2017 AUDI A4 ESP

Wheels
for the number of seating posi­tions. Refer to the table ¢
table
on page 329
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 Audi Service Facility.
These facilities have the proper
knowledge and are equipped with
the required tools and replace­ ment parts.
.. New tires do not yet have the
optimum gripping properties.
Drive carefully and at moderate
speeds for the first 350 miles
(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.
11>D0 not replace tires individually.
At least replace both tires on the
same axle at the same time.
11>Audi recommends that you use
Audi Original Tires. If you would like to use different tires, please
note that the tires may perform
324
differently even if they are the
same size ¢
&.-
.,. If you would like to equip your
vehicle with a tire/rim combina­
tion that is different from what
was installed at the factory, con­
sult with an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility before making a pur­
chase¢ &,.
If the spare tire is different 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 .
On
all wheel drive vehicles , all
four wheels 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
use a spare tire that has the same
circumference as the regular
tires . ""

Wheels
Treadwear indicator
Original equipment tires contain
treadwear indicators in the tread
pattern, which are bars that are 1/16 in (1.6 mm) high and are
spaced evenly around the tire per­ pendicular to the running direc­
tion
c::> fig. 254 . The letters "TWI"
or triangles on the tire sidewall indicate the location of the tread­
wear indicators.
The tires have reached the mini­
mum tread depth
l) when they
have worn down to the treadwear
indicators. Replace the tires with
new ones
c::> A .
Tire rotation
Rotating the tires regularly is rec­
ommended to ensure the tires
wear evenly. To rotate the tries,
install the tires from the rear axle
on the front axle and vice versa.
This will allow the tires to have
approximately the same length of
service life.
For unidirectional tires, make
sure the tires are installed accord­
ing to the running direction indi-
1> Obey any applicable regulations in your
country.
326
cated on the tire sidewall
c::> page 348.
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims can of­
ten occur in locations that are
hidden. Unusual vibrations in the
vehicle or pulling to one side may indicate that there is tire damage .
Reduce your speed immediately.
Check the tires for damage. If no
damage is visible from the out­
side, drive slowly and carefully to
the nearest authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Fa­
cility to have the vehicle inspect­
ed.
A WARNING
Tread that has worn too low or different tread depths on the
tires can reduce driving safety.
This can especially have a nega­
tive effect on handling, on the risk aquaplaning when driving
through water, when driving
through curves and when brak­ ing, which increases the risk of
an accident.

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A WARNING ,~
Using incorrect snow chains or insta lling snow
chains incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle
control, which increases the risk of an acc i­
dent.
(D Note
Snow chains can damage the r ims/wheel cov­
ers* if the chains come into d irect contact
w ith them. Remove the wheel covers* before­
hand . Use coated snow chains.
{1) Tips
When using snow cha ins, it may be useful to
sw itch on sport mode
¢page 135.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Aud i is facto ry-equipped with low aspect ra ­
tio ti res. These t ires have been tho rough ly tested
and been se lected specifically for yo ur model for
their superb per formance, road feel and handling
under a variety of driving conditions. Ask your au­
thorized Audi dealer for more details .
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is indica ted by
a numera l of
55 or les s in the tire's size designa ­
tion. The numeral represents the ratio of the
tire's sidewall height in r elation to its tread width
expressed in percentage. Conventional tires have
a height/w idth rat io of 60 or more.
The performan ce of low-aspect- ratio tire s is par­
ticularl y sensiti ve to improper inf lat ion pres­
sure . It is therefore impo rtant that low aspect
ratio tir e s are infl ated to the specified pressu re
and tha t the inflation pr essure is regularly
checked and maint ained . Tire pre ssure s should
be check ed at lea st once a month and alwa ys
b efore a long trip<=:>
page 32 7.
What you can do to a void tire and rim
damage
L ow aspect rat io tires can be damaged more easi­
l y by impact with potho les, cu rbs, gull ies or
r idges on the road, pa rtic ularly if the tire is un­
derinflated.
Wh eel s
In order to min imize 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
m iles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary .
- Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep
gu llies or ridges . The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may a lso cause
damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immed iate 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 always
easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of a ir and
underinflation, wh ich could eventually cause
tire fa ilu re . If yo u bel ieve that a tire may have
been damaged, replace the tire as soon as pos­
sible.
= These tires may wear mo re quickly tha n others.
- Please also remember that , while these tires
de live r responsive ha nd ling, they may ride less
comfort ably and make more noise t han other
choices .
Reduced performance in w inter /cold season
conditions
All tires are des igned for certai n pu rposes. 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 co ld, snowy or
icy weather conditions. If you drive under those
c ircumstances, you should equip your vehicle
with all -season or winter tires, which offer better
tract ion under those conditions . We suggest you
use the recommended s now or a ll-season tires
spe cified for your vehicle, o r their equiva lent.
Refer
to <=:> page 332 for more detailed informa ­
t ion regard ing winter tires.
Uniform tire quality grad ing
- Tread wear
333

Wheels
-Traction AA A BC
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and maximum section width
~ page 317, fig. 253.
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 example, 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
~ .& .
Temperature
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 failur e~ ,& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un-
334
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standa rd
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 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 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
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
A WARNING
Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and not over or underinflat­
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring indicator
(l) General notes
-
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 vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the veh icle placard or tire inflation pressure la­
bel, you should determine the proper tire infla­
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell­
tale when one or more of your tires is significant­ ly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a
II>-

Wheels
A WARNING
-If the tire pressure indicator appears in the
display, reduce your speed immediately and
avoid any hard steering or braking maneu­
vers. Stop as soon as possible and check the
tires and their pressure .
- The driver is responsible for maintaining the
correct tire pressure. You must check the
tire pressure regularly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
driving style, winter conditions or unpaved
roads), the tire pressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed.
@ Tips
- The tire pressure monitoring system can al­
so stop working when there is an ESC mal­
function.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The Tire Pressure Monitoring System in your
Audi was calibrated with "Audi Original
Tires "~
page 324. We recommend that you
use these tires.
Storing tire pressures
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys­
tem .
.. Before storing the tire pressures, make sure the
tire pressures of all four tires meet the speci­
fied values and are adapted to the load
~page 327 .
.. Switch on the ignition .
.. Select in the Infotainment system:
IMENU I but­
ton
> Vehicle > Service & checks> Tire pres­
sure monitor> Store tire pressure > Yes, store
now.
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
are installed .
336

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Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The required cleaning and care products can be
obtained from an authorized Audi dealer or au ­
thoriz ed Service Facility. Read and follow th e in­
structions for use on the packaging .
A WARNING
-Us ing clean ing and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
- Always store clean ing and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the r isk of po i­
soning .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably buy environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not dispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the ve­
h icle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
i ncrease the damag ing effect .
Before washing, r inse off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of wate r and a
microfiber cloth.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once road sa lt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your ve hicles w ith a pressure
washer, always follow the ope ra ting inst ructions
p rovided w ith the pressure washe r. This is espe­
cially important in regard to the pressure and
spraying distance. Do not aim the spray directly
Ca re and cleaning
at seals on side w indows, doo rs, the hood, the
lu ggage compartment lid or the sunroof* or at
t ires, rubber hoses, insulating material, sensors *
or camera lenses*. Keep a distance of at least 16
in
(40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rota ry nozzles or high pressure noz ­
zles .
T he wate r temperatu re must not be above
140 °F
(60 °() .
Automat ic car washe s
Spray off the vehicle before washing .
Make s ure that the windows and roof * are closed
and the windsh ield wipers are off. Follow instruc­
t ions from the car wash operator, especially if
there are accessories attached to your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes.
Washing by hand
Clean the ve hicl e starting from the top and work­
ing down using a soft sponge or cleaning br ush .
U se solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing, first
remove d ust and large particles from your vehi­
cle. Insects, grease spots and f ingerprints are
best removed w ith a special cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth . To
avo id damag ing the pa int surface, do not use too
much pressure .
Rinse the vehicle thorough ly with water. Then
clean using a neutra l shampoo and a soft mic ro­
fiber cloth.
Rinse the ve hicl e thorough ly agai n and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a sham my.
IIIJ,,
337

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Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Wheels
Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special clea ning solution
Exhaust tail pipes Road salt Water, cleaning solution su itab le for stainless steel, if nee-
essary
Paint Paint damage Refer to the paint number on the vehicle data label, repair
with touch up paint
qpage 361
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately
Surface rust Rust remover, then protect with hard wax; for questions,
consult an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv- ice Facility.
Cor rosion Have it removed by an autho rized Aud i dealer or author-
iz ed A udi Service Fac ility.
Water no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean paint
No shine even thoug h Treat with suitable polish; then apply paint protectant if
paint has been pro- the polish that was used does not contain any protectant
tected/paint looks poor
Deposits such as in-
Dampen with wate r immedia tely and remove wit h a m icro-
sects, bi rd droppings, fiber cloth
tree sap and road salt
Grease-based con- Remove immediately with a mild soap solution
a) and a
taminants such as soft cloth
cosmetics or sunblock
Carbon parts Deposits Interior: clean the same way as plastic parts
Exterior: clean the same way as pa inted parts
Decorative decals Deposits Soft
sponge with a m ild soap solutional
a) Mild soap solut ion: max imum two tab lespoons of ne utral soap in 1 quart (1 lite r) of wate r
Interior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Window glass
Deposits Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Decorative parts/ Deposits Mi
ld soap solutiona>
Trims
Plastic parts
Deposits Damp cloth
H eavier deposits Mild
soap solution a>, detergent-free p lastic cleaning solu-
tion, if necessary
Displays /instru-Deposits Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
ment cluster
Controls
Deposits Soft
brush, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solutiona>
Safety belts Deposits Mild soap solutiona>, allow to dry before letting them re-
tract
339

Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Te xtil es
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
a rt ifici al le ather , the surface
Alcant ara Water-based deposits Absorben
t cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
O il-based deposits Apply a m ild soap solution a), blot away the dissolved oil or
such as oil, make-up, dye with an absorbent towel and treat afterward with wa-
etc. ter, if necessary.
Special deposits such Special stain remover, b lot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, na il polish, la- afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary a).
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natural leather Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mi
ld soap solutiona>
Water-based deposits Fresh sta ins : absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dried sta ins: stain remover suitable fo r leather
blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
such as oil, make-up, for leather
etc. Dried sta ins : grease dissolv ing spray
Special deposits such Spot remover suitab le for leather
as ink, nai l polish, la -
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Ca re Regularly apply cond ition ing cream that protects from
light and penet rates into the materia l. Use specia lly-co l-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon parts Deposits clean the same way as plastic parts
a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quart (l liter) of water
_& WARNING
The windshie ld may not be trea ted with wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un­
favorable conditions s uch as wetness, dark­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare .
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
(D Note
- Headlights/tail light s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
- Wheels
340
-
- Never use any paint polish or other abra­
sive materials.
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratches must
be repaired immediately.
- Sensors /camera lenses
- Neve r use wa rm or ho t wa ter to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens . This
could cause the lens to crack .
- Neve r use ab rasive cleaning materials or
a lcohol to clea n the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Doo r window s
-Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plast ic scraper. To