2011 AUDI A6 wheel alignment

________________________________________________ T_ i_ re _ s_ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_ e_l _s _ ....... JIII
Incorrect wheel alignment
In correct whee l al ignme nt can ca use excessive tir e wea r, impairing
th e sa fety o f the vehicl e. If t ires show excessive w ear, hav e the w heel
alignment checked by a n authorized A udi dea ler or qualifie d work­
shop.
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles wi th quattro® must always have tires of the same size ,
con st ruct ion an d tread type . For details see~
page 248.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to los s of control, a cra sh 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 increase your risk of "hydroplaning" and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause t ire 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 failu re and loss of vehicle control. •
Vehicle OP-eration
New tires and replacing tires and whee ls
N ew t ires an d w hee ls have to be brok en in .
Fig. 220 Tire specificat ion codes on th e sidewall of a tire
No.
©
®
®
©
©
©
Description
Passenger car tire (where applicable)
Nom inal wid th of ti re in mil limeters
Ratio of hei9ht to width (aspect ratio)
Radial
jj Rim diameter code
L oa d index and speed rating
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

What do I do now? -______________________________ ____::..:..:..:..::..::....::..::.....::.....:::...::,_ __ __,J
& WARNING (continued)
• Never start or run the engine while the vehicle is supported by
the jack.
• If you must work under the vehicle, always use safety stands
specifically designed for this purpose.
• Never use the hexagonal socket in the handle of the screw­
driver to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.
• Always make sure the spare tire and even a flat tire are secured
in place and not loose, otherwise they could fly forward, causing
personal injury to passengers in the vehicle in an accident or
sudden maneuver. •
Tools
The vehicle tools are stored in the luggage compartment
behind the right-side trim panel.
-
The onboard tool kit includes:
• Hook for removing wheel covers*
• Wheel bolt wrench
• Alignment pin for changing wheels
• Screwdrive r with reve rsible blade
Fig. 225 Luggage
compartment: vehicle
tool kit
Vehicle OP-eration
• Towing eye
[ i] Tips
Some of the onboard items listed above are provided on certain
models only or are optional extras. •
Spare wheel
The spare wheel is stored in the wheel well underneath
the floor panel in the luggage compartment.
Fig. 226 Luggage
compartment spare
wheel
Your vehicle is equipped with a regular spare wheel. It is held
in place by plastic retaining knurled screw .
Taking out the spare wheel
- Raise the floor panel at the plastic handle.
- Securely engage the handle in the luggage compartment
seal as illustrated to keep the floor panel up.
Unscrew the knurled retainer bolt in the wheel center
=> fig. 226. Turn it counter-clockwise.
- Take out the spare wheel.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service iTechnical data

lffll.,___W_ h_ a_t _ d_ o_ I_d_ o_ n_o _w_ ? ___________________________________________ _
An unstable surface under the jack can cause the vehicle to slip off the
jack. Always provide a firm base for the jack on the ground .
If neces­
sary place a sturdy board or similar support under the jack. On hard,
slippery surfaces (such as tiles) use a rubber mat or similar to prevent
the jack from slipping=> &.
& WARNING
• You or your passengers could be injured while changing a
wheel if you do not follow these safety precautions:
-Positioning the jack under the vehicle at any other place than
those indicated above may damage the vehicle or may result in
personal injuries.
- A soft or unstable surface under the jack may cause the
vehicle to slip off the jack. Always provide a firm base for the
jack on the ground. If necessary, use a sturdy board under the
jack.
- On hard, slippery surface (such as tiles) use a rubber mat or
similar to prevent the jack from slipping.
• To help prevent injury to yourself and your passengers: -Do not raise the vehicle until you are sure the jack is securely
engaged.
- Passengers must not remain in the vehicle when it is jacked
up.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the road and traffic.
- Make sure jack position is correct, adjust as necessary and
then continue to raise the jack. •
Taking the wheel off/installing the spare
Follow these instructions step-by -step for changing the
wheel
Fig. 231 Changing a
wheel: using the
screwdriver handle
(with the blade
removed) to turn the
bolts
Fig. 232 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
- Use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle to
completely remove the topmost wheel bolt and set it
aside on a
clean surface => fig. 231.

What do I do now? -________________ Vf'.'11
- Screw the threaded end of the alignment pin from the
tool kit hand-tight into the empty bo lt hole~
page 324,
fig. 232.
- 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.
Putting on the spare wheel
- Lift the spare wheel and carefully slide it over the alig n­
ment pi n to guide it in p lace .
- Use the hexagona l socket in the screwdriver handle to
screw in and tighte n all w heel bolts
slightly.
- Remove the alig nment pi n and inse rt an d tighten the
remaining wheel bolt slig htly like the rest.
- Turn the jac k han dle counter-c lockwise to lower the
ve hicle u ntil the jack is fully released.
- Use the wheel bolt wrench to t ighten all whee l bolts firmly
~ page 322. Ti ghten them crosswise, from one bolt to
the (approximately) opposite one, to keep the w heel
centered.
[I] Tips
Never use the hexagonal socket i n the handle of the screwdriver to
loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.
• Pull the reve rsible blade from the screwdriver before yo u use the
hexagonal socket in the handle to t urn the whee l bolts.
• When mounting tires with
unidirectional tread design make sure
t he tread pa ttern is po inted the right way~
page 325.
Safety first
• The wheel bolts should be clea n and easy to turn. Check for dirt
and cor rosion on the mat ing surfa ces o f bo th the whee l and the hub.
Remove all d irt from these surfaces before remounting the wheel. •
Tires with unidirectional tread design
Tires with unidirectional tread design must be mounted
with their trea d pattern pointed in the right direction .
Using a spare tire with a tread pattern intended for
use in a specific direction
When using a spare tire w ith a tread pattern intended for use in a
specific direction, p lease note the fo llow ing:
• T he direct ion of rotation is marked by an ar row on the s ide of the
tire.
• If the spare tire has to be installed in the incor rect d irect ion, use
the spare tire only tempo rari ly since the tire wi ll not be ab le to
achieve its optimum pe rforma nce charact erist ics with rega rd to
aquaplaning, noise and wear.
• We recommend that you pay particular attention to this fact
during wet weather and that you adjust your speed to match road
condit ions.
• Replace the flat t ire with a new one and have it installed on your
vehicle as soon as possible to restore the handling advantages of a
unidirect iona l tire .•
Notes on wheel changing
Please read the information~ page 307, "New tires and replacing
t ires and wheels" if yo u are go ing to use a spa re t ire wh ich is d iffe rent
from the tires on yo ur vehicle .
After you c hange a ti re:
• Check the tire pressure on the spa re immediately after installa-
tion. ..,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data