Page 297 of 360

________________________________________________ T.:......... ir--=e :....:s:......: a--=n..:.. d.::..:..... w..:....:.... h :....:..:e:....:e:..: 1-=s :..._ __
•
& WARNING (continu ed )
• Incorrect tire pressure and /or under inflation can cause
in creased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect t ire pressures and /o r underinflat ion can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing lo ss of vehicle control .
• The driver is respon sible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pre ssure values are located on
a sticker on the driver 's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap .
• Only when all tires on the vehicle are filled to the correct pres
sure , the tire pressure monitoring system * can work correctly .
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage . Therefore it is essential that the driver observe
the specified tire pressure value s for the tires and the correct pres
sures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system *.
• Always inflate tires to the re commended and correct tire pres
sure before driving off .
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot resulting in tread separation , sudden tire failure and loss
of control.
• Ex cessive speed and /overloading can cause heat build-up ,
s udden tire failure and lo ss of control .
• If the tire pres sure is too low or too high , the t ires will wear
prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well .
• If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel
immediately , drive at reduced speed to the nearest service station
to check the t ire pressure and add air as required.
0 Note
Dr iving wi thout valve stem caps ca n cause damage to t he tire
valves. To prevent this, always make sure that factory instal led va lve
stem caps o n all wheels are sec urely mou nted on the va lve .
c£> For the sake of the environment
Underi nflate d tir es w ill a lso inc rease the fue l consu mptio n.•
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are li m its to the a mou nt o f load or weig ht th at any ve hic le and
any tire can carry . A vehicle that is overloaded wil l not handle wel l
and is more diff icu lt to stop . Overload ing ca n no t only lead to loss
of vehic le control, but can also damage important parts of the
ve hicle a nd can lead to sud den tire failu re, i nclu di ng a bl owou t and
sudden deflat ion that can cause the vehic le to crash.
Your safety an d that of your passengers also depends on ma kin g
su re tha t load l imits are not exceeded . Vehicle load includes eve ry
body and everything in and on the vehic le. These load limits are
t echnica lly re ferred to as the ve hicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR"l.
The "GVWR" in clu de s th e we ig ht of t he basi c veh ic le, all fac tory
insta lled accessories, a ful l tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
plus m aximu m load. The maxi mum l oad inc lude s the n umber of
passen gers that the vehicle is intended to carry !"seating capacity")
with an assumed weight of 150 lbs . (68 kg) for each passenger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any lugga ge in
the vehicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
to ngue we ig ht of th e loaded tra iler must b e included as par t of th e
vehic le load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the m aximum loa d th at
can be applied at each of the vehicle's two ax les. _,,,
Vehicle care I t •
Page 298 of 360

-~_T_ i_ r _e _s _ a _ n_d _ w_ h_e_ e_ l _s _____________________________________________ _
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safe ty comp liance st icker labe l located either on
the driver's s ide B -p illa r or on the inside of the fue l fi ller f lap. Aud i
has 4 seating positi ons, 2 in the front and 2 i n the rear f or total
seating capacity of 4. Each seat ing position has a seat belt
=> page 179, "Safety belts".
T he fact t hat there is a n up per l im it to your ve hicle's Gross Vehic le
Weight Rating means that the total we ight of whatever is being
carried in the vehic le (i nclu ding the we igh t of a traile r hitch and th e
tongue weight of the loaded trailer) is limited. The more passengers
in the ve hic le o r passen gers w ho are heavier tha n the standa rd
weights assumed mean that less weight can be carried as lug gage .
The ti re p ressu re labe l o n yo ur A udi a lso list s the maxi mum
comb ined we ight of a ll o f th e occupa nts a nd luggage o r ot her cargo
that the vehicle can carry. For the location of the la bel=>
page 291,
fig . 229.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control , a crash or
other accident, serious personal injury , and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
ri sk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle with in a safe distance .
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly ,
in cluding a blowout and sudden deflation , causing loss of control
and a crash .
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehi cle heavier than the
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. •
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to calculate the
total weight of the passengers and luggage or other things that you plan to
transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overloaded.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE COMBINED
WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS "on your vehicle's pla card (tire infla
tion pressure label)=> page 291, fig. 229.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo
grams or
"XXX" pounds shown on the
sticker =>
page 291, fig. 229. ~
Page 299 of 360

4. The resulting figure equals th e available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the
" XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will
be five 150 lbs. passeng ers in your
v ehicle , the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5
X 150) = 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capa city calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer ,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how this reduces the avail
able cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
- Check the tire sidewall (~
page 299 ,
fig. 233) to determine the designat ed
load rating for a specific tire. •
Tires and wheels -
Tire service life
T he ser vic e life of ti res depends on a lo t o f different things
inclu ding p roper i nstallation and bal ancing, correc t tire
pressu re a nd drivi ng style .
(-----~
_____ __,,:)
Tread Wear Ind icator (TWll
N
"' 0 9
"" ~
Fig . 2 3 1 Tire tread:
tre ad we ar indi cato rs
(TWll
Fig . 232 Rotating tire s
for mo re even wear
The or iginal tires on your vehicle have 1 /16 inch ( 1.6 mm) high " wea r
indicators"=> fig. 231 running across the tread. Depending on the
make, the re w ill be six to eight of them even ly p la ced a rou nd the
t ire . Marks on the tire sidewall (for example "TWI" or other symbols)
indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators. Worn tires must
be r eplaced. Di fferen t fi gures may apply in other countries ::::>,& . .,_
Vehic le care I I Technical data
Page 300 of 360

-~_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 . •
Page 301 of 360

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n _ d_ w_ h_ e_ e_ls _ ____. ffllll
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in.
Fig. 233 Tire specification codes on the sidewall of a tire
No.
G)
@
©
©
©
©
Description
Passenger car tire (where applicable)
Nominal width of tire in millimeters
Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
Radial
Rim diameter code
Load index and speed rating
0
©
U.S. DOT tire identificat ion number
Audi Original tire
Sever snow condit ions
Tire ply composition and materials used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pressure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the vehicle's design . The
tires and rims approved by Audi are specially matched to the char
acteristics of the vehicle and can make a major contribution to good
road holding and safe handling when in good condition and prop
erly inflated
=> & .
We recommend that all work on tires and wheels be performed by
an authorized Audi dealer. They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary special tools and spare parts as
well as the proper facilities for disposing of the old tires.
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary information about tech
nical requirements for installing or changing tires and rims.
Replacing tires and wheels
Tires should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (for
example both front tires or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the information to the tire pressure moni
toring system* =>
page 301.
Always buy replacement radial tires that have the same specifica
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi. Replacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the
original equipment or approved optional tires listed in the table
=> page 291. ~
Vehic le care I I irechnical data
Page 302 of 360

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Audi-approved specification tires are specially matched to your
vehicle and its load limits, and can contribute to the important road
holding, driving characteristics, and safety of the vehicle . The table
(~ page 291) lists specifications of the tires approved for the Audi
models covered by your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure label (On USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side 8 -p illar. On Canada vehicles, the tire
pressure label is located either on the driver's side B-pillar or inside
t he fue l filler flap)( ~
page 291, fig. 230) lists the specifications of
the origina l equipment tires instal led on your vehicle at the time it
was manufactured.
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized infor
mation on the sidewa ll of all tires~
page 299, fig. 233 . This informa
tion identif ies and describes the fundamenta l characteristics, the
quality grade of the tire and a lso provides a tire identification
number for safety standard certificat ion and in case of a recall.
Tir e s pec ifica tio ns
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it easier to choose the
correct tires . Radial tires have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewa ll, for example:
P255 / 3 5 R19 96V XL
This contains the fo llowing information:
P Indicates the tire is for passenger cars (where applicable)
25 5 Nominal tire width in mm of the tire from sidewall edge to side -
wa ll edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the t ire
3 5 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ratio)
R T ire construction: Radial
19 Rim diameter code (in inches)
96 Load rating code
Y Speed rating letter code
XL (or "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" Indicates that the tire is a"Rein
forced" or an "Extra Load" tire
M+ S (or "M/S") Indicates that the t ire has some mud and snow capa-
bility
The ti res cou ld also have the information of direction of rotation
~ page 287.
T ire m anuf acturing d ate
The manufacturing date is a lso indicated on the tire sidewa ll
(possibly on ly on the
inner side of the wheel) :
"DOT ... 2209 ... " means, for example, that the tire was produced in
the 22nd week of 2009.
S pe ed ra ting
The speed rating letter code on the whee ls ind icates the maximum
permissible road speeds~
& in "Winter tires" on page 304.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph ( 158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
s up to 110 mph (180 km/hl
T up
to 118 mph (190 km/h)
u up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240
km/hJ31
z over 149 mph (240 km/h)31
w up to 168 mph (270 km/h)31
y up to 186 mph (298 km/hJ31
Your vehicle is norma lly factory equipped w ith tires, which possess
excellent driving characteristics and give your Audi optimum
driving comfort. An e lectronic speed limiter ~
page 23will normally .,,_
31 For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149 mph (240 km/h), t ire
manufacturers sometimes use the letters "ZR."
Page 303 of 360

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
•
prevent your vehicle from going faster than the tire speed rating
=>& .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN ) and tire
manufacture date
T his is the tire's "seria l number". It begins with the letters "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
ture. For example, the numbers 2209 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22nd 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.
Audi Original tire
Tires with the identification "AO" or "RO" have been specially
matched with your Audi. We recommend using only these tires
because they meet the highest standards regarding safety and
driving characteristics when used correctly. Your authorized Audi
dealer will gladly prov ide you with more information.
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 materia ls 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 carried by the tire.
Tire qual ity grading for treadwear , traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades=> page 303.
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 vehic le, 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 instal l 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
toring system* would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or
warn you if it is necessary .
• The battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life .
• Always drive with the valve stem caps secure ly mounted. We
recommend using factory instal led valve stem caps. Ask your autho
rized Audi dea ler to replace lost valve stem caps.
The installation of replacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
the tire sidewall may cause malfunction of the tire pressure moni
toring system*, and is not recommended (cord material information
in molded on the tire sidewall).
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system* indicator after
replacing one or more tires on your vehic le. If the tire pressure
monitoring system* indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
working properly. Your replacement tire might be incompatible with
your tire pressure monitoring system*, or some component of the
t ire pressure monitoring system* may be damaged. .._
Vehicle care I t •
Page 304 of 360

___ 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. .,_