check engine light AUDI R8 SPYDER 2014 User Guide

28 Opening and closing
Opening and closing
Keys
Key set
Fig. 20 Key set
Fig. 21 Remot e mas ter key : Indicator ligh t
@ Master key with remote control
You can centrally lock and unlock your vehicle
and start the engine with the master key with
remote control. To fold the key out and back
in place, press the re lease button
c:> fig. 20
( a rrow).
@ Valet key
The valet key on ly fits the lock in the driver's
door and the ignition lock . If you have to leave
the key with somebody e lse, you are well-ad ­
vi sed to tu rn over the valet key only.
Be aware that the front lid and glove compart­
ment can be opened from inside the vehicle
using the release buttons .
© Emergency key
The emergency key is only for temporary use if
the vehicle key should be lost or 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 bring all your keys with you .
If a key is lost, you should report it to your in­
surance company .
Registered keys
You can inquire about the number of remote
master keys registered to your vehicle
c:> page 22 . In this way , you can be certain of
obtaining all the remote master keys if you
purchase a used vehicle.
State of master key battery
When a button is pressed, the check light
flashes
c:> fig . 21 . If the check light does not
come on or flash, the battery is dead and has
to be replaced.
Battery replacement
c:::;, page 29 .
.&_ WARNING ~
- Do not leave your vehicle unattended
with the key in the ignition lock. Entry by
unauthorized persons could endanger
you or result in t heft or damage the vehi­
cle. A lways lock all doors and take the
key.
- Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, especially with access to vehicle keys . Unguarded access to the keys pro­
vides children the opportunity 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.
{l) Tips
- If you open the driver's door with the key
left in the ignit ion lock, a chime will
so und . This is your reminder to remove
the key and lock the door.
- For security reasons, replacement keys
are only available from Audi dealers.

is switched back on by moving the wind­
shield wiper lever to any position.
- Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades
cause smearing, which can affect the op­
eration of the light/rain sensor*. Check
the condition of your windshield wiper
blades regularly.
- The rain sensor is part of the interval
wiping system. Turning off the ignition
will also deactivate the rain sensor. To re­
activate the sensor, switch off the inter­
val wiping function, then switch it back
on again.
- Applies to vehicles with light/rain sen­
sor: When the wipers are switched on
manually and in rain conditions, the au­
tomatic headlights* turn on
c;> page 46,
Lights or off during the day when the
wipers are no longer operating. The au­
tomatic headlights* function is available
in this case only when the light switch is
in the "AUTO" position
c;> page 46,
fig. 52.
-Make sure the washer fluid reservoir in
the engine compartment is topped off
before going on a long trip. Look up
c;> page 188 for checking and filling the
washer container.
- The wipers only operate with the hood
completely closed.
Service position
It is only possible to change wiper blades if
you move the wiper arms to the service posi ­
tion.
In order to use the windshield wipers, the
front lid must be completely closed.
Moving wiper blades to the service
position
.,. When there is a risk of frost, make sure that
the wiper blades are not frozen to the wind­
shield .
.,. Switch the ignition on .
.,. Move the wiper lever to position
0
c;>page 51, fig. 60 .
Clear vision 53
.,. Press the I RESET ! button until the Display
type
menu appears in the Driver Informa­
tion System display.
.,. Using the rocker switch and the
I RESET ! but­
ton, select the
Set > Wipers > Front> Serv­
ice position on
function. The windshield
wiper arms move to the service position.
Moving wiper blades to park position
.,. Make certain that the wiper arms are lying
against the windshield.
.,. Switch the ignition on and move the wiper
lever from position
O to 4 c;> page 51,
fig . 60. The wiper arms will move back to
the park position.
(D Note
Never drive your vehicle when the wind­
shield wiper arms are in the service posi­
tion and pulled away from the windshield.
When you drive faster than 4 mph (6 km/
h), the wiper arms automatically return to
the park position and could cause paint
damage to the front lid!
(D Tips
-You can also turn on the service position,
for example, if you want to protect the
windshield from icing by using a cover.
- The service position moves to
off auto­
matically when you operate the wind­
shield wiper lever, or speed exceeds
4 mph (6 km/h).
Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Clean the windshield wiper blades when they
begin to leave streaks .
.,. Place the windshield wiper arms in the serv­
ice position. Refer to
c;> page 53.
.,. Use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to clean
the windshield wiper blades.
A WARNING
Dirty windshield wiper blades can impair
your view. This can lead to accidents.

_& WARNING
You should only return to the saved speed if it is not too fast for the current traffic
conditions - risk of an accident!
Audi magnetic ride
Damping can be adjusted to the driver's pref­
erence and it adapts automatically to the cur­
rent driving situation.
SPORT •
Fig. 81 Center conso le : Switch for Audi magnetic ride
.,. To turn sport setting on/off, press the
switch
¢fi g. 81 .
Aud i magnetic ride is an electronica lly con­
trolled damping system . This chassis system
assists the driver by adapting to the particu lar
situation through imperceptible control proc­
esses. The damping provides individual modu­
lation of damping forces. For example, with
damping characteristics set to prov ide greater
comfort, damping is set somewhat harder for
a brief period only as required, when rounding
a curve and when brak ing.
Standard setting
Select the standard setting if you prefer a sus­
pension setting emphasizing comfort.
Sport setting
Select the sport setting if you prefer a sporty
suspension setting. The LED in the button
II]
comes on to indicate sport setting.
@ Tips
The warning/indicator light Bin the instru­
ment cluster comes on in the event of a
malfunction. Drive to the closest author-
On the road 75
ized Audi dealer as soon as possible and
have the malfunction repaired.
Sporty driving
Warming up and cooling down
By carefully warming up and cooling down
you r vehicle, you can help ensure that it is not
overstressed unnecessar ily during sporty driv­
ing .
When warm ing up, the vehicle is driven at a
maximum engine speed of 6000 RPM
(Vl0 engine) or 7000 RPM (V8 engine) in or­
der to raise the engine oil temperature to a
minimum of 140 °F (60 °C). The tires also on­
ly reach their full road holding capability once
they have warmed up.
The cooling fan can cont inue to run in your ve­
hicle after the engine is switched off. Howev­
er, driving the vehicle to coo l it down is partic­
ularly important. During sporty driving, the
engine and brakes, the exhaust system, and
the transmission all become extremely hot.
Before you park the vehicle, you should drive
it for a few m iles/kilometers at light load in
the low rpm range to allow it to cool down.
Driving on a track
Before you take your vehicle out on a track ,
ensure that it is in perfect condition. For ex­
amp le, you should check the tire tread and the
brake pads. It is best to increase tire pressure
by about 0.3 bar.
When driving on a track, oil consumption may
be somewhat higher than in "normal" opera­
tion
r=> page 178.
You should definitely inspect your vehicle af ­
ter subject ing it to severe conditions . Are the
brake pads OK? Is there anything unusual
about the tires, including the inner and outer
sidewalls (e.g. tread, blistering)? Are the air
intakes free of leaves and tire dust? Is the oil
level OK? .,,.

146 Intelligent technology
ESC sport mode
In ce rtain situat ions, it migh t make sense to
a llow some slip. For example :
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving with snow cha ins
Press the[!] button briefly¢
fig. 128 . The I
indicator light turns on and Sport control
Warning! Restricted stability
appears in the
driver information system display . Driving sta­
b ili ty is limited in sport mode .
Switching ESC off
Press and hold the [!I button for three sec­
onds . The ESC indicator light
ti turns on and
Stabilization program off appears in the dis­
play. ASR is also sw itched
off when ESC is
switched
off .
Switching on
Press the[!] button aga in. The message Stabi ­
lization program on
appears briefly in the d is­
play.
A WARNING
You should only switch the ESC off if your
driving ability and the traffic s ituation al­
low. This could increase the risk of slip­
ping.
- The stabilizing function is limited in ESC
sport mode. The driv ing whee ls could
spin and the vehicle could swerve, espe­
cially on slick or slippery road surfaces.
- T here is no vehicle stabilization when
E SC is switched
off.
0) Tips
If there is a malfunction in the retractable
rear spo iler* or the Audi magnet ic r ide*, it
may not be possible to activate ESC spo rt
mode or normal mode may activate again
automatically.
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the first 250 miles (400 km), new
brake pads do not possess their full braking
effect, they have to be "broken in" first. The
distance can be ten times longer in vehicles
with ceramic brakes*. You can compensate for
th is slightly reduced braking power by push­
ing harder on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy
braking loads during the break-in period.
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still
subject to wear, depending largely on operat ­
ing condit ions and driving habits ¢.&, . On
vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop­
and-go city traffic or are driven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dea ler more often than specified in
the
Warranty & Maintenance booklet. Failure
to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you should use the braking
effect of the engine. This way, you prevent un ­
necessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down cont inuously. Pump the brakes at inter­
vals.
Moisture o r road salt
Under certain conditions, for example, when
driving through water or very heavy rain, or
even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in
freezing conditions ice) on the brake pads . A
few cautious brake applications should dry
off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings .
When you are driving at higher speeds with
the windshield wipers on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in regular inter ­
vals so as to improve reaction time when brak­
i ng on wet surfaces. You, the driver, will not
notice anything. .,.

(D Note
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
flu id, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercia l cleaning spe­
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim­
ilarly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
~ Keep belts clean.
~ For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol­
ution. Let belts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
~ Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re­
tract before they are completely d ry.
~ Check the condition of your safety belts reg­
ularly.
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
- Any thing tha t might damage you r safety
belts co uld mean that you and your pas ­
sengers wo uld not be adequately pro­
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­ rect installation . Never remove belts
from the vehicle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents,
bleach o r dyes . They have corrosive prop­
erties which weaken the webbing.
- When cleaning your safety belts, inspect
them for damage. If you discover dam­
age, see your authorized Audi dea ler.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the informat ion
¢page 156.
1) Use o nly the correct cleaning sol utio ns. Neve r use gas­
oline or d iese l fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
Corrosion p rotection
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatmen t is very impor­
tant, partic ularly in the winter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
shou ld be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage .
At the same time, the underside of the veh icle
shou ld be washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease remov ing solutions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed, the a nti-corro­
s ion treatment is almost always removed as
well.
It i s therefo re essentia l to have a long­
lasti ng corrosion protection reapplied to all
su rfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compa rtment .
A WARNING
--=
Be aware: The eng ine compartment of any
motor veh icle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before work ing in the engine compart­
ment, be sure to read the information
¢page 172.
-Before reaching into the front p lenum
panel, a lways remove the ignit ion key.
Otherwise, the w indshield wiper system
could u nintentionally be sw itched on,
possibly caus ing persona l injury from the
mov ing wipe r linkage.
- Never reach i nto the area around or
touch the rad iator fan. The aux iliary fan
is tempe ratu re controlled and ca n sw itch
on s uddenly -even when the ignition is
off. .,.
165
•
•

17 2 Che cking and filling
Checking and filling
Engine compartment
Lid
Releasing the engine compartment lid
The engine compartment lid is released from
in side the vehicle.
Fi g. 1 34 Drive r's s id e: re le asi ng th e eng ine co mpart­
ment lid
R equ irement : The ignition must be sw itched
on.
.,. Make sure the rear spoiler is retracted
<=> page 148 .
.,. Pull the button @. The e ngine compart­
ment lid opens slightly .
.,. Ope n the engi ne compa rtme nt lid
c:> .&, .
.&_ WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you. To re­
duce the risk of bei ng bur ned,
neve r open
the engine compartment lid if yo u see or
hear steam or coolant escaping from the
eng ine compartment. Wa it until no steam
or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefu lly opening the engine compartment
lid .
CD Note
To prevent damage to the vehicle, only
ope n the engi ne compartment lid when
t he convertib le top storage bay lid is
closed .
(D Tips
An emergency re lease can be used i f th e
engine compartment lid cannot be re ­
l eased with the
button @r::::>page 172.
Engine compartment lid emergency
release
The emergency release loop is located under
the right trim panel near the front passenger
seat.
F ig . 1 35 Fro nt passenger footwe ll: em erge ncy release
l oop
.,. Make sure the rear spo iler is retracted
<=> page 148 .
.,. Pull the loop forwa rd to release the engine
compa rtme nt lid . The engine compar tment
lid o pens s lig htly .
.,. Open the eng ine comp artmen t lid
c:> .&, in
Releasing the engine compartment lid on
page 172 .
CD Note
To preven t dam age to the vehicle, only
open the en gine compartment lid when
the convert ible top stora ge bay lid is
closed.
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment!
Whenever you mu st perform any work in the
engine compartment, for example checking and filling the different fluids, there is a risk
of injury, burn s and accidents. To prevent
personal injury always observe the following
Ill-

1 78 Che cking and filling
authorized Audi dealer will have to deny war ­
ranty cov erage un less you present to the dea l­
er proof in the form of Serv ice o r Repair Or­
ders tha t all sched uled maintena nce was per­
f ormed in a t imely manner .
Engine oil consumption
T he engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amoun t of oil to lubricate and cool all
of its moving par ts.
In order to provide effective l ubrication and
cooling of internal engine components, a ll in­
ternal comb ustion eng ines consume a certa in
amount of o il. O il consumption var ies from
engine to eng ine and may c hange significa ntly
over the life of the eng ine . T ypically, eng ines
with a specifie d break-in per iod (see
c::> p oge 153) consume more oil during the
b reak-in per io d t han they co nsume after oil
consumption has sta bilized.
Unde r no rma l conditions, the rate of oil con­
sum ption depends on the qu ality and vi scosity
of the oi l, the R PM ( revo lutions per m inute) at
which t he engine is ope rated, the ambient
temperature and road cond itio ns. Furthe r fac­
tors are the amount of o il d ilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the ox ida­
ti on level of the oi l. As any engine is subject to
wear as mileage bu ilds up , the oil consump ­
tion may increase over t ime until replacement
of worn componen ts may become necessary.
W ith all these variables com ing into play, no
standa rd rate of o il consumption can be es ­
tablished or specif ied . T he re is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil lev­
e l, see
Note .
If the ye llow eng ine o il level warning symbol
i n t he inst rument cluster
1\1 lights up, you
should check the o il l evel as soon as possibl e
c::> page 178. Top off the oil at you r earliest
conven ie nc e
c::>page 180.
_& WARNING
Before yo u check any thin g in t he engine
compartment , always read and hee d all
-
WAR NIN GS c::> & in Working in the engine
compartment on page 173.
(D Note
D riving wit h an insufficient o il level is like ­
l y to cause severe dama ge to the e ngine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warning display. is
not an indicator of the oil level. Do not
rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in
your engine at regular intervals , pref­
erably each time you refuel, and always
before going on a long trip .
- If
you have t he impression yo ur engine
cons umes excessive amounts of o il, we
recommend that you consu lt your Aud i
deale r to have the cause of your concer n
prope rly diagnosed . K eep in m ind that
th e accu rat e meas urement of o il con­
s u m ptio n re quires grea t care and may
t a ke some time. Y our Audi de aler h as i n­
st ru ctio ns abou t how to measure oil con­
sumption acc urately .
Checking the engine oil level
Applies to vehicles: with manual transmiss ion
Fig . 1 38 In st ru men t cl uste r: E ng in e oi l te m pe ratu re
d isp lay
Fig. 139 M arkers on o il dip stick

container out of the reach of children. It
is a poison hazard.
@ Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant. Add­
ing radiator repair fluid may adversely af­
fect the function and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage
not covered by your New Vehicle Lim ited
Warranty.
Adding coolant
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS q A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on pag e 173.
"'Add coolant .
"'Twist the cap on again
tightly.
"'Tighten the cap (D q page 182, fig. 145
again.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to
exact specifications
q page 181, Coolant .
We recommend using only coolant additive
G12++, G13 or in an emergency G12 +. Do
not
use a different additive. In an emergency use
plain water until you can get the correct addi­
tive and can restore the correct ratio. This
should be done as soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of
coolant, then you should add cold antifreeze
and cold water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling .
Do not fill coolant above the "max" mark. Ex­
cess coolant will be forced out through the
pressure relief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of
scalding from hot coolant by following
these steps.
Checking and filling 183
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering
the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter-clockwise direction while
applying light, downward pressure on
the top of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill an­
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys­
tem or hot engine parts. Under certain
conditions, the ethylene glycol in en­
gine coolant can catch fire .
- Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store an ­
tifreeze in its original container and well
out of the reach of children.
- If you drain the coolant, it must be
caught and safely stored in a proper con­
tainer clearly marked "poison" .
Q) Note
- Coolant pollutes the environment and
could cause an engine fire . Ex cess cool­
ant will be forced out through the pres­
sure relief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
- If, in an emergency, only water can be
added, the correct ratio between water
and antifreeze
q page 181 must be re­
stored as soon as possible.
@ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused . Al­
ways dispose of used coolant while observ­
ing all environmental regulations.
Brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced t echnician.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
high, corrosion in the brake system may result
afte r a period of time. The boiling point of the
brake fluid will also decrease considerably and
decrease braking performance. .,.. •
•

186 Checking and filling
No
- sparks
@
-flames
-smoking.
--· W hen a b att ery is ch arg ed , it produc es
A hydrogen ga s whi ch i s ex plosive and
could cause p ers onal injury.
®
Alway s keep the battery well out of
reach of children.
A WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system, there is the r isk of
inju ry, acc ident and
even fire. Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
- Always wear eye protection . Do not let
battery acid or any lead part icles get on
yo ur sk in or cloth ing . Sh ield your eyes .
Explosive gases can cause blindness or
other injury.
- Battery acid contains sulfur ic acid. Sulfu­
ric acid can cause blindness and
severe
burns.
- Always wear gloves and eye protection .
Do not tilt the battery because ac id
could lea k out of the vent ilation open­
ings.
- If you get battery acid in yo ur eyes or
on your sk in, immediately rinse with
cold water for severa l m inutes and get
medical attention.
- I f you should ingest any battery acid,
see k medical attention immediately.
- Do not expose the battery to an open
flame, electric sparks o r an open ligh t.
- Do not smoke .
- Do not interchange the positive and neg-
ative cables .
- When working on the battery, be sure
not to short-circuit the terminals with
tools or other metal objects. This would
cause the battery to heat up
very quickly,
wh ich could lead to damage or e xplosion
and personal injury.
- When a battery is charged, it produces
hydrogen gas which is explosive and
cou ld cause persona l injury. -
Always keep the battery well out of the
reach of children.
- Before work is done on the elect rical sys­
tem, disconnect the negative ground ca­
ble.
- Before performing any work on the e lec­
tr ica l system, switch off the engine and
ignit ion as well as any electrical equip­
ment. The negative cable on the battery
must be disconnected .
If you are just go­
i n g to replace a light bulb, then it is
enough to switch off the lights.
- Before disconnecting the battery, switch
off the anti-theft alarm system! Other­
wise you wi ll set off the alarm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first
d isconnect the negat ive cab le and then
the posit ive cab le.
- Before reconnecting the batte ry, ma ke
sure all e lectr ica l consumers are sw itch­
ed off. Reconne ct the pos it ive cable first
an d then the negative cable. Never inter­
change the cables -this could start a fi re!
- Never ch arge a fro zen or a thawed-out
battery. I t could exp lode! I f a battery has
frozen, then it must be replaced . A dis­
charged batte ry can freeze
over at 32 °F
(0 oc).
- Make sure the vent hose is always attach­
ed to the opening on the s ide of the bat ­
tery .
- Never use batteries which a re damaged .
Danger of explosion! Always replace a
damaged battery .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories conta in lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive problems . Wash hands after han­
dling.

188 Checking and filling
cracked and weakened when the battery
froze.
- Charge the battery in a we ll ventilated
area. Keep away from open f lame or elec­
trical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas
generated by the battery is explosive.
- To reduce the danger of explosion, never
connect or disconnect charger cables
wh ile the charger is operating.
- Fast charg ing a battery is dangerous and
should only be attempted by a compe­
tent technicia n w ith the proper equip­
me nt.
- Battery acid that may spill during charg­
ing should be washed off with a solution
of warm water and baking soda to neu­
tralize the acid.
(D Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to
start the engine. This will seriously dam­
age sensitive electronic components, such
as control units, relays, rad io, etc., as we ll
as t he battery charger.
(D Tips
- The vehicle battery must not be charged
with a standard small charger that p lugs
i nto the c igarette lighte r o r outlet.
- Only charge the battery through the con­
nect ions in the luggage compartment.
Windshield washer
container
Fig. 148 Luggage compartment: Wind shie ld washer
fl uid reser voir
T he washer fluid container is marked with the
symbol
O on its cap ~page 174, fig. 136 .
,. Lift the fi ller cap tongue to add washer flu­
id. You can fil l the container to the top.
,. Press the cap back onto the filler neck after
fi lling the container .
You can find the reservo ir
c a p acit y in the table
in
~ page225
Clean water should be used when filling up. If
possible, use soft water to prevent scaling on
the washer jets. Always add a glass cleane r
solution (with frost protection in the winter).
(D Note
- Do not mix e ngine coolant ant ifreeze or
any other additives to fill up the w ind­
shield washer reservoir .
- Do not use g lass cleaners conta ining
pai nt so lvent; you risk damaging the
paint.