
___ C_ le_ a_n _i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d
__ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
essential to have a long -lasting corrosion protection reapplied to al l
su rfaces, sea ms, joi nts a nd compo nents i n th e eng in e c om pa rt
m ent .
& WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a
potentially hazardous area.
• Before working in the engine compartment, be sure to read the
information
::::> page 299.
• 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 other information
=> page 288 . •

lll'ft __ T_ ir_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h
_ e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu lar ly considering the comparatively smal l patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehic le and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its t ires do not have to carry more we ight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regularly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure inc luding tread separation and
blowouts.
Av oidin g dam age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possib le at a right angle to the curb .
A lways keep chem ica ls including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
flu id off the ti res.
Inspect t he t ires regu larly fo r damage (cuts, cracks or b listers, 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
tion . This ensures you to be able to moun t them correctly w hen you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place .
S tore tires in a vert ical pos it ion if they are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in=> &.
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern .
Hidden dam age
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible . If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one side, this may ind ica te
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qual ified workshop .
Unidir ec tiona l tir es
A unid irec tional tire can be identified by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . Th is is necessary so that t hese
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=> page 357.
& WARNING
New t ires or tire s th at a re old , worn or d am aged cann ot pro vide
maximum control and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slipper y and mu st be bro ken in . To redu ce
the risk of lo sin g con tro l, a collision and seriou s per sonal injurie s,
dri ve w ith spe cial care f or the fi rst 350 mile s (560 km l.
• Driving wi th worn or damaged tir es can l ead to lo ss of control ,
sudd en tire f ailure , inc ludi ng a blowout and sudden defl atio n, .,_

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
& 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 design to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
may 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.
Vehicle care

Tires and wheels -
-----------------------------
•
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating
extended periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298
km/h)=> page 338. You may not find this informa
tion on all tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire
sidewall and indicates the maximum permissible road
speeds=> &
in "Winter tires" on page 341.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning tell
tale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
=> page 335, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on
measuring tire wear .
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles (kilometers) or perform in a certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers additional information to combine with
other considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recom- mendations
. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufac
turers in three areas: treadwear, traction, and temperature resis
tance . The UTQG information on the tires, molded into the
sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2207 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2007 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may or may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle's total seating capacity as listed on the label located either on the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by dis trib
uting to each axle its share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by dis trib
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table
below => page 328) and dividing by two. ..,.
Vehicle care

___ T_ ir_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h
_ e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
( displace-
normal load full load normal load
full load
ment in
liter)
condition al condition conditiona l condition
kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI
12-cylinder
255/45 R18 99H All Season 36 250 38 260 32 220 32 220
6.0 Individual
255 /40 R19 100V XL All Season 41 280 4 1 280 36 250 36 250
rear seats
255/40 R19 100V
XL High Performance
36 2
50
38 260 3
2 220 32 2 20
275 /35 R20 102Y
XL High Performance 38 41 280 35 2 40 44 300
12 -cylinder 255 /45 R18 99H All Season 36 250 36 250 32 220 32 220
6 .0
255 /40 R19 100V XL All Season 4 1
280 4
1
280 36 250 36 250
255 /40 R19 100V
XL High Performance
36 250 36 250 32 2 20 32 220
275 /35 R20 102Y XL High Performance 38 260 4 1 280 35 240 44 300
XL = reinforced or extra load tire . It may also appear as xi , EXTRA LOAD , or RF on the tire sidewall .
al norma l load cond ition => page 328.
The co rrect tire pressure for the spare wheel is located on a label
either on the driver 's s ide 8-pillar or inside t he fue l fil ler flap.
Because technica l changes may be made to vehicle equipment
du ring t he mode l year, always co mpare the tire si ze desig nati on on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle .
M ake s ure t hat the tire si ze info rmat ion o n the ve hicle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . T his is especial ly impor
t an t if t he vehicle bel ongs t o so me one e lse o r yo u boug ht the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ
ously owned ve hicle.
Reme mber, you r safety and that of y our passengers a ls o depe nds
on making su re that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
i nc ludes every body and everyt hin g in and o n th e veh icle . T hese load
limits are technically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Veh ic le
Weig ht Ratin g ("GVWR"). T he Gro ss Axle Weigh t Ra tin g ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two axles
. The Gross Vehic le We ight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating are l isted on the safety compl iance sticker labe l located
either on the driver's side 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel filler
fl ap . T he t ire p ressure label on you r A ud i lists t he m axi mum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
th at the v ehicle can carry . Fo r the locati on of the t ire press ure la be l
=> page 328, fig . 27 2.
& 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 increase the risk of a loss of vehicle control. ...,

Tires and wheels Ill
----------------
•
& WARNING (continued )
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehi cle within a safe distance .
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
c au sing lo ss of control and a cra sh.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the we ight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
v ehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating .
& WARNING
• Incorrect tire pressures and /or underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident.
• Incorre ct tire pressures and /or underinflation cause in creased
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,
c ausing loss of vehi cle control.
•
Checking tire pressure
The c orrect tire pressu re f or the tires ori gina lly installe d
on your vehicle is lis ted on the ti re pressure la bel loca ted
either on driver's side 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
The rec omme nded ti re p ressu res a re on the tire pr essure la be l an d
in the
table~ page 328, "Co ld tire inflation pressure". This means
t ha t th e pres su re m us t be c hecked a nd adjus ted w he n t he ti re has
not been driven for more than a couple of miles (kilometers) at low
speeds du rin g the p revio us th ree hou rs . Ai r in t he tires ex pand s
when the tire heats up as a resu lt of internal fr iction as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is hig her when the tire has warmed up than
when it is "co ld ." I
t is the inflation pressure in a "cold" t ire that counts . Therefore, you
s h oul d never le t air ou t of a warm ti re to matc h "Co ld t ire in fl ati on
pressure"
recommendations~ pa ge 328 . The tires wou ld then be
u nde rinflate d and could fail sud denly .
The t ire pressure label o n your Au di lists the recomme nded cold t ire
inflation press ures at maximum capacity for the new, origina l equip
m ent tires t hat we re on yo ur vehicle at t he t ime it was manufac
tured. For the location of the
labe l~ page 328, fig . 272.
M ost tires lose a ir natu rally ove r ti m e. T hey can a lso lose so me air if
you drive ov er a pothole or h it a curb while parkin g. It is usually not
pos sible to see whe the r the rad ial tir es use d today are unde rin flated
just by look in g at t hem .
T herefore, be sure to chec k tire pressures at least once a month and
a lways be fore go ing o n a lo ng trip . Make su re to take the nu mber o f
people and the amount of luggage into account when ad justing tire
pr ess u re fo r a trip -even one t hat you wou ld not conside r to be
" long ."
See~ page 333, "Tires and vehic le load limits" for more
i mp ort ant i nfor mati on .
A lways use a n accu rate ti re p ressure gauge w hen c hec kin g a nd
adjusting inflation pressures . Chec k all of the tires and be sure not
t o fo rget t he spare t ire . If the pressu re i n an y tire is too high when
the tire is "co ld," let air out of the tire slow ly with the edge of the tire
ga uge and kee p checking the press ure u ntil y ou r each th e pr essu re
that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
d riv in g yo u plan to do .
I f the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the cold tire and the pressure you need and add the air
t hat you need to r each the correct pressure for the veh ic le load
(passengers and luggage) for the tires on your vehicle as listed on
t he o n you r vehicl e and i n thi s m anua l a n d t he kind of driving yo u
p lan to do.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire
sidewall for any reason .
Remember that the vehic le manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer,
deter mines the correc t tire pressure for the ti res on your vehicle.
~
Vehicle care

-Tires and wheels Pft'::I _______________ _
It is important to check the t ire pressur e wh en the tires are cold .
• Read the req uire d tire p re s su re from the tire p re ssur e la bel. On
USA ve hicles, the tir e pressure label is located on the driver's side
8 -pilla r. On Canada vehic les, the ti re p ress ure label is located eit her
o n the driv er's s ide 8-pill ar or ins id e th e fuel fill er flap .
• Tur n the va lve stem cap co unte r-cloc kw ise to re move it fr om t he
tire valv e.
• Place th e a ir p re s sur e ga uge on th e valve .
• T he tire pressures should o nly be checked and ad justed when
th e tir es are col d. The s lig ht ly ra ise d pres sur es of wa rm tir es mu st
not b e re duc ed .
• Adjus t the tire pre ss ure to the l oad y ou are carry ing.
• Reinstal l the valve stem cap on the valve.
When should I check the tire pressure?
The co rrec t tir e pr ess ure is especiall y important a t hi gh spee ds. T he
pressu re should th er efor e b e checked a t le ast once a mo nth an d
a lwa ys be fore s ta rti ng a j ourn ey . D o not for get to chec k the ti re pr es
sure fo r the sp are wh eel
=> page 350.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjust the tire pr essur e to the load you are carrying . After chan gin g
a w hee l or r epl ac ing w hee ls you have to ad just th e tire pr essu re s on
a ll whee ls. I n ad ditio n, yo u must t hen sto re the ne w tire pressu res
in t he t ire pres sure m onit or ing
system => page 40.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and /or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure , loss of control, collision, serious personal injury or even
death .
• When the warning symbol
(l) appears in the instrument
cluster , stop and inspect the tires .
& WARNING (continued)
• Incorrect tire pressure and /or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control .
• The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pressure values are located on
a sticker on the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
• Only when all tires 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.
• Excessive 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 check the tire pressure and add air as required . _..

-Tires and wheels 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 328, fig. 272.
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 328, fig. 272. 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.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the avail
able cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
- Check the tire sidewall
( => page 336,
fig. 276) to determine the designated
load rating for a specific tire. •