
Wheels and Tyres
268
Winter tyres
The handling of your vehicle will be significantly improved when driving on
wintry roads and at temperatures below 7 °C if you fit winter tyres.
Summer tyres do not offer the same grip on ice and snow at a temperature
below 7 °C because of their construction (width, rubber blend, tread
pattern). This particularly applies to vehicles which are equipped with low-
profile tyres or high-speed tyres (code index H or V on wall of tyre).
Winter tyres must be mounted on all four wheels to obtain the best
handling characteristics.
You must only fit those types of winter tyre which are approved for your
vehicle. The permissible sizes of winter tyres are stated in your vehicle
documents. Approvals may differ because of national legislation.
Please remember that the tyres should be inflated to 20 kPa (0.2 bar)
more than is the case for summer tyres ⇒page 264, fig. 199 .
Winter tyres no longer offer the same winter performance once the tyre
tread has worn down to a depth of about 4 mm.
Ageing also causes winter tyres to lose most of their winter performance
properties - even in cases where the remaining tread depth is still clearly
more than 4 mm.
Speed restrictions apply to winter tyres as well as to summer tyres
⇒ page 266, ⇒ .
You can fit winter tyres of a lower speed category to your vehicle provided
that you also do not drive faster than the permissible maximum speed for
such tyres, even if the possible maximum speed of your vehicle is higher.
The corresponding tyre category can damage the tyres when exceeding
the permissible maximum speed.
Please pay attention to the notes if you decide to fit winter tyres
⇒ page 263.
You can also fit so-called “all-weather tyres” instead of winter tyres. Please contact your specialist garage if there are any points which are not
clear who will be able to provide you with information regarding the
maximum speed fo
r your tyres.
WARNING
You must on no account drive your car at more than the permis-
sible maximum speed for your winter tyres - risk of an accident
resulting from tyre damage and loss of control over your car.
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres on again in good time since summer tyres offer you
better grip and handling on roads which are free of snow and ice as well
as ar temperatures below 7 °C - the braking distance is shorter, there is
less tyre noise, tyre wear is reduced and fuel consumption is reduced.
Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.
Unidirectional tyres*
The direction of rotation of the tyres is marked by arrows on the wall of
the tyre . This indicates the direction of rotation of the tyre, and it is essen-
tial that the tyres are fitted on to run in this direction. Only then are the
tyres able to provide the optimal properties in terms of grip, low noise,
wear-and-tear and aquaplaning.
Should it be necessary to fit on a spare wheel in exceptional cases with a
tyre not dedicated to the running direction or in opposite running direction,
please adopt a cautious style of driving as the tyre is no longer able to
provide optimal grip and handling in such a situation. This particularly
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Breakdown assistance
276
•Do not drive with this spare wheel at more than 80 km/h - risk of acci-
dent. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
•The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation
pressure of the standard tyres. The temporary spare wheel R 18 must
have an inflation pressure of 420 kPa (4.2 bar)!
•Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it
is not intended for continuous use.
•No other summer or winter tyres must be mounted on the rim of the
spare wheel R 18.
Changing a wheel
Preliminary work
The following steps should be carried out before actually
changing the wheel.
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far away as possible from the traffic flow. The place you choose
should be level.
–Have all the occupants get out. While changing a wheel, the
occupants of the vehicle should not stand on the road (it is
better behind a crash barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Engage 1st gear or if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic
gearbox, position the selector lever into position P .
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it. – Take the
vehicle tool kit ⇒ page 274 and the spare wheel
⇒ page 275 out of the luggage compartment.
WARNING
•If you find yourself in flowing traffic switch on the hazard
warning lights system and place the warning triangle on the side of
the road at the prescribed distance from your vehicle while
observing all national legal provisions. In this way you are
protecting not only yourself but also other road users.
•Never start the engine with the vehicle sitting on the raised jack
- danger of suffering injury!
Caution
If you have to change a wheel on a slope first block the opposite wheel
with a stone or similar object in order to secure the vehicle from unexpect-
edly rolling away.
Note
Comply with the national legal regulations.
Changing a wheel
Always change a wheel on a level surface as far as possible.
– Take off the full wheel trim* ⇒page 278 or the caps
⇒ page 278.
– In the case of light alloy wheels remove the wheel trim cap ⇒page 279.
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Index
310
The air conditioning system . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Air outlet vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Defrosting windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Recirculated air mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
The armrest at the rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
The automatic wiper/washer system . . . . . . 75
The battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40, 258 changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Inspecting the electrolyte level . . . . . . . 260
Operation in winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
The CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
The electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . 32, 45
The outside temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The radiator fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
The roof luggage rack system . . . . . . . . . . 102
Thickness of brake pads Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 automatic gearbox DSG . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Towing a vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Towing device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Towing protection monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Tow-starting a vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tow-starting and towing vehicle Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . 155, 162
Traction Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Traction control system (TCS)
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Transporting children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Tread depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Turn signal lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Two-way radio systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Type plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
U
Underbody protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Uphill-Start off-Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
V
Vanity mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Vehicle condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Vehicle data sticker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Vehicle immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Ventilation Auxiliary ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
W
Warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Warning symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Washing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
with high-pressure cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Washing vehicle by hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Wax treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Wheel Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Wheel trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 De-icing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Window lifter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Windows De-icing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Windscreen washer nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Windscreen Wiper and Washer System . . . 262 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Windscreen wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . 262 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
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Index311
Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Wiper blades
Replacing windscreen wiper blades . . . . . 77
X
Xenon headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
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