2015 AUDI R8 SPYDER check engine light

Instrument s and warning /indicator ligh ts
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@ Tips
If this warning/indicator light illuminates
while you are dr iving, then there is a malfunc­
tion in the en gine electronics. Have the ma l­
function corrected as soon as p ossible by your
author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
~ Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is part of
the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system . The
symbo l
II lights up when the ign ition is turned
on and w ill tur n off after the engine has sta rted
and has sett led at constant idle speed. This indi ­
cates that the MIL is working properly.
The warning light illuminates when there is a
mal funct ion in the eng ine e lectronic system.
Contact your author ized Audi dealer and have the
malfunct ion corrected .
An improperly clo sed fuel fill er cap m ay al so
cau se th e MIL light to illuminate¢
page 153.
For more info rmat ion ¢ page 26.
!?' Engine speed limitation
Maximum
6000 RPM
T he engine speed is automatically lim ited to
6000 RPM. This protects t he engine from over­
heat ing .
The engine speed limit ation
(Pl deac tivates once
the eng ine is no longer in the cr it ica l tempe ra ­
ture range and you have released the accelerator
pedal once.
When cold, the engine speed is limited to
6000 RPM (with the
VlO engine) o r
7000 RPM (with the V8 eng ine) to protect the
eng ine . T he limit is deac tivated once the o il
t em pera ture rises above 140 ° F (60 °C) and
t he engine is a t ope rat ing temperature .
~. Checking the engine oil level
; El Plea se add max. 1 qt of eng ine oil!
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If the Ell symbo l comes on, add 1 quart (I liter)
of oil at the next opportunity¢
page 160.
~"' Engine oil sensor defective
If the . symbo l ill um inates, contact your au­
thori zed Audi dea ler and have the oil sensor in­
spected.
B) Fuel supply too low
When the 00] symbol ill uminates, this means
there a re about 2 .6 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left
i n the fue l tank. Time to refue l! ¢
page 152.
If the symbol lights up , even when there is ample
fuel in the tank , and the text
Tank system mal­
function! Please contact workshop
appea rs in
t h e d isplay, there is a fa ult in the system. Contact
a q ual ified wor kshop to h ave the faul t rec tified.
© Windshield washer fluid level too low
If the II symbo l ill uminates, add windsh ield
washe r fl uid to t he washer system
¢ page 168.
~ Defective light bulb warning
If a defective bulb has been detected by the sys­
tem or a lig ht bulb burns out, the
J:J symbo l
wi th a message appears in the disp lay to tell you
which bulb is burnt out and w here it is located .
For example :
Rear left turn signal
After 5 seconds , the message disappears . If you
want to recall the message i nto the display, press
the CH ECK button ¢
page 8, fig. 3 (j).
The re a re three reasons w hy the defective bulb
message wou ld appear in t he display:
- The light bu lb has bur nt o ut
¢ page 211.
-The f use is "blown" <=-> page 210, Replacing
fuses.
- The wire co nnect ion to the light bulb is defec-
t iv e .
Have the bulb repl aced or the connect ion re­
paired by your authorized Aud i Service depart ­
me nt.
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Instruments and warning/indicator lights
A WARNING
- Light bulbs are pressurized and cou ld ex­
plode while they are being changed causing
serious persona l injury.
-
- Work with due care when handling the high­
vo ltage section of gas discharge (xenon)
lamps. Fa iling to do so could result in death
or serious injury!
BRAKE LIGHT!< ®> Brake light defective
In case of a malfunction or component failure,
the symbol
!:ljf:Ul•@:U (USA models)/ ll] (Canada
models) can appear. The following electrical
components should be checked, repaired or re­
p laced, as necessary:
- Brake light bulbs
- All wiring connections
- Brake light switch
Con tact your authorized Audi dealer for assis­
tance if necessary.
(D Tips
The brake light switch is only inspected as
part of the functional check after the engine
is started.
/i. O
Light/rain sensor defective
Applies to veh icles: w ith automatic headlights
If the symbol illuminates, the light sensor has
fai led. For safety reasons, the low beams are
turned on permanently with the switch in
AUTO.
However, you ca n continue to turn the lights on
and off using the light switch . In the case of a de ­
fect in the ra in sensor, the windshield wiper lever
functions are still available . Have the light/ra in
sensor checked as soon as possible at an author­ ized Audi dealer.
; Audi magnetic ride
The indicator light monitors vehicle damping.
The indicator light B illuminates when the igni­
tion is sw itched on as a function check.
18
(D Tips
If the indicator lamp illuminates whi le you are
driving, there is a malfunction in the vehicle
damping. The chassis should be inspected im­
mediately by an authorized Audi dealer.
-::}. Rear spoiler
The warning/indicator light monitors the electri­
cally retractable rear spoiler.
The warning/indicator light I! has the fo llowing
funct ions :
- It comes on for about 3 seconds as a function
check when the ignition is switched on.
- It comes on if there is a malfunction in the elec­
trically retractable rear spoiler.
Additional informat ion about the e lectr ically re­
tractable rear spoiler
~ page 138.
ill Tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
Tire pressure that is too low must be corrected
as soon as possible.
The warning/indicator light [IJ illum inates for a
few seconds after the ignition is turned on as a
function check. If the
[IJ warning light comes on,
pressure in at least one tire is too low.
.. Stop driving as soon as possible w ithout endan -
gering yourself and other dr ivers on the road .
.. Inspect all tires .
.. Correct the tire pressure ~
page 179.
Additional informat ion about the tire pr essure
monitoring system
can be found~ page 197 .
¢ Q Turn signals
The indicator light blinks when you use either
turn signal .
Whenever you use the left B or the right R
turn signal, the indicator light blinks. When you
use the emergency flasher, both indicator lights
flash .
Iii>

Driver information system
• Press the rocker switch until the desired line is
highlighted (cursor)~
fig. 14.
• Press the !R ESE T I button.
• If necessary, scroll by se lecting and activating
the symbol for "Next page" or "Previous page".
When you have selected the Computer menu and
activated it by p ressing the
! RESET I button, two
computer levels appear (computer 1 and comput­
er 2) . Now you have to select the level you want
using the rocker switch and activate it with the
I RESET I button .
Service interval display
The service interval display reminds you when
your next service is due.
Fig. 15 Sectio n of inst rument cl uster: Serv ice in terva l dis­
pl ay
The schedule for the next oil change or inspec­
tion is calculated automatically and displayed ac­
cording ly. The display works in two stages:
Service reminder
30 days before the next service is due, a serv ice
reminder appears in the display when you turn on
the ignition.
After about 5 seconds the display sw itches back
to normal. The distance and time remaining are
updated each time the ignition is turned on unti l
the date due for serv ice is reached.
Service due
When the due date for service is reached , the
mes sage
Service due! appears in the instrument
cluster immediately after you turn on the igni­
tion . Additionally, a warning tone sounds. After
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about 5 seconds the display switches back to nor­
mal.
Calling up the service schedules
If or when an oil change or inspection is due, can
be shown in the instrument cluster by select ing
the se rvice interval display. Select
Check> Serv­
ice
> Oil change or Service by using the I RESET I
button and the rocker switch ¢ page 23, fig. 12.
Resetting the service interval display
Your authorized Audi dealer will reset the corre­
sponding service schedule after performing the
appropriate service on your vehicle . You also have
the possibility to reset the oil change schedule af­
ter having performed an oi l change according to
Audi specifications.
- Switch the ignition on.
- Pull the knob<>
fig. 15. The message. Service
due!
appears.
- Pull the knob until the display
Oil change in
-----mi (km)---days appears. If the I RESE T I
button is not pulled with in 5 seconds, the dis­
play reset mode closes.
(D Note
-Only reset the oil change display when you
have completed an oil change.
-If you disconnect the battery terminals, no
calculations can be made for the service in­
terval display during this time and no serv­
ice reminder will appear. Remember that
observing the proper service intervals is vi­
tally important to extend ing the life of your
vehicle, particularly the engine, and main­
taining its va lue. Even if the mileage driven
is low, the maximum per iod of one year
from one service to the next must not be ex­
ceeded.
@ Tips
The information in the Service Reminder re­
mains stored even when the vehicle battery is
disconnected .

Opening and closing Keys
Key set
F ig. 20 Key set
Fig. 21 Remote master key : Indicator l ight
@ Ma ste r key with r em ote control
You can centra lly lock and unlock your vehicle and
start the engine with the master key with remote
control. To fold the key out and back in place,
press the release button
c:;, fig. 20 (arrow) .
@Vale t key
The valet key only fits the lock in the driver's door
and the ignition lock. If you have to leave the key
with somebody e lse, you are well-advised to turn
over the valet key o nly.
Be aware that the front lid and glove compart­
ment can be opened from ins ide the vehicle using
the release buttons.
© Emergency k ey
The emergency key is only for temporary use if
;::: the vehicle key should be lost or misplaced.
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Open ing and clo sing
Key replac ement
If you lose a key, contact you r a uthorized Audi
dealer immed iate ly to have the
Lost key disab led .
Be sure to bring all your keys with you.
If a key is lost, you should report it to your insur­
ance company.
Reg istered keys
You can inquire about the number of remote
master keys registered to your vehicle
c:;, page 22 .
In this way, you can be ce rtain of obta ining all
the remote master keys if yo u purchase a used
vehicle.
State of master key battery
When a button is pressed, the check light f lashes
c:;, fig. 21. If the check light does not come on or
flash, the battery is dead and has to be replaced.
Battery replacement
c:;, page 28.
A WARNING ..__
- Do not leave your vehicle unattended with
the key in the ignition lock. Entry by u nau­
thor ized persons could endanger you or re­
sult in theft or damage the vehi cle. Always
lock all doors a nd take the key .
- D o not leave ch ildren unattended in the ve­
h icle, espe cially wi th access to vehicle keys.
Ungua rded access to the keys provides chil ­
dren the opportunity to start the engine
and/or activate vehicle systems such as the power windows etc. Unsupervised operation
of any vehicle system by children can result
i n ser ious injury.
@ Tips
- If you open the driver's door with the key
left in the ignition lock, a chime will so und.
Th is is your rem inder to remove the key and
lock the door.
- For security reasons, rep lacement keys are
only avai lable from Audi dealers.
-
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Clear vision
in the interval wipe position and then come back
a while later and drive off, the rain sensor will re­
activate itself after the vehicle speed has exceed­
ed 4 mph (6 km/h).
The rain sensor* is only activated with the wiper
lever set to position(!). When it starts to rain,
the rain sensor will automatically activate the in­
termittent wiping mode.
To reduce the sensitivity of the sensor, move
switch @ down. To increase the sensitivity, move
the switch up. The higher you adjust the sensitivi­
ty, the faster the sensor will react when it senses moisture on the windshield. The pauses between
wiper turns depend not only on the sensitivity setting, but on the vehicle speed as well.
During brief stops, e.g . at a red light, wiper mo­
tion will automatically be reduced to the next
lower speed . Wipers already turning at low speed
change to intermittent wiping.
When the ignition is turned on, the washer jets
are heated.
A WARNING
- Wiper blades are crucial for safe driving! On­
ly when they are in good condition are they
able to clear the windows properly to pro­
vide uncompromising visibility. Worn or
damaged wiper blades are a safety hazard
¢ page 53, Replacing windshield wiper
blades!
- The light/rain sensor* is only designed to as­
sist and support the driver. It remains en­
tirely the driver's responsibility to monitor outside weather conditions and to manually
activate the wipers as soon as rain or drizzle
reduces visibility through the windshield .
- The windshield must not be treated with
water-repellent materials. They can increase
glare under poor visibility conditions such as
wetness, darkness, or when the sun is low
on the horizon . In addition, they can cause
the windshield wipers to chatter.
(D Note
In freezing or near freezing conditions:
52
- Always check that the wiper blades are not
frozen to the glass before you turn the wip­
ers on. Loosen a wiper blade which is frozen
in place before operating the wipers to pre­
vent damage to the wiper blade or the wiper
motor .
- Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted win­
dow. Using the wipers as a convenient ice
scraper will destroy the wiper blades .
- Before you take your vehicle to an automatic
car wash, make sure you have the wind­
shield wiper system switched off (lever in position
0), otherwise the windshield wiper
system could get damaged in the car wash if
it should suddenly come on.
(D Tips
- The windshield wipers are switched off
when the ignition is turned off. Activate the
windshield wipers after the ignition is
switched back on by moving the windshield
wiper lever to any position.
- Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades cause
smearing, which can affect the operation 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 de­
activate the rain sensor . To reactivate the
sensor, switch off the interval wiping func­
tion, then switch it back on again.
- Applies to vehicles with light/rain sensor:
When the wipers are switched on manually
and in rain conditions, the automatic head­
lights* turn on <=>
page 46, Lights or off dur­
ing the day when the wipers are no longer
operating. The automatic headlights* func­
tion is available in this case only when the
light switch is in the "AUTO" position
<=>
page 46, fig. 55.
- Make sure the washer fluid reservoir in the
engine compartment is topped off before
going on a long trip. Look up<=>
page 168
for checking and filling the washer contain­
er.
- The wipers only operate with the hood com­
pletely closed.

Intelligent technology
Press the I!! button briefly¢ fig. 126 . The II in­
dicator light turns on and Sport control Warn­
ing! Restricted st abilit y appears in the driver in­
formation system d isplay. Driving stability is lim­
ited in sport mode.
Sw itch ing ESC off
Press and hold the
l!I button for three seconds .
The ESC indicator light
fl turns on and Stabil i­
z atio n prog ram off appears in the display. ASR is
also switched off when ESC is sw itched off.
Sw itch ing on
Press the
l!J button again. The message Stabili­
zation progr am on appears briefly in the disp lay .
_& WARNING
You should only sw itch the ESC off if your dr iv­
ing ability and the traffic s ituation allow. This
could increase the risk of slipp ing.
- The stabilizing function is limited in ESC
sport mode. The driving wheels could spin and the vehicle could swerve, especially on
slick or slippery road surfaces.
- There is no vehicle stabilization when ESC is
switched off.
(D Tips
If there is a malfunction in the retractable
rear spo iler* or the A udi magnetic ride*, it
may not be possible to activate ESC sport
mode or normal mode may act ivate aga in au­
tomatically.
Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pad s
During the f irst 250 miles (400 km), new brake
pads do not possess the ir full braking effect, they
have to be "broken in" first¢.&. . The break- in pe­
riod can be considerab ly longer for vehicles w ith
ceramic b rake roto rs*. You can compensate for
this s light ly reduced b ra ki ng power by push ing
ha rder on the b rake peda l. Avoid heavy braking
loads during the bre ak-in period.
136
Operating conditions and driving habits
The bra kes on today's automobiles a re s till sub­
j ect to wear, depend ing largely on operating con ­
ditions and driving habits ¢& . On vehicles that
a re either driven most ly in stop-and-go city traf­
fic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by your authorized Aud i dealer more of­
te n tha n specified in the Warranty
& Maint e­
nance bookl et. Failure to have you r brake pads
i nspected can resu lt in reduced b rake pe rform­
ance.
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the braking ef­
fect of the engine . This way, you prevent un nec­
essary wear on the brake system . If you must use
you r brakes, do not hold the bra kes down cont in­
u o usly. Pump the brakes at in tervals.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braki ng depending on the
speed, braking force and outs ide cond it ions such
as tempera ture and hum idity.
Due to the nature of the materia ls used i n ceram­
i c brake rotors*, noises may become more appa­
r ent at low speeds.
Effect of water and road salt
In certa in situations, for examp le after driv ing
through water , in heavy rain, after overnight con­
densation or after washing your car, the braking
effect can be reduced by moisture or ice on the
brake rotors and brake pads . The brakes must be
dr ied fi rst w ith a few careful b rake app lications.
At higher speeds and with the windsh ield wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake r otors for a short amount of time. This occurs at
r egular intervals without the dr iver not ic ing and
provides fo r be tter brake response time under
wet cond it ions.
The effect iveness of the brakes ca n be red uced
when the v ehicle is d riv en on a salt-cove red road
and the b rakes are no t used. Likewise, you clean
off a ccumula ted salt coating from b rake d iscs
and pads with a few ca utious app lications of the
brake ¢& .
D ue to the ir sur fa ce character istics, cerami c
brake ro tors * absorb moistu re in such co ndi tions . ..,.

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What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining start­
ing capability .
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the cold time of
year . Abundant electrical energy is required, but
only a little is generated . It is also critical if the
engine is not running and electrical components
are turned on. In this instance energy is being
consumed but none is being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you w ill no­
tice energy management actively regulating the
d istribution of ene rgy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks , electr ical components are
gradually cut back or switched off . This reduces
energy consumption and maintains starting ca­
pability over a longer pe riod .
Take into consideration that when you unlock
your veh icle, some convenience functions, such
as the remote key or power seat adjustment, may
not be available. The convenience functions will
be available again when you turn on the ignition
and start the engine .
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with the
engine turned off, the battery is being dis­
charged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy
consumption, a message appears in the driver in­
formation display .
You have to start the engine to charge the bat ­
tery .
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when the
vehicle is being driven, the battery can become
discharged. This happens mostly when little en­
ergy is be ing generated and a great deal con­
sumed and the battery's state of charge is not
optimal.
Intelligent technology
To bring the energy balance back into equilibri­
um, consumers which require especially large
amounts of energy are temporar ily cut back or
switched off. Heating systems in part icu lar re­
quire a great deal of energy. If you notice, for ex­
ample, that the heated seats* or the heated rear
window are not heating, they have been tempo­
rarily cut back or switched off . These systems w ill
be available again as soon as the energy balance
has been restored.
You w ill also not ice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly . This is normal and not a
cause for concern. By incr easing eng ine idle
speed the additional energy required is generated
and the battery is charged.
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If battery power drops in to the range where it
can limit the ability of the engine to start, this is
shown in the instrument cluster display w ith the
following driver message :
[•] low battery charge: battery will be charged
while driving
This notification reminds you that the starting
capability of the engine may be limited. As soon
as you start driving again, the battery will be re­
charged and the notificat ion will go out .
Driver notification appears and goes out
again
If this driver notification appears after the igni­
tion is turned on or while driv ing and it goes out
again after a while, the battery has been ade ­
quately recharged .
Driver notification appears and does not go
out again
If this driver notif ication appears after the ign i­
t ion is turned on or while dr iv ing and does not go
out again, the battery's state of charge is not in
t h e optimal range. Starting ability is restricted .
Have the battery checked as soon as possible by
an authorized Audi dea le r or qualified workshop.
141

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Checking and filling Engine compartment lid
Releasing the engine compartment lid
The engine compartment lid is released from in­
side the vehicle.
~
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Fig. 132 Driver's side: releasing t he engine compartment
lid
Requirement: The ignition must be switched on .
" Make sure the rear spoiler is retracted
¢page 138.
"Pull the button @. The engine compartment lid
opens slight ly.
" Open the engi ne compartment lid¢_&, .
& WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you. To reduce
t he risk of be ing burned, never open the en­
gi ne comp artment lid i f yo u s ee or he ar s team
or cool an t es caping from the engine compart­
ment . Wait unt il no steam or coo lant can be
seen or heard befo re carefully open ing the e n­
gine compartment lid.
CD Note
To preve nt d amage to t he veh icle, only open
t he engine compartment lid when the conver ­
tible top storage bay lid is closed.
@ Tips
An emergency release can be use d if the en­
gi ne compa rtment lid canno t be re leased with
the button @¢
page 155 .
-
Checking and filling
Engine compartment lid emergency release
The emergency release loop is located under the
right trim panel near the front passenger seat.
F ig . 1 33 Front passenger footwell: emerge ncy release loop
"Ma ke su re the rea r spoile r is retracted
¢page 138.
" Pull the loop forward to release the engine
compartment lid. The engine compartment lid
opens slightly.
" Open the engine compartment lid¢ &,
in Re­
leasing the engine compartment lid on
page 155.
CD Note
To prevent damage to the vehicle, o nly open
the engine compartment lid when the conve r­
tib le to p storage bay lid is closed.
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the
engin e compartment!
Whenever you must perform any work in the
eng ine compartm ent, for example checking and
filling the differ ent fluid s, there is a ri sk of in­
jury, burns and accident s. To prevent personal
injury alway s ob serve the following WARN­
INGS . The engine compartment of any vehicle is
a hazardou s area !
c:> &.
,&. WARNING
To help avoid injury, be fore yo u check any­
thing u nder the engine compartment lid:
- Sw itch off the engi ne .
- Remove the ignition key .
- Apply the par king brake.
-
155