
28 2 T ire s and wheel s
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or
weight that any veh icle and any t ire can carry.
A vehicle that is overloaded wi ll not handle
well and is more difficult to stop. Overload ing
can not on ly lead to loss of vehicle control
,
but can a lso damage impo rtant parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden tire failure in-
,
eluding a blowout and sudden deflation that
can cause the veh icle to crash .
Your safety and that of your passengers a lso
depends on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load includes everybody
and everyth ing in and on the vehicle . These
load limits are tech nically referred to as the
vehicle 's
Gr oss Vehicl e W eig ht Rating
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the we ight of the basic
vehicle, all factory installed accessories , a full
tank of fuel , oi l, coo lant and other fluids plus
maximum load. The maxim um 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 tota l weight of any l uggage in the ve
h icle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the
trailer h itch and the tongue weight of the
loaded trailer must be included as part of the
ve hicle load .
The
G ro ss Ax le We ight Rat ing ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each
of the vehicle's two axles .
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance st icker label located on the
driver's side B -p illar . Your Audi has 5 seating
positions, 2 in the front and 3 i n the rear for
total seating capacity of 5. On vehicles w ith
six seats*, your veh icle has two front seats,
two seats in the second row seating and two
seats in the third row seating . On vehicles
with seven seats*, your vehicle has two front
seats, three seats in the second row seating
and two seats in the third row seating . Each seating position has a seat belt
q
page 170,
Safety belts .
The fact that there is an upper limit to yo ur
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating means
that the total weight of whatever is being car
ried in the vehicle (including the weight of a
trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the
loaded tra iler) is lim ited. The more passen
gers in the vehicle or passengers who are
heavier than the standard we ights assumed
mea n that less we ight can be carr ied as lug
gage .
The tire pressure label on your Audi also lists
the maximum combined weig ht of a ll of the
occupants and luggage or other cargo that
the vehicle can carry . Fo r the location of the
label qpage278, fig. 237.
_& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve
h icle cont ro l, a crash or other accident, se
rious personal injury, and even death.
- Ca rrying more we igh t than your veh icle
was des igned to carry wi ll prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in
crease the risk of the loss of vehicle con
trol.
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
veh icle w ith in a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been over load
ed can fail s uddenly, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, causing loss of
control and a crash .
- Always make sure that the total load be
ing transported -including the weight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue we ight of a
loaded trailer -does not ma ke the vehi
cle heavi er than the vehicle's Gross Vehi
cle Weight Rating.
Determining correct load limit
U se t he exa mple b elo w t o ca l
c ulat e th e t otal w eight of the
pa sseng ers a nd luggage or

292 Tires and wheels
month and alway s before a long trip
~ page 280, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
L ow aspect ratio tires can be damaged more
eas ily by impact with potho les, curbs, gu llies
or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is
underinflated.
I n order to minimize the occu rrence o f impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom
mend 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 a ir if neces
sary.
- Drive carefu lly on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your t ires. Impact with a curb may also
cause damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tir es or have them inspected by the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer . Replace a damaged
t ir e 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 unde rinflation, wh ich could eventu
ally cause tire failure. If yo u be lieve that a
tire may have been damaged, replace the
tire as soon as possible.
- T hese tires may wear more quickly than oth
ers.
- Please also remember that, while these tir es
deliver responsive handling, they may ride
l ess 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 in
tended for maximum dry and wet road per
formance and handling . They are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather condit ions . If you drive
under those circumstances, you
shou ld equip your vehicle with all-season or
winter tires , which offer better traction under
those conditions. We suggest you use the rec ommended snow or all-season t ires specified
for your vehicle, or their equivalent .
Refer to~
page 289 for more detailed infor
mation regarding winter tires.
Tire pressure
monitoring system
General notes ill
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and in
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the
s iz e indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in
flat ion press ure la bel, you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for those
ti res.)
As an added safety feature, your ve hicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system ( TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. According
l y, when the low tire pressure te lltale illumi
nates, you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, 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 efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's hand ling and
stopping ability .
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire ma intenance, and it is the driv
er's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the leve l to trigger illuminat ion of the
T PMS low tire pressure tellta le .
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
T PMS ma lfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
ll>

Engine Compartment .... ..... ... ... ... ...
260
Coolant .. .. .... ........ ... .. .. .. . 265
Hood .. .. .. ...... ........... .. ... 258
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 , 106
Starting with jumper cables .. ... .... 308
Stopping ... ... .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .. . 106
Engin e compartm ent
Safety instructions ... ..... .. .. .. .. .
258
Working the engine compar tmen t ... . 258
Engine coolant system ... ... .. .. .. .. . 265
Adding coolant . .. ..... ... .. .. .. ... 267
Checking coolant leve l .. ... .. .. .. .. . 266
Checking the eng ine coolant leve l .. .. . 266
M alfunct ion .. ........... .. .. .. .. .. 32
Radiator fan .............. ... ... .. 268
Engine coolant temperature
Temperature ga ug e .... ... .. .. .. .. ..
10
Eng ine data .. .. ........... .. .. .. .. . 3 16
Eng ine hood
C losing ...................... ....
258
H ow to release the hood . .. .. .. .. .. . 258
Engine oil . .. ............. .... .. .. . 260
Adding .. .. ........ ..... .... .. .. . 264
Addi tives . .. ............. .... .. .. . 264
Changing .................. .... .. 264
Checking the eng ine o il level .. .. .. .. . 263
Consumpt ion ................. .... 262
Indications and cond it ions requ iring ex-
tra checking ............. .... .. ...
263
O il grades .. ... .. ..... ... .. .. .. ... 260
Recommended oil check intervals .. .. . 263
Specification and viscosity . ... .. .. .. . 260
Eng ine oi l level ..... ..... .. .... .. .. .. 36
Eng ine oil pressure
Malfunct io n ... .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .. ..
33
Eng ine oil sensor defective . ... .. .. .. .. 36
E ng ine speed limitat io n ..... .. .. .. .. .. 36
Entry assist
Rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 5
Environment Break-in period . .. ..... ... .. .. .. ...
228
Catalytic converter ........ .. .. .. .. . 229
Diesel particulate filter .... .. .. .. .. . 229
Disposing of your vehicle battery .. .. . 273
Driving at h igh speeds ......... ... .. 230
D riving to m inimize pollution and no ise 230
Inde x 329
Fuel . ... .. .. .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 253
Fuel economy .. .... . ... ...... ... .. 230
Leaks unde r your vehicle ..... ... .. .. 258
Letting the vehicle stand and warm up . 230
Proper disposal of dra ined brake fluid . 269
P roper disposal of drained eng ine cool -
ant .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. ... ... .. ....
267
Proper disposal of d ra in ed eng ine oi l .. 264
Recycling used eng ine oil . ....... .... 2 64
Un leaded fuel .. .. .... .... ....... .. 2 50
Wha t shou ld I do with an o ld battery? . 273
EPC
refer to Elect ron ic power control ...... 15
ESC
refer to E lectron ic Stability Control ( ESC) 16
Event Da ta Recorde r (ED R) ..... ... .. .. 219
Exhaust tail pipes
Cleaning .. .. .. .. .. . ... ...... ... ..
244
Expansion tank .. .. ................. 266
Explanation of some technical te rms ... 232
Ex terior lighting in the mirror housing 59
Exterior m irrors
Adjusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
68
Dimming .. .. .. .. .. ............... . 69
Heating ... .. .. .. .... ....... .... ...
68
Eyeglasses compartment . ..... ... .. .. . 89
F
Fa ll line
Fan Fou r-zo ne automatic comfo rt air condi-232
t 1o ni ng ... .. .. .. .. . .. .......... .. . 98
Radiator .. .. .. .. .. . ... ........... 2 68
Fasten ing
Booster seats .. ... ...... ......... .
208
Convertible child safety seats ... ... .. 206
Infant seats . .. .. .. ........... .... 205
Flat tire
Changi ng ... .. .. .................
298
Floor mats . ... .. .... . ... ...... ... .. 165
Fog lights .. .. .. .... .......... ...... 58
Fo lding chocks .. .. ............. .... 295
Fo ld ing master key wi th remo te control . . 38
Foot pedals . .. .. .... .......... ..... 165
•
•

336 Index
Storage compartment Expanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
79
Storage net
Footwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
89
Luggage compartmen t .... .. .. .... .. 90
Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Sunroof
refer to Panoram ic sliding sunroof . .... 54
Sun shade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Sunshade
Panoramic sliding sunroof ... ..... .. ..
56
Sun visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Supplementary heater
Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
100
Suspension
refer to Adaptive Air Suspension . 150, 152
Switches
Emergency flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
60
Rear window defogger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Symbols
Red . .. .... .. .. ...... .... ... .. .. ..
31
Yellow . .. .. ... . .... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 34
Synchronization
Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Four-zone automatic comfort air condi -
tioning .. .. ... .... ...... .. .. .. .. .
100
Synchronizing climate control .. .. .. .... 92
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Tank flap
Unlock ing the fuel filler flap by hand ..
255
TOI clean diesel
refer to Ad Blue ... .. .. .... .. .. .. .. . 255
Tec hnical modifications ........... .. . 322
Temperature
Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
94
Four-zone automatic comfort air condi-
tioning .... ................ ..... ..
98
Setting for the driver's and front pas
senger's side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
94
Tether anchors . ........... .... .... . 216
Tether strap ................ .. .... . 216
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and after-
wards ..... .. ................ ..... .
228
Tie-down rings ............ .... ...... 80
T ie-downs . ..... .. ............. .... 167
Tips for the environment
Sav ing fuel .... ............... .....
84
Using the air conditioner on ly when nee-
essary .... .... .. ................. .
t .
t .
® 1p ronic ...... .. ..... ..... ... .. . .
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL) ......... .
Driving ... .. .. .. ... .......... .. . .
Dynamic shift prog ram ....... .. ... .
Emergency mode .............. .. . .
Kick-down ..... .. ................ .
97
137
139
137
140
141
140
Manua l shift program .............. 140
Selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
T ire pressu re .. .. .. .. ........... .. .. 280
Tire pressure monitoring system ... .... 292
Loss of air pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 293
Malfunction . .. .. ..... ..... ... .. .. 293
Resetting tire pressures ..... .. .. .. .. 294
Tires ....... .... ................... 274
Service life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
speed rating letter code ............ 286
Tire manufacturing date .... .. .. .. .. 286
Tire specif ications ...... ....... .. .. 286
T read depth .................... .. 284
Uniform tire quality grading ..... .. .. 288
Winter tires ..... ................ . 289
Tires/Wheels
Low aspect ratio tires ............ ...
291
T ire pressure monitoring system . 18, 292
Tires and vehicle load limits ........... 282
Tires and wheels
Checking tire pressure ..............
280
Cold tire inflation pressure ....... ... 278
Dimensions .... ............... .... 285
General notes .. .. ............. .. .. 274
Glossary of tire and loading terminolo -
gy ...... ... .. .. .. .......... ... ..
275
New tires and wheels ........... .. .. 285
Replac ing . .. .. .. ... .......... .... 286
Snow cha ins . .. .. ............. .. .. 290
T ires and vehicle load limits ......... 282
Wheel bolts ..... ................ . 291
Winter tires ..... ................ . 289
Tire service life
Tools 284
295
Torn or frayed safety belts ............ 173
T h . ouc -up pamt .. .. ..... ..... ... .. .. 242