that can be applied at each of the
vehicle's two axles.
The fact that there is an upper
limit to your vehicle 's Gross Vehi
cle Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being carried in the vehicle (including
the weight of a trailer hitch and
the tongue weight of the loaded
trailer) is limited. The more pas sengers in the vehicle or passen
gers who are heavier than the
standard weights assumed mean
that less weight can be carried as luggage.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli
ance sticker label located on the
driver 's side 8-pillar
¢ page 228,
fig. 192.
& WARNING
-
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per
sonal injury, and even death.
-Carrying more weight than
your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and increase the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
Wheels
-The brakes on a vehicle that
has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance.
-Tires on a vehicle that has
been overloaded can fail sud
denly, including a blowout and
sudden deflation, causing loss
of control and a crash.
-Always make sure that the to
tal load being transported -
including the weight of a trail
er hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer - does not make the vehicle
heavier than the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
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 .,.
231
Wheels
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle's placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
¢page 228, fig. 192.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or "XXX"
pounds shown on the sticker
¢ page 228, fig. 192.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For ex
ample, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
be five 150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lbs.)
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
232
will be transferred to your ve
hicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces
the available cargo and lug
gage load capacity of your vehi
cle.
~check the tire sidewall
(¢page 218, fig. 190) to deter
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims '
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easily.
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
disassemble them
9 &. .
_&. 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 accident. For the correct tightening specifi
cation, refer to
9 page 244, 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 rims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility. Never repair or disassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident.
Wheels
(D Tips
When using snow chains, it may be useful to
sw itch on sport mode
¢ page 181.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Aud i is factory-equipped with low aspect ra
tio tires. These tires have been thoroughly tested
and been selected specifically for your model fo r
thei r supe rb perfo rmance, road feel and handling
unde r a va riety of d riving conditions . As k yo ur au
thor ized Audi dealer for mo re de tails.
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is indicated by
a nume ra l of
55 or less in the tire's size desig na
tion . The nume ra l rep resents the rat io of t he
tire 's sidewall he igh t in relat io n t o it s tread w idth
e xpresse d in percen tage. Convention al ti res have
a height/w idth 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 a spect
ratio tires are inflated to the specified pre ssure
and that the inflation pressure is regularly
checked and maintained. Tire pressures should
be checked at le ast once a month and alwa ys
before a long trip¢
page 228.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect rat io tires can be damaged more easi
ly by impact with potholes, curbs, gullies or
ridges on the road, pa rt icu la rly if the t ire is un
de rinflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence of impact
damage to the t ires of your ve hicle, we recom
mend that you observe the fo llow ing precau
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation pres
su res . Check your tire pressure every 2,000
miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary .
- Drive caref ully on roads with potho les, deep
gul lies or r idges . The impact from drivi ng
through or over s uch obstacles can damage
you r tires. Im pact with a cu rb may also cause
damage to you r tires .
234
-After any 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 possible.
- Ins pect your tires every 2,000 mi les (3,000 km)
for damage and wear . Damage is not always
easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of a ir and
underinfla tion, w hich could even tua lly cause
tire fa ilure . If yo u be lieve that a tire may have
been damaged, replace the tire as soon as pos
sible.
- These tires may wear mo re quickly than others .
- Please also remember that, while t hese tires
delive r responsive hand ling, they may ride less
comforta bly and make mo re noise than o ther
choi ces.
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
A ll ti res are des igned for certain purposes. The
l ow aspect ratio, ultra h igh performance tires
o rigina lly ins talled on your veh icle are inten ded
f o r m ax imu m dr y and wet ro ad perfo rma nce and
handling . They a re not sui table for co ld, snowy or
i cy weather conditions . If yo u drive under those
c ir cu mstances, you should equip yo ur vehicle
with all-season o r winter tires, which offer better
tract ion under t hose conditions. We suggest you
use the recommended snow or a ll-season tires
spec ified for your vehicle, o r th e ir equiva le nt.
Re fer to
c:> page 233 for more detailed in forma
tion regard ing winter tires.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wea r
- Tract io n AA AB C
- Tempe rature ABC
Quali ty g rades can be fo und whe re appli cab le on
t h e tire side wall between tread shou lder and
max imum section width
¢ page 218, fig. 190 .
For example : Tread wear 200 , Traction AA , Tem
per atu re
A .
All passenge r ca r tir es mus t conform to Fede ral
Safety Req uiremen ts in add it io n 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.
F or example, a t ire 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
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
¢ .&, .
Temperatur e
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
c:> .&, .
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 ass igned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor
nering, hydroplaning or peak traction charac
teristics.
Wheels
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
i n comb inat ion, can cause heat buildu p and
possible tire failure.
A WARNING
-
-
Temperature grades apply to tires that are
properly inflated and not over or underinflat
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring system
ill General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
shou ld 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 vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la
bel, you should determine the proper tire infla
t ion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressure monitor ing system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell
tale when one or more of your tires is significant ly under -inf lated. Accordingly, when the low t ire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possib le, and inflate
them to the proper pressure . Driving on a signifi
cant ly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fue l 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 . .,.
235
Wheels
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys
tem is not operat ing 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 cont inuously
illum inated . This sequence will continue upon
subsequent veh icle start-ups as long as the ma l
function ex ists .
When the malfunct io n indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressu re as intended . TP MS ma lfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate ti res or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. A lways check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
t hat the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
Description
The tire pressure monitoring system monitors
the pressure in the four tires when driving .
The system uses sensors that measure the tem
perature and pressure in the tires. The data is
sent from these sensors to the control module by
radio frequency .
The tire pressure monitoring system shows the current pressures and temperatures of the tires in the Infotainment system
c.>page 236. It also
compares the current t ire pressures with the
stored tire pressures and gives a warning in the
driver information system if the tire pressure is
d ifferent from what is stored¢
page 237.
The system does not detect if the stored t i re
pressures match the recommended tire pres
sures. You must resave the tire pressures
c.> page 23 7:
-every time the tir e pressures change, for exam
ple when the load in the vehicle changes,
- after replac ing a tire, or
- if wheels with new wheel sensors are used .
236
A WARNING ,_
- The tire pressure monitoring system ass ists
the dr iver in monitoring tire pressures. The
driver is responsible for having the tires in
flated to the correct pressure.
- Do not change the t ire pressure when the
temperature of the tire is high . This could
result in serious damage to the tire and
even cause the tire to burst, increasing the
ris k of an accident.
- A tire with low pressure flexes more. This
heats the tire up too much. This could cause
the tread to separate and even cause the
tire to burst, increasing the risk of an acci
dent .
- The tire pressure monitoring system does
not warn about damage or defects in the
tire construction that could cause the tire to burst, for example. Inspect your t ires regu
larly.
@ Tips
- If tires are replaced, the sensors/va lves do
not need to be removed or replaced. Just re
placed the va lve stem and, if necessary, the
valve and the wheel electronics. If you have
questions, see your authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility.
- An incorrect display or a malfunction in the
tire pressure monitoring system can occur
after using the tire mobility kit. Have the
sensors rep laced by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
Display tire pressures/temperatures
Requirement: the ignition must be switched off.
.,. Select: the
I CARI funct ion button > Car systems
> Service & control > Tire pressure monitor >
Display tire pre ssure .
The current tire pressures are shown in green and
yellow numbers in the Infotainment system:
-green: the current tire pressure and the spec i
fied tire pressure are approx imately the same .
-yellow: the current tire pressure is too low
compared to the spec ified t ire pressure .
Preliminary steps
Some preliminary steps are necessary for tire re
pair.
• If you have a flat tire, park the vehicle as far as
poss ible from moving traffic.
• Apply the
parking brake firmly .
• Move the
selector lever to the P position .
• Check whether a repair using the Tire Mobility
System is possible ¢
page 239, General and
safety pointers.
• Have all passengers leave the vehicle and stay
away from the danger zone
~ _& .
• Take the sealant bottle and the electric air
pump from the luggage compartment under
the floor
¢page 239, fig. 197 .
• Remove the "max . SO mph" (80 km/h) sticker
from the sealant bottle and affix it to the in
strument cluster in the dr iver's view .
..&, WARNING
- Turn the hazard flashers on and set up the
warning triangle* if you have a flat tire in
moving traffic. In this way you protect your
self and other road users.
- Make sure that all passengers are in a safe
place, out of the danger zone (for example,
behind a guard rail).
(D Note
Particular care is necessary if you are making
a tire repair on a steep incline.
{i) Tips
Obey all laws .
Emergency assistance
Making a tire repair
Tire repair consists of the following sections .
Fig. 199 Parts of th e Tire Mobility System
Fig. 200 Con necto r fo r t he Tire Mobi lity System
Assembling Tire Mobility System
• Open the lid@ of the electr ic air pump
¢fig. 199 .
• Pull the p lug @ and the pressure hose® with
the gauge out of the housing.
• Screw the pressure hose® of the electric air
pump onto the f lange ® of the sealant bottle
@.
• Push the sealant bottle w ith the flange down
into the recess @ on the lid of the electric a ir
pump .
• Remove the dust cap from the va lve of the de
fective ti re.
• Screw the hose@) onto the valve
(J) ~ fig. 200.
• Ins ert the plug @¢ fig. 199 into the socket for
the cigarette lighter.
• Switch on the ign ition.
241
Emergency assistance
Inflating tire
.,. Move the switch@¢ fig. 200 on the e lectric air
pump
ll to position I. After S minutes, tire
pressure must have reached at least 1.8 bar.
.,. Switch the electric air pump off- switch in posi
tion
0. If the required tire pressure of at least
1.8 bar has not been reached, follow the in
structions in the section
Re-inflating tire.
Re-inflating tire
.,. Remove the hose from the va lve and pu ll the
plug out of the socket.
.,. Drive the vehicle slowly 33 feet (10 meters)
backward or forward . This helps to distribute
the sealant better .
.,. Remove the empty inflation bottle and screw
the hose ®~
fig. 199 from the electric pump
directly onto the
valve.
.,. Inse rt the plug ©~ fig. 199 into the socket for
the cigarette lighter.
.,. Switch on the ignition .
.,. Move the switch @¢
fig. 200 on the electric air
pump
ll to posit ion I. After S minutes, tire
pressure must have reached at least 1.8 bar.
.,. Switch the electric air pump off- switch in posi
tion
0. If the required tire pressure of at least
1.8 bar has not been reached, it is not possible
to make a repair with the tire sea lant . Seek p ro
fessional assistance.
Disassembling Tire Mobility System
.,. Remove the hose from the valve and pull the
plug out of the socket .
.,. Screw the dust cap onto the
valve.
.,. Place the empty sealant bottle back in the orig
inal packaging and clip it in place under the
floor so that no tire sealant can ru n out into the
vehicle.
.,. Place the electric air pump in the luggage com
partment for the time being.
.,. Start driving right away so that the sealant is
distributed in the tire.
l ) The electric air pu m p sho uld never r un for lo ng er than 6
m in ute s.
242
A WARNING ,_ -
- Follow the manufacturer's safety instruc
tions on the decal for the air pump and the
sealant bottle .
- If a tire pressure of 1.8 bar cannot beach
ieved after pumping for S minutes, the tire
is too severely damaged . Do not continue to
drive .
- Seek professional assistance if it is not pos
sible to repair the tire with the tire sealant .
(D Tips
-Do not operate the e lectr ic air pump for
more than 6 minutes without stopping, oth
erwise it can overheat . When the air pump
has cooled down, you can continue to use it.
- If sealant has escaped, allow it to dry, then
you can peel it off .
· Final check
After driving for a short distance , tire
pressure must be checked
.,. After driving for about 10 minutes, stop and
check the tire pressure.
.,. If tire pressure is sti ll at least 1.3 bar, inflate
the t ire to specified pressure (see drivers side
B-pillar), drive to the next repair shop and have
the tire and the sealant bottle replaced.
.,. If tire pressure is less than 1.3 bar, the tire is
too severely damaged . Do not continue to
drive . Seek profess ional assistance .
A WARNING
If tir e pressure is less than 1.3 bar after driv
in g for 10 minutes, the tire is too severely
damaged. Do not continue to drive. Seek pro
fessional assistance.
(D Tips
After a tire repair , have the sealant bottle re
placed at a dealership. This restores full func
tionality to the Tire Mobility System.
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 ¢ .,&. .
.. Take the
jack out of the luggage compartment
c:>page 239.
A WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while
chang ing 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
eme rgency flashers on and use other warn
ing devices to alert other motorists.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- To 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, placing 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 veh icle tool k it, the jack
and the replaced tire in the luggage com
partment
c> page 124.
(D Note
If you are changing the whee l on a steep in
cline, use a rock or similar object to b lock the
Emergency assistance
opposite wheel to prevent the vehicle from
moving.
(D Tips
- Before changing the wheel, you must acti
vate the jacking mode, so that the automat
ic controls for the Adaptive Air Suspension*
do not make it more difficu lt to lift the vehi
cle with the jack
c> page 245.
- Obey all laws .
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly thot
order .
1. Activate the vehicle jack mode* c> page 245.
2. Remove the
wheel bolt caps*. For more de
tails see also
¢ page 244, Wheels with
wheel bolt caps.
3. Loosen the wheel bolts c:> page 244.
4. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack and align the jack below that point
~page 245.
5. Raise the car with the jack c:> page 245.
6. Remove the
wheel with the flat tire and then
install the other whee l¢
page 246.
7. Tighten all whee l bolts lightly.
8.
Lower the vehicle with the jack.
9. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten
all wheel bolts
c> page 244.
10. Replace the
wheel bolt caps*.
11. Deact ivate the vehicle jack mode* in the
MMI:
I CARI funct ion button> (C ar )* systems
contro l butto n > Servicing & checks > Air
susp.: jack mode >
Off.
The vehicle jack mode* switches off automat ical
ly at speeds above 6 mph (10 km/h) .
A WARNING
-
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in-
formation
¢ .&. in Raising the vehicle on
page
245 and ¢ page 247.
243