2018 AUDI Q3 winter tires

Driving
braking effec t, which he lps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con­
sumpt ion to zero (fuel shut-off during dece lera­
tion) .
Shift effici en tly
Upshift ing earlier is an effective way to save fuel.
Staying in a gear too long uses fue l unnecessari ­
ly.
P ress down o n the acce le ra tor peda l slowly and
avoid " kick -down ".
Avoid full acceleration
You should rare ly trave l at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a d isproportionately
h igh inc rease in fuel consump tion, emissions and
tr affic no ise. Slower driving saves fuel.
Reduce idling time
There are benefits to stopp ing the engine, for ex ­
ample when at railroad crossings or traffic lights
with longer red lights. Stopping the engi ne for
30 -40 seconds already saves mo re fuel than the
amount of extra fuel needed to restart the en­
gine.
It takes a very long time in idle to wa rm the en­
g ine up to ope ra ting tempe ra tu re. Wea r and
emissions are especially high in the wa rm -up
phase . Therefore, yo u should begi n driving im ­
mediately after starting the engine. Avoid high
RP Ms while doing t his .
Have maintenance performed r egularly
By having m ainten ance perfo rmed regu larly on
your ve hicle, yo u can he lp to reduce f uel con­
sumpt ion befo re yo u even start to dr ive. The
maintenance condition of your vehicle not only
affects traffic safety and long-te rm value but a l­
so impacts
fuel consumpt ion . A poorly main­
tained engine can lead to fuel consumption that
is 10% higher than normal.
Also check th e
oil level when refueling . T he oil
consumption
depends large ly on the engine load
and speed. It is normal for the oil consumpt ion
of a new eng ine to reach its lowest point only af ­
ter a certain amount of use. Therefo re, the oil
consumpt ion can o nly be properly judged after
58
approximately 3,0 00 miles (S,000 km) have been
driven .
Avoid short trips
The eng ine and exhaust clean ing system mus t
r each their optima l
operating temperature to ef­
fe ct ively reduce consump tion and emissions.
A cold engine uses a d isp roportionately high
amount of fue l. The engine reac hes operat ing
temperat ure and cons umption no rmal izes on ly
a fter approximate ly 2.5 m iles (4 km) .
Check the tire pressure
To save fuel, make sure the t ires are always in­
flated to the correct pressure ~
page 175. The
fuel consumpt ion can increase by 5% if the p res ­
s ur e is on ly 0.5 bar too low. Due to the i ncreased
rol ling resis tance, low tire p ressures w ill also
l ead to greater tire
wear and will affect driving
behavior .
Do no t drive on
winter tir es ye ar-r ound, as this
will consume up to 10% more f uel.
Eliminate unnecessary weight
S ince every po und of ext ra weight increases fuel
consump tion , a quick inspect io n of the luggage
compartmen t may be wo rth it to avoid unneces ­
s ar y we ight.
When not be ing used, a roof rack shou ld be re­
moved to decrease the w ind resistance of the ve­
hi cle. This will save yo u ap prox imately 1 2% fue l
at speeds from 62 -75 mph (100 -12 0 km/h).
Save energy
The eng ine drives the generator, which generates
e lectric ity; the fuel consumpt io n also increases
with t he demand for e lectricity . T he refore, sw itch
electrica l eq uipm ent off whe n you no longe r
need i t. Exa mples of eq uipme nt tha t uses a lo t of
energy a re air blowe rs at a high setting, the rea r
window defogger and seat heating* .
([) Note
-Do not leave engine idling un attended afte r
sta rting. If warn ing li ghts should come on
to ind icate improper ope ration, they wou ld
go unheeded . Extended idling also pro duces .,.

Ass is tance sy stems
Assistance systems
Speed warning system
Description
Applies to: veh icles with speed warning system
The speed warning system helps you to stay be­
low a specified maximum speed that can be set,
changed or deleted in the Infotainment system.
The speed warning system warns you if you are exceeding the maximum speed that you have set .
A warning tone will sound as soon as your speed
exceeds the stored value slightly. The
lGJ (USA
models)
I l•j (Canada mode ls) indicator light
and a message appear in the instrument cluster
d isp lay at the same time . ThP
lGl{t] indicator
light and the message turn off if the speed falls
back below the stored maximum speed .
Sett ing a threshold is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when yo u reach a certa in
maximum speed. Situations where you may want
to do so include driving in a country w ith a gener­
al speed limit or if there is a specified maximum
speed for winter tires.
Se tt ing the warning thresho ld
Select:
! CAR I function button> (Car) Sys tem s*
control button > Drive r assis t > Speed w arning .
@ Tips
Regardless of the speed warning system, you
should always monitor your speed using the
speedometer and make sure you are following
the legal speed limit.
76
Cruise control system
Switching on
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive a constant speed that is 30 km/h or higher .
0
f
®l
0
Fig. 78 Operat ing lever : cru ise co ntrol syste m
5:
"' 0 ± .. To switch the system on , pull the lever into po-
sition
(D ~ fig. 78.
.. Drive at the speed to be maintained.
.. To store the speed, press the button @.
The
(ij;\1)~1~ (USA mode ls)/ B (Canada models)
indicator light turns on in the instrument cluster .
8_ WARNING
-Always pay attention to the traffic around
you when the cruise contro l system is in op­
erat ion. You are always respons ible for your
speed and the distance between your veh i­
cle and other vehicles.
- For safety reasons, cruise control should not
be used in the city, in stop -and -go traff ic, on
w inding roads and when road conditions a re
poor (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rai n and
hyd roplaning), because this inc reases the
r is k of an accident.
- Switch the cruise control off temporarily
when dr iv ing in turning lanes, highway exits
or in constru ction zones.
- P lease note that "rest ing" your foot on the
accelerator pedal un intent iona lly can result
in ac celeration that overrides the c ruise con-
-
trol system . .,.

0 co ......
"' ,....
"' ...... 0 0 :::,
00
Electromechanical
steering
The ele ctromechanical steering supports th e
driver's steering movements.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the veh icle speed .
Indicat or lights and me ssages
• Steering fault! Do not dr ive vehi cle!
If th is ind icator lig ht tu rns on and stays o n and
this message appears, the power steer ing may
have failed.
Do
not c ont in u e d riving. See an authorized Aud i
dea ler o r autho rized Aud i Serv ice Facility fo r as ­
sis tance.
If the indicator light turns on, the steering wheel may be more diff icult to move or more sensitive
than usual. The steering wheel may also be at an
angle when dr iving straight .
Drive s low ly to an author ized Audi dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Se rvice Fac ility to have the mal­
function co rrected.
kr-ij Steering lock: System fault ! Please contact
dealer.
There is a malfunction in the electronic steering
l ock.
Drive to an authorized Aud i dea ler o r aut horized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
-
Have the system malfunction corrected as
soon as possible by an author ized Audi dealer
or authorized Aud i Service Fac ility, as this in­
creases the risk of a n accident .
(D Tips
If the . or i1:.ij indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue dr iv ing.
Intellig ent Technology
All wheel drive (quattro)
Applies to: vehicles with all wheel drive
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are powered.
General information
In all whee l drive, the dr iving power is div ided be­
tween all fou r wheels . This happens automatical­
ly depending on yo ur driving behavior as we ll as
the cur rent road conditions . A lso see ¢
page 89 .
The all whee l dr ive concept is des igned for high
engine power. Yo ur vehicle is except iona lly pow­
erfu l and has excellent driving characteristics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre­ cautions
q .&, .
Winter ti res
By using all whee l drive, your veh icle has good
forward motion w ith standard tires in winter con­
ditions . However, using winter or all season tires
on
all four wheels in the winter is recommended,
because th is w ill improve the
braking effect.
Snow chains
If there a re snow chain laws, snow cha ins m ust
also be used on ve hicles with all wheel drive
¢ page 181, Snow chains .
Replacing tires
For vehicle s wi th a ll wheel d rive, o nly wheels wi th
the same roll ing ci rcumfe rence sho uld be used.
Avoid using tires with di fferen t tread depths
¢ page 173, New tires or wheels.
A WARNING
- Also, in vehicles with all whee l drive, adapt
your driving style to the current road and traffic cond itions. Do not let the increased
safety prov ided tempt you into taking r isks,
because this increases the risk of an acc i­
dent.
- The braking ab ility of your vehicle is limited
to the trac tion of the wheels. I n this way, it
is not different from a two w heel d rive vehi ­
cle. Do no t be tempte d to accelerate to a
h igh speed when the ro ad is s lippery, be -
cause t his increases t he risk of an acci den t. ...,
93

Wheels
Wheels
Wheels and Tires
General information
1>-(heck your tires regularly for
damage (punctures , cuts, cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob­
jects from the tire tread.
.,. If driving over curbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap­ proach the curb at an angle.
1>-Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
1>-Protect your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
.,. Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running
direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled.
1>-Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool , dry location
with as little exposure to light as possible.
_&. WARNING -
-Never drive faster than the
maximum permitted 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 condi-
166
tions. Dr ive carefully and re ­
duce your speed on icy or slip­
pery roads. Even winter tires
can lose traction on black ice .
(D Note
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical
in those seasons. Audi recom­
mends using winter tires dur­
ing the winter months . Low
temperatures significantly de­
crease the elasticity of summ­
er tires, which affects traction
and braking ability. If summer
tires are used in very cold
temperatures, cracks can form
on the tread bars, resulting in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be used in winter driving condi­
tions. The surface of the rims
does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or similar
substances.

Wheel s
(J) US DOT number (TIN) and
manufacture date
The manufacture date is listed on
the tire sidewall (it may only ap­
pear on the inner s ide of the tire) :
DOT ... 2217 ...
means, for example, tha t the ti re
was produced in the 22nd week of
the year 2017.
@ Audi Original Tires
Audi Original equipment tires
with the designation "AO" have
been specially matched to your
Audi. When used correctly, these
tires meet the highest standards
for safety and handling. An au ­
thorized A udi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility will be
able to provide you with more in­
formation .
® Mud and snow capability
"M/5" or "M+S" indicates the tire
has properties ma king it suitable
to drive in mud or snow.
& indi­
cates a winter t ire .
@ Compos ition of the tire cord
and materials
The number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay­
ers in the tire . In general: the
more layers, the more weight a
168
tire can carry. Tire manufacturers
must also specify the materials
used in the tire . These include
steel, nylon, polyester and other
materials .
@Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the maxi ­
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry.
@ Uniform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
tr action and temper atur e
resistance
Treadwear, traction and tempera­
ture ranges
¢ page 182.
@ Running direction
The arrows indicate the running
direction of unidirectional tires.
You must always follow the speci­
fied running direction
¢ page 196 .
@) Maximum permitted
inflation pressure
This number indicates the maxi­
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated under normal operat­
ing condit ions .

Wheels
differently even if they are the
same size
c::> .,&..
~ 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
c::> ,& .
If the spare tire 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. For this reason, in case of emer­
gency, only use a spare tire that has the same circumference as
the regular tires.
174
A 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
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so.
-Do not use run-flat tires on
your vehicle. Using them when ...

0 co ......
"' ,....
"' ...... 0 0 :::,
00
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 acc ident. For the correct tightening specifi ­
cation, see ¢
page 192, After changing a
wheel .
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bo lts that fit the rim .
- Always have damaged r ims repa ired by an
authorized Audi dealer o r autho rized Aud i
Service Facility . Never repair or d isassemble
r ims yourself, because this inc reases the risk
of an accident.
Winter tires
W inte r ti res s ignificantly improve the vehicle's
h andling when driving in win ter condit ions . Be­
cause of the ir constr uction (width, compound,
tread pattern), summer tires provide less trac­
tion on ice and snow .
... Use w inter t ires on all fo ur wheels .
... Only use winter t ires that are approve d for your
v ehicl e.
... Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires¢.&.
in
General information on page 166.
An au thor­
ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service Fa­
c ili ty can inform you about the maximum per­
mit ted speed for you r tir es .
... Check the tire press ure after installing w heels
¢ page 176.
The effec tiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
l y when the t read is worn down to a depth of
0 .1 57 in ( 4 mm). The char acter istics of win ter
tires a lso dec rease great ly as t he tire ages, re­
gardless of the remaining tread .
@) For the sake of the environment
Reinstall s umme r ti res at the a ppro pria te
t ime, bec ause they provide bet ter hand ling
Wh eel s
when roa ds a re free o f snow and ice . Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fue l
consumpt ion .
(D Tips
You can also use a ll season tires instead of
winter tires . Please note that in some coun ­
tries where winter tires are required , on ly
winter tires w it h the
& symbo l may be per­
mitted.
Snow chains
S now cha ins not only improve the drivi ng in win ­
te r road condit ions, but also the braking .
... On ly ins tall snow chains on the front wheels.
T his applies a lso to vehicles with a ll wheel
drive*.
... Check and correct the seating of the snow
chai ns after d riving a few feet, if necessary. Fol­
low the instr uctions from the manufac turer.
... Note the maximum permitted spee d when dr iv­
ing with snow chains . Do not exceed 30 mph
(SO km/h).
U se fine-me sh snow chains . They must no t add
more than 0.53 inch (13. S mm) in height, incl ud­
ing t he chain lock .
You m ust remove the snow chains on roads with­
o ut snow . O therwise, you co uld impair d riving
abili ty and damage the t ires .
Use of snow c hains is only permitted with certa in
r im/tire comb inat io ns due to technical reasons .
C heck wi th an au thorized Audi dea ler or author­
ized Audi Service Facility to see if you may use
snow chains .
A WARNING
Using incor rect snow chains or installing snow
cha ins incor rect ly can resu lt in loss of veh icle
control, which increases the risk of an acci·
dent.
(D Note
Snow cha ins can damage the rims/whee l cov-
ers * if the chains come into direct contact
liJJ,
181

Wheels
with them. Remove the wheel covers" first.
Use coated snow chains.
Low-profile tires
App lies to: veh icles with low-profile tires
Your vehicle is equipped with low-profile tires* at
t he factory . Compared to other tire/rim combina­
ti ons, low-profile tires offer a wider tread sur face
and a larger rim diameter with shorter tire side­
walls . This results in an agile driving style . How­
ever, it may reduce the level of comfort and in­
crease road noise when dr iv ing on roads in poor
condition .
Low-profile tires can become damaged more
qu ickly than standard t ires when driving over
large b umps, potholes, manhole covers, speed
bumps and curbs. Therefore, it is part icu lar ly im­
portant to maintain the cor rect tire pressure
¢page 176.
To reduce the r isk 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
bu lges/cracks on the tir es or deformations/
cracks on the r ims.
After a heavy impact or damage, have the tires
and rims inspected or replaced immediate ly by
an author ized Audi dealer or author ized A udi
Serv ice 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 ­
d itions, use winter or all season t ires
¢ page 181.
Uniform tire quality grading
-Tread wear
- T raction AA A B C
- Temperature ABC
Qua lity grades can be found where applicab le on
the tire side wall between tre ad shoulder and
maximum section width
¢ page 16 7, fig . 144 .
182
For example: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA, Tem­
perature
A .
All passenger car tir es must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addit ion to these grades .
Tread wear
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.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the govern­
ment course as a tir e graded 100 .
T he relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual cond itions of their use, however, and
may depart sign ificantly from the norm due to
variations in driv ing habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades , from highest to lowest, are
AA , A, Band
C. Those grades represent the tire's
ability 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
¢_& .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C , representing the tire's resistance to the
generat ion of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on
a spec ified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the mate­
rial 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 perform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un­
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law .
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