Ill Tires and wheels
-------------------
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to
a d epth o f 0. 157 inch ( 4 mm).
Only drive w it h w inte r tir es under w inte r co nd it io ns. S u mmer t ires
hand le better w hen there is no s now or ice on t he roads a nd the
t em pe ra ture i s above 4 5
°F (7 ° ( ).
If you have a flat tire, see notes on spare wheel~ page 307.
Please always remember that winter tires may have a lower speed
rating than t he t ires originally installed on yo ur ve hicle at the time it
was ma nufact ured . Please see~
page 309, "Speed rat ing ( letter
c ode)" fo r a listing of the speed rating le tte r codes a nd t he maximu m
speed at which the tires can be dr ive n.
Th e spee d rat ing le tt er code( ~
page 298 ) is on the side w all of the
t ire~
page 307 .
& WARNING
Winter tires have ma ximum 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 perm itted fo r
your specific winter tires . This will cause damage to the tire s
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 des igned can cause ti re failure includ ing a
blowout and sudden deflation, lo ss of control, crashes and serious
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires replaced immedi
ately.
• Winter t ires have maximum speed rat ing that may be lower
than your vehicle's maximum speed .
• Never drive faster than the speed for which the winter or other
tires installed on your vehicle are rated.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and traffic conditions.
Never let the good acceleration of the winter tires and all-wheel
drive tempt you into taking extra risks. Always remember :
• When braking , an all-wheel drive vehicle handles in the same
way as a front drive vehicle .
• Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy and slippery roads,
even winter tires cannot help under black ice conditions.
Use s ummer tires when weather co ndit io ns permit. They are qu ieter,
do not wear as quickly and reduce fuel consum ption .•
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fit te d on ly to the fr ont w heels, and only to
certain t ire sizes . Ask yo ur aut horized Audi dealer on which tire sizes
snow chains can be used .
If you are go ing to use snow c ha ins, then you must insta ll th em on t he
front wheels at least .
Th e sn ow chain s mus t have low-pr ofile li nks and m ust no t be th icker
than 0 .53 inc h (13.5 mm), including the lock.
R emove wheel cente r covers an d trim discs before putti ng snow
chains on your vehicle~
0. For safety reaso ns cove r caps m ust the n
be fitted over the whee l bo lts. These are availab le from a utho rized
Audi dealers.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your veh icle or installing them
incorrectly can incre ase the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury .
~
___ T_ ir_e_ s _ a_ n _ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
After changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as
possible with a torque wrench -preferably by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop. •
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect ratio tires. These tires
have been thoroughly tested and been selected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road feel and handling under a
variety of driving conditions. Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated by a numeral of
55 or
less
in the tire's size designation. The numeral represents the ratio of
the tire's sidewall height in relation to its tread width expressed in
percentage. Conventional tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more.
The performance of low-aspect-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
inflation pressure is regularly checked and maintained. Tire pres
sures should be checked at least once a month and always before a
long trip=>
page 302, "Checking tire pressure" .
What you can do to avoid tire and rim damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easily by impact with
potholes, curbs, gullies or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is
underinflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence of impact damage to the tires of
your vehicle, we recommend that you observe the following precau
tions:
• Always maintain recommended inflation pressures. Check your
tire pressure every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary.
• Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep gullies or ridges. The
impact from driving through or over such obstacles can damage your
tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to your tires. •
After any impact, immediately inspect your tires or have them
inspected by the nearest authorized Audi dealer. Replace a damaged
tire as soon as possible.
• 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 eventually 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 also remember that, while these tires deliver responsive
handling, they may ride less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes. The low aspect ratio, ultra
high performance tires originally installed on your vehicle are
intended for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling.
They are not suitable for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions. If you
drive under those circumstances, you should equip your vehicle with
all-season or winter tires, which offer better traction under those
conditions. We suggest you use the recommended snow or all-season
tires specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to=>
page 311 for more detailed information regarding winter
tires. •
Tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to veh icles: w ith tire pressure monitoring system
General notes '
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
monthly 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 .,
Tires and wheels Ill _______________ _____.
than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label , you sho uld determine the proper tire infla tion pressure fo r
those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressu re monitoring sys tem (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres
sure telltale when one o r more of your t ires is s ignificantly under
inflated. Accord ingly, when the low tire pressure tellta le illumi nates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon as possib le, and inflate
them to the proper p ress ure. D riving on a sign ificantly under-inflated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire fa ilure . Under
inflation also reduces f uel efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability .
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte
nance, and it is the d river's responsibility to mainta in correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger
ill umination of the TPMS low tire press ure te lltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped w ith a TPMS malfunction indi
cato r to indica te when the system is not operating properly . The
TP MS ma lf u nction indicator is combined with the low tire p ress ure
telltale. When the system detects a malfunct ion, the telltale will
fl ash for approximate ly one minute and then rema in continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
sta rt-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the ma lfunction indicator is illum inated, the system may not
be able to de tect or signa l low ti re pressure as intended . TPMS
ma lfunctions may occur fo r a var iety of reaso ns, includ ing the instal
lation of replacement o r alternate tires or wheels on the vehi cle that
prevent the T PMS from functioning properly . Always check the TPMS
ma lfunction tellta le after replacing one or more tires or whee ls on
yo ur vehicle to ensure that the replacement o r alte rnate t ires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to funct ion proper ly .•
Vehicle OP-eration
App lies to vehicles : wi th t ire p ressu re mon it ori ng system
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.
Fi g. 221 D is pl ay:
un der infl ation
wa rning
Fi g. 2 22 Display :
Sys tem malfun ction
Us ing the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor ing system compares
the t ire tread c ircumference and vibration characteristics of the ind i
vidual tires .
If the pressure decreases in one or more tires, this is indi -
cated in the instrument cl uster with a warning symbol and a
message ~ fig. 221. The d river message in the display goes o ut after
5 seconds . The driver message can be displayed again by p ressing the
!C HECK ] button. If on ly one t ire is affected, the display will ind icate
its position. ._
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
IIIIL_T.:...:..: i r~ e:.: s~ a:::. n:..:..:: d:.....: w..:...:. h::e:.: e::.:: ls::::._ ______________________________________________ _
The tire pressure monitoring must be reset via MMI each t ime the
pressures are adjus ted (e.g. w hen swi tching between p art ial an d full
load pressure) or after chang ing o r replacing a tire o n your veh icle
~ page 31 6. Yo u can fi nd the recommended tire press ures for yo ur
veh icle on the label on the driver 's door pillar~ page
299 .
Tire tread circ umference and vibrat ion characteristics can change and
c a u se a tir e pressure war ning if:
• the t ire pressure in one o r more tires is too low,
• t he tire ha s structur al dam age,
• the tire press ure was changed, wheels rotated or rep laced but the
TPM S was no t reset~ page
316.
Warning symbols
1..1' Loss of press ure in at least one tire~ &. Check the tire or tires
and replace or repair if necessary. The indicator light (• in the instru
me nt clust er also illuminates~ page
12. Check/correct th e p res
sures o f all four tires and reset TPMS via MMI.
rr :; (T ire Pressu re M on itor ing System) Tire pres sure! System
malfunction.
If T ,.;> appears a fter switching the ignition on or w hile
dr iv ing ~ page
315, fig . 2 22 a nd t he indica to r lig ht 'in th e instr u
me nt clus ter b links for approx ima tely one m inute and the n stays on,
there is a system ma lf u nct io n. See your authorized Audi dealer as
soon as poss ible.
& WARNING
• If the tir e pres sure indicator appears in the instrument cluster
display, one or more of your tires i s significantly under-inflated.
Reduce your speed immediately and avoid any hard steering or
braking maneuvers. Stop as soon a s possible and check the tires
and their pressures . Inflate the tire pressure to the proper pres
sure as indicated on the vehicle 's tire pressure label~
page 299.
Driving on a significantly under -inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under -inflation also is likely
to impair the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• The driver is re sponsible for maintaining the correct tire pres
sures . You must check the tire pres sures regularly .
• Under certain conditions (such as a sporty driving style , winter
conditions or unpaved roads) , the pressure monitor indicator may
be delayed.
• Ask your authorized Audi dealer if run-flat tires may be used on
your vehicle . Your vehicle registration becomes invalid if you u se
the se tires when not permitted. Damage to your vehicle or acci
dents could also result.
[ i ] Tips
• T he tire pressure monito ring system stops wor king when there is
an ES P/ABS malf u nctio n.
• Using snow cha ins may res ult in a system ma lf u n ct ion .
• The tire pressure mon itor ing system on your Au di was calibrated
using t ires with the "AO" or "RO " id ent ificat ion . We re comme nd
using these tires. •
Applies to vehicles: with tire p ressure monito ring system
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
I f the tire pressure is adjus ted, wheels are rotated or
changed, th e TPfvf S must b e re set via
fv1fv1 I.
-Turn on the ign it ion .
- Sele ct : Fu nct ion butt on
[C AR ]> Systems* > Tire pressure
monitoring
> Store now.
[ i ] Tips
Before resett ing the TPMS, the current pressures of all four t ires
mus t co rrespo nd to the specifie d val ues. A djust the tire pre ssure and
~
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
lffl!I.___W __ h_a_ t_ d_ o_ I_ d_ o_ n_ o_w_ ? _____________________________________________ _
- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
Storing the replaced wheel
-Place the replaced wheel inside the spare wheel well in the
luggage compartment.
Tighten the knurled retaining screw clockwise to secure
the wheel in place.
- Disengage and lower the floor panel before you close the
luggage compartment lid again.
& WARNING
Loose items in the passenger compartment can cause serious
personal injury during hard braking or in an accident.
• Never store the spare wheel or jack and tools in the passenger
compartment.
• Always store all jacking equipment, tools, and the spare wheel
in the luggage compartment.
• Tighten the knurled retaining screw for the spare wheel
securely.
[ i] Tips
Check the inflation pressure of the spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use.•
Changing a wheel
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own and your
passenger's safety when changing a wheel.
- After you experience a tire failure, pull the car well away
from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before
you stop :::> & .
- All passengers should
leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail) :::>& .
- Engage the
parking brake to prevent your vehicle from
rolling unintentionally:::> &.
- Move
selector lever to position P :::> & .
- If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle.
- Take the
jack and the spare tire out of the luggage
compartment:::>
page 318.
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if
you do not follow these safety precautions:
• If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off the road. Turn
off the engine, turn the emergency flashers on and use other
warning devices to alert other motorists.
• Make sure that passengers wait in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the road and traffic.
• 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. When
one front wheel is lifted off the ground, placing the Automatic
~
What do I do now? Ill
----------------
& WARNING (con tinued)
Trans missio n in "P " (Pa rk) w ill not pre ve nt the vehicle from
mo ving .
• Befo re you ch an ge a wheel , be s ure the ground i s le ve l an d
firm . If ne cess ary, us e a sturdy b oard und er the jack.
• Aft er in st a llin g the sp are wheel , make sure that you repl ace
the flat tire /wheel in it s storage area prop erly and tight en the
knurled ret ain ing s crew se cu rel y.•
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence described
below step-by-step and in exactly that order .
1. Activate the vehicle jack mode (only vehicles with Adaptive
Air Suspension) =>
page 170.
2. Remove the decorative wheel cover *. For more details see
also =>
page 322, "Decorative wheel covers" .
3 . Loosen the
wheel bolts => page 322.
4. Locate the proper mo unti ng point for the jack and align
the jack below that point=>
page 323.
5. Lift the car with the jack=> page 323.
6. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then install the
spare =>
page 324.
7. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
8 .
Lower the vehicle with the jack.
9. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly t ighten all wheel
bolts =>
page 322.
10. Replace the decorative wheel cover *.
Safety first
1 1. Deactivate the vehicle jack mode (only vehicles with
Adaptive Air Suspens ion) =>
page 170 .
& WARNING
Alwa ys re ad and f ollow all WARNINGS and information ~ & in
" Ra ising the vehicl e" on pag e
32 3 and ~ pag e 325. •
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 the ir proper location.
- Check the tir e pr essur e on the spare wheel immediately
after mounting it .
- As soon as possib le, have the
tighten ing torques on a ll
wheel bolts checked with a torque wrench . The correct
tightening torque is 90 ft lb (120 Nm) .
- Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
[ i ] Tips
• If you not ic e that the wheel bolts are corroded and difficu lt to turn
wh ile chang ing a tire, they should be replaced before you check the
tightening torque .
• Drive at reduced speed until you have the tighten ing torques
checked. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
What do I do now? -_______________ __.PfWII
& WARNING (continued)
• Do not loosen the wheel bolts more than one turn before you
raise the vehicle with the jack. -You risk an injury.
(I) Tips
• Never use the hexagonal socket in the handle of the screwdriver to
loosen o r 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 th e wheel bolt wrench with
one
foot only .
As you do so, hold on to the car to keep your balance and
take ca re not to slip .•
Raising the vehicle
The vehicle must be li~ed with the jack first before the
wheel can be removed.
Fig. 229 Changing a
wheel: mounting
points for the jack
Vehicle OP-eration
Fig. 230 Close-up:
proper positioning of
jack
- Activate the vehicle jack mode* (only vehicles with Adap
tive Air Suspension)=>
page 170.
-Engage the parking brake to prevent your vehicle from
rolling unintentionally.
- Move the
selector lever to position P.
-Position the jack below the door sill under the mounting
point
that is closest to the wheel to be changed
=> fig . 229.
- Extend the
jack under the lifting point on the door sill until
its arm is positioned directly under the lifting point=>& .
- Align the jack so that its arm©=> fig. 230 engages in the
designated lifting point in the door sill and the movable
base ® lies flat on the ground. The base® must be
vertical under the lifting point@.
- Wind the jack up further until the flat tire comes off the
ground =>& .
The jack must be installed only at the places indicated=> fig . 229.
There is exactly
one location for each wheel. The jack must not be
positioned at any other location
~ & .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service iTechnical data