___ C_ le_a_ n_in ~ g_ a_n _ d_ p_ ro_ t_e _c _t _io _ n ___________________________________________ _
Paint scratches should be touched up as soon as possible to prevent
corrosion=> page 258, "Touch-up pain t" .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on brake s may affect braking effic iency -
=> page 239, "General inform ation ". Test th e brakes care full y after
each vehicle wa sh.
• Always read a nd heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254. •
A pplies to veh icl es : w ith Cas t alloy whee ls
Cast (light) alloy wheels
C ast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
-Wash the wheels with a spo nge or hose brush every
o th er week .
-For deep cleaning afte rwards, use only a dedicated acid
free cast a lloy whee l c leane r.
-Rub a coat of liquid wa x onto the r ims every three
months . Be sure to reach and t reat a ll pa rts of the r im .
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels,
some special care is necessary. I n addit ion to road d irt and salt,
brake dust is also corrosive . If left on for too long, brake dust can
cause pitting.
Use on ly specia l
acid-free cleaners formu lated for a lloy rims . Safe
products are availab le at your Audi dealer. Never leave the cleaner
on the rims longer than spec ified on the label. If not rinsed off
promptly, the acid contained in some cleaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bo lts. Never use abrasive or metal po
lishing cleaning agents . If the protec
t ive coat ing has been chipped, e.g . by kicked up road d irt, touch i t
up as soon as possib le .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on bra kes m ay affect braking efficien cy
=> page 2 39 , "General information ". Test the brake s carefully each
time you wash the vehicle .
• Alwa ys read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 254 . •
Body cavity sealing
The body c avity se aling does n ot need to be c hecke d.
All body cavities which could be affected by corrosion have been
given thor ough protecti on a t the fac tory.
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treat ment . If any wax should seep ou t of the cav ity w hen the a mbie n t
temperature is high, it can be removed with a p last ic scraper and a
suitable solvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous .
• Ben zine i s flammable and to xic. If you use benzine for removing
the wax, keep sparks , flame and lighted cigarettes away . Never
dump benz ine on the ground , into open streams or do wn sewage
dr ains .
• Be sure to ob serve all safet y and env ironmental r egulat ions .
Follow all instru ctions on the container.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254 . •
___ C_ le_a_ n_in ~ g_ a_n _ d_ p_ ro_ t_e _c _t _io _ n ___________________________________________ _
&, WARNING (continued)
• Before reaching into the front plenum panel, always remove the
ignition key. Otherwise, the windshield wiper system could unin
tentionally be switched on , possibly causing personal injury from
the moving wiper linkage .
• Never reach into the area around or touch the radiator fan. The
auxiliary fan is temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly
- even when the ignition is off.
• Do not wash, wax or dry the engine with the engine running .
Moving or hot parts could injure you .
• Do not clean the underside of the chassis , fenders , wheel
covers, or other hard to reach parts without protecting your hands
and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 254. •
________________________________________________ T_ i
_ r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lllll
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
T ires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehic le. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu lar ly considering the comparat ive ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that a ll-important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and i ts tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regular ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, s lashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowou ts .
Av oiding d am ag e
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, o il, gasoline a nd brake
fluid off the tires.
I nspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc .l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota
t ion . This ensu res you to be ab le to mou nt them correctly w he n you
reinstal l them. When removed, the whee
ls or tires should be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
St ore tires in a vertical posit ion i f th ey are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in => &.
The tread dept h of new tires may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusua l vibration or t he veh ic le pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire ction al tires
A unidirectio nal tire can be ide ntif ied by arr ows on the s idewa ll, t hat
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
the specified direct ion of ro tation . This is necessary so t hat these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more info rmation
=> page 324.
& WARNING
Ne w tire s or tire s that are old , wo rn o r damaged cannot p ro vide
maximum control and braking abilit y.
• New tires tend to be slippery and mu st be brok en in . To redu ce
the ri sk of lo sing control , a c ollision and seriou s per sonal injuries ,
dri ve w ith special ca re for the fi rst 350 mile s (560 km l.
• Driving with worn or damaged tire s can lead to lo ss of control ,
sudden tire fa ilure , in cluding a blowout and sudden deflation ,
.,_
Vehicle care
___ T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n
_ d_ w_ h_ e_ e_ls _________________________________________________ _
&, WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering 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 fit 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.
&, WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage.
•
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted .
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF" on the side
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire-ground interfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
________________________________________________ T_ i
_ r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ fflll
The correct tire pressure for the spore wheel is located on a label
either on the driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
Because technical changes may be made to vehicle equipment
during the model year, always compare the tire size designation on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle.
Make sure that the tire size information on the vehicle label is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle. This is especially impor
tant if the vehicle belongs to someone else or you bought the
vehicle with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ
ously owned vehicle .
Remember, your safety and that of your passengers also depends
on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
includes everybody and everything in and on the vehicle. These load
limits are technically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating ("GVWR"l. The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR"l is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two
axles. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located
either on the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel filler
flap. The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the maximum
combined weight of all of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
that the vehicle can carry. For the location of the tire pressure label
=> page 297, fig. 217.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or
other accident, serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the risk of a loss of vehicle 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 suddenly
causing loss of control and a crash.
& WARNING (continued)
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
& 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. •
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires originally installed
on your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located
either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the
table=> page 297, "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 miles (kilometers) at low
speeds during the previous three hours. Air in the tires expands
when the tire heats up as a result of internal friction as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure 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
should never let air out of a warm tire to match "Cold tire inflation
pressure"
recommendations=> page 297. The tires would then be
underinflated and could fail suddenly. .,._
Vehicle care
___ T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n
_ d_ w_ h_ e_ e_ls _________________________________________________ _
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended cold tire
inf lation pressures for the new, original equipmen t tires that were
on your vehic le at the time it was manufactured . For the location of
the
labe l=> page 297, fig. 217 .
Most tires lose a ir natural ly over time. They can a lso lose some air if
you drive over a potho le or hit a curb wh ile parking. It is usually not
possible to see whether the radial t ires used today are under inflated
just by looking at them.
Therefore, be su re to check tire pressures at least once a month and
always before going on a long trip . Make sure to take the number of
people and the amount of luggage into account when adjusting tire
pressure for a trip -even one that you wou ld not cons ider to be
" long ."
See => page 301, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
important i nformation .
A lways use an accurat e tire pressure gaug e when checking and
adjusting inflat ion pressures. Check a ll of the tires and be sure not
to forget the spare tire . If the pressure in any tire is too high when
the t ire is "cold," let air o ut of the t ire slowly with the edge of the tire
gauge and keep check ing the pressure until you reach the pressure
that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
driving you p lan to do .
I f the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the co ld tire and the pressure you need and add the air
that you need to reach the correct pressure for the vehicle load
(passengers and luggage) fo r the t ires on your veh ic le as listed on
the on your vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you pl an to do .
Never exceed the m aximum inflation pressure li sted on the tire
s idewall for an y re ason .
Remem ber that the vehic le manufacturer, not t he tire manufacturer,
determines the correct tire pressure for the tires on your vehicle .
I t is important to check the tire pressure when the tires are cold.
• Read the required tire pressure from the t ire pressure label
located either on driver 's side B -pillar or inside the fuel fi ller flap . •
Turn the va lve stem cap counter -clockwise to remove it from the
t ire valve .
• Place the air pressure gauge on the valve.
• The tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when
the tires are cold. The s lightly raised pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced.
• Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying.
• Reinstal l the va lve stem cap on the valve .
When should I check the tire pressure?
The correct tire pressure is especially important at high spe eds . The
pressure should the refore be checked at least once a mo nth and
a lways before starting a journey. Do not forget to check the tire pres
sure for the spare whee l
=> page 317.
Wh en should I adjust th e tir e pre ssur es?
Adjust t he tire pressure to the load you are carry ing . After changing
a wheel
o r replacing whee ls you have to ad just the tire pressures on
a ll whee ls . In addition, on vehicles w ith tire pressure monito ring
system* you must then store the new tire pressures in the system
=> page 45.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pre ssure s and /or underinflation can lead sudden tire
f ai lure , loss of control , collision , seri ous per sonal injury or even
death.
• When the w arning symbol
(l) appe ars in the in strument
clu ster , stop and inspect the tire s.
• Incorrect t ire pres sure and /or underinflat ion can cause
increa sed tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
s topping ability.
• Incorrect tire pres sures and /or underinflation can also lead to
s udden tire fa ilure , inc luding a blowout and sudden defl ation ,
cau sing los s of vehicle control .
~
________________________________________________ T_ i
_ r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ l'III
& W ARNING (continued )
• The driver is respon sible for the correct tire pre ssure s for all
tire s on the vehicle. The applicable pressure values are located on
a st icker on the driver 's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
• Only when all tire s on the vehicle are filled to the correct pres
sure , the tire pressure monitoring system * can work correctly .
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage. Therefore it is essential that the driver observe
the specified tire pressure values for the tires and the correct pres
sures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system*.
• Always inflate tires to the recommended and correct tire pres
sure before driving off.
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot resulting in tread separation , sudden tire failure and loss
of control.
• Ex cessive speed and /overloading can cause heat build -up ,
sudden tire failure and loss of control .
• If the tire pressure is too low or too high, the tires will wear
prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well.
• If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel
immediately, drive at reduced speed to the nearest service station
to che ck the tire pressure and add air as required .
0 Note
Driving without valve stem caps can cause damage to the tire
valves. To preve nt th is, a lways make s ure th at f acto ry installed va lve
stem caps on al l whee ls are securely mounted on the va lve .
~ For the sake of the environment
Underinflated tires will a lso increase the fuel consumpt io n. •
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or weight t hat any vehic le and
any tire can carry . A ve hicle that i s ove rloa ded will not handle well
and is more d iff icu lt to stop . Overload ing can not only lead to loss
o f vehi cle control, but can also damag e impor tan t p arts o f the
vehic le and can lead to sudden tire failure, including a blowout and
sudde n defla tion that ca n cause the veh ic le to c ra sh .
Your sa fety a nd t hat o f your passe ngers a lso depe nds o n maki ng
s u re that load li mits are not exceeded. Vehic le load incl udes every
b ody and everythi ng i n and on t he vehicle . T he se l oa d limi ts are
technical ly referred to as the ve hic le's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVW R"l.
T he "GVWR" includes the wei ght of the basic vehic le, all factory
in sta lled acces so ries, a full t an k of f uel, o il, c oolant a nd oth e r flu ids
p lus max imum load . T he maximum load inc ludes th e number o f
p asse ngers tha t th e ve hicle i s intended t o carry ("seat ing ca paci ty")
with an assu med weight o f 150 l bs (68 kg) fo r each passe nger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any luggage in
th e v ehic le. I f you tow a trai ler, the we ig ht o f the tra iler hitch a nd th e
tongue weight of the loaded trailer must be inc luded as part of the
ve hicle lo ad .
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is t he maximum load that
ca n b e app lie d at eac h of th e veh icle's two axle s.
T he G ross Ve hicle We ight Rati ng a nd th e G ross A xle Wei ght R ati ng
are listed on the safety comp liance stic ker label located either on
t he driver 's si de B-pi lla r o r on the in sid e of t he fue l fille r fl ap. You r
Aud i has 5 seating posit ions, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear for total
sea ting ca paci ty of 5. Each sea ting p osit ion has a safe ty b elt
=> page 176, "Saf ety be lts" .
The fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gro ss Vehicle
W eight Rat ing m eans that th e total weight o f whatever is b ein g
carried in the vehic le (including the weight of a traile r hitc h and the
ton gue we ight of the loaded tr aile r) is lim it e d. Th e m or e passe ng ers
~
Vehicle care
11!1 Tires and wheels
in the vehicle or passengers who are heavier than the standard
we ig ht s assume d mean that less weig ht ca n be carr ied as luggage.
T he tire pressure labe l on your Audi also lists the max imum
combined weight of a ll of t he occupants and luggage or other cargo
t h at t he ve hicle ca n ca rry. For t he location of t he
labe l~ page 2 97,
fig. 217.
LJ}. WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or
other accident , serious personal injury, and even death .
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehi cle from handling properly and in crease the
risk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehi cle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance .
• Tires on a veh icle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation , causing loss of control
and a cra sh .
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehi cle 's Gro ss Vehicle Weight Rating .•
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to calculate the
total weight of the passengers and luggage or other things that you plan to
transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overloaded.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE COMBINED
WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS " on your vehicle's placard (tire infla
tion pressure
label) => page 297, fig. 217.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo
grams or
"XXX" pounds shown on the
sticker=> page 297 , fig. 217.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the
" XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will
be five 150 lbs. passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 -750 (5
X 150) = 650 lbs.) ..