2021 AUDI A4 tires

8W1012721BC
Wheels

Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys-
tem is not operating properly. The TPMS mal-
function indicator 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 will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal-
function exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
If the tire pressure monitoring indicator
appears
Applies to: vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitoring 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-
ing system compares the tire tread circumference
and vibration characteristics of the individual
tires. If the pressure changes in one or more
tires, this is indicated in the instrument cluster
display with an indicator light @ and a message.
If only one tire is affected, the location of that
tire will be indicated.
The tire pressures must be stored again each
time you change the pressures (switching be-
tween partial and full load pressure) or after
changing or replacing a tire on your vehicle
=> page 254. The tire pressure monitoring system
only monitors the tire pressure you have stored.
Refer to the tire pressure label for the recom-
mended tire pressure for your vehicle
= page 245, fig. 168.
Tire tread circumference and vibration character-
istics can change and cause a tire pressure warn-
ing if:
— The tire pressure in one or more tires is too low
— The tires have structural damage
— The tire was replaced or the tire pressure was
changed and it was not stored > page 254
— Tires that are only partially used are replaced
with new tires
Indicator lights
If the @ indicator light turns on, there is a loss
of pressure in at least one tire .> A\ Check the
tires and replace or repair if necessary. Check and
correct the pressures of all four tires and store
the pressure again > page 254.
ia Tire pressure: malfunction! See owner's
manual
fi appears after switching the ignition on or
while driving and the @ indicator light in the in-
strument cluster blinks for approximately one
minute and then stays on, there is system mal-
function. Try to store the correct tire pressures
=> page 254. In some cases, you must drive for
several minutes after storing the pressures until
the indicator light turns off. If the indicator light
does turn off or turns on again after a short peri-
od of time, drive to an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility immediately to
have the malfunction corrected.

ZA WARNING
— If the tire pressure indicator appears in the
display, reduce your speed immediately and
avoid any hard steering or braking maneu-
vers. Stop as soon as possible and check the
tires and their pressure.
— The driver is responsible for maintaining the
correct tire pressure. You must check the
tire pressure regularly.
— Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
driving style, winter conditions, or unpaved
roads), the tire pressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed.

253

Wheels

—The tire pressure monitoring system can al-
so stop working when there is an ESC mal-
function.
— Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
— The tire pressure monitoring system in your
Audi was calibrated with “Audi Original
Tires” > page 242. Audi recommends using
these tires.
Selene Ma e-w egy
Applies to: vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitoring System in-
dicator
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the system.
> Before storing the tire pressures, make sure the
tire pressures in all four tires meet the speci-
fied values and are adapted to the load
=> page 245.
> Switch the ignition on.
> Applies to MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Settings & Service > Tire pressure
monitoring > Store tire pressure > Yes, store
now.
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
are installed.
254

8W1012721BC
Care and cleaning

Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi-
cle's value. It can also be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The required cleaning and care products can be
obtained from an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Service Facility. Read and follow the in-
structions for use on the packaging.

ZA\ WARNING
— Using cleaning and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
— Always store cleaning and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the risk of poi-
soning.

@ For the sake of the environment
— Purchase environmentally-friendly cleaning
products if possible.
— Do not dispose of cleaning and care prod-
ucts with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the ve-
hicle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect.
Before washing, rinse off heavy deposits with
plenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once
road salt stops being used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your vehicle with a pressure wash-
er, always follow the operating instructions pro-
vided with the pressure washer. This is especially
important in regard to the pressure and spraying
distance. Do not aim the spray directly at the
seals on the side windows, doors, lids or the sun-
roof* or at tires, rubber hoses, insulating materi-
al, sensors* or camera lenses*. Keep a distance of
at least 16 inches (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use cone nozzles or high pressure nozzles.
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °C).
Automatic car wash
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof* are closed
and the windshield wipers are off. Make sure that
the vehicle is still able to roll during the washing
process in the car wash. Follow instructions from
the car wash operator, especially if there are ac-
cessories attached to your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes.
Washing by hand
Clean the vehicle starting from the top and work-
ing downward using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush. Use solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To reduce the risk of damaging the paint when
washing, first remove dust and large particles
from your vehicle. Insects, grease spots, and fin-
gerprints are best removed with a special cleaner
for matte finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To re-
duce the risk of damaging the paint surface, do
not use too much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft micro-
fiber cloth.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a chamois.

Z\ WARNING
—To reduce the risk of accidents, only wash
the vehicle when the ignition is off and

255

Care and cleaning


follow the instructions from the car wash
operator.
—To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash-
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
— After washing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to moisture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter. This in-
creases the risk of an accident. The brakes
must be dried with a few careful brake appli-
cations.

@) Note
— If you wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash, you must fold the exterior mirrors in
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
—To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not wash
decorative decals* with a pressure washer.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitchen
sponges, or similar items.
— When washing matte finish painted vehicle
components:
— To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polishing agents or hard
wax.
— Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
— Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle components painted with
matte finish paint. The paint could be
damaged when the stickers or magnets
are removed.
Power folding exterior mirrors* must only
be folded in and out using the power folding
function.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the rims
and tires, compare the width between the
wheels on your vehicle with the distance be-
tween the guide rails in the car wash.
—To reduce the risk of damage, compare the
height and width of your vehicle with the
height and width of the inside of the car
wash.
(*) For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facilities specially de-
signed for that purpose. This will reduce the
risk of dirty water contaminated with oil from
entering the sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individual vehicle
components, refer to the following tables. The
information contained there is simply recommen-
dations. For questions or for components that
are not listed, consult an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility. Also follow
the information found in > A.
Exterior cleaning



Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper | Deposits Soft cloth with glass cleaner, > page 59
blades
Headlights/ Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution®
tail lights
Sensors/ Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with a solvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol-free cleaning sol-
ution
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent-free de-icing spray >

256

Emergency assistance

Using the ti

Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit


B8K-1475



— If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical
attention immediately.
— Keep the tire sealant away from children.


Fig. 170 Tire: tire damage that cannot be repaired
The tire repair is only meant for temporary use.
Change the damaged tire as soon as possible
oA.
If the tire is pierced by an object such as a nail,
do not remove the object from the tire.
The tire mobility kit can be used at temperatures
as low as -4 °F (-20 °C).
The tire mobility kit must not be used:
—If the tire has cuts or punctures that are larger
than 0.16 in (4 mm) @ ° fig. 170
— If the rim is damaged (2)
— If you have driven with very low tire pressure or
without air in the tire @)
See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance in these situations.

Z\ WARNING
— Please note that the tire mobility kit cannot
be used in all situations, and that it may on-
ly be used temporarily.
— The tire sealant must not come in contact
with skin, eyes, or clothing.
— If tire sealant comes into contact with your
eyes or your skin, thoroughly rinse the af-
fected area immediately with clean water.
— Do not inhale the fumes.
— If you swallow any of the tire sealant, thor-
oughly rinse your mouth immediately and
drink a lot of water. Do not induce vomiting.
Seek medical attention immediately.
— Change your clothing immediately if it
comes into contact with tire sealant.



262
(i) Tips
— If sealant leaks, allow it to dry in place. You
can then peel it off like a sticker.
— Note the expiration date on the sealant bot-
tle. Replace the tire sealant at an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility.
— Radio reception can be interrupted when
operating the compressor.
— Follow the legal regulations that are appli-
cable in the country where you are operating
the vehicle.

Repairing tires
Applies to: vehicles with tire mobility kit

RAZ-0054)



Fig. 172 Tire mobility kit connection
Requirement: the tire mobility kit must be laid
out and ready for use > page 261.

8W1012721BC
Emergency assistance

bracket on the jack @) completely covers the
notch on the vehicle.
> Align the vehicle jack so the bracket (@) covers
the notch and the base (2) is flat on the ground.
The base @) must be directly under the mount-
ing point @.
> Mount the crank on the vehicle jack: insert the
crank into the opening on the handwheel. Turn
the crank to the left or right to secure it.
> Continue raising the vehicle jack with the crank
until the wheel lifts off the ground slightly.


ZA WARNING
—To reduce the risk of injury, make sure no
one is in the vehicle before raising it.
— Make sure the vehicle jack is stable. The risk
of injury is increased when the ground is
slippery or soft, because the vehicle jack
could slide or sink.
— Only raise your vehicle with the vehicle jack
provided by the factory. If you use a vehicle
jack designed for another vehicle, your vehi-
cle could slip and cause injury.
— Position the vehicle jack only at the desig-
nated mounting points on the side sill and
align the jack. Otherwise, the vehicle jack
could slip and cause an injury if it does not
have sufficient hold on the vehicle.
—To reduce the risk of injury, do not raise any
other vehicles or other loads using the vehi-
cle jack provided by the factory.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, never start
the
engine when the vehicle is raised.
—To reduce the risk of injury, no work should
be performed under the vehicle while it is
raised.

() Note
Do not lift the vehicle by the sill. Position the
vehicle jack only at the designated mounting
points on the side sill. Otherwise, your vehicle
could be damaged.
Removing and installing a wheel
| B8K-1479

Fig. 178 Wheel: alignment pin in the top hole
Removing a wheel
> Remove the top wheel bolt completely using
the hex socket in the screwdriver handle from
the vehicle tool kit > fig. 177 and place it ona
clean surface.
> Then install the alignment pin from the vehicle
tool kit in the empty wheel bolt hole by hand
> fig. 178.
> Remove the rest of the wheel bolts.
>» Remove the wheel >(). The alignment pin re-
mains in the hole while doing this.
Installing a wheel
Read the directions on > page 266 when instal-
ling unidirectional tires.
> Slide the wheel on over the alignment pin >@.
> Install the wheel bolts and tighten them gently
using the hex socket.
> Remove the alignment pin and tighten the re-
maining wheel bolt.
> Carefully lower the vehicle using the vehicle
jack*.
> Tighten the wheel bolts in a diagonal pattern
using the wheel wrench*.
265

Emergency assistance

The wheel bolts must be clean and loosen and
tighten easily. Check the contact surfaces for the
wheel and hub. Contaminants on these surfaces
must be removed before installing the wheel.

ZA\ WARNING
— Read and follow the important information
and notes under > page 242.
— Never use the hex socket in the screwdriver
handle or the hex socket wrench with the
ratchet to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.
This increases the risk of an accident, be-
cause you will not be able to achieve the cor-
rect tightening specification.
@) Note
When removing or installing the wheel, the
rim
could hit the brake rotor and damage the
rotor. Work carefully and have a second per-
son help you.
Unidirectional tires
A unidirectional tire profile is identified by arrows
on the tire sidewall that point in the running di-
rection. You must always maintain the specified
running direction. This is necessary to ensure the
tire's optimal performance in regard to adhesion,
running noise, and friction, and to reduce the risk
of hydroplaning.

To benefit fully from the advantages of the uni-
directional tire design, you should replace faulty
tires as soon as possible and restore the correct
running direction on all of the tires.
> Reinstall the caps on the wheel bolts if necessa-
ry.
> Store the vehicle tool kit in its designated
place.
> If the removed wheel does not fit in the spare
wheel well, store it securely in the luggage
compartment > page 83.
> Check the tire pressure on the installed wheel
as soon as possible.
> Correct the tire pressure and store it in the MMI
=> page 254.
266
> The wheel bolt tightening specification must be
90 ft lbs (120 Nm). Have it checked as soon as
possible with a torque wrench. Drive carefully
until then.
> Have the faulty wheel replaced as quickly as
possible.
Space-saving spare tire
Applies to: vehicles with space-saving spare tire (Compact
spare tire)
The spare tire is intended for short-term use only.
Have the damaged tire checked and replaced if
necessary by an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility as soon as possible.
There are some restrictions on the use of the
compact spare tire. The compact spare tire has
been designed specifically for your type of vehi-
cle. Do not replace it with the spare tire from an-
other type of vehicle.
The compact spare tire is located in the luggage
compartment under the cargo floor cover
=> page 261.
The tire pressure must be adjusted to a specified
value listed on the tire pressure sticker
=> page 245, fig. 168.
Snow chains
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains on
the compact spare tire is not permitted.
If you have to drive with snow chains and a front
tire fails, mount the spare tire in place of a rear
tire. Install the snow chains on the rear tire that
you removed, and install that in place of the
front tire that failed.

ZA\ WARNING
— After installing a spare tire, the tire pressure
must be checked as soon as possible.
— Do not drive faster than SO mph (80 km/h)
with a compact spare tire. Driving faster
than that increases the risk of an accident.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, avoid hard
acceleration or braking and driving fast
around curves with the compact spare tire.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, never drive
with more than one compact spare tire. >

8W1012721BC
Emergency assistance


— Normal summer or winter tires must not be
mounted on the compact spare wheel rim.

() Note
Secure the spare tire in the spare tire well us-
ing
the handwheel in order to reduce the risk
of damage to other components.
Collapsible spare tire
Applies to: vehicles with collapsible spare tire
The collapsible spare tire is intended for short-
term use only. Have the damaged tire checked
and replaced if necessary by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility as soon
as possible.
There are some restrictions on the use of the col-
lapsible spare tire. The collapsible spare tire has
been designed specifically for your type of vehi-
cle. Do not replace it with the collapsible spare
tire from another type of vehicle.
The collapsible spare tire is located in the lug-
gage compartment under the cargo floor cover.
Requirement: the vehicle tool kit > page 261 and
the compressor must be laid out.
Removing
> Lift the cargo floor using the handle.
> Turn the handwheel counter-clockwise and re-
move it.
> Remove the collapsible spare tire.
You must inflate the collapsible spare tire before-
hand in order to use it.
Inflating
> Remove the valve cap from the collapsible
spare tire.
> Tighten the compressor hose on the collapsible
spare tire valve.
> Connect the compressor hose to a vehicle sock-
et and switch it on.
> Let the compressor run until the specified value
on the tire pressure sticker is reached
> page 245, fig. 168 > ©.
> Screw the valve cap back onto the valve.
Returning to storage
> To release air, turn the valve insert. See an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
> Turn the valve insert back once the air has been
released.
>» Wait several hours before placing the collapsi-
ble spare tire in the spare wheel well. Only then
will it fold down completely so that you can
store it securely.
> Then screw the valve cap back onto the valve.
> Secure the collapsible spare tire with the hand-
wheel.
>» Fold the cargo floor cover back into place.
Snow chains
Using snow chains on the collapsible spare tire is
not permitted for technical reasons.
If you have to drive with snow chains and a front
tire fails, mount the collapsible spare tire in place
of a rear tire. Install the snow chains on the rear
tire that you removed, and install that in place of
the front tire that failed.

Z\ WARNING
— Only use the collapsible spare tire in emer-
gencies and drive very carefully, especially if
it is more than six years old.
— The compressor and the hose can become
very hot during operation which increases
the risk of burn injuries.
— After installing a collapsible spare tire, the
tire pressure must be checked as quickly as
possible to reduce the risk of an accident.
— Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)
with the collapsible spare tire. Driving faster
than that increases the risk of an accident.
— To reduce the risk of an accident, avoid hard
acceleration or braking and driving fast
around curves with the collapsible spare
tire.
— Never drive using more than one collapsible
spare tire, because this increases the risk of
an accident.
— Normal tires or winter tires must not be
mounted on the collapsible spare tire rim.

267