tires AUDI Q5 2015 Owner's Manual

Wheels
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 inch (1.6 mm) high and are
spaced evenly around the tire per­
pendicular to the running direc­
tion ¢
fig. 205. The letters "TWI"
or triangles on the tire sidewall indicate the location of the tread­
wear indicators.
The t ires have reached the mini­
mum tread depth
l) when they
have worn down to the treadwear
indicators. Replace the tires with
new ones ¢Ai..
Wheel rotation
Rotating the wheels regularly is
recommended to ensure the tires
wear evenly . To rotate wheels, in­
stall the wheels from the rear
1> Obey any applicable regulatio ns in you r
country .
244
axle on the front axle and vice ver­
sa. This will allow the tires to
have approximately the same
length of service life .
For unidirectional tires, make sure
the tires are installed according to
the running direction indicated on
the tire sidewall ¢
page 264.
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims can of­
ten occur in locations that are hid­
den. Unusual vibrations in the ve­
hicle or pulling to one side may
indicate that there is tire damage.
Reduce your speed immediately .
Check the tires for damage. If no
damage is visible from the out­
side, drive slowly and carefully to
the nearest authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized repair facility to
have the vehicle inspected.
8_ WARNING
Tread that has worn too low or
different tread depths on the
tires can reduce driving safety.
This can especially have a nega­
tive effect on handling, on the
risk aquaplaning when driving
through water, when driving

M
through curves and when brak­ing, which increases the risk of
an accident.
Tire pressure
Fig. 206 Driver's side B-pillar : tire pres­
sure label
"' -
-~-----------------,£
<l e::=.~: I =: I :,,. I)@ g: n,.,_,......._.___. ... _.,._.. _ __. .... _ ...
leooodl__._.,_,.d:.,~w._;.,.-~ •• ._
tM£. IIZl COLO tlllf fllllESSt.lW. PNfU Nl:4fN$IOM$ "IIISaoN OE$ PMEU$ A FROID
-AYIJff -KPA. a PSI
.::. -KPA.
a PSI
Fig. 207 Tire pressure label
The correct tire pressure for tires
mounted in the factory and for
the collapsible spare tire* is indi­
cated on a label. The label is lo­
cated on the B-pillar ¢
fig. 206,
¢ fig. 207.
When the vehicle is partially load­ ed (up to 3 people), use the tire
pressure specified for normal
~ loads¢ table on page 247. If 0::
; driving the vehicle when fully V
"' V ...;
Wheels
Loaded, you must increase the tire
pressure to the maximum speci­
fied pressure¢ ,&.
Checking/correcting tire
pressure
.,..Check the tire pressure at least
once per month and also check it before every long drive .
.,..Always check the tire pressure
when the tires are
cold. Do not
reduce the pressure if it increas­
es when the tires are warm.
.,..Check the label ¢
fig. 207 for
the correct tire pressure based on vehicle load.
.,..Correct the tire pressure if nec­
essary.
.,..Vehicles with Tire Pressure Moni­
toring System*: store the modi­
fied tire pressure in the Infotain­ ment system¢
page 254 .
.,..Check the pressure in the spare
tire*. Always maintain the maxi­ mum temperature that is speci ­
fied for the tire .
_& WARNING
Always adapt the tire pressure
to your driving style and vehicle
load.
-Overloading can lead to loss of vehicle control and increase
the risk of an accident. Read
245

Wheels
and follow the important
safety precautions in
c::> page 247, Tires and vehicle
load limits.
-The tire must flex more if the
tire pressure is too low or if
the vehicle speed or load are
too high. This heats the tire up
too much. This increases the
risk of an accident because it
can cause the tire to burst and
result in loss of vehicle con­
trol.
-Incorrect tire pressure increas­
es tire wear and has a negative
effect on driving and braking
Tire pressure table
Please note that the information
contained in the following table
was correct at the time of print­
ing, and the information is sub­
ject to change. If there are differ­
ences between this information
and the tire pressures specified
on the label on the driver's side 8-pillar, always follow the specifica­
tion on the 8-pillar label
c::> page 245, fig. 206.
246
behavior, which increases the
risk of an accident.
(D Note
Replace lost valve caps to re­
duce the risk of damage to the
tire valves.
@ For the sake of the environment
Tire pressure that is too low in­
creases fuel consumption.
(D Tips
Audi recommends using the
tire pressure specified for a nor­
mal load
c::> table on page 247
or for a full load when the vehi­
cle is partially loaded.
Make sure that the tire designa­
tion on your tire matches the des­ 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. .,.

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Wheels
Model/ Tire designation Tire pressure
engine Normal load Maximum load
(up to 3 people)a)
front rear front rear
PSI
235/60 Rl8 103H
29 Q5: All Season
2.0L 235/55 Rl9 101H
4 cylinders All Season
30
and
Q5: 235/55 Rl9 101W 2
9 High Performance
3.0L
6 cylinders 255/45 R20 101W
29 High Performance
255/45 R20 101W
3
9 SQ5:
High Performance
3.0L
6 cylinders 255/40 R21 102Y XL
41
High Performance
a) 2 p
eopl e in th e fron t, 1 p ers on i n th e re arr
A WARNING
Please note the important safe­
ty precautions regarding tire pressure
¢ page 245 and load
limits
¢ page 247 .
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
lo ss of vehicle control , but can al­
so damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden
tire failure, including a blowout
kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI
20 0 29 2 00 32 220 32
2 10 30 210 33 230 33
200 2 9 200
33 2
30 33
2 00 29 2 00 33 230 33
270 39 270 41 280 41
280 36 2
50 41 2 80 42
and sudden deflation that can
cause the vehicle to crash.
kPA
220
230
2 30
230
280
2 90
Your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not ex­
c eeded. Vehicle load includes ev­
erybody and everything in and on
the vehicle. These load limits are te chnically referred to as the vehi­
cle 's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("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""
247

Wheels
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. 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
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 (including
the weight of a trailer 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.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker label located on the
248
driver's side B-pillar ~ page 245,
fig. 206.
~ 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.
-A lways 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.

Wheels
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and resu lt in loss
of vehicle control , which increases the risk of
an acc ident. For the correct tightening specifi­
cat ion, refer to
c:> page 261, After changing a
wheel.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads
in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bo lts that fit the r im .
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Aud i dealer or authorized repair
facility. Never repair or disassemble rims
you rself, because this increases the risk of
an accident.
Winter tires
W inter tires sign ificantly improve the vehicle's
handling when driving in w inter condit ions . Be­
cause of the ir construction (width, compo und,
tread pattern), summer t ires prov ide less traction
on ice and snow.
.., Use winte r tir es on all four whee ls .
.., Only use winter t ires that are approved for your
vehicle.
.., Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires
c:> .&,.
Your authorized Audi dealer or authorized re­
pai r facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires.
.., Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
c:> page 245.
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .1S7 inch (4 mm). The characteristics of w inter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages, re ­
gardless of the remaining tread.
A WARNING
-Never dr ive faste r than the maximum per­
mitted speed for your t ires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much . Th is increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst .
250
-Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic cond itions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
w inter t ires can lose traction on black ice.
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, beca use they provide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumpt ion.
(D Tips
You can a lso use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun­
tries where w inter t ires are required, only win­
ter tires with the
& symbol may be permit­
ted.
· Snow chains
Snow chains improve traction in the snow .
.., Only install snow chains on the rear wheels .
.., Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains if necessary after driving a few feet. Fol­
low the instruct ions from the manufacture r.
.., Note the maximum permitted speed when dr iv­
ing w ith snow chains . Do not exceed 30 mph
(SO km/h) .
Snow cha ins not onl y improve the
driving in w in­
ter road conditions , but also the
braking .
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons .
Check with a n author ized Audi dealer or author­
iz ed repair facility to see if you may use snow
c hains.
Use
fine-mesh snow chains. They must not add
more than 0.53 inch (13.5 mm) in he ight, includ­
i ng the cha in lock.
You must remove the chains when driving on
roads that are
free of snow. When roads are free
of snow , snow cha ins can impair hand ling and
damage the tires, and the chains will quick ly be
destroyed. .,.

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N 1.1'1 ,....,
& WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains or installing snow
chains incorrectly can result i n loss of vehicle
contro l, wh ich inc reases the r is k of an acci ­
dent.
(D Note
Snow chains can dama ge the r ims/wheel cov ­
ers * if t he chains come into d irect contact
w it h them . Remove the whee l covers * fir st .
Use coated snow chains.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect ra­
tio tires . These tires have bee n thoroughly tested
and been selected specifically fo r yo ur model fo r
the ir supe rb pe rformance, road feel and handling
u nder a va riety o f drivi ng conditions. Ask yo ur au­
thor ized Audi de aler for mo re det ail s.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indica ted by
a numeral of
55 or less i n t he tire's si ze des igna­
tion . Th e nu mera l represents the rat io of the
tire's sidewall he igh t in relation to i ts tre ad wid th
expressed in percentage. Convent iona l tires have
a height/wi dth ratio of 6 0 or mo re .
The performan ce of low-a spe ct-rati o tires i s par­
ticularly sensitive to improper inflation pre s­
sure . It is therefore important that low a spect
ratio tires are inflated to the specified p ressure
and that the inflation pressure is regularly
checked and maintained. Ti re pressures should
be checked at least once a month and always
before a long trip
c:> page 245.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim damage
Low aspect ratio t ires can be damaged more easi­
ly by impact with potholes, curbs , gullies or
ridges on the road , par ticu la rly if the t ire is un­
de rinflate d.
In order to m inim ize the occurrence of impact
damage to the t ires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
Wheels
- Always ma inta in recommended inflation pres ­
sures. Chec k your tire pressure every 2,000
m iles (3,000 km) and add a ir if necessa ry .
- Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep
gu llies o r ridges. T he impact from dr iving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to your tires.
-After any impact, immed iate ly inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest au­
thorized Audi dealer . Replace a damaged t ire as
soon as poss ible .
- Inspect your tires every 2,000 m iles (3,000 km)
for damage and wear. Damage is no t always
easy to see . Damage can lead to loss o f air and
un derinflation, wh ic h could even tually caus e
t ire failure. If you believe tha t a tir e may have
been dam age d, rep lace the t ire as soon as pos­
sible.
- These ti res may wear more quickly tha n oth ers.
- Please also remember that, wh ile these tir es
delive r respo nsive handling, they may ride less
c omfortably and m ake mo re no ise th an ot her
choices .
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
All tires a re designe d for cer ta in p urpo ses. The
l ow as pect ra tio, ultra high pe rformance tires
o rigi na lly installed on your vehicle are intende d
for maximum d ry and wet road performance and
handling. They are not suitab le f or co ld, snowy or
icy weather conditions. If you dr ive under those
c ircumstances, you shou ld equ ip your vehicle
with all-season or winter tires, wh ich offe r better
t raction unde r those co ndit ions . We suggest you
u se the recommende d snow or all-season tires
spe cified for your veh icle, o r th eir equiva le nt.
Refer to
c:> page 250 for more detailed informa­
t io n regarding w in te r tir es.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wea r
- Traction AA A B C
- Temperature ABC
251

Wheels
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between t read sho ulder and
maximum sect ion w idth
c::> page 235, fig . 204.
For example: Tr ead wear 200 , Tract ion AA, Tem­
peratu re
A .
All passenger ca r tires must confo rm to Federal
Safety Req uiremen ts in add it ion to these grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
unde r controlled conditions on a spec ified gov­
ernment test course.
For examp le, a t ire graded 150 would wear one
and one half ( 1 1/2) t imes as well on the govern­
ment course as a tire graded 100 .
The relat ive performance of t ires depends upon
the actua l conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations i n driving hab its, service practices and
d iffe rences in road character istics and clima te.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A , Band
C. Those grades represent the tire's
ab ility to stop on wet pavement as measu red u n­
de r controlled cond it ions on spec ified govern­
ment test su rfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
c::> &_ .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
a nd C, rep resent ing t he tire's res istance to the
genera tion of heat and its a bility to dis sipate
heat w hen tested unde r controlled cond itions on
a specified indoo r laboratory test whee l.
Sustained high temperature can cause the mate­ rial of the tire to degenerate and red uce tire life,
a nd excessive tempera ture can lead to sudden
tire failure
c::> &. .
The grade C co rresponds to a level of perform­
ance wh ich a ll passenge r ca r tires m ust meet un­
de r th e Federal Motor Vehicle Safety S tandard
No. 109. G rades Band A represent higher levels
252
of pe rformance on the laboratory test whee l than
the minimum required by law .
A WARNING -
The traction grade assigned to th is tire is
based on straight-ahead braking tract ion
tests, and does not include acce lerat ion, cor­
nering, hyd roplaning or peak traction charac­
teristics.
A WARNING
The temperature g rade for th is tire is estab­
lished for a tire that is properly inf lated and
n ot ove rloaded. Excess ive speed, underi nfla­
tion, o r ex cess ive lo adi ng, eithe r separately or
i n comb inat io n, can ca use heat bu ild up and
possible tire failure.
A WARNING
Tempe ratu re grades apply to ti res that are
properly inflated and not over or underinflat­
ed.
Tire pressure monitoring system
(l) General notes
App lies to vehicl es: wi th tire p ress ure mo nito rin g system
-
Each tire, incl uding the spare (if provided),
sho uld be checked monthly when co ld and inflat­
ed to the inflat ion pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or
tire inflat ion pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different s ize than the size indicated on
the ve hicle placard or t ire inflation pressu re la­
bel, you should dete rm ine the p roper t ire infla­
tion pressu re for those t ires).
As a n added safety feature, your ve hicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure mon itor ing system
( TP MS) that illum inates a low t ire pressure te ll-
ta le w hen o ne or mo re of yo ur ti res is sign ificant -
l y unde r-i nflated. According ly, w hen t he low t ire
pressure te lltale illuminates, you shou ld stop and
check yo ur tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure . Dr iving on a signifi­
cant ly under-inf lated tire causes the t ire to over­
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation .,,.

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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
malfunct ion, the telltale will flash for approxi­
mately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent veh icle 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.
Wheels
If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
indicator appears
Appl ies to vehicles : wi th t ir e p ress ure mo nito rin g system
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system malfunction.
Fig. 208 Instrument cluster: i ndicator light with message
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
RIJ and a message
¢fig. 208. If only one tire is affected, the loca­
tion 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 254. 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 245, fig . 207.
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 tir e was replaced or the tire pressure
changed and it was not stored again
c:!;> page 254.
-the collapsible spare* tire is installed.
253

Wheels
Indicator lights
ti] Loss of pressure in at least one tire c::> &­
Check the tires and replace or repa ir if necessary.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys­
tem
c::> page 254 .
ffim (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire pres­
sure: System malfunction!. If
iUm appears after
switching the ignition on or while driving and the
ti] indicator light in the instrument cluster
blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction. Try to
store the correct tire pressures
c::> page 254 . If
the indicator light does turn off or turns on again
after a short period of time, drive to your author­ ized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility imme­
diately to have the malfunction corrected.
A 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
ti re 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 .
(D 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
Equipment tires"
c::> page 242 . We recom­
mend that you use these tires .
254
· Storing tire pressures
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitor ing system
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys­
tem .
.,. Make sure before storing that the tire pressures
of all four tires meet the spec ified values and
are adapted to the load <=:>page 245.
.,. Switch the ignition on.
.,. Select: the
I CAR I funct ion key > Tir e Pressure
Monitoring System
> Yes, store now. Or
.,. Select: the
I CARI function 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.