236 Tires and wheels
@ For the sake of the environment
Dispose of old tires in accord
ance with the local require
ment s.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- T raction
AA A B C
- T emperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire side wall between tread shou lder
and max imum sect ion width
¢ page 230,
fig. 186.
For example: Tread wear 200, Tract ion AA ,
Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Feder
al Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course .
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relat ive performance of t ires depends
upon the actua l conditions of their use, how
ever, and may depart significantly from the norm due to var iations in dr iving habits, serv
ice practices and differences in road character
istics and climate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. Those grades represent the
tire's abil ity to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled cond itions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance ¢&,. .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi
pate heat when tested under controlled condi
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and red uce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure
¢ &,..
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand
ard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law .
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es
tablished for a tire 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 failure.
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, local governments
may require true winter or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread . These tires should
only be used in pairs and be installed on all
four wheels. Make sure you purchase snow
tires that are the same size and construction
type as the other tires on your vehicle. .,.
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co ...... \!) 1.1'1
...... 1.1'1 ......
Your vehicle is equipped with all whee l drive,
this will improve traction during winter driv ing, even with the standard tires. However, we
strongly recommend that you a lways equip a ll
four wheels on your veh icle w ith correctly fit
ted wi nte r tires or all -season tires, when w in
ter road conditions are expected. This also im
p roves the vehicle 's braking performance and
reduces stopping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and
snow .
W inter tire s (snow t ires) must always be fitted
on all four wheels.
Ask your authorized Audi dea ler o r qualified
workshop for permitted
w inter t ire sizes. Use
only radia l winter tires .
Winte r ti res lose thei r effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .15 7 inch
(4 mm) .
On ly drive with winter tires under winter con
d itions. Summer tires hand le better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above
45 °F (7 °().
If yo u have a flat tire, see notes on repla ce
ment whee l¢ page 230 .
Pl ease always remembe r th at w inte r ti res may
have a lower speed rating tha n the t ires origi
n all y ins talled on your veh icle at the t ime i t
was manufactured . Please see ¢ page 232,
Speed rating (letter code) for a Listing of the
speed rat ing letter codes and the maximum
speed at wh ich the t ires can be driven .
The speed rating letter code( ¢ page
215) is
on the side wall of the tire ¢ page 230.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower than your vehicle's max
imum speed. Always know the maximum
speed befo re driving off . Never drive faster
than the speed permitted for your specific
w inte r tir es . This will cause damage to the
ti res leading to an ac cident and se rious
pe rsonal i njury to you and yo ur p assen
gers .
Tire s an d wheel s 237
A WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your ve hicle
were designed can cause t ire fail ure in
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation,
l oss of cont ro l, crashes and ser ious per
sona l injuries. Have wo rn or damaged ti res
replaced immedia tely.
- Wi nte r tires h ave maxim um speed ra ting
that may be lower than yo ur vehicle 's
maxim um speed.
- Never d rive fas ter than the speed for
whi ch the w inter or othe r ti res installed
on yo ur vehicle are rated.
A WARNING
=
A lways ad just yo ur driving to t he roa d and
traffic conditions. Never let the good ac
celeration o f the winter tires and a ll wheel
drive tempt you into taking extra risks. Al
ways remember:
- When braking, an all wheel drive vehicle handles in the same way as a front drive
veh icle.
- Drive carefully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even w inter t ires
cannot help under black ice conditions.
@ For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather condi
tions permit. They are qu ieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumpt ion.
Snow chains
-
Snow cha ins may be fitted only to the fro nt
whee ls, and on ly to certain tire sizes . Ask your
autho rized Aud i dea le r o n whi ch tire sizes
snow chains can be used.
The snow chains must have low-p rofile links
and must not be th icker than
0 .41 inch
(10 .5 mm) , in cl ud ing t he lo ck.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putt ing snow cha ins on your veh icle
¢ 0 . For safety reasons cover caps must then ..,.
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238 Tire s and whee ls
be fitted over the whee l bolts. These are
avai lab le from authorized Audi dealers.
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehi
cle or installing them incorrectly can in
crease the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury .
- Snow chains are available in different
sizes. Always make sure to follow the in
struct ions provided by the snow chain
manufacturer .
- When driving with snow chains never
dr ive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow cha ins.
- Always observe local regulat ions .
- Remove snow cha ins before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging t ires and wear ing the snow
chains down unnecessar ily .
- Snow chains, wh ic h come into d irect con
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or
damage it . Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitab ly covered . Check
the position of the snow chains after
driv ing a few yards and correct if neces
sary. Follow the i nstr uctions from the
snow chain manufacturer when doing so.
(D Tips
Where s now cha ins a re mandatory oncer
tain roads, this norma lly also applies to
vehicles with all wheel drive .
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
corr ect torque.
The design of whee l bolts is ma tched to the
factory insta lled r ims. If d ifferent rims are fit
ted, the correct wheel bo lts with the r ight
l ength and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used . This ensures that wheels are fitted
secu re ly and that the b rake system functions
correctly . In certain circumstances, you may not use
whee l bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same mode l¢
page 266 .
A WARNING "--
Improperly t ightened or ma inta ined whee l
bo lts can become loose causing loss of
control, a col lision and serious pe rsonal i n
jury .
- Always keep the wheel bo lts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clean so the
wheel bo lts can turn easily and be prop
erly tightened.
- Never g rease or oil the wheel bolts and
the threads in the wheel hubs. They can become loose while driv ing if g reased o r
oiled, even if t igh tened to the specified
torque.
- On ly use wheel bolts that belong to the
rim being installed .
- Never use different wheels bolts on yo ur
veh icle.
- Always maintain the correct t ightening
torque for the wheel bolts to reduce the
risk of a wheel loss. If the tighten ing tor
que of the whee l bolts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi
cle is moving. If the tightening torq ue is
too high, the wheel bolts and threads
can be damaged and the whee l can be
come loose.
Q) Note
The specified torque for the whee l bolts is
90 ft lbs . (120 Nm) with a tolerance of
± 7,4 ft lbs. (± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bolts
diagonally . After changing a wheel, the
torque must be checked as soon as possi
ble with a to rque wrenc h - preferably by an
autho rized Audi dea le r or qualified wor k
shop .
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory -equipped with low aspect
ratio tires. These tires have been thoroughly
tested and been se lected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road fee l ..,.
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co ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
and handling under a variety of driving condi
tions. Ask your authorized Audi dea ler for
more deta ils.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated
by a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's size
designation. The numeral represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relation to its
trea d width expressed in percentage. Conven
ti onal tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more.
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires is
particularly sensitive to improper inflation
pressure . It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified
pressur e and that the inflation pressure is
regularly checked and maintained. Tire pres
sures should be checked at least once a
month and always before a long trip
¢ page 221, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more
easily by impact with potho les, curbs, gullies
or ridges on the road, particu larly if the tire is
underinflated .
I n order to minimize the occ urrence of impact
damage to the tir es of your vehicle, we recom
mend that you observe the following precau
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation
pressures. Check your tire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if neces
sary .
- Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
t hr ough 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
t ir es or have them inspected by the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer. Replace a damaged
t ir e as soo n 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-
Tires and wheels 239
ally cause tire failure. If you believe that a
tire may have been damaged, rep lace the
tire as soon as possib le.
- These tires may wear more quickly than oth
ers.
- Please also remembe r that, while these tires
deliver responsive handling, they may ride
less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold
season conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
tires or iginally installed on your vehicle are in
tended for maximum dry and wet road per
formance and handling. They are not suitable
for cold, snowy o r icy weather conditions. If
you drive under those circumstances, you
should equip your vehi cle w ith all-season or
winter tires, which offer better traction under
those conditions. We suggest you use the rec
ommended snow or a ll-season tires specified
for your vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to¢
page 236 for more de tailed infor
mation regarding winter tires.
Ti re pressure
monitoring system
ill General notes
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
sho uld be checked monthly when cold and in
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the veh icle manufacturer on the veh icle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a d ifferent size than the
s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in
flat io n pressure label, you should determine
the proper t ire inflation pressu re for those
tires).
As an added safety feature, your veh icle has
been equipped with a tire pressure mon itoring
system (TPMS) that illum inates a low tire
pressure te llt ale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. .,.
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