be repaired by a qualified workshop. Volkswagen Commercial Vehides recommends using a Volks-wagen Commercial Vehicles dealership for this purpose => &.
Rims with bolted-on trims
Rims may have removable trims that are attached to the rim with self-locking bolts. Damaged trims may only be repaired by a qualified workshop. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles recommends us-ing a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealership for this purpose => &.
Rim identification
In some countries, new rims are legally required to contain certain specifications on them. The follow-ing information may appear on the rims (varying from region to region):
• Seal of conformity
• Rim size
• Name of manufacturer or brand name
• Date manufactured (month/year)
• Country of origin
• Production number
New wheels and tyres
r--f'n First read and observe the introductory L-Wl information and safety warnings & on page 367.
New tyres
• Drive particularly carefully for the first 600 km with new tyres as the tyres have to be run in. Tyres that have not been run in have reduced grip=>& and braking effect => &.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumference) and the same tread.
• The tread depth of new tyres may vary, accord-ing to the type and make of tyre and the tread pat-tern.
370 I Clcanmg and maintenance
• Raw materials batch number
• Product code
A WARNING
The use of unsuitable or damaged rims can impair vehicle safety and cause accidents and serious injury.
• Only use rims that have been approved for the vehicle.
• Check the rims regularly for damage and replace as necessary.
A WARNING
Incorrect loosening and tightening of the bolts on rims with bolted-on rings can cause accidents and serious Injury.
• Never remove the bolts on rims with bot-ted-on rings.
• All work on rims with bolted-on rings must be carried out by a qualified workshop. Volks-wagen Commercial Vehicles recommends us-ing a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles deal-ership for this purpose.
Replacing tyres
• Tyres should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (i.e. both front tyres or both rear tyres together) => &.
• Old tyres should only be replaced by tyres that have been approved by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for the vehicle type. Make sure that the tyres used are correct in respect of size, diameter. load-carrying capacity and maximum speed.
• Never use tyres with an effective size that is larger than tyres approved by Volkswagen Com-mercial Vehicles. Larger wheels could rub against the body or other parts of the vehide.
Additional information for vehicles with tyre monitoring system
For vehides with a tyre monitoring system, the sys-tem will have to be "re-synchronised" after any wheel changes, regardless of whether the wheel in question is being fitted in the same or in a different position =>page 318.
Further information about the tyre monitoring sys-tem, how it functions and what you must know
A wARNING
New tyres will have to be run in as they will Initially have reduced grip and braking effect.
• Drive particularly carefully for the first 600 km in order to prevent accidents and se-rious injury.
A WARNING
Wheels must have the necessary freedom of operation. If the wheels do not have the nec-essary freedom of operation, the tyre could rub on parts of the running gear, the vehicle body and the brake lines. This can lead to a fault in the brake system and to tread separa-tion and thus to a tyre bursting.
Tyre pressure
r-T'n First read and observe the introductory L-k.U Information and safety warnings & on page 367.
The correct tyre pressure for factory-fitted tyres is shown on the tyre pressure label and applies to all-season, summer and winter tyres. The tyre pres-sure label is located on the lock column on the left front door.
If the tyre pressure is too low or too high, the tyres will wear prematurely and the vehicle will not han-dle well => &. The correct tyre pressure is particu-larly important at high speeds. Incorrect tyre pres-sure causes premature wear and can cause a tyre burst.
The pressure should therefore be checked at least once a month and before starting a journey.
The given tyre pressure applies to cold tyres. Tyre pressure is always higher in warm tyres than it is in cold tyres.
For this reason, never reduce the pressure in warm tyres to adjust the tyre pressure. This would result in low tyre pressures that could potentially cause the tyre to burst suddenly.
Checking tyre pressure
Always check the tyre inflation pressure on "cold" tyres. A "cold" tyre can be defined as one on a ve-hicle that has only been driven a few kilometres (miles) within 3 hours prior to the test and at low speeds.
A WARNING (Continued)
• The actual tyre size must not exceed the tyre dimensions of manufacturers approved by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and must not rub on any vehicle body parts.
m Despite identical size details, the actual size L!..J of the various tyre makes may vary from these specified dimensions, or the tyre contours may vary considerably.
m Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles-approved L!..J tyres are guaranteed to have the dimensions that are suitable for the vehicle. The salesperson will have to provide a certificate from the tyre man-ufacturer for other tyre makes to prove that the tyre is also suitable for the vehicle. This certificate must be stored in a safe place in the vehicle.
• The tyre pressures must be adjusted to suit a heavy vehicle load.
• After altering the tyre pressures, please ensure that the valve caps are screwed on and observe any information and instructions on setting the tyre monitoring system =>page 318.
The temporary spare wheel is filled to the highest tyre pressure permissible for the vehicle.
A WARNING
Too high or too low a pressure may cause the tyre to suddenly lose pressure or burst while the vehicle is in motion. This can cause seri-ous accidents and fatal Injuries.
• If the tyre pressure Is too low, it is possi-ble that the tyre temperature will increase to such an extent when driving that the tread peels off and the tyre bursts.
• Fast speeds or overloading of the vehicle can cause overheating, sudden tyre damage including tyre bursts and ripping of the tread surface and thus to a loss of control of the vehicle.
• If the tyre pressure is too low or too high, the tyres will wear prematurely and the vehi-cle will not handle well. .,.
Wheels and tyres 371
A WARNING (Continued)
• Worn tyres reduce the possibility of con-trolling the vehicle well in normal and difficult driving situations and Increase braking dis-tance and the risk of sliding.
...--m First read and observe the introductory l-.W.I Information and safety warnings&,. on page 367.
Damage to tyres and rims is often not readily visi-ble. Any unusual vibrations or signs that the car is pulling to one side may indicate that one of the tyres is damaged =:. &,..
• Reduce your speed immediately if you suspect that a wheel is damaged.
• Check the tyres and rims for damage.
• If the tyre is damaged, do not drive on. Seek expert assistance.
• If there is no visible damage, drive slowly and cautiously to the next qualified workshop in order to have the vehicle checked.
Foreign bodies in the tyre
• Leave the foreign body in the tyre if it has en-tered the inner tyre. However, foreign bodies that are stuck between the tyre tread blocks can be re-moved.
• For vehicles with a spare wheel: where appro-priate, change the damaged wheel =:>page 420 If required, seek expert assistance when changing the damaged wheel. Volkswagen Commercial Ve-hicles recommends using a Volkswagen Commer-cial Vehicles dealership for this purpose.
• For vehicles with a breakdown set: the tyre can be sealed and pumped up using the tools in the breakdown set =:.page 425. Go to a qualified workshop. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles rec-ommends using a Volkswagen Commercial Vehi-cles dealership for this purpose.
Tyre wear
The tyre wear is affected by several factors, for ex-ample:
• Driving style.
• Unbalanced wheels.
• Running gear setting.
Driving style-fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard braking all increase tyre wear. The run-ning gear should be checked by a qualified work-shop if the tyres show excessive wear despite a normal driving style.
Unbalanced wheels -the wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various factors encoun-tered in normal driving can cause them to become unbalanced, which results in steering vibration. Un-balanced wheels will affect levels of wear on the steering system and the suspension. In this case the wheels should be balanced again. New tyres have to be balanced after fitting.
Running gear setting-incorrect wheel alignment causes excessive tyre wear, impairing the safety of the vehicle. The wheel alignment should be checked by a qualified workshop if tyres show ex-cessive wear.
A WARNING
If you notice unusual vibration or the car pull-Ing to one side while the vehicle is In motion, this may indicate that one of the tyres is dam-aged.
• Reduce speed immediately and park the vehicle without obstructing traffic.
• Check the tyres and rims for damage.
• Never drive on if wheels or tyres are dam-aged. Seek expert assistance Instead.
• If there Is no visible damage, drive slowly and cautiously to the next qualified workshop In order to have the vehicle checked.
Spare wheel
Fig. 282 Underneath the vehicle: retaining bolt G) and securing bolt® on the spare wheel bracket
r-T'n First read and observe the introductory L.-.lo:.U Information and safety warnings & on page 367.
Removing the spare wheel
These actions must be carried out in the specified order only &.
• Loosen the retaining bolt 282 G) until it is free using the box spanner from the toolkit.
• Unscrew the securing bolt® completely. The spare wheel bracket is now supported by the re-taining bolt.
• Fit the box spanner in the bracket 283.
• Make sure that the box spanner hook is located in the hole in the bracket 283 (close-up). If the box spanner is hooked in correctly, you should not be able to pull it out towards the back of the ve-hicle.
• Hold the box spanner with both hands.
• Lift the box spanner upwards together with the spare wheel bracket and guide the box spanner to the right. The head of the retaining bolt and the re-cess on the spare wheel bracket should be flush.
• Guide the box spanner downwards with the spare wheel bracket.
• Remove the spare wheel.
Storing the removed wheel
• Fit the box spanner in the spare wheel bracket.
• Place the replaced wheel in the spare wheel bracket.
• Lift the box spanner together with the spare wheel bracket in such a way that the head of the retaining bolt is guided through the recess in the spare wheel bracket.
374 I Cleaning and maintenance
Fig. 283 Underneath the vehicle: spare wheel bracket with box spanner inserted
• Move the spare wheel bracket together with the box spanner towards left, and place it on the re-taining bolt.
• Screw in the securing bolt, and tighten it with the box spanner.
• Screw in the retaining bolt, and tighten it with the box spanner.
When the spare wheel is not the same as the
other tyres mounted on the vehicle
If the spare tyre is not the same as the tyres that are mounted on the car-for example with winter tyres -only use the spare tyre for a short period of time and drive with extra care &.
Refit the normal, functional road wheel as soon as possible.
Follow these guidelines:
• Do not drive faster than 80 km/h (50 m ph).
• Avoid full acceleration, sudden braking and fast driving through bends in the road.
• The tyre pressure must be checked as soon as possible after fitting the spare wheel =>page 371.
The tyre pressure of the spare wheel should be checked together with the normal tyres, at least once a month. The spare wheel should have the highest pressure allowed for the vehicle 371.
A WARNING
Incorrect use of the spare wheel can lead to a loss of control over the vehicle, to collisions or other accidents and cause serious injuries.
• Never use a spare tyre if it is damaged or worn down to the tread wear Indicators. .,..
A WARNING (Continued)
• In some vehicles, the spare wheel could be smaller than the standard wheel. The small spare wheel has a sticker with the text "80 km/h" or "50 mph". This is the maximum speed at which you are permitted to drive with this tyre.
• Never drive faster than 80 km/h (50 mph). Do not accelerate quickly, brake suddenly or drive at high speed through bends.
• The spare wheel must always be secured firmly with the wheel bolts supplied by the factory.
Tyre lettering
Fig. 284 International tyre lettering.
A WARNING (Continued)
• After fitting the spare wheel, the tyre pres-sure must be checked as soon as possible =>page 371.
m If possible, stow the spare wheel or the re-L!..J moved wheel safely in the luggage compart-ment. In vehicles with a breakdown set, the re-moved wheel cannot be secured.
m Depending on the vehicle equipment, some L!..J vehicles may be factory-fitted with a spare wheel bracket in the luggage compartment.
=>Fig. 284 Tyre lettering (example) Meaning
G) Product name Individual tyre lettering from manufacturer.
DOT The tyre complies with the legal requirements of the USA De-
0 partment of Transportation, responsible for tyre safety stand-ards.
Wheels and tyres 375
=>Fig. 284 Tyre lettering (example) I Meaning
JHCO CHWS 2213 Tyre identification number (TINa)-may only be on the inner side of the wheel) and date of manufacture:
® JHCO Identifier of producing plant and specifications of CHWS the tyre manufacturer on size and characteristics
2213 Manufacture date: 22nd week in 2013.
Information for the end user concernmg comparat1ve values for spec1fied bas1c tyres (standardised test procedure) =>page 404·
TREADWEAR 280 Relative life expectancy for the tyre, with reference to a US-specific standard test. Tyres with the specification 280 are used up at a rate of 2.8 times more slowly than standard tyres
@ which have a treadwear value of 100. The performance of tyres is determined by how they are used and can notably de-viate from norm values due to driving style, maintenance, road surface and climatic conditions.
TRACTION AA Wet braking response of the tyre (AA, A, B or C). This is tes-led under controlled conditions on certified testing routes.
® Tyres marked C have a low traction performance. The traction value assigned to the tyres are based on linear traction tests and do not include speed, lateral stability, or aquaplaning and traction under high load.
TEMPERATURE A Temperature stability of the tyre at higher test speeds (A, B or C). A and B tyres exceed legal requirements. The tempera-tu re evaluation is based on tyres with correct pressure and
® does not allow for excess pressure. Excessive speed, incor-reel pressure or excess pressure can cause heat build-up or tyre damage. This applies to one or a combination of these factors.
0 88 H Load capacity index ::.page 377 and speed index ::.page 377.
® Rotation and arrow Denotes direction of rotation ::.page 377.
OR: outside Denotes outside of tyres ::.page 377.
® MAX INFLATION 350 KPA US limitation for the maximum air pressure. (51 psi /3.51 bar)
® M+S or M/S or & Denotes winter tyres (mud and snow tyres) ::.page 378. Studded snow tyres are labelled with an E after the S.
® TWI Indicates the position of the tread wear indicator ::.page 372.
@ Brand name. logo Manufacturer.
@ Made in Germany Country of manufacture.
@> @ Country-specific denotation for China (China Compulsory Certification).
® :r 023 Country-specific denotation for Brazil.
E4 e4 0200477-b Certification of conformity with international regulations. The next number is the code number of the country that granted
® approval. Approved tyres which comply with ECE regulations are denoted with E. tyres which comply with EC regulations are denoted with e. This is followed by the number of the type approval certificate.
@ RADIAL TUBELESS Tubeless radial tyres.
376 I Cleaning and maintenance
284 Tyre lettering (example) Meaning
P 195 /65 R 15 XL Size designation: p Identification for passenger vehicle.
195 Tyre width from wall to wall in mm.
@ 65 HeighUwidth ratio in %.
R Tyre construction: radial.
15 Rim diameter in inches.
XL Heavy-duty tyres (reinforced).
@ MAX LOAD 615 KG US load data for the maximum load per wheel. (1235 LBS)
SIDEWALL 1 PLY RAYON Data on the tyre carcass components: 1 layer of rayon (artificial silk).
® TREAD 4 PLIES Data on the tread surface components: 1 RAYON+ 2 STEEL+ In the example there are 4 layers under the tread surface: 1 NYLON 1 layer of rayon (artificial silk), 2 steel belt layers and 1 nylon layer.
•I The TIN is the tyre serial number.
Tyre lettering can also be found inside the tyre. Certain labels may only be found on one side of the tyre, e.g. tyre identification number and manu-facturing date.
Any further numbers and letters are Internal co-des used by the tyre manufacturer or country-specific denotations.
Tyres with directional tread pattern
Tyres with directional tread pattern have been de-veloped to roll in one direction only. An arrow on the tyre sidewall indicates the direction of rotation on tyres with directional tread. The direction of ro-tation must be adhered to. This guarantees opti-mum grip and helps to avoid aquaplaning, exces-sive noise and wear.
If, however, the tyre is fitted in the opposite direc-tion to the tread pattern, you must take more care when driving as the tyre is now no longer being used according to its designation. This is particu-larly important on wet roads. The tyres must be re-placed as quickly as possible or be fitted with the tread in the correct direction.
Asymmetrical tyres
Asymmetrical tyres take into account the differing behaviour of the inner and outer areas of the tread pattern. The sidewalls of asymmetrical tyres are marked to indicate "inside" or "outside". Maintain the correct tyre positioning on the wheel rim. This guarantees optimum grip and helps to avoid aqua-planing, excessive noise and wear.
If, however. the tyre is fitted in the opposite direc-tion to the tread pattern, you must take more care when driving as the tyre is now no longer being used according to its designation. This is particu-
larly important on wet roads. The tyres must be re-placed as quickly as possible or be fitted with the tread in the correct direction.
Tyre load
The load capacity index indicates how many kilo· grams can be loaded onto an individual tyre (tyre load).
Examples:
100 800 kg
101 825 kg
102 850 kg
103 875 kg
104 900 kg
105 925 kg
106 950 kg
107 975 kg
108 1,000 kg
109 1,030 kg
110 1,060 kg
Speed index
The speed index indicates the maximum permitted speed that may be driven when particular wheels are fitted.
p max. 150 km/h (93 mph) Q max. 160 km/h (99 mph)
R max. 170 km/h (106 mph)
s max. 180 km/h (112 mph)
T max. 190 km/h (118 mph)
u max. 200 km/h (125 mph)
H max. 210 km/h (130 mph)
V max. 240 km/h (149 mph)
Wheels and tyres I 377
z
w y
over 240 km/h (149 mph)
max. 270 kmlh (168 mph)
max. 300 kmlh (186 mph)
Winter tyres
r-f'n First read and observe the introductory L-J,::JJ information and safety warnings & on page 367.
In winter road conditions, winter tyres will consider-ably improve the car's handling. The design of summer tyres (width, rubber compound, tread pat-tern) gives less grip on ice and snow. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles urgently recommends you use winter tyres or all-year tyres on all 4 wheels of the vehicle, particularly if winter conditions are ex-pected on the roads. Winter tyres will also improve the braking response of the vehicle and will help to reduce braking distances in winter weather. Volks-wagen Commercial Vehicles recommends that win-ter tyres be fitted to the vehicle at temperatures un-der+ 7•c (+45°F).
Winter tyres lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to a depth of 4 mm. Winter tyres also largely lose their effectiveness through ageing-regardless of the tread depth.
The following applies when using winter tyres:
• Observe any country-specific legal require-ments.
• Use winter tyres on all four wheels at the same time.
• Only use in winter road conditions.
• Only use the sizes of winter tyre that have been approved for the vehicle.
• Winter tyres must have the same type, size (rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.
• Heed the maximum speed permitted by the speed index => &.
Speed limitation
Winter tyres have a speed limitation depending on the speed index =>page 375.
In some vehicle versions, a speed warning can be set in the menu MFD (multi function display) in the instrument cluster =>page 24.
378 I Cleaning and maintenance
Some tyre manufacturers use the code "ZR" for tyres with a highest permitted speed of over 240 km/h (149 mph).
If you use V-rated tyres the speed limits and re-quired tyre pressure will be determined by the en-gine size. You must ask a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealership about the highest permitted speed and required tyre pressure.
Four-wheel drive (4MOTION)
Thanks to its four-wheel drive, the vehicle will have plenty of traction in winter conditions, even with the standard tyres. Nevertheless, Volkswagen Com-mercial Vehicles still recommends that winter tyres or all-year tyres should be fitted on all four wheels when winter road conditions are expected, mainly because this will give a better braking response.
Please refer to the appropriate information and notes when using snow chains =>page 379.
A WARNING
The Improved winter driving characteristics afforded by the winter tyres should not en-courage you to take any risks.
• Always adapt your speed and driving style to suit visibility, weather, road and traffic con-ditions.
• Never exceed the top speed and load per-mitted for the winter tyres that are fitted.
r:Q;-.. Summer tyres should be fitted in good time at the end of the winter. The vehicle handling is better if summer tyres are fitted at temperatures above +7•c (+45.F). They are quieter, do not wear so quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
m In vehicles with a tyre monitoring system, the l!.J systems have to "re-synchronise" after wheels are changed =>page 318.
m Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealer-l!.J ships can provide details on permissible win-