Wheels
Uniform Tire Quality Gr ading
is a tire information system devel
oped by the United States Nation
al Highway Traffic Safety Admin
istration (NHTSA) that is designed
to help buyers make relative com parisons among tires. The UTQG
is not a safety rating and not a
guarantee that a tire will last for
a prescr ibed number of miles
(kilometers) or perform in acer
tain way. It simply gives tire buy
ers additional information to
combine with other considera
tions, such as price, brand loya lty
and dealer recommendations. Un
der UTQG, tires are graded by the
tire manufacturers in three areas:
treadwear , traction, and tempera
ture resistance . The UTQG in for
mation on the tires, molded into
the sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number" .
It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The next
two numbers or letters indicate
the plant where it was manufac
tured, and the last four numbers represent the
week and year of
manufacture . For example,
24 2
DOT ... 2215 ...
means that the tire was produced
in the 22nd week of 201 5. The
other numbers are marketing co
des that may o r may not be used
by the tire manufacturer . This in
formation is used to contact con sumers if a tire defect requires a
recall.
Veh icle capac ity weight
means the rated ca rgo and lug
gage load pl us 150 lbs . (68 k ilo
grams) times the vehicle's desig
nated seating capacity .
Vehicle maximum load on the
tire
means that load on an ind ividual
tire that is determined by distrib
uting to each axle its sha re of the
maximum loaded veh ic le we ight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual
tire that is determi ned by distrib
uting to each axle its share of the
curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupan t weight (dis
tributed in accordance with
c::> ta
ble on page 248) and dividing by
two .
~
Occupant loading and distri
but ion for vehicle normal load
for various design ated se ating
c a pa cit ies
Refer to the tire inflation pres
sure label ¢
page 246, fig. 208
for the number of seating posi
tions. Refer to the table ¢
table
on page 248
for the number of
people that correspond to the ve
hicle normal load.
New tires or wheels
Audi recommends having all work
on tires or wheels performed by
an authorized Audi dealer or au
thorized repair facility. These fa
cilities have the proper knowl
edge and are equipped with the
required tools and replacement
parts .
.,,. New tires do not yet have the
opt imum adhesion properties.
Drive carefully and at moderate
speeds for the first 350 m iles
(500 km) with new tires .
... use tires of the same construc
tion, size (rolling circumference)
and as close to the same tread pattern as possible on all four
;:::; wheels.
ci :c ": ....
'° V, ....
'° ....
Wheels
.,,.Do not replace tires individually.
At least replace both tires on the same axle at the same time.
.,,. Audi recommends that you use
Audi Original equipment tires. If
you would like to use different
tires, please note that the tires may perform differently even if
they are the same size¢,&..
.,,. If you would like to equip your
vehicle w ith a tire/r im combina
tion that is different from what
was installed at the factory, con
sult w ith an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized repair facili
ty before making a purchase
~ .&. -
The spare tire* is diffe rent from
the regular tires installed on the
vehicle - for example, if winter
tires or wide tires are installed -
then only use the spare tire* tem
porarily in case of emergency and
drive carefully while it is in use . It
should be replaced with a regular
tire as soon as possible.
All four whee ls must be equipped
with tires that are the same brand
and have the same construction
and tread pattern so that the
drive system is not damaged by different tire speeds. For this rea-
son , in case of emergency, only .,.
24 3
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.
Wheels
check the wheel alignment if have approximately the same
there is unusual wear. length of service life.
-Have the wheels rebalanced if an
For unidirectional tires, make
imbalance is causing noticeable
sure the tires are installed accord-
vibration in the steering wheel. ing to the running direction indi-
If you do not, the tires and other cated on the tire sidewall
vehicle components could wear
¢ page 264.
more quickly.
Hidden damage
Treadwear indicator
Damage to tires and rims can of-
The original tires on your vehicle ten occur in locations that are
have 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high hidden. Unusual vibrations in the
"wear indicators" ¢
fig. 206 run-
vehicle or pulling to one side may
ning across the tread . Marks on
indicate that there is tire damage.
the tire sidewall (for example Reduce your speed immediately.
"TWI" or other symbols) indicate
Check the tires for damage. If no
the positions of the tread wear in- damage is visible from the out-
dicators. side, drive slowly and carefully to
The tires have reached the mini- the nearest authorized Audi deal-
mum tread depth
l) when they er or authorized
repair facility to
have worn down to the treadwear have the vehicle inspected
.
indicators. Replace the tires with
_& WARNING
new ones ¢&. -
Tread that has worn too low or
Wheel rotation different tread depths on the
Rotating the wheels regularly is tires can reduce driving safety.
recommended to ensure the tires This
can especially have a nega-
wear evenly. To rotate wheels, in- tive effect on handling, on the
stall the wheels from the rear risk aquaplaning when driving
axle on the front axle and vice through water, when driving
versa. This will allow the tires to through curves and when
..
.... N ci :c ": .... l) Obey
any applicable regulations in your '° "? .... country. '° ....
245
Wheels
braking, which increases the
risk of an accident.
Tire pressure
pressure to the maximum speci
fied pressure
c:::> ,&. .
Checking/correcting tire
pressure
f •Check the tire pressure at least
:r
..; once per month and also check it
Fig. 207 Driver's side B-pillar : tire pres
sure label
:;;
-(~. -----~ ,~
( :=~ ~~:: I ~ I :. I)( ::-) n.,_.....,__.o1___.. .. -vo.._.......... • ... _ ... le~---~--.....,,_.,-'"-,............ ....,, .
lllf """ PNW 07:0lifla.l
-KPA. a PSI
- KPA.
a PSl
- KPA.
a PSl
Fig. 208 Tire pressure label
SEE OWNEJll"S MAMJAI.FOR
AODmOHAI.
INIFOAMATlON
VOOIUMANUEl.
DUNIOl'N:iTA.IRE POUR
P'l. US DE HTS J
The correct tire pressure for tires
mounted in the factory and for
the spare tire* is indicated on a la
bel. The label is located on the B
pillar
c:> fig. 207, c> fig. 208.
When the vehicle is partially load
ed (up to 3 people), use the tire
pressure specified for normal
loads
c:> table on page 248. If
driving the vehicle when fully loaded, you must increase the tire
246
before every long drive.
•Always check the tire pressure
when the tires are
cold. Do not
reduce the pressure if it increas
es when the tires are warm.
•Check the label
c:> fig. 208 for
the correct tire pressure based
on vehicle load.
•Correct the tire pressure if nec
essary.
•Vehicles with Tire Pressure Mon
itoring System*: store the modi
fied tire pressure in the Infotain ment system
c:> page 255.
•Check the pressure in the emer
gency tire*/spare tire*. Always
maintain the maximum temper
ature that is specified for the
tire.
A WARNING ~
Always adapt the tire pressure
to your driving style and vehicle load.
-Overloading can lead to loss of
vehicle control and increase
the risk of an accident. Read
and follow the important safe
ty precautions inc:::>
page 248 ,
Tires and vehicle load limits.
-The tire must flex more if the tire pressure is too low or if
the vehicle speed or load are
too high . This heats the tire up
too much . This increases the
risk of an accident because it
can cause the tire to burst and result in loss of vehicle con
trol.
- Incorrect tire pressure in
creases tire wear and has a negative effect on driving and
Tire pressure table
Please note that the information
contained in the following table
was correct at the time of print ing , and the information is sub
ject to change . If there are differ
ences between this information
and the tire pressures specified
on the label on the driver's side B
pillar, always follow the specifica
tion on the B-pillar label
~ page 246, fig. 207.
Wheels
braking behavior, which in
creases the risk of an accident.
Replace lost valve caps to re
duce the risk of damage to the
tire valves.
Tire pressure that is too low in creases fuel consumption.
Audi recommends using the
tire pressure specified for a
normal load c:::>
table on
page 248
or for a full load
when the vehicle is partially
loaded .
Make sure that the tire designa
tion on your tire matches the des
ignation on the tire pressure label
and the tire pressure table .
The following table lists recom
mended tire pressures in cold
tires according to the load and
the size of the tires installed .
247
Wheels
Tire pressure
Model/ Tire designation Normal load Maximum load
Engine (up
to
2*/3 people)a>
front rear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
A8/A8 L : 235/55 Rl8 104H
35 240 32 220 36 250 38 260
3.0L
255/45 Rl9 104H 35 2
4 0
32 22 0 36 25 0 38 2 60
6 cylinders 265/40 R20 104H 35 24 0 32 220 36 250 38 260
265/40 R20 104V 33 2
30 32 22 0
33 2
30
35 240
275/35 R21 103Y
XL 35 240 32 220 36 250 35 240
A8/A8 L: 235/55 Rl8 104H 35 240 32 22
0
38 26
0
38 26
0
4.0L
255/45 Rl9 104H 35 240 32 220 38 260 38 260
8 cylinders 265/40 R20 104H 35 240
32 220
38 260
38 2
60
265/40 R20 104Y 33 230 32 220 35 240
35 240
275/35 R21 103V XL 35 240 32 2 20 38 260
38 260
AB L: 265/40 R20 104Y 35 240 32 220 36 250 35 240
6.3L
255/45 Rl9 104H 36 25 0 32 2 20
39 270 38 260
12 cylin-265/40 R20 104H 36 25
0 32 220 39 270 38 260
ders
275/35 R21 103Y XL 35 24 0 32 220 36 250 35 240
58: 265/40 R20 104Y 36 250 32 22 0 39 27
0
38 260
4.0L 265/35 R21 101 Y 39 270 35 240 44 300 42 290
8 cylinders 275/35 R21 103V XL 39 27
0
35 2
4 0 4 4
300 42
290
a) Vehicles with 4 seating positions: two people in the front, Vehicles with S seating
positions:
two people in the front , one person in the rear
A WARNING
Please note the important safe
ty precautions regarding tire
pressure ¢
page 246 and load
limits¢
page 248.
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of
load or weight that any vehicle
and any tire can carry. A vehicle
that is overloaded will not handle
well and is more difficult to stop.
248
Overloading can not only lead to
loss of vehicle control, but can al
so damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden
tire failure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation that can
cause the vehicle to crash.
Your safety and that of your pas
sengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not ex
ceeded . Vehicle load includes ev
erybody and everything in and on
the vehicle. These load limits are ..,.
Wheels
technically referred to as the vehi- sengers in the vehicle or passen-cle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-gers who are heavier than the
ing ("GVWR"). standard weights assumed mean
The "GVWR" includes the weight that less weight can be carried as
of the basic vehicle, all factory in-luggage.
stalled accessories, a full tank of The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
plus maximum load. The maxi- are listed on the safety compli-
mum load includes the number of ance sticker label located on the
passengers that the vehicle is in- driver's side B-pillar
c::::> page 246,
tended to carry ("seating capaci-fig. 207.
ty") with an assumed weight of
.&_ WARNING
150 lbs . (68 kg) for each passen-
Overloading a vehicle can cause
ger at a designated seating posi-
loss of vehicle control, a crash
tion and the total weight of any
or other accident, serious per-
luggage in the vehicle. If you tow
sonal injury, and even death.
a trailer, the weight of the trailer
-Carrying more weight than
hitch and the tongue weight of
your vehicle was designed to
the loaded trailer must be includ-
carry will prevent the vehicle
ed as part of the vehicle load.
from handling properly and
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating increase the risk of the loss of
("GAWR") is the maximum load vehicle control.
that can be applied at each of the -The brakes on a vehicle that
vehicle's two axles. has been overloaded may not
The fact that there is an upper be able to stop
the vehicle
limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi- within a safe distance.
cle Weight Rating means that the -Tires
on a vehicle that has
total weight of whatever is being been overloaded can fail sud-
carried in the vehicle (including denly, including a blowout and
.... the weight of a trailer hitch and sudden deflation, causing loss
N the tongue weight of the loaded of control and a crash. ci ... :c ": trailer) is limited. The more pas-....
'° "? ....
'° ....
249