2015 AUDI A3 CABRIOLET tires

234 Tir es and whee ls
Tread separation
means pulling away of the
tread from the tire carcass .
Treadwear indicators (TWI )
means the projections with in
the principal grooves designed
to give a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread.
See
¢ page 246, Tread Wear
Indicator (TWI)
for more infor­
mation on measuring tire wear .
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system de ­
veloped by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) that is
designed to help buyers make
relative comparisons among
tires. The UTQG is not a safety
rat ing and not a guarantee that
a tire will last for a prescribed
number of miles (kilometers) or
perform in a certain way. It
simply gives tire buyers addi­
tional information to comb ine
with other considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and deal­
er recommendations. Under
UTQG, tires are graded by the
tire manufacturers in three areas: treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance . The UTQG information on the t
ires
molded into the sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Numbe r (TIN )
,
This is the tire's "serial num­
ber" . It begins with the letters
"DOT" and indicates that the
tire meets all federal stand­
ards . The next two numbers or
letters indicate the plant where
it was manufactured, and the
last four numbers represent the
week and year of manufacture. F or example,
DO T ... 2214 ...
means that the tire was pro­
duced in the 22nd week of
2014. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or
may not be used by the tire
manufacturer. This information
is used to contact consumers if
a tire defect requires a recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and lug­
gage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the vehi­
cle's total seating capacity as
listed on the label located on
the driver's side B-pillar . .,..

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Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individu­
al tire that is determined by
distributing to each axle its
share of the maximum loaded
vehicle weight and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individu­
al tire that is determined by
Tires and wheels 235
distributing to each axle its
share of the curb weight, acces­
sory weight, and normal occu­ pant weight (distributed in ac­
cordance with table below
¢ page 235) and dividing by
two.
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for
various designated seating capacities
Designated seating Vehicle normal load, Occupant distribu-
capacity, number of number of occupants tion in a normally
occupants loaded vehicle
4 3 2 in front, 1 in back
seat
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety
of a vehicle.
Fig. 172 Ti re pressure label: located
on driver's s ide B -pillar
""" -,.._ u net:MHW>NS
-.....
--.,._
- KPA. a PSI
- KPA.
a PSI
-KPA. a PSI
Fig. 173 Tire pressure label
"'

236 Tires and wheels
Tire pressure generally refers to tant things you can do to help
the amount of air in a tire that avoid sudden tire failure. Un-
it needs it to do its job and derinflated tires are a major
safely carry the combined load cause of sudden tire failure.
of the entire vehicle and its con- Keeping tires at the right pres-
tents. Tire pressure is measured sure is also important for safe in kilopascals (kPa), the inter-and responsive vehicle han-
national measuring unit and in dling, traction, braking and
pounds per square inch (PSI). load carrying.
Tire pressures
Tire pressure is based in part on are particularly important
the vehicles design and load when the vehicle is being driv-
limit -the greatest amount of en at higher speeds, and then
weight that the vehicle can car-especially when heavily loaded
ry safely and the tire size. The even within the permissible
proper tire pressure is frequent-load-carrying capacities ap-
ly referred to as the "recom-proved for your vehicle.
mended cold tire inflation pres-
The recommended tire pres-
sure." Air in the tires expands
sures for your Audi depend on
when the tire heats up because the kind of tires on your vehicle
of internal friction when it flex-
and the number of passengers
es in use. The tire pressure is
and/or amount of luggage you
higher when the tire has will be transporting.
warmed up than when it is The tire pressure label is locat-
"cold." It is the inflation pres-
ed on the driver's side 8-pillar.
sure in a "cold " tire that counts .
Therefore, you should never let The tire pressure label lists the
recommended cold t ire infla-
air out of a warm tire to match
"cold tire inflation pressure" tion pressures for the vehicle at
its maximum capacity weight
recommendations. The tires
would then be underinflated and tires that were on your ve-
and could fail suddenly. hicle at the time it was manu-
factured .
...
Maintaining proper tire pres-
sure is one of the most impor-

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...... 1.1'1 ......
If you wish to improve comfort
when operating the vehicle at
normal load (up to 3 occu­
pants), you can adjust tire
pressures to those specified
for normal vehicle load. Before
operating the vehicle at maxi­ mum load, you must increase
the tire pressures to those
specified for maximum vehicle
load
c> .&. .
Bear in mind that the tire pres­
sure monitoring system can on­
ly monitor the tire pressures
you have stored. The system does not recognize the load
condition of your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the tire pressure monitoring system
will be impaired if you store normal load pressures but then
operate the vehicle at its maxi­
mum load
c> .&. .
Tires and wheels 237
See the illustration c> fig. 172
for the location of the label on
driver's side B-pillar (color of
the actual label and exact loca­
tion on the vehicle will vary slightly).
Note that the following table is
accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change.
In the event of discrepancies,
the tire pressure label is locat­ ed on the driver's side B-pillar
always takes precedence.
The table below lists the rec­ ommended cold tire inflation pressures for the Audi model
covered by your Owner's Litera­
ture at the vehicle's capacity
weight and the tire sizes instal­
led on the respective models as
original equipment, or as a fac-
tory option. ..,.
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•
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238 Tires and wheels
Model/ Tire designation Tire pressure
Engine normal load condition full load condition
front
rear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
A3 Cab -225/45 Rl 7 91 Y
30 210 28 190 36 250 36 250 riolet : High Performance
1.8 liter 225/40 R18 92Y XL
4-cylinder High Performance
35 240 32 220 36 250 36 250
225/45 Rl7 91H
33 230
30 2
10
38 260
38 260 All Season
225/40 R18 92H XL
36 250 33 230 41 280 280 All Season 41
235/35 Rl9 91 Y XL
33 230 29 200 36 250 36 250 High Performance
A3 Cab- 225/45 Rl 7 91 Y
30 210 28 190 38 260 38 260 riolet: High Performance
2.0 liter
225/40 Rl8 92Y XL
4-cylinder High Performance
35 240 32 220 38 260 38 260
225/45 R17 91H
33 230 30 210 39
270
39 270 All Season
225/40 R18 92H XL
38 260 35 240 41 280 41
280
All Season
235/35 R19 91 Y XL
35 240 29 200 38 260 38 260 High Performance
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xi, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire side-
wall.
The correct tire pressure for the
spare wheel is located on a la­
bel on the driver's side B-pillar.
Because technical changes may
be made to vehicle equipment
during the model year, always
compare the tire size designa­
tion on the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on
your vehicle. Make sure that the tire size information on the ve­
hicle label is the same as the
size of the tires on the vehicle. This is
especially important if
the vehicle belongs to someone else or you bought the vehicle
with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ­
ously owned vehicle.
Remember, your safety and
that of your passengers also de­ pends on making sure that load
limits are not exceeded. Vehicle
load includes everybody and ev­
erything in and on the vehicle.
These load limits are

Tires and wheels 239
technically referred to as the not be able to stop the vehi-
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight cle within a safe distance.
Rating ("GVWR"). The Gross -Tires on a vehicle that has
Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is been overloaded can fail
the maximum load that can be suddenly causing loss of
' •
•
applied at each of the vehicle's control and a crash.
two axles. The Gross Vehicle -Always make sure that the
Weight Rating and the Gross total load being transported
Axle Weight Rating are listed -including the weight of a
on the safety compliance stick- trailer hitch and the tongue
er label located on the driver's weight of a loaded trailer -
side B-pillar. The tire pressure does not make the vehicle
label on your Audi lists the heavier than the vehicles
maximum combined weight of Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
all of the occupants and lug- 1ng.
gage or other cargo that the ve-
A WARNING hicle can carry. For the location
of the tire pressure label -Incorrect tire pressures
¢ fig
. 172. and/or underinflation can
lead to a serious or fatal ac-
A WARNING
-cident.
Overloading a vehicle can -Incorrect tire pressures
cause loss of vehicle control, and/or underinflation cause
a crash or other accident, se- increased tire wear and can
rious personal injury, and affect the handling of the
even death. vehicle.
-Carrying more weight than -Incorrect tire pressures
your vehicle was designed and/or underinflation can
to carry will prevent the ve- also lead to sudden tire fail-
hicle from handling properly ure, including a blowout
and increase the risk of a and sudden deflation, caus-
' • M loss of vehicle control.
ing loss of vehicle control. N
" >
-The brakes on a vehicle that co ...... \!)
has been overloaded may
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...... 1.1'1 ......

240 Tires and wheels
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the
tires originally installed on
your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located on driv­
er's side 8-pillar.
The recommended tire pres­sures are on the tire pressure
label and in the table
c::> page 235, Cold tire inflation
pressure.
This means that the
pressure must be checked and
adjusted when the tire has not
been driven for more than a
couple of miles (kilometers) at
low speeds during the previous
three hours. Air in the tires ex­ pands when the tire heats up as
a result of internal friction 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
"cold" tire that counts. There­
fore, you should never let air
out of a warm tire to match
"Cold tire inflation pressure"
recommendations
c:::> page 235 .
The tires would then be under­
inflated and could fail sudden ­
ly. The tire
pressure label on your
Audi lists the recommended
cold tire inflation pressures at maximum capacity for the new,
original equipment tires that
were on your vehicle at the time
it was manufactured. For the
location of the label
c::> page 235, fig. 172.
Most tires lose air naturally
over time. They can also lose
some air if you drive over a pot­ hole or h it a curb while parking.
It is usually not possible to see
whether the radial tires used
today are underinflated just by
looking at them.
Therefore, be sure to check tire
pressures at least once a month
and always before going on a long trip . Make sure to take the
number of people and the
amount of luggage into ac­ count when adjusting tire pres­
sure for a trip -even one that
you would not consider to be
" long." See
c:::> page 243, Tires
and vehicle load limits
for more
important information .
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking
and adjusting inflation .,.

Tires and wheels 241
pressures. Check all of the tires It is important to check the tire
and be sure not to forget the pressure when the tires are
spare tire. If the pressure in any cold.
tire is too high when the tire is -Read the required tire pres-
"cold," let air out of the tire
'
sure from the tire pressure la-•
•
slowly with the edge of the tire bel. The tire pressure label is
gauge and keep checking the located on the driver's side B-
pressure until you reach the pillar.
pressure that is correct for the -Turn the valve stem cap coun-
load (passengers and luggage) ter-clockwise to remove it
and kind of driving you plan to from the tire valve.
do. -Place the air pressure gauge
If the pressure in any tire is too on the valve.
low, note the difference be- -The tire pressures should only
tween the pressure in the cold be checked and adjusted when
tire and the pressure you need the tires are cold. The slightly
and add the air that you need to
raised pressures of warm tires
reach the correct pressure for must not be reduced.
the vehicle load (passengers -Adjust the tire pressure to the
and luggage) for the tires on load you are carrying.
your vehicle as listed on the on -Reinstall the valve stem cap
your vehicle and in this manual on the valve.
and the kind of driving you plan
When should I check the tire
to do.
pressure?
Never exceed the maximum in-
The correct tire pressure is es-
flation pressure listed on the
pecially important at high
tire sidewall for any reason.
speeds. The pressure should
Remember that the vehicle therefore be checked at least
manufacturer, not the tire man- once a month and always be-
ufacturer, determines the cor- fore starting a journey. Do not
.... ' • M N
rect tire pressure for the tires " > co
on your vehicle . .... \!) 1.1'1
.... 1.1'1 ....