2015 AUDI R8 SPYDER ignition

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The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically im­
portant for the life of the catalytic converter and
proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot exhaust system may come in contact with dry grass, brush, fuel spill or
other material which can cause a fire .
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust mani­
fold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. During driving, the substance
used for undercoating could overheat and
cause a fire.
([) Note
-Be aware that just one tank filling with lead­
ed
fuel will already seriously degrade the
performance of the catalytic converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
~page 160.
- Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The engine could misfire.
Unburned fuel could also get into the ex­
haust system and this could cause the cata­
lytic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ignition while the vehicle
is moving.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un­
der these conditions, as otherwise fuel can
reach the catalytic converter. This could re­
sult in overheating of the converter, requir­
ing its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emission
Control System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the service recommen­
dations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet.
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as im­
proper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system
and could lead to damage.
Driving and environment
{® For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Control System is op­
erating properly, the exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some op­
erating states. This depends on the sulfur
content of the fuel being used. Using a differ­
ent brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank
with lead-free super grade gasoline .
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like your vehicle to remain inopera­
tive for a longer period of time , contact an Audi
or other specialized dealer. They can advise you
on necessary precautions e.g. corrosion preven­
tion, maintenance and storage. Pay attention to
additional information concerning the battery.
Refer to~
page 164.
Operation and
maintenance
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear
on your engine, brakes and tires largely depend
on three factors:
-your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authorized Audi dealer helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically. The condition of
your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability
to hold its value, it also affects
fuel consump­
tion.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load
and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new en­
gine to reach its lowest value after a certain mile­
age has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly as­
sess oil consumption .
This also applies to fuel consumption and engine output . .,,.
143

Vehicle care and cleaning
A WARNING
-Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci­
dents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash­ ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to moisture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter. The bra kes
must be dried first with a few caref ul brake
applications .
@ Note
-If you wash the ve hicle in an au tomatic car
wash, you must retract the extend able rear
spoi ler * if necessary, and fold the exterior
mirrors in to reduce the risk of damage .
Power folding exterior mirrors* must only
be fo lded in and out using the power folding
funct ion.
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
- To red uce the risk of damage, do not wash
the power top with a pressure washer. -
To reduce the risk of damage, do not wash
decorative decals * with a pressure washer.
- T o reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect remov ing sponges, kitchen
sponges or similar items.
- Matte finish painted vehicle components:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polish ing agents or hard
wax.
- Never use car wash cycles that apply pro­
tective wax. It can destroy the matte fin­ ish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnet ic
signs on vehicle parts painted w ith matte
finish paint. The pa int could be damaged
when the stickers o r magnets are re­
moved.
- Do not wash the vehicle using cleaning
products that contain alcohol when the en­
gine is hot. This increases the risk of dam­
age to plastic components, such as cracking.
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facilities spec ial ly de­
signed for that purpose. This w ill reduce the
risk of dirty water contaminated with oil from
entering the sewer system .
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individual vehicle
components, refer to the following table . The in­
formation contained there is simp ly recommen­
dations. For questions or for components that are not listed, refer to an authorized Audi dealer
or a qualified workshop. A
lso fo llow the informa­
tion found in
¢ .&. .
Cleaning exterior
Component Situation Solution
Wiper blades
Dirty ¢ page 53, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Headlights/ Dirty Soft sponge with a mild soap solutiona>
tail lights
Sensors
/
Dirty Sensors: soft cloth with a solvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth w ith an alcoho l-free clean ing sol-
ution
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
146
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(D Note
Never drive yo ur vehicle unti l the fuel tank is
completely dry . The irregular supp ly of fuel
can cause misfir ing. Gasoline co uld enter into
the exhaust system and damage the catalyt ic
converter .
Refueling
F ig. 12 8 Drive r's door: Unlocking f uel filler f lap
F ig . 129 Fu el cap hooke d on th e opene d fu el fil ler fla p
When adding fuel, the ignition and any cellular
phones in the vehicle must be sw itched
off .
Taking the fuel cap off
.. To open the fuel filler flap, press the button
¢ fig. 128 .
.. Unscrew fuel filler cap counte r-clockwise and
hang it on the fuel filler flap
¢ fig. 129.
Refueling procedure
.. Inse rt the fue l nozz le from the gasoline pump
into the fuel filler neck as far as it will go .
.. Se lect a medium refueling rate so that the noz­
z le switches off automat ica lly when the tank is
full.
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Putting the fuel cap back on
.,. After f illing your tank, twis t the fuel filler cap
clockw ise unti l yo u hear a definite cl ick .
.. Close the fue l filler flap.
T o avoid fuel spill ing o r evapora ting from the fuel
tank always close fue l filler cap properly and
complete ly . An improper ly closed f uel filler cap
may also cause the MIL lamp ¢
page 26 to come
on.
A WARNING
--Improper refue ling or handling of fuel can
cause fire, explosion and severe burns.
- Fue l is highly flammable and can cause se­
vere burns and other injur ies.
- Fa ilure to shut the engine off while re fuel­
ing and/or to insert the pump nozzle fully
into the fue l filler neck cou ld cause fuel to
spray out of filler neck or to overflow. Fue l
sp ray an d overflowing fue l can ca use a fire.
- Never use a ce llular telepho ne while refuel­
ing . T he elec tromagnetic radiation can
cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapo rs and
cau se a fire .
- Never get back into yo ur vehicle wh ile refu­
e ling . If in except iona l circumst ances you
m ust get ba ck in yo ur vehicle whi le refuel­
i n g, make cert ain that yo u close the doo r
a nd tou ch me tal to disch arge st atic electric­
ity before touch ing the filler nozzle aga in.
Static elect ricity ca n cause s parks that can
ignite fue l vapors re leased d uring refueling.
- Never smoke o r have an open f lame any­
where in or near your veh icle w hen refueling
or fi lling a portab le fue l conta iner.
- For your safety, we strongly recomme nd
that you do not travel with a portable f uel
container in your veh icle. The container, f ull
or empty may leak and cou ld cause a f ire,
especia lly in a cras h .
- If, under exceptional c ircumstances, you
must t ransport a po rtab le fuel conta iner,
p lease observe t he follow ing :
- Never fill a por table fuel co ntainer while it
is anywhere in or on the veh icle (for exam -
p le, in the l uggage compa rtme nt, or on ..,.
153

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
the trunk). Static electricity can build up
while filling and can ignite fuel vapors
causing a fire.
- Always place a portable fuel container on
the ground before f illing.
- Always keep the fi ller nozzle comp letely
inside the portable container before and
during filling.
- If filling a portable container made of
metal, the filler nozzle must always be in
contact with the container. This will help prevent static electricity from discharging
and cause a fire .
- Never sp ill fuel inside the vehicle or lug­
gage compartment. Fuel vapors are highly
f la mmab le.
- Always observe local and state/provincial
laws regarding the use, storage and trans­
portat ion of fuel containers.
- Make certain the fuel container meets in­
dustry standards (ANSI/ ASTM F8S2 -86) .
(D Note
If any fuel has spilled onto the car, it should
be removed immediately to prevent damage
to the paint .
@ For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated nozzle
switches off automatically for the first time,
the tank is full. Do not try to add more fuel
because fuel may spill out. In addition, the
expansion space in the fuel tank will be filled -
causing the fuel to overflow when it becomes
warm and pollute the enviro nment.
@ Tips
- Running your engine while refueling may
cause vapors to escape or even fue l to spill
out of the tank. This would then shut off the
fuel nozzle before the tank is full.
- Do not refuel your vehicle w ith the ignition
switched on . The fuel gauge may otherwise
not indicate the correct fuel level after refu­
e ling.
154
Unlocking the fuel filler flap by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the
power locking system should fail .
Fig. 130 Engine compartme nt: loosening the fuel filler
flap cable
Fig. 131 Eng ine compa rtment: releasing the fuel filler flap
using the emergency re lease
You can release the fue l filler f lap using a red
emergency release loop . It is located in the right
side of the engine compartment .
.,. Open the engine compartment lid.
.,. Loosen the fuel filler flap cable from its mount
@ on the crossmember
r::;, fig. 130 .
.,. Pull the red loop in the direction of the arrow
until the fue l filler flap opens
r::;, fig. 131.
.,. Once the fuel filler flap is open, secure the ca­
ble on the crossmember again .
.,. Close the eng ine compartment lid
r::;, page 156.

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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

Checking and filling
-Move selector lever of S tronic to "N" (Neu­
tral); put manual transmission in Neutral.
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot com­
ponents will burn skin on contact .
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the engine compartment lid if you see
or hear steam or coolant escaping from the
engine compartment. Wait until no steam
or coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the engine compartment lid.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap when
the engine is still warm . The coolant system
is pressurized and hot coolant could spray
out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the coolant reservoir .
- Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances . This increases the risk of
burns.
- If work on the fuel system or the electrical
system is necessary :
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open
flames. Fluids in the engine compartment
could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher imme­
diately available .
- To avoid electrical shock and personal injury
while the engine is running or being started,
never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair with
the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake, move
selector lever of S tronic to
"N" (Neutral);
put manual transmission in Neutral.
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from getting
caught in the radiator fan, V-belts or other
156
moving parts, or from contacting hot
parts. Tie back hair before starting, and
wear no clothing that will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and chemi­
cal hazards
¢ .&..
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and reproductive harm. In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Wash hands after handling.
@ Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container or
filler opening, otherwise serious damage to
vehicle systems will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time , inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly. If you
see spots from oil or other vehicle fluids, have
your vehicle inspected by an authorized Audi
dealer .
· Closing the engine compartment lid
.. Make sure that the rear spoiler is retracted
¢page 138 .
.. Pull the engine compartment lid down until the
pressure from the struts is reduced.
.. Press the engine compartment lid closed
¢ _A . ..,

Checking and filling
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo lant in
the summer by adding p lain water.
The propor·
tion of coolant additive must be at least 50%
but not more than 60%
to maintain antifreeze
protection and cooling efficiency .
If the coolant
frost protection is too low, the coolant could
freeze and damage the ve hicle heating and en­
g ine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at the
factory for temperatures down to:
- - 31 ° F ( -3 5 °C) USA
- - 40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada .
If you must add coolant, use a mixture of water
and coolant additive. Mixing the coolant additive
with distilled water is recommended .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
INGS
<=> .&. in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 155.
(D Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant additive in your
vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate con­
dit ions . This is especially important if you
live in a region where the winter is extreme­
l y cold. If necessary, increase the proportion
of coolant add itive to 60%.
- When adding coolant addit ive to your cool­
in g system, remember:
- We recommend using only coolant addi­
tive G12++ or G13 for your vehicle. This
coolant additive is available at authorized
Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can
signif icant ly reduce corrosion protection.
The resulting corrosion can cause a loss of
coolant and serious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant
to your vehicle's engine coolant. Add ing ra­
diator repair fluid may adversely affect the
funct ion and pe rformance of your cooling
system and could result in damage not cov­
ered by you r New Vehicle Lim ited Warranty.
162
Checking the engine coolant level
Proceed carefully when checking the coolant .
Fig. 142 Conve rtible top : serv ice pos it ion
Fig. 143 Co nve rtible top storage bay : coolant expa nsion
tank
Before you check anything in the eng ine compart­
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
c:> .&. in Working in the engine compartment on
page 155
and park your vehicle on a leve l su r­
face.
The coolant expansion tank is loca ted in the right
s ide of the convertib le top storage bay under the
round metal cover
cf;, fig. 143. The convertible top
must be in the service position to check the cool­
ant level
i=;, fig . 142.
Bringing the closed convertible top into the
service position
.,. Switch the ignition on.
.,. Pull and ho ld the convertib le top switch.
.,. Press and hold the rear window switch too until
the convertible top moves into the service posi­
tion <=>
fig. 142.
Bringing the open convertible to into the
service position
.,. Switch the ignition on .
.,. Press and hold the convert ible top switch .

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"' Press and ho ld the rear window switch too unti l
the convertible top moves into the service posi­
t ion
r::!) fig. 142.
Opening th e cool ant e xp ansi on tank cov er
"' Stop the engine and allow it to coo l.
"' Switch the ignition off.
"' Carefu lly remove the bolts in the cover(!) using
a screwdriver and remove the cover. The cool­
ant reservoir is located be low
c:> fig. 143 .
Check ing th e engine coolant l eve l
"' Place a rag or cloth on the cap of the coo lant
expansion tank and turn the cap
ca re full y to
the left (counter-clockwise)
c:> A .
"'Read the coo lant level inside the coolant expan­
s ion tank
c:> fig . 143. With a co ld engine, it
must be above the "min" mark. W ith a hot en­
gine, it can be a little above the ind icated
range .
To obtain an accurate read ing, the eng ine must
be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with an electric coolant level sensor
r::!) page 14.
We still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time .
Coolant lo ss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling
system . In the event of coolant loss, the cooling
system should be inspected immediately by your
author iz ed Audi dealer. It is not enough merely
to add coolant.
In a
s e a led system, losses can occur only if the
boiling point of the coo lant is exceeded as a re­
sult of overheat ing.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure. Do
not open the cap of the coolant expans ion
tank when the engine is hot. You risk being
sca lded.
-
- The coolant add itive, and therefore the cool­
ant itself, is hazardous to health. Keep the
c oolant additive in the or igina l co ntainer out
of the re ach of children.
It is a poison haz­
ard.
Ch eck ing and fillin g
(D Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sea lant
to your vehicle's engine coolant . Add ing radia­
tor repair fluid may adversely affect the func­
tion and performance of your cooling system
and could result in damage not covered by
your New Veh icle Limited Warranty.
Adding coolant
Befo re you check a nyth ing in the eng ine compart­
ment,
alwa ys read and he ed all WARNING S
r::!) A in Working in the engine compartment on
page 155.
"' Add coolant m ixed in the correct rat io
c:> page 161, Coolant.
"' Twist the cap on again tightly.
"'Tighten the cap(!) <::!)page 162, fig. 143 again .
Replacement engine coo lant must conform to ex­
act specifications
c:> page 161, Coolant .
We recommend using only coolant add it ive Gl2+
+, G l3
or in an emergency Gl2 +. Do not use a
different additive. In an emergency use pla in wa­
ter unt il you ca n get the correct add itive and can
restore the co rrect ratio . This should be done as
soon as possib le .
If you have los t a considerab le amount of cool­
ant, then you shou ld add cold antifreeze and cold
water only when the engine is co ld .
Always use
new engine coo lant when refilling .
Do not fill coolant above the "max" mark. Excess
coolant will be forced out through the pressure
relief valve in the cap when the eng ine becomes
hot.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of scalding
from hot coolant by following these steps .
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool
down .
- Protect your face, hands and arms from escaping fluid and steam by covering the
cap with a large, thick rag.
163