-~_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 . •
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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 •
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• Never drive without the valve stem cap. The valves could get
damaged.
• If the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
replaced at the same time.
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 299,
fig. 233.
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. •
Vehicle care
I t •
What do I do now? -
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& WARNING
• Never use the screw driver hex head to tighten wheel bolts ,
si nce the bolts cannot attain the necessary tightening torque if
you u se the hex head , potentially causing an accident.
• The factory -supplied ja ck is intended only for your vehicle
model. Under no circumstances should it be used to lift heavy
vehicles or other loads ; you risk injuring yourself .
• Never start the engine when the vehicle is raised , which could
cau se an accident.
• Support the vehicle securely with appropriate stands if work is
to be performed underneath the vehi cle ; otherwise , there is a
potential ris k for injury . •
Ap plies to vehicles : w it h sp ac e-sa ving spare t ire
Space-saving spare tire (compact
spare tire)*
The spare tire/ wheel is located in the luggage compar t
ment u nder the cargo fl oo r cover. It is intended for s hort
te rm use onl y.
Fig . 2 39 Sp are tire
Removing the spare tire
Lift t he ca rgo floor by the p las tic ha ndle => fig. 239 .
Hook the han dle int o the lugg age compartment w eat he r
str ip.
Tu rn t he l arge screw => fig . 23 9 counte r-cloc kwis e.
Take out t he spa re tir e.
Unh ook the ca rgo floor befo re c losing the rear lid.
Securing the replaced tire
P lac e th e w heel with tir e in th e spare wheel well an d
sec ure t he whee l wi th the la rg e scr ew .
Unh ook the c argo floor bef or e c losing the re ar lid.
Using the spare tire (compact spare tire )
The compact spare tire is only intended fo r em ergencies until you
ca n r each a repa ir shop . Rep la ce it as quick ly as possible with a stan
dard whee l and tire.
T here are some restric tions on the use of the compact spa re tire .
The compact spare tire has been designed specifically for your type of vehic le. It must not be swapped with a compact spare tire from
another type of vehicle .
Snow chains
For technical reasons , the use of snow chains on th e compact spare
t ir e is
not permitted.
If you do have to drive with snow cha ins and a front t ire fails, mou nt
the spar e wheel with tir e instead of a rear tire. Install the snow
chains o n th e rear tire a nd use it to replace the defec tive fro nt tire . ._
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service irechnical data
What do I do now? -__________________ __;__:....:....:..:: ___ J?rll
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& WARNING (continued)
• To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possibly
slipping off the jack, always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed with the
folding chocks or other objects. When one front wheel is lifted off
the ground, placing the Automatic Transmission in "P" (Park) will
not prevent the vehicle from moving.
• Before you change a wheel, be sure the ground is level and firm.
If necessary, use a sturdy board under the jack.
• After installing the inflatable spare tire, make sure that you
replace the flat tire/wheel in its storage area properly and tighten
the knurled retaining screw securely.
0 Note
If you are changing the wheel on a steep incline, use a rock or
similar object to block the opposite wheel to prevent the vehicle
from moving.
[ i] Tips
Obey all laws.•
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence described
below step-by-step and in exactly that order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For more details
see also =>
page 314, "Decorative wheel covers".
2. Loosen the
wheel bolts=> page 315.
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the jack and align
the jack below that point=>
page 315.
4. Lift the car with the jack=> page 315.
5. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then install the
spare tire=> page 317.
6. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
7.
Lower the vehicle with the jack.
8. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten all wheel
bolts in a crisscross pattern=>
page 315.
9. Replace the decorative wheel cover*.
_& WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and information => & in
"Raising the vehicle" on
page 315 and => page 318. •
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the doing the
following.
- Store and secure the wheel you replaced in the spare
wheel well.
- Replace the tools and the jack in their proper location.
- Check the
tire pressure of the spare tire as soon as
possible.
- As soon as possible, have the
tightening torques on all
wheel bolts checked with a torque wrench. The correct
tightening torque is 90 ft lbs. (120 Nml.
- Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
Do-it-yourself service
What do I do now ? 1111
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Loosening and tightening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising the
vehicle .
Loosening
Fig . 242 C han ging a
wh eel: l oose ning th e
whee l bolts
- Install the wheel bolt wren ch over the w heel bol t an d
push it d own as far as i t will go.
Take tight hold of the
end o f the w rench ha ndle and turn
the wheel bolts
c ounter- clockwi se about one single turn
in the di rection of arrow=::, fig . 242.
Tightening
- Install the wheel bolt wren ch over the w heel bolt and
push it down as far as it will go.
- Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench han dle and turn
each wheel bolt
clockwise until it is seated .
& WARNING
• Do not use for ce or hu rry when ch ang ing a whee l - you can
ca use th e vehicle t o slip off th e jack a nd cause ser ious p erso nal
inj urie s.
& W ARNING (continued )
• Do n ot loo sen the wh eel bolt s more than one turn before y ou
rais e the vehicle with the jack . - You ri sk an injur y.
[ i ] Tip s
• Never use the hexagona l socket in the handle of the screwdriver
to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts .
• If a wheel bolt is
very tight, you may find it easier to loosen by
carefully pushing down on the end of the whee l bolt wrench with
one foot only . As you do so , hold on to the car to keep your balance
and take care not to slip. •
Raising the vehicle
The vehicle must be lifted with the jack first before the
wheel can be removed .
Vehicle care
Fig. 243 Cha nging a
w he el: m oun ting
poi nts for the jack ..
Do-it-yourself service irechnical data
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Taking the wheel off /installing the spare tire
Follow these instructions step -by-step for changing the
wheel.
Fig . 245 Changing a
wheel: using the screwdriver handle
!with the blade
removed) to turn the
bolts
Fig . 246 Changing a
wheel: alignment pin
inside the top hole
After you have loosened all wheel bolts and raised the
vehicle off the ground, remove and replace the wheel as
follows:
Removing the wheel
-Remove the topmost wheel bolt completely with the
hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle (vehicle tool
kit) => fig. 245 and set it aside on a
clean surface. - Screw the threaded end of the
alignment pin from the
tool kit hand-tight into the empty bolt hole=> fig. 246.
- Then remove the other wheel bolts as described above.
- Take off the wheel leaving the alignment pin in the bolt
hole.
Putting on the inflatable spare tire
- Push the spare tire over the alignment pin.
- Screw on t he wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly using
the hexagonal socket.
- Remove the alignment pin and insert and tighten the
remaining wheel bo lt slightly l ike the rest.
- Turn the jack handle counter -clockwise to lower the
vehicle until the jack is fully released .
- Use the wheel bolt wrench to tighten all wheel bolts
firmly =>
page 315. Tighten them Tighten them in a criss
cross pattern ,
from one bolt to the (approximately) oppo
site one, to keep the wheel centered.
- Perform the steps required after changing the wheel
=>
page 313, "After changing a wheel".
The hexagonal socket makes it easier to remove the wheel bolts
from the rim . Care should be taken when removing the reversible
blade.
[ i] Tips
• When mounting tires wi th unidirectional tread design make sure
the tread pattern is pointed the right way~
page 318.
• The wheel bolts should be clean and easy to turn. Check for dirt
and corrosion on the mating surfaces of both the wheel and the .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service irechnical data
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longer work properly and the sensor for the tire pressure moni
toring system* will have to be rep laced by a qualified workshop. •
Do-it-yourself service