ignition AUDI R8 SPYDER 2014 Owner's Manual

Convertible top
Convertible top
General information
The fabric convertible top opens and closes
automatically . When it is open, it is stored in
the convertible top storage bay. The converti­
b le top may be opened or closed at speeds up
to 31 mph (SO km/h) .
The convertible top is wind- and waterproof
under normal conditions. Some moisture may
collect in the vehicle interior, but only under
extreme ly adverse weather conditions such as
torrential rain. That is normal and no cause
for concern.
F ollow the clean ing and maintenance instruc­
tions
Q page 159 to ensure the convertible
top remains wind- and waterproof . Also note
the following points:
- Only stow the convert ible top when it is
clean and dry . Grains of sand or coarse dirt
particles can cause abrasions on the conver­
tible top when stowed that can lead to dam­
age to the fabric over time. Stowing the con­
vertible top when it is damp can cause
marks or permanent mildew spots to form .
- Do not leave the convertible top open for
several weeks or the creases in it may be­
come discolored . This is especia lly true if the
top was stowed when damp .
- Remove ice and snow before opening the
convertible top. Do not use any sharp edged
objects to remove ice and snow or the con­
vertible top could be scratched or damaged.
The rear window may be cleared with a
standard ice scraper.
- Th e fabric in the convertible top loses elas ­
t icity in sub-zero temperatures. We recom­
mend not opening or closing the convertible
top when the temperature is below 32 °F
(0 QC). The convertib le top will not open
when the temperature is 5 °F (-15
Q() or be­
low .
Convertible top 3 7
Opening/closing the convertible top
Fig. 32 Center console: convertible top switc h
Requ irement: the front lid must be closed and
the ignition must be switched on .
Opening the convertible top
... Pull and hold the convertib le top switch un ­
til the top is stowed in the bay and the cover
on the bay has closed completely .
Opening the convertible top using the
one-touch function
... Pull the switch briefly to open the converti­
ble top comp letely.
It is not necessary to
hold the switch. The one-touch function is
only available at speeds between 4 and
31 mph (6 and 50 km/h) .
Closing the convertible top
... Press and hold the switch until the converti-
ble top is closed and the latch is locked.
T he ind icator light Nin the instrument clus­
ter goes out when the top is complete ly open
or closed.
The side windows a utomat ically lower slightly
during the opening/closing process.
A WARNING
-Never drive when the convert ible top is
not locked correctly. The wind generated
by driving cou ld cause it to open, which
could injure vehicle occupants or damage
the vehicle .
- Make sure no one will be injured by the
convert ible top supports and other mov­
ing objects on the vehicle whe n opening
a nd clos ing the top.

40 Convertible top
The rear window can be extended comp lete ly
for cleaning. This is ca lled the cleaning posi­
tion.
E xtendin g the rear w indow into th e w ind
d efl ector po sit io n
.. Pull and hold the rear window switch
¢ fig. 36 .
.. Re lease the switch once the rea r window has
reached the wind deflector position.
E xte nding th e rear window into th e
cle aning po sition
.. Pull and hold the rear window switch
¢ fig . 36.
.. Release the switch once the rear window has
reached the wind deflector position .
.. Pull and hold the rear w indow switch again .
.. Pull and hold the convertible top switch
within one second
¢ page 37, fig . 32.
Re tra cting the re ar w indow
.. Press and hold the rear window sw itch until
the window has been retracted .
Retra cting the re a r wi ndow using the one­
t ouch function
.. Press the rear window switch briefly . There
is no need to hold the switch .
The rear window can only be operated when
t he igni tion is switched on.
The rear window can also be extended or re­
tracted when the convertib le top is closed.
A WARNING
- Do not use the rear window to secure car­
go or other objects. This could result in
mJury .
- Always pay attention and be careful
when extending or retracting the rear
window . It could cause injury by pinch­
ing .
(D Tips
-Keeping all of the w indows raised pro­
v ides the best wind protection . - The vehicle must be stationary to bring
the rear window into the cleaning posi­
tion . The rear window will retract once
you begin dr iv ing .
Convertible top
emergency operation
General information
The convertible top can be closed by hand if
there is a malfunction .
First check if overload protection is active
¢ page 38. If this is the case, the convertible
top wi ll operate again afte r a short de lay. Oth­
erwise the fo llowing steps must be completed
before closing the convertib le top:
.. Activate the pa rking brake .
.. Open the side w indows, if necessary.
.. Remove the key from the ignition.
E mergency loc king is not intended for long­
term use or long d rives . The convertible top
will not be completely waterproof after using
the emergency locking procedure because the
seals wi ll not be seated correctly. Only close
the convertible top manually in an emergency .
Please see an authorized Audi R8 dealer to
have the cause of the malfunction corrected .
A WARNING
-The ignition must be sw itched off d uring
the entire closing p rocedu re.
- When pos itioning the convertible top,
avoid contact with the supports or other
movi ng parts. Otherwise you could p inch
your hands.
- Never drive when the convert ible top is
not locked correctly . The wind from d riv­
ing could cause the convertible top to
open . This can resu lt in injuries and dam­
age to the vehicle.
(D Tips
Have a second person assist when clos ing
the convert ible top. Opening the storage
bay lid and positioning the convertible top
i s easier when a second person is assisting.

Step 1: Retract the rear window
Fig. 37 Upper storage compartment: removing the
cover
Fig. 38 Upper storage compartment: using the Allen
wrenc h as a crank to lower the rear window
~ 0 N ... a,
,__ ,-. M C)
"' ... a,
The rear window must be retracted in order to
close the convertible top. If the rear window
switch is not functioning ¢
page 39, the rear
window can be cranked .
.. Open the upper storage compartment be­
tween the seat backrests ¢
page 61 .
.. Remove the cover using the screwdriver
from the vehicle tool kit¢
fig. 37 .
.. Press the Allen wrench from the veh icle tool
k it firmly into the opening until it cl icks into
place¢
fig. 38.
.. Turn the bolt clockw ise until the rear win­
dow is lowered.
Step 2: Release the pressure in the
hydraulic system
The pressure in the hydraulic system must be
released before the convertible top can be
closed.
.. Switch the ignition
off.
.. Pull or press the convertible top switch
¢page 37, fig. 32 for approximately 10 sec­
onds.
Convertible top 41
A WARNING
If convertible top operat ion fa ils when
opening or closing the top, do not hold or
touch the supports or other moving parts
when releasing the pressure. The converti­ ble top will sink down and could pinch your
hands.
Step 3: Open the convertible top storage
bay lid
Fig. 39 Engine compartment: install ing the emergency
operation bolts
Fig. 40 Raising t he storage bay lid and pulling it back
The engine compartment lid must be released
using the emergency procedure in order to re­
lease the storage bay lid
¢page 172 .
Releasing the convertible top storage bay
lid
.. Turn the emergency operation bolts on the
left and right sides of the engine compart­
ment¢
fig. 39 clockwise using the open end
wrench from the vehicle too l kit until the
bolts are installed completely . The converti­
ble top storage bay lid will raise approxi­
mately 0.4 in (1 cm) from the vehicle when
the bolts are insta lled comp letely.
.. Close the engine compartment lid
¢page 174.

46 Clear vision
Clear vision Lights
Switching the headlights on/off
F ig . 52 Instr ument pane l: light sw itch (automat ic
head· and ta illight control)
Switching on the side marker lights
• Turn the light switch to :oo:.
Switching on the headlights and high
beam
• Turn the light switch to ;D .
• Push the high beam lever forwa rd towards
the instrument panel~
page 47 .
Switching off the lights
• Turn the light switch to 0 .
Switching on automatic head -and
taillight control
• Turn the light switch to AUTO q fig. 52.
The headlights and taillights will come on au·
tomatically when the ignition is switched on
and the light switch is in the position AU TO
(on ly in nighttime conditions). When switch·
ing off the ignit ion, the headlights will go off
and only the side marker lights will remain lit.
Daytime running lights
USA models: The daytime running lights will
come on automatica lly when the ignition is
switched on and the light switch is in the posi·
tion
AUTO (only in daylight cond itions).
Canada models: The daytim e running lights
will come on automatically when the ignition
is switched on and the light switch is in the position
0
, AUTO (on ly in daylight condit ions)
or
:oo:.
Automatic head- and taillight control
In the switch position AUTO the automatic
head· and ta illight control is activated. Light
senso rs are located in the inside mirror hous­
ing and constantly check the light conditions
surrounding the vehicle. If ambient bright·
ness falls below a factory set value (e.g. when
driv ing into a tunnel), the head- and taill ights
including the license plate illumination are
automat ically turned on. When amb ient
brightness increases aga in, the external lights
are turned off aga in
q ,&. . In the sw itch posi­
t ion
AUTO , the low beams are turned off when
the ignition is switched off. The remaining
lights are turned off when the key is ta ken out
of the ignition lock.
With aut omat ic head- and taillight control,
the high-beam function is also available, but
with one restriction: If you have not switched
the high beams back to low beams during a u­
tomat ic head light operation (for examp le, af­
ter driving through a tunnel), on ly the low
beams come on the next time automatic
headlights are switched on. To use the high
beams, you first have to pull the h igh beam
lever back and then push the lever forward
again.
The side marker lights and headlights can be
switched on manually by turning the light
switch to the desired position .
Light sensor malfunction
If there is a light sensor ma lfunction, the
symbol
tal comes on in the display. For safety
reasons, the low beams are turned on perma­
nently with the sw itch in
AUTO. However, you
can continue to turn the lights on and off us­
ing the light switch. Have the light sensor
checked as soon as possible at an authorized
A udi dealer.
Coming home/leaving home function
The function is sw itched on when the sw itch is
i n the
AUTO position and the function is ...,

shown as active in the driver information
system.
The
coming home function illuminates the
area around the vehicle when the ignition is
switched off and the driver 's door is opened.
The length of time the lights rema in on can be
set in the menu display
(Lights> Exterior
lights> coming home) .
The leaving home function illuminates the
area around the vehicle when unlock ing it.
A WARNING
- Never use daytime running lights to see
where you are going. They are not bright enough and will not let you see far
enough ahead for safety, especially at
dusk or when it is dark . Be aware of
changes in outside light conditions when
you are driving and respond by switching
on your low beams.
- Automatic head- and taillight control is
only intended to assist the driver. This
feature does not relieve the driver of his
responsibility to check the headlights
and to turn them on manually according
to the current light and visibility condi­
tions. For example, fog and rain cannot
be detected by the light sensors. Conse­
quently, always switch the headlights on
under these weather conditions and
when driving in the dark.
- Crashes can happen when you cannot see
the road ahead and when you cannot be
seen by other motorists .
-Always turn on the headlights so that you can see ahead and so that others can see your car from the back.
- Please observe legal regulations when
using the light ing systems descr ibed .
@ Tips
-Always observe the specific local regula­
tions for your area when to use your
lights .
- Turn on low beams as evening ap­
proaches or in conditions of poor visibili­
ty. Clear vision 4
7
- Do not attach stickers to the windshield
in front of the sensors as this can disable
the automatic head- and taillight control
and the automatic glare-dimming of the
rearview mirror(s)*.
- If you remove the ignition from the igni­
tion lock while the headlights are still
on, a buzzer will sound as long as the
driver's door is open to remind you to
turn off the lights .
- In the AUTO mode, the low beams are
turned off when the ignition is turned
off. The remaining lights are turned off
when the key is taken out of the ignition .
- In cool or damp weather conditions the
headlights may fog over temporarily on
the inside.
- The critical factor is the temperature
difference between the interior and the
exterior of the headlight Lens.
- With the main beams switched on, the
light-emitting area will be free of con­
densation after a short time, however
the edges of the glass may still be fog ­
ged .
- This physical phenomenon has no ef­
fect on the life of your vehicle's light­
ing system .
Turn signals and high beam lever
The lever on the left side of the steering col­
umn is used to operate the turn signals and the high beam as well as the headlight flash­
er.
t
'
Fig. 53 Turn signal and high b eam lever
The turn signal and high beam lever has the
following functions: ..,.

Interior lights
Interior lights
The interior lights include the reading lights
for the driver and the front passenger .
Fig. 55 Section from headliner : In terior lights
Activating door contact circu it
• Press the button @. The LED in the button
illuminates.
Deactivating do or contact circu it
• Press the button @. The LED in the button
goes out.
Fr ont re ad ing l ight s
~
• Press one of the switches ® to turn the
right or left reading light on/off .
"' l1l 0
With the door contact circuit, the interior
lights turn on as soon as you unlock the vehi­
cle or open the doors. The interior lights are
also turned on when the ignition key is re­
moved. The lights turn off about 30 seconds
after the doors are closed . When the vehicle is
locked or when the ignit ion is tu rned on, the
inte rior lights are turned off .
When a door is open, the interior lights are
turned off after about 10 m inutes to prevent
battery draining.
The brightness of the lights is controlled au­
tomatically by a dimmer when they are
switched on/off.
Clear vi sion 49
Instrument panel illumination
The illumination of the instruments, displays
and the center console can be adjusted .
Fig . 56 Instrumen t pa nel illuminat ion
You regu late the brightness of the instr u­
ments with the left thumbwheel
C1 ~ fig . 56 .
Ignition ON, light switch at @
With the ign ition switched ON, the glow of
in­
strument needles
can be adjusted to appea r
brighter o r dimmer.
Ignition ON, light switch at
:oo~ or ~D.
With the lights switched on, the brightness of
instrument cluster (i.e. needles, gauges and
displays) and center conso le illuminat ion can
be adjusted .
(D Note
The instrument cluster and center conso le
ill umination (gauges and need les) comes
on when you sw itch on the ignition and the
v eh icle headlight s are off . Be awa re of the
fo llow ing difference be tween models bu ilt
to US or Canadian specifications:
- USA mo dels: illumination o f the i nstr u­
ment cl uster (gauges and need les), dash
and center conso le around the gearshift
lever is controlled by a light sensor locat­
ed in the instrument pane l. The instru­
ment pa nel illuminat ion w ill automati­
cally become dimmer as the daylight
fades away and eventually will go out completely when outs ide light is very
low. This is to remind you, the dr iver, to
switch o n the hea dlights before it ge ts
too d ark .

52 Clear vis ion
• Move the interva l set switch @, to change
the interva ls.
Low wiper sp eed
• Move the leve r up to position @.
High wiper speed
• Move the lever up to position @.
One-touch wiping
• Move the lever to position@, when you
want to wipe the windshield briefly.
Automatic wiper /washer
• Pull the lever to position ® (toward the
steering wheel) and ho ld.
• Re lease the lever. The washer stops and the
wipers keep going for about four seconds .
Turning off the wipers
• Move the leve r back to position @.
The windshield wipers and washer only work when the ignition is turned on. If you switch
off the ignit ion w ith the windshield wiper lev­
e r still in the interval wipe position and then
come back a while later and drive off, the rain
sensor will reactivate itse lf after the vehicle
speed has exceeded 4 mph (6 km/h).
The rain sensor* is only activated with the
wiper leve r set to posit ion
(D . When it starts
to rain, the rain sensor will automatically acti­
vate the intermittent wiping mode.
To reduce the sens it iv ity of the se nsor, move
switch @down. To increase the sens itiv ity,
move the switch up. The highe r you adjust the
sens itivity, the faster the sensor wi ll react
when it se nses moisture on the windshield.
The pauses between w iper turns depend not
only on the sensitivity setting, but on the ve­
h icle speed as well.
During brief stops, e .g. at a red light, wiper
motion wi ll automatica lly be reduced to the
next lower speed. Wipers already turning at
low speed change to interm ittent wip ing .
When the ignition is turned on, t he washer
jets are heated.
A WARNING
- W iper blades are crucial for safe driving!
O nly when they are i n good condit io n are
they able to clear the windows properly
to p rov ide uncomprom ising v is ibility.
Wo rn o r damaged wipe r blades are a
safety haz ard
~ page 54, Replacing
windshield wiper blades!
- The light/ rain sensor* is only des igned to
assis t and support the d river. It remains
entire ly the driver's responsibility to
monitor outside weather condit ions and
to manually activate the wipers as soon as rain or dr izzle reduces v is ibility
through the windshield.
- The windsh ield must not be treated w ith
water-repellent materials. They can in­
crease glare under poor v is ibility condi­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the hor izon. In addi­
tion, they can cause the w indshield w ip­
ers to chatter.
(D Note
In freezing o r near freezing conditions:
- Always check that the w iper blades are
not frozen to the g lass before you turn
the wipers on. Loosen a wiper blade
w hich is frozen in place before operating
the wipe rs to prevent damage to the
w iper blade or the wiper motor.
- Do not use the w ipers to clear a frosted
w indow. Using the wipers as a conve n­
ient ice scr ape r will dest roy the wipe r
blades.
- Before yo u take your ve hicle to a n auto­
ma tic ca r w ash, ma ke s ure you have the
w indshield wiper system switched off
(lever in position 0), otherwise the wind­
shield wiper system could get damaged
in the car wash i f it should suddenly
come on.
(D Tips
- The windshie ld wipers are switched off
when the ignit ion is turned off. Act ivate
the winds hield wipers after the ignition

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.

54 Clear vis ion
Replacing windshield wiper blades
Wiper blades in good condition help keep the
windshield clear .
Fig. 61 Unl atc hing wiper b lades
Fi g. 62 Remov ing wiper blades
Removing the wip er blade
.. Move the wipers to the service position
¢ page 53.
.. Fold the w indshield w iper arm away from
the g lass .
.. On the upper end of the wiper arm at the
corrugation, squeeze the plastic retainer to­
gether on both sides in the direction of the
arrow ¢
fig. 61.
.. Rotate the wiper blade in the direction of
the arrow @¢
fig. 62 away from the wiper
arm .
.. Lift the w iper blade off in the direction of
the a rrow @.
Inst alling the wiper bl ade
.. Place the rounded end of the wiper onto the
end of the wiper arm in the
opposit e direc­
t ion to the arrow @¢
fig. 62 .
.. Squeeze the corrugation on the w iper until
yo u hear it clic k in the wipe r arm .
.. Fold the w iper arm back onto the wind­
shield. ..
Switch the ignition on and move the wipe r
lever down briefly¢
page 51, fig . 60 . The
w iper w ill move back to the park position.
_& WARNING
--
For your safety, you shou ld rep lace the
wiper b lades once or twice a year. See your
authorized Audi dealer for replacement
blades.
(D Note
- The wiper blades may only be changed
¢ page 53 in the service posit ion! Othe r­
w ise, you risk damag ing the pa int on the
front lid or the windshield wipe r motor.
- To help prevent damage to the w iper sys­
tem, always loosen blades wh ich are fro­
zen to the windshi eld before operating
w ipers.
- To help p revent damage to wiper blades,
do not use gaso line, kerosene, paint
t hinne r, or o ther solven ts on o r near the
w iper blades.
- T o help prevent damage to the w iper
arms or other components, do not at­
t empt to move the wipers by hand .
(D Tips
- Commercial hot waxes applied by a uto­
matic car washes affec t the cleanabili ty
o f the g lass s urface .
- T he front w iper blades are different
lengths; t he b lade on t he drive r's side is
longer .

you will be out of position. Always adjust
the driver's or front passenger seat when
the vehicle is not moving.
- Be careful when adjusting the seat
height. Check to see that no one is in the
way, or serious injury could result!
- Because the seats can be electrically ad­ justed with the ignition key removed, never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. Unsuperv ised use of the electr ic
seat adjustments may cause serious in­
jury.
- To reduce the r isk of injury in the case of
sudden braking or accident, front pas­
sengers must neve r ride in a moving ve­
hicle wi th the seatback recl ined. Safety
belts and the airbag system offer maxi ­
mum protection on ly when the seatback
is upright and the safety belts are prop­
erly posit ioned on the body. The more
the seatback is reclined, the greater the
risk of personal injury from an incorrect
seating pos ition and improperly posi­
tioned safety belts!
- Always make sure the front seatbacks are
in the upright posit ion and securely
locked in place when dr iv ing .
Head restraints
Adjusting head restraints
The head restraints must be adjusted proper­
ly to provide protection.
Fig . 66 Drive r's seat head restraint: adjusting the
height
The head restraints on the front seats can be
adj usted to p rov ide safe support to head and
neck at the opt imum he ight. When opt imally
S ea ts a nd s to rage 59
adjusted, the top of the restraint should be
level with the top of the head
c::> page 96.
'" Grasp the s ides of the head restraint with
both hands and slide it upward/downward
until you fee l it click into place
c::> fig . 66.
& WARNING ~ -
- Driving without head restraints or with
head restra ints that are not properly ad­
justed increases the risk of serious or fa­
tal neck injury dramat ically.
- Read and heed all WARNINGS
<=:>page 96.
@ Tips
Correctly adjusted head restraints and
safety be lts are an extremely effective
combination of safety features.
Cup holder
F ig. 67 Cup holder
A WARNING
Spilled hot liquid can cause an accident
and personal injury.
-
- Never carry any beverage containers with
hot liq uids, such as hot coffee or hot tea,
in the vehicle while it is moving. In case
of an acc ident, sudden braking or other
veh icle movement, hot liquid could spill,
causing scalding burns. Spilled hot liquid
can also cause an accident and personal injury.
- Use only soft cups in the cupholder . Hard
cups and glasses can cause injury in an
accident.