engine AUDI R8 SPYDER 2012 User Guide

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 17
loss of vehicle control and an accident.
Have your vehicle repaired immediately
by your authorized Aud i dealer or a quali­
fied workshop . Drive slowly and avoid
sudden, hard brake applications.
- Canada models: If the brake warn ing
light ., the
DJ warning light and the
ABS wa rning light
rii] come on together,
the rear wheels could lock up first unde r
hard bra king. Rear wheel lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle control and an acci­
dent. Have yo ur vehicle repaired immed i­
ately by your authorized A udi dealer or a
qualified workshop . Drive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applicat ions.
(0 ) Worn brake pads
r;J Check b rak e pads!
If the warning light illum inates, immediately
contact your authorized A udi dealer or quali­
fied workshop to have all brake pads inspect­
ed. On USA models the warning light
r;J
comes on together with the war ning light
- · Both sets of brake pads on an axle
must always be replaced at the same time .
A WARNING
Driv ing with bad brakes can cause a coll i­
sion and serious personal injury .
- If the warning light
r;J and the warning
light -
1l with the message Brake
p ad s!
comes on in the i nstr ument cluster
display, immedia tely contact your au­
tho rized Audi dea le r or qualified work­
shop to have a ll brake pads checked or
replaced if necessary.
EPC Electronic power control
This warning/indicator light monitors the
electronic power control.
The ~ warn ing/ indica to r light ( Elect ronic
P ower Control) illumina tes when you swi tch
on the ignition as a function check.
1) - : USA mod els only
-
(D Tips
If this warn ing/indicator light illuminates
while yo u are driving, then there is a mal­
funct ion in the engine electronics. Have
the malfunct ion corrected as soon as pos­
s ible by your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop .
~ Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Ma lfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is pa rt
of the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system.
T he symbo l
lffl ligh ts up when the ignit ion is
turned on and will turn off after the eng ine
has started and has settled at constant id le
speed. This indicates that the MIL is working
proper ly.
T he warning light ill uminates when there is a
malfunction in the engine electronic system .
Contact your authorized Audi dea ler and have
the malfunct ion corrected.
An improperl y clo sed fu el filler cap ma y als o
c a use the MIL light to illuminate
¢ page 166 .
For more information ¢page 22.
!?') Engine speed limitation
Ma ximum 6000 RPM
The eng ine speed is automatically limited to
6000 RPM. This protects the engine from
overheating .
The eng ine speed limitation
(ll deactivates
once the eng ine is no longe r in the cr itica l
temperature range and yo u have re leased the
acce le rator pedal once.
(D Tips
When co ld, the engine speed is limited to
6000 RPM (w ith the
VlO engine) or
7000 R PM (with the VB engine) to protect
the engine. The limit is deactivated once
the oil temperature rises above 140 °F

18 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
(60 °C) and the engine is at operating tem­
perature .
~. Checking the engine oil level
II! Please add max. 1 qt of engine oil!
If the 1\1 symbo l comes on, add 1 quart (1 li ­
ter) of oil at the next opportunity
¢page 174.
'.!:'.::: ... Engine oil sensor defective
If the II symbol illuminates, contact your
author ized Audi dealer and have the oil sensor
inspected.
t:::J Battery voltage low
(•i Low battery charge: battery will be
charged while driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there may be limited starting
ab ility.
If th is message turns off after a little while,
the battery charged enough wh ile driving.
If the message does not turn off, have your
author ized Audi dealer or qualif ied workshop
correct the malfunction.
Bu Fuel supply too low
When the II] symbol illuminates, this means
there are about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of fuel l eft in the fuel tank. Time to refuel!
¢page 165.
If the symbol lights up, even when there is
ample fuel in the tank, and the text
Tank sys­
tem malfunction! Please contact workshop
appears in the display, the re is a fault in the
system. Contact a qualified workshop to have
the fau lt rectified .
,;;, Windshield washer fluid level too low
If the I! symbol illuminates, add windshield
washer f luid to the washer system
¢ page 182.
~ Defective light bulb warning
The defective light bulb warning tells you
when a vehicle light bulb has become defec­
tive.
If a defective bulb has been detected by the
system or a light bulb burns out, the~ sym­
bol w ith a message appears in the display to
te ll you which bulb is burnt out and where it is
lo cated. For example :
Rear left turn signal
After 5 seconds, the message disappears. If
you want to recall the message into the dis­ play, press the CHECK button¢
page 8, fig. 3
®·
There are three reasons why the defective
bulb message would appear in the display:
- The light bu lb has burnt out
¢page 214.
-The fuse is "blown"¢ page 213, Replacing
fuses .
-The wire connection to the light bulb is de-
fective.
Have the bulb replaced or the connection re­
paired by your authorized Aud i Service depart­
ment .
A WARNING
-
-Light bulbs are pressurized and could ex­
p lod e while they are being changed ca us­
ing serious personal injury.
- Work with due care when handling the
high-vo ltage section of gas discharge
(xenon) lamps. Failing to do so could re­
sult in death or serious injury!
BRAKE LIGHT!<®> Brake light defective
In case of a malfunction or component fail-
ure, the symbol (USA models)/
$fl (Canada models) can appear. The follow­
ing electrical components should be checked,
repaired or replaced, as necessary:
- Brake light bulbs
- All wir ing connections
- Brake light switch

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 19
Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assis­
tance if necessary.
@ Tips
The brake light switch is only inspected as
pa rt of the functional check after the en ­
gine is started.
@ Light/rain sensor defective
Applies to vehicles: with automatic headlights
The indicator light indicates a defect in the
automatic headlights/automatic wiper sys ­
tem.
If the symbol illum inates, the light sensor has
failed. For safety reasons, the low beams are
turned on permanently with the switch in
AU­
TO. However, you can continue to turn the
lights on and off using the light switch. In the
case of a defect in the rain sensor, the wind­
shield wiper lever functions are still available .
H ave the light/ra in sensor checked as soon as
possible at an author ized Audi dealer.
; Audi magnetic ride
The indicator light monitors vehicle damping.
The indicator light E ill uminates when the ig­
nition is switched on as
a function check.
(D Tips
If the ind icator lamp illuminates while you
are driving, there is a malfunct ion in the
veh icle damping. The chass is should be in­
spected immediately by an authorized Au­
di dealer.
-:;J. Rear spoiler
The warning/indicator light monitors the
electrically retractable rear spoiler .
The warning/indicator light Ii! has the follow­
ing functions:
-It comes on for about 3 seconds as a func­
t ion check when the ignition is switched on.
- It comes on if there is a ma lfunction in the
electrically retractable rear spoiler . Additional
information about the electr ica lly
retractable rear spoiler
r:;, page 144.
,.YI F{ Selector lever defective
Applies to vehicles : with R tronic
g Ii] Selector lever defective! No reverse
gear!
If the symbols are i lluminated, there is a mal­
function in the R tronic selector lever . These­
l ector lever d isp lays go out or flash. It is not
poss ible to engage reverse gear. If you have
been shifting the transm iss ion manually, it
switches to automat ic operation.
You can continue to shift the transmission manually. From the neutral position N, en­
gage first gear by tapp ing the shift button
0
o n the steering wheel. Then the transmission
remains in manual operat ion and you can se­
lect the gears using the s hift buttons.
Have the selector lever checked as soon as
poss ible at an authorized Aud i dealer or other
qualified workshop .
i~Jf Clutch is overheating
Applies to vehicles:
ffl O Clutch: Overheating possible. See own­
er's manual.
If the symbols are i llum inated, the clutch is
ove rheating and could be damaged if you con­
tinue to drive.
Stop your vehicle and allow the engine to run
at idle for several m inutes . This w ill cool the
clutch.
0 Gearbox malfunction
App lies to vehicles: wit h R tro nic
In the event of a system malfunction, R tronic
switches to emergency ope rat ion mode.
[O) Gearbox malfunction! You can continue
driving
You can continue to drive the vehicle. See an authorized Aud i dealer or other qualified
workshop at the next opportun ity . ..,.

Driver information
system
Introduction
The Driver information display inside the in­
strument cluster provides you, the driver,
with important information .
Fig. 6 Instrument cl uster: ce nte r display
Fig. 7 Wiper lever: controls fo r the menu d isplay
Center display
W ith the ignition on, the display in the Dr iver
I nforma tion System shows the fo llow ing in­
formation :
- CD inserted or Radio station set
- Outs ide temperature: At temperatures be-
low 41
°F (+S 0 (), a snowflake symbol ap­
pears in front of the temperatu re display
c:> &_ .
-Wa rning when a door, the engine compa rt-
me nt lid or the trun k lid is not closed.
Additional functions
You can ope n the following functions i n the
Driver Information System display by p ressing
the
! RESET I button ¢ fig. 7 one or more times:
T rip computer
¢ page 23
Digital speedometer
Dr iver in formation system 21
Gear indicato r
Lap timer
Menu display
c:>page27
<=>page25
The speed warning system is also displayed in
the Driver Information System. You can read how to set it in ¢
page 29 .
Auto Check Control
Some f unctions and vehicle components are
scanned for their operating stat us when yo u
switc h the ign ition on and whi le you are driv­
ing. Malfunctions or required service proce­
dures are s ignaled audib ly and ind icated by
red and yellow il luminated symbols and re­
minde rs in the disp lay.
_&. WARNING
-
- N ever re ly exclusively on the o utside
temperat ure display to determ ine i f a
road surfa ce is icy or not. Keep in mind
that road surfaces, espec ia lly bridges
and overpasses, co uld be ice covered and
slippery even at an outside temperature
above 41
°F (+5 °().
- Always remember, even if the "snow­
f lake" symbo l (ice warning) does not ap­
pea r in the d isp lay, black ice cou ld be on
the road.
- Always reduce your speed and drive with
special care in cold weathe r cond itions
when the chance of encountering icy
road surfaces inc reases.
@ Tips
- On vehicles with R tronic*, the rem inders
do not appea r in the disp lay until you se­
lect a gear.
- On vehicles with Audi Nav igat io n system,
the displays may d iffe r from their normal
appearance duri ng nav iga tion .

22 Driver in formation sy ste m
Service interval display
The service interval display reminds you when
your next service is due.
Fig. 8 Section of instr ume nt cluster : Service inte rva l
display
The schedule for the next oil change or inspec­
tion is calculated automatically and displayed
according ly. The display works in two stages :
Service rem inder
30 days before the next service is due, a serv­
ice reminder appears in the display when you
turn on the ignition.
After abo ut
S seconds the display sw itches
back to normal. The d istance and time re­
maining are updated eac h time the ignition is
turned on until the date due for service is reached .
Service due
When the due date for service is re ached , the
message
S erv ice due! appears in the instru­
ment cluster immediately after you tu rn on
the ignition. Additionally, a warn ing tone
sounds . After about
S seconds the display
switches back to normal.
Calling up th e servic e schedule s
If or when an oil change or inspection is due,
can be shown in the instrument cluster by se­
l ecting the service interval display . Select
C heck > Service > Oil chang e or Service by us­
ing the
! R ESE T I button and the rocker switch
c;,page25, fig.12.
Re setting the ser vice in te rv al di spla y
Your authorized A udi dealer w ill reset the cor­
responding service sched ule after perform ing the appropr
iate service on your veh icle. You
also have the possibi lity to reset the oil
change schedule after hav ing performed an
o il change according to Aud i specif ications.
- Switch the ignition on.
- Pull the knob
¢ fig . 8 . The message . Service
due!
appears .
- Pull the knob until the display
Oi l change in
----- mi ( km)·-- day s
appears. If the I RESET I
button is not pu lled w ithin 5 seconds, the
disp lay reset mode closes .
(D Note
If you disconnect t he battery term inals, no
ca lcula tions can be made for the service
i nterval disp lay during th is time and no
service reminder will appear. Remember
that observing the proper service intervals
i s vitally important to extending the life of
your vehicle, pa rticularly the engine, and
maintain ing its value . Eve n if the mileage
drive n is low, t he maximum period of one
year from one servi ce to the next m ust no t
be exceeded.
(D Tips
- Do not reset the display b etwee n oil
changes, othe rwise the disp lay w ill be in­
correc t.
- The information in the Service Reminder
remains stored eve n when t he vehi cle
ba ttery is disconnec ted.
On-Board Diagnostic
system (OBD)
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL )
The Ma lf u nction Indi cato r Lamp ( MIL) II is
part of the On- Board Diagnostic (OBD II) sys ­
tem.
T he wa rni ng lig ht illuminates when the re is a
malfunction in the engine elect ro ni c system .
A mal func tion may have va rious causes :
- The f uel f iller cap may be improperly closed
c;, page 166. ..,.

-There is a leak in the fuel vapo r recovery sys ­
tem .
- The eng ine control receives faulty vehicle
roadspeed signa ls.
Contact your nea rest au thori zed A udi dealer
for assis tance .
If the light illuminates , the catalyt ic converte r
could be damaged . Continue driving
with re·
du ced power
(avo id ing susta ined high speeds
a nd/or rap id acce lerations) and have the con­
d ition correc ted .
An improp erly closed fuel fi ller cap may also
cause the MIL li ght to i llum ina te
q page 166.
On-Board Diagnostics
Fig. 9 Loc atio n of Data Link Co nnec to r (DLC )
On-Board Diagnostics monitors the compo­
nents of your emission co ntrol system . Each
monitored component in your eng in e system
has been assigned a code. I n case of a mal­
fun ction, the component will be ide ntified
and the fau lt stored as a code in t he con tro l
mod ule memory .
I n o rder to make an a ccurate d iagnos is, the
stored d ata ca n only be di splayed using spe ­
cial diagnos tic eq uipment (gener ic s can tool
for OBD).
I n o rder to connect the special diagnosti c
eq uip ment, push the p lug into t he Data Link
Connector (D LC). The DLC is lo cated to the
righ t of the engine compartment lid release
q fig . 9 .
Your auth ori zed A udi dealer or a q ualified
service st ation can in terp ret the code and per ­
form the necessa ry repair.
Dr iver in formation system 23
A WARNING
Do not use t he d iagnost ic connector for
pe rsonal use. Inco rrect usage can cause
malfunctions, wh ich can increase th e risk
of a co llision!
Trip computer
Introduction
The trip computer gives you information on
current and average fuel mileage , average
spe ed, fuel range and driving time.
Fi g. 10 Tri p co mpute r 1
You can switch between the trip computer 1
and 2 by pressing the
! R ES ET I button @
qpage 24, fig . 11 .
You can te ll wh ich memory leve l is currently
active by the number in t he disp lay ¢
fig. 10 .
The data from the s ingle-trip memory (memo­
ry level 1) is being disp layed if a
1 appears in
the d isplay . If a
2 is shown, then the data
from the to tal -tr ip memo ry is being displayed
(memory level 2).
Single-trip memory (Trip computer 1)
The single-trip memory stores the tr ip infor ­
mation from the time the ig nitio n is turned on
u nt il it is turned off .
If the trip is cont inued
within 2 hours fr om the time the ignition was
turned off, the new data will be in cl ud ed in
the calculat io n of the current tr ip in forma­
tion . If the trip is interr upted fo r
more than 2
hours
the memory is reset automatically. .,..

32 Opening and clo sing
Opening and closing
Keys
Key set
Fig . 27 Key set
Fig. 28 Remote master key : Indicator light
Your Audi comes with four keys c::> fig. 27:
@ two master keys with remote
control
@ one valet key
© one emergency key
M aster key with remot e co ntrol
You can centrally lock and unlock yo ur vehicle
and start the eng ine with the master key with
remote control. To fold the key o ut and back
in place, press the re lease button
c::> fig. 2 7
(arrow).
Valet key
The valet key only fits the lock in the d river's
door and the ignition lock .
If you have to leave
the key with somebody e lse, yo u are well-ad ­
vised to turn
over the valet key only.
Be aware that the front lid and glove compa rt­
ment can be opened from ins ide the ve hicl e
using the release buttons . Emergency key
T he emergency key is only for tempo rary use if
the ve hicle key s hou ld be lost o r misplaced.
Key replacement
If you lose a key, contact your authorized Audi
dealer immed iate ly to have the
lost key disa­
bled . Be sure to br ing all your keys with you .
If a key is lost, you should repo rt it to your in­
surance company .
Reg istered keys
You can inquire about the number of remote master keys registered to your vehicle
r=> page 25 . In this way, you can be certain of
obta ining all the remote master keys if you
purchase a used vehicle .
St ate of maste r key b attery
When a button is pressed, the check light
flashes
c::> fig. 28. If the check light does not
come on or flash, the battery is dead and has
to be replaced .
Battery replacement
r=> page 33.
A WARNING
--
- Do not leave your vehicle unattended
with the key in the ignition lock. Entry by unauthorized persons co uld endanger
you or result in theft or damage the vehi­
cle. A lways lock all doors and take the
key .
- D o not leave ch ildren unattended in the
veh icle, especially with a ccess to ve hicle
keys. Unguarded access to the keys pro­
vides children the opportu nity to start
the engine and/or activate vehicle sys­
tems such as the power windows etc . Un­
supervised operation of any vehicle sys ­
tem by children can result in serious in­
jury .
(D Tips
If you open the driver's door with the key
l eft in the ign ition lock, a ch ime will
sound. This is your reminder to remove the key and lock the door .

34 Openin g and clo sing
electronic immobilizer is automatica lly acti­
vated once again.
I f an unauthorized key was used , SA FE is d is­
p layed con tinuously in the odometer disp lay
field.
A WARNING
-
Always take the key with you when you
leave the vehicle. The key can disarm the
electronic engine immobilizer and permit
an unauthor ized person to start the engine
and enable operation of the vehicle sys­
tems such as power window leading to se­ r ious personal in jury .
(D Tips
-The vehicle cannot be started if an unau­
thorized key is used . The vehicle may not
start if another radio device such as a key
for another vehicle or a transponder is l ocated on the key ring.
- For Declarat ion of Compliance to United
States FCC and Industry Canada regu la­
tions
~page 222.
Power locking system
General description
The power locking system locks or unlocks all
doors simultaneously.
When opening and closing the doors, the power locking system locks or unlocks
both
doors together.
The remote mas ter key locks and un locks the
doors using a radio signal
~ page 35.
Locking and unl ocking w ith the key
You can also lock and unlock your vehicle us­
ing the key in the lock o n the dr iver's door.
The unlocking and lock ing mode can be
changed in the Driver Informat ion System
~ page 25.
Both doors are locked automatically when the
vehi cle is locked and the ant i-theft alarm sys ­
tem is act ivated.
Auto Loc k
The Auto Lock function locks a ll doors once
speed has exceeded approximately 9 mph (15
km/h).
T he car is unlocked automat ica lly once the ig ­
nition key is removed . In add ition, the vehicle
can be un locked if the power locking system
opening function
(l;;i) is activated or one of the
door levers is used .
Turn signals
All the tu rn s ignals flash to indicate when the
vehicle is locked and unloc ked. The t urn sig­
nals flash twice when the vehicle is unlocked.
T he turn signa ls flash once when all the doors
and the front lid are locked. The interior lights
are also switched on or off automatica lly ac­
cord ing to the position of the door contact
switch .
A WARNING "---
-When you lock your vehicle from outside,
nobody -espec ially children -shou ld re­
main inside the vehicle. Remember,
when yo u lock the vehicle from the out­
side the windows cannot be opened from
the inside .
- When you leave the veh icle, always re ­
move the ignition key and take it with
you. This will prevent passengers (chil­ dren, for example) from accidentally be­ing locked in the vehicle should they acci­
dentally press the power locking switch
in one of the doors.
- Do not leave ch ildren inside the vehicle
unsuperv ised. In an emergency it would
be imposs ible to open the doors from
the outside without the key.
(D Tips
- The driver's door can be locked and un­
locked with the key if the power locking
system fails . The passenger's door can
be locked manually~
page 36 .

38 Opening and closing
• Reach under the closed glove compartment .
There is a red plastic cord under the glove
compartment.
• Pull the red plastic cord towards you .
Anti-theft alarm
system
Description
The anti-theft alarm triggers on alarm if any ­
one attempts to break into the vehicle .
Fig. 37 Diode posit io n in the instr um ent p anel
The anti-theft alarm system triggers an audi­
ble alarm and turns on the emergency flasher
if an unauthorized interference w ith the vehi­
cle is sensed by the system .
How is the anti-theft alarm system
switched on?
The anti -theft alarm system is switched on
when you lock the driver's door manually us­
ing the fold-out key, or when you use the re­
mote control. The system is activated approxi­
mately 30 seconds after the veh icle is locked.
The indicator light
q fig. 37 starts flashing
rapidly for 2 seconds and then blinks slowly.
How is the anti-theft alarm system
switched off?
The anti-theft a larm system is switched
off
only when you unlock your vehicle. If you do
not open a door within 30 seconds after you
have un locked with the remote contro l, the
vehicle will lock itself again automatically. When will the
anti theft alarm system be
triggered?
When the vehicle is locked, the alarm system
monitors and protects the following parts of
the vehicle:
- engine compartment
- luggage compartment
- doors
- ignition
When the system is ac tivated, the alarm will
be triggered if one of the doors, the engine
compartment lid or the front lid are opened.
The anti-theft alarm system wi ll also go
off
when the battery is disconnected .
You can also trigger the a larm by pressing the
PANIC button on your remote-control key.
This will alert other people in case of emer­
gency . Press the
PANIC button again to turn
off the alarm.
How is the anti-theft alarm switched off
when trigge red?
To switch the alarm
off, press the button @Jon
the master key or switch the ignition on. The alarm will also switch itself off when it comes
to the end of its cycle .
Emergency flasher
The emergency flasher will blink briefly when
the doors, engine compartment lid and front lid are properly closed.
If the emergency flashers do not blink, check
the doors, engine compartment lid and front
lid to make sure they are properly closed. If
you close a door, the engine compartment lid
or the front lid with the anti -theft alarm
switched on , the emergency flashers will blink
only after yo u have closed the door or l id.

Power windows
Controls
The driver can operate all windows.
Fig . 38 Driver's doo r: powe r w in dow switc hes
Fi g. 3 9 Passenge r's door: powe r w in dow sw itc h
~
"' C) N ... a,
The power window sw itches have a two-posi­
tion function :
Opening the windows
~ Press the switch and hold it down until the
window has reached the des ired pos ition .
~ Press the switch briefly to open the w indow
automat ica lly.
~ By briefly pressing/pu lling the swi tch again,
the downw ard trave l o f the w indow can be
stopped in any position¢.&_ .
Closing the windows
~ Pull the switch and hold it until the window
has reached the desired posit ion.
~ P ull t he swi tch briefly to close the w indow
a utomati cally.
~ By briefly pressing/pulling the swi tch again,
the upward travel of the wi ndow can be
stopped in any position ~.&_ .
Opening and clo sin g 39
A WARNING
-Do not leave c hildren unattended in the
veh icle, especially with access to vehicle
keys. Unsupervis ed use of the keys can
resu lt in s tarting of th e engine a nd use
of vehicle systems su ch as power w in­
dow s, etc. w hich could res ult in se rio us
in ju ry.
- Remember -you can still ope n or close
t he powe r window s for about te n mi­
nutes after the ign ition is swi tched off.
O nl y when eit her of the fro nt doors are
opened are the power windows switched
off.
- Be ca reful whe n clos ing the w indows.
Chec k to see that no one is in the way, or
serio us injury cou ld resu lt!
- Always remove the ign ition key wheneve r
you leave your veh icle.
- If you loc k your vehicle from t he outside,
no one, espec ia lly childre n, should re­
main in the ve hicle.
- Do not st ick anything on t he windows or
the windshield that may inter fere w ith
the dr iver 's field of vision.
(D Tips
- W he n the doo rs a re o pened , th e win ­
dows are automatically lowere d 0.4 in
(10 mm).
Reactivating the system after battery
disconnection
If the vehicle battery is disconnected and
then reconnected, the automatic closing and
opening function will not work until it is reac­
tivated .
~ Pull and hold the power window sw itch un­
til the w indow is comp lete ly closed .
~ Release the sw itch and pull it again for one
second .