2015 AUDI R8 SPYDER ESP

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-Place the air pressure gauge on the valve .
- The tire pressu res should only be
checked an d adjusted when the
t ires are cold. The slig htly raised
pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
- Adjust the tire pressure to the
load you are carrying.
-Reinstall the valve stem cap on the valve .
When should I check the tire
pressu re?
The correct tire pressure is espe­
cially important at high speeds .
The pressure should therefore be
checked at least once a month
and always before starting a jour­
ney.
When should I adjust the tire pressures ?
Adjust the tire pressure to the
load you are carrying . After
changing a wheel
or replacing
wheels you have to adjust the tire pressures on all wheels. In addi ­
tion, you must then initialize the
new tire pressures in the tire pres­
sure mon itoring system
¢page 196 .
Tires and wheels
A WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or
underinflation can lead sudden
tire failure, loss of control, col­ lision, serio us personal injury or
even death .
-When the warning symbol
rD]
appears in the instrument
cluster, stop and inspect the
tires.
- Incorrect tire pressure and/or
underinflation can cause in­
creased tire wear and can af ­
fect the handling of the vehi­
cle and stopping ab ility.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or
underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a
blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control.
- The driver is responsib le for
the correct tire pressures for
all t ires on the vehicle . The ap ­
plicable pressure values are lo­
cated on a sticker on the driv ­
er's side B-pillar.
-Only when all tires on the ve­ hicle are filled to the correct
pressure, the tire pressure monitoring system can work
correct ly .
1 8 1
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Tires and wheels
All-wheel drive
Only the wheel/tire sizes specified
by the manufacturer may be used
on vehicles with all-wheel drive. For details see¢
page 139.
A WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to
loss of control, a crash and seri­
ous personal injury!
-Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators.
-Worn tires are a safety hazard,
they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of
"hydroplaning" and loss of
control.
-Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage, such
as grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires.
-Tires age even if they are not
being used and can fail sud­
denly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more
than 6 years old can only be
used in an emergency and
then with special care and at lower speeds.
-Never mount used tires on
your vehicle if you are not sure
of their "previous history." Old
186
used tires may have been
damaged even though the
damage cannot be seen that
can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
New tires and replacing tires
. and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be
broken in.
Fig. 150 Tire specification codes on the
sidewall of a tire
No Description
•
@ Passenger car tire (where ap-
plicable)
@ Nominal width of tire in mil-
limeters

Tires and wheels
valve stem caps. Ask your au--Tires age even if they are not
thorized Audi dealer to replace being used and can fail sud-
lost valve stem caps .
denly, especially at high
The installation of replacement speeds
. Tires that are more
tires with steel cord body plies in than 6 years old can only be
the tire sidewall may cause mal- used
in an emergency and
function of the tire pressure man- then with special care and at
itoring system, and is not recom- lower speeds.
mended (cord material informa- -Never mount used tires on
tion in molded on the tire side- your vehicle if you are not sure
wall). of their "previous history." Old
Always check your tire pressure used tires may have been
damaged even though the
monitoring system indicator after
damage cannot be seen that
replacing one or more tires on
can lead to sudden tire failure
your vehicle. If the tire pressure
and loss of vehicle control.
monitoring system indicator
-Only the wheel/tire sizes
flashes, or is on, your system is
specified by the manufacturer
not working properly.
may be used on vehicles with
A_ WARNING all-wheel drive.
-Using incorrect or unmatched -Never drive faster than the
tires and/ or wheels or im- maximum speed for which the
proper tire and wheel com bi -
tires on your vehicle are rated
nations can lead to loss of because tires that are driven
control, collision and serious faster than their rated speed
personal injury. can fail suddenly.
-Always use tires, rims and
-Overloading tires cause heat
wheel bolts that meet the build-up, sudden tire failure,
specifications of original fac- including a blowout and sud-
tory-installed tires or other den deflation and loss of con-
combinations that have been trol.
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191

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Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and maximum sect ion w idth
r::!:> page 186, fig. 150.
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA , Tem­
perature
A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a spec ified gov­
e rnment test course.
For example, a t ire graded
150 would wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the govern­
ment course as a tire graded
100 .
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving hab its, serv ice practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B and
C. Those grades represent the tire's
ab il ity to stop on wet pavement as measured un­
der controlled condit ions on specified govern­
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
r::!;> .&. .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
h eat when tested under controlled cond it ions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the mate­
rial of the tire to degene rate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure
r::!:> .&. .
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un­
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety S tanda rd
No.
109. Grades Band A represent higher levels
Tires and wheels
of performance on the laboratory test whee l than
the minimum required by law .
A WARNING
-
-
The traction grade assigned to th is tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include accelerat ion, cor­
nering, hydroplaning or peak traction charac­
terist ics.
A WARNING
= -
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice . At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C)
we recommend changing to winter tires .
In some heavy snow areas, local gove rnments
may require true wint er or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread. These tires should on­
ly be used in pairs and be installed on a ll four
wheels. Make sure you purchase snow tires that
are the same size and construction type as the other tires on your vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with all-whee l drive *,
this will improve traction during winter driving,
even with the standard tires. However, we strong­
ly recommend that you always equip all four
wheels on your vehicle with correctly fitted win­
ter tires or all-season tires, when w inter road
condit ions are expected. This also improves the
vehicle's braking pe rformance and reduces stop­
ping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow .
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on
all four wheels.
Compatible t ire pressure monitoring sensors
must be installed on all four winter tires for the
tire pressure monitoring system to function prop- erly
¢ page 190. ..,.
193

Tires and wheel s
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damag e
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easi ­
ly by impact with potholes, curbs, gullies or
ridges on the road, part icularly if the t ire is un­
derinflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence of impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­ mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation pres­
su res. Check your tire pressure every 2.000
miles (3.000 km) and add air if necessary .
- Drive carefu lly on roads w ith potholes, deep
gull ies or r idges. The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires . Impact with a curb may also cause
damage to you r tires .
- After any impact, immediately inspec t your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au ­
thorized Audi dealer. Replace a damaged tire as soon as possib le.
- Inspect you r tires every 2 .000 miles (3 .000 km)
for damage and wear. Damage is not always easy to see. Damage can lead to loss of ai r and
u nderinflation , which cou ld eventua lly cause
t ir e fa ilure. If yo u be lieve that a tire may have
been damaged, rep lace the tire as soon as pos ­
sible .
- T hese tires may wear more q uick ly than others .
- Please a lso remembe r that, wh ile these ti res
deliver responsive handling, t hey may ride less
com fortab ly and make more noise than other
choices.
R educed performance in winter /cold season
condit ions
All ti res are designed for certain pu rposes . The
low aspect ratio, u ltra high performance tires
originally insta lled on your vehicle are intended
for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling. They are not suitable for cold, snowy or
icy weather cond itions . If you drive under those
circumstances, you should equip your vehicle
with all-season or winter tires, which offer better traction under those conditions. We suggest you
196
u se the recommended snow or all-season tires
specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to~
page 193 for more de tailed informa­
tion regarding w inter t ires.
Tire pressure monitoring
system
General notes
E ach tire, incl uding the spare ( if prov ided),
shou ld be checked monthly when co ld and inflat­
ed to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placa rd or
tire inflation pressure labe l (If your vehicle has
tires of a different s iz e than the si ze indicated on
the ve hicle placard or tire inflation pressure la­
bel, you should determine the proper t ire infla ­
tion pressure for those tires .) .
As an added safety feature, your veh icle has been
equipped with a tire pressure mon itor ing system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low t ire pressure tell­
ta le when one or more of your t ires is sign ificant­
l y unde r-inflated. According ly, when the low tire
pressure te lltale illuminates, you shou ld stop and
chec k yo ur ti res as soon as poss ible, and infla te
them to the proper pressure . Dr iv ing on a signifi­
cant ly under-inflated tire ca uses the t ire to over ­
heat and ca n lead to tire failure . Under-inflation
also reduces fuel effic iency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle 's handling and stop­
ping abili ty .
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's re­
spons ibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-infla tion has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres­
sure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunc tion indicator to indicate when the sys­
tem is not operat ing properly . The TPMS mal ­
funct ion indicator is combined with the low t ire
pressure te lltale. When the system detects a
malfu nction, the tellta le w ill flash for approxi­
mately one m inute and then remain cont inuo usly
i ll uminated. This seq uence will continue upon .,.

subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal­
function exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signa l
l ow tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of rep lacement or a lternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the
T PMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly .
Introduction
The tire pressure monitoring system monitors air
pressure in all four road wheels while the vehicle
is moving.
As soon as the tire pressure monitoring system
senses a s ignificant loss of a ir pressure in one or
several tires, text messages and ye llow symbo ls
appear in the instrument cluster display to a le rt
the driver. The
[I] warning light in the instru ­
ment cluster comes on when the tire is signifi ­
cantly underinflated .
The warning
light [l'J also illuminates in the case
of a system malfunction.
Be aware that tire p ressure is also dependent on
the temperat ure of the t ire. For every 18 ° F
(10 °() increase in tire temperature, tire pressure
increases by about 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) . The tire
warms up while the vehicle is moving and tire
pressure rises. So you shou ld adjust tire pressure
only when they are
cold, when the temperature
of the tires is roughly the same as the ambient
air temperature.
In order to keep the tire pressure monitoring sys­
tem properly calibrated, tire pressure on all four
tires should be checked at regular intervals .
The tire pressure is shown on the label located on
~ the driver 's side B-pillar (visible when the door is r--
~ open) .
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Tires a nd w hee ls
A WARNING
-
When the tire pressure monitoring system
warning light is lit, one or more of your tires is
significantly under- inflated . You should stop
and check your t ires as soon as poss ible, and
i nflate them to the proper pressure as indicat­
ed on the vehicle 's t ire pressure label
¢ page 176. Driving on a significant ly under­
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also is
likely to impair the vehicle's handling and
stopping ability.
@ For the sake of the environment
Driving with under -inflated tires reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life.
(D Tips
- Each tire should be checked monthly when
the temperature of the tires is about the
same as ambient air temperature and set to
the recommended inflation pressure as
specified on the tire pressure label
¢page 176.
- The tire pressure mon itoring system helps
the driver to keep an eye on tire pressures.
But the driver still has the responsib ility for
ma inta ining the correct tire pressure.
- Tire pressure must only be adjusted when
the temperature of the tires is about the
same as amb ient air temperature.
- When tires are replaced, the sensors and
valves should not be exchanged. The valve
core, nut, valve seal ing and seal washer (re­
placement kit) needs to be replaced. If nec­
essary, the valve and the wheel electronics
have to be replaced.
- The tire pressure mon itoring system on your
Audi was calibrated using tires with "RO"
identification. We recommend using these
tires .
- If you sho uld put different wheels and tires
on your vehicle (e .g. winter whee ls and
tires), you must be certain that the wheels
197

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Consumer Information
Warranty coverages
Your Audi is covered by the following warran­
ties:
- New Vehicle Limited Warranty
- Limited Warranty Against Corrosion Perfora-
tion
- Emissions Control System Warranty
- Emissions Performance Warranty
- California Emissions Control Warranty (USA
vehicles only)
- California Emissions Performance Warranty
(USA vehicles only)
Detailed information regarding your warranties
can be found in your
Warranty & Maintenance
booklet .
Operating your vehicle
outside the U.S.A. or
Canada
Government regulations in the United States and
Canada require that automob iles meet specific
emission regulations and safety standards.
Therefore, veh icles built for the U.S.A. and Cana­
da differ from vehicles sold in other countries.
If you plan to take your vehicle outside the conti­
nental limits of the United States or Canada,
there is the possibility that:
- unleaded fuels for vehicles with catalytic con­
verter may not be available;
- fuel may have a considerably lower octane rat­
ing . Improper fuel may cause engine damage;
- serv ice may be inadequate due to lack of proper
serv ice faci lities , tools or testing equipment;
- replacement parts may not be readily available .
- Nav igat ion systems for vehicles built for the
U.S.A. and Canada will not necessar ily work in
Europe , and may not work in other countries
outside of North America .
Consumer Information
(D Note
Audi cannot be responsible for mechanical
damage that could result from inadequate
fuel, service or parts availab ility.
Audi Service Repair
Manuals and Literature
Audi Official Factory Service Manuals and L itera ­
ture are published as soon as possible after mod­ el i ntroduction . Service Manuals and literature
are available to o rder from the Audi Technical Lit­
erature Ordering Center at:
https:/ /www.au di.techliterature.com
Maintenance
General
Your vehicle has been designed to help keep
maintenance requirements to a minimum. How­
ever, a certain amount of regular maintenance is
still necessary to assure your vehicle's safety,
economy and reliability . For detailed vehicle
maintenance consult your Warranty & Mainte­
nance book let .
Under difficult operating conditions, for exam­
ple at extremely low outside temperatures, in
very dusty regions, etc., some se rvice work
shou ld be performed between the intervals
spec ified. This applies particularly to:
- oil changes, and
- cleaning or replacing the air f ilter.
@ For the sake of the environment
By regu larly maintaining your vehicle, you
help make sure that emission standards are
maintained, thus min imizing adverse effects
on the environment .
' Important considerations for you and your
vehicle
The increasing use of electron ics, soph isticated
f uel injection and emission control systems, and
the generally increasing technical complexity of
today's automobiles, have steadily reduced the
lllJ,,
215

Consumer Information
scope of maintenance and repairs which can be
carried out by vehicle owners .
Also , sa fety and
en vironment al
concerns place very str ict limits
on the nature of repa irs and adjustments to en­
g ine and transmission parts which an owner can
perform .
Maintenance, adjustments and repairs usually re­
qu ire spec ia l tools, testing devices and other
equ ipment available to specially tra ined work­
shop personnel in order to assure proper per­
formance, reliab ility and safety of the vehicle and
its many systems .
Improper maintenance, adjustments and repairs
can impair the operation and reliability of your
veh icle and eve n void your vehicle warranty .
Therefore, proof of servicing in acco rdance with
the ma intenance sched ule may be a condition fo r
upho ld ing a possible wa rranty claim made w ith in
the wa rranty per iod .
Above all, operational safety can be adversely af­
fected, creating unnecessary risks fo r you and
your p assengers .
If in doubt about any se rv ici ng, have it done by
your author ized Audi dealer or any other properly
equ ipped and qualified workshop. We st ro ngly
urge you to give yo ur au thori zed Audi dealer the
opport unity to perform all schedu led mainte­
nance and necessary repairs. Your dealer has the
facilities, original parts and trained specialists to
keep yo ur vehicle runn ing proper ly.
Performing limited mainten ance yourself
The fo llow ing pages describe a lim ited number o f
p roced ures which can be performed on you r vehi­
cle with ordinary tools, sho uld the need a rise and
trained personne l be unavailab le. Before per­
forming any of these procedures, always thor­
oughly read all of the applicable text and careful­
ly follow the instructions g iven. A lways rigorously
observe the
WARNINGS prov ided .
Before you check anything in the engine com ­
partment , always read and heed all WARNINGS
c> & and c> & in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 155.
216
A WARNING
-
-Ser ious personal in jury may occur as a result
of improperly performed maintenance, ad­
justments o r repai rs.
- Always be extremely careful when work ing
on the vehicle . Always follow commonly ac­
cepted safety pract ices and general com­
mo n sense. Never r is k pe rsonal i njury.
- Do not attempt any of the mainte nance,
checks or repairs described on the following
pages if you a re not fully familiar with these
or other procedures w it h respect to the ve hi­
cle, or are unce rtain how to proceed .
- Do not do any work wi thout the proper tools
an d eq uipment. H ave the necessary work
done by your au thorized Audi dealer o r an ­
other prope rly equippe d an d qua lified work­
shop .
- Always remove the ignition key befo re any ­
one gets under the vehicle.
- Always support your veh icle with safety
stands if it is necessary to work underneath
the vehicle. The jack * is not adequate for
this purpose and co uld collapse causing se­
r ious personal in jury.
- If you must wor k unde rneath the vehicle
w it h the wheels on t he gro und, a lways make
sure the vehicle is on level ground, that the
wheels are a lways securely blocked and that
the engine cannot be started .
- Always make sure the transmission selector
lever is in "N" (N eutral) (5 tronic) or Neutral
(ma nual transm iss ion) and the hand brake is
fi rm ly applied.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Cha ng ing the engine settings will adve rsely
affect emiss ion levels. This is detrimental to
the environment a nd increases fuel con­
s u mption.
- Always observe environmenta l reg ulations
when dispos ing of old engine oil, used brake
fluid, dirty eng ine coolan t, spent ba tter ies
or worn ou t tires.