flat tire AUDI Q3 2018 User Guide
Page 176 of 230
Wheels
differently even if they are the
same size
c::> .,&..
~ 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
c::> ,& .
If the spare tire is different from
the regular tires installed on the
vehicle - for example, if winter
tires or wide tires are installed -
then only use the spare tire tem porarily in case of emergency and
drive carefully while it is in use. It
should be replaced 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 has the same circumference as
the regular tires.
174
A 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 177 of 230
0
"' .... N
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not permitted can lead to ve
hicle damage or accidents.
-If you install wheel covers on the vehicle, make sure they allow enough air circulation to
cool the brake system. If they
do not, this could increase the risk of an accident.
Tire wear/damage
Fig. 145 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 dea ler
or authorized Audi Service Facili-
l ) Obey any applicable regulations in your
country.
Wheels
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 d irec
tion
i:::> fig. 145. The letters "TWI "
or triang les on the tire sidewall
indicate the location of the tread
wear indicators.
The tires have reached the mini mum tread depth
l ) when they
have worn down to the treadwear
indicators. Replace the tires with
new ones
i:::> .&..
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 ..,.
175
Page 180 of 230
Wheels
and the tire pressures specified
on the label on the driver's side B
pillar, always follow the specifica
tion on the B-pillar label
¢ page 176, fig. 146.
Make sure that the tire designa
tion on your tire matches the des-
Model/ Tire designation
Engine
ignation on the tire pressure label
and the tire pressure table.
The following table lists recom mended tire pressures in cold
tires according to the load and
the size of the tires installed.
Tire pressure
Normal load Maximum load
(up to 3 people)a)
front rear front rear
PSI
Q3: 235/50 Rl8 97H 32
2.0L
235/50 Rl8 97V 32
4 cylinders 255/40 Rl9 l00Y 33
255/35 R20 97Y 33
255/40 Rl9 l00H 33
a) 2 peop le in the front ; 1 perso n in the rear
.8, WARNING
Please note the important safe
ty precautions regarding tire
pressure ¢
page 176 and load
limits ¢
page 178.
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
178
kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
220 32 220 33 230 36 250
220 3 2 22 0
33 230
36 250
230 33 230 44
300 46 320
230 33 230 44 300 4
6 320
230 33 230 44 300 46 320
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
11>
Page 181 of 230
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
1 50 lbs. (68 kg) for each passen
ger at a designated seating posi
tion and the total weight of any
luggage in the vehicle. If you tow
a trailer, the weight of the trailer
hitch and the tongue weight of
the loaded trailer must be includ
ed as part of the vehicle load.
The
Gr oss Axle Weight R ating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
veh icle'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 (including
the weight of a trai ler hitch and
the tongue weight of the loaded
trailer) is limited. The more pas
sengers in the vehicle or passen
gers who are heavier than the
standard weights assumed mean
that less weight can be carried as
~ luggage.
-N
" N
-0
0
::, a)
Wheels
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.
_&. WA RNIN G
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 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 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 Veh icle Weight Rating .
179
Page 182 of 230
Wheels
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 pre ssure label)
c:::> page 176, fig. 146.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3 . Subtra ct the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or " XXX"
pounds shown on the sticker
c:::> page 176 , fig. 146 .
4. The re sulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For ex
ample, if the
"XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
180
be five 150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lb s.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lb s.)
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 ve
hicle. Con sult this manual to
determine how this reduces
the available cargo and lug gage load capacity of your vehi
cle .
~check the tire sidewall
(c:::> page 167, fig. 144) to deter
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
· Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
W heel bolts mus t be clean and loose n/tighten
eas ily.
Rims
R ims with a bo lted r im ring * or with bo lted wheel
covers" co nsist of mult ip le p ieces . T h ese compo-
n ents were bolted togethe r usin g s pec ial bolts ..,.
Page 185 of 230
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00
A WARNING 1 = -
The traction grade ass igned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor nering, hydroplaning or peak tract ion charac
teristics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is estab
lished for a t ire that is properly inflated and
no t overloaded. Excess ive speed, underinfla
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
A WARNING
Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and not over or underinflat
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring system
(!) General notes
Applies to: veh icles with tire pressure monitoring system
-
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when co ld and inflat
ed to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placa rd or
tire i nflat ion pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different s ize tha n the s ize indicated on
the veh icle placard or tire inflation pressure la
be l, yo u sh ou ld de termine the prope r tire infla
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your veh icle has been
eq uipped w ith a tire pressu re monito ring sys tem
(TPMS) that ill uminates a low tire p ress ure te ll
tale when one or more of your tires is significan t
l y under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
p ressure tellta le illuminates, you should stop and
check yo ur tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a s ignifi
cantly under-i nflated tire causes the tire to over
h eat and can lead to t ire failure . Unde r-inflation
a lso reduces fuel efficiency and t ire t read life,
Wh eel s
and may affect the vehicle 's handling an d stop
ping ability.
Please note tha t the TPM S is not a s ubstitute fo r
prope r ti re maintenance, a nd it is the dr iver's re
spons ibility to maintain co rrect t ire pressure,
even if under-inflatio n has not reached the level
to t rigge r ill umination of the TPMS low t ire pres
s ur e te lltale .
Yo ur vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys
tem is not ope rating properly. The TP MS ma l
funct ion indicator is combined with the low t ire
pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfu nction, the telltale w ill flash for app roxi
mately one m inute and t hen rema in continuously
illuminated . Thi s seque nce w ill cont inue upon
s u bsequent vehicle star t-ups as long as the mal
funct ion exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illum inated,
the system may not be able to detect o r signal
l ow tire p ressure as intended. TPMS malfunct ions
may occur fo r a v arie ty of reaso ns, including the
insta llation o f replacement or al ternate tires or
whee ls on the vehicle that p revent the TPMS
from functioning proper ly . Always check the
TPMS ma lf u nction te lltale after replac ing one or
more tires or wheels on yo ur vehicle to ensure
that the rep lacement or a lt ernate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function prope rly.
' If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
indicator appears
Applies to: vehicles wi th Tire Pressur e Mon ito ring System in·
dicator
The tire pressure indicator in the ins trument
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 c ircumfer
ence and v ibration characterist ics of the ind ividu
al tires. If the pressure changes in one o r more
whee ls, this is indicated in the inst rument cl uste r
display with t he
[IJ indica to r light and a mes
sage . If only one tire is affec ted, the locat ion of
that tire w ill be indicated. .,,.
183
Page 186 of 230
Wheels
The tire pressures must be stored in the Infotain
ment system again each time the pressures
change (switch ing between partial and full load
pressure) or after changing or replacing a tire on
your vehicle
c:::> page 184. 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
c:::> page 176, fig. 147.
Tire tread circumference and vibration character istics can change and cause a t ire 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
c:::> page 184
- the spare tire* is installed
Indicator lights
ti] -Loss of pressure in at least one tire c:::> & .
Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary.
Check/correct the p ressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the menu display
c:::> page 184.
@m (Ti re Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
pressure : System malfunction!. If@m
appears
after switching the ignit ion on or whi le driving
and the
ti] indicator light in the instrument clus
ter blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures
c:::> page 184. If
the indicator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time, dr ive to an author
ized Audi dealer or authorized Aud i Service Facili
ty immediately to have th e malfunct ion correct
ed.
_& WARNING
- If the tire pressure indicator appea rs in the
display, reduce your speed immediate ly and
avoid any hard steering or braking maneu
vers. Stop as soon as possib le and check the
t ir es and their pressure.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining the
correct tire pressure. You must check the
tire pressure regularly.
184
'
-Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
driving style, w inter conditions or unpaved
roads), the tire pressure monitoring system
ind icator may be delayed .
- Do not use run-flat tires on your vehicle. Us
ing them when not permitted can lead to
veh icle damage or accidents.
(D Tips
- The tire pressure monitor ing 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 monitor ing system in your
Audi was calibrated with "Audi Or iginal
Tires"
c:::> page 173. Using these tires is rec
ommended.
Storing tire pressures
App lies to: vehicles wit h Tire Pressure Monito rin g Syste m in
dic ator
.. Make sure before storing that the tire pressures
of all four tires meet the specified values and
are adapted to the load <=:>page
175 .
.. Switch the ignition on.
.. Select: the
I CARI funct ion button > (Car) Sys
tems *
control button > Servicing & checks >
Tire pressure monitoring > Store tire pressures
> Yes, store now.
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
are installed.
Page 193 of 230
a
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Emergency assistance
General information
.. Park the vehicle as far as poss ible from moving
traffic in the event of a breakdown. In the event
of a flat tire, park the vehicle on a leve l surface .
It you are on a steep h ill, be especially careful.
.. Set the parking brake.
.. Switch the emergency flashe rs on .
.. Put on a reflective vest .
.. Set up the warn ing triang le, if available .
.. Have the passengers exi t the veh icle. They
sho uld move to a safe place, for example be
hind a guard rail.
_& WARNING
Follow the steps given above. This is for your
protection and the for the safety of other d riv
ers.
Equipment
Vehicle tool kit
Fig. 1 48 Luggage compartmen t: ca rgo floor cover folded
upward
The vehicle tool kit is located in the luggage com
partment under the cargo floor cover .
.. Push on the plast ic hand le a nd lift up the cargo
floor.
.. Open the cargo floor.
Completely ret ract the vehicle jac k arm before
sto ring the vehicle jack*.
Em ergen cy a ssis tanc e
_& WARNING
-Applies to: ve hicles with jack
Improper use of the veh icle jack can cause se
rious pe rsonal injuries.
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
tighten wheel bolts, since the bolts cannot attain the necessa ry t ightening to rque if yo u
use the hex head, po ten tially causing an ac
cident .
- The factory-supplied jack is intended only
for your ve hicl e mode l. Under no circum
s tances shou ld it be used to lift heavy
vehicles o r other loads; you risk i njuring
yourse lf.
- Never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised, which cou ld cause an accident .
- Support the vehicle securely with appropri
ate stands if work is to be performed under
neath the vehicle; otherwise, there is a po
tential risk for injury.
- Never use the jack supplied with your Audi
on another vehicle, particularly on a heavier
one. The jack is only su itable for use on the
veh icle it came with .
{!) Tips
The vehicle jack * in your vehicle is mainte
nance-free.
Replacing wheels
Preparation
You must complete the preparation before
changing a tire .
.. Read and follow the important safety precau-
tions
<=:> page 191.
.,. Set the park ing brake .
.,. Select the P selector lever posit ion.
.,. W hen tow ing a tra iler: disconnect the trailer
from yo ur vehicle .
.. Lay out the vehi cle too l kit ¢
page 191 and the
spare tire
<=:> page 197.
191
Page 194 of 230
Emergency assistance
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if you do not follow these
safety precautions :
- If you have a flat ti re, move a safe d ista nee
off the road . Turn off the engine, turn the
emergency flashers on and use other warn·
ing devices to alert other motorists.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- To help prevent the vehicle from moving
suddenly and possibly slipping off the jack,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the front and back of the wheel diagonally
opposite the wheel being changed with the
folding chocks or other objects. When one
front wheel is lifted off the ground, placing
the Automatic Transmission in "P" (Park)
will
not prevent the vehicle from moving.
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm. If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack .
- Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack
and the replaced tire in the luggage com
partment
c:> page 102 .
(D Tips
Obey all laws.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly that
order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover* or the
wheel bolt caps*. For more details see also
<=:>page 193.
2. Loosen the wheel bolts c:> page 193.
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack and align the jack below that point
<=:>page 194.
4. Lift the car with the jack c:> page 194 .
5. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then
install the
spare tire <=:>page 195.
6. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
7.
Lower the vehicle with the jack.
192
8. Use the wheel bolt wrench and firmly tighten
all wheel bolts in a crisscross pattern
<=:>page 193.
9. Replace the decorative wheel cover* or the
wheel bolt caps*.
& WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in
formation
c:> .&. in Raising the vehicle on
page 194
and <=:>page 196.
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the do·
ing the following .
.,. Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack* and
the replaced tire in the luggage compartment
c:>page 102.
.,. Check the tire pressure of the spare tire as soon
as possible .
.,. As soon as possible, have the
tightening tor·
ques
on all wheel bolts checked with a torque
wrench. The correct tightening torque is
10S ft lbs (140 Nm).
.,. Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
(D Tips
- If you notice that the wheel bolts are cor
roded and difficult to turn while changing a
tire, they should be replaced before you check the tightening torque.
- Drive at reduced speed until you have the
tightening torques checked .
Page 198 of 230
Emergency assistance
- The wheel bolts should be clean and easy to
turn. Check for di rt and cor ros ion on the
mating s urfaces o f both the whee l an d the
h ub. Remove all dirt from t hese surfaces be
fo re remo unt ing t he wheel.
Tires with unidirectional tread design
Tires with unidirectional tread design must be
mounted with their tread pattern pointed in the
right direction.
Using a spare tire with a tread pattern intended for use in a specific direction
W hen us ing a spare ti re with a tread patte rn in
tended for use in a specific d irection, please note
the following:
- The direct ion o f rotat ion is marked by an
arrow
on the s ide of the t ire .
-If the spare tire has to be installed in the incor
rect d irection, use the spare tire only tempora
rily s ince the tire w ill not be ab le to achieve its
optimum pe rformance c haracter istics with re
gard to aq uaplaning, noise and wear .
- We recommend that you pay particular atten
tion to this fact during wet weathe r and that
yo u ad just yo ur speed to match road condi
t ions.
- Replace t he flat t ire with a new one and have it
i ns ta lled on yo ur vehicle as soon as possible to
r esto re t he handling advantages of a unidi re c
t ion al ti re.
Notes on wheel changing
Please read the info rm ation ¢ page 173, New
tires or wheels
i f you are goin g to use a s pare tire
which is d ifferent from the tires on yo ur vehicle.
Afte r you change a tire:
-Check the tire pressure on the spare immedi
ately after installation .
- Have the wheel bolt tightening torque
checked with a torque wrench as soon as pos
sible by your authorized Audi dealer or quali
fied workshop .
196
-With steel and alloy wheel rims, the wheel
bolts are cor rectly tightened at a torque of
105 ft lbs (140 Nm).
- If you notice that the wheel bolts are corroded
and difficult to turn while changing a tire,
they should be replaced before you check the
t ightening torque.
- Replace the flat tire with a new one and have
it installed on your vehicle as soon as poss i
ble. Remount the wheel cover.
Until then , drive with extra care and at reduced
speeds.
A WARNING
- If you are going to equip yo ur vehicle with
tires or r ims which diffe r from those which
we re facto ry insta lled, the n be su re to read
t he informa tion ¢
page 173, New tires or
wheels.
-Always make sure the damag ed wheel or
eve n a flat tire and t he jack and tool kit ar e
prope rly se cured in t he lu ggage comp art
me nt an d ar e no t loose in the passenge r
compa rtment.
- In an accide nt or sudde n maneuver they
co uld fly forw ard, i njuring an yon e in t he ve
h icle.
- Always s to re d amaged w hee l, jack a nd to ols
secure ly i n t he lug gage co m pa rtm ent. O th
erwise, in an a cci den t or sudden maneuve r
they cou ld fly forwar d, causing injury to pas
senge rs in the ve hicle.
(D Note
D o no t use co mm ercia lly availabl e tire se al
a nts . Ot herwise, t he e lectr ic al components of
the tire p ress ure monitor ing system * will no
l onge r wor k properly and t he sensor for t he
tire pressure monitoring system * w ill have to
be replaced by qualifie d wo rks hop.
-