_& WARNING -
-Only use tire/rim combinations and suitable wheel bolts
that have been approved by
Audi. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and an accident
could result.
- For technical reasons, it is not
possible to use tires from oth
er vehicles -in some cases,
you cannot even use tires from
the same vehicle model.
- Make sure that the tires you
select have enough clearance
to the vehicle. Replacement
tires should not be chosen simply based on the nominal
size, because tires with a dif
ferent construction can differ
greatly even if they are the
same size. If there is not
enough clearance, the tires or
the vehicle can be damaged
and this can reduce driving
safety and increase the risk of
an accident.
-Only use tires that are more
than 6 years old when abso
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so.
-If you install wheel covers on
the vehicle, make sure they al low enough air circulation to
Wheels
cool the brake system. If they
do not, this could increase the
risk of an accident.
Tire wear/damage
Fig. 180 Tire profile: Treadwear indica
tor
Tire wear
Check the tires regularly for wear.
- Inflation pressure that is too low
or high can increase tire wear
considerably.
-Driving quickly through curves,
rapid acceleration and heavy
braking increase tire wear.
- Have an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized repair facility
check the wheel alignment if
there is unusual wear.
-Have the wheels rebalanced if an imbalance is causing noticeable
vibration in the steering wheel. If you do not, the tires and other
vehicle components could wear more quickly.
217
...
M N
ci u.. co ,...., \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 ,....,
Determining correct load
limit
Use the example below to calcu
late the total weight of the pas
sengers and luggage or other
things that you plan to transport
so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overload ed.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle's placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
¢page 219, fig. 181.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or "XXX"
pounds shown on the sticker
¢page 219, fig. 181.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For ex
ample, if the
"XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
Wheels
be five 1 SO lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lbs.)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely ex
ceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calculat
ed in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehi
c le. Consult this manual to de
termine how this reduces the
available cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
.,.Check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 209, fig. 179) to deter
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easily.
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
cov ers* consist of multiple pieces. These compo
nents were bolted together using special bolts
and a special procedure . You must not repair or
disassemble them
i::> Li::,.. ..,.
223
Wheels
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired incorrectly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control , which increases the risk of
an accident. For the correct tightening specifi
cation, refer to
c:> page 231, After changing a
wheel.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads
in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim .
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized repair
facility. Never repair or disassemble rims
yourself, because this increases the risk of an accident.
Winter tires
Winter tires significantly improve the vehicle's handling when driving in winter conditions . Be
cause of their construction (width, compound,
tread pattern), summer tires provide less traction
on ice and snow.
.., Use winter tires on all four wheels .
.., Only use winter tires that are approved for your
vehicle.
.., Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires
c:> .&,.
Your authorized Audi dealer or authorized re
pai r facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires .
.., Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
c:> page 219.
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .1S7 inch (4 mm). The characteristics of winter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages, re
gardless of the remaining tread.
A WARNING
-Never drive faster than the maximum per
mitted speed for your t ires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much . This increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst.
224
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic conditions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
winter tires can lose traction on black ice.
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, because they provide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumpt ion.
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun
tries where winter tires are required, only win
ter tires w ith the
& symbol may be permit
ted.
· Snow chains
Snow chains improve traction in the snow .
.., Only install snow chains on the front wheels.
This applies also to vehicles with all wheel drive* .
.., Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains if necessary after driving a few feet. Fol
low the instructions from the manufacturer .
.., Note the maximum permitted speed when driv
ing with snow chains . Do not exceed 30 mph
(SO km/h) .
Snow chains not only improve the
driving in win
ter road conditions, but also the
braking.
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons.
Check with an authorized Audi dealer or author
ized repair facility to see if you may use snow
chains .
Use
fine-mesh snow chains. They must not add
more than 0.53 inch (13.S mm) in height, includ
ing the chain lock.
You must remove the chains when driving on
roads that are
free of snow. When roads are free
of snow, snow chains can impair handling and .,.
M N
ci LL co
rl I.O
"' N
"' rl
Emergency assistance
Vehicle tool kit
The tools ore stored underneath the floor panel
in the luggage comportment.
Fig. 184 Luggage compartme nt: tool kit
When you need access to the veh icle tool kit or
jack*, you will need to take out the spare t ire*
and cover¢
page 229.
The vehicle tool kit includes:
- Hook for removing wheel covers*
- Plastic hook to remove wheel bolt covers*
- Alignment pin for changing the whee l
- Screwdriver w ith reversible blade
- Tool for chang ing light bulbs
- Reversible bit (reversible Torx bit for changing
light bulbs)
- Rod for jack
- Jack*
- Lug wrench
- Towing eye
Some of the vehicle items listed above are prov id
ed on certain models only or are optional extras.
Before returning the jack* to its place, retract the
jack arm fu lly.
_& WARNING
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
t ighten whee l bolts, since the bolts cannot
attain the necessary tightening torque if you
use the hex head, potentially causing an ac
cident.
- The factory-suppl ied jack is intended only
for your vehicle model. Under no c ircum
stances should it be used to lift heavy
Emergen cy assistance
vehicles or other loads; you risk injuring
yourself.
- Never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised, which could cause an accident.
- Support the vehicle securely with appropri
ate stands if work is to be performed under
neath the vehicle; otherwise, there is a po
tential risk for injury.
Space-saving spare tire
(compact spare tire)
Applies to vehicles: with space-saving spare tire
The spore tire/wheel is located in the luggage
comportment under the cargo floor cover. It is
intended for short-term use only.
Fig. 185 Spare tire
Removing the spare tire
.,. Lift the cargo floor by the p lastic handle
¢ fig. 185.
.,. Hook the handle into the lugg age compart
ment weather strip.
.,. Turn the large screw ¢
fig. 185 counter-clock
wise.
.,. Take out the spare ti re .
.,. Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack*, and
the replaced tire in the luggage compartment
¢page 118.
.,. Unhook the cargo floor before closing the rear
lid.
Using the spare tire (compact spare tire)
The compact spare tire is only intended for emer
gencies until you can reach a repa ir shop. Replace
it as quickly as possible with a standard wheel
and tire. ..,
229
M N
ci LL co
rl I.O
"' N
"' rl
off the ground, placing the Automatic Trans
mission in "P" (Park) will
not prevent the ve
hicle from moving.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm. If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack.
- Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack*
and the replaced tire in the luggage com
partment ¢
page 118 .
(D Note
If you are chang ing the wheel on a steep in
cline, use a rock or sim ilar ob ject to block the
opposite whee l to prevent the vehicle from
mov ing.
(D Tips
Obey a ll laws.
Changing a wheel
When you change o whe el, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly that
order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover* or the
wheel bolt caps* . For more details see a lso
¢ page 231, Decorative wheel covers or
¢ page 232, Wheels with wheel bolt caps.
2 . Loosen the wheel bolts¢ page 232 .
3. Locate the proper mount ing po int for the
jack and align the jack below that point
¢page 233.
4. Lift the car wit h the jack ¢ page 233.
5. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then
install the
spare tire¢ page 234.
6. Tighten all wheel bolts light ly .
7.
Lower the vehicle w ith the jack.
8 . Use the wheel bolt wrenc h and
firmly tighten
all wheel bolts in a crisscross pattern
c> page232 .
9. Replace the decorative wheel cover* or the
wheel bolt cap s* .
.&, WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in
formation
¢ .&. in Raising the vehicle on
page 233
and ¢ page 235.
Emergen cy assistance
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the do
ing the following .
"Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack", and
the replaced t ire in the luggage compartment
¢page 118.
"Check the tire pressure of the spare tire as soon
as poss ible.
" As soon as possible, have the
tightening tor
ques
on all wheel bolts checked with a torque
w rench. The cor rect tightening torque is 90
ft
lbs. (120 Nm).
" Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
(D Tips
-If you notice that the wheel bolts are cor
roded and difficult to turn while changing a
tire, they should be replaced before you
check the tightening torque .
- Dr ive at reduced speed until you have the
tightening torques checked.
Decorative wheel covers
Applies to vehicles : wit h decorative w hee l covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed
first to access the wheel bolts.
Fig . 186 C ha ng in g a w heel: removing the wheel cover
Removing
" Insert the hook provided with the vehicle tool
kit in the hole in the hub .
" Pull off the
decorative wheel cover¢ fig. 186 .
231
Emergency assistance
Wheels with wheel bolt caps
Applies to veh icles: w ith whee l bolts w it h caps
The cops must be removed first from the wheel
bolts before the bolts con be unscrewed .
Fig. 1 87 Changing a wheel: removing th e wheel bolt caps
Removing
• Push the pla stic clip provided w ith the vehicle
tool kit over t he wheel bolt cap unti l it engages .
• Pu ll on the
pla stic clip to remove the cap
¢fig. 187.
Refitting
• Place the caps over the wheel bo lts and p ush
them back on.
The caps are to p rotect and keep the whee l bolts
clean.
Loosening and tightening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising
the vehicle.
F ig. 1 88 Chang ing a w heel: l oosening the whee l bo lts
Loosening
• Install the wheel bolt w rench over the whee l
bolt and push it down as far as it will go .
232
• Take tight hold of the end of th e wrench hand le
and turn the wheel bolts
counter -cloc kwis e
about one single turn in the direction of arrow
qfig. 188.
Tightening
• Insta ll the wheel bolt wren ch over the wheel
bolt and push it down as fa r as it will go .
• Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench hand le
and turn each wheel bo lt
clo ckwise until it is
seated.
A WARNING
- Do not use force or h urry whe n cha nging a
wheel - you can cause the veh icle to slip off
th e jack a nd cause serious persona l injuries .
-Do not loosen the wheel bo lts more than
one turn
befo re you raise the vehicle with
th e jack. - Yo u risk an injury.
(D Tips
- Never use th e hexagona l socket i n the han
dle of the sc rewd river to loosen or tighten
t h e whee l bolts .
- If a wheel bolt is very tight , you may find it
e asier to loosen by carefully push ing down
on the end of the whee l bolt wrench with
one foot only. As you do so, hold on to t he
car to keep you r bala nce and t ake ca re no t
t o slip.
Emergency assistance
points on the sill. Otherwise, your vehicle will
be damaged.
Taking the wheel off/installing the spare
tire
Follow these instructions step-by-step for chang
ing the wheel .
Fig. 191 Cha ngin g a w hee l: u sing t he screwd rive r hand le
(w ith t he blade re moved) to turn the bo lts
Fig. 192 C han gin g a w heel: align men t pin inside the top
h ole
After you have loosened all wheel bolts and
ra ised the veh icle off the ground, remove and re
p la ce the whee l as follows:
Removing the wheel
"' Remove the topmost wheel bolt completely
with the
hexagonal socket in the screwdriver
handle (vehicle tool kit)
r=;, fig. 191 and set it
aside on a
clean surface.
"' Screw the threaded end of the
alignment pin
from the tool kit hand-tight into the empty bo lt
hole
r=;, fig . 192.
"' Then remove the other wheel bo lts as described
above.
"' Take off the wheel leaving the alignment pin in
the bolt hole
r=;,(I).
234
Putting on the spare tire
"'Push the spare tire over the alignment pin.
"' Screw on the wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly using the hexagona l socket .
"' Remove the alignment pin and insert and tight
en the remaining wheel bolt slightly like the
rest.
"' Turn the jack hand le counter-clockwise to lower
the vehicle until the jack is fully released .
"' Use the wheel bolt wrench to tighten all wheel
bolts firmly
r=;, page 232. Tighten them in a
crisscross pattern,
from one bolt to the (ap
proximately) opposite one, to keep the wheel
centered.
"' Perform the steps required after changing the
wheel
r=;, page 231, A~er changing a wheel .
The hexagonal socket makes it easie r to remove
the wheel bolts from the rim. Care should be tak
en when removing the reversib le blade .
(D Note
When removing or installing the wheel, the
rim could hit the brake rotor and damage the
rotor. Work carefully and have a second per
son to he lp you.
(D Tips
- When mounting tires with unidirectional
tread design
make sure the tread pattern is
pointed the right way
r=;, page 235.
- The wheel bolts should be clean and easy to
turn. Check for dirt and corrosion on the
mating surfaces of both the wheel and the
hub. Remove all dirt from these surfaces be
fore remounting the wheel.
- Do not use the hexagonal socket in the
screwdriver handle to loosen or tighten the
wheel bolts.
M N
ci u.. co ,...., \!) ..,.,
N ..,., ,....,
Tires with unidirectional tread design
Tires with unidirectional tread design must be
mounted with their tread pattern pointed in the
right dir ection .
Using a spare tire with a tread pattern
intended for use in a specific direction
When us ing a spa re tire w ith a t read pa tte rn in
t e nded fo r use in a specific d ir e ct ion, p lease no te
the following:
- The direction of rotation is marked by an
arrow
on the side of the tire .
-If the spare t ire has to be installed in the incor
rect direction, use the spare tire only tempora
rily since the tire will not be able to achieve i ts
o ptimum performanc e character istics wit h re
gard to aquaplaning, noise and wea r.
- We recommend that you pay pa rticular atten
t io n t o this fact du ring wet weat he r and t hat
yo u adju st yo ur sp eed to match road condi
t ions.
- Re place the fla t tire w ith a new one and have i t
i nsta lled on yo ur vehicle as s oon as po ssible to
re store the han dling a dvan tages o f a un idirec
t io na l tire.
Notes on wheel changing
P lease read the information ¢ page 216, New
tires or wheels
i f you are going to use a spare tire
which is different from the tires on your ve hicle.
Afte r you change a tire:
- Check the tire pressure on the spare immedi
ately after installation.
- Have the wheel bolt tightening torque
checked with a torque wrench as soon as po s
sible by your authorized Audi dealer or quali
fied workshop .
- With steel and alloy wheel rims , the wheel
bolts are correctly tightened at a torque of 90
ft lbs. (120 Nm ).
- If you notice th at the wheel bolt s are corroded
and difficult to turn while changing a tire ,
they should be replaced before you check the
tightening torque .
Emergency assistance
-Replace the flat tire with a new one and have
it installed on your vehicle as soon as possi
ble. Remount the wheel cover .
Until then , drive with extra care and at reduced
speed s.
_& WARNING
- If you are going to e quip your ve hicl e wit h
tires o r rims which differ from those which
were factory installed, then be sure to read
the information
¢ page 216, New tires or
wheels.
- Always make sure the damaged wheel o r
even a flat tire a nd the jack a nd too l kit a re
p roperly secu red in the luggage compart
men t and are not loos e in t he passeng er
compa rt m ent.
- In an acci dent or sudde n man euver they
could fly forwa rd, inj uring a nyone in t he ve
h icle.
- Always s to re damag ed wh eel , jack and tools
s ecure ly in the luggage co mpart ment. Ot h
e rwi se, in an accident o r sud den man euver
they co uld fly forward, causing injury to pas
sen gers in t he ve hicle.
(D Note
D o not use co mmercially ava ilab le tire seal
a nts. O therwise, the e le ct ric al c ompone nts of
the tire pre ssure monit oring sys tem * w ill no
l on ger wor k properly and t he sensor for the
tire pressu re monito ring system * wi ll have to
b e replaced by qu alified workshop.
-
235