2015 AUDI A3 CABRIOLET tires

202 Trailer towing
"Full load" on the label located on the driver's
side B-pillar (visible when the door is open).
Inflate trailer tires to trai ler and t ire manufac ­
turers' specif ications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer
lights are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners. When you install safety
chains, make sure they wi ll not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the following:
.. Do not tow a loaded tra iler when your car it­
self is not loaded.
.,. Be espec ially car efu l when passing other
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limits.
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early .
.. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loa ded trai ler with an empty ca r re­
sults in a high ly unstable distribution of
weight . If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent poss ible and permissi­
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the circumstances . Whenever possi- ble,
transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tong ue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
T he higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed . Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -particularly
when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest sign of sway ing.
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing trai lers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downhi ll, shift into a lower gear to use the en­
gine braking effect to s low the vehicle. Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge~ page 12
must be observed carefu lly. The coolant tem­
perature can increase if you drive on long in­
clines in a low gear at high engine speeds. Re­
duce your speed immediately if the LEDs in
the top part of the d isplay turn on .
For more information about indicator lights,
refer to. ~
page 19 .
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident. Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
provided by Audi.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
a trai ler because of the additional weight and ..,.

204 Care and cleaning
Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, prope r care helps to maintain your
vehicle's val ue . It can also be a requirement
when submitting warranty claims for corro­ sion damage and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your authorized Audi dea ler . Read and
follow the instructions for use on the packag ­
ing.
A WARNING
- Us ing clean ing and care products incor­
rect ly can be dangerous to your hea lth.
- Always store cleaning and care products
out of reach of children to reduce the r isk
of po ison ing.
-
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not d ispose o f leftover cleaning and
care p rod ucts with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt rema in on the
ve hicle, the more the surface can be dam­
aged . High temperatures such as those
caused by sunlight inc rease the damag ing ef­
fect .
Before washing, rinse
off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water .
Stubborn deposits s uch as bird droppings or
tree sap are best removed with plenty of wa­
ter and a m icrofiber cloth.
A lso, was h the underside of your vehicle once
road salt stops be ing used for the season.
Pressure washers
When w ash ing your ve hicl es w ith a pressure
washer, always follow the oper ating instr uc­
tions provided with the pressure washer. This is especially important in rega rd to the p res- sure and sp
raying distance. Do not di rect the
stream of water directly onto seals for the
s ide windows, doors, luggage compartment
li d or hood or onto the tires, rubber hoses, in­
su lating materia l, the power top, sensors* or
camera lenses*. Keep a d istance of at least 16
i nches (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rotary nozzles or high pressure noz­
zles .
T he wate r temperature m ust not be above
140
° F (60 °().
Automat ic car washes
Sp ray off the veh icle befo re washing.
Make sure that the w indows and power top
are closed and the winds hield wipers are
off.
Follow instructions from the ca r wash opera­
tor, especially if the re a re accessories attach­
ed to yo ur vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the veh icle starting from the top and
working down using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush. Use solvent-free clean ing products .
Washing vehicle s with matte fini sh paint
by hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and large particles from
your vehicle. Insects, grease spots and fi nger ­
pri nts are best removed with a special cleane r
fo r matte finish paint .
Apply the prod uct us ing a microfiber cloth. To
avo id damag ing the pa int surface, do not use
too much pressure .
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft mi­
c rofiber cloth.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it
air dry. Remove any water residue using a
shammy.

228 Tires an d whee ls
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreci­
ated and most abused parts of
a motor vehicle.
Ti res may be the least appreci­
ated and most abused parts of
a motor vehicle. Tires are, how­
ever, one of the most important
parts of a vehicle, particularly
considering the comparatively
small patch of r ubber on each
tire that assures that all-impor­
tant contact between you, your
vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the co rrect tire
p ressure, making sure that your
vehicle and its tires do not have
to carry more we ight than they
can safe ly handle, avoiding
damage from road hazards and
regularly inspecting tires for
damage including cuts, s lashes
irregular wear and overall con ­
d ition are the most important
things that you can do to help
avoid sudden tire failure inc lud­
ing tread separation and blow­
outs.
Avoiding damage
If you have to drive over a curb
or similar obstacle, drive very
slowly and as close as possible
at a right angle to the curb.
Always keep chemicals includ­
ing grease, oil, gasoline and
brake fluid off the tires.
Inspect the tires regularly for
damage (cuts, cracks or blis­
ters, etc.). Remove any foreign
bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove
them to indicate the direction
of rotation. This ensures you to be able to mount them correct ­
ly when you reinstall them.
When removed, the wheels or
tires should be stored in a cool,
dry and preferably dark p lace.
Store tires in a vertical position if they are not mounted on
rims, in a horizontal position if
they are mounted on rims.
New tires
New tires have to be broken in
¢ &.
The tread depth of new tires
may vary, according to the type .,.

M N
" > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
and make of tire and the tread
pattern.
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims is of ­
ten not readily visible. If you
notice unusual vibration or the
vehicle pulls to one side, this may indicate that one of the
tires has been damaged . The
tires must be checked immedi­ ately by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop.
Unidirectional tires
A unidirectional tire can be identified by arrows on the
sidewall, that point in the direc­
tion the tire is designed to ro­
tate. You must follow the speci­
fied direction of rotation. This is necessary so that these tires
can develop their optimum
characteristics regarding grip,
road noise, wear and hydro­
planing resistance. For more in­
formation
¢ page 268.
A WARNING
-
New tires or tires that are
old, worn or damaged cannot
provide maximum control
and braking ability.
Tires and wheels 229
-New tires tend to be slip­
pery and must also be bro­
ken-in. To reduce the risk of
losing control, a collision
and serious personal inju­
ries, drive with special care
for the first 350 miles (560 km).
-Driving with worn or dam­ aged tires can lead to loss of
control , sudden tire failure,
including a blowout and
sudden deflation, crashes and serious personal inju­
ries. Have worn or damaged
tires replaced immediately.
-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 low speed.
-Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not
sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have
been damaged even though
the damage cannot be seen
that can lead to sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle
control.
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230 Tires and wheels
-If you notice unusual vibra­
tion or if the vehicle pulls to
one side when driving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is
safe to do so and check the
wheels and tires for dam­
age.
0 Note
-Please note that summer and winter tires are de­
signed for the conditions
that are typical in those sea­
sons. Audi recommends us­
ing winter tires during the
winter months. Low tem­ peratures significantly de­
crease the elasticity of
summer tires, which affects
traction and braking ability. If summer tires are used
in
very cold temperatures, cracks can form on the tread
bars, resulting in perma­
nent tire damage that can
cause loud driving noise and
unbalanced tires. Audi is not
responsible for this type of
damage.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be used in winter road condi­
tions. The surface of the
rims does not have suffi­
cient corrosion protection
for this and could be perma­
nently damaged by road salt
or similar substances.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto­ matic transmission, power
steering, power brakes, power
windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as fac­
tory-installed equipment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the width of the tire in percent.
Numbers of 55 or lower indi­
cate a low sidewall for im­
proved steering response and
better overall handling on dry
pavement.
...

M N
" > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
Bead
means the part of the tire that
is made of steel wires, wrapped
or reinforced by ply cords and
that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the
bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the tire .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recom­
mended by the vehicle manu­
facturer for a tire of a designat­
ed size that has not been driven
for more than a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before
the tire pressure is measured or
adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor
vehicle with standard equip­
ment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and cool­
ant, air conditioning and addi­
tional weight of optional equip­
ment.
Tires and wheels 231
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate
at higher loads and at higher inflation pressures than the
corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires may be identi­
fied as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capaci­
ty of a single axle system,
measured at the tire-ground in­
terfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the maximum total
loaded weight of 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 giv­
en inflation pressure. You may
not find this information on all
tires because it is not required by law.
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232 Tires a nd whee ls
Ma ximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire
at the maximum permissible in­
flation pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible)
inflation pressure
means the maximum cold infla­
tion pressure to which a tire
may be inflated. Also called
"maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 k ilograms)
times the number of occupants seated in the vehicle up to the
total seat ing capac ity of your
vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occu ­
pants in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of
an inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance be­
tween the ex teriors of the side­
walls of an inflated tire, includ ­
ing elevations due to labeling,
decorations, or protect ive
bands or ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated
parallel cords .
Production options weight
means the comb ined we ight of
those installed regular produc­
tion op tions weighing over 5
lbs . (2. 3 kg) in excess of those
standard items which they re ­
place, no t prev iously consid­
ered in curb weight or accessory
weight , incl uding heavy duty
brakes, ride leve lers, roof rac k,
heavy duty bat tery, and spec ial
trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in
wh ich the p ly c ords that extend
t o the beads are laid at sub ­
stantially 90 degrees to the
centerline of the t read .

M N
" > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
Recommended inflation
pressure
see¢ page 231J Cold tire infla­
tion pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a tire design to operate
at higher loads and at higher
inflation pressures than the
corresponding standard tire. Reinforced tires may be identi­
fied as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a
tire or a tire and tube assembly
upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Rim diameter
means nominal diameter of the
bead seat. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to pur­ chase new ti res to match the
new rim diameter.
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance be­
tween rim flanges.
Tires and wheels 233
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire be­
tween the tread and bead.
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire
is designed to be driven for ex­
tended periods of time. The rat­ ings range from 93 mph
(150 km/h) to 186 mph
(298 km/h) ¢
page 251. You
may not find this information
on all tires because it is not re­
quired by law.
The speed rating letter code,
where applicable, is molded on
the tire sidewall and indicates
the maximum permissible road speeds ¢
& in Winter tires on
page 255.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects
when one or more of a vehicle's
tires are underinflated and illu ­
minates a low tire pressure
warning telltale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire
that comes into contact with
the road.
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