________________________________________________ T_i_re _ s_ a _ n_d_ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured, and
t he last f our num be rs represen t the wee k an d ye ar of man ufacture.
For examp le, t he numbers 2209 mean that the t ire was prod uced in
the 2 2nd week of 2009. The ot her num bers are marketing co des that
may or may not be used by the t ire manufacturer . Th is information is
used to contact consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll.
Audi Original tire
Tir es wi th the identifi cat io n "A O" or "RO" have bee n specially
matched w it h your Aud i. W e recommend using only these t ires
because t hey meet the hig hest standards regard ing safety and
driv ing c ha racteris tics when used correct ly . Yo ur aut ho rize d Aud i
dealer wi ll gladly p rovide you with more information.
Tire ply composition and materials used
T he num ber o f plies ind ica tes the numbe r of layers o f rubber -coa ted
fab ric in the tire. I n ge neral, th e greater the n umber of plies, the
more weight a tire can support . Tire manufacture rs a lso must in di
cate the mater ials in the t ire, which incl ude stee l, nylon, polyes ter,
and others .
Maximum Load Rating
This num ber indicates t he maximum load in kilog rams and pounds
tha t can be carr ied by the t ire.
Tire quality grading for treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance
T read wea r, traction and tempe rat ure gra des => page 306 .
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the g rea tes t a mou nt o f air pressure th at sh ould ever
be put in the t ire under normal driv ing cond itions.
Safety first
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/ or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combination s can lead to loss of control, collision
and serious personal injury.
• Always u se tire s, rim s 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,
e specially at high speed s. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speed s.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old u sed tires may have been damaged
eventhoughthedamage cannotbeseenthatcanleadtosudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial t ires 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 ti re is not the same as the t ires 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 ma ximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated becau se tire s that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tire s cau se 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 unde rinflated.
• For technical reasons it is not always possible to u se wheels
from other vehicles- in some cases not even wheels from the same
vehicle model. ..,_
Vehicle care Technical data
_____________________________________________ W __ h_a _ t_ d_o_ I_ d _ o_ n_o_ w_ ? _ ___.ffl'I
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the jack and align
the jack below that point=>
page 319.
4. Lift the car with the jack=> page 319.
5. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then install the
spare tire => page 320 .
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 318.
9. Replace the decorative wheel cover* or the wheel bolt
caps*.
& WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and information=> & in
"Raising the vehicle" on
page 319 and => page 322. •
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 Nm).
Vehicle OP-eration
-Have the flat tire replaced as soon as possible.
[ i] Tips
• If you notice that the wheel bolts are corroded and difficult to turn
while changing a tire, they should be replaced before you check the tightening torque.
• Drive at reduced speed until you have the tightening torques
checked. •
Applies to ve hicles : w ith deco rative wheel cove rs
Decorative wheel covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed first to
access the wheel bolts.
Removing
Fig. 221 Changing a
wheel: removing the
wheel cover
- Insert the hook provided with the vehicle tool kit in the
hole in the hub.
- Pull off the
decorative wheel cover=> fig. 221. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service iTechnical data
What do I do now? Ill
----------------
- Screw the threaded end of the alignment pin from the
tool kit hand-tight into the empty bo lt hole~
page 320 ,
fig. 227.
- Then re m ove the o ther wheel bolts as described above.
- Take off t he w heel leaving the alignment pin i n the bolt
hole~ 0-
Putting on the inflatable spare tire
- Push t he spare tire over the a lignmen t pin.
- Screw on th e whe el bo lts and t ight en them
slightly using
the hexagonal soc ket .
- Remove the alignment pin and insert and tighten the
remaini ng whee l bol t slig htly like the rest .
- Turn the jack handle counter-clockwise to lower t he
vehicle unt il the jack is fully released.
- Use the wheel bolt wrench to t ighten a ll whee l bolts firmly
~ page 318 . Tighte n th em in a crisscross pattern, from
one bolt to the (approx imately) opposite one , to keep the
wheel centered.
- Perform the steps required after changing the wheel
~ page 317, "After c hanging a wheel".
T he hexagona l socket makes it easier to remove the whee l bolts from
the rim. Care should be take n when remov ing the reve rsib le blade .
0 Note
When removing or installing the wheel, the r im could hit the brake
rotor and damage the rotor . Work caref ully and have a second person
to he lp you.
Safety first
(I] Tips
• Whe n mounting tires with unidirection al tread de sign make sure
the tread pattern is pointed the rig ht way~
page 321.
• T he wheel bolts should be clea n and easy to turn. Check for dirt
and corrosion on the mating surfaces of both the whee l and the hub .
Remove all d irt from these surfaces before remounting the whee l.
• Do not use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver hand le to
loose n or tig hten the wheel bolts .•
Tires with unidirectional tread design
Tires with unidirectional tread design mus t be mounte d
with their tread pattern pointed in the right direc tio n .
Using a spare tire with a tread pattern intended for
use in a specific direction
Whe n using a spare tire with a tread patte rn intended fo r use in a
specific direction, p lease note the fo llow ing:
• T he direction of ro ta t ion is ma rked by an
arrow on th e side of the
t ir e.
• If the spare tire has to be installed in the incorrect d irect ion, use
the spare t ire only temporar ily since the tire w ill not be ab le to
achieve its optimum pe rformance characterist ics with rega rd to
aquaplaning, noise and wear.
• We recommend tha t you pay particular attent ion to th is fact
dur ing wet weather and that you adjust your speed to match road
condi tions.
• Replace the flat ti re with a new one and have it installed on your
veh icle as soon as possible to restore the handling adva ntages of a
unidirect ional tire. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data