__________________________________________________ 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. .,
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _ ...... fflll
•
0 Not e
• For technical reasons, it is not genera lly possible to use the
wheel rims from other vehic les. This can hold true for wheels of the
same vehicle type.
• If the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted
on your vehicle (for example winter tires or wide profile 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
vehic le as soon as possible.
• If you should put different wheels and tires on your vehic le (e.g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and
tires are compatib le with the tire pressure monitoring system.
Otherwise the system will register a malfunction and a fault
message will be displayed . For more information, contact your Aud i
dea ler.
0 Note
• When insta lling new tires, be carefu l not to damage the valves or
t ire pressure monitoring system* senso rs.
• Never drive without the va lve stem cap. The va lves could get
damaged.
• If the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
replaced at the same t ime.
Dispose of old tires in accordance with the local requirements .•
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
be tween tread shoulder and maximum section widt h =>
page 279,
fig. 21 1.
For example : Tread wear 200, Traction AA , Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federa l Safety Require
ments in addition to these grades.
Tre ad w ear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate
of the tire when tested under con trol led conditions on a specified
government test course.
F o r exam ple, 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 of the ir use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ
ences in road cha racteristics and c limate .
Tra ction
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
measu red under contro lled conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance =>
/.1.
Temperatur e
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing
the tire 's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissi
pate heat when tested under contro lled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sus tained high temperature can cause the material of the ti re to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure=>
/.1.
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Vehic le care
-~_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
p er forma nce on th e laboratory test w hee l tha n the minim um
required by law .
& WARNING
The traction grade ass igned to this t ire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests , and does not include a cceleration ,
c ornering , hydroplaning or peak tra ction characterist ics .
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established fo r a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed , underinfla
tion, or exces sive loading , either separately or in combination , can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure . •
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve veh icle ha ndl ing on sno w and
ic e. A t tem peratures belo w 45 °F (7
°C ) w e rec omm end
c ha ng ing to wint er tir e s.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winte r or "snow" tire s, those wi th ve ry deeply cut tread. These tires
should only be used in pairs and be instal led on a ll four wheels .
M ake s ure you p urchase snow ti res that are the same size and
cons truct ion type as the o the r ti res on your v ehicle.
I f your vehic le is equipped with al l-wheel drive*, this will improve
t raction during w inter dr iving, even with the s tandard tires .
H owever, we strongly recommend that you a lways equ ip all four
whee ls on y our vehic le wi th correc tly fitted winte r tires or all-seas on
tires, when winter road conditions are expected. This also improves
th e ve hic le 's brak ing performance and red uces s to ppi ng d ista nce s.
Summer t ires p rov ide less gr ip o n ice and s now. Winter tires (snow tires) must a
lways be fitted on all four whee ls .
I f your veh icle is equipped with a ti re pre ssure monitoring system*,
compatible t ire pressure mon itoring sensors must be installed on
a ll four winte r tires for the system to function properly ~
page 281.
Ask your aut hori zed Audi dealer or quali fied wo rksho p for perm itte d
winter tire sizes . Use only radial winter tires.
Winter tires lose thei r effec tive nes s when the tread is wo rn down t o
a depth of 0.157 inch (4 mm).
On ly drive with winter tires unde r winter conditions. Summer tires
h andle be tter w hen th ere is no s now o r ice on t he roads a nd the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
I f you have a flat tire, see n otes on s pa re whee l~
page 279.
Please a lways remember that w inte r tires may h ave a lowe r speed
rating than the tires original ly instal led on yo ur vehic le at the time
i t was manu fac tured. Please see~
page 281, "Speed rating (letter
code)" for a listing of the speed rating letter codes and the
m ax imum speed at wh ic h th e tir es ca n be d riven .
The speed rating letter code(~
page 270) is on the side wa ll of the
ti re ~
page 279.
& WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits that may be lower than
your vehicle's maximum 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 maximum 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 seriou s
~
IIIJIL_T~ ir~e =s~ a~n~ d~ w~ h ~e~e~ l~ s '.,_ ______________________________________________ _
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the correct
torque .
The design of wheel bo lts is matched to the factory installed rims . If
different rims are fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This ensures that
whee ls are fitted securely and that the brake system functions
correctly .
I n certain circumstances, you may not use wheel bolts from a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model~ page 318.
& WARNING
Improperl y tightened or maintained wheel bolt s can be come loose
c au sing lo ss of control , a co llis ion and seriou s personal injur y.
• Alwa ys keep the wheel bolt s and the th reads in the wheel hubs
c lean so the wheel bolt s can turn ea sily and be properl y tightened.
• Never gre ase or oil the wheel bolt s and the thre ad s i n the wheel
hub s. They can become lo ose while drivin g if gre ased or oiled ,
e ven if tig hten ed to th e specifi ed torque .
• Onl y use wheel bo lt s th at bel ong to the rim being in sta lled.
• Nev er use differ ent wheel s bolt s on your vehicle.
• Alway s m aintai n the corre ct t ightenin g to rq ue for the whee l
bo lt s to r edu ce the ri sk of a whe el los s. If the tighten ing torque of
t h e w heel bolt s is too l ow, they c an loose n a nd com e out when th e
v ehicl e is mov ing . If th e tighte ning torque is t oo high, the whe el
b ol ts an d threads can be dam ag ed and the whee l can become
loo se .
0 Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 90 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
tolerance of ± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque whee l bolts diagonally.
After changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench
-preferably by an authorized Audi
dea ler or qua lified workshop .•
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is fac tory-equipped with low aspect ratio tires. These tires
have been thorough ly tested and been selected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road feel and hand ling under
a variety of driving conditions . Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is ind icated by a numera l of 55 or
l e ss in the tire's size designation . The numera l represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relat ion to its tread w idth expressed
in percentage. Conventiona l tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more .
T he perform ance of lo w-as pect-rati o tire s is part ic ul arl y s ensit ive to
improp er infla tion pr essure. It i s there fore important that low
a s pect ra tio tir es are inflated to the sp ec ified pre ssure an d th at th e
i nfl ation pre ssure is regularl y checked and m aintained . T ir e pres
s ure s should b e checked a t lea st once a month and alw ays before a
long trip~ page 274, "Checking tire pressure".
What you can d o to avoid tire a nd rim dama ge
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easi ly by impact with
potho les, curbs, gull ies 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 vehic le, we recommend that you observe the fo llowing
precautions:
• Always maintain recommended inflation pressures . Check your
tire pressure every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary .
• Drive careful ly 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 . .,_
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _ ...... 11111
•
• 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 eventua lly cause tire failure. If
you believe that a tire may have been damaged, replace the tire as soon as possible .
• These tires may wear more quickly than others .
• Please a lso remember that, while these tires deliver responsive
handling, they may ride less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in vvinter /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 win ter 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 284for more detailed information regarding winter
tires. •
Vehic 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 .,_