24 0 Tires a nd whee ls
Vehicle ma ximum load on
the tire
means that load on an individu
al tire that is determ ined by
distr ibuting to each axle its
share of the maximum loaded
vehicle weight and div iding by
two.
Vehicle normal load on the
tire
means that load on an in div id u
al t ire that is determ ined by d
istribut ing to each axle its
share of the curb weight, acces
sory weight, and normal occ u
pant weigh t (distributed in ac
cordance with table below
¢ page 240) and dividing by
two .
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for
v arious designated seating capac ities
Designated seating Vehicle normal load, Occupant distribu-
capacity , number of number of occupants tion in a normally
occupants loaded vehicle
5 3 2 in front, 1 in back
seat
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety
of a vehicle.
F ig. 16 8 Tire pressure label: locat ed
on driv er's side 8 -pillar
~----------~"'
MW OWE lSlllHS P'RES5l0H OES f'Nall A, FIIICJD
:"" -ICPA. • PSI
.::. -KPA.. . PSI
°'~ -KPA. -PSI
Fig. 16 9 Tire pressure label
Tires and wheels 241
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 vehicles 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-
' M factured
. • N
0 > co Maintaining proper tire pres-
...... \!)
sure is one of the most impor-1.1'1
M 1.1'1 ......
242 Tires and wheel s
If you wish to improve comfort See the illustration c::;, fig. 168
when operating the vehicle at for the locati on of the labe l 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 vehic le will vary
for normal vehicle load. Before slight ly) .
operat ing the vehicle at maxi -Note that the following table is
mum load , you must increase accurate at the time of going to
the ti re pressu res to those press and is subject to change .
specified for maximum vehicle In the event of discrepancies,
load c::;, &. the tire pressure labe l is locat-
Bear in mind that the tire pres- ed on the driver's side 8-pi llar
sure monitoring system can on -always takes precedence .
ly monitor the tire pressures The table below lists the rec-
you have stored . The system
ommended cold tire inflation
does not recogn ize the load
pressures for the Audi model
condition of your vehic le.
covered by your Owner's Litera-
T he 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 mode ls as
normal load pressures but then original equipment, or as a fac-
operate the vehicle at its maxi- tory option.
...
mum load c::;, & .
246 Tires and wheels
The tire pressure label on your sures. Check all of the tires and
Audi lists the recommended be sure not to forget the spare cold tire inflation pressures at tire. If the pressure in any tire is
maximum capacity for the new, too high when the tire is "cold,"
original equipment tires that let air out of the tire slowly
were on your vehicle at the time with the edge of the tire gauge
it was manufactured. For the and keep checking the pressure
location of the label until you reach the pressure
¢ page 240, fig. 168. that is correct for the load (pas-
Most tires lose air naturally sengers and luggage) and
kind
over time. They can also lose of driving you plan to do.
some air if you drive over a pot- If the pressure in any tire is too
hole or hit a curb while parking. low, note the difference be-
It is usually not possible to see tween the pressure in the cold
whether the radial tires used tire and the pressure you need
today are underinflated just by and add the air that you need to
looking at them. reach the correct pressure for
Therefore, be sure to check tire the vehicle
load (passengers
pressures at least once a month and luggage) for the tires on
and always before going on a your vehicle as listed on the on
long trip. Make sure to take the your vehicle and in this manual
number of people and the and the kind of driving you plan
amount of luggage into ac- to do.
count when adjusting tire pres-
Never exceed the maximum in-
sure for a trip -even one that flation pressure listed on the
you would not consider to be tire sidewall for any reason.
"long." See ¢page 249, Tires Remember that the vehicle
and vehicle load limits for more
manufacturer, not the tire man-
important information. ufacturer, determines the cor-
Always use an accurate tire rect tire pressure for the tires pressure gauge when checking on your vehicle.
..
and adjusting inflation pres-
M N
0 > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1
M 1.1'1 ,....,
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or weight that any vehi
cle and any tire can carry. Ave
hicle that is overloaded will not
handle well and is more diffi
cult to stop. Overloading can
not only lead to loss of vehicle
control, but can also damage
important parts of the vehicle
and can lead to sudden tire fail
ure, including a blowout and
sudden deflation that can cause
the vehicle to crash.
Your safety and that of your
passengers also depends on
making sure that load limits are
not exceeded. Vehicle load in
cludes everybody and every
thing in and on the vehicle.
These load limits are technical
ly referred to as the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the
weight of the basic vehicle, all
factory installed accessories, a
full tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids plus maximum
load. The maximum load in
cludes the number of passen
gers that the vehicle is intend-
Tires and wheels 249
ed to carry ("seating capacity")
with an assumed weight of 1
SO lbs (68 kg) for each pas
senger at a designated seating
position and the total weight of
any luggage in the vehicle. If
you tow a trailer, the weight of
the trailer hitch and the tongue
weight of the loaded trailer must be included as part of the
vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of
the vehicle's two axles.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rat
ing and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating are listed on the safety
compliance sticker label locat
ed on the driver's side 8-pillar.
Your Audi has 5 seating posi
tions, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear for total seating capacity
of 5. Each seating position has
a safety belt¢
page 135, Safe
ty belts.
The fact that there is an upper
limit to your vehicle's Gross Ve
hicle Weight Rating means that
the total weight of whatever is
being carried in the vehicle (in
cluding the weight of a trailer ""
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' •
M N
0 > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1
M 1.1'1 ,....,
KG OR XXX LBS" on your ve
hicle's placard (tire inflation
pressure label)
c:> page 240,
fig. 168.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3 . Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and pas sengers from
"XXX" kilo
grams or
"XXX" pounds
shown on the sticker
c:> page 240 , fig. 168.
4. The resulting figure equals
the available amount of car
go and luggage load capaci
ty. For example, if the "XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs.
and there will be five 150 lbs. passengers in your vehi
cle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load ca
pacity is 650 lbs. (1400-750 (5
X 150) = 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
Tires and wheels 251
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trail
er will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual
to determine how this re
duces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
~check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 254, fig . 172) to de
termine the designated load rating for a specific tire.
' •
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M N
0 > co ,...., \!) ..,.,
M ..,., ,....,
Te chn ic a l da ta 28 7
designated seating position) and luggage
weight ~&. .
Gros s Axle W eight Rating
The G ross Axle Weight Rating is the maximum
l oad that can be applied at each axle of the
vehicle ~.&. .
Vehicle capacit y weight
The vehicle capac ity we ight (max. load) is list
ed either on the dr iver's side B-pillar or inside
the fuel filler flap.
_& WARNING
- T he actual Gross Axle Weight Rat ing at
the front and rear axles shou ld not ex
ceed the permissible weights, and their
combination must not exceed the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating .
Dimensions
The dimensions can vary depend ing on the
model and equipment.
-
When driving on poor roads, by curbs and on
steep ramps, make sure that low-ly ing compo-
A3 Sed an
Length
Width
Width (across mir rors)
He ight (unloaded)a) -
Exceeding perm iss ible weight ratings can
result in vehicle damage, acc idents and
personal injury.
([) Note
-The vehicle capacity weight figures apply
when the load is d istr ibuted evenly in the
vehicle (passengers and luggage). When
transport ing a heavy load in the luggage
compartment, carry the load as near to
the rear axle as poss ible so that the vehi
cle's handling is not impaired.
- Do not exceed the maximum permissible axle loads or the maximum gross veh icle
we ight. Always remember that the vehi
cle's handling w ill be affected by the ex
tra load. Therefore, ad just yo ur speed ac
co rdingly.
- Always observe local regulat ions.
nents such as the spoiler and exhaust system
do not come i nto contact with these or they
could be damaged. This applies espec ially
when the vehicle is fu lly loaded.
in (mm)
175.3 (4456)
in (mm) 70.7 (1796)
in (mm) 77.1 (1960)
in (mm) 55.7 (1416)
al The height of the vehicle depends on the tires and suspension.
53 Sed an
Length in (mm) 175.8 (4469)
Width in (mm) 70
.7 (1796)
Width (across mirrors) in (mm) 77.1 (1960)
Height (unloaded)a) in (mm) 54.8 (1392)
a l The height of the vehicle depends on the tires and suspension.
•
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298 Index
Environment
Break-in period . ....... ... .. .. .... . 197
Cata lytic converter ....... ... .. .... . 198
Diese l partic ulate filter ............. 199
Disposing of your vehicle battery .... . 231
Driving at h igh speeds ......... .. ... 200
Driving to m inim ize pollution and no ise 199
Fue l economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
L ett ing the ve hicle s tand and wa rm up . 200
P roper disposal of dra ined brake flu id . 227
Pr oper disposal of dra ined engine oil .. 224
Un leaded fu el .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 210
What should I do with an old battery? . 231
E PC (eng ine control) .......... .. .... .. 23
ESC Automatic post-collision braking sys-
tem ...... ................... ... . 190
Electron ic stabilization control . . . . . . . 189
Sport mode ...................... 190
Event Data Recorder ( EDR) ... .. .. .. .. . 195
E xterior lighting . .. ..... ... .. .. .... .. 46
E xterio r m irrors
Ad just ing .. .......... ...... ... .. .. 52
D imm ing ... ................ .... ... 53
fo ld in g .. .. .. ... ..... ..... .. .. .. .. 5 2
H ea ting .... .. . .. ..... ... .. .. .... .. 52
F
Fasten ing
Booste r seats . ........ ..... .. .. .. . 179
Convertible chi ld safety seats ..... .. . 17 7
Infant seats . .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 176
Fl oor mats . .. ............. .. .. .. .. . 130
Fog lights/rear fog light(s) ..... .. .. .. . . 46
F olding the exte rior mirrors
Cente r locking . ....... ... .. .. .... .. 40
Folding the rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Foot pedals ................. .. .... . 130
F oo twell ligh ting .......... .. .. .... .. 49
For the sake of the environment
Fueling ...................... ... . 212
L eaks .. .. ... ....... ........ ..... . 218
Rear w indow defogger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2
Front airbags
Descr ipt ion .... ... .... ... ... ... .. . 148
H ow they work ................ ... . 154
Fronta l co llisions and the laws of physics 136 F
ront a rmrest ..... ... .. ..... ... .. .. . 58
Front passenger's door emergency locking 41
Front seats Adjusting . .... .. ............. .... 127
Child restraints in the front seat ...... 146
also refer to Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 64
Fuel Additives .. .... .. ............. .... 210
Blended gasoline .............. .. .. 210
Current consumption ........... .. .. . 28
Fuel filler neck . ................... 212
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 12
Fuel ta nk capacity ... .......... .. .. 288
Gasoli ne .. .. .. .. .. ........... .. .. 210
Gaso lin e ad dit ives ................. 211
Indicator light ... .. ... ..... ... .. .. . 24
Octane rat ing .... ... .. ..... ... .. .. 210
Recommendation ... ... ..... ... .. .. 210
Sav ing fuel .... .. ............. .... 106
F uel economy messages (effic iency p ro -
gram) . ... .. .... .. ... .. .. ..... ... .. . 30
Fueling Fuel fi lle r door emergency re lease .. .. 214
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
F uel ta nk capaci ty ... .......... .. .. 288
Open ing the fue l filler door . ... .. .. .. 212
Fuses Ass ignment ..... ................ . 277
I n te rio r ... .... .. ............. .... 276
replacing .. .... .. ............. .... 276
G
Ga rment hooks .. .. ............. .. .. . 62
Gas discharge lamps ................. 279
G lossary of tire and loading term inology 235
G love compar tment ................ .. 61
CD changer ...................... .. 61
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) ... 286
H
Headlight range control system ... .. .. . 46
Indicator light ... .. ... ..... ... .. .. . 25
Head lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 48
Head lig hts
Cleaning ........................ . 206