Audi R8 2008 User manual

2008 Audi RS
Owner's Manual

Introduction
Thank you for choosing an Audi R8 -we value your trust in us.
Your new Audi R8 incorporates the newest technology as we ll as numerous features designed for
your comfort, convenience and safety. We recommend you read your Owner's Manual thoroughly
so that you can quickly become acquainted with your Audi.
In addition to explaining how the different feaitures work, we also give you many useful tips and
information concer ning your safety and that of your passengers, how to care for your vehic le and
maintain your veh icle's value.
We hope you enjoy driving your Audi RSand we wish you safe and pleasant motoring .
AUDI AG

Table of contents
Table of contents
Vehicle literature . . .. .. . . .
About this Owner's
Manual
Controls and
equipment ............ .... . .
Cockpit
General illustration ............. .
Instruments and
warning/indicator lights ....... .
Instruments ................... .
Warning/indica t or lights .. . .... . .
Driver information system . .. . . .
Introduction .. . .. .... .. . .. .. . . . .
Service interval display .... .. ... .
On-Board Diagnostic system (080)
Trip computer . . . .. . ... . . ..... . .
Menu display ...... . .. . .. . ..... .
Lap Timer .. .. . . . .. ..... .. .. . .. .
Speed warn ing system . . ..... . . .
Warnings and symbols .... . .... .
Opening and closing .. . .. .. . . . .
Keys . .................... . .... .
Power lock ing system .......... .
5
6
9
1 1
11
12
12
16
22
22
23
24
25
26
29
33
35
42
42
44
Front lid ... . . .. . .. ... ...... . . . .
Ant i-t heft alarm system ..... . .. .
Power windows . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .
Clear vision .............. . .... .
Lights
Interior lights ... .. .... . . .. .. . . .
Vision .. . .. . . . . .. .... . . . .. . . . . .
W iper and washer system .. .. . . .
Mirrors ..... . .............. . .. .
Digital compass ............... .
Seats and storage . .. .. .... . .. .
49 Kick-down
50 Launch Contro l Pr ogram . .. . ... .
51 Steering wheel with shif t paddles
53 Em ergency program .... . .. . ... .
p k"
53 ar 1ng system .. .. . . .. . ..... . . .
58
59
59
63
65
67
General informa tion ..... . .... . .
Accoustic par k assist .. .. .. . .. . .
Advanced parking system . . .. .. .
Homelink® . ..... . . . . . . . ...... . .
Universal remote control .. . . .. . .
General re commendat ion s . . . . . . 67
Power seats .......... . ....... .
H ead restraints ... . .. .. .. .. . . . .
Cup holder .. .. . . . . . . ...... . . . .
As ht ray . . .. . .. . .. . .. .. .. . . . .. .
Cigarette lighter / socket ..... . .. .
Storage ................... . .. .
Warm and cold
Climate controls .... .. ........ .
Rear window defogger Qiil • . .. • •.
Heated seats .... . ........ . • . ..
On the road .... . ........... . .. .
Steering . .. . . .. . ..... . . .. . .. . . .
Ignition lock and ignition switch .
Start in g the engine ............ .
St . h .
opping t e engine ........... .
Parking brake ................. .
Cru ise control ... . ..... . . .. . . • ..
Ad. . "d
u I magnetic r1 e . . . .. ... . . . . .
Automated manual
transmiss ion .... . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .
Descript ion . .. .. . . . .. .. .... . . . .
Manual operation . .. .... .. . .. . .
Automatic operation ...... . . . .. .
68
70
70
71
71
72
7 4
74
78
79
80
80
81
81
82
83
8 4
86
88
88
89
90
Safety first .. . . . . .. ...... . . .
Driving Safely .. . . . .. . .. . .... . . .
Genera l notes . .... . . ....... . . . .
Proper occupant seating positions
Driver and passenger side footwell
Stowing luggage .......... . .. . .
Repor t ing Safety Defects . .... . . .
Safety belts . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . .
Genera l notes . .. . . .. . . .. ..... • .
Why safety be lts? . . .. . . . . .. . .. . .
Il lu strating the principle of an
acc ident ........ . .. . .. . ...... • .
How are safety be lts worn
correct ly? .. . .. . . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .
Safety belt pretensioners ... . .. . .
90
90
91
91
93
93
93
9 4
100
100
105
106
106
108
112
113
114
116
116
117
119
120
123

A" b
1r ag system ....... . .. . .. . .. .
Important things to know ...... .
Front airbags ... . .. . ... . ..... . .
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System ...................... .
Knee airbags ............ .... . .
Side airbags ....... •.. .........
Ch ild Safety ................... .
Impor t ant things to know ...... .
Important safety instruct ions for
using child safety seats ........ .
Child safety seats . . .. ...... . .. .
Insta lli ng a ch il d safety seat .... .
Tether for children .. . .. . .. . . . .. .
Additional Information ......... .
Vehicle operation .. .... . .
Intelligent t echno logy ..... . ... .
Notice about data recorded by
veh icle con t ro l modules . ..... . .
Electronic Stab ilization Program
(ESP) . .. . .. . .... . .. . ......... . .
Rear spoiler ............ . ..... .
Br a king ........... • .......... .
Power steering .......... . .. . .. .
Driv ing with your quattro® ..... .
Dry sump lubrication ..... ..... .
Driving and environment .. .. . .
Break - in per iod ................ .
Cata lytic converter ............ .
Sporty driving ................ .
125
125
129
136
141
144
147
147
Opera t ion and maintenance . . . . . 171
Trai ler towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
150 Vehicle care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
152
156 C leaning and protection . . . . . . . 176
Tabl e of c ont e nts
Additional accessor ies,
modifications and parts
rep lacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . 227
Dec laration of Compl iance,
Telecommunication or Electronic
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
159 Genera l inform atio n . . . . . . . . • . . . 176
161 Care of exterior... .. . .. . .. . . . . .. 176 Do-it -yourself service ... 231
163
164
164
164
166
167
168
169
169
170
170
170
170
Care of interior ................ . 180
Fuel supply and filling your fuel
tank .... . .. . .. . ..... . .. .. . . .... . 186
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Checking and filling .. ......... .
Engine compartmen t lid ........ .
Engine oi l .................. .. . .
Engine cooling system . . .. . . . . . .
Brake fluid ......... . ..... . . . . . .
Battery ....................... .
Windshield washer container ... .
Tires and vvhee ls ... .. ......... .
T ires . .. ........... . .. . ....... .
T ire press u re monitoring system .
Consumer Information ........ .
Wa rr an t y coverages .. . ......... .
Reporting safety defects ....... .
Opera ting your vehicle outside t he
U.S.A. or Canada .. .... .. . .. .. . .
Audi Service Repair Manuals and
Literature . . .. ........ . . .. ..... .
Maintenance ..... . .. . ........ . .
191
191
193
197
200
200
204
205
205
223
225
225
225
225
225
226
What do I do novv? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Trunk escape handle . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Breakdown kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
T ire repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Wha t should I be aware of when
h . . ?
c anging a tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Jump -st ar t ing .................. 241
Em e rgency tow ing with commercial
t ow tr u ck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Fuses and bulbs .. . .. .. . .... . .. . 245
Fuses . ....... ......... ..... . . .. 245
B ul bs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
irechnical data

Table of contents
Technical data
General information
251
252
Expl a nation of technical data . . . . 252
Veh ic le ident if ication . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Da t a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
RS 4 .2 quattro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Dimens ions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 4
Capac it ies (app r ox.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Alphabetical index ..... . 257

Vehicle literature
In addition to this Owner's Manual, your Audi comes with a
Warranty & Maintenance booklet.
Moreover, depending on the model and the equ ipment, there may
be additiona l instruction book lets delivered with your vehic le (for
examp le, Operating Instruct ions f or your Sound System, Navigation
System etc .).
If you are missing one of these publ ications, or if you believe that
the information is not comp lete, contact your authorized Audi
dea ler for assis t ance.
The Warranty & Maintenance booklet
exp lains how you can keep your Audi in t op driving cond it ion by
having it serviced regular ly and contains detailed information about
the warranties covering your Audi . Always have the book let with you
when you take your vehicle to an authorized Audi dea ler for service.
Your Audi Service Adviser will record each scheduled service and
can answer any questions you may have regarding how to ma inta in
your vehicle .
In Canada,
the vehicle literature is also avai lab le in French . To obtain a copy,
contact your dealer or write to :
Au Canada, on peut se procurer un exemplaire en frarn;:ais de ce
document aupres du concession naire ou de:
Volkswagen Canada, Inc.
Client Assistance
Assistance a la Clientele
777 Bayly Street, West,
Ajax, Ontario L1S 7G7
If you sell your Audi
all literature should be left in the vehicle to make t he Wa rranty terms
as wel l as all operating, safety and maintenance information avail -
able to the next owner.
Controls and equip-
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
V e hi c le lit e rat ur e
If you change your address or if you bought this
Audi used
be sure to send in a " Notice of Address Change"/ "Notice of Used
Car Purchase" post card. This card can be found in the Warranty &
Ma intenance booklet or obtained from your authorized Aud i dealer.
It is in your own inte rest th at w e are able to cont act you should the
need arise . •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

About this Own e r's Manu a l
About this Owner's Manual
This owner's manua l contains important information, tips, sugges -
tions, and warnings for the use of your vehicle.
Make sure that this owner's manual is always located in the vehicle .
This is especially important if you allow other people to drive the
veh icle, or if you sell it .
This owner's manua l describes the equipment range specified for
t his model at the ed itoria l deadline date . Some of the equ ipment
described here wi ll only be availab le at a later date, or on ly in
specific mar kets.
Some sections in th is owner's manual do not apply to all ve hicles.
In that case, the range of applicability is given at the beginning of
the sect ion, e. g. "Applies to vehicles : w ith R tron ic". In add itio n,
optional equipment is indicated by an asterisk" * " .
The deta ils in the illustrations may be diffe rent fro m t hose in your
veh icle, and are intended to be viewed as a basic guide .
Please note that the pictures in this manual show the European Audi
R8 mode l. It may show f eatures not availab le in Nort h America .
You wil l find a table of contents at the beginning of this book, which
displays all t op ics descr ibed in this manua l in orde r of appea rance .
You wil l find an alphabetical index at the end of this book.
All direct ions, such as "left", "right", "front" , "back", are relative to
the direction of trave l.
* opt iona l equipmen t
..,. This section conti nues on the next page.
• Indicates the end of a sect ion.
® Registered trademarks are identified with a® · If this symbo l is
m issing, it is no guaran t ee that the te rms can be used freely.
=>& Cross-ref erence to a "WAR NING!" wit hin a section. For indi -
cat ion with a page number, the corresponding "WARNI NG!" can be
fou nd outs ide of the section.
& WARNING
Text w ith thi s symb ol contains important information on safety
and how to reduce the risk of personal injury or death .
0 Note
Text wit h this symbol draws your atten t ion to potential sources of
damage to your veh icle.
<£'For the sake of the environment
Text with this symbol contains inf ormation about the environ ment
and how you can help protect it .
[i ]Tips
Text with this symbol contains special tips and other information
about getting th e mos t out of your vehicle and it s feat ures. •

Controls and equip-
ment Safety first Vehicle operation Vehicle care
About this Owner's Manual
Do-it-yourself service Technical data