2014 AUDI R8 SPYDER wheel

Power steering
When the engine is running, power steering
makes it easier for the driver to steer.
Power steering he lps the driver steer the vehi­
cle with little physical effort .
If the engine is not runn ing, the power steer­
ing system is also not wo rking. In this case,
you will find it extreme ly difficult to turn the
steering whee l.
If you t urn t he steering fully to the le ft or
right when the vehicle is stationary, you place
a very heavy load on t he power steering sys ­
tem . T urning the steering wheel fu lly to the
left or r ight will cause noise in the system . It
a lso reduces engine idle speed.
(D Note
Do not hold the steering turned fully to
the left or right for more than 10 seconds
when t he engine is running. There is a risk
of damage to the power steeri ng system .
@ Tips
-In the event of a power steering system
failure, or if the eng ine is not running
(while being towed), you wi ll st ill be able
to stee r the ve hicle . However, you will re­
quire more effort to do so .
- If the power steer ing system has a leak
or is defective, you should immed iately
contact a qualif ied wo rkshop.
- The powe r stee ring system requires a
spec ial hyd raulic f luid. The powe r stee r­
i ng fl uid reservo ir is lo cated in the en­
g ine compar tment . Th e cor re ct hydra ulic
f lui d leve l is important for p ro per opera ­
tion o f the power steering sys tem . The
power steer ing fl uid leve l is checked ac­
cord ing to the Aud i maintenance service
schedule.
Dry sump Lubrication
H igh lateral and long itud inal forces affect the
engine and the vehicle d uring sporty driving.
Ory sump lubr ication ensures that your eng ine
Int ellig ent technolog y 149
is supplied wi th oi l and properly lubricated
even under these conditions .
In a "no rma l" veh icle the o il pump sends the
o il from the o il p an t o the lubr ication points in
t h e engine. The oi l then ret urns to the o il pan .
In extreme situations , the oil p ump may draw
in a ir, which results in insufficient oi l pressure.
Wi th dr y sump lubri cat ion, the o il is not in the
oi l pan (it is "dry"), but in a separate oil tank.
While one p ump supplies t he e ngine with oil ,
a second pump suctions the oil out of the en­
gine and returns it to the oil tank. Because the
o il tank is tall and narrow, oil pressure is con­
stant even under extreme conditions .
In add ition, the oi l pan in vehicles with dry
sump l ubrication is noticeab ly shallower. This
allows the engine to be installed lower in the
vehicle , bring ing down the center of grav ity .
T his imp roves your ve hicle's handling .
Driving with your
quattro ®
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv ­
en.
General information
With a ll-wheel d rive, powe r is distr ib uted to
al l four wheels. This happens autom atic ally
depen ding on your d riving s tyle and the ro ad
conditions a t the time . See also ¢
page 144.
The all-whee l dr ive concept is des igned for
high eng ine power. Your veh icle is except ion­
al ly powe rf ul and h as ex cellen t driving charac ­
teristics both under normal driving cond itions
and on snow and ice . Always read and follow
safety precaut ions ¢&. .
Winter tires
When dr iving in the win ter, yo ur vehicle wi th
a ll- wheel d rive h as an advantage, even w it h
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea ­
son tires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing : these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels . See also¢ page 203, Winter tires. .,..
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150 Intellig ent technolog y
Snow chain s
Where t ire cha ins are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally a lso applies to vehicles
with a LL-wheel drive
¢ page 204, Snow
chains .
Replacing wheels /t ir es
Vehicles with all-wheel drive must a lways
have tires of the same size. Also avoid t ires
with different tread depths. For details see
page
¢ page 199, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels.
Off -Ro ad dri ving?
Your Aud i does not have enough ground clear­
ance to be used as an off -road veh icle .
It is
therefore best to avoid rough tracks and un ­
even terrain as much as possible . Also refer to
¢ page 153.
A WARNING
-Always adjust your driving to road and
traffic conditions. Do not let the extra
safety afforded by all-wheel drive tempt
yo u into taking extra risks.
- Although the all-wheel dr ive is very ef­
fective, always remember that braking
capacity is limited by t ire traction . You
should the refore not dr ive at excessive
speeds on icy or slippery road su rfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to
dr ive too fast because the front wheels
cou ld beg in to s lide on top of the w ater
(aquaplaning) .
If this should occ ur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in ­
crease in engine speed as with a front­
wheel drive vehicle. A lways drive at
speeds wh ich are suited to the road con­
ditions. -risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system
is not driven for a long per iod of t ime, the bat­
tery is discharged by idling current consumers
(e .g. immobilize r). In certa in circumstances it
can resu lt in the re be ing insufficient energy
available to start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cl e ha ndles the distribution of e lectr ica l ene r­
gy . Start ing ability is ma rkedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
Bas ica lly, energy management consists of
b att ery diagn osis, idlin g current manage ­
m ent
and dynamic en erg y manag em ent .
Battery di agnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines
the state of the battery. Sensors determine
battery voltage, battery cu rrent and battery
tempe rature. This determines the current
state o f charge and the power of t he battery .
Idling current m anagem ent
Idling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is standing .
With the ig nition sw itched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electri ca l compo ­
nents. Da ta from ba ttery diagnos is is cons id ­
ered.
Depend ing on the batte ry's state of cha rge,
individual cons ume rs a re g radually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of the battery
and th us maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy manag ement
While the vehicle is being d riven, dynamic en­
ergy ma nagement distr ibutes the energy gen­
era ted a ccord ing to t he needs of the individ u-
al components .
It regula tes consumption, so
t h at more electrical energy is not being used ..,.

156 Cleaning and protection
Cleaning and protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value .
Regular and correct care will contribute to
maintaining the beauty and value of your
Audi. Furthermore, good care may be a condi ­
tion for substant iat ing a warranty claim
should corrosion damage or pa int defects oc­
cur.
Your authorized Audi R8 dealer has a variety
of
dedicated vehicle-care products. Please
make sure you apply them correctly .
.8, WARNING
-Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep
them out of the reach of children.
- Heed all caution labels.
- Always read directions on the container
before using any product . Follow the di­
rect ions carefu lly.
- Most chemical cleaners are concentrated
and have to be diluted.
- Use spot removing fluids only in well
ventilated areas.
- Do not use gasoline, kerosene, d iesel
fuel, nail pol ish remover or other volatile
fluids. They may be toxic, flammable or
haza rdous in other ways. Do not wash,
wax or dry the vehicle with the ignit ion
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, etc. without pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourse lf on sharp-edged metal parts.
- Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
braking efficiency¢
page 146, General
information .
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle.
@ For the sake of the environment
Select only environmentally friend ly clean­
ing products . Leftover cleaning products
should not disposed of in the household
waste.
Care of exterior
Washing your vehicle
T he longer i nsect remains, bird dropp ings,
tree res in , road and indust rial dust, tar, soot
part icles, road salt, and other aggressive de­
posits remain on the vehicle surface, the more
lasting their destructive effect will be . High
temperatures, for example from intense sun­
li ght, intens ify the corrosive effect.
After the end of winter road salting, the un­
derside of the vehicle should be thoroughly
washed .
Automatic car washes
Before going through an automatic car wash,
yo u should take the usual precautions (closing
the windows). If your vehicle has special ac­ cessories -e.g . spoilers, radio antenna -it is
best to speak to the operator of the car wash
c:> (D .
Only use car washes where the vehicle re­
mains stationary and the cleaning equipment
moves aro und the vehicle while washing and
drying . It is not possib le to use car washes
where the vehicle is moved forward on a con­
veyer
c:> ,& .
It is preferab le to wash your vehicle in a
brush less carwash .
Washing with a power washer
When washing yo ur vehicle with a power
washer, be sure to follow the operating in­
structions for the power washer . This applies
particularly to the
pressure and the spraying
distance.
Maintain sufficient distance from
soft materials such as rubber hoses, sound
deaden ing mater ial, and the parking aid sen ­
sors* that are located in the front or rear
bumper .
Do not use washers with
a rotating jet or a
nozzle spraying
a high pressure jet of water in
any case. ..,.

Hand washing
When washing your veh icle by hand, fi rst soft ­
en the dirt with copious amounts of water and rinse it
off as b est you can.
Then clean the veh icle using a soft
s ponge , an
auto gl ove or a low -press ure wa sh bru sh .
Work from the top down -sta rting with the
roof . Use a
s h ampoo only for very stubborn
dirt.
Rinse the sponge or auto glove thorough ly at
fr equent intervals.
C lea n the wheels, doo r sill s and simi lar a reas
last . Use a separate sponge fo r th is.
_&. WARNING
- Car washes with conveyors can damage
the vehicle tires , which could cause the
ti re to lose pressure sudden ly while driv­
ing and put you at risk for an accident.
Do not use car washes with conveyors.
- Switch
off the ignit ion when you wash
yo ur vehicle to avo id an accident.
- Protect yo ur hands and arms from sharp
metal edges when you clean the under­
body, the ins ide of the whee l wells or the
wheel covers to avoid cutting yourself .
- When washing your vehicle in the winter:
Moist ure and ice in the brake system can
affect the brakes.
- Never wash tires with a jet that sprays
water in a direct stream . T hi s could cause
invisible damage to the tires and weaken
them, even if the spray is from a relative ­
ly long distance and for a short time.
Damaged and wea kened tires can fail
and cause a ccidents and pe rsonal inj ury.
0 Note
- Never dr ive your veh icle through any au ­
tomatic car wash that fails to p rov ide e i­
the r suff icient clearance for your veh icle
or sufficient tra ck wid th fo r your tires .
Ris k of expensive damage to the veh icle's
u nderbody, tires, and rims!
- As descr ibed in you r Warra nty
& M ainte­
nance booklet , damage or malf unct ion
Cleaning and protec tion 157
due to m isuse o f the vehicle or fai lure to
operate the vehicle in acco rdance with
the inst ruct ions of th is Owner's Manua l
wi ll not be covered under warranty.
- Fold the exte rior mirrors flat -there is a
r isk of damag ing the exterior m irrors .
Power folding exterior mirrors must not
be folded in or out by hand . Use the pow­
er function!
- Do not wash the vehicle in d irect sun­
light . You may damage the paint.
- Do not use sponges designed to remove
insects, rough k itchen sponges , or s imi­
lar products . You risk damag ing the
pai nt s urface.
- Do not wash the vehicle using cleani ng
products that contain alcohol when the
e ng ine is ho t. This increases the risk of
damage to plast ic components, such as
c rack ing .
- You should remove deb ris (such as in­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regu lar bas is, for example when re fuel ­
ing your vehicle. Never clean the head­
lights with a dry cloth or sponge. Use a
wet cloth o r sponge . It is best to use
soapy water.
- Never clean t ires using a nozz le that
sprays water in a direct stream. Damage
can occur even with a relatively long
spraying distance and for a very short
t ime.
- To avoid damaging your veh icle, always
make sure that there is sufficient dis­
tance between the spray head and soft
materials like rubbe r hoses, plast ic parts
and sound-deadening materials. Never
aim the spray head a t the same point for
a long time. This also app lies to cleani ng
head lights and pa inted b umpers . Re ­
member : the closer the nozz le is to the
surface of the material, the greater the
stress on the materia l.
@ For the sake of the environment
Wash yo ur vehicle on ly at spec ia lly de­
signed facilities . They can prevent any dirty
water contaminated by oil from entering
Iii>-
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158 Cleaning and protection
the waste water. In certain areas washing
a car outside of such facilities is not per­
mitted.
Caring for vehicles with matte finish
paint
App lies to vehicles: with matte finish paint
Vehicles with ma tte finish poin t require spe­
cial core due to the characteris tic s of the
point.
Automatic car washes
You must take the necessary precautions such
as closing the windows before using an auto­
matic car wash. See the car wash attendant if
there is special equipment on your vehicle
such as a spoiler or remote control antenna
c:::> CD.
Only use car washes where the vehicle re­ mains stationary and the washing equipment
moves around the vehicle when washing and
drying .
It is not possible to use car washes
that move the vehicle through the car wash
using a chain
c:::> &,.
Only use car washes that use cloth cleaning
equipment, not brushes .
Washing with pressure washers
When washing your vehicles with a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instruc­
tions provided with the pressure washer . This
is especially important in regard to the
pres­
sure
and spraying distance. Be sure to keep
enough distance from soft materials such as rubber hoses or insulating material as well as
from the parking system sensors*, which are
located in the front or rear bumper.
Never use
rotary nozzles or high pressure
nozzles.
Washing by hand
T o avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and large particles from
your vehicle. Insects , grease spots and finger­
prints are best removed with a
special cleaner
for matte finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use
too much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Clean
the vehicle starting at the top and working to­
ward the bottom using a
neutral shampoo
and a soft microfiber cloth. Stop frequently to
rinse the cloth thoroughly.
Clean the wheels and sill panels last. Use a
clean
sponge on these areas.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it
air dry . If there are any water spots, they can
be removed using a
leather cloth.
Clean again with the special cleaner for matte
finish paint
if necessary .
Removing stubborn dirt
Bird droppings or tree sap
are best removed
with plenty of water and a microfiber cloth.
You should rinse off
gasoline residue immedi­
ately with plenty of water .
A WARNING
--Wash your vehicle only when the ignition
is switched off to reduce the risk of a
crash .
- To reduce the risk of cutting yourself,
protect your hands and arms from metal
parts with sharp edges when cleaning
the underbody, the inside of the wheel
housings or the wheel covers.
- If washing your vehicle during the win­
ter, moisture and ice in the brake system
can affect the vehicle's braking ability.
0 Note
-Do not treat vehicle parts painted with
matte finish paint using polishing mate­
rials or hard wax. These products could
cause damage to the appearance or sur­
face that cannot be repaired.
- Never use protective wax.
It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with
matte finish paint. The paint could be

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 .
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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.

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.
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