2015 AUDI RS7 SPORTBACK winter tires

"' N
a:: I.J "". rl I.O
"' rl
"' rl
your speed exceeds the stored value by ap­
proximately 3 mph (3 km/h). An indicator
light . (USA models) . (Canada models) in
the instrument cluster display also turns on at
the same time. The indicator light. /.
turns off when the speed decreases below the
stored maximum speed.
Setting a thresho ld is recommended if you
would like to be reminded when you reach a
certain maximum speed . Situations where you
may want to do so include driving in a cou ntry
with a general speed Limit or if there is a
specified maximum speed for winter tires.
(D Tips
Even though your vehicle is equipped with
a speed warning system, you should still
watch the speedometer to make sure you
are not driving faster than the speed limit.
Setting the threshold
You can set, change and delete the threshold
in the MMI.
~ Select : I CARI function button > (Car )* sys­
tems
control button > Driver assist > Speed
warning .
You can set any threshold between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and 150 mph (240 km/h) . Settings
can each be adjusted in incr ements of 6 mph
(10 km/h).
On the road 79
Cruise control
Switching on
Applies to vehicles: with cruise control
The cruise control system make s it possible to
drive at a constant speed starting at 20 mph (30km/h) .
0
f
®t
0
Fig. 86 Contro l lever w ith set butto n
Fig. 87 Display: Se lected speed
~ Pull the lever to position@¢ fig. 86 to
sw itch the system on .
~ Drive at the speed you wish to set.
~ Press button @ to set that speed.
T he stored speed and the indicator light
II (US models) a (Canadian models) ap ­
pear in the instrument cluster display
¢
fig. 87. The disp lay may vary, depending on
the type of display in your vehicle .
This information is also shown briefly in the
Head -up Display*.
T he speed is kept constant via an engine out­
put adjustment or active brake intervent ion.
A WARNING
-
- Always pay attention to traffic even when
the cruise control is switched on. You are
always responsib le for your speed and .,.

M N
0:: <.J 'SI:
Driving with your
quattro
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv­
en .
General information
With all-wheel drive, power is distributed to
all four wheels . This happens automatically
depending on your driving style and the road
conditions at the time . See also ¢
page 187.
A center differential distributes the driving
power variably to the front and rear axle. It
works together with selective wheel torque
control, which activates when driving through
curves ¢
page 188 . With the sport d ifferen­
tial*, power distribution to the rear wheels is
va riable and can be adjusted with drive select
¢page 96.
The all-wheel drive concept is designed for
hi gh engine power. Your vehicle is exception­
ally powerful and has exce llent dr iving charac­
teristics both under normal driving conditions
and on snow and
ice. Always read and follow
safety precautions ¢.& .
Winter tires
When driving in the w inter , your ve hicle with
all-wheel drive has an advantage, even with
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea­
son t ires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels. See also ¢ page 252, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally a lso applies to vehicles
with a ll-wheel drive¢
page 253, Snow
chains.
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles w ith all-wheel drive must always
have tires of the same size. Also avoid tires
with different tread depths. For details see
page ¢
page 245, New tires and replacing
~ tires and wheels . 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
Intelligent technology 193
Off•Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough g round clear­
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle.
It is
therefore best to avoid rough tracks and un ­
even terrain as much as possible. Also refer to
¢page 197.
A WARNING
Always adjust your dr iv ing to road and traf­
fic conditions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
- Although the all-wheel drive is very ef­ fective, always remember that braking
capacity is lim ited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive
speeds on icy or slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to
drive too fast because the front wheels
could begin to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning) . If this should occur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in­
crease in engine speed as with a front­
wheel drive veh icle. Always drive at
speeds which are su ited to the road con­
ditions - risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting
the engine .
If a vehicle with a conventiona l energy system
is not driven for a long period of tim e, the bat­
tery is discharged by idling current consumers
(e.g . immobilizer). In certain circumstances it
can resu lt in there being insufficient energy
available to start the eng ine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle handles the distribution of e lectrica l ene r­
gy. Starting ability is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
ll>
•
•

228 Tires and wheels
-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.
0 Note
-Please note that summer and winter tires are de­
signed for the conditions
that are typical in those sea­
sons. Audi recommends us­
ing winter tires during the
winter months. Low tem­ peratures significantly de­
crease the elasticity of
summer tires, which affects
traction and braking ability. 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.
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.
...

Recommended inflation
pressure
see¢ page 229J Cold tire infla­
tion pressure.
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.
0:: <.J 'SI: ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
Tires and wheels 231
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire be­
tween the tread and bead.
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 248. You may not find
this information on all tires be­ cause it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code,
where applicable, is molded on
the tire sidewall and indicates
the maximum permissible road speeds ¢
A in Winter tires on
page 252.
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.
•
•
'

248 Tires and wheels
"DOT ... 2214 ... " means, for ex-
ample, the tire was produced in
the 22nd week of 2014.
Speed rating (letter code)
The speed rating letter code on
the wheels indicates the maxi-
mum permissible road speeds
c:> .&. in Winter tires on
page 252.
P up to 93 mph (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)
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)1
)
z over 149 mph (240 km/h) l)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)1
)
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)1
)
Your vehicle is normally factory
equipped with tires, which pos-
sess excellent driving character-
istics and give your Audi opti-
mum driving comfort.
l) For tires with a maximum speed ca­
pability over 149 mph (240 km/h) ,
tire manufacturers sometimes use
the letters "ZR."
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN) and tire
manufacture date
This is the tire's "serial num-
ber". It begins with the letters
"DOT" and indicates that the
tire meets all federal stand- ards. The next two numbers or letters indicate the plant where
it was manufactured, and the
last four numbers represent the
week and year of manufacture. For example, the numbers
2214 mean the tire was pro-
duced in the 22nd week of
2014. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or
may not be used by the tire
manufacturer. This information
is used to contact consumers if
a tire defect requires a recall.
Audi Original tire
T ires with the identification
"AO" or "RO" have been special- ly matched with your Audi. We
recommend using only these
tires because they meet the highest standards regarding

M N
0:: <.J 'SI: ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
are used , they must be in­
stalled on all four wheels. Mixing tire types is not per­
mitted.
(D Note
-For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to
use the wheel rims from
other vehicles. This can hold
true for wheels of the same
vehicle type.
- If a replacement tire is dif­
ferent from the tires that
you have mounted on your
vehicle (for example winter
tires or wide profile tires),
then use the replacement
tire for a short period of
time only and drive with ex­
tra care. Replace the flat
tire with the tire matching
the others on your vehicle
as soon as possible.
- Never drive without the
valve stem cap. The valves
could get damaged .
@) For the sake of the environment
Dispose of old tires in accord­
ance with the local require­ ments.
Tires and wheels 251
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wea r
- Traction AA A B C
- Temperature AB C
Quality g rades ca n be foun d where applicab le
on the t ire s ide wall between t read sho ulder
and maximum section width
c> page 245,
fig. 199 .
For example : Tread wear 200, Traction AA,
Temperat ure A.
All passenge r ca r tir es must con form to Feder ­
a l Safety Requ irements in add ition to these
grades.
Tread wear
T he tread we ar g rade is a c omp arati ve r ati ng
based on the wea r rat e of the tire when tes te d
u nder con tro lled conditions o n a specifie d
government test course .
F o r ex ample, a tire gr aded 1S 0 wo uld wear
one a nd one h alf ( 11 /2 ) times as well on the
governmen t course as a ti re g raded 100 .
T he re la tive perfo rman ce of tires depe nds
up on the actu al c ondition s of the ir u se, how ­
ever, and m ay dep art s ignificantly from t he
no rm due to va ria tions i n driving ha bits, se rv ­
ice p ractices and differences in road c haracter­
istics and cl imate.
Traction
T he trac tio n gr ad es, from hig hest to lowes t,
a re AA, A, Ban d
C. Those g rades represe nt the
ti re 's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured u nder cont rolled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of aspha lt
and concrete. A t ire mar ked C may have poor
traction performance
c> ,&. .
Temperature
The temperature gr ades are A (the highest),
B, and C, represent in g the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ab ility to d issi­
pate heat when tested un der controlled condi­
tions on a specif ied indoo r labo rato ry test
whee l.
•
•

252 Tire s and wheel s
Sustained high temperature can cause the
materia l of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure<=>,& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform­
ance which a ll passenger car tires must meet
under the Federa l Motor Veh icle Safety Stand ­
ard No.
109. Grades Band A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the m inimum required by law .
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this t ire is
based on stra ight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
corne ring, hydrop lan ing o r peak traction
character istics .
A WARNING ,.,._____
The temperature grade for this tire is es­
tablished for a tire that is p roperly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
separate ly or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire fa ilure.
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, loca l governments
may require true winter or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread. These t ires should
only be used in pairs and be installed on all
four wheels. Make sure yo u purchase snow
tires that are the same size and const ruct ion
type as t he other tires on your ve hicle.
Your veh icle is equipped wit h all -wheel drive,
this will improve tract ion during w inter driv­
i ng, even with the standa rd tires. Howeve r, we
strongly recommend that you a lways equ ip a ll
four whee ls o n your ve hicle w ith correctly fit­
ted winte r ti res or all -season tires, when win ­
ter road conditions are expected. This a lso im- proves the vehicle's b
raking performance and
reduces stopping distances.
Summe r tires p rovide less gr ip on ice and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on all four wheels .
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop for perm itted
winter tire si zes. Use
o n ly rad ial winter t ires .
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .157 inch
(4 mm).
Only drive w ith w inter t ires under winter con ­
ditions. Summer t ires handle better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °() .
If you have a flat tire, see notes on replace­
ment wheel <=>
page 245.
Please a lways remember that winter tires may
have a lower speed rating than the tires origi ­
nally installed on your vehicle at the time it
was manufactured. Please see<=>
page 248,
Speed rating (letter code)
fo r a listing of the
speed rating lette r codes and the max imum
speed at which the tires can be d riven .
The speed rating letter code (<=>
page 231) is
on the side wall of the t ire
c> page 245.
A WARNING ,.___
W inter t ires have maximum speed lim its
that may be lower than yo ur vehicle's max­
i mum speed. Always know the max imum
speed before dr iv ing off. Never dr ive faster
than the speed permitted for yo ur specific
winter tires . This wi ll ca use damage to the
tires leading to an accident and ser ious
personal injury to you and your passen­
gers.
A WARNING
'----
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your vehicle were designed can cause t ire failure in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation,

M N
0:: <.J 'SI: ,...., \!) ..,.,
,...., ..,., ,....,
loss of control, crashes and serious per­
sonal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediate ly.
- Winter tires have maximum speed rating
that may be lower than your vehicle's
maximum speed.
- Never drive faster than the speed for
which the winter or other tires installed
on your vehicle are rated.
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and
traffic conditions. Never let the good ac­
celeration of the winter tires and all-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
vehicle.
- Drive carefully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even winter tires
cannot help under black ice conditions.
@) For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather condi­
tions permit. They are quieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front
wheels, and only to certain tire sizes. Ask your
authorized Audi dealer on which tire sizes
snow chains can be used.
If you are going to use snow chains, then you
must install them on the front wheels at
least.
The snow chains must have low-profile links
and must not be thicker than 0.4 inch (10,5 mm), including the lock.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putting snow chains on your vehicle
q(D _ For safety reasons cover caps must then
be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are avail­
able from authorized Audi dealers.
Tires and wheels 253
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
structions provided by the snow chain
manufacturer.
- When driving with snow chains never
drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow chains.
- Always observe local regulations.
([) Note
-Remove snow chains before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wearing the snow
chains down unnecessarily.
- Snow chains, which come into direct con­
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or
damage it. Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitably covered. Check
the position of the snow chains after
driving a few yards and correct if neces­
sary. Follow the instructions from the
snow chain manufacturer when doing so.
- If the Adaptive Air Suspension* should
malfunction, do not mount or use snow
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 severely dam­
age the wheelhouse and other parts of
the vehicle.
(D Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer­
tain roads, this normally also applies to
vehicles with all-wheel drive.
•
•