Wheels
different tire speeds. For this rea
son, in case of emergency, only
use a spare tire* that is the same
circumference as the regular
tires.
,&. 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 t ires 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.
242
-Only use tires that are more
than 6 years old when abso
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. 205 Tire profile: tread wear ind ica
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. ..
Wheels
Determining correct load
limit
Use the example below to calcu
late the total weight of the pas
sengers and luggage or other
things that you plan to transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overload ed .
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1 . Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCU PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle 's placard
(tire inflation pre ssure label)
c:::> page 244, fig. 206.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3 . Subtra ct the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or " XXX"
pounds shown on the sticker
c:::> page 244 , fig. 206 .
4. The re sulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For ex
ample, if the
"XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
248
be five 150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lb s.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lb s.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely ex
ceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calculat
ed in Step 4 .
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your ve
hicle. Con sult this manual to
determine how this reduces
the available cargo and lug gage load capacity of your vehi
cle .
~check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 234, fig. 204) to deter
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
· Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
W heel bolts mus t be clean and loose n/tighten
eas ily.
Rims
R ims with a bo lted r im ring * or with bo lted wheel
covers" co nsist of mult ip le p ieces . T h ese compo-
n ents were bolted togethe r usin g s pec ial bolts ..,.
,....,
N
co
er::
co
,....,
disassemble them ¢.&. .
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in
correctly 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, After changing a
wheel .
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim .
- Always have damaged r ims repa ired by an
authorized Audi dealer o r autho rized Aud i
Service Facility . Never repair or d isassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident.
Winter tires
W inte r ti res s ignificantly improve the vehicle's
h andling when driving in win ter condit ions . Be
cause of the ir constr uction (width, compound,
tread pattern), summer tires provide less trac
tion on ice and snow .
"'U se winter t ires on all fo ur wheels .
.. Only use winter t ires that are approve d for your
v ehicl e.
"' Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires¢.&_ . An
authorized Aud i dealer or au thori zed Aud i Serv
ice Fac ility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed fo r your tires .
"' Check the tire press ure after installing wheels
¢page 244.
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great
l y when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .1 57 inch (4 mm). The character ist ics of winter
tires a lso de crease great ly as the tire ages, re
ga rdless of the remain ing tread.
WARNING
- Never drive faster than the maxim um per
mitted speed for your t ires. This cou ld cause
the tires to heat up too much. Th is increases
Wh eel s
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 io n on black ice.
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinsta ll summer tires at the app ropr iate
time, beca use they prov ide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road no ise, tire wear and fue l
consumpt io n.
(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 rear wheels.
"' Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains if necessary after drivi ng a few feet. Fol
low the instructions from the manufacturer .
"' Note the maximum pe rmitted spe ed wh en dr iv
ing w it h snow cha ins. Do not excee d 30 mph
( SO km/h) .
S now c ha ins not o nly improve the
driving in win
te r road condit io ns, but also the
braking.
Use of snow chains is only permitted w ith certa in
r im/tire comb inat ions due to technical reasons .
Check with an author ized Audi dealer or author
ized Audi Service Facility to see if you may use
snow chains.
U se
fine-mesh snow chains . They must not add
more than 0 .53 inch (13 .5 mm) in heig ht, incl ud
ing the cha in lock.
You m ust remove the chai ns when driving on
r oads t hat are
free of snow . When roads are free
of snow, snow chai ns can impa ir han dling and .,.
249
Emerg ency assis ta nce
Emergency assistance
Vehicle jack, vehicle tool kit and collapsible spare
tire
Onboard tool kit and vehicle jack
The vehicle tools and vehicle jock* ore stored in
the luggage comportment under the floor cover.
Fig. 209 Luggage compartment: on board tool kit and vehi
cle jack
The vehicle jack* is stored under the onboard tool
kit ¢ fig. 209.
Hybr id d rive*: the storage location of the on
board tool kit varies ¢ page 104.
The onboard tool k it includes:
- Hook for removing wheel covers*
- Plastic hook to
remove wheel bolt covers*
-Alignment pin for changing wheels
- Wheel bolt wrench
- Folding chocks
- Screwdriver with revers ible blade
- Socket (removable Torx socket)*
- 10 x 13 open ended wrench (for disconnecting
the battery cables)
- Towing eye
A WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack* can cause
ser ious personal injuries.
- Never use the jack* supplied with your Aud i
on another vehicle, particularly on a heavier
one. The jack* is only su itable for use on the
vehicle it came w ith.
254 -
Using a bumper jack to raise the vehicle will
damage the bumper system. The jack may
slip, caus ing injury.
- Never support your vehicle on cinder blocks,
bricks or other objects. These may not be
able to support the load and could cause in
jury when they fail.
- Never start or run the engine while the vehi
cle is supported by the jack* .
- If you must work under the vehicle, always
use safety stands specifically designed for
this purpose .
- Never use the hexagonal socket in the han
dle of the screwdr iver to loosen or tighten
the wheel bolts .
- Always make sure the inflatable spare tire*
and
even a flat tire are secu red in place and
not loose, otherwise they could fly forward,
causing personal inj ury to passenge rs in the
vehi cle in an a cc ident or sudden maneuve r.
@ Tips
The vehicle jack in your vehicle is mainte
nance-free.
Folding chocks
The folding chocks ore port of the on board tool
kit .
---
Fig . 210 Open ing fo lding chocks
To use the chocks, you fi rst have to raise the sup
port plate
¢ fig. 210 (D and then insert the lock
ing plate with the two "tabs" into the elongated
holes in the base plate
@ c> &.. .,,_
,....,
N
co
er::
co
,....,
Special care is required if you are repairing
the tire on a steep incline.
@ Tips
- Do not operate the compressor for more
than 12 minutes continuously, otherwise it
can overheat. Once the compressor has
cooled, you can continue to use it.
- If sealant has spi lled out, let it dry and then
you can remove it by peeling it away like a
foil.
- Remember to obtain a new bott le of sealant
from your authorized Audi dealer after re
pair ing a tire. After this, the functionality of
the tire repair set is restored .
- Obey all laws.
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 traff ic and try to reach
level ground before you stop¢_& .
.. All passengers sho uld
leave the car and move
to a safe location (fo r instance, behind the
guardrai l) ¢ .&_ .
.. Engage the
par king b rake to prevent yo ur vehi
cle from roll ing unintentionally ¢&_ .
.. Move
selecto r le ver to po sitio n P ¢ &_ .
"" If you are towing a trailer: unh itch the trailer
from your veh icle.
"" Block the diagonally opposite wheel with the
folding chocks o r other objects .
""T ake the
jac k* and the inflatable spa re tir e*
out of the luggage compartment ¢ page 254 .
A WARNING
You or your passengers cou ld be inj ured while
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
Em ergenc y ass is tanc e
emergency flashers on and use other wa rn
ing dev ices to alert other motorists.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traff ic.
- To help prevent the veh icle from moving
suddenly and possib ly slipping off the jack*,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel be i n g changed with the fold ing c hocks or oth
er objects . When one front whee l is lifted
off the ground, placing the Automatic
Transmission in P (Park) w ill
not prevent the
veh icle from moving.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
gro und is leve l and firm.
If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack*.
- Always s tore the vehicle too l kit, the jack*
and the replaced tire in the lugg age com
partment
¢ page 139.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below s tep-by -step and in exactly that
order.
1. Remove the de corative wheel cover* . For
more detai ls see also¢
page 260, Decaro-
tive wheel covers
o r¢ page 260, Wheels
with wheel bolt cops .
2. Loosen the w
heel bolt s ¢ page 260.
3 . Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack* and align the jack* below that point
¢ page 261.
4. Li ft the car with the jack*¢ page 261 .
s. Remove the wheel with th e flat tire and then
insta ll the
inflatable spar e tir e *
¢ page 262.
6. Tighte n all whee l bolts lightly.
7 .
Lo wer the vehicle wi th the jack *.
8 . Use the whee
l bolt wrench and
firml y tighten
all wheel bo lts ¢
page 260 .
9. Replace the decorat ive wheel co ver* .
259
...
Emergency assistance
_& WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in
formation
c:> & in Raising the vehicle on
page 261
and c:>poge 263.
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
c:>page 139 .
.. As soon as possible, have the tightening tor
ques
on all wheel bolts checked with a torque
wrench. The correct t ightening torque is
105 ft lb (140 Nm) .
.. Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
(j) Tips
- If
you notice that the wheel bolts are cor
r oded 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.
Decorative wheel covers
Appl ies to veh icles: w ith deco rat ive whee l covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed
first to access the wheel bolts.
Fig. 216 Chan gin g a w heel : Removing the wheel cover
Removing
.. Insert the hook provided with the vehicle too l
kit in the hole in the hub.
.. Pull off the
decorative wheel cover c:> fig. 216.
260
Wheels with wheel bolt caps
Applies to vehicles: wit h whee l bo lts wi th caps
The cops must be removed first from the wheel
bolts before the bolts con 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 wheel bolt cap until it engages .
.. Pull on the
plastic clip to remove the cap
c:!>fig. 217.
Refitting
.. Place the caps over the whee l bolts and push
them back on.
The caps are to protect and keep the wheel bo lts
clean.
Loosening and tightening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising
the vehicle .
Fig. 218 Changing a whee l: loosening the wheel bolts
Loosening
.. Insta ll the wheel bolt wren ch over the wheel
bolt and push it down as far as it wi ll go .
..... N
co ~ CX)
..... I.Cl U"I
..... I.Cl .....
.. Take t ight hold of the end of the wrench handle
and turn the wheel bolts
c o un ter-cloc kwi se
about one single tu rn in the d irection of arrow
r=> fig . 218.
T igh tening
.. Install the wheel b olt w renc h over the wheel
bolt and push it down as far as it will go .
.. Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench handle
and turn each wheel bolt
cl oc kwise until it is
seated.
_& WARNING
- Do not use force or hurry when changing a
wheel - you can cause the vehicle to slip off
the jack* and cause ser ious personal inju
ries.
- Do not loosen the wheel bolts more than
one turn
before you raise the vehicle with
the jac k*. -Yo u ris k an injury.
@ Tips
If a wheel bolt is very tight, you may find it
easier to loosen by carefu lly pushing 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 balance and take care not to slip.
Raising the vehicle
The vehicle must be li~ed with the jack* first be
fore the wheel can be removed .
Fig . 219 Sill pane ls: markin gs
Em ergen cy a ssis tanc e
Fig . 220 Sill: pos ition ing the jack
.. Engage the parking brake to prevent your vehi
cle from rolling unintentionally
.. Move the
sel ecto r le ver to po sitio n P.
.. Find the mark ing (imprint) on the sill that is
nearest the wheel that will be changed
r=> fig . 219 . Behind the marking, there is a lift
ing point on t he sill fo r the jack* .
"" Turn the
ja ck * located under the lifting point
on the sill to raise the jack until its arm @
r=> fig. 220 is located under the designated plas
tic mo unt
r=> A r=> (j) .
.. Align the jack* so that its arm @ r=> fig. 220 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
lifting point @.
"" Wind the jack* up furthe r unt il the flat tire
comes off the g round
r=> _&. .
Pos ition the jack* onl y under the designated lift
ing points on the s ill
r=> fig . 219. There is exactly
one location for each wheel. The jack* must not
be pos itioned at any othe r loca tion
r=> & r=> @.
An un stable surf ace under the jack* can cause
the vehicle to slip off the jack* . Always prov ide a
firm base for the jack* on the ground .
If necessa
r y place a s turdy board or similar support unde r
t h e jack*. O n
hard, slipp ery surfa ce s (such as
t il es) use a r ubber mat or sim ilar to prevent the
jac k* from slipp ing
r=> .&. .
_& WARNING
-
-You or your passengers could be i njured
while changing a wheel if you do not follow these safety precautions :
261
Emergency assistance
-Position the jack* only at the designated
lifting points and align the jack *. Other
wise, the jack* could slip and cause an in
jury if it does not have sufficient 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*.
- On hard, s lippery surface (such as tiles)
use a rubber mat or similar to prevent the
jack* from slipping.
- To help pre vent injury to you rself and yo ur
passenge rs:
- Do not raise the vehicle until you are sure
the jack * is securely engaged.
- 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 *.
(D Note
Do not lift the vehicle by the sill. Position the
jack * only at the designated lifting points on
the sill. Otherwise, your vehicle will be dam
aged.
262
Taking the wheel off/installing the inflatable spare tire
Follow these instructions step-by-step for chang
ing the wheel
Fig. 221 Changing a wheel: usin g the screwdriver handle
(w ith the blade removed) to turn the bolts
Fig. 222 Changi ng a w heel: alignment pin inside the top
h ole
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 comp letely remove the topmost
wheel bolt and set it aside on a
clean surface
qfig. 221 .
.. Screw the threaded end of the alignment pin
from the tool kit hand-tight into the empty bolt
hole
q fig. 222 .
.,. Then remove the other wheel bolts as described
above .
.,. Take off the whee l leaving the alignment p in in
the bolt hole
q(D.
Putting on the inflatable spare tire*
.,. Inflate the inflatable spare tire* q page 256
and push the whee l over the alignmen t pin.