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. .,.
lL t:0 ....
'"" ......
'"" .... 0 0 :c '
Tires with unidirectional tr ead design
Tires with unidirectional tread design must be
mounted with their tread pattern pointed in the
right direction .
Using a spare tire with a tread pattern
intended for use in a specific direction
When using a spare t ire with a tread pattern in
tended fo r use in a specific direction, please note
the following:
- The direction of rotat ion is marked by an arrow
on the side of the tire .
- If the spare tire has to be installed in the incor
rect direction, use the spare tire only tempora
rily s ince the tire will not be able to achieve its
opt imum performance character istics with re
gard to aquaplaning, noise and wear .
- We recommend that you pay particular atten
t ion to this fact during wet weather and that
you adjust your speed to match road condi
tions.
- Replace the flat tire with a new one and have it
installed on your vehicle as soon as possible to
restore the handling advantages of a unidirec
tiona l tire .
Notes on wheel changing
Please read the information ~ page 290 if you
are going to use a spare tire which is different
from the tires on your vehicle.
After you change a tire:
- Check the tire pressure on the spare immedi
ately after installation.
- Have the wheel bolt tightening torque
checked with a torque wrench as soon as pos
sible by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified service station.
- With steel and alloy wheel rims, the wheel
bolts are correctly tightened at a torque of 90
ft lb
(120 Nm).
- If you notice that the wheel bolts are corroded
and difficult to turn while changing a tire ,
they should be replaced before you check the
tightening torque .
Emergency assistance
-Replace the flat tire with a new one and have
it installed on your vehicle as soon as possi
ble. Remount the wheel cover.
Until then , drive with extra care and at reduced
speeds.
A WARNING
- If you are going to equip your vehicle with
tires or rims which differ from those which
were factory installed, then be sure to read the information
Q page 290.
- Always make sure the damaged wheel or
even a flat tire and the jack and tool kit are
properly secured in the luggage compart
ment and are not loose in the passenger
compartment.
- In an accident or sudde n maneuver they
could fly forward, injuri ng anyone in the ve
h icle .
- Always store damaged wheel, jack and tools
securely in the luggage compartment. Oth
erwise, in an accident or sudden maneuver
they could fly forward, causing injury to pas
sengers in the vehicle.
Spare tires
General information
Applies to : vehicles wit h spare tire/space-saving spare tire
(com pact spa re tire)
Fig. 282 Lu ggage compar tmen t: ca rgo floor cover fo lded
upwa rd
The spare tire is intended for short-term use on-
-
ly. Have the damaged tire checked and, if neces
sary, replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or au
thorized Audi Serv ice Facility as soon as possible.
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