2017 AUDI A3 SEDAN winter tires

CXl CXl .... N ,.__
N .... 0 N > 00
next traffic light is red. This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con­
sumption to zero (fuel shut-off during decelera­
tion).
Shift efficiently
An effective way to save fuel is to upshift earlier.
Staying in a gear too long uses fuel unnecessari­
ly .
Press down on the accelerator pedal slowly and
avoid "kick-down".
Avoid full acceleration
You should rarely travel at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproportionately
high increase in fuel consumption, emissions and
traffic noise. Slower driving saves fuel.
Reduce idling time
The Start/Stop system* helps to reduce the idling
time automatically. In vehicles without the Start/
Stop system, it is efficient to switch the engine
off when stopped
at railroad crossings and long
red lights. Depending on the version of the en­
gine, stopping the engine for as little as five sec­
onds once it has reached operating temperature
still saves more fuel than leaving the engine run­ ning
-even when taking into account the amount
of extra fuel that is used to restart the engine.
It takes a very long time in idle to warm the en­
gine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially high in the warm-up
phase. Therefore, you should begin driving im­
mediately after starting the engine. Avoid high
RPMs while doing this.
Have maintenance performed regularly
By having maintenance performed regularly on
your vehicle, you can help to reduce fuel con­
sumption before you even start to drive. The maintenance condition of your vehicle not only
affects traffic safety and long-term value but al­
so impacts
fuel consumption. A poorly main­
tained engine can lead to fuel consumption that
is 10% higher than normal.
Driving
Avoid short trips
The engine and emissions control system must
reach their optimal
operating temperature to ef­
fectively reduce consumption and emissions.
A cold engine uses a disproportionately high
amount of fuel. The engine reaches operating
temperature and consumption normalizes only
after approximately 2.5 miles (4 km).
Check the tire pressure
To save fuel, make sure the tires are always in­
flated to the correct pressure
r=;, page 33 5. The
fuel consumption can increase by S% if the pres­
sure is only 0.5 bar too low. Due to the increased
rolling resistance, low tire pressures will also
lead to greater tire
wear and will affect driving
behavior.
Do not drive on
winter tires year-round, as this
will consume up to 10% more fuel.
Eliminate unnecessary weight
Since every kilogram of extra weight increases
fuel consumption, a quick inspection of the lug­
gage compartment may be worth it to avoid un­
necessary weight.
When not being used, a roof rack should be re­
moved to decrease the wind resistance of the ve­
hicle. You will save approximately 12% of your
fuel when at speeds from 62-75 mph
(100-120 km/h).
Save energy
The engine drives the generator, which generates
electricity; the fuel consumption also increases
with the demand for electricity. Therefore, switch
electrical equipment off when you no longer
need it. Examples of equipment that uses a lot of
energy are air blowers at a high setting, the rear
window defogger and seat heating*.
(D Note
- Do not leave engine idling unattended after
starting. If warning lights should come on
to indicate improper operation, they would go unheeded. Extended idling also produces
heat, which could result in overheating or
IJ,-
75

a, a, ..... N
" N ..... 0 N > 00
Assistance systems Electronic speed limiter
Applies to: vehicles with electronic speed lim iter
Your vehicle may be factory equipped with tires
that are rated for a maximum speed of 130 mph
(210 km/h). This is less than the maximum speed
of your vehicle. To reduce the risk of sudden tire
failure and loss of control if the vehicle is operat­
ed at excessive speeds, your vehicle also has an
electronic speed lim iter . The electronic speed
limiter prevents your vehicle from going faster
than the tir e speed rating. For more information
¢page 335.
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehicle
road speed s ignals, the Malfunction Indicator
L amp (MIL)
II! will illuminate . If this occurs,
contact the nearest authorized Audi dealer for
assistance .
& WARNING
Always observe the posted speed limits and
adjust your speed to suit prevailing road, traf­
fic and weather conditions. Never drive your
vehicle faster than the max imum speed rat ing
of the tires installed.
Speed warning system
Applies to: vehicles with speed warning system
The speed warning system helps you to stay be­
low a specified maximum speed that can be set,
changed or deleted in the Infotainment system .
The speed warning system warns you if you are
exceeding the maximum speed that you have set.
A warning tone will sound as soon as your speed
exceeds the stored value slightly . The
101 (USA
models) /
[01 (Canada mode ls) indicator light
and the corresponding message appear in the in ­
strument cluster display at the same time. The
[OJ (USA models)/ (•j (Canada models) indicato r
light and the message turn
off when the vehicle
speed drops below the stored maximum speed.
Setting a threshold is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when you reach a certain
maximum speed. Situations where you may want
to do so include driving in a country with a gener-
Assistance systems
al speed limit or if there is a specified maximum
speed for winter tires.
Setting the warning threshold
• Select in the Infotainment system: I MENU ! but­
ton
> Vehicle > left control b utton > Driver as­
sistance
> Speed warning > Manual.
(0 Tips
Regardless of the speed warning system, you
shou ld always monitor your speed using the
speedometer and make sure you are following
the lega l speed limit.
Cruise control system
Switching on
Applies to: vehicles wit h cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive at a constant speed starting at 15 mph (20kmlh) .
0
f
~
0
Fig. 127 Operat ing lever: cruise control system
i;:i N 0 > ... m
• To switch the system on, pull the lever into po-
sition
(D ¢fig . 127.
• Drive at the speed to be maintained.
.. To store the speed, press the button @.
T he
(ij;jl)~1i (USA mode ls)/ Bl (Canada models)
indicator light turns on in the instrument cluster.
T he speed is maintained by modifying engine
power or through an active brake intervention.
.i\, WARNING
-Always pay attention to the traffic around
-
you when the cruise control system is in op­
eration. You are always responsible for your
..,
123

Intelligent Technology
- Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is
stopped beca use this increases the risk of an
acc ident.
@ Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
pedal light ly when bra king is not actually
necessary. This causes the brakes to over­
h eat and inc reases bra king d istance and
causes wear .
- Befo re dr iv ing on a long stretch w ith steep
s lopes, red uce your speed a nd shift to the
next lower gear This makes use of t he en­
g ine bra king effect a nd relieves the b rakes.
If you need to bra ke a dd it iona lly, bra ke in
in te rv a ls and no t conti nuou sly.
@ Tips
- If the brake booste r is no t wo rking , you
must pr ess the brake pedal wi th much more
f orc e th an norma l.
- If you re trofit you r vehicle with a front spoil­
e r, whee l cove rs o r similar ite ms, m ake sure
that the air flow to the front wheels is not
i n te rrupt ed. Ot he rw ise the bra ke sys tem
ca n become too hot.
Electromechanical
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements.
Powe r steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Indicator lights and messages
• Do not dr ive vehicle: steering defective
If thi s in dicator light t urns o n and stays o n and
this message appears, t he power s teer ing may
h a ve fa iled.
Stop the veh icle in a safe locat io n as soon as pos­
sib le. Do
not continue driving. See an author ized
Aud i deale r or auth o riz ed Au di Serv ice F acility fo r
assis tance.
l~ij Steering: malfunction! You can continue
driving
154 I
f the indica to r li gh t turns on, the s teering w hee l
may be more difficult to move or more sens itive
t h an usua l. The steer ing whee l may a lso be at an
angle when driving straight.
Drive slowly to an a uth o rized Audi dea ler or au ­
thorized Audi Serv ice Facility to have the mal­
funct ion corrected .
(D Tips
If t h e . or £-y.ij in dicator light on ly s tays on
fo r a short time, yo u may continue driving.
All wheel drive (quattro)
App lies to : vehicles wi th all w heel drive
In oil wheel drive, oil four wheels ore powered .
General information
In all wheel drive, the dr iv ing power is divided be­
tween all fou r whee ls . This happens autom atic al­
l y depending on yo ur driv ing beh avior as we ll as
the cur rent road conditions . Also see
c:> page 151, Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC).
The all whee l drive concep t is designed for high
engine power. Yo ur vehicle is exce ptiona lly pow­
erfu l and has excellent driving cha racteristics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. A lways read and follow safety pre­
cautions
c:> .&. .
Winter t ires
By using all whee l drive, your veh icle has goo d
forward motion with standard tires in winter con­
dit ions. However, using w inter or all season t ires
o n
all four wheels in the winter is recommended,
because th is w ill imp rove the
braking effect .
Snow chains
If there are s now chain laws, snow cha ins m ust
also be used on veh icles with all wheel drive
c:> page 342, Snow chains.
Replacing tires
Fo r vehicles wi th a ll w hee l drive, o nly wheels wi th
the same rol ling circ umfe rence sho uld be used .
Avoid using tires with different tread depths
c:> page 335, New tires or wheels. IJI>

Wheels
Wheels
Wheels and Tires
General information
~check your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts, cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob­
jects from the tire tread.
~ If driving over curbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap ­
proach the curb at an angle.
~ Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
~ Protect your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
~ Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled .
~ Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry location
with as little exposure to light as possible.
(i}) Note
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical i n those seasons. Audi recom­
mends using winter tires dur­
i ng the winter months. Low
temperatures significantly de­ crease the elasticity of summ­
er tires, which affects traction
328
and braking ability. If summer
tires are used in very cold
temperatures, cracks can form on the tread bars, resulting in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be used in winter driving condi­
tions. The surface of the r ims
does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for th is and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or similar
substances.
Tire designations
Fig. 278 Tire specifi cation codes on the
sidewall of a tire
.,._

CX> CX> ... N .... N ... 0 N > a:,
Rim
means a metal support for a tire
or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the tire beads are seated.
Rim di amet er
means nominal diameter of the
bead seat. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to pur­
chase new tires to match the new
rim diameter.
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between
rim flanges.
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire be­
tween the tread and bead.
Speed rating (letter code )
means the speed at wh ich a tire is
designed to be driven for extend­
ed periods of time . The ratings
range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)
¢ table
on page 329.
You may not find
this information on all tires be­
cause it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code,
where applicable, is molded on
the tire sidewall and indicates the
Wheels
maximum permissible road
speeds
¢ A in Winter tires on
page 342.
T ire pressure mon itoring
system *
means a system that detects
when one or more of a vehicle's
tires are underinflated and illumi­
nates a low tire pressure warning
telltale.
T read
means that portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road .
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread
from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI )
means the projections within the
principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees
of wear of the tread. See
¢ page 336, Treadwear indicator
for more information on measur­
ing tire wear .
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system devel­
oped by the United States Nation­
a l Highway Traffic Safety Admin­
istration (NHTSA) that is designed
to help buyers make relative
333
..

Wheels
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easily .
Rims
Rim s with a bolted r im 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 ¢_&. .
..&, 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, see
¢ page 35 7, 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 .
Winter tires
Winter tires significantly improve the vehicle 's
handling when driving in winter conditions. Be­
cause of their construction (width, compound,
tread pattern) , summer tires provide less trac­
tion on ice and snow.
.,. Use winter tires on all four wheels .
.,. Only use winter tires that are approved for your
vehicle.
.,. Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires
¢ _&. .An
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv­
ice Facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires.
.. Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
¢ page 336.
342
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when th e 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 remaining tread.
'
..&, WARNING
- Never drive faster than the maximum per ­
mitted speed for your tires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much. This increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst .
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic conditions . Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads . Even
winter tires can lose traction on black ice.
{® For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, because they provide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumption.
(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, only
winter tires with the
& symbol may be per­
mitted.
Snow chains
-
Snow chains not only improve the driving in win­
ter road conditions, but also the braking.
.. Only install snow chains on the front wheels.
This applies also to vehicles with all wheel drive* .
.. Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains after driving a few feet, if necessary . Fol­
low the instructions from the manufacturer .
.,. Note the maximum speed of 30 mph (SO km/
h). Note the local regulations.
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons.
.,.

CXl CXl .... N ,.__
N .... 0 N > 00
Check with an authorized Audi dealer or author ­
ized Audi Service Facility to see if you may use
snow chains .
Use
fine-mesh snow chains . They must not add
more than 0.53 inch (13 .5 mm) in height, includ­
ing the chain lock.
You must remove the snow chains on roads with­
out snow. Otherw ise, you could impair driving
ability and damage the tires.
~ WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
chains incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle
control, which increases the risk of an acc i­
dent.
0 Note
Snow chains can damage the rims/wheel cov­
ers * if the chains come into direct contact
w ith them. Remove the wheel covers * first.
Use coated snow chains.
(D Tips
When using snow cha ins, it may be useful to
sw itch on sport mode
¢page 152.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Aud i is factory-equipped with low aspect ra­
tio tires. These t ires have been thoroughly tested
and been selected specifically for you r model for
their superb performance, road feel and handling
under a va riety of driving conditions. As k your au­
thorized Audi dealer for mo re de tails.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated by
a numera l 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 height/w idth rat io 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
Wheels
be checked at least once a month and always
before a long trip
¢ page 336 .
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easi ­
ly by impact w ith potholes, curbs, gullies or
ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is un­
der inflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence o f impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau ­
t ions:
-Always maintain recommended inflation pres­
sures . Check your tire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessa­
ry.
-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, immediate ly 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 m iles (3,000 km)
for damage and wear . Damage is not a lways
easy to see. Damage can lead to loss of air and
unde rinflation, w hich could even tually cause
t ire fa ilure.
If yo u bel ieve that a tire may have
been damaged, replace the tire as soon as pos­
sible.
-These tires may wear more quickly than others.
-Please also remember that, while these tires
deliver responsive handlin g, 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
origina lly 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
c ir cumstances, you should equip your vehicle
..,.
343

Wheels
with all-season or winter tires, which offer better
traction under those cond itions. We suggest you
use the recommended snow or all-season tires
specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to
q page 342 for more detailed informa­
tion regarding winter tires.
Uniform tire quality grading
-Tread wear
- Traction AA A B C
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and
maximum sect ion w idth
q page 328, fig. 278.
For example: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA, Tem­
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 examp le, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one half
(1 1/2) 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
q .,&..
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
344
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 tract ion grade assigned to this 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 th is 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 bui ldup 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
(1) General notes
App lies to : vehicles with tire pressure mo nitori ng syste m
.
Each tire, including 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 ind icated on
the veh icle placard or tire inflat ion pressure
..,.