brake AUDI R8 SPYDER 2015 Owner's Guide

Driving and en vironment
Driving and environment
Break-in period
A new vehicle must be broken in, and the break-in
period shou ld be 1 ,500 miles (2,500 km) . Do not
use full acceleration for the first 600 miles
(1 ,000 km) and do not exceed the maximum en­
gine speed of 6,000 rpm You must also not use
full accelerat ion between 600 and 1,200 miles
(1,000 to 2,000 km) . From 1,200 to 1,500 miles
(2 ,000 to 2,500 km), you can gradually increase
maximum eng ine speed to 8,250 rpm for brief
pe riods.
During the first hours of operation, there is
greater fr iction in the eng ine and the transmis­
sion than later when all the moving pa rts have
b roken in .
The way you drive during the first 1,500 miles
(2 ,500 km) affects engine quality . If you drive at
modera te engine speeds thereafter, part icu larly
when the engine is cold, yo u red uce eng ine wea r
and increase the potential mileage o f the engine.
Do not dr ive at RPMs that a re too
low. Shift down
when the engine is no longe r runni ng "smooth­
ly". Extremely high RPMs are gover ned automati­
cally.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
W hen you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc ., make certain that low­
lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged .
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung
chassis (sports chassis) and fully loaded vehicles.
Driving through water on
roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage when
d riving through water, for examp le on flooded
roads:
- The water must no t be any h igher than the bot­
tom of the vehicle body.
142
- Do not drive faster than walk ing speed .
A WARNING
After driv ing through water, mud, s lush, etc .,
the brakes may be s low to take effect because
of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry the brakes
first by brak ing carefully to restore the full
braking effect.
(D Note
Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission , suspension or e lectrical system
can be severe ly damaged by dr iv ing t hrough
water .
(D Tips
- Check the dept h of the water before driving
through it.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or switch the engine off when driv ing through
water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming veh icles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to d rive
through safely .
- Avoid driving through salt water because it
can cause corrosion.
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission control
system (catalytic converter) is functioning prop­
erly to ensure that your vehicle is running in an
environmen tally sound manner.
.,. Always use lead-free gasoline ~ page 151,
Fuel supply.
.,. Never r un the tank down all the way to empty.
.,. Never put too much mo tor o il in yo ur engi ne
~ page 160, Adding engine oil 'l::r..
.,. Never try to push- or tow-sta rt your vehicle .
The cata lytic converter is an effi cien t "clean -up"
device built in to the exhaust system of the vehi ­
cle. The cata lytic conve rter burns many of the
po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are re­
l eased into the atmosphere.
-

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The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically im­
portant for the life of the catalytic converter and
proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot exhaust system may come in contact with dry grass, brush, fuel spill or
other material which can cause a fire .
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust mani­
fold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. During driving, the substance
used for undercoating could overheat and
cause a fire.
([) Note
-Be aware that just one tank filling with lead­
ed
fuel will already seriously degrade the
performance of the catalytic converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
~page 160.
- Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The engine could misfire.
Unburned fuel could also get into the ex­
haust system and this could cause the cata­
lytic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ignition while the vehicle
is moving.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle un­
der these conditions, as otherwise fuel can
reach the catalytic converter. This could re­
sult in overheating of the converter, requir­
ing its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emission
Control System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the service recommen­
dations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet.
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as im­
proper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system
and could lead to damage.
Driving and environment
{® For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Control System is op­
erating properly, the exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some op­
erating states. This depends on the sulfur
content of the fuel being used. Using a differ­
ent brand of fuel may help, or filling the tank
with lead-free super grade gasoline .
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like your vehicle to remain inopera­
tive for a longer period of time , contact an Audi
or other specialized dealer. They can advise you
on necessary precautions e.g. corrosion preven­
tion, maintenance and storage. Pay attention to
additional information concerning the battery.
Refer to~
page 164.
Operation and
maintenance
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear
on your engine, brakes and tires largely depend
on three factors:
-your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authorized Audi dealer helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically. The condition of
your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability
to hold its value, it also affects
fuel consump­
tion.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load
and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new en­
gine to reach its lowest value after a certain mile­
age has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly as­
sess oil consumption .
This also applies to fuel consumption and engine output . .,,.
143

Vehicle care and cleaning
A WARNING
-Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci­
dents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash­ ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to moisture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter. The bra kes
must be dried first with a few caref ul brake
applications .
@ Note
-If you wash the ve hicle in an au tomatic car
wash, you must retract the extend able rear
spoi ler * if necessary, and fold the exterior
mirrors in to reduce the risk of damage .
Power folding exterior mirrors* must only
be fo lded in and out using the power folding
funct ion.
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
- To red uce the risk of damage, do not wash
the power top with a pressure washer. -
To reduce the risk of damage, do not wash
decorative decals * with a pressure washer.
- T o reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect remov ing sponges, kitchen
sponges or similar items.
- Matte finish painted vehicle components:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polish ing agents or hard
wax.
- Never use car wash cycles that apply pro­
tective wax. It can destroy the matte fin­ ish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnet ic
signs on vehicle parts painted w ith matte
finish paint. The pa int could be damaged
when the stickers o r magnets are re­
moved.
- Do not wash the vehicle using cleaning
products that contain alcohol when the en­
gine is hot. This increases the risk of dam­
age to plastic components, such as cracking.
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facilities spec ial ly de­
signed for that purpose. This w ill reduce the
risk of dirty water contaminated with oil from
entering the sewer system .
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individual vehicle
components, refer to the following table . The in­
formation contained there is simp ly recommen­
dations. For questions or for components that are not listed, refer to an authorized Audi dealer
or a qualified workshop. A
lso fo llow the informa­
tion found in
¢ .&. .
Cleaning exterior
Component Situation Solution
Wiper blades
Dirty ¢ page 53, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Headlights/ Dirty Soft sponge with a mild soap solutiona>
tail lights
Sensors
/
Dirty Sensors: soft cloth with a solvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth w ith an alcoho l-free clean ing sol-
ution
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
146
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Checking and filling Engine compartment lid
Releasing the engine compartment lid
The engine compartment lid is released from in­
side the vehicle.
~
-------- .J;
Fig. 132 Driver's side: releasing t he engine compartment
lid
Requirement: The ignition must be switched on .
" Make sure the rear spoiler is retracted
¢page 138.
"Pull the button @. The engine compartment lid
opens slight ly.
" Open the engi ne compartment lid¢_&, .
& WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you. To reduce
t he risk of be ing burned, never open the en­
gi ne comp artment lid i f yo u s ee or he ar s team
or cool an t es caping from the engine compart­
ment . Wait unt il no steam or coo lant can be
seen or heard befo re carefully open ing the e n­
gine compartment lid.
CD Note
To preve nt d amage to t he veh icle, only open
t he engine compartment lid when the conver ­
tible top storage bay lid is closed.
@ Tips
An emergency release can be use d if the en­
gi ne compa rtment lid canno t be re leased with
the button @¢
page 155 .
-
Checking and filling
Engine compartment lid emergency release
The emergency release loop is located under the
right trim panel near the front passenger seat.
F ig . 1 33 Front passenger footwell: emerge ncy release loop
"Ma ke su re the rea r spoile r is retracted
¢page 138.
" Pull the loop forward to release the engine
compartment lid. The engine compartment lid
opens slightly.
" Open the engine compartment lid¢ &,
in Re­
leasing the engine compartment lid on
page 155.
CD Note
To prevent damage to the vehicle, o nly open
the engine compartment lid when the conve r­
tib le to p storage bay lid is closed.
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the
engin e compartment!
Whenever you must perform any work in the
eng ine compartm ent, for example checking and
filling the differ ent fluid s, there is a ri sk of in­
jury, burns and accident s. To prevent personal
injury alway s ob serve the following WARN­
INGS . The engine compartment of any vehicle is
a hazardou s area !
c:> &.
,&. WARNING
To help avoid injury, be fore yo u check any­
thing u nder the engine compartment lid:
- Sw itch off the engi ne .
- Remove the ignition key .
- Apply the par king brake.
-
155

Checking and filling
-Move selector lever of S tronic to "N" (Neu­
tral); put manual transmission in Neutral.
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot com­
ponents will burn skin on contact .
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the engine compartment lid if you see
or hear steam or coolant escaping from the
engine compartment. Wait until no steam
or coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the engine compartment lid.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap when
the engine is still warm . The coolant system
is pressurized and hot coolant could spray
out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the coolant reservoir .
- Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances . This increases the risk of
burns.
- If work on the fuel system or the electrical
system is necessary :
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open
flames. Fluids in the engine compartment
could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher imme­
diately available .
- To avoid electrical shock and personal injury
while the engine is running or being started,
never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair with
the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake, move
selector lever of S tronic to
"N" (Neutral);
put manual transmission in Neutral.
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from getting
caught in the radiator fan, V-belts or other
156
moving parts, or from contacting hot
parts. Tie back hair before starting, and
wear no clothing that will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and chemi­
cal hazards
¢ .&..
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and reproductive harm. In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Wash hands after handling.
@ Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container or
filler opening, otherwise serious damage to
vehicle systems will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time , inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly. If you
see spots from oil or other vehicle fluids, have
your vehicle inspected by an authorized Audi
dealer .
· Closing the engine compartment lid
.. Make sure that the rear spoiler is retracted
¢page 138 .
.. Pull the engine compartment lid down until the
pressure from the struts is reduced.
.. Press the engine compartment lid closed
¢ _A . ..,

Checking and filling
-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 anti­
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain condi ­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool­
ant can catch fire .
- Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store anti­
freeze 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 container
clearly marked "poison".
CD Note
-Coolant pollutes the environment and could
cause an engine fire . Excess coolant will be
forced out through the pressure relief valve
in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
-If, in an emergency, only water can be add­
ed, the correct ratio between water and an­
tifreeze
¢ page 161 must be restored as
soon as possible.
@ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused. Always
dispose of used coolant while observing all
environmental regulations.
Brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced
technician.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the
water content in the brake fluid is too high, cor­
rosion in the brake system may result after a peri­
od of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid
will also decrease considerably and decrease
braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every
two years.
Always use new brake fluid which con­
forms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard "FMVSS
116 DOT 4".
164
Brake fluid is replaced according to the Audi
maintenance service schedule . Your authorized
Audi dealer is equipped with the necessary spe­
cial tools and replacement parts, has the neces­
sary expertise, and can dispose of the used fluid .
A WARNING
-Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stored
only in the closed original container out of
the reach of children!
- Brake failure can result from old or inappro­ priate brake fluid. Observe these precau­
tions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE speci­
fication
J 1703 and conforms to Federal
Motor Vehicle Standard
116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake fluid .
The correct type of brake fluid is also indi­ cated on the brake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new . Heavy use of
the brakes can cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too long.
This can seriously affect the efficiency
of
the brakes as well as your safety . This
could result in an accident.
CD Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehi­
cle.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of
brake fluid as well as the special tools re­
quired and the necessary expertise, we rec­
ommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your authorized Audi dealer.
Battery
General information '
Your vehicle is equipped with a special battery, an
ACM battery . This battery is located in the lug­
gage compartment and must be replaced with an
original equipment battery. Under normal oper­
ating conditions, the battery is
maintenance-
free. ..,_

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Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciat­
ed and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated
and most abused parts of a motor
veh ic le . Tires are, however, one of
the most important parts of ave ­
hicle, particularly considering the
comparatively small patch of rub­
ber on each tire that assu res that
all-important contact between
you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintain ing the correct t ire pres­
sure, making sure that your vehi­
c le and its tires do not have to
carry more weight than they can
safe ly handle, avoiding damage
from road hazards and regularly inspecting tires for damage in­
c luding cuts, slashes i rregular
wear and overall condition are the most important th ings that you
can do to help avo id sudden tire
failure including tread separation
and blowouts.
Avoiding damage
~ If you have to dr ive over a curb or ":
~ similar obstacle, drive very s lowly
N U'> .....
Tir es a nd whe els
and as close as possible at a right
ang le to the curb.
Always keep chemicals including
grease, oil, gasoline and brake
fluid off the tires. Inspect the tires regularly fo r
damage (cuts, cracks or blisters ,
etc.) . Remove any foreign bodies
embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove them
to indicate the direction of rota­
tion. This ensures you to be able
to mount them correctly when
you reinstall them.
When removed, the w heels or
tires sho uld be stored in a coo l,
dry and preferably dark place.
Store tires in a vertical position if
they are not mounted on rims, in
a horizon tal position if they are
mounted on rims .
New tires
New tires have to be broken in
¢,&.
The tread depth of new tires may
vary, according to the type and make of tire and the tread pa t­
tern.
1 69
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(D Note
- Please note that summer and
winter t ires are designed for
the conditions that are typical in those seasons . Audi recom­
mends using winter tires dur ­
ing the winter months . Low
temperatures significantly de­
crease the elasticity of summ­
er tires, which affects traction
and braking ability. If summer
tires are used in very cold tem­ peratures, cracks can form on
the tread bars, resulting in
Tires and wheels
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires . Audi is
not responsible for this type
of damage.
- Burnished, polished or
chromed rims must not be
used in winter road condi­
tions . The surface of the rims
does not have sufficient corro ­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam­ aged by road salt or similar
substances .
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto­
matic transmission, power steer­
ing, power brakes, power win ­
dows , powe r seats , radio , and
heater , to the extent that these
items a re available as factory-in­
stalled equipment (whether in­
stalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
;:;: the width of the tire in percent .
" ~ Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a ...
~ low sidewall for improved steer -
"' ....
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to f it the rim .
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the bead .
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the tire.
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Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the to­
tal seating capacity of yo ur vehi­
c le .
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants
in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an
inflated new tire .
Overall width
means the linear distance be­
tween the exteriors of the side­
walls of an inflated tire, including elevations due to labeling, deco­
rations, or protective bands or
ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords .
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular product ion
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2 .3
kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not pre ­
viously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, including
Tir es a nd whe els
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
heavy duty battery, and special
trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which
the ply cords that extend to the beads are laid at substantially
90
degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Recommended inflation
pre ssure
see c::> page 172, Cold tire infla­
tion pressure.
R einforced tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in­
flation pressures than the corre­
sponding standard tire. Rein­
forced tires my be identified as
"X L", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF"
on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire
or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the tire beads are seated.
Rim di ameter
means nominal diameter of the
bead seat. If you change your
1 73

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.&_ WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per­
sonal injury, and even death .
-Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and in­ crease the risk of a loss of ve ­
hicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance .
-Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail sud­
denly causing loss of control
and a crash.
A WARNING
-
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or
underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident.
-Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation cause increased
tire wear and can affect the
handling of the vehicle.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or
underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control.
Tires and wheels
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the
tires originally installed on your
vehicle is listed on the tire pres­
sure label located on driver 's side
8-pillar .
The recommended tire pressures
are on the tire pressure label and
in the table
c:::> page 176 , Cold tire
inflation pressure.
This means
that the pressure must be checked and adjusted when the
tire has not been driven for more
than a couple of m iles (kilome­
ters) at low speeds during the
previous three hours. Air in the
tires expands when the t ire heats
up as a result of internal friction
as it flexes in use . The tire pres­
sure is higher when the tire has
warmed up than when it is "cold".
It is the inflation pressure in a
"cold" tire that counts. Therefore,
you shou ld never let air out of a
warm tire to match "Cold tire in­
flation pressure" recommenda ­
tions
c:::> page 176. The tires would
then be underinflated and could
fail suddenly.
The tire pressure label on your
Audi lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the
1 79