
224 Tires and wheels
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR" )
means the maximum total loaded weight o f
the vehicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry for a given inflat ion pressure. You
may not find this informat ion on all tires be
cause it is not requ ired by law .
Ma ximum load rating
means the load rating for a t ire at the maxi
mum permissible inflation pressure for that
tire .
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity we ight, and
(d) Production opt ions weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressure
to which a tire may be inflated . Also called
"maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilog rams) times the
number of occupants seated in the vehicle up
to the tota l seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means dist ribution of occupants in a veh icle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new
tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteri
ors of the sidewalls of an inflated tire, includ
ing elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubbe r-coated parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those installed
regular production opt ions we ighing over 5
lbs. ( 2.3 kg) in excess of those standa rd items
wh ich they replace, not previously cons idered
in curb weight or accessory weight, including
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special tr im.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumat ic tire in which the ply cords
that extend to the beads are laid at substan
tially 90 deg rees to the center line of the
tread.
Recommended inflation pressure
see c:::> page 223, Cold tire inflation pressure .
Reinforced tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor
responding standard tire. Reinforced tires
may be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD",
or "RF" on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a t ire and
tube assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated .
Rim diameter
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If
you change your wheel s ize, you w ill have to
purchase new tires to match the new rim di
ameter .
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nom inal distance between rim flanges.
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the
tread and bead .

228 Tire s and wheel s
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance sticker labe l located on the
driver's side B-p illar. The tire pressure label on
your Audi lists the maximum combined weight of all of the occupants and luggage or
other cargo that the vehicle can carry. For t he
locat io n of the tire pressure label
r:::;, fig. 168.
A WARNING
Overl oading a vehicle can cause loss of ve
hicle control, a cras h or other accident, se
r ious personal inju ry, and even death.
- Carry ing more weight than yo ur vehicle
was designed to ca rry will p reven t the
vehicle from hand ling properly and in
crease the risk of a loss of veh icle con
t ro l.
- T he brakes on a veh icle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
vehicle within a safe distance .
- T ires on a vehicle that has been overload
ed can fail suddenly causing loss of con
tro l and a crash.
- Always make sure that the tota l load be
ing transported -including the weight of
a tra iler hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the veh i
cle heav ier than the veh icle's Gross Vehi
cle Weight Rating.
A WARNING
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin flation can lead to a serious o r fatal acci
dent.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin
flation cause increased tire wea r and can
affect the handling of the vehicle.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin
flation ca n also lead to sudden tire fa il
ure, including a blowo ut and sudden de
fla tion, causing loss of vehicle con trol.
-
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires original
ly installed on your vehicle is listed on the tire
pressure label located on driver's side 8-pil lar.
The recommended tire pressures are on the
t ir e p ressu re label a nd in the table
r::::;, page 226, Cold tire inflation pressure. This
means tha t the pressu re must be che cked and
adjus ted whe n the t ire has not been dr iven fo r
more than a couple of miles (kilometers) at
l ow speeds d uring the previous t hree ho urs.
Air in the tires expands when the tire heats up as a result of interna l frict ion as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire
has warmed up than when it is "cold."
It is the inflation pressure in a "co ld" t ire that
counts. Therefore, you should never let a ir o ut
of a warm tire to match "Cold t ire inflat ion
pressure" recommendat io ns
r:::;, page 226 . The
t ires wou ld then be unde rinflated and could
fail suddenly .
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended co ld tire inflation pressures at
maximum capacity for the new, or ig inal
equipment tires that were on your vehicle at
t h e time it was ma nufactu red. Fo r the loca
t ion of the labe l
r:::;, page 226, fig. 168.
Most t ires lose air naturally over t ime . They
can a lso lose some air if you d rive over a pot
hole or hit a curb while par king. It is usually
not poss ible to see whethe r the rad ial tires
u sed today are underinfla ted just by loo king
at them .
T he refore, be sure to check t ire p ressu res at
l east on ce a mo nth and a lways befo re going
o n a long trip. M ake s ure to ta ke the n umbe r
of peop le and the amount of luggage into ac
count when adjusting tire pressure for a trip -
even one that yo u wo uld not consider to be
"long." Seer:::;,
page 230, Tires and vehicle
load limits
for more important information.
Always use an accurate tire press ure ga uge
when checking and ad justing inflat ion pres
s u res. Check all of the tires and be sure not to ..,.

-Carrying more weight than your vehicle
was designed to carry will prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in
crease the risk of the loss of vehicle con
trol.
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
vehicle within a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been overload
ed can fail suddenly, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, causing loss of
control and a crash.
- Always make sure that the total load be
ing transported -including the weight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer - does not make the vehi
cle heavier than the vehicle's Gross Vehi
cle Weight Rating.
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to cal
culate the total weight of the
passengers and luggage or oth
er things that you plan to trans
port so that you can make sure
that your vehicle will not be
overloaded.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OC
CUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX LBS"on your vehi
cle's placard (tire inflation
pressure label)
c::> page 226,
fig. 168.
Tires and wheels 231
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo
grams or
"XXX" pounds
shown on the sticker
c::> page 226, fig. 168.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of car
go and luggage load capaci
ty. For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs.
and there will be five 150
lbs. passengers in your vehi
cle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load ca pacity is 650 lbs. (1400-7 50
(5
X 150) = 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your trail
er will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual ..,.
•
•
'

Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment can cause exces
sive tire wear, impairing the safety of the vehi
cle. If tires show excessive wear, have the
wheel alignment checked by an authorized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
All wheel drive
Vehicles with quattro must always have tires
of the same size, construction and tread type.
For details see
~page 185 .
.8_ WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of con
trol, a crash and serious personal injury!
- Never drive a vehicle 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 "hydroplaning" and toss of
control.
- Always keep chemicals that can cause
tire damage, such as grease, oil, gasoline
and brake fluid away from tires.
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fail suddenly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at lower
speeds .
- Never mount used tires on your vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo
ry." Old used tires may have been dam
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
Tires and wheels 233
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in .
Fig. 172 Tir e specificat ion codes on t he s idewall o f a
tire
No. Description
@ Passenger car tire (where applicable)
@ Nominal width of tire in millimeters
@ Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
© Radial
® Rim diameter code
® Load index and speed rating
0 U.S. DOT tire identification number
® Audi Original tire
® Sever snow conditions
@ Tire ply composition and materials
used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature
grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the
vehicle's design . The tires and rims approved
by Audi are specialty matched to the charac
teristics of the vehicle and can make a major .,.

236 Tire s and whee ls
- All four wheels must be fitted with radia l
t ires of th e same ty pe, size (r olling c ir
cumfe rence) and the same tread pattern.
Dr iv in g with different tires reduces veh i
cle handling and can lead to a loss of
c o ntrol.
- If the spare tire is not the same as the
t ires that are mounted on the veh icle -
for example with winter tires - on ly use
the spare tire for a short period of time
and dr ive with extra care. Refit the no r
ma l road whee l as soon as safely possi
ble.
- Never drive faster than the maxim um
speed for which the tires on your vehicle
are rated because tires that are driven
faster than their rated speed can fail
sudden ly.
- Overloading ti res cause heat build-up,
sudden tire failure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation and loss of control.
- Temperature grades app ly to tires that
are properly inflated and not over or un
derinflated.
- For technical reasons it is not a lways
poss ible to use wheels from other
vehicles -in some cases not even wheels
from the same vehicle model.
- If you install wheel tr im discs on the ve
hicle whee ls, make sure that the air flow
to the brakes is not blocked . Reduced air
flow to the brakes can them to overheat,
increasing stopping d istances and caus
ing a collision.
- Run flat t ires may on ly be used on
vehicles that we re eq uipped w ith them
at the factory. The vehicle must have a
chassis des igned for r un flat t ires and a
factory-installed tire press ure monito r
ing system * that indicates a loss of tire
pressure. Incorrect use of run flat tires
can lead to vehicle damage or accidents.
Check with an authorized Audi dea ler or
t ire spec ialist to see if you r vehicle can be
equipped with run flat tires .
If run flat
t ires a re used, they must be insta lled on
all four wheels. M ixing tire types is not
permitted.
(D Note
- For technical reasons, it is not generally
poss ible to use the wheel rims from oth
er veh icles. T his can hold tr ue 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
profi le tires), then use the spare tire for a
short period of time only and drive w ith
extra care. Replace the flat tire w it h the
ti re mat ching the othe rs on your vehicle
as soon as possi ble.
- Never d rive without the valve stem cap.
The v alves co uld get damaged.
@ For the sake of the environment
Dispose of o ld tires in accordance w ith the
l ocal requirements.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- Tra ction AA A B (
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the t ire s ide wall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width
c> page 233,
fig . 172 .
For e xample: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA ,
Temperature A .
All passenger car ti res must conform to Feder
al Safety Requirements in add ition to these
grades .
Tread w ear
The tread wear g rade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
u nder contro lled conditions on a specified
government test course.
F o r example, a tire graded 1S0 wo uld wear
one and one ha lf (11/2) times as well on the
government course as a ti re graded 100. ..,_

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 wheel drive .
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 266.
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 239
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
90 ft lbs . (120 Nm) w ith a tolerance of
± 7,4 ft lbs. (± 10 Nm). Torque whee l 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 228 , 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 . ..,.
•
•

-Make sure that passengers 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 possibly slipping off the
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 Transmission in
"P"
(Park) will not prevent the vehicle from
moving.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm. If necessary,
use a sturdy board under the jack.
- Always store the vehicle tool kit, the
jack* and the replaced tire in the luggage
compartmentc:>poge
125.
(D Note
If you are changing the wheel on a steep
incline, use a rock or similar object to
block the opposite wheel to prevent the
vehicle from moving.
(D Tips
Obey all laws.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow these
quence described below step-by-step and in
exactly that order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover* or
the
wheel bolt caps* . For more details see
also
c:> page 246, Decorative wheel cov
ers
or c:> page 246, Wheels with wheel
bolt cops.
2 . Loosen the wheel bolts c:> page 246.
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack and align the jack below that point c:>
page 247.
4 . Lift the car with the jack c:> page 247 .
5. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and
then install the
spare tire c:> page 248 .
6. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
What do I do now? 245
7. Lower the vehicle with the jack.
8. Use the wheel bolt wrench and firmly
tighten all wheel bolts in a crisscross pat
tern
c:> page 246.
9. Replace the decorative wheel cover* or
the
wheel bolt caps* .
A WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and
information c:>
.&. in Raising the vehicle on
page 247
and c:> page 249.
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
c:> poge 125 .
.,. Check the tire pressure of the spare tire as
soon as possible .
.. As soon as possible, have the
tightening
torques
on all wheel bolts checked with a
torque wrench. The correct t ightening tor
que is
90 ft lbs. (120 Nm) .
.. Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possi
ble .
(D Tips
-If you notice that the wheel bolts a re
corroded and difficult to turn while
changing a tire, they should be replaced
before you check the tightening torque .
- Drive at reduced speed until you have the
tightening torques checked.
•
•

248 What do I do now?
-Do not raise the vehicle unti l you are
sure the jack is securely engaged.
- Passengers must not remain in the ve
hicle when it is jacked up.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a
safe p lace away from the vehicle and
well away from the road and traffic.
- Make sure jack position is correct, ad
just as necessary and then continue to ra ise the jack.
CD Note
Do not lift the vehicle by the sill. Position
the vehicle jack only at the designated lift
ing points on the sill. Otherwise, your vehi
cle will be damaged.
Taking the wheel off/installing the spare
tire
Follow these instructions step-by-step for
changing the wheel .
Fig. 181 Changing a w hee l: usi ng the screwdriver han ·
dle (with the blade r~mo ved) to turn th e bo lts
Fig. 182 C hangin g a w hee l: alig nmen t pin inside the
to p hole
After you have loosened a ll wheel bolts and
ra ised the veh icle off the ground, remove and
replace the wheel as follows:
Removing the wheel
"' Remove the topmost wheel bolt comp letely
with the
hexagonal socket in the screwdriv
er handle (vehicle tool kit)¢
fig. 181 and
set it aside on a
clean surface.
"' Screw the threaded end of the
alignment
pin
from the tool kit hand-tight into the
empty bolt hole¢
fig. 182.
"' Then remove the other wheel bolts as de
scribed above.
"' Take off the whee l leaving the alignment pin
in the bolt hole ¢(D .
Putting on the spare tire
"' Push the spare tire over the alignment p in.
"' Screw on the wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly using the hexagonal socket .
"' Remove the alignment pin and insert and
tighten the remain ing wheel bolt slightly
like the rest.
"' Turn the jack handle counter-clockwise to
lower the veh icle until the jack is fully re
leased.
"' Use the wheel bo lt wrench to tighten all
wheel bolts firmly¢
page 246 . Tighten
them
in a crisscross pattern, from one bolt
to the (approximately) opposite one, to keep
the wheel centered.
"' Perform the steps required after changing
the wheel
c::> page 245, After changing a
wheel.
T he hexagonal socket ma kes it easier to re
move the wheel bolts from the rim. Care
sho uld be taken when removing the reversible
blade .
CD Note
When removing or installing the wheel,
the rim could hit the brake rotor and dam
age the rotor. Work carefu lly and have a
second person to help you.
(D Tips
-When mount ing tires with unidirectional
tread design
make sure the tread pat
tern is po inted the right way
c::> page 249. Iii>