2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN Owners Manual

Stowing the replaced wheel
One of the vehicles normal wheels will not fit in the well for the compact spare wheel in the floor of the
luggage compartment. Therefore, in the event of a flat tire, the wheel which was changed must be
secured, for example, with suitable straps in the luggage compartment.
Open the rear hatch, raise the entire luggage compartment floor, press the retaining pin (1) to the right
and slowly lower the luggage compartment floor.
Put the wheel you took off the vehicle into the spare wheel well so that the center hole of the rim is
aligned with the threaded pin.
Turn the threaded retainer in the center of the compact spare wheel (2) clockwise until the wheel
replaced is securely in place.
If necessary, return the vehicle tool kit to its location in the luggage compartment.
Raise the floor covering and release the retaining pin, then fold the floor covering back down onto the
floor of the luggage compartment.
Close the rear hatch.
Differences between the road tires and the compact spare
The compact spare 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 compact spare wheel
x After installing the compact spare tire, check the tire pressure as soon as possible
Check the tire inflation pressure of the compact spare whenever you check the tire pressure of the
road wheels, at least once a month. Inflate a compact spare tire to the cold tire pressure specified for
the compact spare on the tire pressure label or on a separate label for the compact spare, if there is
one.

WARNING
Improper use of a compact spare tire can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or other
accident, and serious personal injury.
x Never use a compact spare tire if it is damaged or worn down to the wear indicators.
x In some vehicles, the compact spare tire is smaller than the original tire. A smaller
compact spare tire is identified with 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 compact spare tire. Avoid full-throttle
acceleration, heavy braking, and fast cornering!
x Never drive more than miles ( km) if a compact spare wheel is installed on the front axle
(drive axle).
x Replace the compact spare with a normal wheel and tire as soon as possible. Compact
spare tires are designed for brief use only.
x Regularly check the U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) to determine the age of the
compact spare tire
x Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly, especially at higher
speeds.
x Tires that are more than 6 years old can only be used in an emergency and then with
special care and at low speeds.
x The compact spare tire must always be secured with the wheel bolts provided by the
factory.
x Never drive using more than one compact spare wheel.
x After installing the compact spare tire, the tire pressure must be checked as soon as
possible
x Snow chains cannot be used on the compact wheel tire. If you must use snow chains and
have a compact spare wheel mounted, move the compact spare tire 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 you do not change the tire's direction of rotation. Install the snow chains
on the full-sized road tire.
NOTICE
When the spare wheel or compact spare is being used, the TPMS indicator light can start
flashing after about 10 minutes.
If possible, attach the compact spare tire or the tire you took off the vehicle securely in the
luggage compartment.

Tire labeling

Fig. International tire labeling.

Tire labeling (example) Meaning
E4 ... Labeling according to international regulations (E) including
number of the approving country. The multi-digit approval number
is listed next.
DOT BT RA TY5 9 Tire identification number (TIN6 – in some cases only on one side
of the tire – and the manufacturing date:
DOT The tire complies with the requirements of the United
States Department of Transportation, responsible for
issuing safety standards.
BT Identification letter of the manufacturing site.
RA Manufacturer information regarding tire dimensions.
TY5 Tire characteristics provided by the manufacturer.
9 Manufacturing date: 17th week in 9.
TWI Marks the position of the tread wear indicator
Made in Germany Country of manufacture.
MAX LOAD KG ( 6 LBS) United States maximum load rating per wheel.
MAX INFLATION KPA (51 PSI) United States maximum permissible inflation pressure.
SIDEWALL 1 PLY RAYON Tire ply composition and materials used:
1 layer of rayon.
TREAD 4 PLIES
1 RAYON + 2 STEEL +
1 NYLON
Tire tread composition and materials used:
In this example there are 4 layers under the tread: 1 layer of
rayon, 2 layers of steel belt and 1 layer of nylon.
Consumer information regarding comparison to specified base tires (standardized test
procedure) 313:
TREADWEAR Relative service life expectancy of the tire referenced to a US-
specific standard test.
TRACTION AA Traction rating under wet conditions (AA, A, B or C).
TEMPERATURE A Temperature stability of the tire at increased test bench speeds
(A, B or C).
Additional numbers found on the tire could either be tire manufacturer internal labels or
country-specific labels (e.g. for Brazil and China).

Unidirectional tires
Unidirectional tires are designed to rotate only in one direction. Unidirectional tires have arrows on the
sidewalls that show the direction of rotation. Make sure you mount the tire so that it rotates in the
proper direction. The tire's performance with regard to hydroplaning, traction, noise, and wear is worse
if it is not mounted in the proper direction of rotation.
If you have to mount a tire opposite to its proper direction of rotation, you must drive more carefully,
since the tire is no longer being used as designed. This is particularly important on wet roads. You
must replace or remount the tire as soon as possible in order to restore the correct direction of
rotation.
Load rating code
The load index indicates the maximum permissible load per individual tire in pounds (kilograms).

6 TIN represents the serial number of the tire.

91 6 lbs ( kg)
93 3 lbs ( kg)
95 1 lbs ( kg)
97 9 lbs ( kg)
98 3 lbs ( kg)
99 9 lbs ( kg)
100 3 lbs ( kg)
101 9 Ibs ( kg)
102 4 lbs ( kg)
103 9 lbs ( kg)
104 4 lbs ( kg)
110 7 lbs ( 0 kg)
Speed rating code letter
The speed rating code letter indicates the maximum permissible road speed of the tires.
P up to 93 mph ( km/h)
Q up to 99 mph ( km/h)
R up to mph ( km/h)
S up to mph ( km/h)
T up to mph ( km/h)
U up to mph ( km/h)
H up to mph ( km/h)
V up to mph ( km/h)
Z over mph ( km/h)
W up to mph ( km/h)
Y up to mph ( km/h)
Some tire manufacturers label tires with a maximum permissible road speed above mph ( km/h)
with the letter combination “ZR”.
WARNING
Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/or wheels or improper tire and wheel combinations
can lead to loss of control, collision and serious personal injury.
x Always use tires, wheels and wheel bolts that meet the specifications of the original
factory-installed tires or other combinations that have been specifically approved by the
vehicle manufacturer.
x All 4 wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type, the same size (tread
circumference), and the same tread pattern. Driving with different tires reduces vehicle
handling and can lead to a loss of control.
x Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires installed on your vehicle
are rated because tires that are driven faster than their rated speed can fail suddenly.
x Overloading tires can cause heat buildup, sudden tire failure, including a blowout and
sudden deflation and loss of control.
x Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and not over- or underinflated.

Winter tires

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
consumption.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System must be recalibrated using the appropriate menu in the MFI
whenever you remove and remount or change any wheel or tire on the vehicle, even if the reinstalled
or replacement wheels and tires are identical to those that were removed and even if the tire pressure
does not change
If necessary, ask your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility
about permissible winter tire dimensions.
Snow chains

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