2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET lock

Tires a nd wh eels BIii ________________________________ :....:.:.....::.=.....::.:..:..:..::..:___:___:..__ __
•
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, particular ly considering the comparative ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its 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 , slashes irregular wear
and overal l condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowouts .
Avo iding d am age
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, oil, gasoline and brake
flu id off the ti res .
I nspect the tires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc .!.
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 ab le to mount them correctly when you
reinstall them. When removed, the whee
ls or tires should be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
Store tires in a vertical position i f they are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
N ew tire s
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 pattern.
Hidd en d am ag e
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible . If you notice
unusua l vibration or the vehic 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 .
Uni dir ection al tire s
A unidirect ional 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
the specified direction of ro tation . This is necessary so that these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more information
=> page 298.
Rim s with bolted rim ring *
Light-alloy wheels with a bo lted rim ring consist of several parts .
These parts are screwed together with special bo lts, using a specific
technique. This ensures proper function, seal, safety, and true running of the wheel. For this reason, damaged rims shou ld be
replaced, and you should never repair or dismantle them
=> & .
Rim s with screw -on decorative co vers *
Light-a lloy whee ls can be furnished with interchangeab le decora -
tive covers that are mounted to the rim with se lf -locking bolts. ...
Vehic le care

lffll,.___T_ ir_e_ s _ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s _________________________________________________ _
& 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 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the table=>
page 271, "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 271. 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 new, original equipm ent tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For the location of
the label =>
page 271, fig. 207.
Most tires lose air naturally over time. They can also lose some air if
you drive over a pothole or hit a curb while parking. It is usually not possible to see whether the radial tires used today are underinflated
just by looking at them.
Therefore, be sure 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 would not consider to be
"long." See=>
page 275, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
impor tant information .
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking and
adjusting inflation pressures . Check all of the tires and be sure not
to forget the spare tire. If the pressure in any tire is too high when
the tire is "cold," let air out of the tire slowly with the edge of the tire
gauge and keep checking the pressure until you reach the pressure
that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
driving you plan to do.
If 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
that you need to reach the correct pressure for the vehicle load
(passengers and luggage) for the tires on your vehicle as listed on
the on your vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you
plan to do.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire
sidewall for any reason.
Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer,
determines the correct tire pressure for the tires on your vehicle.
It is important to check the tire pressure when the tires are cold.
• Read the required tire pressure from the tire pressure label. On
USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side
B-pillar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either
on the driver's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
• Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise to remove it from the
tire valve.
• Place the air pressure gauge on the valve. .,_

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
toring system* would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or
warn you if it is necessa ry.
• T he battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
r ecommend us ing facto ry insta lled va lve stem caps. Ask you r autho ­
rized Audi dealer to replace lost va lve stem caps.
T he installation of rep lacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
t he tire sidewall may cause mal functi on of the tir e pressure mo ni­
toring system , and is not recommended (cord material information
in mo lded o n th e ti re sid ewa ll) .
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system * indicator after
r eplacing one or mo re ti res on your veh ic le . I f the ti re p ress ure
m onito ring syste m* ind icator flashes, or is o n, your s ystem is not
wo rking properly . Your replacement t ire might be incompatible with
yo ur tir e pressure mon ito ring system* , o r so me compo nen t of th e
tire p ressure monitoring system * may be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and I or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use t ires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fa il suddenly,
espe cially 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
lower speed s.
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire f ailure and loss of vehicle control.
& W ARNING (continued )
• All four wheels mu st be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driv ing
with different tires redu ces vehicle h andling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle - for e xample with winter tire s - only u se the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
the ir rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build-up, sudden tire failure ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control .
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For te chnical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicle s -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked. Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tire s may only be used on vehicle s that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a cha ssis designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
s ystem that indicate s a loss of tire pressure . Incorre ct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
autho rized Audi dealer or t ire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires .
If run flat tires are used , they mu st
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted. .,

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _ ...... 911
•
& WARNING (conti nued )
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires repl aced immed i­
ately.
• Winter tires have ma ximum speed rat ing that may be lower
than your vehi cle' s maximum speed.
• Never drive faster than the speed for which the winter or other
tire s installed on your vehicle are rated.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and traffi c cond it ions .
Never let the good acceleration of the winter tires and all -wheel
drive tempt you into taking e xtr a risks . Alway s remember :
• When braking, an all -wheel drive vehicle handles in the same
way as a front drive vehi cle.
• Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy and slippery road s,
even winter tires cannot help under black ice condit ions .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather conditions permit. They are
qu ieter, d o not wear as qu ick ly and reduce fue l con sump tion.•
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to t he fr ont w heels, and only to
certain tire sizes . Ask your authorized Aud i dealer on which tire
s izes sn ow chains ca n be used .
I f you are going to use snow chains, then you must instal l them on
the front wheels at least.
Th e snow chains must have low- prof ile l inks and must n ot be t hicke r
than 0 .53 inch (13 .5 mm), including the lock. Remove whee
l center covers and trim discs before putting snow
chains o n yo ur vehicle =>
(D. For safe ty reaso ns cover caps must
then be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are available from autho ­
r iz ed Audi dealer s.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chain s for your vehicle o r installing them
incorre ctly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
s erious personal injury .
• Snow chains are available in d iffe rent sizes . Always make sure
to follow the instructions provided by the snow chain manufac ­
turer .
• When driving with snow chains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains .
• Always observe local regulations.
(}) Note
• Remove snow c hai ns be fore d riving on roads not covered wit h
snow to avoid damaging tires and wearing the snow cha ins down
unnec essarily .
• Snow chains, which come into direct contact with the wheel rim,
can scratc h or damage it. Therefore, make sure tha t the snow cha ins
are suitably covered. Check the position of the snow chains after
dr iv in g a few yards an d cor rect if necessary . Fo llow the i nstruct ions
from the snow cha in manufacturer when do ing so.
[ i ] Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
a lso a pplie s to veh ic le s wi th A ll Wheel D rive .•
Ve hic le care

_______________________________________________ W_ h_ a _ t_d_ o_ l _d _o_ n_ o_ w_ ? _ __,_
- Se curely en gage the han dle in th e lu ggage com partm ent
se al as illust rate d to k eep th e flo or panel up.
- Take o ut tool case and/or jack .
- Dise ngage and lower the floo r panel befo re yo u close the
luggage compa rtment lid again .
The onboard tool kit inc ludes:
• Hook for re moving whee l cove rs*
• Plastic hook to remove wheel bolt covers
• Wheel bolt wrench
• Alignment pin for changing wheels
• Screwdriver with reversible b lade
• Tow ing eye
Before storing the jack, make sure it is wound back down as far as it
wi ll g o.
After use , the jack and tools must be put back in place underneath
the floor panel in the luggage compartment .
Note : some o f the o n board i te m s liste d abo ve are provi ded on
certain models on ly or are optional extras .
& WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle ja ck can cause serious personal inju­
ries .
• Using a bumpe r jack to raise the vehicle will damage the
bumper system . The jack may slip , causing injury .
• Never support your vehicle on cinder blocks , bricks or other
objects . These may not be able to support the load and could
c ause injury when they fail.
• Never start o r run the engine while the vehicle is supported by
the jack.
& WARNING (continued )
• If you must work under the vehicle, always use safety stands
specifically designed for this purpose .
• Never try and use the hexagonal socket in the handle of the
screwdriver to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.
• Always make sure the spare tire and even a flat tire are secured
in pla ce and not loose , otherwise they could fly forward , causing
personal injury to passengers in the vehicle in an accident or
s udden maneuver .
• Never use the jack supplied with your Audi on another vehicle,
particularly on a heavier one. The jack i s only suitable for use on
the vehicle it came with. •
App lie s to ve hic les : w ith a reg ular sp are whee l
Spare wheel
Th e s pare whe el i s stor ed in th e wh eel w ell unde rneath
the fl oor pan el in th e lugg age c omp artme nt.
Fig . 21 5 luggage
compartment: spa re
w heel
Yo ur v ehi cle is equi pped wi th a regular spare wheel. It i s
h eld in pla ce by pla stic re tainin g knur le d sc re w .
~ehicle care Do-it-yourse lf service irechnical data

11111.___W_ h_ a_ t_d_ o_ l _d _o_ n_ o_ w_ ? ______________________________________________ _
Taking out the spare wheel
- Raise the floor panel at the plastic handle.
- Securely engage the handle in the luggage compartment
seal as illustrated to keep the floor panel up.
- Unscrew the knurled retainer bolt in the wheel center
==> page 291, fig. 215. Turn it counter-clockwise.
- Take out the spare wheel.
- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
Storing the replaced wheel
-Place the replaced wheel inside the spare wheel well in
the luggage compartment.
- Tighten the knurled retaining screw clockwise to secure
the wheel in place.
- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
& WARNING
Loose items in the passenger compartment can cause serious
personal injury during hard braking or in an accident .
• Never store the spare wheel or jack and tools in the passenger
compartment.
• Always store all jacking equipment, tools, and the spare wheel
in the luggage compartment.
• Tighten the knurled retaining screw for the spare wheel
securely.
[ i] Tips
Check the inflation pressure of the spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use. •
Applies to vehic les: w ith a space -saving spare wheel
Space-saving spare wheel
The compact spare wheel is only intended to be used for
a short time.
Using the space-saving spare wheel
The space -saving spare wheel is only intended for emergencies
until you can reach a repair shop. Replace it as quickly as possible
with a normal wheel.
There are some restrictions on the use of the space -saving spare
wheel
=> ,&. . The space-saving spare wheel has been developed
especially for your type of vehicle. It must not be exchanged for the
space-saving spare wheel from another type of vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be fitted on the space ­
saving spare wheel rim.
Snow chains
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains on the space-saving
spare wheel
not permitted .
If you do have to drive with snow chains and have a tire failure on a
front wheel, install the space-saving spare wheel in place of a rear
wheel. Install the snow chains on the rear wheel and use it to
replace the defective front wheel.
& WARNING
• After installing the space-saving spare wheel, the tire pressure
must be checked as soon as possible. The tire pressure must be
adapted to the load condition of the vehicle according to the tire .,_

_____________________________________________ W_ h _a_t _ d_ o_ l _d _o _ n_o_ w_ ?_ . _ ..... 19111
•
& WARNING (continued)
pressure table - risk of accident! Use the highest tire pressure in
the table.
• Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) - risk of accident!
• Avoid full-throttle acceleration, sharp braking, and fast
cornering - risk of accident!
• Never drive using more than one space-saving spare wheel -
risk of accident!
• Normal summer or winter tires must not be fitted on the space­
saving spare wheel rim. •
Wheel change
Before changing a wheel
Follow these points for your own and your passenger's
safety when replacing a wheel.
-After you experience a tire failure, pull the car well away
from moving traffic and try to reach level ground before
you stop => & .
- All passengers should leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail)=>& .
- Apply the parking brake firmly=>&.
- Move selector lever to position Pon an automatic trans-
mission; put manual transmission in first gear =>& .
- If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle.
- Take the tool case and the spare tire=>
page 290 out of
the luggage compartment.
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if
you do not follow these safety precautions:
• If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off the road. Turn off
the engine, turn the emergency flasher on and use other warning devices to alert other motorists .
• Make sure that passengers wait in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the roadway and traffic.
• To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possibly
slipping off the jack, always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed. When one
front wheel is lifted off the ground, placing the Automatic Trans­
mission in "P" (Park), or engaging a gear in a manual transmission
will
not prevent the vehicle from moving .
• Before you change a wheel, be sure the ground is level and firm.
If necessary, use a sturdy board under the jack.
• After installing the spare wheel, make sure that you remount
the flat tire/wheel in its storage area properly and tighten the
knurled retaining screw securely. •
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence described
below step-by -step and exactly in that order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For more details
see also =>
page 294, "Decorative wheel covers" or
=>
page 295, "Wheels with cap-covered wheel bolts".
2. Loosen the wheel bolts=>
page 295.
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the jack and align
the jack below that point=>
page 296.
4. Lift the car with the jack=> page 296. _,..
Do-it-yourself service

_______________________________________________ W_ h_ a _ t_d_ o_ l _d _o_ n_ o_ w_ ? _ __.1111
Ap plies to vehic les: with cap-covered wheel bolts
Wheels with cap-covered wheel bolts
The caps must be removed first from the wheel bolts
before the bolts can be unscrewed.
Removing
Fig . 217 Wheel
change : removing the
wheel bolt caps
- Push the plastic clip provided with the onboard tool kit
down over the wheel bolt cap until it engages.
- Pull on the properly engaged plastic clip to extract the
cap:::> fig. 217.
Refitting
- Place the caps over the wheel bolts and push them back
1n.
The caps are there to protect and keep the wheel bolts clean.•
Loosening and tightening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising the
vehicle.
Loosening
Fig . 218 Wheel
change : loosening the
wheel bolts
-Fit the wheel bolt wrench over the wheel bolt and push it
down as far as it will go.
- Close your grip around the end of the wrench handle for
maximum torque and turn the wheel bolts counter-clock­
wise about one single turn in the direction of arrow
:::> fig. 218 .
Tightening Fit the wheel bolt wrench over the wheel bolt and push it
down as far as it will go.
- Close your grip around the end of the wrench handle for
maximum torque and turn each wheel bolt clockwise
until it sits tight. .,
~ehicle care Do-it-yourse lf service irechnical data