2015 AUDI A3 inflation pressure

238 Tires and wheels
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
1l
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)ll
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)ll
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)l)
Your veh icle is normally factory equipped with
tires , which possess excellent driving charac­
teristics and give your Audi opt imum driving
comfort. An electronic speed limiter
c:> page 30 will normally prevent your vehicle
from going faster than the tire speed rating
c:> & .
U.S . DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
and tire manufacture date
This is the tire's "serial number". It begins
with the letters "DOT" and indicates that the
tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it
was manufactured, and the last four numbers
r epresent the week and year of manufacture.
F or example, the numbers 4513 mean the tire
was produced in the 45nd week of 2013. The
other numbers are marketing codes that may
or may not be used by the tire manufacturer .
T his information is used to contact consumers
if a tire defect requires a recall.
Audi Original tire
Tires with the identification "AO" or "RO" have
been specially matched with your Audi . We
recommend using only these tires because
they meet the highest standards regarding
safety and driving characteristics when used
correctly . Your authorized Audi dealer will
gladly provide you with more information .
Tire ply composition and materials used
The number of plies indicates the number of
layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire. In
general, the greater the number of plies, the more weight a tire can support . Tire manufac -
ll F t· "t h . or ires w 1 a m ax im um s pee d ca pabil ity ove r
1 4 9 mp h (240 k m/h) , tire man ufact urers sometimes
use the lette rs " ZR."
turers also must indicate the materials in the
tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester, and
others .
Maximum Load Rating
Th is number ind icates the maximum load in
kilograms and pounds that can be carried by
the tire.
Tire quality grading for treadwear,
traction, and temperature resistance
T read wear, traction and temperature grades
c:> page 239.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that should ever be put in the tire
un der normal driv ing conditions .
_& 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 in jury.
'
-Always use tires, rims and whee l bolts
that meet the specifications of original factory-installed tires or other combina­
tions that have been specifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manufacturer.
- 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 w ith special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used tires on your veh icle if
you are not sure of the ir "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire fa ilure
and loss of vehicle control.
- All four whee ls must be fitted with radial
tires of the same type, size (rolling cir­ cumference) and the same tread pattern . ..,_

24 2 T ire s and wheel s
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer­
tain roads, this normally also applies to
veh icles with all-wheel dr ive.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque.
The design o f whee l bolts is matched to the
factory installed rims . If different rims are fit­
ted, the correct wheel bolts with the right
length and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted
securely and that the brake system functions
correctly .
In certain circumstances, you may not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same model
r=> page 270.
A WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel
bolts can become loose caus ing loss of
c ont ro l, a co llision and serious persona l in­
Jury .
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clea n so the
wheel bolts can turn easily and be prop­ er ly t igh tened .
- Never grease or oil the wheel bo lts and
the threads in the wheel hubs. They can
become loose while d riving if greased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specified
torque.
- Only use wheel bolts that belong to the
rim being installed.
- Never use different whee ls bolts on your
vehicle.
- Always maintain the co rrect tighten ing
torq ue fo r th e 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 w hen the veh i­
cle is moving. If the tighteni ng torque is
too high, the whee l 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 lb (120 Nm) with a tolerance of± 7,4
ft lb(± 10 Nm) . Torque wheel bolts diago­
nally. After changing a whee l, the torque
must be checked as soon as possible with a
torque w rench -preferably by an author­
i zed Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-eq uipped w it h low aspect
ra tio tires. These tires have been tho roughly
tested and been se lected specifically fo r your
model for their superb perfo rmance, road fee l
and handling under a variety of d riving condi ­
t ions . Ask your author ized A udi dealer for
more details.
T he low aspect ratio of these tires is ind icated
by a numera l of
55 or less in the tire's s ize
designation. The n umera l represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewall height in relation to its
tread width expressed in percentage. Conven­
t iona l tires have a he ight/w idth ratio of 60 or
more .
The performance of low-aspect -ratio tires is
particularly sens iti ve to imp roper inflation
pressure. It is therefore important that low
a spect ratio tires are inflat ed to the specified
pre ssure and that the inflation pressure i s
regularly ch ecked and maintain ed. Tire pre s·
sure s should be checked at lea st once a
m onth and always bef ore a long trip
r=> page 231, Checking tire pressure .
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be d amage d more
easily by impact w ith potholes, curbs, gull ies
or ridges on t he road, particularly if the tire is
u nd eri nflated.

In o rder to minimize the occu rrence o f impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­ mend that you observe the following precau­
tions :
- Always maintain recommended inflation
pressures. Check your tire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add a ir if neces­
sary.
- Drive carefu lly on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
t h rough or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also
cause damage to your tires .
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer . Replace a damaged
t ire as soon as poss ible .
- In spect 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 unde rinflation, wh ic h could eventu­
ally cause t ire fail ure.
If yo u be lieve that a
tire may have been damaged , replace the
tire as soon as possible.
- These tires may wear more qui ck ly than oth ­
ers.
- Please a lso remembe r that, whi le these t ires
deliver respons ive handling, they may ride
less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced p erformance in winter /cold
sea son condit ion s
All tires are designed for certain purposes .
The low aspect ratio, ultra hig h performance
tires originally installed on your vehicle are in­
tended for max imum dry and wet road per­
f ormance and handling . They are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather cond it ions .
If
you dr ive under those circumstances, you
should equip your vehicle with all-season or
winter tires, which offer better traction under
those cond it io ns . We suggest you use the rec­
ommended snow or all -season tires specified
for your ve hicle, or their equiva lent .
Refe r to ~
page 240 for mo re deta iled info r­
ma tion regarding w in ter t ires.
Tire s an d wheel s 243
Tire pressure
monitoring system
ill General notes
Each tire, incl uding the spare (if provided),
shou ld be checked monthly when co ld and in ­
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the veh icle manufac turer on the veh icle
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 i n­
flat io n pressu re labe l, you shou ld dete rm ine
the p roper t ire inflation p ress ure fo r those
t i r es).
As an added safety feature , your veh icle has
been equipped with a tire pressure mon ito ring
system ( TPMS) that illum inates a low ti re
pressure te lltale when one or more o f your
t ires is significant ly under -inflated . Acco rding ­
l y, when the low tire pressure te lltale i llumi­
nates, you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possib le, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a sign ificantly un­
der- inflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire fa ilure. Under-inflation al­
so reduces fuel eff ic iency and tire tread life,
and may affe ct the vehicle's hand ling and
stopp ing ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
fo r proper tire ma intenance, and it is the driv­
er's respons ibility to maintain co rrect tire
pressure, even if under -inflation has not
rea ched the leve l to tr igger illuminat ion of the
TPMS low tire p ressure tellta le .
You r vehicle has also been equipped with a
T PMS ma lfunction indicator to ind icate when
the sys tem is not operating properly . T he
TPMS ma lfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure te lltale. When the sys­
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximate ly one min ute and then
rema in continuously illum inated . Th is se­
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunct io n exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illum inat-
ed, the system may not be ab le to detect or
lilJ,
•
•

24 4 T ire s and wheel s
signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea­
sons, includ ing the installat ion of replace­
ment or a lternate tires or whee ls on the veh i­
cle that prevent the TPMS from funct ioning
properly . Always check the TPMS malfunct ion
telltale after replacing one or more t ires or
wheels on your veh icle to ensure that the re­
p lacement or a lternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
indicator appears
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too
low or if there is a system malfunction.
F ig. 161 Ins trumen t cluste r: ind icato r light w it h m es­
s age
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure moni­
toring system compa res the tire tread circum­
ference and vibration characteristics of the in­
dividual tires .
If the pressure changes in one
or more tires, th is is indicated in the instru­
ment cluster display with an indicator light
IE and a message ¢ fig. 161 . If only one t ire
is affected, the location of that t ire will be in­
d icated. The message turns off after a few mi­
nutes. You can disp lay the message again
¢ page 28.
The tire pressures must be stored in the menu
d isplay aga in each time the pressures change
(switching between part ia l and full load pres­
sure) or after chang ing or replac ing a tire on
your ve hicle ¢
page 245. The tire pressure
monitoring system on ly monitors the ti re
press ure you have stored . You can find the rec­
ommended tire pressures for your vehicle on the
labe l on the driver's doo r pillar
¢ page 229 .
Tire tread circumference and vib ration charac­
teristics can change and cause a tire pressure
warning if:
- I f the tire pressure in one or more ti res is
t oo low.
- The tire has structural damage.
- The tire was replaced or the t ire pressure
changed and it was not stored again
¢ page 245.
-The spare tire is installed .
Indicator lights
IE -Loss of pressure in at least one tire ¢ .&. .
Check the tires and replace or repair if neces­
sary. Check/correct the pressures of all four
t ires . Then store the t ire pressures in the
menu display
¢ page 245.
Ill (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) T ire
pre ssure: S ystem mal function!. Ifm:!
ap­
pears afte r switching the ignition on or w hile
driv ing and the [ti] indicato r light in the in­
strument cluster b links for app rox imately one
minute and then stays on , the re is system
malfu nction . Check/cor rect the p ress ures of
all four tires and store them¢
page 245. If
t h e indicator lig ht does turn off or tu rns on
again after a short pe riod of time, drive to
your authori zed Aud i dea ler or qualified repair
facility immed iately to have the malfunction
corrected .
A WARNING
--- If the tire pressure ind icator appears in
the instrument cluster display , one or
mo re of your t ires is sign ifi cant ly unde r­
i n flated. Reduce yo ur speed immedi ately
an d avoid any hard steer ing or b rak ing
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possib le and
check the tires and their pressures. In­
f late the tire pressure to the proper pres­
sure as indicated on the vehicle's tire
pressure labe l
¢page 229. Driving on a
significantly under-i nflated tire causes
the t ire to overheat and can lead to ti re
fa ilur e. Unde r-inflation also is li kely to

274 Index
Centra l locking .... ..... ... .. .. .... .. 31
Ce ntra l locking sw itch ... .. .. ... ... .. 35
Conven ience key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Emergency locking ........ .. .. .... .. 37
Folding the exterior mirrors .. .. .... .. 36
Luggage compartment lid ...... .. .... 37
Panorama sunroof .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. 39
Power windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Remote control key ..... .. .. .. .. .. .. 33
Safety cen tral lock ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7
Setting . ... .. . .. ..... ... .. .. .... .. 36
Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 1
Changing a wheel .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 248
C hanging e ng ine o il ...... .. .. .. .. .. . 216
Checking Tire pressure .............. ... .. ... 231
C hild restraints
Danger of using ch ild restraints in the
front seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Where can I get addit ional information
about child restra ints and their use? .. 184
C hild restraint system anchors ....... . 180
C hil d safety ... ............ .. .. .. .. . 166
Conve rtible locking retrac to r .. .. .. .. . 177
I mpo rtan t safety ins tru ctions for using
chi ld safety seats . ..... ... .. .. .... . 170
Important things to know when driving
with chi ldren . ........... .. .. .... . 166
Tether anchors ........... .. .. .. .. . 183
Tether straps .............. .. .... . 183
Chil d safety lock
Power windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
C hi ld safety loc k (mechanical)
Fr ont doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Ch ild safety sea ts . ...... ... .... .. .. . 172
Booster seats ............. ... .. ... 175
Conve rtible ch ild seats .. .. .. .. .. .. . 173
Conve rtible locking retracto r .. .. .. .. . 177
H ow do I proper ly in stall a child safety
seat in my vehicle? ...... .. .. .. .. .. . 170
I nfant seats . .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 17 2
I nstalling . .. .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 17 7
Instal ling a child restraint using the
LATCH system .............. .. .... . 182
LATC H system ............ .. .. .... . 182
Lower anchorages ......... ... .. .. . 181
Mount ing and releasing the anchorage
hook .. .. .. ... .... ...... .. .. .. .. . 182 Safety instr
uctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Un used safety be lts on the rear seat . . 172
Cleaning ... .... .. ............. .... 201
Cleaning/removing ice from windows ... 203
Cleaning carbon parts . . . . . . . . . . 203, 204
Cleaning r ims . .. .. ..... ........... . 202
Cleaning seat covers . .. .. ..... ... .. .. 204
Cl imate control system (automa tic)
Adjus ting air ven ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67, 68
Air dis trib ution, air vents ..... ... .. .. . 67
Audi drive select . .... .. ..... .... . .. 102
AUTO (climate control system) . . . . . . . . 67
B lower ... .... .. .. ........... .... . 67
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Defrost ing the windshie ld .... .... ... . 67
Key recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Rea r window defogger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Rec ircu lation mode ............ .... . 67
Setting the tempe rature ........ .. .. . 67
synchronizing . ... ... .. ..... ... .. .. . 67
Cl imate control system (manual)
Adjusting air vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65, 68
Adjust ing the temperature . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Air distrib ution, air vents ........ .. .. . 65
B lower ... .... ................... . 65
Defrosting windows .... ..... ... .. .. . 65
Key recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Rear window defogger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Recirculation mode ............ .... . 66
Clock . ... .. .... .. .. ... ..... ... .. .. . 10
Closing Hood . .... .... .. ............. .... 211
Pano rama sunroof ............. .... . 40
Windows . .. .. .. .. ........... .... . 38
Clos ing/open ing
by remote control ... .. .. ... ..... .. . 33
with the centra l locking switch . .. .. .. . 35
with the conven ien ce key . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
wi th the door lo ck ... .......... .. .. . 35
Cockpit (Overvi ew illustration) . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Co ld tire inflation pressure ..... ... .. .. 229
Coming home . .. .. ... .......... .. .. . 44
Compartments .. .. ............. ..... 57
Compass in the m irror . ... .... ... .. .. . 50
Compliance ... .. .. .. ... .. ... ..... .. 271
Consumer Information . . . . . . . . . . 129, 268

Tether anchors ..................... 183
Tether strap . .................. .... 183
T extiles cleaning ........... .... .. .. . 204
The first 1,000 miles (1 ,500 km) and after-
wards ..... .. .. .............. ... ... 193
Tie-downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62, 128
Tips for the environment Saving fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
tiptronic (automatic transmission) .. .. . 110
Tire pressure ............... ... ... .. 231
Tire pressure monitoring system . ... .. . 243
Tires .. .... .. .. ............. .. .. ... 225
Service l ife . ............. .... .. .. . 235
Speed rating letter code ............ 23 7
Tire manufacturing date ............ 237
Tire pressure monitoring system . ... . 244
Tire specifications ........ .... .. .. . 23
7
Tread depth .. ........... .. .. .. .. . 235
Uniform tire quality grading .. .. .. .. . 239
Winter tires ................ .. .... 240
Tires and vehicle load limits ..... ... .. . 233
Tires and wheels Checking tire pressure ..... .. .. .. .. . 231
Cold tire inflation pressure .......... 229
Dimensions ................. ... .. . 236
General notes ..................... 225
Glossary of tire and loading terminolo-
gy .. .... .. ................. .. ... 226
Low aspect ratio tires ...... .. .. .. .. . 242
New tires and wheels ......... .... .. 236
Replacing .. .. ........ ... .. .. .. .. . 23 7
Snow chains ................ .. .... 241
Tires and vehicle load limits .. .. .. .. . 233
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Winter tires ................ ... .. . 240
Tire service life ......... .... ... ... .. 235
Tool kit ..... .. .............. ..... . 247
Torn or frayed safety belts ... .. .. .. .. . 134
Towing Tow truck procedures ........... .... 261
Towing loop . ... .............. ... ... 262
TPMS (tire pressure monitor ing system) . 244
Trailer towing ............. .... .. .. . 198
Operating instructions ..... .. .. .. .. . 198
Technical requirements . . . . . . . . 198, 199
Trailer towing tips ........... .... .. 200
Index 283
Transmission malfunction (indicator
light) ....... ... .... ............... 111
T ransport Canada .. ................. 129
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) ....... .... 235
Trunk
refer to Luggage compartment ........ 60
Turn signals . .. .. .... .. ........ ...... 44
Ind icator light . .. ................. . 25
u
Unfastening safety belts 136
Unidirectional tires .............. .... 225
Uniform tire quality grading ...... .. .. 239
Unlocking/locking by remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
with the centra l locking switch ........ 35
with the conven ience key ........ .. .. . 34
with the door lock .... ............. . 35
V
Vanity mirror ...... .. ................ 46
Vehicle Dimensions .. .. .. .. ............... 266
out of service .. .. .. . .. .... ........ 195
Vehicle care ........................ 201
Vehicle identification label .......... .. 265
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) .. .. 265
Vehicle jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247,251
Vehicle key ....... .. ..... ........... 31
Vehicle literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Vehicle tool kit .. .. ................. 247
w
Warning/indicator lights
Malfunction Ind icator Lamp (M IL) .. .. . 23
Warning/Indicator lights Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152, 153
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ........... 153
Warning lights
refer to Indicator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Warranty coverages .. ........... .... 268
Washer fluid level (indicator light) . .. .. . 24
Washer reservoir .................. . 224
Washing matte finish paint ....... .... 201
Wear indicator .. .. ............. .. .. 235
•
•
•

284 Index
Weights .......... ......... ... .... . 265
What happens if you wear your safety belt
too loose? ........................ .
135
What happens to unbelted occupants? .. 132
What impairs driving safety? .......... 122
What should I do after changing a
wheel? .. .... .. .. ...... .... ... .. .. .
232
What should I do after replacing wheels? 232
Wheel bolts
Torque ..... ................ ..... .
242
Wheels ... .. ............ ... .. .. ... 225
A ll wheel drive ......... .... .. .. .. . 190
Checking tire pressure ..... .... .... . 231
cleaning ... ............. .... .. .. . 202
Cold tire inflation pressure .......... 229
General notes ................ .... . 225
Glossary of tire and loading terminolo-
gy .. .. .. ................. .. .. .. .
226
New tires and wheels ...... .... .... . 236
Tires and vehicle load limits .. .... .. . 233
Wheel wrench .............. ... .... . 247
When must a safety belt be rep laced? . .
134
When must the airbag system be inspect-
ed? ..... .. ....................... . 152
When shou ld I ad just the tire pressures?
232
When shou ld I check the tire pressures? . 232
Where are lower anchorages located? ... 181
Where can I find the tire pressu res for my
car? . .. ... .................. ..... .
231
Why safety belts? .......... .. .. .. .. . 132
Windows
cleaning/removing ice
203
W indshield
cleaning ... ................ ..... ..
46
defrosting (automatic climate contro l
system) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
defrosting (manual climate control sys-
tem) .. .. ................. .. .... ..
65
also refer to Windshield . ........ .. .. 46
Windshield washer system ... ... .. .. .. 46
Reservoir capacity .............. .. . 266
Washer reservoir ......... .... .... . 224
Windshield w ipers
C leaning wiper blades ............. . . 47
Folding up ............... ... .... .. 47
Indicator light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24
Replacing windshield wiper b lades . ... . 47
Switching on and
off ............ ... . 46
Winter operation
Cooling system . .. ............. .. ..
216
Winter tires . .. .. .. .... .... ..... .. .. 240
All -wheel drive ... ..... ..... ... .. .. 240
Winter use
Car washes ................... ....
201
defrosting the windshield (automatic cli­
mate control system) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Removing ice from windows . .. .. .. ..
203
Seat heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
X
Xenon-lights .. .. .. ... .... ...... .... 258
Xenon headlights . ................. .. 42