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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system devel
oped by the United States Nation
al Highway Traffic Safety Admin
istration (NHTSA) that is designed
to help buyers make relat ive com
parisons among tires . The UTQG
is not a safety rating and not a
guarantee that a tire will last for
a prescribed number of mi les
(kilometers) or perform in acer
tain way. It simply gives t ire buy
e rs add itional informa tion to
combine with other considera
tions, such as p rice, brand loya lty
and dealer recommendations . Un
der UTQG, tires are graded by t he
tire manufacturers in th ree areas:
treadwear, traction, and tempera
ture res istance. The UTQG infor
mation on the tires, molded into
the s idewalls .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number".
It beg ins with the le tters "DO T"
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards . T he nex t
two numbers or letters indicate
the plant where it was manufac
tured , and the last fo ur numbers
represent the week and yea r of
manufacture. For examp le,
Wheels
DOT ... 2216 ...
means that the tire was produced
in the 22nd week o f 2016 . The
other numbers are marketing co des that may or may not be used
by the t ire manufact urer. This in
formation is used to contact con sumers if a tire defec t req uires a
reca ll.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and lug
gage load plus lS0 lbs . (68 k ilo
grams) t imes the vehicle's desig
na ted seating capacity.
Vehicle maximum load on the
tire
means that load on an ind iv idual
tire tha t is determined by dist rib
ut ing to eac h ax le its share of the
maximum loaded vehic le weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on a n individual
tire that is determined by dist rib
uting to each ax le its share of the
curb weight , accessory weight ,
and normal occupant weigh t (dis
tributed in accordance wit h
c:::> ta
ble on page 183) and dividing by
two. .,.
177
Wheel s
Occupant loading and distri
bution for vehicle normal load
for various designated seat ing
capacit ies
Refer to the tire inflation pres
sure label ¢
page 181, fig . 150
for the number of seating posi
tions . Refer to the table¢
table
on page 183
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 .
.,. Only use tires with the same de
sign, size (rolling circumference)
and as close to the same tread pattern as poss ible on all four
wheels .
178
.,.Do not replace tires individually .
At least replace both tires on the
same axle at the same time.
.,. Audi recommends that you use
Audi Original Tires. If you would
like to use different tires, please
note that the tires may perform
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 t ire 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.
Applies to: vehicles with all wheel
drive: 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 dam aged by different wheel speeds . .,.
a)
a)
.... N r-N .... 0
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::, a)
For this reason, in case of emer
gency, 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-
Wheels
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so.
-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. 148 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.
179
Wheels
-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.
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
¢ fig . 148 . 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
¢ ..&. .
Tire rotation
Rotating the tires regularly is rec
ommended to ensure the tires
1> Obey any applicable regulations in your
country.
180
wear evenly. To rotate the tires,
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
cated on the tire sidewall
¢page 202.
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 .
.&_ 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 increase s the risk of
an accident.
Tire pressure
Fig. 149 Driver's side B-pillar: tire pres
sure label
-"' -,--------------- -
• ===========
= i (:=:=a : I =:: I :.. I) (':: ~) n,.......,.._,.,.. ......... _.__......, _ _.., .... _ ... l ................... . __.......... .......... ..._ .. .,,, ..
Fig. 150 Tire pressure label
The correct tire pressure for tires
mounted in the factory and for
the spare tire* is indicated on a la
bel. The label is located on the B
pillar ¢
fig. 149, ¢ fig. 150.
; When the vehicle is partially load-
N
~ ed (up to 3 people), use the tire
0 0 ::,
"'
Wheels
pressure specified for normal
loads¢
table on page 183. If
driving the vehicle when fully loaded, you must increase the tire
pressure to the maximum speci
fied pressure ¢.&, .
Checking/correcting tire
pressure
.,..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 ¢
fig. 150 for
the correct tire pressure based on vehicle load.
.,..Correct the tire pressure if nec
essary.
.,..Vehicles with Tire Pressure Mon
itoring System*: store the modi
fied tire pressure in the Infotain
ment system ¢
page 190.
.,..Check the pressure in the emer
gency tire* /spare tire* . Always
maintain the maximum temper
ature that is specified for the
tire. .,.
181
Wheels
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 in¢
page 183,
Tires and vehicle load limits.
-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
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-
182
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.
@ For the sake of the environment
Tire pressure that is too low in
creases fuel consumption.
(D Tips
Audi recommends using the
tire pressure specified for a normal load ¢
table on
page 183
or for a full load
when the vehicle is partially
loaded.
tion on the 8-pillar label
¢ page 181, fig. 149.
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 ..
00
00
......
"' ,....
"' ...... 0 0 :::,
00
tires according to the load and
the size of the tires installed .
Model/
Tire designation
Engine
Wheels
Tire pressure
Normal load Maximum load
(up to 3 people)a>
front rear front rear
PSI
Q3: 235/50 Rl8 97H
32 2.0L All Season
4 cylinders 235/50 Rl8 97V
High Performance
32
255/40 Rl9 l00Y
33 High Performance
255/35 R20 97Y
33 High Performance
255/40 Rl9 l00H
33 All Season
a) 2 people in the front, 1 person in the rear
A WARNING
Please note the important safe
ty precautions regarding tire pressure
c:::> page 181 and load
limits
c:::> page 183.
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
tire failure, including a blowout
kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI
220 32 220 33 230 36
220 32 220 33 230 36
23 0 33 230 44
300 4
6
230 33 230 44 300 46
23 0
33 230
44 3
00 4
6
and sudden deflation that can
cause the vehicle to crash.
kPA
250
250
320
320
3 20
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
plus maximum load. The maxi
mum load includes the number of.,.
183
Wheels
passengers that the vehicle is in
tended to carry ("seating capaci
ty") with an assumed weight of 1 SO 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
are listed on the safety compli
ance sticker label located on the
184
driver's side B-pillar ¢ page 181,
fig. 149.
~ 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.