fi re.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust p ipes, catalytic con­
verte r o r heat shie lds . D uring d riving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
([) Note
- Be aware that just one tank f illing with
le aded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil leve l
¢page 180 .
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The eng ine could mis­
fire. Unburned f uel could a lso get into
the exhaust system and this could cause
the catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn
off the ignition while the ve­
hicle is moving .
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
could result in overheat ing of the con­
verter, requ iring its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­ sion Control System: -
Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendat ions in yo ur Warranty
&
Maintenance book let.
- Lack of proper maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehicle will impair
the function of the emission contro l
system and could lead to damage.
@ For the sake of the env ironment
Even when the Emission Control System is
operating proper ly, the exhaust gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operat ing states . This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Using a different brand of fue l may help,
or fil ling the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline.
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like your vehicle to remain inop­
erative for a longer per iod of t ime, contact an
Audi or othe r specialized dealer. They can ad­
vise you on necessary precautions e.g . corro­
sion prevention, maintenance and storage.
Pay attention to additional informat ion con­
cerning the battery. Refer to<=>
page 184.
Operation and
maintenance
Fuel economy, env ironmental impact, and
wear on your eng ine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three facto rs:
-your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitat ions
By having your veh icle regu larly se rviced by an
authorized Audi dea ler helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economica lly. The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to hold its va lue, it also affects
fu el
cons umpt ion.
The amount of oi l used is re lated to engine
l oad and speed.

It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certain
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oi l consumption.
This also applies to fuel consumption and en­
g ine output.
(y Note
-Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet. Lack of proper mainte ­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
emission control system and could lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any dev ice, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other important vehicle compo­
nents.
(D Tips
The consumpt ion estimates as published
by the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may
not correspond to your actua l consump­
tion on the road, which will vary depend­
ing upon vehicle load and speed, road and
weather conditions, trip length, etc.
Trailer towing
General information
Your Audi RB Spyder is not designed to tow a
trailer.
Towing a trai ler with your Audi RB Spyder is
not recommended and can cause damage to
the car . Damaged caused by towing a trailer is
not covered by your Aud i Warranty .
Driving and environment 155
•
•

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 .
•
•

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. ""

198 Tires and wheels
shown on the sti cker
¢ page 193, fig. 149 .
4. The re sulting figure equals
th e available amount of car­
go and luggage load capa ci­
ty . For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lb s.
and there will be five
150
lbs . passengers in your vehi ­
cle , the amount of available
cargo and luggage load ca ­
pacity is
650 lb s. (1400-7 SO
(5
x 150) = 650 lb s.)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle .
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step
4.
6.
If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your trail­
er will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual
to determine how this re­ duces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
..,.Check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 199, fig . 152) to de­
termine the designated load rating for a specific tire .
Tire service life
The service life of t ires depends on a lot of
different things including proper installation
and balancing, c orrect tire p ressur e and dr iv ­
ing style .
Fig. 151 Tire tread: tread wear indicators (TWI)
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)
T he or iginal tires on your vehicl e ha ve
1/ 16 inch ( 1.6 mm) hig h "wea r indic a-
tors"<=:>
fi g. 15 1 run ning ac ross the tread . De­
pend ing on the make, the re wi ll be six to eight
of them evenly p laced arou nd the ti re. Mar ks
o n the tire s idewall (for example "TWI" or
othe r symbols) ind icate the positions of the
t read wea r indicators. Worn tires mus t be re­
placed. Diffe ren t fig ures may apply in oth er
co unt ries
c::> .& -
Tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wea r
and can cause sudd en tire blow-o ut. For this
re as on, tir e pre ssu re m ust be ch ecked at least
o nc e a month
c::>page 195.
Driving style
Driving fast ar ound c urves , heavy accel erat io n
and hard braki ng increase tire wear.
Wheel balancing
T he w heels on new ve hicles are balance d .
H oweve r, va rious s ituati ons dur ing everyday
driv ing can cause them to become unba l­
anced, resulti ng i n vib rat ions y ou can usually
f eel th rough th e steer ing whee l.
Un balanced w hee ls m ust be rebalance d to
avo id excessive wear on steering , su sp ension ..,.

4. Secure the other end to the jump start pin
© for the discharged battery@.
Starting the engine
.,. Start the eng ine of the vehicle providing as­
s istance and allow it to run at id le.
.,. Now start the engine of the vehicle with the
discharged battery .
.,. If the engine does not start: Stop trying af­
ter 10 seconds and then try again after
about 30 seconds .
.,. Disconnect the cable while the engine is
running in exactly
reverse order to that de­
scribed.
The battery is vented to the outside to prevent
gases from entering the vehicle interior. Make
sure that the jumper clamps are well connect­
ed with their
metal ports in full contact with
the battery termina ls.
A WARNING
To avoid serious personal i njury and dam­
age to the vehicle, heed all warnings and
instructions of the jumper cable manufac­
turer.
If in doubt, ca ll for road service .
- Jumper cables must be long enough so
that the vehicles do not touch.
- When connecting jumper cables, make
sure that they cannot get caught in any
moving parts in the engine compart­
ment.
- Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
c:> page 172, Working in the
engine comportment.
Improper hook-up of jumper cables can ru­
in the generator.
- Always connect POSITIVE( +) to POSI­
TIVE(+), and NEGATIVE(-) to NEGATIVE
( - ) ground post of the battery manager
control unit.
- Check that all screw plugs on the battery
ce lls are screwed in firmly. If not, tighten
plugs prior to connecting clamp on nega­
tive battery terminal.
-
What do I do now? 219
- Please note that the procedure for con ­
necting a jumper cable as described
above applies specifically to the case of
your vehicle being jump started. When
you are giving a jump start to another ve­
hicle, do
not connect the negative(-) ca­
ble to the negative(-) terminal on the
discharged battery@. Instead, securely
connect the negative(-) cable to eithe r a
solid metal component that is firmly
bolted to the engine block or to the en­
gine block itself. If the battery that is be­
ing charged does not vent to the outside,
escaping battery gas could ignite and ex­
plode!
Emergency towing
with commercial tow
truck
' General hints
Your Audi requires special handling for tow­
ing.
The following information is to be used by commercial tow truck operators who know
how to operate their equipment safely.
- Never tow your Audi, towing will cause dam­
age to the engine and transmission.
- Never wrap the safety chains or winch cables around the brake lines.
- To prevent unnecessary damage, your Audi
must be transported w ith a car carrier (flat
bed truck) .
- To load the vehicle on to the flat bed, use
the towing loop found in the vehicle tools
and attach to the front anchorage
c:> page 220 .
A WARNING
A vehicle being towed is not safe for pas­
sengers . Never allow anyone to ride in a
vehicle be ing towed, for any reason.
•
•

220 What do I do now?
(D Note
The vehicle has very low ground clearance.
Make sure that no damage is caused to the
underside of the vehicle when it is being
loaded onto a flat bed truck .
Front towing loop
Do not install the front towing loop until it is
needed.
Fig. 165 Rig ht fron t bumper wit hout g rille: Tow ing
loop fully screwed in
On the r ight front in the bumper, there is a
threaded ho le behind the air intake grill into
which the towing loop
is screwed .
.. Remove the towing loop from the vehicle
tool kit
Q page 210 .
.. Pull the lower part of the grill forward and
out .
.. Screw the towing loop tightly into the
threaded hole as far as it will go¢
fig. 165.
When it is no longer needed, unscrew the
towing loop and put it back into the on-board
toolkit. Make sure to have the towing loop
stored in the vehicle at all times.
When installing the grill for the air duct, be
sure that the tabs on the grill are first insert­
ed into their guides on the vehicle . Then push
the gr ill into position .
A WARNING
If the towing loop is not screwed in as far
as it will go, the thread can pull out when
the vehicle is towed -potentia l risk of an
accident.
(D Tips
Check carefu lly to make sure the hook-up
is secure.

234 Index
Emergency release
F ro nt lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Park ing lock . .. ... .... ... .. .. .... ..
82
Emergency sta rting ...... .. .. .. .. .. . 2 17
Emergency towing ............. .. .. . 219
Energy management .... ... .. .. .... . 150
Battery power . ....... ... .. .. .... . 151
Driver notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Eng ine
Coolant ..... .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... .
181
Engine compartment lid ... .. .... .. . 17 2
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68, 69
Stopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Eng ine compar tmen t ................ 174
Safety ins truc tions ..... ... .. .. .... . 172
Eng ine compartment lid
C losing .. .. ................ ... ...
17 4
Release lever . ........... .... .... .
172
Eng ine coolant system ............... 181
Malfunct io n .......... .... .... ..... 15
Temperature ga uge .... .... .... ...... 9
Engine data . .... . ...... ... .. .. .... .
225
Eng ine oi l ..... ........... .. .. .... . 175
Adding .. ... ............ .. .. .. .. . 180
Addit ives .... .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 180
Chec king the engine oil level . . . . 178, 179
Dry s ump l ubrication . ... .. .. .. .. ... 149
Indications and cond it ions requ iring ex-
tra checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
178, 179
O il consumption . ........... .. .. .. . 178
O il grades .. ................ ... ... 175
Specification and viscos ity . . . . . . . . . . . 17 5
T empe ratu re d isp lay ................. 8
Eng ine oil level ............ .. .. .... ..
17
E ng ine oi l pressure (malfunction) ... .. . . 14
E ng ine o il senso r defective ....... ..... 18
Eng ine speed limitat ion ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 7
E nvi ro nment
Cat alytic conve rter ........ .. .. .. .. .
153
D isposing of your vehicle battery . . . . . 185
Fu el . .... .. ... .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 169
Unleaded fuel .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 167
What should I do with an old battery? 185
EPC
refer to E lectronic powe r control . . . . . . 17
ESC (Electronic Stabilization Cont ro l)
War ning/ indicato r lights ... .. .. .. .. . .
15
Event Data Recorde r (E DR) . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 4
Exhaus t tai l pipes
Cleaning .. .... .. ............. ....
161
Expansion tank ..................... 182
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
50
Dimming . ..... .. .. ... ..... ... .. .. . 50
Heating ... .... .. ............. .... . 50
F
Fan ... ... .. .... .. .. ... .. ..... ... .. . 64
Fastening
Boos ter seats .................... .
C o nvertib le child sa fe ty seats ....... .
Infant seats ..... ... .. ..... .... . . .
Flat bed truck
Flat tire Chang ing . .... .. ... .......... ... .
139
138
137
2 20
214
Floor ma ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Fold ing master key with remote control . . 28
Folding top
Care and cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
159
Foot ped als . .. .. .. ... .......... .... . 98
For the sake of the environment Gasoli ne fumes and t he e nvir onme nt ..
169
Letting your eng ine warm up ....... .. 69
Ref ueling . ...... ............. .... 169
Front a irbags
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
115
How they work ........ ........... . 120
Frontal collis ions and the laws of phys ics 104
Fron t lid
E mergency re le a se .. ........... .. .. . 34
li ght . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
so
Power locking system ... .... ... .. .. . 33
Tr unk escape handle . .. ..... ... .. ..
210
Fron t passenger
refer to Se ating posi tion . . . . . . . . . 94 , 95
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Child rest raints in the front seat .. .. .. 112
Front towing loop ................... 220
Fuel
Additives . ... .. .. .. .... .... ... .. ..
167
B lended gaso line ... ... ..... ... .. .. 167
C ur rent fuel mileage . .. ..... ... .. .. . 21
Filler neck . ...... ............. .... 168