2018 AUDI A4 tires

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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. 275. 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
¢ A.
Tire rotation
Rotating the tires regularly is rec­
ommended to ensure the tires
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-
8 l) Obey any applicable regulations in your
! country.
Wheels
ing to the running direction indi­
cated on the tire sidewall
¢ page 366 .
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 increase the risk of an
accident because it has a nega­
tive effect on handling, driving
through curves, and braking,
and because it increases the
risk of hydroplaning when driv­
ing through deep puddles.
343

Wheels
Tire pressure
Fig. 276 Driver's side 8-pillar: tire pres ­
sure label
io
-
i' 9 ~ c=- =_ -_,_, -- --... - .- -- .- -- .-~ t='I
- - ----_ l i
_NOlall!:Ol,ua.s fOTAL AYA>lf .t.MICftf I/ ~ n,.....,...__ ........ .,._... ..... ._....,. . ... ... l ..................... ......,....,..,.......,.... ... -..
-KP a PSI
-KPA. a PSI J
l== ===·
=KP ='A.= ·=PSl = ~~~~
Fig. 277 Tir e pr essur e lab el
The correct tire pressure for tires
installed at the factory is listed on
a
label ¢ fig. 2 76. The sticker is
located on the door pillar (driver's
side)
¢ fig. 2 77. The location may
vary depending on the model.
Use the tire pressure specified for
a normal vehicle load when the
vehicle is partially
Loaded¢ table
on page 346.
If driving the vehi­
cle when fully loaded, you must increase the tire pressure to the
maximum specified
pressure ¢ A-
344
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 Labe l ¢fig. 277for
the correct tire pressure based
on vehicle load.
.,..Correct the tire pressure if nec­
essary .
.,..Store the new tire pressure in
the Infotainment system
¢ page 353 .
.,.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 t ire 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 347,
Tires and vehicle load limits.

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~ a:,
-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 B­
pillar, always follow the specifica­
tion on the B -pillar label
¢ page 344, fig. 2 76.
Wheels
'® 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.
Audi recommends using the
tire pressure specified for a
normal load
¢ table on
page 346
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 .
..
345

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~ a:,
.&_ WARNING
Please note the important safe­
ty precautions regarding tire
pressure
¢ page 344 and load
limits
¢ page 347 .
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 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
Wheels
plus maximum load. The maxi­
mum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is in­
tended to carry ("seating 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
.,.
347

Wheels
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker on the driver's side B­ pillar respectively on the front
end of the driver's door.
& 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.
348
Determining correct load
limit
Use the example below to calcu­
late the total weight of the pas­
sengers and luggage or other
things that you plan to transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overload ­
ed.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCU­
PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS" on your vehicle's placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
¢ page 344, fig. 277.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­ sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or "XXX"
pounds shown on the stick­
er ¢ page 344, fig. 2 77.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity . For ex­
ample, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
.,.

a co .... N ,....
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be f ive 150 lb s. pa ssenge rs in
yo ur ve hicle, th e amo unt of
ava ila bl e c argo a nd lu ggag e
l oa d cap acity is 650 lb s.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lb s.)
5 . Determin e th e co mbined
we ig ht of lu ggag e and cargo
bein g load ed on the ve hicle .
Th at w eight may not sa fely ex­
c e e d th e ava ilabl e ca rgo a nd
lugg age l oad ca paci ty ca lc ul at ­
e d in St ep 4 .
6 . If yo ur vehicle will b e to wing a
tr ailer, load from y our tr ailer
will b e tran sferr ed to y our v e­
hi cle . C on sul t thi s manual t o
dete rmin e how this re duces
th e av ailabl e c argo and lug­
ga ge load capac ity o f your vehi­
c le.
..,.Ch eck the tire side wall
(c:> page 334, fi g . 2 7 4) to d eter­
min e the de sign ated load r ating
for a sp ecifi c tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/t ighten
eas ily .
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
covers* consist of mu ltip le pieces. These compo­
nents were bolted together using special bolts
Wh eel s
and a special procedu re. Yo u must not repair or
disassemb le them
~ &. .
A WARNING
-Wheel bo lts that are tightened or repaired in-
correct ly can become loose and resu lt in loss
of vehicle contro l, wh ich increases the risk of
an accident. For the cor rect tighten ing specifi­
cation,
see¢ page 366, Finishing .
-Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of
g rease .
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim.
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
author ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi
Serv ice Facility . Never repair or disassemb le
rims yourself, because th is increases the r isk
of an a cc ident.
Winter tires
Winter tires signific ant ly imp rove the vehicle 's
handling when dr iv ing in winter conditions . B e­
ca use of their construct ion (w idth, compound,
tread pattern), summer tires provide less t rac ­
tion on ice and snow .
.,. Use winter tires on all four wheels.
.,. Only use winter tires that are approved for your
vehicle.
.,. Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter
tires ¢,& . An
author ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv­
ice Facility can inform you about the maximum permitted speed for your tires .
.,. Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
~page 344 .
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when the tread is wo rn down to a depth of
0.16 in (4 mm). The cha racteristics of w inte r
ti res a lso decrease g reatly as the ti re ages, re­
gardless of the rema in ing t read.
A WARNING
-
- Never drive fas ter than the max imum per­
mitted speed for your tires . This could cause
the tires to heat up too much. This increases
..,.
349

Wheels
the risk of a n acc ident beca use it can cause
the tire to burst.
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traff ic conditions. Drive carefully and red uce
yo ur speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
winter tires can lose traction on b lack ice.
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summe r tires at the approp riate
time, because they provide better hand ling
when roads are free of snow and ice. S ummer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumption.
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
w inter t ires. Please note that in some coun­
tries w here w inte r ti res are req uired, only
w inter t ires with the
& symbol may be per ­
m itted.
Snow chains
Snow ch ains not only i mprove the d riving in win ­
t er ro ad cond itions, b ut also the brak ing.
... Only insta ll snow chains o n the front wheels .
T h is applies also to ve hicles w ith all wheel
drive* .
... Check an d cor rect the sea ting of the snow
c h ains a fte r dr iv ing a few feet, i f necessary. Fo l­
l ow the instructions from the manufacturer .
... Note the maximum permitted speed when d riv ­
ing with snow chains . Do not exceed 30 mp h
(SO km/h).
Use of snow chains is on ly pe rmitted with certain
rim/t ire combinations due to technical reasons.
Check with an authorized Audi dealer o r autho r­
ized Aud i Service Fac ility to see if yo u may use
snow chains.
Use
fine -mesh snow chains . They must not add
more t han 0.53 in (13.5 mm) in height, includ ing
the chain lock .
You must remove the snow c hains on roads wit h­
out snow. Othe rw ise, you could impa ir dr iv ing
ab ility and damage the tires.
350
A WARNING ~
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
cha ins i ncor rectly can result in loss of veh icle
con trol, which increases the risk of a n acci­
d ent.
(D Note
Snow chains can damage the rims/whee l cov­
e rs* if the chains come into direct contact
wi th them . Remove the whee l covers* first.
Us e coated snow chai ns.
(D Tips
When using snow chains, it may be useful to
swi tc h on spo rt mode/offroad mode
<:;> pag e 147.
Low-profile tires
Applies to: vehicles with low-profile tires
Your vehicle is equip ped wi th low -profi le t ires* at
t h e factory. Compa re d t o o ther tire/r im com bina ­
tions, low -profi le tires offer a w ider tread surface
and a larger rim diameter with shorter tire side­
walls . This results in an agile dr iv ing style. How­
ever, it may reduce the leve l of com fort and in­
crease road noise whe n driving on roads in poor
cond it ion.
Low-p rofile ti res can become damaged mo re
q uick ly than standard tires when dr iv ing ove r
l a rge bumps, potholes, manhole covers, speed
bumps and curbs . Therefore, it is particularly im­
po rtan t to maintain the correct tire pressure
<:;> page 344.
To reduce the risk of damage to the tires and
rims, drive very caref ully on poor roads.
Check your wheels regu larly eve ry 2,000 mi
(3,000 km) for damage. For example, check for
bulges/cracks on the tires or deformations/
cracks on the rims .
After a heavy impact o r damage, have the tires
and rims inspected or replaced immediately by
an authorized Audi dea ler or authorized Audi
Service Facility .

a co .... N ,....
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Low -profile tires can wear out faster than stand­
ard tires.
Summer tires are not su itable for cold weather,
snow or b lack ice. If you are driving in these con­
ditions, use winter or all season tires
¢ page 349.
Uniform tire quality grading
-Tread wear
- Traction AA AB C
- T emperature ABC
Qual ity grades can be found where app licable on
the t ire side wa ll between tread shou lde r and
maximum sect ion w idth
¢page 334, fig. 274.
For e xample : Tread wear 200 , Traction AA, Tem­
pe rature
A .
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades.
Tread w ear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov­
ernment test course.
F or example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one ha lf
(1 1/2) times as well on the govern­
ment course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significant ly from the norm due to
variations in driving hab its, service practices and
d ifferences i n road characteristics and climate.
Tracti on
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, Band
C. Those grades represent the tire's
ab ility to stop on wet pavement as measured un­
der controlled conditions on specified govern­
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete . A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
¢ _& .
Temper ature
The temperature grades are A (the h ighest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
Wh eel s
generat ion of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained h igh temperature can cause the mate­
ria l of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire
failure ¢.& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of per form ­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un­
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades Band A represe nt higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum requ ired by law.
A WARNING c,...._ -
The tract ion grade assigned to this t ire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, co r­
nering, hyd roplaning or pea k traction cha rac­
terist ics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab­
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded . Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
i n comb inat ion, can cause heat bu ildup and
possib le tire fai lure.
A WARNING
-Temperature grades apply to tires that are
properly inflated and not over or under inflat­
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring system
ill General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
.
should be checked monthly when cold and inflat-
ed to the i nflat io n pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the veh icle placard or
t ir e infla tion p ressure labe l. (If your ve hicle has
ti res of a different size t han t he si ze ind icated on
IIJi,-
351