Wheels
comparisons among tires. The by the tire manufacturer. This in-
UTQG is not a safety rating and formation is used to contact con-
not a guarantee that a tire will sumers if a tire defect requires a
last for a prescribed number of recall.
miles (kilometers) or perform in a
Vehicle capacity weight
certain way . It simply gives tire
means the rated cargo and lug-
buyers additional information to
gage load plus 150 lbs. (68 ki lo -
combine with other considera -
tions, such as price, brand loyalty grams) times the vehicle's desig-
na
ted seating capacity.
and dealer recommendations. Un-
der UTQG, tires are graded by the
Vehicle maximum load on the
tire manu facturers in three areas: tire
treadwear, traction, and tempera -
means that load on an individual
ture resistance. The UTQG infor- tire that is determined by dist rib-
mation on the tires, molded into
uting to each ax le its share of the
the sidewalls. maximum loaded vehicle weight
U.S. DOT Tire Identification an d div id in g by two.
Number (TIN)
Vehicle normal load on the tire
This is the tire's "seria l number" .
means that load on an individual
It beg ins with the letters "DO T"
tire that is determined by distrib-
and indicates that the tire meets uting to each axle its share of the
all federal s tandards. The next
curb weight, accessory weight,
two numbers o r letters indicate
and normal occupant weight (dis-
the plant where it was manufac- tributed in accordance with ¢
ta-
tu red, and the last four numbers ble on page 3 29) and divid ing by
represent the week and year of two.
manufactu re . For example,
Occupant loading and distri -
DOT ... 2215 ... bution for vehicle normal load
means that the tire was produced for various designated seating
in the 22nd week of 2015 . The capacities
~
"' other numbers are marketing co- Refer to the tire
inflation pres -..-< N ..... N des that may or may not be used sure
label¢ page 32 7, fig. 256 ..-< ... 0
0
3'; a:,
323
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 . ""
&_ 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 six years old when abso
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so.
-If you install wheel covers on
the vehicle, make sure they al low enough air circulation to
Wheels
cool the brake system. If they
do not, this could increase the
risk of an accident.
Tire wear/damage
Fig. 254 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 Audi Service Facili
ty check the wheel alignment if
there is unusual wear.
-Have the wheels rebalanced if an imbalance is causing noticeable
vibration in the steering wheel.
If you do not, the tires and other
vehicle components could wear more quickly. .,..
325
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.
~ .... N ,-.. N .... 0
0
5 (X)
Tire pressure
Fig. 255 Driver 's side B -pillar : tire pres
sure label
- KPA. . PSI
Fig. 256 Tir e pressur e label
"' -
The correct tire pressure for tires
mounted in the factory and for
the spa re tire* is indicated on a la
bel. The sticker is located on the
door pillar (driver's side)
c:::>fig. 256.
Use the tire pressure specified for
a normal vehicle load when the
vehicle is partially loaded
c:::> table
on page 329.
If driving the vehi
cle when fully loaded, you must increase the tire pressure to the
maximum specified pressure
c:::> ,&. .
Checking/correcting tire
pressure
Wheels
.. Check the tire pressure at least
once per month and also check it 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. 256 for
the correct tire pressure based on vehicle load .
.. correct the tire pressure if nec
essary .
.. store the new tire pressure in
the Infotainment system
c:::> page 336 .
.. Check the pressure in the spare
tire (compact spare tire)*. Al
ways maintain the maximum
temperature 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 329,
Tires and vehicle load limits.
327
Wheels
-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
braking behavior, which in
creases the risk of an accident.
(D Note
Replace lost valve caps to re
duce the risk of damage to the
tire valves.
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 8-pillar, always follow the specifica
tion on the 8-pillar label
¢ page 327, fig. 255.
328
(i} For the sake of the environment
-Tire pressure that is too low
increases fuel consumption.
-Fuel consumption may also in
crease when driving with the
comfort tire pressure is se
lected .
(D Tips
Audi recommends using the
tire pressure specified for a
normal load
¢ table on
page 329
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.
<( a, .... N ,....
N .... 0 0
3 a,
Wheels
Model/ Tire designation Tire pressure
Engine Normal load Maximum load
(up to 3 people)
front rear front rear
PSI
225/50 Rl 7 94H
30 All Season
A4: 245/40 R18 93Y
2.0L High Performance
30
4 cylinders
245/40 R18 97H
Gasoline
35
engine All Season
245/35 R19 93Y
36 High Performance
225/50 Rl 7 94H
32 All Season
A4: 245/40 R18 93Y
2.0L High Performance
30
4 cylinders
245/40 R18 97H
Diesel en-
35
gine All Season
245/35 R19 93Y
35 High Performance
A WARNING
Please note the important safe
ty precautions regarding tire pressure
¢ page 32 7 and load
limits
¢ page 329.
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. 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
kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
210 28 190 35
240
35 240
210 28 190 33 230 33 230
240 32 220 36 250 36 250
250 33 230 41
280
44 300
220 29 200 36 250 36 250
210 28 190
33 230
33 230
240 32 220 36 250 36 250
240 32 220 39 270 42 290
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
technically referred to as the vehi cle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat
ing
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic vehicle, all factory in
stalled accessories, a full tank of
fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids ..
329
Wheels
plus maximum load . The maxi
mum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is in
tended to carry ("seat ing capaci
ty") with an assumed weight of
150 lbs (68 kg) for each passen
ger at a designated seating posi
tion and the total weight of any luggage in the vehicle. If you tow
a trailer , the weight of the trailer
hitch and the tongue weight of
the loaded trailer must be includ
ed as part of the vehicle load .
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(" GAWR") is the maximum load
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
330
are listed on the safety compli
ance sticker label located on the
driver's side B-pillar
~ page 327,
fig . 255 .
& 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.
-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.