2012 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG snow chains

Driving with the collapsible spare tire
The collapsible spare tire is different in design from the road tires and must be used only in the event
of a flat tire, only for a brief time, and only when driving with extra caution ⇒ .
Replace it with a tire matching the others on your vehicle as soon as possible.
Please heed the following:
x Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)!
x Avoid full-throttle acceleration, hard braking and fast cornering!
x Do not use snow chains on the collapsible spare tire.
x After installing the collapsible spare tire, check the tire pressure as soon as possible ⇒  Checking tire inflation pressure.
Reusing the collapsible spare tire
The collapsible spare tire can be reused as long as it is not damaged and not worn down to the tread wear indicators.
It takes several hours for the collapsible spare tire to return to its collapsed form after you let the air out of it. Once this has happened, you can put it back in the spare tire well and secure it.
x Let the air out of the tire by unscrewing the valve core.
x Screw the valve core back in once the air has been released.
x Wait several hours before putting the collapsible spare tire back in the spare tire well.
x Once the time is up, open the rear hatch. Lift up the luggage compartment floor panel and hook it
to the top of the luggage compartment or remove the reversible luggage compartment floor panel ⇒  Luggage compartment.
x Place the collapsible spare tire in the spare tire well and secure it with the fastening bolt (⇒ fig. 113 (2) or (3)).
x Fit the retainer (1) back into the middle of the collapsible spare tire ⇒ fig. 113.
x Unhook the luggage compartment floor panel/replace reversible luggage compartment floor panel.
x Close the rear hatch.

WARNING
Improper use of a collapsible spare tire can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or other accident, and serious personal injury.
x Never use a collapsible spare tire if it is damaged or worn down to the wear indicators.
x The collapsible spare tire is identified by a sticker and the words “50 mph” or “80 km/h”. This is the maximum permissible speed when driving with this tire.
x Never drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) with a collapsible spare tire. Avoid full-throttle acceleration, heavy braking, and fast cornering!
x Never drive more than 125 miles (200 km) if a compact spare wheel is installed on the front axle (drive axle).
x Replace the collapsible spare tire with a normal wheel as soon as possible. Collapsible spare tires are designed for brief use only.
x Regularly check U.S. DOT tire identification number (TIN) to determine the age of the col-
lapsible spare tire ⇒  Tire labeling. Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail sud-denly, especially at higher speeds.
x Tires that are more than 6 years old can only be used in an emergency and then with spe-cial care and at lower speeds.
x The collapsible spare tire must always be secured with the wheel bolts provided by the factory.
x Never drive using more than one collapsible spare tire.
x After installing the collapsible spare tire, the tire pressure must be checked as soon as
possible ⇒  Tire inflation pressure.
x Snow chains cannot be used on the collapsible spare tire. If you need the snow chains, but one of the front tires is flat, you have to mount the collapsible spare tire on the rear axle. The tire taken off the rear axle can then be used to replace the flat front tire. Be sure to main-tain the tire's direction of rotation. Install the snow chains on the full-sized road wheel.
If possible, fasten the collapsible spare tire or the wheel you took off the vehicle securely in the luggage compartment. On vehicles equipped with a tire mobility set, the tire you took off the vehicle cannot be secured.

All-wheel drive (4MOTION)
Vehicles with all-wheel drive and standard road wheels have good forward motion and traction even under wintery road conditions. However, Volkswagen recommends installing snow tires or all season tires on all 4 wheels to improve handling as well as braking performance.
If you use snow chains, please read and heed information and directions ⇒  Snow chains.
WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires on your vehicle were de-signed can cause sudden tire failure including a blowout and sudden deflation, loss of con-trol, crashes and serious personal injuries.
x Winter tires have a maximum speed rating that may be lower than your vehicle's maximum speed.
x Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires installed on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than their rated speed can fail suddenly.
x Never exceed the maximum load rating for the winter tires installed on your vehicle.
Install summer tires promptly in the spring. Summer tires offer better handling characteristics for temperatures above +45 °F (+7 °C). They are quieter, do not wear as quickly, and reduce fuel con-sumption.
If factory-installed wheels and/or tires are replaced when installing winter tires, make sure that the wheels are equipped with sensors that are compatible with the factory-installed Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) and that the tires are also compatible with the system ⇒  Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). If new tires are not identical to those that were removed and require different cold tire inflation pressure, the tire inflation pressure values must be reprogrammed for the
TPMS. Please see your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility ⇒  Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
If necessary, ask your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility about permissible winter tire dimensions.
Snow chains

Tire dimensions Rim
255/60 R17 7 1/2 J x 17 ET 55
255/55 R18 8 J x 18 ET 57

Please contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility about appropriate wheel, tire and snow chain dimensions.
If possible, use only chains with low profile links that are not thicker than 37/64 in (15 mm) including the tensioner.
Remove center hubcaps and decorative rim rings before installing snow chains ⇒ . However, for safety reasons, caps must be installed on the wheel bolts. These are available from authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities.
Collapsible spare
For technical reasons, snow chains cannot be used on the collapsible spare ⇒  Collapsible spare tire.
If you must use snow chains and have a collapsible spare tire mounted, move the collapsible spare to the rear axle, if a front tire has to be replaced. The tire taken off the rear axle can then be used to replace the flat front tire. Be sure to install the unidirectional tires so that they will run in the proper direction. Volkswagen recommends installing the snow chains before mounting the wheel to the vehi-cle.
WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains or installing snow chains improperly can cause accidents and severe personal injuries.
x Always use the proper snow chains.
x Follow the installation instructions provided by the snow chain manufacturer.
x Never exceed the permissible speed limit when driving with snow chains.
NOTICE
x Remove snow chains when roads are free of snow. Otherwise, the chains can damage the tires, impair vehicle handling and can be quickly worn down.
x Snow chains can scratch or damage wheel rims, if they have direct contact with the rims. Volkswagen recommends using coated snow chains.
Snow chains are available in different sizes for each vehicle model.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology

d Snow chains for all 4 tires, additional spare tires, and tire mobility set.
WARNING
Accidents and severe personal injury can result from the improper use of tools or equipment as well as from the use of tools or equipment that are damaged or not right for the job to be done.
Safety and off-road driving