2015 AUDI Q5 winter tires

Smart Technolog y
A center differentia l distributes the driving power
variably to the front and rear axle. It works to­
gether with selective wheel torque contro l, which
activates when driving through curves
c:::;,page 191.
The all-wheel drive concept is designed for high
engine power . Your vehicle is exceptionally pow­
erful and has excellent driving characteristics bo th under normal driv ing condit ions and on
snow and ice . Always read and follow safety pre ­
cautions
c:::;, .&. .
Wint er tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with all­
wheel drive has an advantage, even with regular
tires. In winter road conditions it may be advisa­
ble to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for
improved dr iveability and braking: these tires
must be mounted on
a ll four wheels . See a lso
c:::;, page 250, Winter tires.
Tire chain s
Where tire chains are manda tory on certain
roads, this normally also applies to vehicles with
all-wheel drive c:::;, page 250, Snow chains.
Repl acing wheels /tire s
Vehicles with all-whee l drive must always have
tires of the same size. Also avoid tires with differ­
ent tread depths . For deta ils see page
c:::;, page 242, New tires or wheels .
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic
conditions. Do not let the extra safety afford­
ed by all-wheel drive tempt you into ta king
extra r is ks.
- Althoug h the all-whee l dr ive is very effec­
t ive, always remember that brak ing capac ity
is limited by tire traction . You should there­
fore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery road surfaces .
- On wet road su rfaces, be careful not to drive
too fast because the front wheels could be­
gin to slide on top of the water (aquaplan­
ing). If this should occur, you will have no
warning from a sudden increase in engine
speed as with a front -whee l drive vehicle.
196
Always drive at speeds which are suited to
the road cond it ions -risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution of
electrical energy and thus optimizes the availa­ bility of electrical energy for starting the engine .
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is
not driven for a long period of time, the battery
i s d ischarged by idling current consumers (e .g .
i mmob ili zer). I n certain c ircumstances it can re­
s ul t in the re be ing insuffi cient energy available to
start the eng ine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle
hand les the d ist ribution of electrical energy.
Start ing ability is ma rkedly improved and the life
of the ba ttery is extended .
Bas ica lly, energy management consists of
bat­
t e ry diagn osi s, idling curr ent man ag ement
and
d ynami c energy management .
Batte ry diag nosi s
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the
state of the battery. Se nsors determine battery
vo ltage, battery current and battery tempera­
tu re. This determines the cu rrent state of cha rge
and the power of the battery .
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy con ­
sumption whi le the vehicle is standing . W it h the
i gnition switched off, it cont ro ls the energy sup­
ply to the various electrical components. Data
from battery d iagnosis is cons idered.
Depend ing on the battery's state of charge , indi­
v idual consumers are gradua lly tu rned off to pre­
vent excessive discharge of the batte ry and thus
maint ain s tarting capability.
Dynamic ener gy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic ene rgy
management distr ibutes the energy gene rated
accord ing to the needs of the individual compo-
nents. It regu lates consumption, so that more
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Wheels
Wheels and Tires
General information
.,.Che ck your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts, cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob­
jects from the tire tread.
.,. If driving over curbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap­
proach the curb at an angle.
.,.Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
"'Protec t your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
.,.Ma rk tires before removing
them so that the same running direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled .
.,.Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry location
with as little exposure to light as
possible.
(D Note
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical
in those seasons. Audi recom­
mends using winter tires dur­
ing the winter months . Low
temperatures significantly de­ crease the elasticity of summ­
er tires, which affects traction
Wheels
and braking ability. If summer
tires are used in very cold tem­
peratures, cracks can form on
the tread bars, resulting in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or
chromed rims must not be
used in winter driving condi­
tions. The surface of the rims
does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or similar
substances.
Tire designations
Fig. 204 T ir e designations on the sid e-
wall ,..
235

® Mud and snow capability
"M/S" or "M+S" indicates the tire
has characte ris tics that make it
suitable for driving on mud and snow .
& indica tes a winter tire.
@ Composition of the tire cord
and materials
T he number of plies indicates the
number of rubber ized fabric lay­
ers in the tire . In general: the
more layers, the more weight a
tire can carry. Tire manufacturers
must also specify the mater ials
used in the ti re. These include
stee l, nylon, polyester and other
materials.
@ Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the maxi­
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry .
@ Uniform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance
Treadwear , traction and tempera­
ture ranges
c::::> page 251 .
@Running direction
The arrows ind icate the running
direction of unidirect ional tires.
You must always follow the speci- fied running direction
c::::> page 264.
€3) Ma
ximum permitted
inflation pressure
Whe els
This number indicates the maxi­
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated unde r normal operat­
ing conditions .
Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto­ matic transmission, power steer­
ing, power brakes, power win­
dows, power seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-in ­
stalled equipment (whether in­
stalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the width of the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a
low s idewall for improved steer­
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement . .,.
237

Wheels
"XL" "xl" "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF" I I I
on the sidewal l.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire
or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the tire beads are seated .
Rim diameter
means nominal diameter of the
bead seat. If you change yo ur
wheel size , you w ill have to pur­
chase new tires to match the new rim diameter .
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nomina l distance between
rim flanges .
Sidewall
means that port ion o f a t ire be­
tween the tread and bead .
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is
designed to be driven for extend ­
ed periods of t ime. The rat ings
range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)
¢ table
on page 236 .
You may not find
this information on all tires be­
cause it is not required by la w.
240
The speed rating letter code ,
where applicable , is mo lded on
the tire sidewall and indicates the maximum permiss ible road
speeds
¢ .&. in Winter tires on
page 250.
Tire pressure monitoring
system*
means a system that detects
when one or mo re of a ve hic le's
tires are under inflated and illumi ­
na tes a low tire p ressu re warning
tellta le .
Tread
means that portion of a tire that
comes into contact w ith the road.
Tread separation
means pu lling away of the tread
from the t ire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections wi thin the
principal grooves designed to give
a visua l indication of the deg rees
of wear of the tread . See
¢ page 244 , Treadwear indicator
for mo re information on measur­
ing t ire wear.

Wheels
Occupant loading and distri­
bution for veh icle normal load
for various designated seat ing
capacit ies
Refer to the tire inflation pressure
label
c:> page 245, fig . 207 for
the number of seating positions .
Refer to the table
c:> table on
page
247for the number of peo­
ple that correspond to the vehicle
normal load .
New tires or wheels
Audi recommends having all wo rk
on tires or wheels performed by
an authorized Audi dea ler or au­
thorized repair fac ility. These fa­
cilities have the proper knowledge
and are equipped with the re­
quired tools and replacement
parts.
.,. New tires do not yet have the
optimum adhesion properties. Drive carefully and at moderate
speeds fo r the first 350 miles
(500 km) with new tires .
.,. Use tires of t he same constr uc­
tion, size (rolling c ircumference)
and as close to the same tread pattern as possible on all four
wheels.
2 4 2
.,.Do not replace tires individ ually .
At least re place both t ires on the
same axle at the same time.
.,. A udi recommends that you use
Aud i O riginal equipment tires . If
you wo uld li ke to use different
tires, please note that the tires may perform d ifferently even if
they are the same s ize
c:> &. -
.,. If you would like to equip you r
vehic le with a tire/rim combina­
tion that is different from what
was installed at the facto ry, con ­
sult w ith an authorized Aud i
dealer or authorized repair facili­
ty be fore making a purchase
¢ .&_ .
The spare tire* is d ifferent from
the regular t ires installed on the
vehicle -for example, if winter
tires or wi de tires are installed -
then only use the spare tire* tem­
porar ily in case of emergency and
drive carefully while it is in use . It
s h o u ld be replaced w ith a regular
tire as soon as poss ib le.
On
all wheel drive ve hic les, all
four wheels must be equipped
w ith tires that are the same brand
and have the same construction
and tread pattern so that the
drive system is not damaged by

Wheels
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and resu lt in loss
of vehicle control , which increases the risk of
an acc ident. For the correct tightening specifi­
cat ion, refer to
c:> page 261, After changing a
wheel.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads
in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bo lts that fit the r im .
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Aud i dealer or authorized repair
facility. Never repair or disassemble rims
you rself, because this increases the risk of
an accident.
Winter tires
W inter tires sign ificantly improve the vehicle's
handling when driving in w inter condit ions . Be­
cause of the ir construction (width, compo und,
tread pattern), summer t ires prov ide less traction
on ice and snow.
.., Use winte r tir es on all four whee ls .
.., Only use winter t ires 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 245.
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 w inter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages, re ­
gardless of the remaining tread.
A WARNING
-Never dr ive faste r than the maximum per­
mitted speed for your t ires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much . Th is increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst .
250
-Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic cond itions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
w inter t ires can lose traction on black ice.
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, beca use 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 a lso use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun­
tries where w inter t ires are required, only win­
ter tires with the
& symbol may be permit­
ted.
· Snow chains
Snow chains improve traction in the snow .
.., Only install snow chains on the rear wheels .
.., Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains if necessary after driving a few feet. Fol­
low the instruct ions from the manufacture r.
.., Note the maximum permitted speed when dr iv­
ing w ith snow chains . Do not exceed 30 mph
(SO km/h) .
Snow cha ins not onl y improve the
driving in w in­
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 a n author ized Audi dealer or author­
iz ed repair facility to see if you may use snow
c hains.
Use
fine-mesh snow chains. They must not add
more than 0.53 inch (13.5 mm) in he ight, includ­
i ng the cha in lock.
You must remove the chains when driving on
roads that are
free of snow. When roads are free
of snow , snow cha ins can impair hand ling and
damage the tires, and the chains will quick ly be
destroyed. .,.

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a:
co
,...., \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 ,....,
& WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
chains incorrectly can result i n loss of vehicle
contro l, wh ich inc reases the r is k of an acci ­
dent.
(D Note
Snow chains can dama ge the r ims/wheel cov ­
ers * if t he chains come into d irect contact
w it h them . Remove the whee l covers * fir st .
Use coated snow chains.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect ra­
tio tires . These tires have bee n thoroughly tested
and been selected specifically fo r yo ur model fo r
the ir supe rb pe rformance, road feel and handling
u nder a va riety o f drivi ng conditions. Ask yo ur au­
thor ized Audi de aler for mo re det ail s.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indica ted by
a numeral of
55 or less i n t he tire's si ze des igna­
tion . Th e nu mera l represents the rat io of the
tire's sidewall he igh t in relation to i ts tre ad wid th
expressed in percentage. Convent iona l tires have
a height/wi dth ratio of 6 0 or mo re .
The performan ce of low-a spe ct-rati o tires i s par­
ticularly sensitive to improper inflation pre s­
sure . It is therefore important that low a spect
ratio tires are inflated to the specified p ressure
and that the inflation pressure is regularly
checked and maintained. Ti re pressures should
be checked at least once a month and always
before a long trip
c:> page 245.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim damage
Low aspect ratio t ires can be damaged more easi­
ly by impact with potholes, curbs , gullies or
ridges on the road , par ticu la rly if the t ire is un­
de rinflate d.
In order to m inim ize the occurrence of impact
damage to the t ires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
Wheels
- Always ma inta in recommended inflation pres ­
sures. Chec k your tire pressure every 2,000
m iles (3,000 km) and add a ir if necessa ry .
- Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep
gu llies o r ridges. T he impact from dr iving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to your tires.
-After any impact, immed iate ly inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au­
thorized Audi dealer . Replace a damaged t ire as
soon as poss ible .
- Inspect your tires every 2,000 m iles (3,000 km)
for damage and wear. Damage is no t always
easy to see . Damage can lead to loss o f air and
un derinflation, wh ic h could even tually caus e
t ire failure. If you believe tha t a tir e may have
been dam age d, rep lace the t ire as soon as pos­
sible.
- These ti res may wear more quickly tha n oth ers.
- Please also remember that, wh ile these tir es
delive r respo nsive handling, they may ride less
c omfortably and m ake mo re no ise th an ot her
choices .
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
All tires a re designe d for cer ta in p urpo ses. The
l ow as pect ra tio, ultra high pe rformance tires
o rigi na lly installed on your vehicle are intende d
for maximum d ry and wet road performance and
handling. They are not suitab le f or co ld, snowy or
icy weather conditions. If you dr ive under those
c ircumstances, you shou ld equ ip your vehicle
with all-season or winter tires, wh ich offe r better
t raction unde r those co ndit ions . We suggest you
u se the recommende d snow or all-season tires
spe cified for your veh icle, o r th eir equiva le nt.
Refer to
c:> page 250 for more detailed informa­
t io n regarding w in te r tir es.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wea r
- Traction AA A B C
- Temperature ABC
251

Wheels
Indicator lights
ti] Loss of pressure in at least one tire c::> &­
Check the tires and replace or repa ir if necessary.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys­
tem
c::> page 254 .
ffim (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire pres­
sure: System malfunction!. If
iUm appears after
switching the ignition on or while driving and the
ti] indicator light in the instrument cluster
blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures
c::> page 254 . If
the indicator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time, drive to your author­ ized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility imme­
diately to have the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
- If the tire pressure indicator appears in the
display, reduce your speed immediately and
avoid any hard steering or braking maneu­
vers. Stop as soon as possible and check the
tires and their pressure.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining the
correct tire pressure. You must check the
ti re pressure regularly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a sporty driving style, winter conditions or unpaved
roads), the tire pressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed .
(D Tips
- The tire pressure monitoring system can al­
so stop working when there is an ESC mal­
function .
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The Tire Pressure Monitoring System in your Audi was calibrated with "Audi Original
Equipment tires"
c::> page 242 . We recom­
mend that you use these tires .
254
· Storing tire pressures
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitor ing system
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys­
tem .
.,. Make sure before storing that the tire pressures
of all four tires meet the spec ified values and
are adapted to the load <=:>page 245.
.,. Switch the ignition on.
.,. Select: the
I CAR I funct ion key > Tir e Pressure
Monitoring System
> Yes, store now. Or
.,. Select: the
I CARI function button > Car Sys­
tems*
control button > Servicing & checks >
Tire pressure monitoring > Store tire pressures
> Yes, store now.
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
are installed.