206 Tires and wheels
and handling under a variety of driving condi
tions. Ask your authorized Audi dea ler for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated
by a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's size
designation. The numeral represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewall height in relation to its
tread width expressed in percentage . Conven
tional tires have a height/width ratio o f 60 or
more .
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires is
particularly sensitive to improper inflation
pressure. It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified
pressure and that the inflation pressure is regularly checked and maintained . Tire pres·
sures should be checked at least once a
month and always before a long trip
~ page 195, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
L ow aspect ratio t ires can be damaged more
ea5i ly by impact with potho le5, curb5, gullie5
or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is
underinflated .
In order to minimize the occur rence of impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom
mend that you observe the following precau
tions :
- Always maintain recommended inflation
pressures. Chec k your tire pressure every
2.000 miles (3.000
km) and add air if neces
sary .
- Drive carefu lly on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
t h ro ugh or over such obstacles can damage
yo ur tir es. Impact with a curb may also
cause damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tir es 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 eventu- ally cause
tire failure. If you believe that a
tire may have been damaged, replace the
tire as soon as possible.
- These tires may wear more quickly than oth
ers.
- Please also remember that, while these tires
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 h igh performance
t ir es or iginally installed on your vehicle are in
tended for maximum dry and wet road per
fo rmance and handling . They are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions. If
you drive under those circumstances, you
sho uld equ ip your vehicle with all-season or
winter tires, which offer better traction unde r
those conditions. We suggest you use the rec
ommended snow or all-season t ires specified
for your vehicle, or their equivalent .
Refer to~
page 203 for more de tailed infor
mation regarding winter tires.
Tire pressure
monitoring system
General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
sho uld be checked monthly when co ld and in
flated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the veh icle manufact urer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the
s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in
flat io n pressure label, you should dete rmine
the proper t ire inflation pressure for those
t i r es.).
As an added safety feature, your veh icle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system ( TPMS) that illum inates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of you r
t ir es is significantly under-inflated. According -
ly, when the low tire pressure telltale ..,.
224 Genera l inform ation
designated seating position) and luggage
w eight .
Gross Axle W eight Rating
The G ross Axle Weight Rating is the maximum
l oad that can be applied at each axle of the
vehicle
q _& .
Vehicle capacit y weight
The vehicle capac ity we ight (max . load) is list
ed either on the dr iver's side B-pilla r or inside
the fuel filler flap.
_& WARNING
- T he actual Gross Axle Weight Rat ing at
the front and rear axles shou ld not ex
ceed the permissible weights, and their
combination must not exceed the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating .
- Exceeding permissib le weight ratings can
result in vehicle damage, accidents and
persona l injury.
(i) Note
- The vehicle capacity weight figures apply
when the load is distributed evenly in the
vehicle (passengers and luggage) . When
transporting a heavy load in the luggage
compartment, carry the load as near to
the rear axle as possible so that the vehi
cle's handling is not impa ired .
- Do not exceed the maximum permissible
axle loads or the max imum gross vehicle
weight . Always remember that the vehi
cle's handling will be affected by the ex
tra load . Therefore, adjust your speed ac
cord ingly.
- Always observe loca l regu lations.
Dimensions
-
The specifications refer to the basic model.
Diffe rences may occur depending on the mod
e l type and options ordered, for examp le, tire
sizes.
(D Note
When driving up steep ramps, on rough roads, over curbs, etc . it is important to re
member that some parts of your vehicle,
such as spo ilers or exhaust system compo
nents, may be close to the ground . Be
careful not to damage them .
