2009 AUDI S3 tire type

used. We recommend using roof racks from the Audi original acces­
sories program.
• Th ese roof racks are the basis for a complete roof rack system .
For safety reasons, some additional attachments are necessary to
transport luggage, bicycles, surf boards, skis and small boats safely .
All these components are available at your authorized Audi dealer.
Vehicle with roof rails
• The vehicle is equipped with integrated roof railings, which can
be covered into roof rack by installing cross bars. Only install cross
bars specifically designed for this vehicle.
• Th ese bars are the basis for a complete roof rack system. Addi ­
tional attachments are necessary to safely transport luggage, bicy­
cles, surf boards, skis or small boats.
• All necessary hardware for these systems is available from your
authorized Audi dealer.
When should the roof rack be removed?
• Before going through an automatic car wash (it is best to ask the
car wash operator)
• When not in use (reduce fuel consumption, reduce wind noise
and guard against theft)
& WARNING
• Use of an unapproved roof rack or incorrect mounting of an
approved roof rack can cause the roof rack or the items carried on
it to fall off the roof onto the road.
• Objects falling from the roof of a vehicle can cause a crash and
personal injury.
• Only mount the system between the markings shown in
~ fig. 94 or ~ page 90, fig. 95.
• The roof rack system must be installed exactly according to the
instructions provided .
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Seats and storage
0 Note
• Any damage to the vehicle caused by using roof racks or other
types of cross bars that have not been approved by Audi for your
vehicle, or incorrect roof rack installation, is not covered by the
Warranty.
• Always check the roof rack mountings and hardware before each
trip and during a trip to make sure everything is securely tightened.
If necessary, retighten the mountings and check the entire system
from time to time.
• After mounting a roof rack system, or when you transport
objects on the roof of your vehicle, the height of the vehicle is natu ­
rally increased . Be careful when driving under low bridges or in park
garages for example . This could cause damage to the vehicle and
even the
load. a
Applies to veh icles: without roof rails
Attachment points without roof rails
The roof rack must be attached only at the locations
marked.
Fig . 94 Attachment
points for roof rack
The attachment points=> fig. 94 @can only be seen with
the door open. .,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_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, particularly 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 regu lar ly
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 including tread separation and
b lowouts .
Avoiding dama ge
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slow ly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls includ ing grease, oil, gasoline and brake
f luid off the tires.
I nspec t the tires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blis ters, etc.l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota ­
tion . This ensu res you to be ab le to mount them correctly when you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
St ore t ires in a vertical posit ion if they a re not mounted on rims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in~&.
The tread dep th of new tires may va ry, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
Hidden d ama ge
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusua l vibration or the vehicle pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immed iately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire ction al tir es
A unidirectio nal tire can be iden tif ied by arrows on the s idewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must follow
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 279.
in. WARNING
Ne w tire s or tire s that are old , worn or damaged cann ot pro vide
m aximum cont rol and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slippe ry and m ust be broken in . To redu ce
the risk of losing control, a colli sion and seriou s per sonal injurie s,
drive with speci al care for t he fi rst 350 m ile s ( 560 km l.
• Driving with worn or damaged t ire s can lead to lo ss of co ntrol ,
s udd en tire failure , in clu ding a blowout a nd sudden deflation , .,,_
Vehicle care
I t •

Tires and wheels -_______________ _____.
Incorrect wheel alignm ent
Inc orrect wheel alignment ca n cause excessive tire wear, impairing
the safety of the vehicle . If tires show excessive wear, have the
whee l alignment chec ked by an autho rized A udi deale r or qu alifie d
wor kshop .
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles with quattro® must always have tires of the same size,
co nst ructi on an d tread type . For detail s see =>
page 196 .
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to lo ss of control, a crash and serious
personal injury!
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indi cators.
• Worn tire s are a safety hazard , they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning " and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cau se tire damage , such a s
grease , oil , gasoline and brake fluid away from tires.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds . Tire s that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds .
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previou s hi story. " Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failu re and loss of vehi cle control. •
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
N ew tires a nd wh eels hav e to be b ro ken in.
Fig. 184 T ire spe cificati on c od es on the sidewall of a tire
No .
©
0
©
©
©
©
Descr iption
Passenger car tire (where applicable)
Nominal width of tire in mi llimeters
Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
Radial
ii Rim diameter code
Load index an d spee d rating
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

-~_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 yo u if it is n ece ssa ry .
• The battery inside of t he ti re pressure sensor has a l imited
service life.
• Always driv e with the valv e stem caps s ecurely mount ed. We
r ecomme nd u sing fact ory insta lled valve s tem caps . As k your autho­
rized Audi d ealer to replace lost va lve stem caps.
T he installation of rep lacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
the t ir e si dewa ll may caus e malf unc tio n of th e tir e pre ssure mo ni­
toring system*, and is not recommended (cord material informat ion
in mo lded o n th e tire s idewa ll).
Always check your tire pressu re monitoring system* indicator after
r eplacing one o r more tir e s on yo ur veh icle . If the ti re p ressure
monito ring sy ste m* in dicato r flas hes or is illum inated, you r syste m
is not working p ro perl y. Yo ur replacement ti re might be incompat ­
i b le with you r tire p ressu re mo nitoring sys tem*, or some compo ­
nent of the tire pressure monitori ng 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 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 .
• 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.
& WARNING (continued)
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driving
with different tires reduces vehicle handling 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 tires - only use 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
their 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 vehicles -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 tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system * that indicates a loss of tire pressure . Incorre ct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authorized 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 must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted. .,

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•
0 Note
• For technical reasons, it is not genera lly possible to use the
whee l rims from other vehic les. This can hold true for wheels of the
same vehic le type.
• If the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted
on your vehicle (for example winter tires or wide p rofile t ires), then
use the spare tire for a short period of time only and drive with extra
care. Rep lace the flat tire with the tire matching the others on your
vehicle as soon as possible.
• If you put d ifferent wheels and tires on your veh ic le (e.g. w inter
whee ls and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and tires are
compatible with the tire p ressure monitor ing system*. Otherwise
the system wi ll register a malfunction and a fau lt message wil l be
displayed. For more infor mation, contact your author ized Audi
dea ler.
0 Note
• When insta lling new tires, be carefu l not to damage the va lves or
t ire p ressu re mon itoring system* sensors .
• Never drive without the va lve stem cap. The va lves could get
damaged.
• I f the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
replaced at t he same t ime.
Dispose of o ld tires in accordance with the local requ irements .•
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tread wear
• Traction AA A B C
• Temperature A B C Qua
lity grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall
b etween tread shoulder a nd maximu m section width =>
page 255,
fig. 184.
For example : Tread wear 200, Traction AA , Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federa l Safety Require ­
ments in addit ion to these grades.
T read wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate
o f t he tire when tes ted under contro lled condit ions on a specified
government test course.
F o r example, a tire g raded 150 would wear one and one half (1 1 /2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual condi ­
tions o f the ir use, however, and may depart sign ificantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ ­
ences in road characterist ics and c limate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, Band C.
Those grades represent the tire 's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under contro lled cond itions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor t raction performance =>& .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, represent ing
the tire 's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissi ­
pat e heat when tested u nder con tro lled co nditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high tempera ture can cause the material of t he ti re to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure=>& .
The grade C corresp onds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federa l Motor Vehicle
Vehicle care I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher leve ls of
performa nce on th e la boratory test w hee l tha n the minim um
requ ired by law .
& WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this t ire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests , and does not include acceleration ,
cornering , hydroplaning or peak traction characteristi cs.
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire th at is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Exces sive speed , underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination , can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure. •
Winter tires
Win ter tires can im prove veh icle ha ndl ing on sno w and
i c e. A t te mp eratu res belo w 4 5 °F (7 ° C) w e r eco mme nd
c ha ng in g to winter tir e s.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winter o r "snow" tire s, those with ve ry deeply cut tread. These tires
should only be used in pairs and be insta lled on a ll four wheels .
M ake s ure you p urchase snow ti res that are the same s ize and
construct ion type as the other ti res on your vehicle.
If your vehic le is equipped with al l-wheel drive *, this will improve
t rac tion dur ing winter dr iv in g, eve n with the standard tires .
However, we strongly recommend that you a lways equip all four
whee ls on y our vehicle with correc tly fitted winte r tires or all-seas on
tires, when winter road conditions are expected . Th is a lso improves
t he ve hic le 's brak ing perfo rmance an d reduces s top ping distances .
Summer ti res p rovide less grip on ice and snow. Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on all four whee
ls .
Compatible ti re pr essu re monitoring sensors* must be insta lled on
a ll four winter tires for the t ire pressure monitoring system* to func ­
tion proper ly :::::> page
257.
Ask your aut hori zed Audi deale r or quali fied w orksho p for perm itte d
winter tire size s. Use only radial winter tires.
Wi nter tires lose thei r effec tiveness when the tread is worn down t o
a depth of 0. 157 inch (4 mm).
On ly drive with winter tires under winter conditions. Summer tires
h an dle better when there is no s now or ice on t he roads a nd th e
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
I f you have a flat tire, see n otes on spare w hee l :::::> page
255.
Please a lways remembe r that w inte r tires may have a lower speed
r ating than the tires original ly instal led on your vehic le at the time
i t was manu fac tured. Please see:::::> page
257, "Speed ra ting (letter
code)" for a listing of the speed rating letter codes and the
m ax imum speed at which t he ti res ca n be drive n.
T he speed rating letter code(:::::, page
257! is on the side wa ll of the
ti re :::::> page
255.
& WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits that may be lower than
your veh icle's ma ximum speed . Always know the maximum speed
before driving off . Never drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific winter tires . This will cause damage to the tires
leading to an accident and serious personal injury to you and your
pa ssengers.
& WARNING
Driving faster than the ma ximum speed for whi ch the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation , los s of control , crashes and serious _.,

What do I do now? -
------------------
& WARNING !continued)
• Always make sure the spare tire and even a flat tire are secured
in place and not loose, otherwise they could fly forward, causing
personal injury to passengers in the vehicle in an accident or
sudden maneuver .
• Never use the jack supplied with your Audi on another vehicle,
particularly on a heavier one. The jack is only suitable for use on
the vehicle it came with. •
Ap plies to vehicles: w ith compact spare wheel
Compact spare wheel
The compact spare wheel is only intended to be used for
a short Nme.
Fig . 190 Compact
spare wheel in the
wheel well
You will find the compact spare wheel under the floor in the luggage
compartment. It is secured with a large nut.
Using the compact spare wheel
The compact 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 compact spare wheel
=>
& -The compact spare wheel has been developed especially for your type of vehicle
. It must not be exchanged for the compact
spare wheel from another type of vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be installed on the
compact spare wheel rim.
Snow chains
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains on the compact spare
wheel is
not permitted .
If you do have to drive with snow chains and have a tire failure on a
front wheel, install the 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.
Using the spare wheel
The 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 a spare wheel =>& .The
spare wheel has been developed especially for your type of vehicle.
I t must not be exchanged for the spare wheel from another type of
vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be installed on the spare
wheel rim .
Snow tires
For technical reasons , the use of snow chains on the spare wheel is
not permitted .
If you do have to drive with snow chains and have a tire failure on a
front wheel, install the 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.
t,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service irechnical data

_________________________________________________ G_ e_ n_ e_r _a _l_ i_n _f_o _ r_ m_ a_ t _i _o _ n __ lftlll
left door jamb. It shows the month and year of production and the
vehicle identification number of your vehicle (perforation) as well as
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR).
The high voltage warning label
is located on the lock carrier.
The spark ignition system complies with the Canadian
standard ICES-002. •
Weights
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for front and rear are listed on a sticker on the left
door jamb.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating includes the weight of the basic
vehicle plus full fuel tank, oil and coolant, plus maximum load,
which includes passenger weight (150 lbs/68 kg per designated
seating position) and luggage weight.
Gross Axle Weight Rating
The Gross Axle Weight Rating is the maximum load that can be
applied at each axle of the vehicle ~& .
Vehicle capacity weight
The vehicle capacity weight (max. load) is listed either on the
driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap .
Roof weight
The maximum permissible roof weight is 165 lb (75 kgl. The roof
weight is made up of the weight of the roof rack system and the
weight of the object being transported~
page 91, "Loading the
roof rack".
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
•
The actual Gross Axle Weight Rating at the front and rear axles
should not exceed the permissible weights, and their combination
must not exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
• Exceeding permissible weight ratings can result in vehicle
damage, accidents and personal injury.
0 Note
• The vehicle capacity weight figures apply when the load is
distributed evenly in the vehicle (passengers and luggage). When
transporting a heavy load in the luggage compartment, carry the
load as near to the rear axle as possible so that the vehicle's
handling is not impaired.
• Do not exceed the maximum permissible axle loads or the
maximum gross vehicle weight. Always remember that the vehicle's
handling will be affected by the extra load. Therefore, adjust your
speed accordingly.
• Always observe local regulations.•
Dimensions
The specifications refer to the basic model. Differences may occur
depending on the model type and options ordered, for example, tire
sizes.
0 Note
When driving up steep ramps, on rough roads, over curbs, etc. it is
important to remember that some parts of your vehicle, such as
spoilers or exhaust system components, may be close to the
ground. Be careful not to damage them. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Tec hn ica l da ta