Driving sa fe ty
-Never lea ve yo ur vehicle unattended espe
c ially w ith the rear lid left open. A child
could crawl into the vehicle through the lug
gage compartment and close the rear lid be
coming trapped and unable to get out . Be
ing t rapped in a vehicle can lead to se rious
persona l injury.
- Never let children play in or aro und the veh i
cle.
- Never let passe ngers ride i n the luggage
compartmen t. Veh icle occupants m ust al
ways be prope rly restrained in one of t he ve
hicle's seating posi tions.
- A ir c irculat ion hel ps to reduce window fog
ging . Stale air escapes to the outside
th ro ugh vents i n the t rim panel. Be su re to
k eep these sl ots free and open.
- T he t ire pressu re mus t cor respond to the
l oad. The tire p ressure is shown on the tire
pressure l abe l. T he tire p ressure label is lo
cated on the driver 's s ide B-pi llar . The tire
pressure labe l lists the recommended cold
tire inflation p ressures for the vehicle at its
maximum capacity weight and the t ires that
were on your vehicle at the t ime it was man
ufactured. For recommended tire pressures
for normal load cond itions, please see chap
ter
¢ page 222.
Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with four
tie-downs to secure luggage and other items .
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo properly
¢ page 135, Loading the luggage compartment .
In a collision, the laws of p hysics mean that even
sma ller items that are loose in the vehicle will
become heavy missiles that can cause ser ious in
jury . Items in t he ve hicle possess energy wh ich
vary with vehicle speed and t he weight of the
item . Veh icle speed is the most s ignifica nt facto r.
For examp le, in a frontal collision at a speed of
30 mph (48 km/h) , the forces act ing o n a 10-lb
(4 . 5 kg) object are abo ut 20 times the normal
weight of the item . T his means that the weight
136
of the item would s udden ly be about
200 lbs . (90 kg) . You can imagine the inj uries
that a 200 lbs . (90 kg) item flying freely through
the passenger compartment could cause in a col
li sion like th is.
A WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used to
secure items to tie-downs can fail dur ing hard
b raking or in a collision and cause ser ious per
sonal injury.
- Always use suitable mo unt ing straps and
pro perl y secure i tems to the tie-downs in
t he l uggage comp artmen t to help preven t
items from shi fting o r flying forwa rd as dan
ge rous miss iles .
- W hen the rear sea t bac krest is folded down,
a lways use suitable mo unti ng straps and
pro per ly secure items to the tie -downs in
the l uggage compa rtment to help prevent
items from flying forward as dangerous
m iss iles into the passenger compartment.
- Never attach a child safety seat tether strap
to a tie-down.
-
Reporting Safety Defects
Applicable to U.S.A.
If you belie ve that your vehicle
has a defect which could cause a
crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immedi ately in
form the National Highway Traffic Safet y Administration (NHTSA) in
a ddition to notifyin g Audi of
Ame rica, Inc.
If NHTSA re ceives s imilar com
plaints, it m ay open an in vestiga
tion , and if it finds that a safety
defe cts exist s in a group of
v e hicles, it m ay order a re call and ..,
a,
a,
..... N r-. N ..... 0 a, OJ ..
® 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
Tread wear, traction and temper
ature ranges¢
page 229 .
@ Running direction
The arrows indicate the running
direction of unidirectional tires.
You must always follow the speci
fied running direction
¢page 248 .
~ Maximum permitted
inflation pressure
Wheels
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. ...
213
Wheel s
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the bead .
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recom
mended by the vehicle manufac
turer for a tire of a designated
size that has not been driven for more than a couple of miles (kilo
meters) at low speeds in the
three hour period before the tire
pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor ve
hicle with standard equipment in
cluding the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi
tioning and additional weight of
optional equipment.
E x tra load tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in
flation pressures than the corre sponding standard tire . Extra load
tires may be identified as "XL",
"xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on
the sidewal l.
214
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR ")
means the load-carrying capacity
of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(" GVWR ")
means the maximum total loaded
weight of the vehicle .
Groove
means the space between two ad
jacent tread ribs .
Load rating (code )
means the maximum load that a
tire is rated to carry for a given in
flation pressure. You may not find
this information on all tires be
cause it is not required by law.
Ma ximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at
the maximum permissible infla tion pressure for that tire.
Ma ximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of :
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options we ight
a,
a,
..... N r-. N ..... 0 a, OJ ..
Maximum (permissible )
inflat ion pressure
means the maximum cold infla
tion pressure to wh ich a t ire may
be inflated. Also called "maxi
mum inflation pressure ."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs . (68 kilograms)
times the number of occupants
seated in the veh icle up to the to
tal seating capacity of your vehi
c le .
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants
in a vehicle.
Oute r diameter
means the overall diameter of an
inflated new tire .
Overall width
means the linear distance be
tween the exteriors of the side
walls of an inflated tire, including
elevations due to labeling, deco
rations, or protective bands or
ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords.
Wheels
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3
kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not pre
viously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, including
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
roof rack, heavy duty battery, and
special trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which
the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90
degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Recommended inflation
pressure
see ¢ page 214, Cold tire infla
tion pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in
flation pressures than the corre
sponding standard tire. Rein
forced tires may be identified as
"X L", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF"
on the sidewall. ..,
215
a)
a)
.--< N ,-.. N ..... 0 a) 0.:,
"'
circumference as the regular
tires .
8,_ 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.
Wheels
-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. 191 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. ..
219
Wheels
co ntrol, w hich inc reases t he risk of an
accident .
(D Note
-Snow cha ins can damage the rims/whee l
covers * if the chains come into d irect con
tact with them. Remove the whee l cove rs *
first. Use coated snow chains.
- Usin g sn ow chains that a dd more than 0 .4
i nch (10.5 mm) of he ight can severely dam
age the wheel ho usings and other vehicle
components .
- Do not install and use snow chains if there is
a malfunct ion in the adaptive air suspen
s io n*, because the vehicle height wi ll be
very low . If yo u drive with snow chains any
way, the wheel ho usings a nd othe r vehicle
co mp onen ts ca n be severe ly da mage d.
(D Tips
When using snow cha ins, it may b e usef ul to
sw itch on spo rt mo de
~ pag e 12 1.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Aud i is f actory-equipped wi th low aspec t ra
t io tires. The se tir es h ave bee n thor oughly te sted
and b een se lected s pecific ally fo r yo ur model fo r
their superb perfo rmance , road feel and hand ling
un der a va riety of driving conditions. As k yo ur au
thor ized Audi dealer for mo re details .
Th e low aspect ratio of these tires is indi cate d by
a nume ra l of
55 or less in t he tire's size desig na
tion. The nume ra l r ep resents the rat io of t he
tire's sidewall he ight i n relat ion to its tread wi dth
expressed in pe rcentage. Conventional tires have
a heig ht/w idt h rat io o f 60 o r mo re.
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
be checked at least once a month and always
before a long trip~
page 221.
228
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more eas i
l y by impact with potho les, curbs, gullies or
r idges on the road, particularly if the tire is un
der inflated.
In orde r to mi nimize the occurrence of impact
damage to the tires o f yo ur vehicle, we recom
mend that you observe the following preca u
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation pres
sures. Check yo ur tire pressure every 2,000
m iles (3,000 km) and add a ir if necessary.
- Dr ive carefully on roa ds w it h potholes, deep
gullies o r ridges. The impact from dr iv ing
throug h or over such obstacles can damage
your t ires. Impac t with a curb may a lso ca use
damage to yo ur tir es.
- After a ny impact, immed iate ly inspect you r
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au
t horize d Aud i dealer . Replace a damage d tire as
soo n as poss ible .
- Inspec t your tir es ev ery 2,000 m iles (3,000 km)
for d amage and wear . Damage is no t always
easy to see . Da mage ca n lead to loss o f air and
un derinfla tion, w hich could eve ntually ca use
t ire f ailure. If yo u be lieve th at a tir e m ay h ave
been dam age d, rep la ce the tire as soon as pos
sible .
- These tire s may wea r mo re quick ly th an ot hers.
- Ple ase also remember th at , while t hese tires
delive r respo nsive h andli ng, they may rid e less
c omforta bly an d make mo re noise than o ther
choices .
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
A ll t ires are des igned for certain purposes . T he
l ow aspect ratio, ultra h igh performance tires
o rigina lly installed on your veh icle are inten ded
fo r max imum d ry and wet road per formance and
h andling . They a re not suitable fo r co ld, snowy or
i cy weather conditions . If yo u drive under those
c ir cums tances, you should eq uip yo ur vehicle
wi th all-season o r winter tires, which offer be tter
t ra ct io n und er th ose condi tions. We suggest yo u ..,.
Wheels
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure mon itor ing 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 signifi
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and ti re tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's re
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under- inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres
sure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys
tem is not operating properly. The TPMS mal
function indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale . When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi
mately one m inute and then remain cont inuously
illuminated . This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal
function exists .
When the malfunct ion indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
230
Tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to: vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitoring System in
dicator
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system malfunction.
Fig. 194 Instrumen t cl uster : indicator l ig ht with me ssage
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor
ing system compares the tire tread circumfer
ence and vibration characteristics of the individu
al tires. If the pressure changes in one or more
tires, this is indicated in the instrument cluster
display with an indicator light
Rt] and a message.
If only one tire is affected, the location of that
tire will be indicated.
The tire pressures must be stored in the Infotain
ment system again each time the pressures
change (switching between partial and full load
pressure) or after changing or replacing a tire on
your vehicle
¢ page 231. The tire pressure mon i
toring system only monitors the tire pressure you have stored . Refer to the tire pressure label for
the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle
¢page 221, fig. 193.
Tire tread circumference and vibrat ion character
istics can change and cause a tire pressure warn
ing if :
- the tire pressure in one or more tires is too low.
- the tire has structural damage.
- the tire was replaced or the tire pressure was
changed and it was not stored¢
page 231 .
-the spare tire* is installed.
Indicator lights
RI]-Loss of pressure in at least one tire¢.&_ .
Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary . .,..
co
co
.... N
" N .... 0
00
\.J -
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys
tem
¢page 231.
ffim (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) T ire
pressu re : S ys tem malfunction !. If ffim
appears
after switching the ignition on or whi le driving
and the
[I] indicator light in the instrument clus
ter blinks for approximate ly one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures¢
page 231. If
the ind icator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time, dr ive to an author
i zed A udi dealer o r authorized Audi Service Fac ili
ty immediately to have the malfunc tion correct
ed .
& WARNING ,___ -
-If the tire pressure indicator appea rs in the
display, reduce your speed immed iate ly and
avoid any hard steer ing or braking maneu
vers. Stop as soon as possib le and check the
t ires and their pressure.
- The driver is responsib le for maintaining the
correct tire pressure. You must check the
t ire pressure regu larly.
- Under certa in conditions (such as a sporty
driv ing style, winter cond itions or unpaved
roads), the tire p ressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed.
{D) Tips
- The t ire pressure monitoring system can al
so stop work ing when there is an ESC mal
funct ion.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction .
- The t ire pressure monitoring system in your
Audi was calibrated with "Audi Orig inal
Tires"
¢ page 218. We recommend that you
use these t ires .
Wh eel s
Storing tire pressures
Applies to: vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitor ing System in
dicator
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys tem.
.,. Make sure before storing that the tire pressures
of all four tires meet the specified values and
are adapted to the load
¢ page 221.
.,. Switch the ignit ion on.
.,. Select: the
I CAR ! funct ion button > ( C ar) * Sys
tem s
contro l button > S ervic e & ch eck s> Tire
pres sure monitor > Store tire pre ssure > Yes,
s tore now .
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
a re installed.
Tire pressure monitoring
system
ill General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
shou ld be checked monthly whe n cold and inflat
ed to the i nflat io n press ure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the veh icle placard or
t ir e inflation pressure labe l. (If your ve hicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la
bel, you should determ ine the proper tire infla
t ion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, yo ur vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure mon itor ing system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell
ta le when one or more of your tires is signif icant
ly under-inflated. According ly, when the low t ire
pressure te lltale illum inates, you sho uld stop and
chec k your tires as soon as possib le, and inflate
t h em to the prope r pressure. Dr iving on a sig nifi
ca nt ly unde r-inflated t ire causes the t ire to over
hea t and can lead to tire fa il ur e. Under-inflat ion
also reduces fue l effic iency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop -
ping ability .
liJJ,-
231