2020 AUDI R8 COUPE Owners Manual

4S1012721BA
Driving

The Start/Stop system is automatically activated
once
the ignition is switched on.
Basic requirements for Start/Stop mode
— The driver's door must be closed.
— The driver's seat belt much be fastened.
— The engine compartment lid must be closed.
— The vehicle must have driven faster than 2 mph
(4 km/h) since the last time it stopped.

Z\ WARNING
— Never turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. Switching it
off before the vehicle has stopped may im-
pair the function of the brake booster and
power steering. You would then need to use
more force to steer and brake the vehicle.
The fact that you cannot steer and brake as
usual may increase the risk of accidents and
serious
injuries.
— If you leave the vehicle, switch the ignition
off and take the vehicle key with you. This
applies particularly when children remain in
the vehicle. Otherwise the children could
start the engine or operate electrical equip-
ment such as power windows.
—To reduce the risk of injuries, make sure that
the Start/Stop system is turned off when
working in the engine compartment
=> page 64.

©) Note
Always switch the Start/Stop system off when
driving through water > page 64.
Stopping/starting the engine
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system
eo Ss
2 db t a

Fig. 71 Instrument cluster: engine switched off (Stop
phase)
> Brake the vehicle to a stop and keep pressing
the brake pedal. The engine will switch off. The
@ indicator light appears in the display.
> The engine starts again when you remove your
foot from the brake pedal. The o indicator
light turns off.
The engine will turn off in the “P”, “D”, “N” and
“S” gears as well as in manual mode. In the “P”
gear, the engine will also remain off if you re-
move your foot from the brake pedal. The engine
starts again when you press the accelerator pedal
or engage another selector lever position and
take your foot off the brake pedal.
If you select the “R” gear during a Stop phase,
the engine will start again.
Shift from D to P quickly to prevent the engine
from starting unintentionally when shifting
through R.
@) Tips
— You can control if the engine will stop or not
by reducing or increasing the amount of
force you use to press the brake pedal. For
example, if you only lightly press on the
brake pedal in stop-and-go traffic or when
turning, the engine will not switch off when
the vehicle is stationary. If you press the
brake pedal harder, the engine will switch
off.
— The ignition will turn off if you press the
START ENGINE STOP] button during a Stop


phase.
63
>

Driving

— When you stop and the Start/Stop system
turns the engine off, the ignition remains
on. Make sure the ignition is switched off
before you leave the vehicle or else the bat-
tery could drain.
General information
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system
Starting and stopping the engine automat-
ically
The system checks if certain conditions are met
before and during the Stop phase, and deter-
mines if the engine stops and how long it re-
mains stopped. For example, if power usage is
high, the engine will not be stopped. Along with
other conditions, the following factors influence
the automatic engine start or stop:
— Environmental conditions (slopes, inclines, ele-
vation, temperature)
— Battery (charge status, temperature, power us-
age)
— Engine temperature
— Assist systems
— Driving behavior
Depending on the engine, the indicator light
may appear if the engine is not stopped.
Ignition is switched off automatically
To prevent the vehicle battery from draining, the
ignition will switch off automatically under the
following conditions:
— If the vehicle has already been driven
— If the Start/Stop system has stopped the en-
gine
— If the driver's door is opened
—If the driver's safety belt is unbuckled
— If the brake pedal is not pressed
— If the vehicle is stationary
In this case, the parking lights switch on in place
of the low beams and the message Side marker
lights will switch off automatically in 30 mi-
nutes. See owner's manual appears in the Info-
tainment system display. The side marker lights
will switch off after approximately 30 minutes or
when you lock the vehicle.
64

If the Start/Stop system has not turned off the
engine or if you have switched the Start/Stop sys-
tem off manually, the ignition will not be auto-
matically switched off and the engine will contin-
uetorun>A.

ZX WARNING
To reduce the risk of poisoning, never allow
the engine to run in confined spaces.
@ Tips '
If you select the “D”, “N” or “S” gear after
shifting into reverse, the vehicle must be driv-
en faster than 6 mph (10 km/h) in order for
the engine to switch off again.
Manually switching the Start/Stop system
ame emo
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system

If you do not wish to use the system, you can
switch it off manually.
S g
2 § £
g z
Fig. 72 Center console: Start/Stop system button
> To switch the Start/Stop system off/on manual-
ly, press the || button. The LED in the button
turns on when the system is switched off.
G@) Tips
If you switch the system off during a Stop
phase, the engine will start again automati-
cally.

4S1012721BA
Driving

Messages in the instrument cluster display
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system
Start/stop system: deactivated. Please start
engine manually
This message appears when specific conditions
are not met during a Stop phase. The Start/Stop
system will not be able to restart the engine. The
engine must be started with the
START ENGINE STOP] button.


Start/stop system: malfunction! Function
unavailable. Please contact Service
There is a malfunction in the Start/Stop system.
Drive the vehicle to an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Service Facility as soon as possible to
have the malfunction corrected.
Electromechanical
parking brake
The ©) switch is located under the selector lever
in the center console.
Your vehicle is equipped with an electromechani-
cal parking brake. The parking brake is designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling unintentional-
ly and replaces the hand brake.
Setting/manually releasing the parking
brake
> Pull the @) switch to set the parking brake. The
LED in the switch turns on. The Zw (USA mod-
els)/[@) (Canada models) indicator light also
turns on in the instrument cluster display.
> To release the parking brake manually, press
the brake or accelerator pedal while the igni-
tion is switched on and press the ©) switch at
the same time. The LED in the button and the
indicator light in the display turn off.
Releasing the parking brake automatically
Requirement: The driver's door must be closed.
> To start driving and release the parking brake
automatically, press the accelerator pedal as
usual.
In addition to releasing the parking brake auto-
matically, other convenience and safety functions
are available when you start driving > page 66,
Starting to drive.
Emergency braking function
You can use the emergency braking function in an
emergency situation, or if the standard brakes
are malfunctioning or the pedal is obstructed.
> Pull and hold the ©) switch.
>» As soon as you release the (©) switch or acceler-
ate, the braking stops.
Pulling and holding the ©) switch while driving
the vehicle activates the emergency braking func-
tion. The hydraulic brake system will brake all
four wheels. The braking effect is similar to heavy
braking > A\.
To reduce the risk of activating the emergency
braking by mistake, a warning tone (buzzer)
sounds when the ©) switch is pulled. Emergency
braking stops as soon as the ©) switch is released
or the accelerator pedal is pressed.
Parking
> Press the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
> Pull the ©) switch to set the parking brake.
> Select the "P" selector lever position.
> Turn the engine off > /\.
> Turn the steering wheel when parking on in-
clines so that the wheels will roll into the curb
if the vehicle starts moving.

ZA WARNING
— If a gear is engaged while the vehicle is sta-
tionary and the engine is running, do not
press the accelerator pedal inadvertently.
Otherwise, the vehicle will start to move im-
mediately and this could result in an acci-
dent.
— Emergency braking should only be used in
an emergency, when the when the standard
brake pedal is malfunctioning or obstructed.
During emergency braking, your vehicle will
brake similar to heavy braking. ESC and the
associated components (ABS, ASR, EDL) can-
not overcome the laws of physics. In corners
and when road or weather conditions are
bad, a full brake application can cause the

65

Driving


vehicle to skid or the rear end to swerve,
which increases the risk of an accident.
— If the power supply fails, you cannot set the
parking brake once it is released. In this
case, park the vehicle on level ground and
secure it by placing the selector lever in the
"P" position. See an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility for assis-
tance.
— If you leave the vehicle, switch the ignition
off and take the vehicle key with you. This
applies particularly when children remain in
the vehicle. Otherwise children could start
the engine, release the parking brake or op-
erate electrical equipment such as power
windows, which increases the risk of an acci-
dent.
— No one should remain in the vehicle when it
is locked - especially children. Locked doors
make it more difficult for emergency work-
ers to get into the vehicle, which puts lives
at risk.

@) Note
Do not leave your vehicle unattended while
the engine is running, because this increases
the risk of an accident.
@) Tips
When stopping at a traffic signal or stopping
in city traffic, you can set the parking brake
manually. The vehicle does not have to be
held with the brake pedal. The parking brake
eliminates the tendency to creep when a se-
lector lever position is engaged. As soon as
you press the accelerator pedal, the parking
brake releases automatically and the vehicle
starts to move > page 66.
G@) Tips
— Occasional noises when the parking brake is
set and released are normal and are not a
cause for concern.
— The parking brake goes through a self-test
cycle at regular intervals when the vehicle is
stopped. Any noises associated with this are
normal.
66
— If there is a power failure, the parking brake
will not set if it is released, and it will not
release if it is set > A\. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility for assistance.
Starting to drive
Various convenience and safety functions may be
available when the vehicle begins driving, de-
pending on vehicle equipment.
Starting on hills with the parking brake set
Requirement: the driver's door must be closed.
> To start driving comfortably when on a hill, set
the parking brake and begin driving as usual.
The braking force of the parking brake does not
release automatically until the wheels build up
enough driving force.
Starting on hills with hill hold assist
Hill hold assist makes it easier to start on hills.
Requirement: the driver's door must be closed
and the engine must be running.
> To activate hill hold assist, press and hold the
brake pedal for several seconds. The vehicle
must be facing uphill.
After releasing the brake pedal, the braking pow-
er is maintained briefly > A\ to prevent the vehi-
cle from rolling back when starting. This allows
you to begin driving more easily.

Z\ WARNING
Applies to: vehicles with hill hold assist
— If you do not begin driving immediately or
the engine stalls after releasing the brake
pedal, your vehicle may begin to roll back-
ward. Press the brake pedal or set the park-
ing brake immediately.
— The intelligent technology of hill hold assist
cannot overcome the limitations imposed by
natural physical laws. The increased comfort
offered by hill hold assist should not cause
you to take safety risks. >

4S1012721BA
Driving


— Hill hold assist cannot hold the vehicle in
place on all hills (for example, if the ground
is slippery or icy).
—To reduce the risk of an accident, always
make sure the vehicle is situated safely
while stationary.

Sporty driving
When driving in a sporty style, for example ona
driving track, the wear on all vehicle components
is greatly increased, especially on the engine,
transmission, tires, brakes, and suspension. This
can result in increased wear. Also note the fol-
lowing points:
— Make sure the vehicle is in good condition.
Make sure to check the brake pads, tire tread,
and tire pressure (when tires are warm).
— Beforehand, warm up the engine by driving no
higher than two-thirds of the maximum permit-
ted engine RPM. The engine oil temperature
must be brought to a minimum of 140 °F
(60 °C).
— Before stopping the vehicle, allow the engine
and brakes to cool back down to a regular oper-
ating temperature by driving normally.
If necessary, use the following functions:
— Audi drive select* Dynamic mode > page 78
— Launch Control > page 70
— Limit ESC > page 87
@) Tips
Wear caused by load does not constitute a ve-
hicle fault as defined by the terms of the war-
ranty.
Automatic transmission
Introduction
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronically-
controlled DSG transmission called S tronic. Two
independent clutches transfer the power be-
tween the engine and transmission. It allows the
vehicle to accelerate without a noticeable inter-
ruption in traction.
The transmission shifts up or down automatically
depending on which drive program is selected.
When a moderate driving style is used, the
transmission selects the most economical driving
mode. The transmission upshifts at a lower RPM
and downshifts at a higher RPM to improve fuel
efficiency.
If desired, the driver can also select the gears
manually (tiptronic mode) > page 71.
Selecting a selector lever position

Fig. 73 Selector lever
The current selector lever position is shown next
to the selector lever > fig. 73. The current selec-
tor lever position is also shown in the instrument
cluster display.
> You may need to release the selector lever lock
depending on which selector lever position is
selected and which one you would like to select.
> To do this, press the release button @ on the
selector lever > fig. 73.
> To engage the nearest selector lever position,
move the selector lever forward or back until
you feel the first pressure point. The selector
lever will return to its original position.
> To shift beyond the nearest selector lever posi-
tion, move the selector lever past the pressure
point into the desired position. The selector lev-
er will return to its original position.
For example, you can skip over the "N" position if
you would like to go directly from "D" into "R".
Selector lever lock
The selector lever lock reduces the risk of select-
ing a position unintentionally, which can cause
the vehicle to roll. When engaging some selector >
67

Driving

lever positions, you must press the release but-
ton @ on the selector lever and/or press the
brake pedal > fig. 73.
You must press the brake pedal to engage a se-
lector lever position when the engine is running
and the vehicle is stationary.
You do not have to press the brake pedal if you
shift from "D" to "R" within one second. This al-
lows you to “rock” the vehicle to free it when it is
stuck.
P - Park
The wheels are locked in this position. Only shift
into park when the vehicle is stationary > A\. To
select the "P" selector lever position, press the
"P" button 2) on the selector lever > fig. 73. P
appears next to the selector lever.
You can only shift out of park when the engine is
running and you are pressing the brake pedal. To
release the parking lock, press the brake pedal,
press the locking button @ on the selector lever
and select the desired selector lever position
> fig. 73.
P engages automatically when you switch the en-
gine off while D, S or R is engaged or in manual
mode.
If you switch the engine off when the N position
is selected, the transmission remains in N for ap-
proximately 20 minutes and then P is engaged.
You must use the parking lock emergency release
before towing the vehicle > page 73.
R - Reverse
The reverse gear is engaged in this position. Only
select reverse gear when the vehicle is stationary
and the engine is running at idle speed > A. To
engage the "R" selector lever position, press the
brake pedal, press the release button (@) on the
selector lever, and select the "R" position
> fig. 73.
A tone will sound when the reverse gear is engag-
ed.
68
N - Neutral (idle)
The transmission is in idle in this position. To en-
gage the N selector lever position, press the lock-
ing button @ on the selector lever and select the
N position > fig. 73 or pull both shift paddles at
the same time > page 71, fig. 75.
If you switch the engine off when the N position
is selected, the transmission remains in N for ap-
proximately 20 minutes and then P is engaged.
You cannot select the "N" position when the igni-
tion is switched off. When driving through an au-
tomatic car wash, first select the "N" position and
then turn the engine off.
For safety reasons, the vehicle cannot be locked
when the transmission is in the "N" position.
D/S - Driving forward
When the transmission is in the "D/S" position, it
can be operated either in the normal "D" mode or
in the "S" sport mode. Move the selector lever
back to engage the "S" sport mode. You can only
select the S selector lever position when "D" is
engaged. To select the "D" selector lever position
again when "S" is engaged, move the selector lev-
er back > A\. To shift from "N" to "D" when travel-
ing at speeds below 1 mph (2 km/h), press the
brake pedal and shift into the "D" position > A.
In the normal mode "D", the transmission auto-
matically selects the correct gear. It depends on
engine load, vehicle speed and driving style.
Select the sport mode "S" for sporty driving. The
vehicle makes full use of the engine's power.
Shifting may become noticeable when accelerat-
ing.
The "S" selector lever position engages automati-
cally when you select the dynamic mode in drive
select.
Additional driving programs are available when
you select the performance mode* > page 79.

Z\ WARNING
— Before starting to drive, check if the desired
selector lever position is displayed next to
the selector lever.

4S1012721BA
Driving


— The vehicle can roll even if the ignition is
switched off.
— Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To pre-
vent the vehicle from “creeping”, you must
keep your foot on the brake in all selector
lever positions (except "P" and "N") when
the engine is running.
— Before opening the engine compartment lid,
select the "P" selector lever position and set
the parking brake. This reduces the risk of
an accident. Always read and follow the ap-
plicable warnings > page 229, General in-

formation.
@ Tips
If you accidentally select "N" while driving,
take your foot off the accelerator pedal and
wait for the engine to slow down to idle be-
fore selecting "D" or "S".
Starting the engine

> The Por N position must be selected.
Starting from a stop
> Press and hold the brake pedal.
> Start the engine > page 60.
> Press the locking button @ on the selector lev-
er and select the D/S or R position > page 67.
> Wait a moment until the transmission shifts.
You will notice a slight movement when the
gear engages.
> Release the brake pedal and press the accelera-
tor pedal > A\.
Various convenience functions are available for
starting on hills > page 66.
Stopping temporarily
> Press the brake pedal to stop the vehicle, for
example at a traffic light. Do not press the ac-
celerator pedal when doing this.
> To prevent the vehicle from rolling when you
start driving, set the parking brake when stop-
ping on steep hills > A\ and >@).
> The parking brake will release automatically
and the vehicle will start moving once you press
the accelerator pedal.
Stopping or parking
If the selector lever is not in the "P" position
when you open the driver’s door, the vehicle
could roll.
> Press and hold the brake pedal > A\.
> Set the parking brake.
> To select the "P" selector lever position, press
the "P" button (2) on the selector lever
=> page 67, fig. 73.
Under certain conditions, such as driving in the
mountains, it may be helpful to switch to manual
mode temporarily to adapt to the driving condi-
tions manually > page 71.
On hills, activate the parking brake first and then
shift into the "P" position. This prevents too
much stress from being placed on the locking
mechanism.

ZA WARNING
— Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing the selector lever position while
the vehicle is stationary and the engine is
running. This could result in a crash.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, never se-
lect the "R" or "P" positions while driving.
— Do not inadvertently press the accelerator
pedal when the vehicle is stationary. Other-
wise the vehicle will start to move immedi-
ately, even if the parking brake is set. This
could result in a crash.

@) Note
— When stopping on an incline, do not try to
hold the vehicle in place by pressing the ac-
celerator pedal while a driving gear is se-
lected. This can cause the automatic trans-
mission to overheat and can damage it. Set
the parking brake or press the brake pedal
to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
— Allowing the vehicle to roll when the engine
is stopped while the selector lever is in the
"N" position will damage the automatic
69
>

Driving

transmission, because it is not lubricated
under those circumstances > page 278,
Towing.
— The transmission can overheat and be dam-
aged under certain driving and traffic condi-
tions such as frequent starts, creeping for a
long time, or stop-and-go traffic. When the
fs} or i] indicator light turns on, stop the
vehicle at the next opportunity and let the
transmission cool > page 72.
G) Tips
For safety reasons, the parking brake only re-
leases automatically when the driver's door is
closed.
Launch Control Program
The Launch Control Program enables maximum
acceleration.
Requirement: the engine and transmission must
be at operating temperature and the steering
wheel must not be turned. The performance
mode* must be selected or dynamic mode must
be selected in Audi drive select.

> With the engine running, press the |SOFF] but-
ton briefly one time).
> Press the brake pedal firmly with your left foot
and hold it all the way down for at least 1 sec-
ond.
> Press the accelerator pedal down completely at
the same time until the engine reaches a high
RPM that remains constant and the message
appears Launch control program: activated ap-
pears.
> Remove your left foot from the brake.


ZA WARNING
— Always adapt your driving to the traffic flow.
— Only use Launch Control when road and traf-
fic conditions allow it and other drivers will


D_ The ESC light turns on and stays on, and the message Sta-
bilization control (ESC): sport. Warning! Limited stabili-
ty appears temporarily in the Infotainment system to indi-
cate that the system was deactivated.
70


not be endangered or impacted by your driv-
ing and the vehicle's acceleration.
— Please note that the drive wheels can spin
and the vehicle can break away when ESC
sport mode is switched on, especially when
the road is slippery.
— Once the vehicle has started moving, press
the |[& OFF] button briefly to turn the ESC
sport mode off again.



G@) Tips
— The transmission temperature may increase
significantly after using the launch control
program. If that happens, the program may
not be available for a few minutes. It will be
available again after a cool-down period.
— When accelerating using the launch control
program, all vehicle parts are subject to
heavy loads. This can lead to increased wear.