Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Knee airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Child Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Important things to know . . . . . . . . . . 132
C hild safety seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Installing a child safety seat . . . . . . . . 140
Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Vehicle operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Intelligent technology . . . . . . . . 144
Notice about data recorded by vehicle
control modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
E lect ronic Stabilization Control (ES C) . 144
B raking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Rear spoiler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Dry sump lub rication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Driving with your quattro ® . . . . . . . . . 149
Energy management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Driving and environment . . . . . 153
Break- in period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Avoid damaging the vehicle . . . . . . . . . 153
Driving through water on roads . . . . . 153
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Shutting down veh icle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Operation and maintenance . . . . . . . . 154
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Vehicle care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Cleaning and protection . . . . . . 156
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Care of exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Care of interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Fuel supply and filling your
fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
167
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Fuel tank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Checking and filling . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Eng ine compartment lid . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Eng ine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Eng ine cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Table of contents 3
Battery ... .. .... ... .. .......... . 184
Windshield washer container
188
•
•
Tires and wheels ........... .. . 189
Tires ..... .. .... ... .. .......... .
189
Tire pressure monitoring system
206
Do-it-yourself service ........ . 210
What do I do now? ........... . 210
Tr unk escape handle ........... .. .
210
Vehicle tool kit . .. ............... .
210
Tire repair . .. .. .. ............... .
210
What should I be aware of when
h . t· 7 c
anging a rre . . .. .............. . 214
Jump-starting .. .. ... .. .. ... ..... . 217
Em ergency towing with commercial
tow truck ... .. .. .. . ............ . 219
Fuse s and bulbs ... ........... . 221
El ectr ical fuses . .. ............... . 221
Bulbs ..... .. .. .. .. .. ........... . 222
Technical data ..... ........... . 223
General information ......... . 223
Explanation of technical data ...... . 223
Vehicle identification ........... .. .
223
Weights .. .. .. .... .. ........... .
223
Dimens ions .. .. ...... ........... . 224
Data ..... .. .... .. . .. .......... . 225
430 hp, 4.2 liter 8-cyl. engine ...... .
225
525 hp, 5.2 liter 10-cyl. engine .... .
226
Con sumer Information ...... . 227
Warranty coverages .............. . 227
Operating your vehicle outside the
U .S.A . or Canada ... . .. .. ...... .. . 227
Audi Serv ice Repair Manuals and
literature ... .. .. .. . .. .. ..... ... . 227
Maintenance . .. .. ............... . 227
Additional accessories, modifications
and parts replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
18 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
't':r.,. Engine oil sensor defective
If the Ill symbo l illuminates, contact your
author ized Audi dealer and have the oil sensor
inspected .
0 Battery voltage low
(•) Low batter y ch arg e: batt ery wi ll be
charged while dri ving
If the indicator light turns on and t he mes
sage appears, there may be limited starting
ability.
I f th is message turns off after a litt le wh ile,
the battery cha rged enough wh ile driving.
If the message does not turn off, have your
author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop
correct the malfunction.
~ Fuel supply too low
When the~ symbo l illuminates, this means
there are about 2 .6 gallons (10 liters) of fue l
l eft in the fuel tank. Time to refuel!
c::> page 168.
If the symbol lights up, even when the re is
ample fuel in the tank, and the text
Tank sys
tem m alfunct ion! Plea se cont act workshop
appears in the display, there is a fault in the
system. Contact a qualified workshop to have
the fault rectified.
<;:> Windshield washer fluid level too
low
If the -· "ymbol illum inates, add w indshield
washer f luid to the washer system
c::> page 188.
~ Defective light bulb warning
The defective light bulb warning tells you
when a vehicle light bulb has become defec tive .
If a defect ive b ulb has been detected by the
sys tem or a ligh t bu lb burns out , the
l',sl sym
bol with a message appears in the disp lay to te
ll yo u which bulb is burnt out and where it is
located. For example:
Rear left turn sign al
After 5 seconds, the message disappears . If
you want to reca ll the message into the dis
play, p ress the CH ECK button
c::> page 8, fig. 3
(J).
The re are three reasons why the defective
bulb message would appear in the disp lay:
- The light bulb has burnt out
c::>page 222.
-The fuse is "blown" c::> page 221, Replacing
fuses.
- The wire connection to the light bulb is de-
fective.
Have the bulb replaced or the connection re
paired by your authorized Audi Service depart
ment.
A WARNING
-- Light bulbs are pressurized and could ex- plode wh ile they are being changed caus
ing serious personal injury.
- Work with due care when handling the
high-vo ltage sect ion of gas discharge
(xenon) lamps. Fa iling to do so could re
sult in death or serious injury!
BRAKE LIGHT t<@> Brake light defective
In case of a ma lfunction or component fail-
u re, the symbo l (USA models)/
¢@ )
repaired or rep laced, as necessary:
- Brake light bulbs
- All wir ing connections
- Brake light switch
Contact your a uthorized Audi dea ler for assis
tance if necessary.
(D Tips
The brake light sw itch is on ly inspected as
part of the functional check after the en
gine is started.
is switched back on by moving the wind
shield wiper lever to any position.
- Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades
cause smearing, which can affect the op
eration of the light/rain sensor*. Check
the condition of your windshield wiper
blades regularly.
- The rain sensor is part of the interval
wiping system. Turning off the ignition
will also deactivate the rain sensor. To re
activate the sensor, switch off the inter
val wiping function, then switch it back
on again.
- Applies to vehicles with light/rain sen
sor: When the wipers are switched on
manually and in rain conditions, the au
tomatic headlights* turn on
c;> page 46,
Lights or off during the day when the
wipers are no longer operating. The au
tomatic headlights* function is available
in this case only when the light switch is
in the "AUTO" position
c;> page 46,
fig. 52.
-Make sure the washer fluid reservoir in
the engine compartment is topped off
before going on a long trip. Look up
c;> page 188 for checking and filling the
washer container.
- The wipers only operate with the hood
completely closed.
Service position
It is only possible to change wiper blades if
you move the wiper arms to the service posi
tion.
In order to use the windshield wipers, the
front lid must be completely closed.
Moving wiper blades to the service
position
.,. When there is a risk of frost, make sure that
the wiper blades are not frozen to the wind
shield .
.,. Switch the ignition on .
.,. Move the wiper lever to position
0
c;>page 51, fig. 60 .
Clear vision 53
.,. Press the I RESET ! button until the Display
type
menu appears in the Driver Informa
tion System display.
.,. Using the rocker switch and the
I RESET ! but
ton, select the
Set > Wipers > Front> Serv
ice position on
function. The windshield
wiper arms move to the service position.
Moving wiper blades to park position
.,. Make certain that the wiper arms are lying
against the windshield.
.,. Switch the ignition on and move the wiper
lever from position
O to 4 c;> page 51,
fig . 60. The wiper arms will move back to
the park position.
(D Note
Never drive your vehicle when the wind
shield wiper arms are in the service posi
tion and pulled away from the windshield.
When you drive faster than 4 mph (6 km/
h), the wiper arms automatically return to
the park position and could cause paint
damage to the front lid!
(D Tips
-You can also turn on the service position,
for example, if you want to protect the
windshield from icing by using a cover.
- The service position moves to
off auto
matically when you operate the wind
shield wiper lever, or speed exceeds
4 mph (6 km/h).
Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Clean the windshield wiper blades when they
begin to leave streaks .
.,. Place the windshield wiper arms in the serv
ice position. Refer to
c;> page 53.
.,. Use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to clean
the windshield wiper blades.
A WARNING
Dirty windshield wiper blades can impair
your view. This can lead to accidents.
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. ..,.
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.
Data
Data
430 hp, 4.2 liter 8-cyl. engine
Applies to vehicles: with 4.2 liter 8-cyl. engine
Engine data
Maximum output SAE net
Maximum torque SAE net
No. of cylinders
Displacement
Stroke
Bore
Compression ratio
Firing sequence
Fuel
Dimensions (approx.)
Length (with license plate bracket)
W idth (across mirro rs)
He ight (unloaded) 430@ 7900
hp@rpm
lb-ft@ rp m
-~--
CID (cm3
)
in (mm)
in (mm)
---·
317 @4500 - 60 00
8
254 (4 163)
3 .65 (92 .8)
3.33 (84 .5)
12.5: 1
1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2
Premium unleaded (91 AKI) Recommended f or max i
mum eng ine perf orman ce. Fu rther detai ls~
p age 16 7,
G asoline
in (mm)
in (mm)
in (mm)
T urning circle diameter (curb to curb) ft . (m) 174.6 (4435)
80.0 (2029)
49 (1252)
38. 7 ( 11.80)
Capacities (approx.)
Fuel tank
- Total capacity
- Reserve (of total capacity)
Windshield washer fluid container
Engine oil
with filte r change gal/liters
21.1 / 80
ga I/liters 2.6 / 10
quarts/liters 4.2 / 4.0
qua rts/liters 10.6 / 10
225
•
•
24 0 Index
Tire pressur e monitoring system .... .. 19
Turn s igna ls . .. . ...... ... .. .. .... .. 19
War ning/Ind icator lights
Rear spoiler .... .. .... ... .. .. .. .. .. 19
War ning light s ............. ... .. .. .. 11
Red symbols in the center display .. .... 11
Yellow symbols in the center d isplay ... 12
Wa rra nty cove rages . ......... .. .. .. . 22 7
Washing .. ... ... ...... ... .. .. .. .. . 156
F olding top cleaning . ... .. .. .. .... . 159
G eneral informat ion . ... .. .. .... .. . 156
M atte finis h paint ..... ... .. .. .... . 158
Waxing . .. .. .... .. ... .... .. .. .. .. . 156
We ar indic at or ..... ......... .. .. .. . 198
Weights ..... ... .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 223
What happens if you wear your safety belt
too loose? . .. .. . .. ..... ... .. .. .. .. . 107
Wh at happens to unbelted occ upan ts? . . 104
What impairs driving sa fety? . . . . . . . . . . . 94
What should I do after chang ing a
wheel? .. .. .. ................ ... ... 196
Wheel bolts Torque . .. ...... ... ... ..... .. .. .. . 205
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161, 189
Check ing tire pressure ... .. .. .. .. .. . 195
Cold t ir e inflat io n pr essu re ... ... ... . 193
Gener al note s ..... ......... .. .. .. . 189
Glos sary of t ire and load ing term ino lo-
gy .. .. .. .... ........ ...... ... .. . 190
New tires and wheels ............... 199
Tir es and vehicle load lim its ......... 196
When must the airb ag system be inspect-
ed? ... .. .. .... ..... ... ... .... .. .. . 121
When shou ld I ad just the tire p ressu res? 196
When sho uld I check the tire pressures? . 196
Where can I find the tire pressures fo r my
ca r? .. .. .. ... ..... ..... .. .. .. .. .. . 195
Why safety be lts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 104
W ind deflector ............. ... .. ... . 39
Cleaning ............. ........ ... . 159
W indows
C leaning . ...... .. ... .... .. .. .. .. . 160
Defro st .... ............ ..... .. .. .. 66
De icing .. .. ................ ... ... 160
Windshield washer fluid . ... .. .. .... . . 18 Windsh
ie ld wipers .... .. ..... .... . .. 188
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Installing new wiper b lades . . . . . . . . . . 54
Se rv ice position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Win ter operation
Battery ... .... .. .. ... ..... ... .. .. 184
Coolant system .. ... .. ..... .... . .. 181
D efrosting windows .. .. ..... ... .. .. . 66
Heated seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Windows . .. .. . .......... ........ 160
Windsh ie ld wipers .......... ...... . 188
Winter tires ..... .. .. .... .... ... .. .. 203
All-wheel drive ... ... .. ..... .... . .. 203
Wiper and washer sys tem ...... .. .. .. . 51
Intermitten t wiping ...... ...... .... . 51
One -tap wip ing ... .. ... ..... ... .. .. . 51
Wiper b lades
r e fer to W indshield wipers ...... .. .. . 54