2021 AUDI A4 load capacity

8W1012721BC
Trailer towing

Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
eT e e eeu)
Your vehicle is primarily intended for transport-
ing people and luggage. However, if you drive
with a trailer, follow the technical requirements,
the operation and driving tips, and the legal reg-
ulations.
Driving with a trailer affects the vehicle's energy
usage, performance, and wear. It also requires
higher concentration from the driver.

Z\ WARNING
Do not transport any people in a trailer due to
the risk of fatal injury.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch

Only use a trailer hitch with a removable ball
hitch mount and ball hitch. The trailer hitch must
be permitted for the vehicle, the trailer and the
permitted total weight of the trailer being
pulled. Above all, it must be securely and safely
attached to the vehicle trailer.
Never mount a trailer hitch on the bumper. The
trailer hitch must be mounted in a way that does
not impair the function of the bumper. Do not
make any changes to the exhaust system and the
brake system.
Check regularly if the trailer hitch is securely
mounted. Always follow the instructions given by
the trailer hitch manufacturer.
Trailer brakes
If the trailer has its own brake system, then fol-
low the manufacturer specifications. However,
the brake system on the trailer must never be
connected to the vehicle brake system.
Engine cooling system
Driving with a trailer means a higher load on the
engine and the cooling system. The cooling sys-
tem must be designed for additional load and
contain enough coolant > @®.
CG) Note
Longer inclines cannot be driven without a
suitable cooling system, especially if the out-
side temperatures are high. Otherwise, this
increases the risk of engine damage.
Operating instructions
Towing capacity
Your vehicle can only be operated with class 1 or
class 2 trailers.
Load distribution
Poor cargo load and distribution can negatively
impact vehicle handling. Load the trailer based
on the following criteria as much as possible:
— Store objects in the vehicle luggage compart-
ment, if possible. The vehicle should always
carry the heaviest possible load and the trailer
should have the lightest possible load.
— Distribute the load in the trailer so that the
heavy objects are as close to the axle as possi-
ble.
— Secure objects so that they do not slide.
— Utilize the maximum permitted tongue weight
if possible.
Tires
Set the tire pressure on your vehicle for a “full
load”; see the tire pressure sticker > page 245. If
necessary, also adjust the tire pressure on the
trailer according to the manufacturer's specifica-
tions.
The trailer and the vehicle should be equipped
with winter tires when driving in winter tempera-
tures.
Outside mirrors
If you cannot see the traffic behind the trailer
with the standard exterior mirrors, then you
must attach additional exterior mirrors. Adjust
them so you have a sufficient visibility behind
you.
Exterior lighting
Follow the legal regulations for lighting on your
trailer that are applicable in the country where
115
>

Wheels

Tire designations
© 2 2 x ©
oO


Fig. 165 Tire designations on the side-
wall
@ Tires for passenger vehicles
(if applicable)
“P” indicates a tire for a passen-
ger vehicle. “T” indicates a tire
designated for temporary use.
@ Nominal width
Nominal width of the tire be-
tween the sidewalls in millime-
ters. In general: the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
@) Aspect ratio
Height/width ratio expressed asa
percentage.
236
@ Tire construction
“R” indicates a radial tire.
©) Rim diameter
Size of the rim diameter in inches.
© Load index and speed rating
The load index indicates the tire's
load-carrying capacity.
The speed rating indicates the
maximum permitted speed. Also
see > A in General information on
page 235.
“EXTRA LOAD”, “xl” or “RF” indi-
cates that the tire is reinforced or
is an Extra Load tire.






Speed rat- /Maximum permitted speed
ing
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (160 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
Ss up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
Vv up to 149 mph (240 km/h)?
Zz above 149 mph (240 km/h)?)
w up to 168 mph (270 km/h)?
Y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)

@ For tires above 149 mph (240 km/h),
tire manufacturers sometimes use the
code “ZR”.

Wheels

Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto-
matic transmission, power steer-
ing, power brakes, power win-
dows, power seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-in-
stalled equipment (whether in-
stalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the width of the tire in percent.
Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a
low sidewall for improved steer-
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the bead.
238
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufac-
turer for a tire of a designated
size that has not been driven for
more than a couple of miles (kilo-
meters) at low speeds in the three
hour period before the tire pres-
sure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor ve-
hicle with standard equipment in-
cluding the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi-
tioning and additional weight of
optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in-
flation pressures than the corre-
sponding standard tire. Extra load
tires may be identified as “XL”,
“xl”, “EXTRA LOAD”, or “RF” on
the sidewall.

8W1012721BC
Wheels

Gross Axle Weight Rating
(“GAWR’”)
means the load-carrying capacity
of a single axle system, measured
at the tire-ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(“GVWR”)
means the maximum total loaded
weight of the vehicle.
Groove
means the space between two ad-
jacent tread ribs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a
tire is rated to carry for a given in-
flation pressure. You may not find
this information on all tires be-
cause it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at
the maximum permissible infla-
tion pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible)
inflation pressure
means the maximum cold infla-
tion pressure to which a tire may
be inflated. Also called “maxi-
mum inflation pressure.”
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the to-
tal seating capacity of your vehi-
cle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants
in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an
inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance be-
tween the exteriors of the side-
walls of an inflated tire, including
elevations due to labeling, deco-
rations, or protective bands or
ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords.
239

Wheels

by the tire manufacturer. This in-
formation is used to contact con-
sumers if a tire defect requires a
recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and lug-
gage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilo-
grams) times the vehicle's desig-
nated seating capacity.
Vehicle maximum load on the
tire
means that load on an individual
tire that is determined by distrib-
uting to each axle its share of the
maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual
tire that is determined by distrib-
uting to each axle its share of the
curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (dis-
tributed in accordance with > ta-
ble on page 247) and dividing by
two.
Occupant loading and distri-
bution for vehicle normal load
for various designated seating
capacities
Refer to the tire inflation pressure
label > page 245, fig. 168 for the
242
number of seating positions. Re-
fer to the table > table on
page 247 for the number of peo-
ple that correspond to the vehicle
normal load.
New tires or wheels
Audi recommends having all work
on tires or wheels performed by
an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility.
These facilities have the proper
knowledge and are equipped with
the required tools and replace-
ment parts.
>New tires do not yet have the
optimal gripping properties.
Drive carefully and at moderate
speeds for the first 350 miles
(500 km) with new tires.
> Only use tires with the same de-
sign, size (rolling circumfer-
ence), and as close to the same
tread pattern as possible on all
four wheels.
>Do not replace tires individually.
At least replace both tires on the
same axle at the same time.
> Audi recommends using Audi
Genuine Tires. If you would like
to use different tires, please
note that the tires may perform >

8W1012721BC
Wheels



Z\ 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 in-
crease 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 control and a crash.
—Always make sure that the to-
tal load being transported -
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 vehicle will not be overload-
ed.
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCU-
PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS” on your vehicle’s placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
=> page 245, fig. 168.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas-
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from “XXX” kilograms or “XXX”
pounds shown on the sticker
=> page 245, fig. 168.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For ex-
ample, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will >
249

Wheels

be five 150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650
lbs.)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely ex-
ceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calculat-
ed in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehi-
cle. Consult this manual to de-
termine how this reduces the
available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
>Check the tire sidewall
(=> page 236, fig. 165) to deter-
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easily.
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
disassemble them > A\.
250

ZA 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 accident. For the correct tightening specifi-
cation, see > page 266, 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 yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident.
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 traction
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 > A\ in
General information on page 235. 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 245.
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, regardless
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.

Index

ExteriOmmirrorssecs os asco w 6 aeons vo ween 9 we 55
Folding settings............. eee eee eee 34
External voice operation................. 27
F
Factory default settings
Multi Media Interface................. 213
Fast route............ 0.0.0.0. . cee eee 182
Favorites... 0.2.0.0... cee eee eee eee 21
BIW@tOOth): < seca ss ceca s i yews se ees 2s 215
NaViGatiOnices ss sescsus so aves + ware eo nena 183
Telephone ..........0 00 cece eee eee 167
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) . 284
File formats (media drives).............. 207
Filling
Tank capacities.......... eee eee eee 287
For the sake of the environment
Disposing of engine oil................ 226
FOGUING's « « supe ¢ ¢ cause 5s same 7 2 eee a eae 218
LOAKS ice ie x erences = 6 caenene a 6 aueuioe we axons 6 eae 222
Forward gear
refer to Gears... . eee eee eee 97
Free text search
Media... .... eee ee eee eee 206
RadiO sys = ¢ seove + © sees ¢ crews ge pew Es 195
also refer to Intelligent search.......... 182
Freeze protection
Coolant... ... 2... eee eee eee 227
Windshield washer system............. 233
Frequency band..........-....--.000-5 193
also refer to Frequency band........... 193
Front center armrest..............02 0005 66
Front passenger’s seat adjustment
REAR « ieiam co nasi 3 onan + wR Ts HeEEE Be RO 65
Front wiper blades
Changing.......... 00. c eee ee eee eee 59
Cleaning... .. cece eee 59
Fuel... 2. eee eee eee 217
AGGItIVES: = ess = ven e = sees os owen ee xe 218
CUFrFeENE CONSUMPTION ¢ & sesso 6 3 ese ao eee 16
Fueldisplay....... 2... cece eee eee eee 12
GaSOliNGs « sees ss ween oe eee ce een es es 217
Reducing fuel consumption............ 102
Tank capacity...........0 ee eee eee eee 287
292
Fueling
Fuel filler door. ....... 0... cece eee eee 218
Fuel filler door emergency release....... 220
Functions on demand...............4.. 175
Functions that require a license.......... 75S
also refer to Functions on demand....... 175
Fuses
ASSIQNMENKS « & senses o 8 mnmors & & mamens @ & inerer 273
Replacing......... 0. cece eee eee eee 272
G
Garage door opener...........0..000 eee 48
Garment hooks ...... 2... 0c e eee eee eee 83
GaSOUME sscwee a 2 evarnes a a omawwes vx amos ow vase 2 217
Additives... 0.0.0... eee e cece eee eee 218
GasOliNe MIXtURE cnn « : seam ct same & 2 Hew 217
GAWR
refer to Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) . 287
GOSTSics + nayss = = pees = yeu se eeUR GE ROUSE 97
Glossary of tire and loading terminology... 238
Glove compartment.............--000-05 83
Valet parking: « < ews + ¢ sees se news oe ees 48
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)........ 287
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)...... 287
GVWR
refer to Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) .............0000.0005 287
H
Handstreess «sss x i souness 6 0 annwine «a auaware x 163
Hands Free: Profiles «3 inisa ao inesow a vow & 163
Head-up display
Adjusting. ........... 0c cee eee eee eee 25
Adjusting the brightness................ 55
Operatings « : vem « x ewe 5 ¢ eee g 7 eee oe 25
Headlight range control................0. §1
H@AdLIQtS: ¢ = xcs ¢ < eees x = Resa cB eS ea 51
Gleanings « 2 svc so wes 2 wea ee res ees 256
Headlight range control................ 51
Washer system.........--00 eee eee eee 58
Washer system (filling washer fluid) .... . 233
Head restraints < seus « s ems s + sates =v egops se 67
Heated rear window...........0 eee eee 93
Heated steering wheel..............000.. 93
Heating...........0.. 00.0. cee 90