2013 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET flat tire

24 2 T ire s and wheel s
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 measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance
c:> .&. .
Te mp eratu re
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and
C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi­
pate heat when tested under con trolled condi­
tions on a specified i ndoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure
c:> ,& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Veh icle Safety Stand­
ard No .
109 . Grades Band A represent h igher
l eve ls of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the m inimum required by law.
.&_ WARNING
T he traction grade assigned to this t ire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydrop laning or peak traction
characteristics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es­
tablished for a t ire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire fa ilu re.
-
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 tread . T hese tires should
o n ly be used in pairs and be installed on a ll
f o ur wheels . Make sure you purchase snow
ti res that are the same size and construction
type as the other tires on yo ur vehicle.
You r vehicle is equipped with al l wheel d rive,
th is will improve traction d uring win ter driv­
ing, even with the standard tires. However, we
strong ly recommend that you always equip all
fo ur wheels on your vehicle with correctly fit­
ted winter tires or a ll-season tires, when win­
ter road cond itions are expected. This also im­
proves the veh icle's brak ing performance and
reduces stopping d istances .
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on all fo ur whee ls .
Ask your authorized A udi dealer or qualified
workshop for permit ted
w in ter ti re size s. Use
only radial winter tires .
Winter tires lose their effec tivenes s when the
tread is wo rn down to a depth of
0 .157 inch
(4 mm) .
Only d rive w ith w inter t ires under w inte r co n­
ditions. S ummer t ires handle bette r when
there is no snow o r ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
If you have a flat ti re, see notes on spare
whee l
c:> page 238 .
Please always remember that winter tires may
have a lower speed rating than the tires origi­
nally installed on your vehi cle at the time it
was ma nufactu red. P lease see
c:> page 239,
Speed rating (Letter code)
for a lis ting o f the
speed rating lette r codes and the max imum
speed at which the tires can be driven . ..,.

The speed rating letter code (c::> page 230) is
on the side wall of the tire
c::> page 238.
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
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.
@l 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.
Tires and wheels 243
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.
The snow chains must have low-profile links
and must not be thicker than 0.53 inch
(13.S mm) , including the lock.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putting snow chains on your vehicle
c::> 0 . 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.
(D Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory on cer­
tain roads, this normally also applies to
vehicles with all wheel drive .
•
•

24 4 T ire s and wheel s
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque .
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
factory installed rims. If differen t rims are fit­
ted, the correct wheel bolts with the r ight
length and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted
secure ly and that the brake system funct ions
correctly .
In ce rtain circumstances, you may not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
i s the same model~
page 2 71.
_& WARNING
Improperly tig htened o r maintained whee l
bolts can become loose ca using loss of
contro l, a co llision and serious persona l in­
jury.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clean so the
wheel bolts can turn easily and be prop­
erly t ightened.
- Never grease or oil the wheel bo lts and
the threads in the wheel hubs. They can
become loose while driving if greased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specif ied
torque .
- Only use wheel bolts that belong to the
rim being installed .
- Never use different wheels bolts on your
vehicle .
-Always maintain the correct tighten ing
torque for the wheel bo lts to reduce the
risk of a wheel loss. If the tightening tor ­
que of the wheel bolts is too low, they
can loosen and com e out when the veh i­
cl e is moving. If the tightening torque is
too high, the whee l bolts and threads
can be damaged and the wheel can be­
come loose.
@ Note
The spec ified torq ue fo r the wheel bo lts is
90 ft lbs. (120 Nm) wi th a toler ance of
± 7,4 ft lbs. (± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bo lts diagonally. After changing a wheel, the
torque m
ust be checked as soon as possi­
ble with a torque wrench -preferably by an
a uthori zed Audi dea ler or q ua lified work­
shop .
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory -equ ipped w ith low aspect
ratio tires . T hese tires have been thoroughly
tested and been se lected specifically fo r your
model for their superb perfo rmance, road fee l
and hand ling under a variety o f driv ing condi ­
t ions . As k your authorized A udi dealer for
more details .
T he low aspect ratio of these tires is ind icated
by a numera l of
55 or l ess in the tire's s ize
designation. The numeral represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relation to its
tread width exp ressed in percentage . Conven­
tiona l tires have a he ight/w idth ratio of 60 or
more .
The performance of low-a spect-r atio tire s is
pa rt icul arly s ens itive to imp ro per i nfl ation
pressure. It is therefore import ant that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified pre ssure and that the inflation pressure is
r e gularly checked and maintained . Tire pres­
sur es should be checked at l east once a
month and always before a long trip
~ page 233, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged mo re
easily by impact w it h potholes, c urbs, g ull ies
o r ridges on the road, pa rticul arly if the tire is
u nderinfla ted .
In orde r to minimize the occurrence of impact
damage to t he tires of your vehi cle, we recom­
mend tha t you observe the following preca u­
tions:
- Always ma inta in recommended inflation
pressu res. Check your tire pressure eve ry
2 ,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if neces -
sary. ..,.

-Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
thro ugh 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 ti re fail ure. If you be lieve that a
t ire may have been damaged , replace the
t ir e as soon as possible.
- These tires may wea r more q uick ly than oth­
ers.
- Please also remember that, wh ile these t ires
deliver respons ive handling, they may ride
less comfortably and make mo re noise than
othe r choices .
Reduced performance in winter /cold
season condit ions
All t ires are des igned for certa in pu rposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high pe rformance
tires originally installed o n 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 veh icle with all-season or
winter t ires, which offer better traction under
those cond itions . We suggest you use the re c­
ommended snow or all-season tires specified
for your ve hicl e, or their equ ivalent .
Refer to~
page 242 for more deta iled info r­
mat ion regarding win ter t ires.
Tire pressure
monitoring system
U) General notes
Ap plies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
Each t ire , includ ing the spare (if provided),
should be che cked mo nth ly when cold and in-
Tire s an d wheel s 245
flated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle man ufact urer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflat ion pressure labe l. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the
s ize indicated o n the vehicle placard or tire in­
flat ion pressure labe l, you shou ld determine
the proper t ire inflation pressu re for those
tires) .
As an added safety feature, your veh icle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system ( TPMS) that illum inates a low tire
pr essure te lltale when one o r more of you r
tir es is s ignificant ly unde r-inflated. Acco rding ­
ly, when the low tire pressure tell tale illumi­
nates, you shou ld stop and check you r tires as
soon as possib le, and inflate them to the
proper pressure . Driving on a significant ly 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 hand ling and
stopp ing abil ity .
Please note that the TPMS is not a substit ute
for proper tire ma intenance, and it is the driv­
er 's respons ibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to tr igger illuminat ion of the
T PMS low ti re p ressu re tellta le.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
T PMS ma lfunction ind icator to ind icate when
the system is not operating p rope rly . T he
T PMS ma lfun ction indicator is comb ined w ith
the low tire pressure te lltale . Whe n the sys ­
tem detects a malfunc tion, the telltale will
flash for approximate ly one mi nute and then
remain continuously i lluminated. T his se­
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunct ion exists .
When the malfunction indicato r is illum inat­
ed, the system may not be ab le to detect or
s ignal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfu nctions may occur for a var iety of rea­
sons, including the installation of replace­
ment or a lternate tires or wheels on the vehi ­
cle that p revent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
t e llt ale after rep laci ng one or more tires o r ..,.
•
•

246 Tires and wheels
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the re­
p lacement or a lternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Tire pressure indicator appears
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too
low or if there is a system malfunction.
Fig. 187 Display: underinflation warning
N :;:; 9 a:
l:l
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure moni ­
tor ing system compares the tire tread circum­
ference and vibration characteristics of the in­
dividual tires.
If the pressure decreases in one
or mo re tires, this is indicated in the instru­
ment cluster with a
[I] warning symbol and a
message
r:!> fig. 187 . The driver message in the
display goes out after S seconds. The driver
message can be displayed again by pressing
the
! SET ! button. If only one tire is affected,
the display will indicate its position.
The tire press ure monitoring system must be
reset via radio or MMI* each time the pres­
sures are adjusted (e. g . when switching be­
tween partial and full load pressure) or after
changing or replacing a tire on your veh icle
r:!> page 247 . The TPMS indicator only moni­
tors the tire pressure that you have prev iously
stored . You can find the recommended tire
pressures for your vehicle on the label on driv­
er's side 8-pillar
¢page 231.
Tire tread circumference and vibration charac­
ter istics can change and cause a tire pressure
warning if:
- the tire pressure in one or more tires is too
low, - the
tire has structural damage,
- the tire pressure was changed, wheels rotat-
ed or replaced but the TPMS was not reset
c;, page 247.
Warning symbols
[I] Loss of pressure in at least one tire c;, .&,..
Check the tire or tires and replace or repa ir if
necessary. The
[I] indicator light in the instru­
ment cluster also illuminates
¢page 13.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires
and reset TPMS via radio or MMI*.
11Nl~1 (Tir e Pressure Mon itor ing System) Tire
pressure: System malfunction!.
IfllilB appears after switching the ignition
on or while driving and the
[I] indicator light
in the instrument cluster blinks for approx i­
mately one minute and then stays on, there is
a system malfunction .
Attempt to store the correct tire pressu re
c;, page 247. If the indicator light does not
turn off or if it turns on shortly thereafter, im­
mediate ly driv e your vehicle to an author ized
Audi dealer or authorized repair facility to
have the malfunct ion corrected.
A WARNING
-
- If the tire pressure ind icator appears in
the instrument cluster display, one or
more of your t ires is sign ificantly under­
inflated . Reduce yo ur speed immediately
and avoid any hard steering or braking
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible and
check the tires and their pressures. In­
f la te the tire pressure to the prope r pres­
sure as indicated on the vehicle's tire
pressure label
r:!> page 231. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire causes
the t ire to overheat and can lead to tire
fa ilure . Under -inflation also is likely to
impair the vehicle's handling and stop­ ping ability.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining
the co rrect tire pressures. You must
check the tire pressures regularly.

-Under certain conditions (such as a spor­
ty driving style, winter conditions or un­
paved roads), the pressure monitor indi­
cator 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 use these tires when not permit­
ted. Damage to your vehicle or accidents could also result.
(D Tips
- The tire pressure monitoring system
stops working when there is an ESC/ABS
malfunction.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction .
- The tire pressure monitoring system on
your Audi was developed using tires with the "AO" or "RO" identification on the
tire sidewall ~
page 238. We recom­
mend using these tires.
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monito ring system
If the tire pressure is adjusted, wheels are ro­
tated or changed, the
TPMS must be reset via
radio or
MMI*.
~ Before resetting the TPMS, the current pres­
sures of all four tires must correspond to
the specified values. Adjust the tire pressure and reset the pressure in the tire pressure
monitoring system according to the load
you are carrying
~ page 231.
~ Turn on the ignition.
~ Select: the ICARI function button> Tire
pressure monitoring
> Store now . Or
~ Select: the ICARI function button > Car sys­
tems*
control button > Servicing & checks >
Tire pressure monitoring > Store tire pres­
sures.
(D Tips
Do not store the ti re pressure if there a re
snow chains on the tire.
Tires and wheels 24 7
•
•

There are some restrictions on the use of the
compact spare tire. The compact spare tire
has been des igned specifically for your type of
ve hicle.
It must not be swapped with a com­
pact spare t ire from another type of veh icle.
Snow cha in s
For technica l reasons, the use of snow chains
on the compact spare tire is
not permitted .
If you do have to dr ive with snow chains and a
front tire fails, mou nt the spare whee l w ith
tire instead o f a rea r ti re . Install the snow
chains on the rear tire and use it to replace
the defective front tire.
A WARNING
- Never use the spare tire if it is damaged
o r if it is worn down to the tread wear in­
dicators.
- If the spare tire is more than 6 years o ld,
use it only in an emergency and w ith ex­
t reme caution and careful driving .
- The spare tire is intended only for tem­
porary and short-term use. It should be
replaced as soon as possib le w ith the
normal wheel and t ire.
- After mounting the compact spare tire, the tire pressure must be checked as soo n as poss ible. The tire pressure of the
c ompac t sp are tire must be 4.2 bar; o th­
erwise, yo u risk hav ing an accident.
- Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/
h). You risk having an a ccident.
- Avoid fu ll-throttle acce le rat ion, heavy
braking, and fast corner ing. Yo u risk h av­
ing an acc iden t.
- Never drive us ing more t han one spa re
whee l and tire. You risk having an acci­
dent.
- No rma l su mmer or wi nte r tires m ust not
be mounted on the comp act spare whee l
rim.
- F or technical reasons, t he use of ti re
chains on the spare tire is not permitted .
If it is necessary to drive with tire chains,
the spare whee l must be mounted on the
front axle in the event of a flat in a rear
What do I do now? 249
tire. The newly available front whee l
m ust then be insta lled in place of the
rear whee l w ith the flat tire. Installing
the t ire cha in before mounting the whee l
and tire is recommended .
- Loose items in the passenger compart­
ment can cause serious personal injury
during hard bra king or in a n accide nt.
Never store the spa re tire or jack and
too ls in t he passenger compa rtment.
Changing a wheel
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your
own and your passenger's safety when chang­
ing a wheel .
"' After you experience a t ire failure, p ull the
car we ll away from moving traffic and try to
reach
le vel ground before you stop¢ A.
"' All passengers should lea ve the car and
move to a safe location (for instance, behind
the guardrail) ¢ &, .
"' Engage the
park ing brak e to prevent your
veh icle from rolling unintentionally¢&, .
"' Move the
se lec tor lever to th e P position .
"' If you are towing a t ra iler : unhit ch the trail­
er from you r vehicle.
"' Take the
jack ¢ page 248 and the spare tire
c::> page 248 out of the luggage compart­
ment .
A WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured
while changing a wheel if you do not fo l-
l ow these safety precaut ions :
- If you have a flat tire, move a safe d is­
tance off the road. Turn off the engine,
turn the emergency flashers on and use other warning devices to a le rt other mo­
torists.
- Ma ke sure that passenge rs 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 possib ly slipping off the ..,. •
•

250 What do I do n ow ?
jack, always fully set the parking brake
and block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed with the fold­
ing chocks or other objects . When one
front wheel is lifted off the ground, plac­
ing the Automatic Transmiss ion in "P"
(Park) will
not prevent the vehicle from
moving.
- Before yo u change a wheel, be su re the
ground is leve l and firm. If necessa ry,
use a st urdy board under the jack.
- Always store the vehicle tool kit, the
jack * and the replaced ti re in the l uggage
compartment
r=>page 12 7.
(D Note
If you are chang ing the wheel on a steep
incline, use a rock or s imilar object to
bloc k the opposite wheel to prevent the
veh icle from mov ing.
@ Tips
Obey a ll laws.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow these­
quence described below step-by-step and in
exactly tha t order .
1. Remove the decorativ e wheel c over* or
the
wheel bol t cap s* . Fo r more details see
a lso
r=> page 250, Decorative wheel cov­
ers
or ¢ page 251, Wheels with wheel
bolt caps.
2 . Loosen the wheel bo lts r=> page 251.
3 . Locate the proper mount ing point for the
jack and align the jack below that point
r=> page 252.
4 . Lift the car with the jack r=> page 252.
5. Remove the wheel with th e flat tire and
then i nstall the
spar e tire r=> page 253 .
6. Tighten all wheel bo lts light ly .
7 .
Low er the ve hicle w it h the jack.
8 . Use the wheel bolt wrench an d
firmly
tighte n all whee l bolts in a crisscross pa t­
tern
r=> page 251.
9. Replace the decorative wheel c over* or
the
wheel bolt cap s*.
A WARNING
A lways read and follow all WARNINGS and
i nformation
r=> .& in Raising the vehicle on
page 252
and r=> page 254.
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the
doing the following.
.. Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack*,
and the replaced tire in the luggage com­
partment
r=> page 127.
.,. Check the tire pressure of the spare tire as
soon as possible .
"' As soon as poss ible, have the
tighteni ng
torqu es
on all wheel bolts checked w ith a
t orque wrenc h. The correct tig hte ning tor­
que is
90 ft lbs. (120 Nm).
.,. Have the flat tire
repl aced as soon as possi­
b le.
(D Tips
- If
you not ice that the wheel bo lts ar e
corroded and difficult to turn while
changing a tire, they shou ld be rep laced
before you check the tightening torque.
- Dr ive at reduced speed until you have the
tightening torques checked .
Decorative wheel covers
Applies to vehicles: w ith decorative w hee l covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed
first to access the wheel bolts .
Fig. 19 0 Cha nging a whee l: removing t he w heel cove r Ill>