2014 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG flat tire

x Driving without valve caps, with the wrong valve caps, or with valve caps that are not properly screwed on can damage the tire valves and the sensors on the Tire Pressure Monitoring System. To help prevent damage, always use valve stem caps like those originally installed at the factory. The caps must be screwed on tightly. Do not use metal valve caps or “comfort” valve stem caps.
Underinflation increases fuel consumption.
Pressures measured with a gauge when inflating the tires may be different from the pressures read by the tire pressure sensors. The electronic TPMS is more accurate.
When the TPMS warns that the pressure in at least one tire is too low, check the tire pressure in all 4 tires with an accurate tire pressure gauge. Low tire pressure usually cannot be spotted by looking
at the tire. This is especially true for low-profile tires. When checking the tire pressures, refer to ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
Tire inflation pressure in cold tires

Model Engine Tire dimensions Tire inflation pressure, front axle
Tire inflation pressure, rear axle
PSI kPa PSI kPa
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System is configured at the factory with the correct tire inflation pressure applicable for the vehicle model, engine and factory-installed tires. This tire inflation
pressure is also listed on the sticker inside the driver door jamb ⇒ Tire inflation pressure. The tire inflation pressure are listed for all tires and the collapsible spare tire. In the event of a discrepancy between the above figures and the tire pressures listed on the tire inflation pressure label, the pressures listed on the label are the ones you should use. If different tires are installed, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System cannot properly monitor tire inflation pressures unless the TPMS is
reset to the new tire pressures ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities have the necessary special tools and must reset the TPMS for the new tires on your vehicle.
Tread depth and tread wear indicators

Fig. 114 Tread pattern: Wear indicator.

Removing the collapsible spare tire
x Open the rear hatch: Lift up the luggage compartment floor panel and hook it to the top of the
luggage compartment or remove the reversible luggage compartment floor panel ⇒ Luggage compartment.
x Take the retainer ⇒ fig. 115 (1) from the middle of the collapsible spare wheel and fit it onto the fastening bolt (2); then unscrew the bolt completely counterclockwise.
x OR: Turn the fastening bolt with washer (3) counterclockwise and remove completely.
x Take the collapsible spare tire out of the vehicle.
x Inflate the collapsible spare tire to not more than 51 psi (3.5 bar / 350 kPa) before mounting it on
the vehicle ⇒ Inflating the collapsible spare tire.
Inflating the collapsible spare tire
x Take the compressor out of the luggage compartment ⇒ Vehicle tool kit.
x Screw the tire filler hose onto the valve of the collapsible spare tire.
x Open the engine hood ⇒ In the engine compartment.
x Connect the compressor with the 12 Volt clips only to the jump-start terminals in the engine
compartment ⇒ Jump starting. The red clip on the compressor cable is connected to the positive (+)
terminal; the black clip is connected to the negative terminal (-) ⇒ fig. 116.
x Route the connector cables so that they cannot get caught in rotating parts.
x Start the vehicle engine and let it run.
x Switch on the compressor. Make sure that the air bleed screw on the tire pressure gauge is closed.
x Inflate the collapsible spare tire to a pressure of 51 psi (3.5 bar / 350 kPa). The compressor must be switched off after 10 minutes at most to keep it from overheating.
Stowing the tire you removed
x Lift up the luggage compartment floor panel and hook it to the top of the luggage compartment or
remove the reversible luggage compartment floor panel ⇒ Luggage compartment.
x If necessary, return the vehicle tool kit to its location in the luggage compartment.
x Unhook the luggage compartment floor panel/replace reversible luggage compartment floor panel.
x Put the tire you took off the vehicle in the luggage compartment and secure it firmly.
x Close the rear hatch.
Driving with the collapsible spare tire
The collapsible spare tire 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 collapsible spare tire.
x After installing the collapsible spare tire, check the tire pressure as soon as possible ⇒ Checking tire inflation pressure.
Reusing the collapsible spare tire
The collapsible spare tire can be reused as long as it is not damaged and not worn down to the tread wear indicators.

It takes several hours for the collapsible spare tire to return to its collapsed form after you let the air out of it. Once this has happened, you can put it back in the spare tire well and secure it.
x Let the air out of the tire by unscrewing the valve core.
x Screw the valve core back in once the air has been released.
x Wait several hours before putting the collapsible spare tire back in the spare tire well.
x Once the time is up, open the rear hatch. Lift up the luggage compartment floor panel and hook it to the top of the luggage compartment or remove the reversible luggage compartment floor panel
⇒ Luggage compartment.
x Place the collapsible spare tire in the spare tire well and secure it with the fastening bolt (⇒ fig. 115 (2) or (3)).
x Fit the retainer (1) back into the middle of the collapsible spare tire .
x Unhook the luggage compartment floor panel/replace reversible luggage compartment floor panel.
x Close the rear hatch.
WARNING
Improper use of a collapsible spare tire can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or other accident, and serious personal injury.
x Never use a collapsible spare tire if it is damaged or worn down to the wear indicators.
x The collapsible spare tire is identified by 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 collapsible spare tire. Avoid full-throttle acceleration, heavy braking, and fast cornering!
x Never drive more than 125 miles (200 km) if a compact spare wheel is installed on the front axle (drive axle).
x Replace the collapsible spare tire with a normal wheel as soon as possible. Collapsible spare tires are designed for brief use only.
x Regularly check U.S. DOT tire identification number (TIN) to determine the age of the
collapsible spare tire ⇒ Tire labeling. 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 lower speeds.
x The collapsible spare tire must always be secured with the wheel bolts provided by the factory.
x Never drive using more than one collapsible spare tire.
x After installing the collapsible spare tire, the tire pressure must be checked as soon as
possible ⇒ Tire inflation pressure.
x Snow chains cannot be used on the collapsible spare tire. If you need the snow chains, but one of the front tires is flat, you have to mount the collapsible spare tire on the rear axle. The tire taken off the rear axle can then be used to replace the flat front tire. Be sure to maintain the tire's direction of rotation. Install the snow chains on the full-sized road wheel.
If possible, fasten the collapsible spare tire or the wheel you took off the vehicle securely in the luggage compartment. On vehicles equipped with a tire mobility set, the tire you took off the vehicle cannot be secured.

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 1709 Tire identification number (TIN3 - In some cases the manufacturing date is only on one side of the tire:
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.
1709 Manufacturing date: 17th week in 2009.
TWI Marks the position of the treadwear indicator ⇒ page 183.
Made in Germany Country of manufacture.
MAX LOAD 615 KG (1356 LBS) United States maximum load rating per wheel.
MAX INFLATION 350 KPA (51 PSI) United States maximum permissible inflation pressure.
ROTATION Rotation direction (unidirectional tires)
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) ⇒ page 548:
TREADWEAR 220 Relative service life expectancy of the tire referenced to a US-specific standard test.
TRACTION A 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 (such as 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.
3 TIN represents the serial number of the tire.

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 build-up, 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

All-wheel drive (4MOTION)
Vehicles with all-wheel drive and standard road wheels have good forward motion and traction even under wintery road conditions. However, Volkswagen recommends installing snow tires or all season tires on all 4 wheels to improve handling as well as braking performance.
If you use snow chains, please read and heed information and directions ⇒ Snow chains.
WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires on your vehicle were designed can cause sudden tire failure including a blowout and sudden deflation, loss of control, crashes and serious personal injuries.
x Winter tires have a maximum speed rating that may be lower than your vehicle's maximum speed.
x Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires installed on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than their rated speed can fail suddenly.
x Never exceed the maximum load rating for the winter tires installed on your vehicle.
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.
If factory-installed wheels and/or tires are replaced when installing winter tires, make sure that the wheels are equipped with sensors that are compatible with the factory-installed Tire Pressure
Monitoring System and that the tires are also compatible with the system ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). If new tires are not identical to those that were removed and require different cold tire inflation pressure, the tire inflation pressure values must be reprogrammed for the TPMS. Please see
your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
If necessary, ask your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility about permissible winter tire dimensions.
Snow chains

Please contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility about appropriate wheel, tire and snow chain dimensions.
If possible, use only chains with low profile links that are not thicker than 37/64 in (15 mm) including the tensioner.
Remove center hubcaps and decorative rim rings before installing snow chains ⇒ . However, for safety reasons, caps must be installed on the wheel bolts. These are available from authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities.
Collapsible spare
For technical reasons, snow chains cannot be used on the collapsible spare ⇒ Collapsible spare tire.
If you must use snow chains and have a collapsible spare tire mounted, move the collapsible spare 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 to install the unidirectional tires so that they will run in the proper direction. Volkswagen recommends installing the snow chains before mounting the wheel to the vehicle.
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