Page 218 of 280

Wheels 
  
Wheels  Wheels 
and Tires 
General information 
> Check 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. 
>Have faulty tires or rims re- 
placed immediately. 
>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. 
>Lay tires flat when storing  and 
store them in a cool, dry location 
with as little exposure to light as 
possible. 
  
AN 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  acci- 
dent because it can cause the 
tire to burst. 
      
216 
  
  
—Always adapt your driving to 
the road and traffic condi- 
tions. Drive carefully and re- 
duce your speed on icy or slip- 
pery roads. Even winter tires 
can lose traction on black ice. 
  
() 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 tem- 
peratures, 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. 
   
     
        
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Wheels 
  
@ US DOT number (TIN) and 
manufacture date 
The manufacture date is listed on 
the tire sidewall (it may only ap- 
pear on the inner side of the tire): 
DOT... 2219... 
means, for example, that the tire 
was produced in the 22nd week of 
the year 2019. 
@) 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 Audi dealer or author- 
ized Audi Service Facility will be 
able to provide you with more in- 
formation. 
@) Mud and snow capability 
“M/S” or “M+S” indicates the tire 
has properties making it suitable 
to drive in mud or snow. /&  indi- 
cates a winter tire. 
Composition 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 
218 
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, 
traction and temperature 
resistance 
Treadwear, traction, and tempera- 
ture ranges > page 233. 
@ Running direction 
The arrows indicate the running 
direction of unidirectional tires. 
You must always follow the  speci- 
fied running direction 
=> page 245. 
Maximum permitted 
inflation pressure 
This number indicates the maxi- 
mum pressure to which a tire can 
be inflated under normal operat- 
ing conditions.  
     
        
        Page 226 of 280

Wheels 
  
differently even if they are the 
same size > A. 
>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 > A. 
Because the spare tire® is differ- 
ent from the regular tires instal- 
led on the vehicle (such as winter 
tires or wide tires), only use the 
spare tire* temporarily in case of 
emergency and drive carefully 
while it is in use. It should be re- 
placed 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 
is the same circumference as the 
regular tires. 
224 
  
  
Z\ 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 
     
     
        
        Page 227 of 280

83A012721BA 
Wheels 
  
  
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 
B4H-0415 
  
Fig. 150 Tire 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. 
—Have an authorized Audi dealer 
or authorized Audi Service Facili- 
  
  
D Obey any applicable regulations in your 
country. 
ty check the wheel alignment if 
there is unusual wear. 
—Have the wheels rebalanced if an 
imbalance is causing noticeable 
vibration in the steering wheel. 
If you do not, the tires and other 
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. 150. 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 )) 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 
225