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Damaged wheel rims must be replaced, and you must never take
them apart or try to repair them yourself. Have an authorized
Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility re-
pair them for you ⇒ .
Wheel rims with bolted decorative covers
Light-alloy wheels may have interchangeable decorative covers at-
tached to the rim with self-locking screws. If you want to replace
damaged wheel covers, contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer
or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
WARNING
Using improper or damaged wheel rims can affect driving safe-
ty, cause accidents and severe personal injury.
Use only wheel rims approved for the vehicle.
Regularly check wheel rims for damage and replace them if
necessary.
WARNING
Improper loosening and tightening of the bolts on wheel rims
with bolted rim rings can cause accidents and severe personal
injury.
Never loosen bolted connections on wheel rims with bolted
rim rings.
Have all work on wheel rims with bolted rim rings performed
by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen
Service Facility.
New and replacement tires
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sure values stored in your vehicle's TPMS may have to be adjusted
(reprogrammed). This requires professional assistance. For more
information, contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized
Volkswagen Service Facility.
Installing replacement tires with steel cord body plies in the tire side-
wall may cause malfunction of the TPMS, and is not recommended
(cord material information in molded on the tire sidewall).
Always check the TPMS indicator light after replacing one or more
tires on your vehicle. If the indicator light is on, the TPMS is not work-
ing properly. Your replacement tire might be incompatible with the
system, or some component of the TPMS may be damaged.
For detailed information about TPMS, how it works and what you
need to know ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must be broken in.
Always drive with special care for the first 350 miles (560 km)
to help reduce the risk of losing control, a collision, and serious
personal injuries.
WARNING
Tires must have the required clearance. Tires that do not have
enough clearance can rub against parts of the vehicle body,
suspension, and brake system, causing brake system failure,
tread delamination, and sudden blowouts.
Always make sure that new tires are not larger than the tires
approved for your vehicle and that the new tires do not rub
against parts of the vehicle.
NOTICE
When switching to different tires, make certain the valves and
sensors are not damaged.
Never drive without valve stem caps. The valves and sensors
could be damaged.
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NOTICE
When the spare wheel or compact spare is being used, the TPMS
indicator light can come on after a couple of minutes ⇒ Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
If possible, attach the spare wheel, compact spare wheel, or the
wheel you took off the vehicle securely in the luggage compartment.
Tire labeling
Fig. 116 International tire labeling.
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Speed rating (letter code)
A standardized letter code indicating the maximum speed at which a
tire is designed to be driven for extended periods of time. The ratings
range from 93 mph or 150 km/h (“P”) to 186 mph or (300 km/h) “Y”.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire
sidewall. You may not find this information on all tires because it is
not required by law.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
A system that detects when at least one of a vehicle's tires is underin-
flated and illuminates a low tire-pressure warning light.
Tread
The portion of a tire that normally touches the road.
Tread rib
A tread section running circumferentially around a tire.
Tread separation
Tire failure caused by the tread pulling away from the tire carcass.
Tread wear indicators (TWI)
Raised areas within the main tread grooves that show, visually, when
tires are worn and near the end of their useful life ⇒ page 261.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
A tire information system developed by the U.S. National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to help buyers
compare tires. UTQG is not a safety rating, nor is it a guarantee that a
tire will last for a certain number of miles or perform a certain way. It
gives tire buyers more information to compare with factors such as
price, brand loyalty and dealer recommendations. Under UTQG, tires
are graded by the tire manufacturers in 3 areas: tread wear, traction
and temperature resistance. UTQG information is molded into the tire
sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
A tire's serial number. It begins with the letters “DOT” (“Department of
Transportation”) and indicates that the tire meets all federal stand-
ards. The next 2 numbers or letters indicate the plant where the tire
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There may be differences between the pressure readings from a
tire pressure gauge and the pressures registered by the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System. The electronic TPMS is more accurate.
If you have work done on your wheels or tires, inform the work-
shop that the vehicle is equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring
System that has sensors in the wheels.
Indicator light (telltale)
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