2016 AUDI A3 winter tires

Tires and wheels
Use of snow chains is o nly pe rmitted with certain
rim/t ire combinations due to tec hnical reasons .
Chec k with an autho rize d Aud i dealer or autho r­
i z ed A ud i Service Fac ility to see if yo u may use
snow chains.
Use
fine-mesh snow chains . They must not add
mo re t han 0 .53 inc h (13 .5 mm) in height, i nclud ­
i n g the chain loc k.
You mus t remove the chains when d riving on
roads that are
free of snow . W hen roads a re free
of snow, snow c hains ca n impair handlin g and
damage the t ires, and the chains w ill quickly be
destroyed.
A WARNING
Us ing inco rrect sno w ch ains or insta lling snow
chains in co rrectly can result in loss o f vehicle
c o ntrol, w hich i ncreas es th e risk of an a cci­
de nt.
(D Note
- Snow cha ins can damage t he rims/whee l
covers* if the chains com e into d ir e ct con ­
tact wi th th em. R emov e th e wh eel covers*
fir st. U se coat ed s now chai ns.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Aud i is fa cto ry-equippe d wi th low aspec t ra­
tio tires . These ti res have been tho roughly teste d
an d been se lected specifically for yo ur model for
their superb per fo rmance, road f eel and handling
under a variety of d riving conditions . As k yo ur au ­
thor ized Audi dealer for mo re details .
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is indicated by
a nume ra l of
55 or less in the tire's size designa­
tion . The nume ra l r ep resents the rat io o f th e
tire's sidewall he ight i n relat ion to its tread width
expressed in percentage . Conventional tires have
a height/w idt h ratio o f 60 o r more .
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires is par ­
ticularly sensitive to improper inflation pres­
sure. It is therefore important that low aspect
ratio tires are inflated to the specified pressure
and that the inflation pressure is regularly
c hecked and maintained . Tire pre ssures should
270
be checked at least once a month and always
before a long trip
~ page 263.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ra tio tires can be damaged more eas i­
l y by impact with potho les, curbs, gullies or
r idges on t he road , particularly if t he tire is un ­
der i n flated.
I n order to min imize the occurrence o f impact
dama ge to the tires o f your veh icle, we recom ­
men d that you observe the following preca u­
tions:
- Always main tain recommende d inf la tion pres ­
sures . Check yo ur tir e pressure eve ry 2,000
m iles (3,000 km) and add a ir if necessary .
- Dr ive ca refully on roa ds w ith potholes, deep
gullies o r ridges . The impact from dr iving
throug h or over such obstacles can damage
your t ires. Impact wit h a curb may a lso cause
damage to your tires.
-After a ny impact, immed iate ly inspect you r
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au­
thorized Aud i dealer. Replace a damaged tire as
soon as poss ible .
- Inspect your tires every 2,000 m iles (3,000 km)
for damage and wear . Damage is no t always
easy to s ee . Damage ca n lead to loss o f air and
unde rin flation, w hich co uld even tually cause
t ire f ailure . If yo u beli eve th at a ti re may have
bee n da mage d, re place the tire as soon as p os­
sible.
- These tires may we ar m ore quick ly th an oth ers.
- Please also rem emb er tha t, whil e the se tires
delive r responsive h andli ng, they may ride less
c omf ortabl y and ma ke m ore noi se th an o ther
choi ces .
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
A ll ti res are des igned for cert ain pur poses . T he
l ow aspect r atio , ul tra hig h perform ance tires
o rigina lly installed on your vehicle are inten ded
for maximum dry and wet road performance and
handling . T hey a re not suitable fo r co ld, snowy o r
i cy weather conditions. If yo u drive under th ose
c ircumstances, you should equip yo ur vehicle
with all -season o r winter tires, which offer better
11>-

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

,....,
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

Emergency assistance
-Avoid full-throttle acceleration, heavy brak­
ing, and fast cornering. You risk having an
accident.
- Never dr ive using more than one spare
wheel and tire. You risk having an accident.
- Normal summer or winter tires must not be
mounted on the compact spare wheel rim.
- For technical reasons, the use of tire chains
on the spare tire is not permitted. If it is
necessary to drive with tire chains, the spare
wheel must be mounted on the front axle in
the event of a flat in a rear tire. The newly
available front wheel must then be installed
in place of the rear wheel with the flat tire.
Installing the tire chain before mounting
the wheel and tire is recommended.
- Loose items in the passenger compartment
can cause serious personal injury during
hard braking or in an acciden t. Never store
the inflatable spa re tire or jack and tools in
the passenger compartment.
- Normal summer or winter tires must not be
mounted on the compact spare wheel rim .
Removing the subwoofer (version 1)
Applies to veh icles: w ith subwoofer
The subwoofer must be removed before the
spare wheel" can be removed.
F ig. 222 Spare wheel well : subwoofer
Removing the subwoofer
.,. Lift up the cargo floor~ page 289, fig. 220 .
.,. Press the connector tabs CD cc> fig . 222 togeth­
er .
.,. Remove the connector @and set the discon­
nected cable aside .
.,. Remove the bolt @ .
290
.,. Carefully remove the su bwoofer.
Installing the subwoofer
.,. Carefully p lace the su bwoofer in the rim well .
The word "FRONT " on the subwoofer must face
forward.
.,. Insert the connecto r that was removed.
.,. Secure the subwoofer with the bolt.
.,. Fold the cargo f loor cover back into place.
Removing the subwoofer (version 2)
Applies to vehicles: wit h subwoo fe r
The subwoofer must be removed before the
spare wheel" can be removed.
Fig. 223 Spa re w hee l we ll: s ubwoofe r
Removing the subwoofer
.,. Lift up the cargo floor ¢page 289, fig. 220.
.,. Pull the lock CD~ fig. 223 toward the cable .
.,. Press the locking tab @down .
.,. Remove the connector @ and set the removed
cable aside .
.,. Remove the bolt@ .
.,. Carefully remove the subwoofer.
Installing the subwoofer
.,. Carefully place the subwoofer in the r im well .
The word "FRONT" on the s ubwoofer must face
forward.
.,. Insert the connector that was removed.
.,. Secure the subwoofer with the bolt .
.,. Fold the cargo floor cover back into place .

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Warning/Indicator lights
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
196
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Warning lights
refer to Indicator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Warranty coverages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Washer fluid level (indicator light) . . . . . . . . 25
Wash ing matte finish paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Weights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
What happens if you wear your safety belt too
loose? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
180
What happens to unbelted occupants? . . . . 177
What impairs driving safe ty? . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Wheels ... .. .. .... .... ..... ... ... .. . 253
A ll wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
C leaning . .. .. ............. .. .. .. .. . 275
Glossary of tire and loading terminology . 255
Replacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tires and vehicle load limits . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Wheel wrench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
When must a safety belt be replaced? . . . . 178
When must the airbag system be inspected? l96
Where are lower anchorages located? . . . . 223
Window regu lators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
W indows
Cleaning/remov ing ice ......... .. .... .
276
Windshield
cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
52
defrosting (automatic climate control sys-
tem) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
73
defrosting (manual climate control system) .7.1
also refer to Windshield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Windshield washer system .......... 52, 251
Reservoir capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Windshield wipers
Cleaning wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
53
Folding up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Indicator light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Replacing windshield wiper blades . . . . . . . 53
Replac ing wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Sw itch ing on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Winter driving
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
269
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Index
Winter operation
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
247
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Winter tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Winter use
Car washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 4
defrosting the windshield (automat ic cli-
mate control system) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
73
Removing ice from windows . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Seat heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
X
Xenon-Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Xenon headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 49
323