2013 AUDI Q5 tires

The relative perform a nee of ti res depends
upon the actua l conditions of their use, how ­
ever, and may depart sign ificantly from the
norm due to var iat ions in dr iving habits, serv­
ice practices and differences in road character­
istics and climate .
Trac tion
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. Those grades represent the
tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled cond itions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance ¢,&. .
Temp erature
The temperature grades are A (the h ighest),
B, and
C, representing the t ire's resistance to
the generat ion of heat and its ability to dissi ­
pate heat when tested under controlled condi­
tions on a specified i ndoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
materia l of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden ti re fa ilu re ¢ ,&. .
The grade
C corresponds to a level of perform ­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
u nder the Federa l Moto r Veh icle Safety Stand­
a rd No.
1 09. G rades Band A represent h igher
l eve ls of perfo rmance on the laboratory tes t
wheel than the m inimum required by law .
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this ti re is
based on stra ight-ahead b raking t raction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydrop lan ing or peak traction
character istics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is es­
tablished for a t ire that is p roperly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
-
Tire s an d wheel s 263
separately or in combinat ion, can ca use
heat bui ldup and possible tire failure.
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 winter o r "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread. These tires should
o nly be used in pairs and be installed o n all
four wheels . Make sure you purchase snow
t ires that are the same size and construction
type as the other tires on you r vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with all-wheel drive,
th is w ill improve traction during winter driv­
i ng, even with the standa rd tires . However, we
strong ly recommend that you always equip all
fo ur wheels on you r vehicle wit h corre ct ly fit­
ted winter tires or all-season t ires, when win­
te r road cond itions are expected . This also im ­
proves the veh icle's braking per formance and
reduces stopping dista nces.
Summe r tires provide less grip on i ce and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted
o n all fo ur wheels .
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop for permitted
winter tire size s. Use
o nly rad ial w inter t ires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .157 inch
(4 mm) .
Only drive w ith w inter t ires under w inter con­
dit ions. Summer t ires handle better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °() .
If you have a flat tire, see notes on spare
whee l
¢page 259.
Please a lways remember that winter tires may
have a lowe r speed rating than the tires o rigi -
nally installed on your vehicle at the time it .,.
•
•

264 Tire s and wheel s
was manufactured . Please see q page 260,
Speed roting (letter code) for
a listing of the
speed rating letter codes and the maximum
speed at which the t ires can be driven.
The speed rating letter code( ¢
page 251) is
on the side wall of the tire
c::> page 259.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower t han your vehicle's max­
imum speed. Always know the maximum
speed before driving off . Never drive faster
than the speed permitted for your specific
w inter t ires. This will cause damage to the
tires leading to an accident and serious
pe rsonal inj ury 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 fai lure in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflat ion,
loss of control, crashes and serious per­
sonal injuries. Have worn or damaged tires
rep laced immed iate ly .
- Winter tires have maximum speed rat ing
that may be lower tha n your veh icle's
maximum speed .
- Never drive faster than the speed for
w hich the winter or other tires installed
on your vehicle are rated.
A WARNING
Always adjust your d riving to the road and
t raffic conditions. Neve r let the good ac­
celeration of the wi nte r t ir es and all-whee l
dr ive temp t you in to taking extr a ris ks. A l­
ways remember:
- Whe n bra king, an a ll-wheel d rive vehicle
hand les in the s ame way as
a front drive
vehicle.
- Drive caref ully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even winter tires
cannot he lp under black ice conditions.
{® For the sa ke of the env ironment
Use summer tires when weather condi­
tions permit. They are qu ieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumpt ion.
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the rear
whee ls, and o nly to certain tire sizes . Ask your
autho rized Aud i deale r on which tire sizes
snow c hains ca n be used.
The snow chains must have low-prof ile links
and must not be t hicker than 0.53 inch
(13 .5 mm), includ ing the loc k.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putt ing snow chains on your vehicle
c::>@ . For safety reasons cover caps must then
be fitted over the wheel bolts. These a re ava il­
able from autho rized Aud i deale rs.
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chai ns for your veh i­
cle o r insta lling them inco rrect ly can in­
crease the risk of loss of cont ro l leading to
se rious personal injury.
- Snow chains are available in di fferent
sizes. Always make sure to follow the in ­
structions p rov ided by the snow chain
manufacturer.
- When driving with snow chains never
drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specif ic snow chains.
- Always observe local regulations .
(D Note
-Remove snow chains before dr iv ing o n
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wea ring the snow
chains down unnecessarily.
- Snow chains, which come into direc t con ­
tact with the whee l rim, ca n scratch or
damage it . Therefo re, make sure that the
snow chains are s uitably covered. Check
the pos ition of the snow chains after

driving a few yards and correct if neces­
sary . Follow the instructions from the
snow cha in manufacturer when doing so.
(D Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer ­
tain roads, this norma lly also applies to
veh icles with all-whee l dr ive .
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque.
The design o f whee l bolts is matched to the
factory insta lled r ims . If different rims are fit ­
ted, the correct wheel bo lts wit h the right
l ength and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used. This ensures that wheels are f itted
securely and that the brake system functions
correctly .
In certain circumstances, you may not use
wheel bo lts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same model<=>
page 297.
A WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel
bolts can become loose caus ing loss of
cont ro l, a co llision and serious persona l in­
Jury .
- Always keep the w heel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clea n so the
w hee l bolts can t urn easily and be p rop­
erly t igh tened.
- Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and
the threads in the wheel h ubs. They can
become loose wh ile d riving if greased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specified
torq ue.
- Only use whee l bo lts that belong to the
rim being installed .
- Never use different whee ls bolts on your
vehicle.
- Alw ays m ain ta in the co rrec t tig hten ing
torq ue fo r the wheel bo lts to reduce the
risk of a wheel loss . If the tightening tor­
que of the wheel bo lts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi-
Tire s an d wheel s 265
cle is mov ing. If the tightening torq ue is
too high, the wheel bolts and threads
can be damaged and the whee l can be­
come loose.
@ Note
The specified torque for the whee l bolts is
105 ft lb (140 Nm) with a to lerance of
± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bolts
diagonally . After changi ng a wheel, the
torque m ust be checked as soon as poss i­
ble with a to rque wrench -preferably by an
a uthorized Aud i dea le r or qualified wor k­
shop.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your A udi is fac tory -eq uipped w ith low aspect
ratio tires . These tires have been tho ro ughly
tested and been se lected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road fee l
and handling under a variety of driving condi­
tions . Ask your authorized Aud i dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is ind icated
by a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's size
designation. The numera l 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
particularly sensit ive to improper inflation
pre ssure. It is therefor e important that low
a spect ratio tire s are inflated to the specified
pres sure and that th e inflation pr essure i s
regularly checked and maintained. Tire pre s­
sure s should be chec ked at lea st once a
month and always before a long trip
<=> page 2 54, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avo id tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged mo re
easily by impact w ith potholes, curbs, gull ies
or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is
under inflated . ..,.
•
•

266 Tire s and wheels
In order to minimize the occurrence 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 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 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 underinflation, wh ich could event u­
ally cause t ire failure.
If you be lieve that a
ti re may have been damaged, replace the
tire as soon as possible.
-These tires may wea r more quickly than oth­
ers.
- Please a lso remember that, while these tir es
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 in­
tended for max imum dry and wet road per­
formance and handling . They are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather cond it ions.
If
you dr ive under those circumstances, you
should equip your vehicle with all-season or
winter tires, which offe r better traction under
those conditions . We suggest you use the rec­
ommended snow or all-season tires specified
for your vehicle, or their equiva lent .
Refer to~
page 263 for mo re deta iled infor­
mat ion regarding w inter tires.
Tire pressure
monitoring system
ill General notes
Applies to veh icles: w ith tire pressure monito ring system
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
shou ld be checked monthly when co ld and in­
flated to the inf lation 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 io n pressu re label, you shou ld dete rmine
the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires) .
As an added safety feature, your veh icle 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 significant ly under -inflated . Acco rding­
ly, when the low tire pressure te lltale illumi­
nates, you shou ld 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 tire 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 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 correct tire
pressure, even if under -inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
T PMS low tire p ressu re tellta le .
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to ind icate when
the system is not operating properly . Th e
T PMS ma lfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the sys­
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then
rema in con tinuously illuminated . Th is se­
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunct ion exists . .,.

When the malfunction indicator is illuminat­
ed, the system may not be able to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea­
sons, including the installation of replace­
ment or alternate tires or whee ls on the veh i­
cle that prevent the TPMS from funct io ni ng
p roperly . Always check the T PMS malfunct ion
tellta le afte r replacing one or more t ires or
wheels on your veh icle 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. 208 Display : underinflatio n warning
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure moni­
toring system compares the t ire tread circum­
ference and vibration characteristics of the in­
d iv idual tires . If the pressure decreases in one
or mo re tires, th is is indica ted in the instru­
ment clus ter with a
IE warning symbol and a
message ¢
fig. 208. The driver message in the
display goes out after 5 seconds. The driver message can be displayed again by pressing
the
! SET ! button. If only one tire is affected,
the display will indicate its pos ition.
The ti re press ure monitoring system must be
reset via radio or MMI* each time the pres­
sures are adjusted (e.g . when switching be ­
tween partia l and full load pressure) or after
changing or replacing a t ire on your vehicle
¢
page 268 . The TPMS indicator only moni­
tors the tire pressure that you have prev iously
Tire s an d wheel s 267
stored . You can find the recommended t ire
pressures for yo ur vehicle on the label on driv­
er's side B-pillar ¢
page 252.
Tire tread circum ference and vibration charac­
teristics can change and cause a tire pressure
warning if:
- the t ire p ress ure in one or more tires is too
low,
- t he t ire has structural damage,
- the t ire pressure was changed, wheels rotat-
ed or replaced but the TPMS was not reset
¢ page 268.
Warning symbo ls
IE Loss of pressure in at least one tire¢.&,.
Check the tire or tires and replace or repa ir if
necessary. The
IE indicato r light in the inst ru­
ment cluster a lso illuminates
c::!;> page 14.
Check/correct the press ures of all fou r tires
and reset TPMS via radio o r MMI*.
119;~, (T ir e Pressure Mon itoring System) Tire
pre ssure: Syst em malfun ction!.
If 11Nlf:1 appears afte r switching the ignition
on or while driving and the
IE indicator light
i n the instrument cluster blinks fo r approx i­
mately one minute and then stays on, there is
a system malf unct ion.
Attempt to store the correct tire pressure
¢ page 268 . If the ind icator light does not
tu rn off o r if it turns on sho rtly the reafter, im­
med iate ly dr ive your vehicle to a n author ized
Audi dealer or au thorized repair faci lity to
have the malfunc tion corrected .
A WARNING
-=
-If the tire pressure indicator appears in
the instrument cluster display, one or
more of your t ires is significant ly under­
inflated. Reduce your speed immediately
and avoid any hard steer ing or braking
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible and
check the tires and their pressures. In­
flate the tire p ressure to the prope r pres­
sure as indica ted on the vehicle's tire
pressu re labe l
¢page 252. Driving on a
significantly under-i nflated tire causes
•
•

268 Tires and wheels
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also is likely to
impair the vehicle's handling and stop­
ping ability.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining
the correct 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.
@ 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 259. We recom­
mend using these tires.
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
If the tire pressure is adjusted, wheels are ro­
tated or changed, the TPMS must be reset via
radio or MMI*.
11> Befo re 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 carry ing
¢page 252.
11> Turn on the ignition.
11> Select: ICARI function button > Tire pres­
sure monitoring
> Store now . Or
i,. Select: ICARI function button > Car sys­
tems *
control button > Servicing & checks >
Tire pressure monitoring > Store tire pres­
sures.
@ Tips
Do not store the tire pressure if there are
snow chains on the tire.

272 What do I do now ?
Tire repair
General information and safety
precaution s
Applies to vehicles: with tire repair kit
The tire repair is only meant for temporary
use.
Fig. 214 Tir e damag e, for wh ich t he t ire re pair k it is
not sui tab le
Your veh icle is equipped with a tire repair kit
(Tire Mob ility System) .
In the event of a flat tire, the tire repair kit is
found in the luggage compartment beh ind
the r ight side trim panel, and is made up of
tire sealant and a compressor
Q page 104,
fig . 113.
Only tire damage caused by foreign objects up
to approximately 0 .16 in
(4 mm ) in diameter
can be safely sealed with the tire repa ir kit.
The foreign object can stay in the tire.
The tire sealant may not be used:
-If the tire has cuts or punctures that are
larger than 0.16 in (4 mm)
<=)fig. 214 @.
-If the rim is damaged @.
-If you drove with very low tire pressure or
without a ir in the tire@.
Tire repair kit usage is described in
Perform­
ing the repair
9 page 2 73 and in the instruc­
tions with the sealant bottle.
The tire repair kit is able to be used at tempe r­
atures as low as -4 °F ( -20 °C) .
A WARNING
Pay attention to the follow ing after repair­
ing the tire: -
Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/
h) .
-Avoid hard acceleration, braking sharp ly,
and fast cornering .
- The vehicle may become more difficult to
control.
- Tires sea led with the tire repair kit are
only meant to be used
temporarily .
Damaged tires must be replaced.
- The tire repair kit may
NOT be used
- If the t ire has cuts or punctures that
are larger than 0.16 in (4 mm) .
- If the rim is damaged .
- If you drove with very low t ire pressure
or without air in the tire.
- Obtain qualified help if it is not possible
to perform the repair with the tire seal­
ant .
- The tire sealant must not come in con­
tact with skin, eyes, or clothes.
- If tire sea lant gets in your eyes or on
your skin, thoroughly rinse the affected
area immediately with clean water.
- Change your clothes immediately if they
get tire sealant on them.
- Do not inha le the fumes.
- If the tire sealant is swallowed, thor-
ough ly rinse out your mouth and drink
lots of water.
- Do not induce vomiting . Seek medical at­
tention immediately.
- If an a llergic reaction occurs, seek imme ­
diate medical attention.
- Keep the tire sealant away from children.
@) For the sake of the environment
Used sealant bottles may be returned to
your authorized Audi dea ler fo r disposal.
(D Tips
- If sealant has spilled out, let it dry and
then you can remove it by peeling it away
like a foil.
- Note the expiration date on the sealant
bottle. Replace the tire sealant at an au­
thorized Audi dealership.

278 What do I do no w?
• Use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver
hand le to screw in and tighten all wheel
bolts
slightly .
• Remove the alignment pin and insert and
t ighten the remaining wheel bolt slightly
Like the rest .
• Turn the jack handle* counter-clockwise to
lower the vehicle unt il the jack* is fully re­
leased .
• Use the whee l bolt wrench to t ighten al l
wheel bolts firmly¢
page 2 76. Tighten
them
crosswise, from one bolt to the (ap­
proximate ly) opposite one, to keep the
whee l centered.
@ Note
When removing or installing the wheel,
the rim could hit the brake rotor and dam­
age the rotor. Work carefully and have a
second person help you.
@ Tips
Never use the hexagonal socket in the han­
dle of the screwdriver to loosen or tighten
the wheel bolts .
- Pull the reversible b lade from the screw­
driver before you use the hexagonal
socket in the handle to turn the whee l
bo lts.
- When mounting tires with
un id irectional
t re ad desi gn
make sure the tread pat­
tern is pointed the right way
~ page 278.
- The wheel bolts should be clean and easy
to turn . Check for d irt and corrosion on
the mat ing surfaces of both the whee l
and the hub. Remove all dirt from these
s ur faces before remo unt ing the wheel.
Tires with unidirectional tread design
Tires with unidirectional tread design must be
mounted with their tread pattern pointed in the right direction .
Using a sp are t ire w ith a tre ad pattern
intended for use in a specific direction
When using a spare t ire with a tread patter n
intended for use in a spec ific d irection , please
note the following :
- The direct ion of rotation is marked by an ar­
row on the side of the ti re .
- If the spare tire has to be installed in the in­
correct direct ion, use the spare tire only
temporarily s ince the tire will not be able to
achieve its optimum performance cha racter­
isti cs wit h regard to aquap lan ing, no ise and
wear .
- We recommend that you pay part icu la r at­
t ention to th is fact d uring wet wea ther and
t ha t you adjust you r speed to match road
conditions .
- Replace the fl at tir e with a new one and
have it insta lled on you r vehicle as soon as
possible to restore the handling advantages
of a u nidirectional tire .
Notes on wheel changing
Please read the information¢ page 259, New
tires and replacing tires and wheels
if you a re
going to use a spare tire which is different
from the ti res on your vehicle .
After you change a tire:
- Check the tire pre ssure on the spare imme­
diately after install ation.
- Have th e whe el bolt tight ening torqu e
c hecked with a torque wrench as soon a s
pos sible by your author ized Audi de aler or
a q ualified wo rkshop.
- With steel and alloy wheel r im s, the wheel
bolt s are cor re ctl y tightened at a torque of
105 ft lb (140 Nm).
- If you noti ce th at the wheel bolts are cor­
roded and diffi cult to turn while changing
a ti re , they should be repl aced before you
check the t ightening torque. .,..