Page 337 of 392

u
"' ... N
" N ....
~ 0 (X)
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 ing to the running direction indi
cated on the tire sidewall
¢ page 355.
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
Wheels
risk of hydroplaning when driv
ing through deep puddles.
Ti re pressure
Fig. 268 Driver's side 8-pillar : tire pres
sure label
I i .. a,
-"' -
r ~. --c =-- TINQ- ~-- ~-- - .-::""'- - - .- =--- •>-~-=:- ~ l ~
. ...... __..___. .... _.,. ...... _.._. . ... _ ... ............ __. ... ___.._ ... ~ ..... __,. .... ....
-.... P'ICU CIII I I >NI
-AVAHT -KPA. • PSI
-
Fig. 269 Tire pressure label
The correct tire pressure for tires
installed at the factory is listed on
a label. The label is located on the
B-pillar
¢ fig. 268, ¢ fig. 269. 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 337.
If driving the vehi-
cle when fully loaded, you must
""
335
Page 338 of 392

Wheels
increase the tire pressure to the
maximum specified
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 . 269 for
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 343.
_&. WARNING
Always adapt the tire pressure
to your driving style and vehicle
load .
-Overloading can lead to loss of
vehicle control and increase
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-
336
the risk of an accident. Read
and follow the important safe
ty precautions in
¢ page 337,
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
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.
ences between this information
and the tire pressures specified
Page 339 of 392

u co .... N r--N .... 0 <( 0 00
on the label on the driver's side B
pillar, always follow the specifica
tion on the B-pillar label
c:::> page 335, fig. 268.
Make sure that the tire designa
tion on your tire matches the des-
Model/ Tire designation
Wheels
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.
Tire pressure
Engine Normal load Maximum load
(up to 3
people)a)
front
PSI kPA
Q5: 235/60 R18 103H 29 200
2.0L
235/55 R19 101H 29 200
4-cylinder
255/45 R20 101H 29 200
gasoline en-
255/45 R20 101W
29 200 gine
255/40 R21102Y
32 220
SQ5: 255/45 R20 101H 33 230
3.0L
255/45 R20 101W 36 250
6-cylinder
gasoline en- 255/40 R21102Y 33 230
gine
a
) 2 people in the front, 1 person in the rear
A WARNING
Please note the important safe
ty precautions regarding tire
pressure
c:::> page 335 and load
limits
c:::> page 337.
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
rear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
29 200 35 240 38 260
29 200 33 230 36 250
29 200 33 230 36 250
29 200 32 220 35 240
32 220 32 220 35 240
30 210 36 250 36 2 50
33 230 4
1
280 44
300
33 230 36 250 39 270
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
..,
337
Page 340 of 392

Wheels
vehicle's Gross Veh ic le Weig ht
R ati ng
("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
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
Gro ss Ax le W eight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle's two axles .
T he 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 -
338
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 Rat ing
are listed on the safety compli
ance sticker labe l located on the
driver's side B-pillar.
1.8. 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 contro l and a crash.
-Always make sure that the to tal load being transported
-..
Page 341 of 392

u a, .... N r-N ....
~ a,
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 vehic le w ill not be over load
ed .
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1. L ocate the statement "TH E
COMBINED WEIGH T OF OCCU
PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
L BS" on your vehicle's placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
¢ page 335, fig . 269 .
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas
sengers that w ill be riding in
your vehic le .
3. Subt ract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from "XXX" kilograms or "XXX"
Wheels
pounds shown on the stick
er ¢ page 335, fig. 269 .
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity . For ex
ample , if the
"XXX" amount
equa ls
1400 lbs . and there will
be five
150 l bs . passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is
650 lbs .
(1 400- 750 (5 X 1 50) = 650
lbs .)
5. Determine the comb ined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle .
T hat weight may not safely ex
ceed the availab le cargo and
luggage load capacity calculat
ed in Step 4 .
6 . If your vehicle will be towing a
tra iler, load from your tra iler
w ill be transferred to your ve
hicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces
the availab le cargo and lug
gage load capacity of your veh i
c le .
.,. Check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 326, fig . 266) to deter
mine the designated load rat ing
for a specific t ire .
339
Page 342 of 392

Wheels
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easi ly.
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
d isassemble them
C> _&. .
_& WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tight ened 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
e> page 356, Finishing.
-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 yourse lf, 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.
"'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
e> & in
General information on page 325.
An author
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa
cility can inform you about the maximum per
mitted speed for your tires .
"'Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
¢page 335.
340
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0.16 in (4 mm) . The characteristics of winter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages, re
gardless of the remaining tread.
@) 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 cha ins not only improve the driving in win
ter road conditions, but also the braking.
"'Only install snow chains on the rear wheels.
"' 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 local regulations.
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons.
Check with an authorized Audi dealer or author
ized Audi Service Facility to see if you may use
snow chains.
Use
fine-mesh snow chains. They must not add
more than 0 .53 in (13.S mm) in height, including
the chain lock.
You must remove the snow chains on roads with
out snow . Otherwise, you could impair driving
ability and damage the tires .
_& WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
chains incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle
9"'
Page 343 of 392

u co ..... N r--N ..... 0 <( 0 00
control, which increases the risk of an
accident.
@ 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.
-Do not install and use snow chains if there is
a malfunction in the air suspension*, be
cause the vehicle height will be very low. If
you drive with snow chains anyway, the
wheel housings and other vehicle compo
nents can be severely damaged.
(D Tips
When using snow chains, it may be useful to
switch the offroad mode on <=>
page 141.
Low-profile tires
App lies to: ve hicles with low -profile tires
Compared to other tire/rim combinat ions, low
profile tires offer a wider tread surface and a
l arger r im diameter with shorter tire sidewalls.
This results in an agile dr iv ing style. However, it
may reduce the leve l of comfort and increase
road noise when driving on roads in poor condi
tion .
L ow -profile tires can become damaged more
quickly than standard tires when driving over
l arge bumps, potholes, manhole covers, and
curbs . Therefore, it is particular ly important to
maintain the correct tire pressure<=>
page 335 .
To reduce the risk of damage to the tires and
rims, drive very carefu lly on poor roads.
Check your wheels regularly every 2,000 mi
(3,000 km) for damage. Fo r 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 immediate ly by
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility .
Lo w-profile tires can wear out faster than stand
ard tires.
Wheels
Uniform tire quality grading
-Tread wear
-Traction AA ABC
-Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width <=>
page 326, fig. 266.
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
under controlled cond it ions on a specified gov
ernment test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as we ll on the govern
ment course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual cond it ions of the ir use, however, and
may depa rt significantly 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 o n 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
c:>,& .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified 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
c:> ,& . ..,.
341
Page 344 of 392

Wheels
The grade C corresponds to a leve l of perform
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un
der the Federa l 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.
A WARNING -
The traction grade ass igned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acce le rat ion, cor
ne ring, hydroplaning or peak traction charac
teristics.
A WARNING
Th e temperatu re 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 separate ly or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
A WARNING
-
-
Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and not over or underinflat
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring system
(l) General notes
Each t ire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and inflat
ed to the inflation pressure recommended by the
ve hicl e manufacturer on the vehicle placard or
tire in flatio n press ure label. ( If yo ur vehicle has
t ires of a different siz e than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la
be l, you should determine the proper tire infla
tion pressure for those t ires) .
As an added safety feature, your veh icle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure te ll
tale when one or more of your t ires is significant
ly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure tellta le illuminates, you should stop and
342
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure . Driving on a signifi
cant ly under-inflated t ire causes the t ire to over
heat and can lead to tire fa ilure . Under-inflation
also reduces fue l eff iciency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop
ping ability .
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the dr iver's re
spons ibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres
su re te lltale .
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys
tem is not operating prope rly . The TPMS mal
function indicat or is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi
mately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence wi ll continue upon
s ub sequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal
funct ion exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
l ow tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
i nstallation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the veh icle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS ma lfunction telltale after replac ing one or
more tires or wheels on you r vehicle to ens ure
that the rep lacement or alternate tires and
whee ls allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
If the tire pressure monitoring indicator
appears
App lies to : vehicles wit h Tire Pressure Mo nitor ing System in
dicator
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system malfunction .
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor
in g system compares the tire tread circumfer
en ce and vibration characteristics of the