2010 AUDI S3 flat tire

________________________________________________ T_ ir_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h _e_e_ l_s __ lJlll
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& WARNING
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation cause increased
tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control. •
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 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the table=> page
246, "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 miles (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 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=>
page 246. The tires would then be
underinflated and could fail suddenly.
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended cold tire
inflation pressures for the new, original equipment tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For the location of
the label =>
page 246, fig. 173.
Most tires lose air naturally over time. They can also lose some air if
you drive over a pothole or hit a curb while parking. It is usually not possible to see whether the radial tires used today are underinflated
just by looking at them.
Therefore, be sure to check tire pressures at least once a month and
always before going on a long trip. Make sure to take the number of
people and the amount of luggage into account when adjusting tire
pressure for a trip -even one that you would not consider to be
"long." See=>
page 250, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
important information .
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking and adjusting inflation pressures . Check all of the tires and be sure not
to forget the spare tire. If the pressure in any tire is too high when
the tire is "cold," let air out of the tire slowly with the edge of the tire
gauge and keep checking the pressure until you reach the pressure
that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
driving you plan to do .
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the cold tire and the pressure you need and add the air
that you need to reach the correct pressure for the vehicle load
(passengers and luggage) for the tires on your vehicle as listed on
the on your vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you
plan to do.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire
sidewall for any reason.
Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer ,
determines the correct tire pressure for the tires on your vehicle.
It is important to check the tire pressure when the tires are cold.
• Read the required tire pressure from the tire pressure label. On
USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on 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.
• Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise to remove it from the
tire valve.
• Place the air pressure gauge on the valve. ..,.
Vehicle care I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
• The tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when
t he tires are cold . The s lig htly raised pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
• Adjust the ti re pressure to t he loa d you are carrying.
• Reinstal l the valve stem cap on the valve.
When should I c heck the tire pressure?
The correct ti re p re ssure is especially impo rtant at h ig h speeds . The
pressure should the re fore be checked a t le ast once a month and
a lways before starting a journey. Do not forget to check the tire pres ­
sure for the spare whee l
::::> page 269.
When should
I adjust the tire pressure s?
Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying. A fter chang ing
a wheel
or r eplac ing whee ls you have to adjus t th e tire pre ssures on
a ll whee ls. In addit io n, you must the n initia lize the new t ire pres ­
sures in the tire pressure monitoring system* =>
page 263.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure, los s of control, colli sion , serious personal injury or even
death .
• When the warning symbol appears in the instrument
c luster , stop and inspect the tire s.
• Incorrect tire pressure and /or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect tire pressures and /or underinfla tion can also lead to
sudden tire failure , including a blowout and sudden deflation ,
causing loss of vehicle control .
• The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pre ssure values are located on
a sticke r on the driver 's side B -pillar o r on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
& WARNING (continued )
• Only when all tires on the vehicle are filled to the correct pre s­
sure , the tire pres sure monitoring sy stem * can work correctly.
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage . Therefore it is e ssential that the driver observe
the specified tire pressure v alue s for the tires and the correct pres­
sures for the function of the tire pre ssure monitoring system* .
• Always inflate tires to the recommended and correct tire pres ­
s ure before driving off.
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot re sulting in tread separation , sudden tire fa ilure and loss
of control.
• Excessive speed and /overloading can cause heat build -up ,
sudden tire failure and loss of control.
• If the tire pressure is too low or too high, the tires 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 che ck the tire pressure and add air as required .
0 Note
Driving without valve stem caps can cause damage to the tire
va lves. To prevent this, always make sure that fac tory ins talled va lve
stem caps on all whee ls are securely mounted on the valve.
Underinflated tires wi ll also increase the fuel consumption. •
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or weight that any vehic le and
any tire ca n carry. A vehicle that is ove rlo aded wil l n ot h andle wel l ...

Tires and wheels -
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and is more difficult to stop. Overloading can not only lead to loss
of ve hicle control, but can a lso damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden tire failure, inc luding a blowout and
sudden deflation that can cause the vehic le to crash.
Your safety and that of your passengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load includes every ­
body and everything in and on the veh icle . These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR"l.
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic vehicle, al l factory
insta lled accessories, a full tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
plus maximum load. The maximum load includes the number of
passengers 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 luggage in
the vehicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trai ler must be included as part of the
vehicle load .
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the maximum load that
can be applied at each of the vehic le's two axles .
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located either on
the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel filler flap. Your
Audi has 5 seating positions, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear for total
seating capacity of 5. Each seating position has a safety belt
=> page 135, "Safety belts".
The fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating means that the total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including the weight of a trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trailer) is limited. The more passengers
in the vehicle or passengers who are heavier than the standard
weights assumed mean that less weight can be carried as luggage .
T he tire pressure label on your Audi also lists the maximum
combined weight of all of the occupants and luggage or other cargo that the vehicle can carry.
For the location of the label
=> page 246,
fig. 173.
& 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
risk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly,
including 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 vehicle 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.
~
Vehicle care I t •

Tires a nd wh eels -
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0
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©
®
U.S. DOT tire identification number
Audi Original tire
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 hold ing and safe handling when in good cond ition and prop­
erly inflated =>& .
We recommend that a ll 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 dea lers have the necessary info rmation about tech ­
nical requirements for insta lling or changing tires and rims.
R epl ac ing tires and wheels
Tires shou ld be replaced at least in pairs and not individual ly (for
examp le both front tires or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the tire pressure monitoring sys tem*
information=>
page 256.
A lways buy replacement radial tires that have the same specifica ­
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi. Rep lacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the
origina l equipment or approved optional t ires listed in the table
=>
page 246.
Audi -appr oved spec ification tires are spec ially 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 246) lists specifications of the tires approved for the Audi
models covered by your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure labe l located either on driver's side 8 -pi llar or
inside the fuel fi ller flap(=>
page 246, fig. 174) lists the specifica ­
tions of the original equipment tires installed on your vehicle at the
ti me it was manufactured.
Federa l law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized infor ­
mation on the sidewa ll of all tires =>
page 254, fig . 177. This informa ­
t ion identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics, the
qua lity grade of the ti re and also provides a tire identification
number for safety standard certificat ion and in case of a recal l.
Tire specificat ions
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it easier to choose the
co rrect t ires . Radial tires have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewall, for example :
P225 / 45 R 17 91H XL
This contains the fo llowing informa tion:
P Indicates the ti re is for passenger cars (where applicab le)
225 No minal tire width i n mm of the tire fro m sidewall edge to side -
wa ll edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire
45 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
17 Rim diameter code (in inches)
91 Load rating code
H Speed rating lette r code
XL (or "xi", "EX TRA LOA D" or "RF") indicates that the tire is "Rein­
forced" or an "Extra Load" ti re
M +S (o r "M/S") Indicates that the tire has some mud and snow capa ­
bility
The tires could a lso have the information of direct ion of rotation
=>
page 242.
Vehicle care I t •

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to ring s yst em * would not b e ab le to moni tor the tire pr essur e or
war n yo u if i t is nec essa ry.
• T he battery ins ide of the tire pressure s ensor has a l imited
service life.
• Always driv e with the va lv e stem caps s ecure ly m ounted. We
r e co mm end usi ng fact ory insta lled valve stem cap s. Ask y our a utho­
rized Audi d ealer to replac e lost valve stem caps .
T he installat ion of replacement tires with steel cord body plies in
t he ti re s id ew all m ay ca use ma lfun ction o f th e tire press ure m oni­
toring system *, and is not recommended (co rd mater ial information
i n mo lded on t he tire sid ewa ll).
Always check your t ire pressure mo nitoring system* indicator after
r eplaci ng o ne or more tir es o n you r veh ic le . If t he ti re p ressu re
mo nito ring syste m* in dicato r flashes o r is ill um in ated, your s ystem
is not working p rope rly . Yo ur replacement t ire might be inco mpat ­
i b le with you r tir e p ressure mon itori ng sys te m *, or so me comp o­
nent of the tire pressure monitoring system * may be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and / or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use tires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica ­
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
espe cially 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.
& WARNING (continued )
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size {rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driving
with different tires reduces vehicle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire 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 extra care . Refit the
normal 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 tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated.
• For technical 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 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 chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system* that indicates a loss of tire pressure . Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authorized 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 wheels . Mi xing tire types is not permitted. _,.
Vehicle care
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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 improve
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 . Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on all four wheels
.
Compatible tire pressure monitoring sensors* must be installed on
all four winter tires for the tire pressure monitoring system* to func­
tion properly ~
page 256.
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop for permitted
winter tire sizes . 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 254.
Please always remember that winter tires may have a lower speed
rating than the tires originally installed on your vehicle at the time
it was manufactured . Please see~
page 256, "Speed rating (letter
code)" for a listing of the speed rating letter codes and the
maximum speed at which the tires can be driven.
The speed rating letter code(~
page 256) is on the side wall of the
tire
~ page 254.
& WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits that may be lower than
your vehicle's maximum speed. Always know the maximum speed
before driving off. Never drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific winter tires. This will cause damage to the tires leading to an accident and serious personal injury to you and your
passengers.
& WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation, loss of control, crashes and serious _,,
Vehicle care
I t •

Tires and wheels 1111111 ________________________________ ::..:..:....::.=.....::.:..:..:..::..:___:__ _ ___:,___
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Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts mus t alwa ys be tighte ned to t he correct
to rq ue .
The design of wheel bo lts is matched to the factory installed rims. If
di fferent r ims are fitted , th e cor rect whe el bo lts wi th the rig ht l ength
and c orrec tly shaped bolt heads must be used . This ens ures that
w he els a re fitted se cur ely and th at the bra ke syste m functi ons
correctl y.
In cer ta in c ircums tances, yo u ma y not use w hee l bolts fr om a
differ ent vehicle - even if it is the same mo del.
& WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained 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 bolts on your vehicle.
• Always maintain the correct tightening torque for the wheel
bolts to reduce the risk of a wheel loss .
If the tightening torque of
the wheel bolts is too low, they can loosen and come out when the
vehicle is moving . If the tightening torque is too high, the wheel
bolts and threads can be damaged and the wheel can become
loose .
0 Note
The s pecified torque for the wheel bolts is 90 ft lb ( 120 N m) with a
to lerance o f± 7,4 ft lb(± 1 0 Nm). Torque whee l bolt s diago nally.
After chang ing a whee l, the torque must be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench
-preferably by an authorized Audi
d e aler o r qua lifi ed wo rksho p.•
Low aspect ratio tires
You r A ud i is fac tory-eq uippe d w ith low aspect ra tio tire s. T hese tire s
have been thorough ly t ested and b een se lected specifica lly for your
mod el for thei r su p erb pe rf or manc e, r oad f eel an d ha nd ling under
a variety of driving con ditions . As k your authorized Audi d ealer for
m ore de ta ils.
The low aspect rat io o f th ese t ires is indicated by a numer al of 55 or
less in the t ire's size designation. The numeral rep resents the ratio
o f t he t ire's s idewa ll he ig ht in rel ati on to it s tread w idt h ex pressed
in percentage . Conventiona l tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
mo re.
The performan ce of low -aspe ct-ratio tires is particularly sensitive to
improper inflation pressure . It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified pressure and that the
inflat ion pressure is regularly checked and ma intained. Tire pres­
sures should be checked at least once a month and always before a
long trip=> page 249, "Checking tire pressure" .
What you can do to avoid tire and rim damage L ow aspect ratio tires can be damaged mo re easily by impact with
po tho les, cu rbs, gull ies o r rid ges o n th e road, particular ly if the t ire
is underinf lated .
I n or der to mini mize th e occurrence of i mpac t da mag e to t he tires
of your vehicle, we recommend that you observe the fol lowing
pr ecaut ions :
• Always ma intain recom mended inflatio n pr essu res . C heck you r
ti re p ressu re eve ry 2,000 mi les (3,000 k m) and add a ir if neces sary .
• D rive carefully on roads with potho les, deep gullies or ridges.
T he impact from d riving th rough or ove r such obstac les can
da mage y our tires. I mpact with a cu rb m ay a lso cause damage to
your tire s. ..,
Vehicle care
I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
• After any impact, immediately inspect your tires or have them
inspected by the nearest authorized Audi dealer. Replace a
damaged tire as soon as possib le .
• Inspect your tires every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) for damage and
wear. Damage is not always easy to see. Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, which could eventua lly cause tire failure. If
you believe that a tire may have been damaged, replace the tire as soon as possible .
• These tires may wear more quickly than others.
• Please a lso remember that, whi le these tires deliver responsive
handling, they may ride less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
R educ ed p erform an ce in win ter/c old s eason
c ondi tio ns
All tires are designed for certain purposes. The low aspect ratio,
u ltra high performance tires originally ins tal led o n your vehicle are
intended for maximum dry and wet road performance and hand ling.
They are no t suitable for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions . If
you drive under those circumstances, you should equip your vehicle
with al l- season or winter tires, which offer better traction under
those conditions. We suggest you use the recommended snow or
a ll-season tires specified for your vehicle, or their equiva lent.
Refer to~
page 259for more detai led information regarding winter
tires. •