2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET winter tires

___ ln_ te_ ll..,,ig ..,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
• If the power steering system should fail entirely, or if the engine
is not running (for example, while being towed), you will still be able
to steer the vehicle . However, considerably more effort will be
required to do so.
• If the power steering system should have a leak, or is not func­
tioning properly, contact your authorized Audi dealer immediately.
• The power steering system requires a specially formulated
hydraulic fluid. The power steering reservoir is the one located most
forward on the left side of the engine compartment=> page 251. The
correct fluid level in the reservoir is important for proper func­
tioning of the power steering. •
Driving with your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
General information
With All Wheel Drive, power is distributed to all four wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road conditions at the time. See also=> page 213, "Electronic differ­
ential lock (EDU".
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for improved
driveability and braking: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also => page 284, "Winter tires".
Snow chains
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with all -wheel drive => page 285, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size. Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see
page => page 279, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to=> page 221.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by the all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the quattro®all-wheel drive is very effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (hydro­ planing). If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are adjusted to the road conditions -risk of crash! •

-Cleaning and protection P':ft':I _______________ _
& WARNING
• 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 230.
0 Note
• Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle
is dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this could scratch your
vehicle's paint or windows.
• Never wash your car in bright sunlight. Drops of water act as
magnifying lenses and may damage your paint .
• When you wash your car in the winter: if you rinse your vehicle
with a hose, be careful not to aim the stream of water directly at
locks, or at door or hatch openings - they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges designed to remove insects, or any kitchen
scouring sponges or similar products. They can damage your paint
finish .
• Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean the headlights. Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent scratches . It is best to use soapy
water.
<£> For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the vehicle should only be
washed in special wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high-pressure
power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple
rules.
- Before using the power washer, make sure you have read
and understood the WARNINGS~
& in "General infor­
mation" on
page 230.
Always follow the operating instructions for the power
washer.
Make sure that the jet on the spray hose produces a "fan
shaped spray".
Do
not hold the spray nozzle too close to soft materials.
When cleaning the vehicle with a power washer always follow the
operating instructions. This applies particularly to the
operating
pressure and the spraying distance. Maintain a sufficient distance
to soft materials such as rubber hoses and sound/vibration dead­ ening materials {particularly on the underside of the engine hood).
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a
direct stream or one that
has a
rotating jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140
°F (60 °C).
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays water in a direct stream.
This could cause invisible damage to the tires and weaken them,
even if the spray is from a relatively long distance and for a short
time . Damaged and weakened tires can fail and cause accidents
and personal injury.
0 Note
• Never use a power washer to clean the power top itself.

___ C_ le_ a _ n_i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d __ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry
painted surfaces. Wa x resi due on the cha mois can impair vision
through the windows .
& WARNING
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent mate­
rials. They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions such
a s wetne ss, darkness , or when the sun is low o n the horizon . In
addition , they can cause the wind shield wipers to chatter .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informat ion
~ page 2 30.
0 Note
• Never use war m or hot wa ter to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors. Th is could cause the glass to crack.
• To prevent damage to the w ires of the rear defogger, do not p lace
any adhesive stic kers on the inside of the rear window over the
wires.
• To he lp prevent dirt from sc ratching the w indow, a lways scrape
in a forward direction -pushing t he scraper away from you -nev er
back and forth. •
Weatherstrips
Complete c ar ca re includes the wea the rs trips as well .
- App ly a s uitable rubber co ndit ioner to the weat herstr ips
f rom t ime to t ime.
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear lid , etc. must remain pliable . Spray the weatherstrips with si li­
co ne or coat them w ith ta lcum powder or glycer ine to retain the
flexibility of the rubber and to protect them against free zing in the
winter .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the infor mation
~ page 2 30 .
[ i ] Tips
K eep si lico ne s prays off the windsh ield to avo id wiper smear in
rain .•
Ap plies to vehic les : w it h s teel whee ls te.g. if ref itt ed with winte r tiresl
Steel wheels
The wheels also have to be cle aned.
Always include the hub caps and wheel rims when
washing yo ur vehicle to remove roa d dirt, sal t sprays and
brake dust.
I f necessary, use a commercial wheel cleaner to remove accumu ­
la ted brake dust.
The wheel rims a re eas ier to kee p clean i f they are regular ly coated
with liquid wax .
Paint scratches sh ou ld be touc hed u p as so on as possible to p reven t
corrosion~
page 235, "Touch -up paint".
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on brakes may affect br aking efficiency -
~ page 215, "General information ". Test the brakes carefully after
ea ch vehicle wa sh .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page230. •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Rei nf orced tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher inf la ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
tires my be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the t ire beads are seated.
R im di am eter
means nomina l diameter o f the bead seat. If you change your wheel
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam­
eter.
R im size des ig nati on
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating (le tter code )
means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time . The ratings range from 93 mph ( 150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)~
page 281. You may not find this informa­
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law .
The speed rating letter code, where appl icable, is molded on the tire
sidewal l and indicates the maximum permissible road speeds~
&
in "Winter tires" on page 284 .
Tire pres su re m onitoring s yste m*
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and i lluminates a low tire pressure warning te ll­
tale .
Trea d
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road .
Trea d se parati on
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass .
Treadw ear indi cato rs (TWI)
means the projections within the princ ipal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread. See
~ page 278, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more informatio n on
measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Q uality Gra ding
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (N HTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The U TQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire wil l last for a
prescribed number of miles or perform in a certain way. It simply
gives tire buyers additiona l information to combine wit h other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dea ler recommen­
dations. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in
three areas: treadwear, traction and temperature resistance . The
UTQG information on the tires, molded into the sidewalls.
U.S . D OT T ir e Ident ifi ca tion Num ber (T IN )
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the le tters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federa l 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,
D OT ... 2 209 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2009 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may o r may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll. -.,

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _ ...... ffllll
•
Tire manufacturing date
The manufacturing date is also indicated on the tire sidewall
(possibly on ly on the
inner side of the wheell:
"DOT ... 2209 ... " means, for example, that the tire was produced in
the 22th week of 2009.
Speed rating (letter code)
The speed rating letter code on the wheels indicates the maximum
permissible road speeds =:,
& in "Winter tires" on page 284.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R upto 106mph(170km /h)
S upto110mph(180km/h)
T upto118mph(190km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H upto130mph(210km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
31
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)3
l
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)31
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)3
l
Your vehicle is normally factory equipped with tires, which possess
excel lent driving characteristics and give your Audi opt imum
driving comfort. An electronic speed limiter=:,
page 28will normal ly
prevent your vehicle from going faster than the tire speed ratin g
=:>& .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN ) and tire
manufacture date
This is the tire's "serial number". It begins with the le tters "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-
31 For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149 mph (240 km/h), tire
m anufacturers so metimes use the letters "ZR."
ture. For example, the numbers 2209 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22th week of 2009. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or may not be used by the tire manufac­
turer . This information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Tire ply composition and materials used
The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated
fabric in the tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the
more weight a tire can support. Tire manufacturers also must indi ­
cate the materials in the tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester,
and others.
Maximum Load Rating
This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carr ied by the tire .
Tire quality grading for treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades=:, page 283.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
Replacing tires or rims on vehicles equipped with tire
pressure monitoring system*
The wheels on your vehicle are equipped with a sensor which
constantly monitors the air pressure inside the tire, and then trans ­
mits this information to the tire pressure monitoring system*. If you
are going to replace the wheel rims on your vehicle, make sure the
new rims also have these sensors . The sensors must be compatible
with the tire pressure monitoring system* on your vehic le .
If you install rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
which are not compatible, then the tire pressure monitoring
system* wil l not work properly. In this case, the tire pressure moni -.,_
Ve hic le care

-~_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. .,