2016 AUDI A7 tires

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~ 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 driv­
ing with snow chains. Do not exceed 30 mph
(SO km/h) .
Snow chains not only improve the driving in win­
ter road conditions, but also the braking.
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons.
Check with an authorized Audi dealer or author­
i z ed repair facility to see if you may use snow
chains .
You must remove the chains when driving on roads that are free of snow. When roads are free
of snow, snow chains can impair handling and
damage the tires, and the chains will quickly be
destroyed.
A WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
chains incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle
control, which increases the risk of an acci­
dent.
- Snow chains can damage the rims/wheel
covers* if the chains come into direct con­
tact with them. Remove the wheel covers*
first. Use coated snow chains.
- Using snow chains that add more than 0 .4
inch (10.5 mm) of height can severely dam­
age the wheel housings and other vehicle
components.
- Do not install and use snow chains if there is
a malfunction in the adaptive air suspen­
sion*, because the vehicle height will be
very low. If you drive with snow chains any­
way, the wheel housings and other vehicle
components can be severely damaged.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect ra­
tio tires . These tires have been thoroughly tested
and been selected specifically for your model for
Wheels
their superb performance, road feel and handling
under a variety of driving conditions. Ask your au­
thorized Audi dealer for more details.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated by
a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's size designa­
tion. The numeral represents the ratio of the
tire's sidewall height in relation to its tread width
expressed in percentage. Conventional tires have
a heigh t/width ratio of 60 or 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
checked and maintained. Tire pressures should be checked at least once a month and always
before a long trip
~ page 2 43.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easi­
ly by impact with potholes, curbs , gullies or
ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is un­
deri nflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence of impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation pres­
sures. Check your tire pressure every 2,000
miles (3 ,000 km) and add air if necessary.
- Drive carefully on roads with potholes , deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause
damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au­
thorized Audi dealer. Replace a damaged tire as
soon as possible.
- Inspect your tires every 2,000 miles (3,000 km)
for damage and wear. Damage is not always
easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of air and
underinflation, which could eventu ally cause
tire failure . If you believe that a tire may have
been damaged, replace the tire as soon as pos -
sible . .,.
249

Wheels
-These tires may wear more quickly than others .
- Please also remember that, wh ile these ti res
deliver responsive handling, they may ride less
comfortably and make more noise than other
choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes. The
low aspect ratio, ultra high performance tires
originally installed on your vehicle are intended
for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling. They are not suitable for cold, snowy or
icy weather conditions. If you drive under those
circumstances, you should equip your vehicle
with all-season or winter tires, which offer better
traction under those conditions. We suggest you
use the recommended snow or all-season tires
specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to ¢
page 248 for more detailed i nforma·
tion regarding winter tires .
Uniform tire quality grading
-Tread wear
- Traction AA A BC
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and maximum section width¢
page 233, fig. 195 .
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA, Tern·
perature
A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov·
ernment test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one half (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 depart significantly from the norm due to
250
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, Band
C. Those 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
¢ _& .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire 's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the mate·
rial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure ¢& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform·
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un·
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
A WARNING
-
The traction grade assigned to th is tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor·
nering, hydroplaning or peak traction charac­
teristics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab­
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla·
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
-
possible tire failure. ..,_

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_& WARNING
Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and not over or underinflat­
ed .
Tire pressure monitoring
system
CD General notes
Each tire, includ ing the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and inflat­
ed to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your veh icle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la­
be l, you shou ld determine the proper tire infla­
tion 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 poss ible, 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 t ire 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
sponsib ility to ma inta in correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illuminat ion of the TPMS low t ire pres­
sure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equ ipped 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 cont inue upon
Wheels
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
i nsta llation 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 t ires or wheels on your veh icle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate t ires and
whee ls allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
indicator appears
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system mo/function .
Fig. 199 Instrument cluster: indicator light with message
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor­
ing system compares the tire tread circumference
and vibration characteristics of the individual
tires . If the pressure changes in one or more
t ir es, this is indicated in the instrument cluster
display with an indicator light
HE and a message.
If only one tire is affected, the location of that
tire will be indicated.
T he tire pressures must be stored in the Infotain­
ment system again each time the pressures
change (switching between partial and full load
pressure) or after changing or rep lacing a tire on
your vehicle
¢ page 252. The ti re pressure moni­
toring system only monitors the tire pressure you have stored. Refer to the tire pressure label for ..,.
251

Wheels
the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle
¢ page 243, fig. 198.
Tire tread ci rcumfe rence and v ibration character­
istics can change and cause a tire pressure warn­
ing if:
- the tire pressure in one or more t ires is too low .
- the tire has structural damage .
- the tire was replaced or the tire pressure was
changed and it was not stored
¢ page 252.
-the spare tire* is installed .
Indicator lights
IE Loss of pressure in at least one tire¢.&. .
Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys­
tem
¢page 252 .
mm (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire pres­
sure: System malfunction!. Ifffim
appears after
switching the ignition on or while driving and the
IE indicator light in the instrument cluster
blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction . Try to
store the correct tire pressures¢ page 252. If
the indicator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time, drive to your author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty immediately to have the malfunction correct­
ed .
A WARNING
- If the tire pressure indicator appears in the
display, reduce your speed immediately and
avoid any hard steering or braking maneu­
vers . Stop as soon as possible and check the
t ir es and their pressure .
- The driver is responsible for maintaining the correct tire pressure. You must check the
tire pressure regularly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
dr iving style, winter cond itions or unpaved
roads), the tire pressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed.
- Do not use run-flat tires on your veh icle. Us­
ing them when not permitted can lead to
vehicle damage or accidents.
252
(D Tips
-The tire pressure monitoring system can al­
so stop working when there is an ESC mal­
function.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The tires with the identification "AO" or
"RO" ¢
page 240 have been matched with
your Audi tire pressure monitoring system.
We recommend that you use these tires.
Storing tire pressures
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys­ tem.
... Make sure before storing that the tire pressures
of all four tires meet the specified values and
are adapted to the load¢
page 243 .
... Switch the ignition on .
... Select: the
I CARI function button > (Car)* Sys­
tems
control button > Servicing & checks > Tire
pressure monitoring
> Store tire pressures >
Yes, store now.
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
are instal led.

Emergency assistance
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 tire in the luggage compartment
¢page 132.
• Check the tire pressure on the spare wheel im­
med iately after mounting it.
• As soon as possible, have the
tightening tor­
ques
on all wheel bolts checked with a torq ue
wrench . The correct tightening torque is 90 ft
lb (120 Nm).
• 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 should be replaced before you
check the tightening torque.
- Drive at reduced speed until you have the
tightening torques checked .
- After changing a wheel, the tire pressure in
all four tires must be checked/corrected and
the tire pressure mon itor ing indicator must
be stored in the MMI
¢ page 252.
Decorative wheel covers
App lies to veh icles: w ith decorative wheel covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed
first to access the wheel bolts .
Fig. 203 Changing a wheel : Removing the 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¢ fig. 203.
256
Wheels with wheel bolt caps
Applies to vehicles: wi th whee l bo lts with caps
The caps must be removed first from the wheel
bolts before the bolts can be unscrewed .
Fig. 204 Changing a wheel: removing th e wheel bolt caps
Removing
• Push the plastic clip (provided with the vehicle
tool kit) over the whee l bolt cap until the inner
retainers on the clip align with the edge of the
cover .
• Remove the cap with the
plastic clip (vehicle
tool k it)
~ fig . 204 .
Refitting
• Place the caps over the wheel bolts and push
them back on.
The caps are to protect and keep the wheel bolts
clean.
Loosening and tightening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising
the vehicle.
Fig. 205 Changing a wheel: loosen ing the whee l bo lts

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Taking the wheel off/installing the spare
Follow these instructions step-by-step for chang­
ing the wheel.
Fig. 209 Changing a wheel: using the screwdriver handle
(wi th the blade removed) to turn the bolts
Fig. 210 Changing a wheel: alignment pin inside the top
hole
After you have loosened a ll wheel bolts and
raised the vehicle off the ground, remove and re­
p lace the whee l as fo llows:
Removing the wheel
.. Use the hexagonal so cket in the screwdriver
handle
to completely remove the topmost
whee l bolt and set it aside on a
clean surface
¢fig. 209.
.. Screw the threaded end of the alignment pin
from the tool kit hand-tight into the empty bolt
hole
¢fig. 210.
.. The n remove the other wheel bo lts as descr ibed
above .
.. Take off the wheel leav ing the alignment pin in
the bo lt hole
¢0.
Putting on the spare wheel
.. Lift the spare wheel and carefully slide it over
the alignment pin to guide it in place
¢0 .
Emergen cy assistance
.. Use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver
handle to screw in and tighten all whee l bolts
slightly.
.. Remove the alignment pin and insert and tight­
en the remaining wheel bolt slightly like the
rest .
.. Turn the jack handle counter-clockwise to lower
the vehicle until the jack is fully re leased .
.. Use the wheel bolt wrench to tighten all wheel
bolts firmly
c;, page 256. Tighten them cross­
wise,
from one bolt to the (approximate ly) op­
posite one, to keep the whee l centered.
(D Note
When removing or installing the wheel, the
rim could hit the brake roto r and damage the
rotor. Work carefully and have a second per­
son help you .
@ Tips
Never use the hexagonal socket in the handle
of the screwdriver to loosen or tighten the
whee l bolts.
- Pull the reversible blade from the screwdriv ­
er before you use the hexagonal socket in
the handle to turn the whee l bolts.
- When mount ing tires w ith
unidirectional
tread design
make sure the tread pattern is
pointed the right way
c;, page 259.
-The wheel bolts should be clean and easy to
turn. Check for dirt and corrosion on the
mating surfaces of both the wheel and the
hub. Remove all dirt from these surfaces be­
fore remounting 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 using a spare tir e with a tread pattern in­
tended for use in a specific direction, please note
the following:
- The direction of rotation is marked by an arrow
on the side of the tire . .,.
259

Emergency assistance
-If the spare tire has to be installed in the incor­
rect direction, use the spare tire only tempora­
rily s ince the tire will not be able to achieve its
optimum performance characteristics with re­ gard to aquaplaning, noise and wear.
- We recommend that you pay particular atten­
tion to this fact during wet weather and that
you adjust your speed to match road condi­
tions.
- Replace the flat tire with a new one and have it
installed on your vehicle as soon as possible to
restore the handling advantages of a unid irec­
tiona l tire .
Notes on wheel changing
Please read the information r=:> page 240, New
tires or wheels
if you are going to use a spa re tire
which is diffe rent from the tires on your vehicle.
After you change a tire:
-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
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
tightening 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 .
.8, WARNING
-If you are going to equip your vehicle with
tires or rims which differ from those which
were factory installed, then be sure to read
the information
r=;, page 240, New tires or
wheels .
260
-
-Always make sure the damaged wheel or
even a flat tire and the jack and tool kit are
properly secured in the luggage compart­
ment and are not loose in the passenger
compartment.
- In an accident or sudden maneuver they
could fly forward, injuring anyone in the ve­
hicle.
- Always store damaged wheel, jack and tools
securely in the luggage compartment. Oth­
erwise, in an accident or sudden maneuver
they could fly forward, causing injury to pas­
sengers in the vehicle.

Emergency situations
pulled out when towing the vehicle and that
could cause an accident.
Rear towing loop
Only install the rear towing loop when it is need­
ed.
0 0
Fig. 219 Rear bumper: c over
0 0
Fig. 220 Rear bump er: sc rew ing in towing loop
There are threads located behind the right side of
the rear bumper where a towing loop can be in­
stalled. The threads are located behind a cover.
" Remove the towing loop from the vehicle tool
kit .
.. Press inward strongly to the button side of the
cap to remove it from the bumper
r=;,fig. 219 .
"Screw the towing loop tightly in the threaded
hole as far as it will go and tighten it with the
wheel wrench
r=;, fig. 220.
Remove the towing loop when you are done using
it and place it back in the vehicle tool kit . Always
keep the towing loop in the vehicle.
&_ WARNING
If you do not screw the towing loop complete­
ly, it could come out of the threaded hole
while the vehicle is being towed causing dam·
268
age to the vehicle and possible serious per­
sonal injury .
Loading the vehicle onto a flat bed truck
Fig. 221 Vehicle on flat bed tru ck
Front hook up
:g N 0 t!, .., m
"Align the vehicle with the centerline of the car
carrier ramp .
.. Attach the w inch hook to the front towline eye
previously installed.
Rear hook up
"Align the vehicle with the centerline of the car
carrier ramp .
.. Attach the winch hook to the rear towline eye
previously installed.
@ Tips
Check carefully to make sure the hook-up is
secure before moving the car up the flatbed
truck ramp.
Vehicle transport
Whenever you hove your vehicle transported, be
sure to note the following:
(D Note
Mount the tie-down chains/cables over the
running surface (circumference) of the tires.
Never secure the vehicle by the axle, the sus­
pension struts or the front or rear towline
eye. For technical reasons, the pressure in the
suspension struts may change during the
transport and this will adversely affect vehicle handling.