132 Driving saf ety
A WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your ve
hicle handles. To help reduce the risk of a
loss of control leading to ser ious personal
injury:
-Always keep in m ind when transporting
heavy objects, that a change in the cen
ter of gravity can also cause changes in
vehicle handling:
- Always distribute the load as evenly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in
the luggage compartment as possible.
- Never exceed the Gross Ax le Weight Rat
ing or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
specified on the safety compliance stick
er on the left door jamb. Exceeding per
missible we ight standards can cause the
vehicle to slide and handle differently.
- Please observe information on safe driv
ing
opoge 125.
A WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas
from be ing drawn into the veh icle, always
keep the rea r lid closed while dr iving.
- Never transport objects larger than those fitting completely into the luggage
area because the rear lid cannot be fully
cl osed.
- If you absolutely must drive w ith the rear
lid open, observe the follow ing notes to
reduce the risk of poisoning:
- Close all w indows,
- Close the power roof *,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument
panel,
- Sw itch off the air recircu lation,
- Set the fresh a ir fan to the highes t
speed.
A WARNING
Always ma ke s ure th at the doors, all win
dows, the power roo f* and the rear lid are
securely closed and locked to reduce the risk of injury when the vehicle is not being
used.
- After closing the rear lid, always make
sure that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your vehicle unattended es
pecially with the rear lid left open. A
child cou ld craw l into the vehicle thro ugh
the luggage compartment and close the rea r lid becoming trapped and unable to
get out. Being t rapped in a vehicle can
lead to serious pe rsonal in jury.
- Never let children play in or around the veh icle.
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compa rtment. Vehicle occupants must
always be prope rly restra ined in one of
the vehicle's seating posit ions.
(D Tips
- Air circulation helps to reduce window
fogging. Stale a ir escapes to the outside
through vents in the t rim panel. Be sure
to keep these slots free and open.
- The tire pressure m ust correspond to the
load. The tire pressure is shown on the
t ire pressure label. The tire pressure la
bel is located on the drive r's side B-pilla r.
The tire pressure label lists the recom
mended co ld tire inflation pressures for
the vehicle at its maxim um capacity
we ight and the tires that we re on your
vehicle at the t ime it was manufactured.
For recommended tire pressures for nor
ma l load cond itions, please see chapter
opoge240.
Tie -downs
The luggage comportment is equipped with
four tie-downs to secure luggage and other
items.
Use the t ie-downs to secure your cargo prop
erly
o page 131, Loading the luggage com
portment .
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the vehi-
cle w ill become heavy missiles t hat can cause .,..
236 Tires 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.
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Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire
at the maximum permissible in
flation pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible)
inflation pressure
means the maximum cold infla
tion pressure to which a tire
may be inflated. Also called
"maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the number of occupants seated in the vehicle up to the
total seating capacity of your
vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occu pants in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of
an inflated new tire.
Tires and wheels 237
Overall width
means the linear distance be
tween the exteriors of the side
walls of an inflated tire, includ ing elevations due to labeling,
decorations, or protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular produc
tion options weighing over 5 lbs. (2 . 3 kg) in excess of those
standard items which they re place, not previously consid
ered in curb weight or accessory
weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special
trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in
which the ply cords that extend
to the beads are laid at sub stantially 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
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238 Tires a nd whee ls
Recommended inflation
pressure
see c:::> page 236, 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 t ire .
Reinforced tires may be identi
fied as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewa ll.
Rim
means a meta l 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 yo u change your
wheel size, you will have to pur
chase new t ires to ma tch the
new rim d iameter .
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance be
tween rim flanges.
Sidewall
means that por tion of a tire be
tween the tread and bead.
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at wh ich a tire
is designed to be driven for ex
tended periods of time . The rat
ings range from 93 mph
( 1 50 km/h) to 186 mph
( 2 98 km/h)
c:::> page 257 . You
may not find th is informat ion
on all tires because it is not re
quired by law.
The speed rating letter code,
where applicable, is molded on
the ti re sidewall and ind icates
the maximum permissible road
speeds
c:::> & in Winter tires on
page 261.
Tire pressure monitoring
system
means a system that detects
when one or more of a vehic le's
tires a re underinflated an d ill u
m inates a low tire press ure
warn ing telltale.
Tread
means that por tion of a tire
that comes into contact with
the road.
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-
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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
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...... \!)
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::;, & .
M N
0 > co ...... \!) 1.1'1
M 1.1'1 ......
-Always make sure that the total load being transported - including the weight of a
trailer hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer - does not make the vehicle heavier than the vehicles
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat
ing.
_& 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.
Tires and wheels 245
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
¢ page 240~ 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 240.
The tires would then be under
inflated and could fail sudden
ly .
...
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