Page 319 of 386

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 fue l.
.,.M ark 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.
(D Note
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical in those seasons. Audi recom
mends using winter tires dur
ing the winter months. Low
temperatures significantly de crease the elasticity of summ
er tires, which affects traction
Wheels
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.
-Burn ished, polished or
chromed rims must not be
used in winter driving condi
tions. The surface of the rims
does not have sufficient corro
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam aged by road salt or similar
substances.
Tire designations
Fig. 253 T ir e designations on the side -
wall Ill>
317
Page 321 of 386

® Mud and snow capability
"M/5" or "M+S" indicates the tire
is suitable for driving on mud and
snow. £ indicates a winter tire.
@ Composition of the tire cord
and materials
The number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay
ers in the tire . In general: the
more layers, the more weight a
tire can carry. Tire manufacturers must also specify the materials
used in the ti re . These inc lude
stee l, nylon, polyester and other
materials.
@ Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the maxi
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry.
@ Un iform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance
Treadwear, traction and tempera
ture ranges
¢page 333.
@ Running direction
T he arrows indicate the running
direction of unidirectional tires.
You must always follow the speci
fied running direction
¢page 348.
Wheels
~ Maximum permitted tire
pressure
T his number indicates the maxi
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated under normal operat
ing conditions .
Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto matic t ransmission, power steer
ing, power brakes, power win
dows , powe r seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent tha t these
items are avai lab le as factory- in
stalled equipment (whether in
s t alled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the w idth of the tire in percent.
Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a
low sidewall for improved steer
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement .
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinfo rced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim. ...
319
Page 345 of 386

Emergency assistance
Trunk escape latch
In case of an emergency, the rear lid can be
opened from the inside using the trunk escape
latch.
Fig. 257 Luggage compartment: Trunk escape latc h
• Push the latch in the direction of the arrow un
t il the lock releases.
The trunk escape latch ins ide the rear lid is made
of fluorescent material to glow in the dark.
_& WARNING
The trunk escape latch is to be used only in an
emergency .
@ Tips
The emergency release lever should never be
used as a handle fo r closing the luggage com
par tment l id.
General information
• Park the vehicle as far as poss ible from moving
t raff ic in the event of a breakdown . In the event
of a flat tire , park the vehicle on a leve l surface .
It you are on a steep hill, be especially careful.
• Set the parking brake.
• Switch the emergency flashers on.
• Have the passengers exit the vehicle. They
should move to a safe place, for example be
hind a guard rail.
Emergen cy a ssis tanc e
_& WARNING
-Follow the steps given above. Th is is for your
protection and the for the safety of other driv
ers .
Equipment
Vehicle tool kit/vehicle jack
Applies to: vehicles wit h the vehicle tool kit and vehicle jack
Fig. 258 Lu ggage compa rt ment: vehicle tool kit, vehicle
jack*, tir e m ob ility kit and compressor
The vehicle tool kit, vehicle jack, tire mobility k it
and compressor are stored in the luggage com
partment under the cargo floor cover.
• Lift the cargo floor using the p lastic handle and
hook the handle onto the luggage compart
ment seal
c:> fig . 258.
• Vehicles with spare tire: turn the handle coun
ter -clockwise and remove the spare tire .
"' Unhook the cargo floor before closing the rear
lid .
Depending on vehicle equipment, the vehicle tool
k it, tire mobility kit and compressor may be lo
cated under another cover that is secured w ith a
handwheel.
(D Tips
The vehicle jack in your vehicle is mainte
nance-free.
Tire mobility kit
Preparation
"' Read and follow the important safety precau
tions
c:> page 343.
• Set the parking brake. ll>-
34 3