254 Tires and wheels
forget to check the tire pres-
ure, including a blowout
sure for the spare wheel
and sudden deflation, caus-
¢page 274. ing loss of vehicle control.
When should I adjust the -The driver is responsible for
tire pressures? the correct tire pressures for
Adjust the tire pressure to the all tires on the vehicle. The
applicable pressure values
load you are carrying. After
are located on a sticker on
changing a wheel
or replacing
the driver's side B-pillar.
wheels you have to adjust the
-Only when all tires on the
tire pressures on all wheels. In
vehicle are filled to the car-
addition, you must then store
rect pressure, the tire pres-
the new tire pressures in the
sure monitoring system can
tire pressure monitoring sys-
work correctly.
tern
¢ page 270.
-The use of incorrect tire
A WARNING
-pressure values can lead to
Incorrect tire pressures and/
accidents or other damage.
or underinflation can lead Therefore it is essential that
sudden tire failure, loss of the driver observe the speci-
control, collision, serious per- fied tire pressure values for
sonal injury or even death. the tires and the correct
-When the warning symbol pressures for the function of
[IJ appears in the instru-
the tire pressure monitoring
ment cluster, stop and in-
system.
spect the tires. -Always inflate tires to the
-Incorrect tire pressure and/ recommended and correct
or underinflation can cause tire pressure before driving
increased tire wear and can off.
affect the handling of the -Driving with underinflated
vehicle and stopping ability. tires bend more, letting
-Incorrect tire pressures them get too hot resulting
and/or underinflation can in tread separation, sudden
..
also lead to sudden tire fail-
260 Tires and wheels
A WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead
to loss of control, a crash and serious personal injury!
-Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down to the wear indica
tors.
-Worn tires are a safety haz
ard, they do not grip well on
wet roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning" and
loss of control.
-Always keep chemicals that
can cause tire damage, such
as grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires.
-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 lower speeds.
-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.
New tires and replacing
tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to
be broken in.
Fig. 204 Tire specification codes on
the sidewall of a tire
No. Description
CD Passenger car tire (where
applicable)
@ Nominal width of tire in
millimeters
® Ratio of height to width
(aspect ratio)
@ Radial
® Rim diameter code
264 Tires and whee ls
tires because they meet the
h ighest standards regarding
safety and driving characteris
tics when used correctly. Your
authorized Audi dealer w ill
g ladly provide you with more
information.
Tire ply composition and materials used
T he number of plies indicates
the number of layers of rubber
coated fabric in the tire. In gen
eral, the greater the number of
plies , the more weight a tire
can support . Tire manufactur
ers also must indicate the ma
ter ia ls in the tire, wh ich include
steel, nylon, polyester, and oth
ers .
Maximum Load Rating
This number indicates the max
imum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by
the tire.
Tire quality grading for
treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, trac tion and tem
perature grades
¢ page 266.
Ma ximum Permissible
Inflation Pressure
T his number is the greatest
amount of air pressure that should ever be put in the tire
under normal driv ing condi
tions.
A WA RNING
-Using incorrect or unmatch
ed tires and/ or wheels or improper tire and wheel
combinations can lead to loss of control , collision and
ser ious personal injury.
-Always use tires, rims and
wheel bolts that meet the
specifications of original
factory-installed tires or
other combinations that
have been specifically ap
proved by the vehicle manu
facturer.
- Tires age even if they are
not being used and can fail
sudden ly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that a re more
than 6 years old can on ly be
used in an eme rgency and
then with special care and
at lower speeds.
-Never mount used tires on
your vehicle if you are no t
M N <( (.J
'SI: ,...., \!) 1.1"1 ,...., 1.1"1 ,....,
Sustained high temperature can cause the
materia l of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure<=>,& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of per form
ance which a ll passenger car tires must meet
under the Federa l Motor Veh icle Safety Stand
ard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the m inimum required by law.
_&. WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this t ire is
based on stra ight-ahead b raking t raction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydrop lan ing o r peak traction
character istics .
_&. WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is es
tablished for a ti re that is properly inflated
and not overloaded . Excessive speed, un
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire fa ilure.
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice. At temperatures below 45 °F
(7 °C) we recommend changing to winter
tires .
In some heavy snow areas, loca l governments
may require true winter or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread. These tires shou ld
only be used in pa irs and be installed on all
four wheels. Make sure you pu rchase snow
tires that are the same size and const ruct ion
type as t he other tires on your ve hicle.
Your veh icle is equipped w ith all -wheel drive,
this will improve tract io n during w inte r dr iv
in g, even with the standard tires. Howeve r, we
strongly recommend that you a lways eq uip a ll
four whee ls o n your ve hicle with correctly fit
ted winter tires or all -season tires, when w in
ter road conditions a re expected. This also im-
Tire s an d wheel s 267
proves the veh icle's b rak ing performance and
reduces stopping dista nces.
Summe r ti res prov ide les s gr ip on i ce and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted
o n all fo ur whee ls.
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop for permitted winter tire sizes. Use
o nl y rad ial winter t ires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness whe n the
tread is worn down to a depth of0 .157 inch
(4 mm) .
Only drive w ith w inter t ires under w inter con
dit ions. Summer t ires handle better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °() .
If you have a flat tire, see notes on replace
ment wheel¢
page 260 .
Please always remember that winter tires may
have a lower speed rating t han the tires o rigi
nally installed on your vehicle at the time it
was manufactured. P lease see¢
page 263,
Speed rating (letter code)
for a listing of the
speed rating le tter codes and the max imum
speed at which the tires can be d rive n.
The speed rating letter code(¢
page 245) is
o n the side wall of the tire ¢
page 260.
_&. WARNING
Winter t ires have maximum speed limits
that may b e lower than yo ur vehicle's max
imum speed. Always know the max imum
speed before dr iv ing off. Never dr ive faster
than the speed permitted for yo ur spe cific
win ter tires . This wi ll ca use damage to the
tires leading to an accident and ser ious
personal injury to you and your passen
gers.
_&. WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your ve hicle
were designed can cause t ire failure in
cluding a blowout and sudden d eflation,
-
•
•
2 70 T ire s and wheel s
through 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 Audi dealer. Rep lace a damaged
t ire as soon as possible.
- Inspect 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 underinflation, wh ich could eventu
ally cause t ire failu re. If you bel ieve that a
t ire may have been damaged, replace the
t ire as soon as possible.
- These tires may wear more quickly than oth
ers.
- Please also remember that, while these t ires
deliver respons ive handling, they may ride
less comfortably and make mo re no ise than
othe r cho ices .
Reduced performance in winter /co ld
season condition s
All tires are des igned for certain pu rposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high pe rformance
tires orig inally installed on your veh icle are in
tended for maximum dry and wet road per
formance and handling. They are not suitable for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions. 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 ions. We suggest you use the rec
ommended snow or a ll-season tires specified
for your vehi cle, or their equ ivalent.
Refer to¢
page 267 for more deta iled infor
mat ion regarding winter tires.
Tire pressure
monitoring system
U) General notes
Each t ire, includ ing the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and in
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacture r on the vehicle
p lacard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a diffe
rent size than the
size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in
flat ion pressure labe l, you shou ld determ ine
the proper t ire inflation pressure for those
t ires).
As an added safety feature, your ve hicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illum inates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
t ires is significantly under-inflated. According
ly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi
nates, you shou ld stop and check you r tires as
soon as possib le, and inflate them to the
proper p ressu re. Driving on a sig nifican tly u n
der- inflated t ire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire fai lure . Under-inflation al
so reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle 's hand ling and
stopp ing ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv er's respons ibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale .
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to ind icate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS ma lfunction indicator is combined w ith
the low tire pressure telltale . When the sys
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash fo r approxima te ly one m inute and then
rema in continuously illum ina ted. This se
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indica to r is illum inat
ed, the system m ay not be ab le to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended . TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a var iety of rea
sons, incl uding the insta llation of replace
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the vehi
cle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
whee ls on you r vehicle to ensu re that the re
placement o r alternate ti res and wheels a llow
the TPM S to cont inue to func tion p roperly.
M N <( I.J "". rl I.O
"' rl
"' rl
Tire pressure indicator appears
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too
low or if there is a system malfunction.
Fig. 205 Display: underinflation warning
Fig. 206 Display: System malfunction
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure moni
toring system compares the tire tread circum ference and vibration characteristics of the in
dividual tires. If the pressure decreases in one
or more tires, this is indicated in the instru
ment cluster with a warning symbol
rD] and a
message
c:> fig . 205.
The tire pressure monitoring system must be
reset via MMI each time the pressures are ad
justed (e.g. when switching between partial
and fu ll load pressure) or after changing or re
placing a tire on your vehicle
c:> page272 . The
TPMS indicator only monitors the tire pres
sure that you have previously stored. You can
find the recommended tire pressures for your
vehicle on the label on driver's side 8-pillar
c:>page247.
Tire tread circumference and vibration charac
teristics can change and cause a tire pressure
warning if:
- the tire pressure in one or more tires is too
low,
Tires and wheels 2 71
- the tire has structural damage,
- the tire pressure was changed, wheels rotat-
ed or replaced but the TPMS was not reset
c:>poge272.
- the spare tire* is mounted .
Warning symbols
[I] Loss of pressure in at least one tire¢.& .
Check the tire or tires and replace or repair if
necessary. The indicator light
rD] in the instru
ment cluster also illuminates <=:>
page 12.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires
and resetTPMS via MMI.
l!I (Tire Pressure Mon itoring System) Tire
pressure! System malfunction .
Ifljl appears
after switching the ignition on or while driving
¢
fig. 206 and the indicator light rD] in the in
strument cluster blinks for approximately one
minute and then stays on, there is a system
malfunction. Attempt to store the correct tire
pressure
c:> page 272. If the indicator light
does not turn off or if it turns on shortly
thereafter, immediately drive your vehicle to
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized repair
facility to have the malfunction corrected.
_& WARNING
- If the tire pressure indicator appears in
the instrument cluster display, one or
more of your tires is significantly under
inflated. Reduce your speed immediately
and avoid any hard steering or braking
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible and
check the tires and their pressures. In
flate the tire pressure to the proper pres
sure as indicated on the vehicle's tire
pressure label<=:>
page 247 . Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also is likely to
impair the vehicle's handling and stop
ping ability.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining
the correct tire pressures. You must check the tire pressures regularly.
.
272 Tires and wheels -Under certain conditions (such as a spor
ty driving style, winter conditions or un
paved roads), the pressure monitor
indicator may be delayed.
- Ask your authorized Audi dealer if run
flat tires may be used on your vehicle.
- The tire pressure monitoring system may
stop working when there is an ESC mal
function.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The tire pressure monitoring system on
your Audi was developed using tires with
the "AO" or "RO" identification on the
tire sidewall
c:> page 260. We recom
mend using these tires.
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
If the tire pressure is adjusted, wheels are ro
tated or changed, the TPMS must be reset via
MMI.
• Before storing the new tire pressures, check
that the current pressures on all four tires correspond to the specified values and
adapt the pressures to the current load <=>page 247.
• Switch on the ignition.
• Select in the MMI: !CAR !function button>
(Car)* systems control button > Servicing &
checks > Tire pressure monitoring > Store
tire pressures> Yes, store now.
Do not store the tire pressure if there are
snow chains on the tire. Otherwise, a sys
tem malfunction may occur.
284 Fuses and bulb s
No. Equipment Amps
s Parking system s
6 Rear Seat Entertainment s
7 Start-Stop-System s
8 side ass ist s
9
Gateway, Vehicle electrical sys-
s tern control module 1
10 Sport d ifferential s
Fuse panel © (black)
No. Equipment Amps
1 Rear seats 20
Fuse panel ® (black)
No. Equipment Amps
1 Movement-activated luggage 1
compartment lid opening
Bulbs
Replacing light bulbs
For your safety, we recommend that you have
your authorized Audi dealer replace burned
out bulbs for you .
It is becoming increasingly more and more
difficult to replace vehicle light bulbs since in
many cases, other parts of the car must first
be removed before you are able to get to the
bulb . Thi s appl ies especial ly to the light bu lbs
in the front of your car which you can only
reach through the engine compartment .
Sheet metal and bulb ho lders can have sharp
edges that can cause ser ious cuts, and parts
must be co rrectly taken apart and then prop
erly put back together to help prevent break
age of parts and long term damage from wa
ter that can enter housings that have not been
properly resealed.
F or your safety, we recommend that you have
your author ized Audi dealer rep lace any bulbs
for you, since your dealer has the proper tools,
the correct bu lbs and the expertise.
Gas di scharge lamps (Xenon lights):
Due to the high e lectr ica l voltage, have the
bulbs replaced by a qualified technician.
Head lights w ith Xenon light can be identified
by the high voltage sticker .
LED headlights* require no maintenance .
P lease contact your authorized Audi dealer if a
bulb needs to be replaced.
A WARNING
Contact with high-voltage components of
the electrical system and improper re placement of gas discharge (Xenon) head
light bulbs can cause ser ious personal in
jury and death.
- Xenon bulbs are pressur ized and can ex
p lode when being changed.
- Changing Xenon lamps requ ires the spe
cial tra ining, instructions and equip
ment.
- Only an authorized Audi dealer or other
qualified workshop should change the
bu lbs in gas discharge lamps .
_& WARNING
There are parts with sharp edges on the
openings and on the bulb holders that can
cause ser ious cuts.
- If you are uncertain about what to do,
have the work performed by an author
ized Audi dealer or other qualified wo rk
shop . Serious personal injury may result
from improperly performed work .
(D Tips
-If you still prefer to replace the light
bulbs yoursel f, be aware that the engine
compartment is a hazardous area to
work in
r=)poge 22Sr=) .&.
-It is best to ask your authorized Audi
dealer whenever you need to change a
bulb .