2 70 Ch eck ing and filling
Battery replacement
The new battery must have the same specifi
cations and dimensions as the original equip
ment battery.
Intelligen t energy management in your veh i
cle is respons ible for d istributing the e lectr i
cal en ergy throughout your vehicle
¢ page 228. The intell igent e nergy manage
ment system w ill keep the eng ine battery
cha rged better then vehicles w ithout this sys
tem . To make sure the additional e lectrica l en
ergy is availab le once again after you have
changed the battery, we recommend that you install batteries of the same type and manu
facture only (the same as those installed at
the time your vehicle was delivered). Specifi
cations are listed on the battery hous ing . Your
author ized dealer must code the battery in
the ene rgy management system to enable you
to use the energy management funct ions cor
rectly after replac ing the battery.
If it is not poss ible to use a battery of this
type, the new battery must have the same ca
pac ity, voltage (12 volts), amperage , con
struction and plug seal ing.
When insta lling the battery, make sure the ig
n it ion and all e lectr ica l consumers a re turned
off.
Q;) Note
Make sure the venti lation hose on the s ide
of the battery is connected, otherwise
fumes or battery ac id can leak o ut.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper d isposa l
of a battery, we recommend your autho r
i z ed Audi dealer change the ba tte ry for
you. Bat teries contain s ulfu ric ac id and
lead and must always be disposed of prop
erly in compliance with all environmental
reg ulations. Disposing of vehicle batteries
improper ly is very dangerous to the envi
ronment.
Windshield/headlight
washer container
F ig . 24 9 Eng in e compart ment : cover on t he wi nds hield
and headl ig ht* washe r fluid reservoi r
The washer fluid co nta iner is marked w ith the
symbol Won its cap
¢ fig . 249, ¢page 258,
fig. 242 .
.. Before you check anything in the engine
compartment,
alwa ys read and he ed all
W ARNING S
¢ & in Working in the engine
compartment on page 256 .
.. Lift the fille r cap tongue to add washer flu
id. You can fi ll the container to the top.
.. Press the cap back onto the fi ller neck afte r
fi lling the container.
You can find the reservo ir
capacity i n the table
in
¢ page 325.
Clean water should be used when filling up . If
poss ible, use soft water to prevent scaling on
the washer jets. A lways add a glass clea ne r
solution (with frost prote ction in the winter).
0 Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze o r
any other additives to fill up the wind
s hi eld washer rese rvoir.
272 Tires a nd whee ls
and make of tire and the tread
pattern.
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims is of
ten not readily visible. If you notice unusua l vibration or the
vehicle pulls to one side, this may indicate that one of the
t ires has been damaged . The
tires must be checked immedi
ately by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidirectional tires
A unidirectional tire can be
identified by arrows on the
sidewall, that point in the direc
tion the tire is designed to ro
tate. You must follow the speci
fied direction of rotation . This is
necessary so that these tires
can develop their optimum
characteristics regarding grip,
road noise, wear and hydro
planing resistance. For more in
format ion
c:> page 311 .
&_ WAR NIN G
New tires or tires that are
old, worn or damaged cannot
provide maximum control
and braking ability. -
New tires tend to be slip
pery and must be broken in .
To reduce the risk of losing
control, a collision and seri
ous personal injuries, drive
with special care for the
first 350 miles (560 km).
-Driv ing with worn or dam
aged tires can lead to loss of
control, sudden tire fa ilure,
including a blowout and
sudden deflation, crashes
and serious personal inju
ries. Have worn or damaged
tires replaced immediately.
-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 low speed .
-Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not
sure of their "previous history." Old used tires may have
been damaged even though
the damage cannot be seen
that can lead to sudden tire
failure and loss of vehic le
control.
M N
0 ...J
'SI: ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
-If you notice unusual vibra
tion or if the vehicle pulls to one side when driving, al
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the
wheels and tires for dam age.
(D Note
-Please note that summer
and winter tires are de
signed for the conditions
that are typical in those sea
sons. Audi recommends using winter tires during the
winter months. Low tem peratures significantly de
crease the elasticity of
summer tires, which affects
traction and braking ability.
Tires and wheels 273
If summer tires are used in
very cold temperatures, cracks can form on the tread
bars, resulting in perma
nent tire damage that can
cause loud driving noise and unbalanced tires. Audi is not
responsible for this type of
damage.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be used in winter road condi
tions. The surface of the
rims does not have suffi
cient corrosion protection
for this and could be perma
nently damaged by road salt
or similar substances.
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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
steering, power brakes, power
windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as fac
tory-installed equipment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the width of the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower indi
cate a low sidewall for im
proved steering response and
better overall handling on dry
pavement.
274 Tir es a nd whee ls
Bead Extra load tire
means the part of the tire that means a tire design to operate
is made of steel wires, wrapped at higher loads and at higher
or reinforced by p ly cords and inflation pressures than the
that is shaped to fit the rim . corresponding standard tire .
Bead separation Extra load tires may be identi-
fied as "XL", "xl", " EXTRA
means a breakdown of the bond LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
between components in the
bead .
Gross A xle Weight Rating
(" GAWR ")
Cord
means the load-carrying capaci-
means the strands forming the ty of a single axle system,
p lies in the tire .
measured at the tire-ground in-
Cold tire inflation pressure terfaces.
means the tire pressure recom-
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
mended by the vehicle manu-( "GVWR ")
facturer for a t ire of a designat-
means the maximum total
ed size that has not been driven loaded weight of the vehicle.
for more than a couple of miles
Groove
(kilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before means the space between two
the tire pressure is measured or adjacent tread ribs.
adjusted.
Load rating (code )
Curb weight
means the max imum load that
means the weight of a motor a tire
is rated to carry for a giv-
vehicle with standard equip -en inflation pressure
. You may
ment including the maximum not find th
is information on all
capacity of fuel, oil, and cool- tires because it is not required
ant, air condit ioning and addi- by law.
...
tional weight of optional equip-
ment.
276 Tires a nd whee ls
Recommended inflation Sidewall
pressure
means that portion of a tire be -
see
c:::> page 2 7 4, Cold tire infla-tween the tread and bead.
tion pressure.
Speed rating (letter code )
Reinforced tire
means the speed at which a tire
means a tire design to operate is designed to be driven for ex-
at higher loads and at higher tended periods of time. The rat-
inflation pressures than the ings range from 93 mph (150
corresponding standard tire .
km/h) to 186 mph (298 km/h)
Reinforced tires may be identi -
c:::> page 294. You may not find
fied as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
this information on all tires be-
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
cause it is not required by law.
Rim The speed rating letter code,
means a metal support for a where applicable, is molded on
tire or a tire and tube assembly the tire sidewall and indicates
upon which the tire beads are the maximum permissible
road
seated . speeds
c:::> A in Winter tires on
Rim d
iameter
page 298.
means nominal diameter of the
T ir e pressure mon itoring
system
bead seat. If you change your means a system that detects
wheel size, you will have to pur-
chase new tires to match the when one or more of a vehicle's
new rim diameter . tires are underinflated and illu-
Rim
size de signation
m inates a low tire pressure
warning telltale.
means rim diameter and width.
Tread
R im width
means that portion of a tire
means nominal distance be- that comes into contact with
tween rim flanges. the road.
...
Tires and wheels 2 79
Tire pressure generally refers to tant things you can do to help •
the amount of air in a tire that avoid sudden tire failure. Un-• '
it needs it to do its job and derinflated tires are a major
safely carry the combined load cause of sudden tire failure. of the entire vehicle and its con- Keeping tires at the right pres-
tents. Tire pressure is measured sure is also important for safe
in kilopascals (kPa), the inter- and responsive vehicle han-
national measuring unit and in dling, traction, braking and
pounds per square inch (PSI). load carrying.
Tire pressures
Tire pressure is based in part on are particularly important
the vehicle's design and load when the vehicle is being driv-
limit - the greatest amount of en at higher speeds, and then
weight that the vehicle can car-especially when heavily loaded
ry safely and the tire size. The even within the permissible
proper tire pressure is frequent-load-carrying capacities ap-
ly referred to as the "recom-proved for your vehicle.
mended cold tire inflation pres-The recommended tire pres-
sure." Air in the tires expands sures for your Audi depend on
when the tire heats up because the kind of tires on your vehicle
of internal friction when it flex- and the number of passengers
es in use. The tire pressure is and/or amount of luggage you
higher when the tire has will be transporting.
warmed up than when it is The tire pressure label is locat-
"cold." It is the inflation pres-
ed on the driver's side B-pillar.
sure in a "cold" tire that counts.
Therefore, you should never let The tire pressure label lists the
recommended cold tire infla-
air out of a warm tire to match
"cold tire inflation pressure" tion pressures for the vehicle at
its maximum capacity weight
recommendations. The tires
would then be underinflated and tires that were on your ve-
and could fail suddenly. hicle at the time it was manu-
factured.
M N
0
Maintaining proper tire pres-...J
'SI: ,...., \!)
sure is one of the most impor-1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
280 Tires and wheels
If you wish to improve comfort See the illustration ¢ fig. 250
when operating the vehicle at for the location of the label on
normal load (up to 3 occu-driver's side B-pillar (color of
pants), you can adjust tire the actual label and exact loca-
pressures to those specified tion on the vehicle will vary
for normal vehicle load. Before slightly).
operating the vehicle at maxi-Note that the following table is
mum load, you must increase accurate at the time of going to
the tire pressures to those press and is subject to change .
specified for maximum vehicle In the event of discrepancies,
load¢&. the tire pressure label located
Bear in mind that the tire pres- on the driver's side B-pillar al-
sure monitoring system can on- ways takes precedence.
ly monitor the tire pressures
The table below lists the rec-
you have stored . The system
ommended cold tire inflation
does not recognize the load
pressures for the Audi model
condition of your vehicle. covered by your Owner's Litera-
The effectiveness of the tire ture at the vehicle's capacity
pressure monitoring system weight and the tire sizes instal-
will be impaired if you store led on the respective models as
normal load pressures but then original equipment, or as a fac-
operate the vehicle at its maxi-tory option.
...
mum load¢&.
M N
0 ...J 'SI" ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
Tires and wheels 281
Model/ Tire designation Tire pressure
Engine normal load condition full load condition
front rear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI
kPA
255/55 R18 109H XL
All Season
35 240
35 240 44
300 49 340
265/50 Rl9 llOH XL
All Season
35 240
35 240 44
300 49 340
Q7:
3.0 liter 275/45 R20 110H XL
All Season
35 240
35 240
44 300 49 340
6-cylinder
275/4S R20 llOY XL
High Performance
35 240 35 240 44 300 49 340
295/35 R21 107V XL 36 250 35 240
44
300 49 340
High Performance
XL~ reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xl, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire side-
wa .
The correct tire pressure for the
spare wheel is located on a la
bel on the driver's side B-pillar.
Because technical changes may
be made to vehicle equipment
during the model year, always
compare the tire size designa
tion on the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on
your vehicle. Make sure that the tire size information on the ve
hicle label is the same as the
size of the tires on the vehicle.
This is especially important if
the vehicle belongs to someone
else or you bought the vehicle
with different rims/tires or you
bought the vehicle as a previ
ously owned vehicle. Remember, your safety and
that of your passengers also de pends on making sure that load
limits are not exceeded. Vehicle
load includes everybody and ev
erything in and on the vehicle.
These load limits are technical- ly referred to as the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR"). The Gross Axle
Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the maximum load that can be ap
plied at each of the vehicle's
two axles. The Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating are listed on the safety compliance stick-
er label located on the driver's
side B-pillar. The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the
maximum combined weight of ""
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