2012 AUDI A3 wheel size

norm due to variations in driving habits, serv­
ice practic es and differences in road character ­
istics and climate .
Traction
The traction grades , from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. T hose grades represent the
tire 's ability to stop on wet pavement as
m easured under controll ed conditions on
specif ied government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
t raction performance¢ .&..
Te mperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and
C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generat ion of heat and its ability to dissi­
pate heat when tested under controlled condi­
t ions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
t ire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure <=>& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of pe rform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Veh icle Safe ty Stand­
ard No .
109. Grades Band A represent h igher
l eve ls of pe rformance on the laboratory test
wheel than the m inimum required by law.
.8, WARNING
T he traction grade assigned to this t ire is
based on stra ight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydrop laning or peak traction
character istics .
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is es­
tablished for a t ire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded . Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
separate ly or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire fa ilu re.
-
Tire s an d wheel s 22 7
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 w inter o r "snow" t ires, those
with very deeply cut t read. These tires should
o nl y be used in pairs and be installed o n all
f o ur wheels . Make sure you p urchase snow
tires that are the same size and cons truction
type as the other tires on yo ur vehicle .
If your veh icle is eq uipped w ith all-whee l
drive *, th is w ill improve trac tion d uring win ter
driv ing, even with the s tanda rd tires. Howev ­
er, we strongly recommend that you always
equip all four wheels on your veh icle w ith cor­
rect ly fitted winte r ti res or all-season t ires,
when winter road conditions are expected.
This also improves the veh icle 's b rak ing per­
formance and reduces stoppi ng d ista nces .
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted
on all fo ur whee ls .
As k your au thori zed A udi dealer or qualified
workshop for permit ted
winter ti re size s. Use
on ly radial winter tires .
Win ter tires lose their effec tiveness whe n the
tread is worn down to a depth o f
0.1 57 inch
(4 mm) .
Only d rive w ith w inte r tir es under w inte r con­
di tions. S umme r tir es handle bette r when
t h e re is no snow o r ice on the ro ads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
If you have a flat t ire, see notes on spare
whee l
¢page 223.
Please a lways remember that winter tires may
have a lowe r speed rating than the tires o rigi­
nally i nstalled on your veh icle at the time it
was ma nufactu red. P lease see ¢
page 224,
Speed rating (letter code)
for a lis ting o f th e
speed rating letter codes and the max imum
speed at which the tires can be driven .
111>-
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228 Tires and wheels
The speed rating letter code( ¢ page 224) is
on the side wall of the tire
¢ page 223.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower than your vehicle's max­
imum 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 passen­
gers.
A WARNING I>=
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your vehicle
were designed can cause tire failure in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation,
loss of control, crashes and serious per­
sonal injuries. Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
- Winter tires have maximum speed rating
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.
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and
traffic conditions. Never let the good ac­
celeration of the winter tires and all-wheel
drive tempt you into taking extra risks . Al­
ways 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.
@) For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather condi­
tions permit. They are quieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front
wheels, and only to certain tire sizes . Ask your
authorized Audi dealer on which tire sizes snow chains can be used.
If you are going to use snow chains, then you
must install them on the front wheels at
least.
The snow chains must have low-profile links
and must not be thicker than 0.53 inch
(13 .5 mm) , including the lock.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putting snow chains on your vehicle
¢ (!) . For safety reasons cover caps must then
be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are avail­
able from authorized Audi dealers.
A WARNING
=
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehi-
cle or installing them incorrectly can in­
crease the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
- Snow chains are available in different
sizes . Always make sure to follow the in­
structions provided by the snow chain manufacturer.
- When driving with snow chains never
drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow chains.
- Always observe local regulations.
(D Note
- Remove snow chains before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wearing the snow
chains down unnecessarily .
- Snow chains, which come into direct con­
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or damage it. Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitably covered. Check
the position of the snow chains after
driving a few yards and correct if neces­
sary. Follow the instructions from the
snow chain manufacturer when doing so. ..,.

230 Tire s and wheel s
or ridges on the road, part icu larly if the tire is
u nderinflated.
I n o rder to m inim ize the o ccurrence of impact
damage to the t ires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau ­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended infla tion
pressures. Check your t ire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000
km) and add air if neces ­
sary .
- Drive carefu lly on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
t h rough 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 Aud i dealer. Replace a damaged
t ire as soon as possible .
- Inspect your t ires every 2,000 miles (3,000
km) for damage and wear . Damage is not al­
ways easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, wh ich could eventu­
ally cause t ire failure . If you be lieve that a
t ire may have been damaged, replace the
t ir e as soon as possible.
- T hese tires may wea r mo re quick ly than oth­
ers.
- Please a lso remember that, wh ile these t ires
deliver respons ive handling, they may ride
l ess comfortably and make mo re no ise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter /co ld
sea son condit ion s
All ti res a re des igned for certa in pu rposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
tires originally installed on your vehicle are in­
tended for max imum dry and wet road per­
formance and handling. They are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather condit ions. If
you dr ive under those circumstances, you
should equip your vehicle with all -season or
winter tires, which offer better traction under
those cond it ions. We suggest you use the rec­
ommended snow or all-season tires specified
fo r your vehi cle, or their eq uivalent. Refer to
q page 22 7 for more detailed infor­
mation regarding winter tires.
Tire pressure monitoring system
ill General notes
Applies to veh icles: w ith tire pressure monitoring system
Each tire, incl uding the spare ( if provided),
sho uld be checked monthly when co ld and in­
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the veh icle manufacturer on the veh icle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in­
flat ion p ressure labe l, you should dete rmine
the p roper t ire infla tion p ress ure fo r those
t i res.)
As an added safety feature, your ve hicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure mon itoring
system ( TPMS) tha t illum ina tes a low ti re
pressure tel ltale when one or more of your
tires is significant ly under-inflated . Acco rding­
l y, when the low tire pressure te lltale i llumi­
nates, you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possib le, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a sign ificantly un­
der- inflated t ire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire fa ilure . Under-inflation al ­
so reduces fuel effic iency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle 's handling and
stopp ing ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire ma intenance, and it is the driv­
er's respons ibility to maintain co rrect tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the leve l to tr igger illum inat ion of the
T PMS low tire pressu re tellta le .
You r vehicle has also been equipped with a
T PMS ma lf un ction indicator to ind icate when
the sys tem is not operating properly. The
T PMS ma lf u nction indicator is combined w ith
t h e low tire pressure te lltale. When the sys­
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one min ute and then ..,_

You will find the compact spare wheel under
the floor in the luggage compartment . It is
secured w ith a large nut.
Using the compact spare wheel
The compact spa re wheel is only intended for
emergenc ies until you can reach a repair shop .
Replace i t as quickly as possible with a normal
wheel.
There are some restrictions on the use of the
compact spare wheel~ &. . The compact spare
wheel has been developed especially for your
type of vehicle . It must not be exchanged for
the compact spare whee l from another type of
vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be
installed on the compact spare whee l rim.
Snow chains
For technica l reasons, the use of snow chains
on the compact spare wheel is
n ot permitted .
If you do have to dr ive w ith snow cha ins and
have a t ire failure on a
front wheel, insta ll the
spa re wheel in place of a rear wheel. Install
the snow chains on the rear wheel and use it
to replace the defective front whee l.
Using the spare wheel
The spare wheel is only intended for emergen­
cies until you can reach a repair shop. Replace
it as qu ickly as possib le with a no rmal wheel.
There are some restrict ions on the use of a
spare wheel
Q &. . The spare wheel has been
developed especially for your type of vehicle.
It m ust not be exchanged for the spare whee l
from anot her type of vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be
i nstalled on the spare wheel rim.
Snow t ires
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains
on the spare whee l is
not p erm itte d.
If you do have to drive with snow chains and
have a t ire failure on a
front wheel, insta ll the
spare wheel in place of a rear wheel. Install
What do I do now? 235
the snow chains on the rear whee l and use it
to replace the defective front wheel.
A WARNING -
A lways store jacking equipment, spare
wheel in the luggage compartment. Tight­
en screw for the spare wheel secure ly. Un­
der no circumstances should you store the
spa re wheel o r jack and tools unsecured in
the passenger compartment . This could
cause ser ious persona l inju ry to passen­
gers in the veh icle in case of a collision .
- The compact spare tire is for temporary
use only and is so marked on the side­
walls .
- Do not dr ive at speeds exceeding SO mph
(80 km/h) wi th the compact spare whee l
mounted . A lso rapid acce lerat ion, ha rd
braking and hard cornering must be
avoided to he lp prevent loss of vehicle
contro l.
- Any continuous road use of the compact
spare tire may result in tire failure, loss
of vehicle control and injury to vehicle
occupants.
- Do not put a snow chain on your compact
spare tire. Due to the smaller t ire size,
the chain will not fit properly and can
thus damage your vehicle. You cou ld also
lose the chain, as well as contro l of the
veh icle .
- If you have a flat front t ire in road condi­
tions which require snow chains, first re­
move the undamaged rea r whee l and
mount the compact spare wheel in its
place. Then remove the damaged front
wheel, take the snow cha ins off it and at­
tach them to the whee l taken from the
rear. This wheel can now be mounted on
the front with its snow chains. Check and
adjust t ire pressure promptly .
- Never use two or more compact spare
tires at the same time.
(D Note
When using the compact spare wheel, note the fo llowing: •
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Lifting jack .... .... .... ... .. .. .. ... 239
Lifting po ints ...................... 253
Light coming/leaving home ............... 48
Exterior lighting .......... .......... 48
Light/ra in sensor defective . ... .. .. .. .. 22
Lights .. .. ..... ........... ...... ... 47
E mergency flasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SO
Fr ont fog l igh ts .......... .... .. .. .. 49
H eadlig hts ... .... .... ... .. .. .. .... 47
High beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 50
Instrument panel i llum ination . ... .. .. 49
Side marker lights ........ ...... .... 47
Turn signals .. ........... .. .. .. .... 50
Xeno n headlights ................... 47
L oading the l uggage compartment . ... . 109
L oading the roof rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Locking Manual back-up .......... .. .. .. .. .. 41
Power locking switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Rear lid .. ..... ........... ...... ... 40
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7
Using the fo ld-out key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Lower universa l anchorage bars (Canada) 155
L ower universa l anchorages (Canada) 155
L uggage
Stowing . .. ..... ....... .... ... .. . 109
Luggage compartment
Cargo net .. ............. .... .. .... 69
Fasten ing eyes .................. ... 68
Increasing size ... .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .. 67
L ight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Re tractable cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Ski sack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
also refer to Loading the l uggage com ­
partment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
L umbar support ..................... 64
M
Maintenance ............... ...... .. 259
M alfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) . . 1 9, 25
M anual tra nsmission ................. 96
G ea rshift lever ........... .. .. .. .. .. 96
Master key . ................ ...... ... 35
Battery replacement ................ 35
Master key remote control ... .. .. .. .. .. 35
Inde x 271
Menu bu tton . ..... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. . 28
Menu display Drive r Infor mation Display ........... 27
Mirrors Activating the dig ital compass ........ 59
Adjus ting the exterior m irrors . . . . . . . . . 53
dimming ........ .. ................ 54
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System 133
Mo unti ng hoo ks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
N
Natura l leather .. .. .. ..... .......... 185
New t ires and wheels ................ 223
N HT SA
Co ntacting . ... .... . ... ...... ... .. 111
Number of sea ts ... .. ............... 113
0
Occupant seating positions .......... . 104
Octane rating ....... . .. .. ..... ... .. 189
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Oil Wha t kind of oil should I put in my en-
gine? ........ ... .. ............... 197
also refer to Engine o il ... ... ..... .. 197
On-Board D iagnost ic System ........... 25
E lectronic speed limiter .............. 2S
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) ..... 25
On-Boa rd Diagnostic System (OBD) ... .. . 24
Data Link Connector ( DLC) .... ... .. .. . 24
Open door o r fron t lid wa rn ing ......... 23
Operate your vehicle economically and
minimize pollution ... . .. .... ...... .. 171
Optional eq uipment
Marked with an asterisk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
O ther equ ipment (e fficiency program) ... 29
Out lets ............................ 75
Outside ai r poll ution
How to prevent from entering the vehi-
cle ............................... 83
Outs ide mir ro rs
refer to E xterio r mi rro rs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Outs ide temperature disp lay ......... .. 23
Owner's manual How the Owner 's Manual is organ ized ... 6
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