2015 AUDI R8 SPYDER oil level

Instruments and warning /indicator lights
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster and controls
The instrument cluster is your central source of information.
Fig. 3 Overview of the inst rument cluster
(D Engine oi l temperature . . . . . . . . . 8
@ Tachome ter with time and date dis-
p lay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 9
® Coolant temperature gauge . . . . . 9
@ Fue l gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
® Speedome ter w ith odomete r . . . . 10
@ Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
0 Set/Check button . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
@ Driver information display . . . . . . 20
® I RESE T! button for trip odometer . 10
The ill umination for the instr ument cluster lights
up whenever you switch on the ignition with the
vehicle headlights off . The gauges are also i llu­
minated when the lights a re turned on .
Engine oil temperature display
The engine oil temperature disp lay Q page 8,
fig . 3
only operates w it h t he igni tion o n. To pre­
ve nt eng ine dam age, ple ase observe the fo llow­
i n g important poin ts concerning the temper ature
ranges .
8
Cold range
If the need le is at the bottom of the gauge, the
engine oil has not reached operating temperature
yet. Avoid h igh engine speeds, full throttle app li­
cations and heavy eng ine loads .
Normal range
The engine has reac hed operating temperature
when the need le moves into the center of t he
gauge under no rma l dr iving co ndit ions. The nee­
dle may move higher on t he gauge with heavier
engine load at high outside tempe ratures . This is
not a ca use for concern as long as the. indica­
tor lig ht in t he di splay does not flash.
Warning light.
If the symbol . in the d isplay flashes, either th e
engine oil temperature is too high o r the e ngine
o il level is too low
Q page 159.
If the need le is well in the upper a rea of the
gauge, the engine oil temperature is too high.
Stop the vehicle, switch the engine off and al­
low it to cool.
If the wa rning light comes on
again afte r d riv ing a short distance, contact an
aut ho rized Aud i de aler.

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
"t:::1: ~MI ii
12
Tir e p ress ure monito ring system
¢page 196
Electron ic power control../
¢page 16
USA models: Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (MIL) ¢
page 17
Canada models: Malfunction Indica­
tor Lamp (MIL)
¢ page 17
Engine speed limitation *
¢page 17
Check engi ne oil level
¢ page 17
Engine oil senso r malfunction
¢page 17
Batte ry,/
¢ page 14
Low fuel leve l
¢page 17
Windshield washer flu id leve l low
¢page 17
Defective light b ulb
¢page 17
USA models: Defective bra ke light
¢page 17
Canada models: Defective bra ke
light ¢
page 17
Light/rain sensor defective (a utomat ­
ic headlights) * defective
¢ page 18
Aud i magne tic ride
¢ page 18
Rear spoiler .I
¢page 18
USA models: Speed wa rn ing 1
¢ page 69
Canada models: Speed war ning 1
¢page 69
USA models: Speed warning 2
¢page 69
Canada models: Speed warn ing 2
¢page 69
Gear box mal function *
¢page 78
Other indicator light s
Turn signals
¢ page 18
USA models : Cruise control activate d
¢page 19
BRAKE/ ((D) Brake system
This w arning/in dica tor light illumina tes when
the broke fluid level is too low or when there is a
malfunction in the ABS, or when the parking
brake is set .
If the . (U SA models) . (C anada mo de ls)
symbol f las hes i n the display with t he pa rking
b rake re leased, the re is a malfunction in the
brake system. In addit ion to the symbo l, one of
two messages appears in the display:
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid level
Stabilization program and ABS fault! S ee Own­
er's manual
~ Pull off the road an d stop th e veh icle .
~ Obta in p rofess io na l assis tan ce .
USA mod els: if there is a ma lfunction in the ABS
system, the. warn ing/ indicato r light illum i­
na tes a long w ith the . system ma lf u nction
war ning/ind icator light¢ ,&. .
Canada models: if there is a malfunction i n the
ABS system, the
EiJ warn ing/ indica tor ligh t il lu­
minates together with the. brake syst em mal­
f unc tion war ning/ indica to r lig ht ¢,&. .
The light
1111 ( U SA)/ . (Canada) illum inates
whe n the ign ition is turned on. I t goes o ut afte r
the engin e has be en sta rted and th e p arkin g
brake is fully re leased. This ind icates that th e
br ake warn ing lig ht is func tioning properly.
If the brake warning light does not light up
when the engine is cranking or the parking
brake is applied, there may be a malfunction in
1111>

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
4 Safety belt warning light
Applies to vehicles: with safety belt warning light
The warning light is a reminder to fasten safety
belts.
The warning light . comes on for a few seconds
after the ignition is sw itched on as a reminder to
fasten your safety belt.
Additiona l information on safety be lts
¢page 95.
D Battery
This warning/indicator light detects a malfunc­
tion in the generator or in the vehicle's electrical
system.
The. warning/indicator light ill uminates when
you switch on the ignition and must go out after
the engine has started.
• Alternator fault: Battery is not being charg­
ed
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, there is a malfunction in the generator
or vehicle electrical system .
D riv e to you r aut horized Aud i dea le r or qualified
wo rkshop immediately. Because the vehicle bat ­
tery is discharging, turn off all unnecessary elec­
trica l equipment suc h as the radio. Seek profes­
siona l assistance if the battery charge level is too
low.
(•) Low battery: battery will be charged while
driving
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, there may be limited star ting ability.
If th is message turns off after a little wh ile, the
battery charged enough wh ile driving .
If the message does not turn off, have your au­
thor ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop cor­
rect the malfunct ion.
14
·~Engine oil pressure
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol re­
quires immediate service or repair .
If the . symbol appears in the display and
flashes, the o il pressure is too low. In add ition to
the symbol, the following message also appears i n the d isp lay:
Switch off engine! Oil pressure is too low
.. Pull off the road and stop the vehicle .
.. Shut the engine down.
.. Check the engine oil level¢
page 159 .
.. Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assis-
tance if necessary.
Engine oil level too low
If the engine oil leve l is too low, top off oil to the
proper level
¢page 160.
Engine oil level OK
If the. symbol starts flashing again even
though the engine oi l level checks OK on the dip­
stick,
do not sta rt driving again and do not let
the engine run at idle .
Instead, contact your au­
thorized Audi dealer for assistance .
(D Tips
- The engine oil pressure symbol. is not
an indicator for a low engine oil level. Do
not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in
your engine at regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and always before
going on a long trip.
- The yellow oil level warning indication
II
requires oil refill or workshop service with­
out delay. Do not wait until the red oil
pressure warning symbol. starts to flash
before you respond to the low oil level
warning
Ill. By then, your engine may al­
ready have suffered serious damage.
-L Engine cooling system
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must
be repaired as soon as possible.
When the. symbol in the display flashes, then
either the engine coo lant
temperature is too IJ,,

Instrument s and warning /indicator ligh ts
..... N
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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!
N
"' .....
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.
17

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
24
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 .

throug h im perce ptib le contro l processes . The
damping provides individua l modulation of
damping forces. For example, with damping
characterist ics set to prov ide greater comfort,
damping is set somewhat harder for a brief peri­
od only as requ ired, when round ing a curve and
when braking .
Standard setting
Select the standard sett ing if you prefer a sus ­
pension setting emphasi zing comfort.
Sport s etting
Select the sport setting if you prefe r a spor ty sus­
pension setting. The LED in the button
[l] comes
on to indicate sport setting .
@ Tips
The warning/indicato r ligh t R in the instr u­
ment cluster comes on in the event of a mal­
function. Drive to the closest a uthorized Audi
dea ler as soon as possible and have the mal­
function repaired.
Sporty driving
Warming up and cooling down
B y care fully warming up and cooling down you r
veh icle, you can he lp ensure tha t it is not over ­
stressed unnecessarily du ring sporty driving.
W hen warming up , the veh icle is driven a t a max ­
i mum eng ine speed of 6 000 R PM
(Vl O engine) or
70 00 RPM (V8 engine) in order to raise the en ­
g ine oi l tempe ratu re to a minimum of 140 °F
(60 °() . The tires also only reach the ir full road
h olding capability once they have warmed up.
The cooling fan can continue to run in you r vehi ­
cle after the engine is switched off . However,
d riving the vehicle to cool it down is part icu larly
important. During sporty driving, the engine and
brakes, the exhaust system, and the transmission
all become extremely hot . Before you park the
ve hicle, you should dr ive it for a few m iles/kilo-
~ mete rs a t light load in the low rpm range to al-
~ low i t to cool down. "': ,...., \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 ,....,
On th e road
Driving on a track
Befo re you take your veh icle o ut on a track, en­
s u re th at i t is in perfe ct condi tion. Fo r ex ample ,
yo u should chec k the tire trea d an d the bra ke
pads . It is bes t to inc rease tire pressu re by about
0 .3 bar.
W hen dr iving on a track , oil consump tion may be
somewhat higher than in "norma l" ope rat ion
¢ page 159 .
You should definitely inspec t your ve hicle afte r
s u bje cting it to seve re condi tions. Are the br ake
pads OK? Is there any thing unusua l about the
t ir es, including the inner and outer sidewalls (e .g.
tread , blistering)? A re the air intakes free of
l eaves and tire dust? Is the o il level OK?
Your a uth orized Audi dea ler or q ua lified wor k­
sho p will be happy to underta ke an inspection be ­
fore and after use on the race track .
A WARNING ._
Some race tracks (e.g. steeply banked turns)
may affect the response of t he ESC.
(D Tips
- Review the t rack requ irements and condi ­
tions befo re you sta rt driv ing.
- W hen d riven on a race track, all vehicle
parts are severe ly stressed. This can result
in increased wear .
73

..... N
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N 1.1'1 .....
This can cause a temporary reduction in braking
force compared to dry brakes. You can compen­
sate for this by pressing the brake pedal harder.
Cor ro sion
There may be a tendency for dirt to bui ld up on
the brake pads and corrosion to fo rm on the discs
if the car is not driven regularly or only for short
trips with little use of the brakes.
If the b rakes are not used frequently, or if corro­
sion has formed on the discs, it is advisab le to
clean off the pads and discs by braking firmly a
few times from a moderately high speed
c:> &. .
Faults in the brake sy stem
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake
pedal travel, then one of the two brake circuits
may have fai led
c:> .&, .
Low brak e flu id le vel
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if the
brake fluid level is too low. The brake flu id leve l is
monitored e lectronically.
Br ake power assis t un it
T he brake power assist unit increases the pres­
sure that you generate with the brake pedal.
It
works only when the eng ine is running .
Brak e lining wear sta tu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
c:> page 203 .
.8, WARNING
-New brake pads don't have the best stop­
ping power and must be "broken-in" during
the init ial 250 mi les ( 400 km) of normal city
driving. The break -in period can be consider­
ably longer for vehicles with ceramic brake
rotors *. You can compensate for this by
pressing the brake pedal more firmly. This
also applies later when new pads are instal­
led .
- You should perform brak ing maneuvers for
the purpose of clean ing the brake system
Int elli ge nt te chn olo gy
only if road conditions permit. Other road
users must not be put at r isk -you may
cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear or lower dr iving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or
too often. This could cause the bra kes to get
hot and dimin ish braking effic iency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by rest ing your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to
brake. This may cause the brakes to over­
heat, premat ure wear and increased stop­
ping distance.
- Under certain cl imatic and operat ing condi ­
tions such as passing thro ugh water, dr iv ing
in heavy rain or after washing the vehicle,
the effectiveness of the brakes can be re­
duced . In winter, ice can accumulate on the
brake pads, lin ings, discs and drums. Care­
fully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings will be cleaned off after a
few careful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of t ime on
salt-covered roads without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency .
Clean off accum ulated salt coating from
b rake discs and pads with a few cautious
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you in­
stall a different spoiler, be su re the air flow
to the front brakes is not obstructed . O ther­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc­
ing the effectiveness of the entire brake sys­
tem .
- Fai lure of one brake circuit will impai r the
braking capability resu lting in an increased
stopping distance . Avoid driving the vehicle
and have it towed to the nearest Aud i dea ler
or qualif ied workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, for ex­
ample when towing your veh icle, or because
the brake booster has somehow been dam­
aged, the brake pedal must be pressed con ­
siderably harder to make up for the lack of booster assistance.
1 37

..... N
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Power steering
When the engine is running, power steering
makes i t easier for the driver to steer.
Power steering helps the driver steer the vehicle
with litt le physical effort.
If the engine is not running, the power steering
system is also not working. In this case, you will
find it extremely difficult to turn the steering
wheel.
If you turn the steering fully to the left or right
when the vehicle is stationary, you place a very
heavy load on the power steering system. Turning
the steering wheel fully to the left or right wi ll
cause noise in the system . It also reduces engine
idle speed.
(D Note
Do not hold the steering turned fully to the
left or right for more than 10 seconds when
the engine is running. There is a risk of dam­
age to the power steering system.
@ Tips
- In the event of a power steering system fail­
ure, or if the engine is not running (while
being towed), you will still be able to steer
the vehicle. However, you will require more
effort to do so.
- If the power steering system has a leak or is
defective, you should immediately contact a
qualified workshop .
- The power steering system requires a spe­
cial hydraul ic fluid . The power steering fluid
reservoir is located in the engine compart­
ment. The correct hydraulic fluid level is im­
portant for proper operation of the power
steering system. The power steering fluid
l evel is checked according to the Audi main­
tenance service schedule.
Dry sump lubrication
High lateral and longitudinal forces affect the en­
gine and the vehicle during sporty driving. Dry
sump lubrication ensures that your engine is sup-
Intelligent technology
plied with oil and properly lubricated even under
these conditions.
In a "norma l" vehicle the oil pump sends the oil
from the oil pan to the lubrication points in the
engine . The oil then returns to the oil pan. In ex­
treme situations, the oil pump may draw in air,
wh ich results in insufficient oi l pressure .
With dry sump lubrica tion, the oil is not in the oil
pan (it is "dry"), but in a separate oi l tank. While
one pump supplies the engine with oil, a second
pump suct ions the oil out of the engine and re­
turns it to the o il tank. Because the oil tank is tall
and narrow, oil pressure is constant even under
extreme conditions .
In add ition, the oi l pan in vehicles with dry sump
lubrication is noticeably shallower . This allows
the engine to be installed lower in the vehicle,
bringing down the center of gravity . This im ­
proves your vehicle's handling.
Driving with your quattro
With oil-wheel drive, all four wheels are driven .
General information
With all-wheel drive, power is distributed to all
four wheels . This happens automatically depend­
ing on your driving style and the road conditions
at the time . See also
c:::.> page 134.
The all-whee l drive concept is designed for high
engine power . Your vehicle is exceptionally pow­
erful and has excellent driving characterist ics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and fo llow safety pre­
cautions
c:::.> .&_ .
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with all­
wheel drive has an advantage, even with regular
t ir es . In winter road condit ions it may be advisa­
ble to mount winter tires (or all-season t ires) for
improved driveability and brak ing: these tires
must be mounted on
all four wheels. See also
c:::.> page 193 , Winter tires.
139