2015 AUDI A8 tire pressure

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contribution to good road holding and safe
handling when in good condition and properly
inflated
¢ .&. .
We recommend that all work on t ires and
wheels be performed by an authorized A udi
dealer. They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary spec ial
too ls and spare parts as we ll as the proper fa ­
cilities for dispos ing of the old tires .
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary information about techn ica l requ irements for
installing or changing tires and r ims.
R eplacing t ires and wheel s
Tires shou ld be rep laced at least in pairs and
not individua lly (for example both front tires
or both rear tires together).
Be s ure to read and heed the information to
the tire pressure monitoring system*
¢page 263.
Always buy rep lacement radial tires that have
the same specifications as the t ires approved
for your ve hicle by Audi. Replacement tires
must always have the same load rating speci ­
fication as the original equipment or approved
optional tires listed in the table¢
page 249.
Audi-approved specification tires are specially
matched to your vehicle and its load limits,
and can contribute to the important road hold­
ing, driving character istics, and safety of the
veh icle. The table(¢
page 249) lists spec ifica­
tions of the t ires approved for the Audi mod­
e ls covered by your Owner's Literature .
The tire pressure labe l located on dr iver 's side
B-pillar
( ¢ page 249, fig. 209) lists the speci­
fications of the orig inal equipment tires in­
stalled on your veh icle at the time it was man­
ufactured .
Federal law requires t ire manufacturers to
p lace standard ized information on the s ide­
wall of all tires ¢
fig. 212 . This information
i dent ifies and desc ribes the fundamental
characterist ics, the quality grade of the tire
and a lso provides a tire ide ntificat io n number
Tire s an d wheel s 257
for sa fety standard certification and in case of
a reca ll.
Tire specifications
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it eas­
ier to choose the co rrec t tires . Radial ti res
have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewa ll, for examp le:
255 /45 R 19 104 H
This co nta ins the following information :
P Indicates the tire is for passenger cars
(where app licab le)
255 Nom inal tire width i n mm of the tire
from sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the number, the wider
the tire
45 Height/w idth ratio in percent (aspect ra -
t io)
R Tire construct ion: Radial
1 9 Rim diameter code (i n inches)
104 Load ra ting code
H Speed ra ting letter code
XL (or "xl", "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF") Indicates
t h at the t ire is a "Reinfo rced" or an " Ext ra
Load " tir e
M+S (or "M/S") Indicates that the ti re has
some mud and snow capab ility
The tires could also have the informat ion of
direction of rotat ion ¢
page 245 .
Tire manufacturing d ate
The manufact uring date is also indicated on
the tire sidewall (possibly only on the
inner
s ide of the wheel):
"DOT ... 2214 .. . " means, for example, the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of 2014.
Speed rating (letter code )
The speed rating le tter code on the whee ls in­
dicates the maximum permiss ible road speeds
¢ .&. in Winter tires on page 261.
P up to 93 mp h (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
•
•

258 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 2214 mean the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of 2014. 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 .
o r ires w 1 a m ax im um spee d ca pabil ity ove r 149
mph (2 40 km/ h), ti re manufact urers sometimes use
the lett ers " 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 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, traction and tempera ture grades
c:>page 259.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of a ir
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 injury.
'
- 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 . ..,_

26 2 T ire s and wheel s
chains because the vehicle will be ex­
tremely low. If you do drive with snow
chains on while the vehicle is at this lev­
el, the snow chains might severe ly dam­
age the wheelhouse and other parts of
the veh icle.
(D} Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer­
tain roads, this normally also applies to
veh icles with All Wheel Drive.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque .
The design of whee l bolts is matched to the
factory installed r ims. 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
secure ly 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 mode l
¢page 292.
_& WARNING
Imprope rly tig htened o r maintained whee l
bolts can be come loose ca using loss of
contro l, a co llision and serious persona l in­
jury.
- Always keep the wheel bol ts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clean so the
wheel bolts can tu rn easily and be prop­
er ly tightened .
- Never grease or oil the wheel bo lts and
the threads in the wheel h ubs. They can
become loose w hile driving if greased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specif ied
torque.
- Only use wheel bolts that belong to the rim being installed.
- Never use different whee ls bolts on your
vehicle.
- Always maintain the correct tighten ing
torq ue for the wheel bo lts to reduce the risk of a whee
l loss. If the tightening tor­
que of the wheel bolts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi­
cle is mov ing. If the tighte ning torque is
too high, the wheel bolts a nd 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 whee l bolts diago­
nally. Afte r changing a whee l, the torque
must be checked as soon as possible wi th a
torque wrench -pre ferably by an au thor­
ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect
ratio tires. These tires have been thoro ughly
tested and been se lected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road fee l
and hand ling u nder a var iety of d riv ing condi ­
t ions . As k your author ized Audi dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is ind icated
by a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's s ize
designation . The numeral rep resents the ratio
of the t ire's s idewa ll height in relation to its
t read width ex pressed in percentage. Conven­
tiona l tires have a he igh t/w idth rat io of 60 or
more.
The performanc e of low -a sp ec t-ratio tires i s
pa rticularly sensitive to improper inflation
pre ssure . It is therefore important that low
a spect ratio tires are inflated to the specified
pre ssure and th at the inflation pressure i s
regularly checked and maintained. Tire pre s­
s u res should be checked at least once a
month and always befo re a long trip
¢ page 251, Checking tire pressure .
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more
easily by impact w ith potholes, curbs, gull ies .,..

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or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is underinflated .
I n o rder to m inim ize the occu rrence of impact
damage to the t ires of your veh icle, we recom ­
mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflat ion
pressures. Chec k your tire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000
km) and add air if neces­
sary.
- Drive carefu lly on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may a lso
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 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 tire failure. If you be lieve that a
t ir e may have been damaged, replace the
t ire as soon as possible.
- T hese tires may wea r mo re qui ck ly than ot h­
ers.
- Please a lso remember that, whi le these tires
deliver respons ive handling, they may ride
l ess comfortably and make mo re noise than
othe r choices.
Reduced performance in winter /cold
season condition s
All tires are des igned for certa in pu rposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
tires originally 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 condit ions.
If
you dr ive under those circumstances, you
should equip your veh icle with all-season or
winter t ires, which offer better traction under
those cond itions. We suggest you use the rec­
ommended snow or all-season tires specified
for your ve hicl e, or their equ iva lent.
Tire s an d wheel s 263
Refer to q page 260 for more detailed infor­
mation regard ing winter tires.
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 manufacturer on the veh icle
placard or tire inf lation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in­
flat io n pressure labe l, you shou ld determ ine
t h e p rope r tir e inflation p ressu re fo r those
ti res).
As an added safety feature, your veh icle has
been equipped with a tire pressure mon itoring
system ( TPMS) that illum inates a low t ire
pressure te lltale whe n one or more o f you r
tires is significant ly under-inflated . According­
ly, when the low tire pressure te lltale illumi­
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 affect the vehicle 's hand ling and
stopp ing ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for 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
reached the leve l to tr igger illuminat ion of the
T PMS low tire pressu re tellta le .
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
T PMS ma lfu nction ind icator to ind icate when
the sys tem is not operating properly. The
T PMS 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 minute and then ..,.
•
•

264 Tires and wheels
remain continuously illuminated. This se­
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminat­
ed, the system may not be able to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended . TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea­
sons , including the installation of replace­
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the vehi­
cle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly . Always check the TPMS malfunction
tellta le after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your veh icle to ensure that the re­
placement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
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. 213 Display : underi nflatio n warning
Fig. 214 Display: System mal functio n
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, th is is indicated in the i nstru- ment
cluster with a warning symbol
[I] and a
message
r=> fig. 213 .
The tire pressure monitoring system must be
reset via MMI each time the pressures are ad­
justed (e.g. when switching between partial
and full load pressure) or after changing or re­
plac ing a tire on your vehicle
r=> page 265. 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 dr iver's side B-pillar
r=> page 249.
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,
- the tire has structural damage,
- the tire pressure was changed, wheels rotat -
ed or replaced but the TPMS was not reset
¢ page 265,
-the spare tire* is mounted.
Warning symbols
[I] Loss of pressure in at least one tire¢&,. .
Check the tire or tires and replace or repa ir if
necessary . The indicator light
[I] in the instru­
ment cluster also illuminates
¢page 11.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires
and reset TPMS via MMI.
Ill (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
pressure! System malfunction.
Iflll appears
after switching the ignition on or while driving
¢fig . 214 and the indicator light [I] 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 ¢
page 265. If the indicator light
does not turn off or if it turns on shortly
thereafter , immediately drive your vehicle to
an a utho rized Aud i dealer or authorized repair
facility to have the malfunction corrected.
llll-

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A 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 249. Driving on a
signif icantly 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.
- Under certain conditions (such as a spor­
ty driving style, winter conditions or un­ paved roads), the pressure monitor indi­
cator may be delayed.
-Ask your authorized Audi dealer if run­
flat tires may be used on your vehicle.
.
(0 Tips
- 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
¢page 256. 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
Tires and wheels 265
adapt the pressures to the current load
¢page 249 .
.,. Switch on the ignition.
.,. Select in the MMI:
ICARI function button >
Car systems control button > Servicing &
checks > Tire pressure monitoring > Store
tire pressures > Yes, store now.
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressure if there are
snow chains on the tire. Otherwise, a sys ­
tem malfunction may occur .
•
•

268 What do I do n ow ?
Space-saving spare tire (compact spare
tire)
Applies to vehicles: with space-saving spare tire
The spare tire/wheel is located in the luggage
compartment under the cargo floor cover. It
is intended for short-term use only.
Fig. 219 Spare tire
Tak ing out th e spare tir e
• Lift the cargo floor by the plastic handle
¢fig. 219.
• Hook the handle into the luggage compart­
ment weather strip.
• Turn the large screw¢
fig. 219 counter­
clockwise.
• Takeout the spare tire .
• Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack*
and the repla ced ti re in the l uggage com­
partment¢
page 139.
• Unhook the cargo f loor before closing the
rear lid.
Using the spare tire (compact spare tir e)
The compact spare tire is on ly intended for
emergenc ies until you can reach a repair shop.
Replace it as quickly as poss ible with a stand­
ard wheel and tire.
There are some restrictions on the use of the compact spare tire. The compact spare t ire
has been des igned specifically for your type of
vehicle.
It must not be swapped with a com­
pact spare tire from another type of vehicle .
Snow chains
Fo r technical reasons, the use of snow chains
on the compa ct spare tire is
not p ermi tte d .
If you do have to dr ive with snow cha ins and a
front tire fails, mount the spare whee l w ith tire instead of a
rear tire. Install the snow
chains on the rear tire and use it to replace
the defect ive front tire.
A WARNING
=
- Never use the spare tire if it is damaged
or if it is worn down to the tread wear in­
d icators.
- If the spare tire is more than 6 years old,
use it only in an emergency and with ex­
treme caution and careful driv ing.
- The spare tire is intended only for tem­
porary and short-term use. It should be
replaced as soon as poss ible with the
normal wheel and tire.
-After mounting the compact spare tire, the t ire pressure must be checked as
soon as possible. The tire pressure of the
compact spare t ire must be 4.2 bar; oth­
e rwise, you risk having an acc iden t.
- Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/
h). Yo u ris k having an accident.
- Avoid full-thrott le acceleration, heavy
b rak ing, and fast corne ring. You risk hav­
i n g an accident.
- Neve r drive using more than one spa re
wheel and ti re. You r isk having an acci­
dent.
- Normal summer or win ter t ires must not
be mounted on the compact spare wheel
rim.
- For technical reasons, the use of tire
chains on the spare tire is not permit ted .
If it is necessary to drive with t ire chains,
the spare wheel must be mounted on the
front ax le in the event of a flat in a rear
tire. The new ly available front wheel
must then be installed in place of the
rear whee l with the flat tire. Installing
the t ire chain before mounting the whee l
and tire is recommended.
- Loose items in the passenger compart­ ment can cause se rious personal injury
during hard braking or in an accident. Never store the inflatable spare tire or
jack and tools in the passenger compart­
ment.

2 70 What do I do now ?
-Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack
and the replaced t ire in the luggage com­
partment ¢
page 139.
@ Tips
Before changing the wheel, yo u m ust acti­
vate t he jac king mode, so t hat the auto­
mat ic cont rols fo r the Adaptive Air S us­
pens io n do not make it mo re diff ic u lt to
lift the vehicle with the jack
c.';> page 2 72.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow these­
quence described below step-by-step and in
exactly that order .
1. Activate the vehicle jack mode
¢page 272.
2. Remove the decorative wheel cover* . For
more deta ils see also
¢ page 270, Deco­
rative wh eel covers
o r ¢ page 2 71 ,
Wheels with wheel bolt caps.
3 . Loosen the wheel bolts ¢ page 2 71.
4. Locate the proper mo unt ing po in t for the
j ack and align t he jack be low tha t poi nt
¢ page 272 or r::!>page 273.
5. Raise the car with the jack¢ page 272 or
¢page 273.
6. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and
then i nstall
the spare ¢page 274.
7. Tighten all wheel bolts ligh tly.
8 .
Lower th e ve hicle w it h the jack .
9 . Use the whee l bolt wren ch and
firmly
tig hte n al l whee l bolts ¢p age 271.
10. Rep lace the decorative wheel cover* .
11. D eactivate t he ve hicle jack mode in the
M MI :
!CARI function button > Car systems
control button > Se rvicing & checks > Air
susp.: jack mode
> Off .
The vehicle jac k mode sw itches off automati ­
cally at speeds above 10 km/h.
A WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and
informati on
¢ .&. in AB: Raising the vehicle
on page 272
and ¢page 275 .
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the
doing the following .
.,. Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack"
and the rep laced tire in the luggage com­
pa rtment
¢ page 139.
.,. Check the tire pressure on the spare whee l
immed iate ly afte r mounting i t.
.,. As soon as poss ible, h ave the
tightening
torques
on all whee l bolts che cked with a
torque wre nch. The correc t tig hten ing tor ­
que is 90 ft l b (120 Nm).
.,. Have the flat tire
replaced as s oon as possi­
ble.
@ Tips
- If you not ice that the w heel bo lts a re
co rroded and difficult to turn while
chang ing a tire, t hey shou ld be rep laced
before you check the tig htening to rque.
- Dr ive at reduced speed until you have the
t ightening torques checked.
- After changing a whee l, the t ire p ress ure
in all four tires must be chec ked/co rrect ­
ed and the tire p ress ure monito ring in di­
cator must b e sto red in th e MMI
¢ page 265.
' Decorative wheel covers
Applies to vehicles: w ith decorative whee l covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed
first to access the wheel bolts.
Fig. 2 21 Cha ngin g a w hee l: Remov ing th e w heel cove r
Removing
.,. Insert the hook (prov ided w ith th e vehicle
t oo l ki t) in the hole in the whee l hub cover . ..,.