2018 AUDI A8 tires

LL
"' .... N ,-.. N .... g :r st
use a spare tire* that is 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. 265 T ir e 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.
291

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 noticeab le
vibration in the steering wheel.
If you do not, the tires and other
vehicle components could wear more qu ickly .
Treadwear indicator
Original equipment t ires 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 ti re per­
pendicular to the running direc­
tion. The letters
"TWI" or trian ­
gles on the tire sidewall indicate
the location of the treadwear in­
dicators .
T he tires have reached the mini­
mum tread depth
l) when they
have worn down to the treadwear
indicators. Replace the tires with
new ones
c:::> ,.1. .
Tire rotation
Rotating the tires regularly is rec ­
ommended to ensure the tires
1> Obey any applicable regulations in your
country.
2 92
wear evenly . To rotate the tires,
install the tires from the rear ax le
on the front axle and vice versa .
This will allow the tires to have app roximately the same lengt h of
service life .
F or unidirectional tires , make
sure the ti res are installed accord­
ing to the running direction indi­
cated on the tire sidewall
c:::>page 319 .
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 slow ly and caref ully to
the nearest authorized Audi deal­ er or authorized Audi Service Fa­
cility to have the vehicle inspect­
ed .
& WARNIN G ~
Tread that has worn too low or
different tread depths on the
tires can reduce driving safety.
11>

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.
Tire pressure
Fig. 266 Driver's side B -pillar : tire pres­
sur e label
- KPA. a PSI
Fig. 267 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. 266, ¢ fig. 267.
~ When the vehicle is partially load-
N
~ ed (up to 3 peop le), use the tire
0
0
I Wheels
pressure specified for normal
Loads¢ table on page 295. 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. 267 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
c::> page 302.
.,.Check the pressure in the emer­
gency tire* /spare t ire*. Always
maintain the maximum temper­
ature that is specified for the
tire.
.,.
293

Wheels
&,. 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
inc:::> page 295,
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 B­ pillar, always follow the specifica-
294
negative effect on driving and
braking behavior, which in­
creases the risk of an accident.
@ 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
c:::> table on
page 295
or for a full load
when the vehicle is partially loaded.
tion on the B-pillar label
c:::> page 293, fig. 266.
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.
Wheels
Tire pressure
Model/ Tire designation Normal load Maximum load
Engine (up to
2*/3 people)al
front
rear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
A8/A8 L: 235/55 Rl8 104H
35 24
0
30 210
36 250
38 260
3.0L
255/45 Rl9 104H 35 240
30 210 36 250 38 260
6 cylinders 265/40 R20 104H 35 24
0
30 21
0
36 2
50
38 26
0
265/40 R20 104V 35 240
30 210 33 230 35 240
265/35 R21 101 Y 38 260
35 240
36 250
38 2
60
275/35 R21103Y 35 240
30 210 36 250 35 240
A8/A8 L: 235/55 Rl8 104H 36 250 30 210 38 260 38 2 60
4.0L
255/45 Rl9 104H 36 250 30 210 38 260 38 260
8 cylinders 265/40 R20 104H 36 250 30 210 38 260 38 260
265/40 R20 104V 36 250 30 210 35 2
40
35 2
40
275/35 R21 103V 36 250 30 210 38 260 38 260
58: 265/40 R20 104V 36 25 0 30 210 3 9 27
0
38 260
4.0L
265/35 R21101 Y 39 270 33 230 44 300 42 290
8 cylinders 275/35 R21 103V 36 250 30 210 44
300 42
290
58 plus: 265/40 R20 104V 38 260 32 220 39 270 38 260
4.0L
275/35 R21 103V
8
cylinders 45 310 39 270 49 340 48 330
a ) Vehicles with 4 seating positions: two people in the front, Vehicles with 5 seating
positions:
two people in the front, one person in the rear
A WARNING
Please note the important safe­
ty precautions regarding tire pressure
c:::> page 293 and load
limits
c:::> page 295.
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of
~ load or weight that any 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.
N
~ and any tire can carry. A vehicle
0 0 :c ' Your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on making
..,
295

....
"' -N .... N
-0
0
J: ..
-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.
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 vehic le 's placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
¢ page 293, fig. 266 .
Wheels
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­sengers 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 sticker
¢ page 293, fig . 266 .
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 wil l
be five
150 lbs . passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lbs .)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely ex­
ceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calculat­
ed in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your ve­
hicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces
.,.
297

Wheels
the available cargo and lug­gage load capacity of your vehi­
cle.
.,.Check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 283, fig. 264) to deter­
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easily .
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
covers* consist of multiple pieces . These compo­
nents were bolted together using special bolts
and a special procedure. You must not repair or
disassemble
them £:=?.&. .
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control, which increases the risk of
an accident. For the correct tightening specifi­
cation, see
¢page 314.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim.
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility. Never repair or disassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident .
Winter tires
Winter tires significantly improve the vehicle's
handling when driving in winter conditions. Be­
cause of their construction (width, compound,
tread pattern) , summer tires provide less trac­
tion on ice and snow.
298
.. 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
authorized 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 293 .
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0.157 in (4 mm). The characteristics of winter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages , re­
gardless of the remaining tread.
A WARNING
- Never drive faster than the maximum per­
mitted speed for your tires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much. This increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst .
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic conditions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
winter tires can lose traction on black ice .
® For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, because they provide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumption.
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun­
tries where winter tires are required, only
winter tires with the
& symbol may be per­
mitted.
Snow chains
-
Snow chains not only improve the driving in win­
ter road conditions, but also the braking.
.,. Only install snow chains on the front wheels. .,.

u. co .... N
" N .... 0 0 :c ' ~ Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains after driving a few feet, if necessary. Fol­
low the instructions from the manufacturer.
~ Note the maximum speed of 30 mph (SO km/
h). Note the loc al regulations.
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons.
Check with an authori zed Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility to see if you may use
snow chains .
You must remove the snow chains on roads with­
out snow. Otherwise, you could impair driving
ability and damage the tires.
A WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
chains incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle
control, which increases the risk of an acci­
dent.
0 Note
-Snow chains can damage the rims/wheel
covers* if the chains come into direct con·
tact with them . Remove the wheel covers*
first. Use coated snow chains.
-Using snow chains that add more than 0.4
inch (10.5 mm) of height can severely dam­
age the wheel housings and other vehicle
components.
-Do not install and use snow chains if there is
a malfunction in the adaptive air suspen­
sion, because the vehicle height will be very
low. If you drive with snow chains anyway,
the wheel housings and other vehicle com­ ponents can be severely damaged.
@ Tips
When using snow chains, it may be useful to
switch on sport mode
¢ page 128.
Low-profile tires
Appl ies to: ve hicles w ith low-profile tires
Your vehicle is equipped with low-profile tires* at
the factory . Compared to other tire/rim combina­
tions, low-profile tires offer a wider tread surface
and a larger rim diameter with shorter tire side-
Wheels
walls. This results in an agile driving style. How­
ever, it may reduce the level of comfort and in­
crease road noise when driving on roads in poor
condition.
Low-profile tires can become damaged more
quickly than standard tires when driving over
large bumps, potholes, manhole covers, speed
bumps and curbs. Therefore, it is particularly im­
portan t to maintain the correct tire pressure
¢ page 293.
To reduce the risk of damage to the tires and
rims, drive very carefully on poor roads.
Check your wheels regularly every 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 or damage, have the tires
and rims inspected or replaced immediately by
an authorized Audi dealer or authori zed Audi
Service Facility.
Low-profile tires can wear out faster than stand­
ard tires.
Summer tires are not suitable for cold weather,
snow or black ice. If you are driving in these con­
ditions, use winter or all season tires
¢ page 298.
Uniform tire quality grading
-Tread wear
-Traction AA AB C
-Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width
¢ page 283, fig. 264.
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA, Tem­
perature
A .
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades .
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
299