Wheels
maximum permissible road
speeds. See also > A in General
information on page 214.
Tire pressure monitoring
system
means a system that detects
when one or more of a vehicle's
tires are underinflated and illumi-
nates a low tire pressure warning
telltale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread
from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the
principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees
of wear of the tread. See
=> page 223, Treadwear indicator
for more information on measur-
ing tire wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system devel-
oped by the United States Nation-
al Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration (NHTSA) that is designed
to help buyers make relative com-
220
parisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rating and not a guar-
antee that a tire will last fora
prescribed number of miles (kilo-
meters) or perform ina certain
way. It simply gives tire buyers ad-
ditional information to combine
with other considerations, such as
price, brand loyalty and dealer
recommendations. Under UTQG,
tires are graded by the tire manu-
facturers in three areas: tread-
wear, traction, and temperature
resistance. The UTQG information
on the tires, molded into the side-
walls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN)
This is the tire’s “serial number”.
It begins with the letters “DOT”
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The next
two numbers or letters indicate
the plant where it was manufac-
tured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year of
manufacture. For example,
DOT... 2220...
means that the tire was produced
in the 22nd week of 2020. The
other numbers are marketing co-
des that may or may not beused >
8S1012721BE
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 226) and dividing by
two.
Occupant loading and distri-
bution for vehicle normal load
for various designated seating
capacities
Refer to the tire inflation pres-
sure label > page 224, fig. 178
for the number of seating posi-
tions. Refer to the table > table
on page 226 for the number of
people that correspond to the ve-
hicle 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.
> Applies to: RS models: Only use
tires with the same design, size
(rolling circumference), and the
same tread pattern on all four
wheels.
>Do not replace tires individually.
At least replace both tires on the
same axle at the same time.
221
>
8S1012721BE
Wheels
—Do not use run-flat tires on —Have an authorized Audi dealer
your vehicle. Using them when or authorized Audi Service Facili-
not permitted can lead to ve- ty check the wheel alignment if
hicle damage or accidents. there is unusual wear.
—If you install wheel covers on —Have the wheels rebalanced if an
the vehicle, make sure they al- imbalance is causing noticeable
low enough air circulation to vibration in the steering wheel.
cool the brake system. If they If you do not, the tires and other
do not, this could increase the vehicle components could wear
risk of an accident. more quickly.
Treadwear indicator
Original equipment tires contain
. 5 treadwear indicators in the tread
3 pattern, which are bars that are
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high and are
spaced evenly around the tire per-
pendicular to the running direc-
' tion > fig. 176. The letters “TWI”
Fig. 176 Tire profile: treadwear indica- or triangles on the tire sidewall
tor indicate the location of the tread-
Tire wear 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.
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.
1) Obey any applicable regulations in the
country where the vehicle is being oper-
ated.
223
8S1012721BE
Wheels
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
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 vehi-
cle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
ing (“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.
The Gross Axle Weight Rating
(“GAWR”) is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle’s two axles.
The 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 is limited.
The more passengers in the vehi-
cle or passengers who are heavier
than the standard weights as-
sumed mean that less weight can
be carried as luggage.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli-
ance sticker label located on the
driver’s side B-pillar.
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
227
Wheels
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 ona 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
does not make the vehicle
heavier than the vehicle’s
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
Determining correct load
Ths
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
228
LBS” on your vehicle’s placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
=> page 224, fig. 178.
. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas-
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
. Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from “XXX” kilograms or “XXX”
pounds shown on the sticker
=> page 224, fig. 178.
. 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
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.)
. 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.
. If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your >
8S1012721BE
Wheels
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 > A.
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform-
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un-
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
ZA\ WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning or peak traction charac-
teristics.
ZA\ WARNING
The temperature 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 separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
Z\ WARNING
Temperature grades apply to tires that are
properly inflated and not over or underinflat-
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring
system
(1) General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and inflat-
ed to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or
tire
inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la-
bel, you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell-
tale when one or more of your tires is significant-
ly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency 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 driver's re-
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres-
sure telltale.
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.
231
Wheels
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 circumfer-
ence and vibration characteristics of the individu-
al tires. If the pressure changes in one or more
tires, this is indicated in the Infotainment system
display with an indicator light (J and a message.
If only one tire is affected, the location of that
tire will be indicated.
The tire pressures must be stored in the Infotain-
ment system again each time the pressures
change (switching between partial and full load
pressure) or after changing or replacing a tire on
your vehicle > page 232. The tire pressure moni-
toring system only monitors the tire pressure you
have stored. Refer to the tire pressure label for
the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle
=> page 224, fig. 178.
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 tire has structural damage
— The tire was replaced or the tire pressure was
changed and it was not stored > page 232
— The spare tire” is installed
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 if necessary. Check/correct the
pressures of all four tires and store the pressure
again in the Infotainment system > page 232.
iis Tire pressure: malfunction! See owner's
manual
ft oS 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-
232
function. Try to store the correct tire pressures
=> page 232. 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.
Z\ 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.
— Do not use run-flat tires on your vehicle. Us-
ing them when not permitted can lead to ve-
hicle damage or accidents.
(i) Tips
— 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 227. Audi recommends using
these tires.
Storing tire pressures
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 Infotainment sys-
tem.
> 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 223.
8S1012721BE
Wheels
> Switch the ignition on.
> Select in the Infotainment system: the [MENU
button > Vehicle > left control button > Service
& checks > Tire pressure monitoring.
G) Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
are installed.
Tire pressure monitoring
system
(1) General notes
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and inflat-
ed to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or
tire
inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la-
bel, you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a Low tire pressure tell-
tale when one or more of your tires is significant-
ly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency 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 driver's re-
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres-
sure telltale.
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.
Applies to: vehicles with tire pressure monitoring system
The tire pressure monitoring system monitors
the pressure in the four tires when driving.
The system uses sensors that measure the tem-
perature and pressure in the tires. The data is
sent from these sensors to the control module by
radio frequency.
The tire pressure monitoring system shows the
current pressures and temperatures of the tires
in the Infotainment system while driving
=> page 234. It also compares the current tire
pressures with the stored tire pressures and
gives a warning if the tire pressure is different
from what is stored > page 234.
The system does not detect if the stored tire
pressures match the recommended tire pres-
sures. You must store the tire pressures again in
each of the following situations > page 235:
— Each time the tire pressures change, for exam-
ple when the load in the vehicle changes
— After replacing a tire
— If wheels with new wheel sensors are used
ZX WARNING
—The tire pressure monitoring system assists
the driver in monitoring tire pressures. The [>
233