-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• 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
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
& WARNING (continued)
• 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.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
may be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR"l
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lR
•
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
L oad ra ting (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure. You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax im um l oad ra tin g
means the load rating for a tire at the maximum permissib le infla
tion pressure for that tire.
Ma ximum l oaded v ehi cle weigh t
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehic le capacity weight, and
(ct) Production options weight
M ax im um (p er mi ssibl e) infl ati on pr essur e
means the maximum cold inflation pressure to wh ich a tire may be
inflated. Also ca lled "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occ upa nt wei ght
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the to tal seating capacity of your vehicle.
O ccupant di stributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer di am eter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
O ve rall wi dth
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an inflated tire, includ ing elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Pl y
means a layer of rubber -coated para lle l cords.
P rodu ction opt io ns wei ght
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs . (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
i t ems wh ich they replace, not previously considered in curb weigh t
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy duty battery, and specia l trim .
Radi al p ly tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Reco mm ended infl ati on pr essu re
see => page 288, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Rein force d tir e
means a tire des ign to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires may be identi fied as "XL", "x i", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
R im
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
wh ich the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di amet er
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam
eter .
Rim siz e de sig nation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim wid th
means nominal distance between rim flanges.
Vehicle care I t •
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n _ d_ w_ h_ e_ e_ls _ ____._
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seating capacities
Designated seating capacity , num
ber of occupants Vehicle normal load
, number of
occupants Occupant distribution in a normally
loaded vehicle
4
2 2 in front •
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle.
Fig. 229 Tire pressure
label: located either on
driver's side B-pillar or
inside the fuel filler flap
Tir e pressure generally refers to the amount of air in a tire that it
needs it to do its job and safely carry the combined load of the entire
vehicle and its contents. T ire pressure is measured in kilopascals
(kPa), the international measuring unit and in pounds per square
inch (PSll. Tire pressure is based in part on the vehicle's design and
load limit -the greatest amount of weight that the vehicle can carry
safely and the tire size . The proper tire pressure is frequently
referred to as the "recommended cold tire inflation pressure." Air in
the tires expands when the tire heats up because of internal friction
when it flexes in use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire has
warmed up than when it is "cold." It is the inflation pressure in a
"cold" tire that counts. Therefore, you should never let air out of a
warm tire to match "cold tire inflation pressure" recommendations.
The tires would then be underinflated and could fail suddenly.
(.
~ ( SEATING CAPACllY JOTAL l:FRONT l:CENTER I )!EAR I )
TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION
Tot--w,lglodOCC1>-,ndQ,gc>"""-"1 ___ "90,_ , ...
TI RE SIZE CotO TIRE PRESSURE
FRO NT -KPa, - PSI
REAR -KPa, -PSI
Fig. 230 Tire pressure
label
Main taining proper tire pressure is one of the most important
things you can do to help avoid sudden tire failure. Underinflated
tires are a major cause of sudden tire failure. Keeping tires at the
right pressure is also important for safe and responsive vehicle
handling, traction, braking and load carrying.
Tire pressures are
particularly important when the vehicle is being driven at higher
speeds, and then especially when heavily loaded even within the
permissible load-carrying capacities approved for your vehicle.
The recommended tire pressures for your Audi depend on the kind
of tires on your vehicle and the number of passengers and/or
amount of luggage you will be transporting.
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 side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap . The tire
pressure label lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures ..,.
Vehicle care I I irechnical data
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ l9III
•
T he correct tire pressure for the spare wheel is located on a label
either on the driver's side B -pi llar or inside the fuel filler flap.
Because technical changes may be made to vehicle equipment
during the mode l year, always compare the tire size designation on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle. Make sure that the tire size information on the vehicle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle. This is especially impor
tant if the vehicle belongs to someone else or you bought the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ
ously owned vehicle.
Remember, your safety and that of your passengers a lso depends
on making sure that load l imits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
includes everybody and everything in and on the vehicle . These load
limits are techn ically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Veh icle
Weight Rating ("GVWR"l. The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR"l is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two axles. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating are l is ted on t he safety compliance sticker labe l located
either on the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel fi ller
flap. The ti re pressure labe l on your Audi lists the maximum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
t hat the vehic le can carry. For the location of the tire pressure label
=>
page 291, fig. 229.
& WARNING
O verl oad ing a vehi cle can c ause lo ss of vehi cle co ntrol , a cras h or
other ac cident , seriou s per sonal injur y, and even death .
• Carry ing m ore w eight t han yo ur vehic le was designed t o carry
will p revent the vehicle from ha ndling properl y and increa se the
ri sk o f a loss of vehi cle co ntrol.
• The br ake s on a ve hicle tha t has been o verloaded may not be
a bl e to st op the veh icle with in a sa fe di stan ce .
• Tires o n a veh icle th at ha s been ov erlo aded ca n fail sudd enl y
ca usin g l oss of co ntrol an d a c rash.
& WARN ING (c ontinued )
• Always m ake sure that the total load being tr ansported -
in cluding the weight of a trailer hitch and the t ongue we ight of a
loaded trailer -do es not m ake the vehicle he avier tha n th e
v ehi cle's Gr oss Vehi cle Weight R ating .
& WARNING
• In corre ct t ire pre ssure s an d/o r underi nfl atio n can lead to a
s eriou s or fatal a ccident.
• In corre ct tire pr essures and/or u nde rin fla tion cau se in cre as ed
tire wear and can affect th e handlin g of the vehicl e.
• Inc orre ct t ir e pre ssu res and /or underinfl ation can a ls o l ead to
s udden tire failure , including a blowout and sudden d eflation ,
ca usi ng loss of vehi cle contr ol. •
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires originally installed
on your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located
either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap .
The recommended tire pressures are on the ti re pressure label and
in the table=>
page 291, "Cold tire inflation pressure".This means
that the pressure must be checked and adjusted when the tire has
not been driven for more than a couple of mi les (kilometers) at low
speeds during the previous three hours. Air in the tires expands
when the tire heats up as a result of internal friction as i t flexes in
use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire has warmed up than
when it is "cold ."
It is the inflation pressure in a "cold" tire that counts. Therefore, you
should never let air out of a warm tire to match "Co ld tire inf lation
pressure" recommendations=>
page 291. The tires wou ld then be
underinflated and could fail suddenly. .,_
Vehicle care I t •
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Tire pr essure
Inco rrect tire pressure causes prematu re wear and can cau se
sudden tire blow-out. For this reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a month
~ page 293 .
Driving style
Dr iv ing fa st around curves, heavy acceleration and hard brak ing
increase tire wear.
Rotating tire s for more even wear
For all four t ires on your vehic le to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rea r tires are rotat ed acc ord ing to the
tire manufacturer 's suggested tire rotation intervals. Please
remembe r the f ollo wi ng :
• Tire rotat ion i nterva ls m ay d iffer from the vehic le serv ice inte r
vals outl ined in your Maintenance and Warranty Book let.
• The longer one tire is used in one location on the vehicle, t he
more it wears at certain points; the refo re, we recommend that you
f ollow the tire manu facturer's sug ges ted t ire rotat ion i nte rvals.
• Vehicles with fro nt-w hee l dr ive e xper ience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to all -wheel drive (quattro®l .
• Please rotate tires as sh ow n~
page 297, fig. 232 .
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
~ pag e 318 .
Wheel balancing
T he w heels o n new v ehic les are balanced. However, various s itua
tions during everyday driving can cause them to become unba l
anc ed, resu lti ng in vib rati ons yo u ca n usually feel thro ugh t he
steer ing whee l.
U nba la nce d w heels must be re ba lance d to avoid excessive wea r on
steering, suspension and tires. A whee l must a lso be reba lanced
when a new tire is installed.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect w hee l al ig nm ent ca n cause e xcess ive ti re wea r, impa iring
t h e s afety of th e veh ic le. If t ires show excessive wear, have the
w hee l a lig nme nt checke d by a n autho rize d Aud i deale r or qualifie d
wo rkshop.
All wheel drive
Vehic les with quattro® must always have tires of the same size,
co nstruct ion an d tread ty pe. For deta ils see ~
page 240.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of control , a crash and serious
personal injury !
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators.
• Worn tires are a safety hazard , they do not grip well on wet
roads and in crease your risk of "hydroplaning " and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage , such as
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. 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 . •
___ T_ ir_e_ s _ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unm atched t ires and / or wheels o r improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to lo ss of control , collision
and se rious per sonal injury .
• Always use tires , rim s and wheel bolts that meet the specifica
t ions of original f actory -installed tire s or other combinations that
have been spe cifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer .
• T ires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years old c an
only be used in an emergen cy and then with spec ial care and at
lower speeds .
• Never mount used tires on your vehi cle if you are not sure of
their "previou s history." Old used tires may have been damaged
e ven though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• All four wheels must be fitted w ith radial tires of the same type ,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driving
with different tires reduces veh icle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare t ire 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 e xtra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the ma ximum 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,
in cluding a blowout and sudden deflation and lo ss of control.
• Tempe rature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or under inflated .
• For technical reasons it i s not always po ssible to use wheel s
from other veh icles - in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model .
& WARNING (continued )
• 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 .
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the factory . The vehicle must have a cha ssis designed
for run flat tires and a fa ctory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system* that indicates a loss of tire pressure. Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or acc idents . Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equ ipped with run f lat tires . If run flat t ires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted.
0 Note
• For technical r eas ons, it is not gen erally possible t o us e the
whee l rims from other veh icles . ihis can ho ld true for whee ls of the
same veh ic le type.
• I f the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted
o n yo ur vehicl e (f or example wi nter tires or wide p rofile t ires), then
use the spare tire for a short period of time on ly and drive with extra
care . Rep lace the flat tire wi th the ti re m atchi ng t he o thers on you r
vehic le as soon as possib le.
• I f you should put diff ere nt w heels and tires o n your v ehicle (e. g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and
t ires are c ompatib le wi th the tire p ressu re monitoring system* .
Otherwise the system will register a malfunction and a fau lt
mes sage will be displayed . For more info rmation, contact your
author ized Aud i dea ler.
0 Note
• When insta lling new t ires, be care fu l not to damage the va lves o r
tire pressure mon itoring system* sensors. .,_
___ T_ ir_e_ s _ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s _________________________________________________ _
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 a ll four wheels.
Make sure you purchase snow tires that are the same size and
construction type as the other tires on your vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with all -whee l drive, this wi ll improve trac
tion during winter driving, even with the standard tires. However,
we strong ly recommend that you a lways equip all four whee ls 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 stopp ing distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow.
Winter tires (snow ti res) must a lways be fitted on a ll four wheels.
Compatible tire pressure monitoring sensors must be installed on
a ll fou r winter tires for the tire pressure monitoring system* to func
tion proper ly=>
page 301.
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop for permitted
wint er tire size s. Use only radial winter tires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to a depth of 0.157 inch (4 mm).
Only drive with winter tires under winter conditions. Summer tires
handle better when there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
If you have a flat tire, see notes on spare wheel =>
page 299.
Please always remember that winter tires may have a lower speed
rat ing than the tires originally installed on your vehicle at the time
it was manufactured. Please see=>
page 300, "Speed rating (letter code)" for a listing of the speed
rating letter codes and the
maximum speed at which the tires can be driven .
T he speed rating letter code(=>
page 290) is on the side wall of the
tire =>
page 299.
& WARNING
Winter tire s hav e maximum speed l imit s that m ay be lower than
yo ur veh icle' s ma xim um speed . Al ways kno w the ma ximum speed
before driving off . Never drive fa ste r th an the speed permitted for
yo ur spe cifi c w inte r tir es. Thi s will cause dam age to the tire s
leading to an a ccident and seriou s personal injury to you and your
p as sengers.
& WARNING
Driving f aster th an the m aximum speed for whi ch t he winter tire s
on your v ehi cle w ere de sig ned can cau se tire failur e including a
blow out and sudden def lation , lo ss of con trol, c rashe s and se riou s
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tire s repl aced immedi
ately .
• Winter tires hav e maximum speed r ating that may be lower
than you r vehicle 's maxi mum speed .
• Never d riv e fa ster than the sp e ed for which the winter or other
tire s in sta lled on your vehicl e are r ated .
& WARNING
Always adju st your dri ving to the r oad and tr aff ic c ondit ions .
Ne ver let th e good acceleration of the winter tire s and all -wheel
dri ve t empt you into t aking extra risks. Alw ay s rem embe r:
• When br aking , an all -wheel driv e vehicl e handle s in the same
w ay as a fr ont drive vehi cle .
• Drive ca refull y and redu ce you r speed o n ic y and slipp ery road s,
e ven wint er tire s cannot h elp u nde r bla ck ice c onditi ons.
~
__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
•
ffi For the sake of the environment
Use summe r tires whe n weather co nditio ns perm it. Th ey are
quieter, do not wear as quic kly and reduce fue l consumption. •
Snow chains
Snow cha ins may be fitted only to the front wheels, and only to
certa in t ire s izes. Ask your author ized Aud i dea ler on wh ic h tir e
s izes snow chains can be used .
The snow c hai ns mu st have low -pro file l inks and must n ot be thicker
than 0.53 inch (13 .5 mm), including the loc k.
R emove wheel cente r covers a nd trim di scs bef ore p utting snow
c h ains on you r ve hicle=:>
0 . For sa fety reasons cove r caps must
then be fitted o ver the wheel bo lts . These a re avai lable fr om autho
r iz ed Au di deale rs.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehicle or installing them
incorrectly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
serious per sonal injury.
• Snow chains are available in different sizes. Always make sure
to follow the instructions provided by the snow chain manufac
turer.
• When driving with snow chains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains.
• Always observe local regulations .
0 Note
• Remove snow chains before driving on roads not covered with
s no w to avoid da mag ing tires a nd wea ring the s now cha ins down
unnecessari ly. •
Snow chains, which come into direct contact with the wheel rim,
can s cratch or damage i t. Therefo re, ma ke s ure t hat the sn ow cha ins
are suitably covered . Check the pos itio n of the snow c hains after
driv ing a few ya rds a nd co rrec t if necessa ry . Fo llow the i nstr uct ions
from the snow chain manufacturer when doing so.
[ i ] Tips
W here snow cha ins are manda tory on certa in roads, t his no rmally
a lso a ppl ies to ve hic les with all wheel d rive. •
Wheel bolts
Wheel bol ts mus t alw ays be ti ght en ed to the corr ec t
t orque .
The de sign of whee l bolts i s matched t o the fac to ry ins tal led rims. I f
d ifferent rims are fitted, the correct wh eel bo lts with the ri ght l ength
and c orrectly s haped bo lt head s mus t be use d. T his ensu res that
w hee ls are fitted securely and that the brake sys tem func tio ns
co rrectly.
I n certa in c ircumsta nces, you may not use w heel bo lts fr om a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model=:>
page 341.
& WARNING
Improperly tightened or mainta ined wheel bolts can become loose
causing loss of control , a collision and serious personal injury .
• Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads in the wheel hubs
clean so the wheel bolts can turn easily and be properly tightened.
• Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and the threads in the wheel
hubs . They can become loose while driving if greased or oiled ,
even if tightened to the specified torque .
• Only use wheel bolts that belong to the rim being installed .
• Never use different wheels bolt s on your vehicle.
Vehicle care
I t •