-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
ment tires that were on your vehicle at the time it was manufac
tured. For the location of the labe l =>
page 351, fig. 291 .
Most tires lose air natural ly 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 wou ld not consider to be
"long." See=>
page 355, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
important informat ion .
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking and adjusting inflation 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 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 p lan to do.
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the cold t ire 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 vehic le as listed on
the on your vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you
plan to do .
Nev er e xceed th e m ax imum inf lation p ressu re li sted on the tir e
s id ew all for any re ason .
Remember that the veh icle manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer,
determines the correct tire pressure for the tires on your vehicle .
It is important to check the ti re 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 s ide 8 -pillar or inside the fue l fil ler flap . The tire pres -sure labe
l lists the recommended co ld tire inflation pressures for
t he vehicle at its maximum capaci ty weight and the tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For recommended
tire p ressures for normal load conditions, please see chapter
=>
page 351 .
• Turn the va lve stem cap counter -clockwise to remove it from the
tire valve.
• Place the air pressure gauge on the valve.
• T he tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when
the tires are cold . The s lightly raised pressures of war m tires must
not be reduced.
• Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying .
• Reinstal l the valve stem cap on the valve.
Wh en sh o uld I ch eck th e tir e pr es su re?
The correct tire pressure is especially important at high speeds. The
pressure should therefore be checked at least once a month and
always before starti ng a journey . Do not forget to check the tire pres
sure for the spare wheel.
When should I adjust the tire pre ssures ?
Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying . After changing
a whee l
or replacing whee ls you have to adjust the tire pressures on
all wheels. In addition, you must then initialize the new tire pres
sures in the tire pressure monito ring system =>
page 42.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pre ssure s and /or underinflation can lead sudden tire
fa ilure , loss o f control , colli sion , seriou s per so nal inj ury or e ven
death.
• When the warning symbo l
r appe ars in th e instr ument
clu ste r, sto p and in spect the tire s.
Tires and wheels -_____________ .:.....::...=..____:__:_:_:_=-=----
•
& WARNING (continu ed )
• Incorrect tire pressure and /or under inflation can cause
in creased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect t ire pressures and /o r underinflat ion can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing lo ss of vehicle control .
• The driver is respon sible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pre ssure values are located on
a sticker on the driver 's side 8-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 sy stem 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 value s for the tires and the correct pres
sures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system.
• Always inflate tires to the re commended 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 ,
s udden tire failure and lo ss of control .
• If the tire pres sure is too low or too high , the t ires 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 t ire pressure and add air as required.
0 Note
Dr iving wi thout valve stem caps ca n cause damage to t he tire
valves. To prevent this, always make sure that factory instal led va lve
stem caps o n all wheels are sec urely mou nted on the va lve .
c£> For the sake of the environment
Underi nflate d tir es w ill a lso inc rease the fue l consu mptio n.•
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are li m its to the a mou nt o f load or weig ht th at any ve hic le and
any tire can carry . A vehicle that is overloaded wil l not handle wel l
and is more diff icu lt to stop . Overload ing ca n no t only lead to loss
of vehic le control, but can also damage important parts of the
ve hicle a nd can lead to sud den tire failu re, i nclu di ng a bl owou t and
sudden deflat ion that can cause the vehic le to crash.
Your safety an d that of your passengers also depends on ma kin g
su re tha t load l imits are not exceeded . Vehicle load includes eve ry
body and everything in and on the vehic le. These load limits are
t echnica lly re ferred to as the ve hicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR"l.
The "GVWR" in clu de s th e we ig ht of t he basi c ve hicle, all fac tory
insta lled accessories, a ful l tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
plus m aximu m load. The maxi mum l oad inc lude s the n umber of
passen gers that the vehicle is intended to carry !"seating capacity")
with an assumed weight of 150 lbs (68 kg) fo r each passenger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any lugga ge in
the vehicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
to ngue we ig ht of th e loaded tra iler must b e included as par t of th e
vehic le load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the m aximum loa d th at
can be applied at each of the vehicle's two ax les. _,,,
Vehicle care I t •
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n _ d_ w_ h_ e_ e_ls _ ____.11111
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in.
Fig. 295 Tire specification codes on the sidewall of a tire
No.
G)
@
©
©
©
©
Description
Passenger car tire (where appl icable)
Nominal width of tire in millimeters
Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
Radial
Rim diameter code
Load index and speed rating
0
©
U.S. DOT tire identificat ion number
Sever snow conditions
Tire ply composition and materials used
Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pressure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the vehicle's design. The
tires and rims approved by Audi are specially matched to the char acteristics of the vehicle and can make a major contribution to good
road holding and safe handling when in good condition and prop
erly inflated =>& .
We recommend that all work on tires and wheels be performed by
an authorized Audi dealer. They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary special tools and spare parts as
well as the proper facilities for disposing of the old tires.
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary information about tech
nical requirements for installing or changing tires and rims.
Replacing tires and wheels
Tires should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (for
example both front tires or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the information to the tire pressure moni
toring system =>
page 361.
Always buy replacement radial tires that have the same specifica
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi. Replacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the original equipment or approved optional tires listed in the table
=> page 351.
Audi -approved specification tires are specially matched to your
vehicle and its load limits, and can contribute to the important road-.,_
Vehic le care I I irechnical data
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
•
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) and tire
manufacture date
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, the numbers 2208 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22th week of 2008. 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 carried by the tire.
Tire quality grading for treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades~ page 363.
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 vehicle.
If you install rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
which are not compatible, then the tire pressure monitoring system
will not work properly. In this case, the tire pressure monitoring
system would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or warn you
if it is necessary.
• The battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
recommend using factory installed valve stem caps. Ask your autho
rized Audi dealer to replace lost valve stem caps .
The installation of replacement tires with steel cord body plies in
the tire sidewall may cause malfunction of the tire pressure moni
toring system, and is not recommended (cord material information
in molded on the tire sidewall).
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system indicator after replacing one or more tires on your vehicle. If the tire pressure
monitoring system indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
working properly. Your replacement tire might be incompatible with
your tire pressure monitoring system, or some component of the
tire pressure monitoring system may be damaged.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/ or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control, collision and serious personal injury.
• Always use tires, 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 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
lower speeds . .,.
Vehicle care
I t •
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
0 Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 120 ft lb (160 Nm) with a
tolerance of± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bolts diagonally.
After changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as
possible with a torque wrench -preferably by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop. •
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect ratio tires. These tires
have been thoroughly tested and been selected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road feel and handling under
a variety of driving conditions . Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated by a numeral of
55 or
less
in the tire's size designation. The numeral represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewall height in relation to its tread width expressed
in percentage. Conventional tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more.
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires is particularly sensitive to
improper inflation pressure. It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified pressure and that the
inflation pressure is regularly checked and maintained. Tire pres
sures should be checked at least once a month and always before a
long trip~
page 353, "Checking tire pressure".
What you can do to avoid tire and rim damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easily by impact with
potholes, curbs, gullies or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire
is underinflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence of impact damage to the tires
of your vehicle, we recommend that you observe the following precautions: •
Always maintain recommended inflation pressures. Check your
tire pressure every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary.
• Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep gullies or ridges.
The impact from driving through or over such obstacles can
damage your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to
your tires.
• After any impact, immediately inspect your tires or have them
inspected by the nearest authorized Audi dealer. Replace a
damaged tire as soon as possible.
• Inspect your tires every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) for damage and
wear. Damage is not always easy to see. Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, which could eventually cause tire failure. If
you believe that a tire may have been damaged, replace the tire as
soon as possible.
• Th ese tires may wear more quickly than others.
• Please also remember that. while these tires deliver responsive
handling, they may ride less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes. The low aspect ratio,
ultra high performance tires originally installed on your vehicle are
intended for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling.
They are not suitable for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions. If
you drive under those circumstances, you should equip your vehicle
with all -season or winter tires, which offer better traction under
those conditions. We suggest you use the recommended snow or all -season tires specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to~
page 363for more detailed information regarding winter
tires. •
-What do I do novv? PV:f.,___ ______________ _
-Secu re th e bass b ox w it h t he larg e sc re w. •
Inflatable spare t ire
T he i nfla tab le sp are tir e ex pand s to its full di amet er wh en
it is inflated.
Removing inflatable spare tire
Fig . 300 Inflat able
spare t ire with
compres sor
Li ft up th e carg o floo r u sing the handl e.
- T urn t he l arg e scre w:::> fig. 300 coun ter-c loc kwi se.
Re move the bass bo x as req uir e d :::>
page 371.
- Take o ut th e inflatable s pare t ire.
Stowing the inflatable spare tire
Relea se th e air by un screwing the valve st em .
Sc re w the va lv e st em b ack in afte rwards.
Wait a few hours b efo re pl acin g the wh eel in th e sp are
w he el w ell :::>
& .
Install t he bass b ox as require d:::> page 371.
S ec ure the whe el wit h th e large s cre w. - Fo
ld the cargo floor bac k d own.
After using the inflatable spare wheel
The inflatab le spare ti re can be re-used as long as it is not damaged
an d is n ot worn d own to the tre ad wea r indi cato rs=> &.
When you l et the air out of the inflatabl e spare tir e, it do es not
a ss ume it s fo lded shape aga in for severa l hou rs . U ntil then, it
c annot be plac ed bac k in the sp are whe el well and s tow ed sec urel y.
& WARNING
• Never use the spare tire if it is damaged or if it is worn down to
the tread wear indicators.
• If the inflatable spare tire is more than 6 years old, use it only
in an emergency and with extreme caution and careful driving.
• The inflatable spare tire is intended only for temporary and
short-term use. It should be replaced as soon as possible with the
normal wheel and tire .
• Maximum inflation pressure for the inflatable spare tire is
50 PSI (3 .5 bar).
• Maximum permissible speed is 50 mph (80 km /h ).
• Avoid full -throttle acceleration , heavy braking, and fast
cornering .
• When the air is let out of the inflatable spare wheel , it does not
assume its folded shape for several hours . Until then , it cannot be
placed back in the spare wheel well and stowed securely .
• Never drive with more than one inflatable spare tire.
• For technical reasons , the use of tire chains on the inflatable
spare tire is not permitted . If it is necessary to drive with tire
chains, the inflatable spare wheel must be mounted on the front
axle in the event of a flat in a rear tire. The newly available front
wheel must then be installed in place of the rear wheel with the
flat tire . Installing the tire chain before mounting the wheel and
tire is recommended . .,.