-Child Safety ------=---------------------------------
& WAR NIN G (co ntinued )
• Alw ays inst all r ear ward-f acing child safet y sea ts on the r ear
s eat.
• If you must in stall a r earward facing child saf ety seat on the
front p assenger seat in e xcept ion al circum sta nce s and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light doe s not come on and stay on ,
imm edi atel y ins ta ll the re arw ard -fa cin g child safety seat in a re ar
s eating po sit ion and have the airb ag s ystem inspe cted immedi
a tely by your autho rized Audi dealer .
& WARNING
If, in e xce ptional cir cum sta nces, you mu st in stall a fo rward-fa cing
c hild restraint on the front p asseng er's seat :
• Alway s m ake s ure the forw ard -fa cing seat h as been de signed
and cert ified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
• Alway s follow the m anufacturer's instructi on s provided with
the child s afety seat or carrier .
• Alway s move the p assenger seat into it s rearmo st position in
the seat's fo re and aft adju stment range , as far a way from the
airbag a s po ssible b efore in stalling the child restraint. The ba ck
rest must be adjusted t o an up rig ht position .
• Alway s m ake sure that the PA SSENG ER AIR BAG OFF light
c ome s on and stays on all the time whenever the ign iti on is
switched on. •
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with a front "Advanced Airbag System" in
compliance with United States Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Stan
dard (FMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manu
factured . T
he Advanced Airbag system in your vehicle has been certified to
meet the " low -risk" requiremen ts for 3 -and 6 -year o ld children on
the passenger side and smal l adults on the driver side . The low risk
deployment criteria are intended to reduce the risk of injury through
interaction with the airbag that can occur , for example, by being too
close to the steering wheel and instrument panel when the airbag
inflates. In addition, the system has been certified to comply with
the "suppression" requirements of the Safety Standard, to turn off
the front airbag for infants up to 12 months who are restrained on
the front passenger seat in child restraints that are listed in the
S tandard.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
system, all ch ildren, especially those 12 years and younge r, should
always ride in the back seat properly restrained for their age and
size . The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a poten
tially dangerous p lace for a child to ride. The front seat is not the
safest p lace for a child in a forward -facing child safety seat . It can be
a very dangerous p lace for an infant or a larger ch ild in a rearward
facing seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle detects the presence
of an infant or child in a chi ld restraint on the front passenger seat
using the weight -sensing mat in the seat cushion and the sensor
below the safety belt latch on the front passenger seat that
measures the tension on the safety belt.
The weight -sensing mat measures total weight of the chi ld and the
child safety seat and a child blanket on the front passenger seat . The
weight on the front passenger seat is related to the design of the
child restraint and its "footprint", the size and shape of the bottom
of the child restraint as it sits on the seat . The weight of a child
restraint and its "footprint" vary for different kinds of child ..,.
-~_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_ 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 •
________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ PII
•
those conditions . We suggest you use the recommended snow or
a ll- season tires specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent .
Refer to=>
page 304for more detailed informa tion regarding winter
tires .•
Tire pressure monitoring system
Ap plies to v ehicles : w it h tir e p ressure monit orin g system
General notes ..J
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
month ly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recom
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres
sure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tellta le when one or more o f your tires is significantly
under-inflated . Accordingly, when the low tire pressure te llta le i llu
minates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as poss ible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under -inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fue l efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note tha t the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte
nance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under -inflation has not reached the level to trigger
il lumination of the TPMS low tire pressure te lltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indi
cator to indicate when the system is not operat ing proper ly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure
tel ltale . When the system detects a ma lfunction, the te lltale w ill flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously
il lum inated . This sequence will continue upon subsequent veh ic le
start-ups as long as the malfunc tion exists .
When the ma lfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressu re as intended . TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
insta llation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehic le that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly . A lways
check the TPMS malfunction tellta le after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
a lterna te tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly. •
Applies to v ehic les : w it h tire pr ess u re mon itori ng syste m
Tire pressure indicator appears
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument cluster
informs you if the tire pressure is too low or if there is a
system malfunction.
Vehicle care I t •
Fig . 23 4 D ispla y:
u n derin flat ion wa rnin g ....