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Reinforced tire
means a tire design to operate
at higher loads and at higher
inflation pressures than the
corresponding standard tire. Reinforced tires may be identi
fied as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
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 your
wheel size, you will have to pur chase new tires to match the
new rim diameter.
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance be
tween rim flanges.
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire be
tween the tread and bead.
Tires and wheels 215
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire
is designed to be driven for ex
tended periods of time. The rat
ings range from 93 mph
(150 km/h) to 186 mph
(298 km/h)¢
page 232. You
may not find this information
on all tires because it is not re
quired by law.
The speed rating letter code,
where applicable, is molded on
the tire sidewall and indicates
the maximum permissible road speeds
¢ .& in Winter tires on
page 237.
Tire pressure monitoring
system*
means a system that detects
when one or more of a vehicle's
tires are underinflated and illu minates a low tire pressure
warning telltale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire
that comes into contact with
the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the
tread from the tire carcass.
•
•
'
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individu
al tire that is determined by
distributing to each axle its
share of the maximum loaded
vehicle weight and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
mean s that load on an individu
al tire that is determined by
Tires and wheels 217
distributing to each axle its
share of the curb weight, acces
sory weight, and normal occu
pant weight (distributed in ac
cordance with table below
r=> page 217) and dividing by
two.
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for
various designated seating capacities
Designated seating Vehicle normal load, Occupant distribu-
capacity, number of number of occupants tion in a normally
occupants loaded vehicle
4 2 2 in front
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall
handlingJ performance and safety
of a vehicle.
Fig. 182 Tire pressure label: located
-"' ---------------.... ,;,
& =-=====c=-=============== ::l
Ve=~= • = • =-1)§ -n,,......,..__.................................... • .... _ .. .................................... ___...,._ .. . -
- KPA, . PSI
- KPA. . PSI
- KPA. . PSI
Fig. 183 Tire pressure label
"'
"" on driver's side B -pillar
a: LL co
rl I.O
"' rl
"' rl
218 Tires and whee ls
Tire pressure generally refers to tant things you can do to help
the amount of a ir 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 vehic le han-
national measuring unit and in dling, traction, braking and
pounds pe r square inch (PSI). load carrying.
Tire pressu res
Ti re 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 h igher speeds, and then
weight that the vehicle can car-especially when hea vily 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 ti re pressure is
and/or amount of luggage you
h igher when the tire has
will be transporting.
warmed up than when it is
The tire pressure labe l is locat-
"cold." It is the inflation p res-
ed on the driver's side 8-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 cou ld fai l suddenly . hicle at the time it was manu-
f actured.
...
Maintaining proper tire p res-
sure is one of the most impor-
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If you wish to improve comfort
when operating the vehicle at
normal load (up to 2 occu
pants), you can adjust tire
pressures to those specified
for normal vehicle load. Before
operating the vehicle at maxi mum load, you must increase
the tire pressures to those
specified for maximum vehicle
load
c> .&. .
Bear in mind that the tire pres
sure monitoring system* can
only monitor the tire pressures
you have stored. The system does not recognize the load
condition of your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the tire p ressure monitoring system*
will be impaired if you store normal load pressures but then
operate the vehicle at its maxi
mum load
c> .&. .
Model Tire designation
Engine
RS 5 Cabriolet: 265/35 Rl9 98V XL
4.2
liter High Performance
a-cylinder
275/30 R20 97V XL
High Performance
Tires and wheels 219
See the illustration c> fig. 182
for the location of the label on driver's side B-pillar (color of
the actual label and exact loca
tion on the vehicle will vary slightly).
Note that the following table is
accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change.
In the event of discrepancies,
the tire pressure label is locat ed on the driver's side B-pillar
always takes precedence.
The table below lists the rec ommended cold tire inflation pressures for the Audi model
covered by your Owner's Litera
ture at the vehicle's capacity
weight and the tire sizes instal
led on the respective models as
original equipment , or as a fac
tory option.
Tire pressure
normal load condition full load condition (up to 2 occupants)
front rear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
41 280 38 2 60 45 310 44 300
41 280
38 2
60 4 5 310 44 30 0
•
•
'
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xi, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire side-
wall.
220 Tires and wheels
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
all of the occupants and lug
gage or other cargo that the ve
hicle can carry. For the location
of the tire pressure label
¢fig. 182.
&_ WARNING
-
Overloading a vehicle can
cause loss of vehicle control,
a crash or other accident, se rious personal injury, and
even death .
-Carrying more weight than
your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the ve
hicle from handling properly
and increase the risk of a
loss of vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may
not be able to stop the vehi
cle within a safe distance.
-Tires on a vehicle that has
been overloaded can fail
suddenly causing loss of
control and a crash.
-Always make sure that the
total load being transported
- including the weight of a
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trailer hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer - does not make the vehicle heavier than the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat
ing.
A WARNING
-Incorrect tire pressures
and/or underinflation can lead to a serious or fatal ac
cident.
-Incorrect tire pressures
and/or underinflation cause
increased tire wear and can
affect the handling of the
vehicle.
-Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can
also lead to sudden tire failure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, caus ing loss of vehicle control.
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the
tires originally installed on
your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located on driv
er's side 8-pillar.
The recommended tire pres
sures are on the tire pressure
label and in the table
Tires and wheels 221
¢ page 217, Cold tire inflation
pressure.
This means that the
pressure must be checked and
adjusted when the tire has not
been driven for more than a
couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds during the previous
three hours. Air in the tires ex
pands when the tire heats up as
a result of internal friction as it
flexes in use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire has
warmed up than when it is "cold."
It is the inflation pressure in a
"cold" tire that counts. There
fore, you should never let air out of a warm tire to match
"Cold tire inflation pressure" recommendations ¢
page 217.
The tires would then be under
inflated and could fail sudden
ly.
The tire pressure label on your
Audi lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures at
maximum capacity for the new,
original equipment tires that
were on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For the
location of the label
¢ page 217, fig. 182. .,.
•
•
'
222 Tires and wheels
Most tires Lose air naturally If the pressure in any tire is too
over time. They can also Lose Low, note the difference be-
some air if you drive over a pot- tween the pressure in the cold
hole or hit a curb while parking . tire and the pressure you need
It is usually not possible to see and add the air that you need to
whether the radial tires used reach the correct pressure for
today are underinflated just by the vehicle load (passengers
looking at them. and luggage) for the tires on
Therefore , be sure to check tire your vehicle as listed on the on
pressures at least once a month your vehicle and in
this manual
and always before going on a and the kind of driving you plan
long trip. Make sure to take the to do.
number of people and the
Never exceed the maximum in-
amount of luggage into ac-flation pressure listed on the
count when adjusting tire pres-tire sidewall for any reason.
sure for a trip -even one that
Remember that the vehicle
you would not consider to be manufacturer, not the tire man-
"long." See
¢ page 224, Tires ufacturer, determines the car-
and vehicle load limits for more
rect tire pressure for the tires
important information. on your vehicle.
Always use an accurate tire
It is important to check the tire
pressure gauge when checking pressure when the tires are
and adjusting inflation pres- cold.
sures . Check all of the tires. If
the pressure in any tire is too -Read the required tire pres-
sure from the tire pressure la-
high when the tire is "cold ", let
bel. The tire pressure label is
air out of the tire slowly with
located on the driver's side 8-
the edge of the tire gauge and
pillar. The tire pressure label
keep checking the pressure un-
lists the recommended cold
til you reach the pressure that
tire inflation pressures for the
is correct for the load (passen-
vehicle at its maximum capaci-
gers and luggage) and kind of
ty weight and the tires that
...
driving you plan to do.
Tires and wheels 223
were on your vehicle at the changing a wheel or replacing •
time it was manufactured. For wheels you have to adjust the • '
recommended tire pressures tire pressures on all wheels. In
for normal load conditions, addition, you must then initial-
please see chapter ize the new tire pressures in the
9page 217. tire pressure monitoring sys-
-Turn the valve stem cap coun- tern*
9 page 239.
ter-clockwise to remove it
_&. WARNING
from the tire valve.
Incorrect tire pressures and/
-Place the air pressure gauge or underinflation can lead
on the valve. sudden tire failure, loss of
-The tire pressures should only control, collision, serious per-
be checked and adjusted when sonal injury or even death.
the tires are cold. The slightly -When the
[IJ warning sym-
raised pressures of warm tires bol appears in the instru-
must not be reduced. ment cluster, stop and in-
-Adjust the tire pressure to the spect the tires.
load you are carrying. -Incorrect tire pressure and/
-Reinstall the valve stem cap or underinflation can cause
on the valve. increased tire wear and can
When should I check the tire affect the handling of the
pressure? vehicle and stopping ability.
The correct tire pressure is es- -Incorrect tire pressures
pecially important at high and/or underinflation can
speeds . The pressure should also lead to sudden tire fail-
therefore be checked at least ure, including a blowout
once a month and always be -and sudden deflation, caus-
fore starting a journey. ing loss of vehicle control.
When should I adjust the
-The driver is responsible for
the correct tire pressures for
tire pressures?
M all tires on the vehicle. The N
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applicable pressure values ... co ,....,
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