2016 AUDI A3 tires

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolt s
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/t ighten
eas ily.
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
covers* consist of multiple pieces . These compo­
nents were bolted together using special bolts
and a special procedure . You must not repair or
d isassemble them¢.&, .
A WARNING -
Wheel bolts that are t ightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control, which increases the risk of
an accident. For the correct tightening specif i­
cation, refer to¢
page 284, After changing a
wheel.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the whee l hub clean and free of
grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim.
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility. Never repair or d isassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident.
Winter tires
W inter tires significantly improve the veh icle's
handling when driving in winter condit ions . Be­
cause of the ir construction (width, compound,
tread pattern), summe r tires provide less trac­
tion o n ice and snow.
"' Use winter t ires on all fo ur wheels.
"' Only use winter t ires that are approved for your
vehicle.
"' Please note tha t the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires ¢
_&.. An
authorized Audi dealer o r authorized Audi Serv­
ice Facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires.
"' Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
¢page 263.
Tires and wheel s
The effectiveness of winte r tires is reduced great ­
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0.15 7 inch (4 mm). The characteristics of winter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages, re­ gardless of the rema in ing tread.
A WARNING
=
- Never drive faster than the max imum per­
mitted speed for your tires. This could cause
the t ires to heat up too much. This increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the t ire to burst.
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic cond itions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
winter t ires can lose tract ion on black ice.
@) For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the app ropr iate
time, beca use they prov ide bette r handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fue l
consumpt ion .
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
winter tires . Please note that in some coun ­
tries where winter tires are required, on ly
winter tires w ith the .& symbo l may be per­
mitted.
Snow chains
Snow chains improve traction in the snow .
"'On ly install snow cha ins on the front wheels.
This applies a lso to vehicles with a ll w heel
drive* .
-
"'Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains if necessary after driving a few feet. Fol­
low the instructions from the manufacturer.
"' Note the maximum permitted speed when dr iv­
ing with snow chains. Do not exceed 30 mph (50 km/h) .
Snow cha ins not o nly improve the
driving in win-
ter road condit ions, but also the
braking. Iii>
269

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

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

Emergency assistance
-If an allergic reaction occurs, seek immedi­
ate medical attention .
- Keep the tire sealant away from children .
- In vehicles with a tire pressure monitoring
system*, using tire sealant can results in an
incorrect display or a system malfunct ion.
Drive carefully to the nearest author ized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty.
@ Tips
- If sealant leaks, allow it to dry in place. You
can then pee l it off like a sticker.
- Note the expiration date on the sealant bot­
tle . Replace the tire sealant at an author­
i zed Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
- Radio reception can be interrupted when operating the compressor*.
- Obey all laws.
Repairing tires
App lies to veh icles: W it h tir e re p air set
F ig . 211 Compo nents of the tire mobili ty k it
F ig. 212 Tire mob ilit y kit co nn ectio n
Requirement: the tire mobility kit must be laid
out and ready for use
9 page 280, Vehicle tool
kit.
282
Plug-in hybrid drive*: the placement of the vehi­
cle tool kit varies
9 page 107.
Installing the tire mobility kit
.,. Open the cover @on the compressor
<=)fig. 211 .
.,. Remove the connector@and press ure hose ®
with press ure gauge from the housing .
.,. Insta ll the compressor pressure hose ® onto
the flange ® of tire sealant bottle ©-
.,. Insert the sealant bottle with the flange at the
bottom into the opening ® on the compressor
cover .
.,. Remove the valve cap from the faulty tire.
.,. Insta ll the filler hose@onto the valve (!)
<=)fig. 212 .
.,. Connect the plug @~ fig. 211 to a socket in
the vehicle.
.,. Switch on the ignition.
Inflating a tire
.,. Move the switch@ 9 fig. 212 on the compres­
sor into position
I.
.,. Inflate the tire to between 29 psi (200 kPA)
and 36 psi (250 kPA) and read the pressure on
the gauge .
.,. If this tire pressure is not reached, drive your
veh icle approximately 33
ft (10 meters) for­
ward or backward so that the sealant can be re­
distr ibuted inside the tire.
_& WARNING
-Read and follow the manufacturer's safety
precaut ions on the compressor and in the
instructions on the bottle of sealant.
- If a tire pressure of 29 psi (200 kPA) cannot
reached after inflating for 6 minutes, then
the tire is too severely damaged. Do not
continue driving.
- If the tire cannot be repaired with the tire
sealant, see an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
(D Tips
Do not operate the compressor for more than
6 minutes continuously, or it can over heat.
Once the compressor has cooled, you can con­
tinue to use it.

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 .

Emergency assistance
- W hen mounting tires w ith unidirectional
tread design
make s ure the t read pattern is
po inted the r ight way ¢
page 288 .
-The wheel bolts should be clean and easy to
turn . C heck for di rt and cor ros ion on t he
mating surfaces o f both the wheel and the
h ub. Remove all dirt from these surfaces be­
fo re remo unting the wheel.
Tires with unidirectional tread design
Tires with unidirectional tread design must be
mounted with their tread pattern pointed in the
right direction.
Using a spare tire with a tread pattern
intended for use in a specific direction
When us ing a spare tire with a tread pattern in­
tended for use in a spec ific d irection, p lease note
the following:
- The direct ion o f rotat ion is marked by an a rrow
o n the side of the tire.
- If the spare tire has to be installed in the incor­
rect d irection, use the spare tire only tempora­
rily s ince the tire w ill not be ab le to achieve its
o ptimum performance charac ter istics wi th re­
gar d to a quaplaning, noise and wea r.
- We recommend t hat you pay particular atten­
tion to this fac t during wet weathe r and t hat
yo u ad just yo ur speed to match road condi­
tio ns.
- Replace the f lat t ire with a new one and have i t
i ns ta lled on yo ur ve hicl e as soon as possibl e to
r esto re th e han dling adv antages of a unidi re c­
tio nal ti re.
Notes on wheel changing
Plea se read the info rmation ¢ page 2 60 if you
are go ing to use a spare tire which is different
from the tires on your vehicle.
Af te r yo u change a tir e:
- Check the tire pressure on the spare immedi­
ately after installation.
- Have the wheel bolt tightening torque
checked with a torque wrench as soon as pos -
288
sible by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified service station.
- With steel and alloy wheel rims, the wheel
bolts are correctly tightened at a torque of
90 ft lb (120 Nm ).
- If you notice that the wheel bolts are corroded
and difficult to turn while changing a tire,
they should be replaced before you check the
t ightening torque.
- Replace the flat tire with a new one and have
it installed on your vehicle as soon as possi ­
ble. Remount the wheel cover .
Until then , drive with extra care and at reduced
speeds.
& WARNING
- If you are going to equip yo ur vehicle with
tires or r ims which diffe r from those which
were facto ry insta lled, then be sure to read
t he informa tion ¢
page 260.
-Always make sure the damaged wheel or
eve n a flat tire and the jack and tool kit are
pro per ly secur ed in the l uggage compart­
men t and a re not loose in the passeng er
co mpart me nt.
- In an accident or sudde n maneuver they
co uld fly forw ard, injuri ng anyo ne in the v e­
hicle .
- Always s to re damaged wh eel, jack and tools
s ecure ly i n t he luggage co m pa rt m ent. Oth­
erwi se, in an a ccid ent or sudde n m aneu ve r
t hey cou ld fly forw ard , cau sing injury to pa s­
s engers in the veh icle.
-