
Cleaning  and protect ion 
General  information 
Regular  core preserves  vehicle  value. 
Any automobile  is exposed to  industrial 
fumes , corrosive  road salt,  etc. A well  cared 
for  Audi  can look  like  new many years after 
purchase . Regu lar and  correct  care w ill  con
tr ibute  to  maintaining  the  beauty  and value  of 
your  Aud i. 
F u rth ermor e, good  c are  may  be a  conditi on 
for  subs tantiati ng a w arrant y cla im  sho uld 
c orrosion  d amag e or  paint  d efects oc cur. 
Your authorized  Audi  dealer  has a variety  of 
dedic ated  veh icle-car e products and can ad 
vise which  ones to  use for  cleaning  the  exter i
or  and  interior  of your  vehicle. 
Whether  you  use products  recommended  by 
Aud i or  other  commercially  available  clean ing 
agents,  please make sure you  apply them  cor
rectly . 
A WARNING 
-Cleaning agents  may be poisonous.  Keep 
them  out  of  the  reach of  children. 
- Heed all  caut ion labels. 
- Always  read directions  on the  container 
before  using  any product.  Follow  the  di
rect ions carefu lly. 
- Most  chemical  cleaners are concentrated 
and have to  be diluted . 
- Use spot  removing  fluids  only  in well 
ventilated  areas. 
- Do not  use gasoline,  kerosene, d iesel 
fuel,  nail  polish  remover  or  other  volatile 
fluids.  They may be toxic,  flammab le or 
haza rdous  in  other  ways. Do not  wash, 
wax or  dry the  vehicle  with  the  ign it ion 
on or the  engine  running. 
- Do not  clean the  undersides  of  chassis, 
fenders,  wheel  covers, e tc. w ithout  pro
tecting  your  hands and arms.  You may  c u t  yourself  on sharp -edged  metal  parts . 
Cleaning and  protec tion  213 
- Moisture  and ice on  brakes may impair 
brak ing  effic iency¢ 
page  199,  General 
information. 
Test the  brakes carefully 
each time  you wash the  vehicle. 
@) For the  sake of the  environment 
Select on ly environmentally  friend ly clean
i ng products . Leftover  cleaning  products 
should  not  d isposed of  in the  household 
waste. 
Care  of  exterior 
Washing 
Frequent  washing  protects  the  vehicle . 
The best  protection  against  environmental  i n
fluences  is 
frequent washing  and waxing . How 
often  t his is required  depends  on: 
- How much the  veh icle is used 
- Where  the  veh icle is parked  (garage,  in the 
open  under  trees,  etc.) 
- The seasonal and weather  conditions 
- Environmental  infl uences 
T he longer  b ird droppings,  insects, tree  resin, 
road and  indus tria l gr ime, ta r, soot,  road  salt 
and  other  materials  remain  on the  vehicle 
body, the  more  lasting  their  destructive  ef
fects  wi ll be . High  temperatures  caused by ex
posure to  intense  sun light  intens ify  the  corro
s ive effect,  particularly  when  humid ity  is high 
as well. 
Under certain  circumstances, 
weekl y washing 
may be necessary. Under other  cond itions,  a 
monthly  washing  and waxing  may be ade
quate . 
After  the  winter,  the  underside  of  the  vehicle 
should  be thoroughly  washed,  preferab ly in  a 
professional  car wash . 
Vehicles with  matte  finish  paint¢ 
page  215 . 
A WARNING 
Always read and  heed all  WARNINGS and 
other  information 
¢page  213. 
• 
•  

Modern  eng ine  lubrication  has taken  a quan 
tum  leap  in the  last few  years . Many synt hetic 
oils  ava ilable  today  provide  better  engine  lu
brication  that  can outlast  traditional  petrole
um-based  o ils,  making  them  a smart  choice 
for  use throughout  the  life  of your  Audi . 
Whether  you  use synthetic  or  petroleum based engine  oil,  the  oil  that  you  use must 
conform  to  Audi's  oil  quality  standard 
VW  502  00  to  help  keep your  vehicle's  engine  running  smoothly  and  help  prevent  the  for
mat ion  of  harmfu l deposits,  sometimes  called 
"s ludge,"  that  ove r time can  lead to  expensive 
r epairs . 
At  the  t ime of  pri nting,  engine  o ils available  in 
the  U .S . and  Canada that  meet  the  exacting 
specifications  of  Audi  oi l standard  VW  502  00 
are synthetic  engine  oils.  This does  not  mean,  h owever, that  every synthetic  engine  oil  w ill 
meet  Audi  oil  standard  VW  502  00.  So always 
be sure that  you  use an approved  oi l. 
To help  preve nt  the  format ion  of  harmful  de
posits  use only  oi l with  the  fo llowing  spec ifi
cations  printed  on the  oil  container: 
Audi oil  standard  VW  502  00 
O il  conta iner  labels  may carry the  specif ica
tion  s ingly  or  in comb inat ion w ith  other  des ig
nations  and oil  qua lity  standards . 
Viscosity 
Engine oi ls are graded  according  to  their  vis
cosity. The proper  v iscosity grade  oi l for  your 
engine  depends  on  cl imactic  or  seasonal  con
d itions  where  you dr ive. You can use oil  with  a 
viscosity  grade  of  SAE SW40  across all  tem 
pe rature  ranges  for  normal  d riving  conditions . 
However,  if  eng ine oi l viscosity  grade 
SAE SW40  is not  ava ilable,  you  can a lso use 
viscosity  grade  SAE SW-30  or  SAE OW-40 as 
long  as  it  meets  Audi  o il quality  standard 
VW 502  00  specifications. 
Because engine  oil  that  meets  the  Audi  oil 
standard  may not  be available  everywhere 
when  you  need  it,  we  st rongly  recomme nd 
that  you always carry with  you a n ext ra quart 
Checkin g and  fillin g 233 
(li ter)  of  oil  that  exp ress ly con forms  to  the 
VW  502  00  specificatio n, in  case you  have to 
top 
off the  o il while  on  the  road. 
Only  if  the  level  of  the o il  is at  or  be low  the 
minimum  mark  -and no oi l that  expressly 
confo rms to  Audi  oil  standard  VW  502  00 
spec ifications  is available  -may you top 
off 
with  a h igh  quality  engine  o il, preferab ly syn 
thet ic-based, that  meets  ACEA A3  or API SM 
spec ifications,  but  even then,  only  in v iscosity 
grades SAE SW-40,  SA E SW-30,  or 
SA E OW-40 . However, during  the  ent ire time 
betwee n oil  change  in tervals,  never top 
off 
wi th more  than  a total  of  0.5  q t/ li ter  engine 
o il t hat does no t conform  to  A udi  o il specifica
tion  VW  502  00. 
Fo r more  information  abo ut  eng ine oi l tha t 
has been approved  for  your  veh icle, ple ase 
contac t eit h er yo ur autho rized Aud i dea le r or 
Audi  C ustomer  Re lations  at  1 (800)  822 -2834 
or  visit  our web  site  at  www .a u diusa.com  or 
www.aud icanada .ca. Here you w ill also find  a 
current  list  of  oils  (manufacturers,  brand 
names etc.)  that  conform  to  Audi  oil  standard 
vw 502  00. 
Changing the  engine  oil 
T he eng ine oi l and o il f ilter  m ust  be changed 
according  to  the  mileage  (kilometers)  and 
time  intervals  specified  i n your  ve hicle's War 
ranty 
& Maintenance  booklet.  Do not  exceed 
these  interva ls  - harmful  deposits  from  old 
engine  oil  can reduce engine  performance  and 
can  lead to  expensive engine  repairs. 
Changi ng the  oil  at  the  recommended  inter
vals is so very  important  beca use the  lubricat
ing  propert ies of  oil  decrease gradually  during 
norma l veh icle  use . If  you a re not  sure when 
yo u have your  o il cha nged,  ask your  author
i zed Audi  Se rv ice Adv isor. 
Under some  circumstances  the  engine  oil 
shou ld eve n be changed  more  frequent ly. 
Change oil  more  often  if you  dr ive most ly 
sho rt  distances,  operate  the  ve hicle in dusty 
areas o r most ly under  stop-and -go  traff ic  con-
di tions,  o r when  you  use your  vehi cle where  .,.. 
• 
•  

Tires  and  wheels 251 
Bear in mind  that  the tire  pressure  monitoring 
system*  can only  monitor  the  tire  pressures 
you  have stored.  The system  does  not  recog
ni ze  the  load  cond it ion  of your  vehicle. 
The effectiveness  of  the tire  pressure monitor 
ing  system*  will  be impaired if you  store  nor
mal  load pressures but  then  operate  the  vehi 
cle at  its  maximum  load 
c;, & . 
See the  illustration c;, fig. 196 for the  location 
of  the  label  on driver's  side  B-pillar  (co lor of 
the  actua l labe l and exact  location  on the  ve
hicle  will  vary slightly). 
Tire designation 
Note  that the  following  table is accurate at 
the  time  of  going  to  press and is subject  to  change. In  the event of  d iscrepancies, the  t ire 
pressure label  is located  on the  driver's  side B
pillar  always takes  precedence. 
The table  below  lists  the  recommended  cold 
tire  inflat ion  pressures for  the  Audi  mode l 
covered by your  Owner's  Literature  at  the  vehi
cle's capacity weight  and the  t ire sizes instal
led  on the  respective  models  as orig inal 
equipment,  or  as a factory  option. 
Tire pressure 
Model/ 
Engine  normal  load condition  full  load condition 
fronta>  reara> 
front  rear 
PSI  kPA  PSI 
A7:  235/55  Rl 7  99Y 
3.0  liter  High Performance 
6-cylinder 
S7: 
4.0  liter  a-cylinder  255/45  R18  99H 
All Season 
255/45  R18 
99Y 
High  Performance 
255/40  R19  l00H  XL 
All Season 
255/40  R19100YXL 
High Performance 
265/35  R20  99H  XL 
All Season 
265/35  R20 99Y  XL 
High Performance 
255/40  R19 
l00Y  XL 
High Performance 
265/35  R20  99Y  XL 
High Performance 
32  220 
32  220 
32  220 
35  240 
36  250 
240 
36  250 
39  270 
41  280  29  200 
35 240  38  260 
29  200  35  240  38  260 
29  200  35  240  38  260 
32  220  38  260 41  280 
32  220  38 260  41 280 
32  220  38 260  4
1 
280 
32  220  38 260  41  280 
33  230 
42  290 
42 290 
35  240 
44  300  44 
300 
XL= reinforced or extra load tire.  It  may also appear as  xl, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the  tire  side-
wall. 
al no rmal  load condition  c:;,page 250. 
The correct  tire  pressure for  the spare  wheel is 
located  on a label  on the  driver's  side  B-pillar. 
Because technical  changes may be made to 
vehicle  equ ipment  dur ing the  model  year, al
ways compare  the  tire  size designation  on the 
tire  pressure  label  on your  vehicle  w ith  the  tires  on your  vehicle. 
Make sure that  the tir e 
s ize  informat ion on  the vehicle  label is the 
same as the  size of  the  tires  on the vehicle . 
' 
I 
' 
I 
• 
•  

Unbalanced whee ls must  be rebalanced to 
avoid excessive wea r on steering,  suspension 
and tires.  A wheel  must  a lso be rebalanced 
when  a new tire  is installed . 
Incorrect  wheel  alignment 
Incorrect  whee l alignment  can cause exces
sive tire  wear, impairing  the  safety  o f the  vehi
cle.  If  tires  show excess ive wear, have the 
wheel  alignment  checked by an authorized 
Audi  dealer  or  qualified  workshop . 
All-wheel  d rive 
Vehicles w ith  quattro ® must  always have  tires 
of  the  same size, construction  and tread  type . 
F or  detai ls see 
r=!:> page  201 . 
A WARNING 
Sudden tire  failure  can  lead to  loss of  con
trol,  a crash and serious  persona l injury! 
- Never drive  a veh icle when  the  tread  on 
any tire  is worn  down  to  the  wear  indica
tors. 
- Worn  tires  are a safety  hazard, they  do  not  grip  well  on wet  roads and  increase 
your  risk of"hydrop lan ing"  and  loss of 
co ntrol. 
- Always  keep chemicals  that  can cause 
tire damage,  such as grease, oil , gasoline 
and brake fluid  away from  t ires. 
- Tires age eve n if they  are not  be ing used 
and can fail  suddenly,  especially  at  high 
speeds. T ires that  are more  than  6 years 
o ld can only  be used in an emergency 
and then  with  spe cial  care a nd at  lower 
s peeds. 
- Never mount  used ti res on yo ur vehicle  if 
yo u a re not  s ure of  their  "prev ious histo
ry."  Old used ti res may have been  dam
aged even though  the  damage  cannot  be 
seen that  can lead to  s udden  tire  failure 
and  loss of  vehicle  control.  Tires  and  wheels  25
7 
New  tires  and  replacing  tires  and  wheels 
New  tires  and  wheels  have  to  be  broken  in . 
Fig.  20 0 Tir e spec ificat io n  codes  on t he s idewall  o f a 
tire 
No.  De sc ription 
CD Passenger car tire  (where applicable) 
@ Nomina l w idth  of  t ire  in mill imeters 
® Ratio of  height  to  width  (aspect  ratio) 
© Rad ial 
® Rim diameter  code 
® Load  index and speed rating 
(f) U.S. DOT tire  identification  number 
® Aud i Origina l tire 
® Sever snow conditions 
@ T ire ply composition  and  mater ials 
used 
@ Maximum  load rating 
@ Treadwear, traction  and temperat ure 
grades 
@ Maximum  permissible inflation  pres-
sure 
T he tires  and  rims  are essential  parts  o f the 
vehicle's  design . The ti res and  rims  app roved 
by Audi  a re spec ia lly matched  to  the  charac
teris tic s of  the  ve hicl e and can m ake a major  .,. 
•  

258  Tires  and wheels 
contribution to good  road  ho lding  and  safe 
handling  when  in good  condition  and  properly 
inflated 
¢ ,& . 
We recommend  that  all  work  on tires and 
wheels  be performed  by an authorized  Audi 
dealer. They  are familiar  with  recommended 
procedures  and  have the  necessary spec ial 
too ls and spare  parts  as well  as the  proper  fa
cilities  for  disposing  of  the  old  tires. 
Authorized  Audi  dealers  have the  necessary  information  about  technical requ irements  for 
installing  or  changing  tires  and  rims. 
Replacing  tires  and wheels 
Tires should be rep laced at  least  in  pairs  and 
not  individually  (for  example both  front  tires 
or  both  rear tires  together). 
Be  sure to  read and heed  the information  to 
the  tire  pressure  monitoring  system* 
¢pa ge 264. 
Always buy rep lacement  radial tires that  have 
the  same specifications  as the tires approved 
for  your  vehicle  by Audi.  Replacement  t ires 
must  always have the  same  load rating  speci
fication  as the  original  equipment  or  approved 
optional  tires  listed  in the  table 
c:> page  250. 
Aud i-approved  specification  ti res are specially 
matched  to  your  vehicle  and  its  load limits, 
and can contribute  to  the  important road hold
ing,  driving  characteristics,  and safety  of  the 
vehicle.  The table 
(c:>page 250)  lists  specifica
tions  of the  tires  approved  for  the  Audi  mod
els  covered by your  Owner's  Literature . 
The tire  pressure  label  located  on  driver's  side 
B-pillar 
(c:> fig. 197) lists  the  specifications  of 
the  orig inal equipment  tires  installed  on your 
vehicle  at  the  time  it  was manufactured. 
Federal  law  requires  tire  manufacturers  to 
place standardized  information  on  the  s ide
wall  of all  tires 
c:> fig. 200.  This information 
identifies  and describes  the  fundamental 
characterist ics, the  quality  grade  of  the  tire 
and also  provides  a  tire ident ificat ion  number 
fo r safety  standard  certificat ion and  in case of 
a  recall. 
Tire  specifications 
Knowledge  of  tire specifications  makes  it  eas
ier  to  choose the  correct tires.  Radial ti res 
have the  tire  specifications  marked  on the 
sidewa ll, for  examp le: 
255/40  R 19  100  H  XL 
This conta ins the  following  information: 
P Indicates  the  tire  is for  passenger  cars 
(where  app licable) 
255 Nominal  tire  width  in mm  of  the  tire 
from  sidewall  edge to  sidewall  edge.  In  general,  the  larger  the  number,  the  wider 
the  tire 
40 Height/w idth  ratio  in  percent  (aspect  ra-
t io) 
R Tire construct ion:  Radial 
19 Rim diameter  code (in  inches) 
100 Load  rating  code 
H Speed rating  letter  code 
XL (or "xl",  "E XTRA LOAD" or  "RF") Indica tes 
that  the tir e  is  a  "Reinforced"  or  an "Ext ra 
Load" t ire 
M+S (or "M/5")  Indicates  that the  tire  has 
some  mud  and snow  capability 
The tires  could  also  have  the information  of 
direction  of  rotat io n 
¢ page  246. 
Tire  manufacturing  date 
The manufacturing  date  is also  indicated  on 
the  tire  sidewall  (possibly  on ly  on  the 
inner 
side of  the  wheel): 
"DOT  ... 2212  ... " means, for  example,  the  tire 
was produced  in the  22nd  week  of  2012. 
Speed rating  (letter code) 
The speed  rating  letter  code on  the  whee ls in 
dicates  the  maximum  permissible  road speeds 
c:> & in  Winter  tires  on page  262. 
p up to  93  mph  (150  km/h) 
Q up to  99  mph  (158  km/h) 
R  up to  106  mph  (170  km/h) 
s up to  110  mph  (180  km/h) 
T  up to  118  mph  (190  km/h) 
u up  to  124  mph  (200  km/h) 
H  up 
to  130  mph  (210  km/h)  

260  Tires  and wheels 
-If  the  spare  tire  is  not  the  same  as  the 
tires  that  are  mounted  on  the  vehicle  -
for  example  with  winter  tires  - only  use 
the  spare  tire  for  a  short  period  of  time  and  drive  with  extra  care.  Refit  the  nor
mal  road  wheel  as  soon  as  safely  possi
ble. 
- Never  drive  faster  than  the  maximum 
speed  for  which  the  tires  on  your  vehicle 
are  rated  because  tires  that  are  driven 
faster  than  their  rated  speed  can  fail 
suddenly. 
- Overloading  tires  cause  heat  build-up, 
sudden  tire  failure,  including  a  blowout 
and  sudden  deflation  and  loss  of  control. 
- Temperature  grades  apply  to  tires  that 
are  properly  inflated  and  not  over  or  un
derinflated. 
- For  technical  reasons  it  is not  always 
possible  to  use wheels  from  other 
vehicles  -in some  cases  not  even  wheels 
from  the  same  vehicle  model. 
- If you  install  wheel  trim  discs  on  the  ve
hicle  wheels,  make  sure  that  the  air flow 
to  the  brakes  is not  blocked.  Reduced  air
flow  to  the  brakes  can  them  to  overheat, 
increasing  stopping  distances  and  caus
ing  a  collision. 
- Run  flat tires  may  only  be  used  on 
vehicles  that  were  equipped  with  them 
at  the  factory.  The vehicle  must  have  a 
chassis  designed  for  run  flat  tires.  Incor
rect  use  of  run flat  tires  can  lead to  vehi
cle  damage  or  accidents.  Check with  an 
authorized  Audi  dealer or tire  specialist 
to  see  if your  vehicle  can  be  equipped 
with  run  flat  tires.  If  run  flat  tires  are 
used,  they  must  be  installed  on  all  four 
wheels.  Mixing tire  types is  not  permit
ted. 
- For  technical  reasons,  it  is  not  generally 
possible  to  use  the  wheel  rims  from  oth
er  vehicles.  This  can  hold  true  for  wheels 
of  the  same  vehicle  type. 
- If  the  spare  tire  is different  from  the 
tires  that  you  have  mounted  on your  ve- hicle  (for  example  winter  tires  or wide 
profile  tires),  then  use  the  spare  tire  for  a 
short  period  of  time  only  and  drive  with 
extra  care.  Replace 
the flat  tire with  the 
tire  matching  the  others  on  your  vehicle 
as  soon  as  possible. 
- Never  drive  without  the  valve  stem  cap. 
The valves  could  get  damaged. 
@ For the  sake of  the  environment 
Dispose  of  old  tires  in accordance  with  the 
local  requirements. 
Uniform  tire  quality  grading 
-Tread  wear 
- Traction  AA A B C 
- Temperature  ABC 
Quality  grades  can  be  found  where  applicable 
on  the  tire  side  wall  between  tread  shoulder 
and  maximum  section width 
~ fig. 200. 
For example: Tread  wear 200, Traction AA, 
Temperature A. 
All passenger  car  tires  must  conform  to  Feder
al  Safety  Requirements  in  addition  to  these 
grades . 
Tread wear 
The tread wear grade  is  a comparative  rating 
based  on  the  wear  rate  of  the  tire  when  tested 
under  controlled  conditions  on  a  specified 
government  test  course. 
Fo r example,  a  tire  graded  150 would  wear 
one  and  one  half  (1  1/2)  times  as  well  on  the 
government  course  as  a tire  graded  100. 
The  relative  performance  of  tires  depends 
upon  the  actual  conditions  of  their  use,  how
ever,  and  may  depart  significantly  from  the 
norm  due  to  variations  in driving  habits,  serv
ice  practices  and  differences  in  road  character
istics  and  climate. 
Traction 
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  conditions  on 
specified  government  test  surfaces  of  asphalt 
and concrete.  A tire  marked  C may have poor 
traction  performance 
c::> & . 
Temp erature 
The  temperature  grades a re 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  controlled  condi
tions  on  a specified  indoor  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  tire  fa ilure 
c::> & . 
The grade C corresponds  to  a  level of  perform
ance which  a ll passenger car tires  must  meet 
under  the  Federal Motor  Veh icle Safety Stand
ard  No. 
109. Grades Band  A represent  higher 
levels of  performance  on the  laboratory  test 
wheel  than  the  m inimum  required  by law . 
&, WARNING 
The traction  grade  assigned  to  this  t ire  is 
based on stra ight-ahead  b raking  traction 
tests,  and  does not  include  acceleration, 
cornering,  hydrop laning  or  peak traction 
character istics . 
A WARNING 
The temperature  grade for  this  tire  is es
tablished  for  a tire  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 ilure. 
Winter  tires 
Win ter  tires  can improve  vehicle handling  on 
snow  and  ice. At  tempera tures below  45  °F 
(7  °C) we recommend  changing  to  winter 
tires. 
In  some  heavy snow  areas, loca l governments 
may require  true  winter  or  "snow" tires,  those 
with  very deeply  cut  tread.  These t ires should 
Tire s an d wheel s 261 
only be used in  pairs  and  be installed  on all 
fo ur wheels.  Make sure you  purchase  snow 
tires  that  are the  same size and construction 
type  as the  other  tires  on your  vehicle. 
If  your  vehicle  is eq uipped  w ith  all -whee l 
drive*,  this  wi ll improve  traction  during  winter 
driv ing, even with  the  standard  tires.  Howev 
er, we strongly  recommend  that  you  always  equip  all  four  wheels  on your  veh icle w ith  cor
rectly  fitted  winter  tires  or  all -season t ires, 
whe n w inter  road  cond it ions are expected. 
T his also improves  the  veh icle's  brak ing  per
fo rmance and  reduces stoppi ng d istances. 
Summer  tires  provide  less grip  on  ice and 
snow . 
Winter  tires  (snow  tires)  must  always be fitted 
on  all  four  wheels. 
Ask your  authorized  A udi dealer  or  qualified 
workshop  for  permitted 
wi nter ti re size s. Use 
on ly  rad ial winter  t ires. 
Winter  tires  lose their  effectiveness  when  the 
tread  is worn  down  to  a depth  of 
0 .1 57 inch 
(4 mm). 
Only  drive w ith  w inter  tires under  w inter  con
ditions.  S umme r tires  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 no tes on  spare 
whee l c::> page  257. 
Please a lways remember  that  winter  tires  may 
have a lowe r speed  ra ting than  the  tires o rig i
nally  installed  on your  veh icle at  the  time  it 
was man ufactured.  P lease see 
c::> pag e 258, 
Speed rating  (letter  code)  for  a listing  of  the 
speed  rating  letter  codes and the  max imum 
speed at  which  the  tires  can be driven. 
The speed rating  le tter  code 
(c::> page  249)  is 
on  the  side wall  of  the  tire 
c::> page  257. 
A WARNING 
Winter  t ires have maximum  speed limits 
that  may be lower  than  yo ur vehicle's  max
imum  speed. Always  know  the  max imum 
speed  before  dr iv ing off . Never dr ive faster 
~ 
• 
•  

26 2  T ire s and  wheel s 
than  the  speed permitted  for  your  specific 
w inter  t ires. This will  cause damage to  the 
tires  leading  to  an accident  and serious 
personal  injury  to  you and your  passen
gers . 
A WARNING 
Driv ing faster  than  the  maximum  speed 
for  which  the  w inter  t ires on your  vehicle 
we re designed  can cause tire  fai lu re in
cluding  a blowout  and sudden  deflat ion, 
loss of  control,  crashes and  serious  per
sonal  injuries.  Have worn  or  damaged  tires 
rep laced immediate ly . 
- Winter  tires  have maximum  speed rat ing 
that  may be lower  than  your  veh icle'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-whee l 
drive  tempt  you  into  taking  extra  r isks. A l
ways remember : 
- When  brak ing, an all-w heel drive  vehicle 
hand les in the  same way as a front  drive 
vehicle . 
- Drive carefu lly and reduce your  speed on 
icy and slippery  roads, even winter  tires 
cannot  he lp under  black  ice condit ions . 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
Use summer  tires  when  weather  cond i
tions  permit . They are quieter,  do not  wea r 
as quickly  and  reduce f ue l consumption . 
Snow chains 
-
Snow chains may be fitted  on ly to  the  front 
wheels,  and only  to  certa in tire  sizes. Ask yo ur 
author ized Audi  dealer  on wh ic h  tire  sizes 
snow chains can be used. 
If you are going  to  use snow chains, then  you 
must  i nstall  them  on the  front  whee ls at 
l east. 
T he snow chains mus t have  low-p rofile  links 
and must  not  be th icker than  0 .4  inch 
(10,5  mm) , includ ing the  lock . 
Remove whee l cen ter  covers and t rim  discs 
before  pu tting snow c hains on your  veh icle 
¢ (D . For  safety  reasons cover caps m ust  then 
be fitted  over the  wheel  bo lts.  These are avail
able  from  autho rized Aud i dealers . 
A WARNING 
Using the  wrong  snow chains for  your  veh i
cle or  installing  them  incorrect ly can in
crease the  risk  of  loss of  contro l leading  to 
se rious  pe rsonal  injury. 
- Snow chains are available  in different 
sizes . Always  make sure to  follow  the  in
structions  p rov ided  by t he snow chain 
manufacturer. 
- W hen driving  with  s now cha ins never 
driv e faster  than  t he speed permitted  for 
your  specifi c snow chains. 
- Always observe local  regulations. 
(D Note 
-Remove snow chains  before  dr iv ing on 
roads not  covered with  snow to  avoid 
damaging  tires  and wearing  the  snow 
chains down  un necessa rily. 
- Snow chains, which  come  i nto  direct  con
t act with  the  whee l rim, can scratch  or 
damage  it.  Therefo re,  make sure that  the 
snow  chains are s uitably  covered. Check 
t he pos ition  o f th e snow cha ins afte r 
dr iv ing a few  yards and  correct  if ne ces 
sary.  Follow  the  inst ructions  from  the 
snow chain ma nufactu rer when  do ing so . 
- If  the  Adaptive  Air Suspens ion * sho uld 
ma lf u nction,  do not  mount  or  use snow 
chains because the  vehicle wi ll be ex
treme ly low.  If  you  do drive  with  snow 
chains on while  the  vehicle  is at  this  lev
el, t he snow cha ins might  seve rely dam
age the  whee lhouse and o ther parts  of 
the  vehicle.