2016 AUDI A3 wheel

traction under those conditions. We suggest you
use the recommended snow or all-season tires
specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to
q page 269 for more detai led info rma ­
tion regarding winter tires.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tr ead wear
- Traction AA A B C
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wa ll between tread shoulder and
maximum sect ion w idth
q page 253, fig. 202.
For exampl e: T read wear 2 00 , Traction AA , Tem ­
perature
A .
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades.
Trea d we ar
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under contro lled conditions on a specified gov­
ernment test course.
For examp le, a tire graded
150 would wear one
and one ha lf
(11/2) times as well on the govern­
ment course as a tire graded
100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and may d epart significant ly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and d ifferences in road characteris tics and climate.
Tracti on
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B and
C. T hose grades represent the tire's
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured un­
der controlled conditions on specified govern­
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete . A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
q .&. .
,...., Temp eratur e N
0
ii; The temperature grades are A (the h ighest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to diss ipate
Tir es and wheel s
heat when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained h igh temperatu re can cause the mate­
ria l of the t ire to degenerate and reduce ti re life ,
and excessive temperature can lead to s udden
tire failure
q .& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of perfo rm­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un­
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standa rd
No.
109. Grades Band A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minim um requ ired by law.
A WARNING
-
The tract ion grade assigned to this t ire is
based on straight -ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor­ nering, hyd roplaning or pea k traction cha rac­
terist ics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab­
lished for a tire that is properly infl,;1ted and
not overloaded . Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or i n combination, can cause heat bui ldup and
possib le tire fai lure .
A WARNING
-
-Temperature grades apply to tires that are
p roperly inf lated and not over or under inflat­
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring system
(l) General notes
App lies to vehicles: wi th tir e pressure mo nito rin g syste m
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
shou ld be checked monthly when cold and inflat-
ed to the inflat io n pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the veh icle placard or
t ir e inflation pressure label. (If your ve hicle has
t ir es of a different size than the si ze ind icated on .,..
271

Tires and wheels
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la­
bel, you should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell­
tale when one or more of your tires is significant­ ly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure . Driving on a signifi­
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over­
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop­
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's re­
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres­
sure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys­
tem is not operating properly. The TPMS mal­
function indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi­
mately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal­
function exists .
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly .
272
· If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
indicator appears
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system malfunction.
Fig. 206 Instrument cl uster: i ndic ator lig ht with message
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor­
ing system compares the tire tread circumfer­
ence and vibration characteristics of the individu ­
al tires . If the pressure changes in one or more
tires , this is indicated in the instrument cluster
display with an indicator light
Rt] and a message
¢fig. 206. If only one tire is affected, the loca­
tion of that tire will be indicated. The message
turns off after a few minutes. You can display the
message again¢
page 30.
The tire pressures must be stored in the menu
display again each time the pressures change
(switching between partial and full load pres­
sure) or after changing or replacing a tire on your
vehicle
¢ page 273. The tire pressure monitor­
ing system only monitors the tire pressure you
have stored . You can find the recommended tire
pressures for your vehicle on the label on the
driver's door pillar¢
page 263.
Tire tread circumference and vibration character­
istics can change and cause a tire pressure warn­
ing if:
- If the tire pressure in one or more tires is too
low,
- the tire has structural damage,
- The tire was replaced or the tire pressure
changed and it was not stored again
¢page 273.
-the spare tire is installed.

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Indicator lights
IE-Loss of pressure in at least one tire c::> ,&.
Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires. Then
store the tire pressures in the MMI
c::> page 2 73 .
mm (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
pressure: System malfunction!.
If m appears
after switching the ignition on or whi le driving
and the
IE indicator light in the instrument clus­
ter blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures
c::> page 2 73. If
the indicator light does not turn off or turns on
again after a short period of time, drive to an au­
thor ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility immediately to have the malfunction cor­
rected.
A WARNING
- If the tire pressure warning light IE in the
instrument cluster turns on, the pressure in
one or more tires is too low . Reduce the ve­
hicle speed immediately and avoid any hard
steering or braking maneuvers. Stop as soon
as possible, check the tire and inflate the
t ir e to the correct pressure, which is speci­
fied on the tire pressure label on the veh icle
c::> page 263. Driving with a ti re with low
pressure causes the tire to overheat and can
result in failure of the tire. Low pressure can
also have a negative effect on the driving
and braking behavior of the vehicle .
- Th e driver is responsible for maintaining the
correct tire pressures. You must check the
tire pressures regularly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
driv ing style, winter conditions or unpaved
roads), the pressure monitor indicator may
be delayed.
- Do not use run-flat tires on your vehicle . Us­
ing them when not permitted can lead to
vehicle damage or accidents.
(D Tips
- The tire pressure monitoring system can al ­
so stop working when there is an ESC mal­
function.
Tires and wheels
-Using snow chains may result in a system
ma lfunction.
- The tires with the identification "AO" or
"RO"
c::> page 260 have been matched with
your Audi tire pressure monitoring system .
We recommend that you use these tires.
- The tire pressure monitoring system can on­
ly monitor the tire pressure of the driving
tires. Check the tire pressure of the spare
wheel in the luggage compartment so that if necessary it is ready for use.
Storing tire pressures
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure mon itor ing system
A change in tire pressure or a change in tires
must be stored in the system.
The tire pressure is stored in the MMI.
.,. Make sure befo re storing that the tire pressures
of all four tires meet the specified va lues and
are adapted to the load. Otherwise the system
could malfunction
c::> page 263.
.. Switch on the ign ition.
.,.. Select: the I MENU I button> Car> Systems "
control button > Service & control > Tire pres­
sure monitor > Store tire pressure > Yes, store
now .
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
a re installed . Otherwise the system could
malfunction.
273

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., & WARNING
-Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci­
dents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash­
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
-After washing the vehicle, the brak ing effect
may be delayed due to mo isture on the
brake rotors or ice in the w inter . The brakes
must be dried first w ith a few careful brake
applica tions .
{[) Note
-If you wash t he vehicle in an automatic car
wash, yo u m ust fold the e xterior m irrors i n
to reduce the risk of damage to the mi rrors.
Power folding exte rior m irrors* must o nly
b e fo lded in a nd out usin g the power folding
f u nct io n.
-
Ca re and cleaning
- To prevent pa int damage, do not wash the
vehicle in direct s un light .
- To re duce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitche n
sponges o r similar items .
- Matte finish painted veh icle components:
- To reduce the r isk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use po lish ing agents or hard
wax.
- Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with matte
finish paint . The paint cou ld be damaged
when the stickers or magne ts are re ­
moved.
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash t he veh icle in facili ties s pec ially de­
s igned for that pu rpose . This will reduce the
r isk of dirty wate r contamina ted with o il from
ente ring the sewe r sys tem.
Cleaning and care information
W hen clea ning and ca ring for individua l vehicle
comp onents, refer to the following t ables. The
inf ormat ion cont ained there is s imp ly recom ­
mendations. For q uest ions or for components t
h at are not l isted, cons ult an autho riz ed Aud i
de aler or author ized A udi Se rvice Fa cility. Also
f o llow the information fo und in ~ .&. .
Ext erior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper
D eposits ~ page 53, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
blades
Headlights /
Deposits So
ft spo nge with a m ild soap solutiona)
Tail lights
Sensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth w ith solvent-free cleaning solution
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth w ith alcohol-free cleaning solu-
tion
Snow/ice Hand br
ush/solven t-free de -icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special clean
ing so lution
Exhaust tail p ipes Road salt Water, clea ning so lu tion su itab le for s tainless stee l, if nee-
essary
Decorati ve parts / Deposits Mild soap so lution a>, a cleaning solution su itable for stain-
Trim less stee l, if necessary
275
...

.... N
0 > CX)
.... I.Cl U"I
.... I.Cl ....
both tabs on the side panels ¢ fig. 209 (top im ­
age).
.. A3 Sedan: clip the plastic hook@ into the lug ­
gage compartment seal¢
fig. 209 (bottom im­
age) .
Side panel
.. Open the twist lock and remove the cover @* I
@ ¢fig. 208 .
.&_ WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack can cause se­
rious personal injuries.
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
tighten wheel bolts, since the bolts cannot
atta in the necessary tightening torque if you
use the hex head, potentially caus ing an ac­
c ident.
- The factory-supplied jack is intended only
for your vehicle model. Under no circum­
stances should it be used to
lift heavy
vehicles o r other loads; you r is k inju ring
yo urself.
- Never start the engine when the vehicle is
ra ised, whi ch could cause an accide nt.
- Support the veh icle secure ly with app ropr i­
ate stands if wor k is to be perfo rmed under­
neath t he vehicle; otherwise, the re is a po­
tent ial risk for in jury.
- Never use the jack s upplied with your Audi
on another vehicle, par tic ularly on a heav ier
one. The jack is only suitab le for use on the
vehicle it came with .
(D Tips
The vehicle jack* in your vehicle is mainte­
na nee-free.
Tire mobility kit
Preparation
A ppl ies to vehicles: W ith t ire re pair set
.. Read and fo llow th e import ant saf ety pr ecau­
tion s¢
page 280, General information .
.. Check if a repair w ith the t ire mobility k it is pos­
s ible
¢ page 281.
Emergen cy a ssis tanc e
Using the tire mobility kit
App lies to vehic les : With tire r epair set
F ig. 210 T ire: t ire damage t hat cannot be repaired
The tire repair is only meant for temporary use.
Change the spare tire as soon as possible <=>,&. .
If the t ire is p ierced by an object such as a nail,
do not remove the object from the tire.
The tire repair set is ab le to be used at tempera­
tures as low as - 4 °F (- 20 °C).
The t ire mobility kit may not be us ed:
- if the ti re has cuts or punctures that are larger
than
0 .1 6 in (4 mm)@ ¢ fig. 210.
-if the rim is damaged @.
- if you drove with very low t ire pressure or with-
out air in the tire @.
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance in these situations .
.&_ WARNING
>=
-Please note that the tire mobility kit cannot
be used in all situations, and that it may on­
ly be used temporarily.
- The tire sealant must not come in contact
wit h skin, eyes, o r clothes.
- If ti re sealant gets in you r eyes or on yo ur
skin, tho ro ughly rinse the affected area im­
mediately wi th clea n wate r.
- Do not inha le the fumes.
- If you swallow any of the tire sealant, thor-
ough ly rinse your mouth immediately and
drink a lot of water . Do not ind uce vomiting.
Seek med ica l attent io n immed iate ly .
- Change yo ur clothes immediately if they get
tire seala nt on them.
~
281

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Completing
Appl ies to vehicles: W ith t ire repa ir set
.,. Adhe re the sticke r that says "max. SO mph
(max. 80 km/h)" that is p rovided w ith the t ire
mobility k it within the driver's fie ld of vision .
.,. Stop the vehicle after driving for about 10 mi ­
nutes and check the tire pressure .
.,. lfthe tire pressure is lower than 19 psi (130
kPA), then the tire is too severely damaged. Do
not cont inue driving. See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facil ity for as­
s istance .
.,. If the t ire pressure is at least 19 psi (130 kPA),
adjus t the tire pressu re to the spec ified value
~ page 263, Tire pressure . Store the tire pres ­
sures
~page 273, Storing tire pressures . Drive
to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Serv ice Facility to have the tire re­
placed.
A WARNING
If the tire pressure is less than 19 psi
(130 kPA) after 10 minutes of d riving, then
the tire is too severely damaged. Do not con­
tinue dr iv ing . See an authorized Audi dealer
or autho rized Audi Service Fac ility for assis­
t ance.
A WARNING
Pay a ttent ion to the following after repair ing
the tire:
- Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h).
- Avoid hard acceleration, brak ing sharp ly,
and fast corner ing.
- The veh icle may become mo re difficu lt to
co ntro l.
-If the t ire is too severely damaged, see an
authorized Audi dealer o r autho rized Aud i
Service Facility for assistance .
@ For the sake of the environment
You can give the used t ire sealant bottle to an
author ized Audi dealer or authorized A udi
Serv ice Facility fo r disposal.
Em ergenc y ass is tanc e
{!) Tips
Remember to obtain a new bott le of sealant
from an authorized A udi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Fac ility after repairing a tire.
Replacing wheels
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own
and your passenger's safety when changing a wheel.
.,. After you experience a t ire failure, pull the car
well away from moving traffic and try to reach
le vel grou nd before you stop~,& .
.,. All passengers should
leave the car and move
t o a safe location (for ins tance, behind the
gua rdrail) ~,& .
.,. Engage the
pa rking brake to prevent your vehi ­
cle from rolling unintentionally ~ .,& .
.,. Move
sele ctor le ver to po sition P ~ .,& .
.,. If you are tow ing a trai ler, unhitch the trailer
from yo ur vehicle .
.,. Take the jack Q page 280 and the spare tire
~ page 289 out of the luggage compartment.
A WARNING
You o r you r passengers could be injured while
changing a whee l if yo u do not follow these
safety precaut ions :
- If you have a fla t tire, move a safe dis tance
off the road. Turn off the eng ine, turn the
emergency f lashers on and use other warn ­
ing devices to alert other motorists.
- Make sure that passenge rs wai t in a safe
p lace away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and t raffic.
- To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possib ly slipping off the jack,
always fu lly set the park ing brake and block
the wheel d iagonally opposite the wheel be­
ing changed . When one front whee l is lifted
off the ground, placing the Automatic
Transmission i n P (Park) w ill
not prevent the
veh icle from moving.
~
283

Emergency assistance
-Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm. If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack.
- Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack
and the replaced tire in the luggage com­
partment
c:> page 172.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly that
order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For
more details see also
c:> page 284, Decora­
tive wheel covers
or c:> page 285, Wheels
with wheel bolt caps.
2 . Loosen the wheel bolts c:> page 285 .
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack and align the jack below that point
c:> page 286 .
4. Raise the car with the jack c:> page 286 .
5. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then
install
the spare c:>page 287.
6. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
7 .
Lower the vehicle with the jack.
8. Use the wheel bolt wrench and firmly tighten
all wheel bolts
c:> page 285.
9. Replace the decorative wheel cover* .
_&. WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in­
forma tion
c:> .& in Raising the vehicle on
page 286
and c:> page 288.
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the do­
ing the following .
.,. Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack* and
the replaced tir e in the luggage compartment
c:> page 172 .
.,. Check the tire pressure on the spare wheel im­
mediate ly after mounting it .
.,. As soon as possible, have the
tightening tor­
ques
on all wheel bolts checked with a torque
wrench. The correct tightening torque is 90 ft
lb
(120 Nm).
284
.,. Have the flat tire replaced as soon as possible .
@ Tips
- If
you notice that the wheel bolts are cor­
roded and difficult to turn while changing a
tire, they shou ld be replaced before you
check the tightening torque .
- Drive at reduced speed until you have the
tightening torques checked.
- After chang ing a wheel, the tire pressure in
all four tires must be checked/corrected and
the tire pressure monitoring indicator m ust
be stored in the MMI
c:>page 273.
Decorative wheel covers
Applies to vehicles: wit h decorative wheel covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed
first to access the wheel bolts .
Fig. 213 Chang ing a w heel : Remov ing t he wheel cover
Removing
.,. Insert the hook (provided with the vehicle tool
kit) in the hole in the wheel hub cover.
.,. Pull off the
decorative wheel cover c:> fig. 213 .

Wheels with wheel bolt caps
Applies to vehicles: with whee l bo lts w ith caps
The cops must be removed first from the wheel
bolts before the bolts con be unscrewed.
Fig. 214 C hanging a wheel: remov ing the wheel bolt caps
Remo ving
.. Push the pla sti c cli p (provided with the vehicle
tool kit) over the wheel bolt cap unt il the inner
retainers on the clip align with the edge of the
cover.
.. Remove the cap with the
pla s tic cli p (vehicle
tool kit)
q fig . 214.
Refitting
.. Place the caps over the wheel bo lts and push
them back on.
The caps are to protect and keep the whee l bolts
clean.
Loosening and tightening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising
the vehicle.
;::: Fig. 2 15 Changing a wheel: loosen ing t he w heel bolts
0 > CX)
rl I.Cl U"I
rl I.Cl rl
Em ergen cy a ssis tanc e
Loosen ing
.. Slide t he whe el wren ch onto the wheel bolt as
fa r as it will go.
.. Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench hand le
and tur n the wheel bolts
counter -clockwise
about one single turn in the direction of arrow
qfig. 215.
Tightening
.. Slide the wheel wrench onto the wheel bolt as
far as it will go .
.. Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench hand le
and turn each wheel bolt
clo ckwi se until it is
seated.
A WARNING
-- Do not use force or hurry when chang ing a
wheel -you can cause the vehicle to slip off
the jack and cause ser ious persona l inju ries .
-Do not loosen the wheel bolts more than
one turn
befo re you raise the veh icle with
the jack. -You r isk an injury.
(0 Tips
- Never use the hexagonal socket in the han­
dle of the screwdr iver to loosen or tighten
the whee l bolts.
- If a wheel bolt is very tight, you may find it
easier to loosen by ca refully pushing down
on the e nd of the whee l bolt w rench with
one foot only. As you do so, hold on to the
car to keep yo ur balance and take care not
to slip.
285