2009 AUDI S6 tire type

• .___A_ d_ a --=- p_t_ i_v _e _ A_ ir_ S_u_ s_,_ p_e_ n_ s_io _ n _____________________________________________ _
Adaptive Air Suspension
Adaptive Air Suspension and
Damping
A pplies to vehicles: wi th Adap tive Air Suspens ion
Description
Adaptive Air Suspension and damping can be regulated
and they adapt automatically to a request from the driver
and the driving situation at the time.
Adaptive Air Suspension is an electronically controlled springing
and damping system . This chassis system makes it easier on the
driver by adapting to the particular situation through imperceptible
control processes.
The
Adaptive Air Suspension component regulates ground clear ­
ance depending on vehicle speed, load condition and driver input.
When the system is in automatic mode, accelerating to a speed above a predetermined limit will make the vehicle lower itself. On
the other hand, driving more slowly results in the vehicle raising again at specific speeds.
The
damping component provides individual control of the
damping forces. For example, with damping characteristics set to
provide greater comfort, damping is set somewhat harder for a brief
period only as required, for example, when going around a curve or
over rough road surfaces as well as when braking.
Settings
Adaptive Air Suspension provides the driver with the opportunity to
set the chassis characteristics also to their individual preference.
With the driving modes
standard, automatic and dynamic the driver
has three chassis settings available, ranging from comfort to sporty .
In addition,
lift provides a fourth mode which can be selecting for
driving over poor stretches of road :::::,
page 185, "Chassis controls". The modes are set in
MMI:::::,
page 185.
& WARNING
The height of the parked vehicle can change due to temperature
fluctuations or changes in load.
0 Note
• Whenever you park your vehicle, always make sure there is
adequate clearance above and below the vehicle. The height of the parked vehicle can change as the result of temperature fluctuations,
changes in load condition and changes in the driving mode (ground
clearance!.
• If the vehicle is being transported (e.g. by tow truck, train, ship,
etc.) , mount the tie -down chains/cables over the running surface
(circumference) of the tires . Never secure the vehicle by the axle, the
suspension struts or the front or rear towline eye. For technical
reasons, the pressure in the suspension struts may change during
the transport, which could result in the vehicle no longer being
secured properly.
• To prevent damage to the vehicle underbody, remember that
your vehicle is not an off-road vehicle, even in the "lift" mode. The
ground clearance is insufficient for this type of operation.
• If you are going to tow a trailer, you must activate the trailer oper­
ation mode :::::,
page 186.
[ i] Tips
Before you raising your vehicle using the vehicle jack (for example,
when changing a flat tire) you must activate the jacking mode
=> page 186. •

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lllll
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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 349.
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 -________________ w-.
•
ture. For exam ple , t he numbers 2 208 mean that the tire was
pr od uce d in the 22nd w eek o f 20 08 . T he ot her num bers a re
marketing cod es that may or may not b e used by the tire manufac ­
tu rer. This inf or ma tion is use d to conta ct consum ers if a tir e defec t
requires a recall.
Audi Original tire
Ti res with the identification "AO" or "R O" hav e been specia lly
m atc h ed wi th you r A ud i. We re comm end u sing on ly these tire s
becaus e they meet the highest standards re garding safety and
dri ving c haracter istic s when used correctly . You r aut horized Audi
d ealer w ill glad ly prov ide you with mor e information .
Tire ply composition and materials used
The number of p li e s indicates the numb er of layers of rubber -coat ed
fabric i n the tir e . In genera l, the grea te r the number of pl ies, th e
mo re we ig ht a t ire can suppo rt. T ire ma nufactu rers also must ind i­
cate the materia ls in the tire, which include steel, ny lon, polyester,
and oth ers .
Maximum Load Rating
This numb er ind icat es the maximum load in kil ograms and pou nds
th at ca n be ca rried by t he tire.
Tire qual ity grading for treadvvear , traction , and
temperature resistance
T read wear , traction and temperature grades::::;, page 332.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the t ir e u nder nor mal d riving co nd it ion s.
& 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 .
& WARNING (continued )
• Always use tires, rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory -installed tires or other combinations that
have been spec ifically approved by the veh icle 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.
• 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 example 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 ,
includ ing a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For technical 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. Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
~
Vehicle care I t •

-Tires and wheels
PW-------------------
& WARNING (continued)
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the factory. The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires. Incorrect use of run flat tires can lead to vehicle
damage or accidents. Check with an authorized Audi dealer or tire
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.
0 Note
• For technical reasons , it is not generally possible to use the
wheel rims from other vehicles. 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 tires), then
use the spare tire for a short period of time only and drive with extra
care. Replace the flat tire with the tire matching the others on your
vehicle as soon as possible.
• Never drive without the valve stem cap. The valves could get
damaged.
~ For the sake of the environment
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
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall between tread shoulder and maximum section width~
page 329,
fig. 251 .
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA, Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal Safety Require ­
ments in addition to these grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course .
For example , a ti re graded 150 wou Id 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 their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ­
ences in road characteristics and climate.
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 controlled conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance
~ & .
Temperature
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 controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure~& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law. .,_

Tires and wheels -_____________ .:.....::...=..____:__:_:_:_=-=----
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& WARNING
The traction grade ass igned to this t ire i s based on straight -ahead
braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
c ornering , hydroplaning or peak tra ction chara cteristic s.
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed , underinfla ­
tion , or ex ces sive loading , either separately or in combination , can
c ause heat buildup and possible tire failure . •
Winter tires
Wi nter tires c an im prove vehicle handli ng on snow and
ic e. At t emperatures below 4 5 °F (7 ° C) we re commend
cha ngi ng to winte r tires.
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
s h ou ld on ly be used in pairs and be i nstalled on all four wheels .
M ake sure you purchase snow tires that are the same si ze and
co nstruction type as t he o the r tires on your veh icle .
I f your vehicle is equipped with all -wheel drive *, this will improve
t raction d uring win te r dr iving, eve n with the s ta n dard t ires .
However, we strongly recommend that you always equip a ll four
w hee ls on you r vehic le wi th cor rec tly fi tted w inter tire s or all-season
t ir es, when w inter road co nditions ar e expec ted . T his also improves
the vehicle 's br aking perfo rmance and reduces stopping distance s.
Summer tires p rov ide less gr ip on ice a nd sno w.
Winter tires (snow tires) must a lways be fitted on all four whee ls .
Ask you r author ized Aud i deale r o r qualified wo rksho p fo r pe rmitted
winter tire sizes . Use only rad ial wint er tires. Winter tires
lose their effec tiveness when the tread is worn down to
a depth of 0 .1 57 inch (4 mm).
Only drive with w inter tires under winter conditions. Summer tires
handle better when there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
t emperature is above 45 °F (7 °C).
I f you have a flat tire, see notes on spare whee l
~ page 329.
Please always remember that winter tires may have a lower speed
rating than the tires original ly installed on your vehicle at the time
it was man ufact ured. Please see~
page 330, "Speed rating (lette r
code)" for a l ist ing o f th e speed rati ng lette r codes a nd the
maximum speed at which the tires can be driven.
The s peed rati ng letter code(~
page 320) is on th e sid e wa ll o f the
tire
~ page 329 .
& 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 acc ident and serious personal injury to you and your
passengers .
& WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation , loss of control , crashes and serious
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires replaced immedi ­
ately.
• Winter tires have max imum speed rating that may be lower
than your vehicle' s maximum speed.
• Never drive faster than the speed for which the winter or other
tires installed on your vehicle are rated . ...
Vehicle care
I t •

___ G_ e_n_ e_ r_ a _l _i_n _f _o _ r_ m_ a_ t_ i_ o _ n ________________________________________________ _
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 vehic le weight. Always remember that the vehic le'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 mode l 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. •

ll'IJ Alphabetical index
---=------------------------------------------------
Warning/indicator lights . .... . ... .. 22
Worn brake pads symbol . . . . . . . . . . . 35
B reak -in period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Brake pads .. ...... .... ... ...... . 272
Tires .. .... ... .... .... ... .... ... 271
Bu lbs ..... ..... .... .... .... ....... 355
Bumper
cover
Caution when parking near a parking bar- rier or curb ...... ... .... .... ... 122
C
Ca lifornia Proposition 65 Warning ... .. 302
Battery specific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Capacities ....... ... .... .... ....... 369
Car care ....... ...... .... ... .... ... 282
Interior ......................... 289
Plastic and vinyl ...... ...... . .. .. 286
Weathers trips ...... ... .. ...... .. 287
Care of exterior .... ...... ... .... .... 282
Cargo area
See Loading the luggage compartment ..
201
Cargo net ..... ... .... .... ..... ...... 90
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Centra l locking
Emergency locking .. ...... .. . .... . 50
Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Changing a flat tire ...... .... .... ... 344
Changing a wheel . ... .... .... ....... 344
Changing engine oi l .. .... .... ...... . 306 Chassis
Undercoa ting . .... .... ...... ..... 288
See also Adaptive A ir Suspension .. . 184
CHECK button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Check ing
Engine coolant level . ...... ....... 308
Checking tire pressure ....... ........ 323
Child restraints
Danger of using child restraints in the
front seat .... .... .... .... .... .. 217
What types of chi ld restraint anchors are
available? .... .... .... .... .... .. 251
Where can I get add itional informat ion
about chi ld restraints? ... .. .. .... 252
Child safety ...... ..... .. .... .. . 238, 243
Additional information . ........... 257
Booster seats . ... ... ....... ...... 246
Convertible chi ld safety seats .... .. 244
Convertible locking retractor . ...... 248
Guidance fixtures for lower anchorages
254
Important safety instructions for using chi ld safety seats .. . ......... ... 241
Important things to know when driving
with children ....... .... ... .. ... 238
Infant seats ... ... .... .... .... ... 243
Installing a child restraint using the
LATCH system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Lower anchorages ........ ... .... . 253
Mounting and releasing the anchorage hook .. ...... ........ .......... 257
Older children and safety belts ... .. 247
Saf ety bel ts and ol dler children ... .. 247
Teth er anchors .... .... ....... ... 257 Tether
strap ... .... .... ....... .. . 258
Which restraint sys tem should my older
chi ld wear? .......... .. .. .... .. 247
Child safety lock
rear doors (power) . .... .... .... ... . 51
Child safety seats .... .... .... .... ... 243
Conver tible locking re tractor .... ... 248
Danger of using child restraints in the
front seat ..................... . 217
How do I properly install a child safety
sea t in my vehicle? ...... ....... . 241
Installing .. .. .. .... ... .. .. .... ... 248
LATCH system . .... .... ... .... ... 256
Safety instructions .... .... .... ... 241
Cigarette lighter ........... .... ...... 97
Cleaning Alcantara (synthetic suede) .... ... . 292
Engine compartm ent ... ... .... ... 293
Fabrics and fabric cov erings ... .... 289
Ins trumen t panel .... ... ..... ... .. 290
Inte rio r ...... ....... ....... .. .. . 289
Leather ............. ....... .. ... 291
MMI display .. .. .. .... .... ...... . 289
MM I terminal . .... .... ... ... .. ... 289
Plastic and viny l ... .... .... .... ... 286
P lastic parts .... .. .... .... ....... 290
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Trim strips .. ...... .... ....... .. . 285
trim strips ...... ....... ...... .... 286
Cleaning and protection .......... ... 282
Climate control .. ... ...... ...... .... 102
Synchroni zing . .... ... ... ........ 104
Warm and cold ... .... ...... ... .. 102