Wheels
use a spare tire* that is the same
circumference as the regular
tires .
A WARNING
-Only use tire/rim combina
tions and suitable wheel bolts
that have been approved by
Audi. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and an accident
could result.
-For technical reasons, it is not
possible to use tires from oth
er vehicles -in some cases,
you cannot even use tires from the same vehicle model.
-Make sure that the tires you select have enough clearance
to the vehicle. Replacement
tires should not be chosen
simply based on the nominal
size, because tires with a dif
ferent construction can differ
greatly even if they are the
same size. If there is not
enough clearance, the tires or
the vehicle can be damaged and this can reduce driving
safety and increase the risk of an accident.
-Only use tires that are more than 6 years old when abso-
244
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so.
-Do not use run-flat tires on
your vehicle. Using them when not permitted can lead to ve
hicle damage or accidents.
-If you install wheel covers on
the vehicle, make sure they al
low enough air circulation to
cool the brake system. If they
do not, this could increase the
risk of an accident.
Tire wear/damage
Fig. 206 Tire profile: treadwear indica
tor
Tire wear
Check the tires regularly for wear.
-Inflation pressure that is too low or high can increase tire wear
considerably.
-Driving quickly through curves, rapid acceleration and heavy
braking increase tire wear.
-Have an authorized Audi dealer or authorized repair facility
i.
.,.Che ck th e tir e s idewall
(c:::> page 2 3 6, fig. 205 ) to deter
min e th e des ig nated load r atin g
for a spec ific tir e.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/t ighten
easi ly.
Rims
R ims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
covers* consist of m ultip le pieces. These compo
n ents were bolted toge ther using specia l bolts
a nd a specia l procedu re. You must not repair or
disassemble them¢
A.
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are t ightened or repaired in
co rrectly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control, which increases the risk of
an acc ident. For the correct tightening specifi
cation, refer to¢
page 260.
-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 r ims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized repair
facility. Never repair or d isassemble rims
yourself, because th is increases the r isk of
an acc ident .
Winter tires
W inte r tires s ignificantly improve the vehicle's
h andling when d rivi ng in winter condit ions. Be
cause of the ir constr uction (width, compound,
t read pattern), summe r ti res provide less trac
tion on ice and snow.
"'U se winte r tir es on all four wheels.
"' Only use winter t ires that a re approved for your
vehicle.
"' Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires
¢ &, .
Wh eel s
Your authorized A udi dealer or authorized re
pair facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires.
"' Check the tire pressure after insta lling wheels
¢page 246.
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0.157 inch (4 mm). The characteristics of winter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages, re gardless of the rema ining t read .
A WARNING
'---
-Never d rive faster than the max imum pe r
mitted speed for your tires. This could ca use
the t ires to heat up too mu ch. This in cr eases
the r isk of an accident because it can ca use
the t ire to burst.
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic cond itions. Drive carefully an d 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
Reinsta ll summer tires a t 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 chains on the front wheels.
"' Check and co rrect 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
(SO km/h) . ...
251
Depending on the equipment, the vehicle tool kit
may be located under the spare tire under an ad
d itional cover or in the too l box. The position of
the vehicle jack* may vary.
A WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack can cause se
r ious personal injuries.
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
t ighten wheel bolts, since the bolts cannot
attain the necessary tighten ing torque if you
use the hex head, potentia lly causing an ac
c ident.
- The factory-supplied jack is intended on ly
for your vehicle model. Under no circum
stances should it be used to lift heavy
vehicles or other loads; yo u risk injuring
yo urself.
- Never start the engine whe n the vehicle is
raise d, which could ca use a n accident.
- Support the veh icle secure ly with appropr i
a te stands if wor k is to be perfo rmed u nder
neath the veh icle; otherwise, the re is a po
tential risk for in jury.
- Never use the jack s upplied with your Audi
on another vehicle, particularly o n a heav ier
one. The jack is only suitab le for use on the
vehicle it came wit h.
@ Tips
The vehicle j ack* in your vehicle is mainte
nance -free.
Em ergen cy a ssis tanc e
Space-saving spare tire (compact spare
tire)
Applies to: vehicles with space-saving spare tire
The spare tire/wheel is located in the luggage
compartment under the cargo floor cover . It is
intended for short-term use only.
Fig . 21 4 Spare tire
Ta king out the spare tir e
... Lift the cargo floor by the p lastic handle
q fig. 214.
.,. Hook the handle into the luggage compartment
weather strip.
.,. Turn the large screw
r:=;, fig . 214 cou nter-clock
w ise.
.,. Take ou t the spare tire.
.,. Always s to re the vehicle too l kit, the jac k* and
the rep laced tire i n the luggage compartment
r:::;, page 135.
.,. Unhook the cargo floor before closing the rear
lid.
Using the spare tire (compact spare tire )
The compact spare tire is on ly intended for emer
gencies until you can reach a repair shop . Rep lace
it as quick ly as poss ible with a standard wheel
and tire.
T here are some restr ictions on the use of the
compact spare tire. The compact spa re tire has
been designed specifically for your type of vehi
cle . It must not be swapped with a compact
spare tire from another type of vehicle.
Snow chains
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains on
the compact spare tire is
not permitted. .,..
257
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 tire failure, pull the car
well away from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before you stop¢.,&. .
.. All passengers should
leave the car and move
to a safe location (for instance, beh ind the
guardrail) ¢.,&. .
.,. Engage the
parking brake to prevent your vehi
cle from rolling unintentionally ¢.,&. .
.. Move
selector lever to position P ¢ .,&. .
1> lfyou are towing a trailer, unhitch the trailer
from your vehicle.
.,. Take the
jack and the spare tire out of the lug
gage compartment,
¢page 257.
..&, WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured wh ile
changing a wheel if you do not follow these
safety precautions:
- If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance
off the road. Turn off the engine, turn the
emergency flashers on and use other warn
ing devices to alert other motorists.
- Make sure that passengers wa it in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- T o help prevent the vehicle from moving
sudden ly and possibly slipping off the jack,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel be
ing changed. When one front wheel is lifted
off the ground, plac ing the Automatic
Transmission in "P" (Park) will
not prevent
the vehicle from moving.
- 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 k it, the jack
and the replaced tire in the luggage com
partment ¢
page 135.
Emergency assistance
{!) Tips
Before changing the wheel, you must activate
the jacking mode, so that the automat ic con
tro ls for the Adaptive Air Suspension do not
make it more difficult to lift the vehicle with
the jack ¢
page 261 .
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel , follow the sequence
described below step-by-s tep and in exactly tha t
order .
l. Activate the vehicle jack mode ¢ page 261 .
2. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For
more details see also¢
page 260, Decora
tive wheel covers
or¢ page 260, Wheels
with wheel bolt caps .
3. Loosen the wheel bolts¢ page 260.
4. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack and align the jack below that point
¢ page 261 or¢ page 262.
5. Raise the car with the jack¢ page 261 or
¢page 262.
6. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then
install
the spare ¢ page 263.
7. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly .
8.
Lower the vehicle with the jack .
9. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten
all wheel bolts<=>
page 260.
10. Replace the decorative wheel cover*.
11. Deactivate the vehicle jack mode in the MMI :
I CAR! function button > Car systems contro l
button
> Servicing & checks > Air susp.: jack
mode > Off.
The vehicle jack mode switches off automatically
at speeds above 10 km/h .
..&, WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in
formation
¢ .&. in AB: Raising the vehicle on
page 262
and ¢ page 264.
259
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 135.
• 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).
• Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
@ Tips
- If you notice that the whee l bolts are cor
roded and difficu lt 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
a ll four tires must be checked/corrected and
the tire pressure mon itor ing indicator must
be stored in the MMI
c> page 255.
Decorative wheel covers
App lies to: vehicles with decorative wheel covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed
first to access the wheel bolts .
Fig. 216 Chan gin g a w heel : Removing the whee l cover
Removing
• Insert the hook (provided with the ve hicle tool
kit) in the hole in the wheel hub cover.
• Pull off the
decorative wheel cover c> fig. 216.
260
Wheels with wheel bolt caps
Applies to: vehicles with wheel bo lts with caps
The caps must be removed first from the wheel
bolts before the bolts can be unscrewed .
Fig. 217 Changing a wheel: removing the wheel bo lt 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 kit)
<=> fig. 217 .
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. 218 Chang ing a wheel: loosening the wheel bo lts
Loosening
• Slide the wh eel wr ench onto the wheel bolt as
far as it will go.
• Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench handle
and turn the wheel bolts
counter-cloc kwise
about one single turn in the direction of arrow
<=>fig. 218.
Tightening
• Slide the wheel wrench onto the wheel bolt as
far as it w ill go.
• Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench handle
and turn each wheel bolt
cloc kwise until it is
seated.
A WARNING
- Do not use force or hurry when changing a
wheel· you can cause the vehicle to slip off
the jack and cause se rious personal injur ies.
- Do not loosen the wheel bolts more than
one turn
before you raise the vehicle with
the jack. -You risk an injury.
(D Tips
- Never use the hexagonal socket in the han
dle of the screwdriver to loosen or tighten
the wheel bo lts .
- If a wheel bolt is
very tight, you may find it
easier to loosen by carefully push ing down
on the end of the wheel bo lt wrench with
one
foot only . As you do so, hold on to the
car to keep your balan ce and take care no t
to slip .
Emergen cy a ssis tanc e
A8: Raising the vehicle
The vehicle must be lifted with the jack first be
fore the wheel can be removed.
Fig . 219 Sill panels: markings
F ig . 220 S ill: positioning the vehicle jack
• Activate the vehicle jack mode in the MMI:
!CARI function button > Car systems control
button
> Ser vicing & chec ks> A ir su sp .: jac k
mode > On .
• Engage the pa rki ng br ake to prevent your veh i
cle from rolling unintentionally.
"' Move the
selector l eve r to position P .
"' Find the mark ing (imprint) on the sill that is
nea rest the wheel that will be changed
<=> fig. 219 . Behind t he marking, there is a lift
ing point on the sill fo r th e vehi cle jack.
• Turn the
vehicle jack located under the lifting
point on the sill to raise the jack unt il its arm @
<=> fig. 220 is located under the designated plas
tic mount<=> .&.<=>CD.
"' Align the jack so that its arm@<=>
fig. 220 en
gages in the designated lifting point in the door
sill and the movable base @ lies flat on the
gro und . The base @ must be
vertical under the
lifting point@.
"' Wind the jack up fu rther until the f lat ti re
comes off the ground ¢..&._ . ""
261
c::> fig. 222 is located under the designated plas
tic mount
c::> A in AB: Raising the vehicle on
page
262 <=:>(D.
.. Align the jack so that its arm®
c::> fig. 222 en
gages in the designated lifting point in the door
sill and the movable base ® lies flat on the
ground . The base ® must be
vertical under the
li ft ing po int @ .
.,. Wind the jack up further unt il the fla t tire
c omes off the ground
c::> A in AB: Raising the
vehicle on page
262.
Position the veh icle jack
onl y under the designat
ed lifting points on the sill
<=:>page 261, fig. 219 .
There is exactly one locatio n for each wheel. The
jack must not be positioned at any other location
c::> .&. in AB: Raising the vehicle on page 262<=:> 0.
An
un stabl e surface under the jac k can ca use the
vehi cle to slip off the jack . Always provide a firm
base for the jack on the ground. If necessary
p lace a sturdy board or similar support under the
jack. On
hard , slippery surfaces (such as tiles)
use a rubber mat or similar to prevent the jack
from slipping
c::> .&. .
A WARNING
-
-You or your passengers could be injured
wh ile chang ing a wheel if you do not follow
these safety precautions :
- Position the vehicle jack only at the desig
nated lifting points and align the jack.
Otherw ise, the vehicle jack cou ld slip and
cause an injury if it does not have suffi
cient hold on the vehicle.
- A soft or unstable surface under the jack
may cause the vehicle to slip off the jack.
Always provide a firm base for the jack on
the ground .
If necessary, use a sturdy
board under the jack.
- O n hard, s lippery surface (such as tiles)
use a rubber mat or s imilar to prevent the
jack from slipp ing.
- To help prevent inju ry to yourself and your
passenge rs:
- Do not raise the vehicle unt il you are sure
the jack is secure ly engaged .
Emergen cy a ssis tanc e
-Passengers must not remain in the vehicle
when it is jacked up.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- Make sure jack position is correct, adjust
as necessary and then continue to raise
the jack .
- Changes in temperature or load can affect
the height of the veh icle.
(D Note
Do not lift the vehicle by the si ll. Position the
vehicle jack on ly at the designated lift ing
points on the sill. Otherwise, your veh icle w ill
be damaged.
@ Tips
The vehicle jack mode switches off automati
cally at speeds
above 10 km/h.
Taking the wheel off/installing the spare
Follow these instructions step-by-step for chang
ing the wheel .
Fig . 223 Cha ngin g a w heel: us ing the screwdriver handle
(wit h the b lade removed) to turn th e bolts
Fig. 224 Changing a w hee l: a lig nment p in in side the top
hole
263
Emergency assistance
After you have loosened all wheel bolts and raised the vehicle off the ground, remove and re
place the wheel as follows:
Removing the wheel
.,. Use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver
handle
to completely remove the topmost
wheel bolt and set it aside on a
clean surface
.::!> fig. 223.
.,. Screw the threaded end of the alignment pin
from the tool kit hand-tight into the empty bolt
hole¢
fig. 224 1> .
.,. Then remove the other wheel bolts as described
above.
.,. Take off the wheel leaving the alignment pin in
the bolt 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 .
.,. Use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver
handle to screw in and tighten all wheel 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 released.
.,. Use the wheel bolt wrench to tighten all wheel
bolts firmly ¢
page 260 . Tighten them cross
wise,
from one bolt to the (approximately) op
posite one, to keep the wheel centered.
0 Note
When removing or installing the wheel, the
rim could hit the brake rotor/ceramic brake
rotor* and damage the rotor . Work carefully
and have a second person help you.
Never use the hexagonal socket in the handle
of the screwdriver to loosen or tighten the
wheel bolts.
1
> A pp lies to vehicles with cer amic brake rotors*: Use a sec
o n d alignment p in* (sto re d in th e s pare w hee l well mold
in g) fo r the lower hole , fol low ing the descrip tion for the
fir st a lig nme nt pin .
264
-Pull the reversible blade from the screwdriv
er before you use the hexagonal socket in
the handle to turn the wheel bolts.
- When mounting tires with
unidirectional
tread design
make sure the tread pattern is
pointed the right way¢
page 264.
-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 mus t 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 tire 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.
- If the spare tire has to be installed in the incor
rect direction, use the spare tire only tempora
rily since 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 unidirec
tional tire.
Notes on wheel changing
Please read the information¢ page 243 if you
are going to use a spare tire which is different
from the tires on your vehicle.