-~_T_ ir_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, particu larly considering the comparatively small patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehic le 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 regularly inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, s lashes 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
blowouts.
A vo iding d am age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
fluid off the tires.
Inspect the ti res regu larly for damage (cuts, cracks or b listers, etc.l .
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tir es
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota
t ion. This ensures you to be able 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.
S tore tires in a vertical pos it ion if they a re not mounted on r ims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tir es
New tires have to be broken in=>&.
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
H idd en damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one s ide, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire cti ona l t ires
A unidirectional tire can be identif ied by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate . You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . This is necessary s o that these
tires can develop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=>
page 273.
& WARNING
New t ires o r ti re s th at a re old , worn or d am aged cann ot pro vid e
maximum cont rol and braking ability .
• New tires te nd to be slippery and mu st be bro ken in . To redu ce
the ri sk o f lo sin g co ntro l, a collis ion and serious per sonal injurie s,
dri ve w ith special care f or the fi rst 350 m ile s ( 560 km l.
• Driving w ith w orn or damaged tire s can lead to lo ss of control ,
sudd en tir e fa ilure , inc ludi ng a blowout a nd sudden defl atio n, ..,_
________________________________________________ T.:......... ir--=e :....:s:......: a--=n..:.. d.::..:..... w..:....:.... h :....:..:e:....:e:..: 1-=s :...__IJlll
•
& W ARNING (continu ed )
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tire s of the same type ,
s ize (rolling cir cumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driv ing
with different t ires redu ces vehicle h andling and can lead to a loss
of contro l.
• If the spare tire is not the same a s 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 dr ive with extra c are . Refit the
norm al 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 t ires 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 blo cked . Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , in creasing stopp ing distances
and causing a collision .
• Run flat tires may only be u sed on vehicle s that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a chassis de signed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
system* that indicates a loss of tire pressure. In correct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check w ith an
autho riz ed 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 wheel s. Mixing tire types is not permitted .
0 Note
• For techn ica l reaso ns, it is not genera lly poss ib le to use t he
whee l rims from other vehicles. This can hold true fo r wheels of the
same vehicle type .
• I f the s pare t ire is d ifferent from the tires that you have mounted
on your vehicle ( fo r example win te r ti res or wide p rofile tires), then
use the spa re tire for a short period of time on ly and drive with extra
care. Replace t he flat tir e w ith the tire matching the others o n your
vehic le as soon as possib le.
• If you s hould put different whee ls a nd tires on your ve hic le (e.g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the whee ls and
t ires are co mpa tibl e w ith the tire pressure mon itor in g syste m*.
Otherwise the system w ill reg ister a malfunction and a fault
m essage w ill be d isplayed . For more info rma tion, co ntact your Aud i
dea ler.
0 Note
• When installing new tires, be careful not to damage the va lves or
tire p ressu re m on itoring system senso rs* .
• N ever drive without the valve stem cap. The valves could get
da mage d.
• I f the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
r eplaced at the same time.
ci> For the sake of the environment
Dis p ose o f old tir es in acco rdance with the local requ ireme nts .•
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tread wear
• Traction AA A B C
• Temperature A B C
Vehicle care
I t •
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall
between tread shoulder and maximum section width
=> page 246,
fig. 152.
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 tire graded 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 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.
& WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure. •
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on snow and
ice. At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C) we recommend
changing to winter tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winter or "snow" tires, those with very deeply cut tread. These tires
should only be used in pairs and be installed on all four wheels.
Make sure you purchase snow tires that are the same size and
construction type as the other tires on your vehicle.
I f your vehicle is equipped with all-wheel drive *, this will improv e
traction during winter driving, even with the standard tires.
However, we strongly recommend that you always equip all four
wheels on your vehicle with correctly fitted winter tires or all-season
tires, when winter road conditions are expected. This also improves
the vehicle's braking performance and reduces stopping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow.
___ G_ e_ n_ e_r_ a _ l_ in_ f_ o _r_m _ a_ t_ i_ o _ n __________________________________________________ _
handling will be affected by the extra load. Therefore, adjust your
speed accord ing ly .
• Always observe local regulations. •
Dimensions
The specifications refer to the basic model. Differences may occur
depend ing on the mode l type and op tions ordered, for examp le, tire
sizes.
0 Note
When driving up steep ramps, on rough roads, over curbs, etc. it is
important to remembe r tha t some parts of your vehicle, such as
spoilers or exhaust system components, may be close to the
ground. Be careful not to damage them. •
______________________________________________ A_ l.:.. p _h_ a_ b_e _t_ic _ a _ l _in _ d_e _ x __ _
Automatic transmission ..... ... .. .... . 99
Driving Notes ... .. .... ... .... .... 102
Emergency program .. .... ... .... . 105
Emergency release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Ignition key safety lock ....... .... .. 92
Kick-down .. ... .. .... .... ...... .. 105
Launch Control Program ........... 105
Selector lever lock .. ...... ...... .. 101
Selector lever positions ........... 100
Tiptronic ... .. .... .... ........... 103
Tiptronic controls on the steering wheel
104
Average fuel mileage ... .... .... .... .. 26
Average speed . ... .. .... .... .... .... . 26
Avoid damaging the vehicle ......... . 192
B
Battery . ...... ..... ... .... .... . 228, 231
Battery location inside the engine compartment ... .... .... .... 218,219
Charging . .... .... .... ... .... .... 232
Checking battery acid level .... 231, 232
Connecting ... ... ..... ... .... ... . 228
Disconnecting ....... ....... .... . 228
Important warnings when working on the
battery ..... .... ....... ...... .. 229
Replacing the battery . ....... .... . 228
Winter operation . .... .... ... .... . 228
Working on the battery ... .... .... . 229
Battery voltage ......... .... ......... 36
Before driving .. ...... .. ....... ..... 114
Bi -Xenon headlights ........... .. .... . 57
Blended gasoline ... .... .... ... .... . 211
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
Body
cavity sealing .... .. ..... ... ... . 204
Booster seats .... .... .... .... .... ... 165
How do I properly install a booster seat in
my vehicle? . ... ... ....... .. .... 165
Safety instructions ..... .... ... .... 165
Brake fluid Changing the brake fluid .. .... .... 227
Checking the brake fluid level ...... 227
What is the correct brake f luid level? 227
What should I do if the brake fluid warning
light comes on? . ........ ... ..... 227
Brake fluid reservoir ..... .... .... .... 227
Brake system . ... ...... ......... .... 227
Anti-lock brake system ... .... ... .. . 20
Brake Assistan t .... . .. .. .. . ... ... 187
Brake fluid .... ... .... ...... ...... 227
Brake fluid specifications for refi ll and
replacement . ... ..... ... .... .... 227
Brake light defective . .... .... .... .. 37
Brake pads ... ... ..... ... .... ... . 191
General information . .... .. .. .. ... 186
How does the moisture or road salt affect
the brakes? ............... ...... 1 86
Malfunction .... ........... ...... . 33
Warning/indicator lights .. ..... .... . 19
Worn brake pads symbo l .... ...... . 36
Break -in period ........ ............. 190
Brake pads ...... ..... ....... .... 191
Tires .... . ... ... ... ... .... .... ... 190
Bulbs ..... .. .... ..... .. ... ... ...... 278 C
California Proposition 65 Warning . .... 218
Battery specific .... ... .... .... .... 231
Capacities ... .... .... .... ... .... .... 291
Car care ... ..... .. .. .... .... .... .. . . 198
Interior .... ... .. .. .... ........ ... 205
Plastic and vinyl .. ............... . 202
Weatherstrips ... .. .... .. . .... ... . 203
Care of exterior . ..... ....... ....... . 198
Cargo area
See Luggage compartment . ... .... . 121
Cargo net .. .... .. .. .... .... .... .... . 78
Catalytic converter .. .... .... .... ... . 191
CD changer .... ... .. .... .... .... .. .. . 84
Certification .. ....... ....... ..... ... 296
Changing a flat tire ......... .... ... .. 268
Changing engine oi l .. .... ... .... .. .. 223
Chassis Undercoating . ... .... .... .... ... . 205
See also Audi magnetic ride .... .... . 98
Checking Battery acid level .. ....... .... 231, 232
Engine coolant level ...... .... .... 225
Checking tire pressure ..... .... ...... 241
Child restraint Danger of using ch ild restraints in the
front seat ... .... .... .... ... ... . 137
Child restraints What types of child restraint anchors are
avai lable? ... .... .... .... ...... . 171
Where can I get additional information
about child restraints? ........... 171
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data